tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-311574192024-03-07T14:37:29.117+05:30Moni's Nookmonideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.comBlogger219125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-5263852901221899442018-03-29T13:39:00.002+05:302018-03-29T13:39:57.626+05:30Moisture Trapped in a Stone, Book Review <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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MOISTURE TRAPPED IN A STONE: An Anthology of Modern Telugu Short Stories</div>
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Translated from the Telugu by K.N.Rao Thornbird/Niyogi Books Rs..595/- </div>
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This is a richly varied collection of 29 stories translated from Telugu. Social issues predominate in many of these stories. There are some twist-in the-tale stories, tales of expatriates chasing the American dream, and a couple of love stories, too. It's like a box of assorted chocolates. Each story has a different tone and flavour, and you don't know what will come next. All the stories will not appeal to every reader, but there's something in this collection for everyone.</div>
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The Citadel in Disrepair by Kethu Viswanatha Reddy struck me with its effective treatment of the themes of grief, loss of a son, and the senseless destruction resulting from the Naxalite movement. Jasmine on a Lattice by Kolipaka Ramamani is a beautiful story with heart-rending emotions skilfully portrayed through an exchange of letters.</div>
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Some of the stories are on contemporary themes in the urban Indian context, bringing out the intricacies of human relationships. D Kameswari's Bumblebee is a strong and nuanced story about the contemporary reality of adultery. Vasundhara's Yet Another Love Story is an interesting take on the relationship of an elderly couple who seem to endlessly bicker and complain on the surface. Yet when their son decides to take his mother along with him to the big city to give her some peace and rest, the mother begins to miss her husband. The husband too longs for her companionship and comes to the city to take her home. J Ramalakshmi's Outsourcing is a witty take on today's commercial reality. Mohammed Khadeer Babu's The Cover effectively portrays the communal tensions flowing as an undercurrent beneath the apparently placid social fabric of city life.</div>
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The impact of foreign culture on home-grown visitors from the hinterland is the theme of several stories. Madhurantakam Rajaram's Galiveedu to New York depicts an elderly landlord used to a culture of feuds, rivalries and murderous attacks on opponents. On a visit to his son in America, he sees how "these boys had no use for terrorism and stories of vengeance… Bomb bursts, murders in broad daylight, rivers of blood, setting fire to homes and such other acts do not seem to drive them to action. Then what do they want to know from him?"</div>
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Madhurantakam Rajaram's The Homing Pigeon is a beautiful and nuanced story. Young Ravi comes from America to search for grandparents he has never met, who live in an obscure village too insignificant to merit even a bus stop. The hinterland, with its beauty as well as festering social injustices, is portrayed effectively in many of these stories.</div>
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Madhurantakam Rajaram's Moisture Trapped in a Stone is a deliciously complex story with lovely stylistic flourishes. "Time wrought other changes too, bringing to the town a character of diversity. Men, dark-skinned, looking like the trunk of a babul tree which grown unmindful of the hot sun, the inconvenience of dust storms and the sewage waters that lash them and having lashed, flow past them as if they made a mistake initially; men who do not have memories of days gone by…"</div>
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B Geetika's Misappropriated Moonlight is about a government official whose work involves the welfare of backward tribes. She arrives from the big city wondering: "These men in the forest, how do we wake them up? They seem totally ignorant of the world… How can we let them grow wise to issues like nutritious food, family planning etc.?" As she befriends Girija, a young tribal girl, the official gets emotionally involved and her attitude changes. She experiences firsthand the tragic plight of innocent forest people. "Girija is my friend, I'll use every resource at my command to save her. But what about the tribe as a whole? These fellows who pass for civilised men, are they any better than those animals in the forest?"</div>
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The variances in style and treatment differ from story to story. Several stories deal with social issues with a heavy hand. Her Very Own Rubicon by Vasundhara has the point/moral of the story spelled out a little too bluntly at the end.</div>
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"Now to questions that stare at me: here is a lady who lives a cocooned life, straitjacketed by the age old caste system. But she is also tender hearted, kind and considerate… She is a slave of the tradition into which she is born… but kind, loving, generous… One needs to understand such personalities properly."</div>
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Vasireddy Seetadevi's Darkness to Light - A Journey to Nowhere is mainly a tedious and lengthy Q&A session on spiritual questions. The patient reader is rewarded at the end of this tedium with a heart-rending ending. Rentala Nageswara Rao's A Gift of Gingelly Seeds also has a lengthy Q&A section from page 29 to page 40. The topic is socialist revolution, the Naxalite movement etc.</div>
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The Case by Olga is yet another example of a story relying heavily on Q&A sessions on the theme of women's rights.</div>
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Overall, this collection is an interesting read which brings out the many facets of contemporary Telugu short stories.</div>
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This was published in <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/666269/engaging-assortment.html#top" target="_blank">Sunday Herald</a></div>
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monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-62291662635423776262018-03-25T15:18:00.000+05:302018-03-25T15:18:03.453+05:30Juggling Writing for Children and Adults<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Juggling writing for children and for
adults<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3caCm5T8jKG0x26xxYU8_-wdp7O96sHJvQKIVLKlO8KEXnLOHsm1f_WLclWQMj0LNepq6E1hBx-RtIrTZiwJubO8gmFsjAXjiFoTb590_zQSMpCJ5ubmX371dUEDCV4nbEeUehA/s1600/TBASS+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="733" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3caCm5T8jKG0x26xxYU8_-wdp7O96sHJvQKIVLKlO8KEXnLOHsm1f_WLclWQMj0LNepq6E1hBx-RtIrTZiwJubO8gmFsjAXjiFoTb590_zQSMpCJ5ubmX371dUEDCV4nbEeUehA/s320/TBASS+cover.jpg" width="244" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcbVn-iWWp-D7i8gIEcUQ8xFpJz1YxGVSbSavSUitYkrhg24BPBLVHMptUhaImkvo-FhGbOe-TKh1npGX2LEfEzgEFYH2-A_XA8Hs2SXiwBS_M8tEO0xjJ8drAZt7sAPSh2R-xuA/s1600/Going+home+in+rains-14.12.15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="940" data-original-width="1600" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcbVn-iWWp-D7i8gIEcUQ8xFpJz1YxGVSbSavSUitYkrhg24BPBLVHMptUhaImkvo-FhGbOe-TKh1npGX2LEfEzgEFYH2-A_XA8Hs2SXiwBS_M8tEO0xjJ8drAZt7sAPSh2R-xuA/s320/Going+home+in+rains-14.12.15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Children are
as different from adults as chalk and, umm… ascorbic acid. Right? Everyone
knows that adults are practical, business-like, preoccupied with solving all
the troubles of the world. Adults sensibly work to advance their position in
life, and hope their children will do the same. And kids? Well they’re silly
and playful and have to be constantly ordered what to do. Children need those
same practical, sensible and mature adults to constantly prod them to study and
learn moral lessons, so that they in turn can grow into practical and
insufferably boring adults. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you’re
among the few who disagree with the above premises, shake hands. Because I
think children and adults all have the potential for rational and practical
thought as well as imagination and the capacity to innovate. Children are as
human as adults, as intelligent but more fresh in their thinking because they
haven’t been hardened into the tried and tested practical and sensible rut yet.
Children work just as hard as adults to tackle life’s problems. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The main
difference between children and adults is that their situations in life are
different. Therefore, the issues that concern them most are also different. So,
we find kids deeply concerned about dealing with challenges such as sibling
rivalry or playground bullies, while adults are busy dealing with dragon bosses
or carefully considering which political party to support. Whatever it is they
need to deal with, children and adults equally apply thought and intelligence
to achieve their aims. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Another difference between children and adults
is that children are more fresh in their approach. They are more open-minded to
new ideas and people, and they have a natural capacity for imaginative
thinking. Writing for children is vital for keeping this freshness and
imagination alive. Good children’s books open them to new ideas in an
interesting way. Children who love to read learn a lot more than what is taught
in textbooks and the school curriculum. They also improve their vocabulary,
comprehension and linguistic skills while having fun. Best of all, good books </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> are
cheaper than the junk food we love to spend our money on. And books are healthier
for both body and mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That’s why I
juggle writing for children and for adults. I think both genres are equally
important. I put as much thought and work just as hard at my craft for both
categories. It’s just that when I write for kids, I think like them and put
myself in their shoes. And of course I do the same when it comes to writing for
adults. Simple, yet a challenge which many writers never take up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Genre jugglers
aren’t regular people. They have even stranger streaks of eccentricity than the
usual eccentric writer. Most sensible people approach me, sniff and evaluate,
and then run for their lives. I write what comes to me rather than writing what
appears most publishable and market worthy at the time. For me, spontaneity is
the key. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Writing
happens best for me when I’m engrossed by the story and characters I’m
creating. These stories, in turn, are shaped by the thoughts and concerns
uppermost in mind at any particular time. When I started writing my first book,
<i>Riddle of the Seventh Stone, </i>a
fantasy adventure novel for young people, it wasn’t because I had deliberate
plans of becoming a children’s writer. In those days, I was enjoying growing up
with my son. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They say the
best children’s books are created out of the stories parents share with their
children. In <i>Riddle of the Seventh Stone,
</i>my son had many suggestions. A much appreciated touch suggested by my son, is
the description of Geeta, the classmate for whom Rishabh has a massive crush.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">To Rishabh, the rat-turned boy, Geeta’s eyes are
round and black like manhole covers. Her hair flows like algae and her skin
glows like nuclear waste. It was my son who had suggested these similes because
he felt that Rishabh, wouldn’t have the same notions of beauty as regular boys.
In the novel, Rishabh often thinks and behaves like the rat that he was born as. So this
unusual description of Geeta’s beauty fits in perfectly with Rishabh's character,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In this way,
I try to think like the character whose story I’m writing at any given time.
The process is the same even when I’m writing a story for adults. In my short
story <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Flowers and Paper Boats, (Going
Home in the Rain and Other Stories),</i>the protagonist is a young man. I
remember when I shared this story in the Internet Writing Workshop, an international
writing community I swear by. An American writer read it and asked me whether
the young man was gay, because a passage describing flowers seemed to him to be
too feminine in style. He hadn’t deduced my gender from my name, so he was
surprised to learn that I was an older woman writing from the point of view of
a young man. The character was otherwise portrayed in a way that made him
assume that the writer was also a man.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Everyone is
good at certain things. I’m pretty good at empathising with others. So I’m a
natural at juggling the requirements of the two genres. It all depends on which
group I’m more drawn to at any given time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Read this column in <a href="http://readwriteinspire.com/juggling-writing-children-adults/" target="_blank">Read Write Inspire</a></span></div>
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monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-1244457903503901742017-12-13T15:05:00.000+05:302017-12-13T15:05:29.681+05:30Indians are growing younger<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The Stars Are Calling (Published in <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/647197/stars-calling.html" target="_blank">Sunday Herald</a></div>
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By 2020, the average Indian will be just 29 years old, making India the world's youngest country. Over 64% of India's population will be in the working age group, while the population of western countries, Japan and China grows older and less active. This would unleash a workforce with immense potential and give India's economy a massive boost.</div>
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On the other hand, this could become a demographic disaster if enough jobs are not generated and infrastructure does not gear up to adequately support the growth potential. Will our youth get a chance to test their wings and build a better India and world? Will our current leaders and policymakers be able to provide them quality education and training to prepare them to face tomorrow's challenges? Or, will India's youth be bogged down by lack of healthcare and social security, and cut-throat competition, to get and retain jobs?</div>
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India is already set to overtake China as the world's most populous country. In the coming years, New Delhi is likely to become the world's largest city, beating Tokyo. And India could, in a matter of decades, overtake USA and China to become the world's largest economy. India, as we know it, will be dramatically changing in the near future. What areas do our leaders and policymakers need to work on to make India the best she can be?</div>
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<strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Are they prepared?</strong></div>
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How do today's young Indians foresee this brave new future and their role in it? Let's talk to some bright youngsters from namma Bengaluru and find out. Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Shashikanth V S, software engineer Anusha Sridharan, children's author and PhD scholar Shalini Srinivasan, software engineer Swateek Jena, Jindal Global Law School student Paushi Sridhar, and software engineer Mohan Sriram Nayaka are insightful and cautiously optimistic. They offer their views tempered with humanitarian concerns, enlivened with dashes of humour.</div>
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The youth of the future cannot give their best to the world unless they are adequately educated and versed in skills needed to become productive contributors to society. There are expected to be 600 million Indians below 25 years by 2030. Are India's countless and opening-every-minute institutions for higher education prepared for the challenges ahead? Prime Minister Narendra Modi has just announced an assistance of a whopping Rs 10,000 crore to 10 private universities and an equal number of government ones for a period of five years.</div>
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While such steps make a few elite institutions of learning accessible to a minuscule number of students, the vast majority make do with universities which are below par or mediocre at best. India boasts of over 750 universities and 36,000 colleges and other institutions of higher education. Questions arise about the quality of education and the academic culture they provide. In 1931, C V Raman won the Nobel Prize for his research done in an Indian university. Since then, not a single Indian working in an Indian university has earned this honour. Dr Amartya Sen, Dr Har Gobind Khorana and other Indian Nobel laureates migrated to foreign universities mainly because Indian academic institutions could not provide them with an atmosphere adequately geared towards high-level research.</div>
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What about building foundations for primary and secondary education? If the roots are weak, can the tree grow strong from the top? We frequently come across news reports of dysfunctional government schools in various parts of India, which lack basic facilities such as proper buildings and trained teachers. <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />"There could be a back-to-the-roots movement, based on how the present generation educates their children," Anusha Sridharan says. "I foresee many young parents sending their kids to gurukul-type of institutions." She feels that they would want to be the ideal parents who do not want their kids to suffer the mindless rote learning and academic pressures they suffered.</div>
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Lack of suitable employment and sustainable income for India's youth is another burning concern. A vast majority of Indians live in rural areas and depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Their income is tenuous, and farmers' suicides are daily news. This uncertainty forces large numbers of rural Indian youth to migrate to urban areas. With poor quality education and vocational skills, they end up in urban slums where they live in inhuman conditions and eke out a precarious subsistence. Recent agitations demanding reservations in jobs by certain communities, and related violent incidents, are symptoms of a greater problem. In the Global Hunger Index 2017, India ranks 100 among 119 nations. This indicates the yawning gap between India's haves and have-nots.</div>
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Meanwhile, the privileged urban youth often amass higher qualifications to delay entry into the workforce. When an engineering degree no longer guarantees a job, they get MBAs or go abroad to study further. With many engineering and management seats going vacant in recent years, and not even all the many IIMs securing 100% campus placements, it would seem that more academic qualifications do not necessarily translate into suitable employment.</div>
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The hire-and-fire culture appears to be here to stay. Job security is likely to become increasingly rare as more young people join the workforce. Employers are likely to cut costs by offering fewer benefits and retrenching senior workers only to replace them with younger and less-experienced but cheaper workers. With the supply of labour even more rapidly outstripping employment opportunities, the prevailing insecurity is likely to increase.</div>
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"Our parents in private jobs are working harder, for longer hours, and with more competition and less job security than our grandparents who held government jobs," Paushi Sridhar observes. "India is likely to become more privatised in future. Jobs will not be guaranteed without the effort. The competition will be stiffer and more challenging than it is now."</div>
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"I think that the direction the youth take us in depends on how fearful they are about their future," says Mohan Nayaka. "I see a direct correlation between economic and cultural/social insecurity and an inclination towards authoritarianism. I've seen people in their 20s frantically seeking safe government jobs. Isn't that the age to go out on adventures? There's insecurity because of the hire and fire culture. One looks for safety when the risk seems too high. If one is confident about oneself and the environment, fear will reduce and productivity will increase greatly."</div>
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Dr Shashikanth goes a step further. "Youth can show their talent only when given an opportunity to serve the country. Highly talented and dedicated people should be in Indian Government and not in the US or some MNC. This itself will help improve the system when the right people occupy appropriate positions. A person who has got a suitable job in the right way will do full justice to the job. When you go to work in a government office, it is often the people who irritate you more than the system itself. "Things can change only if the job selection process is further streamlined. We often see less-deserving and less-motivated people in top positions where they don't fit in. Though we, young people, want to sacrifice high-paying jobs to help people, bribes, influence and reservations frustrate you to the core and prevent you from applying for the job.</div>
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"Good architects can plan better cities, good police can ensure safety, and good doctors can improve the health system. A relatively simple step like entrance exams after the Std 12th level to IITs, AIIMS and other leading educational institutions has given equal opportunity to all. Similarly, more scientific entrances to all jobs at state and local as well as central level would ensure higher quality and transparency.</div>
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"We need better planning for future, especially infrastructure. Every day new road construction happens. Freshly laid roads are dug up within months to lay water and sewage pipes. These mistakes are happening in every department of the government. You may pass as many bills as you wish, but skilled and motivated personnel are a must for effective implementation. There should be stricter quality checks and immediate action should be taken if standards are not maintained," Dr Shashikanth concludes.</div>
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Lack of access to affordable and quality healthcare continues to be another major concern for Indians. The Centre recently cleared the long-awaited National Health Policy 2017, which promises to increase public health spending to 2.5% of GDP in a time-bound manner and guarantees health care services to all Indian citizens, particularly the underprivileged. Will 2.5% of GDP be adequate for something as vital as healthcare? Opening more medical colleges and producing more doctors alone will not solve the problem. Sending doctors to rural areas without building adequate infrastructure will be a waste of talent. Can a highly qualified specialist, for example, who has spent over a decade to acquire skills, benefit needy patients in a run-down health centre with little or no equipment, trained support staff, or even basic medicines?</div>
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Today's youngsters foresee great changes in society. "The future definitely lies with us and our thinking," says Anusha Sridharan. "But it will take time for change to take effect. The political verse should get out of the hereditary lane. Family and relationships will become more superficial as more young people join the rat race for money and career. You wouldn't know whom to trust any longer. Arranged dating will gradually replace arranged marriages. The concept of marriage may get a new edge.</div>
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"Religion and spirituality will still be there, but secularism would cast itself better. Young people will not reject our spiritual heritage without trying to understand its intricacies. But they will take a more scientific approach, and superstitions will be less binding. Mythological fiction will create more interest where authors put creative twists while reinforcing ancient principles. Some of us will stick to our good old principles and beliefs after exploring the world of ideas," Anusha concludes.</div>
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"Hopefully, gender disparity will reduce," notes Paushi Sridhar. "We may see better-empowered women in the corporate world. We also need more women in public life and policymaking."</div>
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"Lack of sustainable development scares us all. This growth may continue at the cost of the environment. In a broad sense, our standard of living should be on a par with developed countries. Younger people would probably have more general awareness because of better education and exposure.</div>
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"As a student of law, I hope laws such as Section 377 can be decriminalised. As we move forward, Big Data is crucial and handling anything with respect to this is easier for youth raised with technology around them.</div>
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"Artificial intelligence seems to be the future. There will be more advances in technology, but how it impacts society remains to be seen. This will require more hardware, which will further exhaust natural resources over time. Already India is producing unmanageable amounts of garbage. Most of my fears for the future are environment related. We have only one chance with nature. India seems to be going the way of the Western world, and it may be a long time before people realise the consequences of exhausting nature," Paushi Sridhar adds.</div>
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"We're in for interesting times," quips Mohan Nayaka in a lighter vein. "Let robots do all the work. We will drink coconut water served by robot butlers on the beach and live happily ever after. Why not dream of self-sustaining energy, safe nuclear power, or renewable power sources? Don't worry. Elon Musk is on it, and he's far more brilliant and enterprising than any of us."</div>
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Swateek Jena sees the need for a change in our collective attitudes. "Patience, something uncommon these days, can change many things. Getting pizza within half an hour and noodles in two minutes has subconsciously changed our expectations. We don't think of or wait for the long-term effects of any solution; we need quick changes. We need to go back to the books, form an opinion over incidents and issues before providing judgements based on someone else's opinions. We need to learn and grow, help others grow; build the nation by starting with ourselves and then moving to change one person at a time.</div>
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"We understand that we are a young country, that we have more power to change things than ever before. But power is known to corrupt. We squabble among ourselves, go out of our way to prove a point, label people for their political ideology. Such pointless pursuits move our focus away from our goal of building a nation that will be better than ever before. If only we could get our focus and priorities right."</div>
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Shalini Srinivasan's optimism is uplifting and infectious. "I meet India's future youth every time I write a new book and go to schools for readings. Invariably, these turn into energetic conversations. Children are hopeful and open, animated by empathy, curiosity, compassion. Imagination and a deep concern with fairness thrive in them. And every time I hope they keep these things close, so we can look forward to a kinder, and possibly stranger, future."</div>
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monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-26522206328053500482017-08-15T06:34:00.004+05:302017-08-15T06:35:14.227+05:30Proud to be Indian<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My tribute to my homeland on her seventieth Independence Day. Published in <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/627728/proud-indian.html" target="_blank">Deccan Herald</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRnPtH6Ap5W4nb1SWoKqZlXgjoWe1h8Xnm5J24-H-BEvcTfx7zV9mdgooKNRTfUlLFL-v_nm7HaGAT_9EZQVFUa7C2JDD7BqoZMvDcspjSgc_hBLa_bPerj-g-4rLAmFryHdoTQ/s1600/india.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="618" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRnPtH6Ap5W4nb1SWoKqZlXgjoWe1h8Xnm5J24-H-BEvcTfx7zV9mdgooKNRTfUlLFL-v_nm7HaGAT_9EZQVFUa7C2JDD7BqoZMvDcspjSgc_hBLa_bPerj-g-4rLAmFryHdoTQ/s320/india.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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As we celebrate seventy years of India’s Independence, let’s
take justified pride in the wonderful land and culture in which we were
nurtured. A cradle of human civilization, our motherland has an ancient
heritage of greatness. The Indus Valley Civilization flourished in our
subcontinent over 5000 years ago. Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus originated
in India in times when humans in Europe were still hunting in the forests for
food. Lagadha’s <i>Vedanga Jyothisa</i>, an
ancient text on astronomy whose earliest version dates back to 1400–1200 BCE, has
astronomical calculations, calendar related studies and lays down rules for
empirical observation to help plan religious functions. Today India is the only
country after USA and Japan, to have built a super computer relying mainly upon
home grown expertise and resources. India produces the second largest number of
scientists and engineers in the world. Our highly evolved schools of
philosophy; our many languages each with its unique literary treasures; our
eminence as the world’s largest democracy; the list stretches on. <o:p></o:p></div>
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India has the largest postal network in the world with over
1, 55,015 post offices. A unique floating post office in Dal Lake, Srinagar,
was inaugurated in August 2011.The largest employer in India is the Indian
Railways, employing over a million people.<o:p></o:p></div>
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While we have much to celebrate, we also fall short in many ways.
Our current situation is riddled with contradictions. Our citizens are among
the wealthiest in the world, and India is the world’s largest consumer of gold.
Meanwhile, many Indians eke out a hand-to-mouth existence. Some suffer from severe
malnutrition, while farmers continue to commit suicide when crops fail and
debts become unbearable. Patients from
distant lands come to India seeking state-of-the-art healthcare at reasonable
cost. Yet many Indians do not have easy access to health facilities. Mothers
die from childbirth related complications, while others die from treatable
ailments like dysentery and tuberculosis. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Let’s take pride in our many strengths and achievements, not
for the sake of blinkered jingoism or a false sense of complacency. Let’s
remember all our many great achievements to motivate ourselves to reach for greater
heights. After all, if we could engineer such impressive feats in the past, then
we are surely capable of even greater wonders in the days to come. Let’s
celebrate the patriotism of hockey wizard Dhyan Chand. After trouncing Germany
and leading India to the gold medal in hockey in the 1936 Berlin Olympics,
Major Dhyan Chand was offered German citizenship by Hitler himself. He was also
offered a high post in Germany’s army, and a place in the German national
hockey team. Dhyan Chand never hesitated to decline with polite dignity.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Let’s seek inspiration from Rabindranath Tagore, the only
poet in the world to have composed the national anthems of two countries, India
and Bangladesh. He was the first Asian to win the Nobel Prize for literature,
and was conferred a knighthood by India’s British rulers. He refused the great honour
to register his protest against the bloody Jalianwala Bagh massacre.<o:p></o:p></div>
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India is the world’s largest democracy. We are a free people
of a liberated country. Our elections are overall free and fair, and have been
that way since the past seventy years. This is an amazing achievement,
especially in a world where millions of people are ruled by totalitarian
regimes, or face strong state imposed restrictions curbing their freedom. Our
government goes to great lengths to ensure that all citizens are able to freely
exercise their franchise. A special
polling booth is set up since 2004 for a lone voter, Mahant Bharatdas
Darshandas, in a place called Banej
deep in the Gir forest of Gujarat. In remote villages in the mountains
of the North East where there are no motorable roads, polling officials arrive
with their equipment on elephants to dutifully supervise the election process.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We are fortunate to have freedom of speech. Social media,
that noisy ranting space for intellectuals and pseudo intellectuals, is flooded
with shrill opinions based on questionable reasoning. Mainstream media is often
accused of resorting to sensationalism in order to push TRP ratings. The
corruption and ineptitude of our past and present leaders is a burning topic. Outrage
is expressed selectively, and a sense of balance and objectivity gets lost in
the babble of conflicting views. People like us love to complain how the
country is run by unprincipled politicians. We must also remember that these
same leaders we revile, have so far managed to maintain our homeland as a free
country. And because we live in a free country, we can get away with such open
criticism of the powers that be. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We have the right to express our opinions, so we rush to shout
our half-baked views from the treetops. But when it comes to acting and
contributing positively to society, most of us withdraw into our comfort zones
without lifting a finger. Let us introspect and try to get a balanced and
informed view of issues at hand, and act responsibly before jumping the gun on
public issues. Let us also try, each in our small ways, to improve the world
around us instead of simply complaining. After all, little drops of water make
the ocean. It’s up to us to ensure that we don’t become ‘webaqoofs’; folks who
take everything floating in social media as gospel truth. While taking pride in
being citizens of the world’s largest democracy, we need to remember that
“eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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True to its principles as a land of freedom, democracy and
peace, India has been the largest troop contributor to the United
Nations Peacekeeping Missions since its inception.</div>
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India has the world’s third largest
active army, after China and USA. India is the world’s largest importer of
arms. But India has never invaded or attacked a country. In recent times, India
has welcomed large numbers of refugees from Sri Lanka, Tibet, Bhutan, Afghanistan
and Bangladesh, who fled from religious and political persecution.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Some people hold that the concept of India as a nation was a
British invention. According to them, there was no connection binding all the
people of the subcontinent before the advent of the British. However, thousands
of years before the birth of Christ, the Aryans called the river Indus as
Sindhu. Then Persians came and called it Hindu. Sindhu and Hindu combined to
form the name Hindustan, which continues to refer to the entire land of the
Hindus. Our homeland has also been called Bharat since time immemorial. Once
upon a time, India was a land of fabulous wealth and great advancement. In
1492, Christopher Columbus set sail from Europe seeking a sea route to India
across the Atlantic Ocean. He didn’t reach India famed for her spices, silks
and jewels, but discovered America instead! <o:p></o:p></div>
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The British were certainly not the first to unify India
under their political rule. Thousands of years ago, India was governed by the
same code of laws and rulers when the mighty Mauryan Empire spanned across most
of the subcontinent. Rock edicts and pillars inscribed by Emperor Ashoka stand
witness to this fact in many far-flung parts of our country. <o:p></o:p></div>
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India had cultural and spiritual unity thousands of years
before the British came. Scholars in ancient times traversed the length and
breadth of the subcontinent in pursuit of learning, moving from the great
university of Nalanda in modern day Bihar, to Takhshila in the far west in
today’s Pakistan. Around 800 years CE, Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya travelled
from his native Kerala in the far south, to important holy pilgrimage centres
for the Hindus across the length and breadth of the land. He established Shringeri
Sharada Peetha in Karnataka in the south, Govardhan Peetha in Puri in the east,
Jyotirmath in Badrinath high in the Himalayas in the north, and a matha in Dwarka
in the West, spreading his message of spiritual enlightenment from the
mountains to the seas surrounding our homeland.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Our
ancient places of pilgrimage drew saints and pilgrims from all over the land. Consider
the example of Puri on the coast of Odisha in eastern India. Puri is one of the
four holiest Hindu Char Dhams. Through the ages, saints and sages came here
seeking divine enlightenment.<span style="background: white; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> Aside from the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adi_Shankara" title="Adi Shankara"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">Adi Shankara</span></a>charya<span style="background: white; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Nanak" title="Guru Nanak"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">Guru Nanak</span></a><span style="background: white; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabir" title="Kabir"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">Kabir</span></a><span style="background: white; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulsidas" title="Tulsidas"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">Tulsidas</span></a><span style="background: white; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramanujacharya" title="Ramanujacharya"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">Ramanujacharya</span></a><span style="background: white; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">,
and </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimbarkacharya" title="Nimbarkacharya"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">Nimbarkacharya</span></a><span style="background: white; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> also
visited Puri. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the founder of </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaudiya_Vaishnavism" title="Gaudiya Vaishnavism"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">Gaudiya Vaishnavism</span></a>,<span style="background: white; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> prayed here for 24 years. Srimad Vallabhacharya travelled
from his birthplace in the distant south and visited Puri, where he performed a
7-day recitation of Srimad Bhagvat. He also travelled to Gujarat in the west to
establish his spiritual philosophy, <i>Pushtimarg.</i>
The mathas and meditation spots of these saints continue to exist in Puri,
though many are neglected and encroached upon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Let us celebrate India’s beautiful tradition of religious
diversity and harmony. India is the birthplace of four major religions –
Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, which are followed by 25% of the
world’s population. Islam is India's, and the world's, second largest religion.
With lakhs of active mosques, India can boast of numbers larger than any other
country, including the Islamic world. Jews and Christians have lived and thrived
in India since 200 B.C. and 52 A.D. respectively. Zoroastrians came to India in
waves over several centuries to escape religious persecution in their native
Persia. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I remember with respect the Catholic nuns who affectionately
taught us in school. Haven’t we all exchanged greetings, gifts and delicacies
with friends from other religions, and shared the joys of each other’s
festivals? Let’s maintain this friendship and harmony, and be proud of it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Through the ages, India has made great contributions to
world civilisation. The art of seafaring and navigation was born in the mouth
of the river Sindh or Indus over 6000 years ago. Archaeological excavations in
the Harappan seaport of Lothal in Gujarat, throws light on their advancements
in shipbuilding. Indian sailors regularly sailed to Eastern Africa, the Middle
East and Greece for trade. In eastern India, sailors set sail from the mouth of
the Mahanadi River for the islands of Indonesia and beyond. The word ‘navigation’
has roots in the Sanskrit word 'navgatih'. The word navy comes from the
Sanskrit word 'nou'.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Indus Valley Civilization prospered 6000 years ago
because of technological innovations such as drainage and sewerage systems.
Sophisticated systems of irrigation and water storage, such as artificial
reservoirs at Girnar C 3000 BCE, led to planned settlements and townships.
Cotton and sugarcane were cultivated in this region as early as 3000 BCE. The
Indus Valley civilization has also shown evidence of ploughs, hearths for
firing terra cotta, map making and the use of weights and measures. <o:p></o:p></div>
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India has contributed to advancements in science since
thousands of years. The studies of Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus had roots
in India. The 'Place Value System' and the 'Decimal System' were developed in
India circa 100 BCE. Baudhayana c. 8th century BCE composed the <i>Baudhayana Sulba Sutra</i>, with basic
Pythagorean triples, as well as a description of the Pythagorean theorem for
the sides of a square: "The rope which is stretched across the diagonal of
a square produces an area double the size of the original square." It also
has a formula for the square root of two. Indians used numbers as big as 10*53
(i.e. 10 to the power of 53) with specific names as early as 5000 BCE during
the Vedic period.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Charaka consolidated Ayurveda 2500 years ago. This is the
earliest school of medicine humanity has known. The <i>Sushruta Samhita,</i> an Ayurvedic text, has exhaustive descriptions of
1120 illnesses, 700 medicinal plants and a detailed study on Anatomy. Sushruta,
widely recognised as the Father of Surgery, performed complex surgeries on cataract,
urinary stones, and brain surgeries. Ancient Indian doctors used anaesthesia. The
world's first university was established in Takshila in 700 BCE. Thousands of
students went there from far corners of the world to study over 60 subjects. The
University of Nalanda built in the 4th century was another shining example of
India’s advancement in higher education.<o:p></o:p></div>
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India’s first satellite was brought on a bullock cart. India’s
first rocket arrived on a bicycle to the Thumba Launching Station in Thiruvananthapuram,
Kerala. Yet despite financial constraints, India’s space program is among the
top 5 in the world. In September 2009,
ISRO’s Chandrayaan- 1 used its Moon Mineralogy Mapper to detect water on the
moon for the first time. ISRO’s women scientists have helped build India’s
spectacular Mars Orbiter or Mangalyaan project. These dedicated women teamed up
with their male colleagues to set ISRO’s world record by launching an amazing
104 satellites in one shot.<o:p></o:p></div>
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While excelling in
many fields, Indians did not forget recreation. Chess was invented in India. The
popular game of Snakes and Ladders, earlier known as Moksha Patamu, was invented
long ago to teach children moral lessons about <i>karma</i>. The modern version
of this board game is popular to this day.<o:p></o:p></div>
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India boasts of the
world's largest film industry. Around 1,100 films are produced annually, which
is twice as many as the American film industry.
Commercial Hindi films account for around 200 films a year, followed by
Tamil and Telugu films.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Let’ appreciate these
and many more Indian achievements, and continue our best efforts to help our
country forge ahead.<o:p></o:p></div>
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monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-16200844686346524132017-06-27T13:33:00.001+05:302017-06-27T13:33:59.621+05:30Disabilities; All in the Attitude<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This was published in <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/619342/all-attitude.html" target="_blank">Sunday Herald</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBOYwVmLlQu1DII44Se7G17Lf696xfJtcZlbXhOicFbUYpE1L1kv1lp-k2i5zdcHq2tj9P96J41gO08jpQBaTg6-Dzgl6MKSi0YvSdmneI3YpLHiOmjMtTY3NeJWz4KD0KEpOZyA/s1600/619342_thump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="660" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBOYwVmLlQu1DII44Se7G17Lf696xfJtcZlbXhOicFbUYpE1L1kv1lp-k2i5zdcHq2tj9P96J41gO08jpQBaTg6-Dzgl6MKSi0YvSdmneI3YpLHiOmjMtTY3NeJWz4KD0KEpOZyA/s320/619342_thump.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Immersed in our busy lives, we take our abilities for granted. To see and hear and speak coherently, to sprint across busy roads or dash up a flight of stairs, to think clearly and grasp what we read; we do it all without a second thought. Yet there are millions among us for whom these activities are impossible dreams. I recently fractured my knee, and experienced life in a wheelchair.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Taking even a few steps became excruciatingly painful. During the long process of recovery, routine daily tasks seemed as challenging as climbing the Himalayas. Taking a bath; crossing roads jammed with Bengaluru’s legendary traffic; balancing painful steps on uneven and often non-existent footpaths; ordinary tasks posed stiff challenges.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />How do people muster the courage and determination to contend with such handicaps lifelong? How have severely disabled persons like Stephen Hawking and Helen Keller overcome impossible odds to become iconic inspirational figures for all of humanity?<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Crippled by a rare disease, British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking lost control over his body and gradually became completely paralysed. He is celebrated as one of the most brilliant living scientists. American author and activist Helen Keller became deaf and blind in infancy from scarlet fever.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />She was a terrified little child imprisoned in dark, silent and complete isolation. Her dedicated teacher Anne Sullivan painstakingly taught her to speak, communicate in sign language, and read books in Braille. Helen Keller travelled to many countries. She campaigned for the rights of women, workers and disabled persons, and other social causes.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The brilliant scientist Albert Einstein had learning disabilities as a child. In his early years, he was slow in school. Today he is celebrated as one of the world’s greatest scientific minds. They demonstrate the immense talent and potential of disabled people, and the importance of assisting them to integrate into mainstream life.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Disabilities in seeing, hearing, speech and movement have long been recognised. But problems of the mind are only recently emerging from under the carpet. Mental retardation, mental illness, learning disabilities such as dyslexia, and issues such as autism and depression are only recently being acknowledged and tackled. New advanced treatments and therapies are being formulated. Growing public awareness is slowly lifting the veil of secrecy and stigma in which mental issues are shrouded.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />India’s official Census 2011 shows 2.68 crore people in India as suffering from some form of disability. Disabled persons comprise 2.21% of the total population of our country. That huge number is larger than the entire population of many countries! Government’s efforts to generate employment and enhance skills are bearing fruit.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />However, there’s a long way to go before all persons with disabilities (PWDs), rich and poor, from urban and rural areas, enjoy universal accessibility to essential facilities. Access to equal opportunities in education, transport, employment and a non-discriminating and disabled-friendly workspace and living environment is vital.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Only then will our society become fully inclusive. This is critical for enabling them to gain equal opportunity, live independently with dignity and participate fully in all aspects of life. Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 provides for non-discrimination in transport, non-discrimination on the road and non-discrimination in built environment respectively.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), to which India is a signatory, casts obligations on the governments for ensuring to PWDs accessibility to information, transportation, physical environment, communication technology and accessibility to services as well as emergency services.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Individuals and associations are also pitching in to make this world a more comfortable place for our disabled fellow citizens. Several years ago, I was invited to a special camp organised by the Rotary Club in Bangalore. Doctors, paramedics and technicians had been brought all the way from Rajasthan to fit needy amputees with the miraculous Jaipur Foot.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Wheelchairs and other vital items were being distributed to grateful recipients. After some speeches, three men leapt up on the dais to dance and sing. Neither slickly dressed nor noticeably good-looking, they danced surprisingly well to Bollywood tunes. Their verve and enthusiasm was infectious. And then, the dancers transformed into magicians. They rolled up their trousers as they danced, revealing artificial legs strapped below their knee stumps.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Dancing on a single leg, the men then unbuckled their prosthetic legs and twirled them in the air to overwhelming applause. After the dance, they got down to work as technicians of prosthetic legs for other PWDs like themselves! This was the miracle of the affordable and easy-to-fit Jaipur Foot. Designed in India by Dr Ram Chander Sharma in 1968, it is benefitting countless people. A famous beneficiary is the brilliant dancer and actress Sudha Chandran.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Compelled to have her foot amputated at the age of 16, Sudha Chandran continued her career with tremendous effort and the help of the Jaipur Foot.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />People with disabilities, both mental and physical, are now doing well not just in their jobs but also in life.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Thanks to improved health services and other support, PWDs are now emerging from seclusion to live longer and more fulfilling lives, and enriching the society with positive contributions. Famous inspirational disabled persons are many. There are also remarkable PWDs all around us.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Former Army officer Navin Gulia was a fighting-fit young man of 22 when an accident during military training forced him into a wheelchair for life. Spending another 22 years paralysed below the shoulders with restricted arm and hand movement, he continues to glow with infectious enthusiasm.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />“I’ve never felt sad in my life,” he says. “Definitely not for myself. People tend to sink into depression, brooding ‘Why me?’ I say, ‘Why not me? Even Jesus Christ and Gandhiji suffered. Am I so special that I should be spared? What will I gain by being sad?”<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Self-pity and negativity are not an option for this lifelong fighter. “The miracle is in being alive. If I ever meet god, I will thank him for what I have. The right attitude helps you deal with life. My self-esteem is high. I consider myself equal to others. After my accident, my sense of humour kept me going. I focused upon what to do with the rest of my life. I went on to earn my Master’s degree and studied Gandhian philosophy.” He has also authored a book, In Quest of the Last Victory, an inspirational story of his perseverance, fighting spirit and persistent efforts to achieve higher goals by stretching beyond his limitations.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Taking up the mantle of Directing Worker of ADAA (APNI DUNIYA APNA ASHIANA) came naturally to Navin Gulia. ADAA is an effort aimed at helping, assisting and guiding the lives of underprivileged, orphaned, abandoned and differently abled children in the weaker sections of society. “I wanted to give back something to society,” Navin Gulia says. “I connect very well with children and believe in doing the right thing, not to get attention and popularity, but because I want to be true to what I do.”<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />“Writing is such a powerful way to release emotions,” says Arundhati Nath of Guwahati, Assam, whose articles on travel, culture, parenting, current affairs and women’s and children’s issues are published worldwide.She’s even penned a book for children and trained in Hindustani classical vocal music while attending to her duties as an employee of State Bank of India. The first time I met her, it took me a while to accept that this charming young girl had just 25% residual vision, had been through multiple eye surgeries, and will need another one in 2018. She, along with her dignified and gently concerned parents, embodied courage and positivity.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Integrating productively into mainstream life wasn’t easy. “Apart from insensitive or sympathetic remarks about my eyes from people, I initially felt I was inadequate when I couldn’t even read the blackboard from the first bench in school. I never had a proper ‘aim in life’ like my classmates who wanted to be doctors or astronauts. I wasn’t confident of my abilities and loved music, science and literature equally, which is still a contradictory mix for higher education in India. In spite of scoring 98% — the highest marks in science in my Class 10 boards, I was discouraged from choosing the science stream because of my visual impairment. I still feel frustrated, but I’m thankful that there are plenty of wonderful books, websites, journals and videos which can take me back to the marvellous world of science. I do not have a degree in science or literature (as I’m a commerce graduate), but I’ll continue to learn more about both of these disciplines.”<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />“The incidents at school looked like trifles as I grew older,” Arundhati Nath shares. “Depression often reached its peak; and I went back to listening to music and Tedx talks on YouTube, and taking writing courses. I’ve been able to overcome my negative feelings because my parents have relentlessly supported and believed in me, introduced me to books and music very early, and have allowed me to take my decisions independently.I’m indebted to my school teachers: Aparajita Dutta, Ajit Kumar Misra, Rashmi Borkakoty, Mahua Das, Geeta Dutta and Bipasha Deka.In the growing up years, I took solace in music, reading children’s books, and writing stories and poetry.”<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">It’s all in the mind</strong></div>
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<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Mental health issues have traditionally been treated with silence and denial in Indian society.Trouble and tensions smoulder under the surface. Many silently suffer or see others suffering in isolation, and would benefit from open discussions. Government and voluntary agencies as well as dedicated doctors and hospitals are providing valuable services to sufferers and their loved ones. They strive to bridge the practical and objective gaps regarding treatments and care facilities.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Meanwhile, Indian writers are trying to shed light and spread awareness on the subjective experience of mental illness. Authors Jerry Pinto in his book Em and the Big Hoom, and Amandeep Sandhu in Sepia Leaves, have artistically rendered the emotional alternate realities they have personally faced with their own suffering near and dear ones. Jerry Pinto has also edited A Book of Light, with pieces written by various authors, offering fictionalised or autobiographical accounts of dear ones with mental illness. These stories shed “light on the dark areas of pain and guilt and utter helplessness.” The family is our shelter from the pain, dangers and heartbreaks of the world outside. “But what if it is your mother who is wounding you and then soothing you by turns? What if it is your father who seems distant or desolate, living in a dark tower that you cannot enter?”<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />In his story in A Book of Light, Madhusudan Srinivas writes of the pressures to appear ‘normal’ regarding his own differently abled son. “Most of our children haven’t demanded anything of us, ever. It’s we who end up demanding a hell of a lot of them in our endeavour to meet society’s norms. To make the differently abled as non-different and as indistinguishable as we can” for the sake of gaining social acceptance.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Annabelle Furtado says, “There is no shame in telling my story. If it can help others understand that a breakdown doesn’t mean you are dysfunctional, I stand to be heard.” She points out something we all need to understand. “No one is merely crazy. We just don’t know how to describe or treat the illness. The lines between normal and abnormal are often so personal. What may seem normal to one may be abnormal to another.”<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Such books help all of us understand the pain of coping, of suffering in isolation, the helplessness and lack of peace faced by the sufferers among us, and their caregivers. They spread awareness and sensitivity, and can enable us to better support and appreciate those around us of ‘a different mind’.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />PWDs are shining and inspiring us in every sphere of life. Shekar Naik is aT20 Blind Cricket World Champion and has 32 centuries tohis name. Arunima Sinha lost her leg when miscreants pushed her out of a moving train. She became the first woman amputee to climb Mount Everest. PWDs have the potential to excel despite odds. They do not want pity and to be looked down upon because of their handicaps. They can overcome their physical limitations with the help of a strong will. It is up to each of us to support them by boosting their morale and determination.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Motivation and optimism are the key. “If I had a choice to go back in time,” Arundhati Nath adds, “I would change my attitude and belief in myself. That would have eased so much heartache much earlier. It’s our own attitude that ultimately matters.”<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Amandeep Sandhu has the final word on disability — “Life can sometimes be hard, but we can resist being crushed.”</div>
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monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-33046597740012468732017-06-20T14:37:00.002+05:302017-06-20T14:37:45.016+05:30Harilal & Sons Books Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcgCs60VUwMZXMRhTlB1HPSxBid3IZ95VVr3exJjgOvhYbuHWQrXPNLgcSYoC1dcQqr_SxvhayupBeavpHt6mpp9_1_vbJnAhh30R5NBMGyZdJMbGi4hNk7XwgV9iUzhVsRsEZTA/s1600/616639_thump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="660" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcgCs60VUwMZXMRhTlB1HPSxBid3IZ95VVr3exJjgOvhYbuHWQrXPNLgcSYoC1dcQqr_SxvhayupBeavpHt6mpp9_1_vbJnAhh30R5NBMGyZdJMbGi4hNk7XwgV9iUzhVsRsEZTA/s320/616639_thump.jpg" width="320" /></a><img alt="Harilal & Sons" height="200" src="http://speakingtigerbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Harilal-Sons-website-480x748.jpg" style="text-align: left;" width="128" /></div>
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<span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">Harilal & Sons by Sujit Saraf Speaking Tiger Books </span><br />
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<span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">This skilfully crafted novel revolves around Harilal Tibrewal, a Marwari boy who leaves the deserts of his native Rajasthan to seek his fortune in ‘Kalkatta’, the city of dreams in 19th-century colonial India. While India’s freedom movement, the Partition of Bengal and World War II unfold in the backdrop, Harilal and his descendants spread, start businesses, suffer losses and gains, marry, produce children, and die. Based upon the author’s own family history, Harilal’s story imaginatively fills in the gaps in the dry accounts of history. We learn why and how clusters of people from Rajasthan settled in every part of the country, retained their unique culture and customs while capably managing shops and businesses all over India for generations. A strong and fascinating story with convincing characters, set against an expansive historical and geographic backdrop, this is the perfect read.</span><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">The book throws light upon the indomitable Marwari spirit of enterprise. “Everything made by Raamji can be bought and sold if a bania knows how to price it,” says the street-smart teenager and Harilal’s saala, Janardhan. “Like rain, urine was made by Raamji, so it can be sold.” A quintessential Marwari, Janardhan adapts as he works at various ways to make money, transforming into English-spouting Johnny when he strikes deals for sahib Andrew Yule. The Marwari is adept at making the best use of money. Even religious sanction can be bought for a price. “A rupee would do the trick — the Shastras had a way of bending to one’s will at the glimpse of silver.”</span><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">Bargaining is a vital skill, and thrift is valued. “Even a paisa saved in this manner was a paisa that could be better spent elsewhere.” When teenaged Hari receives news from home of the birth of his first son, prudence overcomes his sense of love and excitement. “They should not have wasted a full rupee on a telegram.” </span><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">“Words meant different things to different people, while numbers were truthful. One bowed to context, the other only to the truth.” Hari values this lesson taught by his master in early childhood. “The name does not matter, the commissions do.”</span><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">Ultimately, a Marwari man with many sons must find shops to settle them with. It is this urge to set up a business of one’s own, to be one’s own master that makes young Marwari boys like Harilal to leave the parched deserts of their native Rajasthan to seek their fortunes in the fertile, prosperous distant lands of ‘Disavar.’ Harilal, and later his son Tribhuban, leave home alone at the tender ages of 12 and 11 respectively, to seek their fortunes in distant lands. This amazing spirit seems even more impressive when compared with today’s Indian children, who usually study and grow up under the care of their parents until well into their 20s.</span><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">The characters are well delineated and convincing. Hari’s father, his successive wives, and his many children sport unique traits and mindsets. Harilal himself is multifaceted. Stoic discipline rules Harilal as he copes with emotional upheavals. As his wife Parameshwari’s funeral takes place, he wonders about her soul, which nothing can destroy. In his sorrow at her untimely death, he wonders: “What use did a bania have for a soul at all? Buy cheap and sell dear, Master Bholaram had said. What else was there to existence, aside from stock that could be touched and felt and smelt and bought and sold, and what remained when it had been taken away?” With ingrained stoicism, Harilal knows that a man does not grieve like a child. Life must go on. As he watches his 21-year-old wife’s funeral pyre, he gets the idea of setting up a jute press. </span><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">Yet, Harilal is capable of tender and intimate moments with his first wife Parameshwari, and his affection for each of his children adapts to their individual personalities. He can stand by a friend and love him, just as he can be strict in self-control. In difficult times, he gifts a sack of rice to a needy stranger, the Nawab of Bogra’s driver, while taking care to hide the tears in his eyes. His love for Parameshwari transcends her death. When his father manages to place Hari into a second marriage against his wishes, Hari accepts his father’s will with stoicism. He does his duty while retaining Parameshwari’s memory in his heart. In ripe old age, Harilal orders scenes from his happiest moments with Parameshwari to be painted on his bedroom walls in his new haveli. </span><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">Life is precarious, with famines and riots in the wake of Partition. Yet the story is livened by occasional touches of gentle humour. Harilal’s perspective on World War II will make you smile. “If it was a dispute over rates, surely the sahibs were sufficiently good banias to resolve it themselves. What turn of events had caused Raamji to trap a poor bania underground so he could be burnt to cinders in a quarrel between sahibs?”</span><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">The narrative flows smoothly, and awkward passages are rare. The older and wiser Hemraj’s conversations with Hari seem stilted, as they board overcrowded trains from Rajasthan to ‘Kalkatta’. The artificial dialogues here obviously serve to inform readers of the facts and the backdrop of the story. Overall, this is a thoroughly satisfying read on multiple levels.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">This review is published in Sunday herald</span></div>
monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-87073975087940335522017-05-07T14:37:00.001+05:302017-05-07T14:37:43.086+05:30Manjiri Prabhu Author interview<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I write because I imagine, dream, feel, love and reciprocate.</div>
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And because I have a story to extract from my interactions, from my emotions, whether in imagination or reality and turn it into a fictitious reality.</div>
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I want to create a world of my own and enjoy the trials and tribulations of the journey and finally when it is done, sit back and let the world see my creation.</div>
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I write because I want to create memories, because I want to learn, explore and live many lives and travel with many characters to lands known and unknown. To feel fulfilled, to remind myself how blessed I am. . . .</div>
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I write because that’s what I can do . . . …and love to do!</div>
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First and foremost, I would tell my younger self that she was right. That feeling that she had all along as a child that she was born to be a writer was completely justified. I would like to congratulate her on her success and persistence. As advice I would tell her to be ready for challenges, be patient and learn to take rejections as opportunities to do better. I would tell her to be more competitive in today’s world and go all out and shout out her achievements. I would tell her to go wild, travel more, love more, absorb more and create more. I would tell her to be more in touch with reality as well as fantasy, experiment more and get out of her comfort zone of writing. I would just want her to live every moment to the fullest so that writing would come inspired, faster and better.</div>
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As a child I wrote for myself, content in the art of creation and heedless to public consumption. As I grew older, I realized that it wouldn’t matter if someone read my work. In fact it would be great if others did. That’s when I published my first novel ‘A Symphony of Hearts’ in 1994.</div>
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Over the years, I’ve written and published books, and the need to reach out to more and more readers has increased. Mostly because publishing a book takes it out of your inner, controlled circle and exhibits it to a world of readers with varied views, opinions and backgrounds. Great feedback from readers is one of the biggest rewards of writing!</div>
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The equation of writing for ‘self’has now changed to writing for ‘us’ – for my readers and I. I still create plots that excite me and characters that speak to me but they carry a vision that I want readers to grasp and understand and emulate.</div>
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So publishing my book hasn’t changed so much the process of writing, as the need for visibility and exposure to it. Now marketing and promotion also take a big chunk of my time and attention.</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15.2px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What was your greatest writing challenge?</strong></div>
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Actually, each of my books has posed a challenge. <em style="font-family: "Droid Serif", Times, serif; font-size: 0.9em;">The Cosmic Clues</em> and <em style="font-family: "Droid Serif", Times, serif; font-size: 0.9em;">The Astral Alibi</em> or <em style="font-family: "Droid Serif", Times, serif; font-size: 0.9em;">Stellar Signs</em> were about a lady detective who solves cases with the help of Astrology. So a lot of research went into choosing the right plots and solving them using Astrology in a systematic scientific manner, and not as a superstitious, magic wand. Similarly, <em style="font-family: "Droid Serif", Times, serif; font-size: 0.9em;">The Cavansite Conspiracy</em> takes place in 48 hours and the protagonist travels from Pune, to Hamburg, to the Isle of Sylt and to London in a matter of so many hours. Matching the time-differences and flight timings was a huge challenge. Finally, my latest thriller <em style="font-family: "Droid Serif", Times, serif; font-size: 0.9em;">The Trail of Four</em> takes place entirely in Salzburg and is about non-Indian characters, taking Re, the investigative journalist on a trail set 75 years ago. The biggest challenge was writing the novel like an insider, and combining history with a contemporary plotline. Having said that, I have enjoyed writing each of these novels.</div>
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I write so that people will read, enjoy the product of my imagination and take away something from it. When books sell, the monetary gain enables you to be at peace to write some more. So it helps. It is practical. But I would like to go beyond this materialistic gain . . . to grasp and capture something that is more ephemeral and transient. Memories. For me literary success would be when readers carry me in their memories forever, in the form of my books, characters, stories or messages. When I freeze into their memories, I would feel that I have touched that peak of success as an author and have attained virtual immortality.</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15.2px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What’s your idea of bliss?</strong></div>
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My idea of bliss is complex. I want a world where every dog has a home – which means the world is compassionate enough to understand that ‘lives’ matter. It spells peace and love.</div>
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I also want a world where each being is treated with respect and love and given the freedom and choice to live his/her own life.</div>
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And finally, on a more personal note, my idea of bliss is to travel with my loved ones including my dogs, from country to country, absorbing new cultures, making new friends, writing and filming about it and more, and in the process collecting answers from the Universe and unravelling the mystery called ‘life’.</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15.2px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Your latest novel, <em style="font-family: "Droid Serif", Times, serif; font-size: 0.9em;">The Trail of Four</em>, is set in Salzburg, Austria. As an Indian author, what inspired you to set your story here? Did you feel compelled to make Re, the protagonist, a person of Indian origin?</strong></div>
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I have often wondered what the lure of the foreign books is for the Indian reader. Even today, I believe that books by foreign authors are read more than by Indian authors. And I think it is mostly to do with habit. I grew up reading books by British/American authors and I knew that I was totally fascinated by the milieu and culture and language. Now, after having written 8 books that are based in India but which pop in and out of some parts of the world, I felt this need to explore foreign horizons and move out of my comfort zone. And that is why <em style="font-family: "Droid Serif", Times, serif; font-size: 0.9em;">The Trail of Four</em> is based entirely in Salzburg with Non-Indian characters. However, the Indian in me needed to be satisfied too, so I made Re half-Indian, but alienated from his Indian roots.</div>
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But what really inspired me was a visit to the Palace Leopoldskron and Salzburg. I fell in love with them both. I knew way back, when I first set eyes on the Schloss that one day I would set a novel here. I think I was destined to write this novel. Incidents unfolded in such a manner, rather mysteriously and everything aligned perfectly for me to write <em style="font-family: "Droid Serif", Times, serif; font-size: 0.9em;">The Trail of Four</em>. I think the novel ‘happened’ to me. It got itself written. I simply followed a pre-destined path to accomplish this feat.</div>
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Speaking from an author’s point of view – My childhood was complete and content as I grew up reading Enid Blyton books and lost myself in the world of mystery, adventure and fun. I believe that those books laid the foundation for my career because I knew at a very young age that I wanted to be a writer and create such worlds which offered hope and joy to every reader. Personally for me, that was the first impact of the power of the word.</div>
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Later, as I matured and my reading habits encompassed more serious work, my belief in the written word was only strengthened. A good piece of writing, whether fiction or non-fiction is like a living, breathing entity. It can hook on to your brain and either mess up your thinking or create patterns of thought that can change the world. Either way, the effect can be stunning.</div>
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I get furious when I see dogs or other animals being abused or see nature getting destroyed. I feel that taking care of street dogs is the answer to world peace. I have a philosophy called my ‘Dogtrine of Peace’. Destroying nature is like destroying ourselves. When you cut down trees, encroach into hills and the sea, all you are doing is cutting into the lifetime of your generations. Sooner or later, the consequences will rise like a Tsunami, sweeping off races.</div>
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Other than that I get furious when people lie, and are manipulative, are ungrateful, take advantage of the weak and tons of other things. I am basically an angry woman <img alt="🙂" class="emoji" draggable="false" src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/svg/1f642.svg" style="background: none !important; border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; display: inline !important; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15.2px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: -0.1em !important; width: 1em !important;" /></div>
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Kindness and love make a difference. Do your bit. . . .</div>
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Dr. Manjiri Prabhu is an independent film-maker for Television, a Writer/ Novelist in English and also the Founder/ Director of Pune International Literary Festival. Having authored 9 books published by Penguin, Bloomsbury, Random House USA and Jaico Books, Prabhu has been acknowledged as a pioneer in India among women writers of mystery fiction. She is also the first female mystery Author to be published outside India and has been labelled as the ‘Desi Agatha Christie’. She has been invited to reputed International Literature Festivals like The Agatha Christie Festival, UK and International Women’s Fiction Festival, Matera, Italy.</div>
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Her novel <em style="font-family: "Droid Serif", Times, serif; font-size: 0.9em;">The Cosmic Clues</em> was selected as a Killer Book, by Independent Mystery Booksellers of America and <em style="font-family: "Droid Serif", Times, serif; font-size: 0.9em;">The Astral Alibi</em> was honoured as a ‘Notable Book’ in the Kiriyama Prize. Her unpublished psychological thriller novel was adapted into a Hindi feature film by NFDC, titled</div>
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“Kuchh Dil Ne Kaha”. Her thesis-cum-book, titled <em style="font-family: "Droid Serif", Times, serif; font-size: 0.9em;">Roles: Reel and Real</em>, has become a rare reference book for students of Hindi cinema.</div>
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Recently chosen as one of 50 Inspiring Women of Maharashtra, she was awarded for “Excellence in Writing” by ERTC Global Herald, in Mumbai. She has also been awarded the Rex Karmaveer Gold Medal Award.</div>
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This review is published in <a href="https://kitaab.org/2017/04/19/for-me-literary-success-would-be-when-readers-carry-me-in-their-memories-forever-in-the-form-of-my-books-characters-stories-or-messages-dr-manjiri-prabhu/" target="_blank">Kitaab</a></div>
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monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-47428454491179489822017-05-07T14:27:00.002+05:302017-05-07T14:27:49.268+05:30The TRail of Four by Manjiri Prabhu: book review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This intriguing mystery by an Indian author is set entirely in Europe, in the historic city of Salzburg, Austria. The novel brings to life the beauty and rich heritage of an old European city, which serves as a striking backdrop for an exciting intrigue. The three-century-old heart of a princely archbishop is mysteriously stolen from its place of rest. Who would do such a thing, and why? An insane criminal is out to destroy the pillars of the city’s heritage and culture. Re, a photo journalist and psychic, Isabel the beautiful local historian, police chief Stefan and hotelier Dan, who is managing the prestigious high profile Salzburg Global Seminar in the Schloss, are compelled to work together to stop impending disaster. As the threats materialise and mayhem unfolds, they must figure out which of the city’s many historic landmarks will be the next target, and prevent further chaos.</div>
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It’s a well-crafted, exciting story that will keep you turning the pages all night long. The mystery and fast-paced action are cleverly plotted. There are deliciously interwoven mysteries within mysteries, leaving readers with never a dull moment. There’s even a mystery from the historic past, coming alive in the present. Renowned theatre director Max Reinhardt once owned the majestic Schloss, a luxurious palace by the lake. Forced to flee the Nazi advance during World War II, he left behind a series of complex clues to an unsolved mystery, a hidden secret. As the hours until the next attacks tick away, our heroes must solve the clues and hand over the hidden treasure to the shadowy perpetrator of the attacks on the city’s landmarks. This is the only hope to halt further destruction.</div>
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Isabel’s American husband Justin has vanished, and is suspected to be dead. He has left cryptic messages which connect to the attacks on the city. Is Isabel really an innocent, grieving wife, or does she have a hand in Justin’s murder? Is she truly working to solve the clues and save the city, or is she in league with the enemy?</div>
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This novel is great material for a film adaptation, with spectacular settings and nail-biting, edge-of the-seat action. With drones spraying toxic gas, floods from the city’s underground water supply system threatening to engulf the city, an explosion in a famous cathedral filled with praying devotees and tourists, shock waves are threatening the very foundations of a city famed for art, culture and fine living.</div>
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The plot and the mystery take readers on a virtual tour of Salzburg, and its history and heritage. It is a delightful bonus to the reading experience. Salzburg in all its beauty, is brought to vivid life. The shimmering lake with its undulating blue-green waves, the surrounding mountains, the magnificent Schloss, a historic palace turned hotel that dazzles “like an eternal bride in glitter and gold”; the vivid descriptions are deftly woven into the action. The Schloss, a focal point of the novel’s action, has its own fascinating history. “Concerts, theatre performances, serenades by the lake; the Schloss had created so many careers, ignited so many affairs – it was the perfect baroque dream.”</div>
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The novel at times rises beyond complex mysteries to present a blend of beautiful settings juxtaposed against many facets of subjective realities. “Laughter trickled in from the street, carefree and happy. As if just some hours ago the cathedral had not been almost blown apart, as if the threat to the fourth Pillar was only a frightening dream, as if every ticking minute they were not getting closer to a horrendous conclusion. That was why truth was subjective, reality had such different dimensions and memory was sweet and short.”</div>
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The characters are convincingly drawn, with light but firm touches which do not distract from the compelling action. Re, the photographer, journalist and psychic sleuth, has an Indian father and a French mother. As such, there are passing Asian cultural references in the story. Whenever faced with a difficult situation, Re clutches his ‘Om’ pendant, that powerful Hindu symbol, to regain spiritual equilibrium and focus. Since the author is Indian, one may have expected a stronger Indian and Asian connection. However, this does not dilute the overall reading pleasure. Readers can expect the unexpected, and turn the last page with a satisfied smile.</div>
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this review is published in <a href="https://kitaab.org/2017/04/11/book-review-the-trial-of-four-by-manjiri-prabhu/" target="_blank">Kitaab</a></div>
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monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-63485716539086135062017-05-07T14:05:00.001+05:302017-05-07T14:05:24.918+05:30Shahbano Bilgrami: THOSE CHILDREN book review <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<strong style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Those Children </strong><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Shahbano Bilgrami </span><br />
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<br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Harper Collins</span><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2017, pp 352</span><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Rs 399</span><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">This is a delightful and sensitive tale about the innocence of childhood and growing up, of family ties, loss and love. Imaginative and poetic, with touches of humour and childlike innocence, this novel presents unique and engaging characters seeking their roots.</span><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Ten-year-old Ferzana Mahmud’s life in Chicago is shattered by the untimely death of her mother due to cancer. As their affectionate father nurses his own sorrow, Ferzana and her older sisters Fatima and Jamila, and her big brother Raza, must console each other as they try to cope. They do this by creating their own fantasy world, where they are superheroes with special powers.</span><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">To further complicate matters, their father moves the family to Karachi, half a world away. Landing in a strange city with alien people and unfamiliar customs, the children must adjust to a completely new life. They now live in a large compound as junior members of the Mahmud clan. There are grandparents to deal with; sometimes distant and forbidding, and sometimes affectionate. Uncles, aunts and cousins with diverse personalities must be tackled, and school poses new challenges. There is the secrecy around their late mother and the circumstances of their parents’ marriage. Clandestine meetings with their flamboyant maternal uncles raise more questions than answers. What was their mother really like as a young girl? Why is she never mentioned in the Mahmud household? Why is Ferzana’s Dadi so sad, and what secrets lie buried within the folds of the Mahmud family?</span><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">“My instinct was to tell her that she was wrong,” Ferzana thinks at one point about her dear Dadi. “That it was unfair of her to deny us the right to find out about our family’s past. After our mother’s death, we needed anchorage; after being displaced... we were searching for something to hold on to, to explain to us who we were and why we were here.” </span><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">As she navigates her way through this chaotic new world, Ferzana begins learning things that school books don’t teach. “It was no less a surprise to me, after countless geography classes and colouring my way through outline maps, that countries, like people, were not stable entities, that they were made and broken, then made again.”</span><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Religious differences and intolerance are a reality creating rifts even within Ferzana’s own family. Her youngest uncle, Shahbaz, says in an uncharacteristic fit of outrage, “But the evidence is everywhere. Where do you think this rigid, intolerant, unforgiving version of our faith has sprung from?” Their orthodox uncle Jamshaid Chacha retorts, pointing at Ferzana and her siblings, “What about the filth these people have brought into our country?”</span><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The influence of religious intolerance is all-pervasive and a reason why their late mother and her family are never mentioned. As Shahbaz Chacha points out to Ferzana’s father, “Even Bhabi and the kids are into it. It doesn’t end there... it just seems as if some of them have lost sight of the essence, or spirit, of the faith in the process.”</span><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Her friendship with Shahnaz, their driver’s daughter who is a girl of her own age, brings home to Ferzana the reality of class divisions. “Even after months of living in Karachi it struck me as odd that people were not always seen as individuals but as products of several abstractions which, when combined, typecast them as surely as if they were mediocre actors in a third-rate comedy.”</span><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">People can be dangerous. Ferzana and her brothers and sisters barely escape an attack on their father by “a typical ‘aunty’ complete with full stage make-up... They were intentionally khatarnak, or dangerous, and feared by children the world over, especially for their wet kisses and cheek-pinching fingers.”</span><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Ferzana learns harsh worldly truths when she realises she is being used by her teacher, Mrs Naseem, to carry on an illicit relationship with her rakish teenaged brother Raza.</span><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Despite such grave themes, Ferzana’s imaginative escapades liven the story and prevent it from sinking into gloom. The children suspect the warm and lively Shahbaz Chacha to be “born of a scandalous union”, because he is so unlike the Mahmuds. Ferzana as the superhero Little Furry sleuths around, losing her sister Fatima’s black panties to a devious opponent in the process. She weaves fantasies around her parents’ first meeting and falling in love. A college trip to the scenic hills of Swat and the chance meeting of future true lovers; or Baba as a placard-wielding student protester and Amma as his revolutionary sidekick facing a lathicharge together; she imagines “their pure love a perfect example of the union of the personal and the political.” When Fatima raps her for reading their maiden aunt’s forbidden Mills & Boon romances, Ferzana’s innocent retort is hilarious. “I’m telling a serious story. What do baboons have to do with it?”</span><br style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">As secrets unravel, a transformation takes place in the family. Durdana Phupo emerges from the cocoon of her little-girl room, and slips off her chador. Shahbaz Chacha comes to terms with the truth of his parentage, which is stranger than any fiction the children could have concocted. Dada and Dadi mellow, and the beautiful ending is of hope, tender love and reconciliation. This is, overall, a heart-warming and memorable read.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">This review is published in <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/606535/as-kids-see-it.html" target="_blank">Sunday Herald</a></span></div>
monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-58225483265208365042017-03-08T14:14:00.000+05:302017-03-08T14:14:11.392+05:30International Women's Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
She's an Eagle When She Flies<br />
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(This was first published in <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/599503/shes-eagle-she-flies.html" target="_blank">Deccan Herald</a>)</div>
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On International Women’s Day 2017, the spotlight is on women’s
progress. New initiatives are being launched to help forge a better world,
where men and women will be truly equal. This annual focus on women has indeed
triggered awareness and positive action. Organisations and individuals as well
as governments, have been making sustained efforts to help women achieve their
full potential. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Disparities and injustices entrenched since the dawn of
civilisation cannot vanish overnight. <span style="color: #333333;">The World
Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report tracks the intensity of gender
disparities and the progress made. The 2016 Report covering 144 countries in
the crucial sectors of health, education, economy and politics, predicts that
the<span class="apple-converted-space"> gender gap will not be fully bridged
until 2186. </span>We are unlikely to see complete equality for half of the
human race within our own lifetimes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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However, the progress is impressive. Complex intellectual
realms are welcoming more women, and they are shining with unparalleled
brilliance. Iranian mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani became in 2014 the first
woman and the first Iranian to be awarded a Fields Medal for “her outstanding
contributions to the dynamics and geometry of Riemann surfaces and their moduli
spaces.” The Fields Medal, awarded once in four years, is widely regarded as the
Nobel Prize for mathematics.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Women today are flying higher, and the sky is no longer the
limit. In November 1997, India born Kalpana Chawla shattered barriers to fly
into space aboard the US space shuttle Columbia. A decade later, Sunita
Williams became the second woman of Indian origin to conquer space when she
flew aboard the US shuttle Discovery. Today, Canada-born with Mumbai roots
Shawna Pandya is shortlisted after gruelling selections to fly with eight
other astronauts in space missions planned by 2018.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Closer home, ISRO’s women scientists have helped build India’s
spectacular Mars Orbiter or Mangalyaan project. Rocket science is part of the
day’s work for ISRO’s Minal Sampath, Anuradha T K, Ritu Karidhal, Moumita
Dutta, Nandini Harinath, Kriti Faujdar and N Valarmathi. These dedicated women teamed
up with their male colleagues to set ISRO’s world record by launching an
amazing 104 satellites in one shot. Breaking gender stereotypes, these wonder-women
earned the applause of every Indian. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
India’s women are rising to the highest echelons of the
corporate world. State Bank of India is among the elite seven Indian corporates
to rank among the world’s leading Fortune 500 companies. This gigantic Indian
multinational is headed by a woman, Chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya. She is listed
as the 4th most powerful woman in Asia Pacific by 'Fortune' and as the 30th
most powerful woman in the world by 'Forbes'.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
Indian women are taking centre stage in the world of sports. In
the 2016 Rio Olympics, Sakshi Malik fought heroically for a bronze medal in
wrestling. P V Sindhu earned a brilliant badminton silver. Dipa Karmakar won
the nation’s heart by finishing 4th, missing a medal by a whisker. She became
the first Indian female gymnast, and the first Indian in 52 years, to compete
in the Olympics. Wrestler Vinesh Phogat stormed valiantly into the quarterfinals,
but missed a medal because of an injury. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">To appreciate the changes in our own neighbourhood, I
spoke to talented and motivated Bangalore women from diverse professions and
experience levels. Rashmi Misra is founder and chairperson of VIDYA, an NGO
providing quality education and uplifting boys and girls from the poorest
sections of society. Founded 32 years
ago, VIDYA has seen 3.5 lakh people pass through and benefit from its systems.
VIDYA currently has around 45,000 young beneficiaries enrolled in its 57
projects spread over five states.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Annabelle Manwaring, Pro Vice Chairman, Delhi Public
School Whitefield and Delhi Pubic School Mysore Road, has guided a stream of
promising young girls and boys emerging from her schools. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Prof. Sahana Das, Head, Dept. of Communication
Studies, Mount Carmel College, has mentored numerous brilliant young women to
follow their dreams. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Madhulika Dant, VP and Head – Corporate Search, <i>Daedalus Consulting</i>, deftly matches a
growing stream of highly qualified professionals with suitable jobs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Megha More, Co-Founder and COO, <i>Trueweight</i>, balances the challenges of building a start-up while
mothering a lively toddler.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> With a fresh
masters degree in International Relations from S. Rajaratnam School of
International Studies (RSIS), Singapore, Shibani Mehta is currently working at
the Military Affairs Centre of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses
(IDSA) in New Delhi. Like many of today’s girls, Shibani received full family
support to go abroad, and enter a career of her choice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">These women see growing awareness and social support
for women to realise their potential. Madhulika Dant’s professional career
began three decades ago. “Having given up my career with the Tatas to bring up
my children, I can see that husbands today are more supportive at home, in the
kitchen and parenting. Equal importance is given to both careers.” Megha More
agrees. After marriage, she went to the US to join her husband, but a formal
job did not satisfy her. She wanted to give her best to an enterprise she could
call her own. She and her husband agreed that he would remain in the US, while
she went to a new city and founded her enterprise along with a friend. He
wanted her to be happy, and to follow her dreams. He joined her two years
later, when both were sure of their choice to return to India. By then,<i> Trueweight</i> was flourishing with around
eighty people on board. Having a child was also a joint decision, and they
share the duties and joys of parenting their lively three year old. “Today’s
men are becoming naturally more supportive, and are active partners at home,”
Megha says. “Improved support systems such as good daycare facilities, helps
women make better life choices.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
“While we used our education for financial
stability and social identity, my students aspire to be free,” says Sahana Das.
“While my generation balanced home and career, the girls today include their
individual passion into their profession.” Sahana is proud of her students like
Vaishali Dinakaran, who was passionate about racing as a sport. Today she is a
leading writer on Formula One racing. “Another very bright but restless girl
said she liked to walk. And she walked… Across the Himalayas! Today Shikha Tripathy
has written for Planet earth and Nat Geo and is a travel blogger who organises
treks and runs an eco-friendly resort in Uttarakhand.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: white;">
“The negative attitude towards marriage and family
is changing, and there is less gender rivalry among adolescents,” says
Annabelle Manwaring. “Girls today no longer feel that marriage and family will
curb them. Youngsters don’t feel that some careers are inferior or better than
others. Whether they opt to be homemakers, chefs, entrepreneurs or artists,
they want to choose their destinies and give their very best. They see
themselves less as boys or girls, and more as seekers of knowledge and
self-fulfilment.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: white;">
Shibani Mehta is inspired by a Minister sharing how
“her gender played little role in her rise to power. She never used her gender
as either a crutch or a privilege. That is something we need to consciously and
constantly remind ourselves,” Shibani says. “I find these reminders everywhere.
A young mother, my boss juggles vaccination appointments and review meetings
while fulfilling the commitments of a senior research scholar. I admire my
landlady, who at 78 plays golf and drives her own car. Women are each other’s
best inspiration.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
2016 saw steady advances in gender parity. The CRPF sent a path-breaking
team of 135 women commandos to tackle Naxalite insurgents in the forests of Jharkhand.
More Indian women are donning uniforms to fly military planes, and actively
serve in our armed forces. Policewomen are visible everywhere, and women Indian
Police Service officers are no longer rare. More women are making their mark in
the prestigious Civil Services.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
The highly demanding field of medicine has a growing number
of Indian women doctors. Karnataka’s elite Bangalore Medical College (BMCRI) alone
has produced several young women Plastic Surgeons and Orthopaedic Surgeons in
recent years, proving that women can take on the most skill and knowledge
intensive challenges. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
Indian girls next door are conquering new bastions. Surekha
Yadav steered a Mumbai local train in 1988 to become India’s first woman train
driver. In 2011, she became Asia's first woman to drive a major passenger
train, the celebrated Deccan Queen. Other women are following her footsteps. On
the streets of our major cities, it isn’t unheard of to encounter capable,
business-like women auto drivers, bus drivers and bus conductors. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> “There’s gradual and positive sea-change,”
adds Annabelle Manwaring. This optimism is trickling to the most deprived
women, feels Rashmi Misra. In rural Haryana where girls rarely go to school,
Rashmi has helped <i>ghungat </i>smothered mothers
emerge confidently from VIDYA centres knowing English and driving. Her underprivileged
youngsters have excelled in Board exams and computers. In one of her schools in
Delhi, 100 kids scored IQ of over 120. “Given facilities and exposure, these
children are capable of anything, she says. Boys are learning to treat their
sisters equally. Not looking down at each other as rivals, they are becoming
friends. These girls as well as boys have the capacity for crystal clear
thinking, and are shining in the national robotics championships, Maths
Olympiads and Mock UN.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The dedicated efforts of countless women spanning several generations,
is building up this change. As a young girl in Delhi, I was fortunate to be
inspired by trailblazers in women’s education. Smt. Kamala Sengupta, retired
Principal of Delhi’s Lady Irwin School, and Prof. Bina Dasgupta retired
Principal of Indraprastha College, shared their experiences with me. In the
early Twentieth Century, a few such remarkable Bengali women ventured into
northern India leaving their homes in undivided Bengal. Armed with impressive
degrees from distant Dhaka University, they helped start schools and colleges
for girls in Delhi, where nothing existed. On International Women’s Day, let us
celebrate this spirit of women who led the way, those striving for excellence
today, and for future generations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-55161598651868125932017-01-09T18:29:00.001+05:302017-01-09T18:30:21.335+05:30One Last Look at 2016<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
(This was published in <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/589236/one-last-look.html" target="_blank">Deccan Herald</a>)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1srcZhecJRW2985q1LBJHFM2SpIaptrLQT3rvkpeti6wKXddCbgKyVrU0UbA6uJxNvAI5cX-BXl9z08j07DjWldZrnzuKZr-20KIxTJOMU4CJ45BnLAB7-0_jnybjkm2LUG1Gg/s1600/589236_thump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1srcZhecJRW2985q1LBJHFM2SpIaptrLQT3rvkpeti6wKXddCbgKyVrU0UbA6uJxNvAI5cX-BXl9z08j07DjWldZrnzuKZr-20KIxTJOMU4CJ45BnLAB7-0_jnybjkm2LUG1Gg/s1600/589236_thump.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
As we welcome a new year, let’s look back on the year gone
by. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, with sensations,
surprises and shrill reactions being the norm. We hope that in the New Year,
these storms too, shall pass, and more positive things will happen.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Rio Olympics, the US presidential elections, and Pokemon
Go, the new real world mobile game, got the whole world, or at least the world
of Twitter, most excited in 2016. At Rio Olympics, records were broken and new
sport stars emerged. India’s women athletes’ stellar performances did the
country proud. American swimming legend Michael Phelps won his 23rd Gold Medal
and a career total of 28 medals to retire as the world’s most decorated
Olympian.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Defying widespread expectations, Donald Trump was elected
President of the United States, defeating Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton.
The US saw protests and talks of a rigged election, while several expressed
loss of faith in America’s political system. Donald Trump is expected to
withdraw military support to countries in Europe and Asia, unless adequate
compensation is provided. Trump has indicated a desire to ease tensions with
Russia, praising President Putin’s leadership, Trump has threatened to scrap several
existing free trade agreements with other countries, which he blames for
American job losses. Trump has said that he will “cancel” the Paris Climate
Agreement within 100 days of taking office and will strive to reverse climate
change regulations introduced by President Obama. On December 8<sup>th</sup>,
Trump sent a sealed letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, through the US
Secretary of Defence. The significance of this gesture will emerge in the days
to come.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On June 23rd, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European
Union in their "Brexit" referendum. Prime Minister David Cameron
resigned immediately, and Conservative Party MPs elected Theresa May as Prime
Minister. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Prime Minister Modi dominated the news by boldly ordering
cross-border surgical strikes against terror camps in Pakistan. On January 2,
seven bravehearts died thwarting a terrorist infiltration into Pathankot Air
Force station. In June, a CRPF convoy was attacked in Pampore, killing eight
Indian officers. In a dastardly attack in Uri on September 18th, militants
threw grenades on a brigade of sleeping Indian soldiers, killing 19. Pakistan
faced international censure. Eleven days later, Indian forces carried out
‘surgical strikes’ on terrorist camps across the border. They worked on
intelligence that these camps were planning terror attacks in Indian metros. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The strikes drew unequivocal public support. Even staunch
detractors, the Rahul Gandhi-led Congress and Arvind Kejriwal, calmed after
demanding “proof” of the strikes. Modi dedicated Diwali to the Indian soldier,
whose courage and sacrifice allowed the country to celebrate the festival in
security and peace.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On November 8, Modi made a surprise announcement
demonetising existing 500 and 1000 rupee notes in a bid to remove black money
and counterfeit cash for funding terrorists. But even after a month, many ATMs
and banks didn’t have adequate cash. Long queues were frequent, and people were
disappointed with packets of ten rupee coins or 2000 Rs notes, when they wanted
some other denomination. The general public, and daily business suffered. When The RBI is
supplying over thrice the normal amount of cash, how could this happen?
Hoarders diverting cash with the connivance of corrupt officials and money
launderers, are a key. Such a tremendous exercise has never been undertaken
anywhere. With no past guideposts, the government is tackling difficulties as they
arise. The planning is imperfect. At this stage, we cannot condemn
demonetisation as an utter failure. Nor can we expect a magic wand to instantly
end all corruption. Nobody doubts the good intentions of this measure. Let us
pray that issues are soon sorted out, and that demonetisation, combined with
other measures like tracking gold and real estate, yields the desired long-term
dividends in the war against corruption. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Demonetisation has brought more money transactions under the
scanner, and huge cases are already being investigated. Hundreds of crores of rupees in cash, and gold bars weighing hundreds of kilos have already been seized. The list of post demonetisation seizures is growing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Meanwhile, 7,900 tribals of Attapady hills in Kerala and
residents of Ibrahimpur village, Siddipet Dist, Telangana, are among the
success stories of cashless transactions.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Are these news items evidence of a larger plan to
effectively battle corruption and black money? Are we ourselves ready to change
our time-honoured corruption-tolerant ways, and accept that we are the ultimate
sufferers? Will our elected representatives heed President Pranab Mukherjee’s
call and work constructively? “Disruption is totally unacceptable in
Parliamentary system,” the President said. “For God’s sake, do your job,” he
added, upbraiding the Opposition, and telling them that their disruptive
strategy amounted to “gagging of the majority” by the minority. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Corruption is deeply ingrained in India. The high and mighty
set an example with mega scams through the years, inspiring ordinary people to
resort to bribery and cheating wherever possible. It’s smart to flout rules.
Indians proved their ingenuity in a multi-million dollar scam relating to India
based call centres which cheated thousands of American citizens. Unfortunately,
their party ended in October when several Indians were charged by the US
Department of Justice for that scam. Will our own lawmakers and enforcers have
the same will and the public support to ensure justice?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On December 9th the CBI arrested former Air Force chief SP
Tyagi and two others for alleged corruption in the Rs 3,600 crore Augusta
Westland VVIP choppers deal, which was scrapped on January 1, 2014, over
charges of kickbacks of Rs 423 crore. We hope the truth will come out, and
justice will prevail in this, and other past mega-scams.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In 2016, War and terrorism continued to trouble our planet.
On March 5th, an US air strike killed 150 Al-Shabaab militants near Mogadishu,
Somalia. As refugees continued to pour out from war torn West Asia, Macedonia,
Slovenia and Croatia closed their borders from March 9th. ISIS suicide bombings
in Brussels killed nearly 30 and injured over 200. Taliban connected
Jamaat-ul-Ahrar suicide bombers killed over 70 in a park in Lahore on 27th
March. ISIS backed Suicide bombings at Brussels killed 28 and injured 260.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
April brought hope, when an UN-backed cease-fire eased
conflict in Yemen between government forces and Houthis rebels supported by
Iran. However, in May, three ships carrying refugees across the Mediterranean,
sank killing over 700. On June 12th, a gunman claiming loyalty to the Islamic
State went on a rampage at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Nearly 50
people were killed and an equal number wounded. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In June, suicide bombers and gunmen attacked Istanbul's
Ataturk Airport. 42 people were killed and over 200 wounded. In July, Islamic
militants attacked a cafe in Dhaka, Bangladesh. 20 hostages and 2 police
officials were killed. In July, a lorry bomb killed over 125 and wounded 150 in
Baghdad. Islamic State claimed responsibility. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2016 saw welcome strides in gender parity. Indian women
excelled in the Rio Olympics. Sakshi Malik fought valiantly for a bronze medal
in wrestling. P V Sindhu earned a sparkling badminton silver. Dipa Karmakar won
the nation’s heart by finishing 4th, missing a medal by a whisker. She became
the first Indian female gymnast, and the first Indian in 52 years, to compete
in the Olympics. Woman wrestler Vinesh Phogat reached the quarterfinals, but an
injury made her miss a medal. In another first, the CRPF deployed a team of 135
women commandos to tackle Naxalite insurgents in Jharkhand. Meanwhile, the BMJ
Open Report tracking four million people around the world for ever a century,
showed that women were now almost as likely to drink alcohol as men. In June,
US Defence Secretary Ashton B. Carter lifted the ban on transgendered people
serving in the US military.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Technology continued to amaze. The first flower in space, a
zinnia, was grown aboard the International Space Station using NASA Veggie
system. In April, the first baby with DNA from three parents was born in
Mexico, facilitated by mitochondrial transfer. In October, researchers in
Madrid developed a robot teacher that can sense when children are distracted in
class, and respond by encouraging them. A driverless truck built by Uber’s unit
Otto used cameras, radars and sensors, to travel 200 kilometres in the USA with
a cargo of beer. Will humans be outsmarted and rendered obsolete by superior
machines? That possibility loomed as Google's DeepMind artificial intelligence
won Go challenge against Lee Se-dol. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Environmental degradation remained a burning issue. Climate
change and increased acidity in the oceans, has brought the 25 million years
old Great Barrier Reef in the Pacific Ocean on the brink of extinction. This
UNESCO designated World Heritage site is the world’s oldest and largest living
structure, and the only one visible from space. Much of the corals forming the
reef are now dead or dying. UNESCO has listed 55 of the world’s 1,052 heritage
sites as under risk from wars, natural disasters, poaching, pollution and
uncontrolled tourism.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A report by World Wide Fund and other organisations indicate
that half of India’s wildlife is on the verge of extinction. The Living Planet
Index shows a dramatic decline of 58% between 1970 and 2012. The big picture
pieced together from small news items, is chilling. In August Anthrax, caused
by global warming, broke out in Siberia killing one person and infecting
several others. 2,300 reindeer also died. The Royal Society Open Science
journal published the chilling findings of 15 top conservational scientists.
300 odd wild mammal species in Asia, Africa and Latin America are dying out
thanks to humanity’s greed for bush meat. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Closer home, our government declared the unprecedented
levels of air pollution in Delhi an emergency situation in November. Schools and construction sites were
temporarily shut down. The dramatic increase in toxic particles in the air, was
due to increase in construction, toxic fume emitting vehicles, noisy and
polluting crackers during Diwali, and burning of leaves and crop wastes. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As individuals, we
can make a difference by switching to public transport or car pools. Composting
and reducing non-bio-degradable wastes will definitely help. Let’s strive to
use less plastics and generate less waste during all celebrations. On April 10th, firecrackers caused a deadly
explosion at Puttingal Temple in Kerala.
In memory of the over 100 who died, and the 400 injured in this tragedy,
we hope firecrackers will be banned.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Eminent theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking rightly
observed that this is the most dangerous time for our planet. We cannot go on
ignoring inequality, because we have the means to destroy our world, but not to
escape it. Technology is making many labour intensive jobs, and even some
traditional industries obsolete. This will increase the rich-poor divide, as
large populations migrate to other cities and countries to eke out a living. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the year gone by, astronomers announced the discovery of
an earth-like planet named Proxima B, orbiting star Proxima Centauri. An
eminent group of international scientists and entrepreneurs, including Stephen
Hawking and Mark Zuckerburg, announced a project to send robot spacecraft to
our nearest star, Alpha Centauri. If we insist upon fighting among ourselves
and destroying our planet, at least the survivors can hope to find and reach
new worlds to exploit and lay waste.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
___________________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>BOX: obituaries<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Many prominent people passed away in 2016. May their souls
rest in peace. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Leaders<o:p></o:p></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
J Jayalalithaa, Honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fidel Castro, founder of the Western hemisphere’s first
communist state in Cuba. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Shimon Peres, former Prime Minister of Israel. Nobel Peace
Prize winner. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Science, Arts, Literature, Sports :<o:p></o:p></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Leonard Cohen, American music icon.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Prince, pop music megastar. Purple Rain, Little Red
Corvette.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
David Bowie, British rock superstar.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Veteran Carnatic Music exponent Balamuralikrishna.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Eminent Author and social activist Mahasweta Devi. Winner of
the Sahitya Akademi Award, the Padma Shree, the Jnanpith, the Magsaysay Award,
and Deshikottam Award.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Writer and futurist Alvin Toffler. The Third Wave, Future
Shock, Revolutionary Wealth.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Muhammad Ali, former heavyweight world champion.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Manohar Aich, India’s first Mr Universe. <o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-44630526340470334682016-12-08T11:10:00.000+05:302016-12-08T11:10:36.973+05:30The narrative of Literary Festivals<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<img height="240" src="http://www.deccanherald.com/page_images/thumb/2016/11/26/583249_thump.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As the rains abate and cool breezes begin blowing, people
all over the country gear up for celebrations. In recent years, literary
festivals have joined this exuberant bandwagon, with almost 100 such galas planned
in India this year. Litfests, as they are fondly termed, add glamour and crowd
pulling appeal to reading and writing, which are essentially quiet and solitary
activities. Publishers, publicists and ‘Famous Authors’ of every feather flock
to literature festivals all over the country. With new literary festivals
sprouting up every year to add to the already rich variety, lifestyle coaches, gawkers, culture vultures, fast
food vendors, aspiring writers, fitness gurus, film personalities, film stars
of every sparkle level, and everyone who is anything else, all join the
festivities. With so much fanfare and drumrolls, are these litfests becoming commercial
circuses? Or do they really serve the cause of literature by focusing on good
books, offering a platform to a variety of voices and artistic perspectives,
and drawing in new readers to books they would otherwise never have known?<o:p></o:p></div>
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First, let’s take a look at the not-so-literary but equally
vital practical part of litfests. Organising any literary festival is a huge
exercise in management. The Jaipur Literary Festival, that mother of all Indian
litfests, draws stupendous crowds that can fill up an entire town. Other
litfests are also catching up. This is enough to prompt borderline introverts
like me to hide inside the nearest cupboard at the very thought. Such litfests
are organisational wonders, with promoters juggling finances, public relations,
logistics and heaven alone knows what else. Star guests have to invited and hosted,
air tickets and tour itineraries have to be synchronised, sponsors have to be
tapped, venues have to be booked, security has to be in place, volunteers have
to be organised and trained, and I faint to think of what else organisers have
to go through to present these grand events to the world. What happens in Jaipur on a mammoth scale, is
repeated in varying degrees in all the other litfests. Hotels are fully booked
months in advance, and a galaxy of literary greats descend from all over the
globe. Many star studded sessions are organised simultaneously, and the
audience are spoilt for choice. Food stalls, book stalls, souvenir stalls,
contests, workshops and many other activities are also presented to keep the
crowds entertained and well fed as they pursue the literary muses. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Litfests are definitely big business. The many visitors also
look for accommodation and visit places of interest, giving a shot in the arm
to tourism and the local economy. Hotels, restaurants, tour operators and other
business establishments profit from this influx of migratory literati. Many
visitors consider Famous Authors themselves as major tourist attractions,
jostling to click selfies and grab their autographs. No wonder many literary
festivals are co-sponsored by government tourism departments and major corporates.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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Book sales are only a small part of the commercial
extravaganza. From what I’ve seen, malls and junk food stalls steal a march
over books. Fine dining in fancy restaurants, grand cars and designer clothes
may cost the earth. People still feel their money is well spent on such
luxuries for making a lifestyle statement. Books are cheaper than pizzas and
burgers which we gobble to attain blissful obesity. But books are considered a
waste of time and money by many, who have never read anything but textbooks or
advertisements in their lives. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Meanwhile, brick and mortar bookstores are downing shutters.
Authors like me whom nobody has heard of, are delighted to get occasional
four-figure cheques for what some bright comedian has termed ‘royalties’. If
more people bought, read, and learnt to love books, they would realise that
books are not only cheaper than junk food, they are healthier for our brains and
bodies too. The hoopla of litfests will be well worth it if it draws such doubting
Thimmaiahs to reading books. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Publisher Dipankar Mukherjee of <i>Readomania</i> perfectly sums up the symbiotic connection between
literature and commerce. <span lang="EN-US">“There is a distinction between a literary platform
and a literary jamboree. A platform that promotes literary voices, celebrates
good writing and showcases different perspectives is a cultural and societal
need, but a jamboree to make noise, earn money and create a saleable property
is a commercial need. Both must co-exist.” Which, in my ‘author whom nobody has heard of’
speak, also means that well written books for the edification and entertainment
of humanity cannot be produced with empty coffers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Accepting an invitation to the recently held Pune International Literary
Festival (PILF) I experienced this happy combination of a literary platform in
a lively carnival atmosphere. While three literary sessions were conducted
simultaneously in various halls, street plays, book readings and signings by
authors, and just plain fun happened outdoors. There was a colourful exhibition
on Enid Blyton, and book stalls, souvenir stalls and food stalls to keep
everyone busy between sessions. Bestselling author of mystery novels and PILF
founder Manjiri Prabhu seemed all hands, eyes and ears as she coordinated the
three-day event, while playing gracious hostess to the many literary guests. I observed
author Shinie Antony speaking at sessions and interacting with fans. All the while
she was mentally planning for her own responsibilities as the lady behind the Bangalore
Literary Festival. As I prepared to speak at my own session and braced to don
the mantle of moderator for a panel discussion, I realized that planning and smoothly
executing such massive events was a challenge requiring much blood sweat and
tears to flow behind the scenes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">PILF 2016 showcased multiple genres of books. Mysteries, thrillers, crime
fiction, yoga, comics, mythology based fiction, romances, self-help books, food
writers, health, beauty and nutrition all had a space here. There were also
fascinating movements across various art forms. A ballet was performed based
upon Pervin Saket’s novel about a modern day Urmila, the neglected wife. The
ballet incorporated several classical dance forms such as Kathak, Odisi and
Bharat Natyam. There was even the screening of a film on Lahore, a travel
documentary about filmmaker Rahul Chandawarkar’s visit to Pakistan to perform a
play. And of course, there were the lively street play performances. The
exuberant fairground atmosphere helped in the free flow of ideas as people
moved from one session to another, soaking in whatever suited them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">From Pune, I travelled to Bhubaneswar, where I was invited to speak at
two sessions of the Utkal Literature Festival (ULF). I saw how each litfest has
its unique character and flavor, offering fresh perspectives and insights. ULF 2016
was a more formal event conducted inside a spacious auditorium. While there
were poetry readings in the lawns and a bookstall, there were no food courts or
other fairground trappings. Acknowledging that intellectual activities cannot
be digested on empty stomachs, visitors were generously offered lunch by the hosts.
The focus was upon novels, short stories and poetry, giving equal importance to
both English and Odiya writing. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could
understand the gist of what was being read and discussed in Odiya. This offered
another wonderful perspective on the great work happening in our neglected
languages. There were lively panel discussions on relevant topics such as the
crisis in translation in Odiya literature, the art and craft of fiction
writing, independent publishing, book promotions, blogging and the role of
literary festivals. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Literary festivals are coming up to cater to every angle of the complex
world of literature. Bookaroo, the children’s litfest, is going strong with
editions all over the country. As a speaker in Bookaroo in Delhi a few years
ago, I saw how the playful open air atmosphere drew excited kids to books. Another
theme based festival </span>Comic Con, focuses
upon comic books and graphic novels. Poetry festivals attract many enthusiasts.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Do we need more
litfests? Yes, says author and publisher Zafar Anjum, who is launching the
Seemanchal International Literary Festival in November. Set in Kishanganj in
the picturesque foothills of the eastern Himalayas, this litfest will draw
attention to a beautiful but neglected region of India. Anjum’s literary
venture <i>Kitaab </i>focuses on building a
platform for Asian writing in English. In keeping with this spirit, speakers
will be coming from countries such as the US, UK, Singapore and elsewhere.
Among other attractions, the India release of noted Singapore author Isa
Kamari’s latest book <i>Tweet</i> is planned
here. <span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US">As ‘an author whom nobody has heard of’, I am all for litfests. Through them,
an eccentric reader or two may have come to know of my books. Perhaps someone
may actually buy, read, enjoy my books and tell others. We live on hope. I have
a soft corner for literary fiction, with its stress on the inner life and
struggles of fictional characters, and style and artistic expression. It was
enlightening to learn of new work in other areas. I reconnected with old writer
friends, and met some interesting new ones. I’m still ‘an author whom nobody
has heard of’, and my books are languishing on Flipkart. But thanks to generous
sponsors and hosts, I briefly emerged from under my bed, travelled to new
places in comfort and had literary adventures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">This is published in <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/583249/narrative-lit-fests.html" target="_blank">Sunday Herald</a></span></div>
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monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-61455273674257622332016-10-17T10:09:00.001+05:302016-10-17T10:09:46.936+05:30Eka Kurniawan: Man Tiger.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<strong>This striking novel set in the lush hinterlands of Indonesia was longlisted for the Man Booker International Prize 2016. Kurniawan draws readers into a richly complex tale with the very first sentence. “On the evening Margio killed Anwar Sadat...” The killer and the victim are identified beyond doubt, yet a riveting mystery is deftly built up.</strong><br />
<br /><br /> Why would a good-natured and popular young man kill his harmless middle-aged neighbour, that too in an unimaginably gruesome manner, by biting through his neck?<br /><br /> Yet there are eye-witnesses, and the victim’s mauled body stands testimony to the brutal attack. When the story begins, Margio has already admitted to the killing and surrendered.<br /><br />The killer, Margio, is a popular 20-year-old who drank, smoked weed and made out in shacks in the cocoa planation along with other village boys. Like a helpful son to his neighbour Anwar Sadat, Margio was much in demand for his prowess during wild boar hunts. “While some of his friends got into fights, he wouldn’t lay a finger on anyone.”<br /><br />Just before killing Anwar Sadat, Margio gave clear, ominous signals of his intentions. “Right now, I’m afraid I’m really going to kill someone,” he told a friend over drinks, shortly before attacking his victim. “But of course nobody who hadn’t been there would believe these words came from Margio. He was the sweetest and most polite of his peers.” When Margio went to Anwar Sadat’s house on that fateful day, he didn’t even carry a knife or a cleaver or a rope with which to commit the murder. <br /><br />“Who could predict he might end a man’s life with a bite?” Colourful and bustling rural Indonesia is brought to vivid life by the author. Cacao plantations are criss-crossed by paddy fields, ponds, and peanut gardens. Clouds of mosquitoes take charge over the swamps and ponds, and Major Sadra’s ancient motorcycle loudly traverses the mud roads of the villages. An old Panasonic radio is the greatest asset in Agus Sofyan’s tea shack, where the villagers enjoy listening to soccer commentary or dangdut or other types of pop music. This half-dead machine with its insides hanging out in a messy tangle from an open top “could make enough noise to be heard booming at half the soccer field’s distance.”<br /><br />Soon, darker and mysterious facets of this cheerfully chaotic world emerge. Margio’s abused mother Nuraeni expresses her stifled sorrows and desires through her lush garden, which soon overwhelms the house itself with brilliant flowers of every hue. <br /><br />Margio’s Grandpa “would take the boy to a rivulet he called the Kingdom of Genies” and talk of spirits, and of tigresses, whom many men in the hamlet called their own.<br /><br />“Some married one, while others inherited a tigress, passed down through the generations.” Little Margio wonders when their family tigress, which has belonged to them from the times of distant ancestors, will choose to belong to him.<br /><br />Deftly sketched minor characters with their own quirks further enliven the setting. Occasionally they lighten the mood as the mystery builds up. They also add to the mounting tension by casually dropping significant clues. The worst these easy-going and peaceful villagers do is gamble on pigeon races and cock fights, or hunt down wild boar. Margio’s harsh private world is a stark contrast. As the story inexorably flows in a flashback towards Anwar Sadat’s killing, we learn that Margio did, after all, have this latent murderous streak. He ran away from home because, as he confessed to his sister Mameh, he was afraid that he might really kill his father someday. The news of his father’s death brought him back home at last. Everyone noticed how happy Margio was, but they thought it natural, for his father was well known to have been very harsh with Margio and his gentle mother, Nuraeni.<br /><br />From their conversations we learn early on that Margio took Anwar Sadat’s daughter Maharani to a film show the night before he killed her father. Maharani cut short her vacation and suddenly left next morning for her college in the city without giving any reason, refusing to talk to her father.<br /><br />The mystery revolves around the strange and terrible, yet protective tigress ruling Margio’s inner world. “It was bigger than a clouded leopard, bigger than the ones people saw at the zoo or circus or in schoolbooks. If a man couldn’t control his beast, it could turn so violent that nothing could restrain it once enraged... The tigress was there, a part of him, the two of them inseparable until death.”<br /><br />A heady and memorable blend of magic realism, murder mystery and a deeply sensitive and sympathetic exploration of what drives a gentle soul to kill, this is a beautifully crafted and memorable read.<br />This review is published in <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/576008/of-beastly-doings.html" target="_blank">Deccan Herald</a></div>
monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-15999163315696976772016-10-16T06:38:00.001+05:302016-10-16T06:38:05.778+05:30Viet Thanh Nguyen: The Sympathizer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<strong>The Sympathizer <br />Viet Thanh Nguyen <br />Hachette<br />2016, pp 371, Rs. 499 </strong></div>
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<strong></strong> </div>
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<strong>When tinged with humour, the gravest of subjects like war acquires an interesting and profound colour, writes Monideepa Sahu about ‘The Sympathizer’</strong></div>
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This engrossing tragi-comic novel set in the final days of the Vietnam War richly deserves the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction 2016. The story and its style and rendering are striking, to say the least. The novel startles with the vastness of its scope; the clash of civilisations, cultures and ideologies; war where no party is right, and its futile aftermath; art as insight or propaganda; the many faces of racism in America and in Vietnam; the flaws in the dazzling American Dream, and in the egalitarian Communist dream. The narrative negotiates complex ideas with a flawless touch, showing how everything has multiple contradictory facets.<br /><br /> Momentous concepts do not weigh down the narrative, but are turned inside out to expose their inherent absurdities. Even torture need not necessarily be gloomy, but can ironically be laughable. Even American military muscle flexing can be incongruously self-contradictory. “After all, nothing was more American than wielding a gun and committing oneself to die for freedom and independence, unless it was wielding that gun to take away someone else’s freedom and independence.” All this is deftly woven into an exciting, action-packed plot, with espionage, bombings, executions, military evacuations, movie shootings and musical extravaganzas, and romantic interludes.<br /><br />The novel opens with the nameless narrator writing his confession in a prison interrogation cell. He is addressed as ‘Captain’ by his commanding officer, while others never think of referring to him by any name at all. After all, he is “a spy, a sleeper, a spook, a man of two faces. Perhaps not surprisingly, (he is) also a man of two minds.” This spy hides “where everyone can see him and where he can see everything. “We cannot help but admire his intelligence and talent for seeing every issue from both sides, unveiling the comic and ironic aspects of the dangerous situations he negotiates. He is a rare man capable of laughing at himself.<br /><br />As he writes and rewrites lengthy confessions as a prisoner of the same communists for whom he had been spying, the narrator reveals many conflicting identities. He is a socially ostracised racial-hybrid illegitimate son of a French priest and a Vietnamese girl; too tall and fair to blend in with the native Vietnamese, and too oriental in appearance and upbringing to be accepted as a Westerner. As a Captain in the vanquished army of South Vietnam, he is a mole passing information to the Communist ‘enemy’ northerners. He is a communist sympathiser who studied in a US university to understand Americans through their perception of the Vietnamese. This education and exposure to a decadent culture makes the narrator see too clearly how a war “that meant everything to all the people in our small part of the world” could mean “nothing to most people in the rest of the world.” It also makes him a reactionary sullied by American ideas to the hard-core communists into whose fold he wishes to return.<br /><br />His political choices and his secret police service eventually force the narrator to cultivate his violent side. But his saving grace is his sense of humour and irony. He is “not just any mole” or spy, as his friend Man tells him. He is “the mole that is the beauty spot on the nose of power itself.” He is “more lover than fighter.” With quirky insights, he can turn traditional morality upside down, sometimes with hilarious effects. “Torture is obscene. Three million dead is obscene. Masturbation, even with an admittedly non-consensual squid? Not so much.” <br /><br />We feel for the narrator’s inner struggles when he is commanded to plot the killing of the probably innocent Crapulent Major. He even shares with the Crapulent Major’s widow his compensation money for a grievous accident or murder attempt (depending on your perspective) he suffered on the sets of a Hollywood movie. Memories of his execution victim Sonny the journalist, the Crapulent Major, and the tortured Communist woman agent, whom he failed to protect, haunt him throughout the narrative. This reluctant killer is capable of deep lifelong loyalties and love, towards his mother, and his childhood friends Man and Bon. We grow to love him for his intelligence and insightfulness, his sense of self-criticism and his ability to see the absurdity of it all. We feel his pain as he undergoes torture to become what he cannot; transformation from an American into not just an anti-American, but one hundred percent Vietnamese.</div>
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<br />We share his inner struggle as he powerlessly watched and did nothing, while a beautiful young female communist agent was tortured and gang raped. She defiantly says to her tormentors that her surname is Viet and given name, Nam. Her torture symbolises the ravaging of Vietnam itself, not just by foreigners but also by her own people. If only “we forgot our resentment, if we forgot revenge, if we acknowledged that we are all puppets in someone else’s play...” The narrator’s ironic insightfulness turns upon revolution itself as revolutionaries metamorphose into reactionary imperialists. “How our revolution had gone from being the vanguard of political change to the rearguard hoarding power... Hadn’t the French and Americans done exactly the same?” He urges us to question along with him, “Why do those who call for independence and freedom take away the independence and freedom of others?”<br />Packed with exciting action and undercurrents of deep ideas, this is a brilliantly executed and deliciously memorable read. </div>
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This review is published in <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/567267/secrets-spy.html" target="_blank">Deccan Herald</a></div>
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monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-34555920511733025802016-10-16T06:34:00.001+05:302016-10-16T06:34:45.174+05:30Chitra Banerjee Divakurni: Before We Visit the Goddess<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>Before We Visit the Goddess<br />Chitra Banerjee <br />Divakaruni<br />Simon & Schuster <br />2016, pp 208, Rs 499</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>This is a sensitive and delicately rendered tale of love and longing, of pain, misunderstandings, exile, self-inflicted isolation and of reaching out for affection. </strong><br />
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<br />
The novel spans 3 generations of women protagonists. Grandmother Sabitri flounders in search of love, blaming her daughter Bela for driving a wedge between her and her husband. Finally, she finds her true calling as the creator of delicious sweets, just like her own mother before her. Bela, the truant daughter, elopes to the US with a man who ultimately fails her. Bela’s daughter Tara turns out to be another rebel without a cause. <br />
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Flawed, rebellious and often inconsistent, they make mistakes and suffer, and irreparably wound the ones who love them most. They “appear so ordinary”. Yet their lives are “filled with violence and mystery”. Proud and stubborn, these women are so like each other. If they had had anyone else to turn to, they would never have called their mothers for help. Yet they are also eminently capable of giving and receiving love. <br />
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The characters are memorable, and finely etched. “Why, you could be acquainted with a person for years, thinking you knew them. Then suddenly they’d do something that showed you there were layers to them you hadn’t ever suspected.” Minor characters like Mrs Mehta, whom Tara helps to transform from a frumpy, lonely old woman to a lively person, who happily fits herself into the American way of life, add interesting touches to the story. However, Bela’s gay friend Kenneth crops up as more of a detour from the main path of the story.<br />
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Sabitri grows up in poverty in a village in Bengal, helping her mother Durga make delectable sweets in order to eke out a living. Her dream of going to college appears to be coming true. A wealthy client is impressed with the sweets and the girl who delivers them. She offers to support Sabitri if she does well in her exams and gets admission in a college in Kolkata. Sabitri succeeds. But once in Kolkata, she becomes infatuated with the wrong man, and cannot wholeheartedly reciprocate the right man’s love. From being the good daughter and fortunate lamp brightening her family’s name, Sabitri strays into becoming the firebrand, who blackens the family’s fame. <br />
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The novel opens with the ageing Sabitri receiving a desperate phone call from her wayward and estranged daughter Bela, from the distant US. Bela pleads with Sabitri to persuade her granddaughter Tara against dropping out of college and ruining her life. “What can she write in her rusty English to change Tara’s mind? She cannot even imagine her granddaughter’s life, the whirlwind foreign world she lives in.” The only link Sabitri has to a granddaughter she has never seen, is a handful of photos. They remind her of the pang she felt when she received them, “because she had so wanted to be present at Tara’s birth. But she hadn’t been invited.” The author deftly uses clear, simple yet powerful images to bring home the character’s deepest and most aching emotions. Everyday things like photographs and photo albums capture life’s turning points, and show new facets to those we think we knew and understood.<br />
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Elsewhere, the author uses beautiful, poetic descriptions to evoke deep feelings. When little Bela goes to Assam with her parents, she misses her friend Leena, and realises early on how physical distance can pull the dearest friends apart. “Bela tried to write back, but she was struck by a strange paralysis. How to describe the riot around her: the night-blooming flowers with their intoxicating odor, the safeda tree with its hairy brown fruit, the oleanders with their poisonous red hearts? She wanted Leena to be here, to run hand in hand with her across a lawn so large it was like a green ocean. But what was the point of wanting the impossible? She never answered the letters... But inside loss, there can be gain too. Like the small silver spider Bela had discovered one dewy morning, curled asleep in the centre of a rose.”<br />
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The plot is aesthetically structured around Tara’s life-changing visit to the temple of an accepting Hindu goddess. “The goddess doesn’t care how many minutes you spend in front of her... Only how much you want to be here... The goddess does not care about what we are wearing, only what is in our hearts.” Throughout the novel, small and apparently ordinary incidents change lives. “How she got back at her one-time hosts but learned that revenge extracts its price. How the problems between (Sabitri) and (Bela) began, with words of deadly innocence spoken in a car, and a slap that echoed through the years.”<br />
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The persistent and frequent shifts to and fro in time can distract and confuse the reader, however.Overall, this is a thoroughly enjoyable, memorable read rife with insights.<br />
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This review is published in <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/551775/that-delicate-bond.html" target="_blank">Deccan Herald</a><br />
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monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-8056353343668368002016-10-14T12:50:00.001+05:302016-10-14T12:50:45.605+05:30Usha K R: 10 questions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<strong>It's always a pleasure to meet author Usha K R. Warm and welcoming, a lively conversationalist and an empathetic listener, this lady is as modest as she is outstanding in her achievements. I took this photo at her home, during a chat over home made cake and snacks. Her warmth added the perfect touch to the evening.</strong><br />
<strong>This interview is published in <a href="https://kitaab.org/2016/06/26/the-lounge-chair-interview-10-questions-with-usha-k-r/" target="_blank">Kitaab</a></strong><br />
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<strong>Let’s get down to brass tacks. Why do you write?</strong><br />
To make sense of the world; to explore and order to my thoughts and feelings and understanding of it. Or to quote Flannery O’ Connor who said fiction is concerned ‘with that is lived; ultimate mystery as we find it embodied in the concrete world of sense experience’.<br />
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<strong>Tell us about your most recent book or writing project. What were you trying to say or achieve with it?</strong><br />
It’s still gestating <a href="https://kitaabonline.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/20151215_185901.jpg"><img alt="20151215_185901" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-10292" height="300" originalh="300" originalw="169" scale="1.5" src-orig="https://kitaabonline.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/20151215_185901.jpg?w=169&h=300" src="https://kitaabonline.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/20151215_185901.jpg?w=254&h=450" width="169" /></a><br />
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<strong>Describe your writing aesthetic.</strong><br />
Lots of idle thinking time to allow thoughts to gather and connections to form. Then, when I am ready, a disciplined writing schedule.<br />
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<strong>Who are your favorite authors?</strong><br />
All of Jane Austen, some of Edith Wharton, Henry James, E M Forster …<br />
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<strong>What’s the most challenging piece of writing you’ve attempted? Tell us why.</strong><br />
That which is to come<br />
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<strong>What’s your idea of bliss?</strong><br />
A morning that begins with a cup of filter coffee, a good spell of writing where the words on paper are a close approximation of my thoughts – an exact match would make me wonder, and no calls or visits for the rest of the day.<br />
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<strong>What book/s would you take with you on a three-month retreat in the boondocks?</strong><br />
Lots of crime fiction — literary fiction is meaningless if you aren’t in the thick of things.<br />
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<strong>Describe your life philosophy. In a sentence.</strong><br />
The longer I live the more I realise how little I know.<br />
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<strong>Biography</strong><br />
Usha K R writes fiction in English. Her novels are ‘Monkey-man’ (2010/ Penguin India), ‘A Girl and a River’ (2007/Penguin India), ‘The Chosen’ (2003/Penguin India) and ‘Sojourn’ (1998/EastWest Books). Her novels have been listed for several awards including the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, the Crossword Award, the Man Asia and the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature. ‘A Girl and a River’ won the Vodafone Crossword Award, 2007. ‘Monkey-man’ was shortlisted for the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2012.<br />
<a href="http://ushakr.wordpress.com/">http://ushakr.wordpress.com</a></div>
monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-1584973804683484892016-10-14T12:41:00.000+05:302016-10-14T12:41:40.036+05:30Payal Dhar: Interview<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBZyB4txU10-kRIMN4Pqlr491cylrb1XvZF6l9VQ_jsaGtjlwRno_CLHlx5-GVLH7ADJR45gXsYMFUhqCeFjwRHRAA98JafmVFlsqxPyspRBCDepxYP99Qq8BAU9-UHzsR2_LDg/s1600/aikya+026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBZyB4txU10-kRIMN4Pqlr491cylrb1XvZF6l9VQ_jsaGtjlwRno_CLHlx5-GVLH7ADJR45gXsYMFUhqCeFjwRHRAA98JafmVFlsqxPyspRBCDepxYP99Qq8BAU9-UHzsR2_LDg/s320/aikya+026.jpg" width="240" /></a>Payal is an old friend, and I took this photo some years ago on a picnic. This interview is published in <a href="https://kitaab.org/2016/10/07/the-lounge-chair-interview-10-questions-with-payal-dhar/" target="_blank">Kitaab</a></div>
<strong>Let’s get down to brass tacks. Why do you write?</strong><br />
This is a deceptively difficult question. I’ve thought about it for days, wondering how to answer it without sounding hackneyed. (And does the fact that I don’t have a deep, clever answer mean I have no good reason to be writing?!) The main reason is I write, I suppose, is because I like it. There are the beginnings of all these stories inside my head and the only to find out what happens next is to write them down and see where they go. This process of a story unfolding and then coming together is very exciting. It’s almost as much fun as reading a book.<br />
<strong>Tell us about your most recent book or writing project. What were you trying to say or achieve with it?</strong><br /> I have a few works in progress at the moment. One of them is a fantasy novel I’ve been stuck on for more than half a decade. Some people say I should abandon it, but I feel it has a life still. Another falls somewhere between a school story and mystery story, and also between MG and YA. The third is a standalone YA fantasy where we find out that a deja vu is actually a time jump (!); and the fourth is a secret!<br />
<strong>Describe your writing aesthetic</strong>.<br />
I like to keep it simple. The best writing advice I got was from a journalism teacher who told us that the kind of writing we should be aiming for was “Famous Five” (of Enid Blyton fame). At that time I thought that was ridiculous — why should you write like you’re writing for ten-year-olds? Only later I realized the wisdom behind that thought. That rather than showing off how many big words you know, write so that even a child could understand it. And it is harder than it looks, even when you *are* writing for children.<br />
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<strong>Who are your favorite authors?</strong><br /> Jonathan Stroud, Neil Gaiman, Sarah Waters, Astrid Lindgren (for Pippi Longstocking), Ian Rankin… for now. They keep changing depending on what I’m reading or have recently read.<br />
<strong>What’s the most challenging piece of writing you’ve attempted? Tell us why.</strong><br />
My last novel, Slightly Burnt. Not just because I was writing about sexuality for a teenage audience, but also because it was the first time I was moving out of my comfort zone: fantasy. In fantasy, since you have the luxury of world-building, the realities of what you’re setting your story in are manipulatable. But in this book, for the first time, I was dealing with, for want of a better word, “real” reality.<br />
<strong>What’s your idea of bliss?</strong><br />
Anything that involves cool weather, chocolate, books, games and a computer with an internet connection — preferably altogether.<br />
<strong>What makes you angry, and I mean all-out-smash-the-china raving mad?</strong><br />
Patriarchy.<br />
<strong>What book/s would you take with you on a three-month retreat in the boondocks?</strong><br /> Wow. I’d fill my e-reader with as many books I could cram into it! It would have to be a mix — of crime/mystery, fantasy, YA and MG, and anything that catches the eye — so that I have options.<br />
<strong>Your house is burning down. What’s the most important thing you’d want to take with you?</strong><br /> There was a time when I’d have said my laptop without hesitation, but that’s no longer the case because of the wonderful technology called cloud back-up.<br />
<strong>Describe your life philosophy. In a sentence.</strong><br />
<a href="http://zenpencils.com/comic/128-bill-watterson-a-cartoonists-advice/">Bill Watterson, a cartoonist’s advice.</a><br />
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<strong>Biography </strong><br />
Payal Dhar writes fiction for children and young adults, and has several books under her belt. For almost two decades, Payal has been an academic copy-editor and a freelance writer on technology, games, sport, books, writing and travel. She has been published in a variety of print and online publications, and also done live online coverage of cricket and football. Payal has written six young adult novels and co-edited a unique Indo-Australian collaborative anthology of feminist speculative fiction for young adults. Payal was on the jury of the 2014 Crossword Award for Children’s Writing. Her interests include reading, writing, gaming, web development, tinkering with her gadgets, photography and crochet. She lives in Delhi, but often mysteriously pops up in Bangalore.<br />
Payal Dhar’s website | <a href="http://writeside.net/">http://writeside.net/</a></div>
monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-55523932563826894692016-04-10T13:22:00.001+05:302016-04-10T13:22:20.091+05:30Samudra Arati in Puri<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<img alt="ELEMENTS AT PLAY The Maharaja of Puri (in white) and the Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Shree Govardhan Math at the annual 'arati' festivity" border="0" class="floatLeftImg" height="236" src="http://www.deccanherald.com/page_images/thumb/2016/03/05/532849_thump.jpg" title="ELEMENTS AT PLAY The Maharaja of Puri (in white) and the Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Shree Govardhan Math at the annual 'arati' festivity" width="320" /><strong>On the evening of Pausha Poornima, a unique prayer rose from Swargadwar on Puri Beach. The Bay of Bengal provided a majestic natural backdrop for the resplendent arrangements made by human worshippers. As dusk fell, the beach glowed with lamps, lights, and the holy fire. Chants and devotional music filled the air. Hundreds of Hindu saints from all over the country, the Maharaja of Puri, and other dignitaries gathered for the grand annual Samudra Arati, to be performed by His Holiness the Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Shree Govardhan Math, Puri Peeth. <br /><br />Behold the beauty</strong><br />The Samudra Arati is offered to the sea according to vedic rituals. Hymns and chants rise up with the clang of gongs to blend with the eternal rhythm of waves rolling on the beach. Colourful flowers and other ritual offerings surround the holy fire. As lamps spread light through the descending darkness, the Samudra Arati presents a scene of immense earthly beauty. <br /><br />This prayer to the sea is also infused with deep spiritual significance. It is done to spread the message of peace and harmony among humanity, and the natural world around us. The sea is the abode of Lord Vishnu. Life on earth originated in the sea. All living beings are sustained by water. The sea is attuned to the cosmos, its tides influenced by the pull of heavenly bodies. The vastness of the sea reminds us of the Divine Creator of this infinite universe.<br /><br />The holy kshetra of Puri in Odisha holds great spiritual significance for all Hindus. Lord Vishnu abides here as Lord Jagannath, the Lord of the Universe. As such, Puri is considered to be ‘Martya Vaikuntha’, or the abode of Lord Vishnu on earth. Puri, along with Rameswaram, Badrinath and Dwarka, are the most holy Hindu Char Dham or four divine sites. Through the ages, saints and sages have come here seeking divine enlightenment. The Adi Shankaracharya came to Puri in the 8th century C E. <br /><br />Guru Nanak, Kabir, Tulsidas, Ramanujacharya and Nimbarkacharya also visited Puri. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, prayed here for 24 years. Srimad Vallabhacharya visited Puri and performed a seven-day recitation of Srimad Bhagavatam. The maths and meditation spots of many of these saints continue to exist in Puri.<br />Samudra Arati is performed daily after sunset by the young disciples of Shankaracharya of Puri. It’s a serene and dignified ritual evoking peace and tranquillity. Every year on Pausha Poornima, the Shankaracharya of Puri himself performs the grand Samudra Arati. Pausha Poornima, which falls in January, is considered auspicious for worship, especially at sacred water spots. The sea at Swargadwar (gateway to heaven) is considered most holy, and no pilgrimage to Puri is complete without a dip at this hallowed spot. Guru Nanak and Shree Chaitanya sang devotional hymns and prayed here. <br /><br />The Samudra Arati was first performed here in 2008 by the present Shankaracharya of Puri as a prayer for the well-being of this beautiful world of nature. At that time, the strange restlessness of the sea terrified local residents. They feared a tsunami may come. Since the Shankaracharya began the tradition of evening prayers to the sea, the sea is considered to have calmed down. The present Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Puri, Swami Nischalananda Saraswati Maharaj, is the 145th in the line of apostolic successors of Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya, to head Shree Govardhan Math, Puri. The Govardhan Math was established by Adi Shankaracharya. It is associated with Lord Jagannath’s temple, and is one of the four cardinal maths. The Adi Shankaracharya himself had installed the deities of Govardhananatha Krishna and Ardhanareeshwara Shiva here.<br /><br />The Adi Shankaracharya’s original meditation seat is preserved with care in the math. The spiritual territory of Govardhan Math spans the entire eastern part of the Indian subcontinent. It extends from Arunachal and Meghalaya in the east, to Allahabad, Gaya and Varanasi in the west, and Andhra Pradesh till Rajahmundry in the south. Bangladesh, Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan are considered to be within the spiritual jurisdiction of the math.<br /><br /><strong>Great contributions</strong><br />The Shankaracharyas of Puri have nurtured a time-honoured tradition of scholarship. The 143rd Shankaracharya, Swami Bharati Krishna Tirtha (1884-1960), made valuable contributions to mathematics. Before being anointed as the Shankaracharya, he passed the MA examination for the American College of Sciences in Rochester, USA, from the Bombay centre. His book Vedic Mathematics is the best-known among his many works. <br /><br />The present Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Puri is also a renowned mathematician who has authored over 20 authoritative books on the subject. He is currently working on a textbook of mathematics for high school students. He is as adept with computers, as he is interpreting ancient religious texts and their relevance in today’s world.<br />
The Samudra Arati is itself a wonderful blend of the ancient and the modern. Timeless Vedic rituals have been incorporated into a recently-launched tradition. The prayers to the sea for universal peace and harmony also touch upon present-day concerns about sustaining our environment.<br />
This is published in <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/532849/fire.html" target="_blank">Deccan Herald</a><br />
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monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-63128171189751115412016-04-10T13:16:00.000+05:302016-04-10T13:16:09.252+05:30William Dalrymple, an interview<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<img alt="man of many talents William Dalrymple" border="0" class="floatLeftImg" src="http://www.deccanherald.com/page_images/thumb/2016/03/19/535581_thump.jpg" title="man of many talents William Dalrymple" /><strong>William Dalrymple is a writer, traveller and historian, and one of the co-directors and founders of the annual Jaipur Literature Festival. He is the author of several bestselling books, including Return of a King, White Mughals and Nine Lives. His latest book, The Writer’s Eye, revolves around a collection of photographs. <br /></strong>Curated by bestselling writer and Sensorium Festival co-founder Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi, The Writer’s Eye photograph exhibition opened at Sunaparanta, Goa Centre for the Arts, on March 18; and will be followed by shows at Vadehra Art Gallery in Delhi on March 29; and at the Grosvenor Gallery, London, in June.<br /><br /><strong>How did you start writing?</strong><br /><br />My writing happened in college, and my first book came about when I was 21. I saw an announcement about a fund for research travel for the college’s medieval historians. I looked up in the library for the longest and most ambitious medieval journey I could think of following. So I applied for following the outward journey of Marco Polo, from Jerusalem to Kubla Khan’s Xanadu in Mongolia. The place names were the stuff of fantasy, and so, I felt sure, was the application.<br />
A month later, I received a letter and a cheque for the princely sum of £700. The expedition remains the most exhilarating I have ever undertaken: nothing I have done since, in half a lifetime of intense travel, has equalled the thrill of that 16,000-mile, three-month journey — walking, hitchhiking and bussing across Asia. It was also a journey that, in a very real sense, changed my life forever. My first book, In Xanadu: A Quest, was the result.<br /><br /><strong>You’ve written on the history of art in India and in other Asian countries; on religions, and on travel and history. Which topic fascinates you most? Among your own books, which is your personal favourite?</strong><br />I’m a man of many talents (laughs) and interests. Archaeology, history, various art forms, travel and many other subjects fascinate me. What I enjoy most is testing my artistic talents. Artists have the freedom to move and play around; to try and test things. <br /><br />My most recent book, Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan, is my favourite. It is about the First Anglo-Afghan War, which ended in Britain’s greatest military humiliation of the 19th century.<br /><br /><strong>Which has been your most challenging project?</strong>My biggest challenge has been raising funds for the Jaipur Literary festival. <br />No doubt the festival has grown, and writers are ready to support and participate. But getting adequate sponsors is an ongoing challenge. <br /><br />The Writer’s Eye is your first book of photographs. You’ve taken photographs since a young age, and your photographs have accompanied the text in several of your books. <br /><strong><br />Apart from the convenience of your new Samsung Note, what made you return to photography in a major way?</strong><br /><br />My wife is an artist, and has been an encouraging influence. The idea for this book began from a casual conversation with my friend Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi, who suggested an exhibition of my photographs. I posted some of these photos on Facebook and <br />Instagram, and the response was great. The project took on a life of its own.<br /><br />I’m a micro-manager for my books. But this book was not pre-planned. I was between books. These photographs are a record of my travels during that time. My camera phone freed me to just concentrate on the images. With it I could do things that were difficult with a big camera. With its complicated attachments, a big camera is too cumbersome and obtrusive. It makes you and your subjects self-conscious. The cell camera has this sneaky quality, letting it catch your subjects unawares. I captured whatever struck me, like the wild landscapes of Scotland; my home which I visit every year. <br />
These are random images from my travels, from Leh to Lindisafarne, from the Hindu Kush to the Lammermuirs across the rolling hills south of Sienna; some of the world’s most remote places, especially in Central Asia. I’ll never forget the astonishing flight last year over the rib-cage of the Hindu Kush to Bamiyan, the dark slopes all etched in ice, each river valley white against the black granite of range after range of folding mountains. In the centre of the Pamirs, on the roof of the world mid-way from Kabul to Bamiyan, there are no signs of any habitation — it is a clear, empty, silent landscape lined with frozen crevice-skeletons of unmelted snow. <br />Certainly they have been inspired by the same travels and there are common themes — Mughal architecture, the ruins of Afghanistan, the domes of Golconda — but the photographs show, I think, a taste for the dark and remote, the moody and the atmospheric. My writing isn’t bleak or dark at all. I’m quite proud of the finished product.<br /><br /><strong>Do you have any advice for budding art photographers?</strong><br /><br />Simply do it, go ahead and shoot what you like. Camera phones give you so much freedom. Photography should always be about the eye, not the equipment. It is the vision that counts, not the camera. The Internet is a democratic forum where you can post your photos and get spontaneous feedback.<br /><br /><strong>Have you considered writing fiction?</strong><br /><br />No. I’m clear about my choice to continue with non-fiction. My talents are not of a novelist, and I’m happy with what I do. I’m interested in the real word, in giving order to chaos in photographic images; of discovering and artistically conveying the threads that bind facts together. <br />
This is published in <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/535581/as-photographer.html#" target="_blank">Deccan Herald</a></div>
monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-39753112573946330142016-04-10T13:10:00.001+05:302016-04-10T13:10:31.168+05:30Shashi Deshpande's Strangers to Ourselves; Book Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<strong>Shashi Deshpande weaves a memorable story about human relationships, the ties that bind people, sometimes stifling or tearing them apart, and occasionally uniting kindred souls. The novel revolves around the ongoing jugalbandi between Aparna and Shree Hari Pandit; two people, quite different, yet having more in common than they could have ever imagined. Through their relationship they explore themselves and the eternal enigma; what really is love?<br /></strong>That Shree Hari Pandit “is a singer, is the main thing about him. That’s his life. He was born with music in his genes, he grew up with music in his ears.” Aparna is captivated by his music, and by him, after witnessing a performance. That mutual instant attraction grows into a deeper relationship, as Shree Hari pursues Aparna with boyish spontaneity. Aparna soon learns that he idolises his grandparents. His grandfather was his first guru, he learnt Tukaram’s bhajans and the Geet Ramayan from him. <br /><br />She is charmed by his old-fashioned ways, of addressing her with the quaintly courteous tumhi. “I could listen to him all day,” Aparna confides to her cousin Madhu. “Both the language and the voice are so wonderful. And he speaks English with a Marathi accent.” She realises that she’s smitten, because far from judging him from the standpoint of her superior education and command of English, she admits she loves even the way he speaks. <br /><br />US-trained cancer surgeon Dr Aparna Dandekar comes from a world far from Shree Hari Pandit’s. The only child of a once-renowned Marathi playwright, she has carved a place for herself in a demanding profession. Yet she finds herself seeking common ground with Shree Hari. “Hari’s singing reminds her of a surgeon at work, a precise meticulous search for the place he has to get to, finally getting there with marvellous skill and finesse.” Aparna is also haunted by the tragedy of her late parents, of “their togetherness which had so abruptly ceased. Ended without dignity...”<br />
How can she believe in love, when even her own marriage to a colleague ended because she had mistaken the counterfeit for the true thing? Yet Aparna feels an emptiness in her life, living as she does “in homes that belong to others, among the possessions of strangers.” It’s “so easy to say yes... so easy to submit, to stop thinking,” and go along with the man she loves. Yet she can’t wholeheartedly. Perhaps “it is not marriage, but love itself that Aparna distrusts.” Aparna’s inner struggles are portrayed with delicate nuances, endearing her to the reader and lending dramatic tension to the story. Will she? Won’t she? And will he continue to wait for her?<br /><br />Shree Hari has also suffered, coming up the hard way, and refusing help from his father. Yet his passionate love for Aparna is almost boundless. “I was singing Tuka’s words, I was addressing Vithala, but I could only think of you. Bhakti, Ajoba said, is another face of love... I’ve sung these songs all my life, but I understand what they mean only now... You are my light, my world, my music.” He would be in his late 30s or older, yet he follows Aparna like a lost puppy, and won’t take her rebuffs for an answer until that last straw cools his ardour. He cooks for her, and is solicitous about dropping her home. He seems to have all the time in the world for her, and he’s exquisitely delicate and hesitant about getting into a physical relationship with her. <br /><br />Adorable as Shree Hari is, one wonders. More than a flesh-and-blood man, he seems a projection of what a woman like Aparna would want her man to be. This is, after all, a woman-centric story. Shree Hari’s role is clearly secondary to Aparna’s. Other men do make brief appearances. Aparna’s father and her first husband, or rather her memories and impressions of them, surface occasionally. But the women dominate, and their relationships with Aparna throw light on the many aspects of affection and emotional connections.<br />Jyoti plays a major role in the story. Her relationship with Aparna evolves from patient and doctor, to friendly neighbours, into soul sisters. Ahalya appears as a mystery woman from the past, whose memoirs are found among Aparna’s father’s manuscripts. Jyoti begins translating it to distract herself from her own terminal illness. Soon, Jyoti is drawn into Ahalya’s account of her unusual life, struggles and loves. Jyoti comes across as a positive woman who supports Aparna with her fading strength. Ahalya’s story throws fascinating light on the trials women faced in days gone by, and how they too dared to love, despite all social constraints. She also unveils fresh truths before Aparna. “Jyoti, in getting back Ahalya, has reclaimed the Baba of my childhood... I no longer see him as the suffering, bitter man he became in his last years.” Ahalya’s memoirs in the archaic style of her times, slows down the narrative though. And the revelation that she is a common ancestor to both Aparna and Jyoti seems like a convenient plot device.<br /><br />Overall, this is beautifully crafted story, a slow and melodious symphony with memorable characters, who stay with you long after the last page is turned. <br /><br /><strong>Strangers to Ourselves</strong><br /><strong>Shashi Deshpande</strong><br /><strong>Fourth Estate</strong><br /><strong>2016, pp 322, Rs 450</strong><br />
This review is puiblished in <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/538162/of-love-music.html" target="_blank">Sunday Herald</a></div>
monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-66084140257502021902016-03-04T12:29:00.001+05:302016-03-04T12:29:30.734+05:30The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto Author: Mitch Albom Sphere
Rs.499/- Pp 489</div>
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<img height="320" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51o9t8nYfAL._SX352_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="227" />This is a turbulent yet soulful love story of a talented
musician and the love of his life, who nurtures his inspiration to create
life-changing music. Frankie Presto’s
unique talent in singing as well as guitar playing takes him through the
universe of Western music. Frankie earns dazzling mastery over classical music
as well as contemporary jazz and rock and roll. Music leads him from friendless
penury to a place among stars like Duke Ellington to Hank Williams, Carole King
and even KISS. As a member of Elvis
Presley’s troupe, Frankie becomes the first successful Elvis impersonator. Frankie is blessed with dashing looks and a
magnetic stage presence, as well as a sonorous voice and mastery of the guitar.
He becomes a pop star himself, with runaway hits and adoring fans. He gives a brilliant performance at
Woodstock, but incognito. He meets and impresses The Beatles, Rolling Stones
and more. Contemporary western music buffs will love these threads woven into
the story. Readers unfamiliar with western music will also enjoy being carried
along by the Frankie Presto wave. Number one New York Times bestselling author
Mitch Albom has deftly woven music into a fast-paced plot, enriching an
exciting story that tugs at the reader’s heartstrings. </div>
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Orphaned at birth, Frankie spends his early childhood in
revolution-churned Spain. His mother dies immediately after his birth, in a church
attacked by revolutionaries. A nun promises the dying mother to look after the
orphaned newborn. Cruelly abandoned by this
first guardian, the infant Frankie is rescued by Baffa, the middle aged
bachelor owner of a sardine factory. Baffa
and his hairless pet dog give Frankie affection and a stable home. Baffa takes
him for music lessons to El Maestro, a talented but moody and alcoholic blind
musician. </div>
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This peaceful life of home, school and music lessons is
short-lived. Nine-year-old Frankie meets, and instantly falls in love with,
Aurora York, a British girl, who is drawn to his guitar playing. Their innocent
first meeting is violently interrupted. They watch horror-struck as Spanish
soldiers execute civilian prisoners and bury them in a mass grave. Aurora urges Frankie to play “something that
says we won’t forget them.” That
defining moment “was the first time Frankie Presto attempted to give his music
to someone else.” This enduring passion
for music defines Frankie’s character and endears him to readers. </div>
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On that same fateful day, Frankie learns that Baffa has been
arrested by the soldiers, and that he himself is being hunted down. With
Baffa’s instructions and the help of El Maestro, Frankie is sent to America
hidden in the bottom of a boat, with the hope that he will find shelter in the
home of Baffa’s sister in Detroit. Betrayed and robbed by those in whose care
he was entrusted, all Frankie has left are his guitar, and six strings gifted
by El Maestro. He soon realises that
these precious strings have magical powers. Frankie’s music can change people’s
lives. It doesn’t happen because Frankie
wills it that way. And when a life is altered, one of the magical strings turns
bright blue. </div>
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In America at last, little Frankie accompanies musician Django,
and learns the gypsy guitar technique. From the wings of the stage in Cleveland
Music Hall, he experiences the first blasts from an orchestra. “The elegant twirling
of clarinets and saxophones... even the look of the band... handsomely dressed
in dark tuxedos... And the crowd! Nearly two thousand people!” Frankie realises that he wants this applause
for himself. His struggles slowly bear fruit, and Frankie progresses from the
sidelines to centre-stage. </div>
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Stardom, name and fame come, yet Frankie remains
unfulfilled. He seeks Aurora, for she alone can give him soul-satisfying
inspiration. An inner restlessness grips
this “most purely musical guitarist”, who rebels against the commerce driven
music business. At the height of fame
and popularity, Frankie vanishes far from the intrusive eyes of the world.
Encouraged by Aurora, he plays freely again: “better, richer, because his music
now was passionate, more thoughtful... the way a great painter chooses not just
a color but the perfect shade.” He
reappears decades later to give one last life-changing performance.</div>
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This is a thoroughly enjoyable read with never a dull
moment. The passionate rapport between Frankie and Aurora is convincing. But
the strings of coincidences holding the story together seem far-fetched. True,
an explanation is given at the end, but it fails to satisfy. The device of
using the muse Music to narrate Frankie’s story and linking tributes from
musical celebrities, enriches the story with insights. However, the shifting
timelines can be confusing at times, as the narrators speak of different times
and stages in Frankie’s life. Overall,
this is a first-class entertainer, which could make a great movie someday.</div>
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This review was published in Deccan Herald. </div>
</div>
monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-15815255246749326612016-03-04T11:44:00.000+05:302016-03-04T11:44:04.762+05:30Turn up the Radio<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<img src="http://www.deccanherald.com/page_images/thumb/2016/02/06/527375_thump.gif" /><br />
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For over a century, radio has played tunes to the march of
human history, setting the background music for our lives. As we listen to news and traffic reports
punctuated with the latest hits while driving, how many of us reflect upon the
invention that revolutionised communication? There’s more to radio than songs
presented by vivacious RJs. Did you know,
for instance, that radio signals played a vital role in the rescue of over 700
passengers of the ill-fated Titanic, enabling quick communication with nearby
ships? In those days, carrier pigeons were the prevalent mode of communicating
at sea. Without radio, it would have taken days for distress messages to reach,
and there would have been no survivors of the Titanic.</div>
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Those of us who grew up when TV was just a single
Doordarshan channel with limited transmission timings, will remember how radio
brightened up our days. Latest news bulletins,
talk shows, quizzes, radio plays and of course music to cater to varied tastes;
radio constantly regaled us with never a dull moment. Providing infotainment may still be the most
obvious function of radio today. But
radio technology also supports many other marvels of modern life. The story of
how radio evolved, a product of research often independently conducted over
many years by generations of brilliant minds, is fascinating in itself. </div>
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First, let’s see how good old radio still scores over its
arch rival, TV. Indeed, once the whole world thought radio would die a natural
death with the expansion of TV. But radio reinvented itself by offering FM stations,
which are very popular and offer spunky competition to TV. In its heyday before
TV stole the limelight, we relied upon radio to make the dullest things sparkle
with life and excitement. The sound broadcasts drew our interest, and excited
the imagination of individual listeners to form their own special mental images.
In my schooldays, classmates with their own pocket ‘transies’ were the cynosure
of all ears. Come winter and test cricket season, work slowed down all over
town. In school, we would slump upon our desks and perpetually pretend to tie
shoelaces, or search for lost erasers or pencils. Ingenious ploys to catch the
running cricket commentary from transies smuggled in schoolbags. Ace commentators’
electrifying voices infused excitement into every wave of the bat and each toss
of the ball. During a particularly sizzling international test match, our
teacher must have sensed how her best speeches were assailing deaf ears.
Choosing pragmatism over authoritarianism, she asked, “What’s the score?” Our
terror at the prospect of impending doom in the Principal’s office, made way
for smiles. Our teacher joined us to hear the commentary for five full minutes,
before turning off all transies and resuming the day’s lesson. After subsequently
watching cricket on the field and on TV, I now realise that radio commentaries
played a major role in creating excitement and hype over test cricket. Urged by the vibrant commentary without
visuals to bring home drab reality, we actively imagined an action-packed game.
Minus commentary, traditional cricket is a visually dull affair with players’ languid
movements drawn over five long drawn days. No wonder limited over one-dayers,
and IPL with its cheerleaders and hoopla are more popular versions of the game
today. </div>
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<span class="litem"><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">The famous <i>War of the Worlds</i></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> broadcast directed by Orson Welles shows how radio, with sound
alone, could excite the imaginations of multitudes. Broadcast in the USA as a Halloween special
on October 30<sup>th</sup>, 1938, this series of fictitious news bulletins was
based upon H.G. Wells’ classic science fiction novel, <i>War of the Worlds. </i>This radio broadcast sent many American people into
a tizzy because they were convinced that Martians were really invading Earth.
TV broadcasts on the other hand, show everything while leaving little to the
imagination. Thus TV, which encourages passivity in the audience, dulls our
imagination instead of challenging it like radio.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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News reports of war and violence are clear enough on the
radio, without the support of graphic visual images of violence. This is a
gentler way of making young children aware that death, war and violence exist,
without compromising their natural sensitivity. As little children living in
New Delhi during the Indo-Pak War of 1971, we listened intently with our
parents to war updates on the radio. Lights stayed dimmed and windows were
pasted over with newspapers because of the blackout. We children would crawl under the bed
whenever we heard anything remotely resembling an air-raid siren. We felt
concerned and sad for brave soldiers who were fighting and laying down their
lives. If we were also constantly seeing visual images of this death and
destruction on TV, it is likely we would have grown more insensitive to
violence. Our fear and concern must seem
silly to today’s children, who are habituated to a steady barrage of gory
images on TV. </div>
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Compared to radio, TV with explicit visuals would definitely
be a greater culprit in accustoming people to violence by making it a part of
our daily routine. Scholarly studies worldwide have made strong statements
linking media violence and violence in society. A continuous deluge of sensational
TRP-grabbing images in the media (print, TV, movies, video games etc.) can
desensitize us by distorting death and disaster which doesn't affect us
directly, into prime-time entertainment. When violence and bloodshed is thus
presented to be the everyday norm, it is less likely to move us. This raises deeper and ominous questions. Is
the overwhelming graphic violence in print and TV influencing increased
aggression on our own city streets? If we are impressionable victims of such subtle
brainwashing, then TV would make a stronger impact compared to radio.</div>
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Since radio engages only our sense of hearing, it leaves us
free to focus our sight and more of our attention on driving, knitting,
gardening, jogging and various other things we like to do while listening to
broadcasts. TV on the other hand, demands ALL our attention, and turns us into
passive couch potatoes.</div>
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Music is more enjoyable on the radio, where the focus is on
the melody alone. Glitzy visuals do not vie to distract us, or compensate for
mediocre lyrics, vocals or instrumental effects. Recently a friend shared a
video of a song sung by the inimitable Mukesh.
The visuals were unremarkable, with Mukeshji standing before a mike,
while the staid orchestra played behind him. Everyone wore straightforward
everyday clothes, and there was no fancy lighting, dancing or histrionics. Mukeshji
sang with pure, undiluted passion, and what a song it was! No special effects distracted attention from the
soulful lyrics sung by a timeless, mellifluous voice. Radio supports pure, good
music, which doesn’t need to hide behind distracting gimmickry.</div>
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Radio has revolutionised mass communication, and is useful
in many other ways. Before radio, telegraph was the best way to rapidly transmit
information over long distances. But telegraph used a system of codes, while
radio carried speech. Telegraph required wires, and could not work across vast areas
without wiring. Around 1891, radios began to be used on ships at sea,
preventing accidents and helping in rescue operations. In 1899 the R.F. Matthews became the first
ship to use a wireless device based on Marconi’s system, to request emergency
assistance at sea. </div>
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Radio spectrum and technology has many applications; from
baby monitors and broadcasting to radar and radio beacons. In 1910, Frederick
Baldwin and John McCurdy first connected an aerial to their bi-plane, to
demonstrate radio’s use for navigating planes. In 1921, the Detroit police
first used radio equipped vehicles. Today’s ambulances use radio to monitor and
relay the patient’s condition to the hospital.</div>
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In 1902, ‘ham’ or
amateur radio was first introduced to the U.S. through a Scientific American
article on “How to Construct an Efficient Wireless Telegraphy Apparatus at
Small Cost.” Today, there are many ham radio enthusiasts all over the world,
connected through ham clubs. Apart from enjoying an interesting hobby, ham
operators have been helpful in rescue operations after natural disasters such
as earthquakes, when major communications centres have been damaged or
destroyed. Their broadcasts have guided search parties and located victims in
remote areas. </div>
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Radio telescopes pick up radio waves naturally emitted from
stars, quasars, black holes and other objects in deep outer space. This helps scientists to get a better
understanding of our vast universe.
Given the infinite expanse of space, it’s possible that other
intelligent life exists far away. Radio will play a major role if humanity
successfully connects with intelligent extraterrestrial life.</div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 16.8pt; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
The world has many scientific minds to
thank for this wonderful invention. In the early 1800s, Hans Christian Orsted
began experimental work on the connection between electricity and magnetism.
Further experimental work was continued by Andre-Marie Ampere, Joseph Henry and
Michael Faraday. Subsequently James Clerk Maxwell developed a theory of
electromagnetism, predicting the existence of electromagnetic waves. Heinrich
Hertz proved that electricity can be transmitted in electromagnetic waves. Nikola
Tesla wirelessly transmitted electromagnetic energy in 1893.</div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 16.8pt; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
Indian scientist Jagadish Chandra Bose
was a pioneer in the field of microwave devices. He invented the Mercury
Coherer and the receiver which Marconi used to receive the first radio communication
across the Atlantic over a distance of 2000 miles, in 1901. <span style="color: #252525; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Guglielmo
Marconi is widely credited to have developed the first instrument for radio
communication over large distances. He was awarded the official patent by the
British Government. Marconi </span>established the Wireless Telegraph and
Signal Company in 1897. The work of each of these scientists and several others
was of vital importance. Ultimately it all led to the system of wireless sound
broadcasting known today as radio.</div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 16.8pt; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
In India, radio went commercial in
1965 with the introduction of ads in Vivdh Bharati broadcasts. Catchy radio
jingles won the public’s hearts. Tunes like<i>
Tandurusti ki raksha karta hai Lifebouy, Doodh ki safedi Nirma se aaye, </i>and<i> sona
sona naya Rexona</i> stayed on every Indian’s lips. Ameen Sayani, with his
rich, sonorous voice, was India’s pioneering all-time number one RJ. He first
appeared on radio in 1953-54 to change forever the relatively staid tone of AIR
broadcasts. Sayani made broadcasting history by hosting the <i>Binaca-cibaca Geetmala</i> film songs
programme for 39 years. At the height of his career, he did over 35 radio
programmes every week. My personal favourites among the golden radio voices of
yesteryear were Gitanjali Iyer hosting <i>A
Date With You</i>, and Melville De Mello’s reading of the English news. <i>Yuva Vani </i>programmes and <i>Bournvita Quiz </i>had us kids hooked. </div>
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Today’s profusion of FM channels has
produced many talented and magnetic radio presenters or RJs, each with their
distinctive brand of delivery. Deadpan humour, talent for sarcasm or spoofs,
rich and electrifying voices, the ability to talk non-stop with oodles of confidence
even when they make a slip of the tongue, the most popular RJs are celebrities
with fan followings. Teaming up with copywriters and producers, they make up
the most visible, oops audible, face of an exciting profession.</div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 16.8pt; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
Radio thrives on, reinventing itself
and offering new ways to support technological advances. On World Radio Day,
and every other day, let’s celebrate this invention which brings music to our
ears.</div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 16.8pt; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;"> This was first published in <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/527375/turn-up-radio.html" target="_blank">Sunday Herald</a></span></div>
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**** ****</div>
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<span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">BOX</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Landmarks in Indian radio history<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">June, 1923:
Programmes aired by the Radio Club of Bombay.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">November,
1923 : First broadcasts by Calcutta Radio Club.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">July 31,1924 : The Madras Presidency
Radio Club begins broadcasts.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">July 23,1927
: Indian Broadcast Company (IBC), Bombay Station inaugurated by Lord Irwin, the
then Viceroy of India.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">August
26,1927 : Inauguration of Calcutta Station of IBC.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">September 10,1935
: Akashvani Mysore, a private radio station, set up.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">January
19,1936 : First news bulletin broadcast.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">June 8, 1936
: Indian State Broadcasting Service became All</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">India Radio.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">October
1,1939 : External Service started with Pushtu broadcast.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">January 1,1942
: Akashvani Mysore was taken over by Maharaja of Mysore.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">1947 (at the
time of partition): Six Radio Stations in India (Delhi,Bombay,Calcutta,Madras,
Tiruchirapalli</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">and Lucknow)
and three Radio Stations in Pakistan (Peshawar, Lahore and Dacca)</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">July 20,1952
: First National Programme of Music broadcast from AIR.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">July 29,1953
: National Programme of Talks (English) launched from AIR.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">1954 : First
Radio Sangeet Sammelan held.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">August
15,1956 : National Programme of Play commenced.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">October
3,1957 : Vividh Bharati Services inaugurated.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">November 1,
1959 : First TV Station in Delhi started as part of AIR.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">November
1,1967 : Commercials on Vividh Bharati introduced</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">July 21,
1969 : Yuv-Vani service started from Delhi.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">July 23,
1977 : First ever FM Service was inaugurated from Madras</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Bangladesh
recognized Akashvani for its contribution in Bangladesh Liberation War. On 27<sup>th</sup></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">March, 2012,
Sh. L. D. Mandloi, DG, AIR received the award at a ceremony in Dhaka.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-92213872005030203372016-01-13T11:28:00.000+05:302016-01-13T11:28:15.561+05:302016 Wish List<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<img alt="People hold balloons during the New Year celebrations. PTI photo" src="http://www.deccanherald.com/page_images/thumb/2016/01/02/520856_thump.jpg" /><br />
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As another year comes to an end, we welcome the New Year
with hope in our hearts, and prayers on our lips. May strife and enmity reduce
in the world around us, and in our own backyards. May our elected leaders
continue to work for improving our economy, our environment and the living
conditions of our masses. May netas bury
their hatchets and expend their energies and lung power on nation building
instead of launching tirades against their opponents. May the spirit of freedom and respect for our fellow
citizens and for our motherland continue to prevail. May we continue to deserve
and value our freedom by also being conscious of our responsibilities as
citizens of the world’s largest democracy. May we also remember that freedom does not
mean license to indiscriminately and aggressively do and say as we please. May
humanity survive the unending onslaught of wars, terror strikes and growing
environmental pollution which are bent upon destroying us and our planet.</div>
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In 2015, terror, war and hapless refugees fleeing war, cast
shadows all over the world. Paris began the year with a murderous attack
on the office of Charlie Hedbo, a magazine which published, among other things,
satirical cartoons of various religions, and religious and political leaders. Another heinous terror attack upon Paris ended
the year. Meanwhile, Mali is emerging as a centre of terror in Africa. Hostage
taking, attacks on public utilities are becoming business for insurgents along
with narcotics smuggling. Boko Haram has continued to launch deadly assaults in
Nigeria, and strife has flared in Yemen and in Palestine. Terror has spread its
tentacles to Denmark, where there were attacks near a Jewish synagogue. Peace eluded Ukraine, while ISIS continued to
launch offensives and execute hostages. Somalian militants have targeted non
Muslims in attacks such as the one in April 12<sup>th</sup> on Garissa
University College in Northeast Kenya. The IS claimed responsibility for attacks in a
beach resort and the National Bardo Museum in Tunisia. </div>
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<span style="color: #515050; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The tragedy of Alan Kurdi, a cute Syrian
toddler whose body was found washed ashore on a Turkish beach, personified the
worldwide refugee crisis. Alan Kurdi and thousands like him, died violently while
fleeing war in their homelands. The immigration crisis in Europe intensified.
Thousands of refugees from war-torn Afghanistan, Syria and turbulent regions of
Northern Africa, poured into the Balkans. Many European nations offered refuge
to only a few migrants, turning away the rest. European Union officials
struggled to reach an agreement on tackling the crisis. Western nations are concerned
that terrorists will mingle with genuine refugees to infiltrate their
countries. </span>We pray the New Year will bring peace and reconciliation
among all the countries and factions at war.<span style="color: #515050; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #515050; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Indians can take justified pride in the
fact that India has always been a welcoming haven for immigrants from distant
lands, and for victims of religious persecution.</span><span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Saint Thomas Christians of Kerala, also called<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Syrian Christians, trace their origins to the evangelistic
activity of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="background: white; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">St. Thomas <span style="color: #252525;">in the 1st century, at a time
when Christians were persecuted by the Roman emperors. This is among the oldest
Christian communities of the world. According to Wikipedia, St. Thomas<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span>Christian culture<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #252525;"> </span></span><span style="color: #252525;">is Hindu in origin with influences from </span>East
Syrian<span style="color: #252525;">,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span>West
Syrian<span style="color: #252525;">,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span>Jewish<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #252525;"> </span></span><span style="color: #252525;">and later<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span>European<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #252525;"> </span></span><span style="color: #252525;">sources.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Our fellow citizens include
Jews, and Zoroastrians whose forefathers came to India to escape religious
persecution in their native Persia. India</span></span><span style="color: #515050; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> has generously
sheltered huge numbers of refugees from war-torn Bangladesh in 1971, and later
from Sri Lanka. Over the decades, many of these hapless victims of strife have
found new lives in our motherland. May the rest of the world embrace the spirit
of magnanimity, and continue to shelter unfortunate victims of war and
persecution. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 16.1pt; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #515050; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Bangladesh born author and literary
translator Mahmud Rahman now lives in the US.</span><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Back in 1971,” he says, “I joined millions of my countrymen and
women to flee an insecure life in an occupied land. India gave us refuge, and
for that I have always been grateful. When I flew to the U.S. with these
identity papers (issued by India to refugees from Bangladesh) -- newly
independent Bangladesh not yet recognized by many countries -- I could not stop
in London for a planned visit with some friends... When I landed in Boston -- I
did have a proper visa in my possession -- the immigration official said,
"Welcome to the U.S." That was a precious moment. There's no question
as to what's right today when it comes to Syrian refugees. It would be a shame
if our borders were shut on them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The end of 2015 saw mass shooting in the U.S. and stabbings
at a London Underground station. Terror links to both incidents are being
investigated. Countries around us are in grave crises because of rifts created
among their own people. Afghanistan, Lebanon and Syria were peaceful once. Like India, these countries have a rich
cultural heritage, and were home to ancient civilizations. Yet today opposing
factions are killing each other, while
ordinary citizens drown in the seas to escape anarchy and mayhem. The poison of pointing harsh, accusing
fingers, and spreading hatred among our fellow Indians, is extending vicious
tentacles over our homeland. We must be
alert to nip in the bud messengers of divisions and enmity among the people of
India, and prevent our motherland from becoming another Syria or Afghanistan. <strong><span style="color: #515050; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
We are most
fortunate to be living in a free country. We can rant and rave about the ‘system’
and the powers that be, without being beheaded or imprisoned. May our democracy continue to prosper, and
may we enjoy our rights and freedom responsibly. The mainstream media plays a
vital role in disseminating information. The onus falls on mainstream conveyors
of news, to provide a balanced and rational perspective, which in turn moulds
public opinion and people’s reactions to current events.</div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“What's with our
media?” wonders literary translator and editor Keerti Ramachandra. “Unless their callers, panellists,
respondents blame government, the authorities... they are not happy. Anyone who says a good
word, shows any appreciation of the government’s efforts, is choked off. Why
not highlight the generosity, the helpfulness of the people of Chennai, the
constable, the fireman, the staff of the corporation (who, by the way, are also
ordinary people whose homes are probably flooded) and yet they continue on
duty.” </span><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“</span><span style="background: #F6F6F6; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The
media is getting really ugly these days</span><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, “ says Chitra
Iyengar, a young engineer. </span><span style="background: #F6F6F6; color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“I
miss those days when news was a 10 minute one every hour and half an hour
programme every 3 hours. That news was actual news, useful.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
The comparative sobriety
of the Western news channels in reporting the recent terror attacks in Paris
must be appreciated. Our media prefers a shriller, sensational tone. TV news presentations
sizzle with histrionics, and invited guests are shouted down before they can speak
a single sentence. Newspapers too, abound with aggressive headlines with
phrases such as “strikes back”, “lashes out” and “blazes away.” This aggressive
tone can help pit people against each other, fan the flames of controversy and
deepen rifts and animosity.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When these controversies and enmities move on to
social media, a multi-headed monster is born. Malicious rant writers latch on
to selective quotes and facts, and spread misinformation and half-truths to
further their narrow agendas. Incendiary messages flood our social media feeds,
urging us to react and take sides. </span><span style="background: white; color: #2e2e2e; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The facts get buried under the noise and
ordinary people like us react wrongly without realizing the sensationalism or
spiteful insinuations. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Heaven
knows who will benefit from spreading such divisions and hatred. </span>If this
poison continues to spread, we will<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> surely die in the cross-fire. People
like us must remain cautious and balanced and </span>not hastily react to, or
pass on such messages. We must remember that eternal vigilance is the price of
liberty.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #515050; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Terror is just one among the many dangers
our world faces. Climate change and uncontrolled environmental degradation will
surely destroy this planet, finishing what terrorists have started. Global
warming and the El Nino effect are considered major causes of the recent
unprecedented deluge in Chennai and neighbouring areas of coastal Tamil Nadu,
Pondicherry and coastal Andhra Pradesh. While some parts of the country reeled
under floods, other areas such as 50 districts of Uttar Pradesh were declared
drought hit. Crop losses due to the vagaries of nature, and mounting debts
continue to push our farmers to take their own lives. The Hyderabad High Court
recently described the farmers’ suicides and the crisis-like situation of
agriculture in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh as “alarming.” Delhi, like most of
our urban settlements, is beginning to smell like a gas chamber, prompting the
state government to control the number of vehicles on the city’s streets. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #515050; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“The Paris COP
21 talks could determine the outcome of our immediate history,” says author
Amitav Ghosh. Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates has supported
Prime Minister Modi’s case for India’s growth, saying it will be unjust to make
developing nations shift to low carbon emission green energy, when it is much
costlier than tradition fossil fuels. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #515050; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Governments
and ordinary people are spreading awareness, and rays of hope are piercing the
noxious fumes. India’s total forest cover has increased to 24.16 % environment
minister Prakash Javadekar said, releasing the India State of Forest Report –
2015. If pollution is increasing, the carbon sinks provided by forests are also
increasing, he added. India has been shown as an example at the Paris Summit.
However, pollution continues to grow, and we are yet to attain the desired 33 %
forest cover. Meanwhile, various species are becoming endangered and sinking
into extinction due to increasing pollution and the ongoing human-animal
conflict. The return of the endangered Olive Ridley turtles for breeding on
beaches off the Bay of Bengal, delighted wildlife lovers. We hope they and
other rare species will survive and thrive to enrich the beauty of our planet.
We also pray that our planet itself will survive, and continue to sustain us
all.</span><i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<form>
</form>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There’s more good news to cheer us. <span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">India is,
for the first time, leading the World Bank’s growth chart of major world
economies in 2015, overtaking China’s 7.1 per cent growth rate.</span> <span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The Bank said reforms had buoyed the confidence
in India. Concerns over the current account deficit, fiscal deficit and
inflation have dissipated with the fall in oil prices. It said new reforms were
improving business and investor confidence in India, attracting new capital
inflows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif";">There’s
hope on the international relations front.
Prime Ministers<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Narendra Modi<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #333333;"> </span></span><span style="color: #333333;">of India and Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan had a cordial
impromptu meeting in Paris on the sidelines of the Conference of Parties (CoP) 21
climate summit. The National Security Advisers of India and Pakistan met in
Bangkok on 6<sup>th</sup> December and "agreed to carry forward the
constructive engagement". China was happy to see a thawing of relations
between India and Pakistan, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span>In another instance of
positive international cooperation, Germany has promised 125 million Euros to
help finance green energy projects in Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. May our leaders set aside rivalries and work
together to nurture these green shoots.<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<br />
</span>Meanwhile, ordinary Indian citizens have quietly worked to make this
world a better place. Indian doctors from major hospitals such as the all India
Institute of Medical Sciences, Fortis, Mauling Azad, CMC Vellore and Apollo
have conducted free camps for African patients, partnered with local hospitals,
organised continued medical education programmes and exchange programmes through
the Pan African e-Network Project linking 48 African countries. <span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="body" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
During the recent
disastrous deluge, citizens of Chennai embodied the true spirit of India as
they poured out of flooded homes to help others in greater distress. <b> </b> The official rescue forces pitched in bravely
to do their duty in Chennai, and wherever else their help was needed. <span style="color: #3b3a39; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Among the
many ordinary Indians overcoming narrow divisive forces, were members of Jammat
E Islami Hind, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), who cleaned temples as
well as mosques in flooded areas of Chennai. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As we remember the Mumbai terror attacks of November 26<sup>th</sup>,
2008, let us salute the courageous Indians who laid down their lives selflessly
to combat terror. <span style="background: white; color: #545454;">Slain Maharashtra Anti T</span>error Squad chief Hemant
Karkare, Assistant<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a;"> Commissioner of Mumbai Police Ashok
Kamte</span>, <span style="background: white; color: #545454;">Senior Police Inspector<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="background: white; color: #6a6a6a;">Vijay Salaskar, Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, ASI
Tukaram Gopal Omble; these noble
bravehearts are the real heroes of our country and of our times.<br /> </span><span style="background: white; color: #6a6a6a;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #6a6a6a;">All these brave and
generous Indians may not command prime time TV, but let us keep them and their
ideals alive in our hearts. </span>When confronted by repeated images of
animosity and divisiveness, may we the people of India refuse to take the bait
to destroy each other. May we continue
to stand together as proud and responsible citizens of a great nation.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This was published in <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/520856/season-smiles.html" target="_blank">Deccan Herald</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
</div>
monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-55894770609110621852015-11-04T12:31:00.001+05:302015-11-04T12:31:56.717+05:30Nostalgia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<img src="http://www.deccanherald.com/page_images/thumb/2015/10/31/509334_thump.gif" />Remember the good old days? Those magical yesteryears when
the skies were bluer, air purer, people nicer, music sweeter and life a
rainbow-hued fairy tale. In those mythical halcyon days, love and friendships
lasted lifelong. <span lang="EN-US">Life was all
pristine innocence and goodness. Today's crass materialism and soul-stifling
lack of morals were unimaginable then. At least that is what we wish to believe
when we daydream our way into a nostalgic time-warp.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Most of us at some time or other, have compared<span lang="EN-US"> the glorious past to the degenerate
present. </span>It’s tempting to tell our successors how we were more
intelligent, diligent, honest, better behaved and better in everything than
them. We forget that we too were at the receiving end of such grievances from
our own elders. Our venerable elders would surely have heard similar complaints
from their own venerable elders. Our prehistoric caveman ancestors would
probably have lamented the hairless bodies, larger craniums and more erect gait
of degenerate younger generations. They would have deplored the new-fangled way
of communicating with words as needlessly complicating the traditional hominid system
of modulated grunts. Those new bone and iron tools would have seemed more
cumbersome than traditional rocks and sticks.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nostalgia makes us gloss over the flaws and cocoon ourselves
in an idealized version of olden days. We feel that in the past people lived
better lives. But we conveniently overlook the fact that their lives were
shorter because of smallpox, cholera and other ailments which can be cured
today. <span lang="EN-US">Let's carry the argument
further. If the past was indeed perfectly wonderful, what about the Thugs who
waylaid innocent travelers on the Grand Trunk Road, and the murderous hordes of</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span>Genghis<span lang="EN-US">
Khan and</span> Timurlane's<span lang="EN-US">
armies? They too belonged to the golden past. Life in the Middle Ages or Dark
Ages as modern ignoramuses call it, was a time of faith. Blind faith. The
people were discouraged to learn and ask questions. Thus they were protected
from unpalatable truths. The Salem Witch Trials and the Spanish Inquisition
belonged to the golden past too. In our own land, widows were routinely burnt
upon their husbands’ funeral pyres. Human sacrifice, slavery and other
progressive social customs prevailed along with all sorts of superstitions and
taboos. People dared not cross the seas and travel to foreign lands for fear of
being excommunicated from respectable society. Time</span>-honoured<span lang="EN-US"> institutions, sadly forgotten
today. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">In the distant
past, cavemen led the purest life. No hectic work schedules; no money, and
therefore no need to chase that root of all evil. Issues were resolved swiftly
and decisively. They simply smashed opponents with their clubs and either
killed, or got killed. The apelike forefathers of the Homo Sapiens lived on a
higher plane above their degenerate future progeny. They thrived close to
nature with their heads up high, usually in the branches of trees. The remoter
the past, the grander everything was. Just think of the dinosaurs. Those
primeval monsters truly lived life king size.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So are we the inferior waste products of history and
pre-history? Is Darwin’s theory of evolution a crazy myth? Is human
civilization hurtling toward a cultural compost pit? Think about it. Is
nostalgia deceiving us? Was the past ever perfect? Is the present merely
imperfect continuous? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Idealized images from the past have their uses. When the
computer gives up its ghost to a virus, or when the Internet grinds to a crawl,
it’s therapeutic to go strolling through the tranquil bends of memory lane.
Sentimental longing and wistful affection for the past; treasuring selective airbrushed
and rose-tinted mental images of times long gone; that’s what nostalgia is all
about. It’s but human to long for a home and loved ones, who have changed
considerably with time. Even loved things such as old movies or books can
trigger feelings of nostalgia. An old Lata Mangeshkar, Bob Marley, Bob Dylan or
Kishore Kumar song can unlock the gates of magical memories, depending upon the
generation and culture to which the listener belongs. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nostalgia smooths and softens the rough edges of things from
the past. In the words of Doug Larson, nostalgia is a device that removes the
potholes from memory lane. <span lang="EN-US">Nostalgia can add cheer and joy to our rat-race weary lives. How
magical it is to leaf to your childhood autograph book, filled with scrawls
from school pals, teachers, and those film stars who shot a scene in your
school if you were lucky enough. Oh, that dreamy feeling of reliving old
memories as you view sepia tinted photographs in the family album! Have you
ever felt more delight and contentment? The aromas of your mother’s cooking;
that camping trip you took with your father; the warmth of his hug as you
snuggled into your grandfather’s lap and listened to his stories; our dear
elders had made our lives worth living. They were only human, and not
all-powerful superheroes. But when we were young, they were perfect in our eyes
as they lovingly nurtured us into becoming what we are today. Some of them have left this world, but their
affectionate memories continue to guide and uplift us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Inanimate
objects like</span> favourite<span lang="EN-US">
books, songs or movies can similarly boost our spirits. They gain this power
because of their association with our dearest people and happy events from the
past. That movie or song is evergreen because we enjoyed it in the company of
friends from our carefree schooldays. That</span> favourite<span lang="EN-US"> book is often the one a beloved parent or teacher
gifted us, opening our intellectual perspective in an amazing new way. Whenever
I pass a Subway sandwich shop in any city, I am flooded with soft-focus
memories of the lively addas I once enjoyed with my children’s author friends
in a cozy Subway branch in Bengaluru. We all live in different cities now.
Distance and time draws old friends apart. But nostalgic memories can bring back
some of that old happy glow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Pleasant
memories can help us tide over hard times. I remember how my late brother was once
passing through a rough phase in life. When I visited him, we sat together
leafing through old photos of our shared childhood. Then, he brought out his
file of testimonials. That letter of appreciation from a visiting dignitary;
that photo with a famous film star; a glowing recommendation from a former
employer; those newspaper clippings; all helped gradually ease his frown and
bring back the spring in his stride. Drawing a deep breath, he then readied to
face the challenges ahead with fresh hope and energy. Nostalgia helps us
overcome setbacks. It reminds us that if winter has come, spring cannot be far
behind. If we succeeded before, we have the capacity to succeed again in our
endeavors. Nostalgia can give us hope and courage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Nostalgia
is a great way of creating and nurturing human ties. Families and friends bond
over happy memories, sharing experiences and emotions. School and college
alumni associations are strengthened by nostalgia. When I attended a meeting of
the Lady Shri Ram College Alumna Association in Bangalore, I had hoped to
reunite with long lost friends from my college days in New Delhi. I scanned the
unfamiliar names and faces of attendees, who ranged from august ladies to
youngsters who looked as though they had bunked lectures to be there. I didn’t
find a dear old friend, but as I chatted with the others, I realized we all shared
memories. Our</span> favourite<span lang="EN-US">
teachers, discovering fascinating books in the library and bonding over snacks
at the college canteen; we had been there and enjoyed the same things. People
may have studied different courses, and may be born generations apart. But
getting together to celebrate the glory of the shared alma mater can draw
diverse people closer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Our
memories of what was good in our past, can guide us to build good things in our
future. I sometimes feel nostalgic about dear Melly Aunty, an especially
friendly and caring neighbour from decades ago. These memories stand as
guidelines for my own behavior today. Nostalgia
can help us understand the things that matter the most to us; the memories and
emotions that leave a lasting impression in our minds when all else has passed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Nostalgia
can enrich literature and history. Rabindranath Tagore’s enchanting memoir <i>My Reminisces,</i> brings to vivid life
Tagore’s unique childhood world as he grew up in the thick of the Bengal
Renaissance. Qais Abdul Omar’s <i>Fort of
Nine Towers </i>is a moving account of his personal experiences of the beauty
of Afghanistan as it was, and of the horrors of recent decades of violence in
his homeland.<i> </i>In addition to being
memorable reads, such books also help readers experience past realities which
they would otherwise never have known. Such memoirs flesh out the gaps and show
us the human side of the past overlooked by dry factual history textbooks. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I</span><span lang="EN">t’s easy to let the magical enchantment of
nostalgia overwhelm our sense of present day reality. We must strike a balance
and take care not to get carried away. “Nostalgia is a seductive liar,” as
George Wildman Ball so aptly put it. It </span><span lang="EN-US">amplifies the glories of the past and can
encourage people to ignore what they can do today. It can make us resist new
ideas, progress and innovation as we yearn for what is dead and gone. Love for
a glorious past can blind us to the good things in the present. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN">This</span><span lang="EN-US"> ambiguous and bittersweet emotion
can also sink us in the quicksand of regrets. We need to guard ourselves from wallowing
in misgivings; of dwelling upon what could have been, rather than focusing on
the here and now. I remember being with
a friend as she lamented the lost promise of her youth. If only she had built
upon her bright academic career and pursued her dream of joining the Civil
Services. Meanwhile her little son tugged at her dress, pleading for attention.
She scolded him for interrupting while she was talking. The little one toddled
away with downcast head. A crushed flower fell from his tiny hand. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">We will be
the ultimate losers if we allow nostalgia to distract us from appreciating life
as it is now. It’s important to use our memories of the positive aspects of the
past, to improve current circumstances. This can help strengthen our will to
move ahead and grow. Sometimes the pain of regrets may be unbearable. That’s
when we must delve into our nostalgic impressions of the good times, and
remember our positive achievements. This will revitalize our hopes, and help us
to forgive ourselves. As a writer so aptly put it, peopl<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>e
find it hard to be happy because they always see the past better than it was,
the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Dwelling in
a self-created prison of nostalgia can stunt our thinking and vision. Albums,
autograph books, school yearbooks and mementoes get damaged or lost as the
years go by. In this never-ending
rat-race, the pressures of deadlines, cut-throat competition, soaring inflation
and plunging sales graphs all take their toll. We can’t afford to let ourselves
be embalmed in old memories. In the course of moving houses, I’ve lost that
book inscribed by a long-lost friend. Tears fill my eyes because I cannot find
those dainty <i>sandesh</i></span> moulds<span lang="EN-US"> my late aunt used to shape
mouth-watering Bengali sweets. Physical symbols of our most precious memories
fade away with the passage of time, leaving us emotionally orphaned. I try to convince myself that indulging in
nostalgia for what cannot be retained, will make me as obsolete as the defunct
past. Instead of mourning the lost sweet</span> moulds<span lang="EN-US">, I hope to replicate some of my aunt’s
gracious, forgiving attitude. I feel that would be her best memorial. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Dipping
into nostalgic memories is a lovely way to soothe and revitalize our souls. But
we must take care to dwell just long enough, and not lose ourselves in
nostalgia. Our focus should be to use that fresh energy and insight to face
today’s challenges with renewed vigour. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
This was published in <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/509334/those-were-days.html" target="_blank">Sunday Herald</a></div>
monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31157419.post-26378408941824649952015-09-13T12:03:00.002+05:302015-09-13T12:03:36.960+05:30cleaning India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<img src="http://www.deccanherald.com/page_images/thumb/2015/09/12/500587_thump.gif" /><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
On October 2<sup>nd</sup> 2014, wondrous scenes unfolded in
India’s public spaces. True to the spirit of the Mahatma, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi celebrated Gandhi Jayanti by taking to the streets with a broom
to launch the <i>Swachh Bharat </i>or Clean
India campaign. The media was soon flooded with broom-wielding images of netas<i>, </i>government babus, celebrities of
motley hues, and ordinary people like us. Over 31 lakh central government
employees from all over the country paused from tying red tape, to pledge to
clean up India. Since then, Facebook, WhatsApp and the rest of cyberspace are
flooded with memes, jokes and publicity shots of who is doing what to clean up
this country. The Clean India campaign is an ongoing one, with multiple
suitably impressive goals. Meanwhile, we debate the issue in the social media,
sign pledges, and sometimes even flourish a mop for effect. We then continue to
relieve ourselves at the nearest roadside wall, and toss our garbage at the
neighbours’ doorstep. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So is all this flurry of real and virtual activity leading
the way to a cleaner India? Will pouring public money into more toilets be
enough to keep our cities and villages clean? How can we counter the surge of
environmental pollution from industries? What will happen when people misuse
the toilets, and then return to squatting behind bushes or emptying their
bladders upon public walls, because the toilets no longer work? Will a carpet
ever be found, under which we can brush the mountains of garbage being
generated by our cities? Will the dream of a clean India remain just a dream?
Can people like us help turn that dream into reality?</div>
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Half a century ago, V.S. Naipaul observed in <i>An Area
of Darkness</i> how Indians defecate everywhere. They mostly defecate beside
the railway tracks. They also defecate on the beaches; they defecate on the
hills; they defecate on the riverbanks, he pointed out. We Indians were
profoundly hurt. We blushed, we bristled with indignation and we took umbrage.
Yet the more things have changed, things and we ourselves, have remained the
same. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This isn’t the first time the government has taken
initiatives to clean up our country. The Rural Sanitation Program of the
eighties was restructured into the Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) and
relaunched in 1999. To boost the TSC, in 2003 the government launched an award
for overall sanitation coverage, maintaining clean public spaces and open
defecation -free panchayat villages, blocks and districts. This award was called Nirmal Gram Puraskar.
Then in 2012, the TSC was renamed Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA). The campaign was
revived in a new avatar as the current Clean India/ Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Even
more funds have now been allocated, and constant drum beating in the media,
among other things, has made this campaign more attention grabbing than ever
before. The government’s and our fervent hope is that all this hoopla will
translate into tangible and lasting improvements. While some other developing nations such as the
Philippines also have the problem of open defecation, India’s predicament is in
a class apart. India has the world’s largest number of open defecators. Therefore,
the cleanliness drive is of special importance to us. According to plans,
around 600 million Indians who now relieve themselves in public view because
they have no choice, will all have the benefit of private flush toilets within
the next five years. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We are sometimes embarrassed by the sight of gentlemen hopping
out of their Mercedes to urinate upon conveniently located walls. Don’t we all
have relatives and friends who indiscriminately generate plastic waste, or toss
garbage wherever they like? We hope the awareness campaigns will also change
the mindsets of such educated urban citizens like us. The Intensive drive for
awareness also hopes to cover people from all social and economic segments in
interior areas of the country. We can do our bit here, by pointing fingers at
the wrongdoers among us, and hope to shame them into better behaviour. After
all, clean households and a clean environment will help us all stay healthy and
keep communicable diseases at bay. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The current Clean India campaign is a multi-pronged ongoing drive,
and not a short-lived action and publicity blitz. The Prime Minister is keen on
involving the entire country, and hopes that the campaign will inspire youth
and encourage everyone to follow his steps. Innovative ways are being explored
to encourage cleanliness. Social media is being used as a key platform to
spread the message of the cleanliness drive. Our Vibrant festivals are also to
become occasions for spreading the good word. The Ministry of Drinking Water
and Sanitation has evolved a new campaign strategy to spread the message of
‘Swachh Bharat and safe drinking water’ at festivals such as the Kumbh Melas,
where lakhs of people come together. The renowned Meenakshi Kalyanam festival
of Madurai in Tamil Nadu and the Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir will soon
be occasions to spread awareness among pilgrims coming from far and wide. Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra of Puri, Odisha,
Maharashtra’s Pandharpur Palkhi Yatra, and Bihar’s Sonepur Livestock Fair are
among the festivals recommended by the Ministry as platforms for launching the
campaign. </div>
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<br /></div>
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By 2019, the
authorities and we, hope that Indians everywhere and from all walks of life will
know and actively participate in the cleanliness drive. The drive envisages:</div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"> Construction of sanitary toilets for
households below the poverty line, offering government subsidy where
applicable. </li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Upgrading
existing dry pit latrines without a water seal, into low-cost sanitary
latrines.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Constructing
village sanitary complexes for women, with facilities for hand pumping,
bathing, and washing. This can be done where there isn’t enough land or
space within houses, and where village panchayats consent to maintain
the facilities.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Total
sanitation of villages through the construction of drains, soakage pits,
solid and liquid waste disposal.</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let’s hope that key people in the government and in the
private sector help the Prime Minister make this campaign a success. May this
campaign fire the public imagination and involve the entire country. Only with
widespread participation and commitment will the dream of a cleaner India be
realised.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The path charted out by the Swachh Bharat campaign doesn’t
quite perfectly address all aspects of cleanliness. The programme leaves some
gaps in the complete sanitation chain, which goes beyond building better and
cleaner toilets. What will happen, for example, when the toilet pits fill up?
That’s happening in some states like Kerala with high sanitation coverage.
Existing treatment facilities are inadequate to deal with overflowing pits.
This creates a different health hazard. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The programme stresses upon providing toilets and offering
subsidies. But many toilets are later misused and stop working. Sometimes the
money is siphoned off by unscrupulous officials and the toilets exist only on
paper. Despite all official efforts and in spite of increasing prosperity,
access to education and information, too many of our fellow citizens simply
don’t care. They will not properly use and maintain what they have, let alone
make efforts to improve things.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Despite these inherent stumbling blocks, palpable positive
change has happened in pockets in our own country. Best and lasting improvement
has been seen where various agencies and the people themselves, have actively
coordinated their efforts at all levels to achieve a common goal. In the 1990s,
the Nandigram II block in West Bengal became the first block in India to take
pride in providing a sanitary toilet for every rural household. To make this
success story happen, officials at the district and block levels worked
together as a team along with the Ramakrishna Mission. Competent technical
support was secured, and funds were released according to needs, and in time.
The state sanitation cell monitored the overall process. Similar successful projects
later happened in some areas of other states. They were all marked by active
involvement and leadership from within the community itself. With the help of
strong political and governmental support, the local people themselves helped
to usher in positive change. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Success can happen. Ordinary people like us can help make
good things happen. It’s time we stopped passing the buck and criticizing the
‘system’. We are ourselves a part of
that very ‘system’ we never tire of blaming. Here are a few ways we can do our
bit to clean up our environment: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
People like us can help spread awareness and support
government initiatives by our personal actions. As members of local citizens’
groups, residents’ welfare associations, or as volunteers with social service
organizations, we can help facilitate positive action at the grassroots level.
Best and lasting results are seen when ordinary citizens participate
wholeheartedly. Aware citizens groups can point out shortcomings in government
policies, and offer suggestions for fine-tuning those policies so that optimum
results are achieved in their own communities. Knowledge is power. Spreading
that knowledge and using it to help ourselves, increases its benefits
exponentially.</div>
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The Government authorities are making some efforts to
address various issues involved in cleaning India. A committee set up by the
National Green Tribunal, for example, has suggested that the use of fresh river
water for industrial processes, railway and bus cleaning, fire-fighting etc. should
be prohibited and made an offence. This will help maintain the minimum
environmental flow of the highly polluted Yamuna River. In a seemingly
unconnected move by the Government Railway Police (GRP) in Agra, 129 people
were fined for allegedly urinating in public, in just three days in June. Noise
and light pollution is another problem in our cities. Increasing amounts of
untreated sewage, industrial effluents and other waste are finding their way
into our rivers. We can help spread awareness about the many ways our
environment is being sullied. We can draw attention to the importance and
interconnectedness of all measures to counteract environmental pollution, and
thus help policy makers and fellow citizens more conscious of the big picture.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The authorities need to clean up their act in implementing
pollution control measures upon our industries. Too often, the small fry fall
below the radar of the authorities, while big money has a way of getting its
own way. Vigilant citizens groups can help by whistle-blowing on such pollution
generators within their own communities. Citizens groups can also help pinpoint
the sources of corruption, which help polluting industries find loopholes, and
siphon off funds meant for public projects or paying sanitation workers. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We need to get over our feudal prejudices, and treat with
respect those who clear our garbage and help keep our surroundings clean. We
can show some concern for the welfare of the sanitation workers in our own
neighbourhoods, by guiding them towards better healthcare or educating their
children. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cynicism is ingrained in many of us. We take it for granted
that government measures will fail. We justify our own inaction by averring
that others will dirty our surroundings anyway, no matter how hard we try to keep
everything clean. The murky side of human nature sometimes surfaces not just in
our own country, but elsewhere in the world. Plastic waste ‘islands’ stretch
for miles in the Pacific Ocean. Mt Everest’s majesty is being sullied by mounds
of waste left behind by mountaineers. Around 30% of the Great Wall of China has
disappeared over time, not just due to natural wear and tear, but also because
of reckless human activities. Reckless constructions and deforestation are
increasing the risk of flash floods and landslides in the Himalayas. It’s up to
us to resign ourselves to the elephant of pollution in the room. Or, we can
pick up our brooms to help make a difference.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The fact is, that small groups of ordinary citizens with
full time jobs and families to care for, have come together to show results.
Instead of just talking, they have worked in silence even in our very own <i>namma Bengaluru</i> to clean up spots such
as Church Street and Malleswaram’s vegetable and fruit market. Once they have taken the lead, other folks
like us have seen the change and curbed their native muck-tossing instincts. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This brings us to a bigger question of our role on this
planet. The rate of extinction of species has been precipitated in recent times
by human activities. We have a hand in making our earth less liveable, not just
for other creatures, but even for ourselves. We seem hell-bent on transforming
our planet into a toxic junk heap someday. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>If we don’t
want to clean up out act and save this world, perhaps we can still hope to
discover new worlds to colonize and exploit. </div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p>This essay is published in <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/500587/a-clean-initiative.html" target="_blank">Sunday Herald</a></o:p></div>
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monideepa sahuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731911159001857813noreply@blogger.com0