A letter to the 1980s

The Trend Of Turning Back Time

Grisha Gautam, AIS Noida, XII C

Dear 80s,

First, we stole your hair. And then your outfits, shades, colours, vehicles, and, apparently, even your photos. Forty years later, here’s a generation who did not experience your decade, but has decided to recreate by using generative AI. The Instagram is filled with nothing but bouncy hairdos, warm lighting reminiscent of old pictures, and the graininess of those family albums. Even celebrities, politicians, and normal people have caught onto this trend. The juxtaposition is remarkable: we are using the latest in digital technologies not to create the future, but the past.
You gifted us pictures that showed us the fleeting, unique passage of time. You had only 24 or 36 frames in a standard roll of film, and the anticipation of your arrival for the local studio was deeper than seeing what was captured. Today, we take a hundred shots, delete or forget most of them, and instead ask AI to generate for us candids that we didn’t actually take.
No doubt you are curious about how the reality has changed. We’ve built a highly interconnected world where everything can be captured and recorded. In 1981, India had only 0.31 landline connections per 100 individuals. Now, we have more than 1.06 billion mobile connections, 1.03 billion internet users, and over 500 million social media handles. Families once sat at home, waiting for the landline to ring, now we skip around with mini super-computers in our pockets. In fact, today, India’s phone connectivity stands over 94%, with our internet subscription crossing one billion and 94 million. What cost us 308 INR per gigabyte mobile data in 2014 is available for just 7.51 INR, with billions of instant transactions processed on UPI platforms each month. However, in an era where speed and accuracy come absolutely free, the true luxury is grain, blur, and imperfection.
This change says much about our attitude towards history. An AI-generated image is vintage in style, but it captures an event which did not even occur. When used to a greater extent by mainstream culture and politics, this development alters people’s engagement with media. And in this case, the photograph ceases to be a representation of the event - rather it becomes a reply to the prompt.
But there’s a huge technical engine under the hood of that creative spirit. Each time we generate an image using our AI portrait model, we use massive computing power to solve highly complicated equations. The generation of one highly detailed image can require more power than the total charge of a smartphone. We’re not only making history searchable - we’re also fueling technology through nostalgia prompts.
So, dear 1980s, perhaps we don’t really wish to exist in your era after all. It’s simply that we love the thought of summoning you to ours. We long for photographs that took time to take, fashion that did not require an algorithm to make it viral, and experiences that belonged to one particular place and nowhere else.
You became history, but we metamorphosed you into a prompt.
Yours sincerely,
2026

A right to dream

Some dreams begin in the heart, but their true power lies in touching many lives, sometimes even transforming them.  Watching the people of AIS Naya Raipur come together for Amity BHAAG India 4.0, an initiative for students of Amitasha, a school for less priviledged girl children,  filled my heart with immense pride.  Amitasha, run under the Amitasha Foundation, strongly believes that education is one of the most powerful means of empowering lives, hence when I founded Amitasha, my goal was simple: to ensure that every girl has an equal opportunity to learn, grow, and fulfill her potential. Today, with over 1,000 girls at Amitasha, that dream has found new horizons. Rooted in the visionary success formula of our Founder President, the mission of educating every girl has transformed into a far-reaching movement, through initiatives such as the Amity BHAAG India Marathon.
What began as a marathon has become a celebration of fitness, and empowerment. I see senior citizens, homemakers, army personnel, social activists, and people from all walks of life participating with enthusiasm. For some, it is a chance to rediscover themselves; for others, it brings a renewed sense of purpose. But most importantly, it brings people together around a shared belief: when you educate a girl, you educate two families, transform an entire society, and build a happier and stronger nation. As the country prepares to celebrate Navratri, a festival dedicated to the divine feminine, let us also make a pledge to empower our young girls with quality education. Let us give them the freedom to dream big and the opportunity to soar. 

The festive joy

It’s only the beginning of October, yet there is already a nip in the air. The change in weather is most certainly a welcome escape from the heat of the last few months, but then, there is also the fear of rising pollution and deteriorating air quality. Even though measures are being taken to mitigate pollution, my heart goes out to those whose health and daily lives are affected every winter.
The arrival of winter, however, also signals something joyous - a full calendar of festivals and celebrations. Navratri will soon lead to Dussehra, followed by Diwali and Chhath, with Halloween, Christmas and New Year waiting round the corner. It is that wonderful time of the year when homes and markets come alive, shops and malls put out festive displays, and offers and discounts tempt us to shop. We also receive messages about handicrafts and home décor products made by NGOs, women’s self-help groups, orphanages, and visually impaired artisans. And I really believe that these small initiatives deserve our attention. For many of those who make these products, our purchase can mean income, dignity, and an opportunity to support their families. In fact, for some artisans like earthen diya makers, the festive season is the only time to earn and sustain their livelihoods. A few candles, a handmade decoration or a festive hamper may seem like a small purchase to us, but could make a meaningful difference to someone else. As we worry about the air we breathe, let us also find small ways to share our festive joy with others. 

GT M@il

Dear editor,
This is in reference to the article ‘A Showdown of Vibes’ published on page 3 of the September 28, 2026, edition. The article effortlessly yet strongly presents an amusing trend yet it also raised a surprisingly serious question. I liked that the article showed both sides of the argument instead of simply calling the trend good or bad. ‘Aura battles’ can encourage creativity, confidence and interaction away from screens. However, constantly trying to appear ‘cool’ can turn this into a competition for attention. This article made me think about how easily entertainment can become social pressure. As an individual, I strongly believe that trends are enjoyable  only when people are willing to participate and when they genuinely do it because they want to, but  the situation changes completely and the urge to follow the trend becomes unhealthy, when people want to follow it largely because for them popularity and fitting in becomes the main objective.

Hridaan V Jain, AIS Vas 1, XI B