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SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

Shri Ram Nath Kovind Shri Narendra Modi President Prime Minister

Ambassador’s message on the occasion of Independence Day

On the occasion of the 73rd Independence Day of India, I am happy to extend my greetings and felicitations to all my fellow citizens residing in the State of Qatar. I also avail this opportunity to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to the Amir of Qatar His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the Government of the State of Qatar for their continued support and cooperation, and to the hospitality and patronage extended to the Indian expatriate community in Qatar. The multi-faceted bilateral relationship between India and Qatar continues to strengthen further in various areas of our engagement, including political, energy, trade & investment, security and defence and cultural spheres. This year is particularly special, as we are celebrating it as the India-Qatar Year of Culture. With the active support and cooperation of the Qatari authorities, we have so far been able to organize some memorable cultural events focusing on popular Indian culture like dance performances, music concerts, painting, calligraphy and Supplement Team photography exhibitions, etc. We have more events lined up for the rest of the year. Independence Day is a solemn occasion when we recall with a profound sense of respect and reverence the sacrifices made by our freedom fighters to liberate our country Director - Marketing from the yoke of colonialism. It is also the time for us to take stock of our achievements in these 72 years and to rededicate ourselves to the cause of the continued development James John of our nation. Today, India has firmly established itself as the world’s largest democracy as a result of the strong foundation laid by our founding fathers, who framed a stable constitution and built strong democratic institutions. We recently witnessed the festival of democracy in India - the general elections - in which over 600 million people exercised their franchise and overwhelmingly opted for a stable government. Marketing Dr. Sabu K.C. India has come a long way since its independence on 15 August 1947. We have achieved self-sufficiency in food production and today export various food grains to other Kuriakose Joseph countries. We are the largest producers of fresh fruits, milk and pulses. India is a recognized military power in the world today. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Haridev Sharma has been successful in developing a highly acclaimed, low-cost and efficient space program in the world. The recent successful launch of Chandrayaan II, a fully indigenous Manesh Mohan mission, has put India in the elite club of nations having highly advanced space programmes. Biju Paul Simon In economic terms, India has emerged as the fastest growing major economy in the world. It is the 6th largest economy globally and is expected to grow at 7% during 2019-20. In the recently released Union Budget 2019, the government aims to achieve 8% annual GDP growth to become a US$ 5 trillion economy and the world’s 3rd largest economy. Infrastructure is one of the key sectors to realize this growth objective and the Supplement Editor government has thus accorded high importance to infrastructure projects in the budget. Initiatives like Bharatmala Pariyojana to develop road infrastructure; and the Jal Marg Vikas project and Sagarmala initiative to improve Pradeep logistics with well-connected waterways would boost connectivity and trade. The government is committed to achieving inclusive growth through affordable, reliable and sustainable energy. India now stands 4th in wind power, 5th in solar power, and 5th in renewable capacity globally. The share of renewable energy in total power generation also rose from 6% in 2014-15 to 10% in 2018-19. India plans to increase the share of natural gas Graphic Design & Cover in India's energy mix, currently at about 7%, to 20% by 2030. P.R. Krishnamurthy India holds the position of the third largest start-up ecosystem in the world and is expected to have 100,000 start-ups by 2025, worth US$ 500 billion, which will create employment for 3.25 million people. A robust start-up ecosystem has been put in place through a 19-point Action Plan which includes setting up several incubation centers, easier patent filing, tax exemptions, ease of setting up business, a Rs 100 billion corpus fund, Ad. Controllers a faster exit mechanism, etc. The rural economy has received a major boost with the government’s focus on agro-rural industries through the cluster-based SFURTI programme. Special focus is being provided for the Sebi Alappatt development of bamboo, honey, and khadi clusters. 100 new clusters are being set up to enable 50,000 artisans during 2019-2020. There are concerted efforts to revitalize the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Thomas Jose by reorienting policies to create more employment avenues, enhance productivity and achieve greater profits. The Government of India has undertaken an ambitious agenda for social change – from ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ to BADLAV (Beti Aapki Dhan Lakshmi Aur Vijay Lakshmi); from Swachh Bharat to Sundar Bharat; from ‘Give it up’ for the LPG subsidy to ‘Think about the Subsidy’, and from ‘Tax evasion’ to ‘Tax compliance’. Circulation In-charge The Government of India is making continuous efforts to create an enabling environment conducive to attract foreign investment. Recently, it has eased FDI regulations to drive investments. It allowed 100% FDI for Sherif Samy insurance intermediaries; eased local sourcing regulations for FDI in single-brand retail outlets and increased the statutory limit for FPI investment in a company up to the sectoral limit for FDI, subject to the approval of the company’s board of directors. It is worth noting that India had attracted cumulative FDI worth US$ 64.4 billion during the fiscal year 2018-19. Printed by I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Indian community in Qatar for their continued good work, which has earned for them a well-deserved reputation in Qatar for their sincerity, hard work, technical expertise Raya Commercial Printing Press and law-abiding nature. As the Ambassador of India to Qatar, I am filled with pride when I hear from various Qatari dignitaries about the valuable contributions made by the Indian community towards the growth and development of Qatar over the years. Today, India's fast-paced growth, technological achievements, business-friendly environment, skilled workforce and a vast consumer market, offer Qatar a unique opportunity to be a Editorial/Advertising Office partner in India's growth and development story. India looks forward to greater Qatari investments, with investments of more than US$ 1.5 trillion planned in infrastructure and other areas over the next two decades, making Gulf Times/Arrayah Building it one of the most attractive long-term markets for leading investors. These factors are reflected in the impressive gains made by India in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business index, Global Competitiveness Index by the C Ring Road, P.O. Box: 533 World Economic Forum, and several other international reports which rank India as a best performer in South Asia for structural reforms undertaken in infrastructure, financial market development, innovation and market Doha - Qatar. size, among others. Tel: (0974) 44411300/44466621 India attaches great importance to its multifaceted relations with the State of Qatar. India is the 3rd largest export destination for Qatar. Total bilateral trade reached US$ 12.3 billion during 2018-19. Qatar is the largest Fax: (0974) 44418811 supplier of LNG to India, accounting for 55% of India's global LNG imports and 15% of Qatar's total export of LNG. We look forward to enhanced cooperation in the energy sector, as India seeks to enhance the share of natural e-mail: [email protected] gas in its energy mix in the next decade. Though largely dominated by hydrocarbons, there are plenty of opportunities to diversify our trade basket. Indian companies operating in Qatar are pursuing mutually-beneficial collaborations in infrastructure, information and communication technology, energy and other areas in Qatar, contributing to Qatar’s preparedness for hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2022. India’s successful experience in the fintech space offers several avenues of cooperation for Qatar. India Stack, which offers 4 distinct technology layers based on presenceless, cashless, paperless and consent, has enabled world-class products being built on open Application Programming Interface (API) based public platforms like BHIM, Rupay, and Paytm. Official bilateral interactions continue at a regular pace to boost mutually beneficial co-operation between the two countries. We had the first-ever visit of our External Affairs Minister to Doha in October 2018, during which extensive deliberations on the state of our bilateral relations were held with the leadership of Qatar. The two countries also held the 3rd round of Foreign Office Consultations in September 2018 in which H.E. Mr. T. S. Tirumurthi, Secretary (ER), visited Doha and held extensive discussions with his Qatari counterpart H.E. Dr. Ahmed Hassan Al Hammadi, Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The 5th meeting of Joint Working Group on Labour and Manpower Development was held in the month of January 2019 and was useful in exchanging views on various issues in the field of labour cooperation. At the multilateral level as well, the two countries continue to support each other at various international fora. Then Minister of State for External Affairs H.E. Gen. Dr. V. K Singh (Retd.), visited Doha to participate in the Asian Cooperation Dialogue from 30th April to 2nd May this year. He was a keynote speaker at the Business Forum of the ACD. An Indian parliamentary delegation led by the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha H.E. Mr. Haribansh Narayan Singh represented India at the 140th Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting held in Doha from 06-10 April 2019. India and Qatar consider people-to-people ties as a bedrock of great significance in further deepening the bilateral ties between the two nations. The establishment of a regional office by Qatar Tourism Authority in Mumbai has further increased the scope for promoting tourism between the two countries. India is a popular tourist and wellness destination amongst Qatari nationals, given the cultural compatibility and historical contacts between the two countries. Qatar has emerged as a popular destination for Indian weddings, taking advantage of the visa-on-arrival facility and the excellent infrastructure offered by Qatar’s hospitality sector. We look forward to enhanced contacts and connectivity between our peoples in the coming years. Defence ties between India and Qatar continue to prosper. The year 2018-19 saw a number of bilateral visits. INS Kolkata in March 2018, INS Mumbai in September 2018 and INS Tarangini in December 2018 have SPECIAL THANKS visited Hamad port. The Chief of Qatar’s Emiri Naval Force led a delegation to India in April 2019 and held meetings with his counterparts in India. We look forward to enhancing our bilateral engagement in maritime and Gulf Times thanks the naval cooperation, training, joint production and other areas. Embassy of India, Doha-Qatar, The Indian Embassy remains committed to promoting the interests of the Indian community in Qatar. The Embassy shall continue its efforts to expand its outreach to various sections of the Indian community and for the support rendered in remain in close contact with the authorities concerned in Qatar, to ensure the welfare and wellbeing of Indian nationals. On this 73rd Independence Day, I once again extend my warm greetings to my fellow Indians in Qatar preparing this supplement and thank them for their valuable contribution to the growth and development of Qatar and India. I am confident that the Indian community will continue to extend its full cooperation and support, as in the past, to the Embassy. (P. Kumaran) 4

Indian Embassy in Doha … highlights Pravasi Bharatiya Divas National Voters Day The Embassy of India celebrated Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on January 9 at Indian The President of India Ram Nath Cultural Centre, Doha. Indian ambassador P Kumaran held an interactive session Kovind conferred the Pravasi The embassy celebrated the National Voters Day on January 25 with the Indian community. The event was marked by felicitating a Qatar-based Bharatiya Samman award to to create awareness amongst the voters in Qatar. singer Ahmed Abdulrahim who rendered Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi’s Purnendu Tiwari (Commander, favourite song Vaishnav Jan Te’. A promotional video on ‘India-Qatar Year of Indian Navy retired) from Culture 2019’ was also launched during the event. Qatar in recognition of his contribution towards promoting bilateral cooperation, at the 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2019 convention held in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, from January 21 to 23. Separately, the Indian Ambassador felicitated Mr. Tiwariat at a function held at Indian Cultural Centre on February 13. 5

Republic Day Celebrations Scores of community members attended India Republic Day celebrations at the embassy premises on January 26. The Ambassador unfurled the national flag and read out the message of the President of India. A reception was hosted later on January 28 at Sheraton Hotel, Doha, attended by H.E. Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti, Minister of Transport and Communications; H.E. Yousuf Mohamed Al Othman Fakhroo, Minister for Administrative Development, Labour & Social Affairs; H.E. Amb. Ibrahim Fakhroo, Chief of Protocol; H.E. Amb. Ali Ibrahim Ahmed, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, members of the diplomatic corps and over 700 members of the Indian community in Qatar. A cultural programme by school children was also held.

Warm Wishes and Greetings to The Government and the People of India on the joyous occasion of 6

Bust of Mahatma Gandhi Unveiled As part of ongoing celebrations of the 150th birth anniversary year of Mahatma Gandhi, a bust of Gandhiji was unveiled by the Ambassador at the embassy premises on July 14.

The embassy celebrated International Day of Yoga on June 21 with events held at National Museum of Qatar and Qatar Sports Club Multi-Purpose Indoor Hall. Yoga camps and workshops were also held at Asian Town, Al Khor and Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum. Free Medical Camps The Indian Community Benevolent Forum, in association with the Ministry of Public Health, organised its 37th free medical camp for workers in the Industrial Area on March 22 and 38th free medical camp for fishermen and workers on June 14 at the Aster Medical Centre, Al Khor. 7

Sporting Glory

Nearly 700 athletes from 44 Asian nations competed for 186 medals at the 23rd edition of Asian Athletics Championship, held from April 21-24 at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha. Indian won 17 medals including 3 gold, 7 silver, and 7 bronze, which placed the country on the 4th place in the tournament. The winners were felicitated by the Ambassador in a ceremony organised by the Indian Sports Centre in Doha on April 24. 8

Bilateral Relations in Focus Trade & Economic cCooperation

Qatar-India JWG on Labour & Manpower Development Qatar Chamber’s First Vice Chairman Mohamed bin Ahmed bin Tawar met the chief of India’s Shyam Metalics, Aditya Agrawal in the presence of Surinder Bhagat, the Commercial Representative at the Indian Embassy. The meeting reviewed trade and economic cooperation between business sectors of two countries.

Vibrant Goa Global Expo and Summit - Roadshow in Doha

A promotion event titled ‘Vibrant Goa 2019’ was held in Doha on April 23, in order to spread awareness about the upcoming Vibrant Goa Global Expo and Summit (VGGES 2019), scheduled from October 17 to 19. The VGGES 2019 will offer an ideal platform to meet, interact, network and discuss business proposition for The 5th meeting of India-Qatar Joint Working Group on Labour and Manpower Development importers, exporters, investors, was held from January 14-15, co-chaired by Assistant Undersecretary for Labour Affairs at customers and experts. Qatar’s Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs, Mohamed Hassan al- Obaidli, and Joint Secretary for Overseas Indian Affairs at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Manish Gupta. Asia-Pacific Cooperation Dialogue Talks with India’s Civil Aviation Minister India attended the Asia-Pacific Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) A Qatari delegation led by the Ministerial Conference held Minister of Transport H.E. Mr. in Qatar from April 30-May 2. Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti, Chairman The Indian delegation was led of Qatar’s Civil Aviation Authority by Union Minister of State for H.E. Abdullah bin Nasser Turki Al- External Affairs, General VK Subaey and Qatar Airways Group Singh who called for cooperation Chief Executive H.E Akbar Al to promote partnerships among Baker attended the two-day Global Asian countries, focusing on the Aviation Summit from January 15-16 role of SMEs as a new engine for in Mumbai. sustainable economic prosperity.

Continuing Professional Education Seminar

Indian Delegation at ‘Project Qatar’ The 16th edition of ‘Project Qatar’, held from April 29 to May 1, at Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre witnessed participation 34-member Indian delegation from the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO). The Indian Pavilion at the event was jointly inaugurated by Praveen Garg, India’s Additional Secretary & Financial Adviser to Ministry of Environment, Qatar’s Minister of Commerce and Industry HE Ali bin Forest & Climate Change, met the Ambassador during Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Ahmed al-Kuwari, and Indian ambassador P Kumaran. The seminar held in Doha on July 18. participating companies explored partnerships with Qatari companies and prospects to enhance India’s exports in the region. The delegation was led by Ashwani Kumar, Regional Chairman,FIEO. 9 India-Qatar Year of Culture 2019 Indian Designers at Shop Qatar Design District Concert by Arijit Singh Five well-known Indian fashion designers - Tarun Tahiliani, Raghavendra Rathore, Wendell Rodricks, Namrata Joshipura and Raw Mango - participated in the displays organised at Shop Qatar Design District in January 2019, Bollywood singing sensation Arijit Singh enthralled a large audience of nearly as part of the festivities organised under Qatar Shopping Festival 2019. The exquisite designs exhibited by these 20,000 with a soulful performance on January 18 at Lusail Sports Arena. ‘One FM designers helped showcase the depth of talent and the diversity available in the Indian fashion design industry, Radio’ brought the renowned singer to Doha in association with Shop Qatar 2019, in addition to the cultural affinities between India and the Arab world. the third edition of the Qatar’s biggest shopping festival.

Musical Concert Dadlani and Shekhar Ravjiani, described by the media as ‘Sultans of Swag’, performed in Doha on March 1. In a tribute to India- Qatar collaboration, they were also joined briefly by Qatar’s Grammy- nominated singer Fahad Al Kubaisi, who creatively combined with them for a rendition of their greatest hit ‘Swag Se Karenge Sabka Swagat ...’ 10

Chandrayaan-2 … India’s Moon mission

ISRO’s most powerful launch vehicle to date, Chandrayaan-2, is now on its way to the Moon and is expected to reach the Moon by August 20. But before that, do you know these interesting facts about Chandrayaan-2? Moon is the closest cosmic body at which space discovery can be attempted and documented. It is also a promising testbed to demonstrate the technologies required for deep-space missions. Chandrayaan-2 attempts to foster a new age of discovery, increase our understanding of space, stimulate the advancement of technology, promote global alliances, and inspire a future generation of explorers and scientists. A total number of 38 soft landing attempts have been made by space agencies in the world to soft-land on the moon, so far. The success rate is 52 percent. Why explore the lunar south pole? Moon provides the best linkage to Earth’s early history. It offers an undisturbed historical record of the inner solar system environment. Though there are a few mature models, the origin of the moon still needs further explanations. There is a possibility of the presence of water in permanently shadowed areas around it. In addition, the South Pole region has craters that are cold traps and contain a fossil record of the early solar system. To trace back the origin and evolution of the Moon, now, it becomes essential to do extensive mapping of the lunar surface to study variations in lunar surface composition. Evidence for water molecules discovered by Chandrayaan-1, requires further studies on the extent of water molecule distribution on the surface, below the surface and in the tenuous lunar exosphere to address the origin of water on Moon. What makes Chandrayaan-2 special? Chandrayaan-2 is an Indian lunar mission that will boldly go where no country has ever gone before the Moon’s south polar region. Through this effort, the aim is to improve our understanding of the Moon - discoveries that will benefit India and humanity as a whole. These insights and experiences aimed at a paradigm shift in how lunar expeditions are approached for years to come propelling further voyages into the farthest frontiers. Apart from these things, Chandrayaan-2 is • First space mission to conduct a soft landing on the Moon’s South Polar Region • First Indian expedition to attempt a soft landing on the lunar surface with home-grown technology • First Indian mission to explore the lunar terrain with home- grown technology Moreover, India will become the fourth country in the world to soft-land on the lunar surface, a feat previously accomplished by only three other countries - the US, Russia, and China Major challenginges Some of the technological challenges of this mission are: • The propulsion system consisting of throttleable engines to ensure landing at low touchdown velocity • Mission management - propellant management at various stages, engine burns, orbit, and trajectory design • Lander Development - Navigation, guidance and control, sensors for navigation and hazard avoidance, communication systems and lander leg mechanism for a soft landing • Rover Development - Roll down (from the lander) mechanism, roving mechanism (on the lunar surface), development and testing of power systems, thermal systems, communication and mobility systems 11

Interesting facts 1. Chandrayaan-2 consists of three components: the Orbiter, the Lander (Vikram) and the Rover (Pragyaan). The Lander of Chandrayaan 2 is named Vikram after Dr Vikram A Sarabhai, the Father of the Indian Space Programme. 2. Chandrayaan 2’s algorithm is wholly developed by India’s scientific community. 3. Unlike Chandrayaan-1, Chandrayaan-2 will attempt to soft-land its Vikram module on the lunar surface and deploy a six-wheeled Rover, Pragyaan on the Moon to carry out several scientific experiments. 4. The mission life of Chandrayaan-2’s Orbiter will be one year whereas the mission life of lander (Vikram) and rover (Pragyan) will be one Lunar day which is equal to fourteen earth days. 5. Apart from studying the Moon’s surface, Chandrayaan-2 will also examine the satellite’s outer atmosphere. 6. The Orbiter payloads will conduct remote-sensing observations from a 100 km orbit while the Lander and Rover payloads will perform in-situ measurements near the landing site. 7. Chandrayaan-2 will attempt to soft-land the lander -Vikram and rover- Pragyan in a high plain between two craters, Manzinus C and Simpelius N, at latitude of about 70° south. 8. Chandrayaan-2 has several science payloads to expand the lunar scientific knowledge through a detailed study of topography, seismography, mineral identification and distribution, surface chemical composition, thermo-physical characteristics of topsoil and composition of the tenuous lunar atmosphere. 9.Chandrayaan 2’s Dual Frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar (DFSAR) will measure the quantitative estimation of water-ice in the polar regions. 10. Its Dual Frequency Radio Science (DFRS) experiment will study the temporal evolution of electron density in the Lunar ionosphere. 11. Chandrayaan 2 Large Area Soft X-ray Spectrometer or CLASS will measure the Moon’s X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectra to examine the presence of major elements such as Magnesium, Aluminium, Silicon, Calcium, Titanium, Iron, Sodium, and its XRF technique will detect these elements by measuring the characteristic X-rays they emit when excited by the Sun’s rays. 12. Chandrayaan 2’s Solar X-ray Monitor (XSM) will observe the X-rays emitted by the Sun and its corona, measure the intensity of solar radiation in these rays, and support CLASS. 13. Chandrayaan-2 will study water molecule distribution using infrared spectroscopy, synthetic aperture radiometry & polarimetry as well as mass spectroscopy techniques. 14. The Chandrayaan-2 mission is a precursor to the ambitious Gaganyaan project, which aims to place three Indians in space by 2022.

Bringing solar energy to Indian villages India planning own space station ndia plans to have its own space the bread and butter for us, it is missions By Rishi Iyengar & John Defterios station in the future and conduct such as Chandrayaan (Sanskrit for ndia is trying to bring electricity to separate missions to study the Sun “moon vehicle”), Mangalyaan (Sanskrit hundreds of millions of its citizens I and Venus, as the nation moves to for ‘Mars vehicle’) and Gaganyaan that who live off the grid. And it’s trying I bolster its status as a leader in space excite the youth, unite the nation and to ensure that the power comes from technologies and inspire the young also pave a technological seed for the clean and renewable sources. minds to take an interest in scientific future.” Frontier Markets is helping fields. The agency will submit to the to achieve both those goals in the India’s space agency said that it government after the Gaganyaan Western desert state of Rajasthan, will begin working on its space station mission a detailed report on how it selling solar-powered products to following its first manned mission to intends to set up the space station. It hundreds of villages. The company is space, called Gaganyaan (which means currently believes it would take five to thriving by turning its customers into “space vehicle” in Sanskrit), in 2022 — seven years to conceptualize the space salespeople. just in time to commemorate 75 years station. The company employs women of the country’s independence from On the sidelines of the to sell products like lamps, stoves, Britain. The government has sanctioned announcement, ISRO also unveiled and even TVs that run on solar power $1.5 billion for the Gaganyaan mission. Aditya-L1, a mission to study the through a program called Solar Sahelis “We have to sustain the Gaganyaan Sun’s corona that impacts the change (Solar Friends). Each woman is in program after the launch of the human in climate on Earth, for the first half of charge of selling products to hundreds space mission. In this context, India is next year, and a similar mission aimed of rural households. planning to have its own space station,” at Venus, which it plans to conduct over “We learned that while the power. But the government considers Another pressing need that Frontier said Dr. Kailasavadivoo Sivan, chairman the next few years. “Not only Sun and customer — the person paying for the a village electrified if just 10% of its Markets is helping to solve is getting of Indian Space Research Organization moon, we hope to reach other planets, product — was a man, the person using houses are on the grid, meaning over more women into work. Only 22% of (ISRO). like Venus,” he said. “While navigation, communication the product was a woman,” Frontier 200 million people still don’t have India’s workforce is female, according and Earth observation are going to be Markets CEO Ajaita Shah said in an access to electricity. to the latest data from the World Bank, interview with CNN Business. “In The Modi government has also one of the lowest rates in the world. fact, 70% of our users were women and set aggressive targets to increase solar India lags behind countries such as that is when we realized that in order energy capacity, and it has succeeded Sudan, El Salvador and Afghanistan. to properly serve the right households in going from less than four gigawatts “As India starts growing and needs, women had to be at the center in 2015 to nearly 30 gigawatts — about moving and changing and evolving, of that value chain,” she added. 8% of India’s total energy capability. especially with the digital revolution, Shah founded Frontier Markets in The government wants to increase that women are still being left behind,” 2011, with the goal of providing clean to 100 gigawatts by 2022. Shah said. “It’s really important for us energy to millions of rural Indians The 3,000 women that Shah to continuously invest in our women’s while also giving women a source of employs have helped to provide energy skills and their education to be able to employment and income. The goals to more than half a million village catch up.” encapsulate some of India’s most houses in Rajasthan, she said. The “We are very proud of how we’ve urgent issues. women communicate the benefits of been able to succeed with Frontier The government of Prime clean energy to rural households, but Markets,” Shah said. “It’s a part of my Minister Narendra Modi has made also help Frontier Markets understand mission to make sure we understand rural electrification a big priority, the kind of innovations that those that investing in women is not just an announcing last year that 100% of the households need most, she added. impact story but smart business and the country’s villages now have access to key to end poverty.” 12 India targeting $5 trillion economy goal By Rajeev Dubey he freezing ski resort of Davos, higher. Switzerland in January 2018 was India must ensure the real GDP stays Tthe first witness of Prime Minister closer to 8 per cent mark by reviving Narendra Modi’s ambition of seeing India consumption which will directly trigger as a $5 trillion economy by 2025. True the private investment cycle. Since India to the theme of the World Economic Inc. suffers from a low capacity utilisation Forum’s annual event, “Shared Future in a of barely 70-72 per cent it’s unlikely Fractured World”, Modi invoked the oldest companies will invest in new capacity Upanishad - Isha Upanishad - to assure creation unless higher consumption the global business community that increases the capacity utilisation to Indians consider the world one big family, around 80-85 per cent. The answer lies and that our future lay together. in encouraging greenfield investments The breadth of his oratory at the WEF in areas such as defence manufacturing plenary address may have overshadowed which practically do not exist in the the $5 trillion goal, but he reiterated the country. It could help trigger a revival in target at Niti Aayog’s Governing Council investment cycle. Meeting in New Delhi this June. New Government’s aim to encourage Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman mega manufacturing plants in greenfield took the cue and emphatically asserted areas such as chip manufacturing, the $5 trillion target in Budget 2019 as aims to reach the mark by the end of fiscal per cent per annum; $5.22 trillion at 11.5 lithium ion battery plants is a move in well. However, she left the target date 2024-25. per cent per annum and $5.36 trillion at 12 the right direction. Only, this isn’t the open-ended in her Budget speech: “Our first government to theorise such an Back then, in January, 2018, it meant per cent per annum. economy was at approximately US$ 1.85 opportunity. Successive governments doubling the economy in 7 years. Today - a The other measure of GDP is at constant trillion when we formed the government since Rajiv Gandhi’s have tried and failed year later -- it means growing by another prices. Simply, the term originates from in 2014. Within 5 years it has reached US$ at this. 2.7 trillion. Hence, it is well within our 85 per cent - fairly achievable, given the its methodology which ties the GDP to a Yet, given the government’s stretched capacity to reach the US$ 5 trillion in the prevailing rates of growth. base year (which is 2011-12 right now). It balance sheet, Budget 2019 has done next few years.” Between 2011-12 and 2016-17, India’s measures ‘real GDP’, excluding the effect little to help consumption. So our best GDP at current prices has already grown of inflation. India’s GDP at constant prices India is already growing at a rate case scenario relies on the hope that at a compound annual growth rate of 11.79 today stands at nearly Rs 140 lakh crore-a faster than the rate required to hit the $5 public investment will turn around the per cent-way higher than the 11 per cent full Rs 50 lakh crore lower than the GDP at trillion mark. Irrespective of anything investment cycle sooner than later, still that is required to hit the $5 trillion mark constant prices. This translates into a $2 else, and barring unforeseen DeMo-like hoping new investment will come in by 2025. In fact, it had seen better days at trillion economy only. shocks to the economy, India will likely greenfield instead of brownfield projects. 13.8 per cent in 2012-13, 14.4 per cent in World Bank’s Nominal GDP/Current achieve the $5 trillion GDP target by every The former creates enormous economic 2011-12 and 19.9 per cent in 2010-11. It prices are annual inflation plus GDP at growth parameter (between 11 and 12 per value from scratch while the latter creates may have slowed down to 11.2 per cent in Constant prices. Hence, if India achieves cet per annum) by 2025, provided the only incremental value. Rupee-Dollar rate hovers around Rs 70. 2018-19 and 11.3 per cent a year earlier but an average real GDP growth rate of But none of these can separate India Importantly, it will definitely fall short it still packs a lot of punch. 7-7.5 per cent per annum until 2025 and from its destiny of $5 trillion. Wish we had of the $5 trillion mark by each growth India will be a $5.08 trillion economy inflation stays in the 4 per cent range, aimed at a moonshot of $5.5 or $6 trillion parameter in 2024. By most accounts, by 2024-25 at 11 per cent nominal GDP India’s $5 trillion aim is hardly a stretch instead. including PM’s address at WEF, India growth per annum; $5.15 trillion at 11.25 target. It’s a given. Perhaps, we should aim 13

Bolstering country’s service sector By Remya Lakshmanan he growth of the Services Sector in management services, insurance, natural corridors. India’s logistics service sector itself India is a unique example of leap- disaster modelling and underwriting are is expected to grow from $ 115 bn to $ 360 bn by Tfrogging traditional models of economic examples of high value add services performed 2032. growth. Within a short span of 50 years since within India for a global audience. Other services independence, the contribution of the service Healthcare & Tourism sector in India to the country’s GDP is a lion’s Media & Entertainment (animation, share of over 60%. However, it still employs The current contribution of the healthcare gaming, dubbing), Education (online platforms only 25% of the labour force. Consequently, industry is over $ 110 bn and is expected to such as MOOC), and Sports (IPL, IFL, Sports agriculture (which is stagnant) and touch $ 280 bn by 2020. Availability of world Management), Legal/ Paralegal services, Risk manufacturing (which has not yet risen to its - class medical facilities, skilled doctors, management and advisory functions, etc. are full potential) continue to sustain the majority technicians and pharmaceuticals are some of areas that can lead to an immense contribution of our employed population. This presents a our advantages. With digital communication of service industry in the Indian economy. unique challenge to future economic growth and interfaces, diagnostic medicine can also Investments in the service sector be tapped into as a service for global customers. in India and requires out of the box solutions Of late, the government’s efforts in that will help rapidly harness the potential of Similarly, for tourism, India is renowned improving ease of doing business and relaxing the service industry in India. Let us take a look for its places of natural beauty and historical regulatory norms have resulted in increasing at the contribution of the services sector in the significance. Tourism presently contributes $ FDI into the country. The following examples Indian economy, its successes and also explores 47 bn to the country’s GD, compared with $ 115 demonstrate the strong linkages that FDI has in potential enablers for future equitable economic bn for China. Thus, tourism has exponential unleashing the potential, as well as propelling growth. possibilities to boost the Indian services sector the growth of the services sector in India: in the next decade.

To attract significant revenues, improved - Connecting Gujarat and Maharashtra, Let us now look at the list of service sectors advantage has been low - cost labour arbitrage customer experience (medical or tourism) is India’s first bullet train has potential similar to in India that perform, as well as demonstrate in a predominantly English - speaking country. the key factor that will determine its future that of the Mumbai - Pune expressway, but on strong potential for future growth. Going forward, the IT and ITeS segments growth. In this context, government initiatives a larger scale. IT-BPM/ Fintech require significant upskilling to move beyond a such as e - Visas, better infrastructure facilities, ‘low - cost low value add service provider’ to a safety, connectivity etc. are enablers in the right - Manufacturing of Rafale jets in India. The IT/ITeS & Fintech segments provide ‘high value add partner’. direction. - Building large highway systems in India over $ 155 bn in gross value add and have the Indian IT companies can also leverage Space (expressways and freight corridors), inland potential to grow between 10 -15% p.a. Exports waterways (Jalmarg Vikas project), port form its largest component. So far, our key their skill sets to provide fintech solutions India captured the world’s attention last modernisation and new port development to global financial customers. Financial risk February when it broke the record for launching (Sagarmala project) the most number of satellites into space. Moreover, this was done at a fraction of the cost -Amazon India expanding its logistics footprint incurred by other space powers. -Creation of a Taiwanese tech park in Karnataka Indian services in the space domain, -A dedicated fund of $ 693 mn, which will be with proven expertise in multiple launch utilised to support sectoral undertakings under technologies, provide it with a significant the Champion Services Sectors Initiative. These advantage over its peers in the global include IT and ITeS, Tourism and Hospitality space transportation industry. Our launch Services, Medical Value Travel, Transport and capabilities have a near 100% track record. Logistics Services, Accounting and Finance Many countries are actively looking to Services, Audio Visual Services, Legal Services, piggyback on India’s launch facilities. This Communication Services, Construction and demonstrates great potential. The government Related Engineering Services, Environmental is actively proving its ability, but more can be Services, Financial Services and Education done to build capacity in military and non - Services. military space applications. In this context, Future Prospects public - private participation is key to ensure The service sector in India has the highest the flow of capital, as well as to strengthen employment elasticity among all sectors. Thus, competencies in this area. it has the potential for huge growth as well as Logistics & Transportation the capability to deliver highly productive jobs India’s natural coastline and vast river - leading to revenue generation. To address the network give it a competitive edge in providing challenge of job creation, the Skill India program transportation and logistics services, both aims to achieve its target of skilling/ up - skilling domestically and internationally. These can 400 million people by 2022. It aims to do this be classified into ports and ports services, mainly by fostering private sector initiatives in warehousing, trans - shipment services, e - skill development programs, and by providing logistics, inland waterways for freight and them with the necessary funding. passengers, expressways and dedicated freight ‘Pink City’ Jaipur now a UNESCO World Heritage site ‘Pink City’ Jaipur made an official entry in the list of the UNESCO World “I am really feeling proud and happy about this development as my ancestors Heritage sites.The UNESCO shared the announcement on Twitter. “Just inscribed had built this city. Maharaj Jai Singh II, the founder of the city, was one of my as @UNESCO #WorldHeritage Site: Jaipur City in Rajasthan, #India. Bravo,” the ancestors. He invited the best craftsmen and architects from all over the country UN body posted. to ensure they built the most beautiful and well-planned city of the world. They The decision was taken at the 43rd session of the Unesco World Heritage considered astronomy, planetary movement and Vastu Shastra while bringing up Committee, which is taking place in Azerbaijan from June 20 to July 10. the city to ensure that the city gets the best location and the people are happy, prosperous and safe here. In 2018, then Tourism and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma formally announced that Jaipur’s name being proposed for World Heritage City. The Archaeological “In fact, Jaipur is one of the most planned and beautiful cities of the world, Survey of India had in 2015 submitted a proposal to Unesco for the status. deserved the honour of being the World Heritage City. It will benefit the city to retain and maintain its originality and beauty as once the UNESCO tag a city as a Since then, the city has been in the tentative list while Ahmedabad proved heritage city, it ensures that its originality is retained. Hence now, many unwanted luckier as it bagged the tag of becoming the first World Heritage City from India. structures and encroachments and buildings coming up in the walled city shall have In addition to Jaipur, the Committee examined 36 nominations for inscription no place in this premises,” Diya Kumari said. Jaipur was founded in 1727 CE under on Unesco’s World Heritage List during the session. Sawai Jai Singh II. The city was proposed to be nominated for its value of being an Welcoming the Unesco announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: exemplary development in town planning and architecture that demonstrates an “Jaipur is a city associated with culture and valour. Elegant and energetic, Jaipur’s amalgamation and important exchange of ideas in the late medieval period, Unesco hospitality draws people from all over. Glad that this city has been inscribed as a had said. World Heritage Site by UNESCO.” Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot expressed In town planning, it shows an interchange of ancient Hindu, Mughal and his happiness at the development, terming it a proud moment for the state and a contemporary Western ideas that resulted in the form of the city. Jaipur City is also development which will boost tourism. Jaipur princess Diya Kumari termed it as a an exceptional example of a late medieval trade town in South Asia and defined new proud moment for the entire state. concepts for a thriving trade and commercial hub. In addition, the city is associated with living traditions in the form of crafts that have national and international recognition, it added.

16 UDAN … stimulating regional air connectivity

hen the civil aviation ministry first boost to the remote locations that make it to the announced the UDAN scheme for country’s new aviation map. Wregional air connectivity in 2017, many Why should I care? were sceptical about whether it would take off. Not UDAN gives flyers a chance to fly to and from far- only has UDAN got off the ground, it successfully flung airports like Hubballi and Baldota in Karnataka, connecting 16 new regional airports in the first round Burnpur in West Bengal, Darbhanga in Bihar, Hissar of bids, the Government announced the winners of in Haryana, Kannur in Kerala and Thanjavur in Tamil the second round of bidding recently. Nadu, to name just a few. What is it? UDAN also makes travel to remote cities quite UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) is the Government’s affordable. It connects city pairs such as Azamgarh initiative to make air travel to India’s tier II and tier in Uttar Pradesh to Delhi three times a week at III cities affordable to the aam aadmi. The idea is to maximum fares of ₹1,650, Cooch Behar in West put smaller cities and remote regions on the aviation Bengal to Guwahati in Assam at fares up to ₹1,570, map, by getting domestic airlines to ply more and Burnpur to Guwahati for up to ₹2,570 for the regional routes. Under the scheme, the Government seats to be sold under the scheme. offers incentives to airlines to flag off new flights Latest by June this year, passengers can hop on for to neglected smaller cities and towns by providing helicopter rides from Almora to Pantnagar or from Viability Gap Funding to make these operations Mussoorie to Dehradun at fares up to ₹2,480. Air profitable. Airlines are required to bid for exclusive travellers, airlines, helicopter operators and the rights to fly on the regional routes opened up under economy as a whole should benefit with the enhanced the scheme. They must sell a specific number of seats air connectivity that UDAN seeks to provide. on each flight at a fixed fare of ₹2,500 for one hour of flying. In the case of helicopter operations, allowed for the first time now, fares are capped at ₹2,500 for a 30-minute flight. More routes get operational Why is it important? Twelve routes under regional After the second round of bidding in UDAN, air connectivity scheme UDAN have travellers can now fly with known names such as Jet recently become functional, taking the Airways, IndiGo and Pawan Hans to far-flung places. total number of operational routes to 186. In all, 109 regional airports and heliports have been The Civil Aviation Ministry had connected. launched the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam The second round saw several tier 2 and tier 3 cities Nagrik) scheme to stimulate regional such as Kargil in J&K join the network. Besides air connectivity and make air travel these airports, 14 helipads in Uttarakhand, eight in affordable to the masses. This takes the Arunachal Pradesh, six in Himachal Pradesh, five in total operational routes under UDAN to Manipur and four in Assam have been pressed into 186 (including 8 Tourism RCS routes) of service in UDAN 2, making it easier for people in these regions to fly to other cities. the total 706 sanctioned routes. This should happen within six months as operators Durgapur airport is the 40th airport to have to start services within this time-frame after the become functional under the scheme. award of contract, subject to the Airports Authority The 12 routes include Kolkata-Allahabad, of India getting the airport/heliport ready. Allahabad-Kolkata, Allahabad-Raipur, Raipur-Allahabad, Gwalior-Bangalore, The scheme gives India’s aviation sector a boost by giving a chance to small and first-time operators to Bangalore-Gwalior and Kolkata-Gwalior. be a part of the rapid growth in passenger traffic. Gwalior-Kolkata, Mumbai-Belgaum, These two rounds of bidding have seen newer players Belgaum-Mumbai, Mumbai-Durgapur such as Heritage Aviation, Maritime Energy Heli Air and Durgapur-Mumbai are the other Services, Turbo Aviation, Zoom Air and Pinnacle routes that have become functional winning bids to operate flights. Robust regional recently under the UDAN scheme. connectivity is also expected to deliver an economic 17 BIMSTEC … immense opportunities By Constantino Xavier he recently re-elected Narendra Modi- led government in India is poised to Tcontinue its “neighborhood first” policy in its second term. Modi’s invitation to BIMSTEC leaders to attend his swearing-in ceremony indicates how BISMTEC is being highlighted as India’s preferred regional grouping, an idea that was given more credence by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar recently, who commented that India sees BIMSTEC as having new energy and possibilities. BIMSTEC comprises India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Better connectivity projects would help India leverage the untapped potential of BIMSTEC’s possible trade linkages. Currently, intra-BIMSTEC trade has grown at a meager rate of 0.62% annually. However, New Delhi’s total trade with the six BIMSTEC countries has grown at an annual growth rate of 10.4%. For both India’s eastern coastal states and the northeastern region in particular, and for the Indian economy in general, growth and development are seen to hinge on the degree of connectivity with Southeast Asian markets. By fostering transnational connectivity around the region — in particular with Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Thailand — Indian policymakers expect that the country’s exports will pick up, that more investments will flow in, and that regional integration will serve as a positive springboard for greater global economic interdependence. In the words of two former BIMSTEC leaders with the Indian Prime Minister Indian officials, BIMSTEC therefore represents “the only real bridge” or a “unique link” Bangladesh and Myanmar. India’s support became the first Indian prime minister to pay mini-lateral initiatives with other BIMSTEC between South and Southeast Asia. for the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) East exclusive bilateral visits to Nepal (since 1997) members, including the Bangladesh-Bhutan- India’s interest in BIMSTEC as an avenue Coast Economic Corridor and its multi-modal and to Sri Lanka (since 1987). Moreover, by India-Nepal (BBIN) formalized in 2013 as a to greater integration in the Bay of Bengal is regional corridor from Kolkata to Kanyakumari choosing Bhutan as his first foreign destination, quadrilateral joint working group. Far from taking place on different policy levels. First, reflects the domestic dimension of this new in 2014, he emphasized the eastern front of being a new creation focused merely on domestically, India’s focus on the Bay of Bengal Bay of Bengal strategy. India’s regional periphery. Three years after isolating Pakistan, this á la carte policy of region overlaps with its specific developmental New Delhi’s emphasis on the Bay of Bengal coming to power, Modi completed his bilateral regionalism dates back to 1997, when New goals for its eastern and northeastern states. is also being pursued through reinvigorated outreach to all BIMSTEC countries with Delhi, Dhaka, Kathmandu, and Thimphu These goals have inspired ambitious projects bilateral relationships with the neighbors. With his visit to Myanmar in September 2017. No created the South Asia Growth Quadrangle like Sagarmala and Bharatmala, which seek Bangladesh, this included historic agreements Indian prime minister has dedicated so much initiative to spur economic development in the to develop port and road infrastructure, in 2015 to finalize the land boundary and attention to the immediate neighborhood since subcontinent. respectively, to internationalize India’s establish direct shipping routes, both of which at least Rajiv Gandhi back in the 1980s. India’s new impetus on the Bay of Bengal is hinterland economy via maritime and cross- pave the way to reinstitute connectivity levels India’s path toward regional connectivity also channeled through a new posture toward border hubs on the eastern coast and with from more than fifty years ago. Modi also now also goes through sub-regional and external actors, seeking partnerships with countries and organizations from outside the region. This includes a variety of joint naval exercises held in the region, including with the United States, and also a new interest in cooperating with Australia. On this front, Japan has been perhaps the most prominent player, based on Modi and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s “Vision 2025” plan to “seek synergy . . . by closely coordinating, bilaterally and with other partners, for better regional integration and improved connectivity,” especially in the Bay of Bengal region. India has also enthusiastically endorsed the ADB’s South Asia Sub regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) operational program for 2016–2025, focused on improving connectivity between the subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Apart from improving connectivity and enhancing regional trade, BIMSTEC could also help in partially addressing India’s growing energy requirements. India, along with other BIMSTEC countries, is exploring energy opportunities at the Rakhine coast of Myanmar in the northern part of the Bay of Bengal. In this context, BIMSTEC has already established an energy centre in New Delhi to provide logistic, technical and research support. Being the largest and most developed country in this grouping, the onus of steering the organisation forward lies with India.

Courtesy: Carnegie India 18

India wins 17 medals in the four-day Asian Athletics saga

he 23rd edition of the Asian Athletics has drawn to a close in Doha with the arena lying witness to some classic performances. The four-day athletic Tevent drew to a close with India finishing with 17 medals to its name. With 3 gold medals, 7 silver and 7 bronze medals, India’s loot has been satisfactory from the championships. Although there were a lot of hiccups in some of the assured medal events, India seems to have managed to keep a fine form till the very end of the tournament and finish fourth on the medal table with 17 glistening medals to boast and be proud of. The big win of the day came from the women’s 1500 meter race where PU Chitra and Lili Das hustled to win a medal for India on the final day of the tournament. The defending champion of the 1500 meter category, PU Chitra emerged in top form as she smartly side stepped the efforts of the Bahrainis who tried to block her path and waylay her. Chitra remained in cruise control and did not flinch while storming past former two-time gold medalist Yavi Winfred and under-18 World Champion, Gashaw Tigest. The 23-year-old from Kerala remained clear in her focus and overtook the Bahraini duo to make a final dash for the gold and defend her win from the previous edition. In a matter of 4:14:56 seconds, Chitra clinched gold and booked herself a direct ticket to the World Championships later this year. In the men’s 1500 meter final event, it was Ajay Kumar Saroj who showed enough grit and stamina to overtake three competitors in the final lap and really pushed the accelerator button to get his hands on a silver medal. With Jinson Johnson, having had to bow out due to a muscle strain, Saroj ensured India did not feel the lack of the army man as he shouldered the responsibility and clocked a silver medal win in 3:43:18 seconds. In the next event, it was the men’s 5000m final, with India’s Murli Kumar Tulsyabhai Gavit and Abhishek Pal due to compete. However the duo failed to get any medals and finished fifth and sixth respectively, on the board. Another star attraction of the day was the 4x400 meter women’s final which saw India in the lead in the first lap and then slowing down after a clumsy baton exchange in the second lap at the 800 meter mark. The squad comprising Prachi, MR Poovamma, Saritaben Gayakwad and VK Vismaya managed to make amends when Vismaya steered the road towards a gold finish but had to settle for a silver as Bahrain’s Salwa Naser, took care of the final lap and dashed out of nowhere like a superjet to win gold for Bahrain in the last 50 meter. The Indians clocked their silver medal win in a season’s best 3:32:21 seconds lap whilst thanks to Naser, Bahrain finished in just 3:32:10 seconds. On the men’s side, Kunhu Mohammed, KS Jeevan, Muhammed Anas and Arokia Rajiv participated in the 4x400 meter relay event. The Indians finished second in 3:03.28 seconds but sadly, was later disqualified under rule 163.2 (impeding an athlete). Japan won the gold (3:02.94s) while China took the silver. 19

Women filmmakers who redefine the Indian cinema By Sarangi Anand

ale-dominance has been historically reinforced in the Indian cinema and the number of filmmakers has been on the rise in the industry Mthroughout the years. But, the rate of redefining cinemas has, however, started blowing winds across the country. In Indian cinema, which is a variety of genres and languages, women filmmakers also have exceptionally placed their roles behind the camera either as directors, writers or producers. Women directors are making their presence felt in filmmaking through independent and unconventional films. This article talks about some of the pioneering women filmmakers in the Indian cine industry. The history of women filmmakers in Indian cinema can be traced to Fatma Begum. In 1926, she began her own production company called Fatma Films and made her directorial debut with a fantasy film called Bulbul-e-Paristan. This turned out to be the first Indian film directed by a woman director. Multi-talented Begum was an actress who wrote, produced and directed many films. Journey from this pioneer filmmaker to contemporary women filmmakers like Gauri Shinde and Alakrita Shrivastava was a long and arduous one. Similar to Hollywood, women filmmakers in India are also fighting against the odds and campaigning to diminish the stereotypes and genderscapes present in the industry. These women directors give a new sense of realistic approach to the films in terms of emotionally-strong and mentally-bold concepts, thus, overwhelming the audience. There was a time when a few female directors like Kalpana Lajmi, Deepa Mehta and Aparna Sen accentuated their roles as directors. Kalpana Lajmi’s movies were mostly female-centric and she is popular for her work Rudaali, a film about a woman in a Rajasthani village who struggles throughout her life. This film paved way for actresses Dimple Kabadia and Raveena Tandon to win National awards. Deepa Mehta is an inspiring director for the coming generation. She is mainly known for her work Elements Trilogy - Fire, Earth and Water. The movie Fire revolves around the issues of arranged marriage. Earth is about the partition of India and formation of Pakistan, which was India’s official entry to Oscars. Water is about the suicide and mistreatment of widows in India and was nominated for Oscars under Best Foreign language Film category. Aparna Sen is another prominent actor, filmmaker and screenwriter. Mr and Mrs Iyer, 36 Chowringhee Lane, Yugant, Paromitar Ek Din and 15 Park Avenue are some of her notable directorial ventures. She is also a National award and Padma Shri award winner. Sen is an embodiment of brilliance for the next generation of filmmakers. However, today, the contemporary filmmakers redefine the Indian cinema. Gauri Shinde is one of the examples. She made her debut in 2012 with English Vinglish. It portrays a woman who overcomes her insecurities by her own stand and the film became a huge success. Later, she directed Dear Zindagi in 2016 which was also another blockbuster. Alankrita Shrivastava made her directorial debut with Turning 30. Her second film Lipstick Under My Burkha in 2016 invited a lot of controversies for its bold theme and portrayal. Despite the criticisms, the film received many international awards, including Golden Globes nomination. These female directors are broadening India cinema with mind-boggling concepts. They have created and still continue to influence the audience with realistic scripts and leave a mark in the male-dominant industry. 20

‘Bharat Ratna’ for Pranab Mukherjee, Nanaji Deshmukh & Bhupen Hazarika

harat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour was conferred on Natak Akademi Award (1987), Padmashri (1977), Padmabhushan former President and veteran Congress leader Pranab Mukher- (2001) and Padma Vibhushan (2012-posthumously), Hazarika was Bjee by President Ramnath Kovind. Bharatiya Jan Sangh founder also awarded with Dada Saheb Phalke Award in 1992. Hazarika did Nanaji Deshmukh and noted singer-musician Bhupen Hazarika were his PhD from Columbia University in 1952. He died in 2011. The cul- also honoured (both posthumously) at a ceremony held at the Rash- tural icon also had a brush with politics and had unsuccessfully con- trapati Bhavan. tested the Guwahati Lok Sabha seat on a BJP ticket in 2004. He was an independent MLA in Assam during 1967-72. Pranab Mukherjee, 83, served as the President of India since 2012 to 2017. He has donned many hats as the Defence Minister, Fi- Hazarika gave music in Bollywood movies Rudaali, Darmiyaan, nance Minister, External Affairs Minister, Leader of Lok Sabha, Leader Gaja Gamini, Daman and many Assamese hits, including award win- of Rajya Sabha and Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission in his ning film ‘Sameli Memsaab’ long career.

Deshmukh was associated with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh since 1928 till his death in Satna, Madhya Pradesh, in 2010 at the age of 94 and was known for starting the chain of RSS inspired schools throughout India.He was one of the founder members of Bharatiya Jan Sangh which later evolved as Bharatiya Janta Party. He was con- sidered to be one of the architects of the Jai Prakash Narain move- ment against Emergency in 1974 and among the key persons in the formation of Janata Party government in 1977. Born in 1926, Hazarika was an playback singer, lyricist, musi- cian, singer, poet and film-maker from Assam. A recipient of Sangeet

Sushma Swaraj: Nation mourns ‘People’s Foreign Minister’ By Shubhajit Roy

ushma Swaraj, who passed away in Delhi last week following a cardiac arrest, was the first woman external affairs minister of India. The 67-year-old leader, who had served her fourth term in Lok SSabha had long been her party’s most prominent woman face. She was the youngest cabinet minister at 25 when she joined the Haryana government in 1977 and the first woman chief minister of Delhi. In June 2016, a Twitter user tweeted to then External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj that he had been sold a defective refrigerator that went kaput. She replied, on Twitter: “Brother I cannot help you in matters of a Refrigerator. I am very busy with human beings in distress.” That was Swaraj, who had by then earned a formidable reputation in helping overseas Indians in distress; the External Affairs Minister who brought a humane touch to the otherwise distant and officious Ministry of External Affairs. Within months of taking charge, Swaraj made sure that the ministry was a responsive government institution. A system, thus, was put in place where she would respond to distress tweets from Indians stranded across the world. “Indian Embassy is your home away from home. Whenever in trouble, please contact the Indian Embassy/Consulate. They will always help you,” she told this to many — in person, and on Twitter. During her five years as External Affairs Minister, Swaraj made sure that she left a legacy of being a responsive minister - she once responded to distress tweets at 3 am, which became a benchmark of sorts for Indian embassies worldwide. Handpicked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lead the MEA, Swaraj could have fretted and sulked since Modi made foreign policy his priority in his first term. But she was able to make her own space skillfully. From rescuing hearing and speech-impaired Geeta from Pakistan to organising mass evacuation from Iraq, Yemen, Nepal, among other conflict-hit areas, and from pushing the Kulbhushan Jadhav case to getting Indian national Hamid Ansari back, Swaraj endeared herself to ordinary Indians. She always prepared the groundwork for Modi’s high-level visits — from her visit to Pakistan in December 2015, which was followed by Modi’s; her visit to China in 2018, setting the stage for the informal Wuhan summit; and effectively standing in for the United Nations General Assembly sessions every September-October to put across India’s point of view. Gifted with oratory skills, both in chaste Hindi and English, she made life easy for Indian diplomats prepping for visits. Once, when a doormat depicting the Indian flag sold by a third-party reseller in Canada caught her attention, she demanded a public apology from Amazon and threatened to rescind Indian visas for Amazon employees. At the French National Day in July 2015, asked why the Opposition was not seeking her resignation, one Opposition leader said, “She is one of our old socialist friends.” While she won over her rivals that day, over the last five years she possibly won the hearts of many she helped and came across as someone who was the “People’s Foreign Minister”. 21 21

Parbati Giri … ‘Mother Teresa’ of western Odisha ne afternoon in 1942 at Bargarh, Odisha, a point for the nationalists. Then barely 10, Parbati of weaving and thread making in villages like 16 year old girl sat in the chair of the Sub was an avid listener in the meetings of the freedom Samlaipadar, Barpali, Panimora, Sarandapali and ODivisional Officer of Bargarh, and acted as the fighters and was inspired with their work and Dalaipara of Sambalpur town. judge. Helping her in the court proceedings were her sacrifices. This stuck into this little girl’s heart and The Quit India Movement was started in the year three compatriots impersonating as an advocate, she would go door to door and request people to 1942 which saw Pabitra then 16 years old, leading court reader and peon respectively. become members of the Congress. rallies against the British rule. Once she went to When the official SDO of Bargarh arrived he The initiative of this little girl towards the Indian the Bargarh Bar and ordered the lawyers to vacate was taken aback at a little girl occupying his chair. national movement reached the Odisha Congress their chambers and not cooperate with the British On seeing the SDO, the girl ordered her compatriots leaders. Impressed they requested Parbati’s father legal system. The lawyers were taken aback at to tie him up and bring him up to her. The SDO of to allow his daughter for organisational work at the being ordered around by a 16 year old. Some of the Bargarh ordered the police to arrest the girl. The Congress conclave at Samlaipadar village. At that lawyers heeded to Parbati’s request and left. Those court subsequently gave her imprisonment for time Parbati was 11 years old. Her dedication towards who stayed back were offered two bangles each by 2 years. The girl was Parbati Giri, a fiery freedom the tasks assigned was so impressive that her family Parbati. This defiance of young girls is now part folk fighter which Odisha and the entire country looks up was requested by distinguished Congress leaders lore in Odisha. Subsequently she was arrested and to. After independence Parbati continued to serve like Malati Choudhury and Pranakrushna Padhiari jailed for two years for anti government activity the nation and opened an orphanage at Paikmal to allow Parbati to join in the organizational work of stemming from her occupation of the office of the Congress full time. This was a time when there was SDO of Bargarh. an acute shortage of grass-root level workers in the After independence Parbati could have easily Congress. The family after initial hesitation relented got into politics. However she chose the hard path and Parbati along with another friend, a child widow, of national development as a foot worker. She left home on 14 January 1938 and went to the Bari participated in the Bhudaan movement of Binoba Ashram run by Rama Devi. This 12 year old girl was Bhave. She founded the Rukmini Lath Balniketan at never to return back home and dedicated her entire Paikmal village , Bargaon for orphans. life to the nation and nation building. Parbati Giri was honoured with an Honorary During her life at Bari Ashram, Parbati Giri Doctorate by Sambhalpur University which was learned the philosophy of Ahimsa and Self Reliance. conferred on her personally by the Governor of She would go from village to village and organized Odisha, Shri C. Rangarajan in 1998. It is indeed village (Padampur Sub Division, Bargarh District and meetings against the British rule. She gave training surprising that the Padma awards eluded Parbati. devoted the rest of her life for the welfare of orphans. Her dedication to the cause of the downtrodden has got her the epithet – Mother Teresa of Western Orissa. Awareness and motivation to join the freedom struggle came to Parbati from her family. In those days women in public life was a rarity and that too for a girl from a rural background. Women in urban areas had a few more options. Parbati was born in Samlaipadar village in undivided Sambalpur district in 1926. Her uncle Ramchandra Giri was a leading Congress leader and Samlaipadar village was an important congregation Senapati Bapat - a maverick in his own right By Rinchen Norbu Wangchuk andurang Mahadev Bapat, popularly known as ‘Senapati Following his release from prison, he joined Bal Gangadhar Bapat,’ remains a fascinating figure of the Indian Tilak in his attempts to strengthen local support in the Poona area Pindependence movement whose revolutionary zeal was not for the cause of Indian Independence. only influenced by Hinduism, Bolshevism and Gandhian philosophy, By 1920, he had bought into Gandhi’s vision of ‘swaraj.’ but also a profoundly independent streak. However, it’s the following year, when he really came into Bapat was called ‘senapati’ or ‘commander’ for his leadership prominence, leading the Mulshi satyagraha, the world’s first anti- during the Mulshi satyagraha in 1921 leading to what social scientist dam movement. Ghanshyam Shah called the “first recorded organised struggle Despite closely participating in the freedom struggle, he also against the forced displacement” of farmers. grew critical of Gandhi and mainstream Congress leaders. Born on 12 November 1980, Bapat was raised in a lower- “Shuddha satyagraha neither insists on absolute non-violence middle-class Chitwpawan Brahmin family in the Parner town of nor on absolute-violence. It allows the use of violence when the Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra. desired goal proves to be of supreme significance as compared with Enrolling in the Deccan College in Pune was a turning point in the value of non-violence in itself,” according to Bapat. his life because this is where he came across Damodar Balwant Another facet of his political thought is ‘prana-yadnya‘ (self- Bhide, a member of the revolutionary Chapekar Club, and Professor killing) as an act of protest like the self-immolations in Tibet Francis William Bain, a Brit who infused Indian nationalist feelings against Chinese assimilation. Unlike other revolutionaries, he saw amongst his fellow students. the fissures between Hindus and Muslims as a product of colonial There were events like the atrocities committed by the British rule, and instead of resorting to communalism the answers he administrators during the plague in Pune, the assassination of believed lay in religious tolerance. British official Charles Rand and politicization of festivals like Following his arrest for the Mulshi satyagraha, he remained the Shiva Jayanti and Ganesh Chaturthi to further nationalist in prison for nearly seven years and released only in 1931. He sentiments also played a critical role in shaping his politics. subsequently served a third jail sentence for attending a public In 1904, after passing out of college, he earned a scholarship gathering organised by Subhash Chandra Bose in Mumbai. The and left for England to study at Heriot-Watt College in Edinburgh. associates. After learning how to make bombs, he came back to road along which these gatherings were held was later renamed Among other works, it was Dadabhai Naoroji’s treatise ‘Poverty India in 1908 with a ‘bomb-manual’, which was secretly distributed Senapati Bapat Road. in India’, which helped him understand the exploitative nature of to revolutionaries across the country, and two revolvers. On 15 August 1947, Bapat had the honour of raising the British rule on the Indian economy. It was here when he developed However, his vision for a coordinated nationwide armed revolt Indian national flag over Pune for the first time. Bapat eventually links with prominent British socialists of the time and met several against the British never took off and instead what came of it were passed away on 28 November 1967 at the age of 87. In 1977, the Russian revolutionaries who introduced him to Bolshevism. individual acts of terrorism which the British crushed rather quickly. Government of India issued a postage stamp in his honour. However, his public speeches against British rule in India, which Fearing for his safety following the arrest of revolutionaries Bapat was a maverick in his own right not beholden to any were deeply critical and provocative, and his association with the who made a failed attempt at assassinating the Mayor of party or personality. Thus his joining of the Hyderabad satyagraha, India House in London, a hub for anti-colonial political activism, Chandnagar in Bengal, Bapat went underground for a couple of his acceptance of the Presidentship of the Maharashtra branch resulted in him losing his scholarship in 1907. years but was eventually arrested by the police in 1912. of the Forward Bloc (Bose’s party) in 1939, his participation in Fortunately, Bapat found accommodation here, and that’s However, he was released in 1915 when the police couldn’t find the liberation movement of Goa and the Samyukta Maharashtra where he met with VD Savarkar, on whose advice he went to Paris sufficient evidence to link him to these attacks. Movement confirmed the same independent spirit of Bapat which to acquire the technique of making explosives with his Russian he showed from time to time. 22

Girish Karnad … remembering the multifaceted artist ctor-director-writer Girish Karnad, a legend in Kannada writing and theatre is no more. Karnad was known for plays such as Tughlaq and Hayavadana and for his work in South and Hindi cinema. A Karnad was born in Matheran, Maharashtra in 1938 and grew up in Sirsi and Dharwad in Karnataka. This was where he developed his love of theatre, after watching village plays and ‘natak mandalis’ or travelling theatre groups. Karnad graduated from Karnatak Arts College in Dharwad and then studied philosophy, political science and economics at Magdalen College in Oxford as a Rhodes scholar. After a few years working with Oxford University press, Karnad turned to writing full time. His first play, Yayati, was published in 1961; Tughlaq was written in 1964 and Hayavadana in 1971. Karnad wrote in Kannada and his plays were translated into English and other languages. They were directed by theatre legends such as Ebrahim Alkazi, Alyque Padamsee and Satyadev Dubey. Modern Kannada theatre evolved under Girish Karnad’s stewardship. Karnad also had a long and prolific career as an actor, beginning with critically acclaimed Kannada film Samskara in 1970. Though his preferred language was Kannada, Karnad appeared in several well-received Hindi films such as Nishaant, Manthan, Dor and Swami. Karnad also directed films, including Vamsha Vriksha in 1971 and Utsav in 1984. TV audiences remember Girish Karnad from Malgudi Days and Indradhanush. One of Girish Karnad’s last few film appearances was in Salman Khan’s 2017 blockbuster Tiger Zinda Hai, the sequel to 2012’s Ek Tha Tiger in which Karnad also starred. Karnad was a political activist and an outspoken critic of religious fundamentalism. He also served as director of the Film and Television Institute of India or FTII from 1974 to 1975, chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi from 1988 to 1993, and director of the Nehru Centre in London from 2000 to 2003. Karnad received the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and Jnanpith Award. He also won National Film Awards for several films, including Best Director for Vamsha Vriksha and Best Screenplay for Bhumika.

Sheila Dikshit: Graceful leader who transformed Delhi he political legacy of veteran Congress leader Sheila Dikshit, Twho was India’s longest serving woman Chief Minister, was best summed up by her one-time rival and now Union Minister for Science and Technology, Harsh Vardhan. “We had our differences on policies, but we always admired her behaviour and efficiency,” he said. It was this efficiency that made Ms. Dikshit the face of a fast-changing Delhi, someone who knew how to change political adversity into opportunity. The city’s change to cleaner public transport bears testimony to Ms. Dikshit’s efforts. In April 2001, public transport in the national capital collapsed as nearly 10,000 old and polluting diesel buses were ordered off the roads by the Supreme Court. The Congress government led by her was not ready with a plan to deploy cleaner CNG buses. For nearly two decades, Ms. Dikshit personified Delhi and the aspirations of its citizens. She served them with her heart and mind and they gave her their abundant love. Every resident of Delhi will feel that he or she has lost a member of his or her family. Her largely successful legacy in Delhi was, however, marred by allegations of corruption during the 2010 Common Wealth Games. She also briefly served as the Governor of Kerala from March to August in 2014. Ms. Dikshit was born in Kapurthala in Punjab to a non-political family in 1938, and graduated from Miranda House, University of Delhi. In July 1962, she married bureaucrat Vinod Dikshit, who she had met during her college days. And her first foray into politics came when she assisted her father-in-law Uma Shankar Dikshit, a loyalist of Jawaharlal Nehru who had served as a Minister in the Ms. Dikshit took the formal plunge in 1984 when she became a Lok Sabha member from Kannauj in Indira Gandhi Cabinet in 1971 and become the Governor of Karnataka and West Uttar Pradesh. Known to be a loyalist of the Gandhi family, she was hand-picked by Rajiv Gandhi in his Bengal. Council of Ministers after he became the Prime Minister in 1984. 23

Anandavally (67) Mohan Rangachari (66) Y C Deveshwar (72) Dubbing artist Actor/comedian Businessman (14 January 1952 -5 April 2019) (16 October 1952 – 10 June 2019) (4 February 1947 – 11 May 2019)

Dubbing artist and actor Anandavally, through whose voice Not too many who followed Tamil dramas or films knew him Noted industry leader and ITC Chairman YC Deveshwar, who female leads in Malayalam cinema spoke through much of by his real name - Mohan Rangachari - but just mention Crazy, transformed the cigarette major into a diversified player with the 1980s, passed away. Anandavally began using her voice and their faces would light up as they recalled some joke that interests in FMCG, hospitality, IT and other sectors, passed away. effectively from a young age, as a singer in dramas of the KPAC Crazy Mohan had cracked. With an unruly mop of thinning hair, Deveshwar joined ITC in 1968 and was appointed as a director on and the Kalidasa Kalakendram. It opened doors to acting in spectacles, dressed in a T-shirt with the sleeves rolled up just ITC’s board on April 11, 1984. He rose to become its chief executive dramas, and later in films, making her debut with Eanippadikal in that bit and what could pass off as track pants, you could identify and chairman on January 1, 1996. One of the longest serving top 1973. A year later, she made her debut as a dubbing artiste in Devi Crazy Mohan from his inimitable voice and the Brahmin lingo. He executives of a corporate entity in India, he was responsible for Kanyakumari, lending voice to Rajasree’s character. was a larger-than-life figure for millions of his fans. He made his transforming ITC from mainly a cigarettes maker into a diversified The first big break in her dubbing career came at the turn of that name writing rip-roaring dramas. The storyline hardly mattered, entity with interests in FMCG, hospitality, paper, agri business and decade, becoming the voice of the tragic female lead Prabha, what the audience were engrossed in was the steady flow of information technology, among others. An alumnus of IIT Delhi played by Poornima Jayaram, in Manjil Virinja Pookkal. With that, one-liners. He had made his mark as a dramatist long before he and Harvard Business School, Deveshwar had also led Air India as she became the preferred dubbing artiste for top heroines of the made his appearance in Tamil movies, through Kamal Haasan’s chairman and managing director between 1991 and 1994. 1980s including Geetha, Madhavi, Sumalatha, Seema, Menaka, Apoorva Sahodarargal, in which he played a cameo, as he did in A recipient of Padma Bhushan - one of the highest civilian awards Ambika, Suhasini, Lissy, Radhika, Unnimary, Shobhana, Parvathy, many other Kamal movies, where he had written the dialogues. in the country - in 2011, Deveshwar also played his part in nation and several others. Sathi Leelavathi, Michael Madana Kama Rajan (MMKR), Avvai building, taking up various roles in several institutions. He served Anandavally was known for her mastery in bringing subtle Shanmugi, Tenali, Pammal K Sambandam, Panchathantiram were as a director on the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India, as variations to her voice texture depending on the character, a some of the movies that Crazy Mohan handled the dialogues or a member of the National Foundation for Corporate Governance quality which enabled her to provide voice to multiple characters the screenplay. Crazy Mohan’s strength was his command over and member of the governing body of the National Council of in the same film like in the case of Bharatham and Santhwanam. what is still known as Madras Tamizh. Applied Economic Research.

J Mahendran (79) Jaipal Reddy (77) K M Mani (86) Director/actor Politician Politician (25 July 1939 – 2 April 2019) (16 January 1942 – 28 July 2019) (30 January 1933 – 9 April 2019)

Veteran director J Mahendran, who has given Tamil cinema Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader S. Jaipal Reddy Kerala Congress (M) chairman K. M. Mani, the longest serving several important films including Aadu Puli Attam (story, passed away. Reddy joined politics as a student leader of Osmania legislator in the State’s history, is no more. Fondly called ‘Mani dialogues) Mullum Malarum (debut as director), Uthiripookkal University and went on to become Congress MLA in 1970s. Saar’ by the masses and the State’s political class alike, the lean, and Nenjathai Killadhe passed away at his residence in In the wake of an upsurge of opposition to former Prime Minister heavy-browed politician had represented the Pala Assembly Chennai. Born in 1939, Mahendran began writing stories for Indira Gandhi after she imposed Emergency in the country, constituency for 52 years on the trot since its formation in 1965. filmmakers way back in 1966. The film Naam Moovar by director Reddy joined Janata Party and later Janata Dal in the splinter Till now, he has won all the 13 elections from the constituency. Jambulingam starring Jaishankar, Ravichandran and Nagesh was groupings that took place. He was Union Minister for Information He had held the Finance portfolio for the longest period and based on Mahendran’s story and this was his very first attempt and Broadcasting, Union Minister for Urban Development, Union presented 13 budgets. in cinema. His other notable stories include the female-centric Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas before finally holding the Born into a lower middle-class family in Marangattupilly, Mani Panakkara Pillai starring Jayalalithaa in the lead and Sivaji’s subject of science technology. began his career as a lawyer. Riding on an initial leg-up by acclaimed Thanga Pathakkam. Mahendran made his directorial Reddy was Union Minister in Federal front government earlier and political giant P.T. Chacko, he rose swiftly through the ranks of the debut with Mullum Malarum, a critically acclaimed drama starring Congress-led UPA I and UPA II regimes. He was elected to the Lok Congress and held the secretary post of the Kottayam District Rajinikanth, Sarath Babu, Fatafat Jayalaxmi and Shoba, in 1978. Sabha four times and Rajya Sabha twice. Known for his oratorial Congress Committee from 1960 to 1965. The film was a turning point in Rajinikanth’s career, and the skills, Reddy was heard with rapt attention in the Andhra Pradesh The Assembly elections in 1965 marked the watershed in Mani’s director is credited with moulding the Superstar as we know him Assembly in his heydays as an MLA of Kalwakurthy constituency political life. Having failed to secure a nomination from the today. Cinemavum Naanum, an autobiography by the filmmaker in Mahbubnagar district. Reddy, current Vice-President M. Congress, he was roped in by the Kerala Congress, which was was published in 2013. In recent times, the director has appeared Venkaiah Naidu and late Gouthu Latchanna had served as a formed a year ago and was on a growth path, as a candidate of in a few notable films playing memorable roles. Mahendran strong Oppositon in the State Assembly. the newly constituted Pala constituency. His son, Jose K. Mani, is played the villain in Vijay’s Theri, a role that fetched him the Best an MP with the Rajyasabha. Villain award at IIFA Utsavam in 2017 24

Manohar Parrikar (63) S Muthiah (89) M J Radhakrishnan Politician (Writer/journalist) Cinematographer (13 December 1955 – 17 March 2019 (13 April 1930 – 20 April 2019) (1957/1958 – 12 July 2019)

From being an IITian, to an ordinary RSS pracharak and then In the passing of S. Muthiah, Chennai has lost its best-known M.J. Radhakrishnan, one of the finest cinematographers in emerge as a top minister in the Union Cabinet, Manohar Parrikar chronicler. In the past several decades he made it his mission to Malayalam cinema, died of cardiac arrest. He won seven State Film had an illustrious, yet simple life till his last breath. The four-time bring to light the past of Madras and document the achievements Awards – only Mankada Ravi Varma has won as many. In a career Goa chief minister was among the few from Goa who made it to of men and women of the city. Born on April 13, 1930 to V.Vr.N.M. that spanned over four decades, he worked in about 70 films. His the national level. Parrikar held the defence portfolio in the Modi Subbiah Chettiar and Chittal Acchi at Pallathur, Mr. Muthiah had his last release was Olu, directed by Shaji N. Karun. government since 2014, till the time he returned to his first love, education in Sri Lanka and the United States of America. Returning In Kaliyattam - director Jayaraj’s adaptation of William Goa, to take over the chief minister’s post. to Colombo with a master’s degree in international relations, he Shakespeare’s Othello - the night shots were among the highlights. Parrikar is remembered as the “original aam aadmi” by fellow took to journalism, joining the Times of Ceylon, which he served for Only a skilled cinematographer could make all those shots of politicians, journalists and Goans alike. Parrikar enjoyed a man- 17 years. In 1968, he moved to India, making Madras his home and “Theyyam” so natural and capture the emotions on the faces of next-door image who navigated Goa’s politics for two decades working at T.T. Maps. Passionate about the history of the city and Manju Warrier, Suresh Gopi and Lal (on his acting debut) so well. and became BJP’s crisis man in the coastal state. appalled at the indifference with which it was treated, he wrote his Radhakrishnan was admired not just by young cinematographers, An admitted workaholic who insisted on leading a simple life, first book, Madras Discovered, in 1981. In 1991, Mr. Muthiah, along but by young directors as well. He was also often the first choice of Parrikar, a metallurgist by training, was a leader who enjoyed with Lokavani-Hallmark Press began Madras Musings, a fortnightly art-house directors. The most seasoned and celebrated directors acceptance from all sections of the BJP and beyond. Parrikar dedicated to the history, culture and heritage of the city. In 1999, too preferred him. He was the cinematographer for two films played a key role in making the BJP a force to reckon with in Mr. Muthiah began Madras Miscellany, his weekly column for The directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Naalu Penngunal and Oru Goa, which was until then a Congress bastion, with regional Hindu. Appearing each Monday, it had many readers hooked; its Pennum Randaanum. Some of his finest work can be seen in films outfits having pockets of influence. There are many accounts of stories on the city being their staple read that morning. like Ottal, Veettilekkulla Vazhi, Desadanam, Kannaki, Thirakkatha his spartan style -- security personnel seeing him arriving at the and Theerthadanam. airport in a rickshaw, carrying his own luggage wearing rumpled bush shirts and chappals in north block.

AK Roy (84) Ruma Guha Thakurta (84) Sabyasachi Bhattacharya (81) Politician Actress/singer Historian (15 June 1935 - 21 July 2019) (21 November 1934 – 3 June 2019) (1938- 7 January 2019)

Former Lok Sabha MP A.K. Roy passed away. He was one among Veteran actress Ruma Guha Thakurta passed away at the age of Sabyasachi Bhattacharya, one of the foremost historians of modern the founders of the Jharkhand movement. The three-time MP 84. Born in Kolkata in 1934, Thakurta began her career as a dancer India, passed away. He enjoyed a stature similar to historians from Dhanbad was also the founder of Jharkhand’s regional party before moving to the Bombay, where she got married to singer Romila Thapar, K N Panicker and Sumit Sarkar. He made lasting Marxist Coordination Committee (MCC). Kishore Kumar in 1951. contribution for his study of the working of the colonial regime and Roy won the Dhanbad Lok Sabha seat in 1977, 1980 and 1989. He The two, who got separated in 1958, had a son - singer Amit Kumar. various economic aspects in colonial and post-colonial India. also represented Sindri in the Bihar Assembly in 1967, 1969 and The veteran actress-singer later married writer-director Arup His last book, ‘Archiving the British Raj: History of the Archival Policy 1972. Guhathakurta and had two children singers Sromona and Ayan. of the Government of India, with Selected Documents, 1858–1947’, Along with Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) supremo Shibu She worked in over 60 films, including Ganga (1959), Abhijaan was published in November 2018. Soren and former MP, the late Binod Bihari Mahto, Roy began the (1962), Palatak (1963), Antony Firingee (1967), 80 Te Asio Na (1967), His monumental work, ‘Financial Foundations Of the British Raj: Jharkhand movement that demanded a separate State from Bihar Balika Badhu (1967), Dadar Kirti (1980), 36 Chowringhee Lane Ideas And Interests In The Reconstruction Of Indian Public Finance in 1971. Jharkhand became a separate State on November 15, 2000. (1981), Amrita Kumbher Sandhane (1982), Bhalobasa Bhalobasa (1858-1872)’, which was first published in 1971 and has run into its Roy was born in Sapura village, now in Bangladesh. His father (1985) and Wheelchair (1994). seventh edition, is considered a classic. ‘The Colonial State: Theory Shivendra Chandra Roy was an advocate. He completed an M.Sc She was directed by some of the greatest directors of her time and Practice’ is another of his esteemed books. in Chemistry from Calcutta University in 1959 and worked for two inlcuding Satyajit Ray, Tapan Sinha, Tarun Majumdar, Rajen years in a private firm. He later joined Projects and Development Tarafdar, Aparna Sen and Mira Nair. Ruma also acted in several He had served as the vice-chancellor of Visva-Bharati University India Limited (PDIL), Sindri in 1961. Hindi films like Jowar Bhata (1944), her first film, Mashaal (1950), (1991-1995) and Chairman of the Indian Council of Historical He actively participated in the Bihar Band agitation on August 9, Afsar (1950), Raag Rang (1952) and her last film Namesake (2006). Research (2007-2011), besides teaching history at Jawaharlal Nehru 1966 and was arrested. She founded the Calcutta Youth Choir, a song and dance troupe, in University (1976-2003) (JNU). Bhattacharya also held teaching and 1958, which is known for its performance of folk and mass songs. research positions at St. Antony’s College (University of Oxford), University of Chicago and El Colegio de Mexico. 25

Kadavoor Sivadasan (87) Krishna Sobti (93) Veeru Devgan Politician Author Stuntman/action choreographer (11 March 1932 – 17 May 2019) (18 February 1925 – 25 January 2019) (1934 — 27 May 2019)

Congress leader and former minister Kadavoor Sivadasan Eminent Hindi author and essayist Krishna Sobti died in Delhi at Veteran action choreographer Veeru Devgan passed away in breathed his last at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. the age of 93. Born in Gujarat province of British India (now in Mumbai due to age-related health issues. Devgan was the father Born in 1932, Sivadasan completed his school education at Thevally Pakistan), Krishna Sobti moved to New Delhi after partition and of actor Ajay Devgn. Veeru Devgan choreographed the action Government School, graduation in economics at SN College in have been providing exceptional piece of work since then. Her sequences in over 80 Bollywood films, especially in the nineties. Kollam. He studied law at Law College, Ernakulam. work is well known for bold and daring characters portrayed in her Veeru Devgan, who was born in Amritsar, directed action in films Sivadasan entered politics through the RSP and later switched to books. such as Kranti, Aaj Ka Arjun, Mr Natwarlal, Mr India, Shahenshah the Congress. He was the president of the Progressive Students She is best known for her novels - Mitro Marajani, released in 1996. and Tridev. He also worked on films starring his son Ajay such as Union and was active in trade union activities through the Kerala Sobti’s writing has a hint of Punjabi, Urdu, and later, on Rajasthani Ishq and Dilwale. Devgan also directed and produced Ajay, Manisha Provisional United Trade Union Congress. as well. Her ability to adapt the dialect of different languages has Koirala and Amitabh Bachchan in 1999’s Hindustan Ki Kasam, his He served as minister in the governments led by K Karunakaran been praised by the critics. only work as a director. Veeru Devgan served as assistant director and A K Antony handling portfolios such as Electricity, Forest, Most of her work closely deals with the issues of female identity on Vishwatma and Mera Pati Sirf Mera Hai and also produced the Excise, Health and Labour. He represented Kollam and Kundara and sexuality. Krishna initially established herself as a writer with films Dil Kya Kare and Singhasan. Assembly constituencies consecutively for 15 years. her short stories. Initially, she published Lama and Nafisa in the He is survived by two sons - Ajay and Anil - and a daughter. Ajay He was an RSP candidate in 1980 and 1982. Later, he went to year 1944, followed by the story of Indian partition-Sikka Badal Devgn is married to actoress Kajol and they have a son and the Legislative Assembly as a Congress candidate in 1991, 1996 Gaya. daughter. and 2001. He is credited for establishing welfare boards for She worked on a series of short profiles and columns under unorganised sectors. It led to the formation of welfare boards in masculine pseudonym and compiled her non-fiction book as Ham all sectors in the state. Hashmat in 1977. She received Jnanpith Award in 2017 for her path- breaking contribution to Indian literature.

Vijaya Nirmala (75) Y.G.Parthasarathy (93) J Om Prakash (92) Actress/director Educationist Filmmaker/producer (20 February 1944 – 27 June 2019) (27 November 1925 – 6 August 2019) (24 January 1927 – 7 August 2019)

Legendary actor-director Vijaya Nirmala passed away at the age Renowned educationist and founder of the Padma Seshadri Veteran filmmaker J Om Prakash died in Mumbai aged 93. He is actor of 73. Some of the memorable roles essayed by the actor include Bala Bhavan (PSBB) Group of Schools, Mrs. Y.G.Parthasarathy, Hrithik Roshan’s maternal grandfather. Om Prakash was born in Tata Manavudu, Rangula Ratnam, Buddhimantudu, Om Shanti, passed away. She was 93. Mrs. YGP or Rashmi, as Rajalakshmi Sialkot, Punjab. The filmmaker made his directorial debut with Aap Pandanti Kapuram, and Hema Hemeelu. Born in Tamil Nadu in Parthasarathy was known, received the Padma Shri award in 2010 Ki Kasam in 1974, which starred Rajesh Khanna and Mumtaz in lead 1946, she began her career as a child actor aged just four with for her contribution to the field of education. Her husband, the late roles. Sanjeev Kumar, Rehman, Asrani and A.K. Hangal also played Machcha Rekhai in Tamil in 1950. Her first big break as an actor Y.G. Parthasarathy, was an actor and theatre personality and the key roles in the film. Om Prakash, most of whose film titles began was in Malayalam with Prem Nazir in Bhargavi Nilayam in 1964. She founder of the theatre group United Amateur Artists. Rajalakshmi with ‘A’, is best known for helming movies such as Aap Ki Kasam stepped into the role of a director besides essaying the lead role in studied at St John’s School and Holy Cross College, Chennai, (1974), Aakhir Kyon? (1985), Arpan (1983), Apna Bana Lo (1982), Meena (1973). The movie is considered one of her most memorable and completed her post-graduation in journalism from Madras Aasha (1980) and Apnapan (1977). He directed Rajesh Khanna in his roles and is based on a novel by Yeddanapudi Sulochanarani. The University in 1947 at a time when few women in India were able debut film Aap Ki Kasam, which is etched in our minds for its soulful movie was again remade in 2016 as A Aa. Vijaya Nirmala broke the to pursue higher studies. She also completed her MEd and was music - Jai, Jai Shiv Shankar and Zindagi Ke Safar - composed by RD mould when she acted and directed in Devadasu in 1974, though awarded a Master’s degree in history from Madras University. She Burman. Om Prakash worked with Jeetendra in Aadmi Khilona Hai Akinenni Nageswara Rao’s Devdasu (1953) was considered a went on to work as a journalist with The Hindu and Tamil weekly (1993). As a producer, J Om Prakash has successful movies such as benchmark in Telugu cinema for the tragic love story written by magazine, Kumudam. Mrs. YGP had worked in The Hindu and had Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke (1969), Ayee Milan Ki Bela (1964), Aaye Din Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Vijaya Nirmala’s name was listed as written regularly for its Sport & Pastime magazine. An eminent Bahar Ke (1966) and Aankhon Aankhon Mein (1972) to his credit. J one of the most prolific lady directors with 44 movies under her educationist, she started the PSBB in 1958, in a small manner, but Om Prakash served as the President of the Film Federation of India baton. it grew to accommodate several schools across various campuses from 1995-1996. spread over the city. 26

IIT-Madras turns 60! By Szhruthi Boopathy

ounded in 1959 and inaugurated by Prof. Humayun Kabir, the then Union minister for Scientific Research and Cultural Affairs, IIT-Madras is celebrating its 60th birthday. FFounded with technical and financial assistance from the former government of West Germany, it was the third IIT that was established by the Government of India. One can find many ‘gems’ within the campus that remain a treat for the past and present generations who studied here. Quark: The iconic canteen Named after an elementary particle, Quark is the iconic canteen that was built by the students in the early 80s. Wanting a canteen that stayed open much longer than the hostel canteens, the students got the permission they needed and designed and built the canteen, with guidance from the engineering professors. This place serves all kinds of amazing food at reasonable prices. Vana Vani and Kendriya Vidyalaya Imagine studying in a school located inside a forest and surrounded by wildlife, from monkeys to deer to anteaters! Vanavani Matriculation Higher Secondary School and Kendriya Vidyalaya, both founded in 1963, offer just that. “Both schools have their own different atmosphere despite being in the same IIT campus. Vanavani being a matriculation school and KVIIT being CBSE, they both were unique in their own ways. I learnt fluent in Hindi whilst studying at KVIIT”, says Boopathy Rajendran, a student. Open Air Theatre The iconic Open Air Theatre at IIT is the place to go for a unique movie experience. Watching a film under the canopy of the trees at night, surrounded by the night breeze is a one of a kind moment. Everybody looks forward to Sunday evenings at the ‘film club’. Students and residents can relax on the stairs and steps available and be far more comfortable, even showing up in pajamas, to enjoy the movie of the day. Popular Nights of Saarang, the annual social and cultural festival of IIT Madras are hosted at the Open Air Theatre of IIT Madras. Chemplast Cricket Ground One of the most scenic grounds, it was established only in 1998. Despite its age, the ground is still excellently maintained and is a sort of haven where the field is completely surrounded by a wild canopy of trees, making it all the more beautiful on golden afternoons. Walkers, joggers, sportspeople and the elderly make use of the field in the mornings and evenings for their own benefit. “The stadium is a lovely place in the evenings. I go walking there despite living outside of the IIT campus. Even though I am retired, I had worked there from 1969 to 2000, and I can’t seem to let go of the campus”, says 80 year old M. Rajendran, an IIT retiree. Hostels Their 15 hostels are all named after Rivers. IIT hosts accommodation for all the students who wish to live in the hostels. There are many recreational activities available from sports to literary and social activities that take place in the hostels during the academic year. A few rooms are used for common facilities such as the library, computer room, and indoor sports etc. A washing machine (Laundromat) is available in every hostel for use by the residents. Students can find leisure in the evenings or on holidays and spend time in the common room which is equipped with a T.V, a music system, newspapers and magazines. One half of the common room houses a table tennis (TT) board as well. Most hostels have a music room which has a high-quality stereo music system and a variety of cassettes to offer to the music lovers out there. With many more jubilees to celebrate, IIT will always remain one of Madras’s treasures and a home to the different species of wildlife that one can spot on a simple drive through the roads of the forest. Courtesy: Deccan Chronicle