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#WillThereBeWar?
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FROM THE
www.indiatoday.in EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Aroon Purie
GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: Ashish Bagga
T
GROUP EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Raj Chengappa o subdue the enemy without figh submarine warfare helicopters. Indias
EDITORS: Kaveree Bamzai (Special Projects), Ajit Kumar Jha (Research) ting is the pinnacle of strategy, defence budget for 2017 was just 1.5 per
GROUP CREATIVE EDITOR: Nilanjan Das; GROUP PHOTO EDITOR: Bandeep Singh
MANAGING EDITORS: Kai Jabir Friese, Rajesh Jha
said Sun Tzu in The Art of War. cent of the GDP, among the lowest in
EXECUTIVE EDITORS: Damayanti Datta, S. Sahaya Ranjit, Centuries later, Chinas Xi Jinping hopes recent years. But of greater concern is the
Sandeep Unnithan
DEPUTY EDITORS: Prachi Bhuchar, Uday Mahurkar, Manisha Saroop to do much the same with Indiadefeat tardy pace of border infrastructure. Only
Mumbai: M.G. Arun Hyderabad: Amarnath K. Menon Chandigarh: Asit Jolly
SENIOR EDITORS: Shweta Punj, Sasi Nair, Jaipur: Rohit Parihar
it with its words. For a change, though, 22 of the 73 allweather roads along the
SENIOR ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Kaushik Deka, Ashish Mukherjee South Block has chosen the path of quiet LAC have been completed a decade after
Mumbai: Suhani Singh, Kiran Dinkar Tare; patna: Amitabh Srivastava
ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Shougat Dasgupta, Chinki Sinha dialogue over rhetoric, stressing a peaceful they were sanctioned and the 14 strategic
Kolkata: Romita Sengupta; Bhopal: Rahul Noronha;
Thiruvananthapuram: Jeemon Jacob; BeiJing: Ananth Krishnan diplomatic resolution to the standoff. The railway lines to rush troops and supplies
ASSISTANT EDITOR: pune: Aditi S. Pai
Indian and Chinese armies last fired in to the border remain paperbound. China,
CHIEF COPY EDITOR: Aditya Mohan Wig
PHOTO DEPARTMENT: Vikram Sharma (Deputy Photo Editor), anger 50 years ago, in 1967. Every aggres in comparison, has completed its road
Rajwant Singh Rawat (Principal Photographer),
Kekhriezhazo Miachie-O (Senior Photographer), Chandra Deep sive move the two sides have made along network in border areas, and is powering
Kumar (Photographer); Mumbai: Mandar Suresh Deodhar
(Chief Photographer), Danesh Adil Jassawala (Photographer);
the 4,057kmlong Line of Actual Control ahead with its railways.
ahmedabad: Shailesh B Raval (Principal Photographer);
Kolkata: Subir Halder (Principal Photographer);
since 1967 has essentially been postur Beijing appears to be in no mood for
Chennai: N.G. Jaison (Senior Photographer) ing, each side warning the other against compromise. One reason is the cur
PHOTO RESEARCHERS: Prabhakar Tiwari (Chief Photo Researcher),
Saloni Vaid (Principal Photo Researcher), altering the situation on the ground. In its rent domestic political climate, with the
Shubhrojit Brahma (Assistant Photo Researcher)
CHIEF OF GRAPHICS: Tanmoy Chakraborty July 17, 2017, cover story (Face Off ), india Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) set to hold
ART DEPARTMENT: Sanjay Piplani (Senior Art Director); today explained the genesis of the current massive war games for its 90th anniver
Jyoti K. Singh, Anirban Ghosh (Art Director),
Vikas Verma, Rahul Sharma, Vipin Gupta (Associate Art Director); conflicta dispute over Doklam that sary on August 1 and a onceinfiveyears
Bhoomesh Dutt Sharma (Senior Designer)
PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT: Harish Agarwal (Chief of Production), brings China even closer to the vulnerable party congressall important for Xiin
Naveen Gupta (Chief Coordinator),
Vijay Kumar Sharma (Senior Coordinator) 27kmlong Siliguri corridor that links the November. Any sign of weakness could
PUBLISHING DIRECTOR: Manoj Sharma northeastern states to the rest of India. boost his rivals. The Chinese consider this
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Anil Fernandes (Impact)
But what if there is a war? How do dispute more serious than past faceoffs.
IMPACT TEAM
Senior General Manager: Jitender Lad (West) the two nations compare? Xis reforms From the PLA to every diplomat, Im
General Manager: Mayur Rastogi (North),
Upendra Singh (Bangalore), have modernised Chinas military and hearing the same message every day: this
Kaushiky Chakraborty (East)
GROUP CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER: Vivek Malhotra
enabled greater integration through a time its different, says Ananth Krishnan,
Assistant General Manager: Garima Prashar (Marketing) newly setup joint operations command india todays Beijing correspondent. The
SALES AND OPERATIONS: D.V.S. Rama Rao, Chief General Manager
Deepak Bhatt, General Manager (National Sales) systemsomething India itself has long Chinese are saying the dispute is not about
Vipin Bagga, Deputy General Manager (Operations)
Manish Kumar Srivastava, Regional Sales Manager (North) debated but failed to implement. In the Doklam but about India crossing a settled
Rajeev Gandhi, Regional Sales Manager (West)
Arokia Raj L., Regional Sales Manager (South)
first year of Xis term, defence spending border into what they see as their terri
was hiked 10.7 per cent to $114.3 billion. tory, so the message is unless we withdraw,
By last year, it crossed $150 billion, theres no room for deescalation. India is
though independent estimates peg it saying let both sides withdraw and then
Volume XLII Number 32; For the week talk. The deadlock will not be easy to break
as high as $215 billion, more than five
August 1-7, 2017, published on every Friday
times what India spends. with tension likely for quite some time.
l Editorial/Corporate Office Living Media India Ltd., India Today Group Mediaplex,
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to replace its ageing helicopters, missiles all our failings in defence acquisition, in
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12, Richmond Road, Bangalore-560025; Phones: 22212448, 22213037, and infantry equipment after the 1999 this instance the terrain favours India.
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Kolkata-700071; Phones: 22825398; Fax: 22827254; l 6-3-885/7/B, Somajiguda, Kargil Waris yet to deliver results. Its The Chinese would suffer heavy casual
Hyderabad-500082; Phone: 23401657, 23400479, 23410100, 23402481,
23410982, 23411498; Fax: 23403484 l 39/1045, Karakkatt Road, Kochi 682016; first howitzer buys in three decades will ties in case of an assault. That said, both
Phones: 2377057, 2377058 ; Fax: 2377059 l 2/C, Suryarath Bldg, 2nd Floor,
Behind White House, Panchwati, Office C.G. Road, Ahmedabad-380006; Phone: enter service only next year. Its Mountain sides should again recall Sun Tzu: There
26560393, 26560929; Fax: 26565293 l Copyright Living Media India Ltd. All
rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited. Strike Corpsan offensive high alti is no instance of a nation benefitting from
Printed and published by Manoj Sharma on behalf of Living Media
India Limited. Printed at Thomson Press India Limited, tude warfighting force comprising over prolonged warfare.
18-35 Milestone, Delhi Mathura Road, Faridabad-121007, (Haryana)
and at A-9, Industrial Complex, Maraimalai Nagar, District
90,000 soldierswill be combatready
Kancheepuram-603209, (Tamil Nadu). Published at K-9, Connaught
Circus, New Delhi-110001. Editor: Aroon Purie.
only by 2020. The IAFs dip in combat
l india today does not take the responsibility for returning unsolicited
publication material.
aircraft32 instead of the sanctioned 39
All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of fighter squadronsis perilous. The navy
competent courts and forums in Delhi/New Delhi only
is short on both submarines and anti (Aroon Purie)
GENETICS
52 THE ARYAN
WARS
A historical
debate gets
political
as new
research
suggests
our Aryan
ancestors
came in
from the
West 4,000
years ago
CR ICK ET
20
C OV E R S T O RY
Will
there be
War?
The Doklam standoff continues even as
Chinas rhetoric gets shriller. Could the
impasse take an unpredictable turn? 46 THE SLOG
OVERS
With his choice,
Ravi Shastri,
installed as
head coach,
captain Kohlis
SIKKIM performance
must now do
34
the talking
STATE OF
DESPAIR
Sikkim is
paying the
price for the
Gorkhaland
agitation in
West Bengal
Page: 88-89
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UPFRONT
THE TERROR TELECOM: JIOS
FILES NEW GAMBIT
PG 5 PG 6
SHOW OF STRENGTH
PANKAJ TIWARI At a previous Sangh
RSS brainstorming meet
RALLYING FOR A
HINDU RASHTRA
By Kiran D. Tare
T
he Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh brass gathered behind closed doors, with no press invited to attend.
en masse in Jammu recently for a week-long talking Speaking after the event, the RSS communications chief
shop. Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat and other Aniruddha Deshpande said the RSS had plans to reach out to
leaders such as Bhaiyyaji Joshi and Dattatreya every section of society in time for its centenary in 2025. The
Hosabale, arrived in Jammu a few days before the conference, central agenda of the Jammu meeting, he said, was to bring
held from July 18-20, to brainstorm future strategy and set the RSS to the basti, defined as any area with 10,000 resi-
the agenda for the meeting. Over 200 pracharaks attended. dents. In each basti, the focus will be, Deshpande explains,
According to RSS national executive member Indresh Kumar, on social work, social integration, family enlightenment,
this particular meeting is an annual opportunity to discuss rural development and cow protection. Though the RSS has
organisational work, no resolutions are passed. It is also held no official membership tally, it is claiming a noticeable rise
UPFRONT
I
amidst broader remarks about the RSS not supporting violence s privacy a fundamental right? In a move that
and urging people, the media in particular, to separate incidents will have wide-ranging ramifications, the
of violence related to gau rakshaks and the cow protection move- Supreme Court has set up a nine-judge bench to
ment itself. The Sangh, he said, does not support any kind revisit its 1954 and 1962 rulings, which held that
of violence, and urged action to be taken against offenders the right to privacy was not a fundamental right.
instead of spurious connections being drawn with the RSS. The Which way the court goes will determine if Aadhaar
issue of gau rakshak violence has become a lightning rod for Op- can be used as an omnibus identification toolfor
position protests in the current parliamentary session. sundry government benefits, to pay income tax, to
Indeed, the gau raksha movement and the RSSs approach buy mobile SIM cards and more.
to kutumb prabodhan or family enlightenment have been the The central government, too, believes the right to
subject of vociferous criticism. Volunteers see both programmes privacy is not a fundamental one but a common law
as opportunities to impose RSS values and assert their beliefs. right, and Article 21 of the Constitution protects only
Some families told of how Sangh workers have lectured them on unauthorised intrusion into ones privacy. Petitioners
family values and sermonise at length about correct attire and in the case, however, argue for a broader definition
the Indian way to celebrate festivals. of privacy, with senior counsel Gopal Subramanium
These speeches, some complained, saying the fundamental ideas of liberty and freedom
A non-Hindu were unnecessary and intrusive. But, cant exist without right to privacy.
dedicated to says Vaidya, we are not imposing a
the countrys code of conduct on people, just appeal-
progress is a ing to them to follow the actual morals
Hindu to us, and values of Indian culture. PU LLQUOTE
J IOPHON E
MILIND SHELTE
feature phone market is dominated by
firms such as Nokia, Samsung, Lava
and Micromax. Data is the oxygen of
digital life and no Indian should suffer
because of data scarcity and unafford-
ability, said Ambani at the launch.
JioPhone users will also get unlimited
voice and data for Rs 153 a month.
But this new offer, commercially
available from August 24, can be tricky,
not just for Jio but also for other telecom
companies, whose profitabilities were
already hit by the tariff cuts neces-
sitated by Jios entry. Though overall
data traffic grew five-fold in the year to
March 2017, 4G data prices fell 60 per
cent, resulting in flat revenue growth
for telcos, Crisil said in a report in April.
Experts say another 12 months of tariff
war can bleed the sector further, which
is steeped in debts of Rs 5 lakh crore.
RING LEADER The other issue has to do with sustain-
RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani ing the growth momentum achieved
at low tariffs. At some point of time,
companies will have to revise tariffs to
T
en months after he launched existing cost and voice free forever, the remain profitable. The third issue has
Reliance Jio, a disruptive fourth handset offer bridges a big user gap. It to do with JioPhones target segment.
generation (4G) mobile telepho- addresses millions of feature phone us- For the target segment, even Rs 150
ny service based on long-term ers who are denied the benefits of even a month can be on the higher side, at
evolution or LTE technology, a form of an entry-level smart phone, which can a time when the average revenue per
high-speed wireless communication, cost Rs 3,000-4,500. Feature phones user (ARPU, a measure of the sectors
Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh incorporate features such as inter- health) is between Rs 120 and Rs 130 a
Ambani has sprung a new surprise. net access and storage and can play month, says Prashant Singhal, global
On July 21, at RILs annual general music, but cant run third party apps telecom leader at EY India. Moreover,
meeting of shareholders in Mumbai, he like smart phones can. India had 895 even at Rs 1,500, JioPhone is still not a
launched JioPhone, an LTE-enabled million mobile users in March 2017, smart phone, and customers have the
mobile handset that also provides half of them feature phone users. The option of going for cheap used ones. Can
bundled services such as JioTV and Jio pull it off in handsets as it did in mo-
JioMusic. The most attractive aspect is bile services? Ambani is confident. We
the price of the phone. Its practically Though overall data have converted a majority of our free
free, since the Rs 1,500 one pays while traffic grew five-fold customers to paid customers. Today, Jio
buying the phone is a security deposit, in the year to March has more than 100 million paying Jio
to be refunded after three years if the
2017, 4G data prices Prime (the companys key subscriber
phone is returned to the company. For plan) customers, he says. He is now
Jio, which shook up the telecom sector fell 60 per cent betting on selling five million JioPhone
with its initial offer of data at a fifth the handsets a month. n
Tanks, but
No Tanks
Eager to rehabilitate the
reputation of Jawaharlal
Nehru University as a
den of militant patriots
as opposed to Maoist
anti-nationals (or something like that), vice-chancellor M.
Jagadesh Kumar asked a pair of ministers if they could
help him procure an army tank to display in a prominent
place on campus. Apparently, the idea was first mooted
in February when students at the university were accu-
sed of chanting anti-India slogans. Does patriotism grow
out of the barrel of a gun? Kumar says the decommissio-
ned tank is intended as a tribute to JNU alumni in the
armed forces. He is a brave man to put a tank in the
midst of young people with too much time on their hands.
I
are routinely caught
ts one of the chief threats from the Washington-based
quoting fake news
as truth, you won- to human health. If Center for Disease Dynamics,
der if there ought unchecked, common in- Economics & Policy (CD-
to be a word for fections and minor injuries, DEP) and the Public Health
someone who buys this stuff hook, line and sinker. treatable for decades, can Foundation of India, Delhi.
Shashi Tharoor is the latest to delight in a coinage that once again kill. For the past Conducted across 18 poultry
appears to date only to late MayWebaqoof: one who 20 years, the World Health farms in Punjab, each raising
believes every word he reads on the net or social media. Organization has been about 50,000 birds, the study
sounding out the alarm on shows unregulated use of
the rising menace of antibi- antibiotics and emergence of
otic resistance (ABR) across bacteria resistant to penicillin
His Phones the world and in India. and cephalosporin (needed in
Blowing up ABR snuffs out 100,000 respiratory, skin and kidney
Shortly after being lives in America, 80,000 diseases) in two-thirds of
sworn in, Ram Nath in China and 25,000 in the birds destined for meat
Kovind made his Twit- Europe a year on average. consumption.
ter debut as Indias
What about India? Although Lead researcher, and one
14th president. Within
one of the worlds biggest of the few economic epidemi-
hours he had acquired
over three million followers on the official Rashtrapati consumers of antibiotics, ologists to study ABR growth
Bhavan account. President Kovind racked up 32 tweets India does not keep records. in India, CDDEP director
in his first three hours. Each citizen of India is a nation Piecemeal studies point to Ramanan Laxminarayan
builder, read an early tweet. Followed by a barrage: an alarming rise. One such has cautioned about the risk
Farmer toiling in the blazing sun... nation builder; Young is a new reportthe largest the country runs without any
person who founds a start-up... nation builder; Tribal... everpublished last week mechanism for nationwide
striving to preserve our ecology... nation builder etc. in Environmental Health surveillance and monitor-
Yes, President Kovind, we know what each means. Perspectives, by researchers ing of veterinary antibiotic
CHIN UP,
GIRLS!
The World Cup was
there for the taking for
the women in blue, at
least as long as Punam
Raut was at the crease.
A batting collapse meant
India finished nine runs
short. Swing bowler Anya
Shrubsole took six wick-
ets, five in just 19 balls,
as she skittled out the In-
dian lower order. Still, it
was a thrilling final and
India had an outstanding
tournament, with skipper
Mithali Raj breaking
records and rivalling her
male counterparts for
attention. The feats of
Jhulan Goswami, Har-
manpreet Kaurs 171 not
out, off 115 balls in the
semifinal against Austra-
lia, and Rauts excellent
innings in the final will
be justly celebrated. As
now, surely, will be the
womens game.
GL ASSHOUSE
N
itish Kumar has maintained a studied silence
out of sight after the Cong-
on the CBI raids on his ally, the RJDs Lalu
Prasad Yadav. The CBI has filed corruption resss humiliating defeat in
cases against Lalu, wife Rabri Devi and son and the UP elections in March.
deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav in a 2006 hotel bribery Kishor claims he is taking
case. Nitishs four spokespersonsSanjay Singh, a break, but hes already
Neeraj Kumar, Rajeev Ranjan and Ajay Alokhave on to his next projecta
more than made up for his silence with a barrage of mahagathbandhan of all
verbal attacks seeking Tejashwis clarification, a non-BJP, non-Congress
thinly disguised call for his resignation. Its a repeat parties for the 2019 Lok
of an earlier strategy. The foursome had done the Sabha polls. These parties,
same to Jitan Ram Manjhi when Nitish wanted him
he believes, can win in over
out as CM in 2015. Manjhi quit before his trust vote.
200 parliamentary seats.
Remains to be seen if Tejashwi will blink.
Question is, how many will
buy into PKs plan?
PURUSHOTTAM DIWAKAR
POINT OF V IEW
O
ne of independent Indias earliest Since then, there has been a spate of com-
international accords was its 1949 ment and speculation about the matter, includ-
friendship treaty with Bhutan. It ing sharp exchanges between India and China.
was concluded at a time of uncer- The place in question is in the area of the tri-
tainty on Indias periphery: the British were junction between India, Bhutan and China, a
withdrawing, revolutionary China was moving geographically sensitive area with important
into Tibet, with which Bhutan had age-old ties security and strategic features. India and Chi-
of religion and culture. The 1949 treaty, in effect, na have both established military defences in
affirmed Bhutans independence, provided for the area, which have been strengthened in the
Indian support when required and helped bring course of the current disagreement.
stability to the sensitive Himalayan frontier. From the Chinese side, there have been ac-
Just a few years later, Jawaharlal Nehru cusations that India has been inciting Bhutan
made a pioneering visit to Bhutan, which at that to take a tougher line on its claims. However, for
time involved trekking across Tibets Chumbi more than three decades, Bhutan has conducted
Valley. By then, the universal demand in all parts its border negotiations with China according
of the world was for accelerated development, to its own lights. In an earlier phase, India did
and Nehrus talks with the King led to agree- have a role in attempts to delineate the border,
ment that India would fully support Bhutans derived from historic factors, but long ago, this
economic development. This has remained the gave way to a Bhutan-China process without
pattern ever since. third party involvement. Bhutan was well aware
Even while Bhutan drew closer to India, it that the prolonged India-China border talks
steadily increased its own profile as an indepen- were going nowhere and felt it should make an
dent country. A major step was its admission to independent bid for a settlement, to which India
the United Nations, which was done with Indias was persuaded to agree. Bhutan expected that
active support. Its greater international visibility its boundary issue would soon be settled and
notwithstanding, Bhutan refused to become en- China would be generous to its small neighbour.
tangled in the affairs of regional and other powers In the event, China was unyielding, offered no
in matters where it had no direct concern; its own concessions and appeared to be trying to lever-
traditional statecraft drove it towards distance, age the border talks to establish a new order
even isolation, from the affairs of others. Entry of relationship with Bhutan. This effort made
into the UN did not greatly alter these attitudes, no headway, as was revealed in the Bhutanese
and Bhutan even today remains sparing in the complaint about Chinas failure to observe the
Bhutan was access it provides to outsiders. Only a very few agreed process for border settlement.
diplomatic missions are permitted, none from These events make it evident that Bhutan
well aware the P-5 and it keeps aloof from the proliferating has found its voice and is well able to defend its
that the disputes at the UN and other multilateral forums. interests. The unprecedented democratisation
prolonged It thus came as a surprise when, a few weeks of the country, when the monarch voluntarily
India-China ago, senior Bhutanese officials spoke up against ceded his authority, can be seen to have given
border talks Chinese encroachments along the border and new strength to the countrys instruments of
were going asked China to respect the procedure for border governance. Standing up for its territorial and
nowhere and settlement that it had itself agreed on with Bhu- other interests, even in the face of its formidable
felt it should tan. This was an unusually forthright demand northern neighbour, is a measure of how far
from a country that is normally very restrained Bhutan has come. n
make an in its diplomatic expression. Such untypical ac-
independent tion suggests that China had caused apprehen- Salman Haidar is a former foreign
bid for a sion by being unresponsive to Bhutans concerns secretary and has served as ambassador
settlement and had thus invited criticism. to both Thimphu and Beijing
NOW SHOWING
Actor Subbaraju appears before Telangana excise officials in Hyderabad
A
TEL A NGA NA bkari Bhavan, the head- Mascarenhas is the mastermind of
quarters of Telanganas a nefarious narcotics network sup-
Drug Bust in
prohibition and excise plying synthetic drugs, including
department, has been LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide)
seeing a number of visitors from the and MMDA (methylenedioxymeth-
Telugu film industry. Actors Tarun amphetamine). More arrests have
Tollywood
Kumar, P. Navdeep, Subbaraju, followed. The 17 persons detained
Charmme Kaur and Mumait Khan, so far include Dundu Anish, a US
director Puri Jagannath, art direc- national and former aerospace
tor Dharma Rao and cinematogra- engineer at NASA, and seven IT
Top personalities from pher Shyam K. Naidu were among professionals from Hyderabad.
those called in for questioning and Investigators say Mascarenhas
the Telugu film industry asked to submit hair, fingernail and is among a handful of Indian
in police net saliva samples for forensic testing. customers of Silk Road, a notorious
The summons to the film folk e-market on which synthetic narcot-
By Amarnath K. Menon followed the arrest of Calvin Mas- ics are traded in bulk. Disguised as
carenhas, a bank employee-turned- medicines, the drugs are distributed
small-time musician, and two via international courier services
others on July 2. Investigators say as well as in parcels sent through
I
chain, they have also asked the postal n February, T.R. Zeliang of the Naga Peoples Front (NPF) was
department and courier services to ousted as chief minister of Nagaland following the governments an-
keep an eye on shipments from South nouncement of 33 per cent reservation for women in the civic polls. It
America and Europe. had led to protests and violence by several Naga tribal groups. Many felt
Dr Akun Sabharwal, director (en- that it challenged traditional customs of Naga society, which is now 90
forcement) in Telanganas prohibition per cent Christian. Zeliangs decision to empower women was also seen
and excise department, says: So far, we as a consequence of the growing influence of the RSS and BJP in the
have gathered that at least 17 bars and state. He was replaced by Shurhozelie Liezietsu, the 81-year-old NPF
pubs allow drugs to be sold or used on president. Zeliangs proximity to BJP general secretary Ram Madhav
their premises. The charges, if proved had angered many in the party. The latters interference in internal
in court, would mean stiff penalties party matters was unacceptable, an NPF leader who did not want to be
up to 20 years in jail and Rs 2 lakh named, had said then.
90
But in less than five months, Zeliang is back
in the hot seat, thanks to his alleged friendship
SUMMONS TO THE FILM with the BJP. Sources say that with Shurhoze-
FOLK FOLLOWED THE lie showing no signs of vacating the seat for
Zeliangwithin the scheduled six months, as de-
ARREST OF CALVIN cided by the two leaders earlieralliance partner PER CENT
MASCARENHAS, THE BJP stepped in. In February, former chief minis- of the people
ter Neiphiu Rio, in a desperate attempt to return of Nagaland
ALLEGED KINGPIN OF A to state politics, had played a key role in orches- are Christians
NARCOTICS NETWORK trating the coup against Zeliang. This time, BJP
leaders Madhav and Himanta Biswa eventually merged with the BJP.
Sarma brokered a peace deal between NOT MANY NPF However, the transition may
the two Naga leaders. LEADERS WILL BE not be as smooth here as Nagaland
Consequently, Zeliang had the politics is strongly dominated by the
support of 36 NPF, four BJP and 11 WILLING TO FIGHT Church, which is not at all happy with
independent MLAs in the 60-mem- ON A BJP TICKET IF the saffron partys growing influ-
ber assembly. Shurhozelie, left with ence in the state. Also, not many NPF
just seven supporters, expelled 20 THE PARTY SYMBOL leaders will be willing to fight on a
MLAs, including Zeliang, and sus-
pended 11 others. He also declared
IS FROZEN BJP ticket, in the event that the partys
election symbol is frozen in the battle
that the NPF was breaking off its between the two factions.
alliance with the BJP. The vertical To cash in on the public mood,
split in the NPF has created a buzz year, 44 of the 45 Congress MLAs, NPF members loyal to Shurhozelie
that the BJP is planning to do an led by Arunachal CM Pema Khandu, organised a beef festival in Kohima
Arunachal in Nagaland. In July last had first joined a regional party and hours after Zeliang won the trust
ASSA M
0.21
MILLION HECTARE
Crop area lost so far in
29 districts this year, or
nearly 50 per cent
of the total crop area
` 12
CRORE
Brahmaputra Board spend
on river-basin management
works during April-October
2016, compared to Rs 43
crore on establishment
expenses. The same trend
has endured over the past
891
10 years
` 128
CRORE
KM
Length of the 48
Brahmaputra in SQ. KM
Assams average flood Assam (total of forest cover lost
loss per year, according length 3,848 km, in the state between 2011
to the Assam State Disaster from Tibet to the and 2015, accelerating
Management Authority Bay of Bengal) land erosion
40
DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD
Shankersinh Vaghela at his
July 21 rally in Gandhinagar
PER CENT G U J A R AT
of Assams land is
flood-prone
` 40,000 CRORE
A. Some Congress leaders in Gu-
jarat didnt agree with my stand
that the party should prepare for
the party since it gave you so
much despite your BJP
background.
the assembly elections well in A. I, too, have given much to
Cost of proposed dredging project advance, as per the A.K. Antony the Congress. I discharged the
between Sadiya and Dhubri, which committees recommendation that responsibilities given to me faith-
chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal says
candidates should be shortlisted fully and tried to expand the par-
will start next year
Doghouse Days
joined the Congress in 1998-1999.
Even in the latest instance, they
asked partymen and MLAs to skip
my birthday party. Is this the way
you treat senior leaders? The rape-murder of a teenage girl snowballs
into an indictment of the Congress government
Q. Many Congress leaders claim SHIML A
the cross-voting by eight to 11 party
By Asit Jolly
MLAs in favour of Ram Nath Kov-
ind was at your behest.
A. This is totally false. I have never
engaged in anti-party activity. It
is the state Congress leaderships
duty to find out who voted against
Meira Kumar. I cannot be blamed
for their management failures.
T
heyre calling her Gudiya. Kotkhai and Shimla.
The rape and murder of a A week later, on July 13, IG
16-year-old schoolgirl on Zahur H. Zaidi, heading the SIT
Q. You also had complaints about July 4 has stirred the Shimla investigating the case, reported the
the party manifesto not being hills like never before with the public arrest of six suspects. Besides main
considered while planning party outrage threatening to bring down accused Rajinder Singh, manager
programmes. the Congress government, just of a local apple orchard, the others
A. Yes, there should be synergy bet- months before fresh assembly polls. named include Ashish Chauhan, the
ween the partys programmes and A student of Class X at the orchard owners son, two daily wage
its manifesto, which was missing in government school at Mahasu, some workers from Uttarakhand and two
many cases. But my main complaint 5 km from her hilltop village in the Nepali labourers.
was that candidates were not being Kotkhai area, the girl went missing But the protests continued amid
selected well ahead of elections. on her way home on July 4 after- wild rumours that the police and
noon. Two days later, relatives found the state government were attempt-
Q. Whats your plan now? her body in a forest not far from ing a cover-up to save the actual
A. Wait and watch. where she lived. Although a case was culprits. With increasing numbers
registered, police only swung into taking to the streets in Shimla,
Q. Could you be joining the BJP? action after images of the stripped Kotkhai and Theog, Chief Minister
A. No, neither the BJP nor NCP. I naked dead body went viral on social Virbhadra Singh, in an attempt
will remain apolitical for now. n media, provoking angry protests in to lower tempers, agreed to a CBI
THIRUVANANTHAPUR AM
KERALA
Trading on
Saffron
By Jeemon Jacob
T
he BJP has never had it so bad in Kerala. Just as the
party was consolidating itself, a wave of scam allega-
tions have hit the party. Senior party functionaries
have been scurrying for cover ever since news broke
of bribes being taken to facilitate a Medical Council of India
(MCI) licence for a private medical institution here. POCKETS FULL A BJP rally in
It all started in May when R. Shaji, chairman of the S.R. Thiruvananthapuram; (inset) sacked leader R.S. Vinod
Educational and Charitable Trust, complained to state BJP
president Kummanam Rajasekharan that the partys coop- sanction the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi scheme outlets,
eration cell convenor R.S. Vinod had cheated him of fake receipt books and donations worth lakhs collected for
Rs 5.6 crore, money paid to get MCI approval for the trusts party events disappearing (the BJP national convention in
medical college. Shaji also named BJP MP Richard Hays Kozhikode in 2016 is specifically under the scanner). And
assistant Kannadas and Kummanams PA R. Sivaraman. more and more complaints of local leaders taking bribes to
The Kerala BJP chief set up an in-house committee to fix central government jobs. The latest in all this is an inter-
look into the allegations. Shaji told the committee that the nal memo being passed around among the BJP cadre. The
money was paid through Vinod to Satish Nair, a middleman memo, while listing a host of scams, says the state leadership
with connections at the Centre. Incredibly, Kummanam has misappropriated at least Rs 200 crore since the Modi
took no action even after he got the probe report. But after government came to power at the Centre.
it was leaked and the ensuing media shindig in mid-July, The revelations on prime-time TV and the papers have
he had to expel Vinod from the party. (Ironically, it was severely dented the BJPs credibility in the state. Its shock-
Asianet News, a TV network owned by NDA vice-president ing, a senior BJP leader told india today admitting the
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, that broke the story on July 18.) But scandal had damaged the partys image even at the national
by then, the ugly factionalism in the BJP state unit was out level. But that may not be the end of it: the state vigilance
in the open. New allegations have been made almost every and anti-corruption bureau is investigating the BJP leaders
day since then. There are reports of lakhs being pocketed to named in the various scams. n
COVER STORY | INDIA-CHINA
WILL THERE
E BE A WAR?
BOTH SIDES HAVE COMPELLING REASONS TO AVOID IT, BUT INDIA WILL NOW
SEE THE PERIL IN IGNORING ITS DEFENCE PREPAREDNESS
By Sandeep Unnithan in Delhi and Ananth Krishnan in Beijing
COVER STORY INDIA-CHINA
A
A week ahead of August 1, when Chinas Peoples Lib-
eration Army (PLA) marks its 90th anniversary, Xi
Jinpings Red Army had a stern message for India. A
PLA major-general, flanked by three senior colonels,
held a rare meet-the-press in Beijing. Our willing-
ness and resolve to defend our sovereignty, Senior
Colonel Wu Qian thundered, is indomitable. We will
do so whatever the cost. India, he continued, should
from New Delhi. Nearly 300 Indian soldiers have
pitched their tents on Doklam blocking the PLA
from building a contentious road into territory Bhu-
tan claims. Army officials says the troops will stay for
as long as New Delhi wants them to, even through
the 10 below zero winter temperatures of the plateau.
Doklam comes at a time when China is pitching
its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) even as it aggres-
not harbour illusions. The history of the PLA of sively asserts territorial claims around its periphery.
past 90 years, he said, has proven our resolve. It hurts Chinas self-image as an emerging global
Chinas sabre-rattling, ever since the June 16 power and Asian hegemon that India should turn its
standoff with India came to light, has been relentless. back on BRI and thwart its South Asian plans, says
One reason, insiders suspect, is that for the PLA and former foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal.
for Xi, the face-off at Doklam couldnt have come at a Doklam is now in the domain of the PMO which
more sensitive time. On August 1, President Xi, who steers foreign policy. The MEA has been silent after
also heads the PLAs Central Military Commission its June 30 statement where it noted Indias deep
(CMC) and is the commander-in-chief, will supervise concern at the recent Chinese actions and conveyed
the armys largest-ever annual war games in Zhurihe, to the Chinese government that such construction
Inner Mongolia, a show of strength that is meant to would represent a significant change of status quo
test the military a year after Xi kicked off its most with serious security implications for India.
far-reaching reforms. Not only that, in November, Xi A senior MEA official rejects Chinas stand that
will preside over a once-in-five-years party congress the issue is between China and Bhutan and explains
that will be key to his second term, as rival factions why India is on firm ground, legally and logically.
jostle for the top slots. Any sign of weakness will be Chinas physical movement towards Bhutan auto-
seized upon. matically pushes the trijunction towards the Indian
Beijings bluster has been met with quiet resolve side thus bringing it closer to the chickens neck that
connects Indias Northeast to the rest of India. Its The military imbalance
not a unilateral issue but a tripartite one. China alone
or even China and Bhutan cant resolve it. The solu-
tion has to be tripartite, he says. The PLAs war rhetoric has so far not translated into
As China ramps up the rhetoric, New Delhi is additional boots on the ground. Even a month after
soft-pedalling the standoff. Instructions have ap- the standoff, there has been no mobilisation on the
parently gone out to politicians, bureaucrats and the Tibetan plateau, a prerequisite for carrying out its
military to not publicly comment on the stalemate. threats. Footage of recent live firing drills released on
Hectic parleys are under way to defuse the crisis Chinese media were from a PLA exercise last month.
without any perceived loss of face. In a nudge that The Indian and Chinese armies last fired in anger
Beijing is unlikely to take kindly to, a US depart- 50 years ago, in 1967. The Indian army hit back at the
ment of defence spokesperson on July 22 encouraged PLAs attempt to disturb the status quo in Sikkim,
India and China to engage in direct dialogue aimed with a ferocious artillery bombardment at Nathu La
at reducing tensions and free of any coercive aspects. on September 11 and Cho La on October 1 where over
New Delhi is looking at National Security Advisor 300 PLA soldiers were reportedly killed. The incident
Ajit Dovals visit to Beijing for the BRICS NSA meet- came exactly five years after the 1962 war loss.
ing on July 27-28 as one channel for dialogue. Since 1967, every aggressive move the two sides
HAND IN HAND
India has cited a twin
threat from China and
Pakistan, seen here
during a joint military
exercise in Jhelum,
Pakistan Punjab
anniversary, for instance, the PLAs officers have been will be connected to the massive highway network,
publicly pledging their allegiance to Xi and showering which is now over 82,000 kilometres in length.
praise on his reforms. Former PLA officers have even In all three sectorswestern, middle and east-
used the Doklam incident to attack the armys critics ernmotorable Chinese roads now reach right up to
and demand total support for the army. the Indian border. In the middle and eastern sectors,
Its advantage India in terms of the armys trai- in the Chumbi Valley bordering Sikkim and in Nying-
ning and professionalism, and advantage China in chi across the border from Arunachal, the Chinese
terms of infrastructure, logistics, supplies, firepower railway network will reach the border by 2019. In the
quantity and their second artillery, says Srikanth current five-year plan (2016-2020), the Yanga-Nying-
Kondapalli, an expert on the Chinese military at the chi railway to the Arunachal border, the Shigatse-
Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi. Since Chinas Yadong railway to the Chumbi Valley and the Sikkim
10th five-year plan (2001-2005), Beijing had em- border, and the Shigatse-Gyirong railway to the Nepal
barked on an ambitious push to build a road and rail border will be completed. As local officials in Yadong
network across Xinjiang and Tibet. A decade-and-a- county told india today in 2015, a 500-km rail track
half later, it is almost complete, in stark contrast with has already entered the Chumbi Valley and tests will
Indias stalled border road-building. Beijing, no doubt, begin next year. The line to Nyingchi near Arunachal
enjoys the topographical advantage of the Tibetan is now being constructed and will be ready in two
plateau in both western and eastern sectorsit is only years time. This allows China to rapidly mobilise divi-
bordering Sikkim in the Chumbi Valley where it faces sions from not only the western theatre command, but
a major disadvantage. But that too is no impediment, also from the central, southern and eastern theatre
for this year the last two towns in TibetGyalasa and commands to the Indian border in a matter of days.
Gandeng in Medog county that borders Arunachal The PLA air force also operates around a dozen
LADAKH
J& K
HIMACHAL
PRADESH
N Pathankot UTTARAKHAND
TA
IS
K
A
P Ambala
Bathinda Mathura
Halwara Bareilly
Udaipur
Bhopal
Bhuj
TIBET Nyingchi
Gongar Qamdo
Daocheng
Yading
N E PA L DOKLAM
Chabua
SIKKIM
Tezpur ASSAM
CHICKENS NECK
(Land corridor
linking India to the NAGALAND
Northeast)
Panagarh
Kalaikunda
STRENGTHS STRENGTHS
future, support Pakistan outright in border disputes. freeze on the armys mountain strike corps which had
It is, therefore, axiomatic that we expeditiously create a slashed its manpower and budgets by halfRs 38,000
two-front capability to safeguard our national interests. crore and 35,000 soldiers. The army is working out
a revised version of cold start to fight an intensive
battle of 10-15 days. An upcoming tri-services military
Collusive threat exercise is to be held at an undecided date to work out
new strategies to address a multi-front war. On July 8,
Over a fortnight before the Doklam face-off, army chief army chief General Rawat told ANI that the army is
General Bipin Rawat met his five army commanders in fully ready for a two-and-a-half front war (the half is
Srinagar. The commanders huddle in Srinagars Bad- for terrorists being used by either China or Pakistan to
ami Bagh cantonment on June 1 came just two months carry out acts of sabotage).
after the twice-a-year army commanders conference.
The five army commanders, whose area of responsibil-
itynorthern, western, southwestern, southern and Shadow boxing
easterncovers all the zones of future conflict, reviewed
war contingencies with Pakistan, particularly its proac- It may be difficult to shake a mountain, but it is even
tive strategy, colloquially called cold start. Conceived in more difficult to shake the PLA. Senior Colonel Wu
2004, it cuts down on the two-week-long mobilisation Qian had said at the meet-the-press. The Doklam
time by swiftly mobilising the army to carry out light- standoff is serving some other uses too. One of the
ning multi-front shallow thrusts across the border with PLAs most hawkish generals, the now retired Luo
Pakistan within 72 hours. The option of thinning troops Yuan, called on the public to rally behind the army
from the China border to address the Pakistan front, as because of it. The public should be confident about
the army has done in the past, is no longer viable. We our soldiers, he said in a widely circulated article.
cannot redeploy troops from our eastern borders now. Do not trust the words of those who would con-
The risk of losing territory to probes by the PLA is too demn us for being too aggressive or for being too
great, says an Indian army general. weak when we protect peace. Our army would never
Earlier this year, the government lifted a 2015 MoD engage in a war without the full grasp of victory.
THE DEATH
OF A GRAND
ALLIANCE
Nitish Kumars decision to get back with the BJP might be
the end of the Oppositions mahagathbandhan fantasies
for 2019. As well as his own national ambitions
By Amitabh Srivastava
T
he writing was on the wall Before he put in his papers, tho- hopes on him to protect them from
when Bihar Chief Minister ugh, Nitish called up Lalu and told such a crisis was mistaken. Nitish
Nitish Kumar, fresh from him about his decision to quit. Lalu did give Lalu a long rope, says a JD(U)
a visit to New Delhi, where apparently suggested a rethink, but minister. Lalu could have defused the
he attended President Ram Nitish had already made up his mind. situation by making Tejashwi resign.
Nath Kovinds swearing-in ceremony, Moments later, Nitish drove to the It would not only have put the grand
summoned the 71 legislators of the governors house and resigned. With alliance on a pedestal but also robbed
Janata Dal (United) to his 1, Anne this, the RJD-JD(U)-Congress grand the Opposition of its main issue. But
Marg residence in Patna on the morn- alliance, stitched in 2015 ahead of Lalu obviously is incapable of letting his
ing of July 25. The post-lunch JD(U) the state assembly polls and one that party leadership go to anyone else.
meeting, initially scheduled for July 26 sparked a flicker of hope in the secular As it turned out, Nitish took 19
in view of the upcoming five-day mon- camp for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, days to walk out of the grand alliance
soon session of the state legislature, has come undone. Not just that, his after a 27-member Central Bureau of
had been brought forward by a day to possible teaming up with the BJP sug- Investigation (CBI) team raided Lalus
discuss an extraordinary situation. gests that the Bihar CM has renounced residence on July 7. Lalu is accused of
Hours before, Rashtriya Janata any national ambitions. rigging a tender process in 2005, when
Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Ya- Composed and smiling, Nitish he was railway minister, to award the
dav, too, had a similar but separate showed no sign of indecisiveness as sublease of two railway hotels in Ran-
meeting of his 80 MLAs at his Patna he walked out of the Raj Bhavan after chi and Puri to his favoured hoteliers in
residence in which he said his son, Te- submitting his resignation to Governor exchange for three acres of prime land
jashwi Pratap Yadav, would not resign Keshari Nath Tripathi. In the brief in Patna, routed via a benami company.
as deputy chief minister. 15-minute media interaction soon after, The CBI had earlier filed FIRs under
Nitishs response was swift, though he described his break-up with Lalu as sections 420 (cheating and dishonesty),
not unexpected. Escalating things to an unavoidable consequence of the run 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC
a flashpoint, he resigned as chief min- of play in the RJD. and other sections of the Prevention of
ister within hours of the RJD chiefs Without taking names, Nitish Corruption Act. Tejashwi is named as
afternoon press conference. maintained that anyone pinning their he appears to have been a beneficiary of
CAUGHT
MIDWAY
WITH THE GORKHALAND AGITATION CHOKING
NATIONAL HIGHWAY 10, SIKKIM BECOMES A
CASUALTY IN THE BATTLE FOR A SEPARATE STATE
By Romita Datta
ts peak tourist season in Sikkim, but NH-10 that starts at Siliguri, runs 75 km in West Bengal before
I
you wouldnt know it on MG Road, entering Sikkim at Rangpo and ending at Gangtok; as well as
the less-than-a-kilometre boulevard the 76-km NH-55 between Siliguri and Darjeeling. Ever since
in capital Gangtok. The neon lights the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) called for an indefinite
from the 40-odd hotels, restaurants bandh in mid-June in reaction to West Bengal chief minis-
and gaming corners have long stopped ter Mamata Banerjees short-lived announcement of making
glowing, the music has faded to a slow Bengali compulsory in state schools, the Gorkhaland agitation
rhythm instead of its usual pulsating has spilled onto the highways, holding both men and material
tempo. And its just 9 pm. Not one tourist is in sight, only local hostage. Sikkim, which depends on West Bengal both for a
youngsters, thrilled to have the place to themselves, sitting on railheadNew Jalpaigurias well as an airportBagdograis
sidewalks with their laptops, making the most of the wi-fi zone. paying the price for the blockaded highways. So much so that
Sitting in the porch of the Golden Heights Hotel, recep- Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling, who expressed open
tionist Ranju Neogi complains that not even a single room of support for the Gorkhaland cause, moved the Supreme Court
the 20-room hotel is occupied. Last year, around this time, on July 11 to intervene in clearing of the highway. Being a small
he says, we had 70 per cent occupancy. And going by the trend state and completely dependent on NH-10 for tourism, which
of cancellation of advanced bookings, the next tourist season forms the backbone of our economy, our losses mount every
in October-December will also go dry. time there is disturbance in the hills. This time, we thought of
The agitation in the hillsDarjeeling, Kalimpong and drawing the attention of both the Centre and the state through
Kurseonghas cascaded down the highwaysthe 174-km the apex court as, having suffered enough, we cannot suffer any
721,000 ` 1,400
CRORE
PER YEAR
Total tourists to earnings from tourism last
Sikkim; 55 per cent year; there has already been a
of 700,000 domestic loss of 10 per cent in the past
tourists from Bengal two months this year
3,000 ` 60,000
FOREIGNERS CRORE
visit Sikkim in a month Accumulated losses of the
during peak season; state since Gorkhaland agita-
75% dip in arrivals tion began in 1986, according to
since June CM Chamling
Photographs by SUBIR HALDER
more, he said after filing the appeal. of that the price of things is escalating beyond our means.
The 4,500 hotels and 1,000-odd home stays in Sikkim are Indeed, the political violence in the hills has hit food and
mostly empty. The state caters to 721,000 tourists every year, a civil supplies. Sugar stocks in the open market have depleted
large number of them from West Bengal. The states principal and losses in the past two months have jumped to an estimated
money spinner, the sector earned the exchequer Rs 1,400 crore Rs 1,000 crore. There is no sugar in the market, only Sugarfree,
in the past financial year, according to tourism minister U.T. says Nirmala Gupta, who has been running a small grocery
Gyatso. There has already been a loss of 10 per cent in the past store for the past 30 years in Rangpo. Vishnu Prasad Sharma
two months, the minister claims. According to Hemant Rai, an has come down 8 km from his village Singtam to Rangpo to
official at the Foreigners Registration Office in Rangpo, there get essentials, complains how the cost of vegetables and other
has been a 75-80 per cent drop in foreigners visiting Sikkim. essentials has shot up over a fortnight. The PDS stock is all we
Every month, he says, Sikkim has a footfall of around 3,000 have, says food secretary S.K. Silal. About 16,500 BPL fami-
foreigners in the peak season. In the last two weeks, not a single lies registered with Antodaya Annapurna Yojana will get their
tourist has come from abroad to take our permits, says Rai. ration of rice. We require a monthly quota of 34,000 quintals
Its evident at the taxi stand at Rangpo, where the cabbies for BPL families, which is being taken care of, but for the rest,
and their cars are both sitting idle. This is a stand from where the open market is the only resort. The shortage of sugar, just a
400 cars make daily trips to Gangtok and Siliguri, says Bikas weeks stock of foodgrains and a month-long reserve of medici-
Roka, who runs the taxi stand syndicate at Rangpo. Now nes are what CM Chamling says made him approach the SC.
eight to 10 cars are making trips and till Siliguri. Every day The unrest in Darjeeling has also taken a toll on develop-
we are suffering a loss of Rs 2,000 on an average, and on top ment projects. Ten power projects have been held up because
INTERVIE W
WE HAVE BEEN
LET DOWN BY
WEST BENGAL
Confident that the Government of India
will take care of the standoff with China
on its border, Sikkim chief minister
Pawan Kumar Chamling says he is
more worried about the price his state
is having to pay for the Gorkhaland
agitation in West Bengal. Excerpts from
an interview
Q. You support Gorkhaland and yet Q. Just because you have supported has remained a mute spectator. I was
you seem to be the worst hit in the Gorkhaland, are vehicles registered compelled to move the Supreme Court
ongoing Gorkhaland agitation. with the Sikkim government being seeking protection. Even after the
A. For 32 years, we have been suffering deliberately targeted? courts order, I havent seen any posi-
because of the Gorkhaland agitation, A. I cannot say why, but the fact rema- tive changes so far.
though the demand for a separate state ins we have got no protection from
has nothing to do with Sikkim. The the state (West Bengal) government. Q. By voicing your stand on Gorkha
demand concerns Bengal and is being Law and order is the states lookout land, you seem to have antagonised
raised by the people of Darjeeling, and it has miserably failed to give us Mamata Banerjee. She has gone on
Kalimpong, Kurseong and Dooars. For the necessary security. Our trucks are record saying the Gorkhaland agitation
nearly three decades of the Gorkha- being attacked, torched and goods are is getting backing from undesirable ele
land agitation, we have suffered a loss being offloaded and in some places mentsmilitants and extremist groups.
of Rs 60,000 crore, whereas Bengal police have remained silent onlookers. A. The problems of Darjeeling hills are
doesnt seem to have suffered at all. As a small state, we had high expecta- not ours but the Bengal governments
Law and order in their area vests with tion of a big state like Bengal. Instead problems, which they have to solve and
Bengal. Who should bear this loss suf- of providing protection to a small cannot deflect by blaming others. That
fered by us? The Centre or the Bengal state, the West Bengal government is why we moved a resolution in the
government? We have supported Sikkim legislative assembly in 2011 for
Gorkhaland in the interest of ensuring a separate state of Gorkhaland. Why
free movement of our people without do you think we did that? Demand for
Till the Darjeeling
any inconvenience on NH-10, which statehood in the Darjeeling hills is 107
is our only lifeline. Secondly, Gorkha problem is solved, years old. It reached this stage only from
communities are Indian citizens whose Sikkim will never get 1986. Because of the Darjeeling prob-
contribution to nation-building is justice. That is why we lem, Sikkim has always been the biggest
no less than of other Indian citizens. support the demand for sufferer and unless and until it is solved,
Thirdly, the Gorkha community being Sikkim will never get justice. If move-
Indian citizens are fully justified to ask
a separate Gorkhaland ment on NH-10 was fully free without
for a state of their own. risk to loss of life and property, we
would never have become the sufferers. How of shortage of men and material, says the CM. Work on a 1,000-bed
am I responsible for inflaming their feelings? hospital had to be suspended. Close to 100 patients referred to other
We have realised that Gorkhaland can be hospitals cannot be moved. Life has come to a standstill. He reck-
the only permanent solution to the problems ons Sikkim has accumulated losses of Rs 60,000 crore in the three
Sikkim faces. Ours is a land-locked state and decades since Subhash Ghising stirred up the Gorkhaland agitation
whenever the Gorkhaland issue comes up, circa 1986 under the banner of the Gorkha National Liberation Front.
our lifeline, NH-10, gets hit. Business, tour- The CM also expects that a rush of refugees from the hills will further
ism suffer. There is no misunderstanding strain the resources of his government. In 1986-87, he says, 50,000
or ill-feeling towards Mamata Banerjee ji, people crossed over and were rehabilitated at Kitam in south Sikkim.
at least from my end. She is a big leader and This time, too, we are apprehending a population pressure on us.
should understand our problem. I can talk to
her or write to her to clear the air. epalis comprise 80 per cent of Sikkims 644,660
N
(in 2016) population. Naturally, the majority
Q. There is talk that the absconding population in Sikkim can identify and em-
GJM leader Bimal Gurung is sheltering pathise with the sentiments of the Gorkhas and
in Sikkim. their desire to carve out a state based on linguis-
A. Why would I give him shelter when I am tic identity, says Prem Goyal, a social activist in
overburdened by my own problem? Sikkims Gangtok. The states consensus on Gorkhaland
concern is my concern and it is my utmost is a given, which is why it didnt take Chamling long to announce that
priority to help my state overcome losses. his government considered the demand for a separate state legitimate
and constitutional. He even wrote to the Union minister for home,
Q. Mamata Banerjee is holding the dams Rajnath Singh, advocating the same. After all, Chamling cannot risk
constructed by the Sikkim government his vote bank, who feel one with the cause, says Goyal.
responsible for Teesta losing its flow. Following Sikkims open support for Gorkhaland, violence and
A. If we have constructed two dams, she has vandalism on NH-10 escalated. On June 20, a Sikkim-bound truck
also constructed two on the Bengal side. ferrying bricks from Siliguri was stopped midway and set afire. An-
Dams are not the cause. The Teesta issue is other time, tourist buses of the Sikkim Nationalised Transport were
being unnecessarily blown up. It flows from held up for hours. For the last three weeks, our trucks in Siliguri
Sikkim and the funny thing is nobody both- were stopped, vandalised, goods unloaded and in some cases looting
ers to take us on board when it comes up for happened in front of the police, says Chamling.
discussion. Our opinion on the river should He, however, finds no sympathy in Bengal. State tourism minister
have been our inherent right as a natural Gautam Deb, also from Siliguri, says Bengal too has suffered losses of
owner. Ill to write to the Centre on this. over Rs 350 crore. Our government buildings have been destroyed,
important documents burnt. Darjeeling was shut down in peak tour-
Q. How will the IndiaChina standoff ist season, he says. Nine lives have been lost, government property ex-
affect Sikkim? tensively damaged and essential commodities and foodgrains looted
A. We are 100 per cent confident of the cap- in this past month. Debs colleague and state education minister
ability of the Government of India to pro- Partha Chatterjee is harsher still on Sikkim. They (the Sikkimese)
tect us from any threat. Our people are like have dug their own graves. Is it constitutionally appropriate for a CM
unpaid soldiers defending the motherland. to comment on the serious issue of another state?
In 1975, Sikkim merged with the main- GJM itself seeks to wash its hands of the vandalism and claims the
stream out of free choice and referendum of Centre must intervene to end the deadlock. We are obliged that the
the people. This example of patriotism for people of Sikkim support our cause, says GJM leader Roshan Giri.
the integrity of the nation is unparalleled in The loot and vandalism on NH-10 is being carried out by miscreants
the world. My leadership further helped in and rowdies of a political party to give us a bad name and denigrate
the emotional and cultural integration of the the purpose of Gorkhaland. GJM is now being accused of planning
people of Sikkim with the nation. an underground armed movement and enlisting Maoist help.
State BJP leaders say the Centre is unlikely to intervene; itll be
Q. China is claiming a portion of Bhutanese happy for the blame to fall on Trinamool Congress. Why will the
territory. Does Sikkim fear any such threat? Centre interfere? asks state BJP president Dilip Ghosh. Let the per-
A. Any claim of portion of Arunachal son who started it take the initiative. Sikkims lifeline is affected but
Pradesh or Bhutan by a foreign country is what about the hill people who are suffering? There was no problem
not my jurisdiction. The Government of in Darjeeling, she (Mamata) ignited the fire.
India is fully capable of dealing with any There seems to be no end to Sikkims troubles. And we are not
untoward situation. n even talking about China yet. n
BUNDELKHAND,
STILL BANDIT
COUNTRY
THRIVING ON FEAR AND LOCAL SUPPORT, AND BUOYED BY FRESH
RECRUITS IN THEIR RANKS, DACOIT GANGS ARE AGAIN REARING
THEIR HEAD IN THIS VAST TERRAIN OVERLAPPING TWO STATES
By Ashish Misra
he glistening road from the sil, near the jungles where the bodies were found, is
T
police station in Bharat Koop, extremely poor. About 1,000 people live in mud huts,
through Chitrakoot in Bun- without electricity. A primary school built a decade ago
delkhand, Uttar Pradesh, dulls has still to open. No one is interested in talking about
quickly on the zigzag path to gangsters. Despite the notoriety of the area, 70-year-
Kalinjar in Madhya Pradesh. old resident Putaan Kol will only say that there is no
At the foot of the Vindhyas, it threat from dacoits. But further south in Chitrakoot,
disappears completely. Several 40-year-old Tulsi Yadav, a contractor with UP Jal Ni-
kilometres in, through the hilly, rain-fed forests, is the gam, a state water and sewage management company,
Kolhua jungle. Located in the triangle of Chitrakoot, was kidnapped in May while working on a project to
Bharat Koop and Satna districts across both UP and MP, instal a submersible pump. Yadavs wife Asha is the head
the jungle has been a safe haven for dacoits and bandits of their village, Karka Padriya. A sum of Rs 1 lakh and
MANEESH AGNIHOTRI
for three decades. licenced rifle were demanded as ransom. The gang let
On June 30, the police found the bodies of three Tulsi go after a first instalment of Rs 25,000 was paid.
men burnt beyond recognition. Acting on a tip, the UP Now, says Tulsi, they want the rest and are threatening
police believe the men were abducted from Satna in MP to kidnap me again.
by the Lalit Patel gang. Patel is from Nayagaon in MP, Tulsis kidnappers, the Ramgopal or Goppa Yadav
and his alleged victims were men from nearby villages gang, are Patels rivals, operating in the same ravines and
and thought to be informers. Not, of course, for the po- preying on similar targets. Since the killing, in a police
lice, which has little control over or access to the gangs, encounter two years ago, of notorious gangster Swadesh
but for Patels rivals. The police are ar- Patel, better known as Balkhadia, the
ranging for DNA tests to identify the forests of Chitrakoot have been quiet,
bodies. Patel, they say, operates mostly The dacoits even peaceful. But the dacoits, it ap-
in MP, but is thought to relocate across are suspected pears, have just been biding their time.
the border to UP to evade local police of funding Balkhadia has been replaced by Bab-
attention. UP police say that while Patel buli Kol, so wanted a criminal that the
does not have a rap sheet in the state
local political UP government is offering a bounty
though police in the area did have a
leaders and of Rs 5 lakh for his capture. The MP
brief encounter with him in the week being the real government has thrown in an addi-
before the bodies were discovereda power behind tional Rs 30,000 and is also offering
huge manhunt is underway. Informa- the scenes tens of thousands for the capture of
tion is proving difficult to obtain. his lieutenants. Kol has reportedly
Kolhua Mafi village, in Karwi teh- kidnapped half a dozen people in just
the last three months. In June, three police teams were shooting the brides brother. He picked the wrong target
dispatched to Naagar village to arrest Kol. Police say he es- though because as the wedding party grew larger he was
caped after as many as 40 women, led by Chunni Devi, the overpowered and then beaten to death.
village head, attacked the officers with bricks and sticks. Mob justice is one thing, but the police appear to have
In April, in Jhansi, the so-called Gateway to Bun- few answers. Theyre not even sure what weapons the gangs
delkhand, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath instructed have access to. One police officer, who has been involved
the police to wipe out dacoity. The police insist they are in direct confrontations with Kol, says the dacoits are
working towards that goal. But it appears that police action using semi-automatic rifles and often get their weapons
is only making the dacoits reassert themselves. On May 3, and bullets from the police and special forces because of
dacoit Raju Singh (Rs 50,000 on offer for his capture) is corruption. Another officer who wished to remain anony-
alleged to have killed a pharmacist. Just days later, as the mous said the biggest problem is that there are never
police were reportedly tightening the noose, Raju struck any witnesses. People who you turn to for information or
again, robbing a wedding party, teasing the women and youd like as informers are scared. They dont want to be
TERM
INSURANCE
PLANS
LICS NEW
PENSION PLAN
INVEST IN
YOURSELF
THE EJECT
manager
This is not a reason to im-
BUTTON
mediately exit the fund, but
you must be aware of the new
managers investment strat-
Extraordinary situations egy. Different managers have
different investing styles
when one can consider
and philosophies, and if the
exiting a fund
changes do not match your
investment goals, you should
reassess your investment.
Rebalancing your
portfolio
Savvy investors pick asset
classes and their exposure
to those assets according to
their financial goals, stage
of life and risk appetite, and
they tweak these alloca-
tions as one or more of these
SHUTTERSTOCK factors change. Often, this
rebalancing is done to tweak
S
ell or holdmost staying invested in a fund allocations back to a risk lev-
mutual fund investors EXPERT VIEW that underperforms year el the investor is comfortable
have faced this di- after year. with. If you had invested,
lemma at some point or the say, in both debt and equity
other. It is, of course, gener- Change in outlook mutual funds and if the eq-
ally advisable to stay put to of the fund uity markets hit a purple
achieve long-term goals, but If there is a change in the in- patch, your equity exposure
under some circumstances, Kaustubh Belapurkar vestment outlook of the fund might become much higher
it becomes necessary to Director, Manager or the asset management than you prefer. In that
Research, Morningstar
reassess ones mutual fund company, the kind of change situation, you will need to
Do not sell if your fund sell some of your equity fund
investments. underperforms in the
that does not suit your risk
short term. If the trend appetite or your financial units to maintain the asset
Underperformance continues for a longer goals, you should consider allocation at the desired
period, you can
This can be a serious con- consider other options switching to another fund. level. This will protect you in
cern if it continues for an For example, an equity case of a market crash.
extended period of time. fund could decide to invest
Investors should remem- more in small- and mid-cap If you need money
ber, though, that markets stocks. This would change Ideally, you should have a
go through cycles, and it is the overall allocation of your contingency fund to meet
not reasonable to expect funds, which may not suit financial emergencies. But
a fund manager to deliver your portfolioin this ex- if you do need cash urgently,
chart-beating performance Vishal Dhawan ample, a higher allocation to you can consider selling your
Founder, Plan
year after year. If there are Ahead Advisors mid- and small-cap stocks mutual fund. There are other
instances of underperfor- will make your portfolio options too, like a personal
Change in fund house
mance in the short term, do ownership, overvaluation more volatile. However, one loan or a credit card loan, if
not panic sell. But if the situ- for a particular segment of should first assess if the the amount is not too high,
the market, fundamental
ation continues for years, attribute changes in the change is simply a tacti- but interest rates on these
it is advisable to pull out of scheme these are some cal manoeuvre by the fund are very high. n
the fund. There is no point reasons when we advise manager before exiting. by Renu Yadav
investors to exit a fund
TERM PAYOUTS:
LUMP SUM OR
STAGGERED?
Term insurance plans allow many
payout options these days.
Heres a quick guide on how to
choose between them
A
term insurance plan a 30-year-old policyholder, 1 crore at the time of death crore policy with a return-
was once a very sim- the premium could be as low and increases by 5 per cent of-premium option and a
ple financial product as Rs 8,200 per year, for an every year. Usually, a part of 30-year term, HDFC Life
that, in exchange for monthly assured sum of Rs 1 crore. the sum assured is paid as a charges a 30-year-old male
or annual premiums, offered lump sumaround 50-60 non-smoker a monthly pre-
a lump sum payment to the Staggered payouts per centwhile the rest is mium of Rs 27,477. For its
beneficiary when the poli- This category has several paid in monthly instalments. traditional plan, the monthly
cyholder died. Today, there variations. In one common premium is Rs 9,471.
are many variations, some method, the sum assured is Return of premium Financial planners
offering staggered payouts paid out in equal monthly or These policies are for those recommend a mix of lump
and others allowing you
to customise the plan. For Policy term: Sum assured: Candidate: Costs over Payout over
example, one of HDFC Lifes 30 years `1 crore male, non- policy term 10 years
recent offerings allows you smoker, age 30
to choose a rate of increase of Insurer Payout type Total payout (`) Premium (`) Income (`)
income as well as the period (monthly) (monthly)
for which you want to receive HDFC Life Lump sum 1 crore 9,471 -
the income. But before all C2P 3D Plus
that, how does one choose ICICI Pru Life Lump sum 1 crore 10,523 -
between receiving staggered iProtect Smart
and lump sum payments? Max Life Lump sum 1 crore 8,165 -
OTP Plus
Lump sum payouts Max Life Lump sum + level 1.48 crore 10,810 40,000
OTP Plus monthly income
Traditional term insurance
plans are the simplest and ICICI Prudential Life Level monthly 1 crore 8,945 83,333
iProtect Smart income
cheapest form of life insur-
source: Policybazaar.com
ance. Under these plans, the
insurer pays a lump sum
the sum assuredto the quarterly payments. Another who want their premiums sum and staggered plans so
policyholders family on the option is to have the pay- returned if they survive the that the familys near-term
death of the policyholder. If ments increase over time. For full term of their insur- commitments are met, with
the policyholder survives the example: for a 35-year-old ance plans. While the total staggered payouts to take
term period, nothing is paid. male and a sum assured of premium is returned, the care of ongoing require-
The premiums for tradi- Rs 2 crore to be paid over catch is that the premium ments. In both cases, the
tional term insurance plans 10 years, the payout begins payments are much higher benefits received from
are quite low compared to at Rs 87,200, along with a than in no-frills term poli- insurance are tax-free. n
returns-oriented plans. For lump sum payment of Rs cies. For example, for a Rs 1 by Priyadarshini Maji
A STEADY
treatment of a terminal or
critical illness. Also, in case
PENSION
of a premature withdrawal,
only 98 per cent of the
amount invested will be
refunded. However, if the
The new Pradhan Mantri pensioner dies during the
Vaya Vandana Yojana offers policy term of 10 years, the
a fixed 8 per cent return, if purchase price will be re-
youre prepared to stay funded to the beneficiary.
invested for 10 years
Maturity proceeds
The pensioner will get the
amount invested with the
last pension instalment.
SHUTTERSTOCK
Loan facility
A
The scheme allows the
t a time when inter- open until May 3, 2018, for of Rs 1,000 per month, pensioner to apply for a loan
est rates on bank investment by individuals the investor has to put in three years after investment,
deposits are down, over 60 years of age. It can Rs 1.5 lakh. To receive the and up to 75 per cent of the
the government has offered even be purchased online. same amount on an an- value of the investment.
senior citizens an alternative nual basisRs 12,000the
optiona new pension plan. Pension cycle investment required is about Should you buy?
The Pradhan Mantri Vaya Investors can choose to Rs 1.45 lakh. With the Senior Citizen
Vandana Yojana (PMVVY), receive their pensions Similarly, to get the Savings Scheme (SCSS)
sold by the Life Insurance on a monthly, quarterly, maximum pension of offering an interest rate of
Corporation of India, offers a half-yearly or yearly basis. Rs 5,000 per month, one 8.3 per cent, is PMVVY a
fixed annual return of 8 per There is a minimum and needs to invest Rs 7.5 lakh. good option? Experts say
cent for 10 years. maximum amount one can To receive the same pension that since bank deposit rates
invest, depending on the annuallyRs 60,000the are falling, it makes sense
When to invest payment cycle. For example, required investment is about to invest in the scheme,
The scheme will remain to get the minimum pension Rs 7.23 lakh. provided one is ready to lock
in the money for as long as
10 years. With a tenure of
five years, the SCSS has a
YOUR PENSION FROM THE SCHEME shorter lock-in, but un-
Periodicity of Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum like PMVVY, the interest
payout investment (`) investment (`) pension (`) pension (`) rate offered is subject to
Yearly 1,44,578 7,22,892 12,000 60,000 quarterly revision. However,
one can invest much more in
Half-yearly 1,47,601 7,38,007 6,000 30,000 the SCSSup to Rs 15 lakh,
which is double the PMVVY
Quarterly 1,49,068 7,45,342 3,000 15,000 limit. Do remember that the
interest earned from both
Monthly 1,50,000 7,50,000 1,000 5,000 schemes is taxable. n
by Renu Yadav
A NEW
NORMAL
IN A CLOAK-AND-DAGGER GAME, THIS
ROUND HAS GONE TO NEW HEAD COACH
RAVI SHASTRI AND CAPTAIN VIRAT KOHLI.
NOW THE PRESSURE IS ON THEM TO
DELIVER ON THE CRICKET PITCH
ERANGA JAYAWARDENA/AP
ON
J U LY 1 1 , R A V I viewed for this post, in June 2016, Ganguly didnt even
SHASTRI became the attend the interview. This time, Tendulkar saw merit in
new head coach of the letting Kohli have his way. This was possibly because of
Indian cricket team. the conditions surrounding Tendulkars own failed cap-
While many were quick taincyperhaps the master blaster didnt want Kohli to
to attribute his good fortune to the new powerhouse of have to deal with the same difficulties he had faced. As a
Indian cricket, Virat Kohli, what went largely unnoticed BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) source put it:
is the support Shastris candidacy got from fellow Mum- Ganguly batted for Sehwag, but Tendulkar did not want
baikar Sachin Tendulkar. another conflict between captain and coach.
To begin with, after Anil Kumbles resignation, the The story of Tendulkars rapid elevationand sub-
job of choosing a new head coach fell to the three-member sequent debaclebegins in the autumn of 1996. The
Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC)consisting of Ten- inevitability of handing over the reins of Indian cricket
dulkar, Sourav Ganguly and V.V.S. Laxman. The decision to him had become stark. Tendulkar, then 23 and the
came down to choosing between Shastri and Virender best batsman in the world by some distance, was already
Sehwag. It is no secret that Ganguly was dead set against Indias second youngest Test captain. The hope was that
Shastri as head coach. The last time Shastri was inter- he who could make a billion dreams come true with his
bat would probably conjure up magic with his captaincy order to show Tendulkar his place, the selection commit-
tooeven though rumours about matchfixing in Indian tee ignored his wish list for the team he was to captain.
cricket were also doing the rounds around the same time. For whatever reason, Tendulkars captaincy did not
Tendulkar was the BCCIs golden boy, but there were a produce the magic so many had hoped for. A couple of
few holdouts among the stakeholders in Indian cricket stormy selection meetings left him practically in tears.
the selectors. One of the five wise men later revealed There would be no Imran Khan in Indian cricket. Ten-
that two among them had been worried that Tendulkar dulkar quit and Mohammad Azharuddin returned as
would become the supreme authority in Indian cricket. captain. He was succeeded by the aggressive and instinc-
Woh ek Imran Khan ban jayega (He will become an tive Sourav Ganguly, thinking heads Rahul Dravid and
Imran Khan) was the gist of their opposition. (Khan was Anil Kumble and then M.S. Captain Cool Dhoni as cap-
notorious for regularly ignoring or overruling the advice tain. They had their moments, and mostly got what they
of Pakistans team selectors, using his personal stature wanted. Then came Virat Kohli, who has been rewriting
as a form of official authority.) We knew that if we got every cricketing norm in the country.
rolled over by [Tendulkar] in selection meetings, his aura Cut to the evening of July 10. That was when the Indian
would diminish our roles. The selection committee would media was informed by Ganguly that they would have to
have become redundant, says one of the selectors. In wait for the announcement of Indias new cricket coach.
You see, Ganguly reasoned, [we should] let Virat come back
vs to India from his US vacation. We need to sit with him and
explain to him the role and scope of the coach. This perhaps
hinted at an upcoming rap on the knuckles for the Indian
MOHD AZHARUDDIN BISHEN SINGH BEDI captainbut before any of that could happen, the phone lines
were ringing, from New York to London and Singapore.
The first manager-coach versus players union fight Late that night, Kohli, sensing that Shastris chances of
in the early 1990s becoming coach were slipping, called Tendulkar in London,
Why they fought pressing for Shastri to be given the job (and, immediately).
Bedi had an issue with players fitness and Kohli also spoke with the chief of the committee of admin-
performance and was famously quoted as saying that
istrators (CoA), Vinod Rai, who was in Singapore at the
the team should be dumped into the Pacific after a
particularly forgettable tour of New Zealand time. This, and also the manner in which Kohli fell out with
Kumble, has made many in cricket circles wonder if the se-
Who won Azharuddin
lectors fears from 1996 are coming true nowdoes Indian
cricket finally have an Imran Khan of its own?
I
NSIDERS SAY THAT KOHLI was displeased
vs with Shastri being passed over in favour of Kumble
last year, but with the BCCIs senior management
also wanting Shastri out, he had little control over
SACHIN TENDULKAR KAPIL DEV the situation. However, the team kept winning, and
with Kohlis truly spectacular performance in 2016, his stat-
A forgettable innings for both legends ure within the cricket establishment has never been greater.
Why they fought A member of the Indian team told india today that it was
Tendulkar, speaking about the Australia tour in 1999, during Australias tour earlier this year that the captain and
said that he thought Dev never really involved himself coach started questioning each otherpublicly and vocally.
Who won During the IPL, Kohli reportedly complained about Kumble
Nobody. Tendulkar resigned because of Indias defeats, to BCCI officials and a few former teammates, saying the
Dev because of matchfixing allegations
coach was prone to panicking if things didnt go according
to plan. He apparently even issued an ultimatum: Kumble
would have to go or he would resign as captain.
Kohli can afford to issue such threats because he heads a
vs team with no challengers to his supremacy. When Sunil Ga-
vaskar led the team, he had teammates like Gundappa Vish-
wanath and Bishen Singh Bedi in the 1970s and Kapil Dev and
SOURAV GANGULY GREG CHAPPELL Dilip Vengsarkar in the 1980s. When Mohammad Azharud-
din led India, there were many stars in the team, including
The first big fight between a foreign coach and Tendulkar. When Sourav Ganguly ruled the roost following
an Indian skipper the matchfixing scandal in 2000, he had Tendulkar, Rahul
Why they fought Dravid, Kumble, Javagal Srinath and Laxman to contend
Chappell questioned Gangulys place in the 2005 team. with. Even Dhoni had superstar contemporaries: Virender
Dada, said Chappell, was unfit to lead the team Sehwag, Zaheer Khan and Yuvraj Singh to name a few. The
and suggested he give up the captaincy current Indian team features only three superstarsKohli,
Who won Chappell Dhoni and Yuvraj. Dhoni and Yuvraj are well past their prime.
Not a single player from the playing eleven, barring Kohli, can
claim a permanent place in all formats of the game. On top of
that, the captain has been in supreme form, winning several
vs matches single-handedly, many in crisis situationsa feat not
associated with most Indian skippers.
A BCCI insider says that while its too early to speculate,
too much power in the hands of one or two peopleKohli and
VIRAT KOHLI ANIL KUMBLE Shastrihas its perils. Today, he doesnt want Mr X as coach.
An untenable relationship that nearly derailed the Tomorrow, he may not like Mr Y as selector. Then what? he
Indian campaign in the 2017 Champions Trophy asks. There have been powerful captains like Ganguly and
Why they fought Dhoni, but [Kohli] has to be very careful from here on. He
Many reasons, from the selection of the playing XI to
Kohlis questioning of Kumbles coaching style
Who won Kohli
SPORTS CRICKET
will be under tremendous scrutiny. Kohli is known to be com- dies and Pakistan... his confidence [is] his best ally. Another
fortable with Shastri and is a great fan of his methodsmore teammate, Madan Lal, says Shastris in-your-face nature is
man management than coaching. And once Shastri was given what draws him and Kohli together. Once, in the 1980s, when
the job, the duo took on the board yet again. we had lost a game, the then-captain was afraid to speak up
Ganguly and the CAC had recommended Dravid as bat- against some senior players. Shastri singled them out for harsh
ting consultant for overseas tours and Zaheer Khan as bowl- words on their commitment. They had no option but to pick
ing coach. But Shastri brushed aside the recommendations up their game from the next match onwards.
and had his own choice for bowling coachBharat Arun Then there are some who feel that while Shastri was a good
confirmed. By doing so, the captain and the coach may have player in the 1980s and early 1990s, his stature really only grew
taken a huge risk. Having already stepped on several toes, after retirement, while he was doing commentary alongside
they had better do well in upcoming matches or therell likely Sunil Gavaskar. It was in this role that Shastri was always on
be a backlash. And considering that In- the right side of the BCCI, being on every
dia will play most of its cricket overseas important panel or committee related
over the next two yearsstern Tests to Indian cricket. Shastri and the BCCI
VIRAT
await in South Africa, England, Austra- actually needed each other, they sayhis
lia and New Zealand, not to mention the FIVE ability to switch sides made him valuable,
2019 ODI World Cup in Englandthey CHALLENGES flipping from being a vocal Lalit Modi fan
will need a lot of luck. to criticising him or siding rather openly
What has made life easier for Shastri
FOR KOHLI with N. Srinivasan in the IPL matchfix-
and Kohli is also the confusion within 1 ing scandal of 2013. But, sources say, he
the BCCI. The organisations hierarchy Win overseas. India doesnt want to be always seen as a yes
is in a state of flux, and has been since will play Tests in South man to powerful individuals or establish-
its administration was taken over by the Africa, England, New ments, the way he remained vice-captain
Supreme Court-appointed CoA. The ad- Zealand and Australia for most of his cricketing years.
hocism was manifest in CoA chief Rais over the next two years A day after the appointment, Shastri
admission to the media that the commit- the toughest opponents was asked what worked in his favour. Pat
tee was originally not even aware that to beat in their own came the cocky reply: I am Ravi Shas-
Kumbles contract was valid for just one backyards tri. In his latest avatar as head coach,
year. And when the CAC appointed sup- 2
he has promised a new and aggressive
port staff for Shastri, they were told that Maintain his form. approach. In his presentation to the
their authority did not stretch that far. Captaincy could be a BCCI, he made it clear that while he
The CAC then shot off an angry letter to burden that takes its toll would always be a players coach, they
Rai, which read in part: There have been on his batting would not be allowed to take him for
suggestions that the CAC has exceeded granted. There will be no compromise
3
its ambit in going with (Zaheer) Khan on discipline eithera concern many
and (Rahul) Dravid and these two leg- Handle out-of-form and have voiced, considering the flamboy-
ends of Indian cricket have been foisted ageing senior players ant lifestyle Kohli has and Shastris own
on the head coach. Also we did inform carefully. He needs to habits during his playing days.
you (Rai) over the phone along with take a call on M.S. Dhoni The new post will be a challenge both
Rahul Johri and Amitabh Choudhary and Yuvraj Singh for the for him and Kohli. Shastris first stint
2019 World Cup
of all that transpired immediately after didnt really see the Indian team winning
the meeting was over. A week later, in 4 much, with the defeats in the 2015 World
an interview, Rai said that the incident Ready his men for the Cup semis and the 2016 World T-20 semis
taught him that he should not have taken 2019 World Cup. The hurting the most. But in Kohli, Shastri
anyones statements at face value. blueprint has to be has a solidly in-form captain for all three
But what makes Shastri tick? Former readied nowonly two formats. Now, though their friendship
India captain Kapil Dev says: Shastri years remain is already the talk of cricketing circles,
wasnt blessed with the best of talent, but its their vision and delivery that need to
5
[is] someone who [knows] how to use click. The BCCI has stood by them, but
his resources. For someone who started as Keep winning. Losing a what can be given can also be taken away.
No. 11 batsman to score a double hundred series could easily Tendulkar, Ganguly, Kumble and Dhoni
as an opener in Australia and hundreds invite severe backlash, would probably tell them so. n
especially after the
against the pace attacks of the West In- with Ateet Sharma
Kumble episode
A
cid attack incidents in India have stunned
our conscience repeatedly with maimed
countenances, shocked survivors and
families driven to insolvency supporting the re-
covery costs of victims. It is the worst infliction
on a human being, leading to complete debilita-
tion, loss of income and opportunity and also
social alienation. Acid attack survivors endure
immense trauma and are unable to lead a nor-
mal life ever againoften blinded, scarred be-
yond recognition and robbed of their identity.
Acid attack cases are increasing every year.
Formally reported cases have increased from 85
in 2012 to 140 in 2015, while it is believed that
there are many which are not reported. The vic-
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CASES REGISTERED acid attack survivors in the country hoping for sustainable solutions to
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BIG STORY | GENETICS
THE ARYAN
WARS
A HISTORICAL DEBATE GETS POLITICAL AGAIN
AS NEW GENETICS RESEARCH SUGGESTS
OUR ARYAN ANCESTORS CAME IN FROM THE
WEST OVER 4,000 YEARS AGO
BY RAZIB KHAN
W
here did our ancestors come from? This can
be a highly emotionaland politicalissue.
It is clearly an important question for many
people and one that modern genetics has
answered to a great extent. In recent months,
a scientific paper published in the journal BMC
Evolutionary Biology has sparked a heated con-
troversy in the Indian media by outlining an Indo-
European expansion, with an ultimate source in the Pontic-Caspian
region into the Indian subcontinent.
Behind the gently arcane scholarly language, the paper argues that
the genetic ancestry of all modern Indians displays evidence of significant
mixing with populations that moved to the subcontinent from northern
Iran and the Caspian region some 4,000-5,000 years ago. Tempers are
fraying because these findings have reignited a long-simmering and
highly politicised debate about the ancient origins of the Vedic A ryans.
For decades, historians, linguists and archaeologists have debated the
relationship of the Aryans to India, with little resolutionindeed the
argument has been subsumed by its implications for the contemporary
battles between the hyper-nationalist politics associated with the Sangh
parivar and the secular liberal opposition. Many Hindu nationalists are
uncomfortable with the idea that the ancient roots of the Indian peoples
may lie outside the sacred geography of the subcontinent. Meanwhile,
there is often an element of liberal schadenfreude in embracing the nar-
rative that suggests a parallel between the Vedic Aryans as conquering in-
vaders, not unlike the later visitations of Islamic and European empires.
THE DIRECTION Dalits from Tamil Nadu are 40 per cent ANI (the
remainder presumably being ASI). Pathans are
OF MIGRATION 70 per cent ANI. Kashmiri Pandits are 65 per
cent ANI, while Brahmins and Kshatriyas from
LEADING TO ANI WAS Uttar Pradesh are 55-60 per cent ANI. When it
comes to the mix of ANI and ASI, there are two
PROBABLY INTO INDIA rules of thumb one needs to consider. The further
northwest you go, the more ANI you will get. Up-
per castes have more ANI ancestry as well (Ben-
PRIYA galis and Munda tribes have East Asian heritage
MOORJANI
that is neither ANI nor ASI). This is exactly the
Geneticist
pattern you would expect from Y chromosomal
lineages such as R1a1a, which many geneticists
posit have arrived from Central Asia in the last
4,000-5,000 years.
also carry this Y lineage. It is notable that the R1a1a Indian observers of historical population ge-
lineages of Scythians and Srubna are the same as netics have noted these findings and integrated
Central Asians and South Asians, not Europeans. them into their own understanding. Sanyal says
A resolution to the paradox of mtDNA and Y he believes Indians are the mix of several genetic
chromosomal lineages pointing in different direc- streams, particularly the ANI and ASI who have
tions has now presented itself. The answer: migra- been living in the Indian subcontinent from the
tion into India was not sex balanced. This is a major Stone Age. Moorjani states that her study did not
point in the BMC paper. Richards states, Theres a specifically look into the direction of migration.
very marked sex bias in the arrival of new peoples But, she also admits that the direction of migra-
2016
MOHENJO
from, ultimately, the steppe zone of eastern Europe, tion leading to ANI is probably into India.
DARO
in the Bronze Age. (This is the case in Europe too, Why would Moorjani state this? First, let us
with steppe migrants overwhelmingly male.) take a step back and address two points of the Dir: Ashutosh
Our understanding today does not rest on Out of India framework. As Sanyal observed, the Gowariker
Y chromosome and mtDNA alone. With whole archaeological connections between South Asia
genomes available for analysis, scientists have and Central Asia are tenuous. The Aryans do not
reshaped our understanding of the past of South seem to recollect a time before India. But the past
Asia. In 2013, geneticist Priya Moorjani and col- 10 years of discoveries of ancient DNA have shown
leagues published research concluding that at us there were mass migrations where archaeolo-
Asian heritage on their faces, their genes, and in colleagues suggest a pulse of migration from the
the case of the Munda, their languages. But this Pontic-Caspian region into Indiait must remain
idea of ubiquitous gene flow has limitations. a possibility that Rakhigarhi will yield R1a1a
The distinctive genetic heritage of India, the DNA and not settle the debate.
ASI component, deeply rooted in the subcontinent And yet this is just one site. There are hundreds
and not closely related to populations elsewhere, of samples for Europe and the Near East, and from
exists in low proportions in Iran and Afghani- those hundreds we have gleaned startling results.
stan. But with the exception of the Roma people, At some point, there will be hundreds of samples
ASI ancestry is notably absent throughout West- from South Asia, and there is no doubt we will
ern Eurasia aside from Indias near neighbours. glean some fascinating results.
This suggests there has been very little westward The tide in historical population genetics has
movement out of India over the past few thou- turned towards migration, but some still hold to
sand years because, as Moorjani observed, all the model of continuity dominant in the 2000s.
Indian populations have Gyaneshwer Chaubey has been publishing and
ASI ancestry within the researching human genetics for over 10 years, with
THE GENETIC past 4,000 years.
Many geneticists now
a substantial contribution in the area of Indian
population history. He is not persuaded by the hy-
IMPRINT OF THIS believe a major migration
of people from Central
pothesis of a mass Aryan migration. Rather, he
observes that published research has shown that
MIGRATION (INTO Eurasia and West Asia the genetic imprint of this migration (if we want
into South Asia during the to maintain any) is minimal.
INDIA) IS MINIMAL... Neolithic and Copper age Without ancient DNA, we can only perceive
MANOJ DHAKA/AFP
BURIED EVIDENCE
The 4,500-year-old skeletons
discovered in Rakhigarhi, Haryana
and ASI lineages occurred. the original Aryan invasion model was promoted
Prominent population ge- on a political basis, so are Out of India theories
netics laboratories that have given political validity. But the reality is that these
reshaped our understanding of the history of models of human history are either trueor they
Europe and the Near East through ancient DNA are not. Whether or not they were discernible, the
studies are now looking to India. It wont be long facts have always been with us. It is our political
before new tools are brought to bear on old con- interpretation of them that seems to change. Hu-
tentious questions. One can no longer say that the mans are protean, but nature is timeless.
thesis that Indo-Aryans arrived in the subconti- We see through a glass darkly. In a few years,
nent in large numbers is refuted. Connections to it may be crystal clear that a new people arrived
ancient groups outside of the subcontinent seem in the Indian subcontinent 4,000 years ago. That
highly likely, and many prominent geneticists are now seems to be the belief among the majority of
now promoting a viewpoint predicated on migra- prominent researchers. A century of theorising
tion and population turnover, which seems to have and ideologising has armed us with answers and
been the norm in Europe and the Near East. objections, but history as unveiled by genetics may
Yet there remain credible scientists at promi- hold some bracing surprises for our rigid grandiose
nent institutions who are sceptical of the new pretensions. That may be the most exciting aspect
models. While a new consensus may be emerging, of these lines of research, not how they align with
it has not crystallised. Genetics can speak in broad century-old arguments. n
strokes with errors of the order of a thousand years
here or there, and each new discovery refines de- Razib Khan is a geneticist with an interest in
tails of the broader picture. We are in a time of population histories and personal genomics. He
significant transition and great intellectual fer- works at Insitome and is a Ph.D candidate at UC
ment. That ferment extends to politics. Just as Davis. He writes the blog Gene Expression
P RO F I L E
EVERYBODY
HURTS
A
khil Sharmas debut, An
Obedient Father, published
at the turn of the century,
was hard and brilliant, a
black diamond. His limpid prose,
the unspeakable grief suffered by so
many of his characters, the meanness
of his chiefly north Indian milieu
and the startling vulnerability of his
work is a profoundly unsettling mix.
If An Obedient Father didnt win the
audience and the plaudits it deserved,
Sharmas second, Family Life, has
moved him to the front line of con-
temporary American authors.
A Life of Adventure and Delight
is his first collection of short stories.
The work ranges from the mid-1990s,
when the Princeton and Harvard
educated Sharma was an investment
banker, up till the present. Many of
these stories were published in The
New Yorker. But Indians find Sharma
less palatable than Americas de facto
AKHIL
MAS
S AR on of
H
o lle cti
first c s
o r t sto ries wa
sh in July
ed
publish ear
this y
arbiter of literary taste. He writes about other kids, he says. I was, until after
Indians and India the way Patrick Mc- college, uncomfortable in my own skin.
Cabe writes about small-town Ireland, Writing was a way of managing
with an eye for hypocrisy and the horror anxiety, balling it up. That anxiety is
that results from it. common to many of Sharmas protago-
Speaking on the phone from New nists. In the opening story, Cosmopoli-
York, Sharma describes how he resists tan, Gopal Mauryas wife and daughter
thinking too much about his past. He have abandoned him. In another, a
moved from India to the US with his young boys mother turns to alcohol, THE EXPANSE
family when he was eight. As in Family retiring to her room to drink wine and Earth, Mars and space-dwellers
Life, Sharmas older brother, the pride of eat bags of potato chips: ...there was known as belters come to the brink
of interstellar war after a powerful
his family, having gained admission to the stench. The smell of vomit, urine,
new weapon emerges. The mystery:
a selective New York public school, hits and shit was such that it did not seem the weapon may also represent a
his head on the cement of a pool and thinkable that a human being ate there, sentient alien race. Netflix
lies unseen and unhelped underwater slept there. Self-degradation is a typical
for three minutes, enough time to suffer characteristic. The title story opens with
the protagonist being arrested for hiring
a prostitute: [Gautama] hoped to have
as much sex as possible... but he also
believed that any Indian girl who had
sex before marriage... was in some way
depraved and foul.
Unsympathetic though many of
Sharmas characters might be, they are
all searching for love, to become better
people through love. In the longest, and
PEOPLE OF EARTH
Sharma writes about best, story in the collection, newly mar-
This sarcastic take on an alien abduc-
India with an eye ried Anita feels an immense but fleeting
tion support group offers an amus-
for the hypocrisy love for her husband, Rajinder. But can ing satire of one of Americas most
we repair ourselves through our love for
and the horror that others? Is hell other people, or is it just
enduring (and irritating) contribu-
tions to modern society: the 12-step
results from it that other people cannot be the lifeboats Program. Amazon Prime
on which we seek refuge and respite
from ourselves? At the end of Cosmo-
politan, Gopal has, through his needi-
irreparable brain damage. He spends a ness seemingly alienated his lover, his
year in hospital. Then his family care for next door neighbour Mrs Shaw. We are
him at home, coming undone around made who we are, Gopal reflects, by
him, unable to cope with the tragedy. the dust and corrosion and dents and
One can be haunted by ones past, unflagging hearts. Why should we need
Sharma says. The people that I love anything else to fall in love? Armed
the most in my life have been almost with this insight, he shaves, brushes his
psychologically destroyed. Family Life teeth and rings Mrs Shaws doorbell.
PIONEER ONE
took a dozen years or so to write, as [When she] saw him, Mrs Shaw drew
In this Bittorrent gempossibly the
Sharma struggled to find a way to ex- back as if she were afraid.
most successful straight-to-internet
press the trauma. In A Life of Adventure Sharma is a master of this sort of series ever made, with more than 3
and Delight too, Sharmas characters scene, part menacing, part comic, part million downloadsa spacecraft crash-
battle to overcome trauma and crippling hopeful, moving and, yet, imbued with es in Canada in what investigators first
feelings of social inadequacy. Sharma so much sadness. We are self-deluding, believe is a terrorist attack. But then
they discover a comatose cosmonaut
says he stopped talking for the first self-deceiving. But how else, Sharma
in a Soviet era spacesuit in the wreck-
three years after his family moved to asks, like Samuel Beckett, do we sur- age who claims to have been born on a
America and his brother had his acci- vive? How else do we go on? n Soviet colony on Mars. pioneerone.tv
dent. I didnt know how to engage with Shougat Dasgupta
TOO REAL
I
f there were ever any doubts about HBOs hyp- fun out. Watchers of a certain age going into it think-
notic power over the US entertainment world, ing whos doing Yul Brynner will be disappointed:
D
last weeks 22 Emmy Award nominations for WORL if anybody is doing Brynners role, its Ed Harris.
WEST inations
Westworlda mediocre and pretentious suf- t 2 2 n om Worse still, the character is no longer a robot.
go mmys
ferfestshould put them to rest. at the E That In this weirdly anachronistic take on Michael
r.
this yea ean its
While a case can be made for Evan Rachel do e sn t m Crichtons very silly story, the robots are the good
d
Wood, Anthony Hopkins, Jeffrey Wright and any goo guys, and its vicious humans like Harris who are the
Thandie Newton being honoured in the various villains, illustrating how, well, inhumane we can be
acting categories, the ponderous series doesnt to creatures we deem to be without equal rights (Ho
belong in the same sentence with Best Drama nominees hum). Youll be waiting for the robots to rise up from about 15
Better Call Saul (AMC), The Crown (Netflix), The Handmaids minutes into the first episode, but fans of a good bloodbath
Tale (Hulu), Stranger Things (Netflix) or even the somewhat will be better off repeating the oddly homoerotic muscle-bro
twee This Is Us (NBC). (Somehow the badly faded Season 5 series Spartacus, because Westworld never delivers the
of House of Cards also limped in.) shootout thats always been this genres money shot.
On the face of it, its a serviceable vehicle: for reasons Instead, we get Anthony Hopkins and dimestore phi-
best known to themselves, an all-powerful corporation losophy (even Julian Jaynes The Origin of Consciousness
has spent billions upon billions of dollars develop- in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind gets a nod): those
ing robots so sophisticated they can pass for robots living in an endless
humanall so they can populate a theme park loop, where life just keeps
where the well-heeled can pretend to be gun- gun repeating itself with-
slingers in Americas old West. In the original out meaning? Those
1973 movie, which had the good fortune to guys are supposed to
star Yul Brynner, this made more sense be you, the viewer. While
westerns were the most popular movie the point does hit home,
genre. It was also more fun: think a low- belaboring it over 120
tech version of the Terminator without episodessorry, 20
the time travel (and with Yul Brynner!). episodesjust feels
Available in India on Hotstar, the mod- like cruel and unusual
ern reboot has, like so many dark punishment. n
superhero movies of our era, left the Jason Overdorf
LEISURE
I N T E RV I E W
THE MILL OF
ETERNITY
CONSENSUAL
t isnt the sparseness of Barry and the life that un-
SEX AND BREEZY
I
folds on its tiny island surface that make you feel as
lonely and sad as you do throughout The Unseen, Roy VIOLENCE
Jacobsens moving but sometimes alienating Norwe-
gian novel. Rather, it is the unexpectedness of the nar-
L
rative, the muscular swells and dips, the way emotion S. Hiltons new thriller opens
vibrates in the clear air between protagonists. with wildly consensual sex and
a murder. There is a breezy,
Lifestill, terse and fullon the eponymous island where the Barry
Dragon Tattoo violence to
family (and only the Barry family) lives and farms and fishes is evocative
Domina from the first, and from there on we
of another coastal writer, the Cape Cod-based poet, Mary Oliver. It is one
follow our protagonist from one glam loca-
of the perils of our so-called civilized age, that we do not acknowledge
tion to another. The owner of an art gallery,
enough, or cherish enough, this connection between soul and landscape Elisabeth (or Judith) once stole a painting, not
Oliver writes in her book of essays and poetry, Long Life (2004). Never realising that another painting was packed
has this reviewer felt that connection more with ita drawing supposedly made by
intensely than while reading The Unseen. Caravaggio, who never made drawings. The
The domestic life of Hans Barry, the novels owner insists the drawing was not a fake and
protagonist, and his family is anything but bliss- he wants it back, so Judith must find it.
ful. It is harsh and tedious and predetermined, Like Jason Bourne, Judith roams up and
reflected most painfully in the building and down Europe and out to Serbia carrying noth-
rebuilding of structures on the island, which use ing but a backpack, a wad of cash and what
every ounce of energy and will, only to be flat- looks like a super-smart phone. Often dis-
tened by one night of storm. This tedium is splin- tracting from Hiltons racy plot is her habit of
tered by pulsating life. The occasional visitors adding designer tags to every description. In
leave the family wanting more, yet also fulfilled. addition to being an expert in identifying and
Family members leave home for school or work, valuing paintings, Judith can apparently name
and bring a widened perspective back with them. any handbag, pair of heels or jacket, even
THE DOMESTIC
The power dynamic shifts between son and LIFE OF HANS from across the street. This Cosmo lingo can
father. And then of course, there is death, which BARRY, THE get hilariously intrusive. Case in point: as our
passes in the way that seasons do: inevitably, but NOVELS felonious protagonist is about to go on the run,
PROTAGONIST, she picks up her always-ready bag, packed
changing everything forever.
AND HIS FAMILY with a versatile capsule wardrobe, allowing
In few, bare wordsa mere 268 pagesJa- IS ANYTHING BUT me to curate a variety of different looks. But
cobsen cultivates characters, landscape and a BLISSFUL despite the inadvertent comedy of the name-
world view that is at once despairing and vital.
dropping and the acrobatic sex, the book
Life on one of the ten thousand islands off holds the reader till the very end. The scenes
the Norwegian mainland will change over the run between the rarefied private galleries of
course of the century to come, and like so much the obscenely rich to the joyously overpopu-
else that is good, it is impossible to know. The Unseen captures this lated squalour of a shock artists studio.
change in process, in the slow and determined actions of Hans and Ma- Youll have to wait till page 167 for a look
ria and Barbro and Lans and Ingrid. It is a change that resists linearity back at Judiths life, maybe the writers way
and notions of opportunity and progress, as it is drawn to it. Like the of directing you to the book in which Judiths
repeated discovery of and fascination with an inherited telescope, and adventures beganMaestra. Domina itself
its quiet setting away, generation after generation, because there must ends with a cliffhanger, so clearly a sequel is
be a reason for the eye not seeing further than it does. n already rumbling off the presses. n
Disha Mullick Latha Anantharaman
R AC I N G
AGONY AND
ECSTASY
T
he new Amazon original, Le Mans: Rac-
ing is Everything, effectively captures the
emotional rollercoaster drivers experience
during whats arguably the most iconic race
in motor sport. And I should know: I was
actually driving in the 2015 edition of the 24-hour
race that features in the documentary.
The six-part series follows various distinct char-
actersrookies, veterans, drivers at the top and teams
that are having a nightmare run. Filmmaker James
Erskine and his team have been able to tell the story
of the whole Le Mans week, including everything that
happens off the track.
Watching some of the heartache stories was a bit
difficult for me, because they involved friends of mine
Mark Webber, Brendon Hartley and Jann Mardenbor-
ough. They were also moments that I can totally relate
to. Though racing at Le Mans is truly one of the greatest
experiences for a racing driver, it can also be one of the
worst. I remember a particular race in 2014 where we
were very fast but I ended up in a crash with eight other
cars during a rainstorm that ended our chances.
Erskine does especially well in communicating
how important teamwork is at an event like this. Un-
like Formula 1, at Le Mans you have three drivers
sharing the same car and the dynamic between them
is key to success. The drivers all have to get along and
compromise in the interest of the team. This is a
NS
unique and tricky balance when youre involving
LE MA the highly competitive individuals who are used
s
capture nal
emotio rivers to being selfish sportsmen.
aster d
rollerco nce at this The other angle thats captured well is
experie race the family perspective. For example, in one of
ico nic
the episodes, the camera crew visits the home
of Darren Turner to speak with his wife Katie
about her feelings on the risks involved. Le Mans re-
mains one of the most dangerous races in the world
where drivers get hurt every year. I often think back
to the race in 2013 when Darrens teammate, Allan
Simonsen, was killed. As drivers, we accept the risks
involved, but the film reminds usand shows view-
ershow hard it is for the wives and parents to watch
from the sidelines, knowing that when the driver
leaves the pit lane, he might not come back alive. n
Karun Chandhok is a racing driver and the first
and only Indian to compete at Le Mans
COMIC
TURNING
PAGES AT
360 KMPH
W
hen youre racing, its life. Anything that hap-
pens before or after is just waiting. In a
movie with about two minutes of cumulative
dialogue from the lead actor, Steve McQueen, these
lines stand out. And were the driving force for artist
Sandro Garbo and his team, responsible for the graphic
novel Steve McQueen in Le Mans, an exceedingly well
crafted, painstaking even, ode in graphic novel form. In
production since 2013, its the result of a dream where
McQueen asked the artist to immortalise the iconic 1971
films racing in frames per second, in panels per page.
Thank God for lucid dreams.
The graphic novel is not necessarily a frame-for-
frame depiction, instead filling in dialogue in places
where the film sometimes simply relied on McQueens
piercing stare to establish plot pointsas race driver
Michael Delany, who returns to the Circuit la Sarthe for
the 24 hours of Le Mans, after an accident that took the
life of a competitor, the wife of whom turns out to be
McQueens love interest. Plot aside, the real beauty of
the illustration is in the depiction of detailsevery single
one accurate and period-correctfrom the fair-like
atmosphere around the circuit down to the lug nuts on
the wheels of McQueens Gulf-livery Porsche 917. Every
high-speed turn, wheel-to-wheel overtake and crash of
these prototype endurance machines comes to life with
a sense of speed, of realism. Its possibly more likely
to induce nail biting than an actual Formula 1 telecast.
With 64 pages of Le Mans in frozen technicolour, this
is a coffee table staple for both racing fans and classic
McQueen fans alike. n
Simran Rastogi
LEISURE
GADGETS
APPLE TV
This small box connects to TVs using an HDMI cable. It has a
sleek remote with touchpad for quick navigation, and can grab
information and settings like your iTunes account details, iCloud
and wi-fi passwords directly from your iPhone. On Apple TV,
you can purchase or rent content from iTunes, or instal apps like
Hotstar, Netflix, Eros Now, Spuul, TED, UFC, Bloomberg TV, NBC
News, WSJ Video, Vimeo and others
PRICE
Rs 13,500
(32 GB) and
Rs 17,900
(64 GB) PRICE
Rs 3,399
GOOGLE
CHROMECAST
AMAZON
A compact device with a circular design
FIRE TV STICK that can be tucked behind the TV and
Looking like an oversized pen drive, this device can be controlled using the Google Home
plugs into a TVs HDMI port and comes with an app. Googles Home app has a discover
HDMI connector and remote. It can be used to tab that lets you browse and download
view content from Prime Video (Rs 499 for an Chromecast-compatible apps, including
annual subscription), as well as other stream- YouTube, Netflix, Hooq, Saavn, Eros Now,
ing services such as Netflix, YouTube, Eros Viki, Twitch, TED, Crunchyroll, NBA, Pixlr
Now and Airtel Movies. Navigating through the and more. An icon on top allows you to
PRICE
menu is super smooth and the voice search is send content to your TV
Rs 3,999
very well adapted for an Indian accent
DA N C E
Bombay
Ballerina
n pointe for two
E
years, 13-year-old
Mumbai-based
ballerina Priyan--
shi Parikh is all set to
perform a solo from
Swan Lake on the inter-
national stage. In August, she will become the
first ballet dancer trained in India to participate in
the Hong Kong-based Asian Grand Prixcompeting
against 300 dancers from 15 countries for scholarships to
renowned ballet schools and other awards.
Parikh put on her first set of ballet shoes four years ago when
she was living in Bangkok. My gymnastics teacher was a ballet
dancerthats how I was introduced to ballet, she says. Although
gymnastics helped her flexibility, it was
ballet that helped her self-confidence,
While exposure especially when she transitioned from soft
to the dance style ballet shoes to dancing en pointe, Parikh
has improved says. Having moved to Mumbai about
over the years, three years ago, Parikh is now a student at
it is still a Utpal Sanghvi Global School and trains
challenge to learn with Apeksha Bhattacharyya at the Indian
ballet in India Academy of Russian Ballet (IARB).
While Indias exposure to ballet has SHI
improved over the years, it is still a chal- R I YAN H
P IK
lenge to find good teachers and studio PAR arning
n le e
spaces. In the Vile Parle studio where beg at the ag k
a
a lle t ngko
b
Parikh practises her plies and chaines to Tchaikovskys composition in Ba
of 9,
for Swan Lake,, she is wearing a pair of pink Grishka shoes especially
procured from Russiaand ignoring the thumping Bollywood
music streaming in from the dance studio next door.
Parikh knows a career as a ballerina would be a tough road to
walk, but hopes it remains a passion she can continue to pursue.
On her return from the Grand Prix, where she will have a chance to
attend seminars and classes on traditional and contemporary ballet,
DANESH JASSAWALA
Q: How do you
feel about the
debate over (arguably)
offensive songs and
videos?
A: What is offensive is
different for everyone. But
you cannot ignore reality just
because some people find it
offensive. I mean, I cannot go
to a club and pretend I was
drinking milk there.
Volume XLII Number 32; For the week August 1-7, 2017, published on every Friday Total number of pages 92 (including cover pages)
DIGITAL EDITION
9 7 7 0 2 5 4 8 3 9 9 0 9
RNI NO. 28587/75
PLEASE CONTINUE
TO YOUR FREE MAGAZINES
JULY 2017 REVEL IN INSIDE THE
THE FAMED CITYS MOST
JULY 2017 AUGUST 2017
POETS GLORY STUNNING
AT GHALIB HOMES
WELLNESS SPECIAL KI HAVELI
10 MONSOON
SKINCARE TIPS EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF
TEJAS SOVANI, THE
OBEROI, GURGAON
Not for sale. To be circulated free with India Today in Mumbai, Delhi & NCR, Chennai,
Bangalore and Kolkata. Supplement to India Today issue dated August 7, 2017
Natural
DCP No.: F. 2. (I - 20) Press / 2007
Beauty
A MALL
KAVITA KHOSA, FOUNDER,
PUREARTH, SKINCARE AND
WELLNESS BRAND
High Life
YOUR GUIDE TO THE BEST OF OLD AND NEW IN LUXURY ACROPOLIS MALL, KOLKATA
FOR ALL
Editor-in-Chief
aroon Purie
Group Editorial Director
raj Chengappa
Making a difference
Contents
Editor (special Projects)
Kaveree bamzai
Group Photo Editor
bandeep singh
Group Creative Editor
nilanjan das
Senior Associate Editor
shelly anand
Editorial Consultant
asmita bakshi
bEAuTiFuL
12 22
harish aggarwal (Chief of Production),
naveen gupta, vijay sharma
Do the men in
your life identify
as feminists?
YES Differentiation
needs to be stopped, but
NO Tradition sticks NO Men really need to grow up My father and brother both like to
in between I will be able call the men in my call themselves feminists, and
The men in my family life feminists only when they with good reason. They have
certainly do not identify happily share the workload, always believed in the equality of
themselves as feminists as both at home and outside. So, I genders, and encouraged us to
they believe in traditional build our own identities. We were
dont think I can call the men in
gender roles. While they told as children that men and
my life true feminists unless women are equal, and can excel
dont particularly discourage that happens. While they believe
women from working or in any field given the same
that women have a right to work resources. We never had separate
going out, they expect
family to take precedence and be economically rules for boys and girls.
over career. Despite being independent, they also believe Monica Kohli, Delhi
highly educated, this has that the home is predominantly
been the norm in my family, a womans bastion. This YES They dont want to admit
one which the women orthodox mindset needs to be it though
acquiesce to, under the I feel that the men in my life are
changed, and men need to start
garb of tradition. feminists, but are unwilling to put
taking women more seriously. a label on it. Perhaps they are
Sreshti Verma, Bengaluru Anushka S Moitra, Delhi afraid of being perceived as less
than masculine if they are called
feminists? There are those men as
well who call themselves
feminists because its trendy to
do so now. I wonder how they
feel about equal pay, division
of domestic labour or social
inequality. I will only label a
man a feminist if he thinks
about equality in a non-
condescending way.
Ruby Khosla, Faridabad
Ten winning letters from the India Today
Woman online poll will receive LOreal Paris NO It doesnt gel with their beliefs
products. Winners will be notified by email. Men in my life dont understand that
Letters may be edited for space and clarity. feminism is about equal rights and
not being a misogynist. Feminism is
a fight and a movement that doesnt
To WIn More excITIng PrIzeS check ouT align with their personal beliefs.
our nexT queSTIon of The MonTh Nimrit Singh, Mumbai
aT WWW.InToDay.In
NewsWrap Whats trending this month
A Divisive Legacy
ThirTy Three years afTer her assassinaTion,
indra Gandhi remains a polarisinG fiGure and
The subjecT of Sagarika ghoSeS new book
What was the most surprising thing the people in a direct populist Writing about such a polarising
you learnt about mrs Gandhi? embrace, clashing with institutions figure in such polarised times...
I didnt know she was so sporty like judiciary and media, and yes Theres a stereotype about me that
and so much of an outdoors increasingly isolated and hardly Im a libtard Congi, so many
person! She could ski, ride, swim, able to trust anyone. people assumed that I was writing
trek, loved dogs (always had more a particular kind of book. Its a
than one dog) and headed a bird What about her still foxes you? challenge because I wanted to
watchers society. She was also very She was an incredibly paradoxical bring Indira Gandhi alive, warts
interested in insects and kept personthats why I wrote those and all, as a living, breathing flesh
plastic butterflies and a life-size letters to her in the book, because and blood woman, not a member
cockroach on her table. there were so many things about of a party. My book is emphatically
her that I found mystifying. How not a hagiography, nor is it a
do you believe Narendra modi is could someone as astute as her not vilification. I wanted readers to
modelling himself on her? see what she was doing by encour- read about Indira the person
I dont know whether he is aging Sanjay the way she did? Or and the politician, not look for my
consciously modeling himself on building up a Bhindranwale and so-called biases or agendas,
her, but their styles are very then sending the army into a place particularly because I really
similar. The supremo cult in party of worship? Her contradictory dont have any.
and government, reaching out to personality intrigues me. Kaveree Bamzai
Books
Q&A Society
Sports
Tell us about the Collective.
Women in Cinema Collective Running
(WCC) is a group of women
professionals in the Malayalam AheAd
T
film industry that have come he captain of the Indian cricket
together to address issues of team, 34-year-old, Mithali Raj
gender and ensure that it created a world record this
becomes a profession of month by becoming the first
player to cross 6,000 runs in the
equal opportunity and
history of womens ODI during
equitable space of gainful the ICC World Cup match against
employment for women. Australia. Rajs accolade finally put
womens cricket on the map, and
The arrest of Dileep is a step in the traditional notion of the film more importantly, gave womens
right direction. Your take on how industry being associated very sport the recognition and attention
the entire incident unfolded? strongly with earlier artistic it requires back home.
Yes, we believe that the enquiry is traditions like the Devdasis,
being carried out with care and the mujra dancers, who were
appropriate seriousness. Our marginalised and considered
concern is our colleague and outsiders with an additional
ensuring that this never happens moral labelling. Women in
again. We hope that this indeed cinema were always the other.
will not only be a deterrent but Respectability, a catchword for the
also an opportunity to relook at middle class, was never accorded
many entrenched values. to women working in cinema.
The (in)famous casting couch
How can one combat the rampant syndrome starts right there.
sexism and skewed gender ratio In Kerala, with a huge middle
in the film industry? class, women find it hard to
The problem seems to be two- break this notion of the profession
foldone is the notion of women and find it difficult to choose to
and technology. A sense that work in the industry.
women are technologically Unfortunately, conditions
retarded and cannot handle what within the profession also are
the male mind can. The other is a not conducive to inclusiveness.
Getty IMaGeS
Tips & Tricks
Wired
to be
different
AN ENTREPRENEuR, A fAshIoN
DEsIGNER AND A hEAlThCARE
sPECIAlIsT oN NoT ToEING ThE
DoTTED lINE of ACTIoN
By shelly anand
On hOw tO build
platfOrms fOr wOmen
entrepreneurs
Samara
mahindra
On hOw tO run a business Founder,
Carer, cancer and
with sOcial intent healthcare start-up
30, Mumbai
1 Dont lose the soul of 4 Be compassionate
your business With social enterprises,
Running a social enterprise there is a thin line between
encourages you to reach out to and sympathy and empathy. No
help as many people as possible, one wants or needs your sympathy,
however, the chase for numbers often but almost everyone appreciates an
jeopardises the quality or intent of empathetic endeavour. Whatever
your work. While trying to scale up you provide to your consumers,
and exponentially grow, be grounded. ensure it comes from a place of
empathy and compassion.
2 Follow your instinct Putting them first before you
When starting a business, you are and offering your services
overloaded with free advice on makes a difference.
various strategies of success. Although
many might be useful, it always comes 5 Always stick to your why
down to what you believe to be true. Why did you begin your company?
Instinct never fails and has more What is your intention behind it?
power than you can imagine. Dont get caught up on what you do
but stick to why you do what you do.
Photograph by Milind shelte
Im a woman
of the soIl
Kavita Khosa, founder of luxury skincare brand Purearth, is as conscious
about the ingredients that go into her products as the uplift of women
from rural India who are custodians of these natural treasures
By AsmItA BAKshI
A
s she struts confidently into the Marriott Suites, Pune, in
white palazzos and a comfortable black sleeveless top,
Kavita Khosa, 54, a powerhouse of entrepreneurial
excellence is disarmingly approachable, her skin radiant
and her smile a permanent fixture. Her suitcase for the
cover shoot, however, reveals her fine taste and her self-
created ability to live a life of luxury. It is home to a
Sabyasachi sari, a beautiful Anavila sari, a pair of nude
Valentino stilettos and skincare products of choicePurearth, her own line
of luxury, artisanal and 100 per cent organic creams, mists and an
assortment of other elixirs made entirely from ingredients sourced from the
Himalayas. The corporate lawyer-turned-social entrepreneur, swears by her
product and the cause shes fighting for. I wanted to work with womenI
didnt want to start a charity, she says. Women dont need charity, I wanted
to give them work and a life where they could be engaged in sustainable
income generation activities.
And thats what Purearth, Khosas privately held company does and
stands for. Most of our ingredients are gathered at soaring altitudes of the
Himalayas by micro-credit and women self-help groups. Through these
partnerships, marginalised producers engage with urban markets on fair
Back to Roots terms, reads the ethos page of their website. Khosa, who describes herself as
Khosa is very a mountain goat, is often called the skin chef in jest by her friends. From
conscious about
starting out as an airhostess with Cathay Pacific to a high-profile lawyer on
the ethics and
sustainability Wall Street who would blend oils in her home as a hobby, her journey has
aspect of all the been intense. From learning Ayurveda and travelling across remote villages
ingredients that in the Himalayas to empower entire communities of women through
she sources microfinance, encouraging them to forage for seeds and products in the
Location courtesy
Marriott SuiteS, Pune
Wardrobe courtesy
threadS and SoulS
by diMPle Mathijia
Hair and Make up lane Six
Salon, Pune
pHoto by Mandar deodhar
Photograph by xxxxxxxx
july, 2017 IndIa Today Woman 9
Cover Story
all come from one place. After setting 5 skincare and wellness
up base in Delhi, where all these rituals I follow
ingredients are sent to from collection
1 Im addicted to masque-ing. I
centres at various hill stations, they are
shipped by bus to Kangra, where Khosa masque at least three times a week
with my Mitti Clay Face Masque and 5 things I wouldnt do
personally flies down to the workshop to Turmeric Exfoliating Face Sand to
blend, bottle and label products. Of remove debris and dullness. 1 Put anything on my skin with-
utmost importance to her is the women out reading the label and knowing
2 I cleanse with my own homemade where it has come from.
who work for her in the mountains.
micellar water to gently deep cleanse
What I do is, I give them
skin at the start and end of my day. 2 Use make up or cosmetics with
microfinancing. I give them a loan and parabens, petrochemicals and
for the rest of the year, it would be a full 3 Im in love with precious pure plant toxic chemicals. Ive switched to
100 per cent advance and the women oils that are rich in essential fatty natural organic ethical brands that
would go into the wild, the forest. acids, bio actives and antioxidants. i trust.
My Illumine Elixir Face oil is hand
Throughout the season, they would go blended with oils from Himalayan 3 Experiment too much with too
pick, then they would dry it, she says. wild harvested seabuckthorn and many products, especially all at
We work with about 1500 women in rosehip seeds. Massaging skin with one time. Give your skin some
Himachal and we pay them 15-20 per a pure high quality oil can eliminate room to breathe, to absorb and
cent above market rate, she adds. The fine lines and tone facial muscles. understand what is being applied
on it. Keep your skincare rituals
money is put into a joint account for the 4 Abhyanga or a body massage and your products simple.
whole self-help group, to ensure no one is vital to boost circulation, soothe
else (exploitative family members, the nervous system and rejuvenate 4 Never ever sleep with
mainly) can access the amount. skin. Our skin eats every time we put make up on.
something on it so always remember
to treat it with epicurean high quality 5 Never use lasers and peels, I
The number game skinfoods free of toxic chemicals. speak from experience. They can
Nature is your best soap and your burn skin and make it sensitive
kitchen is your pharmacy. My 5 Compassion and empathy soften to the sun and environmental
ingredients are my bioactives, says the face and settle into its contours, damage over time. Be kind to
lending a beauty and grace that your skin. It is sensitive, receptive,
Khosa, who spent her savings to start
cannot be store bought. sensual and intimate.
Purearth. And when she exhausted
those, she sold solitaires and considered
selling original works of art. Luckily I
have a husband so I dont have to stocked at Anthropologie in the US and
worry about putting food on the table, we have already signed up with an
thats all taken care of, she says. But agency to offer first class amenity kits for
Purearth, yes, all my savings went into a five-star airline, arguably one of the
it. I dont really have a head for worlds best, says Khosa, who often
numbers, but in my heart I have such a describes Purearth as her third baby. As
deep conviction that what Im doing is We work with a young Make in India luxury brand,
right and honestly so far, every month
we make ends meet, she says. Khosa about 1,500 we have proudly taken baby steps
toward taking our brand global.
explains how her products are priced
very high, because of the high cost of
women in So, now with her younger son at
Berkeley, the older one a music
importing the French Miron Glass Himachal and producer in Barcelona and a husband
bottles, as opposed to plastic. Purearth,
which is now three years old, has we pay them who travels constantly, Khosa has
found a fine balance between
doubled revenue every year to date
with a 100 per cent growth rate for
15-20 per spending time with her family and on
her business. Hours on Skype and
each of the last two years. cent above WhatsApp groups, holidays every year
What amazes and humbles me is
that in this short journey, we have market rate with the men in her life and constantly
shuttling between Hong Kong and the
collaborated with luxury resorts like the Himalayas, Khosa flows as seamlessly
Leeu Collection in Cape Town, South and naturally through life as her
Africa owned by the Max Group, we are products do through the skin.
Wellness
J i va S pa
at m a n ta n
the
ta m a r a
coorg
ay u r v e D a g r a m , e S pa
Kerala
ay u r v e D a
Kairali
a n a n Da
BengAluRu
Situated amidst an expanse of unending lush greens, Ayurvedagram transports you
back in time. The soothing and calming fragrance of medicinal herbs infuses the air at
the wellness resort, which offers over 45 massage therapies. Njavara-kishinev
(saashtika-pinda svedam) or red rice-poultice sudation is what we settle for. It involves
a full body massage with cotton poultices filled with njavara rice pudding.
AtmAntAn, USP Counselling with therapists, yoga and meditation sessions
wellness centre Duration Three, seven and 14 days.
and resort Cost `1,600 to `2,000 a day
www.keralaayurveda.biz
pune
An hours drive from Pune lies a serene the tAmArA coorg
oasis of self discovery nestled in the
Western Ghats. Atmantan, overlooking the K A R n ATA K A
Mulshi lake, is more than just a picturesque
wellness centre. Check-in is followed by a Tamara cleverly combines pleasure and
doctors consultation and a body virtue in one sweeping move and its glorious
composition analysis to create a regime spaThe Elevationis a case in point.
that works best for you. Most packages Ensconced in a restored 100-year-old
include spa treatments such as arom- plantation bungalow, it offers both Ayurveda
atherapy, invigorating massage and the Chi and western treatments with few, but well-
Nei Tsang, a Taoist abdominal massage. trained therapists. The signature treatment is
USP Chi Nei Tsang, a Taoist abdominal the coffee therapy, which uses plantation-
massage to cleanse emotional knots, grown organic coffee beans that are loaded
improve sleep and boost immunity. with natural antioxidants to battle toxins,
Duration Three to seven day nights stress, and exhaustion. The gentle coffee
Cost `75,000 for three nightsi espA At scrub works in ways that only show up as
www.atmantan.com the leelA pAlAce silken skin and coffee-scented dreams.
By Suhani Singh USP uses coffee, cardamom and honey
chennAi grown on the plantation in therapies
Spread over 16,000 sq ft, ESPA at Duration 120 minutes for signature
JivA spA coffee therapy
The leela Palace takes your spa day
taj santacruz Cost `6,250
to the next level with a private spa
suite that overlooks the sea. The coorg@thetamara.com
MuMBAi By Chumki Bharadwaj
gentle calming waves of the Bay of
A deep muscular massage, the orja dayaka Bengal and the rejuvenating massage
therapy, begins with the therapist washing gradually find a rhythm of their own
your feet with rose water and aromatic oils. to give you a relaxing experience.
AnAndA - in the
leading you into the process, the therapist There are vitality pools, relaxation himAlAyAs
then explains the ingredients of the lounges, sleeping pods and a spa
RishiKesh
aromatherapy oil. The energising oil, as it menu with beverages and short-eats
is known, contains tulsi for clarity of mind, to cater to your needs through the For the well-intentioned, Ananda in the
patchouli for detoxification, fennel for day. All treatments use products from Himalayas offers both salvation and succour.
stimulation and nagar-motha for uplifting ESPA, the uK-based wellness brand. The four-day detox starter programme is
the senses. Starting from the legs, the A selection of music and oils helps ideal for the wellness virgin; a gradual
therapist kneads your body and your personalise your treatment. The Royal immersion into a world laden with special
senses, leaving room for little thought, leela Facial uses different massage diets, detoxifying scrubs, and rejuvenating
aside from a sharp focus on the loosening and exfoliation techniques, warm body masks. Whether its yogic detox,
of stress-induced knots and pressure poultices with herbs for a point weight loss or stress management that
points. massage and pink hair and scalp mud youve signed up for, the spa menu includes
USP The deep tissue orja dayaka massage for a destressing head massage. more than 80 body and beauty treatments
with a heady mix of aromatic and USP The Royal leela Facial, a deep with Ayurvedic therapies as well as modern
rejuvenating oils. exfoliating treatment which shows western spa rituals.
Duration 60 minutes instant results USP Wellness as a holistic experience.
Cost ` 4,400 Duration 90 minutes Duration Minimum stay of five nights
www.jivaspa.tajhotels.com Cost `9,900 Cost `23,000 per person a night plus taxes
theleela.com www.anandaspa.com
By Asmita Bakshi By Prachi Sibal By Chumki Bharadwaj
I
ve always been a bold person, but Saturation point the same old zone of constantly trying to
then I had my own set of fears, thanks I come from a very educated family, but reach out to my husband. But this time I
to the news. I used to be a person who not even once did it click, that it was realised I was falling into this again. So, I
would think if Im going out at 2 am, I depression. I reached a saturation point, did some self-counselling and thats when I
would end up getting raped. Wherever I and was unable to sleep or do anything. thought of the idea of the ride. I enjoy
went, I had this fear. I used to work for a Thats when I decided I wanted to end my interacting with people, helping people.
BPO at that time; I used to drive down and life. I wanted to die in an accident. I got my Ive been a motivational trainer. I gathered
I needed to have tinted glasses. From that bike back and made a foolproof plan. I was my experiences and decided to put my
person, I went to being someone who sat on the highway, and waiting for it to psychology education to use. And by
on a bike and said hey, look heres a happen painlessly. As I started moving out helping people I ended up helping myself.
woman on the road! of Hyderabad, I saw a small child waving at The ride across cities to spread awareness
about suicide and depression
Questioning morals and was therapy for me as much
motherhood as it was for other people.
I was a person who had my
set of ideas about a perfect Changing perspective
life and perfect married life. Its important to look at
But unfortunately, when yourself as a third person,
things started going out of thats when you see a better
hand, it became impossible picture of yourself. I would
for me to accept what was often ask my students, do
coming my way. When my you ever see your old
marriage started falling apart pictures, in their own homes
(Im not divorced), I didnt or on Facebook memories.
know what to control or how. Most times I would get the
There was a lot of distance same reaction, Yuck, I didnt
which was created between look good, now Im better. If
my husband and me. People you ask yourself how you felt
would say things would get when you uploaded that
Photographs by SAEED GHAZI
better once we had a baby, picture, it will make you
but they got worse. I had so happy. After some time, you
many questions, social pressure, and me with immense joy. I started noticing a look at yourself as a third, different person,
self-created anxieties. I just could not see a lot of things. When it was raining, I and youre in a better position to assess
ray of hope. stopped at a dhaba and the man there yourself. You have then a point of focus
When everyone around me became a wanted to take a picture of me and show it and nobody can stop you.
mother, their lives changed; their whole to his daughter, because he thought it Sana Iqbal, 29, from Hyderabad,
lives became about their children. But would motivate her and he wanted her to journeyed solo across the country
when my son was born, I could not feel be like me. The goodness of people on the conducting sessions on tackling issues
that. I was stressed mentally, completely, way took me out of my feeling of neglect related to depression and suicide on her
and just could not feel emotions for my and helplessness. Royal Enfield, talking about everything
own child. I would question my own morals from acne to complex relationships,
and motherhood, and I could not talk The ride to recovery careers, marriages, depression and suicide.
about it to anyone. Once in a while, when I When I returned, I came home happy, and She is simultaneously pursuing a masters in
tried talking about it, people would lecture with a new perspective on life. My mother psychology and does corporate training
me instead of understanding what I was was ecstatic to see me like that. But in sessions on behavioural skills.
feeling and going through. close to 10 days, I started getting back into As told to Asmita Bakshi
i
F tt to
Fitness
Techniques
By Shelly AnAnd
Capoeira
n
ot only an art form but
also an intense full
body workout, Capoeira
combines fighting techniques,
dance, rhythm and movement to add
to your physical and emotional well-
being. The workout reduces stress and
increases your strength and flexibility by
working on your cardio and stamina
levels. It includes body movements and
strategic use of the mind to make use of
these movements in the form of dance.
As a capoeirista, unlike other martial arts,
we dont train to fight. We have an arsenal
of moves that are dance-like, playful
escapes, but when needed can be double- get moving
edged swords and lethal too, says Reza
n It sharpens your
Baba Massah, certified Capoeira
instructor and Founder, Centre for reflexes and trains you
to use them as a self-
Capoeira India. You can perform defence mechanism.
Capoeira solo or with a partner, with or
n It increases the
without equipment. Being a non-combat,
metabolic rate of
non-violent sport, it lets you express your body which
your feelings through movement without in turn leads to
using words or aggression. burning of fat.
n It helps increase
Cost `3,000
3,000 for eight classes a strength, endurance
month, an hour-long class and agility. Your body
Where Delhi, Mumbai releases feel-good
and Jaipur hormones.
www.capoeiraindia.in
a
lthough Jiu Jitsu focuses primarily on grappling
and more specifically on ground fighting
applying joint locks and chokeholds, it is a
system that includes striking techniques, throws and
stand-up strategies against surprising attacks. Also
known as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), you dont need any
equipment to do the technique. All you need is a
couple of mats, an instructor and a drilling partner. In
BJJ, there are countless ways that focus on developing
different physical and mental attributes of the player
like body mechanics, reflex, muscle memory, survival
instinct and body conditioning. Its not like your
typical exercise routine as it requires extreme effort to
improve endurance while utilising all muscle groups
to fight an opponent. Its a sport that necessitates
the challenge to simultaneously push those muscles
while enhancing cardiovascular strength, says
Lakshya Aggarwal, certified instructor and a Brazilian
Jiu Jitsu practitioner.
why get n A good full body Cost `8,000 for two classes
trained workout, with so many a week; `12,000 for three
n A good technique to protect different techniques classes a week; `16,000 for
yourself from personal attacks. to learn, there is never four classes a week
n Working both your a dull moment on the Where Delhi, 90-minute
aerobic and anaerobic mats. It gives you a long class
systems, it helps boosting better problem-solving lakshya_bjj@outlook.com
your endurance levels. mindset.
I
n For improved
t teaches you how to prevent, deal with and
physical well-
overcome all kinds of violence and attacks, and
being, stress
consists of a combination of techniques sourced release and
from aikido, judo, boxing and wrestling along with weight loss.
realistic fight training. Easy to learn, Krav Maga n To keep yourself
prepares trainees in self-defence, self-protection, safe against
fighting and combat skills. Practitioners get to incidents of
learn protection methods against chokes, hold and violence and
physical assault.
locks, hair grab from back and knife attack, besides
n To build your
knee kick regular front, and release from bear hug
confidence levels,
from the rear, side, and front high. It trains you
improve flexibility
to survive on the street in any situation, and makes and agility.
use of common sense and tactics, says Vikram n To increase your
Kapoor, Founder, Inter-national Ultimate Krav attention span
Maga Federation. The equipment used ranges and improve core
from the groin guard to shin guard, head gear to strength training.
grappling gloves and elbow guards.
work out,
staY in
The Internet is everyones
new favourite gym
By Priyansha Tomar
H
ectic work schedules make it difficult to head to the gym
everyday. Women, therefore, are using the Internet for
their daily workout. Toss personal trainers and expensive
gym memberships, stick to the comfortable surrounds of your
own home for a fuss-free, cost-effective workout. Fitness channels
on YouTube provide a plethora of ideas to keep one in shape
from aerobics and yoga to zumba.
Racing
thRough the day For Ayesha Billimoria, fitness training is a full-time job,
so is keeping the dream of competing at the Olympics
alive for fifteen years and working constantly to realise it
By asmita Bakshi
W
hat no one tells you about the city that never sleeps,
6:30 AM
is that Mumbai is actually in a state of suspended
slumber early in the morning. The roads are
eaRly staRt relatively empty, the loud orchestra of horns and sirens from
Billimoria trains the night before now function at decibel levels that permit the
women selected easing of frowns and getting to Arts in Motion dance studio in
by Adidas for Bandra at 6.30 am isnt quite as difficult as it would be at any
the marathon other time of the day. Thats where athlete, fitness trainer and
in August Adidas ambassador Ayesha Billimoria, 30, begins her
Wednesday mornings. As the rest of the city rubs the sleep out
of its eyes, she trains a group of 20 women to thumping music,
making them do everything from planks on anothers
downward dog to interesting variations of table top crunches.
The exhilaration in the air is palpable, as are Billimorias
instructive words of advice on form and motivation. And not
only does she motivate those 20 or so women in the studio, she
also simultaneously motivates close to 20,000 followers on
Instagram to get up and work out, by posting updates, stories,
live videos and pictures on her handle Fitgirl.India.
As we get into the cab at 8 am sharp after her class, heading
to her home-cum-training centre in Grant Road, where she
9:00 AM 5:00 pM
over to Priya Darshni Park
for a run at 4 pm and then to
one on one on the Run conduct training sessions for
Billimoria conducts She goes for a school children between
personal training run before 5 pm and 7 pm. With that, she
sessions at home training children
in the park finally wraps up her day.
I
happily poses for pictures in her
n 2010, designer and photographer Anusha Yadav set up the worlds first
favourite saris. Everyone has a
public visual archive of the Indian sub-continent, The Indian Memory Project
story. Each time I photograph
(IMP), which documents history and culture through photographs. The
these women and talk to them, it
website now has 175 entries sent in from people across the world telling of life
helps me put things into
in the sub-continent before 1990. Photographers play the role of the cultural
perspective. Ive learnt to
police, says Yadav. Every photographer is in a sense documenting something and
empathise with people and be
although photographs on her website are always accompanied by essays, the
thankful for what I have.
images are revealing in their own way. Status, power, beauty, vanity,
Documenting life sensitises you,
representation, identityso much is revealed through a photograph, she says.
she says.
Yadav has been deeply interested and involved in documenting culture both
By Aditi Pai
through her curation of photographs and stories of personal histories as well as
through her own photographic endeavours. Her series of self-portraits sees her as
dressing up iconic women of the past from Nur Jahan to Mata Hari. When she first
started IMP, she was trying to convince
companies and brands to archive their
materials. The project was meant as a
way to prove that her theory could be
put into practice. I thought 50 people
would love it, but didnt expect five
million visitors, she says. Seven years
down the line, the project is used as an
academic resource. Her research for
IMP has led her to numerous other
projects. In March this year, she
exhibited The Photograph is Proof , a
collection of photographs that throw
light on a few criminal investigations in
India. In July, just before the 70th
Indep-endence Day celebrations kick
off across the country, she will comm-
emorate the occasionthrough a
repository of photographic
biographies of people in the Indian
film industry before the 1950s.
By Moeena Halim
P
collaborate and contribute
hotographer, writer and filmmaker
photos. Although her project
Tunali Mukherjee was a reluctant
has largely been limited to
Instagrammer two years ago. She
South Mumbai, she aims to
soon found herself encouraged to
cover the rest of the city too.
see the world within the apps square frame
By Moeena Halim
and the trees of Mumbai became her Photograph by DANESH jASSAWAlA
biggest inspiration. Walking around the
city, she realised that the trees were fighting
battles of their own and began to document
their fight with urbanisation. It seemed
like a silent war between the city and the Trees have
trees. People would build walls around the
trees, or lay down roads or sheets of cement been fighting
on top of their roots, but the roots and
branches would fight their way out. Muscle
battles of their
memory taught me to skip over the roots
when I walked down the footpaths, and I
own with
realised Id been taking these trees for
granted for so long, says Mukherjee.
urbanisation
Over the years, she has taken over 50
photos which she quite unintentionally
began archiving under the hashtag
Bombay Trunks. The South Mumbai
resident deeply troubled by
the construction of the
Mumbai Metro and their
decision to chop down more
than 5,000 trees around
Colaba as well as Aarey Milk
Colony, aims at a more
concerted effort now that at least
Tunali Mukherjee is
creating awareness
about silent death
of the trees
F
rom tracing the life story of a French baker from
Maharashtra to taking a peek into the lives of women
domestic workers, Nupur Nanal uses her camera to tell
stories that evoke emotion. I dont tell sad stories. I tell
stories of resilience, she says. The Pune-based photographer
spends six months shooting weddings and the rest of the year
travelling and documenting stories of people and communities.
In 2015, she travelled across Europe to meet Maharashtrians who
migrated from the state and settled into varied professions and
lives. The pictures were exhibited at a show at the British Council,
Delhi, and Nanal followed that up with a project, The Domestic
Help, for the Goethe Institute on portraits of women domestic
workers. She gave them a point-and-shoot camera and asked
them to document their daily lives. The outcome was a story of 10
women who have spent their lives looking after their employers
homes, leaving behind their own families. They build an
emotional bond with the employers family but their own
emotions, aspirations and families are always hidden. I shot
Nupur Nanal
dignified portraits that bring out their inner beauty, she says. Its
chronicles stories
an ongoing series and Nanal now plans to take her project to of people and
other cities to document more women in the same occupation. communities
By Aditi Pai
I
f a single person listens to my change in a subtle manner through
story, my life will be worth it, everyday choices made by women.
says a woman in a village in So came the idea of Bindi Bottoms
Bihar who has been called that chronicles their stories from
Janardhan bahu all her life. It was around the country. They are
a turning point for Vatsala stories of freedom, of choice and of
Shrivastava, Founder, Bindi a particular moment when the
Bottomsrepresentative of women person is a winner, she says.
from top to bottomwho had set Though the stories have been
out to gather stories of transition in collected in audio, video and text
the lives of Indian women. I formats, they are available on the
wanted to tell stories of many website as text only. After every
Janardhan bahus, she says. Once 100-150 stories, she issues a report
a journalist, Shrivastava spent four with her observations. She has
years in the US where she met globalised the platform by inviting
other women like her, in transition, women to contribute their stories,
between two different worlds. On localised it through geotagging and
her return in 2015, she noticed democratised it by letting people
that India was on the cusp of upload them. By Prachi Sibal
Photograph by M ZHAZo
july, 2017 IndIa Today Woman 25
Style
Kiran Lohia
Medical Director, Lumiere
Dermatology, Delhi
10 Ways to
Protect your Skin
Embrace the humid months with these
timeless tips that will leave you with a glow
O
ur skin is the
first to get 1 Wear a sunscreen 2 Apply a primer
damaged by Sunblock is the most important step I know its surprising that I may ask
the constantly in your skincare routine as uVb rays you to add a layer onto an already
are known to cause tanning and sweaty complexion, but a mattifying
changing cancer. a tan is the first sign of the primer can be a godsend. When you
weather. Monsoon brings with skin being damaged by these rays, are wearing make-up during the
it a series of concerns such as and it reacts by producing melanin. monsoon, it just doesnt set as well
uVa rays have recently been found and starts running down your face.
dull skin, open pores and
to cause pigmentation, freckles, and this is because it is setting on sweaty
bacterial infections. High signs of ageing such as pores, areas and it doesnt get absorbed
humidity levels make the skin wrinkles and sagging. the worst part evenly. by applying a mattifying
look tanned, greasy, pimply, is that these skin issues are caused by primer, you absorb excess oil, and
cumulative sun exposure. create an even layer onto which
and we look simply not up to The benefits Sunblock will help make-up can penetrate and stay.
speck. Follow a strict skincare prevent your skin from tanning while How to use It stops make-up from
regime and keep all such also preventing long-term damage running and prevents you from
caused by uVb and uVa rays. For having to perpetually reapply it. Put
problems at bay. Here are the face, you need two tablespoons a thin layer all over the face so that
top must-dos for protecting of sunblock applied whether you are it is evenly covered. apply make-up
your skin. indoors or outdoors. on top.
result in frustrating zits. Switch to a gel or wash, a serum, a moisturiser (if needed)
a light lotion that lets it breathe. and sunblock for the day. the make-up
How is it useful Changing your should be no more than a primer and a
moisturiser will help prevent pimples concealer at best.
while also reducing oiliness. use a thin
bc brazIlnuT oIl layer so that your skin feels hydrated but 8 Go non-comedogenic
oIl-In shampoo not too greasy. Gently massage into your look for products that are certified by a
PrICe `1,500 skin in upward motions. Moisturise no dermatologist to only have ingredients
more than one to two times a day. that are non-comedogenic meaning
3 Get blotting papers they do not clog your pores. you will
We all will get extra greasy during this 6 Stick to waterproof products reduce your risk of zits entirely.
season with high humidity. Instead of In this sweaty hot weather, you are bound The benefits No blackheads
running to the washroom five times a day to melt a little, and so will your make-up. and whiteheads. look for non-
to wash your face, blotting papers will Waterproof make-up options are comedogenic certification on the box or
soak up the grease in no time. designed to withstand these conditions. bottle of the products before buying.
Good for a total time saver, blotting It will help in Making you look iridescent
papers can reduce the shine on your face the whole day long. Ditch your usual 9 Dont overwash your face
in less than a few seconds, and are make-up and use waterproof options for We all want to wash our faces with harsh
completely gentle and safe for your skin. mascara, eyeliner, and foundation. soaps or cleansers so our skin can feel
use the paper to gently blot greasiness clean again, but the fact is that the more
on the face. 7 Cut down the layers we wash, the oilier it will get. your skin is
Instead of wearing layers of skincare and naturally balancing, so when you wash
4 Use a salicylic-acid based face wash make-up, cut them down. extra layers your face too much, you dry it out. this
With all that extra moisture in the air, will only cause more acne. signals the skin to produce more sebum
your skin is bound to get oily, resulting in Stick to these Go back to basicsa face or oil, making it even oilier, and results in
blackheads and whiteheads. there is a vicious cycle of unbalanced and
nothing better than using a face wash excessively oily skin.
that contains salicylic acid, which cuts soulTrEE What to remember Wash your face with
through the grease and prevents pores aprIcoT gentle pH-balanced cleansers no more
moIsTurIsEr
from getting obstructed. PrICe `450 than two to three times a day. If your face
Best way to apply Salicylic acid is an ultra still feels greasy during the day, cleanse
gentle active that is singularly able to with plain water.
exfoliate within the follicles, getting rid of
those pesky blackheads. Wash your face 10 Keep face wipes handy
no more than twice a day with a coin- For those of us who like to wash our face
shaped amount. lather, then wash off. multiple times a day, the face wipe is a
great alternative and good timesaver.
5 Switch your moisturiser Wipe the days grease off your face easily
During winter, we are used to using with a simple gentle face cloth.
heavy creams and lotions. unfortunately, How to use Instead of overwashing your
the weather has changed and the air has face, you can use a gentle wipe to get the
a lot more moisture in it that will be junk off, without drying out your skin.
absorbed by your skin. too much Wipe your face gently two to three times
moisture makes you look greasy and can with the wipe, then throw it away.
Madhuri Ruia
Nutritionist,
pilates expert,
Mumbai
Monsoon
Munchies
Six healthy takeaway treats
packed with nutrients to try
this season
I
ts finally a whole lot calorie bhajjias if you want to almond, peanut or cashew cabbage, red pumpkin or a
cooler since the rains keep a check on your with a pinch of cinnamon and mix of beetroot, carrot and
have set in and waistline. Sweet potatoes are stuff it in the core of the apple celery, besides herbs like mint
temperatures have a nutritional powerhouse. bake for 15 minutes for a leaves or basil. This is a
dropped. But of course, all Packed with vitamin A and delicious monsoon snack. healthy low calorie, nutritious
things nice also have their fair carotenoids, these are lower in Delivers One serving is 180 accompaniment to any meal.
share of trouble. While the calories than potato, but have calories of high fibre snack Delivers 50 calories a cup
monsoon season brings with it a high glycemic index. with healthy omega fats
food cravings; water-borne Because of that, the glucose in Lightly fried egg on mini oil-
diseases and infections such them does not get converted Brown vegetable poha free khakhra with yoghurt
as jaundice, typhoid, and to fat easily in the body Replace your regular white A high energy protein rich low
stomach disorders are also especially if you are active. poha with brown poha, have it calorie meal, it is a good
part of the package. The trick Combining them with roasted and cooled. Make it replacement for Eggs
is to eat sensibly, avoid raw almonds, another nutritional healthy and nutritious by Benedict and can replace your
foods, drink safe potable star packed with healthy fat, adding purple cabbage and breakfast or can be a good
water at all times, and stay makes these golden garnish with toasted almonds post-workout snack.
away from street food. Here medallions a go-to snack. and coriander. This variant of Delivers 220 calories
are the top monsoon treats Delivers Approximately brown poha is packed with
and fusion foods that use 360 calories for five protein and is a one-dish meal. Kiwi and cherry salad
a variety of vegetables, medallions, about 50 calories Delivers 2-3 servings contain with feta cheese and chilly
coarse grain nuts, seeds, per medallion 135 calories to 200 calories maple dressing
dried food and sweeteners Pure maple syrup is a rich
to help you build immunity Baked apple with melted Hot vegetable tea source of minerals like
and stay healthy. nut butter of choice If you feel the need to stay manganese and is a healthier
Both the skin and flesh of warm this season, a vegetable sweetener to use. The salad is
Sweet potato and almond apple contain the soluble fibre tea which is a thinner lighter a nice pre or post workout
medallions with tamarind pectin which has a calming version of a soup is an snack; take low fat feta cheese
maple chutney effect on the stomach and interesting way to soothe an if you need to lose weight.
This is a great monsoon filler aids digestion. Mix a irritated throat. Add fresh Delivers 400 calories for
and replacement for high tablespoon coarse butter vegetables like mushroom, 2 servings
Investing Smart,
Earning Big
Sharad Mohan
Managing Director & Head TAX
Retail Bank, Global
Consumer Bank, Citibank
India, Mumbai
SIP
Select the right
0 c
financial plan based
8 al
on your risk profile
utu
M
A
Goldman Sachs report titled
The Power of the Purse
anticipates that nearly 90 per
cent of indias population will
be middle class by 2040, with women
in these households dictating spending
patterns on everything, including
financial products. While a host of
products are available at the lower end
of the risk return spectrum such as bank
accounts and time deposits for women
investors, not much is on offer to guide
them towards financial planning and
investing. Most still believe that efficient
investing only relates to buying specific n if you want predictable returns with track record. These are also tax efficient
products for saving tax. Women with minimum risk, invest in tax-free bonds as gains from equity mutual funds held
taxable incomes can start by availing that offer attractive yields for 10 to 20 over one year are currently tax
the full Section 80c tax (of the income years when held to maturity. exempted. Dividends declared by such
Tax act) deductions by investing in n as we go higher in the risk spectrum funds are also tax free. You can go for
provident funds, national pension and investment horizon, debt mutual simple strategies like SiP (systematic
systems, national savings certificates, funds offer better tax adjusted returns investment plan), which involve
unit linked insurance plans and equity than traditional fixed deposits, if held investing in multiple tranches over
linked saving schemes up to `1.5 lakh for more than three years. Within debt several years, at regular intervals, and
(an additional `50,000 for investments mutual funds, there are sub-categories can be used to build equity exposure.
in national pension schemes) per to suit your investment horizon, starting You can also choose to allocate to
financial year. first assess your financial with liquid funds, ultra short-term funds, balanced funds which maintain asset
situation, risk attitude, risk appetite and short-term funds, credit funds and long allocation in the fund portfolio itself
investing knowledge and experience. duration debt funds. between equity and debt.
Based on that, arrive at a suitable asset n Higher still in the risk spectrum, n Sovereign gold bonds, which come at
allocation and select the right products consider investing in equity mutual a tax-free return of 2.5 per cent without
which match your investment horizon fundsmanaged by professional money any hassle of physical storage, without
and risk tolerance. for portfolio managersfor achieving long-term compromising on appreciation in price
construction, a wide range of products goals, which come at a risk of principal of gold, can be considered instead of
are available to choose from. and volatile returns, but have consistent investing in ornaments and bars.
Illustration: devAjIt borA
The Last Note
rujuta
diwekar
Nutritionist
Thats the kind of obesity where the
composition of the muscle cells,
sarcomere, changes to accommodate
To exercise or not
Into shaPE
How do you plan to equip yourself
with the new role of motherhood?
Where will you possibly derive the
strength and the endurance from?
Its a job of a lifetime and both the
Get your curves back after pregnancy, brain and the muscles must be well
start exercising, stay fit and fab equipped to take it, shall I say, head
on. While exercise helps with
strength, endurance, flexibility and
reflexes, the one that is of
importance during and after
pregnancy is strength. The main
reasons arebetter strength means a
toned body; exercise has a protective
effect on the weight-bearing joints
hip and spineas they are prone to
hyper flexibility during pregnancy;
and a stronger body also means a
W
faster return to a flatter stomach.
omen must realise that whether we stay there as
not looking after unchallenged fitness queens or Keep it gentle
themselves doesnt turn continue to make the one step Weight train one to two times a week
them into better forward and two steps backwards but never on back to back days. Limit
mothers. This ability to journey towards weight loss will the total number of sets to 12 per
think about ourselves before the baby, depend on our attitude. Whether we workout session. Ensure that you
like they tell us in the safety briefing are sensible enough to be patient, and have had a meal before exercising or
during air travel, needs strength. This fearless enough to eat in such a way eat a fresh fruit before exercise. Eat a
strength comes from the spine, the as to rebuild bone and banana post exercise, before
spine that has supported the womb, muscle density, and you leave from the gym. If
allowed the uterus to expand, and support the fat-burning you are feeling sick or had a
given the pelvis its flexibility. The processes of the body. If late night, avoid exercise on
next forty days are thank you, my we take the impatient and that day. Take adequate but
friend time. Feeding and lactating, insensible route of crash measured rests between sets.
carrying the baby around, changing dieting, then the body Ensure that there is a proper
nappies, everything from here on is may lose weight for a warm up and cool down and
also going to burden the spine. The short while and even look include stretching in both.
key here is to not just rebuild the like it has shrunk, but Pages 220 Excerpts from Pregnancy
Price `250
strength in the spine but to also make then we will begin to westland NotesBefore, During & After
it stronger than ever. But again, suffer from sacro-obesity. Publications by Rujuta Diwekar
9 7 7 0 2 5 4 8 3 9 9 0 9
RNI NO. 28587/75
PLEASE CONTINUE
TO YOUR FREE MAGAZINES
JULY 2017 REVEL IN INSIDE THE
THE FAMED CITYS MOST
JULY 2017 AUGUST 2017
POETS GLORY STUNNING
AT GHALIB HOMES
WELLNESS SPECIAL KI HAVELI
10 MONSOON
SKINCARE TIPS EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF
TEJAS SOVANI, THE
OBEROI, GURGAON
Not for sale. To be circulated free with India Today in Mumbai, Delhi & NCR, Chennai,
Bangalore and Kolkata. Supplement to India Today issue dated August 7, 2017
Natural
DCP No.: F. 2. (I - 20) Press / 2007
Beauty
A MALL
KAVITA KHOSA, FOUNDER,
PUREARTH, SKINCARE AND
WELLNESS BRAND
High Life
YOUR GUIDE TO THE BEST OF OLD AND NEW IN LUXURY ACROPOLIS MALL, KOLKATA
FOR ALL
inside
14
Buzz
Into the City
Two fun things to look
forward to, including a
must-go-to restaurant for
authentic Japanese food.
Editor-in-Chief
Aroon Purie
Group Chief Executive Officer
Ashish Bagga
Group Editorial Director
Raj Chengappa
Editor-at-large
4
Cover Story
Kaveree Bamzai
Group Creative Editor
Nilanjan Das
Luxe Living
Group Photo Editor A curated list of the best of old
Bandeep Singh
and new luxury buys and
experiences in the city.
Associate Editor
Mohini Mehrotra
Cover photograph by RAJWANT RAWAT
Editorial Team
Rewati Rau, Akshita Khosla
Photo Department
Vikram Sharma, Chandradeep Kumar,
M Zhazo, Rajwant Rawat
Photo Researchers OUR PICK of the month
Prabhakar Tiwari, Saloni Vaid,
Shubhrojit Brahma Time to Indulge
Design Chi Ni - the Chinese fine dining restaurant
Bhoomesh Dutt Sharma
Production
at The Roseate New Delhi is all set to ramp
Harish Aggarwal (Chief of up the excitement this monsoon with their
Production), Naveen Gupta,
Vijay Sharma, Prashant Verma exquisite unlimited dim sum menu. Choose
Layout Execution from a wide array of delectable dim sums with
Ramesh Kumar Gusain
Pradeep Singh Bhandari
choices in vegetarian, poultry, seafood, mock
meats and gluten free dim sums. The menu
Publishing Director has been carefully curated by Chef Lauah Ban
Manoj Sharma with fresh ingredients to dish out signature
Associate Publisher (Impact)
Anil Fernandes
meals with an international flair.
On from July 15 to August 20
Impact Team
Senior General Manager:
At Chi Ni, The Roseate New Delhi, Samalka,
Jitendra Lad (West) NH-8 Tel 011-71558825
General Managers:
Upendra Singh (Bangalore);
Price Rs 1,600 plus taxes per person
Kaushiky Chakraborty (East)
LUXE
Living RAJWANT RAWAT
AN EXTRAVAGANT STAYCATION, AN INDULGENT
SPA SESSION OR A JEWELLERY PIECE WORTH
PASSING ON AS AN HEIRLOOM, IT TAKES A TOUCH
Photograph by
FOOD
Fine Flavours
AMARANTA
Modern Twist
INDIAN ACCENT
KAMA AYURVEDA
internationally.
USP Hundred percent natural veg-
etarian products with no artificial
colours, artificial fragrance, petro-
chemicals, parabens, urea, propyl-
ene glycol.
At kamaayurveda.com and all Kama
Ayurveda stores across the city
Price Rs 2,295 for Kumkumadi
Miraculous Beauty Fluid
Ragini Mehra
cover story FASHION
Home Grown
11.11/ELEVEN ELEVEN
Jewels of Desire
2009
EINA AHLUWALIA
Utopian Aura
THE LEELA PALACE
Expert Hands
THE AHELI AT ROSEATE HOUSE
2015
RAJWANT RAWAT
Creative
Photograph by
Spaces
1995
CASA PARADOX
Vipul Amar
Photographs by RAMESH SHARMA
ABODE A DOSE OF
Tucked away in Ballimaran bazaar in Old Delhis Chandni Chowk, HISTORY
Ghalib ki Haveli is a 300-year-old historical building turned museum,
where you can revel in the famed poet's glory. One of the walls sheds light
on Ghalib's favouriteshis
most liked dishes such as
_ By Akshita Khosla taley hue kebab, bhuna gosht,
sohan halwa and aam ka
achaar, and his trademark
Echos of the Past A Legend's Legacy baalon waali lambi topi and
What Shakespeare is to English, Head here for a peek into our rich 'lamba kurta' which were his
Mirza Ghalib is to Urdu. Born in cultural history and to get mes- favourite attire. His weakness
for alcohol, avid interest
Agra as Mirza Asadullah Khan, merised by Ghalib's unparalleled
in patangbaazi (kite flying)
Ghalib's works on sadness, despair legacy. This dimly lit museum also and gambling, and love for
and love have won people's hearts witnessed the bloodshed of the mangoes have been depicted
all over the world. The haveli- revolt of 1857 and the decline of by write-ups.
turned-memorial museum is now the Mughal Empire.
decked in bright red drapery and At Gali Qasim Jaan, Ballimaran,
dainty chandeliers to recreate the Forgotten Treasure Chandni Chowk
Timings 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Mughal era, and offers insight into The poet's last photograph,
Closest metro station
the poet's lifestyle. It was here hand-written letters, a life-size Chandni Chowk
that Ghalib wrote some of his portrait in a realistic setting with a Stays shut on Mondays
finest verses and ghazals before hookah in his hand, and a bust of Entry Free
he breathed his last in 1869. Ghalib is what you will find here.
Feast from
the East
I
t's time for the lovers of Kylin, the polular Asian restaurant, to get excited once again for it has recently
launched a new offshoot (its first) in the city called ShopHouse by Kylin at One Horizon Centre, DLF Golf
Course Road. This brand new concept is inspired by the shophouses of South-East Asia, which serve flavour-
ful, local cuisine from scratch. ShopHouse by Kylin, brings you an exciting experience in Pan-Asian cuisine, with
delicious food, served fast, without being fast food. The cuisine brings together the food cultures of Japan, China,
Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore. The highlight of the menu here is the do-it-yourself bowl meals, which allow
you to mix and match combinations and curries for the perfect balance in flavour.
Price Rs 485 for a meal bowl At One Horizon Centre, DLF Golf Course Road
[ L I ST I N G ]
A TASTE OF JAPAN
Wasabi by Morimoto at the Taj Mahal Hotel will celebrate
its 10th year of culinary excellence in August 2017. To
commemorate this occasion, Chef Masaharu Morimoto,
known for the Japanese TV cooking show Iron Chef will
present a host of signature gastronomic extravaganzas
with a specially curated anniversary menu. So get ready
for sessions of sushi rolling and more, as you learn the
history of the resplendent cuisine with the master
chef himself.
On August 11 and 12 At Number One, Mansingh Road
Tel 011-66513585 Price Rs 5,000 onwards (call for details)
9 7 7 0 2 5 4 8 3 9 9 0 9
RNI NO. 28587/75
PLEASE CONTINUE
TO YOUR FREE MAGAZINES
JULY 2017 REVEL IN INSIDE THE
THE FAMED CITYS MOST
JULY 2017 AUGUST 2017
POETS GLORY STUNNING
AT GHALIB HOMES
WELLNESS SPECIAL KI HAVELI
10 MONSOON
SKINCARE TIPS EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF
TEJAS SOVANI, THE
OBEROI, GURGAON
Not for sale. To be circulated free with India Today in Mumbai, Delhi & NCR, Chennai,
Bangalore and Kolkata. Supplement to India Today issue dated August 7, 2017
Natural
DCP No.: F. 2. (I - 20) Press / 2007
Beauty
A MALL
KAVITA KHOSA, FOUNDER,
PUREARTH, SKINCARE AND
WELLNESS BRAND
High Life
YOUR GUIDE TO THE BEST OF OLD AND NEW IN LUXURY ACROPOLIS MALL, KOLKATA
FOR ALL
inside
16
Buzz
City Life
Nine exciting things to
look forward to this month
including a decadent spa
session at Raichak on
Ganges.
Editor-in-Chief
Aroon Purie
Group Chief Executive Officer
Ashish Bagga
Group Editorial Director
Raj Chengappa
4
Cover Story
The Inside Story
Editor-at-large
Kaveree Bamzai
Group Creative Editor Homes in the city that are a visual
Nilanjan Das
Group Photo Editor
delight and a whole lot of inspiration for
Bandeep Singh those looking to revamp their interiors.
The
INSIDE
Story
THESE HOMES IN THE CITY ARE A VISUAL DELIGHT AND A WHOLE LOT OF
INSPIRATION FOR THOSE LOOKING TO REVAMP THEIR INTERIORS.
by priyadarshini chatterjee
Strong Statement
PATRICIA FERNANDEZ
S
panish expat and luxury furniture designer four-poster bed from luxury furniture house JC Passion,
Patricia Fernandezs sprawling Alipore home a black Louis XV sideboard with gold trimmings, a burly,
occupies the ground floor of an old, colonial-style dark wood study table and plush black leather chesterfield is
bungalow with high ceilings, large French windows and decidedly Parisian with a touch of Goth. On the wall behind
retroesque black-and-white chessboard floor. The dramatic the bed hangs a particularly striking piece, a black-and-white
interiorsmoody, mysterious and bold, brilliantly abstract nude on canvas. On one of our trips to Brazil, my
showcase Fernandezs creations for her brand Sibarita, husband and I spotted a local artist adding finishing touches
while cleverly combining them with collectors pieces to this painting, inside a small art gallery tucked in
from around the worlda vintage Timothy Oulton chair, an obscure lane in Salvador de Bahia and I sim-
a wood-and-lacquer Mongolian cabinet picked up in ply couldn't resist it," says Fernandez, 38.
Singapore and a mirrored mahogany sideboard re-
vived from a crumbling North Kolkata mansion. Quirky Additions
The space is speckled with bold, statement The house is a treasure trove of eccentric accessories
pieces like an enormous wood-carved statue ranging from dramatic Venetian Mardi Gras dolls
of an anonymous king from Srilanka that and anthropomorphic rabbit dolls to flamboyant
stands near the bar, an 18th century papier hats, a reindeer hide rug from Finland, smiling hu-
mache Buddha from Burma, and a giant, man skulls (thankfully, an imitation) and a spray-
architectural bird-cage (a Sibarita signature painted door lifted out of Fernandezs previous
piece) imaginatively used as a candle holder. apartment. A series of artist Bakula Nayaks
quirky and endearing doodles on vintage
Star Spot papers ranging from old legal documents and
Done predominantly in black and white, the size- store receipts to love letters adorn the walls in
able bedroom with its lacquered wood Art Deco the stunning bar-cum-lounge.
Visual Delight
BOMTI IYENGAR
A
rt collector and dealer Bomti
Iyengars Chowringhee lane
apartment on the third floor
of a century-old colonial building
that once housed Asias largest
departmental store, Whiteways
Laidlaw & Co is steeped in the citys
colonial past. These flats were
originally occupied by high-ranking
officers of the store. We moved in in the
70s, says Iyengar, 56, who has brilliantly
preserved the old-world charm of this
3,500-square-feet apartment.
Art Factor
MF Husain, SH Raza and KG
Subramanyan share the cream walls with
Jamini Roy, Paritosh Sen and Sunil Das.
A particularly natty piece of furniture is an
antique Burma teak sideboard well over
a century old, with lion-paw legs that look
uncannily real. The base for the glass-
topped coffee-table at the centre of the
lounge area has been carved out of one
section of a three piece, billiard table. My
grandmother inherited one portion of
the billiards table, while the remaining
two went to her sisters, says Iyengar.
Collectors Cache
Iyengar has a remarkable inventory of
collectibles and artsy artefactsprized
possessions include the surviving pieces
of an antique Tsutsumi coffee set that
was a part of Iyengars grandmothers
wedding trousseau, a three-piece
sculpture by sculptor Jiban Doloi picked
up by Iyengars mother on a trip to
Shantiniketan, a bronze horse chariot
from Greece and a classic silver cigarette
box from the iconic Hamilton & Co that
still sits on the centre table.
L
e Cordon Bleu alumnus and founder of the colour palettemostly white, beige, pearl and ivory
immensely popular Paris Caf, 24 year old with touches of pastel pinks and blues gets a touch
chef Sneha Singhis Ballygunge home of opulence from silvered Damask and muted gold
is an endearing combination of rustic and con- textured wallpapers, chic upholstery designed by
temporary design sensibilities. The interiors, done Radhika and ornate, gilded chandeliers.
by Singhis mother, designer Radhika Singhi, 43,
bank heavily on the latter's penchant for earthy co- Labour of Love
lours, rural handicrafts and textiles, and a knack for A large chunk of hollow bricks and mortar, picked
ornamentation, inlay work and embellishments. up from a mound of roadside debris enjoys a glory
spot in the family living room on the first floor.
Glam Factor But its no ordinary rubble. This ones steeped in
The formal lounge area on the ground floor where history, says Radhika. Its a fragment from one of
the family hosts their guests, is quite a contrast to the the walls of the Writers Building knocked down
rest of the house. Sparingly accessorised, the spa- during renovation. I saw it lying by the road and fell
cious lounge with large floor-to-ceiling glass win- in love with it, she adds. Radhika has ingeniously
dows is minimalist yet modish. Earthy and rustic transformed it into an art installation of sorts by
is my signature style, but I also have a soft spot for filling up the hollows of bricks with a range of or-
Victorian design sensibilities," she explains. The soft nate copper figurines and ornaments.
E
ntrepreneur Ashish Poddar and wife Kamal Sharmaall depicting cows. On the
Shefalis home on Gurusaday road is coffee table sits a motley wood-carved cow
a lesson in biophilic design. Designed brought from Rajasthan
by Ashish, a scion of the illustrious BP Pod-
dar family, the architecture incorporates the Prized Possessions
natural light and surrounding greenery into A signature Narayan Sinha Durga installation
the stunning interiors of the house through a crafted with curious objects like bronze
liberal and strategic use of glass. thalis, manjeera (cymbals) split into halves,
a broken fragment of a pancha pradeep and
Cozy Corner other scrap metal bric-a-brac, which stands
A more intimate space is a cozy lounge with on the foyer is a stunning introduction to
a low lounge bed strewn with colourful this home. Shrinathji is ubiquitous in the
cushions and sink in couches. Interestingly, form of Pichhwai paintings and ornate sculp-
this room has been christened The Cow tures. A particularly fetching piece is
Room after its walls which are lined with an intricately woven image of Shrinathji in
paintings and artworksoil paintings by silk, crafted by weavers at Shefalis own
Laxman Aelay, an antique Kamdhenu textiles workshop that caters to a
Tanjore painting and a gold foil mural by niche clientele.
Shefali Poddar
Matter of Taste
ANUSHREE AND ANUDEEP JHUNJHUNWALA
A
trained interior designer, Anushree themed cushions. The bedroom, livened
Jhunjhunwala, 33, has refrained from up with colourful pennants, dream catchers,
a career in her field. However, when porcelain dolls from Austria, a princess crown
she moved into her new home with her hus- wall dcor, fairytale chandelier and fantasy
band Anudeep Jhunjhunwala, 34, and two photo frames lend a distinctly dreamy air. We
kids, she put her heart and soul in fashioning have tried to move away from stereotypes by
a beautiful space for her family. keeping it understated and sticking to pastels,
instead of bright colours usually associated
Children in Focus with kids rooms, says Anushree.
However, the Jhunjhunwalas' six-year-old
daughter Divina, and three-year-old son Special Souvenirs
Shivang, clearly have the best rooms in the A limited edition series of bronze figurines
house. The casual playroom packs in a play-in from Italy that depict the four elements of
unit, modelled on a beach house, complete nature sit on the console in the casual dining
with a bunk bed and storage units on the side, area, while a pure silver vintage car with a shiny
a fun cabinet studded with carved letters of leather hood that Anushree inherited from her
the alphabet and day-bed strewn with sailor- father enjoys a glory spot in the living.
Eclectic and
Experimental
DEVINA AND SHRIVANT MORE
H
ome dcor bigwigs Devina, 32
and Shrivant More, 33, best
known for their quirky sense of
aesthetics have recently given their Gar-
cha Lane home a stunning makeover.
Stand-out Zone
The muddy olive accent wall behind the
ornate carved wood bar counter is imagi-
natively done with a mixed media stag
head installation, antique junk and plants
to illustrate a tribal narrative. A striking
collage portrait of a tribal chief made with
vintage paper cuttings from newspapers,
magazines, old novels and handwritten
letters by a local artist makes for a stun-
ning centerpiece. A canoe the couple
brought back from Amsterdam has been
transformed into a corner cabinet.
Eye Catchers
A wood-carved guitar designed by Shri-
vant is quite the conversation piece. It is
embellished with quirky knick-knacks
ranging from antique keys and turtle
locks to rusty screwdrivers, old buttons,
coins, cycle parts and even badges from
his school. On the other end of the living
room stands a preserved tree trunk with
an intricate crown of gnarled branches,
flown in from Europe. However, one of
the most striking statement pieces at the
More home is a life-size leather horse by
ace designer Andrew Martin, which stands
regally in the living room. The saddle on
the horses back however comes with a
story. We wanted a saddle that had aged
right and went scrounging for one. Finally,
we picked this up from the stables of an
elite club in the city, says Devina.
CAPTURING
THE CITY
Four Insta-favourite street photogra-
phers talk about their achievements,
discoveries and their love for the city.
_ By Priyadarshini Chatterjee
Kallol
Bhattacharjee
Insta stats
Handle @kallol_b_
photography_2017
Followers 3.2k
Srimallya Maitra
Insta stats
Handle @srimallya
Followers 6.4k
be controlled.
A city you would like to explore
I am attracted to places that evoke
timelessness. For me, Prague
epitomises that.
Secret to your Insta-success
I think it is my honesty and constant
attempt at originality. I try not to be
influenced by other photographers,
keep edits to a minimum, and preserve
the simplicity of an image.
Favourite spots in Kolkata
It has to be Kumartulitheres a strange
solace in the chaos one encounters here.
Trials of capturing city streets
The need to be constantly aware of your
surroundings and keep predicting the
next moment.
Soumyodeep
Mukherjee
Insta stats
Handle
@13_no_soumyoh
Followers 5.1k
Love for streets of Kolkata
The citys knack for throwing surprises
is what I love the most. frames and stories in the lanes of Purani should be able to comprehend the story
Cities with beautiful city-scape Mandi or the vibrant churi bazaar. simply by looking at my photo.
Delhi, Varanasi, and even Chennai have Best shot
rather interesting streets. But Puri is Sammya A photograph I shot with a point and
my favouritethe lively wall art in vivid Brata Mullick shoot canon camera in Cherrapunji,
colours that adorn the houses here Insta Stats my first ever, holds a special spot. Its a
make for fantastic photographs. Handle @ picture I keep returning to.
deckle_edge
Discoveries youve made Followers 16.1k Secret for Insta-success
I discovered that Kolkata has an I think it is consistentency. I do not
interesting wrestling scene, and that dabble in multiple genres.
there is a dedicated press that publishes Favourite subject Achievements close
a newspaper in Chinese language. I love capturing the diverse textures, to your heart
A click that got you in trouble colour, tone and patterns of the city. My photographs have featured twice
Once, in Puri, I spotted an old Panda Besides that, I have an affinity for doors on the Lonely Planet Calendar.
(temple priest) chanting and singing and windows. One of my photographs, a shot of
with a group of pilgrims. I found his An exciting discovery in the city a balloon seller standing on a rain-
face, his expressions in particular, very I was particularly surprised to discover drenched Park Street made it to the
interesting. I walked right up to him that the city has a vibrant graffiti scene. cover of Soul City Inside stories from
and clicked a close-up. Furious, he The area around Park Street and New Calcutta, a book curated by Preeti
threw his khanjani at me, yelling Market has some fascinating graffiti art Roychoudhury. Besides, Calcutta
and cursing. that I love. Instagrammers, a group I founded,
Streets you are dying to capture Your mantra organised the only instagram
Agra. I am sure Ill find many interesting My photographs capture stories. People exhibition ever hosted in the country.
Feature
SECRET IN THE CITY
NOTES OF NOSTALGIA
Head to this seventy-year-old shop in the city to find the rarest collection of vinyl LPs.
_ By Priyadarshini Chatterjee
W
hile walking down Mirza Ghalib Street towards family legacy, says Shah Nawaz, whose personal collec-
New Market, keeping strictly to the left, it is hard tion of vinyls boast rare numbers like a 78 RPM Jana Gana
to miss the Instagram-worthy gramophone Mana record from the early sixties, an Iron Maiden limited
propped up on a podium placed on the footpath, right edition Picture Disc (a collectors item) from the 80s and
in front of a tiny shop called Vibrations. The shop sells hard-to-find vinyl of RD Burmans Pantera, his only inter-
inexpensive clothes and fashion accessories but it was not national album recorded in San Francisco in 1987.
always a garment shop. And the gramophone is a vestige of
it's far removed past. It stands as a reminder of Eclectic Notes
the times when the septuagenarian shop was The stall, nothing more than a few racks
thronged by the citys music lovers. mounted on the crumbling wall of an old
building with rickety wooden doors, caters
Love Lost to a niche audience mainly comprising back-
"The steady decline in demand for cassettes packers who throng the hotels in nearby
and records forced us to wind-up the original Sudder Street, casual collectors who pick up
business," says 32-year-old Md Shah Nawaz, a few LPs and a few serious vinyl junkies who
THE
whose grandfather set up Vibrations seven GO-GETTER
come for the sound of analog recordings. The
decades ago. However, Shah Nawaz continues collection is an eclectic mix of Eastern and
to sell an interesting assortment of vintage If given enough Western musicLarry Gatlin and the Gatlin
time, the shop
vinyl LPs from a dingy stall a few steps away. Brother share a shelf with Pandit Dulal Roy
guarantees to
source in any
and Himangshu Biswas, and Mozarts Piano
Treasure Trove Vinyl label a Concert, stands next to the vinyl LP album
For Shah Nawaz, the record stall is not merely customer might of German Electronic music band Kraftwerks
a token from the past, it is his bequest. This request. 1978 release The Man machine.
shop is our feeble attempt to keep alive our w AT Near Mirza Ghalib Street Fire Station
Feature
CHUGGING
Sanjay Ghosh might be best known
for his stellar collection of vintage and
classic cars that has won him as many as
AHEAD
250 trophies on the rally circuit, but the
champion automobile enthusiast has
yet another hobby not many know of.
On Sunday afternoons, Ghosh is most
likely to be found locked up in a 250
square foot room in the garden of his
Ballygunge address, polishing his prized
Car enthusiast Sanjay Ghosh's incredibly detailed German-manufactured vintage model
miniature railway system is one of his most locomotives, re-installing a loose wiring,
treasured possessions. or scrubbing miniature railway tracks with
petrol. He was introduced to rail transport
_ By Priyadarshini Chatterjee
modelling by his father at the age of eight,
who gifted him a 1959 Marklin HO which now covers 200 square feet were spent in creating the new lay out.
Gauge Model Railway System. of space. I worked meticulously for three hours
every day to build this, says Ghosh.
THE INCEPTION FACE LIFT
The set my father brought for me However, in 1988, the lack of space THE HIGHLIGHT
comprised a few tracks, one engine forced Ghosh to dismantle the old The tracks run through imaginary
and three coaches, but it triggered model. It remained locked in storage townships complete with miniature
a keen interest in me and I started for 20 years, until Ghosh decided houses (most of them handcrafted),
pursuing railway modelling to restore it in 2008. Every com- streets, a gas station, lamp posts,
seriously, reminisces Ghosh. He ponent had become defunct, says traffic signals and cars, through tun-
would go scrounging for accessories Ghosh. It took him a year and a half nels and across a bridge, designed
for his modelold auction houses, and long hours of back-breaking work along the lines of the Bally Bridge
foreign visitors and the Indian Hobby to restore the components. Contacts by Ghosh. Tiny human figures,
Centre being his chief sourcesto in Germany helped him procure the including an ice cream vendor and
innovate and expand his collection, necessary parts. Another two years a monkey trainer crowd the plat-
Photograph by SUBIR HALDAR
form, complete with a waiting room
and benches. A steam engine chugs
along the tracks, quite by surprise
soft curls of white steam rises out of
its tiny chimney. Ghosh points out
excitedly at the boom barrier at a
level crossing that slowly descends as
the engine passes through.
1 Make it Large
E
verything about My Big Fat Belly, a 20-cover casual
dining outfit on Sarat Bose Road, is big and fat. And
the focus is on stuffing your bellies. The generous por-
tion sizes, and the fact that its owners call themselves the
Bellybangers, vouch for it. The rustic interiors with its
white and exposed brick walls, industrial pendant lights
wood-and-iron tables and wall accents made out of vintage,
shutter doors, and cheerful framed posters on the walls, set
the mood for a lazy meal. Their signature main courses
feature entries like the BFB Napoleangrilled potatoes,
zucchini and bell peppers layered with slightly tangy tomato
ragu and classic bchamel sauce, and chicken skewers served
with makhni sauce made with San Marzano tomatoes. A star
dish on the menu, the bacon bomb, is a pork lovers
dream-come-true. Spicy minced pork with a gooey cheese
centre comes wrapped in streaky bacon in pool of their
signature sauce. The menu also packs in fun food challenges
Man v. Food stylegobble up dangerously fiery wings slath-
ered with secret ghost chilli sauce. The Big Belly Challenger,
a whopping 2.25 kilo burger, comes loaded with moist lamb,
crisp bacon, caramelised onions, Monterey Jack cheese,
coleslaw, fried eggs and a mound of fries, and a 20 minute
deadline.
Meal for Two Rs 700
At 22, Sarat Bose Road Tel 65444222
T
he in-house patisserie of Aauris, a luxury boutique hotel in the city,
is currently hosting a food festival christened 3C, which focusses on
three decadent ingredients and perhaps the most indulgent mem-
bers of the food universecheese, chocolate and caramel. The menu
packs in unusual entries like quirky cheese cake hybrids ranging from cheese-
cake brownie, banoffee cheesecake and a boozy Malibu cheesecake. For
chocolate lovers theres chocolate mint tart, classic chocolate mud cake and
gooey chocolate fudge cake crammed with apricots, hazelnuts and dollops
of ricotta cheese.
At Scarlet, Aauris 4, Robinson Street Kolkata
I SCREAM ICE
CREAM
The iconic Rollicks, one of the
city's favourite ice cream parlours,
recently launched a brand new
outlet in Salt Lake. The 25-seater
outfit with its fun casual setting
makes for the perfect chill zone.
The chief attraction here how-
ever is the alfresco seating with
its charming fence and funky
chairs in pop coloursa sunny
spot to indulge in some frozen
delights. The place will be serv-
ing up an impressive range of
flavours including unusual num-
bers like the rabdi and daab malai
ice creams along with Rollicks
signature range of sundaes and
milkshakes.
At AD 62, Sector 1, Salt Lake
4 A DAY AT THE SPA
I
ndulge yourself with a pampering session at Ishrats Hair, Skin and Makeup Studios brand new address on Lord Sinha
Road. The sprawling 1,150 square feet salon-studio packs in a well-appointed hair salon, a cosy facial room,
a manicure and pedicure area, a body polishing unit and a separate section dedicated to brides. The interiors are
smart and comfortable; an artificial tree decked up with vintage birdcages that stands near the reception area adds a
touch of quirk. Owned by well known hair and make-up specialist Ishrat Ansar, the studio offers a range of skin
and hair treatments. At 1/2 Lord Sinha Road
TIPPLE TOPPLE
I
f you were among those who invariably bunked weekly
drawing classes at school because you found them
excruciatingly boring, this is your chance to see drawing in
a whole new light. At a quirky event called Cocktails and
Drawings organised by the Curry Magazine, participating
guests will be handed out paint brushes and colour boxes, only
they will come with pitchers of bottomless cocktails. A surprise
guest illustrator and artist will be present to assist participants.
At Monkey bar, 901 A, Fort Knox, 6, Camac Street
On August 12
Price Rs 1,950 per person
TEA TALES
Rain and tea make a match made in heaven, and
Yauatcha is celebrating the special connection at their
Quest Mall outlet with a range of unusual flavoured teas
including exotic green teas like strawberry and cham-
pagne, white teas like Pearl of the Caribbean, and a stun-
ning Orange and Mango Oolong Blue Tea. Plus, the
restaurant has introduced set menus for the monsoons
that feature meaty numbers like pork and prawn shui
mai, pan seared pork buns and duck salad. Vegetarians
could opt for dishes like shitake stuffed dumplings or
stir-fried lotus leafand water chestnut.
Price Starts at Rs 1,188 for a set meal;
Rs 150 for a pot of tea
At Yauatcha, Quest Mall, 33,
Syed Amir Ali Avenue
9
SWEET INDULGENCE
At the iconic Park Street tea room, famous for heritage
confections like the Silvana slices and strawberry cubes,
guests can now create their own signature cakes. The
concept christened Create Your Own allows customers
to trump up their own combination of sponges, fillings
and toppings, no matter how unusual, choosing from an
extensive assortment on offer. So, you could pair a
mint flavoured sponge with strawberry butter cream
filling, topped with nougats or slather your blueberry
sponge with chocolate ganache.
At Flurys 18A, Park Streett
On Ongoing
Q. What makes the Acropolis Mall stand out? will sport festive themed dcor, while later in the
Acropolis is an iconic architectural masterpiece year for Christmas and New Years, our focus will
with state-of-the-art facilities. It's situated at a be on children. Along with theme-dcor that
prime location close to an area that has been would appeal to them, we will also pack in fun
a favoured shopping destination for years. activities. Besides, we will also be hosting a
Sufficient parking space, a fantastic network of mega shopping festival.
vertical transportation and a top-of-the-line
facility-management team ensure maximum Q. Any new brand making an entry?
convenience for customers and store owners We are talking to several fashion and accessories
alike. Besides, we house some of the top retail brands. Helios, the multiple brand watch store
and F&B brands in the city. from the Tata stable is coming up soon.
I must share that Starbucks is also coming to
Q. What is your USP? Acropolis soon, hopefully by January.
We believe that a mall is not merely a shopping OUR BIGGEST
destination, it have evolved into a space where USP IS
people socialise. So we strive to create a place
where people, irrespective of whether they make
THE EFFORT
a purchase or not, can come and have a good WE MAKE
time. Our biggest USP is our effort at engaging TO ENGAGE
with our customers so that they feel connected to
the space, and keep returning to it not just WITH
to shop but to have a good time. CUSTOMERS
Q. How do you forge a connect
with people coming to the mall?
Throughout the year, we organise various events
like annual inter-college fests, fashion shows,
midnight mega sales, and seasonal sales
featuring lucky draws with attractive prizes
including cars, two-wheelers and iPhones. We
have also organised magic shows and Jurassic
Park festival, complete with themed dcor and
activities for children. We use our large central
atrium for such activities.