A labyrinthine affair

Behind The Scenes Of The Most Awaited Elections

Rajit Ranjan Pandey
AIS Gurugram 43, XI D

Who is the most powerful person on earth? Is it the President of the US? Perhaps! For years, this position has consistently ranked among Forbes magazine’s Top 3 in ‘The most powerful people’ list. The US president’s signature can save a life - or end one. But what happens when the candidates for this mighty position get entangled in bitter feuds and ugly spats? After all, they say, “All is fair in love and war.”

The power behind the throne
The President of the United States (POTUS) wields immense political, economic, and military power. As head of state, commander-in-chief, and chief diplomat, the president holds unparalleled authority, including the power to launch nuclear strikes and shape government policy with remarkable freedom. However, the office comes with limitations: a president can serve only two four-year terms. After understanding all this, I almost feel inspired to run - what about you?

Mammoth election process
The US presidential election is an elaborate process, with only two positions up for grabs: president and vice president. The election unfolds in five key stages: Primaries and caucuses, national conventions, campaigning, the general election, and finally, the electoral college. Each state offers a certain number of ‘electoral votes’, and these votes are awarded to the candidate who secures the majority in that state. Winner-takes-all rules apply, except in Nebraska and Maine. For instance, California, the largest state, offers 54 seats, while smaller states like Wyoming offer just three. Out of a total of 538 electoral votes, a candidate must secure at least 270 to win.

Fascinating election facts
Here’s something intriguing: the candidate who wins the presidency doesn’t always win the most votes. Surprising, isn’t it? In the 2016 election, Donald Trump secured the presidency through the electoral college, even though he lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by over 3 million votes. And if the election ends in a 269-269 tie? The House of Representatives steps in to cast votes and decide the winner. If there’s still a deadlock, the Senate steps in. Until the deadlock is broken, the Speaker of the House of representatives temporarily assumes presidential duties.

Sizzling presidential debates
Amidst the campaigns, fundraisers, etc, the most pivotal moment in the election is, arguably, the presidential debates. Typically, two debates are held before election day, in which the democratic and republican candidates present their policies and tear down their opponent’s proposals. Further, a moderator poses questions on critical political and economic issues, and the candidates respond.

The US presidential elections are no short of real-life election soap opera. Every four years, the presidential election make the previous ones appear less quaint. But still, these are the elections that the whole world awaits with bated breath, where the entertainment never stops.

The power of mantras

Amity has always believed in fostering an educational ecosystem where modernity co-exists with traditional values harmoniously. Hence, we emphasise the importance of vedic mantras, which have scientifically proven benefits for the mind, body and soul. To inculcate a deep understanding of these powerful mantras that help in improving cognitive abilities and developing positive thinking, Amity started the Vedic Chanting Club at AIS Vas 6 in 2019 for students of Class IV-XI. Our aim was to nurture love and respect for Sanskrit, one of the world’s oldest languages, and to connect children to their culture and linguistic heritage. Our tiny tots of Nursery class are taught to chant the Bhojan Mantra, which instills values of gratitude and respect for life from a very early stage, and helps the young learners to grow into compassionate, respectful individuals. Vedic Chanting Club students have also exhibited great competitive spirit and many of them have won prizes in various inter-Amity events. Recently, Sanskriti Joshi won the Uttar Pradesh Sanskrit Samman in Lucknow for her evocative chanting. A team of 8 students also won the state round of the group song competition held by Bharat Vikas Parishad. I hope Amitians will continue to stay rooted in tradition as they embrace a future that bridges global understanding with cultural pride.
It’s time to Say! Hip, Hip, Hurray!
Three young artists of AIS Vas 6 won accolades at the 10th ‘Japan on Canvas’ National Painting Competition. Vikhyat Aggarwal, of Class VI, was the National Winner in Category I, Medha Jain, of Class IX, won the National Mega Prize in Category II while Yashwini Jain, of Class XI, was the National Outstanding Performance Award winner in Category III.

Echoes of Chatth

For everyone who celebrates the Chatth festival, the four day-festivities honouring the Sun God are synonymous with heartfelt songs like ‘Kelwa ke pat par’ and ‘Hey Chatthi Maiyya’. Sadly, the lilting voice that crooned these evergreen melodies has now fallen silent. For those like me who belong to Bihar, the demise of Sharda Sinha, also known as ‘Kokila of Bihar’, will be a deep, personal loss as we have grown up singing her bhajans and folk songs not only during Chatth, but at every auspicious occasion in our homes and temples. I feel as if the ‘sun’ of Bihar’s folk music has set, as Sharda Sinha was not just a singer, but a living legend. She was a cultural icon whose music helped showcase the linguistic diversity of Bihar, as she sang in Maghi, Maithili, Bhojpuri and Hindi. Hailing from a small district and a conservative background, she defied all social stereotypes to pave the path for more women to find their own voice, and went on to become a shining star in the world of the music. In fact, her 2016 song, ‘Pahile Pahil Chatti Maiyya’, was so stirring, that many people who had moved away from Bihar returned to their native state.
Perhaps, Sharda Sinha’s inspiring story can encourage us to seek out, and listen to, other women folk singers who are still in the shadows but deserve more recognition. Perhaps, somewhere, in a quiet village, another gifted singer is waiting to be applauded. While no one can ever replace Sharda Sinha, we might just be able to discover another bright voice destined to uplift and unite us through music.

GT M@il

Dear Editor,
With immense pride and gratitude, we finally presented our Contest Edition - a reflection of our journey, our growth, and the countless lessons learned along the way. The experience of crafting this edition has been nothing short of transformative, pushing us to “reshape the box” and explore the boundaries of creativity. 
We thank our respected Chairperson, Dr (Mrs) Amita Chauhan Ma’am, for offering us this incredible platform to showcase our talents. We are deeply grateful to our principal, Renu Singh, our mentor Priti Khullar, and the entire Global Times team for their invaluable feedback and guidance. This colourful journey - from our first editorial meetings to seeing our edition in print has been a labour of love, enriched by the unwavering dedication of our amazing editors, skillful designers, illustrators, and photographers. Together, we’ve built memories and developed skills that will certainly remain with us for  the rest of our lives.
We eagerly anticipate a fierce yet friendly competition with all the upcoming Contest Editions from all other branches of Amity Group of Schools, each one a testament to hard work and creativity.
Kashvi Bajpai, XII B &
Madhav Ahuja, XII I, AIS Noida
Editors-in-chief