Pro Blogger at the age of 12
May 23, 2010
A young blogger, Soheb Vahab who studies in 7th grade, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Pattom has an unusual interest of a usual boy his age- history and blogging blended together to form blogging about Travancore legacies….we caught up with this bright talent at Cafe Coffee Day at Kowdiar…
So, Soheb….why and how blogging?
When I was a small kid, my grandfather used to get me tales of historic legends which I soon became fascinated about. My cousin Syed Shiyas introduced me to the world of blogging. He said that I needed to share the knowledge that I have to the world. I started blogging through Blogspot.
What caught your interest in the travancore legacy?
I happened to go to Wellington Works, an exhibition which had displayed portraits of Travancore dynasty, Kings,etc which fascinated me to learn about the legacies of Travancore…
Other than travancore history, what else captures you?
I love to know more about the freedom struggle, also interested in the Egyptian culture of mummification and the rituals they performed before mummification….
Hmmm…..travancore history, mummies,why the subject history?
History is something of our past, our existence of what we are and I strongly believe that one should have knowledge of it. It’s so fascinating to know of the rituals performed, to see the potraits of our forefathers….
You know there is a secret underground passage from the Kowdiar Palace to the Padmanabha swami temple.. knowing all these facts were amazing
How are you able to cope with studies and blogging?
I try to complete my part of studying the day’s portions regularly in school itself whenever I get free time or in the break. Homework is done at home and then after completing my studies, I sit down to blog…
What is your source of information?
I have good acquaintances who have a close relationship with royalty. They introduced me to the PR and was let into the palace to meet the Queen herself. We were waiting at the living room where 6 portraits where displayed. The Queen asked to identify the people in the portraits which I correctly did. She was so happy and welcomed me wholeheartedly. From then, on she tells me stories of her childhood and other royal secrets, which I blog about.
Picture credits are given to Manu, an artist Sharath Sundar Rajjev and Ms. Uma, for additional info; who writes for the royal palace.
Extra-curricular activities?
News-reading and quizzing. Soheb is also a avid Birdwatcher
Does you family support you?
My dad and my cousin Shiyas is my strongest supporters. Initially I used to use my dad’s mobile internet to upload blogs, but now my dad has got me a 2GB connection…
What is your ambition in life?
My greatest ambition is to become an IAS Officer (says the young blogger proudly!!!)
Soheb, with flowing enthusiasm shared with us all that he knew of royalty. Instead of playing cricket or rather playing video games, this young lad is out to do something unique which is truly to be appreciated….We bid adieos to Soheb and now penning down his words,sure makes me feel proud and a little inquisitive to know more about the kings, the pretty princesses….
Have a look at Soheb’s blog here
Posted Under: Interviews, Places
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its really amazing to know that such a small kid is very much interested in blogging (other than gaming, which we all used to do at his age), and history of course. This news has already brighten my day up. Great work team Trivandrum Buzz… and im enjoying each and every articles in your site……
And kudos to the talented young master Soheb…wishing him all the sucess in life…and keep blogging buddy …..
on May 23rd, 2010fascinating blog and fascinating kid!!
on May 23rd, 2010Absolutely impressed by the young Soheb, his blog and his extra-ordinary willpower at such young age…. Am sure he will achieve his dream of becoming an IAS officer in the future. Hats off..!!!!
on May 23rd, 2010Awsome !!
on May 24th, 2010Gr8 work by the kido…Kip up the gud work & all the very best !!
& as always…”The highest reward that God gives us for good work is the ability to do better”
amazin!n dat too at the age of 12!i still remeber hw i hated history and a boy of this age is inspired n interested n even blogging abt it!
on May 26th, 2010hats off to the kido !
The blog is no longer existing.!!!!
on May 27th, 2010Surelyy a great kudoz to Soheb
Also hats off to the real heros – his grandfather, dad and cousin Shiyas !! whose support took him this far…
We should always remember that every child would come out with flying colours only with the support of family/frnz/relatives (esply parents) jus like soheb
Here is another kido :-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Delhi-IIT-JEE-topper-is-just-14-homeschooled/articleshow/5978684.cms
on May 28th, 2010@ ‘D’ : Hey its so nice of you to share it with us..thank ya 4 da link
on May 28th, 2010These kids are really “Heerein-Zamein-Par”
Always welcome my ‘D’
on May 28th, 2010dear readers,
I would like to bring the following to your kind attention…
The blog of this child of overambitious elders contains articles copied from other blogs, google and books including the one authored by me. I told him mildly and then warned him, but he seems quite unmindful.
Though early this week he deleted his blog, now it available in a new garb..
Most of the children will be bubbling with creative ideas and that must be encouraged and elders should show them the right direction.
The particular child may have flair for writings..let him create something of his own—but not under the expense of others hard work..
Travancore the Footprints of Destiny is my first book-a book on the Life and times of the Maharaja H H Uthradom Tirunal Marthanda Varma. The child has copied many incidents from the book-which amounts to plagiarism.
So, dear readers, do not get carried away by this deliberate copying-done with the motive of earning cheap publicity…tomorrow he may be “hailed” as the youngest historian..
Dear Parents, please do encourage all good interests of your children and nurture their talents..But not some thing this
regards,
on May 29th, 2010uma
Sorry to hear this news uma ….. but this i didnt expect from a child …. in this modern world of computers any one can copy and paste ny article and claim tht its his/ her…. bt i didnt expect this from a 14yr old …. may b he is innocent… there mite b some else behind the whole thing. … ny ways …. team trivandrum buzz should take sme initiative ASAP and remove the article abt the child and the blog should b deleted as well …. really shocked to hear this new twist in the article… hope necessary things will b done the earilest….
on May 29th, 2010Soheb you please post here what she mailed to you.
As she mentioned” I told him mildly and then warned him, but he seems quite unmindful”. Then readers can get the story behind, okay.
History is history if Uma writes and some others writes it will be the same. But you are talking to a child who is just 13 okay. But you didnt shown that maturity in your mail. So i think you dont have enough right to point out this in a public means.
on May 29th, 2010This is the mail Uma sent to me:
Soheb mind your your words…
yes i asked “do u copy during exam?”
because it is evident that u are a habitual copier and u have lifted things created by others
and registered a copy right for those lifted ones…are u not ashamed?
and u have the audacity to doubt me..
who gave u the permission to lift materials from my book?
u commit all the mistakes deliberately -purposely -and u expect others to tolerate
arae wah !!
uma
on May 29th, 2010yes i posted it
on May 29th, 2010naturally..if he lifts materials from others and claims as his, he never minds copying from others–
now it is evident who is misleading/misguiding the child
“history whoever writes is the same”
is that so?
then Soheb can write /author history of his won? why lifting from others?
Pl do not justify your misdeeds…
the child made an apology
here is it and now readers can see how an elder like shiyas is misguiding the child
PRINCELY: sorry,aunty
19:03 me: WHAT SORRY?
PRINCELY: I will never repeat it again
me: WHAT U HAVE DONE IS A CYBER CRIME? DO U KNOW THAT? THIS AMOUNTS TO SEROUS OFFENCE?
19:04 It is the swaet of my eye brows i am working for the past 22 years on Travancore and a boy of your age is lifting my hard work? i cnoot tolerate it.
19:05 if someone lifts your work how do u feel?
PRINCELY: Im very very sorry.I will delete it just now.
19:06 me: if people knows that you are lifting from others it amopunts to shame..your friends in schools will laugh at you..have you ever thought of it?
PRINCELY: No aunty
19:08 me: itis my hard work and continuos sitting with the Maharaja for the pat five years and you are taking it just like that
19:09 even if write something original people will not believe you and you will never make a writer? are your parents supporting you to copy it from someones work
19:11 you hve posted pictures from the Rupika Chawla’s book-the work of Raja Ravi Varma..if she happens to know what will be the consequence?
19:12 PRINCELY: Sorry,from my heart
19:13 me: if she claims damage worth crores will u be able to pay?
PRINCELY: no
me: and giving the link you have given all rights reseved
19:14 you have materilas from others and claims and its as well
19:15 you have lifted materilas from others writings and “claiming rights reserved ”
19:16 PRINCELY: Sorry
19:18 Im sending ou some pics
__________________________
PRINCELY STATE OF TRAVANCORE
to Uma Maheshwari
date 24 May 2010 12:06
subject Namaskaram
mailed-by gmail.com
Signed by gmail.com
hide details 24 May (5 days ago)
on May 29th, 2010Aunty,
sorry for the problems.I apologise for it.Can you pls forgive me.Pls……………………………….Pls…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..Pls……………………………………………
here is manu pillai’s remark and warning to soheb
*
manupillai Says:
February 24, 2010 at 3:34 pm
oh and i noticed uve already copied my post! haha. anyway a word of caution: some people may not like you copying things from their websites. lots of copyright issues there. so after every article you could probably acknowledge the authors at the end. you dont seem to be over 10 years old so just take care about that. for example you have copied the entire family tree of the travancore family from the website of Christopher Buyers. Thats all copyrighted stuff. So if you add a “courtesy Christopher Buyers” at the end it should be better. Although in general dont just copy stuff. Pretty troublesome. Ciao.
on May 29th, 2010Me actually not misleading him/anyone. I just told the basics of blogging.He captured the techniques so easily and started blogging. Here we understood that you (Uma) communicated with him on 24th and he apologized many times for what he did. As a result of the same he deleted the mentioned article but still you are following him and his blog why?Finally he deleted his blog. Why you are like this? I am not getting your intention actually..So please Uma stop this public means of conversation and let him concentrate his studies and all. Please dont spoil his career. If your child did this what will be your reaction? will be the same? Never..
on May 29th, 2010i want to say a few words
1. there is no short cut to success..soheb, work hard..pl dont others for granted
2. learn to accept mistakes and failures..this would help you a lot in future
3. when someone posts criticism to your “write up” you cleverly deleted it
4. then you deleted the blog
5.now, it has surfaced… do original work
to shiyas,
on May 30th, 2010my work is the sweat of my eyebrows..so when someone copies from it naturally i get irritated..
don’t let the readers also for granted, don’t cheat them..as it involved my work i reacted,
I have no bad intention-don’t promote plagiarism..because later in life if the child really brings something original, readers will take it with a pinch of salt..dont let this happen to soheb or any other child for that matter..
regarding my child…
i will never allow to copy from others even he did this the approach will be the same no doubt about it…we all know what a child of this age is capable of doing..
i too have no time/interest to follow this and have lot of other works to do..
i am happy that you are providing him all the technical support..but
it is you who is unknowingly/indirectly spoiling his career..
you created the blog, then taught him to copy/lift from others work..okay
good-bye
Hello Trivandrum Guys………….
on May 30th, 2010Appericate the above 5 options are very correct and true….. ( Work Hard)
on May 30th, 2010Nicely done Uma…. i appreciate tht …
on May 31st, 2010Ohh..cum on..!!
and informing all 
I cant’ b’liv this..even i fell for the blog without knowing the credibility of it..!!
This reminds me of nothing else, but the proverb “All that glitters is not gold”
Thank you for raising the alarm
@Uma: Thumbs up 2 u..for bringing into everyone’s notice about such a serious mistake..also, i think parents and all elders should always support every talents in children in a FRUITFUL way..Better monitoring and support from elders’ side can boost them up for creating better and well-handled pieces of work..
So, no fights pals..
Happy Blogging
on May 31st, 2010
on May 31st, 2010Totally agreed ‘D’ !!
I go with Uma and like to add little more here.
I know Soheb for the past six months and he usually mails me with some photos asking “Who is this, Who is that”. Since he wrote about Travancore Royal Family I was interested and helped him for identifying each of them. Like others I was astonished with the amount of enthusiasm he shown to this topic. So naturally I encouraged him. But on 23rd MAY 2010 he sent one mail saying that his interview got published in “Trivandrum Buzz”. I acknowledged in a positive note. When I got the email from Uma I came to know “Whats actually going on”…..
I Immediately emailed Soheb regarding this and asked him to remove/delete the blog as it is a serious offence. He informed me that he deleted the blog. I got series of mail from him, “Don’t Contact Me”, “Sorry” etc.
What I came to know by doing a secret investigation is that there is someone misguiding him. He is a boy of 12. Anyone can exploit him very easily. After two days the blog was up again, but this time in a new template,avoiding little bit from the previous one. I again warned him to delete the blog, But he replied like “Then, why do you want me to delete my blog? If so, Im sorry I can’t help this”
Today (June 01 2010) he sent me the same regular email with a photo attached asking for Who’s Who….. (The photo was of very personal function of Royal Family which he is not supposed to publish in a public media)
I checked his blog, and that was opened only for invited readers.
Also he started a new blog which contains his news in different medias…….
How Interesting….. Right?
I like to say something to Soheb in this open forum……..
1) There is nothing wrong in agreeing that “You done a mistake”
2) Do not justify for what you did. Its not a mistake, “Its an offence”
3) No one behalf of Soheb can debate here as his blog is individual blog as Soheb as user.
Finally
4) Please delete the blog atleast now.
If not, I can also say the after effects of that.
According to Digital Millennium Copyright Act – Blogger, Which tells the author can claim directly to Google to remove the materials published online if it’s copyright was reserved earlier.
According to Chapter III, 14th Sub Division of INDIAN COPYRIGHT ACT, 1957, it was an offence
Uma can claim according to Chapter XI 57th Sub Division to claim authorship of the work and claim for damages. (Source Of Information: http://www.education.nic.in/CprAct.pdf )
To Trivandrum Buzz,
Please don’t publish something blindly without looking into the genuiness of the news, as according to your heading, “Pro Blogger at the age of 12 ” he is twelve years. But according to Blogger Terms Of Service, the user must attain at least thirteen years of age to use the service.
Please remove this controversial news from your site.
on June 1st, 2010i agree with Ravi,
The boy is twisting things
which is evident from another example
he claims to be the youngest bird watcher in Kerala
I saw the Hindu report
which says that a team went for bird watching and among them Ananda Krishnan is the senior most person (80 yrs i think) and the youngest in the team is Soheb..10 years or so
He twisted this, and claims that “he is the youngest birdwatcher in Kerala”.
Ooops!!!! In that case every child is a bird watcher
-because i have seen mothers trying to push food into the child’s mouth by showing birds in the vicinity.
also, ..mothers point to the moon and feed the children this doesn’t mean that ‘that is the youngest child to land in moon.”
What does this convey?
Soheb wants to achieve so many things in life-that is most welcome-but in his “aakrantham” to do so, he is sure to end up in nothing..if he continue like this..
Pl .. let he live in his world of childhood-but not in fool’s paradise
on June 2nd, 2010Why do people seem to have such venom against a kid? Sure, he may have copied, and he acknowledges the mistake, give the kid a break jeez!
Shoeb, everybody in this world makes mistakes, it is nothing to be ashamed of if you learn from it. Do not let this get to you, it is a trivial incident, one that taught you the right way to do research and that’s that. Ignore the childish rants, because you have apologized time and again to this lady and she just can’t seem to let go!
Uma, you should have just complained to blogger.com. You may be a good researcher, but seem to be not so great as an adult human being. You must be at least twice his age, if not more? Your behavior, especially the outburst on chat (————–eg: me: WHAT U HAVE DONE IS A CYBER CRIME? DO U KNOW THAT? THIS AMOUNTS TO SEROUS OFFENCE? 19:09 even if write something original people will not believe you and you will never make a writer? are your parents supporting you to copy it from someones work————-) seem to be full of malice. And you seem to be going on and on and on even after the boy apologizes repeatedly! Not to mention the poor quality of the language in your comments! I, for one, will not be buying, reading or recommending your book. It disgusts me – the way you treat a child! I hope it gave you a lot of happiness.
on June 24th, 2010