Monday, 8 June 2015

The Story Behind Our Education System

The current education system is not making the best use of the most precious natural resource this country possesses - its next generation. India needs an education system that evokes interest and stimulates children, providing them with the opportunity they need and deserve to fulfill their potential. This means providing a curriculum of practical and vocational learning with theoretical study.
We must recognise that children are individuals with different talents, dreams and aspirations. Not every child learns in the same way. Therefore, we need to develop a system that is based on a strong common core of essential skills and knowledge, which allows children to develop their own talents and aspirations. We must support children in discovering what they enjoy doing and are good at, and who they want to be in life. And we must encourage and support teachers and schools in responding to these different needs.
Some countries have a way better system of education that we can learn from and incorporate the same structure in our education setup. The British multinational Publication Company, Pearson, recently released their global report ranking nations of the world based on major factors in education, such as expenditure per student, GDP, graduation rates, etc. South Korea topped the rankings again this year, but Finland which is well known for its excellence in education fell to 5th place.
Some of the key findings of the report:
  • East Asian nations continue to outperform others. South Korea tops the rankings, followed by Japan (2nd), Singapore (3rd) and Hong Kong (4th). The education systems of all these countries prize efforts above inherited ‘smartness’, and have clear learning out. They have a strong culture of accountability and engagement among a broad community of stakeholders
  • Scandinavian countries, traditionally strong performers, are showing signs of losing their edge. Finland, the 2012 Index leader, has fallen to 5th place; and Sweden is down from 21st to 24th
  • Notable improvements include Israel (up 12 places to 17th), Russia (up 7 places to 13th) and Poland (up four places to 10th).
  • Developing countries populate the lower half of the Index, with Indonesia again ranking last of the 40 nations covered, preceded by Mexico (39th) and Brazil (38th).
10 Countries with best education and top Universities
CHANGE
 The top 10 countries with the world’s best education system and top universities are:
 1. South Korea











 Seoul National University; Image Source: http://www.yuseungkim.com/files/ui5.jpg
 2. Japan








University of Tokyo; Image Source:                                                                                         http://tmi.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/english/images/admission_img01.jpg

 3. Singapore











National University of Singapore; Image Source:                                                             http://classic.marshall.usc.edu/assets/064/14380.jpg
 4. Hong Kong













 5. Finland













 6. United Kingdom


Queen Mary University of London; Image Source: http://www.qmul.ac.uk/images/undergrad/64207.jpg
 7. Canada


 8. Netherlands



Maastricht University; Image Source: http://www.sigmainvestments.nl/board/sbebuilding.jpg
 9. Ireland



Trinity College, Dublin; Image Source:                                                                                http://www.ifsa-butler.org/images/stories/sig/program-cities/tcd/TrinityCollegeDublin.jpg
 10. Poland

Every nation requires people with passion, know how, initiative, creativity, and knowledge; people who can get along with others, who know when to listen and when to lead. These skills and abilities cannot be gained in the classroom alone; they come from ‘practical learning’–learning by doing things for real, working with experts, and combining theory with practice. Young people will learn if they see learning as important, meaningful and worthwhile.
India needs to find its place among the best in terms of education!




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Monday, 1 June 2015

The Most Beautiful And Breathtaking Places In The World

Being an avid traveler I have been all over the world, but I have a few favorites that need a special mention!
THE WONDERS OF CAIRO
Cairo, city of a thousand Minarets is a mesmerizing sight for the sore eyes. Set on river Nile the sprawling capital has Tahrir Square and the Egyptian Museum in its heart. I feel this city is the best place to explore Egyptian culture and history. The mysterious city boasts of Giza which is the site of magnificent pyramids and mysterious mummies.
 


City of Thousand Minarets, Cairo; Image Source:  http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/africa/images/cairo-egypt.jpg

MAJESTIC MORROCO
City of Morroco is an absolute pleasure for a travel enthusiast. For Travelers like me who like an off-beat destination, the valley of Ameln in Morroco is an awesome place to explore! Situated in the Tiznit Province of Souss Massa Region, the spectacular Jebel-el-Kest range forms the backdrop of the valley. Lining the northern bank of the valley it forms the backdrop of the Anti-Atlas Mountains to the north of Tafraout. The valley has 26 villages huddled together at the slopes of Jebel-el-Kest.
 


Ameln Valley of Morocco, Image Source:  http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/404994.jpg

AWESOME OTTAWA
Canada’s Southeastern Capital of Ottawa sits in Ontario at the border of Quebec. Synonymous with Victorian architecture the city is situated on the river Ottawa. The spectacular Parliament Hill stands at the centre of the city along with famous museums like the glass and granite National Gallery with noted collections of famous Canadian and indigenous artists.
 


Spectacular Parliament Hill, Ottawa; Image Source:  http://yow.dreamstakeflight.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/ottawa_option.jpg

BEAUTIFUL BELFAST
The beautiful city of Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland. The brilliant city is the birthplace of Titanic and is also known for its political murals documenting the troubles of Twentieth century.
 



The city’s renovated dockyard has the Titanic Quarter which houses the Titanic Belfast Museum. The museum brings to the fore a nostalgic sad memory of the grand ship that was believed to be unsinkable. With its aluminum clad edifices it reminds of the ship’s hull, its builder Harland and Wolf’s drawing offices and the ships slipways that now host open-air concerts.

 



SCENIC SANTORINI

Santorini is one of the most scenic cities of Greece. The city is one of the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea, was devastated by a volcanic eruption in the 16th century B.C.E., forever shaping its rugged landscape and villages. The whitewashed, cubist houses of its two main towns, Fira and Oia, cling to cliffs above an underwater crater. They overlook the clear Aegean Sea and beaches made up of black, white and red lava pebbles.
 


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Location: New Delhi, Delhi, India

Friday, 29 May 2015

9 Historical Places in Delhi Where People Must Go

On a lazy Sunday morning I had the pleasure of catching up with an old friend in Chandni Chowk. Over a cup of garam chai and jeera biscuits we gossiped about old times and wonderful memories. What started as a gupshup about the wonders of tea and its almost divine effects on the senses metamorphosed into an engaging conversation of the lost moments of Delhi’s cultural extravaganza and its rich heritage! It is interesting how the conversation led us to the City of Indra or Indraprastha. With each sip we were drawn deeper into the wondrous revelations about the past of this magical ancient city!
The ancient Indian scripture of Mahabharata talks about Delhi as Indraprastha, the legendary city built around river Yamuna in Kandava van by Pandavas as early as 800 B.C. It is said that Purana Qila stands in the same place where the city of Indraprastha once existed. I can’t help but wonder what Indraprastha looked like and what its grandeur would have been in those times!
It is said that Delhi as it stands today is an amalgamation of several historic cities built by different rulers from time to time. Delhi was plundered innumerable times and forts were built one after the other to protect it from notorious invaders and monarchs. Though most of the cities have been reduced to rubbles and are lost in the sand’s of time, however some still stand strong refusing to give up!
FIRST CITY: INDRAPRASTHA
Historical logs suggest that out of Delhi’s 9 ancient cities Indraprastha is the first and the oldest city. After winning the epic battle of Mahabharata, Pandavas chose Indraparstha as their capital and built a massive fort here. Purana Qila was built by the Afghan ruler Sher Shah Suri. Archeologists believe that it was built on the remains of the ancient city of Indraprastha.
1
SECOND CITY: QILA RAI PITHORA
Qila Rai Pithora or Lal Kot is the second lost city of Delhi which was gifted to Prithviraj Chuahan by his grandfather. It is said that his ancestors captured it from Rajput ruler, Anangpal who first built the fort at Lal Kot. Chauhan later extended the walls into his city of Rai Pithora.
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THIRD CITY: SIRI
The third lost city of Siri has its own story! The fort of Siri was built during the times of Khilji Dynasty to protect Delhi from Mongol rulers. It is suggested that it existed between the stretch covering Qila Rai Pithora and Indraprastha. Some of the buildings that still exist in and around the fort are Tohfewala Gumbad, Mohemmadewali Masjid, Thanewala Gumbad and Bagh-i-Alam ka Gumbad.
3
FOURTH CITY: TUGHLAQABAD
The cities of Tughlaqabad, Jahanpanah and Firozabad were ruled by the emperors of Tughlaq Dynasty. The township of Tughlaqabad, situated between the Faridabad and Delhi border, was established by the fearsome ruler Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq.
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FIFTH CITY: JAHANPANAH
Fifth lost city of Delhi, Jahapanah which is Persian for “Shelter for the whole World”, was built by Mohammad Bin Tughlaq covering the cities of Siri and Lal Kot. Bin Tughlaq decided to build a new city away from Tughlaqabad and the Adilabad fort which lies in ruins today was constructed here.
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SIXTH CITY: FIROZABAD
Moving his capital towards northern area of Indraprsatha, Firoz Shah Tughlaq built the city of Firozabad. Some of the beautiful mosques reminiscent of these times are Khirki Masjid, Kalu-Sarai-Ki Masjid, Begum Masjid, Kalan Masjid, Jami Masjid or Firoz Shah Kotla and Chausath Khamba Masjid.
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SEVENTH & EIGHTH CITIES: DEENPANAH & DILLI SHER SHAHI
City of Deenpanah marks the advent of Mughal Sultanate in Delhi. Mughal emperor Humayun thought of building the city between the area marking Khizrabad and Indraprastha. However, before he could execute his plans he was overthrown by Sher Shah Suri. On the area marked for Deenpanah, he built his own city and called it Dilli Sher Shahi. The fort of Shergarh was the citadel of the city.
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NINTH CITY: SHAHJAHANABAD
Delhi saw its 30 years of glory during the reign of Mughal emperor Shahjahan who built the city of Shahjahanabad or Old Delhi, covering the major portions of Dilli Sher Shahi and Firozabad. Shifting his capital from Agra to Shahjahanbad, he started massive constructions in Delhi and Agra. Qila-e-Mubarak or Red Fort, the myriad and bright bazaars of old Delhi like Chandni Chowk; and the seven glorious gates (Kashmiri gate, Mori gate, Ajmeri gate, Lahori gate, Kabul gate, Faresh Khana Gate, Turkman Gate and Calcutta Gate) are a proof of the city’s glorious past during Shahjahan’s rule.
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Lutyen’s Delhi or New Delhi marks the end of Mughal reign. The British destroyed most of what Shahjahan had built and renamed the Mughal monuments after British viceroys. Edwin Lutyen was a British Architect who planned all the major constructions in Delhi during British Raj. Introducing the concept of urban architecture, Lutyen’s Delhi saw the last bit of major constructions being done in Delhi. Cannuaght place, India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhawan and Parliament are all examples of the magnificent contribution by the British in terms of architecture in Delhi.
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I believe Delhi is immortal! The wonders of Indraprastha are and will remain immeasurable. Each of the 9 lost cities bears a testimony to the era that Delhi has witnessed. The remains of the monuments from each city are a symbol of Delhi’s rich heritage. Every monument tells its own story. There is a need not just to preserve them but to motivate today’s generation to realize their value as well!
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