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Volume XXX No. 3 May- June 2016
The Irish Rebellion FILM India Premiere of The 1916 Irish Rebellion INTRODUCTION by HE. Mr. Brian Mc Elduff SPEAKERS:Professor Briona Nic Dhiarmada; Dr. Conor Mulvagh COLLABORATlON: Embassy of Ireland
6 May 2016
n 6 May. 2016. the IIC hosted the India premiere of the documentary film. The 19/6 Irish Rebellion, a landmark examination of an event O that shaped the face of Irish history. Narrated by Liam Neeson, the film tells the story of the dramatic events that took place in Dublin during the week of Easter. 1916. when a small group of rebels stood against the might of the British Empire. Using rarely seen and difficult to obtain archival footage of the events. audio files that allow the audience to listen to the leaders of the rebellion. and interviews with leading international experts. the documentary is stunning in how it draws several threads together.
The film introduces Ireland as it was in the days of the Empire. and how the earliest seeds of rebellion were sown in the field of culture. not politics. and the role that women played at a time when even the suffragette movement had just moved past its fledgling phase. It also reveals the untold story of the role Irish Americans played in the lead-up to the rebellion. supporting them from the other side of the Atlantic. Although it proved to be a military defeat. the Easter Rising served as the first battleground against the machinery of the British Empire. inspiring further struggles not merely in Ireland alone. but across the world. The documentary traces its influence as it spreads all the way to India. and the screening of the film in the centenary year of the uprising gains a special significance.
- LAKSHMI MENON A Festival of Vietnamese Films FILM FESTIVAL A festival of films from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam was held at the IIC in May. Vietnamese films reflect the culture of the country and its experience of war - first with the French and then with the United States of America in the 20th century. The Vietnamese people have suffered, endured, cared and shared everything together. Its cinema is that of hard won emotions, though the making is, for most part, spontaneous. When the Tenth Month Comes? (B/w; 1984; Director: Dang Nhat Minh) is about a woman who has to maintain a charade of well-being to keep her ailing father-in-law alive. Her husband has died in the war. The film is made with remarkable veracity, with feeling but no sentimentality. The Children of the Village (Colour; 2014; Director: Nguyen Duc Viet) is a tale of painful reconciliation between villagers and the son of a headman who collaborated with the Americans during the war. It is poignant because every incident appears to be rooted in reality and treated with humanity and understanding. Story ofPao/Pao's Story (Colour; 2005; Director: Ngo Quang Han) is a tender, beautiful film about a young woman Pao who goes out in search of her biological mother, discovers many secrets on the way but comes out a better person. It is a non- judgemental, compassionate work. Yellow Flowers on Green Grass (Colour; Director: Victor Vu) is a tough, intelligent film about sibling rivalry in childhood. Sadness and happiness coexist, albeit uneasily. - PARTHA CHATTERJEE
What is Education?
QUARTERLY RELEASE IIC Quarterly Journal Release by Dr. Karan Singh, Education at the Crossroads, edited by Apoorvanand and Omita Goya/ 18 May 2016
Dr. Karan Singh deftly summed up the critical core of the book which asks the question, 'What is Education?' - the problem of outreach, content, methodology, funding, and its transformation through technology. The metaphor 'crossroads' was differently interpreted by the panellists. Prof. Krishna Kumar believed that a systemic look at education reveals the problems encountered at each stage. Secondary education has not quite made the expected progress, and higher education--responsible for knowledge creation and its discourse, maintaining a culture of ideas and freedom--was entirely the wrong road travelled. Prof. Anita Rampal pointed out that education today needed to adjust to the fast-changing world, unlike its earlier function as an agent of social change. She deplored the ossified hierarchies and presence of corporate managers in education, the practice of social apartheid in schools, policies that promoted a minimalistic quality of education sans critical thinking and creativity, and the pressure for education in English. Prof. Geetha Nambissan was critical of the reduction of education to a skill-based one-the justification being that it addressed parental choices-and the powerful advocacy in favour of the private sector. Prof. Shyam Menon pointed out the unhealthy nexus between political forces and private initiatives in higher education for profit-a clear example of crony-capitalism. He condemned the unimaginative implementation of uniformity and standardisation as antithetical to the conception of the university system as a community of self-governing scholars. Prof. Apoorvanand looked back over 70 years of educational policies implemented towards establishing a secular nation.
- RITU SINGH 2 Art and Philosophy EXHIBITION The dignified silence of appreciation is the central point of peace of a village. It is the unseen love which appears as the soft touch. The inhabitants love their environment and life style in all its aspects. They love the animals who live there. They give up their negativity, only enjoy the positive revelry under the tree that is the centre of attraction. The darkness reveals the deep delved feelings of an artist, a musician, a dancer in action and points to his thinking with the colours of emotion. Rasa is the culminating factor close to the unseen Atma The whole cycle of birth, death and rebirth comes to existence; a child is born, he grows up. Builds his own life with all the variety of celebration and maybe death also helps man to be closer to the sublime Rasa and experience Anand. Jiva and Jagat is the supreme reality that can only be felt - no explanations can suffice. These paintings are an expression of such trials and errors of life reaching out to a supreme celebration. The world of a tribal is where the woman is the immediate background of the thinking process. They enjoy the everyday variety of life in their experience. The variety of colours can be enjoyed in black and white. Happiness vibrates in their symbolic dance forms. Animals enjoy freedom at the same time. Alpana designs from Bengal and Bandhini sarees of Rajasthan have the same abandon. We cannot forget the rangoli design. A tribal believes in disciplined unified thinking, the teacher incharge accompanying the students is commendable. What will be the outcome of the flavour, after going through the disciplines of life. It is an interesting combination, man is not alone. It is a wonderful combination of Triguna, Satya Rajas and Tamas; it is transformation through art. - ASHOKA TRIKHA
EXHIBITION Transformation through Art, Worli Paintings by students of Nutan Madhyamic VKlyalaya, Cantonment Board School, Ahmednagar Cantonment, Maharashtra 18 to 24 May 2016
Collecting Matchboxes
EXHIBITION Matchbox Labels and the Stories they Tell 28 May to 3 June 2016
Gautam Hemmady, a self-proclaimed 'professional procrastinator' one day decided to go for a walk and see how many different matchboxes he could collect. The first walk yielded a variety of 10-12 matchboxes, which spurred him on to his second walk of the day, resulting in a further acquisition of eight boxes! Thus a collector was born. So, we've all collected matchboxes at some point jn our lives, mainly as memorabilia of hotels or places that we've visited. But this exhibition was not like anything I had seen before. Apparently, India did not produce matchboxes for the longest time. These were manufactured in Austria, Czechoslovakia, Sweden, and even Japan! The imagery was fantastic. The labels ranged from gods and goddesses, to courtesans, to royalty, even sketches of historical monuments were used to embellish the matchbox. Apart from being decorative, the ever ingenious entrepreneur has used these matchboxes to advertise an amazing array of products .... ranging from face creams, Brook Bond tea, guns, and even ploughs! Independence resulted in a huge number of matchboxes advertising patriotic fervour where national icons like maps, the flag, Ashoka chakra and many more were used. So much has been written about oleographs and the popular art forms that have been depicted in them. Matchboxes are equally a source of similar data and give insights into specific historical periods whether political, historical or cultural. This collection is only four years old. But it definitely tickles the mind and opens a whole new door to a hitherto almost unknown space. And just so that you know, the hobby of collecting different match-related items - matchboxes, matchbox labels, matchcovers, matchsafes - is called Phillumeny. I did not know that. Did you? - POONAM SAHI 3 China's Parsi Connection VALEDICTORY ADDRESS
The title was promising, the hall full, the lecture mesmerising. Amitav Ghosh, known for his skillful weaving of fact and fiction, gave an expectedly nuanced Valedictory Address to the IIC PARZOR Everlasting Flame programme that had hosted exhibitions, performances, and talks at the IGNCA, the National Museum, and the NGMA. Ghosh's talk was a wise, witty, whirlwind tour of Parsi (and other!) fortunes facilitated by the opium trade. Illustrations - maps, portraits, paintings and artifacts - came faster than could be assimilated, but then Ghosh had a dizzyingly wide spectrum to cover. He ranged from the interconnected fate of cities - Surat, Navasari, Bombay, Calcutta, Singapore, Macau, Malacca, Canton - to the fate of communities - from the pragmatic and innovative Parsis to those exploited peasants who produced and consumed opium in India and China, respectively; from the discipline of economics (the hard and ugly facts of colonial consolidation) to art history (contrasting the styles of Indian and European artists); from ecology (especially Bombay's precariousness) to engineering (the Wadias' unsung 'shipbuilding prowess); from asserting the need for old-fashioned, skill-based micro-history to making larger theoretical interventions about alternate cosmopolitanisms, reinstating the significance of oceans and oceanic trade as territorial, and indeed, civilisational markers. Canton's unique absence of racial segregation made for an extraordinary cross-fertilisation born of co-habitation, he suggested. As we struggle with resurgent provincialisms, it's a history, and geography, worth recalling. -MAYAJOSHI
Nishi Gupta is a vocalist of the Kirana Gharana Mixed Fare from Varanasi, trained under Gurus like Pt. Ramashray Jha, Vidushi Girija Devi and Pt. PERFORMANCE Chhannu Lal Mishra. The audience expected a Hindustani Vocal Recital conventional concert with a Vi/ambit and Chhota By Nishi Gupta from Varanasi Khaya/ in some evening raga followed by light classical veins. 24 May 2016 Contrary to that, Nishi opened with a tiny Ganesh Vandana preceded with a lengthy introduction on Ram C~arit Manas and Tulsidas, and went straight away to a thumri, 'Tum Radhe bano Shyam ... .' in Mishra Pi/u. This was followed by a bandishi thumri, 'Lage tore nain...'in Addha Theka, a dadra in Mishra Pahadi, preceded by a doha. The next dadra 'Bairangharnaja ... ' was also preceded by the favourite doha of Pt. Chhannu Lal Mishra.
Her accompanying artistes on the violin and tabla were good. The musical interlude with a teenta/a composition in Charukeshi on the violin gave her some rest and welcome respite to the audience. She continued with Hori, Chaiti and Kajri thereafter. There was some disappointment when she went out of tune or lost the sense of rhythm, and the tabla accompanist had to help her catch the sam.
- MANJARI SINHA 4 Notes from Vienna TALK
With our seat belts tightened, we accompanied Punita Singh on an instructive journey that took us from the First Viennese School to the Second with a very brief stopover in the Romantic period. In her inimitable style, she infused humour with substance and interacted with the audience whenever possible. The audience was regaled with enlightening videos comprising lectures, snippets from concerts, and musical information. She schooled us on musically-charged 18th century Vienna when Haydn The Godfather' of symphonies and string quartets lived. This period also saw the ingenuity of Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert. Also known as the Classical period, this was a defining time in the evolution of music mainly because standardisation of scales set the tone for the creation of symphonies. The appreciative audience questioned Dr. Singh on several aspects of how music developed moving from the First School to the next. Her slides and subsequent explanations on the creation of the orchestra to structurally compliment symphonies were particularly insightful. As the talk graduated to the Second School, she enlightened us about the contribution of Arnold Schoenberg. There was a change in tone as we learnt more about the techniques he used to bring more inventiveness into his compositions. Schoenberg's two students, Alban Berg and Anton Webern, benefitted from studying with him and in this sense this period could actually be accepted as a School, unlike the First School where there is no ostensible teacher-student relationship. Her meticulous research and affable attitude made for a very harmonious evening that benefitted the gathering greatly. - RIMA ZAHEER
Business Responsibilities
SEMINAR The Responsibilities of Business COLLABORA nON: Business & Community Foundation (BCF), National Foundation for India (NFI) 7 May 2016
The first event of this nature was held at the IIC in 1965, where M.L. Dantwala spoke about his authorship of the concept of Trusteeship.This seminar commemorated that event, as also examined the reality of business today against the backdrop of what the stalwarts then envisioned. In the keynote address, Prashant Bhushan spoke about the importance of looking internally at the entire working of a corporation and not just the percentage of money given away. The participants included S. Sandilya, Kiran Karnik, Arun Maira, Pushpa Sundar, Rakhi Sehgal, S.R. Hiremath, Prashant Paikara, Surajit Mazurhdar, Nisha Pillai and Pradeep Narayan.The first session on 'Business Responsibility India: Reflecting on the Past, Present and Future' dealt with collective responsibility, ethics and leadership; the importance of consumers and shareholders; and philanthropy and business responsibility in India. The second session was entitled 'Listening to Perspectives from the Field and Understanding Dissent.' It brought in the perspective of trade unions, and looked at water pollution by big business, and the anti-POSCO agitation . .The third session was on 'Crony Capitalism and its Implications for India'. It dealt with deepening inequalities and related social risks to business; and the analysis of Corporate Responsibility Watch's reports on business responsibility and CSR 100 companies.
- AMITA jOSEPH 5 A Monitor or Democracy EXHIBITION
If you want to be a cartoonist, live the life of a cartoonist. - Oliver Gaspirtz, German-American cartoonist A curious thread connects the most courageous and the most fearful: a keen awareness of their lethal locations. Shaping opposite responses to the same dreadful context, one becomes the original, and the other, a mirror image. ' Swiftian Satire, an exhibition of Rajinder Puri's cartoons revealed what an original the late cartoonist had been. Curated by Partha Chatterjee and Arvindar Singh, the show featured a fine selection sourced from Nehru Memorial Museum, K. Srinivasan's personal collection, and Puri's books. Rajinder Puri - mascot of the morally upright Indian cartoon. Living the life of a cartoonist, Puri made a non-negotiable space out of his "But the war's gettin' over, honey-I got other obligations now!" elegant satire. Looking every issue in the eye without fear or favour, his NlXON IN VIETNAM 1969 incisive mind lent a sense of truth to it. His probing lines, uncluttered frames and witty commentary never let our attention shift from the idea and practice of justice.
EXHIBITION Swiftjan Satire An exhibition of Rajinder Puri's cartoons
4 to 10 May 2016
A cartoonist's view of ee favourites' faces.
THE FAVOURITES' FACES 1966
Countering the insubstantial, imitative and insecure establishment, this original ceaselessly renewed his matter and method, through experiments ranging from political activism to the use of technology and colours in his cartoonscape. As Chatterjee reports, to create new expressions and movements, he drew from his knowledge of cinema and sports, especially tennis and boxing. Swiftian Satire showed the scale and variety of Rajinder Purl's political art. In his punches, the acuity of Abu and Vijayan, and the homely wit of R.K. Laxman and Shankar synchronise. He emerges as a relentless monitor of democracy, reminding us of the power of simple lines and words; of the historical uprisings of the common people against repressive regimes. Cut down to size? LEADERSHIP ELECTION INDIRA GANDlll AND MORARJI DESAl - 1966 - RIZIO YOHANNAN RAJ
6 Odissi Concert PERFORMANCE
On the occasion of conferring upon Sujata Mohapatra the Margaret Dhillon Annual Spirit of India Award in recognition of services to Indian classical music and dance overseas, there was a superb performance by the daughter-in-law of Padmavibhushan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. Sujatha opened her performance with a Shantakaram Mangalacharan, choreographed by Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, with music composition by Pt. Ragunath Panigrahi. The footwork of her entrance followed by Jagannatha Swami Nayana Pathagami Bhavatume set the tone for an elegant and aesthetically satisfying evening. Yugmadwanda Pal/avi, with its emphasis on sawal jawab, call and response in music and movement, was a beautifully crafted choreography of Kelubabu with the music composition by Padmashri Raghunath Panigrahi.
PERFORMANCE SPIRIT OF INDIA CONCERT. Odissi by Sujato Mohapatra COUA80RA nON: Mohindar Dhillon Music Foundation 4june2016
This bright and spritely pal/avi is set to Bagashri Raga and the Odia Ektali. In the Geeta Govinda ashtapadi, Sakhi He Kesi Madhanamudharam, Sujata captured the subtle refinement of an uttama nayika's expressions as Radha recalls her various meetings with Krishna in the past and asks her sakhi to bring the noble Slayer-of-Kesin to meet her. Sujata's abhinaya has matured to match the level of her superb nritta. This ashtapadi is one of late Pt. Bhubaneswar Misra's masterpieces of musical composition for Odissi with every note matching Kelubabu's choreography. Jatayu Mokshya from the Jatra-based Odia Ramayana of Kavi Samrat Upendra Bhanja was the culmination of an evening of exceptionally high calibre dance and music composition presented by a dancer worthy of representing this legacy. This Ramayana excerpt was imaginative and its richly developed choreography took us along as Sita experiences life in the beautiful forest. fails to coax the golden deer followed by Rama's pursuit, feel her response to Ravana's clever manipulation to cross the Laxman Rekha and, of course, Jatayu's heroism.
- SHARON LOWEN 7 Navy and Diplomacy DISCUSSION The US Naval strategist, Rear Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan had rightly observed, 'whoever, controls the Indian Ocean dominates Asia. This ocean is the key to the seven seas in the twenty-first century, the destiny of the world will be decided in these waters.' Hence, the maritime challenge becomes ever more important for India, as China continues to claim dominance on the large part of the South China Sea, which has already become a contentious issue for Asia and East Asia. This theme was echoed at the IIC, when experts discussed the contents of Diplomatic Dimensions of Maritime Challenges for India in the 21st Century, a book authored by Ambassador Yogendra Kumar.
The panellists said that the book was unique in its contents and had come at the right time. 'It has
DISCUSSION DipIomaric Dimensions d Maritime Challenges for Incflain the 21 st Cen1l.Iry by Yogendro KJmar (New DeIri: PentDgonPress, 20/5) Pat~ RDkeshSood; VICe ActniroI Shekhor Sinha and Pro(. VanBJ Sahni Chair. Shiv Shankar Menon J 2016
four basic ideas - historical evolution and perspective of navy and naval diplomacy; institutional set up; acquisitions; how the navy started growing in dimensions and its multilateral governance structure.' The book speaks about overall security, air warfare, yber security, terrorism and places emphasis on indigenous shipbuilding. In the light of maritime security and trade, the Indian Ocean occupies a pre-eminent position. 'What is worrying is not China's entry into the Indian Ocean, but China's relations with Pakistan', said Vice Admiral Sinha. Prof. Sahani opined that the rise of China was creating security interdependence and one could not ignore the Korean peninsula. S.S. Menon felt that the term 'Indo - Pacific' was a bit worrying. Americans have now coined a new term 'Indo-Asia-Pacific'. Rakesh Sood said, The US will have to find ways to work with China and India and India will have to find ways to work with China'. The present security environment makes Yogendra Kumar's book topical.
- VIJAY NAIK .
8 Mind Maps of Memory
TALK Prof. Sachchidnand Sahai's illustrated presentation TALK: The World Heritage Temples Southeast Asia: The on an inclusive history of Shiva's influence carried the of rhythm and edge of a sparkling narrative by critically Bhadreshvara Unkage engaging with the journey of Bhadra\'bhadresh'- SPEAKER: Professor Sachchidanand 5ahai 'the ishwar who is gentle' to its metamorphosis as a CHIEF GUEST: Dr. Y. Sudershan Rao ruling deity of Champa (present day Danang). COLLABORA TlON: Indian Council for Historical Research Theoretically nuanced and methodologically earthy, the palimpsest of collective memory, epigraphy 6 June 2016 and archaeology foregrounded this civilisational
discourse by dovetailing the Khmer temples of Hindu inspiration spread over mainland Southeast Asia, both at the level of ideology and praxis and integrating them symbolically and functionally with a key Indic construct - 'Bhadra', The seal bearing the name 'Bhadreshvara', unearthed from the Bhita excavations (Allahabad) and the multiple toponymic manifestations evident in the temples at Varanasi, Mathura, Basti, Hooghly, Jagatsinghpur, Kohlapur and Sabarmati bear testimony to the deep underlying memory of 'Bhadra' as enunciated by Sahai. Coupled with this was his emphatic celebration of Bhadreshvara as a prolific legacy echoed in Indian villages, talukas, schools and post offices. Painstakingly chronicling the ancient Khmer religious complex of WatPhuChampasak, as a seminal archaeological Shaivite site in Laos, Sahai inferred it as a probable precursor for Angkor Vat. Likewise, the ruins of the ancient city of Myson, a religious centre under King Bhadravarman in the late fourth century, contained a structure used to worship Shiva, dedicated to Bhadresvara which had some or~ginal ham masonry and an Indian infused pyramidal roof typical of Cham towers.
ILLUSTRATED LECTURE Kumarajiva: A Luminous Star Among Indian and Chinese Translators SPEAKER: Professor Dr. Shashibala COUABORA TION: Antar Rashtriya Sohyog Parishad 22 June 2016
A Casket of Treasures
Treasure comes in many forms - the finest and the most priceless being Dr. Shashibala's erudite presentation -f:aming, contextualising and complementing a complex and intriguing exhibition on the Buddhist seer, savant and polyglot, Kumarajiva.
Born to Kumarayana, a Kashmiri monk, and Jiva, a Kuchean princess, the lecture showcased the intrepid explorations which Kumarajiva, a native of Kucha (today's Xinjiang) undertook along the perilous Silk Road - a conduit along which transnational civilisations converged and flourished and his exotic meanderings into India, Tokherestan, Kashgar and Turpan.
Kumarajiva,the immortal hero continues to beguile- hisground-breaking intense intellectualism and synthesis of Buddhist scriptural and philosophical ideas, his making available unknown texts, his prolific translations of Buddhist sutras and commentaries from Sanskrit into Chinese - all stand testimony to his genius. The iconic works such as Vimalakirtinirdesasutra, Saddharmapundarikasutra, Vajracchedika Prajnaparamitasutra and Arajnasutra, and the establishing of the Chinese branch of Madhyamika, which became the basic texts of the Chinese Sanlon, exorted the speaker to laud Kumarajiva as 'an epitome and torchbearer of a cultural Renaissance'.
Revolutionising Chinese Buddhism in clarity, Kumarajiva's translation style was distinctive, possessing a 'flowing smoothness', the intent being to convey the meaning as opposed to precise literal rendering. This made his texts more readable, comprehensible, inspiring and decidedly more popular than those of Xuanzang .
.Lamenting that if history neglects to educate and fails to interest the public intelligently in the past, thereby making historical learning valueless, Shashibala passionately pleaded for expanding the Indian frontiers of history, to make 'visible' the forgotten and invisible Kumarajiva.
- BEEBA SOBTI
9 India's. Wars DISCUSSION
Strategic and Operational Perspectives of India's Conffia - 1947-1971 PANEWSTS: Dr. C. Raja Mohan; Air Marshal (Retd.) Vinod Patney; Air Vice Marshal Atjun Subramaniam; and Maj. Gen. lan Cardozo CHAIR: Nitin Gokhale KEYNOTE COMMENTS: MJ. Akbar
India's military history is inadequately documented, lacking a comprehensive book on the three armed forces as they've battled in our wars. Soldier, scholar, raconteur, Subramaniam reminded us of our military legacy, portraying his personal journey, our armed forces' DNA, their teething years, the 1965 and 1971 wars, and Kautilya's relevance to contemporary conflicts. M.J. Akbar attributed our reticence to political nervousness at highlighting the military. His keynote revivified a millennium and a half of military milestones from feudal through colonial to modern democratic nationalism. As he said, we were the only ones to defeat Changez Khan, and even Gandhi didn't advocate
non-violence for the State in dealing with evil. Misconceived liberal pacifism was lamented by panellists like Dr. Raja Mohan, and its waning applauded. Maj. Gen. Cardozo recounted official military documentation's faltering history, while Air Marshal Patney advocated opening access to records. Nitin Gokhale's incisive questions had the soldiers recalling triumphs like the turnaround in the 1965 war and the Battle of Sylhet, our first heliborne operation and the last fought with the Gurkhas' kukris. The insider insights included a suggestion that 1962 might have ended differently with Air Force deployment and an amusing account of an inadvertent BBC error leading the enemy to lose heart and surrender. Legendary Marshal Arjan Singh, a dapper 97, released the book and added his incomparable recollections.
- MAHADEVAN RAMASWAMY 10 The Vaidya's Oath - A piece de resistance PLAY
When you first encounter The Vaidya's Oath, a self-labelled theatre project 'on antimicrobial resistance', you expect to be bombarded with an assortment of medical terminology. You anticipate dramatic hospital scenes, and the odd patient, sickened beyond cure owing to a charming case of antibiotic resistance. The play, however, wastes no time dismantling this misconception.
A masterpiece of sorts, in terms of its treatment of the subject, we are taken, from our plush seats in a New Delhi auditorium, to the cramped office of a Primary Health Centre in small-town UP. It is here that the story unfolds, and it is one that is surprisingly more than a mere commentary about the dangers of self-medication. While one is bound to agree with Rahul, the refreshingly ironic seismologist by day, stand-up comedian by (open-mic) night (portrayed by Praveen Potti) - that 'pan resistance is a bitch].' it isn't the only concern driving the characters into an existential tizzy.
The play offers a wide range of issues to ponder upon - from the abysmal apathy that follows a bureaucratisation of medicine, turning doctors into 'drug gateways' (so proclaimed by a frazzled Dr. Ajay, brought to life by Jimmy Xavier), to the world of the everyday man, caught in the web of inadequate information, insufficient facilities, and an extra dose of medical indifference. Add to the equation a sensational cast, and The Vaidya's Oath will leave you in a contemplative mood for days.
- SHIVANI SHARMA
. Whither BCCI? DISCUSSION BCc/ and its Future SPEAKERS: Justice Mukut Mudga/ in discussion with Pradeep Magazine and Kuna/ Pradhan 8 June 2016
Discussing the future of the BCCI, Justice Mudgal expressed optimism about most of the recommendations of the Lodha Commission being implemented in the near future. While the BCCI tends to talk about its revenues, the panellists emphasised the importance of BCCI publicising its spending policies, saying that it was critical to earmark funds for the development of cricket at different levels across the country . .The panellists were in broad agreement about BCCI being a closed monopoly and autocratic in its practices. They pointed out that it was the only cricket board that had the term 'control', clearly indicating the nature of the organisation. Justice Mudgal added that India was currentlythe only team that did not display the country emblem on its uniform. The panellists lamented the way we treat our fans in the stadiums --:- they are incidental; they are not considered as stakeholders in the game. The discussion inevitably veered to the issue of betting. The panellists favoured the legalisation of betting to ensure that revenues accrue to the government and do not end up with the underworld. It was suggested that betting should be organised by independent companies, and the Board should have no involvement in the process. However, they cautioned that there were huge social costs associated with betting, and called for a wider debate on the issue.
- RAHUL RAjAGOPALAN 11 Dear Members, Over the past few months, some of our programmes have reflected the international character of the Centre, and we are grateful to the respective Embassies for their collaboration. There was a piano recital by Dr. Raul M. Sunico, award-winning Master Pianist and composer from the Philippines.The Vietnamese film festival featured early black and white to contemporary films, and concluded with the wonderful cuisine of Vietnam, the highlight being the Saigon spring rolls and the traditional Pho. There were two other programmes of note in the past months. A series of exhibitions, talks, music and a Parsi dinner were held as part of the 'Eternal Flame' programme by Parzor Foundation, which showcased the small but vibrant community of Parsis. The versatile Boman Irani gave a virtuoso solo musical performance and regaled the audience with his humourous and motivating talk and drew roaring applause. The second programme of note celebrated Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, an exceptional woman, a polyglot, and one of the makers of modern India. The Lounge in the main building has been renovated and refurbished in subtle shades. A beautiful Warli painting now hangs close to the entrance. Soon, the Private Dining Hall, the main dining room, and the Annexe Lounge will also be given a make-over. Several additions have been made to the menu and your feedback is most welcome. We plan to do this frequently to bring in some variety. The Diary has a new look. It is now visually appealing, and the colours reflect the vibrancy of our programmes. We hope our members like the new format. Before I sign off, I wish to request our members to please send us updates if any to your postal and email addresses and other coordinates. This will ensure that our communications reach you without delay.
With best wishes Air Marshal Naresh Verma (Retd.)
~Ie 9 of the Memorandum of Association and Rules and Regulati ns of the IIC, it shall be the responsibility of Members to ensure due and timely payment of subscription. • Members were required to pay their Annual Subscription by 31 May 2016. In case Members have not paid the Annual Subscription, they are requested to pay the same, latest by 31 July 2016. • Members whose subscription falls in arrears shall be suspended from the rolls and shall be liable for the prescribed penalty in order to restore the membership. • Please keep your mailing address / email and mobile numbers updated. OBITUARY LIST FROM 26 APRIL TO 20 UNE 2016 • A-4142 Ms. Satinder Jagindar Singh • A-240 I Dr. (Smt.) Sheila Mehra • A-0695 Shri K.K. Katyal • A-449 I Smt. Smita Dave • M-1425 Shri Inder Malhotra • A-1824 Shri K.K. Sandhir • M-1204 Shri N. D. Relan • A-0793 Shri Anoop Aggarwal • A-3391 Dr S. Ramachandran • A-4385 Shri Bhupinder Singh Suri • A-2821 Shri Virender Mohan • M-3290 Shri Thakur Sanjay Prasad • L-036 I Prof. Bimal Prasad • A-3870 Ms Maydhaavi Qirti. ERRATUM The Retrospective on 'Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay and the Making of Modern India' held from 16 to 26 April 2016 (and covered in the March-April 2016 Diary), was organised in collaboration with the Delhi Crafts Council with the support of Rohini Nilekani and Nandan Nilekani. We regret the omission.
This issue of the Diary has been assembled and edited by Omita Goyal, Chief Editor; Ritu Singh, Deputy Editor; Rachna Joshi, Senior Asstt. Editor. Published by Ravinder Datta, for the India International Centre, 40, Max Mueller Marg, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi - 110003. Ph.: 246/9431. Designed and printed by Shon~1i Majumdar, Design Art Workshop, 8-43, Soami Nagar, Basement, Near Chirag Delhi Flyover, New Delhi - 110017; Phone: +9/-11-9811212325
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