America’s President Donald Trump must have been given a lot of extravagant and expensive gifts in his lifetime. The gift that Pope Francis gave him in May when the two met at the Vatican may not make it to his most favourite list. Pope Francis gifted Trump his 2015 encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si or Praise Be to You
Trump has been a repeated critic of climate science, once arguing that global warming was a hoax invented by the Chinese. The Pope has proved to be far more modern than his predecessors, including his strong belief in the science of climate change and the need for action
But obviously, Trump did not have the time to read the Pope’s arguments in favour of climate action because a week later the POTUS walked out of the Paris Accord on climate.
During a belligerent White House rose garden address, the US President said he wanted to reassert American sovereignty.
"We don't want other countries and other leaders laughing at us anymore," he said, adding that the current deal could cost the US as many as 2.7 million jobs by 2025.
“The Paris climate accord is simply the latest example of Washington entering into an agreement that disadvantages the United States, to the exclusive benefit of other countries, leaving American workers, who I love, and taxpayers to absorb the cost in terms of lost jobs, lower wages, shuttered factories and vastly diminished economic production,” he said.
It was not an unexpected move. Trump even during his run up to the Presidency was a vocal opponent of climate change and frequently tweeted his mind on the matter.
However, the Paris Accord will in all likelihood survive Donald Trump’s decision to pull out. Not that it was a surprise but definitely a shock to the deal which was worked upon with so much painful precision only 18 months earlier. It is another indication of US readiness to abandon global leadership, and it is a gift to China, ambitious to be seen as a mature and reliable global player, and already a world leader in renewable energy technology. There will not be immediate consequences for the planet, but the time available for effective action is already perilously short; even the threat of a backward step by the world’s second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases could carry serious consequences.
But despite the setback, it is amply clear of how soundly the Paris agreement has been built. Almost 150 0f the 197 signatories have ratified the deal. And nothing is going to destroy it – even the pulling out of someone as big a part of it as the US. The reaction to President Trump’s decision suggests that just as Brexit has made the rest of the EU come together, so support for the Paris agreement will be reinvigorated. From the immediate public condemnation of the move by Germany, France, Italy and China, and India’s reaffirmation of its commitment, to the Vatican’s description of it as a slap in the face for the pope, it may be that this will galvanise the rest of the world.
There is a huge gap between Trump’s policy on climate change and the sciencebased needs of the world which grows wider by the day. But then as they say every cloud has a silver lining – the President’s rash and rather dangerous decision to pull out of the Paris Climate Agreement has only reinvigorated others to double their efforts to reduce carbon emissions – a wide range of local, state and foreign governments as well as businesses are not only more determined to carry on with their existing efforts but to try and create broader coalitions to achieve bigger gains.
These are more than “Kumbaya” steps. Local and state governments are economic engines that can expand demand for renewable energy by helping drive down the costs for nongovernmental consumers. This is one way around Trump’s fossil fuelburning agenda. In March, Los Angeles joined 30 other cities in asking the automotive industry about the feasibility of buying a combined 114,000 electric vehicles for their fleets, a potential $10billion deal that would reduce city fleet emissions and drastically expand the market for such vehicles. Last year, only 159,139 electric vehicles were bought, a tiny fraction of the 17.55 million sold.Of course, setting goals is one thing and meeting them is another. But even officials with firms such as Sempra, which is heavily involved in natural-gas power generation, and the California Independent System Operator, which oversees about 80% of the state power system, see the 100% renewable goal as attainable
Even businesses have recognized that there is profit in reduced carbon emissions and are taking steps in that direction. A number of major corporations also lobbied with Trump publicly to stay within the Paris agreement, arguing that their interests are “best served by a stable and practical framework facilitating an effective and balanced global response.”
We all agree that there is need to do much more and surely the combined effort in tandem with the US government would have been far more effective. But corporations and subnational governments could pitch in to have a major impact on where the world ends up. It is unfortunate that Trump has turned his back on a more habitable planet. But that does not necessarily mean that the rest of us should. Or can.
‘Leader of the free world,’ that is what she is being called across and hailed as across the globe: Angela Merkel. Hesitant, shy, rather simple, but firm. Neither flamboyant nor reticent, polite but resilient and on-the-face, not comfortable with histrionics, pseudo-symbolism or atmospherics, but a symbol of sober, sensible, sensitive politics and a head held high; never afraid to go against the current.
She does not even claim to be a feminist, though her positions have been outof-the-box and forthright. You can call it a result of her hard training in East Germany where she grew up and where she lived a quiet life, or her personal, not so visible profile with her husband, professor of theoretical chemistry, Joachim Sauer, who apparently needs no security.
Merkel, truly, has emerged as the leader of a parallel stream of politics in Europe, and despite being a Christian Democrat, the whole world with different ideological paradigms have come to respect her, including the Left. Including, Russian President Vladimir Putin, with whom she has channels open, but it is a hard game she is playing. And, truly, in her own quiet way, she is influencing the contemporary political and social discourse, in the subaltern narratives on lanes and bylanes of cities and towns in her country, as much as in power politics in the corridors of power.
The finest expression of it was the manner she ‘handled’ Donald Trump recently in important public platforms, he fumbling and stumbling, clueless about alternative cultures and civilizations, or the finer nuances of international diplomacy, riding on a wave of hate politics, anti-immigrant rhetoric, and white supremacist and isolationist propaganda, often driven by what is now called the fake news of post-truth. But Merkel is not a fake and she is not a Leftist either. She is a centrist, and she is sure of that.
Consider the fact that she was hated at one time by the Greeks, Irish or other countries because she pushed hard the ‘austerity measures’ driven by the financial crisis in the European Union. From that position, she has now emerged as the undisputable leader of the EU, with French leader Emmanuel Macron of France a close and popular ally, who clearly aligned with her, even as he too ‘handled’ Trump with a certain firmness, including a prolonged and firm handshake. The best was the manner they negotiated the climate change deal, and when Trump backtracked, and predictably so, they did not flinch, hesitate or stumble. They categorically stated no more negotiation on the Paris agreement, with the majority of the nations of the world backing this position. This was statesmanship par excellence.
Consider also the fact that Germany is a global power, despite the global financial crisis, austerity measures, the war in the Middle-East and the massive influx of refugees across Europe. And, yet, Merkel refused to buckle down, despite the neo-Nazi or anti-immigrant campaign in Germany and around the neighbourhood, including in France and Britain, even as observers stated that she is in a bad wicket in terms of popular ratings, and Islamophobia is on the rise, especially after Trump’s victory. She resisted the alleged popular misconception or hidden phobia against refugees, or hate politics, and accepted a gigantic mass of people from Syria and the Middle-East: almost one million people.
That is not easy, not even for great political leaders with mass acceptance. But she went against the current, did precisely that, and swayed the German population in support of this great political and social gesture. So much so thousands of Germans came out on the streets to greet the refugees. This was again high statesmanship unprecedented in world history, especially in the current circumstances, where Islamic fundamentalists and ISIS are killing innocent people all over, including in France and Britain.
This was no guilt trip or a move to remove the chapter of mass ethnic cleansing by Adolf Hitler and his concentration camps. This was indeed a move away from guilt, or collective guilt of the past; that Germany has moved away from its murky nightmares, the epic tragedies and monstrosities of the past, the gas chambers. This was a clear and decisive pointer towards optimism and resolution, and a very difficult one at that that Angela Merkel reasserted: of humanism, solidarity with fellow human beings, taking responsibility for a massive human crisis as generated in Syria, and reaffirming the entrenched values of love, sharing and eternal compassion. And there was no Biblical or mythical element attached to it. It was political as much as social and human to share space with one million children, women and men, who have suffered a dirty war for no fault of theirs, and who have gone through trauma and tragedy unprecedented since the crisis in the Balkans in the heart of Europe. This was Merkel showing the way to the world, and with as much humility and steadfastness, as only she can.
Even in terms of Brexit, she did not dillydally. Go if you want, she told the hardliners in Britain. Her lead was taken by the entire European Union. Hence, even large sections of the quit EU campaign in Britain started to dilly-dally. So much so, Theresa May, who went hobnobbing with Trump as the first leader from Europe, found herself in such a sticky wicket that an old Left radical and socialist like Jeremy Corbyn, down in the dumps, rose like a phoenix and showed her true place in both British and European politics; indeed, not only has she become utterly vulnerable and weak, she has helped Corbyn and the progressive forces in the Labour to reassert a different kind of propeople politics. To say that the victory of Macron was not an influence in these sudden British polls, or that Merkel’s strongly inclusive, non-sectarian and humanist policies were not a factor, would be like looking for a winter sunset where there is rainbow shining across a sunny day.
That is why Merkel says what she says, and the people believe her; because she is riding on a new wave of strength and consolidation, unlike what May would have wanted to achieve. She said, “The times in which we could completely depend on others are, to a certain extent, over… I’ve experienced that in the last few days. We Europeans have to take fate into our own hands.”
In that sense, truly, Europe is showing the way to a world which seemed to be fast receding into a neo-Nazi syndrome. It’s the promise of a new world, however still distant: a world driven by the ideals of the French revolution, and the political philosophy of liberty, freedom and harmony, if not equality or egalitarianism. Surely, it will be too utopian to comment that Germany has turned socialist or Left; it is still driven by globalization. But, as the refugee crisis has proved, a new language of hope has started to emerge.
Writes columnist Suzanne Moore in The Guardian: “What an extraordinary woman. There are no problems, she says, only “tasks” to be solved, as she sits rapidly texting in meetings. Refusing to see herself as a female leader, she prefers to think of herself as part of a class of political heavyweights. Increasingly she is in a class of her own and watching her, one thought comes to mind: this is what strong and stable actually looks like.”
Iremember staring at the black and white photograph of a woman’s face covered in rain drops in Life magazine as a young boy.
Something captivating about the frame, the beautiful face, the widow’s peak… it always stayed with me. Aparna Sen was never just a beautiful face or impressive actress, she was a woman with a lot of presence and came across as strong and independent. Other images float in the sea of memory – of her playing a reporter to Uttam Kumar’s star in Satyajit Ray’s Nayak, in Ray’s Teen Kanya. There was something about that look I will never forget.
And so it was one evening that I found myself in Aparna’s Alipore flat with a bunch of friends. It so happens that a close friend of mine is a cousin of writer, actor Mukul Sharma, who happened to be married to her at the time. It was the Eighties, we were young smoking weed and having fun. Don’t know how we landed up at that place. All I remember was my friend’s cousin Mukul was waiting for his wife (who he kept calling Rina) to get ready as they were going out and we would leave with them.
I don’t think I will forget what happened next. Suddenly, his wife walked into the living room and I who was sitting right opposite looked up and froze I think. I was staring that Aparna Sen. I don’t remember how long I stared, but somewhere I heard Mukul’s voice, “Hey that’s my wife.” It was embarrassing but then that defines Aparna’s magnetism. She was always different. Konkona was a little girl at the time and sure enough Konkona, like mother, has too grown up to be someone different. And like mother she too has made a seamless transition from acting to directing.
Konkona’s first directorial venture Death in the Gunj takes me back to her mother’s debut as a director in 36 Chowringhee Lane. Strangely, both the titles anoint a place – 36 is about Aparna’s city Calcutta and the story of an Anglo-Indian lady/teacher’s lonely life. The Gunj is set in McCluskieganj a small hilly town near Ranchi, once in Bihar now in Jharkhand. Much like 36, McCluskieganj used to be home to a disappearing anglo-Indian community, a town with crumbling bungalows and relics of the Raj. My friend Shomu and his cousin Mukul and family were regular at the Gunj for their family holidays.
The Gunj much like her mother’s 36 is a classic, the pace, the mood, the sensitivity, the characters stay with you much after you have watched the film. Clearly, Konkona is her mother’s daughter even though the film is based on a story by her father Mukul Sharma her translation on screen gives it a unique dimension, the mistiness of the Ranchi setting she captures so well.
Aparna Sen is one of the few women directors in Indian cinema that dares to make films that feature compelling, strong, even flawed female characters. Each of her films is different. One can't peg her down to a typical genre. Her films have given many actors standout roles in their careers, and her last few films have showcased her own daughter Konkona Sen Sharma, marking it a unique case of motherdaughter filmmaking.
Aparna initially began her career as an actor at 15 before expanding to screenwriting and directing from 1981. Konkona is presently known as an actor, but like her mother also has shown interest in direction. She directed a short film, Naamkaran, in 2006 and her first feature film, A Death in The Gunj, starring Om Puri, Kalki Koechlin, Vikrant Massey and Ranvir Shorey recently hit the cinemas
Yes, she is her mother's daughter - the slight curl of the lip, the inflection in the refined voice and the laugh could not be more telling. But she is also an intelligent young woman who has managed to pack in a lot of living in her 38 years. And Konkona has grown into a woman with a distinct individuality – as an actor, as a filmmaker
The faasla (space) between fasting and feasting is an interesting one for all those who look forward to those gourmet nights in the city's old quarters during the month of Ramadan or as we in Delhi have always called it Ramzan. It is also the time when the distance between New Delhi and Old Delhi seems to get blurred in the aromas around the majestic Jama Masjid and the two quarters mingle for a while. The month of Ramzan transforms the lanes that spread like tentacles into the gut of Purani Dilli or Delhi 6 as coded by its pin.
Chawri Bazar, Chitli Qabr, Matia Mahal the names itself evoke a certain sensuality as these lanes explode with life and colour in the month-long fasting that is central to the climax of Eid. And for the believers and non-believers, it's also the feasting that gives the festival its dimension.
Ramadan/Ramzan and Eid al-Fitr are important occasions in Muslim lives that begin and end with the appearance of the new moon. The appearance of the new moon signals the first day of Ramadan and after completing 29 days of fasting on that night, the religious leaders set out for another moon sighting.
Fasting is an act of Ibadah (worship) and one of the five pillars of Islam. Its basis is found in the Quran which reads: "Oh you who believe fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you that you may attain Taqwa (GodFearing)."
This verse has two contexts to understand, first, that fasting is not exclusive to Muslims; it was already practiced by the Prophets before Muhammad.
The best example a Muslim can cite is the fasting followed by the Jewish tradition like that of Prophet Nabi Isa (Jesus Christ). Jesus fasted for 40 days and the significance of his act appeared to be a preparation for his ministry. In the same way, Muslims considered fasting as a spiritual training to attain Taqwa which is the second context of the verse. Taqwah is an Arabic term which means “piety”.
Ramadan is full of sacrifices, yet most loved by the Muslims. They experience two occasions of joy—first, during the time of Iftar (breaking of the fast) when one completes his day of sacrifice and second when the fasting person meets his Creator.
The shift in mood from fasting to festivity is evident in every Muslim household. Even the poorest family prepares something which family members can share. Mothers cook special food and delicacies to offer visitors and friends. Some families prefer to go out. Jama Masjid or any other important masjid bustle at the evening hours as the faithful prepare to break their fasts. The huge courtyard of the Jama Masjid looks like a massive picnic with families, the young and the old, gathered with their baskets of fruits and food to eat together in a sense of community. Food is an important part of Ramzan as much fasting is. So let’s take a sample from the huge spread that beckons all through the night of feasting. The road opposite Jama Masjid's Gate No 1 is Matia Mahal. This is the place to be after the Iftaar namaaz and you will lose yourself in a world of culinary delight.
With Jama Masjid as your backdrop, you hit the outer lane (Urdu Bazaar Road) all lit up with kebab shops. At Lalu's and Qureshi’s, slender and juicy kebabs are served hot off the griddle. These are the softest kebabs you’ll find and full of flavour.
Urdu Bazaar Road. Lalu's is one of the first kebab shops that you'll see. For Qureshi's walk further down the road.
Juicy bits of chicken marinated in spices, coated with chickpea flour and fried golden. The crispy texture with soft insides has won many hearts. It is served with a red chutney that can put your mouth on fire. During Ramzan, they also serve Keema Golis (minced meat balls served with onions). If you reach around Iftar time, you’ll manage to get some.
This is the place for desserts: Large platters of beautifully decorated Shahi Tukda or Matka Phirni you know you can’t resist. Golden fried slices of bread simmered in milk and topped with khoya and desi ghee. 973, Bazar Matia Mahal, Jama Masjid.
The Nahari at Bilal is so sublime that it's absolutely worth elbowing your way to get here. The meat is slow-cooked for hours which makes it delicate and tender. It is then simmered in gravy with spices and garnished with a squeeze of lime and green chillies.
The Chicken Tikka served here, bathed in butter, is a work of art. Plump pieces of chicken are marinated with Indian spices and yogurt, grilled on long skewers and laced with some simmering hot butter. 540, Bazaar Matia Mahal, Jama Masjid.
Originally from Uttar Pradesh, you'll find his food carts dotted across the lane selling a blush pink drink popularly called ‘Pyaar Mohabbat Maza’. This refreshing concoction is a mix of watermelon, milk and Rooh Afza. It’s fragrant, it’s light and it's got these gorgeous chunks of watermelon that make it come alive.
No roof, no board and no shop. This gur sharbat has been around since 1947 and at the time was sold for 10 paise. The sharbat is basically jaggery soaked in ice-cold water, strained and served.
It’s famous for its Dori Kebab and Boti Kebab. It's run by two brothers who sit there next to the flaming tandoor, grab some spiced meat paste with their practiced hands, wrap it around skewers with thread and the let them grill over charcoal, almost effortlessly. The Dori Kebabs melt in your mouth and are seriously addictive, while the Boti Kebabs are crisp and spicy. 1465-B, Near Masjid Sayed Rafai, Bazar Chitli Qabar
Pieces of meat cooked for hours along with saffron flavoured rice to give you some delicious biryani. The Mirchi Masala Biryani is a must at Mota Pehelwaan but if it still doesn't satisfy your thirst for biryani then head to Dilpasand which has been long praised for its Achaari Biryanis. Dilpasand Biryani -735, Haveli Azam Khan, Chitli Qabar Mota Pehelwaan — Shop no. 701, Haveli Azam Khan, Chitli Qabar
These two restaurants aren't just popular in Delhi, but in fact, are world renowned. Help yourself to some kebabs and biryani at Al Jawahar or the Mutton Korma made in pure desi ghee at Karim’s. These iconic restaurants are right at the head of the road as you enter Matai Mahal.
It is not a Sisyphean smile. It’s satirical and singularly bitchy, but it’s not a spoof. Nor is it cold-blooded, like some dictators smile these days in their narcissistic selfies. The sardonic smile on writer Arundhati Roy’s face these days is a sign of our times.
I saw her last in the JNU, FTII and Rohith Vemula struggle, last year. She was dead serious. And, yet, when she smiles, it’s as if she has already anticipated the truth, the bitter truth, the other side of the moon of a night full of tides and long knives, and she knows that even barbarism must arrive to stay but it will end one day. As it did in Germany and Europe. However, leaving a trail of mass dying and death, which stays like concentration camps, and terrible sadness, inside our political unconscious. And, inside our ‘collective conscience’, camouflaged by pseudo patriotism
Like the machines of mining and the mining mafia, in a pristine, primordial, ecological hot spot in the Eastern Ghats of India, where little girls with flowers in their hair, and their ancient tribal communities, unarmed, fight gigantic multinationals and big business, backed by the entire might and thuggery of the armed Indian State. Even in struggle, the little girls, dark and sublime, they smile. With flowers in their hair.
Since then Roy has been writing her book, her friends would tell us. Nevertheless, she was certainly not hiding. She told me not so long ago, across a table in her house before a public discussion;writing is like crossing a railway crossing again and again, not sure if the train is coming or not, with the signals dead. I remember it metaphorically, as imperfectly as I can.
And, yet, for Roy, it has been no exile. Nor, an escape, though, there should be no guilt in retreat sometimes. Why should there be guilt in retreat, when the barricades have been there all the while? On the face? Face to face?
Truly, this not the retreat of Albert Camus’s Outsider, or the guilty protagonist in Jean Paul Sartre’s famous trilogy during the Spanish civil war and the world war, nor is it a stream of consciousness like James Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’ or Virginia Woolf’s ‘Waves’. Not even, surely, like Salman Rushdie or Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s mad magic, pushing all thresholds of literary realism to pages filled with years of endless rain, as in Macondo of One Hundred Years of Solitude. Between fiction and fact, her satirical smile at the hard, bitter world remains, etched like a scaffolding, drawing in uneven lines the big picture, neither vulnerable nor cold, neither detached nor alienated from the history we live in and have inherited. The world of a thousand terrible suns, and a thousand terrible nights.
Indeed, a writer can internalize all the pain of the world. All its infinite sufferings and relentless bestiality. Even its surprising and sudden beauties; like ‘small is beautiful’. The world can be ravaged outside and the writer has already been ravaged inside, ravaged and savaged; like Muktibodh or Mahashweta Devi’s writings, or Bhisham Sahni’s tragic epic ‘Tamas’ on the Partition in our subcontinent, or filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky ‘Mirror’ and ‘Sacrifice’; even a flamboyant celebrity of masterpiece violence and revenge in retrospect, like Quentin Tarantino
There is so much violence in India, she said recently, that we have sucked it up in our bowels. And, it seems, inside our intestines, arteries and veins. Inside our eyelashes and brain cells. Inside the flowers which rot between the pages of our books. And we don’t seem to even know about it.
She would touch the hand of Irom Sharmila or Soni Sori or Medha Patkar: fasting, in the struggle, across the police barbed wires with guns positioned to shoot; on a river shore in the Narmada valley which will soon be destroyed and submerged, compelled to disappear from the nationalism of our geography. She would walk with ‘demos’, speak and write haltingly, with brave assurance, on Dalits who are resurrecting their age-old humiliations and annihilations in the entrenched Indian caste society only to rejuvenate their originality, beauty, power and collective self-identity
She can dare to ‘walk with the comrades’ – whom she famously called ‘Gandhians with guns’ across the dense zigzag and incomprehensibility of Dandakaryana in Chhattisgarh, and she can build a huge banner uniting the Narmada Bachao Andolan and the Bhopal gas victims struggle across two footpaths of Jantar Mantar in Delhi; but the writer, also an architect, remains steadfast, like a rainbow coalition and a scaffolding which no establishment can buy off or coerce into submission
There are just a few like Roy in the history of the world, who have walked the pages of both the ‘God of Small Things’ and the hard political text and sub-text of contemporary contradictions, and taken sides across this twilight zone or that, where few artists would dare to ever enter. She is at once exiled and engaged, playing with the dialectic of both metaphysics and history, unafraid. Fear is not the key here. The key here is stoic resilience. And, dark humour. Sometimes, bitchy humour. Sometimes, just hard below-the-belt spoof. Not simple wordplay, surely. But, words, like weapons; like a cliché which comes back with a new shape of the beast: in the beginning was the word.
I have done a few interviews with the writer over the years, including a live discussion with her amidst a perceptive audience in Delhi on questions ranging for the pause of Sisyphus, to Maoism, to the peaceful social movements across the country in the time of globalization. In a conversation with her in November 2005 (published in ‘The Shape of the Beast’, Penguin), this was my last question:
Last question. There is a conflict within oneself. There is a consistency also, of positions, commitments, knowledge. And there are twilight zones you are grappling with. So why can’t you jump from this realm to another; there is no contradiction in saying, what is that, ‘Mujhe izzat…” (Rani Mukherjee’s famous dialogue in ‘Bunty aur Babli’)… (Mujhe is izzat ki zindagi se bachao…)
She replied: “I think we all are just messing our way through this life. People, ideologues who believe in a kind of redemption, a perfect and ultimate society, are terrifying. Hitler and Stalin believed that with a little social engineering, with the mass murder of a few million people, they could create a new and perfect world. The idea of perfection has often been a precursor to genocide. John Gray writes about it at some length. But, then, on the other hand, we have the placid acceptance of karma which certainly suits the privileged classes and castes very well. Some of us oscillate in the space between these two ugly juggernauts trying to at least occasionally locate some pinpoints of light.”
Twenty years later, her new literary landmark is already an international bestseller, written after her first book of fiction was published in 1997, followed by several non-fiction essays and books, all political classics of our time. Not only her Booker Prize money, but she gave away almost all the money she got from several awards later, huge sums all of them, to movements, small publishers in regional language, activists. Which writer does that? Once, when she was yet again giving away a huge sum to various little groups and magazines, I said, give it to me, I will start a newspaper. She laughed and said, no, I don’t want a newspaper. I still wish she would change her mind.
One of the latest moments of her book launch, perhaps somewhere in America was shared by Nishrin Jafri, daughter of Ehsan and Zakiya Jafri. Ehsan Jafri, eminent scholar, trade unionist and former Congress MP was hacked to death and burnt alive along with 69 others by bloodthirsty Hindutva mobs during the state-sponsored Gujarat genocide in 2002 at Gulbarg Society in Ahmedabad. Nishrin shared the picture of the book on her Facebook wall with Roy signing it: To Zakiya Jafri, with all my love.
That is the intrinsic, historic, tangible connect between ‘The Ministry of Utmost Happiness’ and the narrative of a massacre, almost forgotten and buried by the manufactured consent of the media and the ruling regime. Surely, if there is a god, he is not only of ‘small things’, but also presiding over the unfinished memory of a genocide. Like an unfinished sentence, wanting to become a book.
Go off the beaten track and filmi photo ops for some quaint tea garden time in this Himalayan town. Go off the beaten path and enjoy Darjeeling for what it really is – its tea gardens and estates, the vintage tea manors and bungalows, and aromatic tea factories that offer just the right spots for enjoying leisure. Though tea garden estate stays are yet to take off, some of them offer homestays.
Tumsong: Located in Ghoom, this sprawling estate of over 100 metres, is famous for its premium teas. A small temple for goddess Tamsa Devi located in its midst adds to its charm. The highlight of this tea estate’s picturesqueness is fantastic views of Kanchenjunga. The estate offers colonial style suites for stay, though it’s best to book in advance.
Nestled in the lofty Himalayan mountains Dharamshala is rich in Tibetan and Buddhist culture. Generally the temperature remains in the low 20s, which makes it a good option for summer. You can visit the historic village of Garli-Pragpur, try paragliding in Bir and Billing.
The Ranikhet para-gliding camp is located on the road to the Goluchina area, which is 12 km ahead of the Ranikhet Township.
Accompanied with a breathtaking panoramic view of the earth and the sky, this camp is situated at the edge of a beautiful oak forest, and it does also provide lodging facilities to all the tourists those who visit Ranikhet for enjoying the best of adventure tourism in India.
Ranikhet, which is one of the most popular week-end gateway destinations of north India, which can be easily accessed from New Delhi by car in about 8 to 10 hours.
The Ranikhet paragliding camp is located around 350 km away from the New Delhi city and can be also accessed by train whereby one has to alight at Kathgodam Railway Station
Kaziranga is one of the last remaining bastions of the Indian rhino – a species that has been poached and preyed upon by humans for its horn. In fact, the wildlife sanctuary is home to nearly two thirds of the Indian rhino population. Most wildlife reserves shutdown during the monsoon as animals are harder to spot so take advantage of the remainder of the summer and head to Kaziranga in Assam. Kaziranga National Park is one of the biggest attractions that draws tourists to the North East state of Assam. Home to the Indian one-horned rhinoceros,it has successfully managed to conserve the population of this endangered species. Visit it for the unmatched thrill of spotting big game in their element. Spend time near the watering holes as the animals come here to drink water. Try to stay at one of wildlife reserves near the national park.
The contrast of rocks, river, greenery and desert in Nubra valley somehow blend together to mesmerise. There are sand dunes where you could go for a ride on a two-humped Bactrian camel or get dressed up in the traditional Ladakhi costumes and learn to dance a few steps, while the local gracious women agree to sing a few lines for you in Bhoti. The valley is ideal for landscape photography or you could just lay back relax and enjoy a cup of tea with a good book.
Mountain Biking can be a thrilling experience! Riding the bicycles on the narrow winding roads in the hills might sound a bit dangerous but what is life without a risk? At Jalori Pass situated about 72kms from Kullu town, one can find a wonderful trail to enjoy mountain biking. One can ride from Jalori Pass to Aut via Shoja and Seraj Valley and may have to face challenging terrain. It is advisable to go in groups, just incase one might need some support.
Another great option for mountain biking would be the hills of Garhwal, Uttarakhand. The ideal trail near Delhi is the Mussoorie-Dhanaulti-New TehriUkhimath-Chopta-Chamoli. Contemplate the serene nature and get some enthralling views of the landscape whether you ride up the hill or downwards. This mountain bike riding requires immense stamina, so make sure you have enough.
With a consistently growing middle class and increasing disposable income, the tourism and hospitality sector is witnessing a healthy growth and accounts for 7.5 per cent of the country's GDP. According to a report by KPMG, the hospitality sector in India is expected to grow at 16.1 per cent CAGR to reach Rs 2,796.9 thousand crore in 2022.The hospitality sector encompasses a wide variety of activities within the services sector and is a major job provider both direct and indirectly. The sector attracts the most FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) inflow and is the most important net foreign exchange earners for the country. It also contributes significantly to indirect tax revenue at the state and central level which includes revenues from VAT, Service Tax, and Luxury Tax etc.
The growth in the hospitality sector and its contributions to the GDP will continue to be substantially higher than other sectors of the economy on the back of huge tourism potential in the country. However, the hospitality sector is one of the most heavily taxed industries and is saddled with multiple layers of tax such as VAT, service tax, luxury tax, etc. ranging from 20 per cent - 30 per cent. This multiple taxations adds to operational costs and reduces profitability. While the operationalization of the much awaited GST regime is expected to rationalise the taxation structure, bring a positive outcome with streamlined taxes, enhance ease of doing business and lower cost for the consumers, there is an urgent need for lowering the tax levied, to incentivize and attract more investments to the sector.
Infrastructure development is the backbone and key to the growth of the hospitality sector. Taxes on real estate development for the hospitality sector must be lowered to boost investments as there is an acute shortage of good quality accommodation in the country. Secondly, the industry has been clamouring for industry status for over two decades. Providing industry status to the hospitality sector will go a long way in attracting investment and development of the sector. With India projected to be the fastest growing nation in the wellness tourism sector in the next five years, at over 20 per cent gains annually through 2017 (SRI International), infrastructure development becomes critical in order to support this growth.
The government must also look at incentivizing investment in the development of luxury and ultra-luxury projects which will provide impetus to the hospitality and travel sector in India. The government should also provide service tax exemption for new developments and a longer tax holiday for new hotels and resorts that will help in attracting investments into the industry. Also, the tax rate for the sector needs to be lowered from the proposed 18% tax slab under consideration for the new GST regime.
The hospitality industry relies on a host of enabling the ecosystem to function and has a reciprocal relationship with several other sectors like transportation, entertainment, aviation etc. Strengthening these related sectors will lead to the growth and development of the hospitality sector. Therefore, single window clearance for real estate and hospitality projects and providing infrastructure status to the hospitality industry are much-needed steps for the growth of the industry.
The hospitality sector has the potential to be the main driving force behind the growth of the economy. It, however, will be possible only with the right amount of support and incentives from the government in all categories of hotels and not only limited to the luxury and ultra-luxury segment. I believe that the government must provide its full support in incentivizing the sector and the overall taxation on the hospitality sector should be reduced to stimulate its growth and make India competitive against other internationally renowned hospitality chains
July 10 every year is an important day in the calendar of the MBD family. This is a humbling day for all as it reminds us of the immense responsibility on each one of us to carry on the journey which our founder Shri Ashok Kumar Malhotra ventured upon 61 years ago.
His vision and words continue to inspire each one of us. On the occasion of his 72nd birth anniversary, we pause to remember the man who envisioned his tomorrow.
Unobtrusive in his leadership, he had the innate ability to bring people together; people with different ideologies, from different industries and with different mindsets but able to connect on the same wavelength. He was able to chart a common goal and inspire all to work towards it without having to give up on their individual freedom.
With the quiet belief that one day he would make sure that every literate person would have access to an MBD book, with a princely sum of `One lakh set off to realize his dream. With the money he had, he bought his first press – the Dhanpat Rai Press. And so began the long and fruitful journey which saw Shri Ashok Kumar Malhotra create a unique and purposeful edifice – the MBD Group – which turned 60 in 2016, a diamond in the publishing crown.
Our founder’s life was blessed and extraordinary as he traversed an amazing journey. Innovative and out-of-the-box thinking was his credo and to achieve brilliance in whatever he did each day. A firm believer and a man of faith he never credited himself with his success, but laid it all the feet of the Almighty and his people. He was a pillar of strength not only for his family, but also for the organization which he considered to be his extended family.
And so on this day every year, we take a solemn vow to keep walking on the ethics and values laid down by our founder at the MBD Group and work with the dynamism and zest bequeathed to us by him.
Today MBD Group is the largest education company in India with over six decades of experience, diversified into various industries including elearning, m-learning, skill development, eco-friendly notebooks, paper manufacturing, ICT infrastructure, hospitality, project design and construction management, real estate, mall development and management.
Our foray into the hospitality business was in fact also steeped in the vision that our founder had for the Group. And we are proud that MBD now owns and manages two 5 star deluxe hotels – the Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Noida and the Radisson Blu Hotel MBD Ludhiana. The Group has also ventured into premium and luxury mixed-use developments encompassing 5-star hotel, premium retail and entertainment under the brand name “The MBD Neopolis” and operating successfully out of Ludhiana and Jalandhar.
Taking our success in the hospitality sector further, we introduced a whole new level of extravagance with the MBD Privé Collection; to redefine the whole experience of staying at a hotel
Charity for our founder always began at home. He had a deep sense of gratitude for everything he had gotten and wanted to give back to society as a mark of appreciation. His heart lay in helping the underprivileged, helping them live a life of dignity. Through his life example, we at MBD have learned that a worthy life is one that is lived in the service of others.
With this aim, the MBD Group set up the AKM Charitable Trust with the sole purpose of extending a helping hand to all vulnerable sections of society. The Group has also been working hard on projects and events with the motto of achieving education for all.
Malhotra, “The year 2016 marked MBD Group’s Diamond Jubilee. Our founder, Shri Ashok Kumar Malhotra Ji, believed that ‘One could be the biggest or be the best, but there cannot be an accomplishment if the biggest isn’t the best’... So strive to be the best.” With him, we discovered that a great brand only thrives when there is a vision to guide your journey. The relentless effort of MBDians, their motivational quest for growth, their belief and dedication to their work, collectively with the fervour to accomplish the unachievable and smash all shackles, has helped the MBD Group achieve such massive growth year on year.
Thank you for being part of the MBD Family, thank you for making this journey possible and we hope you will be a part of it for years to come.
You can find one in every nook and cranny of this wide, vast and fascinating world. And their stories are equally fascinating and filled with adventure, dreams and self-belief. The Indian diaspora is epic, you will find a singular resident Indian couple prancing in the icy, cold, remote Faroe Islands somewhere between Norway and Iceland, Gujarati shopkeepers in war torn Eritrea in East Africa or Sikh billionaires in the banana plantations of Woolgoolga in Australia’s New South Wales. The diaspora has done its country of origin very proud; wherever Indians travelled they struck success sooner or later; they may not have assimilated but were proud to keep Indian traditions alive. In the Platform section this month we showcase a tiny glimpse of the huge Indian diaspora and some of the truly inspiring success stories.
In fact, these Indians, better known as NRIs, are great consumers of all things Indian and one of the greatest movie minds of our times did not take long to discover its potential and tap into the market. He was none other than the brash and beautiful Karan Johar who made films not only based on NRIs but created a whole new genre catering to our desi brothers in distant lands. Our cover story, in fact, is a look at this amazing young man who wears the title of the Bollywood Showman not too lightly. Along with Bollywood’s coming of age and its global appeal, a quiet revolution has been going on in the country’s vineyards across Nashik in Maharashtra and the Nandi Hills in Karnataka. India is producing world class wines and making it to tables the world over. So go on savour the coming-of-age story of Indian wines.
An unusual and reassuring story from Kabul caught our eye about an all girls band braving it out and not allowing its music to be silenced. On international affairs, we analyse the results of the French elections, which could impact the whole European Union, at a time when the whole concept of a united Europe seems a little stretched.
And to refresh the body, mind, and soul, a sniff and a smell could work wonders as our article on aromatherapy will inform. And for more goodies and fun, read on.There’s something for everyone!
CRICKET// Mumbai Indians won the Indian Premier League for the third time after a heart-stopping win over Rising Pune Supergiant in 2017 IPL final. Rohit Sharma’s men defended their total of 129 for eight as they pulled off a one-run victory in Hyderabad. Mumbai Indians once again showed off their death bowling muscle as they eked out avictory over in dramatic fashion. In one of the closest finals during the 10 editions, the trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mitchell Johnson and Lasith Malinga were brilliant at the death defending a lowly total of 129/8 as Supergiant were restricted to 128 for 6 at the end.
It was Johnson, who kept his nerve during the final over where 11 runs were needed. Manoj Tiwary smacked the first one to mid-wicket boundary bringing the eqaution down to 7 from 5 balls.
The next two deliveries turned out to be disaster with both Tiwary and skipper Steve Smith were caught in the deep. With four required off final ball and 3 for a Super Over, Dan Christian went for an impossible 3rd run only to be run out as Mumbai players celebrated like never before.
Credit should also be given to Bumrah and Malinga for giving away only 10 runs between them in the 17th and 18th over which suddenly increased the pressure.
With the win, Rohit Sharma became the most successful IPL captain, who led his side to the third title in the last ten years.
The win was indeed special for Rohit as well as MI, and their joy is evident from the celebratory video of the team.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION// A day before opposition parties meet in a big show of strength over lunch hosted by Congress president Sonia Gandhi to discuss a joint candidate to field for President, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has pitched for a consensus candidate one supported by both opposition parties and the government.
It was not a complete surprise. Ms Banerjee had just emerged from a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, one that she insisted focused “only on the development of Bengal and not on politics.” Before that meeting, sources close to her said her Trinamool Congress’ support will depend on who the opposition’s candidate is and whether a consensus can emerge around the person’s name.
The President is the custodian of the Constitution and it will be very good for the entire country if we have a consensus candidate much like APJ Abdul Kalam,” said Ms Banerjee, reiterating that she did not discuss the
DIPLOMACY// In a rare instance of mutual understanding, India thanked Pakistan’s diplomats and judiciary after an Indian national returned home. Welcoming the woman from Delhi, Uzma, who had accused a Pakistani man of marrying her forcefully, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said India would like to thank Pakistan irrespective of the current status of bilateral political relation. “Today I would like to express our appreciation of Pakistan irrespective of the current state of bilateral ties. If Uzma is here today, that is because the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan has helped us a lot. Pakistan’s Home Ministry has also helped us a lot,” said Ms Swaraj, emphasising that the Indian High Commission received humanitarian support from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Minister, who tracked the case since Ms. Uzma came to the Indian mission in Islamabad in early May and sought help, said the diplomats of the mission acted swiftly in assisting her.
OPEARATIONS// The Indian Army, in an emergency briefing, announced that it has conducted punitive fire assaults on Pakistani Army posts across the Line of Control. Addressing the media over the counter-insurgency operations in Nowshera sector in Jammu and Kashmir, ADGPI Major General Ashok Narula stated that punitive action is being undertaken by the Indian Army across the LoC.
The Indian Army has inflicted damage to posts across LoC in Naushera sector in response to firing by Pakistan,” Major General Narula said. “The Pakistani Army has been providing support to armed infiltrators. The locations aiding infiltration of terrorists are being targeted and destroyed,” he added. The Army has also released a video of the Pakistani bunkers being destroyed. The Indian Army proactively dominates the LoC, said Major General Narula, adding that the Army wants peace and tranquillity in Jammu and Kashmir.
On May 17, Pakistan Rangers violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) by firing rounds on forward posts in the Balakote sector of Jammu of Kashmir. This was the eighth such violation in less than two weeks. On May 13, two civilians were killed and three were injured in ceasefire violations by Pakistan when it targeted civilian areas in India. Over the past few weeks, a chain of protocol breach was recorded in the tension-ridden Line of Control, leading to the evacuation of over 1,000 villagers from the region. Information also suggested that the violations were largely recorded in Nowshera in Rajouri district. Nearly 1700 people have already been evacuated from the LoC hamlets hit by shelling from Pakistani firing and shifted to relief camps.
Around 10,042 people from over 2,694 families have been affected by the continued shelling from across the border, officials state
SOCCER// Manchester United gave its grieving home city a moment to cheer by winning the Europa League on thursday morning, beating Ajax 2-0 in the final thanks to goals by Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Mkhitaryan scored the second goal in the 48th minute, hooking the ball in from close range from a corner - the win earning United the bonus prize of a place in next season’s Champions League.
It also meant coach Jose Mourinho finished his first season at England's biggest club with two trophies after United also won the English League Cup in February.
The game was billed as a clash between the pragmatism of Mourinho's United against the swagger and youthful exuberance of an Ajax side featuring six players aged 21 or under and in the club's first European final in 21 years.
It came as no surprise that United's players were able to impose themselves over such inexperienced opponents, with Pogba - the world’s most expensive player - standing out.
APPEAL// Stressing the need to provide affordable health care to the poor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called on start-ups to make medical equipment indigenously to reduce dependence on import. “More than 10 lakh people get detected with cancer every year and around 6.5 lakh die of the disease annually. International Agency for Research on Cancer has expressed apprehensions that the figures will only double in 30 years,” Modi said after launching a book to mark Tata Memorial Centre’s 75 years of social service. He was addressing the event held in Mumbai through video conferencing from New Delhi. The prime minister said that 70 per cent of the equipments used to treat patients are imported from foreign countries, which raises the cost of treatment substantially. “This situation has to change because it makes the treatment very costly,” he said. “I call on the start-up industry to come forward and do research on how can medical devices be manufactured indigenously. We want that devices get manufactured here so that patients can benefit,” he said. The prime minister said the government’s aim is to provide cheapest and best of health facilities to the poor and needy and it has thus, come up with a national health policy using a holistic approach after a span of 15 years
ATTACKS// The attack outside an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena killed at least 22 people, including children on May 22 and was carried out by a lone suspect carrying a bomb, Manchester Police said. “The attacker, I can confirm, died at the arena. We believe the attacker was carrying an improvised explosive device, which he detonated, causing this atrocity,” said Chief Constable Ian Hopkins. While police believe the suspect was acting alone, investigations are ongoing to establish if he was part of a network.
As many as 400 police were deployed overnight, Hopkins said early Tuesday. He added that residents should expect to see more armed officers on the streets. It would be the deadliest attack on British soil since the 2005 London bombings, which killed 52 people. The incident happened shortly after Grande had left the stage, according to eyewitnesses. Coral Long, the mother of a 10-year-old concertgoer, told CNN's Hala Gorani that they were getting ready to leave the arena when they heard a loud bang from the left side of the arena.
The city's Manchester Royal Infirmary Hospital was blocked off to all but essential staff due to what the facility called a major incident.
Grande, who had just finished the first of three scheduled UK performances when the blast hit, was not injured. She tweeted several hours later: “broken. from the bottom of my heart, i am so so sorry. i don't have words.” After the initial incident, police carried out a precautionary controlled explosion nearby but the item turned out to be discarded clothing, not a “suspicious item,” Greater Manchester Police said. British Prime Minister Theresa May issued a statement, confirming that police are treating the incident as a terror attack. She has suspended campaigning for June 8 general election. Universal Music Group, parent company for Grande's record label, Republic Records, posted a statement on Facebook.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of tonight's devastating event in Manchester. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this tragedy,” the post says.