Internet #1

Nowadays,almost everyone has some idea about what the internet is.I recall a scene from the 2004 flick 'Swades..we the people' where the village postmaster-cum-wrestler asks Shahrukh(Mohan Bhargava)-"Sir,pehle bhi suna hai,e internet ka hai?" to which he gets the following reply,a very simplistic one at that-"Internet..hmm...e mail se aap koi bhi chitthi duniya ke kisi kone kisi bhi kone tak turant pahuncha sakte hain". The postmaster Nibaranji responds comically-"Ou mail guru gyaan se awaat..e mail sansar chalawat" ;)

The above lines were purely the result of a deep sense of attachment with that particular movie. But I was inspired after a long,long time to write this post because the impact of internet on this world has amazed me,to say the least. I am going dwell specifically on the impact on quizzes, debates and essay writing competitions.

When I started participating in standard quizzes about a decade back,it was imperative for us to pore into a large variety of books and encyclopedias in order to pick up little tidbits of information that might prove helpful during the quiz. There being no defined syllabus for quizzes, it was usually a garangutan task. But,we enjoyed it. The reading of newspapers, books and practically everything under the sun(?) was an activity that satiated our curious minds.
The same goes for essays and debates.To pick up a brilliant and appropriate quote or some effective points, we used to rummage through various books and articles.

Now,the internet has changed everything.You need to have a PC and a connection and then you have all the information in this world at your fingertip(keyboard) and fingerclick(mouse).


To be fair,this hasn't made it competitively easier for the participants.Everyone then were on the same footing as regards to resources and the same case prevails even now.




"Behind every great fortune,there is a crime"-BALZAC

http://robolution.org

Do visit the website http://robolution.org to encourage a much needed attempt at inculcating a solid robotics culture at my college BIT,Mesra.

Robolution

Robotics is where innovation and problem solving skills meet knowledge and vision. It is about the passion of being able to create something new , something that has not been seen before. It is where many sleepless nights culminate in a sense of achievement. Stated in simple words, it is about having fun as you learn (and sometime in the near future, earn!).

But the general perception of robotics hovers around awe and fear , probably because of the lack of easily accessible learning opportunities and resources. All the talk about motors and microcontrollers can be quite intimidating for someone who is uninitiated to the ways of this world. The Internet is touted to be the ultimate source for learning all about robotics but it is really difficult to separate the grain from the chaff because of the large volumes of information present which may not be suitable for someone wanting to learn the basics in a systematic and structured manner.

Thus emerges the need for a platform or society where all kinds of robotics enthusiasts can come together and help and support each other to explore new grounds. A society where knowledge and guidance will be imparted systematically through regular workshops and talks. A society where competitions will spur everyone to go beyond their perceived level.

The aim is to ultimately bring about a ROBOtics revoLUTION and make the robotic culture a way of life. Robotics will not be the same in BIT again !

Back after a long time...

So. it is after a long hiatus that I am back here again.This long absence can be explained in part by the unavailability of internet access in my new hostel room.So,it is on weekends that I shift into someone else's room for filling my weekly appetite of the e-world.


This much for now....Keep reading and living life...

Mr.Guru Dutt:Genius Unparalleled?

This is ofcourse not going to be a micro-biography of Guru Dutt>>My blog is not a general knowledge bank :P plus you can readily find the relevant info from sites like Wikipedia. Rather, I want to write about my impressions of this man GD who has really enthralled me with his Pyaasa, Chaudhvin Ka Chand,Kaagaz Ke Phool and Sahib,Biwi aur Ghulam,to name a few.

His filmmaking style was bloody brilliant and he is credited with the invention of the 'Guru Dutt shots' (camera close-ups) among others.Although his autobiographical Kaagaz Ke Phool caused him a loss of Rs.17 lakhs in 1959,it gives us glimpses into his life.The movie has now become a classic in its own right and deserves all the recognition it has received now.I remember a scene which I especially loved.After GD has been thrown out of the film industry due to a string of 7(?) flops directed by him,he is shown walking on a beach and the waves washing away his footprints.Wow man,this is something....And there were many more such scenes in that movie.

Pyaasa(1957) is well recognised as a classic again and i especially remember it in the context of 'Ye Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaaye To Kya Hai.'The ability of GD to film tragic scenes or moving scenes is probably going to remain unparalled in the annals of Hindi cinema.Anurag Kashyap paid a fitting tribute to him with 'Ye Duniya' from Gulaal.And the respect this man commands even today can be seen when present successful directors name him as the director they would have loved to assist.There was also a race recently as to who was going to make a Guru Dutt biopic.It seems that Rakeysh OmPrakash Mehra(RDB,Delhi-6,Aks) has bowed out of the race paving the way for Anurag Kashyap.

Finally,the parting paragraph.Guru Dutt met a sudden and early death,generally attributed to his heavy drinking problems.You will usually find people saying that he could have scaled even greater heights had he not been flawed in his personal life.And I would like to lambast such people in general and not only in the context of GD.    Guys,why do not you realise that the level of success GD achieved was only due to his mentality as a whole and probably any attempt to mend his personal ways could have become a bottleneck on his creativity.Let flawed geniuses be, one because they make for great viewing and two because only then can they bloom to their peak potential,howmuchsoever it may be.

P.S-Down and grounded with assorted assignments and other related frustrating things,I can relate more to the pain he wonderfully exhibited through his brand of cinema.