EVES TIMES

` 50 August 2012

Your Voice is our Inspiration

NARAYANA MURTHYS MESSAGE TO INDIA

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Customer is GodKodandarama Setty

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AFFORDABLE HEALTH CAREDR. DEVI SHETTY

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FIVE Es FOR DEVELOPMENT- KARTI CHIDAMBARAM

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GM RAO PAGE 14

BUSINESS FOR SOCIAL GOODMaking a Choice Dr Priya Selvaraj

VIEWS PANORAMA
KHUSHBOO SUHASINI MANIRATNAM ARUNA ANAND CHINMAYI

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I Love my INDIA

EVES TIMES

August 2012

edit-o-real
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Peoples Social Responsibility

CEO (Global Operations) : Nischinta Editor-in-Chief : Swati Amar Deputy Editor : Namrata Amarnath Associate Editor : Malini Shankar Head, Graphics & Design : Ashwini Raje Photography: Pavitaram Production Executive : B.Sabitha Marketing Coordination: Sivakumar Advertising & Mktg: R.Ravichandran Prashant Kirthivasan Circulation: Jaganathan, James Expert Panel: Karti Chidambaram Padmashri Dr.V.Mohan M.R.Venkatesh Mallika Badrinath Brinda Jayaraman Dr. Priya Selvaraj Vijaya Chamundeeswari Usha Subramaniam Chitra Mahesh Writers Panel: Nischinta (New York) Namrata (Jodhpur) Sumati Ramkumar (Holland) Gayatri T.Rao (Mumbai) Chandrika Radhakrishnan (Bengaluru) Priyanka Sakhamuru ( Hyderabad) Prof. N.Natarajan Padmini Natarajan Kanchana Rao Kirthi Gita Jayakumar Valsala Menon Geeta Canpadee (China) Radha Chandrasekar (Singapore) Kshitij ( London) Aarti Kamat (Kolkata) Anuradha Ganeshan (Bengaluru) G V Ashok Murthy (Bengaluru) Eves Times Group Volume 7 Issue 187 for the month of August 2012. Price Rs. 50/Reg Off : # 18/1 2nd Cross Street Dr.RadhakrishnanNagar, Tiruvanmiyur,Ch 41 E Mail: editoretg@gmail.com Ph: 91 44 24526739/ 91 44 24521813 Printed by K. Elumalai at Sakthi Scanners (P) Ltd., No 7 Dams Road, Chindadripet, Ch 600 002 Published by Smt. Kamala Balachandran On behalf of Eves Times Group. Editor-in-Chief Lata Amarnath.All rights reserved Reproduction in any form is prohibited Eves Times Group does not take the responsibility for returning unsolicited publication material.

decade and a half ago I met Radha Burnier, President of the Theosophical Society for an interview. Her troubled countenance lingers fresh in my mind even as her foreboding rings in my ears. The reason for the sudden eruption of her ominous prophesies, as you would guess , is because I was stationed in front of the television, watching the news. Time and again I have poured out my angst at the happenings that have besieged our country during the recent past. My heart is laden with sadness and befuddlement as the mind benumbing train accident or the Pune blasts unfold in front of my eyes. Every day one is apprehensive to ensconce oneself in front of the idiot box which now looks like a tragedy box or is it the Pandoras Box? When half a nation languishes in darkness for long hours on two consecutive days or when you get to see a battered girl molested and thrown out of a moving train by a group of vicious young men in front of several co passengers or a little girl lies dead, deep under the earth due to the avarice of a few callous mortals we realize that something has gone wrong drastically. Corruption is growing like cancer today. If this trend continues I can see a time not far off, when every citizen of the country will be severely affected by the malice, said Radha Burnier.Well, today her ominous presage has come true. What we are facing today is due to the reckless attitude of our people and leaders who have failed to develop and nurture national and personal character. The result is for all to see. What else can we expect from a nation whose leaders do not bat an eyelid and stash away huge amounts of monies in foreign countries, unmindful of the fact that these monies can feed countless starving mouths for several months? What can you expect from a country where human lives have no value and are battered, mutilated, killed or lost to apathy and rapaciousness? How can a country thrive when sentinels who are supposed to guard go berserk and turn into predators harming innocent children, women, the disabled and the weak? When doctors who are entrusted with the responsibility of saving lives turn into demons and teachers who should shape the character of impressionable young minds become degenerate fiends? We have spoken a lot about corporate social responsibility. It is time now to focus on what I call, PSR or peoples social responsibility. Or is it personal social responsibility? Perhaps Public Social Responsibility? As citizens of a nation, people cannot shut their eyes and mouth to wrong doings going on relentlessly in every part of the country. We have a responsibility to our nation, our fellow brethren, our family and ourselves to ensure that our country is on the right track, treading the path of development. It is time we campaigned for responsible election of our leaders. It may be a daunting task, but unless the young and the educated join and put up a concerted effort to impress upon the masses not to vote for money or freebies, we will continue to elect people whose singular motive is to fill their personal coffers. It is time to outline the qualities essential to build national character as well as personal character. If we fail to do this, there can be no end to the inhumane and callous acts and incidents that are emerging as everyday occurrences. We cannot wait for gruesome tragedies to strike each one of us. Lets talk about PSR. We owe it to our country, our loved ones and to ourselves. Let us soothe the soul of Bharat Mata. It is on her lap we shall lie to rest as our journey ends.

Jai Hind!

Swati Amar

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Content
10|Young Indians can Instrument of Change
be

Teen Mag

The changing world order gives India a wonderful opportunity to play a major role in global economy- N.R.Narayana Murthy

11|Affordable Heart Care

Large number of hospitals supported by health insurance and telemedicine is the only way to usher in affordable health care - Dr.Devi Shetty

14|Business for Social Good

When foreign companies come to India they ask,What India can do for us. - G.M.Rao

16|Customer is God
The customer has everything going for him in a world of plenty- BA Kodandarama Setty

I Love my India
21|Emergency S(care) Anyone? 22| No Fair Deal for the Indian 24| Spirituality is the Need of the Hour 26| Seeing Red 28| Reverting to Independence 30| What honour exists in Killing? 32| Overweight School bags- a Health Hazard 34| The New Equation 36| Holding Hands, Building Bridges 38| Playing the Equality Game at Home 40| No Fair deal for the Working Wife 42| Cinema Panorama

47|Jest for Laughs 48|Culture Conscious 52|For your eyes only 55|Friendship Matters 58|Kreative Korner

18|Five Es for Development

We definitely dont have the best access to infrastructure when compared with other Asian countries- Karti Chidambaram

19|Freedom
Its not just about the wrongs that are so glaringly evident. What is frightening is the complete lack of consciousness and apathy to all that is not well Chitra Mahesh

Indian Woman- Past Forward?

20|Making a Choice
We rank second in the world in population, not a commendable position as we slumber overglaring disparities in basic human rights, living conditions and space Dr.Priya Selvaraj

68| Set your Mind free- Suhasini Maniratnam 70| Ascent of Women-Kushboo 73| Musings on woman-Chinmayee 74| The Lady Behind the ChampAruna Anand 76| Is the Indian Woman truly
Liberated? Nina Reddy and

Regulars
63| Citizens Voice 64|Art Nook- Charulata Mani 83| Salt n Pepper Korner 86| Health & Fitness Clinic 90| Jus Ask Brinda

80|Women Divorce

Property

after

Disclaimer
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EVES TIMES

August 2012

When Flying is a necessity

A combination of factors like economic boom, increased foreign tourist arrival, increased purchasing power of people, and poor air connectivity of smaller cities has motivated the establishment of Aviation division. The motivation for INDRA AIR PRIVATE LIMITED proposed air service has been outlined here. INDRA AIR PRIVATE LIMITED is designed to meet your special needs without being encumbered by air carrier schedules. We arrange charter services to meet different contingencies like corporate meetings, health emergencies, holiday trips ,geophysical resource survey, law enforcement , aerial advertisement, film shooting ,flower and leaflet dropping ,package tours and overnight getaways. Today, INDRA AIR PRIVATE LIMITEDS primary corporate objective is to achieve the proper balance of performance, safety, functionality, reliability, and affordability in a family of light helicopters.

Head Office
No.5, Alsa Regency,165, Eldams Road,Alwarpet, Chennai 600 018. Ph.No. : 044 4232 8808 Fax No. : 044 4232 8807 Mobile : +9187544 98181 Email: finance@indraair.com

Airport Office
Old Airport (Near Madras Flying Club),Meenambakkam, Chennai 600 027. Telefax : 044 2256 0860 Mobile : +91 90030 20061 Email: airportoffice@indraair.com

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EVES TIMES

August 2012

SURPRISE! SURPRISE!

Letters to the editor

agencies . This will be a great relief to the middle class and lower economic classes who put in all the savings that accrue from years of toil so that they can have an abode to stay. A lot needs to be done in the construction and real estate industry. K.S.Ramasamy, Chennai Mutt.

July issue of Eves Times came as a surprise package of very relevant and useful articles along with a lot of scope for leisure reading. I was truly surprised to infer that young Indian entrepreneurs are exploiting the benefits of technology and social media to launch new enterprises, especially online based, and also thrive and grow. Aswin Ramkumars suggestion that we should have a neutral body to oversee the quality of construction is very relevant to us today. Much can be said about the quality of construction of buildings. If you want to build a home on a piece of land, you are at the mercy of the builder and his team that you have engaged. Apart from deviating from the promised quality and agreement you have with your builder, they also try to fleece more and more by increasing the costs, delaying construction etc. The agony becomes heightened during the last stages of construction when you are planning to move in. The builder lets the last minute completion work hanging and moves on to another project. It is high time our government mooted laws and created an institution that can lay down norms for construction and also monitor if they are being followed. To weed out unscrupulous practices in Real Estate, we too can adopt systems followed abroad such as accreditation of Real Estate brokers and

has covered the entire gamut of issues relating to senior citizens in our country. Many of the articles such as the one on Vishranti, old age homes etc were moving. Addresses of old age homes in Chennai will be very useful for those who would like information. I would like to appreciate the article on the architectural designs exclusively for senior citizens. I feel most homes should implement these silverfriendly products to help our seniors live in peace and safety during their twilight years. It is sad that in our country, no steps are being taken to help senior citizens live in dignity. I am wondering will a time ever come when we can make our homes and country user-friendly and inclusive for senior citizens, the disabled and all others who have some constraints. Annapurna R, Chennai

Eating habits and advancing age

A few days ago my wife and I attended a family function which was conducted in a hall in a prominent place in our city. The hall was a part of a big complex. The entire complex is the property of an influential

Young Indian Entrepreneurs Hold the Sway!

It is heartwarming to see the enterprising younger generation launch innovative enterprises. It gives us the confidence that India is in safe hands . If we can overcome corruption, India seems to have a bright future in the hands of these technopreneurs! Mythili S, Austin by e-mail

Despite this, the condition of the premises was appalling from the view point of basic hygiene, sanitation and housekeeping. The platform where purohits performed the rituals was inundated by flies.The dining hall and the hand-wash area were littered with soiled discards. While we had lunch we had to use our left hand to keep the flies away. The place was unfit for stay but we could not avoid staying there and eating food. The consequence was I had food poisoning and was bed ridden for five days suffering severely from the aftermath of consuming food unfit for eating. Senior citizens like us must exercise restraint in our habits and practices. I appeal to friends to avoid visiting such places and save themselves from the onslaught of perilous setback in health, which we cannot afford at our age. It is better not to take chances, particularly with advancing age and reduced immunity. Byravan, Chennai

A Useful Handbook for Seniors

I am going to preserve July issue of Eves Times, which is a true goldmine. The issue

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EVES TIMES
Your Voice is our Inspiration

FOR YOU AND YOURS!

STRIDENT VOICES INTREPID FOOTSTEPS A MARCH TOWARD SUCCESS. LETS BUILD A BETTER WORLD TOGETHER
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other and motherland are greater than heaven! I LOVE MY INDIA. Know not what good I performed in my previous birth and know not what yoga I might have performed before, I have been blessed to be born in this heavenly land. Not sure what precious flowers I worshipped with I have been blessed to be born to this mother land.I sincerely pray god to be in India until my death and to be born in India in future births Chanakya

I Love my

INDIA

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I Love my India

YOUNG INDIANS CAN BE INSTRUMENTS OF CHANGE

N.R.Narayana Murthy

he world came to know about Indias intellect pool and the floodgates of opportunities for lucrative careers and education were thrown open to young Indians when IT became a major driving force of the new world. One Indian who played a key role in putting India on the world map was the co-founder of Infosys, Narayana Murthy, who was instrumental in laying down the foundation of a world-class IT company that continues to forge ahead unearthing newer and newer areas of development and progress in IT.

On the occasion of the 66th Independence Day Celebration we are happy to bring to you a message from N. R. Narayana Murthy, Chairman Emeritus, Infosys Limited, industrialist and software engineer who co-founded Infosys Limited in 1981 along with six other engineers. Murthy served as CEO from 1981 to 2002 and as the Chairman from 2002 to 2011. In 2011, he stepped down from the board and became Chairman Emeritus.

Today, we are witnessing a changing world order. This gives India a wonderful opportunity to play an important role in the global economy. Never before in the recent past, has India come to a situation, where there is interplay of several beneficial factors strong economic growth, increasing global integration, emergence of globally competitive firms from India and recognition of Indias capability in manufacturing and knowledge based industries. Todays youngsters have an important role in turning these opportunities into reality. It is very important for youngsters to take quick, thoughtful action, and speed up progress in areas where India has lagged in reducing corruption, eradicating poverty, creating infrastructure. Todays youngsters should learn to work with transparency and fairness, aiming for excellence in everything they do. With the combination of intelligence and integrity, our youngsters must aim at creating jobs for the betterment of the nation. Progress of societies and nations are made possible when the people place public good ahead of private interests. The youth of this country should take a lead in this and be an instrument of change for driving inclusive growth.

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Towards Affordable Care

HEART
Dr.Devi Prasad Shetty

EVES TIMES

mong the few change makers who focus on bringing about a transformation in their field of choice, Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty ranks foremost in the field of medicine. Cardiac surgeon Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty founded Narayana Hrudayalaya, a multi-speciality hospital in the outskirts of Bangalore in 2001, one of the worlds largest pediatric heart hospitals that has created a record of performing nearly 15,000 heart surgeries on patients from 25 foreign countries. It is a renowned centre for telemedicine, the service of which is free. Despite helping poor patients, it is renowned for its efficiency and has a higher profit margin than most American Private Hospitals. He mooted the novel idea, Yeshasvini Micro Health Insurance, a joint venture between ISRO, Narayana Hrudayalaya and Karnataka State Cooperation Department. He also founded Arogya Raksha Yojana, a joint venture

The Yeshasvini proved to the world that with Rs. 5/- per month, a viable health insurance programme can be scaled up to cover the tertiary healthcare cost of millions of people.

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of Narayana Hrudayalaya, Biocon and ICICI to provide free OPD consultation, cashless surgical facility and diagnostics at discounted rates. Dr. Devi Shetty has not only envisioned the health care system in India, he has also set up a world class, state of the art health care facilities at Narayana Health City. Eves Times is happy to carry Dr.Devi Shettys views on how such a transformation was possible, an example other medical professionals and states can emulate to turn around the abysmal health statistics in the country. Excerpts: As a student of primary school, I recount the day when my class teacher enumerated the first heart transplant surgery performed by Dr. Christian Bernard in Cape Town.That was the day; the dream of becoming a heart surgeon became implanted in my mind. The idea behind Narayana Hrudayalaya is the concept of affordable heart surgery. After completion of M.B., B.S. and specialization in the UK, I left England in 1989 and started B.M Birla Heart Research Centre in Kolkata. Back then, the cost of a heart surgery was Rs. 1, 40,000. Twenty years later we managed to reduce the cost to Rs. 75,000. India requires 2.5 million heart surgeries a year while all the heart hospitals in the country put together perform less than 100,000 heart surgeries a year.

In India, heart attack is a young mans disease unlike the western countries where it is the disease of the retired population. In my practice I see that it is not the young son who brings his old father for a bypass grafting but it is the old father who brings his young son for a heart operation. Added to that we produce 600-800 children a day with a heart disease and most of them require a heart operation. Unless we reduce the cost of heart surgery people will not be able to afford. This can be possible adopting economies of scale. Narayana Hrudayalaya performs about 35 major heart surgeries a day, the largest number of heart surgeries anywhere in the world. Hence, we get materials at a much lesser price, we have very good outcomes and our hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission of US just to prove that low cost does not mean poor quality of service or compromise with the standards. The NH group was established with the single motive of offering affordable healthcare to the underprivileged of this world. Hundred years after the first ever heart surgery was performed, less than 10% of the worlds population can afford a heart operation or even a brain, kidney, caner or joint replacement surgeries. The NH group wants to reduce the cost of a heart surgery to $800 in seven years.

The cost of healthcare, especially tertiary healthcare, is becoming unaffordable to the common man of India. The NH groups desire is to reduce the cost of tertiary healthcare by building large scale health cities with 2000-5000 beds sharing the infrastructure and expertise and by the economy of the scale to reduce input costs. In the process, the group will also deliver better outcomes due to great technical skills developed over a period of time. The NH group performs the largest number of heart surgeries in India attracting patients from 76 countries. The NH group conceptualized the idea of micro health insurance called Yeshasvini, which was launched by the Karnataka State Cooperative Society eight years ago. The Yeshasvini proved to the world that with Rs. 5/- per month, a viable health insurance programme can be scaled up to cover the tertiary healthcare cost of millions of people. The group has the desire to roll out similar schemes with various state governments across the country. We do large number of heart surgeries on poor patients. However, majority of patients come with a small amount of money for the heart surgery and institution reduces the cost of operation for these patients to about Rs. 80,000

India requires 2.5 million heart surgeries but unfortunately less than 1, 00,000 people undergo heart operation in India owing to its high cost. NH believes that the only solution is to build a large number of hospitals supported by health insurance and telemedicine and offering low cost healthcare.

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to Rs. 90,000. However, some patients land at our doorstep without any money and if they require emergency operation as it happens very often, these operations are performed free of cost to the patients. However, our charitable wing raises money from various philanthropists as well as from own internal resources to pay for the operation. Any philanthropist who wants to help a patient tap their own resources and pay whatever they can to help these patients. In exceptional cases when this is not possible, we are willing to organize the entire procedure f free of cost. Mrs. Mani is In-Charge of our Charitable Wing who is constantly raising money to help children from poor families. NH believes that with life expectancy on the rise, the tax payers money will not be able to cover healthcare. So, eight years ago NH developed the concept of micro health insurance for the farmers of the Karnataka State by collecting a monthly insurance premium of Rs. 11 with Rs. 5 put in by the Government of Karnataka. This scheme, called Yeshasvini started with 1.7 million farmers, today covers the tertiary healthcare cost of nearly 4 million people contributing Rs. 22/person/month. NH is now working on getting the 750 million mobile phone subscribers of India to pay Rupees 22 a month and get health insurance coverage. India requires 2.5 million heart surgeries but unfortunately less than 1, 00,000 people undergo heart operation in India owing to its high cost. NH believes that

the only solution is to build a large number of hospitals supported by health insurance and telemedicine and offering low cost healthcare. NH built a Health City, with 3000 beds in Bangalore, which performs about 35 major heart surgeries a day and attracts patients from 76 countries. NH is able to break even today by charging just $1800 for a major heart operation. The NH group currently has about 6000 beds and wants to scale up to 30,000 beds in the next seven years. NH wants to explore a low cost model hospital meant for heart and tertiary care like cancer, brain, orthopedic and joint replacement surgeries. NH is presently building a low cost heart hospital in association with L&T, Indias largest construction company. The first such project will be commissioned in three months in Mysore, 150 km away from Bangalore. The target is to be able to build a 300 bed heart hospital for 6 million USD including the equipments and within six months. NH believes in the power of telemedicine and ventured into this exciting area ten years ago with the Indian Space Research Organization, providing free satellite link up to over few hundred remote locations in India and 55 cities in Africa. Today NH uses Skype as the way to offer telemedicine consultation in remote locations and has treated over 53,000 heart patients free of cost. I feel all of us should try to reduce the

cost of healthcare by 75% starting from the price of drugs to the cost of a heart operation. At the end of the day if you cannot reach 75%, even if you reach 50%, it is worthwhile. I believe we should try to influence the government about removing all forms of taxes in healthcare. In turn the government should insist on low cost delivery of healthcare. First of all, I would like your help in finding out what percentage of the cost of building a pharmaceutical company starting from building to procuring equipments for manufacturing goes to government as taxes. If the tax component is removed from the medicines, how much the cost will come down. For example in building hospitals and managing it on a daily basis approximately 25% of the cost is given to the government as taxes. I will be grateful to you for your help. We have a dream that one day India will become the first country in the world to dissociate healthcare from affluence. As a country which produces the largest number of doctors, nurses and medical technicians we should be able to achieve this ambitious target in ten years. If India builds 100 new medical colleges a year for the next five years, we will have adequate number of doctors by year 2025. We need to have more medical colleges to improve the quality of healthcare. However, these medical colleges should be built by the government as an extension of the District Headquarter Hospitals. If a private enterprise should build a medical college, it will cost them at least 200 crores making it unviable to educate children from poor families. When the government converts the District Headquarter Hospitals to a medical college, the quality of healthcare offered in that hospital will improve tremendously; at the same time children from rural background can get admission to these medical colleges which will have a major shift in the economic scenario of that region. It is possible for the government to build a medical college with less than 70 crores because most of the infrastructure of the hospital is already available. Unlike other areas of education, medical education is one area where government must participate as private enterprise in this expensive area will find it difficult to run a low cost model.

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n the occasion of Indias Independence Day, G.M. Rao, Group Chairman, GMR Group shares his views about the emerging trends in India that can position us as a nation of influence in the global arena. G M Rao is the founder Chairman of GMR Group, the Bangalore based global Infrastructure major. GMR Group is focused on business verticals of Airports, Energy, Highways and Urban Infrastructure including SEZs. A noted philanthropist, GM Rao is the spirit behind diverse social endeavours of GMR Varalakshmi Foundation which is involved in community development. He has recently pledged his entire personal share of the business for social good.

Business For Social Good

G.M. Rao

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What India will become in a few years from now India, which is basically an agrarian economy, is moving towards a service economy. European countries also made this transition, but with an intermediate step as manufacturing economies. India shifted directly to the last stage, skipping a step. Many things are in the process of changing. When companies came to India 20 years ago, they came asking, What can we do for India? Now the situation has completely changed and they are asking, What can India do for us? One of the reasons for this trend is our youthful population. More than half of India is 25 or younger, which means the income generating population will continue to grow for another 30-40 years. India is in fact an exception to the global demographic trend (of aging populations). Consequently, Indias middle income group is growing. The Indian economy is resilient because it is driven by dynamic internal consumption. India is undergoing a massive transition with a lot happening in a wide range of fields such as Services, Banking, Automobiles, Pharmaceuticals, Microfinance, Defence, Education, Healthcare, Urban Development and Transportation.There are opportunities everywhere you look. Lets take the Infrastructure sector as an example: ports, airports and energy are open to foreign investments. This sector will keep growing for several decades more and the opportunities will be huge, with infrastructure investments estimated at one trillion dollars. Indias growth story is unstoppable in the long run. It is already a 2 trillion dollar economy with GDP per person having moved up rapidly to 1,500 dollars. India is expected to overtake all the economies of the world, except China and USA by 2050, if not earlier. What needs to be done to realize our dream of making India a globally influential nation? India needs infrastructure desperately and is willing to pay for it. Indias future depends on it. The government has commissioned $500 billion of infrastructure spending

between 2007 and 2012, and $1 trillion for the next five years. Poor infrastructure is the only hurdle between Indias 5%-to6% annual growth rate and those elusive double-digits. Politics has to be constructive and policies for reforms have to be allowed. Subsidies have to reach the genuine recipients and massive leakages have to be plugged through the penetration of banking infrastructure and universal identity of citizens. That will save thousands of crores. Indian leaders have to adapt to the new realities of the country: more transparency and accountability is required in business and politics widening gap between the rich and the poor must be addressed younger workforce in India have huge aspirations and those have to be met through meaningful job creation emerging rural market at the bottom of the pyramid is opening up new opportunities Independence Day Message to fellow Indians It is our responsibility to ensure that every single individual in the world gets an equal chance in life. These are the values I received from my parents. Somehow, the joy of giving was inculcated as a value from my childhood. Even at school, I would be sharing everything from books to food. I have endowed the entire portion of my part of my familys wealth for our GMR Varalakshmi Foundation. I have learnt that if giving is to be effective, it has to be in areas that can make the biggest difference to human development in a sustainable manner.

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Customer is God

Is the Indian consumer getting a fair deal in products and services? The answer to your question is a big Yes. Past two decades of globalization have exposed the consumer to global developments, enhancing his knowledge through telecommunication, the Internet, IT etc. The consumer gets to know what is happening across the world and is aware what is fair and what is not. Twenty years ago, the consumer did not have a choice. He had to buy whatever was available and many a time, had to wait for it. This has changed drastically. Today the customers choice is just a footstep away. Awareness, knowledge, information, choice, everything is available at his fingertips. He knows his rights. Hence his demands have gone up. Earlier we used to call our customer, King. Today he is God! While we used to talk about customer satisfaction today we look at customer delight.

ead of the largest retail chain in consumer durables, electronics, IT and telecom products in south India, BA Kodandarama Setty, Chairman and Managing Director of Vivek Limited talks about the evolution of the Indian consumer over the years. Vivek Limited are pioneers in organized retail and are trailblazers in ushering in the concepts of New Year sales and Hire Purchase. Excerpts from an interview by Swati Amar with the doyen of the Retail Industry.

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Due to heavy investments in R & D, complaints about quality of products have come down remarkably. We get the latest products and technology the same time as in advanced countries.

Years ago it was difficult even to procure important medicines and people had to get many products from countries abroad. Today, forget medicine, even mineral water, fruit juice, vegetables, fruits and flowers are flowing across the globe. Dont you think the customer is getting a fair deal? There is intense competition. We have moved from scarcity to plenty. Theres no waiting period.You name it, you get it.When we had to wait for years to get a telephone or gas connection, now everything is easily available. We had only two cars back thenambassador and fiat. Today can we even remember how many global brands and models are available in this country?

Despite this, the quality of our products and services does not match world standards. How do you explain that? Due to heavy investments in R & D, complaints about quality of products have come down remarkably. We get the latest products and technology the same time as in advanced countries. I remember, during the time of Asiad Games, people had to go to a neighbouring country like Dubai and Singapore to buy a colour TV.What is it that is not available today?

August 2012

What kind of volumes have we reached today? We rank second in mobile phones in terms of production, sales and use. Earlier when we were using B/W TVs, the complaints were more.Today we have global brands like Sony, LG, and Panasonic etc. The percentage of complaints is minimal. The population of users has gone up and so have the penetration levels. Quality has indeed improved. Even if there is quality deficiency there is a service back up.

What difference is this going to make to the retail scenario? Wal-Mart is the largest retailer in the world, established more than six decades ago.They occupy Number one position in Fortune 500 list. Not only Wal-Mart, but other retail giants are also eyeing us. This is because of the huge Indian market. Being the second largest populated country, consumption is huge. Our economy is growing and is in double digits whereas the markets abroad are saturated.

of our population lives in villages, towns and small cities. It has taken Wal-Mart 60 years to become what it is today. It will take a long time for huge organizations to strike roots in every nook and cranny of our country, by which time our retailers, consumers and traders will mature. It is a Win-Win situation today. Do you have any idea about the magnitude of wastages that are happening in the supply chain from the farmer to the consumer? These wastages can be eliminated. MNCs will also bring in cold storage, best procurement of products, stocking, supply chain management and other best practices. They will also educate the farmers on advanced farming techniques, marketing, transport without wastage etc. All will benefit - the government, manufacturer, dealer, retailer and the consumer.

But many people have issues with after sales service. What is your response to this dissatisfaction among consumers? I agree. That is because the focus is on manufacturing and marketing. The same kind of focus needs to be given to after sales service. Certainly, it is important and companies are doing it.

How is this going to impact the consumer and the retail industry? The greatest beneficiary is the consumer because he gets the best products at the lowest possible prices available. These MNCs have already been in business and have good sourcing mechanism, logistics, knowledge about procurement etc. The second benefit is that these retail organizations generate huge employment opportunities and potential for career growth.They bring global best practices and educate and motivate their staff to learn. The government will benefit too by way of revenue from taxes. No doubt there is a fear in some quarters that if they come what will happen to the small dealer, retailer and shops. We must understand that they cannot establish stores overnight across the country. Our country has 2 million retailers. We are known as a nation of shopkeepers managed by families. Huge retail organizations cannot go to every village and small towns. 60 %

My experience with Viveks is every time I bought a product, there has been very good follow up and service. Most retailers lag behind on this score. How have you been able to do this? Our first showroom was established in Luz, Chennai and since then we have very good and loyal customers. We have excelled and are better than others in providing service. But theres a lot more to do. In Chennai we have the best post operative service centre, managed by a family member, who is also a thorough professional with the designation, Vice President, CRM. Systems have been set in place. There is an exclusive call centre. That is how you are able to get follow up calls and SMSs. We have a very good network of people. Nearly 400 people are working to take care of service and 150 technicians are available. All customers can reach the call centre irrespective of which show room they have purchased a product from. In Chennai where we have 14 showrooms we have been able to do that. Retail is highly competitive and customer oriented. To establish such facility in other states, we need a huge customer base, operations and network. I am proud to say that our experience in the market for over five decades has enabled us to elevate ourselves to the extent that we are comparable to any other global centre in terms of product development, product availability, technology availability etc. There is room for service levels to go up further.

How would you describe the consumer of today and the future? Todays consumer is more knowledgeable, educated, informed and demanding than the consumer of yester years. Consumer demands will lead to a higher quality of life at affordable costs. His childrens education, travel, eating habits, medical treatment, employment, mode of conveyance, house, clothes and everything will be upgraded. The consumer of the future will lead a quality and happy life.

What are your views about the foray of MNCs like Wal-Mart in our country?

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5 for development E
s

Karti Chidambaram

The prime reason for this state of affairs is the way our government and public office structure function. Every time a proposal is mooted, anybody can oppose it. The opposition can raise questions. Then you have the Public Interest Litigation and a vehement press. Every decision is questioned, debated upon. Hence decision making becomes difficult. This has led to a cloak of secrecy in taking decisions. To survive in a public office, not to take any decision seems to be an easier way out. If you dont take a decision you dont offend anybody. Not taking decision is the biggest malady we are facing. The impasse can be circumvented and corruption can be eliminated by transparency and efficiency in all decision making processes. Noting has changed in decades - quality drinking water in the pipes, good roads, world class constructions. .. Nothing has happened. We cannot compare ourselves with Asian countries that have made remarkable progress over the years. If these are added in a systematic manner, the life of people will change for the better. We need five Es to bring about a desired change in the life of the Indian- Education, Electricity, Economic progress, Empowerment and Equal and easy access to infrastructure. As for corruption, only efficiency and transparency can eliminate it. Do gooders and those who issue good statements cannot do much. High sounding positions cannot bring about the change.You need to have market efficiency and transparency in all our processes. More than food, Indians need electricity, water and roads. If you ask me whether Indians get a fair deal in food, my answer is that most Indians dont eat packaged food. They still eat home cooked food and hence adulteration is not a major issue when compared to the above needs. I am not saying food adulteration is not a problem. But if God appears before me and asks me to name the three most important needs for our country I will say t I want uninterrupted electricity for every single Indian citizen as much as he wants, water and roads. There are the three things we need on a priority basis. If you have water, business will grow and everyone will have food. Everybody will have jobs. If you have jobs, you can have everything. Indians dont need charity. They need opportunities to work. If we have electricity and water agriculture will improve dramatically. Why do we grow only one crop? It is because we have no water. Why do so many farmers commit suicide? It is because there is no water or electricity to cultivate. If you have electricity and water, everything will happen. .

e definitely dont have the best access to infrastructure even when compared with other Asian countries. Our country has woefully fallen short of Infrastructure. We have made significant progress in sixty years in absolute terms such as the number of roads, airports etc. But our infrastructure still does not compare with international standards. The average citizens life is all about struggling to procure water, power supply and trouble free transport. Statistics show that 60% of rural Indians defecate in open fields. We need more toilet seats than seats in the UN Security Council.

We need five Es to bring about a desired change in the life of the Indian- Education, Electricity, Economic progress, Empowerment and Equal and easy access to infrastructure.

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Freedom
Chitra Mahesh
ve heard this lament so often.If Gandhiji or Nehru or Sardar Patel or Lokmanya Tilak or Bhagat Singh were able to see the country today, they would be terribly bewildered. For never once would they have imagined the public figures that they were in their times, would be so tainted, so full of accusations of corruption, bribery and out of law activities today.Their hearts would be crushed at what Indian politics has become. Its not just about the wrongs that are so glaringly evident. What is frightening is the complete lack of consciousness and apathy to all that is not well. Every death or injustice is either ignored or explained away

expecting some honesty and sincerity in the way they can be handled. And we wonder why Indians get such a bad name outside the country. Come August 15th, India celebrates her freedom and liberty. There will be plenty of functions, flag hoisting and the TV will be full of programmes that celebrates this day. But with all the hoopla, one does ask What is the true freedom that really matters? After 65 years of Independence and freedom, what does this freedom or freedom celebration mean to the various groups of people in India? What is this freedom celebration for those who have lost families in bomb blasts or mass murders for using the community wells? What does freedom mean to the beggars on the streets, many of them young children and with not much hope of a future? What does freedom mean to those in the villages that have no potable water and basic medical facilities to treat something as simple as jaundice? What does this term mean to the derelict and children from broken homes? What does freedom mean to those who cannot afford two square meals a day? What does freedom mean to the oppressed and women tortured for producing girls? What does freedom mean when the armed forces itself seems so demotivated and disillusioned about guarding the borders? Isnt it ironical? Yet through all this one also realises that there is still so much hope and good in this country --that these negatives can be put aside on this day to reflect and on how much ordinary people achieve every

as something that happens.Think about it. A nation that spearheaded the nonviolence movement now believes that guns, lathis and other instruments of torture are answers to settling things. Of getting rid of people who make things uncomfortable in their areas of comfort. Man woman or child--few are spared. A nation that had people who believed that they would sacrifice their families, their lives and their resources for the sake of the country today, only believes in acquiring. The more the better and the more illegal it is, the more wrong doers seem to be gaining a certain enhanced status. Examples are there for everyone to see! A nation that believed in simplicity and high living, is certainly today very few subscribe to more likely the only high is probably the place they live in and the kind of luxuries they accumulate regardless of people who probably dont even have a roof over their heads. A nation that believes in being a gracious host, is now rude, cheats and tries to make money out of every visitor who comes

day- how much good is being done without being appreciated or lauded. A mother who rises early, makes the days meals sends the children to school the husband to work and then alights a crowded train to work helping those who need it on the way effortlessly and without thinking; a simple petty shop owner goes each day to his neighbours house to administer medication to a person suffering from tuberculosis: what then of men and women who give up lucrative careers to dedicate their lives to the welfare of people- the stories are many and unsung. All this and more is the glue that holds this nation together, never mind if a lot of awful things are going on as well. Hope is something we can always look forward to.

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Making a Choice

65 years of Independence has seen our country flourish in all sectors that we could label as Development yet we stand status quo in one sector. It is anybodys guess if they have closely followed Indias population statistics as well as skewed sex ratios. We rank second in the world, not a commendable position as we slumber over glaring disparities in basic human rights, living conditions and space. We have been knowledgeable enough to cite the reasons as poverty, illiteracy and a high fertility rate. While we work hard at policies to control or curb the above pathogens, we still lack the drive or determination to take it forward and implement them. Those that already exist have a short shelf life or are bridled with corruption. Under such circumstances, I would salute the flag and the leaders that fought for our independence but remain voiceless if asked about the true status of women or the girl child in particular in current rural and urban India. A countrys integrity is rated by HDI (human development index). I am no authority in these abbreviations but I simply took the effort to understand and browse some basics. It is a culmination of life expectancy, literacy and quality of life, including child welfare. We need no statistical reassurances or validation to open our eyes to deep rooted social evils or beliefs which mar our rise to a truly developed nation. The practice of dowry and female infanticide is almost like a genetic imprint. It will probably take decades for us to be completely rid of a disease injected into the minds from generations yore. We exploit gender and human sexuality, in print, media and the mind while supporting moral policing depriving basic rights to freedom of thought, voice and expression. We don a schizophrenics mind while we strive to act two parts in every role

assigned to us, be it the parent, the child, the teacher or the law maker. We are the ones who create and destroy and have taken on the roles of playing God. I now belong to one among a million voices in a country touching a 1.2 billion in population, merely ranting against evils and doing little to alleviate them. What is the point in raising several points on Independence Day when we fail to make changes in our own personal and social environment? The womans right to education, career, marriage, childbirth, family planning or simply creating her own choices or decisions is yet to become a reality. While I firmly believe choices in a platter is still hers, the key people influencing these decisions are parents who then must play a pivotal role in helping make the right decisions or standing support. How we can implement a normalcy in the thought process is to start with ourselves.What you teach a child is what you will be imparting to society. If we can guide our children through language, manners, physical and personal health and hygiene, bodily transformation during puberty, sex education, need for being aware and informed, we have possibly crossed the first hurdle. If we can teach the male child to respect women and understand that one earns materialism through education career and sheer hard work and not through marriage, he will be oblivious to dowry. If the girl child is taught to respect and understand her body and why she undergoes changes and how to safe guard herself, you have equipped her to brave oppression and abuse. This need not be a crusade but this can be our culture.

Dr.Priya Selvaraj

Jai Hind!

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mergency (S)Care, Anyone?

Aarti Kamath

ulandshahr, a sleepy district in the state of Uttar Pradesh had nothing going for it until an unforgettable scandal broke out on the 10th of July 2012. A popular news channel broadcast videos that sent shivers down ones spine. The video exposed the pathetic conditions that prevailed in the Babu Banarasi Das District Hospital where a sweeper was seen administering stitches & a ward boy was allowed to administer injections to a bawling minor in agonizing pain. How a government hospital with 23 doctors on its rolls can permit such atrocities is beyond anyones comprehension, except of course that of the Chief Medical Superintendent who justified the action with his arrogant statement At the time of an emergency, who does what does not matter. Also, the Uttar Pradesh Health Ministry dismissed the shocking footage as clever camera work. Usually it is the common man who has to bear the brunt of these atrocities. No such thing would have taken place had the patient been a VIP. The medical scenario in our country can be viewed from two different angles. One from where we can see the country achieve success in terms of technology and research and can see eminent doctors like Mr. Devi Shetty going all out to improve access to health care to everyone who needs irrespective of his/ her economic status and another angle from where all we can witness is apathy, drudgery, corruption and callousness. Many of us hoped that the onset of commercialization of the healthcare industry would improve the medical scenario in the country. Commercialization has indeed done a lot of good for the country and its people with glitzy private hospitals, sophisticated services and treatments & state-of-the-art technology. But it also has a downslide. Commercialization has also resulted in corruption at multiple levels. We now have medical colleges auctioning medical seats to undeserving candidates

who later turn into under qualified doctors. The main goal of these doctors would be to recover the huge sum of money they doled out for their medical seats and not to serve mankind. Commercialization has also widened the gap between the poor and under privileged and basic healthcare as now not only is basic healthcare expensive with all the glitz and sophistication but is also inaccessible.We also have parallel industries thriving as a result of commercialization private clinics, pharmacies and diagnostic laboratories that indiscriminately prescribe medicines, treatments and tests, most of which are not required and are just another avenue to fleece dependent, helpless and scared patients. Says Dr. P.K Sen, a general physician who runs a private clinic in Hazra, Kolkata, The day when all human life will be treated equally, irrespective of economic status, will be the day that the medical scenario in this country will undergo a revolution. Dr. Sen ranks among the few doctors who are committed to serving mankind, irrespective of their economic status. Dr. Sen operates from his one room clinic which is housed in a pharmacy and has been doing so for the past 40 years. He is one rare medical professional who tries to wean patients off unnecessary drugs and treatments and instead concentrates on getting them to improve their lifestyle by relying on hygiene, good food habits and home remedies.

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ooking broadly at the country after 65 years of independence, the infrastructure and different basic facilities for the citizens are not good enough to write about. Neither are there any opportunities for leadership or jobs without fear or favour. Corruption is rampant. Also the Indian value system is declining. But people are still hopeful.

level), it will have a chain reaction and at least certain problems will come under control. Having said that I dont want to take the responsibility off the government at the macro level. They need to put their money, will and thought process to establish good infrastructure and basic amenities for the citizens. Not every time can we emulate countries abroad and import advancements made there. We have our own unique territorial structure. The government should adopt a solution oriented strategy instead of just carrying on discussions. Counsel (Advocate) Rajani Iyer says, India was and continues to be a multi-layered and multi-cultural pluralistic society. Increasing population, travel and global exposure have heightened peoples expectations and there is a sense of frustration that they are getting a raw deal even after 65 years of independence. Looking at the economic indices, while the GNP, the number of miles of railways, roads etc in absolute terms have gone up, if we measure development in terms of human indices, the upswing does not hold good.

Infrastructure
Dr.Ajay Godse, Consultant Pulmonologist in Mumbai says, Definitely we are not getting a fair deal in terms of basic amenities such as infrastructure, water, quality food, power, road transport, education, etc. I believe that the government has a major role to play because citizens dont have control over the monetary resources, planning and implementation of large projects etc. But once the infrastructure has been laid or the amenities provided; it is the duty of the citizens to maintain them. If everybody is responsible at the micro level (individual

Education
Dr. Godse feels we are still following the education system that creates people who work for others. We do need people to work for others. But the education system should also encourage people to work for

No Fair Deal for the Indian!

Gayatri T Rao

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themselves. You need to develop certain skills, so that eventually you can help people establish enterprises. For this education must foster original and innovative thinking. The questioning of Why? should be encouraged rather than suppressed, he says. Rajani is of the opinion that emphasis on education has been absent in five year plans. The focus has not been on the individual and the individuals well-being.

say our parents are important to us. But we hardly give them importance. The elderly are dependent financially, physically and emotionally on their off-springs and favors are not returned, which they got during their childhood. If you start taking care of your parents and people around you, it is akin to worship. What is the point spending time, money and energy worshipping something, which you have not seen and ignoring that which is part of your day-to-day life? We dont have proper support system for the aged, the ill and the challenged, avers Dr. Godse. According to Rajani, The value system that exists today is a natural outcome of a lack of responsibility for oneself and the society for ages.This is in fact what is being targeted by Anna Hazare and his group. Unfortunately, they too are seeking extra-constitutional manner of addressing or correcting what they perceive is wrong in the society.

Basic health
Rajani says, The psychological and physical health of the Indian has never been considered important. India ranks low in human development indices which has a lot to say about the health status of Indians. If a huge population is suffering due to various communicable diseases and malnutrition, what kind of future citizenry can we nurture?

Dr. Ajay Godse

According to him we learn our values by observing our parents. If parents are conscious about what they are displaying in front of you, then thats a good Sanskar. If your father is treating your mother with respect, you learn that you have to treat the female gender with respect.When the father allows everybody to speak their minds while taking major decisions, you learn that you have to respect other peoples opinions. When there is a difference between what is being taught and what is being observed the result is confusion about what is right. For e.g. if you tell your kid to go to bed at 10.30 saying it is not healthy for them but stay up to see your favourite serial that sends a wrong message. The kid starts thinking if Dad can watch then why not I. Then the kid rebels. If you want your kids to learn any values, you practice it in front of them. They will eventually learn it, says Dr. Godse. Rajani concludes, I think this summarizes my feelings about 65 years after independence. I recount Pranab Mukherjees first Presidential address. But one important thing he talked about was that one cannot wait for the trickledown effect. And the other thing that he said was all for education, education for all.

Opportunities
Dr. Godse opines, As children, Indians are taught to obey, to follow and never to question. We have been trained to keep our thoughts to ourselves and follow something which is already established as a norm, tradition or value. This training goes against the nature of leadership. We actually become followers and develop a herd mentality. The moment somebody tries to think differently, they are opposed and are considered as trouble makers. Moreover, we are not prepared to struggle to achieve success. We only want returns, which is not possible. Rajani says, We are proud to be the largest democracy in the world and the fact that our constitution gave universal suffrage. While giving the right to vote, did we stress on how huge a responsibility it is to elect competent leaders? Today we have created

New values
So how can evolve as quality global citizens who contribute productively to the nation and the world? Dr. Godse replies, Hmmm. I guess it is not difficult, if you start imposing penalties, which most developed countries did, to compel people to behave in a certain way in public places, like roads, malls, etc. You cannot throw garbage here and there. You cannot spit. You have to park your car properly, etc. He adds, We have not come out of our mentality of scarcity. We still hoard a lot of things, whether it is money, food or resources. Because we are not sure there will be abundance tomorrow. Maybe this is due to the fact that earlier we always had lesser money, opportunities and resources. That has to change. Due to insecurity you

No Fair Deal for the Indian!

a culture of those that give out doles and those who accept them. Theres not only apathy on the part of the leaders, but we have also created a culture of chamchagiri or sycophancy, fear and favour. Today we see people who have compromised on their values being given tickets and emerging as leaders. I dont see true leadership. try to grab as much as possible in a limited time period. This gives birth to corruption. Because you are in an influential position for 5 years and you are not sure this post will continue for the next 5 years, you try to grab as much as possible during those 5 years, ethically or unethically. This mentality should go. Once we are able to eradicate the mentality of scarcity and imbibe a mentality of abundance you wont be using your position unnecessarily to control everybody. Then corruption will be eliminated. Hopefully, thats going to be the right track on which henceforth we will be travelling.

Value systems
Dr. Godse terms Indians as hypocrites as far as value systems are concerned. We

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Spirituality
is the Need of the Hour
Gayatri T Rao

P
24

icture this scenario. A ward boy/ sweeper performs a procedure on a patient with the medical chief of a hospital watching it. Later the chief supports his conduct, in the media. Galloping unethical trends in the medical field are a cause for great concern. Whatever happened to the Hippocratic Oath doctors had taken while studying medicine? Dr. Ashok Shetty, Medical Director of Bhaktivedanta Hospital, Mumbai, feels the lack of ethics is not confined to the medical profession alone but is characteristic of every profession today. But when it comes to the health care industry, the issue becomes sensitive since we are dealing with lives of people.

Often patients are not treated properly by the medical and para medical staff in hospitals. Hospitals insist on payment first before they even consider paying attention to the suffering patient, whatever the emergency. According to Dr. Shetty, when doctors view their profession commercially, this outlook percolates down the staff too. When your work becomes a burden, your patient becomes a burden, and naturally care, love, compassion and everything goes away. You become insensitive to the patients. He feels education and sensitivity training are imperative to bring about a change. Incidents such as the ward boy attending a patient or an unqualified woman performing caesarian operation leading to the death

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August 2012

of a patient are on the rise. Dr.Shetty condemns such callous behavior on the part of a few skewed personalities in the medical field and opines that strict action should be taken by the authorities of the hospital and medical council. The good news is that guidelines are being laid down to grant accreditation to hospitals. One of the guidelines is that the hospitals should have qualified doctors, nurses and trained attendants. Assessment will be done every year. If guidelines are not followed hospitals will not get accreditation and patients will avoid such hospitals. Dr. Shetty expresses concern about the rampant commercialization of medical institutions and universities. Donations and

Industrialist Arvind Mafatlal had a vision that each industrialist should adopt 2 villages and give them health care. Health care must be the joint responsibility of the governments and the corporates.

other dubious means of admission lead to unethical attitude among doctors who would only try to recover the money that was invested to admit them. In school, we were taught, When wealth is lost nothing is lost. When health is lost something is lost. When character is lost everything is lost. The rise of mercantile motives has unfortunately eschewed values, justifying ends rather than the means. Qualification should be the singular criterion for a student to join medicine. Our culture has taught that nyaya, chikitsa and shiksha (Justice, medical treatment and education) should be free. While it is not possible to survive without charging, doctors should know where to draw the line. A doctor should be responsible, truthful, compassionate, kind and contented in life. If he is satisfied from within, he can satisfy others. Dr.Shetty describes the feticides in Beed, Maharashtra by the Munde couple as an inhuman act, What is driving them to resort to such inhuman acts? They are doctors-gynecologists. Greed for money is the main driving factor for such doctors. When greed dominates and ethics are sidelined, it becomes a crime. Dwindling commitment of doctors towards their profession and patients results from lack of proper qualification. Those who are not qualified appropriately will not take their work as a responsibility. The attitude of doctors has led to unethical practices such as a cut every time a doctor recommends a patients for tests, procedures unwarranted surgeries etc. The solution to plummeting values and the resultant commercial attitude is value education. Health conditions of the poor in cities and rural areas are pathetic. Reliable health care facilities are lacking in rural areas. While rural India is reeling under the problem of communicable diseases due to poor hygiene and sanitation, urban areas are grappling with lifestyle related afflictions such as diabetes, cancer etc. Industrialist Arvind Mafatlal had a vision that each industrialist should adopt 2 villages and give them health care. Health care must be the joint responsibility of the governments and the corporates. So how can we create value oriented medical professionals?

This dream can come true if there is balance in our society. We, at Bhaktivedanta Hospital, have adopted communities offering all medical facilities free. We organize rural camps, offer transport to patients to come to our hospital, get treated and go back. Our hospital has also come under Rajiv Gandhi Jeevandayee Arogya Yojana. People under the poverty level are treated free of cost here. We are outlining a new scheme. According to this, we plan to adopt a large village. People there will contribute a nominal amount monthly. If someone falls ill, they can come to our hospital for treatment without any anxiety about payment of bills because others will be paying for them. This is like an insurance arrangement between the hospital and the village. This scheme is already being implemented in Bangalore by Narayana Hrudayalay. If all hospitals follow such measures, we can treat a large and indigent population free of cost, he says. Universal health care will be a distant dream according to him unless we put an end to commercialization and too much dependence on technology. There are such expensive diagnostic and treatment modalities like CT scan, MRI, Laparoscopy, laboratory tests, etc., which the poor people cannot afford. Treatment itself has become so complex. Enormous investment in technology needed. Some companies are coming forward to help. But this is still a small percentage. Generic medicines are also expensive. The only way their cost can be reduced is by getting them in bulk in big containers and dispensing them, says Dr. Shetty. Bhaktivedanta is a semi-charitable hospital. Various discounts are offered for consultation, diagnostic tests and medicines. This hospital has adopted a holistic approach toward health care. They have spiritual care department where professionals counsel patients individually to unearth the cause of their suffering. Doctors undergo proper training for this. There are prayer meetings, discourses, etc. But since this is a hospital and they are appointed for their professional skills, the hospital hasnt made it compulsory. It is voluntary. If more hospitals follow examples of hospitals like Narayana Hrudayalay and Bhaktivedanta, the future of the health care industry can indeed be promising.

Dr. Ashok Shetty

When your work becomes a burden, your patient becomes a burden, and naturally care, love, compassion and everything goes away. You become insensitive to the patients.

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Seeing Red
Padmini Natarajan

e keep quiet. We look away from situations that are embarrassing, wrong or need to be addressed individually or collectively. Many of us momentarily get angrywe momentarily see redabout a situation and then just get on with the business of living. Due to our inaction, many situations that are bizarre or generally harmful to society become part of our daily existence. This has sadly been Indias storythe famous chaltha hai attitude that has repeatedly put us in compromising situations.

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August 2012

Two incidents have been in the newsone was the sudden appearance of an unknown lady who walked along with the Indian contingent at the opening parade of the London Olympics.The other incident was the repeat action in Mangalore by so called societys moral brigade. In a bizarre incident, some girls were beaten up by a little-known group -- Hindu Jagran Vedike a self appointed moral vigilante group. Strangely enough, the girls were in a home stay place seeking protection. The third matter related to these two is the disturbing custom that is being adapted at wedding receptions. Thousands of people all over the world were glued to televisions to watch their countrys team at the London Olympics walk out into the stadium with their national flag and attires. Team India walked out when it was their alphabetical turn and the women looked really lovely in their yellow saris and the men in and blue blazers. Suddenly everybody noticed a lady walking along the flag-bearing wrestler Sushil Kumar and the team. She was inappropriately dressed in a red T Shirt and blue jeans that glaringly stood out. Who is this was the question in everybodys mind and it was soon discovered that the lady in red had gate crashed the parade! This caused one big embarrassment to the Olympic Games organisers as it was soon revealed that this lady had invited herself to join the Indian athletes parade at the opening ceremony. This was also a major breach of security that was explained away by the organizers who said that the interloper was a ceremony cast member and had been screened before entering the Olympic Park. Next day she was identified by the Indian media as Madhura Nagendra, a graduate student from Bangalore and now living in London. She was a dancer in director Danny Boyles dance production. London 2012 chairman Lord Coe said that the woman had not posed a threat, describing her as a cast member who clearly got slightly over-excited. The question that arises is did Madhura ask anybody at all whether she could join the parade in this manner. For an educated girl, was she so unaware of the fact that the traditional parade was for athletes only? Did she not observe the fact that there was a colour and dress code to the teams appearance and that she was totally out of place in the scheme of things. Did her own sense of importance blind her to what is proper? It was certainly not a street parade where you just joined in to show solidarity in some protest movement. This was a matter of national pride that turned into disgrace after her red alert. Jai Natarajans comment on Facebook says, I hate to come back to this but I am finding it really upsetting. Its a sickness, a malaise in peoples minds after years of corruption and entitlement, they dont care about anything. What is taught by our society is If I can then I have a right to. No conscience, no sense of shame? Fat sloppy arrogant woman in jeans sees nothing wrong in disgracing the Tiranga marching publicly alongside athletes who have sweated and slogged all their lives for this honour.This loser must be socially boycotted and made to rue her act, criminally prosecuted for disgracing the national flag. I wish Sushil Kumar had just slammed her down to the ground. Probably his upbringing and culture did not allow him. The Mangalore incident made many people see red as it was a self-appointed vigilante group that decided to act as moral-police. Like last time, television channels were taken

along instead of the police being informed first. This attack was not a spontaneous reaction to what may have been seen as an illegal activity. It was totally a well planned attack. Oddly enough, the girls who were victims of the attack were detained. The police claim that the girls being protected and it was also necessary to conduct tests for drug abuse. Actually, no complaint had been filed when the girls were detained. There has been a violent reaction to this treatment of the police and politicians are gaining mileage out of this. Some say that the girls were involved in illegal activities and people trying to protect the culture and morality of society should be rewarded and not punished. The police have taken over 40 persons into custody in connection with the incident. The home stay place was itself an illegal place and being run without a license. If a social organization knew of this place and could turn up with media to attack the girls, what were the authorities doing by allowing this home stay place to run? Who were these girls and why did they need a home stay? Was the local Mahila Welfare Organization in the loop at all? Did the public really see so much red for a government to impose regulations forbidding gathering of people? The latest trend to make wedding receptions happening events is to arrange dancers to perform mujras and belly dancing. The traditional classical music performances at weddings slowly gave way to bands and groups singing pop songs and film music. Soon Bollywood dancing also began to be added to the reception entertainment. In a regressive way, it is back to mujras and titillating dancing. Decency has been discarded as dancers suggestively gyrate to raunchy film songs that are greeted with loud wah-wahs and fistfuls of currency notes. The dancers include the traditional cross genders and women from the darker side of the cities. The individual, the vigilante and the professional performers are all part of the society we live in. Today, morals are not something that are appreciated or admired as the impression is that is infringes the freedom of the individual. Yet, in society, each person cannot live by him/herself. All of us need to live in a family, a group, a neighbourhood, community and society.Tradition sets up codes and mores of behaviour and there can be a healthy environment only if we live according to certain rules. The problem is that the rules are laid down for all to follow. We seem to be keen to make others rigidly follow these norms, but we ourselves fail to live by them. We keep saying that education and economic freedom is the answer to the inequities of society. The question then arises if we are using that education in the best possible manner for the greater good. Or are we using it to mainly achieve moments of personal glory be it Madhura who wore red; a group like the Hindu Jagran Vedike who are self-appointed moral brigades who attack areas that show the red light (while patronising the same as individuals); or social parvenus who think that any entertainment is good enough during a ceremonial occasion like a wedding where the colour red is an auspicious augury symbolised in the kumkum, the wedding sari and the aarthi? Do you see red when there is inequity, when Ravanas ill treat Sitas, or when traditional celebrations are overridden by sleaze and tacky entertainment but become blue with ennui and helplessness?

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August 2012 27

Reverting to

Independence
Ashok G.V.

A
It falls upon society in general to adopt and imbibe in the young girls of day, a strong sense of identity and independence whereby they see themselves as being perfectly capable of taking care of themselves economically and otherwise.

T
August 2012

he recent few weeks have perhaps been the worst so far as Indias tryst with women and child rights are concerned. The brazen case of a teenage girl being molested in Guwahati in full view of the public, shocked a nation and a state calling upon those of us still sane enough to wonder, how safe is this nation for women? Yet one wonders, probably the more relevant question would be, how did a country which equated motherhood to godlike existence come to this point where the streets have become hunting grounds for perverts and criminals seeking sick gratification? The answers are, I am afraid long and complicated, not to mention unpleasant. Yet, it is time to face reality. I cant help but wonder if the very perception of a womans role, by both

women and men has led us to this point. In so far as the independence and safety of a woman is concerned, the responsibilities always seem to fall upon those around her. Be it the husband, father or the boyfriend, the mentality on both sides of the gender spectrum remains that a woman is at the mercy of the said characters whose existence and functions envisage her protection. The notion thus begs the question which is, if a woman doesnt worry about her own protection, then why will third parties choose to invest that thought themselves? I propose the suggestion that the first step towards womens safety is to ensure that women learn of their own potential to protect themselves. In this direction, reference is invited to the ill-conceived nature of the assumption that in the presence of a crowd, the chance of a crime is likely to stand reduced on

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account of the probability of the crowds intervention. Following the brutal murder of Kitty Genovese, a bar manager in New York city in the year 1964 in the full view of bystanders, psychologists ventured to explain the lack of intervention on the part of witnesses to prevent the crime. In the result, the terms diffusion of responsibility and bystander effect emerged. Summarily speaking, the elaboration of the said terms indicate that the larger the crowd, the lesser the chance of a person intervening. It would be a futile effort to ascribe blame for non- intervention to factors such as apathy, as placed in a crowd watching a crime unravel, each witness is waiting or believing that his colleague witness will take it upon himself or herself to act. The readers are encouraged to read in greater detail about these concepts to understand the futile nature inherent in expecting safety in the presence of a crowd. Secondly, it falls upon society in general to adopt and imbibe in the young girls of day, a strong sense of identity and independence whereby they see themselves as being perfectly capable of taking care of themselves economically and otherwise. Even in todays age and day, it is not uncommon to see parents viewing daughters as a responsibility that ought to be transferred to another man, which somewhere explains the basis behind girls having to endure pressure to marry early. Yet why is it that the same

parents cannot bring themselves to believe that their daughter can live independently and her life has meaning by itself, which can only be supplemented and not fundamentally defined through the love of a husband? Women who endure eve-teasing and molestation on the roads, often find themselves in that situation simply because they are alone. Criminals seem to therefore feed off of the ill-conceived yet existent perception, that a woman unaccompanied by a male is fair game. Collectively, as society, if we had adopted and taught to all generations that a woman is content and capable of taking care of herself without the need for the men around her to intervene, would the situation not be otherwise? The culture of self-defence indeed has a significant role to play in this regard. By selfdefence, one must not be fooled to think about martial arts or weaponry although they play a limited role in that regard. By self-defence, what is referred to is a strong sense of self-esteem and mental strength, forged by a love for independence and freedom. Martial arts can augment the selfesteem and mental strength, even help in its development. But the ability to kick and punch cannot exist independently of this self-esteem and mental strength. In fact a strong will, by itself can prevent the most heinous attempts at a crime. I maintain that when we develop an appreciation of who we are and how precious our minds

and bodies are, we will go that extra-mile to keep ourselves safe and refrain from attracting crimes. This is true for women as much as men. Speaking about the legalities of it, the Indian penal code itself recognizes a persons right of self defence. Without resorting to the technicalities of the law, the IPC cautions against disproportionate reactions to a threat; best represented by the example of the illegality involved in shooting a criminal who is running away with a view to kill him. The IPC also encourages people to contact the authorities and refrain from vigilantism. Yet it understands that faced with an imminent threat to ones body, one can fight back to prevent oneself from becoming a victim of a crime. To conclude, the law frowns upon crimes against women. Yet those working with victims to aid their recovery from the trauma of a crime, testify as to the long term repercussions which the crime has on a victims mind and body. Indeed, punishing a perpetrator is a step towards assisting the victims recovery, but as the general caveat goes, prevention is better than cure. It follows therefore that first and foremost, we must find freedom from our present attitude and perceptions of women. Until then our present independence will always hide the real shackles that bind us.

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August 2012 29

What Honour Exists in Killing?

Kirthi Gita Jayakumar

K
30

anchibai was to be married off to a cousin, but she couldnt stand the idea, not one bit. The proclivity for her family to force on her an incestuous bond in matrimony was far too much for her to accept, far too wrong for her to tolerate. Kanchibai was educated at the volunteer school that some city-people had set up for her village. Though she was not as educated as her brother was, she still understood the wrong in allowing the marriage to take place. Kanchibais heart was with another, anyway, and marrying him was the only prospect she was willing to consider. So she devised a plan- she would run away on the eve of the wedding. A trusted friend would be her aide, and help her escape the pockmarked fate that was awaiting her. But even the truest of friends can be forced to turn foe, circumstances forcing her to be a tattle-tale.That night, Kanchibai was killed by her brothers, uncles and father.

Why?
Because the familys honour is of utmost importance; Because a runaway bride is a prospect about a thousand times worse in comparison to a dead one; Because they can. Kanchibais story is a wispy piece of fiction for my article. But her fate is not. In the past year alone, scores of Indian women were killed, all in the name of honour. They allegedly shamed their family, and by bringing their family disrepute, death was their decided punishment. India has reported over 1,000 cases of honour killings every year. And 900 incidents of such honour killings are reported from three Indian states alone: Haryana, Punjab, and U.P. But what is the honour in killing?

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August 2012

TEENMAG
How could these men justify the killing of their women, all in the name of honour? I remember these lines I read in Shakespeares magnum opus, Julius Caesar, where Brutus says to Cassius, Set honour in one eye and death i the other, And I will look on both indifferently, For let the gods so speed me as I love The name of honour more than I fear death. As contextually logical as these lines appear vis-a-vis Brutus exchange with Cassius on the subject of Brutus affection for a sense of honour, rather than to live a life with stigma, the insinuation of such logic in the hope of quelling any plausible dishonour stemming from a womans choice of standing for herself, or from a womans pursuit of a relationship with a man of her choice, is absurd. Outrageously so, at that. Honour killings are a reflection of a society that is steeped in an uber-conservative mindset, and deeply entwined on ego-centric misunderstanding, wherein women are construed emblematic of their familial honour, through their behaviour and conduct in the public eye. Any misconduct therefore, is a depredation of the familys honour and pride, and needs to be prevented at any cost. The dishonour can be dispensed with, and honour can be restored only if the offending female is tossed off the cliff. But this mindset is not confined to India. Pakistan, Palestine, Afghanistan, and even the west- wherein Canadas records show the occurrence of the honour killings of a couple of girls, to name a few, are hotbeds where the practice seems to thrive. There is no doubt that a mentality that precedes the perpetration of such an act is a product of misguided and ill-gotten values. Reality is theirs to interpret - it appears, for they seem to liberally take the law into their own hands. The confluence of a politically liberal environment coupled with misinterpretation of religious texts as sanctioning the act by a couple of zealots is an unholy, heady mix. You cannot hope to be politically or religiously liberated if you fail to understand that social liberation goes alongside both. Honour lies in respect, in perseverance, in honesty and in humanitarian conduct.And when you kill, theres no more dishonour than that.

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honour killings
August 2012 31

GHT SEI AG ARD RW L B HAZ OVEHOO LTH HEA SC A

Kanchana. Rao

all. Why do you need files for each subject then, if you have books too? We write sometimes in the books and sometimes in the files As I saw the futility of talking my son out of this, I decided to reason it out with the source of the problem, his teachers. In the company of many anguished mothers, we set out to talk with the teachers and arrive at a solution for this concern. We came up with a few solutions of our own for their consideration: Have only three subjects a day for all the periods, so the number of books to be carried is less. Books to be carried to school every day, like text books, can be left in the class room cupboards and given to students to take home only at the time of tests or exams. Limit the number of notebooks, use another only after on gets used up; this suggestion will also help reduce the usage of papers and thus improve environmental imbalance. A parent even had equipped herself with a sheet of guidelines issued by the health department to address this issue of overweight bags. The guidelines are as below:

very day, when I see my son off to school, I sigh inwardly at the sight of his bent back, bent by the weight of the bag pack. The inventors of the bag pack, bless them, did not fathom or envision that by helping clear hands of bag weight and shifting it to the back, would only result in loading both the hands and back! My son ends up not only being weighed down by his bag but also carrying files, a prop of sorts for one project or the other and of course the lunch bag. I have long since given up arguing and coaxing him to carry less. All my reasoning is met with answers which ultimately mean the same thing. I asked him, Why do you carry all the books every day? You take them in accordance with your time table. But we have all the subjects every day, he said. Why do you need a rough note book in addition to your class work book and home work book? We need to take them

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Overweight schools bags will bring additional stress and fatigue to primary and junior secondary students. The Department of Health recommends that, as a precautionary measure, students should avoid carrying school bags which exceed 15% of their body weight for long periods of time. The following are some suggested measures for schools to help students reduce the weight of their school bags: Give advice to students It is essential that schools should explain to students the additional stress and fatigue that over-weight school bags may bring about. This can be done during lessons, class periods or school assemblies. To help students reduce the weight of school bags, schools should (a) foster the habit of packing school bags every day, so that students bring to school only those textbooks, exercise books and stationery items which are definitely required. For lower primary pupils, the class teacher should give help and advice individually at the beginning of the school year; (b) advise teachers to give clear instructions for what books to bring for the next lesson before the end of sessions to avoid students from bringing any unnecessary textbooks, exercise books or stationery items to school; (c) encourage students to use school bags, pencil cases and other stationery items which are made of durable but light-weight materials; and (d) demonstrate to students the correct manner and posture in carrying school bags and explain the adverse effects that overweight schoolbags will bring about. Obtain co-operation of parents Home-school co-operation is important. Schools should explain to parents the role they play in reducing the weight of school bags. Parents should be urged to select school bags and items which are made of light-weight materials, to remind and help their children to pack school bags every day according to the timetable, and to discourage their children from bringing magazines, toys and unnecessary items to school. Guidelines on How to Help Children to Reduce the Weight of School Bags have been uploaded to the website of Curriculum Development Institute (at http://www.edb.gov.hk/pere) for reference of parents and schools. the

Review timetable Schools should review if the timetable is suitably arranged. As far as possible, schools should minimise the number of subjects for each day and design the timetable in such a way that lessons requiring students to bring a large number of textbooks, exercise books and heavy materials (such as atlas, drawing paper, cardboard, etc.) are evenly spread over the week. Choose appropriate textbooks In selecting textbooks, schools should take the weight and size into account in addition to their educational value for teaching and learning. Schools should avoid using too many supplementary workbooks or additional exercises. Although an extra workbook for one subject may not weigh much, the total weight of workbooks for all subjects will be considerable. Design a variety of approaches and styles of homework assignment Using homework books or exercise books will definitely increase the weight of school bags. Teachers can use looseleaf or single-page worksheets in giving homework assignments. The worksheets can be distributed to students one at a time so that they can be conveniently carried around. Teachers will also find them easy to collect and mark. Schools can design and adopt a variety of approaches and styles of homework assignment such as searching information from the Web, doing experiment, presenting oral report, etc. Provide storage facilities and ensure proper usage The provision of storage facilities in schools will obviate the need for students to carry certain textbooks, exercise books, stationery items, instruments, water bottles and other articles to and from school every day. If space and resources permit, schools should review the adequacy of furniture items (such as lockers, bookcases and shelves), and make necessary adjustments. Schools furnished with students lockers should help students develop a good habit of using the lockers in a proper and effective manner. Schools may also consider choosing desk with drawer for the use of students. Avoid penalizing students Teachers should give allowance to students who fail to bring textbooks and exercise books. A more positive approach (such as giving clear instructions beforehand for the items required in each lesson) should be adopted rather than penalizing students.

Examples of good practice The following practices adopted by schools are found effective to help reduce the weight of school bags: 1. Conducting campaign on reducing the weight of school bags to draw the attention of teachers, parents and pupils to the issue. 2. Conducting random check on the weight of school bags and informing parents if bags are found overweight. 3. Mobilizing parents to help weighing school bags to arouse awareness of the issue. 4. Using other learning materials to replace textbooks in the learning of some topics. 5. Reducing the use of workbooks and replacing them by loose-leaf worksheets. 6. Keeping pupils new exercise books and issuing them to pupils only when needed. 7. Setting the maximum number of assignments for each subject as part of the homework policy. 8. Allotting a tutorial period in the timetable for pupils to complete part of their homework at school. 9. Scheduling PE and Art and Craft lessons for different days. 10. Allowing pupils to wear sportswear instead of school uniforms for days with PE lessons. 11. Encouraging the use of drinking fountains and advising pupils not to bring drinking water to school.

The above suggestions are not exhaustive. Schools may choose to adopt any of these practices, where appropriate, and are encouraged to draw up and implement other measures, which they consider practicable and effective in their own circumstances, with a view to reducing the weight of school bags. So we see that every problem has a solution. With a little effort, conscious effort, we can avoid what can result in a serious health hazard and help our children and all children in the generations to come.

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August 2012 33

The New Equation

Chandrika R Krishnan

e have moved from times when marriages took place between two complete strangers. Or so we think. Whats the marriage scenario in Free India?

Once a colleague of mine quipped, Our marriages were events when we actually took extremely foolish risk, by getting married to strangers. Pondering on the system that existed then, I always feel that whoever said that we Indians were not great risk takers need to only look at the way we went about arranging marriage in the various communities. The reason behind the great success ratio was the fact that people were afraid to wash dirty linen in public, amidst other family members and learned to adjust and compromise to a great

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extent. I still remember my uncles pearls of advice before my own arranged marriage, Compromise is the key to success in most marriages. It is expected that women adjust more than men, but I feel that it is only during the initial stages that a woman need to compromise more as she is going into a new home. Once she is accepted and is comfortable then the compromises are like two way streets! Hence, have patience in the new environment for I somehow feel that you would be facing a Herculean task in the initial stages of your marriage. He was so right but now nearing my silver jubilee, I can safely say that my uncle was absolutely right. The compromises have become two way and to be absolutely honest, things work more my way than his! My young colleague felt that, education makes a lot of difference for marriages to be successful. When the husband and his family members are not educated they live in a secluded environment and dont see the changing world around them. Is he right? Not always for I find that today the youth of our country seem to be at the cross roads. They are unable to compromise with their parents, siblings, their work place, among friends, in public and finally their marriage vows! The crimes perpetrated on either partner in a marriage are on the rise. At all too frequent intervals we hear about the increase in divorce rates due to frivolous reasons or worse crimes committed due to extra marital affairs or fighting against some personal demons. The same education seems to be giving a false sense of rights, freedom and liberty. All of a sudden, tolerance and compromise seem to have become taboo words! There was a time when the woman was the victim in a bad marriage. But now, the tables seems to have turned with many a men worrying about false harassment charges and in turn turning to be the victims rather than perpetrators. Marriage is for keeps! The statement has lost its meaning. Like new clothes and cell phones, the Generation next feels that if the marriage does not suit them, quit it. Both partners seem to accept the newfound sexual freedom. Being unfaithful is more a fashion statement and seems to cause havoc on their relationship. As my young friend said, My friend was aghast when she found condoms in her husbands suitcase not once but twice when he returned from business tours. Obviously his idea of marriage was different from hers and eventually it led to divorce. Personal space and me- time is taking over the our time in a new relationship. When both are high-flying professionals

free time is a rare commodity. Yet, they do not want to change the status quo of what they had when they were single.They would like to continue as before and nourishing the young sapling of marriage is becoming more and more difficult. Once again, the right-to-live-life-on-my-own-terms seems to raise its head. The old-fashioned thought of togetherness is paving way to more and more self-centered pursuits rather than trying and making things work as a couple or a team. Is the marriage scenario changing? Recently, Chetan Bhagat had written in his weekly column in a leading newspaper that movies like cocktail give an impression that a womans salvation still lies in making hot phulkas for her husband and he feels that men must celebrate the success of women in their professional lives. True? Yes, says a young unmarried professional. Even though men have accepted the role a woman plays in her professional life, when it comes to household work and cooking it still remains predominantly her responsibility. Surprisingly, there are still families that believe the more educated the women is the greater is the chance she will not adjust to her marital home. At the outset, the word adjust has a dirty connotation to it as the woman is expected to mould herself as if she a mere clay to the likes and dislikes of her marital home. While the expectation reeks of the age old male domination syndrome so also is it wrong to lay down a pre-nuptial document of what chores a man should carry out and what the woman should! Making an extra cup of coffee or being asked to cook should not become a bone of contention in a good marriage. I know of many men who do not mind chipping in with the household chores whenever they find themselves reaching home earlier than their wives. Major fallout of our so-called progress or economic betterment is the breakdown of the family system. Young girls of today have really witnessed the bad times faced by their mothers and hence feel that it is better to be safe than sorry and hence make it evident from the beginning that inlaws of any shape and size are unwelcome. Unfortunately, they do not realize that their husbands too had witnessed the same scenarios and hence are better equipped to deal with difficult situation unlike their own fathers. Extended family help is of paramount importance and many a problem can be sorted out by well meaning relatives. Family help can be scorned only when there is no help forthcoming and interference adds to woes.

Marriage is an investment. We are in an age of economic betterment. We are intellectually aware that we need to invest on many things right from beginning. There is an investment for education, property, and retirement benefits. Why then are we shying away from investing on building a good marriage? It would pay to work on ones marriage. A good marriage will be a fall back option during bad times, ill health and to stave of loneliness and for raising strong children who will be a part of a better society. And finally, why are we bringing unhappiness to the one whom we have promised, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, albeit in varied languages or style!

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Holding Hands, Building Bridges

Valsala Menon

oving the way we live is indeed the closest thing to happiness. Being truly happy is a quality that emerges and matures in the process of human development. It is in fact, closely aligned with equanimity and ability to maintain your balance even in the face of the most trying circumstances.

L
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Relationships have undergone transformation in recent years.

drastic

Maintaining and building relationships and sustaining them need a lot of hard work. A close look at relationships and marriage, co-habitation and live-in relationships in independent India proves to be an eyeopener. Is the institution of marriage slowly dying out? Ms Aneta Miriam Thomas, clinical

psychologist with the UNO had this to say, People have realized that there is more freedom in co habitation and in opting to live together, than in just conforming to traditional ideas of tying the knot. Aparna Sen and Ganesh Iyer are colleagues as well as a couple, who have opted to live together. We have no qualms as to announcing to the entire world that we are

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August 2012

Every relationship needs careful nurturing, without which it can never sustain or blossom. Its not necessary for couples to continue to remain married despite vast differences in attitude and opinion, just because we have kids. We should be role models to our children and let them know that we have choices galore in life, to make or break our lives.

h
a couple who have decided to live together. That doesnt mean that our relationship is a loosely bonded one. We want to prove to the world that we will bond and remain bonded to each other without conforming to the legalities of marriage. After twenty years of marriage, Ms Sunitha Krishnan opted out of her marriage. We were two right people very wrong for each other, opines Sunitha, You might rightfully ask whether it took us that long to realize that we were not meant for each other. When two people live together in a long standing marriage, there are multiple chances of growing apart, getting to realize our differences and eventually realizing that we have drifted apart and do not have anything to match up. Every relationship needs careful nurturing, without which it can never sustain or blossom. Its not necessary for couples to continue to remain married despite vast differences in attitude and opinion, just because we have kids. We should be role models to our children and let them know that we have choices galore in life, to make or break our lives. Moreover, kids grow up, move apart, and get into relationships of their own. Where does that leave us? Why should we remain married to a person with whom we do not share any kind of rapport anymore? stressed Sunitha. Even after several decades of Independence, and economic freedom, Indian women still have stigmas attached to them when it comes to divorce. Geetha, a lecturer in Physics at a Government college in Calicut is a divorcee. I have an autistic son and my husband was not supportive with either of us. I decided to opt for mutual divorce. Even my best friend and colleagues attributed a lot of stigma to my newly divorced status. I am not so bad looking myself and suddenly I found that I was no more welcome in social circles and friends homes. They even suspected that their husbands would develop a roving eye when I was in their vicinity. In sheer disgust, I finally opted to get married again.Well, it was like jumping from the frying pan into the fire again . I realized that he was no good and was just depending on me to bring in the livelihood. Still, we pulled on since a single woman is always unsafe in Kerala, being the target of cat calls and snide comments and a few years later, I found out that he had developed an illicit relationship with yet another married lady. To save my self esteem and dignity, I filed for divorce yet again. I am a free bird now and care no more for social stigmas. Life has made me strong, asserts Geetha. Yet, how many divorced women do remain strong and steadfast in the face of societal derision and snide sniggers? Economic freedom has helped women move ahead and live with dignity, opting to bring up their children single handedly, after filing for mutual divorce. Things are slowly changing for the better. Yet, it will take time, opines Aneta. Women are more street smart, capable and care two hoots for the age old societal norms and stigmas attached to single parent or divorced status. India is well on her way to creating a society of free thinking individuals smiles Aneta. Relationships, whether they are legalized marriages, live in relationships or cohabitation; each one requires working upon diligently. A lot of adjustment, sharing and caring, without compromising on each ones individuality, is the mantra of the new generation. It is indeed a huge relief to see that the Indian women are slowly edging out age old societal norms and shackles that male chauvinist husbands had imposed on them, concludes Aneta.

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August 2012 37

Playing the

Equality
Game at Home
Priyanka Sakhamuru

When the kids are sick, it is he who takes them to the doctor. We attend parent-teacher meetings together, says Debabani Senior Post Doctoral Fellow@ CCMB, Hyderabad.

ousehold chores have been considered a womans domain and men were kept out of it. Be it a homemaker or a working woman, she was always expected to handle the home chores on her own. However in todays hectic world, there are a precious few who receive help from their husbands. Since quite a few metropolitan women work today their hubbies pitch in when it comes to cooking, cleaning, bringing up children et al.

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Enterprising Endeavours

Arnab Roy Chowdhury, Principal Scientist at GVK Bio , Hyderbad says, I try to help my wife in some household work during the week. On weekends I prepare a few non-vegetarian dishes. When we lived in the U.S. we did not have any domestic help, so we had to split the work. But now since we have such resources here, I do what I can after getting back from work. A father of two little girls he says that while their mother is in charge of their education and discipline, he tries to be their friend. I encourage them to be creative. I also play with them in the evening, adds Arnab. Arnabs wife Debabani who is a Senior Post Doctoral Fellow at CCMB, Hyderabad says that her husband helps her with cooking, dusting, drying clothes etc regularly. When the kids are sick, it is he who takes them to the doctor. We attend parent-teacher meetings together, she says. Chetan Patel, a consultant at a travel agency in Hyderabad says that since he works long hours, he tries to help his wife out how much ever he can. I help her out in the kitchen and cleaning up the place afterwards. I also help in getting the weekly vegetables and other household requirements, he says. An expectant father, Chetan is still reeling from his good news. When asked what plans he has made with his wife for the arrival of their bundle of joy he says that right now all his attention is focused on his wife. My

first priority is her health. Nonetheless, my parents and relatives have been giving me loads of tips and advice. Im also considering the idea of reading books on how to bring up a child, he adds. Unlike Arnab, Chetan believes in not being more than what he is supposed to be. I am trying to be what I am. I mean if I am a father I wish to be a good father and if I am a husband I wish to be a good husband. I feel that if I try to be more than what I am suppose to be, then I am changing the relationship, says Chetan. Chandrahaas Uniyal, a software engineer says his wife loves to cook but dislikes associated work like chopping vegetables etc. Since both he and his wife work, they split all the household work so that they dont get as tired. I help my wife by cutting veggies, setting the table, serving the food etc. She and I prepare the food together everyday. On weekends I make breakfast, bring tea for her just so that she feels special, he adds. Chandrahaas says that while growing up, he had to watch his mother struggle with the household work. Since she is also a working woman, she counseled me to help my wife at home, says the newly married young man. Nothing beats the consideration and thoughtfulness of husbands towards their wives. Looks like the new generation of

men are now breaking away from their stereotypical roles. From playing the part of being only the bread-winner, they have taken on sharing household responsibilities with panache.

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No Fair Deal for the

king Wife Wor

Gayatri T Rao

I think majority of men are like that. If you find someone who doesnt then you are lucky, Dr. Sonali Mhatre, who studies and works in Nair Hospital for Diploma in Child Health, Mumbai, says. Her husband Sarthak left his business to do full time job (Operational Manager) in a BPO to support the family so that his wife could complete her higher education. It is not often that you get to see such an example.

M
40

en will be men! Most men accept women friends and colleagues as equals and respect them for what they do. But when it comes to their wife they want her to take the major responsibility of the household even if she is in a good job. All in all she does not get the support that she deserves from the family.

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August 2012

But there are men like Anil Shinde, Engineer in HPCL, who have seen the discontent in his friends families because their wives were working. His family on the other hand according to him is spiritual and so there is no space for this kind of discontent. He says, The economic situation in the country is such that both husband and wife have to work. But we have a mutual understanding and thus make our marriage work. Yashraj Pednekar, Project Lead in Wipro insists, I also think that the wife should get support at home because if both are earning, both spend more than nine hours in the office per day. Anil is particularly critical about the couples, where the wife earns more than the husband. In general, when the wife is working she has an ego. If she is earning more than her husband, the salary factor comes and there is no mutual understanding between them. I dont have such problem in my family but I have seen it with my colleagues families. They are suffering due to such a problem. But then, the wife is burdened with the household work as well, high salary or not. Anil says, It can happen. Some men dont like their wives working. Whenever he comes at home, he wants to see her in front of him always. Now-a-days, due to the economic situation, they have to send their wives to work. Otherwise in my case also, I dont like my wife to work anywhere. The patriarchal attitude comes to play and the wife has to encounter stress due to extra work. Anil says, There are a lot of reasons. It depends on his family background and his relationship with his parents. It may be the consequence of his fathers behavior with his mother. That could be the root cause. But once education is complete and later career has begun, the man goes out in the society and mingles with colleagues. Then there is a change in him. Yashraj suggests that it is the male ego that makes them domineering in their behavior towards their wives. The reason according to Dr. Sonali is, What you see is what you do. You have seen your Mom and Dad relationship. The same thing is ingrained in your mind. If your Mom has been a housewife, you think that your wife should be like my Mom. If she is not then you are not happy even if your wife is the MD of some big firm. You have seen your Mom working at home, cooking, washing clothes, etc. I mean kudos for her.

You dont realize that she could do these chores because she was not going out to work. Now you want your wife to have a good career and then you also say that I want my wife to be just like my Mom. I mean you dont want to compromise in the home front. If there is a joint family, even the in-laws will expect the same, they dont see that the woman is going out and working so hard.They want their son to come home and relax in front of the TV and daughter-inlaw to come home and do all the work. Too many expectations take a toll. Wherever the in-laws are supportive, there is a very high chance that the husband is supportive. All the couples spoken to for this article agreed that the mother can inculcate the right attitude in her son towards his future wife, but this is not being done. Anil reiterates the general thinking, We should inculcate respect for women in our son. My son for e.g. should learn from my behavior with my wife. It is ultimately the atmosphere at home that will decide. Asked if the mother can play a role in honing the personality of the men, Yashraj says, Usually, guys are attached to their mothers. Whatever they learn from their mother during their childhood, their personality will be developed accordingly. But, his wife Shruti insists, I will bring up my daughter in the same way as my son. I will give them the same values. Later there will be the influence of the society in the form of peers. Dr. Sonali also concurs, It should be the same thing with daughters. If my daughter helps me with chopping the vegetables I will call my son also to do the same. The values given should be irrespective of the gender. As long as the Mom treats her son and daughter as equals, it will go a long way in bringing about equality of genders. Similarly if the father shows respect toward the mother in front of the kids, they would also grow up to be individuals who respect women. On the other hand, if you are yelling in front of your kids imagine how it will impact them? My husband and I have decided that when we fight it will be within the four walls of our room. It should not be seen by his parents or our kids. No one outside the door should know that we are fighting. It is a deal between us. Yashraj also agrees, If there is also a daughter at home, it will be easier to teach as well as learn. Because whatever you are teaching the son sees it being implemented in front of him.

Anil and Chaya Shinde

Sarthak and Dr. Sonali

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Cinema Panorama
Cinema is a very strong medium, and it has immense power to influence the public in general, and youth in particular. Film makers should keep that in mind and its a responsibility that they have towards the people,

Joseph Aloysius

Andrew Louis

oung and creative, Andrew Louis , the director of Leelai has come out with a winner in his debut film. Andrew Louis is a dynamic filmmaker with more than fourteen years of film education and film making to his credit. In a tete-a-tete with Joseph Aloysius, he speaks at length about the trends in Indian cinema. Excerpts

Films made today do not seem to have the linger quality that old films had. Why? Back then there were few sources of entertainment. Films were the sole high impact entertainment source and tended to stay in memory for a long time. Today amidst the diverse entertainment avenues in the media, films appear to have lesser impact.That doesnt mean films of today are less memorable. Many films are creating a huge impact among audience. A few years from now, people will start picking up classics from todays films. Is there so much paucity of original ideas that we resort to remake of old films / films from other languages? The same thing applies to music also. Why are there so many remakes? Is it because quick money can be made? Remakes are inevitable in film industry which is based on commercial motives. It is easier to re-make films and music that have already proven to be successful. There are people who still believe in making original films that can make a strong impact.

A hundred years of Indian Cinema and thousands of films in many languages. Where is the Indian cinema positioned today globally? What have we achieved so far? Indian cinema has come a long way. There is an international recognition for Indian films today. Global market is looking at Indian cinema as a very profitable industry.This is a great achievement given that Indian cinema is spread across many geographical areas, cultures and languages.

Despite churning out innumerable films every year, we have not made a mark in the global scenario as a country that makes quality films. What are the major constraints for Indian filmmakers? I do not agree. Winning an Oscar or Cannes award cannot be the criterion for judging Indian films. These awards are not meant for our films. Market wise Indian films have indeed made a mark in the global scenario. Many new film makers and even talented film makers who make low budgets films lack knowledge about global marketing. But high budget Indian films are reaching globally.

What are your views about song and dance in Indian movies? Given that often the songs lack in quality, they reduce the tempo of the film. Item songs and kutthu paattu not only reflect our culture in poor light, given the obscene lyrics and gestures, but they also titillate the audience and lead to several unsavory social consequences. Your comment. Songs have been an integral part of Indian cinema. Having said that, it is very much the

42

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responsibility of the film makers to ensure that the lyrics of the songs are meaningful, and that the songs have been choreographed well. Inappropriate insertion of songs in films will certainly affect the flow of the story, and the impact of the film, whereas appropriate, songs can enhance the success of the film.

Why do you think that the southern film industry, especially Tollywood and Kollywood are relentlessly promoting a culture of racism, choosing thin and fair girls from the north as heroines? In south India, not many women are coming forward to act in movies, because a certain section of the society still believes that its not a very good field for women to be involved in. But in the north, they look at it very professionally, and we have more choices. But that does not mean that we are promoting a culture of racism.

Cinema has the power to influence mass attitudes. According to social activists and critics, given that aggression, violence and sex are the dominant ingredients of most films, the cinema has influenced the youth in a very negative manner indirectly leading to an increase in crime and other nefarious activities in the society. Your comments. Cinema is a very strong medium, and it has immense power to influence the public in general, and youth in particular. Film makers should keep that in mind and it is a responsibility that they have towards the people.

In terms of quality, south Indian films do not even compare with Bollywood movies, let alone foreign films. Is money the only constraint or the lack of knowledge and skill too? Money, of course, is a major constraint. With whatever facilities that we do have, we have been successful in making good quality films. It must not be forgotten that most of the top technicians in Bollywood are from south India.

budget and the wide viewership, resulting in part due to these factors. Although there are talented filmmakers in India, they are restricted by the above mentioned factors.

Why do even educated and intelligent film makers toe the line of majority filmmakers who make unrealistic movies for the masses with masala formulae? When you compare a huge crowd of cine goers who come to cinema halls to while away their time and need something to titillate them, there are movie lovers who would like to see quality films. Should the cinema cater to the former or the latter? I dont think that my film Leelai is a masala flick. Songs have been an integral part of films in India. We cant stop mediocre films from being made unless the public strongly conveys such a sentiment, which cant be ignored by the film industry. As long as a script writer is able to convince a producer to fund his/her project, such films will continue to be made, alongside films with a strong story line, script etc. I believe cinema should cater to all types of audiences.

Why do you think women are still not given importance in Indian films as they do in foreign films? I do not agree that women have not been given importance in Indian films. Kahaani is a recent example of a film which has a very strong woman-oriented script and in which Vidya Balan has done a fabulous job. Since there are many men involved in developing scripts, there is a higher ratio of mencentric films in India.

Why do you think there are very few women filmmakers in India? And none comparable to Mira Nair, who had to go abroad to make films! The film industry has not consciously kept women away.There have been many women film directors like Deepa Mehta, Farah Khan etc. Mira Nair got recognized for her work internationally. Getting that sort of appreciation for ones work depends on the individuals talent, and that has got nothing to do with the gender.

What are your views about actors and film technicians today? What are your views about the quality of acting today? Do you believe that the huge amounts paid to the stars are warranted? We do have many talented actors and skilled technicians in the industry today. In keeping with the changing times, there are actors who can subtly portray a character. As long as the producers are able to pay such huge sums of money to the actors, and still make commercially successful films, this will go on.

Most movies made abroad have a strong storyline, well researched scripts and actors suitable for the story are cast, giving the movie credibility. Indian cinema, especially those from the south seem to be made in a hurry, just throwing in popular actors, a few songs in foreign locales, clichd storyline and dialogues etc. Most youngsters prefer to watch English movies. Can we ever expect quality films that cater to different categories of audiences? We have been enjoying English films, and one of the reasons for that is the increasing influence of westernization on us. Given the social and cultural background of people in India, there have been some internationally acclaimed films originating from here. Satyajit Ray and Shyam Benegal for instance, have widespread appreciation for their work. But, Hollywood is certainly a cut above Indian cinema in terms of technology,

What do you feel about the new trend of short film production and its popularization through social media? Will it carry Indian cinema to a higher platform? Social media has certainly increased the reach of short films. Technology has advanced so much today, that anyone can shoot a short film, and upload it. But it has got its limitation in terms of the audience being a very niche crowd. Although short films are useful for spreading a social message, according to me, Indian cinema and short films are to be looked at as two different things. What are your current projects? Do you have ideas of making short films or serials for the television? I am working on my next script at the moment. No, I do not intend to do serials. But, if there is something that I feel would be conveyed best through a short film, I would use that medium.

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Whats with Sycophancy?

Gayatri T Rao

We need to make efforts to reduce the blind adulation of celebrities. Samir says, When we try to find a superstar in each person, we can learn many things from them. Just break the spell. Many common people have proven themselves, vanquishing great challenges. Amrita says, You are your own personality. If your idol (I really dont know) Amitabh Bachchan cannot paint, you may be able to do it. Everyone has his or her own talent, which has to be developed. If you are focused, man, you have your own life. It is not about ego, but about your self-respect. Rahul is hopeful. He says, Sycophancy clouds judgment and the professional outcome. While working you should keep awe aside. Stars like the professionalism of an artiste junior to them. There is less sycophancy now because people are becoming more professional. Technicians today are young and are more confident and professional. Stars have realized that having sycophants around does not really pay. Being professional and working hard only pays.

ne criticism wielded against Indians is that sycophancy reigns supreme in our nation and is often taken to ridiculous extents for personal gains. Sycophancy levels are very high in political and film circles. In corporate circles and workplaces, many a time sycophancy is resorted to for promotions and favourable recommendations. Indians also worship icons, exhibiting their admiration through ludicrous and almost bizarre ways. Influential and powerful people emerge as icons for all the wrong reasons and the media continues to project them often. Awards are showered on them and some even get honoured with doctorates. By projecting persons who dont stand for certain values and may have adopted dubious means to acquire name and fame, many youngsters are misled to believing that these are the means to make progress. In Mumbai, Gayatri ventures to find out what people think about sycophancy and worshipping of icons. Power has an effect on people. It makes them kowtow to the person wielding the power. Reverence and adulation takes the form of sycophancy and people start worshipping their very human idols. India has many fan clubs for cinema personalities. Reverence goes to such an extent that temples of the revered personalities are established. As Samir Gill, recruitment professional and former actor says, It is good to have someone as an idol, because we learn a lot from their lives, hardships, failure and success. Everybody has ups and downs in their lives. Nobody has success always. Till they prove themselves as hero. But I wont appreciate fanaticism. You can learn from everyone. Each person is a superstar that way. No other country has huge fan clubs for cinema personalities. Samir insists, In western countries they have fan clubs for singers and sports persons like football players and boxers. Muhammad Ali has a very huge fan following. Likewise in India we have fan clubs for actors.We are looking at today, the independent India. Before independence, leaders like Gandhiji and 44

Nehruji had a huge fan following. Meanwhile, Amrita Karlekar, Accounts Executive, Edelman PR Agency, Mumbai opines, I adore Amir Khan. He makes sure all the aspects of his movies are perfect. When I see an Amir Khan movie, I look at the background work that went into it. Being a PR person I draw inspiration from this and try to do my best in my work. You see what is available but you have your own lives to lead and you have your own motives. Whatever good qualities there are you pick up and emulate. For e.g. Amirs Satyameva Jayate show is an inspiration. They recently showed the reasons for divorce. Due to this show you realize that there are people who initially appear good and turn out as abusers later. Now I will not get influenced by anybody in my life. Rahul Seth, music director and singer discusses sycophancy with a different perspective. According to him, sycophancy and idol worship are two different things. He says, I feel sycophancy is chamchagiri (flattery). Icon worship is when you admire someone from a distance and try to emulate him or her. But sycophancy is you want to impress an influential person for your own personal gain. In this sense is not healthy. More than the star, you tarnish your own image. Secondly, without the stars realizing the repercussions, sycophancy does a lot of damage. A classic example is Rajesh Khanna. He had the biggest sycophant club. Sycophants feed the stars ego. In the long run they harm the star. It has been around for a long time. I classify people as two different types. The first works hard and tries to emulate their idols.The second type wants to be around the idol. Worshiping your idol or role model has a positive impact. An icon can actually motivate his admirer. Take the e.g. of Eklavya of Mahabharata. He surpassed even Arjuna in worshipping Dronacharya as Guru by giving his right thumb as Guru Dakshina.

Power has an effect on people. It makes them kowtow to the person wielding the power. Reverence and adulation takes the form of sycophancy and people start worshipping their very human idols. India has many fan clubs for cinema personalities. Reverence goes to such an extent that temples of the revered personalities are established.

Rahul Seth

Samir Gill

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Amrita Karlekar

TEENMAG
Culture Conscious
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For your Eyes only

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Hell & Heaven!

A Day in
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Friendship Matters
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Freedom in general may be defined as the absence of obstacles to the realization of desires -Bertrand Russell

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Model: K.Pavan Teja Photographer: P.S.K. Karthick Foton studio

From Kirthis Desk .....

TEENMAG
Ask, Act, Change, Evolve
My country, in thy day of glorious past, A beauteous halo circled round thy brow. And worshipped as a deity thou wast. Where is that glory, where that reverence now?

hus wrote Henry Louis Vivian Derozio, with India in his mind. Call his ideas prescience, or a case of calling a spade a spade but the pragmatic significance in his words would hands down, haunt you even today. At the risk of sounding incorrigibly heretical in my assessment, I am not ashamed to say that I am disillusioned with what India has become. A country that was once in no way inferior in its diversity of principles, religion or policies, has now become a melting pot of chaos, corruption and tomfoolery. An institution that rests on the edifice of Satyameva Jayate has become a derisive mockery of the quintessence of democracy. In the hoi-polloi that the true element of public opinion has become, we as a people have become prone to mud-slinging. Antagonism, personal libel and upping one another in the repertoire of sops have come to be the norm instead of contesting elections with a mere battle of the policies in the manifestos. Today, India is the country where a leading educational establishment punishes its student with a forced demand that she lick her own urine for bedwetting. Today, India is the country that encourages a sweeper to perform a surgery in a government hospital while the actually trained doctors stare in awe. Today, India is the country where God-men don saffron and indulge in all kinds of malpractices you can imagine. Today, India is the country where jingoism reigns. Today, India is the country that decided it will hate its women, and be among the worst places in the world for a woman. Today, India is the country that will denounce racism against its own on foreign terrain, but hush up an instance of racism by its own against a foreigner.Today, India is the country that will allow movies and entertainment to be a heady mix of sex, sleaze and violence. Today, India is the country that is ridden with parochial considerations that ensnare its masses in hate-wars on the basis of caste and religion.

I am not pulling these things out of thin air. It is both fact and reality that every one of the aforementioned are happening in India. What has India become? Yes, it is easy to step back and say this of our country. But lets not forget that WE are that country. Lets not forget that if we put our mind, hearts and souls to it, we CAN and WILL change the trajectory our country is taking. I have just one thing to tell you as our country is on its way to its 65th Birthday, at every turn in life, ask. If you ask, you will know. If you know, you can act. If you act, you can change. If you change, you can evolve.

Kirthi Gita Jayakumar

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TEENMAG

J est

Attorney: Were you present when your picture was taken? Witness: Would you repeat the question? Attorney: So the date of conception of the baby was August 8th? Witness: Yes. Attorney: And what were you doing at that time? Witness: Uh.... Attorney: She had three children, right? Witness: Yes. Attorney: How many were boys? Witness: None. Attorney: Were there any girls? Attorney: How was your first marriage terminated?

sample? Witness: Huh? Attorney: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse? Witness: No. Attorney: pressure? Witness: No. Attorney: Did you check for breathing? Witness: No. Attorney: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began autopsy? Witness: No. Attorney: Doctor? How can you be so sure, Did you check for blood

4 Laughs

These are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts, and are things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now published by court reporters who had the torment of staying calm while these exchanges were actually taking place.

Witness: By death. Attorney: And by whose death was it terminated? Attorney: Can you describe the individual? Witness: He was about medium height and had a beard. Attorney: Was this a male or a female? Attorney: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney? Witness: No, this is how I dress when I go to work. Attorney: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people? Witness: All my autopsies are performed on dead people. Attorney: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to? Witness: Oral. Attorney: Do you recall the time that you examined the body? Witness: The autopsy started around 8:30 pm. Attorney: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time? Witness: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy on him! Attorney: Are you qualified to give a urine

Witness: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar. Attorney: But could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless? Witness: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law!

Attorney: When is your birthday? Witness: July 18th. Attorney: What year? Witness: Every year. Attorney: Now doctor isnt it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesnt know about it until the next morning? Witness: Did you actually pass the bar exam? Attorney: The youngest son, the twentyone year-old, how old is he? Witness: Uh, hes twenty-one.

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Culture Conscious

from Asia is among the most popular, and Indian style music has even infiltrated hiphop. This however does not lead to the fear that western cultures are corrupted by an amalgamation of eastern cultures. What is interesting is the blending of global cultures. But a native must understand and respect his roots, growing and evolving by integrating those universal human values that lead him toward self actualization. The quote While in Rome be a Roman doesnt hold good for youngsters today. Many follow and worship western culture s, which is a sad state of affair. It is funny how some foreigners dress up in Indian attire and pursue traditions such as yoga, meditation and even get married the Indian way, but Indians would prefer being westernized as they so call it. Some feel it is a cool statement to lead life like a celebrity from the west, forgetting who you actually are, says Sarvana Kannadasan, an engineer in Chennai. You can take the Indian out of India but not India out of an Indian, says Kalpesh Patel who is an avid globetrotter and a garment exporter but a hardcore Indian at heart. Change is eminent in so many ways, including culturally. Although some of the negatives of western culture may have spread to India, it is important to consider the positives as well. It is heartening to note that youngsters adopting western lifestyles are not completely abandoning their core culture. In fact, they are actually being proud of our culture.They cannot escape it as they are hardwired and bound to them for life.

Jinal Patel

nations culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people - Mahatma Gandhi

The wheels of times are changing. It would indeed not be prudent to continue with certain customs and practices of the bygone era which are not appropriate to a rapidly changing world. Yet, Indian culture is one of the oldest in the history of mankind and spread across national borders to other countries. Hence it is a matter of concern for some that there is a drastic import of western life style and western ways that may not be appropriate to our climactic, geographical and social conditions. Moreover, a matter of greater concern is that today young men and women are also on the verge of giving up core values that have kept our nation together and helped us keep afloat in a world hit by economic recession, wars and innumerable other issues of human rights. Right from dresses to entertainment avenues, 48 food habits, interactions

with family, friends and the opposite sex, everything has undergone a huge makeover! In the garb of multiculturalism, this is also ushering in unproven trends such as the foray of foreign food and beverage giants, retail, etc. Yes! The youth are highly influenced by pop culture. The reasons for this may be their yearning to be recognized, be popular and have an engaging social life. And it doesnt stop with the youngsters. Even parents of 15-24 yrs old try to emulate this culture of partying, drinking, smoking giving reasons that they are in with the times, they want to know their kids better etc., says a youngster Khushbu Patel. Globalization has helped the world become more connected and changing mass attitudes and behavior. Arguably Indian culture or other Eastern cultures have also influenced the West. We have Hookah bars now, and saris have become sort of fashionable. Technology

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TEENMAG
East is East and West is West
What do youngsters think about westernisation? Why are people attracted to western ways? What are the likes/dont likes about Indian culture? Fayaz Hameed,Television Producer
I dont see it as westernisation. Probably the right word is globalization. I guess the world has become small because of globalisation and there is a huge population of people exchanging their cultures in todays world. Westerners adopt yoga and meditation and we adopt hip hop and rap...This is just helping us know the world better and choose the best.

Srijana Rai, Student

Yes, I think westernization makes people know more about new things, makes people broad minded and helps them face the world. It is important to be exposed to the world. We need to know different languages, adopt different food habits and lifestyle.

Rupesh Jain, Senior Manager

The exchange of cultures between countries occurs on all areas. We love Michael Jackson, they love A R Rahman, we love KFC, and they love tandoori. So I think the whole world is balanced...One area where we should strive hard is to feel good and proud about our culture and not lose our identity. We have a great responsibility to carry our culture forward to future generations and educate them about our practices and traditions so that our children do not suffer from lack of identity.

Nina Justin,Student

People prefer western wear mainly because it s comfortable and helps to give you that extra edge to your look the society welcomes. Indian wear is also something that is loved to be worn but not on daily basis today.

Vishwajeet Sawant , Student

In western cultures you get your freedom to live; you dont have anyone or anything to stop you from doing whatever you want.You dont have any limitations. I n Indian culture you have to maintain your culture and society image and even marriage is like being wedded to an entire family and not just one person. But one good thing about Indian culture is respect for elders , friends and family. In the western world respect isnt given top priority.

Pranav Gurumurthy , Business man

West advocates self responsibility among individuals, which is a good thing. Indian culture asks others to be responsible all the time. Westerners are very punctual and this is something Indians lack even today.

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E SUE N
IS
Scams, Sale of seats,

T X

Are our children safe in schools?

ARE WE TEACHING RIGHT?

Corporal punishments, Abuse, Suicides..

What more?

Protect the Heart of Those you love- Special feature on Heart

Cancer Awareness on the Occasion of World Rose Day EVES TIMES

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TEENMAG
Hi there!

Eyes
Only

For Your

You know its an irony that those who can afford to eat food dont want to, and those who want to, cant get food! Yes, eating disorders are becoming common among the rich and socialite crowd. And there are many celebrities who are bad examples of such obsessive behaviour. The need to look thin or skinny has become a requirement among teenagers and young adults these days. We all go through the phase in life when we want to fit into slim clothes and have a size zero body however, it should never become an obsession. Personally I dont see the need to be skinny in order to look fabulous, however this varies from person to person.Your friend seems to believe that looking thin will do her good, but obviously she is unaware of the consequences. Being snappy and short tempered are the beginnings of more trouble to come. Because of lack of sugar in the blood and consequently in the brain, it is quite normal for a person who is starving to lose weight to have temperament issues. Problems like osteoporosis, menstrual disorder, hair loss and weakness of the immune system are some of the long term effects. It is a well-known fact that many celebrities and models have gone through this obsessive stage in life and the outcome was fatal almost in 9 out of 10 cases. The much loved Lady Diana faced a similar problem in her life. Diagnosed with bulimia in 1992, this radiant beauty said the reason she resorted to such harsh means was because she found her image quite pudgy. Celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Janet Jackson, Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives fame) and Elton John are amongst the few who have openly spoken about their pain and are now supporting organisations that promote healthy living so that others never have to experience what they did. So, under such circumstances it is wise to be supportive. As such when she is being irrational, advice is probably the last thing she wants to hear, and talking to her about her weight loss issues will definitely have a sour outcome. In my opinion the situation is very delicate and you need to put things into perspective

Alexandreena Sneha Radhish

and gently bring the consequences of her behaviour to her notice.You could implement the concept of having an intervention. An intervention is when a group of friends or family members hold a surprise meeting or confrontation. This confrontation is for the person who needs to know that they are going off track or that they have a problem they are unaware of. Through this intervention, you and your friends can individually tell your friend what they feel about her with regard to this sudden change. This is an emotional way of dealing with the problem. She cant really avoid all of you in such a situation and the intervention should preferably be done at her home. Having her family present will help her deal with her emotions. During the confrontation she will feel cornered at the beginning but as you proceed, she will realise that you all care for her very much. Also, as an added gesture, it would be nice if you remind her of all the wonderful times that you spent together. If everyone gives her a little gift as a token of love after each one has told her how they feel about her, it would make her feel like she has reassurance and also that you all care for her very much. Before the intervention, talk to her family and request them to get professional opinion regarding the problem. There are many nutritionist and psychologists who deal with such problems. It is important to know the underlying cause for such sudden irrational behaviour in order to solve the problem. Otherwise we would be treating the symptoms instead of the disease! When one of my friends went through such a phase in her life, through intervention we identified the reason to be attention deficit because of the fact that her sister was a model and was getting much more attention than she was getting. May be there is something as innocuous as your making a comment about her that is behind her sudden change. You may wish to make her aware that being thin necessarily does not mean being healthy and that to live a happy life one needs to be healthy and contented rather than being thin. She may also be made aware that there are healthier ways of losing the flab and getting into shape to be beautiful and shapely through regular aerobic exercises; jogging; swimming; playing games; and yoga. It is said that a stitch in time saves nine, or shall we say in this instance, will save her life. Some of the effects of starving for prolonged periods are irreversible. So consult a doctor if you dont find any change after your intervention.You are a good friend my dear and Im sure your friend will realise how you feel about her, as Euripides said Friends show their love in times of trouble.

My friend is a very good-looking, smart and confident girl. Off-late, she has become obsessed with her body, and is starving herself to remain thin. She skips all her meals, and eats only a few slices of fruit, and drinks juice and water all day. As a result, she has lost a lot of weight, looks very skinny and has become very shot-tempered and snappy. Even though I have tried advising her, she refuses to admit that she has an eating disorder, and get herself treated. What do I do?

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Canteen Banter
Blue- Westerner Red-Asian
Opinion Sundays on the Road Transportation
B: Before drove cars, now cycling for environmental protection. R: Before no money and rode a bike, now have money and drives a car .

B: Talk to the point R: Talk around the circle, especially if different opinions

B: Enjoy weekend relaxing peacefully. R: Enjoy weekend in crowded places, like going to the mall.

Party

Elderly in day to day life

Way of Life

B: individualism, think of himself or herself. R: enjoy gathering with family and friends, solving their problems, and know each others business (keh poh).

B: Only gather with their own group. R: All focus on the one activity that is hosted by the CEO .

In the restaurant

B: When old, there is snoopy for companionship. R: When old, its a guarantee will not be lonely, as long as willing to baby-sit the grandkids.

Punctuality
B: Talk softly and gently in the restaurant. R: Talk and laugh loudly like their own the restaurant . B: on time. R: in time.

Moods and Weather

Travelling

B: The logic is, rain is pain. R: The more the rain, the more the prosperity .

Contacts
B: Love sightseeing and enjoy the scenery. R: Taking picture is the most important consideration, scenery is just for the background.

The Boss

B: Contact to related person only R: Contact everyone everywhere, business very successful.

B: The boss is part of the team. R: The boss is a Fierce god.

Handling of Problems

Whats Trendy

Anger

B: Show that I am angry. R: I am angry, but still smiling... (beware!)

B: Take any step to solve the problems. R: Try to avoid conflicts, and if can, dont leave any trail.

B: Healthy Asian cuisine R: Expensive Western cuisine.

Three meals a day

The Child

Queue when Waiting

B: Queuing in an orderly manner R: Queuing?! Whats that?

B: Good meal for once a day is suffice. R: At least 3 good meals a day.

B: The kid is going to be independent and make his/her own living. R: Work, live and all for the kids, the centre of life.

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TEENMAG

ne day while walking down the street a highly successful Human Resources Manager was tragically hit by a bus and she died. Her soul arrived up in heaven where she was met at the Pearly Gates by St. Peter himself.

Welcome to Heaven, said St. Peter. Before you get settled in though, it seems we have a problem.You see, strangely enough, weve never once had a Human Resources Manager make it this far and were not really sure what to do with you. No problem, just let me in, said the woman. Well, Id like to, but I have higher orders. What were going to do is let you have a day in Hell and a day in Heaven and then you can choose whichever one you want to spend an eternity in. Actually, I think Ive made up my mind, I prefer to stay in Heaven,said the woman Sorry, we have rules...

stepping out onto the putting green of a beautiful golf course. In the distance was a country club and standing in front of her were all her friends - fellow executives that she had worked with and they were well dressed in evening gowns and cheering for her. They ran up and kissed her on both cheeks and they talked about old times. They played an excellent round of golf and at night went to the country club where she enjoyed an excellent steak and lobster dinner. She met the Devil who was actually a really nice guy (kind of cute) and she had a great time telling jokes and dancing. She was having such a good time that before she knew it, it was time to leave. Everybody shook her hand and waved goodbye as she got on the elevator. The elevator went up-up-up and opened back up at the Pearly Gates and found St. Peter waiting for her. Now its time to spend a day in heaven, he said. So she spent the next 24 hours lounging around on clouds and playing the harp and singing. She had a great time and before she knew it her 24 hours were up and St. Peter came and got her.

So, youve spent a day in hell and youve spent a day in heaven. Now you must choose your eternity, The woman paused for a second and then replied, Well, I never thought Id say this, I mean, Heaven has been really great and all, but I think I had a better time in Hell. So St. Peter escorted her to the elevator and again she went down-down-down back to Hell. When the doors of the elevator opened she found herself standing in a desolate wasteland covered in garbage and filth. She saw her friends were dressed in rags and were picking up the garbage and putting it in sacks. The and Devil came up to put his arm around her her.

I dont understand, stammered the woman, yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and a country club and we ate lobster and we danced and had a great time. Now all there is a wasteland of garbage and all my friends look miserable. The Devil looked at her smiled and told... Yesterday we were recruiting you, today youre an Employee.

And with that St. Peter put the executive in an elevator and it went down-down-down to hell. he doors opened and she found herself

A Day in Hell & Heaven

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F r i e n d s h i p Matterss

A faithful friend is a strong defence; and he that hath found such a one hath found a treasure. A faithful friend is the medicine of life-

The Bible

other often, through SMS, phone or meet up. Whenever you are in trouble, it is with the friend you open up. Even today I had a problem with my cell.When I told Rajesh he immediately called back and informed that someone was coming over to my house to set the handset right. He had arranged with the company without even asking me. Rajesh is a very helpful person. Not only to me but also to everyone, he extends his helping hands, without expecting anything in return. Not all friends are like this, says Archana, a student from Chennai. Friendship transcends the barriers of age, status, gender and ethnicity. We tend to think that a friend is a person who rises up to the occasion to help us when we are in trouble and shares our happiness and sorrows. But understanding is very important in friendship. Money matters should not come between friends, say Nivedita and Beejal, from Hyderabad, partners in a venture together. Nivedita is a friend whom I can depend upon anytime. Both of us are correct about money matters.We have not had differences of opinion as far as money is concerned. Of course, when you conduct an event, there are times when tempers flare up and we have had our fair share of arguments. But we know that it is all in the game, discloses Beejal casting a fond glance at her friend. A friend is a person to whom you can disclose your innermost thoughts and share your secrets.You can share much more than you even share with your husband or family. I know that if I tell Nivi something she will not talk behind my back or disclose it to

any one. A friend is one whom you can trust and Nivi is just that. Minaz and Parul, working women from Mumbai believe in having great fun together, whenever possible. We go off on holidays with our children. Last time we went to Colombojust the two of us. Everyone was surprised to see two women travelling alone and having great fun. We work hard round the year and then have fun together to get back the zing in our lives. Call it mellowing with age, cynicism or the discerning views of the middle-aged, but this is what Maya has to say about friendship. Today, friendship seems to be a fad. Meeting friends in the coffee pubs, sharing a coke, pizza or popcorn in theatres and sending SMS seem do not denote friendship. There seems to be no depth or intensity in such friendships. Moreover, today people seem to make friends after evaluating how much a person is willing to spend, if he or she can get gifts, of what advantage he or she could be, status, popularity and various other superficial factors. I dont think such friendships can endure for years together. We have to wait and see if the friendships of the younger generation will continue or not. While the debate about true friendship rages on, unmindful of the skepticism in certain quarters, friends are having a ball. Beejal celebrated Friendship Day last year by taking out all her close friends to a movie and a lunch after that. Nivedita and Beejal believe in treasuring friendship, nurturing the bond of love and understanding.

any a friendship, long, loyal and self-sacrificing rested at first on no thicker foundation than a kind word. Friendship is an art and it requires a lot of care and nurturing to last a lifetime.The entire world is celebrating Friendship Week. Yet, today the concept of friendship seems to have undergone a major makeover. Earlier, friendships were enduring, intense and were laid on strong foundations of love and understanding. What is it that keeps friendship ticking? Only long-time friends can throw a light on this. Arjun Karthik and Vijay, college students say, We have common interests, goals and ambitions. We work hard together with great understanding. For friendship to endure, it is important to be in constant touch. We go out and have fun together. We communicate with each

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TEENMAG
ensa Test Exercise of the brain is as important as exercise of the muscles. As we grow older, its important that we keep mentally alert. The saying; If you dont use it, you will lose it also applies to the brain, so.........Below is a very private way to guage your loss or non-loss of intelligence. So take the following test presented here and determine if you are losing it or are still a MENSA candidate. 1. What do you put in a toaster? [The answer is bread. If you said toast, then give up now and go do something else. Try not to hurt yourself. If you said, bread, go to question 2.] 2. Say silk five times. Now spell silk. What do cows drink? [Answer: Cows drink water. If you said milk, please do not attempt the next question. Your brain is obviously overstressed and may even overheat. It may be that you need to content yourself with reading something more appropriate such as Childrens World. If you said, water then proceed to question three.] 3. If a red house is made from red bricks and a blue house is made from blue bricks and a pink house is made from pink bricks and a black house is made from black bricks, what is a greenhouse made from? [Answer: Greenhouses are made from glass. If you said green bricks, what the heck are you still doing here reading these questions? Dang..... If you said glass, then go on to question four.] 4. Twenty years ago, a plane was flying at 20,000 feet over Germany. If you will recall, Germany at the time was politically divided into West Germany and East Germany. Anyway, during the flight, TWO of the engines fail. The pilot, realizing that the last remaining engine is also failing, decides on a crash landing procedure. Unfortunately the engine fails before he has time and the plane crashes smack in the middle of no mans land between East Germany

and West Germany. Where would you bury the survivors East Germany or West Germany or in no mans land? [Answer: You dont, of course, bury survivors. If you said ANYTHING else, you are a real dunce and you must NEVER try to rescue anyone from a plane crash. Your efforts would not be appreciated. ...... If you said, Dont bury the survivors then proceed to the next question.] 5. If the hour hand on a clock moves 1/60th of a degree every minute then how many degrees will the hour hand move in one hour? [Answer: One degree. If you said 360 degrees or anything other than one degree, you are to be congratulated for getting this far, but you are obviously out of your league. Turn your pencil in and exit the room. Everyone else proceed to the final question.]

USE IT OR LOSE IT!

6. Without using a calculator - You are driving a bus from London to Milford Haven in Wales. In London, 17 people get on the bus. In Reading, six people get off the bus and nine people get on. In Swindon, two people get off and four get on. In Cardiff, 11 people get off and 16 people get on. In Swansea, three people get off and five people get on. In Carmathen, six people get off and three get on. You then arrive at Milford Haven. What was the name of the bus driver? [Answer: Oh, for heaven sake! It was YOU, you dummy. Read the first line! ]

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Kreative Korner

Kreative Korner
Arty nails and porcelain dolls make my life happy
Lil Art work on nails goes trendy. It needs passion and creativity as well. I just love indulging in my favourite hobbies during my leisure time, says Monica Rasna who is pursuing her masters degree in Anna University. She says her favorite hobbies are nail art and doll making. I used to take great care of my nails so that they look great. I have a vast collection of nail polishes and a kit of my own which has all accessories. But toothpick is my favourite tool for nail art, she says.

Heres are a few tips on nail art

Use a base coat before making design Apply a coat of clear polish on the design for it to last long Use a toothpick to make polka dots and stripes Use rhinestones to decorate

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Cold porcelain miniature doll

Cold porcelain miniature doll making is also my favorite pastime .Readymade cold porcelain clay which is premade and ready to use is available in shops. It is easy to make miniature dolls. It is important to learn and know about the form of what we going to make. The dolls are around 5cms which are very cute when kept in the show case. Doll Making Tips Begin a figure by making basic forms like ball, cube, pipe, and cylinder. Align them and attach them with sticks of toothpicks Smear some clay on the joints\ Clear the mess around the finished doll Subitcha Poorani.S

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TWEET beat

Gul Panag@GulPanag @vikaspgoel: I hope some day well realise that terrorists are terrorists and they dont have any religion. Retweeted by Chinmayi / Chinmayee

Madhavan Narayanan@madversity Facebook has said it has more than 83 million fake users. They cant hold a candle to Twitters trolls, who croak 100 decibels in print. Retweeted by Chinmayi / Chinmayee Shobhaa De@DeShobhaa Beautiful Saina Nehwal. Well done! India is proud of you! Star quality combined with star performance. Winner all

Karti P Chidambaram@KartiPC @firstpostin:Will Team Anna become the fourth front in politics?http://dlvr.it/1xZ4GYLooking forward to seeing A Co in the hustings.

Chinmayi / Chinmayee@Chinmayi Just wondering about people who put Thinker as a qualification. I should probably ask what they think about.

Sagarika Ghose@sagarikaghose What kind of evil dad beats his own 3 yrold son who just lost his mother,giving him strokes,multiple fractures? 10pm CNNIBN Shauryas story Retweeted by Rajdeep Sardesai

Pritish Nandy@PritishNandy Political battles can no more be fought by non-political means. Lesson we must learn from Annas agitation. So politics it shall be. Retweeted by Chinmayi / Chinmayee

5hRamesh Srivats@rameshsrivats Team Anna may start a political party, it seems. Cool. They can call it the Bharatiya Annas Alternative Party. The BAAP of all parties. Retweeted by Chinmayi / Chinmayee

Madhuri Dixit-Nene@MadhuriDixit1 Following the Olympics? Ive been busy with work so a little late, but congrats to India for bronze in 10 m shooting. 60

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TWEET beat
Azmi shabana@AzmiShabana Indias syncretic cultures fascinate me.Tied rakhi to my brother and am keeping roza. Am sentimental about Rakhi and cant wait for Eid.

Amitabh Bachchan@SrBachchan T 823 - The sister-brother relationship need not necessarily be genetic .. i have none that are genetic, but millions tie the rakhi !

Barack Obama@BarackObama RT if you agree: We dont need more tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires. We need tax cuts for middle-class Americans. Chinmayi / Chinmayee@Chinmayi Raksha Bandhan today. Requesting men to honestly live upto this festival. Please Help prevent female foeticide and crimes against women.

Rajdeep Sardesai@sardesairajdeep Power crisis one day, Pune blasts the next; fast politics one day; alliance trouble the next. Is this Annarchy? Gnight.

Barack Obama@BarackObama If you still believe in me like I believe in you, I hope you will stand with me this November.President Obama

Chinmayi / Chinmayee@Chinmayi ! RT @sardesairajdeep: Katju says he is part of the 90 per cent idiots! Says corruption wont end with fasts,elections will be won on caste! Expand Chetan Bhagat@chetan_bhagat Dear women, change. But only if you want to, for yourself. Never for another man. Theres a guy out there who will love you for who you are.

Amitabh Bachchan@SrBachchan T 823 - BrNo : Gossiping has positive effects on women - it elevates levels of progesterone, a hormone that reduces stress and feels good

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s a lawyer, it sometimes falls upon us to become acquainted with facts and circumstances, which to say the least, are uncomfortable truths. The kind of nasty truths that we confine within our minds in pursuit of our confidentiality obligations makes the world, a rather dark and cruel place to be. Yet the profession trains us to be the guardians of these secrets without feeling disgusted or scared; so that in that moment of calmness and emotional neutrality, we chart out a path to work with the system of courts to ensure justice is served. As I always believe, the victim or survivor of a crime is the only one with the right to grieve and become emotionally perturbed. The rest of us who are part of the justice system need to focus in an unambiguous and objective manner on taking the perpetrators to task, a process best done in a cold and pitiless manner. However, ever so often, we fall upon cases that force us to wonder, how did things get so bad? I woke up in the morning to read the news paper only to discover that a lady, who resisted an attempt of sexual assault by a bunch of anti-social elements, was kicked off the train and fell 20 feet onto a dry river bed, sustaining in the process, grievous injuries. Scary still was the fact that the train operated between Bangalore and Mysore, a route frequented by me and my loved ones. It did not surprise me that the bystanders failed to act. It did not surprise me that the perpetrators could behave in such a deplorable manner. Yet today, due to my own independent experiences with the criminal justice system, I am inclined into introspect as to how the legal system has abetted such brazen and illegal conducts. First and foremost, it is argued that the surety of justice goes not only to the root of our legal system, but to the very root of the social contract which pulled us away from the state of nature into a state of civilization. This contract in effect represented the consensus between human beings to form communities or societies in the hope that the strong and the weak find a way to work together for the common good of all. It followed naturally therefore, that where the weak were preyed upon, the contract provided for sanctions to be imposed on the predators with the

Kicked out of the train A Social Contract Violation

Ashok G.V.
intent of enforcing respect for the social contract. Therefore, the population has a legitimate expectation for a sympathetic, fair and an efficient justice system to alleviate their grievances. This expectation has been partly addressed by an elaborate plethora of legislations.Yet the Parliaments ever continuing failure to impose checks and balances on the bureaucracy charged with enforcing the legislations, is a direct contributory to the incidents such as the one I read in the news today. To begin with, the kind of resources that are available with the investigative authorities needs a substantial revamp. Even before we consider protecting ourselves from forces outside of the country, we need to worry about the threats within. The recent contradiction between the report of the Forensic Science Laboratory which opined that the bones uncovered near a canal in Rajasthan belonged to an animal and the report of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (USA) which concluded that it belonged to Bhanwari Devi highlighted glaring deficiencies in our ability to employ for our benefit, the latest developments in forensic sciences. When the situation stands as thus, even forensic reports invoke justified doubts; a problem which needs to be nipped in the bud. Secondly, the conviction rates are abysmal. Our system of selecting public prosecutors and assistant public prosecutors needs to be fundamentally reviewed. The American system of electing District Attorneys whose campaign revolves around conviction rates serves a valuable example of a society which affords serious accountability upon its prosecutors. A somewhat analogous approach is required here to ensure that we have committed prosecutors, who do more than just their jobs; who want to enforce the law without passion or prejudice. Specialized teams of investigating and prosecuting professionals in tandem with specialized courts need to be created to cater to sensitive cases such as crimes against women and children. If this is a long shot, there are countless lawyers out there who I am sure would love to volunteer their time in prosecuting cases. The government can consider listing a team of such volunteers, who the victims can choose to represent the prosecution in a trial. What is ultimately required here is a combination of political will with fast adapting thinking; both of which seems to be utterly lacking in todays age and day. In view of this, if one were to be contemplating the commission of a crime and when placed with all these incapacities, the balance of convenience rests in indulging depraved inclinations under the assumption that no one cares for justice; not anymore. The repercussions of instigating these thoughts in those susceptible to committing a crime are rather worrisome and place each and every one of us in a vulnerable position. All things said and done, I believe that the issue is not resources, lack of manpower or any material incapacity. The issue is the attitude, the attitude that downplays incidents of crimes and desperately clings to the fiction that all is well; based on the ill conceived belief that someone else is a victim of crime and not us. The governance deficit merely mirrors this attitude.How else can we explain voting to power those who themselves stand accused of many heinous crimes which this article seeks to condemn? It then follows that the seriousness to fight crime is that much less among all of us. Our country stands the risk of turning into the fictional city of Gotham before Batman, where it belonged to the underground and the corrupt. It has come to a point that people have stopped expecting certainty of justice and beg to just see a commitment for it among the forces of law and order. If even this basic requirement cannot be catered to, then it represents an incomplete social contract at the root of our society. When read side by side with the Constitution of India which guarantees justice, then the genesis of the Indian state is characterized by hypocrisy.With the casual nature with which we fight crime, I cannot help but wonder if we have condemned ourselves to become a failed state; in which event progress of any kind is not only improbable but undeserved. Hopefully someone takes note of the pathetic situation at a political level and initiates the much needed and necessary reforms. As for the rest of us, the fight should go on without guarantees or expectations of favourable results. Thats the only option left to pursue given the overwhelming adversities we battle.

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Citizens Voice

Trauma
Memories of
Aarti Kamath
What could possibly be the reason why schools have become so immune to the basic needs of a child? Why have teachers today absolutely no patience or skills required to handle children? Have schools become so commercialized that they are no longer institutions where a child can develop holistically and evolve into a mature knowledgeable adult ready to take on the world? Is it all about marks and money only? These are some questions that the government must look into and find answers for. With every passing year, there has been an increase in the number of complaints from students and parents alike regarding the measures taken to discipline the students. Meting out corporal punishment, stripping, abusive language, mental harassment through religious and casteist remarks, differentiation based on economic status and social background of family seem to be the norm today. It is appalling how teachers, guides and wardens fail to realize how this kind of treatment can emotionally scar a child for life, undermine his confidence and lower his/her self worth drastically. Corporal Punishment goes beyond just an assault against a child. It serves to imbibe a sense of helpless turning childhood into a liability rather than an asset. The Honble Delhi High Court, ruling on a public interest litigation filed by Parents Forum and Meaningful Education, held that it is cruel to subject a child to corporal punishment and such acts are in violation of the right to life under Article 21. Yet traditional stereotypes such as spare the rod and spoil the child have offered vindication to the countless teachers who still resort to merciless forms of punishment to enforce control over children. Perhaps the need of the hour is a specific legislation establishing unambiguously, the offending nature of corporal punishment and to afford priority to cases of corporal punishment in a manner analogous to the priority given to trying domestic violence cases, says G.V. Ashok, Advocate and Managing Partner of CorLit Legal, Bengaluru. Heres what a few citizens of Kolkata had to say about this incident

he horrifying incident where a 10 year old girl, Punita was made to lick her own urine by the warden of her hostel, Uma Poddar at Patha Bhavan School, Shantiniketan, West Bengal has been garnering attention across the country over the past few days. The reason for the warden committing this shameful act? Bed wetting by the child! Not only was the act shameful by itself, the warden also humiliated this petrified child in the presence of a dozen odd classmates. Also, when the parents of the girl objected to this appalling action, they were taken into judicial custody for disrupting law and order at the school!

The school is taking its own time to rectify the situation. They should have first taken the warden into judicial custody instead of the parents. Also, the school should have made the girl feel secure and counseled her instead of punishing her for what seems to be a medical condition. Meghna Rudra, 21, Student Kolkata

dire consequences if such incidents occur again. Swarnali Kolkata Sen, 41, Housewife

Debapriya Saha, 24, Entrepreneur Kolkata

What happened at Patha Bhavan was shameful and should be condemned. It is shocking that some people like Swami Agnivesh are justifying this act on television. It is the schools duty to ensure that the girl does not face any more humiliation.The government should also warn the school of

To hear of such an incident happening at Rabindranath Tagores school is horrifying. Schools in our country need to have a regulatory body governing them and also strict guidelines must be laid down for teachers, guides, matrons and wardens. Flouting any rule or guideline should result in dire consequences. Just as children are scared into committing horrifying acts, the government must mete out punishments to violators to scare them and prevent them from harassing children.

Firstly the issue of bed wetting is a deeply private matter. It should have been handled with sensitivity and not discussed in the presence of others, except maybe the childs parents. Secondly, as some people are defending the wardens actions as Urine Therapy, they should note that the therapy cannot be forced onto someone, it is an individuals choice to undertake this therapy. Thus, on all counts this was a shameful act and cannot be justified. Srijoni Bhattacharjee, Bank Officer Kolkata

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Art Nook

Treading the Melodious Path

harulatha Mani is a mechanical engineer from the College of Engineering Guindy, but she responded to her souls call and decided to take up singing as a full time career. In a tete-a-tete with Malini Shankar she shares her views about her musical sojourn and the world of music in general. Excerpts: You are a qualified engineer. How does it feel to take music as a full time profession when you could have earned a steady income pursuing a career in engineering? How lucrative is Classical music as a profession? I feel an artiste should continuously reinvent himself or herself in order to stay afloat in todays scenario. Also, as a career Isai Payanam has made a huge difference to my popularity as well as income levels. It feels great to get paid to do what you love!

C
64

Malini Shankar

During the music season, there are innumerable music and dance performances. How can a musician make the performance exclusive and crowd-pulling? That is a million dollar question...people should love you, only then theyll pay up to see/listen to you. For me, I am meticulous right from dressing on stage to the song list as per audience type/ requirement. I leave nothing to chance except my creativity which I never curb.

Why do musicians burn our fast these days? Given that most Carnatic musicians present more or less similar ragas during their performances, what is it that distinguishes the successful musicians from the others? The way the sing/play, their personality, endearing quality on stage,

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all this makes a huge difference. Musicians burn out fast because the level of professionalism is very poor, as also is the level of sadhana and practice. People start performing too early. Too much confidence with too little preparation is dangerous.

What is you view about T. M. Krishna changing the kutcheri format? Do you think this kind of experimenting with the format of Carnatic music will garner greater popularity or do you think it is a gimmick? I do not bother about what other artistes do. I think its a waste of our time! I would definitely experiment.

Due to an inundation of musicians in the performing art scenario and increasing commercialism do you believe there has been a dilution in the quality of music? Also the fact that neither teaching nor learning seems to be committed and intense when compared to the past? Yes.There is lack of zest and commitment but I am not generalising.

What are your views about the use of too many electronic gadgets in classical music? Even veena is digitalized today. Do you believe that too much of technology will reduce the quality of classical music, moving it away from natural melody? No. Technology is good. Imagine life without a mic?

What is good music according to you? That which sounds good and is in sruti and beat is good music. What are your views about overseas students learning from Skype and Internet? In comparison to gurukulam style of teaching? Which system in your opinion will be more rewarding for a sincere student? I dont think there is anything wrong learning through Skype. The will to learn has to be appreciated.

The reach of Carnatic music is more in South India and the US and recently in Europe. Why do you think Carnatic music has not extended beyond the borders of South India? The rigid kriti structure is complex and challenging...it will take a while but it will conquer borders.

With two performing musicians in the family, which is more satisfying - Filmi music, film music based on classical music or pure classical? Everything!

What kind of music institute will survive in the long run? There are too many music schools and teachers and workshops. What is your opinion about them? Committed institutes will run, but internet based technology savvy institutes will rule.

Do you think classical based filmy songs are still popular? When AR Rahman hit the music scenario a lot of importance was given to classical music in the south Indian film industry. The interest seems to have gone down now. Your comments. Classical film songs are definitely timeless. Now of course there is more westernisation to suit the younger crop of listeners and performers....change is inevitable.

Why do you think classical singers of yester years are revered even today and linger in the minds of music lovers? It is due to their voice quality, exclusivity or their sincerity to their profession without commercial outlook? All of the above! And the fact that old is gold.

What do you think of realty shows and competitions in music/ Carnatic music? Do you think they help launch deserving artistes? Yes they do, in addition to motivating others. On the flipside they are creating toooo many wannabes!

Has the Sabha culture changed today in Carnatic music? Yes...most sabhas today dont care about the quality of artistes performing.They do not please their members.They want to please senior gurus and musicians by providing slots for their students. It is sad actually.

Do you prefer singing in Sabhas, temples or in the media? Everywhere- where music and art are revered.

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riday had finally arrived and was I relieved! The only thing I was looking forward to was a peaceful and enjoyable weekend. I zeroed in on a particular Hindi flick that had promising promos and catchy songs. I walked into the theatre later during the day and was all geared up with a huge tub of popcorn and a coke. I thought I had everything ready and was prepared even if the movie turned out to be bad. Its entertainment after all, it can either be good or bad. But what I was not prepared for was the nightmare that followed. Once the movie began, almost the whole theatre whistled and clapped away every time the hero/heroines appeared, spoke, laughed, danced or cried. I was completely taken aback by this kind of behavior. There was a huge group right in front of me and I requested two young boys to sit down and be quiet explaining that I was unable to view the screen or hear the dialogues and that I wanted to enjoy the movie too. Pat came the reply We are not stopping you from enjoying. Why dont you enjoy with us? If you are not interested or if you feel disturbed, then just go to another theatre. Furious, I stormed out to talk to the ticket collector at the entrance only to find him dancing with another group of fans. I then went up to the management and demanded that they control the crowd. To this, the owner replied saying that he was helpless as the fan clubs would then shut down his theatre and not let the movie run there. At this point, I just gave up and went home. Not only had I wasted my money, but I also didnt get to see the movie and my weekend was definitely ruined. While recounting this experience to a group of friends, the discussion led to other serious and more disturbing 66

Aarti Kamath

Fans or Fiends?
aspects of celebrity fan clubs and sycophancy. In our country and many more across the globe, celebrities are revered beyond the understanding of some of us. Why should celebrities be revered to such an extent that temples be built in their name, that roads be cordoned off for their weddings, that rallies be carried out for them disrupting traffic, that movie halls and theatres become places of nuisance? In a country where there is so much apathy and backwardness, cinema stars and movies are like a breath of fresh air that seems to mask the stench surrounding us. Fancy clothes, expensive accessories, huge bungalows dramatic fights, defeated villains, romantic lovers - all of these seem to take the commoners into another, more pleasant world. To dispel this kind of behavior is a huge task. It must first start with those people who tend to place celebrities on a pedestal. The same kind of attention must be diverted to people who have achieved much more in life and have actually made a difference to the development of the country. The government must make it a punishable offence to disturb traffic or the atmosphere at a cinema hall and creating nuisance. Celebrities and cinema stars must themselves advocate normalcy and encourage their fans not to go overboard. Lastly, it depends on commoners like us who must understand that it is essential to leave these fantasies in the theatres before we walk out of it.

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August 2012

INDIAN WOMAN,PAST FORWARD?

Woman is the companion of man, gifted with equal mental capacities. She has the right to participate in the minutest details in the activities of man, and she has an equal right of freedom and liberty with him - Mahatma Gandhi

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Set your Mind Free

Chitra Mahesh
A passionate activist, a capable director, an equal partner to her husband, a great mom, a dutiful daughter, a fiercely loyal sister and a friend who will most certainly help you should you turn to her. It is rather amazing that she packs so much into her life. Would it be that she too was born on August 15th? A date that has given her perseverance that the country itself stands for? Her answers to pertinent questions encapsulate everything she believes in:

You were born on August 15th! Does that mean a lot to you? It is very important to me. The day I was born, decided my attitude to life .Totally free and independent and only ambition without direction! I was to be named Swathandra. In addition every year, August 15th is special also because it rains a little on that day something I love.

T
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How would you relate to this country and thereby Freedom? Are we really a free nation? We are absolutely free to criticize and bash our language, our politicians at any time.We are a free country. If only we were free of greed, it would be much better.I am Indian and get more Indian as we get closer to the West and its way of life

he number of hats she dons is likely to bewilder anyone. And the best part is that she does it very effortlessly.

I should know, knowing her as I do for the last so many years. I have seen the transition from a young, top actress to the human being she has emerged doing all that she can to change a society that she feels is fraught with perils for most people, particularly women. Yet, nothing fazes her as No is simply not an option. Paakalam (Lets see) is what she would say to any impossible situation and ploughs on.

What issues do you think educated and working women have to deal with? Women have to constantly play Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde --be aggressive and ambitious at work place and totally docile and sacrificing at home. It is such a pity to be wearing these contrasting masks. More

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than anything, morals and ethics are so different for women and men, especially at work place. According to me, that is a major speed breaker in their path to success in careers. It is truly tough on educated, working women.

Would you like to touch up the largely prevailing gender bias? What has been your experience? I fight gender bias every single day--not just from the society here but also in the western world.Whenever I travel out of the country it is the men who are hesitant to start a conversation with a person of colored origin. As an actress in my 20s, whenever I wanted some changes in my dialogues, I always took it to the lead actor and made it look like it was his suggestion to the director. That is when it worked. I take care of Chennai Film Festival and we do face problems only because some of us are women. In my experience society does not like to see confident, successful and beautiful women. We suffer them everyday.

Despite running offices and holding high positions women are expected to run homes and nurture children. Your take on this? If the home responsibilities are left to men, they would be really inadequate-they are just not mentally equipped to deal with domestic crisis. Women being rather perfect in multi-tasking seem to do it very effortlessly .So I guess one who is qualified, takes on the responsibility. Do women have equal rights in reality? When it comes to property, income, relationships, remarriage and child custody and other issues, especially when there is a divorce? Women dont have equal rights Even if they have, they are not aware of it.If they dont get it, they have to fight unabashedly and fiercely. What is the need to fight for something that is rightfully yours? But in reality, women cant get anything without putting up a big fight. What would you say is the reason for the patriarchal mind-set that continues in most spheres today? Men are looked as treasures and women as burden in our society. It is probably due to the insecurities of the previous generation-- but today it is women who take care of the older generation. In every sector, people who are rigid will have to slowly understand the reality. For example, a leading Tamil weekly magazine did not allow women to enter their premises till recently. A big club like Madras Club is reluctant to give membership to women unless they are with the husbands or the fathers. In the Chennai Film Industry, a woman cannot be a makeup artist as the Make-upArtistes Union will not allow it.These are harsh realities of the present. Kerala is a matriarchal society and Bengal is known for its respect for women, but even in these states women have to go through gender bias.

You have consciously worked towards helping women in all areas? Do share your experiences with our readers? My heart goes out to women and children as I come from the backward district of Ramanathapuram .A survey done there points out that any change is possible only through the women and children of the area. I would really like to settle down in Dharmapuri or Ramanathapuram and work with the underprivileged sector, especially women and help them in any way they want.

Tell us about Naam? How did it come about? Naam works towards empowering single women. We work with the under privileged sector, but soon will move to middle and upper middle class. We take care of the womens health, childrens school fees and basically behave like their extended family. We are their relatives. Today there are 160 women and their children.

To be free is to not even think about freedom. No one is going to hand over freedom on a platter. We need to realise it within us--liberation from I, me, myself! That is freedom for me.

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Freedom in a few words?

Men are looked as treasures and women as burden in our society. It is probably due to the insecurities of the previous generation-- but today it is women who take care of the older generation.

he understands and values that she is forward-thinking and draws a borderline that she realises she is not supposed to cross. She is good at multitasking and who takes pride in saying that, I am an entrepreneur but at the same time a wonderful homemaker. To me, she makes a complete woman. Kushboo, Indias most celebrated actor is not just a professional, but also a wife, a mother, a daughter, a friend, a woman! The notable veteran shares her views on multifarious issues that women in India face. A woman of substance with armour to face any problem, Kushboo believes that women are more than capable enough to face the unfair world and if change has to persist, it should be in their mind-set.

What are the social constraints that Indian women face the most? Its the mind-set of people. That is the basic constraint that Indian women have today. There is a section of women that wants to grow. There is a section of both men and women that does not allow it as their mindset is regressive and not progressive. You still dont have 100% of women say we need to grow individually.

Ascent of Woman
Fatema Vadnagarwala
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In India, the extent of freedom a woman can have is dictated by the society. Culturally, Indians are bound to tradition and hence culture prevents a woman from doing certain things. While culture is no more than a rule-book, which is that other factor, according to you, that puts a leash on her freedom? We live in a society which unfortunately believes in absolute, blind faith in religion, where you come across dogmas and beliefs that dictate what a woman is supposed to do or not to do. A man has the freedom to decide what he wants to do with his life, whereas a woman does not have that freedom. And this, I think, is because we give too much importance to the religious factor. I personally believe that everybody is religious; everybody is pious and should be allowed to follow their own faith. I also believe that religion should not be brought out on the street. Your religion should end within your house door, because the minute you step out it becomes one among everything.

All women in India face the brunt of a mans ego. In Indian homes men still believe that the home is the prerogative

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of a woman even if she holds a high position and the choice is between a career and home management for women. Do you believe that the attitude of Indian men towards women needs to be changed? Yes. Men should realise this and understand that a woman is equivalent to any man in doing a job. There is a section where a woman wants to grow, where she really wants to build a career, she wants to study, have a family and be a multi-juggling individual. A woman can be a better juggler than a man because she is strong enough and capable enough to do so. But people at home or most of the men on the street feel that a woman is not capable, because they see women as the weaker sex. They are not. Maybe physically a woman may not be comparable to a man, but they are mentally strong. I am not a feminist nor I am one who says that if a man can do it I need to do it, but I feel that with the limitations I have, my horizons need to be widened and I should be allowed to do so.

Do you think the change of attitude towards women can be brought about through cinema? Do you think women could be portrayed strong enough to bring about an upheaval in the society? Not at all. Cinema or television is an entertainment medium. Whatever is portrayed in them is an exaggerated version. If anybody says that I did something like this because I saw it in so and so film, it is not justified. I think there are a lot of films that advocate a positive attitude. Why are people not ready to adopt that? Cinema cannot change anything. We might say we want to make a film that brings a change in the society, no! Those are documentaries. Those are meant to be seen only by some people, and do not come to the main market. The main market is targeted at an audience that spends its money, goes to the theatre, sits there for three hours to get entertained and comes back. That cinema is has a global audience and cannot bring about change. However, it can definitely bring about awareness. If you talk about change, then I feel every commercial film gives a very simple rule-good will overcome the bad. There is a hero, a villain. There is romance; there is a good father bad mother, good mother bad father. Even in TV serials you have good and bad. The good overcomes the bad. Thats the basic underlying rule. Why are people not ready to take the good?

Woman is not traditional if she knows what she wants in life, who has a career, who is naturally independent, who has a mind-set, but at the same time who knows how to balance her family, who has the patience to make her family work and not crib about compromising or rather giving in a little extra to make the family work.

sexy in films and television is neverending. Being an older member of the film fraternity, why do you think women of today still agree to be projected so? Has projection of female actors overridden their ability to perform? There is a very thin line between sensuousness and vulgarity. How you are portrayed and how you look at a woman does matter a lot. I have been through that thin line where at times I have been portrayed in a vulgar manner whereas at other times I have been made to wear

The epic-long debate on why should women be projected glamorous and

the skimpiest of clothes and made to look very sensuous. Today, the generation of youngsters is very intelligent. They know what they are doing in the cinema; they know how they are portrayed. They come with their homework done. They are not nave, nor are they are ignorant. They are very professional. Most often people say that a female actor does not get to perform much in the films. But we have had times when heroines like Savithri and Banumathi were leading performers, then it was time for Radha and Nadia, followed by Kushboo and Gautami , then Simran and, Jyothika;

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now it is Trisha and Anushka. Others will emerge. Anjali is seen as a performer while Anushka is projected as glamorous. And thus the wheels turn. Its just that how you portray them that matters. Its all in the mind of the people. For a man, even if a woman is covered from head to toe, he might give her bawdy looks. Hence its all in the head.

Why is the population of women directors in Indian cinema, or for that matter the world cinema way lesser than that of men? Do you think direction by women can help bring about a change in the soppy portrayal of women? How much is the need for self-driven, idealistic, well-educated women in cinema? Do you think they can make a difference? Will they be accepted? No! Definitely not! I have great regard for Revathy and the kind of films she makes. She has won a lot of National Awards, won one for the current year. You have Rohini making films on the issues of women. Thats not cinema. You cant bring that into the mainstream. Like I said earlier, how many people knew that she has made such a film until she won the National Award? Did you know or did I know? I am from the film fraternity! What matters is that Vidya Balan won it for Dirty Picture. That is what made headlines. What sells is what is reported. Every producer is putting in money into making films. Nobody is here to do social work. There is a section of film making that is funded by the government or NGO and you have people passionate about making films that bring about awareness, but thats a very small section which does not come into making a mainstream commercial. I liked watching Farah Khans movie Tees Maar Khan. Its crap but I enjoyed it. I think she is just fine, because thats the kind of film people like to watch.

For me, a woman is not traditional if she knows what she wants in life, who has a career, who is naturally independent, who has a mind-set, but at the same time who knows how to balance her family, who has the patience to make her family work and not crib about compromising or rather giving in a little extra to make the family work. She understands and values that she is forward-thinking and draws a borderline that she realises she is not supposed to cross. She is good at multitasking and takes pride in saying , I am an entrepreneur but at the same time a wonderful homemaker. To me, she makes a complete woman.

such women are not naturally independent. Suhasini has been running an NGO called Naam, where 140 single women are housed. These are women mostly from rural backgrounds who have been treated as outcasts just because they were gutsy to put an end to their problems. They are the women who believe that if I dont care for myself, if I dont hold my dignity, no one else in the world will.

As a mother of two young daughters, what are your greatest fears about them? I dont have any fear, because with my mind set, I have been bringing up my daughters with perfect balance, telling them what has to be done and what should not be done. I am sure that when they step into adulthood, they will be mature enough to handle situations as they have been seeing the kind of relationship the mother and father share, the kind of respect they give each other; its all open to them.

In a man-woman relationship of any kind, would you suggest a woman to be compromising and accommodating? Can the same extent of compromise be put in by a man and the relationship yet stay perfect? Not at all! Thats why we say that women are much stronger and more understanding and they are the ones that either make a home or break it. Every family/relationship has a problem, every woman has a problem, and every woman has to face relationship discords. No relationship is a bed of roses, where a man and a woman do not fight. Its the finesse with which the moments are handled that makes a whole lot of difference. Therefore, pitching in a little extra than a man is definitely no harm. But then this is also where ego comes in, when you say I did this, why cant you do it too?

How do you take care of domestic disputes with your husband? Which is the most common tactic used? Humour is the tactic most often used. If I feel I have found a solution to a problem, then I have a very funny way of showing it. I send an SMS to my husband on behalf of the kids which he exactly knows is from me and not them. If he messages back, I have a funny way of replying. And with that we start laughing over our fights. When he realises his fault and wants to reconcile, then he tells the children to tell amma not to cook and then take us out to dinner as I cook every day for my family. So on those days we go as a family and come back as a family and it is all fine again.

How do you feel about abuse against women? As a leader do you believe you can curtail this? Women should not be objects of violence or subjected to physical or mental torture and yet go through it. No, I completely disagree with that. The reason why men abuse women is because she allows it. The first time a man raises his hand at her, she should put her foot down and say this is not going to be tolerated. In lower income groups, women are pushed into marriages to make the familys ends meet. When they push the daughters into such marriages, the daughter is bound to the family and the abusive husband because she has nowhere else to go. But if we tell a woman that you are going to that house, make adjustments but not at the cost of your respect, thats where the problems will end. Political parties have nothing to do with how you live in a house or how I live in a house. As a party we definitely say that a woman needs dignity. I have attended a lot of womens meetings and NGOs where such women are spoken to but no change is seen because

Do you think that introducing commercial actors into documentaries will have a better reach? Definitely not! How many films has Rajnikanth done for the government to bring awareness for polio and cancer? How many films have I done for NGOs and the government to bring awareness for breast cancer, for leprosy, for road traffic? How many of us know about it? Rajnikanth did Enthiran and the whole town talks about it.

What is your message to your Indian sisters on Independence Day? Live your life with a lot of respect and dignity. Learn to love yourself, because unless you love yourself you cant love someone else. Do not compromise on your self-respect. You have to understand that there is a very thin line in being a feminist and going a bit overboard, simply because a man can be on streets, a woman cant. You cannot be equal to man and try to do everything that a man does. There are certain things that men are supposed to do and a lot of things that a woman is supposed to do. You just have to be very clear about that.

Who according to you is a complete woman?

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Chinmayis
Musings on Women

oung, perky and perennially on an overdrive and endowed with ample social conscience, playback singer, voice and media professional and entrepreneur Chinmayi has a huge following on the twitter. She shares her candid views on whether the Indian woman is truly free after 65 years of Independence.

something I saw in a presentation when I was in the mentorship program in the US. Is she from fear of being abused by men at workplace, at home, in public (verbal and physical abuse)? Definitely not. It is always there. And more so now. The Indian woman is not at all free from abuse by men. I am not. I have faced that on Twitter from men who cannot take a womans popularity especially when she is standing up for something. But I am not afraid. What about freedom from interference from men in the process of decision making, acting independently, thinking freely? I am not sure about this one because I have not had a man making decisions for me :) Is the Indian woman from corruption ? Are there any specific corrupt practices exclusive to women? Good question. I have never had to pay a bribe neither did my mom. So I guess we havent yet come across something like this. Are we from being exploited physically, financially, emotionally? No. Not really, in several cases. Some women are lucky. Some arent. Women are exploited physically as long as forced prostitution exists, financially as long as bonded labour exists and emotionally as long as they are held to ransom for various reasons from their own family/friends/ bosses. The society - both men and women should stop justifying rape and sexual offense. They MUST STOP further victimizing a rape/ sexual offense victim. Why are women being victimised even more? And that too by women , who say , Oh she was raped/ molested because she dressed a certain way. Women have been raped even when they are in saris, babies are killed. I think all these people must be put back in a school for sensitizing them or given compulsory psychological training to clear their deluded minds. Women do have a choice in a lot of things and they also run huge corporations . To the extent that some people have begun to publicly whine that women are getting ahead. Yes, the Indian woman might not have the total freedom in what she wants to wear, but that exists everywhere in the world, not just in India. As for how young girls think, I should probably touch base with them and find out. :)

Are Indian women entrepreneurs/ professionals/working women freefrom gender bias? Are they being treated unfairly because they are women? It depends on the families they are born into married into. Not as free as they could be I guess, in several cases, going by the number of honour killings and men justifying on the internet that a woman who dresses a certain way is inviting rapists to come and rape her. There is a study that says that a woman is being paid almost 60% less than a man for the same job and the figures are pretty bad in India. This was

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lim, pretty and petite Aruna Anand sat cuddling sweet little Akhil, her bundle of joy. With a radiant smile, Aruna spoke to Valsala Menon at length on various personal and social issues. Excerpts: After your husbands world championship victory, both of you were invited by Putin, the Russian President, and on coming back to India, you also had a meeting with the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. How do you look at these interactions with both the political leaders? Putin was humorous and joked that the Russians are the cause of their own doom; they had opened several training centers in India and Anand too had undertaken coaching in some of these centers. So unwittingly, they have contributed to their own downfall. Well, Madam Jayalalithaa is a keen follower of Anands career in chess and she is extremely knowledgeable about the game.

The LADY BehIND The ChAMP

Valsala Menon

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When you accompany Anand for discussions or press meets or conferences, how do the people perceive you? Just as World champion Anands wife or as an individual in your own right? Initially, they lauded and used to look upon me as just Mrs. Anand but over the years, several of them in the press and media and chess fraternities have become close friends. Now they consider me as Aruna, an individual with my own views and individuality. You also accompany Anand on matches. How tough is the managers role you don? I take care of the logistics and all contracts are also handled by me, so that gives Anand a huge relief and he is left free to pursue his game without having to worry about the nitty gritty of contracts. Would you like your son Akhil to take up chess? Its entirely up to my son. If he shows an inclination towards chess, well, of course, we would provide him all the support. Its a huge wide world out there; he is free to pursue a career of his choice. What challenges do women chess players have to face in comparison with their male counterparts in India? In a game like chess, gender hardly matters. Yet, there are not many women in the top100 in India. Women players in India and China still have a long way to go before they can get themselves firmly established. What are your thoughts and beliefs on being the cultural ambassador of our country in Spain? The Spaniards look upon India as a truly vibrant nation and with regard to the economy, the future indeed looks bright. The people of Spain are very proud of the fact that Anand can speak Spanish fluently. What do you feel personally about upholding our own cultural roots and values? Nowadays all our traditions and rituals are beautifully packaged to appeal to the young generation. Consider for instance, Carnatic music. What with all the latest advances in technology and YouTube, it is indeed encouraging to note that a lot of young folks do listen to traditional Indian Carnatic music. Do you feel women in India are truly independent? Hmm... We have come a long way from

what we were in, say, my mothers days. When my mom was young, being able to complete a high school education was considered a huge achievement. Not so anymore. Women have stepped up their standards of course, but we still have a long way to go, in order to consider ourselves truly independent in every sense of the term. We are still bound by societal norms, tradition and rituals.We women still remain vulnerable on several aspects. What issues do educated and working women have to deal with in Independent India? Despite the fact that women hold high positions or are employed in jobs equal to that of their male counterparts, they are still expected to run the home. What is your take on this? True. This attitude of men is essentially due to their upbringing. Right from childhood, mothers dote more on their sons than on their daughters. They are made to feel important. Hence even if a woman is economically independent, she still has to pick up after her children, cook, clean and wash, all on her own, and she is taken for granted. But if a man changes a diaper just once, it is spoken of highly for ever after. But in European countries, its the done thing; men even can avail of maternity leave.When the wife goes to work, the husband takes turns at babysitting. We still havent evolved to that stage. In India, women are expected to multi task pursue a career, be a good wife and mom and home maker. Its truly a tall order. So you feel couples should share responsibilities equally while doing household chores, responsibilities of bringing up children, manage finances, and so on? Definitely yes. Let me share something with you. While pregnant, a lot of educated, well placed folks in our own family insisted that

I should have a boy child. A son to continue the hierarchy. I would have never expected this from an educated family, yes; definitely people from the lower strata of society do think so, but not from highly educated, well placed families. Can you believe this; even the doctor suggested that there are ways and means of ascertaining the sex of the baby. I was truly appalled! As I said earlier, unless the scenario changes and mothers stop doting on their sons, women are never going to achieve true independence. A girl child is taught right from childhood to learn to dote on her father, brother and other male members of the family and to cook, clean and do all the stuff. Essentially women themselves teach their girls right from childhood to be good moms, wives and home makers. Give your girl children a break. Teach them to be independent. Only if this trend catches on can we carve out a truly independent India and can claim true emancipation for women. Yes, of course I stress the importance of sharing everything in a marriage- right from chores to financial management and child rearing. You were pursuing a career in public relations. Do you feel now that you should not have given it up? Not at all. Once we got married, what with Anand away most of the time on tours and championships, it would have been impossible to strike a balance. Thats when we decided to try travelling together with me donning the managers role. It has worked effectively and this happens to be just an extension of what I have been doing all along. Photograph credits : Hari Hara Nandanan

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IS THE INDIAN WOMAN TRULY LIBERATED?

Nina Reddy

The modern woman of today is learning to break away from the shackles of the past. She is no more the timid, helpless woman of yester years. She believes in dreaming for herself and working towards achieving all her goals.

he Indian woman is an evolved person today. All the leaders and visionaries who fought for the freedom of the country and for the betterment of women will be quite satisfied with the progress made. But yes let me tell you the views that are expressed here are purely from the perspective of a liberated independent urban woman. The viewpoint is of a person who has not been a victim of circumstances or been bound by strict societal norms. It is from a point of view of a woman who did not let gender restrict her growth and has used every opportunity to propel in her life and career. Womens status has undergone a drastic change from what it was in the past. We are not talking about the glory of some of our mythological sisters who were worshipped and treated with utmost reverence.We are talking about the lives of those who lived much later say the pre-independent times or immediately after.

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We have read, witnessed and are continuing to witness the stories of millions of women even today who suffer in the hands of a male dominated society and there are many who continue to face extreme levels of exploitation of every kind. We have also been tracking the lives of those who have been able to uplift themselves from the status of servility to almost an equal status of an Indian male. We have progressed in many ways. This has been made possible because of the work of reformists who wanted to see women break free of all boundaries laid down by a selfish society. The modern woman of today is learning to break away from the shackles of the past. She is no more the timid, helpless woman of yester years. She believes in dreaming for herself and working towards achieving all her goals, making sure nothing stops her in her pursuit of happiness. The woman of today equips herself with education and leaves no stone unturned when optimizing opportunities.

Todays woman seeks her individuality and an identity of her own without compromising her self-respect. She takes all challenges as new learning and uses it positively to get closer to her purpose in life The Indian woman today has more challenges NOW than ever before. She has to juggle roles and still needs to balance herself on the tight rope of a career and a home. The struggles of women will never end They only have to be managed well. What women today really need is an understanding man and a support system that would make things easier for a woman to keep progressing as she takes on additional responsibilities. A word of caution and some words from experience to the young women of India would be: Please do not fight hard to compete with the men or try for equal rights. In my opinion men and women can never be equal some of the attributes of men will always be superior to that of

women and at the same time men can never compete with women when it comes to multi tasking - we have mastered it! Instead of fighting it is important to complement each other and form great teams so that together we can fight Bigger Evils in society like dishonesty, corruption and greed. Society should make sure women are given education so that they can face any challenges, because education provides economic independence and instills confidence in women. We should make sure equal opportunities are given to women too in any field because they can also be achievers. Infanticide should be brutally condemned and women should be protected and nurtured by the society. With all these in place we can only see woman soaring higher and higher! If you ask me whether women are liberated today yes I think so. What about you?

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Indian

Today
Sujata Mundhra

n ancient India, women occupied a very important position, in fact a superior position to that of men. Indian culture extolled the woman idolizing her as Shakti which means power and strength. All male power comes from the feminine. Literary evidence suggests that kings and towns were destroyed because a single woman was wronged by the state. For example, Valmikis Ramayana teaches us that Ravana and his entire clan were wiped out because he abducted Sita.Veda VyasasMahabharatha imparts the lesson that all the Karakas were killed because they humiliated Draupadi in public. Elango Adigals Sillapathigaram teaches us Madurai, the capital of the Pandyas was burnt because Pandyan Nedunchezhiyan mistakenly killed her husband on the charges of theft. With the passing of time, women came to be relegated to the backburner, losing her freedom of free thinking and acting. Her place was the home and she was heaped with chores that were a huge burden not only physically but also mentally. She came to be treated with ignominy and she became objectified.

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With time, a lot has changed since those dark ages of the 1950s for the women. It is true that even today, social ills such as dowry, crimes like rape, sexual harassment at office or public places, molestation, eve-teasing etc are rampant. After more than sixty years of independence women continue to be exploited. Yet one cant deny that the situation has improved. The Indian woman has slowly started recognizing her true potential. She has started questioning the rules laid down for her by the society. As a result, she has started breaking barriers and has earned a respectable position in the world. Today Indian women have excelled in each and every field from social work to visiting space station. There is no arena, which remains unconquered by Indian women. Whether it is politics, sports, entertainment, literature pr technology; everywhere, it is women power all

along. The Modern Indian woman, does not permit social constraints from keeping her behind, but prioritizes her education or her career before anything else. Today the modern Indian woman is so deft and self-sufficient that she can be easily called a superwoman, juggling many fronts single handedly. Women are now fiercely ambitious and are proving their mettle not only on the home front, but also in their respective professions. Indian women are coming up in all spheres of life. They are joining universities and colleges in large numbers. They are entering all kinds of professions like engineering, medicine, politics, teaching, etc. A nations progress and prosperity can be judged by the way it treats its women folk. There is a slow and steady awareness regarding granting women their dues, and not mistreating them or seeing them as objects of possession. Despite progress, the expectation that women, along with being achievers, should also

fulfill their roles as wives or mothers, prioritizing home against anything else hasnt changed much. There is still a large section of women who are uneducated, and married off before the age of 18. I do empathize with women who are exploited or dont get opportunity to educate themselves. It is therefore important for women to build self confidence and move ahead dauntlessly, proving themselves successful in their chosen profession or tasks. I do believe as a liberated woman that we can make our own identities in the society. When a woman decides to conquer her dream, then nobody can stop her. If she fixes her eyes on a star, she can navigate the fiercest storm to reach there.

EVES TIMES

Today Indian women have excelled in each and every field from social work to visiting space station. There is no arena, which remains unconquered by Indian women.

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Women and Property after Divorce

Kirti Gita Jayakumar

he big D word is still not free of the consternation it strikes up every time it is uttered. Divorce is a very big issue in India, and heretofore, has had a major impact on the lives of the women afterward, particularly those who have no professional careers of their own. That divorce rates have been on the rise oftentimes because of both parties to the marriage being involved heavily in their careers to such an extent that they neglect their personal lives is a fact too. But, experts say that the divorce rate in India remains artificially low, and not as high as it should be. The biggest reason for this has been the biased legal system against women, who can be left financially destitute even if their husband is wealthy. However, the alimony factor is no longer as much a hindrance as it was. The Marriage Laws Amendment Bill, 2010, has been a catalyst in providing for a clearly defined 50 per cent claim for a wife in her husbands immovable residential property. For the first time in India, save for Goa where the community property principle in marriage has existed as a positive legacy from Portuguese times, a womans rightful share in marital property has become a part of marriage-related legislation. By rule, therefore: Woman and children will have an equal share in the residential property of a man in case of a divorce The wife will have to move an application seeking the share in such cases

It will not matter whether the property was acquired before or after the marriage Women and children will also have right in the movable assets of the man The quantum of share in such cases will be determined by the court, based on facts and circumstances involved, though the claim can be sought up to 50%. By this rule, therefore, a wife is entitled to have a claim over the residential property acquired by her husband even before marriage. The legal provision is now coloured by the community property principle, which is prevalent in many foreign countries as well. Community property law is a marital property regime that had originated in countries like France. According to the community property law, most property acquired during the marriage with the exception of gifts and inheritances is construed as being owned jointly by

both spouses and is divided upon divorce, annulment or death of either parties. The presumption of the law lies in that all the property is the subject of joint ownership in nonexistence of any explicit declaration that would indicate a conclusion to the contrary for all or any particular portion of the property. Community property law hinges on the principle that any form of joint ownership is a product on the theoretically equal contributions of both spouses to the making and functioning of the family entity. Therefore, by extension, both spouses are equal owners of the property. Accordingly, a division of community property may take place on a per item basis, by dividing all of the items themselves, or by dividing up the values of the items. Community property law affects the property of all married persons. When the marriage is dissolved by divorce, a spouse may be compelled to share a valuable asset, which he or she considered as a piece of separate property.

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Where there is a

there is a Way
Kirthi Gita Jayakumar

Will5

nheritance Law differs from religion to religion, for it falls within the ambit of personal law for one to determine how he shall dispose of his property after his passing. Hindu Law on succession is governed by the Hindu Succession Act, 1956; Christian Law by the Indian Succession Act, 1925, and Muslim law by customary religious law. Where wills are made, succession is entirely in pursuance of the substance in the will itself immaterial of the religious affiliations of the person himself. But, where the person leaves no will, the Personal Laws are significant in determining the mechanism of intestate succession.

A declaration that the will is being made by you on a certain date, in your full senses without any kind of coercion or pressure. A list of items, their values in monetary terms, places of storage where the property is movable and places of location of the property is immovable. Sometimes, some may wish to partition a house in a certain manner to depict this, a diagrammatic representation may be appended at the end, in the form of Schedules. Due references to the schedules should be made in the text. Proportions in which the properties are to be divided Two witnesses, to attest the will. Upon the death of the testator, or the person who makes the will, the will is subjected to a process called execution, wherein the actual dictates of the will are carried out in practice. This is usually done immediately, unless there are disputes questioning the validity of the will itself.

of the relationship. The property of a Hindu male dying intestate would be given first to heirs listed under Class I. If there are no heirs available as under Class I, the property will be given to heirs listed under Class II. If there are no heirs available as under Class II, the property will be given to the deceased persons relatives through male lineage. If there are no relatives through the males lineage, then the property is given to any relative through the lineage of males or females. Class I heirs are sons, widows, mothers, sons of a pre-deceased son, widows of a pre-deceased son, son of a, pre-deceased sons of a predeceased son, and widows of a pre-deceased son of a predeceased son. If there is more than one widow, multiple surviving sons or multiples of any of the other heirs listed above, each shall be granted one share of the deceaseds property. Also if the widow of a predeceased son, the widow of a pre-deceased son of a pre-deceased son or the widow of a brother has remarried, she is not entitled to receive the inheritance. Class II heirs include the Father, Sons daughters son, Sons daughters daughter, Brother, Sister, Daughters sons son, Daughters sons daughter, Daughters daughters son, Daughters daughters daughter, Brothers son, Sisters son and Brothers daughter. The property of a woman dying intestate is also enumerated under the act. Women

Making a Will
Making a will is largely a personal choice whether one wants to determine how his property is to be divided after his passing or not is a matter of preferential decisionmaking. Drafting a will is not a difficult task at all one has the luxury of making a will on plain paper, not necessarily on stamp paper. It is, of course, necessary that a will be signed. One has the liberty to re-draft a will, or change certain portions of a will, and the last and final testament so made will be the one to be executed. A will should typically contain the following elements:

What happens when there is No will?

Under Hindu Law: The Hindu Succession Act classifies heirs of a person into two segments, called Class I and Class II.The segregation is based on the nature of the relationship, and the proximity

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are granted ownership of all property acquired either before or after the signing of the Act, abolishing their limited owner status. Since 2004, daughters were allowed equal receipt of property as with sons. The property of a Hindu female dying intestate shall devolve in the following order: upon the sons and daughters (including the children of any pre-deceased son or daughter) and the husband, upon the heirs of the husband. upon the heirs of the father, and upon the heirs of the mother.

the entire property shall belong to the wife as provided in the Act. The share of a husband surviving his wife is the same in respect of her property, if she dies intestate as that of a widow in her husbands property. If the intestate dies leaving a surviving child or children only, then the property will be taken by the child entirely, or, the property will be divided between the children equally as the case may be. If the intestate has no lineal descendants, then, after deducting the wifes share, the balance share will go to the father, if father is living and if the father is not living, but mother, brothers and sisters live, then each will get an equal share. The children of brother or sister will get their parents share, if the brother or sister had predeceased the intestate leaving their children. If the intestate leaves only his mother, then the entire property will be taken by the mother.

Heirs referred to as primary heirs are always entitled to a share of the inheritance, they are never totally excluded. These primary heirs consist of the spouse relict, parents of the deceased, the son and the daughter. All remaining heirs can be totally excluded by the presence of other heirs. But under certain circumstances, other heirs can also inherit as residuary people, namely the father, paternal grandfather, daughter, agnatic granddaughter, full sister, consanguine sister and mother. Those who inherit are usually confined to three groups: Quota-heirs which usually include daughters, parents, grandparents, husband and wife/ wives, brothers and sisters, and others. This group usually take a designated share or quota of the estates. Residuary persons, usually a combination of male (and sometimes female) relatives that inherit as residuary persons after the shares of the Quota-heirs are distributed. In case a person leaves no direct relatives or residuary persons, his property goes to the state treasury. Per Islamic law,only relatives with a legitimate blood relationship to the deceased are entitled to inherit.Thus, illegitimate children and adopted children have no shares in inheritance. There are even further rules of exclusion and inclusion of different relatives. The only practical situations which may cause disqualification are differences of religion and homicide. Women are entitled to the right of inheritance. Generally, Islam allots women half the share of inheritance available to men who have the same degree of relation to the decedent.

Christian Law
The provisions relating to intestate succession apply as contained in the Indian Succession Act, 1925, apply to Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians, Jews, Armenians and certain Christians who are foreign nationals but are domiciled in India. The position of a widow is fairly secured in intestate succession of those governed by the Act. The widow will get at least onethird of the property in any situation. It may increase depending on the other heirs. If an intestate dies leaving wife and other lineal descendants, one-third share will go to the wife and two-thirds will be distributed between the lineal descendants as provided in the Act. If the intestate dies leaving wife and kindred only without leaving any lineal descendants, one-half of the property will go to the wife and the balance half distributed to the kindred as provided in the Act. If the intestate dies leaving wife only without leaving lineal descendants or kindred, then

Muslim Law
Inheritance is considered as an integral part of Shariah Law and its application in Islamic society is a mandatory. When a Muslim dies there are four duties which need to be performed. They are the payment of funeral and burial expenses, payment of debts, execution of a will if any, and distribution of the remainder of estate and property to the relatives of the deceased according to Shariah Law. A person making a will is imposed with two restrictions, one on the question of who he can bequeath his wealth to, and the other on the amount that he or she can bequeath, which must not exceed one third of the overall wealth.

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Salt n Pepper korner

Mallika Badrinath
The name Mallika Badrinath is familiar to most homemakers in South India. Till 1988 , she too was a homemaker ; now she is an internationally acknowledged culinary expert, with an eager audience latching on to every word she has to say about food and cooking in her television shows. Her books are sold like hot cakes across the world. She is a symbol of women achievers of India. Hers is a success story that has been an inspiration to many women. I am a workingwoman and lead a hectic life. I grind for idli and dosa once a week and use the same batter, in the proportion of one urad dal, one raw rice and four boiled rice. Everything was fine till last week. I was shocked to find that when I tried to make dosa, the batter stuck to the tawa very badly. I had to mix in rava and all kinds of ingredients and we are having only oothappams for the past one-week. Why did this happen? Mohana Rajasekar, Chennai You must be careful about the quality of rice you use to make the batter. If you use the rice you buy for your food, the dosa will not turn out fine. When you buy boiled rice, look for rounded grains , which are white inside. If the urad dal fizzes and rises well, then you can use a little more dal. If you want crisp dosas, then both raw and boiled rice should be of equal quantity. You may even add more raw rice. Before you start making the dosas, rub the tawa with salt (powdered) and wash it. Wipe it with a cloth and then start making dosas. If you follow this procedure, your dosas will not stick to the pan. What should we do to make crisp maida dosas? Bhavani R, Coimbatore You can mix rice powder and rava along with maida. Dosas made only from maida will not be very crisp. Along with the other ingredients that you normally use to make maida dosas, you can also mix finely cut onions for enhanced taste. Ensure that the batter is a little thick and not too watery. For maida dosas, it is not necessary to add oil around the batter immediately after the batter is flattened on the tawa. Wait till the edges of the dosas become brown before you add oil . Adjust the flame and cook only one side of the dosa to get crisp and tasty maida dosa. My husband is very fond of Vathal Kuzhambu. Despite trying hard, I am unable to make vathal kuzhambu of thick consistency. My husband doesnt like it if I mix rice powder to thicken it. How else can I make a kuzhambu with the right consistency? Bhooma, Valasarawakkam If your family doesnt like your adding rice powder, you can try using Thoor Dal. Roast Thoor dal, powder and add it to the vathal kuzhambu mixture. Some women mix urad dal and gram dal when they make sambar powder. If you use this sambar powder , the vathal kuzhambu will turn out thick and tasty.

Make your kitchen experience exciting using Mallika Badrinaths wise counsel. Mallika has recipes for everyone; even bachelors and children can turn out a delectable meal using her guidance. So go ahead with your kitchen queries and prepare healthy, tasty meals with the help of the Cuisine Queen of South India.

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Cookery
1 cup canned coconut milk

Mulligatawny soup
Ingredients:
500 gms boneless chicken diced or cut into 1 thick strips 3 tbsps vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil 1 bay leaf 1 tsp cumin seeds 2 large onions chopped very fine 8 cloves garlic minced very fine

Juice of 2 lemons Chopped fresh coriander to garnish

Preparation:
Heat the oil on a medium flame in a deep pan/ pot. Add the bay leaf and fry for 30 seconds. Add the onion and fry till transparent. Add the garlic and fry for a minute. Add all the powdered spices and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken and fry till sealed/ lightly browned. Add the Toor Daal and fry for a minute. If youre using the mixed vegetables, add them now. Add the chicken stock and simmer the flame. Cook till the Daal is soft. When Daal is cooked/ soft, add the coconut milk. Mix well. Turn off fire, add lemon juice and mix. Serve hot in individual bowls, poured over a bed of cooked Basmati rice. Garnish with chopped fresh coriander.

n Smile Easy R ecipes

Kajal Jaiswal

Cook

1 tbsp coriander powder 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp freshly ground pepper 1 tsp garam masala (to make your own see recipe below) 1 cup Toor/ Arhar Daal (Split Yellow Pigeon Peas) 2 cups frozen chopped mixed vegetables carrots, beans peas (optional) 2 litres chicken stock

ere are some exotic recipes you can try out and pamper your taste buds on a rainy day. A hot cuppa soup followed by healthy, tasty uttapam followed by Amla murabba will make your day!

Mulligatawny soup

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Ingredients:
For the BatterOats 1 cup Wheat flour-1/2 cup Water to blend Salt- 1/2 tsp Asafoetida powder (optional)- 1/4 tsp or dash of it For the toppingGrated Paneer 1/2 cup Chopped green chillies -1 tsp Curry leaves chopped- a few Carrot- 1 (grated) AdditionalOil for greasing the pan Mix all ingredients mentioned under topping together. Set it aside. Heat a non stick pan/tawa. Grease the pan with oil. With the help of a ladle pour the batter on the pan and spread it a little into a round shape. Sprinkle the topping and cook the uttappam/pancake on medium/low flame till the edges turn golden. Flip the uttappam to other side and cook the other side. Remove from pan and serve it hot with chutney/sauce of your choice

Carrot & panner oats uttapam

Preparation:
Grind the oats in a mixer to a coarse powder. Mix all ingredients mentioned under batter together. Add enough water to the batter to get a thick pouring consistency. Beat well and keep it aside for 1/2 hour.

Amla Murabba Gooseberries in sugar syrup

Ingredients
20 (500 grams) amlas (indian gooseberries) 2 1/2 cups (500 grams) sugar

and boil for 10 minutes over a high flame. Drain and keep aside. Dissolve the sugar in 3 cups of water and bring the syrup to a boil. Add the amlas and cook over a slow flame for about 30 to 40 minutes or until the amlas are soft. Allow the mixture to cool completely. Keep covered in a cool dry place for at least 48 hours so that the amlas soak in the syrup. Drain the amlas from the syrup, boil the syrup with cardamom powder and saffron till it reduces to a 2 to 3 string consistency. Add the amlas and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Allow to cool completely. Bottle in a sterilised glass jar. Store for upto 6 months dry in a cool place.

Amla Murabba

1/4 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder a few saffron (kesar) strands

Preparation:
Wash the amlas thoroughly. Prick them with a fork at regular intervals. Boil plenty of water in a pan, add the amlas

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Health & Fitness Clinic

es.clean up the system. We need to start somewhere so why not focus on our own self? A system is a set of interacting or interdependent components forming an integrated whole.When we say something is very systematic we mean to say it is orderly. To keep something in an orderly manner we need to know about it or else how will you arrange or do first things first? How will you hand over jobs to the concerned person? How will you co ordinate between different divisions and bring it all under a single whole? An accumulation of dirt in a small section of a motor can impede its function even though the rest of the parts are functioning well. Look at our own human system- eleven of them in toto! Muscular System Skeletal System Circulatory System Lymphatic System Respiratory System Digestive System Nervous System Integumentary System Urinary & Excretory System Endocrine System Reproductive System Do not take them for granted just because they adjust and adapt to your needs. Everything under this universe has its limitations. Even the stars fall and the sun itself has parts of it blazing away and losing its connection with the source. Did we even know we had so many systems functioning in our body or what each ones function is? If you do not, please find out at least the basics. We know that the circulation here means blood going around the body and that the heart does the work of pumping it around. How much harder does the heart have to work if the surface of the body is going to keep increasing into obesity? That is why we pant.Your lungs a respiratory component, are not able to cope with the work of the heart because the pathway has lengthened. If you have been reading my earlier articles you can recollect my mentioning about the

Clean up the System

Vijayachamundeeswari

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we understand the definition of the word SYSTEM better as a set of interacting or interdependent components forming an integrated whole. For all those who go berserk doing cardio work outs to lose weight this one is for you. Take a look at the digestive system food travels down the gut and gets absorbed into the blood via capillaries in the small intestine. Thanks to the excretory system the waste comes out as sweat, urine and faeces. How does the Lymphatic system work? This too needs to circulate and get drained out but it does not have a heart and lung system connection to do the job! It is pure body movement done by muscles connected to bones and joints that facilitate lymphatic drain.That is why movement is so very important, not just for an hour in the gym but throughout the day. The skeletal and muscular system helps the lymphatic drain which finally is taken over by the urinary system where the kidneys do the job. No point blaming the trainer or the fitness club for you are probably undoing all the good you have achieved in your work outs by simply following an unhealthy life style. Little do we know that the hair, nails and skin are also part of what we excrete! They are all hardened stuff that gets excreted from the tips of our extremities, head and the entire surface of the body. They water proof, cushion and protect our deep tissues.

We have our nerves ending here which are our sensory receptors. Here comes the nervous system. All this comes under the Integumentary system. That is the reason why our elders at home and the ayurvedic practitioners and doctors examine our nails, skin colour etc; to find out our health status. Colouring the nails is not the problem. Failing to see the actual colour and surface texture is. for we need to set that right first. Buying expensive cars for MLA s is not going to be questioned if they have actually earned it to be worthy of such dcor. Our life style which consists of what, how and when we eat, sleep, work etc; has its affect on all our systems, especially our endocrine system.It consists of our hormone balance which is directly connected to our reproductive capacity. This is the reason why we are faced with a lot of infertility issues today. Call centres with unearthly timings, over competitive education system, immoral and unprincipled sexual behavior in the name of being modern or natural, celebration or relaxation in the form of oily, spicy food and alcohol and similar unnatural living conditions have taken its toll on most of todays generation and the neo- fastbuck- rich. The imbalance is manifested in every system starting from the body to our own countrys economy. We have people eating out of rotten garbage as well as

weddings and parties where food wastage has become synonymous with pomp and splendor. Greed and selfishness has refused to plug the hole in the school bus leading to an innocent little girl to slip through it, only to be crushed under the wheel of deceit. Excretory functions are as important as digestion and absorption. We need to throw out all the unnecessary, harmful elements from our governing system too, to avoid corruption. We have progressed a lot technologically only to see the depletion of resources in the very planet of our existence. Wanting too much too fast is seen not just in shaping our body into a size zero but also in artificially ripening fruits. Ironically it is this very fruit that we eat to stay healthy not realizing that we have bloated our tummy with toxins in the bargain. Balance and moderation are the key words to any system to actually function systematically. Be it your own body or the governing body of this country or for that matter any organization. They need to get organized first to call themselves an organization here I am referring to the so called World Organizations. Was I loud enough to reach all corners of the Earth! NO? Then please pass it on..propagation is best by word of mouth..silence can kill the entire humanity. Cheers! There is still hope Just start cleaning up your system!

Vijayachamundeeswari
Fitness Consultant - Certified by The American Council on Exercise (ACE), Reebok, Integral Yoga Institute (IYI), Pilates Institute of America (PIA).

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COLOURS OF LIFE
Jinal Patel
ixty-five years after independence, contemporary Indian art soars high on the creativity of painters who have not only made it free of boundaries, but are also market conscious, experimental and engage the viewer in a dialogue about new realities. A passionate artist Kavita Shah speaks to Jinal Patel and shares the content of contemporary art and her journey of being a painter for the past 20 years. Despite her breaks from her much developed hobby, the beauty and colours on the canvas speak for themselves. A chat over a cup of coffee at her residence and her paintings add glory to her walls. Excerpts

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How did you realize that painting was your forte? Since childhood I was fascinated by the art. Those were the times when people did not think of art seriously. Though as a child, my mother initially encouraged my interest, I had to take breaks as my parents insisted that I focus on studies. I attended an art class run by a teacher from JJ School of Arts. Other than studies all my time was devoted to painting. I was not allowed to go to an art college because my father believed that the ambience was not good.

my motive is not commercial. I have sold a few of my paintings and also received a lot of appreciation for my concept and creativity. I feel that now if I sell my work, I will eventually paint more, which will help me evolve more.

How free is the mind of an artist? As an artist, when you are strong and you know what you are doing, then external influences dont impact your freedom to create what you want. It is up to the artist how well he takes both appreciation and criticism that come his way. But sustainability, passion and hard work will be your constant companions if you are true to your art.

How did you nurture your passion for painting? Art needs a lot of patience. During my time art was not seen as a career option. The first priority for a woman was her home and family. My art career has been checkered due to many breaks but my passion has always enabled me to bounce back. I dont think I can give up painting as long as I can paint. Even today I dont spend money on clothes, jewellery etc. Instead I buy good quality brushes and paints.

Is it easy to start painting again after a break? It is slightly difficult in the beginning. But then you pick up since you are original. I have grown a lot over time. Initially I started with basics and copy work. Then I slowly moved to still life. I started trying to paint my own ideas and concept. I have been studying Jainism philosophy for many years and I started trying to depict my understanding of the subject in my art work. And slowly, it gained acceptance among art lovers and now there is no looking back!

Tell us about your art exhibitions and other art endeavours I have had two exhibitions in Chennai; one solo and one group exhibition. The solo exhibition was a series of paintings titled Nirvana held in Vinyasa Premier Art Gallery. The group exhibition also had my work on display. I had a series of 8 paintings on my theme based on my philosophy study on Jainism. I have also done exhibitions in Pune, Mumbai and have received appreciation for my style of painting.

How easy is selling a painting in the market today? What is your experience? I have not tried to sell my paintings since

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JUS ASK BRINDA

Brinda
Eves Times is happy to announce that Family Therapist and Parent-Teacher educator Brinda Jayaraman will answer any query you want to ask relating to family and interpersonal interactions. Send in your questions to editorevestimes@ gmail.com or to our office directly.

Hello.. Hello.. Hello..

am a newly married woman. After a good college education, I am happily married to a software engineer and I live in my new home with my parents-in-law. I am planning to join work soon. When our alliance was fixed, I was very happy with my father-inlaw who seemed modern and humorous. After coming to live with them, I started feeling uncomfortable. Once, I found him trying to misbehave with our servant maid, who seems to encourage him. I suspect his character and feel unsafe in their home now. Since I am still trying to get a foothold in the new household, I dont know whether to tell my husband or not. I dont know whether my mother-in-law knows about his weakness. I dont want to discuss with my parents because it is my problem and I dont want the matter to go out of our family. However, I am tense and I am unable to be casual with anybody in my new home. What is the solution? Dear friend, I can imagine the insecure feeling the environment creates in you. If your relationship with your husband is very intimate and warm, you can tell him what you saw, in an appropriate moment. If your father-in-law is a flirting type, may be your husband is aware of it already!! When your mother-in-law couldnt succeed in stopping this, your husband could have done nothing about it! Please do not get scared that your father-in-law may misbehave with you. It may not happen at all. Some men play these games only with those who send positive signals to them or with those who are in a helpless plight. Even if he advances towards you, with one firm look from you

or any other body language to show your disapproval, you CAN keep him at a distance. I appreciate your decision of not talking to your parents, because it would hurt your husband in the first place. He would also be happy that you take his family as yours. If you are hesitant to tell your husband now, learn to ignore your father-in-laws negative behaviour, because your peace of mind will be sabotaged otherwise! Take care not to let this affect your behaviour towards him. When I was a young girl around the age of ten, my mother eloped with a friend of my dads. This has left a deep stigma about our family. We are well off but I know behind my back, earlier in school and in college people are discussing me, here goes the girl whose mother ran away. My father, a mild-mannered man, was shattered and involved himself in his business. I am left to fend for myself. Now, soon after I have finished my school, my family is already seeking an alliance for me. I dont want to get married now or ever. I want to study and work. I want to have a good status in life and not live in shame and embarrassment that some selfish woman has heaped upon us. I feel very bitter and angry all the time. When the entire world talks so much about a mother, why did that woman run away? I would have been happier had she died than this. I am depressed and unhappy within though I try to put up a brave front. Family doesnt have a meaning for me and I dont believe in family life anymore.

You have a justified, deep hurt against your mother. I see the snowballing effect of that anger in your depression and in your negative perception about family, marriage and relationship. I agree that everything about relationship is not rosy; but, one of the basic human needs is to feel loved, to belong to someone. Being bonded in relationship makes a person feel secure. Unfortunately, you could not experience the comfort of this bonding, as you mother was not there and your father probably was not in a position to give you that emotional security. Please learn to put aside your past, because you will only become more and more angry and depressed. Past is history; we cannot change it. Future is mystery; none can guess what is in store! Present is a present. Yes, education is very important. Please study as much as you can. May be, if you meet the right person, you may change your opinions! Dont miss marriage in youth; it is not appropriate to judge family and marriage on the basis of your experiences alone. At a later point in life, you may regret the decision. Your life is in your hands. It is upto you to make it happy.

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Events

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Living Life

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Jinal Patel

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he Duchess Club was launched on January 28, 2002 and it consists of 300 members from all walks of life who come together with the common goal of learning and sharing. Nina Reddy (Executive Director, Savera Hotels Limited), Rathi Nilakantan (Director,A Cut Above Beauty Studio), Anu Agrawal, Sujata Mundhra and Anuradha Sachdev thought it fit to gather likeminded women, so that through the various programs every month their collective wisdom could initiate many ideas to bring out the best in each one of them.

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The members are a cross section of the society such as house-wives, entrepreneurs, educationalists, professionals, and many more. Needless to say the interaction amongst them gives rise to many an interesting matter which are debated and discussed. It focuses on bringing women from different walks of life together and provide them with a platform to enhance and stimulate their intellect and creative abilities, thereby evolving and empowering them. The club annually organizes an all womens car rally which was open to people of all platforms. 15 July this year was the 11th successful year, The championship event saw great enthusiasm and zest amongst the participants who on a rainy Sunday morning were all geared up for a day of fun filled with excitement and countless memorable moments with their team members. More than 100 cars had registered for the event and were driven by women which ran on the time / distance / speed (TSD format). They bravely covered about 90 kilometres around the city amidst all the traffic and other hurdles that came their way. This is a fantastic event for the women in the city. We have had a great response every year, The Duchess Club along with the professional team of Madras Motor Sports Club conducts this rally. We have 4 categories -Expert , Regular ,Novice and Duchess. We have a four member team and an entry fee of Rs 800. Despite rains this year , the turnout has been over whelming. We wish to carry this event for many more years to come, says Sujata Mundhra , convener of the Rally Each participant received 5 litres of free fuel while the winner and other top finishers won grand prizes. Actor Dhansika and racing sensation Armaan Ebrahim flagged off the rally from the citys Savera Hotel. Apart from being a motor sportbased competition, the rally focused on the theme Save the Girl Child. It is an honour for me to flag off such an event. The participation and the enthusiasm clearly proves that girls are the best and are equally powerful and competent. The entire team has worked so hard and despite the rains we all are here enjoying ourselves, , says actor Dhansika. The theme was followed by all . Participants were seen with fancy slogans , beautiful matching outfits and decorated cars. Bumble bee , butterfly , cradle with a child , crown , all the ladies had such creative concepts and created a mood of tough competition for their rivals. We have been winning for 7 years now.We just wait for this one day to come and enjoy.

We are a team of friends and family and are looking to give a tough competition to our fellow mates. We are from the Moms club of Lady Andal, say Kiran Uttam along with her team members Jayshree Srinath , Selvi Mani and Jayanthi Murugesh. This year there has been entries through Facebook and Chennai shopping too. We call ourselves the Chennai Super Queens. This is our first time and we formed our team through the Facebook , I am so excited to be a part of such an event. It is nice to enjoy and take a break from everyday routine . Participating in such events makes you want to live life queen size, says Monica and Anita who became friends through this event . The event started off and the teams were given clues and locations to find . The experience of going for a rally is different in itself and it is good fun too. Pramila Jacob won the Expert Category of the prestigious 11th Duchess All Womens Car Rally 2012, defeating 8 other drivers. Elizabeth Jacob and Kavitha Srinath finished second and third respectively . In the Regular Category, Arasi Ponmudi won the rally. The Novice Category saw Neha Virendra Mehta with the first spot followed by . Priyanka and Kayal Vizhi Manikandan. Last but not the least, in the Duchess category, driver Sudha Ravi won the competition while Kiran Uttam and Namratha Reddy finished second and third respectively. Speaking at the prize distribution ceremony, Nina Reddy, Executive Director, The Savera, and President of The Duchess Club, Chennai said, Weve reached the end of another edition of the thrilling and funfilled Duchess All Womens Car Rally. Covering close to a hundred kilometres, our drivers have proved to us that they possess loads of passion, talent and competitive spirit. I congratulate each participant especially the top finishers and wish them all the best for their future endeavours in life.

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Photograph Credits Shravan Reddy

here was a time when going abroad was a novelty and when NRIs returned, they came home with a bagful of foreign goods which the family members cherished and treasured for years to come. However, the globilisation of the 21st century has changed it all. Today,every second house has someone or the other either living abroad permanently or on a temporary basis or going abroad on a holiday. So,when I announced my leaving the shore for a few years,there was not much of excitement or thrill in the family and friends circle.Infact I even got a couple of pathetic looks and sympathetic consoles because I was going to China of all countries in the world. Why China? they asked feeling so very sorry. Why not Singapore or the UK or the US, or for that matter even Gulf and Africa? But China is the most happening place in the world today, I blurted from what I had been reading in the newspapers. We know,but how will you adjust in a Communist Country?they voiced. Everything is controlled there by the Government and it will be like living in a

prison-- no freedom. But things have changed now, I had to pronounce, Moreover , Im going to Shanghai which is the most developed of all cities there and supposed to be like New York. Maybe, but in New York, there are lot of Indians, they immediately jumped at my statement. So, you wont feel like a fish out of water; but are you sure about finding Indians in China? I know a couple of them who used to live there and they said there is an Indian association as well, I explained thanking myself for my research on China. Maybe, but we have heard that food is a big issue, especially if you are a vegetarian, pat came the accusation, Nothing is available there--no rice, aata, dhal, subzi-nothing. Even for a non-vegetarian it is difficult to exist. I know but I dont have a choice,I expressed, I just have to find alternatives and it is going to be a big challenge. Pity you,came the instant response. Anyway all the best but remember one thing, the sooner you come back to India, the better for you!

These words vibrating at the back of my mind and a sort of shudder at what was in store for me in this strange country, I landed in Shanghai on August 2011. However, the moment I left the airport and we started our drive down the six lane fast track roads, all I could mutter was Wow! Right from the the spotless pavements lined with an array of flowering bushes being automatically watered by drip irrigation system to the towering skyscrapers one better than the other, my eyes were glued at the amazing infrastructure. What with vehicles and pedestrians moving at a systematic pace so as to avoid congestion and traffic jams, cameras fitted everywhere to catch people littering, no open display of garbage dumping, everything was so immaculate. I took a deep sigh.This country definetly was a 100 years ahead of what my people had anticipated, back home. But not everything was smooth and silky in the beginning.The initial hiccups were there of course, especially with the language and culture. But then it is the case with every new place you shift to. Even within India every state I have got transferred to, I have had to face the language and culture issues, especially while dealing with the common man.

HINA CALLING
Geeta Canpadee

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Even at Shanghai, in the offices and supermarkets and restaurants people do speak English and they are all much westernised in their approach. But whenever I have to visit the local market or speak to the Ayi (maid servant), I have to struggle with Mandarin.Currently Im taking spoken Mandarin lessons but must admit it is not an easy language at all. Most of the words have four meanings depending on the four tones. So, it is like learning the musical notes and if your tone is wrong, it will give a totally different meaning. For e.g., the word Ma can have 4 different meanings like Mother, Horse, A kind of fabric and bad mouthing, depending on the tone. So, after nearly 40 hours of not so serious learning, I have been able to pick up a few important words and tones with which I think I can manage for a while at least. For everything else there is the i-translator. And yes, for bargaining, there is always the calculator.Whether you know the language or not doesnt matter. You punch in a number, the vendor punches in a number, and it goes on till you arrive at the right price (often 8-10 times less than the quoted price). Initially I used to actively participate in this activity but now-a-days I stick to places where the prices are fixed. Haggling sometimes gets on your nerves and moreover Im not a shopaholic and would rather spend my useful time in doing something else that I enjoy. And for that, the opportunities are unlimited. Im currently involved in traditional Chinese painting (popularly known as Ink Wash), to be followed by Ceramics and Pottery. Finally Ive begun to differentiate between good and bad porcelain and busy visiting museums and exhibitions displaying some of these exquisite stuff.Then there is the Chinese needlework and crochets,Fengshui and Wushu, Taichi and T.C.M for the health conscious and for performing arts and music lovers a wide array of operas and shows and dance plays. Ive also begun to explore Chinese Festivals, some of which are akin to the ones we celebrate in India.Theres the Moon festival

wherein they make cakes from red bean paste and go to each others houses to distribute it just like we do with thil laddoos during Sankranthi, the Kite flying festival, The Dragon Boat festival, Tomb cleaning festival which is dedicated to praying for the ancestors,Lantern festival which usually proceeds the Chinese New Year and is somewhat similar to Deepavali. A variety of multicoloured lanterns and candles are lit all over the town. And finally coming to the question of finding Indians, the only thing I can say is We are everywhere, maybe even in the Arctic and Antarctic aswell. Every second day I bump into another Indian and the apartment complex I stay has nearly 60 Indian families. The irony is that the nearby shop vendors all Chinese, have begun to pick up few words of Hindi like Bhendi, Palak, Aloo, Gobi etc. and the height was when I spotted this DVD guy on a push cart selling Bollywood movies. Whether I wanted or not, I still ended up picking The Three Idiots, Ra-One, and Don 2- all Hindi versions with Chinese subtitles for 5Rmb( 40Rs) each. Then we have a couple of shops selling Indian groceries and masalas, though four to five times the price back home and a couple of caterers delivering home cooked meals as well. And not to deny the fact that every week somebody or the other is flying from India to Shanghai on work and is more than delighted to get you some desi stuff in return for a desi khana at home. Well, for a desi dinner away from home there are quite a few Curry Spots which are not only popular among the Indians but with the westerners also.You have the India Kitchen,Kebabs on the Grill, Masala Art, Tandoor, Punjabi,Bollywood, to name a few. You also have the Indian Embassy and an

active Indian Association which regularly keeps organising events and shows. I was there during flag hoisting on Republic Day, got to meet some authors, Kunal Basu (the Japanese Wife) and Mohammed Hanif (The case of the Exploding Mangoes) during the Shanghai Literary Meet, partook in Indian classical music shows and celebrated all the Indian festivals which in fact I never used to, back home. And last but not the least,I am living on the 49th floor and it is as good as living in the clouds.The worlds third tallest tower (SWFC ) is my next door neighbour and the Huangpu river (tributary of Yangtze) flows right across my window. My favourite pastime is to watch the boats move upstream and down stream as I listen to old Hindi tunes and yes, capture some of those moments in my lens and enjoy the world pass by, at its own pace. That much for a year gone by and Im amazed by the fact that it felt like a Home away from Home. And so to all you Indu Ren (Indians) out there who are still contemplating on what sort of a country Ive landed in, here is China Calling!

Geeta Canpadee

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