Shah Rukh Khan On his way to Yale University where he was to deliver a lecture as Chubb Fellow, King Khan was detained for two hours at the airport as his name was flagged in their system. The US later issued an apology for the inconvenience caused.

NDL wins 40 out of 45 seats

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS// Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NDL) won 40 of the 45 seats being contested in the April by-elections. The pro-democracy leader said that she hoped that the elections marked a start of a new era in Burma. Despite the win, the Burmese Parliament remains dominated by the Junta-supported USDP, which holds a majority of the 664 seats. Calling the vote a triumph of the people, Suu Kyi added that her goal was to reconcile with other pro-democracy parties. The United States hailed the win as “an important step in Burma’s democratic transition”. The by-elections were held to fill 45 parliamentary seats after the elections of November 2010 which officially ended the Junta rule. Aung San Suu Kyi’s NDL was competing its first elections after 1990, where it had won a land-slide victory but was debarred from coming into power. The NDL had boycotted the 2010 elections and it was one of the 17 parties to have participated in the elections. Suu Kyi who spent years under house arrest has promised to use her voice to continue to push for further reforms and is hopeful that the other parties will cooperate in creating a “genuinely democratic atmosphere in the country.”

SPORTS // In a tragic repeat of Fabrice Muamba’s collapse on the field, Italian midfielder Piermario Morosini, 25, fell to the ground mid-way through the Italian second division match. Former under 21 international Morosini, who played for Livorno suffered a cardiac arrest. Morosini was taken to the hospital where he was declared dead an hour later. The incident took place four weeks after Bolton Wanderers footballer Fabrice Muamba suffered a heart attack during an FA Cup quarter-final against Tottenham Hotspur. His heart stopped beating for 78 minutes, but Muamba made a remarkable recovery. He has now been discharged. The world of sport paid its final tributes to the midfielder in the last weeks of April, while matches were cancelled for a weekend. A minute of silence was observed at major league games, while tennis player Sara Errani dedicated her victory in the Barcelona Open to Morosini.

Laxmipur MLA Hikaka remains captive in rebel den

INTERNAL SECURITY// Maoist rebels released Italian tourist guide Paolo Bosusco in April 2012. Bosusco was held in the Orissa forests by Maoist rebels. “I am happy being a free man now. I am tired and need some rest,” said the man who remained in Naxalite custody for over a month. His co-prisoner and fellow Italian, Claudio Colangelo, was freed earlier. Bosusco runs an adventure-holiday firm in Orissa while Colangelo is a doctor from Rome. The two were abducted in the Kandhamal district. Bosusco was kidnapped on March 14, 2012, along with Colangelo, who was released after 11 days. The particular kidnapping was the first-of-its-kind where Maoists resorted to kidnapping foreigners. Also on March 24, 2012, rebels kidnapped Orissa Assembly member Jhina Hikaka who remains in captivity with a separate group based out of Andhra Pradesh. In exchange of Hikaka's release, rebels have demanded a ban on tourists visiting tribal areas and an end to the government’s anti-rebel operations. They have also sought the release of several prisoners languishing in different jails across Orissa and Andhra Pradesh. Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik agreed to release 27 prisoners while negotiating with the Maoists.

RIGHT AS WE WERE inching towards a spirited summer, NCR was soaked by a spate of rain and a spell of pleasantness. Not used to such off-season coolness plus a weekend, citizens headed out to the pretty parts of the capital (Lord knows we have plenty of those). I admit that I sneaked off a bit—every professional is entitled to a day out—and headed straight for a series of dance performances. My experience left me lamenting that I did not do so more often. And it left me nostalgic for the days when my sister and I would train under our gurus, Reba Vidhyarthi and Bhaswati Mishra. I consider myself fortunate for having trained under her at the Kathak Kendra where I was a scholarship-holder. I realise that some people are not big fans of normative structures, especially those which demand (or exhort) obedience. Since my sister and I have grown up in the classical guru-shikshya tradition, a part of me understands the merit of such expectations. It presupposes a certain humility that I increasingly miss among fellow citizens. Is touching a guru’s feet, a servile act? Or is it one that acknowledges a depth of character and humility that is endearing? I will leave you, my readers, to decide for yourself. Personally, I see the act as humble, not slavish. I would pay a pretty penny to hear what Pandit Birju Maharajji has to say on this issue. I am confident of an answer; after all he is a man of patience and passion—a great combination for a guru. And what a guru he has been and continues to be. At his age, Birju Maharajji continues to run from pillar-topost trying to set-up his dance academy, promoting Kathak, raising awareness regarding the form, and teaching tots to teens. What makes him a bigger man is the fact that he has democratised his gharana. What his legendary uncles and father taught him is now available in a book for global learners. He has made an exclusive form, inclusive. Art, whether performed on stage or painted on a canvas, helps us find trueness in our world, reach for the deeper meaning, and importantly, brings joy and inspiration. It should never be within a boundary. Naturally, we at DW, were tempted to take a closer look into the life of this charismatic artist, exponent and man. Read about him on page 14. Our columnists, Ashok Malik and Vivek Bhandari, are back in this issue. We are introducing a new section called Reel Life in which fire-brand documentary filmmaker Anand Patwardhan talks to us about inspiration, and more importantly, his films. Even if the uncharacteristic coolness discontinues, include a little colour, music or rhythm in your lives. Art is after all good for the soul.

Japan is more than simply sushis, gadgets and geishas 

A few days before Christmas, I landed in Tokyo. Winter had just set in and unlike north India, it meant that the days were sunny and the nights nippy. If you travel to Tokyo in January and do not happen to be a big fan of chill, pack extra woollies. I have been told that it gets cold. This was my second, longer trip to Japan to film a TV programme—yes, I do seem to have some lucky stars—called Vintage Traveller. With a host, a crew and yours truly, our team was on a quest for all things medieval; artefacts and antiques. Tokyo was the one city on our travel map that I was looking forward to the most. There are two aspects of Japan that I enjoy experiencing—its streets and people. On my first visit, I realised that Tokyo’s sense of pragmatism and functionality reverberates across its architecture. It did remind me of Nehru Place (Delhi) a bit. Those unfamiliar with Delhi’s super-busy electronic goods area, it is where the city shops for its latest gadgets. There is an aura of nononsense across Tokyo, both admirable and intimidating. A greater part of the city was bombed out during the Second World War. Newer structures stand testament to the country’s romance with functionality married in small spaces. As one would imagine, you can see every sort of automation in Japan. However, unlike Asian mega-cities, technology is not flaunted in your face. In Japan, my land of contradictions, there is a twist to every tale. For a nation so in love with functionality, there is a whole culture of the ‘cute’ (kawaii). From police mascots to shop and subway signs, Japan has made everything cuter. As some Japanese people pointed out, the culture of kawaii is often about making taboo items easier to process. As for my favourite bit—the people—Japan really offers the whole gamut. Its citizens are a polite bunch; helpful, bound by traditions, and sometimes quite conservative. Perhaps, it is this side to the civil society which leads to its more eclectic or outlandish ways—perfectly-professional adults walking the streets dressed up as their favourite Manga or Anime character. If you can keep the bizarre aside, there is a profound sense of discipline among the Japanese that Indians could learn a thing or two from. For example loud telephonic conversations are considered rude in subways. Even during rush, commuters manage to maintain a silence which India cannot dream of. It can be a fair challenge to get around on one’s own in Tokyo without knowing Japanese. Though there are more English signboards these days, a majority of the population does not speak English. However, most make an effort. That is Japan for you—cool people. Take Mr Saito for instance. During our hunt for everything vintage, we met this collector of nohintos (Samurai swords). An affable man, Mr Saito was nowhere as dangerous as the swords that he collected. My trip threw up a motley crew—a collector of Godzilla figures. The iconic status of Godzilla underlines the fact that Hiroshima and Nagasaki incidents still resonate in the nation’s psyche. For those rare few who are not familiar with the figure; Godzilla is a creature ‘burdened’ with extraordinary powers after getting exposed to a nuclear explosion. There are hundreds of Godzillas on sale at most shops. I may not have found them particularly attractive, but they do sell for a fortune. That’s Japan for you; obsessed with its cartooning tradition. Take Nakano Broadway for instance. It is a mall dedicated to Manga and Anime cartoons. If you believe that reading graphic novels or cartoons is silly and dressing up as them even more so; Japan would be a cultural shock. Look beyond the obvious, there are more layers. It is a land where the traditional co-habits with the postmodern; and Australian geishas walk the streets.

THE MONTH GONE BY has certainly had something for everyone. Apart from elections, people have had to come to grips with phenomena ranging from Board exams to the Budget session in Parliament. It was interesting to see Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee quote Shakespeare repeatedly during the session; admittedly, those bits were more interesting than the budget itself, which was too aam for the common admi. Budget 2012 did not sizzle at all (it sank like an arrowroot biscuit dipped in tea too much) but what did carry a spark was Whatever the Odds—a book launched last November and currently resting on my bedside table. A semi-autobiographical work co-written by Indian realty baron Kushal Pal Singh and journalists Ramesh Menon and Raman Swamy, Whatever the Odds is quite the page-turner. What impressed me the most about this book was its lack of superfluity—neither its subject nor its writers resorted to unnecessary words. It was a pragmatic narrative, much like its protagonist. But to put the spotlight on Singh, we will need to describe him a little better. A few more adjectives will be needed, and I will use the word ‘honest’ before all others. One does not expect a realty baron like Singh to admit to weaknesses, yet he does. With a humility that is rare, he recalls his father-in- law’s censure, his own initial lack of canny business sense and his struggles. Obviously, then, ‘courageous’ is another word that could be used to describe the man. Though the Millennium City in Gurgaon is every bit Singh’s baby, he is not blinkered about it. Like a parent he is quick to point out the shoddy condition of his “dream project”; slams its lack of infrastructure and potholed roads. We were fortunate to score a double scoop with our cover story this time—roping in both K.P. Singh and Ramesh Menon. A veteran journalist, Menon gladly revisited his days of extensive research with Singh for the DW cover. Perhaps it’s inevitable that everyone is talking about economic models, environmental impact and financial systems. Another observer to speak on similar issues is Chandran Nair, who has written in for our “Foreign Despatches” this month. An economist and environmentalist, Nair takes on and redefines the conventional ideas of capitalism. This month’s DW ends on a rather delicious note, with a conversation with everybody’s favourite chef, Sanjeev Kapoor. Kapoor entered our living rooms thanks to his immensely popular cooking show. Read on to find out about his father’s influence, cooking Indian khana and of course, kitchens. On that note, I leave you with a magazine that I hope gives you enough food for thought. As always, I look forward to your response, so do write in.

BUDGET\\ The Railway Budget 2012 presented by Former Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi hiked passenger fares for the first time in 10 years. Interestingly, before the masses could react to the hike, key coalition ally Trinamool Congress (TMC) decided to pull the chain and bring the Manmohan Singh’s budget express to a halt. As soon as Trivedi completed his speech, Trinamool Congress raised the red flag—both to the hike and the minister. In the third week of March, the hike in rail passenger fares for second-class suburban and non-suburban, sleeper, AC chair car and AC three-tier was rolled back, with the new Railway Minister Mukul Roy dubbing the hikes as a “huge drain” on the masses. He, however, did not touch the increase of 15 Paise per kilometre and 30 Paise per kilometre, respectively, in passenger fares in AC two-tier and AC-I announced by his predecessor Trivedi. TMC leader Mukul Roy also scrapped Trivedi’s proposal to expand the Railway Board and put on hold the proposal of setting up a committee to examine if there should be an independent tariff regulatory authority.

INTERNATIONAL\\ The United Nations’s top human rights body—the Human Rights Council—called on Sri Lanka to ‘investigate alleged war crimes committed by both sides during the country’s 26-year conflict with Tamil Tiger rebels. The UN Human Rights Council approved a US-backed resolution that urged the South Asian nation to probe allegations of summary executions and kidnappings among other abuses, but stopped short of calling for an international investigation. A 47-nation council passed a resolution with 24 countries in favor, 15 against and eight abstentions. India voted in favour of the resolution. Sri Lanka and its allies had fiercely resisted the resolution, saying it unduly interfered in the country’s domestic affairs and could hinder its reconciliation process. The head of Sri Lanka’s delegation to the council, Cabinet Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, insisted before the vote that his country had been a model for others in dealing with the aftermath of the conflict, which ended in 2009. He called the resolution “misconceived, unwarranted and ill-timed,” and directed much of his ire toward the US, which had tabled the draft before the Geneva-based council. But human rights groups and ethnic Tamils in exile welcomed the vote. The resolution asks the Sri Lankan government to commit to the international community that it would implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learned Reconciliation Commission established by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The resolution does not seek the appointment of an independent international inquiry commission on the alleged war crimes nor the establishment of an international co-chairs unlike in 2002, to ensure a political solution to the ethnic problem of Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, India took a firm stand despite being in the spotlight over the resolution. Tamils in India, Sri Lankans, international human rights activists and those in diplomatic circles, are all interested to know the way India’s vote will swing. Since the end of the LTTE war, India has consistently thwarted attempts in the Security Council and the UN Human Rights Council by Western countries to investigate war crimes in Sri Lanka. It had supported the Sri Lankan state in its bid to eliminate the LTTE. It seems that India is dissatisfied over the Sri Lankan government’s accelerated militarisation of the Northeast, devolution of powers and the pace of rehabilitation and reconstruction of war-affected Tamils and Tamilian areas. The Prime Minister recently addressed the Parliament and inclined to vote in favour of the draft resolution. The stand goes against India’s conventional position as the government does not vote on a country-specific resolution. The government was also facing pressure from DMK and AIADMK to vote for the resolution.

ENTERTAINMENT// Balan goes on to prove that there is nothing dirty in portraying a woman’s plight in the oftenexploitative Indian film industry. The film with a female lead hit the jackpot at the box office, and swept up awards for commerical films.