Think Energy, Save Energy

Hello guys! After a long time, I am back to blogging. Due to various ups and downs and other reasons, I was away from writing. I will be back with Slug Race as well. As for today I am here with a different topic: Energy.

Energy is a very important constituent in our day to day activities. Be it for running a mile on your treadmill, or running to catch the last bus home, every aspect of our life revolves around energy. It is very very valuable. Especially at time when fuel for energy is day by day losing its reserves, alternative sources are being looked for, some of us are squandering it. Here, energy I am talking about Electrical energy (in case you didn’t figure it out).

I can guarantee almost all us, at one point of time have been scolded for high electricity bills by our parents. The reason may be numerous like increase in electricity duties, net metering charges, but also the very reason is: knowingly or unknowingly, we tend to misuse electricity. However, the cost of electricity duties and other charges which are billed by your discom are justified .If you are an electrical engineer, you will know about the maintenance cost and exchange rates, if you know about Power Trading and other activities, that is, you will say it is justified. But that doesn’t mean, your bill cannot be reduced. You have to be extremely responsible and take it as a mission to reduce the energy surcharge.

 

 

At this hour, there is an urgent need for reduction of global carbon di oxide emissions. For which, various nations are increasing their Renewable Energy Sources. In India itself, last month, we touched 10 GW of Solar Power which is a renewable energy source. Various steps are being taken to increase the Renewable Energy. By 2022, we are expected to touch 30GW of Solar Power, and I am proud to have become a part of this mission. The reason, we are vouching for renewable energy, like wind, solar, tidal, is that they are clean energy. Carbon di oxide emissions from this resources are very little if not negligible.

Now, it is not possible for everyone to use solar power or wind energy at home, as the cost for installing one unit is very high, but if you have the bucks to install such one, its beneficial for you in the long run. So, we are going to use energy efficient devices at our home, offices and schools. Use electricity responsibly. Most of the time, I am asked how can we reduce the “BILL”. Like how?

Do you know:  our laptop emits between44 and 88 kg of
CO₂ per year which might be almost one third of the total CO₂ emissions at your home.

• Use LED bulbs instead of CFL and incandescent Filament bulbs. They are both energy efficient as well as durable. The cost of LED bulbs are getting lower day by day, so by 2019, our Minister for Power and Coal, Mr. Piyush Goyal has set a deadline to replace around 1 million incandescent bulbswith LED bulbs. If you need to know which LED bulb to choose from, do ping me.

 

• When I was in college, our college authorities, placed one plague near the switchboard which bore the words: SWITCH OFF LIGHTS, FANS AND AC WHEN NOT IN USE. Yes, when no one is in the living room, switch of that TV and fan. Which was what  I was talking about earlier, use electricity responsibly. Stop blaring that tube light when you are doing nothing. Switch of the PC when not in use (Oh! sorry you are still downloading torrents).
• Use BEE star rated electrical appliances.  BEE star rating 1 being the lowest and 5 the highest. Almost all appliances are BEE rated. So use accordingly.
• During summer, use draperies on your windows which will help reduce energy loss.
• For your computer, use LED/ LCD monitors. If you are not using your PC, switch it off or if you are downloading the latest episode of your favorite series, and cannot switch it off,  turn off the monitor. This device alone uses more than half the system’s energy.

 

There are other methods as well, where we can reduce our electricity bills. But firstly, we have to be responsible in using electricity and help curb CO2 emissions on the way forward for a energy efficient India, a Greener India and obviously a Swacch Bharat. That’s all for today.

 

                                                     

 

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A letter to my 18 year old self

*Dated : 01/04/2012

Gaurav,

First of all, congrats for completing your senior secondary level of education successfully. You are preparing for your entrance exams, I would say try hard, at least try hard for AIEEE which is due next month (May). Don’t worry too much, the question are basic and you have that much brain to crack and can get good admission to a decent NIT.

I am writing to you because after four years, you will be a different person. Maybe not in size and looks, but in mindset and personality, you will definitely be a person full of joyous and happy aura. In the next few months, you will be going around for admissions and counselling. Do not miss the KIIT counselling and good colleges which take admissions through class 12 marks, that is if you would opt for engineering.

Gaurav, you have a venture in your mind since two to three years since. Rather than going for engineering to ruin your four years of valuable bachelor-hood and youth, better give your venture a shot. Though, you will have to wait for two more years, as many schemes will be available for your venture. The ocean of opportunities is large in front of you at the moment. Do not listen to people who says do engineering, then after do MBA for a better life. But! I know you, you do not want a ordinary or a corporate life where you will have suck up and lick the toes of your higher ups. Do think about the venture before its too late.

We have spent  wonderful two years at KV and  glorious ten years at Don Bosco. Do not forget your friends from school. They are the most genuine people you have ever met in your life till now. Soon, you will be shifting from Sector 1 to the city. You must be thinking, how will I cope up at the city locality after spending a solitary life at the lake-side Sector 1 . Don’t worry, you will have a good time here.

Soon, you will be joining college, (that is, if you didn’t care to what I had said earlier), I would say, don’t just join by looking at the infrastructure or the surroundings. Anyway, if you do join, remember you will make friends for life there. There will be good people, bad people, egoistic bastards, brainless idiots, biased morons in between your colleagues and faculties. There will be couple or three people who you have to keep away from, you will eventually know who they are. Remember, they will be only selected few who will be around you when you leave college after four years and try to keep them as close as possible. They are the one’s you will be most comfortable around.

This year, you will find lots of opportunities going away, grab them before they drift away. Also, this year you will meet a person who you will fall for. Rather than giving your heart, try to be a good friend to her. Don’t waste time on things like love and relationships. Friendship first.

So, in the coming two three months, take a decision which will benefit you and the family in the long run. Engineering is not the only option available in this world. Don’t mind some stupid suggestions which will come your way. Keep your good health and invest your time in writing. Do write once in a week.

Regards,

Your 22 year old self.

A blank diary

When  you are well into the new year and keep thinking what will you do the reminder of the year after passing out college or which suit to wear on your best friends wedding or which job offer to accept or planning a trip with your family, one thing remains constant is the constant feeling whether or not this would work out. In this process, first of all we should learn how to chill and think with a cool mind and then arrange our reflexes accordingly. This, I am saying because we get too exaggerated when something gets against us and eventually end up hurting others or ourselves.

A blank diary : Every year we are gifted a diary or we ourselves buy it , few of us make diary entries. Like what? grocery list or appointments or planning your monthly travel. But there are some (me included) who likes to tell our diary what they did the entire day and how the day went by. Sometimes, a blank page in our diary calls us to write several things, several experiences , crazy thoughts and naughty mischief’s we use to do in our childhood. To write in a diary , you have complete liberty to vent your emotions or tell your secrets, you don’t have to care about grammar either.

The other day, I was going through my older diaries , I found many unwritten pages or some pages which are stroke off or some pages were filled up to the bottom. Now, I ponder to think how easy it is to write in your book (here diary) and keep it to yourself. It requires zero effort.

We are often confused what to do and how to handle a situation and end up been exaggerated. Don’t be confused. Think about the situation in a positive way. Nowadays, a lot of shows and parodies are made of being offended. Yes, you end up people getting offended. Why get offended when you know it is useless? Last evening, I asked a guy why do you always come late to classes, don’t you wake up early or it is just your passion to come late? He got offended, how dare I accuse him? He started giving lectures how I should mind my own business and some crap about poking my nose. I heard part of it though.

Another situation was when a friend was drunk and I told him : “Bro, you had enough , time to go home and stop thinking of calling your ex” ,I had add that when he is about to call someone. He got offended and started calling me a liar and what not. He eventually threw up and went into a slumber. Now, that is venting your emotions and get tired. I didn’t say a word in either of the cases. Every other day people get offended when I say something, best way is to take in the exasperation vented at me  is remain calm and let him/her let out their feelings.

Such instances we get to write in our blank page of our diary. I know this blog shit still it is a diary and you get to write anything.

Grassroot sports in India : a myth? (PART 1)

We had yet another season of Indian Super League (ISL) , the pro kabadi league, new Pro wrestling League and an upcoming Badminton league. They have surely garnered huge TRP’s and had large number of spectators attending the matches but the question is how much have they contributed to “Indian Sports”?  The answer to this question is a big NO.

There are various reasons to why my answer or any other person closely following Indian sports (except Badminton in this context) will agree to a NO. Why is Badminton being excluded, is because badminton is a properly structured sport in India and lots of initiative have been taken to develop the game. Others? No again. There’s has been a misconception, that if a sport is popularised it will be developed and will trickle down the grassroots. Wait? Grassroots? Most of us don’t know that term. I will go to that later on.

Not all sport in our country is same as cricket. The other sports need not have a cash minting two-three months overly hyped celebrity funded league or so-called tournament. What we require is a properly structured grassroots program and organised competitive environment. Grassroots are the program which are undertaken for developing under-8’s to under under-13’s. Its a common knowledge not all sport person in India have got proper coaching till he/ she reached an age of 13-15 , which is way above of the grassroots program. The disadvantage they have to suffer( many will agree) is to face the competitive environment be it at the state level, district level , zonal or national level and the level of fitness when they gradually advance through various age groups. Also one of the major reason of our failure in sports is age fraud ( a separate post will be dedicated to it).

How many of us know that India has a football league other than the Indian Super League: it goes by the name of I-league. Not many know about that.Why? No celebrities??No big names?  My verdict: I-league has failed to attract the children to make football a potential sporting career. Hence, reason of its slow pace and low attendance. Same is the case is with other sports. In India , parents think fifty times before letting their children join a coaching academy (read sports academy). The reason being: a proper roadmap is not shown by the authorities. While, fitness and the amount the child can achieve from various coaching programs depends on the child him/herself. To attract the sport is the sole responsibilty of the authorities.

To develop a sport , big tournaments are not required.Sure they will attract a lot of audiences but also should have a roadmap to develop the interest amongst  the children. Recently, I overheard a lady who wants her children to study in an only academic background school. Now,this “only academic” mindset should be eliminated. Not all children can become sportstars, not everyone can become researchers/scientists as well. Also, we are only taught to do jobs since our childhood. Not, make something of our own or do something of our own. I will not go into the those in this post.

Most amount of care in sports education should be taken. Proper diet should be prescribed and should be taught in a routine. Children should be inspired to adopt a sport.But , we are inspired/ inspire to get admission into an IIT/AIIMS and later do a good job with hefty salaries. That is all right, acceptable we need doctor’s and engineers. But,through sports we can actually judge the character of a person and overall a country. Let us set long term goals in developing a sport rather than have a short tournament.

My main aim in this post was to highlight our country’s  sports. I will talk more about it in successive posts. Till then saiyonara and a Happy New Year.

Signing Out.

 

(picture courtesy : Sportskeeda)

 

 

 

 

2015: in a flash….

It is like 1st January 2015 was just yesterday! This year taught me lot of things, from failure to success , from heartbeats to heartbreaks , from friendships to enmity and many more.

I feel like sitting at the end of the ocean and watching a beautiful sunset over the horizon. In another week, we will see a new year , a new sunrise. Whilst those expectations, I look behind what this year had in store for me. A lot! As I mentioned above , I have gone through many up and downs, lot of emotional upheavals and got to learn many things.

Firstly, this year books and music helped me keep my mind in the right place as they are the only non-living things which can accompany you wherever you go ( be it on a lonely highway or a long flight). Secondly, my dear friends, no words  too short be used to described you guys. Either bringing me to my sane state from an extremely excited or helping me keep my calm during heated situations.

2015, will be etched in my veins as a year which taught me a never to judge a situation before facing it. ‘Coz, every situation has a different way of solving , different solutions , sometimes much better than you expected or the opposite of what you had speculated. Also, this year taught me to take the chances which come in your way and make good use of it. Opportunities will never strike your door every other day, its better to take it on and go with flow. You never know what life has in store for you. This year, I gave a lot of chances to many people and have forgiven people on whom I had hold grudges. Its never too late to compromise and its no use to hold grudges.

This year, I proposed my crush, she obviously rejected it.I went through an emotional depression , it was then books and music became my companion.Eventually, I came out of that limbo and learnt the meaning of acceptance. Everyone’s choice is different and may never be necessarily a vice-versa. You have to see both sides of the coin.

Being healthy was my aim this year, and I am quiet successful in that matter. Lost a bit of my weight and stayed healthy with the correct diet.

At the end of the sunset, it depends on who I was this entire year. And this year has shaped me what I will be next year. Hope it is going to be an awesome experience.

 

Why I made this Blog??

In this world of iPhone’s ,Android and every single thing going the hybrid way, pretending I live way back in the 90’s (though I was born then) won’t work right? Like how we used to do it back then, take a piece of paper , your best pen , your best place and a hammock . Bingo, your mind starts rolling and then you find a random topic and you put it in your words. Then you publish it your college or school magazine.  Little or not , this practice is still treasured by many of us.

Coming to Blogging and the title for today : “Why I made this Blog? ” Definitely not show off my wayward vocabulary and out of standard grammar and obviously not as a pass time. Blogging is my of taking out my pen and putting all that I have in my hollow brain. Though I am only a couple of Blogs new the feedback I get is awesome. Thanks guys. Now coming back to the topic. Why I am writing this blog? and in my opinion Why everyone should have a blog?

Blogging is curiously a new way of venting our emotions on various subjects around us. Whether be it your cat scratching your pillows every other morning to Corruptions at the highest level of Government. It is a way of expressing what you feel about that particular topic in a common man’s viewpoint in “pen and paper”. It has a narrative essence of one’s experiences which the reader can travel through. Now I am writing this blog because I want to tell you all why I am writing this blog. Yes, if you can feel it , you are travelling through why on earth we blog. You will obviously come out with a conclusion , positive or negative it depends on how the grey-matter in your brains process the outcome of basically what you might call “gibberish” .

Each day thousands of bloggers blog, we have one motive either intentionally or non-intentionally , to make you travel through our experiences , thoughts and dreams. You can also make a blog and make us travel through your angle of various subjects. Everyone has different way of narrating his/her experiences and each blog has a different taste. This specific blog might taste nothing to some, for some it will be sweet and for some it will be crap. It all matters on how you can make me ,us,  yourself travel.

So,find a corner,  switch on your laptop/smartphone/tab and blog on.

Run That Extra Mile

Ever had an experience of winning your gold medal by a millisecond ? Or had you have won any league by remaining at the top of the table for three months straight? Or did you achieve what you desired by setting a long term goal? All these have “three” things in common : the three “D’s”. The three D’s are namely: Desire, Destination and Dedication. The 3 D’s I have mentioned are in chronological manner.

Yes, for achieving something, you should follow the 3 D’s. The questions arise how? and why? .

We all have an ambition to do something. Let me give you a short example. You want to loose your weight. You just cannot loose your weight overnight , can you? You have to set a goal , you have to work hard sweat it out. Here, Your desire is to loose your weight. Destination is the goal you have set. Dedication is that hard work you will invest in the long run. That answers you how.

Now let me answer why. In order to reach your goals, a proper planning is required. Though some changes may happen in due course of time, spontaneity helps. I am repeating it again, Set your goal. Or else, hanging in mid-rift is never anyone’s option. At times, you may feel like giving up. But should you give up, all that you have invested (sweat, money and time)will be waste. That answers you why.

The 3D’s help in the long run. That is, I am writing this as I have faced it and done what it takes. I am still doing it and facing it. But all this will bear fruit when you “RUN THAT EXTRA MILE”. Yes! Running the extra mile. It means, do more than you can. Do what it takes, but do it more than your mind, body and soul can  take. It always helps to know you can do more than you thought of. Never give up on your goals. Stick to it . Like, if you usually do 10 reps of push ups, try to do 20. If you usually wake up at 0900 hrs, try waking up at 0630 hrs. If you jog 3 kilometer’s a day in sixty minutes, do 4 kilometer’s in sixty-five minutes. These are just few examples how to Run the extra mile.

There are other ways as well, you can try your own ways. The concept of 3D’s and Running the Extra mile is important in anyone’s life. It helps to keep your health fit , also helps in your relationships and career.

Remember ,the 3D’s.

and yes, RUN THAT EXTRA MILE .

How I felt when it was result time!!!

Yes! the most awaited results are here. Congrats to all who cracked the exams with flying colours. Some of you might be feeling happy , some might be a bit worn off because you got little less than you expected, or maybe your friend scored more than you. But hey! Its natural. Results and marks are as said “just number’s on your CV”. Don’t worry , even these two digit numbers , (though somewhat less/ more) will take you on with life.

Now let me give you how my class 12th results changed my hopes , dreams and what not. 

It was 28th May 2012 , a rainy day just like today (at Guwahati) , I was sitting in front my PC both elated and sad. I was not a very high performer in my school exams , but I worked hard for three months at the end to see a not so satisfactory result. I never passed my Mathematics exams in school but yes passed with a narrow margin though. It was a turning point of my life. I have to decide what I need to do? Leave my dream to be an engineer or continue pursuing it. Till that day i had no scope of what to do now. My entrance exams were also not satisfactory so i won’t be able to get into a good engineering college outside Assam.

Then, I decided , since there is a bleak chance to leave Guwahati why not take a visit to Royal Group of Institutions. So it was again a rainy day when i first time entered RGI but that was not my last. Now that is the change which my 12th results brought to me. First change that dawned on me was , many people i had interacted with earlier said engineering would be easy , my reply to you my dear peers, engineering is not an easy cake. Secondly, we all had a tabboo that be a mechanical engineer or either do civil or Computer Science. I never thought i will take electrical engineering , many people said it would be tough , so my reply to you again all known ones, HARD WORK NEVER BETRAYS YOU and other branches are equally difficult. So, the change was i am more hardworking than three years ago.

So in this short span of three years , i have started to love Guwahati more and look into more options into life. Meanwhile, I started working out to make myself fit. So i worked out till I at the gym and even at home. It makes me feel better (try it , you will feel better too). So , the change is I am Fitter than I was.

I started pursuing my hobbies. I started to sketch , paint and yes i am getting better at it in the passing days. So , another change is I am started exploring my options in art and honing those skills.

Apart from that, I have made the best of my friends at Guwahati and getting to know them better day by day. Because, friends are the ones who will be with you at the nearest and farthest. They make my life beautiful and worthwhile. Occasional rifts occur but those are sorted out. Yes! till three  years ago i didn’t know the meaning of love. But i have started to know its meaning and embrace it.

So, thanks 28th May 2012 for giving me a change. A change which has shaped me into a proper citizen and fit guy.

So, guys that’s all . You don’t have to be sad if your results are less , embrace the day , move on , sort out your priorities and work hard. I am pretty sure you will be changed person. You will be happier than you are now.

signing out.

How we fail to be a “SUCCESSFUL” student?

Most of us pass our High School with good marks even some of us making to the headlines of the media. But are we successful as a student? My answer will be no we are not . Because just scoring a good marks and making an impression on your teachers and peers by your studies is (in my view) not worthy.

Following are some cases i drew up the impressions a good scoring students put up :

• Some random parent would be telling his son , ” see he is Mr. X’s son and we are seeing him in the headlines , and our son?… ” – This generally happens in our Indian Community where success of some random so called toppers are failures for some parents.
• “He has mugged it all up, he is bound to confuse himself” – an excuse most students give and in most cases true . Most toppers mug up  stuffs.
• “He is definitely going to be a successful guy. He has studies so much” – a random comment which we get to here

and there are many more..

 

BUT DO SOME STUDENTS KEEP UP WITH THESE IMPRESSIONS? … 

“Most students fail to keep up with the impressions they had set upon the community  which is why later they fail to become successful students”

I have been saying “successful student” , how would I describe a successful student :

• Has a group of friends and keeps a positive impression on his peers throughout his career.
• Has a knack of keeping almost all his hobbies in balance along with studies.
• Keeps a to-do list and marks what he had done the whole day.
• Has only one ambition.
• Popular among friends.

In the last point “Popular among friends” I would say it would be a small group of 3-5 people. There also may be a social circle he is popular in. A successful student need not be a topper he can be a mediocre student but can achieve well.

How students fail to be successful ?? ..

The answer is not points but real cases we often get to see :

• He is pressurised by his parents – Yes it is most common when parents tend to force his child to only study.
• Limiting himself to School Books/ reference books – In a generation where access to the internet is simple , still students limit themselves to books teachers recommend.
• Incorrect Teaching methodology- Yes, Incorrect way of teaching cannot be ruled out . reason being students make it to study from the notes provided by the teachers.
• Limited access to friends – Most students tend to weave away from their classmates which is totally not right . because friends can change the way you understand and learn things.
• “No play”- some students tend to stick to their study tables and go through what their teachers taught them in school and not giving time to sports and extra activities

 

There are more such cases how we can fail to become successful students.

But there are students who are successful even though they have scored good marks .