The maiden monetary policy announced by the new RBI Governor Urjit Patel, under the aegis of the recently constituted Monetary Policy Committee, was widely believed to take an accommodative stance towards tackling the growth-inflation dynamics. The policy has delivered overwhelmingly on the expectations and the RBI Governor is to be commended for a prudent and visionary approach while providing a policy direction to the macro-economy.
Industry is greatly encouraged by the decision by the RBI to cut policy rates by 25 basis points, the first in six months, which, even though symbolic, has sent a positive signal down the line that the RBI is now firmly focused on revving up the growth engine even while maintaining a delicate balance between growth and inflation.
The need for a rate cut and other liquidity supporting measures was intensely felt for two major reasons. Firstly, the recovery in the economy has been patchy. This is borne from the fact that GDP growth has moderated to 7.1 per cent during the first quarter of 2016-17 as against 7.5 per cent during the corresponding period last year, which is the slowest in five quarters. At the same time, industrial production has contracted and private investment is yet to gain traction.
Producer margins remain low despite low input costs, which are holding back capacity expansion and investment in industry. This is also highlighted in the CII ASCON Survey, according to which majority of sectors reported capacity utilisation in the range of 50-75 per cent during the last quarter of financial year 2016 as well as the first quarter of financial year 2017.
Nevertheless, there are firm indications that the economy would be turning the corner in the coming quarters and new growth opportunities would emerge especially during the second half of the year when the anticipated boost in demand takes root propelled by good monsoons, the Pay Commission Award and the recent reform initiatives announced by the government. The survey also shows that some improvement is expected in the second quarter, as 40 per cent of respondents have reported an expected increase in capacity utilisation to 75-100 per cent. The cut in policy rates was considered important for turning the expectations of a turnaround into reality.
Besides, our low current account deficit and robust foreign exchange reserves are the other positives which have created space for rate cuts.
Upside risks to inflation have considerably diminished on account of the recent supply side management measures taken by the government. This taken together with near normal monsoons should usher in a benign inflation trajectory during the second half of the year and bring retail inflation within the overall target mandated by the RBI. Already, retail inflation is down and WPI inflation would also follow the trail of CPI on the back of record food-production anticipated this year. This has also been conceded by the Monetary Policy Committee which has alluded to the recent downward trajectory of CPI inflation owing to a moderation in food prices which has given a leg-room to the RBI to administer a rate cut.
While the government has in recent months taken steps to rejuvenate the economy, contain inflation and improve the investment climate, much more is required at the policy and execution level to revert to the desired trajectory of growth. It is in this context that there was anticipation on RBI’s guidance on growth and inflation and its policy actions on the rate and liquidity front which would reduce the cost of capital and bring investment and growth back to the economy. The RBI decision is also timely since it has come at a time when interest rates, the world over, have been softening and credit demand by industry is flat.
The RBI’s decision to ease interest rates would provide succor to industry which has long been afflicted by weak order book conditions and create conditions for investment revival.
The rate cut would spur demand in the rate sensitive sectors like automobiles, home loans and consumer durables segment, among others thereby helping firms to resume their investment plans. The Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) and the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sectors would be particularly benefitted from the growthinducing shift in the monetary policy stance.
Already the real estate developers are lining up projects anticipating a demand revival spurred by the rate cut. Similar is the case with sectors such as automobiles and consumer durables which are terming the rate cut as a ‘festive gift’ by the RBI.
The benefit of lowering of policy rates would also accrue to the infrastructure and power sectors thereby kick-starting the investment cycle in these core sectors. It would lower the cost of government borrowing, give a fillip to public investment and boost private spending in infrastructure. Moreover, the approach of the RBI towards NPAs reflects pragmatism. It indicates that the problem of stressed assets should not come in the way of credit flow to important sectors within industry such as infrastructure which support growth.
Presently, we are at the threshold of the busy credit season when the spike in demand for bank credit is anticipated to go up. It is hoped that the slashing of key policy rate would nudge the banks to transmit the benefit of the cut to borrowers which in turn would trigger the growth impulses and give a boost to demand.
In short, the fourth Monetary Policy Statement marks a significant shift in the way the monetary levers would be used to handle inflation while providing a compelling template for lifting growth to higher levels by supporting revival of investment demand.
It is hoped that the government would support the RBI by keeping up the momentum of reform – continuing with infrastructure investment and work towards mitigating the problem of bad loans by banks – so that lending can be resumed for otherwise viable projects.
Captain Ramya Kirti Gupta, 36 years, was the toast of the nation few months ago as part of the Air India operated historic longest (17 hrs) flight with all women crew from Delhi to San Francisco on the occasion of International Women’s Day. She was part of the four women crew in the cockpit. Gupta of course praises her university, Banasthali Vidyapith, Rajasthan, that sponsored her private pilot license, thus providing the necessary fuel to her passion for flying. You may say she has the talent, so she earned it. Gupta insists that had it not been a women’s university, she could have been distracted.
Delhi-based Ashima Upadhyay, 23 years, has studied in a co-educational institution but did her graduation and post graduation from a girl’s college and a women’s university. Now, an academic trainer, her research paper in post graduation was on the relevance of women’s universities in India in the contemporary time. “I chose the subject because studying at Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey Women’s University (SNDTWU), Mumbai made such a deep impact. Taking SNDTWU as the fulcrum of my research, my focus was on the need for women’s universities in India in a developing world. My research revealed that all the stakeholders including parents, students, teachers, community representatives and non-teaching staff believed that the university must still be a women’s university. Hence, I strongly support the fact that women’s learning institutions still hold due relevance and are the need of the hour.” In fact, Dr Reeta Sonawat, Head of PG Department of Human Development, SNDTWU, talks of a significant social revolution here. “The enrolment of minority students has increased significantly in the last decade in the university. Obviously, parents are opening up to women’s education and the fact that ours is a women’s only campus makes them feel more secure.”
RELEVANCE REFLECTS
Austrian author and Holocaust survivor, Viktor E Frankl, observes, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lie our growth and our freedom.” Dr Siddharth Shastri seems to echo this thought when he debated on the relevance of a women’s university in today’s time.
“Look around and you will get the answer. A women’s centre makes you feel rooted while giving you wings to fly. Our extra curricular activities does not include just Indian classical dance. It also includes horse riding, swimming, flying, judo, karate, malkhamb, Manipuri martial art, archery and shooting. We also have a basket ball court and a cricket ground. One of our students, Avni Chaturvedi, is one of the first three Indian women fighter pilots. So, yes, a woman’s centre of learning is still a requirement for facing the world with a chin up. Otherwise, we would not have 15,000 students. We started with just seven in 1935,”states Dr Shastri.
Dr Shastri should know as he is the Vice-President of Banasthali Vidyapith. He claims it to be the largest residential women’s university in the world. Spread across 860 acres with 45 hostels, Banasthali Vidyapith is 70 kms from Jaipur, Rajasthan. The deemed university offers courses in every discipline except medicine and runs classes from nursery to doctorate level.
Dr Swati Banerjee, Associate Professor, School of Social Work, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, argued her point while weighing the relevance with harsh numbers. According to the 2011 census of India, the literacy rate for men is 82.14 per cent and for women 65.46 per cent. The vast difference at the basic level itself breaks the myth of gender equity in the 21st century. Women constitute about 44.4 per cent of the total enrolment in higher education, according to the All India Survey on Higher Education, Government of India, 2011-12; which also shows a substantial gender disparity. This shows that lack of educational access, deprivation and inequity are still continuing realities.
Dr Banerjee continues, “Most women’s universities across the world were born out of a vision of gender justice, empowerment and inclusion of those women who would otherwise be denied access to higher education because of underlying patriarchy and intersecting deep rooted structural inequities. In India too, the women-only institutions emerged from such ideological moorings.” In recent times, there is an emphasis on women’s universities in countries like Bangladesh and Afghanistan. “The Asian University for Women in Bangladesh started as recently as 2012. In a country like India and many other South Asian countries, where there is still strong gender disparity, which is also reflected in literacy and enrolment rates in primary education and participation in higher education, all-women’s institutions still play a viable role towards inclusion of women in educational spaces,” observes Dr Banerjee.
SEGREGATION EMPOWERS
The crux of the matter, thus, while debating about its relevance is whether a women’s university empowers women in today’s complex times. Debi Ghosh, Lecturer of English, Tolani College of Commerce (co-educational institute), University of Mumbai, observes, “Today, when certain extremist groups vociferously and relentlessly curb the basic rights of women, it is essential to have women’s universities as they not only harbour strong, but fair feminist views as well. Such thoughts and ideas are necessary to permeate the social fabric so as to protect women’s rightful identity and place.”
Also, the efficacy of a women’s university finally determines how its students fare outside the university premise. Knowledge does not get one a degree but more importantly empowerment. This goes a long way in shaping one’s attitude, conviction and confidence. “Unlike a co-education university, here girl students get to experience every role in administration and finance, be it leadership, marketing, facilitating as university senate or student council members. In co-educational institutions, they often get sidelined or do not get such opportunities,” feels Dr Sonawat. Ghosh reflects, “Students of women’s universities get duly sensitised to women’s issues and challenges which holds them good in later life.”
Somewhere, the concept of a women’s university must be working for a variety of reasons as mentioned above. Otherwise SNDTWU would not have successfully completed a century this year, note the academicians.
SEGREGATION EMPOWERS
But with changing time, with more women joining the work force, interaction with the opposite gender has also become all the more necessary. As Gupta maintains, “Banasthali equipped me with knowledge and confidence to take on challenges. But later at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur and Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Academy (IGRUA), Rae Bareli, which are coeducation institutions, I was able to relate to the other gender’s thoughts and ideas. It improved my interpersonal communication skills, which is a must in the professional world,” explains Gupta.
Documentary filmmaker Tanushri Upadhyay, adds, “Feminist Mary Wollstonecraft had maintained that schooling should be coeducational. If both the genders have to co-exist then both should receive same education and opportunity. Interaction among genders is important primarily because it broadens the perspective and also kills inhibition about the opposite gender.”
Dr Banerjee strikes the perfect balance looking at the overall patriarchal context that we are in. “Gender neutral education space is ideal. May be at some point, co-education learning has its benefits, especially in the increasingly globalised world that we live in. However, it is also a world where at every turn, women’s rights are transgressed. Hence, it is important that women universities exist and their numbers increase.”
In the earthquakes that struck Nepal on April 25 and May 12, 2015, the country lost about 9000 lives and over half a million homes were destroyed. The earthquakes also affected about 2,900 heritage structures. Total estimated damages to tangible heritage came to Rs 1,074 crore ($ 160 million).
Kathmandu Valley - an unparalleled concentration of cultural heritage in the world - with seven World Heritage Sites, a large number of national monuments and an even larger number of community- and privately-owned heritage, also suffered significant damage. Some of the major monuments in Kathmandu’s seven World Heritage Zones were badly damaged and many collapsed to rubble.
The loss in revenue due to decline in ticket sales to damaged monuments within Kathmandu Valley for the first 12 months alone was estimated at about Rs 40 crore ($ 6 million).
Though the earthquakes are undoubtedly an enormous human tragedy, the loss of heritage is much more than just physical damage. Restoration work requires good documentation, authenticity, skilled workers, large amounts of traditional materials, sustained efforts and time, all of which are in short supply and as if this was not enough, funds are quite hard to come by.
In the post-earthquake scenario, already pressed governments may not have the capacity, experience or bandwidth to address the immediate needs of damaged heritage. Unattended damaged sites can see rapid deterioration and even complete destruction due to multiple factors including theft, effect of rain, snow, humidity, fires, even salvage and reuse of priceless elements for other purposes.
It’s quite heartening that in the post-earthquake scenario, it was the people of Nepal that came to the rescue of heritage sites. Kai Weise, eminent conservation architect for Nepal, in the article, “Conserving Continuity”, that appeared in Himal Southasian mentions that the spontaneous reaction by the people was linked to the Valley’s ancient Guthi system – a system of local kinship organisations that amongst other things were responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of monuments. Though this system was subsumed into the government and the community ownership of the monuments lost, the communities’ response shows that their sense of belonging and responsibility remains.
The Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust (KVPT), working in the Valley since 1991 has been in collaboration with the Nepal Archaeological Department responsible for the protection, restoration and upkeep of over 50 monuments in the Kathmandu Valley. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Patan Durbar Square which was badly hit with six major monuments, including the Char Narayana, Radha Rani, Hari Shankar temples and the twin Mani Mandapas, were completely damaged.
Dr Rohit Ranjitkar, Director, KVPT, explained that the first step has been proper storage of all that could be salvaged. Some portions that were partially damaged in the earthquakes were under restoration prior to the earthquake; since complete documentation was available, they were taken up on priority and these are at an advanced stage of completion. Sundari Chowk, which is undoubtedly one of the architectural and sculptural masterpieces of the world, was under restoration when the earthquake destroyed the first floor of its eastern wing. Though authenticity has been maintained while rebuilding, like using of brick in mud mortar, seismic strengthening by use of appropriate timber members has been done.
Kathmandu’s Swayambunath, centred around the massive gleaming white hemispheric dome of the mahachaitya, the main stupa and its associated buildings, was also badly hit. The Anantapur Temple’s shikar also collapsed and the stupa was left with cracks. Like elsewhere, the community was the first responder which along with the armed forces salvaged all that could be. “It was essential to seal the cracks in the stupa as rainwater ingress would cause extensive damage; expert discussions determined a process of filling up the cracks keeping in mind the monument’s inquisitive monkeys that would have most likely removed the interventions,” says Ranjitkar.
In the case of the Kathmandu Durbar square, Alok Tuladhar, an acclaimed photographer and documentarian, engaged with heritage practices, explained how the Panch Mukhi Hanuman Temple, which is a unique structure of five circular roofs built in a concentric manner, saw the toppling over of the top stories. Again, since it was already slated for restoration and repair prior to the earthquake, there was near complete documentation and that permitted the government to undertake repair work on a priority. it was completed in May 2016 and serves as a best practice for the country. A third of the total funds required for restoration were provided by the US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation, the remaining two-thirds was provided by the Department of Archaeology.
However, numerous other important structures like the Kashtamandap, considered to be a foundational structure of Kathmandu, that were completely razed by the earthquakes have seen virtually no work. Tuladhar, who belongs to a family of traditional traders, fondly recalled how his ancestors would spend his time at the Kasthamandap. Many Kathmandu residents have similar memories. Here again though progress has not been encouraging, it is citizen groups with the help of historians and conservation professionals that are keeping the pressure on the government and acting as watch dogs, monitoring proposals and interventions closely.
Speedy post-earthquake reconstruction is yet to take off in Nepal and heritage reconstruction unfortunately other than a few successful examples struggles from the lack of support and patronage. There clearly is a long way to go. It is in its loss that civil society, communities and experts are appreciating the foundational role heritage plays towards rebuilding the spirit of the people, of a culture and a country.
Globally-acclaimed as one of the foremost connoisseurs in the field of Asian art, Hugo Weihe moved from Christie’s to Sotheby’s in 1998 to establish the department of Indian and Southeast Asian Art. Within a year, he was heading Christie’s Asian Art department in America, and eventually the entire global department. In December 2013, following Weihe’s proposal, Christie’s realised its first auction sale in Mumbai. A year after joining Saffronart, Weihe calls his move ‘the next challenge’ and affirms his committed to the Indian market. Excerpts from the interview:
You switched from global art house Christie’s to Saffronart last year, which focuses on the Indian art. What made you take that step?
I love challenges. I was promoted at a time when Christie’s decided to promote the idea of doing sales in India, which we did successfully in 2013. So, I told them that the next step has to be on the ground level to take the Indian market to the next level. I was happy to take on the next challenge. At Saffronart, we have focused on Indian art definitely. There is much more to come.
Saffronart’s auction Evening Sale set records, surpassing even pre-sale estimates. How did you compile the auction?
We went about in a considerable manner and laid out the sale to promote unusual art pieces. The auction achieved a total sale value of Rs 68.55 crore ($ 10.38 million) against pre-sale estimate of Rs 62.1-87.8 crore ($ 9.4 – 13.3 million), witnessing enthusiastic bidding throughout that saw 79 per cent lots sell. Our focus was on modernism. We realise 1960s were pivotal in shaping modernism in India. We had Nasreen Mohamedi looking at abstractions; Akbar Padamsee translating colours into shades of grey. We have Ghulam Mohammed Sheikh in 1962 recurring image of his hometown. So that era saw the rise of a whole new perspective on modernism. Henceforth, we looked at the movement in a broader sense and not just through a handful of masterpieces.
Akbar Padamsee’s Greek Landscape sold for for Rs 19.19 crore, setting a world record for the artist.
That clearly is an outstanding masterpiece recognised right from the outset by his colleague Krishen Khanna. It’s truly Padamsee’s greatest achievement. When you look at it coming from 50 years down the lane, it stands out even more. Padamsee, on seeing it recently after sixty years, was blown away. His eyes lit up and he said, “It’s like I did it yesterday”.
What is your view of the present state of the Indian art market?
The Indian art market is well-informed. It keeps its focus on the best works, in the sense that the major masterpieces are picked up and are put up appropriately in the market. Also, such pieces cater to a larger audience as they are relatively fresh. That is why I was not at all surprised when Padamsee’s Greek Landscape did so well. The market is exponential. However, I find the contemporary market suffering a little bit. There also, it is about sorting out the best and presenting it aptly. But then I think the market is quite healthy and is growing when at the same time other markets are far more troubled, like the contemporary market in New York which suffered a 35 per cent decline. One of the prime reasons behind the drop is people’s unwillingness to sell best pieces.
There have been a few successful art auctions in India in the past three years. How do auctions and such mammoth figures drive economics of the art?
I think one of the most important aspects of art auctions is that they help bring international validation to the markets. We have had some of the greatest artists and their works at our auctions, and it all happened in the last couple of years. Such progress solidifies global interest and thereby the demand for art. Successful auctions posit artists in a certain light in world arenas.
Where does India stand, when seen as a global destination for art?
Talking about the position of Asian art globally, curators in Western museums have typically focused on Chinese art. India has been neglected for ages and now they all want to catch up. In India, the market has flourished in the last eight to 10 years and international market has begun to pay attention. It has taken time to develop but art exhibitions are now more frequent in India. At least now things are being taken care of and it is a positive sign indeed.
China dominates Asian art. Where is the scope for India?
Indian art is still so inexpensive. Chinese art represents one third of the world’s market. It is estimated at $6 billion or so within China and majority of that is classical Chinese art. We are working to build-up on classical Indian art within the country. I see huge potential here. We are still at a nascent stage. After all India is a young country with oddly seven decades of Independence. Indian art market actually came into action 2000 onwards. It is just 15-16 years old which is negligible when compared to the global art market.
What’s the way forward?
We all play our parts in this. We have a huge job at hand in selecting, presenting and educating larger audiences. We must make people aware by explaining the context and not just haphazardly putting things together. Galleries do primary business by bringing and supporting artists and nourishing them throughout their career. We belong to a secondary market where we take over something and build it further. I’m thrilled to be on the ground. We can try to dig deeper into history and take out as much archives as possible. A lot is there that needs to be unveiled
How’s your experience in India?
It’s fantastic. Before coming here, I looked at Indian art and culture as an outsider and it looked quite well. But it’s a different story to be here and be a part of it. I feel privileged to be able to get a look from the inside as well. It’s completely a holistic picture now. I will do whatever I can to promote Indian art and culture here as well as internationally.
Tamana Chona was born spastic and with cerebral palsy, not speaking her first words or walking till the age of nine. At 46, she is preparing two run her third halfmarathon to support the special school set up in her name by her mother, Dr Shyama Chona. Running along with her will be several supporters of Tamana, the NGO and the School of Hope.
Tamana is aware that she has come a long way. After a meeting with her, she calls to say, “I am what I am because of my Mom and Dad. People say I am handicapped. No, I’m not.” A nursery teacher at the mainstream Infant School in Delhi Public School, RK Puram, Tamana feels truly loved by everybody around her. She says, “I was born a special child, but today, everybody loves me.” Her world consists of her students, for whom she sits down at the computer every evening to research assignments, her friends at the Tamana School and her family.
As Dr Chona, a former principal of DPS, RK Puram, says, “Tamana was born with cerebral palsy.” Tamana completes the sentence, “And had delayed milestones.” Her mother continues, “Today she plays tennis, does yoga and takes hip-hop lessons.” She adds, “At our school, we make sure the kids play a lot.”
Tamana passed her 11th and 12th through the open school system and later trained in teaching nursery kids. Her resume reads, “In 2000, Delhi Public School Society employed her as a Nursery School Teacher at DPS Infant School, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi, to set an example that a special needs individual could be woven into mainstream society. She is the favourite teacher of the preschoolers at DPS who hops, skips and jumps with them.”
Family seems to be Tamana’s pivot, comprising her father, a retired Lieutenant General from the Indian Army, her brother, sister-in-law and two nieces. She played matchmaker for her brother and sister in-law, who accompanied her for Spanish classes. The family is protective, but watches from afar, allowing her to express her natural self.
Dr Chona remembers when she was born, a baby with spastic symptoms and cerebral palsy. “My world came to an end. I remember a lot of people telling me it was the result of my bad karma. But, Tamana had a beautiful smile and that’s what kept me going. I took her to UK, then the US and she underwent three surgeries before she could take her first steps. She couldn’t eat and we had to put bottled feed through her gullet, till she had mouth surgery. Tamana always had very good sensory perception, though. She couldn’t speak because of respiratory problems, but after surgery, all those words she had heard came tumbling out.” She was also enrolled in a special school.
Tamana talks easily about her childhood, but some details are hazy. She tries hard to remember how it felt when she took her first step. “I can’t remember,” she finally says. But she does remember the early years. She flops her head back and lets her hands hang limply…“That’s how I was. I used to drool too. I remember my brother taking care of me at times, when my parents were busy.” Tamana has a come a long way since and credits the change to her parents’ commitment. Through all these achievements, her education continues. Currently, she is learning to do sums in her head. “My mother is teaching me about money. So, she asks me to add numbers mentally.” Any message for parents of special children? “Don’t hide them or lock them up. Let them out to enjoy the world.”
Tamana is building up stamina for her run, helped by her friend and dietician Aditi and hip-hop teacher Pooja, coupled with tennis lessons. It helps that the day we met, the lift hadn’t been working for the last few days. Tamana sighed, “I was complaining about that, but I was told it would help me build stamina for my run.” It’s still a pain, admittedly, but she’s learning to grin and bear the climb up three flights of stairs to meet her friends at the Tamana office. And there are many friends here, including Rubaina, who coordinated our meeting. She says, “Tamana is a happy person. She loves having fun.” And if anybody’s ill, they get personal, handmade Get Well Soon cards from Tamana.
She also has friends from school and on a free day, enjoys going for movies, eating out and hanging out at the mall.” Every morning, Rubaina and Tamana also discuss issues from the newspaper, which Tamana reads religiously from front to back.
The child within Tamana is alive and well. According to her mother, she loves giving and would give away her entire wardrobe if she could. Dr Chona remarks, “Tamana doesn’t remember what she gets from people, but she loves giving, she tells me. She is happy, spontaneous and purehearted.” She adds, “I set up the school because of Tamana and didn’t realise I would be helping over a thousand kids. She is my guru.”
The school employs over 22 special kids and has trained and successfully placed several kids in various professions. Among them, Malhar, an 18-year-old student diagnosed with Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is enrolled at Tamana’s Coding Program (pilot) and was recently declared the winner of the National IT Challenge 2016, and will next compete globally with students from other countries in the Global IT Challenge in China. Devesh, 26, diagnosed with autism, completed his 12th from DPS, RK Puram and has recently been placed with an SME as a design trainee. Dr Chona believes mainstream schools still need to learn to be more sensitive and patient towards the needs of special children.
We wish more power to the mother-daughter dream team as they create a society that believes in equal opportunities.
For nearly three long years, Divya Ahluwalia Sethi inched her way through the unforgiving GurgaonNoida traffic. A gruelling journey, no less, to office and back home. Hopelessly in love with her job as a media procurement deputy manager at consumer durable company LG Electronics, she ignored the initial warning signs that her body silently whispered to her. “These must be just a few nagging stress knots,” she recklessly muffled the doubts. “At 30, you feel more or less invincible. Even in the wildest of dreams, you don’t imagine your body betraying you. Perhaps, it is an age to be reckless. Perhaps ambition does that to you. If only…,” her voice trails off as her own conviction despairs. She leaves the “if” hanging in the air, scrounging to find more words to complete the sentence.
Four hours on the road along with another eight-odd on the office chair. As sedentary as it could get, the routine assault nearly broke her back – and not just literally. The slight backache eventually turned into a severe one. So much so that she could no longer stand erect and was bed ridden for four months. She could get back on her feet but not before undergoing a painful spinal fusion surgery that involved bone grafting aided by two screws and ample metal spacers!
The storm has passed and the dust settled. The turbulent journey is over for her. But Ahluwalia is one amongst scores of knowledge workers battling vices of sedentary lives. The back is usually the first one to take a direct hit. Globally, it is amongst the top three occupational health problems. “Prolonged sitting causes the maximum intra-discal pressure. It is one of the causes for progressive disc degeneration. We strongly advise avoiding prolonged sitting. One should get up every 30 to 45 minutes and take a walk to offload the disc,” says Dr Hitesh Garg, Consultant, Orthopaedics & Spine Surgery, Artemis Hospital, Gurgaon.
He further adds that increasingly corporates are consulting spine specialists and physiotherapists to modify their workstations as per ergonomics. Some even have physiotherapists on roll to create a health-conscious environment at the workplace. A good posture is not just a factor of health but also of productivity. “Just one hour spent standing each day can help workers burn extra calories, and maintain or renew their energy levels and focus,” reasons Allan Guan, Steelcase spokesperson. Steelcase, a global company whose portfolio spans furniture and technology products and services, has some interesting products to offer in this space.
Consider Walkstation, the treadmill desk. It allows the employee to walk comfortably and burn calories while working on the computer! Or the Airtouch which enables users to change their working positions from seated to standing. The basic premise – adjusting the height helps address the stress and strain of intense computing activity. Collaborative chairs such as Buoy are designed to promote movement in the workplace, its curved base supports the body as it tilts, wobbles and spins.
“An increasing number of organisations are beginning to recognise the importance of offering various postures in the workplace to support their workers’ wellbeing. A healthy day should find a balance between sitting, standing and walking. Movement during the day isn’t just critical for physical wellbeing. We also become more engaged, more creative, and more productive when we incorporate movement and activity in our day. In India, many customers in the oil and gas sector such as Shell and ExxonMobil have actively incorporated options for various postures in their workplaces,” adds Guan.
Understandable, considering the enormous disease burden. A study by Ohio State University’s Spine Research Institute estimated the average total cost of back pain in the US at nearly $200 billion! Unfortunately, there are no clear estimates available for India. “Nor do we have any standard of our own,” reflects Dr B R Chaitanya who co-founded ErgoWorks in 2003 with the mission - “Work should not hurt.” Having worked with clients such as Google, Amazon India, Intel, Philips, Ericsson, Alcatel Lucent, Goldman Sachs, he has his finger on the pulse of the industry. “There has been no work in this area since 1962, the year Dr Debashish Chakravarty released his seminal work.
In the absence of a standard of our own, architects in India follow American and European standards like Business Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA). Those standards suit the anthropological measurements of that region, not ours. The average height of a man in India is 5.7 inches; in US it is 5.10 inches. How do you compare the two. That’s the reason why lower back pain, neck pain and wrist injuries have become so common today,” he reasons.
Dr Chakravarty strongly recommends using a height adjustable table and a good chair. “Their cost is nominal and the return on investment good. The employee has to take onus of his own health. Take a break every 30 minutes… Walk for about 20 feet. It is the least you can do.” Apart from customised ergonomic training, injuryrisk analysis and workstation evaluation, ErgoWorks also offers a host of products such as wrist pillow, angular laptop stand, lower back support accessories and more.
Vinoth Kumar Ranganathan, a product marketing professional with Ford Auto, took the cue early on. A timely consultation with the doctor was enough for him to understand that he wasn’t sitting right. Engrossed in work, he had been unmindfully leaning towards his computer, thus disturbing the alignment of his neck, head and spine. It was a juvenile folly that could have easily lead to cervical spine deformation. Kumar didn’t just stop at checking his posture, he also invested in a standing desk. “I take short breaks from my chair to stand and work on my desk. The idea is to break the repetitive motion pattern of the chair. That, coupled with a quick stretch and a stroll to the water cooler improves blood circulation. My neck pain is gone and my energy levels have certainly improved.”
Even though she is not singing as frequently as she used to, there’s hardly a day in the life of an average Indian when he doesn’t get to hear the melodious voice of Lata Mangeshkar. It either plays on television and radio, at music stores or any place that you would regularly cross. Such is the impression of her golden voice which has ruled our hearts for over seven decades. In her prolific career, Lata has seen many challenges and also contributed to the music industry, knowingly or unknowingly. In this special interview, the Nightingale of India looks back at some of her milestones. Excerpts from the interview:
In October, you completed 75 years of your career in music. Doesn’t it sound incredible?
It is heart-warming but also a feeling that numbs me sometimes. To take a moment to realise that I’ve been singing for 75 years now, I feel blessed immensely. Somebody up there has been constantly watching over me while I worked relentlessly. I had never thought about how far I’d go when my journey began. Being the eldest daughter I had responsibilities of my family after my father’s demise. So the only thing I knew was to utilise my skills in the best way possible. I made sure I gave my best to every composition. I’d never allow my music directors to have any complaints with me.
How did working with some great music composers help you evolve as a vocalist?
Throughout the journey, whoever taught me any little about music has been a guru for me. I used to observe their working styles, listen to the advices they gave, pay keen attention like a student. Every director demanded certain specificity in a certain song, and I’d very well take note of that. Anil Biswas taught me how to take intermittent breaths without rupturing the taal of the song. Then, Master Ghulam Haider made me realise the significance of the situation of the heroine that I would playback for in the track apart from giving me a major break in the Hindi film industry. Nushad Ali sahab paid attention to diction and helped in improving Urdu pronunciations. Composers like Madan Mohan, Jaidev, Salil Chowdhury, Shankar Jaikishan, Ghulam Mohammad, S D Burman, R D Burman have been of great influence too. Otherwise, I got my classical training under the guidance of Ustad Aman Ali Khan of the Bhendibazar gharana and Amanat Khan Devaswale.
The playback singers were not given due credibility for their respective songs until you made it happen in the late 40s. What’s the story behind this?
My song Aayega Aanewala was the game changer in this case. The song was accredited to Kamini- the character played by Madhubala in the film Mahal (1949). That is how it used to work then; music records were registered in the names of respective characters played on-screen. But when this track was played by the All India Radio (AIR), the phone lines got jammed due to the number of callers enquiring the name of the vocalist. Eventually, my name was revealed by AIR. After this incident, I requested actor and director Raj Kapoor that the vocalist be given the credit for his/her song. A new trend got into action with his next film Barsaat.
You’ve fought many battles over royalty. Did you continue seeking it even after your fallout with Mohammed Rafi and Raj Kapoor on the issue?
We all singers had an association. It first began in a meeting when most of us decided to take royalty from The Gramophone Company (HMV, Saregama). However, the record company passed the buck to the producers. As a result, most of the producers retained songs in their films but stopped giving them to The Gramophone Company. Ultimately, producers bore the brunt and suffered losses. Asha (Bhosle) and I used take royalty from everyone. But I demanded it for others too. In between, Rafi sahab and I also got into a spat over this issue. The situation got ugly which dismantled our association. But I continued taking royalty.
Today singers are replaced when they demand royalty. For instance, Sonu Nigam missed out on a chunk of work...
In those days there was unity among playback singers. So people would listen to us. But it is not the case today. If Sonu or Sunidhi (Chauhan) refuse to sing, there are many others out there to take their position. They won’t mind compromising work ethics to get songs.
Why did Lata Mangeshkar have to become Anand Ghan?
It all started when Bhaiji Baba called me and said he was making a Marathi movie but the music director had backed out at the last minute. I jestingly told him that I would to do the music for him. Though he was taken aback, he asked me to use a pseudonym because he didn’t want me to receive criticism, if at all it came. Fortunately, I created music for four Marathi films and all of them impressed the audience.
Why didn’t you try scoring music for Hindi films?
I was busy recording songs. I was least interested in getting those hassles of approvals from the producers or making changes according to their whims and fancies. Hrishikesh Mukherjee even asked me to do music for Anand. But I declined the offer. Nonetheless, I could not have composed music as brilliantly as Salil Chowdhury.
You sang in almost every film by Yash Raj Films until 2000. Does it bother you not to have sung in Yash Chopra’s last movie, Jab Tak Hai Jaan?
I have had family-like relations with Yashji. He used to call me didi. Even today when I call his wife Pamelaji, she greets me very well. I have sung in almost all his films. Maybe, there was no situation in Jab Tak Hai Jaan where my voice could have suited. Anyway, I wouldn’t be able to sing the kind of music they are producing today. Now everything has changed... Main shayad unke gaane gaane ke kaabil nahin hun.
Driving from Pune to Nashik, one is greeted by a variety of landscapes – mountains at a distance, villages, towns, even a brief stretch of a jungle and a river.
As one progresses, one enters the town of Narayangaon, a-not-tooclean-place which is known to space scientists and astronomers, not only from India, but from other countries too. It is just another small town and quite understandably one may wonder why it is known to the scientific community. Go a little further and at one point the road bifurcates – the one going ahead is for Nashik and the road turning right takes one to a narrow cobbled stretch. Pass through the fields, villages and old structures, suddenly at a distance the sight of an enormous dish antenna greets you. Sure, it is an awesome sight. We are approaching the town of Khodad – the home of the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT), which is part of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.
Narayangoan is the last big town before GMRT, and for those coming from Pune which is usually the case, it has almost become the gateway to the hi-tech facility. The scenario has a tinge of irony because GMRT, which aims for the stars, is surrounded by a landscape which carries no sign of development. The picture is in total contrast.
At the entrance of GMRT, there is a huge board welcoming visitors. But, do not get misled because one cannot have an easy access to the place. At the gate there is a security check which is done politely and once you are cleared to enter your mobile phone has to be deactivated. Throughout your stay at GMRT, there is no way one can use mobile phones as it may interfere with the working of the radio telescopes.
The GMRT has been described as the world’s largest fully operational low frequency radio telescope.
Consisting of 30 dish antennas, each of 45 metre in diameter, it is spread out over a region of almost 25 kms. Of the 30, 14 are located more or less randomly in a central region, while the remaining 16 are placed along the three arms of a ‘Y’ shaped configuration over a much larger region.
The GMRT project, a brain child of Govind Swarup, the father of Indian radio astronomy, has for more than a decade been detecting ground-breaking astronomical activities which has won global acclaim. On account of its reputation it has been attracting astronomers from all over the world and many are in a queue to use the facility to do research.
The first observations of GMRT were done with a test system in 1997 and it came into regular use from 1998. On October 4, 2001, it was declared open to the international community. Coincidentally, it was on this very day in 1957, that the world rocketed into the space age with the launch of Sputnik by the former Soviet Union.
India and China may have political differences, but it has apparently not impacted the scientific community of both the nations, especially the space scientists. How else does one explain the fact that Chinese astronomers have sent 14 research proposals to date for consideration. Some of the other countries which have evinced keen interest in the GMRT facility are Chile, Iran, Taiwan, Nigeria and South Africa.
It was the first telescope in the world to survey a certain type of astronomical activity. GMRT has been used to uncover interesting new results on normal and active galaxies. Various groups have used the facility to carry out deep surveys of specific regions of the sky to obtain detailed properties of what is known as “extragalactic” sources Keeping in view the future demands, GMRT has been upgraded.
Till now, the GMRT was essentially an observatory surveying the skies to uncover some new and unusual astronomical activity. But, on the night of October 19, 2016, the GMRT did a different type of monitoring which is historical, endorsing the scientific credentials of India.
It was chosen by none other than Nasa to monitor and receive signals from the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Schiaparelli lander while it zoomed towards Mars at a whopping speed of 21,000 kmh and touched down on the Red Planet.
This correspondent, who was present in the GMRT’s control room on that historical night, witnessed the thrill and excitement of a Mars mission in real time and subsequently the disappointment when Schiaparelli failed to transmit a signal after touchdown.
From 6 pm onwards on October 19, scientists were glued to the computers monitoring every aspect of the nail-biting flight. As the moment neared for the entry of the spacecraft to Mars, the control room started getting packed with scientists, all exchanging remarks in a hushed voice about the data being flashed on the computers.
There were cheers and applause when it was confirmed that Schiaparelli’s parachute was deployed flawlessly without a hitch prior to its much-awaited landing, but this festive mood turned grim when the lander did not send a signal after landing at 8.27 pm. The scientists waited for some time in the control room hoping that that Schiaparelli will say “hello”. When no word came, they walked out feeling disappointed, speculating what could have gone wrong with the spacecraft.
Stephan Esterhulzen of Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), who was constantly in touch with his institution – JPL – and the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) at Darmstadt in Germany – during the flight, described GMRT as an excellent world-class facility.
“We were the first to receive all the signals from Schiaparelli,” he said. It was from here that the signals flashed in a second to ESOC and JPL.
GMRT director Swarna Ghosh said that it was selected by Nasa for the European Mars Mission because of its sensitivity and some technical advantages over other similar global facilities. “This is the first time that GMRT has been used for a space mission,” he observed while stressing that it was executed flawlessly.
About the failure of Schiaparelli to transit a signal, GMRT dean Yeshwant Gupta said, “It is a real pity that 99 per cent of its journey was completed, unfortunately it did not finish that one per cent.” “However, it was a historic day for us at GMRT because it proved its worth by providing precise data,” he said. According to him, the fact that GMRT had proved its worth with the Mars flight does not rule out the possibility that it may come into the picture in future space missions.
Earlier this year, when Russian baker Olga Noskova, started Instagramming images of her glazed marble cakes, she unsuspectingly, found herself catapulted to a status of Internet celebrity. Noskova’s Instagram, teeming with images of her uniquely beautiful cakes, inspired an entire generation of the ‘neo Internet food watchers’ and amassed her a prodigious fan following; leading a stumped Noskova to post on Instagram: “I’m shocked! My phone can’t deal with all the messages.”
As food posts continue to inundate us on social media, with everything from wilted salad leaves to a gourmet steak popping up on our feeds, with religious regularity, it won’t be an exaggeration to announce the emergence of Internet foodies.
As we swiftly seem to be transcending to a time where photos have become the preferred mode of expression, the numbers show the influence. According to a 2015 estimate by Photoworld.com, Snapchat with its 200 million users gets 8,796 photos shared on the platform every second.
Whatsapp, that had 700 million users at the time of the data collected for the report, had users posting 700 million photos every day while on Facebook 70 million photos get posted every day. In an interesting insight today more pictures are taken every two minutes than were shared in the entire 1800s.
Needless to add that a lot of these images shared across various social media such as Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, Snapchat, Twitter and others are of food. A 2014, New Mintel research showed that food pictures on social media have entered mainstream. It reported that 29.2 million amateur 29.2 food shots were posted across social media platforms in one month alone at the time of the research. A hashtag #foodporn on Instagram gave 99,990,948 results; the numbers continue to grow every second.
In a riveting way, food posts on social media have also begun announcing the mundane realities of everyday life in the most romantic fashion. So, while in the Northern Hemisphere you can tell that Fall is about to arrive soon as people start posting pictures of pumpkin pies and spiced pumpkin lattés, closer home in India the monsoon season is beginning to get marked by posts of ghevar (a flaky, sweet shaped like a bundt cake made in northern India during that time of the year).
The rise of camera cuisine – a new term that is described as the side-effect of the digital age in food photography where the dish aspires to be captured on camera and put on display for viewers to admire and like, has undoubtedly changed the food game as we once knew it. It has not just given a new impetus to eateries and lesserknown cuisines but has also snowballed to open a world of participatory technology with countless apps such as Yelp, FoodSpotting and SnapDish devoted to the culture of sharing and discussing food.
Mumbai-based homemaker, Hema Watchmaker, was always an excellent cook. On insistence of her daughter Jyoti Watchmaker she began posting her food pictures on Facebook and started getting rave reviews. A lot of appreciation and few requests later she diversified into a catering business. She credits her success to social media. She says, “The impact of food images is so far reaching that people from all corners would write to us asking for recipes.” Passionate about food, she continues taking baking and cooking classes while updating this on her social media.
Ravi Saxena, corporate chef, Dhaba by Claridges, Delhi, says, “From a principled point of view, the amateur food shots taken randomly of dishes at home and in restaurants may not do justice to the real and complicated world of food and how it should be represented. But in the digital age, food sharing through pictures does an extremely engaging job of hooking on more and more people towards food and subsequently the culture it has evolved from.”
ART ON MY PLATE
So, as an unsuspecting diner becomes a food marketer just by uploading a few pictures, the chefs and the eateries too are quick to position themselves to be instaready. Nishant Choubey, executive chef, The Roseate, Delhi says, “I endorse uploading my culinary creations on Instagram. Uploading our handcrafted dishes on social media gives us greater visibility and larger audiences reach. With the growing importance of digital media, I see it as a boon for both aspiring and established chefs.” Food trend watchers confirm that a growing number of eateries across the globe are also paying special attention not just to plating as it appears in the pictures but are also consulting photographers and interior decorators to install the best lights atop tables for food photographs clicked off smart phones.” Mehak Arora, a design student, says, “I was in a small café in Zurich this summer and was trying to click a few pictures of my coffee art on my phone. Just then the manager handed me a few coffee pods to be used as a prop with my pictures and requested to tag the location. It was then that I realised how seriously the eateries are taking amateur food posts too.”
While chef Saxena stresses that food photography is a studied art and amateur photos often do not do justice to the craft, he’s still approving of the social media food posts for its outreach. He cites an example saying, “To understand a cuisine you have to live that cuisine, understand the culture it came from, be informed of the ingredients it’s best placed with. It’s not about just knowing the recipe.” He further says, “Some time back we did a food shoot for a leading lifestyle magazine. It took us three days to take eight food shots. For every dish we took hundred odd shots before finalising the best ones. This is the kind of immaculate perfection food photography is about. However in defense of ‘foodporn’, I would still say that it wins because it brings back food stories and nostalgia across countries and continents.” For food lovers, the idea that they may not be breaking bread together but are at least sharing their plates through another sensory medium of eyes is a great starting point to promote the trend.
Fittingly enough, culinary circles are replete with interesting tales on how food imagery is bringing the world together. Chef Choubey says, “Some time back a homemaker won a chef competition, simply by reinventing an uploaded Instagram food picture she had seen. Also turmeric ice cream, my signature dish, was able to trend and reach even the rural parts of the world thanks to it being photographed so often.”
The images captured by people of their food, experiences and observations are connecting unknown worlds together. Be it the farmers from Uttarakhand winnowing rice, or the arrival of kinnows from Nagpur, today everything reaches every quarter, thanks to this constant intrigue on what’s on the neighbour’s plate.
Chef Saxena agrees by citing another example. “One of our most popular dish, balti meat is served in a bucket and makes for a cool photo op. The dish has been shared on social media so many times that it can become synonymous with our eatery. Paying our ode to this social media star we decided to put up hoardings of ‘balti’ to announce our upcoming restaurant in Hyderabad.”
One of the biggest recognitions of the power of social media and food could be seen when in an episode of Top Chef America, the contestants were asked to create a dish that was picture worthy and the winner was chosen depending upon the dish that got maximum likes on Instagram.
THE SACRED RITUAL
But as food imagery becomes pervasive with everyone wielding a smart phone feeling equipped to take a food shot and talk like a pro on it, there are inevitable industry concerns too. In what is termed as an anti-gram movement, chefs in France have begun talking of banning smart phones from their establishments.
The famous Grenovillere restaurant near Calais, France, no longer encourages patrons photographing the food. New York restaurant Tocqueville too has adopted a no picture policy as they think it interferes with the idea of enjoying food in an uninterrupted manner. The scared ritual of treating food is often seen as being reduced to a prized trophy to garner likes. Chef Saxena says, “The trend does reflect the-keeping-up-with-the-Joneses culture, where we want to tell the world that we have been there and done that but in the longer run one cannot also deny that it brings many rustic dishes back into the drawing rooms of cosmopolitan cities.” So for every post such as that of model Chrissy Teigen Instagramming an herb-roasted hassleback potato, there is also a post of say a homemaker in Kanpur displaying her humble chiwda recipe. Both are important in the world of food, chefs maintain. While one may also think that taking pictures distracts from the satiety that comes along while concentrating just on food, research may prove otherwise.
A research published by American Psychological Association says that people who photograph events usually enjoy more than those who do not. Chefs and restaurant owners maintain that often the craft of a dish and its presentation demand attention and they find it flattering that people take a pause from their dining and think it’s worth sharing with friends. Kazem Samandari of French patisserie L’Opera says, “The macaroons and the seasonal cakes are one of our most photographed items. Who wouldn’t go weak in the knees looking at those sinfully coloured macaroons and gooey delights?”
Another concern which is raised in the food circles is whether an overdose of food posts results in more gluttonous eating. A study of food posts by responsible bloggers shows that it’s not just pizzas or cheese that’s uploaded frequently. Grains such quinoa, ragi and barley are getting recognition given the new world’s intrigue on ancient eating. The Internet, according to experts, just aids in promoting the goodness of food. According to chef Tejas Sovani, “In the modern world food innovations are often patronised on the Internet.” True to the young chef’s words, as we discuss this, a yet new food craze called Ice Stream, a dish created by using noodles that are set in a traditional Japanese jelly, is on its way to become in what may be one of the most Instagrammable dessert till date!
We, The Children of India…
Keep aside a Sunday to introduce your child to the Preamble to the Constitution of India. Simplified for young readers, Leila Seth brings alive the meaning of words like sovereign, republic, democratic and secular. Placed side by side with the original text, kids also learn about the role played by Gandhi, Nehru and Rajendra Prasad in the Constitution and freedom struggle. And did you know Britain doesn’t have a written Constitution? Look forward to finding out more stuff like this!
Bhoomi’s Space Story
Take your toddler on a space odyssey with this simple story of Bhoomi, who’s located just the right distance from the sun and enjoys playing hide and seek with her best-friend, the Moon. Developed as a classroom project, it asks the age-old question: “Is there any other planet like me, with living, breathing creatures?” Pick up the book to introduce the concept of planets, the solar system and blazing comets to your child.
Bookasura, the Adventures of Bala and the Book-eating Monster
Bala makes a quick escape to his grandparents’ home when his newborn baby sister chews up his favourite book. But trouble follows him there as well when a book-eating monster chomps through his favourite titles. The monster sure has good taste in books as proved by the list at the end. Kids also learn about the mythological tale of Bakasura, after whom Bookasura is named. A delightful tale about a book-loving boy who finally outwits the monster.
How Old is Muttaji?
It’s the twins’ great-grandmother’s birthday, only they are not really sure it’s her birthday. In their indefatigable quest to find out how old Muttaji is, they have to make sense of a maze of information, such as a certain British king and queen coming to visit India around the time she was five years old. The young reader is introduced to Gandhi’s Quit India speech, the time electric trains replaced steam engines, plus some mental maths to calculate Muttaji’s age! A fun read, packed with tons of general knowledge.
Around the World in 80 Puzzles
A delightful way to increase your child’s general knowledge with puzzles that take you around the world. Spot the differences in near identical images of Thailand’s floating market, find your way out of a maze in the island of Capri, look out for cuckoos in Germany’s Black Forest. The detailed illustrations and easy to solve puzzles make this a must-buy for your child. It’s sure to make a super birthday gift for a kid you know.
The Magic Rolling Pin
When a four-year-old can recognise masterchef Vikas Khanna on television, it’s because he has read (or heard!) his book about Jugnu, the little boy who loves the smells of the kitchen. The chef-in-themaking stands guard as pickles bake in the sun, learns to put just the right amount of chilli powder and masalas in his rajma and accompanies his Biji to roll out perfect chapatis for “langar” at the Golden Temple. But then he loses his rolling pin. Eventually, he rediscovers the magic and that’s what makes this an endearing tale about a little boy who loves to cook.
Icky, Yucky, Mucky!
Why would you read a book which has the yuckiest of characters? A king with no table manners meets a queen who makes a pile of her chewed up nails and, to the utter disgust of their subjects, the couple finally has a daughter who loves digging her nose. The illustrations add to the fun. And to answer the question, the kid learns to identify icky, yucky and mucky behaviour! A book that your child would definitely want to hear or read more than once… and so would you.
Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth
We all know Ganesha loves eating laddoos, but what happens when he gets one that’s a jawbreaker? Well, he bites into it despite Mr Mouse’s warning and breaks his tusk in two. Embarrassed and angry, he tries to throw it at the moon, misses his aim and hits Vyas instead. Vyas, as we all know, was looking for him to write the Mahabharata. So, once Mr Mouse has successfully negotiated the terms of the contract, Ganesha sits down to write, armed with his broken tusk and a heap of laddoos. The graphic illustrations add character to the story; kids will have fun spotting Ganesha’s animal friends in the sketches.
The Boy who Swallowed a Nail and other Stories
Lalita Iyer has lived an interesting life, full of stories that resonate with middle-class India that grew up in the 80s. Go back to simpler times, when Nainital and not Singapore was on the wishlist of school children and the only thing Mom worried about was having a place to hang a clothesline. Kids played all day, sometimes resulting in somebody swallowing a nail! The inimitable Gulzar’s endorsement at the back of the book says the author narrates the stories “with a granny’s ease”.