A Journal of the press Institute of ISSN 0042-5303 April-June 2019 Volume 11 Issue 2 Rs 60 In the time of partisan views, can news be reported better? ‘Caution: Consumption of this product can cause anger and rage, frustration, hypertension or depression.’ You would have seen warnings of this kind on medical products, but perhaps CONTENTS they should be also carried now at the top of the daily newspaper • Poll surveys vitiate democratic that we read. Sakuntala Narasimhan explains why fundamentals / N. Bhaskara Rao • Are politicians the only ones he headlines and reports tend to be such that one’s morning gets to blame in a democracy? / spoilt just going through the details of the happenings around the N.S. Venkataraman country, especially the political shenanigans, politicians’ pronounce- • A remote village shows how T good sanitation can be a reality / ments and tactics driven by the obsessive craving for power and pelf. Here is a recent sampling of headlines from mainstream English papers: Bharat Dogra • Children of the marginalised • Congress MLA quits, set to join BJP suffer inequality in education / • BJD MP Panda joins BJP Rakhi Ghosh • No doctor at ESI hospital, pregnant woman dies • Citizenship Amendment Bill, militancy and the media / • BSNL staff not paid for months Nava Thakuria • BSNL cuts 54,000 jobs • A fearless editor who walked • 17 killed in Delhi hotel fire the talk / Mrinal Chatterjee • Rajya Sabha proceedings washed out • It’s time we focused on the • Karnataka Legislative Assembly speaker gets notice from High Court abilities of the disabled / Aditi Panda • Diploma certificates stolen from college • A slice of the irresistible world of • IT employee kidnapped, assaulted storytelling / Ranjita Biswas • 15 lakhs stolen from politician Shobha’s SBI account • Death penalty – does it not • RTI activist murdered destroy something in each • Farmer tries to end life at VidhanSoudha of us? / Shoma A. Chatterji • 15 per cent increase in viral infections in city • It’s an open field for the Cricket World Cup / Partab Ramchand • Money for NREGA runs out – but crores for statues sanctioned • About Hinglish, Tanglish and • Daily wager dies while cleaning manhole Muthiah’s Words in Indian • Teen goons held for threatening residents for votes English / S.R. Madhu • ABVP activists force lecturer to kneel • Remembering Shamshad Begum / • Police officer Rupa transferred for exposing special treatment to Maggie Amritraj / S. Muthiah / Chinmoy Roy / L.V. Sarada / Sasikala in jail Darryl D’Monte (Continued on page 3)

April-June 2019 VIDURA 1 FROM THE EDITOR Forget media support, people and community can make a difference ith the general elections to various places in the Indian heart- organisation has made a difference on in India, newspaper land to ferret around such stories. to the sanitation scene in a remote Wpages and stories that The first is located in a village district. Its grassroots activities have appear on online news sites are called Kotda which lies in Mangrol convinced the people about health mostly about the rough and tumble Block in Gujarat’s Junagadh District. hazards of open defecation and of politics. The sad part is, there is Here, open defecation was being the benefits of making the village hardly any decency left in the polit- practised by all households with the open defecation free. Training pro- ical firmament and the less said wastewater flowing out from kitch- grammes are organised for sanita- about it the better. This journal, of ens and bathing places. Dogra refers tion resource persons who play an course, is happy staying away from to the Aga Khan Rural Support Pro- important role in motivating people, politics and politicians; it is happy gramme that has provided vital sup- and for masons who make the toi- carrying stories and comments port in changing the picture. Four lets. What has been most satisfying about issues that matter to the com- self-help groups comprising women is that the majority of people have mon person – issues that surely got rooftop rainwater structures con- not only constructed toilets but are must attract mainstream media structed which helped people store actually using them. The women attention but, rather unfortunately, enough water so that they did not must be thanking their stars. doesn’t all that much. have to fetch drinking water from Many of our stories (in Vidura and distant places. Community efforts ************************* Grassroots) are about the urgent con- have led to open defecation being cerns of people in India, and the tri- checked almost entirely in Kotda, We have lost two outstanding als and tribulations they go through bringing visible health benefits – the editor-journalists. They were almost on a daily basis. While many incidence of diarrhoea, vomiting, chroniclers and storytellers but, are inspiring stories, others cause typhoid and fever has come down. more significantly, mentors to us to pause and think. I often wish All plastic waste is segregated; the many journalists and others as well. that our journals reached far more waste is not burnt, instead it is given We may never find a S. Muthiah people than what they presently do. to a plastic waste dealer. Many or a Darryl D’ Monte again. It was I would have loved it if these jour- women have started composting not just what they had achieved in nals could have been translated in kitchen waste, using pitchers, bins terms of their body of work, but Hindi or in other languages, but that and an organic catalyst. And at least the manner in which they inspired is easier said than done. Strapped for once a month, the women take the people who came into contact with funds, we do not score on advertis- lead to launch a sanitation drive so them. They were simple and hum- ing or marketing either. However, that any litter that has accumulated ble, and they were happy to let their what is heartening is, readers do in the village is cleared. work do the talking. They brought send emails saying how they have The second is about Balrampur rare dedication and commitment to been moved after reading some of District in Eastern Uttar Pradesh work. Always calm and silent and the articles and encourage us to keep where good development indica- steady work, no newspaper hum- our work going. tors hardly existed in the past, but bug or name-making were what they In the midst of all the hurly-burly in recent months the district’s sanita- believed in and practised. The best of political debates and what have tion efforts have produced significant tribute to them would be to stead- you, I’d like to focus on a couple results, thanks to the close coopera- fastly follow some of the principles of feel-good stories featured in this tion the administration has devel- they espoused. issue. Both stories have been sent by oped with voluntary organisations – veteran journalist Bharat Dogra who the Aga Khan Foundation stands out Sashi Nair is based in Delhi but keeps travelling again. Supported by UNICEF, the [email protected]

2 VIDURA April-June 2019 Illustration: Arun Ramkumar Illustration:

(Continued from page 1) ing gas (again, grossly inflated, as ting the details sink in, because he activists have confirmed after field “needs to pass the time somehow”. And so it goes. The first few pages are checks in the rural areas.) Whatever Youngsters, especially students, said invariably full page advertisements — for the party, the expenses on ads runs they don’t subscribe to the printed jewellery, real estate, festival sales of fash- to hundreds of crores of rupees, newspaper; they access headlines ionwear, all targeted at the affluent, the money that should have gone for quickly via the Internet before get- upper one per cent. social betterment. ting on with the day’s work. Advertisements inserted by political These are the ingredients of our Is this a healthy and viable sce- parties (full page) in the run up to the daily staple news. A small, random nario for the media to function as elections – claiming “achievements in survey some of us carried out among the fourth pillar of democracy? health care, infrastructure, drinking water, readers brought some interesting Sure, wrong-doing and undesirable/ electrification”; “all 198 wards of Bengal- responses — the elderly, retired and unethical trends in the community uru declared open defecation free” – were housebound, who turn to newspa- (rising violence and intolerance, inflated and false. Ads by the state govern- pers to pass the morning hours, said, lack of accountability, scams) need ment (coalition) with photos of the chief “Yes, it is all depressing, it spoils the to be exposed, but are we seeing minister and deputy chief minister, facing day’s morning hours, but what con- a trend where ‘shock value’ sells? ads released by the Union Government trol do we have on the content of the And sales are the deciding factor – (BJP) with the photo of the prime min- papers?” One said, he merely runs no newspaper that makes a loss can ister, claimed free distribution of cook- his eyes over the print, without let- survive; and ads proliferate for the

April-June 2019 VIDURA 3 same reason, because ads mean rev- installed in the wake of the infa- with gold-brushed pages; it weighs enue for the owner. mous Nirbhaya rape case is being so much that I need both hands to ‘Good news’ (a rickshaw puller’s disbanded and facilities for the staff lift it. It is a prized possession that daughter clears the entrance exam manning the helpline withdrawn. I refer to often for my writings, but for engineering; an IT professional This ought to have been big news, each time I heft it, I wonder: how takes up social work to help the but I did not see it reported in any do we translate this into ground handicapped) does get into the news of the mainstream media. realities – no discrimination on but mostly as fillers, in an inside If NREGA and 181, flaunted as grounds of caste, religion, or sex, as page (human interest stories). Such ‘social’ schemes, are starved of funds, envisioned by our forefathers who stories can actually inspire others what use are statues (the world’s wrote the document? And what and lead to social mobilisation, but largest, on the Narmada, NTR’s in should be the role of the media in that’s not considered the prime Andhra Pradesh, Shivaji’s in Maha- this massive task, especially in the ‘function’ of news reports. rashtra, plus many more), each cost- face of rising trends of narrow, par- Yes, expose stories should take ing hundreds of crores of rupees, tisan views, rightist uprisings and prime slots, but how does one when we have the world’s largest divisive policies? And is there a design the mix, where does one population of malnourished children ‘right way’ of disseminating even

draw the line, between exposing and illiterates, hundreds of villages bad news, so that it leads to social and inspiring? Are these issues dis- without water or electricity, schools good? < cussed in teaching modules in jour- without toilets — the list is long. Answers, anyone? nalism courses? If not, why not? How can the fourth estate help Some publications (like Blitz, dur- monitor such anomalies, and ensure (The writer, based in Bengaluru, ing the years I was raw in journal- social justice, so that the Constitu- is a recipient of the Media ism) excelled in expose, and saw it tion we gave unto ourselves with Foundation’s Chameli Devi Award for as their priority. Today, with cor- such fanfare seven decades ago, Outstanding Woman Journalist 1983. porate ownership of most media doesn’t remain an empty promise Her fortnightly columns on gender houses dictating editorial policy and a fraud on the populace? issues and consumer rights ran in the (especially what not to report on, I have a fancy, ‘designer’ hard- Deccan Herald for 27 years. She had if it could rub those in power the bound copy of the Constitution earlier worked for wrong way), ethics, strict adher- gifted to me by the government, Group in Mumbai.) ence to objective norms, and giving information of value to the reader have taken a back seat. Television, in particular, seems to revel in theatrics and grabbing eye- Jawahar Goel is editor-in-chief, balls in the pursuit of TRP ratings (again, because TRP ratings decide Zee Media Network how much advertising will be attracted by each channel – and ris- Zee Media Network has appointed Jawahar Goel as its editor-in-chief. ing ad revenues mean more profits). Goel will be responsible for all editorial affairs of the network and all It is the market dictating content, editors of the national and regional channels would report to him on not ethics or social importance. matters regarding editorial and policy guidelines for their respective Crowd funding, then? Doesn’t channels. work, not enough support from This is Goel’s second stint at editorial operations at the Zee Media the readers. State funding? Again, group. Goel played a similar role in the early avatar of Zee TV, one of the hazards are ominous (using the the earliest news channels in India that started its broadcast in the early media for self-promotion or partisan 1990s. In addition to being editor-in-chief of Zee Media Network, Goel

support) That’s not democracy – and will also be the chairman of the media network’s Editorial Governing we pride ourselves on being the Council that directs the main editorial policy of the network. < world’s largest democracy. How do we debate this? One (Courtesy: exchange4media.com) small news report recently pointed out that the 181 helpline facility

4 VIDURA April-June 2019 Poll surveys vitiate democratic fundamentals, don’t they? Ever increasing expenditure on election campaigns and increased number of poll surveys are eroding the very fundamentals of free, fair and inclusive claims of our electoral system. And yet we are hardly making efforts to reverse the trend, as if we do not even recognise the symptoms of decline in democratic roots, says N. Bhaskara Rao

owe an apology to the nation for Who then have benefited from government or getting corruption- making poll surveys an “instru- poll surveys? For sure, the news free public services. Iment” though they were initi- media, particularly news chan- A poll survey brings together ated more as an academic exercise, nels and, of course, the pollsters a research agency, a politician and for being a fountainhead for and poll agencies are the benefi- or party and a news outlet. They pollsters in the country over the ciaries. But primarily in monetary often treat voters as gullible with- decades. It is now 45 years since poll terms. Have they bettered their out revealing full details and iden- surveys have become news media’s credibility? Have news channels tities or any conflict of interest staple. During this period, we had expanded viewership base beyond aspect. False notions are sometimes seen some 10 Lok Sabha polls and TRP claims. Indeed, pollsters, as spread – that sample size is more over 100 Assembly polls. psephologists, have become privi- critical; more the size, the more reli- In the 2018 round of assembly leged and been pampered by politi- able the findings. polls,nearly Rs 100 crore was used cal leaders. Poll surveys are deceptive. One to conduct field surveys. Now, in Poll surveys could be blamed for need not do a field survey to come this round of 2019 Lok Sabha poll, many accumulated ills in our elec- up with such vague trends as has I estimate nearly Rs,500 crore being toral politics. Thanks to poll sur- been the case of late. Our electoral spent for all kind of surveys, includ- veys, election costs have been on a system can never become truly free ing by parties for candidate selec- constant increase and freebies have and fair the way poll surveys are tion and by candidates for wooing no limits. Poll surveys have made a covered in our news media. Free votes. This time, political parties level playing field even more diffi- and fair polls are as important as and news media have taken to poll cult for the entry of new talent. And free media is. They are two sides surveys a year before the schedule have made polls and political par- of same coin. In the past, some poll was notified on Sunday, March 10. ties more manipulative in the name surveys were close to the final result What have we gained from the of strategy. more by chance, not because of poll surveys? Can anyone give Poll surveys, largely, are no longer any particular methodology of the one benefit that poll surveys have viewed as independent or objective. pollster. provided voters or to politics or They can be accused of deepening Do poll surveys influence voting? to governance or in bettering peo- divides between people, regions and Based on field surveys on shift in ple’s representation or in increas- communities in India. It is too obvi- voting preference, I had indicated ing transparency in the electoral ous that surveys have spread the more than two decades ago that poll process? We cannot even say that ‘note-for-vote’ phenomena. They surveys do influence voting mar- we are electing better candidates have promoted public relations and ginally or otherwise. But then, the today than 25 years ago! Have our image building phenomena out of way TV channels take up coverage parties become more reflective of proportion to ground reality. All this based on poll surveys, one cannot the concerns of people and more has caused distrust in the electoral say their influence is same today. representative since taking to process and outcome. As a result, There are instances of news media poll surveys? Has our electorate today’s voter does not view elec- coverage of surveys swinging cad- become wiser and more selective tions as a serious means for better res and potential candidates from in their voting? governance, or to get representative one party to another.

April-June 2019 VIDURA 5 Illustration: Arun Ramkumar Illustration:

In 2010, I quoted in my book, dence of such a large field research a public debate on poll surveys and Poll Surveys in Media – An Indian force engaged in poll surveys con- that better sense would prevail. But Perspective, what George Gallup’s tributing to research potential of there is no evidence of that and we

close associate said two decades the country or our public policies continue with deceptivity, despite ago about the role of poll surveys becoming citizen-centric. I can say high stakes. < in vitiating democracy. My book that more research and analysis had described how poll surveys were gone into our public policies and (The writer is founder, Centre for being commissioned and managed governance 30 years ago than in the Media Studies, New Delhi, and and analysed in India. News media last 20 years. Independent research the author of The TRP Trick, are as much a party as the political has declined in our public discourse Unleashing Power of News parties are for the way poll surveys and public policies. But motivated Channels – An Indian Perspective. are reported and hyped. This may and supportive social and political He has pioneered applied social be because control of news media research has been on rise. research, including electoral studies, today is slipping to political lead- I did not speak out on poll surveys in India over the past 50 years.) ers, directly or indirectly. for some years. I thought I should Has poll surveys led to an inter- break my silence now. My book was nalisation of systemic research in reprinted by National Book Trust in governance in India? There is no evi- 2012 with a hope that there would be

6 VIDURA April-June 2019 Are politicians the only ones to blame in a democracy?

In the light of the present shape of democracy in several countries, including Western ones, many discerning observers are wondering whether benevolent dictatorship is a better form of governance than a chaotic democracy, says N.S. Venkataraman

t is well recognised that among The ground reality is that the suc- lies and to enjoy power, without any the various forms of governance cess and quality of democracy in particular commitment to providing Isuch as monarchy, military dic- any country depend on the stan- quality governance for the overall tatorship and electoral democracy, dard of the politicians, both in the betterment of society. There is vis- the most desirable is the democratic ruling and opposition parties, from ible collusion between politicians at form of governance where people the point of view of their social com- various levels and businessmen and participate in elections and select mitment, service-oriented outlook, corruption is all too evident. their rulers for a specific period. adherence to truth and principles, These days, a number of political Democracy is considered the most and the courage of their conviction. parties are springing up controlled progressive method of governance When politicians do not measure up by families. They crowd themselves since it recognises the right of every to high standards, democracy inevi- with so called party workers at dif- individual to freedom of thought tably weakens. ferent levels by providing them and speech. It is also a civilised pro- In India, in the pre-Independence opportunities and positions to make cess as it recognises that liberty of days, when Mahatma Gandhi pro- money for themselves. Several poli- individuals cannot be unlimited and vided towering leadership, exhib- ticians at various levels have become is subject to social responsibility. iting lofty personal standards and millionaires in a short span of time Experience shows that in a democ- discipline and apart from a highly by indulging in activities contrary racy the quality and standards of principled political approach, quite to law and ethics. governance depend more on the pol- a number of people entered politics Politicians think they have to iticians (political class) rather than with no thought of personal gain, necessarily get into power by win- the people (common man). While motivated solely by the desire for ning elections by hook or by crook the people exercise their franchise national good and India’s Indepen- and go the extra mile to please the to elect rulers, in most cases they do dence. Many made sacrifices and people by extending freebies and not have a say in governance beyond gave up well-paid jobs to fight for preferential concessions based on a point after the elections, and they the national cause. Many poor peo- caste and other narrow interests. remain largely spectators. ple also suffered for the cause of the Several state governments are fac- While a section of people do pro- country without any desire for per- ing huge debts due to deficit financ- test against developments that are sonal benefit. ing and misuse of resources. While not to their liking, their final say in While such standards of politi- the larger interests of the state are the matter is extremely limited until cians were maintained for a decade hugely affected by such financial the next elections offer the opportu- or so after India’s Independence, a conditions, politicians do not seem nity to reject or elect people to rule deterioration in the conduct of poli- to care and continue to spend state the country. In the interim, the deci- ticians started thereafter and their finances on unproductive projects sions of the rulers could have led to standards are now at an alarmingly with partisan motives. For them, developments that may or may not low level. it seems that personal interests are be desirable to various sections, but In general, people have started of greater priority than state or over which the people have no con- entering politics solely with the national interests. trol. Any number of examples can objective of accumulating money to Political parties forge alliances be cited. benefit themselves and their fami- without references to principles

April-June 2019 VIDURA 7 Illustration: Arun Ramkumar Illustration: or policies, purely with the objec- of politics do not seem to be dis- reforms and remove the fast

tive of cornering votes, highlight- tinctly better than those in countries spreading view that politicians are ing the depths to which politics in like India from the point of view of becoming a curse to democracy. < India has declined. Such alliances politicians’ adherence to principles. deny people the chance to vote for While there may not be multiple (The writer is founder-trustee, a particular party or individual. and family-oriented political parties Nandini Voice for the Deprived, and They are forced instead to vote for in those countries, the behaviour lives in .) a combination of parties (alliance and standards of politicians remain parties). With politics becoming a suspect. game of one-upmanship, the state Obviously, democracy as a con- of democracy in India appears to cept has to be further reformed and be slipping. evolve, even though it is popularly Even in the so-called developed held to be the best form of gover- democratic countries like USA, UK, nance. There is a need for sustained Germany and France, the standards movements to achieve much-needed

8 VIDURA April-June 2019 A remote village shows how good sanitation can be a reality

Kotda is an inspiring example of how a village suffering from extreme problems in the critical areas of water and sanitation can progress to the extent of being considered a model for water and sanitation management. Bharat Dogra wishes that many more villages enjoy the success that Kotda has achieved

ocated in Mangrol Block of ing out from kitchens and bathing struct rooftop rainwater struc- Junagadh District in Guja- places that collected in stagnant tures. These helped people to store Lrat, from a distance Kotda pools. enough water so that they did not Village appears lush and green Water ingression from the sea in have to fetch drinking water from because of an abundance of coco- the coastal region led to increas- distant places. Later, a piped water nut trees. However, just about ing salinisation of groundwater, scheme helped people to further two decades ago, “we used to put so that it became unfit for human enhance their drinking water a cloth over our noses when we consumption. Hence, women had supply. walked along some village paths”, to walk two or three kilometres to AKRSP motivated villagers to join remembers Kamla, an elderly res- fetch water, carrying three or four the scheme and collect the neces- ident. The reason was the open pitchers at a time. “Sometimes we sary contributions. It also arranged defecation practised by all house- had to use the same water sources to chlorinate the first 15 minutes of holds and the waste water flow- that animals used, as there was no the piped water supply (which is alternative,” says Hansa, a middle- available for 90 minutes once in two aged woman of Kotda. or three days) so that the quality of “There are certain things about drinking water would improve. those days that we do not even want Thus, the drinking and domestic to recall,” Hansa says. “It was bad water shortage was sorted out enough that we had to walk about effectively. three kilometres to defecate. But Much before the government’s many of us also had to collect the ODF drive gathered strength, stool of children and aged people women like Vijaya in Kotda started who couldn’t walk the distance, and taking loans from their SHG to con- carry it in baskets to dispose of at the struct toilets. Initially, only a few site. Even though we kept it covered households did this, but Vijaya and in ash, the stink was unbearable.” other women worked hard to con- However, when the Aga Khan vince other villagers to construct Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) and use toilets. “We used videos entered the picture, things started to and other educational material to change slowly. Four self-help groups spread the message that open def- (SHGs) of village women were set ecation leads to serious health prob- up. As Sudha Rathore of AKRSP lems,” she explained. explains, “The organisational base These community efforts have of the SHGs provided the strength by now proved successful to such for initiating several development an extent that open defecation has initiatives particularly in the area of been checked almost entirely in water and sanitation.” Kotda. This has brought visible

Photos: Deepika Yadav One such effort, helped by sub- health benefits and the incidence of Leading from the front and driving sidies from the state government, diarrhoea, vomiting, typhoid and initiatives forward are women. aimed at helping villagers to con- fever has come down, Vijya asserts.

April-June 2019 VIDURA 9 Plastic waste is collected from each house and segregated.

The next big initiative which the terrified by the experience. Now all litter that has accumulated in the villagers took was to create a soak this has changed. Due to the educa- village is cleared. pit where the waste water from tional effort girls understand men- It has been a remarkable journey kitchens and bathrooms could be strual hygiene in a scientific way to quench thirst, improve water absorbed. This effort too has reached and know how to manage with just quality and remove widespread all households and the stagnant clean cloth even if they do not have filth and stench from a village pools of filthy water which were sanitary pads.” which is now widely praised for its once a common sight, are nowhere The next big challenge is to take up achievements. And village women to be seen now. waste segregation. A beginning has have made a very strong contribu- Kotda has also witnessed the been made by segregating all plastic tion to this initiative. The efforts

implementation of a very effective waste. People have decided that this have also led to the enhancement educational programme on men- will not be burnt and instead given of livelihoods because of the work < strual health management. Hansa to a plastic waste dealer. Also, many of the SHGs. says, “Earlier there were so many women like Vijaya and Savita have superstitions and myths associated started composting their kitchen (The writer is a senior freelance with menstruation. Women and waste, using pitchers, bins and an journalist and author who has girls could not bathe. Both nutrition organic catalyst as well. At least once been associated with several social and hygiene were neglected. Young a month the women take the lead to movements and initiatives.) girls who started their periods were launch a sanitation drive so that any

10 VIDURA April-June 2019 When government, voluntary bodies join hands, people benefit A concerted effort by government and voluntary organisations in UP’s Balrampur District has brought about a sea- change in the sanitation scene and consequently the overall health of the people there. Bharat Dogra talks to some stakeholders

alrampur District in Eastern been working very hard. However, Uttar Pradesh may not have initially, we had some doubts about Bboasted of good development the extent to which we would be indicators in the past, but in recent able to bring about the required atti- months its sanitation efforts have tude change regarding open defeca- achieved significant results. Senior tion in the villagers. That was where officials say a lot of the credit goes the AKF made a big difference. Its to the close cooperation the admin- grassroots activities convinced the Wash hands with soap before and after istration has developed with volun- people about health hazards of open meals, reads a signboard. tary organisations, particularly the defecation and the benefits of mak- Aga Khan Foundation (AKF). The ing the village open defecation free detailed knowledge he is a big asset efforts of this organisation, sup- (ODF). With this, our task became when it comes to identifying and ported by UNICEF, made a differ- much easier.” resolving problems. ence to the sanitation scene in the Madan and other officials make Gaurav says, “Officials have a lot remote district. special mention of Gaurav Kumar, of other responsibilities and may Soumya Madan is district co- a grassroots worker of AKF. They not be able to spend so much time ordinator of Swachh Bharat Mis- describe him as a veritable “walk- in the field. I spend a lot of time sion (SBM) in Balrampur. He says, ing encyclopaedia” on the state of in the field and provide the latest “We had big targets and we have sanitation in the district. With his and authentic information on what improvements are needed where.” He adds, “our initial phase was very difficult. But once we were able to convince the community, the going got easier. I had to work very hard in the initial phase.” AKF has made preparations for online updates on sanitation indicators which provide a read- ily available roadmap for identify- ing problems and future planning. Jairam Pathak, the AKF coordinator who plays a leading role in design- ing and updating material, says, “We are trying to make further improvements in this effort.” Funds for constructing toilets and other rural sanitation efforts are channelised through panchayats, and pradhans (heads Photos: BD of the panchayats) as well as their Children are taught to wash plates before having food. secretaries play an important role in

April-June 2019 VIDURA 11 this. Raj Bahadur Singh is pradhan of Recently, they helped us to plan a was both embarrassing and unsafe Belha Village and heads an organi- sanitation garden.” for them. Vihan Devi says with the sation of other pradhans. He says, Balrampur has several villages use of toilets, the incidence of dis- “We would not have prepared so which are prone to floods, water- eases is going down. well if we did not have the benefit logging and river erosion. Jairam In the village primary school the of training programmes organised Pathak says that AKF is aware of situation looks even brighter. Babli by AKF.” The pradhan of Ararpa- special sanitation needs of these Devi, a teacher, says that in 2016 kar Village, Kaushal Kumar Pan- villages. Rajkumar, a sanitation when she joined the school the dey, says, “We learn much in these coordinator in the government, sanitation facilities as well as other training sessions which is of help stresses that these special needs conditions were in such a pathetic in carrying out tasks properly and (like floods) should be planned for condition that even as a teacher she speedily.” in advance to cope with the serious suffered a lot due to lack of essential AKF also organises training pro- problems that could crop up when facilities. But in recent months there grammes for sanitation resource per- these situations actually arise. In has been a huge improvement. sons who play an important role in Belha Village people say that they The principal, Mohammed Akil, motivating people, and for masons have taken care to construct toilets agrees but is quick to add that the who actually make the toilets. on raised platforms, but whether school still needs the services of a Anil Kumar Singh is project direc- this will help during flooding only sanitation worker or safaikarmi. Also, tor (Rural Development) in Bal- time will tell. the school needs a better kitchen rampur. He says, “We need several The overall sanitation programme to prepare mid-day meals for the types of expertise not readily avail- in this village has been good as the children in a safe and hygienic able with us. We can access this overwhelming majority of people environment. The three cooks, who through the Aga Khan Foundation. have not only constructed toilets are paid a measly Rs 1000 a month, They work in several districts and but are actually using them. Kaana deserve a salary hike too. Are the

so from them we can come to know Devi says that this is a big help for government or voluntary organisa- about any promising work in other women, who were earlier for forced tions listening? < areas which we can replicate here. to defecate at the roadside, which

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The News Organizations Safety Self-Assessment is a new resource that will help news outlets to review and improve their current safety practices and protocols. The Self-Assessment comprises a brief set of key questions and guideline notes that should prompt a constructive conversation around safety best practices and encourage practical and effective ways to advance such practices. The Self-Assessment supports news organisations to identify and better understand their own weaknesses and strengths in relation to the security of all individuals working for them exposed to danger, including freelancers. The resource is a collaboration between the ACOS Alliance, the Committee to Protect Journalists, the Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma, Free Press Unlimited, Frontline Freelance Register, the International Federation of Journalists, International News Safety Institute, International Media Support, International Press Institute, the International Women’s Media Foundation, and WAN-IFRA. The resource pays special attention to gender issues, mental health care, digital security needs and working with freelancers and fixers, aspects which are often neglected in organizational policy and protocols. The Self-Assessment includes links to relevant articles, reports, guides, and other existing resources, as well as a basic glossary. The organisations involved in the initiative recognise the crucial role that news managers, publishers, executive

directors, and editors play in advancing a culture of safety, and have come together in partnership to create and promote this useful tool. The News Organizations Safety Self-Assessment can be downloaded from the ACOS < Alliance website.

12 VIDURA April-June 2019 Children of the marginalised suffer inequality in education In remote villages in Odisha, the only picture that shows a sign of development is when a group of children go to a school, Rakhi Ghosh feels. But the sad part of the picture is revealed when they enter a dilapidated building with a leaky asbestos roof and sit for hours waiting for their ‘irregular’ teacher to come. In our cities, no parent would ever contemplate sending children to learn in such conditions

ast year, while doing a story In most of the far-flung villages teaching, the poor children are also about the closure of state-run you can easily see how the children deprived of the mid-day meal, the Lprimary schools with low are being deprived of quality edu- only nutritional food in a day for enrolment (less than 10 students), I cation because they are economi- some students. Language barrier is got a chance to visit a few districts cally poor and marginalised. At a another issue that creates a hurdle in Odisha to listen to what students, time when, globally, policy makers for tribal students and a study says parents and people in the commu- are talking about equality, there are due to lack of understanding and nity had to say. There are many many instances of children of mar- alien language many students leave reasons of low enrolment of stu- ginalised communities in Odisha studies half-way or drop out. dents in state-run primary schools, suffering from inequality on various In the absence of adequate provi- the main reason is lack of quality grounds. In the far-flung villages, sion by government, there has been education. tribal and Dalit students are forced a rapid rise in private education that The performance of state-run pri- to study in schools with dilapi- has actually increased inequality mary schools has been deteriorating dated and half-constructed build- and deprived children of poor and for more than a decade and that is ings, leaky asbestos rooves, broken marginalised families from getting the reason parents prefer to enroll walls, and sometimes on verandahs quality education. The status report their children in private schools. or beneath trees. of Elementary and Secondary Edu- Those who are unable to do so, Apart from infrastructure issue, a cation in Odisha 2017-18 reveals the are forced to send them to schools single teacher has to attend all the number of government elementary where students do not get quality students in a primary school and schools at 50526 while in 2014-15 education. his regular absence not only affects the number was 53455. The reason:

Clockwise, from bottom left: Children of Kurlanal Village in Lanjigarh Block of Kalahandi District cross this stream everyday to reach their school; children of a small hamlet Karanguda in Rayagada District going to school; a primary school in Rampur in Kalahandi District; a Class 5 student of a primary school in Rampur Block; and due to lack of proper roads, students return home from school through agricultural fields. Photos: RG

April-June 2019 VIDURA 13 merger and closure of schools hav- private schools have been reported. low-income parents to meet those ing less than 10 children enrolled. Though some parents are aware demands. Parents even give tuitions During the period, the number of the abysmal conditions of state- to improve the standard and bear of private recognised and unrec- run schools, due to their poor eco- this out of pocket expenditure.” ognised schools in the state had nomic condition they are unable to Anil Pradhan, convener, Odisha increased. In 2014-15, while the shift their children. A government State RTE Forum, says, “If gov- number of private schools was 5088, school teacher said only economi- ernment will enforce all schools in 2017-18 it increased to 6547 – a 17 cally weaker parents who could to comply with RTE norms things per cent increase, showing parents not afford sending their children to will improve. Even after eight years are inclined to putting children in private opted for state-run schools. of implementation of the Right to

private schools. Even today, many parents do not Education Act, only 6 per cent The status report also reveals wish to spend money to educate schools in the state are RTE norms< the condition of government-run girls. So they prefer enroll daughters compliant.” schools in Odisha. Of the total num- in government schools. ber of 67961 elementary and sec- Says educationist Prof G.C. Nanda: (The writer is a freelance journalist ondary schools, only 50065 schools “The private schools by showing based in Bhubaneswar.) have toilet facilities and 52253 their past performances allure par- schools have drinking water facili- ents and start extracting money from ties. There are 306 state-run schools them and sometimes it is difficult for running without buildings, 2205 schools with single classrooms and 1176 schools with one teacher. “Without providing sufficient teachers, quality education and Editors Guild condemns investing in infrastructure, closing primary schools is result of govern- intimidation of media ment’s apathy,” says Ambarish Rai, national convener, RTE Forum. “In The Editors Guild of India has condemned the comments made by the Odisha, still 82 per cent children attorney general before the Supreme Court regarding the documents used are going to government schools, by the media for the Rafale deal reportage. The statement issued by the not private schools. So, the state Guild said: needs to increase its budget allo- The Editors Guild of India unequivocally condemns the Attorney cation and should focus on provid- General’s comments before the Supreme Court pertaining to documents ing quality education. Also, before based on which the media, including , had reported on the closing primary schools citing low Rafale deal. enrollment as a cause, government Attorney General K.K. Venugopal had sought dismissal of a petition for a should re-think why parents are review of the apex court’s earlier judgment, giving the government a clean not sending their children to state- chit, on the ground that the fresh petition had relied on documents that run schools.” were “stolen” from the defence ministry and that investigations were going Ifs regular absence of teachers on to find out if it was a crime and violative of the Official Secrets Act. in state-run primary schools is a Although the Attorney General later clarified that the investigation and major issue, lack of proper roads is contemplated action would not be initiated against journalists or lawyers another. Yet another major problem who used these documents, the Guild is perturbed over such threats. These relates to the girls. Girls are expected will intimidate the media in general and curb its freedom to report and to engage in household chores; they comment on the Rafale deal in particular. Any attempt to use the Official are expected to get married early; Secrets Act against the media is as reprehensible as asking the journalists there is lack of separate toilets for to disclose their sources.

girls in schools. Insufficient rooms The Guild denounces these threats and urges the government to refrain for separate classes and low student- from initiating any action that might undermine the media’s freedom and < teacher ratio are other reasons for independence. increasing inequality in education. Instances of parents taking small (Courtesy: exchange4media.com) loans for admitting children into

14 VIDURA April-June 2019 Are women really empowered to take charge of finance?

Women, educated, semi-literate, employed or not, mostly focus on taking care of their families, housekeeping, timelines and budgets. This translates to managerial skills. But most women are unaware of their own efficiency. They lack both interest in and knowledge of financial issues, and have no control over the family’s finances and no financial security either. This needs to be remedied, says Shoma A. Chatterji

hen Mrs Shukla lost her much salary he draws, how he saves, do not have it now,” says Rinita husband suddenly, she how much he invests and how much Mazumdar, a feminist author who Whad no clue about his income-tax he pays. I have never teaches Economics in a US Uni- savings, investments and so on. She asked and he has never felt the need versity and runs several NGOs for was only 45 then. The terrible trag- to share this with me,” says Sumitra. Asian women there. edy was overshadowed by worries She herself puts her handsome salary “The problem is that the wife is not about the family’s financial status straight into her bank account after even interested in learning anything now that the main earning mem- keeping some aside for expenses. about finances,” says Dr R. Majum- ber was no more. “I am a working Women’s work, often considered dar, an orthopaedic surgeon. “Nor woman myself, but I am not very ‘invisible’, non-monetised and home- is the husband interested in per- aware of how my salary is split into based, is linked to their lower socio- suading her to learn,” he adds. The basic, DA, provident fund and so economic status even when they are result is that the wife, working or on. So, when I lost my husband, I gainfully employed. Often, it is they home-bound, educated or semi-ed- was totally lost financially,” she themselves who are responsible for ucated, has little or no control over says. She had to take the help of a surrendering to the ambience of sub- finances except running the family relative who is a chartered accoun- mission surrounding women. There within a given budget to which she tant and the staff at her husband’s is this conscious attempt to keep may or may not contribute depend- office before she understood the women, working or non-working, ing on her work status. broad outlines of his finances. It away from financial information, Family finances are an area that took two long years for her to get knowledge and decision-making. is socially taboo for discussion even her financial bearings. Even well educated women do not within the family. My own mother “I work in a nationalised bank,” know how much the men in the fam- never knew how much my father says Sumitra Gupta, “but I do not ily earn, be it husband, father or son. earned as a high-ranked govern- really know anything about how to They are neither given nor seek infor- ment official, and neither did we file income tax returns and how to mation on such issues. The problem three children, till he passed away read the receipts.” So, when a female does not exist so much for single when all three of us were adults colleague suggested that they learn women. But for married women, and had our own families. This was the financial ropes together, she widows and divorcees, such issues not the result of any conspiracy to agreed. They got inputs from the can wreak havoc in their lives. block information. It was merely accounts department staff for half “Women employed in the the result of the wife’s hesitancy to an hour each day and understood organised and informal sector often tread into areas in her husband’s the basics in two weeks flat. “I truly have little control over their own life she feared he may not like. felt empowered and learnt how to earnings because it generally goes The husband’s attitude was: I am invest to get the best returns on my into the family budget with no giving her the money to run the savings,” she sums up. What about accounts kept of their contribution family every month, paying for her husband’s earnings? to it. They have little or no control our vacations, children’s education “All I know is that he is a software because they do not know how to and hobbies, and family functions engineer employed in a responsible keep control, how important it is and festivals. Why should I bother position in a reputed firm. I do not too keep control and ways in which her with worries around my earn- know what his designation is, how they can gain control, even if they ings? Besides, she has never asked.

April-June 2019 VIDURA 15 Illustration: Arun Ramkumar Illustration:

Period. The hidden face of patriar- • How to gain control over the assets are negligible, and how chal conditioning underlines such family budget whether one is to keep control over it perspectives. working or not • Whom to trust with financial Women’s attention and focus are • How to gain knowledge, informa- documents, money, invest- usually concentrated on the needs tion and training on aspects like ments, accounts, cash transac- of the family, taking care of the basic pay, dearness allowance, tions and savings, etc husband, children, housekeeping, housing allowance, increments, timelines and budgets. This actu- provident fund deductions, Developing women’s leadership ally translates to managerial quali- professional tax deductions, skills and ensuring greater partici- etc. (Though detailed advice ties that demand high skill and effi- pation in the political and decision- should be taken from chartered ciency. But most housewives are not making process would perhaps accountants and lawyers, basic make some of these tasks more aware of their own efficiency. information can be got from the feasible. Women’s networks that In the current scenario there is an accountant at one’s own office.) urgent need for governments and have been instrumental in raising a • How to file IT returns and Form robust, collective voice about wom- decision-making bodies to acknowl- 88A for bank and other deposits edge gender as a vital component in en’s concerns must push towards • How to obtain a PAN Card policies, legislations and develop- making women’s rights and well-

• How to open, maintain and con- ment processes. With some informal, being integral to the national devel-< short-duration training for women trol one’s own bank accounts opment processes. by women’s organisations, it would • Why and how to invest initially (The writer is a senior journalist and be possible to secure a better finan- in safe savings such as post film historian based in . cial future for them and for their office savings schemes, recurring deposits with banks, fixed and She was presented the South families. Investment professionals, cumulative deposits, etc Laadli Media and Advertising Award legal experts and banking personnel for Gender Sensitivity 2017.) dealing in finance may be roped in • Information on how to control one’s own income and property – for lectures and advice. The follow- inherited, transferred, received as ing aspects need special focus: a gift, self-acquired, etc • How to gain knowledge about • How to make a will with the the logistics of one’s own income help of a lawyer, even if the

16 VIDURA April-June 2019 The saloon next to the school

Our neighbourhoods are full of stories, many of them stories we hardly know or care to think about. Often, there are lessons to be learnt from such stories which reflect life lived in the Real India, stories that make us pause and think. Here is an inspiring, moving piece by Easwaran N.

he swept the floor in the what would it be like in the school. She showed it to her mother. Her saloon. Clumps of hair lay Grey mists of memory meandered mother smiled. Then she ran to Saround seemingly random. through her mind. her father. He did not seem to be All near the chairs. Mostly black, She too had been to school long excited. He had just returned from specks of grey and a few bits of - ao. Oh! So long, ago. Proudly carry- the small paddy field that he tended ficial orange. ing her tattered cloth satchel with a so carefully. He had one look at his As she neared the large window, broken slate and a chalk piece. How daughter and he took the slate. He she saw students running to the carefully she had brought it back returned the slate to her. It had lost school. The school next door. She from her first day at school with ‘अ’ its good side. She had no second looked at it wistfully, imaging written on the good side of the slate. day at school. Illustration: Arun Ramkumar Illustration:

April-June 2019 VIDURA 17 She heard the saloon owner tell- And, and in that moment, the Twenty-five students at her night ing her to hurry. She averted her fate of the girl from the saloon, the school. She felt triumphant. She gaze from the school and went on saloon next to the school, changed went home. Her dull, impover- sweeping. for the good. ished suitcase lay in the corner. The saloon sweeper, transformed She retrieved her slate. Her prized ======to a classroom cleaner, to a child care- possession. She wrote with trem-

taker, to a lab assistant, to an assistant bling hands ‘अ’ on both sides of the It was summer time. No more stu- teacher of the kindergarten. slate. She felt truly accomplished. < dents to the school. An occasional teacher or two would enter the ======imposing gates. The school security (An alumnus of IIM, Ahmedabad guard would open the gates and She often stood at the gates look- and IIT Kharagpur, the writer is an close it with alacrity as if he wanted ing at the saloon. The barbers had information technology professional to keep the school interior from changed. She saw herself looking at with more than 38 years of experience roving eyes. the school gates. in the industry. He writes on She had spent nearly nine months She made up her mind. It took technical subjects and is a keen at the saloon. She did her job well. all of five seconds. She went to the observer of life and people.) The saloon owner had increased her saloon owner. She now taught the monthly wages by 200 rupees. She barbers at night the rudiments of was also now getting the accessories reading, and writing. ready for the barbers. In addition, it included the towels. ======The saloon was becoming popu- lar and more customers visited. The owner created a waiting area and the number of barbers was now eight. He also kept two newspapers and a Caravan journalist bags ACJ Award few popular magazines as well. With help from Dada, the senior for investigative journalism barber, she managed to read the Nileena M.S. was presented the ACJ Award for Investigative Journalism, magazines. 2018 at a function in Chennai on May 3. She bagged the award for her story published in The Caravan last year on how the Adani Group was ======reaping benefits worth thousands of crores as the coal scam continued under the Modi Government. One day, the saloon was unusually Editor-in-Chief of Bloomberg News John Micklethwait handed over deserted. Perhaps it was the hot the award to Nileena, in the presence of former Governor Gopalkrishna weather. She wandered outside. She Gandhi, Chairman of The Hindu Group of Publications N. Ram, and went to the school gates, hoping to Chairman of Media Development Foundation Sashi Kumar, among others. peek inside. A small perfunctory The award citation stated that her story was a “solid work of investigative peek, just to complete her mental journalism, combined with extensive research uncovering new evidence picture of the inside of the school. to reveal the truth hitherto unknown.” The gate opened. She stopped Two other entries — ‘A Chronicle of the Crime Fiction That is Adityanath’s short. One of the teachers came out Encounter Raj’ by Neha Dixit published in The Wire and the two-part carrying some books. The teacher series on ‘The Death of Judge Loya’ by Nikita Saxena published in The was startled. Summer vacation, Caravan found special mention. who could be loitering near the Gandhi, who was the chairperson of the jury, said it was a tough task school gates? to identify the winner. The books slipped from her hands The ACJ Award for Investigative Journalism comprises a trophy, and fell down. A few books flipped citation and a cash prize of 2 lakh. Earlier, Nikhil Kanekal, convener, open and a few fell unopened. By the ₹ ACJ Award for Investigative Journalism, introduced the awardee and the time the teacher could bend down

jury. Other jury members were film-maker Nilita Vachani and historian to collect her books, she saw the girl < A.R. Venkatachalapathy. pick up the books and hand it over.

18 VIDURA April-June 2019 State of the Forest Report: Centre fails to see the wood for the trees According to the biennial State of Forest Report 2017 by the Forest Survey of India, the total forest and tree cover in India increased during the period 2015-17 by 0.94 per cent. The increase in the forest cover has been of the order of 6778 sq km and that of tree cover was about 1243 sq km. Howecer, instead of providing a critical evaluation, the report tries to represent a rosy picture. Amita Bhaduri takes a closer look

ndia ranks 10th in the world in Special thematic information The trends in the forest area are terms of forest area. The nine on the forest cover such as hills, vital for India because the Green Iother countries have a population tribal districts, and the Northeast- India Mission under the National density of more than 150 persons ern Region has also been provided Action Plan on Climate Change per sq km, while India’s population separately in the report. The report, (NAPCC), projects an ambitious density is 382 persons per sq km. for the first time, contains infor- target of 10 million hectares of The State of Forest Report 2017 by mation on the decadal change in forest cover by 2020 at a cost of Rs the Forest Survey of India released water bodies in the forest during 460 billion ($10 billion). SFR 2017 in February last year by the Union 2005-2015, forest fire, production indicates an expansion of agro- Environment minister contains of timber from outside forest, state- forestry and private forestry with information on forest, tree and man- wise carbon stock in different forest the timber production in “trees grove cover, growing stock inside types and density classes. The 2015 outside forests” (TOF) category and outside the forest areas, carbon assessment covered 589 districts in by 74 per cent — from 42.77m3 in stock in India’s forests and forest India, while the new assessment has the 2011 assessment to 74.51m3 cover in different patch-size classes. covered 633 districts. in 2017. Photo: Tridib Choudhury, Wikimedia Wikimedia Choudhury, Tridib Photo: Commons, CC BY SA-4.0)

India’s forest cover stands at 21.54 percent while its dense forest cover is about 12.26 per cent, according to the State of Forest Report, 2017.

April-June 2019 VIDURA 19 Satellite data blamed sustains some of the world’s most native forests from large expanses SFR 2017 is based on satellite data. imperilled forests. The FSI recently of exotic monocultures of fast- The FSI has adopted the vector announced that the forest cover in growing species such as eucalyp- boundary layers of various admin- India had expanded by nearly five per tus, acacia, rubber, teak, bamboo, istrative units up to districts devel- cent over the past decade. This result, or pine trees. Since 1992, planta- oped by the Survey of India along while technically accurate, is mislead- tions have expanded rapidly in with digital open series toposheets, ing. The FSI estimates forest cover by India via state-sponsored pro- bringing about full compatibil- using automated algorithms to anal- grammes designed to meet bur- ity with the geographical areas as yse satellite imagery – an approach geoning demands for timber and reported in Census, 2011. that fails to distinguish native forests fuel wood and to reforest denuded For SFR 2017, the spatial infor- from tree plantations, which are often hillsides. mation given is based on the inter- monocultures of exotic species that The assessment also reveals that pretation of LISS-III data from have limited value for endangered 15 states and union territories have Indian Remote Sensing satellite biodiversity. above 33 per cent of the geographi- data (Resourcesat-II) with a spatial “Since the early 1990s, tree planta- cal area under forest cover of which resolution of 23.5 metres. The satel- tions have expanded in India at an seven — Mizoram, Lakshadweep, lite data interpretation is followed estimated rate of roughly 15400 sq Andaman & Nicobar Islands, by rigorous ‘ground truthing’. In km/ year. Subtracting plantations Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, addition, extensive ground data from total forest cover shows that Meghalaya and Manipur — have collected by field parties at more native forests in India have declined more than 75 per cent forest cover. than 18000 points all over India and by 1.5 per cent to 2.7 per cent per year. Further, about 40 per cent of the information from other collateral The limited precision of our estimate country’s forest cover is present in sources are also used to improve the highlights a paucity of data on native nine large contiguous patches of accuracy of the interpreted image. forest cover in India – a problem the size of 10000 sq km, or more. Many experts like Ranjit Gill, joint requiring urgent attention.” The report has, for the first time, director of the FSI, consider that “an SFR 2017 points to these problems assessed water bodies inside the for- over-reliance on inadequate imag- when it says that the improvement in est areas, and found an increase of ing by an Indian satellite system” the forest area of Andhra Pradesh is 2647 sq km during the past decade. is making forest destruction easy to in part due to “improvement in inter- The states indicating the largest overlook. A resolution of 23.5 metres pretation due to a better radiomet- increase in water bodies in the for- is not good enough to categorically ric resolution of the recent satellite est areas are Maharashtra, Gujarat identify individual deforestation data from Resourcesat-2”. We have a and Madhya Pradesh. events. Openly critical of the FSI’s situation now where numerous tiny The five states where forest cover assessment in 2011, Gill says that plots that earlier went unnoticed has decreased most are from the the “current figure of forest cover in under the earlier spatial resolution Northeast — Mizoram, Nagaland, India is way over the top and based are now being visible for the first Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and on facile assumptions”. time and are being counted as forest Meghalaya. The main reasons, In reality, selective cutting of trees cover showing inflated figures. This according to the report, are shifting does not register in the satellite just means that the increase in for- cultivation, other biotic pressures, imagery due to the technological est cover to a large extent is due to rotational felling, diversion of for- limitation of the medium-resolu- technological advancements. est lands for developmental activi- tion sensor used for the purpose of ties, submergence of forest cover, forest-cover mapping. Gill had also State-wise figure analysis agriculture expansion and natural brought these allegations to light by A state-wise analysis of the increase disasters. mounting a legal case for consider- in forest cover indicates that Andhra The report states that the total ation by India’s Central Empow- Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha mangrove cover stands at 4921 sq ered Committee (CEC), a panel of and Telangana show the maximum km and has shown an increase of experts appointed by the Supreme increase. Much of this increase can 181 sq km between 2015 and 2017. Court to rule on issues concerning be attributed to plantation and con- All the 12 mangrove states have forest and wildlife. servation activities both within and shown positive changes in the man- A paper by Jean-Philippe Puyravaud outside the recorded forest areas. grove cover, which is rich in biodi- et al named ‘Cryptic destruction of The report is misleading because versity and provides a number of India’s native forests’ says, “India it fails to discriminate natural or ecological services.

20 VIDURA April-June 2019 The total growing stock of India’s sity and hydrologic function of plan- convenience and mark an area as forest and trees outside of forests is tations are, however, contentious. forest or non-forest. estimated at 5822.377 million cum, The situation in India is all the This report, like the others before of which 4218.380 million cum is more complex because while most it, did not make the disaggregated inside the forests and 1603.997 mil- countries have defined forests, this data for plantations and forests lion cum is outside forests. There is is still evolving in India. The envi- public. This hides the steady defor- an increase of 53.990 million cum of ronment ministry has to come up estation of India’s natural forests, total growing stock, as compared to with an “ecologically sound and as well as the diversion of forest the previous assessment. Out of this socially desirable definition of for- land to industries. Instead of creat- increase in growing stock, there is ests that have been notified under ing a rosy picture, there is a need to an increase of 23.333 million cum the Indian Forest Act 1927. A 1996 critically evaluate and improve the inside the forest and 30.657 million Supreme Court order says that to monitoring of forest trends in India cum outside the forest area. be called a forest, it should meet especially the loss of native forests. The extent of the bamboo-bearing one of the two definitions — either The forest survey should also use a area in the country has been esti- the dictionary definition or the newer instrument, already operat-

mated at 15.69 million ha. In com- land needs to be recorded as for- ing on an Indian satellite that pro- parison to the last assessment done est on any government record. This vides a resolution of 5.8 metres per < in 2011, there has been an increase leaves a huge scope for misuse of pixel for SFR 2019. of 1.73 million ha in bamboo area. power by the government which The growing stock of bamboo in the can use draconian powers at its (Courtesy: India Water Portal) forest has been estimated to be 189 million tonnes. There is an increase of 19 million tonnes in the bamboo- growing stock as compared to the last assessment done in 2011. The Manish Maheshwari is total annual potential production of timber from trees outside forest appointed as MD, Twitter India has been estimated at 74.51 million cum, as per the report. Continuing to invest in India and its leadership team, Twitter has announced that it has appointed Manish Maheshwari as managing director for the Dense forests in two years country. Reporting to Maya Hari, Twitter’s vice president and managing The increase in forest cover has been director of Asia Pacific, Maheshwari will be responsible for driving observed in very dense forests (VDF), an integrated business strategy to accelerate Twitter’s audience and defined as a canopy cover over 70 per revenue growth in the country, overseeing Twitter India’s teams in Delhi, cent – and an indicator of the quality Mumbai and Bengaluru. He will be based in Delhi and can be found at of a forest. This is encouraging since @manishm345 on Twitter. VDF absorbs maximum carbon diox- Maheshwari will be in charge of expanding Twitter India’s presence in ide from the atmosphere. The total the market and strengthening its value proposition as the best place for carbon stock in the country’s forest is Indians to see what’s happening in the world and to talk about it. Under his estimated to be 7082 million tonnes, leadership, the various teams in India will continue to work closely to drive which shows an increase of 38 million conversations and audience engagement on the platform, while continuing tonnes, as compared to the previous to forge partnerships with brands, agencies and publishers, to connect assessment. The category of ‘moder- with the most relevant, receptive and influential audiences on Twitter. ately dense forest’ (40 percent-70 per Before joining Twitter, Maheshwari was the CEO of Network18 Digital, cent) saw a 7 056 square kilometre- managing one of India’s largest digital media conglomerates. Prior to decline from 2015. Network18, he held various positions at Flipkart, txtWeb, Intuit, McKinsey So, a more nuanced analysis indi- and P&G. He is taking over from Balaji Krish, who has been leading the cates that the only category that Twitter India team in the interim for the past few months. Balaji Krish (BK)

will be returning to our global headquarters in San Francisco to resume his has registered a decline in the latest < assessment is the moderate dense for- role as Global Head of Revenue Strategy and Operations at Twitter. est. Plantations have, in fact, led to an increase in tree cover. Its benefits to (Courtesy: exchange4media.com) ecosystem services such as biodiver-

April-June 2019 VIDURA 21 The garbage siege along India’s coastline is such a shame A study by P. Kaladharan and others finds that plastic forms the largest component of marine litter that is polluting the beaches in India. This study assumes special importance when seen in context with the ban on the use of single- use plastic in some of the states in the country

he garbage crisis is not only litter. However, no comprehensive single-use carry bags and invading Indian cities, but study has been undertaken on the sachets of soft drinks, edible oils, coasts as well, and the prob- beach debris in the country. detergents, beverages, cases T of cosmetics, toothpaste, PET lem is assuming grave proportions. A study titled ‘Prevalence of The incident in early June last year marine litter along Indian beaches: bottles, ice cream containers, glass bottles as well as electric that saw nearly 120 tonnes of trash A preliminary account on its status bulbs mostly of alcoholic and composition’ published in the washed ashore on Juhu Beach in beverages and aerated drinks. Mumbai exposed the high levels of journal, Marine Biological Associa- • Synthetic footwear and plasto- pollution that the Indian coasts are tion of India, discusses the results of foam slippers and materials subjected to. a national survey that assessed the such as styrofoam, PUF and Coastal debris includes plastic quality and quantity of beach debris similar insulators and thermocol and other non-biodegradable syn- found on select beaches along the floats are found to be highest on thetic materials discarded inten- coasts of India. the Karnataka beaches. tionally or unintentionally that Marine litter was categorised into • High amounts of electronic enter the marine environment. the following groups for the study: wastes such as parts of circuit The waste finds its way to the sea, chips, diodes, computer and does not undergo degradation and Plastics dominate mobile hardware parts, CDs, remains suspended in the water The study finds that plastic makes parts of battery operated toys, and often gets washed ashore as lit- up the largest component of marine button cells etc. are found on ter all along the coast. As high as 6.4 litter. Types of marine litter: the Andaman and Andhra million tonnes of marine litter gets Pradesh beaches. dumped into the seas annually. • Goa beaches have the highest • Materials such as plastic (covers, Coastal litter degrades the quality amount of litter that includes carry bags, sachets, PET bottles nylon nets and fishing lines, and health of the oceans by damag- (beverages, drinking water, ing coastal and marine habitats and harming marine life. Instances of Types of marine litter plastic being found in the guts of dead fish and other forms of marine A Nylon/ HDP ropes/ fish net pieces/ long lines life have been reported in the recent Plastics (covers, carry bags, sachets, PET bottles with beverages, years sending a warning signal for the B drinking water, medicine etc, containers of , creams, oil, oint- need to urgently protect the oceans ments, toothpaste etc.) from further deterioration in many parts of the world, including India. C Synthetic slippers/ footwear (other than leather items)

State of beach debris D Glass bottles, electric bulbs, CFL bulbs A number of sites such as the Nico- e-waste such as TV/computer hard wares, mobile phone handsets E bar Islands, Karnataka coast, north- or parts, chargers, battery-operated toys, CDs, etc ern Gulf of Mannar, some beaches F Thermocol, PUF insulators of AC/ fridge, styrofoam, etc along the coast of Kerala, Karnataka and , urban beaches in (Source: P. Kaladharan et al (2017) Prevalence of marine litter along the Indian beaches: Mumbai and the Mangalore coast A preliminary account on its status and composition, Journal of the Marine Biological are known to be affected by marine Association of India)

22 VIDURA April-June 2019 Photo: Wikimedia Commons Photo: Wikimedia

Litter on one of the Mumbai beaches. It is astonishing that we as a people can be so insensitive. medicine etc.), containers of measures to reduce the number • Segregation of waste at the milk, creams, oil, ointments, of extremely polluted beaches source into biodegradable, toothpaste are the highest on in the country. metallic and plastic items the beaches in Maharashtra • The origin of all plastic litter being • Developing domestic waste followed by Andamans. land, control measures need to disposal awareness and • Some of the cleanest beaches start from land by tackling the discipline among the residents are found in Kerala followed issue at the production as well and the community by Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, as disposal level and prevention • Establishing incentives Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and of litter from entering the sea by for reducing the use of . The most number installing barriers across sewage plastics such as carry bags, of heavily littered beaches ducts, canals opening to large disposable plates, etc are found in Karnataka, Goa, streams, rivers and the sea. • Imposition of plastic tax on Gujarat, and Andaman Island.

• Creating awareness through major consumer packages regular coastal cleanups and < The source of litter can be traced strict legislation by adopting to increase in tourist activities on the following approach: beaches, increase in e-waste due to (Courtesy: India Water Portal) the increase in mobile phone mar- • Adopting the reduce (both kets, dumping of waste from the production and use), reuse ships near the harbours and lack of and recycle approach at the awareness among people. source The paper makes some sugges- • Encouraging the use of eco- tions to change the situation: friendly materials for fre- quently consumed items such • Colour code the beaches to as stationery, packaging, etc identify critically polluted • Having a garbage collection beaches and help planners and and disposal mechanisms in policymakers to adopt stringent place in all public places

April-June 2019 VIDURA 23 VIEW FROM THE NORTHEAST Citizenship Amendment Bill, militancy, and the media

The issue of the Citizenship Amendment Bill is a thorny one in India’s Northeast. Nava Thakuria shares some insights on how a section of the media responded to protests against the Bill, and the fallout of that response

eporting turmoil and con- projected as a victory for the Revolu- However, the CAB issue has flicts was par for the course tion. Even some regional newspaper impacted the media fraternity of Rfor most scribes based in editorials and television talk shows Assam in a different way, with Assam and other parts of North- adopted this approach. a Maharashtra-based voluntary east India, as the region was under There was a resurgence of volatility organisation lodging an official the shadow of separatism till a few recently, caused by the Citizenship complaint against five media out- years ago. Media persons faced Amendment Bill (CAB). This Bill has lets alleging that they exploited a two-edged sword – reporting complex implications and was intro- the turmoil over CAB and helped militant activity could earn them duced by the ruling Bhartiya Janata banned militant outfits in their brickbats from government agen- Party at the Centre. It was passed in fresh recruitment drives. Follow- cies while maintaining silence on the Lok Sabha, but not in the Rajya ing the accusation by the Legal it could invite the wrath of armed Sabha. As the Brahmaputra valley Rights Observatory (LRO), the rebels. of Assam was rocked by numer- Union Home Ministry has asked Time changes many things, ous anti-CAB protests, a section of the state government to take neces- including the militants’ hold over the media, along with intellectuals sary action. the common people. Gradually, in Guwahati, started using the pre- Vinay Joshi, convener of LRO, in militant outfits came to realise that vailing atmosphere to support the his public grievance petition sent on their dream of liberating the region militants. 14 February 2019, accused four edi- from the authority of New Delhi More than 25 Guwahati-based edi- tors, namely, Ajit Kumar Bhuyan would not materialise in the near tors signed a memorandum oppos- (chief editor of Prag News channel), future, and many participated in ing CAB and petitioned Assam Chief Nitumoni Saikia. (editor of Pratidin peace talks with the government. Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to get Time news channel), Manjit Maha- However, there remained some the BJP leadership to withdraw the nata (former executive editor of elements who were not ready to Bill, dubbing it anti-Assamese (Jaati- Asomiya Pratidin newspaper) and part with the ideal of a homeland Dhangshi). Sonowal, BJP’s moderate Afrida Hussain (editor of Inside with self-rule, attained through an face, responded by promising that NE news portal) of propagating the armed revolution. Though they did he wouldn’t do anything to harm the militants’ ideology to give them a not engage in open revolution, they people of Assam, and urged every- boost on the side-lines of the anti- used rhetoric to support militant one to repose faith in his authority. CAB protests. leaders in public domain. The issue of CAB figured in poll The LRO letter also urged the A section of media persons campaigns for the general elections ministry to “investigate the role of backed these entities and played up as the opposition Congress party suspicious Assam media outlets and the situation to the advantage of the tried its best to take advantage of their owners, their financial trans- militants. They portrayed the killing the situation. Only on 23 May will it actions, source of income, possible of insurgents as attacks by the Cen- become clear if the voters of North- flow of funds from foreign intel- tre, or Rashtra Jantra, on the indig- eastern India considered the CAB an ligence agencies and banned ter- enous population, while the death important factor while electing 25 rorist groups to media owners and of a member of the armed forces representatives to 17th Lok Sabha all other possible aspects related to engaged in counter-insurgency was from the region. it”. The letter added that on various

24 VIDURA April-June 2019 occasions, these media outlets had them. They projected the issue as an Earlier, a Guwahati-based citizen, openly professed the need to take anti-media conspiracy of the Naren- Biswajit Nath, had sent a memo- up arms against New Delhi and dra Modi Government and tried to randum to the PMO describing the had broadcast propaganda videos gather support from the media fra- suspect behaviour of some print of militant cadres. ternity across the country. and electronic media outlets in the However, the Home Ministry’s However, the LRO convener has state. His letter on 26 November directive to the Assam Police Chief made it clear that the organisation 2018 asserted that a section of jour- Kuladhar Saikia and Assam Home opposed the editors for what it con- nalists always glorified the insur- Secretary Ashutosh Agnihotri on 16 sidered anti-national propaganda gents and often highlighted ULFA April to take necessary action does during the turmoil, and not for their (I) leader Paresh Barua. In response not mention any enquiry against the stand with regard to the CAB. While to this too, the Centre has asked the

concerned editors nor has it asked reiterating that the LRO respects all state government to take appropri- for any follow-up report from the stands on political issues, the conve- ate action. < state government. A few media out- nor said the organisation would con- lets reported that the Centre was tinue to take up with the concerned (The author is a senior journalist pressing forward with investigations authorities the issue of propagating based in the Northeast and secretary of against the editors who opposed the violence, so that Assam wouldn’t the Guwahati Press Club.) CAB and would take action against burn again.

‘News media in the throes of sweeping changes’

“There is a very, very large and painful structural adjustment coming up for the businesses of news in India, which is caught between the urgency of now and the denial of impending change,” said Rasmus Kleis Nielsen, director, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. Speaking at a panel discussion in Chennai after launching Reuters Institute’s ‘India digital news report’, Nielsen said “attempt to overcome the instinct of denial should not wear us to a kind of depression.” Referring to a cite note from the report, Nielsen said, “In just five years between 2012 and 2016, advertising revenue of Chinese newspapers fell by 75 per cent without an economic crisis and it is not impossible to imagine something of that scale happening in this country.” Highlighting some of the key findings of the report, Nielsen said that India has become a ‘mobile-first’ market faster than any other country, with 68 per cent of respondents identifying smartphones as their main device for online news while 31 per cent use only mobile devices to access online news. The report based on data from a survey of 1013 English-speaking, online news users in India also found that 55 per cent of respondents are concerned about expressing political views in social media fearing that they could get into trouble with authorities while a majority of the focus group are also concerned about ‘fake news’ and disinformation. During the panel discussion, Krishna Prasad, former editor-in-chief of Outlook, said the report scratches only the surface of English media but what is worrying is the dismal state of language and online news media. Expressing concerns that long form and investigative journalism cannot survive in the age of mobile-first journalism, Prasad asked, “Can our democracy be served only by frothy, frivolous, tiny and snappy news?” N. Ram, chairman of The Hindu Publishing Group, said, in the era of ‘fake news’, news organisations should do more advocacy on the disciplines of verification, fact-checking, and contextualising that are followed in professional journalism to help news consumers understand the trust-worthiness of professional journalism. “I think active policy of advocacy of the values of professional journalism would make some difference,” Ram added. Noting that investigative journalism can thrive in the age of social media, Ram said, “The performance of all our digital platforms were off the chart when I wrote five exclusives on Rafale but the question is how do you sustain the momentum.” On future revenue models, Nielsen told BusinessLine that there is no definitive answer to this question but

publishers have to explore options like raising donations or adopt a subscription model as it is evident that digital advertising revenue may not be of great help to them. <

(Courtesy: The Hindu BusinessLine)

April-June 2019 VIDURA 25 GREAT INDIAN EDITORS A fearless editor who walked the talk and inspired many

Ganapathy Dikshitar Subramania Iyer wore many hats. He was a teacher, social reformer, freedom fighter and journalist. He spearheaded two of the most respected newspapers of the country, one in English, The Hindu, and the other in Tamil, Swadeshmitram. Mrinal Chatterjee recalls Iyer’s life and times

long with his friends, tising in the munsif court of Thiru- decisions. Subramania Iyer and Vir- M. Viraraghavachariar,---- vaiyaru. Iyer was a studious child. araghavachariar remained with the AT. T. Rangachariar,---- Though he lost his father when he paper and carried it forward. On 3 P. V. Rangachariar, D. Kesava Rao was only 13, he did not allow the December 1883, the paper moved to Pant and N. SubbaRao Pantulu, tragedy to affect his studies. After 100 Mount Road and built its own Ganapathy Dikshitar Subramania early education in the local school, press and called it The National Iyer (The Six as they were he went to St Peters College, Thanja- Press. collectively known) founded The vur, in 1869. Here, he passed his The Hindu made its presence felt Hindu on 20 September 1878, which matriculation in 1871 and his first from the beginning. Iyer became successfully walked the tightrope examination in Arts in 1873. known for his fiery articles. He effec- of being a nationalist newspaper Iyer married Meenakshi in 1874. tively upheld the reason for India’s and a profitable business venture. The same year, he underwent train- call for freedom and utilised his Iyer served The Hindu as editor ing in Madras to become a teacher. daily paper to cry out against British and managing director from The following year, he joined the imperialism. The Hindu hailed the September, 1878 to October 1898. Church of Scotland Session School birth of the Indian National Con- Subramania Iyer was born on in Madras on a monthly salary of Rs gress in a 12 December 1885 edito- January 19, 1855 in Thiruvaiyarur, 40. In 1877, he joined Pachayappa’s rial and stated: “The objective of the Thanjavur District in the Madras High School, Madras, and completed Congress... is to bring to a focus to Presidency. His father, Ganapati the BA examination from Madras our scattered political energy and Iyer, was a pleader, prac- University. to give solidity and organisation to Iyer was a socially conscious native opinion... [On such] topics in young man. He was irked by the which... all parts of the country are injustice meted to the Indians in interested.” terms of government services. He Iyer did not limit his role in was appalled by the superstitions India’s Freedom Movement as an of society. He and his like-minded editor. He actively participated in friends wanted to do something it. He was part of the 72-member about it. So, The Triplicane Six delegation present at the Bombay decided to publish a newspaper, Conference at Tejpal Col- which would emerge as a newspa- lege on December 12, 1885, which per of repute in India: The Hindu. brought about the establishment The immediate provocation for of the Indian National Congress. publication of the paper was to He was elected as a member of the voice their support for Sir T. Muth- committee to report the Indian’s uswamy Iyer to be appointed to the representation in public services, bench of the . at the second session of the Indian Before long, the founders of the National Congress.

Photo: MC paper separated owing to differences Iyer was selected as an asso- G. Subramania Iyer. of opinion in certain administrative ciate of the committee that for-

26 VIDURA April-June 2019 mulated the Constitution of the condition of Dalits was “notorious persisted. So much so that once Iyer Indian National Congress during and the peculiarities of The Hindu even sued him for defamation. the Madras meeting in 1887. At the social system are such that from this Iyer continued his battle against meeting in Madras in 1894, he was system no hope whatever of their the British and the fundamentalists elected as part of the delegation amelioration can be entertained.” It of the society. In 1908, he suffered that introduced the case of Indian seemed hopeless, he commented, for jail terms and persecutions for writ- nationalists to the state secretary Dalits “to expect redemption from ing against the administration. It of India in London. In 1906, he was anything that The Hindu might do” gradually broke his health. By the appointed on a standing committee and “no amount of admiration for end of the first decade of the 20th to promote the goals of the Indian our religion will bring social salva- Century, Iyer’s health was failing. National Congress. tion to these poor people”. He was diagnosed with leprosy. However, such political duties Iyer’s articles landed the daily in He succumbed to the disease on did not restrict Iyer from engaging numerous defamation suits, which April 15, 1916. with his editorial responsibilities. created huge financial problems for Subramania Iyer was a vision- In 1897, when Bal Gangadhar Tilak the paper. In 1898, he quit as chief ary. A crusader. A reformer. A man was arrested, The Hindu censured editorial manager of The Hindu, of principles, who walked the talk

the act in strong language. which was struggling then, and was despite heavy odds and opposition. Iyer was dead against conserva- succeeded by Viraraghavachariar. And an able editor. < tism and superstition and on sev- Iyer took over as editor-in-chief of eral occasions used The Hindu as Swadesamitran. (The author presently heads the a vehicle for change. He felt there Iyer had started Swadesamitran, a Eastern India campus of the Indian was no need for an India living with Tamil-language newspaper in 1882. Institute of Mass Communication the customs of the past. As late as in In 1898 he made it a tri-weekly and, in Dhenkanal, Odisha. This is the 1903, at the silver jubilee festivities in 1899, a daily, the first in Tamil ninth in a series of profiles of great of The Hindu, Iyer was standing up language. It became a trailblazer. It Indian newspaper editors who have, for “change, reforms, and progress” fought for freedom from British rule through the course of their work and and cautioning that “blind and and from the clutches of supersti- career, made a signal contribution neglectful conservatism prompt tion and fundamentalism. to India’s Freedom Movement, to stagnation and inevitable destruc- Though Viraraghavachariar the development of society and to tion.” Long before the Women’s always acknowledged the contri- the development of Journalism. This Liberation Movement, he felt that bution of Iyer in shaping The Hindu article was written in association with what was hostile in Hindu society as a fearless and influential paper, Hrusikesh Mishra.) was its treatment of women. the bitterness between him and Iyer Iyer was a man of principles and practised what he preached. As a result, he faced and battled severe opposition and adversity but never relented. In 1889, when he led the remarriage of his 13-year-old wid- owed daughter, Iyer was socially boycotted by his own relatives, apart from the traditionalist community, and he lost the support of conservative components of the Education for all Indian National Congress. He was never made president of the Indian is still a distant National Congress nor was he at any point elected to the Madras dream... Legislative Council. Iyer upheld widow remarriage and wanted to eliminate untouch- Subscribe to Rs 240 for 12 issues ability and child marriage. He wrote in The Hindu that the degraded

April-June 2019 VIDURA 27 WE CARE FILM FESTIVAL It’s time we focused on the abilities of the disabled The 7th edition of the We Care Film Festival, which aimed to commemorate diversity and increase awareness about disability to dispel the myths and misconceptions surrounding it, was organised in Bhubaneswar recently. Aditi Panda, who sent us this story, wonders why society views the disabled through a distorted lens and says it’s time they are treated like normal people

n spite of persons with disabili- in line with the theme for the Asia ties displaying talent and ability Pacific Decade for Persons with Dis- Iin different areas, disability is abilities (2013-2022). still shrouded in myths and mis- “We Care film festival is slowly conceptions. That was the back- becoming an international brand as ground against which the We Care we showcase foreign films too. In Film Festival started six years ago. India, films have a huge influence The 7th edition of the annual event on the masses and it’s a very power- organised by Aaina was held from ful media to reach out to maximum January 16 to 18, 2019, in Bhubane- audiences. What a book or a semi- swar, Odisha, in collaboration with nar cannot do a two-minute film can AP Photo: the National Trust of India and because of the connectivity with the A prize-winner at the festival. Brotherhood, a voluntary group, in people. The impact stays for a long partnership with UNESCO, to raise time and we can also touch sensi- the We Care Festival have inspired awareness and destroy stereotypes tive issues that are not discussed in people working in different sectors about disabilities. our society, disability included. We to make short documentaries and The three-day festival aims to regularly use our films for sensitis- films on disability and showcase the commemorate diversity, increase ing school children too,” says Satish strengths of the disabled. People go awareness about disability through Kapoor, founder-director, Brother- home with a changed perception of the medium of films and promote hood and We Care Film Festival. disability, and that’s what the Fest amalgamation by spreading the In the 5-min category, Inside Me aims at,” says Sneha Mishra, secre- message that the disabled have by Ritvik Dash was the best docu- tary, Aaina, one of the organisers. abilities. The festival also intends mentary while in the 1-min category, Quadriplegic actor, the first in cin- to boost the rights-based approach Blind by Avinash Pradhan won the ema, Jitendra Biwal, was the chair- considering persons with disabilities Sarat Pujari Memorial Award. Ek person of the Festival. In another as individuals first, overstepping the Haath Badho by Yaso Varman Panda laudable attempt to encourage strong bias against them. We Care won the Jury Choice Award. The disabled people, anganwadi (nurs- also aims to demystify the larger other winners were The Dark Side ery) worker Urvashi Dash, who is a

society’s misconceptions, prejudices by Birendra Bailiar Singh, Ek Kosh- protagonist in one of the films, was and stereotypes about disability ish by Sheikh Akram, by Ashuosh felicitated. < through the medium of films. Pattanik and Sakuntala by Abhinash The January Festival had a mixed Pradhan. (The writer is a freelance journalist audience. There were students “We Care Film Fest has shown based in Bhubaneswar.) from different colleges, children the way to bring together people and youth with disabilities, social from various backdrops and start activists, government and non-gov- a dialogue on different aspects of ernment officials, and, of course, disability in the state and outside the media. The Fest started with a Odisha too. Frequent screening of seminar on Making the Rights Real, movies and personal participation in

28 VIDURA April-June 2019 JAIPUR LITERATURE FESTIVAL A slice of the irresistible world of storytelling

At a time when the world of letters is witnessing the number of literature festivals proliferating, whether at home or abroad, the Jaipur Literature Festival stands a little apart, says Ranjita Biswas and describes how

he Jaipur Literature Festival world. Readers and thinkers find per and empirical thinking, genetics, (JLF) is often described as it stimulating and challenging to artificial intelligence, and exploring Tthe ‘greatest literary show on participate.” what the future holds for us in the earth’. Critics might crib about the Indeed, the sphere of the five-day planet. Stalwarts in the field, Nobel use of the word ‘show’ but the fact festival in January is not confined Laureate Sir Venki Ramakrishnan remains that JLF has been hosting to novels, short stories and poetry, spoke about the importance of sci- some of the biggest names in the it has also seen personalities from ence and developing a scientific contemporary literary world in the multifarious fields – for example, temperament, cosmetologist Pri- past decade. From Nobel Laureates former President A.P.J. Kalam, yamvada Natarajan dwelt on the J.M. Coetzee and Orhan Pamuk Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, the exciting subject of mapping con- and Man Booker Prize Winners Ian Dalai Lama, Amitabh Bachchan – stellations, and Toby Walsh, leading McEwan and Margaret Atwood to on the podium sharing their views researcher on AI, talked about how Magsaysay Awardee Mahasweta with the audience. the “future is now”. Devi and Sahitya Akademi Winners Moving with the times is another Of course, at the heart of JLF is Gulzar, Girish Karnad and Javed of the fest’s strong points. Zee JLF the ‘word’ – words that spin magic Akhtar… the list can be long. 2019 put emphasis on scientific tem- through poems, short stories, novels Asked how the idea of the lit fest took shape, author and co-director of JLF, Namita Gokhale, says, “The idea was born of the first Interna- tional Festival of Indian Literature which I helped curate with the ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Rela- tions) in 2002. Faith Singh asked me and William Dalrymple (author and co-director) to work on a literary festival as a part of an existing cul- tural event in 2006. Sanjoy Roy and Teamwork took over the production in 2006.” From that nascent stage, JLF has now become one of the biggest festi- vals of its kind in the world. What’s the USP, you wonder, to which Gokhale reiterates, “Our festival is uniquely spontaneous, democratic,

and multilingual. It is inclusive and Photos: RB full of curiosity about our changing The Amber Fort is all lit up for an evening soiree.

April-June 2019 VIDURA 29 Jaipur Literature Festival leaves a hangover

Jaipur in winter. Mild sunshine, the vibrant colour of seasonal flowers, tourists exploring exquisite palaces and havelis (old palaces) and, not to forget, the Jaipur Literary Festival – all have coalesced into an experience hard to forget. Particularly for book lovers, the festival. JLF, as the lit fest is also known, was a collage of experiences this year. How does it feel to come face to face with Man Booker Prize Winner Ben Okri at the authors’ lounge and then listen to him in a session talking about where the story first formed in his mind (through his mother’s storytelling in Nigeria in his childhood). It brought back memories of sitting in the courtyard under a starry sky in hot summer- vacation days, forming a circle around our adorable granny and listening to stories about princesses and demons. Getting into a heated debate over a cup of tea about where children’s books stand today in the face of Harry Potter and Marvel Comic figures dominating adolescents’ reading habits in urban India The atmosphere was festive throughout. can be invigorating. As it can be listening to how Karan Thapar got his scoop interviews for the television programmes he hosted, as he parried questions about his book Devil’s Advocate: The Untold Story. Indeed, Diggi Palace which hosts JLF in January every year, offers a palette of experiences with around 500 invitees from the world of letters participating in sessions on a wide variety of subjects, and hundreds of visitors turning up to listen to their favourite authors, the number swelling in the weekends. An unseasonal spell of rain this year that brought down the already chilly temperature a few notches down did not curb the enthusiasm of the crowd. The Rajasthani lunch spread out for invitees and delegates cooked by the palace’s in-house team was a wonderful introduction to the cuisine of the state. On the grounds, too, there were plenty of food outlets and beverage counters to keep the energy going. Well-known publishing houses put up their stalls and books sold briskly in the display hall. And there was music. Performances in the evenings were a welcome Rajasthani handicrafts on sale on way to the grounds. break after the hectic day running around the venues. The evenings reverberated with the beats of drums, tinkling bells of dancers, even rock music, on the ground of a hotel. There was also the wonderful experience of listening to 3G: Three Generations of Percussion from Chennai in the open courtyard of the Amber Fort as a special event on the Republic Day. Wrapped in layers of woollens as the temperature dipped to 4 degree Celsius, we listened to the three generations of classical musicians, led by legendary percussionist Vidwan Vikku Vinayakam, his talented sons Selvaganesh and Umashankar and grandson Swaminathan in resplendent form. The throbbing beats of the drums, staccato beats of the ghattam, and other Photos: RB

percussion instruments created magic and helped us to cock a snook The colourful entrance to Diggi Palace. at the unfriendly weather. <

30 VIDURA April-June 2019 and even live performances. So you JLF 2019 saw two new initia- can hear Yann Martel (Life of Pi) and tives: Celebrate The Word, a plat- Man Booker Prize Winner Ben Okri form to develop a community of (The Famished Road), among others, literature lovers, writers, readers, discussing the creative process they trade, etc and to facilitate interac- go through. tion between authors and readers, In a session titled ‘Fiction, where aimed at keeping the conversation does it come from?’ on the short going even after the festival is over; story genre, Okri admitted, “It’s and the Jaipur Bytes series for those a hard task master – one sentence who like to listen to discussions and wrong, and it’s gone. It’s like cutting conversations on-the-go, courtesy off the carb, compared to writing a podcasts across multiple platforms novel – no sugar, no fat.” Vikram reaching out to those interested Chandra (Sacred Games) confided, across the world. “I feel jealous of people who write JLF’s popularity has led to simi- short fiction, like [Sadat] Manto. lar festivals being held in the UK, How the hell did he do it?” the US and Australia. Why such an In other sessions, Dalit writing interest in the JLF model, I asked was discussed by writers Desraj Gokhale. “I think the international Ben Okri signs a book for a visitor. Kali, Sheoraj Singh Bechain and oth- editions of JLF work so well because ers. Eminent Hindi writer Narendra they are global and yet rooted in groups’ block the way of serious

Kohli spoke on ‘Mahasamar: Writ- their particular environments. We listeners who are hurrying to reach ing the epic’. Children’s literature are serious but not academic and the next venue for a session. < figured in a couple of sessions, so retain a sense of wonder in our pro- did food writing. There were writers gramming,” she says. (The writer is a senior journalist based and politicians in conversation with What is heartening is to see long in Kolkata.) well-known journalists and writers, queues in front of the book-signing and there were sessions on contem- kiosks after a talk by a writer, many porary issues such as ‘women and of them young people. So, who says work’ and ‘cellphone nation’. Such book reading is on the wane? What was the diversity. is often irritating is having ‘selfie

Translations and translators get the attention they deserve Jaipur Book Mark is a South Asian publishing conclave and runs parallel to the Jaipur Literature Festival. Since its launch six years ago, JBM has established itself as a hub for national and international stakeholders in the book industry. Its aim is to provide a platform for publishers, translators, literary agents, booksellers and writers to meet, discuss ideas and talk business. Ranjita Biswas provides us the flavour

hile Jaipur Book Mark store in Gangtok, and so on. JBM At JBM 2019, translation of lit- (JBM) hosts well-known consciously includes new voices erature figured prominently. After Wnames in the publishing among translators, aspiring new all, this genre of literary work has industry, the young, edgy pub- writers, librarians, academicians, been getting increasing promi- lishers are not left out either. It filmmakers, web series promot- nence in the past couple of years. could be a Tamil publisher from ers and audio book publishers, the Big publishing houses in India now Nagercoilor an independent book- organisers say. have special sections devoted to

April-June 2019 VIDURA 31 sations to increase the number of works of literature in translation and to promote them,” she says. There are training initiatives to develop a pool of excellent transla- tors, “resulting in a huge improve- ment in the quality of translated lit- erature, which in turn boosts reader demand.” There is even a socio-political impact in the act of translation, Durbar Hall, one of the venues (left). Painted autorickshaws make a statement at the which is more often than not goes entrance. unnoticed. That is, translators “are able to bring the word of persecuted translated works. The sessions this A roundtable discussion on the and silenced writers to the attention time concentrated more on the role subject at the JBM 2019 saw transla- of publishers,” says Schwartz. of translators in bringing unheard tors from different corners of India It is not enough to appreciate stories to the fore. as well as from abroad sharing translations and translators’ works Things have indeed moved from their views, the difficulties some- but support is important too for the the debate on whether translation times faced by a translator, and the translator to survive. Funding pro- chips away the essence of the origi- rewards, not necessarily financial. grammes are important but also nal work adhering to the so-called As well-known translator Ros the policy decision to encourage theory of ‘lost in translation’, to Schwartz said in her keynote address translators. The Norwegian Gov- today’s what is ‘found in transla- (she has more than 80 books to her ernment, for instance, has a policy tion’. Without translation, how could credit), “Once upon a time, transla- of buying 500 copies of around 120 the readers get a taste of world litera- tors were humble creatures waiting translated works each year which ture, written in Spanish or Italian, for shyly in the background for crumbs are distributed to the libraries, Mar- example? Or even within multilin- from the publishers’ table, grateful git Walso, Norwegian Literature gual India, of a powerful Assamese for any scraps thrown their way, Abroad director, points out. novel by Sahitya Akademi winner and certainly not making demands. British writer, editor and award- Arupa Patangia Kalita’s Ayananta This is no longer so: translators winning translator Daniel Hahn (Dawn in English) and short stories, now have a seat at the table and are adds that the work of a translator Jnanpith awardee Mahasweta Devi’s part of the conversation, as well as has grown to encompass mentoring illuminating Hajar Churashir Ma leading the way in challenging the young professionals, copyright lob- (Mother of 1084 in English) written gatekeepers.” bying and advocating for equal pay in the background of the Naxalite Another development in the field, for professionals. movement in Bengal or Girish Kar- Schwartz informed, is the emergence Also relevant to the issue of nad’s gripping Tughlaq and Yayati? of a ‘strong and vibrant’ transla- translation was the session, Con- Today, the conservative view on tors’ community in the UK where vergences: Languages, Markets ‘faithfulness’ to the original text is she lives. The Free Word Centre, and Readers, which discussed quite irrelevant, readers and pub- which opened in London in 2009, the synergies shared by the lan- lishers contend. One indication is has become a physical hub where guages in India. Another session the rise in the number of awards rec- the profession gathers for training on translation, Anuvad, focused on

ognising excellence in translation. sessions and events, such as Interna- translations from, into and between Indeed, translators who were tional Translation Day, which take Indian languages. < more or less relegated to the back- place on 30 September each year, on ground earlier have become more the feast of Jerome – the patron ‘visible’ from the ‘invisible’ stage. saint of translators. Even quite recently the translator’s “This sense of community has been name never appeared on the cover crucial in empowering translators to of a book, only the author’s, which take an active role in working with is changing now. publishers and literature organi-

32 VIDURA April-June 2019 KOLKATA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL A wide range of compelling stories screened The Kolkata People’s Film Festival is a people supported, non-sponsored, independently arranged, volunteer activist-led cinema festival, showcasing politically committed contemporary documentary and fiction films from India and South Asia. It brings together filmmakers, students, workers, artists, writers, journalists and a wide cross-section of people to interact and form friendships and bond over movies. Shoma A. Chatterji reports on the sixth edition of the festival

esistance, translated from the context of the rise of home- Ghode Ko Jalebi Khilane Le Jaa Protirodher Cinema in Ben- grown Fascists and the growing Riya Hoon Rgali, epitomises the peo- demonising of migrants and crim- Anamika Haksar’s directorial ple-centric ideology of the films inalisation/ annihilation of politi- debut at the age of 59 after 40 years screened at the Kolkata People’s cal dissent in South Asia. KPFF is in theatre provides a complex treat- Film Festival (KPFF) organised by conceived as a space for renewed ment of viewer identification with the People’s Film Collective. The conversations among those com- the story, plot and characters. It festival holds screenings and inter- mitted to putting up cultural and involves not just a blend of different active sessions with those whose political resistance and celebrating and often conflicting points of view films are screened once every month people’s power. but also the presentation of indi- and arranges workshops to instil in The festival was enriched by the vidual views in a more critical and children from marginal spaces an presence of eminent filmmakers contradictory manner. The camera understanding and appreciation of like Deepa Dhanraj, who creates keeps moving constantly as it closes cinema. It also brings out a brochure outstanding investigative documen- up on clogged drains, or a girl sleep- with articles and essays in English taries. It was divided into sections ing in a huge dump yard filled with and Bengali from eminent people. such as Stories from India (Long plastic bags and dreaming about The sixth edition of KPFF Documentaries), Stories from India mothers feeding their daughters screened over four days 41 films (Short Documentaries), Stories with delicacies, as animated black featuring a wide range of compel- from South Asia (Documentaries), snakes crawl across the screen. We ling stories from India and South and New Indian Fiction. Here are see men fast asleep in every avail- Asia. While selecting the films, the outlines of some of the outstanding able corner under the sky, while screening committee kept in mind films on view: a figure of Goddess Lakshmi Photos: KPFF The entrance to the Kolkata People’s Film Festival. Right, a haunting still from Akashvani.

April-June 2019 VIDURA 33 suddenly becomes animate. The The cinematography is outstanding bear the persecution of apartisan irony is subtle yet lucid. A corner and so are the performances of the university administration and of the red Communist flag hits her very few characters. dominant caste Hindu suprema- face. She looks irritated at first and cists, took his own life in one of then goes back to her benign smile. Counterfeit Kunku the most prestigious universities This is an outstanding film born in India. His suicide note, which Naach Bhikari Naach of the real-life experience of its argued against the “value of a man Naach is a form of folk theatre from maker, the young NRI Reema being reduced to his immediate Bihar where male artistes often Sengupta, who, while studying identity” galvanised student poli- play women’s roles on stage and in London, learnt that her father tics in India. In the aftermath of are referred to as laundas. Bhikari gave her mother, his wife of 24 Vemula’s death, noted documen- Thakur, actor, playwright, and a years, economically independent tary filmmaker Deepa Dhanraj social reformer popularly known and well-known in the neighbour- made a film projecting the estab- as the Shakespeare of Bhojpuri, is hood, a week to leave the house lishment’s reluctance to investigate a legend in the field. The film fol- and find her own space. She uses the issue. Thousands of students lows the last four naach performers the kunku – the vermillion dot most all over India have voiced their to have worked with him and cre- Hindu women wear in the centre experiences of caste discrimination ates a visual archive of his artistic of their foreheads as a sign of mar- in universities and have started a tradition. As they share their plays, riage, to sharply point out how powerful anti-caste movement. songs and a lifetime of memories, futile and hollow this practice is. The film attempts to track the his- the audience is immersed in a world Dasgupta does this through a fic- toric initiative that is changing the of folk theatre and given a glimpse tional story of a young woman who conversation on caste in India. of budhau, the old man himself. is abused by her husband and finds And so, it was the aspect of This feature-length documentary it extremely difficult to find a space ‘resistance’ that echoed through the directed jointly by Jainendra Dost for herself in Mumbai. festival. This came across again and and Shilpi Gulati, explores multi- again through the films screened. ple layers – the feelings of men who Ammi For example, Dhruv Satija’s short dress as women on stage, the psy- This is a much-discussed and bold documentary, Welcome Valentine chological and social dynamics of film that follows the journey of the 2017, explores a unique Hanuman the men who hide their female per- mother of Najeeb (a postgraduate temple in Sardar Nagar, Ahmeda- sonas and performances from their student of Bio-) who went bad. Young couples or couples of wives and families, the aging of missing on 15th October 2016 from the same sex come go get married the artistes, the ostracism they face the Jawaharlal Nehru University here and the claims he has from upper castes in general and campus, New Delhi. There has been conducted several thousand such in particular (who nev- no progress in investigations by marriages. ertheless watch the performances various agencies probing the mat- Pramati Anand’s Akashvani is clandestinely), and the grinding ter. Sunil Kumar, who directed the the story of the Meer community poverty the old men face, forcing film with amazing live footage of of India, a nomadic and de-notified them to fall back on farming when the movement following the disap- tribe. It depicts the critical junc- there are no more calls to perform. pearance of Najeeb, came across one ture of and Islam that woman, Ammi. As he and his team the community occupies. After Life Of An Outcast got to know Ammi better, he was Sabeen remembers Pakistani activ- Pawan K. Srivastava’s film is the convinced her story had to be told, ist Sabeen Mahmud whose brief life story of a Dalit family focused on as much as her conviction to see jus- was devoted to people’s concerns. two major issues that Dalits face tice done. It is a mesmerising film She was shot dead on the streets in India –the prevalence of caste where live footage reveals the abso- of Karachi by unknown assailants system and the exclusion of some lute absence of official investigation in 2006. Mon Pal’s Rain Song sus- sections of society in the develop- into Najeeb’s disappearance. tained audience interest with the

ment process. The film has a very lives, dreams and disappointments slow pace which is intended to sub- We Have Not Come Here to Die of LGBTIQ people. < tly underline the texture, form and On 17 January 2016, Rohith Vem- nature of torture and oppression ula, a Dalit, PhD research scholar that continues through generations. and activist, apparently unable to

34 VIDURA April-June 2019 Cinema can do more to give sportspersons their due The word ‘struggle’ especially in the sports field, has many dimensions. In a poor country like India, cricket is ‘king’ and billiards and golf impart an aura of ‘aristocracy’, but most sportsmen and women are marginalised. Shoma A. Chatterji hopes that the natural sporting talents of actors are properly utilised on celluloid to highlight the aspirations and struggles of the known and unknown heroes who have fought the odds to find success

hould one feel thrilled about Most of us had never heard of task force sent to capture him. The the flood of biopics on sports- Paan Singh Tomar before we heard film was a realistic portrayal of his Smen and sportswomen of of the film being made on his life. life except that it omitted mention India? Or should we hope for films Tomar (1932-1981) was an Indian of his three daughters. Tigmangshu that throw light on the struggles of soldier, athlete, and a baaghi (rebel). Dhulia who studied with Irrfan ordinary boys and girls to make a He served in the Indian Army where Khan at the National School of mark in their chosen fields of sport? his talent for running was discov- Drama, picked him to do the title The truth is that while most success- ered. He was a seven-time national role. Irrfan had to go through gru- ful sportspersons were once ordi- steeplechase champion in the 1950s elling running practice for the role nary folk who struggled to achieve, and 1960s and represented India at which ultimately fetched him the the struggle has more drama when the 1958 Asian Games. National Award for Best Actor. the protagonist becomes a high After premature retirement from The thumping box office and criti- achiever in real life. the army, Tomar returned to his cal success of Nagesh Kukkunoor’s There have been some wonderful native village. He later gained noto- Iqbal (2005), produced by Subhash films like Mary Kom and Soorma. riety as a Chambal Valley dacoit Ghai, marked a turning point in But no one has thought of making when he resorted to banditry after Indian cinema on sports. Unfortu- a film on the struggles of erstwhile a land feud. In late 1981, Tomar lost nately, the success of Iqbal rests on national-level boxer Krishna Routh his life in a shootout against hun- the stress placed on Iqbal’s hearing who is now a sweeper in Howrah. dreds of armed members of a police disability while the social challenges Photos: SC /Internet Posters from Lagaan, Mary Kom and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag will remain etched in public memory.

April-June 2019 VIDURA 35 Scenes from Dangal (left) and Paan Singh Tomar. he faced are somehow marginal- (Lagaan; Dangal). Unlike other gen- in their lives. Champaran is a ised. Yet, this in no way takes away res, because the sports film addresses drought-stricken village, and the from the film’s strikingly unusual wider issues in an oblique fashion, failure of three successive monsoons approach, style and treatment. the ramifications, too, then have a had resulted in crop failure, which This writer could count only nine greater indirect impact,” says jour- meant the people couldn’t pay the sports-oriented Hindi films between nalist Gautam Chintamani. taxes imposed by the British. They 1984 and 2005. The list begins with Among films dealing with the are forced to accept a wager by the Raj Sippy’s Boxer (1984) starring ‘killer instinct’ in sport, Jo Jeeta British officers that if they win in a Mithun Chakravarty. Prakash Jha Wohi Sikandar with Aamir Khan in game of cricket against the British, made Hip Hip Hurray starring Raj the title role, is a brilliant creation their taxes would be waived. The Kiran as a sports instructor. Saaheb that, under the guise of class conflict match is played fiercely because the (1985), directed by Anil Ganguly between students of two schools, poor peasants know that their lives with in the title role, explores how such conflict can also depend on winning or losing. had sports as a sub-plot to the main trigger the drive to achieve perfection Lagaan became the third Indian story. After a long hiatus, it was left not only in a given sport – cycling – film to be nominated for the Acad- to the talented Mansoor Ali Khan but also as a human being. The film emy Award for Best Foreign Lan- to direct the delightfully entertain- was such a big hit that it became not guage Film after Mother India ing Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992). only a cult film but also a trend-set- (1957) and Salaam Bombay (1988). Vikram Bhatt’s Ghulam (1998), Gul ter that triggered the Telugu Tham- There have been feature films on Bahar Singh’s Goal (1999) produced mdu ((1999), the Tamil Badri (2001), great sportspersons portrayed by by the Children’s Film Society and the Kannada Yuvaraja (2001) and the actors who are not into the sport Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Lagaan Bengali Champion (2003.) and have yet given award-worthy (2001) complete the list. Lagaan cannot be defined as just performances through training and “One of the reasons for sports film a sports film. It basically is a power- practice. Examples are aplenty –

to not get the same prominence as ful, patriotic statement that, though Paan Singh Tomar, Bhaag Milkha other genres could be the manner in fiction, comes across with conviction Bhaag, Mary Kom and Dangal. < which they build their narrative. The and gains massive audience accept- genre predominantly has two kinds ance. The film portrays cricket as a (The writer has won the National of formats – one where the narra- matter of life or death for the simple Award for Best Writing on tive pivots around sports (Chak De! villagers of Champaran, a fictional Cinema twice, the Bengal Film India; Sultan) and the other where place. Journalists Association Award, and the narrative initially appears to Set in the Victorian era when the a Lifetime Achievement Award from cast a glance at sports but merges British were in full control of India, Laadly-UNFPA.) the activity with a bigger social, the villagers of Champaran had political or cultural phenomenon never even heard the word ‘cricket’

36 VIDURA April-June 2019 Death penalty – does it not destroy something in each of us? The debate around the death sentence never ceases. So, there is no dearth of films that explore its facets. In this context, it would be interesting to take a look at one more documentary on the death sentence intriguingly titled The Death of Us. Shoma A. Chatterji gives us a behind-the-scenes take on at this outstanding piece of work and says the film makes the audience confront larger ethical and moral questions across time and space

ne-time advertising writer may have that we are becoming ment, revenge and justice, popular Vani Subramanian has been stronger when we seek the death rhetoric and personal experiences. Oa women’s rights activ- of others; but, in fact, every time The film opens with a shot of a ist and documentary filmmaker we seek it and strengthen the state, rope coiling and uncoiling, cap- since the 1990s. Her work explores something in us dies. So, while the tured from different angles in close- the connections between every- death penalty may kill a handful of ups, which, given the title of the day practices and larger political people, does it not destroy some- film, is quite scary because you are questions, the issues of justice and thing in each of us – as a society, a looking at a rope made exclusively revenge, as well as culture, food race? I believe we each die a little for hanging someone sentenced to production, primary education, (or at least our sense of compas- death. The film is both informative urban development, communalism, sion, faith in humanity does) when- and educative and also entertaining sex selective abortions, and even ever someone is executed. This is in a certain sense. matters of identity embedded in brought out in the letter from Ela The voice-over states that these our food practices. Her films have Gandhi at the end of the film.” ropes are made in the Buxar Cen- received awards, both nationally The Death of Us is a quiet contem- tral Jail in Patna, Bihar. The ropes and internationally. plation of a range of cases in which are made to order for other pris- The Death of Us is about real the death penalty was pronounced, ons. A top official from the prison people who have been given death ending in execution, commutation housing the person sentenced to sentences. They talk about their to life sentence, acquittal or even death visits the shed and tests the experience of the legal and judicial pardon. Speaking only to those quality of the rope and ascertains machinery in India. who have been on death row or that it hasn’t been tampered with. Explaining the title of the film, those very closely involved with the But the production area was closed Vani says, “Actually, the title draws cases, the film engages in complex when Vani was shooting the film from an illusion that we the people conversations on crime and punish- and she could not include the shed Photos: SC

Scenes from The Death of Us. The film is about people serving death sentences talking about their experiences.

April-June 2019 VIDURA 37 A sand sculpture draws people’s attention to the death penalty, and (right) aniV Subramaniam, director of the film. where these thick, supple ropes are of a person who is born in a lower should feature, who would be will- woven. caste family? His fate is that people ing to talk, at what level of candid- On her choice of the rope as a of higher castes will treat him with ness, etc. The other crucial problem visual metaphor, Vani says, “In hate, disgust and scorn. His lack of was/ is that since the government obvious terms, it’s the means of education, his poverty and the con- has made it near impossible to carrying out an execution in India. tempt he faces from them will most speak to anyone in jails, especially While I didn’t want the film to be likely harden his heart. If he com- to those on death row, it was chal- dramatic or grisly, I wanted the mits a crime, who should be held lenging to figure out how to reach viewer to never forget that that was responsible? God? Or, him? Or, out to people. It wasn’t too tough what this wide-ranging conversa- the pandits and intellectuals of his to reach out to individuals who tion was really all about.” society?” have been on death row and now About the painstaking research Towards the close of the film, sta- are out – having served their sen- that went into the film, she says tistics on the death sentence carried tence, been pardoned or acquitted – “The film took two-and-a-half years out in India are quoted, that raise only because many of them remain of active work plus about another questions on the justification and active against wrongful incarcera- two years of off-and-on research. execution of imprisonment in India. tion, death by state etc. I also drew from court papers and We get to know that (a) about 99 per The other crucial person I had to judgements, personal letters, peti- cent of prisoners are poor people, (b) doggedly follow up with was Ela tions, calls for clemency, the work with just a few exceptions, none of Gandhi. She was most willing to be of innumerable human rights orga- those involved in big scams reach on the film, but given that she is in nizations, as well as that of think- prison, and (c) even if they do, their South Africa and I couldn’t afford

ers/ writers such as K. Balagopal, wealth protects them. to go there; I had to wait and follow K.G. Kannabiran, Rammohan and The All-India Data on Death Row up for about eight months before it < Gopal Krishna Gandhi and femi- Inmates show that 84 per cent are happened.” nist writers such as Kate Millet on poor, uneducated and illiterate, 74 the politics of cruelty, as well as per cent are economically weak, in international work on clemency, 70 per cent of the cases, no lawyer state power and torture. Most meetings are held outside the court, importantly, I sought out and drew 65 per cent are punished for their strength from voices on death row, first crime, and 76 per cent belong to the Innocence Project and much SC/ ST, the film records. more.” Talking about the problems she The film quotes a paragraph from encountered while making the film, Bhagat Singh’s famous article, Why Vani says, “The primary difficulty Am I An Atheist? He writes, “What was in deciding what kinds of cases I

38 VIDURA April-June 2019 A film bestows immortality on a popular radio programme Mahalaya is much more than a feature film. It extends the parameters of cinema, in West Bengal and beyond, by recreating a unique piece of history for generations who may not be aware of it, says Shoma A. Chatterji, tracing the history of Mahishasura Mardhini, the evergreen programme broadcast on

ahalaya is the popular ing to it. Though Bhadra was known programme sustaining its hold on name of an AIR pro- as a writer, playwright and producer listeners continuously. Mgramme called Mahisha- of plays, his name became a house- Programme director Nripen- sura Mardhini (Annihilator of hold one because of his uplifting dranath Majumdar, now almost Mahishasura) aired on the first day recitation of Sanskrit slokas and forgotten, was the man who made of the Durga Pooja fortnight in Ben- songs during the two-hour audio it all happen. Now, a film named gal. It functioned for many years programme. It continues till this day. Mahalaya has been produced by like an alarm clock for all Benga- Even if you don’t wake up in time to Prosenjit Chatterjee-owned Nideas lis who had access to AIR Kolkata. hear it, the neighbour’s radio play- and directed by Shoumik Sen. It is They would wake up at the crack ing the chants will wake you up at a tribute both to the late Birendra of dawn to listen to the sonorous 4 am. Milkmen and newspaper boys Krishna Bhadra (1905-91) and to voice of the late Birendra Krishna and people washing cars can hear this historic programme. Bhadra chanting the Mahisasura the chants from the open windows The programme was initially Mardini along with beautiful reli- of apartment blocks as they go about called Basantasori Champu and the gious songs as an ode to the Mother their work in the streets below. first Mahishasura Bodh was broad- Goddess. It is nostalgia several times over cast in 1936 on Shashti (sixth) day The Mahalaya programme is both for the older generation while for of Durga Pooja. Birendra Krishna a ritual and a cultural presence for the youngsters, there’s a wow fac- Bhadra, besides reciting the slokas, Bengalis who have grown up listen- tor in the long shelf-life of a radio also sang the songs. Bani Kumar Photos: SC The late Birendra Krishna Bhadra, and (right) the Mahalaya poster.

April-June 2019 VIDURA 39 recited the Chandipaath. The first be recorded earlier for practice in Chandipaath was aired on October Bombay and that they arrive in 21, 1937. The artistes would reach Calcutta only on the day of the air- the AIR station the night before ing. The name of the programme the programme was to be aired. A itself was changed to Debin Durgati pooja would be performed before Harinim. In the regular programme, the programme went on air, with Bhadra was a constant while the sticks being lit and prasad singers were shuffled from one year distributed. The men would wear to the next. white dhoti-kurtas while the ladies The film shows how this radical would be clad in beautiful red-bor- change did not seem to affect Bhadra A still from the film. dered saris. After the programme, one way or another. He goes about there would be a sumptuous lunch. his prayers at dawn on Mahalaya ries stock footage of ’s Three long months of rehearsals day, offering Ganga water to his hearse when he passed away four would follow. forefathers, as is the custom. He led years later, with huge crowds sur- Only once was Birendra Krishna a middle-class life with his wife and rounding it. Why this was included Bhadra’s voice replaced – by that three children and seemed not to in a film on Mahalaya is a moot of matinee idol Uttam Kumar, who aspire for either affluence or fame. point. The emphasis on the star – reluctantly stepped into Bhadra’s His wife is shown demanding why his preparation, rehearsals and dif- shoes, with disastrous results. he shouldn’t be paid royalty like fidence – takes away from the trib- Uttam Kumar was reportedly paid a other singers were when recordings ute to Bhadra. measly Rs 150 for the programme. of their music are played on AIR. Listeners across West Bengal Mahalaya, the film, revolves Bhadra’s role has been enacted bril- expressed their utter shock at Uttam around this ‘change’ demanded liantly by Shubhashish Mukherjee, Kumar’s version of the Mahisha- by the powers-that-be at the Infor- who was hitherto reduced to playing sura Mardini. Media reports of mation and Broadcasting Ministry the role of a joker in contemporary the time, of trams being burnt and around the time Emergency was Bengali cinema. Bhadra delivering buses smashed, are not included in imposed in India. In 1976, Birendra an obituary speech for Rabindranath the film at all and the shock is pre- Krishna Bhadra, and Tagore, standing alone, and letting sented secondhand mainly through the other big names associated with his voice float across blue skies and the red faces of those in the I & B it were replaced because the admin- clouds, is one of the high points of Ministry who forced the change. istration demanded that new blood the film. Bhadra was brought back the fol- be injected into the programme to The tremendous pressures brought lowing year and though the show make it more popular. on the station director of AIR, Cal- changed from a live broadcast to a Producers such as Stevenson cutta, have also been underscored, recorded version sometime during (Jayant Kripalani), Sinha (Prosen- including their red faces when the the 1960s, it remained as popular as jit) and others put enormous Uttam Kumar recitation fell flat on it was earlier. pressure on the top brass to get the trained ears of the millions of “It is the rarest of the rare; a radio Bhadra replaced. And who would listeners used to the tone, pitch, vol- programme on an operatic scale to the replacement be? Who else but ume and commitment of Bhadra and usher in the staging of the world’s Uttam Kumar ()? his immortal voice. largest installation art show on Pankaj Mullick was replaced with Mahalaya, the film, could have streets, in parks, in community Hemanta Kumar Mukhopadhyay been a fitting tribute to the memory halls and in homes, that began in (Hemant Kumar). It is strongly sug- and contribution of the late Birendra 1932 and after 84 years remains the gested that it was Mukhopadhyay Krishna Bhadra. But it turned out to defining soundscape to declare the who helped orchestrate the change be a bit different when it changed start of Devi Paksha and the Durga and that he persuaded Uttam tracks to follow how Uttam Kumar for all Bengalis everywhere,” Kumar to replace Bhadra. (Jisshu Sengupta) reluctantly writes veteran journalist Shikha

Dhyanesh Narayan Chakraborty stepped in to rehearse under the Mukherjee. There’s no better way rewrote the script and Mukhopad- constant guidance and presence of putting it. < hyay suggested that the voices of of HemantaMukhopadhay, a close Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle friend of the actor. The film also car-

40 VIDURA April-June 2019 SPORT It’s quite an open field for the Cricket World Cup

The ICC Cricket World Cup begins in England on May 30 and Partab Ramchand, while analysing the chances of the teams, is of the view that any one of half a dozen countries has a chance of lifting the trophy

t’s that time again when the were during the first three editions Certainly, on present form their eyes of the cricketing world are of the World Cup, or Australia were chances cannot be dismissed but Ifocused on the showpiece event in the first decade of the New Mil- England, India and Australia too are that comes along every four years. lennium. But yes, it can be said that right up there in the pecking order The ICC Cricket World Cup com- Afghanistan and Bangladesh are which is what makes the competi- mences in England on May 30 and there to make up the numbers while tion an open field. There is very for the next six weeks discussions at the chances of Sri Lanka and Paki- little to choose between the leading homes and offices, bars and on the stan must be rated as slim. However, contenders and it can be taken for streets will only centre round the in the same breath one must also add granted that most of the finishes happenings at the mega event and that outsiders have been known to will be very close. We are certainly the chances of the ten participating win the cup as India proved in 1983 in for a cracker of a World Cup. teams. In India, given the almost and Sri Lanka in 1995. What has already added spice religious status that cricket enjoys, The ICC rankings have England, to the flavour of the contest is the the discussions will be that much India, New Zealand, South Africa format. In a return to the format more intense with fans hoping that and Australia in the first five posi- for the 1992 World Cup, each team Virat Kohli and his men can win the tions and these are the teams seri- plays every other side once and the trophy for the third time in this 12th ously in the running for the title. top four teams make the semifinals. edition of the tournament. The fact that the West Indies haven’t This means that even a couple of It certainly looks like an open com- made the semifinals since 1996 may bad outings may not be a serious petition with any one of half a dozen go against their chances. But even setback for the teams have enough teams having an even chance of win- though they are ranked as low as games to bounce back. One remem- ning the title. There are no real out- ninth, they can be considered as the bers almost down and out right favourities as the West Indies dark horses simply because they midway through their campaign in

have some of the best limited overs 1992 but they picked themselves players in their ranks. from the floor and went on to win< Past record and present form the title. are two very important criteria in picking the teams most likely to (The writer is a senior sports win the title. The eleven editions of journalist based in Chennai. He the World Cup have been distrib- had served uted among Australia (five times for 19 years and the ABP Group winners), the Sub-continent (four (Sportsworld / ) times) and the West Indies (twice). for 12. After retirement, he has been But New Zealand and South Africa writing freelance and proved to be have also come close to clinching quite prolific.) it more than once and though they

Photo: Internet have the tags of eternal bridesmaids The resplendent and prestigious and chokers, respectively, they will trophy teams will be vying for. always remain serious challengers.

April-June 2019 VIDURA 41 Indian squad seems to have the right balance

By and large, the Indian selectors have done a commendable job in picking the 15-member squad for the World Cup, says Partab Ramchand. It is impossible for every cricket fan to be happy with the selection of any squad but there will be very few who will disagree with this selection, he feels. In any case, among the fringe players, there were always going to be the lucky ones and the unlucky ones and here, K.L. Rahul and Dinesh Karthik were the lucky ones, and Rishabh Pant and Ambati Rayudu the unlucky ones

The squad has the right balance when it comes to batsmen and utility players, seamers and spinners. The team’s think tank has a lot of options and that is a healthy sign. The playing eleven can consist of six batsmen, two utility players and three bowlers or five batsmen, three utility players and three bowlers if there is need for an extra bowling option. The selection of as many as four bits-and-pieces players in Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Kedar Jadhav and Vijay Shankar brings back happy memories of the triumphant 1983 squad in England with the Indian team having Kapil Dev, Madan Lal, Roger Binny and Ravi Shastri in the ranks. No comparison, of course, but it is always good to have players who can contribute with both bat and ball. There was never going to be any doubt as to the batting. The extra batsman’s choice was always going to be between Rahul and Rayudu and the former’s ability to be a back-up opener probably gave him the selectors’ nod. Also Rayudu’s form had taken a bit of hit of late. And a line-up of Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni and Karthik has a lot of experience and that is a handy quality to have. There may be a question mark still over the vexed No. 4 slot but, hopefully, that problem will be solved as the matches are played as there are Photo: Internet many options and a minimum of nine games. Virat Kohli leads the Indian team on to the field during one of the matches. The choice of the bowlers was never going to pose any problem. The three seam bowlers were always going to be Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shammi, and the two specialist spinners were always going to be Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal. It is now left to them to perform up to expectations. The back-up bowling with the presence of so many utility players presents an embarrassment of riches of sorts and, indeed, the bowling more than the batting could well hold the key as to how far India will progress in the competition.

Overall it is a good side, the best the selectors could have picked. Whether it is strong enough to win the trophy is another matter altogether. <

42 VIDURA April-June 2019 SPORT This youngster has it in him to break into the Top 50 Prajnesh Gunneswaran is making the right moves around the ATP circuit while making steady progress. His exploits come as a whiff of fresh air, complete with the promise of more to come. He lost five years of his career to knee injuries but he is certainly making up for lost time. Partab Ramchand analyses the rise of the Chennai-born left-hander

rajnesh Gunneswaran has Well, the country has not had Wells Masters in March saw him arrived on the scene when a top 50 player for some 30 years reach a career best 84. PIndian tennis is in desperate now and it will really be something It is this showing in a star-stud- need of him. Once regulars in the if Prajnesh can make it there. At ded field that included the likes prestigious World Group, India has the moment, he is some distance of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal been languishing in the regional away with a ranking of 81. But even and Novak Djokovic that saw Pra- Asia/ Ocenia Zone for some years that is fairly remarkable given the jnesh attract considerable attention. now. Indian players are making no fact that he was 243 at the start of The BNP Paribas Open, the larg- headway around the ATP Circuit. 2018. However, the 29-year-old left est WTA – ATP combined event There was a time when Vijay Amri- hander from Chennai, fully aware outside the four Grand Slams, is traj was ranked No. 16 in the world of the intense competition, gave known to many tennis fans as the and Ramesh Krishnan No. 23. himself more realistic goals – play- fifth Grand Slam. Coming through In the last quarter of a century, the ing a Grand Slam and getting into the qualifying rounds, Prajnesh two leading players, Leander Paes the top 100 in 2019. defeated World No. 63 Benoit Paire and Somdev Devvarman, have gone In January, Prajnesh qualified in the first round and then got the no higher than 73 and 62, respec- for the main draw at the Austra- better of World No. 18 Nikoloz tively. The country has produced lian Open where he lost in the first Basilashvili in the second round. some of the leading doubles play- round to 29th ranked Frances Tia- This unexpectedly successful run ers in the world and Paes, Mahesh foe of the US. Shortly afterwards, he was halted in the third round by Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna have made it to the top 100. Then he was the big-serving Croat, Ivo Karlo- won quite a few ATP titles. But perched at 97 for some time before vic. Prajnesh has served ample evi- when it came to singles players, the a brilliant performance at the Indian dence that he could well be India’s cupboard has been bare. Vijay has for long emphasised the need for two committed singles players for India to make significant progress in the Davis Cup. As he has pointed out, the singles consti- tutes four points while the doubles at best can give India one victory. Bhupathi, now the Davis Cup non- playing captain after the loss to Italy in the World Group play-off tie a few months ago, stressed the need to have at least two players in the top 100. Now at least India has one in Prajnesh. And Vijay is of the view that he has it in him to rise to the top Photo: Internet 50 in the ATP rankings. Prajnesh Gunneswaran stretches to essay a drop volley.

April-June 2019 VIDURA 43 most successful singles player since strong and effective backhand. Zee- first main draw appearance at a Ramesh Krishnan and that is good shan remembers practising with him Grand Slam which he finally made news for Indian tennis. in the week ahead of India’s away at the Australian Open this year. The wins over Paire and Basilas- Davis Cup zonal tie against China in Following his impressive show- hvili were not Prajnesh’s first victo- April last year and a lot of emphasis ing at Indian Wells, Prajnesh won ries over players ranked far above during those sessions was on Pra- through the qualifying rounds to him. In June last year at Stuttgart, jnesh perfecting his double-handed make the main draw of the Miami he stunned World No. 23 Den- backhand. Masters but could not replicate his nis Shapalov of Canada to serve “The improvement has been amaz- stunning run at Indian Wells bow- notice of his rising stature. But the ing,” says Zeeshan. “He already had ing out in the first round to World wins over the two players at Indian a big serve and big forehand. Now the No. 61 Jauma Munar of Spain 7-6, Wells gave him the confidence that backhand has become a lot sharper, 6-4. Playing his second straight the earlier shock victory was not it’s a weapon now. He can generate Masters 1000 main draw, Prajnesh a one-off. As he says, “Any player pace on it and find the angles, and performed creditably before going can have a lucky day. After beating he’s started hurting opponents with down to a player ranked more than Shapalov I wasn’t sure whether I it.” With an increasingly threaten- 20 places above him. This saw him could replicate it. But the win over ing playing style, expectations have climb a further three places to 81. Basilashvili was particularly signifi- started growing that the best still As he goes up the ladder, Prajnesh cant in boosting my self-belief.” lies ahead for Prajnesh – and Indian will find the going tougher but he is Davis Cup coach Zeeshan Ali tennis. confident about his own game. One feels the same way. “The important Actually, Prajnesh should have is sure that he will not go the way thing is, he has started to believe made his Grand Slam debut last of the two leading Indian players that he can beat these big guys. Get- year but was a trifle unlucky. At before him, Yuki Bhambri and Ram- ting a win over two players who are the French Open, he lost in the final kumar Ramanathan, who promised higher ranked than him and one of qualifying round. However, he was much but could not live up to expec- them in the top 20 will give him a chosen as the lucky loser after Nick tations. Yuki in fact reached a high lot of confidence going forward. Kyrgios of Australia withdrew from of 83 last year but was not able to

And it will give him the motivation the competition. But Prajnesh could maintain this and has since slipped to push forward and evolve which not participate in the main draw as to 137. Ramkumar reached a high of < he has been doing.” he had already left Paris before Kyr- 111 and then fell to 136. Among the biggest changes Pra- gios announced his withdrawal thus jnesh has brought to his game is a missing out narrowly on making his

Many finalists from India for INMA Awards

The International News Media Association (INMA) announced finalists in the 2019 Global Media Awards competition today, featuring top campaigns worldwide by news media companies to grow audience, revenue, and brand. The 194 finalists rose to the top from this year’s 664 entries from 165 news media companies in 34 countries. Entrants included newspaper media, magazine media, digital media, television media, and radio media. Entries were judged across 20 categories and two groups: global/ national brands and regional/ local brands. The entries were judged in February by an international panel of 46 judges from 15 countries. Leading the INMA shortlist is News Corp with 17 finalists across their titles internationally, followed by Schibsted with 16, with 11, Gannett/ USA Today Network with 10, HT Media with eight, and Amedia, Bennett Coleman & Company, and Russmedia with seven each. India had the highest number of finalists with 39, followed by the United States with 37, Norway with 22, and Australia with 17. In May, 40 first-place winners will be announced from the finalists at the Global Media Awards Dinner at the Edison Ballroom in New York. The awards ceremony will be held on Friday, May 17, in conjunction with the 89th Annual World Congress of News Media. Regional winners and the global Best in Show also will be announced that evening.

INMA or the International News Media Association is a global community of market-leading news media companies reinventing how they engage audiences and grow revenue in a multi-media environment. <

44 VIDURA April-June 2019 HERITAGE A peek into ancient kitchens of the Tamil Region

Via Malaipadukadam, a piece of Sangam literature, Meenakshi Devaraj takes us on a culinary tour of varied ethnic groups of the Tamil Region, going back in time by 2000 years

hat kind of food would On the way to Nannan’s palace, Chopped fresh fatty meat of porcu- our ancestors have had? dancers may travel through some pines, WThis is a question many mountain villages. If they let the vil- Flesh of animals chased and killed by of us ask. Malaipadukadam, a piece of lagers know that they are on their female dogs, Sangam literature in Tamil, answers way to dance before King Nanan, The best buttermilk mixed with sweet this question in part. It showcases they will be asked to treat the houses tamarind fruit*, the food culture of the people who in the villages as their own homes. And white boiled foods cooked by lived in Naviramalai (a place some- They will be invited in, and served tribal woman wearing fragrant flowers where near today’s Thiruvanmalai) meats cooked in lavish quantities of in their black hair. 2000 years ago. , and colourful dishes of Thin- Malaipadukadam is sung in nai (Foxtail millet). At dinner, they The dancers are also likely to Kootharatrupadai, a style used in will plied with unlimited quantities come across groups of hunters on Tamil poetry to provide guidance to of sweet, aged liquor made from their journey. If the hunters come dancers (called as koothars in Tamil) honey, fermented inside bamboo to know that the dancers are on who would travel for long distances containers, or wine made from rice. their way to entertain King Nan- in ancient times to perform at the On the morning after, to counter nan, they will ply them with meat courts of kings, who would reward the hangover and dizzy spells, the and tubers. them with gifts. Malaipadukadam is a dancers would be given: In huts made with closely tied guide to the palace of Nannan, king bamboo poles and thatched with of Naviramalai. White seeds scattered by fruits carried grass, people will be cooking pulik- Let’s follow the words of Malai- by waterfalls, oozh by adding avarai to tamarind padukadam and find out what the Big pieces of meat got by killing fast- extract, along with rice grown in dietary practices of that age were: running bison, high altitudes, and ‘bamboo rice’

* This could be similar to a dish named iru puli kuzhambu, which is made even today. After reading Malaipadukadam, I managed to get the recipe from a friend on Facebook and tried it out myself. Photos: MD

From left: iru puli kuzhambu, food served in agricultural land (villages), and meat cooked in ghee in villages near mountains.

April-June 2019 VIDURA 45 resembling vengai flowers. On eat- while others would have trapped the dancers of yore took 2000 years ing the dishes, the dancers will red-eyed varal fishes using rods and ago to meet King Nannan in what is feel relieved of all their worries. ropes. Women wearing Thiruvanamalai today, and letting They will be given rice dishes of made of pagandrai flowers in their us vicariously enjoy the hospitality

even-sized, fine paddy, resembling hair will serve dishes made with of various groups of people they crushed gold, with white goats’ these fish to the dancers. They will meet en route. < meat, drenched in ghee. They will also be given the produce of the agri- also be served finely pounded thin- cultural fields to eat. (The writer, a software engineer, nai flour mixed with jaggery, which A delicacy that the dancers will is interested in history and Tamil tastes so good that they won’t feel be served is white ‘rice’ made from culture and has researched on Tamil like eating anything else once they the flaked flesh of fish. Considered Sangam Literature, Chennai history taste it. a royal dish, the dancers and their and temples. She runs a YouTube The dancers will have to pass entourage will be the envy of others channel in her name, focused on Tamil through coastal villages too. Some as they eat this luxury item. Literature, the videos presented in an fishermen would have caught thick- Malaipadukadam serves as a time easy-to-understand style.) necked valai fishes by casting nets, machine, taking us along the path

‘AI will take news to more people’

Artificial intelligence in journalism will help disseminate news and help in getting more news to more people, said John Micklethwait, editor-in-chief of Bloomberg News, during the convocation of the Asian College of Journalism’s class of 2018-19 held on May 3. Holding that technology had always interrupted journalism, Micklethwait identified four areas where artificial intelligence was changing journalism — automation in reporting events, in translation, in singling (where machine chooses key words from social media) and personalisation (providing readers with news of their preference). Delivering the Lawrence Dana Pinkham Memorial Lecture on The Future of News at the ACJ convocation, Micklethwait said fake news did not begin with the Internet and humans have always found ways to manipulate. “The Trojan horse was arguably the original piece of fake news,” he said. He also said there was really no golden age where old journalism was fine and unrestricted, and further contended that the victory against fake news so far had made readers much more vigilant. N. Ram, chairman of The Hindu Group of Publications and trustee, Media Development Foundation (MDF), said the event was an occasion to reflect on and remind oneself of the intrinsic relevance and value of journalism as a democratic craft. He said that the college expected the students to be committed to free and socially responsible or accountable journalism. “Journalists have come under increasing pressure, risk and attack in various parts of the world, including the United States and India,” Ram said and cited the World Press Freedom Index 2019 that ranked India 140th among 180 countries and territories, which was a slip from 136 in 2017. He said apart from committing themselves to freedom and social responsibility, new graduates must be independent and fearless practitioners of the democratic craft. “However, fearlessness must not be confused with recklessness and daredevilry.” He also said those taking risk should take sensible safety precautions. Sashi Kumar, chairman of MDF and ACJ, said: “We are living through peculiarly challenging times for journalism and for freedom of creative expression” and hoped that the students would hold the ethical values and the professional values which the college imbibed in them; 2019 was the 19th year of ACJ, he noted.

A total of 195 students, including nine from South Asian countries, received their post-graduate diplomas in journalism at the convocation. Another 18 students received their certificates for ACJ-Bloomberg Programme. <

(Courtesy: The Hindu)

46 VIDURA April-June 2019 HERITAGE Using ancient literature as a guide to reviving native flora Ancient literature contains clues about native flora which have all but disappeared from the landscape today, says Meenakshi Devaraj. She suggests using these informal historical records to propagate our green heritage even as we preserve our cultural one.

he Arubathu Moovar Fes- bandar. When Sivanesa Chettiar pavai whether it is right on her part tival is held in the famous heard that Sambandar was visiting to leave the world without partici- TMylapore Kapaleeswarar nearby Thiruvottriyur, he invited pating in all these festivals. Interest- Temple during the Tamil month him to visit Mylapore. He had the ingly, even today, these festivals are of Panguni, which roughly corre- entire route decorated, and organised celebrated in the same order that sponds to February-March on the music to welcome the saint. Sambandar’s verses list, even if the Gregorian Calendar. This and other When Sambandar reached way in which they are celebrated has festivals have been celebrated at the Mylapore, Sivanesa Chettiar handed changed with the passage of time. temple for more than 1000 years, as over Poompavai’s bones to him with Apart from the mention of the is evident from the Thevaram songs great hope. Sambandar started sing- festivals, the Thevaram songs also sung by the famous Saivaite saint, ing the now-famous Thevaram verses document the greenery of Mylapore Sambandar. called Poompavai Pathigam (path- during the months when the vari- Legend has it that a rich merchant igam in Tamil means a collection of ous festivals are held. Sambandar named Sivanesa Chettiar lived in ten songs), and he brought Poom- talks of broad streets, lush gardens Mylapore during the 7th Century. pavai back to life. The Mylapore with punnai dripping honey. Today, He was a staunch devotee of Lord Kapaleeswarar Temple has a shrine the sacred Punnai Tree can be found Siva. He held Saint Sambandar in dedicated to Poompavai and, even only in the Kapaleeswarar Temple. very high regard, and decided to today, on the eighth day of the As we continue to take pride in give him his daughter Poompavai in Panguni Festival, a performance of celebrating the temple festivals marriage. Unfortunately, before the Poompavai Uyirpithal (Poompavai’s keeping to the ancient schedules, wedding could take place, Poom- resurrection) is staged. shouldn’t we also give serious pavai died of snake bite. Each of the ten songs of Poompavai thought to saving what greenery Sivanesa Chettiar was shattered. Pathigam mentions one festival at the exists, and propagating it so that In his heart, he had already given Mylapore Kapaleeswarar Temple. Mylapore regains its ancient horti- his daughter to the Saivite saint, so Saint Sambandar gives the months cultural glory? Let’s aim to celebrate

he decided to preserve Poompavai’s in which all the festivals are held the temple festivals for centuries to bones and hand them over to Sam- and, through the songs, asks Poom- come in a greener Mylapore. < Photos: MD The Float Festival of Mylapore’s Kapaleeswarar Temple held in the Tamil month of Thai. (Right) The Punnai tree standing as the sacred tree at the temple.

April-June 2019 VIDURA 47 TRAVEL The havelis and palaces of a legendary warrior race Think of Udaipur, and the image that comes immediately to mind is of the pristine white Lake Palace in the midst of the Pichola Lake, the magnificent City Palace, and the endearing Kathputli Puppet Theatre. Udaipur is all this and much more. Ranjita Biswas takes us on a fascinating tour and tells us why

rue, the city of Udaipur, The first introduction to the palace The displays spread over the founded by Mewar King is through the Tripolia Gate, a beau- many ‘mahals’ amply demon- TMaharana Udai Singh II in tiful triple-arched marble gate which strate the richness of the art and 1568, was built more with strategic was built in 1725. This leads to the craftsmanship of local artists. At considerations as the place is pro- Rajya Angan, the royal courtyard. the same time, the influence of tected by the lofty Aravalli Hills According to legends, a sage had the wind blowing from overseas and lakes and forests. The Mughals advised Udai Singh to found a city is in evidence too. The Chini Chi- constantly attacked Chittorgarh, the here when he was in one of his hunt- trashala, for example, has beautiful Mewar capital, which ultimately ing trips and this is the spot where porcelain Chinese and Dutch orna- fell to the invaders. he met the ascetic. mental tiles in blue. In one corner of Udai Singh shifted his capital On one side of the courtyard is an another section, you can see a sahib here and the City Palace became image of Lord Ganesha surrounded in a hat, a contemporary picture of his court. Over the next 400 years, by beautiful glass inlay work. Oppo- India under the British. his descendants added more quar- site, at the entrance to the museum Kanch or mirror work embellish- ters, ultimately to house 11 palaces. section, the walls are adorned with ments in some chambers are some- Fortunately, the additions did not large paintings depicting the lifestyle thing to behold. The Sheesh Mahal spoil the edifice and aesthetically of the Ranas – durbar assemblies, is a dazzling hall in grey and red remained pleasing. Naturally, on a processions, hunting expeditions, glass and mirrors. Glasswork of this visit to Udaipur, the City Palace fig- elephant fights, etc. These were style, achieved by having pietradura ures on top of the list of must-dos. painted from around 1700 continu- (stone inlay) filled with a complex The first sight of the palace-cum- ing to 1940s, according to historians. pattern of mirror work, was first fort, facing the Pichola Lake, is quite They show how traditional Mewar introduced by Mughal emperor awesome, built on a rock face in a artists adopted styles of the Mughal Shah Jahan in his Sheesh Mahal fusion of Rajasthani and Mughal school and, later, with the advent of (palace of glass) at the Agra Fort. architectural style. British colonialism, Western art and Who can forget Madhubala danc- The Mewars were a warrior photography. ing to the tune of Pyar kiya to darna race and the valour of Maharana Not only large paintings, minia- kya in the Sheesh Mahal in Mughal- Pratap Singh is legendary as he ture paintings, which often artists e-Azam? Decorative glasswork was fought off the mighty Mughals drew and presented to the royals obviously a favourite among the time and again. Yet, the City Palace are seen profusely in Krishna Vilas Indian royalty and noblemen in the which reflects the glory days of the and Laxmi Vilas Chowk. These medieval era. Jaipur’s Amber Palace Mewars, is more than a functional depict life in the city and City Pal- also has its own Sheesh Mahal. fort. Inside, one gets introduced ace and are also an excellent refer- Another example of beautiful to the rich heritage of art and cul- ral point to the time of the Mewars glass mosaics is at the Mor Mahal ture the Sisodia clan of the Mewars and Rajasthan. Today, many artists with peacocks in niches surround- encouraged and nurtured. Many of enroll themselves in classes to learn ing the courtyard. More than 5000 the quarters of the palace are now miniature painting in the lanes of coloured glasses had gone into museums with two of them turned Udaipur’s Bhattiyani Chohatta bringing to life three peacocks to into heritage hotels. Market. represent the three seasons of sum-

48 VIDURA April-June 2019 Photos: RB

Clockwise from bottom left: A wall painting, the glass-work at Moti Mahal, Chinese porcelain work, the Sheesh Mahal, the majestic facade, and the kathputli (puppet) show at the Folk Art Museum. mer, monsoon and winter. It was not Haveli on the bank of the Pichola back to centuries, practised by the just luxurious items that the Mewar Lake next to the Gangaurghat. It Bhaat Community who were vil- rulers indulged in. VaniVilas, estab- was built by Amar Chand Badwa, lage entertainers. To get an idea of lished in 1875 by Maharana Sajjan the Prime Minister of Mewar, in the art and dolls, one can visit the Singh, is perhaps the first special the 18th Century. However, with Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandal, a folk library in Udaipur. Kaviraj Shya- change of fortune, it fell to pieces art museum established in 1952. maldas wrote Veer Vinod, the history due to lack of maintenance. The museum has a special section of Mewar, sitting in this enclave. After its restoration, the haveli on wooden dolls with details of The reception centre wall has a has become the seat of the Western their place in folk art culture. The huge, ornamental Sun emblem, Zone Cultural Centre of the Gov- museum runs a puppet show at Surya Chaupar, made of copper and ernment of India’s cultural wing. regular intervals for the visitors to polished with gold. The Mewars In the evenings, the haveli runs an enjoy. The museum’s other sections prided themselves as being the entertainment programme show- are a good introduction to the eth-

Suryabanshis clan, bearing alle- casing different dance forms of Raj- nic culture of different people and giance to the Sun God; and at every asthan, establishing once again how tribes living in Rajasthan. < other corner, the sun emblem can culturally vibrant this state is. Even be seen. tribes living in the arid Thar Desert Udaipur is also full of beauti- have evolved their own kind of per- ful havelis. The word is derived forming art. from the Persian hawli, meaning The haveli also has a permanent enclosed place. They were built by exhibition of puppets. The pup- wealthy noblemen and business- pet show of Udaipur, known as men between 1830 and 1930 in the kathputli (kath meaning wood and Marwar and Sekhawati Region by putli doll), means wooden dolls. It the Marwars. One such is Bagoreki is a string puppetry art that goes

April-June 2019 VIDURA 49 About Hinglish, Tanglish and Muthiah’s Words in Indian English

The second edition of S. Muthiah’s Words in Indian English – A Guide to English Communication in South Asia appeared a few months ago. S.R. Madhu was given the task of reviewing it. However, Madhu decided on doing much more with the book, using it as a peg to talk about Hinglish and Tanglish, and bringing in for good measure, all in delectable style

ome years ago, an American what they did to India, but their ‘direction’, ‘goals’, ‘development’, lady executive with Ford was language legacy is loved. India has ‘challenges’, ‘problems’, ‘defined Sabout to return home to the US some of the most fluent speakers of objective’, ‘corruption’, ‘track after many years in Chennai. She English outside the English-speaking record’, ‘tape record’– all these and said she would miss India for many world; and the language itself has more are part of the election dia- reasons, including expressions like been enriched with India’s colours tribe unleashed these days in Hindi ‘prepone’ (which she described and flavours and lingos. ‘Indian speeches. A full English sentence as wonderfully ingenious), ‘good English’ – the way English is used in the midst of a Hindi chat is com- name, and ‘do the needful’. What in India — is no longer a pejorative mon. Aaj tumhara plan kya hai? I am will I do without them, she asked. term. going to a film, dost ke saath. (What’s She was not an exception. Foreign- The most unique Indian English your plan for today? I’m going to a ers go through three phases when phenomenon is the many tongues film with a friend.) This is perfectly it comes to Indianisms and Indian heard in our country — Hinglish (an normal in India but never ceases to English. At first, they are tickled ingenious hybrid of Hindi and Eng- amuse foreigners. and intrigued. Then there is an lish), Tanglish (Tamil and English), It is said that even ardent Hindi- attitude of good-humoured indul- Punglish (Punjabi and English) and lovers fall back on English words gence. Finally, some Indian English so on. Let’s take Hinglish. People when referring to colours, geo- phrases become a part of their own pepper their conversation in Hindi graphical directions, parts of a diction. with English words. The bilingual house, garments, the time of day, Even Oxford and Cambridge dic- character doesn’t impede the flow gadgets, technology, much more. tionaries go through this cycle. A of the chat; in fact, it gives the chat Example: Mera blue shirt bathroom par recent newspaper report rejoiced force and momentum. The English pada hai (I have left my blue shirt in that Aiyo, the Tamil word to indicate intruder could be a lofty word like the bathroom). Meri beti ki first birth- shock or awe or astonishment, had revolution or technology which day aa rahi hai. Gifts bahut milenge. (I become an ‘official’ English word. doesn’t have a good Indian substi- expect many gifts for my daughter’s Much delight has been expressed tute, or a mundane word like toilet first birthday.) Mere computer mein, too over the acceptance of the word or party or ‘adjust’. virus problem hai. (A virus affects my chuddies. Other imports to English ‘Adjust’, by the way, is a made-for- computer.) The most famous line from India include badmash, bhelpuri, India English word. Our Parliament in Amitabh Bachchan’s legendary bangle, bazaar, bungalow, box-wallah, should officially declare that we have Kaun Banega Crorepati TV serial is cashmere, chit, coolie, curry, cheroot, adopted it. It is a ubiquitous word in Computerji,lock kiya jaye? cheetah, churidar, chutney, cot, cushy, India where ‘adjusting’ (to people, to The book Chutnefying English: The dinghy, dungarees, dhaba, didi, , relatives, to bosses, to political sys- Phenomenon of Hinglish, edited by gymkhana, ghee, jodhpur, jungle, jug- tems, to demands, to happenings, Rita Kothari and Rupert Snell (Pen- gernaut, jute, khaki, loot, mulliga- to quirks and eccentricities) is a way guin) takes a look at the evolution tawny, masala, pukka, pyjamas, puri, of life. and progression of ‘chutneyfied’ thug, tiffin, verandah, yaar. Politicians regularly, and quite flu- English. It is partly an outcome of The English ruled India for 350 ently, slip English words into their a seminar at the Mudra Institute years. They are rightly reviled for Hindi oration. ‘Manifesto’, ‘mission’, of Communications, Ahmedabad,

50 VIDURA April-June 2019 described Hema Malini as a “stale idli”, Dharmendra was incensed and chased the columnist in full view of many at a film gathering, threaten- ing to give her a hiding. She ran for dear life. This incident is one of the legends of Bollywood journalism. In the 1970s, Stardust magazine exploded into the media scene, with its graphic innuendos about who was dating or bedding whom in Bol- lywood, but also with its exuberant use of Hinglish. Stardust was edited by Shobhaa De, the first queen of Hinglish. No one else mixed English and Hindi with such inventive verve as she did, with her unputdownable gossip column, Neeta’s Natter. One writer said Shobhaa had decided to “go slumming in the language of Pages from Muthiah’s Words in Indian English provide a flavour of what the book the masses”. But Namita Gokhale is about. complimented Shobhaa De as the heroine who “unleashed a whole where celebrities such as poet (Should we fret about rent or new dhakar street vocabulary”, she Gulzar, film-maker Mahesh Bhatt, about income tax? “absolutely nanga-karoed things” businessman Gurcharan Das, poet We don’t get a sense of what is (she laid everything bare, stripped and lyricis Prasoon Joshi, televi- right these days. people naked). sion comedian Cyrus Broacha, India is enveloped in darkness, Some argue that no writer can and linguistic experts like Rupert There isn’t the faintest glimmer of convey the colour, the drama, Snell (a Hindi language professor light.) the melodrama of Indian cinema at University of Texas) and Rita effectively through English; only a Kothari (who headed Communi- Hinglish use steadily increased in masala of colloquial Hindi or Tamil cation Studies at MICA) debated India in the British days, and per- with English can impart that special whether the bastardised language haps dramatically so after Indepen- zing, that special sting, to film writ- of Hinglish should be spurned or dence. In fact, it has evolved into an ing. The deadly cocktail of gossip welcomed. The majority were in instrument of popular culture. In and Hinglish in Stardust (and the favour. the 1960s, the emergence of Hing- clones it inspired) almost killed the The first uses of Hinglish are quite lish was dramatised by a movie col- relatively staid Filmfare which ini- old, they go back to the freedom umnist, the late Devyanai Chaubal. tially mocked the new lingo, then struggle of the late 19th Century. Racy, irreverent, bitchy, she wrote made a feeble attempt to ape it. Hindi poet Ayodhya Prasad Kha- a gossip-drenched fortnightly col- The tiny Hindi word na which, tri wrote a sprightly gazal against umn, Frankly Speaking, for the roughly translated, means “why the British government, sprinkling fortnightly movie magazine Star & don’t you” or “isn’t it?” is often some English words: Style. Readers eagerly awaited the added to an English sentence, per- column. haps to soften impact and make Rent Law ka gham karen ya Bill of Devyani wasn’t the best of writ- a command sound like a request Income Tax ka? ers, her grammar was at times rick- or entreaty. So we have, “come Kya karen apna nahiin hai sense right ety, but readers loved her celebrity- quickly, na”, “do this, na”, “be care- nowadays. bashing profiles laced liberally with ful, na”. Wives often temper their … Darkness chhaaya hua hai Hind Hinglish – with words like kachra and commands to husbands with a na! men chaaro taraf badan. Dharmendra liked Devyani’s Similar is the practice of adding ‘ji’ Naam ki bhi hai nahiin baaqi na light coinage ‘Garam Dharam’ about to anyone’s name. You use the first nowadays.” his sexual potency, but when she name but add a ji, lest you sound

April-June 2019 VIDURA 51 too familiar. Likewise, some people became a battle slogan and rallying nations: a) They are cool. b) The use the word ‘boss’ with everyone – cry when Captain Vikram Batra, an English language is universal, an colleague, friend or subordinate. officer of the Indian Army, used it English title gives a Hindi film a ‘Yes, boss’, ‘Okay, boss’ are heard during the Kargil War of July 1999. ‘universal’ appeal. c) A film with all the time, not just in offices, but Captain Batra was martyred dur- an English title stands out. d) It has in streets, clubs, playgrounds ing the war and was posthumously snob value. e) English titles enjoy Call it masala, a jumble, a ‘chut- awarded the Param Vir Chakra, an instant connect with the urban neyfication’, a bastardification – but India’s highest military honour. youth that crowds multiplexes. Hinglish, Tanglish and other lingos All obituaries on the occasion men- Says actor Gul Panag: “I have are here to stay, they are the lingua tioned the slogan. made a film based on a woman franca of contemporary Indian pop- Yeh Dil Maange More should be turning 30. The title is just Turning ular culture. regarded as one of the most sen- 30. Can there be an equally apt and sational slogan-testaments to the crisp title in Hindi for this subject?” Two sensational Hinglish ads power of Hinglish. It also became the Take the Rani Mukerji-Vidya Balan Inevitably, Hinglish started mak- title of a romantic 2004 Bollywood starrer No One Killed Jessica, which ing a splash in advertising, par- movie directed by Anant Mahade- is based on the Jessica Lal murder ticularly from the 1950s. Admen van, starring Shahid Kapoor, Soha case. It is said that the title projects recognised the impact potential of Ali Khan and Ayesha Takia. an element of mystery. Further, Hinglish. Many brands fortified “titles should be suggestive of the their English slogans with Hindi Bollywood films with English titles film’s subject but at the same time, words. The Pepsi music-and-dance Talking of film titles, Bollywood’s not reveal everything.” Similar is video ad Yehi hai right choice, baby, biggest embrace of Hinglish is in the the argument with film titles like made in the 1990s by ad agency form of film titles. Take just a sam- Jab We Met, Love Aaj aur Kal or HTA (later JWT) was a rage among pling of titles of Hindi films made Pyaar Mein Twist. youth. India had launched eco- in 2018: My birthday Song, Model, nomic reforms then, and Pepsi was Wo India ka Shakespeare, Love Per Tanglish is hot in Tamil Nadu competing with Coke to make a Square Foot, Union Leader, Wel- Tanglish use is widespread in splash in India. come to New York, Hate Story IV, Tamil Nadu, particularly among JWT roped in singer Remo Fer- 3 Storeys, Blackmail, Baa Baa Black teenagers of Chennai, among nandes, stars like Aamir Khan, Sheep, October, Beyond the Clouds, TamBrams who think in English, Juhi Chawla and Aishwarya Rai, 102 Not Out, The Past, The Jour- and among immigrants to the and the novel appeal of Hinglish to ney of Karma, Thugs of Hindostan, state from the north, the west, the upstage Coke. An even bigger hit Highjack, Bioscopewala, When northeast – whose numbers are was the 1998 Pepsi video propelled Obama loved Osama, Sahib, Bibi aur constantly rising. Stand-up come- by the slogan Yeh dil maange more Oyster, Gold, Gems, Turning Point, dians convulse audiences with (the heart desires more). One ad in 22 Days, Namaste England (a sequel Tanglish jokes. Sight adikkaradhu the series showed cricket legend to Namaste London), 5 Weddings. refers to the universal phenome- Sachin Tendulkar and movie idol Hindi films of earlier years too non of boys ogling girls. The huge Shah Rukh Khan together flaunt- had these evocative Hinglish titles: movie and television industries ing bottles of Pepsi and mouthing Baby, Gabbar is Back, Tanu Weds spout Tanglish all the time. Immi- the Yeh dil catch phrase. It was a Manu Returns, Singh is Bling, Any- grants not fluent in Tamil use Eng- runaway success, even other busi- body Can Dance 2, Welcome 2 Kara- lish words to bridge the commu- ness entities sought to exploit the chi, Phantom, Bombay Velvet, Cal- nication gap with local folk. Use slogan. Pepsi went to court to assert endar Girls, All is Well, I love NY, of Tanglish is also widespread its proprietorship over the slogan. Alone, Action Replay, Knockout, I in Canada and Malaysia, which JWT’s copywriter Anuja Chau- Hate Luv Storys, Kites, Housefull, have sizable Tamil populations. han, who gave the world the Yeh Karthik Calling Karthik, Peepli Live, Tanglish stand-up comedies are a dil maange more slogan, rose to be Agent Vinod, Dream Sequence, No big draw. (Incidentally, Hinglish vice-president and executive cre- Problem, No One Killed Jessica, stand-up comedies are a hit with ative director at JWT, Delhi, and Rockstar. our desis in London.) the author of books like The Zoya Why do Indian movie-makers Tanglish-based ads in Tamil Nadu Factor. Yeh Dil Maange More even go for English titles? Some expla- are winners, like the Hinglish-

52 VIDURA April-June 2019 based ads of Bombay and Delhi. cow. I just framed them into sen- are forever adding the syllable ‘fy’ Konjam Tamil, konjam English (a little tences and that’s how I came up to a Tamil word. The resulting Tan- Tamil, a little English) summed up with the song.” Dhanush sang the glish verb is a strong concoction. the advertising craze way back in song in broken English, as a Tamil Examples: maatify (to frame some- 2004. Journalist Malathi Rangarajan person with a limited English vocab- body or put him in trouble), kalachify said that while UTI sought to woo ulary might. The song is also called (to mix or to adulterate), kularify (to consumers with Hinglish slogans a ‘soup’ song. (‘Soup’ in colloquial confuse), kaichufy (to heat or boil). like Roti Kapda Aur Rented Makaan Tamil refers to young men experi- Hindify (to mix with Hindi). “Why and ICII Prudential proclaimed No encing love failure after a beautiful are you paduthufying me all the Chinta, Only Money, mobile phone relationship.) time?” means “Why are you bother- manufacturers like RPG tapped the Imitations and parodies of this ing me all the time?” “He is ularufy- appeal of Tanglish with slogans like song were many, including those ing as usual” means “He is talking konjam advice... konjam udaans, and in other languages. The song was nonsense as he always does”. More konjam kadhal... konjam modhal (a bit popular in nightclubs and discos in colourful, more impactful, than of love, a bit of conflict). The ratio- Tokyo. A video of Japanese women the same sentence in pure English nale: “Establishing an emotional dancing to it went viral and spread or Tamil. connect with the target groups is fast. Police officers in India used Likewise, the Tamil verb, pannu essential. What works best is not their own versions of the song to (do) services or supplements an pure Tamil or complete English. It’s combat road rage and encourage entire phalanx of English action verbs a friendly mix of both — Tanglish.” bike riders to wear helmets. BBC and in everyday conversational usage. Time Magazine attributed the world Result: a colourful action hybrid. So The incredible Kolaveri sensation appeal of the song to its universal we have words like ‘drive pannu’ (to The power of Tanglish in entertain- theme, catchy tune and unique Tan- drive), ‘write pannu’ (to write), ‘slog ment was best dramatised by the glish lyrics. IIMs in India did stud- pannu’ (to slog). A recipe tutorial, 2012 Tamil song, Why This Kolaveri ies to figure out its popularity. oral or written, would include such Di, from the film 3. Written and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh instructions as ‘boil pannu’, ‘roast sung by Tamil superstar Dhanush invited Dhanush to dinner at a party pannu’, ‘fry pannu’, ‘chop pannu’, (son-in-law of Rajnikanth) and for Japanese Prime Minister Yoshi- ‘grate pannu’, ‘filter pannu’. directed by his wife Aishwarya, it is hiko Noda in New Delhi. Kolaveri supposed to be a song of love and Di echoed at the Beating the Retreat Muthiah’s Words in Indian English heartbreak by a rebuffed youth. It ceremony, which is a part of the Social historian S. Muthiah is the literally means “Why this murder- annual Republic Day celebrations. author of more than 40 books – on ous rage, girl?” Kolaveri went political as well. Chennai, on corporate history and The song became a national and A chutnified Kolaveri di became a its leaders, on communities like the international rage, an Internet sen- campaign jingle for the BJP in Uttar Chettiars and Sri Lankans settled in sation. All of India seemed to be Pradesh in 2012. The tune was used India. As author, editor and journal- swinging to it. It got some 20 mil- with the words Why this hera pheri, ist, “he has been wedded for over lion hits on YouTube in less than a hera pheri ji? It was said to be the 80 years to the English Language as month and spread like wild fire on “sad story” of an honest profes- written and spoken in South Asia Facebook. It became the top mobile sor who worshipped Madam, yet in all its nuances.” This partnership downloaded song (some 4.1 million became a nobody. The song had a led to a delightful book on Indian downloads in a few weeks). It was dig at Congress leaders Manmo- English (first edition way back in the first Tamil song to play on MTV han Singh, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul 1991, a second edition a quarter India and on national radio stations. Gandhi, and UP leaders Mayawati century later, in 2017) which helps It was praised by Amitabh Bachchan and Mulayam Singh Yadav. readers make sense of English in and A R Rahman for its audacity. Tanglish coinage often features Indian media. At a party hosted by The Times of Tamil affixes to English words. The The 270-page book has a 210-page India, Dhanush said: “When I was sound ‘u’ is added to the end of an guide to Indian English, including writing down the lyrics, I kept in English noun to create a Tamil noun English spoken in Sir Lanka. Muth- mind all the English words that form. The Kolaveri song has words iah stresses that the book is not a are used in the Tamil vocabulary. like ‘sound-u’, ‘girl-u’, ‘heart-u’, grammar treatise or a record of local Words like I, you, me, how, why, ‘black-u’. Teenagers and housewives usage. “It is merely a compilation”

April-June 2019 VIDURA 53 of a list of words in Indian English ger than the first and also includes Dear Sir, plus the simplest and commonest many ‘Indian English’ words from I am arrive by passenger train at meaning of each word. What results north India. The guide would also Abmedpur station and my belly is is a “handy guide” for one and all be found useful by people from one too much swelling with jackfruit. I am of more than 2000 commonly used part of India who have migrated therefore went to privy. Just I doing Indian English words. to other parts and are mystified by the nuisance the guard making whistle The Preface to the 1991 edition English usage there. blow for train to go off and I am run- says that Muthiah drew on three The second edition reproduces an ning with lota in one hand and dhoti earlier books on the subject: Hobson entertaining letter of the British days in the next. When I am fall over and Jobson in 1886 (by Col Henry Yule (in 1886), written by an English- expose all my shockings to man and and Dr AC Burnell), about how woman to her mother. She is staying woman on platform. I am got leaved at English was spoken in this part of with her husband John Hamilton in Abmedpur station. the world; Indian and British English a Madras hotel run by an Anglo-In- This too much bad, if passengers go (1979, by Paroo Nihalani, dian railwayman, and is replete with to make dung, the damn guard not wait P.K. Tongue and Priya Hosali); and Indian words – verandah, catamarans, train five minutes for him? I am there- the ubiquitous Common Indian Words dhonis, bandicoots, snake-charmer, coir fore pray your honour to make big fine in English in 1984 (by R.E. Hawk- godown, cheroot. She says that when on that guard for public sake otherwise ins). He says that unlike these books their Anglo-Indian host discovered I am making big report to papers. which are scholarly in approach, and that their surname was Hamilton, he discuss questions like the genesis of burst into laughter. He took them to Yours faithfull servant words, usage and pronunciation, his a bridge nearby which at one time Okhil Ch Sen own book is a mere compilation of was Hamilton Bridge but was pro- words and meanings. nounced by the locals as ‘Ambat- Not surprisingly, the British rail- The author reveals that it’s a short tan (barber) Bridge.. It finally got way authorities were quite charmed Madras-Bangalore early morning renamed as Barber Bridge. by this letter. They then took the flight that provided the seed for common-sense step of introducing the book. He eavesdropped on a Indianisms and Indian English toilets in compartments. A hand- conversation between an American A distinction should be drawn painted version of Okhil Chandra couple seated next to him, who were between the creative use of Indian Sen’s letter is said to be on display intrigued by the English in Indian English by mixing English with an at the Rail Museum in New Delhi. newspapers – words like morcha, Indian language, and ‘Indianisms’, Muthiah’s book includes a rail roko, gymkhana, “airdashing” and which are just mistakes of ignorance chapter – ‘Indianisms: 101 ways of “preponement”. Muthiah butted in made by Indians using English. This saying it correctly in English’. It lists with his own thoughts and insights article is full of examples of creative 101 sentences that contain common on English as it is used by Indians Indian English. As for Indianisms, errors of English usage in India, as well as by ‘natives’. The half- 1.3 billion Indians are responsible along with the corrected sentences. hour flight seemed to have ended for millions of them every day – in A few samples: before it began, but memories of homes, offices, schools and colleges, He has been writing since a long time. the conversation lingered for sev- factories, farms, streets, trains and (Indianism) eral months, and he thought a guide buses, hospitals, seminar halls, pub- He has writing for a long time. would help many to make sense of lic meetings. Indian newspapers. On Indianisms, we must pay You are not hearing the talk. (Indianism) Muthiah wanted to title the sec- tribute to Okhil Chandra Sen, who You are not listening to the talk. ond edition of the book (out in way back in 1909 wrote what is May 2017) ‘How to read an Eng- arguably the most entertaining and She wished me when I came in. lish newspaper in India’, but his memorable letter ever. He was also (Indianism) publishers advised against it, say- responsible for the Indian Railway She greeted me when I came in. ing newspapers could take offence. introducing toilets in train compart- What a fun we enjoyed During the 25 years between the ments. His letter is self-explanatory. What fun we had. two editions, the number of news- It was addressed as a railway pas- papers had increased, also the num- senger to the Sahibganj Divisional Another chapter, titled ‘The trou- ber of Indian words, so the ‘handy Office of the Indian Railways in ble with English in India’ says the guide’ of the second edition is lon- West Bengal. trouble is that too many people use

54 VIDURA April-June 2019 it. Non-native speakers of English dents are asked to write essays but tainment and the performing arts, worldwide far exceed native speak- rarely are they encouraged to speak even politics. It can be a tool, an ers including those in the US. “There in class. They don’t speak to each instrument, of success, which are those who spell English words other in English. Further, they are smart professionals, whatever their as they please and handle grammar taught English by those who don’t discipline, ought to tap. with the greatest abandon.” Result: have much exposure to the English It is said that political and eco- letters like this one, from a hostel stu- language themselves. nomic power give language a boost. dent writing to his dad for money: This accounts for the daily deluge English owes its power partly to the of Indianisms in the use of English. cultural dominance of the world “Dear Daddyji, Myself studying too This situation is not likely to change. by the US and UK. When India hard. Gatting too much tyred. Food- Nor will the creative use of Indian becomes a more significant global ing not enuf. Wanting money soonest. English by those who know Eng- power – it’s inevitable — Hinglish

Quickly sent to luving sun. Otherwise lish better. Hinglish and Tanglish will be even sexier than it is now. too week, lieing down only, cannot are likely to remain inventive and American women will try hard to< going to klas.” imaginative. More and more Indian sound like Priyanka Chopra. words will continue to knock on Muthiah remarks that India’s Oxford dictionary doors. (The writer is an editorial consultant schools, including English-medium based in Chennai. He had served the private schools, produce students English and economic power United Nations as an international with a modicum of reading and writ- Indian English, its evolution and information officer for 15 years, in ing skills but they struggle to speak. growth, is one of the great socio- India and Africa. He was earlier deputy This is because the education system, cultural phenomena of contem- managing editor of SPAN Magazine, particularly in government and cor- porary India. It has implications an English editor with USIS Bombay, poration schools, focuses on reading in many arenas of life – business, and a feature writer with the Times of and writing rather than speech. Stu- the media and advertising, enter- India Group, Bombay.)

The Hindu Photojournalism Awards for twelve

A photograph that captured a 21-year-old manual scavenger at work during day break in Raj Nagar near Delhi fetched Tashi Tobgyal the award for the Photo of the Year at the first edition ofThe Hindu Photojournalism Awards that were presented recently. The photograph that was published in the Indian Express, and the work of 11 other photojournalists, were recognised at the event held in association with the Chennai Photo Biennale (CPB). Tobgyal received a cash award of Rs 1.5 lakh. In the news category, the first prize went to Indranil Mukherjee for his photograph ‘Staring at death’ that captured Rohingyas from Myanmar crossing into Bangladesh at Cox’s Bazaar. Shot for the AFP, Mukherjee received a cash award of Rs1 lakh for the photograph. Praveen Khanna won the second place in the news category for his photograph titled Pollution, while Rajanish Kakade came third for his work, High Tide. A photo essay on the human-tiger conflict fetched the first prize of a cash award of Rs1.5 lakh for Senthil Kumaran. The photo essay that was published in National Geographic, Caravan and Better Photography magazines, has a series of photographs documenting the man-animal conflict. The second place in the category went to Showkat Nanda for his photo essay titled The Endless Wait and Raj Lalwani came third for his photo essay on Difficult Love. Arun Sreedhar received a cash award of Rs1 lakh for his award-winning entry in the sports category. His photograph, ‘Signature to the sands of time’ captured a long jumper during the National School Meet held in Gujarat and was published in Malayala Manorama. The category saw the entries of Jayesh P (Mudball Second) and Kunal Patil (Slick Trick) win the second and third places respectively. A portrait of an acid attack survivor by Amarjeet Kumar Singh bagged the first prize in the portrait category and

a cash award of Rs1 lakh. Smita Sharma won the second and third places for her entries, ‘They said we are the slaves’ and Left Behind. < (Courtesy: The Hindu)

April-June 2019 VIDURA 55 C.V. Raman’s unsung student featured in new book ational Science Day is cel- small, Sirkar was unable to make the ebrated every year on Feb- measurement. Nruary 28 to commemorate When Sirkar informed Raman the discovery of Raman Effect by about the difficulty, he told him there Sir C.V. Raman in 1928. The dis- was no time to take a reference spec- covery won him the Nobel Prize in trogram as he had to leave for Ban- Physics a couple of years later. But galore to announce the discovery. few people know about Raman’s Raman made the announcement in research associates and students Bangalore on March 16, 1928, which who were witness to the discovery was immediately published in the and subsequently worked on vari- Indian Journal of Physics. ous aspects of it. Raman then dispatched a pre-print Sukumar Chandra Sirkar (1898- of the paper to Neils Bohr. He wanted 1983) is one such unsung student of leading physicists to know about it at Raman. In 1928, when Raman made the earliest since he was aware that the discovery in his laboratory at scientists in Russia and France were the Indian Association for the Cul- also working in this field. The news Photo: ISW tivation of Science in Calcutta, he of the discovery was also announced The cover page of the book. had a fairly large number of associ- in Indian newspapers like Amrit ates and researchers working with Bazar Patrika. book. He also worked on a differ- him. In all, 32 research scholars Sirkar later recalled that even in ent phenomenon called the Kerr were working under his guidance the middle of 1928, “neither Raman Effect. He co-authored a research but only two – K.S. Krishnan and nor his students made an effort to paper with Raman and it was pub- S.C. Sirkar – were involved in the investigate the theory of the effect. lished in international science jour- work on scattering of light, which The effect was being called ‘modi- nal Nature. later came to be known as the fied scattering’.” “Sirkar belonged to that group of Raman Effect. In June 1928, German physicist scientists who may not have made Now a new book on the life and Peter Pringsheim who performed discoveries or inventions but influ- science of Sirkar, written by lead- independent experiments with ben- enced the development of science in ing historian of science, Rajinder zol, toluene and carbon tetrachloride India by training a number of stu- Singh, has brought to light the con- and found spectra similar to the ones dents,” summed up Rajinder Singh

tribution of Sirkar to the work on reported by Raman. Pringsheim while speaking to India Science Raman Effect. Sirkar, according to published the results in a scientific Wire. < the new book, was the first person journal and it was he who coined whom Raman asked to evaluate the term ‘Der Raman Effekt’ or the Dinesh C. Sharma the first ever ‘Raman spectrum’ of Raman Effect in his paper. (Courtesy: India Science Wire) benzene. Sirkar recalled that Raman Following the discovery, Sirkar came to him with glass plates con- continued to work on the inten- taining benzene and mercury lamp sity of Raman lines on the Raman spectra and asked him to measure spectra. “Sirkar’s work on the rela- the wavelength of new lines with tive intensities of Raman lines was an Adam Hilger comparator. Since of high quality and international a standard iron spectrum was not repute. For these investigations, he available for comparison and the was awarded D Sc degree by the distance between the lines was too ,” says the

56 VIDURA April-June 2019 Book Review

Ray’s actors help readers know the maestro better etched. The book, in a way, is also a ‘look-back’ experi- ence for readers and admirers of the maestro as they go over once again through the scenes in the films in company of the characters. The book is divided into eleven chapters, following the author’s “two-pronged approach” as he writes in the introductory chapter. Some chapters focus on a particular actor or actress; for example, Chhabi Biswas, the Aristocratic Patriarch (Jalsaghar, Devi), Sharmila- Tagore: The Pachina and Nabina in Ray’s Films (Apur Sansar, Devi, Seemabaddha, Aranyer Din Ratri), The Extraordinary Ordinariness of Madhabi Mukharjee (Mahanagar, Charulata), while others discuss subjects under heads like The City Heroes, The Mother Arche- type, The Children’s World of , etc. No book on Ray’s characters can be complete without a chapter on Ray’s blue-eyed boy, , the Dadasaheb Phalke award winner. Of all the actors he used, Chatterjee is the one Ray cast multiple times, whether as the shy householder in love with his new bride (Sharmila Tagore) in Apur Sansar, the final part of The Apu Trilogy, or the detective character , a favourite with the Bengalis which Ray created himself, or the poet Amal in Charulata, based on ’s love-triangle short story Nastaneer, which, reportedly, Ray considered as his most perfect film. Chatterjee has written the foreword to the book too, observing, “Manik-da [Ray’s nick name] had a tre- mendous eye for details and that is reflected in the different characters that he created on screen, even SATYAJIT RAY’S HEROES & HEROINES the apparently insignificant ones.” This is apparent Author: Amitava Nag in discussions in chapters like The Significant Others Publisher: Rupa Publications where Nag quotes critic Andrew Robinson (Satyajit Price: Rs 295 Ray: The Inner Eye): “Ray has no taboo about the actors he selects. He has worked with every type of person, Given the span of Satyajit Ray’s creative journey and from box-office stars like Waheeda Rehman [Abhijan] his reputation as a multifarious genius, it is natural and Uttam Kumar [Nayak] to people who had never that there are numerous write-ups, books and analyt- seen a film...” as long as he or she fit the bill. ical studies on him. Each of these tries to catch some It is well-known that Ray liked total control over aspect of the maestro’s work, examines his repute as his film-making process; this extended to the acting a filmmaker who had everything chalked out from field too. But through quotes by actors who worked the conception stage to the storyboard and then to the with the director we come to know that he was not as end product. rigid as believed to be; he did give leeway for impro- Amitava Nag’s Satyajit Ray’s Heroes & Heroines looks visations but albeit only to those he trusted. Ray him- at another aspect of the director: how he chose his self wrote (Our Films Their Films): “I do not think it is heroes and heroines to fit the image he had mentally important to discuss a part thoroughly with an actor,

April-June 2019 VIDURA 57 Book Review

but if he so wishes, I have no fetish against obliging passages, often quoting critics like Ray-expert Marie him… since it is the ultimate effect on the screen that Seton, which throw light on unknown aspects of Ray’s matters, any method that helps to achieve the desired actor-selection process. effect is valid.” Nag’s profusely illustrated book is definitely a good Nag’s book sometimes has repetitions, like a ten- read for cinema lovers and, particularly, Ray fans,

dency to introduce the same subject/ person all over whose oeuvre and finesse as a director do not cease again in a later chapter. This happens when different to create wonder. < articles are compiled (if they have been here) in a book format. Better editing can take care of that. But it is a (Reviewed by Ranjita Biswas) small irritant and does not take away the richness of the anecdotes and first-hand quotes and the analytical

Whispers of Wind on radio launched

Climate change and global warming is a challenge across the globe. To bring this issue to common people, a radio serial named ‘Whispers of Wind’ has been developed. The series has 52 episodes and has been produced by Vigyan Prasar, an autonomous body of Department of Science and Technology, and All India Radio. The series will be broadcast on All India Radio from March 31, 2019 onwards. The episodes will be translated in 19 Indian languages and broadcast from 121 All India Radio centers (14 FM and 107 Medium Wave Stations). Each episode is of 27 minutes duration. Episodes will be in the documentary, drama or feature format. Some attractive prizes will be given to listners for answering the question asked at the end of each episode. There are prizes for asking the best question also. “We hope the series will provide engaging content, ensuring participation of people in mitigation and adaption measures as envisaged in India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change” said Dr Nakul Parshar, director, Vigyan Prasar. More than 400 subject experts, writers, scientists and transcribers were involved in develping the program. “The program is made to provide participatory listening experience. When there are reports and clear indications of climate change across the globe it becomes imperative to communicate people and make them aware about the consequences of climate change” said Dr B K Tyagi, scientist and project coordinator, Vigyan Prasar. The main objective behind this series is to create awareness about the challenges of climate change and promote understanding of climate change science, adaptation, mitigation, energy efficiency, and natural resource conservation. “In the era of internet, radio has its own place and reach. To tap this potential these radio serials have their own place. There are remote areas where there is no or bad internet connect. These radio serials will be focusing those particular areas” said M. Shailja Suman, deputy director, All India Radio. Understanding the science of climate change and global warming, the natural and anthropogenic factors responsible for climate change, impact of climate change, preparedness of the global community to address the challenges of climate change, norms, conventions, and institutions to cope with climate change, India and climate change, institutional framework in India, mitigation and adaptation are the areas that have been covered under the theme.

Earlier Vigyan Prasar has produced radio serials on themes like sustainable development, astronomy, understanding and managing disaster management, grassroot innovation and so on. <

Jyoti Singh (Courtesy: India Science Wire)

58 VIDURA April-June 2019 REMEMBERING SHAMSHAD BEGUM (1919-2013) The original nightingale of Hindi film music On the occasion of her birth centenary (April 14), Partab Ramchand looks back on the career of Shamshad Begum and analyses the legendary singer’s popularity over an extended period

he was the original nightin- of All India Radio in 1937. In fact, which marked the film debut of gale of Hindi cinema. Before producer Dilsukh Pancholi wanted Nargis. Haider, too, had moved SLata Mangeshkar burst upon her to act as well in a film he was to Mumbai but, following Par- the scene in the late 1940s, it was making. Shamshad gave a screen tition, he migrated to Pakistan Shamshad Begum who was the test and was selected. Her father, while Shamshad chose to remain dominant singing voice in India. however, warned her that she in Mumbai. And so versatile was she in her dis- would not be allowed to sing if she That was the start of her golden tinctive style that she continued to harboured a desire to act. Shamshad period and Naushad for one be popular through the 1950s and promised her father that she would freely acknowledged that he was 60s, singing her way into the hearts never appear before the camera. indebted to Shamshad in reaching of music lovers. With her soft nasal Thereafter, even as her popularity the top as she was famous before voice, she was an essential part of as a singer grew, she never posed he became well known. After his the golden period of Hindi film for photographs and few people tracks sung by her became highly music when almost every song was saw her pictures in newspapers and popular, Naushad became the big- the result of the work of master magazines. gest name in Indian film music. composers, inimitable singers and Impressed by her voice, director Once he became successful, he unparalleled lyricists. Mehboob Khan brought Shamshad recorded songs with new singers Shamshad sang nearly 1300 to Mumbai in the early 1940s and in the 1950s but kept working with songs for Hindi films besides being used her voice in Taqdeer (1943), Shamshad also. In fact, he gave a prolific singer of several other Indian languages – Bengali, Pun- jabi, Gujarati, Tamil and Marathi – and she had so many hits that it is difficult to know where to begin. She worked mostly with Naushad, C. Ramachandra, S.D. Burman and O.P. Nayyar and she and these master music composers com- bined to give us melodies that have stood the test of time. Also, among the songs that continue to remain popular are her many duets with Talat Mahmood, Kishore Kumar, Lata and Asha Bhosle. The prodigiously gifted singer was born in Lahore and her talent was first discovered by the then well-known composer, Ghulam Haider. A major breakthrough Photo: Internet came her way when she sang over Shamshad Begum’s peak was in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Her songs though the Lahore and Peshawar stations continue to remain evergreen.

April-June 2019 VIDURA 59 Shamshad’s select popular hits

• Leke Pehla Pehla Pyar – CID (1956); Music: O.P. Nayyar • Kahin Pe Nigahen Kahin Pe Nishana – CID; Music: O.P. Nayyar • Boojh Mera Kya Naam Re – CID; Music: O.P. Nayyar • Hum Dard Ka Afsana – Dard (1947); Music: Naushad • Main Bhawara Tu Hai Phool (with Talat Mehmood) – Mela (1948); Music: Naushad • Chandni Aayi Ban Ke Pyar – Dulari (1949); Music: Naushad • Na Bol Pi Pi More Aangna – Dulari; Music: Naushad • Milte Hi Aankhen Dil Hua (with Talat Mehmood) – Babul 1950; Music: Naushad • Kabhi Aar Kabhi Paar Laga Teer-e-nazar – Aar Paar (1954); Music: O.P. Nayyar • Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon – Patanga (1949); Music: C. Ramchandra • Chod Babul Ka Ghar – Babul (1950); Music: Naushad • Kajra Mohabbatwala Ankhiyon Mein Aisa Dala (with Asha Bhosle) – Kismat (1968); Music: O.P. Nayyar • Meri Neendon Main Tum (with Kishore Kumar) – Naya Andaz (1956); Music: O.P. Nayyar • Teri Mehfil Mein Qismat (with Lata Mangeshkar) – Mughal-E-Azam (1960); Music: Naushad • Saiyan Dil Mein Aana Re – Bahar (1951); Music: S.D. Burman • Kisike Dil Mein Rehna Tha (with Lata Mangeshkar) – Babul (1950); Music: Naushad • Dharti Ko Aakash Pukare (with Mukesh) – Mela (1948); Music: Naushad • Kahin Pe Nigahein – CID; Music: O.P. Nayyar • Door Koi Gaye – Baiju Bawra (1952); Music: Naushad • Chaman Mein Reheke Veerana – Deedar (1951); Music: Naushad his favourite singer four songs in a full-throated voice for Nargis in Shamshad Begum who died in 1998 Mother India (1957). Mother India and this saw her make was Saira Banu’s maternal grand- The story goes that Shamshad a successful comeback, for she sang mother. was at her peak in the late 1940s some melodious numbers in How- In the New Millennium, Sham- when Lata started singing and rah Bridge, Jaali Note, Love in Simla, shad finally started giving inter- early in Lata’s career and that of her Mughal-e-Azam, Bluff Master and views but her failing health younger sister, Asha, film produc- Gharana. restricted her movements. She was ers and music directors asked them In later life, Shamshad, living with conferred with the Padma Bhushan to imitate Shamshad’s style of sing- her daughter and son-in-law became in 2009 and the Indian Government ing because they could not afford a recluse. She was rarely seen in released a stamp in her honour her fees! public and never gave interviews posthumously in 2016. Shamshad In 1956, Shamshad’s husband wherein a point was reached when passed away on April 23, 2013 fol- died in a road accident and this the general public was unaware lowing prolonged illness at the left her distraught. She became a whether she was alive or dead. In age of 94. But, of course, she lives recluse and stopped accepting sing- 2004, controversy erupted in the through her songs which even the ing assignments. Ironically, this media when several publications younger generation is familiar with

was the time when her songs from incorrectly reported that Shamshad thanks to the many music apps and films such as CID, Mr and Mrs 55, had passed away a few years before. programmes on TV. < Naya Andaz and Baradari became Her family clarified in a press state- hits. Finally Mehboob approached ment that Shamshad was very much her in 1957 saying that he wanted alive and it later emerged that the

60 VIDURA April-June 2019 REMEMBERING MAGGIE AMRITRAJ (1927-2019) The guiding force behind the Amritraj Brothers Maggie Amritraj who passed away in Chennai on April 20 was the moving force, the guiding spirit, behind the three brothers, Anand, Vijay and Ashok. Partab Ramchand outlines her contribution to the success of her three sons on the international stage

o almost everyone she was took place on an almost Mrs Amritraj, never Maggie daily basis. Tor Margaret for the grace, dig- It was six months nity and respect that was naturally before she could put hers thanks to a strong presence, a foot on the ground pleasing manners and her back- and nine before she ground of having worked really was eventually allowed hard to set her three sons on their home with a nurse in tennis careers that brought name attendance. As Vijay to the Amritraj family and glory to says, “Her limbs were Indian tennis. still stiff and no one All mothers make sacrifices for thought she would be their children but Mrs Amritraj stood able to lead a normal, out thanks to the enormous input active life again but and the acute physical anguish she they were underesti- had to go through even as Anand mating the courage and and Vijay were taking their first resourcefulness of Mag- steps in tennis lessons that would gie Amritraj.” Photo: Internet ultimately take them all the over the Driving herself Maggie Amritraj went through tough times, but she world and earn a new respect for through a largely self- showed the world that she was made of sterner stuff. the game in the country. As Vijay imposed rehab routine, says in his autobiography, “If it is Mrs Amritraj forced herself to walk the punching machine that was a truism that you have to suffer to every day and, even though she fre- used to join the sides of the card- succeed, then my mother must offer quently stumbled and fell before board boxes.” There was virtually one of the best examples of it. After she got as far as the front gate, she nothing left of the hand except all she had done and been through, refused to allow her dreadful inju- hanging skin so that meant another how could we fail her?” ries to impede her progress. As Vijay trip back to the hospital where the First, there was the kerosene notes, “she was going to get well not operation took five hours because stove fire in 1965 that saw Mrs just for her sake but for ours”. they had to re-construct the whole Amritraj suffer burns over fifty But the nine months off due to hand. All the muscles and tendons per cent of her body and when she her terrible burns was not the only had been severed. She was lucky was taken to hospital the doctors period of their lives that the boys to get the use of the hand again initially did not expect her to live. had to do without their mother’s but it meant another three months Indeed, for 15 days, she lay uncon- inspirational encouragement. Let’s before she could attend to every- scious in the hospital. Totally, she hear Vijay again. “Three years thing properly. was in hospital for six months and later, in 1968, with her cardboard Thanks in no small measure to had to endure agonizing pain-kill- factory in full swing and her mind their mother, the three brothers ing injections every day to dull if on too many of the varied respon- did Indian tennis proud in the not completely eradicate the pain sibilities that faced her every day, of the skin grafting operations that Mummy put her hand straight into (Continued on page 66)

April-June 2019 VIDURA 61 TRIBUTE TO S. MUTHIAH (1930-2019) A many-splendoured man who let his work do the talking Sixty-eight years as a journalist, 58 years as a columnist, 48 years of writing on Madras, 38 years as an author and 28 years as editor of Madras Musings. That surely makes for an extraordinary distinction. An inspiration to many, S. Muthiah commanded awe and respect not only because of the sheer range of his work, but also because of the high standards he set. Sashi Nair on his mentor and friend

f I had not joined the Journalism course at the Bharatiya Vidya IBhavan a whim, I would pos- sibly have never met S. Muthiah. I was in the batch of 1992-93, the old- est by some measure, but I quickly got hooked to the evening classes, not missing a single class through the year. Muthiah taught us Reporting – we held him in awe. Before the end of the course, he asked me whether I was serious about my insurance officer’s job – the south-based con- glomerate where he worked was looking for a public relations man- Photos: SN ager. It was the time I was deter- A lovely picture of Muthiah typing away, next to the things be loved – his books, mined to leave the public sector. I Madras Musings, his Olivetti typewriter and a teddy bear (he loved teddys). was eight years old with the insur- ance company and I knew I had to carried the editor’s favourite Wality I had prepared, the headlines, etc. be careful. But there was something fountain pen ink scribbles, which No adjectives for people, he would about this man that drew me to him. formed patterns between para- insist; for products, it’s fine. Do not I took the plunge. graphs, dotted margins and created use unnecessary words; the lead in As communications director at the a sort of mosaic at the top and bottom a news story should say something TTK Group, Muthiah was my boss of almost every page. On one page new and you should make it inter- for a decade. Together, we brought there was an extra splash of ink and esting; avoid label headlines… And out the group’s award-winning in- two prominent words emblazoned that was how I learnt. house magazine, TTK Spectrum. I across: What nonsense! All the arti- During 2002-03, when he was might have been a gold medalist cles, of course, had to be rewritten travelling abroad and once when he in journalism and confident of my for a second round of editing. was lying ill in hospital, he relied on English language writing skills, but On most Saturday mornings, me to put together issues of Madras Muthiah, the editor, soon brought Muthiah would arrive at the TTK Musings (a fortnightly that focused me down to terra firma. headquarters on Cathedral Road. He on the city’s civic issues, heritage I vividly remember the day I would come to my room first, but and people from the past) – I was received the first lot of drafts I had only after spending some time with by then a regular contributor. It written for the magazine, duly the big man, T.T. Vasu. He would get provided me yet another valuable edited. His driver, Malairaj, would me to order what he liked – either experience, deciding the stories to bring such edited versions to my black coffee or lemon tea. And then he be published, writing the popu- room from time to time. The first lot would go through the page layouts lar Short ‘N’ Snappy/ MMM (Man

62 VIDURA April-June 2019 from Madras Musings) column and, most importantly, to ensure there were no errors that would upset the editor.

Early days in Ceylon Subbiah Muthiah’s association with Sri Lanka goes back to a father who came to study at Ananda Col- lege in 1916 and stayed on. V. Vr. N. M. Subbiah Chettair, better known in Ceylon as M. Subbiah or Subi, was to become a stockbroker, then took over Heller & Co in 1939 and ran it as a general trading corpora- tion. But he was better known for his involvement in Ceylon politics, being a nominated member of the ‘Know your newspaper’ was how Muthiah’s classes at the Press Institute of India were Colombo Municipal Council for titled. Participants included not only working journalists but also anybody interested several years and deputy mayor in journalism, age no bar. twice, acting for the mayor several times and, most significantly, being he joined The Times of Ceylon, to oped and grew. No wonder that the founder-president of the Ceylon become wedded to journalism and he produced an astounding num- India Congress formed in 1939 by writing ever since. ber of books on Madras. Soon, he 16 Indian associations in Ceylon. With The Times of Ceylon from 1951 became freelance editor for various Subbiah, who was very close to to 1968, Muthiah was its foreign institutions and publishers through the Ceylon leadership from the news editor and then features edi- his editorial consultancy service, 1930s to 1950s, stood for election to tor, besides being in charge of the Madras Editorial Services the Nuwara Eliya seat in 1947 and Sunday Times, the Group’s maga- Muthiah was a prolific writer of lost a close verdict. He left Ceylon zine publications and The Times of non-fiction and a chronicler of the for personal reasons in 1960 and Ceylon Annual. He represented in European era in South India, with settled in his village in India. Ceylon, from 1954, first, the London a focus on Madras. He has, besides Muthiah, born on 13th April, 1930 News Chronicle, and then the London his stories of Madras, written the and brought up in a household Daily Mail till 1968. And from 1959 histories of institutions like Parry’s, where Ceylon and Ceylon-Indian to 1968, The Observer, London, and Simpson’s, Spencer’s, the United politics was daily fare, was an old its foreign news service. Planters’ Association of Southern boy of Ladies’ College, St Thomas India, and the Madras Club as well Prep, where his teacher, W.T. Keble, Arrival in Madras as social histories of ‘communities’ was to prove the greatest influence After arriving in Madras in 1968, like the Indo-Lankans, the Chettiars, in his life (he encouraged read- Muthiah took charge of TT Maps ing and writing). In 1946, after his & Publications, a unit of the TTK school finals in India, Muthiah was Group, which published maps and one of the first batch of students atlases and tourist guidebooks and from this part of the world to go to had a large offset printing unit for the US for higher studies immedi- its work. He retired in 1990 but ately after the War. continued as president emeritus In the US, Muthiah represented till 2005. While at TT Maps, he his university in athletics, debating, conceived, edited, designed and and was active in campus journal- supervised the production of all ism and worked with local newspa- its publications – more than 15 pers. Returning to Ceylon in 1951, titles a year. It was during his time circumstances forced him to rethink at TT Maps that his interest in the Always happy to field questions – here a career in the Foreign Service and history of the city of Madras devel- at PII.

April-June 2019 VIDURA 63 the Anglo-Indians and executives in British businesses in India between the 1930s and 1970s. Author of 40 books with histori- cal backgrounds, including Madras Rediscovered (its eighth edition recently launched), Madras – The Gracious City, Madras – Its Past and Present, Madras that is Chennai: The Gateway to the South, At Home in Madras – A Handbook, The Parry Story, Getting India on the Move, A Planting Century, The Spencer Legend, The Con- nemara, Queen of the Coromandel, The Spirit of , Looking Back from Moulmein, The Chettiar Heritage, The Muthiah is all ears as Sunil Nair, then resident editor, The Times of India, makes a Ace of Clubs, The Indo-Lankans, Born point. Others in the picture are D. Krishnan, former editor of photography, The Hindu, to Dare, Words in Indian English, he and Babu Jayakumar, then deputy editor, The New Indian Express. also ghosted The Unfinished Journey (the biography of M. Ct. M. Chi- affair with his Olivetti typewriter for much longer till almost his last dambaram Chettyar) and 60 Land- were legendary. Muthiah might not days), N. Ram, then editor-in-chief, mark Years (the story of L&T-ECC). have been as well known in India The Hindu, referred to Muthiah as His biographies include books on as Khushwant Singh or Shobaa De “an unconventional, one-of-a-kind industrialists A.M.M. Arunacha- or even Ramachandra Guha, but he historian… who has brought to his lam of the Murugappa Group and more than made it up with his high subject (Madras) a gifted journal- M. Ct. Chidambaram Chettyar, quality of work – his writings would ist’s curiosity, humour, liveliness, and military legend Lt Gen Inder easily rank as some of the best ever, eye for small things and accessibil- Singh Gill. especially in terms of research. ity”. Ram referred to legendary col- The frequency with which Muth- At the 2011 launch of his 1210- umnists like Walter Lippmann and iah was able to produce books, page compendium, A Madras Mis- Frank Moraes and said that if other each one thoroughly researched cellancy: A Decade of people, Places newspapers had a Khushwant and edited, was something that and Potpourri, a collection of the Singh or a Jug Suraiya, The Hindu never ceased to amaze even those best of Muthiah’s columns that had S. Muthiah. who knew his capabilities well. His had appeared in The Hindu Metro Muthiah taught journalism and distrust of the computer and love Plus for a decade until then (it ran print production at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Madras from 1972 to the mid-1990s, and at the Uni- versity of Madras. He helped found India’s first degree course in printing technology at in 1980. He has been an office bearer at the Madras Print- ers’ and Lithographers’ Associa- tion, the All India Federation of Master Printers, the Booksellers and Publishers Association of South India, the Indian National Cartographic Association, the Pub- lic Relations Society of India, and a founder-member of INTACH, Tamil Nadu and the Madras Book Club. In March 2002, Muthiah was The writer with his mentor at the wedding anniversary of a friend. awarded the MBE by the Queen of

64 VIDURA April-June 2019 England for his work on heritage status. He was happy to let his work they were. And for him, no age for and environment conservation in do the talking. chivalry – he would open the car

Chennai. I had never seen Muthiah lose his door for a lady and got in only after It was not just what he had cool or use intemperate language. she was seated. < achieved. It was the manner in Yes, he was sarcastic at times. That which he achieved what he did that was his way of telling you he was (The writer is editor, Vidura.) stood out. He was simple and hum- unhappy. He valued the contri- ble. No mobile phone, no Facebook butions of people no matter who

TRIBUTE TO S. MUTHIAH ‘I learnt from him so much that is precious’ It’s been a privilege to have been associated with S. Muthiah, says Susan Philip. She says she would like to think that she is a little bit better, professionally and as a person, because of the high standards he set for himself first, and for others as a consequence.

t must have been 2007 or 2008. was leaning at that meeting, I noticed Menon of PTI, whose eye for detail I’d been taking wobbly steps Mr Muthiah chuckling on the dais. is legendary. Mr Muthiah was as Iinto the world of freelance jour- That’s how it began. thorough as Mr Menon. He made nalism after almost a decade at the Mr Muthiah sought me out after sure that he collected information desk at the Press Trust of India, the formal meeting was over, and from every possible source on any Chennai. It was a Book Club dis- took my phone (landline) number. subject that he undertook to write cussion on Ranjini Manian’s book That in itself was an event for me. I on. In addition, his emphasis on Doing Business in India for Dummies. did not expect anything to come of it. fact-checking was an eye-opener The dais held a galaxy of luminar- But it did. Shortly after that, he asked for me. ies, chief among them Mr S. Muth- me to come and see him in connec- When I saw each finished prod- iah. It was the first time I was seeing tion with a project. It was to do some uct, I never ceased to be amazed him in person, and it was one of my research for his magnificent book, at the way he’d managed to sift many thrills on that day, not least The Raj Bhavans of Tamil Nadu. through the morass of material that of them being singled out for men- Since then, I’ve been privileged to came to him, corroborate every tion by Ranjini for my role as edito- be, in various capacities, a part of relevant detail, and put together rial coordinator of her book. many of Mr Muthiah’s book proj- a coherent, comprehensive, inter- In characteristic fashion, Ranjini ects – The histories of the Boat Club esting, easy-to-read, and above slipped amusing anecdotes into her and the Kodaikanal Club, Office all, unbiased chronicle (Sir, please speech, among which one related to Chai, Planters Brew and the revised note, I’ve curbed my instinct to use me. She recounted how, at the end Chettiar Heritage book, to name a the word ‘history’). of our introductory discussion about few. I was not fortunate enough to Certainly, he was of the old school, the prospective book, a telephonic be a student of his in a formal sense. technologically speaking. In fact, talk, I had told her that I was ‘differ- But over the years, I learnt from him his own dislike of the mobile phone ently abled’. Not having met me in so much that is precious, both pro- was what first drew his attention person then, she was thrown for a fessional and personal. to me. Unlike me, he did not give minute, she said, till I explained that He took ‘meticulous’ to a whole in to that gadget, and it was Valli what I meant was that I didn’t use a new level. And that’s saying a Ma’am’s long-standing grouse that mobile phone! Even as I tried to dis- lot, considering that I was trained though he had a mobile phone, he appear into the pillar against which I by none other than Mr Bhaskar steadfastly refused to take it with

April-June 2019 VIDURA 65 him when he left the house. But he familiarised himself with the com- puter so that he could use it when needed, though he had Srinivasan, Pushpa and Poornima to assist him. That taught me that it’s not OK to offer ‘age’ as an excuse for not learn- ing something new. Mr Muthiah edited in the old style, and for me it was nostalgia to see his notations on the margins, taking me back to the pre-computer days at PTI. (Sir, I’m glad your trusty pen came with you on your last journey).

He made sure that printouts were Photo: SP taken on the backs of calendar The writer finds herself in prime position for a photo-op, as Muthiah autographs pages, even fliers. In today’s ‘use- the third volume of the Madras Gazatteer. This was possibly his last public and-throw’ culture, that could be appearance. seen as an endearing foible, at best. I saw it as a courageous commitment and soft-spoken. I’ve seen him with determination not to let anything to not waste anything, no matter a mischievous glint in his eye, a get him down. He was very weak, how others perceived it. raised eyebrow and a half-smile on needing help to walk, sit down and Mr Muthiah taught me what it his lips when something or some- get up. But his mind and his speech means to have the courage of con- one amused him. I’ve also seen him were as sharp as ever. They lulled viction. He did not hesitate to let when he was not amused by some- me. I did not see the end coming so go of any project that required him thing or someone. But never once quickly. to compromise on his accounts of have I heard him raise his voice to Sir, what can I say, except repeat events and personalities, arrived the person who failed to meet his to you the words with which you

expectations; he always managed ended every e-mail communication at after meticulous, painstaking, < comprehensive research. He did to convey his opinion without hav- to me – Warmest Regards! so with grace, without rancour. He ing to do so. And to my knowledge, made the point that if his name was he only ever addressed his wife (The writer is assistant editor, on a book, he took responsibility for as ‘dear’, something so incredibly Vidura.) what went into it. charming. It wasn’t only as a thorough pro- During this last year, there were fessional that Mr Muthiah stood times when I was taken aback at out. He was unfailingly courteous his deterioration. But I also saw his

(Continued from page 61) not proceed any further. There trator of the ambitious programme was no one else with whom they which helped unearth the talent of international arena through the could entrust the day-to-day care many youngsters including Lean- 1970s and 80s. However, her role and supervision of such a disparate der Paes and Somdev Devvarman. was not over yet. In the mid-80s group of youngsters all of whom For over a decade, I was a regular when the genesis of the Britannia would need a mother figure to turn visitor to BAT and saw for myself Amritraj Tennis Foundation (BAT) to during their long period away how energetically and enthusi- was taking shape, Vijay and Anand from home. astically she tackled the various (Ashok was into film production Mrs Amritraj readily took over aspects of her task. Once she took

by this time) were clear that if their the task and immediately and inev- up something, she was absolutely < mother didn’t take charge of the itably became totally involved. She, committed to it. welfare of the wards, they could in fact, became the chief adminis-

66 VIDURA April-June 2019 TRIBUTE TO CHINMOY ROY (1940-2019) His boisterous spirit and ready bonhomie stole people’s hearts With the passing away of Chinmoy Roy, the golden era of humour in Bengali cinema has come to an end. Roy began his career in Bengali films in the 1960s and portrayed comic characters retaining the very essence of Bengaliness, says Shoma A. Chatterji, adding that his passing away marks the end of decent, intelligent comedy in Bengali cinema

or decades together, Bengali youngsters in Chaar where cinema has generated more his character was taken from the Fthan a dozen talented come- famous series by the noted dians who doubled up as charac- litterateur, Narayan Gangopad- ter actors and even leading men hyay. The film was a thundering hit in some milestone films. One by and the role of Tenida which Chin- one, they faded away – first, from moy brought to life made his an public memory and, then, from the unforgettable name among stellar world they belonged to. If one were performers in Bengali cinema. to write a book to record the con- For Bengalis who love to read, tribution, we would read about the Tenida is an emotion and, in a wonderful work of people like Tulsi manner of speaking, also defines

Chakraborty, Jahar Roy, Bhanu a typical culture of the time when Photo: Internet Banerjee, Nabadwip Haldar, Nrip- youngsters would be engaged in The Chinmoy Roy we all got to loving. ati Chatterjee and others who made little work and all adda (gossip) in the first generation of comedians some street corner in the neighbour- discussions of the four members of while Chinmoy Roy came next hood and engage in jokes and bluff the gang fell flat. Roy never made a along with his peers Anup Kumar around. Decades have passed since film or acted in one again. The film and Utpal Dutt. They have left their his last story appeared in print, but lacked the magic of the original footprints on the sands of time. the character is still attached to Ben- version though this time, the role Chinmoy Roy, extremely thin, gali sentiments. of Tenida was enacted by another dark complexioned and not really Tenida, a faint-hearted person brilliant comedian, Shubhashish good to look at, delighted the audi- who tries to appear brave and even Mukherjee. ence with his jokes and funny man- goes on to play a detective, is a Chinmoy held his own among nerisms in umpteen films, investing character that has been very dear to prominent performers like Soumi- his performances with his boister- Bengali readers. He would be eat- tra Chatterjee, Tobi Ghose and ous spirit and ready bonhomie. ing something or the other all the Tarun Kumar in the comedies, Bas- Born in Kumilla District in present time and constantly bully the other anto Bilap, Dhonni Meye, and Nan- day Bangladesh in 1940, his career three members of his Patoldanga igopaler Biye. He was also seen in a began in theatre with the famous Gang. Tenida has been part of many small role in Satyajit Ray’s Goopy Nandikar Group, now headed Bengali children’s growing up years Gyne O Bagha Byne, in which he by Rudraprasad Senguptpa and who are now adults, because the first portrayed a spy working for the founded by the late Ajitesh Bando- time the Patoldanga Gang appeared minister of Halla. He also played an padhyay. Not much, however, is on screen in Chaar Murti was in interesting role in Ray’s Chiriakhana known about his work in theatre. 1978, eight years after the passing in which ther maestro had cast him Chinmoy’s work in cinema was away of Narayan Gangopadhyay. as a deaf and dumb character called marked with a sense of ready cama- Chinmoy Roy remade Chaar Murti Panu who used to look after the cat- raderie but he never over-acted or in colour in 2011 as director but the tle of Golap Colony, the epicentre of was theatrical in any way. He also audience had moved beyond the the crimes in the played the head of a group of four times of Tenida and the jokes and mystery.

April-June 2019 VIDURA 67 Chinmoy’s other memorable was satirising the angry youth of Vyjayantimala in her only Bengali roles were in Mouchak and Basanta its times.” appearance, and he had the oppor- Bilap which is a big hit in repeat Chinmoy portrayed the hero in tunity of acting with Ashok Kumar telecasts on television channels Nonigopaler Biye in which he played in the film. Soumitra Chatterjee, even today. Writes his die-hard fan his first and last double role as twins, who was Roy’s co-actor in many Aniruddha Roy, “He was as thin one successful and the other not so. films, described him as a “power- as a reed, dark, medium height, He was the closest friend of Soumi- ful” actor whose potential was “not crooked teeth and could look tra Chatterjee’s character in Basanta fully utilised” by the industry. downright ugly, chugged about in Bilap, which offered him enough Roy had married the beauti- body hugging clothes and wore his scope to express his versatility and ful and sophisticated Juin Baner- hair long. He looked less of a being his talent in being humorous which jee who made her debut in Tarun from the film screen and more of he did. There have been numerous Majumdar’s Balika Badhu and the a wasted guy from the streets. other films such as Dhanni Meye, couple has two children, a son and He was a breathless Godardian… one of the very few Bengali appear- a daughter. But after Juin passed Chinmoy Roy had the typical look ances of and in Padi away some years ago, Roy became of the young men of Kolkata, polit- Pishir Bormi Baksho. Yet, there is a a quiet and lonely man. He would ically charged with the dreams of feeling among those who worked often be seen at the com- revolution only if that was out of with him closely that he might have plex, a man of few words, till a hormonal energy left unchanneled been overshadowed by some of his freak accident last year tied him to due to the chronic unemployment contemporaries. his home. He accidentally fell off for the uneducated. Instead of Chinmoy also portrayed serious- the fourth floor of a flat and was seeking comedy through the char- comic characters in films of Tapan hospitalised for several months. He acters contained within the film, Sinha such as in Ekhonee which was never seen in public ever again

Chinmoy’s comedy seemed to dealt with the angst of youth and till he passed away of a heart attack target the very youth of the Ben- Hatey Bazaarey in which he did a on 17th March this year. < gali society; it was as if the cinema very interesting song sequence with

TRIBUTE TO L.V. SARADA (1941-2019) The ‘goddess of acting’ who was childlike and full of enthusiasm L.V. Sarada was an affable, gregarious, happy person who spread cheer notwithstanding her own personal problems. Sakuntala Narasimhan says her music group will miss her, as will countless film buffs in and outside Karnataka who appreciated and applauded her histrionic talents in the movies she acted in

hursday March 21 was a sad was being taken to hospital, she is nad (with whom she had once acted) day for Indian cinema. Gifted reported to have said that she would in a neat, legible hand, and asked a Tand highly acclaimed actress “not return home any more”. That friend to deliver it to Mr Karnad. L.V. Sarada passed away in Ben- proved prophetic. She was in her That was typical of Sarada – she had galuru that day, after a long battle late 70s. no email or Internet, I don’t think she with ill health. When the cancer she A more spirited individual I have even owned a mobile phone (smart was being treated for spread to her yet to see – from her bed in the inten- or otherwise). Despite her eminence lungs and she had trouble breath- sive care unit, she wrote, by hand, a and achievements, she wrote by ing, it was as if she had a premo- few hours before she breathed her hand. There was something childlike nition of her own end – while she last, a two-page note to Girish Kar- about her, the unassuming manner

68 VIDURA April-June 2019 in which she carried herself despite actress he had met who was intelli- her fame and talent, her simplicity, gent too” while Hrishikesh Mukher- and the way she would frequently jee referred to her as “the goddess of break into a laugh even when ill and acting”. She had also acted in a San- in distress. skrit film (Adi Shankaracharya) and Sarada began learning music in Malayalam movies, with equal from me after her doctor reportedly felicity (besides Kannada which was urged her to “get out of the house her mother tongue). and get some diversion” to take her Her father, Lokkur S. Venkoji mind off her diagnosis of malig- Rao, was a pioneer who set up the nancy, and she joined the group I Bangalore Stock Exchange ad was Photo: Internet was teaching. She sang well, we active in community work. L.V. Sarada. even did a recording for Akashvani, In recent years, Sarada had and she taught the group some rare devoted considerable time and effort of folk dances while Vanalakshmi Kannada songs on kurathi (gypsy) to producing documentary films – competed in the classical dance for a musical module we were one, a detailed and long feature, on (Bharatanatyam) category. Their working on. the Mysore style of veena playing friendship stretched over more Obituaries published in the wake of (for which she had extensively inter- than half a century. her death have recorded her perfor- viewed Mysore Doraiswamy Iyen- After her mother passed away a mances in films like Vamsha Vriksha gar, the doyen of the Mysore Style) few years ago, Sarada lived alone (1972, produced by G.V. Iyer – the and another titled Kere Haaadu in south Bengaluru but prolonged film, which was her debut, bagged (songs of Lakes, about the disap- illness did not deter her from tak- two national and six state awards pearing water bodies of the city). ing a maid as escort and setting and was screened at international The last documentary she worked out for music classes. She had inex- film festivals) and her portrayal of on was on the seer of the Uttaradi haustible enthusiasm and a positive a young widow in the film Phani- Mutt, Pramoda Theertha. She attitude that was almost infectious. yamma (based on the novel of the had also served on the jury of the Even after vertigo problems forced same name), which brought her the Film festival of India held at Tiru- her to wear a neck collar, she would Karnataka State Best Actress award. vananthapuram. still turn up at my place, for music The film was chosen for an Interna- Sarada’s college mate Vanalak- sessions . But for the trouble she had tional Jury Award at the Manheim shmiVenkatachar of Bengaluru climbing up stairs (due to breath- Film Festival in Germany. recalls how she and Sarada had ing problems after her lungs were

affected) she would have come more Sarada is reported to have turned represented their college at the < down the offer of a role in a film Inter-University Youth Festival in often, such was her zest for life. Eradu Kanasu (starring the iconic Delhi during the later 1950s. Sar- Dr Rajkumar, the darling of Kan- ada had competed in the category nada audiences) because she was not interested in commercial films of the kind where the female lead sings while being chased round trees. Other notable movies that she acted in included Bhoothayyana- maga Ayyu (1973), Ondu Premade Kathe (1977, in which she acted with Rajinikanth) and Vathsalya (which brought her an award for her perfor- mance). Even if the number of films she acted in were no more than a handful, each one received encomi- To read articles, please visit ums as a spectacular performance. Praise came her way from the top filmmakers of India — Satyajit Ray called her “the only South Indian

April-June 2019 VIDURA 69 TRIBUTE TO DARRYL D’MONTE (1945-2019) He leaves behind an enduring legacy Darryl D’Monte was not only an outstanding journalist, he was also a lovely human being who touched the hearts of those who worked with him and who knew him well. This is evident from the number of tributes that poured in after he died. It is one thing to excel in your work but it is quite another to make a mark as a wonderful human being who cares for others. For Ammu Joseph, who sent us this tribute, D’Monte’s death is a personal loss as well

ioneering journalist Darryl exit was probably what he would prietor, and the impact of those D’Monte passed away on 16 have opted for. However, his sud- changes on the practice of journal- PMarch 2019, leaving India, den departure, in his mid-70s, has ism – never saw the light of day, Indian journalism, the city of Mum- certainly come as a rude and pain- thanks to the would-be publisher’s bai, the suburb of Bandra, as well fulshock to his family, friends, fellow nervousness. as movements to protect and pre- travellers and several generations Darryl was also closely associated serve the environment – while also of colleagues he had worked with, with the ground-breaking State of respecting and securing people’s encouraged, inspired and mentored India’s Environment Reports pub- rights to life, livelihood, shelter, throughout his long, varied and dis- lished by the Centre for Science health, and habitable, hospitable tinguished career. and Environment (CSE) in the early neighbourhoods – much the poorer Among the several Oxbridge 1980s. He remained a prolific writer for his absence. alumni who joined The Times of India till the end, contributing to a wide The end came suddenly and unex- as junior assistant editors in the late range of publications across the pectedly even though he had been 1960s, Darryl went on to become country as well as the international diagnosed with cancer a few years resident editor of both the leading media, and always staying wedded ago. According to his family, he was English dailies in Mumbai: the Indian to facts, using information to build fine the previous day, spending Express and The Times of India. He was and buttress his arguments. the evening playing with his little also a pioneer in professional free- It is difficult to believe that Dar- grandchild. Warm, gentle, gracious, lancing – or independent journalism, ryl is gone. He had so much more generous,caring and affectionate as as I prefer to call it. He demonstrated to share, record, analyse, catalyse, he was, Darryl could also on occa- by example that it was possible to fight for (and against), save – and sion appear abrupt, even impatient. continue doing meaningful work so much more to experience and So, given a choice, a quick, unfussy even after stepping off the editorial enjoy, including more time with his ladder (voluntarily or otherwise), as grandson. In remission after treat- he did at least a couple of times. ment in 2012, he had returned to Both his books, Temples or Tombs? an active life, enthusiastically and Industry Versus Environment: Three energetically tackling the many Controversies and Ripping the Fabric: issues he cared about through writ- The Decline of Mumbai and its Mills, ing, activism and advocacy. were written during such ‘sabbati- If the controversial Silent Val- cals’ and represent milestones in the ley Hydroelectric Project in Kerala journey towards understanding the was one of the first environmental perils of ‘development’ that ignores causes he investigated and wrote both ecology and human welfare. A about, playing an important role in third, tentatively titled Presstitution: bringing the issue to national atten- How the Media Sold Itself – based on tion, the contentious Coastal Road his insider view of the metamorpho- Project along Mumbai’s western Photo: Internet sis of The Times of India in the early coastline was a development he not Darryl D’Monte — one of a kind. 1990s under the then Next-Gen pro- only wrote about but vigorously

70 VIDURA April-June 2019 opposed on the ground over the history in the edited volume,When 1000 IDs. “This is the first time in the past few years. Bombay Burned: Reportage and Com- history of India that a media release The catastrophic levels of air pol- ments on the Riots and Blasts from the is going out to journos in multiple lution in Indian cities was another Times of India. Indian languages. The subject – issue he wrote frequently about in Darryl’s interests and involve- reducing diesel subsidies – calls recent years. He was also deeply ments spanned the local as much as for such wide media coverage,” he concerned about the health hazards the global. He closely followed the wrote. He attributed the success of caused by exposure to mobile phone multilateral negotiations on climate that effort to the network of envi- tower radiation, not only writing change and not only encouraged ronmental journalists across the informative articles but also orga- but enabled younger journalists to country that he had nurtured over nising meetings to call attention to develop an international perspec- two and a half decades. the problem. I remember attending tive on environmental issues. At the Darryl was a prominent advocate one such event at the Bandra Gym- same time, he spared no effort to of the advanced locality manage- khana while on a visit to Mumbai. promote environmental journalism ment (ALM) movement, based on I cannot look at a cell phone tower in the Indian language press. citizens’ involvement in the care of now without recalling and worry- I still have in my inbox a 2012 their neighbourhoods, and in many ing about what I learnt that day. email conveying his excitement ways epitomised it. He served as Known primarily as one of the about “carpet-bombing” the lan- president of the Bandra West Resi- earliest ‘environmental journal- guage media with a media release dents Association, was a trustee of ists’ in India, who established and in several languages sent out to over the Mumbai Waterfronts Centre, chaired the Forum of Environmen- tal Journalists of India (FEJI) for over a quarter of a century, and was ‘Affable, approachable, genial’ also founder-president of the Inter- national Federation of Environmen- With the passing away of Darryl D’Monte, former resident editor of The tal Journalists (IFEJ), Darryl was Times of India in Bombay, I recall the times when we were colleagues deeply committed to human rights, working in the same building (early 1980s). I was with Femina, on the social justice and secular democracy fourth floor, and would often go down to the third floor where he sat, to as well. submit pieces for TOI. As editor of The Times of India’s Others who worked with him for longer and at close quarters, will Sunday Review and, later, the Times be more competent to go into the details of his career, and his rise to Weekly in the 1970s, he made it pos- prominence as a leading editor. What I would like to add is my personal sible for an entire issue of the maga- reminiscences. zine to be devoted to Dalit Litera- I had recommended his name for participation in the prestigious ture: Voices of the Oppressed, at a Salzburg Seminar series; he was active in the global network of time when Dalit writing was barely environmental journalists, but very unassumingly wrote back to me saying known even in literary circles, let that he was already past 50, and did I think it would be appropriate for alone recognised and appreciated. him to consider applying? Of course, I assured him, and he was chosen, As resident editor of The Times of and made the trip to Mozart’s city. The third floor of TOI had some pretty India, Mumbai, during the commu- intimidating media personalities but Darryl was not one of them nal violence that gripped the city I have seen editors of national mainstream papers galore, but he was in the aftermath of the demolition never one to put on airs. Always affable, approachable and genial. I had of Babri Masjid in December 1992, left my job with the TOI group in Mumbai and moved down to Bengaluru he encouraged his team of intrepid by the time we ran into each other at the World Summit on Sustainable reporters to uncover the truth about Development at Johannesburg in South Africa in 2002. “I owe you a the ‘riots’ against all odds, even if treat, let’s go for a coffee,” he said to me, recalling his trip to the Salzburg it led to the paper being referred to Seminar, but someone hailed him, we got sidetracked, and that coffee as The Times of Pakistan in some treat never materialised.

quarters – in fact, he said he took We will have to meet again, then, for me to take you up on that offer, the label as a compliment. He was Darryl…… < also instrumental in ensuring a per- manent, accessible record of the first Sakuntala Narasimhan draft of that dark period of Mumbai’s

April-June 2019 VIDURA 71 a member of Apna Mumbai Abhi- For me, Darryl’s death is a personal will live on, not only through his yan, chair of the Celebrate Bandra loss as well. I will forever cherish the own formidable body of work, but Trust, and a former convener of the warm friendship he and Zarine, his through the many initiatives and Celebrate Bandra festival. During a economics professor turned psycho- organisations he was associated

stint as editor of Suburbia, an early analyst wife, extended to me, which with, as well as the many people he experiment in community journal- survived and thrived despite the fact engaged with, inspired and influ-< ism in the mid-80s, I often turned that we have been living in different enced over the years. to him for information and insights cities for three decades. I will miss about Bandra, where his family had him and hisirrepressible, infectious (The writer is a senior journalist and lived for generations and had sub- energy, enthusiasm and joie de vivre. author based in Bengaluru.) stantial land holdings. But it is comforting to know that he

TRIBUTE TO DARRYL D’MONTE India loses its pioneering environment journalist Pioneering environment journalist and mentor to many of India’s journalists, Darryl D’Monte was among the first to look at environment from the critical perspective of journalism. S. Gopikrishna Warrier pays tribute to the person who left a professional and personal impact on him

arryl D’Monte headed at environment from the critical per- standing and skills. In the 1990s, professional environment spective of journalism. when the economic reforms had Djournalism bodies as the In 1985, Darryl wrote about just been launched and the media chairman emeritus of the Forum of three environmental controversies houses were singing hosannas for Environmental Journalists in India in a book published by the Cen- economic development, there were and the former president of the tre for Science Centre for Science very few professional training International Federation of Envi- and Environment, called Temples opportunities for those wanting to ronmental Journalists. He contin- or Tombs? Industry versus Environ- report on the environment. ued to be a practising environment ment: Three controversies. One of the In 1997, Darryl helped the World journalist till his last months, and three controversies that he covered Bank organise a workshop for three also wrote stories for Mongabay- in his book was about the Silent levels of participants from the six India. Valley hydroelectric project in the South Asian countries – Bangladesh, In the mid 1980s, when I was late 1970s-80s. Darryl’s writing Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and studying Biology, Literature and was my primary reference mate- Sri Lanka – in Goa. The workshop Journalism and aspiring to become rial when I was researching on the brought together parliamentarians, an environment journalist, there milestone controversy for my story senior officials and journalists. It was no such genre as environment in Mongabay-India. was during that workshop I rea- journalism in India. Darryl carried However, Darryl’s professional lised the animosity that our neigh- the torch, clearing the pathway for and personal impact on many envi- bouring countries have towards environment journalism through ronment journalists like me in the India. While during the mornings the undergrowth of all kinds of gen- country was beyond his writing. the delegates from other countries eral reporting. I started my career He mentored and guided us and criticised India’s neighbourhood reading Darryl’s writings. He was ensured we had opportunities to policies, in the evenings we gath- not an activist, neither was he a die- participate in training workshops ered together to sing songs from hard conservationist, but he looked and meetings to improve our under- Bollywood movies. I was intro-

72 VIDURA April-June 2019 duced to the feint and parry of the Subcontinental politics. One session that Darryl had organised was a discussion with Jus- tice P.B. Sawant, a retired Supreme Court judge, who was then the chairman of the Press Council of India. Sawant spoke and answered questions on how the media can stay away from getting involved in contempt of court issues while covering environmental cases. Two decades later, I still use those les- sons in day-to-day journalism. Darryl not only mentored us to become good environment

journalists in India but also cover Photo: Shiv Kumar environment from an international Darryl D’Monte (standing, centre) with experts and journalists at the water media perspective. In 1998, he organised a workshop held at ICRISAT in 2003. meeting of FEJI at Mumbai in col- laboration with the Goethe Insti- was involved with him in organis- Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics, in tute, where Indian and international ing two media workshops on it in Hyderabad. I had by then joined environment journalists exchanged 2002 and 2003. The first one was ICRISAT to handle media relations notes about the climate change organised in Chennai at the MS for the institute. negotiations. Swaminathan Research Founda- Darryl had collaborated with the Water and sanitation was another tion. The second one was organised World Bank and the Water Supply topic he was interested in, and I at the International Crops Research and Sanitation Collaborative Coun-

A warm and generous friend

Darryl D’Monte’s contributions to the city where he lived and died, his support for many environmental and working class causes will also be remembered for a long time. Above all, many persons, including some very eminent ones, will cherish memories of his warm and generous friendship. Darryl distinguished himself in important journalism roles as editor of the Sunday Magazine section of The Times of India and subsequently as resident editor of the Bombay edition of the paper, then also the Indian Express. In difficult times like the Emergency or the Bombay riots, Darryl’s role was in keeping with high professional and ethical standards. As an advocate of the approach of advanced locality management, Darryl made an important contribution to local civic affairs in Bandra, Mumbai. His writings on many important environmental issues were very useful. In his environmental and civic concerns he gave adequate attention to the concerns of weaker sections. This is well- reflected in his acclaimed book, Ripping the Fabric – the Decline of Mumbai and its Mills. This is important at a time when there is a trend of taking environmental issues away from justice concerns. Darryl was known for encouraging and supporting young writers and as a college student from Delhi who started sending articles to The Times of India Sunday Magazine edited by him, I was one of the beneficiaries of this generosity. He continued to publish me for several years and when I did not accept a job offer he was appreciative rather than angry. A few years later, I was passing through Mumbai and dropped by to meet him. It was then that

I discovered how generous his family was with their hospitality. I am sure that I am just one of several writers who owe a lot to the encouragement extended so generously by Darryl D’Monte in our early days. <

Bharat Dogra

April-June 2019 VIDURA 73 cil to organise the workshops. In journalist, he opted to remain a per- ness that journalists and editors are addition to getting the best global petual student. famous for in their working rela- experts for these workshops, Dar- On Sunday, as the news of Darryl’s tionships, he was not liberal with ryl also invited the up and coming death spread through email and praise. Once, while working on the environment journalists from across social media networks, there were coastal biodiversity project, I had South Asia. many journalists who wrote about drafted a chapter in the curriculum In more recent years, Darryl their interactions with him. The and Darryl liked it. “Very good, and I worked together in a team stories were different, and so were have a drink on me this evening,” to develop a training curriculum the contexts. However, the common he messaged me. I was surprised at for journalists and journalism stu- thread was of his concern to find his appreciation. dents on coastal and marine biodi- the best opportunities for anybody Now it is my turn to say, “have a versity conservation. This project, interested in environment journal- drink on me, Darryl, wherever you developed by the German technical ism, and encourage and support are. You led a wonderful and com-

organisation GIZ for the Ministry of them to pursue the leads. plete life. You have left your torch Environment, Forest and Cilimate There was unanimous praise in our hands. We hope to use it to < Change, went through multiple about his gentleness. Recently, I met good effect.” phases and meetings. a senior editor who had worked in At one stage, after we had devel- The Times of India when Darryl was (Courtesy: Mongabay. The writer oped the curriculum for journalism the boss. The editor said that even in is Mongabay-India’s senior students, we pilot-tested it with the the high-strung newsroom environ- contributing editor.) students of Xavier Institute of Com- ment of a day-to-day publication, municayions in Mumbai. Darryl Darryl was always civil and cordial mingled joyfully and energetically in his professional relationships. with the students in their group Even though Darryl was mild exercises and field trips. As a good mannered and avoided the nasti-

The Wire’s reporters win awards

The Wire’s reporters Sukanya Shantha and Shruti Jain were recently recognised for their work on anti-caste and agricultural reporting respectively. While Sukanya Shantha received the Namdeo Dhasal Golpitha award, Jain was awarded the IIMCAA Award for agricultural reporting. The Golpitha Award is handed out annually by the Samasthee Foundation to people contributing in the fields of art and activism. Sukanya Shantha has reported extensively on the Bhima Koregaon violence and the subsequent arrests of activists and lawyers who are allegedly linked with the incident. She has also reported on the Gadchiroli encounters in Maharashtra, where over 40 ‘Naxals’ were killed. Her reportage revealed that one of the 40 killed was a 16-year-old. On the evening of April 27, Ataram accidentally saw and recognised the photo of one of the children – it was 16-year-old Raasu Chacko Madavi. In shock, he immediately shared the news. The photo was part of the list of 16 people who had been killed in an encounter with the police for being suspected Naxals just a few days ago. Jain was awarded the prize for her report on farmers in Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh. The farmers were allegedly charged extra interest by the SBI. The farmers did not receive insurance premiums, while the bank lifted subsidies to recover debt and charged money for mobile apps. The story, published ahead of the state assembly elections in December 2018, said the ‘loot’ by the SBI was a crucial election issue. “The harassment over excessive interest has reached a point now where farmers are willing to support anyone

who speaks against the bank,” the report said. This is the second consecutive year that Jain has received the prize. <

(Courtesy: The Wire)

74 VIDURA April-June 2019 ‘Nothing fake about rising dangers’

It’s been seven months since Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and dissident, was brutally murdered inside the country’s consulate in Istanbul. His dismembered body has still not been found. The Saudi Royal Family remains the chief suspect. Yet for globetrotting capitalists in search of opportunity in Riyadh, it’s back to business as usual. BlackRock founder Larry Fink recently told The New York Times he wants to engage the Saudis rather than shun them for whatever internal troubles led to the killing of a respected member of the press and columnist for The Washington Post. Other companies, including Google, Softbank, and HSBC, are also planning business ventures with the Saudis, The Times reported. On World Press Freedom Day, as more than 250 journalists around the world languish in jails in places such as , China, and and hundreds of others risk their lives daily to bring truth to their readers, it’s important to stand up and call this what it is: naked and unabashed greed at the expense of justice. Signing up for conferences, joint ventures and other deals is not engaging a foreign government to make a difference. These companies, so practiced at wringing the last dollar at the bargaining table, aren’t there to negotiate for the truth tellers. It’s all about the money, and the Saudis know it. The world is a tough place, they say. But the message that sends to the Saudis is that they can buy their way out of anything, even killing journalists. Other countries, such as the UAE, Russia, or the Philippines, pay heed. In Myanmar, two Reuters journalists have sat in filthy jail cells for more than 16 months, and face seven-year sentences for their reporting on the massacre of Rohingya Muslims by the country’s government. In the Philippines, crusading journalist Maria Ressa faces jail and bankruptcy for her Rappler news group’s reporting on atrocities by the Duterte government. In Pakistan, Cyril Almeida faces treason charges for his reporting on civil-military tensions. In Mexico, four journalists have been killed already this year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. And in Northern Ireland, 29-year-old Lyra McKee became the first journalist in 18 years to be killed when she was shot in the head during a protest. The murder recalls an earlier era, a quarter century ago, when terrorists in Ireland, Spain, or even the Middle East kidnapped and shot victims gangland style. Occasional bombings were horrific but rare. These days, terrorists think nothing of video streaming beheadings and coordinating suicide bombings in packed churches on Easter Sunday. Or bringing down jetliners. The world’s media is right to highlight these statistics. The world has become less and less of a place for press freedom in the last decade as terror and authoritarianism have grown. Some groups, like CPJ or Reporters Without Borders, or the organisation I belong to, the World Editors Forum, try to make a difference. But it is an uphill slog. Still, we’ve had some victories. A campaign in Montenegro to protest government attacks on journalists drew the attention of the U.S. ambassador and for a while helped stifle the violence earlier this year. Safety training in places like Indonesia and Uganda helps journalists learn how to cover natural disasters and large public protests with the latest techniques to avoid violence or accidents. The rise of interest in the media from a new crop of tech billionaires such as Jeff Bezos and Marc Benioff has funneled money into media at a time when declining business models are hurting great journalism even more than coordinated violence. But the ability of corporate CEOs and government leaders to fragment the media community by attacking it publicly remains our biggest challenge. Without the confidence and support of the public, we are too small an army. And the losers are ultimately the readers seeking truth, and freedom. Working together, across news organizations and borders, is the only way forward. Raising funds for support and training. Highlighting injustices when possible. And educating the public about how and why journalists do what they do. These are our goals this World Press Freedom Day.

If we can work together to stand up for one another, and garner the support of the leaders who have the power to wield influence, even small gains will be worth the risk. <

Dave Callaway (The writer is president of the World Editors Forum, a WAN-IFRA body.)

April-June 2019 VIDURA 75 OTHER NEWS

S. Muthiah passes away Women are unseen for their expertise and rele- vance in the conversations that inform and shape Veteran journalist, columnist, our daily lives. At the same time, media is undergo- author and teacher S. Muthiah, who ing a crisis in trust worldwide. From the boom in kindled people’s interest in the his- disinformation operations to the imminent spread of tory and heritage of Chennai, died misinformation online, readers don’t know where to recently in the city he loved. He was turn for balanced, objective news. This has dire con- 89, and is survived by two daugh- sequences for the media industry’s ability to inform the public, hold governments to account and sup- S. Muthiah. ters. Muthiah had been in poor health for a year. A regular contrib- port healthy communities and economies. Changing utor on Chennai’s history for The Hindu Metro Plus, the deficit will help build trust in the news media, his column, Madras Miscellany (with the interactive by making news more reflective of the communities segment – When the Postman Knocked), was very it serves. popular, and revealed several unknown facets of the United for News is working on the demand side to city once called Madras. He had taught Journalism provide newsrooms with the resources necessary to and Print Production at the Bharataiya Vidya Bhavan increase the number and frequency of female subject for several years. matter experts that are sourced in stories. On the sup- Educated in Ceylon, India and the US, Muthiah ply side, the coalition is working to raise awareness was a prolific writer of non-fiction and a chronicler around the issue and provide support for women of the European era in South India, with a focus on experts to step forward. Madras. Author of around 40 books, he has, besides In 2019, United for News will pilot programmes his stories of Madras, written the histories of institu- and test approaches in Canada, Ukraine, and Iraq. In tions like Parry’s, Simpson’s, Spencer’s, the United Canada, a committee of top newsrooms will launch Planters’ Association of Southern India, and the a collaborative process, building on best practices Madras Club as well as social histories of ‘commu- and testing solutions that will significantly amplify nities’ like the Indo-Lankans, the Chettiars, the Ang- women’s authoritative voice. In Ukraine and Iraq, lo-Indians and executives in British businesses in Internews will test approaches based on a series of India between the 1930s and 1970s. His biographies tools pioneered by United for News members. The include books on industrialists A.M.M. Arunacha- approaches will be adapted to the needs of the local lam of the Murugappa Group and M. Ct. Chidam- newsrooms, working in a way that respects cultural baram Chettyar and a military legend, Lt Gen Inder challenges and constraints while maintaining a clear Singh Gill. goal of raising women’s voices. Muthiah was an office-bearer of the Madras Print- United for News is led by the international non- ers’ and Lithographers’ Association and the All India profit, Internews, in collaboration with the World Federation of Master Printers. Economic Forum. Coalition members advising this work include WAN-IFRA, Bloomberg, Edelman, the (with inputs from B. Kolappan’s report in The Hindu) BBC’s 50:50 Project and the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD). To learn how you or your organisation can be Pilot programme to look at low involved or for updates on the initiative sign-up at number of women in media https://www.unitedfornews.org/building-trust. United for News is a non-profit, mission-driven Globally, only 24 per cent of people heard, seen or coalition founded by Internews in collaboration with read about in newspaper, television, and radio news the World Economic Forum. The coalition includes a are women and only 19 per cent of experts sourced diverse range of stakeholders from across the media in news stories are women (according to the Global and advertising industries with a shared vision of a Media Monitoring Project, 2015 Report). The alarm- world where everyone, everywhere has access to the ing rates have changed very little in two decades. At trusted information they need to make good decisions the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, United for themselves, hold their governments to account, for News, a global multi-stakeholder coalition of and achieve their human potential. media, private industry, and NGOs, announced pilot programmes in Canada, Iraq and Ukraine to address the unacceptable deficit.

76 VIDURA April-June 2019 OTHER NEWS

WAN-IFRA Report explores Publishers considering implementing news automa- tion systems have a lot of judgement calls to make. potential of automated news The biggest decision is whether the system should be bought from a service provider or created and modi- Newsrooms are increasingly warming up to the pos- fied in-house. sibilities of automating news content, but a number Automated journalism transforms structured data of challenges still surround the actual implementa- into news articles, and the quality of the output is tion and deployment of this growing development, highly dependent on the quality of the data that is according to a just-published WAN-IFRA Report. fed into it. Automatically generated texts beyond the The World Association of Newspapers and News most basic templating systems are often still prone to Publishers (WAN-IFRA) partnered with the Univer- error. NLG systems are still quite unsophisticated and sity of Helsinki and the VTT Technical Research Cen- their extendability outside texts on sports, real estate tre of Finland to produce the report called ‘News auto- or finance is limited by several factors. mation: The Rewards, Risks and Realities of ‘Machine WAN-IFRA member organisations can download Journalism’. News media companies face ever-grow- the report free of charge from the WAN-IFRA website. ing commercial pressure to extract higher margins Non-members can purchase the report. from dwindling resources and that is a key driver for news automation, powered by machine learning and AI. The report focuses on a specific part of news auto- Two Reuters reporters freed mation: the automated generation of news texts based after more than 500 days in jail on structured data. The report features five examples of how news auto- Two Reuters journalists jailed in Myanmar after they mation has been implemented in newsrooms around were convicted of breaking the Official Secrets Act the world: MittMedia and United Robots (Sweden), walked free from prison on Tuesday after more than RADAR (UK), The Washington Post (US), Valtteri 500 days behind bars. (Finland), and Xinhua and Caixin (China). While these Wa Lone, 33, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 29, had been con- cases and others around the world demonstrate some victed in September and sentenced to seven years in of the possibilities for publishers to exploit news auto- jail in a case that raised questions about Myanmar’s mation, researchers have found that there is still much progress towards democracy and sparked an outcry development to be done – also from the publishers’ from diplomats and human rights advocates. side, to continue to experiment. They were released under a presidential amnesty for “Five years ago, there were many bold predictions 6,520 prisoners. President Win Myint has pardoned about how automated journalism will develop,” says thousands of other prisoners in mass amnesties since Andreas Graefe, endowed Sky Research Professor at last month. Macromedia University, in the report. “From claims Reuters has said the two men did not commit any that 90 per cent of news will be automated to Pulitzer crime and had called for their release. prizes for automated content. In reality, not much has Swamped by media and well-wishers as they walked changed. Progress is steady but slow.” through the gates of Insein Prison, on the outskirts of Here are a few takeaways from the report, which Yangon, a grinning Wa Lone gave a thumbs up and can be downloaded by WAN-IFRA members: said he was grateful for the international efforts to Right now, one of the main goals of automated con- secure their freedom. tent is to save journalistic effort, especially on repeti- “I’m really happy and excited to see my family and tive tasks, while increasing output. The good news is my colleagues. I can’t wait to go to my newsroom,” that so far, news automation has not replaced humans, he said. and looks set to work alongside humans in the news- Kyaw Soe Oo smiled and waved to reporters. room. News automation provides media companies with an opportunity to expand their businesses out- (Courtesy: Reuters) side traditional news. The future of automation lies in decomposition, or deconstruction, of the fundamental principles of jour- nalism. That means breaking down journalistic work into the actual information artefacts and micro pro- cesses to analyse what can be automated and what are inherently human tasks.

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