ALTR 2021

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January 2021

NEW REALITIES

Raw Ticking of the Fashion Clock- Podcast

By Sass Brown, Researcher, Author, Educator, Manchester Metropolitan University

Untie Shaping Young Minds with AI

By Shubho Sengupta, Digital Marketer – Brand Consultant

Shift Inclusion in the Free World

By Parmesh Shahani, VP Godrej Industries Ltd

SCHOOL OF CONTEMPORARY MEDIA

A Pearl Academy Publication

TEAM ALTR

Meha Jayaswal Editor-in-Chief

Sharmila Katre Agat Sharma Asheesh Saini Conceptualisation and development

Aparna Mudi Editor & Curator

Puneeta Mathur Director - Marketing

Jyeshtha Dhodhy Art Director

Drishti Vij Sarah Ishtiaque Title Credit

Aditi Srivastava Publisher

Susmita Mukherjee Aparna Mudi Editors Aparna Mudi Apoorva Saxena Illustrators Inclusion in the Free World

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Busy Doing Nothing

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Digital Transformation in Business Post COVID

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The Race to Retail

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Pandemic Panorama

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Luxury Minimalism

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Bambusha for the Future

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Swimming Against the Tide

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I Know that I Don’t Know

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Shaping Young Minds with AI

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Recreating Work Spaces

Architecture of Happiness

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The Lost Voices: Enabling Equal Opportunities

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Is this Goodbye?

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Capsule Closets

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Swiping Left on Chivalry

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Zinglin App - It’s your Turn to be a Star!

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Ticking of the Fashion Clock – Podcast

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Two Odd Knobs

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Publisher’s Note Team ALTR and I are excited to present to you the second edition of our magazine ALTR. Aptly, the theme of this edition is New Realities. Covid-19 did compel us to put this edition on hold, but could not dampen the spirit of ALTR. Despite many odds that disrupted normal life due to the pandemic, ALTR is back with grit and fortitude to discuss pressing issues involving the fraternity of fashion, media and design.

The unprecedented disruption across the globe was fought bravely by the mankind. People modified rules of engagement not only to survive the deadly virus, but also to excel in this arduous time. The thought-provoking piece

by Parmesh Shahani, Head of the Godrej Culture Lab sets the tone for emerging realities of the Indian workplace. It is a must read!

This edition talks about how several past beliefs have been edged out by new ways of doing things. ‘Ticking of the Fashion Clock’, the article by ethical fashion activist Sass

Brown highlights some of the new realities the fashion industry would face that would revamp the fashion value chain.

The world is still confronting several emerging realities because of the pandemic, which is on the edge, but not completely out.

It will further redefine human relationship – both personal and professional. Change is an unchangeable reality and things would have been different even without the global Covid-19 crisis. The disruption due to virus catalysed our creativity and it gets reflected in the ALTR 2.0, which shares several new possibilities for a brighter future. Some of the ideas have taken wings and acted upon.

I’m sure you will enjoy the theme and thoughts presented through ALTR 2.0. Thank you for your valuable feedback on ‘Genderless’, which was the theme of the first edition. We will continue discussing alternate views and new ideas through ALTR, an initiative of our School of Contemporary Media.

Aditi Srivastava

President Pearl Academy

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RAW CONTRIBUTORS Alka Gupta Assistant Professor, Pearl Academy Sabbah Sharma Associate Professor, Pearl Academy Ishi Srivastava Assistant Professor, Pearl Academy Sass Brown Founding Dean of the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation, Manchester Metropolitan University

Pearl Academy Student/Alumni Anoushka Seth Esha Sharma Jigyasa Sethi Naina Aggarwal Pawni Khanna Ritu Jain Shatabdi Bhowmik Shivang Shanker Shivangi Parve Shivangi Singhal Shraddha Dalmia Ujjaini Dutta Vaani Pujar

Pandemic Panorama Esha Sharma

The present and future of performing arts

Art is not a one trick pony, it evolves with time and circumstance. We often see art in the most non-traditional way. It could be through something still or something that moves. Artists often express their work through films, videos, photographs and installation-based works through which the actions of the artists or performers are conveyed to the audience. Performance art is considered to be the most engaging. In 2016, theorist Jonah Westerman remarked “performance is not (and never was) a medium, not something that an artwork can be but rather a set of questions and concerns about how art relates to people and the wider social world”. Considering the times that we find ourselves in - with a worldwide pandemic - which has hit our country pretty hard as well, art is helping us cope.

screen. 23-year-old filmmaker and photographer, Bhumanyu Nehra, says, “I wouldn’t say performance art as an art per-se has taken a new form, it’s been evolving for a while. Due to the pandemic, how it’s been showcased has been changed temporarily. Through livestreams majorly and artist’s recording their artworks and performances on social media platforms, even paid livestreams.

Though I also feel that it has reduced the importance of artist’s getting paid because of all these social media platforms.

People now assume that these are not special services and so, should always be free. But our previous showcasing arts is also at fault there.”

Artists have started evolving with the situation. Where going to movies, theatres, museums and concerts was the best way to enjoy a performance, art has found its way to come alive even through a

Illustrated by: Ritu Jain

Nehra’s short film which he made over the summer was featured in Nowness Asia, “Performance art is always going to represent the future and will be remembered as history for the future. The future might bring new forms of performance art but the

crux is always going to be a form of expression one way or another.”

He further talks about how, because of the lockdown, cinemas and theatres being shut, he doesn’t feel as though a gap between the art and viewers has been bridged but understands that a sense of acceptance has happened, “Not only can artists reach a wider audience but upcoming artists can also try their hand with the liberty that comes with the internet”.

Maneesh Agarwal, an event manager says, “With performances being recorded or live streamed we are able to cut costs and wastes. It’s only the product/performance that matters.

Even the fashion shows are termed digital and recorded according to the requirement. There are no cutbacks when it comes to work. Everyone is working harder than ever and even reaching a wider audience.” He also adds, “This has made it possible to reach even those people who were not able to afford to attend such events.”

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As far the experience of the performance goes, with digital platforms, audiences can provide immediate responses and feedback to the artist. While theatre and concerts have worked in one way, with the online streaming it makes it two-way.

Audience can take in everything the artist has to offer.

Mahabano Kotwal At Pearl Academy for a workshop on gender inclusivity.

Kamal Pruthi ‘Kabuliwala’ for a theatre workshop at Pearl Academy for a workshop.

Kamal Pruthi, a theatre actor and dancer, has turned his home into his own theatre, “When you do a play or a performance you have to book a space and work around the space. With my own space, I have full autonomy. I also get to reach a wider audience, whereas in a theatre we could only reach the ones in the theatre.” He further adds, “We often, as performers, feed off the energy of the audience, where their reactions and encouragement gives us the edge to push ourselves further.

Through the digital platform, I can also interact with them and learn from them.” He mentions that how it makes his performance art a “tangible product” which can be watched over and over.

Pruthi also believes that with no conversation of auditoriums in the media, “This will make people miss how art can heal us, after all.”

Viveck Vaswani, actor and producer, who has worked in the performing arts industry since the 80s believes

that it’s all about the craft. “Those who work on the energy based performances, for example, comedians require an audience to understand the temperament and what they are feeling that day in order to land the jokes.”

With OTT platforms, one needs to meet certain requirements to qualify to be streamed. The results depend on the audience’s equipment, hence cutting out the immersive experience which theatre and auditoriums offer, a sense of commonality in experience for everyone.

“I’m a big fan of the art which goes behind making of the performance.

I will, on principle, only watch a Christopher Nolan movie the way he wants me to watch it. It has to be in the theatre with the all the visual effects and sound he has created for me,” says Vivek Vaswani.

“BookMyShow offered Mahabano Kotwal’s Vagina Monologues to perform the same via live streaming, in a gallery view. But considering how intimate and important the play is, the art and the charm of intimacy will be lost. It will also create backlash in the worst way through live reactions”.

I Know that I Don’t Know Alka Gupta

There is a scope of a new approach to business to ensure continuity in the light of the crisis that COVID 19 has presented.

“As we travel more on this planet, epidemics will be more acutewe will have a germ population dominated by a few numbers, and the successful killer will spread vastly more effectively. I see the risks of a very strange acute virus spreading throughout the planet.”

The Black Swan (Nassim Nicholas Taleb, 2007) Looking at the chaos that the entire world is going through it seems certain that these are unprecedented, uncertain times.

But the question that we need to ask ourselves ‘Is predictability and certainty an illusion that we manufacture in our minds?’ We are victims of our cognitive biases.

The funny thing is that many people are calling this COVID19 outbreak a ‘Black Swan’. There is no doubt that we live in a world we do not understand. It’s a complex world with large scale interconnectivity.

Intricate systems are opaque by their nature. Human beings are reason seeking beings, who keep

Concept design for Bambusha stands Illustrated by: Shivangi Parve and Naina Aggarwal

Illustrated by: Vaani Pujar hunting for causality, even where none exists. I am not trying to say that causality is an illusory phenomenon, but in intricate systems establishing a cause and effect relationship is impossible. Why? Because when the systems are complex it is difficult to decipher a single cause for an effect

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and more often than not there are way too many causes for a single phenomenon. Interconnectivity leads to multiple causes for an effect and to believe that all the causes can be deciphered is worse than day dreaming.

We don’t live in a world that crawls, this world is not a bell curve with thin tails. What we call as certain times helps build this illusion that whatever happens in this world happens within three standard deviations. If we look closely we will see that the tails of the bell curve are fat. What I am trying to say is that in a few rare events (that are not so rare because of globalization and interconnectivity) decide the course of this world.

The way the world markets have crashed obviously the credit goes to COVID19, but this virus outbreak is just the last straw that broke the camel’s back, financial markets do not tumble with this. Expensive financial markets are always ripe for a fall. They just look for an excuse and this time the excuse was corona virus. Historically Nifty trading above 25 P/E is expensive, mid-cap and large-cap stocks listed on Indian bourse were quite expensive in the middle of 2019 and we started year 2020 with very high Nifty P/E in historical terms,

Modern world gives lot of importance to planning, but planning is overrated.

Illustrated by: Vaani Pujar

so don’t blame the virus for the market collapse. We don’t need predictability to understand how the world functions. What we need to realize and accept is that the world we live in is full of complexities and just because when the going is easy without any jump that does not make the financial markets predictable. Calling mathematical and statistical models that exclude jumps in data aberration is worse than having no models to gauge the financial markets.

Modern world gives lot of importance to planning, but planning is overrated. There is overwhelming empirical evidence in terms of market forecasts and GDP numbers, growth rates etc. that the so called market pundits and economists whom we revere as experts are called experts in a domain where future is unpredictable. The track record in making forecasts is worse than terrible. But charlatans and fools trapped in sophistry keep falling for it since time and memorial.

Complex mathematical models used in financial markets to trade Options are good at giving you enough comfort to believe in the predictive powers of these models. But, crash of Long Term Capital Management (LTCM) in 1998 is one out of

many examples that proves that complexity and sophistry are the right ingredients to cook a disaster.

So, what is the solution? Some amount of basic planning is required that helps business function without laxity and helps in organization move towards their chosen destination.

“IknowthatIdon’tknow, but they don’t know that they don’t know and that’s my edge.”

- Seneca, the Younger But, more than planning what works is the ability to understand that every business decision should be made with the risks in mind.

The profitability should not be the first and the foremost in business planning. This advice seems naïve to those who do not understand that profits take care of themselves.

The famous Wall Street investor Warren Buffet earned his wealth by following the simple rule of thumb of keeping the upside and cutting the downside.

So, the kind of hyper planning that is prevalent in the modern

business world never works but, when businesses who indulge in lot of planning end up doing well either because of a stroke of luck or because they have some kind of economic moat that shields them from competition, analysists end up making the wrong conclusion that it’s the planning and execution of the plan that makes these businesses a success. The art of cutting the downside automatically helps in keeping the upside.

There are no absolutes in this world.

The hunt for precision is an illusion created by our minds and this desire leads to smoothening of data by ignoring jumps in data. But as discussed above about the jumps in the data i.e. rare events are not that rare and the tail of the bell curve is not really thin.

The world of Newtonian physics is about precision but quantum mechanics clearly establishes that the world is neither about precision nor about prediction and if physics can’t do that, then expecting predictability and precision in the world of business is as irrational as it can get.

Recreating Work Spaces Shraddha Dalmia, Shivangi Singhal

The future need for work spaces are undoubtedly going to change.

One such change is the need for social distancing and separations.

The Covid 19 pandemic has affected our routine and forced us to stay indoors. We decided to create a separation that enables social distancing while maintaining visual contact and at the same time give a sense of nature.

The separation or partition is made in the form of an ‘L’ in plan. This helps to create a distinction in space eliminating the need of doors. The partition is assembled using two different types of blocks. The first type is a compressed coir block which forms the opaque part of the partition. This also provides the base for plants to grow on the partition using the technique of hydroponics.

These blocks are sealed with linseed oil and clay plaster to prevent water leakage. The second type is a hollow block made with dried and layered palm leaves, it ensures the visual connection and provides space for personalisation.

Illustrated by: Shraddha Dalmia, Shivangi Singhal

Workplaces can be designed according to a more open plan to include more natural elements.

Illustrated by: Shraddha Dalmia, Shivangi Singhal

The partition is held together using rice paste as an adhesive. Thus, the alternative materials used also contribute to bringing nature indoors along with the plants.

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Swiping Left on Chivalry

Tinder is the only place where judging a book by its cover is actually encouraged.

Anoushka Seth

From mix-tapes to Spotify playlists, from love letters to heart emojis, are right swipes substituting for love at first sight?

it because of the way that they act.

Some say the men of the millennial generation have lost all capacity for chivalry.

It used to be that you’d go to a specific bar if you wanted to meet anyone of a certain stature. There would be a queue at the entrance, a doorman at the threshold and a bunch of beautiful people would be inside, all considered unique because they’d made it past the velvet cord. There’s an alternative to that now. With the advent of the smartphone, digital courtship blew up.

bandwagon and released Facebook Dating in 2018. Certain applications even cater to specific target audiences such as Minder which is much like Tinder but for Muslims.

Whatever the case, one can just look at how times have changed.

For example, in the years of postWWII America, men took off their hats around women, stood up from a table as a woman arrived and sat down when she sat down, and women were generally treated with more respect. Granted, women were still, for the most part, born into the life of a homemaker, but regardless, these years seem to be the “golden age” for chivalry.

Match and eHarmony laid the groundwork online decades ago, but the buzz rose after the introduction of the first iPhone in 2007: Grindr was formed two years later, Tinder in 2012 and Bumble in 2014. Strengthened by locationtracking, swiping, and omnipotent algorithms, these devices took the public onto online dating. Even Facebook jumped on the dating app

Tinder is the only place where judging a book by its cover is actually encouraged. Users see one to six pictures of a potential mate on their smartphones, and swipe right for yes, or left for no. It has, in part, expedited the dating process.

If two people match, they can begin messaging each other. The problem with it is that people (men) generally use it as a means for “hook ups”, or one-night stands.

There is nothing necessarily wrong with casual sex, provided it is had safely, but Tinder has become an avenue for men to throw all respect for women out of the window and

open the conversation with “Hey, wanna f***?”

“When I downloaded Tinder, the first message I ever got was ‘As a future doctor, I’m usually pretty busy but I’m sure I can get you pregnant by this afternoon’ and I was so repulsed that I instantly uninstalled it” explains Aastha Chaudhry (21 year-old student, New Delhi). What was previously “may I have you number?” is now sending inappropriate messages from behind a screen.

“Dating culture has evolved to a cycle of text messages, each one requiring the code-breaking skills of a cold war spy to interpret,” a 30-year-old woman tells the New York Times after she put on her favourite pair of skinny jeans for a date that never happened.

Internet, especially dating apps may have finally put chivalry to rest.

Illustrated by: Anoushka Seth According to the Times, rather than doing a dinner and a movie, most daters now instead exchange “phone texts, Facebook posts, instant messages.”

Emoticon flirting is the new first date.

Chivalry is a topic tossed around these days. Some say it is dead, some say it is not. Some say the women of the millennial generation do not deserve

From love letters to Instagram captions, from photo albums to Google Drive. Walking up to your girlfriend’s door and shaking hands with the father has now become a chiming notification which says “I’m here”. Has technology numbed our emotions? Is chivalry wangling a new connotation? But, if it really is dead, Tinder pulled the trigger.

Ticking of the Fashion Clock - Sass Brown Edited by - Shatabdi Bhowmik “Fashion has become now a part of a battleground, become part of a system - to alter, or to collapse the system, and the equities within it.” Sass Brown We live in a world of fast fashion. We buy an excess of clothing at an unbelievable prices. This at the stake of health of our eco – system, with unethical practices that have for long plagued the world and now at a pace that is impossible to cope with.

Sass Brown, Founding Dean of the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation, is an expert in the field of ethical fashion and has authored ‘Eco Fashion’ and ‘ReFashioned’. Penning down her reflection on fashion, she says, “You could even go, as far as saying, in some places, it’s actually breakdown of Government and of the capitalist system, and the way of doing business, and fashion has become now a part of that battleground, become part of that system, to alter, or to collapse the system, and the equities within it.”

“Fashion is a battleground” Janeil in Dress - H&M; Accessories - Forever 21; Concept, styling, shoot by: Jigyasa Sethi, Pawni Khanna, Shivang Shanker, Ujjaini Dutta For the full podcast – please scan the QR code.

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“Power to speaking out” Janeil in Sheer Dress - H&M; Bralette - Zara; Saree - Suta; Accessories - H&M Concept, styling, shoot by: Jigyasa Sethi, Pawni Khanna, Shivang Shanker, Ujjaini Dutta

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“Power to speaking out” Samriddhi in Midi Pleated Skirt - Zara; Black Jacket - Woodland; Bralette - Shein; Accessories - H&M; Boots - Forever 21 Janeil in Sheer Dress - H&M; Bralette - Zara; Saree - Suta; Accessries - H&M Concept, styling, shoot by: Jigyasa Sethi, Pawni Khanna, Shivang Shanker, Ujjaini Dutta

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The New Script Jigyasa in Red Dress - Forever 21 Concept, styling, shoot by: Jigyasa Sethi, Pawni Khanna, Shivang Shanker, Ujjaini Dutta

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“Fashion weeks, which used to be a stage for the designers to showcase their collection for the buyers, have now switched to people and media – making it more accessible.”

‘Fashion’ has found itself on this battleground for millennia – but now the systems themselves are being questioned. The last century saw the rise of consumerism – that is what the 20th century will be remembered for. At this juncture of history in the making, the transference has become a part of consciousness of humankind.

People have now begun to raise their voices against the rigid systems of fashion that the world follows. Media voices like Business of Fashion and Fashion Law have also started speaking out about the retail apocalypse, wholesale, and retail fashion bankruptcies, respectively. Fashion weeks, which used to be a stage for the designers

Netted Janeil in Accessories - H&M Concept, styling, shoot by: Jigyasa Sethi, Pawni Khanna, Shivang Shanker, Ujjaini Dutta

to showcase their collection for the buyers, have now switched to people and media – making it more accessible and not just the stuff of legends.

The fashion industry has played a major role regarding wet processing and microfibre, which has led to massive pollution problems and even affects the health of new born babies. This has become the major issue of today – brands have now come together to address this issue. Greta Thunberg’s speech, for example, at the UN Assembly got more column inches in the press than the potential impeachment of the US President. This coverage also got more eyeballs than the fashion weeks in Paris or London – it led the fashion industry to change its own stride. Brands like Dior, Burberry, H&M, Ecoalf, and Tonlé have adopted measures to reduce carbon footprint in the environment.

Along with brands like Chromat and Reincarnated Soles, Indian designer, Swati Kalsi, and Australian designer, Christine Mayer, implements ethical means of fashion to retain diversity, traditions, and heritage.

This change in the language of fashion is an important one. This voice of rebellion that fashion has always had – this voice is changing the landscape of the world too.

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‘Under My Umbrella‘ Illustrated by: Sabbah Sharma, Ishi Srivastava

Two Odd Knobs Sabbah Sharma, Ishi Srivastava

Multi-disciplinary artists from Mumbai, explore the real and the unreal to present two fascinating works of art

In the hustle and bustle of life, while humanity and conscious go amiss for a while, we the odd knobs lurk through the subconscious. A state of mind that stores and reflects, a state of mind that relates and impacts as well. The term “Twooddknobs” is coined from the core of unreality in real life.

about symmetry and arrangement.

It speaks about our aesthetics and take on real life.

The word “unreality” seen closely, actually rises from the core of thought and conditioning. A word with “Un” as a prefix and “reality” as suffix portrays the fact that even the surreal find a base in reality. As a metaphor “A door knob” speaks

But question remains the same, “Who asked for symmetry?”, “Why it is a go to?” “Why it is a mandate?”

A metaphor of door knob to real life perspective, the conscious of human brain seeks common factors in relationship, business, friendship, body shape and so on. Why can’t there be odds? Why can’t odds be common? Why does there have to be the same knobs to a door?

Hence, we are the two odd knobs, similar with our differences.

We have come together to find the common in the uncommon in our digital visual narratives and speak about the existence of surreal in real.

rational and irrational, a kind which has defined good and evil. But how it has started manifesting traps for its own. But the question is why these traps are “Mouse Traps” – well that word goes, they are tiny, little ignorant facts which causes the damage. Like how nose is not seen being the closest to eye, happiness is often overlooked in spite of being near. Needs and wants, aim and achievement, validation and attention takes away the joy of being human. The work mouse trap symbolizes to speak about the same.

Under My Umbrella The word ‘coincidental’ holds a great hidden value in this work. “And because of this, and because of that” are certain improve statements

are often the gateways for lot of problems and miseries. Descending from the reigns and impressions of great emperors, discoverers, innovators and philosophers, among others, we construct a translucent image of our past of which we are proud.

Our regrets, repentance and need to purge while in pain are a result of our own judgement, lack of assistance and compassion and the inability to feel valued.

of umbrella over the all-seeing Eye, stands of the protective aura we build around us, where neither judgement nor rationality can slip in. The aura that seals us from the pain outside, soon paves the way into isolation, isolation gives birth to regret, repent, disgrace and many such brethren of pain.

Thus it goes without saying that “Under my Umbrella” whatever it might have, is me, by me and of me and pertains only to me.

But reverting to the core, where does the pain emanate from?

The work ‘Under my Umbrella’ serves as a visual transcript for portraying that we grow our own pain, despite knowing that we can resolve it too. An extended shed

Mouse Trap Well, the nomenclature doesn’t aim to bring any disgrace to the persevering rodent. It, however, speaks highly about augmented vision that we have of us - the humans. A highly intelligent and engineered kind, with a sense of cerebral and cognitive skills. The kind that has the power to define

‘Mouse trap’ Illustrated by: Sabbah Sharma, Ishi Srivastava

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UNTIE CONTRIBUTORS Viveck Vaswani Dean, School of Contemporary Media, Pearl Academy Parmesh Shahani Vice President, Godrej Industries Ltd. Sruti Koluthungan Assistant Professor, Pearl Academy Neeraj Paul Head of Department, Pearl Academy Divya Nagar Associate Professor, Pearl Academy

Pearl Academy Student/ Alumni Contributors Dibyashree Mandhatta Kamya Gupta Maithilee Junankar Ritu Jain Shatabdi Bhowmik Sidhart Mujeeb Sohaya Gill Ujjaini Dutta Yashika Khatri

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Inclusion in the New World Viveck Vaswani Parmesh Shahni is a pixie. Ageless

The rebuilding has to come from us. From people who care. From students and teachers, bosses and employees, the dialogue must start. like Peter Pan. His enthusiasm for life is unbounded. Getting an interview with him for ALTR seemed a daunting task, but having known him over three decades I had access! He immediately agreed, but it would have to be over the phone, like old times. We got into a freewheeling conversation about his work, his life, life during COVID, life after COVID and I faithfully (mostly) transcribed. Here are some excerpts from the conversation…

On inclusivity and solidarity being the key values in the post COVID world.

“Yes of course, it goes without saying. I could not agree more. This crisis has shown us that the world, such as it is, is not sustainable.

Winston Churchill said, ‘never waste a good crisis’ and it should give us an opportunity to do better.

We need to get our act together, and fast. Unfortunately, what’s

In a post-pandemic world, we will have to work as one to overcome challenges.

Illustrated by: Maithilee Junankar

happening does not give us much hope. We saw what happened after the crash of 2008. The process of rehabilitation after that recession was just a precursor of what we will have to go through now.

Governments, Corporate bodies, Institutions as well as individuals must use this crisis to create inclusivity and solidarity. Handouts and bailouts will just not be enough!

Solidarity will be the urgent need at home, at schools, in the workplace, and everywhere. My philosophy has always been deep optimism accompanied by pragmatic decisions. Unfortunately, I fear, that post COVID, it may be business as usual for the government as well as for the corporate and for most industries. My book ‘Queeristan – LGBTQ inclusion in the Indian workplace’ imagines a Utopian world, a world where governments are supportive, where companies are sensitive… I am offering this idea of Queeristan as a redemptive

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Parmesh Shahani is the Vice President of Godrej Industries Ltd., Head of the Godrej India Culture Lab, which is an Award winning experimental ideas space, and is a passionate advocate for LGBTQ inclusion in the work space. His first book ‘Gay Bombay – Globalization, Love and (Be) longing In Contemporary India’ was published in 2008 and again in May 2020 in a special revised edition. His second book ‘Queeristan – LGBTQ Inclusion in Corporate India’ was released in August 2020.

Parmesh holds an MS in Comparative Media Studies from MIT. He is also a Yale World Fellow, a TED Senior Fellow, and an academy member of the Global Teacher Prize. He is presently a member of FICCI’s D7I task force and a board member of Khoj.

“Capitalism will have new paradigms because people are all connected.”

- Parmesh Shahani, in conversation with Viveck Vaswani Illustrated by: Maithilee Junankar

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force, as a unifying force, as a way of breaking through the binaries that are all around us, as an invitation to imagine alternate worlds. A world that will have to be, post COVID. The alternatives are too grim”.

On how the cultural and creative industries have been challenged by the COVID crisis. How can they rebuild themselves?

“Culture and Creativity all around the world have depended on patronage in various forms, as grants, sponsorships and the like.

The world has recognized the crucial importance and value of Culture and Creativity. Culture today is, and actually always has been, a tool of diplomacy, a tool of soft power. Joseph Nye, the renowned American political scientist always reiterated that cultural power is soft power of an immense value.

Speaking in the Indian context, look at the power of Indian cinema, Bollywood, Indian music all over the globe. But it needs serious support and patronage; from government, from industry, from corporate bodies, from rich individuals.

Unfortunately, India does not have major government funding or support for culture. There is no state sponsorship.

Culture has always been treated

as ‘non essential’, which is very unfortunate. We have heritage and that gets the bare minimum.

Culture has survived on patronage from the very rich, on CSR funds, and support from resolute groups or crazy people who form groups to support cultural endeavor. Post COVID, maybe even these sources of support may dry up.

Obviously this would be disastrous.

Even before COVID, culture in India was under served. Post COVID, we may see corporate money shifting away, we may see it diverted to what will be perceived as ‘essential’ and that would be unfortunate. We must use this crisis to create many more cultural centers. Post COVID, no matter what happens, and no matter what the cost, the UK government is not going to stop funding or supporting British Councils all over the world. Because it’s the British Council centers all over the world that will help the UK to understand and assimilate the future, globally!

Also, in the new normal, the consumer is going to be smart with every rupee he spends. He will have to. For example, soap is soap.

But when I know that purchasing Godrej soap is going to see a part of my purchase price going into something of value, cultural value, then, if I support value, I will buy that

soap. Companies that are cutting CRS are being short sighted; they’re shooting themselves in the foot.

This disdain could cost us plenty.

The rebuilding has to come from us. From people who care. From students and teachers, bosses and employees, the dialogue must start”.

On how culture and creativity can create a much needed space for conversations that create hope and energize the world with positive energy.

“Powerful story telling. That’s the start. You, Viveck, are a story teller.

You have to tell powerful stories to your audiences, to your students.

Just like I do with my books, my corporate conversations, my workshops and seminars. But you have to back the story telling with facts. With data. With numbers.

Unarguable facts. Let me tell you a secret. Being inclusive can make you lots and lots and lots of money.

I’ll give you some numbers.

Let us start with $5 trillion. You heard right. In 2018, the global spending power of LGBTQ consumers was this figure according to a report by Price Waterhouse Coopers. Here’s another number for you. $200 Billion! This is the size of India’s queer economy. Out

Now Consulting, a lesbian and gay marketing specialist estimated India’s LGBTQ population at 6%.

At 6% of the GDP, that’s the figure.

So who would not want a piece of this pie? And even if you were homophobic, it would still make shrewd business sense, wouldn’t it? I have arguments like this in my book too. I talk to CII, FICCI, big rooms, 95% men who are stolid, more than 50 years old, and the numbers are a big wake up call.

This is not abstract. I ask them, ‘what kind of world are you living in, if you do not know the reality?’

And yes, if you are not living in the new reality, if you are not going to be inclusive, if you are living a fake life, if you are not going to use culture and creativity as tools to start conversations, if you are going to put your head in the sand, you have no right to exist!! So, the stories backed by facts and data will create that much needed space for conversations on inclusivity!

It’s going to very much be about personalization!”

On how the corporate structure can learn from the culture sector in this time.

“Corporate bodies may not realize it now, but to survive they have to come down from their ivory towers.

They have to put their antennas up and keep them up all the time.

They have to add more, much more, to their cultural portfolios and not just because it’s the ‘CRS’ thing to do. Culture is an important tool of business that they will have to tap into. It’s a barometer of what people want and their behavioral patterns.

It’s going to be essential for survival.

It’s not going to only be about profits, it’s going to be about people.

Capitalism will have new paradigms because people are all connected.

Matthew Bishop, former Editor of the Economist said Philantro – Capitalism will have to be the new normal. Do companies understand the new normal or not? You’re not going to get a medal for hiring a transgender person; you’re going to get value for money. You do not need more overpaid and stolid MBA’s.

Their theoretical and generic knowledge is not going to help in today’s new grim ambiguous reality.

You need more people from cultural backgrounds. People who study literature, art, design, anthropology, people who specialize in gender studies, in women’s studies. There is no right or wrong. You need people who understand and can assimilate the ambiguous. Businesses need this understanding of ambiguity.

These people cost less. They save you money. They think different.

They can do ‘jugaad’. They are survivors and they bring this to the table. So companies have to up their hiring of cultural people, of including the different, and celebrate the differences. LGBTQ hiring is actually very profitable”.

(We could have talked much more; about films, television and art, etc. But we were running out of time, and we did not want to dilute the importance of this conversation. So we called it a day, but only for the time being. There will be many more conversations with Parmesh to share with everyone).

“Corporate bodies may not realize it now, but to survive they have to come down from their ivory towers. They have to put their antennas up and keep them up all the time. They have to add more, much more to their cultural portfolios.”

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Busy Doing Nothing Yashika Khatri

Boredom has acquired a new meaning, since the world went into a lockdown because of COVID 19. But is it such a bad thing?

2020 has truly been a lesson - and a realisation that the internet and technology have been small mercies we could have during a lockdown. The lock down has been boring but even at the basic level, one can go from reading a book to watching Netflix to Spotify in a matter of seconds. It’s termed in a negative way, where you realise being bored is a tough space to be in. Isaac Newton used the social distancing time of the Great Plague in 1665 to do scientific research on calculus and gravity. Now that there are exponentially more cases of boredom in the world - isn’t it time to understand it, and to observe it more closely?

take you away from your true calling.

Any experience comes from what you see, hear, and notice from an outside perspective. Eventually this feeling transforms into a feeling of achievement - pure desire to be something, to do something in life.

A fantasy how what life should be, immersing yourself in becoming someone else or doing what everyone is doing can make you lose yourself,

Illustrated by: Sohaya Gill

It’s the restlessness of boredom which is tough to deal with. It’s about what you do when left to your own devices, when you have to make something out of nothing. Studies have shown that children tend to get more imaginative when they are allowed to be bored at a young age, rather than giving them constant stimuli. It’s a more organic expression of who they are, because they’re left to create something with what they have, or don’t have, around them.

Boredom is informative: it tells us something both about the world and about ourselves. While bored, our situation is disclosed to us as unfulfilling, uninteresting, unchallenging, or non-stimulating.

On account of this, It also informs us of our own goals, interests, and even self-perceived wellbeing. Being bored means that we are currently engaged not only in an uninteresting or unchallenging situation, but also in a situation that fails to meet our

expectations and desires. It is a state that is about ourselves as much as it is about the world.

Your state of mind, space and attitude becomes your friend here. Leading to redefine yourself, relationships and the things that you hold dear to your heart. In a global pandemic which has pushed to go dive and reflect on our actions, it has also led us to be mindful of what we have and need.

When left to our own devices, we set an invisible bubble. This bubble gives us power our physical being and feelings. It helps us understand what we want and need. What drives us, motivates us? We need stimulus and gratification from everything and anything. We can be our most vulnerable. Which means that we are growing, evolving.

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Model: Gurkirat Gill Make Up by: Riya Chikkara and Gayatri Sekhri “A plastic trap” Concept, styling and shoot by: Kamya Gupta

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Model: Gulbahar Kaur Concept and Shoot by: Kamya Gupta Make Up by: Riya Chikkara and Gayatri Sekhri

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Digital Transformation in Business Post COVID Neeraj Paul Digital transformation is the incorporation of emerging technologies into all aspects of industry be it Fashion, Design or Media, radically transforming how companies work and bringing quality service to consumers. It is also a behavioural transition that allows organisations to constantly criticise the state of affairs, innovate and be confident with disappointment.

Technological advancements and how people utilize them in their everyday lives, jobs and culture have transformed the landscape of industry and will tend to do so. Businesses regularly invest in infrastructure, and so frequently assume like they are receiving predictable outcomes. Digital technology’s goal is not only to simplify operations but also to unlock different forms of doing business.

Every organisation needs the technologies that it utilises to optimise

Several businesses may be adversely impacted by incidents related to the Covid-19 crisis, however it provides an incentive to put more focus on Digital Change. its market. In certain instances, these technologies do a lot quicker and decent work than humans to perceive trends, do protocol-based research from a very vast amount of information, and solve formal and unorganised problems. Market structures and whole sectors can be changed.

How digital transformation changed the global business?

Particularly in an interconnected environment, it requires time, energy and determination to get significant breakthrough results from modern technologies. The overarching aim of digital transformation is to boost the competitiveness and ingenuity (decision taking, collaboration, progress and growth) of individuals and companies. Digital technology makes it easier for companies to meet customer demands far more rapidly

than they used to, allowing greater rates of cooperation to exchange knowledge even quicker.

Through advanced information and communication technology (ICT) like smart phones, online and cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI) etc, there would be further technological progress and performance in the industries, which will give them access to information and assets reservoirs in and around their walls.

Post – lockdown and digital transformation Nowadays, no company is big or small, each operating in a new, physical environment that provides equal competition on the ground.

Companies should begin to look at business analytics and use social networking to drive information to

their clients. The aim is to remain agile, no matter how large or small the company is.

The COVID-19 situation is an extraordinary one and has taken the entire planet by shock. The pandemic that threatens a significant part of the planet is bringing about a huge shift in our everyday lives. All over the economy and industries, these shifts are reverberating.

The biggest obstacle for the world economy as a whole was to preserve economic stability in the face of the lockdown, societal isolation among other obstacles. Although certain companies were well prepared some were momentarily frustrated but ultimately tackled - the others grumbled and resigned to the scenario, hoping for it to come to an end.

While it is anticipated that several businesses may be adversely impacted by such incidents, it also provides an incentive to put more focus on Digital Change, ensuring that the same organisations are equipped to boomerang out on the other side more competent than ever. When people work from home, they contend with ever-changing supply chains, increasing competition for a wide variety of historically stagnant goods, and the growing

need for refurbishment – now is the time to step up initiatives to digitise production, with the end aim of generating more, reducing prices, and motivating industry staff to do their job more efficiently.

When will this pandemic end is not yet understood by anyone, though, there are certain tenets of digital transformation that need to be implemented into the whole Digital strategy - to make sure better preparedness post-lockdown and for the future: Online collaboration tools: Organisations need to define, assess and provide the best combination of electronic networking resources for both staff and collaborators to be able to function remotely.

Although major companies like Google, Microsoft, Cisco, etc are obviously industry leaders, there are still a number of smaller players working in this area. Option and quality explicitly rely on the available budgets. However, due consideration should be given to protection and scalability prior to the purchasing of the subscription. At least keeping a minimum number of licenses can form a contractual partnership with such companies – the same may be applied if appropriate.

Revamp sales channels strategy: COVID-19 lockdown and social distancing have also modified

customer-purchasing habits and could have a longer-term effect on them. Although some can remain in the same style for a while, some might want to go back to regular. The online channel, which has so far been a discretionary channel for brickand-mortar industries, will be one of the compulsory networks in the long term. Needless to mention, this region would take a well-crafted technology strategy and expenditure.

Agile Business Continuity Plan (BCP): Many companies have a BCP Manual that is over a hundred pages long which proven to be unsuccessful in the sense of the COVID-19 crisis scenario. There is a need, therefore, for an Agile BCP to be triggered with minimal turmoil, and in no time.

Instead of half-yearly and annual BCP exercises, allowance would be made for the same actual exercise to be carried out on a monthly basis by mandating ‘Work from home.’ In reality, several businesses have even begun to talk of adopting ‘Work from home’ indefinitely as part of their company strategy.

Hybrid Cloud strategy: Organisations still struggling with the concept of transitioning to the cloud have to speed up initiative in this field after the disaster. The appropriate starting point might be to set up a BCP/DR web platform that could be routinely

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checked as part of daily exercises.

The challenge is to make digital transition a digital critically important for businesses. Digital transition is a wide-open environment, offering CEOs enough leeway to act. However, the CEO and senior management will create a strategy to communicate with the team, establish a path chart and contribute to it, and finally put the company together with tangible goals and opportunities to accomplish them. Business innovation has to start from the centre.

Companies will take incremental measures, by pilots and skunk works, and trust in those that operate.

Corporate leadership has to change the path map on the basis of these smaller initiatives and to refresh the visual roadmap while these smaller projects improve the roadmap.

Executives and staff deserve a simple incentive for rendering digital change a priority.

It is important that all type of business use the above-mentioned strategies for them to rise after the lockdown period and should also remain prepared for the future, since what may happen in the future no one knows.

As it is aptly said, “Preparation is better than cure”.

‘Ultimate Anathema’ Illustrated by: Dibyashree Mandhatta

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The Race to Retail Sruti Koluthungan Ever since the new normal has hit the world, retailers are rethinking their business strategies. Normally, at the beginning of every financial year, brands start with a preestablished list of functions including new store openings, rebranding, renovating old stores etc. Now, with a sudden shift in the scene, brands are faced with a new set of business problems that need to be tackled with urgency.

Some of the key issues are revenue imbalance, order cancellations, a need based approach towards inventory and to top it all cope with a 180 degrees change in customer behaviour that impacts buying patterns.

Long term goal setting and planning has been put on the back burner.

The effort and focus has shifted to

What does the impact of an almost year-long lockdown and the massive shift to online mean for the retail businesses. optimising the available resources to prepare for rapidly changing market conditions. While this sounds bleak, retailers are aware that eventually consumers will go back to shopping in an all new format. To continue being customer-centric, retailers will need to adapt to the upcoming changes. As per market experts, while some retailers are already going back to their drawing boards to conjure up brand new strategies, others are mixing up the old and the new methods.

Unfortunately, there are also a third lot of brands who have been forced to shut shop forever.

Tailored Brands (Houston, Texas), owner of Men’s Warehouse, announced it may have to terminate operations or consider bankruptcy protection due to consequences

of the COVID-19 pandemic, Retail Dive reports.

Today the customer’s feelings towards shopping is one of fear and paranoia. Customers are hesitating to enter stores and even if they do, the average time spent within the store has decreased. So what are brands doing to address these concerns? Here is an overview of measures taken by brands across the world: -Stores use floor stickers as directional signage and to enable social distancing during shopping and billing.

-The number of fixtures on the floor have been reduced to increase the walkway space.

-Brands are keeping their window displays refreshed with relevant welcome messages, positive quotes and information about the brands

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There is an increased usage of shelf talkers and tabletops that contain detailed product information to make up for the shortage in staff, who under normal circumstances handle customer queries.

First look inside Primark with fewer tills, no testers and new contactless returns- Stores have changed their approach towards product merchandising by placing essentials closer to the entrance. This has resulted in an increase in footfalls.

Store employees need to contribute not just for shopping assistance but also reassure customers that they are safe inside the store. The stores train and ensure that staff are frequently checked for temperature, sanitization, wearing of the right gear like masks, gloves etc.

online presence. Several consumers have started to now navigate towards shopping online.

Brands are repositioning themselves as being socially conscious towards the current global scenario. For example, using trending hashtags like #aworldofhearts on window displays to promote unity and love. To keep stores free of infections, brands like H&M have increased the frequency of their cleaning and hygiene routines. Disinfectant dispensers have been placed at the entrance and other key locations to constantly ensure and reassure safety.

Plexis/acrylic have been added at the billing counters to avoid contact with the cash desk. Brands like Marks & Spencer have closed categories like innerwear and kids wear as a precautionary measure.

Even in retail, social distancing is now the new norm. Image: Unsplash.com

Brands have also opened out options like self-checkout, order and collect counters, etc to decrease the time spent in queues at the time of billing. Certain retailers like jewellery and auto brands only allow appointment based shopping.

While brands like Primark, Vera Moda, Topshop have already integrated these changes seamlessly in their stores, almost all brands are working on more sustainable and profitable plans for the future.

There’s real opportunity in using this moment of pause to take stock of your brand and retail experience by asking questions like “What are the right moves to make now for the current state our customers are living in?” and “How can we clarify our offering to be consumers’ go-to when they re-emerge?”

Lynn Gonsior, COO, ChangeUP and Bill Chidley, Insights & Strategy Lead, ChangeUp (March 31, 2020) Another key variable is the change in mindset of human beings.

Accordingly buying patterns and the spending culture has changed.

With the market taking a hit and the economy impacting financial stability for individuals, customers are focused on buying only essentials.

Also, this pause by the pandemic has pushed everybody to rethink their ways of life. A lot of introspection has led to individuals now being a lot more determined to make lifestyle choices that will not impact the environment. As a result, customers expect brands to show more transparency in the manufacturing process and increased focus on sustainability efforts. The customer’s loyalty towards a brand will not just be determined by what the brand has done during the pandemic but also

what their future plans have to offer.

Technology like AR, VR, RFID and AI has always been a part of the retail world in moderation.

But going forward all retailers will need to accept technology as need of the hour and not just as a gimmick. Market experts predict that an increased use of technology will help make the shopping experience more amicable to suit the change in scene. A good example of this is how Macy’s use AR/VR in their cosmetics category for customers to check a shade on themselves without actually using the product.

Countries are now beginning to reopen their economies, and companies and people are gradually returning to work. But fashion won’t—and shouldn’t—return to what it was. The behaviors, preferences, and shifts in mindset that people have adopted during the pandemic will lead to permanent changes, including bifurcated spending, accelerated adoption of e-commerce, and increased demand for purpose-driven brands and sustainable fashion.

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Luxury Minimalism Divya Nagar Luxury Minimalism might sound a misnomer to many. However, this is the new reality in the world of luxury today. There are many consumers who are choosing to be minimalists’ consumers without forgoing their luxury lifestyle. What could have led to this transformation is the question. To understand this we need to dig deeper and first decipher what is minimalism.

Minimalism is a philosophy, a lifestyle, an art expression an architectural design where less is gauged as more. There are many spheres and aspects of life where minimalism has been adopted. It’s not a new trend and was embraced at different point of times in history.

In a book Titled ‘The Longing for Less – Living with Minimalism’ the author Kyle Chayka writes, “ In Architecture, Minimalism has roots in Japan where there’s a real interest in very refined textures and creating experiences with light and shadow – an architecture of ephemerality that modernism doesn’t really have.”

She further adds “In a time right

Illustrated by: Sidhart Mujeeb

The new reality is that we have people who embrace minimalism as a fad and then, those who have a minimalist bent of mind.

after World War II minimalism was a popular aesthetic because it’s a perfect utopian style that everyone can access.”

The essence of minimalism lies in its meaning and how it has a positive bearing on ones well-being. It’s an enriching life where you have limited possessions and are able to use them adequately and thus feel more fulfilled. However, these possessions are not indicative of owning few and cheaper products. You may choose to buy and have luxurious products but the bottom line is that you don’t amass products, possessions etc. Kyle Chayka, further comments, “The problem with luxury minimalism today is that the style is associated with moral purity and outsiderness but it’s being adopted by the most insider people possible—wealthy women and tech billionaires. The style of minimalism is a reality that’s not very minimal at all.”

Consequently, the New Reality is that we have people who embrace

minimalism as a fad and those who have a minimalist bent of mind. They are influenced by several factors. Firstly, this set of consumers has reached a point where they have consumed to the hilt and now have aversion to over consumption. Choosing minimalism is thus in response to consumer fatigue. Secondly, and in extension to the first point, some consumers consciously choose uncluttered living. Adopting minimalism, owning less possessions, being organised begets joy: they are now more cautious and aware of their lifestyle choices and choose a balanced, holistic and fulfilling life. Thirdly, this evolution is in response to aversion to logo mania. No longer does display of logo signal wealth as the way it once did. Luxury is slowly heading towards inconspicuous consumption.

Lastly, it’s the advent of the sharing economy. We are moving towards an era of access where ownership is no longer necessary to enjoy the worldly goods. Marie Kondo, a

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Japanese author, has commented voraciously on minimalist and ecological movements and a world without ownership where ownership is no longer a maker of identity.

Focusing on the world of luxury brands, Gucci is a good example to study with respect to luxury minimalism. Gucci’s rate of growth has been falling back to earth, and the market’s preference for maximalism is turning back toward minimalism. In an article, Marc Bain - a fashion reporter - stated that, “Gucci is turning down the volume on its famously loud look”. The change is helping Gucci position itself for more growth still to come.

Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault also corroborated these statements by commenting that the designs are taking new directions, “They are less baroque, more minimal than it used to be”.

To conclude, in an era of increasing consumer consciousness an age old philosophy of minimalism is being increasingly adopted by many. This is a new reality that has the potential to shape the world for the better if consumers/ adopters of minimalism truly understand the essence of this philosophy and not just another trend that brands like Gucci adopt in their design direction for the season’s collection.

We are moving towards an era of access where ownership is no longer necessary to enjoy worldly goods.

Illustrated by: Sidhart Mujeeb

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Swimming Against the Tide Ujjaini Dutta

“That’s too mainstream!”

If you’ve heard or used this phrase in your digital life span, you have been exposed to monoculture.

Monoculture basically thrives on the homogeneous nature of the Internet. It’s surprising that the diverse nature of the Internet actually became the breeding spot for monoculture.

While many digital platforms were once designed to broaden our horizons, giving us information and granting access to everything and anything, experts believe it has become a highly repetitive and restrictive tool, i.e. the development of digital monoculture - a single mainstream culture in every field that surfaces to the visibility level while the other diversified content is submerged and lost in the algorithm.

We are no longer restricted by being uniform.

Illustrated by: Shatabdi Bhowmik

Too long our world has dealt with Monoculture as a phenomenon, in cinema, music and even in our shopping experiences.

But this ‘one-size-fits-all’ phenomena istheir individuality rather than following the herd.

The diverse nature of personalities of human in real life hardly ever is represented in the digital world to it’s fullest, due to the same. In reality, all of us are so unique and every person you turn to has some idiosyncratic factor to contribute but in virtuality this diverse nature would be swept under the carpet.

Even though a large chunk of the digital world have argued that having a shared this mainstream culture gives us a communal sense of belonging together, sharing concerns and values at a time when politics, ethnicity and religion often divide us, but for how long do we keep talking about the same things, only what we see at the tip of the iceberg?

Cyber-utopians looked at the downside of this kind of cultural unity and offered something else:

a more diverse digital culture instead of a handful of options that surface to the top, that every bit of niche culture would find its audience, and the idea of the mainstream — all that prescribed “trending” things everyone was expected to like — would wither away. An eclectic digital paradise is inevitable and fast approaching.

Why listen to tired Top 10 Hits and watch the same old sitcoms when K-pop, Nordic metal, comedic offerings on different streaming platforms and infinite indie everything would be available around the clock, to anyone with an Internet connection?

The downfall is here.

With us spending more time nurturing our newfangled relationship with the virtual world now, all of the Poptimists are being

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set free from the reigns of what’s popular to what actually caters to their niche taste.

Apart from just music, movies and other generic trending fields of entertainment, monoculture also played a major role in consumerism behaviour.

With us spending more time nurturing our newfangled relationship with the virtual world now, all of the Poptimists are being set free from the reigns of what’s popular to what actually caters to their niche taste.

Anushka Sani, the founder of Thought Over Design, introduced her project titled “F*** The Monoculture” as a spoken word poem and stated that consumers are using the internet to find a space of commonality in which we behave, act and express ourselves in similar ways, even though we are unique at the IAM Weekend 2020 show.

She believes that we need to find new language, aesthetics and actions to embrace our distinct individuality online.

Ted Hunt, a critical designer and speaker at the same IAM Weekend 2020 Show also voiced his opinion and belief that the hegemony of Google Search is feeding an online monoculture by condensing our universal knowledge. Ted Hunt crowdsourced an alternative ‘ This’, a suggested new search

Diversified culture is a way of celebrating the uniqueness we all have.

Illustrated by: Ritu Jain

engine prototype with multiple algorithms to collectively imagine an internet with diversified outcomes.

This search engine prototype is rooted in different types of information which include a search engine based on grief, history and even another point of view – such as gender, age, culture and language.

Ted Hunt imagined a more diversified, personalised and humanised search engine whose algorithm doesn’t depend on the clicks but the humanised side of it.

Hunt believes that by exploring the internet through new perspectives, we can expand our consciousness and disrupt our linear way of thinking i.e. break the perilous cycle of monoculture.

The tide’s changing now. The internet is welcoming the diversified cultures and the users are widening their horizons instead of just going for what’s mainstream.

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Shaping Young Minds with AI Shubho Sengupta

Does the lockdown and the shift to virtual reality herald a new age of education technology? There is a brighter side of edutech brought on by the lockdown.

Countries across the world are making efforts to be part of the AI-led digital economy, which is estimated to contribute around $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030. India, with its “AI for All” strategy, a vast pool of AI-trained workforce and an emerging startup ecosystem, has a unique opportunity to be a major contributor to AI-driven solutions that can revolutionise healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, education and skilling.

upon the rapid adoption and penetration of edutech brought on by the lockdown amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Artificial Intelligence has been remodelling various nationbuilding sectors and education is no exception. In one of the most insightful sessions at RAISE2020 (Responsible AI for Social Empowerment, organised by the Ministry of Electronics and IT and NitiAayog), ‘Shaping young minds with AI’, the speakers deliberated

Illustrated by: Nina Mazumder

In fact, India has a large young population that is skilled and eager to adopt AI. The country has been ranked second on the Stanford AI Vibrancy Index primarily on account of its large AI-trained workforce. Our leading technology institutes like the IITs, IIITs and NITs have the potential to be the cradle of AI researchers and startups. India’s startups are innovating and developing solutions with AI across education, health, financial services and other domains to solve societal problems.

As a keynote speaker pointed out, “People don’t learn by listening, they learn by doing, but the problem with our education system is that it’s dominated by tests and we teach for

the tests. We need to change this practice.”

This also allows students to have more flexibility in the way they are receiving the education. AI takes away some amount of time limitations that our current education systems have. The individual attention that each student can get according to their needs is also an important factor in this. This especially helps special needs students, or students with physical needs who cannot travel to traditional schools.

This also makes space for a more versatile mentorship programs for students who have a potential to outshine. If there is a virtual space of education for our students, then virtual mentorship also can take the same platform. Then the student or the mentor is not

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………………………………………………………………………………

Here are four ways AI is changing education:

1.

Simplifying Administrative Tasks

For example, educators spend a lot of time on grading exams, assessing homework, and providing valuable responses to their students. But technology can be used to automate the grading tasks where multiple tests are involved. This means that professors would have more time with their students rather than spending long hours grading them.

2.

Smart Content

For example, AI systems are using traditional syllabuses to create customised textbooks for certain subjects. As a result, textbooks are being digitised, and new learning interfaces are being created to help students of all academic backgrounds.

Education and pedagogy is heavily dependent on the changes in technology. AI is going to have a massive impact sooner than later.

Illustrated by: Nina Mazumder

3.

Personalised Learning

Through AI-powered apps, students get targetted and customised responses from their teachers.

Teachers can condense lessons into smart study guides and flashcards.

They can also teach students depending on the challenges they face in studying class materials.

4.

Global Learning

Education has no limits, and AI can help to eliminate boundaries.

Technology brings drastic transitions by facilitating the learning of any course from anywhere across the globe and at any time.

bound by geographical or physical restrictions. Imagine a student studying physics in Madhya Pradesh who can be mentored by a scientist at NASA! Of course there are limitations to this as well. One cannot deny that a face to face pedagogical style gives the opportunity to teachers to have a human touch – this gives them the opportunity to identify strengths and weaknesses of a pupil. This is because of a great amount of engagement that cannot be fulfilled

by AI. Sometimes students also miss out on getting good teachers because of the same reason – virtual mentorship can only take a student teacher relationship so far.

There has been a long standing argument about the ‘irreplaceability’ of teachers. AI does not challenge that. It makes the work of teachers and mentors across the world a bit easier. AI aids in the holistic development of students and teachers alike – making the education sphere a lot more inclusive and progressive than ever before.

SHIFT CONTRIBUTORS

Shubho Sengupta Digital Marketer, Brand Consultant – Govt of India, Start Up Co-founder Head of content - mygov.in Susmita Mukherjee Assistant Professor, Pearl Academy Pearl Academy Student/Alumni Contributors Anoushka Seth Jigyasa Sethi Nina Mazumder Pawni Khanna Ritu Jain Sanaya Dutt Sidharth Mujeeb Sohaya Gill Ujjaini Dutta

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Architecture of Happiness Pawni Khanna Winston Churchil once said, “We shape our buildings and afterwards our buildings shape us”.

Now imagine being in an open space with large windows, high ceilings and natural light flooding in. On the flip side, picture yourself sitting in a low, dark and stuffy room.

Which one sounds more conducive to productivity and happiness?

More than 70 years on, Churchill he would without a doubt be pleased to learn that neuroscientists and psychologists have found plenty of evidence to back him up.

Avantika Dixit, 49, Architectural psychologist, New Delhi, explains, “The architectural design of any space has the ability to affect and influence our emotions and perceptions through factors such as space, light, and geometry, right down to the very materials that are used in its construction.”

“It is not just an instinctive feeling; scientific research has shown that certain specialised cells in the

Illustrated by: Ritu Jain

Spacious condos cramped apartments - shaping us brick by brick! hippocampal region of our brains are attuned to the geometry and arrangement of the spaces we inhabit”, she added.

We spend 80–90% of our lives indoors, surrounded by forms, artificial light, colors, furniture, and soundscapes. Studies have shown that architecture affects our thinking, our cognitive abilities, our mental and physical well-being, and our emotions.

It turns out ‘sunny disposition’ is more than just an expression.

Natural light is one such element that can make a world of difference when it comes to your emotions.

When questioned Dixit replied “a space with ample natural light has been tied to better exercise, increased sleep and a general improved sense of wellbeing.

Sunlight helps your body regulate melatonin, a hormone that improves the regularity of our body’s circadian rhythms. This allows one to sleep better and longer. Sunlight also boosts serotonin production,

helping an individual handle mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety by increasing what is commonly called one’s ‘happy hormones’.

Suffering from sleepless nights? Try to stick to traditionally light and dark cycles, getting sunlight during the day so you can catch some zzz’s at night!

Researchers at Brigham Young University have also found more mental health distress in people during seasons with little sun exposure. On the contrary, days with plenty of sunshine were associated with better mental health — in fact, the availability of sunshine has more impact on mood than rainfall, temperature, or any other environmental factor. Getting some sun increases your serotonin and helps you stave off Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and sun exposure can also help people with anxiety and depression, especially in combination with other treatments.

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build up high levels of moisture, odors, gases, dust, and other air pollutants. A healthy design recognizes the need for fresh air through ventilation. People tend to be healthier and more productive with heightened performance in terms of speed, with higher levels of attention and concentration with ample natural light and ventilation.

Spaces matter greatly and the interior of a building should be constructed in a way that uses space to its advantage. Even something as insignificant as ceiling height for a common man plays a part in stimulating certain feelings.

Higher ceilings, such as those in art galleries, museums and libraries may foster free, abstract thought processes, while lower ceilings allow for a more specific, focused view of things. In places such as operating rooms, it makes sense from a design perspective to have lower ceilings where things require the utmost of attention.

Space impacts your myriad moods.

Illustrated by: Sohaya Gill A breath of fresh air is a simple pleasure we all appreciate and there is no reason why we should not be able to enjoy free-flowing air indoors too.

Like the lungs, our homes and work spaces too need to be able to breathe to make sure that fresh air comes in and dirty air goes out. Air indoors can

The outside of a building plays a part in affecting emotional responses just as the interior of a building. How a building looks can have a psychological impact even at a basic level; if something looks good, it will likely make us happy.

So, if you feel your architecture might fall into the mood-dampener rather than booster category, it might be time to re-evaluate how you’re using your space!

The Lost Voices: Enabling Equal Opportunities Susmita Mukherjee

While the world was coming to terms with the impact of the global pandemic, nearly 43 lakh students across 10 Indian states were coming to terms that the world’s new normal was pretty much the same, exclusive. These students are differently-abled and their everyday struggles include inability to express how they feel. In the wake of the pandemic, their voices were all but lost.

Swabhiman, a Disability Legislation Unit of Eastern India and partner of Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR) working for the rights of disabled people, children in particular, has conducted two surveys in India during the lockdown. These reports were released in July 2020.

In the aftermath of a global pandemic, we can aspire to change the earlier normal – the limiting and frustrating lives of the differently-abled – and strive to make education more inclusive. And each one of us has an important part to play.

According to Dr Sruti Mohapatra, Founder of Swabhiman, “An underlying reality was that children from government schools belonged to poor families, and a large proportion of them were not users or owners of smartphones which are being used for online education. A total of the survey conducted, taking about 10 states of India and Odisha we found that 43 per cent of the children (out of one crore) will be dropping out of schools.”

India had 20 lakh deaf children in school in 2018. Deepesh Nair, CoFounder of TEACH Mumbai, told India Today Education in a 2018 interview, “In India, for 20 lakh deaf children, there are only 250-300 interpreters available - that’s the official count we are aware. There is

a need of training and developing resources and sensitising the hearing community towards the social issues prevailing in the nonhearing community.”

In the absence of acceptance of the Indian Sign Language nationally, uniform growth and opportunities have been difficult to provide. “Most students are not encouraged to take mainstream higher education instead are asked to take up any vocational jobs training and get a job. This is because some schools and social workers believe these students won’t be able to do higher education because they lack language and numerical skills,” Nair further explained to the national magazine.

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“We are one” Illustrated by: Sohaya Gill

The alphabet in the sign language Illustrations | Sohaya Gill

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While the national lockdown spelt doom on the bleak situation for the deaf population in India, an interpreter from Kerala, Vinaychandran B S, has been able to start ISL courses in association with the WHO. Addressing the key questions that the deaf community have, Introduction to COVID-19 in Indian Sign Language, by the WHO offers clarity and authentic information that is so easily accessible to the non-deaf. “As a sign language interpreter, I am putting in my best to give accessible information to the deaf community through Sign Language. In a pandemic, information saves lives and it is critical for Indians to have access to essential government communication so they understand how their actions will affect themselves and others. This is especially important in India which has a deaf population of 1.8 million and uses ISL as a medium of communication,” Vinaychandran told reporters in his email.

He also wrote, “The deaf population is completely isolated during this pandemic and I am confident this will help address that. We wanted the entire info relating to COVID-19 to be available in one place in an accessible format for deaf people.

There’s a lot of misinformation about the pandemic like eating garlic paste as prevention, etc, that need to be addressed because hearing impaired people face maximum risk”.

Vinaychandran is now working with a team of Indian Sign Language interpreters to curate more courses from the WHO as a continued support for the deaf population in India.

The deaf community has a lot to offer for India and their potential has been consistently undermined for the lack of resources. Rupmani Chettri, India’s first differently-abled UN volunteer and a frontrunner for deaf rights in India, says that sympathy for the deaf is not going to help. “deaf students in India need to feel empowered. They need to know that people around them believe in them too. They can achieve anything and need to remove the ‘im’ from impossible,” she signed. “Sympathy is pretty useless,” emphasises the executive member of the National Association of the deaf.

Rupmani grew up as the eldest sibling of three in Darjeeling and was repeatedly beaten up by parents as well as teachers for not being able to talk. She started working as a child labourer at 10,

after dropping out of school, to earn her living and ensure that her parents would not abandon her.

“My parents tried everything – from taking me to babas to beating me up to make me talk”.

“I am not one-off case. People need to understand that this is the reality for most deaf people. Our parents and the society we live in does not accept disability,” she signed. “My parents tried everything – from taking me to babas to beating me up to make me talk. It was only after my younger non-deaf siblings were born that they lost interest in me and focussed on them. I was then forced to stay at home, school was of no help, to cook and clean and look after my siblings. I finally came to Delhi with my boyfriend, also deaf. He turned abusive and I had to get a divorce. I found little support in Delhi, in Darjeeling I did not even have that. This is not just my story, this is how the life of deaf people in India is.”

In order to herald an inclusive new normal, more attention needs to be paid to learning and practice of the

Indian Sign Language. The official national level training for Indian Sign Language for the non-deaf was initiated in 2001. In 20 years, we are still far from the required interpreters for the deaf population in India. “A non-deaf person needs approximately 8-10 hours in a month to learn Indian Sign Language,” said Saurabh Goel, who was part of a series of free weekend sign language promotion programme organised in New Delhi. “It is more a matter of practice after that. Every time you interpret for a deaf person, you become their miracle. So far, most of the decisions for the deaf community has been made by nondeaf officials. Progress has been very slow,” he added.

If we truly mean to provide a new normal for the 43 lakh differentlyabled students in school and more than 20 lakh deaf students in India, we need to step in and do our bit.

Learning Indian Sign Language is the first step to making the new normal an inclusive one.

“Imagine all the people sharing all the world.”

Illustrated by: Sohaya Gill

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Is this Goodbye?

Anoushka Seth

Bras: What used to be the constant “support” system for many women has been incommunicado for a while now.

Parties, picnic and going to the movies have begun to feel like archaic concepts. So is the concept of getting dressed or even wearing a bra for that matter. One of the most satisfying feelings after a day of slogging, as described by most women, has always included being able to toss away that constricting garment of padding and wire. But during that tiresome day, what they can now remember, are feelings of confidence and a sense of control.

Having a routine, a reason to wake up, wearing a crisp shirt to the office, all would set the tone for their day. Feeling comfortable in their own skin, dressing up sharply with something to achieve for the day made them realize what they miss - a sense of purpose in their lives.

With many of us now working in the full bloom from our bedrooms and couches, there’s beeen a lot of chatter (and endless memes) about the current lack of obligation to put on a boulder-holder.

“Before quarantine I was kind of stylish, and now...it is stylish yoga pants and sports bras all day and an occasional red lip for Zoom happy hours,” explained Tarini (21, student, Noida). “In my own kooky little way, I low-key miss wearing my bra at the break of dawn and then of course flinging it out of my top at the end of the day”, she added.

The ‘quarantine way of life’ in these changed times has resulted in spending countless hours indoors. In this isolation pit, filled with nothing but time, are people trying their best to keep themselves sane.

What used to be a toxic relationship between women and their bras, is now being missed. Is everyone missing toxic relationships during this pandemic? (don’t text text your ex!). Are these padded-pain-producing-pieces actually being missed or is it a metaphor? Pfft! A metaphor, of course. Who were we kidding?

The pandemic has changed the way women and people in general, greet, eat and shop. Their weekend plans of partying, travel have been traded for Youtube DIY tutorials, Netflix Parties and cooking recipes. Who knew ‘must have’ items would be swapped from your favourite pair of denims or your go-to LBD with toilet paper and hand sanitizers?

In a twisted way, the fantasy of getting to lounge all day, every day in PJ’s and binging on Netflix has finally come true. But this has only made people realize how much they long human connection.

Are brassieres a thing of the past?

Illustrated by: Anoushka Seth

Is this farewell? Or are we just on a break?

So long.

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Capsule Closets Sanaya Dutt Just how much is too much?

Well, to be more specific - just how many clothes are too many clothes? Just how many times do you ditch your favourite hoodie to wear the other million clothes that are piled into a mountain in your closet? Now ask yourself, do you actually even require these many clothes?

While we all are aware that the fashion industry ranks the second highest in the production of waste generation and pollution, how many of us are actually willing to change this? Especially on an individual level. While there are a number of brands that have pledged to sustainability and are doing their bit to reduce the amount of waste they generate and using more ethical resources and methods to create their products – consumers are barely doing their part.

I understand that sustainable

We all love the frequent shopping ‘pick me up’ sprees but, let’s face it, they’re terrible for the environment and they ultimately burn a whole in your pocket too. clothes can be expensive and most of us cannot afford to buy such garments. One way that could possibly help is by thinking of these garments as investments.

You are investing today for a better tomorrow. Sounds dreamy? This utopian option though is not an easy one. It’s like having to forego and old endearing habit and build a new one which can be harder on your pocket too.

So what other option do we have?

A really simple step is to break the habit of going on seasonal hauls! We all love the frequent shopping ‘pick me up’ sprees but, let’s face it, they’re terrible for the environment and they ultimately burn a whole in your pocket too.

Ask yourself before making a purchase whether you actually NEED that item or do you simply WANT it. This allows you to be more conscious. It breaks the spell that beautiful, completely

unethically made garment has had on you and makes you the master of your own mind.

Another way you can go is adopt the “less is more” thought process.

Bring your attention back to the question, ‘Just how many clothes are too many clothes and how often do you actually reach for clothes other than your few favourites?’ If you find yourself to be the owner of an absolutely over flowing closet where you reach out for the same five items again and again, ask yourself every time you have the urge to shop.

An easy solution to this fairly common problem is to change your closet into a Capsule Closet.

This means, to keep only a select few items that you really need or really like. This includes your basics, a few classic pieces, essentials and a few statement pieces. The merits in doing this are that not only are you aware of and are utilising everything in your wardrobe but you are also

simultaneously making an effort to reduce the amount you shop. This habit on a larger scale helps tackle the problem of fast fashion which in fact is one biggest problems the industry tackles.

By reducing the amount you shop you reduce the demand and hence, you can actively lower the amount of garments that are being produced. This in turn leads to conserving the resources that were initially going to be depleted in the process of making the garment. Lastly, if you buy less, you throw less.

By owning only what you need, there will not be a need to throw out what you have no use for.

This will prevent garments from reaching landfills and adding the amount of non-bio degradable and toxic waste that gets accumulated.

Owning only what you need.

Illustrated by: Sidharth Mujeeb

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It’s Your Turn to be a Star!

Ujjaini Dutta

Team ALTR explores the new realm of cinema, taking the reel experience from the OTT platforms to a larger-than-ever-before experience, in India.

“For me, the cinema is not a slice of life, but a piece of cake” - Alfred Hitchcock

the first short video content creation app which offers its users to stand a chance to have their video creations played on the big screen.

When Alfred Hitchcock stated this, he rightly meant that cinema, while truly being a reflection of life, actually is as imaginative and fascinating like a slice of cake. It takes you to another world where the possibility of your wildest dreams coming true, peaks. Now imagine that this piece of cake consists of your talent, your passion and your face. Your face up there on the big screens with thousands of people all over India looking up to you. This is possible now!

UFO Moviez, India’s first digital film distribution network and largest in-theatre advertising platform, brings to its audience, Zinglin. It is

Zinglin is the first short video content creation app that offers its users to stand a chance to have their video creations played on the big screen.

Illustrated by: Ujjaini Dutta

The Mumbai-based digital cinema venture has introduced the digital distribution of movies via the satellite medium resulting in the shift from the traditional analogous format and amplification of the rate of delivery of the recently released movies to the remotest locations of the country. Hardware infrastructure is now provided to the theatres, for receiving and running the movies with the finest encryption technology. The company owns an independently developed licensing mechanism which aids in distributing movies to the theatre owners.

When we entered, 16 years back, into the digital space, digital cinema had just come in and it had not even come over around the world.

So it was just the beginning. We came in with the whole idea that we want to be the part of the industry and partners in the industry. So, we came in with the lookout that ‘I dont want to sell digital cinema equipment to the theatres, I want to create an infrastructure’. So we treated it as an infrastructure project, we invested in the digital cinema equipment, we created a digital cinema highway which then could be used by the producers, distributors and the exhibitors and we just started charging a kind of a toll, so that it wouldn’t be heavy for anybody upfront,” said Vishnu Patel, CEO of UFO Moviez, about the birth and business model of the platform that has helped the Indian movie

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industry push revenues into the Rs 300 crore club.

This led to them being a pioneer in digital cinema space. Siddharth Bhardwaj, CMO & National Sales Head of UFO Moviez, also mentions in the same conversation that essentially what they did was democratise cinema across the country, where it became available at every nook and corner of the country. Once that happened, it also created value for advertisers, as the fresh content demanded by the audience was now available at the cinema screens, and advertisers followed. So, they created value for every stakeholder in the cinema ecosystem.

With the rise of the digital world, broadband, mobile internet, has improved dramatically and the dividends of the same were reaped by many short video content platforms in the same digital space. Over the years, UFO Moviez realised that the core reason why all these platforms have really evolved is because of the intrinsic human nature, that everybody wants to show themselves and their talents and want an audience for themselves. Being in cinema, they also knew that people want to show their talent, and that hunger to show their talent is not only limited

Zinglin offers a platform to the public democratising the way content is created which the world can see.

Illustrated by: Nidhi Singh

to the small screens but also the large screens, where stars are born.

It was a challenge! The ideation process alone took over 10 months to a year and the lockdown gave the company an opportunity to invest a lot of effort to take it to the market.

This gave birth to a short video content platform, Zinglin.

“Yes it’s a short video content app, with features of any other short video content app but what we also have over and above that is that we give users an opportunity to showcase their talent on the cinema screens. Because we have advertising inventory of over 3500 cinema screens spread across India, and not just the bigger cities, we again are democratising cinema in a different way by giving an opportunity to the public at large to come on the cinema screens, but through a filtering process which is Zinglin”, said Siddharth Bhardwaj, while explaining what makes Zinglin stand out in the digital space of short video content creation apps.

“Zinglin also brings an opportunity where people can try their luck and win prizes, with their talent showcase in the app, in a raffle and point collection system. Zinglin takes the benchmark higher with these additional features in the app.”

With the factors of democratisation

of content, reward point system and of course, the chance to see yourself up on the big screen, the launch of Zinglin app has definitely made a mark in the short video content creation digital space. With the ban of Tik Tok and a gaping hole in this video creation space, Zinglin fills that gap and gives much more opportunity for showcase than any other app had ever provided.

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The pandemic has restricted us to our homes and just a few spaces, however that does not imply that trends have not been followed.

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‘Lone’ Anushka Sharma in Dress and Pants: Flea Market Shirt and Tie: Westside

Decking up for the mundane Accessories by: Flea market, Janpath, Delhi Concept and Styling by: Jigyasa Sethi Shoot by: Shruti Chawla

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‘Making the best of the worst’ Anushka Sharma in Shirt and Pant: Flea Market, Sarojini Nagar, Delhi ; Jacket: H&M ; Accessories: H&M Concept and Styling by: Jigyasa Sethi Shoot by: Shruti Chawla

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Wrap Up!’ Anushka Sharma in Skirt: Jainsons Shirt & tie: Westside Sweater: Handmade Sweater Shoes: Flea Market, Sarojini Nagar, Delhi

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Issue #3

Call for Submissions

SUSTAINABLE Raw . Shift . Untie Deadline – 30th April, 2021 Call for submissions ALTR is a raw, open, con conformist, counterculturist perspective on media, design, fashion, culture and communication.

ALTR is a publication that critically and aesthetically responds to contemporary issues.

The theme for this issue of ALTR is ‘Sustainable’.

In a world that is fast heading towards destruction due to human consumption, the conversation around sustainability has been at the head of every discussion about design, albeit a little late. But the need of the hour is to take the conversation beyond just dialogues.

we fit our own lifestyles around it? What has been done so far? What can be done?

If you have written an article, or a paper, or made a poster, illustration, artwork, photo essay, or designed an object or expressed your ideas in any form on the idea of ‘Sustainable’ send your work to altr@pearlacademy.com before 30th of April 2021 Send your written submissions in DOC or DOCX formats and photography/images/ illustrations/graphics in RAW files, PNG or high resolution JPEG formats.

For more details log on to altr.pearlacademy.com

What can we do to make our world more sustainable? What is the role of design? How do Pearl Academy

Illustrated by: Ritu jain

ALTR Magazine Pearl Academy Block A – 21/13, Naraina Industrial Area Phase II, New Delhi, 110028 www.pearlacademy.com/altr altr@pearlacademy.com

ALTR Magazine Pearl Academy Block A – 21/13, Naraina Industrial Area Phase II, New Delhi, 110028 www.pearlacademy.com/altr altr@pearlacademy.com