Gen Z - Generation with zeal - Intelligent , talented and fearless

 Gen Z children are highly talented and seem to know how to balance their academics , sports and social life. Let's take an example of a young sportsperson in cricket, teenager  Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He is a rising superstar with immense determination to achieve his goals and has already made a mark for himself by playing in the IPL matches in 2026. His parents must be extremely proud of his achievements. Not only that, the entire nation admires him  and this youth icon is an inspiration to many around the world. This is about the cricket world and sports , in which this little super boy has become the apple of eyes of many in the country. 

Secondly , I am quite impressed by the kind of results that are being depicted by the Gen Z students these days. Lately, when we read the newspapers, we often notice students scoring 99.99 percentile in the competitive exams like JEE Mains and Advanced . In some cases, a single rank  is shared by more than thousand student. This level of caliber and hard working spirit was not commonly seen a  couple of decades ago.

Even when the level of exams is high, such as  in certain CBSE exams , for instance in 2026 Mathematics Set II exam ,which was a little on the tougher, still many students in India managed to get more than 99 %  in Class 10 board exams. When the results for tenth board were declared ,I happened to be  in Hardwar , I was astonished to check the full length advertisements of different CBSE schools, proudly claiming  their students' achievements. And that is the sweet fact. 

Gen Z children, if they are determined , are truly unstoppable. With access to vast resources and a clear understanding that hard work pays off, they are setting new benchmarks of excellence.

Woman Empowerment

 

“When women support each other, incredible things happen” – By Serena Williams

Woman Empowerment in a patriarchal world can largely flourish when women begin to lead in the major and primary spheres of society. According to me, women should gracefully assist, admire, and appreciate even the smallest achievements of other women, both in the workplace and at home. Such inspirational gestures can pave a remarkable path for women to work collaboratively for greater success and to create a niche for themselves, without any hinderance. When women uplift one another, they build stronger communities and open doors for generations, Unfortunately, the irony is of our times is that precious time and energy are often spent pulling others down, when they could instead be used to elevate, encourage, and empower one another- both in the workplace and at home. True progress will come when women celebrate each other’s victories and grow together.

 

Anunidhi Sharma

 

 

My journey with plants

 My journey with plants

Coming from a quaint, small town, border area, Gurdaspur, Punjab, I grew up in the company of lush, vibrant plants and towering trees. Both my grandmother and mother had special and soulful affection towards plants. We had a beautiful, green, thriving kitchen garden that was a source of many vegetables like tender bitter gourds, bottle gourd, lady finger, fragrant curry leaves and medicinal giloy, and the elders of the house took care of them as their children. They were nurtured with unwavering love, adding rich, organic manure from time to time.

 I came to the bustling, fast–paced city of Hyderabad, where space is a crunch for one who wants to pursue gardening as a hobby. Still, the memory of green, serene surroundings around me had a profound impact on my mind, and it lingered on for years until recently, when I dared to think of growing small, little, delicate living creatures- plants in the only tiny balcony that is part of our modern flat. 

Initially, the idea felt flat when it was resisted by the other members of the family as it was the only place in the entire house where they could sit in the open, cool air and look at the colourful, vast, ever changing sky and gossip in the evening and wanted that their needs should be prioritized and preferred that place to not to be occupied by what they saw as intruding living creatures. But, I somehow convinced them and promised them their space would not be encroached by the tiny plants that they thought to be their counterparts. 

Soon, I got a green flag from everyone in the family and started a new journey, a rather beautiful, amazing journey with the plants. I began with the seeds from my kitchen, and a few precious varieties from my neighbour, Ms Geeta, who is very close to my heart, and was happier than I for my prospects, interests and sense of duty towards nature. 

In a few weeks, the plants began to thrive, and now I have a beautiful garden on my balcony. It has given a rhythmic heartbeat to my once concrete home. The plants sway and dance when I pour water on them. I sometimes sing to my plants, and they respond by growing in leaps and bounds. My small garden, a corner, no less than heavenly bliss, is admired by one and all who visit our home.

 Plants are a divine blessing of God. After my long, tiring day’s work, I spend some peaceful time with my plants. They rejuvenate my life and help me uplift my emotions, helping me prepare for the next day’s work. I have now red hibiscus, healing giloy, a few ornamental plants, graceful palm, holy tulsi, evergreen money plant and many more.     

By – 

Ms Anunidhi Sharma

Mansa Devi Panchkula , near Chandigarh

 In the summer holidays, we visited the Mansa Devi Temple, located in the picturesque area of Panchkula. It is about 12 km from Zirakpur and is a truly beautiful place. According to ancient beliefs, when Parvati Ji decided to sacrifice her life as Sati in the yajna, her head fell to earth where the Mansa Devi Temple now stands in Panchkula.

We booked an Uber and journeyed to the temple. There was not much rush, allowing us to have a peaceful and comfortable darshan. The temple offers langar 24 hours a day. The langar, considered prasad, is incredibly delicious, featuring a variety of dishes such as rice, maani (kari with pakoras), black chana, and sometimes halwa, and halwa kadu ki meethi sabji. The food is very tasty and is available round the clock. There is a spacious hall where people sit on the floor to enjoy their meal/prasad. Additionally, there are some chairs and tables for elderly people who cannot sit on the floor.

We attended the evening aarti, which was attended by many devotees. It had a captivating and uplifting atmosphere with positive vibes and a magnetic effect that dispelled negativity and instilled positivity in our minds. All the family members felt very happy and blessed, receiving the blessings of Almighty God for progress in the coming years.

Safar from Chandigarh to Hyderabad

 We had to travel to Hyderabad from Chandigarh. We reserved our railway tickets on the Shatabdi Express three months in advance, anticipating a smooth and comfortable journey. However, it turned out to be a roller coaster ride and a memorable adventure.

From our society, we booked a seven-seater uber cab – a spacious one – with ample legroom and enough space for all five family members: three teenagers and two adults. Each of us had a 15 kg suitcase, a handbag, and one extra, hefty food bag, bursting at the seams. If it had been a person, it would have been pitifully complaining.

We reached the railway station an hour early and waited in the bustling waiting hall. When the train arrived, we all hopped on. The train was scheduled to reach Delhi at 3:25 pm but was over an hour late, arriving at 4:30 pm. After that, we headed to the metro station.

All our luggage – five 15 kg suitcases, five 7 kg bags, two purses, and the heavy food bag – had to be scanned. There was a lot of hustle and bustle, with separate lines for males and females. We bought tickets to Aerocity, Delhi, for Rs. 50 each. Later, we learned we needed to take a shuttle for Rs. 40 each. We purchased the shuttle tickets and trudged to the bus stop with our heavy luggage.

On 28th May, the temperature in Delhi soared to a scorching 52.6 degrees Celsius. The situation was pathetic: only one shuttle bus was available, making round trips to the airport. We stood in the sweltering heat for about half an hour without any shade. Taxi drivers offered to take us for Rs. 100 per head, suggesting we return the bus tickets. It seemed like collusion between the cab drivers and the ticket seller, as it was a government-run shuttle service. Two other buses stood roadside, deemed out of order by the caretaker, leaving just one functioning bus. He suggested we take a taxi if we were in a hurry.

Just as we were losing hope, a bus finally arrived, bringing a sigh of relief. We boarded and reached the airport in 25 minutes. The ride was bumpy, and the driver initially struggled to start the bus.

After rushing through the security check, we finally relaxed upon boarding the plane. Upon reaching our destination, Hyderabad, we collected our luggage, exited the airport at 11:30 pm, booked an Uber, and headed home.

Thus, our long journey, starting at 8:30 am and ending at 1 am, was thrilling, memorable, and filled with incidents that added to our experience.