Global – IndIan network of knowledGe (Global–Ink): “the VIrtual thInk tank”

AN INITIATIVE OF THE MINISTRY OF OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS

Global –INK positioned as a strategic “virtual think tank” connects Overseas Indians (knowledge providers) with the development process (knowledge receivers) in India and empowers them to partner in India’s progress. Being a next generation knowledge management, collaboration and business solution platform, Global-INK provides context to connect knowledge experts with knowledge seekers Consequently, these connections enable flow of knowledge and expertise from the Diaspora back into India and facilitate collective action. Global – INK will catalyze Diaspora ability and willingness into well thought out projects and programs for development, transform individual initiatives into community action and achieve critical mass in chosen verticals.

The portal can be accessed only by registered users. Registration request can be submitted by filing out the registration form located on the Global-INK homepage (www.globalink.in)

lR;eso t;rs

Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs www.moia.gov.in izoklh Hkkjrh; dk;Z ea=ky; Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs www.overseasindian.in contents 26 28 30 reaching out life cycle etched in verSe Know India Programme, an outreach In the face of a growing urban ‘mobility In ‘The Rivered Earth’, an anthology project of the Ministry of Overseas Indian crisis’, cycling is an emerging movement of poems, Vikram Seth brings Affairs aimed at Diaspora youth, has in Delhi, where enthusiasts are spreading together an interplay of music, proved to be a productive cultural tool the good word on the humble cycle calligraphy and poetry

travel Printed and Published by N. Simte on behalf of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs Akbar Bhavan, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi — 110021 Website: http://moia.gov.in www.overseasindian.in

Pravasi Bharatiya is a monthly publication. The views expressed in this journal are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA). All rights reserved. No part of this journal may be produced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means — electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the permission of MOIA. heart of darkneSS The dark and mysterious Kutumsar caves in Chhattisgarh, one of the world’s longest 10 caves, is truly awe-inspiring and not for the faint-hearted or the claustrophobic... Editorial correspondence and 42 manuscripts can be addressed to [email protected] global indianS, american guruS A large number of Indian Americans have come to occupy top positions in American Designed and produced by IANS academia, due, in large part, to hard work and a world-class higher-education (www.ianspublishing.com) on behalf of grounding they received back home in India the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs.

cuiSine Printed at painting bharat Anit Printers Though called ‘expat’, a number of foreign artists, some of 1811, Gyani Bazar, them long settled in India, are attempting to interpret its Opp. D-56 N.D.S.E Part -1, 18 symbols, culture and mysticism on canvas Kotla Mubarkpur, 36 New Delhi -110003 a million voiceS Indian-Americans have emerged as a key demographic voice and are set to have a significant bearing on the future of American politics a thouSand but one At a concert in Bengaluru, 1,100 veenas came together to produce ethereal music. Musicians played exquisite 38 compositions based on a variety of classical ragas 24 44 Such a long journey... Sunny-Side up Enid Whitehouse, a Guyanese Indian, retraces a The egg is transforming itself into a versatile dish, with love in vienna ‘crossing’ her father made over a hundred years gourmet chefs in India whipping up tantalising offerings. India-born Austrian film director Sandeep Kumar is izoklh Hkkjrh; dk;Z ea=ky; Some of India’s top chefs share their egg tales... making a Bollywood-style musical film, titled ‘Servus Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs ago as an indentured worker www.overseasindian.in 40 Ishq’ or ‘Hello, Love’, in the heart of picturesque Austria news

IndIa, Qatar sIgn oIl Pact, Kerala doubles IndIa cautIons agaInst IndIan student dIscuss nrI welfare aId to dIasPora slowdown In IMf reforMs wIns contest iNdia aNd energy-rich Qatar, home to the Gulf country. Following the talks, The Kerala expressiNg iTs disappointment at the tas as the main determinant of the voting half a million Indians, have sealed six India’s Petroleum Minister S. Jaipal Reddy government on pace of reform on quota and governance power of members, he said there should agreements in diverse areas, including an and Qatar’s Energy Minister Mohammed March 28 dou - issues in the International Monetary Fund not be any slippage in the January 2013 tar - overarching pact on cooperation in oil and Bin Saleh al-Sada signed a pact on estab - bled the financial (IMF), India has said that a dynamic re - get date for quota formula review. gas exploration. lishing a cooperative framework to en - assistance ex - form process is necessary to ensure IMF’s For the emerging and developing coun - During his recent three-day visit to hance bilateral cooperation in oil and gas. tended to the legitimacy and effectiveness. tries, GDP was the most important variable India, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Hamad bin The pact envisages cooperation in the weaker and “The best possible means to improve in the quota formula and the weight of the Khalifa al-Thani held talks with Prime areas of upstream and downstream oil and poorer sections governance and legitimacy is by ensuring blended GDP variable should be substan - Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on a range gas activities. of the state’s Di - that there is no slippage on crucial re - tially increased in the formula, Mukherjee of issues, including boosting trade and in - It is expected to encourage and promote aspora. forms,” Finance Minister Pranab Mukher - said. vestment as well as energy ties between the investment and cooperation between the The financial assistance is for jee said recently at a joint session of the “Our objective is a simple formula with two countries. They also discussed issues two ministries of oil and gas and through exigencies such as medical help and bring - policy-making International Monetary and GDP blend as either the sole or predomi - relating to the welfare of Indian workers in affiliated companies. ing back the bodies of those who pass Financial Committee (IMFC) and G-20. nant variable and with a higher share of away abroad. Stressing the central importance of quo - GDP-PPP,” he said. “The financial assistance for medical assistance and to take care of funeral ex - new Protocol to penses of those who pass away abroad has iNdia’s Sachin S. Kukke, seen been doubled from `10,000 to `20,000,” souMItra chatterjee gets above with India’s Ambassador to the helP IndIans In uae Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said. US Nirupama Rao, is the Asia-Pacific “The assistance for conducting mar - dada saheb PhalKe award region winner and one of the six aimiNg to streamline the registration of would include the riages of the children of the Diaspora has global winners of the YouTube Space 1.7 million Indian contract workers in the scope of remunera - also been doubled to `15,000,” the Chief legeNdary BeNgali actor Soumi - Lab 2012 contest for young people to United Arab Emirates (UAE), India and the tion and employ - Minister added tra Chatterjee, who has played a wide design experiments that could be per - UAE on April 4 signed a protocol to facili - ment conditions and range of characters in films by Satyajit formed in outer space. tate an electronic validation system for the benefits, as per a statement from the Min - Ray, has been awarded India’s highest film The winners of the contest, con - purpose. istry of Overseas Indian Affairs. honour — the Dadasaheb Phalke Award ducted by YouTube and Lenovo in co - The new system will ensure transparency Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar gIta gets PolIsh for 2012. Chatterjee made his debut in operation with Space Adventures, in the contracting process by mandating that Ravi said India was implementing a com - 1959 with Ray’s Apur Sansar and soon be - NASA, ESA (European Space the prospective worker be duly informed by prehensive e-governance system towards translatIon came the director’s favourite actor. He Agency), and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Indian government-accredited recruitment making the process of overseas deployment played the lead role in most of the Exploration Agency), were announced agencies of the terms of the contract. of Indian workers transparent and accessi - The Bhagwad Gita has found form in moviemaker’s classics, including Sonar at a ceremony at the Newseum in The information to be given to the worker ble to stakeholders. a new translation in Polish. Anna Racin - Kella, Charulata, and Ghare Baire. Washington on March 23. ska, an Indologist and an expert in San - Apart from Ray, Chatterjee has also A student of mechanical engineer - skrit, has translated the Sanskrit text of the worked with other acclaimed directors, Besides films, Chatterjee is also known ing at the BMS College for Engineer - conversation between Krishna and Arjuna such as Mrinal Sen, Tapan Sinha, Tarun for his passion for the stage where he has ing in Bangalore, Kukke’s experiment IndIan Modern art goes onlIne into Polish. There also exists an earlier Pol - Majumdar, Aparna Sen, Goutam Ghose both acted and directed plays. He is also explores transfer of heat in ferrofluid ish translation of the Gita; it was trans - and Rituparno Ghosh. one of the all-time best elocutionists of — a special liquid that gets magne - The NaTioNal unveiled its tie-ups with the New lated from English in the beginning of the Some of his notable movies are Jhinder Bengal. tised when subjected to a magnetic Gallery of Modern Delhi-based NGMA and the National 20th century. Bandi, Koni, Kaapurush, Akash Kusum, He is also a recipient of Padma field. The study can benefit develop - Art (NGMA) has Museum, as part of its partnership Part of the epic story of the Mahab - Aranyer Din Ratri, Joy Baba Felunath, Teen Bhushan, Officier des Arts et Métiers from ment of advanced cooling and heat officially moved to with the Ministry of Culture. harata, the Gita records Krishna’s advice Bhubaner Pare, Ganashatru and Shakha the French government and a lifetime transfer systems. a ‘new address’ in Altogether, 250 artworks have to Arjuna when the latter is beset with Proshakha. achievement award from Italy. cyberspace where been uploaded from NGMA and the doubt at the prospect of taking up arms visitors can walk National Museum, spanning more than against his elders and those who are of his through its new-age 150 years of Indian art, starting 1850. own flesh and blood. The text is the quin - IndIan bIz school courses for PaKIstan portals and check out the permanent ex - The partnership with the Ministry of tessential philosophy drawn from the an - The iNdiaN School of Business (ISB), (CEE) at ISB will offer “open” and “cus - hibits in a virtual tour powered by the Culture brings India on board the inter - cient traditional Indian schools of one of the top business schools in the world, tom-designed” programmes under the col - search engine Google. The popular national project with 151 partners from thought. recently signed a Memorandum of Under - laboration, the first as part of its mission of search engine has also uploaded a sepa - 41 countries nearly a year after the proj - Racinska, now in her 60s, spent almost standing (MoU) with the Institute of Busi - focusing on emerging markets. rate slice of NGMA’s archive of 94 art - ect began in early 2011 with 17 countries a decade in Varanasi to master the nu - ness Administration (IBA), Karachi, to According to the MoU, ISB would pro - works by 71 artists under its ongoing to create an international database of art ances of Sanskrit. Two years ago, she re - provide executive education in Pakistan. vide executive education courses to senior Google Art Project. The project recently for online viewing. ceived her doctorate in Sanskrit from the The Centre for Executive Education management executives in Pakistan. Oriental Institute of Warsaw University.

6 Pravasi Bharatiya | March 2012 March 2012 | Pravasi Bharatiya 7 news

haraPPan collectIon of IndIan, relIcs found asIan art creates record

archaeological experts The doris wieNer Collection, a col - Indian and Southeast Asian art. from Cambridge and Banaras Hindu lection of Indian classical and Southeast He said the collection included “an out - University (BHU) have dug out relics Asian art auctioned by the Christie’s in standing group of exceptionally rare and believed to be associated with the an - New York, has raised nearly $12.8 million beautiful works — testament to Wiener’s cient Harappan civilisation from a — one of the highest total price for a single discerning eye as a doyen in the field”. village in Haryana. collection by the auction house, Christie’s Weihe said several sculptures and clas - Extensive excavations at the an - said recently. sical art shot past their pre-sale estimates, cient Tida Bud Teela, a mound A 13th century bronze figure of Padma - including a “gilt bronze figure of Padma - spread over a 400 sq m area, in pani from Nepal sold for $2,490,500. pani and a bronze group of Somaskanda, Khalsa Bohla village in Karnal dis - “The sale of the Doris Wiener collection sculptures depicting Lord Shiva, Uma and trict, 160 km from Chandigarh, have on March 19 night marked a milestone for their son Skanda from south India.” rhIno PoPulatIon uP by 250 led to the relics. the field. Realising nearly $12.8 million, The Doris Wiener Collection included “The relics include pottery, bones, this is the highest total ever achieved for a nearly 400 sculpture and paintings from a ceNsus of one-horned rhinos at the located to Manas National Park. The latest mud walls, grain store and red- single owner collection of classical Indian Gandhara, the Himalayas, India and renowned Kaziranga National Park census has recorded the presence of 2,290 coloured utensils, which are believed and Southeast Asian Art at Christie’s,” Southeast Asia, assembled by Wiener, a (KNP) in Assam recorded an increase of one-horned rhinos in the park, a senior of - to have been used by people belong - said Hugo Weihe, international director of renowned collector. almost 250 animals over a three-year pe - ficial involved in the census operation said. ing to the Harappan era,” Arun riod. The last census in 2009 recorded 2,048 With 2,290 rhinos in KNP, Assam’s total Pandey, the excavation team leader, rhinos in KNP, of which eight were trans- rhino population now stands at 2,505. said. uranIuM ore MIne starts ‘IndIa good for InvestIng ’ $430 bn In new iNdia commissioned a uranium ore Speaking on the occasion, Banerjee told ‘world’s Most mine and processing plant in Andhra reporters that India now had the capability allayiNg a “misapprehension” fundIng for IMf Pradesh recently. The mine is estimated to to develop its own uranium ore mines in - about some retroactive changes in In - ethIcal fIrMs’ have one of the most significant uranium stead of depending on imports. dian tax laws, Finance Minister Pranab The iNTerNaTioNal Monetary reserves in the world and could fuel 25 per - He said nuclear power generation in the Mukherjee has assured corporate Fund has almost doubled its “fire power” TaTa sTeel and Wipro have been cent of the country’s nuclear plants. country would reach 60,000 megawatts by America that India was a good invest - to protect the world economy against named among the world’s most ethical Atomic Energy Commission Chairman the year 2050. ment destination with a clear and stable deepening debt turmoil in Europe with the companies by the American think tank, Srikumar Banerjee commissioned the He described the uranium processed in tax regime. Group of 20 nations, including India, Ethisphere Institute. `1.1-billion plant developed by the Ura - Thummalapalle as one of the best quality “There is some sense of despondency pledging $430 billion in new funding. These are the only two Indian com - nium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL) at uranium available in the world. amongst a section of US businessmen, The new commitments to the global panies to have featured in the 2012 list Thummalapalle in YSR Kadapa district, The newly-commissioned plant has a ca - particularly because of their apprehen - lender from the world’s largest economies of the World’s Most Ethical Companies which is estimated to have world’s largest pacity of mining and processing 3,000 sion, and I would say misapprehension, to guard against global risks were an - prepared by Ethisphere Institute. uranium reserves. tonnes of uranium a day. about certain legislative amendments nounced recently after a meeting of Group “It is a great honour for Tata Steel to which we have proposed,” he said in of 20 finance ministers and central bankers be recognised under such an important Washington recently. “There is no un - at the spring meetings of the IMF and and prestigious parameter,” said H.M. nod to aIr IndIa ’s recovery certainty and the changes have been World Bank. financial stability and put the world eco - Nerurkar, managing director, Tata made to bring certainty to the tax law, “This signals the strong resolve of the nomic recovery on a sounder footing,” said Steel. iNdia’s Beleaguered carrier Air that was the intention from the begin - international community to secure global IMF managing director Christine Lagarde. India has got a new lease of life as the ning,” Mukherjee said in a talk at the government recently approved plans for a Peterson Institute for International Eco - turnaround in its fortunes with a rehaul nomics, a Washington think-tank. ‘14 InnovatIon unIversItIes to be set uP In IndIa ’ of its financial and operational efficiency. The proposed changes to impose “The Cabinet Committee on Eco - retroactive tax on some international FourTeeN innovation universities grammes and plan priorities of the was already developing an Education City nomic Affairs (CCEA) approved the turn - mergers that exchange Indian assets an - would be set up in the country during the Haryana government. The visit preceded in Sonipat district. Kumar said that the ed - around (TAP) and financial restructuring nounced in the budget couldn’t be used 12th Five Year Plan, Union Minister of the meeting of the Haryana government ucation hub being set up by Haryana at plans (FRP) for Air India. The company operational aspect along with an FRP to to reopen tax cases more than six years State for Planning, Science and Technol - with the Planning Commission for the Kundli, 50 km from New Delhi, would will start making cash profits from 2018, help Air India improve its functional and old as other legislation existed to pre - ogy and Earth Sciences Ashwani Kumar state’s annual plan discussion. benefit not only Haryana but also the but net profit which is the actual profit financial position which includes hiving vent this, he said. said in Chandigarh recently. Ashwani Kumar said he had asked the whole of North India. He said the educa - will take some more time,” Civil Aviation off maintenance, repair and overhaul Mukherjee said, “No case can be re - Kumar was speaking during a visit to Haryana government to send a proposal to tion hub would receive all necessary help Minister Ajit Singh told reporters in New (MRO) and ground handling (GH) busi - opened which is more than six years the city where he reviewed the pro - set up one such university in the state as it from the Central government. Delhi. nesses as subsidiaries of Air India and old.” The comprehensive TAP involves an other measures.

8 Pravasi Bharatiya | March 2012 March 2012 | Pravasi Bharatiya 9 COVER STORY

GLOBAL INDIANS

he global Indian has made his of the University of Houston System and Nitin Nohria, Dean of Harvard Business School, addressing some of India's top business leaders mark everywhere. From admin - the first Indian immigrant to head a com - at Harvard Business School’s first classroom in AMERICAN GURUS istration to business to politics to prehensive research university in the India set up by the Tata Group at Lands End in science and technology to the ac - United States. Given the ‘Outstanding Mumbai. Inaugurated by Ratan Tata, Chairman, aTdemic world, overseas Indians have come Americans by Choice’ award by the US, Tata Sons, the amphitheatre-style classroom to occupy the top echelons thanks to their she is a member of the Indian Prime Min - has a seating capacity of 82 students and is indistinguishable from the MBA classrooms in Cutting across domains, Indian Americans today intellect, hard work and determination to ister’s Global Advisory Council. Boston. The Harvard Business School faculty will succeed. Over 3.2 million people of Indian But it was not easy to break the ‘bamboo offer programmes to Indian industry leaders in have come to occupy top positions, due, in large part, origin have made America, the land of op - ceiling’, Uttar Pradesh-born Khator, who business, government and academia. Seen in the portunity, their home over the years. graduated from University of Kanpur be - picture (from left, front row) are Ratan Tata, to hard work and a determination to succeed in an Today, two of them are state governors, fore coming to the US to do a master’s and Tata Sons Chairman-Designate Cyrus Mistry, and some lead multinational companies, a a PhD in political science from Purdue Naina Lal Kidwai, Country Head of HSBC India. intensely competitive multicultural context. score of them hold high places in the University, says. Obama administration and as many head “As an immigrant woman, I always have Arun Kumar writes from Washington institutions of higher learning. known that I had to work harder to climb Take Renu Khator, 56, who in January the ladder of success, I have been aware 2008 became the first woman Chancellor that certain difficulties exist, sometimes re -

10 Pravasi Bharatiya | March 2012 March 2012 | Pravasi Bharatiya 11 COVER STORY

America’s oldest schools dedicated to art, A mastery over too will become the first person of Indian- architecture and engineering, as its Presi - origin to head the Samuel Curtis Johnson dent last year. Bharucha points out the ad - Graduate School of Management at Cor - vantages of what he calls “a mastery over two cultures nell University when he takes over as the two cultures”. Such a capacity helps Indi - 11th dean on July 1. Currently the Roland ans to bring to the table a global perspec - allows us to Berger Chaired Professor in Business and tive and to fuse some of the finest features Technology at INSEAD, France, Dutta of the East and the West in pushing the think globally and to plans to focus on emerging markets to frontiers of research and innovation, says bring more faculty and students from the Mumbai-born Bharucha. Brazil, India, China and Indonesia. Another IIT-Bombay alumnus S. bring in the best “India needs more internal reforms: Shankar Sastry, an expert in robotics con - clean leadership, collective ambition and trol theory, has been Dean of the College features of the East the courage to make bold decisions,” Dutta of Engineering at the University of Cali - says, suggesting, “The Indian leadership fornia, Berkeley, since 2007. He was and the West... needs to do more to ensure the economy elected to the National Academy of Engi - doesn’t stall.” neering in 2001 and received the Donald — Jamshed Bharucha P. Eckman Award in 1990. ‘GloBAl perspective’ Professor, Psychological and Yet another IITian, Pradeep K. Khosla, Bangalore-born Sunil Kumar, 43, became 54, became Dean of the College of Engi - Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College the dean of another top school, Chicago neering at Carnegie Mellon. He was previ - University’s Booth School of Business, on ously Program Manager at the Defense January 1, 2011, after spending 14 years on Advanced Research Projects Agency head prestigious American B-schools. the faculty of the Stanford University (DARPA), where he managed a $50-million Among them is Nitin Nohria, 49, an IIT- Graduate School of Business where he portfolio of programmes in real-time sys - Bombay alumnus, who, in July 2010, be - was the Fred H. Merrill Professor of Op - tems, internet-enabled software infrastruc - came the first Indian-American dean of erations, Information and Technology. ture, intelligent and distributed systems. Harvard Business School, possibly the most “Indians in the US clearly bring a strong prestigious business college in the world. global perspective. The strength of the In - the ‘B’-school MAtrix “When I started teaching at HBS (in dian education system creates advan - ferred to as ‘the bamboo ceiling’,” she says. Sunil Gupta, the Edward W. Carter Professor of However, Indians were finding it a bit hard 1988), it was difficult to find Indian or Chi - tages,” he says. American Business Administration and Head of the Mar - “However, I believe you can transcend keting Department at Harvard Business School, to crack the top jobs in American B-schools nese case studies. Today, we have 80 cases Jaishankar Ganesh, 46, a graduate of such limitations through ambition and academia is a in one of his classes. until Assam native Dipak C. Jain, 54, a mar - on Indian companies,” says Nohria, the the Madras Institute of Technology and a hard work — as well as the assistance of keting expert trained in mathematics and co-founder of The Smart Manager , the In - noted business education innovator and wise mentors, considerate colleagues and statistics, became Dean of the prestigious dian business and management magazine, scholar in international marketing, became supportive family members,” Khator says meritocracy Kellogg School of Management in 2001. along with Gita Piramal and the late the first person of Asian-Indian descent to in explaining how she could make it to Jain stepped down from Kellogg in 2009 and Sumantra Ghoshal. He wants to “give be chosen as full and permanent dean of one of the most prestigious jobs in Amer - that allows the talented fluential people in the world and called became Dean of INSEAD, Fontainebleau, MBA students a dose of real-world expe - the prestigious Rutgers School of Business- ican academia. “The Marco Polo of Neuroscience” by France, one of the world’s most prestigious rience” by introducing HBS’ “biggest cur - Camden in August 2010. to prosper regardless of Richard Dawkins, author of The Blind and business schools, in March 2011. riculum change in nearly 90 years”. A global search brought G. ‘Anand’ A wide swAthe Modern Paul Broca by Nobel Laureate Eric Now, at least six Indian-origin people IIT-Delhi alumnus Soumitra Dutta, 48, Anandalingam, 54, to the helm of Mary - There are others too, who, like Khator, Kandel. “What people overlook is the fact have made their mark in academia from background or where that a great deal of science originally business schools to institutions of science comes from India,” says Ramachandran, and technology to robotics to psychology you come from... who is Director of the Centre for Brain and brain sciences. and Cognition and Distinguished Profes - In September 2010, US President — Renu Khator sor with the Department of Psychology Barack Obama, who has more Indian- Chancellor, and Neurosciences Program at the Univer - Americans in his administration than any sity of California, San Diego. University of Houston System other that preceded his, named Subra Suresh, a graduate from Indian Institute of ‘MAstery over two Technology-Madras and the Massachu - cultures’ setts Institute of Technology (MIT), Direc - years. He is the author of over 210 research Jamshed Bharucha, 55, was a Professor of tor of the National Science Foundation articles in international journals, co-editor Psychological and Brain Sciences at Dart - (NSF). Before joining this only American of five books, and co-holder of 14 Ameri - mouth College, a private Ivy League uni - Vilayanur Ramachan - S. Shankar Sastry, Pradeep K. Khosla, Dipak C. Jain, Nitin Nohria, Dean, Soumitra Dutta, dran, Distinguished Dean, College of Dean, College of formerly Dean, Harvard Business Dean-Designate, government science agency charged with can and international patents. versity in Hanover, New Hampshire, till Professor, Dept of Engineering, Engineering, Kellogg School of School Samuel Curtis John - advancing all fields of fundamental science Another Indian, neuroscientist Vilaya - 2002, when he went on to become the Psychology & Neuro - University of Carnegie Mellon Management, and son Graduate School and engineering research, Suresh was nur Ramachandran, 60, has been listed by Provost of Tufts University, before joining sciences, University California, currently Dean, of Management, Dean of Engineering at MIT for three Time magazine as one of the 100 most-in - New York-based Cooper Union, one of of California Berkeley INSEAD, France Cornell University

12 Pravasi Bharatiya | March 2012 March 2012 | Pravasi Bharatiya 13 COVER STORY

land University’s Robert H. Smith School of Indians in the in areas as diverse as quantum theory and in - Business, one of the top 15 US business surance. Varadhan is Professor of Mathe - schools, in July 2008. Working there since matics and the Frank Jay Gould Professor of 2001, he founded the school’s Centre for U.S. clearly Science, Courant Institute of Mathematical Electronic Markets and Enterprises. Anan - Sciences, New York University. dalingam also helped found its Centre on bring a strong Prof. Rakesh Agrawal who was the third Health Information and Decision Systems. scientist of Indian origin to be awarded Another Indian, Dr. Yash P. Gupta, global perspective. The America’s top science honour is the with a B.Sc. degree from Panjab University Winthrop E. Stone Distinguished Professor and a Ph.D. in Management Sciences from strength of the Indian at Purdue University, Indiana, and has 116 the University of Bradford, England, has US patents and nearly 500 non-US patents the distinction of serving as dean of busi - to his credit. He has made major contribu - ness schools at four major research univer - education system tions to the fields of natural gas liquefaction, sities, including Johns Hopkins Carey cryogenics and renewable energy. Business School, for over 17 years. He quit creates advantages... Johns Hopkins in 2011 to become the ‘history of success’ CEO and President of LoganBritton, a — Sunil Kumar “Indians have had a long history of suc - data management consultancy. Dean, Booth School of Business, cess in the US academia,” says Arvind Siddhartha Yog Anand Mahindra Rajen Kilachand John N. Kapoor Dr. Ajay Patel is Professor and GMAC Panagariya, Professor of Economics & University of Chicago Chair in Finance and Director of the Centre Jagdish Bhagwati Professor of Indian Po - for Enterprise Research and Education at litical Economy at Columbia University Wake Forest University, North Carolina. and a Non-resident Senior Fellow at the INDIANS GIFT MILLIONS TO ALMA MATER Patel, who earlier served as Dean of the Brookings Institution. “The numbers have Babcock Graduate School of Management, search Center, Member of the National grown larger recently partly due to the ac - received the Educator of the Year Award 11 Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of cumulation effect and partly due to larger everal Indians, who believe they covered fellowships and financial aid for vard University Press to institute a new times across all the MBA programmes. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics numbers of Indian coming to study who owe their success to quality edu - students. publication series, ‘The Murthy Classical Mahendra Gupta, a Bombay University Engineers, Dr. Jayant Baliga has helped then go on to join the academia,” he says. cation at prestigious schools in In September 2011, Rajen Kilachand, Library of India’ to help “make the clas - graduate in statistics and economics, be - transform the semiconductor industry with “Indian Americans have started making the United States, have gifted a Dubai-based entrepreneur, pledged $25 sical heritage of India accessible world - came Dean of the Olin Business School at what he calls the Insulated Gate Bipolar big impact in the US academic world due mSillions of dollars to their alma mater. million to Boston University, the largest wide for generations to come”. Washington University in St. Louis in July Transistor. For his bouquet of inventions, to the presence and availability of capable Topping the list is Tata Group Chair - in its history. The university has renamed In November 2008, Infosys co-founder 2005. Students have given him the Reid the US government awarded him the Na - people from our community,” says man Ratan Tata, who attended the Har - its Honors College in honour of his par - Nandan Nilekani and his wife Rohini Teaching Award eight times since 2001. tional Medal of Technology and Innova - Dr. Thomas Abraham, Founder President vard Business School in 1975, with a gift ents as the Arvind and Chandan Nandlal gifted $5 million to Yale University to tion late last year. The Scientific American of the Global Organization for People of of $50 million, the largest international Kilachand Honors College. catalyse fundraising for the Yale India top hoNours called Jayant “One of the Eight Heroes of Indian Origin (GOPIO). donation in the school’s history. The In April 2010, Infosys Technologies Initiative aimed at positioning Yale Uni - Late last year, the US government con - the Semiconductor Revolution”. “This trend of Indian Americans reach - Tata Group gift in October 2010 is fund - co-founder Narayana Murthy gifted $5.2 versity among the world’s pre-eminent ferred on three professors/scientists of In - Also in the distinguished list was Dr. Srini - ing higher levels in the US academic world ing a new academic and residential million to Harvard University and Har - institutions for the study of and engage - dian origin the country’s highest honours vasa Varadhan, an Indian-American mathe - will continue,” he believes, “as many building — ‘Tata Hall’ — on the HBS ment with India and South Asia. in the sciences. Currently Distinguished matician, who has done pioneering work in among the newer generations are also pur - campus for the participants of the “We contributed “We contributed because of the India University Professor, NC State University, probability theory, helping in the understand - suing similar paths as their forebears who School’s broad portfolio of executive connection. It will be a two-way flow of and Director, Power Semiconductor Re - ing of “are events”. His work has found use came to the US in the 1970s.” education programmes. scholars and research,” Rohini Nilekani The same month, Anand Mahindra, because of the India said. Vice-Chairman of Mahindra & Mahin - In 2008, Amritsar-born John N. dra, who did his MBA from Harvard in connection. It will be a Kapoor, widely regarded as a visionary in 1981, gave the university $10 million to the pharmaceutical industry, invested $5- support the Humanities Center in hon - two-way flow of million in the pharmacy school at the our of his mother, Indira Mahindra. State University of New York in Buffalo It was the largest gift for the study of to set up a fund for faculty research, stu - humanities in Harvard University’s his - scholars and dent financial aid and emerging-technolo - tory. gies research. Kapoor has since gifted the In November 2011, Siddhartha Yog, research,” said Rohini university more than $10.8 million. founder and Managing Partner of The Other Indians who have made gifts in - Xander Group Inc., an India-focused, Nilekani, founder clude a Florida doctor couple, Kiran Patel Jaishankar Ganesh, G. ‘Anand’ Yash P. Gupta, Ajay Patel, Prof & Mahendra Gupta, Arvind Panagariya, emerging-markets investment firm, made and his wife Pallavi, who donated $5 mil - Permanent Dean, Anandalingam, Dean, formerly Dean, Johns GMAC Chair, Finance, Dean, Olin Business Professor, Columbia Harvard University an endowment of of public charity lion to the University of South Florida, to Rutgers School of Robert H. Smith Hopkins Carey and Director, Center School, Washington University School of $11,000,001 to establish two new profes - help construct the Kiran C. Patel Center Business, Camden School of Business, Business School, and for Enterprise University, International & sorships and an intellectual entrepre - for Global Solutions. Maryland University currently CEO, Research & Education St. Louis Public Affairs foundation, Arghyan. LoganBritton at Wake Forest neurship fund. The endowment also —Arun Kumar

14 Pravasi Bharatiya | March 2012 March 2012 | Pravasi Bharatiya 15 COVER STORY

ceptual and communication skills that the about different cultures. Since I study Not everyone is staying put. to Guhan Subramanian — the latter being world covets. MNCs, I have travelled and done research In America, those who aren’t writing the first to be concurrently a professor with Second, many, if they aren’t second-gen - in Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America. cases on India, and aren’t exactly in line for THAT INDIAN Harvard Law School — Indians make an eration immigrants already, preferred the Thus, for a multitude of reasons, both per - a “tenure”, are actually coming back! Bhan - impressive list. US for their doctoral and post-doctoral sonal and professional, I have a truly global dari returned ‘home’ despite having tenure Rohit Deshpande’s path-breaking case work. Anand went to Princeton, Datar to perspective.” at his alma mater, because in 2007 when he study profiling the “selflessness and leader - Stanford, Gupta to Columbia, and so on. The Nohria story, or the HBS story, goes was a mere 37, he got the chance to lead the PROFESSOR… ship” in the face of 26/11 and Tarun Third, and let’s not state the obvious: beyond business schools like Cornell Institute of Rural Management, Anand. He Khanna’s work on the ‘Tata culture’ are they worked real hard and all of them in - (Soumitra Dutta), Chicago Booth (Sunil attributes this reverse migration phenome - gold standards used by MBA start-ups. variably had a genuine interest in marrying Kumar), and Kellogg Northwestern non to “what young associate professors in They rule the Ivy League and their impact is Fortune-50 companies would give an research with industry and vice-versa. (Deepak Jain has since moved to IN - the US feel after rapid upward mobility has arm and a leg to feature in a marketing case The shared vision is powering HBS Dean SEAD). been achieved” and the “superlative salaries truly global... For, most of them have had top- study by Sunil Gupta or Ranjay Gulati – Nitin Nohria’s vision for “the world’s most Typifying gen-next, there’s a queue for that await them at some of our private uni - class education in India, says Rohit Bansal the latter besides working on “customer- international school”. Nohria wants to soak Priya Ranjan’s international economics versities”. centricity”, is a broadcast buddy with Suzy in over 50 percent of case knowledge from course at the University of California in Will more gurus, the new-age academic Welch. outside America (non-US cases were less Irvine. Ditto for Sreenath Sreenivasan’s dons, return like Bhandari has? Or will the Others would be content with a tutorial than 10 percent when he joined HBS in the course on new-media ware at Columbia. place they swipe their ID card at become hris Fonteijn, my living-group Chartered Accountants of India and the In - of just a few hours on their global strategy late 80s), and correspondingly, take in the There is probably little systematic evi - less and less consequential? mate at Harvard, and currently dian Institute of Management, Ahmed - with Krishna Palepu. Not surprisingly, vast variety of ideas that emerge from the dence to support what I am arguing, but it Naturally, there will always be excep - Chairman of the Board of the abad, he sits on the board of Novartis, and Drew Faust, the Harvard President, has salad bowl his colleagues create at Boston. has been replicated across the academic tions, and in plenty. But what can be as - Netherlands Competition Au - when he isn’t the Senior Associate Dean at Palepu by her side as lead of the iconic In an interview with Nohria, this author world in America. serted confidently is that the guru Cthority, had difficulty remembering our ac - Harvard Business School (HBS), he is “re - school’s globalisation initiative for areas as wondered if his “success was Indian or From tenured professors (folks who are ‘dakshina’ these gifted folks can demand counting professor’s name. But Prof. thinking the MBA”, a piece of seminal diverse as law, politics and medicine. American”. The reply seemed to capture blessed with academic freedom and life- will continue to be in top currencies across Srikant Datar, “that Indian professor”, as work, kickstarted in the school’s 100th year, What’s the secret sauce of “that Indian just what all the professors above could long employment) to what former Univer - the world! Chris and Richard Gould, CEO of Somer - that now has the education ministers of professor”? have potentially said: “Like many other im - sity of Pennsylvania don Vivek Bhandari set Cricket County, bantered, helped both India and China as his collaborators. Three things, I feel. First, India’s fantastic migrants to America, I am proud of my In - describes as the “I-95 Corridor between (After 18 years in the media, Rohit Bansal did emerge from the course “less helpless” be - One swallow doesn’t make a summer. In - higher-education grounding — Deshpande dian heritage and just as proud to be an Boston and Washington”, that “Indian pro - the advanced management programme at HBS. fore their CFOs. dians at HBS are omnipresent. Out of 279 has a BSc from Bombay and an MBA from American citizen. Having lived almost half fessor” lends immeasurable value to India’s He’s CEO and Co-Founder, India Strategy Datar should have known. He isn’t just a dons listed on the school’s faculty list, over Northwestern while Gulati read at my life now in two different countries, I soft power. Group, Hammurabi & Solomon Consulting. double gold-medallist from the Institute of 25 have origins here. From Bharat Anand St. Stephen’s and IIM-A — gives them con - have always been drawn to learning more What about trends? Email: [email protected])

FroM GrAMMAToloGy To FINITE GroUP THEory: THE GrEAT INDIAN CAST DrIVING lEADING-EDGE rESEArCH AND INNoVATIoN IN AMErICA

Gayatri Jagdish N. Jagdish Shukla Shreeram Shankar Akhil reed Amar C. radhakrishna Chakravorty Bhagwati University Professor, Abhyankar Sterling Professor of rao Spivak University Professor, Climate Dynamics, Marshall Distinguished law & Political Science, Eberly Professor University Professor, Dept of Economics, George Mason Professor of Mathematics, yale University Emeritus of Statistics, Columbia University Columbia University University Purdue University Penn State University One of the pillars of postcolonial and gen - Tipped to win the Nobel Prize in Econom - ‘Padma Bhushan’ Shukla is a top mete - Known for his contributions to algebraic geom - One of the top legal minds of America, he is Rao is among the world leaders in statis - der studies, Spivak translated into Eng - ics almost every year, Bhagwati, an advo - orologist. In 2008, the UN gave him the etry, the ‘Abhyankar’ conjecture of finite group known for his acclaimed America’s Constitu - tics. Terms like ‘Cramer-Rao inequality’, lish French philosopher Michael Derrida’s cate of globalisation, has served in the 52nd International Meteorological theory is named after him. He also postulated tion : A Biography . He also co-edited ‘Rao-Blackwellization’ ‘Rao’s Score Test,’ complex work, Of Grammatology . World Trade Organisation and the UN. Organisation Prize for climate research. what’s called the ‘Abhyankar inequality’ theory. Processes of Constitutional Decision Making . etc., appear in all books on statistics.

Meenakshi Vidya Dehejia Vijay Prashad Madhu Sudan J.N. reddy Homi K. Bhabha Wadhwa Barbara Stoler Miller George and Martha Principal researcher, Distinguished Professor Anne F. rothenberg Professor, Professor of Indian & Kellner Chair in South Microsoft Adjunct & oscar S. Wyatt Professor of Humani - Washington University South Asian Art, Asian History, Professor, Endowed Chair, ties, Dept of English, Cambridge University Trinity College EECS, MIT University of Alabama Harvard Univesity Wadhwa has been part of NASA teams Awarded the Padma Bhushan this year, Known for his radical views, Prashad is Awarded the prestigious Rolf Nevanlinna An authoritative theoretician in mechanics, A leading figure in postcolonial theory, cul - searching for extraterrestrial life and Dehejia’s studies range from Buddhist art the author of books such as Arab Spring, Prize, Sudan is known for his outstanding Reddy has made seminal contributions to tural change and power, and cosmopoli - has had the unique honour of having a to esoteric temples. She is the author of Libyan Winter and Uncle Swami: South contributions to the mathematics of com - the ‘Finite Element Method’, plate theory, tanism, he wrote the seminal Nation and meteorite named after her. critically acclaimed The Body Adorned . Asians in America Today . puter science. and solid mechanics, among others. Narration and The Location of Culture .

16 Pravasi Bharatiya | March 2012 March 2012 | Pravasi Bharatiya 17 DIASPORA NEWS

(File pic) Indian Americans hen a non- though no difference between celebrating India’s Independence Day in Oak Tree, New Jersey. resident Indian individuals and companies has (NRI) lands in been given, a TRC appears to India now, he or be more relevant for an off - sWhe can zoom through customs shore company because it will with duty-free goods worth be important to determine if a whole grew 78 percent over `35,000 ($685). That’s a small such a company is a mere shell the last decade, the Indian- increase from the earlier duty- entity or is a real company American growth rate, free allowance of `25,000. As having substantial presence in however, was the slowest. millions of Indians travel that country. In the case of an The Bangladeshi abroad every year and have individual, the tax residence community experienced the become big spenders, they cannot be easily most significant growth, have been clamouring for a determined/established by jumping 212 percent to duty-free allowance of at least way of entry stamps of coun - 147,300 in 2010. The `50,000 ($1,000). They argue tries visited/stayed in his/her combined Bhutanese and that considering the prices of passport, said a leading lawyer Nepali populations grew by at designer goods, which the and a qualified accountant least 155 percent. middle and upper-income WELCOME Rajan D. Gupta of SRGR Law Pakistani-Americans, the Indians and NRIs aspire for, Offices. second largest among South even this amount is not Payments by some Indians Asian Americans, grew 100 enough. However, they can to NRIs will be examined by percent, from 204,000 in 2000 now walk through the green WINDFALL the tax officer for determining to 409,000 in 2010, while Sri channel with goods worth taxable income. If such remit - Lankans went up 85 percent `35,000 plus a laptop, a mobile The Union Budget holds out a range of tances from Indians are in - from 24,500 to 45,400. and a camera, among other tended to be free of A MILLION States that have historically small items. benefits for NRIs and quashes tax fears, withholding-tax (TDS), a No had significant South Asian The budget has quashed a says Kul Bhushan from New Delhi Objection Certificate from the populations continued to do so major fear of NRIs about pay - tax officer will be required. in 2010. The five states with ing income tax on their global Basically, the budget has VOICES the largest South Asian income if they stay in India for pay tax on it. It does not matter resident only if he stays in encouraged NRI investors. populations are California, more than 60 days a year. It if the person has lived outside India for more than 180 days New York, New Jersey, Texas, was feared that if an NRI trav - India for decades. This change in a financial year. (The author has worked Indian-Americans have emerged as a powerful group and Illinois. Metropolitan els to India more than once in tax residency has been de - NRIs are entitled to claim abroad as a Business Editor and areas with the largest South and stays for a total of 60 days ferred for now. The change in relief in India only based on a later as a media consultant to a set to influence the course of American politics Asian populations are New in the year, he will be regarded tax residency is part of the Di - Tax Residence Certificate UN agency. He lives in New York City, Chicago, as a resident and will have to rect Tax Code. Therefore, an (TRC) from the government of Delhi and can be contacted at: Washington DC, Los Angeles, declare his foreign income and NRI will be considered a tax the resident country. Even [email protected] ) and San Francisco-Oakland. ndian-Americans have from 1.67 million to 2.84 in the future and will add to Over the last 10 years, the emerged as an million in the same period, the growing electorate. Washington DC Metropolitan increasingly powerful according to data released by Indian-Americans now Area overtook the Los Angeles Murthy aMong Fortune’s 12 top entrepreneurs segment of the American an organisation devoted to make the third-largest Asian- Metropolitan Area as the third- ortune magazine velopment work that had helped spark the outsourc - Ielectorate as President Barack strengthening South Asian American group in the US largest South Asian population has listed Infosys long been the province of ing revolution that has Obama makes his re-election Communities in America. after Chinese-Americans area. Outside the big co-founder N.R. the West,” the magazine brought billions of dollars bid this November, according Based on the 2010 census, the (3.79 million) and Filipino- metropolitan cities, the South F Narayana Murthy among said. The “visionary in wealth into the Indian to a demographic snapshot of number of Indian-Americans Americans (3.42 million), but Asian population grew the South Asians. who can vote has increased with a much faster growth rate. most in Charlotte, North the 12 “greatest entrepre - founder” of Infosys has economy.” The number of Indian- 100 percent from 2000, when it People who identified Carolina, increasing 187 neurs of our time” along - built “one of the largest “It is all about sacrifice Americans who, as US was 576,000, to 1.15 million in themselves as Indian-origin percent over the past 10 years. side Apple’s late chief Steve companies in India, it today, fulfillment tomor - citizens, are eligible to vote has 2010, South Asian Americans citizens comprise the largest This was followed by Jobs, Microsoft founder Bill noted, citing his lesson that row,” Murthy, 65, who is now crossed one million with Leading Together (SAALT) segment of the 3.4 million- Phoenix (Arizona), Richmond Gates and Facebook CEO an organisation starting now Chairman Emeritus, is their total population growing and the Asian American strong “South Asian (Virginia), Raleigh (North Mark Zuckerberg. from scratch must coalesce quoted as saying. “It is all by 68 percent over the 2000- Federations (AAF) noted. Americans”, making up over Carolina), San Antonio “The outsourcer” around a team of people about sacrifice, hard work, 2010 decade from 1.9 million The population of non-US 80 percent of the total, (Texas), Seattle (Washington), Murthy, ranked 10th, with an enduring value sys - being away from your fam - to 3.19 million. Even counting citizens of voting age has also followed by Pakistanis, Stockton (California), “proved that India could tem. “As one of six co- ily, in the hope that some - single ethnicity (discounting increased since 2000. This Bangladeshis, Sri Lankans, Jacksonville (Florida), compete with the world by founders of Infosys and the day you will get adequate mixed race), the Indian- includes green-card holders Nepalis, and Bhutanese. While Harrisburg (Pennsylvania), taking on the software de - CEO for 21 years, Murthy returns from that.” American population grew who may become US citizens the South Asian community as and Las Vegas (Nevada).

18 Pravasi Bharatiya | March 2012 March 2012 | Pravasi Bharatiya 19 DIASPORA NEWS

hirty-seven-year-old When Babu went to climb Malli Mastan Babu the Cristobal Colon peak in the PASSPORT SERVICES OUTSOURCED is the only Indian to Sierra Nevada mountain range have scaled the of Colombia, the local Indians Ttallest peaks of the Andes in would not allow him to go up. he Indian Embassy The Indian Embassy in Washington. South America. He also holds They consider the mountain as and its Consulates a Guinness record for having sacred and would not let out - in the United States climbed seven major summits siders climb it. Babu did not have, like many tions in support of the Con - of the world in 172 days. give up. He told them that he Tmissions in other parts of the sulates-General will be avail - Babu, who hails from a was also an ‘Indian’ and that world, outsourced passport able on their respective farming family in Nellore in the people from India too wor - related services. websites. Andhra Pradesh, has been shipped mountain gods. The The outsourcing agency, Indian Visa/OCI/PIO credited with scaling the Colombian Indians relented, VFS Global, was set to begin services will, however, Aconcagua in Argentina Viswanathan said. its operations for the Indian continue to be handled by three times. At 6,962 Babu’s current trip to the re - Embassy in Washington, and Travisa Outsourcing. metres, it is the tallest peak gion is to reach the top points for the Consulates-General in The Embassy and the Con - outside the Himalayas. of all the 12 countries of South Chicago and New York from sulates-General will, however, He also climbed the Huas - America. To climb Pico April. continue to handle miscella - caran (6,768 metres) in Peru, Neblina, the highest peak in The Consulates-General at neous services like attestation Sajama (6,542 metres) in Bo - Brazil (3,007 metres), he has to Houston and San Francisco of power of attorney. No livia, Chimborazo (6,310 me - travel by boat up the Amazon will also be covered shortly. ber 202-800-7412 became cepted by VFS Global in per - prior appointment is neces - ATOP THE tres) in Ecuador and Ojos del river to reach the base of the In Washington, the functional from April 9 for son or delivered by mail at sary. Information on these Salado (6,800 metres) in Chile. mountain. “I asked him how VFS Global website providing assistance to pass - Suite 103, 1625 K Street NW services can be accessed from No Indian has ever been to he managed the language http://www.vfsglobal.com/india port services seekers. Washington DC. Addresses the websites of the Embassy most of the places where he problem. He smiled and said, /usa and a Call Centre num - Applications will be ac - of VFS Global at other loca - and Consulates-General. has gone. Also among the ‘Mountains all over the world ANDES above was the Vinson Massif speak the same language’,” peak (4,887 metres) in Antarc - Viswanathan added. gopIo plans Malli Mastan Babu, an intrepid Indian tica. This was one of the Babu, who studied at the TABLA, DHOLAK IN T&T SCHOOLS global gadar toughest challenges for him Indian Institute of Manage - mountaineer, recently scaled the tallest due to the extreme cold. ment Kolkata and at the In - centennIal peaks of South America. Babu tells PB Babu has spent about nine dian Institute of Technology, months in South America in Kharagpur, has given lectures he Global Organiza - in Buenos Aires that his expedition has his four trips since 2005, R. on leadership at companies tion of People of In - only begun… Viswanathan, India’s ambassa - like GE, Intel, John Deere, and Tdian Origin (GOPIO) dor to Argentina, Uruguay and in management schools in the is organising the Gadar Cen - Paraguay, said. US, UAE, Kenya and India. tennial Commemoration, the 100th anniversary of the Gadar Movement launched to lib - two IndIans aMong 2012 yale world Fellows erate India from Britain ale University has tion. Yadav, who is Senior From August to with the force named two Indians, Programme Officer, The December, the World of arms. The na - YAyush Chauhan and Hunger Project, has a Fellows will enroll in a tionalistic movement started Ruchi Yadav, to its list of background in advertising, specially designed seminar as the Hindustan Association 16 World Fellows for human rights, and the taught by leading Yale of the Pacific Coast in 1913 2012. Chauhan leads women’s movement in faculty; audit any of the with headquarters in San Quicksand, a multi-discipli - India. 3,000 courses offered at early 167 years after ticultural form of music in the The Indian High Commission in Francisco. nary design and innova - Yadav’s focus is to the University; participate Indians arrived here, primary school curriculum, Trinidad & Tobago donating Indian GOPIO plans include a pe - Ayush Chauhan tion consultancy working Ruchi Yadav empower elected women in weekly dinners with dis - the sounds of the representative of the country’s musical instruments to the tition to declare 2013 as the N St. Augustine Campus of the at the intersection of and launched UnBox, the representatives at the tinguished guest speakers tabla, dholak and harmonium diverse culture. year of Centennial Commem - University of West Indies. business, development, first interdisciplinary festi - grassroots level as key from around the world; will be heard in over 550 pri - The Indian High Commis - oration of Gadar Movement; and culture. val in Delhi bringing to - change agents in local receive individualised mary schools of Trinidad & sion has been holding classes issuance of a suitably de - Chauhan is also a part - gether leading voices from institutions of government skill-building training; Tobago, which will now teach in Indian music and dance and Tobago between 1845 and signed postage stamp; and, ner at the Box Collective, across the world for inspi - across seven states in and meet American the Indian musical instruments through the Mahatma Gandhi 1917 to work on sugar planta - publishing a historic Centen - where he conceptualised ration, debate and reflec - India. and foreign leaders. to students. The T&T cabinet Centre for Cultural Exchange. tions. nial Commemoration book has agreed to introduce a mul - Indians arrived in Trinidad —Paras Ramoutar, Port of Spain about the Gadar Movement.

20 Pravasi Bharatiya | March 2012 March 2012 | Pravasi Bharatiya 21 DIASPORA NEWS

“I congratulate all the individuals and families along with the Punjabi American Heritage Society of Yuba City for their ded - ication and hard work for the successful completion of this project,” Brown added. California Assembly members Jim Nielsen and Dan Logue, County Supervi - sors Jim Whiteaker, Larry Munger and Stan Cleveland, Yuba City Council mem - ber Tej Mann and former Yuba City may - AN AMERICAN ors Kash Gill and Rory Ramirez were among the hundreds who attended the opening ceremony. In a press release, the organisers said: “Since 9/11, Sikhs and South Asians have borne the brunt of mistaken identity by STORY racist attacks, assaults and even murder. Through this exhibit, PAHS tells the story of Punjabis that have a long tradition of Yuba City hosts multi-media museum celebrat - the challenges and successes of generations contributing to the success of their local ing more than 100 years of the of Punjabi Americans. It documents the communities. America’s first Punjabi Punjabi community in the hardships they faced on their arrival in Cal - “The story of the Punjabis, the Sikhs museum documenting United States opened in the ifornia in the early 20th century and their and the South Asians is the same as that cAommunity-dominated Yuba City in Cali - journey to ‘Becoming American’,” said of the Irish, the Italians and the Polish be - the hardships the fornia recently. prominent community leader Jasbir Kang. fore them; it is an American story.” community faced A brainchild of the Punjabi American In his message to the community on the Yuba City was one of the first destina - on their arrival in Heritage Society (PAHS), the multimedia occasion, California Governor Jerry tions of Punjabi immigrants to the US in (From top left): The newly opened ‘Becoming museum, the first of its kind in the US, Brown said, “Showcasing the story of the the early 20th century. American’ exhibits at the Community Memorial California in early highlights the contribution of the Punjabi Punjabi American and South Asian migra - Known as ‘Punjab da Pind’, the city has Museum of Sutter County provide a variety 20th century community to the social fabric of their tion to the United States is a valuable and the largest concentration of the Punjabi of glimpses into the history and culture of Punjabis and South Asians of Yuba City. adopted land. needed resource for current and future gen - community in the US and boasts many “The museum is a multi-media record of erations.” gurdwaras, temples and even a mosque.

22 Pravasi Bharatiya | March 2012 March 2012 | Pravasi Bharatiya 23 tracing roots

ust about a hundred years after her began his life’s journey,” Enid said. Her ney, Enid said: “My father was an adven - father left India for Guyana, Enid journey took her to Sirdargarh village in turous man; he arrived alone in Demerara Whitehouse made an emotional Ganganagar. in 1911 and was assigned to the Lusignan SUCH A LONG journey to a small village in Ra - According to family history, the family Estate. Conditions were very difficult on jJasthan’s Ganganagar district to learn more had owned land and camels in Sirdargarh the estate, the workers were overworked about her father’s life. village. Enid remembers being told that her and the rising prices made it difficult to A London-based father used to re - make ends meet.” lawyer, Enid had late that he had Enid’s father was one of the leaders known that her fa - come to Delhi to when the workers rose in protest. ther had come to see the king According to Enid, in September 1912, Guyana from India I became when he met a the sugarcane workers stopped work at the as an indentured man who per - Lusignan Estate and went to manager JOURNEY worker in Decem - suaded him to Brassington’s house to protest. Alarmed at interested in ber 1911. But her in - go to ‘Demra’ the sight of the group of agitated workers, terest in his life was my father’s (Demerara in Brassington shot and killed one of the A Guyanese Indian retraces a ‘crossing’ her father undertook over a hundred sparked off by her British Guiana). workers. Enid’s father organised the work - young nephew Enid believes ers and led a group of 300 armed with years ago as an indentured worker from a sleepy little village in Rajasthan. when he discovered life. He never spoke that her father shovels to Georgetown to place their griev - Enid Whitehouse recreates that journey in a chat with Shubha Singh fascinating vignettes may have been ances before the colonial authorities. of his maternal about his past, but I referring to the The workers’ agitation rattled the British grandfather’s life grand Delhi authorities. Enid’s father had asked the while writing a re - wanted to know more Durbar. He ar - workers to cut off the telegraph lines. search paper on his rived in Guyana Later, he argued his own case in court and family history. about his earlier life... alone and later even refused the magistrate’s direction to Enid came to married a remove his turban. know that her father widow with a For Enid, visiting Sirdargarh was a mov - had played a promi - — Enid Whitehouse daughter. His ing experience. “I could imagine my father nent role in the London-based Guyanese wife died early in those surroundings,” she said, when she Lusignan riots, lawyer of Indian origin and when the saw the villagers in their colourful turbans. which were a signifi - girl was 18, he cant event in married again Guyanese-Indian history. There were docu - and had 10 children. He went into business ments about the agitation and the court case and prospered. in the India Records section of the British For her own voyage, Enid contacted a Library and also in the Library of Congress travel agent in London and gave her destina - as well as newspaper clippings of the trial. tion, according to Krishna’s emigration pass Guyana-born Enid went to London in as Sirdargarh, Thana Anoopgarh, in 1960 to study law and returned home to Bikaner district. The travel agent made in - practise for some time. But when her fa - quires in Bikaner district and finally located ther, Krishna, died in 1970 she moved back Sirdargarh village in the district of Gangana - to London. “I became interested in my fa - gar. Enid travelled down to the small village ther’s life. He never spoke about his past, of 200 houses. She could not locate any rel - but I wanted to know more about his ear - atives in Sirdargarh but the villagers were lier life. When I learnt about his deeds in happy to welcome Enid to their homes. “I Guyana, I became curious about his back - was disappointed not to meet anyone who ground in India and decided to visit India knew my father’s family, but was deeply to see the small village from where he moved by the warmth of the welcome I re - ceived from the villagers.” “I remember that my father always wore Left: The Kidderpore Depot Dock in Kolkata from a turban. When I showed my father’s pic - where indentured labourers set sail for British ture to the villagers, they told me that he colonies between 1834 and 1920. In January was probably a Rajput because of the style 2011, Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar of his turban. I was very surprised because Ravi inaugurated the ‘Kolkata Memorial’ at his emigration pass showed his caste as Kidderpore Depot. The memorial plaque (seen ‘Jat’. But I read that Rajputs were not pre - in pic, right), in English and Hindi, pays tribute to those thousands of labourers who on the back ferred as indentured recruits as they were of circumstance and history travelled not used to doing agricultural work.” to remote colonies to make a living. Relating the story of her father’s jour -

March 2012 | Pravasi Bharatiya 25 Special Report

Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi interacting with members of the 18th Know India Programme in New Delhi on September KNOW INDIA 29, 2011. PROGRAMME Key eleMentS oF An important outreach mechanism of the Ministry of the ProGrAMMe Overseas Indian Affairs aimed at Diaspora youth, the programme has proved to be a useful tool in advancing l Presentations on the country, its greater understanding among them about their Constitution, political processes and institutions forefathers’ country of origin l Interaction with faculty and students of a prestigious University/College/ Institute I always wanted to It is beautiful and I never thought l Presentations on industrial devel - come to India but so culturally rich. I Delhi was so mod - opments and visit to industrial somehow couldn’t don’t know why my ern and has such an complexes l A visit to a village for a better make it. When I parents did not get advanced Metro. understanding of the typical came to know about me here for so long... What I knew about village life in India l Exposure to Indian media and KIP, I was like, I have I am going to visit India was through cinema to apply for it ... India frequently ... Bollywood movies … l Interaction with NGOs and organi - sations dealing with women’s is - Artika Devi, sues S. Manian, Chanelle Singh, l Visits to places or monuments of Malaysia Australia Fiji historical importance 18th Know India 19th Know India 18th Know India youth have participated in these hosted by state governments. Members also Smriti. They also got to join a networking l Participation in cultural Programme Programme Programme programmes. The participants are selected get to live in Indian villages, interact with session with young professionals organised programmes based on nominations received from Indian the villagers and even learn local craft. by the Indian Council for World Affairs. l Exposure to Yoga Missions/Posts abroad. They are provided Besides travelling and sightseeing, they are l Calling on high dignitaries, which hospitality and are reimbursed up to 90 also exposed to some of the institutions Impressions may include the President of India, percent of economy class return airfare and systems of the country. Manian, 25, currently pursuing a the Chief Election Commissioner o said some of the participants in Diaspora youth, in the age group of 18-26, from their respective countries to India. For instance, a group of 37 youngsters bachelor’s in Education in Kuala Lumpur of India, the Comptroller and the Know India Programme with developments and achievements made Interacting with the participants during of the 19th KIP visited the Indira Gandhi University, says he was apprehensive before Auditor General of India, and (KIP), one of the key outreach by the country and bring them closer to the a recent KIP, Minister of Overseas Indian National Open University (IGNOU) to coming to India as his family members had Union Ministers in charge of Over - programmes of the Ministry of land of their ancestors. Affairs Vayalar Ravi said that the acquaint themselves with the education warned him about poor hygiene and bad seas Indian Affairs and other SOverseas Indian Affairs (MOIA). The programme provides a unique programme provided a unique forum for system there. “These youth are the children quality of food. “My parents were, like, I ministries/departments Sinnapam Manian, who visited India as forum for students and young professionals students and young professionals of Indian of Indians settled abroad and are visiting should not eat out else will fall ill. But in part of the 18th edition of KIP in October of Indian origin to visit India, share their origin to visit India, share their views and different educational institutions in India. the last two weeks I have put on weight as 2011, is a fourth-generation Malaysian of views, expectations and experiences, and bond closely with today’s India. “I am The basic idea is to expose them to the I am eating so much and find the food UPCoMInG KIP S Indian origin. He has vowed to return to develop closer bonds with contemporary happy to welcome all of you who have diversity of our country,” said an MOIA really good,” Manian said a smile. India in search of long-lost relatives whom India. Artika Devi from Fiji, who was come from different parts of the world. This official. Chanelle from Australia had this to say: the family lost touch with generations ago. again part of the 18th KIP, had imagined is a programme to introduce India to you.” According to an IGNOU official, the “My father keeps coming to Jaipur and l 20th KIP: 25 April–15 May, 2012; “I am sure some of our relatives are in India to be as was projected in Bollywood “I want you to tell your parents about group showed a lot of interest in the Delhi for business, but he never brings me Partnering state: Goa Chennai and Bangalore but we are no more movies but her visit to the country made the economic growth of India when you go programmes offered by the varsity and also here. There are a lot of similarities between l 21st KIP: 29 August–18 Septem - in touch. I would like to come back in the 21-year-old realise there was so much back to your respective countries,” Minister had an interactive session with the Vice Australia and India, and it was not a ber, 2012; Partnering state: search of them,” said Manian, who had left more to it. KIP helps fill this vital gap. In Ravi added. Chancellor. cultural shock for me as I had presumed Uttarakhand his part-time job in an orphanage to come fact, the young banker even observed a Members of the 19th KIP were taken to before landing here.” l 22nd KIP: 21 Dec–10 Jan 2013; for the trip. nine-day fast during the Navaratri festival! Getting to know New Delhi’s Indian Institute of Public KIP participants are, in the words of Partnering state: Karnataka The highly popular Know India The Ministry has so far conducted 19 Typically, each KIP delegation travels to Administration, the Centre for Cultural Artika, “totally smitten” and “want to Programme aims to help familiarise Indian KIPs and a total of 591 Overseas Indian various parts of the country and is co- Resources and Training, and the Gandhi return as soon as they can”.

26 Pravasi Bharatiya | March 2012 March 2012 | Pravasi Bharatiya 27 trends LIFE CYCLE

They are part of a small but growing movement in Delhi — a group of cyclists who are riding out an emerging urban ‘mobility crisis’ on the humble cycle. Madhusree Chatterjee meets up with some of them at India Gate in the heart of New Delhi Cycling enthusiasts in New Delhi.

ycling to work may soon be - for Science and Environment (CSE) says Executive Director, CSE, says, “Delhi has come a reality in Delhi, and not Delhi must wake up to the “mobility crisis one of the highest walk and cycle trips in just for the poor. With pollution with non-conventional, eco-friendly and the country.” and shrinking road space, easier systems of transport”. “Even on the car-dominated roads like ICndia’s capital is under pressure to adopt “Increasing use of cars in the capital has the Outer Ring Road, the share of cycles the Netherlands model that promotes cy - reduced the carrying capacity of roads and is quite close to that of autos — 7 and 9 cling as an alternative to driving. by 2020, if the capital has to meet its target percent, respectively,” she says, quoting fig - “Cycle is the future in India but the of 80 percent of public transport share, it ures. “At least 34 percent of Delhi homes voice has to reach out,” says Pankaj Mun - will have to spend more on cycling and have a bicycle. The domestic bike market jal, president-designate, All India Cycle walking,” the study says. has expanded by 3 percent every year,” Manufacturers’ Association. The report says with the “new biking Roychowdhury says. Every Sunday, Munjal and a group of and walking facilities in some parts of But the cycling lanes have remained dis - 150 cyclists from across all walks of life as - Delhi like the BRT stretch between continuous and the intricate design of the cycle initiative in the Delhi region. semble at the Lutyen’s Bikers’ Zone be - Ambedkar Nagar and Pragati Maidan, tracks has created barriers for cyclists, Roy - “I am trying to promote the concept of tween Rashtrapati Bhavan (the Presidential Vikas Marg from ITO to Laxmi Nagar, the chowdhury says. High-speed motor traffic bike sharing in the capital which will allow Palace) and India Gate in the capital for 45 Tughlaqabad stretch and the Noida Link often invades cycling lanes and there is no a commuter or a traveller to rent a bike for minutes of vigorous biking and bike-related Road — built after the Commonwealth penalty for encroaching on non-motor ve - five rupees. But it requires funds and help discussions. The event ends with a small Games — cycling is still seen as street hicle roads. Cycling access to metro sta - from the government. The capital region feast. scraping rather than a continuous well-de - tions is also poor, she says. The high rate needs more cycling space,” says Kalra. “We drive to India Gate at 6 am, offload signed usable system”. of fatal accidents in the capital has been a Kalra adds he is soon starting the ‘India our bikes and cycle on the biker’s tracks,” “We have political commitment, will stumbling block to cycling and walking in Cycle Service’ — a cycle rental with inno - says Munjal, also the managing-director of and interest, but it is actually work on the the capital, says Satyendra Garg, the Joint vator Prabhat Agarwal, an IIT/IIM alum - Hero Cycles, India’s largest cycle maker. ground. We are not looking at cycling and Commissioner of Police, Traffic. nus. Referring to the Netherlands model, The machines range from the regulation walking as a small solution, but on a scale In 2011, nearly 104 cyclists were killed Jeroen Buis, of the Dutch Cycling Em - black bikes at `10,000 to the designer mod - which actually works on the ground in the on the streets of the capital, Garg says. bassy, says, “The difference between the els priced `1.5-2 lakh, Munjal says. His capital,” Sunita Narain, Director-General, “One cannot have proper cycling with - Netherlands and India is that in the A biker training at the Lutyen’s Bikers’ Zone company manufactures nearly six million CSE, recently said at a forum, ‘Our Right out the involvement of the city’s governing Netherlands cycling is very much another at India Gate on a Sunday morning. of the nearly 13 million bicycles made in of Way: Walk and Cycle’. Citing figures bodies,” says Rajesh Kalra, the initiator of mode of transport while in India it is India annually. A new study by the Centre for the capital, Anumita Roychowdhury, ‘Pedalyatri’ (literally, a ‘pedal’ traveller), a something for the poor.”

28 Pravasi Bharatiya | March 2012 March 2012 | Pravasi Bharatiya 29 books ETCHED IN VERSE The Rivered Earth by Vikram Seth is an anthology of poems that brings together music, calligraphy and poetry, inspired by his tryst with the 17th century poet George Herbert. In a conversation with Madhusree Chatterjee , the poet talks about his experiment with the three arts...

usic, calligraphy and poetry. music break through the rhymed verses like century, looks at imperial China in a series These three arts merge in scenes from stage. The terrain of the poetry of musings, memories and stories from Vikram Seth’s new anthology spans China, India and Europe. history narrated by Du Fu sailing on the of poetry, The Rivered Earth , a The anthology is an extension of a Yangtze. Mjourney into the heart of rhythmic lyricism project, ‘Confluences’, between Seth and his “In my twenties, I had lived in China for that the writer of The Golden Gate — a novel musician friends at his new home in two years, studying at Nanjing University, in verse — is known for. The slim Wiltshire by the river Nadder. doing research in economics and anthology, inspired by Seth’s tryst with the “Some time ago, when I was between demography in the nearby villages and celebrated 17th-century poet George books, I took part in a project that resulted travelling around the country whenever I got Herbert, was unveiled recently at the chance to do so. I grew to love Penguin India’s Spring Fever Festival in China, in a complex sort of way,” Seth New Delhi. says. Seth, who bought Herbert’s country The book is divided into The poems are like narratives with home ‘The Old Rectory’ at Salisbury in references to folklore, myths, Wiltshire, England, says the fact that he four segments — ‘Songs superstition, philosophy, rebellion and “got to live there has created an aspect war. In one of his poems, ‘Grieving for of sharing with Herbert’s poetry”. in Time of War’, the Young Prince’, Seth tells of an Poetry comes naturally to Seth. “I never empire, ravaged by war: “Wolves, thought I would become a novelist,” the ‘Shared Ground’, jackals roam the city. In the wild/The writer said. dragon and his court remained “The poem (by Herbert) I used as a exiled/Take care, dear prince, I daren’t template is ‘Love 3’. When I compare ‘The Traveller’ and speak long with you/But for your sake George Herbert’s poetry to those by will pause a breath or two/…I hear the contemporary poets, there is sincerity ‘The Seven Elements’ son of heaven has abdicated/And in the (in Herbert’s poetry) and a wonderful north the Khan, it is related...” way of creating a whole atmosphere,” A section, ‘The Traveller’, is a Seth said. personal interpretation of Indian The book is divided into four segments — in several remarkable works of spiritual poetry and a Rig Vedic hymn on ‘Songs in Time of War’, ‘Shared Ground’, music. It was a collaboration between a creation and the traditional stages of life. It ‘The Traveller’ and ‘The Seven Elements’. writer, a composer and a violinist. processes lores from ancient Indian texts in Each section comprises an introduction and It developed over four years with a work a contemporary poetic canvas. a libretto, which has been set to music by produced each year. The libretti touched Seth, who is writing a sequel to his novel, noted English composer Alec Roth and upon three civilisations — Chinese, The Suitable Boy , says, “It would be ready violinist Philippe Roth, and calligraphy in European and Indian,” Seth elaborated. soon. But I would like to get acquainted Chinese, English, Hindi and Arabic. ‘Songs in the Time of War’, the opening with A Suitable Girl (the tentative title of the Vikram Seth Conversations between Seth and the panorama of poems and translations of the sequel)!” The Rivered Earth has been musicians about transposing the texts to Chinese poet, Du Fu, who wrote in the 8th published by Penguin-India.

30 Pravasi Bharatiya | March 2012 March 2012 | Pravasi Bharatiya 31 books

Zealand-based award-winning author When you emperor Akbar’s reign is best captured David Hair connects to young Indian read - in Salman Rushdie’s cult fiction Mid - ers with lores from Ramayana in his Re - night’s Children and Enchantress of Flo - turn of the Ravana trilogy — Pyre of the read a novel, rence , respectively, while writer Shashi Queens , Swayamvara and The Ghost Tharoor’s The Great Indian Novel is still Bride . you look the most popular retelling of the ancient The exploits of Rama of Ayodhya gets history of the Mahabharata in the mod - a fictional makeover in writer Ashok forward to an element ern Indian historical context. Banker’s six-part Ramayana novels. “There is an immediate connect. When In The Forest of Stories , Banker retells of surprise... Historical you are reading a novel, you are looking the Mahabharata while The Krishna forward to an element of surprise in the Coriolis scripts the exploits of Krishna. story and yet you have a faint idea what Writer Amitav Ghosh’s semi-fictional fiction captures this the story is all about... Historical fiction Ibis series ( Sea of Poppies and River of captures this essence,” says Kapish G. Smoke ) documents the history of 19th- essence... Mehra, Managing Director of Rupa & Co. century migration while the Swadeshi “History has to be retold and put into Movement, the Second World War and — Kapish G. Mehra fictional accounts for the lay readers to the Partition of 1947 come alive in his Managing Director, know and appreciate,” says Manoj Kulka - 1988 classic, The Shadow Lines . rni, Chief Publishing Manager of Amaryllis, Rupa & Co The canvas of Partition and Mughal an imprint of Manjul Publishing House.

FiCtion Indu Sundaresan Greta Rana Amitav Ghosh 1 2 3 4 5

istory books are slowly Roli Books have two new titles under inching back onto the production — Hidden Women , a work PAST bookshelves. Their accept- by British-Nepalese writer Greta Rana ability among readers has about the “Rana (royal) women of Nepal” iHncreased primarily because the writers and an untitled fictional work about the

are now presenting history with a dash Maurya and Gupta rule in Magadha,

of drama and peppy language. These are what is now Bihar, by Geneva-based In - s WITH The Sins of the Father Kill Shot The Sense of Tea for Two and a The Secret of Nagas elements that keep the average reader dian Sumedha Ojha, a native of Bihar, R Author: Jeffrey Archer Author: Vince Flynn an Ending Piece of Cake Author: Amish hooked. Kapoor says. Publisher: Pan Macmil - Publisher: Simon Author: Julian Barnes Author: Preeti Shenoy Publisher: Westland e “I think there are two major attrac - The market is flooded with such titles. lan Price: `350 & Schuster Publisher: Vintage Publisher: Random Price: `295 l Price: `Rs.499 Books Price: `299 House tions that a historical narrative holds for “History books priced `299 to `499 Price: `125 A SPIN l us. First, history is all about stories. with exciting tales fetch the most e Stories about people and places with the business,” Mirza Asad Baig of the

s non-FiCtion

benefit of hindsight. And who doesn’t Midland Bookstore in New Delhi says. Fiction woven around 1 2 3 4 5 like a good story?” asks Udayan Mitra, Very visible on the shelves is a fic - t

history is slowly but Publisher of Allen Lane and Portfolio tional trilogy built around historical facts s surely carving a space imprints at Penguin Books India. about the life of Mughal emperor e “Secondly, historical epics are full of Jahangir, his wife Noor Jahan and son b for itself in the literary heroism, grandeur and romance, some - Shah Jahan by Indu Sundaresan. The tril - market, says thing that entertains everyone,” he adds. ogy includes The Shadow Princess , The People read historical fiction because Twentieth Wife and The Feast of Roses . Madhusree Chatterjee they give readers a window on a time pe - Sundaresan says she decided to “write riod they have had no idea of, says Priya the trilogy after she stumbled upon a Kapoor, Editor and Director of Roli Books. book on Mughal harems in her final year “Historical fiction brings alive history at the graduate school at the University The Magic Thinking Fast Behind the A Life in Words: Confessions of in a more entertaining way. We would of Delaware”, and later realised that Author: Rhonda Byrne and Slow Beautiful Forevers Memoir a Serial Dieter Publisher: Simon & Author: Daniel Author: Katherine Boo Author: Ismat Author: Kalli Purie certainly like to know how people of that “there were stories to be told”. Schuster Kahneman Publisher: Penguin Chughtai Publisher: Harper time lived, what they ate and what they Author Alex Rutherford gives Mughal Price: `399 Publisher: Allen Lane Price: `499 Publisher: Penguin Collins ` ` ` did. Such books take history to history a racy fictional twist in his Price: 499 Price: 499 Price: 250 another level,” Kapoor says. trilogy Empire of the Mughal, while New Source: Bahrisons, Delhi; Capital Book Depot, Chandigarh; Spell & Bound Bookshop&Cafe Pvt Ltd, Delhi

32 Pravasi Bharatiya | March 2012 March 2012 | Pravasi Bharatiya 33 arts

A banner portraying scenes from ‘With Love: FINDING Finding Rabi Thakur’. outlooks on life. In his intensely private moments, Tagore talks to his younger self, a suave youth in love with Kadambari Devi, brother Jyotirindranath’s wife. When the poet is in a muddle about his feelings for the Resident artists at Religare Arts Initiative. TAGORE 34-year-old Victoria Ocampo, a married woman, he seeks help from his younger self A new dance-drama deconstructs Tagore by on how to express his love for Ocampo. The interrogating his relationships with the women in his life young Tagore advises the old man to return 360º space. It was a holistic approach to art, so to to Jorasanko, his ancestral home in Kolkata, say. It was a platform with an exhibition to look for answers from his past. It was at space, a café and a souvenir shop. hey were at once his muses and I wanted to Ocampo’s palatial villa, ‘Miralrio San Lyla Rao, head of client services at lovers. To understand Rab- Isidro’, that Tagore composed his ‘Puravi’ ART SPACES Religare Arts Initiative, says, “Today, indranath Tagore, one needs to find him poems and began to paint. He dedicated integrated art spaces are feasible in India. look at the consonance between them to Ocampo and christened her Vijaya. The focus of a 360-degree platform is to hTis poetry and the women he loved — Chitrangada makes a brief appearance to Art galleries are turning into integrated spaces that nurture all dimensions of art. Given the Kadambari Devi, the companion of his through his flaunt her “immortality as the tough warrior exhibit, sell, teach, offer residencies and run cafés recent robust development of the Indian art youth, Mrinalini Devi, the wife he learnt to princess, but a failed lover”. Ghosts sector, integrated spaces will draw most of love, and Victoria Ocampo, the Argentine women and researched exorcised, Tagore returns to his old age to the traffic.” feminist with whom his friendship lasted 23 “profess his love for Ocampo, who accepts ot too long ago, art galleries manicured garden with space for “We don’t have individual spaces for years, till his death. A new play also talks his correspondence, him as he is”. Tagore is haunted by the merely exhibited and sold art. performance and outdoor display. It performance and interactive art, art about a fourth one — a woman he created ghosts of his lost loves. “He lost all the Today, Indian art galleries are proposes to add to the existing amenities education and residency programmes in the out of the idea of womanhood he cherished women he loved by the time he was 30, till fast turning into “integrated with living rooms and a café to attract country. Galleries double as integrated in his imagination — the Manipuri princess diaries and works... he met Victoria Ocampo at 63,” Sarabhai, Nspaces” that teach art, conduct residencies tourists who throng the nearby Qutab Minar spaces to cater to all aspects of art, including Chitrangada. who plays Ocampo, says. for artists, sell handicrafts and even offer a and the Mehrauli Archæological Complex. archiving,” says art curator Bhavna Kakar. Gujarat-based Darpana Performing — Mallika Sarabhai ‘With Love: Finding Rabi Thakur’ com - quick snack to the tired and hungry soul. “1QA has an exhibition and design space The success of integrated art-space Group has come up with a dance-drama, Dancer & Choreographer pletes the trilogy that took off with a reinter - One such emerging integrated art hub in and a crafts shop with a garden that will be models like the government-run Lalit Kala ‘With Love: Finding Rabi Thakur’, which pretation of Rabindra Sangeet using New Delhi is 1QA, a sprawling green acre my USP in winter. I want to host cultural Akademi with its books division, Epicentre examines Tagore through the relationships contemporary music and dance followed by next to the Qutab Minar. It opened recently shows and everything related to art, fashion (Gurgaon), Cholamandalam Artists village he had had with the three women. The Love...’ is mix of linguistic and stylistic a dance drama ‘Street of Voices’, a feminist with a multimedia exhibition, ‘Roti Kapda, and design,” says Anubhav R. Nath, the (Tamil Nadu), Bharat Bhavan (Bhopal) and production features noted classical and techniques that employs flashbacks, choreography combining the voices of Makaan’, featuring works by 23 artists at its owner of Ojas Art. artist Jogen Chowdhury’s Shantiniketan conceptual dancer Mallika Sarabhai and soliloquies, dialogues, the concept of time Tagore’s women with those of today’s India. in-house gallery — Ojas Art. However, this idea of an integrated art Society for Visual Arts can be attributed to actor Tom Alter, among others. travel, dramatised snippets from Tagore’s “I wanted to find him through his women Developed by the Ramchander Nath space is not new; a similar experiment was multiple resource pools, diversification of The production, the last of a Tagore short stories, ballet and Rabindra Sangeet to and researched his correspondence, diaries, Foundation, 1QA is a non-profit, promoting the Religare Arts Initiative. When it was business models, government backing and trilogy by Sarabhai’s group, has been written probe Tagore’s persona. Tom Alter plays journals and works. Every word spoken by art and culture. On its premises there is a launched, it turned the urban milieu of occasional foreign funding, according to a and directed by her and Australian culture Tagore, a tortured global citizen torn the characters is from his papers, mainly his handicrafts and jewellery shop and a Connaught Place into an interactive art leading art gallery owner in the capital. and arts promoter Steve Mayer-Miller. ‘With between his loves, dilemmas and changing letters,” Sarabhai says.

34 Pravasi Bharatiya | March 2012 March 2012 | Pravasi Bharatiya 35 arts

he tag “expat artist” sits on them All my like misnomers. Meet this band of painters who are of foreign origin paintings are PAINTING but have been carrying indelible Timages of India abroad due, in part, to their fascination with the mysteries, faiths and inspired by colours of the Orient. Indian multimedia artist of Dutch origin Indian spirituality and Sterre Sharma, who made India her home BHARAT in 1971, delves into Oriental spirituality and culture. I have also everyday reality to look for inspiration. “All my paintings are inspired by Indian spiritu - tried to interpret the ality and culture,” says Sterre. She has painted anecdotes from the love A number of foreign artists, some of them long story of Radha and Krishna, using the vi - sacred symbol of ‘Om’ domiciled in India, are interpreting its symbols, sual imagery of Vrindavan’s traditional pea - culture, mysticism and sensibilities on canvas. cock dance, and has interpreted the stories — Sterre Sharma of Hanuman and the sacred Hindu symbol Indian multimedia artist of A look at the ‘Indian vocabulary’ some of of ‘Om’ in mandala-like abstract composi - Dutch origin, New Delhi them use in their oeuvre tions in her art. The Hindu epic Mahab - harata that she read after marrying Indian politician Satish Sharma has been a life- changing experience. She has been helping nearly 1,200 fami - tives. “The avenues for foreign artists to lies of poor Indian performers from the showcase their works are far and few be - slums in the capital to showcase some of tween. They have to adapt to Indian sensi - India’s endangered arts in Europe since bilities to relate to buyers. But galleries now 1992. “I wanted to be an artist when I was do look for foreign artists,” says arts pro - seven,” says Sterre. moter Anubhav Nath of the Ramchander British artist Olivia Fraser-Dalrymple in - Nath Foundation. herits her passion for Indian art from her an - Indian Vaishnavism is young American cestor, James Baillie Fraser, who painted artist Michael-Buhler Rose’s muse. Buhler, vignettes of Indian architecture during the known for his India-inspired spiritual pho - ‘raj’ of the East India Company. Olivia tographs, tries to put the West in the Indian paints in the north-Indian miniature style context often through images of foreign and picks up her subjects from the folk and women clad in saris. street cultures of India. The 32-year-old, who exhibited at expat Olivia, wife of well-known novelist gallerist Peter Nagy’s Nature Morte gallery William Dalrymple, says she uses “Indian recently alongside Olivia, looks for ideas vocabulary” in her work. The fact that she from “Indian scriptures, performance tradi - Above: An interpretation of Hindu mythology by started off as a linguist helps her approach tions and religious mores”. Sterre Sharma; Left: Banjara women stick gather - her art as an interpreter — “to capture the Then there is Delhi-based American artist ers by Olivia Fraser. Michael-Buhler Rose Olivia Fraser-Dalrymple Peter Nagy meditative quality of Indian miniature art”. Zachary Becker. “I came to India in 2009 to The history of the British Raj, beginning work for an art project for young inmates of from the fag-end of the Mughal rule till in - Tihar jail in the capital and then stayed dependence, is peopled with artists who back,” Becker says. Becker, who works in Italy’s lasting love affair with Indian art were commissioned to document India — multimedia on the sights and sounds of the finds expression in Francesco Clemente’s then the new jewel in the empire’s crown — capital, including politics and migration, mystical Oriental art on Indian handmade for branding in Europe. says he often features in his own photo - paper. Clemente lived and painted in India After Independence, Company painters, graphs of the city. Unlike many Western na - for several years during the 1980s and be - such as Thomas and William Daniell, tions, hit by the recent global downturn, came the subject of a book, Made in India , James Forbes, John Zoffany, George Chin - India helps him to survive as an artist. compiled by art critic Jyotindra Jain. nery and James Fraser, passed into history, The school of ‘East-meets-West’ paintings “The Russian painter, Nicholas Roerich, making way for artists who called them - has been pioneered by Italian architect, art who made the Kullu Valley his home, can selves ‘Indophiles’. professor and spiritualist, Nicola Strippoli, be described as the best example of this mav - Spirituality remains their source of pri - known by his Sanskrit name ‘Tarshito’. He erick group who chose to paint India away mary inspiration, but coloured by issues, has been collaborating with artists and crafts - from their home,” a leading Delhi-based art Nicola Strippoli Zachary Becker Francesco-Clemente such as sustenance, economics and perspec - people from Indian villages from the 1980s. writer says.

36 Pravasi Bharatiya | March 2012 March 2012 | Pravasi Bharatiya 37 music A ThousAnd RAw coRe of buT one... Vicky donoR

At a concert in hen a musician plucks the spontaneous. In tough times music can Film: Vicky Donor; hosting music shows, singing it. He amaz - Bengaluru, 1,100 strings of a veena to play soothe, heal and relieve you of stress. So, Music Directors: ingly fits the bill. the notes of a composition, make music an integral part of your life. Abhishek-Akshay, Ayushmann’s voice is fresh and veenas came together Wthe listener is carried off to Veena is the most ancient instrument known Donn-Bann, Rochak Kohli soothing and it goes well with the to produce music an ethereal world. Imagine the effect that an to mankind. Its resonance is unparalleled, and Ayushmann; composition, a blend of folk ensemble of over a thousand veenas would captivating and takes you to another dimen - and pop tunes. Lyricists: Kusum Verma, never heard before... produce! Recently, music lovers in Ben - sion,” AoL founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ayushmann has co-com - galuru were treated to such a spectacle at a said on the occasion. Vijay Maurya, Ayush - posed and penned parts of concert of 1,100 veenas. “We always recognised music as a pro - mann Khurrana, Juhi the song and it is an ab - Held to foster India’s ancient heritage of found means of experiencing harmony with Chaturvedi and solute delight. classical music, the concert organised by the oneself and organised many events of music Swanand Kirkire; The track also has a Art of Living (AoL) Foundation saw veena and dance,” Ravi Shankar said. Singers: Akshay female version by exponents from Bengaluru and eight other “The inspiration behind this concert was Verma, Aditi Singh Sukanya Purkayastha, cities from across Karnataka play at the Ban - the AoL’s ‘brahm naad’ event in 2008 in which is equally com - Sharma, Clinton galore Palace grounds. The audience wit - New Delhi that brought 1,094 sitarists on forting to the ear. nessed musicians playing exquisite one platform for the first time. It made me re - Cerejo, Ayushmann What follows is love compositions based on classical ragas like alise that we need to create platforms to uplift Khurrana, Vishal ballad ‘Mar jayian’. ‘hamsadwani’, ‘dhanashree’, ‘brindavani’, practitioners of ancient arts and enhance the Dadlani, Sunidhi Composed by newcom - ‘kaafi’, ‘hindola’, ‘mayamalawagowla’, exposure of Indian classical music,” said Su - Chauhan, Bann, ers Donn-Bann, the ‘revati’ and ‘mohana’. parna Ravishanakar, secretary at the Ranjini Mika Singh and song has elements of “In happier times your love for music is Kalakendra (Centre for Performing Arts). Sukanya Purkayastha; both Sufi and rock. Rating: *** The lyrics are by Swanand Kirkire and the mesmerising voices of icky Donor scores a Sunidhi Chauhan and Vishal first on many fronts — it Dadlani do justice to the song. not only marks John This is a perfect song, so just sit VAbraham’s foray into pro - back and enjoy it. duction, it is popular VJ Ayushmann It also has a melancholic version Khurrana’s first movie too and Abhishek- sung by Bann, which has a rustic feel and Akshay also start their journey as music would be a good listen for those facing directors with the movie. heartbreak blues. The duo impress with the rawness in the Last but definitely not the least is album. Next on the list is ‘Kho jaane de’, a soft “Chaddha” where Mika delivers the per - Donn-Bann, Rochak Kohli and Ayush - love song with a nice composition. But yet fect ending track. mann too have contributed to the film’s again, Juhi Chaturvedi’s lyrics do not quite ‘Chaddha’ has funny lyrics like ‘Kismat soundtrack. measure up. It is the singers Aditi and ke lag gaye pakode, peeche pad gaya Chad - The compositions are supported by Clinton Cerejo who carry the song on their dha’ and catchy beats pointing to the char - lyrics from five different lyricists, who have shoulders and make an impact with their acter of Dr. Chaddha played by Annu done a decent job. voice. Kapoor, who is chasing sperm donor Opening track ‘Rokda’ has ordinary The composition adds zing to the song, Ayushmann. lyrics, but the catchy tunes and composer which is simple yet well crafted. Overall, Vicky Donor is a good effort and Akshay Verma’s voice make it worth lis - ‘Paani da rang’ comes as a wonderful the coming together of various artistes tening to. Aditi Singh joins him and to - surprise with Ayushmann, who seems to makes it worth listening to. gether they manage to pull it off well. have gained a fair bit of experience by —Bhaskar Pant

38 Pravasi Bharatiya | March 2012 March 2012 | Pravasi Bharatiya 39 Cinema

Director Sandeep Kumar (Left, foreground and above) with his crew. (Photo: Wolfgang Garhoefer)

a musical drama, a colourful mix of romance, songs and spirituality. It is also the first crossover film to be simultaneously shot in English, German and Hindi. Kumar is delighted to have Mumbai- based Afroz Khan compose the music for the five songs in the film, two of which are sung by Mohammad Salamat of ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’ fame. “I have so many stories in mind. Most of ndia-born Austrian film director them are about my own experiences of an Sandeep Kumar is celebrating spring Indian living in Austria. I am so comfortable was chosen after a countrywide audition of Victoria Nougeria. (Photo: Ritchy Pop) with a difference this year. He has being Indian and Austrian. The delicious 150 contestants for the role and has since installed lights and cameras in the heart taste of feeling at home here and there at mastered the moves of Bollywood dance. LOVE IN Iof Vienna’s Hirschstetten Botanical once is a theme close to my heart,” said In the film, Maya is shown arriving in and experienced a memorable feeling of Gardens to film the first song for his Servus Kumar, whose first film Kesariya Balam is the Vienna from India following the trail of a spirituality. This was a surprise to me. My Ishq in Bollywood style. story of a Rajasthani woman reborn in diary left by her late grandmother who was impression was that spirituality was dead in At this time of year, the botanical garden Vienna. Kesariya Balam premiered in Vienna Austrian. Shot entirely in Austria, the film contemporary Europe,” recalled Kumar. is a riot of colours with 360,000 spring in 2010 and bagged numerous awards in traces the pilgrimage Maya undertakes to The song and dance saga is VIENNA flowers already in bloom and another 1.5 Austria, including the prestigious Austrian the picturesque city of Mariazell, about 200 choreographed by Vienna-based Kathak million summer flowers about to burst into National Champion Director award in 2011. km from Vienna and sacred to Catholics, danseuse Neha Kapdi, originally from life. Kumar calls it “an enchanting backdrop Kumar came to Austria about a decade where she lays her Austrian grandmother’s Mumbai, who also stars in the film. Kumar’s India-born Austrian film director Sandeep for a movie”. ago after studying business management in ashes to rest. During the same journey crew of 25 people is mostly Austrian. Master Kumar is making a musical film à la “I could not have asked for more. This is the U.S. and Germany. For many years, he Maya also finds the love of her life. cinematographer Max Leimstaettner is the the backdrop to a romantic song that I will worked as a management consultant by day “The magnificent church from the 17th director of photography. Bollywood, titled Servus Ishq or Hello, Love . film in different parts of Austria,” Kumar and wrote scripts by night. century and the Erlaufsee Lake nearby serve Kumar’s love for the performing arts Mehru Jaffer caught up with Kumar for a said. The mahurat (a ritual conducted at an Now he has taken a break from work to as yet another spectacular backdrop to our goes back to Delhi’s St. Columba’s School, auspicious hour) of Servus Ishq or film Servus Ishq that stars Victoria Nougeria, tender love story,” said Kumar of Mariazell. where he was four years junior to Shah chat in Vienna where he was shooting the Hello, Love was held here at a temple to the a first-time Austrian actress and second-year The inspiration to include the location as Rukh Khan. His most cherished memory is film’s first romantic song sequence... chant of mantras. student at Schaupielschule Krauss, an acting part of the film came after his Hindu of the time when he shared the stage with An Indo-Austrian production, the film is school in Vienna. Nougeria, who plays mother, who also lives in Vienna, told him the Bollywood ‘Badshah’ who played the slated for release early next year. Servus Ishq , ‘Maya’, the central character, in the film, is that she felt like praying at Mariazell. wizard in the school’s version of written, produced and directed by Kumar, is an Indian with Austrian roots. Nougeria “I accompanied my mother to Mariazell L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz .

40 Pravasi Bharatiya | March 2012 March 2012 | Pravasi Bharatiya 41 Travel

4

KANGER VALLEY 3 NATIONAL PARK

1. The Kutumsar Cave. ocated near Jagdalpur, in the 2. One of the many HEART OF stalactite formations Bastar region of Chhattisgarh inside the cave. Land close to the Kutumsar 3. At the very end of Caves is the Kanger Valley National the main cave lies the Park, a biosphere reserve spread naturally formed Shiva over an area of approximately 200 ‘linga’ and every year on DARKNESS Maha Shivratri hundreds sq km. It derives its name from the of local residents go Kanger river that flows through it. Dark, mysterious, spooky… That’s the Kutumsar caves down the cave to The park is known for its rich fauna in Chhattisgarh. Regarded as one of the longest caves offer prayers. and flora. While touring the Park, 4. A view of Kanger there are two other well-known in the world, it is not for the faint-hearted or the ‘Dhara’ (waterfalls) in the Kanger National Park. caves one can visit — Kailash Caves claustrophobic, says Rahul Vaishnavi and Dandak Caves. Kanger Dhara (seen in the pic), Tirathgarh Water - 1 2 falls and Bhaimsa Dhara (a Croco - dile Park) are other key attractions. The best time to visit is during the months of November-June.

alking down the narrow, after the nearby village. They are 40 feet amidst pitch darkness and echoing sounds another on the wall may look like an the other chambers is prohibited. Access to steep staircase in a rock deep and an amazing 4,500 feet in length. does make it a spooky adventure and a elephant’s trunk or a peacock’s feathers. the main cave too is limited to a point How to Reach crevice surrounded by dense The entrance of the cave is extremely strict no-no for the faint-hearted or As you move ahead, small water owing to lack of oxygen. foliage, one enters through a narrow and big enough only to crawl claustrophobic. pockets are inhabited by a unique species At the very end of the main cave lies the Kanger Valley can be approached Wsmall iron door the pitch dark and through. However, a couple of feet down As the torchlight falls on the rocks of fish and frogs which according to the naturally formed Shiva ‘linga’ and every from Jagdalpur, the district intimidating Kutumsar caves. Considered via the man-made iron staircase the caves around, mystifying and vivid stalactite and locals are genetically blind, breeding in the year on Maha Shivratri hundreds of local headquarters of Bastar. It is at a one of the longest caves in the world, the open up to be explored with the help of stalagmite formations on the roofs and dark depth as not even a single ray of sun residents go down the cave to offer prayers. distance of about 27 km from exhilarating journey, which lasts about an guides equipped with solar lanterns. Once walls are a visual treat powerful enough to penetrates inside. According to local folklore, the caves Jagdalpur on the Jagdalpur-Konta hour, is a must for those seeking an inside, the enigmatic setting will help you trigger your imagination. There are several chambers inside the were first discovered in 1951 by tribals who road. One can also approach the park adrenaline rush. play out your Indiana Jones fantasies as The natural patterns have formed over caves in all directions and in 2011 a new were hunting a porcupine and followed it via Jagdalpur-Sargipal-Jatam-Nianar- Situated in the Kanger Valley National you walk on the uneven and treacherous hundreds of years due to rainwater chamber believed to be 410 metres deep inside the caves. However, according to the Bodal road. Raipur (330 km) is the Park in Bastar, which is around 350 km rocky surface thrilled by the fear of the percolating through small crevices in the was discovered. official version, the caves were discovered nearest airport and Jagdalpur (27 km) from the Chhattisgarh capital Raipur, in unknown. rocks. While a pattern on the roof may However, the guided tour passes around 1958 by geographer Shankar is the nearest railhead and bus stand central India, the caves have been named However, breathing in the damp air resemble the eyes of goddess Durga through one main cave and venturing into Prasad Tiwari. for the Kanger Valley National Park.

42 Pravasi Bharatiya | March 2012 March 2012 | Pravasi Bharatiya 43 Cuisine

A folded Spanish omelette with olives

egg bhurji is taking on new with layers of ham rolled in dish is eggs cooked in a bowl Omelette Eggspectation’, flavours. I like to scramble eggs with herbs — and border the with truffles on top. Another ‘Triple Treat Tortilla’ and ‘Egg with lemon leaves for an Asian dish with some mashed dish that I like is boiled egg set Chilada’ — drawing hundreds flavour.” The chef, who has tomato and basil sauce. Egg in a rich veal consommé and of youngsters to it every day. authored Just Kebabs: knows no boundaries; it is yet served with truffles. I love gull’s “Like in India, it is one of Celebrations for 365 Days and to acquire an identity, either eggs — small and blue and the most popular foods in my One for the Leap Year, says he as a vegetarian or as a non- have cooked duck’s eggs for native Italy and in North often uses roasted potato as a vegetarian dish. It is how you years.” America from where I started mould in which he puts some perceive it,” quips Kumar. At Jaypee Hotel’s my chain. It is one of the most scrambled egg and serves it Kolkata-based celebrity chef Eggspectation in New Delhi, basic breakfast dishes and with various herbs. Shaun Kenworthy says, “Egg is the egg gets an American and widely accepted in India,” says “I sometimes make an egg important to classical cuisine. continental makeover with its co-founder of Eggspectation, mille feuille — a thin omelette A classical and popular French signature dishes like ‘Three- Enzo Renda. SUNNY-SIDE UP SOME EGGCITING RECIPES The egg’s versatility and popularity is making gourmet chefs in India create Chef’s Choice Heat 3 tbsp of oil, add cumin seeds and allow them to Chef Saby (Sabyasachi Gorai) recommends crackle. Add hing and dry red chillies. tantalising new dishes. The culinary tales of some of India’s top ‘egg chefs’... Egg Malvani Curry from the Konkan region Add the ground paste and sauté the masala till oil of Maharashtra and Goa. “I just love the separates. Egg Malwani Curry,” Saby says. Add red chilli powder, malvani masala and sauté for 5 minutes. imes are a changing for Pratibha Devisingh Patil, the Chef Sabyasachi Gorai, EGG MALVANI CURRY Add water to get the required consistency. Add salt and the humble egg. Gone homely eggs have turned Olive Bar & Kitchen, New Delhi — One of the popular styles of Malvani Egg Curry sprinkle garam masala. are the days of bhurji and magical. Chef ‘Saby’, as he is Let it boil until oil surfaces. Tegg curry. It is the age of known in his professional Culinary Forum, an Ingredients Cut the boiled eggs in half and add to the gravy. “personalised omelettes” with circle, gives the example of “the association of professional l Eggs: 4 (hard boiled) Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or names inscribed on them, perfect omelette — white on chefs, says eggs have assumed l Green chillies: 2 (medium spicy) chapatti with some onion and a lemon wedge on the side. of one-eyed Susans and of egg the outside and runny inside, a different dimension on the l Coriander leaves: coarsely chopped jellies for dessert. Egg’s sheer like the perfect half moon Indian gourmet’s menu l Garlic: 4 DEVILED STUFFED EGGS versatility is making gourmet glued around the edges, an art because of the rising l Ginger: coarsely chopped Ingredients chefs create dishes as that takes about six to eight popularity of fusion cuisine. l Onion 1 1/2 no (chopped) l 12 hard-boiled eggs tantalising as egg jellies, egg months to master”. “Quail eggs and duck eggs are l Fresh coconut: 1/2 cup l 1/3 cl finely chopped sausages and fried egg desserts. “‘At the Eggs’ Station that I increasingly appearing on the l Red chilli powder: 1 1/2 tsp pickles or sweet relish A decade ago, a dish of run at the Olive Bar & Kitchen table — either as base or l Malvani masala: 1 1/2 tbsp l 1/3 cl salad dressing spicy egg curry, cooked to a we serve Eggs Benedict, topping or batter for South- l Garam masala: 1 tsp l 2 tbsp. finely chopped shade of angry red, with poached eggs, egg sausages East Asian cooking and fusion l Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp onion parantha, was staple in homes stuffed with minced meat, jelly dishes.” One of Sagar’s l Dry red chillies: 2 l 1/4 tsp. salt across states like Bengal and eggs and sweetened fried eggs a plastic pouch — served with favourite is “fish fillet dipped l Hing: a pinch Kerala and in the Parsi broods with vanilla toast for children,” roast tenderloin or chicken. in an egg batter, dusted with l Salt: to taste Method of Mumbai and Gujarat, while says Saby. “I am also trying to revive cumins and fennels and fried”. l Oil: 2 tbsp + 3 tbsp Remove egg shells. Halve eggs lengthwise. bhurji was common on north- The young chef, “who grew classic western egg recipes like Veteran chef and author Remove and mash egg yolks. Dice 1 egg white. Indian platters. However, in the up on eggs as a child” makes the One-Eyed Susan which is a Devinder Kumar, the head of Method To make filling: In a bowl, combine yolks, diced deft hands of chefs like use of a wide variety of eggs, toast with a hole in the centre the Indian Culinary Forum, Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add onions and sauté egg white, pickles, salad dressing, onion and salt. Sabyasachi Gorai, who was including those of quail and and a whole egg thrown in the says, “Eggs give texture and till translucent. Add grated coconut. Sauté till onions and Spoon about 1 tablespoon filling into each remaining conferred the Indian National duck, in experimental dishes middle,” he says. add extra flavour to the dish. coconut turn light golden. Remove from flame. egg white half. Garnish with half a pimento olive. Cover, Tourism Board’s Best Chef such as the egg ‘potli’ — egg Chef Vivek Sagar, who is a With innovation and creativity Grind ginger, garlic, green chillies, coriander leaves and sautéed refrigerate until serving time, at least for four hours. 2011 award by President with runny yolk and cooked in member of the Indian becoming the buzzwords, the onion and coconut into a fine paste. You may top them up with olives!

44 Pravasi Bharatiya | March 2012 March 2012 | Pravasi Bharatiya 45 newsmakers

BAgtA work fetCheS $300,000

previously unrecorded work by master Indian artist Bagta (1769- A1828) has fetched a record Expanding the economic engagement of the Indian diaspora with India $302,500 at the Indian, Hi - malayan & South-East Asian Art auction in the US recently. Dated 1808 and measuring 16 x 22 inches, the painting depicts Rawat Gokal Das (fl. 1761-1814), the 18th-century ruler of Devgarh in Rajasthan, celebrating Holi with his consorts. Bagta was a consummate artist who attained great success with his maiden painting ‘Boar Hunting’. He played a vital role in the development of what Rietberg, Zurich, and was on credible to witness the sale of ‘Rawat Gokal Das playing holi’, came to be described as the display at the Metropolitan Mu - this work come to fruition. 16”x22”, 1808. A painting by Bagta. Devgarh style of painting. seum of Art, New York’s ‘Won - Bringing in a lot of this calibre Bagta was featured in the der of the Age, Master Painters has proven to be not only a hams and for this 2012 Asia landmark exhibition which of India, 1100-1900’ exhibition highlight of my career but also a Week,” said Edward Wilkinson, opened at the Museum until recently. “It was truly in - highlight for (auctioners) Bon - Bonhams department specialist.

UnIverSIty AwArd IndIA-Born joInS AjAy BAngA to for IndIAn lIngUISt U.S. ACAdemy heAd USIBC IndIA-Born AjAy of the students at Washington Kamaljit Singh BAngA , presi - University. Bawa, a distin - dent & CEO of Previously called the Faculty guished profes - MasterCard Awards, the recipient of the sor of biology Worldwide, prestigious honour is selected at the Univer - has been by the students of the univer - Kamaljit Singh sity of Massa - Ajay Banga elected next sity at St. Louis, Missouri. chusetts, Boston, has been chairman of the US-India Congratulating Dr. Warsi, elected a member of the Business Council (USIBC), a For details contact: Robert E. Hegel, Chair of the American Academy of Arts trade association of 350 top Department of East Asian and Sciences. American and Indian com - Ms. Sujata Sudarshan Languages and Cultures, said: Bawa, founder and presi - panies. CEO, OIFC, and Director – CII “This is indeed exciting news dent of Bangalore-based Banga takes over from Dr. Mohammad Jahageer Warsi 249-F, sector 18, Udyog Vihar, Phase IV — congratulations! This is a Ashoka Trust for Ecology and Harold McGraw III, presi - Gurgaon —122015, Haryana, INDIA r. Mohammad wonderful honour and strong the Environment, will join the dent, chairman, and CEO of Jahangeer Warsi, a testament to your efforts in the academy on October 6. The McGraw-Hill Compa - Tel: +91-124-4014055/6 Dgold medallist linguist classroom.” Among others elected to the nies. “By expanding the part - Fax: +91-124-4309446 from Aligarh Muslim Univer - Dr. Warsi is also the Academy are: US Secretary of nership between our two Website: www.oifc.in sity, is the recipient of this recipient of the ‘Unsung Hero’ State Hillary Clinton; former nations over the next several year’s James E. McLeod award 2005 from the Univer - Tennessee Governor Phil Bre - years we can move from Faculty Recognition Award, an sity of California at Berkeley, desen, Jr; veteran diplomat R. $100 billion in two-way trade academic honour given to and a recipient of UP Hindi- Nicholas Burns; and television to $500 billion by the end of teachers for positively influenc - Urdu Literary Award for the journalist Judy Woodruff. the decade,” Banga said. ing the educational experiences year 2011.

46 Pravasi Bharatiya | March 2012 Apravasi Ghat

Apravasi Ghat, situated on Quay Street at the Port Louis harbour in Mauritius, was where indentured labourers from India first set foot in the then French colony. Some 400,000 Indian labourers, men and women, trod its steps between 1834 and 1924 to reach their new homes in colonial plantations. The buildings that exist today constitute only a part of the original ensemble. The entrance is still there, as well as the hospital meant for the immigrants, a shed for horses, the kitchens, the common halls, the water-closets, the area where the immigrants washed themselves upon arrival, and the quarters for the sirdars. Apravasi Ghat was earlier known as ‘Coolie Ghat’. In 1976, the Folk Museum of Indian Immigration of the Mahatma Gandhi Institute documented nearly 200,000 photos and other documents relating to the period between 1834-1920 for display. On July 12, 2006, UNESCO recognised Apravasi Ghat as a World Heritage Site.

lR;eso t;rs Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs www.moia.gov.in www.overseasindian.in