Missing since 2020

Saniya Sethi, AIS Saket, XII D

Rohan came rushing into the police station. “Good evening, Sir, I am here to report a missing person,” he said, gasping for air. “Please wait for your turn, sir,” Inspector Kulkarni said, sipping his evening tea. “Is there no one here right now? This is an emergency!” Rohan almost screamed at the police officer.
The Inspector choked on his tea, paused to breathe and then took out the thick dusty file on missing people. Full of yellowing, half-torn pages, the file read: MISSING PERSON REPORT: FILES 2025-2026.
“Okay, name of the missing person,” asked Inspector Kulkarni.
“Rohan Dutta.”
“Date of birth of the missing person?”
“March 30, 1995,” Rohan almost mumbled.
“What’s your name, sir?”
Rohan didn’t listen. He was zoned out.
“What’s your name?” He asked again loudly.
“Oh, um, Rohan Dutta.”
Inspector Kulkarni was perplexed.
“Relation to the missing person?” he said scribbling on the paper.
“We’re not related.”
With that, Inspector Kulkarni began to write the complaint...
STATE OF MAHARASHTRA
DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES
ADULT AND JUVENILE MISSING
PERSON CERTIFICATION
Date report filed: March 26, 2025
Name of missing person: Rohan Dutta
Birth date of missing person: 30.03.1995
Complainant’s name (Last, First, Middle): Dutta Rohan
Complainant’s address: 54, Chand pole, Pune – 364064
Time of last contact: Cannot be recalled
Report type: Voluntary Missing Adult
Sex: Male
Physical description: Rohan Dutta is a muscular, 6 feet tall, 30-year-old man with black curly short hair and brown eyes with an arrow tattoo on his right wrist. Last seen wearing black pants, white tucked shirt with a doctor’s coat.
By now, Kulkarni had seen the same tattoo on Rohan’s hand. He was a little concerned, but didn’t show it. He just pretended to write the report further...
Residence address: 34, Boulevard Street, California, United States of America
Business address/Office address: The California Hospital, California
“He works as a doctor?” Kulkarni asked.
“Yes, I hope he does. He’s a smart and ambitious man,” Rohan anxiously stated.
“What is your profession?”
“I am a student at Pune Medical University. I am going to pursue speciality in psychiatry.”
Inspector Kulkarni felt sure that he was chatting with a mental patient.
“So, he’s married,” the inspector continued.
“I am not sure.”
“You’re not sure?” asked Kulkarni.
“I have never thought about marriage,”
“Not your marriage, Rohan Dutta’s marriage!” Kulkarni laughed.
“Yes, that’s me,” Rohan said, fully disoriented by now.
“Are you here to report about your own disappearance?”
“No, or maybe yes. I am here to report my future self.”
“Your future self? What kind of a joke is this?”
“No, it’s not. This is a serious matter. I want to find him and know what he’s up to. He’s
making me anxious.”
“You need a doctor, sir,” declared Kulkarni picking up the phone and dialling the nearest
mental hospital.
“No, I don’t! Who are you calling?”
“I am calling the doctor. This is 2025 and no one visits police stations anymore. All our work is digitalised now. You need help…”
“Wait, this isn’t 2020?” Rohan interjected.
“What? No! This is 2025,” Kulkarni said rolling his eyes.
“Hello?” a voice answered the phone, similar to the mental patient who was sitting in front of Inspector Kulkarni.
“Hello, this is Doctor Rohan Dutta…”

Designer photo frame

Karthik Kumar
AIS Noida, X

Material required

• Golden paint
  
• Paint brush
  
• Designer dry fruit tray
  
• Old miniature toys
  
• Fevicol/glue gun
  
• A photograph

Method

• Take some old miniature toys and paint them golden or in any other colour of your choice. Keep aside and let them dry for a few hours.
  
• In the meantime, take a photograph (your own preferably) and using fevicol, paste it on the dry fruit tray in a way that some space is left bare on the right side.
  
• Next, with the help of a glue gun, stick the miniature toys on the right side of the tray, covering up the empty spaces left on it. Wait for it to dry completely.
  
• Your designer personalised photo frame is ready to adorn your home!

Encourage

Shreya Choudhary
AIS Gurugram 43, IX B

Ants in anthills made with stilt
Rebuilding when ruined by the wind
Encouraging us to persevere vehemently
And not be someone who’s tardy

Channel the lotus in the mud
Only thing shining in the puddle
Encouraging us to be our best
Avoiding rampant anger and stress

Or be like the distant stars
Shining bright from miles afar
Be like the illusive firefly
Spreading your gentle wisdom light
Be like a thread of silk
Strong as steel but smoother still
Be like a honey bee
Saving its haven till last breath

Nature encourages us to work hard
To try harder when we fall
Little things that we cannot see
Making small little changes rapidly

So can’t we humans of all
Try harder to change
For a much better world
By trying to stop our crave.

A wildflower’s curse

Khushi Bansal, AIS Gur 46, XII

She is a girl
Made of paper and words
Her eyes are the lighthouse
By the frantic yet soothing sea
Her lips are the sugary nectar
Her soul is fiercer than dragon

She is a girl
Made of stardust and glass
Her voice is a siren’s lament
Calling out to a sailor lost at sea
Her fragile form may be weary
But she is head strong

She is a girl
Made of this world, you and I
She is littered with the truth
She is an engaging poetry itself
She is burnt into everything
She has done, will do and be.