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DEATH
BY OIL?
RNI NO. 28587/75
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WHO TO WATCH: THE
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DIGITAL EDITION
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Photographer
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njabi
capturing
A LOOK AT INDIA’S
TALLEST RELIG OUS
TOWER
BEAT THE
BEST HEAT
What to wear, eat and shop
for this season
ENGINEERING
COLLEGES
A look at the
institutes that are ALSO
NANDITA ABRAHAM,
CEO, PEARL ACADEMY,
ON TRENDS IN DESIGN EDUCATION
DEATH
BY OIL?
RNI NO. 28587/75
As public
p blic despair gro
grows s
over the rise in fuel prices,
the Modi government is in a
trap: it can lower prices
only at the cost of its
ambitious welfare schemes
#DeathByOil
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FROM THE
www.indiatoday.in EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Aroon Purie
I
GROUP EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Raj Chengappa
EDITOR: Ajit Kumar Jha (Research)
ndia’s economy is held hostage by two
GROUP CREATIVE EDITOR: Nilanjan Das; GROUP PHOTO EDITOR: Bandeep Singh external factors, both of which are
MANAGING EDITORS: Kai Jabir Friese, Rajesh Jha
EXECUTIVE EDITORS: Damayanti Datta, S. Sahaya Ranjit,
not under government control—the
Sandeep Unnithan
monsoon rains and global oil prices.
DEPUTY EDITORS: Prachi Bhuchar, Uday Mahurkar, Manisha Saroop
MUMBAI: M.G. Arun HYDERABAD: Amarnath K. Menon CHANDIGARH: Asit Jolly The fluctuating levels of either—or
SENIOR EDITORS: Shweta Punj, Sasi Nair, Alokparna Das
JAIPUR: Rohit Parihar both—dictate how the Indian economy
SENIOR ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Kaushik Deka, Ashish Mukherjee
MUMBAI: Suhani Singh, Kiran Dinkar Tare; PATNA: Amitabh Srivastava
will perform in a given year.
ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Shougat Dasgupta, Chinki Sinha What the government can control,
KOLKATA: Romita Sengupta; BHOPAL: Rahul Noronha;
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Jeemon Jacob; BEIJING: Ananth Krishnan however, is taxes. Less than two years Our June 26, 2006 cover
ASSISTANT EDITOR: PUNE: Aditi S. Pai
PHOTO DEPARTMENT: Vikram Sharma (Deputy Photo Editor),
after the Modi government took oice,
Rajwant Singh Rawat (Principal Photographer), crude oil prices slumped from over $100 sumers who now have to pay much more
Chandra Deep Kumar (Photographer); MUMBAI: Mandar Suresh
Deodhar (Chief Photographer), Danesh Adil Jassawala (Photographer); a barrel to less than $30 a barrel. While are complaining vociferously. In Mum-
AHMEDABAD: Shailesh B Raval (Principal Photographer);
KOLKATA: Subir Halder (Principal Photographer); prices of petrol did drop initially from an bai, for instance, the price of a litre of
CHENNAI: N.G. Jaison (Senior Photographer)
PHOTO RESEARCHERS: Prabhakar Tiwari (Chief Photo Researcher), average of Rs 71 in 2014 in Delhi to Rs petrol has gone up from Rs 70 in 2016 to
Saloni Vaid (Principal Photo Researcher),
Shubhrojit Brahma (Photo Researcher)
65, it was not commensurate with the fall Rs 85 today. If the high prices of fuel have
CHIEF OF GRAPHICS: Tanmoy Chakraborty in international prices. Meanwhile, the sparked some alarm on Raisina Hill, it is
ART DEPARTMENT: Sanjay Piplani (Senior Art Director);
Jyoti K. Singh (Art Director), Vikas Verma (Associate Art Director); government steadily raised excise duties only because elections are looming large
Bhoomesh Dutt Sharma (Senior Designer)
Siddhant Jumde (Senior Illustrator) on petroleum products. For a litre of pet- and the BJP fears alienating its core voter
PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT: Harish Agarwal (Chief of Production),
Naveen Gupta (Chief Coordinator),
rol, duty was raised from Rs 9.48 in May base—the middle class.
Vijay Kumar Sharma (Senior Coordinator) 2014, when Modi took over, to Rs 19.48 Our cover story this week, written by
PUBLISHING DIRECTOR: Manoj Sharma
a litre now. Duty on diesel, too, rose from Deputy Editor M.G. Arun, looks at how
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Anil Fernandes (Impact)
IMPACT TEAM
Rs 3.56 a litre to Rs 15.33 currently. rising oil prices have caught the govern-
Senior General Manager: Jitender Lad (West)
General Manager: Mayur Rastogi (North),
As a result, the government raked in ment in a bind. If it reduces the price of
Upendra Singh (Bangalore), a windfall. Revenue from excise duty on fuel, its revenues will fall drastically and
Kaushiky Gangulie (East)
GROUP CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER: Vivek Malhotra petroleum grew from nearly Rs 1 lakh it would have to cut back on its ambitious
Assistant General Manager: Garima Prashar (Marketing)
SALES AND OPERATIONS: D.V.S. Rama Rao, Chief General Manager
crore in 2014-15 to as much as Rs 2.42 welfare programmes. A raft of measures
Deepak Bhatt, General Manager (National Sales)
Vipin Bagga, Deputy General Manager (Operations)
lakh crore in 2016-17 and helped the are now being contemplated to reduce the
Rajeev Gandhi, Regional Sales Manager (North) regime fund numerous welfare schemes. burden on the consumer. These include
But the consumer got no relief despite bringing fuel under the GST to reduce
the fall in global crude prices. To add to taxes and negotiating cheaper crude buys
consumers’ woes, states have steadily from OPEC countries. Unfortunately,
increased value added tax or VAT on fuel long-term measures to wean the Centre
to shore up their respective revenues as or the states from their addiction to oil
Volume XLIII Number 25; For the week
well. Central and state taxes now make taxes or exercising genuine fiscal pru-
June 12-18, 2018, published on every Friday
up nearly 50 per cent of the cost of fuel. dence are not being talked about. What
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Chennai-600018; Phone: 2847 8525 ● 201-204 Richmond Towers, 2nd Floor,
12, Richmond Road, Bangalore-560025; Phones: 22212448, 22213037, costs Rs 58.67 in Sri Lanka and Rs 69.63 them which have outlived their usefulness
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Kolkata-700071; Phones: 22825398; Fax: 22827254; ● 6-3-885/7/B, Somajiguda, in Bangladesh. in the new liberalised India. Realistically,
Hyderabad-500082; Phone: 23401657, 23400479, 23410100, 23402481,
23410982, 23411498; Fax: 23403484 ● 39/1045, Karakkatt Road, Kochi 682016; Oil prices are now climbing back of course, this is unlikely to happen in
Phones: 2377057, 2377058 ; Fax: 2377059 ● 2/C, “Suryarath Bldg”, 2nd Floor,
Behind White House, Panchwati, Office C.G. Road, Ahmedabad-380006; Phone: to what they were in late 2014 and the an election year and, as always, it is the
26560393, 26560929; Fax: 26565293 ● Copyright Living Media India Ltd. All
rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited. government’s financial calculations have Indian taxpayer who bears the burden of
Printed and published by Manoj Sharma on behalf of Living Media
India Limited. Printed at Thomson Press India Limited, been hit. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley government profligacy.
18-35 Milestone, Delhi Mathura Road, Faridabad-121007, (Haryana)
and at A-9, Industrial Complex, Maraimalai Nagar, District
based his budgetary formulas on crude
Kancheepuram-603209, (Tamil Nadu). Published at K-9, Connaught
Circus, New Delhi-110001. Editor: Raj Chengappa.
oil prices remaining at roughly $55 a bar-
● INDIA TODAY does not take the responsibility for returning unsolicited
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rel. With oil prices now hovering at over
All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of $70 a barrel, Indian oil companies must
competent courts and forums in Delhi/New Delhi only
fork out an extra Rs 2 lakh crore. Con- (Aroon Purie)
BJP
34 BACK TO THE
DRAWING BOARD
Putting the Karnataka and bypoll
setbacks behind them, the BJP focuses
its energies on the larger battle of 2019
FOOTBA LL
20
C OV E R S T O RY
The government is in a bind: should it
THE OIL
TURMOIL
cut fuel prices to assuage public anger
and risk cuts in its social programme
budgets ahead of the 2019 elections? 46 FIFA
FOES
The players and matches to look out
for in World Cup 2018 in Russia
CINEMA P I N A R AY I V I J AYA N
52
RAJINI RETURNS,
38 THE LONE
RANGER
The Kerala CM’s development
model is bringing real change on
MIND IT! the ground, but aversion to counsel
Director Pa. Ranjith may be his undoing
has audiences
swooning over
Rajinikanth once Cover photograph by BANDEEP SINGH
again in his film Kaala Location Sai Service Centre
Model Ajay Sharma
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DEATH BY
POLITICS POV: THE HILLS
PG 9 ARE ALIGHT
PG 13
REMAINS
OF THE DAY
Protesting farmers
dump vegetables
on the road in Hisar
PTI
AG R I - D I S T R E S S
CULTI I O
By Asit Jolly
t’s been a depressingly familiar scene but provides livelihoods to nearly 60 per Swaminathan Commission recom-
across the country over the first ten cent of the population, has been in deep mendation on crop procurement prices
days of June: angry farmers refusing distress for many years now. and a complete waiver of all agricultural
to bring their produce to city markets; Even in an agriculturally advanced loans—are not unreasonable.
many standing vigil on roads to block state like Punjab, a recent survey by According to agro-economist
supplies of vegetables, milk and poultry; three public universities—Punjabi Devinder Sharma, farm prices have
numerous instances of protesting farm- University (Patiala), Guru Nanak Dev remained practically frozen for the past
ers dumping trolley-loads of vegetables University (Amritsar) and Punjab 45 years. He points out that while the
and dairy supplies on streets. Agricultural University (Ludhiana)— Centre’s minimum support price (MSP)
The Gaon Bandh (#VillageShut- shows that 16,000 farmers commit- of wheat has risen 19 times during this
Down) called by some 130 farmer ted suicide between 2000 and 2017. period, salaries in government jobs have
organisations under the guidance of Unofficial estimates put the number of increased 120-150 times; university
the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coor- farmer suicides in the country between faculty pays 150-170 times; and that
dination Committee (AIKSCC) was a 30 and 35, every single day! of schoolteachers rose 280-320 times.
collective cry of anguish by India’s farm- Farm experts say the demands Sharma says while the 7th Pay Com-
ers. India’s agriculture sector, which made by the protesting farmers—im- mission gives employees 108 kinds of
contributes just 16 per cent of the GDP mediate implementation of the M.S. allowances, MSP calculations include
A
just 0.4 per But the pro- t the recent Congress recently made Madhya Pradesh
testing farmers plenary in Delhi, party Congress president instead of
cent a year
don’t seem to be president Rahul Gandhi Rahul’s favourite Jyotiraditya
getting through to acknowledged onstage that he Scindia, the speculation in
the government in Delhi and most states. Union needed the old guard, that he party circles was that Nath’s
agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh has said would have to be circumspect monetary clout, his ability to
the Gaon Bandh was a means by some smaller in bringing in new blood and raise funds, had carried the day.
farmer organisations to grab media attention. In younger leaders. “He needs the “We are a poor party with rich
Haryana, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar veterans,” an insider smirked, leaders,” says a Congress general
mocked the protest as “issueless” and “unneces- “because he needs the money.” secretary. “Rahul Gandhi needs
sary”. And Madhya Pradesh’s agriculture minister When Kamal Nath was veterans with deep pockets to
Balakrishna Patidar, on June 3, claimed no farmers
were participating in the strike, even insisting that
farmers were “happy” with schemes offered by chief
minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. INDEX 24%
A number of non-BJP leaders, including The percentage of
Punjab’s chief minister Capt. Amarinder Singh,
have criticised the Union agriculture minister for
Equal Work, Indian women in paid
labour. Down from
his “lack of sensitivity to farmers’ problems”. But
it has failed to elicit anything, barring a Rs 7,000
Unequal Pay nearly 37% in 2005 and
compared to over 53%
of men. Global average
crore handout to sugar mills to help clear pending of women in the
A report last month by the Ministry of Statistics
workforce is 40%
farmers’ dues for sugarcane. and Programme Implementation shows
After June 10, the Gaon Bandh will enter its women are paid considerably less than men
second phase, where traders and commission for a job. Another recent report by Los Angeles
agents will have to go into villages to procure farm consulting firm Korn Ferry suggests the gender `366.15
pay gap in India is in line with the global National average daily
produce for cities and towns. If the agitation is earning of urban female
average. As unnerving is the trend towards
sustained, it could spell big trouble for the BJP-led falling female participation in the workforce. “regular wage/salaried
National Democratic Alliance in 2019. ■ India’s ranking in the World Economic Forum’s employee”, says the
May 2018 statistics
—with Rahul Noronha, global gender gap index has dropped steadily
ministry report (2011-12
Kiran D. Tare and Rohit Parihar since the rankings began in 2006. figures)
GUEST COLUMN
MODI’S SHANGRI-LA
ADML (RETD)
ARUN PRAKASH
MOMENT
S
hangri-la is the iconic Himalayan monastery in James maritime borders. Above all, it seemed that American
Hilton’s 1933 novel Lost Horizon, where the survivors security interests demanded that the region, extending from
of a plane-crash imbibe lessons in pacifism from the the US west coast to the African east coast, be viewed as a
presiding Lama. The Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) has a less single contiguous theatre—the ‘Indo-Pacific’.
exotic provenance (it is named after its permanent venue, a Against this background, Modi’s peroration conveyed
Singapore hotel) but its aims are no less lofty. Conceived by India’s position on critical issues in a forthright language.
the International Institute for Strategic Studies as a ‘Track 1.5’ Highlighting India’s civilisational and historical connections
meeting ground for senior defence leadership of the region, with the Southeast Asian Suvarnabhumi (of Indian folklore),
the dialogue now receives official backing of the Singapore he underscored the critical importance of the oceans to
government and the tacit support of the US. India and declared India’s commitment to a rule-based
Since its inception in 2001, no Indian prime minister order that relied “on the consent of all, not on the power of
has ventured to address the SLD, and the ministers, the few”, and spoke about the “equality for nations” as part
occasionally deputed to do so, have disappointed the of India’s commitment to the liberal international order. In
discerning audiences with anodyne orations. A great deal of affirmation of India’s commitment to its ‘strategic autonomy’,
curiosity has persisted across the Association of Southeast he referred to his recent ‘informal summits’ with the Chinese
Asian Nations (ASEAN) about India’s position on various and Russian heads of state while upholding India’s global
issues of critical regional interest. Prime partnership with the US. In a thinly
Minister Narendra Modi made up veiled reference to China’s aberrant
for all that with his crisp, focused and No matter how conduct, Modi spoke disapprovingly
illuminating keynote address that clearly earnestly Modi about “assertion of power over recourse to
spelt out India’s key policies, positions wishes away “great international norms” and upheld “freedom
and initiatives vis-a-vis the volatile power rivalries”, of navigation, and unimpeded commerce”.
hemisphere that encompasses China, India has to find a In an oblique but telling reference to
India and the ASEAN as well as the the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative), he
Pacific and Indian Oceans.
modus vivendi mentioned that connectivity initiatives, “...
A hundred years ago, Admiral Alfred
with China must empower nations, not place them
Thayer Mahan had described the Indian under impossible debt burden”.
and Pacific Oceans as future ‘hinges of the world’s geo- In contrast with Modi’s circumspection, US Defence
political destiny’, because control of this region could enable Secretary Jim Mattis in his speech the following day made
a nation to influence political developments in Eurasia. For direct references to China, conveying stinging rebukes.
this reason perhaps post-World War II, a new entity—the Beijing’s recent attempts at coercing Taiwan, and blatant
Asia-Pacific—was created to facilitate the entry of the US into militarisation of the augmented South China Sea reefs
Asia and to strike economic and military linkages with it. For also invited retaliatory US measures. While China was
over six decades, peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia- peremptorily ‘disinvited’ from the biennial ‘RIMPAC 2018’
Pacific were underwritten by the naval forces of the Hawaii- naval exercise, Mattis announced the re-naming of the US
based US Pacific Command. Pacific Command as the ‘Indo-Pacific Command’. By way
This pax Americana was shattered by the rise of an of explanation, he said, “We need to recognise the growing
assertive China and neither the US pivot to Asia nor significance of the Indian Ocean...and of India itself...I
the subsequent rebalance has served to restore regional wanted to ensure that the title reflects the reality.”
equilibrium. The Asia-Pacific concept seemed to have These words will, no doubt, be music to Indian ears.
outlived its utility and a substitute was sought to encompass But no matter how earnestly Modi wishes away “great
new developments in Asia’s emerging geopolitical power rivalries”, India has to find a modus vivendi with
landscape. Among these were the concurrent rise of China China. National interests remain supreme in international
and India, their competition for energy, markets, influence relations. So, ‘Greeks bearing gifts’ must be treated
and maritime access, the overlapping interests of states with caution. ■
located on either side of Malacca Straits, and the emergence
of non-traditional maritime threats that recognise no The author is a retired chief of naval staff
BOOKS
SURVIVING POPULISM
By Sumit Ganguly
I
n 1992, a former RAND Corpo- in a number of democracies per-
ration analyst, Francis Fuku- ceive as a consequence of increased
yama, published a book titled immigration, the explosive growth
The End of History and the Last of electronic social media and the
Man. Written at the end of the forces of economic stagnation and
Cold War, the book argued that the rising inequality. Obviously, the mix
great ideological battle between the as well as the significance of these
forces of liberal democracy and free factors vary across countries. How-
markets on the one hand and Com- ever, an amalgam of these issues, in
munism on the other had resulted each case, has played a vital role in
in an unequivocal victory of the contributing to the surge in authori-
former. More to the point, he argued tarian populism.
that this triumph demonstrated that Immigration, especially from
open markets and liberal democracy the global South, has altered the de-
in tandem was the only viable model mography of a number of advanced
of governance. industrial states, unsettling the
About two-and-a-half decades hitherto privileged status of historic
since the publication of his trium- ethnic majority populations. These
phalist work, liberal democracy THE PEOPLE VS.
shifts have also taken place against
yoked with capitalism now appears DEMOCRACY: Why Our a backdrop of limited economic ex-
to be under acute duress. Across the Freedom is in Danger & pansion, thereby creating increased
world, the model now seems under How to Save It competition in the employment
attack from both ends of the politi- Yascha Mounk arena. Finally, amidst these vast
cal spectrum. Right-wing populist Harvard University Press socio-economic changes, there has
` 630 (Hardback);
authoritarians ranging from Viktor been a dramatic expansion of social
393 pages
Orban in Hungary to Recep Erdogan media. The final development has
in Turkey to Donald Trump in the proven to be a double-edged blade:
United States are actively assaulting it has enabled ordinary citizens to
the foundations of liberal democracy reach out to others on an unprec-
and, to varying degrees, promot- edented scale. Simultaneously, it has
ing crony capitalism. Even in states Mounk believes also contributed to an atomisation
where such populists have not come increased immi- of knowledge, making it possible
to power such as France, Germany gration, growth for populist demagogues to prof-
and the United Kingdom, they nev- of electronic fer simplistic solutions to complex
ertheless have managed to alter the social media socio-economic ills.
terms of political discourse. and economic It is to Mounk’s credit that he is
What explains this lurch toward stagnation have not content to merely diagnose the
authoritarian populism? Yascha sources of the phenomenon. Instead,
Mounk’s carefully researched and
contributed he advocates several practical steps
lucidly written book, The People Vs.
to the surge in that can be taken to hobble its contin-
Democracy, provides some answers authoritarian ued advance. To that end, he calls for
and also spells out possible strate- pluralism robust strategies to ameliorate eco-
gies to stem this tide. Three fac- nomic inequality, forthrightly tackle
tors, he contends, in considerable immigration reform and promote
measure explain the tilt toward civic education. These remedies, while
authoritarian populism. They are sensible, he recognises, will be neither
the threats that ethnic majorities swift nor easy to implement. ■
Death by Politics
A Trinamool Congress worker was shot dead near his home in
Howrah by two men on a motorcycle this week. His murder was
blamed on the BJP by TMC members, who vandalised shops in the
area in protest and demanded arrests. Another man died in clashes
between the supporters of TMC and the Communist Party of India
(Marxist) in Cooch Behar on the same day. The TMC has been bat-
tling accusations of deadly hooliganism as two BJP workers were
murdered in Purulia district, suspected to be victims of the violence
that has punctuated recent panchayat elections. West Bengal has
been prone to poll violence for some years, with national crime data
over the last decade or so, putting the state either at or near the top
for politically motivated murder.
2 18
BJP workers Trilochan People died in the run-
Mahato and Dulal up to panchayat polls in
Kumar were found West Bengal on May 14,
dead within 3 days of says the state police.
each other in Purulia Other counts have
on May 30 and June 2 the toll at 29
4
13 50
Times between
Reported dead 2007 and 2014, Political murders
on poll day; 5 WB recorded the in West Bengal in
were claimed as highest number of 2009, says National
supporters by Left politically motivated Crime Records
parties, 2 by the BJP; murders in India— Bureau, highest
TMC claimed 6 party 2007 (20), 2010 (38), in the 2001 - 2016
workers were killed 2011 (38), 2013 (26) period
PULLQUOTE
A PARLIAMENT OF
SCAVENGERS
This picture, taken just a day
before World Environment
Day on June 5, is a sobering
reminder that in India ‘scav-
engers’ come shaped as hu-
mans as well as storks. The
Greater Adjutant, an Indian
relative of the astound-
ingly ugly Marabou stork,
was once a common sight,
though now vanishingly
rare. Its wetlands destroyed,
this endangered species is
to be found scavenging in
the festering dumps of cities
such as Guwahati. Last year,
the National Green Tribunal
issued a notice to the Assam
government over the death
of 26 Greater Adjutants at
a garbage dump adjoining
a wetlands. This juxtaposi-
tion of garbage and sanctu-
ary is an illustration of the
impact we are having on our
environment and our failure
to take remedial steps. So
storks are forced to forage in
dumps for their sustenance.
And so are some humans.
REEL TO REAL
B oth the TDP and YSR
Congress plan to use the
denial of special category sta-
tus to Andhra Pradesh as the
main plank for the May 2019
assembly elections. Chief
Minister N. Chandrababu
Naidu and opposition leader
Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy will
have more in common by
January 2019 when biopics
GL ASSHOUSE
on Naidu’s father-in-law N.T.
Rama Rao (played by his son
SANGH FROID Balakrishna) and Jagan’s fa-
ther Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy
P
ranab Mukherjee’s decision to address RSS cadres in Nagpur on June 7
has caused heartburn within the Congress. Now it seems the BJP is equ- (to be played by Mammoot-
ally surprised at the Sangh’s invite to the former president. Asked to find ty), both CMs of undivided
out why, a senior BJP leader with links to the RSS has hired a sle uth, the very Andhra, hit screens.
man who probed the theft of Rs 2.5 crore from the party’s Ashoka Road office in
2008, to investigate. Links are being drawn to a private dinner hosted at a chief
minister’s residence in January and attended by Biju Janata Dal and Janata Dal
(Secular) leaders. A post-2019 role for Pranab da is being speculated upon.
NOIDA JINX
Illustration by SIDDHANT JUMDE
A May 30 press
release
T he CPI(M)’s landslide victory
in the Chengannur bypoll
has come as a shot in the arm
string of electoral
losses for the BJP
in UP have started
by the Union for Pinarayi Vijayan. His critics
talk of the Noida
health ministry in the party have been silenced. jinx visiting Yogi
announced that Perhaps why the Kerala chief Adityanath. The
Ashwini Kumar minister has shelved plans for a CM visited Noida last
Choubey, minister of state for cabinet reshule. Media specula- December to inaugurate
health and family welfare and tion on Vijayan handing the home several projects and, ever
Buxar MP, was given a warm wel- portfolio, whi h d since, the BJP has lost
come by the prime minister of currently, to every byelection, a fact
Tuvalu. The BJP unit in Patna was has evapora alluded to recently by for-
amused when it discovered the now plans to mer CM Akhilesh Yadav. He
island nation has a population of is a fine one to talk, though.
2019 Lok S
10,000 people. They now want The Samajwadi Party
poll. Kerala’s
to know when Choubey will scion lost the elections
one-man sh despite skipping Noida and
start visiting panchayats in his
seems set to inaugurating projects there
own constituency, which have a
population larger than Tuvalu’s.
continue. via remote control.
POINT OF V IEW
T
he Himalaya have been making crisis lies in the poorly maintained pipelines
news lately for all the wrong rea- that leak copiously, the contamination and
sons. As fires ravage the forests of closure of some water sources, and years of
Uttarakhand, nearby Shimla is in neglect to the recharge zones of aquifers. As
the grip of an unprecedented water a result, Shimla’s water system—designed to
shortage that has led to angry locals taking to deliver 65 million litres per day—is unable to
the streets. The Kedarnath tragedy of 2013 is provide even half this amount.
still well remembered. Last year, an 18 ft drop While global warming is exacerbating
in Nainital’s lake water level made national environmental disasters, the root causes
news. Not a year goes by without reports of often lie in poor planning, disregard for good
major fires, droughts, floods or ice storms. In science and citizen apathy. Fires may become
fact, while over 4,000 hectares of forest burnt more severe due to climate change—but they
in Uttarakhand in the past weeks, this was no are started by human beings. Swift action by
worse than the forest fires of just two years ago. locals will often stop a forest fire in its tracks
Climate change is upon us—and surely it and prevent it from becoming a devastating
has a role to play. The increased heat trapped inferno. The recognition of the importance of
by the blanket of greenhouse gases we emit community action in preventing fires is as old
leads to erratic and unpredictable weather as the reports of Himalayan fires, but efforts at
patterns. Climate change exacerbates the fire incentivising local action continue to fall short.
season due to higher temperatures and longer Similarly, while solving erratic rainfall in
dry periods. Rainfall is heavier but shorter in Shimla may be beyond our control, repairing
duration leading to lower water recharge into leaky pipelines is not. Moreover, recognising
the ground. Shimla’s water shortage can be the importance of protecting water sources
attributed in part to low winter precipitation, and their recharge zones cannot be overstated.
which this year was only a third of normal. But A roof water tank can hold only a few
while climate change worsens the problem—it thousand litres of water, but the aquifers that
is not the cause of all the Himalayan disasters. lie beneath hold billions of litres. In the case of
While it is convenient to point a finger at Nainital, the unprecedented drop in the lake
climate change, we need to look at the three level last year helped catalyse citizen action to
Forests do fingers that point right back to us. protect lake Sukhatal, a small ephemeral lake
not combust Hot dry weather in the summer does not responsible for much of Nainital’s subsurface
spontaneously. cause forests to spontaneously combust. recharge. Already, positive action is yielding
Many fires stem While lightning strikes can start a blaze under results, and this year the drop in Nainital’s
from the locals the right conditions, such fires are rare in the lake level has been much less.
Himalaya and almost all fires are the result The internet, which gives us the tools to
burning pine
of humans. Blaming the timber mafia or a report, sensationalise and view disasters in
needles. Others callous forest department creates readable real time also gives us the ability to highlight
may start from press, but the reality is often more mundane. ways to manage our resources better.
a carelessly Burnt trees are of little benefit to anyone. Proactive management through empowered
thrown bidi. Many fires originate from the local practice of citizens is better than restrictive policing of
The forest burning pine needles, a process which releases our forest and water resources. Much can be
department their nutrients and promotes good grass achieved if we follow the old adage of ‘think
does not have growth. Other fires start from a carelessly globally, act locally’. ■
the manpower thrown cigarette or bidi. With hundreds of
fires starting daily, the forest department A forest ecologist and development
to control their simply does not have the manpower or professional, the author is currently Execu-
spread resources to effectively control their spread. tive Director, Centre for Ecology, Develop-
In the case of Shimla, the root of the water ment and Research (CEDAR), Dehradun
EMPTY CHAIR
The state is growing restive
IANS in the CM’s absence
I
G OA n the US for treatment of a pancreatic ailment since
March 16, Manohar Parrikar’s prolonged absence
MISSING
seems to be causing a policy paralysis in Goa’s
BJP-led coalition government. Critical decisions
pertaining to development, upgrading the power supply
IN ACTION
PANAJI infrastructure, tourism, and law and order have been in-
terminably on hold, awaiting the chief minister’s return.
On June 3, the gram sabha of Velasco-Issorcim,
outside Vasco-da-Gama city, resolved to revoke a licence
With chief minister Manohar issued to a builder to construct a 140-room hotel there.
Parrikar away for treatment, key The villagers claimed the licence, issued by the gram
policy decisions are on hold panchayat, violated the state’s Regional Plan (RP), 2021.
In the chief minister’s absence, the state government
By Kiran D. Tare
and the highly influential Catholic Church are at logger-
heads over the RP, which earmarks asian countries, the season saw
development zones in rural areas. just some 12,000 tourists from the
Town planning minister Vijai Sarde- traditional UK and Russian markets,
sai, of the Goa Forward Party, alleges besides 2,398 visitors from Finland.
the church is backing an agitation to Tourist footfalls, including do-
destabilise the government. mestic holidaymakers, were possibly
Meanwhile, outdated infra- also impacted by the long delay in
structure and a lack of qualified bringing relief to liquor vend opera-
manpower to carry out repairs tors in the state who have had to shut
are causing long power outages in shop in the wake of Supreme Court-
Cuncolim, Dabolim in south Goa ordered restrictions on the sale of
and capital Panaji. Besides replacing alcohol along highways. A commit-
old transmission cables, the power tee of three ministers had proposed
department needs to recruit some a ‘cluster town’ concept as a means to
500 linesmen. But everything is on beat the ban. But the state’s finance
hold till Parrikar is back. department, also among Parrikar’s
In the meantime, there has been charges, is yet to take a call.
a spate of crimes, including the gang Parrikar’s absence is also fuelling
rape of a 20-year-old girl at Colva political uncertainty. On June 1,
beach by three youth from Indore. Ramakrishna a.k.a Sudin Dhavlikar,
Although the state police were
prompt in arresting the accused
tourists, the rise in sexual offences UPGRADE OF POWER
is highlighting the failing eiciency
of the state home department—one
INFRASTRUCTURE,
of the many portfolios under the CM. LAW AND ORDER,
The government is under pres-
sure from all sections of society to AND TOURISM ARE
amend Goa’s tourist-friendly laws. BEING AFFECTED
The deputy speaker of the state as-
sembly, Michael Lobo, is calling for
harsher penalties for minor viola- the Maharashtra Gomantak Party
tions like drinking in public. He says minister in charge of the public
making Goa safe will bring in the works department, caused a storm
high-end tourists. But, clearly, noth- when he said he was willing to head
ing is likely to be done while Parrikar the coalition as the CM. He later
is convalescing in the US. clarified that he did not mean to sug-
The absence of clear directions to gest replacing Parrikar.
the state police authorities was also The Congress, meanwhile,
evident in its failure to initiate any seems to be raising a new bogey. In
action against the Ramnathi-based a complaint to the state police crime
Sanatan Sanstha, after a Karna- branch on June 2, the party alleged
taka police team arrested four of its that e-mails purported to have been
functionaries for their alleged role in sent by CM Parrikar from the US to
journalist Gauri Lankesh’s killing. clear urgent files, were possibly fake.
Tourism has also suffered after “Someone else has been sending these
yet another failed season. In fact, e-mails,” Congress spokesperson Sid-
nearly 90 per cent of Goa’s hitherto dhant Buyao said in the complaint.
popular beach shacks shut shop be- Before flying out, Parrikar had
fore May-end owing to slack business constituted a committee of three
and the government’s failure to issue ministers—Sardesai, Dhavlikar and
no-objection certificates. Despite Francis D’Souza—to take day-to-day
marketing the state as a favoured decisions. The committee is clearly
tourism destination in several North finding it diicult to fill the chief
American, European and Austral- minister’s shoes. ■
STATES
PTI
M A D H YA P R A D E S H
Umbrella
Coalition
The Congress is pursuing pre-poll
alliances with the BSP, Samajwadi Party
and Gondwana Gantantra Party to
consolidate the anti-BJP vote
By Rahul Noronha BHOPAL
T
he Madhya Pradesh assembly elections later this
year could see the Congress contest in a pre-poll
alliance with three other opposition parties—the
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party
(SP) and the Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP)—
in a bid to prevent a division of the anti-BJP vote.
It’s not official yet, but the state Congress leadership,
after initial discussions, appears inclined to give 20-30
seats to the prospective allies. The BSP, which polled 6.4 per
cent votes and won four seats in the 2013 election, is report-
edly driving a hard bargain. Besides the four constituencies
it holds, the party wants 12 seats where it had finished a
runner-up as well as another 14 where it expects to do well
this year. The Congress is banking on state president Kamal have much of a presence in the state where its leaders are
Nath, who enjoys a good rapport with Mayawati, to contain mostly Congress rebels. The SP also managed to rope in
the BSP’s demand to under 20 seats. K.K. Singh, the late Arjun Singh’s nephew and a former SP
Encouraged by his party’s successful electoral arrange- MLA, to its fold. Singh had left the party to join the BJP
ment with the BSP in Uttar Pradesh, which ensured the five years ago, but quit to return to the SP.
BJP’s defeat in the Kairana byelection on May 31 and earlier But analysts say the BSP could make significant inroads
in Gorakhpur and Phulpur, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has in Gwalior, Chambal and Rewa, which have sizeable Sched-
hinted at a broad anti-BJP alliance. Last month, Yadav uled Castes and Other Backward Classes voters. The death
toured the Rewa, Satna and Sidhi districts bordering Uttar of Dalits in alleged firing by upper caste people during the
Pradesh and met ticket aspirants. However, the SP doesn’t protests in Gwalior and Chambal against changes in the
C H H AT T I S G A R H
CHANDRADEEP KUMAR
problems. “In nearly 15 years, I have
not fought on any other plank. I avoid
politics based on religion or caste,”
Singh tells INDIA TODAY.
Singh’s Vikas Yatra will cover 67 of
Chhattisgarh’s 90 assembly constitu-
encies. He is leaving out 11 urban seats
in Raipur, Bilaspur and Durg cities,
besides a dozen seats that have long
been citadels of the Congress. The
constituencies to be covered in the first
phase include two seats where the BJP
expects to swing things its way.
While on the road, Singh is report-
edly also gathering feedback on the
performance of his MLAs. Insiders say
the information will be used to decide
the allocation of tickets.
Singh’s outing has understandably
spawned criticism from the opposition,
with the Congress announcing a ‘Vikas
ON THE MOVE Raman Singh’s Vikas Yatra kicked off from Dantewada on May 12 Dhoondo (Where’s the development?)
Yatra’. Congress legislature party chief
T.S. Singhdeo has debunked Singh’s
S
ix months ahead of assembly block headquarters to address people, road trip as a “blatant misuse of public
elections, Chhattisgarh’s three- reminding them of the development funds and government machinery”.
time chief minister is out there, he’s steered over the past 15 years, Alluding to the virtual absence of
trying to work his ‘magic’ for a fourth such as the Mukhyamantri Swasthya Congress workers on the ground, Singh
consecutive victory. Paid for by the state Suraksha Yojana bringing health retorts that the Congress should organ-
exchequer, Raman Singh’s ‘Vikas (de- insurance to 5.5 million families, one ise a “Congress Dhoondo Yatra”.
velopment) Yatra’ is employing a combi- rupee a kilo rice to ration card holders Singh is aware of the challenge he
nation of state aircraft and a remodelled and monetary assistance for education faces—in the 2013 assembly elections,
luxury vehicle to traverse the state. and marriages. the Congress’s vote share was a mere
Flagged off by Union home minister His journey is neatly 0.75 per cent lower than
Rajnath Singh from Dantewada on timed with the direct ben- the BJP’s. This time, there’s
67
May 12, the first phase of the yatra will efit transfer of bonuses to the added threat from
culminate a month later, when BJP paddy farmers and tendu Ajit Jogi’s Janta Congress
president Amit Shah joins a roadshow leaf pluckers as he passes Chhattisgarh, which has
at Ambikapur on June 10. The second through their villages. Ev- of the state’s been drawing larger crowds
phase, slated for end-August, will press ery time the chief minister 90 constituencies than the Congress. Even on
on until the Election Commission visits an area, he emerges will be covered May 17, when Rahul Gan-
enforces the poll code. out of his vehicle on a hy- in the chief dhi flew down to address
Moving from village to village, draulic chair to announce minister’s yatra the party’s show at Pendra
Singh’s motorcade stops at the nearest projects addressing local in Bilaspur.
R AJASTH AN
T
he ruling Bharatiya Janata Party appears to be los- masses as also Delhi’s refusal to extend a helping hand by way
ing the plot in Rajasthan. Avinash Rai Khanna, the of a special package for water resources Raje’s been seeking.
party’s vice president in charge of the state’s affairs, Khanna and the state party organisation are trying hard
rather curiously launched his outreach campaign on June 1, to swing public sentiment toward Prime Minister Narendra
with a visit to Ashok Jain, who had retired as chief secre- Modi before he commences campaigning in Rajasthan.
tary on December 31, ostensibly to apprise him of the state Raje, meanwhile, is trying to resurrect her ‘strong admin-
government’s policies and programmes! istrator’ image by ordering action against erring oicials,
After more than four years in power, the saffron party is dozens of whom have either been placed under suspension
struggling to craft a viable strategy for the assembly elections or shifting dozens of oicials. Having visited 50 assembly
later this year. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and BJP chief segments in the past six months, sources say, the CM is also
Amit Shah have evidently failed to agree on a replacement awaiting an opportune time to embark on a poll yatra.
for Ashok Parnami, the state unit president who was asked to Worryingly for the chief minister and her partymen, the
step down in April after the bypoll debacle in February. BJP is in the throes of an extended crisis of confidence in the
Raje has opposed the candidacy of Gajendra Singh state. An internal survey has revealed that most booth level
Shekhawat (a Rajput) and Arjun Meghwal (a Dalit), citing workers are just names on a list. At a party organisation meet
a possible backlash from rival castes. Insiders, however, in Jaipur on June 1, a third of the invitees failed to show up.
say that she’s against installing a ‘Delhi man’ as state pre- At the event, Raje chided her ministers and party MLAs
sident as she wants to retain full control over the allotment for their arrogance in dealing with workers. Senior func-
of tickets for the assembly polls. The continuing stalemate tionaries of the party, she said, had no notion of her govern-
exposes Raje’s differences with the party high ment’s achievements and workers found
command, but has pleased Jats, OBCs and themselves at a loss to counter the Congress’s
some upper castes. Raje doesn’t propaganda. National joint secretary V.
Meanwhile, the BJP faces significant Satish had to warn legislators against criti-
anti-incumbency in Rajasthan, both due to
want Delhi’s cising the state government and the party.
the failure to communicate the achievements man as state The next few months certainly won’t be easy
of the state and central government to the BJP president for the chief minister.
OIL
T
bai on June 3, and Rs 78 and Rs 73.58 in Delhi,
on Union minister for oil & gas Dharmendra compared to Rs 66.12 and Rs 56.81 in Mumbai
Pradhan’s face as he summoned an emergency and Rs 63 and Rs 51.67 in Delhi in May 2016.
meeting on Thursday, May 31, with ministry Although various options were discussed
oicials and top honchos of India’s public at the meeting—slashing excise rates on fuel,
sector oil companies in New Delhi. There was prodding states to cut taxes, telling oil com-
rising public anger, though in certain pockets panies to share part of the price rise burden
of the country and on social media, and severe and even a taking a hard look at the policy of
criticism from the opposition on the gov- dynamic pricing, introduced by Pradhan in
ernment’s perceived inability to rein in fuel June 2017 where fuel prices are adjusted daily
prices that have touched historic highs in the in tandem with price changes in the global
past few weeks and threatened to spur a price market—no decision was taken. Experts say
rise across the board. An embarrassment the there is little the minister can offer at this
Narendra Modi government can do without in juncture, when the government has to juggle
its final year in oice. But the meeting, which a delicate fiscal situation with finding funds
went on past midnight, offered no solution. to feed its numerous social programmes
Petrol and diesel prices were as high as ahead of the general elections in May 2019.
Rs 86 a litre and Rs 74, respectively, in Mum- But at the same time, it cannot afford to allow
COVER
STORY
OIL
fuel prices to continue their northward High fuel prices also have a casca-
journey and be seen as doing nothing ding effect on transportation costs
about it. Therefore, Pradhan chose to “THE ISSUE HAS which drives up inflation. According
temporise as best as he could under TO BE ADDRESSED to research firm Dun & Bradstreet,
the circumstances. “Many options IMMEDIATELY WITH all-time high fuel prices in India are
are being explored for both short and likely to affect other segments and keep
long term solutions,” he said, quickly
AN EXCISE DUTY CUT the rate of inflation higher, even if the
stressing the states’ role in lowering BY THE CENTRE, AND monsoon is normal this year. It expects
value-added tax (VAT) on fuel prices, A SLASHING OF VAT BY consumer price inflation, derived from
a major source of their income. “In a THE STATES.” the weighted average of prices of a bas-
federal structure, I can only appeal to — KIRIT S. PARIKH ket of goods and services, to be in the
the states,”he says (see interview). IRADe chairman higher range of 4.6-4.7 per cent, at a
On May 30, a reduction of a meagre time when the Reserve Bank of India
1 paisa on fuel by the country’s largest (RBI) is trying to keep inflation below
state-owned refiner, Indian Oil Corpo- 4 per cent. On June 6, the six-member
ration, invited severe criticism of the monetary policy committee of the RBI
Centre. “Dear PM, you’ve cut the price headed by Governor Urjit Patel hiked
of petrol and diesel today by 1 paisa. the repo rate—the rates at which the
ONE paisa!? If this is your idea of a central bank lends to other commercial
prank, it’s childish and in poor taste,” banks—by 25 basis points (bps) to 6.25
tweeted Congress president Rahul per cent. This is the first hike by the RBI
Gandhi. While the government quickly since the Modi government came to
clarified that the 1 paisa reduction was “PASSING ON THE power, and signals its concern over ris-
a technical glitch, fuel prices have fallen ENTIRE BURDEN OF ing inflation. The RBI revised upwards
only marginally in the past few days, HIGHER OIL PRICES TO the retail inflation range to 4.8-4.9 per
sometimes by 9 paise a day, and other cent in the first half of 2018-19, and 4.7
times, by as low as 7 paise.
CONSUMERS COULD per cent in the second half.
Suchitra Menon, a teacher in Thane, POLITICALLY BE TOO The rupee being the worst perform-
has been driving to school since 2008, BIG A PRICE (TO PAY).” ing currency in Asia this year, down
and has seen petrol prices go up by over more than 5 per cent against the dollar,
Rs 15, from Rs 70 in 2016. “In 2016, I — AJIT RANADE does not help either. “It is important to
Chief economist,
could tank up with Rs 2,000, which address the issue immediately with an
Aditya Birla Group
would last me two weeks. Now it lasts excise duty cut by the Centre, and a sub-
me just 10 days,” she laments. sequent slashing of VAT by states,” Kirit
Consumers are also angry that S. Parikh, chairman of Delhi-based
fuel prices have remained high despite research institute IRADe (Integrated
crude prices softening globally. Be- Research and Action for Development),
tween September 2014 and January told INDIA TODAY. “Sixty per cent of Ind-
2016, crude prices fell by $66, to $30, ian families own two-wheelers and not
but petrol prices in India fell only by Rs all of them are rich.”
10. Then they started to climb again,
reaching record highs. GENESIS OF THE PRICE RISE
Interestingly, fuel prices remained “WHEN FUEL PRICES How did oil prices hit such a high and
unchanged for 19 days in the run-up WERE LOW, THE upset the government’s applecart? For
to the Karnataka assembly elections a fuel-guzzling nation such as India (it
GOVERNMENT RAISED
in mid-May, but began to rise soon is behind only the US and China in oil
after. The government, however, denies
EXCISE DUTIES. NOW, consumption), where local oil produc-
interfering in fuel pricing to please the WHEN THE PRICES ARE tion was a mere 36 million tonnes (mt)
electorate. Meanwhile, IOC said it inde- HIGH, THEY SHOULD in 2016-17 against a requirement of
pendently decides retail selling prices of REDUCE THE 195 mt, imports are the only option.
petrol and diesel based on international India gets 63 per cent of its oil from
price trends following the deregulation
EXCISE DUTY.” West Asia, Iraq pipping Saudi Arabia as
of petrol and diesel prices in June 2010 — D.K. JOSHI India’s largest oil supplier in December
and October 2014, respectively. Chief economist, Crisil last year (see graph: Crude Picture).
OIL
oil firms and overseas companies. India imports 63% of its crude oil from
Together, they have a refining capacity West Asia, Iraq being the largest supplier.
The overall dependence on imports (80%)
of 234 mt annually. The refined fuel is
and the high reliance on the big three also
then distributed to company dealers
expose India to geopolitical risk
and dispensed through over 56,000
retail outlets. This is where fuel pricing
dynamics kick in. INDIA IMPORTS INDIA’S TOP 10 CRUDE SUPPLIERS
To illustrate, let us look at the vari- OVER 80 PER CENT (Apr 2017 - Jan 2018)
ous components of the price of a litre OF ITS CRUDE OIL 40
of petrol in Delhi on June 3. The oil REQUIREMENTS Import volume in million tonnes
companies sold the fuel in its processed 30
state to dealers at Rs 38.39 a litre. The
Domestic
Centre then added an excise duty of
Rs 19.48 and, subsequently, a dealer 20% 20
Source: Oil ministry
commission of Rs 3.63. The state
(Delhi) added a VAT of Rs 16.61 10
Imports
(including on the dealer commission)
taking the final retail price to Rs 78.11.
80%
In short, the various central and state 0
Iraq
Mexico
Saudi Arabia
Iran
Venezuela
Nigeria
UAE
Kuwait
Angola
Oman
government taxes constitute as much
as 50 per cent of the price of petrol. For
diesel, dealers were charged just
Rs 41.08 by the refineries, an excise
duty of Rs 15.33 and VAT of Rs 10.17
were then added, and along with the
dealer commission of Rs 2.53, the final
cost was Rs 69.11. Central and state taxes comprise a fat chunk of what you pay at
the fuel station—in Delhi, about 50% on petrol
I
s it justified to have taxes
comprising half the cost of fuel? THE EXCISE HEIST
Excise duty and VAT on fuel are 78.11 (Rs/ltr) In the 4 years since it took over in May 2014, the Modi
government has raised excise duty 10 times—even
major revenue-earners for the when crude oil and dealer prices were down
Centre and states. According to re- 16.61
69.11
ports, the central government earned PETROL
10.17
close to Rs 10 lakh crore in the past 3.5 3.63 Excise Dealer Retail price *
years on petroleum products, while 2.53 duty price (Rs/ (Rs/ ltr in
the states made Rs 6.6 lakh crore. The (Rs/ ltr) ltr) Delhi)
19.48 15.33 May 26, 2014 9.48 51.5 71.41
government says the money helped
it meet expenses on various social Nov. 12, 2014 11.02 NA ** 64.24
welfare programmes. “Of the entire Dec. 3, 2014 13.34 39.74 63.33
money the central government col-
Jan. 1, 2015 15.28 NA 61.33
lects, 42 per cent is given to the states
as per the 14th Finance Commis- Jan. 17, 2015 15.56 NA 58.91
38.39 41.08
sion,” says Pradhan. “Of the balance, Nov. 7, 2015 17.16 27.24 60.70
60 to 70 per cent goes back through Dec. 16, 2015 17.46 24.67 59.98
centrally sponsored schemes. Develop-
Jan 2. 2016 17.83 NA 59.35
ment of the states is a priority issue.”
But experts say there is room for PETROL DIESEL Jan. 17, 2016 18.58 NA 59.99
excise duty cuts when prices go up, at $88.7/bbl $92.5/bbl Jan. 30, 2016 19.58 NA 59.95
least to soften the blow to consumers. Prices in Delhi, 3 June 2018 Apr. 2016 21.48 NA 59.68
“The government needs to contemplate VAT (incl. on dealer commission) Oct. 4, 2017 19.48 30.70 68.38
some action on the excise duty front,” Dealer commisssion (avg.)
Jun. 6, 2018 19.48 38.09 77.72
says D.K. Joshi, chief economist with Excise duty
Crisil. “When fuel prices were low, the Price charged to dealers * Including VAT and dealer commission; **NA: not available
OIL
With Lok Sabha elections less than a year away and crude oil prices hovering way above
India’s comfort zone, minister for petroleum and natural gas Dharmendra Pradhan is in the
hot seat. In an exclusive interview with Senior Editor Shweta Punj, he reiterates that India is
pushing for reasonable oil pricing with oil-producing nations, negotiating with the states to
bring down taxes and pushing the GST Council to bring fuel under GST. Excerpts:
Q. There is a furore over high fuel commitments. We have to strike a fine longer ignore this.
prices. What will the government’s balance among all aspects.
strategy be? Q. What is the standpoint of oil produc-
Three major factors decide crude oil Q. So you are working with the states ers like Saudi Arabia and Russia?
prices. International crude oil prices on reducing taxes and building pres- There are signs of Saudi Arabia and
are linked to geopolity, fluctuation in sure in the international community? Russia revisiting the decision to cut
the exchange rate as well as the tax We are holding discussions with the down production. They will take a de-
structure of respective states and the states and creating geopolitical pres- cision when they meet in Vienna this
Centre. For a visible difference (in pric- sure. We are constantly making the month. The Saudi oil minister told me
es), all three factors need to be comple- oil-producing nations aware that In- personally they will take a decision and
mentary. For instance, if international dia is a big market. We are telling the are mindful of our concerns.
oil prices keep going up and we tweak oil producers that we are the number
the taxes, it will not bring any benefits. 3 energy consumer in the world. Rela- Q. What’s a comfortable crude oil price
The government is very sensitive about tively speaking, our per capita energy for the Indian economy?
the spending behaviour of the common consumption is very less, so is the case For our economy, $55-60 a barrel is a
man and we did reduce excise duty in with the emerging economies. This will comfortable price. We have said this ex-
October last year; some states even re- go up in the days to come, so the oil- plicitly in international forums. At the
duced taxes. All states have their own purchasing countries too hold value. Abu Dhabi investment summit, I said
spending pattern and developmental That’s why the oil producers can no clearly this $70 theory is pinching us.
COVER
STORY
OIL
Q. Will the Centre reduce excise
duty? state, has recently cut VAT by Re 1,
Crude prices have been sliding since foregoing Rs 500 crore in annual
May 30—by 71 paise for petrol and 51 revenues. But much to the Centre’s
paise for diesel. This is not an isolated consternation, states are taking their
issue that you have done it once so the own time before resorting to any
responsibility is over. We are worried such cuts. As for the other options,
about the common man’s pocket. the government has categorically
said it will not go back on its policy of
Q. But oil prices weren’t reduced when dynamic pricing. Backtracking on its
international crude prices were down? earlier policies will send a negative
The Congress has been raising the signal to the investor community
issue. If (former finance minister) P. and the rating agencies, which the
Chidambaram has integrity, he will government does not want to do now.
tell that in the name of oil bonds, he It can also wait until crude oil prices
left a debt of Rs 50,000 crore behind. fall further, but the problem then is
We have paid off the debt. We want to that, given the geopolitical tensions
keep the consumer most comfortable. that can crop up in West Asia any-
time, such gambles may backfire.
Q. The 1 paisa cut in fuel price last “India also needs to build
month seemed like a mockery. strategic reserves of oil, acquire
On June 6, petrol prices were down equity interest in international oil
by 11 paise. Earlier, the cut was 13 companies and diversify the energy
paise. On June 1, it was 5 paise. The portfolio as part of a long-term sus-
1 paise cut shouldn’t have been done. tainable energy security strategy,”
It could have been combined with an- says Ranade.
other cut. I accept it was mistake. But Right now, the government is in
this is dependent on the price mecha- a bind over oil prices. It can neither
nism, and this wasn’t the first time easily forego revenue that helped it
there was a 1 paise cut. maintain fiscal discipline nor afford
to turn a blind eye to rising prices.
Q. When do we see oil prices going With just a year to go before the
down now? general elections, it just cannot allow
When we cut excise duty the last time, the opposition to capitalise on the
Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, sensitive issue. That explains the gov-
Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh and ernment’s concern and the clamour
Gujarat reduced prices. It is the re- to find a ‘long-term’ solution. After
sponsibility of states as well. It’s not a all, high fuel price was one of the
BJP-Congress battle. Every state has weapons that Modi used to target
a different need and paying capacity. the previous UPA government in
In a federal structure, I can only ap- his election campaigns, but it is now
peal to the states. back to haunt him, even as his party
faced reversals in recent Lok Sabha
Q. On your part, will the government and assembly bypolls.
go for an excise cut? Chances are it’ll wait some
We don’t believe in one-time solu- more, during which it will watch if
tions. Providing holistic, long-term, oil prices fall or more states agree
continuous comfort is our responsi- to cut taxes, or even try and reach a
bility. The poor and the middle class consensus with states on bringing
are more affected by oil prices. We fuel under GST. Till then, the aam
must have responsive and reasonable aadmi will continue to bear the
pricing in crude oil. I say on interna- brunt of rising fuel prices.
tional forums that your price mecha-
nisms are pinching our economy. And with Anshuman Tiwari,
we are an emerging economy. ■ Anilesh S. Mahajan and Shweta Punj
DEFENCE / INDO-RUSSIA
THE SANCTIONS
SHADOW
A NEW US LAW THREATENS TO CUT OFF THE BOOMING INDIA-RUSSIA
ARMS PIPELINE. WILL IT FORCE INDIA TO CHOOSE BETWEEN
THE US OR RUSSIA AS A MILITARY PARTNER?
By Sandeep Unnithan
UNDER
THREAT
The Russian
S-400 surface-
to-air missile
system
deployed in
Sevastopol,
Crimea
140 of which will be manufactured
W
in India as a joint venture between
Russian Helicopters and Hindustan
Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The
Indian Air Force wants five S-400
surface-to-air missile systems worth
over Rs 40,000 crore from Russia to
significantly offset the disadvantages
of its depleted fighter squadrons when
When foreign minister Sushma facing the air forces of China and Pak-
Swaraj and defence minister Nirmala istan in case of a two-front war. Each
Sitharaman travel to Washington next missile has a range of nearly 400 km.
month for the first of the annual ‘2+2’ When deployed on the border, they
strategic dialogue with their respec- can cover vast reaches of Pakistan’s
tive US counterparts Mike Pompeo airspace (the US-made Patriot PAC-
and Jim Mattis, they will have Rus- 3 missile has a range of just 70 km).
sia on their mind. Specifically, how to All of these deals will see signifi-
insulate India’s military preparedness cant currency transactions, which are
from the threat of US sanctions, which likely to attract provisions of CAAT-
has hung a sword of Damocles over the SA, but given India’s financial con-
country’s military ties with Russia. straints, the deal for S-400 missiles
In January, the US law CAATSA seems closest to the finish line. The
(Countering America’s Adversaries S-400 contract is likely to be signed
Through Sanctions Act) came into when President Vladimir Putin visits
effect. The law imposes sanctions on India later this year for the 19th An-
Russia, North Korea and Iran as well nual India-Russia bilateral summit.
as countries buying arms from them. This one deal will thus be the test case
A senior government oicial says of the Indian government’s ability
while the sanctions imposed after to withstand United States sanctions,
the Russian annexation of Crimea in particularly since the US regards
2014 focused only on Russian firms, this particular missile system with
CAATSA shifts the US attack to for- deep suspicion.
eign countries doing business with On May 28, Mac Thornberry,
all Russian military firms. This has chairman of the House Armed Ser-
serious implications for India, one vices Committee, told journalists in
of Russia’s largest defence partners Delhi that there is “a lot of concern
for nearly 50 years. It not only needs in the US in both the administration
spare parts for warships, fighter jets, and the Congress” over the S-400 sys-
radars and battle tanks that now tem. “And there is concern that any
make up nearly 60 per cent of its country, and it is not just India that is
weaponry, the sanctions impact arms looking at clearing it, but any country
deals worth over $12 billion that the that acquires that system will com-
Indian armed forces are seeking to plicate our ability to work out inter-
counter China and Pakistan. operability,” Thornberry said.
The navy has recently negotiated
the lease of a second nuclear-pow- THE WAY OUT
ered attack submarine from Russia CAATSA forces New Delhi to choose
for $2 billion. The amount will pay between strategic partners Russia
for the lease and refit of a Russian and the US. A decade since the signing
navy Akula-2 hull, which is to join of the landmark Indo-US nuclear deal
the navy in the next decade to replace in 2008, the relationship has blos-
INS Chakra, which was leased from somed into a thriving arms partner-
Russia in 2008. The army needs to ship, with the United States becoming
urgently replace its ageing f leet of India’s second-largest arms partner.
Cheetah and Chetak helicopters with Both countries regularly hold a series
Kamov 226 light utility helicopters, of military manoeuvres under the re-
cently renamed ‘Indo-Pacific Command’ and have shared fense or the Secretary of State believe India should take’, to
common concerns over a rising China. advance the relationship with the United States, measures
Meanwhile, CAATSA and the unpredictability of the that can be taken by the United States and India to improve
Donald Trump administration have forced a subtle reset in interoperability. And, lastly, it also inserts a clause ‘progress
New Delhi and driving India and Russia closer. in enabling agreements between the United States and India’.
Even as the US gears up to counter a China-Russia axis, The last reflects the US administration’s pique over India’s
New Delhi has reiterated its belief in a multi-polar world. slow progress in ‘foundation agreements’, such as LEMOA
On May 21, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Putin at (Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement), signed in
an informal summit in Sochi, Russia. On May 29, National 2016 after nearly a decade. The Communications Compatibil-
Security Advisor Ajit Doval, a key figure in the India-Russia ity and Security Agreement (COMCASA) and Basic Exchange
relationship, got Pankaj Saran, India’s and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) are
ambassador to Russia, as his deputy na- yet to be signed.
tional security advisor. And on June 5, “It’s not just the S-400 deal, but India’s
defence minister Sitharaman came out strategic autonomy that is at stake,” says
with an emphatic endorsement. “In all Vice Admiral A.K. Singh (retired), a for-
our engagements with the United States, mer commanding-in-chief, Eastern Naval
we have clearly explained to them that Command. “Hopefully, our leaders will re-
India and Russia’s defence cooperation alise we cannot break ties with Russia. The
has been going on for a long time and that United States is the world leader in anti-
it is a time-tested relationship. We have “We have clearly submarine warfare, stealth technology and
also mentioned that CAATSA cannot be explained to the US that drone technology, but will never part with
impacting on this,” she said in New Delhi. India and Russia’s it or even sell it. There are certain technolo-
Adds a senior defence oicial: “We are not defence cooperation gies only the Russians will give us.” With
the Dominican Republic or Canada, we are is a time-tested the 2016 commissioning of the nuclear-
India and we have conveyed our concerns relationship.” powered ballistic missile submarine INS
to the US administration.” NIRMALA SITHARAMAN Arihant, India recently operationalised the
The United States was already con- Defence Minister third leg of its nuclear triad, the ability to
scious of the impact of CAATSA on part- fire nuclear-tipped missiles from under the
ners like India. Signing the bill into law sea. This could not have been done without
last August, President Donald Trump
raised objections, terming it ‘seriously WHAT IS considerable Russian assistance.
BACK TO THE
DRAWING BOARDFollowing successive bypoll defeats, the BJP is
drawing up a plan to win back lost ground. But there
may be far too many hurdles on the road to 2019
By Uday Mahurkar
espite the unbearable June sum- The party also believes the national-level scenario—
mer, the national BJP headquar- where the battle will be between Modi and Rahul Gandhi or
D
ters at Delhi’s Deen Dayal Upadh- between Modi and other leaders—will be different. As Amit
yaya Marg is bustling with activity. Shah puts it, “The phenomenon ‘opposition unity index’ is
The opposition victory in Karna- being overplayed by the media. Our schemes for the common
taka and the BJP’s poor show in the man have benefitted 22 crore people who with their families
subsequent bypolls in other states add up to more than 80 crore people. We are now gearing up
have failed to dampen the spirit of to directly connect with the beneficiaries of these schemes
party workers. There is little time through our party machinery.”
to be spent on introspection. The instruction from the top As per the party’s current calculation, the BJP expects
brass is clear—the party must prepare for the 2019 Lok Sabha its tally to go up from two to 22 in West Bengal, one to 15 in
polls, keeping in mind the changed political scenario. Odisha and eight to 21 in the northeastern states. It expects
The united opposition has found chinks in the BJP’s Ut- gains in Andhra Pradesh but is not really sure about Telan-
tar Pradesh armour and trumped the saffron party in three gana because of the highly populist but administratively
constituencies in the state this year. The BJP, too, believes questionable route taken by chief minister K. Chandrashekar
that the index of unity against it is high and productive in Rao to win voters wherein he is spending Rs 8,000 per acre
UP, the state which sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha. “UP is a year on each farmer. In UP, the party is optimistic about
certainly an area of worry,” says a party leader. “But in other getting 65 seats.
states, opposition unity will create a positive emotional impact There are signs of complacency: few in the party seem
for Narendra Modi and may end up uniting to acknowledge the challenge in Rajasthan,
people against those who are bent upon uproot- Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, which
ing the honest prime minister.” Adds another The BJP expects are going to polls this year. The BJP is not
leader: “We would be in danger if the CPI(M) contemplating any major change in the lead-
joins hands with the TMC in West Bengal or the
its tally to go ership of these states though the state chief
Congress joins hands with the BJD in Odisha up from two in Madhya Pradesh has been replaced. In
or with KCR in Telangana. But that’s unlikely to 22 in West Rajasthan, where the equations between
to happen. In UP we are only six per cent short Modi-Shah and Chief Minister Vasundhara
of our target of getting 50 per cent of the vote to
Bengal, one to Raje have remained stressed, the planned
tackle the SP-BSP challenge. With some course 15 in Odisha induction of the new party chief is still hang-
correction, that is not diicult.” The party does and eight ing fire. There is no consensus on who should
not consider Kairana, with 33 per cent Muslim to 21 in the be appointed as the new president in place of
population and 61 per cent voting this time as Raje’s nominee Ashok Parnami who report-
against 73 per cent in 2014, as a reliable barom- northeastern edly exited under pressure from Modi and
eter of the BJP’s standing in UP. states Shah in April.
9
ued with the old team of Rajnath Singh in the national body,
adding only a few new faces. Many in the party feel that he 2017 2018
21
should have had his own full-fledged team and that this sta- 28
tus quoist approach might be fraught with danger. Sources
close to Shah say he has little choice, with the entire pre-2014
national team, including second-rung leaders, being drafted Bypolls lost in BJP-ruled Bypolls lost in BJP-ruled
into Modi’s cabinet. But Shah is sanguine about the party’s states 4 (3)* states 17 (8)*
prospects in both state and national polls. According to his Won by BJP Number of bypolls
aides, the party is in a reasonably good position to salvage the
*In brackets: the number of BJP-ruled states
situation not only in MP and Chhattisgarh but even in Raj-
asthan. Its prospects in the latter are much better than they
were in Gujarat last year, they say. The BJP managed to win
in the state despite the Congress joining forces with Hardik
Patel and Jignesh Mevani. Shrinking vote share
While opposition unity outscored the BJP in
CHANGING TRACK three Lok Sabha seats in UP, but its vote share
The BJP leadership has started taking stock of the states has slumped too
that are going to polls this year and the ones that matter for
the 2019 general election. To this end, it has even drawn up
a nationwide plan to enlist the support of the beneficiaries of 52% 52% 51%
47% 47%
its major pro-poor schemes. To give shape to this plan, Modi
39%
and Shah recently spent an entire day in Delhi with 1,000
oice-bearers from the party’s seven morchas or frontal or-
ganisations for youth, women, Dalits, tribals, farmers, OBCs
and minorities that had come together for the first time.
Shah told workers: “Out of our 11 crore workers, you 1,000
are the core of the party and its future. You are the ones who
GORAKHPUR PHULPUR KAIRANA
will lead the party in the years to come. Now is the time to
prove your mettle by bringing people close to the party on
2014 LS polls vote share 2018 bypoll vote share
the strength of its work.” He invoked recent attacks on BJP
workers by rivals in West Bengal and Kerala and asked the
workers to give a befitting answer through the ballot. Accord-
ing to national BJP Mahila Morcha chief Vijaya Rahatkar,
the speeches delivered by Modi and Shah on the occasion Where is the new ground?
were very inspiring.
In West Bengal and Kerala, the BJP
Apart from Shah and Modi, the party’s national general has emerged as a challenger, but not made
secretaries too addressed two sessions with each morcha, much headway
dwelling on ground level issues. The workers were given
information pertaining to the major programmes of the
Modi government, be it the Jan Dhan Yojana, the Mudra or
WEST BENGAL
the Ujjwala LPG cooking gas kit scheme, health insurance Vote share Vote share Total number Won by
or housing for all. Estimating the number of beneficiaries of in 2014 Lok in 2016 of bypolls BJP
Sabha polls assembly polls since 2015
these schemes to be 220 million, they were asked to reach
out to all of them in a planned manner. 17% 10.2% 8 0
The campaign by the workers will start from July and
continue for six months. As part of the plan, a worker will
go to a beneficiary with flowers, a dupatta with the party KERALA
symbol on it and a photograph of Narendra Modi and ask
Vote share Vote share Total number Won by
him how the schemes have worked for him and his family
in 2014 Lok in 2016 of bypolls BJP
and if he has any further requirement. Sabha polls assembly polls since 2015
Shah will personally monitor the implementation of this
massive outreach programme from the high-tech control 10.5% 10.5% 3 0
THE LONE
RANGER
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s development
model is bringing real change on the ground,
but complacency and aversion to counsel
may prove to be his undoing
By Jeemon Jacob
is first decision on being that he is making a new beginning. Pinarayi is the first Kerala chief minister
H
picked by the CPI(M) state Having narrowly lost out on an ear- from the CPI(M) to control both the gov-
committee to steer the lier chance to head an LDF government, ernment and the party at the same time.
Left Democratic Front Pinarayi has been keen to demonstrate Predictably, this approach has trig-
(LDF) government in that he leads from the front and has a gered controversies, but Pinarayi has
Kerala was to announce a mind of his own. Even the canons of remained unfazed. At 73, the man who
change in his date of birth with dramat- Marxism were secondary in his aggres- some wryly call ‘Modi in dhoti’ for his
ic flourish. Offering sweets to the media, sive style of governance that glossed—at uncompromising attitude, works tire-
with whom he has had a testy relation- times rode roughshod—over attempts to lessly, covering tracks for several of his
ship, Pinarayi Vijayan declared on May ‘guide’ him. Comrades offering counsel handpicked—and less competent—cabi-
24, 2016, that he was born the same day were snubbed, with the chief minister net colleagues. Personal integrity has
71 years ago in 1945—a signal of sorts underlining “I know exactly what to do”. mattered the most in Pinarayi’s political
Shortcomings
■ The chief minister’s unilateral
approach to governance
■ Poor performance by
several ministers
■ Ineffective management of the
police force
■ Failure to stop political killings
With 91 seats, the LDF is the domi- ■ Timely completion of mega projects
nant force in the 140-member legislative ■ Raising funds through the Kerala In-
assembly, yet owing to his non-inclusive frastructure Investment Fund Board
approach, Pinarayi has more detrac- to boost investments
tors than admirers. However, his biggest ■ Consolidating the LDF’s vote bank
LAW ON
communications ex-
S
ecutive in the Pune
office of a large IT
c o m p a n y, b e g a n
house-hunting early
this year. Before she
A LEASH
found a two-bedroom
apartment in the city’s
Wakad suburbs, Sharma verified the credentials of
the developer on the MahaRERA website, main-
tained by the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory
Patchy implementation of the Authority. Only once she was satisfied with the proj-
much-hyped RERA has meant that ect’s details on the website, including the progress
even a year after it came into force, of construction, did she book her apartment, pay-
the homebuyer is still vulnerable ing 10 per cent of the total price as stipulated by the
real estate regulator. “It was important to verify the
developer’s credentials since stories of buyers losing
By M.G. Arun their money to unscrupulous builders abound,” says
Sharma. She also benefitted from the two-year stag-
nation in real estate prices in Pune. “There is more
ON SHAKY GROUND
A residential project in Noida Extension
in the National Capital Region
A SLOW START
Since RERA came into force,
only three states have appointed
permanent regulators
supply than demand,” explains Sharma.
India’s real estate sector has traditionally been
largely unorganised, coupled with inordinate delays
Jammu &
in completion of projects and some unscrupulous de-
Kashmir
velopers using investors’ money to cross-subsidise
Punjab Himachal
projects or change project plans at will, leaving buyers Arunachal
Pradesh
in the lurch. The real estate market was also notori- Pradesh
Uttarakhand Meghalaya
ous for the high quantum of cash in transactions, Haryana
often referred to as the ‘black’ component of the deal. Sikkim
Many investors would use their surplus wealth to Rajasthan Uttar Assam
buy property and sell at the opportune moment for a Pradesh Nagaland
Bihar
profit, often pushing prices to unaffordable levels for
Madhya Jharkhand Manipur
the middle class. Cases piled up in courts as buyers Gujarat
Pradesh Mizoram
took on developers for not honouring commitments.
All of this accorded the real estate sector an element Odisha Tripura
Maharashtra West
of opacity and uncertainty.
Bengal
The Real Estate (Regulation and Development)
Telangana
Act, 2016, or RERA, which started being implement- Goa Chhattisgarh
ed a year ago, was expected to streamline the sector Andhra
and put paid to fly-by-night players in the market— Pradesh
both developers and brokers. “RERA brought in a Karnataka
paradigm shift and metamorphosed the sector into a Puducherry
Tamil
more mature, systematic and regulated one,” says Anuj Nadu Permanent regulator Map not
Puri, chairman of Anarock Property Consultants. “It Interim regulator to scale
is meant to bring in a homebuyer-friendly regime that No regulator Source:
Kerala RERA not applicable Knight Frank
will address their grievances and promote transpar-
ency, eiciency, financial discipline and accountability
in the sector.” All projects on 500 square metres or
more of land and having eight or more apartment
blocks come under the purview of RERA. In some cases, state RERA cells have penalised
projects for violating the provisions of the law. Maha-
POOR IMPLEMENTATION rashtra recently penalised several reputed developers
RERA has many buyer-friendly objectives, such as for advertising unregistered projects and not updating
ensuring timely delivery of projects, having project project addresses on the RERA website. Last year, Kar-
details displayed and regularly updated on the RERA nataka’s RERA cell sent notices to some 130 projects in
portal and protecting investors’ money by mandating Bengaluru for not registering under RERA. A report by
developers to put 70 per cent of the cash flow into an property consultant Knight Frank says only 19 states
escrow account. However, a year down its implemen- and Union territories have a functional RERA portal,
tation, the picture is still dismal. Only three states— and even these suffer from information asymmetry.
Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab—have a In Andhra Pradesh, only two projects are registered
permanent real estate regulator in place. More than under RERA. Haryana still does not have a portal and
27,000 projects have been registered under RERA the status of registered projects remains unknown. In
across the country, of which 18,000 are in Maharashtra Karnataka, 1,300 of the state’s total 1,500 projects are
alone, followed by Uttar Pradesh (2,350), Gujarat and from Bengaluru alone.
Madhya Pradesh (1,600 each), and Karnataka (around Things are far more disappointing when it comes
1,500 projects). In the Northeast, Mizoram, Manipur, to establishing a Real Estate Appellate Tribunal, with
Nagaland and Meghalaya are yet to implement RERA only 15 states and UTs making progress. “Only Ma-
due to complexities in laws pertaining to land. In Him- harashtra has set up the entire oice of the regulator
achal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, with an eicient website, from where consumers can
Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil download data about the projects under construc-
Nadu and Bihar, RERA portals have been launched tion,” says Samantak Das, chief economist at Knight
and interim regulations are visible, says Anarock in Frank. For the rest of the country, implementation is
a report. West Bengal is yet to notify RERA while the nowhere close to the goal. ‘Interim’ authorities can’t be
portal is not operational in Telangana. a solution. “What was strictly supposed to be a stopgap
1 2 3 4 5
Timely delivery RERA registra- Payments se- Verify track Transparent ads:
In case of delays, tion Developers can cured Developers record Buyers can A project can be
buyers can cancel sell projects only if to deposit at least opt to buy properties promoted only after
their bookings (de- they are registered 70 per cent of the only from reputed it is registered with
veloper refunds the with the state regula- buyers’ money for developers who RERA. All ads and
amount with interest) tory authority and a project into an are complying with promotional mate-
or be paid interest for have registration escrow account. This RERA, have a good rial must mention the
every month of delay numbers. Details of prevents them from track record and are RERA registration
until the property is projects need to be rolling these funds financially stable. All number that is unique
ready for possession put on RERA portal into other projects this is now verifiable to a project
6 7 8 9 10
Clarity on carpet Changes in proj- Structural de- Booking amount Strong redress
area Homebuyers ect plans: Around fects addressed fixed Developers mechanism Com-
can no longer be 2/3rd of the buyers’ In the first five years can only accept plaints of homebuy-
charged for ‘super consent is neces- after giving posses- 10 per cent of the ers will mandatorily
built-up area’. The sary for a developer sion, developers are total property cost be resolved within
quoted price must be to make modifica- liable to rectify de- as booking amount. 60 days. Developers
based on the carpet tions to a project fects in the property Violators of the norm and brokers face
area. Now, what you (building or layout in less than 30 days face imprisonment of penalty for breach
see is what you get plans/ specifications/ or pay compensation up to three years of obligations
(and buy) liabilities) to the buyer
arrangement has turned into a standard,” rues Das. Such au- on the state’s RERA portal due to technical breakdowns, af-
thorities have made little progress on even basic parameters, fecting sales for months. The rate of approvals was also just one
such as getting the portals up and running and registering every two days. There were also complaints of delays in redress
projects and agents. Since RERA stipulates transfer of all of complaints and lack of transparency. In Haryana, homebuy-
applications, complaints or pending cases to the permanent ers cried hoarse last year over the appointment of some RERA
regulators, the ‘interim’ regulators seem to be letting the grass oicials with alleged dubious backgrounds.
grow under their feet, Das adds. So, is RERA bringing the turnaround it is meant to?
Various states have made multiple changes to RERA. Puri “RERA can offer consumers a very big advantage and instil
says the definition of ongoing projects has been diluted, leav- confidence,” says Niranjan Hiranandani, MD of the Hiranan-
ing a huge number of projects outside RERA’s purview, and dani Group. “Over time, the market will become more ma-
this, understandably, remains a major concern for existing ture. With RERA, developers have to make full disclosure on
buyers. He says the Centre should keep RERA rules aligned the portal. Developers who delay projects will be penalised.
and effective across the states and Union territories while This will be good in the long run.”
balancing the interests of both buyers and developers.
However, delays and technical glitches in some parts of the BIGGER ISSUES REMAIN
country have made buyers wonder if RERA has created yet an- RERA, however, may not be helpful in resolving project delays
other level of bureaucracy. For instance, in September last year, in cases where the developer is already stressed, such as Jaypee
developers in Karnataka found it diicult to register projects Infratech’s projects in Noida. Thousands of Jaypee homebuy-
FIFA
SALVATORE DI NOLFI /EPA
F
Shougat Dasgupta
T
H
w
i REAL HERO
t Portugal’s
Cristiano
t Ronaldo
Players to Watch
OHAMED SALAH
nhampered by
ncerns about his
oulder, Salah will be
ur of sharp move-
nt. Once a winger, he
s become a finisher
Liverpool, cutting
ide menacing de-
ders with his speed
d aggression. Can
take Egypt past the
up stage?
RSEY
UMBER
0
VISIONHAUS/GETTY IMAGES
JERSEY
NUMBER
10
NEYMAR
His injury in the last World Cup,
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semifinal defeat to Germany.
Injured since February, a
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OLI SCARFF/AFP
JUAN MABROMATA/AFP
WORLD CUP FOOTBALL
JERSEY
NUMBER
Matches 10
to Watch KYLIAN MBAPPÉ
At only 19, he is the most
heralded young player in the
game and certainly the most
tournament’s most
exciting. He is part of a French
PORTUGAL VS exciting players.
squad bristling with ability.
SPAIN Could they knock the
Antoine Griezmann is the
June 15, 11.30 pm Russians out of the
team’s sharpshooter but could
A group stage encou- tournament before
nter between the it has properly begun? Mbappé be the X factor that
Iberian rivals with the wins France the World Cup?
resonance of a semi-
final. Portugal are the
European champions, NIGERIA VS
albeit by winning ARGENTINA
only one game over June 26, 11.30 pm carnival it once was, a celebration their wallets at each other.
90 minutes. Spain Nigeria’s kit has of unfamiliar styles and players. Neymar, widely expected to
have fallen from caused a sensation, Those countries with squads assume the role of best footballer
their peak, but have with long queues in made up of players playing on the planet at this World Cup,
the players to be London, never mind
exclusively in domestic as Messi and Ronaldo age,
champions. Morocco Lagos, waiting for
competition are inevitably chaff, though neither shows any
and Iran round out an shops to open to buy
attractive footballing the snazzy shirts. disposed of in the group stages. particular sign of fading, cost
group. Millions pre-ordered The vast majority of players at Paris Saint Germain 222 million
the shirts online. The the World Cup, over 75 per cent, euros to prise from Barca. He has
team can be just as ply their trade in Europe. The managed one petulant, injury-
dazzling. Argentina, best players all play in Spain, plagued season in the French
GERMANY VS with the world’s best England, Italy, Germany or league, a relative backwater,
MEXICO player in their ranks, France. Fans around the world before talk has already begun
June 17, 8.30 pm approach each World see these players compete each about his inevitable return to
The world champions Cup bowed down by week, making the World Cup a Spain, in the colours of Real. At
kick off their defence expectation. Could
divertissement before the real least for Brazil, Neymar is
against obdurate this be their year?
business of European club playing for a cause greater than
opponents. This was
a quarterfinal in football gets underway. himself. As for Messi and
the 1986 World Cup. The superclubs—Barca, Real, Ronaldo— Argentina and
Mexico took West ENGLAND VS Manchester United, Liverpool, Portugal—it seems likely, as at
Germany, the event- BELGIUM Juve, Inter, Bayern Munich et al— other World Cups, that their
ual runner-up, to June 28, 11.30 pm have sucked the mystery out of powers will not compensate for
penalties after a 0-0 England have been football at the highest level. It is weaknesses elsewhere. France,
draw. awful at the last two why the group stages of the World Brazil, Germany and Spain are
World Cups, fail- Cup are such a necessary tonic. the best teams, while Belgium is
ing even to get out
Smug global ‘connoisseurs’ raised full of talent but lacks the
of their group in
on the incessant hype of European knowhow of those perennial
RUSSIA VS EGYPT Brazil. This squad is
June 19, 11.30 pm universally agreed to club football might sneer at the contenders. Anyway, the World
The choice of Russia be among their worst, quality of football on offer. But Cup will assume familiar shape
as World Cup hosts though this might what beauty there remains in in due course. For now, let us
has been controver- have a liberating football, what romance and enjoy the phony war. That
sial. The fans have a effect on the players. adventure, is in matches that pit yawning period of contem-
reputation for racism Conversely, the Belgi- together Nigeria and Iceland, say, plation, when the World Cup you
and violence. And the ans are dark horses to Tunisia and Panama, or Colombia imagine, mixing anticipation of
team seems unlikely win the tournament. and Senegal. Here football is not future games with memories of
to win over the critics. They have the talent reduced, as it is at Champions games and players past, feels
In Mohamed Salah, but do they have the
League level, to the grisly real—a dream untarnished by the
Egypt has one of the confidence?
spectacle of billionaires waggling thing itself. ■
THE GAME
CHANGER
Director Pa. Ranjith has audiences swooning
over Rajinikanth all over again. This time, the
superstar returns as an older, wiser and
more politically-conscious hero
By Prachi Sibal
N
have come, tell them I have come back),” thun-
ders Rajinikanth in the 2016 hit Kabali. He
is Kabaleeswaran, a Robin Hood-esque hero
who fights for the cause of Tamil labourers in
Malaysia, speaking with panache of socio-
political issues against the backdrop of gang
rivalries. Political movements are referred to,
including the Dalit uprising.
The film’s success came at an opportune time for the actor
known as Thalaivar, Tamil for ‘leader’. The last time audiences
went wild over his swaggering antics was in 2010 with director
S. Shankar’s sci-fi drama Enthiran. The box oice failure of his
daughter Soundarya Rajinikanth’s animated film Kochadaiiyan
(2016) and Lingaa (2016), by confidant K.S. Ravikumar, saw the
superstar apologise to his fans and compensate Lingaa distribu-
tors for the losses incurred. Speculation was rife that the super-
star would hang up his boots after a career that lasted over three
decades. The Tamil audience was changing and Thalaivar had to
sit up and take notice too.
In dire need of a comeback, the superstar needed a makeover.
He invited scripts from filmmakers, young and old. Enter Pa. Ran-
jith, director of the critically-acclaimed political action drama Ma-
dras (2014). Once assistant to director Venkat Prabhu, he debuted
with romantic comedy Attakathi. In the landscape of Kollywood,
ID
RASH
KHAN istan CR ICK ET
Afghan
and his am are set
et te
cric k t Test
their firs
to play th—against
n
this mo Bengaluru
India, in
P
erhaps the most memorable
images from Rio de Janeiro
2016 are of the Refugee
Olympic Team. They won
no medals, but surely adulation
from the crowds and the forcing of a
conversation on refugee rights was
victory enough.
The Afghanistan cricket team,
of course, is not a team of refugees.
But most of the men who were part
of that country’s first steps in world
cricket learnt the game when living
DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP
LEISURE
in Pakistani refugee colonies through the many stopped like 20 times. People were coming in
years of war. It was in Pakistan that Afghan front of our car and saying ‘stop, we want to take
cricket was born, though cricket in Afghanistan, pictures’. This is how crazy they are because they
like in India and elsewhere in the neighbour- haven’t seen such players. They have only seen on
hood, was played during the British years. TV that this man is doing well,” he says.
Afghanistan is still trying to rise from the When Rashid goes out to play, therefore, he
rubble, and reports of terror attacks are so fre- carries the weight of the whole country’s expec-
quent that peace remains a distant reality. “We tations. “Even if I don’t perform in one match,
stay in touch every day with people back home. they get worried. They are expecting five wickets
We can’t be away for two-three days because in every match. If I don’t take it, they say, ‘What
anything can happen,” says Rashid Khan, the happened to you?’” he says. But the pressure
best Afghan cricketer, not yet 20 and a legend in doesn’t faze him. “I am just trying my best. I
the making. Or is he a legend already? think the best thing is to enjoy yourself. The more
Rashid’s achievements as a cricketer are you enjoy, I think, the better you perform. There
many. Having mastered a quickish variety is the burden on me to do well because we lose
of leg-spin, with many dips and swerves and most of the matches if I don’t do well,” he says.
a heady dose of sorcery, he is the toast of the Sportspersons always say that it’s all about
cricket world, playing a big role in Afghanistan’s the fans. But the truism takes on a different
recent surge to the highest stage. Every T20 dimension when it comes to Afghan cricketers.
league in the world wants a piece of him. He “We worry about the situation back home,” says
makes millions and the teams are happy to pay Rashid. “In the past one month, we had about
him—he is that good. three-four bomb blasts in Afghanistan. That
He has also in no small part contributed to makes us very sad. We are trying to put smiles on
Afghanistan’s newly acquired status as a Test- the faces of people. We just try and put on some
playing nation (along with Ireland). The team is extra good performances so that our people can
readying for its first Test match—against India, celebrate and get these negative things out of
in Bengaluru, starting June 14. And it’s because their minds.”
of Rashid’s presence in the Afghan Rashid has been widely hailed as the best leg-
ranks that India are not the over- spinner in the world—one of the great cricketers
whelming favourites. of the current era even. And you are only so great
What does it mean to be Rashid and no more unless you play Test cricket.
Khan—a big-league cricket star in a Still forced to play all its matches abroad,
war-ravaged country and a newbie in as security concerns keep other countries from
the world of cricket? touring, the country’s elevation to the highest
He lives in Afghanistan, although level in the game has been hailed across the
work keeps him out much board—it’s the sort of story immortalised on
of the year. He doesn’t celluloid in Out of the Ashes (2010) that makes
get mobbed by fans everyone believe in fairy tales.
because “we don’t go “It will be a big day for cricket in Afghani-
outside”, he says with stan… can’t wait to be called a Test cricketer,”
a smile. “If it’s urgent, gushes Rashid. “I think there will be no one
we hide our face or who will not be watching it on TV back home.
something.” A restau- Whatever we play, they watch it, if not on TV,
rant, maybe? “Yeah, they follow it online. It’s amazing.”
I can go but I have Afghanistan’s rise has been cricket’s most im-
some security.” portant story in recent years, and Rashid’s emer-
The adulation is gence proof that you don’t always need money
understandable. Afghans and state-of-the-art means
have had little cause for hap- to be good. A legend can be
piness since the 1970s, when born in the detritus of a
it became the war zone it re- half-century-long war,
mains today. finding his calling in a
“Once we were going for refugee camp.
a match. I think we were —Shamya Dasgupta
DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP
CINEMA
DEATH &
DARK HUMOUR
man departs. Organising his a “funeral fit for an emperor”—and
A
funeral is hell for his family. nobody’s support other than his
The title of Malayalam friend Ayappa (Vinayakan).
film Ee. Ma. Yau. means With shots of coconut trees
R.I.P. (Rest in Peace). But swaying in the wind and the turbu-
in director Lijo Jose Pellissery’s sixth lent seas, cinematographer Shyju
feature there’s no peace to be found Khalid paints a vivid portrait of the
for the family of Vavachan after he fishing village of Chellanam, and the
drops dead, literally, after a night film is rich in socio-cultural context.
spent in drunken stupor. His son Alcoholism is widespread. Many men
Eeshi (Chemban Vinod Jose) is left to have clandestine second families,
negotiate with the mercenary funeral and demonetisation is still wreaking
industry, follow police protocol and havoc on the economy.
fulfil elaborate rituals of their faith, What makes the film poignant
Syrian Christianity. In the period of is the nuanced portrayal of Eeshi’s
mourning, screenwriter P.F. Mathews overwhelmed isolation as the village
sets a dark comedy that examines comes together to bid farewell to a
human behaviour at its ugliest. divisive man.
The vicar (Dileesh Pothan), Apart from Jose, who steals
a fan of detective novels, thinks the show in the dramatic finale,
Vavachan’s death is Vinayakan, Pothan
murder, his suspi- and Pauly Valsan, who
cions fuelled by village What makes plays Vavachan’s wife,
gossip. The nurse the film deliver standout per-
only reluctantly steps formances. Meanwhile,
in after the doctor is
poignant is the Pellissery, who wowed
too drunk to attend. portrayal of last year with the
And the coin-maker Eeshi’s crime drama Angamaly
aggressively pushes overwhelmed Diaries, has further
his most expensive confirmed he is
box. Amidst the
isolation one of the most inge-
chaos, Eeshi has little nious voices in Indian
money to realise his cinema. ■
father’s last wish for —Suhani Singh
LEISURE
BOOKS
IMPHAL 1944
OF WA ` 999, 96 pages
T
THE BATTLES OF
IMPHAL and Kohima are
easily the most underrated
battles of the entire Second
World War. Overshadowed
THIS IS
by titanic struggles like SIACHEN
Stalingrad on the Eastern Harshal
Front and the Allied land- Pushkarna
ings at Normandy, they have URANUS BOOKS
`450
received none of the military 230 pages 1971: THE FALL
academic or the big budget OF DACCA
Major General (Dr)
movie attention of the other G.D. Bakshi
significant turning points K.W. PUBLISHERS
in the global conflagration. ` 599, 174 pages
Perhaps it was because, by
early 1944, the writing was
on the wall for the Imperial These books are
Japanese Army (IJA). With timely reminders
the US closing in on the of how the lessons to be read with another in war—not wars of aggrandis-
Home Islands with a stra- from battlefields the series, Kohima 1944, to ement but one in response
tegic bombing campaign, need a relook understand just how signifi- to a horrific genocide which
holding a land empire built cant these military reverses East Pakistan’s military
in a little over a decade of were for the IJA. Though the rulers embarked upon its
conquests was going to be an rout of the IJA’s Kwantung Bengali population.
insurmountable challenge. 1942, the longest in its his- Army in Manchuria was Bakshi also sees a reas-
The IJA’s twin-axis thrust, tory. By 1944, the Japanese its largest defeat (and not sertion of the Kautilyan
its last in that theatre, was faced a retrained and rested Imphal as the book jacket war paradigm of extended,
meant to capture the frontier army that was a far cry erroneously mentions), this covert destabilisation and
towns of Imphal and Kohima from the adversary they had book tells how close Britain rapid execution, using speed
and sever Britain’s access to chased back into India. came to losing the Jewel in and shock to benumb the
the Japanese Empire’s south- In Imphal 1944, Katoch, its Crown. enemy as opposed to the
western most province, a military historian and a dull wars of attrition that
Burma. If the offensive was war tourism pioneer in the *** have characterised war-
successful, it could open a region, brings to bear his IN THE BANGLADESH fare on the subcontinent.
gateway into India. expertise on the subject in blitzkrieg of December 1971, This would not have been
The British army had a racy narrative backed by the author sees the revival the case considering in the
retreated over 1,500 km Peter Dennis’s vivid illus- of a 2,000-year paradigm months leading up to the
from Burma into India in trations. This book needs of Indian warfare—the just 13-day war with Pakistan
***
THE WORLD’S MOST ardu-
TR TOMKINS
ous military deployment gets an
everyman’s relook in this book by
journalist Harshal Pushkarna. His
travelogue takes readers into the THE
SUS
history, geography and politics PEGA ion’ bike
T
he latest iteration of Royal Enfield’s much
ite d e dit
of how the Indian army came to loved ‘Bullet’ pays homage to a little A ‘lim okes
that inv of a
stay atop the 6,000-metre Saltoro known machine from the firm’s back leg a c y
the the
pages: the WD/ RE or ‘Flying Flea’, a lightweight achine:
Range since 1984, overlooking the WW II m g Flea’
motorcycle that was airdropped with paratroops ‘Fly in
world’s biggest body of ice outside
at the Battle of Arnhem and the Normandy land-
the two poles, where temperatures
ings during World War II. RE’s new ‘Classic 500
range between 55 degrees and
Pegasus’ was launched with some fanfare on the
20 below zero. His dig-in with airstrip of the Imperial War Museum at Duxford,
the hardy soldiers manning the England. What does the 190 kg, 500 cc Pegasus
gates at the roof of the world is an have in common with its diminutiv
eye-opener because it suggests an ration? The wartime RE roundel, t
astounding amount of makeshift emblem of the Parachute Regimen
facilities and vintage equipment. niers and authentic paintwork in ei
This is alarming considering the or ‘Service Brown’. The bike is pri
deployment that has been on for at Rs 2.49 lakh, chances are mone
over 34 years shows no sign of won’t be an object: the Pegasus is
a collectors’ edition with a limited
ending anytime soon.
run of 1,000, only 250 of which
—Sandeep Unnithan
are destined for India.
LEISURE
BOOKS
Driven By
to pray, there is no ishvar
(god), there is no yoga,
there is no surrender (of
bhakti), there is no ritual.
In his composition Nir-
vana shatakam, he negates
all of this,” says Varma.
He calls Shankara the
Distraction
greatest Hindu philoso- he creeping devastation of a beautiful
land is a story that resonates every-
T
pher because of his pro-
where in India. Sudeep Chakravarti’s
found impact, which came novel is set in Goa, but its rapacious
from accepting and unify- developers, mournful lookers-back,
ing the practices of ordi- see-no-evil bystanders and raging
nary people and because he activists might be from anywhere. In a house built with
won so many debates and love mixed into its mortar lives Antonio, who keeps a
followers. The most famous hotel and preserves a gracious way of life. His cousin
Dionysus fights doubtful land deals through newsprint
one, with Mandan Mishra
and lawsuits, and ultimately pays a hideous price.
of the ritualist Mimansa Some characters, like Antonio’s tearfully childless
school, is often described wife and his trashy stepmother, remain cutouts, but
as Hinduism’s ‘Road to the villainous are painted in intense colours. Winston
Damascus’ moment. Almeida’s ambitions make him the ideal broker
Shankara’s mass ap- between the Russian criminals who plan to buy up the
village of Socorro Do Mundo
peal, though, came from
and everything nearby and
his wanderings. He created the buyers who must sell The violence
a philosophical grid to to them whether they want remains with
unite people. This is not to or not. Even the trustees the reader
possible with philosophy of Save Goa Society are for
sale, it turns out.
long after the
only. Shankara’s writing
Chakravarti is a lover last page is
is elegant, his verse has
of Goa. He distracts us with turned
a great power to sway.
recipes for vin-d’alho or
“Few people have written descriptions of hand-painted
such lyrical and attractive azulejos between a question
poetry on such complex and an answer, and it’s hard to
existential themes,” Varma remember how a conversation connects to what came
says, noting that his ‘Bhaja before or after. There are sentences that make one
Govindam’ is sung and think, I wish I’d written that: “The quiet was loud here.”
And then there are ones piled so high with descriptors
recited and played in ordi-
and allusions that they lose their punch.
nary households even to- The violence remains with the reader long after
day. He created a non-dual the last page is turned. A slender hope rises at the
bond between knowledge end, but what delights us throughout is the dialogue.
and beauty. Goans will know whether Chakravarti has captured
—Sopan Joshi the rhythms of speech exactly, but to the reader it is
the jewel of the novel. ■
—Latha Anantharaman
RAJWANT RAWAT
LEISURE
BARK A RT
AND BITE
Performance artist Inder Salim’s latest
work–a series of films based on Manto’s Dog
of Tithwal draws audiences’ attention to
the insensitivity of people at large towards
contemporary socio-political issues
who recently completed this year. The first film That doesn’t mean
the first two of several was in collaboration with he’s becoming any less
planned films based on Turkish artist Alper Solaris radical. In the wake of
MUSEUM
Tagores in Ahmedabad
L
ast year in February, Jayshree handloom to contemporary art. The latest
and Sanjay Lalbhai, chairman being Manu Parekh Retrospective—60
and managing director of Ar- Years of Selected Works that was on dis-
vind Limited, threw open their play till June 3. The Bengal connection is
restored and renovated ances- not limited to the Tagore family. Earlier,
tral home as a museum centring around the museum had hosted a show titled,
a collection of artworks that Lalabhai Sahib, Biwi, Nawab, on Bengal’s famed
Dalpatbhai had bought from brothers Baluchari silk. Past exhibitions included
Gaganendranath, Abanindranath and works by Hungarian-Indian avant garde
Samarendranath, all nephews of Nobel painter of early 20th century Amrita
Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, in 1935. Sher-Gil and contemporary artists like
During the past 18 months, the two co- Jogen Chowdhury.
lonial buildings located at Ahmedabad’s At the centre of the museum lies the
Shahibaugh area—named Kasturbhai Tagore collection, which was earlier “ly-
Lalbhai Museum—have become hotspots ing preserved in various boxes”, says Jay-
of exhibitions showcasing traditional shree, adding that they would occasion-
JAYSHREE AND SANJAY LALBHAI
W EB SER IES
Faceoff
with
Reality
SEASON 2 OF 13 REASONS WHY
HAS A HELPLINE WEBSITE AND A
DISCLAIMER THAT SAYS IT WILL
ADDRESS PROBLEMS SUCH AS
SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND SUICIDE
W
hen 13 Reasons Why a conversation about these very real seems like the story of how her suicide
debuted on Netflix last problems. And so it does. worked as the perfect revenge.
year, critics slammed it The plot of Season 2 centres on Season 2 mostly succeeds in
for its glamourification of proving Bryce Walker guilty of rap- depicting the flaws in the justice sys-
teen suicide and graphic depiction of ing Hannah Baker, Jessica Davis, and tem (shared in America and India)
sexual assault. Yet, it was a smash hit, many unidentified others. Instead of and how the rich and the powerful get
prompting the makers to try to stay killing herself in a self-defeating (but away with just about anything. Bryce
hot and also take responsibility. glorified) effort at revenge, Jessica Walker suffers, but not as much as he
Season 2 begins with a video dis- Davis finds the courage to call out her deserves. Overall, the show plays
claimer from the cast emphasising rapist, move on, and relive safe, albeit not entirely. The last
that the story is fiction, and it deals her high school life. Though S O N2 episode ends on yet another
with sexual assault, substance abuse Hannah (the suicide vic- SEA eds in crazy note where Tyler
e
succ ing the
and suicide. The show now has its tim/ plot driver of Season epic t tice Down is seen getting sex-
d jus
in the w
helpline website (13ReasonsWhy. 1) still appears to “live on” flaws m and ho y ually assaulted by Bryce’s
syste h get awa
info). And the public service in a series of flashbacks ric u t bully boy-gang and Tyler
the just abo
announcement-style disclaimer —one reason for the ear- with ything picking up the gun. ■
an —Arunima Mazumdar
argues that the show can help start lier criticism—it no longer
WAT C H L I S T
I SPY A CLASSIC
SENSE8: THE FINALE
From the makers of the Matrix, Sense8
was a weird-but-charming hodgepodge—a
higher-end answer to Heroes with a silly
India-related subplot. Lacklustre response
to Season 2 resulted in its cancellation, but
it had just enough fans to convince Netflix to
greenlight a two-hour finale. Netflix
NOT SO
ORIGINAL
wo new shows, Table
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ti ha nsion a res. t h m
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t h e b e g i ve o t h e s p t i ve
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GEOFF RIDDER
68 Volume XLIII Number 25; For the week June 12-18, 2018, published on every Friday Total number of pages 84 (including cover pages)
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cover story
Group Chief Marketing Officer
Vivek Malhotra
ENGINEER YOUR FUTURE
Industry-academia partnership, new learning techniques and
encouraging research are some of the key parameters for new age
learners. A look at how engineering institutes of India are different.
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APRIL-JUNE, 2018 INDIA TODAY ASPIRE
NEWS YOU CAN USE
BHAVVNA JOLLY
Senior Programme Officer,
Education USA, United
States-India Educational
Strike
Foundation (USIEF), Delhi
the
Right
Chord
Writing an
application essay
for colleges abroad
can be a process of
self-discovery. Five
points to factor
in as you don your
writing hat.
ORM
W
ION F
PLICAT ith a growing number of aspirants
AP RSE A vying for a spot at the finest
CO
U
SE
B universities abroad, making
UR C
CO RS
E your application stand out is becoming
U D
CO SE
UR EE an increasingly challenging proposition.
CO RS
U
CO Educational institutions look for well-
rounded bright students with a unique
story. College essays and statements of
purpose (SOP) allow you to create a vibrant
and vivid lexical hologram of yourself to
Illustration ANURANJAN BHATIA make the application come alive. While
2
INDIA TODAY ASPIRE APRIL-JUNE, 2018
Scholarship Alert
each application essay is diferent,
choose what you share and how
perspectives which may be a bit
challenging if you try to complete
THE NAROPA FELLOWSHIP
you share it. everything in one sitting. While The Drukpa Order, which has shaped
reviewing, pay attention to and contributed to the Himalayan and
RESPOND TO THE PROMPT
essential elements of good writing Central Asian culture and heritage for
SOPs require you to respond to a including grammar, syntax and over a millennium, has launched the
prompt which is the fundamental vocabulary to present your ideas. Naropa Fellowship Programme to develop
question or theme of the essay. entrepreneurial skills in students that
BE HONEST will help foster a robust socio-economic
It is imperative to read the
question carefully and spend time Admissions committees go environment in Ladakh. The fellowship is
comprehending and analysing what through thousands of essays and one-year, fully residential, postgraduate
academic programme covering tuition
is being asked. This will ensure can figure out if an applicant is not
as well as food and lodging costs. Last
that you begin on the right note sincere in what he/she narrates.
date for submission is July 7. Check
and focus on including information Being honest also means that naropafellowship.org
pertinent to the prompt. All your essay is an original piece of
incidents, examples and anecdotes writing and not plagiarised in its
shared in the essay should clearly idea and execution. Admissions
relate to the main theme of the committees have a variety of tools GLION’S SCHOLARSHIP
essay. Connect the dots and bring
all pieces of the story together to
at their disposal that help them
determine whether an essay is
COMPETITION
In partnership with Swiss watch-
build a cohesive piece of writing. original. Additionally, even if you
maker, Frederique Constant, Glion
discuss your essay with parents,
DON’T JUST NARRATE, ANALYSE Institute of Higher Education, UK, has
mentors, friends and counsellors, launched a scholarship competition for
College essays and SOPs allow make sure that you make the edits Indian students applying for a master’s
admissions committees to evaluate but the writing remains true to programme in International Hospitality
your reasoning as well as critical your voice and style of expression. Business with Luxury Brand
thinking skills. The application Management. The scholarship will cover
USE ELEMENTS OF STORYTELLING
essay should not be a laundry list 25 per cent of the tuition fee. The closing
of your life’s accomplishments or a Well-crafted SOPs have a way date for applications is June 15.
brazen exhibition of your talents. of engaging the reader. If it suits Check www.glion.edu/luxury-competi-
It should have cogent intellectual your writing style, use humor and tion-april2018
COURSES AT A GLANCE
Five short-term professional courses to enhance your skills
UNIVERSITY INKS PACT of academic and research activities. The MoU is focussed on collaborative
research activities and supports aspiring students from both institutions
4
INDIA TODAY ASPIRE APRIL-JUNE, 2018
NEWS YOU CAN USE
MICROSOFT INDIA
ANNOUNCES WINNERS INKLUDE LAUNCHES EDUCATIONAL
OF IMAGINE CUP AID FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Microsoft India announced RealVol, To foster inclusiveness, INKLUDE, a Delhi-
DrugSafe and Practikality as the based social enterprise, has launched
winners of 16th edition of Imagine Cup a range of educational and recreational
India Chapter. The three teams will be aids for the visually impaired. The
representing India in the finals in the initiative will change the way Braille and
US and competing for $100,000 prize geometrical shapes are taught. The newly
money. They will also have a mentoring introduced books are integrated using
session with Satya Nadella. This year’s a special embossing technique which
India leg also highlighted the rising enables visually impaired people to read
interest in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and by sensing the tactile Braille and images
related technologies such as Cognitive through their fingertips.
Services and Chatbots among Indian
students. Sixty per cent of the entries
received showcased solutions powered
by AI. The competition allows student
developers to use their creativity and
KPIT OPENS REGISTRATIONS FOR ITS
passion to solve real-world problems INNOVATION AND DESIGN CONTEST
and turn their ideas into reality. With an
KPIT, a global technology company, has
outreach to over 50 campuses from
opened registration for its annual national
more than 10 states such as Rajasthan,
design and development innovation
Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh,
contest. The theme for this year is
Haryana, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh,
‘Mobility and Energy for the Future’. KPIT
Imagine camps have impacted over
Sparkle 2019 will be conducted in four
10,000 students across India.
phases—registration and idea submission,
prototyping and video submission. The
grand finale will be held in Pune.
ASHOKA UNIVERSITY
PARTNERS WITH YUNUS
SOCIAL BUSINESS CENTRE WUD, SONEPAT, TO COMMENCE
Ashoka University, Sonepat, has signed
FIRST ACADEMIC SESSION
a memorandum of understanding World University of Design (WUD),
(MoU) with the Yunus Social Business Sonepat, India’s first residential university
India Centre, a research hub for social in the creative domain, is set to begin
business. The partnership has also its inaugural session in August. WUD
been in collaboration with HEC Paris, will offer undergraduate, postgraduate
an international business school. and diploma courses with a blend
The aim is to develop and expand the of unique teaching methodology,
framework of cooperation between advanced interdisciplinary research and
the institutes and promote Professor international collaborations in the areas
Muhammad Yunus’s vision of alleviating of design, interiors, textile, architecture,
poverty by implementing the concept communication, fashion, fine arts,
of social business. management and photography.
COVER STORY
M
ore than 10 lakh students change. These autonomous public a new curriculum model in January
sat for their JEE Main (Joint institutes have paved the way for to ensure high quality education
Entrance Examination) engineering education in a big way in line with global trends. In
this year. Looking at the growing ofering B Tech, M Tech, doctoral addition to this, to address the
number of engineering institutes and postdoctoral programmes. And rising problem of unemployment
across the country and the number this trend of ofering specialised in engineering graduates and give
of aspirants preparing for their knowledge and skills to students them industry exposure, AICTE
engineering examinations, it is has also been tapped by private has made internships mandatory.
clear that engineering is one of the players. With changing world In our cover story, we look at some
most sought after streams after economies and digitisation of of the best engineering institutes
medicine and law. With some of businesses, most of these institutes such as IIT Delhi, SRM, VIT and
the best engineering colleges in the have reinvented themselves and Symbiosis to name a few who are
country—there are 23 IITs in India introduced new curriculum where promoting innovation and incor-
and students get to learn from the the focus is more on learning real porating new techniques in terms
best faculty —and IIT Kharagpur time and through projects. In fact, of research, setting high-tech labs
leading the pack, engineering the AICTE (All India Council for and incubators to give students a
as a discipline has undergone a Technical Education) has launched unique learning experience.
Photograph A P GUPTA
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INDIA TODAY ASPIRE APRIL-JUNE, 2018
VELLORE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (VIT)
CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE
VELLORE, TAMIL NADU AT VIT, STUDENTS ARE PUSHED TO
COME OUT OF THE COMFORT ZONE
REAL-TIME
LEARNING
Getting connected to
the faculty members
on virtual mode 24/7,
learning from Adjunct
Four hundred and twenty interest of such students,” says Professors from
companies have come to Vellore Anand A Samuel, Vice-Chancel- international universities
Institute of Technology (VIT) lor, VIT. The university under- and one module of every
for recruitment in the last one stood that these students prefer subject ofered at VIT
year. This stands testimony to learning innovatively so a PBL being handled by an
their success as an engineering (project-based learning) mode of industry expert are
institute. “VIT stands out as it delivery is followed by them. “VIT some of the USPs
encompasses unique features also understands that students
which are not usually followed have to be prepared for the digital
anywhere else. Considerable world market of 2025 and hence designed process, laser scanning
amount of study has been carried academic processes are orientated survey, IoT and smart grid, which
out to understand the new genera- to be in digital mode. In the first keeps them in tune with technolo-
tion of students who are diferent year, students are exposed to the gy,” adds Samuel. In addition to all
and look at academics in a new niche areas of technology such as this, they have 112 student clubs
way. Academic processes have 3D printing, wearable tools, cyber and associations.
been framed to suit the taste and physical system, bio-inspired By Ridhi Kale
vit.ac.in
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APRIL-JUNE, 2018 INDIA TODAY ASPIRE
COVER STORY
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
SRM INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU
The College of Engineering engineering, SRM-DBT (Depart- placements. Besides formal educa-
at SRM Institute of Science ment of Biotechnology) platform, tion practices, SRM has launched
and Technology (deemed to computer science engineering, the Centre for Performing and Fine
be university) ofers a series information technology and Arts, which ofers degrees in music,
of courses. These include civil software engineering. “We at SRM dance and fashion designing. In the
engineering, mechanical engi- aim to bridge the gap of knowl- coming year, SRM promises that
neering, automobile engineering, edge by providing best quality in there will be various new additions
aerospace engineering, mecha- education through books to life. in education and in extracurricular.
tronics, nanotechnology, nuclear We help the students achieve their
By Ridhi Kale
engineering, electronics and desire of being better academically,
communication, telecommuni- career-wise and become an inspi-
cation, electrical and electronics, ration for the future generation,”
electronics and instrumentation, says Sandeep Sancheti, Vice-Chan- HIGH TECH SRM has
chemical engineering, biotech- cellor of Chennai campus. Every a Super Computer Centre
nology, biomedical engineering, year more than 10,000 students with high performance
genetic engineering, food process graduate from SRM with great computing servers with
srmuniv.ac.in three master servers and
72 computer nodes
Photograph by JAISON G
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INDIA TODAY ASPIRE APRIL-JUNE, 2018
COVER STORY
GALGOTIAS COLLEGE OF
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY WIRED FOR SUCCESS
GALGOTIAS UNIVERSITY STUDENTS LEARN WHILE
WORKING ON PROJECTS
GREATER NOIDA, UTTAR PRADESH
Set up in 2011, Galgotias University (GU) has
already made a mark for itself in the league
of top private universities, within seven years
of its inception. While GU ofers about 120
undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, M Phil
and doctoral programmes in several disciplines,
the engineering programmes such as computer
science, mechanical and civil engineering are
most sought after by students. The College
of Engineering and Technology at Galgotias
University is divided into five verticals—School
of Computing Science and Technology; School
of Electrical, Electronics and Communication
Engineering; School of Civil Engineering;
School of Mechanical Engineering and School
of Chemical Engineering—and gives students
first-hand knowledge about the industry, how
the field of engineering is growing, and how they
can sharpen their knowledge base during the
course. With B Tech courses in electronics and
communication engineering, computer science
and engineering, automobile engineering and
chemical engineering to name
a few, the university’s R & D
potential is recognised by LEADING THE CHANGE
the Science and Engineering The in-campus incubation centre,
Board, Government of Galgotias Centre for Technology
India. The university has Innovation & Incubation, established in
also been given a grant to association with the Ministry of Micro,
set up a state-of-the-art Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME)
nanotechnology lab to helps transform skills and business ideas
conduct research on self- to produce a pool of start-ups
assembly of semi-conductor
nanostructures for sensing
applications. With several tools and platforms
such as role-plays, case studies, simulations, field
experience and industry visits, the institute
ensures that students get both theoretical
knowledge and practical learning.
By Shelly Anand
galgotiasuniversity.edu.in
Photograph by M ZHAZO
COVER STORY
NIIT UNIVERSITY
NEEMRANA, RAJASTHAN FULL FOCUS NIIT ORGANISES GUEST LECTURES BY
PROFESSIONALS FROM DIFFERENT FIELDS
AWARDS AND
ACCOLADES
NU has been recognised
as the “best institution
for promoting industry-
academia interface” at the
10th ASSOCHAM Higher
Education Summit 2017.
The university has also won
10
INDIA TODAY ASPIRE APRIL-JUNE, 2018
COVER STORY
sitpune.edu.in
The journey of Amrita School of software defined radio, remote in Labs @ Amrita—across all engi- Photograph by JAISON G
Engineering started in 1994 in sensing, smart grid, wireless neering departments.” Introduced
Coimbatore and spread to two technologies, cyber security, aero in 2013, the programme entails
other campuses of Amrita Vishwa design, propulsion, robotics and projects in collaboration with
Vidyapeetham in Kollam and several more,” says P Venkat students and faculty from inter-
Bengaluru. Known for its Rangan, Vice-Chancellor, adding national universities in Indian
advanced research facilities and that these facilities contain villages to understand current
technological innovation, the sophisticated equipment includ- challenges and develop sustainable
research infrastructure at varsity ing a sub-sonic wind tunnel, solutions. Some of these innovative
campuses is among the best in the Kamov-35 Helicopter and MIG-23 engineering solutions from recent
country. “Within the engineering fighter aircraft. Rangan also adds, projects include rural electrifica-
stream, we have more than 250 “We are expanding on our experi- tion via solar power and bio-filters
advanced laboratories such as ential learning programme—Live for water purification.
By Mona Ramavat
amrita.edu
12
INDIA TODAY ASPIRE APRIL-JUNE, 2018
COVER STORY
NEW GOALS
Shiv Nadar University has
launched the ‘gifted student
scholarship’ programme
for undergraduates. The
scholarship will be awarded
Started in 2011, the School of five inter and multi-disciplinary to meritorious students
Photograph JAISON G
Engineering under the aegis research centres. The engineering who can study at the
of Shiv Nadar University has school has a dynamic learning university free of cost.
disciplinary departments ofering environment and students are
undergraduate, postgraduate and trained for leadership positions
doctoral programmes in chemical in academia, industry, govern- industry veterans through guest lec-
engineering, civil engineering, ment, research laboratories and tures and seminars. And the college
computer science and engineer- non-profit organisations. provides value-added hard and soft
ing, electrical engineering and The institute follows an skills workshops to the engineering
mechanical engineering. With approach of problem-solving in students and also encourages group
a strong emphasis on inter and areas of research especially when learning. Summer internships form
multi-disciplinary research, the it comes to computational meth- an important part of the curriculum
curriculum ofers students the ods, microfluidics and nanotech- and students get first-hand knowl-
flexibility to choose multiple elec- nology, data sciences, security edge about the industry and also
tives across diferent departments. and privacy, and urban studies to pick up skills.
The university has also set up name a few. Students learn from By Harshita Das
snu.edu.in
COVER STORY
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING,
RABINDRANATH TAGORE UNIVERSITY
rntu.ac.in
BHOPAL, MADHYA PRADESH
The Faculty of Engineer- and information and ratories on Internet of
ing and Technology at technology. According Things (IoT), robotics
Rabindranath Tagore to A K Gwal, Vice-Chan- and cloud computing at TALENT HUNT
University (RBTU), cellor, Rabindranath the campus and ofers Campus recruitment
earlier known as the Tagore University, “The hands-on training training classes have
AISECT University, Faculty of Engineering experience with in- been set up for final-
started its journey in and Technology houses dustry leaders such as year students along
2011 with five world-class infrastruc- Reliance Jio, Tata and with coaching classes
departments ofering ture with national and Schneider.” The institute for GATE (Graduate
courses in mechani- international collabora- is now planning to start Aptitude Test in
cal engineering, civil tions and industry-ready courses on data science Engineering) and
engineering, electronics courses with choice and data analytics, other competitive
and communication based skill courses as forensic science and examinations
engineering, computer part of the curriculum. financial engineering.
science engineering It has established labo- By Harshita Das
14
INDIA TODAY ASPIRE APRIL-JUNE, 2018
COVER STORY
CAMPUS LIFE
THE INSTITUTE IS AN ALL-WOMEN
CENTRE OF EDUCATION
COVER STORY
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
AND TECHNOLOGY
MANAV RACHNA
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE
OF RESEARCH AND STUDIES
FARIDABAD, HARYANA
Manav Rachna International HANDS-ON STUDENTS ARE
Institute of Research Studies EXPOSED TO DIFFERENT
(MRIIRS) is an TRAINING TECHNIQUES
institute where
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INDIA TODAY ASPIRE APRIL-JUNE, 2018
COVER STORY
iitkgp.ac.in
18
INDIA TODAY ASPIRE APRIL-JUNE, 2018
TECH TALK
THE NANOSCALE RESEARCH
LABORTORY AT IIT DELHI
iitd.ac.in iitr.ac.in
19
APRIL-JUNE, 2018 INDIA TODAY ASPIRE
COVER STORY 51 ENGINEERING INSTITUTES TO LOOK OUT FOR
NAME OF THE INSTITUTE CITY SINCE WEBSITE USP
ABES ENGINEERING GHAZIABAD, The Centre of Excellence for Teaching and Learning (CETL)
2000 abes.ac.in
COLLEGE (ABESEC) UTTAR PRADESH conducts professional development activities for the faculty
AJAY KUMAR GARG AKGEC is India’s first college to set up the Industrial Robotic
GHAZIABAD,
ENGINEERING COLLEGE 1998 akgec.in Training Centre in collaboration with Kuka Robotics of
UTTAR PRADESH
(AKGEC) Germany
ALLIANCE COLLEGE OF The institute has partnerhips with foreign universities and
BENGALURU, KARNA-
ENGINEERING AND DESIGN, 2010 alliance.edu.in institutions for student exchange, internships and short-term
TAKA
ALLIANCE UNIVERSITY certification programmes
BABU BANARASI
GHAZIABAD, The institute runs collaborative masters programmes in
DAS INSTITUTE OF 2000 bbdit.edu.in
UTTAR PRADESH engineering branches with Gannon University, US
TECHNOLOGY (BBDIT)
BHARATH INSTITUTE
OF SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY, BHARATH CHENNAI, The institute ofers guidance to the students preparing for
1984 bharathuniv.ac.in
INSTITUTE OF HIGHER TAMIL NADU national level entrance tests such as GATE, IES and GRE
EDUCATION AND
RESEARCH (BIHER)
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING, BENGALURU, The campus has students from across India and around 60
1969 christuniversity.in
CHRIST UNIVERSITY KARNATAKA diferent countries
G L BAJAJ INSTITUTE
GREATER NOIDA, The institute has an e-learning studio so that students can
OF TECHNOLOGY AND 2005 glbitm.org
UTTAR PRADESH learn through video lectures
MANAGEMENT
GREATER NOIDA INSTITUTE GREATER NOIDA, Infosys, Reliance, American Express, Axis Bank, Accenture
2001 gniotgroup.edu.in
OF TECHNOLOGY (GNIOT) UTTAR PRADESH and Jaypee Group are the top recruiters at GNIOT
20
INDIA TODAY ASPIRE APRIL-JUNE, 2018
COVER STORY 51 ENGINEERING INSTITUTES TO LOOK OUT FOR
NAME OF THE INSTITUTE CITY SINCE WEBSITE USP
HYDERABAD,
ICFAI TECH SCHOOL (ITS) 1984 ifheindia.org ITS allows academic flexibilities to meritorious students
TELANGANA
INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING The training and placement cell organises frequent industrial
MATHURA,
& TECHNOLOGY, GLA 1991 gla.ac.in tours for engineering students to help them understand the
UTTAR PRADESH
UNIVERSITY technical activities and strategies related to the market
INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY MEERUT, The library at ITM has more than 20,000 reference titles on
2008 itmmeerut.org
& MANAGEMENT (ITM) UTTAR PRADESH technical, management and other related subjects
INSTITUTE OF
TECHNOLOGY, SHRI BARABANKI, Scholarships, based on performance, are awarded to merito-
1999 srmu.ac.in
RAMSWAROOP MEMORIAL UTTAR PRADESH rious students
UNIVERSITY
JAIN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL A number of research & development activities are in prog-
BENGALURU, set.jainuniversity.
OF ENGINEERING AND 1990 ress within diferent departments in the areas of design and
KARNATAKA ac.in
TECHNOLOGY (JU-SET) manufacturing.
JAYPEE INSTITUTE JIIT conducts tutorial problem solving exercises for students
NOIDA,
OF INFORMATION 2001 jiit.ac.in who want to undertake research. This helps them convert
UTTAR PRADESH
TECHNOLOGY (JIIT) their ideas into practical reality
K C COLLEGE OF
ENGINEERING AND THANE, A series of technical and cultural activities are held on the
2001 kccemsr.edu.in
MANAGEMENT STUDIES MAHARASHTRA campus to keep students engaged throughout the year
AND RESEARCH
KARUNYA INSTITUTE Karunya’s Computer Technology Centre runs ‘earn while you
COIMBATORE,
OF TECHNOLOGY AND 1986 karunya.edu learn’ scheme where students work part-time for software
TAMIL NADU
SCIENCES development, web designing and content creation
KRISHNA INSTITUTE KIET provides training and mentoring for students, faculty and
GHAZIABAD,
OF ENGINEERING AND 1998 kiet.edu non-faculty members to help them excel in their current and
UTTAR PRADESH
TECHNOLOGY (KIET) future roles within the Institute
MAHARISHI
MARKANDESHWAR AMBALA, MMU has experienced faculty members from institutes
1995 mmumullana.org
(DEEMED TO BE HARYANA across the globe
UNIVERSITY) (MMU)
MEERUT INSTITUTE
MEERUT, MIET houses first-of-its-kind automobile workshop in
OF ENGINEERING & 1997 miet.ac.in
UTTAR PRADESH collaboration with BOSCH
TECHNOLOGY (MIET)
NOIDA INSTITUTE NIET has a few programmes such as campus-wide quality im-
GREATER NOIDA,
OF ENGINEERING & 2001 niet.co.in provement, total student development, interpersonal skill and
UTTAR PRADESH
TECHNOLOGY (NIET) technical skill development for holistic learning of the students
GHAZIABAD, UTTAR The college awards students with Honours degree an amount
R D ENGINEERING COLLEGE 2006 rdec.in
PRADESH of Rs1000 for each percentage in excess
SATHYABAMA INSTITUTE
CHENNAI, The institute ofers foreign language classes in Japanese and
OF SCIENCE AND 1987 sathyabama.ac.in
TAMIL NADU German
TECHNOLOGY
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
GURGAON, ansaluniversity. SET emphasises on transdisciplinary learning and the courses
& TECHNOLOGY (SET), 2000
HARYANA edu.in are designed as per the industry
ANSAL UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
Besides regular courses, the university also runs integrated
AND INFORMATION MATHURA,
2016 sanskriti.edu.in programmes such as B Tech+M Tech and B Tech+MBA in
TECHNOLOGY, SANSKRITI UTTAR PRADESH
addition to three-year diploma coures in engineering
UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
JAIPUR, The college has state-of-the-art labs with advanced equip-
AND TECHNOLOGY, JAIPUR 2007 jnujaipur.ac.in
RAJASTHAN ment to train engineering students
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING, SOHNA, gdgoenkauni- The institute has a ‘research saturday’ initiative where
2013
G D GOENKA UNIVERSITY HARYANA versity students can utilise their of-day for research & development
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
MEERUT, shobhituniversity. The university ofers scholarships to all women
& TECHNOLOGY, 2000
UTTAR PRADESH ac.in students pursuing integrated programmes
SHOBIT UNIVERSITY
SONA COLLEGE OF SALEM, The training cell conducts online and written aptitude tests,
1997 sonatech.ac.in
TECHNOLOGY TAMIL NADU mock interviews. It also trains students for group discussions
SREENIDHI INSTITUTE OF HYDERABAD, The faculty are given short-term industry related assignment
1997 sreenidhi.edu.in
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY TELANGANA to keep abreast with latest trends
UNITED COLLEGE OF
GREATER NOIDA, The institute ofers counselling sessions to students willing to
ENGINEERING AND 2005 united.ac.in
UTTAR PRADESH take up higher studies in the US, UK, Australia and Singapore
RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE UIE has partnered with more than 90 international universities
MOHALI,
OF ENGINEERING (UIE), 2012 cuchd.in for summer exchange, semester abroad and research and
PUNJAB
CHANDIGARH UNIVERSITY development programmes
VELS INSTITUTE OF
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY CHENNAI, The curriculum focusses on collaborative
1992 velsuniv.ac.in
& ADVANCED STUDIES TAMIL NADU learning and teamwork
(VISTAS)
22
INDIA TODAY ASPIRE APRIL-JUNE, 2018
COVER STORY SATVIK AMBATI
Second-year student,
B Tech - Computer Science
and Engineering, IIT Bombay
A
t IIT Bombay (IITB), you can literally IIT Bombay Racing, Innovation Cell and Pratham
do anything you feel like. It doesn’t (Student Satellite Project). Students can get into a
matter if you are a noob in the field, tech team through a rigorous selection procedure.
all you need is enthu (IITB lingo for Some of the popular tech clubs include Web n
“enthusiasm”) and dedication. We have a Coding Club (WnCC), Electronics and Robotics
very good support system and staf, and Club (ERC), Aeromodelling Club and Biotech Club.
with right efort and commitment, you can Each club has a set of mentors to guide students and
go places irrespective of having no prior you have hands-on sessions on how to build a bot,
experience in that field. One of the greatest quadcopter and many more.
luxuries of being in IIT Bombay is that it IITB has a wealth of cultural activities on ofer
gives you a lot of exposure. Exposure, not as well. There are several cult clubs such as the
restricted to your department alone, but to design club, speaking arts, dramatics, dance, music,
diferent departments and fields as well. photography and fine arts clubs Also every club
There are a lot of opportunities for has its own events and competitions. Abhyuday,
growth such as internships, training a social body of IITB, provides opportunities to
opportunities and placements. For an IIT students to work towards a better society. Joining
Bombay student, a day begins at 10 am and IIT Bombay is going to plunge you into a pool of
ends at around 4 am. We don’t have any smart people. If you are used to being the topper
fixed timetable, so the day is dynamic in of your class, you may find it difficult to get used
nature. On a weekday, no other activities to being somewhere in the muddle of the pile. But
and events take place between 9 am and 5 trust me, your peers, a few of them extraordinary,
pm and that’s when everyone is busy with will help and influence you and it’s good to have
their academic schedule. Students who are a competitive atmosphere around you as you can
part of any tech team spend around two always learn something new. One of the many
to three hours in the night every day to things that make IITB stand out from other
work on projects. We have a five-day week. engineering colleges across India is the scale and
On an average, a student has around 20 grandeur of its fests. ‘Mood Indigo’ is
to 35 hours of academic work per week. the largest college cultural festival in Asia. I
The tech teams from IITB are some of worked as an organiser for the fest and was
the best in the world. These include the responsible for handling a few artists and it was
AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle), a wonderful learning experience.
COVER STORY NITHYA S
Third-year student,
B Tech - Chemical Engineering,
IIT Madras
“LIVING IN A RESIDENTIAL
CAMPUS COMPLEMENTS
ALL THAT WE DO”
IIT MADRAS OFFERS A CHALLENGING LEARNING
ENVIRONMENT AND CREATIVE FREEDOM TO ITS STUDENTS
L
ocated in the heart of Chennai, rooms every morning. The lectures usually go on
IIT Madras (popularly known as ‘insti’ till late in the afternoon. The rest of the day is
by the students) is a world of its own. spent to utilising time the way I want to. Apart
I remember the first time I entered the from working on assignments and following
campus; I was awestruck by its beauty up with the day’s lectures, there are a zillion
and vast expanse. The campus located on activities that go on everyday. These range from
600 acres of lush greenery is dotted with lectures and workshops to various inter-hostel
spotted deer, blackbuck, bonnet macaque competitions. Then there are the famous fests of
monkeys and colourful insects. IIT Madras—Shaastra and Saarang that requires
Before joining the college, I had always more than a semester of preparation and the best
wondered what made the IITs so diferent part is that these activities are student run which
from other engineering colleges. Apart opens up positions of responsibilities (commonly
from being taught by the best brains in the known as PORs) which students can opt for. This
country and having access to state-of-the- gives us the opportunity to learn from, as well
art facilities, we have a terrific on-campus as socialise with students whom we would have
culture that gives us all the creative otherwise not met. In my first year, I was taken
freedom that we want. We also have a aback by the multitude of opportunities that lay
lingo of our own which easily seeps into ahead of me. I was part of NSO basketball and was
the vocabulary of every freshman (fondly also a volunteer for a couple of events that were
known as ‘freshie’) within weeks of joining organised on campus. In my second year, I was part
‘insti’. The student community of of one of the managerial teams of the Centre for
IIT Madras comprises highly versatile and Innovation (CFI). CFI, a 24x7 ‘student lab’, serves
self-motivated individuals with varying as a creative hub—encouraging peer learning and
passions. Be it art, dance, music, sports, providing a platform for ideas to manifest with the
quizzing, tech or any other field, there is support of resources, workspace and mentoring.
always an expert to look up to. I am currently working on a project under the
A typical day starts with students Electronics Club of CFI and have been selected as
cycling hurriedly to their messes and head of one of CFI’s managerial teams for the next
then onwards for their 8 am lectures academic year. It has been an amazing journey
after successfully dodging the monkeys so far and I hope to make the best out of the
that find it amusing to hijack the hostel opportunities that lay ahead.
24
INDIA TODAY ASPIRE APRIL-JUNE, 2018
COVER STORY
Srikanth Rao
Director, Manipal Institute
of Technology (MIT),
Manipal Academy of
ENGINEERING?
FOUR REASONS WHY ENGINEERING AND MBA DEGREES
ARE THE BEST COMBINATION FOR A STUDENT
W
ith the changing job market, where HELPS UPDATE KNOWLEDGE
skilling and reskilling yourself is the An engineer with an MBA degree has a three-
norm, studying just engineering is sixty degree view of the business—from
insufficient. At the very base, a degree in production processes to business needs, people
engineering equips students with skills to needs and even marketing strategies. This equips
handle problems logically. But for further them to take the right business decisions. While
growth in their careers, they need to arm an engineering graduate is supposed to be adept
themselves with specialised knowledge and at breaking complex problems into smaller blocks
a degree in MBA is what engineering and then solving them, an MBA degree provides
graduates need to go that extra mile. them with skills of translating these solutions into
business, social communications and revenue.
EXPANDS JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Employers are increasingly looking for FASTER PROFESSIONAL GROWTH
management skills, globally. Therefore, an To reach the top managerial position, an MBA is
engineering degree followed by an MBA invaluable for an engineer. Engineering students
produces business talent with good technical can excel in their field of technology but to rise
skills, ofering better opportunities. It is eas- to the top they need to speak the language of
ier for engineers to make the transition into revenue and growth.
management positions and get jobs if they
are familiar with other aspects such as STRONG ARM FOR ENTREPRENEURS
accounting, product development and An engineering graduate with an MBA degree
human resource management. Having an is equipped with the dual ability to be able to
engineer take on the role of a business man- completely understand the production and also
ager can ofer valuable insight into areas that create a good business roadmap. An engineer
a business education alone does not prepare with an MBA will be a better entrepreneur and
one to handle. An MBA makes mid-career start-up boss. A person in the leadership role
changes friendly and will certainly help to has more control over teams from diferent
open up new opportunities in management backgrounds if he or she is an engineer with a
for technocrats who want a change. management degree.
COVER STORY
2
CHRISTIEN MEINDERTSMA
HOW PIG PARTS MAKE THE WORLD TURN
Author Christien Meindertsma who wrote Pig 05049 takes you through a fascinating
journey about 185 non-pork uses of pig parts—from ammunition to artificial organs.
www.ted.com/talks/christien_meindertsma_on_pig_05049
3
BURT RUTAN
THE FUTURE OF SPACE
Space craft designer, Burt Rutan, discussed the stagnation of NASA encouraging private
entrepreneurs to help our access to space. A must watch for engineers interested in the
universe and humanity’s endeavour to reach for the stars.
www.ted.com/talks/burt_rutan_sees_the_future_of_space
4
DENNIS HONG
MY SEVEN SPECIES OF ROBOT
Dennis Hong performs a riveting demo of seven species of robots rooted in science fiction
and nature. This is a thrill for robotics enthusiasts and readers alike, and explores the
multiple sides to the future of AI (Artificial Intelligence).
www.ted.com/talks/dennis_hong_my_seven_species_of_robot
5
LEAH BUECHLEY
HOW TO SKETCH WITH ELECTRONICS
An electronics designer, engineer and educator, Leah Buechley, reveals how her team developed
tools that merge circuit boards with pen and paper. Watch the “Sketch you can play” which
brings science and art together—two worlds fused to perfection in a short talk with big ideas.
www.ted.com/talks/leah_buechley_how_to_sketch_with_electronics
26
INDIA TODAY ASPIRE APRIL-JUNE, 2018
CAREER
CRAFT A PERFECT
BUSINESS PLAN
Six things to remember before
becoming an entrepreneur
digitisation is continuously
disrupting business models.
ESTABLISH
RESPONSIBILITY
Why do people buy Make sure your
something? It’s usually philosophy and strategy
because they understand permeates all the way
the product. Your down in the organisation.
stakeholders prefer A plan succeeds if the
simplicity and attempting team or the organisation
have an intense risk-taking to build a business based on works like a
appetite and are willing to complexity is over. well-oiled machine.
‘fail and learn’ rather than
‘not try at all.’ According to I DE AT ION T O A C T I VAT ION MEASURE
Harvard Business School, Most people think that YOUR DECISION-MAKING
70 per cent to 80 per cent the tough part is coming ABILITY
of new businesses fail. up with an idea for a All businesses track sales
So, what makes for an business and the easy part numbers, marketing
intelligent, structured plan? is turning it into a business. efforts, employee and
It could well be the other customer satisfaction.
I N T R O S P E C T, S T A Y I N way round. So ideation, At the same time, don’t
TOUCH WITH REALITY design thinking and underestimate the
AND UNDERSTAND WHAT implementation are importance of decision
MAKES YOU UNIQUE equally important. making in a business.
SAMEER GARDE
President, Cisco India and
Before you begin, reflect Most choose decision
SAARC, Bengaluru on what has been done in DISCIPLINE IS faking over decision
the past, be certain about I M P O R T A N T, making. But it is necessary
the present and then figure SO IS FLEXIBILITY to measure your decision-
I
want to start something out where the gap lies. You might have a perfect making abilities and
on my own’ is one of Understand your market, business plan, however, if develop practices that
Illustration SIDDHANT JUMDE
the most common competitors and audience. you don’t pay attention to make sense and are good
phrases I hear. In the last the shifts in the market for your organisation. Go
ten years, there has been a CREATE A SIMPLE and change your strategies ahead and create wealth
huge shift in the mindset of NARR ATIVE accordingly, you aren’t with great ideas executed
India’s youth—they want The message the plan going to make it. This with strategies grounded
to challenge the status quo, conveys must be simple. is important now as in reality.
27
APRIL-JUNE, 2018 INDIA TODAY ASPIRE
INTERV
S
ubroto Bagchi has been many acquisition, getting a better deal on a IS THERE A SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT
things, beginning as a lower bank loan, negotiating a lease while AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY?
division clerk in a government renting space or convincing a poten- THE IDEA THAT WORK IS A CURSE?
office and becoming executive tial employee to sign on the dotted The idea that hard work is a bad thing
chairman of Mindtree, one line, he was being a salesman. Now is limited only to a few of the entitled. I
of India’s most admired software with the Odisha Skill Development see it mostly among upper-middle class
services companies. Since 2016, he Authority, he is skilling 8 lakh young parents. First, they give children a great
has been chairman of Odisha Skill people—mostly school drop outs— education, egg them on to compete hard,
Development Authority, doing the and has already achieved a target of then the young one gets the so-called
job with immense enthusiasm and 6.3 lakh. In that capacity, he says he “dream job” and moves to a diferent city
pro bono. He’s been an entrepreneur, has to sell concepts and ideas every perhaps. Within a couple of years, the
a business leader, an author and a day to a ecosystem of stakeholders parents whine about how their child is
public servant but he considers him- from government agencies to private being made to work so hard. In the
self to be a salesman first. Whether skill development partners to the process, slowly, the young person begins
it was closing a new customer young men and women. to dislike the idea of work. On the con-
“
THE PRIVATE SECTOR HASN’T
REALLY DONE ANYTHING
SUBSTANTIVE IN TERMS OF
If she is selected, she is of to a week-long,
residential “mini-MBA”. At the end, she is
given a lakh of rupees from a philanthropic
source whose only goal is to see the capital
come back someday and light up another
life. As the Nano-Unicorn takes of, we
bring them back every quarter for captur-
ing the narrative, debottlenecking their
“
trary, children of no-entitlement have
a lot of motivation to succeed. They
in industrial sewing machine operation.
Left her remote village in Odisha at 18
worth individuals who want to engage
at the grassroot level entrepreneurship
development. We hope they would come
forward to support the scaling up of the
are willing to work really hard, they for Tirupur in Tamil Nadu. In four years, programme in days to come.
are grateful there is work. I see it in my she has risen to be a supervisor in her
travels all the time. But in smaller plant. She paid for elder sister’s marriage WHY HAVE ALL CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
jobs, the difficulty is, you have to be and then her own and worked even after EFFORTS AT SKILL DEVELOPMENT
lucky to be appreciated. Small folks in marriage. And now, with a dual income BEEN SO INCOMPLETE?
small jobs need the same appreciation family, she and her husband have come I wouldn’t say “incomplete”. There are
that our children do. When that doesn’t close to becoming middle-class. When I many great initiatives but today, the sheer
come, young people can lose the sense look at countless such stories, of hope, grit, size of the beast has become so large. We
of purpose. Appreciation can make displacement and human transformation, are talking about 1.3 billion people, mil-
sweat taste sweet. I begin to understand the real meaning lions of school drop outs. There are many
in the phrase that the meek shall inherit big challenges for all of us. There is infor-
WHAT HAVE YOU DISCOVERED ABOUT the earth. mation asymmetry. Then we have a social
YOUNG PEOPLE IN YOUR JOURNEY stigma against the skilled worker. We pay
AS CHAIRMAN OF ODISHA SKILL YOU ARE ALSO ENCOURAGING START-UPS poor wages, even as government stipulated
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY? WITH NOVEL EXPERIMENTS? “minimum wage”; that minimum wage
In the last two years, I have travelled more Yes. The idea is to create tiny enterprises is abysmal. An ITI graduate starts with
than 30,000 km by road alone in Odisha, by connecting a skill trainee from a gov- `8,000 or 10,000 a month. A peon gets
across 30 districts. During the course, I ernment programme or an ITI with phil- closer to `20,000. Then there is the huge
had the opportunity to personally get to anthropic capital. This is not just to make problem of lack of high quality organisa-
know 500 role models, people who come them stand on their own legs by starting tions in skill training. Most are mediocre
from the bottom of the pyramid whose a small business but to make them think or gold diggers. They attract poor quality
stories would inspire anyone. I met a of employing a person or two. When that trainers. Abysmal worker housing in
young lady named Muni Tiga. Born to a becomes the goal, many things change. We metros and large cities force migrant skill
tribal family with seven siblings, she lost call these young people “Nano-Unicorns”. workers to become slum dwellers. Barring
her father when she was young. She was Internet start-ups such as Flipkart, OLA or a handful of enlightened employers, most
ridiculed in her village for cycling 30 km Paytm are called Unicorns—that get a val- look at a skilled worker as “labour”; the
each day to go to school. She is the first uation of a billion dollars. We need those private sector hasn’t really done anything
girl in her village to go to school. From but India’s real progress requires millions of substantive in terms of human capital
there, she went to an ITI (Industrial Nano-Unicorns. Small folks, tiny business development. And then there is the issue
Training Institute) where she took up a in a small place that, in time, would have of lack of entrepreneurial avenues for the
two-year course in electronics. Selected as the potential to create a job or two. skill trainees. In order to break through
a locomotive pilot in the Indian Railways, We locate a young person with an these man-made barriers, we need serious
today she hauls the Shatabdi Express. entrepreneurial streak. That person writes empathy for the skilled worker. All of us
I also met Basanti Pradhan, a a “dream sheet” on a page. It says what must look at the skill story beyond fund al-
goatherd’s daughter. Failed in Class 10, en- she would do if she had a lakh of rupees. locations and schemes. Skill is just a piece.
rolled for a two-and-half-month training She defends her case in front of a panel. The narrative is human transformation.
29
APRIL-JUNE, 2018 INDIA TODAY ASPIRE
IN FOCUS
“ INDIAN DESIGN
HAS TAKEN
ON A NEW
IDENTITY ”
BY KAVEREE BAMZAI
n 2001, Nandita Abraham joined Pearl Academy as faculty member in the School of Creative
I
Business. Cut to now, she is CEO and the academy has grown into a premier design institute with
4,263 students and four campuses. Over the years, Abraham has forged many alliances, such as
the Pearl Academy-Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) collaboration and expansion with
the Mumbai centre and the Rajouri Garden campus. As member of the FICCI Higher Education
Committee, CII National Committee on Design and Executive Committee, IFFTI (International
Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes), few people understand better than her the
importance of international collaboration, employability and innovative projects.
HOW HAS DESIGN EDUCATION EVOLVED discipline in the last 50-odd years, and even
IN INDIA? HAS IT NOT DEEPENED THE back then it was largely referencing design
DIVIDE BETWEEN ART AND CRAFT? movements from the West. However, in
Design has been integral to India for the last decade with the support of design
centuries, but has only evolved as its own education, Indian design has taken on a
new identity. It’s still forming and evolving, BRAND TO DO WELL GLOBALLY?
but it’s neither drawing too much from the We need to help our students develop
West, nor from our heritage past. I don’t high level of skills such as creativity,
think it has deepened the divide between art innovativeness, analytical capacity,
and craft; rather it has brought them closer understanding of the market, global
together because we’re not propping up craft mindset, collaborative approach
and vernacular art artificially. We’re learning towards work in order to improve
from art and craft and evolving new hybrids, their overall competitiveness.
new models and new techniques. Such qualities need to be infused
throughout their educational journey.
TEXTILES ARE A HUGE INDUSTRY For this, we need to create a positive
WHICH CAN CREATE JOBS. WHAT ARE learning environment. It is important
THE THINGS WE NEED TO CHANGE IN OUR to connect school learnings with the
EDUCATION SYSTEM TO MAXIMISE best practices of the 21st century.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES?
The world is undergoing a technological
revolution which is changing the way we
live, learn, work and communicate. Changes
in the textile sector are socially significant
as it is helping in creating jobs and also
eradicating poverty in small towns and cities.
In order to change our education system, it is SCHOOL LEARNINGS SHOULD BE CONNECTED WITH
important to include more industry proj-
ects in our curriculum to keep the learners THE BEST PRACTICES OF THE 21ST CENTURY
updated. This will provide an understand-
ing of new innovations in techniques and
materials. Interdisciplinary learning should
be incorporated within curriculum to make
WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES
learners understand the application of
textiles techniques and material in various
FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN
industries such as product design, fashion THE FASHION WORLD AND WHAT
design, interior design, jewellery design and STUDENTS NEED TO DO?
accessory design. Research-based learning There are enough opportunities for
must be integrated with industry so that innovation for entrepreneurs in the
students can analyse the industry problems fashion world. Young entrepreneurs
and provide practical solutions to it. Under- through their new business models can
standing of global practices must be included take the fashion industry to the next
to make learners aware of seamless extension level. Fashion brand managers today are
of textiles across borders. The course should dynamic individuals who understand
provide holistic understanding of the main- the vocabulary of creative designers as
stream industry and the craft sector. well as the need of consumers. There
are instances where the young gen-
WHAT ARE THE SKILLS STUDENTS eration is innovating family business
NEED TO LEARN IN A FLAT WORLD from manufacturing of jeans to fashion
WHERE INTERNET HAS COLLAPSED accessories for men. Students need the
right skills, acumen and awareness of the
GEOGRAPHICAL BORDERS AND MADE latest movements and trends to become
IT POSSIBLE FOR THE ‘MADE IN INDIA’ successful entrepreneurs.
31
APRIL-JUNE, 2018 INDIA TODAY ASPIRE
LEARNING
“Classrooms “
need to be
Personalised
Kate James, Chief Corporate Afairs &
Global Marketing Officer, Pearson, on three
programmes that can help learners
BY SHELLY ANAND
YOU RECENTLY LAUNCHED wi pur- to a national learning crisis. a variety of functions and
VIRTUAL INTERNATIONAL sue pe lopment Simple interventions such industries, for participants
activities de of school. as parents reading aloud to of diverse seniority levels
K-12 EDUCATION SYSTEM. their children in the forma- ranging from junior to top
TELL US MORE ABOUT IT? WHAT’S THE IDEA BEHIND tive years can be powerful management. We deploy
Globally, Pearson is antidotes to poor learning cutting-edge learning
dedicated to improving READ TO KIDS PROGRAM?
Worldreader, a global environments. technology, classroom infra-
lives through learning Read to Kids is a two- structure and pedagogical
and the focus of Pearson non-profit organisation
which provides digital year pilot project in Delhi methods and provide solu-
India is ensuring the best that seeks to promote a tions that are cost-efective,
learning opportunities for books to children in the
developing world, in culture of reading to young flexible, learner-centric,
students. Education in India children, build skills to read and scalable and are aligned
is becoming digital and it partnership with Pearson,
launched Read to Kids to children and contribute with business goals. In
was the right moment to to language development by India, employability is a
introduce virtual schooling program in 2015 with the
goal of improving school encouraging parents to read major issue across sectors.
through International Con- to and with their young Majority of organisations
nections Academy (iNaCA). preparedness of Indian
children by building their children. We are empow- state that the challenging
It provides school counsel- ering parents by providing task is to get the right man-
ling focussed on education pre-literacy skills. As per
the study commissioned by access to a free digital agerial and leadership skills
and career planning; elec- library and locally while hiring middle manag-
tive courses such as digital Pearson and WorldReader,
57.5 per cent children in relevant books. ers. Since the talent pool
arts and sign language; is limited and demand is
online clubs and activities Class 3 are unable to read
Class 1 text. This lack of HOW BENEFICIAL ARE high, it is important to
ranging from robotics to focus on training, grooming
school newspaper to art school readiness negatively PEARSON PROFESSIONAL
and developing managers
club that bring students impacts children’s learning PROGRAMS? and leaders from within
together from around the outcomes from the begin- Our blended executive
ning and has contributed the organisation.
world. It also provides them education programs span
32
INDIA TODAY ASPIRE APRIL-JUNE, 2018
FINAL CUT
SECURE
TABREZ AHMAD
Professor and Director,
School of Law,
UPES, Dehradun
YOUR
FUTURE Know what it takes to build a career in
cyber security
ith technology BUILD YOUR
reshaping the legal KNOWLEDGE BASE
industry, several distinct Besides what you are taught in
roles have emerged that are the classroom, spend time in
transforming the business learning basic fundamentals
of law. Adoption of of TCP (Transmission Control
advanced technologies Protocol) or intellectual property, coding
for data and and programming, how hacker tools
information work and how to use them. Practice on
exchange related platforms such as Burp Suite, Nmap
to legal cases and Metasploit that will enhance
have taken away your knowledge and skills
tedious aspects of in detecting and taking
law practice, allowing remedial actions to resolve
lawyers to focus on security breaches. You must
a higher level of also watch YouTube videos
analytical work. To such as SecurityTube, SANS
stay ahead in the market, it is CyberAces and introduction
essential for law professionals and to practical hacking and
firms to innovate by embracing new penetration testing as these
technology tools. Cybersecurity is one will help in sharpening skills for
such area that requires skilled professionals ethical use and testing.
with a deep understanding of the issues and
possible threats, arising out of business and BOOST NETWORKING
social functioning on most digital platforms. Follow security experts on Twitter.
There are four things those looking at a career in Attend conferences and events related
cybersecurity should take note of. to cybersecurity as well as volunteer with NGOs
who often need help securing their computer systems.
ENROL IN THE RIGHT PROGRAMME
For a thriving career in cybersecurity, it is important KNOW WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR
that your fundamentals are strong and you have With an expertise in cybersecurity, you can be a security
the right domain knowledge. Therefore, specialised consultant, security engineer, security architect,
programmes have an edge over generic courses. Look computer forensics expert, security analyst, security
for a programme that provides you a dual edge in terms software developer or security auditor. While these may
of knowledge of information technology and law as sound confusing, these are distinct roles. Spend
both are interconnected. time knowing more about them.
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Group Editorial Director
Raj Chengappa
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Associate Editor
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Cover Story
The Ultimate
SUMMER GUIDE
A F U N C O O K I N G C L A S S O R A G U I D E D P OT T E RY S E S S I O N ,
A YO G A STO P TO D E ST R E S S O R A T R I P TO A
FA S C I N AT I N G M O N U M E N T— H E R E ' S A L I ST O F T H I N G S TO
K E E P YO U BU SY T H I S S E A S O N .
✿ By Sukant Deepak and
Preet Onkar Singh
Art of Upcycling
ROCK GARDEN
Chandigarh
Ranjit Singh, dedicated to the love of mosque. It also houses a tomb called Corbusier's portfolio, the Open
his life. Legend has it that a nautch Shah Sikandar ka Takia. Pul Kanjari Hand Monument is among the key
girl named Moran from Makhanpur was captured by the Pakistani Army structures of the Capitol Complex in
used to entertain Maharaja Ranjit during the Indo-Pak wars of 1965 Chandigarh. Set against the back-
Singh with beautiful dance moves and 1971 and was recaptured by the drop of the Shivalik Hills, this hand
whenever the Sikh ruler was in Am- Indian Army later. A memorial col- sculpture was designed by Corbusier
ritsar and he was completely in awe umn, constructed in the memory of to rotate like a windmill. The monu-
of her. Once on her way from the jawans of the Sikh regiment, who ment is now the oicial emblem of
Lahore, Moran lost her shoe in a had recaptured Pul Kanjari from the Chandigarh.
canal, which used to provide Pakistani Army in 1971, stands as a
testimony to their sacriices.
Claim to fame It is 85-feet-tall,
irrigation water to the king’s orchards
featuring a giant hand in metal
in Shalimar Bagh, Lahore. When Open All days of the week sheets designed to rotate like a
Maharaja Ranjit Singh came to know At Near Daoka and Audhar weathercock. The open hand
that Moran was upset after losing her villages on the Amritsar-Lahore symbolises open and free ideas.
footwear, he ordered the road
construction of a bridge (pul) across Visiting Hours 10 am to 12 pm,
the canal, all the way to Amritsar— 12 pm to 2 pm and 3 pm to 5 pm
Pul Kanjari was created. Crowning Glory Entry Allowed by seeking per-
mission on chandigarhtourism.
What to look for A UNESCO THE OPEN HAND MONUMENT, gov.in or the Tourism
World Heritage site, the Pul Kan- Chandigarh Facilitation Centre.
jari complex has a ‘baradari (house At Sector 1, Capitol Complex
Another marvel from cel- Tel 0172-2700225
with 12 doors),’ a ‘baoli’ (bathing ebrated French-Swiss architect Le
pool), a temple, a gurudwara and a Entry fee Free
ACTIVITIES
Bagful of Options
ELANTE MALL,
Chandigarh
Come summer, mall
hopping becomes a good way to
spend a hot day. And one of the
most-frequented malls in the city is
Elante Mall where you can ind over
235 high-end and pocket friendly
brands. It's also a great place spend a
fun day with friends and family at one
of the cool cafes or swanky bars.
What's More From time to time,
the mall organises fashion shows,
lea markets, musical evenings and
Sunday brunches to keep everyone
entertained.
HANG OUT
Route to Health
CHANDIGARH ORGANIC
MARKET
DOWN
MEMORY LANE Stories of bravery unfold at India’s tallest
religious tower Fateh Burj at Baba Banda Singh
Bahadur War Memorial in Mohali
✿ By Preet Onkar Singh
T he Digital
Czar
Forget the file clearing Babu, meet IAS officer Ravi
Bhagat who wants to revolutionise the system by
conceiving mobile applications that make life easy
for the common man
✿ By Sukant Deepak
H
is oice is like that of any other civil
servant. Huge, comfortable furniture and
walls that house pictures of leaders. On
one wall are numerous awards for the dif-
ferent mobile applications he has facilitated.
Photograph by SANDEEP SAHDEV
Ravi Bhagat, Chief Administrator with Mohali-
based Punjab Urban Development Authority
(PUDA), may have an M Phil degree from JNU due to lack of vaccination.” Thus was born
(2006) but what really draws him into a conversa- i-sehat, which registers an expectant mother
tion is how technology can bridge the gap between by creating a U-ID and the child, when born, is
common man and the government. “Over the past added to it. The application sends timely SMS
decade, we have witnessed a digital hurricane in alerts to the beneiciary for vaccinations.
this country. However, it has clearly missed the It didn’t stop there for Bhagat, who went
social services sector, especially those rendered by on to conceive diferent applications and gave
the government,” says the 41-year-old. And that is a shape to them by bringing together software
where he comes in. The person who conceived 14 developers and CSR departments of diferent
mobile applications and four customised software companies. “If you have your heart in the right
solutions which deal with diverse sectors rang- place, people do come forward. I keep getting
ing from health, education, hygiene, environment, requests from technocrats and CSR depart-
elections, food deicit, revenue, urban development ments to involve them in projects that would
and planning, talks about how he started conceiv- beneit the people at large,” he says.
ing these applications. “Once my daughter missed Talking about his most notable achieve-
her yearly immunization, and I immediately felt the ment, the Eci360 application that he devel-
need for a reminder system on phone which would oped for elections, which also got him a
alert the parents timely about a child’s pending National Award from the Indian President this
immunization. “I was also shocked to see the high year, Bhagat elaborates, “This was made to
rate of maternal and infant mortality in rural areas ensure free and fair elections, increase voter
NARRATIVES OF
MIGRATION
In her exhibition Love and Other Hurts, photographer Uzma Mohsin
captures the immigrant Punjabis' dreams in England
✿ By Sukant Deepak
"
I also shot old family She tells the story of an elderly Sikh settled in the UK who comes
back to his small village in Punjab after decades. He is sufering
albums, playing with from dementia. He goes for a walk one day and does not come
time and geography. back. Several days later, he is found in a small ashram and goes
The whole process to die in his village. She also talks about a 40-something sec-
ond generation Punjabi woman immigrant who ‘knows’ she has
was multilayered arrived. And that’s because like her male counterparts from the
because I have community in the UK, she now owns a fancy car.
always been more
interested in the art
of capturing images
rather than the
images in isolation.”
Uzma Mohsin,
Photographer
and recipient of
Alkazi Foundation
Documentary
Photography and
Photobook Grant
2017
"
Photographs by SANDEEP SAHDEV
A shot from
photographer
Uzma
Mohsin's
series titled
Love and
Other Hurts
Photograph by UZMA MOHSIN
On the wall of her series titled Love held on to their cultural values but had at home. What is commendable is that
and Other Hurts (part of the exhibition a very dated idea of India. “They were they laid a lot of emphasis on educating
Girl Gaze), there is a photograph of an oblivious to the changes in India over their children. For the next generation,
old post card addressed to Kulwant Kaur the years.” it was more complicated for they had to
which has been written by Surjit Kaur. While shooting diferent generations live a parallel and conlicted existence.”
In another frame is a Punjabi woman of migrants in the UK, 44-year-old The photographer feels that for the third
wearing a bright red overcoat, the shade Mohsin, who is now based in Delhi, generation, there is greater integration
of her lipstick matching her coat. Her gave her subjects cameras too and asked with the UK culture. “They have lesser
head is covered. Then there is a brick them to shoot whatever they wanted to. dichotomies,” she says, while showcasing
house shot at night. And then there is a She then reloaded the ilms and shot her work during ‘Girl Gaze’, an exhibition
picture of a young Punjabi bride laughing. above those frames to intermix brought to Chandigarh by Punjab
For photographer Uzma Mohsin, narratives. “I also shot old family albums, Lalit Kala Akademi and Creative Black
commissioned by the Arts Council playing with time and geography. It Country, UK.
England in 2009 to go to Midlands near was important that the undertaking Mohsin has always found the idea of
Birmingham to photograph the thriving be multilayered in its truest meaning 'home' fascinating. It's something she has
Punjabi community there, it was a chance because I have always been more constantly questioned.
to relook at not only exile but also the interested in the process of taking images For her assignment in the UK, the
connections of the immigrants to their rather than the images in isolation,” starting point was literature. Reading
land. She also toured Punjab later to she says. Sathnam Sanghera’s The Boy With
understand new dimensions of the story. In her conversations centred around the Topknot and Not Our Daughter! The
“It was important for me to see where the idea of belonging, Mohsin, also True Story of a Daughter-in-law by
they came from and feel the essence of a recipient of the prestigious Alkazi Kalbir Bains and Meri Kahani by Gurmail
the place that they had carried with them Foundation Documentary Photography Singh Bhamra, both based in Midlands
to the UK,” says Mohsin, who spent time and Photobook Grant 2017, says that her inspired her. “I also met and interviewed
in Jalandhar and Phagwara—areas that interactions with diferent generations of both the writers in the Midlands,”
have traditionally witnessed mass exodus. Punjabis there lent several insights. “The says the author about the 12-month
After meeting Punjabis in both the irst generation tried hard to make sense project that began in 2016 and was also
lands, the independent photographer of the alien culture. For them, it was all supported by Multistory, Delhi Photo
noticed that the ones who lived far away about hard labour and women staying Festival and Nazar Foundation.
7
things to look
city buzz ● [ L I ST I N G S ]
forward to
1
Writer and director Atul Girlfriend to the city. A must- ON June 9 AT Tagore
STAGE IS Satya Koushik brings his watch, the play is a hilarious Theatre, Sector 18,
SET successful play Dad's take on human relationships. Chandigarh
2
ADRENALINE RUSH
Witness the stunning views of the
towering Himalayas on your bike as you
set the adventure bug in you free on this
trip of a lifetime. This nine-day Spiti Moto
Expedition that kicks of from Chandigarh
promises to be a crazy thrill ride. So pack
your cameras and get ready to
capture some of the most beautiful
sights you will ever see.
FROM June 17
DETAILS 9828824750
3
DREAM BIG
Plus-sized women and girls have an opportunity to show-
case their talent to the world at the MS Plus Size North
India 2018 (Season 2). Time to shine we say.
ON June 10 AT WelcomHotel Bella Vista, Panchkula
TIME 10.30 a.m.
REGISTER msplussizenorthindia.com
city buzz ● [ L I ST I N G S ]
4
SHOP TILL YOU DROP
To be beat summer blues, check out the Sutlej
Summer Festival which promises to showcase 5
the best in couture, jewellery, home decor,
beauty and more. CATCH THEM YOUNG
ON June 13 to 15 AT Sutlej Club, Mall Road, Enrol your little ones for a fun workshop at Tiny
Civil Lines, near Corporation swimming Feet Giant Leaps. From pottery to storytelling
pool, Ludhiana. sessions to spa parties, there's enough to keep
DETAILS mummaplease.com them busy all through summer vacations.
ON June 13 onwards AT#11, Sector 8-A,
Chandigarh TEL 9888070910
6
FASHION FIESTA
Spruce up your party-wear collection with a
visit to the wedding and lifestyle exhibition
Veer Di Veera. The season 2 of this exhibition
will showcase latest designer wear.
ON July 7 and 8 AT Hyatt Regency,
Chandigarh TIME 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
7
MRS THE STAGE
If a career in the modelling
industry has always fascinated
you, here comes your chance
to see your dream come true.
Enroll for Mrs Punjab 2018, a
beauty pageant for married
women, in which women in
the region below 35 years can
participate and win big.
ON June 10
AT Radisson Blu, MBD Neopolis
Mall, Ferozepur Road, Ludhiana
TIME 10 a.m.
DETAILS mrspunjab.in