Hi! I am your favourite and most popular pachyderm. I have been a part of Young World from the beginning. I love jokes and enjoy making you laugh. In the past few years, you would have learnt a lot about me and my kind. My African counterparts and other friends have often graced these pages and love the fact that we get to visit schools and homes. Just got to know that three decades have whizzed past! I love reading all the jokes, riddles, trivia and to sniff out the DIY section in the pages. What else do you think I do when I’m free?
“Don’t go by looks”, I guess, holds good for me, as my inquisitiveness makes me want to take you places. Each week, I try to give you a peek into space, travel the globe, and soak in history. Have you not enjoyed all the food that I serve to you on a platter, or the trivia I share about the traditions and culture of a country? Do you know that I’m equally passionate about everything GREEN? It was only on my insistence that the columns called Wildride, Ecosphere and Do Your Bit were added. Although I have been around for many years, thanks to YW’s 25th birthday, I was finally named, along with Ira and Flappy. And guess what made me happiest? It was one of you who named me!
Hello! I am Ira, the future Sahitya Akademi and Booker Prize winner, the supercalifragilisticexpialidocious writer and reader of stories. If it isn’t obvious by now, I LOVE stories! Talepsin, Spooky Tales, Train of Tales ... I make sure you have as much to read in each issue as I would love to! My friends call me ‘Inquisitive Ira’. It’s the happy side-effect of being one of Young World’s mascots. So many topics pique my interest, especially sports and science. And no prizes for guessing who my best friends are! That’s right: Juno and Flappy! And you too, of course, dear reader!
I am the cool geek; you know, the kind that doesn’t get portrayed in books and movies. I love a good documentary as much as a good game of football. I love a good science experiment as much as a fun craft activity. I was born curious. In fact, my parents tell me that my first word as a baby was ‘Why?’ It is no surprise that I love asking questions. I even hope to become a world famous quizzer. My Quiz Whizz column in the Young World is just the beginning!
Let me start with just letting you know that I am not as old as the others. Ok! Now that I have got that out of the way, I can say that YW 25’s best gift to you all was ME! I can say loud and clear that no one else understands the way you feel and think about elders, family, friends, siblings, school, teachers and issues the way I do. So does that not make me the most popular one around? Now, don’t tell the Pesky Brother that I said this!
Ola, mis amigos ! I am a curious bird not limited by the geopolitical boundaries of humans. I don’t need a passport to travel from country to country, exploring the rich diversity of the world. Hakuna-matata! Thus, my fluency in several languages.
If I had an Instagram page, it’d be the envy of any travel blogger. C’est la vie ! But, I get to share all my stories with you here. No social media platform can beat that! Anyway, if you ever see a bird that seems out of place but is enjoying your local festivities, you’ll know it’s me! I am off to my next destination now. Sayōnara !
