Hello, everyone, In GCC Guwahati's 'My Fitness Journey' section today we are featuring Kakoli Thakur. She is a Delhi-based freelance journalist, Counsellor and an Internationally certified Yoga Teacher as well. She also has a YouTube well being channel.
Mixed bag
Sunday 10 March 2024
My Yoga journey on GCC Guwahati FB Page
Sunday 12 February 2023
Why the Gauhati Super Speciality Hospital is a ray of hope for many-- published in EastMojo
Published in EastMojo
https://www.eastmojo.com/news/2023/02/13/why-the-gauhati-super-speciality-hospital-is-a-ray-of-hope-for-many/
Stories of optimism and determination amid the
gloomy atmosphere from Assam’s biggest healthcare facility
Last month, due to a family health emergency, I had
to stay at the new Gauhati Medical College Super Speciality Hospital for around
a fortnight as an attendant. This stay was my first such experience. Before
that, I have been to hospitals to pay visits to different people I knew — with
fruits or bouquets or ‘get well soon’ cards. I too had stayed at a nursing home
when my son was born but that was a happy occasion.
This stay changed my perspective about life. I
realised how blessed I was to stay at a hospital just as an attendant and not
as a patient. At least I was free to take a walk or go home to freshen up or
rest at home for a night when someone else came to relieve me.
This was a nephrology ward at the new campus, as my
dear one was a kidney patient. It was a general female ward with patients from
different backgrounds and age groups. The youngest patient was hardly 10 years
old. The mere thought of her cries in agony still gives me shivers. Whenever
she cried, there was pin drop silence in the whole ward.
The senior doctors would come on rounds once a day
but the junior doctors were on their toes throughout the day, monitoring
patients, taking updates and advising attendants. Once the new campus is fully
operational, the cardiology, neurology, cardiac surgery and neurosurgery
departments will be shifted there from the old Gauhati Medical College and
Hospital (GMCH) building on the other side of the road.
Breathlessness is a common symptom among kidney
patients. Most of the patients had to be on oxygen for the first two-three
nights. The feeling of helplessness — just watching, not able to do anything —
when a person in front of you is not able to breathe, and feeling relieved once
oxygen support is given, can’t be expressed in words.
I have seen patients spending nights just sitting —
putting their head down on a side table as lying down aggravated their
breathing problem. One of the patients was so serious that she had to be
shifted to the ICU.
Another patient was diabetic with high pressure. Her
daughter-in-law was a nurse at some other hospital. The patient shared how they
grow everything in their own farm but she can’t eat anything as her
daughter-in-law is too strict, and serves her just a little rice and moong dal
all the time — maybe out of concern or fear. But sometimes we should think from
the patient’s perspective too and give them something variety to eat, albeit
healthy.
The nephrology ward was maintained very well. Twice a day, the cleaners would sweep and mop the floors,
something hardly seen in government hospitals. But the toilets were pathetic,
and it was not the fault of the cleaners. The toilets were also cleaned twice.
It was the attendants who were at fault this time. Though there was an ample
supply of water, very few would flush properly. There were separate bathrooms
with a warm water facility. But the attendants would use the space to wash
utensils. Most of the time, the wash basins would be blocked with food
leftovers. And sometimes they would use the bath space for other uses also.
I would really salute the junior doctors who would
work diligently from 8.30 am for almost 10-12 hours, taking care of each
patient of the ward. Even the nurses were on their toes — some of them though
would get irritated with small things, but some were sweet. I understand their
job is tiring but they should also not forget their job is to serve with love
and compassion.
Dialysis is a procedure to remove waste and excess
fluid from blood when the kidneys stop working properly. It often involves
diverting blood to a machine to be cleaned. It’s a room of hope: as at least with
the help of a machine, a patient’s symptoms would improve, especially the
appetite to consume something.
Outside the waiting space at the dialysis room,
often there were simple village people who felt lost in that atmosphere. I felt
content helping them with simple things like approaching the doctor, taking a
patient to the dialysis room, forwarding reports on WhatsApp, etc. An elderly in-patient came with her son so I helped her change her clothes. When she was
discharged, she touched my head and blessed me. It brought tears to my eyes, I
felt so happy.
Once I had to go to the GMC old building for my
patient’s hand fistula check-up. A ward boy helped us, going out of the way.
Seeing the unhygienic condition there, I just wished it was also maintained like
the new campus. The old building is like a labyrinth but there are help desks
to help people lost in the maze.
Usually I was busy with my patient during day time
— taking her for tests, dialysis etc. But the rest of the time, I was busy
observing people, especially some stories of hope amid the gloom.
A teenager who cleared her medical entrance was on
dialysis. She was waiting for a kidney transplant from her mother. Her parents
were staying with her at the hospital and it was their home for months. The
girl is so determined to become a doctor that she said she would let her mother
give her a kidney only on the condition that she allows her to sit for the
medical entrance again. But her mother didn’t want that. She thought if her
daughter takes stress, her blood pressure would again shoot up — which is
another cause of kidney damage.
Then there was a folk singer who was admitted for a
long time for her urinary tract infection. Determined to go back to stage, she
asserted that even with this health condition, she could sing. She said she
would just need a chair as standing and singing won’t be possible any more.
Later, when she was being shifted to the urology ward, just two floors above, everybody bid adieu to her as if someone from the
family was leaving. Yes that ward became a mini family for everyone — a home
away from home.
Early in the morning, I used to go out to bring
black tea, roti and sabji for my patient and would observe how people rose so
early to earn their livelihood, selling fresh breakfast. As the day progressed,
I had to go out to buy medicines — at times from the pharmacies outside the
campus. I saw how the medical college had become a source of earning for many
and how an entire ecosystem had sprung up in its surroundings. There were rows
of street kiosks and permanent shops selling different things attendants would
need for their patients — fruits, warm water, water bottles, blankets, floor
mats, buckets, stools, etc.
A newly married girl shared her helplessness as her
mother didn’t know that she was a kidney patient and had heart problems too. So
she was unable to convince her mother for dialysis. The day we were given
discharge, we counselled her mother giving our example. We explained how
dialysis would improve her health and that she would even be discharged soon.
Thanks to the Almighty, my patient is better now
and is at home. On the day of release, I felt such government hospitals are a
blessing for people of all backgrounds, especially when people suffer from
diseases where lifelong treatment is required. I just hope that our
governments, both at centre and states, make more such affordable healthcare
centres, as most private hospitals, if not all, are just turning out to be
money-making machines.
Why the Gauhati Super Speciality Hospital is a ray of hope for many
Tuesday 16 August 2022
Crazy Trio: Our sudden trip to Manali--- published in Momspresso
Crazy Trio: Our sudden trip to Manali
We — I, my husband and son — are one crazy traveller
trio. We love to plan instantly and just venture out on a trip. It could be
inside the city or someplace far away. And some of our most memorable trips
happened just at the snap of a finger. Sharing one such instance.
Once, on a Tuesday night, our son announced that
Thursday and Friday were holidays that week and Saturday and Sunday he had no
school, which meant four days of holidays at a stretch. He
rued he would be
bored at home without his school friends. I and Nil (my husband) looked at each
other and we all went to sleep. Next morning I drove my son to school as usual.
When I returned after dropping him, we were casually
discussing that we could have planned a short trip as there was a long weekend
ahead. And Nil immediately exclaimed, “Let’s go to Manali”! Without wasting any
time, he checked availability of AC deluxe buses but everything was booked. We
didn’t want to drive down as it was a 14-hour journey and the roads were bad. Some
seats were, however, left on ordinary, non-AC state roadways buses. He asked me
if I was ready to take the risk on an ordinary bus but cautioned that the
journey won’t be comfortable at all. I don’t remember the last time I had travelled
on one such bus. Summer was blazing at 45-46 degrees Celsius but the crazy
traveller inside me said ‘yes’.
We booked a hotel as looking for one after reaching
the spot would have been a hassle in a peak tourist week. We just had two hours
in hand before picking up our son from school. We stashed three backpacks with
minimum clothes and essentials. We ordered lunch and also packed dinner as we
were not sure where the bus would stop at night. Our son was surprisingly shocked
to hear our plan when we picked him up but was all game for it as he had
inherited our craziness. He switched to travel gear and had
lunch inside the car
as there was hardly any time left to go to our apartment. We parked the car in
the campus and boarded the cab that was waiting for us. It took an hour to
reach the ISBT, just in time to board the bus — which was not exactly the kind
one would want for a 14-hour journey during a scorching summer.
Finally, we were seated in the non-AC bus, which was almost
like an oven. For our son, it
was his first such experience as we always drove, booked a cab or took a plane
or train. Needlessly to say, the journey was not so comfortable but we killed our
time by observing all sorts of people and how they behave differently in a
journey— and gulping down gallons of water.
After half-a-dozen traffic jams that delayed our
journey by a couple of hours, we reached Manali on a chilly morning. We were
shivering as we just had thin shawls to cover ourselves. The live day
temperature was 16 degrees a day earlier and so we didn’t take any heavy woollens.
But we forgot that weather changes very frequently on hills. We walked briskly to
the hotel to warm up. On reaching our room, the view of the mountains from our
window made us forget all our tiredness of the previous night’s journey and
rejuvenated us.
We freshened up, had breakfast and quickly walked to
the famous Mall Road, which was at a walking distance. The first thing to do
was buy woollen jackets as we didn’t want to fall ill because of the icy chill.
The sharp contrast from Delhi’s heat wave made us feel the cold even more. We walked
to the Beas river side and spent some time there for the customary travel photo
shoot. We, however, could not touch the waters as restrictions were in place in
Manali to avoid accidents. This was unlike years before when we visited the
hill station for our honeymoon. When we could feel the cool waters and sit on
the rocks. A lot of constructions have taken place. Manali has grown but also lost
a lot of green cover in the process.
As it was a holiday week, there was a mad rush of tourists
who were seen busy booking taxis for other locales at a distance from Manali.
But we had gone to relax there for two days. Our routine was loitering around
the river side, eco-park, Mall Road and back to the hotel. Enjoying ice-cream,
golgappas, rolls, pakoras and whatever lip-smacking gastronomous delicacies tempted
our eyes. We thought we could indulge now and detox after returning home. And
finally it was Saturday evening and we were again in another non-AC bus,
heading back to the heat of Delhi. But this time it was better because the
weather was quite cool till Punjab. We reached Delhi early Sunday morning and
on Monday, we were back to our daily grind — all charged up after the short
trip.
We stayed put at Manali but if you love to explore
every corner of the exotic hill station, you can visit these places — Hadimba
Temple, Solang Valley, Old Manali, Manali Gompa, Hampta Pass, Manikaran, Jogini
Waterfalls, Great Himalayan National Park, Rohtang Pass, Bhrigu Lake, Manu
Temple, etc.
Solang Valley is a side valley, at the top of the Kullu Valley, 14
km northwest of Manali, on the way to Rohtang Pass, which is on the way to Leh.
One can enjoy open valleys of meadows, cobalt blue
skies and spectacular vistas. It is a great melange of nature surrounded by the
heavenly ranges of Himalayas.
During summers, tourists enjoy adventure activities
such as paragliding, zorbing, camping, rock climbing and gondola ride among
others while in winters, the valley turns into a snow territory with exciting
snow sports such as skiing and snowboarding.
Hamta Pass is a corridor in the Himalayas, between Chandra
Valley in Lahaul and Kullu valley. The pass is named after Hamta Village, below
Sethan village.
Hampta Pass is located on the Pir Panjal Range and a
trekker scales the maximum altitude of about 14,000 feet on their way to the
pass. The pass has a journey of river crossings and lush-green meadows with
pine and deodar forests.
Manikaran is located in the Parvati Valley on river Parvati, northeast of Bhuntar
in Kullu District. A pilgrimage centre for both Hindus and Sikhs, it is known
as a land where two different Gods live together. Located just 79.3 km from
Manali, the town houses the pious shrine of Sri Gurunanak Dev called Gurudwara
Manikaran Sahib. According to legend, while traveling amid the Himalayas, Guru
Nanak Dev’s disciples were hungry and there was no food. Guru Ji sent his
friend, Bhai Mardana, to collect food for the langar.
Many people donated food but the only problem was that
there was no fire to cook. Then Guru Nanak Dev lifted a rock and a hot spring
appeared from the place on which the food was cooked later. The hot spring still
exists and the Sikhs cook food using the holy water.
If you are looking for a serene spot, Jogini Falls
is a must visit. Just 3 km from Manali city centre, the falls offer a short
trek through wild orchards, small creeks and pine woods. With many small
shrines at the base of this waterfall, Jogini is considered sacred by the
locals. The white cascading beauty on the rocks is just amazing.
The Great Himalayan National Park is located in Kullu region and is spread over 1,171
km. Altitudes range between 1500 and 6000 m. The great alpine grasslands with
dense pine and deodar forests hide wild creatures of the Himalayas.
The park houses some endangered species — 1,000
plants, 209 species of birds and 31 species of mammals. The snow leopard is the
apex predator of the park. Tourists can indulge in hiking and camping in the
allowed zones of the park.
Rohtang Pass is a high mountain pass on the eastern end of the Pir
Panjal Range of the Himalayas, around 51 km from Manali. It connects Kullu
Valley with Lahaul and Spiti. The pass offers access to Lahaul and Spiti in
summers.
Due to immense snowfall, the pass remains closed
during winters from November-end. Tourists can also enjoy thrilling adventures such
as skiing, paragliding and trekking.
To protect the delicate beauty of the pass, alpine
ecosystem and small creeks, the Government has restricted overcrowding by o
tourists.
Bhrigu Lake is located in Kullu district at an elevation of
around 4,300 metres. It is located to the east of Rohtang Pass and at the base
of Bhrigu peak. Known for trekking trails, the lake is surrounded by snow-clad
peaks on all sides.
According to folklore, Maharishi Bhrigu used to
meditate here. This is why the lake is rendered sacred. Even when the
temperature goes down to sub-zero, the lake never freezes completely.
The locals also believe that all Gods and Goddesses
come down from heaven to take a dip in this holy lake.
While returning, we spotted a lot of brisk construction
of some mega projects along the highway, which is like a double-edged sword. While
development is necessary, it has its flip side too, which we can see in the
form of flash floods and landslides. I just hope God saves the region from
nature’s fury. Places such as Manali are losing its charm because of
overcrowding and over tourism. Personally, I feel there should be a cap on the
number of tourists during peak season to save the place and to restore its
charm and beauty.
Crazy Trio: Our sudden trip to Manali
Friday 22 July 2022
Top tourist destinations to explore in Assam: published in momspresso
What to explore in Assam
My friends in Delhi
often ask me which places in Assam they should visit to have a best feel of the
state and its culture. To cater to their wishes, and many such other people who
would want to visit the Northeast but stop short because of lack of information,
I thought of writing on the major attractions of Assam.
Guwahati, the capital
city of Assam, is the gateway to the north-east. In Guwahati itself—which is
surrounded by hills on three sides and the might Brahmaputra river flowing by—you
have lots to see. Even if you are on an official tour to the city, you can find
some time and do a quick explore.
First let’s talk
about the capital city. You can reach Guwahati by train from any state capital
and other major cities, or you can take a flight.
*The famous Kamakhya
temple, a Shaktipeeth dedicated to the mother goddess Kamakhya, is located
on the Nilachal hills, which overlook Guwahati and the river Brahmaputra. It’s
a breath-taking sight which you will remember for your life.
*Umananda, the smallest
inhabited river islet in the middle of Brahmaputra, is a must visit. You can
reach there by boat or a state-run ferry. The 15-minute ride through the
rocking waters of the mighty Brahmaputra is just incredible. The green and
quiet surroundings of the temple are a haven for nature lovers and music to the
ears.
*If you are a water lover, then you should visit Deepor Beel, a Ramsar site located to the south-west of Guwahati. It is a permanent freshwater lake, in a former channel of the Brahmaputra, to the south of the main river, a fresh water wetland and home to migratory birds. The state government has plans to develop boat houses to attract more tourists.
*The next spot is
India’s longest ropeway built over the Brahmaputra. It provides a
spectacular view of the river. From Kachari Ghat on the south banks, you can
take the ropeway to North Guwahati and spend quality time on the other side of
the river. You can visit the Doul Govinda Temple, dedicated to Lord Krishna on
the northern banks, on the foothills of Chandra Bharati hill at Rajaduar.
*There are a few river
cruises on the river from where you can enjoy the sunset or have dinner,
enjoying the ride that will make you forget all your stress and worries.
If you have more time,
you can visit the Assam State Museum, Guwahati Zoo, Guwahati Planetarium,
ISKCON temple, Nabagraha temple, Srimanta Shankardeva Kalashetra, Guwahati War
Memorial, Sukreshwar temple, again on the banks of the Brahmaputra, and the Basistha
Ashram on the city outskirts, bordering Meghalaya, where there is a beautiful
waterfall and a stream.
*You can visit the Chandubi
Lake, a sprawling natural lake located in the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council,
Kamrup district, at a distance of 64 kilometres from Guwahati. Cabs are
available from Guwahati to the lake that was formed after an earthquake.
You can enjoy the
beautiful tea gardens and the raw jungles on the way and the culture and life of
the villagers. There are resorts on the other side of the lake. Visitors can
opt for fishing in the lake. The lake administrators also offer provisions to
go rowing in the calm waters.
*Haflong: To
explore Haflong, you can take Vistadome train from Guwahati to Haflong. You can
stay for a few hours and return on the same evening by the same train. If you
stay there, you can visit the Haflong Lake, where you can enjoy boating and the
picturesque surroundings. You can also visit Maibang and Jatinga, the valley of
birds.
*Kaziranga: You can take a bus
or book a cab from Guwahati to reach the Kaziranga National Park. Spread across
the floodplains of the Brahmaputra, its forests, wetlands and grasslands are
home to one-horned rhinoceroses, elephants and tigers. Ganges river dolphins
are also found in the park’s waters. It is visited by many rare migratory birds
and gray pelicans roost. You can try elephant safari or jeep safari. One night
is enough to explore the national park if you are short on time. You can also
try the Brahmaputra cruise for a different perspective of the Kaziranga.
*Manas National Park:
This UNESCO heritage site is a tiger and elephant reserve, where you can go for
a safari and enjoy on the banks of the Manas River. You can also visit Bogamati
near the river Barnadi.
*Sualkuchi: Also called
'Manchester of East' it is a small village that displays the culture and
traditions of Assam. The weaving village is known for its skills and
craftsmanship for producing one of the best kinds of silk, and you can buy the
fabric at a much lesser price than cities. Don’t forget to visit the nearby banks
of Brahmaputra in the evening to calm your mind. If you love spiritual places,
you can visit Hatisatra, a monastery dedicated to Lord Krishna, Sidheswar
Devalaya, Ganesh Bigrah temple, Hayagriva Madhava Temple at Hajo.
*Majuli: It is the largest
riverine island in the world. Enjoy the unspoilt water bodies and village life
in Majuli, visit different satras (monasteries). Do visit Tengapania, located
on the banks of the Brahmaputra, a popular picnic spot of the region and a
major attraction for tourists. Do visit the Thengal manor—a lovely Assamese
bungalow with a vintage charm— in nearby Jorhat. And the tea belt in upper
Assam, which offers a lush green landscape.
*Dhola Sadiya bridge: Have a spectacular
view of the Brahmaputra river from the Dhola Sadiya Bridge or the Bhupen
Hazarika Setu, the longest river bridge in India that serves as a major link
between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. The Dibru Saikhowa national park,
home to wild horses, is not far off.
All the places have
connectivity from Guwahati through buses and cabs. It’s better to visit the
state from September to March. You can also visit other state capitals of
the north-east from Guwahati and enjoy the hospitality and warmth of
the people.
Top tourist destinations to explore in Assam
Tuesday 12 April 2022
Want to improve your English? Don’t depend too much on writing apps --East Mojo
Published on East Mojo in April 12, 2022
Want to improve your English? Don’t be over-dependent on writing apps
The jury is still out on
the efficacy of
grammar-checkers. While some feel there’s no harm in using them, there is
unanimity in one fact — if you want to improve your English, you have to get
your basics right
Most of you must have noticed the writing and grammar suggestions your
email composer or word processor offers when you start typing a mail. These are
just two examples of the myriad of English writing apps available out
there—offering services such as grammar-check, spell-check, writing styles, and vocabulary and syntax
suggestions.
Some may find them irritating but there are many who firmly believe or
are even confident that these apps would help them improve their English
language skills and grammar.
So the million-dollar question is — do these apps really help and if so,
to what extent? Experts say while they may help you detect typos and errors, or
even offer alternatives and suggestions, you won’t really get your English
grammar and language right unless you are thorough with your Wren and Martin
and well-read at the same time.
Learning a language doesn’t happen in one day; it’s a process. The more
you read and write, the more refined will be your language skills, the experts
say.
Then there are others who feel there are people who may not be strong in
the English language and so there is nothing wrong if they use such a facility
to correct their mails and communication.
All experts are, however, unanimous in stating that over-dependence on
these apps won’t do any good.
Sajni Mukherji, a former Professor of English at Jadavpur University, finds such apps irritating and prefers to stay away from them.
“I am conservative and don’t believe in the efficacy of these apps,
which automatically without my asking correct my spellings as I send messages
or write letters on the phone. And it is usually wrong
because they are assuming something and I want to say something completely
different,” Mukherji says.
“I would rather do it
myself because I think my English is good
enough for grammar or spelling or for rearrangement of a sentence. I think I
can do it much quicker and better myself.”
Mukherji says such suggestions obstruct the flow of writing when
you want to write a creative piece. “I think ‘O good Lord’, I didn’t say that,
so why is it saying that? I get very angry and so frankly I don’t like spell or
grammar check by apps on phone or computer. I prefer to do it myself.”
Some well-known apps are Gammarly, ProWritingAid, Linguix, Writer.com,
Beewriter, Scribendi, WhiteSmoke, Sapling, Slick Write, After The Deadline,
Hemmingway, etc.
Grammarly is used for checking
grammar and plagiarism. It offers numerous writing styles, suggestions for
grammar, vocabulary and syntax.
At the same time, Mukherji feels such apps could be useful for people
who have a problem with writing in English or with spellings and so on.
Mukherji thinks these apps are too mechanical and the best way to make
sure that one doesn’t make mistakes in grammar or spelling is to read a lot of
good books so that there is much less likelihood of making any mistakes.
“I have taught for so many years. When I found somebody making too many
spelling mistakes, I would say to him/her ‘I want you to read one chapter of
something very carefully and I will ask you the spellings afterwards.’ I pressed upon them that they have
to read carefully and keep their eyes wide open so that they don't make
spelling mistakes.”
Mukherji says if somebody corrects her grammar, then she would want to
know the reason why he or she corrected it. “And usually it’s not the reason
that convinces me. But I guess
if people need it, they need it, that’s their requirement. I don’t want to say
don’t use them at all. But I wouldn’t and I won’t recommend them to
people either,” Mukherji said.
How reliable are such apps?
ProWritingAid says it
checks grammar, readability and plagiarism-related issues. It offers a detailed
report on all grammar errors, runs a readability analysis, allows you to test
how easy it is to read and understand your draft and provides a thesaurus for
word suggestions.
KV Sridhar (Pops), Global Chief Creative Officer, Nihilent
Hypercollective at Nihilent Limited, feels it is okay to use them if they make your work faster. But when it
comes to professional writing, one has to learn the language from the beginning.
“Technology provides you with
clues to check grammar, spelling, etc. It is far more accepted today in any
word document. We have been using it for a very long time. The predictive
nature of computer intelligence allows you to type even WhatsApp messages with
a bit of prediction. Today 90% of Wikipedia is not done by human beings but by
bots. So technology is helping people. But I am not talking about professional
writers,” said Sridhar.
A lot of content today is written by machine and not by human beings and
so taking the help of technology is accepted now. “Earlier, if you didn’t know
how to form a sentence, or a sentence was grammatically wrong, people used to
curse you and correct it. Today, even in newspapers or spoken English if the
grammar is wrong, people forgive them,” Sridhar says.
Today, even if something is not written in proper English, it is
accepted but earlier it was not the same.
“On Twitter, famous people or celebrities write using auto correct.
Earlier, grammar Nazis used to spot mistakes. It was quite a rage. The old
school people from, say, Hindu and Statesman, who subscribe to the right
language, used to get annoyed by celebrities not writing in the proper
language. It was quite a phenomenon then but later they gave up because in the
ocean of words, which is moving so quickly, nobody can hold anything.”
All these apps, including Microsoft Word, give spell check, grammar, and
predictive writing indication, which help you do your job a little better and
quicker, Sridhar explained. He thinks it’s far more advisable to run a grammar
and spell check in a piece of content or article than going through it alphabet
by alphabet, word by word or sentence by sentence as we are living in a LIVE
world.
“In a way you can call it
laziness or incompetence. But on
the other side it is agility, convenience and precision. You may make mistakes
but computers don’t. Often if you don’t set the language, whether it is British
English or American English you may face inconsistency in the way you spell or
frame sentences or use certain words. But if you set all your parameters right
and take the help of any of these tools, its fine for me. It is okay to take
the help of technology to do anything better. It is always a good thing,” said
Sridhar.
But to learn the language and to frame sentences to express your ideas
better; you have to learn it from the beginning, from school.
“If you are a professional writer, you have to be extra cautious and
should know the language well. Learn
it properly, and then take the help of technology because the pace at
which you are working today is much faster then what it used to be 20 or 30
years ago,” added Sridhar.
Elaborating on his argument, Sridhar said that today if a person doesn’t
respond on WhatsApp, you wonder what happened and within two seconds you move
on. It is the same with Twitter, where three minutes is the time to respond. If
a company or brand doesn’t respond within three minutes, a brand or company is
not excused.
Choice of words on the computer will be a little advanced and
appropriate words help you to express your thoughts better or the personality
of your writing style. And this is where technology helps. “You just need to
use it wisely and judiciously,” Sridhar says.
Sridhar says human voice is coming in a big way and who knows tomorrow
spoken English would be converted into proper English by the computer and sent
across, which is fine because you need to express your thoughts.
Thoughts and ideas are far more important than the play of words, he
says. “Responding quicker is far more important than writing proper English. If
auto correct can correct two or three things, it is fine. Running a grammar
check before sending a mail to someone in a split second is far more
appreciative than not sending or sending it the next day,” Sridhar said.
Linguix is said to be an AI-based
writing assistant and a grammar checker tool that helps you to check real-time
errors. It provides alerts and recommendations for grammar and punctuation. It
allows you to copy-paste your existing text and provides alternative words and
phrases and spelling corrections. It eliminates poor phrase and sentence
structures and typos.
Benita Sen, a
journalist, editor, children's author and creative writing teacher, feels
such apps are shortcuts. “If you want to learn the grammar, is there any
shortcut to learning the rules and then using them? I doubt that. Unless you
learn correct usage, you will be app-dependent for far longer than you need to
be. I advise my students to read books on grammar. My favourite is, Eats Shoots
and Leaves.”
But don’t these suggestions hamper the spontaneity of a writer? “It would
not hamper the flow of thoughts if you decide to write come what may, and then
put the completed piece through the checker,” added Sen.
If you are bound to use some app, do some research about its veracity.
“I would do some background research if I have to fall back on an app. I have
been teaching creative writing to students in India and abroad. I would not
suggest that my students trust any app blindly. If the app makes a suggestion,
look up the context of the suggestion before incorporating it. Nuances may be
lost if we leave all our writing to AI,” added Sen.
The Writer.com grammar
corrector tool claims it helps keep content quality consistent by providing
brand-specific feedback. It enables you to build a custom style guide. You can
check the content according to your company’s style guide and enable you to
turn on/off different types of writing suggestions.
These artificial intelligence-based grammar-checking apps come in handy
in finding missing articles or punctuations or errors but one should never be
over-dependent on them — definitely not to learn and improve
English or grammar, feels Nilutpal Thakur, a senior
journalist.
Many such apps make unnecessary suggestions, and so it’s not good to
follow them blindly, he says.
“These are not learning tools, they are reviewers. Anyway, a review
suggested may or may not be always correct because they are based on algorithms
and artificial intelligence. They do not recognise complex sentences and those
with multiple clauses. They may suggest alternative sentences and words that
may have different, nuanced meanings,” Thakur added.
Many experts
explained that people who use these apps do not actually get to the bottom of
why artificial intelligence may have suggested a change. So they tend to
blindly correct a sentence without understanding their mistake and forget about
it the next moment. And this is not helpful because they are not learning from
their mistakes.
So if you want to be a better writer in English, learn the language from
the beginning and read more because no app can help you much, besides finding
errors here or a typo there.
The writer is an independent journalist and video content creator based
in Delhi-NCR. Runs a YouTube channel Think Positive: Live Healthy.