Tracking Media Behaviour in the Time of a Pandemic

A Journal of the press Institute of India ISSN 0042-5303 October-December 2020 Volume 12 Issue 4 Rs 60 COVID-19 Tracking media behaviour in the time of a pandemic

A pandemic is a public health emergency and much more. It CONTENTS not only galvanizes the health institutions but several other • Domestic workers bear the brunt, parts of public life, says Pradeep Krishnatray seek return to good times / Sudha Umashankar ass media is an integral part of public life. It has to necessarily • How the innovative Indian is report about and react to the pandemic. How it does and whose fighting a deadly pandemic / Rina Mukherji perspective it adopts, is of critical importance. There are at least M • Learning in the new normal four ways of examining this in its entirety. Put together, they help explain comes with a set of challenges / media behaviour. Afsana Rashid The first, of course is content. That is, what the media chooses to tell or • Anxiety, job losses, financial woes not tell is of importance. The second aspect is its role vis-à-vis the state and driving more people to suicide / Shoma A. Chatterji Central Government of the day --- the agency tasked to deal with the pan- • A different Durga Puja, with poor demic. Does it adopt a watchdog role, an adversarial role, or a supportive craftsperson the hardest hit / role? The third is its public function, its relationship with the society from Manjira Mazumdar which it derives its credibility and sustainability. Whose side it is on or • Of contributors, editors and what version of the truth does it prefer to bet on? Does it speak up for the journalistic ethics / Sakuntala Narasimhan people? Finally, a lot depends on the media’s ability to manage the tension • Wanted: objectivity and and contradictions that invariably emerge from its editorial stance. accountability / Let us examine each of these in some detail. Media content is, of course, N.S. Venkataraman the crux. In the present case, the pandemic is the crux. It is the news. The • Why the fight for inclusivity must media gives enough of it each day and has been doing it for a number go on / Sarita Brara • The doyen of Telugu journalism of weeks. COVID-19 was a continually developing story, and it gained was progressive and had a salience as it drew nearer to India. Media amplified it accordingly. literary flourish / Mrinal Chatterjee In India, and much of the world, the media actually loves a crisis when it • Adyar, lovely Adyar / refuses to go away. Its indulgence aggravates when the crisis has no relief V. Ramnarayan or clear answers. And as the toll rises, it hurriedly fixes responsibility on • The magic of Rajasthan, revisited / Madhura Dutta someone or some groups. During the 1918-19 Spanish Flu, it found one in • Selectors are always the whipping the poor who lived in unsanitary conditions. A hundred years later, it found boys / Partab Ramchand one in Tablighi Jamaat, conveniently ignoring all those who had travelled • Remembering Jan Steward / to Europe and other places and likely brought the virus to India. Soumitra Chatterjee / Kishore Bhimani / R. Padmanabhan / (Continued on page 3) Dean Jones

October-December 2020 VIDURA 1 FROM THE EDITOR Down but not out – yes, we have been able to fight back

o, we have finally passed experiencing something they had Fighting the battle at the fore- what has been truly a terrible never before. There was a strong front were also journalists and Syear. Before the novel coro- element of claustrophobia and fear. photographers as they relayed sto- navirus and COVID-19 arrived, Difficult times push you to be ries, mostly heart-wrenching, from things were not too bad for news resilient, to think innovatively and to across the world. The winners of publishing houses. There were strive harder. And that is what many the 2020 PII-ICRC Awards (see some encouraging trends, such as people across the world did. Many page 7) produced some outstand- growth in digital subscriptions. of the stories in this issue relate to ing stories and pictures. They, as Although advertising and digi- COVID-19 –the varied experiences, well as all those who sent in entries, tal subscriptions remained at the the ‘new normal’, the agony and are wonderful examples of what heart of the revenue strategies of pain, and fighting the virus and win- good journalism can do, especially many publishers, there was an ning the battle sometimes. in the time of a crisis. More power increasing recognition of the need We have lost many to COVID. to them. for diversification. Several pub- There have been some tragic deaths News about roll-out of the lishers looked at growing alterna- after hard-fought battles. Actor Sou- COVID-19 vaccines in some parts tive income streams. mitra Chatterjee’s passing away of the developed world has brought We all know how the Indian news was one such (two tributes featured renewed hope that the virus can be media had gone through tough here); singer S.P. Balasubrahman- eliminated. As 2021 dawns, we look times even earlier; we had heard of yam’s and Kishore Bhimani’s (trib- forward with hope at seeing better declines of 20-30 per cent in print ute featured here) were the others. days ahead. Here’s wishing readers advertising revenue, how digital With fear stalking everyone and a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous and revenue was not growing enough to rumours floating around, espe- Safe New Year. compensate, and of shrinking rev- cially on WhatsApp and other social enue growth and increasing costs. media latforms, people everywhere Sashi Nair By March 2020, COVID-19 had were looking for information that [email protected] cast a large shadow across the was useful, truthful, complete and world. Governments in many coun- accurate. Indeed, the need to stimu- tries clamped lockdowns for days late solidarity and public awareness and weeks. India was no excep- had perhaps never been greater in tion. Lives changed, people began recent times.

Dear Reader,

You may be aware of the very difficult times the news publishing industry is going through. It was quite bad even before COVID-19, but now we are struggling to stay afloat. Vidura has never had much advertising support but, somehow, we managed to bring out the printed edition. It will no longer be possible to do so. Vidura will from this issue (October-December) onwards move to a digital-only avatar and be available in the PDF version. Kindly send us your email ID to acctspiirind@ gmail.com for us to email the journal to you. You may continue your subscriptions at the same rate and we will ensure that you receive the journals by email. Editor

2 VIDURA October-December 2020 (Continued from page 1) took effect? Did the media wonder, The media hardly ever spoke In India, however, the media did if not question, the utility of the up for the people. We constructed much worse. It continued to focus on lockdown itself? Part of the reason a composite week of an English disease and death, not health. It shut it did not do a good job of quizzing daily published from New Delhi out from its content the voice of the the government is because it lacked --- The Times of India --- and studied rural folks, the sick and the infirm, the resources --- science journalists, its front page content spread over and all those who held a view dif- health correspondents, historians four months beginning February ferent from that of the government. and medical anthropologists on its 2020. The daily published 175 sto- What has been media’s role vis- editorial bench. ries on COVID-19 on its front page. à-vis the government? It would On television, we saw more doc- However, it virtually quoted no be worth examining the extent to tors than epidemiologists or virolo- family member of a deceased per- which the media questioned gov- gists discussing COVID-19 when son, an alternative point of view. ernment actions and decisions, the they clearly lacked the training The person quoted was usually delays and procrastinations. It hap- and expertise to do so. We also someone in authority --- a doctor pily reported President Trump’s witnessed foreign public health or a bureaucrat. A deeply disturb- visit to India without questioning experts sharing more forthright ing human-interest story received a the wisdom of doing so at a time and honest assessment of the situ- silent burial. when the pandemic was round the ation than their counterparts in The television channels did a bet- corner. Or, like the government, it India did. Short on revenue, an ter job than newspapers, but only to failed to anticipate its arrival. already thinned editorial team sur- the extent of showing police’s heart- Why it did not confront the gov- vived mostly on public relations less and cruel treatment of the poor ernment when it gave a bare four- department handouts. In doing so, men and women who trudged long hour notice before the lockdown it failed in its calling. distances to reach home. For the first Illustration: Arun Ramkumar

October-December 2020 VIDURA 3 time, perhaps, some high courts did their e-editions. The circulation- commodity. Their continuation has a better job than the regional news- credibility paradox has accen- the potential to influence local poli- papers. The Telangana High Court tuated. It is ironical that when tics and decision-making. repeatedly pulled up the state gov- people’s needs and demand for The coronavirus pandemic may ernment for not following ICMR news increased, the newspaper perhaps be the first news story to guidelines. Much of the media industry began to shrink. It is likely grab international media attention reported its pronouncements, but that all this would have affected the for so long – a story that constantly it was the enlightened citizens and coronavirus coverage. amplified itself to stay in the head- NGOs who sought medical care and The coronavirus pandemic has lines. It may also be the first glob- safety for the people. not only affected economies, income ally televised public health issue. It Given the situation it finds itself in, and employment. It has also dented practically invaded all types of pro- it seems the India media did a rea- people’s trust in conventional mass gramme formats: news, discussion, sonably good job managing its inter- media. This void has been filled to even entertainment. At another nal tension and contradictions. It is some extent by news websites such level, the pandemic brought about indeed passing through a difficult as The Wire and The Print in English a remarkable convergence of agen- time. Since late March 2020 when the and a host of regional players such das among four important players government announced a complete as satyahindi.com, indiadateline. in a democracy: the public, media, lockdown, newspaper circulation has com, teenbattinews.com, bundel- government and opposition. Even

plummeted. So has advertising rev- ibauchhar.com and many others. this was a rare occurrence, very enue. Some prominent newspapers Many of these cater to a specific much like the pandemic. < have shut their city editions or have geography and an audience that removed journalists from employ- cannot subscribe to a daily newspa- (The writer is former director, ment. To top it all, reporting from the per. They may not have a business Research and Strategic Planning, Johns field has dwindled and newspapers’ model and die out soon. Neverthe- Hopkins Center for Communication dependence on government handout less, they would have proven that Programs, New Delhi.) has increased. things happening around them A few prominent newspapers can make news and that such have begun charging readers for news is still a daily consumable

ABP Network unveils new logos

ABP Network has unveiled new logos for all its news channels – ABP News, ABP Ananda, ABP Majha, ABP Ganga, ABP Asmita, and ABP Sanjha, along with the logo of its digital platform, ABP Live, as a part of an ongoing evolution of the network. The new identity is designed Photo:ABP to better represent the fearlessness, dynamism, and thought-leadership The striking new logos. of the channels in the industry and also to demonstrate the brand’s connection to the nation and its people. The intrinsic idea behind the change reflects on the potential of India’s unremitting growth story. The new logos of the channels, therefore, stand as a testimony to the network’s relentless pursuit of truth ‘beyond limits’ and serve as a symbol of the overarching vision of the network, of creating ‘an informed and open society’. With diverse expressions of each channel and a common vision of the network, this reinvigoration not only aims to increase ABP’s brand saliency but also exists as a long-term strategy and key differentiator of the brand. The complete rebranding, including the new logo, has been conceptualised by Saffron Brand Consultants – an independent global brand consultancy based in Madrid, Spain. The word marks and taglines of the new logos have been developed by Prof Fiona Ross, who has a long-standing relationship with ABP, having designed its first digital Bengali font (Linotype Bengali, now known as ABP Bengali) with Tim Holloway, first published in 1982 in its eponymous newspaper Ananda Bazar Patrika. In this reinvigoration, she has

helped the scripts retain their diversity and yet work in harmony across the ABP Network – the entire project aligning with ABP’s continued insistence on maintaining the highest typographic standards for< visual communication.

4 VIDURA October-December 2020 COVID-19 Domestic workers bear the brunt, seek return to good times If there is one luxury many families in India enjoyed in the days before COVID, it was that of being able to employ domestic workers.They were providers of an essential support service which helped the family run like a well- oiled machine, lightening the work load, attending to drudge jobs and leaving employers with more time to pursue careers or interests of their own. Sudha Umashanker looks at the world of domestic workers, post-COVID

fter COVID arrived and affected domestic workers, Chris- the government are not enough. brought along with it fear, tin Mary, national coordinator, Free rations were supplied the first Arestrictions and lockdowns, National Domestic Workers Move- two to three months only.” Though one realises how much one took ment, says, “Now three to four the government announced till domestic workers (albeit with their months after lockdown, several November, ration officers simply shortcomings) for granted, but fear of them are out of work. There is say ‘no stock’ when the domestic of contracting the infection and the the stigma that they are poten- workers go with the government non availability of a vaccine just yet tial carriers of the infection. Those order. The Jan Dhan allowance of has forced employers to hold back working in multiple houses are in Rs 500 came during the first couple re-instating their staff until things some instances not allowed or they of months. We are now demanding improve. This has hit domestic work in one or two houses. Even unemployment cash transfer into workers hard, affecting their lives though there are a few buses ply- their accounts. States like Tamil and livelihood in various ways. ing, transportation services have Nadu and Kerala have complied. According to the National not resumed fully. Those who work We are pursuing our demands by Domestic Workers Movement’s in homes close to the localities they meeting ministers, officials.” website, an organisation work- reside in have resumed work.” Sumathi, joint secretary, Penn ing in 15 states and engaging with Jayabharathi Madan, who is Thozhilalar Sangam, throws more nearly two lakh domestic workers, employed in a school as a helper light on the other travails of domes- “official estimates put the number and relocated to a Chennai sub- tic workers “Rent dues kept mount- of domestic workers in India to urb Perumbakkam, returned to ing (many were asked to vacate) about 4.2 million while unofficial work June onwards. She has been during the ‘no work no income’ estimates are around 50 million. Of receiving full payment from June, period and instead of three meals these, an estimated 185595 children and for the lockdown months of a day, many families had just two are employed in domestic work”, April and May just the basic sal- meals a day (a late afternoon meal possibly because they take advan- ary. Ask her how she tided over the and an evening meal). Things were tage of the provision which states early lockdown, she says “Mem- very difficult in settlement areas like that kids who are working with bers of political parties, actors and Perumbakkam, Koodapaakkam and family enterprises can work after some generous employers of her Naavalur. Even if one person tested school hours and employers claim friends provided rice, dal and other positive, the entire block would be the child is a relative living and essentials with which I managed locked in. Some employers paid half studying with them. initially.” salary since June and individual Sujata Mody, president, Penn Corporation staff did bring essen- houses permitted them to come to Thozhilalar Sangam, points out tials but many did not receive them. work. Things were slightly difficult that “the fact is that till COVID-19 Many NGOs like Penn Thozhilaa- in flats because of the objections struck, domestic work was one of lar Sangham and service clubs like raised by the association.” the only growing employment cat- Rotary and Lions and corporate Jayadevi who has received full egories in otherwise grim figures sponsors pitched in. Appeals were salary from her generous employ- showing a fall in women’s work- made to the labour secretary by ers since April says she misses force participation rates”. Penn Thozhilalar Sangam. going to work. “I feel bad taking Talking of the post-COVID sce- Christin Mary corroborates, the salary without working for it,” nario and how the pandemic has “Relief packages announced by she confides.

October-December 2020 VIDURA 5 Illustration: Arun Ramkumar

Yet another fact that emerged in daily wage earners got nothing people who died of COVID went the COVID period is that by and during the lockdown and were the to the hospital because of breath- large it was the women who were worst hit. Those on a monthly sal- lessness. And whether government holding the family afloat. With many ary got something. Elderly people or private hospital, COVID test was of the men not going to work and if were also disadvantaged especially done. The fear of being quarantined the women were single or widowed, if their children were away or stuck frightened them so much that often their income was the mainstay. For elsewhere. Things have not gotten they kept away and couldn’t even hitherto double income families, it back to normal.” go out and get tablets for simple was very difficult to run the family Since running the families was a conditions. Besides people felt they without the income from the hus- problem with reduced or nil salaries, weren’t thoroughly checked for bands. Savings were nil. many domestic workers availed of other diseases but were only given Jayabharathi’s husband, who is an loans from self help groups, Equitas tablets.” auto driver, resumed work since the and Janalakshmi and jewels were Schools have begun functioning lockdown was lifted but passengers pledged. Yet another difficulty offering online education but that are few and far between as are the faced by domestic workers was remains out of reach for many fami- number of trips and over-crowding that there were no hospitals nearby lies due to unavailability of smart in autos, which worked to his dis- nor 24x7 clinics.”Even for a cold phones. As of now Jayabharathi advantage is no longer allowed. we were directed to a Government Madan’s two boys in the 12th and Talking about the other daily wage hospital.” 8th standard do not attend online earning men, she says, “Many of Adds Sumathi: “People were classes because her husband needs the men who do paint jobs or are scared to go to hospitals. Older the phone after he tied up with Uber.

6 VIDURA October-December 2020 Penn Thozhilaalar Sangam organ- Sumathy is pained that although mask-stitching, diya-making, cater- ised a demonstration in Chennai to the National Commission for ing businesses, vegetables-selling highlight the problems of domestic Women brought a draft bill for and dried fish-making among other workers. Among their demands domestic workers and during the things according to their location.” was a salary of Rs 80 per hour and a UPA regime, there was a draft She is optimistic that things will weekly paid off. Those with young policy for legal inclusion and their look up for the domestic workers

children prefer this job because they welfare, presently there is a denial in a few months once the vaccine is can leave their children in an angan- of domestic workers under the new available and employers also return < wadi (nursery), which is closed on labour code. to work. festival days. The prevailing market Taking a long term view, Chris- rate is only Rs 37 to 39 per hour. The tine Mary says: “We are also pro- (The writer is a senior journalist Welfare Board pension of Rs 1000 viding vocational training for based in Chennai.) for those past 60 requires a lot of alternative livelihood options and documentation which is sometimes skill training for income gener- a hurdle. ating activities like bag-making,

Winners of PII-ICRC Awards 2020 announced

The Press Institute of India, Chennai, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), New Delhi, recently announced the winners of PII-ICRC Annual Awards 2020 for Best Article and Best Photograph at a virtual programme. The theme of the 14th edition of the awards was Superheroes: Battling at the Frontline in the Time of Crisis. The first prize in the Best Article category was awarded to Maitri Porecha for her article, ‘Caught in crossfire: Martyred foot soldiers of India’s war against TB’, which appeared inThe Hindu BusinessLine. The second prize was shared by Jigyasa Mishra for her article, ‘Footprints of protest in the sands of mine’ that was published on the People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI) website, and to Varsha Torgalkar for her piece, ‘Sanitation workers on the frontlines of the pandemic are overlooked, unprotected’, for The Swaddle. The third prize went to Menaka Rao for her article, ‘We will die doing our duty: How ASHAs are battling coronavirus without safety gear or training’ that appeared on the Newslaundry website. Sanket Jain and Faysal Bakili were specially mentioned for their articles for Firstpost and Chitralekha (a Gujarati weekly), respectively. In the Best Photograph category, Manvender Vashist of the Press Trust of India and Ashwin Prasath of The New Indian Express won the first and second prizes for their pictures that captured crematorium staff, fully covered in personal protective gear, carrying out the last rites of COVID-19 victims. Rinku Raj of Malayala Manorama won the third prize for his photograph of nurses providing care to the sick and elderly, and spreading much-needed hope among patients. Special mention prizes were awarded to photojournalists Arul Horizon of The Indian Express and P. Jayesh of Mathrubhumi, showcasing the courage and compassion of healthcare workers and first responders. For the first time in the Best Photograph category, appreciation awards were given to Narendra Vaskar, The Indian Express; Pattabi Raman, The New Indian Express; Prashant Kharote, Lokmat Times; and S.L. Shanth Kumar, The Times of India; for their extraordinary photographs taken during such unprecedented times. The first, second and third place winners received Rs 100,000, Rs 70,000 and Rs 40,000, respectively. Special awardees received Rs 10,000 each. The award ceremony was preceded by an interesting and thought- provoking discussion that dwelt on the theme for this year’s awards:

Photo:PII-RIND Superheroes: Battling at the Frontline in the Time of Crisis. The

panel comprised jury members Ranjita Biswas, Dr Jaya Shreedhar, The winners spoke after receiving < the awards. D. Krishnan and Manjira Majumdar.

October-December 2020 VIDURA 7 COVID-19 How the innovative Indian is fighting a deadly pandemic The spirit of innovation and the willingness to rise to the occasion have been characteristic of India’s response to crises down the ages. The country’s response to the COVID-19 situation runs true to type. Rina Mukherji tells us how various individuals and companies have come out with ingenious, cost- effective solutions to everyday challenges in dealing with the deadly virus

s the COVID-19 pandemic stepped up to bury and cremate that from zero, India now produces continues to hold India the dead when relatives were too nearly 4.5 lakh PPE kits per day. Aunder partial siege, indus- scared to touch the bodies of loved India’s PPE industry, in fact, is now trial production has come down, ones who had succumbed to the the second largest in the world. It lakhs of jobs have been lost, and dreaded disease. is not just private players like the starvation stares many in the face. Aditya Birla Group, Arvind Mills The unorganised sector is the A ray of light (Lalbhai group), and Welspun, but worst. The exodus from cities and As far as the economy goes, the also the Indian Railways and the towns across India of these ‘guest pandemic should have rung the Indian Navy that are contributing workers’, bound for their native death-knell of a system already on to meeting the requirements of PPE villages, was almost a revisitation the downturn because of demon- kits for the industrial, healthcare of the days of the Partition, which etization. Yet, the manner in which and other sectors. saw one of the biggest movements many industries have adapted to of displaced persons in human his- the grim scenario stands as a bea- Imaginative solutions tory amidst heart-rending scenes of con of hope in these dark times. However, it is in the realm of violence and death. While technology companies like innovations that the jugaadu (flex- Yet, even as the crumbling health Honeywell, which were producing ible approach to solving problems) sector struggled to keep pace with PPE kits, moved further into the Indian rules supreme. In the early an unending flow of critically ill realm of protective equipment, mak- days of the pandemic, India faced patients, India outdid itself in coming N95 masks, the paints industry an acute shortage of ventilators. It passion, generosity, innovation and took a giant leap forward into pro- was also a huge problem to trans- enterprise. tective paints. Players like Nippon port the critically ill on ventilator Hitherto unknown individuals came up with anti-Coronavirus support. Besides, healthcare pro- and youth groups rose to the occa- paints, while Asian Paints branched viders often contracted the virus sion, offering food and succour. out into a range of sanitizers under when cleaning ventilators used on Alongside international organisa- the brand Viroprotek, enabling it to COVID-19 patients. A couple of tions like UNICEF, religious groups actually hike the salaries of its staff inventions saved the day. such as Khalsa Aid came forward at a time when layoffs and salary Bangalore-based Innaccel Tech- to help individuals and families cuts were the norm across sectors. nologies has come up with Vap- unable to cope with the sudden Others totally changed tack and care, the world’s first automated misfortune. Bollywood actor Sonu entered the PPE industry in a big system to remove oral secretions Sood stood out, arranging buses way. The textiles industry was the from ventilators used on patients. and food packets for the many first to do so. With the active sup- The oral, oropharyngeal and sub- thousands of migrant labourers port of central and state govern- glottic regions are automatically returning home, and personally ments, many medium and small cleared, obviating the need for coordinating the relief measures. enterprises took steps to adapt manual cleaning. This, in turn, pro- There were other faceless Indians to the COVID-19 economy. They tects patients from Ventilator Asso- too, who showed the way despite started making masks, PPE kits and ciated Pneumonia (VAP), which is the hardships they were facing – a allied equipment which are now often linked to the death of patients woman e-rickshaw driver in Siliguri the need of the hour. in intensive care units (ICUs). VAP ferried COVID-positive patients for The phenomenal growth of the Care has already received approval free and groups of people in Pune sector can be gauged from the fact from the US FDA, and is a shining

8 VIDURA October-December 2020 Photos: RM The low-cost face shield costs only Rs100, and is being distributed free by the manufacturer to police and healthcare personnel. The Vapcare (right) has proven a boon for healthcare providers.

example of a medical innovation commonplace. These include the medical personnel from any aerosol conceived, designed and manufac- foot-pedal-operated sanitizer stand, particles that may be released dur- tured in India. the sanitizer box for vegetables, ing medical procedures. Innacel’s SaansPro is a non-inva- low-cost face shields and the like. Imaginarium has invented bio- sive portable ventilation system The sanitizer box was developed compatible polyamide door han- that can work without uninter- by two start-ups, Gitarang and dles. This prevents individuals rupted electricity and is thus a Manastu Space, and uses Ultravio- from directly touching door han- boon to the remote regions of let C light technology. It has now dles, and hence reduces the risk of India where power connectivity become indispensable for both hos- infection, particularly in hospitals may be poor. Equipped with fl ow pitals and homes. and offi ces. The company currently and pressure control, and oxygen Imaginarium, which makes low- manufactures eight diff erent ver- blending facilities, Saans Pro is cost face shields, priced at just Rs sions of these handles to fi t all types especially useful while transport- 100, has also introduced a few other of doors. ing the critically ill to referral cen- low-cost items including aerosol The zeal of the various manu- tres, since it operates on batt eries boxes for critical patient care. These facturers to do their bit for the that can provide backup for six boxes ensure that the healthcare pandemic has been commendable. hours. The manufacturers of Saa- provider does not need to come Imaginarium, for instance, has nsPro have also gone a step further into direct contact with the patient been distributing face shields free to develop a motorized ventilator when changing tubes. Made of to the police and healthcare pro- as a back-up in emergency situa- medical grade plastic, these boxes viders. The manufacturers of foot tions. This portable ventilator does are priced at just Rs 5000, in com- pedal operated sanitizer stands not use batt eries, but operates on a parison to the much costlier options have also been making these avail- small motor. available earlier. The boxes fi t over able in public places at cost price. The early days of the pandemic the patient’s chest and neck, and The same is true with ventilator also saw some simple innova- have two openings through which manufacturers, particularly Inna- tions that have now become tubes can be inserted, shielding cel Technologies. India still has a long way to go before it overcomes the scourge of the virus. Yet, if anything can help it pull through, it is its people power.

Compassion, innovation, and generosity are our only hope. <

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

The disinfection box seen here uses Ultraviolet C light to disinfect foods and vegetables in a jiff y; The SaansPro ventilator (right) with batt ery backup can be very useful in mofussil and rural areas.

October-December 2020 VIDURA 9 COVID-19 Learning in the new normal comes with a set of challenges

As the education system worldwide grapples with the challenges of shifting almost entirely to an online platform, Afsana Rashid lists the pros and cons and possible ways in which the situation can be turned into an advantage

any educational institu- with smart gadgets/devices for the Digital divide, social harmony tions across the globe benefit of all. Technology should be Online education is linked to Mswitched to the online user friendly, easily adaptable, flex- accessibility and availability of mode of teaching-learning imme- ible and portable for wider accept- technology in terms of basic infra- diately after the outbreak of ance and adoption. structure, be it smartphone/ laptop/ COVID-19 early this year. While desktop or hi-speed Internet con- some could not catch up due to Technology-aided education nectivity. Lack of hi-speed connec- obvious reasons, others tried to At a time when many educa- tivity and large numbers of people accept and adopt the new teaching tional institutions across the globe who cannot afford smartphones methods. The pandemic has pro- are shut in an attempt to curb the are the biggest challenges online vided a chance to rethink and rede- spread of the Novel Coronavirus, education is faced with. The latter sign courses and curriculums in the technology provides a platform to would have increased since March context of emerging technologies. reach out to learners. Though the this year, as many families have The disruption of education online mode of teaching already plunged into economic crisis. Pro- systems affected nearly 1.6 billion existed, the COVID-19 pandemic viding electronic gadget/s to their learners in over 190 countries and gave it a strong impetus. children at this point in time will all continents. Closures of schools Right from primary classes to be hard for many families. and other learning spaces impacted higher studies and vocational Lack of accessibility and availabil- 94 per cent of the world’s student courses, technology provided a ity of technology has also resulted population – up to 99 per cent in way out. Under the supervision in creating an additional layer of low and lower-middle income or guidance of teachers or parents, discrimination within society – a countries, according to Policy Brief: students, research scholars and digital divide. The situation has the Education During COVID-19 and members of the academia tried to potential to develop into a serious Beyond (August 2020). utilise technology. Orientations, problem given the persistent ine- The disruptions resulted in loss faculty development programmes, qualities (poverty, racial discrimi- of learning and sharing spaces short and refresher courses, nation, casteism, gender inequality, and many educational institutions seminars – everything was offered etc) already deep-rooted within tried to fill the gap using online online. Initially, using online tools, communities.This could adversely applications. E-learning resources applications and platforms was a affect the vulnerable and margin- were made available to learners new concept for many; later, people alized populations in particular. and some educational institutions learnt how to handle these. As the pandemic has hit the mar- offered free as well as paid online For some learners, virtual classes ginalised sections the hardest, edu- courses. Apart from those who can are monotonous and lack the cational inequality is a very likely and cannot afford/ avail of tech- vibrancy of physical classrooms fallout if issues are not addressed nology-aided education, another where students can directly inter- adequately. category emerged – those with low act with teachers and batchmates, Internet speed. They had to strug- fostering socialisation while they Blended learning, the future gle to stay connected. study. Being confined to their Addressing the digital divide Countries across the world homes, and their movements being should be one of the priorities of should strive to provide specified restricted made virtual classrooms governments and corporate sec- basic Internet facility/data along appear dull. tors across the world. Technology

10 VIDURA October-December 2020 within the local set-up and they could coordinate to adopt a collaborative approach and strategies to reach out to the maximum number of students, thus promoting inclusive quality education. This would help bridge the technology gap and reduce socio-economic inequalities. Several parameters such as accessibility and availability of technology, the pedagogical perspective, collaborative approaches etc. all have a bearing on providing education virtually. In the absence of supervision, young children and teenagers could fall prey to cyber- crimes, bullying, hackers and other unscrupulous elements. They should be educated about the virtual ecosystem, how it operates and should be made uniformly avail- the district administration, and chil- the safety measures need. A blended able across all geographical bound- dren in small groups can avail of system of teaching-learning will

aries. Online classes will yield the facility while following stand- make education more responsive bett er results only when there is ard operating procedures (SOPs) and universal in approach. < proper connectivity, availability during COVID-19. of smart devices and basic digital Technology can be used in a more (The writer is assistant professor at skills. Policy makers, planners and appropriate manner in the long the Media Education Research Centre, educationists need to build on the run, with educationists, scientists University of Kashmir, Srinagar.) strengths of a technology-assisted and reputed personalities from all education system. over the world being invited to Kiosks could be set up for stu- give guest lectures and hold inter- dents who are unable to access/ active sessions through various avail of technology due to var- online applications. Universities ied reasons. Technology could be and other educational institutions PII-RIND now on Facebook harnessed in open-air schools in across the globe can explore ways https://www.facebook.com/PiiRIND remote areas under the strict super- to initiate a universal approach to vision of chief education offi cers or teaching-learning while remaining Illustrations: Angela Ferrao

October-December 2020 VIDURA 11 COVID-19 Anxiety, job losses, financial woes driving more people to suicide Mention of the risk of mental illness refers to ordinary people and not necessarily to the massive numbers of the poor, the marginalised, the ostracised and the homeless who are have been pushed into further distress by the neglect of the establishment, political parties and concerned entities. What about the faceless, friendless people, many of whom take recourse to suicide because COVID-19 has deepened their poverty, their joblessness and their state of being forever migrant? Shoma A. Chatterji tries to find out

Dying is an art like everything else. National Crime Records Bureau for “Demonetisation has brought I do it exceptionally well. 2019, Maharashtra leads in farmer about a decline in cash flow and I do it so it feels like hell. suicides, followed by Karnataka this has made their situation very I do it so it feels real. and Andhra Pradesh. serious. The consequences of the I guess you could say I’ve a call. However, the pandemic has pushed constant lockdowns in different the number of suicides among daily parts of the country will worsen Sylvia Plath labourers to 32563, which amounts the financial position of these to 23.4 per cent of the total number poor people next year,” says hen Amitabh Bach- of suicides in 2019. Many suicides, Mukherjee. chan returned home however, do not come into the NCRB Many suicides today are trig- Wafter being successfully statistics because not all such deaths gered by family problems, but treated for COVID-19, he described are reported. these problems too are much more his experience at hospital. He said Though farmers’ suicides con- severe among the poor and the he was kept isolated in a cabin. tinue till this day, the lockdown marginalised than among people The medical personnel who took and the pandemic have wrought a like you and me. According to care of him were anonymous, and scary change in the pattern of sui- the NCRB, around 32.4 per cent since they wore whole-body pro- cides.According to a detailed anal- of suicides are caused by family tective equipment and other para- ysis by Joel P. Joseph (The Wire, issues. Another 17.1 per cent com- phernalia, they appeared more July 24, 2020), The Suicide Preven- mitted suicidedue to prolonged ill- like machines than human beings. tion India Foundation (SPIF) con- ness and pain and inability to bear They did not speak to him and he ducted a study in May this year in medical expenses. Unemployment was not permitted to speak to them which they interviewed 159 mental led to 2 per cent of the suicides, either. Underlying the description health professionals from across while love and marriage problems was the implication that the com- the country. Most of them reported were responsible for another 4.5 ing year would see a sharp rise in an increase in the number of peo- per cent. Miscellaneous problems mental illnesses of various types, ple who expressed a death wish or triggered 5.5 per cent. triggered by the varied experiences suicidal thoughts. The report also Statistics show that 33518 peo- relating to the pandemic. made recommendations for those ple between the ages of 30 and 45 September 10 is marked as World experiencing mental distress, for ended their lives while 30883 peo- Suicide Prevention Day. A news others around them, and also for ple aged between 18 and 30 killed report states that while Prime Min- therapists. themselves. Among the metros, ister Narendra Modi promised a Prof Indraneel Mukherjee, who Chennai took the lead, followed by doubling of the income of the coun- teaches Economics at the OP Jin- Delhi and Mumbai. The numbers try’s farmers, during the past 12 dal University, feels job insecurity are said to be much less in Kolkata. months, around 10281 members of resulting in depression is pushing Chennai recorded 2461 suicides the farmer community committed migrant workers and the poor to over the past year whereas Kolka- suicide. This accounts for 7.4 per suicide. He states that farmers ta’s figures stood at 181. cent of the total number of suicides and indigenous labourers in the Joel P. Joseph reports that the in India. According to the annual country are very uncertain about ‘new normal’ created by the pan- report published recently by the their incomes and their jobs. demic is creating a deteriorating

12 VIDURA October-December 2020 Illustration: Arun Ramkumar

mental health situation in the a data analyst, Pankaj Kumar According to the report Choosing country. India already records the Patel and Rachel Gaekwad who to Live-Guidelines for Suicide Preven- highest number of suicides glob- are MPhil research graduates tion Counselling in Domestic Violence ally. ShivaramaVarambally, addi- from the International Institute prepared by ArunaBurte, Sang- tional professor of Psychiatry at the for Population Sciences, Mumbai, eeta Rege and Padma Deosthali, National Institute of Mental Health state: “The lockdown has caused “Of the one million cases of sui- and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), unprecedented changes in peo- cides reported the world over in not involved in SPIF study, said, ple’s lives. According to Reboot- the year 2000, over one lakh were “ideas of suicide have definitely ing 2020: A Story of COVID-19, in India. This may be low in pro- gone up among the disadvantaged and Shifting Perceptions survey portion to our population. But we sections of the society”. by Mavericks India, 61 per cent of have to note that while a suicide Anxiety, job loss, stress, loneliness Indians are experiencing mental- was attempted every 7.6 minutes and financial insecurity were the top health issues during this lock- in 1989, it happened every five reasons for mental distress in peo- down. This situation is not being minutes. With a suicide being ple seeking help. “Anxiety levels are given the attention and interven- committed every fifth minute and very high in most cases. Although tion it demands.” about 15 attempts made for every it is often not directly related to the The researchers go on to state suicide committed, India faces a

virus, other issues have exacerbated that “later into the lockdown, major crisis.” And that was more during this time. This has led to a there was a spike in the number of than a decade ago. < feeling of being overwhelmed, and, suicide cases due to financial dis- therefore, suicidal ideation,” June tress (unemployment and income (The writer is a senior journalist Thomas, a Bengaluru-based coun- loss included). The initial phases and film historian based in Kolkata. sellor, said. As the SPIF Report says, of the lockdown saw a higher She was presented the South Asia the mental health situation in the number of suicides from fear. Laadli Media and Advertising Award country is bleak. Restrictions on movement were for Gender Sensitivity 2017. ) In Analysis of Suicides Reported more severe during these phases, Since the Lockdown, (July 2, 2020), so there were more reported sui- researchers Soumyadeep Arinda, cides due to loneliness.”

October-December 2020 VIDURA 13 COVID-19 Desperate to ditch sex work, they seek alternate livelihoods The Covid 19 pandemic and resultant lockdown witnessed all over India affected many people all across the country. Sex-workers, though, have been particularly affected owing to the nature of their work, says Rina Mukherji

he shutting down of red light strict measures imposed, which with the help of other civil society districts, of course, was very included shutting off all roads organisations, covering around Tmuch in line with a study by leading to it. The three-month 300 commercial sex workers, has the Yale School of Medicine and lockdown beginning from March revealed that nearly 99 per cent of Harvard Medical School that was through June dried up the earnings, the sex-workers want to move out submitted to the Central and state as well as the savings of the women, of the flesh trade, and make a liv- governments in India, Modelling the although it prevented any infec- ing through other means. As per the Effect of Continued Closure of Red- tions arising in the stretch. Even survey, over 85 per cent of the sex Light Areas on COVID-19 Transmis- after it reopened for customers, workers are debt-ridden, with 98 per sion in India, which recommended a business has been slack, owing to cent of the loans having been taken complete lockdown of all red light a number of factors, which include from brothel owners, brothel man- districts to tide over the COVID-19 the fear of infections that is keeping agers and moneylenders, leaving pandemic, given the very nature of customers away from these parts. them open to further exploitation. sex work which rules out the main- Not surprisingly, a recent sur- The report states that 82 per cent tenance of social distancing. vey conducted by Asha Care Trust, of the women here are in the 25-45 As per the study, India could reduce the number of COVID-19 positive cases by 72 per cent in a period of 45-days and delay the peak of COVID-19 cases by 17 days, and bring down the number of deaths by 63 per cent post-lockdown, through continued closure. The findings were based on the conditions in the red light areas of six major Indian cities, including Pune, that house the biggest red light areas. Located in the central business district of the city, Pune’s Budh- war Peth red light area dates back to the time of the Peshwas, and sits cheek by jowl with some of the well-known landmarks of the city. Home to the third largest red-light district in India, after Kolkata’s Sonagacchi and Mumbai’s Foras Road-Falkland Road stretch, it has 700 brothels from which around 3000 commercial sex workers ply their trade. The lockdown imposed following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic saw Pune’s sex-workers Photos: RM reach near-starvation owing to the Sex workers negotiating with a customer.

14 VIDURA October-December 2020 Activists handing over the report on sex workers to Pune Mayor Muralidhar Mohol; and (right) sex workers soliciting in the Budhwar Peth red light area in Pune.

year age group, with some having Shanu*, a sex worker who was brought in as minors, and cannot been forced into the profession as sold into a brothel by her husband, even be sent back. minors. Of these, 84 per cent lack hails from Sholapur. Since she has Years of awareness programmes any formal education, with another had some schooling, and studied up have enlightened the women on 16 per cent having been pushed to the sixth grade, Shanu can speak Covid 19, and made them most into the fl esh trade before com- some English and has the potential cooperative towards measures ini- pleting high school. Although 92.7 to be trained in some other voca- tiated by the authorities. However, per cent feared resuming sex work tion. However, alcohol has ravaged using the mask has been making post-lockdown, they were crippled her physically, and she has lost the them lose business. The insistence with fears of starvation. will to live. “I had married my hus- of brothel-keepers and sex workers As articulated by Nilu*, a sex band for love. Look what he has on customers taking a bath before worker operating in the area, “We done to me. What do I have to live entering brothels has also served have been facing lot of hardships for?” she complains. as a further deterrent and brought for the last 4-5 months. With each Ashima* hails from Latur, and down business and earnings. But passing day it is gett ing diffi cult for holds a high school certifi cate. She given the many obstacles in sett ing

us to survive as we have no earn- was brought in as a teenager, and is the women on alternate livelihoods, ings and hardly any savings.” around 25 years of age, and eager a major change will take some time< Spurred on by this, activists to learn. But such people are rare. to come. belonging to Asha Care Trust, The majority hail from Nepal or Freedom Firm, along with social Bangladesh, and have been lured *Names have been changed. worker Pratibha Shinde, advocate with promises of jobs and traffi cked Vidya Pednekar and others met cross-border into India. Many were Pune Mayor Murlidhar Mohol, to submit the report, and hope to be helped by the PMC in training and rehabilitating the women in alternate livelihoods. However, skilling up the women and girls here is easier said than done, given the low level of literacy as mentioned above. In spite of these factors, though, civil society groups have been trying to train them in tailoring and beauty parlour-related Education for jobs since some time. “We have been trying to fi nd jobs in petrol all is still a dis- pumps for those with a litt le education,” reveals activist Shilpa Shett y tant dream... of Asha Care Trust. There are also many women who have given in to despair, and alcoholism, given their circumstances. This can also end up Subscribe to Rs 240 for 12 issues as detrimental to their well-being.

October-December 2020 VIDURA 15 COVID-19 A different Durga Puja, with poor craft persons the hardest hit Weavers, idol makers, pandal makers, designers, artisans, performers and even the dhaki, who beats the traditional drum, are in great demand during the annual Durga Puja. The government and the private sector cash in on the celebrations while the skills and consummate artistry of these communities are showcased. This year, however, the picture was completely different. The lockdown combined with Cyclone Amphan have taken a huge toll on the daily wagers, a huge chunk of who are potters, cane and basket weavers, sholapith artisans and weavers. Manjira Majumdar sent us this story

n Kumartuli, the bastion of over cancellations has hit them depiction of social issues result in idol makers in north Kolkata, more as preparations begin a few great feast for the eyes and attact Iabout 700 craftsmen work out months earlier. many tourists. No surprises such of single or shared studios; some However, the better earners were as Gulliver’s Land of Liliputs or the of them today are women. They the professional designers (artists Buckingham Palace or the Titanic also add the finishing touches by included) who had been accepting this year to take your breath away. adding colour and adorning the projects for a mandap (pandal) on a Weavers, however, who sell idols in silks and artificial jewel- turnkey basis. They usually design a variety of expensive saris this lery. According to the Kumartuli and execute their vision with the season, did better business online. Mritshilpi Samity, this year most of help of casual workers and free- Mukur Roy, who curates beauti- them have received far less orders. lance artisans. ful handloom saris in cotton and Depending on the size –idols go up “There is no absolutely no demand silk, relies on the stockists, who to 10 feet or more – the charges are for these designer structures this may have been weavers once, usually fixed beforehand. Those time around,” says well-known art but have moved up in hierarchy. shipped abroad can go up to lakhs director Roopchand Kundu, who She says, “Among the middle and of rupees. has a degree in Fine Arts from Gov- upper middle classes the pur- The new government directives ernment College of Art, Calcutta. chasing power is still intact. The had ordered toning down the com- Known to have designed various small shopkeepers who cater to munity pujas in more ways than award winning pandals, Kundu the lower middle classes are defi- one. Those who went ahead with adds, “the process is time consum- nitely hit.” the celebration opted for smaller ing and labour-intensive”. The poor craftsperson is always images. In previous years, due to As big structures are disallowed, the hardest hit and the state govern- corporate awards in various fields, Kundu said he was not working ment has been to their aid in previ- each locality clubs, housing com- on a single layout. As a result, the ous years, offering them an outlet plexes, city residential blocks tried hardest hit were the artisans: those in the several textile and handloom to outdo the other in a show of supplying terracotta figurines, fairs at the end of the year. This novel themes, creativity and inno- paper lanterns, shola craft and other way, many of them belonging to vation. The budgets were pruned specially designed decorative items the various districts such as Mur- drastically this time, with a stipula- to adorn the pandal. Depending on shidabad, Bishnupur, Bardhaman tion that no one should be coerced the total budget, a big portion is set and Nadia can sell directly sell to to pay a donation. aside for the murti (idol) and man- the public. The famous embroidery The picture was grim but not dap. Today with professionalism of kantha has received a huge fillip down and out. A Samity spokes- coming in, artistes can today charge in this way. person said the clay modelers got anything from Rs 40 lakh to 75 lakh, The future is indeed grim for orders for roughly five or six idols often going up to a crore of rupees. these weavers and artisans who on an average, compared to double Stand alone artistes too receive incurred losses in raw materials the amount in earlier years. Some orders for sculpting the idol, which during Cyclone Amphan. Much of had also received around 35 orders, need not be of clay alone. the loss is yet to be calculated since including those from abroad. More The light and sound devices, the workers are in the unorganised than the orders, the uncertainty modern art installations and sector. The street food vendors too

16 VIDURA October-December 2020 Photos: MM L-r: Detailing of a handloom woven sari; a new age mandap depicting various crafts of Bengal designed by Kundu; and a 2019 idol (coppery finish) by artist Roopchand Kundu. are staring bleakly at their empty sari to be distributed among the despite the fierce battle she emerges

kiosks.. slum women. And reflecting the victorious, with her mask firmly in The festivities began a month twin passions of Bengalis, poli- place. < later this year after agomani, which tics and wit, the memes doing the marks the beginning of devipaksha. rounds on social media depicted the (The writer is a lecturer in print A city campaign urged citizens to coronavirus as the asura (demon), journalism and lives in Kolkata.) donate one new handloom cotton with Ma Durga slaying him. And

Something to cheer about, after all

One community puja in south Kolkata is celebrating a little differently. In order to continue to support the idol maker, who has been with them for the past 25 years, The Golf Club Road Residents Welfare Association has provided space to him in the small clubhouse precincts to model the images. Shyamal Das, the idol maker, does not belong to the predominantly Pal Community who are traditional idol makers. His family who came from Faridpur (Bangladesh) 25 years ago is engaged in pottery and cane work. He and his men are waiting for the images in the ekchala style, that is, all idols on the same platform, to dry. “For the larger ones I used to charge around Rs 50000 but it is half the price this year,” he says, grateful that despite a 30 per cent cut in his total output, there is still work. “The prices of decorating the idols have gone up,” he informs. “We are paying double the price for the artificial jewellery (another small scale industry) to adorn the deities, so all these factors are eating into our profit margins.” Since the government strict directives have curtailed the arti, cut fruits as prasad, limited number of congregations and cultural programmes, “we residents are decorating the mandap ourselves,” says Anuradha Sarkar, vice- president of the Association. The women who participate in large numbers in the religious chores are now gathering every afternoon to make certain decorations out of bamboo and shola and painting these with traditional motifs. Under the supervision of a resident artist,

Photos: MM they are painting ethnic objects like kulo and dala, with bright dyes. The Association A woman resident of the community puja adding finishing touches to mandap decorations; (right) Shyamal Das and his men which does some social work with the give final shape to the idols before painting and accessorising. bustee (slum) nearby is indeed fostering a sense of community during the lockdown.

“Isn’t that what the celebrations are all about?” asks a member, Snigdha Goswami, adding that “it is always nice to learn a new skill.” < MM

October-December 2020 VIDURA 17 Of contributors, editors and journalistic ethics

The media which is entrusted with, among other things, upholding ethical values and probity in public life and administration, should be itself subject to the highest ethical standards, not only on reporting but also in editorial working decisions, says Sakuntala Narasimhan

ooking back on my experi- when my complaint came up for difficult to acknowledge each and ence of teaching journalism hearing, the paper’s representative every submission, when hundreds Lat prestigious institutions in declared that they were willing to come in, every week. But in these Mumbai and Bengaluru over the return my article and photos. Big days of emails, how much time past three decades, I realise that deal. That was the end of the mat- does it take to say “sorry, no”? there are aspects of editorial obli- ter (I am still waiting for the return I know of only one editorial gations that are not dealt with, of the photographs, some years team that has a policy that says ‘if either as part of the course or as after this event.). Where was edi- you have not heard back from us off-syllabus discussions. torial ethics in this sordid mess? within three days, you are free to There are aspects of editorial All I could do was boycott that place your submission elsewhere’. obligations that are not dealt with, publication. Fair enough. One other mainstream either as part of the course or as If this is the experience of a per- paper says if a piece has not been off-syllabus discussions. What trig- son with five decades of journalistic used within six weeks, the sender gered this thought was an upset- experience, what about beginners? can assume he/ she is free to offer it ting experience with a mainstream But is an editor in a position to elsewhere. But most of the time, if a newspaper which had accepted my treat submissions differently, piece is topical, one does not know submission in mid-2019 about an depending on whether it is from how long to wait, before offering unusual scholar whose centenary it a seasoned writer or a greenhorn? it elsewhere while it is still topical. was. The piece was topical for 2019; One editor claimed that when they Which is unfair to contributors. after retaining it for some months, receive hundreds of submissions, it Are these issues ever discussed the editor declared, in December, is impossible to make distinctions during training sessions in journal- that it would not be possible to – but even for a new or occasional ism? It is one thing to learn about schedule it. It was by then too late writer, doesn’t an acceptance in subbing, editing, page making and to place it elsewhere. writing from an editor who has layout, and quite another to mas- Earlier, this same mainstream retained a piece for use, have some ter the intricacies of attracting the paper had accepted another sub- value and legitimacy? best submissions (amendment to mission and asked me for written If an editor doesn’t want a piece that – these days, submissions are confirmation that it was exclusive to be submitted to two publications, attracted by popularity and circula- to that paper (which I sent). I had shouldn’t a corresponding ethical tion figures, as dominant consider- also submitted a bunch of photo- obligation apply to the editor too, ations by contributors). graphs to go with the piece -- this towards contributors? Pieces that Editors don’t assess each and was before one could scan and send are topical are a problem. How every submission; they have assis- pictures online. Six months later I long does one wait, before decid- tants to whom various sections and was puzzled to see a piece on the ing to place it elsewhere, if there are files are farmed out – fiction editor, same international seminar, written no norms on how long one should letters page editor, book reviews, by someone else, in the same paper. wait? etcetera. So, being ‘snowed under’ This did not make sense – if that Most editors do not also write is not always a credible excuse. other article was accepted before back to say they are not interested As a funny aside, I have also mine, why was mine not only in a particular submission – and I known one sub-editor who was in retained but with exclusive rights? can understand, having worked charge of the cookery and recipes If mine was submitted first, why in an editorial capacity for a well- page and choosing the weekly win- wasn’t it used after being accepted? known publication, (occasionally as ner of the best recipe, from among I complained to the Press Council; acting editor) that it is sometimes the dozens of entries received; she

18 VIDURA October-December 2020 Illustration: Arun Ramkumar

would postpone the work of assess- had lifted, word by word, a chapter upholding ethical values and pro- ing the submissions till the last min- from the bestseller. bity in public life and administra- ute, and when it was time to close I could barely wait till next morn- tion, should be itself subject to the an issue and send it for printing, ing, to report my discovery to my highest ethical standards, not only put her hand into the pile of entries, boss, who heard me out, saw the on reporting but also in editorial

close her eyes and pull out one at proof, and merely said, “I don’t working decisions. Surely, there random as the ‘winner’. The editor care, she (the writer of the story) can be no two opinions on that? < found out this mischief the day the is a good friend...” That was the winning recipe happened to call for end of the matter and I returned, (The writer, based in Bengaluru, is “one kilo of salt”… some winner! I chastened, to my seat in silence. a recipient of the Media Foundation’s don’t know if that publication lost No action was taken, no explana- Chameli Devi Award for Outstanding some subscribers thanks to this ter- tions demanded. I left that job soon Woman Journalist 1983. Her rible faux pas. thereafter. fortnightly columns on gender issues I am recalling here, another inci- Even if the chances of some other and consumer rights ran in the dent of a different kind. We had reader discovering the plagiarism Deccan Herald for 27 years. She had a submission of a short story that were low, this was unconscionable earlier worked for The Times of India came to me for assessment. By editorial wrong. That plagiarist Group in Mumbai.) sheer chance, I happened to be went on to become a high profile reading a well-known bestseller, writer using her connections in and discovered that night as I lay high places. reading before falling asleep, that The media which is entrusted the story submitted for publication with, among other things,

October-December 2020 VIDURA 19 Wanted: objectivity and accountability

Amidst the mushrooming TV channels and online journals, are journalists losing their credibility, wonders N.S. Venkataraman

ith technology advanc- political parties, motivated activ- journals and blogs by individuals ing rapidly and becom- ist groups etc. owning various TV and groups too have become unre- Wing affordable, television channels, newspapers and jour- liable, with motivated observations channels have come up in their nals, it is becoming increasingly and hate campaigns being carried thousands around the world, as difficult to ascertain the credibility out day after day. have online journals. They cer- of news and views expressed. The net result is that everyone tainly give people ample opportu- Different channels and newspa- seems to suspect everyone else nity to express their views, anger pers make conflicting comments and nobody is really sure what is or appreciation over any issue. So on the same subject, often provid- true and what is false. Even well- far so good. At the same time, with ing incomplete information and established newspapers / jour- businessmen, religious bodies, using misleading titles. The online nals under publication for several Illustration: Arun Ramkumar

20 VIDURA October-December 2020 decades are not excepted from divulge its sources, claiming jour- The strength of journalists and this situation. nalistic freedom. When the courts activists all over the world comes What is of particular concern is gave a clean chit to the deal, the from the respect that they command that journalists, activists, netizens newspaper was silent. amongst the public as persons who and YouTubers seem to think they The acquittal of those accused in are honest, neutral, fair and objec- are accountable to none, and can the Babri Masjid demolition case tive, with no preconceived notions. say or do anything and get away was criticised by a section of activ- If these qualities have to be called with it under the guise of ‘freedom ists and newspapers. The com- in question, it would greatly harm of expression’. ments came within a few hours of the structure of democracy and the Certainly, journalists and activ- the judgement being delivered, and very fabric of society. ists have a positive role to play and the critics could not have had the Journalists and activists have to society would be poorer without time to read the lengthy document be men and women of truth and them. However, if their credibility in full. The response was obvi- objectivity. It is high time they did becomes suspect because of moti- ously pre-determined on the basis some introspection about whether

vated accounts and observations, of whether the judgement matched they have always been neutral and the general public will soon cease the journalists’ own views or not. unprejudiced. < to view them as a positive power. The media has been critical of Recently, The New York Times pub- other issues pertaining to the courts, (The writer is trustee, Nandini lished a report about US President too. In the US, the recent appoint- Voice for the Deprived, Chennai, Donald Trump’s taxes. Trump’s ment of a woman judge was criti- a not-for-profit organisation that supporters asked the newspaper to cised. In India, Justice Krishna Iyer, aims to highlight the problems of the provide the source of the informa- a former Supreme Court judge, was downtrodden and deprived and to tion but the newspaper refused to do often branded as ‘leftist’ by a sec- support their cause, also to promote so, claiming journalistic privilege. tion of the media, without reference ethical values and to discuss issues in Similarly, a couple of years ago, to his fair judgements. Taking such a dispassionate and objective manner.) a reputable English daily in India criticism to absurd levels, another reported that the government’s Supreme Court judge was censured Rafale aircraft deal was riddled by a senior lawyer for riding an with corruption. It refused to expensive motorbike.

Enlarged programme for second year of Table Stakes Europe

WAN-IFRA has announced the names of 24 publishers participating in its Table Stakes Europe initiative for 2021. The programme is growing fast, almost doubling from the original 14 participants in 2019-20 and replicating the rapid growth of the same programme in the United States. A twelve-month performance-driven change management initiative, the coaching programme asks each participant to select a challenge relating to making their digital business more sustainable – for example, doubling the number of digital subscribers or creating new digital products for specific audiences. Table Stakes Europe is supported by the Google News Initiative Digital growth Programme. The programme will be led once again by Table Stakes architect Doug Smith, with an expanded team of five coaches - with Pepe Cerezo and Valérie Arnould joining the team, including Alexandra Borchardt, Stéphane Mayoux and Nick Tjaardstra. Expert advisors and fellow publishers will join them during the 10-12 month duration of the programme. “The feedback from participating publishers after the first round of Table Stakes Europe has been excellent in showing the importance of understanding your audience. Table Stakes framework delivered tangible and actionable results. We are really excited to see this strong list of 24 European publishers starting the new round” said Eero Korhonen, Head of News & Publishers at Google. The results from Round 1 publishers were impressive, with some doubling digital subscriptions and making

stretch targets for more growth, others increasing the number of registrations or seeing six-fold increases in engagement with content verticals. <

October-December 2020 VIDURA 21 Women’s safety – tackling the problem at the mind level Though the status of women has improved considerably over the years, the battle for the future has to be fought in the minds and hearts of the men and women of India, feels N.S. Venkataraman

he recent Hathras rape case unfortunately, when such incidents the weak, whether man or woman, has raised nationwide con- take place, politicians use them to are a part of human behaviour, and Tcern and has been widely score against opponents and the the perpetrators can be either men condemned. The spontaneous media use them for increasing or women who turn against their response implies that the basic TRPs. Surely, their concern over the own or the opposite gender. value system in Indian society is Utt ar Pradesh incident will wane The ultimate solution to this sound. Certainly, there is huge con- after a few days, leaving the parents problem is Mahatma Gandhi’s phi- cern in the nation about the abuse and other relatives of the victim to losophy that preaches against vio- of women in a variety of ways. grieve helplessly. lence in thought and action. The But this is not the fi rst time that While many reforms to safeguard Hathras incident occurred around such abuse has taken place in India. women have been introduced over the time of Gandhi Jayanthi. Octo- While some incidents are given the years and the status of women ber 2 came and went without much great prominence, others go unno- in India has improved consider- reference to the Mahatma’s philos- ticed or are confi ned to a report in ably, the ultimate goal of securing ophy of non-violence, as political a corner of newspapers. absolute safety for women is still parties played to their vote banks While it is imperative that the far away. by holding demonstrations and safety of women be protected by The ground reality is that vio- making accusations against each initiating meaningful measures, lence against and exploitation of other. Illustration: Angela Ferrao

22 VIDURA October-December 2020 Neither political bickering nor a been frequently stressing the need classes a compulsory part of edu- sensation-oriented media will help for discipline and values, such con- cational curriculums, and exami- the cause of women’s safety. cepts are not given sufficient promi- nations must be conducted in this The country needs not only nence in the media. In any case, one subject. strong laws implemented strictly, person talking on these lines is not There are many upright citizens but sane voices speaking out enough, people at various levels who are convinced of the need for against violence in thought and should voice such wisdom and be a non-violent and ethical society action. The bitter truth is that such heard in every nook and corner of all over the country, and their sane voices are seldom heard in the country. services should be availed of to India these days. The battle for Unfortunately, today, India is conduct these moral education the future has to be fought in the under the stranglehold of politi- classes in schools and colleges. minds and hearts of the men and cians, most of whom are known This appears to be the only pos- women of India. to be corrupt and dishonest and sible way to promote a society

The politicians and the media do not have the character to build where moral and ethical forces are focused more on the blame a morally and ethically resurgent have the upper hand. < game rather than on the failure to India. Inculcating values in chil- create a climate of amity and har- dren during their formative years mony and preserve value systems. is the best way forward. Govern- Though Prime Minister Modi has ment must make moral education

Names of 50 Elevate Scholarship recipients announced

Promoting diversity and inclusion in the news industry, the International News Media Association (INMA) and Google News Initiative (GNI) announced winners of the inaugural Elevate Scholarship. The 50 scholarship recipients from 18 countries were selected from 173 applications and will receive training and mentoring opportunities through INMA and GNI. The Elevate Scholarship programme is designed to strengthen the future of the news business by embracing and elevating historically under-represented and disadvantaged groups in early- to mid-career positions below the executive management level at news media companies. Examples include race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, access to higher education, immigration, disabilities, and more. “The common themes across this inaugural Elevate Scholarship class were the challenges in overcoming inherent barriers in career advancement and the aspiration to be champions of diverse work environments,” says Earl J. Wilkinson, executive director and CEO of INMA. “Elevate Scholarship recipients represent a dream class of professionals. Yet for me, the stories behind the scholarship recipients helped put a face on a wider range of barriers that many professionals must overcome.” Chrissy Towle, head of news, Americas partnership solutions at Google, said the Elevate Scholarship progamme fits her company’s aspiration for inclusiveness: “Google is committed to helping build a more inclusive and equitable news ecosystem. This programme helps us do that by providing professionals from historically under-represented groups training, development, and career advancement.” Scholarship recipients will receive free access to three INMA Master Classes, a mentoring meet-up with INMA and Google, a scholarship certification, and one-year INMA membership. Scholarship recipients announced by INMA and the Google News Initiative include Anam Ajmal, senior reporter, Times of India; Liu Chuen Chen, senior sub-editor, The Indian Express; Himanshi Dahiya, desk writer, Quint; Muthi-ur-Rahman Siddiqui, senior copy editor, Deccan Herald; Nidhi Suresh, reporter, Newslaundry; and Vandana Thakur, chief manager - Content, Jagran New Media. The Google News Initiative (GNI) is a programme designed to help journalism thrive in the digital age. Working with news partners, the Google News Initiative builds products to meet the needs of news

organisations and grow their digital businesses, collaborate with news companies to solve important business and industry-wide challenges, and develop and support programmes to drive innovation across< the news industry.

October-December 2020 VIDURA 23 Why the fight for inclusivity must go on While the scrapping of the draconian Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code provided legitimacy to same sex relationships, the inclusion of the LGBT community into the mainstream is still a distant dream. The legal battle has been won but there is a long way to go before breaking social barriers and ending prejudices that are still very strong. Sarita Brara discusses efforts to integrate the LGBT community into the mainstream in a practical, sustainable way

mpowerment and a change global drive to get more supporters other in our lives. It could be due to in society’s attitude towards for the community. It has been suc- gender, race, colour, religion, status Ethe LGBT community are the cessfully organising job fairs for the or caste. But the LGBT community twin challenges that have to be met community for some years now. The faces discrimination at every step to achieve inclusivity. Although initiative was designed to educate of life, becoming victims of ridicule social platforms like WhatsApp, people about the LGBT community, and bullying and taunts day in and Facebook, etc have given the LGBT build bridges and take affirmative day out. community the space to air their action. The global drive to win allies for views, share their feelings and Ram Krishan Sinha, co-founder, the LGBT community got an over- inform each other about develop- Pride Circle, said the global drive, whelming response, with 12750 ments and their problems, interac- the first of its kind, had three goals – people from across 58 countries tion with the mainstream is still not providing information on the laws participating. A total of 108 national easy, says Geetu Kashyap. and rights of the LGBT community and international organisations “Now that I am connected to a on marriage, adoption and other took part in the initiative. WhatsApp group of people like aspects; building bridges between “A show of sympathy is not myself, I no longer feel isolated the community and various orga- enough, the need is to empower and this has helped me get over nizations; and encouraging sup- the LGBT community so that they the bouts of depression that I used porters to volunteer to work with can lead a life of dignity without to suffer from. But, it is difficult to non-profit organisations helping any bias,” said young participant open up evenwith parents, leave the community. Shaina Shingari, a 9th grade stu- alone society.” Pride Circle believes that such- dent at Delhi. She was among the Facing harassment from their support and cooperation for the top three who got over 200 allies in own parents, discrimination at LGBT community can be a very the 21-day challenge. “I believe that workplaces and isolation from the effective way to achieve inclusiv- young students like us can create a mainstream society, most of them ity. The global drive included a lot of positive changes in society,” feel life is still not easy. A journalist #21DaysAllyChallenge for affir- she added. who did not want to be named said mative action to build an inclusive Shingari said she became an she faces much more discrimina- and just society. Participants in ally of the LGBT community to tion at the workplace in Delhi than the novel challenge were asked to give back something to society. “I in Kolkata, where people are more introspect on why they wanted to believe the present generation is open and liberal. be an ally of the LGBT community. working towards becoming social The corporate sector is becoming Interestingly, several real-life activists apart from just choosing more open to recruiting profession- experiences that were shared were careers and hence, see a safe future als from the LGBT community, but it not just about why an individual for all of us.” has still not reached the ideal levels. wanted to be an ally, but also why The organisers said the fact that a The interests of the transgenders are every individual should be an ally. lot of GenZ members pledged com- protected by law in that discrimina- These included participants who mitment and became visible allies tion in employment opportunities is narrated their experiences on the was an encouraging sign. Does prohibited, but that remains more discrimination they faced because this mean a change in the attitude on paper; the implementation of of gender, colour or even for hail- towards the LGBT community is laws is still a huge challenge. ing from a small town. in the offing? Going by the senti- Pride Circle, working for the LGBT It is true that most of us have ments expressed by Shingari, the community, recently organised a faced ‘exclusion’ at some point or answer would be yes. But for that,

24 VIDURA October-December 2020 Illustration: Arun Ramkumar

the movement for inclusivity has inclusion and ensure equal rights.” (The writer is a senior journalist to be sustained and events like the Hopefully, this resolve and the who spends her time between Delhi 21-day challenge should become a beliefs of young crusaders like and Shimla.) regular affair. Shingari will find resonance in soci- While delivering the verdict on ety and the LGBT community will Section 377 of the IPC, Chief Justice no longer be discriminated against

Dipak Misra had said: “We have and isolated and will be able to live to vanquish prejudice, embrace a dignified life. <

Mathrubhumi elevates Naveen Sreenivasan

Mathrubhumi has announced the elevation of Naveen Sreenivasan as head, Media Solutions TRD (Television, Radio, & Digital). In his new role, Naveen will be responsible for the management of sales & marketing functions of Mathrubhumi News Television Channel, Kappa TV, Club FM, and Mathrubhumi Digital. An IIM Lucknow alumnus with extensive experience across industries and domains, in his earlier

appointment with the group, Naveen was heading as a cluster head sales for Mathrubhumi daily and is credited with generating new innovative ideas and sales-driven activities for the company. He will report< to M.V. Shreyams Kumar, managing director for Mathrubhumi Group.

(Courtesy: exchange4media.com)

October-December 2020 VIDURA 25 Defending the indefensible? The arrest of the Republic TV editor-in-chief a few weeks ago raises a fundamental question: Who is a journalist? Or put somewhat differently, what is journalism? The question or the arrest wouldn’t have made it to print but for the fact that the Editors Guild of India thought it fi t to condemn the high-handed police action, says Pradeep Krishnatray, adding that several respectable editors who otherwise think and write sanely on matters more important than the present one did the same

he Editors Guild of India Government could have arrested they winked at the defaulter. It (EGI) statement was terse and the editor-in-chief earlier. It did wouldn’t be out of place to remind Tunequivocal. It expressed not. The ruling political dispen- them of the revised 2007 EGI shock about the arrest “in the early sation was then part of the ruling Code of Practice. It reads that EGI hours… on reportedly an abetment alliance. As long as it was, it conve- “would reinforce the guidelines by to suicide case.” It condemned niently ignored the suicide by the initiating suitable steps to improve the “sudden arrest” and found it interior designer and his mother- the credibility and quality of publi- “extremely distressing”. in-law. However, no sooner it broke cations and channels, whenever it Let us for the present not pay away from the alliance it proceeded receives instances from its members att ention to the hyperbolic lan- against the editor-in-chief. …” One hopes that the EGI and its guage. The important issue here That reading of the situation may members would set right the egre- is the reason for the arrest. It had well be correct. However, we are gious harm infl icted on its practice. nothing to do with the editorial missing the forest for the trees. To That gets us back to the ques- stance or practice of the television begin with, the arrest did not take tion the editors ignored. Who is a station. The arrest was due to a place for ‘critical reporting’. It is journalist? A doctor is a savior not case related to abetment to sui- hard to understand where the jour- because he works in a hospital or cide. It was based on a handwritt en nalistic function of reporting occurs clinic but because he lives by his note that the interior designer had in this episode. Second, the police oath. A person does not qualify left behind before he hung himself action should have been prompt. In to be a teacher because she deliv- (Republic TV owed him Rs 83 lakhs a criminal case, the journalist can- ers lectures to a group of students. and had not paid despite follow- not take recourse to his role as a There is more to a job than compas- ups). From all accounts, this was a defender of freedom of expression. sion and competence. A set of prac- serious charge, a criminal charge. He should be arrested forthwith. tices becomes a profession when Why should the sudden arrest He was not.The delay was unde- its practitioners are beholden to far in the early hours be extremely sirable. It happened, nevertheless. deeper and fundamental virtue: its

distressing? Should the police That the political situation changed values and ethics. Journalism is no announce the arrest in advance? dramatically in order for the arrest diff erent. < As witnessed on television, when to take place could be important, asked to accompany, the editor-in- but it is not germane to the merit chief protested. The police acted of the case. reasonably, at least initially, pre- A school of thought in journalism sumably because of the stature of states that the fi nal arbiters of editor the accused, but had to pull him performance and accountability are out forcefully. Will the police show the readers (EGI may not be, given the same patience or courtesy to an its limited mandate). In this case, ordinary, respectable citizen if he the editors had a choice. They could RIND Survey were accused of abett ing suicide? have come out into the open and It is noteworthy that the editors lent their voice to the daughter and asked the Maharashtra Chief Min- her mother who ran from pillar to ister to intervene and ensure that post for two years seeking justice. ‘state power is not used against Instead, they chose to express their Our Journals critical reporting’. It did not appeal professional solidarity with one of To read articles, to either the police or the courts. their owndespite recognising his plase visit It realised, quite reasonably, that foibles. the arrest was politically moti- When asked to ‘makes the recur- www.pressinstitute.in vated. After all, the Maharashtra rence of [past] mistakes less likely’,

26 VIDURA October-December 2020 In the hashtag era, do media channels really have to take sides? The crusading role of the media has been much commended. But at what point does the quest for justice tip over into being a witch-hunt? Manjira Majumdar explores the issue in relation to high-profi le murder/ suicide cases in the recent past, culminating with the Sushant Singh Rajput case

o one killed Sushant Singh Now, when a high-profi le sui- While media watchers argue that Rajput. Does that ring a cide or murder happens, the deci- certain issues need to be brought Nbell? No One Killed Jessica bel levels just keep gett ing louder, into the open, concerns like the Lal was the name of the fi lm that and developments take the shape drug mafi a and nepotism in Bolly- was based on an incident in Delhi of a primetime serial. Today we live wood as well as several inane issues in 1999. A young and beautiful bar- in the hashtag era. The suicide of have been brought in. The wicked tender, Jessica, was shot dead by Sushant Singh Rajput has shown us sibling of the electronic media – an inebriated Manu Sharma. What that it is no longer about the news social media – is taking it further, followed was an expression of the and reportage of related develop- with lewd pictures and comments convolutions of the Indian justice ments. It is all about taking sides of Bengali women doing black system. and about ‘infl uencers’. The media magic on men (incidentally Rhea is At that point many argued that is the Jury and the Referee. of mixed parentage), modern views had it not been for a vocal media, So while we have had channels and values being juxtaposed with justice would not have been meted such as The Republic and Times regressive ones. out. Because of the media, civil soci- Now who are almost represent- The script here is that an inno- ety was outraged. It held protest ing the Rajput family in #justice- cent, good looking young man meets and candlelight vigils across forsushant, some other channels who came from the backwaters of the country to keep up the relent- went with #justiceforrhea. They Bihar to make it in the Hindi fi lm less pressure for justice. India was are totally partisan in disseminat- industry, did reasonably well but just waking up to the concepts of ing news. The consumers are not was suffering from depression. television news in a liberalised era thinking. But what the public wants to hear where private channels were the The print media is taking a much is that he was corrupted by a loose main players. saner course. They are faithfully woman, who weakened him with Then another high-profi le mur- reporting the news and the sub- hard drugs and stole his money. der occurred, of 13-year-old Arushi sequent events. The op-ed pages Then she let the drug mafi a into Talwar, whose parents were a stopped carrying analyses and the his house and fi nished him! This is well-known dentist couple in the news shifted to the inside pages what we would love to believe. national capital. Opinion was within three weeks or so. But tel- Rhea may not be innocent, but divided among the public, the evision channels are going abso- she is also the victim of the system media and even among the CBI. lutely berserk. It is as if they are out that the electronic media thinks it Honour killing? Murder? No one to cleanse every malaise in society can set right. Well-known sociolo- knows for sure still! through this one incident. gists Shiv Viswanathan wrote in Illustrations: Angela Ferrao

October-December 2020 VIDURA 27 medication can be disastrous for coverage of the investigation and patients and result in them harming strongly condemned it for violat- themselves or others around them. ing the norms of journalistic con- There are both functional and non- duct. In a statement, it advised the functional mental patients. Money media not to conduct its own paral- and luxury do not mitigate the lel trial and narrate the story in a situation. And family members are way intended to induce the pub- often in denial. lic to believe in the complicity of The content has to sell. And person(s) indicted in the statement. names sell. But we need to worry, But who and what is this media because as Vikram Patel, Persh- today? As a nation, we are just looking Square Professor of Global ing to blame someone using caste, Health at Harvard Medical School, class, religion, gender as a peg for Photo: Internet writes, the Sushant Singh Rajput that blame. And the media is either Sushant Singh Rajput. case mirrors an ailing nation. “The creating that scenario or reflecting key ingredient is compassion, not it. It is a matter of time before all The Telegraph (September 18, 2020) only towards the people we love newsprint may become tabloids to about how passion (obviously of and consider our kin, but to genu- compete against their shriller coun- the right kind) and analysis have inely experience the same feelings terparts in the broadcast media. been thrown out by the media. towards the stranger, the other, the Media analysts agree that every- Writing about three recent devel- outsider; only then can we return thing that is wrong with the media opments, he sums up thus: “The in earnest to the unfinished task of is mirrored in the Sushant Sing third (tragedy) evolved as the cri- building our nation, united around Rajput case. sis in Bollywood inevitably envel- a common set of values and des- In the final analysis, it was not oped in hysteria. The three linked tiny.” (This article first appeared suicide, not homicide, not drugs, together show that India stands in the print edition of The Indian not mental health and definitely between Kafka and Alice. We now Express, on September 10 with the not heartbreak that killed SSR. It is

do not need an Arendt, or a Marx or title Suicide Prevention Day.). What The media which is ensuring that an Adorno but the surreal genius of could become a handle to deal with he does not rest in peace. < Ionesco to understand this.” India’s rising mental health prob- No one is discussing issues of lem has become a time to settle mental health which can grip any- political scores. one – from a beggar to a king. We The Press Council of India criti- need to understand that stopping cised the ‘media’ for some of its

India Today launches Malayalam web edition

India Today has announced the launch of its web edition in Malayalam - (Indiatoday.in/malayalam). With over 85 million digital visitors following the India Today Group stable, the digital Malayalam edition will open the group’s doors to 18 million internet active users in Kerala. This will be the second success regional offering from the India Today Group, closely following the notable AajTak – Bangla launch. Leveraging four decades of a strong brand legacy, the digital format will showcase exclusive regional content in politics, national, international and entertainment news for its discerning domestic and global visitors. The web edition unveiling comes at a time when the state elections are being planned in May 2021. With this launch, India Today plans to strengthen its regional footprint in Southern India by targeting Malayalee intelligentsia and people aged 18-40 years. India Today Group will combine the strength of

a strong editorial team in Kerala, delivering incisive and analytical reportage on many a socio-political situation on the ground, and a Malayalee perspective on all major events that India Today national news < team from around the country will bring to the table.

(Courtesy: exchange4media.com)

28 VIDURA October-December 2020 The sheer power of pictures Rightly has it been said that one picture is worth a thousand words. Sakuntala Narasimhan on how pictures convey a whole story, about the lot of the disadvantaged sections of society who cannot afford babysitters, and about mothers who are constrained to tie up their kids for safety

ne of the most heartrending small children, it must have been pictures in my collection is hell. That picture again, was worth Othat of a little boy, obvi- a thousand words of reportage. ously the child of some daily wage Another picture that made news earner, standing with his leg tied recently was of a child tugging at to a rope so that he cannot wander the cloth that was covering its dead far. His mother presumably was mother’s body on a railway plat- busy working and could not keep form. The child did not know, or an eye on the child; so he was teth- did not understand, that its mother ered like some animal. Poor child, was a dead. How pathetic. Where who would have probably loved to was the woman headed, what run around and enjoy himself. would happen to the boy now that During the initial days of the she was dead? lockdown in March-April, when In the first week of November, migrant daily wage earners lost on TV there was this image of a their earnings in the city and woman crying (she was a victim of A picture from The New Indian Express trudged several miles back to their an earthquake and was now home- shows a woman migrant with her two villages, the visuals on television less). While she was being inter- children. showing them walking along the viewed by a reporter, the toddler highway, was equally eloquent. on her hip kept staring at his moth- photographs. Remember the one of One I particularly remember, is of er’s face as she wiped her tears. the Vietnamese girl running naked, a young woman carrying an infant There was bewilderment written her clothes on fire, after being hit on her hip and holding the hand large on the child’s face – bewil- by napalm? That picture became of an older child. Was that toddler derment and curiosity; perhaps the globally known, thanks to the story going to walk hundreds of miles, child had never seen its mother cry- it told, of the trauma that ordinary with her? ing and shedding tears. The child Vietnamese were subject to, during She couldn’t possibly carry both had no idea of the tragedy that had the bombings by the US. children; what would she do? It befallen them. This was an image Remember the incident of George was bad enough for single adults that kept haunting me long after it Flyod, who had a police officer to manage, find water and food en had gone off the TV screen. kneel on his neck and choke him route, but for a woman with two Joy or sorrow, fear or amazement, to death? No amount of written every emotion can be conveyed descriptions would have had the much better through a photograph same devastating effect as that lit- than through words. When I was tle bit of incriminating video clip, working for a magazine, we did showing the officer kneeling on have a layout artist and an art direc- the black victim’s neck while he tor, but we were told that it costs lay prone on the ground. It made more money to include a photo- all arguments superfluous. In that graph, so we were discouraged sense, modern technology has from using too many pictures. This indeed facilitated the capturing

of incontrovertible evidence, as was much before the era of online < photos, but cost considerations, of clinching proof, through visuals. course, continue to dictate all decisions, not only in the use of photos

Photos: SN but in all areas of work. A picture from Deccan Herald has a Illustrations and cartoons as visu- child, tied with cloth. als help, but nothing like actual

October-December 2020 VIDURA 29 Deepening CR engagement in public interest journalism Despite a large media sector, India is ranked a low 140 in the World Press Freedom Index 2019; with a drop of two points from 138 in 2018. Against this less than satisfactory backdrop, the pace of community media’s growth has also been very slow and news continues to be banned on community radio, say Amarpreet Kaur Chawla and Venu Arora as they describe a successful partnership in strengthening grassroots journalism

n a country with 22 officially proliferation of what’s app chan- b) need for doing public interest recognised languages and a nel-based disinformation. investigative stories embedded Itotal of 1652 dialects spread Skilling and capacity building to with factual information, and over an area of 3.2 million square help CR reporters cater to the public c) the significance of research and kilometers, there are only 251 oper- interest matters in their community verification required for such ational community radio stations. is much needed in this changing stories. Many districts, towns, cities, tribal media landscape. In this context, belts, and underprivileged sections the work done by Ideosync Media The CR stations were selected of the community remain unrepre- Combine in partnership with UNES- based on their applications and sented by any media; additionally, CO’S IPDC Programme in 2019 their interest to take the learning there has been an unprecedented assumes significance. It strengthens forward in their communities. The growth of fake news, misinforma- grassroots journalism by training initiative was not just limited to a tion and disinformation. the community radio stations in series of training sessions but a ‘call It is critical that as standards for addressing critical public interest to action’ component was the most journalism fall across media sectors, matters of their communities and is important aspect. Radio reporters community radio reporters take on a critical step in strengthening the who participated in the trainings the mantle of reporting on critical community radio (CR) sector for developed radio reports on the issues from the ground and amplify responding to current media needs. most relevant issues of their com- the voices of the most marginal- As part of the Public Interest & munities following a structured, ized with Fact checked reporting. CR Initiative, 25 CR stations came ground based, and investigative In India, community radio train- together for a series of trainings on: procedure of developing a story ing programmes have not included starting from research to fact find- media literacy, fact-checking or a) understanding the role of ing, interview and verification. similar journalistic tenets. The need media in democracy with an Another important element of the for such training has arisen due to emphasis of where community initiative was bringing mainstream the current media situation and the media stands in the spectrum, media and community media on Photos: AKC CR advocates launching the Public Interest Reporting manual; and (right) a CR reporter interviewing a woman in Tamil Nadu.

30 VIDURA October-December 2020 CR reporters interviewing a woman on prevailing health ailments in their community in Maharashtra; and (right) Vasanthi Hariprakash addressing community radio reporters on public interest reporting.

one platform in order to initiate a RTE to the worrisome situation of developed for their station. A for- dialogue between the two, around manual scavenging, the commu- mal manual on How to produce collaboration and building a sup- nity radio reporters developed a public interest radio stories has port system for each other in doing total of 35 investigative stories in been developed. the stories that address the public their local dialects on the issues One of the most important find- concerns. The collaboration was to that they felt were critical and ings from this initiative was that further strengthen the role that the relevant for their communities. the community media needs to media plays in a citizen’s life. In addition to these high-quality be empowered in doing research- Given the overall slide in media radio reports which were produced based participative reporting in ethics in India, it is critical for both and broadcast over a period of six order to inform the people with mainstream and community media month; the reporters became a part of the right facts and facilitate com- to collaborate on broadcasting sto- the commune for facilitation support munity-level debate for matters

ries that reflect facts from the ground, in doing such public interest stories. that require public decision mak- provide visibility to the unheard and After the workshops, the reporting and bring national attention to< neglected voices and initiate a dia- ers felt more confident in taking up local issues. logue on an inclusive, independent such stories. Today, they are far and citizen-centric media. more conscious in what and how (Courtesy: CR News. The writers From public distribution sys- they report, because of the ethical are part of Ideosync Media Combine.) tem to caste discrimination, from reporting charter every reporter

Mathrubhumi.com is a winner

Mathrubhumi.com, the digital news platforms of Mathrubhumi group, was recently conferred with a bronze medal at South Asian Digital Media Awards 2020 jointly presented by WAN – IFRA – for Best Data Visualisation. The article titled, Lockdownil Pranayuviny Jeevanvechu, highlighted and explained the difference in air quality in different cities after the lockdown was implemented. The article was selected for illustrating the quality of air in various Indian cities using graphs. Speaking about the award, Ramachandran O.R., executive editor (Periodicals and Digital) Mathrubhumi said: “This award winning visualisation is on the unbelievable air quality changes that happened during lockdown period in India. It is based on the air quality data published by Central Pollution Control Board on their website. They took measurements of six air quality elements from 120 cities in India during the four stages of lockdown and compared it with the observed values of the same elements 30 days before lockdown. We analysed the entire data and took a subset of the data having measurements from cities of Kerala and selected cities outside Kerala and made a sun burst visualisation of this data. This visualisation reveals the rise in air

quality happened in the cities of Kerala during lockdown. This conveys a positive message to our readers about the reasons behind the rising air pollution of the state and the need of keeping it clean. The whole< package was the result of journalistic passion ignited with technology and team work”.

October-December 2020 VIDURA 31 VIEW FROM THE NORTHEAST A pandemic strikes heavy blows to the media

The Indian media lost many talented journalists to the novel coronavirus. Nava Thakuria takes a grim tally of the casualties and looks at the ground realities of the industry in the country as a whole with a special forcus on the Northeast

s the COVID-19 pandemic Jitendra Debbarma (46), a video photojournalist Rajiv Ketan, Mum- swept across India, thou- journalist from Tripura, who worked bai’s senior film-journalist Shyam Asands of journalists along for a Kakborok language cable chan- Sarma, Nellore scribe Narayanam with other media employees fell nel named Chini Khorang, lost Seshacharyulu, television reporter prey to the disease while they his battle against the coronavirus from Pune, Pandurang Raikar, played the role of corona-warriors recently. He leaves behind two minor Kanpur-based television journalist along with doctors, nurses, sanita- daughters and other relatives. Neelanshu Shukla, Patiala photo- tion workers, police personnel and Earlier in October, Mysuru-based journalist Jai Deep, Tirupati televi- other frontline personnel. Some journalist Pavan Hettur (35) who sion reporter Madhusudan Reddy of those who tested positive suc- worked for Kannada daily Praja- and video journalist M. Parthasara- cumbed to the disease. Casualties vani died after testing positive for thy all lost their lives to COVID-19. due to COVID-19 in the media COVID-19. Patna-based photo- The list of casualties includes industry have started piling up. journalist Krishna Mohan Sharma Prakash Deshmukh from Mum- India lost nearly 50 working jour- (63), who worked for The Times of bai, veteran journalist Ashok Churi nalists to the novel coronavirus and India and veteran cricket journal- from Palghar, television reporter related complications till the end ist and commentator Kishore Bhi- Ramanathan and news videogra- of October, a relatively high num- mani (81), also passed away due to pher E. Velmurugan from Chennai, ber in comparison with the indus- COVID-19. news presenter Davinder Pal Singh try’s worldwide casualty figures Senior journalist Arun Kumar from Chandigarh, television scribe of around 450. The coronavirus Verma (68) from Patna, who was Manoj Kumar from Hyderabad, casualties in the Indian newspaper associated with Prasar Bharti, Ash- print-journalist Pankaj Kulashres- industry, news channels and digi- wani Kapoor (70), who worked for tha from Agra and Odisha journal- tal news outlets can be attributed to Punjab Kesari, Manoj Binwal (55), ists Simanchal Panda, K Ch Ratnam the callous approach of editor-man- associated with Hindi newspaper and Priyadarshi Patnaik. agements towards scribes who had Prajatantra, Ami Adhar Nidar (50), Besides, the pandemic has to report on the pandemic from the who worked for Dainik Jagaran, crushed the mainstream media ground with pitifully poor safety Jammu-based scribe Anil Srivas- industry. Many print media owners measures. tava (68), associated with United have stopped publishing printed Kolkata-based photojournalist News of India, Jabalpur’s Har- newspapers and shifted to the Ronny Roy was the first scribe in ish Choubey (60), who worked digital space. Some managements India to lose the battle against the for popular Hindi newspaper have closed down their editions virus and Dhaneswar Rabha (35) Dainik Bhaskar, Rahul Dolare (49) in different localities, reduced the was the first journalist from the from Jabalpur, popular journalist- number of pages, cut salaries and Northeast to succumb. He died at actor Florent C. Pereira (67) from even laid off employees, including Guwahati Medical College Hospi- Chennai, Punjab’s Naresh Bajaj senior journalists, citing shrink- tal on 6 September. The next day, (57), associated with Sach Kahoon ing advertisement revenues, while Barak Valley’s senior journalist newspaper and Ravinder Kumar salaried editors put up little or no Ashim Dutta (65) passed away at (30) from Himachal Pradesh, who opposition. Silchar Medical College Hospital. worked for Dainik Jagran, all suc- When over a hundred journalists All India Radio’s Guwahati-based cumbed to the virus in September. in Guwahati turned COVID-19 pos- news presenter Golap Saikia (52) Earlier, Dhanbad’s journal- itive, the concerned newspapers, was another casualty. ist Sanjiv Sinha, Gorakhpur’s news channels and other media

32 VIDURA October-December 2020 Illustration: Arun Ramkumar

outlets tried to hide the informa- of Assam and others criticised the other sectors by name and through tion. Some infected media persons media outlets for selective report- photographs. < however made personal revelations ing, questioning the collective deci- on social media. Various organisa- sion to remain silent about their (The author is a Northeast India- tions, including the Journalists’ own employees’ health while iden- based media activist.) Forum Assam (JFA), Press Club tifying COVID-19 patients from

Editors Guild announces new executive committee

The Editors Guild of India has announced the formation of its new executive committee. The members include Vijay Naik, consulting editor (Delhi), Sakal Media Group; Prakash Dubey, group editor, Dainik Bhaskar; Sonia Singh, editorial director, NDTV; Raghav Bahl, editor-in-chief, The Quint; Naresh Fernandes, editor, Scroll; Jayant Mammen Mathew, executive editor, Malayala Manorama; Dilip Mandal, former managing editor, India Today; Prof MD Nalapat; Sankarshan Thakur, national affairs editor, The Telegraph; Shrenik Rao, editor- in-chief, Madras Courier; Shahid Siddiqui, chief editor, Nai Duniya; Amit Baruah, resident editor, The Hindu (Delhi); Ashutosh, founding editor, Satyahindi.com; Kumkum Chadha, Hindustan Times; Suresh Bafna, and

former resident editor, Nai Duniya (Delhi). Special invitees include John Dayal, consulting editor, Indian Currents, and Harish Khare, former editor-< in-chief The Tribune.

(Courtesy: exchange4media.com)

October-December 2020 VIDURA 33 GREAT INDIAN EDITORS A doyen who was progressive and had a literary flourish

Mutnuri (or Mutnoori, as mentioned in some places) Krishna Rao (or Krishnarao, as mentioned in some places), considered to be the doyen of Telugu journalism, served as the editor of Krishna Patrika for nearly four decades: from 1907 till his death in 1945. No one till now has served so long as the editor of a single newspaper in the Telugu press. Mrinal Chatterjee recalls his life and times

rishna Rao shaped the 1959) as a friend in college. Sitaram- criticised the policies of the British identity, tone and tenor ayya later rose as a noted freedom government and helped freedom Kof Telugu journalism. He fighter and political leader. movement by writing in favour of made his newspaper a weapon for Krishna Rao showed more inter- it in its views columns. the downtrodden, a tool for free- est in literature and spent more In the September 1, 1907 issue dom movement and also a vehi- time in writing articles during his of Krishna Patrika, Rao strongly cle for improving and spreading graduation. He returned to Ban- castigated the government for not Telugu language and literature. dar in 1903 without getting degree spending enough on the welfare of Krishna Rao was born on 1879 in certificate. Inspired by Vande the people. “The poverty of India a village called Mutnuru which was Mataram movement, he toured is due to remittance of enormous located in the Krishna District of the Bengal along with Bipin Chandra sums of money from the coun- erstwhile Madras Presidency, pres- Pal (7 November 1858 – 20 May try to England and other places. ently in coastal Andhra Pradesh. 1932), freedom fighter, orator and Though the British Government He lost his parents when he was a social activist, which gravitated has conferred certain benefits child. His paternal uncle took care him towards freedom struggle. upon the country, yet these ben- of him after he lost his parents. By then, his articles had made efits are not in commensurate with Krishna Rao completed his edu- him known in the literary and dis- the amount of revenue received by cation from a government school cerning readers’ circles. He joined the government. The government, at Bandar, also known as Machil- Krishna Patrika as an assistant edi- has no doubt, striven to promote ipatnam. He studied in Noble Col- tor and became editor of the news- education but the money spent on lege, Bandar. While he was student paper in 1907. it is insignificant when compared there, he came across Raghupathi Under his editorship, Krishna with that it expended on wars Venkataram Naidu, one of the lec- Patrika grew in quality, stature and and armies. The government has turers in the college. Krishna Rao circulation. In a short span of time provided the country with many was greatly influenced by the ide- it gave tough competition to the railways, but it is understood ology and lectures of Raghupathi then leading Telugu newspaper, that the construction of railways Venkataram Naidu. He became Andhra Patrika. It is rumoured that benefits only the English, while conscious of several social maladies the management of Andhra Patrika it has been a source of great loss afflicting the society. offered editorship to him with a fat to the Indians. The railways have As Naidu was associated with salary, but Krishna Rao refused to ruined agriculture and trade and the Brahmasamaj, Krishna Rao leave Krishna Patrika. deprived thousands of people of also attended many programmes Rao also did not succumb to the their means of subsistence. If, the organised by this reformist organi- pressure of political leaders of that government spends one-half of the zation. He was exposed to progres- time to turn the paper into an overtly money now spent on railways for sive thoughts and ideas, which had political newspaper, though he was irrigation purposes, famines will profound influence on him. supporting freedom struggle. He not be constantly recurring.” After his studies in Bandar, wanted the newspaper to dissemi- Krishna Rao also made Krishna Krishna Rao joined Madras Chris- nate news without any bias and Patrika a vehicle for improving tian College in the BA course. tilt, and with time, Krishna Patrika Telugu language and spreading He met Pattabhi Sitaramayya (24 became known for its unbiased Telugu literature. His newspaper November 1880 – 17 December news. However, as a newspaper it showed a literary flourish, which

34 VIDURA October-December 2020 Photos: MJ Mutnuri Krishna Rao and (right) the Krishna Patrika masthead.

for a long time became a template his relative was offering puja. After caused by abnormal fluid deposit for Telugu media. He also regu- the puja he came out and sprinkled in the stomach. He was only 48. < larly held literary discourses, which ‘holy water’ on Krishna Rao. Imme- became very popular in the Telugu diately Rao said, “My head looks (The author heads the Indian literary circle. He ran a Magazine like a ‘Shiv linga’ to him. That’s Institute of Mass Communication called Andhra Bharati for some time. why he sprinkled more water on in Dhenkanal, Odisha.This is the He was respected in media and me.” Everyone over there laughed. fourteenth in a series of profiles of literary circle and had a huge fan Krishna Rao was bald and he wore great Indian newspaper editors who following. a turban. have, through the course of their work However, Rao had a painful fam- When Krishna Rao fell seriously and career, made a signal contribution ily life. He had two daughters and ill, his friends admitted him in a to India’s Freedom Movement, to a son. The eldest daughter and hospital and informed his wife. the development of society and to the son passed away, and his second His wife started crying when development of Journalism.) daughter became a widow. Proba- she arrived. Rao reportedly told bly as a defense mechanism against here: “You have already started the waves of tragedy hitting him, he rehearsal? Wait, I have not gone had a sharp sense of humour. Here yet.” He found humour even when are two anecdotes: he was badly ill. One day Rao went to his relative’s Krishna Rao died on June 25, 1945. house as a guest. When he reached, The cause was ascites, a disease

Mathrubhumi stitches up an innovative marketing solution

The Mathrubhumi Group recently launched a very innovative consumer connect initiative, under its AdImpact program, for G-TEC Education, one of the world’s largest education network with 500+ from training centres in 15+ countries is an ISO certified organisation in the field of education in various segments including ICT, Academic programs, ITeS, Corporate trainings, Skilling and vocational trainings. G-TEC recently launched G-TEC Genius, a digital solution, that provide assistance to students from Pre- KG till +2, in a never before manner, offering multimedia content with video, audio and animations based on syllabus mapped for Sate/CBSE and ICSE boards. In addition to multi choice questions for each chapters and descriptive questions and answers, what makes this truly unique is the fact that one doesn’t need an Internet connection to study on the G-TEC Genius platform and the software is affordable and offers lifetime unlimited access to content. The subscribers can enjoy a special price of just Rs 3000 to 4000 for the software for a whole academic

year. There are special laptops available for those who do not have proper gadgets for learning. It also has built financing facilities for those in need through Bajaj Finserve. <

October-December 2020 VIDURA 35 An unforgettable, iconic film that is relevant even today

Do Bigha Zamin continues to impress, over six decades after it first captivated the public.Bharat Dogra analyses the undying qualities of a revolutionary film which captured harsh reality on the silver screen and will be long-remembered for its many facets – being compellingly realistic, thought-provoking, with passages of great lyrical beauty

ixty-seven years have passed effort together to create a cinematic Apni kahani chod ja... Kuch to nishani since Bimal Roy’s path-break- masterpiece. chod ja... Kaun janey ki is aur tu phir Sing film Do Bigha Zamin was Do Bigha Zamin was based on aaye na aaye (the earth is calling out, first released (in 1953). Yet, it is still a poem by Rabindranath Tagore leave behind at least some memory, watched with admiration and its but Salil, Paul and Hrishi all con- who knows whether you will return wider, long-term impact on real- tributed to taking it further for the here again or not). These simple istic Hindi cinema is getting more film. After seeing Vittorio de Sica’s lines come back to the viewer at and more recognition. all-time great neo-realist film Bicy- the end of the film, making an even Going back to the early post- cle Thieves (1948), Bimal Roy was deeper impact. Independence days, when there gripped with the notion of realistic Another song Hariyala savan dhol was idealism in the air, some cinema which captures the social bajata aaya (also sung by Manna remarkable film makers were able reality of our times. To his credit, he and Lata with a chorus) joyfully to assemble very talented per- imparted a distinctly Indian charac- captures the high spirits of a vil- sons committed to good cinema ter to neo-realism in the context of lage when it receives rain after a and social change. Bimal Roy was Indian rural and urban life. prolonged dry spell. certainly in the forefront of such Music made a very important Rural and urban reality are film-makers. A master of the art contribution to this, with truly equally important in Do Bigha of film-making and the cinema of memorable compositions by Salil Zamin. A village is hugely relieved social commitment himself, he was and lyrics by Shailendra. Decades to get abundant rain after years able to attract to his team of close have passed, but we still do not of drought. However, the joy is collaborators such masters of their have a more moving ode to the short-lived as the dominant person craft as Salil Chowdhury, Shailen- departing migrant worker than there wants to take over the land dra, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Kamal the song by Manna Dey and Lata for building a factory. To save his Bose, Paul Mahendra and Balraj Mangeshkar with the chorus in Do land, the main character of the film, Sahni. The entire team made a great Bigha Zamin – Dharti kahe pukar ke... a small farmer named Shambhu Mahto, played by Balraj Sahni, has to pay back his loans, inflated with very heavy interest rates, to the powerful person. To try to earn the required money, he leaves for Cal- cutta. Subsequently all his family members are caught in turmoil. The impact of the film and its strong social message against inequality and injustice are greatly enhanced by the unforgettable performance of Balraj Sahni. He trained for the role by spending a lot of time pulling a rickshaw on the roads of Calcutta. In real life, Balraj Sahni had just Photo: Internet returned from Europe and when Actors and characters that made Do Bigha Zamin the film it is. he was presented to Bimal Roy by

36 VIDURA October-December 2020 a common friend in Western attire, first film. For the five-minute role in villages; in fact, in the entire socio- Balraj looked too sophisticated for his film, Bimal Roy, who was other- economic structure. It is a special the rustic and tragic role in both wise working on a low budget, paid tribute to the film-maker and his rural and urban settings. However, him Rs 300, a princely sum in those team that the great lyrical quality of further discussion made Roy take a days. This surprised Jagdeep so the film seen in its song and dance chance on Balraj. This turned out to much that one day he summoned sequences — a beautiful achieve- be one of the wisest selections made the courage to go to the great man ment in itself — is not allowed to by Bimal Roy, already known for and ask him why he had paid him distract from the essential aim of his ability to recognise talent when so much for such a small role of a the film, but rather, contributes to he saw it. few laughs. the essential message. Similarly, Roy’s choice of young Bimal Roy told him categorically Another aspect which adds to the Shailendra as the lyricist for that he got the money because he deep impact of the film on Hindi the important film, when many deserved it. “Never underestimate realistic cinema is its very moving renowned song-writers were avail- yourself,” he said. “It is much more but also very realistic ending. Such able, surprised many, but Shailen- difficult to make people laugh than a film was destined to win awards dra not only lived up to the great to make them cry. You have this and so it did. It won the Interna- filmmaker’s expectations but even ability.” Jagdeep related decades tional Prize at the Cannes Film Fes- surpassed them in this and subse- later that these words continued tival and the Social Progress Award quent films. to give him courage in adverse at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival. In Balraj Sahni’s superb perfor- conditions. India, it received the Certificate of mance was very ably supported Meena Kumari too makes a Merit for the Best Feature Film. It by Nirupa Roy in the role of his short, seven-minute appearance in also won the Best Feature Film and

wife, and child-artist Master Rattan this film, but left lasting memories. Best Director prizes at the Filmfare who played his son. Even some of The sweet lullaby filmed on her is Awards. < the small roles in this film became probably still the most-hummed memorable – for example, the lori in Hindi-speaking regions— Aa (The writer is a senior freelance part played by Jagdeep as a joy- jaaree aa, nindiya tu aa (sung by Lata journalist and author who has ful shoe-shine boy, Laloo Ustad, Mangeshkar). been associated with several social who appears only for five minutes. While these relatively small movements and initiatives. Jagdeep went on to play many achievements certainly contrib- He lives in Delhi.) character roles and his recent death uted to the making of a truly great was widely reported in the media. film, the most defining aspect of Do Jagdeep was very poor as a child Bigha Zamin is that it is a compel- in real life and was paid only rupees ling statement against inequalities five for his two-minute role in his and injustice in cities as well as in

Mathrubhumi Group unveils a new campaign

Mathrubhumi has unveiled a new campaign talking about the media market realities in Kerala, which are not usually unearthed by clients and media agencies unless they probe further. The fact-based campaign talks about some realities which make the inclusion of Mathrubhumi daily in any print campaign for Kerala, a must: 38 lakh Mathrubhumi readers do not read the nearest competitor; 34 lakh Mathrubhumi readers do not read any other Malayalam newspaper Speaking about the campaign, M.V. Shreyams Kumar, MD, Mathrubhumi Group said: “Kerala is predominantly a print market. No advertiser looking at covering Kerala can just do that with one newspaper. We felt this campaign will be in the interest of media planners and clients whose focus will largely become bottom line in the new normal and therefore this will also help them take a re look at the media selection

process, which currently is perhaps happening based on the top line readership numbers. The campaign is already opening doors for us for interesting client conversations.” <

October-December 2020 VIDURA 37 Adyar, lovely Adyar Adyar. Mary Lutyens in her J. Krishnamurti biography called it the most beautiful place in the world. And why not? Even as recently as the 1980s, the temperature dropped noticeably as you crossed the Adyar Bridge towards Gandhinagar and the new nagars sprouting in south Madras. V. Ramnarayan captures the ambience of the area before “the Internet and cell phones tossed our lives upside down” and brings Theosophical Society alive

ou entered the Theosophi- avid collector of crime fiction was Finch, five-time BAFTA winner cal Society grounds on the a surprising discovery I made— and posthumously awarded an act- Yleft immediately after you from books he had donated to the ing Oscar, whom I had seen in Far crossed the Adyar Bridge, and library—at this quiet haven a hop From The Madding Crowd (1967) came face to face with a kind of skip and jump from the magnifi- was one of them. So was John Coats, verdant beauty you did not expect cent banyan tree in the campus. of the famous thread manufacturer in the heart of the city. The variety Suitably clad in kurta-pyjamas like JB Coats & Co, who succeeded Sri of the flora and fauna inside the the majority of the visitors to the Ram as president of the TS. TS, as it is popularly known, was library, most of them seekers of nir- Rukmini Devi resided in a sim- breathtaking, and the Adyar estu- vana in the hoary pages of ancient ple but gracious home inside the ary bordering it a birdwatcher’s wisdom it stacked, I was a shame- society until her death in 1986. The paradise. less impostor who devoured Leslie bare necessities—elegant cane fur- I was a regular visitor at the TS Charteris, Edgar Wallace and P.G. niture, oonjal (swing), mats—that during the late 1960s and early Wodehouse, occasionally gravitat- occupied her house were a living 1970s. As a reading (as against a ing to the likes of Sheridan, Shaw example of beauty and good taste borrowing) member, I spent whole and Somerset Maugham. in simplicity. days at the Adyar Library Research The annual convention that If my memory serves me right, Centre inside the society. The drew theosophists from around Jiddu Krishnamurti, estranged library is famous for its rich collec- the world was to the local inhab- from the organisation that had tion of rare manuscripts including itants a greater attraction than anointed him the world messiah, palm leaf manuscripts, but it also the city’s classical music festival entered the campus for the only had a whole lot of modern books, in December. For the boys and time since renouncing his lead- both fiction and non-fiction. girls of the area, mainly from the ership to visit the ailing grand That Jiddu Krishnamurti, the Besant Theosophical High School dame of Kalakshetra. Her ritual- world renowned savant, was an and Kalakshetra, it was a rare free funeral attended by scores of opportunity to mingle with visi- soft spoken mourners, the quiet tors of their age from abroad, and of that sad morning punctuated the occasional romance bloomed, by voluntary relays of bhajans even if extremely short-lived and chants set an example that and often hampered by parental marked the mourning of other supervision. Kalakshetra veterans like Sankara N. Sriram, who had succeeded Menon and S. Sarada in subse- Jinaraja Dasa as president of the quent years. TS, proffered the olive branch to the Visits to the TS also included some Kalakshetra Foundation, evicted unusual socialisation removed from the TS’s grounds and now from the standard calls one made flourishing at Tiruvanmiyur, and on friends and relatives. One port invited the institution to return of call during the 1970s and 80s was to its original home, but his sister the residence of Sundari Teacher or Rukmini Devi Arundale, Kalak- G. Sundari—a constant compan- shetra’s founder-president, politely ion and caretaker of Periya Sarada declined. Teacher in her last years—whose The TS was also home to a wide parents were Appa and Amma to variety of achievers from numer- my wife and me throughout that Photos: Internet ous fields of endeavour. The Aus- period, so loving and caring were Rukmini Devi. tralian-born English actor Peter they.

38 VIDURA October-December 2020 L-r: Theosophical Society, Adyar, in 1890; the main alley to the headquarters then; and the Theosophical Society Headquarters in more recent days.

Another dear old lady in the Library or Vasanta Vihar on Gre- Padmanabha Swamy, the deity campus was Norma Sastri, wife enways Road, where they were worshipped by the erstwhile of Yagneswara Sastri, a brother treated to the rarefied experience royal family of Travancore some of Rukmini Devi. Norma was an of listening to J. Krishnamurti of whose members took up resi- enthusiastis cyclist around the from their lazy perch on the lawn. dence in an area in Adyar once campus until old age forced her to Gandhinagar boasted two clubs known for its paddy fields. Go go in for an electric three-wheeler. then, the Gandhinagar Sports Club, further south from Besant Nagar, Her bungalow was perhaps the with arguably the most picturesque and you come across Valmiki last one inside the TS, and her cricket ground in the city on the Nagar—to the left of Tiruvanmi- balcony had a beautiful view of bank of the river Adyar, until liti- yur’s Marundeeswarar Temple the beach, especially on a moonlit gation put the ground under lock of Chola Empire vintage—which night. That is where I met Vishy, and key for decades together, to had its beginnings in the 1960s a brother of the Majarajkumar of be reopened only in the new mil- as a retirement destination of Vizianagaram and a lovely man, lennium. The other club, the once bureaucrats, lawyers and the like, who one day went swimming at modest Gandhinagar Club, has in now a bustling residential locality the Elliots Beach, never to return. the recent past grown exponen- of multi-storeyed apartments. Years later, eminent scientist C.V. tially in strength and facilities to Litterateurs, artists and political ‘Caesar’ Seshadri was to meet a become a sought after destination families—Kalki Krishnamurthi, similar fate. for the upwardly mobile. Adyar Lakshman, the Dhananjay- Adyar—the area south of the Little would anyone have imag- ans, Sivasankari, K. Kunjunni Raja Elphinstone Bridge—had that ined when Gandhinagar came into and Lakshmi Devdas Gandhi, for kind of effect on people before the being in the 1940s that it would example—have been long time Internet and cell phones tossed one day spawn a whole host of Adyar residents, but one perhaps our lives upside down, by forg- ‘nagars’ named after political little known piece of trivia is that ing relationships untouched by leaders, some of them genuinely the localities there could easily technology or commerce, when tall figures from India’s freedom produce a cricket team right up teachers and students and other struggle—Nehru Nagar, Kasturba to the 1990s. S Venkataraghavan, members of a holistic artistic Nagar, Kamaraj Nagar, Bhaktha- T.A. Sekar, W.V. Raman, K. Srikkanth, community cycled everywhere in vatsalam Nagar. S. Vasudevan, V. Sivaramakrishnan, their cotton kurtas and saris. Their The eminent theosophist Annie Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan, Sunil destination could be Kalakshetra, Besant was a rather late recipient Subramanian, Robin Singh, M.O. the TS, the UV Swaminatha Iyer of a ‘nagar’ honour—as late as the Srinivasan, M.O. Parthasarathi … 1970s. ‘Bessie’ Beach is today a hap- the list was long and impressive

pening place far removed from the at one time. That would be a story quiet Elliots Beach of yore of Kaj for another day. < Schmidt Memorial fame. To reach the beach, you must cross Muthu- (The writer is a senior sports lakshmi Reddi’s Avvai Home, The journalist who has more than a School KFI, and the Olcott Memo- passing interest in heritage and the rial School, all part of Adyar’s arts. He is the editor of Sruti.) intriguing history. Later came Padmanabha Nagar, A training session on at Kalakshtra. presumably a tribute to Ananta

October-December 2020 VIDURA 39 The magic of Rajasthan comes alive once more A working trip to Rajasthan, steeped in the music and the hospitality of the Mirasis, revives in Madhura Dutta childhood memories and reinforces an undying fascination for Rajasthan rooted in Satyajit Ray’s iconic movie Sonar Kella. She says her fondness for Rajasthan would have remained incomplete had she not known about these rural musicians and warm people

he most clichéd, yet famous, the eponymous railway station and goddesses, pir-fakirs, Sufiyana association that Benga- located close to this temple played kalams, bhajans and qawwalis. The Tlis have with Rajasthan is in Sonar Kella.The rural musicians Manganiyars’ iconic string instru- through Satyajit Ray’s movie Sonar we work with belong to the Mirasi ment is the kamaicha while the Kella, shot on location in Rajasthan, Muslim community and comprise Langas play the sindhi sarangi and particularly in Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Langas, Manganiyars and Mirs. surnai. Other indigenous instru- Jaisalmer. Travel buffs from all over Their music has long been known ments they play include the khartal, India, especially Bengal, developed to the world at large as they have morchang and algoza. As my assign- a special interest in Jaisalmer and been performing with famous clas- ment with banglanatak dot com its fort after watching the movie. sical music maestros as well as for is associated with the revival and For me, the romanticism of Raj- Bollywood. revitalisation of the living heritage asthan’s forts, havelis and palaces, However, when I visited the area, of India, a domain they specialise stories of kings and warriors, and I realised that except for a very few, in, my visit was to learn about these love stories of the royals have been these musicians are hardly known musicians and document informa- made sweeter and richer by the outside their villages, or recognised tion on their music. historical fiction by Bengali writers as individual artistes. They have Our first field stop was Barnawa like Abanindranath Tagore and of themselves kept their tradition alive Jageer, a village on the edge of the course Ray himself. Rajasthan was for generations, believing that music Barmer Desert, and home to more even more interesting to me owing is fundamental to their ‘being’. than 200 Langa musicians. What to my maternal roots in Bikaner, Music has been their traditional was truly amazing was their hos- which I visited as a child. My livelihood for generations, as they pitality and warmth, entwined memories of historic architecture, originally sang for their jajmans with their music and songs. Dur- deserts and camel rides, flocks of (patrons) in return for money and ing the day, other than interacting peacocks, and the pebbled lanes of gifts. A distinctive feature of this with these artistes and their fami- Jaisalmer city full of quaint shops relationship between jajmans and lies, I also got the opportunity to remained fresh. Mirasis that continues till date is enjoy a quick musical collabora- It was naturally exciting for me the latter’s role as oral genealogists tion between my co-workers from to return to Rajasthan for work for the jajmani families. Some of Kolkata and the local young tal- many years later, in 2006, though them are even serving the 14th or ent, leading to two 30-minute per- I found that the places I had seen 15th generation of their jajmans. formances featuring a wide range in my younger days had drastically With changing times and con- of local traditional instruments. changed. I recently visited the state text, the jajmani system and their The distinctive sounds of khartal, again on work – this time, western customs became less elaborate and morchang, dhol, sarangi, been, algoza Rajasthan, known for its desert luxurious, leading to a decline in and matka melded with contrast- landscapes and communities. My the singing of many old songs and ing vocal styles, creating a magical work took me to folk musicians, ballads. Simultaneously, some of experience. triggering memories of the sounds these musicians stepped out of their After a fulfilling stay at Barnawa of the quintessential kamaicha and villages to perform in more com- Jageer, we headed towards Jais- khartal used by Ray in Sonar Kella mercial public setups, and ended almer, making a halt at Sheo – a as early as 1974. up travelling the world, becoming hub of Manganiyar musicians. I also got to see the temple of recognized by the global music The artistes of that area had Ramdevra, a powerful local deity community. gathered to meet us at a music of Jaisalmer, significant to me The musicians sing about differ- resource centre, each resplendent because of the important role that ent rites of passage, folklore, gods in unique turbans and ornaments.

40 VIDURA October-December 2020 Photos: MD Clockwise from bott om left: Young talents at Barnawa Jageer playing sarangi, kamaicha, khartal, and (l-r) Sikander Khan, Bhungra Khan and Latif Khan; gurus of Langa and Manganiyar music at Barna workshop, and (l-r) Meherddin Langa, Nure Khan, Kader Khan; legendary musician Bade Gazi Khan performing at Sheo; a music collaboration at Barnawa Jageer; an evening in Barna; and the local landscape on the way to Sheo.

I was specially struck by their Desert. Over the next few days, we and nephew of the late folk artistes exceptional humility. worked at a resource centre, and Ramjan Hamu Khan and Saddik Over many cups of tea, we lis- enjoyed evening jamborees of free- Khan who had performed at Ram- tened to their stories, challenges fl owing soulful music and addas devra Station in Sonar Kella. We and dreams of their dying tradi- (gossip) under the moon in a clear were thrilled to listen to their child- tions fl ourishing, along with beau- sky. My work there involved inter- hood memories of Ray’s visit to tiful music from their kamaicha, been acting with acclaimed artistes and their village, where the scene was and khartal. World-famous singer award winners of the Langa and actually shot. Bade Gazi Khan sang two of his Manganiyar communities, docu- Innumerable folk tales about local famous numbers in his usual style, menting diff erent social, economic deities, heaven and earth, gods and matching actions and expressions and cultural aspects and the evolu- demons, heroes and romantic love to the lyrics and maintaining hyp- tion of their musical heritage. added to the opulent folk heritage. notic eye contact with his audience, It was an engrossing experience, These talented people say their making it a brilliant theatrical ren- and we were stunned by their music gives them the strength and dition. I had never seen anything huge repertoire and the diver- encouragement to not lose hope in like that before. sity of songs, passed down only these diffi cult times. They worship We reached Barna, a small vil- through oral transmission. Among their music, which gives them col- lage in the middle of the Jaisalmer the artistes we met were the son lective power, strength and faith to

fi ght hardship on one hand, and derive immense joy from living on< the other.

(The writer, based in Delhi, is a professional in the development sector. Presently, she is director overseeing international collaboration and research initiatives at banglanatak dot com.)

The Khuri desert landscape, and (right) Barna Village at night.

October-December 2020 VIDURA 41 Of mythology and tradition in dance, and of Silappathikaram

The tradition of dance in India dates back thousands of years. Everything about the classical forms was codified in minutest detail. Meenakshi Devaraj takes us through a portion of the ancient Tamil epic, Silappathikaram, which records some of the details

halaikol’ was the biggest arrived in Lord Indira’s court. He become a Thalaikol (bamboo staff) title that was conferred was welcomed by a dance per- and Urvasi to be born as a dancing ‘Ton dancers during early formance by the celestial maiden girl on Earth. Chola days.Though a few inscrip- Urvasi. During the performance, From then on, Jayantha took the tions mention this title, detailed Indira’s son Jayantha and Urvasi form of a Thalaikol, which infuses information on it can be found in fell in love with each other.Urvasi harmony in music and dance. The the Tamil epic, Silappathikaram. missed astep due to this emotional early Chola tradition of conferring There is a legend about this es- disturbance, which upset Sage the title ‘Thalaikol’ to outstanding teemed dance award – SageAgasthya Agasthya. He cursed Jayantha to dancers is based on this story. When a famous Chola king wins a battle, he would cut off the bamboo staff of the royal umbrella in the defeated king’s throne and, after it was cleaned, it would be encased in gold and studded with precious gems. This decorated piece was referred to as ‘Thalaikol’and worshipped as Jayantha in the victorious king’s palace. On an auspicious day, the Thalaikol would be garlanded and washed with water from the sacred rivers stored in gold containers. It would then be given to a richly caparisoned elephant amidst loud cheers. The elephant would walk in procession through the roads, to the accompaniment of instrumental music, and would finally hand over theThalaikol to a poet who would keep it on public view. It was this Thalaikol which was presented to dancers in recognition of an excellent debut. To gain the title of ‘Thalaikol’ was not easy. In order to achieve it, Madhavi, one of the main characters in Silapathikaram, who came from an artistic lineage, started learning dance from the age of five under a team of qualified gurus. Her dance master was well versed Photo: MD in Aga and Pura Koothu, which The writer’s pencil sketch of a dancing girl. were the major divisions of dance

42 VIDURA October-December 2020 in those days. Her tutor was also Mountain bamboos with one-span songs called vara padal, followed an expert in harmonising different intervals between the nodes were to by instrumental music. Madhavi kinds of dances and hand gestures. be chosen. They were to be cut in then started her performance. She The teacher who taught her lengths measuring about 24 thumb presented items such as desi koothu music was knowledgeable in vari- breadths of an average man. The and margakoothu. ous musical instruments and well- dance stage had to be eight rods in Well pleased with her perfor- read on the subject. Composers had length, seven rods in breadth and mance, the Chola king conferred to be aware of the rules of various one rod in height. Pillars had to be the ‘Thalaikol’ title on her. She was dance forms.They had to be capa- laid in all the four corners with a also gifted a thousand kazhanju of ble of putting appropriate words plank placed above them. gold, the stipulated gift amount to to the tune. Madhavi was blessed The stage had to have an entry be given to a Thalaikoli. to have an excellent Tamil teacher and an exit. Lighting had to be pro- This detailed explanation of the who could compose songs for her vided in such a way as to prevent Thalaikol award and dance train- dance, meeting all these require- the pillars casting shadows on the ing in the Aranketrukathai portion ments. Her mridangam tutor had floor. Various types of screens and of Silappathikaram stands as written a clear knowledge of dance, music decorations were also specified in proof of the rich ancient dance sys-

and Tamil. The flute andyazh tutors the books. Seats for the king and tem that existed over 2000 years ago were also well-qualified. After other members of the audience in India. < learning under this team for seven were to be made according to their years, Madhavi was ready to give hierarchy. Places were allotted for (The writer, a software engineer, her debut performance before the musicians. is interested in history and Tamil Chola king at the age of twelve. As per custom, Madhavi put her culture and has researched on Tamil Even today, a debut stage perfor- right foot on the stage first, and Sangam Literature, Chennai history mance takes a lot of planning. But then walked to the pillar on the and temples.) in those days, there were clear rules right, while experienced dancers for every step, including selecting stood near the left pillar. The per- the site for setting up the stage. formance began with devotional

Mathrubhumi collaborates with Kerala Government for webinar series

Mathrubhumi initiated a future gateway webinar series for Keralites in association with Kerala Government ODEPC (Overseas Development and Employment Promotion Consultants). The webinar series targeted job series abroad and was held as Facebook Live on mathrubhumi.com. It was a webinar series for Malayalee’s seeking jobs abroad, creating awareness about opportunities, certification needs, qualifications like IELTS, OET, and thus ensuring smooth migration. The webinars included various interesting and relevant topics such as employment perspective-placement & opportunities ahead, smooth migration role of ODEPC, English language – its Importance & Opportunities, Migration for Job State GovtSupport. The webinar sessions included high ranking government officials and industry experts as speakers. Speaking about the webinars, Sudeep Kumar, cluster head, Mathrubhumi Group, said “Mathrubhumi is glad to have associated with ODEPC in such crucial times where job-seekers are in real need of some significant support and guidance. It’s a great initiative from ODEPC to reach out to the public through a media campaign. The viewer engagement received and the success of all the four webinars is inspiring us to explore more such partnerships with active government bodies and we are certain our brand will also add credibility to the message that our partner wants to share with the public. “ Said N. Sasidharan Nair, chairman, ODEPC, “Overseas Development and Employment Promotion Consultants (ODEPC) started an initiative with Mathrubhumi with an aim to support maximum job seekers from Kerala who are aspiring for an opportunity in Abroad. It intended to create awareness about smooth

hassle free migration through ODEPC. The team had also aimed at identifying more employers across globe. We are extremely impressed to see the response from viewers. The speakers chosen are associated < with the same field and they have contributed immensely from their experience.”

October-December 2020 VIDURA 43 A long and arduous journey – where will it lead to? How do the leaves with which you make your cup of tea reach you? The journey is long and winding. Starting from the steep tea estates of Munnar and Darjeeling, the jagged history of the tea plucker (women mostly) is as rigid as the lines of tea bushes the worker plucks, says Angela Ferrao. Toiling in the plantation 12 hours a day, the worker is given a home as long as she works. She tries to move out of the cycle of work by educating her children, but if she leaves, she will lose her home. So, what does the next generation do? Fall in line and continue the cycle of exploitation? Ferrao’s fascinating storyboard is inspired by Prabhakar Tamilarasu’s article on The Federal website titled, ‘The no-land’s men in Munnar’s tea estates’. Illustrations: Angela Ferrao

44 VIDURA October-December 2020 October-December 2020 VIDURA 45 SPORT IPL – what about the ads, who checks or monitors? Children are cute, so admen use them to draw attention to the product and promote sales, even for items like refrigerators and real estate. Sakuntala Narasimhan remembers an ad for an antiseptic that used a funny cartoon. She knows a child of six who found the ad so hilarious and diverting that while visiting a supermarket with his mother, the boy insisted she had to buy that brand, and threw an unholy tantrum at the cash counter. Promotion? You bet. But ethical? She is not so sure nother sixer. Then a bound- There are two players, Russell and his young son upside down, dips ary for four runs. Then yet Hetmyer, who sport very intriguing his hair in a tin of paint, and uses Aanother lofted six, lifting hairstyles — black on the scalp, but a the boy’s hair as a brush, rubbing it the ball clean off the grounds with bleached white, cap-like mop of hair along the ceiling wall. This is an ad a mighty smash. My cricket-mad on top… and one with what looks for paint, but dipping a child’s head son watches every stroke, with like a ‘kudumi’ (tuft of hair tied up at in paint and using it as a brush? obsessive interest, every evening, the back). Fun to watch. But it is the We have an Advertising Standards till almost midnight. I sit with him ads in between that hold my interest. Council of India (ASCI), which has and watch the IPL matches on TV, There is one showing a man paint- guidelines on what is acceptable and for want of anything better to do. ing his walls and ceiling. He holds what isn’t. Use of children in ads for Illustration: Arun Ramkumar

46 VIDURA October-December 2020 products not meant for children is to be promoted, how come there There are several ads for mobile expressly forbidden. Besides, dip- are ads for the product? phones, but why feature children ping a boy’s head in paint and using I have seen pan masala ads even in them? They are not products it as a brush? How crass can one get, on government buses. Just because meant for children. The ads include even if it is meant to be funny? Does it brings in revenue, do we accept cute kids, for drawing attention of anyone monitor, is any action taken? ads for products that ought not to prospective buyers. Unethical? I Does anyone among the thousands be promoted? After years of lobby- think so. of TV viewers bother to complain? ing, consumer activists and health One ad that really stumps me, Does everybody even know about professionals managed to get ads shows a man and a woman licking the ASCI and how to contact it, does for cigarettes banned. Before the (honestly, no kidding) a donkey’s anyone send an objection to the ad? ban, cigarette companies used back, in the middle of an office with Children are used in many ads to promote their deadly product cubicles. What this is purported to for products not meant for kids. through the distribution of free represent, God only knows. It is dis- There is one ad for a logistics com- T-shirts outside college gates. gusting and in poor taste, and sends pany (delivering parcels) that fea- Once addiction sets in among ado- wrong signals to youngsters watch- tures children. One ad that comes lescents, the habit becomes impos- ing it. It has nothing to do with ani- on regularly during the cricket sible to give up and the damage is mal rights, or donkeys. Meant to be telecast, is for pan masala, a prod- done, snuffing out thousands of lives funny? How can licking an animal’s

uct that is classified as ‘injurious to per year. Pan masala is also similarly fur be funny? Disgusting. health’. If the government is aware addictive. Ads continue to be shown, And so it goes. < that pan masala is harmful and not regardless. Who checks or monitors?

MIB seeks compliance of policy on FDI in digital media

The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued a public notice to facilitate eligible entities involved in uploading/streaming of news and current affairs through digital media, to comply with the decision of Union Government on 18th September 2019, which had permitted 26 per cent FDI under government approval route. In a public notice, available on its website, the Ministry has laid out the detailed actions to be undertaken by eligible entities to comply with this decision, within a month. Under the notice:

(i) Entities having foreign investment below 26 per cent may furnish an intimation to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting within one month from today giving the following:- (a) Details of the company / entity and its shareholding pattern along with the names and addresses of its Directors / shareholders; (b) The names and address of Promoters/Significant Beneficial Owners; (c) A confirmation with regard to compliance with pricing, documentation and reporting requirements under the FDI Policy, Foreign Exchange Management (Non-debt Instruments) Rules, 2019 and Foreign Exchange Management (Mode of Payment and Reporting of Non-debt Instruments) Regulations, 2019 along with copies of relevant reporting forms in support of the past/existing foreign investment and downstream investment(s), if any, and (d) Permanent Account Number and the latest audited / unaudited Profit and Loss Statement and Balance Sheet along with the Auditor report. (ii) Entities which, at present, have an equity structure with foreign investment exceeding 26 per cent would give similar details as at (i) above to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting within one month from today, and to take necessary steps for bringing down the foreign investment to 26 per cent by 15th October, 2021 and seek approval of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. (iii) Any entity which intends to bring fresh foreign investment in the country has to seek prior approval of the Central Government, through the Foreign Investment Facilitation Portal of DPIIT, as per the requirements of (a) FDI Policy of Government of India and DPIIT Press Note No. 4 of 2019 (dated 18.9.2019) in this regard and (b) Foreign Exchange Management (Non-debt Instruments)(Amendment) Rules, 2019 vide

Notification dated 5.12.2019. (iv) Every entity has to comply with the requirements of citizenship of Board of Directors and of the Chief < Executive Officers (by whatever name called).

(Courtesy: exchange4media.com)

October-December 2020 VIDURA 47 SPORT Selectors are always the whipping boys

In India, there are no half measures when it comes to praise or criticism. When the cricketers are triumphant they are taken in a grand procession and feted with cash awards and handsome gifts. When the team loses their effigies are burnt and stones are thrown at their houses.Partab Ramchand cites specific examples to explain

here is one set of people only criticism. So I just developed being ‘rushed’? Does his fitness associated with the game a thick hide and now the adverse level come up to international stan- Tof cricket, who never get comments don’t really bother me,” dards? There are so many aspects to any praise and are only criticised. he said. Selectors and thick skins be considered. Oh yes, selectors have a thankless have necessarily to go together. In selection matters, predict- task. They obviously cannot please Let us spare a thought for ‘the ably enough, most of the players everyone and are sitting ducks for five wise men’ as the selectors are choose themselves. It is the border- potshots. It is always easier to criti- so often tauntingly called. After line cases – generally two or three cise than to praise and, these days, it all, they can select only a certain – that cause problems, heartaches appears more fashionable too. After number of players and this is out and controversies. This is where the all, every cricket fan is an expert of a number of suitable candidates, arguments and harsh and unfair when it comes to picking a team, so especially now when there is a comments start. And the critics’ selector bashing is pretty common. problem of plenty and there are viewpoints are so one-sided that The selectors are aware that three formats. They have to judge frequently one finds little sympa- they are in a no-win situation. A the player’s class, technique and thy for them. For example many few years ago, former Indian pace international record. They have to of them contend that this player bowler T.A. Sekhar, then on the keep a fine line in deciding between or that should be in the team. The selection committee, told me that a player’s stats and the class he ideal follow-up would be to men- he was well aware of what awaited exhibits. And what of his fielding, tion who they should come in for. him when he was nominated for so very important in the limited Without the complete picture, their the post. “I knew there would be overs version. Is he too old? Is he argument has no substance and it Photos: Internet The relatively unknown 20-year-old Bedi was picked by the selectors, as were (on right) teenagers Chandrasekhar and Venkatraghavan.

48 VIDURA October-December 2020 The reins of captaincy were given to the Nawab of Pataudi, then 20, to lead the Board President’s XI side against the visiting MCC in 1961, and (right) 19-year-old Dilip Vengsarkar was taken into the national squad on the basis of one dashing century against Bedi and Prasanna in an Irani Trophy game.

is just nitpicking. Criticising just for the selector who boldly gave the but they are taken apart for their the sake of criticising is something reigns of captaincy to the young mistakes. < not to be considered seriously. Nawab of Pataudi, then all of 20 Do selectors ever receive praise? years of age, to lead the Board (The writer is a veteran sports Oh, I suppose so in a grudging sort President’s XI side against the vis- writer who spent his career working of way. But they are more remem- iting MCC in 1961? for The Indian Express and The bered for their foibles rather than Does anyone recall the chair- Telegraph and Sportsworld.) any bold choices or hunches that men of the selection committ ees come off . Does anyone remember who picked the two most success- the selector who pushed 19-year-old ful one-day teams in Indian cricket Dilip Vengsarkar into the national history – the 1983 World Cup and www.pressinstitute.in squad on the basis of one dashing the 1985 World Championship of century against Bedi and Prasanna Cricket? Does anyone remember in the Irani Trophy game in 1975? the fi ve wise men – and I mean Does anyone remember the selector this in a complimentary way – who who had the foresight to pick the picked the Indian team for the 1971 relatively unknown Bedi, then only tours of West Indies and England, 20, on the basis of one good perfor- tours that marked a turning point mance for the Board President’s XI in Indian cricket? against West Indies in 1966? Who was the chairman of the It was under the chairmanship selection committ ee when Sachin of this much-maligned selector Tendulkar was given his big break that Chandrasekhar and Venka- at the age of 16 in 1989? Indian traghavan, too, were fi rst given cricket has had examples of such their India caps when they were inspired selections. Unfortunately, still teenagers. Does anyone recall these are hardly remembered,

October-December 2020 VIDURA 49 Book Review

Have we tossed away on to the trash heap his teachings?

Ghana, like no other leader did. In fact, the United Nations’ Environmental Programme has adopted as its slogan, the Gandhian maxim, “The world has enough to provide for every man’s needs, but not for every man’s greed.” That showed Gandhi’s awareness of ecology and environmental concerns, two whole generations before these concepts became ‘fashionable’. What the M

50 VIDURA October-December 2020 Book Review

away on to the trash heap, his teachings and moral twofold and that of ‘tainted’ MPs (with criminal cases guidelines, though we refer to him as the Father of the against them) has more than doubled. Nation? He said, in Young India, in 1931, “Swaraj is the What has our polity been reduced to? Why have we rule of all the people (not just Hindus).” come to such a sorry pass, in a country that gave birth to A week before he was assassinated, he declared, “It the apostle of truth and peace? If mass movements were would spell the ruin of both the Hindu religion and what Gandhi advocated, what are we, the billion-plus the majority community if the latt er, in the intoxica- citizens of the country, doing in terms of raising our tion of power, entertains the belief that it can crush voices against injustice, avarice and criminality? What the minority community and establish a purely Hindu about the common man’s duty to uphold moral dimen- rashtra…” sions and probity in public as well as personal lives?

Are we heeding this warning that the Mahatma spelt The book ends with a collection of quotes from dif- out over seven decades ago? As this book notes, the ferent scriptures and religious texts. < number of ‘crorepatis’ (millionaires and billionaires) among MPs (members of Parliament) has jumped (Reviewed by Sakuntala Narasimhan.)

A timely cricket book that celebrates character was after all fi lled with acts of raw physical courage at the very least, and at its best with great sportsmanship and eclectic heroism. Belonging to Karnataka, he did not need to look far to fi nd examples of men of steel: in Anil Kumble and Rahul Dravid, he found excellent examples of both physical and moral courage. Its unusual title att racted me to this book, though I was mildly sceptical about the prospect of its rising above being a racy thriller. A boring tome was the last thing I expected from Vedam Jaishankar but not a siz- zler either on the lines of the opportunistic literature on match-fi xing that abounds, especially post Hansiegate. Courage, Coviction, Controvery and Cricket has been designed in such a way that you can start reading it at any of its chapters in any order. Each of them has a story to tell, but all of them are interlinked in a cause- and-eff ect network. As Jaishankar claims, each of the controversies he relates has led to signifi cant transformations in the game — its rules, its protocols, its infrastructure or bett er player remuneration — the basis on COURAGE, CONVICTION, CONTROVERSY which he selected the forty or so instances of courage, AND CRICKET conviction or controversy he picked out of the hundreds Author: Vedam Jaishankar of matches he researched in the process of writing it. Publisher: Westland Sport The book opens with one of the oldest controversies Price: Paperback Rs 551; Kindle Rs 499 in the history of the game: the 1932-33 bodyline series masterminded by the English captain Douglas Jardine The author of this eminently readable book confesses with the singular objective of countering Donald Brad- that he overcame his initial impulse to focus entirely man, the world’s greatest batsman whose monumental on controversies surrounding the game because he appetite and capacity for runs made his team invincible felt the reading would become monotonous if there no matt er how hard England tried to defeat it. were no stories of guts and glory, if core beliefs did India can take some collateral blame for the vicious not transcend the demands of expediency. Cricket leg theory that Larwood, Voce and Co unleashed at

October-December 2020 VIDURA 51 Book Review

the Aussies, as their supreme commander Jardine was all receive the att ention they deserve. The last two born in Bombay. It is equally a matt er of pride for her ugly incidents rarely get talked about, and Jaishankar that the Nawab of Pataudi Sr — the only Test player to deserves special mention for highlighting them. represent both England and India — refused to partici- The section on courage is the elevating part of the pate in bodyline and paid the ultimate price of being book. Two of the most romantic fi gures in Indian dropped for his act of conscientious objection. cricket — B.S. Chandrasekhar, who, with his polio- Cricket relations between England and Australia affl icted arm won India Test matches in three conti- were at grave risk and the tour was almost abandoned nents, and his fi rst Test captain Tiger Pataudi, who midway but pragmatism won the day with Australia played all his international cricket after being blinded retracting its charges of unsportsmanlike conduct by in one eye in a car accident, were both the epitome of its opponent. The laws of cricket were subsequently courage and determination. Was it a coincidence that amended to ban the placing of more than two fi elders Chandra entered Test cricket within a year of playing behind the crease on the leg side. for Mysore Juniors when Tiger was leading India? One example of courage and conviction in the book Would any other captain have placed his faith in an is the story of Bishan Bedi’s closure of the Indian sec- 18-year old lad with a serious disability? ond innings in the Sabina Park Test in 1976 to pro- A 16-year old Sachin Tendulkar batt ing on against tect his tailenders from serious injury from some of the menacing pace of Pakistan after having his nose the most hostile bodyline in the history of the game. bloodied by debutant Waqar Younis, Malcolm Mar- Though not a direct outcome of this brave decision shall batt ing and bowling West Indies to victory with which resulted in ridicule and abuse being hurled at one arm after fracturing the other, Rick McCosker’s Bedi, the limitation in the number of bouncers in an bravery after a broken jaw in the Centenary Test in over in both Test and what is today called white ball Melbourne, and Anil Kumble’s heroic act of bowling cricket was a long term consequence. with a smashed jaw are among the acts of courage The book allots considerable space, and rightly described with empathy and in facile language. so, to the infamous Idris Beg assault incident when Two Indian captains come in for high praise for their MCC skipper Donald Carr and his rowdy teammates courage in their conviction — G.R. Viswanath who abducted and humiliated the Pakistani umpire dur- withdrew an appeal against English wicket keeper Bob ing a Lahore Test match and tried to pass it off as a Taylor after he was wrongly given out in the Jubilee harmless prank. This obscene act that stank of racist Test at Bombay, and Rahul Dravid who declared with contempt did not result in any punishment of Carr and Sachin Tendulkar unbeaten on 194 in a Test in Paki- his boys, but actually earned the captain a bonus when stan. Neither of them regrett ed his decision ever. Each the team returned to England. was absolutely convinced he had done the right thing. Incredibly, Carr, no more than an average cricketer, Viswanath went on to lose the match but it made no became president of the Test & County Cricket Board diff erence to him; he believes to this day that he could in 1976 and was even awarded an OBE. Long years not live with his participating in a dismissal knowing later, fracas became an ugly spat between England it was a wrong decision. Rahul Dravid’s declaration captain Mike Gatt ing and another Pakistani umpire, seemed in hindsight to have been hasty as India went Shakoor Rana, and again, Gatt ing got away lightly. on to win the Test with plenty of time to spare, but Though this episode led to a Pakistan cricket offi - when Dravid made the decision, he did not have the cial proposing neutral umpires for Tests, Pakistani luxury of foreknowledge. He did what was best for the umpiring remained notoriously partisan for a long team in the circumstances. time, before Imran Khan invited two Indian umpires Courage, Conviction, Controversy and Cricket is a timely to stand in an India-Pakistan series in Pakistan. The book as it has come at the time of a global pandemic, story of India conceding an ODI in Pakistan is told and every cricket-playing nation is forced to re-evaluate with much relish. The host team’s bowlers indulged its priorities in the game and outside of it. While tak- in huge noballs and sky high bouncers to deny India a ing us on a fascinating guided tour of the many excit- victory they were cruising towards. A disgusted G.R. ing, inspiring, exasperating, controversial dimensions

Viswanath could never get over his feeling of revul- of world cricket, it shares with the reader some of the sion at these tactics of the Pakistanis. higher values of the game that make it so special. < Match fi xing, ball-tampering, chucking (Darrell Hair vs Muthiah Muralitharan), accusations of racist behav- (Reviewed by V. Ramnarayan, a former Indian fi rst- iour (‘Monkeygate’), even physical aggression directed class cricketer, an off -spin bowler.) at Indian players (John Snow of England at Sunil Gavas- kar, and South Africa’s Kepler Wessels at Kapil Dev),

52 VIDURA October-December 2020 REMEMBERING C.V. SWAMINATHA IYER The founder of a pioneering magazine had many facets The history of Tamil journalism is a long and interesting one. While the propagation of religion was primarily the focus of early Tamil magazines (the first one being the Tamil Magazine which was brought out by the Religious Tract Society in 1831), it changed over a period of time to serve other objectives such as dissemination of knowledge on literature, science, art, culture etc. The pioneer in this regard was the Dinavarthamani, which was founded in 1855 and was edited by Father Percival. This piece by Karthik Bhatt is about another such magazine of general interest, the Viveka Chintamani which was founded in 1892 by a man who is not much spoken about today for his contribution to the world of Tamil journalism, C.V. Swaminatha Iyer

.V. Swaminatha Iyer was It was around this time that sev- so. It also had a separate section for born in 1863 in Tiruvaiyaru. eral associations such as the Trip- women. CNothing much is known licane Literary Society and the The periodical notched up sev- about his family except that it had Madras Hindu Reform Association eral significant achievements, par- once been a wealthy one whose were founded to promote public ticularly in the field of Tamil fiction fortunes had dwindled over a discussions and thought on various to its credit. It serialised Kamalam- period of time. His father Venkata- socio-political issues. In the early bal Charithram by the young B.R. rama Iyer however ensured that 1880s, G. Subramania Iyer and M. Rajam Aiyar, perhaps only the third the family circumstances did not Veeraraghavachariar founded the novel in Tamil. The story ran for stand in the way of his son’s edu- Society for the Diffusion of Use- two years, between February 1893 cation, which was completed at ful Knowledge on the lines of an and January 1895. The following Kumbakonam. eponymous organisation that had year, it was brought out as a book Swaminatha Iyer’s tryst with jour- been founded in London in 1826. by C.V. Swaminatha Iyer. Viveka nalism came about quite as a matter It aimed at the creation of political Chintamani serialised the early epi- of chance. While on a visit to Madras awareness and knowledge amongst sodes of A. Madhaviah’s work Sav- in 1885, he came into contact with the masses. It however did not ithri Charithram in 1895, before it G. Subramania Iyer, the proprietor last for long as dwindling interest was stopped abruptly for reasons of The Hindu, who had started the finally led to its closure in the 1890s. unknown. The magazine would Swadesamitran three years earlier. The idea did not die, for it served later carry his work, Muthumeen- With the job of running two news- as an inspiration to Swaminatha akshi. It also carried book reviews papers proving to be arduous, Sub- Iyer to start an organisation on and short stories of authors such as ramania Iyer was on the lookout for similar lines. Thus, was born the Milton, Rabindranath Tagore and a person who would take care of the Diffusion of Knowledge Agency on others, translated into Tamil. fledgling Swadesamitran. March 1, 1892, its primary objec- Viveka Chintamani also actively The mantle fell on Swaminatha tive being promotion of the habit of promoted the study of the Tamil Iyer, thus marking the beginning reading amongst the vast rural pop- language. It ran several articles on of a long journey in the world of ulation and creating opportunities its literary and grammatical aspects. journalism. Though Subramania for learning. In order to carry out its ‘Parithimaar Kalaignar’ V.G. Suray- Iyer remained the publisher and objectives, Swaminatha Iyer began anarayana Sastriar wrote a series on editor in name, it was Swaminatha a monthly magazine, Viveka Chinta- the life of many Tamil poets, which Iyer who ran the show, as several mani, the first issue coming out in was released as a compilation titled accounts of the life of G. Subrama- May 1892. It comprised 32 pages Tamilppulavar Charithram after his nia Iyer and the early years of the and had articles on a variety of top- death in 1903. Swadesamitran record. Swaminatha ics such as science, moral instruc- Very interestingly, the magazine Iyer’s stint at Swadesamitran lasted tion for students, current affairs came in two editions, a thick paper for a decade. This experience came etc. As early as the second issue, it one for ‘schools, patrons, reading in handy when he went on to bring had a page exclusively for children, rooms and circulating libraries’ and out the Viveka Chintamani. probably the first magazine to do a thin paper one for the masses. The

October-December 2020 VIDURA 53 Swaminatha Iyer believed staunchly in the sovereignty of the rule of the King Emperor and led the initiative to appeal for the renaming of Black Town as George Town following the Royal visit of 1905. The name change was announced the following year. His ardent support for the sovereign however did not stand in the way of his taking an active part in the proceedings of the case that followed the Arbuthnot Bank crash in 1906. He had lost nearly Rs 20000 in this debacle. It was following his petition that Justice H.T. Boddam, a preference shareholder of Arbuth- not Industrials, one of Arbuthnot & Co’s main assets (and therefore an interested party), recused himself as the insolvency commissioner. Approaching the age of 60, Swam- inatha Iyer handed over Viveka Chintamani to his elder son, Sadan- and, soon after the completion of its silver jubilee year in 1917. It did not last much longer, winding up in the 1920s. Sadanand was, however, on his way to becoming a legend in his own right in the field of journalism. He founded the nation- alistic Free Press Journal Agency in Bombay and ran the eponymous paper in the 1930s. He bought the Indian Express from Dr. P. Varada-

Photos: KB rajulu Naidu in 1933 and ran it for a while, before it was taken over by The front page of a December 1906 edition of Viveka Chintamani. Ramnath Goenka. He was also one of the seven founding shareholders office, which was in Sydoji Lane, C.V. Swaminatha Iyer was a man of the Press Trust of India. Triplicane, was shifted the Swami- of several other interesting facets. He Swaminatha Iyer’s younger son, natha Iyer’s residence Lalitalaya in was a highly spiritual personality. Dr. S. Natarajan (more popularly Adam Street in Mylapore around An active practitioner of Kundalini known by his pen name, Najan) too 1908 or so. Yoga, he was also a Srividya Upas- would carry on his father’s legacy. aka, who took as is demanded in that A renowned Srividya Upasaka, he cult, a name for its practice – Saty- wrote more than 100 books in his ananda. He founded the Ananda lifetime on diverse topics. Mission in 1903 in Chidambaram, Lalitalaya’s tryst with journalism whose aim was the ‘the propaga- continues till date, with Dr. Natara-

tion of Truth and Knowledge as the jan’s son running a publishing unit way to Health, Happiness and Life from the redeveloped premises. < through self-help, self-control and self-culture’. It sought to work for (Courtesy: Madras Musings. The the ‘uplift of humanity by uplifting writer is a history buff based of human thought above the consid- The plaque Lalitalaya, which stands in Chennai.) outside 39, Adam Street. erations of the lower self’.

54 VIDURA October-December 2020 REMEMBERING BHANU BANDOPADHYAY He effortlessly made us laugh, built a comedy cult

Bengali cinema has gifted us some of the best comedians. Sadly, most are all but forgotten today. Forgotten also is the once-upon-a-time hit pair of Jahar Roy and Bhanu Bandopadhyay. 2020 is Bhanu Bandopadhyay’s birth centenary year. Shoma A. Chatterji pays a handsome tribute and looks at his rich contribution to Bengali cinema hy comedians fade away in Bengali cinema of those times, in Calcutta where he worked for 15 from memory the min- he began his career in theatre. His long years. In 1943, Bhanu recorded Wute they leave the large fluency in the dialect of Dhaka gave Dhakar Gadoaan, his first comedy screen is one of the mysteries of the him an edge over some of his peers. performance on gramophone, set- history of cinema across the world. Bhanu made his stage debut ting a trend in recording dialogues The contribution they make, indi- with the play, Bonobir, directed and comic episodes for posterity. vidually or collectively, in making by Amod Dasgupta when he was His first appearance on screen was people happy remains without par- hardly 12 years old. He followed in Jagoron (1946). allel. But their work hardly crosses this up with acting in small comic Bhanu married Nilima Bandopad- from one generation of film lovers skits at local functions and became hyay, a talented singer, the same to the next. How many youngsters famous as Chanakya in the histori- year. They had four children – three today have even heard the names cal costume drama, Chandragupta. sons and a daughter (none of them of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, Another famous role was in Grish followed their father’s footsteps). or Buster Keaton? The only name Ghosh’s Siraj-ud-Daulah. But in Among his famous films are Pasher they are somewhat familiar with is 1941, Bhanu was forced to leave Bari, Bhranti Bilash (based on Shake- Charlie Chaplin and that is because Dhaka because an extermination speare’s Comedy of Errors), Boshu of his omnipresence on our televi- order was issued against him (he Paribar, Barjatri, Bindur Chhele. The sion screens. never explained why he was served latter films did not really belong to Bengali cinema is no exception. It such a serious notice). the comedy genre but there was lots has gifted us some of the best come- Having completed his gradua- of humour in the scripts. dians. Among them are Nabadwip tion in Dhaka, Bhanu took up a job Bhanu produced and directed Haldar, Tulsi Chakraborty, Shyam with the Iron & Steel Control office rip-roaring comedies with a Laha, Nripati Chattopadhyay and many others, who are all but forgotten today. Forgotten also is the once-upon-a-time hit pair of Jahar Roy and Bhanu Bandopadhyay. Bhanu Bandopadhyay’s birth centenary is in 2020, and this gives us an opportunity to take a look at his rich contribution to cinema – his comic timing, his adeptness at springing a surprise, his punchy dialogues and of course, his wide- eyed wonder at everything happening around him. Bhanu was born in East Bengal (now Bangladesh) on 26th August 1920. His real name was Samyamay Banerjee, but his nickname stuck to him till he passed away. Though he Arindam Saha Sardar Photo: became sort of a legendary figure Bhanu Bandopadhyay in his elements, in his prime.

October-December 2020 VIDURA 55 message hidden in the laughter. most famous play was Joy Ma Kali Nor did he bother about costumes Among these are Jomaloye Jibonto Boarding that ran for three years at and ‘looks’. His shirt-dhoti com- Manush, Personal Assistant, Miss Rangana Theatre and again for six bination defined his distinct style Priyambada, and Aashitey Ash- months at Rang Mahal. that was the same in real life. His iona. These films have stood the Bhanu’s fame spread with that wide-eyed surprise complementing test of time and can make people unforgettable punch-line mashima, a poker face and funny body lan- laugh till this day. They are often malpokhamu in his typical Dacca guage with bangal-peppered dia- telecast on Bengali channels, draw- dialect in Share Chuattar (1953), logue made him a star among his ing a reasonably good audience of in which a bunch of comedians of peers. people who were once great fans great talent appeared together. “An His daughter Basabi Bandopad- of Bhanu. He played a double role artiste must declass himself and hyay (Ghatak), acted in his last in Bhranti Bilash as a servant while slip under the skin of the character production, Nirdharita Shilpir Anu- Uttam Kumar played the master, he is playing. I do not believe in pasthithitey, which did not do well. also in a double role. idolising Western Methodists like Ironically, this was the only film of Bhanu Bandopadhyay and Jahar Stanivslavsky or Brecht, commonly his long career where he took on a Roy, who was Bhanu’s best friend, quoted by contemporary Indian serious role, but the film turned out formed an inimitable comic pair. actors. I feel we must first try and to be quite melodramatic and the Bhanu played the East Bengali follow the steps of great masters script was not entertaining at all. bangal while Jahar complemented in Indian cinema such as Chhobi Bhanu Bandopadhyay passed

him as the ghoti of Calcutta. They Biswas or Sisir Kumar Bhaduri and away in March 1983 at the relatively made several films together such as then move on to Stanislavsky or young age of 63. < Bhanu Goenda, Jahar Assistant and Brecht,” he once wrote. Bhanu Pelo Lottery. He won the Bhanu Bandopadhyay never wore Best Comedian award 11 times! His make-up and he never needed to.

REMEMBERING R.K. LAXMAN He created a cartoon character who reflected our hopes and aspirations R.K. Laxman was born in October 1921 and died in January 2015 – the reson we are featuring him in this issue. By some strange providence, his life began and ended on a Monday, notes Mrinal Chatterjee, who goes on to talk about Laxman’s life and career and the unforgettable cartoon character, ‘the common man’, he created

n 24 October, a Monday in his countrymen and the city-bred. 1921, a baby was born in He never ever said anything, but OMysore. The child would even in silence he spoke volumes. one day go on to create the most Millions in India would every- popular cartoon character in India, day smile or smirk or laugh, and ‘the common man’, a slightly bald, engage, with the common man and moustached man with a bulbous the varied pictures of life he saw nose in the mid-50s wearing a around him. checked coat and dhoti, who never Laxman’s ‘common man’ was uttered a word throughout his life witty and sarcastic but never ven- span of over 50 years. omous; his outlook was said to ‘The common man’ saw – just represent that of countless average saw – life flowing around him, he Indians. The comic strip also served went through the most tumultu- as the basis for a comedy series on

Photos: MC ous events of his times, he expe- television, R.K. Laxman ki Duniya A postage stamp on R.K. laxman. rienced the problems affecting (2011-13).

56 VIDURA October-December 2020 Laxman is sometimes referred to as the ‘Shakespeare of Indian cartoons’. His daily cartoon, You Said It, which featured ‘the common man’ appeared in The Times of India from 1951 and continued for more than five decades. It enjoyed a cult status. Laxman drew cartoons in The Times of India, did illustrations for several publications, including his for brother novelist R.K.Narayan’s books, wrote fiction and painted crows for over half a century before crippling disease made him bedridden. Laxman was the youngest of six sons. His father was a headmaster. The ‘common man’, and the man who created him. Laxman was interested in drawing and illustration from childhood. As dean of the school felt his drawings slapstick, buffoonery, tragicomedy he notes in his autobiography, The lacked, “the kind of talent to qualify – but never hit anyone below the Tunnel of Time: “I drew objects that for enrolment in our institution as a belt. And that makes him India’s caught my eye outside the window student”. Laxman graduated with most loved cartoonist. of my room – the dry twigs, leaves a bachelor of Arts degree from the Laxman distinctive illustrations and lizard-like creatures crawling University of Mysore. feature in R.K. Narayan’s Malgudi about, the servant chopping fire- While still at the Maharaja College stories, later serialized on televi- wood and, of course, and number of Mysore, Laxman began to illus- sion. He also created a popular mas- of crows in various postures on the trate his elder brother R.K. Nara- cot for Asian Paints named Gattu. rooftops of the buildings opposite.” yan’s stories in The Hindu, and he Laxman published numerous short Laxman’s idyllic childhood was drew political cartoons for the local stories, essays, and travel articles, shaken for a while when his father newspapers and for the Swatantra. some of which were collected in suffered a paralytic stroke and died He also drew cartoons, for the Kan- The Distorted Mirror (2003). He also around a year later, but the elders nada humour magazine, Koravanji. wrote the novels The Hotel Riviera at home bore most of the increased Laxman’s first full-time job was (1988) and The Messenger (1993) responsibility, while Laxman con- as a political cartoonist for the The and an autobiography, The Tunnel tinued with his schooling. Free Press Journal in Mumbai. Lax- of Time (1998). Several collection of After high school, Laxman applied man later joined The Times of India. his cartoons were also published – to the J J School of Art, Bombay. Laxman has played with every Laugh With Laxman (1999), Laughter He was refused admission as the shade of humour – wit, satire, irony, Lines (2002), Vote for Laughter (2003. Laxman was conferred the Padma Bhusan and the Padma Vibhusan. He was presented the Ramon Mag- saysay Award for Journalism, Liter- ature and Creative Communication Arts. The Indian Express Group conferred the BD Goenka Award and the Hindustan Times conferred the Durga Ratan Gold Medal. Laxman was first married to Bharatanatyam dancer and movie actress Kamala Laxman (also known before marriage as Baby Kamala and Kumari Kamala). After divorce, he married again; his second wife’s name was also Kamala. Laxman breathed his last on 26

January 2015 after a prolonged ill- A parting of a special kind. ness. It was also a Monday. <

October-December 2020 VIDURA 57 REMEMBERING JAN STEWARD An exceptional dancer her muse, and images that will live forever One of Balasaraswati’s (Tanjore Balasaraswati, celebrated Indian dancer) greatest disciples is no more. Jan Steward, artist and graphic designer of Los Angeles who passed away on July 1 this year at 92, was a photographer, not a dancer. Yet few can claim to have absorbed Bala’s art with such depth and accuracy, says Ashoke Chatterjee

he scale of Jan Steward’s formed the influential Music Circle Already a devotee at the Ramak- coverage is unmatched, the with the guidance of Shankar and rishna Mission in Los Angeles, Jan’s Ttwo artists forged together his disciple, Harihar Rao. India connections included the in images that evoke a single spirit. Jan became art director at the Beatles, fresh from their Rishikesh That was the relationship between American Society for Eastern Arts. sojourns, and a series of celebra- Bala and Jan. They first met on the Always present in the wings, she tions which extended into Olympic campus of UCLA (University of devoted her skills in design, paint- events and Oscar award ceremo- California, Los Angeles) in 1965. ing and photography to these and nies embellished with her India- The great dancer was then on her other Indian causes. Among her inspired art. Into this ferment of second visit to the American west mentors were Charles and Ray Jan’s creativity strode the incompa- coast. Los Angeles was already Eames, engaged with the founding rable T. Balasaraswati. the catalyst for an awakening in of the National Institute of Design For over 20 years, Jan Steward Indian dance and music that would in Ahmedabad. would follow Bala and her daugh- explode across the US during the A mutual friend was Sister ter, Lakshmi, her brothers, Ranga folowing two decades, symbolised Corita Kent at whose feet Jan stud- and Viswa, as well as their families by the rise of Pandit Ravi Shankar. ied graphic design at Immaculate across their US journeys, camera in Present in the region since 1956, Heart College in Los Angeles. Kent hand, sharing triumphs and sor- Shankar in 1967 established his Kin- was a rebel nun, often identified rows. Saving every dollar to make nara School in Los Angeles, as did with the turbulent 1960s in which the opportunities possible, her cam- Ali Akbar Khan near San Francisco. her posters became the trademark era captured the greatest visual Jan Steward belonged to a cohort of a generation torn between defi- documentation available of the art of supportive Indophiles who had ance and transcendence. of Balasaraswati. Photos: JS Jan Steward's camera captured the greatest visual documentation available of the art of Balasaraswati.

58 VIDURA October-December 2020 Jan sought an opportunity to exhibit the images in Bala’s home city of Madras and, if possible, in Delhi. Above all, she needed an Indian institution that could take final possession of the trove of images (with negatives, prints and catalogue) for posterity. All this, without compensation other than a ticket to India and support on arrival to realise an exhibition that A picture of Jan Steward taken at an exhibition some time ago, which appeared in the LA Times. And right, the card Jan Steward made for the writer, showing her easy could honour Bala’s memory. command of Indian design. Apprehensive of the passage of time, Jan put together a pack- In Jan’s black-and-white images, selecting a handful that could be age of her treasures and mailed it always taken during actual per- transformed into exhibition mate- off to India, anticipating that her formance, the spirit of Bala’s art rial as a permanent record of the generosity would find immedi- comes brilliantly alive. The dancer’s art of Balasaraswati. ate acknowledgement. Instead, confidence in Jan’s instinctive lens Jan now turned to her Indian con- the package lay untouched in the became their unbroken bond. Yet, tacts for the next step: transferring temperature-controlled vaults of Jan also had a family to support. the treasure to Bala’sown country the American Centre for Indian Her labour of love for Bala and as legacy. To make this possible, Jan Studies (New Delhi) for two long Indian causes found few sponsors. made simple requests. One was a years while India contemplated Travel overseas was restricted. ticket to India, otherwise unafford- whether such a priceless gift was As Los Angeles became Jan’s able. A second was access to print- worth accepting. India, the Steward family was making facilities and a grant to Finally, the humiliation of delay drawn willy-nilly into artistic pre- cover the cost of preparing in India became too much to bear. Jan asked occupation with a far-away country an exhibition of selected images. that the package be returned to Los where Jan’s spirit dwelt in search of Angeles. There it remains. Some the roots of Bala’s art, while cease- of Jan’s unforgettable images have lessly documenting her American since appeared in Douglas Knight’s performances. Balasaraswati – Her Art & Life (Pen- By 1980 ill-health was taking its toll guin). Others appear sporadically of these opportunities, and the danc- at cultural events and in the media, er’s last US visit was in 1981. When sometimes with credit to Jan, most Bala passed away in February 1984, often without. a heartbroken Jan Steward turned to Yet, neglect was never unfamil- the task of preserving and transmit- iar to Jan, or to Bala, her matchless ting to new generations the art both muse. Jan once said: “There is so had worked together to preserve. much I try to forget, not remember. Well into her senior years, Jan’s It is so sad… the great joyful beauty ambition was to create an exhibi- I knew of Bala. So dear, kind and tion in memory of her muse, focus- so much more. The sad part is the ing on Bala’s most loved padams (the painful life that has been born from lyrical songs in Bharata Natyam this joy…” that challenge a dancer’s mastery Now, Jan and Bala have together of abhinaya; also, similar songs moved beyond pain and disap-

on the theme of love for which pointment, bound in spirit and in Bala is renowned) through images the majesty of images that will live< selected earlier for a book they forever. had planned together. Every spare resource was invested in a task that (The writer was executive director, covered the selection and classifi- National insititue of Design, cations of thousands of images (as Ahmedabad. He is the honorary advisor to the Crafts Council of India.) negatives and contact-prints), cata- Jan Steward preparing an elephant for an loguing the output of decades, and India-related celebration in Los Angeles.

October-December 2020 VIDURA 59 TRIBUTE TO SOUMITRA CHATTERJEE (1935-2020) He enriched Indian cinema, Bengali culture and language Soumitra Chatterjee, after a long innings of 60 years in front of the camera, facing a theatre audience, sitting at a table writing or translating a play or creating beautiful poetry, pulled down the final curtain on his illustrious life in Kolkata recently. Shoma A. Chatterji, who had met the thespian several times, pays a fond tribute

ike his mentor Satyajit Ray, Anasuya Roy Chowdhury called layers of characterisation, perfor- Soumitra Chatterjee has Aaj Kaal PorshurPrantey: An Inter- mance, style and presentation. Lbeen a pillar of creativity, an view with Soumitra Chatterjee. It is Apur Sansar, for instance, was very architect of culture, an elocution- one long interview that spans his different from Abhijan. Aranyer ist, a theatre director and an editor development, starting from his Din Ratri presented a different of a prestigious literary magazine childhood spent in Krishnanagar, Soumitra from the one we saw in called Ekkhon (Now). He has done through his arrival in Calcutta and Ganashatru, Shakha Proshakha or around 300 films. Apart from those his deep involvement in theatre, till in the Feluda series. “I consider him directed by Ray, he worked in his stepping into films via Satyajit my mentor, my guru, whichever crassly commercial potboilers and Ray’s Apur Sansar. way you look at it. It was amaz- some good mainstream films that Chatterjee chose to celebrate his ing how this man never repeated were box-office hits too. He held birthdays with a new play every himself. I benefited immensely his own even when Uttam Kumar year, of which King Lear was per- from this diversity in his presen- was the reigning superstar. haps the last full-house perfor- tation and choice of subject, story, French director Catherine Berge mance. In a recent play, Tritiyo Onko everything,” says Chatterjee of Ray, made a full-length documentary Otoeb (The Third Act, Therefore), adding that he also considers his on his life and works, called Gaach, an autobiographical production two films with Mrinal Sen, Akash meaning ‘tree’. Films Division he wrote and acted in, he maps his Kusum and Mahaprithibi, among made another documentary on the personal, social, political and his- his favourites, apart from Tapan actor, called Soumitra Revisited. torical journey as a live stage per- Sinha’s films. Some years ago, Krantik Prakashan formance. The events that finally “Tapan Sinha held me by the and Seagull Foundation for the shaped him as an actor are mapped hand and showed me the way. Arts released a book in Bengali by too – the arrival of soldiers of Net- He is the best teacher I could ever aji’s Azad Hind Fauj at Barasat, have had,” says the actor who was packed like animals in a train, the vested with a very negative persona Bengal Famine, the Great Calcutta in Sinha’s period film Jhinder Bondi Killing and, finally, his encounter and explored a romantic, surreal with Natasamrat Girish Chandra setting in his Kshudita Pashan, Ghosh. based on a Tagore story. Chatterjee’s personal life is mar- Chatterjee learned horse riding ginalised to the man Soumitra for Jhinder Bondi where he played Chatterjee, who smoked 20 ciga- the villain opposite Uttam Kumar’s rettes a day for 50 years till one day hero in a double role. For Sinha’s his body painfully reminded him Wheelchair, he practised moving that he had stretched the borders of around in a wheelchair long before wellbeing a bit too far. The produc- shooting began. “I discovered tion closed with Chatterjee reciting that the very act of riding a horse Tagore’s Prothom Diner Surjo, that or moving about on a wheelchair beautiful song of endless hope that helps somewhat to give an insight urges the traveller walking through into the character. A man’s world- the night not to stop. view changes when he is on horse- Photo: Sukumar Roy Chatterjee acted in 14 films back, so also when he is moving A young Soumitra Chatterjee. directed by Ray, displaying diverse about on a wheelchair,” he shared.

60 VIDURA October-December 2020 Chatterjee is one of the best things and the Sangeet Natak Akademi an autobiography. Therefore, Ami- that could have happened to Indian Award for his contribution to the- tava Nag’s book Beyond Apu: 20 cinema and to Bengali culture and atre. He has authored more than Favourite Roles of Soumitra Chatterjee language. It’s sad that his contri- ten books of poetry, beginning published by Harper-Collins India bution to Bengali art and culture with Jalapropater Dharey Dandabo is like a ray of light on this multi- is always linked only to cinema, Bole (To Stand by the Waterfall) in talented actor. and that too, only with the name of 1975. Droshta, an abstract transla- Note: The writer happened to Satyajit Ray and his films. tion of Khalil Gibran’s The Prophet, share the same platform with the For 60 years, from Satyajit Ray was published in 1995. great master several times. The to Tapan Sinha to Mrinal Sen to Chatterjee’s name appears in the most memorable, she says, being Gautam Ghosh and Aparna Sen, cast of a plethora of mainstream the one in 2018, when she won the all major directors have utilised films that were box office hits– Kalish Mukherjee Memorial Life- Soumitra Chatterjee’s enormous Manihar, Sansar Seemantey, Koni, time Achievement Award for her talent.He did commercial films, Kalratri, Atanka, Basanta Bilap, writing on Bengali cinema, while mainstream films and significant Saat Pake Bandha and many more. Soumitra Chatterjee won the Hiralal off-mainstream films too. He also Yet, he refrained from directing a Sen Lifetime Achievement Award enriched television. He bagged the feature film during his cinematic bestowed by the Bengal Federation

National Award for Podokhhep, career. of Cinema and Television Chamber directed by Suman Ghosh. Other Chatterjee repeatedly insisted of Commerce and Industry. < awards include the Padma Bhushan that he did not believe in penning

TRIBUTE TO SOUMITRA CHATTERJEE His life as an artist was like a river in flow A river accumulates a lot from its banks by simply flowing on. With life, comes experience and, as a man lives on, he encompasses lives surrounding him through decades and quarter centuries. Soumitra Chatterjee preferred giving this analogy when it came to discussing his experiences, says Amitava Nag, who has soaked in the cinema of Chatterjee and written a book on the master

now think, I have lived article, I will still, try the impossible for too long,” was one of – to pick two or three of my most “Ithe things Soimitra Chat- favourite films of his. terjee would pop up during a few No writing on Soumitra Chat- languid evenings when the mood terjee can start without reference was lukewarm and the ambience to Satyajit Ray’s Apur Sansar, his dull. Otherwise, he loved to sport debut film in 1959. What makes the a radiance – in his façade as well film special even today is the abso- as in the colourful dresses he was lute innocent charm of a young accustomed to wearing. Apu played by Soumitra. He is a To fathom an institution like Sou- man-child, unadulterated, natural, mitra Chatterjee is a difficult ask. like the son of God. He encompasses way too many ave- The 1960s was a great decade for nues of our existences. And he did the Bengali cinema in general and so with minimalistic undertones; for Soumitra in particular. He acted unobtrusive, yet all pervading. If in the films of all major filmmakers we look at his cinematic acting lau- of Bengal, except Ritwik Ghatak. rels alone, we will find it difficult to Playing the villain Mayurbahan

pick a list of favourites. Twenty will in Tapan Sinha’s Jhinder Bandi in Photo: Sukumar Roy be less, even thirty is meagre. In this 1961 remains extraordinary even As the thief Aghor in Sansar Simante.

October-December 2020 VIDURA 61 in Soumitra’s oeuvre. The film pit- to get to know their diction and a But to Soumitra’s credit, he would ted Soumitra against matinee idol bit of background. Though there still find films that could portray Uttam Kumar for the first time, and have been a few others donning him well. Even with present-day Soumitra churns out a remarkably the hat, yet Soumitra’s portrayal stars, he would hog the limelight sophisticated, stylised yet relat- of Felu-da, Bengal’s one of the two in the film as well as in the corre- able villain. This film to an extent most famed and revered detectives sponding posters.Soumitra played cemented his position in an indus- (the other being Byomkesh Bakshi) blind poet Sashibhusan in Gou- try that was smothered till then by is so complete that he remains, to tam Ghosh’s Dekha in 2001. He the lone presence of Uttam Kumar many, the most appropriate actor was conferred with a Special Jury as a superstar. playing the role even today. Award for the role and he declined Amal in Ray’s Charulata (1964) A thinking man – Felu’s image it hands down, repeating a gesture traverses a diametrically oppo- juxtaposed with that of Soumitra he did earlier for Wheel Chair. site path. Amal is the tenderly with natural elan and efficacy. Such “Why should I accept an award romantic representation of Bengali was the popularity that Satyajit Ray, that is given merely on lobbying renaissance, sublime and compas- who penned the detective stories skills? I have been associated with sionate. My other most favourite and also did the illustrations, made Satyajit Ray for so long, yet no one film of the decade is Mrinal Sen’s sure that in subsequent books the ever bothered to notice my talent. Akash Kusum in 1965. It was Sou- illustrations of the sleuth resembled Now they have chosen to appease mitra’s third film with Sen and the Soumitra to a T. me at the fag end of my career by most popular one till then. Ajay After the demise of Uttam Kumar announcing a special jury award. is an extension of Apu – an urban in 1980, Soumitra started acting in I feel insulted,” he said. Five years dreamer whose dream includes character roles more frequently. later, he received the Best Actor corrupting ways of achieving the Two films in 1986 stand out – Kony Award for Suman Ghosh’s Pada- coveted. For Soumitra, it was one (Saroj De) and Atanka (Tapan kkhep and, finally, the Dadasaheb of the most successful attempts at Sinha). While Khidda in Kony Phalke in 2012. reflecting the reality of the times. remains as one of the most inspi- For the last more than a decade, Also, a mirror of the youthful angst rational fictional characters in the Soumitra played the father fig- and depreciation of morals that led Bengali psyche, the retired school- ure to perfection, in films where to the most turbulent days of Ben- teacher in Atanka symbolises the the directors were even younger gal’s history in a few years’ time. fear, anxiety and social stagnation than his son. His last most memo- The hallmark of Soumitra’s act- that afflicted the educated middle- rable portrayal was the one as the ing career has been the range that class of the 1970s and 80s. dementia-inflicted Sushobhan in he could portray with ease. It is that 1992 was a monumental year in Atanu Ghosh’s Mayurakshi (2017). diversity that marks his traversal Indian cinema in general and Ben- Sixty years ago, Apu carried his from Ashani Sanket (1973, Satyajit gali cinema in particular with the son, Kajal, on his shoulders and Ray) to Sansar Simante (1975, Tarun departure of Satyajit Ray. Ray was walked slowly in search of an opti- Majumdar) via Sonar Kella (1974, ill for a while and wasn’t able to mistic future, both out to make Satyajit Ray). The dhoti-clad rural make films as such. One of Ray’s memories together. In Mayurakshi, priest in the first one transforms cherished projects that could never Sushobhan’s son leaves him for into the suave, urban detective Felu- get off was Ekti Jiban about Guru- better shores, leaving their shared da and then the petty thief Aghor in das Bhattacharya, an unsung yet memories behind. Between these the Majumdar film. The versatility extraordinary lexicographer. Since initiations and abandonments, of the portrayals stems from Sou- the story evolved from Bhattacha- the life of an artist flows like a

mitra’s passion for multiplicity and rya’s younger days to very old river. To me, that river is Soumitra his keen interest in observing life. ones, Ray was unsure if any one Chatterjee. < He maintained a detailed diary dur- actor could be transformed with ing the period of reconnaissance of make-up that was available in India (The writer is a film scholar and Ashani Sanket to note down the pos- at the time. It was the young Raja critic, and editor of the online film tures, manners, dialects and habits Mitra who finally made the brilliant magazine, Silhouette. He lives in of the rural village. film with an equally emphatic Sou- Kolkata.) As a preparation for the role of mitra playing the character with the thief, Soumitra read Bhakti perfection. If Khidda in Kony was Mullick’s Oporadh Jogoter Shobdo- inspirational, so was the doctor in kosh (A Dictionary of the Under- Wheel Chair (1984, Tapan Sinha). world) and Oporadh Jogoter Bhasha Over the past two decades, roles (The Language of the Underworld) became repetitive and monotonous.

62 VIDURA October-December 2020 TRIBUTE TO KISHORE BHIMANI (1939-2020) His writing was balanced, he eschewed sensationalism Kishore Bhimani is a name most sports enthusiasts will know and, now, remember with fondness – his baritone voice, his impeccable English and his strong screen presence. Partab Ramchand pays tribute to the veteran sports writer who passed away in October this year

ishore Bhimani belonged venues. What struck me was his to the old school of sports versatility for, though his name Kjournalism. For him, facts is associated mainly with cricket, were sacred and he eschewed he was equally at home cover- hyperbole and sensationalism like ing tennis, football, hockey and the plague. His comments whether rugby. He was a natural in print in print or through the electronic journalism as he was on radio and media were balanced and knowl- TV, giving expert comments on edgable. That is why he was still in issues, matches and personalities. demand for sports programmes on His baritone voice, his impecca- the various channels even shortly ble English and his strong screen before his final illness which saw presence made him a natural for him passing away at the age of 80 the electronic media. on October 15. Forever associated with The While most of the panelists were Statesman and Kolkata, Kishore much younger, Bhimani stood out was a widely travelled journalist, as the one older and wiser head though two of the most historic who refused to get worked up but events he reported on were in put his point across in a polite but India. In March 1987 in Ahmed- firm manner. He was unafraid in abad he was on air when Sunil expressing his views even on con- Gavaskar became the first to Photo: Internet troversial subjects and that is why reach 10000 runs in Test cricket. Kishore Bhimani. he was a most sought-after com- Six months before, he was on TV mentator in retirement. He also excitedly shouting, “It’s a tie, it’s a Kishore is survived by his wife, had the happy knack of bridging tie!’’ when the Test match between Rita, and son, Gautam, who also the gap and quite often when I met India and Australia at Chepauk carved a niche for himself as a him he was in the midst of budding ended in a tie, only the second well-known TV personality cov- sports writers regaling them with tied Test in history. ering off beat cricket stories. stories of yore. The young loved to Gregarious by nature, Kishore The tributes to Kishore from a be with Kishore for unlike many was the perfect host for his many wide section of the sports frater- other veterans he was never boring. parties and his contacts were nity were sincere and handsome

He always had a ready and inter- legion. One recalls how he was in recognition of the respect he esting anecdote put across with a instrumental in getting the cream commanded. < ready wit and a hearty laugh which of international cricket – past and his audience shared. present – to grace a double-wicket I sometimes wish my interac- tournament held in Kolkata as tions with him could have been part of the golden jubilee celebra- more often. I did meet him when- tions of Rajasthan club in 1984. ever he came to Chepauk to cover The star cast included Sir Garfield a Test match and we did inter- Sobers, Wesley Hall, Sunil Gavas- act at the annual sports journal- kar, Imran Khan, Javed Miandad ists conventions held at various and Dennis Lillee.

October-December 2020 VIDURA 63 TRIBUTE TO R. PADMANABHAN (1942-2020) Champion of the underdog, a role model to journalists He was perhaps one of the last defenders of communism outside party manifestos — for rarely had such a staunch champion of the underprivileged been seen for over five decades — perhaps much more so than some of the leading lights in left-wing politics. He was a beacon of searing intensity for the rest of us to follow at a time when worldwide events with their ugliness and depravity tend to remind us of the ideals that once burned bright within us before we decided to grow up, says V. Ramnarayan

aised in a distinctly upper to ’67. Paddu came to live with us a week. We probably watched middle class family if not sometime in ’65, I think, and stayed My Fair Lady and The Sound of Rexactly in the lap of luxury, on for about a year. It must have Music during this period, but it and a product of the elite Scin- been a challenging time in his life was Lawrence of Arabia that tested dia School of Gwalior, my cousin following his momentous career the genuineness of my hero wor- Paddu or R. Padmanabhan turned decision, but he was quite the hero ship of Paddu the most. I formed his back on a life of comfort in his of the young brood at home, while much of my reading habit based twenties, if not earlier, though I Appa and Amma showered their on Paddu’s preferences, and that never asked him about his moment affection on him. included the complete plays and of epiphany, if any. Was it around Appa was some twenty years prefaces of George Bernard Shaw the time he discontinued studying older than Paddu, but the two got and other authors like W. Somerset for his MBBS at the Christian Medi- on like a house on fire, constantly Maugham, Terence Rattigan and cal College, Vellore? He entered the pulling each other’s leg. Paddu was A.J. Cronin, to name a few. world of journalism a few years a fitness freak, with rippling mus- I enjoyed all these brilliant hence, meanwhile acquiring a bach- cles to show for it. He was at vari- authors, but reading Seven Pillars elor’s degree by correspondence. ous stages a follower of different of Wisdom by T.E. Lawrence, the Starting his career at Indian schools of training, from Muller’s hero of Lawrence of Arabia, was Express, Bombay, Paddu set the My System through Bullworker to the limit. It was after John Ruskin’s benchmark very high for himself yoga learnt from a booklet brought Sesame and Lilies, a prescribed col- in the rigour of his research and out by Ramtirth Yogashram of lege text, the most punishing tome I his quest for honesty and accuracy. Brahmi Oil fame. I was already had come across, and I gamely tried His innate concern for the under- playing collegiate cricket, and did to plough through it for the simple dog and compassion for minorities not need much persuasion to try reason that my cousin was in the grew even as he worked at perfect- out these systems. I found yoga in throes of a Lawrence obsession. ing his craft, at achieving the mot particular very useful. Our excursions to cinema theatres juste in his despatches. Paddu was preparing for his BA and the British Council Library Paddu passed away at Chennai at exams, ostensibly so anyway, and were undoubtedly the highlights the age of 78 on 9 September 2020. yet unemployed, used to receive of that Indian summer of our lives. During his last year on earth, his a monthly money order from his When I met Paddu in Calcutta in heart beat stronger than ever for the parents. The immediate aftermath 1976, he had joined the Economic weak and dispossessed, and he dis- of the event was a visit to the street Times there. In addition to being a covered social media as a vehicle of corner cigarette shop to settle his subeditor, he was also the secretary expression. He retired long ago as a monthly account. All the ‘jobless’ of the workers’ union, named by career journalist, but judging by his boys including sundry cousins and an elected executive committee of social media posts, still had enough neighbours would go trooping out 15 members. Being the upright per- fire and the power of words in him with him on this important mission, son he was, he took the responsi- to make a difference. followed by a mini-treat of snacks bility seriously and this meant that My parents and their six children and tea or soft drinks. he might sooner or later run afoul were living at Abhiramapuram The major treat would be a movie of the management. He stood his close to the TUCS outlet on Mou- or two at Safire or Anand, leaving ground in the face of pressure from brays (now TTK) Road from 1964 Paddu close to broke again within the editor on a news item on which

64 VIDURA October-December 2020 they did not see eye to eye, Paddu discipline” as the union was fight- Patkar, Prof D.B. Deodhar and Pan- refusing to toe the line, because he ing his case. dit Bhimsen Joshi, for instance. believed in the correctness of his Fortunately, there was a happy At Frontline, too, Paddu never stand and as he was well within his ending to the story. The time came stopped taking a principled stand rights to decide on the issue. when some friends persuaded on issues he felt strongly about. This act of defiance was enough Paddu to look for a more stable His family and friends continue to earn Paddu the wrath of the arrangement for his livelihood. As to admire him. I was deeply influ- management and lead to his even- the union president too advised him enced by him growing up, and I am tual dismissal from service on the to look for a job, Paddu relented, and grateful for that, even if our lives grounds of insubordination. The sent in a letter to The Hindu, seeking followed different trajectories. union protested, joining the all- a freelance column opportunity. His To many of us in the extended India unions of the TOI Group on a record as a trade unionist must have family, Paddu’s death has been a strike that lasted two months, with impressed the editor N. Ram — who huge tragedy. Because of the lock- the strike by the Calcutta unit going once led a strike in the newspaper down, none of us could meet him on for five months in all. his father edited — as much as his in the last six months, and there Though Paddu had been dis- journalistic credentials. had been no immediate warning, missed, he continued to be an Paddu was offered full-time though he had been in frail health office-bearer of the union, and appointment as a special corre- for a few years. He was living alone with the management dragging a spondent of the group’s magazine in the T’Nagar apartment where domestic inquiry endlessly, and Frontline and posted in Bombay. his parents had resided and where appealing to the high court after Thus began the most successful he had tended to his late mother a labour tribunal ordered Paddu’s phase of his career, during which beyond her hundredth birthday. reinstatement, he stayed on in Cal- period he did some brilliant report- R. Padmanabhan was a role cutta for eleven long years subsist- ing with his rigorous research model to journalists — honest, cou- ing on freelance writing, and with ensuring the credibility of his sto- rageous, meticulous. You could dis- help from friends. Anyone who ries. Though much of Frontline’s agree with his views but you had

has been there and done that will coverage was political, Paddu also to admire him for his courage and know what a tough struggle that got to interview personalities from integrity. < must have been. Paddu stuck it out fields like sport and the arts. I viv- because he “was bound by union idly remember his pieces on Medha

TRIBUTE TO DEAN JONES (1961-2020) Brilliant batsman, effervescent character Former Australian batsman Dean Jones passed away suddenly in Mumbai on September 24. Partab Ramchand pays tribute and analyses why his 210 in the Tied Test at Chepauk in 1986 was the apotheosis of courage

o a later generation of cricket successful Australian batsman who the concentration to play a long followers, he was the popu- along with the quartet of David innings. His impressive stats – 3631 Tlar and affable Professor Boon, Allan Border, Steve Waugh runs from 52 Tests at an average of Deano who gave a succinct analy- and Mark Taylor played a leading 46.55 with eleven hundreds – do sis of a match, the teams and the role in Australia’s resurgence in the give some idea as to how success- players and also became well late 1980s and early 1990s. ful he was but they fail to convey known as the commentator with A naturally attacking player who the joy he brought to the art of the friendly and cheerful voice, loved to hit the ball hard and high batsmanship while being always an effervescent character with a and handsomely, Jones had it all on the attack. He could even put laugh and a joke never far away. – an ideal temperament, the tech- away a good ball to the boundary But Dean Jones’ chief claim to fame nique to play high quality fast or so good was his eye and so sound will always be that of a highly spin bowling and the stamina and his reflexes.

October-December 2020 VIDURA 65 out for 503 minutes to score 210 off 330 balls. It required guts to stick it out there for such a long period, to keep getting runs at a regular rate, to keep hitting boundaries (there were 27 fours and two sixes in his knock). In the enervating conditions he continued to display deep concentration and loads of stamina to bat on and on and on. It certainly was not smooth sailing. More than once he was overcome by nausea and bouts of cramps, he was dehy- drated and even retched at the side of the crease. But not once did it occur to the 25-year-old from Vic- toria, playing in only his third Test to retire. Jones had come in on the first morning when Australia had lost their first wicket (Geoff Marsh) at 48. He played a supporting role to David Boon who was out shortly before stumps for 122. Jones was batting with 56 at the end of the first day with Austra-

Photo: Internet lia 211 for two. It was on the fol- Dean Jones essaying an off drive in his youth - a sight to behold. lowing day that his batting really shone under the sun. Taking all Jones brought these qualities to Ambrose and Patrick Patterson the interruptions in his stride the limited overs game where he in 1988-89 and a century in each he blazed forth with an array of was a pioneer when it came to innings against Pakistan a year later breath taking strokes dominating playing the innovative shots. Hit- the attack including Imran Khan, the third-wicket partnership with ting balls pitched outside the off Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and night watchman Ray Bright and stump repeatedly on the on side, Mushtaq Ahmed. But his name will the fourth-wicket partnership of coming down the track to counter forever be associated first and fore- 178 runs with his captain Allan the fast bowlers and running fre- most with his heroic 210 in the tied Border who went on to get 106. netically between the wickets and Test at Madras (now Chennai) in Goaded on by his skipper, Jones converting singles into twos, Jones September 1986. hung on till he was fourth out at understood what it took to be suc- September is known in the south- 460. His 210 was his maiden three- cessful in ODIs. He emerged as ern metropolis as ‘second sum- figure knock in Tests, is the high- one of the stars of the unexpected mer’ but on those five days of the est by an Australian in India and World Cup triumph in the Indian match the conditions were simply the highest by a visiting batsman Sub-continent in 1987 and had a unbearable. The heat and humid- at Chepauk. Totally exhausted notable record in the 1992 World ity was something else with sweat after his marathon innings, Jones Cup too. With a tally of 6068 runs flowing copiously from the brow required hospitalisation for saline from 164 ODIs at an average of and water being taken by the buck- treatment. It is futile to look beyond 44.61 with seven hundreds and as etful. If that was the scene in the his unforgettable innings as his many as 46 half centuries and a stands and the press box imagine Himalayan achievement for it was

highest score of 145, Jones was the what batting, bowling and fielding the apotheosis of courage in trying most successful Australian bats- would have meant in the cauldron circumstances. < man of his time. that was the MA Chidambaram Jones’ feats include his high- Stadium. est Test score of 216 made against And, yet, in such sweltering the fearsome quartet of Courtney atmosphere with the sun beating Walsh, Malcolm Marshall, Curtley down mercilessly, Jones stuck it

66 VIDURA October-December 2020 VIRTUAL PROGRAMMES CONDUCTED

Challenges in reporting during legendary editor Sir Harold Evans who died in Sep- tember this year. Speakers were A.S. Panneerselvan, COVID-19 readers’ editor, The Hindu; Usha Rai and Manjira Mazumdar, both senior journalists; and Uma Shan- Reporting on the coronavirus and the COVID-19 kar Pandey, associate professor and head of the pandemic accurately and safely is possibly one of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, biggest challenges journalists face. The Press Insti- Surendranath College for Women, University of Cal- tute of India and UNICEF collaborated with the Mar cutta. PII Director Sashi Nair moderated. Ivanios College in Thiruvanathapuram on a webinar in August titled ‘Challenges in news reporting during COVID-19’. Senior journalist Sudha Umashankar A discussion focuses on fishing and veteran photojournalist D. Krishnan spoke about around the Palk Bay some of the challenges and how they can be overcome, recalling some instances from their years of experience. The Center for Asia Studies and the Press Institute of S.R. Sanjeev, head of the Journalism Department, Mar India organised on 10th November a discussion titled: Ivanios College, and Sugata Roy, communication spe- Palk Bay: Contested Territory or Common Heritage – cialist, UNICEF (Tamil Nadu & Kerala) participated. Thinking out of the box. Sashi Nair, director-editor, PII-RIND, moderated. Based on a paper authored by Prof V. Suryanarayan, founding director, Centre for South and Southeast Journalism in the time of Asian Studies, University of Madras, the participants included Prof Suryanarayanan; A. Antony Xavier, COVID-19 director (Technical), Coastal Aquaculture Authority, Government of India; Com R. Seshadri Vasan, head, The Press Institute of India and UNICEF, in partner- Center for Asia Studies, Chennai; Ahilan Kadirgamar, ship with St Xavier’s College, Palayamkottai, organised senior lecturer, University of Jaffna, and member, a webinar on ‘Journalism during the time of COVID- Jaffna People’s Forum for Co-existence; U. Arulanan- 19’ on September 18. Moderated by PII Director Sashi dam, founder, Alliance for Release of Innocent Fish- Nair, the event revolved around a conversation with ermen (ARIF) Trust and Fishermen Leader, Pamban; Mrinal Chatterjee, regional director, Indian Institute and Annalingam Annarasa, president, Jaffna District of Mass Communication, Dhenkanal, and journalists Fishermen Union Federation. T. Ramakrishnan, senior Kavitha Muralidharan and Laasya Shekhar, on their journalist, moderated the discussion. experiences during work at a very difficult time. UNI- CEF Communication Specialist Sugata Roy also spoke. Four webinars attempt to A virtual discussion based on a ‘Decipher China’ book The Institute of Contemporary Studies Bangalore (ICSB), the Chennai Centre for China Studies (C3S) The Center for Asia Studies and the Press Institute of and the Press Institute of India (PII) jointly hosted India organised on September 24 a virtual discussion four virtual conferences, September to December that based on a book, Haksar on India’s Sri Lanka Policy, focused on Deciphering China. The curtain-raiser authored by Prof V. Suryanarayan and Ashik Bonofer. was conducted on September 29-30, followed by the T. Ramakrishnan, senior journalist, moderated the dis- ones on Cyber-Security and Securing India (October cussion. Participating were P. M. Heblikar, managing 26-27), the Maritime Context (November 26-27), and trustee, Institute of Contemporary Studies Bangalore; the Media Landscape in China (December 23). Com R. Seshadri Vasan, head, Strategy and Security The objective was to create an understanding of China Studies, Center for Asia Studies, Chennai; and Com and provide journalists and others a clear picture about Udai Rao, former Director, Cabinet Secretariat. the factual dissemination of information there, including internal developments and actions in the global arena. What good journalism can do The Cyber Security and Securing India conference sought to disseminate information about current Chi- On November 4, the Press Institute of India (PII) and nese capacity and capability in the cyber space and the the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), threats and challenges they pose to India. It also sought Dhenkanal, conducted a virtual discussion focused to examine India’s current stature and its response on ‘What good journalism can do’ as a tribute to the to threats from China and its allies against critical

October-December 2020 VIDURA 67 VIRTUAL PROGRAMMES CONDUCTED

information infrastructure. The webinar assumed National Cyber Security Advisor Lt General Rajesh significance, coming as it did during National Cyber Pant delivered the keynote address at the Cyber Secu- Security Awareness Month (October 2020). rity conference. Pratap Heblikar, managing trustee, The Maritime Context conference sought to enlighten ICSB, chaired the opening session titled India’s Cyber the audience at large about the current Chinese maritime Security Management. Speakers included Rear Admi- capacity and capability and the threats and challenges ral Sanjeev Kale, proprietor, Advait PFS, LLP, Baroda; they pose to India. The objective was also to examine Pavithran Rajan, advisor, Cyber Peace Foundation, India’s current maritime status and its response mecha- Bangalore; Namrata Biji Ahuja, senior special corre- nisms to threats from China and its allies. spondent, The Week, New Delhi; and Anuradha Rao, The objective of the Media Landscape in China semi- founder, Cyber Cognizanz, Singapore nar was to create an understanding of how the media The highlight of the conference was a table-top exer- functions in China and provide a clear picture about cise conducted by Suresh Bulusu, co-Founder, Smart the dissemination of information there, about propa- Transformations; and Samir Aksekar, founder direc- ganda and misinformation. tor, Cyberwis; and Munjal Shroff, co-founder, Graphiti At the curtain-raiser, Jayadeva Ranade, president, Studio. On Day 2, Shroff chaired a session on Cyber Centre for China Analysis and Strategy, delivered Security Threats and Challenges. Speakers were Prof V. the inaugural address. The various sessions focused Kamakoti, director, Computer Science & Engineering, on: Indo-China: Future developments in trajectory IIT-Madras, Pavithran Rajan, Namrata Biji Ahuja, and of ties; Maritime dimensions: Indo – Pacific & IOR – Commander L.R. Prakash, director, Centre for Develop- challenges, opportunities and options; Cyber security ment of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Chennai. and securing India; Analysis of the media landscape in Cmde R.S. Vasan, director, C3S, and regional direc- China; and India’s defence strategy in forging strategic tor, National Maritime Foundation (TN), chaired a partnerships in the post-COVID era. session called China and Information Warfare. Speak- Speakers included Lt General Narasimhan, direc- ers were C. Balasubramanian, research officer, C3S tor general, Centre for Contemporary China Studies, (Information Warfare – Deep Fakes & Misinforma- and member, National Security Advisory Board; Prof tion), A.S. Panneerselvan, readers’ editor, The Hindu, B.R. Deepak, professor, Centre of Chinese and South- and Namrata Biji Ahuja. The programme ended with east Asian Studies; Prof B.M. Chengappa, associate a panel discussion titled Strengthening India’s Cyber professor (International Relations & Strategic Stud- Security Landscape, chaired by Suresh Bulusu. Com- ies), Christ University, Bengaluru; Lt General P.R. mander L.R. Prakash, Samir Aksekar and Rinka Singh, Shankar, former director general of Artillery, and pro- Co-founder, Accelerate Fire, Bangalore, participated. fessor in the Aerospace Department of IIT-Madras; Ambassador Sujan R. Chinoy, director-general, Cmde R.S. Vasan, director, C3S, and regional direc- Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and tor, National Maritime Foundation – Tamil Nadu; Analyses (MP-IDSA), delivered the inaugural address Cmde Udai Rao, former principal director of Naval at the conference focused on maritime security. Admiral Intelligence and former director, Cabinet Secretariat; Sunil Lanba, Chairman, National Maritime Foundation Subramanya Raju, Maritime Study Centre, Pondi- (NMF), former Chief of the Naval Staff and Chairman, cherry University; Balasubramanian C., research Chiefs of Staff Committee, delivered the keynote. officer, C3S; Suresh Bulusu, founder director, Smart Subjects covered included China Maritime Issues – Transformations; Ruchika Arora, cyber security tech- Contemporary Developments, China’s Maritime Capa- nologist; Samir Aksekar, founder director, Cyberwis; bilities, India’s Maritime Security and Governance, Munjal Shroff, co-founder, Graphiti Studio; Col Hari- India’s Maritime Security Scenario, Building A Compre- haran, formerly with Military Intelligence; and former hensive National Maritime Power, and Maritime Strate- Group Captain A.V. Chandrashekaran. gic Developments. Speakers included Cmde R.S. Vasan, There was a separate panel to discuss misinforma- IN (Retd), director, C3S, and regional director, National tion and disinformation campaigns and information Maritime Foundation; Vijay Sakhuja, former director, warfare by China and strategies employed, and the NMF; Cmde V. Venugopal, IN (Retd), member, C3S; role of media in shaping foreign policy. Those who Captain Nitin Agarwala, IN; Prof B.M. Chengappa, ICSB; spoke were R. Prasannan, Delhi Bureau chief, The Cmde Gopal Suri, IN, Centre for Contemporary Chinese Week; Shastri Ramachandaran, political and foreign Studies; Cdr Arnab Das, IN (Retd), founder and director, affairs commentator and editorial consultant, WION Maritime Research Centre, Pune; Prof Rajaram Nagappa, TV; Nitin Gokhale, strategic affairs analyst and editor- National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Ben- in-chief, StratNews Global; and Sathiya Moorthy, head galuru; Udai Rao IN (Retd), ICSB; Vice Admiral M.P. – Chennai Initiative, Observer Research Foundation. Muralidharan, AVSM, NM (Retd), former DG, Coast

68 VIDURA October-December 2020 VIRTUAL PROGRAMMES CONDUCTED

Guard; Captain Himadri Das, IN; Sandeep Unnithan, At the Media landscape conference, Ambassador executive editor, India Today; Sripathi Narayanan, inde- Gautam Bambawale, former Indian Ambassador to pendent national security and foreign policy analyst; M. China, Pakistan and Bhutan, delivered the inaugural Venkatraman Department of Defence Studies, Madras keynote address. University; Cdr Anand Kumar, IN, NMF; Vice Admiral Pratap Heblikar, managing trustee, ICSB, chaired B. Kannan, IN(Retd), and former MD & CEO, L&T Ship- the opening session that focused on the media land- building; Anil Devli, CEO, Indian National Shipowners’ scape in China, the challenge of credibility, Chinese Association; Captain L.K. Panda, former nautical adviser, media and misinformation, and media as an instru- Government of India; Prof V.N. Attri, Centre for Indian ment of Chinese state policy. Speakers included Prof Ocean Studies, IORA; P.K Ghosh, former co-chair and M.D. Nalapat, editorial director, The Sunday Guard- India Rep to CSCAP, International Study Groups; Prof ian; Namrata Biji Ahuja; and Prof Naresh Rao, Depart- Shankari Sundararaman, JNU; Vice Admiral P.K. Chat- ment of Media Studies, Christ University, Bangalore. terjee, former C-in-C, Andaman and Nicobar Command Prof Chengappa chaired the session on Propaganda (ANC); Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha, former FOC-in- and Misinformation. Sathiya Moorthy, Dr Tilak Jha, C, Western Naval Command; Prakash Nanda, editor, Bennett University, Greater Noida, and Ayjaz Wani, Geopolitics, New Delhi; Prof Kamakoti, IIT-Madras; R. Research Fellow, ORF Mumbai, participated. The role Venkatesan, National Institute of Ocean Technology; and of the media in framing foreign policy and media han- Shailesh Nayak, Director, NIAS, and former secretary, dling of human rights and minorities in China were Government of India. some of the areas covered. Krishan Varma, former special secretary, Govern- Raghavan Srinivasan, senior business journalist and ment of India, steered the panel discussion titled, Chi- columnist, and former editor, The Hindu BusinessLine, na’s Maritime Presence in the Indian Ocean and India’s moderated a panel discussion that sought an expert Options. Vice Admiral P.K. Chatterjee, Air Marshal S view on: Where do we go from here? Col R. Hariharan, Varthaman, Lt General Shankar (Retd) former direc- strategic security and intelligence analyst, and colum- tor-general Artillery, Prof, Aerospace Department, IIT; nist; Lt Gen J.S. Bajwa, editor, Indian Defence Review, and Prakash Nanda participated. New Delhi; and Prof Chengappa participated.

Prabhu Chawla is editorial consultant for TVTN

The India Today Group has roped in senior journalist Prabhu Chawla as the editorial consultant for TVTN. He will be back to hosting and will be seen on Aaj Tak and it will be a part-time consultancy with TVTN as Chawla will continue to work with The New Indian Express as well. Along with that he will be taking part in debates on Aaj Tak. He will be joining for his new stint in December.

Chawla was known as the host of Seedhi Baat. He was earlier group editorial director and editor of India Today (Languages). He is also the editorial director of the New Indian Express and Sunday Standard. <

(Courtesy: exchange4media.com)

Sumit Awasthi is new editorial head, ABP News

With an aim to uplift its editorial capabilities and drive organisational growth, ABP News has appointed anchor and journalist Sumit Awasthi as VP, News and Production, who will now be taking charge of the editorial

department with all editorial resources reporting in to him. In this new role, Awasthi will oversee the planning, implementation, and development of stories and projects in multiple formats for the organisation. <

(Courtesy: exchange4media.com)

October-December 2020 VIDURA 69 OTHER NEWS

Research on sexual leadership positions within their media. In parallel, WIN partners with media organisations to identify industry- harassment in workplace led solutions to close the gender gap in their newsrooms, boardrooms and in the content they produce. WAN-IFRA Women in News (WIN) and City, Uni- WIN is currently working with more than 80 media versity of London, heve entered the second phase of from 15 countries including: Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, a major research study into sexual harassment in the Rwanda, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zim- media workplace. In the second phase, the survey will babwe (WIN Africa); Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Pal- look at the extent of this problem in select Southeast estine (WIN Arab Region); and Myanmar and Vietnam Asian countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the (WIN Southeast Asia). WIN is supported by the Swed- Philippines, and Vietnam. ish International Development Cooperation Agency This phase of the research began in November 2020 (Sida) and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. and will run until March 2021, following an initial phase which collected responses from Africa, specifically Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Editors Guild of India forms Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. new committees An initial study conducted by WIN in 2018 identified a significant gap in the available data on sexual harass- The Editors Guild of India has set up new committees. ment in media, specifically in Sub-Saharan Africa, the The committees are: Ethics Committee, Constitutional Arab Region and Southeast Asia. This new study will Review Committee, Media Watch Committee, Media look specifically at those regions to better understand the Laws Committee, Digital Media Committee, Member- extent of sexual harassment in the media industry in Sub- ship/Credentials Committee, and Programs Committee. Saharan Africa, the Arab Region and Southeast Asia. The Below are the details of the committees: research will contribute to global data on sexual harass- Ethics Committee ment in the media industry, by filling these regional data Harish Khare - Convenor gaps; and enable informed, evidence-based responses to Krishna Prasad sexual harassment in the media industry. The research will be a combination of a survey of Constitutional Review Committee media professionals as well as interviews with media KN Hari Kumar - Convenor executives. The survey is targeted at media profession- Prabhu Chawla als regardless of their gender, hierarchy or whether Om Thanvi they have witnessed or experienced sexual harassment. Media Watch Committee News media organisations, regional and national media Sonia Singh - Convenor associations, and industry partners will contribute to the Zaheeruddin Khan survey. The interviews will be conducted with media Rajesh Badal executives focusing on their perceptions about the prob- Krishna Prasad lem of sexual harassment. Findings will be anonymised, Media Laws Committee and no individual or organisation will be named. Raghav Behl - Convenor “In Asia, many deny that sexual harassment is a prob- Mukund Padmanabhan lem. But we know it remains pervasive and is therefore underreported. This research will bring out the figures Digital Media Committee and demonstrate the need for strong workplace policies Shrenik Rao prohibiting sexual harassment at work,” said Jen Teo, Naresh Fernandes director, Southeast Asia, Women in News. Jayant Mathew “Whatever the form, sexual harassment undoubt- Membership/Credentials Committee edly upsets the victim and can cause emotional harm, Vijay Naik - Convenor and physical and psychological trauma. It also causes Ayaz Memon a decline in work productivity and job satisfaction. It’s Suresh Bafna therefore in the interest of individuals and of businesses Programs Committee to address this issue directly in their workplace,” said Teo. Kumkum Chadha - Convenor WAN-IFRA Women in News (WIN) aims to increase Alok Joshi women’s leadership and voices in the news. It does so Sanjiv Srivastava by equipping women journalists and editors with the Sankarshan Thakur skills, strategies, and support networks to take on greater Sunita Aron

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