A JOURNAL OF THE PRESS INSTITUTE OF INDIA ISSN 0042-5303 October-DecemberJULY - SEPTEMBER 2012 2011 VOLUMEVolume 3 4 IssueISSUE 4 Rs 3 50 RS. 50 In a world buoyed by TRP ratings and trivia, QUALITY JOURNALISM IS THE CASUALT Y

'We don't need no thought control'

n High time TAM/TRP era ended n The perils of nostalgia n You cannot shackle information now n Child rights/ child sexual abuse/ LGBT youth n Why I admire Justice Katju n In pursuance of a journalist protection law  Responsible journalism in the age of the Internet  UN Women: Promises to keep  Your last line of defence n Alternative communication strategies help n The varied hues of community radio  Indian TV news must develop a sense of  The complex dynamics of rural  Measuring n Golden Pen of Freedom awardee speaks n Soumitra Chatterjee’s oeuvre/ Marathi films scepticism communication readability n Many dimensions to health, nutrition n Tributes to B.K. Karanjia, G. Kasturi, Mrinal Gore  Assam: Where justice has eluded journalists  Bringing humour to features  Book reviews October-December 2012 VIDURA 1 From the Editor Be open, be truthful: that’s the resounding echo

witch off the TV. Enough of it.” Haven’t we heard that line echo in almost every Indian home that owns a television set and has school-going children? “SIt’s usually the mother or father disciplining a child. But today, it’s a different story. I often hear children tell their parents to stop watching the news channels (we are not talking about the BBC and CNN here). “Why do you want to watch the same thing over and over again? What’s so interesting in them anyway?” they chorus. Children usually get it right. So, are we being held hostage by television? We hardly seem to know… or care. N. Bhaskara Rao, chairman of the Centre for Media Studies, says Indian television has been under the “siege” of TRPs (television rating points); he calls it a “hijack” and the “tranquilising effect”, such that we cannot avail of TV channels for national endeavours, cherished goals and the needs of a majority of people. He adds that Indian television is all about promoting consumerism to maximise returns. He makes some startling points: it’s TRPs every week that decide content priorities, including for news bulletins. Somebody even told him how TRPs are “guaranteed well ahead”. Rao is so convinced that the ratings etc are all a sham, he says the damages TRPs have caused India over the years is not inconsequential and is comparable to the Bhopal gas leak tragedy. If TRPs do not reveal the truth, can influential media houses hope to fool audiences for all time? Perhaps not in today’s age of social media. Veteran journalist M.B. Lal says government and media houses should remember that the more you suppress vital information, the more wings you provide social media. He is convinced no state control will be able to prevent information from reaching the people. As digital technology advances and digital products become cheaper, it will not be possible for governments to exercise control on the flow of information. To that, I would add: neither can the truth be suppressed. We have all seen the Facebook page called Tahrir Square. Some would say that in a scenario like this it’s good having a proactive person like Justice Katju at the helm of the Press Council of India. His comments about the media in particular have ruffled many feathers, his blunt speeches and writings have provoked reactions. However, as P.N. Vasanti, director of the Centre for Media Studies, says, the controversy surrounding his bold statements is mostly about his way of delivering them. She comes up with her take on Justice Katju, who she says stands out as a personality who is not afraid of saying what he believes in. He is able to voice opinions that popular media seems to obscure.

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Sakuntala Narasimhan has an interesting piece on alternative means of communication, some of which are simple and proving effective. She gives the example of Edify School students on Kanakapura Road in Bangalore resorting to a novel way of communicating a public message – they blew a whistle every time they saw someone littering, and presented the offenders with a handout as well as a whistle. No righteous lecture. The novel approach of communicating a message seemed more effective in terms of promoting compliance. The definition of ‘media’ we are adopting, is based on a Western-centric idea where reading abilities are higher compared to the developing world, she points out. Smoke signals, drum beats, music, dirges or elegies, effective communication is an art requiring certain skills. And if you can inspire people across the world, like Anabel Hernández has been able to, then you are in a different league altogether. The Mexican journalist who received the Golden Pen of Freedom Award from WAN-IFRA in September, opens her mind and narrates her touching story, of her life in a country

2 VIDURA October-December 2012 where in six years more than 60000 people have been executed by government or organised crime. In December 2010, when Hernández’s book, The Drug Lords, a product of five years of journalistic investigation, was published, she was sentenced to death by high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Public Security of President Felipe Calderón’s Government for having exposed his relationship with kidnappers and the dreaded Sinaloa Cartel. Since then, a price was put on her head; and since then she decided to fight for her life. In a country where the media “are afraid and preserve their economic interests with the government, and barely fight back when their journalists are killed, are threatened or disappear,” it’s Hernández’s lone voice that cries out loud against injustice. “I know that I have nothing but the truth, my voice and my work as a journalist to defend myself with,” she says. And it is such nerves of steel that are now being displayed by girls like Malala Yousufzai.

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Health/ nutrition, child sexual abuse and community radio – important subjects all. India is home to 42 per cent of the world’s malnourished children. Statistics (and they don’t always lie) reveal that almost every second child under five in India is malnourished. Creating health and nutrition related awareness among mothers and care-givers is crucial if the nutrition targets are to be achieved. Senior journalist Neeraja Choudhury writes about the coming together of five young parliamentarians who formed the Citizens Alliance Against Malnutrition group and visited several Indian villages. Every visit yielded new insights into ground realities and also threw up some good practices in the fight against malnutrition. Pamela Philipose makes a pertinent point: women’s status, not just as mothers but as productive human beings in their own right, is the surest foundation for lasting and sustainable change. It’s against such a background that B.G. Verghese’s article fits in well. It’s time for India to move forward, is his message. Land islimited but population has multiplied more than threefold since Independence and is still growing. India is fast urbanising as a development necessity and the land can no more support such numbers. People need to get off the land and take to non-farm occupations, he stresses. And, yes, there must be a change in mindset. Anjali Singh, who is doing some laudable work at the Saaksham Foundation in Uttar Pradesh, writes about incidences of gross and inhuman violations against children continuing even after they have come to the attention of the administration and enforcement agencies. She says there is surprising lack of enthusiasm among the stakeholders particularly when it comes to the implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act. From an event conducted by Tulir, Centre for Prevention and Healing of Child Sexual Abuse, in Chennai, Susan Philip reports how communication holds the key to the issue of child sexual abuse. Unfortunately, the information children gather about sexual activity comes largely from movies and media, which do not portray it in a responsible way. Strong words from Peter Choate, clinical social worker and lecturer from Canada, who was the guest speaker at the event. And from Bangalore, Pushpa Achanta says the guilty in CSA cases can be members of the household or family, teachers or care givers, who exploit the vulnerability of a child in a clandestine manner and leave her or him feeling confused, hurt and afraid. Overall, it’s a petrifying situation for children and media must treat the issue with sensitivity. Kanchan Malik says it is possible for community radio stations to challenge the hegemony of the mainstream media and its programming methods only by developing rigorous and appropriate codes of conduct and practice in the spirit of self-regulation. Shoma Chatterji pens a wonderful piece on veteran actor Soumitra Chatterjee, who recently received the coveted Dada Saheb Phalke Award. We have lost three giants who’ve left their imprints on the sands of time – B.K. Karanjia, G. Kasturi and Mrinal Gore. Each one of them was versatile and gifted, each a colossus, yet simple and modest. The kind of influence they wielded came from the sheer strength of their work. Sadly, such human beings are a rarity today. We pay tributes to them. Sashi Nair [email protected]

October-December 2012 VIDURA 3 october-decebmer 2012

High time the TAM/ TRP era ended/ N. Bhaskara Rao 04

You cannot shackle information anymore/ M.B. Lal 08

Why I admire Justice Katju/ P.N. Vasanti 11

Varied communication strategies help/ Sakuntala Narasimhan 13

Health & Nutrition: Sensitising mothers is the key/ Smita Deodhar 19

Primary health care must be the focus/ Dr Jai P. Narain 22

Leading a journey for change/ Neerja Chowdhury 24

Mothers tell the true story/ Pamela Philipose 26

Without health, there’s no sporting nation/ Mahtab S. Bamji 29

The perils of nostalgia/ B.G. Verghese 32

Child Rights: Is it such a hard ‘Act’ to follow?/ Anjali Singh 34

Child Sexual Abuse: Media must encourage victims to talk/ Susan Philip 37

Deep scars that may never ever heal/ Pushpa Achanta 40

Alternate Sexuality: All part of the straight and narrow/ Susan Philip 42

It’s sensitivity that’s lacking in fi lms/ Mehak Jonjua 44

In pursuance of a journalist protection law/ Nava Thakuria 46

Community radio in India: Codes of practice can aid self-regulation 48 Kanchan K. Malik

All India Radio reaches out to the community: A messiah in the time of disaster 51 Pulugurta Chandra Sekhar

Community Radio: A successful story in Bundelkhand 54 Sarita Anand and Anshul Singhal

Dadasaheb Phalke Award winner speaks: ‘I did have my box-offi ce potential’ 56 Shoma A. Chatterji

Resurgence in Marathi Cinema: Wooing audiences back to the theatre 60 Nidhi Shendurnikar Tere

Reporting: remember the basics/ V.S. Maniam 63

A life dedicated to the movies/ Shoma A. Chatterji 65

A many splendoured man 67

Every woman’s elder sister/ Vibhuti Patel 70

Cover illustration by Arun illustration by Ramkumar Cover Other News 73

C O N T E N T S T N E T N O C 4 High time the TAM/ TRP era ended NDTV’s allegations against Nielsen-Kantar, sponsors of the TAM-TV ratings in India, for fudging data and deliberately publishing in return for bribe, received wide media reporting. Although such accusations against TAM were not new and the deceptivity of TRPs had been almost an ‘open secret’ in media circles for some years, the law suit filed by NDTV in a New York court created ripples. Now, Prasar Bharati, too, is considering filing a law suit against TAM on similar grounds. N. Bhaskara Rao The issues involved, however, are not limited to NDTV or DD

n its 198 page suit, NDTV is seeking “compensation” and “punitive damages” from Nielsen-Kantar for adversely affecting its revenue, Ireputation, profitability, capitalisation, stock prices and brand value - in the last eight years and “recklessly disregarding any responsibility”. Most people would agree that NDTV is a pioneer on the Indian TV news scene. An analysis of NDTV content produced in recent years reveals that it did come up with certain new initiatives in its programming, as if showing an inclination to deviate from a TRP-driven content model. Whatever be the compulsions of NDTV for filing the suit, the channel needs to be thanked not only for mustering courage, but also for hinting at what the country itself has missed in the process. It meant that Indian television has been under the siege of TRPs; and it has been supporting a particular content model mainly because of the TRP (television rating points) system. I describe this as a hijack. Consequently, the country cannot evolve a more appropriate ‘model’ that caters to and serves the interests of its people. The tranquilising effect of TRPs on channels is such that we cannot avail of TV channels for national endeavours, cherished goals and the needs of a majority of people. TAM-promoted ratings have suppressed the full play of Indian genius and creativity. That is why apart from the ‘loss’ that some individual channels suffered on account of TAM (television audience measurement) ratings, what the nation suffered and missed is much more. Among individual channels, the worst sufferer, of course, has been Doordarshan - much more than NDTV. But for that, TAM alone cannot be blamed, as DD itself has been submissive to such a situation for two decades even when the effect was so obvious. DD never did anything even to put the facts in perspective. On the contrary, it scuttled at the very outset, as early as 1993-94, a truly ‘independent’ India rating service covering rural areas too, as if it wanted to facilitate TAM. It even abandoned its own DART ‘rating’ service covering rural and urban areas. Soon thereafter, the director general of DD became the CEO of a foreign channel, which overnight became the beneficiary of the TAM-rating service. I had written (The writer is the founder- about this blatant lapse on the part of DD more than a decade ago. It also chairman, Centre for Media shows that India did not envisage what such TRPs would mean in the Studies, New Delhi.) long term.

October-December 2012 VIDURA 5 Illustration: Arun Ramkumar

To understand the kind of and then into market research TRPs have become the benchmark. content model that TAM prompted and later into public relations and TAM created its own outfits to and promoted, one needs to know media planning. Together, the advise and provide consultancy on about the sponsors of the system functions serve the same interests content and marketing of channels. and their lineages. The general of global investors and promote The negative implications of impression was that the rating consumerism to maximise returns. TRPs far outweigh whatever service was independent and that That is how the four services more positive elements are attributed it sought to facilitate advertising. specifically work in tandem as to it sometimes. Because of such The interests of the advertising ‘new gatekeepers’ of Indian media ‘experimentation’, the oxygen of industry are, by and large, driven in a jugalbandhi way. Similarly, the TV medium was never allowed by consumerism. Consumerism, TAM is 100 percent owned by to play a more positive role in the in turn, is determined by how the foreign companies, Nielsen- development of TV channels in greed in individuals is pampered. Kantar (one of the reasons for the India. It is a global phenomenon. That NDTV suit in a New York court). In 2004, taking part in a Centre is how with the proliferation of By linking ratings to advertising for Media Studies discussion on satellite channels, it was ensured rates and ad flows, channels have the paradigm shift in media (at that government allowed 100 been made to adopt and proceed the Hyderabad-based Centre for percent FDI in advertising first, according to TRPs, and that is how Economic and Social Studies), the

6 VIDURA October-December 2012 CEO of a Telugu news channel executives from Singapore. They media business barons, which read out a ‘prescription’ provided agreed to announce that TRPs finally led to no intervention or by TAM (on the letterhead of one were not “national”, as was being corrective steps. NDTV did better of its subsidiaries), as to what claimed, but represented only to expose the menace. Even TAM kind of programmes the channel urban TV households. They never never tried to show its impact, should take up to stand out better kept up the promise. Yet, the CEO except by way of increase in sales in the ratings. The prescription (abruptly) went out of the way to of so many brands in the market. explained that “since there are no settle the “pending dues” to TAM, Nor were there any academic TV sets in rural Telengana”, there running into crores of rupees. efforts to study the merger of the was no need to waste the channel’s Ten years ago, when the list of two rating services earlier. Nor time for programmes of interest TV households, where the meter did they consider Justice Verma’s to the region. Over the years, at was installed, was “leaked” and suggestion for monthly reporting least two other channel executives it was obvious that the sample of ratings by TAM, instead confessed to me as to how they was neither representative as of weekly. TRPs were never go by TRPs every week to decide claimed nor all the meters were independently scrutinised. The the content priorities, including in working order, no channel only thing that was often talked for news bulletins. One even told protested or withdrew from the about was the sample size, when in me how TRPs are “guaranteed” TAM service. No matter how fact, the more critical aspect was its well ahead. That was how TAM many TV households had installed very relevance to the Indian scene was using ratings for prescribing meters, at least one-sixth (of the and the conflict of interest aspect content priorities and promoting a 8150 meters) were not working at that determined the scope and content model in lieu of advertising any given time and as many were methodology of TRPs. Another support to channels. The ratings not representative TV households issue was how such channels were service has come into being and as was being claimed. But it did made to use TRPs in a misleading has been devised primarily to not bother anybody. Perhaps, way. optimise the advertisements of that was why NDTV demanded a A study by political scientists big spenders, who are mostly the ban on TAM (Nielsen-Kantar). If will reveal that despite MNCs. That was how channels NDTV could ask compensation for proliferation of news channels, were lured by TAM to adopt a losses on capitalisation, profits and voters have not become more active content model that would provide market shares because of TRPs, or discriminative. A sociological a boost to the markets and how about the people of India? study will show how the divides consumerism, and that was how They, too, could claim several in the country on various the impact of TV so far had not times more compensation and grounds have been kept up by the been much on social development, take punitive actions against TAM/ content model being chased. A governance and environment. Nielsen -Kantar. psychological study will bring out Since the government allowed Despite the deleterious role the linkages between viewership 100 percent FDI into the services, that the TRPs were playing in the and increased crime, casteism, sex as if it had not visualised what it country, there was never any effort and similar deviant behaviour in meant for the country in the long independently or by the TRAI or the country, particularly among run, to that extent the government the government to systematically the young. There is a much bigger too facilitated the process of assess its impact and study its use case for the Government to file a promoting a particular content or to validate its methodology. We case against Nielsen /Kantar for model. As a result of all such are made to believe that TRP was the prolonged fraud. However, calculated efforts of TAM, India a surrogate indicator for viewing the government itself cannot missed an opportunity envisaged quality and impact. The secretary escape the responsibility for by Vikram Sarabhai. from the Ministry of Information facilitating the process over the NDTV is not the first channel & Broadcasting was present at years, however unwittingly. to expose the fraud of TRPs. Zee the CMS round table on TRPs The damages that TRPs/TAM TV had tried it earlier. It, in fact, (2007). I had earlier (2005) briefed have caused across India over the boycotted the service for a while the minister about the adverse years is not inconsequential and and was able to “sort out” with implication of TRPs and gave is comparable to what the Bhopal

TAM. Doordarshan too tried with the details sought on the conflict gas leak tragedy. Thanks to NDTV no “seriousness”. I was invited as of interests involving Nielsen. for awakening us. < an expert by the CEO (K.S. Sarma) Yet, only in 2010, the Ministry of Prasar Bharati to a crucial appointed a committee (headed meeting with TAM/ Nielsen by Amit Mitra) as if to please the

October-December 2012 VIDURA 7 The Caravan writer wins reporting award

The first prize of this year's All India Journalist Competition for the best print media article on humanitarian issues has gone to Rohini Mohan, contributor to The Caravan magazine. Ramachandrareddy Patil of The Week magazine took second prize, while Supriya Sharma of The Times of India and Soma Basu of The Statesman shared third prize. "Reporting on conflict casualties is by no means a matter of headcounts; it is about human beings, their lives and their stories of human suffering, and we thank all the journalists who submitted their articles and helped give a voice to important issues and to people who often remain unheard," said Mary Werntz, head of the regional delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in New Delhi. Mary Werntz congratulates first-prize winner Rohini Mohan, The winning articles were chosen from 45 contributor to The Caravan, as H. K. Dua looks on. published reports short-listed from nearly 80

entries in the competition. The four prizes were awarded at a function held on October 12 at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi after a panel discussion on the theme of this year's competition: ‘Reporting on the fate of victims of armed violence – humanitarian stories’. H. K. Dua, a member of Parliament and senior journalist, was the moderator and chief guest; the panellists were jury members Pamela Philipose, director of Women's Feature Service; Amitabha Roychowdhary, senior editor at the Press Trust of India; and M. Gandhi, a professor at Jindal Photos: ICRC Law School. The awards, which have now been bestowed for five years running, Winners all (l-r): Rohini Mohan, Soma Basu of The Statesman, were instituted by ICRC and the Press Ramachandrareddy Patil of The Week, and Supriya Sharma of The Institute of India, Chennai, for articles Times of India. published in an Indian national or regional newspaper or magazine in English or any of the Indian languages. The ICRC is a nearly 150 year-old international organisation working in more than 80 countries to preserve

a measure of humanity amid violence. The Press Institute of India, which is about 50 years old, endeavours to uphold the standards of journalism in India through research and training programmes. It brings out three < publications – Vidura, RIND Survey and Grassroots.

8 VIDURA October-December 2012 You cannot shackle information anymore As digital technology advances and digital products become cheaper, it will be well-nigh impossible for governments to exercise control on the flow of information. While advances in information technology are making it difficult for the Central and state governments to prevent fact from reaching the people, three parallel developments have emerged to increase the complexities facing the community of journalists. The three factors are: crime, corruption and intolerance. All this M.B. Lal has naturally made the authorities intolerant of criticism. The brunt is being borne by the media, specially journalists who report such events

uch water has flown down the Brahmputra River since the beating and molestation of a young girl by a mob of youth outside a MGuwahati pub on July 9 this year. This happened only ten days after a similar mob had beaten up a woman MLA of Assam in a Guwahati hotel. A few weeks later, the state was rocked by mass burning of villages of alleged immigrants and their shifting in lakhs to nearby refugee camps guarded by the Assam police. As if by clockwork, a campaign against people from the Northeast on social media led to panic among them in most of South India and thousands of them left for their homes in a hurry. In all the events, the media was accused of not only over-stating and sensationalising the unfortunate happenings but even instigating them. In the case of the molestation of a young girl in Guwahati the critics went so far as to suggest that the whole drama was staged by the owner of a TV channel to denigrate the image of the chief minister. Eventually, the TV reporter who covered the story and his editor were not only made to resign but had criminal cases slapped against them. Paradoxically, the emergence of the so called ‘social media’, which triggered the exodus of people from the Northeast from South India has both complicated and cleared the picture. For the first time, the alleged enemies of the nation have managed to spread misinformation and create panic in a whole community, forcing it to stage a mass reverse migration (The writer, after an M.A in English to their homes. Also, for the first time, the common people have a weapon from Allahabad University in 1951, to thwart any attempt by the authorities to stop the flow of information. joined the Nagpur Times as staff According to Wikipedia and scores of other exprt studies, the Arab reporter the following year. In 1955, Spring “which shook the world was really a social media revolution”. he moved to The Tribune as special The rebels used all the tools of Internet including Facebook, Youtube and staff reporter. In 1957, he joined The mass mailing to create a network of underground and overt operatives to Statesman where he would spend 31 years, serving the paper as staff achieve their objective. According to MIT Technology Review, theorists at reporter, special correspondent, chief- the Comlex Systems Institute at Cambridge have predicted global food of-bureau, development correspondent riots the coming year. They ia another group of social media enthusiasts and assistant editor. His studies of who believes that a worldwide networks of rioters can be built up quickly various aspects of the Indian economy through the Internet. Julian Assange is an example: one man arraigned first appeared in the paper. He now against the mightiest nation on earth. His only weapon: state secrets on a lives in retirement in New Delhi.) colossal scale which no one can stop him from spreading. At last, Prime

October-December 2012 VIDURA 9 Illustration: Arun Ramkumar

Minister Manmohan Singh has electronic media is no longer not what the editor of a TV channel acknowledged the fact when he bound by national boundaries. or newspaper would like you to said recently that the damage done At present it is still possible see. You can select information by social media can only be undone to block such messages at the from diverse sources. A person by counter propaganda against it source with the cooperation of the like Julian Asange is capable of and not by controls alone. These concerned government, by issuing feeding you with spicy news from and similar other developments appropriate directions to service across the world, with a skeleton have proved that rebel groups do providers. But the day is not far staff of reporters, almost single- not have to depend on traditional away when technology will do handed. media, print or electronic, to spread away with service providers and An important point that their message. Smart phones have give every mobile phone or TV set government and media houses made it possible for the common direct access to a satellite. The new should remember is that the more man to carry the world in his devices will enable you to receive you suppress vital information, pocket. all the news and entertainment either voluntarily or by state The mass exodus of people of you want on your smart phone diktat, the more wings you provide Northeast origin from the southern screen and, if you wish, beam it on social media to be the dominant states, due to panic caused by a larger screen on a wall or table. media in its own right. Time is messages allegedly emanating You will be your own selector and fast approaching when no state from Pakistan, goes to show that editor and see what you want and controls will be able to prevent

10 VIDURA October-December 2012 information from reaching the corruption, judging by media 11, 2007, the widely watched people, almost instantly. China is reports, both foreign and Indian, Indian subsidiary of a well an example of the helplessness of the country is floating on a sea of known international TV network, its Communist Party, in controlling corruption. All this has naturally equipped with the best expertise demonstration triggered largely made the authorities intolerant of in the country, was to telecast at by social media. criticism about failure to control 8.30 pm a programme with which If the Supreme Court of India the two intimately connected evils. I was associated. We had arranged bans the publication of a hearing The brunt of all this is being borne for a studio to make a copy on a or judgement it cannot stop its by the media, specially those who disk. At 6.30 pm it was like hell documents from being secretly report such events. let loose in the news room of the purloined and beamed from I would like to look at recent channel. Its vigilant reporters at another country. In course of time events through the eyes of a person the site started beaning pictures Indians will get used to receiving who has done nothing but report of a fire caused by a bomb blast information from such sources. for the national press for more inside Dargah Ajmer Sharif , the Already, vital information about than half-a-century. Let me say holiest shrine of Indian Muslims. India which the Indian media, at once that in the girl molestation For the full half-hour devoted print and television included, is case in Guwahati my sympathies to prime time news, the channel voluntarily suppressing, is freely go out to the TV reporter who first swept aside all other items and reaching the country through reported the event. Had he not kept telecasting the same scene of American and British newspapers been there, all the culprits would a single bomb blast from different whose correspondents here have have gone scotfree. As a reporter angles while, to keep viewer no such qualms of conscience myself, I cannot believe any body interest alive, the news reader kept to paint the dark side of the would commit a crime at the harping on related developments country in the same manner that behest of a newsman armed with in and around Ajmer Sharif. The they apply, to describing similar a camera, knowing fully that the following morning, I looked at situations in their own countries. outcome of such an action would the newspapers expectingit to be Indian intelligentsia now has be jail for the wrong-doer. It is like the lead story. It turned out to be free access to the reports through a madman walking into a lion’s a small single column on an inside various channels. The papers have cage –– a tragedy I actually saw page in most newspapers I read a good circulation in India and happening while on a morning that day. they offer facilities of transmitting walk in the Lucknow Zoo in 1974. Be it the molestation of girl in individual articles to friends The Guwahati youths who attacked Assam, Anna Hazare or Baba on the Internet. Indians abroad the girl might as well have walked Ramdev going on fast, or a riot regularly transmit such stories to directly into jail, if they were in any part of the country, TV friends in India. Time is not far doing the act at the prompting of channels will do it their way, when an enterprising journalist a TV channel. one that we are all familiar with. will make a daily or weekly digest Justice Markandey Katju, They not only report the event of such reports and circulate it on chairman, Press Council of India, repeatedly, they also organise the Internet for a small fee. who has in most of the recent heated group discussions with As digital technology advances controversies involving the media, well known personalities to try and digital products become championed the cause of the and thrash out various aspects of cheaper, it will be well-nigh journalist, has suggested that TV the issues at stake. In the end, each

impossible for governments to networks should also be brought speaker tries to outbid the others in exercise control on the flow of under the purview of the Council. projecting his or her point of view.< information. While advances in The proposal has been vehemently And no consensus is reached. information technology are making opposed by representative bodies it difficult for the Central and state of both, print and electronic media. governments to prevent fact from I would like to submit that print reaching the people, three parallel and electronic media are entirely developments have emerged to separate entities. Each has its increase the complexities facing own norms and requires a special the community of journalists. The expertise which the other does not three factors are: crime, corruption possess. and intolerance. Official statistics Here, I would like to give an clearly show a sharp increase in example of the difference between all kinds of crime in India. On the two. On the night of October

October-December 2012 VIDURA 11 Why I admire Justice Katju

am privileged to have met more than a couple of Press Council Chiefs and many other scholars, visionaries and leaders in my 20 years of Iwork in the media sector. But in all, Justice Katju stands out as a unique personality who is not afraid of saying what he believes in. Those who have read his articles or heard his speeches know that he is very well read and often quotes Voltaire and Russo and never forgets to mention the proactive role of media and such thinkers in Europe. He has been quoted to say many things including statements such as “media has a great role to play in this transitional period through which India is passing.” or “media P.N. Vasanti is not an ordinary business which deals with commodities; it deals with ideas, which should be used to benefit people and not harm them.” Actually, what he says does have some substance, but it is not new. Many others including couple of presidents, chief justices and even the prime minister have voiced similar opinion regarding the need for media to be socially responsive along with their business interests. Similarly, Justice Katju’s argument for an independent regulator also holds many supporters and has been discussed a number of times within and outside the Parliament and courts. He is able to voice the opinions that popular media seems to obscure. Proactively, he has taken up the cause of journalist safety and sent show cause notices to a couple of chief ministers for attacks on journalists in their states. He was also very vocal against the recent arrest of a cartoonist on case of sedition. However, the respected former judge has much controversy surrounding his bold statements, mostly not on what he is saying but on how he delivers it. His accusatory and sweeping judgments on the media, and the society in general, gets everybody perturbed. His brusque speeches and writings do provokes reactions. The Broadcast Editors’ Association has publicly condemned his "irresponsible and negative comments" against the media and media professionals. The National Broadcasters Association has also sent a letter to the prime minister regarding views expressed by Justice Katju on various matters relating to the media. For me, the most notable contribution Justice Katju has made is in challenging and aggravating the current harmony that the government and media currently seem to share. He plays a critical role as a solid yet notorious front to an amicable minister. His emotional rhetoric counters research-based facts and figures provided by the industry. His recent efforts towards reformatting the Press Council of India into the new and more authoritative Media Council has disputed the self-regulation hegemony of the media industry. Some have started comparing Justice Katju to T.N. Seshan, the former election commissioner who was admired for initiating reforms to streamline the election process. Thw parallel may be too extreme at this moment as the comparison ends with their similarity to provoke their respective constituencies – journalists in case of Justice Katju and politicians in the case of Seshan. Justice Katju is yet to invoke his powers to bring about any change in the (The writer is director, Centre for organisation he heads - The Press Council of India. Originally constituted in Media Studies, New Delhi and the 1966 as an autonomous, statutory, quasi-judicial body, the organisation was CMS Academy.) initiated to self regulate the print media. Since then, it regularly addresses

12 VIDURA October-December 2012 Illustration: Arun Ramkumar

the complaints received about the the repetition of his monologues, education or schools. In the one- print media. However, today, it he had little much to respond. Of year tenure that Justice Katju has is popularly called the “toothless course, he was quick to retort how been the Press Council chair, he tiger”, which indicates its lack powerful the media was in our has made enough noise to be in of power or influence on most country and the difficulty he faced the limelight and hog precious media houses. In one television in getting his views across. publicity. As he himself points out, interview where I shared the If Justice Katju thinks that media our country is passing through a panel with Justice Katju, I asked owners are too powerful for him transitional period. The question him pointblank what initiatives or PCI to tackle, there are other is whether his intervention will be

he had, as PCI chair, taken to challenges that can be taken up sufficient to create any action or address the issues he raised: paid to make media more responsible. change in the process. < news, lack of accountability of Organisations such as the Centre media owners, patriotic duty of for Media Studies have given in all citizens (including media) to writing concrete actions that can be promote scientific temper and taken up on a priority basis. Some combat backward ideas such as of these include strengthening the communalism and superstition. local and regional press for current Other than his landmark media ecosystem dynamics and judgments whilst a judge and quality issues in journalism

October-December 2012 VIDURA 13 Varied communication strategies help During the Occupy Wall Street demos at Zuccotti Park in New York last year, loudspeakers, megaphones and sound amplification systems were banned by the police, sothe crowds used word-of-mouth relays – the person nearest to the speaker would repeat the words to the next circle of the congregations, and they would in turn repeat the message to those out on the periphery. It worked, and the protest was one of the most electrifying and effective in modern times, Sakuntala Narasimhan spreading subsequently to other cities and regions. It was, for want of a better phrase, an alternative means of spreading a message, or alternative communication strategy that bypassed conventional media. Facebook, YouTube and Twitter may be reaching millions, but there are still regions that block access to citizens, as official policy and censorship. That apart, using inappropriate channels of communication is nothing more than failing to communicate

um-dum-da-da-dum – with an enthusiastic flourish the drummer raises his stick and brings it down to add extra decibels to the last Dsyllable. Passersby stop and stare and a curious crowd gathers. This is a scene not at some rustic jatre (village celebration) but at a fancy, high- rise commercial building in Bengaluru, and the drumming was part of an initiative by the municipal corporation to get property tax defaulters to pay up, by shaming them in public. The initiative resulted in tax collection of Rs 4.5 crore from 20 commercial properties in December 2011, when they ‘performed’ before Sigma Mall in the first instance, and another Rs 10 crore from Bagmane Tech Park who paid up to avoid the embarrassment of drummers creating a ruckus outside their property. The idea of ‘publicly shaming” defaulters proved effective, where routine notices demanding (The writer, based in Bangalore, outstanding dues were not. gave up a job with the Times of In Bengaluru again, students of Edify School on Kanakapura Road India Group in Mumbai to write resorted to a novel way of communicating a public message – they blew a her columns, acquire two PhDs and whistle every time they saw someone littering, and presented the offenders become an activist for consumer with a handout as well as a whistle. Where a righteous lecture (especially rights. She is a recipient of the Media Foundation's Chameli Devi by schoolchildren) would have been received only with anger by those Award for Outstanding Woman who littered, the novel approach of communicating a message seemed Journalist of the Year (1983), the more effective in terms of promoting compliance. The campaign was PUCL National Award for Human inaugurated by the state chief minister and is expected to spread to other Rights Journalism (2000), the schools, with the support of ward councilors. The bonus in the strategy is Deepalaya National Award for that the participating children also learn, without being ‘lectured’ to, and Child Rights Journalism (2000) what children learn at a young age becomes a habit for later life. and the K.S. Aiyar Memorial An environment protection group in the erstwhile Garden City has been award for Outstanding Writing on trying to muster support for its two-year-long drive against the seemingly Socially Relevant Issues (1993). endless chopping down of old trees along the city’s roads (for road Her fortnightly columns on gender issues and consumer rights ran in widening, to cope with increasing traffic). Where conventional tactics of the Deccan Herald for 27 years.) handing out bills, putting up posters, calling for public protest gatherings

14 VIDURA October-December 2012 Illustration: Arun Ramkumar

etc, had only a marginal effect, social networks? Communication would in turn repeat the message an initiative called “Why this methods have spanned varied to those out on the periphery. kolaveri-di, against trees?” caught methods, from times immemorial, It worked, and the protest was instant attention, because of the ranging from smoke signals and one of the most electrifying cooption of the popular film song, drum beats used by the African and effective in modern times, Kolaveri, for the cause. The song tribes and Australian bushmen, spreading subsequently to other fitted in perfectly, with the theme to novel ways of ‘beaming’ cities and regions. It was, for want of ‘butchering trees’ (murderous messages, especially if the idea is of a better phrase, an alternative rage, or kolaveri) that the group to circumvent official censorship means of spreading a message, or was fighting against. Who would or prohibitions. During the ACS (alternative communication have ever thought a popular song Occupy Wall Street demos at strategy) that bypassed that has gone viral on the Internet, Zuccotti Park in New York last conventional media. Cell phone could be harnessed for a civic year, loudspeakers, megaphones cameras caught the law enforcers cause? And yet, it has been, and it and sound amplification systems using pepper sprays on unarmed has helped. were banned by the police, so the protestors (including women) Why do we think of media crowds used word-of-mouth relays and disproving the claim by top and communication only in – the person nearest to the speaker cop commissioner Kelly that the terms of print, broadcast and would repeat the words to the next police action was justified. audio, television and electronic circle of the congregations, and they

October-December 2012 VIDURA 15 Oral tradition is part of a long know, or that they prefer unclean citizens who actually need such heritage of the people of Asia and water, it is just that they have no information about government Africa, whether it is storytelling alternative, no access to clean schemes. We don’t. by elders as a means of preserving drinking water. What is the point Some NGOs, in Andhra one’s lineage and community in spending thousands of rupees Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka history to be passed on from one of taxpayers’ money in painting and Maharashtra (and perhaps generation to the next, or songs such messages? A quarter page elsewhere too), have effectively sung by women with history and ad in a leading daily, inserted used music and theatre for mythology and much besides, by the Rural Development and dissemination of information, woven into the lyrics so that the Panchayat Raj department, says using folk tunes, traditional folk music became something more ‘Impure water causes chronic theatre, or the bhajan genre, for precious than its tune or melody. diseases and physical deformities’ spreading awareness about social Communities have used music, and has the tagline ‘Purity of water issues such as domestic violence dirges and elegies, to keen, mourn, is essential for health’. Who is the and female feticide. The much- share emotions, unburden stress, department addressing? Those hailed Right To Information (RTI) or celebrate in joy. In Cambodia, who need the advice do not read Act came into being after a series the United Nations Development English language newspapers, of rural jan sunvayee (community Programme has assisted in a project and those who do drink un hearings) organised by the to fight domestic violence, by co- clean water do so because they Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sanghatan opting ‘community conversations’. have no access to clean potable of Rajasthan. Why haven’t Sharing a smoke together, was a water. This is just one example of other regions used similar jan ritual showing friendship among inappropriate use of the media sunvayees, for a more meaningful some tribes in Africa and the – would the message have been interpretation of democratic Americas. The ritual was in effect, more effective if delivered orally functioning? Why do we continue a form of communication, between in the rural areas, or perhaps to to measure ‘progress’ in terms of the locals and visitors. the departments that have failed newspaper readership, or literacy In the interior of Odisha, when to supply clean drinking water rates? We do, after all, hear of a stranger is seen approaching, to citizens? The Food Safety and village elders passing orders in a the villagers set up a ‘signal’ Standards Authority of India has, variety of contexts, ranging from using vocal sounds, to warn the likewise, issued a quarter page honour killings, to deciding which community. And the visitor is ad in leading dailies, advising man a woman should marry. Why required to join in a ritual Dimsa people to ‘wash cooking utensils isn’t this tradition of community dance with the villagers, in order with clean water’. From where, interaction used for betterment in to show friendship and solidarity, when there isn’t enough even for a meaningful sense? as I discovered when I was in the drinking? The Government of Karnataka Dandakaranya region researching Facebook, YouTube and Twitter resorted to a new procedure by for my book. There was no may be reaching millions, but which ration cards had to be question of my trying to opt out, there are still regions that block applied for, online. The cards, it citing shyness or unfamiliarity access to citizens, as official turns out, are only for those below or whatever, it was a gesture policy and censorship. That apart, the poverty line, where the cut-off mandated by rites of interaction. using inappropriate channels of point for income is less than Rs Saying I was a friend, was communication is nothing more 2000 per month. Those earning that unacceptable, the message had to than failing to communicate. We kind of money have no access to the be communicated via appropriate see ads announcing this scheme Internet and cannot apply online. means. The operative word is or that project, for Jan Swasthya The procedures for application, ‘appropriate’. Look around, and (people’s health) etc – but ask the offices to be approached etc you can find several examples of the rural populations, they are are published in mainstream this ‘inappropriateness’, in terms not told about the entitlements, papers – but again, how many of of media as well as placement and so often cannot claim their those who desperately need ration of messages. ‘Drink only clean dues. Perhaps, like the Occupy cards, read the papers? Or is the water’ says a message painted on Wall Street protestors, we the exercise meant for publicity for the city buses and on hoardings along newspaper-reading middle administration (“See how many thoroughfares. Sure, no one likes classes, need to pass on the schemes we are coming up with, to drink filthy water, not even messages and information that for the benefit of the people…”) those who do drink polluted water we get from conventional media, or the political party in power, as daily. It is not that they do not by word of mouth, to illiterate part of election propaganda?

16 VIDURA October-December 2012 Along the streets in the small constituencies, using whatever specific kind of shrill chirping by town of Cambridge, UK, one sees means of communications that suit squirrels invariably represents a printed notices stuck to poles by the community’s needs best? I have warning about danger (the arrival the roadside, announcing that a never seen a similar notice, along of hostile monkeys, for instance); certain resident of the adjoining our streets, informing residents likewise, monkeys have their own lane has sought permission from of developments in their locality, ‘language’ too. We tend to forget the city council for chopping down anywhere in India. The local that gestures and non-verbal, non- a set of trees (on private property) representatives who go door-to- print channels of communication and that those having objections door when they wish to seek votes (even theatrics) can be as effective should contact the official for elections, never bother to do so as – if not more effective than – concerned, on telephone number when it is a question of ascertaining conventional media. To peg the xxx. This is a more effective means the residents’ priority needs. level of awareness and knowledge of reaching out to the community, The definition of ‘media’ that we about information, to the rate of with information about matters are adopting, is based on a Western- literacy, is a misleading exercise – that concern the neighbourhoods, centric idea, where reading and where levels of literacy (in the rather than placing ads in abilities are higher compared to the conventional sense) are low as in newspapers (as our departments developing world, but we in the developing countries, perhaps we

do, if at all they bother to inform latter have always had alternative should think abut the versatility, the community in advance). Why means of communication. and appropriateness, of alternative < don’t local councilors resort to Even birds and animals have communication strategies. the best means of reaching their communication strategies – a

Radio still going strong

The beginning of India’s economic liberalisation in 1991 opened the gateway for foreign investment, particularly in information technology (IT) and communication sectors. It resulted in manifold growth in both the fields and revolutionised dissemination as well as consumption of information. The introduction of foreign and the setting up of private media channels opened the field for aspiring journalists, with print as well as radio and television welcoming many of them. A huge bonus has been improved training. In mid-2002, the Indian press entered the liberalisation phase with the government deciding to open up the print media to foreign direct investment (FDI) – up to 26 per cent was allowed in news and current affairs publications, including business publications, and up to 74 per cent in technical, medical and other specialised journals. Later, the government decided to raise the FDI limit to 49 per cent in news and current affairs publications. Presently, about 99.1 per cent of India’s population and 91.2 per cent of the country’s geographical area lie within the reach of radio broadcasting. The number of radio broadcasting stations has risen from six at the time of Independence to 231. By the completion of the current Plan period, more stations will become operational. In rural India, the radio still has a good audience. In the cities, however, there are listeners mainly for the FM channels. Most cities and metros have more than one FM station and the government has recently approved increasing the FDI limit for FM channels from 20 to 26 per cent. It has initiated other steps, including the expansion of community radio and kick-starting Phase III of FM broadcasting. There is also an effort to make medium wave programmes on radio more popular. As far as television is concerned, India has crossed the 100 million mark for paid TV subscribers, representing more than 70 per cent of TV households. According to the India Digital TV Forecast Report, there will be 139 million paid TV subscribers by 2016. It must be mentioned here that Doordarshan, through its network of 1415 terrestrial transmitters, reaches over 92 per cent of the country’s population; the entire country is covered

by Doordarshan’s DTH service. And then, of course, there are the cable operators. According to Pioneer InvestCorp, the Indian cable industry is worth 270 billion rupees and is the third largest in the world, China< and the US. Satyanarayana Pattnaik

(The writer is editor, News, in the News Services Division of All India Radio, New Delhi.)

October-December 2012 VIDURA 17 AWARD-WINNING JOURNALIST SPEAKS ‘To live in silence is just another way to die’

investigative journalist after having exposed his relationship the kidnapping and murder with kidnappers and the Sinaloa of her father in Mexico City Cartel, the most powerful cartel in 2000. Her recent book, Los in the world according to the United States’ Drug Enforcement Señores del Narco / The Drug Administration. Since 1st Lords, details the complicities December 2010, a price has been between organised crime and put on my head and on that day I high-ranking authorities, decided to fight for my life. Since from government officials then I have been on the verge of to the police, military and losing the things that I love the prominent businessmen. most. My family was attacked, As a result, she has made my sisters have been harassed in Anabel Hernández. herself the target of death their homes by armed thugs, my threats from state and non- information sources now feature Mexican journalist Anabel state actors. Following is her on the list of missing persons, have Hernández was awarded the been killed or unjustly imprisoned. acceptance speech: Every day I live with this weight Golden Pen of Freedom, the in my heart, never knowing when annual press freedom prize year and nine months ago my time will be up. of the World Association I’d never have believed that The world looks to a burnt- of Newspapers and News AI’d be here today. Every out Mexico but never quite Publishers (WAN-IFRA). morning I’m surprised by life understands what goes on here Hernández was honoured and open my eyes on a burnt-out and consequently does not realise for her commitment and country where in six years more that this could happen anywhere than 60000 people have been on earth. I have had the chance dedication to investigative executed by the government or reporting that revealed to talk with journalists from all organised crime. Their eyes will over the world who have come to corruption at the highest never open again. I’m surprised by levels of Mexican society. Mexico over the course of recent being able to embrace my children, years to experience the adrenaline The award was presented my mother and my siblings in a of the safari of terror and death. to her by Erik Bjerager, country where more than 18000 They come in search of shootings, president of the World children, teenagers and parents corpses and pieces of bodies; they Editors Forum. WAN-IFRA have disappeared in a phoney count the hangings and interview has presented the Golden war against drug trafficking. Their hit-men, but never get to the Pen of Freedom since 1961 families will never embrace them bottom of the problem. to recognise the outstanding again. The Nobel Prize for Literature In December 2010, when the winner, Mario Vargas Llosa, once action, in writing or deed, book, The Drug Lords, a product of an individual, group or said that there existed in Mexico a of five years of journalistic “perfect dictatorship”. In Mexico institution in the cause of investigation, was published, I press freedom. Hernández today there is a ‘perfect criminal was sentenced to death by high- dictatorship’. The most repressive has worked for several ranking officials of the Ministry regime of all time is that of the important national dailies of Public Security of president power of organised crime that has and was driven to become an Felipe Calderón’s government for blended with Mexico’s political

18 VIDURA October-December 2012 and economic power thanks to a economic interests with the censorship. I also dedicate it to corrupt and unpunished national government, and barely fight back all those Mexican journalists who system. This combination of when their journalists are killed, daily continue to set an example in a drowsy society divided by are threatened or disappear. There their duty to inform and denounce indifference or terror makes for is inaction in part due to a lack of at whatever cost. the perfect milieu for this perverse solidarity in the union and among I will fight until my last breath, regime to maintain itself and grow. the dynamic media egotists that even if it is a small example, so that To think this, say this or write this well you know, but also because as journalists we are not brought is more dangerous in Mexico than the government has criminalised to our knees before the drug state. being a drug-trafficker or working murdered journalists in general, as I don’t know how many days, for them. well as anyone who tries to defend weeks, months or years I have left. This is the power that has them. Family members have no way I know that I am on the blacklist murdered thousands of innocent out; they collect pieces of tortured of very powerful men who will children, youths, women and and dismembered journalists who go unpunished with their pockets men. This is the power that has have been dumped in rubbish full of money from drug bribes seized areas of Mexican territory sacks. They must be quiet and and a guilty conscience for their and subjected the population keep their heads down when the unmentionable acts. I know that to a regime of terror, extortion, infamous government, with no they are awaiting their moment kidnapping and impunity. This is evidence whatsoever, claims that to carry out their threats at little the power that obstructs freedom the journalist was involved in political cost. I know that I have of expression, the power that has trafficking. nothing but the truth, my voice executed 82 journalists over the A year and nine months ago, I and my work as a journalist to course of a decade, has caused understood that it was not enough defend myself with. If one day more than 16 to disappear and to survive this barbarity. To feel it happens, remember me like threatened hundreds, such as the breeze blowing on my face, this, upright. I do not want to be myself. Eighty per cent of these to breathe clean air and see the another number on the list of dead cases have taken place under smiles of my beloved children journalists. I want to be among the the government of the current is not enough. A life in silence is statistics of journalists who fought outgoing president, Felipe not life anywhere on earth. To to live. Calderón. live in silence with regard to how It’s true, as Mexicans we are This is the power that ensures corruption, crime and impunity responsible for our own disgrace, that crimes against journalists go continue to empower themselves in but I hope that the international unpunished. So as to wash their my country is also to die. I continue community will not continue to hands before public opinion and to denounce the decay of Mexico be indolent before the empire of the international community, the and the collusion of politicians, the Mexican drug state, which will Government of Mexico, which public servants and high-level not be resolved by the end of the is currently considered the most businessmen with Mexican drug administration of Felipe Calderón. dangerous place on earth to work cartels. Today, Mexican society I hope they will protect their as a journalist, claims to have is in need of brave and honest borders and economies against this created a prosecution office to journalists who are ready to fight expanding power and give neither protect journalists and resolve and I believe that the international shelter nor protection to those cases of their murder. This office community and world media responsible, be they ex-presidents, has done nothing but conceal share this responsibility to deeply presidents, businessmen or drug- the consent of federal and local consider the reality of the situation traffickers. I want to live, but to government in the murder of in Mexico and assist us in achieving live in silence is just another way

journalists. Its budget has been our goals. Without freedom of to die. reduced by up to 74 per cent, expression, there is no possibility < an indication of governmental of justice or democracy. interest, and 90 per cent of cases Today, you award me with the remain unpunished. In only one Golden Pen of Freedom. I never of every ten cases has the alleged expected any prize in exchange perpetrator been jailed. for my work. I dedicate and The crisis within Mexico with symbolically award this prize to regard to freedom of expression all the Mexican journalists whose has been devastating. The media voices have been silenced by are afraid and preserve their death, forced disappearance or

October-December 2012 VIDURA 19 HEALTH & NUTRITION Sensitising mothers is the key

Persistent malnutrition continues to cast a pall on India’s growth story. Despite vast improvements in the country’s economic status over the last two decades, food security eludes the country’s poor to such an extent that India ranks a dismal 67th among 81 countries on the International Food Policy Research Institute’s Global Hunger Index 2011. Indian children are among the hungriest in the world, with 42 per cent of the world’s malnourished children, and 31 per cent of the stunted children, living here. This, despite a slew of targeted government- A rural woman in Maharashtra sorts out home-grown turmeric rhizomes. run food supplementation Developing a kitchen garden with local varieties of herbs and vegetables can schemes that have been help women and children overcome their nutritional deficiencies. running in the country for Mumbai, “The ‘Right to food’ is a in Vidarbha, a region of eastern the last several decades. must but a larger variety of food Maharashtra that is infamous Smita Deodhar reports from groups needs to be made available for its farmers’ suicides and Mumbai within the scheme. The target- malnutrition-related deaths. specific public distribution system The most significant finding of a oday, momentum is that supplies rice and wheat at just-concluded pilot study of the building around a proposed highly subsidised rates these days region, according to Sen Ray, is Tlegislation that will give is reducing energy deficiency but the distinct developmental lag nearly 80 per cent Indians access then the distribution of only starchy observed among the children in to subsidised foodgrains. But carbohydrates is also leading to the age group of 1-3 years. Up to here’s a question: will quantitative imbalanced energy rich food that the age of one, the sample group expansion alone solve our hunger is deficient in micronutrients.” closely follows the reference group crisis, or are different quality- Invisible malnutrition – in physical growth, but then falls driven, community-specific or insufficiency of essential sharply below the trend in the 1-3 interventions the demand of the micronutrients like minerals and year phase. It catches up in the 3-5 times? Says Kasturi Sen Ray, vitamins, which is masked by an years stage, and again starts falling professor and researcher at the Tata otherwise normal height-weight behind after 5 years of age. Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), a ratio – has been showing up The curious trend is indicative premier research institute based in frequently in a TISS malnutrition of both the problem and the survey that is currently underway solution, says Sen Ray. The

20 VIDURA October-December 2012 creation of health and nutrition related awareness among the mothers and care-givers is crucial if the nutrition targets are to be achieved. And there is positive evidence in this regard. Just few years ago, in the forested hills of Melghat region, in Maharashtra’s Amravati District, hundreds of children between the ages of 0 and 6 used to succumb to malnutrition. But today the times have changed. Says Sen Ray: “Melghat received a lot of government and NGO attention and the situation has improved significantly due to concerted awareness creation. The mothers now give their children home-

Photos: Aparna Pallavi\WFS Photos: prepared weaning foods like gruel and thin pulse soup.” Besides awareness, adapting the mid-day meals and food packets to suit local A woman farmer in Maharashtra stands on her land, where she has grown tastes and food habits as well as banana, papaya and drumstick trees. Cultivating local varieties of fruits and paying greater attention to quality vegetables can be one way of augmenting the daily diets of rural folk. issues, may also have a positive effect. Sen Ray has a few other nutritional downturn begins with in a relapsed developmental lag,” simple, yet effective, suggestions the manner in which the infants explains Sen Ray. for augmenting daily diets. “The are weaned from breast milk. It’s not always that food concept of kitchen gardens must “The children are breast-fed for availability is a problem. Under be popularised. Households can as long as possible. There is no the Integrated Child Development grow local varieties of fruit and concept of weaning foods – often, Services (ICDS), the government vegetables in their backyards, adult food, like chappati with black of Maharashtra distributes Take using water that runs off from the tea, is given to a child as its first Home Ration through anganwadis kitchens,” she says. solid food.” This is typically the and day care centres, to children Child malnutrition apart, there food pattern of a child aged 1-3, a aged six months to three years. are a few women-related nutrition critical period when malnutrition These packets of ready-to-eat issues that the Vidarbha study can result in severe, irreversible food are made from semolina, to hopes to shed light on. “The women cognitive and physical damage. which the mother only needs to in the poor households here do “From age three until they turn add hot water before feeding to physically demanding work, both five, most children in these parts the child. “However, we noticed as homemakers, as labourers or on attend anganwadis (nurseries), these packets lying in unused their own land. But when it comes where they get one supervised, heaps in some homes, as the to dividing the food among the passably nutritious, child-friendly mushy end product is not to their family members, the women tend meal in the day, and so their weight taste,” reveals the researcher, who to take the smaller share or deprive catches up to normal. But after the has been visiting the region from themselves in times of scarcity.” age of five, the same one mid-day time to time. Similarly, even if The study aims to relate energy meal served in school cannot keep vegetables are cooked at home, the expenditure with energy intake pace with the requirements of a fast child is not given any, because the among the adult population, and growing active body. Moreover, preparation is too spicy. “They do test the gender-wise differences absenteeism and distaste – and not give vegetables in children’s in nutritional status. Nutritional hence the rejection of the less diets enough importance to cook status is also sensitive to seasonal supervised food distribution to them in a bland, more child- variations, suggest some findings comparatively independent older friendly way,” she adds. of the pilot study, under which children in large numbers – results Clearly, then, sensitisation and three livelihoods were taken into

October-December 2012 VIDURA 21 consideration – agriculture, dairy set of conclusions. “We expect There will also be 24-hour farming, and manual labour. Of the type of malnutrition and its recalls over several days of the three, it was found that people causes to be different from those the food ingested during the who depend on agriculture for in Vidarbha.” period. The detailed record of their income – and food – are more The two studies are spread over food composition will enable undernourished. several villages, and cover different quantification of nutrient intake. The Vidarbha study, when economic groups, age groups Together with observation of completed, promises to throw from infants to geriatrics, and other socio-economic and cultural light on the many regional, social, both genders. TISS has put trained factors, Sen Ray expects to produce cultural and economic factors that researchers and nutritionists in an accurate and detailed analysis contribute to malnutrition. But the field who will employ three of malnutrition in the regions

cautions Sen Ray, “The conclusions, methods to measure development under study. This will, in turn, she of course, will be region-specific and nutrition, simultaneously. hopes, help in developing effective< and cannot be generalised. Each The first will consist of measuring intervention strategies. region affected by malnutrition height, weight and circumference, needs to be similarly scrutinised which will indicate growth to identify specific problems and status. Specific deficiencies will (Courtesy: Women’s Feature Service) devise specific interventions, be checked by the signs and because conditions differ from symptoms method where, for state to state and community to example, poor eye condition community.” She can say this with could be an indicator of vitamin confidence because in Jharkhand, A deficiency, pallor, an indicator where TISS is running a similar of anemia, goitre, an indicator of study, she foresees a different iodine deficiency, and so on.

Call for more press freedom in the Ukraine

The global summit meeting of the world’s newspaper industry opened in September with a call for the host country Ukraine to live up to the promise of post-Soviet revolution to “regain freedoms that sustain democracy and human dignity.” “We have gathered in this city to discuss and debate global as well as local events, and to show our solidarity with the entire media fraternity,” said Jacob Mathew, president of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), during the opening ceremony of the 64th World Newspaper Congress and the 19th World Editors Forumin Kiev, Ukraine. “There were voices that argued that Ukraine should be boycotted in view of its press freedom situation and other issues of concern,” he said. “But we at WAN-IFRA chose exactly the opposite path. We said we should spend time in Kiev, understand the situation, and show our solidarity with the local independent media. Instead of turning our backs to the long-suffering Ukraine, we wanted to embrace this great country that we believe has the strength to re-assert itself and regain freedoms that sustain democracy and human dignity.” The audience, which included Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych, other dignitaries, and more than 1000 publishers, chief editors, managing directors and other senior newspaper executives from 88 countries, was told that international media conferences in Ukraine “will give an exposure to the media an the society in the region to the best global practices in print and broadcast journalism.” President Yanukovych’s speech, which followed Mr Mathew’s, was marked by a protest by a group of about 15 journalists who held up signs throughout his remarks that read, “Stop Censorship.” “There is a problem

of inertia that law enforcement doesn’t react to some of the press’ complaints and claims about freedom of the press and independence of the media, but I can assure you that we are working diligently to improve this < situation,” President Yanukovych said.

22 VIDURA October-December 2012 HEALTH & NUTRITION Primary health care must be the focus India is presently in a state such as small pox, guinea worm globalisation and often unplanned of transition – economically, disease and yaws have either been and unregulated economic activity, demographically and eradicated or eliminated. No case leading to burgeoning poverty, of poliomyelitis has been reported deepening inequalities and epidemiologically. While since January 2011 – a historical inadequacy of resource allocation the last two decades have achievement. There is progress for public health. The situation seen remarkable economic in reducing maternal and child will be further aggravated by development, particularly mortality, although it is slow. The climate change, which continues in terms of a GDP growth Millennium Development Goal to threaten not just the economy, of 7-9 per cent, disparities (MDG) targets for HIV, tuberculosis not just energy and food security between rich and the poor and malaria control appear to be but health security as well. have increased both in urban within grasp. The health of women and and rural areas. Despite However, the country at present children is of significant concern, tremendous progress and suffers from a double burden of given the slow progress in several success stories, the diseases – while infectious diseases achieving MDGs 4 and 5 – remain an unfinished agenda, India reducing child mortality and country suffers from a double has to also confront the emerging maternal mortality, respectively. burden of diseases – while problem of non-communicable Maternal mortality, in particular, infectious diseases remain diseases (NCDs), against the remains unacceptably high and a an unfinished agenda, India background of an over-stretched major push in this area is needed. has to also confront the health infrastructure. Nearly 46 The environment has a significant emerging problem of non- per cent of all deaths in the country bearing on health, both directly communicable diseases, are attributed to NCDs and they and indirectly. While 40 per cent of against the background of have emerged as the leading cause diarrhoeal diseases are attributed an over-stretched health of death nationwide. They could to polluted water sources, indoor infrastructure. Dr Jai P. even be considered the health pollution contributes in a major Narain reports from New problem of the coming decade, way to pneumonia. India is also just as HIV was of the last decade. unlikely to achieve MDG 7, which Delhi This scenario poses enormous pertains to sanitation. Against this challenges but also offers special background, India will have to ccording to the Economic opportunities for action. In the prepare itself to confront many Survey 2011-12, India light of the recent announcement public health challenges in the is passing through A of the Indian Government to hike near future. In a rapidly changing unprecedented demographic its budgetary outlay for health and inter-dependent world, health changes. While the “demographic from 1.3 per cent of the GDP to 2.5 investments must keep pace with dividend” would possibly make per cent, it is time to look at what the emerging global and national it one of the youngest countries the country’s health problems are health challenges. in the world by 2021, the number and where the allocations should The epidemiological transition of people who are elderly, or be made. in health is a complex and beyond the age of 60 years, will We have, in India, an interplay highly dynamic process. It is also continue to grow, thanks to of socio-economic, environmental fuelled by social and economic increased life expectancy, which and behavioural factors that determinants like an ageing now stands at 65.4 years, posing is driving the epidemics of population, globalisation, a new set of challenges. In the both communicable and non- urbanisation, changing lifestyles, area of health, too, the transition communicable diseases. The environmental degradation and is underway. Many diseases situation is made worse by rising consumerism. Moreover,

October-December 2012 VIDURA 23 deepening disparities and unequal access to health services continue to be the reality. For the poorest of the poor and the most marginalised communities, healthcare has been one of the primary causes of indebtedness. Not only are these communities at greater risk of contracting communicable and non- communicable diseases, they

are the least able of coping with Photo: WFS that situation. If someone in their family falls ill, the skyrocketing price of healthcare would only India has an overstretched health infrastructure, which can lead to tougher draw them deeper into poverty. times ahead while tackling the rapid emergence of non-communicable The health system is also over- diseases as a major public health concern. stretched and not fully geared to address the consequences of that have the greatest impact. In this context, it would be the health transition. To address This highlights the importance useful to look at an example these challenges, a paradigm of innovation and research as a of conventional wisdom from shift is needed. India needs to major priority for the country. neighbouring Thailand where there move from building hospitals The ‘efficient’ scaling up of cost- is an adage: ‘Triangle that moves to strengthening primary health effective interventions and moving the mountain’. As a strategic and care with a focus on disease towards universal coverage is the philosophical approach to policy prevention and health promotion. second imperative. Strengthening advocacy, this concept underlines It needs to shift from a bio- the health system through adequate the power of knowledge medical approach to addressing human resource development and generation, social movement, the underlying social, cultural, ensuring that the poor and most and political commitment as economic, behavioural and vulnerable sections of society the three angles of a triangle. environmental determinants of have access to healthcare and also Knowledge or evidence building health. In other words, the country financial protection in doing so, is expected to be spearheaded by needs to strengthen capacities need to be achieved urgently. academicians, social movement at all levels of programme ‘Excellence’ in the quality by the civil society, and political implementation, monitoring and of health services is the other commitment by the government evaluation. The additional fund priority. India needs to consider and its development partners in allocation promised by the Union how health services can be terms of policy formulation and finance minister may be used made appropriate, accessible implementation. These can also effectively to strengthen health and responsive to the needs of be seen as parts of the body: the infrastructure that can contribute people. It also has to ensure that head for knowledge creation, the to controlling the incidence of patients are treated with dignity heart for social movement, and the both communicable and non- and can reach health services at hands for political commitment communicable diseases. all times. Finally, and perhaps and implementation. There is a All this demands a systematic most fundamental, is the issue of belief that when the head, the heart

approach. Four aspects – they can ‘equity’. Are the services equitably and the hands work in tandem, < be termed the 4 Es – need to be distributed and accessible across nothing is impossible. highlighted. First, India needs the social gradient and national to use ‘evidence’ as a basis for geography? How to make sure (Courtesy: Women’s Feature Service; policy and strategy formulation. that services are accessible to and the writer, a medical doctor and The generation of evidence of fully utilised by the poor and the international expert on public health sufficient quality on disease most vulnerable, who need them policy, was a former senior director distribution and its determinants the most? In order to ensure this, of WHO/SEARO.) is necessary for both strategising significant focus is needed in and advocacy. Evidence is also building and strengthening health needed to identify and test the governance and leadership. most cost-effective interventions

24 VIDURA October-December 2012 HEALTH & NUTRITION Leading a journey for change

hild malnutrition is an because a large number of the interests of bipartisanship, to issue, which has been underweight babies were being visit Congress-ruled Maharashtra “Con the fringes. Our born to underweight women next. Subsequently, the group effort has been to bring it to the in India. This in turn revealed visited states ruled by regional mainstream through a bipartisan women’s poor status, including parties like Odisha and Bihar, effort.” – Sachin Pilot, minister of early marriage, high levels of which also reported high levels of state for Telecommunications and anaemia, inadequate nutrition, malnutrition, as well as Rajasthan. MP, Indian National Congress little education and hardly any role The MPs understood that the * “It is time to stand up and in decision-making, both within credibility of the effort hinged unite against malnutrition.” the home and in the public space. on the group’s independence – Shahnawaz Hussain, MP, The evidence that emerged with and lack of political bias. When Bharatiya Janata Party the NFHS-III Report became a the media tried to corner BJP’s * When I see hunger, it troubles topic of conversation in the Central Shahnawaz Hussain in Gwalior – me that we have not been Hall of Parliament and some of since Madhya Pradesh was ruled addressing these issues in the last the younger parliamentarians by the BJP – it was his colleagues 60 years. Unfortunately, despite so wondered aloud about what from other parties who answered many child deaths, no government could be done. Sachin Pilot, the questions. In Maharashtra, it in India has been able to do who is today minister of state was the other way around. The anything about it.” – Supriya Sule, for Telecommunications but group visited tribal villages in MP, National Congress Party was at that point just an MP, Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior District * “We got together across party decided to reach out to some of and Maharashtra’s Thane District. lines because many younger MPs his parliamentary colleagues. They went to Cuttack District in felt there were certain issues like That was how a group, initially Odisha and spent time in Bihar’s malnutrition that needed to be comprising five parliamentarians Muzaffarpur and Vaishali Districts depoliticised and tackled on an – which christened itself Citizens as well as Rasjasthan’s Banswara emergency basis.” – Jay Panda, Alliance Against Malnutrition – District. MP, Biju Janata Dal was convened. The MPs invited Every visit yielded new insights * “The biggest revelation to me other eminent citizens from into ground realities – and also was that half our children were different sectors to join them in threw up some good practices malnourished. If these children are understanding why the situation in the fight against malnutrition. not helped, how will the country continued to be so bad. Madhya In Cuttack District, for instance, go forward?” – Neeraj Shekhar, Pradesh – that reported one of the they were told that a simple MP, Samajwadi Party highest levels of child malnutrition thing like ensuring children wore It all began in the winter of in India – was the first destination slippers while going into the 2006. The National Family Health in this journey of learning. Before fields for ablutions had helped. Survey III (NFHS-III) – a report long, a group of eight – five of In Bihar, they visited a nutrition partnered by the Union Ministry whom were MPs – were on the train rehabilitation centre, where of Health – revealed that almost headed for Gwalior. It included acutely malnourished children every second child under five Shahnawaz Hussain of the BJP, were being treated – 99 per cent in India was malnourished. Supriya Sule of the NCP, Jay Panda of them came from marginalised Equally shocking was that India of the BJD, Prema Cariappa and backgrounds. It was they who did worse than many countries Sachin Pilot of the INC. Many were destined to die with even one in sub-Saharan Africa, even more were to join their ranks. bout of diarrhoea or pneumonia. dictatorships. Malnourishment Because Madhya Pradesh was a Given the profile of the group, was clearly a chronic problem, BJP-ruled state, it was decided in news of a pending visit would

October-December 2012 VIDURA 25 throw the local administration into a frenzy as anganwadi centres were spruced up and children made to turn up in their best clothes. But surprise visits revealed the true story. In Gwalior District, when the group stopped at a randomly chosen village, they found the local anganwadi centre shut. Minutes later, the missing anganwadi worker came rushing in to open the room. With some deft questioning it was obvious that hot cooked meals were not being served to children here. The MPs then understood that when anganwadi workers were

themselves political appointees it Photo: Naandi Foundation invariably led to poor functioning of the centres. Indifferent tracking of the nutritional status of the children Members of the Citizens Alliance Against Malnutrition: (From left) Congress was another problem everywhere. MP Dr Jyoti Mirdha, Congress MP Priya Dutt, Congress MP Madhu Yaskhi, Registers were not being filled Samajwadi Party MP Neeraj Shekhar and National Congress Party MP properly, children's weights were Supriya Sule. not being checked regularly and, in some instances, registers were – commented on this when the (Hunger and Malnutrition) survey, filled in pencil so that the figures group briefed them on its findings. it captured the nutrition status of could be modified later. Some of the It was probably the only issue that 109093 children under five. More impracticalities of the system also had united MPs across the political initiatives will follow in the days surfaced. For instance, anganwadi spectrum. BJP’s Shahnawaz ahead. The journey to understand workers, whose main task was to Hussain and Mohammed Salim ground realities undertaken by visit homes and run the centres, of the CPI(M) may have slugged it India’s young parliamentarians were saddled with the laborious out in Parliament in the morning, may well turn out to be a journey task of filling up as many as over but in the afternoon they could for change. Sachin Pilot spoke for 100 columns in their registers. Just be seen sitting side by side trying many when he observed, “Today by visiting a particular region, the to convince the PM or the Leader I, for one, consider this to be on group provided a public focus to of Opposition that more needed top of my political priorities as an child malnutrition. The fact that to be done to give malnourished elected representative.” Jay Panda chief ministers made it a point children their due. echoed this concern and promised to meet them helped to raise the This effort is still very much to speak out on the issue in his profile of their visits. In Odisha work-in-progress. A national constituency and seek support and Bihar, the group met chief campaign, which will be the result across the spectrum to tackle it. ministers Naveen Patnaik and of the joint efforts of Bollywood’s So far, malnutrition has not been Nitish Kumar, who got their senior Aamir Khan and Prasoon Joshi, on the main agenda of political officials to brief the visitors. the Government of India, UNICEF parties. Hopefully that will change. Ultimately, it was the India and the Citizens Alliance India’s young Parliamentarians

determination of the group to Against Malnutrition, is expected have spoken, now the country keep its non-partisan nature to be on the scale of the campaign needs to act. < alive – no matter how strong the mounted against polio. The temptation to score brownie points Hyderabad based NGO, Naandi (Courtesy: Women’s Feature Service; against each other was – that made Foundation, whose CEO is a The writer, Neerja Chowdhury, is a the difference. In fact, former member of the group, decided to senior political journalist.) President Pratibha Patil, Prime initiate a report of the state of Minister Manmohan Singh, and child malnutrition in the country's Leader of Opposition - first L.K. worst 100 districts – and the 12 Advani and later Sushma Swaraj best ones. Titled the HUNGaMA

26 VIDURA October-December 2012 HEALTH & NUTRITION Mothers tell the true story

The HUNGaMA (Hunger and Malnutrition) Survey Report 2011 revealed that 42 per cent of Indian children were malnourished and 59 per cent were stunted – the prevalence of stunting increasing sharply from birth through the first two years of a child’s life. It famously caused Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to comment that malnutrition is a matter of “national shame”. Here is one set of figures that pierce the mind from the HUNGaMA Survey Report 2011 that covered Pamela Philipose 109093 children under five in 3360 villages across nine states: 66.3 per cent mothers interviewed in the 100 districts that reported the lowest levels of child development have never been to school. The survey stresses that women’s status, not just as mothers but as productive human beings in their own right, is the surest foundation for lasting and sustainable change

“To my mind, we are in an emergency situation. As a nation, we need to be made more conscious of nutrition. If children aged from 0 to 6 could speak, if women had education, decision-making powers and entitlements, the scenario would have been totally different,” says HUNGaMA (Hunger and Malnutrition) Survey Report 2011 team leader Rohini Mukherjee of Naandi Foundation, which had anchored the document. This was why a section, entitled Mother’s Voice, was included in the survey. It put together for the first time data on whether the mother went to school, had an institutional delivery, had decision-making powers about their children’s welfare, and so on. As each number told its story it only went to underline a tragically familiar reality: women’s low status and appalling social disparities lay at the heart of one of India’s most formidable challenges. The survey zeroed in on 100 (The New Delhi-based writer is districts that ranked at the bottom director, Women’s Feature Service, a features agency mandated to in terms of the Child Development make visible gender in media. Index developed in 2009 by Indicus Earlier, she was senior associate Analytics for UNICEF India, which A mother and child in Chatra, editor with The Indian Express. fell in six states. Six rural districts Jharkhand. The HUNGaMA Survey She has been awarded the Chameli that did the best in those very Report 2011 has covered 109093 Devi Jain Award for Outstanding states were also surveyed as were children under five in 3360 villages Woman Journalist and the Zee- six top-ranking rural districts in across nine states in India. Asthiva Award for her journalism.) the three best performing states

October-December 2012 VIDURA 27 of the drinking water available. Mukherjee. She also strongly Also, exclusive breastfeeding was argues for a renewed focus on clearly not practiced widely. While children in the 0-3 age group, soap had made its way into almost as well as for maternity leave every home, only 10.8 per cent for rural women. “We recognise in the focus districts said family that urban working women are members used soap to wash their entitled to maternity leave, so hands before a meal and only 19 why not rural women? Perhaps, mothers said that soap was used we could use a mechanism like after going to the toilet. MGNREGA to ensure that she What was most striking was the gets a paid break after child Photo: WFS lack of not just an understanding bearing. This will pay enormous of malnutrition, but a complete dividends, because if two things Rohini Mukherjee of Naandi unawareness that it existed. While are followed – breast feeding after Foundation and team leader of the HUNGaMA Survey 2011. 81.6 per cent of mothers in the birth and exclusive breast feeding six best districts had heard the – it will make a huge difference to word ‘malnutrition’ in their own the country’s nutritional profile,” of the country. There are three language, among the 100 focus says Mukherjee. traditional ways to measure districts this was just 7.6 per cent. Will the emerging generation child malnutrition: underweight, “Malnutrition does not have any mark a change? Not if one went stunting and wasting. All three symptoms like malaria, it is not by the data from the Survey measurements were collated in the contagious like influenza, there is that revealed that biases and exercise that brought striking gaps no vaccine for it like polio – and neglect mark out the girls in the and contrasts into view. In the six that’s what makes it so difficult family from early childhood. rural districts that did the best in to address,” observes Mukherjee. Development economists Abhijit terms of child development, for In fact, when she travelled to Banerjee and Ariel Zucker, who instance, only 4.3 per cent mothers some of the surveyed districts, went through the survey data, had not been to school and, in fact, she didn’t encounter a single highlighted the fact that “girls most of them had studied at least mother who said that her child start with a nutritional advantage up to Class Ten. was malnourished. “It is easy to over boys, which they lose as they The intimate link between a understand this. After all, every grow older, to the point that by woman’s physical well-being child in the village is more or less age four they have fallen behind.” and her child’s nutritional profile uniformly malnourished and the The inter-generational transfer also came through. Birth weight, presumption is that ‘all kids are crucially dependent on the health like this’. The mother also believes of the mother, was clearly an that she is feeding her child, important risk factor for child although most of this food is just malnutrition: its prevalence among carbohydrates,” adds Mukherjee. children born with a weight below This is where poverty levels 2.5 kilograms was 50 per cent, while and the striking inequalities among children born with a weight that mark India came into focus. above 2.5 kilos, prevalence declined Mothers in the Survey expressed to 34 per cent. Similarly, the close helplessness about not being connection between malnutrition able to feed their children better and the educational profile of the foods. Only 47.8 per cent mothers mother, her lack of agency, and reported that they were satisfied her low levels of awareness was with the amount of non-cereal highlighted. For instance, less than foods they were able to give their half the mothers in the 100 focus children, and when asked why districts reported giving breast they did not give their children milk as the first intake. In contrast, more non-cereal foods, 93.7 per 87.2 per cent mothers in the best cent said that such foods were districts had done so. Moreover, beyond their means. Given this 58 per cent mothers fed water to situation, the government should their infants before they turned seriously consider providing non- six months old – a dangerous cereal items through its public Field workers of the HUNGaMA practice given the poor quality distribution system (PDS), feels Survey in action in Kota, Rajasthan.

28 VIDURA October-December 2012 Photos: Naandi Foundation

A section, entitled 'Mother's Voice' was included in the Survey. For the first time it put together data on whether the mother went to school, had an institutional delivery, had decision making powers about her children's welfare, and so on.

of gender disempowerment not have to fill more than 20. But the PDS and anganwadis. But with disturbingly carries on apace. this data should be taken seriously, this, it re-emphasises that women’s Mukherjee points out how a analysed and sent back to them, so status, not just as mothers but as country like Thailand has been that this is not just a bureaucratic productive human beings in their able to dramatically improve the exercise but a way to improve their own right, is the surest foundation

nutritional profile of its children by interventions,” she says. for lasting and sustainable adopting primarily two strategies: The survey iterates the need change. < a massive multi-ministry effort for a convergence of many key backed by resources; and good concerns to tackle malnutrition – outreach services and counselling, from water, health, sanitation to where one woman counsels 10 mothers. Although India may never be able to achieve that ratio given its population, she believes the institution of the anganwadi needs i-next enters Indore to be brought into the centre of the conversation. “Anganwadi workers In order to target the young readers of Indore, i-next, the bilingual could do better. But we also need tabloid of Dainik Jagran, was launched in September. The tabloid to help them do better. We are not is available in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttarakhand. monitoring the right things in the This is the 14th edition of i-next. It will be circulated with Nai Dunia. anganwadi. We are not monitoring, The launch is being actively promoted through the campaign ‘Indore

for instance, how many women is my next’, supported by outdoor, radio, digital promotions, print are doing exclusive breast feeding. ads, banners and road shows. The targeted communication is being< Right now, anganwadi workers undertaken to introduce i-next to the young audience of Indore. have to fill 119 columns of data. In an ideal scenario, they should

October-December 2012 VIDURA 29 HEALTH & NUTRITION Without health, there’s no sporting nation

As a rapidly growing economy, India is often clubbed with China, but in the Beijing Olympics of 2008, China won 51 gold medals while India managed just one – in shooting. When

the question of India’s poor standing in the area of sports is raised, blame is put on a variety of factors like the lack of a sporting culture, poor funding, inadequate training opportunities, inability to identify talent at an early age, and so on. Important as these are, the basic issue is Anjulika Thingnam\WFS Photo: that a malnourished nation cannot be a sporting nation. To produce a world-class athlete like boxer MC Mary Kom, India not Finally, it comes down to only needs to overcome factors like poor funding or inadequate training this: No health without good opportunities for sportspersons, it needs to understand that a malnourished nutrition, says Mahtab S. nation cannot be a sporting nation. Bamji

ver the years, some minerals). There is iron deficiency laureates, gave high priority to improvement has occurred that causes anaemia (50-70 per nutrition for human development. Oin terms of reduced cent), with iodine deficiency In fact, of the top ten priorities mortality. But the resistant and vitamin A deficiency being selected for development in the problem of malnutrition continues of particular concern. Other Copenhagen Consensus, five to defy a solution. Thus, almost deficiencies knocking at the door were in the area of nutrition 30 per cent of infants in India to be recognised on the basis of – micronutrient supplements, have low birth weight (less than recent evidence are vitamin D micronutrient fortification, bio- 2.5 kilos). Almost 50 per cent pre- deficiency (despite our tropical fortification, de-worming and school children suffer from protein sun), B-vitamins (folic acid, B 12 other nutrient programmes at the calorie malnutrition as judged and B 2) and zinc. school and community level. by anthropometric indicators Under-nutrition impairs We need, not just food security like wasting and stunting, and growth, immunity and – often interpreted as adequate the past decade has seen little productivity in day-to-day life, stocks of cereals at the national improvement. Nearly 30 per cent leave aside performance in sports, level – but nutrition security. For of adults are also undernourished which demands strength, stamina, this there has to be awareness as as judged by the body mass index. and concentration. This is clearly well as physical, economic and There is rampant deficiency of the issue of our times and a panel social access to an age-appropriate micronutrients (vitamins and of economists, who are also Nobel balanced diet. There also has

30 VIDURA October-December 2012 to be clean drinking water, a safe environment and primary healthcare for all. A balanced diet implies the right blend of cereals, legumes (dals), vegetables, fruits and foods of livestock origin - milk, eggs, meat and fish. Thanks to our price support policies, India has been encouraging the consumption of fine cereals like rice and wheat. Yet, coarse grains like maize and sorghum (jowar) and millets like pearl millet (bajra), finger millet (ragi) and minor millets that are rich in nutrients and fibre, need to be prioritised in our nutrition security policies. They have the added advantage of requiring less

water for their cultivation, and being more resistant to climate change. The link between malnutrition and disease is often overlooked. It is, in fact, a vicious cycle. Under-nutrition compromises immunity and predisposes a Anik Dey\WFS photo: person to infection, which in turn depletes the body of nutrients. Today, countries in transition like India are facing the double burden of pre-transition diseases She doesn't get two square meals a day, lives in a mud house and helps her such as under-nutrition and father, a vegetable seller, eke out a meagre living. Yet, despite these odds, West infections, and post-transition Bengal's Asha Roy, 21, is the fastest woman in India today. degenerative diseases like obesity and associated conditions like diabetes, hypertension and nourished mothers. Indulgence in Ordinary Indian diets are not cardiovascular diseases (CVD), later life (sedentary lifestyle, high- particularly high in their nutritive cancer and arthritis. India is the fat, low-fibre, refined diet, which content. Visit any village in south diabetic capital of the world and would be the lot of individuals India and you will see children CVD hits South Asians, including who move up the economic eating a pile of rice, with a little Indians, at a younger age than in ladder), predisposes people to chutney or some vegetable or a other countries. obesity, diabetes and CVD. Obesity little dal (lentil). In north India, Research done over the last also aggravates arthritis. To break replace the rice with wheat rotis two decades has suggested a the multi-generational cycle, the and it is essentially the same link between under-nutrition at nutrition and health of girls has to picture. Surveys done by the the foetal stage and increased be ensured from birth. A low birth- National Nutrition Monitoring susceptibility to these age-onset weight baby has to be rehabilitated Bureau, run by the National degenerative diseases. Intra- nutritionally within the first year, Institute of Nutrition), Hyderabad, uterine nutritional deprivation through simple measures like the under the Indian Council of (resulting in low birth weight) introduction of breast milk within Medical Research, as well as other affects foetal programming and one hour of birth, exclusive breast- surveys, have shown that Indian body composition. Babies born to feeding for six months and the diets are qualitatively deficient malnourished mothers tend to have introduction of complementary in micronutrients (vitamins and low birth weight. Such individuals food after six months. These are minerals), and within the family have a higher percentage of body low-cost interventions needing the diet of pre-school children are fat than babies born to well- only mass awareness campaigns. most deprived, primarily because

October-December 2012 VIDURA 31 of ignorance of a child’s dietary security for India – issues and to look again at what its ordinary needs and the inability or lack of the way forward’ (2009) and citizens are eating. time on to ensure that the child gets ‘Micronutrient security for India – small meals at frequent intervals. priorities for research and action’ (Courtesy: Women’s Feature Service; Among vegetables, green leafy (2011), based on detailed scientifi c the writer is a retired director vegetables are a treasure trove of deliberations. Let us hope that the grade scientist, National Institute of micronutrients. They are easy to recommendations are heard and Nutrition, Hyderabad and currently grow, available throughout the implemented. INSA honorary scientist, with Dangoria Charitable Trust, engaged year and cheap. Horticulturists So to return to the theme we in science and society work. This have given litt le importance to the started with, India cannot hope to piece is based on a commentary that

precious resource. Orange, yellow become a sporting nation without appeared in Current Science, Vol. < vegetables and fruits (carrot, adequate att ention to the nutrition 101, No. 5.) papaya, yellow pumpkin and of its people. Before the country mangoes) are rich in pro-vitamin A thinks of winning medals, it needs (beta carotene). Fruits, particularly citrus fruits, like amla (Indian gooseberry), guava and tomato are rich in vitamin C, which is a good antioxidant. Vitamin C Punjab Kesari Group promotes iron absorption and hence helps prevent anaemia. With a litt le knowledge and helps the needy understanding, agriculture can be nutritionally oriented. Vegetables and fruits are also rich in health- promoting phyto-chemicals that protect against the onset of age- degenerative diseases. India needs to put nutrition security at the heart of its missions like the National Food Security Mission, National Horticulture Mission and the National Rural Health Mission. The Food Security Bill is a step in the right direction. But it only includes cereals and millets. While the inclusion of millets needs to be appreciated, we should bring in other items like pulses, vegetables, fruits, animal products and oil into the Bill’s ambit. The public distribution The Punjab Kesari Group based in Jalandhar has been helping system should widen its food families who have lost near and dear ones to killings by militants basket to include at least pulses, in Jammu & Kashmir, by monetary and other means. At the 108th millets and some oil. Some states distribution function of the Shaheed Parivar Fund, held on September are, in fact, already doing this. 30, Rs 32 lakh in the form of fi xed deposits was distributed to the Several excellent plans of families of victims belonging to 128 families. The event also saw the action have been proposed. The dispatch of a truck to Jammu & Kashmir, laden with relief material for Coalition for Sustainable Nutrition use by such families. It was the 327th truck being sent by the Kesari Security under the leadership Group. Picture shows Union minister for Information and Broadcasting of M.S. Swaminathan made Ambika Soni and senior BJP leader L.K. Advani presenting an FD

recommendations for an agenda for receipt and articles for daily use to an affected woman. Vjay Kumar

action. The Indian National Science Chopra, chief editor and chairman-cum-managing director is on the< Academy, New Delhi, one of the right. highest scientifi c bodies in India, released two papers, ‘Nutrition

32 VIDURA October-December 2012 The perils of nostalgia

ostalgia represents a longing for both the near past, such as one’s childhood, and the more distant past with its wellsprings of cultural Nand spiritual heritage. This is not unnatural except when it tends to pre-empt the future or build on past images of glory or victim-hood leading either to arrogance and chauvinism or self-doubt and a desire for revenge on the other. Hindutvadis and radical Islamists represent the first category while the other, sometimes unknowingly, remain rooted in the status quo for fear of change. In a traditional society still emerging into a modern era, which in B.G. Verghese some ways is the case in India, various elements tend to usurp the role of guardians of disadvantaged and marginalised classes such as the landless, tribals and forest dwellers. This becomes the social or electoral constituency on which they thrive and without which they would feel deprived, even disempowered. So do-gooders, individually or collectively, can sometimes unconsciously perpetuate themselves for fear of otherwise being left out in the cold. The current effort of the Congress to amend the Constitution though ordinary legislation to provide quota reservations in governmental promotions for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe personnel is a case in point. It is masking vote-bank politics in assuming a neo-guardianship role for these categories way and beyond the constitutional guarantee of primary reservation to government servants at entry level as part of a policy of affirmative action. Extending this formula to promotions instead of leaving upward mobility to merit, will dilute good governance, which is surely a better instrument for creating equal opportunity and a just society. Not to be handicapped in the race for votes, the Samajwadi Party and DMK have joined others in demanding reservation of merit promotions for OBCs as well. This is likely to perpetuate a culture of “backwardness” and social divisions rather than obliterate such false distinctions. Gujars are seeking tribal status to benefit from reservations that have advantaged Meenas. In the Northeast and elsewhere, ethnicity and denominational labels are being asserted as a means of gaining preference over others. The Shiv Sena roots for the Marathi manoos and so on. These are dangerous trends. The recent flare up in Assam was less a manifestation of resistance to alleged illicit immigration than a struggle over land and forests, a synonym for jobs. If no other employment is generated, the land and forests must provide, as always in traditional societies. Territorial demands for homelands and the eviction of “outsiders” are intended to ensure that demographic factors do not adversely affect the electoral balance and political outcomes. (The writer is a columnist and The major threat of “nostalgia” comes from fierce opposition to land Fellow, Centre for Policy Research, acquisition and conversion of forest lands for industrialisation through the New Delhi. Starting his career with development of mines, dams, connectivity, power, townships and other The Times of India, he became editor infrastructure. An NSS survey done around 2004-05 found that some 40 of the Hindustan Times and the Indian per cent of all agriculturists wished to give up farming which they found Express. He was information advisor was no longer economic. They preferred to sell or lease their lands and to the prime minister (1966-69) and a recipient of the Magsaysay Award use the proceeds to educate their children and give them the chance that in 1975. This article had appeared they themselves were denied. The alternative was to invest in some small in Deccan Herald and The Tribune business or service enterprise. Failing these, the option has been distress and is being reproduced here with the migration by the tens of million, first seasonal, then permanent, to take writer’s permission.) a chance at the lottery of life the big cities offer, not excluding beggary,

October-December 2012 VIDURA 33 together, raised to the power of ten. Delayed or aborted projects and start-ups such as of the Vedanta bauxite mine at Niyamgiri and related aluminium refinery expansion at Lanjigarh, POSCO’s 12 m tonne steel plant in Orissa and the Koodamkulam and Jaitapur nuclear power stations constitute major setbacks to national development and employment generation. In most cases, nostalgia for land and forests and keeping tribal people as they are represent aspects of land and forest nostalgia. With Vedanta ousted, those whose hearts bled for the Dongaria Khonds have lost interest in the fate of those unfortunate tribals whose lives would otherwise have

Illustration: Arun Ramkumar been hugely transformed without harm to the environment. Poverty is an enemy of the crime and prostitution and life in tied to end-use projects within environment. Land is limited but noisome shanty towns. their own boundaries was no population has multiplied more At earlier times compensation surprise and no crime. What has than threefold since Independence and rehabilitation were been faulted is that only one out and is still growing. India is fast unsatisfactory. Things have of 57 such coal blocks allocated urbanising as a development steadily improved and those to private parties for private end- necessity and the land can no impacted are being handsomely use has commenced operations more support such numbers. compensated, offered training to five to seven years after the People need to get off the land avail of new opportunities and event, resulting in speculative and take to non-farm occupations made stakeholders with entitlement transfers and windfall gains. The but ‘nostalgists’ bind them to the to share in the future stream of explanation offered is that an land. Some agricultural land will project benefits. Yet people will not allocation is only the starting point and must be diverted, with higher move, fed on sermons eulogising for seeking environmental and farm productivity providing nostalgia by vested interests and forest clearance, land acquisition, food security. The proposed new busybodies, the grounds ranging compensation and an R&R Land Acquisition Act needs to from sentiment to unreason as package, with rules and even laws be liberalised and the strange evident in many recent cases. sometimes taking retrospective fetish of preserving large areas of Investments, development of effect. degraded forest land from being infrastructure, growth and The real reason, however, is productively exploited is plain employment have been seriously that the country’s project clearance foolish while nostalgic land for impeded and, ultimately, national procedures are so cumbersome, land compensation policies are, stability and security endangered. sequential and dilatory that the exceptions apart, impractical. The so-called coal scam is a case whole process may take several India needs to break from in point. Apart from the time it years with intervening stay orders, nostalgia that is acquiring viral might have taken to move from the agitations and other delays. It proportions. The government prior policy of coal block allocation does not appear to have registered must now act decisively to move to auction, allocations were made to on the political and administrative the country forward on the path stimulate investments and provide class that time is a most precious of reform, sadly but firmly, by

the basic coal requirement for resource and that the ‘presumptive ordinance. Dogs may bark, but the < power, steel and cement projects. loss’ from the opportunity cost of caravan must move on. That state governments should delay would outweigh that of all have recommended allocations the real or imagined scams put

34 VIDURA October-December 2012 CHILD RIGHTS Is it such a hard ‘Act’ to follow? The state of Uttar Pradesh scores low when it comes to implementation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000 and tackling the issues of child rights. One would expect that child rights activists would be an elated lot with a fillip being given to their fight against child rights violations in the state. But that does not seem to be the case. With a new state government taking charge, most activists prefer to stay grounded rather than get swayed by the winds Anjali Singh of change blowing through, particularly where child rights is concerned

he challenges of implementing the law can be met by any government that comes to power. Baffling though it may sound, one Tneeds to understand the lack of enthusiasm amidst the stakeholders particularly when it comes to the implementation of the much hyped Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000, amended in 2007 and the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (supposedly on in full swing since 2010 in Uttar Pradesh). So why is there no change on the ground? Why is it that repeat incidences of gross and inhuman violations against children continue even after they come to the attention of the administration and enforcement agencies? And this when the JJ Act has been in place since 2000 and amended in 2007 to give it more teeth! A recent report released by the UP Network of Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL), reveals that UP tops in child labour cases, the percentage of child sexual abuse is touching alarming proportions and attacks on children are a common occurrence now. A detailed lookat the report, released in May this year in Varanasi, clearly shows that the knowledge of the law and the juvenile system is not only non-existent in UP but the machinery to implement the Juvenile Justice Act too is as good as defunct. With precious little achieved by the state’s Department of Women and Child Welfare to prevent abuse of children, it is no surprise to see reports of the National Crime Bureau and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights that reveal 900 out of 5446 countrywide cases of rape of a minor being reported from UP, and 61 out of 298 cases of child sexual abuse in different forms from a survey conducted in 2007. The survey estimates that 8.4 per cent of girls and 3.57 per cent of boys have become victims of child sexual abuse in UP. Even more alarming is the fact that approximately half the underage girls are married off before the age of 15 and an alarming 80 per cent are married off before the age of 18. The violations against children are covered and classified as offences under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000, (The writer is a child rights amended in 2007. Yet, there has been no police action or conviction by activist and director, Saaksham the court till date based on the sections mentioned in the Act. The UN Foundation, Lucknow.) Convention for Rights of the Child, the National Policy for Children and

October-December 2012 VIDURA 35 Illustration: Arun Ramkumar

umpteen such judicial and quasi- issues related to their rights and principal magistrates of Juvenile judicial conventions and policies well-being are unimportant? Or is Justice Boards, I am amazed to too have been put in place by the it because crime against children is see that a child is given not one Indian government and ratified so ingrained in society in UP that or two but three and sometimes by them to help develop a child- it is no longer seen as an offence even multiple punishments for friendly environment in country. here? a single offence. Nowhere in the Then why is it that there is such A terrifying notion that is judicial system in the country this extreme lawlessness when it comes corroborated by a superintendent happens, neither is there provision to protecting the rights of a child in of a special home in the state, of this in the Juvenile Justice Act. UP? Why is it that when it comes famous for brutalising and Yet the children sentenced through to implementing the rules and battering juveniles sent there: “I juvenile boards in UP are facing sections elaborated in the Juvenile have seen a number of juveniles this predicament. I have brought Justice Act and the conventions come and go in different this to the notice of the concerned and policies, UP tops the list of the correctional institutions where officials at the state government most inactive states regarding the I was posted, but it is only here but have got no response at all. rights and protection of a child? in UP that I have seen a total And children keep coming to the Is it because, UP has a surplus disregard for the law to protect home sentenced with multiple population of children, and since the rights of children. When I read punishments and languish here they don’t constitute the vote bank, the order sheets written by the serving multiple sentences.”

36 VIDURA October-December 2012 Adds Manu Mishra, a lawyer implementation under the Juvenile Also included in the inspection with the Railway Police who Justice System, but for some committee will be senior police represents cases slapped under reason the Act itself has become officers, a medical officer nominated the Railway Act against Juveniles limited to addressing only issues by the chief medical officer, district in the state, “The children that are of the institutionalised, arranging probation officers and social apprehended from the railway bail for the juveniles and in some workers and NGOs nominated station and charged with offences cases pushing for adoptions. But by the district magistrate. The as per the Railway Act are sent to the scope of the Act is much larger inspection committee will look the observation and that’s where than these issues and need to be into complaints made by children they stay for years together. The JJ effectively implemented.” The living in homes, ensure that Act clearly says that no case will Directorate has now focused more personal profiles of staff posted extend beyond four months if on framing its own State JJ Model in homes are maintained, ensure the offence is a petty one. I know Rules. Following the accusations no male person will be allowed to the conditions in observation of sexual abuse of young girls enter the children homes, inspect homes in UP are inhuman, yet at the government-run home in the staff members and pick out these children are provided with Allahabad, the Directorate has put those with addiction to drugs and no legal option and forcibly in place an Inspection, Evaluation alcohol. It will also encourage detained. Lawyers like me are and Counseling Committee to act the special juvenile police units well aware that the cases against as a substitute in the absence of an to inspect the homes from time these children are petty in nature effective Juvenile Justice system in to time.” The committee will and need not be presented before the state. also look into the upkeep of the a magistrate at all. Such cases can Explains Mishra: “There is children in homes, with particular be dealt with at the thana (local a provision for setting up such focus on nutrition, education,

police station) level without even inspection committees under recreation facilities, medical filing of an FIR as provided in the Section 35 of the JJ Act 2000. These aid and reuniting with parents. < JJ Act, but, this is not being done. committees have been created in Such apathy for the law can only 26 districts in the state and are be either due to ignorance or sheer headed by the district magistrate. lack of sensitivity on the part of the police and judiciary.” Mishra’s statements are endorsed by a number of senior officials of the state government. Most feel that the only way A leadership initiative the JJ Act would be effective is when there exists a convergence between related departments such The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers as medical, education, police and (WAN-IFRA) has just launched a new Media Professionals Programme the judiciary. “These are the pillars for South East Asia, a leadership initiative to help mid-level media of any system of law, on which managers advance their careers and contribute to the growth of even the implementation of the strong media enterprises in their countries. Nine media professionals Juvenile Justice system rests. Such from Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam met at the WAN-IFRA India a convergence is imperative for a conference in Pune, India, from 24 to 27 September, for the start of strong Juvenile Justice System, in an intensive four-month programme that includes individual career the state,” says a protection officer coaching, leadership skills development, national and international at the Department of Women and networking as well as peer mentoring. Child Welfare. WAN-IFRA also recently launched a similar programme in West Is all hope lost in expecting Asia and North Africa. It has conducted a development programme

a strong and effective for women media professionals in southern Africa for the past three implementation of the JJ Act years, which has already led to promotions for more than half of the < in the state? “Not as yet,” says participants. A.K. Mishra, chief protection officer, Directorate, Women and Child Welfare, UP, “There are a number of components that need

October-December 2012 VIDURA 37 CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE Media must encourage victims to talk Sexual offence – that it is universally present is a reality. The reality includes juvenile sexual offenders. It is an issue which all nations are struggling to deal with, India included. In India, the number of reported incidents of sexual offences by juveniles has been on the rise – it could be because they went largely unreported earlier, or else, the incidence is increasing. Law makers and law enforcers are in a quandary about how to deal with the problem. Looked at from one angle, it is about a Susan Philip juvenile who is in conflict with the law. Seen from a different perspective, it is about a child who is entitled to protection

o help throw light on some of the imponderables that the issue of child sexual abuse throws up, Tulir, Centre for Prevention and Healing of TChild Sexual Abuse, invited Peter Choate, clinical social worker and lecturer, Department of Social Work, Mount Royal University, Canada, to address its sixth annual conference in Chennai. “No country can afford to take the moral high ground on the issue of juvenile sexual offence,” said Choate, addressing the gathering. “It is prevalent in all countries, though approaches may vary. No country has yet found a solution, each is in the process of discussing it.” Giving an overview of the problem, he talked of the different sides to it: sexual aggression vs sexual assault, and different types of offenders – those with multiple victims, and others who had only committed a single offence. Interest in sexuality is a part of normal teenage development. It becomes deviant when non-consensual sexual activity is involved. All sexual offence has at its core a lack of consent, Choate pointed out. Many victims aren’t capable of giving consent. They don’t have the capacity to understand what they are consenting to because they’re too young, or the relationship is such that there is no scope for informed consent. And sex without consent is an act of violence. Juvenile sex offenders can assume many faces – an older sibling put in charge of younger ones, or a child from one family made responsible for those from another, for instance. When a teenager is in a relationship with another teenager, one dominates and controls the relationship, and makes sexual activity a condition for continuity of the relationship, Choate said. It is sometimes unpremeditated, but most often, there’s careful planning and grooming before the offence actually takes place. Sexual offences leave the victims changed. Even an infant’s brain changes because of the trauma involved, he said. Most victims do not voice their experiences, they either find it too painful, or there’s a feeling of guilt, that they may in some way (After a decade-long stint at the desk have been responsible for the act. If they do open up, they may do it many with the Press Trust of India, the years after the perpetration of the offence, and even then, do it in layers, writer chose to work freelance; she revealing a little at a time. But when a victim talks, what she says is almost is based in Chennai.) always true.

38 VIDURA October-December 2012 Illustration: Arun Ramkumar

Hence, Choate’s advice is – said. Young people are bombarded give the victims a reason to talk, listen to the victim. Encourage with images of sexuality, and they Choate said, adding, when a her to talk. Take her seriously. are given to understand that sexual victim talks, the offender is held The pronoun is used because activity is at the whim of the male. accountable. When accountability most sexual offenders are male, The media has a big is established, we prevent more though there may be some female responsibility in the matter, he victims from being added to the ones. Communication holds the said. It needs to convey the strong list. It has another advantage. key to the issue. It is the duty message that it is OK for the Victims of juvenile sexual offence of elders in the family, teachers victim to talk. The media must turn law offenders themselves and other responsible adults to be responsible and sensitive in in many cases. If victims are communicate to children and reporting incidents of sexual encouraged to talk and taken young people that sexual activity offence, especially juvenile sexual seriously, the chances of them is a part of relationship, and offence, and make sure there is breaking the law are reduced, he carries with it responsibility and no sensationalism. Instead, the feels. accountability. Unfortunately, the aim should be to highlight to the In every society, sexual information children gather about public that there is something offences occur. If we do not have sexual activity comes largely from wrong going on, and generate and communication about sexual movies and media, which do not channelise discussion into finding offending, how will the system portray it in a responsible way, he a solution. It is for the media to change, Choate asked. Talking of

October-December 2012 VIDURA 39 his own experience as a child who covered. What, for instance, was responsible for the effects of their was brutally punished for small the line to be taken in cases where actions on others. Responsibility misdemeanors in school, he recalled the offenders were juveniles at the is included in the concept of how he was not permitted to talk time the crime was committed, accountability. The paradox of the problem at home, and ended but had crossed the age of 18 by lay in how relevant the term up feeling that he deserved the the time the case came to trial, he accountability was in relation to a treatment – a feeling he wasn’t able asked. Pointing out that though child or a person under 18 years, to get rid of till much later in life. juvenile offenders are sent to she said. Bhagwan Keswani of “We had no voice to tell our story,” what are known as observation the Freemasons Lodge pointed

he said. “If we have no voice, there homes, these are in fact jails, and out that a happy childhood was is no hope. The implication is, live the inmates are treated as criminal the least every child was entitled< with it.” “We need to empower our offenders Justice Akbar Ali said to, and complimented Tulir on its children with the power to say No, the system must change, adding commitment to the cause. then come and tell us,” he added. that magistrates too needed to The solution is not to send the be sensitised to handle juvenile offender away, said Choate, but to cases. hold the offender accountable, and Talking of the alarming rise in allow the victim to tell her story. juvenile offences of late, he said the “The more opportunities we give system was simply not equipped children to come together and tell to deal with the problem. their stories, the better it is.” Gita Ramaseshan, advocate, Earlier, talking of the Indian Madras High Court and trustee, context, Justice G.M. Akbar Ali of Tulir, who also addressed the the Madras High Court said the gathering, emphasised that it Juvenile Justice Act had seen some needed to be ingrained even remarkable changes over the years, in children that they had to be but a lot of ground remained to be responsible for their actions, and

IRS awarded to Nielsen

In its board meeting in August, the Media Research Users Council (MRUC), in principle, agreed to the Readership Studies Council of India (RCSI) recommendation of awarding the contract for the new avatar of IRS (Indian Readership Survey) to The Nielsen Company. The formal award of contract will follow after completion of legal due diligence. The decision comes in the wake of a comprehensive nine- month process that began in November 2011 with the formation of the RSCI by its sponsors, MRUC and the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC). The RSCI was mandated by the industry to oversee the conduct of a unified IRS, the world’s largest continuous readership study. The process involved the active participation of 20 senior representatives of advertisers, agencies and publishers who served on the RSCI Managing Committee, as well some of the sub-committees formed to vet every aspect of the submissions – from technical superiority to fieldwork integrity, research cost, organisation strength

and stability. Another 24 senior industry professionals contributed to the technical deliberations. <

40 VIDURA October-December 2012 CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE Deep scars that may never ever heal It is a malaise that is rarely discussed or dealt with in spite it being prevalent in homes, schools, streets and other places where children are present. This is because child sexual abuse is often denied by its perpetrators and others who are supposed to be responsible for protecting the young. In fact, those who indulge in the reprehensible crime are often people whom children come in contact with on a regular basis, and to whom children look up to and trust Pushpa Achanta he guilty can be members of the household or family, teachers or care givers, who exploit the vulnerability of a child in a clandestine Tmanner and leave her or him feeling confused, hurt and afraid. Teenagers who experience various physiological and emotional changes arising from puberty may at first enjoy the sexual experiences because they are uninformed or misguided. The few children who boldly confide in an adult usually find minimal support and are reprimanded, silenced or blamed. This can make the children feel angry and betrayed and withdraw socially. Many of them are likely to feel guilty for having attracted attention or accused someone they know. The scars may continue well into adulthood and can result in a lowered sense of self-worth. In Bitter Chocolate, a hard- hitting book on child sexual abuse, journalist and writer Pinki Virani mentions cases where some survivors became abusers themselves while a few end up as homosexuals. Of course, both the situations must not be generalised. She highlights instances where those assisting sexually abused children or families who reported were threatened. Significantly, around 53 per cent of children in India are abused sexually, according to a nationwide survey done by the Department of Women and Child Development of the Government of India in 2007. Sadly, the number seems to be increasing, as even infants and toddlers are not spared. Further, a lot of boys are sexually abused by older boys or men and, in a few instances, by women. The issue garnered some attention in June 2012 due to the alleged abuse and rape of a three-year-old girl by her 39-year old father who is now under arrest. A Frenchman, the father works at the Consulate General of France in Bangalore. The complaint was lodged by his wife, a woman of Indian origin. According to reports published in various national newspapers, the imprisonment of the father was delayed until a written clearance was obtained from the Ministry of External Affairs in India. The MEA took time to confirm with the Government of France (The writer is also a blogger whose that the man lacked diplomatic immunity. The little girl had to undergo articles on human interest stories medical examination at a government hospital although a reputable have appeared in print as well as private hospital in Bangalore had confirmed sexual assault. online, including the Deccan Herald, According to a statement released by human rights organisations, The Hindu, Grassroots and Citizen academics and civil liberties lawyers who united in Bangalore under the Matters. Her other passions include banner of Women in Black to express their outrage at the developments. mentoring youth, nature photography and poetry.) As per Article 41 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963,

October-December 2012 VIDURA 41 consular officers shall not be liable for arrest or detention pending trial, except in the case of a grave crime and pursuant to a decision by the competent judicial authority. A few days preceding the Women in Black action, child rights campaigners who had gathered in front of the Consulate to convey their protest against the horrific abuse, state apathy and the actions of the French authorities, were taken into custody for an entire day. The episode contrasts with the realities shared by Edwina Pereira, director Programmes of International Services Association (INSA-India), a Bangalore-based NGO known for its Child At Risk programme in schools. During multiple sessions, which include follow-up and counselling, the Awareness about child sexual abuse is minimal in India. And do government programme enlightens school school students know about the problems at all? students about child sexual abuse through simple terminology such as illegally, has been educating street Mental Health and Neurosciences, good and bad touch. At a conference children about adolescent health Bangalore, emphasises the need titled Every Child, Our Child held and child sexual abuse through to engage with such children last year, Pereira described the its Sexual Health Intervention regularly. He should know: he typical response of principals of Project. Initiated three years ago, is one of India’s first physicians some schools approached by INSA the activity has reached out to to do a comprehensive study on to conduct government-approved kids on the streets and in low- child sexual abuse and has great programmes on adolescent health: income neighbourhoods and experience in counselling victims. “We are not surprised when the also to 14 NGOs working with An encouraging development staff of educational institutions children in Karnataka, Andhra in the context of child sexual abuse claim that child sexual abuse does Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, through is the passing of the Protection of not occur in decent families or child-friendly discussions and Children from Sexual Offences schools. They ask if a man would activities that create awareness on Act, 2012 by both houses of the abuse a young child especially if sexual abuse, sexuality and sexual Indian Parliament a few months she/he is from the same household health. ago. Significantly, the legislation or well known to him.” Says Kannadasan, a teenager is gender neutral in terms of the Apart from children in schools who has benefited from APSA's abuser and survivors; half the and homes, those living and project in Chennai: “Initially, number of children abused are working on the street, in parks, I was not sure of what anna boys. It has been established railways stations and other public (older brother) was saying. Then that women also abuse children spaces are vulnerable to various I realised that it was critical sexually. Arvind Narrain, lawyer kinds of abuse. Such children information pertaining to my body and co-founder of Alternative Law are sometimes harassed even in and well-being.” Kannadasan was Forum, a non-profit legal research specialised care homes run by among the children who utilised organisation in Bangalore says the

government and private agencies. their knowledge to design a Act is fine except for criminalising The Association for Promotion of story for a puppet show as part consensual sex by persons in the < Social Action (APSA), a community of the project. Reiterating the 16-18 age group. organisation in Bangalore that truth that street children become has been working with the sexually active quite early, Dr rescue, rehabilitation and rights Shekhar Sheshadri, professor and of children who are abandoned, consultant, Child and Adolescent runaways, missing or confined Psychiatry, National Institute of

42 VIDURA October-December 2012 ALTERNATE SEXUALITY All part of the straight and narrow A minority community Rose gave a personal account of a positive development,” Priya that is discriminated against trauma as an engineering student pointed out. The press in Chennai across caste and creed in Chennai, who, despite putting is very supportive, she said. “All demarcations, a sensation- on a “macho” front, was identified my Editors have treated it not as as a “queer”, and humiliated. ‘their’ issue, but ‘ours’. Whenever seeking, topicality-oriented Higher studies in the USA held there’s been a pertinent story to media which milks a person out prospects of freedom, but tell, there’s always been space or occasion for momentary it proved illusory. There too, given, whether it is on Article 377 worth without reference phobia and marginalisation were or Pride Month, or whatever”. to enduring fundamental the norm. When she decided to As far as education goes, there merits and rights as an return to India and fight openly was much work to be done, the individual, and an education for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, panelists felt. Aniruddhan was system that is afraid to take transgender) rights, celebrity of the firm view that unless and cognizance of the existence status seemed the best way to gain until the question of sexuality of anything outside the publicity. “I became a celebrity was engaged with at the school long-established boundaries anchor on a major TV channel. level, problems relating to gender There was much hype. But I was would be hard, if not impossible, of its comfort zone. These dropped after a year. This has not to address with meaningful action. were the elements that were been the case for other ‘straight’ “If there’s an L, G, B or T person juxtaposed to poignant effect anchors. Their shows have been on campus who is finding the at a conference organised in allowed to go on,” an anguished going hard and approaches the June at the Madras School Rose pointed out. management, if the management of Social Work in Chennai. The audience heard from is supportive, if fellow students Susan Philip reports Aniruddhan Vasudevan stand by the person, make sure how colleges often approved there’s no discrimination, then he U.S. Consulate General, dissertations topics on sexuality, that is meaningful.” “There’s an Chennai, and the Madras but there were no resources LGBT centre at the University of TSchool of Social Work, in available. The point was capped Pennsylvania, where there’s peer association with Sahodaran, a by Sunil Menon who recalled that mentoring. In India, in Chennai, male sexual health organisation, “the Asian College of Journalism, such a centre is still a distant arranged a panel discussion (held seven to eight years ago, didn’t dream,” said Priya, adding, as part of the observance of Pride encourage a project at Sahodaran “What we can do is for each Month) on ‘LGBT Youth and an with the transgender community”. one to be sensitised. Sathi is an Inclusive Education System’. The “What is the message that is going organisation in Mumbai which panelists were Rose Venkatesan, out?” he asked. reaches out to students and offers India’s first transgender to host a But there is hope, as far as the peer mentoring.” TV show; Aniruddhan Vasudevan, media situation is concerned, going Magdalene Jayarathnam talked performer, activist and brain by Priya Menon’s experience. One of discrimination on grounds behind the Shakti Resource Centre, of the first pieces she was asked of deviation from conventional a non-profit organisation geared to to do as a journalist was on the gender norms at the school level. gender and sexuality; Magdalene LGBT population in Chennai. It Disastrous attempts are made Jeyarathnam, director, East-West created a lot of public interest; to force children to conform to Centre for Couselling; and Priya some positive, some negative. patterns. Often members of the Menon, assistant editor, The Times “But the moment you begin to LGBT community who come for of India. Sunil Menon of Sahodaran talk about the issue, whether the counseling have either attempted moderated the proceedings. reaction is positive or negative, it’s to or seriously thought about

October-December 2012 VIDURA 43 ending their own lives. There was a pervading sense of hopelessness, she said. Suicide is one of the biggest issues, especially for young LGBT people, based on total lack of support. Magdalene was of the view that there must be resource centres in every college to help the LGBT community, and training in peer counseling was also important. Earlier, Jennifer McIntyre, US Consul General, Chennai, said the goal of Pride Month was to eliminate prejudice and celebrate diversity. The practice was set in motion in the US with the riots which gave birth to the modern LGBT Civil Rights movement in

1969, but had since become an Illustration: Arun Ramkumar international event, she said. The audience was left to ponder many points raised by the panelists and participants, members of the LGBT community and ‘straight’ people alike, as questions, anecdotes or someone from a minority group Priya Menon: The media impassioned pleas. A selection: does something wrong, it gets shouldn’t stop at covering Pride blown up. When the same thing Month stories. Concerns of the Rose Venkatesan: Who is a real is done by someone from the LGBT community need to be man? Someone whose masculinity majority, it goes unanswered. raised and addressed consistently is threatened by a transgender through the year. and who needs to use violence Sunil Menon: Indian culture, and abuse – whether against from the earliest times, recognised Sudha: When a transgender transgenders or women – to assert sexual diversity. The Kamasutra walks down a street, men whisper his masculine ego and protect and Khajuraho stand witness to abuse and insults. The transgender, it? Or is it someone who respects that. goaded beyond endurance, reacts womankind and treats them with by shouting abuse loudly. Society courtesy, has the confidence to be A member of the audience: I am hears only the transgender’s voice, cool about a biological male who a qualified mechanical designer not the whispered insults, and acts contrary to the norms imposed with five years’ experience. When condemns the transgender. by society on his gender? prospective employers learn that I am gay, I am denied a job. Why? A member of the audience: The Sudha (a transgender): I was vernacular media needs to devote travelling by suburban train, Sunil Menon: Would any child more space to and handle the conversing with a group of fellow voluntarily choose to live with topic sensitively – currently, it is women passengers. My identity as harassment and discrimination? presented mostly in a comic light. a transgender wasn’t apparent to We have no choice in the matter. This will have more of an impact them till a group of transgender in changing society’s conventional beggars boarded the train and Aniruddhan Vasudevan: perceptions, because of better

identified me. When they left, the Society has a comfortable way reach compared to the English women turned to me and said of framing things for itself; it media. < accusingly, “See, your people classifies people as They and Us. are begging.” Soon afterwards, Frame it as an issue pertaining to a ‘straight’ beggar entered the You. train and sought alms. “See your people are begging,” I said. When

44 VIDURA October-December 2012 ALTERNATE SEXUALITY It’s sensitivity that’s lacking in films

o one actually knows how many eunuchs India has? Estimates vary at between half a million and 1.2 million. Many eunuchs are castrated at puberty, while others are hermaphrodites or simply N . cross-dressers The media, instead of serving their cause, has hindered it almost irrevocably by projecting them either as a murky group of people with a criminal sense, to be avoided at all costs, or as the laughing stock in films, and rarely with compassion and kindness. The hijra community is a close-knit one, their ways and environment Mehak Jonjua kept secret from even the flanking of neighbors who nurse more abhorrence than fear but prefer not to show it. Only the odd hobo who sleeps on the street across the road from a hijra colony seems to envy their deviant existence. They appear to care little for societal acceptance but have enough compassion to hate being scoffed at by 'straight' people. Many of them have turned to criminal activities and prostitution. Yet, none of the issues have been used as a plot, theme or subject in Hindi cinema. Eunuchs have been traditionally portrayed on screen to provide comic relief. During the golden era of Hindi cinema, from the 1950s to the mid 1970s, eunuchs were seen escorting the heroines. Low-rated actors would cross-dress with intentional crudity so as not to be mistaken for a woman. The idea: to induce laughter. It was only in 1974, in Kunwaara Baap, that real hijras appeared in a song and dance sequence for the first time. The, of course in that well-known song from Amar Akbar, Antony, ‘Tayyab Ali pyar ka dushman, hai hai’ . Gaudy make-up, frenzied clapping, crude gestures - these are some hackneyed images of the community that Hindi films have portrayed over the years. Films like Queens! Destiny of Dance, staring Seema Biswas as guru amma, the head of a eunuch family, and Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, the celebrity transgender, shows the hijra community as susceptible and draws attention to the discriminations they face in life. The movie has depicted the eunuchs with warmth and it has perhaps helped change the perception about the community. Mahesh Bhatt’s Sadak which depicted Maharani, a hijra, and brought a Filmfare Award for the actor, revealed the hijra as a nasty, adamant individual and failed to paint the community in a kind light. Once employed (The writer started her career as a by sultans to guard their harems, eunuchs or castrated males today live on journalist with the Squamish Chief in the fringes of the society, ostracised but occasionally venerated for their Canada and later worked as content supposedly magical powers. No director has explored the possibility of writer with Manchester Stalwart making a feature film focusing on this collective and cloistered community Capital Management, New York. After till the Bhatts came on the scene (Unzipping Genders, Berg 2004). teaching stints in DAV College and Only in Mani Ratnam's Bombay (1995) did one get to see the secularity MCM DAV College for Women in Chandigarh, she is now an assistant and the warmth of a hijra and the empathy she reveals for little children. professor at the Department of Set in Bombay, a hijra offers protection to the two twins of Arvind and Communication Studies, Jagannath Monisha Koirala. In effect, she saves their lives. She is not bothered about International Management School, the communal distinctiveness of the children as she lets them know. New Delhi.) Mani Ratnam makes his point: a hijra can be an excellent human being

October-December 2012 VIDURA 45 only if we let her show kindness. transsexuality. Salma, a 16-year- generally shown as buffoons and Kalpana Lajmi empathised with a old hijra, had suddenly left her objects to be made fun of. There hijra forced to live in mainstream village and family to try the is more to us than clapping hands society, in her film Darmiyaan. In sparkling city life, in search and loud make-up, they say. A Jodhaa Akbar a hijra, instead of of a clear individuality, a new whopping 96 per cent feel Indian hamming up the typical slapstick family and above all, a sense of cinema rarely focuses on their comedian role, was shown as a acceptance. Expressively frayed problems. Instead, movie makers lieutenant of the female lead. between her youth and her craving use them as tools to provide the Darmiyaan (1997) focused on for being a woman, Salma decides comic element. the touching relationship between to return to her village and face Though media has played an an actor-mother (Kiron Kher) and events that force her to question important role in reducing the her eunuch son, the late Nirmal the preconceived philosophy of female infanticide rate or increasing Pandey. In Shabnam Mausi gender, family and love. women empowerment, hardly any (2005), Ashutosh Rana manifested But that is where the concern effort has been made to improve the 'coming out' of a real-life begins and ends – with the film. the life of eunuchs. A comparison transgender (Shabnam Mausi). Once the movie has lived its life with Hollywood films reveals that Mausi showed how someone in the theatres, the filmmaker they are far more compassionate rejected by society because of her has little to do with the hijra and understanding. Between sexuality can become an elected community. When the eunuch, on the Lines-India’s Third Gender, representative as she did in whose life Pooja Bhatt’s Tamanna Bombay Eunuch, Butterfly Sword, Madhya Pradesh. Shabnam Mausi was based, died a tragic death in Eunuch of Western Palace, Harem, and Welcome to Sajjanpur (Shyam Mumbai, she barely reacted. Her Better Than Chocolate, Big City Benegal) were landmark films, in work was done. He was the subject Blue, Buffalo Girls, Just Like a the sense that they showed eunuchs of an anomalous mainstream film, Woman, Lai Shi, China’s Last as clear politicians, mirroring real- which bagged a national award Eunuch, The Half Naked Truth, life incidents of eunuchs winning for its producer. What more did represented the cause of eunuchs elections. the filmmaker want? and transgenders in a sensitive

Call Me Salma is a documentary In a survey conducted on 50 manner. Sadly, in India, the world film about love and loss. In the eunuchs, 98 per cent say they of the hijras hardly exists in the < swarming back alleys of Dhaka, are stereotyped and mocked in common man’s worldview. Bangladesh, Salma enters the Bollywood. They are being made inexplicable and rich world of the brunt of crude jokes and

46 VIDURA October-December 2012 VIEW FROM THE NORTHEAST In pursuance of a journalist protection law

he media fraternity in Assam has raised voices for a special law for the protection of journalists on duty. Taking the cue from the Assam TBandh (August 28), which witnessed violence across the state including brutal attacks on journalists in many places, various intellectuals and journalist groups have demanded special protection for journalists with immediate effect. Although the bandh called by All Assam Minority Students Union evoked a mixed response, supporters of the bandh took to the streets armed with sticks and sharp weapons. Twelve journalists faced Nava Thakuria attacks in Goalpara, Barpeta, Samaguri and Tezpur localities. Says Shyam Bhadra Medhi, a prominent human rights educator in northeast India, “Journalists, who are committed to society, should be supported by a special law. Unless they feel secure, they may not take the risk of reporting hard issues and then we will be deprived of sensitive and bold journalism.” Medhi has served as deputy commissioner in many districts of Assam. Statistics reveal that Assam has lost more than 20 editors and journalists in the past two decades. The suspected perpetrators include surrendered militants, goons and government agencies. The authorities and probing agencies have allegedly shown reluctance in safeguarding the interest of the media persons, which is established by the fact that not a single perpetrator involved in the killings of journalists has been punished under the law till date. Satyen Sarma, an advocate of the Gauhati High Court, says Indian democracy will lose credibility if the rights of media persons are curtailed. “I was shocked to witness the attacks on journalists in many districts of Assam during the bandh. The safety and security of media persons must be maintained. If some one attacks journalists on duty I term them as anti- national and anti-humans.” Participating in a telephonic conversation with a Guwahati-based satellite news channel recently, two prominent journalists from Pakistan and Bangladesh supported the move. Abdur Rauf, who is associated with Geo TV, says a country like Pakistan needs a special law for its working journalists, for safeguarding the interest of media persons. Saleem Samad from Dhaka supports the initiative for a special law for working journalists in conflict-ridden countries. According to him, the media fraternity in Bangladesh has been seeking such a law. The demand for a special protection law for journalists on duty is being pursued by many media organisations in India as well. The National Union of Journalists, an active working journalists’ organization, has demonstrated in the national capital and sent a memorandum to the president of India, demanding a law such as the Working Journalist Protection Act. Supporting the initiative, the Journalists’ Forum Assam has

(The writer is a senior journalist recently sent a memorandum to the state government, calling for enacting based in Assam.) such a law at the earliest. Since making a national law is a time-consuming < affair, Assam can enact a state law immediately, is what the body feels.

October-December 2012 VIDURA 47 Assam: a tough place for reporters

According to the Reporters not even covered by insurance. of Parag, who was executive Without Borders Press Freedom The slaying of media persons editor of Asomiya Pratidin, a Index (2011-12), India ranks started in Assam with the death of largely circulated Assamese daily 131 (out of 179 countries). After Punarmal Agarwala (Assam published from Guwahati, led to Chandrika Rai (Hitavada) and his Tribune) in Nagaon, in 1987. a huge public outcry against the wife and two children were beaten The United Liberation administration. Young reporter to death in February in Umaria, Front of Asom (ULFA) then Manik Deuri (Pahari Doot) was Madhya Pradesh, and Rajesh targeted veteran freedom fighter- killed by Bodo militants the same Mishra (Media Raj) was killed in turned journalist Kamala Saikia year in Diphu in central Assam. March in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, in 1991. The 65-year-old was Unidentified gunmen killed Panja the third victim was from Assam. dragged out from his residence in Ali in Kokrajhar in 1997. Nagaon- A young scribe named Raihanul Sivasagar Melachawk in eastern based journalist Nurul Haq was Nayum, who worked for Gana Assam on August 9; his body was murdered in 1998. ULFA militants Chabuk, a weekly newspaper recovered the following day. Saikia killed senior correspondent published form Dhubri in west was brutally tortured before being Ratneswar Sarma Shastri in Assam, was killed by a mob on killed. ULFA leaders were angry Barpeta in 1999. Two local September 8. Nayum was a victim with Saikia for a series of articles correspondents in western Assam, of circumstance – the situation in condemning the misdeeds of Dinesh Brahma and Indramohan Dhubri town had suddenly turned the outfit, which were published Hakasam, were killed in 2003. violent after the damage of a Hindu in various regional newspapers The timber mafia is said to have temple and its deity by miscreants. from Guwahati. Saikia’s gunned down Prahlad Gowala A protest meeting, organized at the gruesome killing shocked the (Asomiya Khabar) in Golaghat in Guwahati Press Club on September journalist community in Assam. 2006. The following year witnessed 16, urged the Assam Government A silent procession against the the killing of Bodosa Narzary, a to nab the culprits and pay a sum killing, led by Natun Dainik editor TV journalist from Kokrajhar. In of Rs 1000000 as compensation to Chandra Prasad Saikia (August 2008, Mohammad Muslemuddin the family of Nayum, a bachelor. 11, 1991) was the first public (Asomiya Pratidin) from Hojai and Working in trouble-torn Assam, demonstration against ULFA in Jagajit Saikia (Amar Asom) from which publishes about 25 daily Assam. Kokrajhar were gunned down. newspapers and has six satellite The killing spree, however, The Guwahati based editor of Aji, news channels is increasingly continued. Those killed included Anil Majumdar was shot dead by becoming dangerous for journalists. Pabitra Narayan (Northeast unidentified gunmen in March, The ongoing insurgency that Times) in Sonari in 1995, Dipak 2009. In September the following

has more than 15 armed outfits Swargiary in Goreswar, and year, freelance journalist Bimala fighting the Indian Government Parag Kumar Das, a human Prasad Talukder was killed in < for various demands poses a rights activist and journalist in Nagaon. serious threat to journalists, most Guwahati in 1996. The killing (Nava Thakuria) Dainik Bhaskar turns two in Jharkhand

Dainik Bhaskar recently celebrated its second anniversary in Jharkhand. The paper had entered the state with the launch of its Ranchi edition in August 2010, followed by the Jamshedpur and Dhanbad editions in December 2010 and April 2011. As part of the celebrations, a special 16-page issue was released along with the main newspaper, which highlighted the socio-economic changes witnessed in Jharkhand in past few years, taking it that much closer to achieving the dream state status. Last year, on the first anniversary the special issue had spoken about the thought of Badlav Miljulka (collective change). While at the one end it celebrated the new hope of peace brought about by security forces, record rice cultivation, increased forest coverage, new surge of corporates entering Jharkhand, and increased and enhanced tourism, on the other side, it also

focussed on areas where work needs to be speeded up with detailed action plans. These include corruption, the lethargic and hence ineffective government machinery in stopping deforestation, lack of food-processing and < storage network even after huge surge in fruit production and lack of health services at the grass roots level.

48 VIDURA October-December 2012 COMMUNITY RADIO IN INDIA Codes of practice can aid self-regulation

As a community-driven, volunteer-run, not-for-profit set up, the community radio sector in India must position itself differently in its process, approach, style, and substance in comparison to the state-owned and commercial broadcasters. It is possible for community radio stations to challenge the hegemony of the mainstream media and its programming methods only by developing rigorous and appropriate codes of conduct and practice in the spirit of self-regulation. Kanchan K. Malik The codes of practice for community radio in India that the author has tried to build here may be used as an inventory for reference and are open to being adapted and adopted by different stations in the form and measure that the stations may deem appropriate. After all, there is no single model that fits all

ommunity radio (CR) is known by several names globally such as participatory radio, citizens’ radio, access radio, radical radio, Cgrassroots radio, free radio, alternative radio, rural radio and popular radio, among others, and takes various forms, for instance, community-based radio, development radio, campus radio, farm radio, education radio, music radio, cooperative radio, and several more. However, the overarching philosophy of community radio acknowledged worldwide is that it is a tool for social justice and a platform for community voices and expression. It seeks to counter the negative consequences of globalisation and commercialisation of media and communications by facilitating democratic participation in social change, civic life and political (The writer is associate articulations. professor, Department of More than 17 years after the Supreme Court declared that “the airwaves Communication, Sarojini Naidu are public property,” India today has the beginnings of a recognised and School of Arts & Communication, unique CR sector operating together with the commercial and national University of Hyderabad, and players. Since the announcement of the second phase of the community radio faculty fellow, UNESCO Chair, policy in 2006 permitting grassroots organisations to obtain community on Community Media in her broadcasting licences, India has around 130 operational CR stations, of department. She has been teaching which about a quarter are owned and managed by community-based post-graduate Journalism and organisations. As India witnesses the endeavours to erect a nationwide Mass Communication courses for network of thousands of autonomous, locally-orientated CR stations with 15 years now. She is a member of the Community Radio Forum varied profiles as well as practices, it becomes necessary to build a set of of India, associate editor of codes of practice for the third tier of broadcasting to follow so that the e-newsletter CR News brought sector as a whole does not lose its underlying philosophy, purpose and out by the UNESCO Chair, and essence. Also, in order to carry the community radio movement to the next co-author of the Sage book, level, the CR stations in India must adhere to certain universal principles Other Voices: The Struggle for and practices that are non-negotiable so that they do not become clones of Community Radio in India.) mainstream media and defeat their rationale and scope.

October-December 2012 VIDURA 49 The 13 Codes of Practice needs. Besides this, the service of identification and definition of profiled here that seek to identify the CR stations must be provided issues, programme planning acceptable normative standards with the intent of social gain rather and production, as well as for community radio practitioners than private financial profit. management. Only then would in India have been synthesised community radio serve as a vehicle and coalesced through an analysis Reflect diversity, sensitivity of participatory democracy and of the core characteristics and The content guideline in generate a renewed appreciation essential features that define the Indian CR policy instructs of local voices, public access community radio worldwide, that programmes should be and community involvement in and from the norms practised by “of immediate relevance to broadcasting. The policy mandates independent or people’s media the community” and that that at least 50 per cent of content in different countries (sometimes programming should reflect the be generated with the participation quoted directly). The legal special interests and needs of of local community. framework reflected in the CR the local community. CR stations guidelines issued by the Ministry must, therefore, as aptly stated in Offer training opportunities of Information and Broadcasting the NCRA (National Campus and Many alternative media in India has also been taken into Community Radio Association) academics and activists have account while formulating the Codes of Conduct, Canada, contended that media production codes. As is true for all ethical “enhance the diversity of local must be placed in hands of the codes, the policy makers, the licence programming available to the ‘simple man and woman’ to holders, or other stakeholders are public and present programmes generate content appropriate not legally obliged to follow them that expand the variety of for communities in which it all: viewpoints broadcast.” This calls is produced and distributed. for working towards a variety of Thus, as a primary step towards Ensure community ownership, programming choices as well as full democratisation of media, management formats so that they can cater to CR stations must offer training The Indian policy guidelines a listenership that may be diverse and mentoring to any member as well as CR norms of conduct in ethnicity, culture, gender, of the community to initiate in various countries, all endorse language, sexual orientation, age, communication and participate that the CR stations should adopt and physical and mental ability. in program making and content ownership and management production. structures that are reflective of the Lead to social change community. The globally accepted The roots of the struggle for Augment cultural diversity norms also underscore that CR community radio sector in India CR stations must act as stations must truly represent and other South Asian nations lie powerful sites for nurturing local all the people of a community in it being looked upon as a tool language and culture and building in its ownership, control and for development. The CR policy identity. The radio programmes decision making structures. The too, affirms that, “the emphasis produced in the local dialect CR stations must provide for should be on developmental, make communities identify membership, management and agricultural, health, educational, strongly with the language of operation of the station by the environmental, social welfare, the programmes and produce a community served and encourage community development and feeling that the programmes are localism, diversity, and minority/ cultural programmes.” CR their own. The local content and historically disadvantaged groups’ stations must give highest priority their ‘own’ language of broadcast representation in ownership. to programmes that encourage promote active listenership and empowerment of communities distinguish community radio Must not be for profit through progressive social change from its mainstream counterpart The CR policy guidelines and sustainable, democratic by clearly evoking a sense of pride in India state that the stations and participatory community in local culture and identity. The in the CR sector must serve a development. CR stations should feature local specific well-defined geographical talent and indigenous experts. community within its coverage Enhance community area. The CR stations must ensure participation Encourage inclusion that they adequately represent all Participation of the community As echoed in several codes of community interests and broadcast must be enhanced in all aspects conduct, the CR stations must programmes catering to the local of station operations, including follow practices which oppose

50 VIDURA October-December 2012 discrimination and uphold the Exercise editorial freedom advocate for an enabling legal values of democracy, equality, AMARC lays down that CR environment for community inclusion, social justice and human stations should be editorially radio development. Efforts must rights. The CR programmes must independent of government, be made to address barriers that raise a voice in favour of the weak, commercial and religious hamper access to communications deprived, vulnerable and amplify institutions and political parties infrastructure by citizens and the voices of the excluded and in determining their programme communities. While it is important marginalised whose issues are not policy. Going with the Community for the licensing process of adequately represented in other Broadcasting Association of community radio to be open, media. Australia (CBAA) Codes of fair and transparent, decision- Practice, CR stations ought to making on frequency spectrum Contribute to democratic “demonstrate independence in allocation should also ensure communication programming as well as in editorial that community broadcasting is The World Association of and management decisions.” allocated a fair proportion with Community Radio Broadcasters To maintain accountability, all reasonable processing levies. (AMARC) upholds that the CR public contributors must be sector must “promote the right acknowledged and sponsorship Facilitate adherence to codes to communicate, assist the free messages and advertising must be As community broadcasters, flow of information and opinions, distinguishable from programming it is the responsibility of the CR encourage creative expression content. stations to abide by all legislative and contribute to the democratic requirements in its programming

process and a pluralist society.” Advocate an enabling policy and advertising content as well as Hence, features such as interactive, environment in its operations. Each station must < two-way communication; pro- The CR stations must organise adhere to its codes of practice. active feedback mechanism; themselves into a network to complaints-handling; and internal conflict resolution between staff and volunteers are indispensable for maintaining free independent and pluralistic media that promote an inclusive, cohesive and culturally-diverse milieu.

Espouse self-sustainability CR stations have limited commercial options. The policy in India allows CR stations to seek funding from multilateral aid agencies and sponsored programmes from the Government. Limited advertising is allowed for a duration of five minutes per hour of broadcast. Thus, financial sustainability continues to be a major challenge for CR stations. To avoid vulnerability of ‘NGOisation’ and accomplish self-sustainability, CR stations must find innovative ways to generate revenue and seek neutral funding. Emphasis ought to be on funding from a diversity of sources to ensure that, primarily, the community served determines the programming.

October-December 2012 VIDURA 51 ALL INDIA RADIO REACHES OUT TO THE COMMUNITY A messiah in the time of disaster ndia’s climatic conditions as well as its socio-economic vulnerability makes it one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. A Idisaster is an extreme disruption of the functioning of a society that causes widespread human, material or environmental loss, that exceeds the ability of the affected society to cope with its own resources. Disasters can be natural or man-made. For example, disasters caused by floods, droughts, tidal waves and earthquakes are natural. Disasters caused by chemical or industrial accidents, environmental pollution, transport accidents and political unrest fall in the man-made category. After 2004, Pulugurta Chandra Sekhar tsunami has been included in the list of disasters. A high-powered committee on Disaster Management, constituted by the Government of India in 1999, identified 31 disasters and categorised them into five major sub-groups (see table below):

Table: 1: Categories of disasters

1. Water and climate-related 4. Accident-related disasters disasters a) Forest fires a) Floods and drainage b) Urban fires management c) Mine flooding b) Cyclones d) Oil spills c) Tornadoes and hurricanes e) Major building collapse d) Hailstorm f ) Serial bomb blasts e) Cloud burst g) Festival related disasters f ) Heat wave and cold wave h) Electrical disasters and g) Snow avalanches fires h) Droughts i) Air, road and rail accidents i) Sea erosion j) Boat capsising j) Thunder and lightening k) Village fire k) Tsunami

2. Geological disasters 5. Biological disasters a) Landslides and mudflows a) Biological disasters and b) Earthquakes epidemics c) Dam failures/ Dam bursts b) Pest attacks d) Minor fires c) Cattle epidemics d) Food poisoning

3. Chemical, industrial and 6. Man-made[ nuclear disasters a) War/Battles/Hostile enemy a) Chemical and industrial actions (The writer works for the News disasters b) Nuclear accidents or Services Division, All India b) Nuclear disasters explosions Radio, New Delhi. His interest is c) Ecological disturbances like in new media, broadcasting and deforestation etc. community radio.)

52 VIDURA October-December 2012 The handy radio can warn, AIR to the fore no time it was on air, reaching all prepare, inform and empower All India Radio proved to be parts of Bihar. communities facing disasters. an effective disaster management Hundreds of such messages All you need to do is just press a tool during the 2008 Bihar floods, reached All India Radio by SMS, button. And many can listen in, which affected about 15 million on the phone and via the Internet. too. Radio bulletins have proved people, displaced more than three Scenes of large groups of people to the most effective and cheapest million, and had hundreds dead surrounding a radio set and mode of cyclone warnings to and thousands missing. A team listening intently, waiting for news communities the world over. It from the AIR Directorate was of their dear ones were common is especially helpful when the despatched to Bihar to address the in relief camps, in the marooned administration needs to evacuate post-flood distress of the victims. villages and in the temporary people from affected areas. The IT team at Delhi had developed hutments lining both sides of the “I am very worried about you; a software which transferred roads. People had left their homes I promise you, I will take the all the messages coming on the for the camps, after packing some first boat and fetch you,” wrote telephone number to a centralised clothes, carrying a radio set. schoolboy P. Udayabhanu to his database and loaded it on to a father. The message went out on server specially designed for the the airwaves to his father in Hut purpose. In the Missing/Found How a CR station helped Bay in the Andaman archipelago, Persons information module, The 2004 tsunami first struck just one of more than 15000 provision was made for uploading India’s Andaman and Nicobar messages that were read out over the information through an e-form Islands, about 1000 km southeast All India Radio Port Blair in the and, later at the request of affected from Chennai. It took about an days that followed the tsunami of persons, another module was hour for the tsunami to reach December 26, 2004. added for posting messages such the Indian mainland, near the At the best of times, there is very as relief schedules, requirements, Chennai coast. Because Sunday little media or communication in complaints and factual reports was a holiday and with no past the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. via Internet. The central team experience of a tsunami, residents The islands are scattered across coordinated the implementation of were caught completely unawares hundreds of kilometres of open the special helpline module from when the disaster struck. The first sea and most of the islanders – the AIR stations of Bhagalpur, TV and radio reports were based especially in the Nicobar Islands – Patna, Darbhanga and Purnea. on mobile phone interviews on make do with radio, the occasional Once the module was publicized, the spot. When realisation of the ship, a few satellite TV dishes, and SMSes and messages about persons magnitude of the tragedy sank in, a very erratic telephone system. missing and found started pouring TV news channels stopped airing Boat links, electricity supply, in; these were broadcast at regular commercial spots and began television and telephones died intervals by the stations. reporting eyewitness accounts within moments of the tsunami. “Madhepura mein mera bhai from the disaster area. They also “Battery-operated radio sets Mahesh athaees taareeq se lapata hai. started coverage of emergency are possibly the only source of Yah sandesh hai Santosh Yadav kaa relief operations by government information and entertainment for Pastpaar se. Yadi uncle bhai radio se is agencies. A major reason for the the people in the Andaman and sandesh ko sun rahe hon toh is phone delayed response by TV channels Nicobar Islands who are trying number par turant sampark karen – was the commercial spots booked to get on with their lives after 9955655512 (My brother Mahesh for a Sunday; channel managers the tsunami disaster,” reported is missing since the 28th from had to wait for the go-ahead from the Pioneer, twelve days after the Madhepura. This message is from the management before they could disaster. With all communication Santosh Yadav. If uncle is listening act. It was nearly six hours before links down and the number of to this. Please call at this number). mainstream media switched to All missing people exceeding the The message was received by SMS India Radio and Doordarshan. death toll, the tsunami survivors on All India Radio helpline number Anna University has India’s had only one hope left in tracing 09971247247 on September 15 2008 first community radio station the missing relatives – the radio. and was automatically transferred — Anna FM operating on 90.4 High atop a hill in Delanipur, the to a database and uploaded on to a MHz. Anna FM is run exclusively only radio station in the entire central server in Delhi created by by university students and the archipelago of over 500 islands – AIR’s IT Division. AIR Darbanga, Sunday morning transmission is AIR Port Blair struggled to cope in Bhagalpur, Patna and Purnea a recorded broadcast. As a result, the aftermath of the disaster. accessed the message and within they were unable to respond

October-December 2012 VIDURA 53 immediately when the tsunami struck. Moreover, by law they were not allowed to broadcast news and current aff airs programmes. Remembering Dainik They faced a dilemma and it was a diffi cult decision. However, fi nally Navajyoti’s founder-editor they concluded they were there for the benefi t of the community and the community needed their As a tribute to the memory of freedom fi ghter and the founder-editor service at that moment. Anna of Rajasthan’s Dainik Navajyoti, Durgaprasad Chaudhary, India Post FM immediately sent student on 31st July released a stamp (Rs 5) at Jawahar Rangmanch, Ajmer. volunteers as reporters to the aff ected area, three kilometres from the campus. The broadcasts highlighted the urgency of providing relief material for survivors and protecting them from likely outbreak of epidemics. The channel began educating people about tsunamis. The programmes reached only a limited audience, but the eff ort came to the notice of a top offi cial in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. He immediately requested Anna University to set up a similar community radio station in the Nicobar Islands, which were also Unveiling the postal stamp, left to right: Narendra Chaudhary, Harsh badly hit by the tsunami and to Chaudhary, Dinbandhu Chaudhary, Mahdeo Singh Khandela, Sachin train local people there to run the Pilot, and Naseem Akhtar Insaf. radio. One of the lessons from the Sachin Pilot, Union minister of tsunami coverage was that state for Communication and community radio can be eff ective Information Technology, graced during a disaster only if it has the occasion as the chief guest. He access to authentic information. was accompanied by Mahadeo CR cannot operate in isolation and Singh Khandela, minister of state must work with national media at for Tribal Affairs; Jitendra Singh, such times. There were no local or minister for Energy; Naseem community radio stations in any Akhtar Insaf, state minister of the 37 inhabited islands outside for Primary and Secondary South Andaman, and no radio Education. station at all in the Nicobar group. Dinbandhu Chaudhary, chief What could a small, community editor of the Navajyoti Group and radio station have done “in the face Harsh Chaudhary and Narendra of killer waves riding on the back Chaudhary, directors, welcomed of a massive earthquake?” asked all. Dinbandhu Chaudhary the Indian Express. Unfortunately, explained how Durgaprasad in India, we have no community fought the British rule with the radio network to forewarn people might of his pen, bringing to light Durga Prasad Chaudhary.

of a natural calamity because the the atrocities committed. Dainik

government has blocked such < < Navajyoti is celebrating 75 years; its editions are published from initiatives. Ajmer, Jaipur, Jodhpur and Kota, with 25 satellite editions.

54 VIDURA October-December 2012 COMMUNITY RADIO A success story in Bundelkhand To most women living in developing nations, access to various forms of technology is severely limited, which in a way hinders their personal development. Women, especially in rural communities in India, are not able to access information. Often, images that are formed over time of how one should behave, act and perform certain roles that are accepted by society are referred to as “stereotypes”. Gender stereotypes are formed on the basis of one’s gender, again Sarita Anand defined by the society over time. For example, tasks that have a technical element are expected to be performed better by men. However, in a rapidly changing world, stereotypes too are changing rapidly. An experiment with community radio in Bundelkhand proves that

ommunity radio or CR is today capable of creating opportunities for ‘women’ to participate in communication, by building a supportive Cand enabling environment. CR is an important instrument in strengthening the Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression. It is able to address various gender and social issues, besides providing entertainment. With its local reach, comparatively easy access and simple technology, the Anshul Singhal scope for women to participate is immense. Once they gain confidence and a sense of ownership of a user-friendly medium, it provides a platform to the suppressed to speak out their minds, share stories and emerge from closed shells. Such a platform can help build skills that have remained dormant for years; it can bring change to perception as well as practice, of accepted behaviour and issues such as dowry, female foeticide, girl child education etc. Most important, the platform can encourage women to be a part of the changing process. One of the poorest and least developed regions in the country, Bundelkhand in Central India is a drought-prone area with limited (Sarita Anand is associate natural resources, severe water scarcity, improper land planning and professor, Department of management, poor industrial development, limited livelihood options, Development Communication gender discrimination and poor economic growth. The people of the and Extension, Lady Irwin region have had low levels of economic and human development. Lack College, University of Delhi.) of information and awareness about empowering communities, gender discrimination, poor access to development services, little access to livelihood and lack of collaborative action from different development agencies are the major issues crying to be resolved. (Anshul Singhal has a master’s CR was recognised as a useful information and communications degree in Development technology platform for the people of Bundelkhand to gain wider access to Communication and Extension from Lady Irwin College, information, understand their own needs, express their concerns, be heard University of Delhi. She has and exchange ideas amongst themselves – and in their own language. done a dissertation on the role A study was carried out with the main objective of understanding the of community radio in a rural extent of participation and impact of programmes being broadcasted set-up.) by Community Radio Bundelkhand. Content development, community

October-December 2012 VIDURA 55 participation, perception of and freelancers. Yet, it was a major the decision about format selection listeners and the challenges faced achievement. rested solely on the CR head and by CR were some of the issues Sustaining a CR initiative then the staff. analysed. invariably poses challenges As far as content was concerned, Five villages (Taragram, relating to finance. Getting the process of content generation Azadpura, Ghughua, Babai and financial support to start a project for Radio Bundelkhand was Basban) in Tikamgarh District were and then sustaining it is the key. found to be participatory. From chosen based on vicinity to the CR Radio Bundelkhand initially brainstorming on issues to project. Sixty listeners (30 males and received some grants from various production and airing, all the 30 females) were selected for the organisations, but managing stakeholders were involved in study. Ten CR functionaries and 60 running costs proved to be a every process in designing the listeners were interviewed. It was problem. Those managing the show medium for their community. found that Radio Bundelkhand, believe that if the success achieved Subjects relating to health, hygiene the second NGO-led community by the CR station is convincing and nutrition and government radio station in India, was a CR enough, funds to meet running programmes and schemes were initiative jointly managed by the costs can be easily obtained. They most liked by the community, local community and a Delhi-based have been making constant efforts after music and folk songs. The NGO, Development Alternatives. to get advertisements and self- programme producers interacted Smart phones were used as mini sustain. closely with the locals and were transmitter units to increase Training is another important able to bring about a positive community participation and to element. In Bundelkhand, the change in the mindset of people. facilitate feedback. The station staff was trained in all aspects of The sense of participation had reached an estimated 2.5 lakh community radio management, given them confidence and most people across 130 villages within a from scripting to fieldwork for people were no longer shy or cold 20-25 km radius. With 13 employees content generation, to involving in their response. They were now and five freelancers, it broadcast people and generating feedback, forming and voicing opinion, for five hours a day. Programmes indeed, to multitasking and and learning and adapting to dwelt on identity, history, art and facilitating the process of CR change. They had become more culture of the region just as much development. Interestingly, some aware about the various sources the developmental concerns and listeners were keen on getting of income generation and ways aspirations of the local people. trained to work for the CR station to minimise losses. The villagers The NGO could operate only in developing content, writing became more practical and as a catalyst in giving voice to scripts, recording and being a radio started making changes in their the voiceless, and in generating jockey. According to programme living pattern. Significantly, the awareness. The staff formed producers, the involvement of the health and education of children, an important element. They community in taking decisions especially girls, had improved,

mobilised resources, generated relating to the choice of issues and the mobility of women had ideas, identified the issues, and timings of programmes was increased. < and created programmes. The found to be excellent; however, local community was proactive. The staff brainstormed at daily meetings and networked with ABP launches tabloid Ebela other organisations, including local governing bodies for broadcasting government schemes The ABP Group has launched a new Bengali newspaper, Ebela. and programmes, and engaging This is the first Bengali newspaper launched by the ABP Group after educational institutions in nearby Ananda Bazar Patrika in 1922. The 32-page newspaper is in tabloid Jhansi, local folk singers etc. format and is targeted at the young readers of West Bengal. The idea Bundelkhand traditionally being is to serve the paper in a sleek, smart and easy-to-carry format. The a conservative society, there were newspaper showcases news on current affairs, entertainment, sports restrictions on women to work and lifestyle. Ebela also features popular characters from Bengali in public spaces, especially in the adventure literature such as Feluda, Bomkesh and Kakababu. The ABP media. Of the total CR staff of 18, Group is expecting to see the tabloid emerge as one of the leading only five young girls were able to newspapers in Kolkata, carving out a special place in the minds of

the young at heart generation. For now, Ebela will be circulated in break the prescribed social norms < and work as programme producers Kolkata and Howrah only.

56 VIDURA October-December 2012 DADASAHEB PHALKE AWARD WINNER SPEAKS ‘I did have my box-office potential’

Awards may not mean much to a man with so many dimensions to his artistic and literary talents. For a man who has journeyed within the cultural map of West Bengal for more than 50 years. But then, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award is no ordinary award. It is given by the Government of India only to the best and the brightest, for a significant and lifelong contribution to Indian cinema. That pantheon of excellence now seems brighter with the inclusion of Soumitra Chatterjee, Shoma A. Chatterji undoubtedly one of the best things that could have happened to Indian cinema. Sadly, national cinema never tapped his rich potential

oumitra Chatterjee’s other awards include the Padma Bhushan and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for his contribution to theatre. He Sreceived the Officier des Arts et Metiers', the highest award for arts given by the French Government, and a lifetime achievement award from Italy. French director Catherine Berge made a full-length documentary on his life and works called Gaach, meaning ‘tree’. The Films Division made another documentary on the actor called Soumitra Revisited. Some years ago, Krantik Prakashan and Seagull Foundation for the Arts released a book by Anasuya Roy Chowdhury on the actor called Aaj Kaal Porshur Prantey: An Interview with Soumitra Chatterjee. It is one long interview that spans his evolution from a childhood spent in Krishnanagar to an arrival in Calcutta, his deep involvement in theatre and his stepping into films through Satyajit Ray’s Apur Sansar, his first film. For all that, Chatterjee once refused to accept the Best Actor Award for his performance in Goutam Ghose’s Dekha but gracefully accepted the same award for Suman Ghose’s Padakhhep (in 2008). Why did he (The writer is a freelance journalist, refuse the Best Actor author and film scholar based in Award for Dekha? “I Kolkata. She writes widely on cinema, felt it often went to gender issues, media and human people who did not rights for print and online media. She has won the national award for Best deserve it when better Writing on Cinema twice, the Bengal and more powerful Film Journalists Association Award, performances by and a lifetime achievement award other actors were also from Laadly-UNFPA in 2010.) in the race. I felt that The versatile Soumitra Chatterjee.

October-December 2012 VIDURA 57 lot of curiosity in us while it was the group theatre director’s mode being made. Ray made four films of working. He has given public before he did Apur Sansar. I now theatre a completely different look feel for me, those films were sort from many standpoints. His plays of a preparation for what was to focus on contemporary life mixed come – my first film Apur Sansar. with crisis and confrontation.” I was a cinema addict from the Chatterjee’s first play was beginning.” Mukhosh, the Bengali adaptation Chatterjee confesses he had of Jacob’s The Monkey’s Paw which a snobbish, derogatory attitude he directed while still a student. towards Bengali cinema because The play won the first prize his conditioning to films was based at the Inter-University Drama on the best in international cinema. Contest in Delhi in 1956. His next With Sharmila Tagore. “But Pather Panchali changed all play was Bidehi adapted from that. When I saw the film, I had no Ibsen’s Ghost. But recognition stars were awarded over genuine clue that I would be part of Satyajit came with his sterling production actors.” And why is he happy Ray’s films as an actor, which of Naamjibon with which he about receiving the Dadasaheb would shape my future course in established himself firmly on the Phalke Award? “I am happy life. It was an amazing exposure professional stage of Calcutta. because my faith in the public from the point of view of a director Other successful plays are that has sustained me for so many as he presented one of the best- Tiktiki (Sleuth), Atmakatha (the years is vindicated. But I miss known literary classics of Bibhuti Bengali adaptation of Mahesh my mentor Satyajit Ray, my great Bhushan Bandopadhay – Pather Elkunchwar’s famous teacher Tapan Sinha and all those Panchali. I did not identify this Marathi play) and, most who paved the way for me over aesthetic and cinematic excellence recently, Raja Lear adapted from these 53 years.” with the work of any Indian Shakespeare’s King Lear. About his interest in films, director before this film. Looking One of Chatterjee’s latest Chatterjee explains, “My interest back, it changed the course of my plays, Tritiyo Onko Otoeb (The in cinema began ever since I life,” says the 77-year-old actor. Third Act, Therefore), an can remember. When I was very Few outside his home state, autobiographical production he little, I watched films like Thief of West Bengal, are aware of the has written and acted in, maps Baghdad, Saboo, and so on. Then, other dimensions of Chatterjee’s the personal, social, political and as I grew into boyhood, I began to personality. He is a noted poet historical journey his life has cut school to watch films because with 11 titles to his name. There taken. The Third Act, Therefore is films became a passion but a would have been more if he had a play he wrote, directed and schooling boy at that time was been a little more interested. He acted in last year Chatterjee, not permitted to watch too many is not. He is a gifted elocutionist suffering from cancer, presented films. I also watched P.C. Barua’s and recitation artist who can recite his autobiography as a live stage films as a child. All this was for poets from Rabindranath Tagore performance. The events that the sake of entertainment though. through Jibanananda Das from finally shaped him as an actor A serious interest in cinema started memory. He is also a playwright, with the first Film Festival held in a translator of plays in other Calcutta after my parents shifted languages, a theatre director and to Calcutta from Howrah. For actor. He has worked for radio, the first time, I watched Bicycle television and also did a stint Thieves, Miracle in Milan, Fall with the jatra form of travelling of Berlin, with friends who were theatre. He has directed and equally interested in cinema. These acted in more than a dozen plays films changed my entire thinking and according to director-actor about cinema. My close friend Meghnad Bhattacharya, “is the Nirmalya was more serious about only public theatre director whose cinema than I was. We went to see innovative planning for stage Renoir’s River, shot completely productions and his thought- in India, after it was released. provoking style of presenting This was followed by Pather different sequences on the stage Panchali. This film created quite a hardly has any difference with A scene from Apur Sansar.

58 VIDURA October-December 2012 consciously influenced by any cinema and that too, only with single school so to say, but have the name of Satyajit Ray and imbibed different things from each. his films. Chatterjee has acted I watched Sisir Bhaduri perform in 14 films directed by Ray that in Srirangam’s Prafulla the night comprises of many diverse layers before Srirangam, his group, was of characterisation, performance, closing down. The year was 1956. style and presentation. Apur My fundamentals in acting are Sansar, for instance, was very from his plays. I consider him different from Abhijan. Aranyer my guru in acting. I had the good Din Ratri presented a different fortune to act with him in just Soumitra from the Soumitra one play. I did the role of Suresh we saw in Ganashatru, Shakha in Prafulla. His portrayal in and Proshakha or in the Feluda series. as Chandragupta will remain the “I consider him my mentor, my One of his many faces in Ray’s films. best stage performance I have ever guru whichever way you look at seen. He taught me to read Bertolt it. It was amazing how this man are mapped too – the arrival of Brecht. He once told me– ‘you have never repeated himself. I benefited soldiers of Netaji’s Azad Hind a powerful voice, but you don’t immensely from this diversity Fauj at Barasat packed like animals in a train, the Bengal Famine, the Great Calcutta Killing and, finally, his encounter with Natasamrat Girish Chandra Ghosh. His professional life is marginalised to the man Soumitra Chatterjee, who smoked 20 cigarettes a day for 50 years till one day his body painfully reminded him that he had stretched the borders of well- being a bit too far. The subject of the autobiographical production gains from instant feedback. References to Beethoven as an inspiration to go on living, to Jeebanando Das whose poetry inspired the title of the play, closing on Chatterjee reciting Tagore’s Prothom Diner Surjo on the banks of River Roopnarayan, to end with the beautiful song of endless hope that urges the traveller in light Soumitra Chatterjee has acted in many mainstream films that have been hits. walking through the night not to stop, mark a touching ending to a know that you have one – you in his presentation and choice beautiful play. must know this – you must know of subject, story, everything,” “Natasamrat Sisir Kumar where the strength of your voice says Chatterjee adding that he Bhaduri’s theatre inspired me lies.’ I took his words seriously,” also considers his two films deeply. As I watched him perform reminisces Chatterjee. with Mrinal Sen, namely Akash – his way of walking about on Soumitra Chatterjee is one of Kusum and Mahaprithibi, among stage, creating a character, his the best things that could have his favourites apart from Tapan unique style – I decided to become happened to Indian cinema. Sad Sinha’s films. “Tapan Sinha held an actor. I had seen plays of the that national cinema has never me by the hand and showed me IPTA (Indian People’s Theatre tapped the potential of this great the way. He is the best teacher I Association) before seeing personality. Sad also, that his could ever have had,” says the Bhaduri on stage. I also saw contribution to Bengali art and actor who was vested with a Bohuroopi plays. I have not been culture is always linked only to very negative persona in Sinha’s

October-December 2012 VIDURA 59 period film Jhinder Bondi and at ground level. The change in mainstream films and significant the romantic, surreal setting he worldview changes his behaviour, off-mainstream films. explored in Sinha’s Kshudita his vision, his philosophy. These Few know that Chatterjee was Pashan, based on a Tagore story. are reflected in his character. For rejected for a role in Neelachale “Tapan Sinha’s Wheel me, the physical approach to the Mahaprabhu after a screen test a Chair remains one of the most delineation of a character is very few years before he was chosen challenging roles of my career. important. Once this is achieved, to play Apu in Ray’s Apur Sansar. I practised moving about on a a trip to the mental world of the About his work alongside Uttam wheelchair for almost a year character becomes smooth and Kumar, Chatterjee says, “Uttam because the physical details of seamless,” says Chatterjee. Kumar gave me a tremendous how a man does minor things Soumitra Chatterjee’s name sense of competition. I had to deal while seated on a wheelchair were appears in the cast of an entire with it on my own terms, without important. But the shooting got plethora of mainstream films either imitating him, or being delayed and when it finally went that have been box-office hits. influenced by him. We were more on the floors, I could not practise The list is long – Manihar, Sansar like the East Bengal and Mohan all over again. I love the challenge Seemantey, Koni, Kalratri, Atanka, Bagan football teams. Calcutta of learning something new for a Wheelchair, Basanta Bilap, Saat would always be divided into two specific role. For Tapan Sinha’s Pake Bandha and many more. warring groups when it came to Kshudita Pashan, I had to learn Yet, he refrained from directing choosing between the two of us. horse-riding. I discovered that the a feature film in his five-decade- We acted together in quite a few very activity of riding a horse or long career in films. He has films. I did have my box-office

moving about on a wheelchair helps worked with every director under potential as hero. I would not have to an extent to form an insight into the sun – Tarun Majumdar, Saroj lasted this long if this had not been< the character. A man’s worldview Dutta, Anasua Roy Choudhury, so.” changes when he is on horseback. Aparna Sen, Tanima Sen, The same happens when he is Rituparno Ghosh, Sandip Ray, moving about on a wheel chair. Ajoy Karm and Swapan Saha This differs from the worldview not making any distinction of a person who moves normally between crass commercial films,

African media moves with the times

“You can never have a conversation about Kenya these days without talking about the mobile revolution,” begins a recent op-ed column written by Dickens Olewe of The Star in Kenya, reflecting one of the most promising media development success stories on the continent. If your think all African media is rudimentary or behind the times, think again. Mr Olewe, a journalist and Web administrator at The Star, has developed a platform to promote citizen journalism in Kenya, with the help of WAN-IFRA’s Mobile News for Africa Grant and Training scheme (MNFA). Called Star Reports, the Android application allows citizen journalists to easily upload their news reports to a dedicated Web site where readers can view the entire stream of content, or filter stories according to various categories and regions. The stories are also fed into The Star’s workflow, where the newspaper and affiliated radio and television stations can pick up submitted content for development into stories featured in print or broadcast – a key benefit to help provide coverage of underserved areas of the country. Star Reports is one of ten successful mobile applications developed by nine newspapers that participated in WAN-IFRA’s Mobile News project last year. An additional five newspapers in as many countries have been selected this year to work toward the development of mobile services that will benefit their organisations and readership. “The projects being developed this year are very diverse and range from development of an SMS news alert app in Nigeria, to the revamping of a mobile journalism project in Cote D’Ivoire, to a mobile news alert and Mogadishu city guide in Somalia,” said Catharine Fulton, director of the Mobile News for African programme for WAN-IFRA. Recipients of the 2012 MNFA grant are Hamar News Network, Somalia; The Windhoek

Observer, Namibia; Naija247News, Nigeria; Abidjan Live News, Cote D’Ivoire; and Omnimedia, Ghana. <

60 VIDURA October-December 2012 RESURGENCE IN MARATHI CINEMA Wooing audiences back to the theatre With fresh and bold themes, Marathi cinema today has raised the bar for regional language cinema in India. The arrival of Shwaas (2004) as India’s official entry to the Oscars was perhaps the turning point that brought Marathi films into the limelight. What drove Marathi movies towards better quality was richness of content, power of script, unusual themes and a resolve to maturely portray the concerns of the rural populace as well as dilemmas of urban lifestyle. Women were Nidhi Shendurnikar Tere now portrayed as strong and independent, self-sufficient and capable of defying archaic societal norms. Most significantly, Marathi youth who were previously disenchanted with cinema are now flocking to the theatres, drawn in by the bold and innovative subjects that filmmakers are taking up

he change happened gradually but it was worth the wait. Marathi cinema’s transformation from producing run-of-the-mill comedies Tto films that smack of intelligence and sensibility has taken regional language movies in India to an entirely different level. Whereas Bengali and Malayalam cinema had already carved a space for themselves by producing movies which were high on quality content, Marathi cinema till the previous decade was stuck in churning out laugh riots and family dramas confined to the tried and tested formula of commercial success. The decade of 2000, however, was the dawn of a new age cinema in Marathi language. As hatke (different) and critically acclaimed films began to be offered to the Marathi-viewing audience, the entire landscape of cinema in the region went for a makeover. Though there is no one film that can be credited with the revival of Marathi cinema as such, it is said that the entry of Shwaas (2004) as India’s official entry to the Oscars was the turning point which brought Marathi films into the limelight. It generated a keen interest in the making and viewing of Marathi films and made corporate houses sit up and notice the presence of the Marathi film industry. Though Shwaas could not make it to the final five of the Academy Awards, it set a precedent for the production (The writer has a master’s degree of films that tackled socio-political issues with extreme finesse. in Journalism & Communication What followed was a brand of regional cinema that did not shy away from from the Maharaja Sayajirao experimenting. This gave birth to a breed of talented actors and directors University of Baroda, Gujarat. She who have contributed no less to the flourishing of the Marathi movie is now a junior research fellow of industry. Viewers began to flock theatres, and multiplexes began screening the University Grants Commission Marathi movies. Marathi youth who were previously disenchanted with at the Department of Political cinema began to be drawn in by the bold and innovative subjects that Science, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, and is filmmakers took up. What drove movies towards better quality was pusuing a PhD on the Role of the richness of content, power of the script, unusual themes and a resolve to Press and New Media in India- maturely portray the concerns of the rural populace as well as dilemmas Pakistan Conflict Mediation.) of urban lifestyle.

October-December 2012 VIDURA 61 Shots from some of the acclaimed Marathi films (clockwise from top left): Gabricha Paus, Harishchandrachi Factory, Shwaas and Natrang. Harishchandrachi Factory and Shwaas were nominated for the Oscars in the Foreign Film category. Films such as Gabhricha Paus of women as occupants of only the ventures. Filmmakers also tried (2009), Savarkhed: Ek Gaav (2004) domestic space in Marathi films of to revive the rich past of Marathi and Jogwa (2009) talked about the era of 1970s and 80s. Films like theatre, folk art and music through different concerns of the rural Kadachit (2007), Rita (2009), Nital films like Natrang (2010) and Bal population. They brought to (2006), Matichya Chuli (2006) and Gandharva (2011). Natrang, which the fore serious issues: farmer’s Sanai Chaughade (2008) dealt with brought much fame to actor Atul suicides in Maharashtra, religious women protagonists who were Kulkarni, shows him playing an superstitions and their impact shown to be self-sufficient and effeminate character of a nachya on people’s lives. Even subjects capable of defying archaic societal as he pursues his passion for as serious as drought and famine norms for want of freedom and Maharashtrian folk art, Tamasha. have been given a very sensitive choice. In the film, Kulkarni’s character is treatment in the films. Dahavi Fa The hallmark of the directors torn between his passion for folk (2003) and Shikshanachya Aicha of the decade was that they were art and his family’s social prestige, Gho (2010) commented critically not afraid to talk and discuss which suffers an imminent blow on the modern education system the unconventional through as a result of him playing the that accords more importance to the medium of cinema. Deep character of nachya. Other issues rote learning than to knowledge. meaning messages were conveyed –corruption, political angst, New Age Marathi cinema, as it is to the audiences in a simplistic political rivalry, personal struggle also called, empowered women on manner as the films were not and victory – have been captured screen. Strong and independent made on a spectacular budget. very well in Dombivli Fast (2005), women characters marked a This, however, did not impair Zenda (2010) and Mi SindhuTai paradigm shift from the portrayal the production quality of the Sapkal (2010). Commentaries on

62 VIDURA October-December 2012 urban relationships and intricacies The rise of multiplexes in urban patrons. In the cultural capital of of urban life have been sketched centres has helped the cause of Gujarat, Vadodara, SwarGandha in Satchya aat Gharat (2004), Marathi cinema as multiplexes give is one such group that screens Mumbai Pune Mumbai (2010) and space to intelligent and sensible three Marathi films a year for its Anandache Zhaad (2008). films rather than single-screen members. Such innovative ideas to The decade of success for theatres which cater to the masses. increase the popularity of Marathi Marathi cinema presented a Multiplexes have also made movie- films have gone down well with perfect blend of commercial and viewing a more comfortable and Marathi people. Even the non- critical success. The icing on the leisurely experience and this tends Marathi speaking populace is cake came in 2009 when Paresh to attract the middle-class audiences showing interest in watching Mokashi’s film on the father of to regional movies. Today, Marathi Marathi movies. Indian cinema, Dadasaheb Phalke, movies are frequently being The paisa vasool (worth the was selected as India’s official entry released outside Maharashtra, money spent) genre of films though for the 82nd Academy Awards. especially in cities that have a has not completely diminished This film was Harishchandrachi sizable Marathi population. Earlier from the movie panorama. Factory. Even before the success, this segment of the public could But with the unrelenting and Marathi films had attained global watch a Marathi movie only on sustained movement towards recognition by winning audiences VCD/DVD or when it aired on TV. new contexts in Marathi cinema, it

not only in Maharashtra and India In places where Marathi films are will hopefully continue to enthrall but also in the US, UK and Canada. not screened that often, Marathi both the masses and the classes < Marathi films also made an entry in youth have taken the initiative to towards a quest for the best. various international film festivals. form cultural groups, which bring It widened the exposure and the best of Marathi cinema to its mindset of filmmakers who then got an opportunity to showcase their work worldwide. Valu was first Marathi film to be selected for the Rotterdam Film Fest in Violence ruining press freedom Holland and Natrang was the only Indian film to be premiered at the MAMI film festival. Thus, even in Mexico international audience noticed the vibrant and revived Marathi Mexico’s press is rapidly losing its freedom and the government cinema. must take urgent action to guarantee the safety of journalists and As the content of Marathi media professionals, the World Association of Newspapers and films perked up, many corporate News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) said today in a new report. Entitled groups and production houses A Death Threat to Freedom: A Report on Violence Against Mexico’s developed an interest in investing. Press, the report identifies the unprecedented level of violence faced by Eros Entertainment, UTV, UFO the Mexican press as a result of corruption, organised crime and the Movies, AB Corp and Mukta ongoing armed offensive against drug traffickers. Thirty-nine media Arts have become active players professionals have been killed since the outgoing president, Felipe in the business of Marathi Calderón, declared a ‘war’ on drugs in 2006. entertainment. Zee Taklies has “Mexico is facing a crisis of historic proportions and its press is continued to provide patronage to firmly in the front line,” said Larry Kilman, WAN-IFRA deputy CEO and Marathi cinema since 2007. More director of Communications and Public Affairs. “Targeting journalists and more Marathi youth are now as a means of controlling news output undermines democracy and entering the art of filmmaking. violates freedom of expression. The incoming Mexican government must The Maharashtrian community, do more to ensure its press is free and its journalists are safe to report shedding its old way of thinking, the news.” The report examines how the drug cartels aim to control is now encouraging young people the flow of information through terror, assassination, armed attacks to get into the creative arts. As a on journalists and media outlets, threats and kidnappings. Such tactics

result, many young filmmakers like have been brutally effective: entire regions in Mexico are experiencing Gautam Joglekar, Bipin Nadkarni, a complete information blackout, with exile or self-censorship often the < Prashant Pethe, Sanjay Surkar, only ways journalists have of protecting themselves. Nishikant Kamath, Avdhoot Gupte and Sachin Kundalkar have arrived on the scene.

October-December 2012 VIDURA 63 Reporting: remember the basics Whatever the area you cover, your report requires, like every piece of good writing, an attention-catching statement of your theme in the opening paragraph, coherent and absorbing development of that theme in the succeeding paragraphs, and a final summing up or statement that keeps resonating in the reader long afterwards

he field of news gathering, its venue, and the institutions and V.S. Maniam personalities involved may change as you rise in a newspaper, but Tthat in no way changes the basic qualities required for recognising, obtaining, and effectively communicating a story to a reader. These are: strong interview techniques, source development, investigative and organisational skills, and keen objectivity. (I quote from the AP Reporting Handbook.) One thing, however, does change with each change of area of reporting: the specialised background knowledge you must have. For each different area, you need to do some hard reading at least to know about its basics. Wherever you function, make your copy as readable as you can possibly make it. And put aside your first draft for at least some time – even an hour will do; then take it out and revise carefully before turning it in. You can afford to do this with all but your most urgent spot stories. There is very little difference between the different beats and fields of news gathering. All call for the same skills: good listening and observing and notes-taking; careful collection of every available detail; and absorption of the ambience/atmosphere/mood to incorporate into your eventual report/story. At some venues – for example, at public meetings – you don’t ask questions: you just sit back and take notes. Everywhere else, you ask questions. At most venues, including even press conferences and briefings, try and ask your questions in private, so that you can enhance your report with additional details or clarifications that your colleagues from other papers do not have. (Remember: journalism is every bit as competitive as any other field.) Even beats that are thought to be the most humdrum and colourless – police, courts, corporation, etc – can yield excellent stories that will lift your paper, and yourself, high above the rest, if you are willing to put in the extra effort required. The story is told that when the famed New York Times foreign (The writer was with The correspondent Harrison Salisbury returned to New York after a tour of Statesman between 1964 and duty in Moscow, he was given a seemingly lowly assignment relating to 1993, all but the last four years garbage collection in Manhattan – and he produced a stunning report. No on its reporting side. He had assignment or beat is too lowly, or high, for the true professional reporter. started his career in The Indian At press conferences and briefings, you will usually be given prepared Express, Madras, in 1947 as statements or press notes (referred to as handouts). Make additional an apprentice, then had moved inquiries, collect further facts and details, and then write your report into periodicals and returned making appropriate use of the handout. If the handout relates to some to mainstream journalism. He has taught journalism at controversy, you would need to obtain the reaction of every side involved, the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, in the interests of objectivity Chennai, and now lives in Reporting the proceedings of the state legislative assembly can be tricky. Princeton, New Jersey, USA. ) You have an obligation to report in full the sights and sounds in the assembly,

64 VIDURA October-December 2012 but you need to do so objectively, You need to watch out for again, little different from every without malice. Otherwise, the papers tabled each day, kind of reporting, except that it you will be inviting a privilege from routine annual reports of requires the sharpest focus on the notice – a formal charge that government organisations to subject, assiduous collection of your report amounts to a breach investigative reports of major every relevant fact and detail, and of privilege of some member, or Parliament committees, for these the highest degree of accuracy and members, and contempt of the are often great news-yielding fairness; and your final product assembly as a whole. Parliament documents. You need to read requires to be infinitely more than generally ignores misreporting of these diligently. Likewise, you a mere news report. The reports on its proceedings: in its history, as need to read closely the legislative the Bofors kickbacks issue are one far as I can recall, there has been measures that are introduced: the recent instance of investigative only one instance of action being text of the bills as well as their reporting. Again, don’t be taken against a correspondent. objects and reasons – you often overawed by the label. You can do But state legislatures seem to be get excellent stories out of these. it outstandingly if you habitually more sensitive. You need to be These bills and documents are attempt to be outstanding in careful that you do not offend gold mines of information which, everything you do. them in any manner, even while if earnestly read and assimilated, Development journalism, discharging your responsibility can immeasurably enhance the another category that has become to offer the fullest report of database in the back of your mind. prominent in recent years, refers legislature proceedings to the Parliament is, in a sense, a broadly to reports that deal readers of your paper. How do you cushy beat because of all the pre- with the various facets of the do this? Establish yourself as a fair digested information it offers each country’s development that tend and objective reporter without the day in reports, documents and to be overlooked by reporters who slightest tinge of malice. bills: all you do is to study these prefer meatier matters. It is, once This is from the BBC’s guidelines and extract their essence. For the again, the way you treat the subject for its staff: “We must be accurate rest, it is a matter of sitting back in your report, and the hard work and must be prepared to check, to listen to the often electrifying you put in earlier, that elevate

cross-check and seek advice to speeches that are made and absorb your report into one meriting the ensure this…. We should gather the mercurial atmosphere in the label. < information firsthand by being chamber. These are what make there ourselves…. Interviews Parliament an exciting beat. But Note: This is the second of a two- should be well mannered don’t be overawed by it: reporting part article. The first appeared in the and courteous. They may be its proceedings is hardly different July-September 2012 issue of Vidura. searching, sharp, sceptical…, from reporting an assembly. but not partial, discourteous or Investigative reporting, emotionally attached to one side a category that has become of an argument.” Our audience, prominent in recent years, is, the BBC adds, must be able to trust our integrity. In reporting Parliament, all you need, besides your usual reportorial skills, is a little extra alertness in Kashmir Observer to launch observing the proceedings and a little extra care in writing your daily supplement report. For, whatever Parliament does determines people’s destiny (to a greater degree than state Kashmir Observer has intensified its coverage of business and is assemblies) in addition to making set to launch a new daily supplement, Bazaar Observer, in Jammu & history. Take particular care that Kashmir. It will target businesses, banks, major stores, furniture shops you do not report anything that and so on. The supplement will cover national and international has been ordered by the chair to business news, but special emphasis will be given to local business be expunged. If Parliament is at all news. The eight-page supplement will have a print run of 18000 touchy about anything it is about copies. The ad-edit ratio will be 60:40, while the target audience will

the reporting, even if inadvertent, include readers above the age of 20 years. The supplement will be of whatever has been expunged circulated free with the main paper every day. It is being promoted< from the official record of the through different mediums such as print, radio and the Internet. proceedings.

October-December 2012 VIDURA 65 A TRIBUTE TO B.K. KARANJIA (1920-2012) A sterling life dedicated to the movies rejoinder to a film review I did not agree with. He said ‘yes’ at once and my long wait to see my byline in SCREEN – the leading film weekly published by the Express Group of newspapers – ended. That was the beginning of my vocation as a film journalist and my 31-year-long affair with SCREEN as a freelance contributor. Thus, it is really not possible to strip myself of emotions and nostalgia while penning this tribute to one of the most erudite, down-to-earth and low-profile journalists in the country. Born and bred in Quetta, now in Pakistan, the Karanjia family moved to India after partition. BK had named his south Mumbai

Photo: Internet. residence Quetta Bungalow, B.K. Karanjia was in many ways a pioneer in the world of film journalism. which stood a short distance away from the historic Jinnah House. He was erudite, down- now the National Film He qualified for the Indian Civil to-earth, low-profile and a Development Corporation. Service but decided not to join. gentleman. He qualified for Sadly, once he retired, He began his journey as a humble the Indian Civil Service but the industry forgot B.K. reporter to become the editor of decided not to join, instead Filmfare followed by SCREEN, Cine Karanjia Voice and Movie Times. He authored beginning his journey as a some books on the entertainment humble reporter to become t is difficult to pen a tribute industry such as Blundering in the editor of Filmfare piece without being emotional Wonderland and Masks and Faces followed by SCREEN, Iwhen the person concerned has besides biographies of different Cine Voice and Movie Times. been one of the few mentors who members of the Godrej family, an Behind that no-nonsense held you by the hand and showed autobiography and a couple of exterior of the fair-skinned, you the way in journalism, and in memoirs. film writing in particular. Burjor K. In Acting and the Star System (IFC slim man with a moustache Karanjia or B.K. Karanjia was one hid a man with a soft heart Issue Six, March 1966) reprinted of the leading film journalists in in Indian Film Culture August, ticking away and an open India when this writer was trying mind who hated anything to 2010, Karanjia wrote, “Our films to get a small byline in a national too have been studded with do with film parties, rubbing daily as a trainee journalist. With such gems of portrayals – from shoulders with the glamour hesitant steps, I walked into his Chandramohan and Naseem as the world of film stars and glitzy small cabin at the Indian Express Emperor Jehangir and his consort celebrities. He founded the office in Nariman Point in late 1980 in Pukar to Chabbi Biswas as the Film Financing Corporation, and requested if I could write a decadent zamindar (landowner)

66 VIDURA October-December 2012 of Jalsaghar, in which the actor age and not of any illness because money out of people's deaths? has impregnated the role with he did not have major health Finally, there is evidence of a lack his own being, which of course problems of any kind, thanks to of will, a strange apathy on the is distinct from the star playing his disciplined way of life that part of the authorities to prepare himself. But I would like to refer included his daily yoga and against possible future disasters,” to two cases that vividly illustrate meditation practice. He lived alone he summed up, bluntly. the contrasting aspects of screen with a servant and a caretaker, One of his pioneering works acting. The first is of the same his wife having predeceased him apart from journalism and editing role, the doomed hero Devdas, quite some years ago. But his three was his founding of the Film interpreted successively by Prince children who also live in Pune Financing Corporation (FFC) in Barua in the original Bengali, by would often drop in. 1968 that was later re-constituted Kundanlal Saigal in the first Hindi In an article titled Decline of a as the National Film Development version, and by Dilip Kumar in City - Mumbai Sinking to Apathy, Corporation (NFDC). He later the later remake. The other is of he explained why he decided to became the chairman of the the same actor Soumitra Chaterjee leave Mumbai. “It was a singular organisation and took significant interpreting a whole series of incident that made me decide to decisions about financing films sharply contrasting roles from the leave Mumbai. I have grown and that were low on budget by high on tough taxi-driver of Abhijan to the survived in the city for 86 years, quality made by talented and new scholarly, shy, eligible and utterly and have known great loves and filmmakers. He also delved a bit endearing bachelor of Teen Kanya, happy times, although most of my into films in a serious manner. He lending his extraordinarily plastic memories belong to the distant wrote the story and screenplay of personality to be moulded to the past.” He recalls the Black Tuesday Pestonjee directed by Vijaya Mehta director’s desire.” in Mumbai on July 26, 2005, when and produced by the then-FFC. Behind that no-nonsense the city had turned into a virtual It was a touching story that was exterior of the fair-skinned, slim flood, halting traffic and people for set against the Parsi community, man with a moustache hid a man hours on end and at 86, with a heart presenting an authentic reflection with a soft heart ticking away and ailment, he was stuck inside his car of the community narrated in an open mind who hated anything for hours. “Tuesday, 26 July 2005, flashback. to do with film parties, rubbing appeared to me to be the final gasp In his memoir Counting My shoulders with the glamour of a failing city, no longer safe. I had Blessings, Karanjia commenting world of film stars and glitzy the fearful premonition that if a on Mrinal Sen’s path-breaking celebrities. Karanjia’s brother, similar deluge occurs in 2006, there film Bhuvan Shome wrote that it Russy K. Karanjia, also a well- will be a repeat of the same, even was “difficult if not impossible known journalist, died five years worse disaster. And if not worse, for a newcomer in India, however ago. He was the editor of Blitz, a it did happen. This time, sitting in talented he might be, to get political weekly, followed by The Dhahram, Saudi Arabia, I watched finance for making a film from Daily, a tabloid newspaper he it on television. It would not be the the conventional sources” at the produced and edited himself that last time, because the basic causes time. Bhuvan Shome was an early became quite popular soon after leading to such disasters is not success for the FFC. “Its director he began the paper. While Russy even being considered. Apart from derisively and dramatically threw pursued investigative journalism, poor public services, there are two away the rule book,” Karanjia Karanjia pursued entertainment more causes: an alarming rise in wrote. “Yet the much-traduced box and film journalism. B.K. Karanjia our numbers and all-pervasive office acclaimed it. It completed a triggered the now-hyped Filmfare corruption,” he wrote. He goes on jubilee run at a city cinema, and Awards characterised by his to state that it was the ritualisation that too at morning shows.” simple philosophy of life where of corruption at every stage in life Once he retired, the industry human values, work and honesty was another reason that drove forgot BK. Whether it is Hollywood took priority over glamour and him to leave the city he loved so or Hindi film industry, ingratitude chutzpah and sound and fury. dearly. is ingrained in showbiz. Even the BK moved to Pune in 2007 BK recalled how after his wife’s old guards who owed a lot to him

because with time and age, he death the family had to move from showed no signs of remembering became extremely disillusioned pillar to post just to obtain her his contribution once he retired. < with the way the city of Mumbai death certificate which was finally he had lived practically all his life obtained by paying a bribe of Rs 100 in, had changed for the worse. He in addition to the prescribed fee to (A tribute by Shoma A. Chatterji, passed away in Pune on June 24, a clerk at the Bandra Municipality. freelance journalist, author and film 2012 of problems arising out of old “Have we sunk so low as to make scholar based in Kolkata.)

October-December 2012 VIDURA 67 A TRIBUTE TO G. KASTURI (1924-2012) A many-splendoured man

G. Kasturi, the longest- serving editor in the history of the 134-year-old The Hindu, steered the newspaper through the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s. He became editor when Lal Bahadur Shastri was prime minister. When he stepped down in 1991, Chandra Shekhar was still in office. In the intervening years came the devaluation crisis, the 1971 war, the nuclear test of 1974, the Emergency, the Punjab crisis and the assassination of Indira Gandhi, the Rajiv Gandhi years and his defeat over Bofors. Kasturi, who

was also a former managing Photo: The Hindu director of Kasturi & Sons, oversaw the newspaper’s G. Kasturi led from the front The Hindu’s expansion and modernisation. coverage of the tumultuous period even as he presided 1965 to January 1991 — for more Limited, proprietors of The Hindu over a phase of rapid than 25 years, a period that saw Group of publications. Here is technological and editorial the newspaper take important an article reproduced from The transformation at The Hindu. steps towards modernisation Hindu, which sums up in essence He led from the front the on the editorial, technological the man and his times. It was titled, newspaper’s expansion and and production fronts. Born on ‘Visionary who set The Hindu on modernisation, cementing December 17, 1924, he studied modern path’. its position as a national at Chennai’s P.S. High School, Staying away from the limelight newspaper with editions after which he joined Presidency of publicity despite being the not just in the south but College. Armed with an MA powerful editor of an influential also in New Delhi. Among degree in Economics from Madras newspaper and the managing University, he joined The Hindu in director of the company running many things, he was also 1944. In 1959, he was designated it, G. Kasturi had a single-minded instrumental in establishing joint editor. focus through most of his life: to the Press Institute of India Kasturi passed away on take The Hindu to new heights in (PII) and Research Institute September 21. He is survived a fast-changing media milieu. He for Newspaper Development by his wife of 64 years, Kamala, seemed to allow himself hardly (RIND) and was one of its sons K. Balaji and K. Venugopal, any distraction from his work founder-members daughter Lakshmi Srinath, and and mission. Characteristically, five granddaughters and two he was the old-world editor who he second son of Kasturi great-grandchildren. Balaji, preferred not to be seen or heard Gopalan, Kasturi was editor Venugopal and Lakshmi Srinath in the public sphere, but only be Tof The Hindu from September are directors of Kasturi & Sons read and felt through the columns

68 VIDURA October-December 2012 of the newspaper. Yet, he travelled reporting and other writing that works on a seamless and real-time the world, in particular evincing went into it. His style of work was platform across its production keen interest in industry-related characteristic. He would trust, but centres. events and exhibitions. He lived verify. He would tend to depend He was the principal driving the trust, held himself up to the on key people in the organisation force behind making The Hindu the legacy he inherited, and left the a lot, yet in the end would keep his first mainline newspaper in newspaper the better for it. own counsel. India to go for computerised Mr Kasturi, the longest-serving Younger colleagues were often phototypesetting during 1980. editor in the history of the 134- left speechless at his willingness Creditably, The Hindu kept year-old newspaper (a tenure that and ability to stay on through the on board during this major was almost matched by his uncle, night as a prototype press that the technological transition from hot Kasturi Srinivasan, from 1934 company acquired from the French metal technology to computer- to 1959), consistently found the conglomerate Creusot-Loire was based technology that demanded golden mean. He could balance being put through its paces in a new skill set, the same people his prowess and interest in the Chennai. Then in his 60s, he would who were working in the earlier technological aspects essential to often leave the press in the small technology: the company gave taking a newspaper forward on a hours of the day with grime and them training and re-orientation path of long-term consolidation grease on his hands – and return to to take on the new roles. Nobody and expansion, while giving work to his corner office in Kasturi had to be sent away. Mr Kasturi is full play to his editorial acumen Buildings in the forenoon itself. credited with initiating a policy of and vision. Even as he banked Mr Kasturi will be remembered appointing staff correspondents on the organisation’s traditional within The Hindu, and across in district towns across southern strengths, he took it forward, the industry among a significant India, and in state capitals where cautiously and carefully, on to a section of industry players of a they were not already in place. modern platform. generation, for his vision. Working In 1968, The Hindu received the Mr Kasturi was indeed with his brother G. Narasimhan, World Press Achievement Award the moderniser, innovator who was managing editor (till his of the American newspaper and visionary who led The passing in July 1977), he rolled out Publishers’ Association Hindu during a critical phase of its unique means and solutions to set Foundation. Mr Kasturi received history. He brought it up to speed a scorching pace of growth and on behalf of the newspaper, the in an era in which technology expansion for the newspaper. It gold medallion representing the came to play a leading part in was a crucial period of its transition award, at a function at the Waldorf transforming the industry. He from being a largely southern Astoria in New York. Towards the took the newspaper forward Indian-provincial newspaper to a end of 1977, The Hindu introduced from a slow-paced era, to a mode truly national vehicle. He helped the features titled ‘Outlook,’ in which it could meet the new consolidate and streamline a ‘Special Report’ and ‘Open Page,’ information needs of a growing system of air-borne distribution under Mr. Kasturi’s stewardship. English speaking population. of copies across southern India He showed keen interest in He was a quintessential editor for early morning delivery. The making these a success. with a deft touch that would company first chartered Indian He worked hands-on, intensely transform copy, and a quick judge Airlines aircraft for the purpose, so, with colour scanning equipment of argument and polemic, fact and and then went on to acquire aircraft that The Hindu acquired in 1982, fiction. Heavy re-writing was not of its own. the first newspaper organisation his preferred style on the editorial Leading the next big wave of in India to acquire one for in-house desk. He was particularly good at expansion for the newspaper, use. His meticulous approach to spotting and encouraging talent. he helped develop the facsimile ensuring picture quality at the His deep understanding of system of transmission of page photographers’ end and all the aspects of newspaper design and images, the first of its kind in way up to the printer’s hands, typography was unmatched, and Asia. The first ‘remote’ edition was allowed The Hindu to maintain widely acknowledged among started in Coimbatore in 1969. The printing quality standards of an industry leaders of his time. next one was in Bangalore in 1970. exceptional kind. His knowledge He was on top of all aspects of More printing centres and tailored and application of matters newspaper production, and over regional editions followed. The technical was matched only by his the years initiated a remarkable set Hindu today has 17 editions in keen penchant for excellence in of changes that added to the visual different parts of the country: it journalism. appeal of presentation, in addition moved on to digital transfer of to the language, tone and tenor of pages in the 1990s, and today

October-December 2012 VIDURA 69 Aft er his retirement, Mr. design, experimenting with tools dealings with a large number of Kasturi continued to be involved and methods in a fully equipped them over a long period. The hearty and remain intensely interested home-offi ce. applause, predominantly among in diff erent aspects of the In is recent years in retirement, employees and former employees organisation’s development and he made it a point to visit Kasturi of the company, that fi lled the growth. In 2004-05, he followed Buildings, the headquarters of the University Centenary Hall in and involved himself in the major company, to interact extensively Chennai at a function marking exercise of redesigning The Hindu, with technical and also editorial the 125th year celebrations of The undertaken by Mario Garcia. personnel with a view to conveying Hindu in Chennai in 2003, as Mr One of his principal anxieties the expertise at his command — Kasturi made an entry, bore ample related to mediocrity in the and also learning in the process, testimony to this. His soft -spoken organisation. He made it a point as he would put it. This was a and but fi rm manner, and simple to interact periodically with a rigorous journey focussed on his att ire at work, were memorable. wide cross-section of senior staff life’s work and mission. For Mr Kasturi, one of the members of the organisation. Photography was a particular most challenging phases of his Interestingly, one of the latest area of interest and indeed stewardship of the newspaper was meetings he had was with a group fascination for Mr Kasturi. He witnessed during the period of the of three relatively young staff never tired of discussing with the Emergency that saw newspapers members of The Hindu towards the photographers of the newspaper coming under unprecedented

end of April. With them he spent ever-newer ways of gett ing bett er pressure from the government. upwards of two hours in his house, images and maximising the use of He was a deeply religious person< discussing how the organisation equipment. throughout his life. needs to focus on roles and tasks He knew many of the employees for the future. He continued to of the company by name, and had work his passion for newspaper pleasant, gentle and kind-hearted SUBSCRIBE TODAY

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A demand draft/ cheque for Rs...... drawn 70 in the name of PressVIDURA InstituteOctober-December Of India is attached. 2012 A TRIBUTE TO MRINAL GORE (1928-2012) She was every woman’s elder sister Her agitations were and an institutional base for the always related to basic Samajwadi Mahila Sabha, Bombay issues — water, kerosene, Nurses Association, Anganwadi inflation — and they were Workers Union, Swadhar and innumerable issue-based action always fierce. But there was fronts involving liberals, socialists no violence ever, neither and left groups. in her actions nor in her In the 1960s, Mrinaltai, as she words. Even friends weren’t was affectionately called, worked spared, if she was convinced as corporator and then as legislator. they were wrong. She was Her agitations were always related revered and respected by all. to basic issues — water, kerosene, She believed in transparency inflation — and they were always and social accountability fierce. But there was no violence in public life. She was ever, neither in her actions nor in principled and honest, and her words. Even friends weren’t spared, if she was convinced they a great organiser. She had were wrong. She was revered and the courage of conviction. respected by the ministers and Mrinal Gore’s name was chief ministers of her time. In the synonymous with any Mrinal Gore always led from the early Seventies, she along with front. fight for justice and social her coworkers formed the Yuva accountability in public life Kranti Dal that fought against impose an internal emergency and vested interests in rural, urban and suspend the constitutional rights n 17th July this year, tribal areas as well as caste-based of the people. Mrinaltai went Mrinal Gore passed away. oppression, injustice and violence. underground to guide the protests. OWith her demise, an era She believed in transparency and She was arrested in December that of women freedom fighters with social accountability in public life. year and placed initially under feminist sensitivities in praxis is Mrinaltai brought the issue of solitary confinement. Once the over. Inspired by the Quit India safe drinking water to the political emergency was withdrawn in Movement under the leadership agenda of the local self government 1977, she was elected on a Janata of Mahatma Gandhi, 14-year- body in Mumbai and earned the Party ticket to Parliament, winning old Mrinal became active in the title of Pani Wali Bai. A political by the highest margin of votes in Freedom Movement. Drawn to reformer by instinct, Mrinaltai the entire state of Maharashtra. political and social causes, she gave helped set up in September 1972 Mrinaltai supported the up a promising career in medicine the Anti-Price Rise Committee, renaming of Marathwada in order to organise the poorest which mobilised the largest-ever University to Dr Babasaheb and most powerless. She married turnout of women on the streets Ambedkar Marathada University. her comrade, Keshav Gore, and ever seen since the Independence When I led a team to 48 riot- when he died at a young age in movement. At the same time, she torn villages in Marathwada in 1958, she founded the Keshav worked within the Socialist Party connection with the renaming Gore Smarak Bhavan which and outside, to get the government issue and our team prepared a provided a democratic platform to focus on drought in rural report on atrocities committed on to progressive forces for debate Maharashtra. 1975 was an eventful Dalits, she suggested my name to and discussion, meetings and year for Mrinal Gore. It saw several social organisations and public gatherings, documentation the Indira Gandhi Government journals so that our report got

October-December 2012 VIDURA 71 for women survivors of domestic violence, she founded a workers' association, the Shramjeevi Mahila Sangh, expressly for women employees and played pivotal role in getting 65 acres of land for building a housing complex for evacuated pavement dwellers in the 1980s. Till late 1980s, she used to commute by local train in the women’s compartment. If the trains were crowded, she would stand quietly on board without making fuss. Once, I saw her boarding the train. I was seated inside with my five-year-old daughter in my lap. Out of respect for Mrinaltai, I

Photos: Vibhuti Patel. Photos: Vibhuti got up. My daughter, Lara, asked me, “Why are you getting up?” I told her, “We must give a seat to Mrinaltai.” Lara said, “Is she your Mrinaltai addresses a packed rally. She believed in transparency in public sister?” I told her, “Mrinaltai is life. every woman’s elder sister.” All the women in the compartment due publicity. In 1979, when I was Mahila Kruti Samiti (women’s started smiling. staying in Borivali, we had an acute Front against Communalism), in The huge Nagari Niwara problem of water and transport. We the 1985 campaign for housing Parishad Project in Goregaon East invited Mrinaltai and we started rights (Nagari Nivara Sangharsh is a living memorial to Mrinaltai getting supply of water and later Samiti), in the 1986 fight against and her work. She had persuaded on bus service also. She was always the draconian population policy, the state government to offer land sure of herself and her actions. in the 1987 campaign against Sati, it had acquired under the Urban She made rapid appraisal of the and in the 1988 introduction of Land Ceiling Act to the really ground reality, surveyed the pros a bill for the regulation of pre- poor and needy. Local politicians and cons, collected documentary natal diagnostic tests. Remarkable who feared that she would get evidence and acted after doing indeed! At times, she invited us a readymade vote bank delayed lot of homework. Her demand of to discuss the technical details of the project. Yet, when the homes community-based day care centres new issues such as amniocentesis, were ready after two decades, for working women’s children was legal reforms, and harmful they were still the most affordable. preceded by a survey of working contraceptives so that she could They were not big flats, but self- women who reported that it was effectively argue the points in contained spacious units built extremely difficult to carry infants the legislative assembly. The neatly atop Dindoshi Hills. While in overcrowded suburban trains. first ever bill in the country on the younger generation may not Since 1977, women rights sex-selective abortions of female remember this, their parents will activists of all hue would fetuses was moved by Mrinaltai as remain grateful that they could choose a common theme for an MLA in a Nagpur session of the finally own a home in Mumbai, commemoration of March 8, Maharashtra Assembly in 1987. thanks only to a gutsy woman. International Women’s Day, and The 1980s found her working Veteran feminist Ammu Mrinaltai was always there. Now with emerging feminist groups Abraham (of Women’s Centre, we will miss her. She took an and participating actively in the Mumbai) who, like Mrinaltai, gave active interest in the 1980 anti rape protests against rape and dowry, up a promising career in medicine struggles, in the 1981 movement caste atrocities, sex selection to plunge full time into organising against domestic violence, in the and communalism. A natural the poor and the marginalised in 1982 solidarity effort and starting organiser, Mrinaltai employed a the 1970s, has this to say about of community kitchens for textile large spectrum of protest action to Mrinaltai, “I remember her with workers who were on strike, in get the issue across – from street affection. As one of the activists the 1983 ant-dowry movement, in marches to sit-ins and fasts. Not in Mumbai who met her at the 1984 Dharmandhata Virodhi only did she set up a support centre various meetings at the office near

72 VIDURA October-December 2012 Mantralay, I interacted with her quite a lot. While there was a lot of common ground between us, we did not always agree entirely on issues, but she was never one to take that personally. One of the most generous spirits associated with the women’s movement in Mumbai and Maharashtra has passed away. Hard to say goodbye.” I had known Mrinaltai from my college days in the early 1970s and she inspired us, social activists of Vadodara, to start the Anti Price Rise Women’s Committee in 1974 when I was an undergraduate student. When I relocated to Mumbai in 1977 and was active in the united front of Mrinaltai respected the collective wisdom of women’s movement. She invited women’s organisations, I had to young feminists to discuss contemporary issues and introduced best practices of visit Mrinaltai’s residence-cum- new groups in her organisation. office regularly for preparation, translation, cyclostyling, posting and formed trade union of nurses It was her humility and love for of circulars, resolutions and under the leadership of Kamaltai humanity that stood out. leaflets. She always welcomed me Desai. Mrinaltai always encouraged with warm smile. While working, Prof. Lakshmi Lingam, deputy women to be self dependent. if I told her that I wanted to go director, Tata Institute of Social For her, the concerns of Dalits, out for short time; she would Sciences, and member of the women, workers, farmers and immediately retort, “I know, Consultative Committee of the tribals were indivisible and she you are hungry.” And she would Sophia Centre for Women’s Studies demanded a holistic approach. announce, “Make poha, Vibhuti and Development avers, “She truly Her politics, consequently, was is starved.” And I would get poha represented to many of us a person always inclusive rather than and sometimes jelebi also. I was who had the ability to straddle divisive. That was why she could always touched by her hospitality, the old and the new and reach win the affections of diverse sensitivity, generosity of heart, across generations with since of sections of people and came to be open door policy and decent sense sisterhood and modesty. These are called Mrinal-tai, or elder sister. of humour. impressions that will stay with us It was her tireless commitment to Mrinaltai respected the collective for a lifetime and also show how the people residing in the slums wisdom of women’s movement. we conduct ourselves with fellow of Mumbai and her empathy with She invited young feminists to sister travelers in the movement.” women struggling to survive the discuss contemporary issues and Mrinaltai was a principled sky-rocketing prices of household introduced best practices of new politician, honest to the core and commodities that stood out. She groups in her organisation. To great organiser. She stuck out will remain a constant source

provide institutional support to her neck in the midst of adverse of inspiration and a role model women in distress, she started circumstances because courage for many generations of social< Swadhar in the mid-1980s at of conviction. Her name was activists. Keshav Gore Smarak Pratisthan synonymous with any fight for formed by her after her husband justice and social accountability (A tribute by Vibhuti Patel, professor who was a socialist leader and died in public life. She provided her and head of the Department at a young age. Here she provided a visionary leadership in the area of of Economics, SNDT Women’s child-care centre, a library for poor political struggles, civic amenities, University, Mumbai, and a member students, a counseling centre and dalit rights, women’s rights, housing of the advisory board of the a meeting place for all progressive issues, the Narmada Bachao Department of Women’s Studies of forces. She was the first one to Andolan and innumerable social the National Council of Education, movements of the marginalised Research and Training (NCERT), launch a struggle against sexual Delhi.) harassment of nurses in hospitals and voiceless sections of society.

October-December 2012 VIDURA 73 OTHER NEWS

Mass trial condemned attack on media freedoms in the country, WAN-IFRA called on him to take promised measures to ensure The World Association of Newspapers and News support for a strong, sustainable and independent Publishers (WAN-IFRA) and the World Editors press. Forum have condemned the prosecution of 41 At the World Newspaper Congress and World Turkish journalists on terrorism-related charges, Editors Forum held in Kiev last month, and in a calling their trial a move by the government to meeting with Board members of WAN-IFRA and intimidate the press and silence criticism. “Jailing the Editors Forum, Yanukovch committed to “a journalists for carrying out their professional duties completely open and democratic society” with constitutes a clear breach of the right to freedom freedom of speech and independent media. But of expression,” said the organisations in a letter to since that meeting, the country’s Parliament has Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. “We voted to amend the criminal code to reintroduce call on you to ensure that the prosecution of the 41 criminal libel with jail terms of up to five years, journalists is halted and that all charges against them and state authorities have continued to pressure – and all other journalists facing charges relating to the private broadcaster TVi. Though the ruling their work – are dropped.” party withdrew the draft bill on 26 September, with The journalists – 36 of whom have been held in further discussions suspended until after elections jail since December 2011 - work for pro-Kurdish on 28 October, WAN-IFRA and WEF sought further media and are being tried on charges, including assurances that the proposal would be abandoned. taking orders from the KCK, an illegal pan-Kurdish The Parliament overwhelmingly voted on 2nd movement that includes the armed separatist group October to abandon the criminal libel measure in the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Most of them are the face of both international and domestic criticism. charged with membership of an illegal organisation In the TVi case, the private broadcaster had its bank or with being one of its leaders. Their trial opened accounts frozen by a state authority on 11 September, on 11 September. when a tax court ruling called for a payment of The prosecution considers contacting nearly US$500,000. This followed a decision by the or interviewing pro-Kurdish activists as a country’s leading cable television provider, Volia, crime, and reporting on issues such as the to transfer TVi’s signal from its regular package to a mistreatment of detainees and government premium package, a move that will lead to a sharp crackdowns on pro-Kurdish demonstrations fall in viewers. TVi, known for its criticism of the as being carried out on the KCK’s orders. government, claims Volia’s decision was in response The 800-page indictment refers extensively to to government pressure. The station has seen other published articles and to the journalists’ contacts cable providers drop its signal in recent months, and conversations. Prosecutors have demanded reducing its audience from 13 million to 9.5 million. prison sentences ranging from seven to 22 years for “We reiterate our call to allow media professionals those found guilty. to report openly on corruption and to ensure the “We are seriously concerned that the Turkish government fosters an environment where a free press government is prosecuting journalists in an attempt can flourish by being independent of governmental, to silence critical opposition voices,” said WAN- political or economic control,” said WAN-IFRA IFRA Press Freedom director Alison Meston. “We Press Freedom director Alison Meston. “We urge urge the Turkish authorities to release all journalists the president to make firm, clear assurances that held for doing their job and to end its clampdown criminal libel will not be reintroduced and ensure against the media.” TVi can continue to broadcast without intimidation or hindrance.” Ukraine media laws in spotlight World Editors Forum Board The World Association of Newspapers and News has new faces Publishers (WAN-IFRA) and the World Editors Eight chief editors from major newspapers Forum have welcomed the decision of the Ukrainian in India, Finland, the United Kingdom, Kenya, Parliament to reject a bill to reintroduce criminal Singapore, Australia and Malaysia were elected to the defamation, calling on President Viktor Yanukovych board of the World Editors Forum, the organisation to ensure the country follows up with strong within the World Association of Newspapers and commitments to freedom of expression. In a separate News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) for senior newsroom letter to President Yanukovych protesting this new personnel. The annual general meeting of the WEF,

74 VIDURA October-December 2012 meeting on the eve of the World Newspaper Congress AD, to represent the Union of Publishers in Bulgaria; and World Editors Forum in Kiev, Ukraine, elected: Giulio Lattanzi, Director General of RCS Quotidiani - Sanjay Gupta, editor-in-chief of Hindi language SpA, to represent the Italian Federation of Newspaper Dainik Jagran, the most read daily in India, and CEO Publishers (FIEG); and Conrado Carnal, Managing of its parent company, Jagran Prakashan. The paper’s Director of Grupo Zeta, to represent the Spanish 37 editions across 11 states are read by some 55 Newspaper Publishers Association (AEDE). million people daily. H. Van Campenhout became CEO of the Telegraaf - Markku Mantila, who has been editor of Kaleva in Media Groep in 2011 and has had a long senior the Finnish city of Oulu since 2009 and was a winner executive career with leading media companies in of a Finnish Grand Prize for Journalism last year The Netherlands. - Lisa MacLeod, assistant editor of The Financial A Bulgarian internet entrepreneur, Theodore Times. She joined the newspaper in 2003 and has Zabov became Chairman of the Board of Economia worked on the company’s strategic newsroom in August 2010. He previously was CEO of Spectrum. integration and reorganisation projects Net, an internet and telecommunications company. - T.N. Ninan, editorial director of the Business Giulio Lattanzi has been Managing Director Standard in India, and currently president of the of Italy's RCS Quotidiani since April 2010. RCS Editors Guild of India. He has headed a number Quotidiani publishes Corriere della Sera, the leading of Indian business publications, bringing about national newspaper and Gazzetta dello Sport, substantial change and achieving rapid growth at all the leading sports daily, together with City, a free of them newspaper. - Joseph Odindo, group editorial director of the Conrado Carnal joined Grupo Zeta nine years Nation Media Group in Kenya and one of Africa’s ago and previously worked in a number of diverse leading journalists. He oversees all editorial operations industries including steel and railroads. The of the group, which includes 10 newspapers, two Barcelona-based Grupo Zeta is a leading newspaper, television stations, three radio stations and Web sites magazine and internet publishing group. in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. - Wong Chun Wai, executive director and group chief editor of The Star, Malaysia’s leading English Peyrègne is WAN-IFRA CEO language daily. He is also the current chairman of Jacob Mathew, president of the Asia News Network, the largest Asian umbrella WAN-IFRA, has announced the group of more than 21 news media organisation, and appointment of Vincent Peyrègne sits on the country’s Anti Corruption Commission as the organisation’s incoming - Patrick Daniel, editor-in-chief of the English chief executive officer. “Vincent is a and Malay Newspaper Division of Singapore Press recognised, committed and passionate Holdings. He is a director of SPH Magazines, SPH professional who is familiar with a Vincent Peyrègne. UnionWorks and Tamil Marasu, and also chairs wide variety of business environments, two SPH subsidiaries – Straits Times Press and with a particular strength in international affairs,’ Shareinvestor.com Holdings. Mathew said. “On top of his wide experience serving - Kylie Davis, the national real estate editor at News both publishers and public authorities, he is an in Australia and one of the country’s highly regarded acknowledged WAN-IFRA insider. His longstanding women in media. Davis is a strong proponent of the commitment to the publishing industry, his particular value of hyperlocal journalism expertise in innovation, media trends and consumer The WEF Board currently has 21 members. insights, and his dedication to advocacy on behalf of the news industry, make him the perfect match to bring WAN-IFRA forward into a new era.” New board members elected Vincent Peyrègne (44) is very familiar with WAN- to WAN-IFRA IFRA, which was created by the 2009 merger of the Newspaper executives from four countries were World Association of Newspapers and the research and elected Sunday to the Board of the World Association technology organization IFRA. He will be dedicated of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) to developing new strategies and approaches for during the organisation's Annual General Meeting in WAN-IFRA, the global organization of the world’s Kiev, Ukraine. newspapers and news publishers. “WAN-IFRA The WAN-IFRA Annual General Meeting, taking plays a vital role in the international scene, both as place on the eve of the World Newspaper Congress, a press freedom advocate and as a valuable network for business innovation and editorial strategies for elected: H. Van Campenhout, CEO of the Telegraaf Media Groep, to represent NDP Nieuwsmedia in media companies around the globe. It’s a sound organisation with unrivaled resources, strategic The Netherlands; Theodore Zahov, Co-owner and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Economedia assets, and a deep, meaningful link to local market

October-December 2012 VIDURA 75 players. Like the industry we serve, our organisation was unanimously elected the deputy requires adjustment to respond strongly to new chairman of the Bureau. The other challenges. We have the opportunity to make long members on the Bureau’s Council overdue improvements to increase our efficiency of Management for 2012-2013, and deliver the best solutions to the industry, and from the publishers’ side, include to promote its values and missions worldwide. M. Venkatesh, Hindustan Media I am proud to join an unrivaled organization that Shailesh Gupta. Ventures; Amit Mathew, Malayala understands perfectly what innovation and business Manorama; Aritra Sarkar, ABP; I. development means for the promotion of a wealthy, Venkat, Ushodaya Enterprises; Hormusji N. Cama, free and independent press,” he says. The Bombay Samachar; Devendra V. Darda, Lokmat Peyrègne brings 25 years of professional Media; and Sanjeev Vohra, Bennett, Coleman & Co. experience in news media to the organisation. He The advertisers’ representatives are Ravi Pisharody, has worked in France, Germany, and Switzerland Tata Motors; Debabrata Mukherjee, Coca Cola India; for several national and regional publishers, and Anil Dua, Hero MotoCorp. The advertising national and international trade organizations, agencies’ representatives are Shashi Sinha, Lodestar and the French government. He has held various UM, who was elected honorary secretary; Madhukar business positions in advertising, sales and Kamath, DDB Mudra Communications, treasurer; technology, marketing research, consumer insight Vikram Sakhuja, GroupM; Srinivasan K. Swamy, RK and innovation divisions. Swamy BBDO, as secretariat; and Hormuzd Masani He is also a former staff member of IFRA, having as secretary general. joined in 1997 to found IFRA South West Europe in Paris, and IFRA Ibérica SL in Madrid, the IFRA subsidiaries in charge of French and Spanish Times Group restructures speaking countries. His first office was located at the Response WAN facilities in Paris. As a result, Peyrègne gained Bennett, Coleman and Company, better known as insights into both associations. Later, he worked The Times Group, has effected senior level changes for Edipresse Publications in Lausanne as head in its Response Division with the intention to of Development and Marketing Research, before expand business footprint and corner higher market joining the office of the French minister of Culture share. The company has realigned the 25 verticals in and Communication, responsible for the “états Response into two sets, and has appointed a director généraux de la presse”, the French government’s for each of the sets. The realignment is in effect from response to the economic difficulties facing the September 2012. newspaper industry. Sameer Sainani, who comes from the BCCL stable, will be in charge of retail and allied verticals. K.N. Tilak Kumar elected Arunabh Das Sharma, President, BCCL explained, “We have given special focus to retail because not INS president only is retail our single largest vertical, but also Deccan Herald editor K.N. Tilak because we expect that regulatory changes will lead Kumar was elected president of The to consolidation in the vertical. Hence, we needed a Indian Newspaper Society for 2012-13 senior resource for this vertical.” Joy Chakraborthy at the Society’s 73rd Annual General has also made a comeback to The Times Group. Meeting. He succeeds Ashish Bagga Chakraborthy will look after verticals such as of India Today. Ravindra Kumar, BFSI (business and financial services), media and editor and managing director, The entertainment, auto, travel and tourism, consumer K.N. Tilak Kumar. Statesman, is the deputy president; durables and IT. In addition to this, the six Metro Kiran B. Vadodaria (Sambhaav Metro) is the vice branch heads that includes Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, president and Sanjay Gupta (Dainik Jagran, Varanasi) Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore will also report is the honorary treasurer of the Society 2012-13. V. to him. Shankaran is the secretary general. Both Directors – Chakraborthy and Sainani – will be based in Mumbai and report to Sharma. Sujoy Shailesh Gupta elected Ghosh, a senior Response hand has quit. ABC chairman Shailesh Gupta, director, Marketing, Jagran Prakashan, was elected chairman of the Audit Bureau of Circulation for 2012-2013. Syed Mahmood Ahmad, executive vice president, Marketing, ITC,

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