Adhara is a little girl from Mexico who is attending college in the U.S. at the early age of 10. Her IQ stands at 162, higher than Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking whose IQ were both 160. Adhara learned reading and Algebra at the age of three; presently she’s pursuing two degrees in Mexico — Systems Engineering at CNCI and Industrial Engineering with a focus on Maths at UNITEC. Adhara aims to become an astronaut and build a habitable colony on Mars.

Although life hasn’t always been a smooth sailing, with determination and family support, Adhara was able to overcome the various obstacles in her path. At age three, she was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome which makes social interaction difficult. Growing up in a regular school was not easy as she was constantly made fun of and harassed by her classmates. At times during classes, she even fell asleep accompanied by signs of disinterest in the current school curriculum. Regardless of these behavioural aspects, Adhara loved studies, and to pass her time, she memorized the entire periodic table!

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As the saying goes — ‘Old is Gold’, let’s accept and appreciate our loved ones in their golden years by celebrating Grandparents’ Day on September 11.

Grandparents are the most understanding and loving people in the world and we can never underestimate their importance and influence on our current generation. Though ideologies and trends may be far apart, our grandparents speak the most common language, the language of ‘love’, and are thus often able to successfully bridge the generation gap between themselves and their grandchildren.

Grandparents set examples as they have years of parenting experience. Our system provides us with an umpteen number of courses to develop our skills and knowledge, however, one of the most important callings in life is left to trial and error. Here, none other than our dear grandparents are fully capable of being the guiding star during challenging family situations with years of wisdom to their credit.

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This young girl, despite all odds, took charge of her destiny and proved through her hard work and dedication that even a street vendor can aspire to pursue a Ph.D. in the USA.

After a long, hot sunny day, Sarita would return home exhausted after urging commuters to purchase tiny bouquets and flower garlands. This 12-year-old girl had no choice and alongside school had to pitch in and help in the family business to enhance the family income, especially during festivals. This was her daily routine for most of her educational life. Nevertheless, her circumstances did not dampen her spirit to learn and progress academically. She developed a love for Hindi literature and did not give in to external factors but continued with a will of iron to fulfil her dream of obtaining a good education. Little did she know that the vigour and fortitude she possessed would not only lead her to the completion of her education but also influence her to excel, and finally place her in a prestigious institution in the United States to work towards her doctorate.

Since it was impossible for her to afford an education, she pursued her M.A. and M.Phil. through Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), a public-funded university, and will submit her Ph.D. in Hindi literature this July to the Indian Language Centre at JNU itself. There was a stroke of luck that played a part here, as Sarita managed to secure the last OBC seat at her entrance test at JNU. She attributes her acceptance at the University of California (UCLA), Santa Barbara, to JNU, and firmly believes that her future brightened up as soon as she was accepted at JNU.

Not only has Sarita been an inspiration to children and youth but also her family, as her siblings have understood the value of good education. Her elder sister has earned an M.A. degree and both her brothers are attempting competitive exams. In order to fund themselves, they are engaged in providing tuitions to meet their financial requirements just like Sarita. Despite the odds, Sarita’s father has always strongly supported her and encouraged her to study further.

Sarita’s vision is to raise awareness about the difficulties faced by street children in their attempt to obtain a decent education, especially the financial aspect. She rightly believes that education for street children should be free. Thus, those who have the desire to build up their skills and knowledge will have a system in place to develop themselves at no cost, thereby providing a fair opportunity to all. Education is a need of all and should be provided to benefit every citizen. This in turn will pave the way for the process of broadening everyone’s perspective, skills, and opportunities, leading our nation towards a radiant future.

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Among the numerous days celebrated the world over, the one that profoundly impacts the present as well as future generations is World Bicycle Day. Well, on 3 June every year, since 2018, the U.N. General Assembly dedicated this day to celebrate the joy of riding bicycles. The simple structure of a bicycle requires only air and a bit of energy to function, however, it has proved itself to be both environmentally-friendly and a friend to all mankind. Prof Leszek Sibilski, a Polish-American sociologist, along with his sociology students, was the inspirer of this cause.

Apart from being an eco-friendly and economic means of transport, bicycling also promotes good physical as well as mental health. Cycling decreases the possibility of falling prey to cardiovascular diseases, aids in building body muscle, and reduces overall fat. It strengthens bones, improves joint mobility and relieves stress. In addition, it also facilitates the regulation and maintenance of healthy blood sugar levels in our system. Thus, cycling reduces the risk of depression, obesity, arthritis, diabetes, certain cancers, strokes and heart attacks.

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“I want to write a book!” declared bright-eyed 8-year old Risha to her mother. “Go for it!” her mom said smilingly. And she did go for it! Today, Risha is a teen author of three novels, the founder of a successful Instagram blog, and an inspiration to young girls and aspiring teen authors everywhere.

Risha Chaurasia, born in Indore in 2007, started writing at the tender age of 8. Her early works consist of two plays — Wonder Car and Journey Of The Island, followed by her first book, Tales Of Twinkling Tweens, which she published at the age of 11. The book is based on the various aspects of a tween’s life and elaborates on school experiences such as teachers, relationships with friends, experiencing bullying, etc. A book for tweens by a tween! The book received a considerable response and was greatly loved and appreciated by its readers. She also did her first author’s visits and ‘Meet and Greet’ soon after.

While many people encouraged and supported her, some did try to pull her down. Here’s where Risha’s role models played an important part. Her mother’s best advice was: “Risha, you write for yourself, not for the world”. This profound statement continues to guide through her journey.

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Our minds are an integral part of our well-being. Often, we ignore it and focus on distractions around us instead of facing our feelings, accepting them, and working on them. The saying rightly goes — a healthy mind begets a healthy body.

The pandemic has played a part in influencing the condition of our mind, heart, and the social standing of many. Some have been impacted economically, experienced the loss of loved ones, changes in lifestyle, and disruption of the routine that was set prior to the tiny virus that is taking over our world. There has been a tremendous decrease in physical activities such as walking, meeting friends, and other sports events.

Staying indoors has not been an easy task especially for children and adolescents. We have lost almost two years, and lockdowns have resulted in this segment of society being exposed to excessive use of technology and a sea of vast knowledge at their disposal through the internet.

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