September - 2011

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September 2011

Volume 2, Issue 22 Sponsored by:

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Tranquil Nest: Where Time Stands Still & Space Dissolves

Editor

Contents

September 2011 | Issue No. 22

Dr. Nandini Murali Media Relations Officer

EDITOR’S CORNER

Steeped in Nostalgia

Ezhil Elango Journalism Supervisor

B. Pooja

EDITOR’S CORNER

03 Steeped in Nostalgia COVER STORY

Coordinator:

J. Venkatesh Technical Support T. Jesuraja

04 Tranquil Nest: A Green Vision PEOPLE

10 A. Ramesh Raja: The People’s Announcer ISSUES

12 India’s Social Work Profession: The Reporters and Designers:

Hazel Mauel Kinge Eliza Gardien Aika Saito 2

Ameli Ziegler Maxime Bailly Manon Stalder Sophie Arnoldy Tara Fallon

‘Need of the Hour’ FIRST IMPRESSIONS

15 The India Beneath FIRST PERSON

16 When Japan Shook FIRST IMPRESSIONS

19 Madurai-Encounters of the Strange Kind ART

Cover Picture:

Hazel Manuel & Claudio

20 R. Rajendran: Varma Kalai’s Poster Boy! INNOVATION

22 Green on Wheels GENDER

24 S. Devasena: A Fine Balance Sivakasi Projects Abroad Pvt. Ltd.,

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

27 Embracing a Slow Life Contact:

editor@maduraimessenger.org MADURAI MESSENGER No. 17, T.P.K Road Pasumalai Madurai – 625004

TECHNOLOGY AND LIFE-STYLE

28 Connecting People... Connecting Lives FILM

30 Of People and Animals

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hese days I long for a time when life was simple. And so were our joys. I remember… my childhood… pure and simple… In those days hyper parenting was unheard of. This meant that in the absence of ambitious and pushy parents, we discovered things for ourselves at our own pace. Reading was a way of life in my family. During summer holidays, I lazed around in an easy-chair or under the shade of a mango tree and devoured books and mangoes! I plunged into fiction and non fiction with the same gusto as I delved into the luscious mango pulp. As it trickled down by arms, in a delta of mango yellow rivulets, I’d blot it with a swipe of my tongue before I lost myself in the wonders of the written word…

In those days… the Internet was unheard of. Therefore, any information we stumbled on, was precious. The act of discovery was as valuable as the discovery itself. For example, when I got the address of one of my favourite writers A.J. Cronin, who lived in Switzerland, I was as joyous as an astronomer who discovers a new planet!

In those days… books were too expensive to be bought across the counter. Our access to the world of books was through the lending libraries, of which there was one on almost every road! Every Friday I trudged along to the library to plunge headlong into what was sheer weekend magic!

In those days… All India Radio was the only source of news. I was mesmerized by the incomparable Melville De Mellow read the news and awe struck when my uncle told me that he was the voice behind the live commentary of Mahatma Gandhi’s funeral. I spent hours listening to my favourite radio programmes—Vividh Bharati and Radio Ceylon. The golden voice of radio comperes Hamid Sayani and Ameen Sayani and their famous Bournvita Quiz Contest still linger in my memory… I remember opening the Binaca toothpaste gleefully to grab the animal charm hidden inside. What an animal farm I had: a miniature rubber menagerie of reptiles, mammals, bird and fish!

In those days…. There were no TV channels. Doordarshan had just arrived and I recall watching my favourite old Hindi films screened on TV! As for Hollywood classics, Kollywood and Bollywood releases, a trip to the movie hall was an event to look forward to!

In those days… my grandparents were alive. I read with my grandfather; listened to his stories. My grandmother’s cooking, especially her delicious milk sweet, is still alive in my taste buds… In those days… I wore a half-sari…. I dreamed of being a doctor… In those days… Chennai was Madras… Those were the days…

Tamil Nadu India Tel. 0452-2370269

Dr. nandini murali

Editor

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Madurai Messenger Cover Story September 2011

Tranquil Nest:

A Green Dream

A Green Vision Have you ever dreamt of having your own isolated resort get-away for your friends and family, surrounded by the beauty and peace of nature? That is exactly what Sunethra and Ravi from Rajapalayam have achieved at Tranquil Nest - their hill station resort near Thandikudi in the Palani Hills.

By Hazel Manuel Wales

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Gateway to Paradise

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ar away from the crowded cities and bustling tourist destinations lies the aptly named Tranquil Nest, a plantationresort, hidden among the Palani hills in the peaceful eastern fringe of the Western Ghats. Tranquil Nest is a beautiful, green coffee estate – as peaceful and serene as its name suggests. It is home to jackfruit, avocado, orange, banana and pomegranate groves. Beyond these the resort is surrounded by thick forests of silver oak, mahogany and silk cotton trees where bison and wild boar make their home. The scent of lemon grass and pepper perfumes the air and at an altitude of 1200m above sea level the

weather remains a pleasant temperature of 23 degrees. The only thing breaking the still, mountain peace is the call of the eagles, mynahs and spotted doves, and the distant cough of barking deer in the surrounding forests.

However, Tranquil Nest is more than a peaceful and beautiful place for ecotel (ecofriendly hotels) entrepreneurs Sunethra and Ravi and their family to get away from the crowds. Their vision is that of a sustainable and viable eco-business and they are well on their way to achieving that goal.

Tranquil Nest was Sunetra’s father’s dream of 25 years. Ram Mohan Raja is an industrialist whose business manufactures jumbo bags for commercial use – he is one of the largest producers in South India and a major exporter of his products. He also has another business in Sri Lanka.

However, he always dreamt of having a resort of his own because he loves to host and entertain people and it was this that motivated him to create Tranquil Nest. It was Ram Mohan Raja’s son-in-law Ravi who stumbled upon the land that the resort is now built on and it wasn’t long after, in 2007 that Ram Mohan Raja made the land purchase and begun the work of constructing the resort that would soon become Tranquil Nest.

Ram Mohan Raja personally designed and oversaw the building process for the resort, including the landscaping, architecture and interiors. Initially there was no electricity, water or pathways and Ram Mohan Raja had to have a simple wooden house constructed in Rajapayalam and transported along narrow, steep and winding lanes to what is now the resort, for the family to use.

Although there are now a range of well appointed and tastefully designed rooms and buildings, the original wooden house is still there at Tranquil Nest and provides accommodation for visitors as well as for Sunethra and Ravi’s son, who loves to visit the resort with his friends. The resort has faced some tough times. Transporting building materials to the hilltop location of the resort was a major challenge, and there can be very heavy rains during which, the electricity supply has been problematic. A back up generator has now been installed which ensures consistency of supply.

After construction, Ram Mohan Raja handed over the administration and running of Tranquil Nest to Ravi and Sunethra who bought everything for the resort according to Ram Mohan Raja’s wishes.

5 A Tranquil Nest Cottage: Under the Greenwood Trees

A Typical South Indian Home The focus is on cleanliness and quality and the buildings and their appointments have been finished to a high standard. Indeed, even down the modern bathroom fittings and the beautiful resort stationery, the place exudes quality. Initially Tranquil Nest was simply a guest house for family and friends and the idea of having paying guests emerged from there. Sunethra decided with her father how the resort should function and they are very clear that although they now welcome paying guests, Tranquil Nest should continue to run as a typical South Indian home - warm and welcoming and with homely, fresh cooked food made from local produce. This, they have certainly achieved, and although Ram Mohan Raja now takes a back seat, attending Tranquil Nest only monthly,

he continues to be very supportive of the project. Sunethra is now putting her own unique stamp on the resort and furthering the environmentally sound vision that she and Ravi share.

Although Tranquil Nest continues to be a natural haven away from the bustle of modern life, it is the result of a clear and focused aim to create a sustainable eco-business.

For the past three decades eco-tourism has been considered by environmentalists to be an important endeavour, so that natural habitats may be maintained and that future generations may experience destinations relatively unharmed by human intervention. Ravi and Sunethra see their resort very much as an ecotoursim centre and have been careful to ensure that what they have created has enhanced rather than disturbed the local environment and population.

Madurai Messenger Cover Story September 2011

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For many of us, holidays and spending time with family and friends are the most important things in our lives.

As more and more places open up to tourists, families are beginning to look beyond the traditional sun, sea and sand experience. ‘Ecotourism’ is a form of tourism that takes you to natural and often environmentally fragile areas and is the tourism industry’s fastest growing sector. People are becoming more aware of the environment and our impact on it. In addition, we are becoming more interested in taking care of our physical and emotional well being and health.

With this in mind, Sunethra and her father designed the accommodation and other buildings as well as the landscaping at the Tranquil Nest to be very much in keeping with the surrounding natural wilderness and the buildings and gardens were designed carefully to blend well with the natural environment. The construction of the resort necessarily involved the felling of thousands of trees, but Ravi and Sunethra have planted nearly 6000 new trees of around 20 varieties, including silver oak and mahogany, to replace the

trees that were cut down. In addition, no harmful chemical pesticides are used on the extensive and well maintained gardens. Coffee, avocadoes, pepper, oranges and other fruits are all grown organically using natural fertilizers and methods of pest control. All the buildings are equipped with energy saving light-bulbs. And the local wildlife, which includes wild boar, bison, barking deer and guar, although kept out by fencing, is not disturbed by loud music or rowdy guests, but gently encouraged. Sunethra says that the emphasis at Tranquil Nest is on a clean atmosphere and on nature and after three years, she is beginning to feel at ease with the animals of the forest – even the bison and the flying squirrels and the bats that come calling on her in the evenings!

A Green Way of Life One aspect of the local environment that Ravi and Sunethra control very carefully at Tranquil Nest is that of waste management. The resort is maintained to a very high degree of cleanliness and hygiene both inside and outside the

The Sylvan Surroundings in Tranquil Nest

buildings and there is no refuse at all within the resort boundaries. However, Ravi is keen to point out that this is not the case outside the resort and is calling on the local government to deal with the waste that accumulates by the roadsides and in the local villages.

“The waste gives a poor first impression to visitors. But on arriving at Tranquil Nest guests experience a very clean environment” says Ravi, who believes strongly that efficient and effective rubbish collection will improve tourism and be better for the environment as well as for the local people.

The first guests were invited to Tranquil Nest on the 30th September 2009 and were local estate owners and hoteliers.

It was a small gathering to mark the completion of the resort, the long term aim of which is to maintain the peace and tranquility for its visitors. Sunethra says that she and Ravi like introducing South Indian culture and traditions to their foreign visitors. Guests are mostly present at the weekends and so Sunethra is in residence each weekend to welcome them personally and to

7 Team Tranquil: Sunethra and her dedicated Team

ensure that their stay lives up to both their and her own high expectations.

However, Sunethra and Ravi don’t advertise for guests. Their visitors are those who have heard about Tranquil Nest via/by word of mouth. Even so, last year Tranquil Nest had repeat guests and its bottom line is improving. The couple still doesn’t want to advertise the resort but feel that business will grow naturally/organically as more people begin to hear about it. Sunethra is very careful about the guests she allows to stay – alcohol is not served at the resort, there are no televisions in the guest’s rooms and music is not allowed, in order to preserve the tranquility and so as not to disturb the wildlife. She makes this very clear to potential visitors so that those with expectations of a rowdier/loud experience will not come.

Says Sunethra, “As soon as they hear that their rooms don’t have television and that we don’t serve alcohol, those who want those things, don’t book!”

Bonding with the Local Community An eco-resort supports local communities as well as seeking to protect the environment, by providing opportunities for economic development and benefits and empowerment of local families. Ravi and Sunethra are very mindful of this and the family has developed excellent relationships with the local people and is proactive in providing local employment opportunities.

Because of this the community is very supportive of the resort, and often invites Ravi and Sunethra to family and religious functions. In the construction phase, the masons, carpenters, electricians and other craftsmen were all drawn from the local community. The permanent staff is also from the local villages and in fact is mostly women, other than the two male security staff, the driver and the gardener.

Team Tranquil Nest Sunethra is keen to point put that it is not just her and her family who have worked so hard to create such a tranquil report. She is very supportive of her staff who she says continue to work hard to make the place a success. “I am happy as long as I am giving to them” she says, adding that the women she employs are very responsible and are encouraged to treat the resort as their home. Because of this, the resort is able to retain the homely style and feel that Sunethra is aiming for. There are no professionals working at the resort. Sunethra says that there are no graduates and that some of the staff didn’t even finish school. However, Sunethra and her father personally train each staff member and as such they are capable of working to a high standard.

Sunethra maintains a fairly nontraditional working relationship with her staff. “Sometimes, visitors don’t even realise that I am the one in charge,” she

Madurai Messenger Cover Story September 2011

‘Ecotourism’ is a form of tourism that takes you to natural and often environmentally fragile areas and is the tourism industry’s fastest growing sector.

Life’s a bloom - Bloom away!

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says. It is a situation that has evolved naturally and which allows staff to develop a range of skills, as everyone at the resort is trained in all aspects of its running. Sunethra and Ravi briefly engaged a professional at the start of the life of the resort, to manage it and to cook. But the approach, they realised and not in keeping with the homely feel that the family was striving to create and so Sunethra took over the management of the resort herself, taking six months to train all the staff.

Dining is an important part of the Tranquil Nest experience. Initially the family intended a pure vegetarian resort but unfortunately this proved impractical. Ram Mohan Raja himself creates the menus that guests enjoy, from food which is prepared using fresh produce from local farms. Ms R. Rohini is the kitchen and Dining Manager and works with the resort’s chef Mr Kandha Samy to create and maintain the gentle ambience of the restaurant, which blends well with the forest beyond the semi-enclosed dining area. Ms Rohini has worked at Tranquil Nest for a year and a half and she now supervises two other kitchen staff. When guests are present, Ms Rohini rises at 4.30 a.m but she says that she doesn’t mind the early start because she enjoys every aspect of her work, especially when visitors are present as she likes a busy

working atmosphere and meeting the guests. Ms. Rohini is originally from Rajapalayam but now lives at the resort in staff quarters. She says that she was initially somewhat afraid of the bison and the snakes that have their home in the forest all around the report but that she is used to them now! Sunethra is very complimentary of Ms. Rohini, and her work at the resort, commenting that “if Ms. Rohini is asked to bring sesame seeds, she will bring oil!”

Swaitaa Naivedyam is the resort’s Reception and Housekeeping Officer and has worked at the resort for two years.

She trained in Sunethra’s father’s office for nine months before coming to work at the resort and as such is now adept at handling the accounts, the building and room maintenance, overseeing the housekeeping and receiving the guests.

Swaitaa starts work at 6.30 a.m. by helping in the kitchen and begins work in the office at 9.00 a.m. The workers on the estate report to Swaitaa and Sunetra says of her that she is a firm administrator. Swaitaa enjoys working at Tranquil Nest and is not even afraid of the animals there!

Spick and Span The husband-wife duo, Palpandi and Eshwari, have worked as driver and housekeeper at the resort since 2009.

They agree that they like the seclusion

that living and working at such a place offers them. The general housekeeping at Tranquil Nest is very important to Sunethra who at her own home is always cleaning! She wants the guests to enjoy a clean and pleasant stay and to that end has personally trained the housekeeping staff, including Eshwari who says that she loves her job. Her husband Palpandi has become an expert at negotiating vehicles up the steep and winding track that leads to Tranquil Nest and such are his skills that guests often request him specifically for pick ups and drop offs to the airport or the station! Palpandi also drives guests to their nature treks, and has often seen bison, wild boar, snakes and barking deer! Indeed, Palpandi says that one of his favorite parts of the job is going out at night to spot bison and other animals – although these days he is often too busy!

An Avian Paradise Visitors to Tranquil Nest come for the peace, the seclusion and the chance to unwind in a beautiful environment close to nature. However, for the more active or adventurous Sunethra and Ravi have ensured that there is plenty to do. There are 250 different species of local birds which have their home around the resort and with the aid/help of Joe, the resort’s naturalist, visitors are able to go on bird watching and wildlife treks on miles of trekking

routes through the forests around the resort. In a single trek, visitors are often able to spot more than 20 different bird species, including the common Kingfisher, the Blue Tailed Bee Eater and the common Hawk Cuckoo.

If adventure is more your thing, one of the resorts’ neighbours is able to organsise adventure sports for guests of Tranquil Nest, including rope climbing, spider web and Russian ladder. Another local friend is planning on opening a spice tourism resort which Tranquil Nest guests will be able to enjoy. In addition to these sports, there is a well equipped, modern gym at the resort itself and yoga can be arranged.

ties with and opportunities for the local community, Sunethra, Ravi and Ram Mohan Raja have sought to create not just a beautiful resort but one which has a positive impact on the local environment and population.

Their achievements and their vision are impressive.

This year, the J.K. Business School campus in Gurgaon, hosted the 2nd International Conference on “Green Business Strategy”. The conference stated that “In the business world today, we face increasing pressure to develop polices that are good both for the planet and for business... No executive can afford to ignore the

For business visitors, there are conference facilities at Tranquil Nest where organisations are able to host events in the large, open sided but sheltered conference hall which boasts what must be one of the most impressive views of any conference facility! It recently hosted a conference of around 50 delegates from an NGO in Delhi.

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An Extension of Home Sunethra says that she doesn’t see herself as a business woman – rather she sees the running of the resort as an extension of her homemaking skills.

She learned how to run the resort by applying the principles of running a home and it is this that gives the resort its uniquely homely and welcoming feel. Sunethra loves meeting people and providing food for them but says that she used to be shy and reserved.

Tranquil Nest, has however, given her a new found confidence in her ability to run the resort efficiently, to manage the staff and to interact with her guests.

She is very at ease with visitors from all walks of life - “the guests all become friends, even to extent of sharing recipes and saris!” she says!

Green Business Tranquil Nest represents the best in eco-tourism in Tamil Nadu. From the construction and management of the physical environment in which the resort is built, to the focus on forging

green wave sweeping the business world.” Sunethra and Ravi have shown that the economy and the environment can be mutually sustainable. Tranquil Nest is a living testimony to the philosophy which puts our people and our planet at its centre, knowing that profit will follow. Ravi, Sunethra and Ram Mohan Raja are excellent ambassadors for what the Indian Ministry of Environments and Forests terms ‘Eco-profit’. It is a win-win model and it certainly seems as though Tranquil Nest will be providing a positive and sustainable experience for its guests, its staff and the surrounding environment and people for many decades to come.

Buddha Mind Beginner’s Mind

Madurai Messenger People September 2011

M. Ramesh Raja:

daily activities included preparing running commentaries for festivals, film songs, broadcast shows, phone-in interviews, listeners’ choice programs and face to face interviews. He also does shows such as ‘This Week in Internet’ where he would inform the public about computers and hardware.

The People’s Announcer If your profession is your passion, then you need not work a day in your life. One such passionate professional is Ramesh Raja, Senior Announcer, All India Radio (A.I.R.), Madurai, who admits that he never keeps track of the number of hours he listens to the radio! Madurai Messenger is honoured to feature this exceptional broadcast journalist.

“Exploring sounds is very important to me. In historical programs, there are a lot of happenings. I am attracted even to minute sounds. I had a collection of sounds which motivated me to start producing historical programs,” says Mr. Ramesh Raja, because from 2003 he started doing historical programs. These included dramas and social plays.

He did his programs by making use of sound effects alone.

He says with pride that All India Radio was a pioneer in this type of program.

By Kinge Eliza Gardien

Career Highs

Holland

It is impossible to miss the excitement in his voice when he recalls what he terms as two of the greatest broadcasts in his career. The first was an opportunity to broadcast a live glaucoma surgery from the operation theatre. The other exciting broadcast was a show on the Common Wealth Games. For this, he had to go on a 45-minute three kilometer rally, the Queen Baton Rally. The show was covered with the help of twenty mobile phones.

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amesh Raja’s fascination for the radio began when he was a student in college. As an undergraduate and postgraduate Maths student, Ramesh Raja confesses that even during class hours he would listen to the radio very softly so that no one could hear a sound!

Celebrity Encounters

“I was so crazy about listening to the radio that I had fixed a power button for the radio outside my house, so that I would not even lose those few precious moments of listening to the radio.”

Some of his favourite programs were interviews, light music and Carnatic music concerts by eminent maestros.

Meeting famous people has always been a part of his job. He has done interviews with over more than a 100 renowned doctors from Madurai and nearby districts. He has also had the opportunity to interview renowned Tamil playback singers such as Chitra, and Mano. He has also interviewed music directors such as Gangai Amaran, Kunnakkudi Vaidhyanadhan, Sabesh Murali and Chandrabose. Also among his celebrity interviewees are popular film actors Radhika, Prabhu and Selva.

The Career Path Inspired by a friend who worked as a part time announcer at All India Radio, Madurai, Ramesh Raja worked with him for six months in 1989. He then completed his PG Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication at Madurai Kamaraj University. For a short while, he worked as a reporter and sub-editor in ‘Dinamalar’, the National Tamil Daily.

He stumbled on an advertisement calling for an announcer and producer at the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation Radio Channel 4. Despite the 1500 applicants, Ramesh Raja was among the two who made it to the final round. Despite getting the job, he rejected it because of passport problems and family commitments.

Mr. M. Ramesh Raja: A Golden Voice

The Big Break!

Singapore’s loss was Madurai’s gain. In response to another chance advertisement for All India Radio, Madurai, Ramesh Raja was the chosen aspirant among the 1000 people who applied for the job. He started working with All India Radio from October, 1990.

A Multifaceted Role!

At the radio station there is no work Ramesh Raja is not familiar with. He possesses a long standing experience in all the aspects of radio—from announcements to writing lyrics, scripts for drama and directing historical plays.

At first, Ramesh Raja worked as a subeditor and reporter in the farm and home section of the radio station. This provided valuable advice to farmers on all the aspects of agriculture such as proper cultivation methods, fertilizers to be used and pest control techniques. With this on one side, Mr. Ramesh slowly started writing scripts based on the everyday field experiences of the farmers in order to reach out to them by dramatizing the concept that is to be put forth.

A Sound Attraction The next role that he assumed was that of a live program announcer. His

Inspired by Life He does not have one role model, but the best voices and other announcers are the ones who inspire him. He is looking for new, bright voices. “I am still searching for new bright and improvised voices. It is out there somewhere; I will hear it someday for sure.”

He says he gets his inspiration from everything and everyone around him. When he is writing lyrics, inspiration comes from his love for music and also because lyrics are helpful in conveying the theme of a particular program.

“Everyday is a new day, and everyday is just the first day of work. I think of myself as a newcomer every single day and as if I am facing the microphone for the first time. I am very careful not to commit any mistakes right from the start to the end of the program,” he says.

The radio has changed a lot since Ramesh first started working as an announcer. A lot of new voices are there every

day. “Clarity and pronunciation are missing these days.” Also Ramesh said that there is a lack of creativity and the medium is cinema-based. The listeners play a big role and hence most programs cater to their tastes.

“The concept of radio is changing every day.

Listeners are the backbone of every Awards received from Aravind radio station.”

Eye Care Systems, Madurai Mr. Ramesh Raja loves to let people’s imagination play. People are often curious to know the face behind the voice. Even the former president, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, wanted to meet Ramesh! Fans constantly want to hear his voice and that there were instances where the listeners would want to speak to him for more than an hour even when he was not on duty.

Awards and accolades Over the years Mr. Ramesh Raja has won some several awards. Some of them are the‘Aakash Vani Annual award in 1993 and the Certificate of Merit in 2007. He received an award from the dancer Padma Subramanian and Kalki Rajendran for ‘Best Computer Editing’ for the historical play Sivagamivin Sabadham’. From Kargil, a program produced by Ramesh, was selected by listeners for the ‘Best Program Award’ in 1999. From Kargil is the story of an Indian Soldier, who writes letters to his beloved wife during the war.

An Announcer Forever “When listeners think I bore them, I will quit my job as an announcer,” said Ramesh, hoping he hears his bright new voice by then. His strengths as a broadcast journalist? His voice, ability to connect with listeners, self-confidence and the team spirit so evident in his colleagues.

“For most of the people, entertainment and work are completely different from each other. But for me entertainment is work.” I enjoy educating the public. I believe that the job of a radio announcer is to perform three functions: Inform, educate and entertain the audience,” signs off M. Ramesh Raja. Truly, the people’s announcer!

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Madurai Messenger Issues September 2011

India’s Social Work profession: The ‘Need of the Hour’ As India’s growing number of Engineering and Computer Science courses continue to attract many thousands of students each year, what is the impact on other courses? Hazel Manuel meets staff at Karpagam University in Coimbatore to find out how the popularity of IT-related courses is impacting on professional Social Work training.

By Hazel Manuel Wales

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here can be no doubt that India is fast gaining a world reputation for Computer Science, Engineering and related fields. As such the popularity of these courses has risen sharply in recent years. In Tamil Nadu alone there are nearly 500 engineering colleges with the total student population taking such courses estimated to be more than 1.5 lakh. Engineering related careers are regarded in India and elsewhere as having a high degree of status and prestige. Furthermore, the salaries that graduates can hope to command are often significantly higher than might be expected in other fields. It is understandable therefore that concerned parents and ambitious young people will be pushing for places in colleges and universities offering such courses.

The IT Magnet But what impact does this intense focus on IT and engineering related careers have on recruitment into other fields? Academics throughout India are beginning to show concern that other disciplines may be suffering. Professor Anurag Jagetiya, Assistant Professor at MLV Textile and Engineering College, Rajasthan, argues that “Due to high money and lucrative facilities involved in IT, the other fields are being highly ignored by youth. It is true that the IT field is the fastest developing field in

India and every second child wants to become an IT professional. However, other fields like research and teaching are also vital to give our economy pace and honor.”

Ms. M. Prema Latha is a Social Work professional of many years standing, who having graduated with a Masters degree in Social Work, now lectures at Karpagam University, Coimbatore.

Her views echo those of Professor Anurag Jagetiya. Indeed she goes a step further, describing the matter as “absolutely the need of the hour”, strongly believing that the profession of Social Work is the only remedy to curtail the persisting social problems that exist in India today. As do all nations, India suffers its continuing share of social ills. Poverty is widespread in India, with the nation estimated to have a third of the world’s poor. 70 percent of India’s population live in rural areas and lack basic amenities, in many cases including basic sanitation, access to fresh water and electricity.

Poverty, education and healthcare are all pressing issues which Indians agree must be addressed if India is to compete equally in a global economy. In recent decades the Indian Government and various NGOs (non-governmental organisations) have initiated programmes to alleviate poverty and its effects, including improving agricultural techniques, subsidising food and other necessities, increasing access to loans, and promoting education and family planning. Such programmes have helped to eliminate famines, reduced illiteracy and malnutrition rates and have cut absolute poverty levels by more than half since the 1950s.

Social Work: A Felt Need

Dr. Ramasamy, Vice Chancellor

“There are few who are in a position to be able to influence the government in this respect”

However, such programmes and measures may be at risk of understaffing by professionals who are properly trained to deal with and address India’s social problems. Of the 7000 students who study across Karpagam University’s three campuses, 3500 are engineering students. Only 15 are Social Work students. And this situation isn’t unique to Karpagam. The University’s Social

Work course was introduced in 2002 in response to a growing need for trained counselors to support and provide staff for hospitals and NGOs in Tamil Nadu.

In that year, the course attracted 30 students and by 2008, this number had increased to 50. However, since that time, in spite of pro-active advertising of Social Work courses in newspapers and the large number of job opportunities which exist for professional Social Workers in India, the number of such students has decreased to its current all-time low of just 15. Ms. Prema Latha says that that the university receives many enquiries from NGOs and other organisations requiring Social Work professionals but they are unable to provide enough trained Social Work staff to meet demand.

The situation is very different for Engineering and Computer Science courses. Dr Ramasamy, Vice Chancellor at Karpagam, points out that although the number of engineering students at the university has fallen, this may not be because the subject is becoming less popular. Rather, as the popularity of engineering and IT related courses increases, more institutions open that offer such courses. So for example, students who formerly had to travel from Kerala to Tamil Nadu to study may now take these courses closer to home.

vulnerable and those in need. Kautilya, Ashoka, and Akbar are just some of those who will be remembered for the great social work initiatives in their own time which include developing systems for women’s welfare, rehabilitation of prisoners, rural development, free medical care, regulation of prostitution/ commercial sex and the abolition of slavery. Recent history has given us further examples of individuals who have furthered the cause of Social Work in India. Raja Ram Mohan Roy sowed the seed of social and religious reform in his work for the abolition of Sati, in addition to supporting widow remarriage and women’s education.

Iswar Chandra Vidya Sagar also advocated for widow remarriage and women’s education, as well as economic self-reliance and an end to polygamy.

Gopal Hari Deshmukh promoted the establishment of dispensaries, maternity homes, and orphanages whilst M.K. Gandhi worked tirelessly for the upliftment of women and dalits when, alongside his fight for freedom from foreign rule, he also fought for freedom from social evils.

India has a long history of Social Work of which it can be justifiably proud, although the term ‘Social Work’ hasn’t always been used. The concept of concern for others, often in the form of charitable giving, has been enshrined in Hindu scriptures since ancient times.

For example, The Rig Veda states, “May the one who gives, shine the most”.

The Upanishads and The Mahabharatha prescribe that every household must practice charity, whilst The Bhagavad Gita advises that the privileged class has a moral duty to serve the poor.

Professional dimensions of social work However, in spite of this long tradition and history of seeing the welfare of others as a moral and sacred duty, Ms. Prema Latha argues that modern Social Work is often little understood

by India’s communities. She believes that many people think of social work as something that is only done within the family or the community and that often people believe that there isn’t a need for additional intervention.

Furthermore, Ms. Prema Latha states that individuals and families are often likely to go to priests or astrologers to seek help rather than to qualified Social Workers. However, India faces key issues surrounding poverty, education, healthcare and community development that individuals and families are often unable to address with the help of family and priests alone.

In addition to India’s sacred texts, there have been many historic individuals who have sought to provide help for the

Furthermore, Ms. Prema Latha states that at present, social work is regarded as a selfless, non remunerative,

Social Work: The Indian Heritage

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Madurai Messenger Issues September 2011

Mrs. M Prema Latha, Social Work Professional

leaders rarely make the transition into the government, the muchadmired Nilekani’s move could have a cascading effect. Where previously just a few successful outsourcing industry professionals were making the switch from ‘doing well to doing good’, his shift could make the practice commonplace.” This, along with the significant Social Work contribution that the Tatas are making surely bode well for Social Work in India.

The concerns of Social Work

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character building or religious activity and not seen as a profession, with the associated salary, prestige and status of other professions. Mr. L. Ranjit, also a Lecturer in Social Work at Karpagam, agrees. He states that the situation is compounded by the fact that the government doesn’t recognise Social Work as a profession. He points out that currently Social Workers in India are not public servants as they are in many other countries and consequently it is possible for anyone to call themselves a Social Worker without having had the benefit of rigorous, professional training by qualified academics and practitioners. Both Mr. L. Ranjit and Ms. Prema Latha argue passionately that Social Work needs a strong, unified professional association to represent the interests and standards of the profession. Ms. Prema Latha states, “There are few who are in a position to be able to influence the government in this respect” suggesting that professional organisations such as the Indian Association of Trained Social Workers and the Association of Schools of Social Work which ought to promote standards and good practice in Social Work are not performing their job satisfactorily and that the functions of these organisations are very limited.

A watershed year in the evolution of professional Social Work in India was 1936 when the first school of social work was established in Mumbai by

Sir Dorabji Tata. The Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work as it was then termed, is now known as the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and has set the standard for Social Work schools and institutes around the country. The Tata Group is India’s largest business group and multinational company and was in 2007 awarded the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy in recognition of the group’s long history of philanthropic activities.

Nandan Nilekani is the co-founder and until recently co-chairman of one of India’s main outsourcing firms, Infosys Technologies, who two years ago took over as chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India, tasked with developing a unique, validated identity system for Indians who either have an assortment of governmentsponsored identities, or belong to the illiterate poor, having no documentary proof of their existence.

At Crossroads Journalist Saritha Rai poses the question of whether business involvement with the public sector could lead the way to technology leaders helping with some of the country’s challenges, including dealing with poverty and providing education, healthcare and even basic facilities such as drinking water and sanitation to the population. Saritha Rai suggests, “In a country where successful business

Professionals and academics remain at large however. Even if the IT and business world continue to involve themselves in philanthropic and social matters, there still remains the pressing issue that Ms. Prema Latha described as ‘the need of the hour’; that owing to misconceptions of the profession, lack of unified representation and government recognition, and poor status and salary compared with Engineering, Computer Science and other courses, Social Work courses are not attracting students in great enough numbers to fill the demand for them.

Professor Anurag Jagetiya believes that in order to address this situation, government policy makers, academia, think tanks and industry experts must take the necessary steps to attract India’s youth to vital fields in addition to those of engineering related fields.

And professionals such as Ms. Prema Latha and Mr. Ranjit are calling on Tata and other pioneering institutes to take the initiative and make representations to the Government to build a strong national Social Work Association and to formally recognise Social work as profession. Only then does Ms. Prema Latha believe that Social Work will be seen as a true profession and begin to attract the numbers of students necessary to perform the transformative work with India’s poor and dispossessed that will help redefine the country.

The India Beneath Hazel Manuel reminisces about her first time in India some years ago and discovers time around that India really isn’t so different from her UK home town.

By Hazel Manuel Wales, UK

T

his isn’t my first time in India, and so the shock of difference wasn’t quite as raw as it might otherwise have been. Often, the major impact on the first time Western visitor to India includes the clamour, noise and density of the people and traffic, the stench of waste associated with living with basic facilities and in such close confinement with one another, the breathtaking pace at which life appears to be lived here.

The complete and utter freneticism of Indian cities and towns can make it appear to a foreigner that there is no order here, and no way to understand this chaotic world with its cows and its dogs and its rickshaws - all so very different to the world we have left behind. I was certainly no different in my own response.

My first experience of India included some time spent in Mumbai some years ago and I remember clearly the overwhelming intensity of the emotions that the city invoked in me at that time, ranging from confusion, fear and frustration, to fascination, delight and often, pure astonishment. I remember a city of bewildering contrasts – a beautiful woman in a deep green sari with jasmine in her glistening hair standing next to a filthy and disfigured beggar wearing rags; laughing, happy children in smart blue school uniforms walking past a semi naked toddler with large, vacant eyes who clearly hadn’t had enough to eat. It can be difficult for a foreigner to make sense of such a strange and different world. However, if one is lucky enough to spend any length of time here or to make subsequent visits to this most diverse

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of countries, one can often begin to see beneath what at first appears to be chaos and turmoil to an India which works to its own rhythm, its own beat.

My current trip to India has included some time spent traveling in the North before coming to Madurai and I am finding that my response to the country is on this trip rather more considered, more balanced than it was during that first visit years ago.

I am now able to see that there is an order here, if as a foreigner one is willing to see it; a way of making life work in spite of the traffic and the honking of horns, the wandering cows and the scavenging dogs. What I am discovering on this visit and particularly in Madurai, where I have the privilege of spending a month, is that beyond the noise and the bustle and the heat, beneath the outward cultural and religious differences, lies a deeply human world – a world like any other,

with its own flaws and defects, plus its unique vibrancy and effervescence - an ordinary world of people and work and family life which, with a little tolerance, a little openness, and a willingness to learn can help one to see not simply the differences that exist between diverse people and places, but the similarities – what binds us together as people and what we share.

So, my first impressions this time around – Madurai is a bustling city filled with people, rich and poor who are trying to do their best for themselves and their families, working, socialising, shopping, cooking, cleaning, getting around from place to place. Some of the people I meet here, through my work and my leisure time, I am sure I will connect with and share some memorable times.

Perhaps with others I might not. When one considers all of this, the India beneath sounds not so different after all from my own home town!

Madurai Messenger First Person September 2011

When Japan Shook On May 11, 2011, Japan was hit by big earthquake and the island was devastated by a powerful tsunami that measured 9.0 on the Richter Scale.

The epicentre was Sanrikuoki, an earthquake prone area on the Japanese coast. About 15,690 died and 4,735 people are still missing. Aika Saito, a Japanese earthquake survivor, recalls those troubled days.

By Aika Saito Japan

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17 prefecture, a situation that still continues even today in the West of Japan. I could not use electricity as usual, because of power shortage due to breakdown of atomic power. Besides, the Japanese government decided to deliberately cut power for a few months.

Many Japanese felt depressed because the TV beamed awful images and constantly told us that we were in a difficult situation. Being unable to do anything for people in the affected areas, many Japanese thought they had to give up leisure and fun activities. I was working at a Japanese bar, and many customers who had reservations told us to cancel the party. And sometimes we could not open store, because we could not use electricity.

Shattered Lives, Spirit unbroken-Japan rebuilds itself

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t that time I was studying at my home, because I had the TOEFL test three days later. Suddenly I felt a big tremor that I had never experienced earlier. And then the water supply and electricity broke down. I could not watch TV, and so was actually cut off from the rest of the world! I wondered if my family who live in Tochigi prefecture and my friends were safe. Fortunately my mobile worked, so I could get touch with them. I was relieved that they were safe.

signal did not work because of electricity breakdown and there were many people on the streets, walking back to their homes because train services were suspended. The stores were filled with people who were hungry. There was the long line of people waiting to buy food and drink. I could not get staple food but I managed to get snacks. At first I was hopeful that this strange situation will recover soon, but very soon realised that this was just beginning.

Being hungry I wanted to buy something to eat and drink, and so I went outside. I was shocked to see that the traffic

The earthquake and the associated tsunami resulted in a total breakdown of the atomic power station at Fukushima

The TOEFL test was canceled, and the university called off the graduation ceremony and delayed spring vacation by a month, because the aftershocks continued for a few months and electricity shortage was serious problem. And many people hoarded food, household goods, flashlight, battery, and other household essentials. This is second disaster.

To complicate matters further, some foreign media began to misrepresent the natural disaster. For example the Ohio tabloid (15 May 2011) inserted three mushroom cloud pictures representing Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Fukushima.

The Japanese consulate general at Ohio protested that it was incorrect to equate the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

“I have two things that I would like to tell people across the world: thank you very much for helping Japan, and please do not misunderstand Japan based on misrepresentation by the world media.�

Madurai Messenger First Person September 2011

Madurai Encounters of the Strange Kind Manon Stalder writes about her first few days in this colourful city and the mixed feelings as soon as she landed in Madurai. She also shares her experiences with regard to how startling the traffic is and her new found therapy for long and healthy hair- Coconut Oil!

By Manon Stalder Switzerland

U

ntil then, I had only seen my house and the “Madurai Messenger”. When I arrived in Mumbai, I saw all the slums around the airport. The atmosphere is colorful and fabulous. The view from the plane is like a painting of Jackson Pollock, a mixture of everything. One can observe that certain parts of the city are lonely as most of the people live in the heart of the city. Perhaps it’s more practical and Indians feel good to be surrounded by people.

When Disaster struck

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to the recent natural disaster that affected the atomic power plant. The publication later apologized to Japan.

The people in Japan were also confused by the widespread misrepresentation in the print and electronic media and social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook. Most Japanese do not have not sufficient knowledge about radiation, because there is no lesson about radiation during compulsory education.

Many Japanese made an effort to help Tohoku, one of the most affected places. A sake brewing factory at Tohoku faced serious problem, because many bottles of sake were broken, and besides sake did not sell, because throughout Japan people showed their support for the victims and survivors by staying away from drinks. One of the survivors appeared on You Tube and requested people to rehabilitate Tohoku’s economy by drinking sake.

The breakdown of atomic power at Fukushima prefecture caused extensive damage to the primary industry, farm products. Many vegetables remained unsold because people were suspicious that it may have absorbed radiation. The Fukushima governor personally appeared on TV and reassured citizens that the vegetables were safe by personally eating one of them on camera!

Many businesses resumed work and began to respond to the crisis with imaginative ways of fund raising. For example, many hair salons held donation cutting. This means that the cost of hair cutting would be used for charity. Many restaurants too

did same. At the Japanese bar where I worked, customers would be charged 5 percent extra, which would go to charity.

Most customers were only too happy to donate.

Several media persons went to the devastated areas to give us honest, accurate and reliable information. The university where I studied held symposia about peaceful uses of atomic energy. People from all walks of life including students went to the devastated areas to help people. The whole of Japan dealt with the tragedy in a spirit of unity and solidarity.

Although it will still take some more time for the people of Japan to recover fully from the impact of the natural disaster, the country has begun the journey on the road to recovery and normalcy. I express my heartfelt gratitude to the people of all countries who extended a helping hand to my country in our crisis.

After having seen five different airports, I arrived at The Madurai airport. I hate Indian airports because when you are inside it’s impossible to go out again. At Chennai, I discovered that my flight was delayed by three hours. So I decided to roam around in order to get a hang of the place. But I had an instant feeling that I was in prison when the guard told me: “You can’t go out”, I thought that was a joke but the guard stayed serious and I discovered that I was the only one laughing!

On arriving, I had a lot of apprehensions about the climate, but then went on to like it. But apparently, tourists and natives don’t like it. At Madurai, I met my host family. It was a perfect family comprising of two girls, a mother and her daughter. They had a constant,

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pleasant smile and were very helpful.

The next morning, my host mother introduced me to the method of applying coconut oil onto my hair. I was not very well versed about the utilities of doing that but did so as I also wanted long hair just like her. I was looking forward to experience whatever I could during my limited stay of one month in Madurai. In the house, I stayed with two other volunteers. Out of the two, one had already been in Madurai for quite sometime. Initially, I had problems in communicating with

my host mother, but was soon happy to find out that one volunteer was really good in English. I found it difficult to communicate because of the language problem, but later was able to adapt myself to the situation.

From what I had seen in Madurai, I can say that it’s a pretty colourful city. On one hand, I was happy to visit a place that had a very close knit culture and on the other, was stunned by the number of vehicles on the roads. I’m delighted to begin my work at the “Madurai Messenger”.

Madurai Messenger Art September 2011

R. Rajendran:

How do people become a Varmakkalai fighter or master?

If you are practicing it for about a few months you are just a student. After three years training you are awarded with the title “fighter” and after 12 long years you are allowed to call yourself a master, certified to treat and teach Varmakkalai. There is actually no end in learning and developing, life is a continuous improvement.

Varma Kalai’s Poster Boy! Madurai-based R. Rajendran is perhaps the most well-known exponent of Varma kalai, an ancient martial art that is not only used for self-defence but also for healing. Based on the principle of harmony between body, mind and soul, it is a unique neuro-martial art practiced to control the enemy without any external injuries and much effort.

Can you tell us something about how the competitions are organised?

By Ameli Ziegler Germany Lethal attack: A Varmakalai Technique

Ameli Ziegler in conversation with R. Rajendran.

“It is such a unique, comprehensive martial art, which assimilates other martial art forms into it.

Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Kerala’s ‘Kalarippayattu‘ and even our own `Silambam’ have all drawn from Varma Was there ever an instance Kalai”, asserts Rajendran, for whom the art is a family where someone died? legacy. Equally well-known as the guru who taught No actually not, because I told you Kamal Hassan the art form for the Tamil film ‘Indian’, that we have strict rules in these competitions and if someone who is Rajendran admits that public awareness of the art practicing Varmakkalai, kills a person, he has improved after the success of the film! is not allowed to continue to practice

What are the origins of varma kalai?

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India is a land of various ancient arts and one of them, the mother of all martial arts, an ancient science, is varma kalai. It originated in Tamil Nadu and was founded by Sage Agasthiar.

According to local lore it is a divine art. Today the masters of Varmakkalai cure neural diseases without using equipment by just touching and depressing a vital point, but there was a time in the past when they also used it for self-defence.

How does this martial art work as a healing science?

How could you treat and heal people without equipment?

At first, we analyse just by touching some vital points, which correspond to the disease. This takes about 20 minutes.

For instance, we often are able to diagnose diseases accurately, even after the MRI and CT scan reports were said to be normal. For example, there was once a patient who still had pain even after a CT scan. But we diagnosed the disease and cured it with pressing, touching, or a compressive massage. But there is a lot more to do with Varma kalai. You have different points in your body where touching, hitting or kicking can either hurt or heal. As I said, there are some points for healing, but there several

There are a lot of competitions, local and national, and it is common for practitioners of the art to demonstrate what they learned and how they have developed. These competitions are really strict, which is important for the safety of the participants. They are not allowed to kick or hit at deadly points and not up from the breast.

or train.

What are your plans for your future?

I want to start a new kind of course.

It is about breathing, self-awareness and just living the right way without feeling sick and tired, because many people lose their religion and their spirituality because they are caught up in a competitive world and want to earn more and more money.

R. Rajendran, Martial Art Master

others some for hurting people, causing them to faint, wake up and even kill.

What are the other ways in which varma kalai is different from other martial arts?

Unlike other martial arts, physical fitness is not a must to learn and practice varma kalai. Even an old person sitting in a chair can do so.

How did you get interested in this ancient art?

My ancestors worked as the king’s bodyguards in medieval South India.

To defend him they made use of varma

kalai to impede the enemies or even kill them. My father was a soldier in the British Indian army during World War II. He also used Varmakkalai to defend himself and survive in warfare.

At the age of ten I started practicing Varmakkalai, because it was a tradition in my family and every male member knew it. Later on I developed the idea of popularising Varma kalai because it is a slowly disappearing art and I founded a training centre. Besides I also taught Kamal Hassan in the Tamil film Indian.

I now have about ten centers in Tamil Nadu with nearly 500 fighters.

How do you make varma kalai popular?

Varmakalai Techniques captured for posterity

I have written four books on various aspects of the martial art. I also write a popular column in a Tamil weekly.

Besides I conduct free coaching camps on the martial arts and healing aspects of varma kalai. Of course, if we want to preserve the art from and ensure its popularity it must be introduced as a subject in colleges and universities.

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Madurai Messenger Innovation September 2011

Green on Wheels Before Manon Stalder came to India, many Europeans told her that environmental protection isn’t a concern in India. Manon Stalder, however, was surprised to note the general awareness about environmental issues among Indians. What is even more striking, J.E.Moshe Dayan and his team of students at PSNA College, Dindigul have built a solar battery-operated hybrid car, in what is perhaps a green solution!

Wind farms are spread throughout the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu, which is a wind swept corridor. In India, the total energy produced by wind equals 14157 Mw, which is really small for this big country. In comparison, in 2007, Germany produced 22, 3 Gw with wind turbines!

By Manon Stalder Yverdon, Switzerland

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ith over 1.13 billion people, it isn’t easy for India to satisfy people’s energy requirements.

Each year the country becomes increasingly dependent on petroleum producers. This issue motivates scientists to look for alternative solutions, which would make India less dependent on fossils fuels. In addition to this dependence, nature suffers from over exploitation of natural resources.

With excessive oil consumption, petrol becomes scarcer, further driving the price up.

Despite the abundant supply of sunlight in the country, there are hardly any solar panels. The problem with these

The team was given a budget of Rs. 30,000 from the college and the student members donated Rs. 5,000 to design and build a hybrid car. The process of designing and building took three months. The car weighs 250 kilos and has an aluminum frame. After four hours

The solar panels on the car

panels is that they are very expensive.

Consequently, the Dindigul College team is exploring the possibility of investors and plans to present the hybrid car to the IISC (Indian Institute of Science) in Bengaluru.

The Dindigul College team is ambitious.

They want to implement their triple energy system in India’s many rickshaws as they are the most popular vehicle in India.

Imagine all the petrol we can save if all the rickshaws were like this hybrid car!

The core team

An Out-of-the-box solution The Dindigul College team has created a hybrid car. This vehicle uses three different energy sources: wind, solar, and oil. There is a turbine in the front of the car, solar panels on the roof and an oil motor at the back. When you drive, there are two different modes; the first, the “engine mode”, supplies power to the storage system, the second is the “motor mode”, or the normal running of an engine. The wind and the sun are useful for propulsion.

India the availability of petroleum far exceeds the demand. Consequently the country imports a large quantity of oil from the Persian Gulf. According to specialists, this dependence is expected to increase because the demand for petrol will double in ten years. Because of this curve, India must develop ways to cultivate renewable energy.

The government has responded to this problem by creating a ministry of renewable energies and allotting funds to help find renewable energy solutions.

The hybrid car

of charging the battery, you can drive around 40 km with an average speed of 45 kmh. It is smaller than a conventional car, with three pedals, and a forward and reverse gear. The most attractive feature, of course, is that it isn’t necessary to have a license to drive it!

J.E. Moshe is passionate about the potential applications of solar energy.

According to him renewable energies are available everywhere, especially solar energy that is in abundant supply in a tropical country like India. The two main purposes of this invention are to save oil and to protect the environment. With this car you can save 50 percent fuel. This makes a huge difference in a country like India where a litre of petrol costs Rs. 67. Besides in

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Madurai Messenger Gender September 2011

S. Devasena: A Fine Balance

By Sophie Arnoldy Belgium

“

I

f any community is going to prosper, if any community is going to be seen at its best, the women in that community have to be viewed as equally, as important as the man” said American lawyer Anita Hill in an interview to CNN in June 2005.

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Cornelia Sorabji, born in 1866, was the first Indian woman barrister. She was also the first woman graduate from Bombay University and the first woman in the world to study law at Oxford. Despite her successes, Sorabji would not be recognised as a barrister until the Indian law, which barred women from practicing, was changed in 1924. However, even after 1924, due to gender discrimination, she was confined to preparing opinions on cases, rather than pleading them before the court.

As a pioneer in trying to open up the legal profession to women much before they were formally allowed to plead before the courts of law, would she be proud of the current situation of women lawyers in India?

S. Devasena is a successful Maduraibased woman lawyer. After completing a degree in mathematics, she completed her law degree in 1987. She practiced criminal law in Aruppukottai from 1988 to 1995. She was the first woman criminal lawyer in the district, in a profession that was a male bastion. Since the past 15 years, besides criminal law, she is involved with civil law, especially accident cases.

Sophie Arnoldy, a law student in Belgium, meets S. Devasena, Madurai-based lawyer, and is impressed with the lawyer’s commitment to both her profession and her family —a quality that she feels is a badge of honour!

A Woman in a Man’s World When Devasena was growing up, women were not encouraged to take up a profession, as socio-cultural norms dictated that they must prepare themselves for domestic responsibilities after marriage. She, however, attributes her decision to take up law to her supportive parents and her later success as a lawyer to her equally supportive husband and two sons.

Devasena frankly admits that she has faced several challenges in her career.

The most important, according to her, was that as there were few women lawyers, she had to work twice as hard to prove herself. “You must face it with confidence, boldness, and knowledge, sincerity and hard work” and “without family support you cannot shine,” she added with a lot of wisdom. An important factor in her success has been her ability to establish an empathetic relationship with her clients.

She is grateful to her family but she gives them back as much. Like most successful women professionals in the country, she deftly juggles the demands of her profession and her commitment as a home maker. Despite working more than 12 hours a day, she manages her career and her family with apparent ease.

The Art of Balance “Although I am passionate about my profession, my family is equally important”, she said, explaining her drive to balance both work and family.

According to her, many women lawyers

Cornelia Sorabji - India’s First Woman Lawyer

tend to cut down on their professional work in order to devote more time to the family Because of lack of family support, and perhaps also because of ego problems between spouses.

However, there are some organisations in India that provide support to women lawyers. The Society of Women Lawyers (SOWL) of India is probably the mostly well-known.

Devasena is a member of the Tamil Nadu federation of women lawyers, which is affiliated to SOWL. Its purpose is to motivate women lawyers. SOWL provides a platform for women lawyers to get together and to share knowledge. They also work on the protection of women rights, write articles and talk about creating new laws linked to the protection of children and women.

Making their Presence Felt Because statistics sometimes speak much more than words, here are some figures.

S. Devasena says that she has seen the number of women lawyers increase by 50 percent in the past few years in Tamil Nadu. Regarding the judiciary, there is one-third reservation for women judges in Tamil Nadu. Twenty years back, there were only one or two women judges.

Today women’s representation is much more visible. For instance, in the Madurai Bench, there are three district judges, three civil judges, three judicial magistrates. In Chennai high court, there are six judges— all women.

The recognition of women as lawyers, or as judges is growing. Given the secondary status of women in a patriarchal society, it is quite natural to wonder if people are equally accepting of judgements of both women and men judges. According to S. Devasena answered that as in every judgment, people cannot question women judges. They have to challenge their judgments in the High Court or Supreme Court. “Judgments are pronounced by a judge, not by a male or a female” adds Devasena.

According to S. Devasena, absolute gender equality is not possible. “Each and every individual mind should be changed.” In general, we have to educate people about equality. Even the parents need to be broad minded and gender sensitive. It is thanks to her parents, who made her strong enough, that she managed to deal with gender inequality with maturity and sensitivity.

As a woman professional, Devasena is certain that women need to invest a lot in their continuing professional education. They have to improve their knowledge about law, update themselves, in their own fields, and read extensively on the internet, in the print media and informal discussions.

The road to equality is not just women’s responsibility. Men too have to be a part of it for lasting changes. Devasena’s professional expertise has made her a much respected lawyer.

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Stree Shakti: Making unroads into a male bastion

Lawyer Devasena and her colleague at her office

Madurai Messenger Gender September 2011

Embracing a Slow Life

“You must face it with confidence, boldness, and knowledge, sincerity and hard work” and “without family support you cannot shine,”

For a Londoner used to a cult of speed, Tara Fallon discovers a slow life in Madurai, and for the first time, realizes that a decelerated life has its own charms— the most important being to connect with oneself and people.

By Tara Fallon London, UK

M

y first few days in Madurai were a lot different than I expected. Travel guides continuously instill the idea in Westerners that all Indian cities are large, bustling, chaotic, and relentless. I might still find this to be true, but so far, in Pasumalai, life seems quieter and simpler. Certainly, the main roads are noisier, an endless cacophony of hoots and beeps but once away from them, walking through the local pathways to our own courtyard, I found a much calmer and more peaceful environment than I had imagined.

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Volunteer Sophie with Devasena - All Smiles!

Social Pressures, the Hidden Factor According to male lawyers, the problem of under representation of women in the profession is not due to work place discrimination but because of the fact that due to societal pressures women are discouraged by their families to study law.

It is a well known fact that women lawyers are much more competitive than their male counterparts. While there are no differences in the presentations made by women and men lawyers, the former are believed to be more “emotionally attached to their briefs,” more humanitarian and are keen that their clients get speedy and timely justice.

Mr. Ramesh, lawyer in Madurai, explains that the innate drive of women lawyers to prove themselves also makes them more systematic, studious and perfectionists, which may turn into a professional advantage for women.

From being absent, then present but as mere tokens, women lawyers are now a visible presence in what still is a largely masculine world. According to S. Devasena, “this evolution definitely helped to increase women’s confidence.” However gender equality in the country is still a distant dream. Indeed, more than fifty years after Cornelia Sorabji, while the number of women in the legal world is on the rise; it still is too low.

Not just Black and White!

In Belgium, and in the rest of Europe, equality between men and women is continuously increasing with both parents in paid employment. As a consequence, the place of the man in a family has changed a lot! The man has to cook, to do laundry, to clean the house and is involved in several other domestic responsibilities. The increasing rate of divorces and joint custody of children has also pushed men to take on the new role in the domestic space.

Despite being a Westerner, I like the way S. Devasena and every other Indian woman in her position work so hard to go to university, get a job and yet respect the Indian model of family and treat is as sacred. In Europe, family structures are loosely defined. Hence people are free to decide the family structure that suits them best. For example, you can chose not to stay single, divorce, be child free— in the larger work context The problem, however, is that Westerners all too often get lost as the current generation is longer sure of what we want.

Arriving at my host family, I noticed immediately simpler expectations in the home. Fighting a rising tide of panic, I noticed no computer, no Internet, no TV! No continual networking, arranging events, things, people. No way to carry work home and make additional office space! Outside, the endless, accessible entertainment I’m accustomed to. is missing – it’s quite clear that the home has importance as a place for living, not just leaving your things, a brief “hello” to your family, and – goodbye! But this raises a major issue for a Londoner: what do people do in the evening without a continual need to interact with the outside world?

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Climbing on to the bandwagon

We slow down, seems to be the Madurai answer. We enjoy our families, we stop worrying about the pressures of the day. Never mind emailing your manager until 10.00pm - sit on the balcony instead and make friends with the neighbours’ children. Forget about online communication, there’s not enough space for people to go off and do their own thing- find connection with the people in the same room as you. We sit down as a group on the floor; the mother reading her Bible, the daughter intoning her homework, an occasional friend relaxing. Our only interruption is to sit around the dosa pan and decipher the spices in tonight’s gravy. We read, chat or just think, but always together.

Maybe this is what meditation is like. Putting aside the day’s stresses and tasks and concentrating on the quietness in hand.

Maybe I’ve got a lot to learn from this initial encounter. In London, one of the major causes of illness is stress – perhaps the Madurai people have found a better system: technology is often good, but too much in the home can increase the pace of life and cause us to think all the time about what will happen tomorrow, rather than appreciating what is happening now. I wasn’t expecting this from India, but my next step will be yoga classes!

Choc a bloc!

Madurai Messenger Technology and Life-style September 2011

Connecting People…

people used to walk down from their homes to the nearest auto stand in order to travel somewhere. Now, the scenario has completely changed. I was curious to know if there were any drawbacks in using a mobile. He laughed heartily and replied, “The only problem is that my wife also calls me too often to know where I am”.

Connecting Lives Maxime Bailly talks to a cross section of people and reports on how mobile phones have revolutionised people’s lives across society.

A printer, who was 19 years old, got his first mobile in 2007 for Rs.2700. He owns two mobiles: One for professional purposes and the other for private use. He manages his father’s photocopy business. He admitted that his life seemed to be very disorganised without a mobile phone. Now having this device make a lot of difference as it useful to contact home, inform clients about their availability and other related aspects.

By Maxime Bailly Paris, France.

I

ndia had not set up a proper communication system until 1991: the phones were only reserved for the upper class in the government or corporates. For years, phone usage was restricted only to the government officials or higher-ups.

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India began to liberalize its economy in 1991 and foreign companies started to invest in India. Thanks to their investment, India could set up the first telecommunication framework for mobiles. The setting and the mobiles were still very expensive. Consequently, the usage of mobile phones in India was still for the upper class. People were placed under two segments as a result of this: People who could afford a mobile and those who could not.

Obviously, the people belonging to the second segment were a majority in India. But now, India stands second after China, with regard to widespread use of mobiles. An Indian company, in 2001 decided to extend the mobile market in India to the middle class and the poor. Since 2001, mobiles have been still expanding across Indian society and changing their lives.

Thanks to this expansion, more and more people have been getting the opportunity to use this new gadget, previously used only by the upper class. The prices have gone down by about 75 percent compared to 2001.

The companies have been reducing the prices to get a very cheap price and to enable Indians to use mobiles.

Mobiles were an attractive factor for

Another person, 41, who runs a mobile retail outlet in a rural area, recalls that he paid Rs.8000 for his first mobile phone.

The same mobile that cost Rs.10000 a decade ago, is now priced as low as Rs. 1500.

At first, he worked in a servicing company. He was 21 years old then. He recalls that the most difficult task was to explain the buyers about the various features of a mobile, as most of the sellers were uneducated and did not know much about mobile phones. He recalls a humorous incident where he was once approached by a customer. The customer’s complaint was that he was not able to hear the ring tone whenever he received a call. The seller laughed and told the customer that he had to switch from the silent to the loud mode. . mobiles are definitely indispensable in the lives of Indians.

One of the sellers remarked thus: “My mobile is like the sixth finger of my hand and one cannot imagine life without it.”

Local markets really cater to the needs of all the people in Madurai, unlike in France, my home country, where such local stores can never be found. Kudos to these local markets that keep the market for mobile phones alive!

Gen X outside a mobile retail outlet

Indians. They were very curious to use it and at least have the opportunity to call someone through a mobile.

Mobiles were a new invention that they could use, feel and touch. Also, communication is made easier by using a mobile phone and it is not regarded as a luxury good anymore.

During this interview, I realised that 50 percent of the customers are poor, 30 percent constitute the middle class and 20 percent are rich. Moreover, among this group, 70 percent of the customers are between the ages of 17 and 25, 20 percent adults and 10 percent old people, men and politicians.

Like asking a person, ‘How are you?’ in today’s scenario, ‘Do you own a mobile?” is the oft-asked statement.

This phenomenon is not only expanding in the city but also in the rural areas.

The Transformation I met a 37-year-old pump seller. He purchased his first mobile in 2004 for a price of Rs.8000. He admits that his job was such that he had to own a mobile phone in order to work effectively as his daily routine included visiting corporates, meeting customers and most importantly, traveling from one place to the other. Hence, a mobile phone was a necessity. . He sums up its benefits in three words: saves time, money and also helps in expanding clientele. He proudly states that till date, he has never lost his mobile and has always handled it delicately.

An auto rickshaw driver, 53, got his first mobile ten years ago for Rs.700. His phone is the device that acts as a liaison between him and the public. If we analyse the scenario even a decade ago,

Eavesdropping Pachyderm

Conversation on Wheels: Projects Abroad Auto driver Shahul Hameed

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Madurai Messenger Film September 2011

Of People and Animals Aika – writes about the experience of watching a thought provoking science fiction film and the differences between viewing a film in Japan and India!

By Aika Saito Japan

Title: Rise of the Planet of the Apes Director: Rupert Wyatt Cast: James Franco, Andy Serkis,

Freida Pinto Year of Release: 2011 Language: English

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I

was excited to hear the Project Abroad staff tell me that he was going to take me to a movie hall to watch a film.

Some of questions came to my mind were the physical appearance of the movie hall, the audience, and the theme of the movie. The movie which I saw was Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I was surprised to see that the movie theater was beautiful, but I couldn’t help but notice that the atmosphere was very noisy unlike Japan, where it is very quiet and people are told to switch off their mobile phones. Once the movie started, there were shouts and screams but they died down once the plot thickened.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes, a science fiction, is a sequel to the Planet of the Apes that was released in 2001. The movie is about Will Rodman (James Franco), a scientist who tries to develop a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. He attempts to do so by testing a genetically engineered retrovirus on chimpanzees. He badly needs it in order to cure his father who is suffering from the disease. He administers it to his father three years after the research. For the next few years his father is fine but later the dementia returns as his immune system fights off the virus. The rest of the story proceeds chaotically with the apes creating havoc in the city and the locals panicking in order to save their lives.

I would describe the movie in one word: Exciting. It was a wise decision by the director to end the movie with a message for the audience: It is best for both animals and

humans to coexist in harmony in a society. This is one that should be addressed and must be made sure that animals are treated properly.

In Japan, almost all animals live only in zoos or as pets at home, unlike India where there are so many wild animals in sanctuaries and national parks and stray animals on the streets. I do enjoy it when animals are near me but we should also keep in mind what is best for the society.

I would recommend this movie, because it portrays the importance of both humans and animals.

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