Mainstreaming Mental Illness Is Long Overdue

Home , Ashok Mankad, Hajong language, Pothan Joseph, Sadhu Meher

A Journal of the press Institute of India ISSN 0042-5303 January-March 2021 Volume 13 Issue 1 Rs 60 Mainstreaming mental illness is long overdue CONTENTS • For institutionalised children, it’s a In January this year, Future Generali India Insurance came up long battle / Rina Mukherji with a series of advertisements on mental health issues. The • Away from school, where the mind ads made a lot of viewers sit up, especially those in families savours each moment / Janani Murali • Making a case for climate activism / having to take care of a member suffering from mental health Bharat Dogra issues, says Manjira Mazumdar. Mainstreaming health issues • Creating awareness silently / is long called for, and the media can play a huge role in it, she Sayanika Dutta says • Profiteering even from a pandemic / Sakuntala Narasimhan here is no insurance for patients hospitalised due to mental ill- • The environmental impacts of nesses. Outpatient department patients usually are covered, only if the economic package / S. Gopikrishna Warrier the OPD benefit clause includes counseling and therapy. However, T • Has the private sector failed with COVID-19, there was a marked increase in people suffering from to live up to expectations? / anxiety and depression. This led to Insurance Regulatory and Develop- N.S. Venkataraman ment Authority (IRDAI) instructing health insurance companies cover • Healthy discussions, impressive policy holders who are mentally ill – those who resort to opiods and anti- sales, more committed readers / depressants due to clinical depression, or any other neurodegenerative or Nava Thakuria psychiatric disorders. • Longest running English journal in India celebrates 125 / But how many people in India talk about mental health? It is not at all Mrinal Chatterjee an easy matter to deal with because of the several grey areas, which cannot • A look at the representation of be defined as in physical health issues. It creates havoc in families where the Dalit in Hindi cinema / any kind of mental disorder occurs in a member or members, leading to Shoma A. Chatterji mishaps and deaths. It is so stigmatised that the seriousness of it all tumbles • A grassroots radio initiative out only when no longer can it be swept under the carpet. knits together the Hajongs / Ankuran Dutta With the rising number of such patients, there are newspaper reports • A marvel of a mountain rail line, all and analysis, which society tends to gloss over, but mass media can play thanks to a sage / Sarita Brara a bigger role. TV commercials bring things right into your living room. So • A paean to Lord Muruga / do commercial films. Meenakshi Devraj “So mass media has its role cut out,” says Kolkata-based Jhuma Basak, a • Time running out for two clinical psycho-analyst who has been associated with several media schools exceptional tennis champions / in the city. “But first, mental health has to be acknowledged as part of our Partab Ramchand overall well-being and not something separate.” • Of culinary adventures... and patriarchy / Ranjita Biswas A couple of India insurance companies have started customised plans for • Remembering: Pothan Joseph / mental illnesses as part of their health plans, and advertising these plans Dr V. Shanta / Christopher Plummer / Fr Gaston Roberge (Continued on page 3)

January-March 2021 VIDURA 1 FROM THE EDITOR Even as vaccines bring hope, we have tough issues to grapple with

020 was quite an extraordi- mental health? Occasional news- arrest and subsequent release. I do nary year, wasn’t it? Ever paper reports and analysis, which not wish to dwell on it except to say 2since COVID-19 cast a large society tends to gloss over, are not that Bharat Dogra, senior journal- shadow across the world early really enough, she feels. More than ist in Delhi, sums it up fairly well March last year, life has changed. 90 million Indians, or 7.5 per cent when he says that the movement of Even as people across the world of the country’s population, suffer young people to protect the envi- have tried hard to adjust to the new from some form of mental disorder, ronment and check climate change normal, the staggering number of according to the World Health Orga- is very relevant in today’s times and deaths – more than 2.63 million so nization (WHO). WHO states that in it should not be given a bad name, far – have left us shell-shocked. The India the number of psychiatrists, nor should unfair allegations be early part of this year has brought nurses, psychologists and social made because of an unintentional some hope and cheer. The vaccines workers is abysmally low. mistake. “These young people are have arrived. According to data Rani Mukherji feels that children the future, they are the ones who collected by Bloomberg, more than are one of the lowest priorities of the will save the future.” 334 million doses have been admin- government. Notwithstanding the Sayanika Dutta’s story about istered worldwide across 121 coun- emphasis on aftercare in the Juve- Minangka Deka is quite inspir- tries (as I write this). It is the biggest nile Justice Act, 2015, and a range of ing. When the virus struck, Deka vaccination campaign in history. other schemes, there has been very initially took to social media to Anthony Fauci, the top infectious- little support for skilling and equip- spread awareness regarding the disease official in the US, has said ping children for independent liv- WHO guidelines. Using mime, that vaccinating 70-85 per cent of ing, she points out. Without basic he shared the dos and don’ts and US the population would enable a life skills or vocational skills, they sought to debunk the myths. Deka return to normalcy there. The same are unable to stand on their own also partnered with the Govern- parameter can be applied to any feet, forget even having the ability ment of Assam to raise awareness country. A staggering ask, indeed. to manage finances and save. on the use of face masks for safety. In India, with literacy levels low in Janani Murali has come up with And, finally, don’t miss Ankuran many parts, lack of medical care a rather interesting proposition. Dutta’s story about the Hajong and and infrastructure to reach vaccines Children continue to be slotted Radio Brahmaputra, the first grass- and get people vaccinated, we can- across a spectrum of ‘smart to dull’ roots community radio in upper not even imagine the kind of battle based on teaching and assessment Assam. It’s an interesting story involved. Let us hope that together methods that they have no say in, about how a not-for-profit initiative we will be able to overcome the she says. With the result that indi- has united a small scheduled tribe odds. viduality is constantly crushed and that has been largely ignored by the looked down upon. Although many mainstream media. ****************** adults belonging to earlier generations have endured and lived with Sashi Nair We have in this issue tried to throw low self-worth, the challenges of the [email protected] the spotlight on some of the other current day have shown us, Murali issues that continue to worry us. is convinced, that our intentions, Mental health is one. Manjira our choices and our lifestyles all Mazumdar says mental health has need some ‘unschooling’ for sure. to be acknowledged as being a “Caught in the never ending stream part of our overall well-being and of ‘what next’ from playschool to that we have to bring the subject university and beyond, it is time we into our conversations. Can mass pause and reflect.” media play a more productive role A lot has been written about cli- in highlighting issues relating to mate change activist Disha Ravi, her

2 VIDURA January-March 2021 (Continued from page 1) with interesting advertisements. The Generali Insurance ads are communicated over objects. Take the case of an overworked pillow which has to absorb nightly tears. Or objects that are smashed around the house. Instead of people, these objects bear the brunt of anxiety, sadness, anger, and erratic and unpredictable behavior. The commercials created by advertising agency Wondrlab, forms the second part of the campaign by Future General Insurance titled #HealthInsideOut. Ruchika Varma, chief marketing officer, Future Generali India Insurance is Mental health is often so stigmatised that the seriousness of it all tumbles out only when quoted to have said in an interview, it can no longer be swept under the carpet. “Today more than 7.5 per cent in India suffer from some form of films such A Beautiful Mind and As sensitive. For instance, she explains, mental illness and WHO estimates Good as It Gets from Hollywood. objects being smashed or being that this number would be 20 per However, considering how manhandled can also send a signal cent by the end of this year. Despite Parveen Babi was viewed com- that violence is part of every men- these staggering statistics, mental pared to someone like Deepika tal health issue. “That is simply not health is a taboo topic in India.” Padukone who has gone public in true,” she says. “We all suffer from Mental health is a wide spec- discussing her depression, things stress, anger, mood swings, or bot- trum condition. In an old Hindi have changed a lot. Though both tled up emotion at some point or classic film like Khamoshi, we saw have had different symptoms, anxi- other in our lives. Some are intellec- how taking care of mental health ety and depression are offshoots of tually sophisticated or more evolved patients can result in the caregiver larger mental problems like schizo- to keep it under control. Many will being affected. We have had a film phrenia and bipolarism. not hurt a fly may have some inter- like Karthik calling Karthik and Basak admits she has not minutely nal mental health problem as well.” Love you Zindagi from Bollywood analysed the advertisements, but To equate violence with mental in recent years. The number is, strongly believes that messages health may prove counter-produc- however, negligible compared to through mass media have to also be tive for a nuanced understanding. But we are talking about it and that is important for starters. We have to bring mental health into our conversations. For repeated patterns of the same behaviour can take its toll. And society has to pick up signs like it has to for domestic violence, sexual abuse and other ills that plague society. It would benefit the victim,

here the person suffering from mental disabilities, the most. <

(The writer is an independent journalist and researcher based in Kolkata.) Photos: Internet It is time we brought mental health issues into our conversations.

January-March 2021 VIDURA 3 For institutionalised children, it’s a long battle with no support Beyond 18, the first study on children in need of care and protection, has been prepared with special emphasis on aftercare services in government and non-government childcare institutions. Government has recently launched a slew of schemes to skill Indian youth. What is needed is a level-playing field, so that the most vulnerable young can access and make the most of such schemes, and the country will be able to tap the vast potential represented by its youth, says Rina Mukherji

nstitutionalised children in National Policy for Skill Develop- institutions – they were moved India fall into two major catego- ment and Entrepreneurship 2015 from one institution to another Iries – Children in Conflict with aims to meet the challenges of several times, adversely affecting Law (CCL) and Children in Need of skill development, and can be of their education and attachment Care and Protection (CNCP). CCL some help to such children, they patterns. comprise those who have been seem to be largely deprived of Around 30 per cent of the chil- picked up for committing a crimi- these opportunities. dren had no access to adult men- nal offence. They could be juvenile Until recently, even data on tors or guides, and nearly 44 per delinquents who have indulged in the number of such children cent had never been consulted petty thievery, cross-border smug- was sadly lacking. It was only as regarding their care or rehabilita- gling, gang warfare, or murder. recently as 2018 that the Minis- tion. As much as 37 per cent of the Such children are often put into try of Women and Child Devel- children experienced a low CCI remand homes for correction. opment (MoWCD) instituted a life experience. This corresponded On the other hand, CNCP com- Committee to map Child Care with the low quality of other indi- prise either orphans or those who Institutions (CCIs) in India. Even ces, and reflected in the children’s have got lost, been abandoned by this committee overlooked the academic and financial prospects their parents, or run away from issue of Aftercare for institution- as well. Not surprisingly, over 61 home. A large number of these chil- alised children in its report. In this per cent of the children surveyed dren between six and 18 years of context, Beyond 18, a report on were found to have faced recurring age, who are housed in institutions, CNCP compiled by Udayan Care, emotional distress, particularly were brought in when there was no an NGO headquartered in Delhi, when transitioning out of care, active Childline service to restore has assumed significance. with girls being more impacted them to their families or guardians. Compiled with the support of than boys. Unfortunately, these children are Tata Trusts, UNICEF and the gov- Housing support is an essential one of the lowest priorities of the ernments of Delhi, Rajasthan, Guja- requirement when children tran- government. Hence, notwithstand- rat, Maharashtra and Karnataka, sition out of institutions into living the emphasis on Aftercare in this is the first study on children in ing independently in their initial the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, and need of care and protection. Beyond years of employment. But only 61 a range of other schemes, there has 18 has been prepared with special per cent of all aftercare receivers been very little support for skill- emphasis on aftercare services in were found to have received such ing and equipping them for inde- government and non-government support. In fact, the provisioning pendent living. They don’t have childcare institutions. of group homes was almost totally basic life skills nor do they have According to the report, 27 per lacking for girls, with the exception the necessary social skills to form cent of the children leaving child- of one each in Delhi and Maharash- lasting relationships. They are not care institutions do not receive tra. Health insurance was also lack- equipped with vocational skills any form of aftercare support, ing in 78 per cent of the children, either. while 67 per cent are not even with 23 per cent receiving no care This makes it difficult for them aware of the aftercare services during illnesses. Furthermore, 13 to get jobs, and, even if they do, and welfare schemes that they per cent lacked funds to access they don’t have the ability to man- are entitled to. Two of every five health care. age finances and save. Although children (42 per cent) underwent Although there is tremendous the Central Government’s multiple placements in childcare pressure on these children to secure

4 VIDURA January-March 2021 Photos: RM L-r: Children in need of care and protection (CNCP) being initiated into art and craft at a child care institution; children with their cricketing coach; and gardening skills being imparted to a child in a child care home.

jobs and become financially inde- and more than 33 per cent were during their stay, as also during pendent, there is no provision to unaware of aftercare provisions. transition periods, is a must, so impart even the basic skills. Over The average monthly income of that they can turn financially inde- 44 per cent did not receive train- even those who managed to get pendent. Several non-government ing in either cooking or house- employment did not go beyond institutions are already providing hold management, or on opening Rs 7500-8500, with one in every such care. bank accounts. Nearly 70 per cent five individuals having no bank For instance, Udayan Care not received no career advice. Thus, 63 account, and hence, no savings to only prepares children under its per cent females and 36 per cent fall back on. protection for jobs, shifting them males could not land jobs despite It is important that children in into college hostels when they are completing higher secondary need of care and protection who studying, but lets them stay in its schooling. are housed in institutions grow up aftercare accommodation in Guru- More than 55 per cent had no to become responsible citizens in gram and Noida post-18 years of information on their legal rights, society. For that, adequate aftercare age. Once they are employed, the children are helped to move into paying guest accommodations which they pay for themselves. Government schemes need tweaking so that the needs of CNCP are taking into account. Eli- gibility criteria of schemes such as the PM-JAY and Ayushman Bharat need a re-look. Individual states need to review financial plan-

ning, allocation and utilisation for aftercare. <

(The writer is a senior journalist based in Pune.)

Boys being counselled and prepared to enter the job market.

January-March 2021 VIDURA 5 Away from school, where the mind can savour each moment Jeune Lobo was quite sure that she would not enrol her children in school even before she had them. This wasn’t a decision that seemed out of the ordinary for her and her husband though. Disenchanted by the lifestyle that they found themselves in, Jeune and her husband began to take small but sure steps towards a lifestyle they felt would be much more rewarding in the Now. Through a series of choices they made for themselves, ‘unschooling’ their yet-to-be born children only seemed logical. Janani Murali has the story

his is not a rare story today. existent methods of teaching is as plates of vehicles that drove by. Many families like Jeune’s important as it is to break away They can add and subtract without Thave decided to keep their from the passive voices of confor- having learnt a ‘method’ to do it children away from school. While mity that children are coerced by. in. They understand the weather, one section of society would The conforming voices cannot be they can decipher wind directions, assume that such decisions are downplayed in any school environ- know how a motor functions and extreme and unnecessary, these ment, they feel. can build a solar powered motor families believe that their decision While it can never be said with by themselves,” she says. “They is in fact logical. In spite of calling totality that no school environ- have been to a school. We wanted out the prevalent education system ment provides for the individual to show them what a school felt like as unfair, little has changed in real- to flourish, I ask of ‘unschool- and so sent them with their cousins ity, they say. ing’ parents: So in breaking away to their school. They returned feel- Children continue to be slotted from a school, how do you pre- ing happy that they didn’t have to across a spectrum of ‘smart to dull’ pare children for their adult life? go back the next day.” based on teaching and assessment In a repartee of sorts, they assure Every few decades, a certain pro- methods that they have no say in. that it is in keeping children away fession gains stature for it fulfils Individuality is constantly crushed from school that they are prepar- a certain demand in society. Who and looked down upon through the ing their children for adulthood. It decides what profession is better years of standardised education. is at this juncture of conversation than another? Who decides which Many adults have realised that the with ‘unschooling’ parents that ability is better than another? In the slotting they suffered during their one realises that what seems like complex fabric that society is, one own school years did little for their a radical shift in mindset towards only perceives the importance of self-esteem and most of them are education is rather a shift in life- one against another. But to become successful today ‘in spite’ of the style in general. conditioned by this demand is to be grading they received in school and Jeune and her family initially blind. And it is probably this blind- not ‘because’ of it. Having endured gave away most of their posses- ness that ‘unschooling’ families are years of low self-worth, being bul- sions and moved to a farm on the fighting against. They insist that a lied by peers and talked down to outskirts of the city. From there, free mind is what we are born with by adults, they are very sure that the next move led them to live on a and to ensure that this free mind is they cannot let another generation farm off-grid. “Life is about living nurtured and nourished is a par- endure the same. sustainably and in constant contact ent’s responsibility. But if it was just the methods of with nature. It is about the slow Children learn by doing. They teaching, learning and assessments savouring of each moment and will learn to survive only when they that lead to keeping children away never about instant gratification.” are allowed to explore the world on from school, ‘alternate’ education A year later, Jeune and her hus- their own terms. A structured sys- schools would fit the bill of allow- band made the decision to shift to tem of schooling will only curtail ing for a celebration of the individ- a farm that they owned near Man- their exploration. And with limited ual. Many such schools are gaining galore. Her children, twins aged exploration, how does a child ever popularity in urban spaces and seven years, are happy living on a fully understand what they are pas- do offer a holistic learning envi- farm. “They learnt to read through sionate about. Education is about ronment. For ‘unschooling’ par- visits to the grocery store and learnt learning how something works, it ents, the need to break away from numbers from reading number is about learning to survive, live

6 VIDURA January-March 2021 Photos: JM Learning everyday skills – making a broom; and (right) learning to survive, live and thrive - preparing and painting doors.

and thrive. “It is possible today to Even as a new education policy to art, sport and performance are pursue anything you are passion- has been introduced in India to placed equally, will the mindset ate about and be successful. We ensure in theory that children are of the majority shift from an eager are here to raise children who can not stressed by grades and exami- lapping up of ‘core’ subjects against face a challenge and find a solution nations, and that every field of ‘extra-curricular’ subjects? themselves,” says Jeune. study from science to mathematics ‘Unschooling’ may seem like a radical shift to many, but the ideals they live by are in fact those that everyone must aim towards. The challenges of the current day have shown us that our intentions, our choices and our lifestyles all need some ‘unschooling’ for sure. Caught in the never ending stream of ‘what next’ from playschool to university and beyond, it is time we pause and reflect. What is that first small but sure step that each one of us will take towards a free

mind and a celebratory world that savours every moment? Seems < Utopian…

(The writer is a biologist and freelance writer based in Bangalore. She is the associate director of Padmalaya Dance Foundation and the founder of an eco-enterprise, The Green Wheel.)

Helping on the farm and learning on the job.

January-March 2021 VIDURA 7 Making a strong case for climate activism

Young climate activists must be rewarded and encouraged, not victimised and imprisoned, says Bharat Dogra

s it becomes clear that cli- action. This is wisdom. This should Fridays for Future India is just one mate change and related be encouraged. of the several inspiring initiatives Aenvironmental problems However, some who have in this sphere. These activists have have reached a stage where they allowed these problems to con- been recognised as the Champions threaten the life-nurturing condi- tinue unchecked for so long are of Earth (Inspiration and Action) tions on earth, climate activism not happy. They have taken to vic- by the United Nations. The present has become one of the most rel- timising the activists. No nation generation did not do enough to evant movements of our times. Yet, can aff ord to victimise its brave give the young a safe future, but the young climate activists are being young people who know well young climate activists such as those victimised at the nascent stage of what climate change and related who are part of Fridays for Future the movement in India. problems are doing to our world. India are working also to give their In the face of suffi cient scientifi c When young people come forward parents and perhaps even their evidence on the dangers posed by to save their future, they will not grandparents a safer old age. climate change, should young peo- only succeed in doing that, they Disha Ravi of Fridays for Future ple sit idle and allow their future will also be making it possible for India has said that she was drawn to be jeopardised? No. The bravest their elders to live into old age to climate activism because she among them have decided to take safely. was distressed by the hardships Illustration: Angela Ferrao

8 VIDURA January-March 2021 her grandparents were experienc- force in counteracting the sectarian should not be given a bad name, ing as farmers from increasingly Khalistan movement, risking his nor should unfair allegations be adverse weather conditions which own life, has expressed the opinion foisted on it because of an unin- were most likely the fallout of cli- in his column in The Tribune that tentional mistake. Those young mate change. at the most, the activist might have people who have been unfairly Those who are taking up cli- been deceived into doing some victimised in this regard deserve mate and environment activism work for a Khalistan group which immediate relief, after course cor- spurred by such sentiments should had cleverly concealed its identity. rection is effected at the higher be encouraged and rewarded, not When an activist with otherwise levels of authority. These young

victimised and imprisoned. Move- noble credentials gets deceived people are the future, they are the ments for protecting the earth and in such a way, it is government’s ones who will save the future. < checking climate change are inher- role to inform the activist about the ently movements of peace. Such real identity of the dubious group. (The writer is a veteran journalist movements have nothing to do If this had been done, the activ- and author. His recent books include with violence or sectarianism or ist would have cut connections Protecting Earth for Children secessionism or sedition or Khal- with the group, and the relatively and Survival Crisis—Planet in istanism. Many people, including small incident would have ended, Peril, People’s Movements the parents of the young climate activ- instead of being blown up, Ribeiro Only Way Forward.) ists, are bewildered by recent alle- wrote. gations to this effect. The broader issue here is that the Julio Ribeiro, who became a movement of young people to pro- national hero because of the way tect the environment and check cli- he led his colleagues in the police mate change is highly relevant and

WAN-IFRA joins Washington Post Press Freedom Partnership

The Washington Post Press Freedom Partnership, a public service initiative from The Post to promote press freedom worldwide, has announced the addition of WAN-IFRA, the World Association of News Publishers, to its growing coalition of partners. The Partnership also announced its first supporting partner, the Aspen Institute’s Aspen Digital Programme, which will help elevate the work of the Partnership to key stakeholders working to expand protections for journalists around the world. WAN-IFRA and Aspen Digital join a global group of eight partner organisations: Committee to Protect Journalists, International Press Institute, International Women’s Media Foundation, James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, National Press Club, One Free Press Coalition, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and Reporters Without Borders. “In the two years since its launch, The Post Press Freedom Partnership has provided a voice to journalists in need, reaching decision-makers worldwide who have the power to influence the outcome on these critical issues,” said Fred Ryan, publisher and CEO of The Washington Post. “We are excited to once again expand the partnership and extend the impact of our efforts to support the rights of journalists worldwide.” Said Vincent Peyrègne, CEO of WAN-IFRA: “Collaboration is vital if we are to overcome the many challenges ahead. These are worrying times for press freedom, and for anyone who shares a passionate belief in the right to freedom of expression. Yet through it all, we must remember the positive impact news media has on our societies by keeping us informed. WAN-IFRA believes this is worth defending, and we are excited to join The Washington Post in their efforts to do just that.” “In a new chapter of the long-standing battle for press freedom, would-be autocrats around the globe are using the covid-19 pandemic to tighten their grip on power and crackdown on journalism,” said Vivian Schiller, executive director of Aspen Digital. “At stake is the public’s right to know and, especially in these times of crisis, human life, itself. The Washington Post Press Freedom Partnership

is standing up for truth when we need it most, and Aspen Digital is eager and ready to be part of this critical initiative.” <

January-March 2021 VIDURA 9 Remembering a martyr and his relevance today Chandra Shekhar Azad has been one of the most enduring and inspiring symbols of courage and resistance in India. As we remember him on his martyrdom day on February 27, we must also remember his many deeds of courage and the great relevance of his work and message for present times, say Bharat Dogra and Jagmohan Singh

hile Chandra Shekhar violence, it is instead a message of and rushed after the boy. He made Azad certainly valued his deep and long-term commitment to them run after him for some time (so Wrevolver, we should not create a society based on justice and that the injured man could be saved) forget how restrained he was in actu- equality, to build a nation which is and then disappeared in the narrow ally using it. If we read his life-story free from exploitation and injustice. lanes of Varanasi. carefully, time and again there would In addition these revolutionaries Dozens and dozens of articles, be call for action and the restraining placed great emphasis on communal statements, appeals, pleas by senior influence often came from the com- harmony, inter-faith harmony, so journalists, jurists and academics as mander Azad who was very careful that there could be greater national well as retired judges, very senior offi- in all such decisions. In this context unity to achieve the higher objectives cials and police officials, very senior we also remember the wider mes- of justice and dignity and equality. A political leaders of the country are sage of the dearest colleague of Azad, strong message we should take from available today in the public domain Shahid Bhagat Singh, who said very these revolutionary freedom fight- which raise their voice against the clearly — non-violence as a policy ers is to encourage and honour those imprisonment and victimisation of is indispensable for all mass move- young people who come forward many students and youths for their ments while use of force is justifiable to create a society based on justice, involvement in socially relevant only when resorted to as a matter of equality and inter-faith harmony. activities relating to communal har- terrible necessity. Let us not forget that all these mony, justice, freedom of expression, It is in this wider framework that great revolutionaries were very support of farmers and workers and the message of great revolutionar- young when they undertook very their movements. All such learned ies of the Freedom Movement like courageous responsibilities and ful- and experienced persons who are Azad and Bhagat Singh and Ram- filled them. Chandra Shekhar Azad raising their voice on behalf of young prasad Bismil should be under- became a famous freedom fighter activists could not possibly be wrong. stood with more emphasis on the at the age of only 15. He achieved According to these various conclusions they were drawing martyrdom at the age of 25, fighting accounts, some of the victimised from their invaluable experiences in a huge force of colonial police who young persons are students of JNU the last days of their short but very had surrounded him from many and Jamia Millia or of other universi- eventful lives. Their broad mes- sides in Alfred Park of Allahabad. ties, some of them are those found to sage is certainly not a message of It was 1921 and the famous Non- be supporting farmers and workers, Cooperation Movement against colo- some of them are those working for nial rule was making waves in India. communal harmony, some for other At the time of the protests of this causes of democracy and justice. All movement in Varanasi, a freedom the time there are calls to young peo- fighter who had been felled by police ple to serve their society and coun- lathis was still being beaten in a most try, and when they actually come cruel way by policemen. A 15-year forward, they are victimized. This is old boy who had joined the protest not fair. demonstration could not bear to see this cruelty on a fallen helpless man. (Jagmohan Singh is the nephew He picked up a big stone and hit it of Shahid Bhagat Singh. He is with force on the head on a police- chairperson, Shahid Bhagat Singh man who was hitting the fallen man Creativity Center, and has devoted

Photo: Internet with his baton again and again. The his life to spreading the ideals of Chandra Shekhar Azad. policeman then left the fallen man the revolutionary.)

10 VIDURA January-March 2021 LIFE DURING COVID-19 Online courses usher in hope As Indian industry expands, the demand for skilled hands is expected to increase several-fold. Several institutions are working to not only equip Indian youth with employable skills, but also bridge the employer-employee gap. It is hoped that ventures like Newton School and Just Rojgar will ease the demand-supply gap going forward, says Rina Mukherji

espite being home to the mainstream syllabi and education impossible to travel to work, given largest employable popu- systems. the huge distances and traffic con- Dlation in the world (62 per Online education has given a fil- gestion in Bengaluru. With a baby cent), and 46.9 per cent of that num- lip to the aspirations of people in at home, it became even more dif- ber being under 25 years of age, remote areas, who are now able ficult,” she says. When she tried India has deplorably few skilled to access technological tools that to return to work after a five-year personnel at its disposal, not just were previously out of reach, both gap, she found that her skills were in the IT (Information Technol- physically and financially. This has, dated. So she got the idea of equip- ogy)/ ITes(Information Technology in turn, helped them acquire skills ping herself with coding skills. The Enabled Sectors) domains alone, which have led to jobs that were two hours of online coaching suited but also in others such as health- earlier out of reach. her; and the rates were reasonable. care and green industries. Young mothers who were trying Sithi is now working at a Bengal- To meet the clearly-felt need, to return to the job market after uru-based software firm. the government embarked on the spending years nurturing their little Rakhi Mishra of Varanasi had fin- Skill India Mission some years ones have also benefitted from the ished two years of her MCA degree ago. However, the desired results new scenario. course before she realised she knew are yet to be achieved. The spread Take the case of Sithi Nasila, a very little of coding or computer- of online teaching – one of the graduate engineer specialising in related work at the practical level. positive fallouts of the COVID-19 Computer Science, who gave up a “The syllabus was totally theoreti- pandemic – has resulted in lucrative career at Infosys follow- cal. Although there was a lab at our attempts to close the gaps in the ing the birth of her child. “It was institute, full-day lectures left us with very little time to work on the computers,” she says. Rakhi enrolled at the Newton School in February 2020 and by the time she finished her coding course, she was ready for the job market. “Newton School helped schedule interviews with employers; this helped us make the right connections and choices,” Rakhi tells me. By October 2020, she was placed with a Gurgaon firm as a software engineer. Realising how useful coding courses can be for women who lack mobility due to family responsibilities, the Newton School recently embarked on a Woman in Tech- nology Programme. The syllabus focuses on the basics, so that even undergraduates can develop technical abilities in coding. The aim is

Photos: JM to upskill people for the thousands An online instrumentation class as depicted on a screen; and (right) an online class of technical positions available for welders on the Just Learn platform. nationwide.

January-March 2021 VIDURA 11 An online class on refrigeration mechanism being conducted on the Just Learn platform; and (right) an online class in nursing being conducted. Nursing and paramedical courses are popular in Tripura and the Northeastern states. There are courses tailored for leaflet and decided to try this online talk to the employers, and get such both technology novices and expe- course,” he shares. The course gave people quickly promoted to floor rienced professionals. No fees are him practical inputs on wiring and manager jobs,” says Co-founder levied for admission, registration colour coding, besides bringing Abhishek Chola. or even for the course initially. him closer to employers. Thanks to Of course, such programmes are Students pay once they secure jobs Just Rojgar Solutions, Ajeet is now not without problems either. In states through the interviews the school employed at a solar plant. like Tripura, Jharkhand and Uttara- schedules, and begin earning. And Others like Priya Kumari are khand, grid connectivity is shaky, what if the students default on using the course to prepare for the and round-the-clock Internet con- payments? “We have not had any job market. This girl from Bhag- nectivity is lacking in rural areas. To defaulters so far”, says Co-Founder wanpur village in Uttarakhand overcome this, the Just Learn online Siddharth Mahaeshwari proudly. has no role model to look up to but platform opts for low bandwidth, Then there is Just Rojgar, which aspires to become an electrician. which makes it compatible with a uses Just Learn, an online learning The daughter of a farmer, Priya is wide range of Internet speeds. platform and mobile app, to train keen to make a difference by opting Newton School records all its students for a wide variety of blue- for a profession no one in her vil- sessions and makes them available and grey-collar jobs. Ankit Kumar lage or inner circle has ever opted to students. “Thus, if anyone has from Dadanpatti village in Bhag- for. A Grade 10 student, she got missed part of a live session, noth- wanpur, Uttarakhand, graduated the idea of doing the course when ing is lost,” explains Maheshwari. in Mathematics, and then opted for her school had to close due to the Rural students may also find it dif- an online electrician’s course even pandemic. Her sister, who is in ficult to master English terms as as he pursued postgraduate stud- college, and preparing to join the they may have studied in vernacu- ies in Mathematics. The four-month Army, learnt about Just Rojgar and lar-medium schools. To overcome course helped him secure a job as its online learning platform, and this, Just Rojgar conducts English assistant electrician at Exide Indus- passed on the information to her. language classes too. “These are tries in October 2020, even before Although there are several high- particularly helpful for women completing his studies. paying opportunities in the techni- who want to qualify as paramedics Similarly, the course helped Ajeet cal field, lack of awareness pushes or nursing aides,” says Chola. Pal, who has a diploma in Electri- bright individuals from the lower Given the practical nature of cal Engineering, to return to the classes to opt for general degrees, technical skills, online/remote job market. “I was working until which do not guarantee any jobs and courses have several other limita- three years ago, when my mother’s they are left frustrated. Just Rozgar. tions too. Efforts are made to over- illness compelled me to quit, and com has managed to counsel many come these through collaborative

attend to her. But the gap made it such young people and help them arrangements with the employers difficult to return to the job market. acquire job-ready skills, in addition concerned. < I chanced on a www.justrojgar.in to their general qualifications. “We

12 VIDURA January-March 2021 LIFE DURING COVID-19 Creating awareness, spreading pertinent messages — silently

Actions speak louder than words. The effectiveness of mime as a teaching and communications tool was proven all over again by an exponent of the silent art form on the streets of Guwahati during the pandemic. The mime artiste used his skills to create awareness about the COVID pandemic and safety measures. Sayanika Dutta tells us about the ‘silent hero’

arly in March 2020, a 26-year- and frontline workers risked their language of mime to convey infor- old artist set out to create lives to serve the needy. Individu- mation on safety measures. The Epublic awareness about the als and organisations came out to YouTube video was widely shared Novel Coronavirus and promote help while following the stringent on social media and regional media desirable behaviour to mitigate norms of social distancing, mask houses covered his effort in their risks. Wearing white face paint, a wearing and washinghands. programmes. “I realised that mime striped top and black dungarees, There are many stories – some was a good tool to spread awareness mime artist Minangka Deka not reported and most unreported – messages pertaining to COVID-19. only proved the effectiveness of the around COVID-19 and how peo- Until then, worldwide, only one art of silence in communication, ple and organisations stepped up. mime act video was produced for but also showed how one indi- Minangka Deka’s story is one of this purpose. Our video was the vidual can become a major agent of them. A senior scholarship holder first in India to use mime to create change. for mime under the Ministry of Cul- awareness around COVID-19.” The COVID-19 pandemic caught ture, Government of India, Deka is Despite the limitations of lock- the world unawares. It affected an alumnus of Cotton University, down, Deka efficiently and single- different strata of people at differ- Guwahati, Assam. When the virus handedly managed everything. ent levels. When news stories of struck, Deka initially took to social From creating the acts to handling COVID-19 infections and mortality media to spread awareness regard- the camera, from lighting to editing flashed across media platforms, the ing the World Health Organisation – he did it all to create more aware- initial reaction was one of fear and (WHO) guidelines. In simple lan- ness video using mime. He has panic about the unknown. With guage, he shared the dos and don’ts been sharing his videos through the sudden lockdown, migrant and sought to debunk the myths. his YouTube channel, Nirbaak. He labour was displaced, people lost Just before the nation-wide lock- also featured in an awareness video jobs, suffered pay cuts, faced hun- down, Deka came up with a short created by the Indian Mime Asso- ger. On the other hand, healthcare awareness video. He used the silent ciation that included contributions Photos: SD Deka campaigning for the National Health Mission, Assam during the COVID-19 pandemic; and (right) creating awareness on the importance of mask wearing through humour and mime.

January-March 2021 VIDURA 13 from the mime fraternity across the country. In order to prepare citizens after the first phase of lockdown, Deka created another awareness video in the Assamese language on how public spaces should be used. In another individual effort, he produced a small act on the importance of keeping hands clean and a short video titled Thooo on the dangerous, though common practice of spitting. A mime act to create awareness on the virus by two little girls trained by Deka and done under his guidancewas widely shared by the state government and civil organisations including the Assam Police and featured in the leading news channels of Assam. Mask is a must, says mime artist Deka. Deka also partnered with the Government of Assam to raise Dressed in his mime costume give me a handshake. I, obviously, awareness on the use of face masks and make-up, Deka staged perfor- thwarted these actions with ges- for safety. He featured in a poster mances on Guwahati streets, and tures and miming,” Deka laughs. campaign Mur Mask, Mur Dhal also partnered with the National When words fail to catch attention, (My Mask, My Armour) and cre- Health Mission, Assam, and other this silent act made people give a ated a mime awareness video titled organisations to distribute re-use- second look, and make an effort to

Mask is Must. able masks among the poor and figure out what he was trying to Deka also sought to help the print the most-vulnerable population. communicate. < media by dispelling fears about get- “Working in a group was not pos- ting the COVID-19 infection from sible as we had the task of promot- (The writer is assistant professor, newspapers by creating an aware- ing the concept of social distancing. Department of Mass Communication, ness video Aamez. Through his Hence, solo acts were my only Journalism & Media Studies, video Bazaar, he tried to showcase option. Solo mime performances on Cotton University, Guwahati.) the trouble faced by the common the streets are rare. So when people man due to price rise of essential saw me, they were curious,” says commodities and food items and Deka. protested against the government’s “Such was the response that inaction. people came forward to hug me or

Dainik Bhaskar’s 204-page ‘cloth’ newspaper marks a milestone

To mark its 15 years in Bhilwara – the Textile City of India, Dainik Bhaskar in continuation with its mega- editions’ spree, published a 204 Pages Foundation Day Issue in Bhilwara. Over the years, the city of Bhilwara has emerged as India’s largest fabric manufacturer, encompassing 50 per cent of the total polyester fabric and suitings manufacturing in India. Dainik Bhaskar printed the first page of the 204 pages Foundation Day Issue on Fabric. With this, the

Bhaskar Group has yet again set a new milestone in the print media industry. This edition was published with the aim of delivering a collectable edition to the readers. <

14 VIDURA January-March 2021 LIFE DURING COVID-19 Well, profiteering even from a pandemic? There are at least 10 major branded manufacturers selling hand sanitisers in India, besides scores of smaller enterprises, but no one has really bothered to create awareness among the public regarding the pros and cons of use, says Sakuntala Narasimhan. Where there is money and profits to be made – as in bottled water or sanitisers – buyers need to be aware and cautious, to avoid getting cheated, she points out

asks and hand sanitisers • Avoid sanitisers with anti- through damaged genes inherited have registered expo- bacterial agents (like triclosan, from her father (whose mother had nential growth in sales benzalkonium chloride.) These taken DES while she was carrying M do not protect against the virus. worldwide the past several months him). The son was not harmed but since the coronavirus pandemic hit • Avoid brands with fragrances, he passed on damaged genes to his us. Post office or supermarket, cus- which may contain phthalates daughter (which was not foreseen). tomers are required to clean their (which are endocrine disrup- DES was subsequently banned but hands with sanitisers placed at the tors and can cause hormone by then thousands of pregnant entrance, before they can go in. imbalance) Check that the women had already ingested it and There are at least 10 major branded brand you buy does not con- passed on damaged genes. tain methanol (it could be manufacturers selling hand sani- dangerous). By the time some long-term, tisers in India, besides scores of harmful effects become known, the smaller enterprises. But so far no • Avoid eating immediately after damage is done, so it is better to using sanitiser. Remember that one has bothered to create aware- be wary of new chemical formula- very frequent use can lead to ness among the public regarding allergies. tions as far as possible. Sometimes, the pros and cons of use simple remedies (like washing The Consumer Education and • Do not apply on wet or greasy with soap and water) work just as hands. It is ineffective. Research Centre (CERC) in Ahmed- well as – or better than—synthetic abad, which has won some signifi- • Alcohol evaporates, so do not alternatives. It was CERC that first cant, precedent-setting court orders leave inside a car where it can tested (in its lab for monitoring con- upholding buyers’ rights, has now get exposed to heat (especially sumer goods, which was the first during summer). put out some guidelines about hand of its kind in India) bottled water sanitisers, in its recent Grahaksathi Modern lifestyles expose us to brands in India, during the 1990s, bulletin (available in both English countless new chemicals and syn- and found contamination in several and Hindi –www.cercindia.org) thetic formulations that we do not leading brands, and advised that that will help us choose the right know the long-term effects of. The boiling drinking water offers the sanitiser and avoid hazards related classic example is DES – diethyl best guarantee of safety. to the chemicals that go into them. stilbesterol – that was promoted as This writer helped in purchasing • Use sanitisers only when soap a miracle cure for morning sickness sealed bottled water samples from and water are not available. in pregnant women, during the different outlets and cities; the test Sanitisers kill good bacteria 1980s. It took several years – one result was a revelation and was car- too. Especially for children, whole generation in fact –to dis- ried as a lead story in India Today. encourage washing hands with cover that the daughters of women Malpractices in bottled water sales soap and water. who took DES during their preg- were unearthed (rag pickers collect- • Read the label before buying. nancy developed vaginal cancers ing empty bottles – from railway Check the alcohol content – it when they attained puberty. stations and restaurants – and fill- should be 60 to 95 per cent ing them with untreated water from (ethanol or isopropanol). Do The harmful effect was suspected roadside taps – we found ‘shops’ not buy non-alcohol brands, to be passed on through only female they are not effective against progeny – but in 1990 the US saw a in Bengaluru’s Peenya suburb that coronavirus. teenage girl develop malignancies printed labels with popular brand

January-March 2021 VIDURA 15 Illustration: Arun Ramkumar names, and sold them. Where The maid servant who is required Property Rights) so that generic there is money, and profits to be to wear a mask while coming versions of the vaccine can be pro- made – as in bottled water or sani- to work, just pays whatever is duced to cater to the needs of the tisers – buyers need to be aware and demanded, because it is essen- poorer countries, has been opposed cautious, to avoid getting cheated. tial for her if she is to continue to by Big Pharma, so now the US, UK, Sometimes simple, time-tested work for a living. But has the media China and EU corner 78 per cent of methods are just as effective as neo- bothered to create awareness about available doses while Africa gets a teric, commercial ones. the pros and cons, and the right mere 0.2 per cent. Some manufacturers of masks price, etc? Not just the print media People in South Africa and have also reaped unethical profits (which does not reach the illiterate Uganda also pay more than twice by selling either sub-standard or millions who still need masks) but the price that the companies charge overprices masks. Sucheta Dalal of through radio and television also. in the West, although much of the Moneylife Foundation has exposed Every telecast carries ads (because research is funded by governments the fact that the N95 type of mask they bring in revenue for the chan- using public money. The report, was being sold at exorbitant prices, nel) but important information like co-authored by well-known health to gullible buyers. There was no safety guidelines do not get fea- activist Jomo Kwame Sundaram price control or monitoring, and tured. And no one is asking why. and A.Chowdhury, shows that

citizens shelled out whatever the The latest bulletin put out by the even a pandemic gets ‘milked’ for price quoted was, for fear of catch- global People’s Health Movement profits. < ing the dreaded virus. Single layer (PHM) in mid-February exposes masks are said to be not as good greed-based profiteering even (The writer is a senor journalist as double layer ones, in preventing by vaccine suppliers. Calling this who lives in Bengaluru. She is former the spread of infection., but there profiteering “vaccine imperial- vice president, Consumer Guidance was practically no guidelines put ism”, the report says that a South Society of India, Mumbai, and out for buyers (who included over Africa-India proposal requesting Government of India National Award a billion people, from the lowli- the suspension of the 1994 World winner for consumer protection.) est rickshaw puller to business Trade Organisation agreement on executives). TRIPs (Trade Related Intellectual

16 VIDURA January-March 2021 LIFE DURING COVID-19 Technology must be used to build knowledge, capacities The COVID-19 crisis has brought the world to a standstill. Government, civil society and volunteers are rallying to ensure that social and economic inequalities do not dictate how this crisis draws lines between the haves and have-nots. The time has come to utilise technology (the widespread Internet and smartphone availability in India) to build resilience of communities by training them to strive for better livelihood opportunities where they want to, say Manisha Shah, Amrtha Kasturi Rangan, Bishwadeep Ghose

he COVID-19 crisis seems norm and the experts and learners The first use of th infrastructure to have deepened the exist- are not able to come together in has been by agencies who are try- Ting divide. Where we stand usual training settings? Can tech- ing to reach and provide relief to today, finding a way to address nology provide us a unique oppor- the remotest of villages to cope with this divide is crucial if we want to tunity here? the pandemic. They have been able see a better world on the other side As of 2019, the number of active to conduct training sessions, collect of this pandemic. While ensuring Internet users in rural India was data through surveys, share digi- that all vulnerable groups receive estimated at 290 million. Further, tal content, and receive informa- at least the basic essentials to ride the Central Government’s Bharat- tion on lack of resources to allocate this out, it is also time to start think- Net Programme had created infra- relief accordingly. We are seeing a ing about what we can do now to structure to provide broadband transformation in digital learning make the communities much more connectivity to 138000 GPs (55 per and what was unimaginable only resilient and prepared to fight any cent coverage) and aimed to cover five years ago, has become a reality other crisis in future. all 250000 GPs by 2020. During the today. But beyond COVID-19 relief, With thousands of people walk- COVID crisis and the national lock- can this momentum and trust in ing back home, there is going to be down that followed, mobile phone digital be sustained for longer term a need to both employ them and and Internet calls have been the impacts and building resilience of ensure that natural resources such only way for people to know that vulnerable groups? as water are both augmented and their friends and families are keep- used optimally. To do both, building safe. With more than 84 per cent Virtual learning beyond COVID ing knowledge and capacities at of the country covered with 4G LTE We are finding the answer to this scale becomes critical. How do we connection, India is going digital at question as well during the lock- do this when social distancing is the a very fast pace. down. A government programme Photos: Uzra Sultana / CXOToday.com Training field trainers online using video conferencing tools as a part of a government programme on landscape management in Meghalaya; and (right) bringing the digital revolution to the hands of real India.

January-March 2021 VIDURA 17 on landscape management in with trainers in classroom sessions we have built an image of what Meghalaya adopted the idea of earlier but I find no difference in a migrant worker looks like. But training virtually almost a year ago our learning”, says Meetha Lal our limited exposure is blocking so as to evolve the capacity build- from Pali District of Rajasthan. our thinking from acknowledg- ing plan of the program to match The women field trainers seem ing the diversity in skills, inter- the evolution in technology. So more glad for the virtual train- ests, aptitude, and aspirations that with the preparations of the last few ing technology as they are now lies within the members of this months, Meghalaya has been able able to attend all sessions while group. The Central Government to begin the digital training of mas- also carrying out their responsi- has already announced that skilled ter trainers from different districts bilities at home. Sunita Bunker labourers in construction and real- and blocks so that they can further and Tejkanwar, FES field trainers estate jobs could be employed in train village-level volunteers and from Chittorgarh say, “We had to its flagship missions like Jal Jee- build their capacities to plan and carry our small children with us van, which will need a lot of man- manage local natural resources to towns when we went for day- power to create infrastructure for effectively. Even in Maharashtra, long sessions and the men at home drinking water. That is definitely expert organisations on water are did not take it kindly when we one good avenue to provide local training CRPs on components of were not available all day long to jobs to skilled labourers. Jal Jeevan Mission, so that they are serve them food and take care of But the potential of a digital prepared to start on the program other needs. It used to be mentally infrastructure for training people components as soon as it takes off stressful for us. Now, we plan our returning home and employing in the districts. day in advance when we get noti- them locally goes well beyond Foundation of Ecological Secu- fied of the training schedule, finish water – beyond construction rity (FES), an NGO that works on household chores, take care of the workers, who form the majority ‘commons’ managemnet has also children and then, peacefully sit to of those who are returning. There been able to scale up its efforts to learn. It is very easy to follow what are many other people who have four states by training field train- trainers teach us. We also feel very worked in cities to support travel, ers online using video conferenc- comfortable to ask questions and tourism, hotels, and restaurants. ing tools on topics like utilising get our doubts clarified in a virtual Would some of them be interested MGNREGS to plan common-pool session.” in becoming entrepreneurs in their resources in villages, monitoring The two big programmes on own villages and enabled to pro- water levels etc. The field trainers water – Atal Bhujal Yojana and Jal mote rural tourism? Or would work with local institutions and Jeevan Mission – strongly empha- some who have worked on sup- strengthen governance systems, sise women participation. Just like ply chains for urban customers which assumes even more impor- Sunita and Tejkanwar, there are want to start adding value to their tance now than ever before. thousands of women who want own farm produce and make some We spoke to several field train- to get trained and participate in profit from the occupation? ers who are receiving knowledge programmes. The experience of Can some with basic computer through these online sessions. FES shows that virtual training is literacy training build their career All of them shared that they are opening a new range of possibili- as banking correspondents cre- happy for the uninterrupted learn- ties for women CRPs and it could ating value for their communi- ing even during the lockdown and break barriers and generate mean- ties through financial inclusion as NREGA activities are pick- ingful participation in these large - a systemic issue that has clearly ing up, they are able to use their national programs if they adopt been highlighted during this pan- new knowledge to help plan bet- digital training tools. demic? And will this transforma- ter. They have also been able to Jal Shakti Abhiyan is another tion take a lot of effort in our world

share video and other digital con- major campaign on water being where knowledge can be availed at tent with GP functionaries, who executed through MGNREGA. fingertips? < are finding it helpful to execute Will it be more effective if planners their responsibilities under the at GPs are trained on hydrogeologi- (Courtesy: India Water Portal.) program. cal understanding of watersheds so “The sessions are focussed on that the efforts result in much better relevant topics, well planned, outcomes? start and finish on time, and give us opportunities to ask questions Thinking local and acting locally and talk to the trainers. I do miss As the media keeps sharing the face-to-face interaction we had pictures of workers fleeing cities,

18 VIDURA January-March 2021 LIFE DURING COVID-19 The environmental impacts of the economic package The images of internal migrants walking thousands of kilometres to return to their villages are likely to be the ones that will go in history reflecting the COVID-19 lockdown in India. The lockdown provided an opportunity to introspect and change the economic, environmental and policy systems that led to the crisis. As the lockdown eased, the government’s actions and inactions would determine whether there was movement towards a paradigm change. The initial indications were hardly encouraging, says S. Gopikrishna Warrier after making a thorough analysis

n recent weeks (this was imme- Century to be that of India. He Even so, the larger question was diately after the early reverse called for turning the crisis into an whether the measures could ensure Imigrations began), the situation opportunity to build a self-reliant that the human tragedy that fol- in India was a throwback to two India on the five pillars of economy, lowed the COVID-19 lockdown be historical events. The sight of mil- infrastructure, technology-driven averted in the future. The lockdown lions of internal migrants cycling systems, demography and demand. immobilised 1.3 billion people, and using any mode of transport He announced a Rs 20 trillion eco- who had a lead time of a mere four to return to their homes far away nomic package to support the hours after the prime minister’s in this large country brought back revival. Finance Minister Nirmala announcement on March 24. With images of the mass migration fol- Sitharaman followed through with daily earnings on standstill, and lowing India’s partition in 1947. The the details of the economic pack- no guarantee on when this would second – with the prime minister age and reform measures through end, they had no support systems and the finance minister announc- a series of press conferences. to continue staying in the places ing a series of policy changes – was they had migrated to across state a reminder to the launch of the eco- Migration and the rural boundaries. Long walks, police nomic reforms in 1991. bottlenecks batons, hunger and death on roads The Partition of 1947 divided the While the national government and rail tracks followed. country into two. Families migrated announced the economic package If millions had to reverse-migrate across the newly-formed boundary. with much fanfare, after the dust within their country, then why did The COVID-19 lockdown of the had settled analysts estimated that they move away from their homes past weeks again divided the coun- the actual governmental stimulus in the first place? If agriculture and try into two – those who stayed at was only 1 per cent of the GDP and its associated sector provides only home, and the others who had lost not 10 per cent as announced. The 16 per cent of the GDP and employs their jobs and incomes and walked. rest, they stated, was a repackag- 50 per cent of those employed, it is The desperate reverse migration ing of old schemes and also money obvious that those working in the starkly brought out the economic supply measures announced by the manufacturing and services sec- links of the pandemic which was Reserve Bank of India. tors that constitute the remaining believed to be environmentally- This was a big slip between the 84 percent have higher per capita caused. The crisis also provided cup and the lip. The need was for earnings than the farmers. This pro- an opportunity to reset some of the fresh governmental spending to vides the pull factor for migrants structural environmental-economic bring money into the hands of the into cities and areas abutting indus- issues that brought the situation to people, so that they could buy their trial estates, which usually in turn such a pass. immediate needs and also help to are located near urban centres. In his televised address to the restart the economy. Instead, they There are structural limitations nation last year on May 12, Prime were told that more funds were in agriculture too, which push Minister Narendra Modi had available with banks, which they people out of villages. The work focused on using the opportunity could borrow and use at a time that the Green Revolution started of making India self-reliant. He when nobody wanted to adventure in the mid-1960s never got fol- launched a mission, Atmanirbhar to their already dangerous financial lowed through completely. The Bharat Abhiyan, calling the 21st situation. Green Revolution was a historically

January-March 2021 VIDURA 19 opportune intervention when India reduce the number of people was for restarting that part of the was living on food aid and the asso- migrating to other states. The cur- economy which employs a dispro- ciated risks to its sovereignty and rent migrant crisis has highlighted portionately higher proportion of political stability. It was a package that the most number of migrants the workforce. of good seeds of high-yielding vari- are from Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Mad- Though agriculture (and its allied eties, fertilizers and pesticides that hya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh sectors) only contributes to about increased crop productivity and and West Bengal. 16 per cent of the GDP, it employs production in areas that already Declining farm holding size has half of those employed in the coun- had irrigation. Less than one-third added another kind of pressure, try. Thus, if value can be added in of the farmed land in the country especially in forest-edge villages. the agriculture and rural sector, the had access to irrigation when the Agriculture has encroached into logic is that the benefits can reach Green Revolution was launched. the edge of the larger forests and more people. Additional funding According to the Economic Survey has erased smaller forest patches of Rs 400 billion for the Mahatma 2017-18, today it is around 48 per on government and private lands, Gandhi National Rural Employ- cent. leading to greater human-wild- ment Guarantee Scheme (MGN- This bottleneck is further com- life conflict. Greater interaction REGS) was a measure to provide plicated with the decreasing size between humans and wildlife some money in the hands of the of agricultural landholdings in increases the risk of transmission of rural economy. the country. Smaller holdings zoonotic diseases such as COVID- This along with agricultural reduce the economic viability of 19. Together, these factors have marketing reforms that were the farms. According to the lat- caused declining farm yields and announced are aimed at increas- est Agriculture Census the aver- income over recent decades. Even ing incomes in the rural areas. age size of an operational holding the communitiesthat the Green The promise is that a new law declined to 1.08 hectare in 2015-16 Revolution had made wealthy will provide adequate choices to from 1.15 ha in 2010-11. The small were unhappy. Farm unrest had the farmers to sell their produce and marginal holdings (up to 2 ha) come out into the streets before the at the best price, barrier-free trad- accounted for 86.08 percent of all national elections. ing across state boundaries and an farm holdings. About 91 per cent e-commerce framework. Financial of the operational holdings were in Support for the rural economy support has been promised for 14 states – Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sithar- establishing farm gate infrastruc- Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, aman dealt with the rural issues in ture such as cold and post-harvest Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maha- her early press meetings. The first storage facilities. rashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil focus was to make credit available In addition to support for food Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh to micro, small and medium enter- crops, fruits and vegetables, the and West Bengal. prises (MSMEs), and food support finance minister also announced Some of the states have been able for the internal migrants for two support for fisheries, livestock rear- to balance out their high number of months. While the latter is meant to ing and beekeeping. For tribal com- economically unviable farm hold- provide immediate support to the munities, support was announced ings with manufacturing or ser- migrants, the stated logic for mak- from the compensatory afforesta- vice-sector industries, and thereby ing collateral-free credit for MSMEs tion fund. Photo: Nandhu Kumar/ Unsplash Photo: Ravish Ranjan Shukla A farmer in a paddy field; and (right) migrants in Uttar Pradesh try to board a truck in an attempt to return to their homes during the COVID-19 lockdown.

20 VIDURA January-March 2021 Photo: Pau Casals/ Unsplash Photos: International Accountability Project/Flickr L-r: Agriculture and its associated sector provides only 16 per cent of the GDP and employs 50 percent of India’s employed population; a basket weaver in Assam — additional funding of Rs 400 billion for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) was provided in the recent economic package; and coal-powered thermal plant in Singrauli — the government plans to introduce commercial mining of coal and enhance private investment in the mining sector.

Privatisation 2.0 and a fossil-fuel Environment Impact Assessment The Karnataka Government did ﬁ z z (EIA) notifi cation, to make it easier not want to permit migrant labour Like during the launch of the for industries and development to return to their home states after economic reforms of 1991, the projects to get their environmental the relaxation of the lockdown say- recent economic package also had clearance. ing that it would hamper the state’s a strong impetus for privatisation. As reported earlier by Mong- economic activities. More airports were held out for pri- abay-India, the new draft EIA The lockdown due to the COVID- vatisation under the public-private notifi cation aims to exempt certain 19 pandemic had given the country partnership (PPP) route. Power kinds of projects from the public an opportunity to introspect on distribution companies in union hearing process, which is the only what got the country to the crisis, territories would be privatised, opportunity where people living and what could be done to avoid its announced the fi nance minister. near where a project is to sited have occurrence in the future. The indica- Private sector investment was also an opportunity to get their views tions are that business as usual will

promoted for social infrastructure, heard and recorded into the offi cial continue, with increased vigour to space and even the establishment document. When their views are try and catch up with lost time. < of atomic research reactor (in PPP not heard, and they lose their lands, mode) for the production of medi- livelihoods and access to natural (Courtesy: Mongabay-India. cal isotopes. resources, communities are forced The writer is managing editor, Falling out of sync with India’s to move out in search of alternate Mongabay-India.) intended nationally determined occupations. commitments (INDCs) to reduce Projects such as the Etalin Hydro- fossil fuel use to mitigate climate electric Power Plant have almost change, the economic package has got its clearance with the forest measures to privatise the mining of advisory committ ee of the envi- coal and other minerals. The gov- ronment ministry refusing to look ernment will introduce commercial at the objections that people had mining of coal and enhance private raised from across the country. investment in the mining sector. Located in a biodiversity hotspot in It is unfair to expect one economic the eastern Himalayas of Arunachal package to change all the issues in Pradesh, the project could mean the RIND Survey one instance. However, this was a destruction of 280000 trees and all package announced under unprec- the associated biodiversity. edented circumstances. So it should The meta picture emerging at least lay the foundation for reveals that the focus continues on changing the environmental and the ease of doing business, indif- Our Journals economic factors that caused the ferent to the environmental and human tragedy. social costs. If not so, how could To read articles, The economic package also the state governments of Uttar plase visit has to be seen concurrently with Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh act www.pressinstitute.in other developments. The govern- on removing labour laws that pro- ment is in a hurry to amend the vided safeguards for the workers?

January-March 2021 VIDURA 21 Faecal sludge management policy could help small towns This article by Anju Dwivedi, Shikha Shukla Chhabra, Shubhagato Dasgupta, Scaling City Institution for India, and Centre for Policy Research looks at how Project Nirmal helped Odisha become a front runner among states with a comprehensive policy framework on faecal sludge management

onsidering the overarch- that would facilitate the creation of The OUSP envisions making all ing dependence on onsite an enabling environment for the cities and towns in the state clean, Csanitation systems, the implementation of FSM initiatives. sanitised, safe, healthy and live- Ministry of Housing and Urban The Housing and Urban Develop- able, managed by ULBs and with Affairs (MoHUA), GoI launched ment Department (H&UDD), GoO active citizen and stakeholder the National Policy on Faecal prepared the Odisha Urban Sani- participation. It is aligned with Sludge and Septage Management tation Policy (OUSP) and revised national policies (namely, National in February 2017. The idea was to the Odisha Urban Sanitation Strat- Urban Sanitation Policy, 2008 and create an enabling framework for egy (OUSS) in 2017, with technical National Policy on Faecal Sludge implementation of FSSM related assistance from the Centre for Pol- and Septage Management, 2017). initiatives across urban centres in icy Research (CPR) under Project Guided by a set of seven principles, the country. The policy sets the Nirmal. the OUSP sets out to achieve six out- context, priorities and direction The efforts have enabled Odisha comes over ten years (2017-2027). for states and cities in the context to become a front runner among Of the six outcomes, four are of FSSM. It also addressed aspects states with a comprehensive policy directly related to sanitation and related to safe containment, con- framework that ensures compli- FSSM, including urban areas are veyance, treatment, disposal and ance with national environment, open-defecation free (ODF) and reuse of wastewater to ensure that health and safety laws as well as open-discharge free (ODF+/++); the social, economic and environ- those prohibiting manual scaveng- sewage, septage/ faecal sludge, and mental benefits of improved sani- ing. Further, to facilitate adoption liquid waste is safely managed, tation access accrue to each urban of FSSM by Urban Local Bodies treated, and disposed; safety stan- household in the country. (ULBs), the GoO also prepared Odi- dards and guidelines are followed sha Urban Septage Management in the physical handling and man- The Odisha example Guidelines in 2016 and Model Fae- agement of waste; and cities/towns The Government of Odisha (GoO) cal Sludge and Septage Manage- do not discharge untreated waste initiated work to draft state policies ment Regulations in 2018. (water and faecal waste) into the water bodies of Odisha. Odisha has been one of the first states to demonstrate its commitment towards making all urban areas (cities and towns) not just ODF but also (ODF+/++). The state has adopted an incremental approach for ULBs to attain an ODF status, progressing from Stage 1 to 3.

Sewage, septage/faecal sludge, liquid waste safely managed This is aimed at ensuring that all faecal waste generated in an urban environment is safely confined, regularly collected, safely transported, Photo: SCI-FI, CPR and disposed of after adequate treat- Odisha is trying to facilitate adoption of FSSM by Urban Local Bodies so that sewage, ment; with due care being taken of septage/ faecal sludge, and liquid waste is safely managed, treated, and disposed. persons, machinery, materials and

22 VIDURA January-March 2021 surroundings involved in the pro- includes, strengthening of exist- served as useful tools and guides cess. To achieve this outcome, the ing drainage systems; strong FSSM for ULBs seeking to implement OUSS, outlines a set of actions to and/or underground sewerage net- FSSM initiatives. be undertaken by the state, district works (including STPs) wherever The division of responsibility and local governments. relevant; and an interception, diver- between the government actors/ While the state government is sion, and treatment of septage and institutions at the state, district responsible for preparing Guide- wastewater flowing through natu- and local level has been clearly lines on Sewerage and Septage ral drains. articulated in the OUSP and OUSS. Management for cities and towns, Project Nirmal helped develop a Each government actor at the state, the onus of implementation of draft of the Odisha Wastewater and district and local level, has been FSSM initiatives rests with ULBs. Faecal Waste (Management and allotted well-defined roles and The ULBs are required to pre- Disposal) in Urban Areas Act. The responsibilities per their constitu- pare City Sanitation Plans (CSPs) Act aims to provide a framework tional mandates. integrating FSSM initiatives, in for ensuring safe management and While the state government has line with the State Government’s disposal of wastewater and faecal been made responsible for prepar- Guidelines and with the active par- waste by individual households ing the Guidelines on Sewerage and ticipation of the citizens. ULBs also and establishments, municipalities Septage Management for cities and have to ensure that the Operation and other local authorities and state towns, the onus of implementation and Maintenance (O&M) of all sani- agencies and authorities in urban of FSSM initiatives rests with ULBs. tation infrastructures is proper and areas to minimise risks to health The district governments have been that adequate funds are available and well-being, environmental entrusted with the responsibility of for implementation of FSSM related harm and human dignity resulting facilitating the creation of “com- initiatives planned under the CSP. from unsafe exposure to wastewa- mon treatment facilities”, provid- The district governments, on the ter and faecal waste, and for any ing land for these facilities and other hand, have been entrusted connected or incidental matters. monitoring the implementation of with the responsibility of provid- FSSM initiatives across the urban ing land for the development of Lessons learnt centres in the district. sanitation infrastructure (either at Odisha has created an enabling Capacity building of officials and an individual ULB level or for a environment for the adoption of elected representatives on FSSM cluster of ULBs) and monitoring FSSM by promulgating the Odisha and engagement with non-state implementation of septage man Urban Sanitation Policy, 2017; Odi- actors (including public, private agement across ULBs in the district. sha Urban Sanitation Strategy, 2017; sector and private informal sector) During the implementation of Proj- Odisha Urban Septage Guidelines, were also identified as key areas of ect Nirmal in Angul and Dhenkanal 2016; and Model Regulations for interventions to ensure speedy and

Municipalities the state, district and Sewage and Septage Management effective implementation of the local institutions took up their roles for ULBs, 2018. Project Nirmal has FSSM initiatives in the state. < and responsibilities as defined in been a key partner in creating this the OUSS. enabling environment by providing Note: The project was completed in To ensure successful implemen- technical support towards drafting 2020 and was implemented by Centre of these policies and guidelines. for Policy Research and Practical Action tation of the Prohibition of Employ- with support from Bill and Melinda ment as Manual Scavengers and The formulation of the OUSP has Gates Foundation; Arghyam; Housing their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, the ensured that the ULBs comply with and Urban Development, Government OUSP provides that the State gov- the national environment, health of Odiahs; and Municipalities of Angul ernment through the H&UDD will and safety laws and those prohibit- and Dhenkanal. formulate rules and ensure that all ing manual scavenging. Further, the OUSS outlines the The article based on the research relevant state and local government learning note Project Nirmal: Creating officials, as well as citizens, are contours of the OUSP implemen- an Enabling Policy Environment for familiar with these rules and their tation over ten years (2017- 2027) Implementing FSM in Small Towns provisions. outlining expected outcomes and is a part of the series demonstrating The sixth outcome of the OUSP allocating responsibilities to vari- learning and outcomes of the Project ous government actors at state, dis- Nirmal based on SCI-FI’s research on is aimed at eliminating urban pol- water and sanitation. This is a slightly lutants, including septage/ faecal trict and local government levels. condensed version of the original sludge, and municipal solid waste, The Odisha Urban Septage Guide- article. from reaching the state’s rivers and lines (2016) and the Model Regu- river basins. The OUSP presents a lations for Sewage and Septage (Courtesy: India Water Portal.) multi-pronged approach, which Management for ULBs (2018) have

January-March 2021 VIDURA 23 Ganga’s wait for a cleaner tomorrow continues The National Democratic Alliance government launched the Rs 200 billion Namami Gange programme to clean river Ganga. During the past six years, the authorities involved in cleaning the river have repeatedly come under the scanner of a parliamentary panel as well as the National Green Tribunal for the slow pace of cleaning-related work. After spending Rs 100 billion on the programme, the authorities claim progress in cleaning the river. However, the Central Pollution Control Board’s data and environmentalists monitoring the river question such claims and state there is no marked improvement in cleaning of Ganga and sewage continues to fall into the river unchecked. Mayank Aggarwal reports

his June (2020) marked six “I think we also have followed even during (COVID-19) lockdown years since the government an evidence-based policymaking period.” Tof India launched a Rs 200 system now with scientific map- “Similarly, in Kanpur, Prayagraj billion (Rs 20000 crore) programme, ping and developing baselines on and Patna as well STPs are being Namami Gange, for cleaning the many aspects. We are also focus- completed. All along 2500 kilome- severely polluted River Ganga. ing on tributaries of rivers Ganga tres of Ganga river, sewage capac- Authorities leading the effort to to ensure rejuvenation of Ganga ity is being created. This includes clean the river claim significant on a long-term basis with a basin areas like Patna where there was improvement in the quality of the approach,” Mishra said, adding almost no sewage treatment capac- river. Those closely monitoring that outreach efforts have also been ity. Moreover, our idea is not to the effort, however, highlight that going on. build and forget. We have built- despite billions of rupees being “We are also focusing on munici- in the operation and maintenance spent, courts and parliament pan- pal sources of pollution both in component for 15 years in all our els repeatedly pulling up authori- urban and rural areas. Projects are projects. We have moved beyond ties for lax efforts, the river remains being made to tap the drains carry- the construction era and gone into polluted with little hope in future ing untreated sewage into the river the performance-based era.” as well. and divert them to STPs (sewage According to the Central Pollu- Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, who is direc- treatment plants) to prevent pol- tion Control Board (CPCB)’s latest tor-general of the National Mis- luted flow falling into the river. available data, the water quality sion for Clean Ganga (NMCG), the When we started, against around of Ganga across a significant por- national body leading the efforts for 3000 MLD (million litres per day) tion of its 2500 kilometres length is cleaning the river Ganga, said that of sewage generation from Ganga still unfit for bathing and drinking over the past few years the Namami towns, treatment capacity was less as it does not meet the permissible Gange programme has had an than 1000 MLD and many plants parameters for biochemical oxygen impact and gathered momentum. were not functioning well,” said demand and total coliform. “We have spent around Rs 10000 Mishra. Vishwambhar Nath Mishra, crores (Rs 100 billion) already Mishra stressed that the NMCG who is a professor in the Depart- from the budget of Rs 20000 crores has scientifically planned for the ment of Electronics Engineering (Rs 200 billion). Last two to three gap in sewage generation and at the Indian Institute of Tech- years great momentum has been treatment capacity to take care of nology, Banaras Hindu Univer- built. We have already sanctioned requirements upto 2035, estimated sity (IIT-BHU), remarked that the projects of value worth Rs 28000 to be 3600 MLD. “We now have technology used in the STPs being crores (Rs 280 billion) in different treatment capacity exceeding 2000 developed will not bring down the sectors. The results are now vis- MLD which is likely to reach 3300 faecal coliform levels which then ible. But now the programme is MLD in the next two years or so. In makes the whole process redun- not just about cleaning and aims at Uttarakhand almost entire required dant. “It is because the high fae- efforts for improving ecology and capacity has been now created with cal coliform level is the root cause flow with conserving biodiversity, four STPs in Haridwar (68 MLD), for all the waterborne diseases. ensuring ecological flow and pro- Rishikesh (26 MLD), Muni ki Reti Another point is that the plan was tection of wetlands, springs etc,” (7.5 and 5 MLD) area getting com- to intercept the drains falling into Mishra told Mongabay-India. missioned during last few months, the rivers, treat the sewage and then

24 VIDURA January-March 2021 Green Tribunal (NGT) too has been closely monitoring the cleaning process of Ganga. The reports submitted to the NGT by the NMCG and several state governments in compliance with the tribunal’s orders highlight how many drains are still falling into the river and many other areas that still need serious work.

Photo: Kartik Chandramouli/ Mongabay For instance, the NGT in August 2019 had directed completion of all A worker on the banks of River Ganga. ongoing sewage treatment-related use that water for agriculture etc. garbage into the river, development projects by June 2020 end. On this, However, some of the intercepted of riverfront and ghats, biodiversity the NMCG’s report submitted to drains are falling into another drain conservation, bioremediation and the NGT on June 26, 2020, states which is then again coming to the construction of toilets across gram that the progress of sewerage proj- river and in some cases, the par- panchayat near Ganga river etc. ects has been “severely impacted tially treated drain water is again Meanwhile, in the 2014-2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic and being dumped into the river.” period, environmentalist G.D. the extraordinary situation preva- “The claims being made doesn’t Agrawal, popularly known as Swami lent in the country.” matter but the Ganga River is far Gyan Swaroop Sanand, died follow- “Non-availability of labour at from being clean. The tricks that the ing a fast of 111 days in demand sites and related problems is hav- officials are playing won’t help the for a clean and free-flowing Ganga. ing a serious impact on the pace of river. For instance, often the water Agrawal died in October 2018 and the projects …” said the NMCG. quality is recorded in mid-stream in the same month, the Central Gov- It informed the green tribunal the areas where water is cleaner. The ernment also published a notification STPs have been delayed in Bihar government claims that the Ganga mandating environment flows in the “inordinately for want of finalisa- River has become cleaner. This is Ganga river, even as it was criticised tion of tenders by the state govern- all a lie. The river cannot become for having serious flaws. ment” and sometimes the reasons cleaner till the sewage falling into The plan to clean the polluted “are too trivial.” the river stops completely,” Mishra, Ganga River is not new or exclu- The NMCG in its report high- who is also the head of the Sankat sive to the current government of lighted that of the five states, Utta- Mochan Foundation, an NGO to India. In the mid-1980s, the then rakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, clean and protect the Ganga, told Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had Jharkhand and West Bengal, the Mongabay-India. launched the Ganga Action Plan to flood plain zoning work is far from clean the river and since then bil- being completed except Uttara- Hits and misses lions of rupees were spent but the khand. The NMCG also said that Soon after coming into power, river never got cleaned. based on bio-assessment carried out the rechristening of the Water at 41 locations during 2014-2020, it Resources Ministry to the Ministry Is there any marked improvement is found that there is an improve- of Water Resources, River Develop- in Ganga’s water quality? ment in biological water quality at ment and Ganga Rejuvenation and During the past six years, the 29 of the 41 locations. the launch of the Namami Gange cleaning of river Ganga has also On criticism about no visible dif- Programme in June 2014 were come under the scanner of the ference in the quality of the river, among the first few decisions of the parliamentary standing commit- NMCG’s Rajiv Ranjan Mishra Modi Government. Subsequently, tee on water resources which, in said he hoped that there is a magi- in the last six years, the authori- December 2019, expressed disap- cal wand. “The projects are in an

ties have spent billions of rupees pointment over the slow pace of advanced stage and differences are< into developing STPs, intercept- Ganga cleaning and pushed the visible.” ing drains, tried to bring together Central Government to complete states from where Ganga passes all the sanctioned projects under Note: This is a slightly condensed before falling into the Bay of Ben- the Namami Gange Programme version of the original article. gal, planned a waterway on the within the scheduled time. river and a massive afforestation Through a series of orders over (Courtesy: Mongabay-India.) drive, stop people from dumping the past six years, the National

January-March 2021 VIDURA 25 Has the private sector failed to live up to expectations? COVID 19 has caused a severe setback to India’s national economy. This can be countered only by ensuring large-scale investments in new projects and expansion of existing ones, both in the manufacturing and services sectors, thus boosting employment opportunities, and consequently, per capita income and the buying power of the people, says N.S. Venkataraman as he describes the current scenario and sets out some reasons for the situation

t is now absolutely necessary projects of globally competitive than 2 million tonnes of metha- that manufacturing capacities size. Its volte face, focussing on the nol per annum and over 1.8 mil- Ishould be built up in medium non-manufacturing sector, is one lion tonnes of polyvinyl chloride. and large-scale sectors in diverse of the factors that has shaken the (PVC). In all such cases, there are fields. In spite of financial con- confidence of private sector project possibilities of boosting investment straints, the Government of India promoters. To this extent, Reliance and capacity expansion in India. is taking measures to boost infra- Industries has been responsible for The private sector has clearly structure projects. The public sector upsetting the investment mood in failed to develop innovative companies in the manufacturing the private manufacturing sector. schemes appropriate to Indian con- sector are being motivated to invest Many such companies are diversi- ditions and set up internationally in new projects and expand capaci- fying into the real estate, hospitality competitive projects. ties. Many reforms have also been and even mutual fund business.A introduced to encourage private few large domestic manufacturing Investment constraint? sector investment. units have even stopped produc- Investment constraints are clearly While it is true that a number of tion completely and are import- not the basic reason for the sector’s private sector units in the medium ing the products they once made. lack of interest in new projects. A and small-scale sector have incurred They explain that it’s more profit- number of private companies have losses due to the pandemic, it is also able for them to do so. Obviously, received overwhelming response to true that quite a number of them, the option of optimizing the pro- recent public issues for viable and particularly in the petrochemical, cess, reducing production cost and attractive projects. Further, over- agrochemical, pharmaceutical and adopting strategic marketing mea- seas investments can be tapped for software sectors, have done well sures to achieve profitability does joint ventures on projects that are and generated reasonable profits in not hold appeal. relevant to the present and future the last few years. Several did not conditions. suffer losses even during COVID-19 Investment opportunities A number of multinational com- period. There are a number of cash unexploited panies are willing to invest in India rich companies in the private sector There are certainly enormous now, particularly in light of the today. That’s why it is unfortunate investment opportunities in India uncertainty over investment possi- that the private sector seems to be today in several fields including the bilities in China due to the present hesitating to make investments. chemical, petrochemical and agro- global scenario. Private sector man- The decision of petrochemical chemical sectors and active pharma agements need to identify invest- company Reliance Industries to ingredients (API). These opportuni- ment opportunities in diverse fields divert its attention to the communities are not being exploited by the and invite multinational companies cations sector and retail marketing private sector. to be joint venture partners. instead of making big investments India is now a net importer of in the manufacturing sector reflects several chemicals and allied prod- Lack of reliable technology the general attitude of the pri- ucts, as well as of pharmaceuticals, Indian R & D efforts in technol- vate sector managements to some electronic products and consumer ogy have been disappointing. Huge extent. Until recently, Reliance goods where domestic demand is investments by the Government of Industries was projecting itself as a increasing steadily and domestic India over the years to support pub- game changer and model of dyna- capacities are not being built. For lic and private sector research insti- mism by setting up manufacturing example, India is importing more tutes and universities have shown

26 VIDURA January-March 2021 Illustration: Arun Ramkumar

dismal results. Project promoters easy options, which cost the coun- evident today. China’s strategies are not in a position to depend try dear. can be good model for India. on Indian technology to set up medium and large-scale projects. Industry associations Corporate planning In the field of design and detailed It is high time that industry asso- It has to be recognized that cor- engineering too, Indian companies ciations recognize the inadequate porate planning is not given due do not have adequate capabilities. role of the private sector in boost- importance even by medium and For example, India has around 30 ing investments. They should focus large-scale companies in India and operating urea fertilizer projects members’ attention on the fact that dedicated think tanks have not but still imports technology to set private sector companies are not been set up toconstantly look for up new urea projects. Not a single meeting the nation’s expectations. new opportunities, keep track of case can be cited of Indian compa- They should realise that the Gov- domestic and global developments nies setting up large projects with ernment can do only so much by and suggest appropriate strategies domestic technology and engineer- itself to boost investments. to forge ahead. ing expertise. A few decades back, the invest- In this scenario, identification ment climate in China was simi- of new project opportunities in Mindset lar to the one in India now. China tune with technology develop- There seems to be a mindset issue adopted the policy of inviting over- ments and marketing practices has

and attitudinal problem amongst seas technologies and investments become difficult for many Indian the private sector managements in in a big way and the private sector companies. < the country.Observers feel private there responded with enthusiasm project promoters are more focused and co-operated through technol- (The writer is managing on finding excuses rather than solv- ogy acquisition and joint venture trustee, Nandini Voice for the ing problems, and are looking for projects. The impressive results are Deprived, Chennai.)

January-March 2021 VIDURA 27 Media Laws in India: A ‘must- read’ handbook for journalists

WAN-IFRA has released Media Laws in India, a comprehensive report that looks at laws affecting the editorial functioning of media in India. An initiative of WAN-IFRA’s World Editors Forum South Asia Chapter, the report provides news media professionals with a better understanding of freedom of expression in India, says Elizabeth Shilpa

he Media Laws in India report to stop them from saying unpleas- the chairman of the World Editors explores how laws have been ant truths have become a common Forum South Asia Chapter during Tmisused to check the freedom practice. While journalists walk scot- the discussion was where does the of press and how journalists them- free most of the time, with the slow actual problem lie – is it with the laws selves should be more responsible nature of the judiciary, the process themselves or does it lie in the flaws, while writing stories. The report, often becomes the punishment. At in the way the justice or prosecutory released on 31 October along with the same time there have also been system works. He observed that in a panel discussion supported by instances of journalists overstepping the case of different laws that impact Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, includes the line encroaching on people’s the media, it worked differently. “I insights from senior executives from right to privacy and reputation. think we need to think of alternatives the media industry and the judiciary The report addresses the situation as well in some cases, and not merely to give a balanced outlook. through case studies, testimonials, stop with just calling for the scrap- India has the largest constitution interviews and a few tips for journal- ping or repeal of some laws,” he said. in the world. However, there is no ists. The lead article in the report is Ramaseshan raised the issue of separate set of laws for press free- written by Mukund Padmanabhan, communities creating pressure to dom. The freedom of the press is former editor of leading national curb the freedom of expression of derived from the freedom of speech dailies in India including The Hindu individuals and the state acting in and expression guaranteed under and The BusinessLine, along with a way suppressing the individual’s Article 19(1) (a) for all citizens. Anant Nath, managing editor of right to expression. “The applica- In the World Press Freedom Index The Caravan, a well-known long- tion of the law by the criminal jus- 2020, India stood at 142 among 180 form narrative journalism maga- tice system, the state, the police etc, countries. Misuse of laws targeting zine in India. The others who have is extremely problematic. The judi- journalists and media organisations supported the report through their ciary has a great role to play in this in inputs include Shekhar Gupta – edi- terms of accepting or rejecting cases, tor of The Print, Madhavi Divan – not granting certain bails etc.,” she Media Laws in India additional solicitor general of India said. However she also noticed that A must-have handbook for journalists and Geeta Ramaseshan – lawyer at at times trial by the media becomes the Madras High Court. extremely virulent and there is a The report was released by need to look at the rights of people Magdoom Mohamed, managing who are weaker than the media MediaMedia LawsLaws inin IndiaIndia director, WAN-IFRA South Asia, which is a very powerful institution. ASIA CHAPTER) REPORT A AA WORLD WORLDWORLD EDITORS EDITORSEDITORS FORUM FORUM FORUM (SOUTH (SOUTH (SOUTH ASIA ASIA CHAPTER) CHAPTER) REPORT REPORT Mukund Padmanabhan and Geeta Anam spoke in length about laws Ramaseshan. Mahfuz Anam, editor introduced in Bangladesh in the and publisher, The Daily Star, Ban- digital space, the much criticised gladesh and Krishnadas Rajagopal, Digital Security Act in particular. legal correspondent, The Hindu, “The purpose of this Digital Secu- along with Mukund Padmanabhan rity Act was to prevent exploitation

SEPTEMBER 2020 SEPTEMBER 2020 and Geeta Ramaseshan partici- of cyberspace for defrauding, trans- 07.10.20 14:48 07.10.20 14:48 07.10.20 14:48

MediaLawsIndia_Report.inddMediaLawsIndia_Report.indd 11 Limited printed copies available. pated in the panel discussion. fer of money, spreading religious Complimentary PDF copy for WAN-IFRA members.

Send an email to [email protected]

Photo: WAN-IFRA hatred and other such crimes. But Application of the law problematic this law which is not purposefully The handbook also refers to how journalists should be responsible One of the important questions made for the press or for the media, while writing stories. raised by Padmanabhan, who is also but for cyberspace, is impacting on

28 VIDURA January-March 2021 the freedom of the press because court are heard. “Over the past few national interest and national secu- now each media is present in cyber- months there has been, in my view, rity. The court responses in these space,” he said. “In the two years an increase of cases concerning these cases are mixed. They range from of its implementation more journal- subjects. Journalists booked under giving hope to being a cause of pub- ists have been arrested than cyber Unlawful Activities Prevention Act lic despair,” he said. “The issue is criminals,” he pointed out. or UAPA and sedition laws come complex, it is multi layered and it

Rajagopal gave a first person to the court for protection of their needs discussion, and we have to account of what happens in the personal liberty. On the other hand address both sides,” he added. < Supreme Court when issues of free the prosecution or the government speech and criminal contempt of oppose on the uniform ground of (Courtesy: WAN-IFRA.)

New words, new meanings, new times

Like so many new situations springing up from the COVID pandemic with which we have had to cope, even our vocabulary has changed somewhat. Zoom is no more associated with zoom lens in photography but a platform many use to meet – official meetings, family get-togethers, or a friend network. New words have also entered the lexicon, like the quaint- sounding ‘Quarantini’, apparently a mix of two words (quarantine and cocktail) plus other ingredients that are available at home. In India, the land of big fat weddings, people have learnt to embrace ‘micro-weddings’ thanks

to the enforced number of invitees. ArunIllustration: Ramkumar With no option to travel to coveted destinations, armchair travellers have settled for ‘staycations’, or even ‘workations’. One of the best ways to keep a tab on the pulse of the language in its various avatars is to listen to the young crowd, call them GenX, Y or Z, those who ‘freak out’ at the slightest opportunity. Shortening the English words is one way to do that. In Kolkata ‘enthu’ replacing enthusiasm is now old hat as also ‘senti’ for sentimental. ‘Funda’ for fundamental, ‘intro’ or ‘appo’ for appointment are freely used. But what about ‘snax’? No relation to the salted biscuit brand of the same name but bath! Where’s the connection? Well, snan in Bengali means bath, so... ‘Tux’ has no relation with tuxedo; likely to have originated with the Hindi word, taklu. Other favourites are ‘ultra’ or ‘mega’ to signify extra-big or extra-something, ‘sad’ for anything you don’t like, ‘timepass’ for whiling away the hours. ‘Heavy’ is a favourite street language for Bengalis to denote ‘very good’ which can be used for anything, from a beautiful sari to a delicious curry. In Delhi, abbreviations that were popular sometime ago were ATM (aunty turned mod) and BTM ( behenji turned mod). Wonder if they are still in vogue! Social networks and twitterati have spawned their own abbreviations. OMG, LOL, TTYL (talk to you later), mwah (noisy kissing), wags ( girlfriend/ wife of, usually sportsman), BFF (best friends forever) are rather well known. Also commonly used are terms like ROTFL (rolling on the floor laughing), LMAO

( laughing my ass off), even GOAT (greatest of all time). But have you heard of IMHO (in my humble opinion) and TMI (too much information)? < (By Ranjita Biswas.)

January-March 2021 VIDURA 29 VIEW FROM THE NORTHEAST Healthy discussions, more book sales, committed readers

The 33rd Guwahati Book Fair was held amidst pandemic protocols. The fair, one of the first major events in India after the COVID-19 lockdown, attracted between 30000 and over a lakh visitors each day. Nava Thakuria reports

he travails of the printing discussion on the colour saffron Board, Assam), it was held on the and publishing industry took place. Senior journalist Rupam premises of the Assam Engineer- Tcame up for discussion at Barua pointed out that saffron is ing Institute. “We have reprinted the 33rd Guwahati Book Fair held not exclusive to the Hindu religion many rare books in Assamese and from 30th December 2020 to 10th but is important to Sikhs, Jains also given space to new works by January 2021. In a panel discus- and Buddhists too. Even the great established as well as promising sion on post-COVID-19 challenges Ahom king Rudra Singha used the authors,” said Pramod Kalita, sec- in the publication industry, speak- colour in his flag, Barua said. retary, publication board. ers were unanimous in their view A collection of literary pieces Books worth around Rs 8 crore that the pandemic had severely including novels, short stories and were sold at the 125 stalls, and affected the sector, including the folk tales written in both Assa- competitions for children were print media. But they also felt mese and English by Arunach- held, apart from literary discus- that the situation had helped to ali litterateur Lumber Dai was sions, book release functions and increase the number of committed among the books released at the cultural events, in accordance readers among the younger gen- fair. A documentary on the Assam with pandemic protocols. There eration. The publication and mar- police’s women commando unit was one stall dedicated to Ban- keting of Assamese books had also Veerangana was an interesting gladeshi literature. The Tourism got a boost, with new technology- addition to the event. Department put up a stall at the driven approaches, panellists felt. The space and time earmarked fair for the first time. The print media initially faced for the cause of Tibet and its peo- A collection of poems by Aka- a problem because of the propa- ple was a distinctive feature of the demi awardee Hiren Bhattacharjee, ganda that newspapers could be a fair. Two cultural evenings were a new novel by another Akademi source of infection, but of late, the dedicated to the land of the Dalai award winner Rita Chowdhury, challenge they have to deal with Lama. Music and dance perfor- books by Phanindra Kr Devchoud- is that content is available quicker mances by artistes from Gangjong hury, Dhrubajyoti Bora, Anuradha on digital platforms, the speakers Doeghar, an independent local Sarma Pujari, Jayanta Madhav noted. organisation comprising Tibet- Bora, Geetali Borah, Dambarudhar Senior publisher Nabin Baruah ans, Sherpas and Bhutias based in Nath, Namrata Dutta, Dhirumoni inaugurated the session, which was Kalimpong, captivated the audi- Gogoi, Pankaj Dutta, Jintu Geetar- addressed by several young pub- ence. The freedom movement tha, Abhijit Bora and Aayub Ali lishers including Pritima Kaushik of the Tibetans in exile was also Sarma, a novel by debutant Rupam Barua, Manish Hazarika, Dhiraj given publicity. Dutta, Assamese classic Asimat Jar Lahkar, Amrit Upadhaya, Farhan The fair, one of the first major Heral Seema by Kanchan Baruah, Javed and Buljit Buragohain, as events in the country after the a biography of veteran Congress well as award-winning Assamese COVID-19 lockdown, attracted leader Tarun Gogoi, and an Assa- author Bipul Deuri. Magazine edi- between 30000 and over a lakh mese translation of Prime Minis- tor Mihir Deuri, senior journalist visitors each day, comprising ter Narendra Modi’s letters to his Dixit Sarma and poet Nabajyoti publishers, writers, journalists mother by Utpal Dutta were among Pathak were among others who and book lovers. Popularly known the bestsellers. spoke. as Guwahati Granthamela, organ- The fair was inaugurated by Hri- At a function where scribe Bisw- ised by the government-run Asom shikesh Goswami, media advisor to ajit Nath’s book was released, a Prakasan Parisad (Publication Assam chief minister Sarbananda

30 VIDURA January-March 2021 Photos: NT

Visitors at a stall. Right: a dance performance provides the local flavour. Sonowal in the presence of Tanvir Monsur, Jigmey Tsultrim, prominent personalities who vis-< noted intellectual Tathagata Roy, representative of the Tibetan gov- ited the fair. renowned litterateur Yeshe Dorjee ernment in exile, Asom Sahitya Thongshi and other dignitaries. Sabha president Kuladhar Saikia (The writer is a senior journalist Chief Minister Sonowal, Bangla- and Bodo Sahitya Sabha president based in Guwahati.) deshi diplomat Shah Mohamed Taren Boro were among the many

Language dailies write to stakeholders seeking ad recovery

The spirit of ‘Bharat’ is undoubtedly gathering pace and Indian language newspapers are one of the many beneficiaries of this growing story. Seven leading Indian language dailies have come together to reach out their stakeholders through a common letter that announces an 80-90 per cent circulation surge and 80 per cent plus advertising recovery, compared to pre-COVID times. The letter talks at large about the growth in print and what led to it. “The Indian economy is currently witnessing a very healthy recovery with the vaccine drive gaining momentum and GST collection showing a growth trend. Tier 2, 3 and other markets of Bharat contributed in a significant way to bring back the demand and delivering sales for a variety of businesses including but not limited to automobile, consumer durables, FMCG, education and most importantly, real estate. Indian language newspapers contributed to this growth and also benefited from positive market sentiments. The newspaper circulation is now at the 80-90% range of pre-Covid ABC’s audited circulation and most importantly the advertisement revenue has now reached the level of around 80% plus pre-Covid,” read an excerpt from the letter. The letter is signed by Rajul Maheshwari from Amar Ujala, I. Venkat from Eenadu, Rajeev Beotra from Hindusthan, Vinay Maheshwari from Sakshi, Shailesh Gupta from Dainik Jagran, Girish Agarwal from Dainik Bhaskar and Jayant Mammem Mathew from Malayala Manorama. Talking of recovery, Girish Agarwal, promoter director, DB Corp said, “Indian language print has been driving overall market growth on back of tier II & III cities growth. As these markets have normalized & opened up faster, we reached circulation levels of almost around 85-87 per cent of pre covid level. Further, the credibility and trustworthiness quotient of newspapers has emerged as a major plus point, particularly

in a fake news environment, the editorial strength of newspapers is being appreciated by readers and marketers.” <

(Courtesy: exchange4media.com)

January-March 2021 VIDURA 31 Longest running English journal in India celebrates 125

The longest running English journal in India, Prabudha Bharata (Awakened India), has just completed its 125 years. In January this year, the first issue of its 126th year of existence was published. Mrinal Chatterjee traces the journal’s history

rabudha Bharata was first pub- sciences. The journal publishes Iyer, G. G. Narasimhacharya and lished in July 1896 in Madras articles and essays on spiritual, B. V. Kamesvara Iyer, in Madras, at P(that is Chennai) with the religious, psychological, historical, the behest of Swami Vivekananda, blessings and inspiration of Swami social and cultural themes. It has with whom the founders had been Vivekananda. In fact, the title was a section for book reviews where closely associated before he went also coined by him. important publications from uni- to America in 1893. Prabudha Bharata (Awakened versity presses from around the Swami Vivekananda suggested India) is a monthly journal of the world are reviewed. It is edited the journal’s name, and encouraged Ramakrishna Order, in publication from Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati, the founders through his letters to since July 1896. It carries articles Uttarakhand, and published and them. The editor, B. R. Rajam Iyer, and translations by monks, schol- printed in Kolkata. a lawyer and writer who wrote ars, and other writers across the Prabuddha Bharata was founded in Tamil and English, was only world on humanities and social in 1896 by P. Aiyasami, B. R. Rajam twenty-four years old then. He Photo: Internet The January 2021 issue of Prabudha Bharata; and (right) the March 1897 issue.

32 VIDURA January-March 2021 wrote Kamalambal Saritharam, an Captain Sevier meanwhile, at Modern thinkers like Gayatri early Tamil novel. the behest of Swamiji, looking for Chakravorty Spivak and Galwin The first issue ofPrabudha Bharata an ideal place for an ashram in the Beckerlege have been regular con- appeared in July 1896. Swami Vive- Himalayas, found one in Mayavati tributors. It is a custom among kananda was abroad then. He was in the district of Champawat (pres- the philosophers throughout the very critical about the cover. He ently in Uttarakhand) 6400 feet globe to get their research work wrote a long letter, pointing out above sea level which became the published in the magazine, which the mistakes, which still remains Advaita Ashrama. maintains a high standard. Psy- a guideline to the designers of The journal with the press was chologist Carl Jung’s thesis on magazines. relocated there in March 1899. yoga and meditation was serialised Since July 1896, it has been pub- Prabuddha Bharata continued to be and first published in Prabuddha lished without interruption, with published by the monks and few Bharata. the exception of one month, when local people. In 1914, a separate The journal has had a high-class its editor Rajam Iyer passed away building was erected nearby for readership as well. It is said that suddenly in 1898 just after two years the journal and the press. From Dr S. Radhakrishnan used to read of the publication of the journal. Iyer 1923, the printing was carried out every issue of the journal with great died of Bright’s Disease (a form of in Kolkata, while the editorial office interest and at one time; Mahatma chronic nephritis) on 13th May 1898. remained in Mayavati. The journal Gandhi used to eagerly wait for Swami Vivekananda, then in has been published without inter- every issue. Almora, asked his English disci- ruption all these years. The present editor of the journal ples, Captain Sevier and his wife Throughout its publication, is Swami Vireshananda. To read the Charlotte, to assume the duties of Prabudha Bharata has maintained January 2021 issue of the journal

publishing the journal. The Captain a very high standard with con- log on to: https://advaitaashrama. had a press, type and ink trans- tributions from the brightest org/read/ < ported from Kolkata. minds and experts in different The journal, which had missed fields. The long list of contribu- (The author presently heads a number, was now brought out tors include Rabindranath Tagore, the Eastern India campus from Thompson House in Almora, Jawaharlal Nehru, Balgangadhar- of the Indian Institute of with Swamiji’s disciple, Swami Tilak, Jagadish Chandra Bose, Mass Communication in Swarupananda, as the editor. Ramesh Chandra Mazumdar and Dhenkanal, Odisha.) Since then, it has been edited by Jadunath Sarkar, among others. the monks of the order. Rajam Iyer Swami Vivekananda and Sister was the only non-monastic editor Nivedita had also contributed to of the journal. the magazine.

Ritu Kapur is now MD & CEO, Quint Digital

Quint Digital Media has got the shareholder approval to re-designate Ritu Kapur as MD and CEO of the company. The company also got the shareholder approval to appoint Vandana Malik as the non-executive director. The appointment will be for a period of five years. The board of directors at their meeting held on 20th January had approved the re-designation of Ritu Kapur as the managing director and chief executive officer of the company. The decision is subject to the approval of shareholders with 19th February being the date of receipt of shareholders’ approval. Quint Digital Media CEO Kapur got the additional designation of MD following Raghav Bahl’s resignation as

the MD with effect from 29th December 2020. Bahl will continue to act as non-executive promoter director of the company. <

(Courtesy: exchange4media.com)

January-March 2021 VIDURA 33 The demonstration effect we can do without We as citizens focus mainly on our rights and claims – our right to safety and redress – and rarely on our responsibilities too, as citizens, says Sakuntala Narasimhan, providing some examples of how the media, especially electronic, can shape people’s perceptions

NEWS ITEM the coronavirus scare. Watching to get drenched like that…”. For For six year old Dinesh, living the news item about policemen Dinesh, bathwater is rationed out, in a slum colony in south Ben- using water cannons against pro- at half a bucket per bath, that too galuru, television offers the only testors in Myanmar, he whistles on alternate days, since his mother diversion, since even schools have excitedly. “Wow,” he says, “all has to fetch water after standing in been closed since last year due to that water! How nice it must be, a long queue before dawn, from Illustration: Arun Ramkumar

34 VIDURA January-March 2021 the public tap at the end of the of the rider, no one, youngsters in stealing from her employer was street. Water is precious, it cannot particular, will bother to read that the only way out. be wasted; and here is water, being warning strip (that too, in small So, is watching television a ‘haz- pumped with abandon, hundreds print). With the result? Predict- ardous pastime’? There are, of of gallons of it, to hose down and ably, first-year college student course, guidelines for ads, and an drive away protestors! “Do they Yogesh decided to take out his Advertising Standards Council of have lots of water in that coun- older brother’s bike (without the India (ASCI) that is supposed to try?” he wants to know. “Can we brother’s permission – Yogesh vet ads and check for undesirable, go there?” doesn’t yet have a license) and dangerous or obscene/ unaccept- That’s one way of looking at crashed it into the wall down the able contents. Anyone finding an police action… road. Luckily for him, not much ad objectionable or in poor taste, damage was done, except for some can write to the ASCI in Mumbai. ADVERTISEMENT bad bruises and broken bones, and But how many of us bother? Do we Amitabh Bachchan and his wife a badly shaken-up teenager. wait till a teenager in our own fam- Jaya appear in a television ad for a ily has an accident and gets hurt (or jewellery company; they bless the SERIAL DRAMA worse—Yogesh could have lost his bridal couple, and deck the bride A Kannada serial about a mid- life)? with rich, fancy, glittering neck- dle-class family comes on TV We as citizens focus mainly on laces costing several lakhs. The every day. The women are all our rights and claims – our right maid servant’s teenage daughter dressed in the richest silk clothes to safety and redress – and rarely watches the ad with her mouth one can imagine, with loads of on our responsibilities too, as citi- open in amazement. “How much flowers in their hair, and lipstick. zens. The ASCI can take appro- will that cost, amma?” she asks Even when they wake up after a priate action against an offending me (just in case she can dream of night’s sleep, they are decked up ad; citizens cannot. But citizens getting one for herself at her wed- as if for some film shooting or can help ASCI by providing feed- ding). I don’t have the heart to fashion parade. Not a hair is out back. Many a sexist ad has been tell her, it will be way beyond her of place; the blouses are all back- removed after vigilant readers/ means (or even my middle class less, filmi designs. Do middle- viewers sent in complaints. It family, for that matter), but that’s class women in real life live like takes all of us, every citizen, to what ads are meant to do – stoke that, decked up even in sleep? Or ‘clean up the scene’ because it is

yearnings and create wants, to is realism unnecessary in a soap “our scene”, we live in it and con- increase sales and generate profits serial? What kind of message does tribute to it. < for the jeweller. this send, especially to women of Another ad is for a motorbike. the lower economic classes, who (The writer is a recipient of the The ad shows the rider do incred- want to imitate what they see on Media Foundation’s Chameli Devi ible stunts, leaping off cliffs, riding TV, in the name of ‘modernity’ Award for Outstanding Woman upside down, and at breakneck and ‘progress’? Does it create dis- Journalist 1983. Her fortnightly speed down a flight of stairs, gruntlement when they cannot columns on gender issues and doing ‘wheelies’ (riding fast, with afford the things they see actresses consumer rights ran in the Deccan the front wheel off the road). All wear on screen? Does the demon- Herald for 27 years. She had of it is extremely dangerous, and stration effect cause frustration or earlier worked for The Times of India there is indeed a strip at the bot- even undesirable cravings? (One Group in Mumbai.) tom of the visuals, warnings view- servant maid, accused of steal- ers not to try the same tricks – but ing, confessed recently that she with attention riveted on the antics “wanted things so badly” that

Prasar Bharati inks content hosting agreement with Novi Digital

Prasar Bharati has signed and exchanged a content hosting agreement with Novi Digital Entertainment for the telecast of DD India Channel on Hotstar in the UK, USA, and Canada, effective from 22nd January. To watch DD India on Hotstar, one has to search for DD India under the ‘search’ option in the Channels

category. The arrangement with Hotstar is part of the efforts to develop an international audience for Doordarshan and to create a global voice for India. <

January-March 2021 VIDURA 35 A look at the representation of the Dalit in Hindi cinema

In the context of the continuing, unabated violence against Dalits, particularly women, Shoma A. Chatterji takes a look at how this marginalised and victimised sector has been looked at through the camera lens

he Hathras gang rape case Dalits, “The term Dalit holds differ- get funding/ awards/ international involving a 19-year-old Dalit ent meanings for different people. festival screenings and so on? Tgirl and upper-caste men It is most commonly used to define The Dalit dynamics in Indian cin- raises questions about the posi- people once known as ‘untouch- ema begun with Bombay Talkies’ tion of Dalits in general within ables’, the most exploited class of Achyut Kanya was consolidated the Indian landscape, and of Dalit Indian society. Dalit identity has many years later by Bimal Roy’s woman in particular. Despite so far been associated with caste. classic Sujata (1959). It narrated the a 1989 law to prevent atrocities Dalits have been socially and eco- tale of an untouchable girl brought against the community, incidents nomically oppressed, culturally up in a higher caste home who does of extreme violence against Dalits subjugated and politically margin- not know that she is a Dalit. When show no sign of abating. Dalit alised down the ages. The move- she does learn the truth from her girls and women continue to be ment for assertion of their rights, adoptive mother in a disturbing stalked, abused, molested, raped aimed at ushering in a new social emotional scene, it is as if her life and murdered. Not a single day order based on the principles of collapses around her. Her upbring- passes without incidents of brutal- equality and liberty, has become ing has given her an upper-caste ity against Dalit women across the stronger in recent times. Though mindset but it has not stripped her country, according to the media. many Dalits have reached positions of the ignominy of her birth. According to Soutik Biswas’s of power and prominence, the vast Nearly 20 years after Sujata, Gov- analytical article in BBC News majority continues to suffer dis- ind Nihalani shook us out of our (October 6, 2020), “Ten Dalit crimination, poverty and humilia- complacence with Aakrosh (1980) women were raped every day in tion and faces inhuman atrocities to turn the spotlight on the brutal India last year, according to official on a daily basis.” torture of even those who dared to figures. The northern state of Uttar Bama Faustina Soosairaj from back a wronged Dalit. Pradesh has the highest number of Tamil Nadu, one of the pioneers Prakash Jha’s Damul (1985) cases of violence against women of Dalit feminist literature, who is one of the boldest films that as well as the highest number of has emerged as a prominent voice explores the casteist and capitalist cases of sexual assault against among the women of the subconti- politics in pockets of rural Bihar. girls. Three states – Uttar Pradesh, nent, answering the question ‘Who An entire Harijan basti (slum) is Bihar and Rajasthan – report more are Dalits?’ said, “People who are held to ransom; the basti is gheraoed than half of the cases of atrocities discriminated against and socially (surrounded) to stop the residents against the Dalits. In a 2006 study excluded on account of their caste from casting their votes and foisted of 500 Dalit women in four states and who militantly oppose such with the need to repay loans they across India on the forms of vio- a system of discrimination and had never taken. The final blow lence they had faced, 54 per cent dehumanization are Dalits. It also comes when Sanjeevana, an inno- had been physically assaulted; includes people who are margin- cent Harijan from the Dalit basti is 46 per cent had been sexually alised based on class and gender.” sentenced to be hanged because harassed; 43 per cent had faced he became wise to the landlord’s domestic violence; 23 per cent had The Dalit in Hindi Cinema wicked ways. been raped; and 62 per cent had Has Indian cinema marginalised More recently, there have been been verbally abused.” the Dalits or excluded them from big budget, lavishly-produced films its scope, as the socio-economic like Aarakshan in which the glam- Who is a Dalit? and political system has, or, has it our bit into the caste paradigm, According to Navsarjan, an paid the mandatory lip service to blunting it almost beyond recogni- organisation that focusses on the the cause of the Dalits in order to tion. It is interesting to learn that

36 VIDURA January-March 2021 Photos: SC L-r: Scenes from Achyut Kanya and Sujata; and the Lagaan film poster.

among other controversies, Prakash and the ‘Dalit’ ticket. Very conve- saying the names of Dalits do not Jha’s Aarakshan led to protests by nient if you add the Dalit’s silence matter because their lives don’t. some pro-Dalit groups in Kanpur to this. In the film, Bhuvan acci- We see the father trying to untan- against Saif Ali Khan’s having been dentally discovers that the young gle a fishing net that probably does cast as a Dalit because they objected Dalit man with his limp hand can not belong to him, carrying head- to the actor’s royal background and spin the ball well, and harps on loads of human excrement, cycling saw his role as a Dalit as an insult to how his disability is an asset for down long roads to cut wood, and the community. the cricket team. His inclusion in working on construction sites to Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Eklavya the team angers the other mem- eke out a living, if one can call it (2007) is another example. Eight bers who refuse to associate with that. hundred camels were report- an untouchable, but Bhuvan per- edly used in an action sequence. suades them so successfully that Drops in the ocean Eklavya presented the radical and they go to the extent of praising Hindi films focussed on the Dalit ‘new’ Dalit in the shape and form of him for “opening their eyes”. identity, explored individually bold police officer Pannalal Chau- Bikash Mishra’s Chauranga or as a collective body of work, har who not only asserts his Dalit (2016) is a scathing indictment not unlike Dalit literature that is both identity but also bristles against the only on casteist politics that con- a movement and a genre, cannot caste-based feudal oppression that solidates the power of the upper and does not count as a movement still pervades parts of Rajasthan. castes and the vulnerability of the towards positive changes in the These films get rave reviews but Dalits, but also points out that Dalit condition or in the Dalit iden- do not change the status quo of the it is not just the Dalit who con- tity. These films do draw attention upper-caste mindset about Dalits stantly faces a threat to his life, and educate us about the oppres- in the slightest way. The biologi- but also women, irrespective of sion against Dalits in the country cal muteness of the Dalit servant caste or status. Dhaniya (Tan- through stories often based on real (Sadhu Meher) in Shyam Bene- nishtha Chatterjee) is a Dalit and life experience. But they are mere gal’s Ankur can be interpreted as can hardly feed her sons, much drops in the deep and wide ocean metaphorical, as he works for the less educate them. Bajrangi, one of cinematic genres. They are films upper-caste village landlord. This of her two sons is able to go to that make us aware of the situation

and trigger our emotions – but only Dalit man cannot express his anger school because his education is < even though he knows his wife is funded by Dhaval (Sanjay Suri), for a while. being sexually exploited because the landlord, as the price for sex- she is a servant, the wife of another ually abusing Dhaniya after her (The writer is a senior journalist servant, is young and attractive and work in his cowshed is over. and film historian based in Kolkata. is a Dalit. Pawan Srivastava who comes She was presented the South Asia Amir Khan, who has learnt the from an upper-caste Hindu family, Laadli Media and Advertising Award fine art of turning commerce into a offers deep insight into the tragedy for Gender Sensitivity 2017. ) social message and a mainstream of being born Dalit in his beautiful film into a relevant socio-political film Life of an Outcast (2018). The statement, gives a token nod to three main characters – a middle- the Dalit in Lagaan. Khan clev- aged man, his wife and their son – erly blends the ‘disability’ ticket are not given names, symbolically

January-March 2021 VIDURA 37 An endearing story – follow your heart, live life to the full Moti Bagh is a long documentary with a difference, as it is an enriching experience which teaches us several things. The film documents migration which has left thousands of ghost villages in its wake. Director Nirmal Chander has made the film around his uncle, who at the ‘young’ age of 83, is actively creating a revolution in agriculture with help from a few Nepali migrants in his village. Shoma A. Chatterji tells the story

oti Bagh was nominated Nepali labourers coming in to the to make his own arrangements for for the Oscars. The fact villages in search of a livelihood. water, as the lack of rain is a seri- Mthat it did not, ultimately, The locals do not like the Nepal- ous impediment. Three of his sons make it to the Academy Awards ese people entering their space, but and two daughters grew up in the does not in any way take away when they themselves migrated to village and went their ways, while from its essence – the fact that towns and cities, there is no way to one son died. His wife, who was a determination and single-minded stop the migrants. help to him, died too. As the old focus can help a man realise his Sharma, who himself first man tells the story of his life, the dreams even past a point where migrated to the city and later came camera closes in on old faded pho- others may have given up on life. back to settle down in his own vil- tographs of days past, and the flies The hero of the story is Vidyadutt lage, has been living and working sitting on the frames make a telling Sharma, a farmer in Sangaura Vil- there for over 50 years. He decides comment. lage in Pauri Garhwal Region of to stay true to his farming roots and The camera pans across the Himachal Pradesh. We learn from not migrate to Pauri, the nearest empty homes in the villages, all him that age cannot take away the town, following his children. their doors locked against unlikely energy and the will of a human The film tells us that Sharma intruders. The film is shot in dif- being. gave up a comfortable government ferent seasons. The characters The film deals with migration job in his 20s to come back to his are caught on candid camera and in two directions – people leaving ancestral village way back in the Chander remains off screen when the villages for the cities, and the 1960s, to take up farming. He had he speaks to the protagonists, Photos: SC A still from Moti Bagh shows the protagonist silhouetted against a spectacular background.

38 VIDURA January-March 2021 An eye-catching poster of the fi lm, and (right) Vidyadutt Sharma.

including Sharma, who has been even the people who fought for Lila Hai, The Face Behind the awarded for his work. the statehood of Utt arakhand are Mask and Zikr Us Parivash Ka, Chronicling the changing land- today completely disillusioned by among others, have been lauded scape through verses of resistance, the apathy and indiff erence of the for their humanistic approach and Vidyadutt Sharma and Ram Singh, establishment and the powers- have travelled to many interna- his Nepali farmhand, plough the that-be towards creating the neces- tional fi lm festivals. fi elds and keep them alive, hop- sary infrastructure in the villages Chander also conducts working to return Moti Bagh to its old beyond Dehradun, Nainital and shops on fi lmmaking. He remains glory. Sharma also writes poetry Udham Singh Nagar. The journal- completely grounded in his work. and recites them without the slight- ist says that in Pauri District alone, “As a fi lmmaker, I am totally shaken est consciousness of the camera around 220 schools were shut down by the process and less by accolades handled by Chander himself, who in 2018. Anyone requiring medical or criticisms my fi lms bring”, says made the documentary single- att ention needs to travel 50-70 km Chander. “It is the process of mak- handedly so that his subjects did from mountain villages to the near- ing a fi lm that is the most impor- not feel uncomfortable because of est town. tant factor for me. I did the research the intrusion of strangers into their When his children visit with their for around three years and it was a small world. families, life changes for the old- wonderful experience.” The fi lm does not have a single young man for a time, but his work “It was a long struggle for static moment. While the main doesn’t stop. There is a moving seven years for me to be able to focus is the happy old man, Chan- shot of Sharma seated on a bench gather funds to make this fi lm,” der often travels to other places to facing the horizon with his back to says the 45-year-old director, fi nd out why it is only Sharma who the camera. The old man also takes talking of Moti Bagh. Chan- remains rooted to his soil while the up challenge of growing the heavi- der lives and works in Delhi. others, including Sharma’s grown est and biggest radish, and with PSBT and Doordarshan (Prasar children and grandchildren, have his 23-kg root, he aims to break the Bharati) stepped in to help and left in search of greener pastures. world record. As for Ram Singh, he his dream was fi nally fulfi lled. The fi lm also underlines the total is now quite affl uent, owns land, Moti Bagh was screened in 2019. absence of any kind of development and has built a two-storied house So, is Sharma still alive, I ask in the village, including facilities back in Nepal. Chander. “Of course,” comes the such as schools, colleges, hospi- Nirmal Chander is an award- answer. “He is alive and kicking

tals, water supply and other infra- winning fi lmmaker who has been and as active at 85 as he was two structure. Such a situation forced working for over two decades in years ago.” < the residents of 6000-7000 villages the fi eld of documentaries as pro- to leave their homes to fi nd liveli- ducer, director, cinematographer, hoods elsewhere. researcher, script writer and edi- According to a journalist who was tor. His fi lms All the World’s A interviewed on camera by Chander, Stage, Dreaming Taj Mahal, Sab

January-March 2021 VIDURA 39 Some films stand out by bringing stories that are true to life At the 26th Kolkata International Film Festival in January this year, several Indian films screened offered a powerful combination of the aesthetics of cinema and cinema as a medium of social exchange. Shoma A. Chatterji picks out a few that she feels deserve special mention

osa, directed by Mohit Pri- familiar face on the small and large The media pounces on this as a yadarshi, is about a 17-year- screens in Bengal, makes his direc- ‘hot story’, channels organise panel Kold tribal boy Kosa, who torial debut with this film. discussions and the local politician lives with his family in a dense For the first time in Indian cinema, jumps makes it his electoral bet. forest. He is picked up by the local a director has explored the plight Bora won the Best Director Award police on a case of mistaken iden- of the homeless Rohingya refugee for the film in the Indian Competi- tity and never returns home. Even who is separated from her parents tion Section. When the credits come the best efforts of a dedicated law- and has no clue whether they are up in the end, a split screen shows yer and a journalist cannot save even alive. Chowdhury marries details of similar incidents from him from death. The director has the tragedy of the girl with the sad real life. used visuals to let the audience story of a young Kashmiri boy who In Water Burial in the Tawai Mon- draw its own conclusions about comes with his father to sell carpets gpa Language, director Shantanu the complete violation of human at the shelter home where the girl Sem elaborates on a local tribe’s rights of the poor, the weak and the resides. It is a very low-key film dark ritual. An anthropologist sets tribals. with actors who have never faced off to find his friend’s favourite Ghoda (Marathi), directed by T. the movie camera before. drink. The journey takes him to a Mahesh, is a beautiful representa- God on the Balcony, an Assamese remote place, Jung, where he stum- tion of a very poor father’s struggle film directed by Biswajeet Bora, bles upon a strange ritual of chop- to get his little son a wooden rock- was inspired by the real-life story ping up a corpse and floating the ing horse like the one a neighbour’s of Dana Majhi from Odisha, who pieces one by one in the river flow- child has. What happens when the was forced to carry his wife’s body ing beside the village. The problem horse is left behind in the van it was on his shoulders for nearly ten is that there are few elders in the being transported in brings added kilometres because of Government village who are expert at cutting piquancy. apathy, and became a symbol of corpses. The anthropologist takes The Bengali film with the intrigu- poverty. This film narrates the story up the mission of bringing the vil- ing title Priyo Chinar PataIti Segun of middle-aged Khagen Das who lage into the mainstream. The direc- (Fire of Teak, Flame of Chinar) has to trek around 14 kms to bring tor and his team travelled to almost recounts a very unusual and tragic his wife’s body back to the village unreachable places high up in the love story in which two ‘outsiders’ via rough roads through forests. He hills to shoot in actual locations. meet in Kolkata and fall in love, but manages it by tying the body to his Subhrajit Mitra’s Avijatrik – The the boy cannot come back to marry bicycle. He is accompanied on the Wanderlust of Apu produced the girl. Kumar Chowdhury, a grim trip by his daughter. by Gaurang Films and Madhur office Photos: Film Makers/ Festival Scenes from Kosa and (right) Bittersweet. Kosa is directed by Mohit Priyadarshi, Bittersweet by Ananth Mahadevan.

40 VIDURA January-March 2021 An endearing scene from Subhrajit Mitra’s Avijatrik – The Wanderlust of Apu. Right: Biswajeet Borathe’s God on the Balcony poster.

Bhandarkar, is a low-key, black- daughter, Anushka Shankar. The technique or aesthetics to narrate and-white period film that takes film turned out to be the biggest the explosive story. off from where Satyajit Ray’s crowd-puller at both its screenings. Ananth Mahadevan’s Marathi film Apur Sansar left off. The techni- False Eye in Malayalam directed Bittersweet establishes, with docu- cal approach of making the film in by Rahul Riji Nair won the Best mentary proof, that the sweetness of black-and-white 60 years after Ray Film Prize in the Indian cinema cat- sugar disguises the sharp bitterness made the last part of the Apu tril- egory. It offers a unique perspective that consumes the lives of men and ogy fits the mood of the film and on the use of the videocam and the women, specially women, who work so does the performance of Arjun difference when it is handled by in the sugar farms in Beed, Maha- Chakraborty in the title role of Apu. young boys and by a manipulative rashtra, accounting for 50 per cent of But the film loses out because of its adult. The videocam is a character the sugar produced by Maharashtra. very loud musical score and the in the film. Shot almost entirely on Young women, even unmarried slight twist given to the signature location, the film does not resort to ones, who work on these sugar tune of Pandit Ravi Shankar by his any cinematic gimmicks in terms of farms under exploitative contracts, are manipulated by the contractor and forced to undergo hysterectomy at neighbourhood nursing homes ‘fixed’ by the contractor. The company pays for the surgery which is deducted from their salary. The leave young women are forced to take because of period pains is also fined heavily. Most of them are forced to live in temporary tenements within the farms, leaving young children back in their homes in slums, deprived of regular schooling. Nor- mally, the contractor appoints labour as jodis – couples, but exceptions are made when the man falls ill. Some-

one else from the family steps in, as Suguna, the protagonist, does for her< A scene from Priyo Chinar PataIti Segun, directed by Kumar Chowdhury. father in the movie.

January-March 2021 VIDURA 41 A grassroots radio initiative knits together the Hajongs A community radio programme is acting as a bridge among members of the Hajong, a unique though little-known tribe from Northeast India, with members scattered in various parts of the world. Ankuran Dutta tells us about the initiative, and the tribe which stands in danger of losing touch with its culture

ritamjit, a member of the As other villagers participated in who were losing touch with their Hajong Community, was the community radio programme rich cultural heritage. Ka student of Standard 8 aired from Dibrugarh Town on the It was 34-year-old Prakash when he started listening to Radio banks of the mighty river, Kritamjit Hajong who first recognised the Brahmaputra programmes. Krita- and his eight siblings had to wait potential of the community radio mjit lives in Harinathpur, a remote for their turn. He dreamt of hearing for the Hajong in 2015. The LIC village lying 25 km away from his own voice on the radio. He was agent and school teacher was visit- Dhemaji in Assam, and belongs also a fan of innovative storytell- ing a relative in the char area, a riv- to the Hajong Tribe, indigenous ing method adopted by the radio erine island, when he first listened to Assam, Meghalaya and Bangla- station. to Radio Brahmaputra. He saw desh. They have a unique cultural After completing higher secondary how popular it was in char villages heritage, but like most other indig- schooling, Kritamjit is now learning like Nalbari, Tulsipur, Srirampur enous tribes, their culture has been radio broadcasting at the community andBhangapara, where electricity eroded over time. radio station. “I learnt a lot about dif- was not available. He realised that The language of the Hajong, ferent health issues and democratic it could be used to sustain the lan- originally thought of as Tibeto- values from the radio station and guage and culture of the Hajong Burman, is now considered an saw what a positive impact it has had community. Indo-Aryan language with Tibeto- on the villagers. I aspire to tell many Hajong discussed his ideas with Burman roots. It is spoken by more more stories for the betterment of my his wife, Uchita Bala Hajong, a than 175000 ethnic Hajong and community” he says. native of Udalguri and a regular the Eastern Nagari script is used Kritamjit has created a Facebook listener to FM radio programmes in writing. The Hajong have been group for this programme. He in Guwahati. “There are about hun- marginalised with little or no rep- records it on his mobile phone, con- dred households in our village and resentation in mainstream media. verts it to video files and uploads except a few Mishing families, all But the situation is now changing, it on the Facebook group. The pro- are Hajong. We encouraged them thanks to Radio Brahmaputra, the gramme has now exceeded the to listen to the radio to get informa- first grassroots community radio of range of the radio waves, and has tion, be educated on relevant issues the region, become popular among the Hajong as well as be entertained through The community radio programme people not only in the country but folksongs and the lovely music of reaches lakhs of marginalised also overseas. the land,” says Prakash Hajong. people in upper Assam, includ- “The community radio has been Under the couple’s initiative, ing 36 tea gardens, 148 tea garden empowering people by making a group of volunteers started a lines and island dwellers (Mishing, them better aware of the world Hajong programme in radio mag- Bodo, Hajong, Banai, Kosh-Rajban- around them and the issues which azine format on August 8, 2019, shi, Rabha and Bhojpuri speaking affect them directly and indirectly, which was initially named Janeng community) in the riverine villages bringing their concerns to the notice Aai (Let us know) as a part of a proof Brahmaputra in Dibrugarh and of the public authorities and provid- gramme of different tribal commu- Dhemaji Districts. In Harinathpur, ing them opportunities to address nities. The original five-minute slot the radio waves have united the the challenges under the democratic was extended to 30 minutes and 500 Hajong households in the vil- system,” says Bhaskarjyoti Bhuyan, renamed Phulow Aagan (taking the lage, helping them to sustain their station director of the community name of a scarf-like piece of cloth unique way of living. Radio Brah- radio. Radio Brahmaputra benefits significant for the Hajong). This maputra has also connected them members of the Hajong tribe scat- first full-fledged and only radio to other Hajong, far and near. tered over several parts of the world, programme in the Hajong language

42 VIDURA January-March 2021 L-r: A Hajong family listening to the radio programme; Prakash Hajong at the studio of Radio Brahmaputra; and Kritamjit at the studio. is broadcast every day at 9.30 am Phulow Aagan. “This is what a com- a social behavioural change tool and repeated at 2 pm. munity radio is established for. The and also a platform where they try Entirely produced by the Hajong Hajong people record their voices to popularise their language, pre- Community of Dhemaji District, on different development issues, like serve their beautiful music, culture it comprises four sections – Janeng women’s and children’s health, edu- and tradition,” he adds. “This pro- Aai, where information on nutrition, cation and agriculture and showcase gramme helps the women of the anaemia, child and maternal health their unique culture and music. community to understand different and issues related to floods is dissem- As a community radio enthusiast, issues related to COVID-19, female inated in the Hajong language. The Phulow Aagan caught my attention hygiene, locally available nutritious second section Amla anusthan amla rao when I heard it for the first time foods for pregnant women, child- (our programme, our opinion) com- on social media. I was reminded of care issues and other livelihood prises interviews of the community the 130-year-old community news- aspects”, says Uchita Bala. members. The third section has folk paper, The Budget, published from “I am extremely happy, because songs and folk tales of the Hajong Sugarcreek, US, by, for and about this programme has been a bridge Community and in the fourth sec- the members of Amish Community for the Hajong people of the North- tion, social media messages sent by scattered in different parts of that east with their kin settled in coun- community members from different country and Canada. tries like Bangladesh, Thailand, parts of the north-eastern region and Since the inception of the com- Indonesia, Rwanda,” says Bhuyan. also abroad via SMC, WhatsApp and munity radio service in 2014, He acknowledges the contribu- Facebook are read out, forging links many Hajong folk artistes have tion of programme producer Pinku among diaspora. participated in the programme”, Gohain and the active group of com- On August 8 last year, Radio Brah- says Bhaskarjyoti Bhuyan. “The munity volunteers led by Praksh maputra celebrated the first anni- producers of the programme have Hajong, Uchita Bala Hajong, Jun- versary of its Hajong programme realised its enormous potential as moni Hajong, Kritamjit Hajong, Rumalee Hajong and Malen Hajong. This potential of a signal of a low power community radio trans- mitter that transcended national boundaries has brought thousands of Hajong people on the same platform – people who had been scattered for decades, with no connect to their roots. This not-for-profit initiative has united a small scheduled

tribe that has been largely ignored by the mainstream media. <

(The writer is a media educator, author and a health rights activist based in Guwahati. Currently, he heads the Department of

Photos: AD Communication & Journalism at Women of the Hajong Community listening to a radio programme. Guwahati University.)

January-March 2021 VIDURA 43 She resisted odds to become an exceptional kattai koothu artiste Thilagavathi has been away from home helping those stranded by the recent cyclone Nivar. When I am able to get through to her, she has just returned home to have a quick lunch and is heading out again to carry food packets to those who might need it. But she does chat about her journey in a world rather different from this. Janani Murali takes us to that world

hilagavathi’s father and about the art form and her own Kattai koothu, for the uninitiated, uncles were kattai koothu (a investment in it in the early years is a theatre form with origins in Ttraditional theatre form) of her training. Southern India. The name derives artistes, carrying their art with As a young child, the living from kattai, which means wood them to places near and far. Thil- quarters, the food, clothes and the because all ornaments worn by the agavathi grew up absorbing the art people she met fascinated Thilaga- artiste are made of wood; and the- as it tempered most conversations vathi who came from a humble atre forms are referred to as koothu at home. But her own tryst with home where savings were meagre in the Tamil language. Kattai koothu the art form as a performer began and luxuries unheard of. “I owe it dramas are all-night musicals pre- when she was a mere 11 years old. to my teacher,” says Thilagavathi, senting stories from the Mahab- P. Rajagopal had just opened an “for the years that he invested in harata. Over the years, artistes have institution to teach and nurture the our learning. We schooled through diversified the content into explor- art form and asked Thilagavathi’s the open-schooling system until the ing narratives of social significance father to send her as a student. A 12th grade too.” Through the eight too. Kattai koothu has been an art few cousins and friends from her years that Thilagavathi stayed at form practised primarily by men. native village in Ranipet District her teacher’s school in Kanchi- Thilagavathi was the first woman were enrolled to learn the art form puram, her instinctive creative tal- kattai koothu artiste, a badge that she at Rajagopal’s residential institute. ent was honed. The outcome was an wears with much responsibility. For someone who grew up with absolute love for the art form and “It was not without opposition kattai koothu, Thilagavathi by her a dedication that has seen Thilaga- that I became the first woman kat- own admission was rather carefree vathi through several challenges. tai koothu artiste,” she says. “When Photos: JM Kattai – wooden ornaments that are distinctive of the art form; and (right) all-night musicals at the temple complex.

44 VIDURA January-March 2021 a role model for the young children of her village. “If I have gained a voice for myself, I owe it to my training in this art form, the places I travelled to around the world and the vast number of people I inter- acted with. I must now make all this available to the young children of my village.” Thilagavathy returned to her village to set up a katt ai koothu company and teaching institute a few years ago. She teaches the art to the young children of her village. A few have over the years joined her company, too. They even use the money that they receive for performances to fund their education. The company has reached out to other villages as well through performances and workshops. Thilagavathi with her musicians. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Thilagavathi’s company also I decided that I would not pursue but when you are consumed by a suff ered but that has not deterred any academic fi eld of study for love for koothu like mine, there is no her from reaching out to those college and chose to pursue katt ai other way than to immerse yourself who could help and becoming a koothu professionally, there were in it,” she asserts. channel for those who need fi nan- relatives who opposed it. People in After spending over 10 years cial assistance. “A large number of the village assumed that my repu- at her teacher’s institute both as Nagaswaram and Tavil vidwans, tation would be marred. My father a student and as an apprentice, travelling musicians and koothu and uncles too were very apprehen- Thilagavathi made a brave deci- artistes have been hit badly. I have sive. The other girls who learnt katt ai sion to move to Chennai with sup- been able to connect donors to about koothu with me were married off by port and motivation from mentors 200 families so far. We will tide over then and the pressure to marry me and friends. She worked as a pro- this too,” Thilagavathi says, with

off too was huge on my parents. I gramme manager at an arts fi rm calm. Her energy is inspiring as is resisted.” and did katt ai koothu performances her optimism. Her tryst with katt ai < Thilagavathi’s is a voice of resil- simultaneously because it was koothu continues. ience and confi dence. A woman important for her to be fi nancially making headway in a fi eld that has independent and invest creatively for generations been the forte of in the art at the same time. Thilaga- men is bound to face opposition. vathi started to build a repertoire How would she travel and perform that also spoke of socially relevant www.pressinstitute.in in temples when she was on her issues. “I believe that the art is not period? ‘Would it be safe for her to just mere entertainment. It can be do all-night shows? Would her rep- a tool of change. It can be a tool to utation not suff er? Questions were educate.” many about how Thilagavathi could In the kind of society Thilaga- prove herself in a ‘male’ art form. vathi grew up in, it was unheard But Thilagavathi had an answer. of for a girl to have an opinion or “‘Would you trust your daughter speak up. Thilagavathi has broken or the nay-sayers of the village?’I regressive norms that persisted in asked my father. They were under villages like hers simply by being a lot of pressure to fall in line but I herself – a woman self-assured believed in myself and my abilities and confi dent. Her tryst with katt ai to take this art form forward. The koothu has not just enabled her to years have been anything but easy, be a performer but also to become

January-March 2021 VIDURA 45 A marvel of a mountain rail line, all thanks to a sage

A museum full of quaint memorabilia from the past brings back the glory of a mountain railway that was considered an engineering marvel of its time. While the museum was set up to preserve the rich heritage of the rail line, it is also a tribute to Baba Bhalku, a common man with spiritual leanings, says Sarita Brara

s you come to what is now railway that starts at a height of tunnel to help repair work to be called the Old Bus Stop, 2152 ft and ends at an elevation of done. Even today, if power supply Ayou cannot miss the model 4660 ft. is disrupted for any reason, the mir- KC 520 steam engine standing Baba Bhalku was not an engineer rors come in handy for any urgent under a canopy with the words but a common man with spiritual repairs. Bhalku Baba Rail Museum embla- leanings. How then did he contrib- Then there is a huge brass bell zoned above it – yes, the entrance ute to the rail line? According to on a stand. As hooters were not in to the museum is through this vin- reports, the alignment of the 1140- use at that time, this bell would be tage engine. meter tunnel Number 33 at Barog rung, signalling the start and end of As soon you step into it, you hear went wrong and the man who was shifts at a rail work shop. It was in the whistle of the train, and when supervising the construction was use as late as 1968. you get off, you see the smoke bil- fined for his wrong assessment. Also on display are ‘mashaal lowing from it. This prize-winning Unable to digest this humiliation, pots’ weighing around 3 kg, which model was made to give visitors a he committed suicide. The job of would be lit by burning cotton feel of the trains pulled by steam completing the tunnel was then waste. A ‘token porter’ would hold engines on the famous Kalka- handed over to Chief Engineer H.S. these lighted pots, so that drivers Shimla track in a bygone era, says Harrington. And that’s when Baba of oncoming trains could identify Krishan Kumar Kalyan who over- Bhalku stepped in. his position, and hand over the saw the setting up of the museum. The Baba, untrained in engineer- ‘tokens’. “This practice started dur- Murals of bridges, tunnels and ing or construction, would use his ing the British era still continues, train coaches painted by artists wooden staff to point to the spots since it is part of the station’s heri- from Delhi form the backdrop of that needed to be dug, to bring the tage status,” says Prince Sethi, sta- the unique museum which mostly two ends of the tunnel into align- tion superintendent. showcases antique tools and instru- ment. Harrington’s engineer would The token is a spherical steel ball ments used to keep the trains run- follow his instructions. And the placed on an iron ring. Only one ning smoothly on the Kalka-Shimla tunnel at Barog was finally aligned token is issued to a train forone rail line constructed during the properly. direction at a time, after ensuring British era. The 96.6 km-long line is How did Bhalku Baba have the that the previous train has already described as an “engineering mar- insight to pinpoint the right areas cleared the section and there is vel of the mountain railways”. It for digging? Did he have some sixth no other train between the two was completed in 1902 and opened sense or intuition, or was it his prac- stations. a year later. It is now one of India’s tical knowledge of the geological Though the heavy pots are now World Heritage Sites. conditions of the area? It is difficult part of the museum displays, every The museum is located about a to say now, but his contribution time a train nears the station, the kilometre from the Shimla Railway to the construction of this marvel points man performs the duty that Station. One can walk along the of a mountain rail line has been at one time was carried out by the tracks to reach it, too. Outside the recorded by W.M. Hay, the then ‘token porters’. museum stands marble bust of Baba deputy commissioner, Hill States. Also on display at the museum is Bhalku, installed in 2014. While the As one walks through the not- a model of the railcar on a manual museum was set up to preserve the very-big museum, the model of turntable. A railway turntable is a rich heritage of the rail line, it is also Tunnel No. 33 catches attention. A device for turning locomotives, so a tribute to Baba Bhalku for his part mirror was kept outside the tun- that they can be moved back in the in the construction of this mountain nel to reflect the sunlight into the direction from which they came.

46 VIDURA January-March 2021 Photos: SB Clockwise, from bottom left: Coin tester; entrance to the museum through steam engine model; inside the engine; Bhalku Baba’s bust installed in 2014; a model showing repair with sun light; and a model of rail car on a turn table.

Derail Locking equipment made Line labels made of iron and brass machines, coin testers and many in USA is on display, too. The and brass badges for municipal other tools used in the past. equipment was used for showing porters and other workers can be Interestingly, the museum also the occupancy of a rail track. This seem too. There is a special type of has vintage hand-painted crockery equipment was used from 1903 to fire extinguisher that is fabricated and knives with handles made of 1989 in the Shimla-Kalka section. with rivets, old ticket punching tusks, and a stand for hanging hats, umbrellas or walking sticks, giving a glimpse of the lifestyle of the Brit- ish staff working on this line. Although many tourists to Shimla visit this museum, visitors from England show a great deal of interest in the displays. Many of them come because their ances- tors worked on this section of the

railways, and the museum holds a special place in their hearts. <

(The writer is a senior journalist who now lives in Shimla.)

A bell was in use instead of hooters till 1968; (right) tokens and badges.

January-March 2021 VIDURA 47 A temple without an idol, one of a kind

Jahura Kali is the presiding folk deity of Malda Town in West Bengal. Sarita Bose gives us glimpses of the history of the famous temple dedicated to the goddess, and the myths surrounding it

here is a famous Arabian folk as such after an abortive attempt mound smeared with vermillion. tale – Ali Baba and the 40 to rob it. Arabian dacoits feature in A painted mask of the face of God- TThieves – in which a group this story too. They are said to have dess Chamunda has been placed of dacoits hide their loot in a cave come to pillage the temple, but the on this mound. According to folk which can only be opened with an deity, Devi Chandi, appeared at the history, there was once an idol of oral command. Looting was very spot. The looters fled, saying there Goddess Chandi at the temple, but common at one point in India, was zeher or poison in the temple it was hidden under a mound of too. Groups of dacoits openly and, hence, the name. earth to protect it from pillaging robbed villagers of gold and other There are different estimates of Muslims. valuables. when the temple was constructed. Because the temple is devoid of The dacoits commonly wor- Some historians put the date at idols, it appeals to both Hindus shipped Goddess Kali and prayed around 1500 AD while others say and Muslims. Also, being very for a good haul before embarking the original temple was built by close to the Bangladesh border, on their plundering forays. Like Raja Ballal Sen, the third ruler of devotees from both countries the 40 thieves in the Arabian story, the Sena Dynasty, in 1159-1179 AD. come to worship there. The Ben- they would hide their booty in Other versions say the temple was gali month of Baishakh (mid- some secret places. The Jahura Kali built by a priest named Salwara April to mid-May) is known to be Temple in Malda District of West Tiwari who invoked Goddess Cha- auspicious for offering prayers to Bengal was one such place, accord- munda to protect the villagers of the Goddess, especially on Tues- ing to popular belief. Raipur from natural disasters and days and Saturdays. Jahura Kali is the adishakti or the attacks by the enemy. During the month, thousands of presiding deity of Malda. The tem- Many years later, Hiraram Tiwari, people from far flung areas come to ple, situated on the outskirts of the the grandson of Salwara Tiwari, the temple to worship the Goddess. town, is shrouded in myths. The had a vision of the goddess in the Fairs are organised around the vil- name Jahura comes from the word temple and described her as hav- lage at night. At other times of the jahar or jawahar in Hindi, which ing a long tongue, a third eye and year, the temple is open for worship means jewellery, possibly a refer- sharp teeth. Based on his vision, only on Tuesdays and Saturdays. ence to the loot which was once he created a mask to represent the Buffaloes, goats and pigeons are hidden there. goddess. sacrificed at the altar. Another legend says the name Interestingly, the Jahura Kali The Jahura Temple is very popu- is a corruption of zeher, or poison, Temple does not have an idol. The lar, as the deity has the reputation and the temple came to be known goddess is represented only by a of answering the prayers of devotees. The temple is surrounded by a beautiful mango orchard. The peaceful environment is enough to

infuse a sense of calm and spiritual- ity in devotees. <

(The writer is assistant professor at Amity University, Kolkata.) Photos: SB Jahura Kali; and (right) the Maa Johura Temple.

48 VIDURA January-March 2021 Guiding travellers along a route – a paean to Lord Muruga

A sixth-century Tamil poet’s listing of the six sacred abodes of Lord Muruga holds good even today. Meenakshi Devraj walks us through this fascinating piece of Sangam literature

he term Aarupadai Veedu is smeared with sandalwood paste, the Asoka tree in his ears, and has well-known to devotees of says the poet. a garland of ixora flowers around TLord Muruga in Tamil Nadu. Nakeerar goes on to talk of Lord his neck. He is accompanied by a It refers to the six temples sacred to Muruga’s heroism in killing the peacock and a goat, and plays vari- the God. They were first mentioned demon Surapathman and how the ous musical instruments. Nakeerar as a group by Nakeerar, a 6th Cen- victory was celebrated by fear- also describes how the velan (priest) tury poet, in his work Thirumuru- some-looking female ghosts who adorns himself with green vines, gaatrupadai, in which he employs perform the Thunanagi Koothu on fragrant nutmeg strands and a gar- the literary technique known the battlefield. The poet then begins land of kulavi and white koothalam as Aatrupadai – a genre of Tamil to guide devotees to the places that flowers. He also talks about forest poetry of the Sangam era in which are sacred to Lord Muruga. dwellers dancing to the rhythm of the poet, donning the mantle of First on the list is Thiru- thondakam drums. someone who has walked the trail parankundram, a mountainous Apart from these particularly before, guides new travellers along area west of the prosperous city sacred places, Lord Muruga is a route. In the poem, Nakeerer uses of Koodal (present-day Madurai). omnipresent, especially in the this technique to guide devotees to Thirucheeralaivaai, now known veriyattam grounds says Nakeerar. the six shrines dedicated to Lord as Thiruchendur, is the second During the Sangam period, women Muruga. Aarupadai was probably a abode of Lord Muruga – he lives who were thought to be mentally corruption of aatrupadai. there as the one who rides a swift disturbed were subjected to a pro- The poem opens with a descrip- elephant. Nakeerar describes how cess known as veriyattam, organised tion of Lord Muruga. Nakeerar talks Lord Muruga reached this place, by a velan or local priest who was about celestial women, dressed in travelling through the sky to the believed to have been endowed clothes that are a particular shade accompaniment of celestial music. with the powers of Lord Muruga. of red known as Indirakobam and This section of the poem also has To invite Lord Muruga to the adorned with beautiful ornaments, an elaborate description of how ceremony, women would plant his who circle the mountain, singing Lord Muruga uses his six faces rooster flag, smear ghee and mus- praises of Lord Muruga and his and twelve hands to ensure the tard seed paste, and make silent flag with the rooster motif. They are wellbeing of his devotees. prayers to him with flowers.They described as wearing gem-studded The next section talks about would wear two different types of hip belts, and forehead ornaments Thiruvaavinankudi, modern-day clothes, and tie a red thread tied as like netti-chitti shaped like the open Palani. Lord Muruga resides there a protection. They would scatter mouth of sharks, apart from the with his divine consort Theivayaa- white ricemixed with the blood of pottu or bindi. nai, and the place is considered a male goatalong with many other The poet talks of the jewels extremely sacred. Thirueerakam offerings, sprinkle turmeric and fra- being made of a special type of (today’s Swamimalai), is the next grant water, hang red oleandergar- gold known as sampuntham (often abode which is celebrated in the lands, and sing kurinji songs to the mentioned in Sangam literature), poem. Here, Brahmins offer sacred accompaniment of musical instru- the sheen of which is visible from prayers to Lord Muruga by chant- ments. All this is described in the afar. Their hair was oiled with ing the shadakshara mantram. portion pertaining to veriyattam in ghee and decorated with ixora According to Nakeerar, at Kun- Thirumurugatrupadai. flowers, petals of water lily,cham - druthoraadal (current Thiruthani), Nakeraar ends the poem with pak and marutham and strands the fifth abode, Lord Muruga is a picturesque description of the of red buds.Their breasts were dressed in red, wears sprouts of mountain groves, full of ripe fruits,

January-March 2021 VIDURA 49 This cluster of six temples named by Nakeerar in his poem nearly two thousand years ago still stands, and the temples are listed in the same order even today.With its lovely descriptions of bountiful nature,ancient religious practices and Lord Muruga,Thirumurugaatrupadai is considered one of the highlights of

Sangam literature by devotees of Lord Muruga. <

(The writer, a software engineer, is interested in history and Tamil culture and has researched on Tamil

Photo: MD Sangam Literature, Chennai history The writer’s kolam (drawing with rice flour) of Lord Muruga. and temples.) where Lord Muruga resides.The as a reference the Pazhamudir- Tamil word ‘Pazhamudircholai’ cholai temple near Madurai, named refers to such a grove, and is taken as the sixth Aarupadai veedu.

Publishers seek waiver of customs duty on newsprint

News publishers have approached the government seeking a five per cent in import duty on newsprint, according to media reports. The Indian Newspaper Society (INS) has reportedly given a representation to Finance Minister in this regard. They also want a fiscal stimulus package for the industry or raising tariffs of government advertisements by 50 per cent. “Prices of newsprint have shot up by 20 per cent in the past three months. Another increase of 10-15 per cent is on the anvil next month which will severely impact the publishers,” the INS representation reportedly states. Domestic producers are severely under-stocked on their raw materials to supply adequate quantities, it added. “If working out a stimulus package for print media is difficult at this juncture, DAVP (Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity) may please consider releasing advertisement for all its departments to all publications with an increased tariff of 50 per cent, which would be highly helpful for the industry as a whole,” reports quoted the INS representation as mentioning. The representation has also reportedly sought extension of the validity of RNI (Registrar of Newspapers for India) Circulation Certificates up to March 31, 2022, which will enable DAVP rates to remain the same till next year. It is estimated that the print media would take two-three years to recover from the current situation, the INS is said to have said in the representation. A media report quoted INS president L Adimoolam as saying that the government helped a few industries (during the pandemic) with stimulus packages and that they are also expecting some stimulus. To cut costs, several newspapers have shutdown editions, reduced the number of pages and laid off staff, he reportedly said. He was also quoted as saying that the newspaper distribution has become very costly

and most newspapers have stopped sending the hard copies to the rural areas with readership of less than 50 copies, to reduce the distribution cost. <

(Courtesy: exchange4media.com)

50 VIDURA January-March 2021 Time running out for two exceptional tennis champions

With both in their 40th year and in the face of intense competition, time is running out for Roger Federer and Serena Williams, feels Partab Ramchand

ith the start of the new Dominic Theim, Daniil Medvedev, such title was at the Australian Open tennis season it is clear Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander in 2017. She has been arguably the Wthat time is running out Zverev, with the first two being greatest player in the Open era and for both Serena Williams and Roger ahead of him in the rankings and has set mind-boggling and eye-rub- Federer. The two great champions the remaining two in hot pursuit. bing records. The WTA has ranked are in their 40th year and, however The last of Federer’s 20 Grand Slam her world No. 1 on eight separate fit one is, the years do catch up. singles titles came at the Australian occasions between 2002 and 2017. On Indeed this could well be their last Open in 2018. He has not played a her sixth occasion she held the rank- real competitive year and if they competitive match since losing to ing for 186 consecutive weeks tying are to achieve a record-equalling Djokovic in the Australian Open the record set by Steffi Graf. In total, feat as in the case of Williams or a semifinal last January. Since then, he she has been No. 1 for 319 weeks, record-breaking feat as is the case has been plagued by injuries and has which ranks third in the Open era with Federer, it has to come about said that he plans a comeback in late among female players, behind Graf in 2021. The competition is becom- March at an ATP event in Doha. and Martina Navratilova. ing more intense in both fields and With his triumph at the French And yet, Serena Williams started already there are signs that both Open last year, Nadal is now level 2021 with a ranking of No. 11 thanks are on the way down. with Federer on an all-time record to a combined challenge from several For one thing, this is clear in the 20 Grand Slam singles titles. One of young players, most of them who ATP and WTA rankings. Federer has them could well go ahead to No. 21 have won at least one Grand Slam been the No. 1 player in the rank- this year but at this period of time title. It speaks volumes of her superb ings for a record total of 320 weeks one would rather fancy the Span- fitness and fierce competitiveness – including a record 237 consecu- iard’s chances more than that of that she was still able to make the tive weeks and has finished as the the Swiss maestreo. For that mat- finals of Wimbledon and US Open in year end No. 1 five times. Despite ter, world No. 1 Djokovic is not far both 2018 and 2019 but each time lost the significant progress made by behind with 18 Grand Slam titles in straight sets to one of the younger Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal with his latest triumph at the Aus- challengers and, with each passing over the years, Federer has been tralian Open in February. year, her hopes of equalling Court’s No. 3 for an extended period. But Much the same can be said about all-time record are decreasing. he ended 2020 at No. 5 thanks to Williams who is one short of Mar- The latest setback for Williams was further challenges from the Gen- garet Court’s all time record of 24 elimination at the semifinal stage of Next of players – the quartet of Grand Slam singles titles. But her last the recently concluded Australian Open though her gritty performance saw her climb four places in the rankings. She was in tears at the press conference following her defeat to the ultimate champion Naomi Osaka of Japan and was unable to confirm

whether she would be back next year at Melbourne. <

(The writer is a veteran sports writer who spent his career working Photos: Internet for The Indian Express and The Roger Federer; and (right) Serena Williams. Telegraph and Sportsworld.)

January-March 2021 VIDURA 51 What Indian cricket owes the Little Master is immeasurable On March 6 fifty years ago, Sunil Gavaskar made his Test debut and the upsurge in the fortunes of Indian cricket can be traced to this date, points out Partab Ramchand. His legacy endures and champions of later eras are the first to admit the inspirational role that Gavaskar has played, he says

arch 6, 1971. On the face leg for two leg byes. But I was sur- pioneer, the man who proved that of it, this is not a date of prised to see that the umpire did fast bowlers could be hit. He was Many great significance. not make any signal so I was off the a batsman who proved that it was Perhaps only the really die-hard mark with two runs when actually possible to get 13 Test hundreds Indian cricket fan will understand I should not have had. This helped against the West Indies, including the importance of that date, after me to get rid of the fear of failure three double centuries. He showed some prodding. But as far as Indian and I was soon middling the ball that it was possible to break the cricket is concerned, this is a land- and clipped Holder to the square 10000-run barrier in Test cricket mark day. If the history of mankind leg fence for my first boundary in and to overtake Don Bradman’s is divided into two eras – BC and Tests.” record tally of 29 hundreds. AD – the history of Indian cricket is Today, with his awesome record Most important, Gavaskar divided into two eras, BG and AG. in the international game famil- inspired his teammates not to The 39 years before the date in iar to cricket fans the world over, wince against fast bowling or falter question were generally marked it would seem incongruous that against the turning ball. Thanks to by defeats, disasters and deba- Gavaskar had a fear of failure and him, many others learnt about the cles and very few triumphant that he was afraid he might not be essential qualities of dedication moments. Since that date in ques- up to the mark. But much more and determination, technique and tion the period has generally been significant than all his accomplish- temperament, patience and perse- marked by glorious victories, rare ments is the fact that he is the father verance, concentration and com- individual feats and greater respect figure of Indian cricket. He was the mitment. And soon the upward for Indian cricket and cricketers in the international arena. Sure, there have been the low points but these have been comparatively few. March 6, 1971. It was the day a certain Sunil Manohar Gavaskar made his Test debut. He first fielded most of the day as West Indies were all out for 214 on the opening day of the second Test at Port of Spain in Trinidad, a ground which over the years became his favourite for obvious reasons. And then he opened with Ashok Mankad to bat for a few overs before the end of the day’s play. Gavaskar himself recalls in Sunny Days his first moments with the bat in a Test. “As I took strike after Ashok had got three runs, I was a little afraid that I might not be up to the mark. Vanburn Holder thundered down and bowled on the leg stump. The ball struck my Gavaskar in his prime essays a leg glance - he hardly wore a helmet even while facing leg guards and went down to fine the real quickies.

52 VIDURA January-March 2021 35 Test matches. Before 1971, India won fi ve rubbers – three against New Zealand and one each against Pakistan and England. From 1971 to 1987, India won ten rubbers, four times against Eng- land, twice against West Indies and one each against Pakistan, Austra- lia, Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Before 1971 India had won only one series abroad – against a none too strong New Zealand side in 1967- 68. After Gavaskar came on the scene India won rubbers in West Indies and England (twice) and the template was laid out for the greater feats that followed.

Photos: Internet What Indian cricket owes Gavas- Vintage Gavaskar - copybook style, an oﬀ drive to behold, the ball eﬀ ortlessly punched kar is immeasurable. His legacy through the covers. endures over the half-a-century since his debut and champions of swing in India’s fortunes was there Gavaskar’s entry marked a major the later eras are the fi rst to admit for the cricketing world to watch turning point in the fortunes of the inspirational role that Gavaskar

and admire. Indian cricket. His debut itself has played and the exalted status Before Gavaskar came on the coincided with India’s fi rst-ever SMG enjoys in the history of Indian < scene, the chief image of Indian victory over West Indies, followed cricket. cricketers was that of ‘dull dogs’ by a historic triumph in the series. who took an inordinately long time Gavaskar was mainly responsible to get their runs. They lacked the for this, scoring 774 runs with four will to fi ght and were technically hundreds, including a century and and temperamentally ill equipped. a double century in the fi nal Test. The history of Indian cricket was His deeds inspired the greater tri- punctuated, all too frequently, by umph that followed in England the shameful reverses. same year. PII-RIND now on Facebook On one infamous occasion at And so the saga continued till https://www.facebook.com/PiiRIND Leeds in 1952, India lost their fi rst 1987. And along the way, there four wickets without a run on the were individual and team feats board. In the same series, at Old that none would have thought the Traff ord, India became the fi rst Indian team and Indian cricketers team in Test cricket to be bowled were capable of. Scoring 400 plus out twice in one day – and for totals to win a Test, running up totals of of 58 and 82. In the next Test at the 600 plus more than once, making Oval, India lost the fi rst fi ve wickets the bowlers sweat it out for more for six runs. A few years later, India than a day to earn a wicket. And lost a Test to West Indies at Calcutt a inspired by the greater solidity in by an innings and 336 runs – then the batt ing, the bowlers have risen the second biggest margin of defeat to the occasion and shaped many in Test cricket. In the period 1967- notable triumphs. 68, India lost seven Tests on the trot. Indeed, before Gavaskar came on In 1959 and 1962, India lost all fi ve the scene, India had won only 15 of Tests of the rubber to England and 117 Tests. In the next 129 Tests, till West Indies. Gavaskar played his last game at It might not be exactly right Bangalore in 1987, India won 25. As in saying that one man changed regards losses, India in the period this depressing scenario. But 1932-1970 suff ered 49 defeats, while that would be close to the truth. in the period 1971-1987 India lost

January-March 2021 VIDURA 53 He has prospects of becoming an effective Test bowler A year ago Thangarasu Natarajan was barely known outside Tamil Nadu where he made waves under the captaincy of R. Ashwin in the TN Premier League. Today, he is a household name in Indian cricket. V. Ramnarayan says Natarajan has a marvellous opportunity to do his state, coach and seniors proud and that he has quite a few years of top flight sport ahead of him

hangarasu Natarajan, the 29 positive note every time he runs in believing the sum to be his annual -year-old left-arm medium ever so smoothly left arm over the remuneration. At Jolly Rovers, Tpacer has been a true game- wicket, to angle the ball away from he flourished under the caring changer in the recent past, with his the right-hand batsman. Disarm- supervision of the team manage- pin-point accurate yorkers in the ingly, whenever someone asks him ment which included well known death overs winning matches for to spill the secret of his proclivity former cricketers Bharath Reddy, Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2020. for yorkers of pin-point accuracy, Ajay Kudua and Jaikumar. As a result of his admirable oppor- Natarajan invariably says, “Tennis If the magnum IPL contract tunism on the field of play and a ball cricket.” was the first miracle to happen to few fortuitous circumstances (read If the recent Test debutant of Natarajan, being reported for an injuries to other bowlers), he stands subaltern background, Moham- illegal bowling action and kept poised to make his Test debut for med Siraj, was 21 years old before out of cricket until he corrected it India in the foreseeable future. he graduated from tennis ball to was a brutal knockout punch. He Incredibly, Natarajan’s first pro- cricket ball cricket, Natarajan was even wondered if he would have motion in an astounding career only marginally younger at 20 to go back to his village forgoing graph – growing from a pay packet when he made the successful transi- his monthly salary from Jolly Rov- of Rs 5000 a month to a Rs 3 crore tion. We all know that cricket even- ers. But the team kept its faith in IPL contract ‒ has not been the sole tually became Natarajan’s ticket to him and supported him through miracle in an astounding career liberation from poverty, that his the year-long ordeal of correction. graph. It has turned out to be the anna A.K. Jaiprakash ‒ not a relative first in a series of logic-defying ‒ shepherded him from village to breakthroughs. village, town to town, as a ‘contract’ For Natarajan, the eldest of five player for a fee of maybe a hundred children born at Chinnappampatti rupees an appearance. We know near Salem to a powerloom weaver that the keen talent-spotting eye of and his street-corner fast food Virendra Sehwag was responsible vendor-wife, it has been a fairytale for Kings XI Punjab buying him for ascent from rural tennis ball cricket three crore rupees in the IPL auc- to brilliant performances in IPL tion of 2017. 2020 and T20Is and ODIs for India, Natarajan moved to Chennai and a possible berth in the Indian with Jaiprakash’s help in 2011. Test team in the foreseeable future. Starting with the BSNL Club, he The distinction nearly came his way made steady progress in the Tamil in the Sydney Test on January 7 Nadu Cricket Association league, after he replaced the injured Umesh playing for India Cements spon- Yadav in the squad. It has however sored teams in the second and first not been a direct flight from obscu- divisions before he was picked up rity to fame, but instead, a journey in June 2014 by Jolly Rovers CC, with unscheduled stops, delayed the iconic team sponsored by the departures, even a crash landing, Sanmar Group. An apocryphal along the way. story has it that when the club Wiry, slightly built, five foot offered him a package of Rs 50000 Natarajan in his bowling stride just nine inches-tall Natarajan strikes a pm, Natarajan, happily accepted it before delivery.

54 VIDURA January-March 2021 Kumar and Kane Williamson. His Natarajan comes through as a outstanding display of left-arm confident but self-effacing young medium pace bowling, especially man with an engaging smile and a his yorker magic in the death overs, good word for each of his mentors made him the most popular player and motivators. With all the train- of the team. ing facilities on offer, he should be Originally chosen as a net bowler able to build muscle and gain pace. for the tour, Natarajan has already An increase in pace, if accompanied won matches for India in the white by the ability to swing the ball, will ball phase of the ongoing tour of make him an effective Test bowler, Australia. He has not only put his at least as a third seamer in the village on the world cricket map, pack. but he has also already started Many Tamil Nadu cricketers ‘paying forward’ by training young have gone on to represent India.

Photos: Internet aspirants at his academy, with a Natarajan has a marvellous Now known for his magic yorker. special focus on the underprivi- opportunity to do his state, coach leged who do not have to pay a fee. and seniors proud. His 29 years Once he successfully achieved the Natarajan is perhaps the only are a mere number, and the lithe, near-impossible feat, he returned India cricketer to speak Tamil in superbly fit fast bowler has quite a

to action in style, with the yorker pressers and one-on-one inter- few years of top flight sport ahead firmly in place. views, but he sprinkles English of him. < Natarajan never did get to play words freely and aptly across these a match for Kings XI but he stayed interactions. He had even acquired (The writer is a columnist and the course without losing heart, a bachelor’s degree during his author on cricket and music, a former coming into his own with his splen- struggles to balance his passion first-class cricketer and editor of did showing for the Dindigul Drag- for cricket and his responsibility a performing arts monthly, Sruti. ons, eventually getting picked by towards parents and siblings. Along He lives in Chennai.) Sunrisers Hyderabad and rubbing the way, he married Pavithra, the shoulders with the likes of skip- girl he loved. He is the proud father per David Warner, Bhuvneshwar of a baby girl now.

T.N. Ninan retires as chairman and director of Business Standard

Noted journalist and Chairman and Director of Business Standard T. N Ninan has retired from his post. Ninan was associated with the company for close to three decades, first as editor, then as editor and publisher, and for the last 12 years as chairman and director of the company. “…He has played a crucial role in building the Business Standard brand over the years. His contribution in creating a quality platform that upholds independent journalism and runs on ethical business practices remains unparalleled. His popular weekly column Weekend Ruminations will continue to appear every Saturday. He will also be available for editorial guidance and advice. We take this opportunity to place on record our gratitude to him for his contribution. We wish him well for the future,” said an official communication. The media group has also made new additions to its Board. Uday Shankar, former chairman and CEO of Star India and president of Walt Disney Asia Pacific, has joined the board as non-executive director, while Shivendra Gupta has been appointed as MD and CEO of the Company.

A.K. Bhattacharya has been appointed as executive director and editorial director of the company. He was earlier the editorial director and before that the editor of the newspaper. <

(Courtesy: exchange4media.com)

January-March 2021 VIDURA 55 Of alluring fragrances, culinary adventures… and patriarchy

Triggered by the aromas and flavours of different traditional dishes,Ranjita Biswas takes a walk back in memory, and while she’s at it, she explores the cultural and social connotations of various types of cuisine in her native Assam, and Bengal, her marital home

esearchers say the olfactory off, of course) programmes. That learnt many recipes, mainly vege- sense is the most primitive exercise book, pages now frayed, is tarian. My mother-in-law, a widow, Rof the senses. It helps rec- still with me, though my mother left was off non-vegetarian food, as is ognition and the forging of con- this world long ago. Today, I don’t the custom in many Bengali house- nections. In the primitive age it resent that she made me assist her holds even today. Not only fish, helped Homo Sapiens zero in on in the kitchen when I would rather meat and eggs, even masoor dal an enemy. But moving away from have curled up with an Agatha (red lentils), onion and garlic were the conflict-survival zone to a com- Christie thriller. no-no for widows. fort plane, don’t we find a familiar In Kolkata that was Calcutta then, Food historians write how Ben- smell stoking a memory? as a new bride in an extended fam- gali widows concocted dishes to The whiff of certain foods ily, I found that people were used make the ordinary vegetables pal- launches me into intensely private to buying snacks in the afternoon atable and also protein-rich, even trips. When I cook something from from one of the neighbouring getting them to mimic non-vege- my mother’s repertoire, I am per- sweetmeat shops which prolifer- tarian food. A curry made of raw haps attempting to re-create the ated in every Kolkata gulli (lane). jackfruit (kanthal) is colloquially ambience I once experienced as a As I tried out my mother’s recipes, called gaach-patha or vegetarian girl in our kitchen in upper Assam. that practice changed somewhat in mutton curry. The memories of hot piles of boga- our household. Food historian Chitrita Banerji pitha, a wrap made with ground The Tagore women, from Rabi- writes in her book The Hour of the sticky bora rice and stuffed with ndranath Tagore’s extended fam- Goddess: Memories of Women, Food ground black sesame seeds and ily, had taken culinary art to new and Ritual in Bengal (Penguin): ‘… jaggery that my mother made dur- heights. One of them, Pragyasun- the gifted cooks among them [wid- ing the Magh Bihu Harvest Festival dari Devi, wrote a cookery book ows] have contributed greatly to (like Pongal or Makar Sankranti in astounding for that age, called the range, originality and subtlety other parts of India), and coconut Amish O NiramishAhaar (non- of Hindu vegetarian cooking in laddoos, white and enticing, made vegetarian and vegetarian food) Bengal.’ during Durga Puja, come flooding with many experimental dishes. In Mamoni R. Goswami’s novel back. She wrote a column on recipes in Saga of South Kamrup, young Giri- My mother could turn even an a vernacular newspaper, perhaps bala, a child widow ‘darted into the ordinary tenga, the iconic sour the first such effort in India, at the palanquin room and picked up the pot fish curry of Assam, into some- beginning of the 20th Century. of mutton cooked with black beans. thing extraordinary. She cooked Pragyasundari Devi was mar- She forgot everything... religion pulao over a firewood stove (ah, ried to Lakshminath Bezbaruah, and rituals, wisdom and restraint... the aroma!), and baked cakes the a pioneer of modern Assamese she started gulping it down in indigenous way, using a griddle literature. A recently published great haste.’ She was caught and and mounds of sand, as the oven book Thakurbarir Ranna by Purn- punished! Only from the 1970s was yet to enter our homes. The ima Thakur also brings into focus or so did the restrictions start alluring fragrance would make us the amazing women of the Tagore loosening up. hover around the kitchen. household, highly educated, mod- To me, coming from Assam When I was assembling my trous- ern in outlook, and able to handle where food restrictions are not seau, my mother copied out in long the kitchen with equal élan. imposed on women except among hand recipes that she had jotted Coming into a Bengali household Brahmins, perhaps this seemed a down from AIR (TV was long way was a new culinary adventure. I bit strange at one time. To those

56 VIDURA January-March 2021 Photos: RB L-r: Jackfruit is a favourie for curry in Bengal; rice and fish tenga a favourite in Assam; and patisapta pithe of Bengal, a must during Makar Sankranti.

used to vegetarian food, this ‘fuss’ Researcher Henrike Donner different recipes and nothing is about going vegetarian might seem observes in her paper ‘New Veg- wasted – even the skins and seeds excessive. But in Bengal as also in etarianism: Food, Gender and of vegetables are cooked in some Assam, where the numerous riv- Neo-Liberal Regimes in Bengali way or the other to make appetis- ers and streams are full of sweet Middle-Class Families’ (South Asia: ing side dishes like chochori, a mish- water fish, rice and fish curry are Journal of South Asian Studies): mash of left-over vegetables cooked the staple food. So this depriva- “As a physical practice, vegetarian- with ground mustard paste, adding tion for Bengali widows must have ism is closely linked to gendered a drumstick here, a cabbage leaf pinched. ideologies of constraint and asceti- there. Social strictures on food are also cism, at the heart of which lie the From my mother-in-law I learnt an example of the imposition of need to control one’s sexuality. It to make a simple fish curry with patriarchy. Such prohibited food is this control of sexuality which just a seasoning of kalonji and green was thought to be ‘hot’, and lust- gives vegetarianism its political chillies, adding a pinch of turmeric inducing. Child marriage was com- potential and its gendered mean- and salt. Even now, when I cook mon in Bengal. Brahmin girls had ings: in the case of women, it is this curry, I remember the heavenly to be married off even before attain- closely related to social control, as aroma wafting in the air. Though ing puberty to avoid ostracism. As a it is linked with the prevention of she was a strict vegetarian, she did result, they were married off to any adultery and illegitimate offspring, not mind cutting the fish or cook- ‘available’ groom even if he was i.e. in the imposed vegetarianism of ing it. much older. widows.” Now, a few decades later, things Often, these men died much ear- Banerji writes: “Social historians have changed so much in the Indian lier than the wife, due to natural have speculated that these dietary kitchen. Working women are short causes. Sometimes the marriage restrictions served a more sinister of time, there’s the convenience of was never consummated as the function than simply that of moving ‘takeaway’ food, and endless ads girl stayed on with the parents a widow towards a state of purity; for ‘yummy fast food’ on TV tar- till she attained puberty. Even in they would also lead to malnutri- geting the younger generation. The such cases, the girls had to live tion, thus restricting her life span.” fast-paced modern life has brought the life of widows till their own A widow would often inherit prop- about the decline of slow cooking. death. That called for ‘cool’ foods erty, so her demise would benefit Even so, who can help salivating at to keep them from lusting for car- someone. Which does not seem too the tangy aroma of a tomato and nal pleasures. far-fetched as even today, many ridgegourd tenga, a light curry of a community-leader in supersti- rohu fish sprinkled with coriander tious rural backwaters declares a leaves, or a rich jackfruit gravy with

widow as a witch in connivance a last-minute garnish of pure ghee with an interested party, ousts her and garam masala powder? It’s a < from the village and her property is trip like no other. confiscated. These interpretations, how- (The writer is a senior journalist ever, were totally unknown to me who lives in Kolkata.) when I entered my marital home in Kolkata. I discovered that, like the Chinese, Bengalis chop their The signature boga-pitha of Assam. vegetables in different ways for

January-March 2021 VIDURA 57 Book Review

Human tragedy and submerged voices captured with an unblinking eye

total separation from the state (India) and opted for an armed struggle to set right many local grievances, including economic exploitation, citing the huge contribution Assam made to the national coff er with oil and tea but gett ing a pitt ance for development. Many young men responded to the call with dreams in their eyes. As one of them asks, “Does the public have faith in any other [armed revolution] means? Does the current system hold any charm anymore?... Haven’t the public experimented with democracy many, many times in the last 40 years?” The armed struggle, which initially att racted people from a large swathe of the land, soon deteriorated into bloodbaths, bombings, kidnappings for ransom and even ethnic cleansing. The cadre, as the foot soldiers were called, followed commands from the higher-ups stationed in training camps in the neighbouring country. Soon, common people were fed up with the mind- lessness of it all. In the 1990s, ULFA was declared a terrorist group by the government and the army was called in. In those uncertain days, launching Operation Bajrang, ELEGY FOR THE EAST many young men who did not have anything to do Author: Dhrubajyoti Borah with terrorist activities were rounded up, jailed and Publisher: Niyogi Books tortured to extract ‘the truth’. Many families lost their Price: Rs 595 sons either to death with a bullet in the backin secret killings, campaigns, or psychological trauma. ‘A story of blood and broken dreams’ – the subtext on Unfortunately, SULFA (surrendered ULFA members) the cover of Elegy for the East gives an early glimpse of soon came into the scene and even family members of the content to the reader. Translated from the origi- some ULFA members were killed in collusion with internal Assamese Kalantatar Gadya by author Dhrubajyoti ested parties. Borah’s book has an ear to the ground and Borah himself, the book dwells on the tumultuous makes a compelling read. Though a fi ction, it is not diffi - days in the Assam Valley beginning in the early 1980s cult to surmise that the stories grow out of real life experi- and continuing for more than a decade that saw wide- ences of the author who is a journalist himself. spread disruption to normal life. At the centre is protagonist Prabhat, a journalist who The Assam agitation, called andolan locally, had its narrates the stories in eleven diff erent episodes giv- roots against the alleged large-scale illegal immigration ing an inside look into the political scenario of that (from Bangladesh) which, the agitators feared, would period – secret dilly-dallying of aspiring politicians swamp the ethnic identity of the Assamese people. Led and the ‘dealers’, the personal visit ‘on invitation’ to by AASU (All Assam Students Union), a wide section training camps of the ultras in the deep forests of the of the populace supported it. After the prolonged non- Northeast where he meets many idealistic youth who operation movement against the administration, the do not mind leaving behind families for the ‘cause’, Assam Accord was signed in 1985 with Rajiv Gandhi, common people who at fi rst supported the idea of self- then prime minister, at the helm and people hoped for reliance and development that were mouthed by the thenormal rhythm of life returning. leaders but are now disillusioned by the corruption However, peace was a long way off . Parallel to it andatrocities committ ed, families who were unneces- was another movement spearheadedby the ULFA sarily dragged into the tug of war between the ultras (United Liberation Force of Asom) faction that wanted and the state forces.

58 VIDURA January-March 2021 Book Review

But amidst the violent times, there is also hope for a to return home because they had burnt the bridges bett er time, of love blossoming between Prabhat and behind. the sister of an ultra, Ron, who is now hiding some- In recent times, many important members of the where giving up his regular life for an ideology he ULFA have come overboard and the att empt for a believes in. His teacher father does not condone the solution through negotiations is still going on. But on violence but understands why his son and others like the whole, those terrible days of violence, insecurity him went away to the hills. and atrocities by confronting parties on both sides of Though there have been writings on the diffi cult the fence have all but gone to the relief of the com- time in the Brahmaputra Valley, few have caught the mon people who want to move on. Yet, the remnants angst with an unblinking eye like Borah. The pan- remain in the memory of the people of the land. Indian reader bombarded with reports in the media Sometimes, fi ction gives a bett er idea of the troubled of the time about unmitigated violence in the land will times of a land. One can cite fi lms and novels writt en also get a glimpse of a landscape beyond, fraught with on background of confl ict at diff erent times in diff er- human tragedy and voices submerged. ent countries. Through them a contemporary history is Borah looks behind the veil, portraying how in the framed for posterity. Elegy for the East is undoubtedly

name of national security innocents were victimised an important addition to this genre. It is a chronicle of and the devastating eff ect it had on their families and our time needed to be told. < society, of aspirations of young people betrayed and the hopeless acceptance of a fate of never being able (Reviewed by Ranjita Biswas.)

The ordinary lives of people make for a gripping narrative

My long-time dear friend R.V.Rajan’s book Durga Nivas is unputdownable. Rajan, as a raconteur and writer, has by now developed a style and a diction his own and rivets your att ention with his impressive command of felicitous words and phrases. While all that can be taken for granted in his case, what is arresting in the book is that he has launched a revolutionary concept of which, I hope, the literary world would sit up and take notice. We have all heard of biographies of real-life human beings; we have also read descriptions of some historically, or otherwise, famous constructions. But this book is the fi ctional biography of a building – a non- descript three-storied structure – each fl oor of nine rooms of about 240 square feet each, with two common Indian style toilets and one small common bath- room near the staircase – constructed in the 1930s near Matunga (Central) Station in the then Bombay, each room let out to persons employed in lower-middle end jobs, who could not aff ord anything bett er. It is not even the biography of the whole building, but just one story of nine rooms, each under the occupation of an indeterminate number depending on the DURGA NIVAS size of the family. Some, within that small space, had Author: R.V. Rajan paying guests as well. The same room – called kholi or Publisher: Creative Workshop, Chennai chawl – served as sitt ing room, bedroom and kitchen, Price: Rs 290 with the occupants happily adjusting themselves to

January-March 2021 VIDURA 59 Book Review

the constricted existence. Every morning saw them personalities from diff erent parts of the country and queuing up with a variety of containers of water before from diff erent cultural and linguistic sett ings, and are the two common bathrooms, animatedly sharing news still bound together by common human impulse, will- of happenings in the families until their turn came – ingly sharing each other’s joys and sorrows and lend- which sometimes took an excruciatingly long time. ing a timely helping hand whenever needed. Rajan delectably dubs them ‘loos talk’ and they make The book ends with an overjoyed reunion in faraway for fascinating reading. San Francisco of two erstwhile residents of the mod-

Rajan has called the book fi ctional, but the fact that est chawls of Durga Nivas, who had since made it to he himself lived in such a chawl for 26 years while he opulence and luxury. A fi tt ing climax. < was making his way up invests it with an iridescent veneer of verisimilitude. I never knew before I came (Reviewed by Bahukutumbi Srinivasa Raghavan. upon this book that ordinary daily doings of ordinary Raghavan was an IAS offi cer for 35 years and was also people and the ordinary daily happenings in their policy adviser to the FAO Director-General in Rome. families living in such austere circumstances could His column in The Hindu BusinessLine had appeared cumulatively make for such a gripping and dramatic regularly for more than 20 years.) narrative. What adds to the exquisite charm of the book is that the nine families form a colourful bouquet of

REMEMBERING POTHAN JOSEPH My days with Father Excerpts from One Woman’s India – From the Gandhian Era to the Cyber Age, by Anna Varki

any girls think their Williams, succeeded in gett ing the was that the Nizam of Hyderabad, fathers are special, but honour approved for the Maharaja. Osman Ali Khan, once invited my MI can honestly say that Alas, by the time my father father in 1931, or perhaps 1932. mine was a truly remarkable indi- returned to the shores of Bombay, Thrilled by the invitation, he went vidual. Details of his colourful life the Maharaja had fallen very ill to the King Koti Palace in Hyder- and adventures can be found in and did not live to enjoy the hon- abad to meet him. other publications (such as those our. The promise to start a news- Once there, he was fi rst led by the writt en by T.J.S George), as my paper also remained unfulfi lled dharwan to a room and was asked to father, was a well-known journalist because of the successor’s refusal wait. After some time, he was ush- of yesteryear, when India had 562 for want of a writt en agreement. I ered into a beautiful palatial room native states, the larger states hav- remember only a few lines of the that was dimly lit. He couldn’t see ing their own currency and army. famous article, or rather lett er, to anybody. All of a sudden, a reso- I will narrate only some anecdotes the Maharaja, which my father nant voice hailed him and said, as we go along with my story. wrote, expressing his disappoint- “Mr Joseph, are you looking for the Before my father left for his trip ment: “Let it not be said that there Nizam? Well, here I am.” to London, the Maharaja of Patiala arose a Pharaoh who knew not a The Nizam, bejewelled and seated had promised that he would start a Joseph!” My father was referring to on a throne, extended his hand. It newspaper with my father as editor the story in the Bible about Joseph, was customary for those granted an on his return. Part of the deal was where the Pharaoh of Egypt recog- audience to present the Nizam with that my father would help the Maha- nised the faithfulness of his slave a nazar, usually a gold coin. My raja secure a 21-gun salute, which and rewarded him. father felt embarrassed, as he had was the highest honour accorded to Maharajas gave importance to forgott en to bring the nazar. “Don’t a person. At that time, the Maharaja journalists and the press, lest any- worry if you have not brought the was only allowed a 19-gun salute. thing adverse be published about nazar. I will excuse you. I know you My father who knew prominent them. Journalists were quite often are a journalist,” the Nizam said people such as L.F. Rushbrook invited for an audience and so it and gave him a timepiece, which

60 VIDURA January-March 2021 remained on my father’s table till cottage specially built for him. Saro- the gold in the world, something I he passed away! jini Naidu very often stayed with deemed a legacy, now lost forever. him in Bhangi Colony. My father By the time I was 10, we had * * * warned me that there would be moved to Delhi, where my father many people around Gandhiji and took over the editorship of Hin- Father at one time was editing a that I was not to rush or draw closer dustan Times, a paper belonging fiercely nationalist paper called to talk to him. But I bided my time. to the Birla brothers, well-known Indian National Herald, now defunct. As we drew closer and Gandhiji industrialists of the time. When he He was poor at managing finances saw us, he gave us a warm smile, started there, he brought with him and so he asked Sarojini Naidu to He was busy spinning on his a young man named Shankar Pillai, join him. He made her the chair- charkha and talking to people who had been working in a steam- person of the board, believing that around him. We waited patiently. ship company in Bombay. a woman could handle finances bet- At the stroke of five, he rose, and When we were in Bombay, Shan- ter. But they eventually incurred picked up a long bamboo pole that kar would visit my father off and on enormous debt and were hauled up helped him take long strides. He and bring along cartoon sketches in court. I don’t remember the exact beckoned me and put his arms he had drawn. My father was amount which they had to repay, around me, and said, “When you impressed with these; cartoons had but in that day and age, it was a grow up I want you to make a not yet been introduced in news- huge sum, which they took a long promise to serve your country in papers in India at that time. So, he time to repay. whatever way you can.” Then with asked Shankar to join the Hindustan My father then took it into his a long stride, he marched forward Times as well. That’s how Shankar head to stand as a candidate for the with many followers. I will never and his family moved to Delhi, and Bombay Municipal elections, which forget that day! his cartoons when incorporated into he won. The symbol on the election When I was to be married, my the publication, were a great success. publicity card was his car, a Ford that father sent Gandhiji an invitation A telephone connection was a had to be started by a hand crank, as and he replied with a letter saying, luxury in those days. My father was there were no self-starting cars at that “So your daughter Cookie is get- not very fond of telephone conversa- time. My brother and I used to love to ting married. May she be of service tions; he would rather have people get into the car and squeeze the car to both God and man.” One of the meet him in person. He did not like horn, shaped like a rubber ball, mak- greatest regrets of my life is that this making or receiving business calls; ing a honking sound. letter, written on handmade paper instead, he would telephone from One day when I was in my teens in Gandhiji’s handwriting, was the office to ask my brother to sing a and we were in Delhi, Father lost sometime during our various hymn to him over the telephone, like announced “Today your mother moves. I feel it was very stupid of ‘Abide with Me’. In one of his daily and I are going to see Gandhiji.” me, since that letter from Gandhiji columns, Over a Cup of Tea, which “What about me? I too want to to me was worth more than all became a must-read among the see him,” I said. “No. That is just not possible. He is very busy now. Someday when you grow up I will take you to see Gandhiji, may be in his ashram,” Father said. I was very disappointed and angry. Year later, Father did keep his promise. After my graduation from Queen Mary’s College, Madras, I was on a holiday in Delhi with my parents. Father had moved to Delhi to join the newspaper The Dawn, which was a newspaper owned by Jinnah, the leader of the Muslim League at the time. One afternoon, Father came home early and asked me to get ready. He was going to take me to see Gandhiji,

who was at that time staying in the Photo: MM Bhangi Colony in Delhi. There was a The author and her brother with their father, Pothan Joseph.

January-March 2021 VIDURA 61 populace and followed him to most the nationalist camp to the Muslim asked him if he had got a message of the newspapers, he once wrote: League camp headed by Jinnah was from the office. “Jaiboy, my son, you are a wonder- that journalists were hacks who did During those days, messages ful lad, always a joy and never a cad.” someone else’s bidding. As far as he from the Reuters and the Associ- was concerned, joining the Dawn ated Press came on the teleprinter * * * was like a lawyer who argued for of the office and, if urgent, were whatever brief was in front of him. sent to the house. His reply was, During the war years, Winston My father then received a letter “No, don’t waste any time!” He had Churchill was the Prime Minister of from Gandhiji. It read “My dear a premonition and decided to write England and he was well known for Pothan, why have you left us? I am accordingly. So, I reluctantly got his ‘V’ for victory sign. Miss Myers, a poor man. I need to read what up and wrote what he dictated – an a thorough British woman, with the you write, so don’t fail to send me a obituary on Ba – and as he was dic- help of some students, gathered a lot copy of Dawn. -Mohandas Gandhi”. tating the content, a message came of seashells, big and small, and had a This letter too has unfortunately from the office that his premonition huge ‘V’ sign made on the front lawn not been preserved, something I was right: Ba was no more! Next of Queen Mary’s College. One night, regret strongly. We have lost most day, the early morning edition of during the Quit India movement, of these memorabilia, because my Dawn was the only paper carry- some of us came out late at night and father never believed in preserving ing the news of Ba’s passing away, broke it all up! Miss Myers was furi- anything. He once said: “a rolling along with my father’s obituary.

ous but could not pinpoint the cul- stone has no need for any moss”. Jinnah had not raised any objection prits! The shells had to be gathered My father felt that many things or query to its publication. < up and thrown way! said by Jinnah for the cause of My father left the Indian Express Muslims were not adequately pub- Note: Anna Varki started working as a after a short period of uncertainty licised. In fact, the national newspa- teacher after being a housewife for 23 and moved to Calcutta to join the years, and then in her 70s, she started pers never published whatever topic working on the computer. Slowly and Star of India, a Muslim League paper Jinnah spoke on! My father knew steadily, she became computer savvy. sponsored by the Ispahani Group. Jinnah from his days in the Bombay She was interviewed on a TV show and My father was not for partition Chronicle, when Jinnah was a prac- received many accolades. And then of the country but he believed that tising lawyer and a Congressman! there was no stopping her. Her takes on there was a case for the Muslims. amusing and interesting events in daily life form the themes of her articles. Her He left the Star of India, and when * * * style is simple, direct and charming. Jinnah offered him the editorship of the Dawn, he accepted the offer One night, my father woke me up: (Both articles, courtesy: Madras without hesitation. His answer “Get up and take this down. Ba has Musings, September 16-30, 2018.) to anyone who questioned him passed away.” (Ba was Gandhiji’s about his switch of loyalty from wife). I was really very sleepy and

Simplicity and elegance in his writing

Pothan Joseph wrote in a style that any contemporary journalist or writer might envy. There was a biblical simplicity and elegance in his writing. Though his sentences were not necessarily short he did not indulge in verbiage. Above all, what distinguishes his writing from that of his eminent contemporaries was that he had wit. In an age when solemnity was the motto of the journalists and editors, Pothan Joseph brought laughter into the limelight. There was a strong satarical element (with Malayali flavour) in him and he could never be pompous. If anything, he was self-deprecatory in his estimation of himself or his profession. Unlike other stalwarts, Joseph cared for his fellow journalists who were very often underpaid and told that “journalism is a mission”. Joseph’s famous column Over a Cup of Tea was a sensation in Delhi. Stylish and sophisticated, it was popular with the ruling class of the time as well as with the general reader. More than just pleasant morning reading, it was also a collector of mores and an Irish keeper of national moods. New in range of appeal and degree of impact. The column ran steadily for 40 years in the Hindustan Times, then Indian Express

and finally theDeccan Herald. Pothan Joseph was a bohemian. He mixed with high society as comfortably as with people lower down < the social scale. (By Abu Abraham.)

62 VIDURA January-March 2021 REMEMBERING DR V. SHANTA (1927-2021) End of an era as a giant tree falls Winner of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service as well as the Padma Shree, the Padma Bhushan, and the Padma Vibhushan (only the Bharat Ratna is missing), Dr V. Shanta of the Cancer Institute, Chennai passed away recently. It was a sad moment for many. Dr Shanta provided so much inspiration and hope, says Sashi Nair. She embodied selfless service – the kind you hardly see today

first met Dr Shanta many years would touch her feet. It showed hospital of 12 beds to what is today ago at the Cancer Institute (the that greatness is not defined by lin- a comprehensive institution of Iold building), to interview her eage, position, designation, wealth international stature. for a column I was writing for The or power; it is defined by simplic- At PII during her first visit, one of Indian Express. I would meet her ity and humility, and by sincer- the first things Dr Shanta said was quite a few times later over the ity, dedication and commitment. that there was really no need to be years, including one in her modest Respect and goodwill are earned. afraid of cancer – it was just like home at the Cancer Institute itself. So too, trust and faith. They are any other disease. Sixty-five per At that meeting, we spoke for never available for a price. cent of cancers were curable, she more than an hour, and that was Born in a distinguished fam- said, especially if detected early. when she said she was keen to talk ily of scientists, Shanta dreamt of Advanced stages of cancer had no to journalists about various issues becoming a doctor ever since she cure and the best was palliative related to cancer. That helped the was a small girl; her uncle and care. However, overall, there was Press Institute of India (PII) organ- granduncle were Nobel Laure- no doubt that developments in sci- ise three or four programmes with ates. She acquired MBBS, DG and ence have blunted the power of a the Cancer Institute. She visited PII MD (Obstetrics and Gynaecology) disease whose name most people twice, and patiently answered all degrees between 1949 and 1955. even today take with bated breath, the questions the journalists had. In April 1955, she joined the she added. The other privilege I had was Cancer Institute, set up in 1954 by Dr Shanta did not believe in mir- when I was called by All India Radio the Women’s India Association acles; her faith in medical science to interview Dr Shanta. Spread over Cancer Relief Fund as its resident was always very strong. All the a few months, we had three inter- medical officer, in preference to improvements in cancer cure were views, focused on cancer as well as the assistant surgeon’s post in the a result of it, she said, and pointed medical ethics. And every time, she Women’s and Children’s Hospital, out how the disease could now be would arrive ahead of time. Madras. With Dr Krishnamurthy diagnosed even at the molecular The AIR staff would make way she played a crucial role in devel- stage (without any sort of growth/ for the diminutive figure; some oping the institute from a cottage tumour or physical appearance as such). Dr Shanta was always critical of the tobacco lobby and recalled how once she refused to have a chain smoker as a member of a cancer- prevention body. “Keep tobacco sponsors away from sports,” was her clarion call. She was also not for having any person who smoked as a teacher in a school. “If he smokes how can he be an example to children?” she asked. “Tobacco is the king of all kill- ers,” Dr Shanta would regularly emphasise. “Those who regularly consume tobacco-related prod-

Photo: PII ucts face increased morbidity of Dr Shanta responding to journalists at the Press Institute of India. other diseases too; 90 per cent of

January-March 2021 VIDURA 63 TB patients who succumb to the cancers, unlike a few years ago – an disease are seen to be smokers.” indication of the damage smoking This was when she was address- was causing. She stressed that pre- ing journalists at a seminar on vention (not smoking) was always Tobacco Control organised by PII, better than cure. UNICEF, and the Resource Centre “If you understand life, you for Tobacco Control, Cancer Insti- understand cancer,” Dr Shanta tute, on World No Tobacco Day, once told me. “The disease in many May 31. ways is complex and beyond the

Dr Shanta would also say that control of the human being, just as there was not adequate aware- everyday life is,” she said. < ness in India about the ill effects of tobacco, and the government (The writer is editor, Vidura.) Photo: Internet was not really showing any inter- She showed that that greatness is est in creating awareness. She defined by simplicity and humility, and by sincerity, dedication and pointed out that lung cancer now commitment. topped the chart among the various

TRIBUTE TO CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER (1929-2021) More than just Capt Von Trapp – age did not wither his skills Christopher Plummer passed away on February 5 at the age of 91. Partab Ramchand pays tribute

e is best known for his the oldest person to win an acting Von Trapp was quite a change and role as Captain VonTrapp award. while his co-star Julie Andrews Hin The Sound of Music, Seven years later, Plummer became an overnight superstar but Christopher Plummer was a received a nomination at the age of and The Sound of Music went on stage and screen actor of repute 88 for All the Money in the World, to become the most successful who had a six-decade-long career making him the oldest person to film of all time, both Plummer and in films after first making a name be nominated in an acting cat- the critics weren’t too pleased by for himself in the theatre, particu- egory. Known for his wry sense his performance and privately he larly Shakespearean productions, of humour, Plummer brought the referred to the movie as The Sound both in the US and in his native house down at the Oscar presen- of Mucus. Canada. Overall, he enjoyed a tation ceremony when he won the That, however, did not stop him seven-decade-long career, gaining award by holding the trophy and from receiving offers for major film recognition for his performances in quipping: “You are only two years roles and in quick succession he film, television and theatre. older then me, darling. Where have appeared in Inside Daisy Clover, Plummer was suitably rewarded you been all my life?” Triple Cross, The Night of the Gen- for his work in the various fields The Toronto-born Plummer after erals, Royal Hunt of the Sun, Lock and his trophies include an Acad- a successful stage career made his up Your daughters and The Battle emy award, two Primetime Emmy film debut in Sidney Lumet’s Stage of Britain. He also had the title roles Awards, two Tony Awards, a Struck (1958). It was a rather inaus- in Oedipus the King and The High Golden Globe Award, a Screen picious start and for six years Plum- Commissioner, playing an Austra- Actors Guild Award and a British mer didn’t appear on screen till he lian in the latter. Academy film Award (BAFTA). played Roman Emperor Commo- By 1970 then, Plummer had made He won the Academy Award for dus in Anthony Mann’s epic, The a name for himself as a leading best supporting actor for Beginners Fall of the Roman Empire (1964). international star and a respected at the age of 81 in 2011 becoming From that role to playing Captain actor and he had the plum role of

64 VIDURA January-March 2021 Award nomination for his portrayal of author Leo Tolstoy in The Last Station. On Oscar night, however, two months later he lost out in the final honours to Christoph Waltz but two years later he did finally win the statuette. Seven years later his role in All the Money in the World earned him a Golden Globe, a BAFTA and Academy Award nom- inations for best supporting actor. Plummer remained active even at 90 and earlier this year was set to play the lead for a film adapta-

Photo: Internet tion of Shakespeare’s King Lear to be filmed in the summer. But he An actor who enjoyed a seven-decade-long career and gained recognition for his performances in film, television and theatre. died on February 5 before shooting commenced. According to his Duke of Wellington in Waterloo In the 1980s, Plummer turned his wife, he died from a blow to the opposite Rod Steiger’s Napolean. attention to television appearing head resulting from a fall. Julie Five years later, he appeared in The in films as well as Emmy award Andrews paid him a handsome Man Who Would Be King, playing winning TV series. Thereafter he tribute saying, “The world has lost Rudyard Kipling alongside Michael divided his time between theatre, a consummate actor and I have lost Caine and Sean Connery. But while television and films, playing a a cherished friend. I treasure the figuring in important roles in sev- wide variety of roles. Age did not memories of our work together and

eral movies, he never forsook the wither his enthusiasm or his skills all the humour and fun we shared theatre and kept returning to the and in January 2010 at the age of through the years.” < stage to wide acclaim. 80, he received his first Academy

REMEMBERING FATHER GASTON ROBERGE (1935-2020) Generous and compassionate, an extraordinary media guru With the passing of Fr Gaston Roberge S.J. in August last year, India has lost a pioneer in media studies and film appreciation, says Ashoke Chatterjee. He was one of few who more than 60 years ago understood communication as a word rooted in the ability to commune, to be of one spirit, he adds

rriving in Calcutta (now Kol- work of Eisenstein, the subject of a times as well as to St Xavier’s Col- kata) from Montreal in 1961, study leave to UCLA in 1969. lege, where Roberge was teaching. AGaston Roberge’s journey His command of Bangla and his It took patient effort to persuade was impelled by the early films of standing as an educator firmly college elders and the bishop that Satyajit Ray with whom he would established, Gaston Roberge in 1970 professional communication knowl- soon forge a life-long friendship. The established Chitrabani, literally edge could help heal and empower, French-Canadians cholar priest won image and sound. Chitrabani was and that it needed space for teach- easy acceptance in a city obsessed to become a training institution like ing, experimentation and dem- with film as art. The bond was later no other — its only entry require- onstration. If responsible media reinforced by his reputation as a ment was a commitment to serve. practice could make a difference to globally-respected authority on the Media scholarship was new to the a great city with more than its share

January-March 2021 VIDURA 65 of suffering, could this capacity not institutions with revelations about be applied elsewhere as well? social responsibility within the Calcutta and indeed all of West media space. Lectures, workshops, Bengal was then under strong lef- projects and seminal publications twing influence. Party leaders who included Gaston Roberge’s path- would shortly establish communist breaking Mediation (Manohar Book rule were already somewhat embar- Service, 1978), a study of images rassed by their growing respect for in society that took in its stride the a one-of-a-kind Albanian Bengali: earthrise, Bollywood block-bust- Mother Teresa. Now its cadres did ers, Picasso’s Guernica, Phantom not know what to make of a Cana- comics, Air-India’s Maharaja and dian priest with a command of Ban- Margaret Bourke-White’s iconic gla, wandering among the poor with portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi. a faithful band of camera-toting Roberge’swords introducing the followers. purpose of Mediation on its opening When leftist youth arrived to learn page stands today as a leitmotif of at Chitrabani, it became a bishop’s his commitment: “Mediation aims Photos: Chitrabani turn not to know what to make of at creating a state of Mind: from an Fr Gaston Roberge and Chitrabani things as Roberge led his students understanding of the media to an together influenced mainstream and colleagues into the city’s trade- understanding of self and society communication - the thrust being on mark slums. There, cameras and for optimal interaction between social responsibility. photographers were hated as extrac- the two – for, the manner in which tive transgressors, arriving to profit the media are allowed to’mediate’ was summoned to Rome in 1996 to from images of poverty. “So why not shapes both World and Mind.” share experience and ideas. Accord- tell your own story, and tell it first Students and educators at India’s ing to rumours floating back to to yourselves?” Roberge suggested, famed Film Institute in Pune and India, headquarters was as baffled placing Chitrabani cameras in at the National Institute of Design by Gaston Roberge as a bishop in excited young hands. The result: The in Ahmedabad were among those Calcutta had once been. After a spell, Pilkhana Child: The Slum as Home, transformed by the gentle priest Roberge was back in his city, visibly an exhibition and then a UNICEF from Montreal, who all the while relieved to be in a familiar milieu in film shown around the world with was influencing and being influ- which he had a special place. images of and by people empow- enced by Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, And so it remains, Fr Gaston Rob- ered by technology — unafraid now, Ritwik Ghatak and other greats of erge S.J. remembered today by the no longer media subjects but media local cinema. people and the city he loved for its makers. In 1986, Roberge established tolerance and diversity, and which Meanwhile, Father Roberge and a Educational Multimedia & loved him in return for his wisdom Chitrabani were also influenc- Research Centre at St Xavier’s Col- and scholarship, his generosity, ing mainstream communication lege as part of a national EMRC compassion and transforming dem- network. His influence extended onstrations, and for the unflinching to Calcutta University as well as devotion as well as the creativity to the Satyajit Ray TV & Film Insti- that mark the life and memory of

tute.When not writing or lecturing this extraordinary French-Cana- all over India, Roberge was provid- dian Bengali of Kolkata. < ing French sub-titles for Bengali films that would become classics, Note: Father Roberge’s life and work and sharing books, biscuits and tea are recalled in a tribute organised by St Xavier’s College and friends in his in his little room at the College, a city and across the country, available ‘confessional’ for film buffs. on YouTube and in K.G. Das’s Master In time, the Vatican became aware Preacher of Film Theory. of Chitrabani and its founder. The Catholic Church in the 1990s was (The writer was executive becoming aware of its need to com- director, National insititue municate effectively in a world of Design, Ahmedabad. He is transformed by powerful move- the honorary advisor to the ments for change and resentment Crafts Council of India.) With Satyajit Ray. against orthodoxy. Gaston Roberge

66 VIDURA January-March 2021 OTHER NEWS

Former Dinamalar editor to Pradhan. The desk, rewrite desk, special project editors, health team, HT Next, and the legal and sports passes away bureaus will continue to report to him.

Former editor of Tamil daily Dina- (Courtesy: exchange4media.com) malar and well-known numismatist and epigraphist R. Krishnamurthy (89) passed away in Chennai due Club FM launches Cinema to age-related ailments. Born as the Katha, a ﬁ rst second son to TV Ramasubbaiar, the founder of Dinamalar, on Janu- Club FM which recently underwent a relaunch with ary 18, 1933 in Vadiveeswaram, the focus on U, the audience, has been generating R. Krishnamurthy. near Nagercoil, Krishnamurthy appreciation both from audience and advertisers joined the daily in 1956 and went alike. In keeping with the DNA of the channel, it has on to become its editor in 1977. just launched an innovative concept, Cinema Katha, Fondly referred to as RK, Krishnamurthy, after a distinctive way of story creation, orchestrated by studying in a local school, joined Scott Christian Col- three famous fi lm directors. lege in Nagercoil and then moved to Karaikudi to do A week is dedicated to each of the directors. At the a BSc in Geology. He further did his postgraduation in beginning of their turn, each one will announce a story Geology at the Presidency College, Chennai. plot which the listeners need to help him develop into Krishnamurthy introduced the well-known Periyar a full-blown audio cinema, within that week itself. The script in 1977, which has less number of characters, in director keeps coming back on the station daily to add the Tiruchi edition of the newspaper. The simplifi ed twists and turns to the story based on the listener’s Tamil script was proposed by social reformer Than- feedback in the previous day. thai Periyar, i.e., reforming certain syllables of the The initiative was launched on 15th February and modern Tamil language aimed at standardising non- the daily response rate has been rapidly increasing. standard ligatures, which are used very often while What took us by surprise is the social media conver- writing and in print. He also studied various inscrip- sations on the initiative and Hari Narayanan, famous tions in the Vatt eluthu script in diff erent parts of Tamil music director who heard the promotion while in his Nadu. The data collected was published in three books car, proactively contributing a song for the fi rst movie in Tamil. Later, he began to study the inscriptions on being directed by Roshan Andrews. The best story the coins of Tamil Nadu. contributors for the day as chosen by the Director also Krishnamurthy discovered a coin with the name of get gratifi ed. Peruvazhuthi, a Sangam-age Pandya King, inscribed The fi nal audio cinema, curated by each of the direc- in Tamil Brahmi script in Madurai in 1984. Following tors will be approximately 20 minutes long and will this, he also discovered coins of diff erent periods and feature a mix of Club FM voice artists and selected published a book titled Sangam Age Tamil Coins. The listeners. It will be launched in Club FM and its digital/ Royal Numismatic Society in London honoured him social assets. by electing him as a fellow of the society. He was also a recipient of the Tholkappiar Award from the President of India in 2015 for his work on Tamil script and numismatics.

(Courtesy: The New Indian Express/ The Hindu) Kunal Pradhan elevated as managing editor of HT Education for Kunal Pradhan has been promoted as the managing all is still a dis- editor of Hindustan Times. In his new role, Kunal will tant dream... oversee all editions of Hindustan Times and continue to manage the Delhi and NCR editions. All resident editors, in addition to the foreign aff airs Subscribe to Rs 240 for 12 issues editor and the foreign correspondents, will now report

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