PEOPLE
chris&cresfernandes
CARING for man’s best friend caring
RESTAURATEURS CHRYS AND CRES FERNANDES ARE SELFLESSLY CARING FOR STRAY DOGS AT THEIR FARRUKHNAGAR FARM HOUSE by Meenakshi Sharma
hrys and Cres Fernandes have much in common Goan roots, a passion for cooking delicious food and most important the compassion to care for abandoned four legged friends. Today, the Fernandes’ farm house in Farrukhnagar is home to 41 stray dogs that the couple has adopted over the last 10 years.
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St Bernard Animal Welfare Trust, the farmhouse which today stands testimony to the love the couple have for dogs, also is a must visit destination for its sheer location. When you drive past the skyscrapers of Gurgaon and approach the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, you can spot fields of mustard, wheat and marigolds among which lie ruins of a glorious Mughal past. Built by a governor of King Farrukhsiyar in 1732, the town of Farrukhnagar is a short drive through the villages of Dhankot and Chandu and past Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary. The farmland that lines the road retreats into gentle hillocks and it is here, in the midst of lorries, buses and cycles on one hand and distinctive Mughal architecture on the other, that the trust is located. The dogs are frisky and excitable though they may be injured or maimed. We am told that at one time
they even had an emu and still have a “bull dog,” an abandoned bull who got his name from Chris as it loved to play with the dogs. We meet the Fernandes at their restaurant Bernardo’s in Super Mart I in DLF Phase 4. A friendly dog at the corridor waits patiently for Chrys to pat her. He tells me he has named her Ramona, much as he has named almost every canine he regularly meets! Not only is the restaurant Bernardo’s named after Chrys’s father who was a member of the band at The Ashok in the glory days of the ITDC hotel, but he has also inherited his dad’s love for animals. “My father had a large Persian cat, the size of a tiger”, shares Chrys. Quite aptly, their trust is named after him too. Their acts of kindness started in 1996 when they lived in Palam Vihar and ran a pickle company called 4 C’s after their own names and of their son and daughter Colin and Carmen. JULY 2016 3
“We saw two tractor trollies carrying dead and half dead dogs who were shot to avoid the stray dog menace. We complained to Maneka Gandhi,” Chrys explains. To get rid of stray dogs in the locality, people had started poisoning them, Cres recalls. “That was when we started taking care of them. We became unpopular with our neighbours,” Chrys says. “The initial idea was just to feed them on the streets and ensure that they were safe. But when we started doing that, we realised that dogs would come back to our house.” Undeterred, they began a campaign to stop shooting strays which continues till today. Chrys shares his numerous experiences with strays like Alice who he rescued in Galleria a few years ago and how he would go every night to Leisure Valley to feed dogs late at night. After eight years, the couple moved to their farm house in Farrukhnagar, which is isolated enough for them to be able to keep dogs without inconveniencing neighbours. “By 2002 we moved to a one acre farm house in Farrukhnagar
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with just two dogs which today has grown to 41 simply because people dump their abandoned dogs”, explains Cres as she tells us about their welfare trust. Over the years, the couple has learned to treat the animals too. “We read various books on the subject and have a veterinary friend whom we consult whenever there is an emergency,” says Cres. “Chrys therefore not only bathes and feeds the dogs but also gives them injections and medicines based on the vet’s feedback,” adds Cres. This keeps the two rather busy even on the one Tuesday that they take off every week though they have a couple to look after the dogs while they are away at the restaurant. The couple appeals to people to avoid buying dogs and choose to adopt instead. “While pedigreed canines will always be popular, many animal lovers are now choosing to take home the friendly street dog, but much more needs to be done in terms
of awareness,” shares Cres, who is amused how people respond to their work not by helping but asking them to take in their own dogs! Along with the couple, two staff members take care of the animals’ meals and medicines. “It costs us around Rs 30,000 - 40,000 per month,” says Cres who recalls how a lady from the US promised to take her dogs back after a month and is still missing after a year. On the other hand, there are people who regularly send money for the upkeep of the dogs who were left by them at the shelter. A gentleman has even put up the dog pictures online and takes a small donation for the same to help the trust. What is the one thing that they cherish the most about looking after so many dogs, we ask? “Safety,” answers Cres in a flash as she explains, “No one can even dream of burgling our house with the sheer number of dogs who protect us the way we protect them”. nnn
PEOPLE
roopamganguly
THE ACT OF
BALANCE
“Theatre is both recreation and passion,” says Rupam Ganguly, who balances a corporate career with art by Meenakshi Sharma
“THEATRE IS BOTH RECREATION AND PASSION,” SAYS RUPAM GANGULY, WHO BALANCES A CORPORATE CAREER WITH ART by Meenakshi Sharma
hen the celebrated play God of Carnage opened to full houses in Delhi, there was much praise reserved for Rupam Ganguly, who played the beautifully conceptualised role of a glib talking lawyer to perfection. The audience loved the taut exchange between two sets of parents which soon spirals into a horrifying yet hilarious social commentary. Calling it one of his most memorable performances, Gurgaon resident Rupam tells us, “God of Carnage has been a challenge and a source of creative satisfaction,” with over 20 shows in Delhi and Chandigarh at prestigious venues like Shri Ram Centre and Alliance Francaise.
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“The greatest satisfaction is when you challenge yourself to pull off something new and when close friends and relatives, who can be harsh critics, appreciate your performance as do complete strangers at the end of the show,” adds Rupam. Harking back to the early days of this passion, he recalls how he had done some plays at school and always had an urge to try it in his adult life but job commitments and a personal hesitancy came in the way. “It was in 2011 that I finally decided to take the plunge,” he says. Initially he just wanted to be a part of the process and helped out in the production aspect given his experience of being a part of film productions but destiny had much more in store for him. “I landed up a short part in my first production and according to the director managed to carry it off quite well…which in turn landed me larger key roles in future productions,” he remembers with fondness.
LEAP OF FAITH
Indeed, it was a leap of faith for the advertising professional who has served as Vice President, Lowe Lintas, Marketing Manager Britannia Industries, General Manager Marketing, Philips India, Director Marketing, APAC Philips Consumer Electronics Singapore, Vice President and Head North Grey Global Group and Managing Partner, Lighthouse Creative Services Pvt. Ltd., Gurgaon before moving to his current profile as COO Blue Sky Learning Pvt. Ltd where he continues to have a day job to keep the home fires burning. An alumnus of IIMC’s Advertising & PR and an MBA from UB School of Management, Buffalo, New York State, Rupam has over 20 years of experience that spans advertising and marketing across India and
roopamganguly “I like living here … it’s a growing city, full of energy, quite a cosmopolitan outlook with all basic amenities in place”
Asia Pacific. While at Lowe Lintas, he was instrumental in producing outstanding communications for Britannia, at Britannia he was responsible for the marketing, sales and profitability of some of their key brands. From there, he moved to Philips as General Manager, Consumer & Trade Marketing India. In 2002 he was posted to the regional headquarters in Singapore as Marketing Director Asia- Pacific where he was responsible for driving the marketing and communications strategies for Asia-Pacific. It was in 2010 that Rupam turned entrepreneur and set up a boutique agency called Lighthouse Creative where he provided a broad cross section of clients 360° integrated
communication solutions. In 2012, Rupam who has been a keen follower of the learning space, decided to identify key insights through content development. “I now handle a “client-side” perspective to program development and delivery as the COO at Blue Sky Learning, one of India’s leading corporate training companies,” says Rupam who has over the years conducted various workshops for teams and leaders of organisations such as Hero Motocorp, GE Healthcare, Aviva Life Insurance Maruti Suzuki, Micheal Susan Dell Foundation, Cairn Energy, UNESCO, NTPC, American Express, Nestle and Siemens. Apart from the thrill of delivering challenging training programmes to a wide spectrum of clients, Rupam believes that the highlight of his career is, “the experience of living in multiple cities, getting to know and interact with a wide array of people across nationalities, challenging business situations and an opportunity to see the world”. Clarifying just how busy his work life has been, he says it was a ‘nomadic existence’. Having lived in six cities till early 2010 when he moved to Gurgaon, he adds, “I like living here …. it’s a growing city, full of energy, quite a cosmopolitan outlook with all basic amenities in place. However, for it to grow, the infrastructure needs to fall in place and there has to be an outlet to promote some art and culture. One Epicenter is surely not enough for all of Gurgaon.”
PASSION UNLIMITED
It is an understatement to say that Rupam is passionate about theatre. Watching him play his roles with sincerity, it is clear that he has found his calling. “I have performed leading roles in several productions in India,” says Rupam who has travelled extensively and has his secret list of hidden locations where he plans to take unsuspecting clients! But how does he balance the love for performing with a flourishing career, I ask. “It’s tough,” he agrees as he tells us how theatre can be extremely demanding in terms of time and commitment. “Rehearsals, JULY 2016 3
rehearsals and more rehearsals are the order of the day if you want to stage a professional performance quality. As all of us are working professionals, we only get to rehearse post office and that can be quite tiring. Weekends also have to be sacrificed so you do need the support and understanding of your spouse and family,” admits Rupam. While he agrees that so much travel becomes hard on oneself and one’s family life, he is thankful that
his wife Reema, who incidentally is his college sweetheart, has been a big support system. “She is also my biggest critic,” he smiles.
are your future plans, upcoming shows and advice to those who love theatre but need to work fulltime to earn a living, I ask.
Coming back to theatre, he adds, “While we would like to meet more often even when there is no production, it does become difficult given everybody’s schedule. We do try to meet at least once a month to discuss future productions. So, what
“We are now trying to get ‘God of Carnage’ to Gurgaon as we feel the cosmopolitan Gurgaon crowd will really identify with the setting of the play and the characters and plot. Let’s see if we are successful”, says Rupam. nnn
THEATRE AS A HOBBY? Rupam Ganguly’s advice to those who want to try theatre as a hobby is based on his own experiences as he says, “Do it only if you are really keen, it will eat up all your free time. So you will have to forget about other recreational activities like movies, parties, weekend breaks as theatre will become both your recreation and passion”.
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petcare
amazing
the
COLUMN
cat! WE GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE COMPLEX WORLD OF CATS THAT CAN AMAZE US IN SIMPLE AND POSSIBLY SILLY WAYS by Dr. Salisha Whitney Correia
e all love watching hilarious cat videos online and laugh our hearts out at the ‘Grumpy Cat’ memes. Though true rulers of the world (a statement any feline parent will testify to), cats amaze us in simple and possibly silly ways. The trend in metropolitans has shifted towards raising feline pets as compared to the yester years where a pet cat was considered taboo. These hassle-free furballs are wonderful companions, require limited maintenance and are ideal for both nuclear families and senior citizens alike. Being associated with a variety of cats at our practice and at home, it is only just that we attempt to understand the complex world of a curious cat.
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urine analysis as done at CGS Hospital can distinguish the same. OCD- SYNONYMOUS WITH CATS! Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is true in cats. They somehow are creatures of routine. A sudden fluctuation in the regular timetable can throw your feline off balance and could also result in depression, anxiety, anorexia and even illness. When planning a vaca-
CATS HAVE NINE LIVES! Cats love sitting on high rises, being perched up in a tree, balancing on the window sill and the evergreen favourite, on the TV! This risky behaviour predisposes cats to accidents wherein they sustain fractures and dislocations. Fracture stabilization has to be performed with utmost precision as cats have a very delicate bony cortex. Felines have a high pain tolerance. However, traumatic injuries serve as an emergency as falls from a height can even cause diaphragmatic hernia. A chest radiograph can rule out the same. THE PERFECT LITTER BOX DANCE! Felines enjoy their personal time in the litter box away from prying eyes, however, a good owner always observes his/her cat’s excreta as the predominant sign of a worm infection is diarrhoea and offensive urinary odour points to a UTI. A routine faecal and
classical sign remains unexplained vomition. An array of blood tests, including specific pancreatic function tests along with a diagnostic ultrasonography, is required. Fluid therapy remains the mainstay of treatment. An increase in blood urea and creatinine, if not detected early could be detrimental as these are indicators of kidney disease. Annual vaccinations and deworming should be done. Senior cats require a complete blood test to evaluate kidney, liver and pancreatic function once in six months. Persian and Siamese breeds of cats since kept in air-conditioned rooms primarily develop allergic rhinitis/ blocked nose. In such cases, nebulisation by a qualified vet is required. Dental tartar can be removed via ultrasonic dental scaling as done at CGS Hospital. THE TOM SPRAYS, THE QUEEN MEOWS! If mating is not the order of the day, neutering a tom cat after seven months of age is beneficial to prevent spraying around the house and him running off in the heat season. Queen cats can be spayed after six months of age.
tion, it is best to keep your pet cat at a comfortable boarding facility. Remember to leave a few known items viz. food bowl, toys, bedding, etc.
Caught up in knots! Regular grooming, brushing and de-matting of long haired cats is essential to keep mats and knots at bay. Fungal infections and ear mite infestations are a consequence of inadequate cleanliness. Hair cuts or trims may be required to beat the boisterous heat. Cheers to a healthy clowder!
FELINES- AN EXCEPTION TO MEDICAL RULES! Cats are prone to pancreatitis and the
The author (a cat-woman) is a meritorious post graduate in Veterinary Surgery and Radiology and is currently practising at CGS Hospital, S-25/2204, DLF Phase-III, Gurgaon. The ‘cat friendly practice’ at CGS Hospital, Gurgaon offers a one stop solution to all your feline problems. From consultation, treatment and laboratory services to grooming and boarding, we at CGS are equipped to provide your cat the best possible care, with our team of experienced feline practitioners. We also specialize in feline orthopaedics and soft tissue surgeries. CGS Hospital, Gurgaon is the only Hospital in Delhi-NCR that has separate facilities for cat consultation, hospitalization and holiday boarding. www.cgshospital.com JULY 2016 3