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Department of English

• SKILLS TO EXCEL

A four-day programme ‘Skills to Excel’ was organized by the Department of English, D.G. Vaishnav College, on 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th February 2006, to enrich the students with a core set of life skills i.e. decision-making, problem-solving, creative thinking, critical thinking, effective communication, inter- personal relationships, self-awareness, coping with stress and taking care of oneself -- especially the eyes. The function of a computer was related to that of a human being – CPU, knowledge; monitor, skills; mother board, attitudes – by Prasanna Vasudev, Consultant and Corporate Trainer, Reliance NIS Sparta, who had an inter-active session with the final-year students on group discussion and interview skills. Saying that all of us have the ability to communicate well but do not display it when necessary, the vibrant speaker identified and explained several skills required to excel in group discussion. Some of them were co-operation, initiative, confidence, decision-making, comprehension, leadership, eye contact, body language, discipline, time, innovation, listening and presence of mind. He answered patiently the innumerable questions that students raised on interview skills. Dwelling on the positive aspects, showing interest in the objectives of the organization and describing their career aspirations clearly can help them face the board successfully, he said. Why do we forget? How can we improve our memory? Meena Kumari, Moderator and Consultant, UC Mas Memory Technique Ltd., answered these questions. In addition to giving the students practice exercises to enhance their memory, she suggested ways to unleash their creativity. She dealt with nine memory techniques – number in body structure system, initialing system, Roman’s room system, number shape system, alphabet system, creative thinking, mental mapping, speed reading in general and story technique in particular. As the cortical parts of the brain determined the learning magnitude and the retention capacity, she said, a relaxed mind with well-tuned right brain helps in speeding up the process of recollection. Having trained several CBI officials and neurologists on memory skills, Meena was at ease with students in the packed auditorium and waxed eloquent on how to reinforce their brainpower, improve their mental focus, increase their reading speed, discriminate their inefficiencies and strengthen data assimilation and comprehension. The most interesting and enlightening was the session on eye-care. With a dash of humour and professional excellence, Dr. D. P. Prakash, Chief Eye Surgeon of Dr. Agarwal Prakash Eye Foundation, dealt with some of the common eye ailments and their preventive measures. With his powerful oratory, he explained the need to use ultra modern digital imaging system for documenting eye diseases and educating patients. He gave a powerful presentation on Phakhonit Cataract Surgery, which is done through an incision smaller than 1 mm. Other aspects touched upon by the speaker were supervision or Zyoptix, diabetic retinopathy, laser surgery and neuro- and cosmetic ophthalmology. The students were shaken out of their wits when they learnt that taking fast foods could lead to diabetes. He urged them to add plenty of green leafy vegetables to their diet, not necessarily carrots. He stressed the need for a regular eye check-up, not just the vision but retina and eye-pressure as well. The audience were glued to their seats as he cleared their doubts on appropriate protective eye wear, improving vision, preserving perfect vision and maintaining good eye health. In this highly competitive and challenging world, which is most often tension-ridden and stress-prone, meditation is inevitable, said Dr. E. B. Shiva, Ayurvedic Medical Practitioner and Consultant of Maharishi Yoga and Transcendental Meditation Centre. This type of meditation, he propounded, was natural, easy and effective. Validated and verified both by Veda and science, this type of meditation increased concentration, intelligence, creativity, calmness and decreased anxiety, depression, illness and sleeplessness. While the left hemisphere deals predominantly with logic, calculation and analysis, the right focuses on language, poetry, art and creativity. In the transcendental state of consciousness the left and right brain synchronize leading to energized activity, better social behaviour and good physical and mental health, he said. The breathing and body exercises paved the way for a re-examination of their mental attitudes and human relationships. He urged the students, to direct the mind, through yoga, to a chosen path and then experience the state totally and accurately. He added that when this ability is realized, there is an awareness and a blossoming of their potential. The intellectual interface was a productive and rewarding experience for all those who attended, as it was geared to create a powerful positive change in their life.