The Zodiac Has Answers...

Eight planets (other than the Earth). 
Twelve signs.

Destiny is concealed in a birth chart drafted by observing the celestial placements. The circumstances at the exact moment of one’s descent on the face of the Earth determine one’s life path that takes its course, eventually leading to self-discovery and establishment of precious relationships.

Astrology is a delicate subject. Debatable one for some, even. It is all about belief - some do, some don’t. Whatever they say, it is inexplicably magical in how the peculiarities of human relationships can be reinforced by observing the minutest of detail embedded in the Zodiac.

Compatibility is of the essence when it comes to relationships across life and is crucial when it comes to establishing and sustaining a marital bond. I have been a believer of the science and art of Astrology ever since I attained the 'marriageable age' and hence I ventured into exploring the multitude of facets that I could appreciate in each of the twelve signs - myself included - after all, life is all about being comfortable with oneself.

Upon setting foot into the sometimes calm, sometimes unsettling waters of celestial adventure, I appreciated the sanctity of personality traits that came to light - be it either pertaining to my husband or me - albeit I was also able to work in tandem with the flaws that came to light too.

Being a cardinal sign, a Libran is practical yet emotional, being affirmative and grounded when the need arises, while a Piscean on the other hand, is dreamy and imaginative, highlighting the mutable nature of the sign.

Opposites Attract 

It is a clear case of opposites attract for us as the fascination of one piques the curiosity of the former, and the firmness in the thought of the other charms the latter. All in all, the creative prowess of Pisces can be brought to life in reality by Libra. 

Divided Priorities 

Being true to the Neptunian fluidity, Pisces is not quite fond of stability, a fact which opposes the Libran tendency of attempting to hold on, come what may. The quintessential Libran charm fueled by Venus is what keeps the fish hooked, so to say. 

Discussion or Deliberation? 

The always diplomatic and peace-loving Libran knows how to keep any discussion from turning into a full-blown argument while the 'good listener' Piscean has an ear for conversations at length. Thus any potential altercation ends on a positive note in the hindsight. 

Augmenting the Flaws 

A Libran's inherent indecisiveness can most certainly perplex a Piscean but once a matter is settled amicably with Libra's final say, Pisces is quick to acknowledge Libra as their pillar of strength that prevents them from being drifted away by turbulent waters. 

All for Family 

Both Libra and Pisces work together to provide the best for their child, both of them being fond of children. 

On the whole, human relationships are all about working in tandem with each other's positives and negatives and the Zodiac has been one great aide on the path of mutual understanding, acceptance, and appreciation. :)

Bloodless Innovation To Diagnose Malaria Fever...

Sometimes, a number of initiatives and innovations make the whole world come across as one family. Case in point, a youth in Uganda has accepted the challenge to do something significant for humankind.

This 24-year-old engineer from Uganda, Brian Gitta, has invented a faster and low-cost method to test malaria fever symptoms in a patient. For this incredible achievement, Brian has won Africa’s top award for innovation in engineering.

The prize by the UK Royal Academy of Engineering for Africa aims to develop the entrepreneurial and innovative skills of engineers. These kinds of initiatives definitely motivate and inculcate creative skills in youth to focus on and tackle some of the world’s most challenging problems in any field. The young innovators who identify such challenges dedicate themselves to work towards finding out an optimum and most feasible solution that caters to masses.

The first thing that would come to anybody’s mind is what makes his invention unique and better than previous testing methods. The answer is quite simple. This new testing method to diagnose malaria symptoms in a patient is completely bloodless. In fact, there is no need for a fresh blood sample at all in this testing method.

Rather the device has an ability to identify deforming red blood cells (RBCs) in the body that indicate the presence of malaria parasite. What happens actually is the parasite takes charge of the vacuoles in red blood cells in the patient’s body when he or she gets infected. This results in a change in the cell’s shape. 

The new testing device diagnoses this change in the body of the patient without taking a blood sample. Its functioning is quite simple too. It needs just to clip the device onto a patient’s finger to diagnose malaria fever symptoms.

A red beam of light then scans for changes in red blood cells in the body. These changes could be in the color, shape, and concentration of the RBCs. Another plus point of this device is its use that is quite simple and doesn’t require any specialist to operate. Once clipped on a patient’s finger, the device produces results within a few minutes.

The device delivers the test results immediately to the patient’s cell phone. These wonderful and innovative features make this device so simple that it becomes ideally the most suitable for remote areas that lack proper healthcare facilities. 

That means remote rural areas will get benefited the most where a lot of lives are lost just because of lack of facilities or facilities being too far from their areas that it would take a lot of time to visit those locations.

Given lack of diagnosis of malaria fever symptoms, a patient doesn’t receive the right treatment in time. A lack of transport facilities in such areas further deteriorates the cases because of loss of precious time and attention a patient needs. Gitta has named this device ‘Matibabu’ meaning ‘treatment’ in Swahili. The device to detect and identify signs and symptoms of malaria has thus become a point of discussion in the global arena in no time. 

In all other instances, it is always better to use products by reliable brands like Goodknight to keep mosquitoes at bay and avoid diseases like malaria. :)

Repelling Mosquitoes, But Naturally...

Global warming has affected universal weather patterns too. Winter season in Delhi, as a case in point has been squeezed to just a couple of months of late, while Summer season exists mostly for the rest of the period. On the other hand, mosquitoes and flies also have become stubborn too while their volumes have been increasing tremendously at an exponential pace. 

These days, finding a mosquito at even the most opulently maintained places should not come across as a surprise. The grave issue of protecting oneself from mosquitoes persists whether you are indoors or outdoors. Everyone needs to be sensitized towards mosquito control because it is important to safeguard ourselves from the harmful impact. 

Also, it becomes important to learn about some natural mosquito repellents and how helpful they are when it comes to safeguarding our families. While on an outdoor trip, if you carry a fabric roll-on, you can surely transform any ordinary trip into a stress-free experience as far as the menace of mosquitoes is concerned.  

Eucalyptus Oil is a tried and tested phenomenon that is quite helpful in this regard. The same is true for Citronella Oil. There are various reasons that make people prone to mosquito bites. It hardly matters whether you are relaxing, working, enjoying at home or are somewhere outside with friends, colleagues, or family members as a single mosquito bite can mar the whole momentum and zeal of enjoyment and togetherness in no time, and a small incident like that can, in fact, swing all the moods upside down. A minor carelessness can thus create a big nuisance that can enhance the after-effects to any extent. 

As a matter of fact, a small nuisance like a mosquito can annoy a lot. For the sake of everyone's health and happiness, safeguarding oneself from mosquitoes becomes a prime concern for one and all. Probably, in matters of health and well-being, you can't take things lightly. 

As we all know, citronella oil for mosquitoes is an effective formula. Similarly, eucalyptus oil for mosquitoes has also been in use even before these standard formulae were available as products in the market. It is always important to opt for a natural mosquito repellent than a chemically synthesized one to avoid any harmful side-effects of chemicals to our skin. Keeping the severity of the matter in mind, mosquito control has become one of the most important aspects of our life. 

Though our increasingly dynamic lifestyles and ever-engaging work environments do not allow us much time at hand to spend at leisure with family and friends on adventures while taking a hike, or even camping purposes, we still try to make some time for recreational activities to recall these moments of enjoyment and happiness spent with dear ones. 

That is the time it becomes important to protect our family members, especially the children, pregnant women, and elders from the riskful mosquito bite because, during these stages of life, the body requires more protection and has less resistance towards such dangers to health. That is why we must keep in our company the most suitable happiness and health protector that has been Good knight. :)

It's All Child's Play At PlayBox...

PlayBox, one-of-its-kind kids play facility catering to children aged 2-9 has set base in Gardens Galleria Mall, Noida, whilst being spread across a sprawling 14,000 sq. ft. area.

Emulating an interesting maze with dedicated play areas for specific age groups, PlayBox is an interactive environment and children play by themselves in a secure, clean and safe space under the watchful supervision of well-trained staff.

PlayBox is divided into five distinct zones dedicated towards specific activities:

My Burrow is a play area catering to 2-4-year-olds. 

My Maze is a play area catering to 5-9-year-olds. 

SnackBox is a Cafe focussing on nutritious as well as yummy food. 

ShowBox is a Studio that will host a series of workshops and events targeting toddlers, kids, parents and in many cases parents and kids together also, from time to time. 

PartyBox is the pseudonym for two dedicated party rooms that are perfect for hosting memorable birthday parties that have an individual capacity of forty pax, with a sliding partition that can be utilized to combine the two rooms. 

With age groups being intentionally demarcated in order to mark two distinct play spaces i.e. My Burrow and My Maze, a play maze for kids aged between 5-9, there is also a height chart sported by J - PlayBox's playful fox mascot - at the entrance, in order to ascertain whether a child is allowed into a certain play area or not, thereby facilitating the separation of stronger older kids from the tender toddlers thus ensuring safety and a certain uniformity among kids of the same physical stature. 

Within My Maze, kids can bounce around on trampolines, try out speed, spiral & roller slides, glide on Tarzan Log, indulge in foam ball battles, crawl through tunnels and tangled webs, as well as cross rope bridges, etc.

The toddler play space, My Burrow, is a completely foam-padded environment with lots of play panels, rotating climb frames, swings, slides, play kitchen for girls, play garage for boys, a construction area for kids to build using foam bricks, etc.

Parents can be with the toddlers within My Burrow, while they can watch their kids explore the space from a distance in My Maze. The play area conforms to the strictest standards of hygiene, safety, and security as per European Norms for Playground Facilities.

The entry and exit points in the facility are controlled and manned by security personnel and the entire play facility is completely monitored by CCTV. The space is well managed by the child-friendly crew who have been handpicked and trained to cater to children in the most efficient way possible.

PlayBox has been designed as an all-encompassing parent-child facility and thus both adults and kids can spend quality time together while feasting on some delicious savories and desserts at SnackBox. the Boutique Kids and Parents Café, that boasts of sumptuous healthy treats for toddlers, kids as well as parents too.

Based on the philosophy of community engagement and parent-child bonding, PlayBox has been built with painstaking attention to detail, that engages toddlers, kids and parents alike.The facility aims to foster and promote social and peer interaction, co-operative play, cognitive development, creativity and imagination through its play activities.

Apart from the crew, another exciting aspect of the facility is its energetic and adorable mascot - ‘J’ the Cool Fox and his inspiration for creating the facility, which is to provide an engaging, enriching and exploratory play area that offers Fun while ensuring Safety. The mascot is visually depicted as an anthropomorphic fox who is clever, caring and intuitive and yet street smart - qualities children of today ought to imbibe.

Right at the entrance, there are photos of J's family and his playful antics, with signages signifying the five respective zones. Also, there is the provision of lockers for safe keeping of personal belongings while parents enjoy with their kids.

ShowBox has a series of interactive sessions lined up over 52 weeks i.e. a unique session every week. From workshops on building paper rockets to Zumba to good parenting to sensitization towards recycling and environment, there are a lot of learning avenues for children.

“PLAYBOX is a community concept that specifically targets the 2-9 age group and their parents with an emphasis on parent-child bonding. Through Play as a medium, we aim to infuse our young guests with values, thinking and skill sets that are essential for their formative years which will eventually help them develop into responsible socially & globally aware individuals”, said Ms. Neha Gupta, the General Manager of the Facility.

“Today, India is a dynamic and lifestyle indulgent demographic with an immense appetite for novel fun concepts. However, this demographic has limited options for quality, safe and well-operated facilities to choose from, especially when we address the 2-9 age group. We, therefore, chose India to launch PLAYBOX as we think the concept is ideal for the demographic and we will be fulfilling the gap that exists in the market”, said Ms. Rosanne Fernandes, the Corporate Business Development Manager at Amusement Services International, the Company that created the concept and owns PlayBox.

PlayBox also aims to foster an environment of sharing and giving as working with several NGOs and foundations is on the cards in order to create awareness for their activities and to share contributions with the less privileged.

#ThatsMyDate For Menstrual Hygiene With Fortis La Femme...

Menstrual hygiene is imperative for women and adolescent girls alike. However, as much we would like to be #PeriodPositive, matters relating to menstruation and the discussion of all such are mostly considered stigma in many parts of the country, despite us calling ourselves a developing nation.

It is thus crucial to breaking free of the taboos that this sensitive subject is surrounded with. Being open-minded about the same is of utmost importance for us and our girls. Menstruation and issues concerning menstrual hygiene should no longer be faced with closed eyes, covered ears, and hush-hush whispers.

I have always been vocal about this subject which should ideally interest every girl and woman in this world in the past on my blog, and this time, World Menstrual Hygiene Day was commemorated no differently.

Fortis La Femme has always been a crusader for all kind of women rights, through its medical facilities. The core belief behind is that a woman is a very special entity requiring special attention. Therefore, it aims to provide an exhaustive clinical and holistic attention which is designed exclusively for women. This exclusive care intends to cover every stage of a woman's life right from her birth.

In accordance with their core belief, Fortis La Femme in association with Sachi Saheli, a Delhi-based NGO organized a human chain rally to commemorate Menstrual Hygiene Day at Connaught Place in the presence of  Manish Sisodia, Honourable Deputy CM, Delhi Govt. The event was also supported by many NGOs like NAZ Foundation, SARD, Nav Srishti who also participated in the rally.

The rally witnessed a participation of approximately four thousand people including school students who also presented a street play on breaking the myths around this taboo. The overall purpose of the rally was to draw larger attention to the issue of menstrual hygiene, get more people involved in the movement, get media to talk about and build a momentum for something truly sustainable through commitments.

Menstrual Hygiene Day raised awareness towards the challenges women and girls face due to their menstruation. A majority of women in rural India lack information about menstruation including access to menstrual products and sanitary mechanisms for disposing menstrual waste.

According to a study “Sanitary Protection: Every Woman's Health Right”, undertaken by AC Nielsen conducted in 2011 indicated that only 12 percent of women of reproductive age in India use sanitary napkins.

Anika Parashar, COO Fortis La Femme said,

“Menstrual Hygiene is one of the major growing concerns in India and has to be addressed at the earliest. We will soon be starting adolescent and menopause clinics to spread awareness and ensure good health and support the initiative.”

Fortis La Femme has taken the onus upon itself to break the silence and build awareness about the fundamental role that good menstrual hygiene management (MHM) plays in enabling women and girls to be confident and well informed about their health and hygiene. 

Transitioning From Silence to Sound...

"Blindness separates people from things; deafness separates people from people" 

~ Helen Keller 

Truer words have never been expressed in relation to the vital sense of hearing that we have been endowed with. Our sense of hearing is critical to our perception of communication with the world around us. Such is its indispensability that if impaired, it can affect an individual's functional, social and emotional, as well as economic standing as perceived by the individual themselves, as well as by the society. 

Hearing loss is defined as being partially or completely unable to hear (perceive sound) in one or both ears, the possible causes of which may include the following: 

• Infections 
• Birth Defects 
• Aging 
• Head or Ear Injuries 
• Ototoxic Reactions to Drugs 
• Exposure to Excessive Noise 

 ~~~ 

What if you could only imagine the sounds of life? 

That's the reality for 360 million people around the globe with disabling hearing loss. 

328 million adults and 32 million children have come face to face with this harsh reality of their lives. 

• In addition to these horrifying numbers, 1.1 billion young people (aged between 12 - 35 years) are at risk of hearing loss due to exposure to noise in recreational settings coupled with unsafe listening practices  

• Interventions to prevent, identify and address hearing loss are cost-effective and can bring great benefit to individuals 

• 50% of hearing loss is preventable through public actions such as immunization, healthy ear and hearing care habits, and effective treatment for both acute and chronic ear conditions 

• People with hearing loss benefit from early identification; use of hearing aids, cochlear implants, and other assistive devices; captioning and sign language; and other forms of educational and social support 

Especially for the 32 million children battling this impairment causing them to distance themselves from the world around them, it is imperative that we sensitize ourselves to their care including timely detection and addressing the impairment's root cause and treatment failing which the following consequences may negatively affect the child's personality. 

• Delayed language development 
• Academic underachievement 
• Social isolation 
• Higher risk of injuries 
• Degraded standard of living 

In order to take a constructive step towards addressing the criticality of this issue, the following strategies need to be enforced gradually but on a fast-track basis. 

• Strengthen maternal and child healthcare programmes, including immunization and organizations of people with hearing loss 

• Train healthcare professionals in hearing care 

• Regulate and monitor use of ototoxic medicines and environmental noise 

• Implement infant and school-based hearing screening 

• Making accessible hearing devices and communication therapies  

• Raise awareness to promote hearing care and reduce stigma 

It was a privilege to be acquainted with the cause of working for individuals putting up with hearing impairment in the form of a crusader's campaign #SoundsOfCricket launched by the global market-leader in implantable hearing solutions, Cochlear, in collaboration with their Global Hearing Ambassador and charismatic Australian Cricketer Brett Lee. 

With their motto of Hear Now, And Always, Cochlear has been leading the way with their three decades of research in this field of healing. It was indeed an insightful session with experts Dr. Minakshi Wadhera who has been practising speech therapy for quite a while now and made known to us the ABCs of hearing impairment and why it is imperative for us as parents to intervene early enough to sense if our children are faring well in listening to and understanding the environment around them in their growing years, and Dr. Someshwar Singh who led us to explore the neuro-plasticity of the brain that goes by the motto 'Use It or Lose It' in its formative years.

The various treatment options available to aid individuals suffering from hearing impairment were put forward, the functioning of the human ear and a cochlear implant's minute details were discussed during the course of the session.

The various remedies available to counter hearing impairment include: 

• Hearing Aids, that are best for mild to severe loss and consist of an externally worn hearing aid that captures sound through the microphone and amplifies it into the hearing aid channel  

• Cochlear Implant Systems, that are best suited for moderate to profound loss, and essentially bypass the damaged cochlea and create electronic signals which the brain interprets as sound  

• Bone Conduction Implant Systems, that are best for children born with impaired middle or outer ear or no ear canal, sending vibrations through the bone bypassing the damaged outer and middle ear 

The key takeaways from the informative session with both the medical experts could be stated concisely as follows. 

• Every recipient of a Cochlear implant receives different benefits, based on the duration of time that they’ve been through hearing impairment before the implant, the extent of hearing impairment and the overall well-being of their inner ear, and overall medical history. Their response to the therapy they receive after the implant also plays a vital role 

• Parents must be participative enough after the implant is done since this period is crucial for the child to get accustomed to hearing, especially since they’re unfamiliar with the sounds they perceive. For us as adults who have been hearing well since birth, it is impossible to imagine how children with hearing impairment would distinguish with hearing and not being able to hear anything at the first instance 

• A Cochlear Implant System stimulates the cochlea's hair cells, bypassing the damaged area of the ear canal 

• Can children who have cochlear implants swim? Of course. They just have to wear a cover on the implant to protect the processor. In fact, there’s nothing that someone with the implant cannot do. In addition, the AQUA+ for Kanso^TM also testifies the fact that it would be waterproof thus allowing a recipient to enjoy themselves fully sans any fear of damaging their equipment 

• Surgery for grafting the implant happens under general anesthesia and is an hour-long procedure. As is customary, the recipient is kept under observation for a couple of days before being discharged. Then, the implant is switched on only after a month or so after the recipient gets used to having it. This is followed by therapy to accustom the recipient to sound and speech 

The newest off-the-ear cochlear implant from Cochlear is Kanso^TM, which is discreet and compact, and has been designed in a range of colors to suit the style of a recipient and be camouflaged entirely in the hair on the head. It is equipped with SmartSound iQ with SCAN, dual microphones and sports a robust design.

At the event in Delhi, Kanso^TM was unveiled by Brett Lee in presence of Dr. Minakshi, Dr. Singh and a recipient of a Cochlear implant, Smriti, who shared with us her experience and interacted with us as any other person would. She came across as a cheerful, confident lady who's enthusiastic about her day-to-day activities in college.

As for Brett, he shared how he was devastated when a head injury sustained in an accident left his then five-year-old son Preston with hearing impairment in the right ear. 

Much to Brett's relief, Preston's hearing returned naturally over a year later. The incident left a deep impression on Brett with an urge to obtain a deeper understanding of the issues faced by those suffering from hearing loss as well as their families. 

"It was indeed a horrible phase. This personal tragedy shook me and  I decided to do a lot of reading and research on children growing up with hearing loss and how they adapt to society", said Brett, who is now closely associated with and feels strongly for those unable to perceive #SoundsOfCricket.

"Every kid wants to hear, every kid deserves to hear, and every kid should hear. I want to make sure, that everyone has the opportunity to experience what I hear, whether that's the sounds of everyday life, the sounds of loved ones, or the sounds of cricket.", says Binga, who set the field on fire with his pace and bowling skills. 

Love On Cloud Nine With Food Cloud...

The way to a man's heart is through his stomach... 

In fact, the way to most people's hearts are through their stomach. And this Valentine's Day, Food Cloud promises to tease your appetite with a twist. So do up your home in candles, add those fragrant flowers and that special table mat, chill the champagne and let Food Cloud give you a magical dinner date at home.

The web portal, Food Cloud, that is the brainchild of Vedant Kanoi and Shamit Khemka,  which connects home chefs to customers has two special Valentine's Day offerings -  a "Valentine's Special" page on Food Cloud where eleven chefs have curated sixteen special two-course and three-course meals; and the best five dessert chefs have curated fascinating desserts from chocolate bars that are a proposal, by Chocazure to naughty cupcakes crafted by All things Yummy, bouquets of edible delights to smooch mini brownies prepared by G's Patisserie.

To make our V-Day celebrations sweeter, Food Cloud chose Chocolate Day, i.e. 9 February with their aesthetic truffles placed in a heart-to-heart gift-wrapped hamper delivered to our doorstep. 💑 👫 💝 🎁



With over 300 chefs on board providing delightful meals to over 25,000 customers on a monthly basis, across Delhi-NCR and Kolkata, they've recently been inducted into the Govt. of India's start-up initiative as well, and are one of the few food tech firms that continue to hold strong, while quite a few have shut shop in the recent few months.

These Valentine's specials are available from now till Feb 14 on Food Cloud's Valentine's Special Page.

Take a moment to make your V-Day celebrations so much sweeter by indulging in such sweet proposals by Food Cloud! 💝

#GetSetRoar Against Breast Cancer At #LaFemmeMotarde

Breast cancer majorly occurs in women. But it has a possibility to occur in men too, though the chances are quite bleak. Broadly, symptoms of breast cancer include a lump in the breast, substantial changes in the shape or texture, or bloody discharge. The appearance of symptoms does not imply the severity or stage. Therefore early detection is very important. For this, a regular checkup needs to be done. There are various treatments depending on the stage of cancer. These include chemotherapy, hormone therapy, surgery, and radiation therapy. The chances of its occurring are higher in above 19 years of age.

Fortis La Femme is doing a lot about breast cancer awareness and treatment. A bike rally with female riders was held a few days back on 4th December 2016 in Delhi to present a breast cancer awareness campaign in a unique manner. The rally not only marks the continuance of Fortis La Femme's special offer for breast check-ups at all of its facilities in Bengaluru but also offer a free mammography for hundred underprivileged women. The latter part is in association with the Rotary Club of India.

Fortis La Femme is a state of the art facility. The core belief behind is that a woman is a very special entity requiring special attention. Therefore, it aims to provide an exhaustive clinical and holistic attention which is designed exclusively for women. This exclusive care intends to cover every stage of a woman's life right from her birth.

It further includes adolescence, motherhood, menopause, and beyond. Therefore, medical facilities at the hospital include Obstetrics (Painless Labor), Gynaecology, Neonatology (Level III NICU), Anaesthesia, General Surgery, Laparoscopic Surgery,  Cosmetic Surgeries, Genetic Medicine, and Fetal Medicine.

The whole idea behind the concept of women bikers rally was to encourage women from all walks of life to shed boldly, all their inhibitions when it comes to their own health and care. The woman of our society performing multiple roles brilliantly dares to do anything and everything as far as her family is concerned. But she stays least attentive towards her own health. That was the core reason behind this initiative by Fortis La Femme.

The initiative was launched with this fabulous message from La Femme - Don't be a fence sitter, come out and join many like-minded women who are all fighting for a cause. A cause that is yours. Ride with La Femme to fight against breast cancer and let the world feel the roar that is inside you. It’s time to feel the fear, feel the courage and feel the hope. Register now!

Learning Avenues With MarkSharks...

I recently came across MarkSharks, an App that is bringing about a complete transformation in learning and teaching. According to me, it brings a complete paradigm shift in the phenomenon, as Marksharks believes that learning will never be the same again. 

MarkSharks is creating a complete system that aims to teach secondary school students. To start with, it is focusing on Maths and Science. The innovative approach is to combine phenomenal pedagogy with the power of mobility. Students can learn on-the-go thus preventing waste of time. In addition, it creates a meaningful engagement and enables ‘learning by doing’. 

Although there have been many significant innovative advancements in Education Technology (EdTech), there is no remarkable change in the process of teaching worldwide. In fact, it is the same for decades. The main drawback of our existing education system is that it is mostly unidirectional. Whatever mode a teacher adopts, it is usually passive learning. 

The various modes are chalkboard, whiteboard, smart board, audio-visual broadcast on internet or offline. But it lacks interaction and seems to be ‘watch’ and ‘listen’. That is why I call it Passive Learning. It is like watching TV which is a purely one-sided affair. 

MarkSharks is a result of disruptive technology to end this unidirectional mode of teaching and learning. In fact, the younger generation belongs to the digital age. Thus they need to learn in a

different manner. 

Now there is a learning app evolving fast to help them. Students can use mobile devices to create there own knowledge mechanism. MarkSharks helps them in learning classroom concepts in a real immersive, multi-sensory, interactive, and meaningful way. And all this happens in a very interesting manner. So it is more learning with fun. They have games, simulations, interactive exercises, and virtual experiments. In fact, it is visually more enriching and is an interactive experience. And that too in a student's own style, as per their own convenience. That is what I call as Active Learning. 

If we look at the current learning and teaching mechanism, it is quite raw and mechanical in nature. Students easily get bored and dissatisfied. There is no fun. 

Students are of the general opinion - “I have to memorize everything that makes studying painful.” On the other hand the statement of a parent is, “How can I get my child to WANT to learn? I spend so much of my time and energy forcing her to study because I know that education is the only way to secure a bright future.” 

And, in general, an educator has an altogether different predicament to share - “Marks are important and my time in class is limited. So I just cannot devote the time and energy I need to individual students’ learning requirements. I KNOW there are students who are getting left behind”. 

MarkSharks, on the other hand, imparts a unique experience of learning that enhances a student's interest and speed. It provides a one-on-one experience thus introducing a personalized environment. This happens because a learner is using their own mobile device with a freedom of anywhere, anytime. It provides 100% hands-on and learner-driven self-paced learning experience that is quite enriching. There is CBSE Maths & Science curriculum for classes 6 to 12. The app is easy to install and modules are available for Class 8 and 9 on Google Play Store. I was able to download and install it quite easily. It was a hassle-free experience. 

There are features like voice-over and text in English which helps to grasp the concept intuitively. Since the content is modular, it enables easy adaption into various languages and curricula. Learn, Analyze, and Connect is the lifeline of MarkSharks. Learning is a fun because there are interactive games and interactive exercises. In addition, a learner can easily analyze performance in real-time. In fact, parents and teachers also have access to the same information. Connecting with friends in a constructive manner is another remarkable feature of this app. There is a feature - ‘Social Learning Network’ - where a learner can share notes with friends, request help from online tutors, and network with others on MarkSharks. 

You can download MarkSharks Class 8 & 9 Science CBSE content for Android devices on the Google Play store here. Also, you can watch videos of MarkSharks content being used here. 

I tried a few of their modules, those were available on Play Store. All the modules begin with this screen: 

Also, one can read the MarSharks story via the module by tapping on 'Our Story': 

Sliding Friction 

Phases of Moon 

Seismograph 

Lateral Inversion 

Air Pollution

All of them ran smoothly and an intermediate pace, neither too rushed, nor too slow. However, in the Lateral Inversion module, it got stuck at the following screen, for some reason. 

Other than that, it was a nice experience exploring MarkSharks, both as a learner and an educator. :)