Dipak Sanghavi followed his business canny to give a tangy kick to his family firm

Founded by my father, Late Suresh Sanghavi, in 1962, Nilon’s has come a long way since its cottage industry days. Today, it is the largest producer and marketer of pickles globally. I believe that I have grown up with the company and that the two (my life and the company’s recent growth) are tied together. I must admit that I am more ambitious than my father ever was. When I took over the family business I was all of 24 years. My father had just passed away. It is not that I was forced into it. It meant a lot to my family and me. My father was a gutsy risk-taker in his early days. But, by his mid-40s, he gravitated towards spirituality. Nilon’s growth slowed down in those days. The company was put on autopilot mode, managed almost entirely by the senior management. When I joined Nilon’s in 2002 after my father’s demise, I realised our senior managers were not ambitious enough. My father used to say—find people better than you to run the company. I set about to do that. It took me 18 months to find the right person. My professor from IIM Ahmedabad introduced me to Rajheev Agarwal. In 2004, he joined us as the company’s director and CEO. That year proved to be the turning point for Nilon’s. We were making `10 crore till then. Within a year, we had doubled that to `22 crore. Since then, Nilon’s has been growing at a CAGR of 55 per cent. Of course, I have inherited my business acumen from my father. But a lot of the lessons also came from colleagues. When you grow up in a family-run business, you only have one perspective. Many secondgeneration entrepreneurs these days work for four to five years in different companies to get different perspectives, before they plunge into their family business. I did not get that chance because I joined Nilon’s right after college. Working with Rajheev exposed me to different insights. We make a good team. My advice to people who are hoping to enter into the entreprenuership field; do not enter the business with the thought that you own it. Learn from those around you. You can turn your ambitions into reality only if you take people along with you. The way Nilon’s is run today is significantly different from the way my father operated it. I take more risks than my father did. We are much more aggressive and have been so since 2004. We are also more customer-focused. Earlier, we sold products we made. Now, we find out what our consumers want and develop products accordingly with strict quality control. I did not want Nilon’s to remain a pickle company, I wanted it to be known as a processed-food company. So, we diversified our product portfolio to include instant mixes, ginger-garlic pastes and spices. Pickles are still our mainstay. But, they constitute only 45 per cent of our total business today, compared to the 90 per cent. Also, we retail from more than four lakh outlets, compared to just 35,000 in 2004. To ensure that the best quality reaches our consumers we installed state-of-the-art microbial labs. We already had manufacturing plants in Maharashtra and Assam, now we are planning facilities in south and north India to serve more regionally suitable food products. Today our products travel to Japan, France, the US, South Africa, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and Canada. I am happy with our recent journey. Honestly, I would have been happier if Nilon’s had been as aggressive about branding and distribution before I entered the scene. When you join a family business, comparisons between the father and son are bound to happen. In my case, these comparisons are not about business performance, but about whether I have retained my father’s values or not. I might have expanded the company, but people want to know whether I treat our employees the way my father did. He was a pious man. I have strived to continue to treat our employees with the same dignity. If I ever come to know of people, who think otherwise, I introspect to see if I am following in my father’s footsteps. If not, I make a conscious effort to better my performance. The most important ingredient for a successful business is to put the right people on top. Once you have that, rest of the things just fall in place. Over the next three years, Nilon’s is targeting to become a `500-crore company.

Looking Back

Even if I had not been born into a business family, I would have done something of my own. It is great to know that I provide so many people with employment.

The rough meaning of subsidy is ‘money granted by the state or a public body to keep down prices of commodities’. The current Indian debate is not on what subsidy is but on whether we need it at all. The subsidy debate has never been as intense as it is now. A section of Indians blame the Centre’s ‘heavy economic dole-outs’ as a cause behind the larger economic malaise plaguing the nation. Others believe that the Centre's economic generosity aids only the larger industrial houses and their interests. And that the rights of the underprivileged section are often overlooked in the name of fiscal consolidation

With fiscal deficit rising every year, there is now a growing demand from a particularly vocal section of Indians to bring down subsidies—because it has failed to reach its target group and has become a source of aggrandisement for those privileged. If this demand grows, the proposed National Food Security Bill, which depends on heavy subsidisation of commodities for its implementation, will be under threat. The Cabinet cleared the Bill at a specially-convened meeting on December 19, 2011. The Bill, brought before the Cabinet by Food and Public Distribution minister K.V. Thomas, would be implemented among 75 per cent of the rural population and 50 per cent of the urban population, and cost the government approximately `1 lakh crore. It will require 61 million tonnes of grain to be implemented. The Bill divides its target group into two—the priority group consisting of those living below the poverty line. Such citizens would be provided 7 kilograms of grain per month per person, plus rice at `3 per kilogram, wheat at `2 per kilogram and coarse grain at `1 a kilogram. For the general group each person will receive 3 kilograms of grains per month at half of the minimum support price given to farmers. Pro-subsidy groups counter the ‘stop subsidies’ debate by pointing out that aid for the downtrodden has always been questioned, while for industrial houses, making profit due to government’s largesse, has been ignored. They also add that during down-time (read now) far from tightening purse-strings, the government must spend more. They point out that those talking about ‘fiscal prudence’ are not concerned with inequalities, want the government to spend less and balance what it spends by taxing the poor. It has to be admitted that in a developing country like India, where the underprivileged predominantly depend on subsidy for their daily lives, poor implementation of a workable idea cannot be the ground for scrapping an idea altogether. There is general consensus that the solution lies within the implementation process. Debating the issue are two experts who hold strong views on the issue. One of them, Surjit S. Bhalla is the Managing Director of Oxus Research and Investments, a New Delhi-based economic research, asset management, and emerging-markets advisory firm. On the other side is Devinder Sharma, a food and trade policy analyst, columnist and activist.

SURJIT S. BHALLA// The role of subsidy in any economy—including India—is to redistribute wealth among the bottom-rung of the society. All civil societies have schemes which enable subsidisation of either expenditure, food or purchases made by the underprivileged. The problem in India is not with subsidy per se, but with implementation, which has been poor at best. The main issue lies with leakages—programmes such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) or Public Distribution System (PDS) are accessible to people who are below the poverty line. I do not believe that there is anything called an ‘over subsidisation’. Having said that, an advocate should keep in mind that subsidies in India never reach their intended target. Despite continuously implementing food subsidies, hunger and malnutrition prevail in our county and I will squarely blame the government and the distribution system for keeping the underprivileged out. Subsidies are not growing into productive investments, and are becoming more like expenditures not reaching the intended beneficiaries. The money which should have been used to boost the country’s is instead getting drained due to an overemphasis on subsidy. As a result the nation's growth is taking a beating. There is a need to control fiscal deficit if we want our economy to grow. In such a state, the Food Security Bill will prove to be an added disadvantage. It is one of the most ill-conceived, highly-flawed bills, unlikely to be passed in the Parliament. It is a Bill that is playing on populist sentiments of the aam aadmi. It would prove to be a great burden on the economy if it is passed. If the government really wishes to aid the poor then why is it not emphasising on cash transfer schemes? Give states that requisite money to get food or transport. Subsidies are to redistribute wealth among the bottom-rungs, so unless it is done efficiently there is no reason to re-distribute at all. And so far India has done a shoddy job as far as redistribution is concerned; one only needs to look at the success rate of every subsidy scheme to gauge whether the job was well done or not. Again, personally transparent, direct cash transfers seem to be the way out of this conundrum. However, such a move will not happen in the immediate future because the concept of subsidy, however flawed in this country, actually translate into votes—so it cannot be taken out of the political context. Politicians lack the courage to privatise lossmaking public sector units because they are afraid of losing the organised labour-class vote. The same sentiment makes them resist dismantling subsidies for power, fertiliser and water, even though it puts a strain on the economy and does not reach the target group. Most politicians would rather jump off a building than question food subsidy—because the underprivileged vote bank is sadly the largest in the country. As long as politicians in this country continue to create election agenda out of subsidies, the bulging fiscal deficit will continue to grow. Why is there a subsidy on petroleum prices—which rung uses it? Not the poor, so why subsidise the rich? Therefore, I see a huge problem the way subsidy programmes are handled in India. As long as we cannot seem to manage the tasks at hand, should we add more?

DEVINDER SHARMA// There is nothing essentially ‘evil’ in the idea of subsidy— even if we consider the way it is handled here. Eighty per cent of our citizens survive on `20 a day—we are essentially a malnourished nation. Yes, there should be a modicum of rationalisation of subsidy, and of course, it should reach the right people. But should we question its very existence? Whether be fertilisers or food, there should be heavy subsidisation of every commodity. Why is it that we become sensitive to the question of ‘waste’ only when it comes to the subsidies for the poor? If the spotlight is turned towards the industries, the corporate world thrives on subsidy. The difference— in case of industries people label them as ‘investment’ while real investment in the underprivileged section is seen as ‘dole’. From 2004-2012, approximately `26,00,000 crore worth of investment has gone into the corporate sector. However, if we look at sectors such as manufacturing, investment and export, they have taken a heavy beating despite investments. Another example—the NREGA—requires `40,000 crore for its implementation. The corporate sector—by way of revenue forgone—requires subsidies worth `5,29,000 crore. Why is it that no one talks of wasted money that went into these sectors? On the Global Hunger Index Report, produced by International Food Research Institute, Washington, India figures 68th among 84 countries. We figured poorer than Rwanda and Sudan with more than 320 million people living in hunger that is nearly the number of citizens in the US. In my understanding, it is a crime to mutely witness death due to hunger and malnutrition especially when a nation goes through a growth trajectory with rising per capita income. And it is the greatest insult to the democratic system of a country. Why should some 320 million people live in poverty or die of it? It is the farmers who produce real food, not the corporates. It is those who are privileged who worry about subsidy for the poor; because they want it all for themselves. Of course people want an end to the Indian welfare state, especially when the trend has been the opposite in western nations. Take the US for instance. Every one of its seven citizens suffers from hunger. Thus, in the past 24 years, the US has been raising its subsidies to ensure supplement nutrition programmes. And the US is a developed nation. How then, does a developing nation like ours imagine any alternative to subsidies? I believe the call to lessen subsidies is a clever move by the corporates to ensure that they get more. Having said that there is no denying that programmes are not working the way we want them to. There is always room for improvement and loopholes need to be blocked. In fact, we need to provide more income to the farmer and direct money to the landless labourer. If I had been in some position of political power, I would have ensured that the Food Security Act was implemented. In fact, if the Act is implemented then the manipulation of the poor masses by political classes would have stopped. It is true that India's fiscal deficit is more than 5.2 per cent of the GDP. The Union Finance Minister believes that he will bring down the FD to 2 per cent of the GDP. But that won't be done by taking back the cash from the poor or by withdrawing subsidy meant for those who live below the poverty line. What is the use of 8 per cent economic growth, if 320 million people live in hunger? GDP ideally does not reflect India's reality. Especially when 1 billion people out of 1.2 billion, live below poverty line (Arjun Sengupta Report). The irony is that the middle-class has been the main beneficiary of economic reforms. It is they who want food items and petroleum products at a cheaper price. Today, 200 districts of India are affected by Maoist insurgence. If the government does not stop giving away people’s resources at a throwaway price to the governments in these regions, then the problems would be aggravated

Political horse-trading or pure dynastic ruling—which is the way to be?

I WAS IN LONDON at the beginning of June during the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations and began to wonder if living in India for 20 years has turned me into a royalist. Isn’t such a system, I thought, better than the self-serving political manipulations that India’s politicians were going through, at the time, over the choice of the next President? The current holder of that office, Pratibha Devisingh Patil, has brought no dignity to the presidency. It seemed that she got the job because Sonia Gandhi, as Congress Party and governing coalition leader, picked her as a ‘safe choice’ and a ‘token’ woman in 2007. Safe choice in this context means someone who would not go against the Gandhi dynasty’s and Congress’s interests—if the 2014 General Elections produce a hung Parliament and the President has to invite someone to form the government. But as Sonia Gandhi discovered with a coalition that scents a lack of leadership, such dynastic considerations may have to be adjusted to maintain coalition unity. The politicking that was under way as this column went to press, with rivals emerging against Pranab Mukherjee, Congress’s longest-serving and most-able politician—though not a successful Finance Minister in the early 1980s when I first interviewed him for The Financial Times— showed the system at its worst. This column is going to press before the choice of the next President is clear. Though pointers seem to indicate that it will be Mukherjee. If he has been chosen by the time you read this, then at least Sonia Gandhi has been sensible enough to accept someone who is not believed to be regarded by her as ‘totally safe’ in terms of loyalty to the dynasty, though his loyalty to Congress is unquestioned. To come back to my question; is it good to have a head of state chosen by, what is in effect, political horsetrading? Ten years ago, when Britain’s Queen Mother died, there were debates on whether it was time for the monarchy to be sent packing. I wrote in a column for Business Standard that I’d prefer a royal head of state to a President ‘fixed’ by the then British Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair. The same applies now to the Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron. The question for India is entirely hypothetical. Because there is no chance of it turning to a royal dynasty, though it seems to have no objections to its governments being led for generations by one family. But it is not hypothetical for the UK where there will always be questions about the need for a monarchy, especially when members of the royal family have cavorted through affairs and scandals as they have done during the Queen’s reign. It was amazing to see and be among the hundreds of thousands who lined the banks of the River Thames in cold and wet weather on June 3, to watch a pageant of about 1,000 boats that carried the 86-year-old Queen and 20,000 people through the city centre. The next evening, in better weather, thousands filled the ceremonial Mall Avenue that leads to Buckingham Palace to hear and watch on big telly screens a splendid pop concert and an air force fly past, and to spot the Queen on a palace balcony. Partly inspired by a Canaletto painting of a Thames Pageant in 1752, the river event was the largest since that time, though its message was confused. People cheered on Boris Johnson who had just been re-elected Mayor of London. An elderly man with a naval-looking beard shouted, “Three cheers for the Dunkirk Spirit, our finest hour”, as small boats went past. Everyone joined in with the cheers, yet Dunkirk was not Britain’s finest hour. It was a retreat in 1940 from the German forces in France. But it can be seen as a victory because of the hundreds of civilianowned boats that crossed the English Channel to rescue 300,000 marooned troops. To mark that achievement, about 40 of the boats were in the pageant. That ‘Dunkirk spirit’—of grabbing salvation from the jaws of defeat—could be a marker of a country in denial. Just as the four-day festival to celebrate the jubilee was, given the current economic crisis facing the UK. There was, however, no denying the mood of celebration— mostly because people wanted a reason to be happy with so much bad news around. Of course, there was criticism of the event and what it stood for. The Guardian praised the pageant for its scale, organisation and the reverence shown to the Queen, but note, “She had sailed up London’s river from Chelsea, home of oligarchs and plutocrats, to the City, home of the unpunished financial sector for whose misdeeds the rest of us are paying”. A blog on The Independent site* criticised the “Dickensian conditions” provided for workers bussed to work at the event (reminiscent of Delhi Commonwealth Games!). Another** suggested that, “A republic will give the people of Britain a choice and a voice”. That of course would only work if the President was directly elected—and not chosen by an Indian system that puts power in the hands of a cabal of party leaders. Meanwhile, there is a stark contrast between India’s outgoing President who made a series of personal blunders, and Britain’s lady monarch who for 60 years has maintained the stature of the crown. It should not be difficult for India’s next President to restore the post’s image established by predecessors such as Abdul Kalam Azad, but it will tough for the Queen’s successor to emulate her achievement, especially if it is the rather voluble Prince Charles.

Mother NGO offers destitutes a second life with a roof above their heads and a space to call their own

Mother NGO for the homeless is not a known name nor does it feature high-profile names on its board. And its cause—providing shelter to destitutes—is not a ‘glamorous’ one either. Shakespeare once said, “All that glitters is not gold”. By that logic, one can conclude that some of ‘all’ which does not glitter, could be. The story of Mother NGO, quietly and diligently trying to provide Delhi’s homeless a roof, is an inspiring and a truly golden one. For instance, its name is an interesting choice, especially since the organisation does not exclusively associate itself to women and children’s welfare. So why call it thus? Dr Amod Kumar, the nodal officer of the NGO, explains that it is the ‘mother of all NGOs’. The story of its birth is tied to the Mission Convergence programme of the Delhi government. In 2008, Mission Convergence was launched to help the state government realise its goals of poverty alleviation and inclusive growth. To help the government, St Stephen’s Hospital pitched in help working in tandem with the state authorities. On its behalf, the hospital initiated a programme within the Mission Convergence to address issues of those homeless. As Dr Kumar explains, “After a lot of meetings, the state government decided to form six homeless resource centres (HRCs) covering the entire city, and one mother NGO to take care of these six.” Hence the name. Mother NGO not only does the ground work (rescue and rehabilitation) but acts as the interface between the government and the HRCs. Mother NGO officially opened its doors in 2009 with six centres. Today, it has grown to accommodate approximately 150 centres within the New Delhi area. Its impact has been such that other cities have been mandated, by the Supreme Court, to start similar programmes in their constituencies. At its helm is a passionate crusader— Dr Kumar who was always a man with a social bent of mind. His desire to do something in the socio-developmental field led him to pursue the medical profession. But that was not enough, thus, he joined Mother NGO. He prefers to be as far away from the limelight as possible. Like the man leading it, the organisation, too, remains high on impact but low profile. In a country plagued with several dire issues, it is interesting to note that Dr Kumar and his team believe lack of shelter to be a core problem. “Simply because no one thinks of the destitutes. They are completely invisible because their problem is so commonplace. We take it (homelessness) to be a fact of urban life. There are people who do not have homes. There are millions of citizens on the streets dying out of cold or heat—just because it is a common problem does not mean we do nothing about it.” Fortunately, Mother NGO’s efforts are backed by St Stephen’s Hospital, which has all the facilities ready to help malnourished, ailing destitutes who arrive at its shelters in an deplorable condition. Apart from providing low-cost shelters to those in need, Mother NGO also maintains a helpline— naturally, it is one of the most busy ones in the NCR area. When the NGO receives a call from a location, an ambulance is sent to pick up the homeless person and firstly admit him or her to the hospital. “Since destitute are people without immediate family, they are provided with an attendant, treated and then sent to our shelters where volunteers are responsible for their further care.” Then begins the search to find the family of the destitute—in case that particular person admits or remembers having one. In 2010, Mother NGO conducted a survey of Delhi and located approximately 55,955 homeless people on its streets—a figure that Dr Kumar admits haunts him when he roams the city streets. The NGO also takes the initiative to give an identity to the destitute—either through an Aadhar (Unique Identification), Beghar or a Voter’s Identity Card. “We take down their details, get photos clicked and help them get their identity back. Sometimes when a destitute person returns to the mainstream we also help him or her to open a bank account.” In a very short time, Mother NGO has been able to achieve quite a lot. However, not all journeys are smooth—their’s have seen its share of struggle. Dr Kumar points out that the major problem has been of funding— a surprising fact considering that the NGO is government funded. “Funding is erratic. Currently we are funded for 15-day projects. An important aspect of our work is the rescue process. Because we also send off rescue teams to disaster areas, Mother NGO dedicates a solid amount of time to this process. Rescue involves providing immediate medical care and bringing victims back to the shelter.” But the problem of funds is not going to stop the NGO from expanding operations further. Dr Kumar talks with almost child-like enthusiasm about the NGO’s future. “We want to develop more rescue and relief programmes and link those to disaster services plan, where we will offer practical training to Caring Angels (volunteers) so that they become adept at handling emergencies.” Dr Kumar also plans to open specific shelters for destitute women and old people and start on-campus residences for destitute children.

A pacy thriller filled with clichés that fizzles out right at the end

THERE EXISTS a certain category of books best picked at an airport or a railway station right after the plane or train is delayed. The category can be divided into two subs— breezy romances and pacy thrillers, page-turners that stay in the collective memory for 15 minutes (or less). The Devil Colony snugly fits in the last sub-category. If you have seen a few Indiana Jones movies or read through your Dan Browns, then you could possibly predict most of its “unpredictable” twists. Fortunately, the book is an honest one: it does not claim to change lives. It is just an entertaining read. And, James Rollins is a well-behaved author to let his readers know fact from fiction in a short summary at the end. For lovers of conspiracy theories, this one is not about the Illuminati or Freemasons— words that have started to lead to involuntary groans. This one is all about nano-technology and Native American heritage and The Devil Colony scores when it comes to threading two disparate pieces of history together. Rollin’s seventh book in the Sigma Series goes thus: a secret from the past rises which threatens to destroy the world. Yes, you have probably heard this one before. Unlike a Dan Brown, this book does not start in Europe but in Rocky Mountains, Utah. The book earns some brownie points for its descriptions of US caves and parks—the author is an amateur spelunker after all. The story starts with the discovery of a cavern full of desiccated human bodies and a gold-coated skull of a saber-toothed tiger. When the prehistoric artifact is brought to the surface, it triggers a blast that creates a force that dissolves the rock, eventually unleashing a volcano. When members of a special forces unit Sigma, led by half native-American and half-white Painter Crowe, investigate, they uncover a conspiracy that has roots in Mormonism, Native American legends, Thomas Jefferson and explorer Meriwether Lewis. A part of a seven-books series, this book holds itself well as a standalone thriller. The writing is deliberately dramatic drowning in Hollywood-style bravado. Characters—the way they walk, talk or think—are described in unnecessary detail. Especially bits dedicated to Siechan—a Manga ‘chick’ meets Quentin Tarantino’s killer ‘babe’. Having said that, next time when you are stranded at an airport with nothing to read, The Devil Colony might be a pick. Time will fly and by the time you reach your destination, you will have forgotten all about it.

An insightful book on one of the most important countries of the current age

FOR SEVEN years Edward Luce has been reporting on the United States for British and global audiences for the Financial Times. His observations have been compiled into a book— Time to Start Thinking: America and the Spectre of Decline. Time to Start Thinking focuses chiefly on USA’s politics and economy, drawing upon the author’s experiences in a country which he ‘greatly admires’. Luce’s focus is on the American middleclass, what he hails as the "greatest mass middle-class of the twentieth century", which propelled the country’s rise as a superpower. The underlying assumption is that this middle-class is hollowing out with people getting trapped in debt and dead-end jobs—“America’s middle is increasingly getting lonelier”. Luce points out to a decline of this ‘solid mass’ with its participants being ‘paid less for doing more’. “Meanwhile, the median American household, which accounts for the bulk of America’s workforce, saw its income decline by $2,000—the first time in the modern era that the bulk of Americans were worse off at the end of a business cycle than they technolwere at the beginning”. Luce’s central thesis is that America is slowly rolling into an economic and geopolitical decline and to establish his point Luce looks at the changing structure of the US economy, increasing polarisation of its politics, desperation of the middle class and American innovation in technology and business. He says, “America is seeing growth in two types of jobs. On one hand there are the top 10 per cent who continue to do well. These are the Wall Street financiers, Silicon Valley developers, managerial and intellectual elites and doctoral engineers and physicists whose salaries are more in every other educational category, from high school dropouts to a growing share of those with only undergraduate, or vocational degree, as opposed to postgraduate education... Their numbers will grow while their incomes will most likely continue to tread water”. This collapse of “social mobility— the main ingredient in the American Dream—is eating into the economy and this slippage is a result of misguided policies". Luce turns attention to Washington— he identifies the city’s lobbying culture, politicians’ need to raise funds, as key stumbling blocks to an organised, functioning political system. The book raises two primary questions: the first is economic. “Can the United States sustain an open economy while simultaneously reviewing income growth for the majority of the population? Whether via the Tea Party or a more broad-based descent into apathy and cynicism, middleclass Americans are losing faith in their country’s direction”. The second question is, according to Luce, cultural. “Can America forge a consensus it would need to respond effectively to growing challenges?” “So if you look at 2002 to 2007 and you observe the structural forces at play in that business expansion— mainly that the middle class income dropped, that very, very few jobs were created and that the higher value-added jobs tended for the most part to be replaced by lower paying ones—those trends became pronounced in the 2009 recovery onwards. That suggests that this is a deep structural problem with the way globalisation and technology ogy is impacting the majority of the American workforce. I am agnostic as to whether this reduces America's overall growth rate. The gains of growth are so deeply skewed to the very highest earners. But there is a lot of evidence in studies of other economies that when you have gross, Latin American-style inequality, growth and competitiveness tend to get adversely hit.” Luce finishes by noting that “America’s biggest challenges are not unique”. Its difficulties are not fundamentally different from those all the developed countries face in responding to the global shift of economic power. One of the primary criticisms of the book is that it is written in a classic journalistic style—people and stories interspersed with somewhat sweeping generalisations. An insightful book that leaves you hoping for a bit more.

Walk through the magnificent Roman Empire and sample a bit of bellissimo—Italian style

Should I start my Italian adventure with that connecting flight that I missed in Zurich? After all it would be a perfectly tense and dramatic Bollywood-ishtyle moment to start a story. Also, it was how we—an overtly-excited bunch of Indian tourists—did begin our experience in modern yet ancient Rome. Indeed, Rome is a city of contradictions; sandwiched between the past and the present. There is no other city in the world thus spotted with historical relics. Built between 1,000BC and 750BC, it has been the centre of modern civilisation for centuries and witnessed assassinations of emperors and powers-that-be, all clamouring for a piece of it. If there is any place on earth where a sense of power and past hangs like a thick fog, it is in Rome. Walking through its cobbled squares and lanes is like treading on pages of history. But let us not linger long in Rome for the first 'official' stop was to be the Vatican City—around 2.76 kilometres away. I probably need not mention that Vatican is a country in its own right, and the smallest one at that. It is also one of the holiest Christian places, home to the Pope established in 1929. It seemed then that our travel through Italy was destined to start dramatically—the morning we started walking towards Vatican it began to pour. But, Rome is the city of gallant men and we were rescued, too, by our knight of the shinning brollies—Murad from Bangladesh— who was selling umbrellas right at the hotel entrance as early as 6.00 am. Interestingly, Rome, Florence and Venice are filled to the brim with people from Asia and Africa. Immigrants double up as street vendors selling local wares on pavements. We were still clutching our wet umbrellas when we reached the entrance to the Vatican Museum and what a treat it turned out to be! If one could ignore the milling crowds and queues, the massive sculptures by Michelangelo and Raphael at the entrance could easily transport one to the 16th century. Vatican Museum holds some of the rarest treasures of the world; it has enough creations by Raphael, Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo, under a single roof to make you think it is a miracle. If that does not touch your heart, then a walk to Saint Peter’s Basilica will. A word of caution— the place is usually chock-a-block with people. We anxiously followed our guide’s—Valeria—bobbing black umbrella through the crowds. Also, it would be wiser to pay that extra penny and get a guide. They have interesting tit-bits not mentioned in the guide books. Our experience at Vatican was but a day long and we were back in Rome at the day’s end. The next day was dedicated to the capital city. The city seeks, nay it demands, attention. It needs to be experienced on foot. If you do so, soon your heart will be captured. It is a vibrant place, crisscrossed by walkerfriendly footpaths and pavements. You can tread miles and not feel tired. Since each alley and lane is pictureperfect, you will be encouraged to walk a bit further, and a bit more. No tourist can be in Rome and not visit the Amphitheatre or Colosseum—neither could we. Emperor Vespasian started the construction of the Colosseum in 72AD and it was completed in 80AD. When it was completed it is said 55,000 spectators could enter the building through its 80 entrances. Though it is a magnificent ruin one could almost close his eyes and imagine the great games between gladiators. Our must-visit list also included Forum, Trevi Fountain and Piazza della Repubblica. Though we stopped often to ask our way, our walks were guided by the city map which is meticulously drawn up. At times we did have problem communicating but hey, even our vast country has north-south, east-west language gap—and the group was given a sympathetic ear at all times. You must be familiar with an old saying that goes—see Naples and die. Well, we wished to see it and live to tell the tale. This ridiculously picturesque seaside paradise is also a world heritage site and home to pizza, music and oh-the-melodious mandolin. It is also one of the most romantic places I have ever visited, followed perhaps by Florence, where we all had a date with a certain breathtakingly handsome David, who awaited us at the Accademia Gallery Firenze. Alas, we were not his only admirers. The queue of David’s “fans” made us re-think plans for the day. But we did not give up. The next morning we were right under his gaze. What an experience it was, to stand before this magnificent statue—a miracle in marble. We looked on in stunned silence and bated breath (expecting him to speak because he was so life-like). It is indeed an accomplished artists who can both capture the human emotion and set it free on a lifeless piece of amarble. But do not make David the only must-do; Giotto’s Bell Tower, Piazza Della Signoria, Ufizzi Gallery and the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the birthplace of Galileo, should also be a part of the itinerary. For a foodie, Italy is a gastronomical delight—wine is often cheaper than water and there are those wonderful items (all beginning with a ‘C’ coincidentally); cheese, coffee and chocolate along with freshlymade risotto and spaghetti sprinkled with oil freshly squeezed from orchard grown olives. Osterias are Italy’s answer to a budget traveller’s prayer—these are roadside, locally-run eateries that offer a limited menu, but served with care. Excellent quality at a cheap price. Our final stop was Venice—the city of 118 islands connected by stone footbridges. When in Rome do as the Romans do—walk. There are no wheeled vehicles allowed in this ancient city known for its melody masters such as Vivaldi. At one point of time it was referred to as the Republic of Music and it is said that an anonymous Frenchman remarked that Venice is that place where “In every home, someone is playing a musical instrument or singing. There is music everywhere.” I must confess that the rather ritualistic gondola ride was not that exciting for me because the canals are really not that clean. There is a sense of decadence and decay to Venice that lends it an atmosphere which stands in contrast to its people who are lively and ready with a smile. Bellissimo!

In conversation with thespian, dramatist, director and writer Tom Alter

Padma Shree awardee Thomas Beach Alter comes across as a patient man. But he does snap. Especially, if one prods him much on his thoughts on “Bollywood and typecasting”. To him, the phenomenon (if it could be called such) is a journalistic term (his words, not mine) coined by “lazy scribes” who snip careers spanning over 40 years and tin them into 40-minutes-worth of non-researched stories. “Before you say typecast, do appreciate what an actor has done in that so-called typecast role. Look at the quality of work that Amitabh Bachchan has done as the ‘angry young man’ in 25 brilliant films. Observe Prem Chopra, Amjad Khan or Pran’s legacies. Their work defined the way villains were perceived,” says he. For those wondering who Mr Thomas Beach Alter is, he is none other than the veteran actor, director and author—Tom Alter. Alter’s grandparents were the first to travel and settle in India in 1916. By the time the third generation was born, the family’s ties with India were firmly rooted. Thus, it is not surprising that he gets just a little impatient when prodded one too many times about his “foreigner” status (especially since he is not one), his impeccable English, Hindi and Urdu diction (his father read an Urdu Bible and Alter is fluent in all three tongues), American passport (which he submitted years ago) and being a firang in an industry which, he insists, treats its participants far more kindly than observers give it credit for. “I yearn to be asked questions about my craft and about its challenges!” he lets you know. And he is eager to talk about the 100 years of Indian cinema and the journey thus far. “Look at the themes being explored today. New filmmakers are looking at politics, violence, corruption and sex from newer angles—we are less guarded now. I am talking of mass films being made for a wider audience base.” All in all, Alter comes across as a kind man, and one suspects, a bit of an optimist. As a student of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, he predicted that two of his batchmates would be stars one day. “I was on my way back to the campus (FTII) when I was stopped by two of my batchmates late in the night. They were worried about an acting project and wanted my opinion on it. I told them to continue acting. They were bound to be famous.” Years later, one of them, Mithun Chakraborty, became the nation’s favourite disco dancer, while the other, Sunil Kapoor immortalised the rogue-meets-jester villain as Shakti Kapoor. It was also at FTII that he met Naseeruddin Shah (a senior) and Benjamin Gilani. In 1979 they began Motley—their own theatre production company. However, as a fresh graduate Alter was more focused on Hindi films in particular and on being a “hero”. He was a sports teacher at a small school at Jagadhri in Haryana in the early 1970s when Alter fell in love. It all began in a darkened theatre with Aradhana involving the hero-heroine-villain triumvirate, romance, music and theatrics of celluloid. However, he did not let his aspirations be known. Even when he sent an application to FTII (written in Hindi, of course) he had not told a soul. But, by the time he reached the main Mussourie bazaar from the post office, news had travelled anyway. If his acquaintances were surprised by his choice, so was his FTII interview panel. Its members were apparently in splits by the time Alter’s skit was over; they were not mocking him but laughing at their incredulous expressions upon hearing a Caucasian man talk in chaste Hindi. Even Amjad Khan “mock searched” Alter for a recorder when he first heard him speak. But, we are getting ahead of ourselves. Post-FTII, Alter got his first break in the Dev Anand-starrer Sahib Bahadur directed by Chetan Anand. His first release was Ramanand Sagar’s Charas in which he played the hero—Dharmendra's—Interpol boss. “The character was supposed to be based out of Malta and obviously we shot in Mumbai,” he laughs. Though he was an “Interpol boss”, Alter played an Indian and spoke with a Punjabi accent. He insists that he played a “typically foreign” character just once. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Alter acted alongside a number of megastars; and yes, he did meet Rajesh Khanna who was “delighted” to hear that Aradhana got Alter into acting. The actor was directed by stalwarts as well; V Shantaram, Raj Kapoor, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Manmohan Desai, Manoj Kumar and Satyajit Ray—the latter being the most “artistically organised” director who he had worked for. “Manikda (as Ray was known) was truly a master of his craft. He was prepared when he came to the sets. His sense of aesthetics was impeccable.” If you think that Alter stayed within the confines of Hindi cinema, you are mistaken. He has acted in regional films—Bengali, Assamese, Telegu, Tamil and Kumaoni—and in several he played the hero. He also became a vital part of Indian television with the tele-serial Junoon which ran for five years, and was a part of the delightful ensemble comedy Zabaan Sambhalke, an Indianised version of BBC’s Mind Your Language. Over the years Alter also accumulated an envious body of theatrical work, which included William Dalrymple’s City of Djinns and the critically acclaimed solo play Maulana. Though, he did hate us (journalists) a bit more for it—Alter grudgingly replied that his recent role as a teacher in Ocean of an Old Man was one of the emotionally distraught roles that he had done in his recent career. Strangely, the actor made a conscious decision of choosing few international stints—one of them being One Night With The King with the legendary Peter O’Toole. This Jack of all trades; a former sports journalist who actively wrote between 1980s and early 1990s; author of one fiction and two non-fiction books; and a stage and television director, has chosen Mumbai as his home. His months are split between writing, directing and acting. In between, there is little time for negativity—perhaps that is why his faith in the country in general, and in the Hindi film industry in particular, remains unshakable.

QUIZ A THOUSAND and they would let you know that a hospital visit ranks as the numero uno of things “to avoid” in a lifetime. Unfortunately, we have to visit a hospital sometime in our lives; either for us or worse, for a loved one. Hospitals and associative indicators— sterilised corridors, antiseptic smells and an impending sense of doom—are stuff of nightmares. So much so that a 2012 report on the Indian health care, published by the Times of India, stated that, “... Educated Indians enjoying better access to cancer care should be able to beat the disease (cancer). But this is clearly not the case. ‘Women won’t come to hospitals to show a lump because it’s not painful. Men won’t get themselves checked after losing weight drastically. This is true in both urban and rural India,’ says a senior doctor.” What scares the Indian patients? A health care system that has been unravelling for long and has been existing minus dependable insurance plans. There is a reason why most Indians prefer to remain in the dark as to what ails them—once they know, A-class treatment requires A-list connections. But all is not bleak. There are a handful of doctors who are trying to change this reality. We featured one such messiah a while ago. While Dr Devi Shetty is our Saviour Surgeon, we have another Ace of Hearts in Dr Naresh Trehan. Dr Trehan is the main brain behind Gurgaon’s Medanta Medicity. His goal; to make medical care affordable, in fact downright cheap, by compiling different systems of health care— western and Indian—and work it to our advantage. Our two doctors are as different as they get. While Shetty is a bit of a media recluse, Trehan is nearly always in the news. Behind that gregarious façade is a pragmatic visionary; working on Duke Medanta Research Centre, Ayurveda Department of Integrative Medicine and operating on patients with equal elan. Trehan wants a world where Indians do not have to sell assets to avail A-list medical care. With a little help from the Centre and careful drawing up of insurance plans, that dream, too, might just be a reality. Like the rest of us, Dr Trehan, too, has been give 24 hours to make all his dreams come true. He and Dr Shetty succeeds where we fail—manage their time brilliantly and stay completely focused. This month we offer a glimpse into the life of a charismatic doctor changing the way Indians view hospitals—not antiseptic land of doom, but an efficient medical space where experts try as hard as you to get your loved one home.

POLITICS // West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee walked out of an interactive television show hosted by a famous media house, after losing her cool when students of Calcutta, Presidency and Jadavpur universities asked her questions on democracy and administration under the Trinamool government. Some questions were about the arrest of Professor Ambikesh Mahapatra (Jadavpur University) over an alleged ‘anti-Mamata’ cartoon. “It is not a cartoon... He is a CPM man. He misused the email of his society people with their consent,” said an angry Banerjee. She claimed that the cartoon which contained the word ‘vanish’ was a murder conspiracy supported by the CPM. “It is not a cartoon, it is a political conspiracy to murder me,” claimed Banerjee. Banerjee then went on to label the students “Maoists”. When the show’s moderator and a student of Presidency University asked her about the recent spate of crimes against women, Banerjee dismissed the question. “No crime. No crime against women.” Later in the show Banerjee said the students were CPM cadres.