A Cup of Coffee with a Smiley :)

A CUP OF COFFE WITH A SMILEY J

By: Mohini Sharma

Life always changes with a high pace but to match that pace one must have to work hard. But sometimes after working so hard, you need a break to relax yourself. You need someone or something to bind you back, to make you feel alive for achieving your dreams and keep working. A cup of coffee can definitely help to open up the windows of mind; and as they say, “a lot can happen over a cup of coffee.” But it doesn’t mean you need someone to share that cup.

Again I felt exhausted after my office schedule and chose to go out for a cup of coffee instead of going back home directly. Thinking about future, I reached at the coffee shop. I usually went there for coffee. I ordered my regular café latte, grabbed my corner seat and lost into my thoughts. I was worried almost about everything. There was nothing to smile upon. But life is a gift in itself to give you reasons to smile. Sometimes a coffee can make you smile even. You just have to find the chances to be happy.

There was something written on my face in bold letters and that was ‘messed up’. Scrolling my phone screen and fearing about my forthcoming future, I was waiting for a miracle. Then my order came. I come there often but never noticed anyone or anything. Maybe every time I came there with a smile on my face or I must be busy somewhere or in something. But today was different, I was afraid. I didn’t notice my coffee and asked more brown sugar. I really needed instant energy that time to come back into my senses. A waiter with a smile on his face came and gave me sugar. I was extremely exhausted so I didn’t find a reason to smile back. And after looking at my coffee, I smiled, widely. I found the reason to smile then. There was a big smiley in my coffee with perfect eyebrows and nose that made me smile. Suddenly I felt happy, about what I didn’t know. If it was just the smiley or the person made it. But that was the moment I found the happiness right on my table, in a cup of coffee, and of course with a smiley in it. I clicked a picture of that cup. I finished my coffee happily without thinking about the messing consequences of my life. After finishing my coffee, I went to the counter, asked for the one who made it. The boy on the counter gave me a confused and then weird look on his face, thought of me for complaining for an imperfect coffee. But then he pointed his finger towards a lean boy at the counter. I moved quickly to get a glimpse of the boy. He was the same guy who brought the coffee for me. I went there and said thanks to him with a wide smile. And all of a sudden he didn’t understand what I said to him. He made me realize in sign language that he is deaf and mute. That was an awestruck moment for me because I didn’t even realize before. I smiled and got back. He smiled back too.

When coming back home, I was evaluating things. Back of my mind, I was thinking about him only. No it was not any attraction or anything like that kind of moment, where you lost something of yours. But it was very inspirational for me. Life is very unfair and cruel to many others but they smile and accept everything. If you smile at life, only then life smiles at you. We don’t need to find reasons to be happy. We just need to pick up one. Happiness is around us, everywhere.

Happiness can come to us even in a cup of coffee in form of smiley!!  :)

Tips to become a good Writer

How to become a good Writer?

A writer is a person who expresses his views and ideas and any other fact in words. He can use different styles and techniques to communicate ideas.

Writers produce various forms of literary art and creative writing such as novels, short stories, poetry, plays, news articles, screenplays, or essays. Skilled writers are able to use language to express ideas and their work contributes significantly to the cultural content of a society. The word is also used elsewhere in the arts – such as songwriter – but as a standalone term, “writer” normally refers to the creation of written language. Some writers work from an oral tradition.

Writers can produce material across a number of genres, fictional or non-fictional. Other writers use multiple media – for example, graphics or illustration – to enhance the communication of their ideas. Another recent demand has been created by civil and government readers for the work of non-fictional technical writers, whose skills create understandable, interpretive documents of a practical or scientific nature. Some writers may use images (drawing, painting, graphics) or multimedia to augment their writing. In rare instances, creative writers are able to communicate their ideas via music as well as words.

Some Tips

1. First decide what you want to write. Any article or any sort of story and how it’s going to develop. Check out the different genres out there and choose the one in which you are  lot of interested. Sit at a corner and start thinking. Surprise yourself with thinking what you never thought.

2. Sometimes you can find it difficult to get any idea but don’t loose hope. We are surround by different ideas, ideas are everywhere. Just look around or look inside you, think of what inspires you. According to your interested genres, read some other well written books, and you can get idea for your piece from there. Do what relax your mind. The best way for ideas to come to you is to relax your mind and let brains come naturally to you.

3. Now decide the tense in which you want to write your story. Present, Past or Future. Will you be telling it, or the character in the book. If you are telling a story from your past experiences, something that already happened. Define the character according to this. I or the character in the book?

4. Stay connected to the real world or other sources like newspapers and internet. The more knowledge you have, the more better you can think or write. Broadening your reality will definitely improve your ability to share your words to the world. It is very important factor for writing your story.

5. Work on your vocabulary is very important for writing up anything. Every book has big words in it. And to understand and write like that you need to learn and elevate your vocabulary. It is a good idea to keep a dictionary and a thesaurus near you when you are writing.

6. Think about the main characters you are writing about in your story. Think about each and every important character carefully. Not just about their personality but about their age, dressing sense, hair style, clothes and everything. The more real they are to you, the easier it will be to predict their actions in the circumstances you put them in. You can get surprise by yourself after knowing them so deeply. Go over every detail about your character in the story.

7. Try to have a strong beginning, a good middle and a proper ending. Don’t let the book get down anywhere. Mix some elements so the readers get hooked with the book. If you get bored halfway, don’t close it forever. Close it for couple of days and find some new ideas if you get from anywhere. Don’t give up. Ideas will come up to you definitely.

 8. For virtually every published author, there are hundreds of rejection notices that they have accrued over the years of writing. Don’t give up! Keep writing, and eventually, you’ll find a publisher willing to publish your story. Hope for the Best always. Read your books as many times as possible. Try to find out the little things. Add some more element where needed. If you think your book is pretty good, cross your fingers and look for a publisher.

Some love stories are meant to be forever..

Some Love Stories are meant to be forever..

Eternal love stories of bollywood couples that will make you smile with an “Awwww”

By: Mohini Sharma

In the industry where break ups and link ups are so normal, relationships and marriages lose their charm soon and struggle hard to survive, there are still some love stories which are meant to be forever or made in heaven. There are a number of stable couples in bollywood. And the couples are living  happily ever after.

1. Beautiful Love-story of Riteish and Genelia Desmukh 

Year 2002, it was a day just like any other day but who knew two hearts are going to be one and forever after this day. A 16 year old girl, full of inhibitions came at the Hyderabad airport with her mom to meet a young boy from an influential family of Maharashtra. The girl was Genelia D’Souza and this young man was none other than Riteish Deshmukh. This was their first meeting for the test shoot of their debut film- Tujhe Meri Kasam. Genelia’d found out two days before that he was the Chief Minister's son so she assumed he was a spoilt brat... a typical politician's son...But the minute she spoke to him, she realized that he was a nice person and they  started working together.  There was no great realisation of love overnight instead it was a long process in which they became friends then best friends and gradually fell in love. They just grew together. Bollywood’s beautiful and sweetest couple tied the knot on 03^rd February 2012. Riteish and Genelia had two wedding celebrations, clearly showing respect to each other's unique traditions. The first wedding happened in Marathi-style at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. The Deshmukhs reciprocated the D’Souza’s appreciation of their culture by indulging enthusiastically in a Christian wedding held at St. Anne’s Roman Catholic Church in Bandra. They are blessed with a baby boy named riaan who born on 25^th November 2014.

2. Filmy Love-story of Shahrukh & Gauri Khan

Shahrukh khan is the bollywood’s heartthrob and every girl’s day dream man. His all film characters from raj to rahul and cute dimples make the girls mad for him. But he is deeply in love with her wife Gauri. The story of this most romantic on screen superstar is ultimately filmy in itself. In 1994, a 18 years old guy for the first time laid his eyes on a girl dancing on floor at a common friend’s party. After gathering some strength he approached her and asked her for dance but the girl turned him down. The guy was none other than Bollywood’s Baadshah Shahrukh khan and the girl was her true and everlasting love Gauri chibber, now khan. This was their first meeting. Gradually Gauri fell for his confident nature and style, and started going out. But Shahrukh was very possessive for Gauri. Gauri realized that she needed a break from this relationship so she left for Mumbai without telling him. At this moment he realized his love for Gauri so he went Mumbai to search his love. When they both meet, they both laid eyes on each other and broke down crying while each other’s arms and realized their love for each other. That moment they realized that they can’t live without each other. They decided to get married and then the filmy family drama start. Gauri belonged to a family of Hindu Brahmins and of course Shahrukh was from a muslim family. The family didn’t approve their relation. But the couple struggled hard and made agreed everyone just like in movie DDLJ. And finally on October 25, 1991 they tied in a knot forever. Gauri was a part of his life before he became an actor. The couple is now blessed with three children Aryan, Suhana and Abram. Their filmy love story proves that behind every successful man there is a woman.

3. Adorable Love-story of Ajay and Kajol Devgan

As we all know opposite attracts and this couple proved this very well. This is one of the most adorable love story of bollywood. Kajol is very bubbly by nature where Ajay is very reserved and introvert, despite their different personalities, they got attracted to each other and living happily today. They met at the set of movie Hulchul for the first time in 1995. Though, it was a romantic film, so romance started between them too. But true love blossomed at the sets of Pyar To Hona Hi Tha. Their on-sreen chemistry After a while they confessed their love and decided to get married. The “unlikely couple” finally tied the knot on February 24^th 1999, in a truly maharashtrian style. That was a totally private event with just closed ones. No matter how smooth their courtship was, their marriage saw a lot of ups and downs. There were many rumours about Ajay Devgan dating much younger actress. These rumours published in some magazines. But Kajol brushed off all the controversies by saying she knows how this industry functions. But like every marriage has ups and downs, they had too. It was in 2001, when Kajol was pregnant with her first child. Devgan family was all set to welcome their bundle of joy, but Kajol suffered a miscarriage in the sixth month of her pregnancy. Two years after the miscarriage, the couple got a second chance to experience parenthood. It was on April 20, 2003, that Kajol gave birth to their gorgeous daughter, Nysa. Yug, their son, came seven years later. Since then, Kajol took motherhood as her first priority.

4.  The Love Saga of Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu

The tragedy king Dilip Kumar aka Yusuf Khan and Saira Banu are one of the most romantic couple of B-town. Saira banu who was a diehard fan of Dilip Kumar, married her heartthrob and childhood crush. The dream boy was just double of her age, but when you truly love someone, age is just a number. This saga of their love was not that simple because the superstar didn’t ride smooth on the path of love. He romanced Kamini Kaushal, Madhubala, Asma before settling finally with the bollywood starlet Saira Banu. Dilip Kumar fell in love for the first time with Kamini Kaushal. On the sets of ‘shaheed’ the seed of their love sew. But destiny decided something else for them and they separated. Then the polished actor romanced with Madhubala. But things didn’t work out between them. After they broke up Dilip Kumar remained away from love and relationships for a while. It was hard to believe that any one of them could move on because they are deep into love. But he moved, after meeting Saira Banu. And their love blossomed and their fairy-tale romance turned into a life time knot when Dilip Kumar was 44 and Saira Bano 22 years old. Dilip Kumar soon divorced her for a Pakistani lady Asma but after 2 years, she was caught cheating on him and after finding that the legend moved to his first marriage. And re married Saira Banu. And they are living happily thereafter.

5. Iconic Love story of Rishi and Neetu kapoor

 They are the most iconic on screen and off screen couple and their love story touched many hearts. Chocolate boy of bollywood meets the most sought actress of her time and fell in love. Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh are known for their sizzling on screen chemistry and soon in real life too, the couple settled down off screen. It was not love at first sight kind of love. They got many opportunities to work together and when they started working together, they became good friends. He used to tell her about his girlfriends and affairs. Even Neetu became the shoulder to cry on after his breakups with his girlfriends. All knows about the prankster Rishi Kapoor. He used to tease Neetu Singh on sets and then just like our movies, she fell for the prankster who teases her most. When Rishi Kapoor went to abroad to shoot for Barood , he started missing him and realized his love for her. Though he expressed his love but still remained a commitment phobic. But after dating for 5 years they finally tied in the knot. They are living their life happily and blessed with two kids Ranbir and Riddhima Kapoor. They are still madly in love with each other and after 34 years their love stands rock solid. Their story inspires to all the people who think marriages and love doesn’t last too long.

6.  Twisting Love story of Dharmendra and Hema Malini 

The perfect drop-dead combination of bollywood’s Dream-Girl and He-Man is unbelievable. The yesteryear superstars looks stunning together not just on screen but also off the screen. On one hand Hema had many suitors from bollywood and on the other hand Dharmendra was considered as most sexiest actor of his time. On the sets of ‘Tum Haseen Mai Jawaan’ they love story began but there was a twist in the story. Dharmendra was already married to Prakash Kaur and had two sons, Sunny and Bobby. Dharmendra’s first wife Praksh Kaur refused to give him divorce. But their love for each other was very firm and they decided to get married. According to rumors they converted to Islam and changed their religion for getting married. As per Outlookindia.com, their Nikahnama stated, "Dilawar Khan Kewal Krishn (44 years) accepted Aisha Bi R. Chakravarty (29 years) as his wife on 21 August 1979 at a mehr of Rs. 111,000 in the presence of two legal witnesses." After dating for 5 years they finally got married. They acted in 42 movies all together and has been married for more than 32 years now. They are blessed with 2 daughters, Esha and Ahana Deol and living happily together.

There are many more love stories of B-Town, which make us believe in real love. These love stories and love couples always inspire us. These are their eternal love life which made them special and the one for each other and I can only wish them to have a successful marriage life. And Stay Blessed! 

Graphic Designing on Ekavach app quotes..

Ekavach App Quotes

Security V/S Privacy

CCTV Cameras: for Security or Violating Privacy

Thorny issues surrounding general public with low awareness about the legal implications of surveillance cameras

From: Mohini Sharma

In today’s time, CCTVs are an absolute must. Crime cameras and public surveillance systems are more prevalent. Are these security cameras are anti-crime aid, or a Big Brother- sized violation of our personal privacy?

Video Surveillance is very useful to governments and law enforcement to maintain social control, recognize and monitor threats, and prevent/investigate criminal activity. Closed Circuit Television is primarily used to prevent crime (although critics say that criminals simply pick places which are out of range), but CCTV cameras also been used by employers wishing to check up on staff or ensure that customer service is up to scratch. They may be an intrusion on privacy, but they're now a fact of life. But like other forms of technology CCTV are becoming familiar day by day. CCTVs are installed for the safety and security but blatant misuse of closed circuit TV (CCTV) cameras installed in retail shops, hotels and public places is a ‘de facto norm’ in India, experts say. These cameras violate the privacy many times. The camera’s owner is permitted to install one or several cameras so nobody has the right to prevent cameras from capturing and recording others movements and behaviour.

For the offence, cases of which are multiplying on a daily basis, one can take legal recourse under section 66E of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

The IT Act, 2000, is the parent legislation to deal with electronic surveillance. If a camera captures images of the private parts of a person, male or female, or transmits such images without consent, the offender can be booked under section 66E. However, the provision is a "toothless wonder", as it is a bailable offence, with only three years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 2 lakh, says cyber law expert.

Under the IT Act, if a camera captures obscene electronic information, the owner of a CCTV camera can be booked under section 67, but if the camera captures sexually explicit information, it is classified as a non-bailable offence under section 67a, entailing five years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10 lakh.
Our law is patently wanting because this is not the first time this has happened; cases are being reported every now and then. The lack of quantified damages emboldens the offender.

This issue regarding Violence of privacy because of CCTVs has once again come up after Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani spotted a camera allegedly pointing towards the trial room at a Fabindia showroom in Goa. She made several arrests by the police in this matter and took it very seriously. There are many other incidents created because of lack of detailed legislation and stiff penalties. Recently a guy taped his phone to the wall of a popular lounge and bar in Mumbai. He was an 18-year-old employee of the same lounge. The police arrested him. There are many such cases of such violations on a daily basis in hotel rooms of honeymooners, and their porn footage find the way to internet.

The reason these instances are coming up on a daily routine is the fact that India neither has the detailed data protection law nor a privacy law, which created a way to these cases come to the fore again and again. These cameras are installed in every where for instance in school, metro stations, public areas and almost everywhere. These are for security of the general people but the general people have no idea about the pitfalls of being under surveillance. The drawbacks of the technology never come up in our mind. There are instances of CCTV camera being installed in schools, which is a bigger issue, as it might tantamount to child pornography. Even at the public places, camera capture couples making love. In another case, a couple caught up for kissing in the metro. Digital voyeurism is increasingly dramatically in India because of the proliferation of mobile phones with cameras and the easy availability of spy cameras. A quick survey of Indian pornography online will confirm most of it is doubly illegal - because production of pornography is illegal and because it has been produced as a result of digital voyeurism.

So, legislation will have to strike between privacy and security. Detailed guidelines and proper awareness is required to stop violating the privacy by these CCTVs. The extent of the liability in cases of leak of sensitive information or footage has to be specified. The privacy law, which has been at the drafting stage since the past five years, aims to have a separate chapter on surveillance, detailing the dos and don'ts for CCTV cameras. The passage of a privacy Bill by the Parliament will ensure internationally accepted privacy principles will be implemented in the letter of the Indian law. This will ensure citizens have rights that they can enforce against corporations and government agencies using CCTV cameras, an active participant in framing some drafts of the privacy law.

After all, the CCTV cameras are for improving the security and safety, not for violating the privacy..

The Real Face of Courage

The Real Face of Courage

Indian acid attack victim Laxmi was honored by the International Women of Courage Award

By: Mohini Sharma

Yes she is the same laxmi who was fighting the battle for her life at a time. No one can reveal the pain she has bear, all the trauma she had undergone mentally, physically and emotionally. But fighting against her fate was the only choice she had. And now she is the WINNER, not in our country India but the world is saluting to the courage of a 16 year old girl, who fought and won.  Laxmi Agarwal, a middle class family girl and now an Indian campaigner with Stop Acid Attacks. She is an acid attack survivor and speaks for the rights of acid attack victims. She was attacked in 2005 at age 16, by a 32-year-old man, nahim khan whose advances she had rejected Just for the sake of his faulty ego, the guy tried to finish a girl’s life. For shattering her dreams, he awarded with a seven years sentence but the scars on laxmi’s face will remain forever. But she was a fighter, not a victim. Her story, among others, was told in a series on acid attack victims by Hindustan Times. She has also advocated against acid attacks through gathering 27,000 signatures for a petition to curb acid sales, and taking that cause to the Indian Supreme Court. Her petition led the Supreme Court to order the central and state governments to regulate the sale of acid, and the Parliament to make prosecutions of acid attacks easier to pursue.

She is the director of Chhanv Foundation, a NGO dedicated to help the survivors of acid attacks in India. The monthly rent for the apartment from which Chanv operates is Rs 18,000, a sum covered by Stop Acid Attacks.

Laxmi received a 2014 International Women of Courage award by US First Lady Michelle Obama at an awards ceremony in Washington.  The award was presented to Laxmi along with other awardees from countries across the globe. Established in 2007, the annual Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award honors women around the globe who have exemplified exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for human rights, women's equality, and social progress, often at great personal risk. This is the only Department of State award that pays tribute to emerging women leaders worldwide.

She was also chosen as the NDTV Indian of the Year. Laxmi stated her career as a campaigner with Stop Acid Attacks campaign. She worked as a campaign coordinator in initial days. Soon, Laxmi became a voice of the survivors of Acid Attacks across world. She received multiple awards in India for her work to curb the sale of acid and to rehabilitate the survivors of acid attacks through her foundation.

Udaan, on New Express is also hosted by Laxmi as of June 2014.

"Many acid attack victims never return to normal life: they often go to great lengths to hide their disfigurement, many forgo education or employment rather than appear in public, and suicide is not uncommon. But Laxmi did not hide," the State Department said.

"She became the standard-bearer in India for the movement to end acid attacks. She made repeated appearances on national television, gathered 27,000 signatures for a petition to curb acid sales, and took her cause to the Indian Supreme Court," it said.

"Laxmi's petition led the Supreme Court to order the Indian central and state governments to regulate immediately the sale of acid, and the Parliament to make prosecutions of acid attacks easier to pursue," the State Department said.

"Much is left to be done, and Laxmi continues to advocate on behalf of acid attack victims throughout India for increased compensation, effective prosecution and prevention of acid attacks, and rehabilitation of survivors," it said.

Laxmi, along with other acid attack survivors started a hunger strike demanding immediate justice and rehabilitation for acid attack survivors. She has written a poem describing what she has gone through.

 “When we see these women raise their voices and move their feet and empower others to create change, we need to realize that each of us has that same power and that same obligation,” Michelle Obama said in her speech.

“We are not victims, but fighters: Laxmi”

She gives hope to everyone for their right and became a voice for the ones who think of themselves weaker. She comes across like a born leader and inspires the victims to be a fighter.

(Stars can’t shine without darkness)

“THIS CAN HAPPEN ONLY IN INDIA”

#INDIAN LOGICS#

1.       We are living in a country where people says “ladki ghar ki laxmi hoti hai” and “ladki baap ke kandhe ka bojh hoti hai” both are co-exist.

2.        A documentary can spoil our image in the world, not the rape.

3.        It’s ok to piss in public but it’s not ok to kiss in public.

4.        Here people wear helmet not for their safety but because of cops after red-lights.

5.       Parents are afraid for their daughters talking to strangers but they make them marry to one.

6.        If a girl is not married until 25 years, her family thinks she will never find a nice guy because she will be very old to get married.

7.        A boy can choose a government at an early age of 18 but he has to wait for 21 years to get married and moreover 25 years to buy alcohol.

8.        We’d rather spend more money on our daughter’s wedding than on their education.

9.         Politicians divide us for their benefits but terrorists unite us.

10.                           One has to look both ways to cross a one-way road in our country.

11.                      We make movies on biography of famous athletes and earn more than they earned in their entire career.

12.                   We don’t know who lives in our neighborhood but knows where our favorite celebrities spending holidays?

13.                   Here we judge females on their dressing sense.

14.                   Everyone seems in a hurry on roads but no one reaches on time.

15.                   If we have a pet at home, most probably we will find an English name for him.

16.                   We have more mobile phones than toilets in our country.

17.                   We are so socially that everyone knows where we are and with whom through social networking sites, except our parents.

18.                   We can accept a porn actress as a heroine but can’t accept a rape victim or acid-attack victim as a daughter-in-law or wife.

19.                   We have been born with hypocrisy in our blood. For instance, what kind of man are you? Hitting a woman! Or what sort of man are you? Taking a beating from a woman!

20.                   Every guy wants a virgin bride but it doesn’t matter if he goes Bankok for his sexual pleasure.

21.                   A housewife slogs her ass-off for 24*7 but still she is introduced as just a house wife.

22.                   If a guy is with 6 girls, he is a stud! But if a girl is with 6 guys, she is a slut!

23.                   A rapist can go inside a temple, a terrorist can but a girl can’t during her menstrual periods.