Fear can be conquered by courage that is derived from unconditional love

Have you ever wondered how we human beings are constantly trapped in the shadows of fear and stress? We often find ourselves using statements such as “I want freedom, peace, happiness; I want to enjoy my life.” But how many of us know the real meaning of freedom, peace and happiness? Fear can be visible or hidden, but it surfaces from time to time, in all aspects of our lives. It may spring up in many forms — fear in wanting something to happen (or not), fear of the unknown, fear of death, and so on. Whatever our fears might be, deep down we are aware that all our actions are directed only to seek joy and empower ourselves to experience our lives to the fullest. However, in spite of our best efforts to lead a fulfilling and joy full life, that joy or happiness evades us. So what has gone wrong?

Numerous people want to pursue living a positive and happy life but land up in some kind of mess. Then they start questioning their abilities, such as why they have so many fears, inhibitions and so on. Then there are people who are in search of their life’s purpose. Such people often end up being the so-called healers of the world because they believe there is some fallacy in the world, and something bad is going to happen to all living beings. However, when I look into their lives, I see nothing except darkness and their unwillingness to accept their life as it is.

I have also met people who are constantly stressed and live in fear because they want to be something after this life. They don’t want to live in the here and now, but are always in an illusion of some fascinating and interesting life they dream they will get after death. They keep running from pillar to post to find out how to reach “there”.

In all the above cases, people fear living in the now and complain that life is not happening to them. They are not living with full awareness of the fact that life is happening in this moment and in the fullest.

Let us look at our lives. On analysing, we will find that our lives are driven by the power of greed, attachments, false egos, selfish love and so on. Each of these emotions has one constant element — fear. This fear dissolves within us completely. For instance, if you eat an apple, after sometime the apple becomes you. In a similar manner, this fear we are eating all the time also transforms into anger, ego, hatred, jealousy, sadness and other negative emotions, and affects our physical, mental and emotional being.

So why do we live such a life? That is because we are not practical about the reality of existence. Most of us are trying to build something, rather everything, on that which is happening in the moment and is unstable. Can you catch sunlight in your fist and keep it with yourself? The light is there to celebrate but most of us are busy in collecting it in boxes, trunks, giving it shapes, names and so on. But when the sun of our life goes to sleep, all the boxes and trunks of relationships, status, egos are empty.

Courage, on the other hand, is embedded in unconditional giving. Love is unconditional. But it is not the love we know or see around us. The love we are talking about here is unconditional, one which goes beyond limitations and boundaries. The actual meaning of love is to give unconditionally. Nature is the best example of what comprises unconditional love, which gives us in plenty without any selfish motive or expectation. The sun rises every day without fail and provides us life. Does it have any motive? Mother earth keeps moving around its axis and revolving around the sun to preserve the life. What motive does she have?

If we observe the cycle of existence closely, the creation of living beings happens and is sustainable due to the force of love. Therefore, in many places and cultures people understand love as God. To become one with this idea of love, start living your life with the truest awareness of life, which is beyond your physical aspects. Always remember: Fear can be conquered by courage that is derived from unconditional love.

Start taking small steps each day by doing any small act of kindness with unconditional love for someone who is in need. These little acts have the potential to change your life. The energy of these good deeds of kindness and unconditional love will transform you into a higher spiritual being. Mother Teresa is the greatest example of our times who dedicated her entire life to kindness and unconditional love. As she said, “It’s not how much we give. but how much love we put into giving.”

After giving Prithvi Theatre a new lease of life, Sanjna Kapoor’s Junoon evolved out of a desire to reach theatre and the arts out to more people

Beautiful, vivacious, determined and gritty, the lady with a fire in her belly and a junoon for her art is what aptly describes this Indian theatre personality and former Indian film actress of British and Indian descent, Sanjna Kapoor.

Although she was noticed for her roles in films such as Salaam Bombay, 36 Chowringhee Lane and Hero Hiralal, she is better known for her commendable work in transforming Prithvi into a warm, inviting cultural hub and a creating a name for itself in the world theatre. She is currently involved in nurturing her two-year-old venture, “Junoon”, with an objective to create a stage for theatre by unleashing the potential of theatre and the related arts towards the making of a creative, imaginative, humane world.

LOOKING BACK: THE FAMILY LINEAGE

With theatre in her blood, considering both sides of her grandparents were involved in theatre, Sanjna Kapoor, (daughter of legendary Shashi Kapoor and late Jennifer Kendal) is today an icon of success and an inspiration to many.

“I have grown up with the tales and revelries of traveling theatre companies’ adventures, from both my grandparents traveling companies —Prithvi Theatres (named after her famous grandfather, Prithviraj Kapoor) and Shakespeareana. Shakespeare’s plays were my bedtime stories. Hence, my love for theatre was much stronger than cinema,” she says. She was also greatly influenced by Geoffrey Kendal, her maternal grandfather, whom she lovingly describes as her “all time hero”. Kendal lived life on his own terms, and close to his love and passion — his wife and theatre. He dedicated his life to being an actor-manager of his own theatre company, enchanting audiences with the magic of Shakespeare and modern classics across the world.

According to her, even though she was exposed to world cinema from an early age, she always wanted to be a part of the world of theatre. However, when the realisation came (at the age of 16), it was a rude awakening that the world she wished to belong to, did not exist anymore — the world of the traveling theatre company was almost dead.

So, she waffled between the ideas of acting in cinema or on stage, aboard or in India, before making her foray into the world of cinema with Hero Hiralal, as the lead actress. “But I soon realised that I needed training, since I simply did not know what the work of an actress entailed. And it was at Herbert Berghof Studio, New York, that clarity sank in and theatre became my complete focus,” she says.

PRITHVI: BUILDING AN ENTITY

Having been associated with Prithvi for more than two decades, Kapoor’s journey has been quite a memorable and enriching one. While initially, she began working at Prithvi with Kunal Kapoor and Feroz Khan, she later went on to become the director of the Prithvi Festival. She initiated programmes such as Summertime, the Prithvi Art Gallery, Prithvi Players and so on, during her tenure.

All the initiatives were provoked by the need to create a vibrant space that inspired a professional approach to theatre, both by the practitioner and the discerning audience. The need to be different and innovative, yet produce quality work, was the foremost criteria. There was also a lot of emphasis on interaction with the world theatre and exchange of ideas on sustainability of theatre in today’s society.

“One of the biggest questions that always bothered me was why has Prithvi not inspired hundreds of similar Prithvi-like theatres across the country, if it is such an amazingly wonderful space? I still struggle with this question,” she says, adding how the economic model not being tenable could be a reason. The other was that it is still looked upon as a family institution. Kapoor’s years of working at Prithvi taught her that another financial model had to be found and a more long-lasting institutional set up that allows it to live on beyond the “family”. “The legacy will always remain. But the institution needs to, too,” she says.

LEAVING PRITHVI AND FOUNDING JUNOON

At one time for an outsider, Prithvi and Sanjna were synonymous to each other. So, her leaving Prithvi came as a shock to many.

She says “Over 21 years, I believe that I had done what I believed needed to be done at Prithvi, and to make any further change, the larger ecosystem needed to change. So Junoon was a natural progression.”

Junoon is the brainchild of Sanjna Kapoor and Sameera Iyengar (an MIT graduate with a PhD in theatre from the University of Chicago), who have been working together since 2002. It evolved out of their desire to reach theatre and the arts out to more people. They also found people with similar beliefs and who saw value in this dream. Today, the Junoon team is a strong mix of people from within the theatre world, and professionals “committed to the idea that arts and theatre have to be seeded and nurtured across India”. According to Kapoor, “I was fortunate that Sameera was dreaming up similar dreams, independent of mine. So the coming together of both of us to found Junoon was natural. And as good fortune would have it, three wonderful people came on board too — Ayaz Ansari, Swati Apte and Satyam Viswanathan — our core team.”

Junoon has come out of a belief that the arts are integral to a healthy society and that in a country like India where there is currently no overall articulated vision, policy or practices to unleash this power of the arts for society, private players have to take on this responsibility for the collective social benefit. As Kapoor puts it, “It’s been an amazing journey. Tough, but exhilarating and utterly fulfilling!” adding how she has also had to learn a great deal on the way. Junoon is a social enterprise that believes in the transformative power of theatre and performing arts. It creates platforms to connect performers, artistes, scientist and the audience with each other. The team does this in multiple ways, seeding deep-rooted relationships and impact. “We are curators that design these unique engagements be it with children in their schools, corporates at their work place, audiences across urban spaces or performers. We are building an institution that has to live beyond us,” she says.

KEEPING THE JUNOON ALIVE

Responding to the query whether the public or the critics expect too much from her, Kapoor says what anyone thought of her has never been an issue for her. “I have no idea what people or my critics expected of me. I guess I was fortunate to be able to lead my life doing things I loved and inspired me, and that were ignited by my junoon! Of course, it took time to find it!” she laughs. Over the years, Kapoor has realised her ambition was never to become famous. “Having come from a family of famous people, I saw how fame impacted one’s life and this was never an attraction for me. However, I did and still have ambitions for theatre. I want to impact the way theatre is perceived, the way theatre is done and the role theatre can have in our lives today.” Kapoor’s initiative has been applauded and appreciated by artists as well as by people who love arts. “I think this came to me from both my grandparents, who were a mix of crusaders taking their art to the masses, social entrepreneurs believing in the impact their theatre can have on society and believers in the magic of the sheer love and delight of working with their faithful band of travelers across this magnificent country of ours! My paternal grandfather Prithviraj Kapoor’s theatre Prithvi Theatre’s motto was ‘Kala Desh ki Seva Mien’. That says it all!”

If you choose money over all else, you are a bad guy. If you choose national pride, you're a good person. Does it have to be an either-Or; can't a person choose both? Or neither, for that matter?

Teofilo Stevenson was described by the BBC as “Cuba’s greatest boxer, once its most famous figure after Fidel Castro”. That he was the best Cuba has ever had is beyond doubt. His fame, though, had an interesting story around it, one that boxing enthusiasts know well.

As it was in 1962, the Cuban government chose to outlaw professional sport. As a result, all athletes, whatever their sport, had to compete under the national flag. Countless Cubans have, over the years, chosen to flee, usually to America, to pursue professional sport. Mercenaries, the government called them.

Stevenson was one of the athletes who chose to stay back. By the 1974 World Championships and then the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games, Stevenson had established himself as the No 1 amateur heavyweight boxer, a national hero. American boxing promoters, around this time, offered him up to $ 5 million to challenge Muhammad Ali — a match-up made in heaven. He refused. “What is a million dollars compared to the love of eight million Cubans,” he is reported to have said.

Theories and stories, mostly apocryphal, abound about why Stevenson did what he did. Remember, Ali had beaten George Foreman — Thrilla in Manilla — in 1974. He was, easily, at his absolute best. The 1976 Montreal gold was the second Olympic gold medal Stevenson had won. He, too, was at his very best. What if? The what if around the Ali v Stevenson fight-that-wasn’t remains one of the most enduring questions in the world of sport, the answer to which the Cuban took to his grave in 2012. That’s right. Apart from that love of eight million Cubans thing, Stevenson didn’t say much.

Was he pressured by the Castro government to remain its symbol — the symbol of all that was right about the way Cuba was run — and bought into the idea? Possibly. Probably. But why is it such a topic of debate among the interested many even to this day? Why was it so difficult to accept Stevenson’s version, take him at his word, and accept that pride meant more to him than money? By the same token, why were the ones that decamped mercenaries?

We like our compartments, don’t we? If you choose money over all else, you are a bad guy. If you choose national pride, you’re a good person. Patriotism — oh, what an over-rated virtue it is. Does it have to be an either-or; can’t a person choose both? Or neither, for that matter?

As it is, world sport has been needlessly, arbitrarily, and stupidly, segmented into amateur and professional for years now. Amateurs are the ones that don’t earn their living from sport, or so everyone would like to believe. They all hold day jobs; earn a salary from somewhere else. Professionals make a living from the sport. As such, that’s fine. Everything needs a name, after all.

The problem starts when signboards come up at every juncture. The Olympic Games, the example best suited here, disallows professionals. In theory. A theory explained in words that make no sense, alluding to spirit and suchlike things, and based on thoughts that may or may not have held any real meaning even when they were used — back over a century ago. All right, to be fair, it made sense then. Just about. But now, in 2015?

That’s just the start of the problem. It gets worse when we see that sports such as football and basketball do allow professionals to take part in the Olympic Games, while most other sports don’t.

Take it another level, and a massive sham takes shape — is Usain Bolt a professional sprinter or is he not? Is Abhinav Bindra a professional shooter or is he not? For all practical purposes, yes. To the eyes of the people who matter in the International Olympic Committee — no. Only because they choose to have an official, accounted-for salary, from somewhere else.

As a result, Vijender Singh, who has spent most of his adult life as a boxer, was an amateur sportsperson because he was also an employee of the Haryana Police, a job that, interestingly, came his way because of his exploits as a boxer. But it qualified him to be an amateur boxer and, therefore, compete for India. Who are we kidding!

All right, one last bit of rubbish before trying to tie this up. Boxing in the Olympic Games was the sole preserve of the amateur — until the 2012 edition, that is. The bosses decided after that that professionals would be allowed to take part 2016 onwards but — and a fascinating “but” this is — only the professionals who fight under the aegis of the APB (AIBA Pro Boxing) league would be allowed. The ones that fight elsewhere are out. Again, there’s some warped logic that I don’t quite understand, which explains this. So, if you fight in the APB, you are, somewhat, an amateur, which is taken away elsewhere, leagues that make you a mercenary.

It’s all such typical administrative obduracy that it’s really quite laughable.

Cricket has learnt this the hard way in recent times, when more and more top-notch players have walked away from their national teams to make money from the Twenty20 leagues. The world of football conceded defeat and has lived with the reality for years now. Some, like the Olympic Games bosses, choose to stand with their backs to the future, or even the present, and little can be done to drive sense into them.

Meanwhile, the pro v amateur debate, or the money v pride issue: What is it about really?

What’s so wrong about an athlete who wants to make money? What makes an athlete so different from one of us, who switches jobs depending on the perks? Who are we to judge if Vijender Singh wants money more than anything else, or if Stevenson wants the love of his countryfolk more than anything else? It’s a situation created by decades of ill logic — logic that has no place in the real world. Logic that prevents sports fans from watching the best, take on the best every time. Who gains then?

Is it time to shrug off the cricket hangover when nothing seems to be going right with it — from form to the way it functions? Shouldn’t we embrace other sports such as badminton, tennis, hockey and wrestling, which have brought nothing but accolades for the country?

CHANDER SHEKHAR LUTHRA// Cricket was a game about a bat and a ball until 2007, after which it became a game of roulette and black jack. Lalit Modi brought the concept of 20-20 format into the sport and the Indian Premier League was born. A number of cricket administrators didn’t like the idea of IPL, but since leading politicians and industrialists were involved in it, their vote didn’t count.

IPL was pitched to the BCCI as a golden goose. It was to be cricket’s greatest catch. A team owner could make a fortune by spending about Rs 30-40 crore annually.

Then there was the glamour attached to it. Why, Preity Zinta became the face of Kings’ XI Punjab by holding just 1 per cent stake. Shilpa Shetty may have had a minority stake in Rajasthan Royals’, but she and her husband, Raj Kundra, were calling the shots until the recent fiasco when the latter has been banned for life. Like Kundra, Chennai Super Kings’ owner and BCCI former disgraced president N Srinivasan’s son-in-law Gurunath Meiyyapan was actively involved with the team on a daily basis.

Together, they knew who Mahendra Singh Dhoni would start the batting order with, who was going to come at what batting position and so on. In hindsight, one can say everything was organised, planned and betted on meticulously.

The real games started when a conflict of interest grew amongst the teams and their owners. Before the IPL, a player representing India got about Rs 30 to 40 lakh a year, plus a few endorsements. Today, a cricket player gets nothing less than Rs 6 to 10 crore. And for what? Facing 20-30 balls, or bowling 24 legitimate deliveries? You know it’s a sad state when skill and patience have been replaced by greed and tamasha.

Indian cinema superstar Shahrukh Khan (SRK) is one fine example. His connection with cricket before IPL was like any other Indian male, who may have dabbled in it at school or probably at college level. Then why did he choose to spend the entire duration of IPL with his team Kolkata Knight Riders’ when we all know that his one day earning in Bollywood could well be a few crores? Or, why would a businessman such as Vijay Mallaya, who has been fighting bankruptcy and losing his “good times” status, want to be seen around the IPL circus throwing king-size parties?

Surely, it’s not just for the love of the game. Owning an IPL team is like having an insider trading in the share market. You own a team and you can dictate terms. No great mathematical knowledge is required to understand this simple calculation.

And we Indians worship our film stars, be it SRK, Shilpa Shetty, or Preity Zinta. There’s just too much glamour quotient in it for us to question the person’s values or morals. These stars are marketed tactfully, alongside cricket.

Earlier, a player was given resting time to enhance and hone his skill, take a break. After all, a sportsperson also needs time to practice and further improve his game. With IPL added to an already busy calendar of Indian cricketers — god bless their many endorsement deals — there is no such resting phase. Naturally, performances falter.

Cricket has now become a fodder for masala, too. Every other day, newspapers are splashed with cricket news and its many controversies – a great way to spice up your groggy morning, I say! What’s more, these news items have spilled out of the sports page and jostle for space with news on a Salman Khan movie — there’s drama, there is romance, and there is action. What more could you ask for?

Then there’s the BCCI, which runs sans any rules and refuses to acknowledge regulations. Is it any wonder that the sports ministry failed to bring it under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI)? The BCCI also refuses to adhere to any doping laws set by international agency WADA. Former Sports Minister Ajay Maken lost his job because he took on a few powerful cricket administrators and introduced a new Sports Bill in 2013 before the Union Cabinet.

I applaud Justice R M Lodha for taking a quick and correct action and asking for the suspension of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. More skeletons may tumble out of the IPL closet yet. I feel the list of 13 names inside the sealed envelope submitted before the Supreme Court should be made public in order to win the trust of cricket lovers again.

And why has Srinivasan been allowed to continue as ICC chairman? Why has the BCCI not terminated the franchisee agreement of both teams penalised by the Justice Lodha Committee? Why did BCCI Secretary Anurag Thakur rush to give a clean chit, without any investigation, to a senior Team India player Suresh Raina, whose name has cropped in every controversy over the past five years? Why is the BCCI being allowed to run like a cozy club for the sake of winning elections without actually giving affiliation to so many big states such as Bihar?

ROBIN SINGH// Cricket in India is a religion. People swear by it. More often than not, a business meeting or a romantic dinner date gets pushed to a secondary slot if there is a tournament on. People live, eat, and breathe cricket and no amount of controversy can take that away.

Luckily for us, the human mind has a short recall time. Take, for instance, the current IPL scandal. It has rocked the sports fraternity with its allegations but only for a short while. No one is really interested in the administration. People want to see cricket because of their passion for the game. It’s a team-oriented strategy that gives people a chance to sit with their friends and enjoy the game. It gives them a reason to meet and watch matches being screened live.

It improves the business of the restaurants and hotels, where people gather and cheer/ boo the teams. Large screens are set up, projectors are hired. Every small coffee shop or bar has a special IPL menu and large incentives are offered to lure people.

So, by way of cricket, we are actually giving people another reason to celebrate, converse and connect. We are so caught up in our daily existence that we forget to really live! In today’s remote-controlled world, where everyone is constantly glued to their iPads, laptops and phones, cricket comes as a breather.

People talk about an impending game on their morning walks, young men discuss runs and statistics, women ogle at their favorite idols, and children enroll for a special class. And we players absorb all the adulation and focus on our passion, so as to play even better, to rise even higher in our fans’ esteem.

Cricket is for the masses and that is the main reason that, despite all controversy surrounding it, the thrill of the game hasn’t reduced. If you ask a beggar on the street, who can’t read or write, about his favourite sportsman, nine out of 10 times, he will name a cricketer. He may not have food to eat, but he will knock on your car windowpane and ask you the latest runs tally. If India wins, there are fireworks in every part of the country. Every little village and town will celebrate in its own way. So you tell me, how can you shrug off this obsession? Neither did we instill it, nor can we take it away. Cricket is India’s fundamental strength and will remain so.

In a densely populated country like ours, people don’t even need stadiums. They play cricket with their peers on the streets. They play for the love of the game. They play so they can be as great as their icons.

I agree that the recent controversy has hurt Indian cricket, but for a few rotten apples, the entire basket can’t be thrown away, can it? The game is good, the players even better. It’s the administration that needs to change. We need former players to conduct assessments and take control of the game, and not politicians or industrialists who are in it only for the money. Only a cricketer can understand the emotional involvement this game has for the nation. The IPL has done wonders to cricket and can create miracles. For that, however, a clean-up drive is necessary. Stringent measures need to be taken against the wrongdoers so that there is no scope for scandals in future.

Meanwhile, India still wakes up every morning, looking forward to its Men in Blue! It’s the truth and no one can change that.

Independence Day is here. If not already, you will soon be hounded by special holiday packages, special offers and sales at every possible mall and store – all in the name of Independence Day.

It is interesting how the meaning of August 15 has changed over the years, hasn’t it? We wear our Indianess outside as much as inside.

I have seen a whole new breed of youngsters emerge, and who are not just proud of being Indians, but are also extremely serious about carrying forward the Indian values of respect and culture and making it a part of their identity.

That is not to say all his hunky dory, however. India is still struggling with people who want to push their communal agenda. We see many Indians criticising their own country when they are in a gathering of foreigners. I also know Indians who buy anything not-so-great but foreign-made over something that is made in India. I would like to believe such people are in a minority.

The “Make in India” campaign is a way to change the impression of India and its product offerings. We have some world-class products, all made right here in our country. Look at the fine quality of our cotton and the host of generic medicines that are exported abroad. Our designer wear has the fashion world raving about it and paying homage to it on the ramp. Why, look at the way the 100sareepact has made the fashionista and the everyday woman reclaim her wardrobe full of the flowing fabric. Indian professionals and top executives of Indian origin in the corporate world have already shown the world our mettle.

A reason why we have Harshvardhan Neotia on the cover. Mr Neotia was conferred the Padma Shri in 1999, for his outstanding work in the field of social housing. So at 38, he was one of the youngest recipients of the award. In our Looking Back section, we have Sanjna Kapoor, who not only carried forward her grandparents’ legacy ahead, but has also redefined theatre for the younger generation.

Everyone seems to be doing their bit and that is what matters. For that is how we will show the pride in being Indian. Like the famous dialogue from the blockbuster Rang de Basanti (which is sure to play again on television during the Independence Day weekend), “Koi bhi desh perfect nahin hota; use perfect banana hota hai” (No country is perfect, it has to be made perfect) Let us all do our bit to nurture that perfection. A reason why we look at MBD’s efforts in making the world a better place, as featured in the Good Karma section.

So go on, let us all keep doing our bit. For it’s with small steps that we start a big journey.

This Independence Day, I dedicate to all of us this great poem by Rabindranath Tagore.

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high Where knowledge is free Where the world has not been broken up into fragments By narrow domestic walls Where words come out from the depth of truth Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit Where the mind is led forward by thee Into ever-widening thought and action Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

The MBD Group celebrated its fifth Founder’s Day by sharing its joy with the less privileged

When you have been a part of every school-going child’s life, you know the true meaning of learning and growth. Little surprise then that the MBD Group decided to celebrate its fifth Founder’s Day with underprivileged children. Books, stationery, gifts, little things they might need, were just some of the items that were gifted to these children through the week.

And why not? When one is celebrating the 70th anniversary of a visionary such as Shri Ashok Kumar Malhotra, the gifts are just some of the gestures that come their way.

To commemorate his anniversary, the Ashok Malhotra Charitable Trust donated gifts, books and useful items, and imparted learning to the underprivileged and vulnerable children, thus aiming to provide support they would have otherwise been devoid of. The week-long CSR programme across all business verticals of MBD was focused on supporting and encouraging such meaningful deeds.

The tenth day of July, thus, was just one of the days for MBD Group to show its love for its founder, Shri Ashok Kumar Malhotra, and was celebrated with a lot of fanfare at Radisson Blu MBD Hotel, Noida.

Speaking on the occasion, Satish Bala Malhotra, Chairperson, MBD Group, said, “Shri Malhotra was always keen on working for the unprivileged and believed in reciprocating the goodness that he got from the society. By giving away gifts to children, we have tried to follow the noble footsteps of Shri Malhotra. We will continue doing our best for the society and help the needy in all ways possible.”

As a part of the fifth Founder’s Day celebrations, the group has taken up multiple CSR initiatives. A big and important step in this direction is the initiative called My Best Deeds.

The MBD Founder strongly believed in doing things that take you towards the pursuit of happiness. These, in turn, have redefined MBD in a new way by valuing every act of kindness of each MBDian and calling it My Best Deeds.

Simply put, all efforts towards CSR will be managed under this initiative by a dedicated volunteer committee and supported by respective CSR champions across all verticals.

A gala cultural event was also put up by the staff of MBD Group on Founder’s Day. Shri Ashok Kumar Malhotra scholarships for academic excellence were also given to the most deserving children of the employees. In honour of the founder, several awards were also given away to appreciate the work done by the team members. Awards for budding employee of the year, HoD of the year, remarkable contribution by any member, leader of the year, the best branch and zone of the year, were some of the ways excellence within the group was recognised.

Staff members from across the business verticals of the group and across the country participated with enthusiasm and fervour. Important dignitaries from Delhi, Punjab as well as Noida were also present at this grand event.

Talking about the group’s vision, Monica Malhotra Kandhari, Senior Director, MBD Group, says, “Our Founder Shri Ashok Kumar Malhotra’s courage, conviction and determination has always motivated us to achieve new milestones. Carrying his vision forward, we have taken the MBD publishing group to the next level and aspire to continue its glory in future as well.”

Sonica Malhotra Kandhari, Director, MBD Group, added, “Shir Malhotra was a people’s person, and his zeal and diligence towards his team was legendary. Our Founder’s Day is not only a celebration of his values, but also a celebration of the fondness he had for his own people.”

July 10 was, of course, just one of the days that the founder’s vision was being celebrated. For giving back to the society is a philosophy woven in the very warp and woof of the group. What is also interesting to note is that the MBD Group, one of the leading publishing houses in India, has diversified into various industries including, elearning, hospitality, real estate, mall development and management, eco-friendly notebooks and paper manufacturing. Growing from strength to strength, the MBD Group today has 37 branch offices across India, along with overseas presence.

It has been continuously working for the cause of providing education to all, with its mission to create an “MBD product for every literate person”. Take, for instance, 2014, when the company organised an event to promote education and environmental awareness at a primary school in Noida, while also to recognise and encourage underperforming students at the school. It also organised a health and disease prevention campaign at the Destitute Home for Girls, courtesy Dr R N Jain. There was also a fire and life-safety training for children, which was conducted by fire officers at the Destitute Home for Girls. The same home also witnessed a Go Green Campaign where girls pledged to care of plants in their surroundings.

Additionally, the Radisson Blu MBD, Noida, assisted the World Hope Foundation in giving a better life to children at risk by sponsoring their stationery and kitchen set-up. Radisson Blu MBD, Ludhiana, had also seen a lot of action through the year with events such as celebrating Earth Hour, Swacch Bharat Mission and so on.

The year, too, started on a positive note, when the “Wishing Tree” put up by Radisson Blu, Ludhiana, for an old age home and a children’s home in Ludhiana, saw wishes put up on these trees being fulfilled.

Not one to rest on their laurels, of course, the group plans to continue the good work.

Raseel Gujral Ansal reminisces her childhood days to tell the story of her journey as one of the most revered lifestyle décor experts in India today

Looking around at Casa Paradox, Navin Ansal’s and Raseel Gujral Ansal’s fabulous high-end homegrown furniture and furnishings store in New Delhi’s Gallery on MG, my first impression is of being in the midst of inspiration. In a flash, I see a rich burst of colours, designs and brilliant pieces of furniture that one wouldn’t find anywhere else. The impeccable styling in what I see around me is elusive but heartwarming, contemporary but so mature — like she’s nurtured all the design and decor of the pieces with tremendous care and absolute precision. The place is a rainbow of vibrant hues, yet it is a sophisticated colour palette that one witnesses, whether in consoles, centre tables, cabinets, chairs, light fixtures or any of the other object d’art.

“I am passionate about art, space and form. It’s what I want to reflect in my work,” says Gujral, who believes, quite understandably, that creativity is in her DNA. Daughter of Satish Gujral, one of the most important Indian modern artists, and Kiran Gujral, also an artist, Raseel was born in the midst of colour, canvas and creativeness. “My parents,” she says, whose design dictum and creative vocabulary is inspired by what she defines as “contemporary Indianness”, “influenced me a lot. I was exposed to a world of exhibitions, great art, inspiring designs and this was shaping my sensibilities.”

I ask her if she there are any specific childhood memories that evoked her design sensibilities, shaping the architectural contours in her mind that are so defined in her work today. “As a six-year-old, I remember going through all these amazing design and interior magazines that used to be at home. My father’s architectural work — besides his art — was there by then and my mother was already working in ceramics. So there were times, they’d ask me and my sister [Alpana, a well-known jewellery designer] to help them with research on their work. Before I knew it, even as a young girl, I was reading, studying about different cultures and the design and artistic influences,” says Gujral nostalgically.

Those memories of childhood have shaped her brands Casa Paradox and Casa Pop. Those lingering moments of understanding art and aesthetics as a youngster are now an intrinsic part of her work. “I research for almost a year before rolling out my new collections,” adds Gujral, who is considered one of India’s foremost lifestyle architects and décor experts. Is there a secret sauce to her continued success? After all, not only are her signature brands present pan-India, they are also set to launch in West Asia, and have a presence in worldclass exhibitions and fairs. “True success comes from achieving a balance between your design sentiment and commerce,” reminds Gujral.

Her designs, she stresses, are an expression of who she is and they define her. “It is easy for me to continue repeating myself but I’m driven to trying something new all the time,” she says, adding, “I like to be challenged. I don’t fear it. What I do fear is waking up one day and having nothing new to say in my designs and work. So I keep working and approaching every day with a fresh perspective.”

In the business of architecture, interior design, and décor for close to three decades, Gujral’s glowing face and radiant smile belies the stress that she would face as a businesswoman. Her mantra is having tremendous gratitude, feeling genuinely fortunate, and joyful to do the work she loves. “I used to fear how I’ll be perceived in the business, I wondered if I would live up to the exacting standards, but I realised I had to conquer fear to emerge victorious,” she smiles. It hasn’t been easy to learn life’s philosophy and it’s with her sheer maturity, grace and charm that Gujral’s continued on her journey of success.

The elegance and the sophisticated modernity in her work, she says, is reflective of all that she has learnt while growing up. “The learning,” she pauses briefly, “never stops in creativity.”

Her collection in the newly-opened Casa Paradox and Casa Pop store in Mumbai is proof of that. There’s gold leafing technique incorporated delightfully in teak wood; a seat that’s actually a throne complete with crystal accents and richly subtle embroidery; a bar with black lacquer highlights – Gujral’s vision is in tune with today’s discerning consumer. “I don’t see people compromising on their spending power when it comes to furniture. Many seek customisation, which in turn means ‘exclusivity’,” she adds.

How she punctuates the homes of her clients with her signature style of palatial, but exquisite décor, is by marrying her unique creative ability with functionality. “The primary function of a design,” says Gujral, who has just returned from Kolkata after opening a concept store in the city in a Victorian-styled, Gothic-looking bungalow, “is to define a space and not merely occupy it.” In her view, a living space’s design sentiment must accentuate excitement, comprise functionality but also exude with an air of subtle grandeur.

Grandeur, though, can have various design interpretations based on what the clients may want in homes. The hallmark of a good professional, then, is to synergise the artistic vision with the requirements made by different clients. It could well be the reason why Gujral’s Casa Paradox engages in designs that are delicately opulent and vintage, while Casa Pop looks at a young, kitschy prêt diffusion line that is colourful and unapologetically bold.

The crux of her brands’ ethos, says Gujral, is to celebrate India in all its glory. She also can’t help but notice the subtle shifts in the buying patterns of the consumers. According to her, with luxury becoming a way of life, there is a clear shift of design sensibilities and an eye for detail in Indian consumers.

In an intensely competitive environment, how does Kapoor manage to continue getting inspired? It’s simple, she says. Observe everything around you, films, art, architecture, fashion, even the natural environment and habitat around you, and then come up with your version of reality. “I have never been good at following a trend... the trends I focus on are that of the moment, a reflection of the person that I am,” she says. It’s no surprise then, that Gujral’s work, just like her personality, is contemporary, glamorous and enchanting.

Here’s a book by an entrepreneur who knows the secret to not only breaking into a market, but creating one. Here’s one whose driving force includes both failures and the ability to think big

the first thing you notice about this book, even before you go on to read the title and the author’s name, is the top-angle picture of a man on the cover. He’s lying down, but not sleeping, and seems to be at ease with himself. His eyes are dreamy, but not closed. The picture sets the mood for a journey, a relentless pursuit of entrepreneurial glory, which the reader experiences in the next 185 pages of the book.

While the book is about a simple Grant Road boy, Ronnie Screwvala, who goes on to pioneer the cable TV world with his UTV — a media and entertainment conglomerate he founded in the early 1980s — it’s the underlying message that the book manages to pass on to the reader.

Have an impactful, disruptive product or business idea or been curious about owning your own business? This is the book for you. Running your own company for the past seven-odd years, and scale, brand and value-creation are some of the crossroads for you now? Keep reading. If you think your parents or family would freak out if you dared to suggest ditching your safe haven to pursue your dreams of owning your own business, relax. Read this book or share it with your friends or family.

The book is all about thinking big. It hopes to demystify failure, inspire success, and raise ambitions. With anecdotes presented in a simple narrative, the book helps you gain better insights into entrepreneurship and give you a fighting chance when it comes to realising your dreams in a David-versus- Goliath world.

“I’m routinely asked questions about my various entrepreneurial experiences, and most want to hear about the successes. Why don’t they ask about the failure? It would give me more time to talk about,” writes Screwvala, who is also known as the “Jack Warner of India”.

The book is replete with real-life incidents and behind-the-scenes anecdotes from his career, which include building one the largest toothbrush manufacturing operations in India, pioneering cable TV and bringing home shopping to the country, and creating one of India’s most innovative and diversified media entertainment companies — one that gave the country its first daily soap, Shanti, and breakout channels such as Hungama and Bindass, as well as a movie studio that boasts of a filmography that includes Rang De Basanti, Dev D, Jodha Akbar and Barfi.

The first few chapters take the reader through the initial days of the entertainment mogul, when he was organising play-cum-concerts for residents of his building or when he was selling “balcony seats” of a vantage point to see film stars attending premieres at Novelty cinema opposite his family house on Grant Road. It’s a different story altogether now, when people would pay to see him address a crowd or give a lecture on making it big.

In the chapters that follow, Screwvala writes about innovation and scale; staying the course after setbacks (what most think of as a “failure”, as per Screwvala); what it feels like to be the outsider and yet succeed; the importance of spotting trends, building brands and creating value; and planned (or unplanned) exits, among many other topics.

Throughout the book, the author consistently underpins the value of the building blocks of a successful business. But if he was to put it in one line, he’d say: “Dream huge. And when you do, dream with your eyes open.”

“And here comes in the question whether it is better to be loved rather than feared, or feared rather than loved. It might perhaps be answered that we should wish to be both; but since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved.”

It isn’t often that your name is converted into an adjective, and even rarer that it is used to depict cunning and evil; however, such is the reputation of Florentine diplomat Niccolò Machiavelli, that even 500 years after his greatest contribution to humanity, people use his name largely with disdain.

It is a little ironic, too, that Machiavelli himself wasn’t an evil man; in fact, if anything, he was a rather ordinary bureaucrat who wouldn’t have merited a mention in the annals of history had it not been for his great work of art The Prince. Written shortly after his exile from Florence, after he was released from prison following a short period of being tortured, one can understand, perhaps, why his thinking occasionally ventured into the realms of destruction and why he sought to use fear as a primary tool in human interaction.

The Prince itself is a rather short book filled with 26 chapters, some only a couple of paragraphs long, as Machiavelli races through his message with the speed of a man who knows exactly when and how much to speak. Up there with Sun Tzu’s The Art of War as an eternal classic, The Prince, was originally written in Tuscan and has been translated by many different writers into English. There are free versions of the book available for download, courtesy Project Gutenberg in virtually all digital formats.

A political science masterpiece, The Prince is virtually a how-to-guide for anyone seeking to claim or retain power. Many of the lessons in the book are just as relevant in today’s political setting, despite having been originally written for kingdoms rather than republics. In fact, business leaders are likely to glean plenty of useful learnings from the book, too, as they attempt to remain competitive and relevant in today’s rapidly changing global environment.

For political leaders, too, Machiavelli outlines step-by-step different ways in which one can capture power, and the likelihood of the success of each of these. If one refrains from taking some of his suggestions literally, and attempts to adopt them to a considerably different time and place, there is immense value to be had. Perhaps the best element of Machiavelli’s writing is how he elucidates every one of his points with examples, and while most of these would not be self-explanatory to someone of our time, sitting with Wikipedia by one’s side, they become easy to grasp and make his text all the more useful.

It is hard to pick any one section of his book as a favourite, although chapters V to VIII, which focus on “How to govern principalities that have been newly acquired” are especially insightful, as are Chapters XII and XIII, which examine the kind of soldiers one should keep in one’s army.

Replace the word “soldier” with follower or party worker in today’s environment, and Machiavelli’s knowledge is tremendously useful for any wannabe political leader with aspirations beyond his own constituency.

If you thought Goa is best enjoyed in winter, try it in monsoons and you are sure to get hooked

There I was, ready with my threat, a secret smile on my lips. “I am going anyway, so you decide.” After 10 years of marriage, the man obviously knows which threats need to be taken seriously. So there we were, on our way to Goa, just months after we’d completed 10 years of marriage.

Why Goa?

Well, to begin with, I’d been to Goa with college friends, an all-women group and he’d been to Goa on a work trip (I sincerely hope it was only that). But we’d never gone there together. Also, and this is more important, I’d heard so much about Goa being utterly romantic and beautiful during monsoons that I was sure to push my agenda. Of course, I also took the six-yearold daughter as bait for dear husband, with an excuse for how she needs to experience the sea. The deal was sealed.

When we arrived in Goa on a rain-soaked night on June 12, cool winds greeted us. The monsoons had just arrived a few days ago, our driver told us. The rain-heavy sky looked intoxicating, and the smell of the wet earth only added to the lovely drive.

I had wound up my work and was, for once, travelling without the laptop. So yes, no morning calls for work and no alarms to wake me up. What woke me up, in fact, was the music of the rain outside.

I knew why some friends who had been to Goa in the monsoons gushed about it. To begin with, the weather is perfect and the lush greenery acts like a balm to city stressed eyes. Lounge around in your balcony chair with a hot cup of coffee and enjoy the pitter-patter. Of course, that wasn’t all that the morning was made of once the man and the kiddo were up.

Have a hearty breakfast and set off for the day. If it hadn’t been for the monsoons, I would have recommended Martha’s Breakfast Inn, a lovely breakfast joint run by the husband-wife duo, not too far from Anjuna. Their omelette and waffles are to die for. But since they are closed for monsoons, like a lot of places are, you can always rely on your hotel to do some lip-smacking waffles or garlic toast.

Mind you, the garlic toasts in Goa are usually delicious buns doused with generous amount of garlic and olive oil, perfect for a monsoon day. Cottiga at The Tamarind Hotel gave us the lovely sugar high with their delicious waffles and home-baked cakes. A standard thing to remember while in Goa in the rains is to have flexible plans. The rains can come unannounced and retrace as quickly. Be ready with your best gear — shorts, rain shoes, a T-shirt (an extra pair in your backpack if you plan to get soaked in the waves), a rain cover for the bag, an umbrella or raincoat, and you are ready for a lovely day.

The beaches are quite something at this time. So while you will still find the crowds at Calungute and Bagha, it’s Vagator and Anjuna if you want some quiet time. Build the sand castles you want, just sit by the beach looking at the wild waves or walk hand in hand with your significant other. In fact, sometimes the beaches are so quiet, it feels like it’s just you there. Reconnect with yourself and feel the stress ebb out.

And once you are done reconnecting with yourself, get back into the worldly mode with a vengeance. We headed to Anand seafood bar and restauraunt at Anjuna Siloim Road. Settle for Chonak richad, succulent king fish curry, Xacuti or the fish thali. Wash down the spiciness with chilled beer and you are sure to come out smiling. Simple ambience and superb food.

And if the foodie and adventurer in you are debating, a superb idea is to plan a trip to the spice plantations. The tours are wonderfully guided, with a meal at the plantation to add to the experience. The Sahakari Spice Plantation (the largest spice farm of the Ponda region), Savoi, also has accommodation facilities, as do a few others.

What’s more, the spice plantations are a delight in monsoons. Let the aroma of pepper, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and ginger lead you through the plantation. What is better is to taste them in your food — warm and satisfying. Crabs, prawns, fried mussels, fresh vegetable curries, you name it.

If you are looking for some adrenalin rush, head to the awe-inspiring Dudhsagar Falls, which are at their glorious best in monsoons. And if you haven’t had your fill of soaking in the rain, stand close to the falls and you’ll be drenched in seconds. You can either take the train or opt for the lovely drive through Panaji or Madgaon. If you are a trekking enthusiast, you will love the trek to the falls. Steep in parts, but completely worth it.

If the photographer in you is yearning for more frames, the wildlife sanctuaries should be on your must-visit list. Unlike other sanctuaries, these are open throughout the year. And you can imagine how the green only adds to the pictures. The one’s you could choose from are the Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary, Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary, Mollem National Park, and Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary.

No trip to Goa is complete without a visit to the churches. The imposing architecture, the craftsmanship, and the different styles of building are a study in itself. It is interesting to know church building was one of the main occupations of the early Portuguese. In fact, one of Vasco da Gama’s main missions for finding the sea route to India apparently was to “seek Christians and spices”.

So it’s not unusual to find a church in almost every corner of Goa. But yes, if you’ve gone all the way to Old Goa, some churches are a must visit. Take, for instance, the Bom Jesus Basilica, perhaps Goa’s most famous church, and a World Heritage monument. Bom Jesus means “good Jesus” or “infant Jesus”, to whom it is dedicated. This awe-inspiring edifice is a brilliant example of baroque architecture in Goa. Another reason for the popularity of the church is that it houses the body of St Francis Xavier. Legend has it that before his final resting place in the Basilica of Bom Jesus in 1624, his body was buried in three different countries. Each time the body was exhumed, it was found to be intact.

The body, having resisted extensive decay, is now in the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Goa, where it was placed in a silver casket on December 2, 1637. The silver casket is lowered for public viewing only during the public exposition which occurs for six weeks every 10 years.

Another beautiful church is the Church of St Francis of Assisi in Old Goa. Built during the Indian baroque period, it shows the local architectural influences in terms of style and design. The outer facade and the ceiling, for instance, include flowers and other tropical motifs.

Missing partying? Head to the famous Mambo’s and Tito. If live music is your thing, head to Cavala, on Baga-Calangute Road. Some sing-along fun? There is karaoke at St Anthony’s bar at Baga Beach.

If you are planning a trip in August, you can also witness the Bonderam Festival in Divar Island. Some local friends (I made some on my girly trip the first time) tell me the festival begins with a vibrant parade with colourful flags. And the performances by famous local bands add to the vibe of the festival.

Since we went in mid-June, we could neither witness that, nor Sao Joao (a festival when villagers jump into wells, streams and ponds), held on June 24, with feni being an important part of the celebration, of course. We decided to drown the disappointment in some home-brewed authentic feni. Carry some back to remind yourself of the heady place that is called Goa.