Government Guidelines for Child Nutrition

Government Guidelines for Child Nutrition MAGDA ZIMON GOVERNMENT GUIDELINES ON FOOD AND NUTRITION The UK Department of Health guidelines (May 2003) recommend breast feeding exclusively for the first six months, as this should meet all baby’s nutritional needs. Most babies should not need solid food before the age of six months. Milk is still the major food, it is very important to remember, when baby starting solids, that milk is still the best and most natural food for growing babies. In the first few days of breastfeeding is a very important source of antibodies which help to build up a baby’s immune system. It is also medically proven that breastfed babies are less likely to develop certain disease in lester life. Good. Milk should contain all the nutrients our baby needs to grow. There are 65 calories in 120ml/4 fl oz milk, and formula milk is fortified with vitamins and iron. Cow’s milk is not such a good food for human babies so is best not started until baby is one year old. Between four and six months babies should have 600-800 ml/ 21-28 fl oz breast or infant formula each day. 600 ml/ 21fl oz is enough when solid are introduced. For most babies who eat fresh food in sufficient quantities and drink formula milk until the age one year, vitamin supplements are probably unnecessary . However in the UK the Department of Health recommends that if your baby is being breastfed(breast milk does not contain enough Vitamin D) or is drinking less 500 ml /18 fl oz of infant formula a day mother should give baby vitamin supplements. Vitamins are necessary for the correct development of the brain and nervous system. Vitamins are essential for all types of growth and development and they can be found in many forms. A healthy, balanced diet, coupled with daily physical exercise, is crucial to the development of children. It is not simply sufficient to serve healthy meals and snacks; it is vital that children understand the importance of eating a healthy balanced diet so that they themselves are more likely to choose healthy options when given a choice. Diet is all about educating the individual to understand the importance of eating sensibly while understanding that they can enjoy food. Food habits are developed during childhood which will affect us for all our lives and this is way it is important for children to develop healthy eating habits from the outset. Establishing healthy eating habits in the early years will encourage children to eat sensibly throughout their lives, promote normal growth and development and protect against disease in later life. RECOMMENDED FOOD AT AGE OF 6 MONTH TO ONE YEAR BABY’S AGE TYPE OF FOOD STARCHY FOOD VEGETABLES AND FRUIT MEAT AND MEAT ALTERNATIVES 6 monts starts with a fine semi-liquid puree mixed with milk, or cooled boiled water baby rice cereal pureed cooked carrots, parsnip, apple, pear, mashed banana small amount of pureed lean soft-cooked beef, lamb, pork, poultry, pureed lentils 7-9 months mashed or chopped, finger food try white or wholemeal bred, pasta, rice, noodles, couscous porridge cucumber, green beans, leek, peas mushroom, onion, sweetcorn, tomato, mango, melon, strawberries, grapes (seedless) introduce a little boneless white fish(cod or haddock) hard boiled egg yolk(no egg white until nine months) 9-12 months most foods should now be mashed or chopped, and some left whole for baby to chew on home-made pizza, chips, cakes, puddings and biscuits are healthier alternatives to shop-bought encourage baby to eat raw fruit and lightly cooked vegetables as snacks meat and meat alternatives:sliced ham, chicken or turkey, and small chopped sausages make good finger food;introduce boiled eggs or omelette. One year onwards child can now eat most family food;now can safely introduce honey offer one serving of potato, pasta, bread, rice or couscous at every meal;limit very starchy food such as crisps, pastries or other savoury snacks aim to serve four portions a day-offer as snacks or blend into a stew or soup. start to include oily fish such as salmon mackerel and pilchards;carefully remove small bones from fish SPECIAL DIETARY REQUIREMENTS Childminders should always discuss with the parents of the children in their care which meals they will be expected and what food should be given. It is absolutely paramount when preparing meals that childminder take into consideration factors such as culture and religion and ensure that the food they provide is in keeping with the parents wishes. It is important to recognise and cater for differing dietary needs and this should not only be the case if you are caring for a child from different culture from your own. All children should be introduced to variety of different food and you can do this by offering foods which are associated with certain religious festivals. For example, the Christian tradition of serving mice pies at Christmas and pancakes on Shrove Tuesday can be done alongside offering Chinese food to celebrate the start of the Chines New Year, or poori to celebrate Diwali. Diets vary immensely and can differ according to belief or preference. Vegetarianism for example, may be chosen for several reason including religious or cultural beliefs or simply concern for welfare of animals. A food allergy is an abnormal response of immune system to what is otherwise a harmless food. Ninety per cent of all food allergy reactions are caused by just eight foods. These food are: milk peanuts eggs tree nuts, including almonds, pecan and walnuts fish shellfish wheat soya Symptoms of an allergic reaction can be varied but will usually include: vomiting diarrhoea eczema wheezing cramps difficulty in breathing Childminder must always respect a child’s cultural background regardless of whether the culture is their own or not. They should use their knowledge and understanding to encourage children to learn about other cultures ia a positive way. A child’s culture can have a huge impact on their development. It is absolutely paramount that childcare practitioner work in partnership with the parents of the children placed in their care to ensure a good relationship which is beneficial to everyone concerned. Practitioner need to take time to talk to the child’s parents to ascertain a suitable strategy for caring for their child and to ensure continuity of care: dietary requirements food allergies dietary difference necessary medications emergency contact information Childminder and parents need to communicate regularly and effectively in order to establish a good rapport so that the parents can be confident that their chosen childcare practitioner is right for them and, more importantly, for their child. FOOD THAT SHOULD BE AVOIDED BY YOUNG CHILDREN Food is one of life’s greatest pleasures and yet it is also a source of worry for most parents. Although baby is able to eat a lot more kinds of food, there are still some they should not eat: SALT-from seven months to a year old , 1 g of salt a day is the maximum amount for baby should have, which they will get from their breast or formula milk feeds. Do not add any salt to foods for young babies as their kidneys can not cope with it. Baby foods are not allowed to contain salt, but such ingredients as bacon and cheese will contain some. It is best not to encourage a liking for salt at any age. SUGAR-only add sugar to food or drinks you give your baby if it is necessary. Children does not need sugar. Sugar could encourage a sweet tooth and lead to tooth decay when the first teeth start to come through. HONEY-this is a sugar and can cause the same problems as sugar. Do not give honey until your child is one year old, even for easing coughs. Very occasionally it can contain a type of bacteria which can produce toxins in the baby’s intestines and can cause a very serious illness(infant botulism. After the age of one, the baby’s intestine matures and the bacteria are not able to grow. NUTS- these can be a choking hazards, especially whole nuts. Nuts and nut pastes should also be avoided if family has a history of allergies. Nuts products can induce a severe allergic reaction-anaphylactic shock-which can be life threatening, so it is best to be cautious. EGGS-can be given from six months but they must be throughly cooked until both the white and the yolk are solid. Allergic reaction to eggs can be quite common, particularly to the egg whites. Soft boiled eggs can be given after one year. FISH AND SHELLFISH-are highly allergic. The amount of mercury in these foods can affect a baby’s growing nervous system. CHILDHOOD CHRONIC DISEASES The list of health problems that can affect a child’s growth and development is huge and can range from simple colds and ear infections, which are short-lived, to much more serious problems such as cystic fibrosis, which can be life threatening. If you are caring for a child with a particular health problem it is absolutely vital that you work with the parents to provide the best care possible for the child. You will need to glean as much information as you can about the child’s condition in order to plan for their care and well-being. Parents will be very knowledgeable about any condition that affects their child and they are the best people to ask for advice and information. However you may also like to source further information from doctors, health visitors and the internet. ASTHMA- is Britain’s most common long-term childhood illness, according to the National Asthma Campaign. Asthma is a particular kind of chronic allergic reaction affecting the airways, leading to inflammation, narrowed airways and characteristic symptoms which include: wheezing shortness of breath tightness in the chest coughing These symptoms are usually variable, intermittent, often worse at night, and can be provoked by various triggers including cigarette smoke, house-dust mites, contact with animals and exercise. All allergic reactions, including food allergy, eczema, hay-fever and the life-threatening anaphylaxis, are on the increase. Asthma impacts not only on the child, with frequent episodes of wheezy illness which can be frightening, time off school, visit to the GP, but also on the family, leading to constant anxiety and sleepless nights. DIABETES- is a disease affecting the pancreas. This gland produces the substance insulin, which helps the body use up the sugar which comes from the diet. If there is insufficient insulin glucose builds up in the the bloodstream and douses problems for many organs of the body. Most young diabetics will use a blood glucose measuring device at home to check the blood glucose level frequently. A child and their family will need a period of adjustment after diabetes is diagnosed. They must establish a routine for blood glucose monitoring and injecting, learn how to count carbohydrates, see diabetes health professionals regularly and cope with fluctuating blood glucose levels. New challenges may arise as a child moves through different life stages. CYSTIC FIBROSIS-this is an inherited disease in which a number of body tissues an abnormally thick mucus. For example, the lining of the air passages in the lungs normally produces a thin mucus which keeps the lining moist. In cystic fibrosis this is very thick, leading to the air passages becoming blocked and susceptible to infection. The condition also affected the pancreas. This gland produces digestive juices and if it is affected by cystic fibrosis food can not be digestive properly. This mean that the child’s bowel movements may be loose, fatty, and foul-smelling although sometimes constipation will be a problem. Cystic fibrosis affects approximately one child in 3. 000 in UK. A test of the amount of salt in the sweat will confirm the diagnosis. There is no cure. However if it is diagnosed early, damage to the lungs can be prevented. CEREBRAL PALSY-results from damage to the parts of the brain which control the body’s movements and posture. This damage may occur before birth, during birth or during the first two years of life. The developing brain may be damaged by lack of oxygen, infection in the mother during pregnancy or a placenta which is not functioning properly. Children with cerebral palsy may need ongoing treatment throughout their childhood. Parents should always be involved in the treatment programme and in most cases will be able to help with exercises at home. Some sufferers from cerebral palsy may also have a mental handicap as a result of brain damage, but equally there may be no mental handicap whatsoever. These chronic health conditions, in addition to causing issues with child development both physically, emotionally and intellectually, can also cause great distress for those caring for the child. ———————————————————————————————— REFERENCE- Gina Ford-â€Å"The Contented Little Baby Book Of Weaning†- 2012 Gina Ford-â€Å"The Contented Child’s Food Bible†-2012 Jane Rossiter and Rosemary Seddon-â€Å"The Diabetics Kids Cookbook† -1987 Meenu Singh -â€Å"Asthma in Children† 2011 Teresa Kilgour -â€Å"Children’s Illnesses (Understanding)(Family Doctor Books) 2008

AirAsia Customer Relationship Management

AirAsia Customer Relationship Management In todays world economy, information technology (IT) has driven fundamental changes in the nature and also the application of technologies in a business. The use of IT in its value chain provides the company a very strong strategically and tactical tools. If these tool are properly applied and used could bring great advantages in promoting and strengthening the competitive advantages. In order to gain more market share and sustain its competitive advantages to be very low cost carrier in these days high demanding environment, Air Asia tries to develop new ways of make the customers, suppliers loyal. Focus on supplier and alliances and the customer will drive positive values to Air Asia can achieve. Customer relationship management application will be one of the areas of strategic implementation that company can focus to achieve high values to both Shareholders and Customers. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) In order to long term, customer relationship should be fostered for company to maintain competitive advantage and profitability. When planning and implementing CRM application, management is recommended the following approaches: Customer segmentation-mileage- based segmentation is inadequate, rather should focused on value-based and needs-based approaches can be guide investment decision and drive greater insight into needs of high-value customer. CRM initiative development-to different from the other competitors approach e.g. installing kiosks for the fast check in. Air Asia should implement CRM program in favour of investing in initiatives with a high return, which respond to the needs and desires of their own customers. Organizational design and management-Air Asia needs to train the employees empowerment them with a complete view of the customer and clearly fluent the employees role in the CRM strategy. Advanced and classy CRM information system should include the key functions that are; Travelling Planning: Site personalization for on line customer to create travel plan, bundled services information, flights notification systems, and gate information displays etc. Reservation and Ticketing: ITA search engines, roving agent check-in, kiosks, internet check-in, and phone check in systems etc. Frequently Flyer Program: Membership based or point based rewarding scheme offering to the applicable customer. Campaign Management: Email campaigns and promotion system are used for marketing. Customer Care: Web based self services such as e-ticket booking and reservation, online baggage tracing. RFID baggage tags, internet lounge, and in air internet services. Business intelligence: Dynamic update and multidimensional reports that helps management to do analytics in various areas, such as customer profile. To justify the investment and implementation scope of the CRM program, Air Asia is recommended to look into the ROI and financial impact to the shareholder value driven by each of the CRM initiatives. By taking the steps to implement a truly consumer-centric approach to relationship management, Air Asia will be in better position to attain , develop, and hold on to high value of the clients Company wants to be the lowest short-haul airline in every market it goes, that why they are using some strategies such as Lean cost structure, different ways of promotion, keeping safety, satisfying guests and developing human resource very strongly these days. Air Asia always tries to keep their operations as simple as they can. SWOT Analysis: To figure out the internal factors such as Strengths and Weakness, and external Opportunities and Threats to business objective, a SWOT analysis of Air Asia can be conducted; Strengths: Low cost operation Fewer management level, effective, focused and aggressive management Simple proven business model that consistently distribute that the lower fares Penetrate and motivate to the potential markets And multi skilled staff means efficient and incentive workforce Single type of Air buses minimize the maintenance cost and easy for pilot dispatch Streamline Operation: making sure that the processes are as simple as possible, that customer can approach and use it with no difficulty Lean Distribution System: offering a wide and innovative rang of distribution channels to make a booking and take a step toward a travelling easy Point to point network: applying the point to point network keeps operation simple and low cost, that it connect the booking offices with call centres Partnering with the worlds most renowned maintenance provider company and complying with the airline operation in the world. Implementing the regions fastest turnaround at 25 minutes only, assuring lower cost and higher productivity Weaknesses: Due to lower costs the services possessions are limited, so someone can think that Air Asia cannot serve as well as they advertise During irregular situations the company could not handle them well with limited number of personals Government interference and regulation on airport deals and passenger compensation Non central location for secondary airports Its low cost strategy makes the brand critical for market position and development is always a challenge for Air Asias management One of the weak point is that the company trust heavily on outsourcing, it shows the Air Asia depends on other for some of their tasks and seems not good for companys repute in the customers mind New entrance to provide the price sensitive services Providing guests with the choice of modify services without compromising on quality and services. Opportunities: Long haul flights an experiment to get underdeveloped market share, which is better for the companys growth. The Air Asia can differentiate from traditional Low Cost Carrier model by adding customer services or operating as a full services airline with low fare for the haul flights. Ongoing industry consideration has opened up projection for new routes and airports deals, by making such kind of deals the company expand his business High inflation rate and also fuel prices will pinch out unprofitable competitors Threats: Keeping in view the current economic situations the full services airline cut their cost to compete. Other companies like Virgin etc may think towards Low Cost Carriers (LCCs) In the coming time the high rates of fuel decrease the yield of the company is a big threat for them Accident, terrorist attack and disaster affect customer confidence. For example on 28 July 2010 a plane crash in Pakistan and almost one month later on 24 of august 2010 there is a another plane crash in China, these kind of accident creates a doubt in the mind of customers. Due to their (Air Asia) low cost model the people may think about that there is risk involve like services and safe journey. I think this is a major threat in these days that Air Asia can face. Aviation regulation and government policy, Air Asias ongoing business in long haul flights have always threat for the changing policies of the those countries and day to day changes in the regulations of the international airport authorities Increase in operation cost in producing value added services, as Air Asia X using value added services by long haul flights so it results in increase their operation and value added cost. As Air Asia policy from the January 2002, company belief online seat reservation and also online flight schedule but a threat is always there that the system disorder can arise big problem for Air Asias online system Economical factor of Air Asia According to the profit and loss account of company it was good in 2009, weather it receive loss in 2008 due to fuel hedging and the crisis situation in Bangkok. The company bear a heavy loss upon their short and long contracts when fuel price shot through to the roof before collapsing around the end of year. On November 2008 the company abolish fuel surcharges. It is the first air line in the world to abolish fuel surcharge. As other air lines are downsize with decreasing in travel, because of global economic circumstances. In 2009 and in 2010 Air Asia expands its operations. The companies target to get around one Million customers in 2008, adding new plans and also introducing new destinations like India etc. At the end of 2009 and start of 2010 Air Asia targets get 5.1 million in 2009 that is 4.2 million up that was in 2008. The new plans were operate usefully towards new destinations like India, China etc. Current Activities: The Air Asia invited the customer to come and take part in photography competition in a sense of making journey Happy with Them(AIR ASIA), the winner of this competition will be awarded a ticket to Bangkok with accommodation and other offers such like that to get market penetration. From 2009 the company starts scholarship for students related to pilot courses this is another try to get more market penetration in term of Air Asias sales and make the customer interested in their new routes and keep the existing and as well as new customers. These Air Asia using Social security checks for buying ticket on special prices. Red Megastore. They start red megastore for online services for the purpose of make more ease for the new and little educated customers to buy Air Asias offered facilities. As we know the target customer of Air Asia is less educated, Middle class and small business mens, so this plan works very fruitful for the company. Customer Satisfaction of Air Asia: The customer satisfaction on company depends on four variables that are Safety, Service Quality, Price and Promotion; Safety: The safety factor is related to the Engine and other parts operate during flight Take a good care of the hand caries and make sure that there is better place for them without any disturbance The company have much focus on the insurance of passengers while they travel Service Quality: Good manners of attendance during flight The flight attendants are very skilled , knowledgeable and charming The Attendants must offer their services with keeping in mind of serving Price: Equality of ticket price Offer the low comparative price Promotion: Air Asia was very care while lunching promotions they should be Interesting, After a reasonable time and also good frequency of lunching promotions

Censorship in A Day No Pigs Would Die Essay -- essays research papers

Censorship in A Day No Pigs Would Die   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Robert Newton Peck was born in the late 1930’s in Vermont. Haven Peck, his father was a â€Å"quiet and gentle man whose work was killing pigs.† (dedication of novel). Peck grew up on a farm and worked as a lumberjack, in a paper mill, and in a slaughterhouse before he wrote his first book. He was first inspired to write by his first through sixth grade teacher, Miss Kelly, a well-loved lady who filled Peck with dreams about what he could do, if he wanted to. Peck was also inspired by an incident at a cocktail party. â€Å" I watched people ram goose liver into their maws and then announce how opposed they were to violence.† Peck went on to serve in World War II for two years, and afterwards, graduated from Rollins College and went to study at Cornell University.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Furthermore, Peck grew up during the aftermath of the great depression, WWI, and WWII, when times were tough and kids had to grow up quickly. Robert also grew up with a father who slaughtered animals for a living, and at times seemed cold and cruel. The Pecks grew up in a small town where the main industry was butchering animals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The novel, A Day No Pigs Would Die, is mostly about Peck, with a little bit of fiction. The book starts of with Robert Peck being made fun of because of the way that he dresses, and Robert imagined that the bully would â€Å"bleed like a stuck pig.† He then tried to save a fleei...

smithson :: essays research papers fc

Description of Research "Multidisciplinary investigations using state-selected atoms" We are a (largely) experimental atomic physics research group. We apply atomic physics techniques to a wide range of problems, including: * precise tests of physical laws and symmetries; * the development of atomic clocks; * biomedical and materials science investigations using laser-polarized noble gas nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR); * laser spectroscopy of coherently-prepared atomic media, with applications to quantum information; * low-energy atomic collisions; and * theoretical investigations of Bose-Einstein Condensates. Abstracts for recent research results Group bibliography Some ongoing projects are described at the following links: * The 129Xe/3He dual noble gas maser * The 21Ne/3He dual noble gas maser * The cryogenic hydrogen maser * The double-bulb rubidium maser * The coherent population trapping clock * Trapping light in coherently-prepared atomic media * Probing porous media with gas diffusion NMR * Low-field MRI of the lung gas space * Gas exchange in the lung * The dynamics of shaken and flowing granular media * Studies of vortices in Bose Einstein Condensates Some past projects are described here: * Polarized xenon in rat lungs and body tissues * Xenon uptake calculations for humans * Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of laser-polarized liquid xenon and gas-liquid exchange Description of Research "Multidisciplinary investigations using state-selected atoms" We are a (largely) experimental atomic physics research group. We apply atomic physics techniques to a wide range of problems, including: * precise tests of physical laws and symmetries; * the development of atomic clocks; * biomedical and materials science investigations using laser-polarized noble gas nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR); * laser spectroscopy of coherently-prepared atomic media, with applications to quantum information; * low-energy atomic collisions; and * theoretical investigations of Bose-Einstein Condensates. Abstracts for recent research results Group bibliography Some ongoing projects are described at the following links: * The 129Xe/3He dual noble gas maser * The 21Ne/3He dual noble gas maser * The cryogenic hydrogen maser * The double-bulb rubidium maser * The coherent population trapping clock * Trapping light in coherently-prepared atomic media * Probing porous media with gas diffusion NMR * Low-field MRI of the lung gas space * Gas exchange in the lung * The dynamics of shaken and flowing granular media * Studies of vortices in Bose Einstein Condensates Some past projects are described here: * Polarized xenon in rat lungs and body tissues * Xenon uptake calculations for humans * Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of laser-polarized liquid xenon and gas-liquid exchange Description of Research "Multidisciplinary investigations using state-selected atoms" We are a (largely) experimental atomic physics research group. We apply atomic physics techniques to a wide range of problems, including:

Avarice in Ben Jonsons Volpone Essay -- English Literature

What a rare punishment/Is avarice to itself! Volpone, Act 1, sc.iv. Do the events in the play confirm this? Volpone was written at a time when Jacobean London was infected with greed, cunning and credulity. These traits Ben Jonson used to show the folly of avarice and its rewards or punishment to those whose only love is money and appropriating more of it. Volpone is all about morals, greed and the depths people will sink to get what they want, despite its consequences on themselves and others. The Jacobean audiences were familiar with its setting in Venice and they thought Italy 'was the land of sensational evil-doing. Among Italian cities Venice ... stood in the front rank for this sinister repute.' (Barish, 1972: 65) So the choice of setting was deliberate, he wanted t...

Part I Root Attitudes and Beliefs

Global settings create specific requirements for personal, organizational, cultural values. In general, there are no limits to the attitudes people hold.Attitudes are learned throughout life and are embodied within our socialization process. In the global setting, some atti ­tudes may be central to us – a core construct – which may be highly resistant to any change (perhaps a religious belief); whereas other, more peripheral atti ­tudes, may change with new information or personal experiences.A person should be a proactive, which means to be response to change creating new knowledge and finding methods of problem-solving. Reactive person cannot be creative which limits its opportunities and prevents from personal growth (Oden, 1997).In the workplace, there should be full and genuine participation of staff concerned as early as possible, preferably well before the actual introduction of new equipment or systems.A person should concentrate on the roots of the problem in order to remove doubt and indecision. It involves having an objec ­tive to achieve and the tests of whether that objective is being achieved or not form the control criteria. Decisions involve the future and involve choice therefore they can be wrong (Cowen, 2002).2. Achieving personal significance is another factor which ensures personal development and growth. Every person is unique personality (Hill, Levenhagen, 1995).For instance, from early years many entrepreneurs and creative people, artists and musicians reveal creative skills in different aspects of life. On the other hand, researchers underline that these skills can be trained and developed in many people in spite of their sets of genes and nature. If a person understands his uniqueness, it creates new opportunities for companies. In global settings, it is crucial to find the essence and meaning of life.Most people not only believe that worrying about difficulties becomes a way not to worry (or even think about) other pressing issues; people also believe that many common Amer ­ican concerns about stress are misplaced. If a person understands his â€Å"divine role† and accepts his destiny, he becomes patient to other people trying to apply universal wisdom to life (Fitzsimmons, 1997).3. To discard the negatives, every person should develop unique interpretation of â€Å"a self† and â€Å"the essence of life† based universal values and laws. All actions of people are aimed toward the positive, and purpose is in nature. This life philosophy frees people from worries (Gesteland, 1999).The conditions of possibility, in which such a life can be attempted to be lived, take the view that the institutions of the modern state, as these are developing in the advanced societies, do have the potential for accommodating a range of spheres of life such as private morality and economic activity within which individualism could flour ­ish, but which at the same time are held within a set of political institutions capable of securing.

Harp of India

Harp of India Why hang'st thou lonely on yon withered bough? Unstrung for ever, must thou there remain; Thy music once was sweet — who hears it now? Why doth the breeze sigh over thee in vain? Silence hath bound thee with her fatal chain; Neglected, mute, and desolate art thou, Like ruined monument on desert plain: O! many a hand more worthy far than mine Once thy harmonious chords to sweetness gave, And many a wreath for them did Fame entwine Of flowers still blooming on the minstrel's grave: Those hands are cold — but if thy notes divine May be by mortal wakened once again, Harp of my country, let me strike the strain!Critical appreciation The Harp of India Henry Louis Vivian Derozio The Harp of India by H L V Derozio is a patriotic poem that pays a glorious tribute to the rich tradition of the art of Indian poetry which conveys the poet‘s deep anguish at the decline of the age of old art under the slavish shackles of British supremacy. Henry Louis Vivian Derozi o was born in Calcutta [now Kolkata]. His father was Indo-Portuguese and his mother English. Though Derozio had very little of Indian blood in him, his upbringing in India greatly inspired in him Indian themes and sentiments. Derozio is generally regarded as the first Indian to write in English.Derozio’s poetic carrier was very short lasting only for about six years. Derozio, who held great promise as poet, unfortunately had premature death at the age of 23 when he was still at his prime. He is modern India’s first poet to give expression to his patriotism in verse, the first to sing of Freedom, the first to contemplate an intellectual renaissance for an ancient civilization through a new perception. In the poem The Harp of India the poet Derozio- an ardent admirer of India’s rich heritage, culture and tradition- laments the decline of the rich tradition of Indian literature during the period of British domination of India.The British imperialism made the Indian poets listless and they found nothing inspiring to compose literature except the misery of the nation. The poet Derozio pays a rich tribute to the Indian writers of the past who had enriched the Indian literature with their classic and enduring literary works and then expresses his wish to revive and rejuvenate, through his humble poetic efforts, the richness and glory of Indian literature. The poem is in the form of a Sonnet. Sonnet is a lyrical poem of 14 lines with definite rhyme scheme.Usually a Sonnet is divided into Octet [the first eight lines of the poem] and sestet [the remaining six lines of the poem]. In the Octet of the Sonnet the poet presents a problem and then tries to resole the problem in the sestet. Derozio makes a slight deviation in the tradition structure of the Sonnet that the Harp of India is divided into two equal divisions of seven lines each. However, he follows the thematic pattern of the Octet and the sestet with the presentation of the problem [the decl ine of Indian poetic tradition] and its resolution [its revival through his humble poetic efforts].The poet Henry Louis Vivian Derozio refers to the rich art and tradition of Indian poetry as the harp of India. The poet commences the sonnet with a rhetorical question as to why the glorious tradition of Indian poetry lies neglected like a broken harp hung on the leafless and withered branch of a tree. He questions whether the art of India poetry which during the period of British domination of India was almost dead, must remain in this state of coma forever, like an unstrung harp.The poet recollects that the state of Indian poetry was once rich and glorious like the sweet melodies of a harp. Now that melody is heard no more as the present times provide no inspiration to the creative minds and hearts to revive the tradition of soul stirring poetic art. The breeze blows over the broken harp of poetry without drawing any melody from it. The prevailing conditions of the times have compel led the poets and the poetic inspirations to remain mute as if bound by the fetters of silence.The art of poetry thus lies neglected, silent, and abandoned like a ruined monument in the vast wilderness of the deserts. The poet then recollects that the art of poetry, in the hands of poets of greater genius than his own, had produced remarkable achievements, the way a deft musician produces enchanting music with his harp. The remarkable works of poetry brought for their creators accolades and wreaths of appreciation. The poets belonging to the glorious period of Indian poetry continue to survive long after their demise like flowers that continue to bloom on the graves of the poets long dead.The poet laments that the poets of literary genius of the past now lie cold in their graves and the once famous poetic art lies abandoned. However, he expresses his desire to revive the dying art of poetry of his country with his humble poetic abilities and make the skies of Indian literature rever berate with melody of poetic art just as a musician of a new generation revives a tradition of music with a musical instrument that had for a long period dwelt in oblivion and obscurity.