#2018 Special Merit Awards | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

chemicalbrew · 9 months

Text

2023 game list, part 1: I love complaining!

Once again continuing what has become an honorable tradition thanks to @smash-64 💜

I tried to promise myself I'd be more organized this year, trying to take notes after I beat things, making lists and gifs and everything, as it has become a consistent yearly undertaking. In truth, what happened is that I felt more overwhelmed by this than I did the last three years. The best explanation I can give is a combination of two facts: this year, while not particularly worse than what came before, still saw my confidence in myself tank a bit (i.e. What does this matter when few people read it and I don't bring much things of value to the table?)...

And the fact that I played very few games that really stuck with me, that I enjoyed enough to see through to the end and feel like that had merit, for a lot of the year. When that wasn't the case, it was more than likely I'd been on my nth playthrough of Katana ZERO of the year (more on that in a later post, hopefully).

I probably need help, don't I?..

games I played, but don't have much to say about at the moment without being prompted, aside from 'I kinda liked them, I guess', ordered best to worst:

Purrfect Apawcalypse trilogy (2019-2021) - series of VNs that's genuinely just good fun as you find yourself attached to the characters before you know it. You'll know if this one is for you at a glance. Also, this is how I found out about Panel Royale! LOL

The Witch's House MV (2018) - good old RPG Maker horror with a few decent twists. The remake has good QOL changes.

Gunbrella (2023) - the plot might be forgettable, but you get a gun that's an umbrella! What's not to enjoy?

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (1995) - I played this game, but only in the most technical sense. Literally cheated the fun out of it - either that, or this platformer style is not for me.

Coffee Talk: Episode 2 - Hibiscus & Butterfly (2023) - the most upsetting entry on the list. The writer behind the original game has passed away, and his absence is felt keenly even if you're not aware of the fact - because this sequel lacks charm.

Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion (2021) - yet another of those cheap and short indie 2D Zelda clones. The definition of the word meh.

Irisu Syndrome (2008) - a unique free puzzle timewaster. Tries to have a story and fails.

dishonorable mentions (the part with the most complaining)

2064: Read Only Memories (PC, 2014) [♪ Home (Not) Sweet Home]

Starts off decent enough, doing the bare minimum to string you along the mystery (which, for most people with standards, wouldn't even be good enough, but I was willing to stick with it for the sake of the neat audiovisual presentation).

As soon as the murder scene is revealed, however, the main plot starts to fall apart, and the longer you spend with the game's writing (which seems to go on and on forever) and characters (about as flat as a pancake fresh off the pan), the more bleak and yawn-inducing they seem (including Turing, who just took longer than everyone else to annoy me).

Do yourself a favor, play VA-11 Hall-A (which this game gratuitously references) instead. You'll get all the benefits of cute pixel art and upbeat soundtrack, but with an actually good story\character cast to match. I swear it says something about 2064 that one of its most exciting moments was seeing throwaway lines from a VA-11 character!

Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition (PC, 2015) [♪ Climbing the Ginso Tree]

This is a game that won awards back when it came out almost a decade ago. Unfortunately, it feels like it was made to win awards and little more. While the credits scrolling up the screen tried to convince otherwise - with the usual special thanks given to families and pets of the developers - I sat there, unsure of what I was supposed to take from this experience (once again, the less words you try to use to tell your story, the more it usually suffers!).

The heart of any platformer is its movement systems - and, while eventually Ori's tools open up just enough to make you feel at least a little free and alive in its world, they also never go beyond what is almost painfully typical. Double jump, wall climb, ground pound, glide, charged projectile? None of that is going to wow anyone. The way it comes together is not too pleasant, either - Ori's too floaty and the obstacles before him, while painted with a talented stroke, are too unclear in their presentation to make for truly fun traversal. The exception to this is the escape sequences - sure, a lot of the time they're not much less frustrating than the rest of the game, but they're definitely more memorable, to the point where the accompaniment to one was the only part of the soundtrack I could think to showcase.

I don't regret the time I spent on this, per se, but what I can tell you is that it probably didn't deserve the awards. Also, the way the wall jump worked was annoying! Pushing towards the wall to do it feels very counter-intuitive, and with this I found that I much prefer when games have you face away from the wall to register wall jumps, or do not require you to press a direction at all.

Celeste (PC, 2018) [♪ Checking In] + Celeste Classic (2015, played as part of full game) :)

I was in high school when this made waves. I pointedly feigned disinterest as it splashed all over the internet, while making sure to download the soundtrack quickly and listen to it - more than occasionally - over the next three or so years. Lena Raine's work carried me through my school years and empowered me, and all the while I hadn't a clue what playing the game is actually like.

Those were the better days.

Now, the things about this game that seem to appeal the most to a lot of people are how refreshingly simple Madeline's moveset is and how much the game respects your time with death transitions and reloading, and the story it tells through heartfelt cutscenes and gameplay working in sync. To which I boldly say... none of those things are good enough.

Having to climb and manage your stamina adds another layer to navigating the rooms, sure, but to my simple ass, that's one layer too many. To the game's credit, there's a setting to make climbing toggleable instead of requiring you to hold down the trigger, and using that was the only reason I managed to push past the hotel and Oshiro (call me a scrub, it was genuinely overwhelming otherwise), but it still did nothing to change how I feel about this mechanic fundamentally.

I get it, it adds precision and verticality to your movement, and, seeing as you're literally supposed to be scaling a mountain, it's more than a natural inclusion... but its existence did nothing but add pressure for me, somehow. I would frequently forget it's an option at all before realizing the room in question expects me to utilize it. Instead of feeling like climbing expands my options, I felt constricted and awkward.

My second issue is much simpler. I'm a spoiled brat, and Celeste's respawning process involving that annoying whoosh sound effect and a transition that, yes, takes only about a second, but is still not quite instant, was not good enough. I recognize that having it be truly instant would not be ideal, either, but I can't help but wish that was the case.

As for the story... It underwhelmed me even back when I was doing surface level research at the time of release, and it's not impressing me now. It's okay, and I recognize why it would resonate with people - the themes of self-acceptance and resolve are plain to see (and just as plain to mull over). But in my time with the game, Madeline never began feeling less like an avatar for my failures and more like an actual character, never changed into someone I would truly like.

By the time I reached the Mirror Temple, I was certain that this game, in most respects, is just not what I would ever want. I pushed towards the summit anyway, and left it feeling profoundly... nothing.

However... Celeste Classic did not have any of those things! That little prototype gem of a game wastes zero time trying to set the stage and make you feel things with ~a story~, doesn't give you any opportunity to climb whatsoever, and neither does it waste your time having the screen fade to black when you die! And these three things, I reckon, are key to why this smaller version, that's supposed to just be treated as an Easter egg now, a relic of the past, and to be forgotten in favor of the project it grew into... resonated with me so much more! I beat it twice! It's lovely! It's what I actually needed Celeste to be!

IT'S COMPLICATED

AI: The Somnium Files (PC, 2019) [♪ MonzAI] + AI:TSF - Nirvana Initiative (PC, 2022) [♪ Nefarious Institute 1]

You know how they say not to judge the book by its cover? This is a story of me learning (once again) to judge a game neither by its reception nor by the credentials behind it. When I plowed through this duology, I came to understand that sometimes, lightning might strike just the once.

Of course, most of my bitter feelings about it stem from just how miraculous of a fuck-up Nirvana Initiative ended up being as a sequel (it's impressive how much it had to twist everything its predecessor stood for to even have a chance at making a mediocre point!), but a lot of the disappointment came from the way the first game carries itself in general, and maybe even from the presence this game has among fans. 'Oh, if you want more of the magic and mystery that you so enjoyed in Zero Escape, you have to try this! It'll be just as good!'

I should have had my doubts from the start, given how little I had enjoyed the ZE series after 999. AI1 flounders in many things, like its obtuse, deeply unfun gameplay loop - most of which is pressing random buttons until you see the most ridiculous shit present itself. There's also the overt reliance on stale and perverse jokes, and a story that can barely do much except trudge to the finish line and attempt to convince you the journey was worth it with a trite dance number, of all things.

But the thing is… even with all that, the first entry was somewhat compelling during its runtime, though most of that comes from its bold novelty. The idea of taking advantage of the surreality of dreams to find deeply concealed truths is fun to occasionally ponder, and there's just enough fluff to the places you visit and things you do to string you along for the ride (though having to check the same spots for flavor text on each revisit to very little results is a deep annoyance I have with both entries). The characters actually got a chance to grow (if not by much… this series' urge to be immature at every turn is nothing short of ruinous, sometimes), and their designs strike a wonderful line between outstanding and cringeworthy that makes them just… stick out in your brain, you know?

So while I thought the song and dance (both the literal and the metaphorical) were ultimately not worth much, I was still convinced, fooled by the magic just enough to see things come to an end; and the resolution itself was satisfying and believable, if nothing else. And with how exhausted I felt reaching this point, I figured that'd be enough.

To me, AI1 is all about finding shards of diamonds in the rough, and it doesn't surprise me in the slightest that its fandom runs away with what little they have to try and improve on it (and often succeed). As such, you'd expect its sequel to take advantage of how much room there is to grow, capitalize on this chance to refine things, and use the few strong themes the original presented (value of bonds and family made both by blood and by choice, finding those you can rely on to carry what you have done forward, etc)... right?

Um, yeah, turns out it twists over itself even more than I'd already thought possible in order to make sense (not to mention seemingly forsaking most of that mess right at the true end in order to approach the established universe from a contrived meta angle). If AI1 can be described as having extremely unrefined gameplay coupled with a decently intriguing story, NI is just about the opposite of that.

While I'm glad they bothered to make exploring the dream worlds enjoyable this go around, there's no way in hell that makes it worthwhile to bear witness to the innumerable ways in which this mess of a sequel sullied the already weak foundations laid down by its predecessor. When I had finished that game, I wrote, on impulse, that 'I haven't been this confounded by a sequel's existence since Chrono Cross'. It just… did not need to happen, like, at all.

Nirvana Initiative posed to me one of the worst questions you can have while playing a game, which is…

'Why am I doing this, again?'

Let's be real, it was mostly for the soundtrack. Unlike AI1, this game had passable music! Though having to watch ANOTHER dance number (like half a dozen times, actually! and no, there's no skip button!) just about had me gagging.

That's not even the worst part about that sequence, no - that would have to be the way it almost actively ruins and undermines what's probably the only passable character arc in NI (and even then, you have to squint hard for it to pass your judgement, given how it starts... gotta hand it to this game for managing to have multiple relationships with genuinely questionable setups involving uncomfortable age gaps).

I wanted to feel touched by the new, somewhat expanded narratives, I wanted to see the world grow a little, despite all the grievances I was certain I would have... But not even halfway through the plot, I realized that my true wish was to just move on. I think that's what I'll do here, as well, as even reminiscing on this chaos is quite dreadful.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (Switch, 2022) [♪ Agnus Colony]

Don't become prey and victim to your own expectations - or to bad advertising.

Xenoblade is a special series, full of wonder and power. Words fail me this year, as they did the year before, when it comes to describing how much of an impact these games - the second entry most of all, a game I think about now and then with a bittersweetness on my heart that I oddly never can get enough of - had had on my mental well-being last year. They might as well have saved me back then, and while getting to experience them was something I'd been planning to do for a while, the specific circumstances it all had happened under were just so special, so exceptional, so wild, that it's hard to think of those days as anything but a gift.

And yet, there are plenty of things in this particular journey I still have to reconcile with. I never settled on what my impression of 1 is, in the end (or, some might say, I never properly played it); I could use a fresher look at 2, and… I never, ever, will finish Xenoblade Chronicles 3. It's a game I once had hopes for, but nowadays don't ever want to think about.

I thought it a privilege, of sorts - the fact that I was there to witness (and acquire) a brand-new release in a series that became dearly important to me. I ended up hearing many things - the trailers, the rumors, the leaks. They all spoke of a definitive resolution to the series, of levels of refinement never seen before, of intrigue so big you can barely take it, of key character appearances we were all dying to see.

Turns out most of what we were so eagerly expecting came with an extra price tag.

The base game of Xenoblade 3 is a mirage, a mere shade of what came before it. The environments are open and vast, but they look more drab than ever - and with the new autowalk feature, it takes even less time to get sick of it. The music takes you on a journey, but you forget what it sounds like far sooner than you'd prefer. The battle system promises lots of options and a nice learning curve, but it only overextends, overwhelms and forces you to grind. The cutscenes look every bit the part of a Xenoblade story, but meander and stretch things out to the point of boredom, which means none of the characters get enough time to grow on the player, either… Though a lot of them would probably go nowhere even given all the time in the world.

And the setting as a whole? Well, it's a simulation, so who cares about it feeling unique or fun? That's the point, the game says, you're supposed to empathize with these characters breaking out of their bonds, out of this miserable existence! Well, I say that things can be made appealing even in decay. You don't have to actively worsen things to make a point.

Future Redeemed is an impressive demonstration of how things could have been. It fixes practically every point where the base game falters - and it is in this part of the game where all those promises that once seemed hollow finally come true. Sort of. The exploration process is smooth as butter in the way none of the games before were, characters are at last back to having defined roles in battle, and all that teasing becomes a thing of the past as 3 acknowledges its own roots and past in full, and you think to yourself… 'If only we'd got this in the base game all along!'

But we didn't. And the credits on Future Redeemed roll far too soon to truly be satisfied. Is this how you wanted the saga to end?

honorable mentions

Butterfly Soup 2 (PC, 2022) [♪ Night Tourist] *I hope you'll forgive me for not finding a GIF for a mostly static VN...

It's so funny. For me it has been two years; for the creator, it'd been five. But I guess time doesn't matter when it comes to maturity, as I feel like both myself and this game have done plenty of growth. And for that, I love it all the more, just as I am now thankful to be able to call Butterfly Soup a short series.

Compared to the first game, the art is more refined, the tone is more consistent, and treatment of serious topics is more grounded - in more ways than one, this sequel is like a fond, yet melancholic look at what you once had, what changed since then, and what you hope to make of things. But between all that, it stays sincere and silly in the best of ways - the ones that make you feel cozy on the darkest of nights, the ones that endear you for a good while yet. Truly, this game was a ray of light in a sea of mediocrity this year.

Road 96 (PC, 2021) [♪ Hit the Road]

Yeah, I know. The fact that I have played a goddamn walking simulator at the behest of a good pal (who might or might not be reading this, hi on the off chance that you are!) is nothing short of a miracle. Not to mention the fact that I ended up having a good time with it!

I'll put it plain: the vibes of this game are almost impeccable. It wastes little time setting things up - it's the turn of the century, and a massively corrupt government is practically folding in on itself as it closes its borders. It's up to you, as you're literally put into a blank-slate teenager's shoes, to go on a desperate journey and see whether or not you make your way out.

Over the course of Road 96, you do this six times, and the people you meet on the way and choices you make with them may or may not shape not just your own future, but that of the whole country. There's nothing for it, then, but hit the road and see what awaits you, as you sit in a car that's probably stolen, blaring music from your carefully curated tapes… or are dropped off on the wayside with nothing but a paltry backpack to speak of… or find yourself biding your time near a gas station… or… whatever it is the game throws at you, as you hope that the strangers you run into actually deign to help.

Yes, the biggest way this game attempts to stand out is with our good old friend, RNG. Even reading blurbs about it, you cannot escape the all-too-typical claims of 'your own personal journey', 'a thousand unique paths waiting for you' and all that… months later, I find myself unable to decide whether this helped the game or harmed it more, as it's definitely smaller than it makes itself out to be.

As a story hook, this setup is clever and delightful, as I tried to illustrate a moment earlier, but the moment you begin to overthink it, you realize that the randomness aspect clashes hard against the continuity the game tries to establish. You, as the player, indeed learn more about the world and colorful characters in it each time you venture forth, but the avatar you control is supposed to be clueless as ever, setting out on a path that is, in fact, not quite their own any more. It's a weird gripe to have, and I found it an easy one to ignore, but I wish something could be done about it anyway.

As for the rest of the plot, let's just say it's... surprisingly binary, and the supporting cast small and not always compelling in turn. The game sacrifices some of the personal intimacy and uniqueness it has built up to make a sweeping, painfully boring statement of 'freedom good, suppression bad' before credits roll, but as damaging as that is to the overall experience, I feel like one can't deny the fundamental appeal of just being asked to go on a journey with sweeping stakes and truly, truly banging music. Seriously, it was meant to be put on speakers and blasted as the world passes you by!

In a word, Road 96 is ambitious, and in a sentence, it is ambitious, yet falling short of itself. Nonetheless, I was impressed by how it managed to worm its way into my heart for a while.

A Space for the Unbound (PC, 2023) [♪ Don't Have Much Choice]

Wouldn't you know it? I had actually played two games involving entering people's subconsciousness to solve their problems this year!

Truth be told, I'd been looking forward to this game for about a year, given that it was published by the people behind Coffee Talk (which, if you recall, I had quite enjoyed). The warm and inviting screenshots on the back-then almost empty store page, showing off awesome art and promising a sweet little journey with slice-of-life tropes and a mystery waiting to be solved… well, to say all of that was alluring is to say nothing, really. I just about jumped when I received a notification for this game releasing at last at the beginning of the year, and wasted little time trying to dive in.

The sad thing is, what you see is not always what you get. The cozy, comfortable, sensible vibes of the early game - running around the city, doing chores at your school, naming every stray cat you come across, watching the protagonist's diary fill up as he crosses all the little goals he had set in life off his precious list… Yeah, those things won't last - definitely not long enough to get you attached to characters living in this world.

As the plot begins to unfold, it fumbles over itself trying to introduce various cliches and supernatural elements, to the point where you recognize the whole experience as a tedious drag as you see exactly where it's heading, and think to yourself that you have heard all this before. It's yet another heartfelt story about self-actualization, and as the game hammers it in harder than ever before, you sigh and wish you could go back to the times of bottle cap collecting and cat petting. Sometimes, simpler is better.

Unfortunately, that's not exactly true when it comes to actually playing A Space for the Unbound. The gameplay is as simple as can be - basically all you do is walk around (quite slowly) and interact with things. I can appreciate how linear the game is, for the most part, but I wish it let us accomplish our goals without wasting too much time! Not to mention, if you try to see everything there is, you have to be prepared to deal with quite a few mind-numbingly repetitive mini-games for far longer than you have to. Don't do that. It'll just sully your impression of the game.

If you're somehow still interested in this after reading this messy opinion of mine, don't be too discouraged - you'll see plenty of beautiful sights, hear some cute music, and, maybe, be affected by the story far more than I was. (Besides, for a cat lover, it's always nice to see others appreciate them!) Just... try not to waste too much time with the game's superficial sidequests.

Tales of the Abyss (3DS, 2011 port of a 2006 release) [♪ The Distribution Base]

There's something ironic in how playing (most of) this game has been one of the best things I have done with my lovely 2DS since I homebrewed it earlier this year... and yet I quite regret not checking how (ahem) easily available the PS2 version is, instead. They may be functionally identical, but the hardware is not - you have no idea how hard some of the goddamn Mieu Fire puzzles become when your character is taking up a mere four or so pixels of an already tiny screen. Man, that was trying my patience at its finest.

These horrors aside, though, what kind of game are we even dealing with here? Well, it’s a Tales game first and foremost. I can’t deny claims that Abyss has a few strengths of its own (most notably, of course, actually bothering to have coherent character development arcs), but it’s not quite enough to obscure the ever-prevalent issues this series has:

exploration and side-questing is still annoyingly obtuse, not to mention traversal is painfully slow in the first half of the game,

some characters (in this case, Anise more so than others, but I'd argue Mieu's whole existence is part of this too) are obligated to suffer because Tales has to meet its unhealthy anime tropes\wackiness quota per game,

the skit system has not, unfortunately, evolved one bit (the amount of times I would skip a skit on accident, because any input halts its playback entirely…),

while I’m inclined to say the battle system is, for the most part, an improvement (the Field of Fonons mechanic is quite a nice change given the foundations of Tales gameplay, I have to admit), any goodwill you might want to give it gets shattered when you realize Free Run breaks bosses in half. And aside from that, it’s just your usual button-mashy fare.

So why did I push on with this game as far as I did, pulling the classic move of quitting right at the final boss instead of, well, any earlier? A lot of that is because I was just in the mood to mash some buttons in bed until I realized I was slightly underleveled for the finale and caught myself groaning at the mere thought of trying to even cheese it. A shame, that, because the ending of this game is pretty wonderful for what it set out to do, and it was the only bit I did not see on my own. It's like my experience with Final Fantasy VI all over again…

That's not all there is to it, though. Abyss has some of what's probably the most involved and curious worldbuilding (once you get past all the awkward made up jargon it loves to throw at you) of any Tales game I know! Not that this says much, because that's a low bar, and I'm not too familiar with the series at large, but it was enough to keep me engaged for a long while. And, as mentioned earlier, it puts in greater efforts than I expected to endear you to the cast as they slowly band together and uncover their own talents, purposes and aims in life - Luke in particular.

I liked him almost immediately - because I'm not too hard to please when it comes to this series, and his design is, I feel, particularly sweet and striking (especially given how nicely the game used the Important Haircut trope with him, and of course, the contrast between him and Asch). But that alone doesn't a good protagonist make - it's the fact that the story allows Luke to make mistakes (from small ones to straight-up catastrophes), get his comeuppance and grow from them organically, at his own pace, that makes him stand out in my mind.

As Luke sheds his sheltered ways of thought and accepts his responsibilities, those that were traveling with him, either out of obligation or by chance, begin to support him more and stand by him in earnest. It all comes together gradually and at a satisfying pace, and is definitely a highlight of the experience to me.

Growth and connection are probably among the biggest themes of the game, so it's nice to see that it applies pretty much equally to both protagonists and antagonists. Sure, it's the job of a Tales' Big Bad faction to be goofy and up to nefarious activities, but beyond that, the group has solid enough chemistry both among themselves and with the party that I actually ended up looking forward to most encounters with them, even if ultimately it felt a little predictable. As an aside, for a game this old, the voice acting was really good and plentiful (though there is none for skits, which sucks), and further piqued my interest in the story along the way.

To conclude, I'd like to say that the biggest thing I learned while playing this game is that I'm a sucker for grounded tales of (ha) self-actualization even this many years later. And also that once you play one Tales game, you truly, to some extent, know them all.

SANABI (PC, 2023) [♪ Warm Hospitality]

Do you want to know why I ended up playing this one? Of course you do, that wasn't really a question. I only bring this up because the answer can be revealed with a single screenshot:

...yep, the inspiration is that blatantly on display. I was expecting it, of course - the Katana ZERO community is the only reason I know of SANABI in the first place, and even as you read people's thoughts on it, the extreme similarity is practically all they ever bring up, be it in a positive or negative light. It pleased me and warmed my heart, while also making me feel wary - it's one thing to be inspired by something, and another to actually carve an identity of your own.

That said, KZ is far from the worst thing to try to replicate, particularly when it comes to visuals - SANABI has some awesome scenery that makes me feel right at home. And while the story at times feels so much like an amateurish copy that it leaves me confused more than anything (I'm sure the awkward English translation sadly does not help matters, not to mention the fact that I'd played this game in an unfinished state - you might expect me to write about it again next year!), the gameplay is anything but.

I'm sure there are quite a few platformers out there that have you use what's essentially a grappling hook to swing through the stages, but SANABI is my first experience with something like this, and in this regard the game absolutely manages to shine on its own. Movement is lightning-fast and responsive, enemy targeting is extremely generous - almost to the point of being handholdy (and, of course, they all die in one satisfying hit - as do you, if you set the game to the highest difficulty. It's nice to be given an opportunity to learn the ropes before engaging with the game earnestly!), and there's something to be said about how the level design has that extreme kind of clarity to it that I always appreciate and favors speed over precision, with how spacious everything is.

My only big issues with how the game plays are how it doesn't seem to be designed with a controller in mind (it is an option, but I found myself moving much more precisely with KBM! Me! Someone who never plays games with that!), and, once again, the just-a-bit-too-long death animation\transition. Being able to skip it helps, but I just yearn for no time to be wasted...

#celeste #aitsf #xbc3 #tales #abyss #zero.txt #yearly game list #flashing gif #.gif

9 notes · View notes

vasyas-tie-clip · 5 months

Text

Arestovych's involvement with the HUR and Budanov

Arestovych is frequently depicted, including by Ukrainian government speakers, as an irrelevant pro-Russian blogger hack inflating his importance. There is actually a lot of evidence that this is not true.

There's enough to talk about here that I'm going to split it into several posts, each focusing on a different area of his involvement. While I've touched on some of the topics in past posts, this will be more of a narrow-scope deep dive into one topic at a time, and incorporate the latest available information. In this case: his genuine history with the HUR and its current head Budanov. The post will be split into the pre-full scale invasion and post-full scale invasion timespans. The former will go into both Arestovych's claims, and the public evidence available to support his claims, as of April 2024. The latter runs into the issues of the far more limited information available in the middle of full-scale war, as well as the intense politicization that's occurred around Arestovych in the past two years, but there's a few interesting items worth presenting.

Pre-full scale invasion

Arestovych's account

Pieced together from various interviews:

Arestovych served 1999-2005 in Ukrainian military intel, hinting that he ultimately quit because he was given what he considered destructive orders after the Orange Revolution. Among his specialties at that time was "information counteraction", which he described as "to bring public opinion to certain indicators on a certain issue in a particular region." In other words, public info ops on behalf of the military.

During his stint in the HUR, he befriended Roman Mashovets, a fellow young officer who would go on to become a deputy head of the Office of the President. In addition, he says he's known Kyrylo Budanov for "many, many years" due to their HUR connection, since before war broke out in 2014, and calls him a "comrade in arms" whom he worked with in the Donbas in 2018, when Budanov was a HUR special ops officer and Arestovych was a Ground Forces intel officer. When Budanov became head of the HUR in the midst of the Wagnergate scandal involving his predecessor, he asked for Arestovych's help in managing the public reaction.

The available evidence

We'll start with the documentation Arestovych himself has presented, before moving on to external sources.

While you could perhaps argue that documents could be forged, I find this possibility highly unlikely, given any journalist could easily request confirmation from the Ministry of Defense (and indeed they've done so, and published the results, on other occasions, such as when they took a misheard quip from one of his livestreams to mean he was claiming he was a colonel and obtained official confirmation he wasn't.) Given no one has been able to find irregularities in his formal records and awards despite several years of such intense public scrutiny, I think it's safe to conclude they're legitimate.

This is certification from 2020, showing that he was in the military from August 1994 to April 2005, and from September 2018 to September 2019:

(It's worth noting that this timespan overlaps with his infamous appearance at a conference with Dugin, which he's said was part of his intel work.)

In his early days as a public figure, he also presented a certificate of merit from the HUR dated September 2003 (original on left, machine translation on right, though note that the machine translation inaccurately parses the handwritten date as 2002 instead of 2003), evidence that he was specifically in the HUR and that he wasn't too shabby at his job.

After war broke out in the Donbas, Arestovych fought as a volunteer and a Ground Forces intel officer (more on that in other posts), but he doesn't seem to have formally returned to the HUR. However, there's evidence that Arestovych continued to be informally involved, in the form of a HUR departmental award that he first posted a picture of in August 2014. While the award has no date on it, the one who signed the award, a Yu. A. Pavlov (the machine translation slightly fudges the hand-written initials), was director of the HUR from March 2014 to July 2015.

There's not much in the way of outside evidence of Arestovych's connection with Roman Mashovets, who keeps a relatively low public profile. But there's an interesting tidbit from Mariana Bezuhla, an MP who, though known for social media drama and a bitter grudge against Zaluzhnyi, is nonetheless Deputy Chairman of the Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, with considerable insider knowledge. She accused Arestovych and Mashovets of having been the ones to recommend Zaluzhnyi, at the time a dark horse candidate with numerous other generals above him in seniority, to the Office of the President for the position of Commander-in-Chief.

But the most interesting piece of evidence for Arestovych's status within the HUR, and his relationship with Budanov, is this 15-minute video (in Ukrainian, with manual English subtitles) from August 2020, the time of Wagnergate:

youtube

At this time, the young and then-relatively-obscure Budanov had just been made head of the HUR, and he gave an unprecedented first "interview" not to any journalist or news outlet, but to Arestovych, who at the time held no official position and was supposedly just a milblogger, putting forth the case that Wagnergate was a Russian false flag.

I put "interview" in quotes, because, if you watch it, it feels less like any normal interview and more like a creative collaboration between two people pretending they don't know each other as well as they actually do. Budanov gives Arestovych a surprising amount of leeway in steering the conversation:

A: Mister Kyrylo, thank you for agreeing to give us an interview regarding the scandalous situation that arose around the allegedly detained mercenaries in Belorus, and released. First, I would like to share the probable actual event that took place and the informational version, which is now being actively discussed in Ukraine and around it. I am interested in, first of all, as a person who comments on military-political events, the informational version that was given to us. In my opinion, it [version] contains a number of logical inconsistencies that are difficult to explain. I would like to ask you as a professional to go through these logical inconsistencies. The first thing I am interested in, if you will allow me, is that personally I do not have a very high opinion of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation. Could there be a situation when during a year and a half, a year or half a year, or even a month, some person is collecting information about professional mercenaries who have fought and are "under Mueller's cap" and allows them to go to the territory of the union and still of another state in an organised group of 33 people? To what extent is this possible from the point of view of the Russian special services, that they didn’t know anything about it, and the Belarusian too? B: (dryly) First, good afternoon. [They both chuckle.]

Budanov offhandedly confirms that Arestovych served in the HUR:

A: Tell me, you are the Chief of the DIU [short for Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, another name for the HUR], can operations be planned with so many logical errors? From my point of view, as a former DIU officer-- B: I know. A: --this is terribly unprofessional.

And at the end, as if realizing how odd it looks for the head of national military intel to be interviewing with a glorified blogger (there won't be any other similar situations until well after the full-scale invasion, and Arestovych was indeed questioned about this by a journalist in one of his later interviews), Arestovych asks Budanov his reasons for the interview. Budanov explains that, in addition to the needs of the situation, he has considerable regard for Arestovych himself:

A: In my memory, you are almost the first Chief of the Military Intelligence of Ukraine who generally gives interviews to the press, and to a blogger - a representative of unofficial media - you are the first. What allowed you to take such a step? This is an unprecedented event. B: Firstly, the event is unprecedented, and secondly, I have great respect for you, you can be said to be my colleague. This is basic.

So I think the evidence is quite strong that Arestovych indeed served in the HUR, and he was considered trustworthy enough and good enough at informational work that, more than a decade after he officially quit, despite his already quite controversial public reputation, he had the head of the HUR declaring his "great respect" and specifically choosing him for his one media appearance for cleaning up the Wagnergate scandal.

During the full-scale invasion

There's understandably not a lot publicly known in a time of full-scale war, and a time when Arestovych has become enormously famous, (at least partially deliberately) controversial, and politically inconvenient to many, but there's a few interesting items worth mentioning:

In December 2022, Budanov was asked if Arestovych really worked in the HUR in an interview, and he answered "as far as I remember, yes."

In June 2023, Arestovych was asked about rumors that Budanov had been heavily wounded in a strike on HUR headquarters, and he answered that he knows the HQ building well, the strike was nowhere near Budanov's office, and he'd spoken to Budanov after the alleged incident and he'd looked perfectly fine. Presumably this was through a video call, if we can believe the most interesting and problematic source we have:

In February 2024, the investigative outlet NGL.media published an article claiming that Arestovych was able to leave Ukraine the previous fall, despite the borders normally being closed to men of military age, because he had a letter from the HUR. The publication reached out to Arestovych, the HUR, and the State Border Services for comment before the article came out, but got no response from the first two and a refusal to comment from the last.

The timing of the article is suspicious--toward the end of Zaluzhnyi's time as commander-in-chief, while rumors were swirling that Budanov was a candidate for his replacement. Given the byzantine nature of Ukrainian internal politics and the degree to which it controls domestic media, the article may well have been an attempt to discredit Budanov at a sensitive juncture, as a pretext to bring up an earlier case of a suspected corrupt official leaving the country with a letter from the HUR, as well for tying him to Arestovych, who at the time had a roughly 80% distrust rating in surveys, and whose court cases the article gives accounts of in a misleading fashion.

Indeed, the HUR's social media channels came out with a denial only hours later. The quickness of the denial is also unusual, notably faster than the HUR's come out with denials of other seemingly more major information attacks, including rumors of their own head's injury or capture.

And instead of accepting the official HUR answer, the publication doubled down, directly publishing the list of Arestovych's borders crossings that it had obtained from its source, with what it considered sensitive information redacted, and declaring it would sue the border service to force it to release copies of the documents Arestovych had used to leave. (The State Border Service later issued a denial as well, though the comments are mostly disbelieving, given the quite low regard the organization is held in.)

When asked about the article a few days later, Arestovych responded by criticizing everyone involved: the HUR press services for responding to rumors, the media for obsessing over the personal details of a supposed irrelevant blogger instead of paying mind to the real issues they were facing. But he didn't confirm or deny anything about himself.

Given all this, it's hard to say how trustworthy the list of crossings is. The HUR and border service have issued denials, but they'd have reason to issue denials regardless if Arestovych was secretly working for the HUR. NGL.media certainly seems confident that their source is legit, but we don't know how exactly they know, and we don't know what they chose to edit out. Keeping in mind the above complications, however, the table is worth a look:

There are some irregularities in the "reason for departure" column, such as the use of Russian words instead of the Ukrainian counterpart at some points, but this might be an artifact of the publication's redactions or the work of individual Russophone border guards.

While some of Arestovych's nine trips abroad weren't known to the public, others sets of dates do match up remarkably well with appearances abroad that were previously known (though usually not publicly announced, some trackable by an outsider only through diligently keeping tabs on mentions of Arestovych online in multiple languages) with photo and video documentation. For example:

His May-June 2023 trip, during which he appeared in Europe and Israel

His March 2023 trip, during which he appeared at a conference in Lithuania

His February 2022 trip, during which he gave an interview in Italy

His December 2022 trip, where he appeared at a conference in Poland

His November 2022 trip, where he gave an interview in Lithuania

His September 2022 trip, during which he gave a talk in Lithuania

And his current extended stay goes without saying. Interestingly, the dates of the earliest trip on that list corresponds with the dates of the Istanbul negotiations, suggesting he was there in person.

It's worth noting that, in addition to his current trip, his May-June 2023 trip is attributed to a letter from the HUR as well, and he would've been on this HUR-related trip at the time he said he had recently (presumably long-distance) been in touch with Budanov.

In summary, Arestovych officially worked for the HUR in his younger days, he's definitely informally cooperated with Budanov and the HUR in the past, and the evidence around his continued involvement with them since 2022 is problematic, but intriguing. Most likely some answers will only be available after the war, if then.

#oleksiy arestovych

2 notes · View notes

starlightshadowsworld · 2 years

Text

You make me do

Fatima Jinnah

Known as Madar-e-Millat or mother of the nation. She was crucial in the Pakistan's fight for independence.

And founded Jinnah Medical College for Girls.

Too much labour

Yasmeen Lari

Pakistan's first female architect. She went from designing shiny corporate structures such as Karachi's finance and trade center.

To helping build shelters for those affected by earthquakes (since 2005) with the resources they had available.

All day everyday

Zennat Haroon Rashid

Founding member of the Woman's national guard in Pakistan.

Her daughter created the "Zeenat Haroon Rashid Writing Prize for Women" in her honour. Which works to support women who want to pursue writing as a career.

Therapist Mother Maid

Azra Haq

A member of the Woman's national guard in Pakistan who helped to support and aid women who had been abandoned during the partition.

Nympth and a virgin

Sheherezade Alam

A renowned ceramist who themed her work around the earth. Founder of LAAL, an artistic movement to promote and preserve Pakistani art and culture.

Nurse than a servant

Mehnaz Rafi

One of the first members of the Woman's Action Forum (WAF) who worked to help woman fight for their rights.

Just an apandage

Madeeha Gauhur

Pakistani actress, playwright and director. Founded the Ajoka theatre in 1984, which stages social themes in theatres, on the street and other places in the public.

Live to attend him

Bapsi Sidhwa

Pakistani world renowned author, essayist and playwright. Well known for her novels which reflect her personal experiences of Partition, her life in Lahore, diasporic stories, identity etc.

So that he never lifts a finger

Begum Ra’ana Liaqat Ali Khan

The 1st First Lady of Pakistan, became the first Muslim female delegate to United Nations. In 1954, she became the first woman ambassador of Pakistan and was sent to Netherlands. In 1973, she became the first female governor of Sindh and later on, the first Chancellor of Karachi University and Sindh University.

Begum Ra’ana was awarded Nishan-e-Imtiaz. She was also given Order of Merit of Italian Republic, Order of Orange Nassau, Netherlands and the UN Human Rights Award 1978.

24/7 baby machine

Dr Sania Nishtar

She is the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection and the Leader of Global Health and Sustainable Development.

Since 2018, Dr Sania has been the leader of the poverty reduction program in Pakistan called Ehsas, which strives to provide livelihood and improve the social situation of many people in the country.

So he can live out

Muniba Mazari Baloch

Due to suffering a spinal cord injury at 21, Muniba used it as fuel to encourage women and girls that have experienced discrimination or violence to not fear or fight the pain.

She is as Pakistan’s first National Ambassador.

His picket fence dreams

Asma Jahangir

Pakistani politician, lawyer, and human rights activist. She chaired the Bar Association of the Supreme Court. She has won numerous awards for her work on human rights, including the Martin Ennals Award.

It's not an act of love if you make her

Tahira Qazi

A beloved Pakistani principle who was held hostage at her school with her students by terrorists.

Although she had the opportunity to escape and save her own life, she chose to save her students.

"They are my children and I am their mother.”

She fought for them but unfortunately lost her life that day, on December 16th 2014.

You make me do too much labour

Malala Yousafzai

Pakistani activist for women's rights to education. Fighting for her right to education since she was a child, getting shot in the head by the Taliban for her efforts.

She continues to fight and was the youngest person to be awarded a Nobel peace prize.

#women's history month #Pakistani #Pakistan #Desi #Pakistani women #Pakistan women #Women's rights #pakistan culture #Artists #Writers #Playwrights #Tw death #Tw shooting #South Asia #paris paloma

12 notes · View notes

lboogie1906 · 2 years

Photo

Daniel Kaluuya (born February 24, 1989) is a British actor and writer. He began his acting career as a teenager in improvisational theatre. He portrayed Posh Kenneth in Skins; he co-wrote some of the episodes. He was praised for his leading performance in Sucker Punch at the Royal Court Theatre in London and he won both the Evening Standard Award and Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer. In 2018, he received the BAFTA Rising Star Award. In the late 2000s and early 2010s, he gained further notice for his performances as Michael "Tealeaf" Fry in the BBC dark comedy series Psychoville, Michael "Mac" Armstrong in the BBC Three horror drama series The Fades, Barclay in the Doctor Who Easter special "Planet of the Dead", and Bingham "Bing" Madsen in the Black Mirror episode "Fifteen Million Merits". He appeared as Agent Colin Tucker in Johnny English Reborn and as Black Death in Kick-Ass 2. He had a supporting role in Sicario. He achieved a career breakthrough after starring in Get Out, which garnered him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. This was followed by roles in Black Panther, Widows, and Queen & Slim. For his portrayal of Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton in Judas and the Black Messiah, he won the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Critics' Choice Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actor. He became the seventh-youngest winner of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He is the first British actor of African heritage to win an Academy Award. He attended Torriano Primary School, and St Aloysius' College, Highgate. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence https://www.instagram.com/p/CpC8WXeLnKu/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

2 notes · View notes

audiovisualheritageday · 11 months

Text

The Jane Mercer Memorial Lecture: In conversation with Lizzy McGlynn and Viridiana Lieberman.

To celebrate World Day for Audiovisual Heritage this year we continue with our successful series of the Jane Mercer Memorial Lecture and are pleased to announce Archive Producer Lizzy McGlynn, alongside Editor Viridiana Lieberman have agreed to take part to discuss their work on the Emmy Awards winning documentary 'Lowndes County & the Road to Black Power', directed by the acclaimed by Sam Pollard & Geeta Gandbhir.

The relationship between Archive Producer and Editor is an essential one. In this webinar we hear how Lizzy and Viridiana worked closely together to seek out and use remarkable rich archive footage that tells the unfolding intense story of the local movement and young Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) organizers who fought not just for voting rights in 1965, but for Black Power in Lowndes County, USA. Lizzy's exceptional work to exploring previously unreleased footage led to the discovery material. Her efforts not only played a crucial role in shaping the production but also earned her the prestigious Jane Mercer Researcher of the Year FOCAL Award in 2023.

Speakers:

Lizzy McGlynn is an NYC based Archival Producer specializing in historically immersive documentaries told through story-driven archive. In 2023, Lizzy received both the Emmy Award for documentary research and the FOCAL Jane Mercer Researcher of the Year award for her work “Lowndes County & the Road to Black Power”.

Viridiana Lieberman is a filmmaker based in Brooklyn, NY. She edited the feature documentaries The Sentence (HBO), which won the 2018 Sundance Film Festival US Documentary Audience Award and the 2019 Emmy for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking and I Am Evidence (HBO) which won the 2019 News & Doc Emmy for Best Documentary and the short documentary, Through Our Eyes: Apart (HBO Max) which won the 2021-2022 News & Doc Emmy for Outstanding Short Documentary. S

FOCAL INTERNATONAL (affiliated to FOCAL International) The Jane Mercer Memorial Lecture: In conversation with Lizzy McGlynn and Viridiana Lieberman 26 October 2023 ONLINE ONLY Zoom Online: 16:00 - 17:00hrs (BST)

#Archival Producer #documentaries #story-driven archive #filmmaking #FOCAL International #archivists #27 october #world day for audiovisual heritage #Public lectures

0 notes

kickmag · 1 year

Text

Throwback: Chic-Dance, Dance Dance

Chic debuted as a band in 1977 with their self-titled album which was mostly written and produced by co-founders Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah Yowsah Yowsah)" was their first single and they had conceptualized it as a tribute to American dance marathons of the 1920s and 1930s. Producer and songwriter Kenny Lehman worked with them on the song as a co-writer and producer. They were inspired by American dance contests of the 1920s and 1930s and they added a jolt of funk with their interpretation of the actor Gil Young's phrase 'Yowsah Yowsah Yowsah' from the movie actor They Shoot Horses, Don't They? Tony Thompson's boxy-sounding drum kit, symphonic strings plus Rodgers and Edwards' rhythm and bass guitars were the height of musicianship in disco music. Norma Jean Wright was the lead vocalist and Alfa Anderson, who would become the lead singer on the next album, provided background vocals with Luther Vandross.

Models Valentine Monnier and Alva Chinn who was one of the early Black models were photographed for the album cover. "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah Yowsah Yowsah)" was a big record for Chic scoring Top Ten and Top 40 chart positions domestically and abroad as well as a Gold certification. They considered themselves the rock band of the disco world with their global dance anthems which would be sampled and covered endlessly in the future. The album was remastered and reissued in 2006 and 2011. In 2018, Chic released It's About Time after a 26-year hiatus with a new lineup. In 2023, Rodgers won two Grammy Awards for co-writing "Cuff It" on Beyoncé's Rennaissance album and a Special Merit Lifetime Achievement Grammy. Nile Rodgers & Chic are currently on the Duran Duran Future Past Tour.

youtube

#chic #nile rodgers #kenny lehman #alva chinn #Youtube

1 note · View note

usbongkalikasan · 1 year

Text

EARTH HOUR & WOMEN'S MONTH CELEBRATION

Author: Rad Lem-ew Vince B. Balisong

Graphic Designer: Sadie Catherine E. Velasco

Bernarditas De Castro-Muller

Bernarditas De Castro-Muller was a former Filipina diplomat and climate change negotiator. She was a special and environmental adviser for South Centre and the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines respectively. She had represented the Philippines in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) since its inauguration in 1994 and the chief player in representing and negotiating for her country and for developing countries in the negotiations for the Kyoto Protocol in 1997.

She led negotiations for the G77 and China negotiating bloc, where the Philippines is affiliated, championing ever so passionately the interests of the poorest countries in climate talks especially in the provision of climate finance, paving the way for the eventual creation of the green climate fund.

In a written statement of Senator Loren Legarda during Ms. Bernadita’s passing last December 14, 2018, she says “her fierce negotiating style had earned her the name "dragon woman"--a character feared by industrialized countries but adored by poor countries. She would however always insist that she was not working for the developing countries, rather for their children's children and what we will leave the world." The Philippines will always pay tribute to Ms. De Castro-Muller’s imprint to the present and future advocates in the Philippines

Anna Rosario Oposa

Anna Rosario Oposa, dubbed the Chief Mermaid, has been protecting and conserving the Philippine seas and coasts as a marine conservationist and co- founder of the Save Philippine Seas by mobilizing seatizen-led initiatives for collective action and behavior change.

Anna graduated with the Bachelor of Arts in English Studies from the University of the Philippines-Diliman in 2011, and earned her MSc in Conservation Science (Merit) from Imperial College London in 2015 through the Chevening scholarship. In 2017, she was one of the three Global Fellows in Marine Conservation at the Duke University Marine Laboratory. She also received The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service (TOWNS) award for marine ecology, an accolade recognizing women “who have shown outstanding dedication, exceptional talent, and a history of contributing positively to society.”

Anna protects the country’s coastal marine resources through a unique arrangement of conservation approaches that flow and feed into each other as it reinforces the core objective of empowering young scientists, activists, and leaders as change-makers for the environment. The TOWNES awardee, through education and community-based projects, inspired many youth to value our oceans.

Regina Paz “Gina” La’o Lopez

Regina Paz “Gina” La’o Lopez was a former environment Secretary of the Philippines, philanthropist, eco-warrior, and fervent activist against destructive mining practices.

In both the business and public sectors, Lopez was most recognized for her campaign against mining practices in her nation. In 2010, she teamed up with the Palawan NGO Network Inc. (PNNI) to organize the Save Palawan Movement, a confederation that pushed for a complete mining ban on the island of Palawan, which is home to an underground river and cave system that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. She started a petition against mining, which attracted a historic 10 million signatures. By 2012, then-President Benigno Aquino Jr. signed an executive order prohibiting the issuance of new mining licenses.

Afterwards, Ms. Lopez landed the job of acting environment secretary when President Rodrigo Duterte came to power in 2016. She wasted no time in going after major mining companies that she said had flagrantly violated environmental laws. She ordered 23 mines to shut down and several others to suspend operations, and canceled 75 lucrative contracts for mines that she said threatened watersheds.

Salvador Panelo, a spokesman for Mr. Duterte, called her one of the country’s “most passionate cabinet members” and said her “environmental advocacy and legacy remains unparalleled to this day.”

“She fiercely fought powerful interests in the mining sector, as well as in industries having negative effects on our ecology,” he added.

Ms. Lopez passed away last August 19, 2019 at the age of 65 years old after multiple organ failure related to her brain cancer; however, she remains as a leader to look up to and an inspiration to many for her courage and kindness.

UsKa offers its highest respect to these said leaders for their engagement towards environmental protection and advocacy. They pioneered a sense of responsibility to many Filipinos out there and received towering respect across national borders. As Earth Hour is just right around the corner, the organization takes time to bring into the spotlight their background and success towards the environmental community.

#earth hour #womens month #mapua university #publications #MapuanMakabayanMakakalikasan #UsKa #usbong kalikasan

0 notes

amityaice · 1 year

Text

Enrol at Amity Institute for Competitive Examination: Top NTSE Coaching Center in Delhi

Does Amity offer NTSE coaching?

If these questions bother you then this article is tailored for you with everything you need to know.

About NTSE Programme

The NCERT's National Talent Search Scheme, initiated in 1963, aims to identify and cultivate talented students. Talents refer to potential that results in outstanding performance in one or more specialized fields. The scheme awards monthly scholarships to such students to support their education.

Financial assistance is extended up to the Ph.D. level for courses in Basic Sciences, Social Sciences, and Commerce, while for professional courses like Engineering, Medicine, Management, and Law, it's provided only up to Post Graduation. The National Talent Search Examination for the academic year 2012-2013 was conducted by the NCERT for Class X students.

The National Talent Search Examination (NTSE) is a scholarship programme at the national level in India. Students in Class X are eligible to participate in the selection process. Because it is organised by an official entity (NCERT), it is largely considered as the most prestigious high school test in India.

Grooming Students at AICE

Amity Institute for Competitive Examination NTSE Coaching Center in Delhi helps students in the following way:

Comprehensive syllabus coverage: The coaching center covers the entire syllabus of the NTSE exam, including the latest updates and changes.

Experienced faculty: The center has highly qualified and experienced faculty who have expertise in their respective subjects.

Practice material and mock tests: The center provides ample practice material and conducts mock tests to help students evaluate their progress and identify areas that need improvement.

Doubt clarification sessions: Students can attend doubt clarification sessions to clear their doubts and queries related to any subject or topic.

Why take NTSE Exam?

NTSE is one of the prestigious scholarship exams in India. Around 1000 NTSE Scholars are eventually given scholarships based on their Stage - II performance. It recognises and assists gifted students by giving financial aid in the form of a monthly scholarship.

Under the current plan, scholarships are offered to candidates for pursuing studies in sciences and social sciences up to doctorate level, as well as professional courses such as medicine and engineering up to second-degree level, subject to the fulfilment of the requirements.

Eligibility Criteria:

a. Students in Class X

b. Required min. 55% marks in IX standard

c. 50% marks in IX standard for SC, ST and physically charged

Amity NTSE Program Objective

An excellent programme has been devised with the time constraints of NTSE Stage - I preparation in mind for pupils who aspire to climb the success ladder from class X itself. The NTSE is a highly valued Scholarship Exam for students. Students in class X can take this exam and receive scholarships for the rest of their academic careers.

This programme assists students in learning the fundamentals of Science and Mathematics. Absolute clarity of concepts aids in raising IQ and thinking abilities, as well as building a firm basis for job success.

Admission Procedure

The admission procedure for the upcoming academic session involves a merit-based test which is scheduled tentatively in the 2nd week of July 2018.

The exam will comprise three sections - SAT, MAT, and LAT.

The SAT section will have questions from Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Maths, and Social Science.

The MAT section will test the student's mental ability through verbal and non-verbal reasoning questions.

The LAT section will consist of questions based on English grammar.

NTSE registration

To register for the admission test, students can collect the application form from the nearest Amity School, submit two passport size photographs, and pay the registration fee of Rs. 1000/- (inclusive of GST) through a Demand Draft or Pay Order.

Alternatively, the registration fee can be paid in cash at any AIS center.

Join the Amity Institute for Competitive Examination NTSE Classes in Delhi NCR. For more information on the NTSE coaching center in Delhi visit us at www.amity.edu/aice/NTSE For details about AICE, go to www.amity.edu/aice

Source:"https://amityinstuteofexmination1.blogspot.com/2023/06/enrol-at-amity-institute-for.html"

#NTSE coaching center in delhi #NTSE coaching center near me #NTSE registration #NTSE Classes in Delhi ncr

0 notes

edu276 · 1 year

Text

Government College of Engineering Amravati: Courses, Fees, Admission, Ranking

Government College of Engineering, Amravati, established in 1964 by the Government of Maharashtra, is a prestigious engineering college in India. The college offers undergraduate (B.Tech), postgraduate (M.Tech), and doctoral (Ph.D.) programs in various engineering disciplines. The college is known for its academic excellence, notable rankings, and successful placements.

At the undergraduate level, Government College of Engineering, Amravati offers B.Tech programs in multiple branches of engineering. At the postgraduate level, it provides M.Tech programs, and Ph.D. programs are available in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, and ECE (Electronics and Communication Engineering) disciplines. The college focuses on delivering comprehensive and industry-relevant education in these fields.

Admission to the B.Tech program is based on the common entrance examination conducted by the Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test (MHT-CET) Cell. The selection process includes a centralized counseling process based on merit and preferences. For M.Tech and Ph.D. programs, candidates are admitted based on entrance examinations and interviews conducted by the college.

The detailed fee structure for Government College of Engineering, Amravati can be obtained from the official college website or admission brochure. The fee may vary depending on the course and category of the student.

Government College of Engineering, Amravati has a commendable placement record, with numerous core and software companies visiting the campus for recruitment. The college has been honored with the National Employability Award 2018-19 for being among the top 10% institutes in the state of Maharashtra by Aspiring Minds. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has recognized the college as a Premium Category college. The average package offered during placements is around 3.5 LPA, with the highest salary package reaching 11.91 LPA. Companies like TCS, Cognizant Technology Solutions, Capgemini, Persistent Systems, Amazon, Infosys, ThoughtWorks, Accenture, Tech Mahindra, and many more visit the campus for recruitment.

Government College of Engineering, Amravati has received notable rankings and special recognitions. It was ranked 45th in Outlook India's Top Engineering Colleges of 2012 and 68th in Dataquest's Top Engineering Colleges in India of 2011. The college was also ranked 5th in the list of top engineering colleges in western India, excluding all IITs. The ranking by Dataquest in 2012 showcased a significant jump to 35th position.

#GCEA #GovernmentCollegeofEngineering #GCEAcourses #GCEAadmissions #GCEAplacement

0 notes

bridgeseduscholarships · 1 year

Text

Top 10 List of September Scholarships for 2023 … and More!

September. Back to school for the start of another academic year. It’s go time!

Along with the start of classes comes another important part of the college experience; paying for it! Tuition, books, and fees really add up at this time of year. But, the cost of college can be manageable. Especially with the help of scholarships.

For that reason, we’re offering a select list of ten scholarships with deadlines in September. Below, you’ll find links and a few details of some hot September scholarship picks.

Of course, it’s important to always read eligibility criteria of any scholarship opportunity. That’s because various types of scholarships are given away for different reasons.

There are merit scholarships, based on GPA and extracurricular achievement. Need-based scholarships based on financial need. Student-specific scholarships for African-American students, Hispanic students, military veterans, women in STEM, and much more. There are also career-specific scholarships and school-specific scholarships.

So, the important thing to note here is that the list of scholarships that you qualify for can be quite long, but it depends on your specific profile and qualities.

Now, with that said, let’s get to some prizes to help you win money for college.

A Select List of September 2023 Scholarships

1. Trophy Central Scholarship

Due Date: September 1, 2023

Prize Value: $1,000

Who is this prize for? This scholarship is open to graduating high school students with a 3.25 GPA in their junior year. Applicants must have demonstrated a unique form of sportsmanship, kindness, or compassion.

From the Scholarship Donor’s Website: TrophyCentral is thrilled to be able to offer a qualifying high school senior a $1,000 scholarship award to be applied to their first year’s tuition to a college or university.

2. Weiss & Paarz Rising Star Scholarship 2023

Due Date: September 30, 2023

Prize Value: $1,000

Who is this prize for? Scholarship for financial need (need-based), leadership, adversity, and commitment to community. Also, this award is open to high school and college students who will be enrolled at a college or university in September 2023.

From the Scholarship Donor’s Website: Scholarships will be awarded each year to a student who demonstrates all of the following characteristics: Financial need; Exceptional work ethic; Strength in the face of adversity; Outstanding academic achievement; Commitment to the local community and charitable giving; Ability to lead others; Overall moral character. Special consideration will be given to students who have an interest in law.

3. SETI Forward Award – Scholarship for College Students

Due Date: September 1, 2023

Prize Value: $1,500

Who is this prize for? Scholarships for astrobiology and/or SETI.

From the Scholarship Donor’s Website: This award was established in 2018 to support undergraduate students interested in careers in SETI and astrobiology. Each year, dozens of students intern with SETI and astrobiology scientists, but most pivot to other fields, resulting in fewer talented researchers focused on the search for life beyond Earth. SETI Forward aims to bridge the gap between these internships and jobs in SETI and astrobiology research by providing $1500 per award.

4. Beldon College Scholarship

Due Date: September 1, 2023

Prize Value: Two prizes of $1,000

Who is this prize for? Scholarship for business, management, communications, marketing, or related field. Open to students with a minimum 3.5 GPA.

From the Scholarship Donor’s Website: We are proud to provide an annual scholarship to students who are determined to achieve a higher education, by alleviating their financial burdens. Every year, we will select two winners to award a $1,000 scholarship, each! Our scholarship panel will review all applications and hand-pick the most qualified candidates. We want you to tell us what it takes to be an aspiring business leader in this industry today.

5. Law Office of Philip W. Moore, Jr. Leadership Excellence Scholarship

Due Date: September 19, 2023

Prize Value: $1,000

Who is this prize for? Scholarship for leadership. Open to undergraduate students currently enrolled in an accredited college or university in the United States. Applicants must be involved in university’s Greek life or honors program. Student must have a 3.0 GPA or higher.

From the Scholarship Donor’s Website: Whether you have always had natural leadership skills or have learned to develop those skills over time, your role as a leader has likely had a significant impact on your life and those around you. Being a leader has prepared you for the challenges ahead and equipped you with many of the skills needed to succeed after college.

Attorney Philip Moore has instilled the principles of hard work, honesty, and integrity into his legal practice, and he hopes to provide financial assistance to those who share these important values through the Law Office of Philip W. Moore, Jr. Leadership Excellence Scholarship.

youtube

6. Creative Biolabs Scholarship for September 2023

Due Date: September 30, 2023

Prize Value: $1,000

Who is this prize for? Scholarship for biology, biochemistry, chemistry, and/or molecular biology. Open to undergraduate and graduate students at any accredited college or university. Additionally, this award is open to all students enrolled at an accredited college or university and does not require U.S. citizenship.

From the Scholarship Donor’s Website: As a leading custom service provider specialized in the field of antibody production and engineering, Creative Biolabs is always happy to support young and ambitious talents in our field. With an effort to further support their research and higher education in the medical and science-related fields, Creative Biolabs is proud to announce the Scholarship Program for awarding $1,000 to an outstanding college student.

7. The Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship

Due Date: September 23, 2023

Prize Value: $15,000 (awarded $5,000 annually for 3 years)

Who is this prize for? Scholarship for Hispanic community service. Students must be enrolled in medicine (allopathic or osteopathic), dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, master of public health or health policy, and/or physician associate programs.

From the Scholarship Donor’s Website: In 2004, NHHF established the Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship program and its first Gala in New York City for medical, nursing, dental, pharmacy, public health, and health policy students with outstanding academic records, leadership, and who are committed to serving Hispanics.

8. Don’t Text and Drive Scholarship

Prize Value: $1,000

Due Date: September 30, 2023

Who is this prize for? This scholarship is open to high school, college, and graduate school students of all years. Must be a U.S. citizen to apply.

From the Scholarship Donor’s Website: Do you know how far you will drive on the freeway if you take your eyes off the road for five seconds, the average time it takes to send a text? An entire football field. According to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, texting while driving makes drivers 23 times more likely to get into a “safety-critical event.” The purpose of this scholarship is to help you understand the risks of texting while driving.

9. Samuel Robinson Scholarship

Due Date: September 1, 2023

Prize Value: From $2,000 to $4,000

Who is this prize for? Scholarship for Christian students.

From the Scholarship Donor’s Website: The Samuel Robinson Award is offered to college juniors and seniors attending a Presbyterian-related college or university. Students must recite from memory, the responses to the 107 questions in the Westminster Shorter Catechism. Students have up to 18 months from the start of the recitation to complete the recitation.

10. Gates Millenium Scholarship

Due Date: September 15, 2023

Prize Value: Amount varies

Who is this prize for? Scholarship for minority high school seniors from low-income households with an outstanding academic record and leadership skills. Applicants must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students must also be eligible for the Pell Grant.

Scholarships with September Deadlines: Scholarships to Apply for Today!

Whether you’re a high school senior or a current college student trying to pay for college, there are many scholarships to apply for in September.

As you can see from the list above, there are many kinds of scholarships for different students. It doesn’t matter if you have perfect grades or what school you’re enrolled in. The bottom line is that thousands of awards are out there for students just like you.

September could absolutely be your month. So, it’s time to start applying for scholarships! Don’t let the right opportunity just float on by!

The post Top 10 List of September Scholarships for 2023 … and More! first appeared on BridgesEDU Scholarships. Originally published here: https://bridgeseduscholarships.com/top-10-list-of-september-scholarships-for-2023-and-more/

#BridgesEDU Scholarships

0 notes

bananawired · 2 years

Text

Tanki online test server invite codes

#TANKI ONLINE TEST SERVER INVITE CODES UPGRADE#

#TANKI ONLINE TEST SERVER INVITE CODES FULL#

#TANKI ONLINE TEST SERVER INVITE CODES SERIES#

#TANKI ONLINE TEST SERVER INVITE CODES SIMULATOR#

#TANKI ONLINE TEST SERVER INVITE CODES DOWNLOAD#

On March 13, 2018, Tanki X left the Open Beta Testing stage and was officially released with the Arms Race update. As promised, Tanki X was released on Steam on April 20, 2017. On April 13, 2017, Alternativa Platform announced their plans to release Tanki X on Steam on April 20, 2017. On September 15, 2016, Tanki X began its Open Beta test.

#TANKI ONLINE TEST SERVER INVITE CODES SERIES#

Anne Murray and Gene MacLellan had met while both were regulars on the CBC television series Singalong Jubilee and Murray recorded two of MacLellan's compositions, 'Snowbird' and 'Biding My Time', for her first major label album release, This Way Is My Way, in 1969. The game also reduces each player's RP by a certain amount, depending on where they are at. At that time, the game will award players with crystals, x crystals, and league containers for the league they ended the season in. Every 2 months, the league system enters a new season. Upon entering a league for the first time, the game will grant players with the paint and 5 containers for the corresponding league. From lowest to highest, there are 5 leagues: Training, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Masters. These points place players within a certain league, depending on how much RP they have. The ranked battle system is a ranking ladder which organizes players using RP (reputation points), which are rewarded or lost at the end of a completed battle. X crystals can also be earned by completing missions and entering certain promo codes. X Crystals are a premium currency, which is bought with real world money, and unlocks special skins, graffiti, special shell colors for turret ammo, paints for tanks and containers for module blueprints. Players gain new ranks at particular XP milestones which publicly represent their level of skill, dedication, and time playing the game. The amount of XP players gain has its own set of rewards. The number of experience gained is based on various factors including the number of opponents destroyed, killstreak and the amount of XP earned throughout the match. In-game Currency and Ranking System įor every tank destroyed or flag captured, players build up a number of XP (rank experience points) which they are rewarded, and container points. Players can create their own tank combination from a selection of different turrets and hulls, all unique in their strengths and weaknesses.Ĭapture the Flag on Tanki X map 'Area 159'. At the moment, Tanki X features three game modes: Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, and Capture the Flag. Players control their own tank, created from a variety of turret and hull combinations, and compete against each other in a variety of maps and game modes. In this subreddit we share Steel Ocean news, strategy, tips and discussions as well as sharing our passion for warships. We're Redditors with a passion for warships, gaming and the Steel Ocean video game. Quick New Player video for Steel Ocean covering gold recharge, growth plan, basic commanders, merit, qualification, events, consumables, equipment, global XP, and to elite ships. This edit will also create new pages on Giant Bomb for: Beware, you are proposing to add brand new pages to the wiki along with your edits. Covering commander load outs, equipment, ammunition, firing modes, targeting, and many more tips and tricks! Hope you all enjoy and thank you for watching. No selling, buying, or trading of in game goods such as accounts or codes. Keep to the reddiquette as best as you can. Though otherwise testing is help privately only for Testers to take part in, this is why you were prompted to give an invite code, as only official Testers have it. The test servers are only open for mass testing when a huge player base is needed to test an update.

#TANKI ONLINE TEST SERVER INVITE CODES FULL#

The open beta testing started on Septem and the full game was released on Steam on April 20, 2017.

#TANKI ONLINE TEST SERVER INVITE CODES UPGRADE#

These X Crystals unlock special cosmetic features for tanks and blueprint containers which can unlock and upgrade modules. However, players can also pay real world money in the form of micro transactions to get 'X Crystals'.

#TANKI ONLINE TEST SERVER INVITE CODES DOWNLOAD#

The game uses the free-to-play business model, where players can download and play the game for free. It was created on the Unity engine by AlternativaPlatform, a Russia-based game developing company.

#TANKI ONLINE TEST SERVER INVITE CODES SIMULATOR#

Tanki X was a client based multiplayer online game in the arcade tank simulator genre.

#Tanki online test server invite codes

0 notes

eustaquiodelrio · 3 years

Video

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by EUSTAQUIO DEL RIO (@eustaquiodelrio)

instagram

Mi demo reel @eustaquiodelrio #creazy #film #director #photgraphy #loco #escitor #nature #art #love #meditacion How are you my friend ? I am L. Tagszig or Eustaquio , I have been a meditation practitioner since my childhood, am also a filmmaker: Love Philosophy enjoying life, just wanted to be your friend in order to share what I’ve learned . @eustaquiodelrio https://www.instagram.com/p/CAsvYXpjfLl Eustaquio Del Rio, a filmmaker committed to the environment of our planet and development of the human race. Is born in Mexico City, later on goes abroad to study Filmmaking at the University of Westminster, London England. Photography College of Art Desing Plymouth, specializing in writing, producing, and directing at New York Film Academy, Universal Studios . He held jobs in film development Robert Evans Company, Paramount Pictures, USA. Worked in film production for New Line Pictures Productions, Hallmark, BBC documentaries, UK. He has directed TV commercials, coproduced music videos for renowned artists such as: Jose and Joe, Chenoa, and others. Currently. He has produced, directed and written ten features documentaries , distributed on Blockbuster, his long-documentary entitled "GIVE EARTH A CHANCE" was awarded at the human rights film festival and other festivals around the world. Has also directed/produced two featue dramas. His feature film is Yacuna a drama, about native Mayan culture. He was selected by IMCINE “ruta al mercado mundial” and was has asisted to MIPCOM Canes, representing Mexico Yacuna won EuroFilm festival, and was screened on 5 continents, and ricived an especial award at the nacional anthropoloy museum in México. Desolada/ Bleak his last film on migration and woman rights recives the Merit Award of Awareness 2018. He just shot happy forever a romantic comedy . https://www.instagram.com/p/CAsvYXpjfLl/?utm_medium=tumblr

#creazy #film #director #photgraphy #loco #escitor #nature #art #love #meditacion

1 note · View note

lboogie1906 · 7 months

Text

In the late 2000s and early 2010s, he gained further notice for his performances as Michael “Tealeaf” Fry in the BBC dark comedy series Psychoville, Michael “Mac” Armstrong in the BBC Three horror drama series The Fades, Barclay in the Doctor Who Easter special “Planet of the Dead”, and Bingham “Bing” Madsen in the Black Mirror episode “Fifteen Million Merits”. He appeared as Agent Colin Tucker in Johnny English Reborn and as Black Death in Kick-Ass 2. He had a supporting role in Sicario.

He achieved a career breakthrough after starring in Get Out, which garnered him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. This was followed by roles in Black Panther, Widows, and Queen & Slim. For his portrayal of Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton in Judas and the Black Messiah, he won the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Critics’ Choice Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actor. He became the seventh-youngest winner of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He is the first British actor of African heritage to win an Academy Award.

He attended Torriano Primary School, and St Aloysius’ College, Highgate. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

1 note · View note

5secondsofdrama · 4 years

Text

Sierra Getting Signed

This was something I knew would eventually happen. One way or another, despite the massive screwup that happened in 2018, I felt like she would still get signed somehow. Back in 2018 when she tried to release music as a solo artist that for me is what really solidified my belief that this whole “relationship” was just a setup to get her noticed more. That none of it was real.

Looking at the IG post that Unknown Music posted there’s a lot about the caption that just feels fabricated to me. I’ll use screenshots to show my point. And we will break the post down by paragraph as well seeing as she got two paragraphs. And out of all the posts made on August 14, 2020 she was one of 5 that actually got two paragraphs. Makes you wonder why she’s so special? Because personally, I don’t think she is.

We will start with the first paragraph and basically go sentence by sentence. The first sentence is pretty basic. We all know she grew up in Florida, but she was actually born in Philadelphia. Remember this for later, because there is a sentence within the second paragraph that is vastly misleading. We also know that she and Alex did move to Los Angeles after winning the X-Factor show in 2013. Most people don’t even know who Sierra is to begin with, let alone that she was a winner of the X-Factor US Show. Simple Google searches cover that if someone were really that curious. Basically, I am saying she is an unknown artist. So, maybe being signed to a label titled Unknown Music could potentially be beneficial. I don’t know.

Moving on to sentence three where it talks about her touring. According to concertarchives.org she and Alex did a whopping total of FOURTEEN concerts. That doesn’t really equate to four plus years of touring in my personal opinion. But you can all be the judge of that. But if you look at songkick.com at their past shows it states that they had tours going as far as a February 2017 and started in 2012 before they even won The X-Factor US season 3. However, some of these dates don’t even seem to be plausible with how extensive being part of a national televised contest like the X-Factor really is.

The final sentence claims she wants to pursue writing songs for other artists under a multi-award winning, multi-platinum selling American Songwriter named Ross Golan. Who, by the way if you simply look at his song writing credits on his Wikipedia page states that he wrote a song for the self-titled album 5SOS released. That’s right, he wrote the song Mrs. All American for 5SOS. So, it’s quite interesting that she would be signed under this guy. But not really. She can’t do anything without it being connected to 5SOS in some way.

Above, you’ll notice the second paragraph. It starts off with yet again mentioning her stint on The X-Factor US. Bringing it back to something that was done 7 years ago. However, looking at past episodes of their season Alex and Sierra didn’t even win on their talent. They simply won because they were “a cute couple”. Each and every performance they ever did all the judges could do was mention “how cute they were”. Not a single judge ever mentioned their vocal range or their “talent”.

We all know that Alex is the reason they even won because he basically carried them both through the whole show. He’s the one with the natural talent. He’s the one who has successfully released EP’s for his solo career post Alex&Sierra Era.

The second and third sentences go hand in hand because they both talk about her song writing abilities. Personally, I don’t think she’s that talented at it. She’s mediocre at best. She doesn't know how to write those smashing hits. It’s basic stuff. “Little Do You Know” is a song that I highly doubt would make anyone shed a tear. Now, I did have Red look up the song on Spotify, and for whatever reason it really does have slightly over 400 million streams. How or why? I don’t know.

“She’s a Vietnamese woman” is an honest to god lie. And no, I am not erasing the fact that she is a Woman of Color/Person of Color. Sierra IS NOT a straight up Vietnamese woman. She was NOT born in Vietnam. She was born in America. Which makes her heritage HALF Vietnamese. It honestly seems like she’s trying to erase the fact that she was born in the US. This should have been written like this: “She’s of British and Vietnamese decent, because I do believe her dad was born in England and not America, but I could be wrong. However, she is American because she was born in America.

Moving on to her “College” experience. Whether she was actually going to college with the intent to be a doctor is uncertain. From everything I have seen about her “college” experience she went into college for Public Relations and not to be a doctor at first. I get the feeling this was added in to maybe bring up the fact that her older sister happens to be a nurse.

Finally, the final sentence. She grows her own food and plays too much video games. Sierra has never once ever expressed ANY interest in video games or growing her own food until quarantine happened. So, this whole thing feels like a fabrication to me. Just to make her sound “relatable” or “well-rounded” I guess. Maybe I’m being too harsh. Maybe I’m not. I know interests change and people change. But overall, she’s never struck me as the type to ever be interested in those things.

And finally, we’ll take a look at the publishing partner Kobalt Music because honestly, I found this to be very interesting indeed. Recently, I took a look at the 5 Seconds of Summer BMI page again. And I looked at all the songs from the CALM album. 7 out of 12 songs from that album were published under Kobalt Music. It’s a bit strange to me that 5 Seconds of Summer would be affiliated with Cobalt right around the same time that Sierra gets signed. Again, it brings me to the conclusion that she can’t do anything on her own. She’s been handed opportunity after opportunity since being associated with the band and essentially squandered it all until now.

She can’t do anything on her own merit. She can’t do any heavy lifting on her own. Something or basically EVERYTHING has to have some kind of affiliation to 5 Seconds of Summer somehow. I mean Unknown Music Publishing was founded just this year by Ross Golan, again someone who wrote a song for 5 Seconds of Summer in their early careers. Not a coincidence in my opinion. Overall, this just seems a little convenient but definitely something that was in the making from the moment she started becoming more known within the 5SOS “circle”.

#piper #08/27/2020

25 notes · View notes

abanteeka · 4 years

Text

Top 5 Powerful Women Lawyers: Breaking the Glass Ceiling of the Gentlemen's Club

The Gentlemen's Club:-

The Legal sphere in India has always been part of the gentlemen's club. Throughout India's history, Law has been predominantly the sphere of men. It was considered as the educated men's or the Gentleman's club or sphere. The path of both powerful women lawyers and women doctors in India had been similar. But unlike the latter, powerful women lawyers did not have an easy way out. Powerful women lawyers in India had to fight their way against the Indian mindset that barred women from practicing law. Women as it is well-known are associated with nurturing and care giving qualities. As a result of which women doctors had entered the profession at a later stage since the medical profession was gradually regarded as a care giving profession. But with regards to Law, the Indian society could not attach such values that revolved around the qualities of care and nurture. Nevertheless, over the years the mindset of the professionals in India has changed. There emerged many legal firms that started to enlist many eligible female lawyers with merit. Small startups like Legalyy.com and others that have struggled hard to become leading law firms understand the difficulties that women face in the legal profession. Subsequently, with the support base of women lawyers strengthening likewise, they are increasingly entering the legal profession. There have been several accounts of Powerful women lawyers with regards to their experience as practitioners. Justice Indu Malhotra talks of the greater predominance of women in the law over the years. She further emphasizes that women as professionals are no longer like a floating entity that moves away from their profession post marriage. She stands for equality although providing greater importance to merit over anything else.

Breaking the glass ceiling: Top 5 Powerful Women Lawyers in India:-

There have been instances in the past where women have been able to break the glass ceiling in the legal field. The essential belief is that law and order reforms society and brings equality in every sphere. Thereby, the sphere of law should accommodate all irrespective of gender, religion, caste, and creed.

Below there is a list of the top 5 Powerful Women Lawyers in India who have broken all records of gender barriers in the field of Law:-

1.Justice Indu Malhotra:-

Indu Malhotra was born in Bangalore in 1956. She joined the legal profession in the year 1983 when she registered under the Bar Council of Delhi. She specializes in the law of arbitration and has acted as an arbitrator many times both domestically and internationally. On National Law Day she received the Mukesh Goswami Memorial Prize. She qualifies as an Advocate on Record in the Supreme Court. In 2007 she got promoted as the Senior Advocate in the Supreme Court. She served the legal council for 30 years and got appointed as the judge of the Supreme Court.

2.Deepsika Singh Rajawat:-

Deepsika Singh Rajawat reached fame in the Kathua rape case. She is an advocate in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. She completed her Law degree from the National Law University in Jodhpur. Besides her profession as an advocate, she is also a human rights activist. She achieved the Charkha Fellowship and Ladli Award for her contributions to the field of Juvenile Justice. She is one of the Powerful Women Lawyers in India.

3.Menaka Guruswamy:-

Menaka Guruswamy was a BR Ambedkar Research Scholar and Lecturer at Columbia Law School. She is the Senior Advocate practicing at the Supreme Court of India. She handled some landmark cases before the Supreme Court that included cases related to Section 377, the Bureaucratic Reforms Case, the Augusta Westland Bribery Case, and many others. She petitioned with other fellow lawyers in the year 2016 against the validity of section 377. She was also appointed as the Amicas Curie in the year 2012 in case of 1528 extrajudicial killings by the armed forces in Manipur. On behalf of her submissions, the Court ruled in her favor by stating that the use of excessive force in custody has to be reviewed.

4.Indira Jaising:-

Indira Jaising is an Indian Lawyer who works for Human Rights causes. In the year 2018, Indira Jaising ranked 20th in the list of top 50 Greatest Leaders of the World in the Fortune Magazine. She along with other fellow Lawyers are a part of an NGO named Lawyer's Collective. Indira Jaising dealt with numerous cases related to women. She argued in the Mary Roy Case that eventually led to equal inheritance rights to Syrian-Christian women. She also challenged the discriminatory clauses in the Indian Divorce Act. Her actions likewise led to popular reforms in the society.

5.Indira Banerjee:-

Indira Banerjee is the 3rd female Judge of the Supreme Court of India. Born on 24th September 1957, she completed her schooling at Loreto House in Kolkata. In the year 1985, she registered as an advocate and started practicing law in the Calcutta High Court. She became the Chief Justice of Madras High Court in the year 2017. She is also the second woman to head the Chartered High Court.

Breaking the glass ceiling of the Gentlemen's Club:-

Many intellectuals believe that the glass ceiling is not high above but is somewhere between. This implies that the system itself needs major reforms if gender equality has to be achieved. It highlights the reality that hurdles are present within the system and in between. Advocate Ritu Bhalla views the issue at hand differently. According to her, there are personal prejudices present against powerful women lawyers in India besides institutional biases. For example, there are many instances where women lawyers have faced rejections and gender-based prejudices from their clients. Advocate Ritu Bhalla calls this bias the glass canopy. The positive part is that the glass canopy can be easily exited, unlike the glass ceiling that is difficult to break. The hurdle lies in the mindsets of these women too. To clarify it better, there are many able women lawyers and paralegals who work hard in their briefs but do not plan their careers higher up as judges. Many of them are bound by family obligations.

The real problem lies in the fact that the institutions must reform inorder to truly shatter the glass ceiling. A gender-equal judiciary looks more representative and it is a healthy sign for the governance of the State.

Following are the most basic ways to alter the gender-based biases present within the judiciary:-

The members of the institution have to work together to alter the persistent prejudices.

Recognize the work-family balance of female legal professionals. Identify the source of gender-based discrimination.

Create awareness against any such discrimination.

To end with a better note, in contemporary times more and more women Lawyers get hired by Law Firms and Companies alike. In the year 2015, 51 out of 107 women lawyers got hired by the Law Firms in India. Companies today want a diverse workforce to make equality part of their business motto. Therefore, an increasing number of powerful women lawyers are getting a strong financial foothold with large numbers of Law Firms and Companies recognizing their work experiences and thereby, incorporating them into their business.

#legalyy.com #powerfulwomen #justice #lawfirms #equality #lawyers

4 notes · View notes