A Journal of the press Institute of India ISSN 0042-5303 July-September 2017 Volume 9 Issue 3 Rs 50 Trust diminishes as an editor is knocked off his pedestal

The Economic and Political Weekly is one of India’s most respected academic and journalistic publications. It now finds itself embroiled in one of India’s most unseemly media controversies. CONTENTS • An editor’s exit reflects Ranjona Banerji provides the background and brings us up to perils of investigative speed on the latest developments journalism / Bharat Dogra • Needed: Sentiments of orn from the Economic Weekly started by Sachin Chaudhuri in 1949, the daring and social vigilance / Economic and Political Weekly emerged when Chaudhuri closed down the Sakuntala Narasimhan Economic Weekly in 1966. Friends and well-wishers got together to form the • Can ‘peace-mongering’ B ever be news? / Sakuntala Sameeksha Trust, so that the journal could run freely and without interference. Sadly, the last two editors have left because of problems of interference from Narasimhan the Trust. First C. Rammanohar Reddy quit after 10 years with EPW. Admirers • Keeping options open in thought the ship would steady when Paranjoy Guha Thakurta was appointed a changed global order / Shastri Ramachandaran last year. Instead, his resignation has really shaken not just the EPW community but the larger world of the media and academia. • Time higher education is given the focus it deserves / Guha Thakurta is a formidable business and investigative journalist. His Mario Noronha work has targeted some of India’s biggest industrial and business houses from • Getting the better of online Sahara to the Ambanis. In 2010, he co-authored a report with L. Sreenivas Reddy, harassment isn’t easy / commissioned by the Press Council of India, on the paid news menace which Pushpa Achanta was destroying the credibility of the media. (That the report was buried by the • Land contouring proves a PCI is another matter.) boon for marginal farmers / Guha Thakurta was apparently hired by the Sameeksha Trust because of his Rina Mukherji reputation as an investigative journalist. What sense did it then make to attempt • Are journalists relatively to humiliate him because he added investigative articles to EPW? To go back safe in the Northeast? / in time, Guha Thakurta worked with a group of journalists to investigate a tax Nava Thakuria rebate which an Adani Group company received, apparently for a tax it did not • Visionary editor, father of pay in the first place. Anyone who follows the news in India knows that the Indian Renaissance / Mrinal Adani Group is perceived to be close to the current NDA Government at the Chatterjee Centre. • Interview with Aparna Sen / The Group sent a legal letter toEPW. So far, so normal. Any journalist who has Shoma A. Chatterji written anything remotely controversial will have received legal notices. In most • Swinging Sixties, echoing cases, the management appoints a lawyer or the company’s legal department the scent of youthful exuberance / Partab asks questions of the journalist and editor and a reply is drafted or further action Ramchand is taken. • Remembering Roger Moore, Guha Thakurta’s 'mistake' is that he hired a lawyer without consulting the C.N. Reddy, Vinod Khanna, publishers, in this case the Sameeksha Trust. He also put up the legal letter and Reema Lagoo (Continued on page 3)

July-September 2017 VIDURA 1 From the Editor A passing phase, or are ominous dark clouds gathering overhead?

Paranjoy Guha Thakurta is a Business manager of The Hindu who reportage and democracy. name that is well known in media helped found the Research Institute So, did the Sameekhsha Trust circles. His is a familiar byline for Newspaper Development in bow down to pressure from the in print; his is a familiar face on 1979. Rammanohar, too, has had a powers that be or was it due to the television. He is a journalist and close view of the Emergency, with fear of litigation? In any case, it’s editor of stature and repute. I his father (CGK) being arrested in not something you would expect was pleasantly surprised to learn 1976. In an article (When Friends from the trustees – all people of that he studied in La Martiniere, Disappeared) he had written forThe eminence – of such a respected Calcutta, the city where I grew Hindu some years ago, he mentions journal like the Economic and up. Paranjoy would probably how the “memories of the summer Political Weekly. You would expect a have become an economist or an of 1976 in Delhi occasionally still journal with such pedigree as EPW Economics professor if he hadn’t send a chill down my spine”. to stand up and be counted. But not decided to become a journalist – he Paranjoy’s resignation now has in this fashion. graduated in Economics from St created more than just ripples. Harsh words have been used Stephen’s, Delhi, and went on to There’s been a lot about it in the in some of the articles that have earn a master’s at the Delhi School media; prominent figures like appeared (Murdering a Great of Economics. But Journalism Ashok Mitra and Ramachandra Journal, etc), but suffice to say gained (it got a top-draw Guha have written about how he that what has happened at EPW investigative reporter) and, am was unceremoniously shown the is deeply dismaying and does sure, Paranjoy did as well (nothing door (you can read all of it on The not augur well for healthy and can compensate for the satisfaction Wire website). The two lead articles robust journalism. The least the derived as a journalist in exposing in this issue, by Ranjona Banerji and Sameeksha Trust can now do is to wrong-doings/ corruption). Bharat Dogra, dwell on the subject. provide its side of the story and It is said that it was the Emergency It all really boils down to an article try to clear the air, appoint another of 1975-77 that motivated Paranjoy being taken down (from the EPW editor of stature, never again bow to become a journalist. And, no website) at the behest of Sameeksha down to pressure or succumb doubt, it must have been the Trust and the editor’s position being to fear of any kind, and restore Emergency and all the things that compromised, the editor being badly EPW's lost glory. Strangely, the were wrong during the period that let down. Yes, there might have headline used in my edit piece (As goaded him to become not just an been some administrative matter freedom shrinks, it’s hard times ordinary reporter, but a hardcore that Paranjoy didn't handle the right for investigative journalism) in the investigative reporter. That then, way and which the trustees didn't previous issue of Vidura once again is the background of the man who like, but letting go of an editor this echoes loud and clear. It’s high has been a journalist for forty years way is definitely not on. time we took notice. now, who has earned his spurs. When the Trust appointed In April last year, the Sameeksha Paranjoy as editor-in-chief, the Sashi Nair Trust, which publishes the Economic trustees must surely have known [email protected] and Political Weekly, hired Paranjoy his background as an investigative as editor-in-chief to replace C. journalist. His report (he was part Rammanohar Reddy who was of a committee set up by the Press editor of the publication for a decade Council of India) on ‘paid news’, or so. Reddy resigned; his was not for example, had created a storm a happy exit as some reports have seven years ago. He had written suggested. However, there were no books – on crony capitalism and ripples as such then. Rammanohar the Ambanis (no less), and how is the son of C.G.K. Reddy, corporate entities were affecting

2 VIDURA July-September 2017 (Continued from page 1) written in detail about how the scholarly articles and also reports on way the Trust functions has greatly growth and development issues that damaged the journal. Several few mainstream publications would academics have also questioned the touch now finds itself in that same Trust’s decisions in this case. Ashok miserable cesspit of power play and Mitra, economist and former finance fear of authority. Rather than draw minister of West Bengal, wrote in a courage from EPW’s strong past letter to some of the trustees: “But and its independent nature, the the latest development, which has Trust appears to have fallen prey gone to the length of the trustees to the current atmosphere of media insisting that the editor must abide capitulation in the face of a massive Photo: Internet by the views of a co-editor who will electoral force.An open letter by 150 Paranjoy Guha Thakurta. vet whatever he writes is against academics to the Trust goes straight the very purpose of setting up the to the crux of the matter: the EPW response on the journal’s trust in 1966... “It is one thing to wonder if the website. For these “transgressions”, "Please allow me to recount editor may have erred in initiating the Trust asked him to take down some bits of past history. Sachin legal action on behalf of the Trust the article and the two letters from Chaudhuri had founded a unique without first consulting its board, the website. He was also told that journal, the Economic Weekly in and quite another to withdraw an whatever he wrote in the future 1949. It was a unique experiment already published article from the would have to be vetted by a co- because alongside comments on journal. If the board believes the editor and that his byline could no contemporary issues, it also carried article to be mistaken in its facts, longer appear in EPW. serious academic essays concerning it must issue a public apology and Guha Thakurta had no option but the various aspects of different retraction. If it is only concerned to resign. No editor with any self- social sciences..." that due deference was not shown respect would have stayed in such "The trustees are supposed to to the board, it must publicly stand circumstances. What has shocked protect the sovereignty of editorial by the article. By forcing the editor’s many is that the Sameeksha policies from interference from resignation without clarifying Trustees include some of India’s any quarters. It is ironical that the its stand on the substance of the most admired academic names – present trustees have decided to do article, the board has diminished Romila Thapar, Deepak Nayyar, precisely the reverse of the original the institution that it is mandated to Dipankar Gupta and Andre Beteille, purpose for establishing the trust. nurture.” to name just a few. That they are The role of the Sameeksha Trust There are two issues that the unable to support journalistic was never to act as super editors EPW community and the Trust integrity and the reputation of who will oversee the editorial need to fix: The first is how to their editor over a threat from a competence of the editor selected restore the dignity of both the corporate group spells doom for by them barely a year ago.” Trust and the editor of the EPW other editors who work with less Mitra is 89, so perhaps age is after this surprising demonstration exalted managements. not necessarily why the Trust has of cowardice by the Trustees. The Many people have commented problems with its editors. From second is to understand that when that the average age of the Trust the outside, it looks like issues of management interferes in the is the problem, which sounds control. This is in fact an age-old functioning of senior editorial staff, somewhat ageist. In their individual problem when it comes to editors nothing good can come of it. The capacities, these names are not and managements, whether they Sameeksha Trust clearly needs to

easily intimidated by threats from are celebrated academics or money- develop a little trust – in itself and the establishment which they have minded businessmen. Editors in the in its employees. Otherwise, here be < faced all their lives. Reddy could mainstream media will invariably dragons and death. not work with the Trust and he did come up against the management not venture far from the tenets set when a story that impacts either (The writer has worked in the by Krishna Raj, who edited EPW money or political influence. It is media for over 30 years in various from 1966 to 2004. Yet he also had a daily enervating battle and it is publications. She has been deputy problems with the Trust, after sometimes inevitable that an editor editor of Mid-Day, deputy resident being editor for over 10 years. will give in. editor of The Times of India's Reddy has disagreed with But this is not what one would Ahmedabad edition and senior Guha Thakurta’s style since the expect from EPW. A journal that editor with DNA. She is currently a controversy broke, but he has also has prided itself on its researched freelance columnist.)

July-September 2017 VIDURA 3 An editor’s exit reflects perils of investigative journalism

The controversy relating to a legal notice from Adani’s lawyers precipitating a crisis in the prestigious journal, Economic and Political Weekly, culminating in the resignation of its editor, senior and eminent journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, has many aspects to it. Bharat Dogra examines the two articles* which led to the crisis from the perspective of professional journalism

he first thing to note here is that the proceedings of the cases will regular post so as to have a proper that the two articles that led also have a bearing on other cases; record of the same. In addition, the Tto the ouster of the Economic for instance, of circular trading, so relevant questionnaires were also and Political Weekly’s editor Paranjoy that it is possible that the results of sent to Adani and his lawyers. Guha Thakurta fall in the category the cases can lead to loss or gains If a reply from a government of public interest journalism. There of several times more revenue for source came, it has been mentioned is clearly a need, expressed by the public exchequer. in the articles. However, for the most government also many times, to Another matter of public interest part, the concerned government increase revenue. Several welfare which is often discussed but often departments chose not to respond and even basic needs programmes about without specific examples at all. Even in their case, the writers have been suffering from serious relates to changes that are made in have been generous enough to add cuts in budgets. There is also existing rules with the specific intent that when a reply comes it will be widespread agreement that the of giving huge benefits to certain added to the article. In the case of increase in revenue should avoid parties. The articles are also relevant questionnaires sent to Adani and/ increasing the burden on common from this perspective as specific or his lawyers, replies came and people, small operators and the examples are discussed in detail. extracts from them giving their informal sector, which are already Hence, the public interest nature point of view have been carried reeling in serious crisis and, in of the articles is very clear as the (within the main articles). In some contexts, with unprecedented issues raised can potentially result fact, even the legal notice sent by problems. in increasing government revenue them was later posted next to the Increase in revenue has to come by hundreds or even thousands articles. from a better and more careful of crores of rupees (for example, if All the necessary sources of scrutiny of the biggest operators, these also have a bearing on other statistics, tables, etc have been particularly operators who have cases of circular trading). provided at the proper places. It already been on the radar of the The other important thing that is obvious that the writers had investigating agencies for years emerges from a careful reading obtained copies of documents and against whom a lot of evidence of the articles is that care has been such as notices already served by has already been gathered. taken to observe the various norms investigating agencies which built Without effective improvements of responsible journalism. Of a strong case for investigating the in such investigations as well as course, I have not researched the matter further. The writers have improvements in follow-up action, subject matter of the articles myself also been careful about giving it is unlikely that the resources and, so, I avoid commenting on this. relevant extracts from court necessary for welfare and basic My comment is only related to the judgments. needs can be raised. procedures followed by the writers The concerned government auth- It is also very clear that the two which come out clearly from a orities who have the challenging articles in question which focus careful reading of the two articles. task ahead of increasing revenue entirely on how loss of hundreds of It is clear that the writers had without at the same time increasing crores of rupees can be avoided to prepared detailed questionnaires the burden on common people the public exchequer clearly belong which they sent to various should welcome such journalism to the category of public interest ministries, departments or other but in the kind of troubled times journalism. While the cases involve government organisations dealing through which we are passing these several hundred crores of rupees, with the cases. The questionnaires days, the more likely response is the articles also make it amply clear were sent by email as well as by likely to be harass and victimise the

4 VIDURA July-September 2017 concerned journalists. This clearly *The two articles in question are: Did (The writer has been involved with calls for much greater solidarity the Adani Group Evade Rs 1000 Crore public interest journalism and was a on the part of the journalists in Taxes, published on January 14 this co-recipient of the prestigious Sachin year, and Modi Government’s Rs 500 themselves, and also greater Chaudhari Award (named after the

Crore Bonanza published on June 24. solidarity of the common people < founding editor of EPW) for financial with such kind of investigative journalism.) journalists. Welcome initiative to bridge rural-urban digital divide The MS Swaminathan Research Foundation in Chennai is ready to pilot an Android application to disseminate need-based information and knowledge packages through public libraries he MS Swaminathan Research approaches to enhance knowledge. circulated to various audiences such Foundation (MSSRF) has been Global literacy is on the UN’s agenda, as government officials, individual Tworking to bridge the rural- and public libraries in various parts of households and NGOs. urban digital divide using Informat- the world are tapping their potential In the emerging market scenario ion Technology. Specifically, they to enhance community knowledge coloured by the omnipresence of the have been focusing on community and function as learning labs. In that smartphone, it is possible to meet newspapers as a means to sense, India is still behind the times. various needs of diverse communities disseminate key scientific information That said, India is well known for and varied stakeholders. to rural communities. Embracing its indigenous knowledge. The m-ICE Through smartphone and social technological advancements, it is app project is an example of how media applications, farmers and now ready to pilot a new initiative Village Resource Centres (VRCs) fisher communities can access – m-ICE or mobile - Information at MSSRF are capitalising on the relevant information and educate for Community Empowerment, strength of traditional tools such as the themselves on a wide range of a natural progression of the community newspapers. Community subjects. Translation services are community newspaper initiative that newspapers have emerged as also available for wider outreach. the foundation has been associated efficient channels for disseminating The MSSRF community papers have with for years. key scientific information to rural close to 3000 readers, and as the A part of the Repositioning and communities in Maharashtra and in communities are adapting to the Strengthening the Public Libraries the Union Territory of Puducherry. As latest technologies, the newspaper as Knowledge and Learning Centres a result, the lives and livelihood of has evolved into a mobile-Community of India Project implemented by these communities have improved. Newspaper (m-CNP) using an MSSRF with the support of the MSSRF, which has more than Android application. Indian Public Library Movement 16 years of experience in the The m-CNP carries general and the NASSCOM Foundation, the community newspaper field in terms advisories on crop, livestock and initiative hinges on the m-ICE app. of design, presentation and content fisheries management, government An extension of a concept which has development, used the continuous announcements, schemes, district worked well in rural communities, it feedback received from regular news and entitlements, job will be introduced in public libraries readers to bring about qualitative opportunities, games for youth and in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra changes in the product. It evolved children, information on health, diet, through library innovators. to a point where it has something nutrition, sanitation and hygienic The library innovators are selected of interest for all age groups. The practices, traditional healing and through the International Network introduction of a token subscription medicinal practices and benefits of of Emerging Library Innovators fee has enhanced the sense of value yoga. (INELI, India and South Asia). The and ownership regarding the product Helplines connect the user to m-ICE app will disseminate need- among readers. regional experts on agriculture based information and knowledge The community newspapers, aptly and fisheries. The application is packages that can help librarians titled Namma Ooru Seithi and Amchi monitored on daily, weekly, monthly

strengthen the functioning of public in Tamil and Marathi, and annual basis, on various Gram Vartha < libraries. respectively (both meaning ‘our parameters. Technologies are now well village news’) provide locale specific, integrated with various outreach proactive and demand responsive (Courtesy: The MS Swaminathan programmes. Today, globally, information to the community. The Reserach Foundation) institutions are looking at synergetic monthly publications are widely

July-September 2017 VIDURA 5 LOOKING BACK AND LOOKING AHEAD Needed: Sentiments of daring and social vigilance

Journalism as therapy? It was indeed, for Sakuntala Narasimhan. No kidding, she says. Here, she traverses a broad canvas while looking back on the 51 years that have gone by since she started writing. She is convinced that the Fourth Estate is an important pillar upholding citizens’ rights, along with the legislature, judiciary and executive wings. Journalists have an increasingly important role to play in safeguarding basic rights enshrined in our Constitution, she says, especially when political pressures become threats against dissent and debate

he Media Foundation of Economics got stalled too, through genre (besides lighter vein pieces) Delhi, founded by the late housekeeping and lack of time that I could do, given my splintered TB.G.Verghese, who served for research. In the meantime my time and housekeeping obligations, as a highly respected editor in advisor also moved abroad on a UN but when I was offered a job as mainstream media, put together, assignment. Music likewise went on sub-editor at Femina seven years in 2012, a collection of personal the backburner due to a prolonged later, I jumped at it and learned the anecdotes by winners of the psychosomatic throat ailment and ropes of editing, page-making and prestigious annual Chameli Devi full-time housekeeping duties. doing reports based on background Award for Outstanding Women Stuck at home with a premature research and investigations. Journalists, describing how and infant on my hands and no help, and After winning a couple of awards why each one of us (winners) came all three career options closed, I was (The Chameli Devi and PUCL to journalism. I had recalled in my feeling almost suicidal (I couldn’t Awards), I became a columnist reminiscences therein, that it was leave a motherless infant behind). for a regional paper. This was journalism that resurrected me from What resurrected me was a chance enormously satisfying; these were a deep and corrosive depression decision to try my hand at writing probably the first such columns caused by setbacks on the way to one day while the baby slept. I had on gender and consumer rights, in the goals I was aiming at. written for my school magazine and a leading daily (1981). I kept it up Writing as a serious pursuit enjoyed stringing together words. I for 27 years, and earned enough was not even remotely on my borrowed a typewriter and sent off to build myself a small apartment radar during my adolescence and a short, humorous piece to Femina. in Bengaluru (1992). Through early youth. I was trained to be It got published (in July 1966) for journalism I felt I was combining the a musician (my mother and her which I got paid Rs 30 – all my own, pleasures of creative work, giving mother were classical musicians, earned through my own effort. It voice to feminist perspectives, and and I had begun to sing in public at was a heady feeling that pulled me doing something for the community the age of three, going on to win ten out of depression. by sharing my findings and views gold medals by age 16). However, I I wrote another piece a month with a large readership. wanted to be an IAS officer. After later and this got published in The For me, writing was also a stress I joined college, my Economics Hindu. Another 30 rupees! This was buster – a lot of the fiction I wrote professor decided I would make an an unexpected door opening. I sent initially (during the 1970s) was excellent economist (I often recall off pieces to Shankar’s Weekly (now about educated women forced to how he would take me to national defunct) and these got published conform to a conservative role of seminars and introduce me as “a too. Thereafter, I set myself a target housekeeping and childcare, and future finance minister” or “a of writing at least one piece per this, I found, resonated with a World Bank expert”). month. Twenty six days would go lot of women readers who found In the end (Man proposes, God by with no time to put pen to paper, themselves caught between the disposes, as I remarked in my piece but then I would force myself to stay old and the new social ethos. Even in the book), I couldn’t pursue up late after sterilising the baby’s fiction can be a vehicle for making music or economics or the IAS bottle, and write something. a statement. (married women were not allowed A year later, a short story I wrote I recall one incident when I was in the IAS in 1962, the year I was won the first prize in a nationwide stuck, unable to find a denouement married); pursuing my doctorate in fiction contest; fiction was the only for a short story. While I wrestled

6 VIDURA July-September 2017 the scenario has today some good points and some not-so-good. There was no Internet during the 1960s, one had to do legwork to gather information and pore over clippings files in a reference library. Editing was harder -- paragraphs could not be moved round as on a computer, one had to rip out typed sheets and begin all over again. It is marvelous to be able to Google search on any topic. On the other hand, the profusion of information itself promotes laziness and less-than-thorough drafting – I find youngsters asking for ‘two sentences’ commenting on a topic he/ she is reporting on, and cutting and pasting, without any face-to- face interactions (which can give so much more insights compared to ‘two sentences’ of comments). I also find that, with increasing corporatisation of ownership of the media, sales figures and profits take precedence over serious issues (gender, consumer protection, exposing malpractices even if it Photos: SN means harming ad revenues—I One of the writer's early pieces appeared in the Femina July 1966 issue. remember how a cosmetics manufacturer threatened to pull with this, the piece of paper on corrective facial surgery for a girl out ads for the next six months which I had drafted the story burnt by her husband for dowry. after I wrote a piece on harmful (remember, no computers in That was enormously satisfying chemicals in cosmetics; the the 1970s) flew out of our eighth too. marketing manager was furious). floor window and drifted into the As were the teaching assignments I and the paper I wrote for were backwaters beyond the compound abroad, and invitations to present threatened with a law suit. wall. That was it – I had the papers at international conferences With mainstream media now denouement I was searching for; on four continents, to share social wanting ‘food, fashion and films’, the paper on which the woman perspectives from the developing which could boost readership and protagonist had written something, world. All because of journalism. revenues (through ads), outlets for flies out of the window, never to As I wrote in my reminiscences, my kind of writing are shrinking. be retrieved. Problem solved. That “It is one thing to be an anti- Editorial stances get dictated was hilarious, even if losing my corruption activist or crusader, but by management’s allegiances draft was upsetting. far more exciting to write about to business interests or political A related bonus from journalism corruption-related issues, sharing leanings. This had already started, was that I could donate royalties it with lakhs of readers and helping during the mid-1980s, when I was from one of my books to help to mobilise public opinion towards told to pull out an editorial page Vimochana, a women’s help the betterment of the community.” if an extra ad was received at the group in Bangalore, for their work Recounting all this, I found, also last minute after the issue’s pages on assisting battered women. A helped enthuse other women, by were made up (which often meant I handsome cash award of Rs 24000 showing that journalism offers had to limit some articles to single likewise went to put an orphan an outlet when other full-time page features, even if they merited girl through school. That was professions and involvements seem more than one page). enormously satisfying. Money barred. Money rules, not any obligation from an overseas assignment (Ms Looking back on these 51 years to serve society through exposing magazine, USA) went towards since I began writing, I find that wrongdoing. “Play it down” (to

July-September 2017 VIDURA 7 be practical, I’ll lose my job,” she said. Pragmatism vs professional obligations? There were threats 25 years ago too, when I exposed malpractices – anonymous calls, warnings, pressure on editors to stop publishing my pieces. But it is worse today, with political pressures from extremist groups causing not just threats but worse – even ‘eliminations’. But if citizens enroll in the army or police, knowing that they could face dangerous assignments, that same sentiment, of daring, and exposing

wrongdoing, as one’s contribution towards social vigilance, is, as I see < it, very much part of journalism.

(The writer, based in Bengaluru, is a recipient of the Media Foundation’s Chameli Devi Award for Outstanding Woman Journalist 1983. Her fortnightly columns on gender issues and consumer rights ran in the Deccan Herald for 27 years. She had earlier worked for The Times of India Group in Mumbai.) A humorous travel piece describing the writer's first trip abroad appeared in The Hindu August 7, 1966 issue. DD News launches protect some politician close to the do today’s journalists do, in putting new website media owner) or “play this up” (to together their copy? Once fake DD News has launched a new pull down someone against whom news gets put out, how does one website, www.ddnews.gov.in. The the owner has a grudge) both undo the damage? The rebuttals, new DD News website gives an happen, as part of instructions to suing for defamation etc merely insight of news and features from editors. Media today is also more provide more ‘masala’ for boosting across the world. Stories can be entertainment than it used to be sales further (or pushing up TRP read in Hindi and English and a live two generations ago. There are ratings). In my time we had to take webcast lets you watch DD News on non-mainstream media that are notes while doing interviews; today the go. fearless and unconcerned about no one takes notes; comments can The new website has a richer ‘hurting VIPs’ but their bottom be recorded – but recordings and colour scheme. The open source lines are predictably shaky, and videos can also be doctored. Where technology used in the website makes survival becomes difficult without does that leave ethics in journalism? it more responsive. For instance, if mass subscription. They do not By all means, use the Internet and you open it on your mobile phone, get the kind of lucrative ads that neoteric technology, but not at the it will adjust according to your mainstream media towing a expense of personal perusal and screen size, so that you can read particular political line enjoy. double-checking. the website easily on your mobile, Also, today downloading A journalist fresh out of college tablet, laptop or computer. material from the Internet whittles once remarked, “I love the power The new website also displays real-

the chances of cross-checking for – I just have to lift the phone and time weather updates. Viewers can authenticity – anyone can put out say I am a reporter from this paper, also share stories from the website < information on the web (even and I get instant access even to the on social media platforms. Wikipedia), so what happens to my chief minister.” Power, yes – but is credibility if I rely on the internet for it always used to do good, to clean my sources? How much homework up the corridors of power? “C’mon,

8 VIDURA July-September 2017 Fake news on an upswing, thanks to a president

While fake news has been a menace the public has had to contend with probably ever since men began to communicate with each other, it has recently been taken to a different level, mainly by the style of functioning of the 45th president of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump. M. R. Dua has more

ake news, which can be to speak, mainly because of the style Donald Trump’s campaign was described as attempts to of campaigning and also subsequent studded with unsavoury, offensive, Fmislead the public, is probably comments and statements by USA’s even defamatory remarks against as old as communication. However, President Donald J. Trump. As national leaders and institutions, it has recently been making news, so the Republican Party’s nominee, the then Obama administration’s Illustration: Arun Ramkumar Illustration:

July-September 2017 VIDURA 9 policies, and political, social and types: disinformation, hoaxes, has mentioned in annual reports cultural organisations, which were propaganda, satire /parody, that such publications appear and largely unsubstantiated. partisanship, and inaccuracies in disappear without anyone even On another front, according journalism. noticing. to a Russian media expert, Peter “Fake news lumps together all of Meanwhile, even after having Pomerantsev, two news outlets on those different kinds of information taken oath as USA’s 45th president, the Kremlin payroll, RT (Russia without considering the purposes, Donald Trump keeps up his habit Today) and Sputnik, churn out the motives and the outcomes,” says of throwing up unsupported, stories such as Black Lives Matter Hobbs. Yet another URI scholar, whimsical comments and has that create protests and social Scott Kushner, believes “it’s really catapulted the ‘fake news’ culture tensions. a slippery concept, and the reason into active circulation. The good John Pantalone, associate it’s so is because it means different news is, newspapers such as The professor of Journalism and things to different people”. New York Times, The Washington Post, Programme chair at the University In the USA, many followers of TV USA Today, and many websites like of Rhode Island (URI), defines news channels, including Fox News factcheck.org and ask.com, as also fake news as “a deliberate effort and MNSBC, told this writer that sites like Huzlers, Stuppid, World

to mislead, and the Internet has the channels often transmit stories Daily News Report and others, magnified it, because it’s an open that are less than credible. keep exposing these untruths and < highway—anyone can get on. In India, too, there are many half-truths. It makes (one) crazy”. Noted newspapers, magazines and media scholar Renee Hobbs, journals that purvey news that is (The writer, now living in professor of Communication incorrect, based on rumours, spin, California, US, is a professor and Studies at the Harrington School and everything else that exists former head of the Journalism of Communication and Media for reasons beyond the intrinsic Department at the Indian Institute of Studies in Phoenix, Arizona, has value of disseminating truth. The Mass Communication, New Delhi.) categorised fake news into six Registrar of Newspapers of India

Indian Express scribes bag ACJ Journalism Award Shyamlal Yadav and Jay Mazoomdaar of The Indian Express have won the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ) Award for Investigative Journalism for 2016. They received the award for their series of stories on ‘One-rupee Jan Dhan trick’, published in The Indian Express in September 2016. A three-member jury chaired by Justice A.P. Shah, a former chief justice of the Madras and Delhi High Courts, and including Jayati Ghosh, economist and columnist, and Krishna Prasad, former editor-in-chief of Outlook, selected the winners from 84 entries. Justice Shah presented the award to the two journalists at a function in Chennai. The award comprised a trophy, citation and a purse of Rs 2 lakh. The citation by the jury on the winning entry reads: The One-Rupee Trick, by Shyamlal Yadav and Jay Mazoomdaar of The Indian Express, revealing the abuse by bank officials of the zero-balance accounts of India’s unbanked, is the winner of the second ACJ Award for Investigative Journalism. “Yadav and Mazoomdaar drew the nation’s attention to how public servants have fallen prey to perception management in a media-saturated era, by spending out of their own pocket to dress up data. By using the Right to Information Act to ferret out the details, the two reporters have demonstrated that the deft use of the landmark legislation can result in a wealth of riveting stories outside the straight, narrow and predictable.” The jury made a special mention of four other entries: Nikhil M. Babu in India Spend: Unspent Money for Dalits/ Tribals, $42.6 Billion = 8 Times Agri Budget; Raghu Karnad and Grace Jajo in Akshar Magazine: Confessions of

a Killer Policeman; Kumar Sambhav Shrivastava in Hindustan Times: The Jungle Gangs of Jharkhand; and Utkarsh Anand in The Indian Express: The Great Government Bank Write-off. <

(Courtesy: The Hindu BusinessLine)

10 VIDURA July-September 2017 ‘If we aren’t paid, we don’t eat’

Matthew Winkler, co-founder and editor-in-chief emeritus, Bloomberg News, was in Chennai to deliver the inaugural address of the Asian College of Journalism’s class of 2017-18. Renowned for his focus on accuracy in news reporting, Winkler spoke on a range of issues to Suresh Seshadri and K. Bharat Kumar. Excerpts:

Did you ever have to worry Your reputation precedes you, knowledge and skill: knowledge as about content becoming free? given your relentless focus on in knowing what you don’t know We have had this truly existential facts... and how to know what you don’t debate as long as we have been Just because things are asserted, know; and skill as in where to around. What it comes down to is, it does not make them true. I have obtain that knowledge. Journalists we all would love everything we said that and continue to say that. should be aware of how the global, do to be paid for directly. And, first The risk, in the period or time we national, regional economy works, and foremost, Mike Bloomberg, are in now, our time, people can what drives business, what goes the founder, owner and CEO of and do say anything. Whatever they into technology, how markets work. Bloomberg has been explicit that if say, travels instantly around the Those are very important parts of we don’t get paid for what we do, world and it’s preserved forever, the equation that are marginalised we don’t eat. And, I agree. However, even if it’s not true. And even if and I think they should be put in we have also said that we want our it’s not true and it’s important, front of everybody as the main journalists to be as influential as then it is calamitous. Just because focus. If journalists have that they could possibly be. In order people say things does not mean knowledge and understanding, to be influential, at least some of they are newsworthy. And, having they can be much more effective what they do has to be read, heard something asserted does not make reporting on events. and viewed by the widest possible it true. audience. Because you never know, With proliferation of fake news, there could be someone in that How should journalists prepare do you see a redefinition of ethics audience who could be affected for reporting in today’s world? for journalists? by that reporting in some way Part of being a successful Every journalist should start with and who would not necessarily journalist is knowing how to learn the premise that if it isn’t true, it isn’t be a Bloomberg Terminal user and and that learning is continuous, news. So, every journalist should we want our reporters to be most it’s perpetual; that, to be a worthy always go about his or her reporting influential. So, we have always journalist is to be a learner willing or editing with the aspiration: have had this debate – what can be to learn, which means having the ‘accuracy above all else’. That is not unbundled from Bloomberg, that capacity to obtain as much factual new, but a traditional mandate and isn’t a set price. It’s an issue that information about whatever the I still think the same mandate [is won’t go away. subject is. To do that requires the same] today as it was decades Photo: Bijoy Ghosh (From left) Sukumar Ranganathan, editor, Mint; N Ram, trustee, Media Development Foundation; Matthew Winkler, co-founder and editor-in-chief Emeritus, Bloomberg News; Sashi Kumar, chairman and trustee, MDF; Parry Ravindranathan, managing director International, Bloomberg Media; and Raghavan Srinivasan, editor, BusinessLine, during the inauguration of The Asian College of Journalism-Bloomberg Programme on business and financial journalism in Chennai.

July-September 2017 VIDURA 11 ago. That’s what we should be Which is not different from some- Can there ever be a human side doing. That’s what journalism one who you would call a generalist. to financial reporting? Is it easier is. There’s going to be plenty of Generalist is a compliment. to bring in the human element in people attempting to impersonate Generalist is one who recognises other forms of journalism? journalists now perhaps more than that every event taps into different No. I would say that financial ever. But they are impersonations, sources of information and, if you or economic reporting has all not the real thing. like, specialities; and there is no one kinds of opportunities for what speciality or area that is sufficient to you just referred to as the human Is it a matter of time before the address everything that is going on. element. It takes some effort, skill impersonators fade away? Being a generalist is a compliment, and knowledge to get the examples I am not sure this is so much a and an asset, not a liability. and the anecdotes that reveal the phenomenon of our times. It is human element. But they are there. greater or exaggerated perhaps With availability of data In fact, I would argue that in some now, but it’s always been with us. increasing, are financial journalists ways, they are more prevalent in a What people call fake news isn’t the in danger of being only analysts? financial or economic context than creation of the 21st Century. There I don’t think that financial they are in some other categories. has been fake news throughout journalism is any worse or better The reason for that is, wherever history. It’s not going to go away. than people who are political, there are a lot of data points, the sports or entertainment reporters. individuals can’t be far behind. You had talked about the perils The risk of inserting one’s opinion The data refers to the people. It’s of anonymous sourcing... is universal, not specialised. about human behaviour. The data None of us ever wants to wind reported in the financial context, up, ever, having to correct reporting In today’s world of fake news, whether it’s out of the market, the that turned out to be false. None what signs should one watch out economy or corporate performance, of us wants to be in that situation. for? is about human behaviour. It is not However we do our reporting, the As in any presentation, in any theoretical. It’s factual. result should always be accuracy field, any discipline or subject, above all else. the use of facts can be superficial What would you pick as the If we are going to do our reporting or comprehensive. The more biggest story, in your time, that has with anonymous sourcing we have comprehensive and detailed, the changed or touched the world? to have such a rigid, rigorous more credible the information. Bloomberg News came into its process of vetting and verifying Most fake news, if not all of it, is own in the years leading to and that anonymous reporting so typically a superficial assemblage… throughout the financial crisis and that we have a high degree of It’s light or superficial packaging. the ensuing recession. Because, confidence that it’s accurate. It’s Readers who want only accurate all the skills and knowledge we not an infallible process. If we information should be skittish about had acquired in our youth, our think we have all the resources to what is presented as factual that adolescence as a news organisation, make anonymous reporting have you can see is porous in its content. we definitely put to use in the most integrity, so be it. But it’s not an It’s missing too many data points to challenging circumstances for the easy thing. be taken seriously. Again, a lot of world, to good effect. An example fake news is asserted, as opposed to of that is... Bloomberg News was Journalists have traditionally reported. the first news organisation to been generalists. Have you seen put two words together in the a shift to specialists happening in In the age of Twitter, with its 140- context of the global economy: your time? character limit, what do you see for toxic debt. And toxic debt was the As I said before, the best journalists long-form journalism? principal cause of the financial are learners who have an insatiable Long-form journalism has as much crisis. Bloomberg News was the appetite for information, are a future as it ever had. And that’s first news organisation to really eternally curious. That is another reflected in so many periodicals, dissect the creation, supply and way of saying what you would publications, news organisations distribution of toxic debt from Wall consider a generalist. [Because], the that happily deliver narratives that Street to the world. Bloomberg most capable journalist is one who is are in the 1000s of words. They News, following the crisis and the willing always to seek information wouldn’t be doing it if there wasn’t recession that ensued, was the only well beyond whatever zone of an appetite for it and that appetite news organisation, (it still is), to comfort that journalist is used to. has been and always will be robust, sue the Federal Reserve to obtain That is what learning is about – even as we consume the Tweets what it considered in the public going outside your comfort zone. with greater interest than ever. interest, data about the bailout of

12 VIDURA July-September 2017 the banks, [as to] who have got the investment bankers doing the minimum, a necessity. Because, the what monies from the Fed. It was deal, who got paid a lot of money editor has a professional obligation trillions of dollars at the time, and for the deal. But that deal was to ensure that all reporting is true. the Fed was not willing to share fundamentally not in the interest of Even when the Washington that information even though the the acquiring company – the proof Post was breaking stories on the Fed is the agent if you will, of the is, it was a disaster for Daimler Watergate scandal, the publisher public. And Bloomberg News shareholders. That is what I mean didn’t really know the identity of successfully, in court, got the Fed to about how hazardous anonymous the main source. release all the data that showed the reporting is. Ben Bradlee was the editor and scope of the rescue of the financial Bradlee did know what the reporters industry. So, I think that period for What would be an ideal process? were doing and had more than an us was extraordinary and we made Would you insist on two different idea of the process of their reporting. an invaluable contribution. sources confirming the news? He was pretty rigorous about it. Here’s the thing. When you But they also made mistakes. It’s in You have been uncomfortable are talking to sources who are by their book. And it wasn’t just over with anonymous sourcing of agreement, anonymous, there are Watergate. Washington Post got into stories...? all kinds of restrictions. Some of it a few difficulties with anonymous What I thought was difficult, to may be that you can’t share this with reporting. It was over Jimmy’s say the least, was in the course of anyone else. If you are a reporter and World — a 10-year old drug addict. reporting what people reported would like to interview a professor Except that Jimmy was completely as mergers and acquisitions deals. of mergers and acquisitions and get made up – fake news. They got a Acquisitions is what they really are. a perspective on it to share with Pulitzer Prize for that and had to One company acquires another. your readers, and you say to the return the prize for Jimmy’s World Because so much of that kind professor, ‘By the way, I am about which was a non-story, fake news. of reporting was anonymously to report that Daimler is acquiring That was the Washington Post, the sourced, it was far too subject Chrysler. What do you think about great Washington Post that Bradlee to the risk of being misleading. it?’ But the restriction is that you created. By the way, he didn’t have Because, it favoured the sources of can’t share it with the professor anything to do with this story, information. because your source does not want directly. But it shows you the I’ll give you an example. It was the professor to know. The deal has hazards of anonymous reporting. a really big deal, the biggest of the not been disclosed. So you can’t do time. German car company Daimler the reporting you would otherwise Did you ever have to insist on acquiring Chrysler – 1998. In the do. You can’t go where you need to reporters revealing sources? Was it initial reporting of that acquisition, go to make that reporting complete. rare or frequent? which was anonymous, was first of So, when you are totally reliant Fortunately, we didn’t have any all said to be ‘a merger of equals’. on anonymous sources, you are great mistakes over anonymously And, it was also reported as going already handicapped. You are sourced stories. That would be the to be an ‘example of one of the already operating as a journalist total irony – after fighting it for great deals of our time’. It was the with restrictions that prevent you so long if we got into trouble for end of the 20th Century, two very from sharing the whole truth and anonymous reporting. Fortunately,

big companies, on opposite sides of nothing but the truth with your we didn’t have that mishap. We the Atlantic, were getting together readers. made other mistakes, far too many < in a merger of equals, it was going other mistakes. to be a great deal... What is your view on identity of Well, it was the worst deal in the sources having to be shared with (Courtesy: The Hindu) history of Daimler. It took, dare I editors? say, more than 10 years for Daimler It think that is essential. The shareholders to recover from that editor is also responsible for not disaster, that transaction. It was so only content but [for] the other bad for Daimler shareholders. reporters, the reputation, the well- Had the reporting of it at the time being of and what’s at stake for his been transparent, if people who did or her news company... So every not have a vested interest been able precaution should be taken to ensure to talk about that deal, the initial that in the process of reporting and reporting would have been very editing, everything that can be done different from what it was. It was to be sure that what’s reported is a giant commercial, if you will, for accurate, is being done. That is at a

July-September 2017 VIDURA 13 Want news of your village? Turn to vernacular newspapers

While big newspapers are flush with pages and supplements, small vernacular papers have a USP of their own – they cover events and developments in rural and semi-urban areas much more effectively, says Bharat Dogra

ave you left the confines of of the country too – the smaller newspapers, particularly if your your native village or town vernacular newspapers cover life count includes the supplements; Hand moved to a bustling in the rural and semi-urban areas yet rural and small towns are better city? Do you crave for news of much more effectively than the big represented. ‘home’ and its environs? If you ones. And they cost less too. Let us take a single day – May 3 belong to the Hindi belt, then small The total number of pages in this year – and analyse the spectrum Hindi newspapers are your best some of the Hindi newspapers of coverage in a range of Delhi bet. The same goes for other regions may be much lower than in English editions of various newspapers. Illustration: Arun Ramkumar Illustration:

14 VIDURA July-September 2017 The Rajasthan Patrika carried an Jansatta and Deshbandhu fulfill a Delhi edition which has carefully important article on the leakage another niche requirement as the selected news from its other of chlorine from a water purifying papers sometime carry news not editions as well. Indeed, both Amar plant near Jaipur, raising serious published elsewhere. In its early Ujala and Hindustan had used their safety concerns about such facilities. years, Jansatta’s theme pages had wide network of reporters to bring The details of the accident and its room for detailed reports from rural out special pages on the impact impact on people were described areas, but this has in fact reduced of demonetisation, particularly in and its wider implications were now. Deshbandhu still has the space villages and small towns some time mentioned. for detailed reports in its theme ago. The newspaper also had a story pages. Some Hindi newspapers may about large-scale bungling in the At present, Rajasthan Patrika not be very visible in Delhi but public distribution system, despite appears to be taking the lead in the they are still sought after for their Aadhaar links being provided. coverage of rural and small-town coverage of particular areas. For Then there was a heartwarming news from the Hindi-speaking example, Dainik Tribune is known

story from Sultanpur, Rajasthan, region. This is because of better particularly for its good coverage about a youth coming forward selection of news as well as better of Haryana and, to a lesser extent, < to stop the marriage of his two presentation. Its headlines are of Himachal Pradesh. under-age sisters, notwithstanding longer than normal, and geared to stiff opposition from elders in the catch readers’ attention. family. Amar Ujala has a good network There was a news item about of reporters and does some very increasing the power of panchayats useful reporting from small towns. in villages located close to cities. These assets can be used to publish There was a report about decay and neglect of water tanks in and near Varanasi, and another on the sanitation campaign in the area. In Ashish Bagga quits India Today Group addition, there were several reports Ashish Bagga has resigned as Group CEO of India Today Group. He was about atrocities against women and part of the group for 15 years. Prior to being the CEO, he was the additional girls. director of TV Today Network from August 2013 till March 2014. Bagga The Bhaskar on the day published started his career with the India Today Group in 1983 and was responsible two important reports about for launching Music Today, the video magazine on current affairs, Newstrack, mining-related accidents. One of and the four vernaculars editions - Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam -

these highlighted the concerns of of India Today. Before re-joining the India Today Group in 2001, Bagga villagers near Dostpur, Rajasthan, briefly served as president and CEO with Business Standard's e-initiative, in < that some workers may still be association with Financial Times, London. trapped under mounds of rubble. (Courtesy: exchange4media.com) This newspaper also published a detailed report on how the victims of a sinking boat in Gujarat struggled till the very end to save themselves. None of these news items found mention in the big English newspapers. Various vernacular newspapers have their own strengths. While Delhi’s top dailies like Navbharat Times, Hindustan, Amar Ujala and Dainik Jagran are better in terms of Journals the coverage of places close to Delhi and the National Capital Region, Rajasthan Patrika and Bhaskar are placed better in terms of covering a wider part of the Hindi-speaking region. Their coverage of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh is particularly good.

July-September 2017 VIDURA 15 Mobile journalism – ever-widening horizons

Mobile devices have been used in news gathering for some years, but recent advances in technology, combined with the swelling reach of social media has made mobile journalism, or MoJo, a genre in itself. Susan Philip on how the smartphone has literally overtaken everything else and is capable of providing all the technology required by a reporter to record, edit and transmit news on the spot

ay Lauf, publisher and Where social media was on social media or other platforms president, Quartz, said at a previously considered an irritant even while remaining at the Jrecent WAN-IFRA conference or at best a distraction, it is now a location of a developing story is of that statistics show more people crucial path to new readership. The tremendous value to a journalist. are spending more time on mobile younger generation far prefers it to “Good journalism is about getting phones, reading news than ever the conventional newspaper. “Even the most accurate version of events before. He said 73 per cent of busy executives prefer to consume possible. By being able to gather respon-dents in a survey had news via their mobiles. It is easier news so effectively and maintain answered ‘mobile’ to the question, than doing so over traditional media ultimate flexibility, you are ideally ‘When it comes to news, which because of the form factor and ease,” placed to cover events as well as device are you most likely to be notes Dinakaran Rengachary, head possible,” says Egan. using?’ ‘desktop’ was the answer – Internet, The Hindu BusinessLine. The video and audio recordings given by 23 per cent, while print, That works both ways. While the done by a reporter can be used TV and radio accounted for only 4 smartphone is always within reach by the newsroom on multiple per cent, Lauf said, indicating the of the news consumer, a reporter platforms. In other words, MoJo is potential of mobile Journalism or also always has it on hand. And not confined to the mobile platform, MoJo. there are so many apps, so many it has relevance across platforms. “Mobile Journalism means platforms available that a creative MoJo is also redefining content. different things to different people, and enterprising journalist can Where once news stories were filed but generally it involves journalists single-handedly produce a multi- for the print media and later re- using mobile devices so they can format news piece covering all worked for the digital landscape, tell stories anywhere, anytime, angles of a story, and report news the procedure is now increasingly and in any way they choose,” as it happens. happening in reverse. Short, easy- says Mark Egan, an expert on the The technology is compact, which to-digest pieces are the norm on subject. Elaborating on the genre, has brought about a sea-change in smartphones. There is no room he says the procedure of news gathering. for opinion pieces and analyses “In essence, mobile journalism Previously, if audio and video on these devices. Many journalists is about overcoming the technical feeds had to be included in a story, file first for the smartphone and obstacles of the past to provide a cumbersome, expensive equipment then re-work for the traditional more nimble form of journalism.” had to be used, requiring specially newspaper. Technology is at the heart of trained personnel for operation. Egan cites the instance of Yusuf MoJo. Sweeping advancements It had to be a team effort and Omar, the mobile editor at the have opened up scope in previously required considerable planning and Hindustan Times. “He is building a unimaginable ways. This implies a coordination by the newsroom and network of 750 mobile journalists paradigm shift in the concept of other arms of a media establishment. across India. They are using the news itself, its gathering and its Now, a smartphone is capable social platform Snapchat as a way dissemination. Yesterday’s news, of providing all the technology of creating content. A good example is, well, yesterday’s news. The required by a reporter to record, is a recent story about drugs in smartphone has overtaken the edit and transmit news on the spot, the Punjab. Yusuf told the entire morning newspaper and, to an as it happens, in text, audio and story on snapchat, in a style that extent, the television news channel, video formats. fits the mobile audience, but then because it can deliver live news on This freedom to put out reversioned that content for other the go. composite, polished news reports platforms.”

16 VIDURA July-September 2017 Social media platforms like regarding impartiality. “I often see new possibilities opened up by Twitter enable direct contact activists sympathetic to one side of technological developments. with the news consumer. Even a an issue who call themselves citizen Print will remain an important traditional format such as a regular journalists. If they have an agenda part of the media landscape in the column by a subject expert, say and are promoting that cause, they foreseeable future. But the fact in an education-related offering are not journalists,” he says. But remains that mobile journalism has like BL on Campus, can be made certainly, ‘citizen journalists’ make appropriated a significant space in interactive, by inviting readers to good sources for stories and, very that landscape too. Smartphones pose questions live to the columnist often, reporters rely on them for and tablets are important channels at pre-arranged times. This almost first reports of breaking news. for news dissemination, particularly

personalises news content, and is Of course, there are challenges in for the younger generation, and no attractive to consumers. MoJo. The rapidity of advancements media organisation or journalist can < Mobile journalism has also in technology is one. The reporter afford to ignore MoJo’s potential. spawned a new category of has to be technology savvy and journalists – the ‘citizen journalist’. keep up-to-date with emerging (This article had appeared in the The layman equipped with a apps and platforms to be on top of January/February 2017 issue of Asian smartphone can upload reports of consumer demand and command News Media Focus, a WAN-IFRA events on social media platforms. loyalty. Other challenges would publication.) But are they equal to trained be poor connectivity and the journalists? That’s a moot question. problem of software advancements Talking of this aspect, Egan feels the outstripping hardware – newer and deciding factor will be whether they newer smartphone models may are trying to uphold certain ethics be needed to keep pace with the

A welcome initiative in Indian cinema The Indywood Film Carnival is a special initiative by Sohan Roy, a globally acclaimed film director, producer, exhibitor, writer and project designer who has many Oscar listings to his credit. Roy is an NRI with a dream. Indywood, of which he’s founder-director, helped him to partly realise the dream. Indywood is a 10- billion dollar project that aspires to elevate the Indian film industry to a global platform. He set the ball rolling in 2015 with the Indywood Film Carnival, one of the biggest film-based events in the country till date. The third edition of the event is scheduled to take place at Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad, from December 1 to 4 this year. “The 2017 Carnival will be a mammoth one in terms of national and international participation Photo: Indywood Film Carnival of delegates. The event offers interactive sessions Shoma Chatterji (speaking), who was presented the Lifetime with eminent filmmakers from across the world, Achievement Award at the function held at the Calcutta Press networking opportunities and entertainment Club, with the other award winners. programmes,” said Roy, speaking at the 2017 Awards of Media Excellence in Kolkata recently. event, more than 30 journalists were given a trophy and a

Recognising the contribution of journalists from certificate each. The trophies and certificates were identical in various fields in the different regions of India shape, size, form and colour for every winner. There was no < is part of Indywood’s agenda. At the Kolkata cash award.

July-September 2017 VIDURA 17 Why we should speak up for Al Jazeera The Saudi demand for shutting down the channel must be resisted on principle, says Karan Thapar

wonder if you have noticed the credibility and reliability. How Qatari royal family has the money, strange silence with which the must they feel when their former but who knows when or in what Ithe Saudi demand for shutting colleagues in London keep quiet circumstances its political will down Al Jazeera has been received about the demand to close the might flag. by the rest of the world? This was channel? Al Jazeera needs and, more one of the 13 demands made by the Let me, however, go one step importantly, deserves the support of Saudis and their allies 10 days ago. further. Once you rule out the all journalists. Not just because it’s At the least I would have thought ownership of the channel as grounds a good and credible news channel. it would be strongly criticised and for keeping silent, then logically Nor because journalists must stand opposed by journalists. After all, it there can be only two other grounds by and support each other, because affects them directly. Yet they seem for not speaking up in defence of Al if they don’t they will discourage to be largely silent. Not just in the Jazeera. First, that you believe the others from doing so. All of that Gulf. Not just in Delhi. But also, as demand is only made rhetorically should be taken as given. The far as I can tell, in London, Paris, and not seriously. Second, that real reason why Al Jazeera must Berlin and even Washington. it’s not enforceable or, to be more be supported has to do with our I cannot believe this would be the precise, will not be accepted and principles and our values. case if the demand had been for acted upon by Qatar. In a democracy, where free closing down the BBC or CNN or I’m afraid these are not credible speech is cherished, every voice any Indian channel. So perhaps the grounds for silence. Even if the is valuable, particularly when it’s reluctance to speak out in support demand is made rhetorically, unpopular and even if it’s wrong. of Al Jazeera arises from of the fact surely journalists — if no one else The media exists as a mirror to that it is owned by the Qatari royal — should oppose a demand by any reflect the reality of our lives family. But does that really justify government to shut down a media and our society. This gives it the silence? organisation? Instead, we should right to expose, provoke, offend Al Jazeera has established itself riposte by asking, how dare the and disturb. If in the process it’s as a credible and often outspoken Saudis make this demand? How occasionally wrong, so be it. That source of news. Its coverage is dare they try to throttle freedom of might call for correction but never different to that of the BBC and speech? How dare they try to restrict for closing down a channel. CNN and, therefore, irreplaceable. the right of the media to report, The present journalistic silence in

Its commentary provides a explore and expose as it thinks fit? response to what’s happening to Al viewpoint that otherwise would not To let even a rhetorical demand Jazeera is not just inexplicable but < be heard. Its range covers not just go unchallenged, uncriticised also unforgivable. the Arab world, but also countries and, therefore, not condemned in Africa and Latin America that are is to accept the legitimacy of (Courtesy: The Hindu. The writer usually ignored. Surely that makes such rhetoric. Who knows when is a veteran broadcast journalist) Al Jazeera an invaluable channel similar demands might be made regardless of its ownership and any in London or Washington, Delhi or influence that might have on its Islamabad? management or editorial policy? Much the same is true of the In fact, the truth is Al Jazeera is belief that the demand to shut staffed with reputable Western down Al Jazeera is unenforceable journalists. Many seem to be or will not be accepted by the Qatari from the BBC. They are people government. First, how can you be whose credentials have long sure that is the case? And, second, been established. As far as I am why do you believe the Qataris concerned, their presence on the Al don’t need international support Jazeera screen affirms the channel’s to stiffen their spine? No doubt the

18 VIDURA July-September 2017 Can ‘peace-mongering’ ever become news? Warmongering is news for the media. ‘Peacemongering’ isn’t. That, sadly, is the reality. Which explains why mainstream media took no note of a recent initiative for urging dialogues for peace between India and Pakistan, in the wake of the belligerence connected to the sentencing of an Indian by Paksitan on charges of spying, and the staying of his death sentence by the International Court of Justice. Sakuntala Narasimhan wonders why war is news, but peace isn’t

‘peacemongering’ initiative easily made some extra money, that case, “she said, “I will bring tea put out a resolution (http:// seeing that I was a tourist. here, for you.” Aamankiasha.com/?p=6426) The young waiter at the hotel I In Karachi, on my next trip, when that has been supported by leaders was staying at, in Islamabad, asked I asked for Karachi halwa to take in diverse fields on both sides of as I sat down for breakfast, “Aap back (I recalled the times we as the border -- from Romila Thapar India se (Are you from India)?” children used to buy Karachi halwa and Aruna Roy to Gulzar, Mahesh Thereafter, he would ply me with from Bengali market at Delhi – this Bhat, Girish Karnad, Naseeruddin extra coffee and solicitous attention. would be the authentic stuff, I told Shah, Nandita Das, Anand His grandfather, it turned out, used myself ), the sweets shop man said Patwardhan, K.M. Panikkar, retired to reminisce about playing cricket jocularly, “No apa (sister), I will army chiefs and Air vice-marshals, as a schoolboy near where I lived in give you Bombay halwa.” And former Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Delhi, before the family migrated he too refused to take payment, Ramdas, musicians, journalists, and to Pakistan. The boy wanted to visit insisting that it was a gift. It was the internationally known personalities his grandfather’s ancestral home same stuff – Indians call it Karachi like Asma Jahangir of Pakistan. and see the places he had fond halwa and Pakistanis call it Bombay Many young students have also memories of but, of course, there halwa. endorsed the press statement was little chance of his getting a As a Pakistani said to me at Lahore which says, “In the 70 years since visa. airport, “Our grandparents were, Independence and Partition, the I, too, got my visa only at the very after all, all from India -- in that people of India and Pakistan have last moment, causing much worry sense we are all of Indian origin.” seen too many conflicts and the loss and tension. A consular employee Quite. The Pakistan Airlines pilots of many valuable lives. Enough of told me, “They (Pakistanis) harass who saw a group of us stranded in the distrust and tensions...” those seeking visas for India, so we transit in Lahore after missing our While government-to-govern- too make it difficult…” A famous connecting flight to Delhi, handed ment relations flare up, the people- dancer from Karachi, who gets over to us (with their compliments) to-people equations among the routinely invited to Delhi, Chennai the lunch packets they were carrying citizenry reflect an entirely different and Bengaluru, for workshops, has for themselves. picture. the same experience – she never Hostility? Not once. The food was During each of my three visits to knows till the very last moment the same, the language, dress and Pakistan (Islamabad and Karachi, whether she will make the trip. music were the same, the wedding for conferences), I found that Likewise, a professor from I watched was no different from people-to-people interactions are Rawalpindi whom I met at the those in Delhi or Mumbai. The hearteningly cordial. conference we were both attending bride announced with pride that Among my most memorable in Islamabad, said effusively, “Aap her trousseau shopping had been moments is that of an incident at a hamare yahaan chai peene zaroor done in Delhi. roadside market stall in Karachi. I aayiye (please come to tea at my As the resolution released in May bought a shawl as a souvenir, and place).” I had to decline, although this year by the ‘peacemongers’ on the shopkeeper refused to accept Rawalpindi was just a few minutes both sides says, it is time to sort payment, saying, “Aap to mehmaan away down the road from the out differences through dialogue, hain (you are a guest in our country), conference venue, because my visa no matter how long it takes. aap se paise nahin lenge (I can’t take was marked boldly and circled, Former Indian Ambassador Mani money from you).” He could have “Only valid for Islamabad”. “In Shankar Aiyar says, endorsing the

July-September 2017 VIDURA 19 not – be ignored or dismissed. But the fact is that both countries have pervasive poverty to address and eradicate; neither country can afford to spend so many billions on weapons that could go instead towards ensuring basic needs for the people. Who benefits from war, except the supplier of all those costly weapons? Can strength lie also in forcing a dialogue? The peacemongers’ resolution says yes; and those who have signed it are high achievers who claim credibility and respect. However, how will the people at large, the millions of citizens on both sides who stand to benefit through a resolution of disagreements via peaceful dialogue, get to know about such

initiatives unless the media gives it <

Illustration: Arun Ramkumar Illustration: publicity? resolution, “Make dialogue – ao Yes, there is barbarity in violent dosti karen (let’s be friends).” encounters, and unacceptable The Jang Group of Pakistan and intrusions which cannot – and should The Times of India have been collaborating for some time, on an Aman ki Asha ( hoping for peace) series, and musicians have linked hands to come up with RedInk Awards for Vinod Dua, new ragas like Aman (peace) in Indo-Pak collaboration among Raj Kamal Jha artistes. There also exists a People’s SAARC initiative, for joining The Mumbai Press Club’s RedInk Awards for Excellence in Journalism hands across the border, through 2017 were presented on June 7 in Mumbai. Veteran journalist Vinod Dua, people-to-people linkages, and a considered among the country's first psephologists, was conferred the Pakistan India Forum for Peace and Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to journalism in "different Democracy. formats and subjects.'' In the land of Mahatma Gandhi, Indian Express chief editor Raj Kamal Jha got the Journalist of the Year the apostle of non-violence, whom Award for the overall coverage of the global money laundering scam known we revere as the Father of the as The Panama Papers. Govind Tupe of Sakal was given a newly instituted Nation, urging dialogue rather award, Mumbai's Star Reporter, for his reports on the offices of cabinet than confrontation to defuse ministers being brought under the purview of RTI. disagreements, seems the logical Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was the chief guest. option, not something farfetched He said that he does not believe that there is threat to the fourth estate. or impractical. If people in large "Constructive journalism has its own value. And we always are open to

criticism," he said. This year, the RedInk team received over 1500 entries numbers on both sides, support < this resolution, it is not fanciful to across various categories, a significant jump from last year. expect that the governments on both sides will heed the suggestion. (Courtesy: The Times of India) An eye for an eye, after all, leaves both parties blind, and a bullet for a bullet only adds to the pile of cadavers.

20 VIDURA July-September 2017 Nationalism, and the media’s responsible role

The intense emotions of nationalism that a game of cricket sparks, particularly when the opponent is Pakistan, prompted Madhusmita Boruah to reflect on the media’s role in curbing the politicisation of sensitivities

ndia arrests 15 for cele- is very common in Indian cinema. were few updates on Facebook brating Pakistan's cricket For example, in the movie Bajrangi cheering the Indian hockey team “Iwin,” read the headline on Bhaijaan, cricket was depicted as a playing against Pakistan at the an international news website. The way of establishing the nationality of same time that the cricket teams reactions to the unexpected defeat the little girl, Munni, from Pakistan of the two countries were meeting suffered by the Indian cricket team who got lost in India. The scene on the Champions Trophy field. in the Champions Trophy (2107) where she kissed Pakistan’s flag The answer could be found in finals brought home to me the fact traumatised the entire family of the the fact that cricket has become a that in the Subcontinent, cricket protagonist, played by Bollywood commodity with high demand in isn’t just a game; it is a symbol of star Salman Khan. the media market. nationalism. The nationalistic overtones the Even 70 years after the India- Nationalism has become one of game has taken has even made Pakistan separation, we are still the most debated ‘isms’ of today. people question Indian tennis ace stuck with the same thoughts, In this era of 2.0 technology, Sania Mirza’s loyalties. The media trapped in history. The increasing when everyone has their own has an important role to play in gap between the theory of public space to express views, this such situations, as it can balance the media education and practice particular ‘ism' is being extensively negative effects of such insensitive in journalism is a concern, and

deliberated. It raises the issue of statements. Controversial state- immediate changes are called for in responsibility which goes with the ments which may hurt someone’s the functioning of the media as the < freedom to air uncensored views dignity can well be filtered out in Fourth Estate in a democracy. over social media. For instance, trolls higher interests. in social media on the cricket match The question remains, why has (The writer is a doctoral research in question covered issues from cricket been assigned this special scholar in the Department of Mass Kashmir to beef. Sensationalism and link with nationalism, rather than Communication and Journalism, exaggeration are no more restricted other games? For instance, there Tezpur University, Assam.) to electronic news media. Emerging social media platforms have also become very adept at politicising Qaumi Awaz to resume publication sensitivities. The Associated Journals, a not-for-profit company founded in 1937 by The post-modern idea of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, has announced its plans to resume the publication subjective truth defines nationalism of its Urdu newspaper, Qaumi Awaz, along with a digital version. Qaumi as the product of interaction among Awaz had temporarily suspended publication in 2008, following which Urdu social, historical and political readers across the country felt its absence. elements. So, the perception of this Veteran journalist Zafar Agha has been appointed as the editor-in-chief of ‘ism’ may differ from person to the paper as well as the digital property with immediate effect. person and from context to context. The publication’s tagline is ‘Freedom is in peril, defend it with all your Why then is there such a stress on might’. The publication and digital website will seek to give voice to the affirming our emotional bond with vision of Nehru and continue to occupy a liberal, progressive, secular space,

the motherland especially when furthering the best values of the Freedom Movement—that of building a

watching a movie in a cinema hall? modern, democratic, just, equitable, liberal and socially harmonious nation, < Portrayal of cricket as a symbol free of sectarian strife. of nationalism, specially a cricket (Courtesy: exchange4media.com) game between India and Pakistan,

July-September 2017 VIDURA 21 POSITIONS FOR INDIA IN THE UNITED NATIONS Keeping options open in a changed global order

The Government of India has no clear-cut stand and approach when it comes to campaigning for positions in the United Nations, including specialised agencies of the world body and formations such as the Group of 77 (G77). The reason, according to informed sources and diplomats who have had a ringside view of past campaigns, says Shastri Ramachandaran, is that the “calculated ambivalence” has served India’s interests “up to expectations and beyond”

hat importance does positions such as director-general of that it is nothing unusual for India New Delhi attach to the UN organisations, as for example, to be encouraged by “interested WG77? How much is India UNIDO in Vienna? Tharoor, who powers” and their camps to contest interested in G77, comprising 134 moved out after 29 years at the against contenders from China developing countries, including UN when he came second to Ban and Iran. These two countries are China? When posed these two Ki-moon in the elections in 2006 ‘targeted’ for a variety of historical, questions, all officials -- both for the secretary-general, says political, strategic and cultural serving and retired diplomats -- India is certainly interested in reasons by the West. agreed to respond on condition UN leadership positions. “India Earlier, in February this year, when of anonymity. The only exception mounts a campaign only when Iran’s permanent representative was India’s former UN Under- there is buy-in at the political level. (PR) to the UN in Vienna, Reza Secretary General Shashi Tharoor, Understandably, we tend to throw Najafi, was consensus choice to currently member of Parliament our hat in the ring only when Chair the G77 for a one-year term, from Thiruvananthapuram. we are reasonably confident of the outcome was attributed to Tharoor said that his Congress majority support. But, sometimes, India’s “lack of interest”. A former Party and the United Progress New Delhi's indifference can mean foreign secretary said the MEA Alliance it had helmed for 10 years India missing out on a position we knew that a few PRs to the UN in in government “certainly attached a could have won.” Vienna wanted the Indian envoy, great deal of importance to the G77, UNIDO’s current director- Renu Pall -- who had presented a body which India often led at the general is China's Li Yong, who her credentials in February 2017 UN as the ‘global trade union of was appointed in 2013 with strong -- as the chair of the G77’s Vienna developing countries’. However as backing from the government in chapter. However, New Delhi did the G20, the global ‘management’ Beijing. Much to the dismay of not appear “enthusiastic”. of the world's economy, grew in many diplomats in Vienna, Li is importance, there has inevitably said to be recruiting Chinese to G77 been some diminishing of the senior positions in UNIDO (United A former PR of India to the UN prominence given to the G77”. Nations Industrial Development says that India held the G77 chair Tharoor, who had served as Organisation). However, at least first in 1970. “After that we have India’s minister of State of External one official who was asked for his not held the chair with a view to Affairs under Prime Minister reaction appeared least perturbed encourage stakeholdership and Manmohan Singh is well-regarded by the development. “We do not participation of smaller developing across the political spectrum. Even have to meet the expectations of countries, as a way of democratising the current regime headed by BJP’s the West when it comes to China’s participation.” He points out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi role in these bodies,” says the India is one of the “institutional has sought to utilise Tharoor’s diplomat who recently retired in leaders” of G77 with a decisive diplomatic and drafting expertise the rank of secretary from India’s leadership role. “For example, when it comes to critical issues Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). in 2013, India led the consensus with a hostile neighbour such as He has served in the mission to the in finalising the Sustainable Pakistan. UN and as ambassador in a major Development Goals (SDGs) at Asian and western capital. Rio+20. Our influence is not always China, UNIDO and India This veteran of many tricky determined by a formal position.” How far is India interested in top diplomatic negotiations revealed He emphasises, “India is a strong

22 VIDURA July-September 2017 Illustration: Arun Ramkumar Illustration:

presence. The success of SDGs is a few top UN positions today, it is while nodal ministries have the India’s contribution.” because this is no longer an issue technical expertise and subject A former foreign secretary, who that can be clinched by the MEA. competence, they are not skilled in is well acquainted with the matter, “Ten years ago, the MEA was the making a diplomatic pitch within a says India has been part of the diplomatic spearhead. It set the policy framework and they are also G77 Experts Group, which works direction and shaped India’s role lacking in the diplomatic capability towards finalising a common in the UN and UN organisations. and finesse for negotiations in position on issues before taking it to Today, this is done by a variety international forums. Thus, the the others. In his view, New Delhi of nodal ministries ranging from diminished importance of the MEA has desisted from openly pushing Finance and Commerce to Energy has had its adverse effects. for top UN positions because as a and Environment besides the Prime Another diplomat who had served Rising Power, such positions should Minister’s Office.” in major world capitals and the UN come to India without campaigning. These ministries, he says, lack – and enjoyed the confidence of “The strength of our presence and the diplomatic expertise to steer successive prime ministers – said the force of our influence should India and Indians to top positions that India is very active in G77 as it speak; and, should be reflected in in UN organisations, and they do is in other UN organisations. “But, India being persuaded to take on not wish to concede leadership at times, we want to stay apart. We leadership roles,” was his view. to MEA in areas they guard as don’t want to be tied to collective their turf. As a result, says another positions on all issues such as, Nodal ministries lack expertise diplomat, India’s profile does not for example, climate change. Another former PR to the UN reflect its real influence, which is Similarly, on SDGs, although India says that if India is not occupying much more. This official said that led the consensus, there were a

July-September 2017 VIDURA 23 few objectives on which India had China. China is not a problem for tended to have a fairly consistent reservations.” India at all times and in all forums view about what is “good for India”. as the West may imagine or would An informed observer, who was A powerful presence want it to be. There are strategic, close to the Prime Minister’s Office There are advantages and political and geopolitical issues until a few years ago, best sums up disadvantages in being tied to where China and India differ but the situation: “When it comes to the collective position. “In recent years, these don’t surface in all forums,” UN and multilateral forums, we are India has more often had reasons to he says. where we want to be. We are not not be tied to collective positions. Another former foreign secretary, where we were in the 1990s. Today’s This does not mean that India is any who has served as ambassador India would like to keep its options

way less influential. It is a powerful to the US, says India is interested open in many situations and retain presence with a decisive say,” the in positions but not given to elbow room without the straitjacket < diplomat adds. campaigning. India wants to avoid of a formal leadership position.” A former ambassador to China, too many trials of strength as it can who has also worked with the UN, create “credibility problems”. He (The author is a senior editor says New Delhi does not share the emphasised that there is no problem of IDN-INPS and independent Western view of China and Iran, in “attaining our objectives”, commentator on regional and global and does not find it necessary to be especially when it comes to India’s affairs based in New Delhi.This article pitted against these countries when special interests. Tharoor says has appeared in IDN-InDepthNews India’s interests are not affected. India’s special interests obviously in May this year. IDN is the flagship “In fact, more often than not, India vary from agency to agency. But agency of the International Press has shared interests with Iran and successive governments have Syndicate.)

PIB help to audit circulation figures? The Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) is believed to be taking steps to involve the Press Information Bureau (PIB) in the task of auditing the circulation figures of print publications. According to sources privy to internal developments, the MIB is under a lot of pressure owing to rising complaints and allegations of “fudging numbers” vis-à-vis the number of copies printed and sold by each publication. Similar concerns have also been raised in relation to the current system of television audience measurement. To maintain the credibility of the auditing process, the MIB is apparently keen to provide the PIB with some space in the given assignment. However, highly placed industry sources in touch with the Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI) officials, claimed that PIB “might not be competent” enough to successfully carry out the job. Expressing their apprehensions, the officials reportedly indicated that they are confident of the entire work pertaining to auditing and certification being handed back to RNI. A nodal agency of the Government of India, the PIB was set up during the time of British Raj in 1919. The agency plays a pivotal role in communicating critical information on behalf of the union government through press releases to the media. Nevertheless, it is far removed from the auditing work at present. According to an industry source, the current audit of newspapers and magazines is carried out in two ways. While the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) takes care of publications with a claimed circulation of over 45000 copies, the ones below that figure require an audit from an accountant which is followed by RNI certification. Established in 1956, the RNI is a Central Government institution performing both statutory and non-statutory functions. The former includes issuing certificates of registration and scrutiny of annual statements whereas the latter entails the preparation of the newsprint allocation policy. On

the other hand, ABC is a voluntary organisation of publishers, media and advertising agencies, advertisers and government bodies like the Directorate of Advertising & Visual Publicity (DAVP). <

Smriti Irani is the new Information & Broadcasting minister Following the resignation of Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu (after his name was announced as India’s vice-presidential candidate), Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday made Smriti Irani the Information and Broadcasting minister (additional charge). Irani is the fourth I&B Minister of Modi Government. Initially, Prakash Javadekar took the

charge of the ministry but it was shortly after handed over to Arun Jaitley for a period of two years from 2014-2016. Thereafter, Naidu took over the reins of MIB. < (Courtesy: exchange4media.com)

24 VIDURA July-September 2017 Demonitisation – the decision and the impact

The Modi Government took the nation by surprise with its demonitisation move in November 2016. More than six months after the shock announcement, Shreejay Sinha takes stock of its impact, applying the wisdom of hindsight. Considering the enormous social and economic costs that demonetisation exacted, the question that will remain unanswered for many years to come, he says, is: Was it worth it?

n the evening of 8th issuer. It must be borne in mind demonetisation move was no November last year, tele- that each currency note or coin is a different. The nation has been a Ovision channels were abuzz liability of the Central Bank. victim of a string of terrorist acts, with news that Prime Minister Demonetisation involves with- funded by counterfeit currency Narendra Modi would address drawing the legal-tender status of notes. Prices of real estate and the nation. They speculated that currency notes, rendering them “just gold, both receptacles for tainted he would announce tough military worthless piece of paper”, as the money, have remained perennially action against our neighbour prime minister said in his November high. Prices of financial assets such Pakistan, perhaps even declare 8 address. Demonetisation makes as stocks have often peaked even war. The speculation was not banknotes invalid for public use. when economic fundamentals were without basis. On September 29, Put simply, it voids a currency note unsupportive. India’s director-general of Military or coin of its money value. The There is also a significant political Operations had announced that abrupt cancellation of high-value subtext to Modi’s demonetisation the special forces of the Army had currency notes in November has move. The second term of the conducted “surgical strikes” along precedents, both domestically and Congress-led UPA Government was the Line of Control to destroy internationally. riddled with gigantic corruption terror launch pads and neutralise In 1978, Prime Minister Morarji scandals and policy paralysis. By terrorists who were preparing to Desai, a Gujarati like Modi, who contrast, Modi’s key electoral planks infiltrate. led the Janata Party Government in 2014 were tackling illicit wealth At 8 pm, the prime minister immediately after the Emergency and providing good governance. appeared on state television to was withdrawn, demonetised 1000- In one of his election rallies, Modi declare a war – not on Pakistan rupee, 5000-rupee, and 10000-rupee averred that should the government but on black money, fake currency, notes in order to wipe out illicit cash unearth all black money and bring terror funding and corruption – by and tackle corruption. Zimbabwe, back illicit wealth stashed away in demonetising 500-rupee and 1000- a country battling hyperinflation foreign banks, each Indian would rupee banknotes, which constituted for years, withdrew its currency, get richer by 15 lakh rupees. Once nearly 86 per cent of currency in replacing it with the US dollar the BJP came to power, opposition circulation in India and amounted in 2015. Myanmar, the erstwhile leaders and journalists alike began to 15.44 lakh crore rupees. USSR, Nigeria and Brazil, among asking for the ‘promised’ sum, Each currency note, as also a others, have demonetised their which was dismissed by the party coin, is guaranteed by the Central currencies, ostensibly for tackling president as mere chunavi jumla Government and ‘promises’ to pay high inflation and curbing parallel or election-time rhetoric, inviting the bearer the sum of money printed economies. widespread ridicule. on the same. A coin or a banknote Modi’s decision to scrap the is legal tender, which means that Rationale – stated and unstated currency notes underscored his it must be accepted if offered in Global experience suggests that resolve to follow through with payment of a debt. Accoridng to a currency ban is almost always his pre-election pledge of curbing Section 26 of the Reserve Bank of based on the government’s intent black economy. The so-called India Act, 1934, the Central Bank to tackle hyperinflation, corruption, black economy generally refers to is liable to pay the value of the criminal activities, counterfeit notes economic activities outside formal banknote. This is to be paid on and black economy. banking channels and includes cash demand by the RBI, since it is the India’s rationale for the shock transactions in physical assets such

July-September 2017 VIDURA 25 experience, especially boil, as prices for their produce for the poor, even as have crashed after demonetisation the entire range of emptied mandis (granaries) of cash, consequences are still forcing several state governments being played out. The to announce farm loan waivers. move forced millions to queue up outside The bottom line bank branches for The government's decision to hours to deposit old demonetise high-value notes, in notes and withdraw itself a bold move with the right limited cash, as intent, hasn't quite produced the Illustration: Arun Ramkumar Illustration: ATMs, awaiting intended results. The window to recalibration due to exchange demonetised notes with changes in the size of new ones closed on December 30 new currency notes, last year. A Bloomberg News report remained bereft of says about 97 per cent of the banned as gold and real estate. Financial cash for days. notes was deposited with banks by services firm Ambit Capital pegs Demand for gold surged that date. Banks had received 14.97 the size of the parallel economy at immediately after demonetisation, lakh crore rupees of the outlawed 20 per cent of India’s $2.3 trillion as people rushed to convert their 15.44 lakh crore rupees ‘promised’ GDP for 2016 (calendar year). savings into the precious yellow by the 500-rupee and 1000-rupee There was in all likelihood an metal. The rich employed the poor notes. unstated rationale too for the as black-money mules, and they However, the RBI is yet to reveal government's decision to scrap stood outside bank branches for how much money has returned the notes. Media reports said hours for a commission to exchange to the banking system. As R. some section of the government defunct notes for new ones. This Jagannathan, editorial director felt a significant chunk of the went on for days. of Swarajya magazine, noted in demonetised notes would not Daily wage earners in the rural his June 14 piece, “If the deposits return to banking channels, as hinterland were among the worst have hit this number (15.44 lakh depositors would fear being hit, as the acute cash crunch made crore rupees) or even exceeded it, caught and investigated, leading to it difficult for them to get hired, it would mean not only a major windfall gains for the RBI (because pushing their families into penury. embarrassment for the government, the junked notes are a liability for The sudden withdrawal of currency but also the RBI. It would imply the apex bank), and this would notes in a largely cash-fed economy that fake notes got exchanged for transfer to the Central Government inflicted a shock which sent ripples new notes.” over time. across sectors. Several media reports True, demonetisation has boosted An internal research by have documented severe job losses digital transactions, but a gradual government-owned State Bank and stress in the informal sector, shift towards a less-cash economy of India pegged the sum at including the farm sector, which could have been achieved by the 2.5 lakh crore rupees “with a relies almost entirely on cash to RBI slowly reducing the notes in significant upward bias”. The conduct its business. circulation. One significant upshot Annual Economic Survey tabled The cash ban severely hampered was that real estate transactions in Parliament on January 31 this economic activity in the country, witnessed a seizure of sorts year also noted that India might crimping consumption as well as immediately after the currency see a fiscal windfall from the non- investment demand. The result ban, and prices drooped. The return of the junked currency notes is plain for all to see. Inflation, an property market, a favoured haven to the RBI. As a developing country important incentive for investment, for parking illicit money, has yet with a perennial budget deficit and slumped to a five-year low at 2.18 to recover from the shock. If land

whose banks are crumbling under a per cent in May, led by a decline in prices remain low, the government's mountain of bad loans, such a large food prices. pledge to provide housing for all < sum could help the government Demonetisation was one of the by 2022 may well succeed. recapitalise its banks and fix the policy decisions that has impacted fiscal imbalances. the GDP numbers, India's chief (The writer is a financial journalist statistician T.C.A. Anant told based in New Delhi.) Implementation and impact reporters on May 31, after the The implementation of de- government released the GDP data. monetisation was a harrowing Farmers across India are on the

26 VIDURA July-September 2017 No reference to caste or creed please... we are all Indians One of the primary duties of a Government is to make good education universally accessible to the children of the country. Institutions of learning should be set up with a purely national outlook, with the primary goal of creating citizens who are Indians first, says Prof J.V. Vil’anilam. It is time cosmopolitan leaders came together on one platform to discuss matters of national moment and ways to fashion Indianness without reference to caste or religion. That’s the need of the hour – not a cashless, but a casteless society, he points out.

rutal rape of women aspiring to provide necessary infrastructure rather than the superiority of any to live a productive life in every one of the 600000 villages particular faith? Bfending for themselves and spread over the country. Changes can be wrought only their families, caste discrimination The Modi Government held out by a change in outlook fostered and communalism, millions of the hope that future generations by education. And a new system landless, homeless, jobless and of school students would receive of education can be ushered in illiterate citizens, and the baseless new skills in a casteless society. But smoothly only when certain basic dubbing of one half of all humanity the education system is still local changes are introduced in our as naturally ‘impure’ -- these are and regional; it is communal to polity. Since there is no national or some current scenarios in India. the core. Educational institutions state religion, the followers of no How do they match up with the set up by religion- or caste-based single religion should be entitled vision behind the Make in India organisations have to be specially to any special privileges. Every initiative of the Modi Government, aware of their responsibility to citizen of the country must be free the National Education Act of facilitate education of all children to live in any part of India, dress 2009 and the erstwhile goals of the born in this country, irrespective the way he or she likes, eat the founders of our nation of providing of caste or creed. Education must food that he or she prefers, and land for the landless and the tiller? be organised and governed by the worship according to his or her The establishing of ‘manhood’ civil society, not by vested interests. faith, provided that such worship by cruel attacks on the weak Institutions of learning should does not harm other humans, or and unwary, the requirement of be set up with a purely national promote social problems. ‘donations’ in return for a chance outlook, with the primary goal of People’s eating habits, religious to avail of basic education, and creating citizens who are Indians faith and practices, and rights the practice of powerful land first. as citizens of the same country mafias hounding illiterate and Will the makers of New India should never be questioned by unaware tribal populations out provide all facilities in every part governments at the Central or of their traditional environments of the nation to systematically State level. This is the essence of and chasing them from hill to develop essential skills for living secularism and recent events that hill or from one jungle to the in the modern world? Will our question the rights to citizenship of next can only be stopped with outlook on religion be re-shaped a person based on his or her religion basic changes in the focus of through education for building a or diet go against the concept of governments, irrespective of party humanitarian society with people India. affiliations or philosophical bent, respecting the universality of all Another area which deserves and a consequent shift in the thrust religions, the essential oneness attention in order to promote of education. of all beings under one Creator, harmony and equality is land One of the primary duties of accepting all creations as essential rights. Naxalite agitations were for a Government is to make good for maintaining the essential land – particularly for people living education universally accessible to balance in the Universe? in remote forest areas – and basic the children of the country. Secular Will all religious institutions human rights, especially for women education for the future citizens in India stress the multi-lingual, and the poor. But land reform is of India is a must. The National multi-racial and multi-religious still a distant dream for tribals and Education Act was commendable, structure of the country, where the aboriginals, including some SCs. but there was no follow-up effort emphasis is on harmonious living Attappady is a name I have been

July-September 2017 VIDURA 27 Illustration: Arun Ramkumar Illustration: hearing since 1982 when I returned illiterate citizens in India whose the party or coalition of parties in from a stint abroad to take charge plight does not seem to be of any power. Structural changes are the of the Department of Journalism great concern to planners (or non- need of the hour. Leaders of all in the University of Kerala. The planners) who hold the reins of political parties should go back to tribals in the area find mention in national development. How will the the basics and hold firmly to the every election campaign in Kerala illiterate and unskilled masses of principles of equality, secularism, but their struggle continues. For India get the means of survival? Can social justice and fraternity -- not

multinational companies and their capitalist developers help them? as mere slogans but as guiding local collaborators who build ‘smart Alternatively, can the promoters principles to make life meaningful < cities’ and exclusive economic zones, of a cashless society achieve the for the masses. however, right to land seems to be feat? Remember, the majority of a given. India’s 1.3 billion people have been (The writer is former vice- It is time we acknowledged that living hand-to-mouth ‘cashlessly’ chancellor and head, Department the bulk of India’s cultivable land for the past several decades, if not of Communication & is in the hands of a tiny minority centuries. The majority of people in Journalism, University of Kerala, of rich landlords, the bureaucracy, every one of the 29 States of India are Thiruvananthapuram.) and Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, politically bamboozled at least once Parsi, Jain and Buddhist religious in five years. But their socio-eco- institutions. There are millions nomic condition remains pitiably of landless, homeless, jobless and poor at all times, irrespective of

28 VIDURA July-September 2017 Time higher education is given the focus it deserves College density in India leaves a lot to be desired. The all-India figure of the number of colleges per lakh eligible population (between 18 and 23 years) is only 27.58. In some states like Bihar, it is as low as seven. A mere 33 per cent of colleges offer postgraduate courses and only 1.7 per cent. PhD programmes. Providing this backdrop, Mario Noronha says thousands of students who want to study further after completing schooling are unable to access higher education

n the Union Budget speech people back home who want a 2017-18 made in Parliament, college education but simply can’t IFinance Minister Arun Jaitley afford it.” It does not count even if proposed a framework to infuse one is a brilliant student. “Getting quality into higher education. A a scholarship does not help either. slew of measures, including greater First you have to spend the money, administrative and academic only thenyou’ll get the refund. autonomy for educational in- Where does one get the money in stitutions, are on the anvil. Will this the first place!” exclaims Sonam, be a game-changer for countless clearly pained. Students of Deva Nagri College in youth in the country? Will this The lament from students in Meerut. open out the potential in their lives Ladakh finds an echo in other and in the process lead to further regions too. Kaustav Baul, from Vapi, advancement of India? Gujarat, is doing a postgraduate to get admission.” We are today After completing his schooling, course at the Delhi School of a young nation primed to reap Sonam who hails from Ladakh, a Communication, a leading B-School the demographic dividend. The high-altitude icy desert in Jammu in the capital. Like him, there are focus on higher education is an & Kashmir (J&K), wanted to study scores of students from different imperative that we simply cannot further. The problem was that the corners of the country. It is a huge afford to ignore. region has just one college. It does struggle not only to find the right Arguably, higher education in not have a university. Sonam like college but also a place to stay, eat India has reached a quantum; so many of his fellow students was and commute in a city that can be yet figures disappoint. The gross left with no choice but to leave harsh. Often, budgets are extremely enrolment ratio (calculated for 18- home. Now, a student of Jammu restrictive. “It’s never as easy as it 23 age-group) for 2014-15 at 23.6 University, he says, “We face a sounds. Adapting to a different per cent was low. This prompted lot of problems here. So many culture, language, lifestyles and the fixing of the target for 2017-18 expenses – rent, tuition fees, food; food can be really tough.” at 25.2 per cent, to be increased to it’s difficult to manage.” The issue is not limited to whether 30 per cent by 2020-21. Still Sonam considers himself a university exists in a particular Even so, the scenario remains lucky. “There are many young area or does not. In J&K, while daunting. The All India Survey on Ladakh does not have a university, Higher Education 2014 lists three Jammu region has one. This would broad categories of institutions and imply that for students there, higher their numbers – 760 universities, education is more accessible. But 38498 colleges and 12276 stand- Zafar, a student at the university alone institutions. Interestingly, 35 hailing from a rural area in Jammu, per cent of colleges are located in has a different tale to tell. “Young the top 50 districts. College density people in backward areas have no or the number of colleges per lakh idea about university admission, eligible population (between 18 the procedures, or when entrance and 23 years) is skewed. In Bihar,

Photos: MN/Charkha exams are held. Many of them it is seven. This is in sharp contrast The Bihar Agricultural don’t even know that they have to to Telangana that has a whopping University, Bhagalpur. appear for entrance exams in order 60. The all-India average lies

July-September 2017 VIDURA 29 place. A revised framework would peer support, they need hand be worked out to incorporate the holding and career guidance.” changes, he said. According to Kumar, teachers This alone may not suffice. As can play the role as mentors and Swami Vivekananda said: “The counselors. “Higher education

education which does not help the needs to become much more common mass of people to equip human at the delivery platform,"< themselves for the struggle for she says. life, does not bring out strength of character, a spirit of philanthropy, (Courtesy: Charkha Features. The and the courage of a lion – is it writer is CEO, Charkha Development Counselling going on for BEd students worth the name?” Communication Network based in in Chhattisgarh. Says Prof Ramola Kumar, dean, New Delhi, a non-profit organisation Delhi School of Communication, that connects developmental issues on somewhere in the middle, at 27.58. “Students are liable to make wrong the ground with the media.) Of the total number of colleges, 58 choices in their career options. per cent are located in the rural Coming from homes with both belt that is vast in proportion to the parents working and diminished urban. The survey shows up a gender gap reflected in the gross enrolment Madhura Swaminathan selected for ration in higher education – 25.3 per cent for men and 23.2 per cent for Global Food Security panel women.It also shows that exclusive Madhura Swaminathan, chairperson, M S Swaminathan Research colleges for women make up 10.7 Foundation, has been selected to serve as an expert on the group writing per cent of the total. Only 33 per a report on Multi-stakeholder Partnerships to Finance and Improve Food cent colleges offer postgraduate Security and Nutrition in the Framework of the 2030 Agenda. The group is courses while those offering PhD constituted by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition programmes stand at an abysmal of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS). of 1.7 per cent. A sizable chunk Madhura Swaminathan is among five international experts selected out of of colleges (41 per cent) run only 78 global candidates. The others are from South Africa, Brazil, Sudan and a single programme. Of these, 81 Germany. The announcement came recently from Rome, the headquarters of per cent are privately managed. the Food and Agriculture Orgaisation (FAO). She is also professor and head Among them, 33 per cent offer only of the Economic Analysis Unit of the Indian Statistical Institute, Bengaluru. BEd courses. A development economist, she has authored eight books including one on The Department of Higher food policy in India. She has served on Government of India’s High Level

Education, under the Ministry of

Committee on Long Term Grain Policy, the UN Committee on Development Human Resource Development, < Policy and on the Board of International Potato Centre in Lima. is guided by its vision ‘to realise India's human resource potential to its fullest in the higher education sector, with equity and inclusion’. Sanjay Gupta is chairman, IIM-Amritsar The current dispensation has According to media reports, Sanjay Gupta, CEO of Jagran Prakashan, indicated its policy intent in this has been appointed chairman of the Society and Board of Governors of direction. In his budget speech, the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Amritsar. It is being reported that Jaitley made a pitch for “quality Gupta will hold the post for five years starting from June 23. Gupta is a education to energise our youth”. full-time director at Jagran Prakashan and also holds the position of chief The Finance minister spoke of a

editor of Dainik Jagran. He is a director at Mid-day Infomedia, MMI Online, slew of measures including greater Naidunia Media and member of the executive committee of The Indian < administrative and academic Newspaper Society. autonomy for educational (Courtesy: exchange4media.com) institutions. Based on a system of ranking and accreditation, colleges would be identified for autonomous status. Accreditation would be outcome-based and credit based programmes would be put in

30 VIDURA July-September 2017 Getting the better of online harassment isn’t easy at all

How can we strengthen institutional response mechanisms to technology-enabled violence against women in India? How can women be encouraged to face the onslaught bravely? It’s a tough task, says Pushpa Achanta, especially since only a few women seek legal remedies because most police, lawyers and judges are considered sexist

r Sheila J. (name online sexual harassment and changed), a physician abuse. “Din her late twenties in Says Geeta Ramaseshan, a lawyer Bangalore, contacted Vimochana of repute in Chennai, “A young stating that she was receiving woman from Tamil Nadu committed telephone calls from strangers suicide as obscene photos of her asking for her charges. Apparently, displayed on the Internet were not her photograph was displayed deleted as a policeman to whom on a website with her name and she complained about her online mobile number identifying her as harassment was dissatisfied with a paid escort. We guided her in the bribe.” approaching the police who quickly Flavia Agnes, an established ensured that her picture and other litigator and trainer in Mumbai, details were removed from the recounts how a policeman raped a website,” reveals Donna Fernandes, young woman in Maharashtra who co-founder, Vimochana, a non- sought his help in punishing her profit forum in Bangalore assisting cyberstalker. distressed women and girls. Discussing about strengthening Hearteningly, Sheila got quick institutional response mechanisms and satisfactory assistance. But, to technology-enabled violence not surprisingly, she decided against women in India, Anita against legal redress. That could Gurumurthy, co-founder and be expensive, long and produce director, ITforChange (a Bengaluru an unfavourable outcome. Further, NGO promoting ICTs for socio- A gender-minority person accesses a most police personnel, lawyers economic change) wonders if a social media website. and judiciary are insensitive even separate law or amending existing towards rape survivors. legislations can help. She says only faced religion-based abuse for Actually, no specific law in India a few women seek legal remedies backing the Boycott Disinvestment addresses gender harassment because most police, lawyers and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against and abuse using Information and judges are sexist. corporations trading with Israel. Communications Technology An international workshop in However, she has courageously (ICT). However, they are consi- Bangalore on ‘virtual’ harassment continued being active online and dered crimes under the Sexual demonstrated that it targeted says that we must counter or ignore Harassment at the Workplace gender, race, caste, faith, ideology abuse and proceed, though it is (Prevention, Prohibition and and other socio-cultural identities of tough especially when unfamiliar Rehabilitation) Act and Information a person or group, worldwide. Faika or fake identities comment. Technology Act. Haroun, a human rights activist Faika also recalled how a girl felt Further, Indian Penal Code from South Africa says, “Gender threatened and shattered when (IPC) sections 354A, 354C, 354D, based violence is similar online her brother who molested her sent 499, 507 and 509 can partially help and offline. I received threats on WhatsApp messages. when women and sometimes other Facebook for favouring CodePink But the police doubted her as the genders experience cyberstalking, (a group doing humanitarian brother lived in a different city, trolling, threats, slander, libel, work in Palestine)”. Faika has also showing they were unaware that

July-September 2017 VIDURA 31 harassment using ICT was location- sometimes difficult due to security about religion is considered wrong. independent. loopholes, technological constraints Girls/ women who are supposedly Maria Vadero, a gender rights etc, Hila says that one must continue Hindu but do not sport a bindi activist, performer and trainer from being online despite abuse. (dot on the forehead) and wear Spain, remarks that posting on Highlighting that ‘revenge porn’ jeans are regarded as being deviant social media about gender violence is increasing, Bindu recounts how or supporting religious or other or any protests is tough. Yet, a a woman considered suicide after minorities. It is tough especially social activist in Spain withstood her ‘boyfriend’ circulated some for women to discuss being child- cyber harassment and continued of her private pictures. “India has free. Such ideas are regarded as working. According to Maria, some a few laws to penalise/ punish incorrect and unnecessary. websites wrongly state that violence ICT-based gender crimes and Faika suggests that when is gender-independent. victims / survivors can complain unknown or anonymous identities “In many countries, lawmakers to cyber crime police cells, the comment on posts negatively, we and laws are sexist and harm National Commission for Women, should block or ignore them and women,”feels Hila Fariyal, a law and the National Human Rights proceed, though forgetting such student from Afghanistan. She Commission, as required. ICT-based situations maybe tough. Further, mentions a pop music singer of gender crimes are tough to handle as blocking multiple hidden or Afghani origin who inspired many pictures and videos travel fast and unfamiliar accounts is difficult and to ‘follow’ her on social media after wide. Further, laws surrounding the unknown identities could return she survived cyber harassment. obtaining consent (for sharing with different names. Changing Hila adds that blocking unsavoury personal information, having sexual privacy or visibility settings may content is difficult owing to many relationships, etc) are weak, barely help. “I tell girls that they should security loopholes and technological known and implemented poorly,” use ICT but know the relevant pros limitations. But that should not she explans. and cons and learn how and when discourage persons from minority “Political views of women on to answer or ignore messages or groups from using the Internet. social media are deleted or criticised posts,” she says. Bindu Doddahatti, a lawyer while nude pictures of women are Disclosing experiences of getting in Bangalore, observes that men morphed and distributed thereby unpalatable remarks via email, posting their pictures rarely face degrading women,” says Hila. But, telephone and social media from abuse unlike women or gender many able-bodied, heterosexual and acquaintances and strangers, this minorities. She added that women dominant caste/ race/ faith/ class men writer told workshop participants, cannot express their views frankly, are rarely humiliated like women “As a journalist writing regularly online. Hila and Faika mention that are. The USA’s National Security about human rights issues, I express Facebook blocked their accounts Agency has used nude pictures myself candidly despite derogatory perhaps because their posts were while the Indian Government can comments on my online articles.” I unacceptable and dissenters could archive private text messages. highlighted instances of how author misuse such provisions. Observing Rajeswari, a social worker says Meena Kandasamy was threatened that blocking unsolicited content is that posting views on social media online after participating in a beef festival held at Osmania University, Hyderabad, how Kavita Krishnan survived Internet-based trolling, and how Tamil poet Kutti Revathi received hate email long after

publishing her poem, Mulaihal (Breasts). <

(The writer is a freelance journalist based in Bengaluru.) Photos: PA Screenshot of a website of a woman journalists' network that highlights and condemns online abuse/ harassment.

32 VIDURA July-September 2017 Onus on individuals to make family planning work

Family Planning as a state intervention has connotations of heavy-handedness by the establishment. India in the 1970s has seen a disturbing phase of this. Adopting measures to space and limit births by people themselves, however, is all about exercising one’s choice. India in the new millennium is seeing more and more couples reaching out for these measures, says Mario Noronha. They are driven by the desire to give their off-springs the best care, support and nurturing within their means, he adds while pointing out that at the policy level there is a new thrust on family planning as a key strategy to reduce maternal and child mortalities and morbidities

ukhsana Bano, 45, living in Patna, Bihar is a mother of Rthree. She has planned her family well. She and her husband were clear from the beginning – they wanted to limit the size of their family and wanted reasonable spacing between childbirths. This they believed was crucial for the health of the mother and child. However, they are an exception. For most people, family planning is a concept, far removed from their lives. Laments Rukhsana, “People think that it is a bad sign if you don’t have a baby soon after

marriage. Even your own family Kutty Photo: Vijay members begin talking ill about Spacing and limiting births – the key to a happy family. you. Why don’t people stop to think about your health or that of your children?” “I find that many women visiting Population Foundation of India, The thrust on family planning my clinic face issues of unwanted an NGO working towards effective under the National Health pregnancies. I share with them the formulation and implementation of Mission, Government of India information on various methods of gender sensitive population, health programme, provides for a basket family planning. But they have only and development strategies and of contraceptive choices. This one answer – their husbands do not policies. According to its findings, constitutes a mix of contraceptives want to use any of the methods. Still close to 272000 women have lost that include injectables and oral I persist and tell them to talk openly their lives during pregnancy in a pills. But Rukhsana is skeptical, “It with their husbands. But I know 10-year period from 1995 to 2015. is the couples who have to decide that very few women will have the These figures are deeply when and how many children they nerve to do so.” disturbing and the issue has want to have. The choice is yours. According to World Health merited a policy response, one that The government has nothing to do Organization figures, 5 million recognises the criticality of spacing with it.” 29 thousand women die every and limiting births in order to Rukhsana Bano has hit upon a year during childbirth globally. control the galloping maternal and home truth. Even in a city like Of this, 1 lakh 36 thousand (25.7 child deaths. Patna, women have very little per cent of the women) are from At the two-day National Summit say in matters related to their India. Figures also indicate that in on Family Planning on 5th April reproductive health. Chanda India, every five minutes a mother 2016, J.P. Nadda, Union minister of Kumari, a homeopathic doctor dies during pregnancy and child Health and Family Welfare, pointed based in the city, provides an insight, birth. This is corroborated by in this direction, "There has been a

July-September 2017 VIDURA 33 it can be for a mother’s health if she has repeated pregnancies. This will equally impact the children.” Right from the outset Alam and his wife adopted family planning measures. Although Rukhsana Bano and Irfan Alam represent a miniscule of the population where uptake of family planning measures is urgently required, they signify hope. Somewhere the old norms have to be shaken off, mindsets need to change so that family planning does not stay limited to a top-down programme driven by government policy. Men and women, mothers and fathers from across the country, from all sections of society really need to reach out

Photo: Jhpiego and make it work in their lives.

They could thus create family units Family planning will ensure the new-born gets undivided care in early years. < that are healthy and happy. paradigm shift and family planning married, I was clear that I wanted a (Courtesy: Charkha Features) has now emerged as a key strategy small family. I know how harmful to reduce maternal and child mortalities and morbidities.” Women like Rukhsana Bano represent the face of change, Editors from Egypt, Kenya bag required for the policy thrust to take root amongst stakeholders – WAN-IFRA Awards primarily men and women in the The Women in News Editorial Leadership Award recognises an exemplary reproductive age group. Irfan Alam, contribution of an editor to her newsroom - and under her leadership the a civil engineer with a company in contribution of her newspaper - to society. Karima Kamal, columnist and Kuwait hailing from Jehanabad contributing editor for the Egyptian daily, Al Masry Al Yom, has been named District in Bihar, recalls, “I grew up the 2017 Laureate for Middle East and Africa. Pamella Sittoni, editor of the in a large family. From my earliest International Desk for the Nation Media Group and managing editor for The memories, I have seen how Ammi East African, a weekly circulated in Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya, and Abbu have struggled to bring has been named the 2017 Laureate for Africa. us all up, facing so many difficulties. "I am humbled by this great honour,” says 2017 Africa Laureate Pamella By the time I grew up and got Sittoni. “This award is a strong confirmation that the world is taking notice of the important contribution that women leaders in media houses are making to the development of their countries, regions and the world. I'm confident that it will inspire other women journalists, particularly the younger ones, to aim for the top through diligence." On being named a winner, 2017 MENA Laureate Karima Kamal says: "I am very pleased to have received the Award as I feel it is the crown of my professional journey. The Award supports those who defend the freedom of the press, and is also a confirmation of the importance of promoting the presence of women equally and fairly within all strata of media.” The Women in News Editorial Leadership Award is part of WAN-IFRA’s Gender and Media Freedom Strategy, made possible through support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. One Laureate from MENA and one Laureate from Africa are named, annually. Toyosi

Photo: Hadynyah Ogunseye, editor of the Sunday Punch in Nigeria, was named 2014 Laureate < The joy of having a child. But a for Africa. small family is best.

34 VIDURA July-September 2017 Land contouring proves a boon for marginal farmers

The Indian coastal ecosystem comprises 10.78 million hectares along a 8129-km coastline. Of this, 3.1 million hectare is salt-affected. With a rising sea level due to global warming, the Sundarbans in West Bengal presents one of the worst case scenarios. Additionally, heavy rainfall, bad drainage, with much of the land lying below sea level, makes matters worse for farmers, nearly all of whom own marginal lands. Rina Mukherji tells us the story about how an initiative by the Central Soil and Salinity Research Institute has resulted in a turnaround for farmers in 32 villages in South 24- Parganas

ake the case of Bimal Ghorami annual income of Rs 2800. leaching into the groundwater, from Andharia Village in Once a land of abundant since the soil is of heavy texture. TCanning 1 cluster in South mangroves, the Sundarbans were Besides, the rains see a lot of 24-Parganas District of the Indian extensively deforested by the British water getting lost as runoff, with Sundarbans. His 0.40 ha yielded at the end of the 19th Century for the topsoil being left devoid of only the minimal kharif paddy, habitation. Owing to the peculiar nutrients. Soils are especially low earning him a meagre annual nature of mangroves that filter in phosphorus, potassium and income of Rs 3900, forcing him to waste and chemicals from waters calcium. Unlike other regions, seek employment in Kolkata as a downstream, acid sulphates and groundwater irrigation cannot be daily wager to make ends meet. sulphides abound just below the land resorted to here. The presence of Pachu Mondol from the same surface. Despite good monsoons acid sulphates and the pyrites of village, with a 0.33-ha farm, faced year after year, much of the land iron sulphates beyond a certain the same problem. He could only being at sea level has resulted in bad depth can turn the soil acidic in manage to make Rs 3800 annually, drainage and, hence, waterlogging the presence of water. and had to seek employment to in parts. Standing water is a major The dry months are especially supplement his meagre means. cause for salinity. troublesome. Evaporation of Although Tapan Mridha’s farm in The numerous estuarine water- surface water causes the saline Chandkhali Village in Canning had bodies that criss-cross the land are salts to come up to the surface, a ditch, it was only enough to rear also salt-laden. The salinity levels making the land uncultivable some fish for home consumption. are cyclical, with heavy rains in and crops prone to failure. The salinity level on his farm was the monsoon diluting the salt Thus, in spite of good rains, the just too high, save for the kharif content and improving the water Sundarbans remains perennially paddy. Thus, he could only earn an quality. However, there is very little poor, with distress migration the

Farm pond (28%)

A soothing sight of a pond next to a farm. The farm-pond contouring technique.

July-September 2017 VIDURA 35 Trench Ditch Dike

The paddy-cum-fish technique with farm surrounded by water trench.

Ridge and furrow method: This method of contouring has the ridges working as high-level sections for growing vegetables, while furrows can be used to grow View of a contoured farmland with a trench surrounding the farm for fish breeding paddy and breed fish. Variations of and rainwater harvesting. this method include high ridge and deep furrow, medium ridge and norm. Taking into account all these Paddy-cum-fish cultivation shallow furrow, and broad ridge problems, the Central Soil and technique: In this technique, a and shallow furrow, in keeping Salinity Research Institute (CSSRI) trench is dug all around a farm and a with individual preferences. has devised land contouring ditch maintained in one corner. The Whatever the method opted for methods wherein a small plot of dug-out soil is used to raise the farm growing paddy alongside fish- land can be used by a marginal for better drainage and to prevent breeding, the farmer, though, farmer to yield multiple crops and waterlogging. Dykes around the needs to be careful in selecting the rear fish for a living, while ensuring farm protect it from free-flowing fish species. As Buddheswar Maji, food security. Several techniques water, while the trench helps rear director, CSSRI, warns, “Carp have been devised for the purpose, fish. This method can help harvest varieties may be well-suited. But depending on the level of salinity 1400 cubic metres of water for every the farmer needs to steer clear of to be dealt with, and the prevailing hectare of farmland. The dykes the grass carp, since this variety conditions. around the farm can be used to grow can eat up all the saplings in a vegetables during the kharif season, paddy field. Care should be taken Farm pond technique: In the while the grows paddy. In the rabi that grass carp do not ever slip farm pond technique, 20 per cent of season, the water in the trenches into the fields, especially during the farm area is converted into an can be used for irrigation to grow the rains. ” Provided the necessary on-farm pond to harvest the excess low-water crops. pre-cautions are taken, land rainwater. The dug-out soil is then used to contour the remaining farm into high, medium and low levels. However, this cannot work in areas of acute salinity. The high-level land here is used to grow vegetables and fruit throughout the year, while during the monsoon, the medium level land is used to cultivate paddy, and the low level is used for rearing fish. In the rabi (dry) season, the low level land is used for paddy, while sunflower, groundnut and cotton are grown in the medium level land. This technique helps the farmer harvest nearly 5000 cubic metres of rainwater for irrigation, Farmland contoured into high, medium and low levels according to the basic while also breeding fish. contouring technique.

36 VIDURA July-September 2017 Photos and illustrations: RM

The shallow furrow-and-medium-ridge technique.

contouring can prove a boon for per the farm-pond technique. He suited to the soil conditions here and marginal farmers, though, as seen now breeds fish throughout the can provide a good supplementary first-hand by many farmers here. year, besides growing both kharif income to farmers. There are

Each of those who have opted for and rabi vegetables, and fruits like also efforts afoot to upscale the the techniques have now turned papaya and bananas, earning a net programme with the help of other < into full-time farmers and ceased income of more than Rs 17000 per technical partners in the state. working as daily wagers. annum. Pachu Mondol and Tapan Mridha Bimal Ghorami , who has opted (The writer is a freelance journalist , who opted for land contouring for the ridge and furrow method based in Kolkata who specialises since 2010, are reaping the benefits since 2011-12, now earns an annual in developmental issues. She is the now. Mondol’s farm has been income of Rs 37000 from paddy, recipient of several national and contoured as per the farm-pond fish, and both kharrif and rabi international fellowships, besides technique, and now yields an vegetables. In short, it has meant a India's first-ever Laadli Extraordinaire annual income of Rs 23000, besides total turnaround for farmers in 32 Award for relentlessly fighting gender a daily income from vegetables and villages in South 24-Parganas. injustice.) an intermittent income from fish. At the moment, CSSRI is in Mridha had his farm contoured the process of training farmers to enlarge his ditch to a 3-metre in sunflower and mushroom depth, widening it to 0.4 metre, as cultivation since these are well-

Media industry to clock Rs 291000 cr by 2021: PwC report India’s and media sector is expected to grow steadily over the next four years as per PwC’s Global Entertainment and Media Outlook 2017-2021 report unveiled. According to the report, the industry is expected to exceed INR 291000 crore by 2021 growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.5 per cent between 2017 and 2021. TV subscription revenues are expected to grow from INR 52755 crore in 2016 to INR 90713 crore in 2021 at a

CAGR of 11.6 per cent. Publishing in India is expected to grow from INR 38601 crore in 2016 to INR 44391 crore in 2021 at a CAGR of 3.1 per cent. India’s internet video segment has produced revenues of INR 560 crore in 2016 < and will grow at 22.4 per cent CAGR to reach a new high of INR 1540 crore in 2021.

(Courtesy: exchange4media.com)

July-September 2017 VIDURA 37 What ails Indian PR, and how it can be made effective If India is the birthplace of human speech, as designated by American writer Mark Twain, it can also be taken as the place where Public Relations was born as a social science. C.V. Narasimha Reddi takes a look at the evolution of Public Relations, the areas in which it is lagging, and what India can do to catch up with the rest of the world

ore than 2500 years leading IT firm, admitted to fraud to to assess reactions to organisational ago, when the term the tune of Rs 14000 crore. Raju had goals. Unfortunately, there are M‘communications’ was used his Corporate Communications rarely any one-to-one sessions not even coined, Gautama Buddha Division to mislead stakeholders by between PR staff and the public made use of Public Relations painting a glorious picture of the to garner such information. The techniques to spread Buddhism not company. The media had eulogised public is approached through only in India but also throughout him in consequence, and share representational media such as Asia. Household interpersonal values of his company had risen. TV and newspapers rather than communication was his technique. Radiagate is another case in point. through presentational media face- Therefore, the Buddha is regarded Niira Radia’s Vaishnavi Corporate to-face. While media relations is a not only as the Light of Asia but Communications indulged in primary focus of public relations also as a public relations (PR) nefarious power dealings and over departments, other responsibilities messiah and forerunner of today’s 5000 incriminating conversations should not be ignored. global PR techniques. involving her and the then Telecom Measurement measures: In India, PR received a boost in India in the minister, A. Raja, were taped by the PR operates by and large as one 1990s because of the new industrial Income Tax Department. way communication without any policy and competitive marketing The minister was forced to provision for effective feedback environment. India entered the resign and Vaishnavi Corporate through research and measurement global PR arena. PRc as a discipline, Communication was closed down. efforts. This needs to be changed. with a thrust on media strategy, The credibility of Public Relations as Urban-rural divide: If one played a big role in transforming a discipline took a hit in both cases. subscribes to the belief that India India both into the world’s largest lives in its six lakh villages, housing democracy and an economic player Areas for improvement 72 per cent of its population, then poised to become the third biggest Education and training: The lack of PR is out of sync with the country. economy in the world. PR education and in-service training PR is mostly confined to the 4000 are major drawbacks faced by the cities and towns that make up urban Quantity vs quality PR industry in India. When the India. There has to be increased The distinguishing trait of Indian Dr BR Ambedkar Open University focus on rural India. Public Relations is the ‘quantity of wanted to introduce a postgraduate A missing place on the board: PR PR personnel’ rather than ‘quality degree in Mass Communication should be a strategic management of the PR profession’. The need of and Public Relations, the University function and PR departments the hour is professional excellence. Grants Commission rejected the should hold responsibility for A recent survey by the Associated proposal on the plea that the course advising management on key Chambers of Commerce and was not on its approved list. In the communication strategies. Industry pegged the size of the West, PR is offered as a major at the Unfortunately, in India, its role is PR industry at $6 billion (over Rs UG level and also at the PG level. still more that of a technician than 30000) crore and predicted that it Stakeholder relationships: As a of a strategist. Ideally, the head of would grow further. strategic management function, PR the PR Department must have a Credibility (or the lack of it) is the is expected to reach out to every place on the board which devises biggest factor affecting the health section of the public associated and approves of policies. This of Indian PR. In 2009, Ramalinga with the organisation in question, rarely happens in India. Raju, the erstwhile chairman of such as shareholders, investors, Identity Crisis: PR as a Satyam Computers, then India’s employees, customers, suppliers etc, specialised discipline is yet to come

38 VIDURA July-September 2017 Illustration: Arun Ramkumar Illustration:

out of its ‘misconception shell’. Upgrade to PR 2.0 model how social media can be used It has many aliases, including The 125 crore people in India effectively. He interacts directly Corporate Communications, cannot be reached out to only with the public through his Man Ki Corporate Relations, Public Affairs, through traditional influencers – Baat radio programmes and social Publicity, etc. Just as Finance, mass media. Press releases, the media formats such as Facebook, HR, Marketing and Advertising traditional PR tool, are proving less Twitter and YouTube, besides the are known universally by those effective as the audiences preference pmindia.gov.in.en website. terms, Public Relations should for channels of information has According to estimates, there be a clearly recognised arm in all changed. will be over a hundred crore organisations. The PR 2.0 model based on the Internet users in India by 2020.

Professional representation: merging of traditional PR with The prospects of the PR 2.0 model Most countries have their own the Internet and social media, are undoubtedly bright. Let us not < professional PR body to promote the as developed by Brian Solis, a miss the tide. recognition of Public Relations as a disruptive technology guru, distinct profession and to improve should be adopted by Indian (The writer is editor, Public and maintain standards among pr PR professionals to reinvent Relations Voice, and former director, practitioners. The Public Relations themselves. It allows people to Information & PR Department, Society of America (PRSA) is the establish networks to directly Government of Andhra Pradesh.) world’s largest such body. Sadly, reach customers, business partners, India, despite being the world’s stakeholders etc. with personalised largest democracy, does not have a messages for greater impact. strong pr professional body on par Prime Minister Narendra Modi with those in western countries. provides a shining example of

July-September 2017 VIDURA 39 VIEW FROM THE NORTHEAST Are journalists relatively safe here? The Northeast of India, traditionally tagged as a ‘troubled area’, has bucked its reputation at least in regard to the safety of journalists’ lives. No murder of media persons has been reported from this region since 2014, contrary to the trend in other parts of the country, says Nava Thakuria

s many as 20 journalists 30 journalists to violence in the was adjudged the best Assamese were killed in different parts last three decades. Manipur and feature film at the 64th National Aof India between 2014 and Assam, where over 30 separatist Film Awards 2016. 2017, with four media persons armed militant outfits are still Bollywood actor Adil Hussain, succumbing to attacks in the first active, witnessed the murder of who hails from Assam, received six months of the current year Dwijamani Nanao Singh in Imphal a special mention for his alone. However, no killing has and Raihanul Nayum in Dhubri in performances in the 116-minute been reported from the Northeast 2012. Earlier, an Assamese editor, film and Mukti Bhawan in Hindi. during the period. Hariprakash, a Anil Mazumdar, was killed in 2009 Produced under the banner of Jharkhand-based scribe, Brajesh in Guwahati. Assam alone has lost Dr Bardoloi’s newly launched Kumar Singh of Bihar, and Shyam 15 newsmen to armed militants production house Udara Films, Maj Sharma and Kamlesh Jain from since 1991, but shockingly no one Rati Keteki’s cast includes Kulada Madhya Pradesh were the four has been convicted for any of these Kumar Bhattacharya, Sulakshana whose work triggered the animosity crimes till date. Barua, Mala Goswami, Pranami of those they had exposed, leading The killing of Sujit Bhattacharya Bora, Indu Mohan Das, and Kasvi to their deaths this year. (proof reader), Ranjit Chowdhury Songkorison. Gnana Shekar V.S. Various media organisations like (manager) and Balaram Ghosh was in charge of cinematography the Madhya Pradesh Journalist (driver) at the premises of Dainik and music is by Anurag Saikia. Union (MPJU), Journalists’ Forum Ganadoot in Agartala made Rupam Bhuyan rendered the only Assam (JFA), National Federation sensational news in 2013. After song in the movie. Ushma Bardoloi of Newspaper Employees (NFNE) a lot of hue and cry, the Tripura was both associate director and and the International Federation police arrested Sushil Choudhury, editor. of Journalists (IFJ) have expressed the Dainik Ganadoot proprietor and The film was screened at two serious concern over the murder editor. He was convicted by the international film festivals in Kerala of the journalists and asked the west Tripura District and Session and Karnataka recently, and won authorities to book the culprits. Court for the triple murders. But rave reviews from both audience In a recent statement, the IFJ Choudhury was acquitted by the and critics. It has also been included disclosed that 93 journalists were High Court, and the Government has for screening at various prestigious killed last year. Iraq had the now appealed against the verdict in film festivals across the country highest number (15), followed by the Supreme Court. After this date, Afghanistan (13), Mexico (11), Yemen no killing of media persons have (8), Guatemala, Syria and India (all been reported from the region. 6). Neighbouring Pakistan reported the murders of five journalists. Not a one-movie-wonder Bangladesh witnessed the murder Dr Santwana Bardoloi, a of one rural reporter – Abdul paedriatician by profession and a Hakim Shimul – this year, and film-maker by choice, has proved tiny Maldives drew international she is no one-film-wonder, with her attention with the sensational second full-length Assamese movie, murder of a prominent journalist Maj Rati Keteki (The Midnight and human rights defender, Yameen Hawk-cuckoo), repeating the feat of Rasheed. her national award-winning debut The eight states that comprise film, Adajya (The Flight), which Photos: NT India’s Northeast lost more than premiered in 1996. Maj Rati Keteki Dr Santwana Bardoloi.

40 VIDURA July-September 2017 National award-winning Assamese film, ‘Maj Rati Keteki’ is a serious story about the life journey of a sensitive writer-poet-artist and how various events affect him. It goes to show how a writer’s life experiences seep into his writings whether he consciously chooses it or not and also how a special kind of courage is required to face life’s toughest truths. This is a scene from the film.

and will be commercially released throughout the film echoes its title. the crisis facing the Assamese film on October 27. Dr Bardoloi’s Adajya was based fraternity as regional cinemas were The story revolves around a on a popular Assamese novel tilted not attracting larger audiences. writer who has returned to his Dontal Haatir Uiye Khowa Haoda by However, she was hopeful of

native town after many years and Indira Goswami. It won laurels at the audience support for the local is caught up in a series of events 44th National Film Awards and was film industry, going forward. < involving different personalities screened at various international which redefine his life experiences film festivals. Addressing media (The author is a senior journalist and perceptions. The long whistling persons at the Guwahati Press Club based in Guwahati.) cry of the small keteki bird heard recently, Dr Bardoloi highlighted

‘Print media players taking proactive steps to sustain circulation’ Here’s what M.V. Shreyams Kumar, joint MD, Mathrubhumi Group, has to say about the changing media landscape in India: The print industry has died many deaths and its obituary has been written and re-written many times over the past few years. The ABC has challenged popular belief that print media in the country is dying, by releasing data that shows that 2.37 crore newspaper copies were added in the last 10 years despite stiff competition from television and digital media, they have all been touted to state that ‘writing is on the wall’, ‘death is not too far’. There are multiple reasons driving the growth of paid print in this country. First, over the past decades, there has been an increase in literacy levels in India (from 64.8 per cent in 2001 to 74 per cent in 2011), which has expanded the target market for the industry. Second, the Indian economy is a rural economy with more than 65 per cent of India’s population residing in the rural areas. A paradigm shift is visible in rural population where there is a strong depth in language readership, particularly in Hindi, Marathi, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu among others, over the past five decades as they become one of the most influential consumer groups with increased income levels and changing tastes and preferences. Additionally, the coverage of local news by regional language newspapers has given circulation the much needed momentum to express the consumers’ grievances and aspirations. Regional focus has further resulted in hyper- localisation leading to multi-edition newspapers with supplements. Lastly, Indian newspapers are priced significantly lower than their global counterparts to enable a wider reader base. Annual subscription for an average Indian newspaper is less than INR 1000 which amounts to USD 15 (USD 1 = INR 67.) As Internet access expands and technology advances take place, traditional print players are also experimenting

with these changes and co-exist with them both in the physical and digital space. The print media players are taking proactive steps to sustain their circulation revenue and prevent cannibalisation from the new avenues of news and < information. (Courtesy: exchange4media.com.)

July-September 2017 VIDURA 41 GREAT INDIAN EDITORS Visionary editor, father of Indian Renaissance Raja Ram Mohan Roy (sometimes also referred to as Rammohun) was a journalist, editor, writer, social reformer and scholar. He is widely regarded as the ‘father of Indian renaissance’. His extensive study, analysis and understanding of religious texts, propagation of reformist ideas for the betterment of society and crusade for change in government policies earned him the epithet. A man who used journalism and editorship for worthy causes, Ram Mohan Roy rightly earned respect from global intelligentsia and was truly a social visionary. The reverence for his work is, thus, not limited to India but finds mention in the history and consciousness of the world. Mrinal Chatterjee describes the man and his life

orn to Ramkanta Roy lavish praises for his abilities. After and Tarini Devi at 13 years, Roy retired as a sheristadar “BRadhanagore, Arambagh to follow his heart. After vacating Subdivision, Hooghly District office, Digby noted, “By perusing all in Bengal Presidency (now West my correspondence with diligence Bengal) on 22nd May 1772, Ram and attention, he acquired so correct Mohan Roy began his education a knowledge of the English language with the study of Bengali language. as to be enabled to write and speak He was subsequently sent to Patna it with considerable accuracy.” (now the capital city of Bihar state) While working at the East India where he learnt Persian and Arabic. Company, Roy extensively studied His next educational stint was in Christianity. This made him realise Benaras (now in Uttar Pradesh), that some Hindu traditions and studying Sanskrit. superstitions required reformation. Within a short span of time, In 1816, he founded Atmiya Ram Mohan became well-versed Sabha to propagate his doctrines in Sanskrit literature, particularly of monotheistic Hinduism. He the Upanishads (religious texts of translated the Vedanta philosophy the Hindus). It was this knowledge and the Vedantasara into English. that helped him to comparatively He followed it up by rendering the analyse and point to the evils Upanishads in Bengali and English prevailing in the religion during in 1816 and 1817, respectively. He is that time. These, he reasoned, had credited with introducing the word, A portrait of Raja Ram Mohan Roy. no basis in the original writings of Hinduism, in the English language Hinduism. The idea germinated in 1816. with 16-year-old Ram Mohan Roy published Precepts to Jesus, the The books gained attention in publishing his famous work, Guide to Peace and Happiness, a book America and England, and this Idolatry. The teenager made history in Bengali and Sanskrit in 1820. was the view of one Carpenter since this was the first literary work He argued that Jesus Christ was a with reference to the second Appeals in Bengali prose. religious preacher and not of divine , “The excellent author is In his 22nd year, Roy commenced origin. This irked the Christian distinguished by the closeness of the study of English and it took him Missionaries of Serampore no end. his reasoning, the critical accuracy six years to master it. It is believed To defend his views, he printed his of his scriptural knowledge, that he acquired some knowledge first and second Appeals. When the the comprehensiveness of his of French, Latin, Greek and Hebrew Baptist Mission Church refused to investigations and the acuteness as well. In 1800, he took service print his finalAppeals, he established and skill with which he controverts as a clerk in the Collectorate of his own press and had it printed the positions of his opponents.” Rungapore headed by Digby of the citing Greek and Hebrew quotations Countless controversies erupted East India Company and earned backing his stand. and Roy started a periodical called

42 VIDURA July-September 2017 Brahminical Magazine to safeguard the caste system by introducing the religious books of Hindus. inter-caste marriages and he Atmiya Sabha published a weekly cited authorities from the Hindus called Bengal Gazette, a newspaper scriptures in support of his view. He in Persian, Mirat-ul-Akbar, and a justified widow remarriage, inter- Bengali weekly, Sambad Kaumudi. caste and inter-racial marriages on The editorials of Sambad Kaumudi the basis of religious scriptures and often carried editorials against the tradition. practise of sati daha (forced burning Roy’s efforts bore fruit as his fight of the widow in the flames of her against sati daha (bride burning) husband’s funeral pyre) and other caught the attention of Lord William A commemorative stamp on Raja Ram reformist ideas. Roy through his Henry Cavendish-Bentinck. After Mohan Roy issued by the Government weekly spoke fervently on issues he Roy wrote vigorously professing of India. held dear: abolishing the practices of his vehement disapproval of the sati, polygamy and child marriage; inhuman tradition, Lord Bentick social reform was essential. In 1817, advocated widow remarriage and had several conferences with him in collaboration with David Hare property inheritance rights for on the subject. His twelve years and Sir Edward Hyde, he set up women.He used the might of his of persistent endeavour against the Hindu College in Calcutta. Roy pen to spread forth his ideas to rid vehement opposition triumphed. founded the Anglo-Hindu school Hinduism of its evils and dogmas, On December 4, 1829, an act was in 1922 and Vendanta College four superstitions and elaborate rituals. passed abolishing the rite. years later. At the latter institution, The orthodox Hindus did not In 1828, Roy founded the he aimed at courses as a synthesis take kindly to these suggestions. An Brahmo Samaj in Calcutta. It was of Indian and western learning. association formed by the orthodox an influential movement that did Roy married three times. As a party, the Dharma Sabha, started not discriminate between people custom during those days, he was a periodical, Samachar Chandrika, belonging to different religions, married as a child. When his child- to counter Sambad Kaumudi. The castes or communities. Roy, bride died, he was married again. editorial face-off between them who was against idol worship, With the second wife, he had two became the order of the day, where propagated the oneness of God sons: Radhaprasad in 1800 and the former batted for the status through the Brahmo Samaj. It was Ramaprasad in 1812. One of his quo and the latter for reforms with a movement of reformist high-caste sons was appointed as the first Roy basing his arguments on the Bengalis to fight against social Indian judge on the Calcutta High shashtras. He was the first great evils. Court bench, though unfortunately Indian reformer to advocate a plan Roy was the first Indian to raise he passed away before assuming for breaking down the barriers of voice against curbing of press office. His second wife passed freedom. He and five of his friends away in 1824. Roy’s father got him submitted a memorandum to the married for a third time to Uma Supreme Court in Calcutta on the Devi, while his second wife was 31st March, 1823, saying that the alive. ordinance issued by the acting Raja Ram Mohan Roy died of governor general, Adams, which meningitis on September 27, 1833

placed serious restrictions on in Bristol. Uma Devi outlived him. < the freedom of the press, be not accepted. (The author, a journalist-turned- When the East India Company media academician, presently heads continued to muzzle the press, Roy the Eastern India campus of the Indian composed two memorials (a sort Institute of Mass Communication of written appeal signed by some located in Dhenkanal, Odisha. This of the progressive intellectuals of is the second in a series of profiles of the time) against this in 1829 and great Indian newspaper editors who 1830, respectively. He championed have, through the course of their work the freedom of press through these. and career, made a signal contribution His memorial for the repeal of the to India's Freedom Movement, to draconian press ordinance of 1823 the development of society and to the Photo: MC has been called the Aeropagitics of development of Journalism.) The statue of Raja Ram Mohan Indian History. Roy was a devoted Roy at College Green, Bristol, educator and believed holistic England.

July-September 2017 VIDURA 43 INTERVIEW WTIH APARNA SEN ‘I like to try different approaches in cinema’

Aparna Sen is acknowledged as one of the finest directors Indian cinema has produced. But curiously, her latest film, Sonata, vanished without a trace after a one-week run in a couple of theatres in Kolkata. In an exclusive interview with Shoma A. Chatterji, she talks about why she decided to turn Mahesh Elkunchwar’s one-act play in English into a 100-minute film.

onata is about three middle- admired the most, such as Ingmar be able to hold their audience in aged women who are Bergman and Roman Polanski, have thrall just as on stage; finally, it is a Sindependent and have made directed beautiful chamber pieces. challenge for the director who has their own choices in life. They are This is a genre where the narrative to choreograph the entire film in a different in terms of ethnicity, progresses through continuing way that will not appear static. I was profession, education and ideology. conversation amongst the characters, happy to take up that challenge. Yet, they find a strange bonding and and the line between stage and hidden layers of their relationship cinema is deliberately blurred. One But you have done this before? are revealed as the film unfolds. realises that cinema and theatre do I have done this before with my Aparna was inspired to make the not have to be mutually exclusive. film Saari Raat based on Badal film after she watched the play Performance is king here, and yet Sarkar’s play Saara Rattir (Bengali). directed by her close friend Sohag you can use the close-up (which That film too had one space and Sen, a theatre personality who runs is the essential stuff of cinema) to three characters and took place in her own group. great effect. the course of a single night. My DOP (director of Photography), As a director who has always Was it a challenge? my editor, my production designer worked in films and as an actress It is certainly a challenge – for the and I all took the challenge of this who has worked on stage and in cinematographer who has to light project with a lot of relish. It worked films, what prompted you to turn up the set in a way that lends itself out rather well, I have to say, and I a single-set chamber drama into a to continuous viewing for 90 to 100 wanted to repeat the exercise. It is full-length feature film? minutes at a stretch; it is a challenge also a great way of making a small Some of the directors I have for the performers who have to budget film because it is confined to one location and with very few characters. I feel it is something that we independent (and regional) filmmakers can look into trying from time to time.

As a director who has made several outdoor-rooted films like Mr & Mrs Iyer, 15 Park Avenue, and Arshinagar, what made you explore the limited physical space of a living room as the main backdrop and keep away from the outside world? I am a filmmaker who likes to try different approaches in cinema. In Arshinagar, you will remember, I tried to combine theatre and cinema, the two sister disciplines. I also

Photos: SC veered away from everyday reality Shabana Azmi, Lillete Dubey and Aparna Sen in a scene from the film, Sonata. in many of my films – Yugant, 15

44 VIDURA July-September 2017 Park Avenue, Arshinagar to name The characters are ethnically Now that you have watched the a few. I also like to try different placed against the grain. Was film with an audience, what is your genres. I might for instance, try an this done by design or was it just viewer-cum-director response to epistolary style sometime, merging a coincidence and if it was by your film? cinema and literature. I don’t like to design, why? I can only see faults in a film that be confined to a box. Well, the casting of Lillete was I have finished making. It is torture a foregone conclusion. Mahesh for me to watch it with an audience. How difficult or how easy is it to Elkunchwar, the playwright, wanted Also, I am strangely influenced direct veterans like Shabana and her as Subhadra (who he insisted by audience reactions. If I see the Lillete? Please elaborate. was his ‘darling’ by the way!). audience responding in the right It is a joy and also a relief not to Sohag Sen, our casting director and way, I feel that I have possibly have to direct minutely as in the acting coach, wanted Lillete. I too, made a good film. Otherwise, I am case of newcomers. Shabana and could see only Lillete in that role. convinced that the film is a disaster.

Lillete are both very competent In fact, we would have been in a fix So I don’t really trust my own < and sensitive actors who add their had Lillete declined to play the role reactions to my films. own dimensions to a character. It since all of us had set our hearts on is only if I feel that they are going her. I chose Shabana ‘against the (The writer is a senior journalist and off track that I gently nudge them grain’ as you put it, because she film historian based in Kolkata. She back. Otherwise I leave them alone. sings beautifully. I had not wanted has won the National Award for Best I do the same with Konkona. It is playback in the film because my Writing on Cinema twice, the Bengal a shame to confine good actors to films are seen internationally. Film Journalists Association Award, your way of thinking when they To foreign audiences, playback and a Lifetime Achievement Award are perfectly capable of giving their singing carries an association of from Laadly-UNFPA.) own interpretation to a given text mainstream cinema and enriching it.

Can Dündar receives Golden Pen of Freedom Award The Golden Pen of Freedom, the annual press freedom award of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), was awarded to Turkish journalist and former editor-in-chief of Cumhuriyet newspaper, Can Dündar. The award, made in Durban during the opening ceremony of the 69th World News Media Congress and 24th World Editors Forum, recognised Dündar’s outstanding work in upholding the values of a free press along with his unwavering support for Turkish colleagues, some 150 of whom are currently in jail. “Journalists need courage because there is a cloud of fear hanging over them – fear is everywhere, and it is so powerful,” said Dündar in his acceptance speech. “I come from the biggest prison for journalists in the world: currently 150 of my colleagues are behind bars in Turkey, and imprisoning one member of the press intimidates hundreds of others.” Following a July 2016 failed coup attempt, the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has clamped down on an already stifling environment for independent media by using the penal code, criminal defamation legislation, and the country’s anti-terrorism laws to punish critical reporting. Journalists are facing growing violence, harassment, and intimidation from both state and non-state actors. Along with unprecedented numbers of arrests and imprisonment, often for supposed breaches of national security laws or for collusion in anti-state activities (for which there is rarely any evidence presented), the Turkish authorities have also reportedly shut down some 150 media organisations since the coup attempt. Can Dündar, a journalist for nearly 40 years, has worked across magazines, daily newspapers, and television. He was dismissed from his post at Daily Milliyet in 2013 in a decision widely believed to have been a result of his critical commentary of the government’s handling of the Gezi Park unrest. He was transferred to Cumhuriyet, Turkey’s oldest newspaper, where he was named editor-in-chief in February 2015. In November of the same year, Dündar was arrested together with his colleague, Ankara bureau chief Erdem Gül, following the publication of an article alleging Turkey's intelligence services had attempted to send arms to Syrian rebel groups. President Erdoğan had previously claimed the trucks were delivering humanitarian aid. Authorities revealed the two journalists had been arrested for “knowingly and willingly aiding an armed terrorist organisation”, “membership of a terrorist organization”, and “obtaining and exposing secret state documents for means of political

and military espionage”. After spending 92 days in jail, the pair was released on 26 February 2016 after the Turkish Supreme Court decided that their detention was an “undue deprivation of liberty”. Since June of that year, Can < Dündar has been living in exile in Germany.

July-September 2017 VIDURA 45 Using dance to bring a new flavour to the epics

A novel initiative explores unusual facets of well-known characters from the epics through solo dance performances. Shoma A. Chatterji describes the experience of watching two such interpretations

ance has expanded its Ravana, Karna, Ahalya, horizons not only by Soorpanakha and Draupadi are embracing different styles, some of the characters that have D been presented in different classical by the fusion between and among different styles and sustaining the styles such as Kuchipudi and purity of traditional styles to reach Kathak, but mainly through Bharata out to new areas of exploration, Natyam. analysis and performance, but Recently, art aficionados in also in terms of content, storyline, Kolkata were treated to a repre- plots and so on. Patra Parichaya, sentation of Soorpanakha and patra meaning ‘character’ and Ahalya, in Bharata Natyam ‘parichaya’ meaning ‘introduction’ style. Organised by Usha under is a novel concept introduced to the auspices of the Alka Jalan interpret marginal, controversial Foundation, the two characters from and negative characters from the Ramayana were presented by epics like the Ramayana and the Dakshina Vaidyanathan and Arupa Mahabharata through dance and Lahiry. While Dakshina is the disciple present these interpretations of Gurus Saroja Vaidyanathan with young performers trained in and Rama Vaidyanathan and a various schools of classical Indian third-generation Bharata Natyam dance styles. dancer, Arupa’s guru is Chitra Patra Parichaya is an innovation Visweswaran. Dakshina Viswanathan as by Usha R.K. who has been “We at Patra Parichaya decided Soorpanakha. orchestrating these performances to support young and talented for the past eight years across India, dancers to hone their skills in this personification of evil. But there in New Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru performing art and take the stage are positive elements in these and Kolkata. with something unique,” says Usha. “We follow different formats of characters too, and it is Patra Bharata Natyam and create a style Parichaya’s intention to draw that resembles a dance drama but is attention to them,” explains Usha. performed by a single dancer who In the Patra Parichiya rendition sometimes slips under of Soorpanakha, the Ramayana is the skin of different presented not as a series of events characters only to which leads to the rescue of Sita but return again and as a masterly game-plan hatched again to the character of by Soorpanakha to kill Ravana, in the protagonist,” she adds. revenge for the latter killing her Every character in the epics has husband Dushtabudhi, who she several nuances, but most of us are deeply loved. Ravana, who had familiar with only some of them. initially granted many favours We have been conditioned not to to Dushtabudhi, eventually felt look beyond those stereotypes. threatened by his growth and For instance, we see Ravana only had him killed. A devastated as the villain who abducted Sita, Soorpanakha fled to the mainland Arupa Lahiri as Ahalya redefined. and his sister Soorpanakha as the where she roamed the forests,

46 VIDURA July-September 2017 desolate and broken. And then one Ahalya is known as the woman day, she set eyes on Lord Rama. who was turned to stone by her Dakshina Vaidyanathan is not husband Gautama, a rishi, as only full of grace and femininity, punishment for cohabiting with but she also brings to her Lord Indra, who disguised himself performance the ideal blend of as Gautama and visited Ahalya in nritta (classical footwork) and her husband’s absence. She stayed nritya (facial expressions and hasta a stone till Lord Rama touched her mudras). Her interpretation of and set her free from the curse. Soorpanakha encompasses many But what is less well-known is shades of the woman – the breach of that Ahalya was a brahma-gyani, she trust by her brother, the emptiness knew exactly how her life would she feels after her husband’s play out. She wasn’t hoodwinked death, and the strong desire for by Lord Indra’s disguise; she knew Photos: SC revenge. “However, according to he was certainly not her husband. Young dancers, wonderful me, she had no physical interest Her surrender to him was mindfully performances. in Rama whatsoever, as is usually made, a matter of choice, knowing interpreted from the epic,” says full well what would happen when had made a difficult choice and Dakshina. her husband came back. narrated the unusual take on the The story opens with the beautiful Arupa Lahiry’s interpretation well-known story through her child Meenakshi (the one with of Ahalya in Patra Parichaya is carefully trained body movements fish-shaped eyes) playing happily inspired by Rabindranath Tagore’s and facial expressions. with her brother Ravana. She long poem on the subject. The “The characters are picked and slowly evolves into Soorpanakha performance conveys that Ahalya assigned to each performer. The (meaning, the one with long, sharp froze and became stone-like when dancers are told to prepare their nails), filled with the mission her husband came back. She performances according to their own of avenging her husband. The simply closed herself to the world perception of the character, and how audience watched mesmerised as around her, waiting for the mukti they relate to them. Most of them she projected the manipulations, (deliverance) which only Lord read various works of literature and

stories about the characters and then the planning and the execution of Rama could give her. Arupa’s < the plot as she danced between scintillating performance was more prepare their act,” says Usha. rows of people, the Alka Jain nritta-based than nritya-centred. Foundation having limited space She moulded herself beautifully and no proscenium. into the persona of a woman who

Vikatan Group MD is director, FIPP Board FIPP, the network for global media, represents content-rich companies or individuals involved in the creation, publishing or sharing of quality content to audiences of interest. FIPP has more than 600 member companies, which includes 30 national associations, more than 400 media owners and more than 100 service providers to the industry and associated organisations, in more than 50 countries. The FIPP Management Board appointed B. Srinivasan, MD, Vikatan Group, along with Hans H. Hamer of Axel Springer SE and Jennifer Savage of Time Inc as directors at its last meeting in May. FIPP Board directors are elected by the FIPP membership to represent their member companies as a part of the policy-making and governance structure of FIPP. The management board is currently made up of 38 company representatives from 20 countries. Srinivasan has been responsible for Vikatan’s diversification to magazines in multiple genres, expanding head-on into the Internet publishing space in 1997, going paid-for in 2005, embracing social in 2010 and having an app presence since 2011. In 1998, he ventured into TV production expanding the scope of production to five languages

and building up a library of more than 8000 hours of content. He also nurtured Vikatan into book publishing, having published more than 1000 books and sold millions. < (Courtesy: exchange4media.com)

July-September 2017 VIDURA 47 NOSTALGIA Swinging Sixties — echoing the scent of youthful exuberance

“It’s a terrible world these days,” bemoaned Partab Ramchand’s friend, an old timer. “Look at the newspapers, the television, the Internet and all you get is news of rape, violence, mass destruction, terrorist attacks. There is an appalling lack of patience, tolerance and understanding. Our world was much better.” Ramchand exands that viewpoint and recalls the days of the Swinging Sixties

eing a bit of an old-timer were teenagers during the Sixties boasted these facilities. Of course, myself I could see my friend’s acknowledge freely that they should we never missed the James Bond Bviewpoint since I too grew up have been around during the decade. movies then starring Sean Connery in the much better world he was The view is certified by numerous as 007 as we never missed any film talking about. The Swinging Sixties favourable comments on YouTube starring the greats of the day – was the decade we broth grew up in when after seeing an old movie or Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, and half a century ago it was a very listening to music of our generation Shirley MacLaine, Marlon Brando, different world with there being no the youngsters sigh with regret that Gregory Peck, William Holden and ultra-modern huge shopping malls, they were not around during that so on. no Internet, no social media, no defining decade. The Hindi movie scene was no bars and pubs and a host of swanky The same may be said about less entertaining. Even as the reign restaurants, no mobile phones with sport which, with all due respect of Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, and its allied features, no cable TV, no to movies and music, was my first Dev Anand was coming to an end TV. Period. love during the period of growing though all of them continued to All we had for entertainment up as a teenager. Some of the all- have hits in the Sixties, the new were the cinema halls, the radio, a time great sportsmen were at the stars headed by Rajendra Kumar few restaurants and since we were peak in the Sixties and I can reel and Shammi Kapoor were taking lucky enough to be in Madras that is off four straightaway – Rod Laver, over and provided us with some now Chennai there was the Marina Muhammad Ali, Gary Sobers and memorable entertaining fare beach to go to in the evenings – the Pele. To be all too familiar with their during the decade. cheapest entertainment in town record and follow their great feats Rajendra Kumar was known as where the much needed sea breeze firsthand was a rare privilege my the ‘jubilee star’ for almost every came as a welcome relief from the generation and I savoured. Oh sure, one of his films was a hit, running uncomfortably humid heat that one we did not have TV but we keenly for 25 weks or more. Shammi experienced during the day. followed the events live on the Kapoor acquired the image of the And yet, we teenagers had a swell radio. The garrulous and colourful ‘rebel star’ and regaled audiences time. That’s why I always tell the Ali boxing his way to immortality, with entertainment of the breezy youngsters of today’s generation Sobers excelling with his all- kind and these two were clearly the that, given the facilities and round exploits on the cricket field, big stars of the Sixties. There were amenities and avenues they enjoy Pele dribbling his way to another the lovely heroines too, and even today, if they have half the fun classic goal and Laver performing as the stars of the Fifties – Waheeda that we had they should consider the Grand Slam twice – a feat still Rehman, Madhubala, Meena themselves lucky. unequalled in tennis history – were Kumari, Nutan and Vyjantimala For me, personally, my life the stuff that dreams were made of. – continued to be popular at the centered round sports, movies The movie scene was another one box office they slowly lost out to and music and, simply put, the that we youngsters enjoyed. Screens the new stars like Nanda, Sadhana, 1960s were a memorable period to were getting bigger and wider and Asha Parekh and Sharmila Tagore. live through as far as the artistic after cinemascope and Vistavision Towards the end of the decade, achievements were concerned. of the Fifties, it was time for 70mm, Rajesh Khanna who was to become Belonging to the Sixties generation, stereophonic sound and Cinerama the first superstar of Hindi cinema I may be accused of bias but in the Sixties and we in Madras made his bow. what have you to say when the loved to lap up the shows at Anand, As for the music what can one youngsters of today whose parents Safire and Pilot theatres which say about the Sixties except that

48 VIDURA July-September 2017 Illustration: Arun Ramkumar Illustration:

it was sheer sublimity? The greats Tom Jones who also commanded War of 1965. Overall, however, of the Hindi music world who had a large following simply because compared to other decades before enraptured listeners in the Fifties their songs were timeless classics. or after, the Sixties were much more continued to produce lilting tunes And for those who preferred peaceful and eventful. To cap it all, through the decade. Naushad, instrumental numbers there were in July 1969 occurred one of the Shankar Jaikishen, Madan Mohan, The Shadows, The Ventures, Billy most memorable events of all time S.D. Burman, Salil Chowdhury, Vaughn and his orchestra and so – man’s landing on the moon. Ravi, Roshan and O.P. Nayyar on. The successful Apollo 11 mission continued to top the charts and, Of course, the Sixties were not just about summed up the decade if this was not enough, the talents all roses and garlands. No ten-year and as Neil Armstrong stepped on of Laxmikant Pyarelal and R.D. period could be only sugar and spice the moon and spoke the famous Burman unfolded, making the and all that’s nice. The decade also lines. “That’s one small step for scene complete from classical tunes saw the Cuban missile crisis, the man, one giant leap for mankind,”

to foot-tapping numbers. Cold War between the USA and the we all counted our blessings that And if one’s interest was Western USSR, the six-day war in West Asia we were around to be a witness to < music, he or she had a ball. Just two (Middle East) and the escalation the epoch-making ethereal event. words should suffice to catch the of the Vietnam War which led to mood of the Sixties – The Beatles. turmoil in the USA. The decade also (The writer is a veteran sports The Fab Four from Liverpool not saw the assassinations of President journalist who also has more than a only revolutionised music but John Kennedy, Robert Kennedy passing interest in the movies. He is lifestyle itself as their influence and Martin Luther King, while in based in Chennai.) was felt around the world. There India we had the deaths of Prime were others like Jim Reeves, Cliff Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Lal Richard, Elvis Presley, Herman’s Bahadur Shastri, the India-China Hermits, The Rolling Stones and War of 1962 and the India-Pakistan

July-September 2017 VIDURA 49 2001-11 – greatest decade in Indian cricket? Can there be any doubt that Decade 2001-11 is the greatest in the history of Indian Test cricket? There have been a couple of other phases during which the Indian team has performed admirably and even the present squad performed in exemplary fashion with a run of 19 Tests without defeat and rising to the No. 1 spot. But most of the victories have been notched up at home and, overall, it is the record abroad that makes the difference between a good team and a great one, says Partab Ramchand

or the record, during the Sourav Ganguly. India lost to South own and while being particularly period 1988-94, India re- Africa at home in early 2000 but then formidable as usual at home, what Fgistered ten straight cricket- at the start of the following season really attracted attention was that ing wins at home. But that is hardly came victories over Bangladesh and they were winning Tests – and remembered for it is the away Zimbabwe. But the golden period even series – abroad. Many notable record that is more important. It starts with the series against Australia achievements were notched up and is in this significant achievement in 2001 – and more specifically these included a shared series in that the Indian teams during the Kolkata 2001 the mere mention of England, Australia, South Africa decade 2001-11 really scored. India which makes every Indian cricket and Sri Lanka, a triumph in England, has a formidable record at home fan’s eyes sparkle with delight. New Zealand and Pakistan besides but they have generally travelled One unbelievable victory two in West Indies. At home there poorly. Indeed, during the period followed by another remarkable were repeated triumphs over all 1959-68, India lost 17 straight one at Chennai gave India the series opponents, the exception being the Tests in England, West Indies and against opponents who were the No. loss to Australia in 2004. Australia. And while there has 1 side in the game and had come to There were a few setbacks and been considerable improvement the country in a bid to conquer The the most disastrous was losing both since those dark days Indian Final Frontier. Suddenly, India was matches in New Zealand in 2002-03. squads sometimes bring back bad the most talked about team in the Narrow series defeats in Australia, memories of those times like when cricketing world. South Africa (twice) and Sri Lanka they lost eight successive Tests Under Ganguly’s aggressive, no- (twice) were par for the course, as in England and Australia during nonsense captaincy, the Indians also a loss in Pakistan. This most 2011-12. meant business and with a batting productive phase was illustrated However, that was just after the line-up that included, besides by record feats by the batsmen and greatest decade ended. For ten Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Sachin bowlers. years with the most lustrous batting Tendulkar and V.V.S. Laxman, there Tendulkar became the highest line-up in the game backed by were never going to be shortage run scorer and century maker of bowlers who could pick up wickets of runs. With Harbhajan Singh all time, Dravid was not far behind anywhere, India were arguably joining forces with Anil Kumble, the and Kumble ended up as the third the most feared opponents overall Indians had a spin duo to rank with highest wicket taker in Tests. and in fact this was the time when the best even in a country that has Sehwag became the first Indian to they rose to the No. 1 spot in the produced the most fascinating array get a triple hundred and added ICC rankings for the first time. of tweakers. And just as the side was one more for good measure while Sure there were a couple of really settling down, it became stronger Laxman and Gautam Gambhir bad setbacks during the decade with the inclusion of Virender (briefly) added more than their mite. but the balance sheet showed that Sehwag and Zaheer Khan. Harbhajan topped the 400-wicket the positive entries far outweighed How could such a side fail to achi- mark and Zaheer 300. The Indian the negative even while there were eve great things? The competition run machine crossed the 700 mark other results that were par for the was strong – Australia, England, New total more than once, emphasising course. Zealand, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and the fact that the batting line-up was It was in the aftermath of the South Africa along with India were the best in the contemporary game. match fixing scandal that broke all bunched together with very little The glorious run ended with in 2000 that the Indian team came separating them in the ICC rankings. the series win in the West Indies together under a new captain, But India more than held their in 2011. The 4-0 rout at the hands

50 VIDURA July-September 2017 Illustration: Arun Ramkumar Illustration:

of England later the same year years 2001-11 will always be fondly Trophy, and it can be said even not only saw India lose the No. 1 remembered by Indian cricket more emphatically that the decade ranking but also set the stage for a fans. Throw in the 2011 World Cup is the greatest in Indian cricket,

number of defeats over the next few triumph, the inaugural World T20 the disastrous 2007 World Cup < years, including the first setback at triumph in 2007 and being joint campaign notwithstanding. home to England in 2012. But the champions in the 2002 Champions

Karthik Balakrishnan is CEO, Printers Mysore The Printers Mysore, the family-owned publisher of Deccan Herald and Prajavani newspapers and Sudha and Mayura magazines, have announced the appointment of Karthik Balakrishnan as chief executive officer, with a mandate to transform the legacy publisher into a digital-era media group. Balakrishnan, 44, was employed at the Mahindra Group as VP – Marketing. K.N. Tilak Kumar, K.N. Shanth Kumar and Parul Shah, members of the promoter family and whole-time directors, will continue to mentor and guide the company in its transformation journey.

“We come from a rich legacy of journalism and excellence in English and Kannada newspapers. We have decided to take the company forward into the digital age of news and media, and this is one important step in that direction,” < said Tilak Kumar, joint MD. (Courtesy: exchange4media.com)

July-September 2017 VIDURA 51 TRAVEL A gem of a tourist destination

In March this year, Preethi Amaresh escaped from the scorching heat of Chennai and set out for Jammu City. After a long stopover at Delhi airport, she reached Jammu in the evening and settled in for a week-long stay. Notes from her travel diary

Travelling – it leaves you speechless. Then turns you into a storyteller: Ibn Batuta

ammu is the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir and the Jadministrative headquarters moves from Srinagar to Jammu for half the year. Movies, poets and storytellers have all portrayed the splendour of Jammu and Kashmir. Snuggled against the backdrop of the snow-capped Pir Panjal Mountains, the Shivalik Hills stretch from the east to the west and Rivers Ravi, Tawi and Chenab run through the region. It was once part of the Harappan civilisation. Movies, poets and storytellers have all portrayed the splendour of Jammu and Kashmir. Snuggled against the backdrop of the snow- capped Pir Panjal Mountains, the Shivalik Hills stretch from the east to the west and Rivers Ravi, Tawi and Chenab run through the region. It was once part of the Harappan civilisation. Many scholars and historians believe that Jammu was founded by Raja Jambulochan, and was originally named Jambupur after him. Relics of kingdoms ruled by dynasties such as the Kushans, Mauryas and Guptas have been found in Jammu. The region is home to the great Vaishno Devi temple. Raja Hari Singh’s palace, overlooking the Tawi River on one side with a view of the Trikuta hills on the other, is a breath-taking building in the art-deco style which originated in France before World War I. The adjacent building is the Amar Mahal Palace of Majaraja Hari Singh. It has now been converted into a heritage Stunning views of the Bagh Garden (top and above).

52 VIDURA July-September 2017 Photos: PA The gramophone used by the J&K queen.

A view of the Shiva lingam floating on it is no longer in operation. Peer a boat. Khoh, a cave shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva, located a little distance away from Jammu City, was on my The Raja Hari Singh Palace. surrounding cities. I got to see itinerary. The Shiva lingam there is the Maharani’s room at the Amar said to have been formed naturally. hotel by the Raja’s descendants, Mahal Palace, and some of the It is believed that this cave leads to some of whom are said to be living exquisite items she used, giving other cave shrines in India and even at one end of the palace. Heritage me a glimpse into her lifestyle. The on the other side of the border. walks are conducted around the elevator there is believed to be the Bahu Fort built by King Gulab palace to give tourists insights first to be installed in the state, and Singh in the 19th Century stands into the history of Jammu and I was happy to get into it though on a high plateau on the left bank of River Tawi. It is believed to be the oldest fort in Jammu. The fort is testimony to the lavishness and richness of the Dogra kings who once ruled the region. There is also a beautiful garden called Bagh-e- Bahu laid out around the fort. I managed to shoe-horn a visit to the Manda Zoo on my last day in Jammu. Manda Zoo is famous for its flora and fauna. The Himalayan Black Bear is one of species endemic to the region which is housed at the zoo. I also saw peacocks, snakes, monkeys, nilgai (blue bull), porcupine, and exotic birds like the emu. The unique flora and fauna of the region, the backdrop of snow- capped mountains, Kashmiri food and the wonderful culture of the place make Jammu and Kashmir a perfect tourist destination. You

will want to come back again and again. <

(The writer is a student of International Relations and a frequent traveller.)

A fluttering peacock.

July-September 2017 VIDURA 53 Book Review

Where power is the ultimate orgasm

He wants his paper to be the biggest English daily in Asia, and is ruthless in his pursuit of this goal – get rid of editors who don’t tow his line, co-opt the mafia to eliminate those who object to his tactics in fashioning the agenda for his paper, including reporters from rival papers engaged in investigating the shady dealings underlying the Sentinel’s rise to pre-eminence. As someone who worked and written for the mainstream media, I became aware of the kind of ‘deals’ that shape editorial-managerial policy, in the pursuit of profits and rising sales graphs, that this story describes – the editorial agenda is almost always set by the proprietor (not the journalists) based on his or her political-commercial preferences (“We are going to be a business backing publication” – does that ring a bell?). This also applies to today’s television and social media. Journalists who want to focus on the truth and report objectively sometimes get jettisoned, because the truth doesn’t fit in with the owner’s allegiances – and these allegiances, though reflecting political stances, do not even mean subscribing to those political ideals, it is just a means to push up circulation and readership. This story reflects the sad SENTINEL HOUSE reality. Author: Allen Mendonca Open the day’s paper, and you have to get past two Publisher: Raintree Media Publishing, Bengaluru or even three full-page ads before you get to the day’s Pages: 348 pages headlines. Supplements for the day are given over to Price: Rs 225 cars, motoring, travel, real estate or ‘education’ (with plenty of ‘advertorial’ copy on coaching classes or This is a work of fiction but one focusing on how ‘academies’ – the word ‘advertorial’ didn’t exist fifty media houses work in today’s market-dominated years ago when I began my journey as a journalist). milieu, throwing ethics to the winds, in their obsessive Every supplement means increased revenue in lakhs pursuit of circulation, power and profits. The author – so who’s complaining? (who passed away sadly, at age 49, after a heart Over 70 per cent of space in each supplement attack) was known for his byline and had extensive is bought by advertisements. As an exultant Harry experience of working in mainstream media. observes, “We must have more supplements “and also Although this is a fictionalised account, many of the expand beyond print, to other media, like television, parameters and perspectives are drawn from real life, radio, music and entertainment” – which is exactly to portray how powerful media barons can shape not what has been happening in real life. only government policy and public perceptions, but Power is the ultimate orgasm, and power translates also ‘news’. It is a chilly take on the current scenario in into sales and profits. If someone believes that power the media. It is a ‘thriller’ as one comment has put it, brings with it responsibility, sorry, he/ she has to go. combining a variety of masala (spicy) elements, from In this ‘corporatised’ media world, the place for ethics murder to rape, the antics of Page 3 personalities, keeps shrinking. It is marketing professionals, not sexual escapades, and settling scores through hired editors (however competent) who run the show. The goons. more gory the event reported (riots or Rajiv Gandhi’s Harivanshrai (Harry) is a media baron, owner, assassination) and the more graphic the ‘exclusive’ chairman and editor-in-chief of the Sentinel daily pictures of tragedy and inhuman violence, the better with headquarters in Mumbai and multiple editions. it is, to “entice readers” as Harry puts it. The Sentinel’s He has his own private jet, and a lifestyle marked by circulation keeps growing – and that’s what counts, hard partying, hard drinking and domestic discord. for the owner.

54 VIDURA July-September 2017 Photos: PA Book Review

There is even a nun in the book who, in the novel’s telecommunication sector. These had some social denouement, turns out to be… but no, I can’t reveal ramifications as well. the secret, that would spoil the readers’ excitement. The recently released book, India Connected – Woven in through the tale are real incidents including Mapping the Impact of New Media, published by Sage the Bofors saga, invasion of Kuwait by Iraq, Indira Publications, deals with these key issues. Edited Gandhi’s Emergency, notorious bandit Veerappan’s by Sunetra Sen Narayan and Shalini Narayanan, it kidnapping of matinee idol Raj Kumar, and black takes up many pertinent issues related to new media money stashed away in Swiss bank accounts. with special emphasis on India. The book is divided Some readers could be put off by the extra flowery into three parts. The theme of Part I is Theoretical phrases woven in just for effect (especially at the Perspectives, Part II is about Politics, Government

beginning) but the plot picks up speed in the second and the Market and Part III deals with Historical half. Here is a smorgasbord that can cater to a variety < Exclusions. of readers’ tastes. In the first part, digital divide, diffusion and the influence of ownership patterns in the new media (Reviewed by Sakuntala Narasimhan.) environment are discussed. The first two issues are foundational ones and influence most other aspects of the new media environment while the latter relates to the specific contexts of public participation and influence in production and dissemination of news New Media, and India content. The section also focuses on development and working of government bodies pertaining to information technology and telecommunication, government programmes and project implementation through various projects in India. In Part II, the effect of social media on politics, how social media has created a new context for political activism, social movements that took place in India, etc are analysed. The practices in e-governance though new media in India and how new media has been regulated by the government as well as Information Communication Technology (ICT) and how it can be used to impart education in schools are also covered here. Current practices of online advertising are explored, too. The last part of the book deals mostly with injustices meted out to those who do not have access to the Internet, especially women and the disabled. Various projects and forums that have been formed to bring more women into the new media environment are considered. The section also takes up the serious issue of how physically challenged persons are using India CONNECTED - MAPPING THE IMPACT OF the Internet and their constraints in accessing certain NEW MEIDA forms of information. It also discusses the regulations Publisher: Sage Publications the Government is bringing in to provide inclusivity Edited by: Sunetra Sen Narayan/ Shalini Narayana for the physically challenged and the socially Pages: 292 marginalised. India has been travelling on the information Price: Rs 895 highway for over 25 years now. Though there have been many books in the West on this issue, a India experienced its dotcom moment in the early comprehensive volume on new media in India was 1990s in the wake of the economic liberalisation policy. hitherto lacking. From history to regulations to

Since then, the country has seen an exponential rise impact, this book covers many areas of the topic. It is

in technology, specially the Internet. The Internet has invaluable in understanding the current new media < been the fastest growing communication medium milieu in India and where it is heading. in urban areas of the country. By the late Nineties, the personal computer (PC) had come into many (Reviewed by Sarita Bose.) homes. The new millennium opened new horizons. There were several phenomenal developments in the

July-September 2017 VIDURA 55 An icon, whose ‘fluid brilliance’ sets him apart

The Jnanpeeth Award bestowed recently on poet, essayist and author Sankho Ghosh breaks the 20-year jinx faced by Bengali litterateurs as far as the award goes. Mahasweta Devi was the previous Bengali recipient of the coveted prize. Shoma A. Chatterji says Ghosh is not only a globally acknowledged icon of Bengali literature but is also the greatest living authority on Rabindranath Tagore and his works

f well-read Bengalis were attachment and, hence, awards don't given adjectives like ‘low-key’, trigger immediate reactions. Many I‘unassuming’, ‘grounded’ have compared Ghosh's reserve to and ‘modest’ and told to identify Bob Dylan's initial reaction (or lack the author they most suited, the of it) to his being awarded the Nobel answer would certainly be Sankho Prize. Ghosh. Despite his failing health, Ghosh’s close friend and author 85-year-old Ghosh attends every Debesh Roy says Ghosh is greater function he is invited to, because than any award bestowed on him. of his involvement in social, moral “Each of his works is eligible to be and political issues that dog the read in the highest literary platforms man in the street. He has never in the world. It is indeed rare to find balked at voicing his opinions such synergy between creativity and Photo: SC Sankho Ghosh. on critical socio-political issues intellectual depth.” and is considered by many as Ghosh is lyrical and inward-looking In 1994, Papyrus, a noted the conscience-keeper of Bengal. in some of his poems. Other poems publishing house in Kolkata, His lyrics and love poems are reflect a sense of anguish towards published an English translation always infused with strong social the superficiality of our society of the poet’s work by Nityapriya comment. and existence. His commitment Ghosh. The book is aptly titled This writer was introduced as a poet is evident in many of his The Poet's Intention - The Writer to Ghosh at a small function unforgettable works such as Murkho - The Writing - The Reader. It is a organised in a school hall for a baro, samajika naya, chapa srshti karuna, compilation of a three-part talk social welfare organisation that etc. Babarera prathana won him the delivered by Ghosh as Kananbihari spreads awareness about body Sahitya Akademi Award in 1977. He Mukhopadhyay Lectures under donation. He came without any was conferred the title of Desikottam the auspices of the Tagore Studies accompanying entourage and sat by Vishwabharati in 1999. His poems Centre of the Rabindrabharati quietly in the seat allotted to him. have been translated into a number University in 1994. The Bengali Ghosh was among the intelle- of Indian and foreign languages, transcription of the same lectures ctuals who, a decade ago, led a including English, Hindi, Marathi, was later published by the massive protest against the then Punjabi, Assamese and Malayalam. university, titled Kabir Abhipray ruling party, the CPI-M, going ahead Born on February 6, 1932 (The Poet’s Intention). with the 13th Kolkata International in Chandpur in present-day “Prof Sankho Ghosh represents Film Festival despite the hundreds Bangladesh, Ghosh got his BA the fluid brilliance… It is indeed an of deaths in Nandigram over a degree in Bengali from Presidency example of his brilliant fluidity that land acquisition initiative by the College, Calcutta, and his master's an author who strove to master Government. from Calcutta University. He taught Bengali academically, expressed Asked for his reaction to being at various colleges before retiring in himself in perhaps the most honoured with the Jnanpeeth 1992. He also spent time at the Iowa difficult literary genre of poetry,” Award, Ghosh said: “I wouldn't like Writer's Workshop, USA (1967-68), said former President Pranab

to comment on this subject now.” Delhi University, Indian Institute Mukherjee handing over the 52nd The reticence was not unexpected. of Advanced Studies at Simla, and Jnanpeeth Award to Ghosh. < At that level, artistes and authors Vishwa-bharati, and was principal of exist in a state of ‘detached Rabindra-Bhavan in Shantiniketan.

56 VIDURA July-September 2017 REMEMBERING ROGER MOORE (1927-2017) As suave and sophisticated as they come

Who is the best James Bond of all? There are many who swear by Sean Connery while there are others who love Roger Moore. Moore played Bond in seven films after taking over the role from Connery in 1972. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 2003 for his ‘services to charity’. He passed away in May this year. Partab Ramchand on the virility and charm Moore brought in ample measure while essaying the role of Agent 007

n grounds of sheer longe- In fact, when Moore took over vity, Roger Moore scored cinema-goers doubted his ability to Oas James Bond. He not only measure up to the high standards appeared in seven Bond pictures – set by the Scotsman. “He is the same as Connery – but did the stopping into really big shoes,” was role over 12 years. He was the oldest the general refrain. But Moore fit Bond to make his debut – he was the role so perfectly that he quickly 46 when he starred in Live and Let had his own legion of admirers, as Die in 1973. By the time he had had Connery had. Also, Moore added a enough of the character, he was 58 lighter touch to the character made when he appeared in A View to A famous by Ian Fleming and this Kill. On screen though, he showed struck a chord with the audience. remarkable agility while doing the Moore will always be associated action sequences and retained his with James Bond but Moore’s CV boyish charm while romancing the included many more credits both heroine. on film and the small screen. The It helped that Moore was able to London-born Moore studied acting retain his handsome visage over an at the Royal Academy of Dramatic extended period. With his rugged Arts but got his first breaks in Eye-catching posters of Live and Let good looks, impish smile and the Hollywood playing small but Die released in 1973, and The Spy natural way he uttered the smart important roles in films such as Who Loved Me released in 1977 one-liners – so much a part of the the Elizabeth Taylor – Van Johnson (below). Bond persona – he was a natural starrer, The Last Time I Saw Paris successor to Connery who made and Interrupted Melody, which Ford, both in the mid-1950s before such a success of the role. starred Eleanor Parker and Glenn returning to England for a television series, Ivanhoe. He made a few more films and then did another series, The Alaskans. During 1960- 61, he replaced the departing James Garner in the fourth season of the western hit, Maverick. From 1962 to 1969, Moore was Simon Templar, the title character of The Saint, a popular British series about an adventurous, smooth-talking thief. It made him a household name in the entertainment world. Two years later, Moore and Tony Curtis starred in ABC’s one-season series, The Persuaders, as playboy partners solving glamorous European

Photos: Internet crimes.

July-September 2017 VIDURA 57 And then came Moore’s big break when he was offered the role of James Bond. It speaks volumes for Moore’s assuredness that he was always confident of bagging the role despite there being several contenders. There was never really any chance of him going the way of George Lazenby who in fact succeeded Connery but lasted only one film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Connery returned for one final stab at the role in Diamonds are Forever in 1971 but, thereafter, the role was Moore’s to call his own. And Moore did remarkably well. All his seven films were box- office hits. A Bond film was not really made; it was packaged, and Moore was an integral part of the package. As the intrepid 007 he blazed his way through the films obliterating sinister enemies with ultra sophisticated violence, all the while enjoying extraordinary success Sea Wolves (1980), in which Moore played one of the leading roles. with the pretty women through the 1970s and 80s – in The Man with from the Bond image. So it was Peck, Trevor Howard and David the Golden Gun, The Spy Who that even as he playing Bond he Niven. Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your appeared in lead roles in movies like After surrendering the Bond Eyes Only, and Octopussy. Gold, Shout at the Devil, The Wild role to Timothy Dalton, Moore But like Connery before him, Geese, North Sea Hijack and the all- appeared in a half a dozen largely Moore was also keen to get away star cast, Sea Wolves, with Gregory unexceptional movies, made a few television appearances and did voice work in animated films. Mostly, however, he turned his attention elsewhere, becoming a UNICEF goodwill ambassador in 1991. He was made a Commander of the British Empire in 1999 and was knighted in 2003. Beyond his acting career Moore was an accomplished speaker and a witty raconteur. Asked about his acting technique, Moore replied, “You just have to look at the lines, say them and don’t bump into the furniture.” And queried about his glamorous Bond roles he shot back, “I enjoy being a highly overpaid actor.” <

Moore in his elements in Octopussy film (1983), which also starred Kabir Bedi (turbaned).

58 VIDURA July-September 2017 REMEMBERING C.N. REDDY (1931-2017) The Moghul of Telugu poetry

Cingireddy Narayana Reddy, popularly known as CiNaRe, who passed away in June this year, was a remarkable Telugu writer, critic, poet, actor and lyricist, as well as an educationist and an expert on Telugu literature. Pulugurta Chandra Sekhar pays a tribute

Nadaka naa thalli mythological figures, Maruthi and the first poet from South India to Parugu naa thandri Markandeya, epitomise man’s be nominated to the Upper House Samatha naa bhaasha capacity to overcome negative of Parliament. He was a recipient Kavitha naa swaasa influences and experiences, and of the Padma Shri and the Padma (Movement is my mother progress to a happy state, powered Bhushan. Marching is my father by optimism and self-assurance. CiNaRe also wrote poetry in Equality is my language Visvambhara (The Earth), his Hindi and Urdu and his works And poetry is my breath) magnum opus, won him the have been translated into English, prestigious Jnanpeeth Award. In it, French, Sanskrit, Hindi, Malayalam, orn on 29th July in 1931, the earth provides the platform and Urdu and Kannada. His death is an Cingireddy Narayana Reddy backdrop for the story of mankind. irreparable loss to Telugu culture. < began writing poetry at The long poem includes thumbnails B of the lives and philosophies of (The writer works for the News the age of 13. The medium of his education was Urdu, yet he wrote Christ, Ashoka, Socrates, Buddha, Services Division of All India Radio, mostly in Telugu. His compositions Lincoln, Lenin, Marx, Gandhi and New Delhi. He is a research scholar at carry the unmistakable influence others (who are not identified by Shri Jagdisprasad Jhabarmal Tibrewala of Urdu poetry. His first published name). University, Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan.) work was a slim volume of poems CiNaRe was introduced to the titled Navvan Puvvu (The Bashful Telugu film industry by N.T. Rama Flower), in 1953. CiNaRe, as he Rao (NTR). His first composition Print media in India grew was better known, had more was for the film, Gulebakavali Katha, 61 pc in 10 years: ABC than 80 published works to his in 1962. He went on to contribute credit, including long poems, free more than 3500 lyrics to the field Bucking the worldwide trend, the verse, plays (both in verse and of cinema. Jaya jayahey bhaaratavani, print media in India has grown by prose), essays, literary criticism, Paavani sadguna gana samupeta, a 61 per cent in the last 10 years, translations and ghazals. patriotic outpouring for the film figures released by the Audit Humanity and nature were Manasainodu, was the last lyric he Bureau of Circulations (ABC) show. subjects CiNaRe focused on in his penned for the silver screen. Average sale of copies per day poetry. In his Sahitya Akademi CiNaRe started his working life increased from 3.91 crore in 2006 Award-winning Mantalu-Mana- as a lecturer at Nizam College to 6.28 crore in 2016. vudu (Flames and Man) the in Hyderabad. Later, he joined ABC, which certifies the circulation Osmania University as a professor. figures of publications every six He contributed significantly to the months, reported that the print development of Telugu University, industry in India has been growing Hyderabad, and went on to at an “incredible” CAGR of 4.87 per become the vice-chancellor. He cent over the 10-year period, with conducted the proceedings of the 251 publishing centres added to first convocation of the University the 659 back in 2006. Growth has in Telugu and made history. been strongest in north India, where CiNaRe was a trail-blazer in orga- print grew by 7.83 per cent CAGR nising the annual celebrations of during the period, followed by the the Telangana Writers Conference. south with 4.95 per cent. Much of Under his stewardship, the third the growth of the industry is due to all-India Telugu Mahasabha was the robust growth of regional titles, held in Bengaluru and the third with Hindi publications topping the

Photo: PC World Telugu Mahasabha in list. < Mauritius. He was a Member of (Courtesy: The New Indian Express) Cingireddy Narayana Reddy. the Rajya Sabha from 1997 to 2003,

July-September 2017 VIDURA 59 REMEMBERING VINOD KHANNA (1946-2017) A handsome hulk, a star and a versatile actor It is difficult to identity Vinod Khanna with any particular image. He was tall, dashing and handsome, the kind in whose presence women would swoon. And he was versatile, too. In an age which had stars as well as superstars, he held his own against the likes of Dharmendra, Rajesh Khanna, Jeetendra and Amitabh Bachchan. Partab Ramchand recalls a chance meeting and pays a tribute

t happened nearly 30 years ago dramatic roles. As he aged, he and lasted for just a few seconds tackled patriarch roles with panache. Ibut the memory has remained He starred in masala (spicy) films as intact ever since. I was standing well as in meaningful movies, being with a friend of mine who was in the comfort zone with both. waiting for his car at Park Sheraton So, you see it is difficult to identity (now Crowne Plaza) in Madras. Khanna with any particular image Suddenly, a man came and stood or brand. And that in itself is enough close by. He was also waiting for to prove his versatility. In an age his car. I looked askance at him for a which had stars and superstars, moment, turned away and then did he held his own against the likes a double-take as I veered to look at of Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra, him again disbelieving what I was Jeetendra and Amitabh Bachchan. seeing. “Hey! That’s Vinod Khanna! When he was paired with other Photo: Internet I exclaimed excitedly to my friend stars – and he appeared in a Khanna, of rugged good looks. and for the next few seconds I could number of multi starrers – he still not take my eyes off him. commanded compulsive viewing By the time I could recover and from cinemagoers. That was because with aplomb. Who can forget the run to him to ask for an appointment of his magnetic personality that menacing dacoit Jabbar Singh in for an interview for the newspaper emerged on the big screen complete Raj Khosla’s Mera Gaon, Mera I then represented, The Telegraph, with good looks, unmistakable Desh (1971) where he proved to be he was gone. He was even more talent and a dialogue delivery that a match for Dharmendra, or as the handsome than he appeared in was all his own. And there was leader of the rival youth gang along films and this was well past his always that swagger as he walked. with Shatrughan Sinha in Mere peak period of the 1970s when he It is a tribute to Khanna that many Apne’ released the same year? was tall, young, gorgeously good- of his films during a four-decade- In due course, Khanna got the looking with a perfect body, a long career (excluding the years meaty roles he was always marked winsome smile and the inimitable when he turned his back on stardom for and a major turning point was swagger. I understood then why and went over to join Rajneesh’s Gulzar’s Achanak (1973), which woman wanted to be with him and ashram seeking spiritual fulfilment) underlined the fact that he had men wanted to be him. are still remembered fondly today. matured enough to carry a film. Since Khanna’s death, I have Re-runs of his films on the various Khanna’s controlled performance been trying unsuccessfully to find a television channels still draw movie- along with Gulzar’s direction definitive image of one of the most goers of a new generation. turned the film into a classic. He durable of Bollywood’s leading In his first very first film, playing was initially dismissed by film men. Of course, his rugged good the villain, he outshone the hero. scribes as a macho man and the looks will always be the first thing That speaks volumes of his star handsome star who needed to gear to come to mind but as a star he quality and acting prowess. Man up his acting skills but there was no really had no definitive image. He ka Meet (1968) was meant to launch such criticism after Achanak. could be the angry young man, Sunil Dutt’s brother Som Dutt but From here on, there was no could display his villainous, comic while the film and the new hero looking back and in the 1970s and emotional talents in abundant sank together, Khanna caught and early 80s, Khanna emerged measure, was an action star par the eye. For the first few years, he as among the most bankable stars excellence and excelled in straight continued to play villainous roles of the industry appearing in one

60 VIDURA July-September 2017 blockbuster after another, one multi Khanna appeared in more but it must not be forgotten that starrer after another. Manmohan than 100 films and he was careful he, unlike other stars whose forays Desai’s Amar Akbar Anthony is about his roles. He returned from into the political world have been easily the most popular but during Rajneesh’s ashram deciding that it far from notable or downright this prolific period he also did would be wiser to let his spiritual disastrous, won the Lok Sabha Kache Dhage, Khoon Pasina, Hera self coexist with the material world seat from Gurdaspur in Punjab Pheri, Parvarish, Haath ki Safai, and it is a tribute to Khanna’s four times on a BJP ticket. He was Lahu ke Do Rang, Muqaddar ka star status and acting skills that appointed Tourism minister and Sikander, The Burning Train, Inkar, he remained in demand despite minister of state for Foreign Affairs Aap ki Khatir and Qurbani. the five-year hiatus. He was wise in the Vajpayee Government. As is well known, most were enough to take up elderly roles but Commendable achievements as box-office hits but Khanna also roles with substance – romantic or all these are, the chief image of acted in socially significant films histrionic roles in Chandni, Jurm, Vinod Khanna will always be that like Imtihan, loosely based on the Dayavan, Insaaf and Satyamev of a handsome hulk who was a Sidney Poitier film, To Sir with Love. Jayate – all of which proved to star of compelling magnitude and Imtihan had that unforgettable be super hits. His final films as a an extremely versatile actor. He number, Ruk ja na nahi tu kabhi har senior character included Dabangg, certainly has an honoured place in ke. Here he was enacting a sort Players, Dabangg 2 and Dilwale. the pantheon of Bollywood greats. of credo, and he carried off the Khanna’s long film career < performance with great panache. overshadowed his political career

REMEMBERING REEMA LAGOO (1958-2017) A screen mother people loved and could easily relate to Celluloid mothers in mainstream Hindi cinema have been legends in their own right, carving a niche for themselves. So, whether it is a wicked Lalita Pawar or a dignified Durga Khote, the soppy and sentimental Leela Chitnis or the wronged Mridula, the strong and courageous Nirupa Roy, the warm Farida Jalal or the rough-edged and realistic Rohini Hattangadi, we cannot really forget them. Shoma A. Chatterji says it is truly difficult to even accept that Reema Lagoo, one of the best screen mothers in contemporary Indian cinema, will never ‘mother’ Salman Khan ever again

eema Lagoo came basically to accept. Lagoo played the mother to playing mother’s roles when she from Marathi theatre and at a very young age in films like could easily have played younger Rstayed on in Bolllywood to Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Maine parts, even that of the leading lady. portray over her long career screen Pyar Kiya, Saajan, Gumrah and Jai In what way has the mother’s mothers of every hue, ranging Kishen. She debuted in 1979 with characterisation metamorphosed from the traditional to the modern. the Marathi film, Simhasan, which over the years? In an interview some Though she was much in demand was an out-of-the-box film filled time before she passed away, Lagoo in mother’s roles, she was never with political intrigue directed by said, “While the basic emotions stereotyped. So, when she passed Jabbar Patel and based on two novels of love and tenderness continue, away suddenly in May this year, at by writer and freelance journalist modern-day mothers are different in the relatively young age of 59, many Arun Sadhu and scripted by Vijay the sense that they come across more heroes who portrayed her sons but Tendulkar. She had a small role and as a friend to the children. In Hum were only a few years younger, was practically lost among giant Aapke Ke Hain Kaun or Maine Pyar were shocked. She had no health performers ranging from Shreeram Kiya, I was seen as someone with issues at all and the sudden cardiac Lagoo to a very young Nana whom children could share their arrest which took her away when Patekar, Arun Joglekar, Mohan problems. In Aashique, playing a she had so much more to give to Agashe and many others. However, single working mother, I advise the industry was particularly hard it is also true that she was limited the heroine to pursue her dreams

July-September 2017 VIDURA 61 of becoming successful instead of surrendering to the demand of marriage. These mirror the changes in women in the present society. In Naamkarann, I operate the laptop and surf the Net.” Among the box office hits in which she performed are Gumrah (1993), a crime thriller that became the seventh highest grosser of the year. Other notable films where she left her indelible mark are Rangeela (1995) as Urmila Matondkar’s mother, Yeh Dillagi (1994) in which she played a cold-hearted businesswoman, Dilwale (1994), Photo: Internet Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Kal Lagoo, with Madhuri Dixit, in the blockbluster, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun. Ho Na Ho (2003) and, of course, the best performance of her career was also pulled by the huge canvas am expecting many in the audience in Vaastav in which she portrayed and the character, Dayavanti, to perceive a slant of negativity in the helpless mother of Sanjay Dutt. a grandmother who is a stern, it.” She also did a controversial role strong, affectionate and humble Lagoo leaves behind 40 years in in Rihaee, an off-mainstream film, person, having faced many adverse cinema for us to remember her by. and the role of a dancer in Aakrosh circumstances. It has many shades She is survived by her daughter (1980). that makes it different from most Mrunmayee who is a noted stage Lagoo was awarded the of the roles I have played over my actress and director in Marathi Maharashta State Film Award for career. Dayavanti is not buttery and theatre. < Best Actress for her performance flowery but reflects toughness soI in the 2002 film, Reshamgaath, which was the celluloid adaptation of a famous Marathi play. Her First Martha Farrell Awards presented role in in Janma (2011), which she referred to as "one of the best roles The first Martha Farrell Awards for Women’s Empowerment were presented in her career", received praise. recently at a well-organised event in Delhi. The awards recognise and honour Recognising her contribution to mid-career individual and institutional contributions to gender equality and Marathi cinema, she was honoured women’s empowerment. They have been instituted to honour women’s rights with the V. Shantaram Award by activist Martha Farrell. the Government of Maharashtra. This year, the award in the institutional category was received by advocate Lagoo made a success of her Flavia Agnes on behalf of Majlis Legal Centre (MLC), Mumbai. The MLC career on television also, each of was started in 1991 as an all-women’s organisation in response to a her serials turning out to fetch high growing need for lawyers with a gender perspective and with a capacity TRPs and running for a long time. for innovative legal interventions to defend the rights of women. So far, the She did wonderful comic roles MLC has defended more than 50000 women litigants all over Maharashtra in Tu Tu Main Main and Shriman in their struggle for justice against domestic and sexual violence. Shrimati and then took a break, The inaugural year award in the individual contribution category was returning recently in Naamkaran, received by Rakhi Gope for her 11 years of work against human trafficking telecast on Star Plus, said to be and child marriages in several villages of Bengal. She has received numerous inspired by Mahesh Bhatt’s 1990 film threats in the course of her work but has continued her interventions with Zakhm. When asked what made courage and conviction. her accept the role in Naamkaran The award winners for this year were selected by an eminent panel of after she had withdrawn from jurists comprising Shabana Azmi, Kamla Bhasin, Anuradha Das Mathur, television, Lagoo said, “I Sushama Nath, Justice (Retd) Ajit Prakash Shah and Anshul Tiwari. accepted Naamkaran because of Martha Farrell (1959-2015) is widely known and respected for her work Mahesh Bhatt. I knew that there in areas of women’s rights, gender equality and adult education, including will be substance in the show and distance education.She died in a terrorist attack in Afghanistan when she the role offered to me because I had went there to participate in seminars on development and gender issues. < already worked with Mr Bhatt. I (Inputs from Bharat Dogra)

62 VIDURA July-September 2017 OTHER NEWS

Nandakumar, a qualified mechanical engineer who Rammohan Rao passes away joined group in 1965, was involved in the operation in I. Rammohan Rao, former Principal Coimbatore in 1969 when The Hindu, for the first time, Information officer (PIO) who had started a printing unit outside Madras. A facsimile served as a media adviser to four edition, receiving page images from Madras by means prime ministers, passed away at the of co-axial cables was set up. In this technical feat of age of 83. He breathed his last at the the times, Nandakumar worked under the guidance Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon where of G. Kasturi, The Hindu’s editor who had a keen eye I. Rammohan he was admitted for renal ailments, for matters of production as well. Rao. according to his family friends. Nandakumar was part of the team when the second Hailing from Karnataka’s South facsimile edition was launched in Bangalore in 1970. Canara District, Rao started his career with the He later served in Madurai when The Hindu launched Information Service in the 1950s. He rose to become its first offset printing facility in that city, and then in the Principal Information officer, the top post in the Hyderabad. Indeed, his forte was high-quality offset Central Information Department. Known for his printing. From 1985, he headed the overall printing humility and efficient communication skills, Rao had operations from Chennai. Nandakumar led the team served as media adviser to four former prime ministers that oversaw the introduction of colour in the daily — Rajiv Gandhi, V.P. Singh, Chandrashekhar and broadsheet editions in 2001. He was associated with P.V. Narasimha Rao. He also served as media adviser the organisation as a consultant until his passing to the governor of militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir away. from 1994 to 1996 when the state was under the (Courtesy: The Hindu) governor’s rule. (Courtesy: The Hindu) Press freedom hits lowest T.S.V. Hari is no more point in 13 years, says report Only 13 per cent of people worldwide enjoy ‘free T. S. V Hari, a senior journalist press’, says US-based Freedom House. Global press and part of the famed Giri Trading freedom has hit a 13-year low, threatened by US business of Mylapore in Chennai President Donald Trump's media bashing and passed away on June 1. He suffered restrictions pursued by both democratic and a cardiac arrest. authoritarian governments. Hari began his career as a journalist A survey by Freedom House, a US-based human while in his 20s; he worked for T.S.V. Hari. rights organisation, highlighted growing concerns Indian Express. He made his name over efforts by governments around the world to in reportage and field work on bonded labour which clamp down on media and dissent. was widespread in Andhra Pradesh in the 1980s. He "Political leaders and other partisan forces in many not only reported on the issue but personally led democracies -- including the United States, Poland, campaigns to rescue bonded labourers and bring the Philippines, and South Africa -- attacked the them back to their homes amidst heavy opposition credibility of independent media and fact-based and high drama. Hari also reported extensively on journalism, rejecting the traditional watchdog role other issues and ruffled many people in position. He of the press in free societies," said Jennifer Dunham, also chose to be a political activist. who headed the research. Hari was an associate of writer-political In the 2016 study of 199 countries, the group commentator, Cho Ramaswamy and wrote for Cho’s concluded that just 13 per cent of the world's population Thuglak magazine under the pseudonym Venkat, enjoys a “free press” where coverage of political news and also reported for BBC Radio. His brother, T. S. is robust, the safety of journalists guaranteed, state Ranganathan says Hari was the man behind the Tamil- intrusion in media affairs minimal, and the press is dubbed version of B. R. Chopra’s Mahabharata, a big not subject to onerous legal or economic pressures. hit of the 1990s. Another 42 per cent of the world's population has a (Courtesy: Mylapore Times) “partly free” press and 45 per cent live in countries where the media environment is “not free”, the group said. S. Nandakumar is dead The report echoed a similar survey released by S. Nandakumar, former controller of Printing of The France-based Reporters without Borders, which Hindu Group, passed away recently. He was 75. He said press freedom is facing serious threats in 72 served the organisation at different printing centres countries, downgrading the rankings of the United during a phase in which the technology and techniques States, Britain and others. The Freedom House report of printing were changing rapidly and inexorably. said press rights are being eroded by the efforts

July-September 2017 VIDURA 63 OTHER NEWS

of politicians in democratic states to shape news questions: “Who is a journalist?” and “What is coverage and delegitimise media outlets. "When journalism”? politicians lambaste the media, it encourages their counterparts abroad to do the same," Freedom House The study identifies 13 key findings: president Michael Abramowitz said. • The issue of source protection has come to Press freedom was on a modest decline in the United intersect with the issues of mass surveillance, States even before Trump took office because of the targeted surveillance, data retention, the spill- industry's financial woes and news organisations' over effects of anti-terrorism/national security increasingly partisan positions, the report said. The legislation, and the role of third party Internet worst scores for press freedom went to North Korea, companies known as “intermediaries. Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and the top to Norway, • Legal and regulatory protections for journalists’ the Netherlands and Sweden. The global average fell sources are increasingly at risk of erosion, to new lows. restriction and compromise. (Courtesy: The Hindu) • 84 UNESCO Member States out of 121 studied (69 per cent) for this report demonstrated Investigative journalism a developments relevant to the protection of confidentiality of journalistic sources, mainly challenge today with actual or potential impact, between 2007 and mid-2015. Protecting Journalism Sources in the Digital Age • Individual states face a need to introduce or is a new global study produced by WAN-IFRA for update source protection laws. UNESCO that examines the growing risks confronting • Source protection laws need to cover forms of journalism dependent upon confidential journalistic processes and communications sources and whistleblowers. It finds that the legal with confidential sources – including telephone frameworks that support protection of journalistic calls, social media, messaging apps, and emails sources, at international, regional and country levels, – along with published journalism that depends are under significant strain – a development that is on confidential sources. seen to represent a direct challenge to the established • Transparency and accountability regarding universal human rights of freedom of expression and both mass and targeted surveillance, and data privacy, and one that especially constitutes a threat to retention, are critically important if confidential the sustainability of investigative journalism. sources are to be able to continue to confidently The study, authored by former World Editors make contact with journalists. Forum/ WAN-IFRA Research fellow Julie Posetti, • Without substantial strengthening of legal covers 121 UNESCO Member States and represents a protections and limitations on surveillance and global benchmarking of journalistic source protection data retention, investigative journalism that in the Digital Age. It was launched on World Press relies on confidential sources will be difficult to Freedom Day (May 3rd) during celebrations in sustain in the digital era, and reporting in many Jakarta. other cases will encounter inhibitions on the In many of the countries examined in this study, it part of potential sources. was found that legal source protection frameworks • It is recommended to define ‘acts of journalism’, are being actually or potentially: as distinct from the role of ‘journalist’, in • Overridden by national security and anti- determining who can benefit from source terrorism legislation protection laws. • Undercut by surveillance – both mass and • To optimise benefits, source protection laws targeted should be strengthened in tandem with legal • Jeopardised by mandatory data retention protections extended to whistleblowers, who policies and pressure applied to third party constitute a significant set of confidential intermediaries - like ISPs, telcos, search engines, journalistic sources. social media platforms - to release data which • Journalists are increasingly adapting their risks exposing sources practice in an effort to partially shield their • Outdated when it comes to regulating the sources from exposure, but steps to limit collection and use of digital data, such as anonymity and encryption undermine these whether information recorded without consent adaptations. is admissible in a court case against either a • The financial cost of the digital era source journalist or a source, and whether digitally protection threat is significant (in terms of stored material gathered by journalistic actors digital security tools, training, and legal advice), is covered by existing source protection laws. as is its impact on the production and scope of • Challenged by questions about entitlement investigative journalism based on confidential to claim protection - as underscored by the sources.

64 VIDURA July-September 2017 OTHER NEWS

• There is a need to educate both journalists and television and radio — of Asian College of Journalism citizens in digital safety. received their diplomas. • Journalists and others who rely on confidential (Courtesy: The Times of India/ The Hindu sources to report in the public interest may need to train their sources in secure methods of contact and information-sharing WAN-IFRA joins Audience • While traditional legal frameworks for source protection remain strong in some states, and are Measurement Coalition progressing in others, they are under significant WAN-IFRA, the World Association of Newspapers risk from a combination of developments. and News Publishers, has joined forces with a group These are caused, for the most part, by digital of leading associations representing the audience disruption, and by overreach in measures that measurement ecosystem to support the European are introduced in the name of national security Union in its efforts to reform the ePrivacy Directive. or combating crime. The Coalition for Audience Measurement is composed The findings are based on an examination of the of global and European associations representing legal source protection frameworks in each country, the interests of stakeholders that use audience drawing on academic research, online repositories, measurement to help finance news media offers to the reportage by news and human rights organisations, public. more than 130 survey respondents and qualitative “In the digital age, our business models require the interviews with nearly 50 international experts transparent and secure use of data. An independent and practitioners globally. Seventeen international press that serves Europe’s public interest must be able researchers and research assistants contributed to the to compete effectively with its global competitors. research. Audience measurement is an essential tool for the industry,” says Gerald Grünberger, chair of WAN- Free press under threat in IFRA’s Member Associations Directors Committee. Audience measurement is a vital tool for media country: Justice A.P. Shah companies to analyse traffic flows and content performance. The coalition sets out to inform lawmakers Underscoring the need for journalists not to allow about the functions of audience measurement and the news to become a market-driven product, former value it brings to society. Specifically, without those judge Ajit Prakash Shah said there has been an measurements, media organisations would not be able increase in instances of the commodification of the to prove their comparative value to their partners, and country's news media. Speaking in Chennai at the advertisers would be prevented from measuring the 17th convocation of the Asian College of Journalism, effectiveness of their ad placements. If news media Justice Shah said this "commodification" of journalism companies cannot reliably track the performance "compromises information that is being relayed" to of their websites, their capacity to secure revenues people. "This, in turn, directly affects the decisions to finance their online operations will be seriously that people make on a daily basis." hampered. The former Chief Justice of the Delhi and Madras High courts, delivering the Lawrence Dana Pinkham Memorial Lecture on World Press Freedom Day and The audience-focused era speaking on the theme 'Free Press and the Laws of Contempt, Defamation and Sedition', said 'free press' has arrived "as we know it is under threat". The recent ranking of The results of WAN-IFRA’s annual survey depict India at 136th among 180 countries in the world press an industry that is increasingly building loyal freedom ratings is a reflection of this trend, Justice audiences around its high-quality journalism, as the Shah said. He also warned, if only implicitly, against shift to reader-based revenue continues. The World against fear of libel impinging on journalism's quest Press Trends survey includes data from more than to tell the truth and how this suppresses the press. 70 countries, accounting for more than 90 per cent In view of the many defamation suits that of the global industry’s value. The data is provided complainants have filed against journalists across by dozens of national newspaper and news media the country, Justice Shah said, journalists should be associations, with additional information coming from more aware of the laws that govern them and the global suppliers: Zenith, IPSOS, PwC and Chartbeat. rights that they are entitled to before they act in fear In its 2017 World Press Trends study, WAN-IFRA of possible cases of defamation. “Whether it is the estimates that 56 per cent of newspapers’ overall laws of defamation or the laws of contempt or laws of revenue came from circulation sales (print and sedition — all of these are routinely and worryingly digital) in 2016. “The shift from advertising to reader- used against the press in India,” he said. Students based revenue is reshaping the fundamentals of our from the four media departments — print, new media, industry,” says WAN-IFRA CEO Vincent Peyrègne,

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who presented the key findings from the global study at the 69th World News Media Congress and 24th Michael Golden elected World Editors Forum in Durban, South Africa. “We president of WAN-IFRA have entered a pivotal moment,” he continued, “and more than ever our focus needs to be on our audience During the 69th WAN-IFRA’s annual congress in and producing high-quality, engaging journalism.” Durban, South Africa, Michael Golden, vice chairman Interestingly, the trend continues to emerge at a time of the Board of New York Times, was elected president when survey after survey reveals that people around of the World Association of Newspapers and News the world are not only losing their trust in media, Publishers. The association also appointed a new but societal institutions in general. “The decline in treasurer and a new president of the World Editors trust is the biggest risk we face as an industry, and all Forum. Sixteen executives from leading news media our efforts must be with the aim of getting it back,” companies were also elected to new terms on the Peyrègne says. “We used to trade in attention. But Boards of WAN-IFRA and the World Editors Forum. trust is our new currency. Any decline in trust erodes Michael Golden was elected by WAN-IFRA members the foundation of our business: credible, first-rate at the World News Media Congress, World Editors journalism.” Forum and Women in News Summit in Durban, South A fundamental shift in the newspaper business Africa. About 700 publishers, editors, journalists, and model took place two years ago, when reader other senior news executives from around the world revenue became the biggest source of revenue for attended the events, which continue through Friday. news publishers. Global digital circulation revenues Golden succeeds Tomas Brunegard, who was elected grew by 28 per cent from 2015 to 2016, and a full 300 president of WAN-IFRA in 2013. per cent from 2012 to 2016, with the trend expected to continue. Despite that, total global newspaper revenues fell 2.1 percent in 2016 from a year earlier, and are down 7.8 percent over the last five years. Advertising revenues continue to decline in most markets, although there are notable exceptions in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

No GST on books, but prices set to rise Book lovers and students will now have to pay more as books will become costlier by 10-20 per cent under the Goods and Services Tax regime. Though books continue to remain exempt under GST, but inputs such as printing, binding and royalties to authors now attract tax at 12 per cent. Since the publishers don’t get input tax credit, they now propose to pass it on to customers. “Books are not taxable under GST, but we are at a disadvantage as we lose out on input tax credit. Prices of books will increase by 15 per cent to 20 per cent,” says Amit Bhargava, director of Taxmann. The company publishes legal books on topics such as direct and indirect tax laws, banking and company laws that are also used by University students. Starting July 1, it has already hiked prices of books to reflect the changes with GST. But on the ground, it is unlikely that prices of your favourite bestseller would have increased immediately, although retailers expect a hike in the coming months. Nabhi Kumar Jain, owner of Jain Book Depot, the iconic landmark located in Connaught Place, believes consumers are bound to see the impact of GST on books in the next one or two months. Jain who also run Nabhi Publications, said, “We have not changed the MRP of books currently but we believe books will see an upward revision in prices in the next 1-2 months.” Publishers of school textbooks are also planning to hike prices, but it is expected from the next academic session. Subash Goel, treasurer, Federation of Educational Publishers in India, said, “We believe that MRP of books could go up by 12-15 per cent as costs of publishers have gone up under the GST regime.” He added the 12 per cent GST being imposed on author royalties will be through reverse charges so publishers will not be able to avail themselves of any input tax credit on this cost. The GST on royalties is being seen as the biggest challenge by the industry, which will neither help the publisher, the reader or the author. As a special concession for young children, the GST Council had decided to lower the rate on exercise books to 12 per cent from the earlier proposal of 18 per cent and had altogether exempted colouring books used by small children from the tax. < (Courtesy: BusinessLine)

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July-September 2017 VIDURA 67 Registered with The Registrar of Newspapers for India under TNENG/2009/27484 68 Attention! Print & Photo journalists PII-ICRC AWARDS 2017BEST ARTICLE & BEST PHOTOGRAPH ON A HUMANITARIAN SUBJECT BEST ARTICLE & BEST PHOTOGRAPH ON A HUMANITARIAN SUBJECT

THEME LIVING WITH DISABILITY TRIUMPHS & CHALLENGES JOURNALISTS ,I\RXUVWRU\KDVEHHQSXEOLVKHGDVWRU\WKDWUHŶHFWVWKH triumphs and challenges of persons with disability, then share your story with us.

PHOTOJOURNALISTS If you have managed to capture on camera the triumphs and challenges of persons with disability, and the picture has been published, then share the picture with us

(Separate entry for each category)

1st PRIZE 2nd PRIZE 3rd PRIZE 60,000 40,000 25,000

HOW TO SEND ENTRIES

1. Email your entries to [email protected] or send them to Press Institute of India, RIND Premises, Second Main Road, Taramani CPT Campus, Chennai / 600113 by 15 September 2017. 2. The article/photo should have been published in an Indian national or regional newspaper or a magazine between April 2016 and March 2017. 3. An exact English translation is mandatory for all articles printed in regional languages. 4. Only one entry per individual is permitted for either category. 5. Participants will be asked to submit the proof of their entries in the respective newspaper or magazine. 6. Family members/relatives of the jury and organizers are not eligible for participation. 7. The decision of the jury is nal. The results will be announced in November 2017.

For any clari cations, contact: Sashi Nair, Director & Editor , Press Institute of India, Mobile: +91-9042231343, E-mail: [email protected] , Website: www.pressinstitute.in Surinder Singh Oberoi, Political Advisor, International Committee of the Red Cross, Mobile: +91 9871798386, Email: [email protected], Website: www.icrc.org/in

a competition organized by : The Press Institute of India (PII), Chennai & The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), New Delhi 68 VIDURA July-September 2017