It was December 4, 2014 when the first issue of The New Leam was launched. There was no grand strategy and no big money, all that we had were our minimal savings and an inspiring zeal to create something new and fresh. A magazine has a life of its own. Every issue is special and with each issue you see it evolve with variety, creative inputs and an appeal for the audience who awaits your magazine each month. You might be facing ups and downs, valleys and mountains in your life but the commitment to bring out the magazine each month keeps you going. Yes, it is because of this that despite the hardships and challenges, we are bringing out the magazine and the obstacles have motivated us to struggle and succeed, despite all odds. I believe that when the work we do is not seen as a burden or as separate from the life we live as individuals, then it is a joy. Over the years, The New Leam has become such an intrinsic part of our lives that to sculpt it every month is tremendously fulfilling. And once we feel this commitment we also feel responsible to our readers who wait for the magazine with high expectations. Thus we realize how we must take care of each and every piece that goes into the magazine. Thus we go from article to article, deadline to deadline, issue to issue; and with every new issue that comes we witness the evolution and growth of our endeavor. The New Leam seeks to look at new alternatives that are possible, despite the present constraints in various domains of a person’s existence be it education, culture, aesthetics or pedagogy. We firmly feel that condemnation and criticism are really an easy business and to find faults with the system is convenient enogh but the real challenge is to move beyond critiques, and look for a new possibility, to use our own creative imagination and construct a meaningful endeavor. Through The New Leam initiative we are trying to do just this. Our readers would agree that the contents of The New Leam, be it the articles, the stories, the perspectives, the excerpt and the debates all are bound to bring about fresh and meaningful insight on themes as diverse as education, culture, politics and pedagogy. The cover images of the magazine too have to play a key role in the aesthetics of the magazine and silently convey profound ideas. As we complete two momentous years of this journey we thank our readers from all corners of the world and our well-wishers who have constantly appreciated this endeavor and encouraged us to expand our work further. Like all our earlier issues, this issue too is filled with interesting variety and articles that would be of interest to an audience that is diverse and inter-generational. Our efforts are such that we hope to reach out to more and more readers and help sustain a dialogic space for innovative living and creative thinking. I thank my team members for working selflessly and putting immense labor to bring out the magazine each month, it would not have been possible without the collective work and team spirit. I hope that you would cherish reading the issue and will find time to share your valuable feedback and suggestions with us. I would end by wishing all our readers a Very Happy New Year, 2017!
Vikash Sharma
