Insights from the creators of iLearning

The Last Minute Preparations

Posted on February 22, 2012 by LearnNext Team

The countdown to board exams has already begun. Practical exams are going on for CBSE students and for ISC, the clock is already ticking as they face D-day on February 13. The stress levels are at an all-time high not only among students but also their parents and friends who wish to see them excel. The competitive pattern of after school admission to professional or academic courses is so high that it inevitably leaves the child worried and stressed all through. Some parents also tend to get overtly anxious and may be unintentionally add to the stress of the child.
To begin with parents need to be calm and supportive to ease the pressure of the child. Parents, for sure need to stop comparisons of their child to anyone, even their siblings. Children have to be pushed for better performance to be in the rat race of competitions but we, as parents need to de stress children so that they perform better. Board examinations are times of anxiety and stress. So help your child. Encourage him and support emotionally too.
Dear Children, begin each day with faith in yourself. Be determined to do your best. Do not panic by looking at your friends just because they appear to be better prepared than you. Keep yourself motivated. Anxiety, fear and nervousness at this juncture would lessen the efficacy of your time.
Smart Work Plan:
- On the basis of your preparation or performance in pre-board exams of the school, rate your readiness to take exam well in all subjects. This will help you prioritize your subjects for study.
- Identify your strengths and weaknesses. Focus on what all you have to do. How much you need to put in every subject?
- Blocks of dedicated study time with breaks will help. It is quality of time rather than the quantity of time that matters, Strike a proper balance between activities of study to keep you engaged for effective learning.
- Remember to do difficult subjects when you are fresh.
Revision Tips:
- NCERT books are a must to go through to clear all concepts and contents to excel in board exams. Success mantra to score 90% for sure is thorough NCERT text revision. Advised to go for reference books later.
- Study Smartly. Keep asking questions to yourself, Reinforce the important points of answering a question. Keep relating to diagrams, flow charts, formulae etc. frequently
- Know yourself well. Think when your brain works the best. Keep these time slots for difficult subjects. Prioritize your work plan. Do difficult subjects or topics first. Change subjects of study as per difficulty and your area of concern.
- Apply right strategy of revision and learning to different subjects. Practice is a must for subjects like mathematics, accounts , numerical problems in physics or chemistry but note making will help in business studies ,history whereas diagrams will help in biology and geography.
- Keep changing revision styles to keep you motivated. While revising, keep on making notes for last minute revision. Keep your class tests or exam papers for quick recapitulation of content learnt.
- Make sure you allocate adequate time for fun and relaxation as well while keeping away from distractions.
- Plan your work and complete it on time. Revise Regularly.
Prep Time:
- Keep your body clock right. Tune yourself to remain active on the study table in the morning hours specifically as per board exam timings. Check your study habits in case you are habitual of studying late night hours. Start sleeping early and study in mornings.
- Writing three hour exam in not only a mental exercise but also a physical fitness of the human systems to be active and alert to yield the best. Therefore setting the body clock tuned to exam timings calls for staying physically fit and healthy. So eat healthy and take adequate rest.
- Monitor your progress by taking mock tests. Sit for three hour test, preferably as per the timings of the board. Writing under exam conditions will help your body clock adjust to board tome and conditions.
- Presentations of your answers matters a lot. Practice papers should be written neatly. Well labeled diagrams to be drawn wherever necessary. Formulae and equations should be explained with symbols used. Remember everyone loves to read the content if it is presented well. You can improve your chances of scoring better.
- Effective Communication is the key to good scoring. Be clear and within the word limit required for all the answers as expected in the questions.
- Time management is very important .Avoid getting stuck on any topic. Keep it aside and take help/attempt later on. Even in examination hall it helps to keep track of time.
Stay Healthy:
`Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.”-Corrie Ten Boom
So wisely said and yet we fail to practice it and use the present constructively for our benefits.
Remember, it’s important to relax. You can perform the best only if your body and mind get adequate rest. Follow a regular sleep pattern
- Prevent mental fatigue, Take regular breaks. Go in for activities that maintain continuity of studies during these breaks also.
- Keep up with your simple exercises that are effective in relieving stress.
- Take care to have meals at proper times and also that are rich in vitamins and proteins. Green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits and sufficient water intake, are a must.
The Power of Positive Thinking:
Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus. ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL
- Board exam at the moment is your goal. So set your eyes on your targets.
- Concentrate and bring to focus all your thoughts and efforts to achieve your goal.
Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight. –Benjamin Franklin
In the examination hall:
- Read the question paper carefully. Attempt first the ones you know the best and then go to the difficult ones.
- It’s very important to answer all sections systematically without mixing questions from different sections.
- Application based questions may appear to be tricky but they are for sure based on concepts of the subject. Think wisely and act but do not end up giving more time lest you fail to write what you know and you can do.
- Numerical problems should be preferred over theoretical questions as you get full marks in them.
- Time management is essential in the examination hall. Avoid wasting time on trials of unknowns. Keep aside 15 minutes for revision to check errors if any.
- Wish you all good luck for the examination!

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Beating the Exam Stress

Posted on February 21, 2012 by LearnNext Team

“If you wish success in life, make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counsellor, caution your elder brothers, and hope your guardian genius.” Joseph Addison
With the board exams barely a month away, the pressures are mounting high not only for the students, but also for the parents. The competitive pattern of admissions to professional or academic courses is so high that it inevitably leaves the child worried and stressed all through. Some parents also tend to get overtly anxious and, albeit unintentionally, add to the child’s stress.
To begin with, parents need to be calm and supportive to ease the pressure of the child. Parents for sure need to stop comparing their child to anyone, even their siblings. Children have to be pushed for better performance to be in the rat race of competition, but we, as parents, need to de-stress our children so that they perform better. Board examinations are times of anxiety and stress. So help your child.
It’s important for students not to let any temporary setbacks affect them. Pre-board exams might have left some students tensed if their performance has not been up to the mark. Don’t brood over this, and reinforce portions where improvement is necessary.
Remember the difference between ‘’Try” and “Triumph” is the “Umph” factor! So get hold of yourself and say that “I Can.”
Revision Tips:
- Plan and complete it on time. Set realistic goals.
- Know yourself well. Think when your brain works the best. Keep these time slots for difficult subjects.
- Prioritise your work plan. Do difficult subjects or topics first.
- Change subjects of study as per difficulty and your area of concern.
- Do practise writing while revising. Keep on making notes for last-minute revision.
- Time management is very important .Avoid getting stuck on any topic. Keep it aside and take help later on.
- Monitor your progress by taking mock tests. Sit for a three-hour test, preferably as per the timings of the board. Writing under exam conditions will help your body clock adjust to the board time and conditions.
- Make sure you allocate adequate time for fun and relaxation as well while keeping away from distractions.
- Study smart. Keep asking questions to yourself. Reinforce the important points of answering a question. Keep relating to diagrams, flow charts, formulae, etc. frequently.
- Revise regularly.
Stay Healthy:
`Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.” -Corrie Ten Boom
So wisely said, and yet we fail to practise it and use the present constructively to our benefit.
- Remember, it’s important to relax. You can perform at your best only if your body and mind get adequate rest. Follow a regular sleep pattern.
- Prevent mental fatigue. Take regular breaks. Go for activities that maintain continuity of studies during these breaks also.
- Keep up with simple exercises that are effective in relieving stress.
- Take your meals at proper times. Ensure that they are rich in vitamins and proteins. Green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits and sufficient water intake, are a must.
The Power of Positive Thinking:
Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus. ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL
- The board exam at the moment is your goal. So set your eyes on your targets.
- Concentrate and bring to focus all your thoughts and efforts to achieve your goal.
Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight. –Benjamin Franklin
Wishing all students good luck for the examination ahead !!

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Take charge of your time

Posted on February 20, 2012 by LearnNext Team

“Time is an equal opportunity employer. Each human being has exactly the same number of hours and minutes every day. Rich people can’t buy more hours. Scientists can’t invent new minutes. And you can’t save time to spend it on another day. Even so, time is amazingly fair and forgiving. No matter how much time you’ve wasted in the past, you still have an entire tomorrow.”
― Denis Waitley
The board exams are almost here. And now begins the race against time. Who emerges a winner depends upon who has the meticulously worked game plan ready to act upon. My experience as a Principal and teacher has been that focused efforts in these days do bring in favourable results for many. Board results have always brought in surprises for me. I have found average performers of the session getting better scores, at times even more than the top performers. What I mean to emphasise is that these last few days are truly valuable, and you have a lot to gain from every moment spent judiciously on areas of your concern.
I don’t mean to say that it’s going to be easy, but it’s for sure going to be worth your effort. So take charge of your time and actions, and say “I Can.”
3 commandments to be a smart player:
Smart work plan:
- Focus on what all you have to do. How much do you need to put into every subject?
- PRIORTISE your subjects/topics as per your performance in the test exams at school. Remember, the time at your disposal before the boards is limited.
- Blocks of dedicated study time with breaks will help.
- Remember to do difficult subjects when you are fresh.
Organising the study place:
- A GOOD learning environment always inspires. Windows opening to natural surroundings or a garden brighten up the spirits.
- Identify your study place so as to concentrate better on your work. It’s time to avoid all distractions – mobiles, television, social networking sites, friends – everything!
- Arrange all resources within reach. Keep bookmarks and notepads handy.
- A timer on your study table is a must.
Execute the plan in all sincerity
“Strength of mind is exercise, not rest.” ~ Alexander Pope
Keep your mind in action by revising /reviewing the formulae, notes and visuals of content.
Hope you are already into action till I come back to you soon!

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Learning through community work: The next way to learn!

Posted on January 20, 2012 by LearnNext Team

Charity may begin at home but sometimes needs to be taken to school along with the lunch box and water bottle. And community service is charity without the condescension. It’s a way of giving back to the society you come from. There are so many small and large ways in which students all over the country can participate actively in the society around us. Sure, academics and sports are important, but for a full rounded grown one must develop a feel for those around us who could use a helping hand. Many schools and educational institutes have a social service department and carry out community service activities on a daily basis, with the help of clubs and societies, whose members are recruited from the student body.

The time and energy that you invest in such work is voluntary, though it is encouraged because it builds character, experience and empathy. It also creates awareness not only among the recipients but also among the volunteers. The presence of such clubs within schools has become almost a necessity with CBSE and other nationwide educational boards bringing in programs that make community service mandatory.

CBSE’s presence in Community Work
CBSE, in 2006, had introduced the National Service Scheme(NSS) into their schools. The NSS is a centrally sponsored scheme with primary focus on the development of personality of students through community service. It was started in 1969 and now present in class XI and above in CBSE schools. Though the service would exist within the school the participation of the students would be entirely voluntary.

Other efforts taken in this direction
CBSE and the NSS have not been the only educational institutions to apply themselves to such projects. Given below are two more examples of the ongoing efforts into building a community of service:

Recently the School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago, launched an exchange program with the Tata Institute for Social Sciences in Mumbai, in an effort to learn about each other’s cultures and how organizations in both countries confront poverty and economic disadvantages.

Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) in the village of Devarahalli, Davanagere, won the seventh e- India- 2011 Award, for their attempt to redress community issues, especially in making women self reliant. Besides classroom teaching, the students have been encouraged to involve themselves in community- development programmes. The students were organized into batches of eight, who took up community project under the guidance of teachers, and created awareness among the locals about their problems and possible solutions.

Courtesy: Ruth K Live & Learn

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Question Everything!

Posted on January 13, 2012 by LearnNext Team

Rudyard Kipling, the famous author, has quoted in his poem, “The Elephant’s Child” -

I keep six honest serving-men
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who

Kipling, the author of the Jungle Book series, highlighted a really important aspect around the growth of children. This poem has a deep meaning, that of questioning!

Right from the time we started speaking, questioning has been a part and parcel of our speech. We used simple sentences followed by “Who”, “What”, “Where”… extensively.

However, as we grow, that innate ability of questioning keeps decreasing in most of us. We get confined to the norms of the world. We take things as they are, without questioning their purpose and application.

This is what we need to change. Accepting things as they are kills curiosity and stops reasoning ability from growing. Life is about solving problems. Without the ability to question or reason with the current circumstances, how can we proceed to the solution?

To put it in simpler words, I’d say that one needs to constantly ask himself these six questions – What, Why, When, How, Where and Who.

Coming back to the six honest serving-men,

Who? Refers to the ‘people involved’
What? Refers to the ‘event/happening/entity’
Where? Refers to the ‘venue/location’
When? Refers to the ‘time and date’
Why? Refers to the ‘reason/purpose’
How? Refers to the ‘process/course/route’

This concept is widely used in journalism, research, police investigation, strategy building and other fields as well. The very basis of these fields is – Questioning Everything. Unless and until you question, you will not get the answers. It is based on these answers that you need to build your foundation, and, eventually, reach a solution to a problem.

So, always remember – the first step of the problem-solving process is questioning. Develop a sense of curiosity. Keep questioning and seek the answers.

Happy questioning!

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Music and learning – put another dime in that jukebox!

Posted on December 13, 2011 by LearnNext Team

Any good music must be an innovation. – Les Baxter

You know how everybody always says that what they do is an art. Whether an engineer or a businessman or even a mechanic, everybody likes to think that their job is practically an art form. However, the funny thing is that if you ask a musician or an artist, they would probably say that it’s all in a day’s work for them.

Ultimately, it’s all about perception – how we perceive art or artists. And our perception may not always be right – because decades of portrayal in a particular manner have created a stereotypical image of artists. This applies to musicians more than anyone else. We often think of a musician as somebody with a beard and long hair, or somebody attired in all black and jumping and screaming. This may have been true, but all musicians are not like that. A musician is just a normal person who has a harmonic and melodic interest in numbers. And literature. And language. Music helps us develop rhythmic intelligence and notice accenting in language, which increases fluency as readers.

Math and Music

Just as science can be considered an art, music can be considered a science. In fact, music is extremely mathematical in nature. All music is ultimately divided into meters. Time signatures. From simple four-four rhythms, to complex five-four or seven-four – it all boils down to how well you can count. And this is not only limited to drummers or percussionists. Even guitarists and vocalists need to be able to keep good time and think in fractions on a split-second basis. There are whole songs that have evolved completely around accented beats of time signatures, something we realise when we listen to popular numbers like Queen’s We will rock you or Last Kiss by Pearl Jam.

Literature and Music

Lyrics! The thing that takes music from being pure emotion and converts it into words. From being a guitarist’s feel to a vocalist’s dream. From being some song to hum along. It is big, very often necessary, and more important than many amateurs think. However, we Indians know that. That’s why we have an award for lyricists at popular award ceremonies. And lyrics are basically poetry at its most musical. Take any old sonnet or poem you have trouble remembering, add a catchy tune to it (imagine sonnet 18 to an Air Supply track) and BANG – full marks in your next literature exam!

This link is an example of how one person took a Maya Angelou poem called Phenomenal Woman and made it into a song.

Language and Music
Music is the best way of overcoming barriers of culture and language. Even speech involves sound, used with accents and cadence, i.e. music. And all humans, no matter who they are or where they come from, respond to music. Music can be very useful even to learn your own language. Rhyme, rhythm and repetition are the skills needed to develop good reading habits. Music exposes us to all of this. It even helps people with learning difficulties.

Do you have any ideas on how you can use music to help you learn? Have you used music in the past when you’ve needed to study for an important exam? We would love to hear your story.

Also remember, the next time you listen to music – you can use it as the next way to learn!

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Teachers are also students

Posted on December 13, 2011 by LearnNext Team

Teachers teach students, but does it go the other way round, too – do teachers learn from students? Here are opinions from some teachers:

“The teacher-student relationship is a symbiotic relationship, in which the teacher must always be willing to learn, and the student must always be willing to share.”

“Don’t try to fix the students; we need to fix ourselves first. A good teacher makes the poor student good, and the good student better. When our students fail, we, as teachers, too, have failed.”

Teacher! A role model, a path to enlightenment, and the embodiment of knowledge. Someone you bow to before bowing to God. A lot has been said about teachers and teaching as a profession – they mould young minds to craft the future. They must, therefore, operate with responsibility and respect. Indian culture, in particular, has always revered teachers, placing them alongside, if not higher, than parents.

However, a fact that we often overlook is that teachers are all, ultimately, students themselves. While their students may go on and become someone or the other, the teacher remains, and never really stops learning. When we looked around, we found several instances of how a teacher learns from a student:

A teacher’s role is to know more than the student, yes, but more importantly it is to help a student achieve his true potential.
There will be instances where teachers meet kids who have superior intellect, if not knowledge. Teachers should use such opportunities to go back to their basics and re-learn tough subjects.
A teacher needs to be more than a source of knowledge – he also needs to be a guide and a moderator. Think of all the sports coaches whose students turn out to be better athletes than they are. The role of a coach is to coach, not to be a superior athlete.
They learn patience – over and over again!
They learn that everyone is capable of learning, but not everyone learns in the same way.
They learn humility.
They learn to find love in their worst student.
They keep up with the times, learning current trends, good and bad.

In short, teachers spend time learning from experience.

Students who have a healthy rapport with their teachers have a better chance of success. An ideal student-teacher relationship must be based on mutual co-operation, trust, understanding, and a little bit of firmness, too. When both the student and the teacher are happy with their participation in the subject, they come away learning far more and also growing as individuals. After all, you must dig the deepest to find the greatest rewards.

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APJ Abdul Kalam – The People’s President

Posted on December 13, 2011 by LearnNext Team

He is a scientist, a philosopher and a poet. He crafts missiles, government policy and young minds. He was the 11th President of the Republic of India. He is Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen (A. P. J.) Abdul Kalam. And he has become one of the greatest inspirations for Indian students. As President, he used to travel across the country to talk to and interact with the country’s budding minds, and had great interest in the Indian education system.

Born into a middle-class family in the small island town of Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu, he had the courage to dream beyond his means and surroundings, growing from a financially handicapped background to a colossus who bestrode the world of Indian aerospace and nuclear science. His story is one of inspiration, strength of character and wisdom, topics he discusses in Ignited Minds – Unleashing the Power Within India, a book for the Indian youth.

Ignited Minds … was first published in 2002 as a logical sequel to Dr. Kalam’s earlier tome, India 2020 – A Vision for the New Millennium. It deals with various issues that affect the Indian mentality and thought process, each issue being addressed in a separate chapter. The main content (chapter-wise) is:

The Dreams and the Message
Give Us a Role Model
Visionary Teachers and Scientists
Learning from Saints and Seers
Patriotism beyond Politics and Religion
The Knowledge Society
Getting the Forces Together
Building a New State
To my Countrymen

In May 2011, Dr. Kalam launched his mission directed at the youth of India, called the What Can I Give movement, the aim of which is to create awareness about and to find answers to the development issues that India is currently facing. The priority areas are – Economic strategies, Structure of the economy, Caste system and the Environment. It is hoped that with sufficient momentum, the cause will pick up speed enough to bring about a change among the people outside of Parliamentary procedures.

Reverting to the subject of Dr. Kalam as a student, for a moment, we found this amusing yet thought-provoking anecdote about a verbal joust that took place between A. P. J. (the student) and an atheist professor. Click here to read it and tell us what you think.

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For the love of reading…. Part II

Posted on November 18, 2011 by LearnNext Team

Reading is great fun! Those already given to the habit of reading will surely agree with us and those who are yet to start- don’t waste any time in finding out. But there is more to reading than being just a way of passing time. It is highly educative, instructive and at the end of the day, if nothing else, you will acquire and expanded vocabulary. That alone is worth a few Brownie points, intellectually speaking.

But let us not be vague. We will point out some clear advantages to picking up that book and having a go:

Improving Vocabulary

The relation is obvious enough. The more you read the better your usage of grammar and vocabulary becomes and the better you get at using it. Then you can apply that vocabulary in many different ways from writing to speaking or maybe even blogging!
Writing skills

This is not just a skill that is confined to your textbooks or English classes. A lot of professional and personal communication is done via the written media. A good grasp of the English language is also a necessity for students who wish to study abroad (tests like IELTS and TOEFL are designed to test your communication skills)
Speaking skills

When you have a better understanding of the language, you feel more confident about using it. Improved communication ensures that you speak with clarity and ease. Again, many international language tests involve being able to speak the required language with clarity and ease.
Okay, so we’ve told you the why. But, have no fear; we won’t leave you hanging at that. Now we will also tell you how to develop the reading habit

The Daily Dose

Read books every day. No one expects you to be a speed reader right away, but reading a little but everyday develops the practice and helps you finish the book that you’ve started

Learning from the masters

Join a library in your neighbourhood or school. Most libraries will have a wide variety of books and you can start with choosing a book about a field that interests you.

Lets communicate

Talk about reading with your friends, parents and teachers. Ask questions about what the different people in your life are reading and ask them for recommendations
Share and share alike

Start a book club with your friends or join a book-reading program. This will become a great place to discover new books and discuss the insights and stories
that are presented in the book.

Need more reasons to read? Very well then. There is a solution for that too. Go on to everybody’s favourite site- Facebook- and visit the LearnNext page to enroll in the LearnNext SmartRead Contest! The rules are very simple

1) Choose a book
2) Read it
3) Tell us what you think about it
4) And if your review wins by popular vote then you get a prize!

Talking about the profits of reading… well… how much more beneficial can it get?

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For the love of reading…

Posted on November 14, 2011 by LearnNext Team

At LearnNext, we want to celebrate the joy that books bring us! Starting today, we’re launching a book review contest called SmartRead for our dear student community. We hope you enjoy the books as much as we do.

A book is not so much about the author as it is about the person who reads it. More than words or style it is the reader’s perspective that brings a book to life. And you can only engage with the work if some part of it resonates with some part of you. Which is a really good thing because there is so much to read out there, you will almost always find something that interests you.

There’s a book for everyone

Basically, the secret to enjoying a book is to choose one that talks about something of interest to you. If you are into nature and wildlife then John Grisham may not appeal but Kenneth Anderson surely will. If you haven’t heard of him before, well, now you have. And you found that out by reading. Alternatively, if you are interested in mystery, suspense and twisty plots then you have a wide range of book starting from Enid Blyton’s mystery books (Famous Five, Secret Seven, Five- Findouters, Three Investigators) for the young to Agatha Christie (Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot) and Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes, Professor Challenger) to even Stephen King or Dan Brown. Fantasy fiction, of course, is another widely read and popular genre. The popularity of the uber- successful Harry Potter series and that iconic trilogy, Lord of the Rings, along with the associated blockbuster movies they spawned, clearly indicate a prevalent interest in fantasy fiction. And these books aren’t just entertaining but also very well written. Both books are widely used in class rooms around the world as accepted text. These books and other like them show a wonderful fusion between entertainment and literature. A very educational hook for the reluctant young reader.

But when you want to combine good literature with side splitting humour and constantly shifting plots there is no author to equal P. G. Wodehouse. He is internationally renowned and recommended as a master of the English language and his sense of humour is legendary. Quirky characters like the dim- witted but good humoured Bertie Wooster and his faithful valet Jeeves or the kooky Lord Emsworth and the goings on in Blandings Castle are household names, entertaining audiences for generations. If you want a few hours of side splitting entertainment and at the same time develop a good vocabulary P. G. Wodehouse ought to be your first stop.

Where do I start reading?

Returning to the theme of developing a reading habit, we can declare outright that reading can be boring. If what you read about bores you. Identify your area of interest and once you do that look around, and you’ll find tons and tons of literature that works. But hey don’t take our word for it. We could be making all of this up. You don’t know. But our sincere suggestion is to go and find out. Walk into a library or a bookstore. Browse for a while, pick up something that looks interesting and give it a go. If it doesn’t do the job, try another one. Keep trying. Because once developed, this is a great habit that will stay with you, your entire life. It will also develop your writing skills and expand your imagination like anything.

Why reading is good for you…

We will also let you in on a secret. A reading habit can get you a job. A lot of employers today take as much interest in your general knowledge and hobbies as they do in your marks card. A well-read person has a significantly higher chance of getting a job than an ill read person with better marks. It will also help you make intelligent conversations about a wide number of topics and maybe even open up areas of interest that even you didn’t know you had.

But, in the end, the motivation to read has to come from the inside. You can, quite proverbially, take a horse to the water but you cannot make it drink. We asked a Teja, a relatively new entrant into the world of reading, what motivated him to read and this is what he had to say- “Knowledge is power. This statement stimulates the interest in me to read more. I have a wide range of interests. When I find a book that matches my interest I wouldn’t wait any longer to pick up the book and read.

Reading gives me confidence. When I complete a book, I feel more even more happy and content.”

There you are. Simple but effective reasons why you should get up right now from in front of this screen, walk out the door and make a beeline for the nearest repository of those great works of art called books.

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