Chinmaya IAS Academy- Civil service launchpad...

There is a friend of mine- K, who has a cousin-M.

M is into Civil services and is slowly climbing the ladder, one step at a time.

Few years ago, one afternoon when K & I caught up, she was telling me how this girl is very clear and wants to write the Civil services exam, and has told her parents to not push her into getting married.

Even though she is the only child, they have accepted her terms and support her in this.

With time, I came to know she had cleared basic exams, was posted in Madurai where she had taken an apartment and her mom moved in to help out [make sure she eats well, etc, cos she has never been on her own and the whole single child phenomenon]

All this was playing around in my head. I got curious about the Civil services, and began digging around the Internet for places that helped kids prepare for the exams and job. That is when I chanced upon Chinmaya IAS Academy, known to be the finest IAS Coaching Centre in Chennai…

Spent some time reading their site and talking to a few who have enrolled with them. Launched in 2017, they have quickly established a place in the market and renowned as a place that offers coaching classes for UPSC (IAS/ IPS/IFS/IRS) Examinations in Chennai. The place not only gives a good foundation in the civil services arena, but they also train students to equip themselves for the long run. The website is quite extensive, offering information on the courses, including the syllabus and even mock question paper that will help students prepare for the exams. Apart from these, you can Register for admission, chat with an executive who will be able to clear any doubts, or obtain more clarity as well. The best feature is the "Take scholarship sample exam", which will be useful for those who are worried about financial implications but have dreams of becoming an IAS officer...

                                          
                                         Admission Registration and Online chat support 

                                                                        Mock questions

Today with the amount of technology and exposure that is available, students need something that they cant find online. That is where this academy stands apart, and why it is listed among the Top IAS Academy in Chennai.. The IAS community is known to not only consists of smart thinking people, but also those who are grounded and clear headed. This is something that can’t really be taught but trained. Therefore, it is good that such centers exist, making life easier for aspirants!

Talk about having big dreams and being able to realize them with ease! Even though I am not writing these exams, just based on what I have read, I would recommend this center if you are looking for a place to help you get started.. Good luck~!

Joy of reading and gifting books..

If I were to rewind time and go back to my childhood, I only remember being outside with friends, playing or at home reading while listening to music [ in our Sharp Cassette player]. I also grew up listening to AC/DC, Van Halen, Phil Collins, Bruce Springsteen, ABBA, Carpenters and so on thanks to my uncles..... Which is probably why even today I love music from the years gone by and need music around me all the time.....

I used to get excited whenever I got news that someone was visiting, for it meant more books to be lost in. Loved reading Enid Blyton to Mystery of 5 find outers and slowly moving to books with bigger words and deeper subjects/plots.. I have over the years discovered new genres, authors as well... plus today, thanks to the whole social media circus, the world has become smaller. I have connected with friends and people from other parts of the country/world who recommend books and authors.. It is almost like going down the rabbit hole, you just get lost and enjoy the adventure.. Infact, the world has become so connected that I have even interacted with a few authors, going beyond just enjoying their books/style of writing. 

Am quite sure if you were to do a survey among those who read [does not matter what kind of books/genre], they will invariably be the ones who also believe in giving books as gifts to others. It does not matter who the recipient is, as in the age or sex or background of the person!  I too belong to that category! For all my friends and their kids, when it comes to visiting them I know what am gonna give.. With a few, we ask each other what they have read, or what they wanna read and gift accordingly, and for some we just go with their Amazon wish list or introduce them to a new author. 

Sometimes the new authors and books are welcomed, sometimes we read and leave it at it. But well, it is an amazing gift option. Infact, I was telling a friend of mine that it would be good for parents to give books as return gifts, instead of some random toy or thing.  Year on year, the budget for birthday parties seems to be growing rapidly, cakes getting bigger but the return gift remains something people pick up in a hurry, but they do spend on it [ atleast 300-500Rs].. 

If only kids of today are introduced to books like Amar Chitra Katha or Malgudi days?!! They would also love to be lost amidst other kids and get hooked to the world of books, instead of the iPad or whatever other gadgets they are into these days. Yes, it does have its consequences.. The child will demand you buy them a book every time you to a mall or bookstore, but then books trump other toys/puzzles, right? :-))  Gift a book, encourage a child /adult to read and that way you will be changing their lives forever... For adults, you can also include a set of bookmarks :-) 

As the kids grow older, introduce them to the world of libraries, that way they can borrow, read and go back for more.. 

Btw, have you read the Malgudi Days? If not, grab your copy today/ place your bulk orders here... 

All about reading and books..

The other day this person I met asked me if I remembered the 1st ever book I read.. I racked my brain for a few minutes and gave up! Came home and asked mom, she said it was a set of books gifted by my athai [ aunt] - Jack & the beanstalk, Sleeping beauty, The Swiss Family Robinson, Snow white & 7 dwarfs and one more.. I have them around somewhere at home, unless mom has given them away to some cousin or uncle. 

Dont ever remember mom /dad reading to me, but do remember being nose deep into books... And am sure this is a habit that just sky rocketed when we were in Tirunelveli.. Uncles used to visit us and every time would be with a box of books and music cassettes. That is how I fell in love with books and reading. Amar Chitra Katha is one set of comic book series that I remember being part of the collection. Even today, whenever I see an ACK book, I will pick it up and read through before putting it back on the shelf. 

Whenever I go visiting a friend/family, if there is a kid in that space, I always carry books. I have cousins & friends who are abroad, so their kids get books that have both english & tamil in them. Sometimes the parents thank me for the books and other times I am met with glares that say "now we are drowning in books, no space at home already...". lolz.. It gives me such joy to see kids reading... Am ok with them reading even silly books, as long as they get into the habit.. I know for sure they will grow up figuring out the genre that appeals to them.  

I also don't mind sitting and telling stories, or reading books to the kids. Its fun watching their expressions, and answering questions about the pieces of a story. They pick up new words, thereby their vocabulary improves. Infact, I believe this for everyone.. The more you read, the more it is reflected in your personality.. No, I am not judging anyone, just saying! 

Today, kids have such a range of books available to them- Indian and international.. It leaves me puzzled whenever I go book shopping. There are some that have 40-50 as part of the series, some into fantasy, others general, and more.. Uff... And so when I stumbled upon this list put together by Amar Chitra Katha, I was kicked and had to share it...  The best part is I have read all the books on the list, some of it might be for slightly older kids, but others work for little ones as well. It was exciting to see Malgudi days sitting proudly at the 4th spot.. I am back to reading and watching the series.. have you read it? 

Read the article here

There are always books and authors waiting to be discovered. Reminds me of the time a friend & I had visited this space called "Rare books" housed in a garage.... The minute you step in, you are transported to a different world altogether. We met Mr. Govindaraju, the 82-year-old who was lost in pages from newspaper and magazines, pulling out interesting/ vintage ads. He is an avid reader, collector and has taken over the reigns from his father.  I picked up two books from that space and must say it was the most fun I have had in a long time.... He had shelves piled up with books as high as the ceiling and we walked around the tiny space, taking it all in.... 

When Swami became my friend... Malgudi days...

I remember getting back home from school, washing up, changing out of the school uniform, gulping down the glass of milk before heading out the door to my great aunt's house down the road. I wouldn't even ring the bell, just take off my chappals, and enter their living room, and make a beeline for that sofa [almost as if it had been reserved for me]. Hearing me enter, uncle would come into the room from wherever he was and head straight for the TV. 

Back then, we got only one channel- Doordarshan. He would sit with me, just to keep me company till the show began. And like clockwork, it would start, and for half an hour I was lost to the world. I don't really remember what day of the week it was aired, or the time but do remember distinctly the colours and music. 

I am talking about Malgudi days, the show based on the works of author R K Narayan, a collection of short stories. The show's basic plot revolved around Swami [the protagonist] and his endless adventures.Set in the imaginary town of Malgudi, each episode was a short story. 

It featured government workers/middle class people, businessmen ,street vendors and school children (including Swamy and his friends) not to forget their life, mindset back in the day (especially towards British).  Though the town of Malgudi was small, it had a Government factory, 2 schools, a local market, a Post office, two cinema halls, a bus stand,  and few other buildings as well. Oh and there was a paper called the 'Malgudi Times' as well, all of which had me believing there really was a town called Malgudi back then. It was directed by Kannada actor and director Shankar Nag.

Infact, the show used to be telecast in Hindi [it was almost like the makers of the show had the country and the world convinced that South Indians were fluent in Hindi].. Must say, this show is one of the things I used to watch that helped me learn the language as well.  A couple of years later, I was gifted the book by one of my uncles... 

The stories were all fairly simple. They were about Swami and his friends, their adventures and was set in the pre-Independence era. I remember watching the boys run around in dhotis, caps and crisp jackets on streets around the now vintage Austin and Hindustan cars. Infact the the donkeys and elephants in some of the scenes made the town come alive. It was magical and I was hooked.  The plot of each episode usually involved the little problems that cropped up in the town of Malgudi or  between the boys themselves – it could be small fights, jealousy or misunderstandings. From something as simple as a rough day at school to a stolen necklace, you had it all. But the beauty of it was that all the episodes/stories had a happy ending... 

Over the years, this is a series/book that I have made references to whenever we spoke of our childhood. I remember, once a friend mentioned there was a pure veg hotel called Malgudi Station in Baner, Pune.. Talk about the name going beyond just the book.  Another piece of interesting news is that Malgudi is a real station today- Indian Railways has renamed Arasalu railway station in Shivamoga district as "Malgudi" station. How cool is that?! 

Today, when I look back in time, nostalgia hits me hard. There are some things that are precious, and for me it was all these moments from my childhood. We did not have a TV at home and so this aunt's house was where we would head to watch these shows and movies as well... I have now picked up the book to re-read and also saw that the show was available on Amazon Prime.. Good chance for those who want to watch Malgudi Days all over again.

If like me you would love to own one of these beauties, then grab the hardbound copy of the book here...