Friday, January 6, 2012
Dinesh Kamath's Editorial (Should chess be made compulsory in schools?) that was published in Newsband
Should chess be made compulsory in schools?
Gujarat has made chess compulsory in all schools for students between seven and 17 years. Teachers there are given special training to instruct the game. Should Maharashtra Government do the same? Many members of the public support the move. But there is also a huge opposition.
The supporters of chess believe that chess will prove to be enormously beneficial to children since this game is based on mental skills. According to them the game develops intellectual agility, concentration, the capacity to plan and be swiftly decisive. They believe that these skills can improve one's personal life, organize the mind at making predictions, formulate strategy and make one move towards one's goals. According to them, chess is not just about brainpower but it also teaches etiquettes, showing how to wait with quiet patience while your opposition thinks. The game, they say, teaches as to how hierarchies operate, how each one of us, from pawn to queen, holds special powers and so on. The chess also enjoyed special place in India's history and both Indian Kings and commoners played the game, they say. So they believe that chess will bring this incredible heritage to the students who clearly have an affinity for the game.
The people who oppose the introduction of this game in school say that such a move will only compound the problem. They say that such a move will only distract the attention of the students and they will ignore important activities like reading, writing and maths. Indian education system is already grappling with issues like lack of schools and basic infrastructure, books, less teachers, lower attendance, teacher-pupil ration etc. and so this idea of making chess compulsory in schools will only add considerably to already existing problems. They refuse to agree that chess improves the cognitive skill of students since after a survey it was found that chess grandmasters were found to possess average cognitive skills and memory outside the game. Their extraordinary skills remains confined only to the game of chess, they say. They are of the opinion that the game of chess has less to do with analytical skills and more with pattern-recognition accumulated through thousands of game situations year after year. So these critics of chess believe that it is best to leave it to students to decide whether they want to pursue the game of chess. They strongly believe that no student should be forced to play chess.
Gujarat has made chess compulsory in all schools for students between seven and 17 years. Teachers there are given special training to instruct the game. Should Maharashtra Government do the same? Many members of the public support the move. But there is also a huge opposition.
The supporters of chess believe that chess will prove to be enormously beneficial to children since this game is based on mental skills. According to them the game develops intellectual agility, concentration, the capacity to plan and be swiftly decisive. They believe that these skills can improve one's personal life, organize the mind at making predictions, formulate strategy and make one move towards one's goals. According to them, chess is not just about brainpower but it also teaches etiquettes, showing how to wait with quiet patience while your opposition thinks. The game, they say, teaches as to how hierarchies operate, how each one of us, from pawn to queen, holds special powers and so on. The chess also enjoyed special place in India's history and both Indian Kings and commoners played the game, they say. So they believe that chess will bring this incredible heritage to the students who clearly have an affinity for the game.
The people who oppose the introduction of this game in school say that such a move will only compound the problem. They say that such a move will only distract the attention of the students and they will ignore important activities like reading, writing and maths. Indian education system is already grappling with issues like lack of schools and basic infrastructure, books, less teachers, lower attendance, teacher-pupil ration etc. and so this idea of making chess compulsory in schools will only add considerably to already existing problems. They refuse to agree that chess improves the cognitive skill of students since after a survey it was found that chess grandmasters were found to possess average cognitive skills and memory outside the game. Their extraordinary skills remains confined only to the game of chess, they say. They are of the opinion that the game of chess has less to do with analytical skills and more with pattern-recognition accumulated through thousands of game situations year after year. So these critics of chess believe that it is best to leave it to students to decide whether they want to pursue the game of chess. They strongly believe that no student should be forced to play chess.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Dinesh Kamath, Editor of Newsband, sipping tea with Chandrashekhar Hendve, Reporter of Newsband
(L-R) Chandrashekhar Hendve, Reporter of Newsband, and Dinesh Kamath, Editor of Newsband. These photographs were clicked by Ashok Dhamija, Sr. Photo-journalist of Newsband
Dinesh Kamath, Editor of Newsband, with Ashok Dhamija, Photo-journalist of Newsband
(L-R) Sr.Photo journalist of Newsband Ashok Dhamija and Editor of Newsband Dinesh Kamath. For your information, Ashok Dhamija is the ace photographer who has clicked many photographs for my blog. He is the man who covers mostly sports activities for Newsband. Ashok's photographs and news item appear practically everyday in Newsband. He has even covered five-day test match between India and West Indies held at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, recently. Most of the time he is behind the camera. But I brought him in front of the camera today just to introduce him to those people of the world who are reading my blog. He has covered quite many International sporting events including Commonwealth games. His ambition is to cover more of International events. He wants to become International-level Photo-journalist. I wish Ashok best of luck! (This photograph was clicked by Amit Kumar Srivastav, Reporter of Newsband)
Dinesh Kamath's Editorial (Beware of bad companinons) that was published in Newsband
Beware of bad companions
The company he or she keeps influences him or her. Our companion influences tremendously both our mental state and actions. Even a person with all positive attributes may end up pursuing undesirable activity because of bad company. You may be mentally strong. But yet you can land in situations where you are forced to move around with a bad element.
This bad element could be a very corrupt person and he or she can somehow or the other make you corrupt too. History talks about many good people who were ruined by their bad companions. It is important that you keep yourself in good company and avoid bad companions like cancer.
If you spend a great deal of time with materialistic persons discussing worldly affairs all the time, you are bound to become like them, irrespective of the meditation you might be practicing. It is not a crime to be materialistic. What is important is the method you adopt to accumulate materials. If you are earning your wealth legally and ethically, there is nothing wrong in it. But acquiring wealth by using wrong means is very bad. It will have negative influence on your psyche and personality. Hence it is necessary to be in the company of honest people rather than move around with corrupt ones.
It is rightly said that good literature and good company play seminal roles in shaping your personality. Sometimes our mind itself can be our worst enemy. A person can be ruined if his or her mind is not cooperative. In such situations the company of good people can bring in unbelievable change in the mental state.
It is difficult indeed to avoid the company of those who have negative qualities in abundance - they tend to entice you to stay with them or harass you to remain their companion. Such is the force of negative influences. The mutual dependence among those who lack integrity tends to be greater than among those who shine out on account of their integrity. Because of this, destructive power often tends to become more powerful than its constructive counterpart. But one has to keep up the deepest mental poise and follow the principle of 'generous neglect'.
It is part of our social responsibility to warn wrong-doers against their actions but there is no point in repeated reminders. Say it once and go ahead without looking back. Time would be better spent on contemplation. Problems caused by your enemies can at times prove to be very costly. But the principle of tolerance works in unique ways. You should be determined not to get ruined by the bad ones.
It is necessary for honest ambitious person to keep company of saints and avoid the company of bad elements. While the former will channel your ambition in the right direction, the latter can misguide you. So beware of bad companions.
The company he or she keeps influences him or her. Our companion influences tremendously both our mental state and actions. Even a person with all positive attributes may end up pursuing undesirable activity because of bad company. You may be mentally strong. But yet you can land in situations where you are forced to move around with a bad element.
This bad element could be a very corrupt person and he or she can somehow or the other make you corrupt too. History talks about many good people who were ruined by their bad companions. It is important that you keep yourself in good company and avoid bad companions like cancer.
If you spend a great deal of time with materialistic persons discussing worldly affairs all the time, you are bound to become like them, irrespective of the meditation you might be practicing. It is not a crime to be materialistic. What is important is the method you adopt to accumulate materials. If you are earning your wealth legally and ethically, there is nothing wrong in it. But acquiring wealth by using wrong means is very bad. It will have negative influence on your psyche and personality. Hence it is necessary to be in the company of honest people rather than move around with corrupt ones.
It is rightly said that good literature and good company play seminal roles in shaping your personality. Sometimes our mind itself can be our worst enemy. A person can be ruined if his or her mind is not cooperative. In such situations the company of good people can bring in unbelievable change in the mental state.
It is difficult indeed to avoid the company of those who have negative qualities in abundance - they tend to entice you to stay with them or harass you to remain their companion. Such is the force of negative influences. The mutual dependence among those who lack integrity tends to be greater than among those who shine out on account of their integrity. Because of this, destructive power often tends to become more powerful than its constructive counterpart. But one has to keep up the deepest mental poise and follow the principle of 'generous neglect'.
It is part of our social responsibility to warn wrong-doers against their actions but there is no point in repeated reminders. Say it once and go ahead without looking back. Time would be better spent on contemplation. Problems caused by your enemies can at times prove to be very costly. But the principle of tolerance works in unique ways. You should be determined not to get ruined by the bad ones.
It is necessary for honest ambitious person to keep company of saints and avoid the company of bad elements. While the former will channel your ambition in the right direction, the latter can misguide you. So beware of bad companions.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Dinesh Kamath, Editor of Newsband, photographed while talking with and listening to his staff
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