Reading Suggestion-1
Article Name: Ladies compartmented: How to eat; how to laugh. Should we chew on it, or just guffaw?
Author Name: Bachi Karkaria
Source: The Times of India
Category: Feminism/Humour
Summary for this article:
This sarcastic article by Bachi Karkaria indirectly talks about the suppression and loose sight given to women in society.
She starts with how Renuka Chaudhary laughed hysterically at the PM’s speech ( The PM joked that her laugh was similar to the one in Ramayana) and how minister Kiren Rijiju made fun of her comparing her to Surpanakha ( Sister of Ravan). She feels that on seeing such issues, we ordinary people wonder how low would politicians sink to demean each other. She similarly gave an example of Indira Nooyi ( CEO of PepsiCo.) who announced the launch of ‘lady friendly Doritos’ (chips) as the original Doritos presumptively embarrasses women as they create a lot of noise while eating, the flavouring sticks on the hands and they don’t fit in women’s handbags. Ms. Nooyi faced a lot of backlash and was even accused of food sexism. The author concludes that women are now not allowed to laugh as they please , crunch noisily and lick unladylike and are always expected to show the best etiquette and she is actually calling out and criticising such practices.
Words to learn from this article:
Guffaw: a loud and hearty laugh
Propriety: conformity to conventionally accepted standards of behaviour or morals
Deity: a god or goddess
Backlash: a strong negative reaction by a large number of people, especially to a social or political development
Etiquette: the customary code of polite behaviour in society or among members of a particular pro-fession or group
Honey Traps: a stratagem in which an attractive person entices another person into revealing infor-mation or doing something unwise
Reading Suggestion-1: Click to read the full article
Reading Suggestion-2
Article Name: Supreme Court’s Cauvery Verdict Holds The Promise Of A Long-Term Gain For Tamil Nadu
Source: Outlook
Category: Law
Summary for this article:
This article briefly explains the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Cauvery Water dispute and how it has helped Tamil Nadu in the long run.
The author starts with the Supreme Court’s verdict which states that inter-state rivers are national assets and no one state can claim absolute right over them. It also supports the conditions of the previous Cauvery agreements under which Karnataka cannot build any new dams without Tamil Nadu’s assent.
The SC has directed to form Cauvery Management Board that will monitor the mechanism for water sharing and will also look that the conditions stated in the verdict are properly completed by both the states. This verdict cannot be challenged for the next 15 years thus finally reaching a concluding solution would help the farmers to a great extent.
The author concludes that the very fact that there are no protests in Karnataka is evidence that the Supreme Court has appeased that state to make it fall in line with the tribunal’s award, which has been upheld almost in totality except for Tamil Nadu’s reduced quota. The only obstacle in this solution can be the delay in the formation of the Cauvery Water Management committee which has to be formed by the Parliament.
Words to learn from this article:
Upheld: confirm or support
Vexatious: causing or tending to cause annoyance, frustration, or worry
In toto: in totality
Reading Suggestion-2: Click to read the full article
Reading Suggestion-3
Article Name: Why our schoolchildren need lessons in happiness
Author Name: Shivani Singh
Source: Hindustan Times
Category: Education
Summary for this article:
This article deals with a very serious situation of the deteriorating psychological state of School students and how happiness classes and teachers can play a major role to subdue this serious concern.
The author starts with how schools in the National Capital Region (NCR) continue to report some of the most extreme cases of violence, the Delhi government last week announced the launch of ‘hap-piness classes’ in its schools from April this year. This class is likely to be activity based and would actually depend on the teachers’ communication, interpretation and involvement to make this a success.
A ‘happiness curriculum’ to be introduced from nursery to Class 8 could be an effective tool for teachers to pick up and address early warning signs among their students. This program would be universal for every school in India. The author concludes that this happiness curriculum is not new as it has been already proposed and implemented by Britain and even UNESCO understands the importance of this. She feels that there is a significant correlation between happiness and better grades even during the early years in school and this can be achieved by cooperation of everyone at their end and could make Delhi’s ‘happiness class’ initiative potentially a win-win prescription.
Words to learn from this article:
Inhibition: a feeling that makes one self-conscious and unable to act in a relaxed and natural way
Purportedly: as appears or is stated to be true, though not necessarily so; allegedly
Intimidate: frighten or overawe (someone), especially in order to make them do what one wants
Curriculum: the subjects comprising a course of study in a school or college
Reading Suggestion-3: Click to read the full article
