Volume XXX No. 4 July - August 2016 Into the Darkness EXHIBITION The exhibition presents photographs of the night skies across India. Photographs by Cyril Lucido Kuhn INAUGURATION: by Seem a Mustafa on 30 June COLLABORATION: The Citizen
I to 8 July 2016
Masks of Mexico
EXHIBITION INAUGURATION: by H.E. Mrs. Melba Pria on 19July COLLABORATION: Embassy of Mexico 20 to 31 July 2016 Contemporary Paintings in Natural Dyes
EXHIBITION By Tanya Vaidya from Vadodra INAUGURATION: by Sunita Narain on 12July
13 to 19July 2016 Noteworthy Drawings EXHIBITION Drawings from My Diary: Watercolours, Drawings in Conte and Ink by Golak Khandual
5 to 16 August 20 16
Golak Khandual describes his work as 'more physical than cerebral'. This phrase is in his very first piece in the exhibition. Aside from a figure of a man, this piece is entirely text. It foregrounds his identity as a 'nomadic architect', for he is a practising architect and an alumnus of Delhi's School of Planning and Architecture. The 'nomad' part of the epithet refers to his travels and his deep sense of communion with nature, which is central to his artistic vision. His lucid writing is a friendly invitation to look into the thoughts of the artist. Khandual's evocative colours and fluid yet strong sense of form unite his vast range of artwork. He 'chose Lucky Parchment and Brazilian Cartridge Paper for its texture and its graphic potential. His medium is broadly ink and compressed charcoal, namely Conte. He is particular about organic sources and uses egg-based tempera as a fixative. As challenging as it is to narrow down to what is representative of Khandual's work, there are three series which were noteworthy. A series of Kathakali pictures drawn with Conte in the dark during a performance emphasises movement and being one with the process. His memorable, large portraits are a departure from the rest, consisting of dry brushstrokes. A series of hands meditate on seeing over looking, an important distinction that Khandual's work stresses throughout the collection.
EXHIBITION Portraits of Resistance CURATORS: Anoli Perera and Dev Pathak COUABORATION: South Asian University,Sri Lanka High Commission and Sri Lankan Airlines 23 to 28 August 2016
Political and Aesthetic Resistance
Jagath Weerasinghe mentioned that Sri Lankan artists had long challenged older generations of artists and the establishment by extension. The Civil War was a different challenge. Resistance was immediate, political and aesthetic. Jananda Laksirir's Tight Rope Walks shows life as a balancing act. K. Pushpakumara uses the 'Political Kitsch' style of the '90s as a visual framework. Anura Krishantha's No More Beauty has a gun's silhouette within Buddhist motifs linking religion and violence in plain sight. Pradeep Chandrasari's work counters the semiotics of nationalist propaganda. Jagath Weerasinghe's work establishes the difficulty in articulating war, while Pala Pothupitiye addresses the renaming and redrawing of territories in his Maps series. Danushka Marasinghe looks at remembering the war through military tokens. Bandu Manamperi's Iron Man investigates being in spaces vis-a-vis notions of the colonial and the contemporary. Thisath Thoradeniya's What Next? looks. at the inability to move forward or step back after the war. Anoli Perera's work is grounded in a rnateriality that adds a layer to notions of heritage, violence and memory through its nuanced female subjectivity as varied in its range as her art pieces. Pradeep Thalawatte's Diyatha Uyana protests the razing of a monument in memory of the lives lost in several massacres to make way for a flower market, park and a restaurant in the name of development two years after the end of the war. 'Portraits of Resistance' is as much a testimony to the Sri Lankan CivilWar as it is to resisting the complacency following it. • - RAKSHA THAKUR
2 Tribute to Rosalind LECTURES This year's memorial lecture was delivered by Rosalind Wilson's old friend and colleague, and known educationist Rajni Kumar who spoke about Rosalind, the life she led and the values she so cherished. She fondly recalled 'Ros' as multi-talented and multi- faceted, as one who embodied the values of truth, beauty and goodness, and who had a deep and abiding concern for peace, harmony and the well-being of people. The sufferings of the people of South Africa under the Apartheid regime, and of the Palestinian people fighting for their homeland, touched her heart. A great lover of nature too, Rosalind would no doubt have also been mortified by the environmental devastation caused by human greed. Education, Rosalind believed, could play a major role in sensitising and empowering people. However, education without an ethos and a good value system could be dangerous. Unfortunately, r:nanyof the crimes against humanity have been, and are being, committed by highlyeducated people, thanks to their distorted interpretation of ethnicity and religion. The growing intolerance within Indiaand around the world, and the resultant brutal attacks on free thought and speech, are born of the same warped psychology. All this is happening in a world dominated by two main factors-globalisation, and science and technology-that have doubtless led to tremendous progress in multiple spheres of human life. But for Rosalind, the question would have been, and remains for us: is the world a happier place? The answer, unfortunately, must be an emphatic NO. We may be bound through a global market economy, but the spirit of oneness of a family is missing. Science and technology have helped the build-up of progressively lethal weapons and nuclear stockpiles, making our world an increasingly dangerous place. Undoubtedly then, our world needs healing. We need to rebuild it as a world of connectivity, diversity, inclusion and empowerment. And that is possible only through mass participation. Compassion must be translated to action. That is the best tribute we can pay t osalind Wilson. - KISHORE THUKRAL
Debating Social Reforms Flavia Agnes began her lecture by highlighting the ironic general perception that the Hindu community does not have LECTURES personal laws and that the codified Hindu law should form the basis of the Uniform Civil Code. DR. DURGABAI DESHMUKH MEMORIAL LECTURE 2016: She noted that the Indian Constitution enacted in 1949 Has the Codified Hindu Law Changed Gender Relationships mandated equality and non-discrimination as non-negotiable SPEAKER: F1aviaAgnes fundamental rights, and yet, by 1955, the mandate was violated by enacting a code only for Hindus, namely, the CHAIR: Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan codified Hindu Law. Since Hindu women lagged far behind COLLABORATION: Council for Social Development their counterparts from other religions who had two important rights-the right to divorce and the right to 15July 2016 inherit property-the reforms for Hindus could not wait till a consensus was reached for enacting the UCC across all denominations as mandated by Article 44 of the Indian Constitution. Ms Agnes noted that although patriarchy is overarching, Islamic law is the least patriarchal and had recognised marriage as a contract as early as the 7th century while giving property rights to women. In the face of severe opposition, the Hindu Marriage Act as ,enacted diluted several pro-women customary practices in order to reach minimum consensus. It incorporated monogamy, stipulated a minimum age of marriage, the concept of contract, and an element of consent, while retaining the sacramental aspect of Hindu marriage. It also awarded rights of divorce and other matrimonial remedies, as well as maintenance and child custody. However, the implementation of the Hindu Marriage Act on the ground leaves much to be desired in creating a gender-just society. The challenging question thus is, can the codified Hindu law provide the necessary foundation for building a uniform and gender-just family code for India? - RAKHI SEHGAL
3 The Idea of Asia TALK
Between the late 19th and early 20th century, when imperial domination reached its peak, there was an intense intellectual churning across the entire Asian spectrum. Sugata Bose discussed the vibrant imaginations that went into the making of the idea of Asia. From Okakura Kakuzo stating in 'The ideals of the east' that 'Asia is one', to sister Nivedita envisioning Asia, the great mother as forever one, Asian scholarship abounded with several alternative visions revolving around this claim, containing a spark which was absent in European cartographic depictions of Asia. With his literary contributions, Rabindranath Tagore went on to become one of the greatest exponents contributing towards an Asian consciousness. In the 1880s, Japanese intellectuals had also begun to articulate a vision of Asian universalism which had a far- reaching influence, even in paintings by Nandalal Bose
which conveyed Indian patriotism as syncretically embedded within the larger frame of Asian universal ism. During the Indian freedom struggle, the Khilafat movement (1919-22) under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and • AIi Brothers depicted that territorial nationalism was also compatible with extra territorial anti-colonialism. Unfortunately, Japan's invasion of China in 1937undermined the idea of Asia, which got fragmented further with the emergence of a post-war, nation-state driven world order. Despite economic and cultural connectivity on the rise today, Asia is characterised by a simmering Sino-Indian rivalry and a dysfunctional SAARC in South Asia. Nevertheless, Asian intellectuals have come out with innovative forms of spatial imagination which are important in determining the future of Asian economic and cultural connections. Sugata Bose hoped that scholars and students would take the lead in realising the vision of Asian solidarity, contributing to the articulation of an interconnected and inter-referential Asia seeking to shape a global future which is what Asia as a 'method' is about. A common Asian cultural acumen can be said to be in the process of formation, he concluded.
- PRATEEK JOSHI
4 Of the five great epics of Tamil Literature, The Tale Of The Anklet the Cilappadikaram or The Tale of the Anklet goes beyond the narrative. In a discussion TALK on its contents, Parthasarathy examined TALK: Cilappadikaram: The Anklet as the Hero/ its literary, social, contextual and historical Villain in an Unusual Epic-play in Tamil aspects, giving the discussion a relevance and an understanding of the legacy of this SPEAKER: Indira Parthasarathy fictionalised masterpiece. The speaker 18 July 2016 -had oriented his talk for a non-Tamil audience, pointing out in the beginning that the anklet worn by young girls was a symbolic item of jewellery, indicative of feminine chastity. Even while the talk had used as .the common thread of narration the storyline of the work, the speaker had infused it with details about the socio-cultural highlights that the work brings to the fore. The non- religious, moralist angle depicted in the play,according to the speaker, was well-documented through the choice of characters who are drawn from the Hindu, Jain and Buddhist communities of the time.
The masterstrokes in the play which the speaker elaborated lay in the strong contingent of female characters. They ranged from the courtesan who is interested in the arts to the gentlewoman who asserts herself after her husband's death, showing that women played a distinct role in society even in those times. The emperor and his subjects also had been touched upon through the contrasting portrayal of the imperial ruler and his tribal subjects, which too was ably portrayed by the speaker. An exhaustive and well-researched talk, it had audiences interested and engaged all through the discussion. ~ SUBHRA MAZUMDAR
Evoking Memories PERFORMANCE Performances by Saniya Patankar and Samir Sathe were part of the two- day Monsoon Festival. Saniya is currently training under Dr. Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande, the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana exponent. Saniya chose to begin with Megh Malhar, quite appropriately. The vi/ambit and drut compositions followed a brief alap that brought out the essence of the raga beautifully. Megh Malhar was followed by two lilting pieces, jhula and hindola, both traditionally associated with the monsoon and inspired by folk melodies. While Saniya's handling of the vi/ambit and madhyalaya was competent and her voice seemed eminently suited to the madhyam sthayi, there is scope for her to improve her control and articulation of the drut compositions. Samir Sathe is the son of the respected Sharad Sathe and disciple of the late legendary Sharadchandra Arolkar. Samir's presentation of rag Yaman was superb. The build-up through a leisurely vi/ambit was followed by a madhyalaya composition. Samir ended the evening with a beautiful thumri in Bhairavi, followed by a tappa, typical of the Gwalior gharana. Samir's full-throated singing and beautiful glides down the octaves evoked memories of the legendary maestro, Arolkar. Samir's dexterity and control over taans was evident in his rendering of the tappa.
~ RAHUL RAjAGOPALAN
5 Mando Music Magic LECTURES
Music and Goa are inseparable. And Mando, traditionally the music of the elite, is now seeing a revival through competitions in various towns, between singers trained in village parishes. Shubha Chaudhuri, a leading ethnomusicologist, shared her knowledge of a once dying music style that is intertwined with Goan history. Mando is an integral part of Goan Catholic culture and the music is performed with gravitas, giving rise to four classifications- Mando of Yearning, Union, Farewell (Lamentation), and a fourth covering news and political events. Sung within Goan- Portuguese families, the breakdown of colonialism and migration of many young Goans to Portugal saw the genre decline to the point that echoes of only the Mando of Farewell could be heard resonating. The quintessentially melancholic Mando is sometimes made cheerier by the infusion of the folk genre Dulpod. Less rigid and more open to improvisation, Dulpod is more the music of the common people. The speaker showed the audience clips of Mando's role in a courtship dance organised by her. The women looked resplendent in traditional costumes that included oriental sarongs-a reflection of the extensive trade between various nations in the past. The lecture concluded with an emotionally charged question and answer session, with an animated discussion on other European styles of music, such as Fado and Italian Opera. Indeed, Mando owes its rich timbre in part to operatic influence.
- RIMA ZAHEER
Unwrapping A Modern-Day Dystopia READING The Gift A dramatic reading by Sagari Chhabra (Playwright) and Oroan Das (Aaar)
4 August 2016
Some plays are studies in absurdity, with ridiculous scenarios inviting audiences to escape the banality of 'real life'; others have the opposite goal in mind-:-their function is to portray reality, to create far-fetched narratives, that upon closer inspection prove to be more non-fictional than one would like. The Gift falls into the latter category. Set against the backdrop of a nuclear disaster in a dystopian India, it narrates the struggles of the inhabitants of a nuclear shelter, who seek to rationalise their predicament as a mushroom cloud looms overhead. The play is a glimpse of an alternative humanity, where evil is a banal occurrence, and where technological advancement has muted the inner voice of conscience. Yet, the fiction of this alternative universe is challenged by instances that are striking in their resemblance to real-life events-the spectres of Hiroshima, Auschwitz, Chernobyl and Bhopal make frequent appearances, all of them questioning the 'gift' of nuclear energy and its success (or otherwise) as an instrument of peace. The Gift presents a stark picture of what happens when these peacekeeping instruments misbehave, of when humanity decides to usurp decisions of life and death from the powers that be. While both Oroon Das and the playwright herself lent their powerful voices to make the reading a success, the real impact of the play can be judged by the conversations it inspired among the audience on subjects of disarmament, nuclear warfare and morality, which only drives home the fact that perhaps Sagari Chhabra's dystopia isn't that fictional after all.
- SHIVANI SHARMA
6 A Savant for all Reasons DISCUSSION
A smorgasbord of layered tropes, the riveting discussion on Raimundo Panikkar was initiated by Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan and Dr. Karan Singh who lauded Panikkar as 'a world citizen and a remarkable human being', one who moved unconventionally and seamlessly through religions,with Mantramanjari-a Vedic epiphany, his most iconic work. Indologist Bettina Baumer while foregrounding Pannikar, a Spanish Roman Catholic theologian, against the palimpsest of multi-faith and inter-culture dialogue, a 'cosmotheandric vision' of reality and embrace of Hindu scriptures and Buddhism, elucidated upon his seminal quintessence. Deliberating upon the encounter of tradition as crucial in the new context of radical pluralism confronting the present world, Baumer stressed Pannikar's objectivist methodological stance of creating new forms of human consciousness and corresponding religiousness as the only panacea for our human planetary survival. In a brilliant analysis, Come Carpentier de Gourdon recounted Pannikar as a cultural catalyst whose ebullient creativity and pioneering efforts helped to incarnate the Judaic and Greco Roman foundations of Christianity in Indic forms-making possible 'advaita' (non-dualism) which sees the deep hidden connection between traditions without in any way minimising the difference between them. Delineating the parameters that shaped Panikkar's oeuvre, his churn of thought was his critique of scholarly rationalist approach and a radical relativism. The interconnectedness of all things and this deepening of one's primal traditions encouraged Come to conclude by stressing that Panikkar combined the quiet dignity of a sage, the profundity of a scholar and the depth of a contemplative. - BEEBA SOBTI
Crosswaters Of Civilisation DISCUSSION Bridging the Gulf Maritime Cultural Heritage of the Western Indian Ocean Edited by Himanshu Prabha Ray; Foreword by Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan DISCUSSANTS: Pia Brancaccio; and B.M. Pande CHAIRPERSON: Nalin Surie COLLABORA TION: IIC International Research Division 22 August 2016
The book under discussion, the proceedings of a conference, focuses on the rich and varied maritime traditions of the Western Indian Ocean and its continuities/discontinuities that exist to this day. The chair, Ambassador Surie, highlighted the need to revive the memory of our maritime traditions, not only to comprehend the deeper civilisational exchanges, but also to understand the present, for playing a more involved role in the future. Professor Ray explained the raisond'etre of the conference, and its diverse themes ranging from culinary influences, myths and legends, navigational pothis, etc., that underscored the inter-cultural connections and the need to present this heritage, by knitting this together with the multitude of UNESCO heritage sites that dot the West Indian Ocean rim. Ideas on spatio-temporal continuities across the palimpsest of the Indian Ocean were Professor Brancaccio's reflections on the book as she flagged issues of piracy across time and the use of navigation manuals that have survived across centuries. She drew attention to the relationship between port and hinterland, movement of textiles from India to the Gulf, and pearls that found their way in Buddhist relics. While complimenting Professor Ray for bringing out a quality book in record time, Dr. B. M. Pande gave a detailed summary of the book, and his particular interest in the chapter by Professor Mankodi and his one-man crusade against the smuggling of artefacts. He also bemoaned the efforts to dilute the Antiquity and Art Treasures Act - 1972 that will only make it toothless. - AJAY JAISINGHANI 7 In his opening remarks, India's Security Shri N.N. Vohra argued that governance in LECTURES India has suffered from BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP: Safeguarding India: Essays in a tendency to view internal security as the Governance and Security by N.N. Vohra (Gurgaon: HarperCol/ins, 2016) domain of South Block OPENING REMARKS: N.N. Vohra and external security DISCUSSANTS:.C. Raja Mohan; Prakash Singh; and Shyam Saran as that of North Block, when in fact the two are MODERATOR: Cmdre C. Uday Bhaskar inextricably intertwined; that there have been inadequate efforts by the government and the 26 July 2016 nation in managing borders and neighbours; that because of the progressive deterioration in the functioning of the executive, the state legislatures, parliament and even the judiciary, internal security arrangements and governance across the board in most states in India are now not just a failure but a matter of grave concern.· He said his book pointed out that there is a disquieting nexus between the lumpen elements and criminals, between public servants and politicians, rampant corruption, the politicisation of the police and civil administration seen in 'the daily interference in their functioning which are all symptoms of a grea~er malaise which surfaces as terrorism and a proxy war from Pakistan. The discussants were in agreement about the failure of the government in its fundamental task of maintenance of public law and order and enforcing the rule of law. For over 69 years of our nationhood, there is little progress in the implementation of reforms in the police. - MEKHALA SENGUPTA
LECTURES PREM BHATlA MEMORIAL LECTURE 2016. Old Dangers: New Challenges for India's Foreign and Security Policies SPEAKER: G. Parthasarathy ,. .. . CHAIR: Jayant Prasad COLLABORATION: Prem Bhatia Memorial Trust ~;';~~;j~;:/11 August 2016 India's Security LECTURES G. Parthasarathy gave a very fitting picture of India in the context of the emerging geo-political equation between India, Pakistan and China. He discussed, in depth, China's rapid economic climb in the past few decades and its aggressive foreign policy to establish itself as an unchallenged and predominant power in Asia. He elaborated that Pakistan is and will remain a key player in China's policies of containment of India. He touched upon the history of India's once strong trade links with other Southeast Asian countries, current problems besetting India with falling oil prices, growing sectarian/civilisational rivalries, and the emergence of ISIS making difficult our way in the Western neighbourhood in the Persian Gulf. He discussed India's diplomatic achievements juxtaposed to China's aggressive diplomatic moves supporting Pakistan. While highlighting the strategic implications of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he lamented that successive governments in New Delhi have never fully highlighted the dangers of the Pakistan- China alliance publicly or in Parliament. He concluded with a hard- hitting message on the archaic and dysfunctional structures and , procedures in the Ministry of Defence, and advocated a complete overhaul in its functioning, acquiring modern weaponry and reducing delays in acquisition and manufacture, and bolstering the morale of the Armed Forces on a war footing.
- GAURIKA KAPOOR
8 The Gene DISCUSSION BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP: The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee (Gurgaon: Penguin, 2016) DISCUSSANTS: S. Swaininathan; Amit Sharma and Subhra Priyadarshini CHAIR: Seyed Ehtesham Hasnain 26 August 2016
The question, 'Who are we and what shapes human beings?' is ubiquitous and has been raised from time immemorial. All the four speakers underlined this as the central focus of 5iddhartha Mukherjee's recent book.The discussion, despite the absence of the author, was informative, as the book is gripping and adds new knowledge to academics as well as non- science trained persons. The panellists unanimously had accolades for the book being simple and comprehensive, with no compromise in facts and the social history of scientific research, conveying the mysteries of the genesis of human life. Readers will enjoy seeing diagrams of the sperm carrying a miniature humanoid to the understanding of the double helix model, issues of the recognition of Mendel's work almost decades later to the oblivion of the documentation of Rosalind Franklin's work on the DNA. What is most appealing and endearing is the intimate analyses of the author's own family DNA roots and the humble confession to his prospective spouse. In fact, that itself is testimony for gender equity, a point raised as a weakness in the text, in the analysis and assertion of the male point of view in the laboratories of science. The discussion was vibrant and one hopes that such discourses reach the portals of higher education where emerging adults would benefit from experienced minds rather than grapple with the boom in knowledge. -ASHA SINGH
Abhangas TALK
In the lec-dem series on music appreciation, the demonstration of the singing of Abhangas and its importance was variously elaborated by connoisseur and specialist Ananda who infused a great deal of liveliness into the evening's proceedings with his references to literature, philosophy, poetry and raga usage to bring out the many modes of Abhanga presentation. Using the clips of noted musicians, beginning with an introductory number by Rukma Bai Manganiyar, with the dhof baaja accompaniment, the evening set off on a lively note. The follow-up Abhanga portrayal by the late Pandit Bhimsen Joshi was a scholarly expose wherein the speaker pointed out to the audience how the late maestro had used 26 different classical variations in just one line of poetry. The clip of Vidushi Kishori Amonkar recorded in the voice of her younger years, was a wonderful piece of nostalgia for listeners. The Kumar Gandharv clippings, though musically enriching, were presented in the context of the speaker's personal favourites, as also an example of the fact that the maestro had veered away from numbers with distinct Dalit slants. Thereafter, the speaker steered clear of the musical input and concentrated on the social hurdles faced by communities such as the Dalits, the erosion of Buddhism, and the opinions expressed by Dr. Ambedkar in the context of Dalits, taking the proceedings on a deviated projectory. This dual combine was slightly disjointed.
- SUBHRA MAZUMDAR
9 A Tribute to Mahashweta Devi (192G-201G) FILM
There was one talk on Mahashweta Devi by the academic Amita Baviskar who spoke on Mahashweta Devi's life and work in light of her politics and art. This was chaired by Mrinal Pande, and was followed by a film. This short film included four conversations between Mahashweta Devi and Navin Kishore, her publisher. Navin talked to Mahashweta about her relationships, her writings, her activism and her emotions related to all of these in depth. She discussed her failed marriages, first to Bijan and then Asit, and maintained that these were decisions taken for and by herself and that she had never regretted them.Through all this, she said, she agonised about her separation from her son, Nabarun, though they were reunited later in life. When asked if she had ever felt lost, Mahashweta answered that she only focused on the 'needful' and always ignored what is 'needless', whether
in her writings or in life. She talked about her love for writing and travelling, and how new and beautiful words fascinated her.
She ruminated on her travel to tribal villages in West Bengal, the simple, innocent and uncomplicated nature of the tribal people and about their exploitation by the government and other forces. Bashai Tudu and Chotti Munda came from her visits to these villages. Hazar Chumsir Maa was inspired by four, young Naxalites who came to her to ask how she felt about the butchering of young boys like them on the roads of Calcutta. She termed 'Establishment' as the source of all evil which denied people their 'right to dream'. She also talked about her children's stories in which a child character called 'Ekla' appeared. The word 'ekla' in Bengali means 'lonely'. Through 'ekla', she indicated this lost dream and the void created in our personalities that left us mechanical with the loss of the 'beingness' of a human being.
- PINKY ADHIKARY
10 M. S. Subbulakshmi: A Twentieth Century Icon TALK
Veejay Saipresented the life of M. S. Subbulakshmi, using the old-fashioned PPT presentation with photographs interspersed with audio and video clippings. Veejay chose the linear narrative format for a chronological documentation of M.S.'s humble yet wholly musical childhood, to her first steps in the Madras cultural scene, to becoming a pan-Indian iconic figure with the success of her film, Meera. He began with an evocative delineation of the Devadasi tradition in shaping M.s.'s musical sensibilities and upbringing. The first turning point in her career was when her mother decided to move to Madras to avail of this growing city's patronage of the arts. Veena Dhannamal and her family, pulsating with the arts of music and dance, were the first major influences for a young M.S. After a few films whose music was lauded, M.S landed the plum role of Meera in the 1940s. Both the Tamil and Hindi versions were raging hits and catapulted her to an iconic status across the country. Sadasivam, her mentor and husband, played a key role in managing M.s.'s career, both at the early stages and later in the flowering of her career as a concert musician. And the rest is history, as M.S. conquered milestone after milestone. Veejay's consummate storytelling skills were evident ashe wove a tapestry with intricate details and included minor asides such as her purported affair with her eo-star G. N. Balasubramaniam of Shakuntalai, or the story of rendering Har; Turn Haro Jan ke Bheer for Gandhiji's birthday. Some of the video/audio clippings are rare, such as M.S. rendering a Ghalib ghazal learnt from the immortal Begum Akhtar. - RAHUL RAjAGOPALAN
11 Reg. No. 28936/77
Message from the Director
Dear Members,
The autumnal equinox brings in its wake an exciting time. While the citizenry heaves a sigh of relief from the myriad agonies caused alternatively by the rain and sweltering heat and starts experiencing the balmy evening air-the excitement at the Centre starts to build up as the countdown begins for the IIC Experience. This year the festival starts on the 22nd of October and concludes on the 26th of October. Do block these dates.
Expect these five days to be packed with exhibitions, film festivals, dance and music. Film buffs can look forward to two festivals. One set of films commemorates the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare's death, and another showcases Spanish cinema over the past 60 years.
I must mention a very special exhibition during the festival on the history and contribution of the Asiatic Society to the knowledge and study of human civilisation inAsia since 1784.Mycolleagues inthe Programmes Division made a trip to the Asiatic Society, Kolkata, bringing back ideas for the 'curation of the exhibition.
As usual, we will be releasing the Autumn issue of the lie Quarterly during the festival. The Centre's journal is in the vanguard of its intellectual activities. It is therefore rather lamentable that it has fewer subscribers than it deserves. The journal contains an eclectic mix of articles that should be of interest to a diverse range of readers, and it is available at a very nominal price. Iwould like to take this opportunity to urge our members to take pride in and subscribe to the journal.
Our regular programmes which are painstakingly organised round the year offer a very rich and stimulating fare-be it the lectures, symposia, book discussions and round tables on the intellectual side, or the music and dance programmes and the art exhibitions on the cultural side. Alas, the attendance during these programmes is not very encouraging. Believe me, some of the lectures in the health series, the lec-dems in the Music Appreciation Promotion series, as well as the programmes during the summer, monsoon, spring, and winter festivals (yes, we do have these two-day festivals too!) should not be missed. The same goes for the art exhibitions which certainly deserve a 'dekko'. So, please do attend the programmes in larger numbers with your friends and acquaintances.
I wish to flag one niggling issue which needs to be addressed in order to preserve the long-established IIC culture. The constantly ringing mobile phones in dining halls, lounges and library are undoubtedly an annoyance and disturbance to other's, as is the loud talk. I constantly receive complaints from members on this count.
I solicit your cooperation in this regard. Please also advise the guests accompanying you to switch off their mobiles/put them on silent mode, while dining at any of our venues.
With best wishes Air Marshal Naresh Verma (Retd.)
This issue of the Diary has been assembled and edited by Omita Goyal, Chief Editor; Ritu Singh, Deputy Editor; Rachna Joshi, Senior Asstt. Editor. Published by Ravinder Datta, for the India International Centre, 40, Max Mueller Marg, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi - 110003. Ph~:246/9431. Designed and printed by Shonali Majumdar, Design Art Workshop, 8-43, Soami Nagar, Basement, Near Chirag Delhi Flyover,New Delhi - I 100 I 7; Phone: +9/-1 1-981 1212325
12