Just a bit more power, please!

Fifty cc bikes? What’s that, say under-16 students, who are supposed to ride two-wheelers of that capacity in the city
SAGAR V

Gone are the days of simply walking to school, or having your parents drop you there, or even rushing out of your house, shoes in hand, your tie flying wildly behind you, as some form of arranged transport honks frantically.

School children these days have found a new means of getting to school conveniently, at leisure, and in style. Sixteen years of age is indeed sweet, for they can now apply for a Learner’s Licence — LL as it is more popularly known — and cruise to school on papa’s two wheeler,or even better, a brand new one of their own.

Of course, the fact that LL holders are not permitted by traffic rules and law to ride bikes that have an engine displacement of more than 50 cc,is ignored. And by a substitution(1994) in section 4 of the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988,this phenomenon is blatant stepping over the law.

Ajay has been riding a Honda Dio to school for the past few months. When queried about the legality of this, he’s puzzled. He says, “Wrong? No,not that I know of.”This is justified as it happens all around him. Strangely, not many are fined for riding something that is at least 100 percent more powerful than the lawful limit. Nitin and Vinay are two boys who almost died while riding a RX135 on the Outer Ring Road, where you have a seemingly never-ending stretch of asphalt in front of you. Only, you have to weave in between countless trucks,provided they haven’t run you over already.

Says Vinay, “Yes, I know we were not qualified to ride that bike. For my part, I’ve learnt my lesson, and won’t be doing anything of the sort again.

“Parents are, mostly, very much aware that their children are riding something they aren’t supposed to. Often, it is with the consent of whoever owns the bike that the under-18 person uses the vehicle. Parents cite many reasons for allowing this.

“When nobody has the time to drop my son to school, and he has no choice but to go by public transport, he’ll hardly be in time to school; he takes his father’s old bike, which no one uses,” says Susheela K whose son rides the 150 cc bike. “But,of course, I make sure he is very responsible about it.” It is a comfortable set-up, she says, especially as BMTC buses hardly arrive on time, and they are often choked, congested and bursting with people. And autos are expensive.

In India, the urban market for 50 cc mopeds and scooterettes is virtually non-existent,and there are few models and variants available. And,it seems, no teenager would be willing to be seen with something like a Kinetic V2 XL, or aLuna TFR. “It’s hardly cool to be driving those things. They just don’t move!” says Rajshekhar Bhandari, a class 12 student.

But if a traffic policeman signals you to stop for a routine check, then you’re done for.Well, mostly. Says Nitin, “The cops sometimes find it acceptable if you’re riding a Honda Dio, or a Honda Activa, both of which have an engine capacityof 102 cc. But if you’re a Learner,and you’re riding a motorbike that is more powerful,you’re definitely fined.” Defaulters are fined Rs 300 for not possessing a driver’s licence. The boys will have to keep in mind of what Uncle Ben once told Spiderman: With greater power comes greater responsibility.

(All names have been changed)

CHILL MAADI

First St Valentine’s Day? Take it easy, love pretty much ensuresthat your thoughts are worth more than what you do for her

SAGAR V

For those of you who will be celebrating your first love, and indeed, your maiden Valentine’s Day, make sure of one thing — don’t get nervous.Simply look forward to this special time with all your heart.

Albert Einstein once said: “Gravity cannot be held responsible for people fallingin love. How on earth can you explain interms of chemistry and physics so important a biological phenomenon as first love?Put your hand on a stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit with that special girl for an hour and it seems like aminute. That’s relativity.“

First love is one of the few things that willlet your heart skip a beat or two, regularly and still keep good health. Says Vinod Kumar,a 17-year-old student, “Right from the time when I proposed to her — not knowing what to expect, I stood trembling and found myself suddenly wishing that I was very much elsewhere until she said ‘yes’ —to now, it has been the most magical time of my life.” They did say that the first journey is always the most wonderful.

It is said that anyone can catch your eye,but it takes someone special to catch yourheart. Once caught, it will be hard for your heart to shake the feeling away. Now, this being your true love, you are naturally tense and excited when it comes to deciding what to do on February 14.

“Will this make her happy?” you ask yourself. Or will that? What if I ruin it all? It is only likely that you will assume that you know nothing of planningfor the day. But as it happens, if there is one person who has all the ability to make her happy, it is you.

Says Shilpa C, 16, “My boyfriend seemed quite anxious these past few days. He was like this before my birthday too. It’s the first time for the both of us, and he’s trying too hard, I think.”

Her boyfriend is not alone. Most first-timers feel apprehensive, as the day draws closer and a decision is yet to be made. And the deciding is not exactlyeasy when they are forever not sure of whether their partners will take to it what they do or not.

She adds, “It would make me very happy just to spend time together, or do something he wants to do, because then, I’d want to do it too. I’ve been telling him not to worry about what I’d like. What I like — and don’t like — changes when I’m with him, my choices reflect his.”

Shilpa’s presumptions about her boyfriend’s first-time jitters are corroborated by Anush, 18, who himself experienced such nervousness, a few years ago.”Yes, it happens to all of us. The few days that preceded my first Valentine’s outing were a nightmare. In the end, of course,everything went smoothly, contrary to my fears. Looking back, it all seems very silly.”Into his fourth year with his first love,the special day is nothing to worry about anymore, he says.

Does it still feel special though? “Sure. I still get excited. There’s nothing like your first love being forever. For me, this is my true love,” he grins. Ah, well. As Marie Eschenbach,an Austrian author pointed out,we don’t believe in rheumatism and true love until after the first attack.

Here, they teach you to dream

It was last year, on Children’s Day, that this school opened its doors to the less fortunate youngsters in Bangalore. And it’s going great guns already – giving them the knowledge and strength to carry on

SAGAR V

“Tomorrow,” says the teacher, “you will have a test on addition,subtraction, and multiplication.”

But no protests or groans greet the announcement; the faces staring back at her are bright and eager. In fact, the very prospect of putting their arithmetic to test seems to have put them on cloud nine — making any casual observer think that this is a school of super-achievers.

Not really. You would be surprised to know that most of these children were once school dropouts, while the rest never received any kind of formal education in the days gone by. Aged between 10 and 17 years, they all come from poor families where any extra source of income, however small, is always welcome. But all that changed when the Sindhi Seva School opened its doors to them last Children’s Day (November 14, 2007)— the day they first took to their pencils and books in full earnest.

Mahalakshmi Vijaychand, the principal of this school, says, “Our schools cater mostly to children from the upper as well as middleclass sections. But what about families in the lower economic bracket who cannot afford to send their children to school? It’s by keeping their interests in mind that the Samiti conceived of this evening school.”The Sindhi Seva School provides free education to working children,encouraging them as much as possible to obtain basic education. It aims at equipping them to pass the 10th standard examination under the National Open School system.

Students are provided everything,including books, stationery, bags, uniforms,shoes and snacks. “There is absolutely nothing that they are required to bring. If they have the willingness to learn, we will provide them with everything else,” the principal says, adding: “Many students here are otherwise employed, which is why we decided to make it an evening school. Because at that time, it is easier for them to make their employers grant them leave for a few hours.

“The school functions from 3 pm to 6:30 pm on all weekdays. At present,the children are being taught English, Mathematics and Environmental Studies. The medium of instruction is English.

TALK, ENGLISH,WALK ENGLISH…

Anil Kumar, 17, has been a regular student of this school since the very day it started. A former eighth standard dropout, he is now studying with renewed resolve. And if you ask him what’s his favourite subject, he will reply without a moment’s hesitation:”English!”

Why English? “To speak it,” hesays. 12-year-old Ankit Kumar, another student from the school, givesa similar answer.

For children like them, learning English is a serious dream, and they are quite resolute about it. Much ofthe world around them is in English posters, newspapers, television aswell as other people, and they always feel the strong urge to connect.

And has the response to this initiative been good?

“As of now, there are 40 students in this school,” says M V RVidyasagar, administrator of the Sindhi Seva School. “We have distributed pamphlets — and with the help of college students — staged street plays to draw potential students.However, the main problem is that people from the lower economic strata don’t know the value of education yet. It is understandable, because,for them, the situation is grim.And as the parents see it, there’s nothing productive to be had from attending school. However, many children prefer to study here because everything is free. Additionally, it is an English medium school. We often have students from government schools trying to shift here, and we run into trouble because government school authorities do not wantto lose their students, and they refuse to let them come.

“Nevertheless, committed students still come from far and near to become a part of the school. “We have even applied for bus passes for students who come from distant places,” says Vidyasagar. Upon joining,the students are given some preliminary coaching, after which they have to take a small test. Then they are classified into three grades on the basis of their performance.

THE RIGHT ATTITUDE

“We have students of different ages in each grade, because age is hardly a fair measure of the education received,”observes H Venkatesh, who teaches them. “But their honesty and sincerity towards acquiring knowledge is something extraordinary.Though the situation is notvery supportive for education in their homes, they still try very hard to get their bit,” he says. This attitude is not prevalent among their luckier counterparts, he states, adding, “The real value of education is realised only when you are deprived of it.”The classes are currently being held at Sindhi College, Hebbal. However,there are plans for relocation to a new campus, where there will be enough space and opportunity to include vocational training. That way,students can opt for higher studies and prepare themselves for skilled work at the same time.

Says Vidyasagar, “These children work during the day but they are never too tired to study in the evening.And we are very happy to see their extraordinary hunger for knowledge.“

And as you sit in class with them,you know he is right. Everytime a few heads nod or hands shoot up inresponse to the teacher’s words, you cannot help but grin admiringly. The commitment, keenness, perseverance,and devotion to their dreams— they are all there.