LIVING October 2018 by Culturama LIVING

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Six yard wonder The Sari

Dr Shanta

legendary and remarkable

October 2018

EDITOR'S

NOTE

he past month has been quite busy at work relocation and real estate are keeping us on our toes! This year we have our first ever INDIA LIVING AWARDS along with our 21st beautiful India

expatriate photo competition. It's going to be a red carpet evening filled with glitz, glam and of course substance. Whilst

inviting

dignitaries

and

seeking

ideas

and

suggestions from thought leader well-wishers- I learned a valuable lesson. I sent out messages to leaders in various fields: business, media, film, bureaucracy - I found the busier and more successful the person, the quicker I got a response! This instilled in me a very important lesson - to always keep the human touch. Why don’t we learn from them to respond to every message, email or communication promptly, purposefully and crisply? It is a time saver not a time waster and it certainly is a relationship and respect enhancer. This issue we are honoured to have Dr Shanta a truly inspirational personality on cover. Hope you enjoy our conversation with her and do write to me directly about how we can make ‘LIVING’ better. I will be delighted to respond.

Rohini Manian Editor-in-Chief rohini@globaladjustments.com

October 2018

INBOX Hello Team,

is online:

Good choice on choosing Ananya Birla as your cover girl. I feel she’s got some great voice and quite talent.

www.culturamaliving.com

I like how the interview had some substance. She sure

www.issuu.com

does know to gives apt answers and not drift away

www.magzter.com

from the questions which a lot of interviewees do. The

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cover was also pretty amazing – loved the picture. Vikash Bhatra, Delhi Dear Editor, Your columnist Antara Kothari has been having a huge effect on me in a very positive way. As a single parent, I feel there is a lot for me to learn from and her experiences help do so. The Bubbly Blogcast is fun and educative – well done on choosing interesting columnists. Vrushali Swaminathan, Chennai

Rohini Manian

Editor-in-Chief

Radhika Ramesh Sub-Editor Anupama arvinD vice president – business strategy Sundaram Swetha Sales Manager Prem Kumar Creative Head P DEVARAJ CIRCULATION Contributors Ishani vellodi reddy | Antara kothari | noopur kalra zainab Ali khan | janani nagarajan nagi varadarajan | Preeti verma lal

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October 2018

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October 2018

INSIDE

this issue 16 Extraordinary woman, extraordinary purpose - Dr. Shanta

Slovenia

Soul-satisfying food

A magical place in Central Europe

Soul Garden Bistro's passion for food.

50 Masterminds of medicine The brains behind today's modern medicine

58 A vacation from the gym

60 Motherhood is a choice

Evolution of the most versatile attire

AR Rahman and more

The Sari 10

October 2018

An exclusive interview with author Krishna Trilok

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October 2018

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October 2018

Small Talk

October 2018

Dr. V. Shanta steered the Cancer Institute

Chennai

the

iconic status it is today â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an institution reflecting the history of social reform and freedom. In

conversation

with

Janani

Nagarajan, she shares her thoughts on young Indians, technology and why she will never retire.

he Adyar Cancer Institute is still one of the biggest, busiest and the oldest hospitals in India. At 91, Dr. Shanta continues to be an active administrator and a doctor, serving the institute with relentless passion,

zeal and enthusiasm. She starts her day at 8 a.m., has a written schedule of appointments and reminds Team LIVING that she has another meeting in 45 minutes and requests us in all humility to be mindful of it. Dr. Shanta, you wrote to the American Consulate in India and also expressed your disappointment with a local government official on the misinterpretation of the word cancer. You said the word cancer should not be used in the lines of guilt, hopelessness, dread or shame. How do you think parallels like these affect people's perceptions of cancer? Well, I constantly only think of cancer. I am always disturbed by the use of the word cancer in a context that arouses insecurity in people. Every day we fight against the perceptions of cancer as a death sentence. One barrier to normalising cancer is overcoming the stigma of diagnosis. Statements like this trivialise it and are counterproductive to our efforts.

October 2018

Small Talk

Dr Shanta (seated extreme right) with parents, brothers, and sisters Young Indians and movie stars are now proactively

In recent years, people have increasingly turned

sharing their personal stories of conquering

to the Internet for answers to health worries.

cancer today – in your experience, can you tell

The trouble is that they’ve had a headache for

us a story of a conqueror whose positivity created

two days, and they go on the Internet and the

an impact?

next thing they know they’ve got a brain tumour.

Although patient support groups, charity and advocacy groups exist to support those living with cancer, the social media is now uniquely positioned to

Where do we draw the line, between paranoia and awareness? There is definitely a rise in the number of people

widely disseminate stories and viewpoints of people

who

living with and surviving cancer. Such advocacy can

nowadays there is a lack of trust in the doctors that

simultaneously have the potential to educate the

adds to this. So, a minor physical ailment to a worst-

public about the diversity of people living with cancer

case scenario is drawn right in the middle of their

and their experiences.

drawing rooms. Doctors don’t just use medical facts to

I personally recollect the story of a PHD student from IIT Madras in the 1980s; she was denied admission to one of the Commonwealth Universities. Well after being cured of cancer, she was pulled up during a

have

become

health

conscious.

However,

diagnose and treat patients; they use their experience of witnessing patients grappling with similar symptoms. It is important to be aware, but that should not lead to anxiety especially before an expert’s diagnosis.

routine medical check-up, and was denied admission

There is no retirement for Dr. Shanta; on the other

owing to her history of cancer. She came running to

hand, young Indians are planning to retire at 40.

me, I remember to have written to the admission board

How do you view this trend?

and fighting with the management there. She met me years later after graduating from the same university. 18

October 2018

If you love what you do, this question does not arise. There is a general tone of complacency with

Small Talk

Dr Shanta treating a child at Adyar Cancer Institute.

Dr Shanta with (late) Pandit Jawarlal Nehru and (late) Kamarajar. todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s generation. When you have a purpose, time and money become immaterial. Young Indians must find their true purpose. Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, wears the same shirt every day to lessen decision-making time on things he considers trivial. Dr. Shanta, could you give us an insight into your typical day? As one of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most prominent achievers, have you made simple alternatives or choices to make your day more productive? My day used to start at 6:30; today, I have gently pushed it to 8 a.m. I still go to bed after reading journals, so typically my day ends at 10 p.m. Processes are essential to keeping oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life simple. As you leave from here, you will notice my help will march in here, arrange the chairs, she will switch off the extra lights and fans that are on, and clean up around the place, if necessary. These are the little things that save time when there is a process. Also, I consciously do not

My work day used to

start

6:30;

today I have gently pushed it to 8 A.M. I still go to bed after reading

journals,

so typically my day ends at 10 P.M.

waste my time with gossip and reading unproductive content. There are people with plenty of resources in India today. On the other hand, there is still need for a corpus and volunteers every day to help the needy. How do we bridge this gap? How do we get people to just do it? October 2018

Small Talk There are plenty of young women achievers out there, still bothered by body image issues and lacking confidence to reach their potential. What

would

your

advice

to them? There is nothing wrong in aspiring to look good or being presentable. But there is need for moderation. Especially in a hospital environment, I discourage doctors, nurses and the administrative staff from wearing loud clothes or accessories.

You

are

dealing

with

patients who are fighting for a chance of survival. Inappropriate attire showcases indifference. In

this

fast-paced

world,

where

people are constantly travelling and are away from home, what are the healthy choices one can make? The

Dr Shanta with Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam In a world where you can order your coffee in 100 different ways, this generation now has grown accustomed to having a lot of

hasn’t

mantra changed.

for

being

Ample

healthy exercise,

balanced nutrition and home-cooked simple meals.

options when making a decision. One of them is not choosing at all. Sometimes, it seems easier to do nothing. One must understand that giving makes one rich.

RAPID FIRE

What are your thoughts on mindfulness and spiritual strength?

Your favourite subject in

How can we facilitate physical and emotional adjustment to

school

life with cancer?

History and English

One’s family along with the supportive roles of spirituality and mindfulness help in a patient’s cancer journey. Getting adequate sleep and being stress-free definitely aid the recovery process. This is not just for cancer, it is universal. You recently said empowerment is not a licence. While you set out in this journey alone, what tools did you take along with you to fight? Are they still meaningful today? In a recent incident, I witnessed the husband of a 26-year-

One of your favourite movies Roman Holiday Your favourite place in the world This place, The Cancer Institute One thing you would like young Indians to change

old woman with breast cancer abandon her during diagnosis and

Their attitude towards life

treatment, and he has now filed for divorce. This is not uncommon in

One thing you wouldn’t

India. Economic independence is vital for women, and one needs to

want them to change

be confident about helping oneself.

Values and principles

October 2018

Table for Two

is rare to find food that satis fies more than your tast buds! Soul Garden Bistro is one outlet their

serving food

such

fare,

delicious,

fresh and absolutely soulsatisfying. Come explore the different cuisines, with Team LIVING.

Mexican Tacos

g n i y f s i t a s l u So

Butter-stuffed coffee bun

October 2018

d o o f

ood food is

Their

hard to find

and mango green

and fresh food

tea is definitely a

is harder. In

must-try.

a hunt to discover a combination of both, we ended up at the soul garden bistro – a quaint, beautiful place that gives you a peaceful and enjoyable experience. Soul garden bistro is an eat-out that holds expertise in turning out vegetarian dishes of various cuisines, including North Indian, American and Continental, and other delights worth drooling over. Whilst all the dishes we tasted were mind- blowing, here are some of them we could have all day every day. The Mexican tacos were delectable, with their crispy shells and the fillings, consisting of baked beans, crunchy salsa, spicy sauces and vegetables; truly a burst of flavours. Their bestseller would definitely be the Peri Peri pizza. However, the madras pizza is truly the taste of madras – it consists of an onion chutney base with Masala Vada toppings and drizzled with south Indian–

Waffle freak shake

styled mayo.

Their Keto-friendly ultralow-carb Roti

peppermint

The pistachio ice

creams

from

their dessert place, 196 Degrees Below was just on another level. The ice creams are made from scratch, vegetarian and the products are absolutely fresh and local. They are the first in India to sell vegan ice creams. Other mentions and must-tries are the

Filter Coffee

Madras Burger (with buns made of activated edible charcoal), ratatouille pizza, and cream of Broccoli soup, mocktails and the pita chips with hummus. What's most impressive is, the innovation and quality they constantly maintain is amazing. “We always try to innovate concepts to bring in more fresh food. I wish to make food that does not harm anyone’s body and to give food that is fresh and organic. We aim towards clean eating,” says its founder Jignesh Pujara. They have won laurels including the ‘Best Vegetarian resto-cafe’ award and has been rated ‘excellent’ in the food hygiene category, an initiative by Zomato.

is made of soy meal, almond meal and flax seeds, with Palak Paneer which is naturally Keto. The Bistro also consists of various

Madras Burger

Keto-friendly dishes for a guiltfree meal. Our top favourite was the butter-stuffed coffee buns freshly made from their new venture, Antari Coffee Buns, located in the Kilpauk branch. The moist inner and the crunchy coffee-coated outer just upped our taste buds. They also make their own pastries and breads, and have various flavours of coffee and teas.

October 2018

Couture

October 2018

The Personification of an Indian Woman We have come a long way as a country, but what makes India stand tall is our culture and heritage,

which

generations

embrace in their own beautiful way. One of the most striking aspects of that is the love for the sari. Read on as fashion blogger Noopur Kalra takes you through the journey of the evolution of this six-yard wonder.

October 2018

Couture

n this day and age when every season marks the emergence of new fashion trends, there are a few clothing items that are a staple and never go out of fashion. The sari is one of them. The oldest form of garment to have survived, it dates back to

2800 BC and the Indus Valley Civilization. The manner of wearing a sari in those days varied among classes and occupations. Women belonging to the higher classes wore two garments, one for the upper and the other for the lower body. Women of the lower class and courtesans went bare-chested. This went on for a very long time, and a significant change in the sari-wearing style came about only during the British rule.

At that time, the finer and sheer the sari, the more valuable it was. But this met with British disapproval. The sheerness was too titillating and thus immoral, according to them. During that time, and apparently for the same reasons, the blouse which had not been standardised or used throughout India, became a fixed upper garment for most Indian women along with the use of an underskirt, thus making the sari a three-piece garment. Another reason the sari continued in regular use then was that the British never allowed Indian women to try out Western clothes or develop a taste for them. The passage of time brought on a sea change, and with it came outside influences; however, the sari still remains a primary force. The sari has evolved in many different ways. It has been draped, worked upon and seen in various prints and fabrics. It has also inspired great international fashion designers like Prabal Gurungâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s autumn/winter 2018. But then, this was hardly the first time a sari was spotted on an international runway. The colourful sari-inspired costumes paraded by John Galliano for spring 2003, or the pre-fall 2012 collection by Chanel, where Karl Lagerfeld paid homage to Rajasthan and even adorned his models with Indianinspired head jewellery. This made the sari internationally famous, but it wasn't without the help of our Indian designers. Rahul Mishra was one of the first designers to showcase his collection with saris at the Milan Fashion Week, and who doesn't know the effect of a sari made by our very own legendary 38

October 2018

Maharani Gayatri Devi

Couture

Prabal Gurung 2018

Sabyasachi's Bridal Couture 2018 October 2018

Sabyasachi Mukherjee. Many international and national celebrities have worn his clothes, and his exclusivity is loved by brides both Indian and from around the globe. The sari is one clothing item that can fit under any category. It can be the most affordable outfit, the head turner on the ramp, or an haute couture garment. From one of India's outstanding personalities, Indira Gandhi, leading the country in her crisp white sari, to the heartthrob of the 1990s, Raveena Tandon's alluring dance to Tip Tip Barsa Paani in her glorious chiffon yellow sari, we’ve seen and loved them all. Today, we have film personalities sporting the sari with serenity and elegance – among them are the iconic Rekha and Vidya Balan. Saris are not just fashion statements; our grandmothers and mothers wore them with aplomb and now we are holding the tradition aloft. Wearing saris the traditional way by taking help from mothers or learning via YouTube videos is passé. These days it’s all about DIY and flaunting your style statement. There is a lot of “customising of the sari” and giving it an Indo-Western look. Whether it’s a pre-stitched sari apt for a destination wedding, or a sporty affair combined with a pair of leggings and sneakers, or a beach sari perfect for a summer getaway, the options are endless and make the six-yarder an exciting experiment. Hit or miss, they inevitably carry forward the sari tradition to the next generation. The sari might have changed over the centuries, but some of them, like the classy Kaanjeevarams, never lose their charm. So much so, the saris worn by our great-grandmothers can be worn even today. At the same time, not only the material of the sari but even the colours can signify importance. Depending on

Blue Organza Sari by Rahul Mishra

the custom, a bride wears a red or a white sari on her wedding day. However, white is symbolic of mourning, too. Activist groups like the ‘Gulabi Gang’ wore pink

the globe for its unique style statement and even forge

saris to support their cause. This shows how six yards

a strong link between the lives of women across the

of material can make a fashion or social statement.

country, be it leaders, activists and professionals, or

It can make a country like India stand out all around

homemakers, mothers, students and labourers.

October 2018

Tripster

Slovenia: A beautiful fantasy

October 2018

What

makes

each

country unique from another

its

rich

history and culture; and when it comes to

Slovenia,

romanticism not

just

its comes

from

the

French poet Preseren but

also

how

the

country is a fantasy built amidst all the reality. Preeti Verma Lal

explores

this

magnificent country and tells us why it stands out.

October 2018

Tripster

hoever said the greatest travel is 18 inches from the head to the heart must

have been a witty, – and probably a philosophical – bloke, but I bet he must have never stepped into Slovenia. If he did, he would have forgotten about those anatomical 18 inches, taken a Pletna boat and oared on Lake Bled, would have gotten woozy with the fragrance of roses in Portoroz, or lost his breath walking in the Postojna cave that is adorned with stalactites and

View of Triple Bridge from the Ljubljanica River

stalagmites that date back 3 million

but, as most love stories go, Julia never reciprocated. She married a

years. Or, at least lugged a pitcher of

banker and died young. But at the Preseren Square, there still stands

dry martini and sat at the Preseren

Preseren in green granite looking at Julia peeping from the house that she

Square in Ljubljana,

actually lived in. Julia’s bust is embossed on her house and you can see the crease

one of the

on Preseren’s breeches. He stands there.

prettiest squares

Forever smitten and waiting.

in Europe. Sometimes 18

The poet is the not the only one

inches are not

waiting. A dragon waits at every corner

enough. You need

in Ljubljana – green dragons that lend

to walk the miles.

the famous Dragon Bridge its name. With

They say, all

their wings taut in air, they look menacing

of Europe meets

enough to keep all evil at bay. Funnily,

Ljubljana.

could

six streets do meet at the

Don’t miss out:

Preseren Square. In the middle

•

A ride on the traditional Pletna boat on Lake Bled

•

Villa Bled, a hotel that was once the residence of

not

find

Europe,

but

stands the statue of poet France Preseren, Slovenia’s most celebrated poet, at the doorstep of a church. It was by the pew that Slovenia’s most celebrated poet first saw what looked like an apparition sculpted in porcelain. So beautiful was she. Her name was Julia and she was

Yugoslav president Marshal Tito •

Mushroom soup in bread cup in Castle Bled

•

Handmade lace in Idriza Lace Factory in Ljubljana

•

Open market and fish market in Ljubljana

•

There are over 10,000 caves in Slovenia; the best is the 20-km Postojna cave

moneyed and gorgeous; he, poor but with perfect pentameters. The besotted poet dedicated hundreds of sonnets and poems to her,

October 2018

•

Salt pan of Secovlje; pick handmade salt, salt soap and chocolates

Tripster

Pletna boats on Lake Bled nobody talks of dragons as male or female; there is just one man amongst all the dragons in Ljubljana – the wrought iron dragon that hangs up the cobbled corner of the Ljubljana Castle. You know this one is a male, for not only is he anatomically correct, he is eternally libidinous. On the foothills of the famous Ljubljana Castle is the children’s theatre, and the funicular takes me to the Castle Hill within a blink. I still had to walk 100 steps up a spiral staircase to get a bird’s eye view of the city – church spires rising above a crowd of orange-roofed houses, the brown of the penitentiary below and the placid river that cuts through its belly. And, well, I walked down the Cat’s Path from the hill. Walking is the best way to see the Baroque, Gothic and art nouveau splendour of a city where the remains of the oldest wooden wheel was found in the swamps.

Dragon bridge in Ljubljana, Slovenia

October 2018

Tripster that literally means pot of roses. From every window, on every road divider you see flowers hanging from mossy pots and mulched beds. It was in this ‘pot of roses’ that Benedictine monks from the monastery of St Laurence healed obesity, dropsy and rheumatism with sea water and brine. That salted antidote was not a quirky concoction, the city that lies in the deepest indentation in the Adriatic Sea was tagged a health resort as early as the 13th century. Portoroz subsists on that fame, adding international treatment regimens to its renown. I would accost history again in Slovenia, this time in Bled, known for its lake, rowers and a tony house that Marshal Tito lived in. In the Museum in Castle Bled, there are clay models wearing sack cloth, their unkempt hair tied in ropes and crass threads. If you are lucky, you might bump into ancient knights and queens, the queens in such elaborate headgear that I wondered if they housed a neighbourhood in it. What is more intriguing is the very socialist façade of Villa Bled, where Tito once cut two holes in an exquisite painting so that movies could be projected with ease on the colossal wall opposite. But Bled is beautiful; and in winter when the lake freezes, you can rev the engine of your car and burn tyres on white ice. Slovenia evokes so many thoughts – beefy castles,

Preseren Square, Slovenia

green lakes, bustling cafes, orange roofs, flaky strudels, soup in bread cups, exquisite lace, wine that even

Much before the first homes were built in Ljubljana,

ambrosia can envy, and salt mud that can turn a frog

nature was diligently chiselling limestone into stunning

into a prince. On my way back home, I repeated what

stalactites and stalagmites in the 20-km Postojna

Jay Ebben wrote in Painted Hives: Slovenia is a magical

cave. As the train chugs through the dark caves that

place, and that the person who comes here will have

are said to be 3 million years old, there’s a chill down

an Aha! moment that will change them forever.

the spine – not only because of the temperature that

Did you know?

is constantly maintained at 5 degrees Celsius but also because of what you see around; on the ceiling there hang what looks like pointed sabres, thousands of them so delicate that you dread whether they would drop on you. The last one fell off the roof nearly 50,000

•

Marshes Wheel, belongs to Slovenia. •

in a population of just two million.

witnesses perhaps, expect the pink salamanders that sunshine has pierced through the Postojna caves. My jaws would drop again in Portoroz, a town 48

October 2018

Hives and honey are practically a religion in Slovenia – there are around 90,000 beekeepers

years ago, or so the guide says. There have been no for generations have been blind because not a ray of

The oldest wheel ever excavated, Ljubljana

•

If couples marry at the church on Bled Island, the groom must carry the bride up the 99 steps.

October 2018

The Big Picture

Masterminds behind

Medicine Medicine is one of the greatest inventions of mankind and its steady development has often left us awestruck. Its evolution has been fascinating, leaving us wondering as to how far we have come. Team LIVING picks some of the biggest masterminds behind medicine and their huge contribution towards the same.

October 2018

ith the evolution of medicine, a lot of lives have been efficiently saved and today, there are opportunities to cure almost every disease and disorder. Doctors are said to be a form of God because who better than them, can understand the reason

behind our mental and physical health challenges. But, some of these doctors have gone above and beyond and managed to hold a place in the history of medicine forever

Dr. Anandhi Gopal Joshi A country that invented Ayurveda and Siddha is sure to create history with its people too. Dr. Anandhi Gopal Joshi is the first woman to break every conservative stereotype and set foot in the United States to complete her MBBS and MD degrees in 1886. It was that era where women were not allowed to step out of their homes, let alone to study. Her medical journey began at the age of 19 and she passed out with an MD three years after she landed in the United States.

Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy If India celebrates Doctor’s Day every year, it’s because of this successful man whose birth and death dates were the same, July 1. Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy established the Indian Medical Association in 1928. He contributed largely towards the setting up of the Post-graduation University in Kolkata and the Institute of Mental Health. He was also Mahatma Gandhi’s doctor and one of his closest friends. Most of all, he was West Bengal’s second Chief Minister and a Bharat Ratna awardee.

October 2018

The Big Picture Dr. Samuel Hahnemann This German physicist changed the ideology of medicine by discovering the pseudoscientific system of alternative medicine called Homeopathy. The early 18th century was not a great time for medical history considering the practice of bloodletting and other cures that did more harm to the patient than good. That was when Dr Hahnemann quit his practice and became an ardent writer on science and medicine. It was then that Samuel found out the importance of Cinchona, the bark of a Peruvian tree which had the ability to treat malaria. He coined the term Homeopathy and first used it in his essay, Indications of the Homeopathic Employment of Medicines in Ordinary Practice. During the research for the essay he tried out the effects of Cinchona on himself and realised that he could easily be affected by malaria. That was when he quoted, “That which can produce a set of symptoms in a healthy individual, can treat a sick individual who is manifesting a similar set of symptoms.”

Dr. Levi Watkins Jr. The brain behind the automatic defibrillator that saves precious lives today, Dr. Levi Watkins Jr. was the first-ever doctor to place such a device in the heart in 1980. He was an enthusiastic Civil Rights activist fighting against racism and inequality and an extremely successful cardiac surgeon. He was the first-ever black student to study medicine at the famous Vanderbilt University Medical Centre, Nashville.

Dr. Denton Cooley It was a very questionable surgery in 1969. However, Dr. Denton Cooley courageously implanted an artificial heart inside a patient without his senior’s supervision, a move that later created a rift between the two. He was the first American heart and cardiothoracic surgeon to implant a totally artificial heart inside patient Haskell Karp who lived for 65 years after that. He was extremely successful and one of the very few surgeons to perform numerous bloodless heart surgeries during the early 1960s. 52

October 2018

The Big Picture Dr. Padmavati Iyer Starting as early as 1953, Dr. Padmavati Sivaramakrishna Iyer was one of the few women cardiologists in India. In 1967, she was awarded the Padma Bhushan. She joined the Maulana Azad Medical College in Delhi that same year. She in fact began a Cardiology Department at the G.B. Pant Hospital which was located within the premises. She is currently 101 years old and is the director of National Heart Institute and the founder-president of the All India Heart Foundation (AIHF). She also won the second most prestigious Padma Vibhushan Award in 1992. She is the Emeritus Professor of Medicine and Cardiology in the University of Delhi. Post retirement, she set up the National Heart Institute and the hospital opened its doors in 1981. While the hospital continues to expand, she continues to work enthusiastically there.

Dr. Barry Marshall Touted to be one of the biggest achievers in the field of medicine, Dr. Barry Marshall won a Nobel Prize for his scientific discovery. He discovered the root cause of peptic ulcers – the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which was also the cause of gastric cancer. The Australian physician’s initial culture along with Dr. Robert Warren unlocked a great discovery. Many experiments were held against his findings, only to prove him right all the time.

Dr. Ben Carson It was absolutely complicated to separate conjoined twins until 1986 when Dr. Ben Carson finally broke the streak. He was the first ever neurosurgeon to perform the intrauterine surgical procedure on a fetal twin’s brain. At the young age of 33, Dr. Carson became Chief Paediatrics Surgeon in the United States. He led a team of surgeons who successfully operated twins conjoined in the cranium.

October 2018

Dr. Ajita Chakraborty In an era where mental health was never respected in India, the late Dr Ajita Chakraborty was one of the very first psychiatrists in the country. Despite facing challenges working in the health service due to her gender, she continued to serve people. She became the president of the Indian Psychiatric Society in 1976. As a successful psychiatrist, Dr. Chakraborty studied various cases; one of the most successful ones was the visual hallucination of Indian gods and goddesses by women. Coming from an era and a nation that considered both women working and mental health a taboo, Dr. Ajita was successfully a part of various psychiatric research services including the International World Psychiatric Association.

Dr. Jayashree Mondkar Dr. Mondkar, a neonatologist at the Sion Hospital in Mumbai, is the first to run Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first Human Milk Bank. It is well known that motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s milk is extremely important for babies to grow and stay healthy. However, there are situations when mothers are unable to produce milk, due to which babies lack the necessary nutrients. A milk bank was the need of the hour and its setting up then has fortunately led to several more on the same lines. Dr. Mondkar took a step towards decreasing the mortality rates of newborns and succeeded.

Dr. Indira Hinduja Dr. Indira

Hinduja was one of the first Indian

gynaecologists who founded the Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT) technique which resulted in the birth of the first GIFT baby on January 4, 1988. She was also one of the very first doctors to deliver a test tube baby at KEM Hospital in Mumbai in 1986.

She also delivered

the first ever oocyte donated baby in the year 1991. The oocyte donation technique was founded for those with menopausal or premature ovarian failure. She is currently busy practising full-time obstetrics and gynaecology at the P.D. Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai. 54

October 2018

w w w. a i s c h e n n a i . o r g At AISC we are all for experiences and practical learning. These are our First Grade makers. Every week the First Graders meet to participate in an activity of their own choice. A few examples are "breakfast time" in the kitchen, design a shoe in the Discovery Studio, bubbles, origami, pop up cards, and construction. These students chose to learn photography. They learned to tell the story using the camera with Ms. Shannon.

#AcademicExcellence

October 2018

nimals have an incredible capacity to heal and love â&#x20AC;&#x201C; especially dogs. Petting dogs is known to lower blood pressure. It also helps decrease levels of cortisol â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a hormone known to cause anxiety and stress. There are

over 50,000 therapy dogs and their demand is steadily growing in all other countries as well. Zainab Ali Khan discusses why they are most useful for children and elders with various mental and physical disabilities.

Around the world in Therapy Dogs

Golden Retriever The Golden Retriever has been time and again named the most popular breed as a therapy dog. To start off with, the Golden Retriever makes for a great pet. Retrievers are highly versatile and possess extraordinary intelligence. They are friendly, patient, calm and gentle. They love the company of humans and strive to please their owners and easily adapt to new people and surroundings. Given their already friendlyand obedient nature, they are easy to train. Their unique traits and versatile personality make them the most ideal breed to be therapy dogs and provide love and comfort to those who need it the most. 56

October 2018

German Shepard A highly versatile and intelligent breed, German Shepherds are easy to train, and that too for various purposes. They might look ferocious but are very affectionate, gentle, patient and kind. They tend to bond closely with their owners and even to strangers. They love being cuddled, are always eager to please humans around them, and are obedient, extremely loyal and sensitive. Their sweet nature makes it easy for them to fit into any place or situation and thus are great as therapy dogs.

Beagle

Pug

Known for its black, white and brown colouration,

Known for the wrinkled skin and big,

floppy ears and small build, the Beagle not just wins hearts by its cute looks but also

button-like eyes, this breed came to fame after being featured in a telecommunications brand. It is

by its loving and caring

debated that the Pug is known as a

nature. Easy-going and

therapy dog because of its cute,

even-tempered, Beagles are naturally attached to their

adorable face, but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not it. Along with these features, this

owners; however, they also do

dogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s traits are what make it a therapy dog. Pugs

become friendly with strangers.

are easy-going, happy-go-lucky and of a sociable

It is their friendly attitude

nature. They love being pampered and cuddled and

that makes it easy to train and

crave human attention. They love being the centre of

make them accustomed to new

attention. Although they might look sluggish, they are

people and surroundings. Beagles

highly energetic. They can be easily motivated and

are super active and energetic.

love being trained. They love pleasing those around

Their playful antics can be quite

them, and are open to new people and surroundings.

entertaining, too. They love cuddles

They get along with all age groups, making it easier

and crave for attention. They also

for them to act as therapy dogs in various places,

get along with dogs of other breeds

from schools and universities to

and other animals. All these traits

retirement homes and hospitals.

put together make Beagles an ideal therapy dog

Greyhound They might not be the most sought-after breed in the search for a therapy dog, but Greyhounds perform this role with utmost sincerity. Commonly known as race dogs, this breed is mostly quiet and affectionate. They are usually adopted post their retirement from racing and trained as therapy dogs after intense sessions. Thanks to their athletic and racing skills, their slender looks perfectly match their behavioural traits. They are a calm and mellow breed. Greyhounds are intuitive and know just when a human needs them and their love and support. They are sensitive to the people around them and welcome cuddles and kisses as well. They are mostly used as sleeping companions as they do not bark much and love to spend time curled up in bed. Although they are not the first choice, Greyhounds are so good at being therapy dogs that they could easily pass off as a natural!

October 2018

Health Wise

A Vacation from the Gym It’s okay if your intense workout sessions are tiring you out, you can always listen to your body to rest for as long as it needs. Ishani Vellodi Reddy talks about her experience on taking a break from the gym and how it has helped her.

love to work out – there’s no two ways about it. I’ve been able to enjoy a stable relationship with the gym and I’ve never really “forced it”; it’s just a constant in my life. Even if I took a couple of days off when travelling or if I were

sick, it was never an issue to jump right back into the swing of things. That was, until a couple of months ago when I woke up one day, and lost my groove. So rather than force myself into churning out some half-hearted workout, I decided to take a day off… and it felt good. That day became a couple of days and, eventually, a whole week, totally free of regret, or any desire to even resume my usual routine. As it happens, if you’re a moderately fit individual and work out four to six days a week, up to two weeks off actually will have almost no impact on your overall fitness. If your training programme consists of lifting weights, this is more accurate. For anyone who knows how slow a process it is to get rid of fat and build muscle, it’s also a pretty slow process to actually lose muscle mass.

October 2018

At the two-week mark is where you’ll start to see your cardiovascular health start to take a hit; but even there, if you’ve been very consistent before your hiatus, your baseline will never be that of a beginner, and it will take much longer to get there. Good to know! Armed with that information, and the fact that I was still feeling spectacular even after day 10 of not working out, I began to think of my time away from working out much in the same way as one would think of accrued vacation days in a corporate environment. Over an extended period of time, I had consistently and diligently put in hard work on a daily basis, and, when the time came, my body seemed to decide it was ready to take that vacation it required. No strings attached, no guilt. Sure enough, before two weeks were up, I was ready to get back to work… and getting back into the swing of things really was working. I had lived by the adage “if you never stop, then you never

before. With no signs of pain or injury after a few sessions, I started hitting the treadmill again. It’s been about three weeks now, and I’m happy to report that I’m back to business as usual, besides a few changes. For one, I haven’t been doing any high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which used to be a staple for me. Lately, I’ve just preferred slower, more controlled movements, and just plain haven’t been in the mood to jump up and down and on top of things. The other major change in my routine is that cardio has become so much less important to me. I still think it’s crucial for heart health, but I no longer feel the need to spend forever and a day on the treadmill in addition to all my other workouts just to hit a certain step count. My body actually seems to be faring better with a little less impact, a little more weight, and a little more recovery, so for now, it’s strength training, a bit of cardio, and lots of yoga for me!

have to start over,” so starting over was

I have to admit, I don’t think I’ll be taking another exercise

totally new to me, so I did it like a

vacation anytime soon because it’s really, really hard to have to start

beginner.

over again, even after just a couple weeks off. The whole process

Step one was getting my breathing back, and for that I turned to yoga. The added bonus to starting with yoga was that it was a low-impact way to practice

did, however, work wonders for my fitness journey overall. My form is better than it’s been in a very long time, I’m having a lot of fun seeing the composition of my body change along with the composition of my workouts.

patterns of movement and to regain my

So, while it is true what they say about never having to start over

mind–body connection. The first couple

if you never stop, if you find yourself furiously spinning your wheels

of days, I felt a little like a rusty machine;

and going nowhere, then it just might be worth it to stop and switch

but day by day, I moved more smoothly

tracks in order to get started on the next step of your journey.

and effortlessly. When I felt as though I had regained a sense of stability and control, out came the dumbbells. Truthfully, picking up weights after almost a month away from them was intimidating, but on my very first day back my form was actually better than

Originally from New York, Ishani now lives in Chennai with her husband and son. Although she previously had a career in Finance, she is now a wellness coach who loves helping people achieve balance so they can live their fullest lives possible. In her spare time, Ishani loves spending time with her son (a.k.a. her best friend), working out, eating and travelling. October 2018

Parenting

Motherhood is a choice From

the

Right

Vote

demanding equality in Society, women have come a long way. However,

married

woman

seen without a child is often questioned.

Antara

Kothari

talks about destroying this view and shows us that motherhood is a choice.

never had issues growing up because my parents provided me with restricted freedom to learn from my own mistakes, taking decisions based on my wants and needs, and my own values and

beliefs. As a young adult, I had the liberty to choose my college, my life post-college and my marital choices. There were never discussions about having children post-wedding unlike many families which consider motherhood the logical step. My husband and I always wanted children and we knew it was on the cards for us. Being a mother was one of my many goals (not my only goal). Like me, women know, for the most part, if they want to be mothers. We are told that every woman is born with a maternal instinct and with an innate ability to be a mother. However, this innate ability does not necessarily mean a want or willingness to be a mother. Motherhood, along with most things in life,

October 2018

is a choice.

but still have no desire to be mothers. There are myriad reasons for

For decades, women from various walks of life never had 'choices'. The freedom to make their own choices, be it their favourite college, their ambitious career or even their life partner, was not theirs; the decisions were made for them. The 'right' to have a choice is not a concept that is common in India at least, and this has created an oppressive life for many women. Fast-forward a few

this – a traumatic childhood, unpleasant relationships with their own mothers, lack of devoted time and also a simple lack of maternal instinct. The common advice to women who claim not to have the maternal instinct is “you will learn to be a mother and feel that love after the child is born”. This is not always true and many women who begin with not wanting children, but become mothers, crawl through life resenting their children. So, the reason is very often not known or communicated to others because such a decision is personal. Any decision or choice made which does not fit in with the ‘norms’ attracts judgement from people around.

decades later to the world we live in

The desire to create a whole identity based on only being a mother

today, and the situation has changed,

is a thing of the past, among many. But is this a decision that is widely

although not radically. There are still

accepted? Are women given the liberty to make this choice freely

certain sections of society that do not

without any judgement? On hearing a friend or an acquaintance say,

recognise women as separate individuals.

“I don’t want children”, our first reaction, whether we want to admit

However, life mandates evolution, and

it or not, is surprise. Why is that surprise so instinctive among us?

the awareness surrounding equality (both

Why is it not accepted just as any other regular decision which we

in workspaces and life) has increased by

can nod our heads to in support and solidarity?

leaps and bounds. Do these choices come without judgement? No. Every choice is sometimes scrutinised and questioned, and some choices more so than others. The right to NOT want to be a mother is one such choice which is judged and frowned upon quite harshly by society. Society, in simple words, is us. Women have an order with which they are ‘supposed’ to proceed through life. Families and society usually expect a lot out of women. The order goes like this – school, college, work (many families don’t even allow this), marriage and motherhood. But over time, women have

become

career-focused

and ambitious, pushing marriage and motherhood to the furthest corners of their minds. In today’s world, many women don’t even have the desire to become mothers. Their career is priority and their life goals do not include breastfeeding, sleep training, diaper shopping and school selections. There are women who are not career-driven

Most of us have been raised with a good balance of traditional yet evolving set of values. The traditional side encourages us to abide by what our parents were taught to believe in; devout faith in marriage and motherhood. They were taught that life should play out a certain way for every individual and there were certain rules to be followed. The world was a very different place back then. Now, the importance of women in the workplace, and the impact and involvement of women in every corner of the world, mandates that women be given the choice to select their own life. This may be easier in some sections of society than in others. We have to try and ensure that we are never all-consumed by only one role (among the range of roles) that women play, and that we don’t let it define us. That we don’t let it complete us. People say that being a mother is a privilege and it is the greatest honour in the world. However, the respect that women receive is not and should be contingent on her relationships and role, but on her own capabilities, values and strengths. The author of a recent HuffPost article I read stated that “Women who can’t or don’t want to nurture are not less worthy because of it.” I could not agree more and I fervently wish that everyone would internalise this. Women are not incomplete till they reproduce. Nothing in this world will complete you, a fact we need to understand and remember. Once we do, the world will become a much better place.

October 2018

The Last Word

A Journey Through

fantasy & realism Krishna Trilok â&#x20AC;&#x201C; your typical boy next door and the youngest author to write an official biography of an Oscar Winner talks with Radhika Ramesh, about fantasy, fiction and India's favourite A.R. Rahman.

October 2018

t the young age of 24, Krishna Trilok was the “chosen one”. He was announced the official biographer of AR Rahman – a man whose story has been most

anticipated. From the age of 13, Krishna Trilok’s fantasy world took the shape of writing; and over the years, his world was everyone’s and he became a successful author. But the man was unstoppable – he took a leap from fantasy to reality, and now the world awaits his new book. How did your passion for writing grow as you aged?

How hard is it to write fantasy? Oh, it is very hard, because I just did the exact opposite now. I am going from fiction to non-fiction. Having done both, I can tell you that writing fantasy is harder, because you have to start from the ground up. It’s your own story; in fantasy, everything starts from scratch, like literally a wild canvas on which you need to paint your own picture. In non-fiction, you have the entire picture and you need to sharpen it up. I am not putting down non-fiction as it has its own challenges, but it’s definitely simpler because the story is given to you. You need to tell it in a way for

I was an average student at the age of 13, and a

everybody to understand – you will have to make it

lot of things about myself made me unhappy. I was

dramatic, you will have to tweak it up, because many of

not particularly social, neither was I outgoing. Being

these facts might have been heard of and might have

part of the Indian system, I was compared a lot. Like

not. So, finding the balance between that, how you are

any other kid of my calibre, I was compared to a lot of

going to reinterpret facts that are already known and

other people. I just wanted to find something I was not

make them entertaining again, or how are you going to

mediocre or bad at, and it was definitely not academics

deal with a fact that is not known before – those are

or sports. While pondering over it, I realised that I loved

the challenges with non-fiction.

movies, reading, music and books. Simultaneously, there were a lot of fantasy movies releasing like Lord of the Rings, Narnia and so on. I loved the idea of creating a world that was not ours – a world that held an escapist kind of thinking. I began writing to pass time; if something comes out of it, great. If not, it would anyway be something I love doing and enjoy. I think when you do not require validation from anybody is when you are truly comfortable doing something. It was just something I

Why was there a leap from fantasy to reality? Many might look at me as an author or as a writer, but, to me, I am a storyteller. I love telling stories and the medium, as of now, is the written word. I do not wish to be typecast into “he only tells this kind of story”. For me, the story of an existing person is very much a story. So, I never make a distinction between fiction and non-fiction. Why did you choose AR Rahman?

was doing for years at a stretch and I never got bored

We need to accept the fact that he is an inescapable

of it. I could write in every mood and that’s how writing

part of all our lives. I was born in the 1990s, and there

started for me.

wasn’t a single day that went by without hearing a song

Walk us through your first book. After working on it for 10 years, my first book Sharikrida was an Indian fantasy published in 2017. It was very different when it started out and very different when it ended – the process was long and had drastic changes, but I learnt a lot. Those 10 years were a long writing school for me, so what started got eventually shaped during that learning period and the final product that came out was unexpected (in a good way). It was a transfiguring experience.

of ARR – he was revolutionising the country back then. He was a huge part of my childhood and I loved his music. His music has, without any exaggeration, saved my life – it made my days better. Various parts of my life have been defined by his music, just like various movies were defined by his sound track. He has always been about transformation, breaking the past and embracing the future. It was interesting to learn about a person who never thinks much about pushing the boundaries. He is a fascinating person and

October 2018

The Last Word I am glad that it all fell into place. What is the pressure you have on you to portray a different side of AR Rahman? He is a very elusive person. Not many people know who AR Rahman is, and that is more intriguing to write about. There are definitely a lot of prominent people I would wish to explore down the lane, but AR Rahman definitely tops the list. Secondly, I don’t look at it as a pressure; it is a pleasure and an honour. For some reason, it’s curious because although he is actually quite active – be it on social media or anywhere else – he is a recluse. He is very funny, very talkative and had us all in splits, but he still has a tag of being calm. The chance was to have him open up and reveal the man that he is. I wanted to expose his humour, his cutting intelligence, capacity for love and goodness, his talent, his way of thinking – all of that. Yes, half of the book talks about his career and his growth, but the rest talks about the person that he is, starting from the food he loves, what a day travelling with him is like, and much more. How were you days with AR Rahman? We had a series of conversations where he made his way of thinking evident. His thinking is so charismatic and magnetic that any individual would want to imitate his thoughts, much like his music. I understood where he came from and how he looked at the world; and the people around him helped me understand everything hugely, which helped me interpret what he did or said in many instances. For example, Rajeev Menon spoke a lot about him, and Bharat Bala spoke about the Vande Mataram time. It was like me being the narrator of his story and I am looking at doing complete justice to that based on my understanding of him, which was aided by a lot of people associated with him. How

did

you

get

Rahman

the

biography? It was remarkably easy - I know it’s unbelievable. He is currently in a phase where he is transitioning from music to directing cutting-edge movies and it was a fascinating time. He had tweeted about my first book and I had given him a copy. He knew of me as a writer.

October 2018

I just fired off an e-mail to him that read, “Rahman sir, you are in yet another turning point of your life. You went from sessions player to a jingles composer, from there you went to a Tamil music director, from that to a Hindi music director, from Hindi movies you went to Broadway, to then an independent music artist with Vande Mataram, Pray for me Brother, Infinite Love – your life has constantly been about reinvention and touting this to be another reinvention, let’s explore where you’re heading.” I was not even expecting a reply, but he did respond saying, “I love the idea, let’s do this.” I guess I was a little numb. I don’t think I reacted at all. It slowly started hitting me, the enormity of the challenge ahead. We are talking about a legend, so you owe a lot to him, to the people who love him; and by the time this gradual realisation hit me, the book was done and everybody loved it.

October 2018

The Last Word His team was very supportive and they helped me with the contacts. Not everyone got back, but quite a few people did and I am grateful for that. Imtiaz Ali sir was one of the last ones I contacted through a message and he responded saying he would call me. Some of these contacts were unexpected, but I got lucky. All these contacts I spoke to were not just talented; they were incredibly intelligent, incredibly good, and loving and caring people. One thing about AR Rahman that fascinates you? The one takeaway for me was that being successful in various fields is secondary, but being so good, so warm and so encouraging was what fascinated me. These people just made me feel better. One fine quality about AR Rahman is that he pushes you to be better, not just talent-wise but as a person. He is trying to get you to be a little better than how he found you. That was the best thing that happened to me. Whenever he saw me, he would ask, “Enna da, Bestseller ah? (Definitely a bestseller, right?)” with his charming, loving smile. Excellence is always expected from him. When his team went through the manuscript, they had no issues with the content and there was only creative criticism. He is very cool at home, he is a very cool dad, a very loving husband and he is just absolutely funny. There is an entire chapter from his wife’s point of view, which will make the book more interesting. He is always ready to believe in the best of people. What is next for you? There is never one single idea; you should always have a lot of ideas. Writing every day is non-negotiable; but when I found myself spending too much time on my present work, I would divert myself by jotting down new ideas and develop bigger concepts. As this book is ready to go global, what do you expect his fans to take away from this? Firstly, they are going to demystify him. They are going to feel closer to him and love him more than they already do. There are moments when thinking of him will make you emotional. Also, as an author I have reached from nowhere to 66

October 2018

somewhere. Having started from zero, I want to think about where I would want to move from here and how I can get better – what can be done that makes it completely interesting and different. I am looking at doing a completely intriguing love story. One advice to all the aspiring writers? Just start writing and do not think about what anyone is going to say and what you would do if you fail. And, do not doubt yourself; because if you do, you have already done these things. This works for anything and everything you wish to do, not just writing. If something calls out to you but you are scared to reach out to take it, just go try it and eliminate all doubts. Just go ahead and do not overthink.

October 2018