MIND Magazine AUGUST 2019 Issue #20 by MIND Mag

COVER

2 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Team Sukiran Singh, Editor-in-Chief, Photographer Simarjot Wadhwa, Junior Editor Disha Shah, Features Editor, Co-ordinator Ankur Bhoria, Photographer Shraddha Lath, Intern

Contributers Ranveer Dua, Photographer Shraddha Chopra, Photographer Sunny Purty, Photographer Vivek Verma, Photographer Sheetal Rehal , Stylist Peusha Sethia, Stylist Bhakti Khatadia and Nirali Gala, Stylists Ghena Thadani, Stylist Poonam Gupta, Stylist Juveria Khan, MUA Ankita Manwani, MUA Priyanka Chourasia, MUA Rakshanda Israni, MUA Shreshtha Sanghvi, MUA Shivani Yadav, Writer Reetu Uday Kugaji, Chef, Writer

Thank you Lilt, Mumbai Inega Models Toabh Models

CONTENTS

Systematic demise of journalism

22 5 crisis of 72 years

Cover Story

42 War sighter

54 Satish Acharya

60 Sonia Shenoy

KUNAL KAMRA

4 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Sahar Zaman

74 Bahar Dutt

78 Paparazzi

94 In search of Pakeezah

102 Raghav Chaddha

Adventures of a chef

6 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Editor’s note

We preside in a state of Melancholy. A few months ago, a sting operation by Cobra Post proved that the biggest of Indian Media are ready to sell themselves for substantial amounts of money. Did you hear about it? I’m sure you did not. It’s sad to see that most journalists have sold their souls and integrities. They shout, scream and spread hatred and lies, to suit the political narratives created by their owners. They act as if the dogs on leash, growling for a pound of feeble flesh. The situation is glum. Yes, there are one or two good journalists here and there, but the reach is limited. This has led to vast manipulation of Indian mindset, leading to the beginning of demise of a proud democracy. When the news does not discuss the obliteration of rights be it RTI or right to eat or live, but rather discusses the Yoga sessions of ‘The man who knows everything’ (and supposedly is the new God of our country), it’s time to realize the facts and should run to search the meaning of word ‘Propaganda’ in the dictionary. This month of independence, we continue to fight for our right of expression and search for facts and insight. Enjoy the Journalism issue.

Sukiran Singh Editor, M.IND Mag

Whither Neutral Journalism? by SIMARJOT WADHWA

The essence of journalism, perhaps, is more effervescent currently in India where news become a sensation and its effects, sometimes, fumes the situation. News is a story and the media sells it. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all a race of TRPs. A victim is a product whose face value fetches larger viewership. More the misery, more the flavours are added. Debates take place, issues are spiced up, voices rise and eventually nation doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get to know anything. What an irony when fake takes over facts! The corporate invests, the polity commands and the media succumbs. Media recites jabberwocky and journalism is in jeopardy. Time beckons Whither Neutral Journalism! Journalism whether print or electronic, leaves a great impact on the minds of the common masses. Though it is a passive communication, a viewer gets actively involved. The information telecast, is a reality for an ordinary man. His simplicity makes him to believe the words spoken before him. He develops his perceptions and opinionates himself. These opinions further construct or destruct a nation. Such is the power of journalism! It is so unfortunate to find the ethics and authenticity at stake. The brouhaha is created, the attention is garnered and the innocent minds are influenced as if 8 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

this large country sans innovations, discoveries and inventions. For 132 billion people, the course of action is influenced either by discourse or by ranting. Intellectual minds are let down and the dissent is questioned by utterly commercial media. Various media houses are indulged into rat race and the power of money shrouds their certain duties towards the young psychologies of this great nation. Journalism is so vulnerable to capitalism that it is ready to shed its true ideologies. It is, indeed, heart wrenching to see that a great platform for the common people is being ruined gradually. The aggression in communication fans negativity and this doesn’t endorse a bright future. The concept of journalism is to make people aware of right incidents and events; to be people’s representative; to be a mediator between government and its people; to stand for just causes and strongly oppose the wrongs . It doesn’t need to be oblivion rather obvious. Currently, media is suffering and so is India in pain. Truly the search of honest, unbiased and secular journalism is the call of the day. Undoubtedly, there are a few uncorrupted voices that are often frightened or threatened but this doesn’t let them dissuade from their path. They fight back the diktats and follow the principles of true journalism. People look up to them and expect neutral journalism from them. But the survival of the neutral journalism is a big question itself as shortage of funds can play havoc on their very existence. The influx of money will help them to keep generating resources as well as sources to reach out to masses with truth and rightness. There is dire need for the correct means to survive for not letting the innocent minds turn into ignorant ones; for igniting the hope that winter turns into spring; for telling the people that humanistic ideologies are not for sale; for standing tall against all ordeals and upheavals and for being a beacon light for millions who have not lost their conscience. If India has to progress, freedom of press cannot be curtailed. For a democracy, dissent is must. Let the bigotry be not flourished; let the early signs of fascism be nipped in the bud; let the manipulations not rise; let the voices of the people be heard upon and let the veracity be not a puppet. Let the honest journalism prevail! ***

THE SYSTEMATIC DEMISE OF JOURNALISM Photographed and Conceptualized by SUKIRAN SINGH L I N A L A M B E RT I N , J E S SIC A F E R NA ND E S , A P U R RVA S O NI Styling by POONAM GUPTA MUA by PRIYANKA CHOURASIA Production by DISHA SHAH Styling Assistance by LAVEENA RAWAT Photography Assistance by SHRADDHA CHOPRA , VIVEK VERMA , SUNNY PURTY , ANKUR BHORIA Production assitant SHRADDHA LATH

F T.

10 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Step 1: Sheep Understand that most humans are not leaders, but they can be easily led. Manipulate. lina lambertini ,jessib fernandes wearing Swatee Singh label gowns and detachable add-ons from ozeqo ApurvaSoni- wearing gown and add-ons from ozeqo Jessica - Earrings from Curio Cottage

12 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Step 2 Unemployment is highest in India in 2019, in seve

2: Lie eral decades. Only some print media covered it.

All 3 wearing blazer, trousers and dress - uramaku White shirt - Starchthelabel, Shoes - Aldo shoes

All 3 wearing - satvaindia Earrings- Aldo

14 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Step 3: Distract Keep the Sheep busy with irrelavance so they don't understand which grass is green and which one is real. Yoga on rocks.

16 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Step 4: Lie More The climate change does not exist to suit the political narative. Global warming. All 3 wearing jumpsuit - Hanshudesigns, sandals - h&m, choker h&m

18 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

jessica fernandes gown- Swateesinghlabel Linalambertini, Apurvasoni - Jumpsuit Swateesinghlabel, scarf - zara, Shoes -guess

Step 5: The Death of principle See the Lies, Hear the Lies, Propagate the Lies Don't forget to shout and repeat, or the lie will not become a fact.

THE EPIDEMIC OF FAKE NEWS AND HOW TO TACKLE IT. by Shivani Yadav

During the 2016 American Presidential elections, then Republican candidate Donald Trump’s continuous use of two words - Fake News - managed to give this term a place in the popular culture so strong that it is now one of the defining parts of this era. Trump, who is now the President of the USA tried taking credit for “inventing” the words and while that is obviously not true, he certainly helped popularize it to a global level. His contributions pretty much ended right there because the devil that is ‘fake news’, is a lot more complex than Trump probably even understands. In an interview with the University of Washington, UW assistant professor in Human-Centered Design and Engineering, Kate Starbird said, “We are all targets of disinformation, meant to erode our trust in democracy and divide us. It’s our unconscious cognitive biases that lead us to take stories, real or faked, as “true” — when they confirm our pre-existing beliefs. And our biases can be targeted by technology companies. For example, social media algorithms create “filter bubbles” by showing us, and getting us to click on, what we already want to see. It has become increasingly possible to only encounter information of the kind we want or expect to see, on each side of the political divide — making the divide ever greater.”

20 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Before the time of social media, the way news was presented, it was a lot different than how we receive it now. The role of fact-checkers was given more weightage and majority of the news organizations made sure what they were only putting out factually correct information. Today, in a SEO-driven world where getting maximum number of clicks is more important than the actual content, most organizations are ready to skip the role of fact-checking in order to be ahead in the game, thereby spreading fake news that eventually lead to baseless conspiracy theories. In order to become a better informed and responsible citizen, it’s important to take the responsibility on your own shoulders and go out of your way to check the sources of the information you’re receiving – double-checking everything. 20 years ago, it was easier to believe everything one read/heard in the news. But the easy accessibility of social media means that anyone and everyone can pass off their personal feelings as facts. The algorithm will suggest the news you’d want to hear, so it’s important to go out of your way and see how the other side is thinking. Even though there are only a handful of independent news outlets left in India, follow them to get a more factually correct, objective understanding of the affairs of our country. The current times demand each and every one of us to be more aware and socially responsible, and understanding the beast that is fake news is an important starting point.

***

Sara - the label

22 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

1. SOCIAL MEDIA PRESSURES

Crises of

YEARS OF INDEPENCE

F T.

EMELY IA ( INEGA ) Photographed by RANVEER DUA Styling by PEUSHASETHIA MUA by SHRESHTHA SANGHVI Production by DISHA SHAH Retouching by ANKUR BHORIA

2. CORRUPTION

24 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Top - Anushe Pirani And bottom skirt - Malvika Ruparel

3. OVERPOPULATION

26 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Outfit - anti -thesis Urvash parmar

Entire set - Anushe Pirani Shoes- Anti-Thesis Urvash Parmar

28 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

4. CASTEISM

Top- Malvika Ruparel

30 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

5. POLLUTION

Kunal Kamra

SATIRE, POLITICAL COMEDY AND INFORMATION ARE HIS A.K.A.S

Photographed by SUKIRAN SINGH Styling by SHEETAL REEHAL Makeup by JUVERIA KHAN Production by DISHA SHAH Intern SHRADDHA LATH Photography Assistance by ANKUR BHORIA Location LILT - KITCHEN AND BAR Interview by SIMARJOT WADHWA

You’re known to be a dauntless comedian, with fierce content. How could you muster courage to go against the wind? How are jokes with or against the wind? I think there’s just 2 category of jokes for me one that would make me laugh & other that wouldn’t. I’m trying my best to stay with the time we are in and have a unique perspective on the struggles of our day to day life, You’re crediting me too much by calling me dauntless and fierce. :) The wave of populism and nationalism has swept the nation and you’ve been tagged as ‘Anti-National’. Do you think the endeavors put in by like-minded people like you, will result in bringing required change in the mindset of a large sect of this nation? Not very long ago a news anchor on the subject of India Pakistan world cup game called Sachin Tendulkar & Sunil Gavaskar anti national, this is the only way I’d be in the same team as them playing for team India. I personally have no such delusions about the work I create, also no intention of changing minds to be honest. I only create videos memes jokes and podcasts that would make my friends laugh or that very least keep them interested with some new information. I’m no more trying to appease people, change their mind, put a point across, come in the way of their bigotry lack of empathy or other such stupidities. I Just want to create content that is fresh and palatable to my immediate surrounding and people I relate with.

32 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Cover Story

Suit : Zara Tshirt : Hm Shoes : Zara

Cover Story

34 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Suit : Stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own, Shirt : H&M Tie : H&M, Shoes :Zara

Your content puts forth a very genuine and sensitive question, ‘WHITHER INDIA?’ and it does show you being loyal to your nation. Why do you think, the people feel happy in keeping themselves ignorant about facts? I’d say the problem is facts are boring & stories are much better. No fact gives you a chance to form an opinion, Facts will always be countered selectively with other facts. But stories & anecdotes that is what shapes an opinion in today’s WhatsApp INDIA. People feel happy because accordingly to them an anecdotal story which has shaped their opinion triumphs facts, So people aren’t ignorant sometimes I Think we are. People take pride in connecting themselves to ancient India and do applaud Tenali Raman’s sense of humor. If his jests can be a source of wisdom, why are today’s comedians very vulnerable to opposition’s verbal assaults? I think the internet changes everything to be honest, You’re judged on an hourly basis by people and given instant feedback. Vulnerability is bound to happen because we sometimes fail to differentiate between twitter and real life. Whenever I get too many replies I just leave my phone at home and go down for a walk only to realize that the internet and reality have very little to do with each other. Despite the continuous threats and condemnations offline and online, you’ve never let your voice go unheard. How did the idea of campaigning for Kanhaiya occur? Kanhaiya for me is not just a youth leader, He’s a modern day philosopher who has inspired me tremendously and helped shape my thoughts. Campaigning for him was something that came naturally to me & I’m so happy that I was a part of his journey. Kanhiya’s thoughts are much needed to shape the clueless youth today that is going to a massive moral crisis. What was your experience of interviewing important personalities with wide vision and broader perspectives? (For instance Mr. Javed Akhtar on Rationalism.) The podcast is largely shaped by Ramit Verma (A.K.A official peeing human) he is the creative director and editor on the podcasts. Our collective aim has always been to put out information that people may not have with a unique perspective and off course while continuously entertaining you. When we get a guest on the show our aim is for the guests to speak on subjects they haven’t publically spoken about much & to paint a genuine side of them which people can see and decide whether they agree or disagree with. I was surprised to know that a few Generation Z kids didn’t know about Javed Akhtar being a rationalist and they found that out from the podcast. It was good to see a very young audience engage with Javed Akthar and discover his personality through the episode. Each guest coming on the show has made us learn how to engage better & we hope to continue learning more with each passing podcast

36 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

It’s interesting to know that you are a critic of books but don’t read books yourself; rather like to watch a movie based on the book. How do you opinionate yourself on a written subject-matter when a movie always has its own additions and subtractions? That was a silly Joke I made, I used to not read but I have started reading and I’m currently reading India After Gandhi . You have been open about you being a drop-out. Did you ever feel that the lack of so-called traditional qualification has any time hindered your professional growth? No I’d say it’s the other way around, IF I didn’t drop out of college I’d be in Dubai selling insurance and I would have never explored a nontraditional work culture environment. People have criticized you and been very sarcastic too, for being unable to complete your education. How would you respond to such factors? There was a Harvard graduate who was putting garlanding a lynching accused out on bail, So what about education are we discussing again? How did your family respond to your decision of entering into this non-conventional field? My family has always been accepting and kind, They were nervous when I dropped out of college & joined an advertising production house but by the time I was 22 they stopped worrying about me because I started doing decently well at my job. I think My mom still thinks I’ll be a graduate someday. There’s definitely a surge of stand-up comedians in India. How would you react to this emerging trend? Is this idealism or commercialism? I don’t think the art form fits any Ism’s, I am happy to see the industry growing & even happier to see it growing like a tree and not like a pyramid Every individual is making choices for themselves one different from the other and they’ll all have independent journeys of their own. We are just about 10 years old and we have a lot of learning to do & at the same time make sure that the comedy scene should remain a democratic space like it was when we started. Many of the liberals are put under the terminology of ‘Liberandu’- a weird term indeed. Do you think such kind of renderings can ever be a matter of offence for a comedian? Any label put on an individual exists for the mentally unevolved who wants to no understand people but just put a label on them, so that they are easier to discredit. I feel empathy for people who call me all such names not offence not anger ever. A nation where right to speech is curtailed, do you perceive a bright future for this country? Right to speech exists in our country with a lot of restrictions and with an eventual price to pay, I just hope with time restrictions and price to pay gets lesser.

Cover Story

38 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Blazer : NM studio Tshirt : Kunal’s Pants : Stylist’s own Shoes : Zara

Again I think at every point going back and coming forward the future of our country is always bright, but the correct question to ask is bright for who? This question gives you a clarity, The future is bright for a select few it was bright for them yesterday it’ll be bright for them tomorrow. What vision do you have for this nation and what would you like to convey to the youth of today? Prevent this if you can doston I just hope in 2060 there is no museum which has a glass enclosure and book inside it called the constitution You here whisper of kid asking his father “What is that” Don’t let that happen folks, some people reading this might think I’ve an issue with museums Finally, we ask this to everyone we interview. Do you think you are a Modern Indian, and why? I am getting there because now I try to find more commonalities than differences & that’s what modern India will be all about coexistence ***

Suit : Zara Tshirt : Hm Shoes : Zara

40 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Blazer : NM studio Shirt : Stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Pants : Hm Shoes : Zara

Coat - Zara Shirt - Avega

42 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

WARSIGHTER THE CHRONICLES OF A WAR PHOTOGRAPHER

R OCHE KILIN (TO AB HCRE ATIVE ) Photographed by SUKIRAN SINGH Styling by BHAKTI KHATADIA, NIRALI GALA MUA by RAKSHANDA ISRANI Photography Assistance by SHRADHA CHOPRA, ANKUR BHORIA

F T.

44 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Coat - NM design studio T-shirt - EVN Pocket square - the maroon suit Pants - the maroon suit

46 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Shirt - khanijo Pants - Avega

Coat - the maroon suit Shirt - Avega Pants - the maroon suit Watch - Aldo

48 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

50 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Jakcet and pants - Zara , T-shirt - EVN

52 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Satish Acharya Cartoonist

Interview By – DISHA SHAH

From Accountant to Cartoonist, how did the change take place? Actually not accountant. Though I did B. Com before doing my MBA in finance, I joined an advertising agency in Mumbai as Accounts Executive (Client-Servicing executive), not accountant. Hailing from a lower middle-class family, education was the only hope to get a better life for me and my family. I was passionate about cartooning since college days, but with the honorarium I was getting I knew it’d be difficult to lead a comfortable life. So, becoming a professional cartoonist was never a part of the plan. But during an interview in Bangalore for a marketing trainee job, the interviewer saw my handwriting and my interest in cartooning and told me ‘anybody can become an MBA but not everyone can become a cartoonist’ That line stayed with me even after I landed in Mumbai for making a career with my MBA. Gradually I realised that Mumbai has a place for cartoonists too. And I continued doing freelance cartooning for small magazines and continued my job in advertising agency. But I couldn’t focus on both. So, one fine day I took the tough call to take up cartooning as a profession. Cartooning was a childhood interest or did you develop it overtime? I was attracted to the illustrations in Amar Chitra Katha and was fascinated by the power of illustrations to tell a story. Later the cartoons of legendary RK Laxman and Mario Miranda which used to appear in The Illustrated Weekly tempted me to copy their cartoons. Over the time I developed my own style of drawing. What artwork (or artists) do you feel kinship with? My earliest favourites were RK Laxman and Mario Miranda. Both had different styles of drawing. RK Laxman’s semi-realistic drawing style and his sense of humour are legendary. Mario Miranda’s characters are part of our folklore.

54 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

But I have been influenced by many other cartoonists over the decades. I still learn something from others’ cartoons. Talking about your process, do you write a script or make up the drawing as you go? To disappoint you, there’s no method to this madness. It’s not like a graphic novel or a comic strip where you have to prepare a script, plan the plots and design the layout. As I’m mostly involved with editorial(political) cartooning, idea about a news or talking point is the most important factor. And that idea can flash in a second or make you wait for hours. It’s unpredictable. Of course when you have an idea, you spend time with it to improvise and refine it. Which particular work of yours has had the most impact? It’s difficult to pick one cartoon. Many of my cartoons were liked by readers and they went viral. Interestingly most of them were on some tragedies, be it Charlie Hebdo attack or the tragic death of cricketer Phil Hughes or Pulwama attack etc. Sometimes you like a cartoon but the readers don’t appreciate it much. What are the red line subjects you cannot draw about? There’s no taboo about any subject. But most of the cartoonists draw their own Lakshman Rekha or a self-drawn boundary. Mostly I’m careful about drawing cartoons on subjects like caste or riots as the subjects are sensitive. I don’t want my cartoons to ignite a riot or to result in someone’s death. Since you work under a lot of categories, which Is your favourite category when it comes to cartooning? I’m passionate about cricket, having played cricket. So, I love drawing cartoons about cricket, which is slightly tough. But most of the newspapers/news portals want political cartoons. And Indian politics offers lots of political characters as well as interesting situations for political cartooning. As a student you earned pocket-money by contributing cartoons to Kannada publications like Taranga, Sudha and Tushar. From where did you start and which was your first works, all before you became an accountant? As I said earlier I developed my own style of drawing after copying the cartoons of Laxman and Mario. When I was in my 11th I started drawing pocket cartoons, mostly on social issues and day to day life. But most of them were rejected by Kannada publications. After many rejections one fine day one cartoon was published. That was the happiest day of my student life. I was paid Rs. 25 for that cartoon. But unfortunately I still had to face lots of rejections after that. Out of some 5-6 cartoons they would pick one cartoon to publish. It took me a couple of years to understand the skill of coming up with a joke in a cartoon. Charlie Hebdo Massacre inspired artwork was one of your most rewarded works. What do you have to say about it? That was a spontaneous reaction from a cartoonist to a terror attack. I could never imagine that terrorists could kill a cartoonist or humourist! It was an indi-

56 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

indication that these terrorists are scared of cartoonists. They felt that cartoonists/humourists had the power to influence people, so wanted to eliminate them. The cartoon went viral beyond boundaries and was used by many publications around the world. It was more of an emotional connection, the cartoon had with readers. You have written three books by far, are you planning to write any more of them? Mostly I self-publish my cartoon books and sell to cartoon lovers who are connected through my social media accounts. I don’t print much, so I don’t have to worry about selling or not selling. That’s the reason, I have come up with many books. The first book was on 2014 elections, Main, Hum & AAP. Then I came out with a cricket cartoon book titled Non-striker. Then the number of cartoons on demonetisation prompted me to bring out ‘Rupee or Not Rupee’ Recently during the 2019 elections, I have brought out two books ‘Cartoon Sarkar’ and ‘Hum and Them’ I have also brought out three Kannada books. Why are cartoons important in your opinion? Can cartoons contribute to a better future in India? Cartooning is as much important as journalism. In fact, it’s an integral part of journalism. Cartoonist comes out with the most independent opinion on any issue. A strong visual is more effective than a page full of opinion. Traditionally editorial cartooning is a negative art. Cartoonists always look at the establishment/Govt/rulers with critical viewpoint. So, they are the opposition all the time. Their opinion can be negative, but the motive is to bring positive change in society. Having said that, it’d be too ambitious to declare that cartoons can change governments. Of course cartoons do shape the opinion of people. But they do it at a slow pace. Being an Indian cartoonist and working in politics, are there any challenges that you face? The biggest challenge cartoonists of this age face is the constant efforts by political parties to silence us. Cartoonists are attacked on social media platforms, through IT cells. Even editors try to reshape our opinion or discard our opinion. There are attempts being made to threaten physically. The intention is to get into our head and scare us when we sit to draw the next cartoon. What advice would you like to give to the young aspiring cartoonists? If you’re really passionate about cartooning, pick this hobby as a profession. Otherwise you can continue in some profession and parallelly you keep cartooning as a serious hobby. Because to establish as a professional cartoonist you would need many years and lots of hard work. You need to support your passion with loads of hard work, both in drawing as well as in idea area. Lastly, we asked this to everyone do you think you’re a modern Indian and

why? For me being modern is not about what brands I wear, what gadgets I use, what technology I’m aware of. But it’s more about being in sync with modern thought, progressive thought. For me being open to a different idea is modern. For me, accepting others as they are, irrespective of their beliefs is modern. For me, respecting the space of women and providing freedom to create their own space in modern. Yes, I think I’m modern and I try all the time to stay modern. ***

58 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Sonia Shenoy News anchor, Senior Editor at CNBC TV18

Images By – ANKUR BHORIA Interview By – DISHA SHAH

Earlier in your career, you were inclined towards modelling. So, what attracted and inspired you to make a career as a Financial / Business Editor. I always wanted to get into the world of journalism. While in college, I would write articles for the education times, which was a supplement of the times of India. After college hours, I would research on a story and send out the weekly article. I loved working with the paper, the exposure it gave me and the numerous people I got to meet. During that stint, I realized my calling and worked towards achieving it. I joined reutters right out of college to understand the nuances of how a news agency works and eventually landed a job with CNBC TV18. Modelling assignments always came my way, but somehow they never really interested me. You started your career in the year 2007 as a business journalist with Thomson Reuters. How did it all start and how was the beginning? I was just out of college when I decided I wanted to work in the field of business journalism. I did not have a journalism degree so it was tough for me to get a good break. I went to every news agency with my resume asking for a job and after a few months I got a call from Reuters. it was 2 years of learning the ropes of how a news wire works and when I was done learning, I decided I wanted to be in front of the camera voicing my opinion on the world of business. That’s when CNBC TV18 came along. As we all know, one of your biggest breaks was when CNBC-TV offered you a TV anchoring job. Could you tell us more about that experience? I joined CNBC TV18 on 15th September 2008, interestingly it was the day Leh-

60 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

MASTERS OF JOURNALISM

Lehman brothers collapsed and the global financial world went into a deep recession. Since the day I joined, there was no looking back. I started anchoring prime time shows and covering the growth of corporate India, tracking sectors like autos, real estate and aviation. It was and continues to be a great learning experience every single day. I get to do what I love and get paid for it ! what more can someone ask for. But in all honesty, there is so much hard work that goes into reporting, hours of research, studying annual reports, balance sheets, understanding the nuances of each company , and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what keeps me going every day. What is the key to success when communicating with the public? The trick is to keep it real. While reporting or during market commentary, I try to stay relevant, real and help viewers with the best and fastest financial knowledge and expertise. After the recent General elections Modi 2.0 Govt stated that economy will grow to 5 Trillion dollars in Next 3-5 years. To which, ex-finance minister P. Chidambaram Sai (in assembly) that it is bound to happen in any case, without any effort from the government. what are your views? It is not easy for our economy to achieve the 5 trillion-dollar mark, the Govt has done a lot to pave the path for this to happen but private capex is at a multiyear low, India ranks very low at 77 out of 190 countries in the ease of doing business. That rating has to improve and there needs to be more investments from corporate India to reach this growth target. It will take some time but we will get there! What about income inequality? That seems to be like a real issue thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gotten big social and economic implications. I agree with you. The billionaire boom is not a sign of a thriving economy but a symptom of a failing economic system. However, this is a time when we need our billionaires to thrive, there are fears of tax terrorism and the new taxation regime of the Govt including the surcharge on FPIs has made our country a bit unattractive as a destination for foreign investors and entrepreneurs. This has to change if we want to reach our goals of a $5 trillion economy After implementation of Demonetization and GST, do you think economy has suffered or it has grown despite the measures? The economy has definitely slowed down due to the double whammy of demonetization and GST. One big barometer of economic activity is auto sales and we have seen passenger vehicle sales falling for 8 months in a row in the month of June. Employment conditions in India have deteriorated, unemployment is at a 33 month high of 7.9% as on June 2019 , post demonetization and Gst, the investment climate has deteriorated and indications are it will take some time before recovery. Many Industries are passing through Slow down and Low demand, particularly sectors like Automobile; Do you think this will be changed or improved in near future or situation will be worse than today?

62 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

The auto sector is undergoing a big slowdown. The society of Indian automobiles association has forecasted passenger vehicles to see a fall of 2-3% in this fiscal. As of now there are no concrete signs of a pick-up in sales due to many factors like low demand, high insurance costs, increased registration fees and road tax as well as eventual transition to BS 6 and electric vehicle products which is why customers are deferring vehicle purchases. I think recovery will take time, expecting some improvement only around Diwali time. Lastly, we asked this to everyone do you think youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a modern Indian and why? A modern Indian is someone who is progressive in her thoughts but traditional in her values, and yes I am a modern Indian in its truest form! ***

MASTERS OF JOURNALISM

64 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Sahar Zaman Independent Arts Journalist, Political Newscaster.

Interview By – DISHA SHAH You have been working as a journalist since 18 years, how has the journey been so far? It has been an extremely exciting and unpredictable journey, undoubtedly. I would call it a journey of self-discovery, learning more about your country and society. Today, my journalism has shaped who I am as a person. What I report in the field and track in my news studio is a continuous process of understanding how politics, human rights and arts operate in our society. Just when you think that you have seen enough and things can get predictable, there will surely be a developing news story that throws up a surprise. It has also been the biggest learning curve of understanding laws and your own rights as a citizen. Each time that I’m anchoring my debate show, the research and analysis of policies and events is an enriching experience. Apart from that, you tend to become a good reader of people too. You get tuned to reading between the lines, understanding different personalities, be it an activist, a politician, a lawyer, a criminal or an artist, a writer, a filmmaker. It becomes easy to understand another professional’s thought process or imagine where he/she is coming from. I can sit and chat for hours about something as technical as our lunar mission Chandrayaan 2, as much as I can talk about the social impact of whether TikTok needs to be banned or not! In the same day, I can tell you about M F Husain’s matchless contribution to Indian Modern Art or what to expect from William Dalrymple’s upcoming novel. This is all thanks to my journalistic training. You are profoundly aware that knowing more is never about knowing it all. And that vulnerability is the key to keep exploring, keep learning, keep evolving. I can humbly say that while I started out in just television, today I have regular opinion columns in print, I am often asked to speak on various digital platforms as an expert, I am a TEDx Speaker, and I give guest lectures in colleges. When did you develop the interest in art and politics? Since college, I was certain I wanted to enter the media industry. I wasn’t sure if it would be journalism. I was thinking more along the lines of making documen-

66 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

MASTERS OF JOURNALISM

Photo : Rajeev Yadav

MASTERS OF JOURNALISM

documentaries or photography. Fortunately, I ended up being a TV journalist. In my first job in 2002, I was exposed to all sorts of field reporting. I covered politics, business, law, culture, special features of human interest and social issues. After trying my hand in all possible beats, I settled with arts as a field reporter and with politics as a news anchor. But these two areas are not as disconnected as one would think. A country’s artistic journey is very closely woven with the country’s politics. My arts reportage has been extensively about artistic activism, freedom of expression, laws against plagiarism, the importance of being original, investment in arts, auction records in creating the blue chip artists, legacy arts in dance, theatre and literature, tracking the changes in the publishing industry of India, etc. It takes a discerning mind to capture these changes in society and express it through their work of art. We noted a paradigm shift in the idea of secularism after the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992. This was one big political event. But the ramifications of this were felt in all aspects of art and culture. In the new world, filled with fake news, how do you ensure the legitimacy of your sources? It helps to be in direct touch with your sources. In a news channel, our source is our reporter. Irrespective of what other platforms are reporting about an issue, we will give it out to the airwaves only after a confirmation from our original source, which is our reporter who is on the ground for all to see. It also helps to thoroughly fact-check a piece of news, instead of spreading it irresponsibly. Today, digital media has added lightning-fast speed to the way news was disseminated. Information needs to be double checked before it is given to the world. There is no greater injustice than to be lax about fact-checking news because it has far reaching consequences in the lives of people. For those reading this interview, my request to you is to not believe all that you see or read on your WhatsApp forwards or your social media feeds. Take the news from established media platforms. If still in doubt, send it to platforms whose job it is to bust fake news. How do you feel about recent steps towards the regulation of social media? I support part of it because not just is there a chance of rigging elections, but fake information on social media has led to riots and cases of lynching. Governments across the world will need to demand certain assurances on privacy protection and a filter to keep a check on fake news, from these popular social media brands. For example, it was nice to see the Indian govt ask WhatsApp to find a way to cut down on fake news. What followed was a new regulation from WhatsApp about not being able to forward messages in bulk. It is now limited to just 5 forwards. Also, many messages sent are now highlighted as “forwarded”, so that you know it’s not an original source. If Facebook is influencing voters in circulating certain messages only in time of elections, it will certainly need to be regulated. If someone is receiving rape threats or death threats on Instagram, it will undoubtedly need to be filtered out. If a terrorist is using a Twitter account to go live in a shoot-out, it will need to be blocked. If TikTok is being used for pornography, it should not be encouraged. I understand the

68 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

debate on freedom of expression on social media, but let’s not forget that it is called “social”. Anything anti-social will have to be dealt with through regulation. Apart from that, I am opposed to political interference on social media. If a post deals with constructively criticizing the government or a leader (without abusive language), that post should not be blocked. Today, in several cases, we are witnessing an extreme in such censorship. I disagree with that. Not everything can be blocked on the pretext of being anti-national. You’re the founder of Asia’s first Web TV channel ‘Hunar TV’ which is related to art, music and culture. What inspired you? When I started out in television news, there was enough space for journalism catering to arts, music, travel, food, fashion, dance, theatre and literature. We had weekend shows especially for this. Moreover, from 2005, I managed to established the arts beat as mainstream news and sometimes prime time as well. But around 2010, our space for reporting on culture began to shrink till it totally disappeared. Even the shows on Bollywood and Sports have suffered from this reduction in air-time. News channels today are just about 24x7 political news. The weekend programing is also only about special political discussions. I blame both the editors and the marketing teams of our news channels for this, who carry on with a false sense that no one wants to watch the arts. Let me tell you, that going from the current trends on what people are watching and buying on OTT platforms, it’s certainly not political news. There needs to be a reinvention in programming on news channels. What’s urgently required today is to bring back the holistic platter of news that we used to offer our viewers. It included politics, arts, culture, sports, business and travel – all of it! This is what inspired me or perhaps pushed me to create a web-channel which caters to the curiosity of what is arts, how is it created, what is the process of writing a novel, how does one conceptualize a theatre play, what does it entail to become a fashion designer, how to help in the upliftment of our traditional handicraft artisans and textile weavers. You might think that all of this is very niche. But in India, even a niche is not less than a few lakhs of people! My web-channel which is called Hunar TV, is an initiative in this direction. ‘Hunar’ is an Urdu word for ‘skill’. And the tag line of this channel is “Making Arts Accessible”. We make videos about artists, writers, behind the scene art studio chats, music festivals, theatre performances, dance interactions and sit downs with interior designers. We are proud to have extremely well-known personalities featured on Hunar TV, such as William Dalrymple, Shashi Tharoor, Shovana Narayan, Talat Aziz, Shubha Mudgal, Randeep Hooda, Piero Lissoni, Satish Gujral, Subodh Gupta, S.H. Raza and many more. These video capsules are shared on all our social media platforms in the name of Hunar TV. Not just that, you also founded the Design Label Chamak Patti for home décor and jewelry. Could you tell us more about it? I believe that the work of an artist has to come with a responsibility to either add something or change something in your life. I chose my personal artistic journey through the route of functional art. I make pieces which are usable or serve a purpose in your life. This includes a range of jewelry, fashion accessories, tableware, wall art and furniture. ‘Chamak Patti’ as a name is the literal transla-

Photo : Grey Frames

70 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

MASTERS OF JOURNALISM

translation of the material I use – reflective sticker. I buy sheets of these colorful, bright stickers, hand cut them in different patterns and apply them on various surfaces. The objects that I make are earrings, wristbands, necklaces, leather handbags, copper goblets, silver plated tumblers, wine glasses, brass platters, storage trunks, glass bottles, bowls and wooden furniture. The patterns that I create are abstract and floral. Because it’s all hand done by me, each piece that I work is actually an exclusive, non-repetitive art. People come back to me saying that Chamak Patti spreads a lot of happiness and cheer in a corner of their home. Bringing a smile to people is always rewarding. But I also take commissioned wall installations. This is where a lot of my art activism comes into play. I am extremely critical of artists making work on banal and esoteric concepts which do no good to the cause of arts or to the discourse of the moment. A wall of mine created for the annual India Design ID fair, titled ‘Fruits of Labor’ was dedicated to the universal protestor who finds courage in standing up against a despotic rule. Another metal shutter the size of 20 feet by 22 feet, that I created for India’s first transport museum, the HTT in Manesar, was dedicated to the difficult life of India’s truckers, who drive days on end without rest, without family and without medical help. What issue, currently on the political agenda, interests you the most right now? The lack of a well drafted Central govt and state govts’ policy on various aspects of environment protection. This is something that should get all of us worried. Green license clearances in the name of infrastructural and transport development are given blindly. It is criminal for governments to give the go ahead for roads, highways, townships without sparing a thought towards chopping down vast portions of our green cover. There is no workable solution offered by any govt to tackle air pollution. There is no water conservation policy which has helped drought effected areas so far. Garbage disposal still remains a challenge with dumping grounds expanding into our city borders. I wish the Indian voter will someday demand these policies as a basic human right. We have to rise above giving votes in the name of religion or caste. Let’s be reminded, we all have to breathe the same air and deal with the same water scarcity, irrespective of our last name. Which famous writer are you inspired by or appreciate the most, and why? I take inspiration from anything interesting I read, irrespective of who has written it, be it in a book, an essay or an article! I am more inspired by individual personalities. My interactions with M F Husain have left a lasting impression on me. Here was a man who was 60 years senior to me, yet his ideas were so contemporary. His dream to establish modern Indian art on the world map, to collaborate with other countries so that they understood the new style of Modern Indian art, and to keep at it till he breathed his last at the age of 95. I am also extremely taken up by multi-taskers who juggle many different careers at the same time. I find the career path of Shashi Tharoor very inspiring. From a full-fledged career diplomat to being a Member of Parliament and a best-selling author.

How do you balance your personal and professional life? More than time management, what works better for me is task management. I am good at multi-tasking and manage to slip in and out of my professional and personal engagements with great ease. I also believe in breaking down boundaries that create an impediment for working mothers. Why should there be an exclusion of the professional space from personal space or vice-versa, as long as it is a job well done? I often take my child to client meetings and outdoor shoots. And I often have important con-calls while taking care of things at home. But most importantly, it’s impossible to balance this without a helpful mother and a supportive husband who is also a media professional and an artist. My family is my pillar of support. I would achieve very little without them. Of the Major News Stories from the Last Year, Which Would You Have Liked to Cover? Why? The Cambridge Analytica scandal. The revelations from this scandal continues to raise concerns about how our private data can be misused yet again. All it takes is a popular third-party app and a widely used social media platform to dig into our lives. They’re probably still digging. We will never know till there is another whistle-blower who decides to speak out. I would like to find more whistle-blowers like Christopher Wylie. We should create incentives and protection for whistle-blowers out there for a good cause. What advice you would give to someone who wants to follow a similar career path as you? Believe in yourself because only you know yourself best. There are plenty voices out there to scare you from taking a bold step that could be different or experimental. It’s important to take the plunge for a profession that you believe in. And it also helps to have your family understand why you need to do what you want to do. If not, go ahead nevertheless…At the heart of it, journalism is a cause, it’s not a job. You should be ready to stand truthfully for that cause, at all times. Lastly, we asked this to everyone do you think you’re a modern Indian and why? I think I am a mix of the modern and the traditional, both. There are some decisions of my life which are the quintessential take of a fiercely modern and independent woman. But there are other choices which I have made that could be called traditional. My decisions are not always governed by what fits the bill. I lead life with respect to what makes me happy and comfortable, without compromising on my independence. ***

72 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

MASTERS OF JOURNALISM

Photo : Rajeev Yadav

Bahar Dutt Indian television journalist and environmental editor

Interview By – DISHA SHAH

To start with, Prabha Dutt (your mother) was amongst the first female journalists in India, how did she influence your career path? Yes, the fact that my mother was the first female journalist who reported on the war, and I’m extremely proud of my legacy but it’s not something that I’ve ever used to get a job in journalism. In fact, I was very conscious of the fact that I just didn’t want to take up a profession that my sister or mother has taken up. Infact the first 7-8 years in my career, I actually worked in a community project and I was doing this livelihood project which is not even related to journalism. Even while I was working on this project which aimed at brown people and affects the people from the crowd, I felt that I could tell stories which are very strong and that’s when I decided to work on journalism. And this was in 2005 and when CNN the news channel was being set up, I approached the editors and said, “I don’t want to do stories on the people like the cute cuddly stories.” I decided I’ll stick to the political and the environmental sections and that’s the first time when somebody actually took environmental issues into journalism as it was always clubbed with health and traditionally was called as a soft piece but thankfully now things have changed and that’s how I started my career. Journalism is about narrating pictures and telling stories and I think the fact that I came from a completely different background which was first wildlife and secondly I spent a lot of time working in villages and with people on a people oriented project which was with the snake charmers, I was working on the livelihood projects to help them access to livelihood. How did you get interested in the wild-life? Since my childhood I was attracted towards nature and drawn towards animals. Later on, I realized I wanted a career which allowed me to tell stories about nature and the planet. Luckily I was able to balance it.

74 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

MASTERS OF JOURNALISM

Do you think being a woman makes your career farther more challenging? So I think a lot of these gender roles have been lessened this time. During my mother’s time, the women were expected to cover soft pieces but things have changed now as women are treated more or less same now . I think most of these gender roles have thankfully become really fluid now. So answering your question, “No, I don’t think it’s a challenge being a woman in my career because the gender roles have been lessened.” There has been threats at times, physical threats but I feel it’s also there for my male colleagues. I personally think that being a woman is a challenge rather I’d take up challenges being a woman. You have been travelling around India lately, for your latest book ‘Rewilding India’ which is about to be published. Can you tell us what would the readers be expecting out of it? The book is based on a very exciting concept. Two years ago when I was tired because a lot of reporting I was doing was on deforestation, species going extinct and all of that but what I thought was to report on the positive things that was happening like for instance the forest going restored, the forest guard going and saving a species. I thought these stories deserve to be published. I spent last two years travelling around with baby turtles in my hand and introduce them to a new forest, I found species that’s only found in India like the pignihok (Tiny pigs that are only found in India). My book is for to celebrate about all that is going on in when it comes to wildlife and wildlife conservation, and we as humans could do to restore and help the forest and wildlife. You are the only Indian environmental journalist to have won the Green Oscar for reporting the environmental issues in India. Which was the most memorable issue that you reported? I may be the only one to have won the Green Oscars for reporting, “Yes, you’re right.” But there are others who have won the Green Oscars for their documentaries that they do. Incidentally my husband has also won the Green Oscar in the same year as mine but we were not married by that time. I got my Green Oscar for a story which was, in fact, my third story.It also answers your next question which was on the Saurus cranes. It was 2006 when the Chief Minister was about to build an airport on the habitat of the Saurus cranes and I reported about it. We also had a conversation with the chief minister where they argued with me and threatened me which we managed to catch on cameras. It was my first story and it’s very dear to me and also because a politician who is out to destroy the habitats of the natural species and it also captured on how easily we’ve been destroying a lot of our habitats for commercial use. I tried to show the feasibility studies and I think that’s what the role of journalism is. It is to highlight what is weak or wrong and despite of all the stories and pressure,how vital it is to put out the Truth in our System. As per our current government, we are not facing any climate changes issue? With all the actions we take today, be enough to forestall the direct impacts of climate change? That’s not true, the current government has done a lot and they have taken a

76 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

positive step, whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the Paris Agreement done in 2015 where India made Huge commitment, but I think the problem is with the International community as they need to do far more in terms of laying out the funds and as of India it is doing its job, I am not sure if International Communities have done enough. ***

Paparazzi

L I N A L A M B E RT I N I ( T O A B H ) Photographed by VIVEK VERMA Styling by GHENA THADANI MUA by JUVERIA KHAN F T.

JEWELLERY BY TSARA, JEWELS BY MONA

78 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

80 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Paparazzi

LI N A L A M B E RT I N I ( T O A B H ) Photographed by SHRADHA CHOPRA Styling by GHENA THADANI MUA by JUVERIA KHAN F T.

JEWELLERY BY TSARA, JEWELS BY MONA

Paparazzi

LI N A L A M B E RT I N I ( T O A B H ) Photographed by SUNNY PURTY retouching by ANKUR BHORIA Styling by GHENA THADANI MUA by JUVERIA KHAN F T.

JEWELLERY BY TSARA, JEWELS BY MONA

82 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Advertures of a Chef My culinary journey to Istanbul By Chef Reetu Uday Kugaji Chef, Culinary Expert, Food Blogger, Mentor & Hospitality and Food Consultant.

WThere’s a lot to put on paper about my culinary journey to the most mesmerizing place “Istanbul”. Let me share with you all about my lifetime experience which was indeed a dream come true!!!! I knew that the Chef Instinct in me is gonna take me to the Foodssss, but I thought before I begin with that let me know somethings that are very popular in Istanbul. First I headed to the Grand Bazaar which has 3,000 and above shops containing all kinds of everything, in particular silver and gold, ceramics, glassware, leather, metal wares, Turkish lamps, pashminas and carpets.

84 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

One eccentric item to buy is an Evil Eye (Amulet), it is believed you need it to prevent bad things from happening to you. The famous little magic stone “Evil Eye” or the Nazar Boncuk (pronounced as “bon-dschuk”) wards off evil. The Chef in me took me on a culinary trail…. At the Grand bazaar, I saw people chilling out smoking a Nargile pipe, which are said to relax you without the harmful effects of cigarettes and tobacco. They are usually flavoured with apple, grapes, cherries and even cappuccino!!!!

One of the things that I admired the most as a Chef was the Spice Bazaar. The Spice Bazaar (Turkish: Mısır Çarşısı, meaning Egyptian Bazaar) in Istanbul, Turkey is one of the prime bazaars in the city, is the place with a fresh supply of spices (baharat) and herbs, over the years other edibles were added, such as nuts (kuruyemiş), honeycomb (petekbal), Turkish delight (lokum), dried fruit and vegetables (kuru meyve ve sebze), mature hard Turkish cheese (eski kaşar), caviar and smoked or dried beef (pastırma).It is the second largest covered shopping complex in Istanbul after the Grand Bazaar. As I am from a culinary background I believe that Organoleptic sensory organs such as eyes-for appearance, nose- for aroma, tongue- for taste, ears- to hear the crackling sound, and touchto feel the texture ,play a major role in preparing, serving and eating food. The aroma as I entered the spice bazaar was truly intoxicating. My nostrils immediately picked up the prodigious aroma coming from the hundreds of spices on sale. In short the Spice Bazaar is a must stop place for foodies who want to carry home memories of this magnificent place. For an ardent tea lover like me, I had the great opportunity to choose from the various tea flavours. And most shop owners gave a lot of small treats to taste before I actually bought them, so that I could actually choose the best ones among the rest. Some of the foods and drinks that I relished were: Topkapi Sarayi Konyali Lokantasi is one of a very few and very expensive restaurants preserving the Ottoman tradition of şerbets, drinks made from water, sugar, fruits and flower petals, often with delicate spicing as well, and symbolized by the Ottoman Palace Şerbet, prepared from a complex secret recipe.

86 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

There is an old saying about this coffee which goes like this. “Bir fincan kahvenin kırk yıl hatırı vardır” meaning that if one has been offered a demitasse of coffee, he is obliged for forty years to the one who offered the coffee. It means that the person who offers the coffee is to be respected, honored and remembered for a long time for the sake of his/ her coffee offering. Turkish coffee is made of finely pulverized roasted coffee beans, roasted pulverized roasted coffee beans, roasted to various degrees and duration as per the taste of the person consuming it. Coffee is sold either as green, or roasted beans or in pulverized form in small shops called “Kuru Yemişçi” which means a person who sells all kinds of nuts. In old houses a brass-made hand manipulated coffee mill would be used to pulverize the coffee beans. Turkish coffee is prepared in 4 ways. “Az Şekerli” means coffee has little sugar about ½ teaspoon. “Orta Şekerli” means coffee has standard amount of sugar 1 teaspoon. “Çok Şekerli” means coffee has more sugar than enough which is 1 ½ teaspoons. “Sade Kahve” means black coffee, without sugar. Turkish coffee is served in demitasses made of porcelain. Coffee is served for guests with “Lokum” (Turkish Delights). It is served usually during midday or following a lunch or dinner.

The sight of the çaycı (Chah-yee-juh, tea-waiter) carrying a tray of glasses to thirsty, caffeine-craving tea-drinkers is one of the most common sights I saw in Istanbul. Having fresh, hot tea always available everywhere is one of life’s splendid little luxuries in Istanbul. In Grand bazaar, all I could see around me were hanging trays with glasses of Çays being taken from one shop to the other. Had the opportunity to drink that in the Grand bazaar and also the Topkapi Sarayi Konyali Lokantasi restaurant. Tea is big in Turkey. Turks drink it all day long for its taste, but also offer it as a token of hospitality. Turks evolved their own way of making and drinking the black tea (Çay in Turkish ), which became a way of life for their culture. Wherever you go in Istanbul, tea or coffee will be offered as a sign of friendship and hospitality, anywhere and anytime, before or after any meal. Turkish tea: hot, fragrant, bracing, and available everywhere, all the time in Istanbul, Turkey. Traditionally, Turkish tea is brewed samovar-style, with a small pot of very strong tea kept hot atop a larger vessel of boiling water. Pour a small amount of strong tea into a little tulip-shaped glass and cut it to the desired strength with hot water. Turks usually add cube sugar (never milk or lemon, although you can often get milk or lemon if asked for) Order your tea açık (ah-CHUK, “open,” weak), or koyu(koh-YOO, dark, strong) as you like, or just order çay and it will come normal strength. In some restaurants and pastry-shops you can order aduble çay (DOOB-leh, double tea): it comes in a water glass. If you want caffeine free tea then , try these: Ada Çay: sage tea, one of several popular herbal infusions (bitki çayları, BEETkee chah-yee-lah-ruh) Ihlamur: linden-flower tea (mostly in winter) (UHH-la-moor) Elma Çay: apple “tea,” like hot apple juice, mostly sugar (EHL-mah chah-yee) Baklava is a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and sweetened and held together with syrup or honey. It is characteristic of the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire, and is also found in Central Asian, Middle Eastern and Southwest Asian cuisines.

88 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Baklava is a must to taste during your stay in Istanbul. The recipe may sound too easy to be true: chopped nuts are spread in between the phyllo (yufka) layers, dressed with butter, baked and sweetened with syrup or honey. But the excellence depends on the quality of the flour, the thinness of the dough (phyllo) and the proportion of the syrup. As a Chef I profoundly believe that, a Baklava is said to be well- made when it consists 02 S’s, 01 T & 01 D: Sound – A crackling sound is what you should hear when you stick your fork into it. If you don’t hear it, then it is not fresh. Smell – The creamy fresh butter smell is what you should sense. Taste – Sweet. Digestion – In case you have heartburn after your baklava consumption, it means the ingredients were not of good quality. Simit Simit in Turkish also known as ‘Turkish Bagel ‘in the world.

In Istanbul, and also throughout Turkey, on or near street corners, street vendors sell a curious bun, the simit, ring-shaped circular bread encrusted with sesame seeds. who either have them on a trolley or carry them in a tray on their head. Street merchants generally advertise simit as fresh (Taze simit! /Taze gevrek!) Since they are baked throughout the day and drinking Turkish tea with simit is traditional in Turkish culture. Simit is generally served plain, or for breakfast with tea, jelly, jam or cheese. Simit comprises of flour, water, salt and yeast, then the snack is covered with sesame seeds and is enjoyed by natives as well as tourists who cherish eating it with a very hot tea. It is an economical and cheap snack that tickles your taste buds when you are keen to have a small delicious bite, it may be eaten plain, with olives or with a little Cheese.

Turkish Delights

It is a soft type of sweet has a satin-smooth texture and belongs to a family of confectionaries based on a gel of starch and sugar and comes in a myriad of colors, shapes, and enchanting flavors. Superior varieties consists largely of chopped dates, pistachio nuts, and hazelnuts or walnuts bound by the gel; traditional varieties are mostly gel, generally flavored with rosewater, orange and lemon. The confectionary is often packaged and eaten in small cubes dusted with icing sugar, desiccated coconut, or powdered cream of tartar, to prevent sticking and clinging. Other common flavors include rosewater, cinnamon, cardamom and mint. Roasted Water Chestnuts (kestane)

90 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Street vendors in Istanbul sold water chestnuts (kestane) roasted in the style of a barbecue, in winter time on their push carts especially around the popular Sultanahmet Square and in front of Hagia Sofia and the Topkapi Palace. Döner Kebab

In spite of me being a pure vegetarian, the Chef in me tasted the Döner Kebab through my Eyes- for appearance, Nose- for its aroma and ears- hearing it roast and did I tell you???? With my tongue- for taste!!!! . The first Döner kebabs were developed in Turkey and this most famous Kebab literally means “rotating Kebab” in Turkish. Meat is cooked on vertical rotisserie,

normally lamb but also a mixture of veal or beef with these, or sometimes chicken. Authentic Turkish döner is made from lamb; regardless, mostly beef or a mix of beef and lamb is used in Europe. I explored something new, Cocktail Food “Foodtails”. Ever had a wonderful dish in the flavor of a cocktail? The Mövenpick Hotel in Istanbul had this offering innovative dishes that are a blend of famous cocktails and food. One can try the foodtails on the summer terrace of BarAdoX. Souvenirs that I took back for my family and friends were the Spices, Flavoured Tea leaves, Amulets, Turkish delights, Pashminas and along with them so many treasured memories. Well I want to tell all my readers that there are so many more delicacies in Istanbul, which I did not get an opportunity to taste, as my stay in Istanbul was short. Sadly, it was my time to say goodbye to Istanbul.

But what made me happy was that I have had the most wonderful and commemorative culinary experience in Istanbul. Lots more to explore! ***

92 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Dupatta : Reena couture Jewellery : Dazzle by Neha

94 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

In Search of IN SEARCH OF PAKEEZAH

PAKeezah MARYAM SHEIKH Photographed by SUKIRAN SINGH Styling by SHEETAL REEHAL F T.

Makeup and Hair by

ANKITA MANWANI 95

96 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Dupatta : Stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Jewellery : Reena Couture

Dupatta : Reena couture Jewellery : Dazzle by Neha

98 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Dupatta : Reena couture Jewellery : Dazzle by Neha

100 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

Dupatta : Stylist’s own Jewellery: Stylist’s own

101

Raghav Chadha Politician, National Spokesman, AAP

Interview By – DISHA SHAH You are a Chartered accountant by profession. What made you enter politics and join AAP? Does age and experience matter in politics? I was trying to set up a small Wealth Management boutique shuttling between Delhi and London when Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement was in full steam. I remember being totally invested in it even in London. I had to participate as I strongly related with the cause. When I travelled to Delhi, I met Arvind Kerjiwal ji towards the fag end of the Lokpal movement. He asked me to work on the Delhi Lokpal Bill, which was to be prepared on the basis of the Civil Society members’ Jan Lokpal Bill and the Uttarakhand Lokpal Bill. Later, I was part of the Delhi Assembly Elections 2013 manifesto team. And since then there was no turning back. Age is just a number and experience cannot be judged on merely on the basis years of existence. When it comes to age, the Aam Aadmi Party has been the one party that has kept youngsters like myself at the forefront from the very beginning. It must also be said of the party, that almost all of us had no prior political understanding, backgrounds or experience and yet we got an opportunity to work within the party and handle critical responsibilities. While many youngsters in other parties still continue to get served a shorthand and shadow seniors who never retire, the AAP accords the kind of exposure and responsibility that would take on years in public life. AAP is insisting on full statehood for Delhi. What are the benefits derived out of this? Since Delhi does not enjoy the status of full statehood, provisions of public order, police and land (which are under the jurisdiction of respective states in India) is not under the jurisdiction of the Delhi government, but is with the centre. To implement schemes of public welfare, you need two basic things apart from the right intention and will, without which you cannot do much even if you give

102 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

MASTERS OF JOURNALISM

103

104 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

your 100%, and those two things are land and police. Which in case of Delhi are both under central government’s control, thus even if the state government wishes to do something for the public welfare, the central government has the final say and power over it which leads to non-accomplishment of the deeds. Since the Police is not under the ambit of state government’s powers, safety concerns of the common man are not addressed. The other issue is time lapse in policy approval. Since Delhi isn’t considered to be a full state, various decision taken by the democratically elected governments are subject to the approval of LG who acts at the behest of the Centre. If Delhi were to attain full statehood, the rule of bureaucracy will be replaced by the rule of people. Delhi is being ruled by bureaucrats, i.e. most of the important decisions are taken by state officials rather than by elected representatives. Delhi Government would be able to freely allocate land to build hundreds of schools and colleges. It will lead to expansion of healthcare network by building new hospitals and Mohalla Clinics. It would lead to regularization of all unauthorized colonies in Delhi. It will enable us to take all steps necessary to make Delhi the safest city in India for women. All cases of crimes against women to be tried by Fast Track courts. This is just a glimpse of what all would be possible, the possibilities are endless. What are the key challenges to India in terms of economy, defence and climate change? India’s economy is seriously struggling and it doesn’t take an expert or statistician to come to this conclusion. India’s unemployment is at a 40 year high, our trade deficit has exponentially increased, there is a market slump which can be best illustrated with the automobiles historic dismal performance last year. Former Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian has himself admitted that India may be overestimating the GDP by as much as 2.5 %. All of this signals towards an economy headed in a downward spiral and the government&#39;s failure to acknowledge and accept the same may be the most dangerous aspect going forward. Employment will definitely be one of the key issues in the coming times and sadly, with proposed FDI, small and medium sized traders may also take a big hit. The other economic development which will be remembered as characteristics of the Modi government is the increasing financial gap. Recent report revealed that 73% of the country&#39;s wealth lies with the richest 1% of Indians. This is certainly and absolutely undesirable for a developing nation. Climate Change should ideally dictate much of the legislature which sadly it doesn’t seem to be. What views would you like to express on Chandrayan - 2 Moon Mission? It is an exceptional feat worthy of utmost appreciation. However, anyone who

105

expresses surprise at this feat must be considered unaware of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rich legacy inscience and mathematics. ISRO has time and again brought international fame, recognition and acclaim in the field of space and science. I have confidence that India will surpass USA, China and Russia when it comes to space exploration. I am also very inspired by the women behind Chandrayaan2: MuthayyaVanitha &amp; Ritu Karidhal and am sure it will inspire many girls to follow the path of science. One of the most striking features of the feat of course was that it was accomplished at a budget of Rs.978 crore while the statue of unity cost Rs.2,989 Crore. I hope we as a society will be able to identify which fields we must invest more towards and what are wasteful expenditures. Delhi is reeling under water crisis. Any measures AAP has taken or is planning to take on this major challenge in Delhi? We provide free water with usage linked incentive. The subsidy by Delhi Govt. has helped keep per capita usage under 50 gallons a day. AAP government is very serious about addressing the water crisis in Delhi and has as such employing a Three Layered plan1. Constructing underwater reservoir to store floodwater 2. Storing rainwater to enhance ground water levels 3. Treating Sewage Water and storing the same in Local Ponds in order to makeDelhi self-sufficient in water needs. Delhi Jal Board has also approved a Rs. 376-crore plan to rejuvenate 159 water bodies and another Rs.77-crore project for creation of two lakes in order to aid ground water recharge and boost water reserves in the city. The BJP says Central schemes are not implemented in Delhi in their true capacities because of political reasons. Do you agree to this? What is your partyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stand against this criticism? Central Schemes are blanket schemes and need to be customized for the section of people it is catering to. However, there are some wherein we have better systems. For example, we have implemented a three tier healthcare model with Mohalla Clinics as the primary health stop with a vision to develop one Mohalla Clinic within 5km radius from every place in Delhi. Medicines, treatments and tests are free in Delhi government hospitals and treatment can be availed by ALL citizens of Delhi without any discrimination. There is no upper limit on bill for treatment. Compare this with Ayushman Bharat scheme which is essentially a Beema Yojana, for select few members of the society (income cut off is so low that Minimum Wage Worker in Delhi also will not be eligible for it) and has upper cap of 5 lakhs. What kind of leaders does India deserve? Is the leadership in its contemporary times as relevant as it used to be during pre-independence era? India needs leaders who listen to the masses. The people sitting in positions of power today are far removed from the ground reality. The Indian leader I admire

106 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

the most is Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal because his first priority is the people and their aspirations. As a RTI activist before entering politics, he toiled endlessly to ensure that the citizen is empowered and now that he was on the other side of governance, he maintained his stance that people need to be empowered. And thus AAP policies work towards free education and healthcare. A leader is one who leads, not one who wishes to rule. Leadership today has lost sight of our founding forefathers. It is a pity that the level of discourse in politics has touched a low point. Where once we had statesmen, today we have criminals and terror accused in the parliament who enjoy endorsement from the top leadership of the country. There is no doubt that todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leadership is motivated, but their vision of India is wildly different than the one that many a brave freedom fighters lay down their lives for. AAP emerged as a party with tall ideology. It does have its fundamentals clear and right but what went wrong that signs of fragmentation could be observed and the challenges for this young party seem to multiply? No party is immune to fragmentations and departures. Political parties are made up of passionate people and naturally in the course of events, many fall out. However, there is no doubt that the AAP was a heavily persecuted political party. The BJP has been unable to digest the defeat at the hands of the AAP even at the heels of Modi Wave and thus have been going after the AAP with all their might. Today being on the other side of the regime is a difficult task, still we are proud of the fact that our MLAs have remained loyal despite the many pressures and our volunteer base is as strong as ever and everyone is motivated to defeat the fascist forces. Do you think Indian media is just a mouthpiece of the ruling party and is biased towards others? Is the freedom and autonomy of Indian journalism under threat? Some in the media have today been exposed as government stooges while the others have been at the receiving end of much harassment. Some in media have undoubtedly become the lapdog of the Government, instead of being a watchdog. Media is supposed to be the fourth pillar of democracy and neutral in its approach. It is supposed to be an instrument of the masses and question those in power. However today many in the media have been reduced to mere cheerleaders of the regime. One can daily find prime time shows targeting questions at the opposition or building false narratives that help the regime, this is not journalism , this is PR. Autonomy of Indian Journalism is under threat and the reputation has taken a serious dent. What future can be predicted for India when the dissent is curbed and the right to speech becomes an offence? Dissent and freedom of expression are the bedrock of democracy. India is headed towards totalitarianism if the right to speech is not most adamantly defended. There was a time when cartoonists and satirists who commented on the

107

politicians were wildly lauded, but today they find themselves under threat. The fear is not merely that the right of speech will be withdrawn but that the general attitude of powers that has become so hostile that war of words is escalating. Today it can been seen on social media, like on Twitter, anyone who speaks truth to power is harassed and made to shut up by trolls. Mere legislation cannot ensure freedom of speech if we amongst ourselves don’t safeguard each other’s right to speech. You belong to the youngest nation, in terms of the ratio of the youth in this country. A political leader does influence the young minds and is an icon before them. Do you think the youth idolize you as you have been an inspiration? What message would you like to convey to them? I don’t consider myself a source of inspiration, in fact I come across people on a daily basis who inspire me with their grit, determination and vision. However, I would like to motivate more youngsters to participate in politics of our country. India is one of the youngest countries in the world with 65% of its population below the age of 35 years. Therefore, the youth of India needs to come at the forefront of Indian Politics and engage with various tools and instruments provided to empower the citizen. How do you perceive the idea of a modern Indian? Would you like to term yourself as a modern Indian? If yes, in what context? A modern Indian holds a scientific temperament, has freed himself/herself from the shackles of age old prejudices, is a feminist, believes in the tenets of our beautiful constitution and respects others in the society. A modern Indian recognises the role he/she plays in the functioning of the country and does so without chest thumping. I’d consider myself as a Modern Indian. ***

108 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

109

110 MIND MAGAZINE August 2019 Mindmag.media

MIND MAGAZINE is absolutely free for our Readers. Subscribe below to get a copy every month. www.mindmag.online/subscribe

111

www.mindmag.online

M.IND Mag Publications LLP