National Youth Day

Beware of everything that is untrue. Stick to truth and we shall succeed. Fifty centuries are looking on you; the future of India depends on you. Work on….

-Swami Vivekananda

Swamee jee is a phenomenon which cannot be captured only through words. It demands each one of us to step over the threshold of our capabilities, beliefs and goals and herald the start of an altogether different “US”. An individual who absorbs the Right and sheds the Wrong, who empowers himself/herself to be able to empower others, who dominates none but himself/herself, who hates none but his/her own wrongdoings, who longs only for the betterment and upliftment of his/her society, who doesn’t fear Death and who regards Religion as a means of attaining Nirvana and not the ultimate salvation in itself.

Almost 3 years back, I had the privilege of visiting the Vivekananda Ashram located at Kanyakumari. The place has the aroma and spirit of all preaching by Swamee jee. One cannot roam the premises without being influenced. It wasn’t any different than me. But my devotion and feelings touched a new high when we were shown a video on the life of Swamee jee. How many tears I shed I cannot recollect but their sanctity and purpose is very clear in my mind and soul. I have always desired to leave things behind and become his full-time follower. Yet, today, because of wasting my time for stupid MNCs, I have to take on the mantle in whatever ways possible. I am a much improved Human Being since that experience. And I endeavour to love and help all Living Beings.

The legacy of Swamee jee has been beautifully summarized by Shree Nikhalananda, a renowned disciple.

In the course of a short life of thirty-nine years (1863-1902), of which only ten were devoted to public activities-and those, too, in the midst of acute physical suffering-he left for posterity his four classics: Jnana-Yoga, Bhakti-Yoga, Karma-Yoga, and Raja-Yoga, all of which are outstanding treatises on Hindu philosophy. In addition, he delivered innumerable lectures, wrote inspired letters in his own hand to his many friends and disciples, composed numerous poems, and acted as spiritual guide to the many seekers, who came to him for instruction. He also organized the Ramakrishna Order of monks, which is the most outstanding religious organization of modern India. It is devoted to the propagation of the Hindu spiritual culture not only in the Swami's native land, but also in America and in other parts of the world.

Swami Vivekananda once spoke of himself as a "condensed India." His life and teachings are of inestimable value to the West for an understanding of the mind of Asia. William James, the Harvard philosopher, called the Swami the "paragon of Vedantists." Max Muller and Paul Deussen, the famous Orientalists of the nineteenth century, held him in genuine respect and affection. "His words," writes Romain Rolland, "are great music, phrases in the style of Beethoven, stirring rhythms like the march of Handel choruses. I cannot touch these sayings of his, scattered as they are through the pages of books, at thirty years' distance, without receiving a thrill through my body like an electric shock. And what shocks, what transports, must have been produced when in burning words they issued from the lips of the hero!''

People of India started celebrating 12th January as "National Youth Day" from 1984. On this day in the year of 1863, a one man industry was born. He was known as the great philosopher, an inspiration to the youth, the embodiment of Indian culture and intelligence. He was "Shree Swami Vivekananda, the great spiritual guru” of India. He stands as a role model for generations in various respects. The path laid by saintly philosophers, for leading a truthful and purified life is hardly followed by the materialistic society of today. Swami Vivekananda inspired many young people including great leaders like Netaajee Subash Chandra Bose through his works. His works and knowledge are ideals and inspiration for the youth to achieve greater things in life.

A video dedicated to the National Youth Day can be viewed here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlUbWnfdIgY

Invisibility Cloaks

Two independent groups of physicists have built invisibility cloaks that can shield large objects lying on a plane. These "carpet cloaks" are far closer to the intuitive idea of an invisibility cloak than devices previously built, they argue, because they hide objects that can be seen with the naked eye and do so at visible wavelengths. The cloaks are also relatively cheap and easy to make, being constructed from the natural material calcite.

Carpet cloaks were proposed in 2008 by John Pendry of Imperial College, London as a way of extending the operating range of invisibility cloaks, which were mostly limited to microwave wavelengths. These devices are placed over an object sitting on a reflective plane and alter the path of light bouncing off the object in such a way that the light appears to have bounced straight off the plane.

However, all visible-light carpet cloaks built so far were demonstrated under a microscope, hiding objects no larger than 100 wavelengths across (about 50 μm). In addition, these cloaks were difficult to make, since they consisted of complex, artificially engineered materials. And they were not portable because the cloak, object and surrounding medium all tended to be made from a single structure.

Antistrophic breakthrough

The latest devices follow on from the work of Yu Luo of Zhejiang University in China and colleagues who realized last year that carpet cloaks can be built from homogeneous – rather than more complex inhomogeneous – materials, as long as those materials are anisotropic. Both devices in fact are built from the naturally occurring crystalline material calcite, the refractive index of which depends on the relative orientation of an incoming light wave’s polarization axis and the calcite’s optical axis.

George Barbastathis and co-workers at the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) in Singapore made their cloak by gluing together two pieces of calcite with differently oriented optical axes. These orientations were fixed such that light waves with a given polarization that bounce off a wedge-shaped object placed underneath the cloak emerge travelling in the same direction and at the same height that they would have done had they bounced straight off the mirror beneath the object. The wedge, having a base length, width and height of 38 mm, 10 mm and 2 mm respectively, can easily be seen with the naked eye.

Transformation optics

The team used a technique known as transformation optics to design their cloak. They calculated the optical parameters that were needed to transform the space between a small and a large triangle, such that light passing through this space would do so as if it were passing through all of the larger triangle, thereby effectively rendering the smaller triangle – the wedge – invisible. Having calculated these parameters the researchers were able to construct their cloak using conventional lens fabrication, with the cross section of the cloak being equal to the space between the two triangles, minus the top of the larger triangle.

The researchers then tested the cloak by directing a polarized laser beam so that the beam passed through a stencil, and then part of the emerging beam entered the cloak and bounced off the wedge while the remainder of the beam bounced directly off a reflective surface beneath the wedge. By detecting the different parts of the beam with a CCD camera they were able to show that the cloak worked. The team optimized the cloak so that it worked best at green wavelengths, which is where the eye is most sensitive, but showed that, some aberration aside, it also worked at red and blue wavelengths (arXiv:1012.2238).

Both the device and the experiment used to test it bear a striking resemblance to those of the second group, which includes John Pendry. This team published its research at arXiv:1012.2783 but is unable to discuss its work while the paper is being reviewed for acceptance in a scientific journal.

Fooling Fish

Pendry’s group tested its device in air, while Barbastathis and team immersed their cloak and wedge in a tank of colourless laser oil. They did this in order to simulate the environment in which the device would be used – in the sea around Singapore. Light tends to have a particular polarization in water and so the device can be tuned to that polarization. According to SMART’s Baile Zhang, the cloak could be used by engineers to hide cables along the seabed or to help biologists image the behaviour of fish and other sea creatures unobtrusively.

Tomas Tyc of Masaryk University in the Czech Republic, who was not a member of either group, thinks that the papers "describe important achievements in the area of experimental cloaking." But he maintains that a carpet cloak is quite different to a fully fledged Harry Potter-style invisibility cloak. He points out that a carpet cloak only really works when viewing an object – be it a rucksack or a sword on someone's back, for example – side on. Otherwise the object will appear flat but still be visible.

Zhang acknowledges this. Making free-standing cloaks, he says, "is the direction we need to move in". But doing so, he adds, will be very difficult since it will require the fabrication of materials with "extreme parameters".

Authored by Edwin Cartlidge,

A Science Writer based in Rome.

Bicycle Adventure

Shankar is wearing yellow Windcheater over a red shirt.

Brevets Launch ride

What is Brevets?

http://www.bangalorebrevets.in

Preparations Before the ride

We were a team of three registered for Brevets and the launch ride was itself in Brevets mode so we were all eyes and ears for the process. Once it was decided to be 200 in a day I was thinking about the 150km ride where I struggled for food and water, decided to buy another 800ml bottle and also Gatorade bottles, one for each of us whenever it is in the fire-fighting mode. From training pov, I started doing 30-50km rides everyday to get up to speed and determined to do 200km for the week (ended up doing 240 before the day).

A day before the ride, Yuva was complaining of knee pain but said she would try doing a 100 at least (there was a 100km option), Sarat was determined for 200 (although I wasn't so sure about him doing) I asked Yuva and Sarat to buy Bananas and chocolates while I got Gatorade for them. I bought the lights from Decathlon and tubes for all of us and Yuva got the reflective jackets. We were all set for the day.

On the day

I woke up @3 and asked Sarat to wake up and called up Yuva as well. Yuva said she might drop out as she was feeling pain throughout the body, but I counselled her to give it a try and do 100. Finally we all started and reached Domlur junction where I was waiting for Yuva. It looked like whole of B’lore was cycling for Brevets that day as I saw hordes of bikes passing us towards Cubbon Park. I was surprised and thought things looked promising. Then Yuva turned up and we got ready with our reflective jackets and were enjoying the looks of it as we rode to the park. I lead the way while Yuva and Sarat missed the route I had taken and took a while to find their way back.

I reached the park and waiting for them to arrive. Finally all was set, met many of the people whom I had been speaking online. @ 6:15 got our forms and sharp 6:30 we set out. One guy had dropped his form and so I leaped forward to go and ask people about whether they dropped their form or not. While I didn’t see Sarat at all Yuva was coming with her office colleagues. I ventured till airport alone and then gave a short water gap, while Barani (the guy with me in the photo) caught up with me. Barani and me kept going together till Kamat (69km mark), helping each other out, reached the 50km time station @9AM along with a few road-bikes and felt fine. But once we crossed Chikkabalapur headwinds started to hit us and we were really sapping, with Sarat and Yuva having all bananas my task was cut out. Lived on some energy bars and dairymilk till Kamat. Reached Kamat @10:20AM (20km in 1.5hrs, that was slow!!!) finished a quick breakfast and was about to leave @10:40AM when Yuva arrived. She wanted me to wait as her partners left. I asked Barani to leave and spent time till Yuva completed her breakfast. Finally, we were about to leave @11:15 am when Sarat arrived but I told him that we can’t wait any longer. He decided to skip the breakfast and come with us. Headwinds were waiting our new found energy after breakfast and Yuva and Sarat were falling behind. I realized we were very late and perhaps last set of people doing the first 100 (many turned back after Kamat). I attacked headwinds to max possible levels and overtook 3-5 riders on my way to 100km mark and reached there @1:02Am but couldn't find where the time station is. I was worried whether it was closed. But then I saw riders after me going a little farther then decided to go with them and ended @ 1:05 @ 100km time station.

Yuva was yet to come and got my papers stamped. I saw many relaxing and not in any hurry to start. I was hoping once Yuva arrives we sprint back but Yuva was a little late and time station was closed. I had to plead for her and finally she was given a challenge of reaching 150km @4:30PM missing which there was no Brevets for us that day. I decided we will take the challenge head on, skip lunch and go. She agreed and I asked for some divine grace as I was panting. My front brakes were not working anymore and ware losing energy in friction. So I had to stop and fix it temporarily till we reach B’lore. Once that was done I decided not to meddle with front brakes and decided to use on brake only. I had asked Yuva to just follow my trails and we will complete. Saw Sarat still doing first 100 still asked him to turn back but he wouldn’t listen and that was the last I saw of him that day. He had packed himself and the bike on a bus and sped to B’lore after completing a 100 (of course disqualified for being late @100km mark).

I started praying and asked for strength and suddenly out of nowhere I was hitting nice speeds. I was happy and just kept building on the momentum. Had a few breaks and was hoping to reach Kamat which never seems to be coming (123km mark) and I was losing stock of liquids. Now it was fire-fighting time and Gatorade was helping me inch towards Kamat. FINALLY I saw Kamat and was relieved big time. Refilled water everywhere, inside me both bottles and was relieved to see Venki Sudhir and Nalla of Cleated warriors and know have caught up with time keeping these guys as reference. Venky said since there are no more winds, "The tough is now behind us!". I was thrilled hearing this and decided to race ahead just when saw Yuva waiting for me opp Kamat. I started off fully knowing its time these guys also wud start off. Now I decided to build on the speed and this was when I thought cycling speeds crossed 32km/hr mark and I was still not panting, I realised I am in rhythm and was ryding with a roadie for company, thanking god for no more winds and helping me pump up pace. All through the way irrespective of the speeds i kept waving @ kids and spoke to motorbike riders who wanted to know why we were doing it and I told "sumne!". Once I saw Cleated Warriors(they are a racing team who recruited Yuva immediately after the ride was done) I knew I am at the time station and it was 4pm and I turned around after my stamping and Yuva was there. RELIEVED!!.

Now I was mentally more relaxed after a intense ryde session. From now onwards I was relaxed and thought it wudnt matter if we dont complete 200km since we won the challenge put by organisers to Yuva. But yuva seems to be keen to complete which I nodded and started to speed towards Devanahalli and it was god speed again. @5 I saw the airport and estimated @6 it should be Hebbal and 6:30 finish. @Yelahanka I was panting and was feeling giddy. OMG i need to finish what to do, water was there but not causing desired effect. Suddenly a MTBer arrived and he was equally tired. He offered me 5 star and then I remembered the Dairymilks in my bag also. I finished the 5* and then had a DM. Now i looked ok but had to remind myself in that delused mode that only the rear brakes work and I was facing the city traffic again. It was horrendous traffic but I being a bike screwed through the gaps btwin the buses and scraped forward and @ 6:10PM saw Hebbal flyover. VVVV Happy but yet now the challenge was to find the way to the cubbon park. On the way forward many ryders were there so following them lead me to the Devanahalli road but now there is traffic and now bikes around. Asked a few people and was guessing my way and out of nowhere saw the MTBer again. I told yuva keep following me and I will do it with tat guy. I reached the park @ 6:45PM and yuva wasnt there.

Another chapter I thought and she took another 30mins touring around cubbon park asking people the way to the entrance and then some guy helped her to reach the entrace where I was waiting with my helmet lights on to show her signals. She did it and we sat on the platform as a relieved duo. Then we decided to leave the place and reach home quickly and take rest.

Yuva's ride became history as she was the only gal to finish and was invited to join Cleated warriors team and I was very happy for her.

So Brevets on Jan 15th eh http://www.bangalorebrevets.in/.

Here we come and wait a moment! Should I buy a roadbike? (wide smile!!)

- Shree Shankar Ramachandran.