VOL-4 ISSUE-05 `100 I JANUARY 2020
26
IN HUNT OF TUSKS AND TRUNKS
40
A RUN ACROSS MUDDY FIELDS
THINK. CREATE. LIVE
Dr. Manimekalai Mohan Managing Trustee
TOP
10
Dr. Manimekalai Mohan REASONS Managing Trustee
TOP
10
TO STUDY IN
REASONS TO STUDY IN
Prime Choice for Learners English Immersive Environment Excellent Academic Resources Prime Choice for Learners World - Class Infrastructure English Immersive Environment Global Edu- Learning and Excellent Academic Resources International Collaboration World - Class Infrastructure Sports and Physical Well-being Global Edu- Learning and Fantastic Boarding Experience International Collaboration Beautiful Nature Everywhere Sports and Physical Well-being Incredible Culture Fantastic Boardingwith Experience Holistic BeautifulDevelopment Nature Everywhere Incredible Culture with Creating Professionals
Mettupalayam, Coimbatore (DT). Tamilnadu. India. M. +91 9364454884 Mettupalayam, Coimbatore (DT). Tamilnadu. India. M. +91 9364454884
Afliated to CBSE, Delhi. Singanallur, Coimbatore. Tamilnadu, India M. +91 9344451888 Afliated to CBSE, Delhi. Singanallur, Coimbatore. Tamilnadu, India M. +91 9344451888
Afliated to CBSE, Delhi. Uppilipalayam, Coimbatore. Tamilnadu, India M. +91 9364511111 Afliated to CBSE, Delhi. Uppilipalayam, Coimbatore. Tamilnadu, India M. +91 9364511111
Holistic Development Creating Professionals
Integrated Coaching Institute for NEET
/ IIT - JEE
Integrated Coaching Institute for NEET
/ IIT - JEE
Foundation Course for IX & X - Optional Foundation Course for IX & X - Optional
XI & XII NEET / IIT - JEE XI & XII Coaching NEET / IIT- -Optional JEE Integrated Integrated Coaching - Optional
Repeaters NEET Full Time Course Repeaters NEET Full Time Course
Mettupalayam, Coimbatore (DT),Tamilnadu. India. M. +91 9364454884 Mettupalayam, Coimbatore (DT),Tamilnadu. India. M. +91 9364454884
www.ssvminstitutions.ac.in
www.ssvminstitutions.ac.in
CONTRIBUTORS & ADVISORY BOARD & ADVISORY BOARD
Dr. RAJESH JEGANATHAN A young and dynamic medico. He runs A and dynamic medico. He runs theyoung prestigious Billroth Hospitals based in the prestigious Billroth Hospitals based in Chennai. Dr. RAJESH JEGANATHAN Chennai. Dr. RAJESH JEGANATHAN
CONTRIBUTORS THOTA THARRANI CONTRIBUTORS & ADVISORY ADVISORYBOARD BOARD CONTRIBUTORS CONTRIBUTORS ADVISORY THOTA THARRANI & ADVISORY BOARD CONTRIBUTORS & BOARD & ADVISORY BOARD
A young and dynamic medico. He runs A and dynamic medico. He runsin theyoung prestigious Billroth Hospitals based the prestigious Billroth Hospitals based in Chennai. Chennai.
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VEEJAY VEEJAY SAI SAI VEEJAY SAI VEEJAY SAI SAI AnVEEJAY award-winning writer, editor, and a culture critic.
An award-winning writer, editor, and critic. An writer, editor,extensively and aa culture culture critic. Heaward-winning has written written and and published onIndian Indian He has published extensively on An award-winning writer, editor and a He has written and published extensively on Indian classical music, fashion, theatre, food and art. An award-winning writer, editor and a classical music, fashion, theatre, food and art. culture critic. He has written and VEEJAY SAI classical music, fashion, theatre, food andpublished art.
heartwarming thank you role to the legend himself himself
heartwarming thank role the logo designed theyou oneextends andtoonly Thota Tharrani. Brew by Lifestyle a legend heartfor his incessant contributions. for his contributions. Tharrani. Brew extends heartfor his incessant incessant contributions. thank Lifestyle you note to thea legend ASHOKwarming VERGHESE warming you note to the legend forthank his incessant contributions. ASHOKhimself VERGHESE himself for his incessant contributions.
culture critic. He has written and published VEEJAY SAI extensively on Indian classical music, extensively on food Indian music, fashion, theatre, and classical art. fashion, food and art. editor and a An theatre, award-winning writer,
An award-winning and a culture critic. He haswriter, writteneditor and published culture critic. He written and published extensively on has Indian classical music, VITA DANI DANI extensively on food Indian music, fashion, theatre, and classical art. VITA VITA DANI Passionate about grassroots of sport in fashion, theatre, food development and art.
He is the ASHOK directorVERGHESE of Hindustan group ASHOK VERGHESE ASHOK VERGHESE He institutions, is the director ofof Hindustan group ASHOK VERGHESE of one the pioneering He is the director of Hindustan group of ASHOK VERGHESE He is is the director of Hindustan group of institutions, one of the pioneering He the director of Hindustan group of educational groups in the country. He is of institutions, instituions,one of the pioneering educational groups educational groups incause the country. He educational is one ofand the pioneering educational groups in a big supporter for promoting instituions,one of the pioneering groups in the country. He is a big supporter and cause for He is the director of Hindustan group a big supporter and cause promoting the country. He is isfor a of big supporter and cause for young talent in art and music. in the country. He a big supporter and cause for He is the director Hindustan group of institutions, one of the pioneering promoting young talent in in art art and and music. music. young talent in art and music. promoting young talent
Passionate about grass roots development development of of sport in Passionate about grassroots sport in India. Sheco-owns co-owns Chennayin FC,Chennai’s Chennai’sfootball football VITA DANI India. She Chennayin FC, India. She co-owns Chennayin FC, Chennai’s football VITA DANI team in the ISL and Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT), team in the and Table Tennis (UTT), team infirst-ever the ISL ISL professional and Ultimate Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT), India’s table tennis league. Passionate grassroots development India’s first-ever professional table league. India’s first-ever about professional table tennis tennis league.
ofpromoting institutions, one the pioneering young talent in art and music. educational groups in of the country. He is educational groups the country. He is a big supporter andincause for promoting a big supporter and cause for promoting young talent in art and music. young talent in art and music.
Passionate about development VITAinDANI of sport India. grassroots She co-owns Chennayin VITA of inDANI India. She co-owns Chennayin FC,sport Chennai’s football team in the ISL and FC, Chennai’s team in the ISL firstand Ultimate Tablefootball Tennis (UTT), India’s Passionate about grassroots development GUltimate VENKET RAM Table Tennis (UTT), India’s firstPassionate grassroots development ever table tennis league. G VENKET RAM ofprofessional sport inabout India. She co-owns Chennayin GA ever VENKET RAM professional table tennis leading Indian fashion photographer whoand has of sport in India. She co-owns Chennayin FC, Chennai’s football teamleague. in the ISL
ANIL JAIN JAIN ANIL JAIN ANIL ANIL JAIN design to succeed and redefine the ANIL JAIN An intensive An intensive design to succeed and re-define the
A leading Indian fashion who has Ashot leading Indian fashion photographer photographer who has FC, Chennai’s team the ISL and principle photography stills forinseveral several notable Ultimate Tablefootball Tennis (UTT), India’s firstshot principle photography stills for notable shot principle photography stills for several notable Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT), India’s firstever professional table tennis league. firms. He He quit his his engineeringstudies studiesto to workwith with firms. ever professional table tennis league. firms. He quit quit his engineering engineering studies to work work with cinematographers foraawhile, while,after afterwhich which hejoined joined cinematographers for he cinematographers forRAM a while, afterat which heCollege. joined G VENKET course in visual visual communication communicationa Loyola aaacourse course in at College. Gthen VENKET RAM in visual communicationa at Loyola Loyola College. He worked with photographer Sharada Haskar He then worked with photographer Sharada He then worked withhis photographer Sharada Haskar Haskar A leading Indian fashion photographer who and in 1993, started own studio. G VENKET RAM and in 1993, started his own studio. A Indian fashion photographer and inleading 1993, started his own studio. has shot principle photography stillswho for G VENKET RAM
An intensiveofdesign succeed and redefine parameters success.toAnil Anil Jain was was always cut to tothe be parameters of success. Jain always cut be parameters of success. Anil Jain was always cut to be ANIL JAIN an Entrepreneur taking an active interest in Business An Intensive desire to succeed and redefine an Entrepreneur taking an active interest in ANIL JAIN andesire Entrepreneur taking an active interest in Business Business An Intensive and redefine the parameters of to success, Anil was right from ansucceed early age. HeJain is the the promoter of Refex Refex right from an early age. He is promoter of the parameters of success, Anil Jain was right from an early age. He is the promoter of Refex always cut industries out to be Ltd; an Entrepreneur, taking RefextoTrading(s) Trading(s) Pvt. Ltd, Ltd, and and Anil Anil Jain industries Ltd; Refex Pvt. An Intensive desire succeed and redefine always cut out to be an Entrepreneur, taking industries Ltd; RefextoTrading(s) Pvt. Ltd, and Anil Jain Jain an active An interest in Business right and from Intensive desire succeed redefine investments. the parameters of success, Anil Jain was an active interest in Business right from investments. an early age. He is the promoter orAnil Refex investments. the parameters of success, Jain was always cut topromoter be an Entrepreneur, taking an early age. is out theTrading(s) or Refex industries Ltd;HeRefex Pvt. Ltd, taking always cut out to bein an Business Entrepreneur, an active interest right from industries Ltd; Refex Trading(s) Pvt. Ltd, and Anil Jain Investments. an early active interest right from an age. He is in theBusiness promoter or Refex and Anil Jain Investments. an early age. He is the promoter or Refex
has shot principle photography stills for several notable films. He quit his engineering A leading Indian fashion photographer who several notable films. He quit his engineering studies to work with cinematographers for A leading Indian fashion photographer ARUNA SAIRAM hasSAIRAM shot principle photography stillswho for ARUNA studies to work with cinematographers for ARUNA SAIRAM has shot principle photography stills for a while, after which he joined a course in several notable films. He quit his engineering A winner of the prestigious Padma Shri award. She a while, after which he joined a course in Winner of the prestigious Padma Shri award. She several notable films. He quit his engineering visual communications at Loyola College. A winner of thetoprestigious Padma Shri award. She studies work with cinematographers for is visual the vice-chairman vice-chairman ofwith theSangeet Sangeet Natak Akademi communications at Loyola College. is of the Natak Akademi studies toafter work cinematographers forin He vice-chairman then worked with Sharad a while, which he joined a course is the the of thephotographer Sangeet Natak Akademi He then worked with photographer Sharad which iswhile, India’s premier national institution for avisual after which he joined a course in which is India’s premier national institution for Haskar and in 1993, started his own studio. communications at Loyola College. which is India’s premier national institution for Haskar and in 1993, started own studio. visual communications Loyola College. music andthen dance. Ms. Sairam isathis one of India’s most He worked with photographer Sharad
industries Ltd; Refex Trading(s) Pvt. Ltd, NEERU NANDA NANDA NEERU industries Ltd; Refex Trading(s) Pvt. Ltd, NEERU NANDA and Anil Jain Investments. A graduate graduate of Delhi university and passionate A Delhiuniversity University and and aaa passionate and Anil Jain Investments. A graduate from of Delhi passionate
NEERU writer. NANDA She was was a free-lanced feature writer for She feature writer for ten NEERU writer. NANDA writer. She wasa afree-lanced free-lanced feature writer for ten years before switching to publishing. Author of
years before switching totopublishing. ten years before switching publishing.Author Author of of NEERU NANDA collection of short short stories titled titled ‘IF,’ she she has also also NEERU NANDA aaa collection of collection of short stories stories titled ‘IF,’ ‘IF,’ she has has also
music and dance. Ms. is most music He andthen dance. Ms. Sairam Sairam is one one of of India’s India’s most worked with photographer Sharad renowned ambassdor’s forstarted music successfully taking Haskar and in 1993, his own studio. renowned ambassador’s for music successfully renowned ambassdor’s forstarted music successfully taking Haskar and in 1993, his own studio. ARUNA SAIRAM Indian music music toSAIRAM the International arena. ARUNA taking Indian the International Indian music to the to International arena. arena.
A graduate of Delhi University and a for childreen. A graduate of on Delhi University and afor worked novels and stories passionate writer. She was free-lanced worked on novels anda short short stories for children. childreen. passionate She a free-lanced A writer. graduate ofwas Delhi University and a feature writer for ten years before switching A graduate of Delhi University and a feature writer for ten writer. years before switching passionate She was free-lanced to publishing. Author of a collection ofashort passionate writer. She was free-lanced to publishing. Author offor a collection ofashort feature writer ten years before switching stories titled “IF”, she for hasten also worked on feature writer years before on switching to publishing. of aworked collection of short stories titled “IF”, she Author has also novels andtoshort storiesAuthor for children. publishing. ofhas a collection of short “IF”, also worked on novels andstories short titled stories for she children.
ARUNA SAIRAM A winner of SAIRAM the prestigious Padma Shri ARUNA A winner of the prestigious Padma Shri award. She is the vice-chairman of the award. She isof the of the A winner the vice-chairman prestigious Padma Shri Sangeet Natak Akademi which is India’s A winner of is the prestigious award. She the vice-chairman of Shri the Sangeet Natak Akademi whichPadma is India’s premier national institution for music award. She is the vice-chairmanis ofIndia’s the Sangeet Natak Akademi premier national institutionwhich for music dance.JEGANATHAN Ms. Sairam is which one for of Sangeet Natak Akademi is India’s India’s Dr.and RAJESH DR. RAJESH JEGANATHAN premier national institution music dance.JEGANATHAN Ms. Sairam is one for of India’s Dr.and RAJESH premier national institution music most renowned ambassador’s for music, Ayoung young and dynamic medico. Heruns runs the prestigious and dance. Ms. Sairam is one of India’s A and dynamic medico. He the prestigious most renowned ambassador’s for music, A young and dynamic medico. He runs the prestigious and dance. Ms. Sairam is music one of India’s successfully taking Indian to the most renowned ambassador’s forto music, Billroth Hospitals basedinambassador’s in Chennai. Billroth Hospitals based Chennai. successfully taking musicfor the most renowned music, Billroth Hospitals based in Indian Chennai. international arena. successfully taking Indian music to the international arena. successfully taking Indian music to the
stories and titled “IF”,stories she has worked on novels short for also children. novels and short stories for children.
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Sameer Bharat Ram Sameer Bharat Ram Sameer Bharat Ram Sameer Bharat Ram Sameer Bharat Ram Sameer Bharat Ram Sameer Bharat Ram Sameer Bharat RamRam Sameer Bharat
international arena. international arena.
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DESIGN
Akshaya G Aishwarya Sridharan Akshaya GVijayaraghavan Aishwarya Sridharan Yoheswari Devaraj Akshaya G Aishwarya Sridharan Nanditha Sheeba Grace Akshaya G Aishwarya Sridharan Akshaya G Aishwarya Sridharan Yoheswari Devaraj Akshaya G Aishwarya Sridharan Yoheswari Devaraj Sheeba Grace Maheen Afshan. F Jp Studios Edz Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Sheeba Grace Akshaya G Aishwarya Sridharan Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Sheeba Grace Akshaya G Aishwarya Sridharan Yoheswari Devaraj Sheeba Grace
Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Sheeba Grace Sameer Bharat Ram DESIGNER FEATURE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS WRITERS DESIGNER FEATURE / CONTRIBUTING CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DESIGNER FEATURE // CONTRIBUTING FEATURE /FEATURE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DESIGNER CIRCULATION CIRCULATION FEATURE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DESIGNERS FEATURE // CONTRIBUTING CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DESIGNER FEATURE / WRITERS DESIGNER FEATURE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS CIRCULATION DESIGNER CIRCULATION CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DESIGNERS FEATURE / CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DESIGNER CIRCULATION CIRCULATION FEATURE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DESIGNERS FEATURE / CONTRIBUTING WRITERS CIRCULATION FEATURE / WRITERS DESIGNER FEATURE // CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DESIGNER CIRCULATION CIRCULATION FEATURE // CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DESIGNERS Dhinesh Babu S Aarathi Arun Nandita Vijayaraghavan Divya K Purushotham Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Janani Suri Aishwarya Kanchi Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Janani Suri Vidhya Anand Sanjana Ganesh Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Dhinesh Babu S Dhinesh Babu S Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Janani SuriGanesh Aishwarya Kanchi Dhinesh Babu S Nanditha Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Janani Suri Vidhya Anand Sanjana Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Aarathi Janani Arun Nandita Vijayaraghavan Divya K Purushotham Vijayaraghavan Suri Aishwarya Kanchi Dhinesh S Dhinesh Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Janani Suri Vidhya Anand Sanjana Ganesh Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Dhinesh Babu S Babu Dhinesh Babu S Babu Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Janani Suri Aishwarya Kanchi Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Janani Suri Vidhya Anand Sanjana Ganesh Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Dhinesh Babu S FS Dhinesh Babu S Elumalai V AparnaRoshan P Kochumon Kochumon Anagha Natraj Natraj Pranav Radee Maheen Afshan. Shoaib Ahmed Aparna Siddharth Nagaraj DRadee Elumalai V P Anagha Pranav Elumalai V Elumalai V Sadakshi Kalyanraman Karthik Keramalu Akila Sridhar Aishwarya Kanchi Sadakshi Kalyanaraman Aishwarya Kanchi Aarathi Arun Veejay SaiSai Silambarasan Silambarasan Elumalai V V Sadakshi Kalyanraman Karthik Keramalu Akila Sridhar Aishwarya Kanchi Sadakshi Kalyanaraman Aishwarya Kanchi Aarathi Arun Veejay Silambarasan Silambarasan John Paul Elumalai V Elumalai Elumalai VAsokan Abinaya Subramanian Aishwarya Kanchi Sadakshi Kalyanraman Karthik Keramalu Akila Sridhar Anju Purushothaman Appu Gayathri Krishnaraj Aishwarya Kanchi Sadakshi Kalyanaraman Aishwarya Kanchi Aarathi Arun Veejay Sai Silambarasan Silambarasan Elumalai Elumalai Sadakshi Kalyanraman Karthik Keramalu Akila Sridhar Aishwarya Kanchi Sadakshi Kalyanaraman Aishwarya Kanchi Aarathi Arun Veejay Sai Silambarasan Silambarasan John PaulVS S V Abinaya Subramanian Aishwarya Kanchi John Paul S John Paul S John Paul S John Paul S Ridhi Suri Aarathi Arun Padma Murugahappun Aarathi Arun Padma Murugahappun Pavithra Babu Akshay Ramesh Aarti Aney Aasha Sriram Vilani Senthamil Pavithra Babu Akshay Ramesh Vilani Aarti Aney Aasha Sriram Vilani Senthamil John PaulJohn S John John Paul S Paul Paul S S Aarathi Arun Padma Murugahappun Aarathi Arun Padma Murugahappun Pavithra Babu Akshay Ramesh Aarti Aney Aasha Sriram Senthamil Pavithra Babu Akshay Ramesh Aarti Aney Aasha Sriram Vilani Senthamil
SS TTTG R A G & D GG NN A TT EEE& Y D E SSSS II II G GN N SSSSTTTTRRRRA SS& N Y SS II II G RR GG YD DG E RY GY YD & DE AA GG YA && D G NEN ATTTTSEESEETG YA TT E& D EEE E& G N Published by Sameer Bharat Ram
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Prologue Happy 2020!
20 years into the 21st century… Wow! Mind you… Civilization and livelihood has come a long way but none of the other centuries could be compared to the one speeding away now. Rewinding 20 years from now, we notice that the Y2K issue still remains fresh in the minds of people who leaped in to 2000. The Millennium bug is what it was called. Every single person working the system were nervous and tense. The abstractness of the year 2000 was the talk of town. Thankfully, the Millennium bug survived with massive victory paving way to what we would call – ‘The Millennial Bug’. The Millennial Bug as you might’ve guessed does not have a definition certified by the Oxford or Cambridge (At least, not yet). It is simply what we choose to call the empowered or even the nonresting generation. The youth of the century take a turn in unexpected directions every other day. Whether it is acknowledging important, shadowed issues or taking to the streets to fight for what’s right, they are always on the go. While this takes the spotlight, the group of teenagers and young adults also seem to be mastering arts absolutely alien to the generations passed. This first month of what may be a spectacular year, Brew has captured moments of millennials or of people who happen to be bitten by the ‘Millennial Bug
Happy
BREWING!
HAPPY NEW YEAR
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BREW BREW LIFESTYLE LIFESTYLEAUGUST JULY 2017 2017
CONTENTS ISSUE-05
COVER 26
In Hunt Of Tusks And Trunks
THINK 08 12 38
26 08
Supermachans - Far Beyond Just Another Fan Club Growing Into 2020 Resolving The Resolution Conflict
CREATE
18
18 O Bancho! 22 Namma Chennai’s Broadway! ‘Theatre-Kaaran’ 32 Lady with a Fist of Fun
LIVE 36 40 48
52
36
Make Way For The Queen! A Run Across Muddy Fields “Whatever I Did Or Struggled For In Life Has Been For Money But Now My Dream To Try And Help Change Children’s Lives” – Deepa Aathreya Wayfarer On Wheels
COVER THINK CREATE LIVE
THINK
Supermachans Far Beyond Just Another Fan Club Shoaib Ahmed
Indian football has shown incredible potential for growth in the past decade, and a major reason for this has been the introduction of a massively competitive national league competition called the Indian Super League (ISL). Since its inception in 2013, the competition quickly overshadowed its lesser-known counterpart, the I-League, and has grown astronomically since. This growth has been in great part due to the fans’ overwhelming support and contribution, believes Aasif Ali, a member of Supermachans, the official fan club of two-time ISL champions Chennaiyin F.C (CFC). The Brew managed to catch up with Aasif for an insightful sneak into the fan club’s activities, their plans for CFC, and what they believe the future of football looks like for both the club and the country.
8 I BREW LIFESTYLE I JANUARY 2020
So, Aasif, why don’t we start from the very beginning?
Why Chennaiyin? Why not some other club?
Sure. The club first started out as a small WhatsApp group in November of 2014. Initially, we were just coming to the matches as regular fans. We were all massive European football fanatics and wanted to do something for CFC like all the fans of the big European clubs did - host fan events, greet the players, recite chants out loud - so we went with it. The team had a nickname Marina Machans, and it was Mr. Abhishek Bachchan who suggested if the players were Marina Machans, then the fans would be called Supermachans. There was a nice ring to it, so we went ahead and borrowed it. It has seemed to work very well so far, and we have been recognized as one of the best fan clubs in India.
What draws us to Chennaiyin F.C is the name Chennai. Being born and raised in Chennai, it feels like a natural connection. I’m a huge Real Madrid supporter, but it simply isn’t feasible for me to travel to Madrid to catch every single match. But because this great club is in Chennai, I can go see all the home games, as well as some away games, to watch the matches, to cheer for the team with all my heart, and it just feels right.
What do you do as a fan club? Well, we usually have two or three meets before the start of each season, with around 40 to 50 people who form the core of the club, and with anyone else who is interested to help, just to plan what we’re going to do the whole season, the banners we’ll be printing, the events we’ll be conducting, the chants we would be shouting, both for the team and against our rivals. We plan our trips for away matches, to Bangalore, Goa, Hyderabad, and Kerala. I have been a traveling fan since the fourth season. It is a bit difficult though because a lot of the fans and club members are working, and we cannot make it to the away matches during weekdays, but luckily our last away match (on February 9) is going to be held on a Sunday, at Bangalore. So I’m pretty sure we’ll be able to make it there.
The best thing about Supermachans is that we don’t have a leader. There is no one person who is superior or inferior to the other, we are a family, and there’s nothing better than that feeling.
Apart from this, we also help out charities, orphanages, plant trees, and so much more. For instance, we organized a beach cleaning event, and also gifted projectors to an orphanage. Those kids were huge Chennaiyin supporters, so we wanted to help them out and watched some matches with them. We even visited a cancer treatment center for Chennaiyin’s fifth anniversary. During that time, Jeje, a superstar for CFC, was nursing an injury and couldn’t play, so we requested him to join us - and they gladly accepted. Jeje came, he spent a day with the children, we even cut a cake and had dinner with the kids. Playing with those kids makes you realize how gifted and fortunate you are, and it truly is humbling.
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The club is really creative with its banners and chants. How do you guys plan all of that? We actually have groups of people working on them. Like I mentioned before, we plan our schedules two or three meets before the start of the season. But it’s only been possible because of the amazing member of our team, Sushen Bhanudasen, for instance, is a member of the family, and helps design the banners. He comes up with all of these brilliant ideas, and we help him with the painting and execution. We go to his terrace, where we get all messy trying to create the perfect banners to rile our opponents up. There was even this one instance where our banner shocked everyone including the commentators, during our away game at Bangalore. It was one of the best moments for me personally. The same goes for the chants. We have a separate WhatsApp group, which anyone can participate in, and if something is catchy and brilliant, and wins over the majority of the group, we go ahead with it. This is the thing about our family. We don’t decide based on the seniors or juniors’ opinions. Even if you’ve been a part of the club for one day, if your idea is good and the majority agrees with it, we will execute it. And that is something we cherish with all our hearts. Over the years, the popularity of ISL seems to have deteriorated. Why do you feel that is? Well, during the first season, we had two legendary players in Chennai - Marco Materazzi and Alessandro Nesta - and if that wasn’t enough, people were really attracted to the commotion that was happening around them. They were obviously excited to see all these great players on the pitch, and football was improving as a sport.
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Yes, the initial enthusiasm has died down, and it is saddening that people don’t turn up to matches anymore. During the first season, we had an attendance of almost Twenty to Thirty thousand, now it’s just around twelve thousand. Even Kerala, which is a footballing state, and takes pride in its attendance, had only ten thousand people turning up this season. Not everything is bad, though. While the number of audiences has drastically shrunken, the number of genuine fans has increased. During the first season, we had short chants, and we could barely sing them together. But this season, the chants are way longer and yet there are around 500 to 600 people who can chant them with relative ease. In ten years, I definitely see the number of genuine fans increasing, but there has to be some effort made to raise the game’s popularity. What would your message be to the fans? I would really like you guys to just come and watch our team play. It means a lot to them. ISL has definitely helped improve the national team as well, as is evident from the latest FIFA rankings. India is slowly rising in power and in the next ten years, they are definitely going to be one of the top 50 teams in the world. So right now is the best time to get involved with your clubs, because in ten years, the things we are doing right now, like meeting the players in person, greeting them, taking pictures with them - you will not be getting a chance like this again. Because once the game picks up speed, everything will change, so make the best of this time, and come see the teams play in the stadiums. So I humbly request you to please come and join the fan club and come cheer for your team with all your heart. That is the least we can do for them.
(Near Velachery)
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THINK
Roshan Siddharth
The little things in time that make sure 2020 is a turning point. The whole world has been very eagerly waiting for the turn of this new decade. Although, every new year we celebrate with fervour and gala, the entire world felt that there was something special about this year, unlike other new years. For some, this New Year and decade gives them the feeling that this is the time they are going to be reaching new heights, though they seem to be on the right path for a while now. For some this marks the beginning of the cyberpunk era that would push us into a video game like space. But for many this year and decade marks a step into a totally new and elevated world, only because of the rapid advancements we have made, as a species in the past two decades. And nobody, literally nobody, expected. To think that the whole world believed that the world would end in 2012, makes for the joke of the century. We have come a long way since then and are sure to go much futher. So here is a rewind of interesting things that lead up for an exciting 2020:
The Third Apple: Smartphones and tablets There is many a discussion as to who came up with the first smartphone. While most techies agree that it dates back to Simon Personal Communicator from IBM, smartphones didn’t really become smart till 2000, when 3G internet became a thing. With Nokia and Blackberry introducing business friendly phones, the era was a buzz. But the gamechanger came in 2007 from a man named Steve Jobs. This is how he introduced the phones “We are creating a revolution that will make mail, music and calling handy.” Let that sink in. Now come 2020, Apple has released over 21 smartphones, 20 iPad models and literally runs their own market ecosystem. And since the release of the first iPhone, the availability of smartphones has only soared to a height, where we welcomed 2020 with our smartphones.
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Paradigm Shifts: Inclusivity in culture Lets face it: issues like race, gender, sexuality, colour and ethnicity are largely still debatable. People haven’t still readily accepted many notions and views of how things have progressed on such topics. And that’s also a part of history. There have always been instances that may have been a glimpse of the bygone dark eras. But the first two decades of the 21st century have really been huge leaps for mankind. As a society we have become more acceprtive of our differences in the various walks of life and have made an attempt to be nicer to each other. Not everyone but largely we have turned out to be better humans. The first black POTUS, legalisation of same sex marriages, transgender rights, women’s representation in politics, business and science and the coming together of people to support the oppressed and so many ways we have gotten better as a humanity. Looks like its only gong to be better from here. Netflix and Chill: We all own a password that is not ours. The password is for a subscription, which is paid by the owner of the account. And the only reason we won that password is because we would like to watch the latest trending tv shows, webseries, and movies all at once with no ad breaks, no interruptions, options to pause, drinks breaks, in the comfort of our homes and jammies. Enter the era of Netflix and chill. Not kidding, most people prefer dates that involve this rather than going to the movies. This is real disruption and huge shift in lifestyle. Going out for the movies meant a huge plan, coordination and making it work. But now all that is changed. You can watch what you want, how you want it, where you want it! Not only is it a great platform for viewers, but it helped sprout other streaming platforms. This paved the way for budding artists and aspiring film makers to put their content out in an ever competitive field. And with a real amazing line up of content set to release for 2020 Netflix is truly chill!
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Yeah, Science! That is a direct reference to Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad, as it was on Netflix! But truly these 20 years have been great for science and scientific discovery. Although many feel the era of the industrial revolution peaked with invention and discovery and ended there, the entry decades of the 21st century prove you wrong. There has been so much progress in the field of science and tech, and this time with environmental consciousness at the front, that it has propelled life to a whole new dimension. Speaking of dimensions NASA created the picture of the first observed blackhole by humans. Interstellar, the movie helped pave the way for understanding wormholes. The Higgs Boson was viewed for the first time in the Large Hadron Collider. Einstein’s theory of Gravitational waves were proved by LIGO. Elon Musk launched SpaceX and Tesla. And world over companies made investments and inventions to go greener for the planet. Maybe 2020 will help repair the planet. Human Perseverance and Goodness: Over time, the species of human kind has seen many a tragedy and adversity. Hisotry has show us many a plague, war, inquisition, natural calamity and more. We have always overcome this. But never has such a vast human population endured and felt the same across the globe. There were many wars in the past two decades. Some still on going. Some just started. Tsunami after tsunami, earthquake after earthquake and floods across the globe. But what matters is that we persevered. We made significant changes to lifestyles when we realized things were going wrong. When the 9/11 attacks happened, the whole world stood in solidarity against terror and improved public security. As carbon footprints rose, largely due to industry, people started making changes in their lives and adopted to go plastic free. Today environmental consciousness is not just a lifestyle choice, but policy of nations. Most countries are plastic free. According to some data, the green cover in certain areas of the globe as increased. This only shows that we are so much better than who we were and 2020 is only going to be better.
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Resolving The Resolution THINK
conflict
Gayathri Krishnaraj
Some take it seriously while some bid it farewell just after the clock strikes twelve. Some call it a Second Chance to Dream with Eyes Open. And for some it is simply a path to the betterment of their lives.
Life, as we know it, is like a rollercoaster ride. Ups and downs being a part of it, we desire to have a better life in every way. Resolutions have been a part of it, whether followed or not. New Year Resolution — no one can deny having made some. It is that time of the year, where people go around wishing for new beginnings, new experiences, hope, prosperity and happiness. New year resolution has been a way to improve and challenge one self. It could be anything little to something huge. A step to move forward and a will to persevere, to make a better you.
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It is a tradition we follow, through an act of self-improving tasks or trying to do something nice. It is usually personal, but not necessarily, as it is a journey towards being a better human being. Taking a resolution has been a thing since ages. Here is a little insight on how New year resolutions came into existence. It started differently in different places but more or less having the same aim. The origin of making New Year’s resolutions rests with the Babylonians, who also were the first to celebrate New year, take resolutions and make promises to the Gods in hope of earning goodness. They believed that if they kept the promise and acted accordingly they would be in favor of the Gods and no disowning would fall, which was something nobody wanted. They often resolved to get out of of debts those days. In the Medieval era, knights took the “peacock vow” (les voeux du paon) at the end of the year by keeping their hands on the peacock to re-affirm their commitment to chivalry. Early Christians believed that the first day of the new year should be spent reflecting on past mistakes and resolving to lead a finer life, the coming year. At night watch services, many Christians prepare for the year ahead, by praying and making these decisions. There are other religious parallels to this famous tradition. Rosh Hashanah, Judaism new year, during which the Jews self introspect themselves during the ten days of repentance in order to reflect upon one’s wrongdoings over the year and both, seek and offer forgiveness, marking culmination on the day of atonement called as “Yom Kippur”. The concept, regardless of creed, is to reflect upon self-improvement annually. On the other side, even as recently as the 17th century Puritans in Colonial America avoided the indulgences associated with Christmas, New Year’s celebrations and other holidays. In the 18th century, Puritans even started avoiding names like Janus, from where the name of the month January, is taken. They called January as “First Month.”
In contrast to this, the Puritans urged their children to skip the revelry and instead spend their time reflecting on the year past and contemplating on the year to come. This way, they again adopted the old custom of making resolutions. These were enumerated as commitments to better employ their talents, treat their neighbors with charity, avoid their habitual sins and deny materialistic worldly pleasure. Today, in a world of believers, non - believers and atheists; the only thing that has changed is that, rather than making promises to Gods is that we make promises to ourselves. We tend to correct, and let others correct and modify themselves into a better being through these resolutions for a desired life by recovering from the wounds while learning from the mistakes. And since we cannot possibly rain thunders and lightning on ourselves as punishment, for not keeping our promises, it need not surprise us that sooner or later we fail in staying true to our words, again differing from person to person while always having exceptions.
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CREATE
O Bancho! Ridhi Suri
Netflix and iPhones. These are the two things which pretty much sum up the 21st century. Although, as we keep rowing our way in, laughter springs up from every hook and nook of the country. Be it a cafĂŠ, a public ground or even our own pocketed smart phones, laughter is a force not to be reckoned with and which is why it is safe to say that the 21st century could be designated as the generation of Netflix, iPhones and Stand-up Comedians!
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When a video of an Bhuvan Bam went viral in Pakistan a few years ago, he instantly knew that, that was what he wanted to do. BB Ki Vines followed almost immediately by the artistic creator and although it became the Bam became the first individual creator from India to cross 10 Million subscribers on YouTube, BB Ki Vines stands at an impressive 16 Million subscribers today. Furthermore, while we sit back and enjoy Bhuvan Bam’s charisma in front of a camera, little do we realize that the Maharashtrian Megastar poses a quardraple threat as a comedian, singer, songwriter and a YouTube personality. Having made the country proud by singing the national anthem at the first ever NBA games held in India last year, Bhuvan Bam engages in conversation at the break of 2020 with Ridhi Suri…
Talk to us about your journey into the musical and YouTube industry?
If you could collaborate with anyone right now who would it be?
Since childhood I’ve been listening to ghazals and, retro songs. Growing up in a middle-class household, listening to the latenight radio shows was common. During college, I began performing in a restaurant. After performing for about 2 years I decided to write my own songs. But YouTube happened randomly and Comedy came naturally to me. One of my comedy sketch went viral in Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh and then was watched by viewers in India.
A Titu Talks episode with cricketers Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni and the Hollywood star, Dwayne Johnson.
Who inspired you to start a YouTube channel? Nobody actually. I had a joke in my head which I wanted to spill out.
What is your favorite thing about the YouTube community? YouTube community in India is growing rapidly. There’s so much varied content which can be consumed by the vast population. I am proud of every creator hustling out there. What do you think is the hardest thing about becoming a YouTuber? I think the hardest thing would be ‘Sustainability’, because it is important in everyone’s life.
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What do you feel is the best song you released and why? Every song of mine is special to me. But if given a chance to perform at the concert, I’d sing Ajnabee, twice. What got you into music? Kishore Kumar, Mohammed Rafi, Lucky Ali, Green Day and John Mayer. Favorite holiday: beach, mountain or city? My favourite holiday destination would surely be the mountain.
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If you were the President of the world, what law would you approve? I would focus on implementing a fast track court to hang the rapists immediately. Do you have any tips or advice for others who are just starting a YouTube Channel? Do not let others tell you what you’re good at. Discovering yourself would take time, but it’ll be worth it. If you want your fans to remember one thing about you, what it would be? The correct pronunciation of my name. It’s Bhuvan Baaaaaaam if you pronounce it. But when you write it’s Bhuvan Bam. Haha! If you could change one thing/event that happened in your life, what would it be? Everything happens for a reason. So, there is no point regretting. Learn and move on, but do not forget.
CREATE
n a m m a c h e n n a i ’ s b r o a d way !
‘Theatre
kaaran Anju Asokan
In a prominent corner of a sports ground in T. Nagar, the Theatrekaaran troupe gather in the evenings, one among the few leading up to their show day. With exponential abundance and sheer passion taking the lead, they are all set to practice what they do best - Acting!
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A three-year-old group, that mushroomed out of pure love for drama and for what it’s worth, have been following the tradition of preserving performance art. Theatrekaaran welcomes people from all walks of life, wanting to act as a pure form of expression that puts them through the process of mastery. A community with a good ratio of profession and passion, it is a chilling spot that is filled to the brim with both raw and refined talent. As I spoke to the founders Raghav and Sabari, they reminisced the inception of Theatrekaaran in 2016, when they decided to come out of Chettinad players and start a theatre group that boasts of flexibility and inclusion. The duo sets their evenings aside for their sweet time with passion - theatre and acting, and go to their respective workplaces in the morning as diverse as a medical firm and an advertising agency.
Their very first show was titled Maravanaadu, and as they recalled joyously at the moment, it did not go as planned. Post a few learning steps, they performed in M.O.P Vaishnav College for Women, a show titled Hey Ram which was their big break. Their biggest production Maara is what gave them a face, an identity as it is. Following the boost of confidence and upvotes from various theatre lovers, they did shows like ‘Bro, Konjam Tamizh la Sollunga’ and many more street plays for Women’s’ Day and World Hunger Day. They also did a series of four acts that included Good Samaritan Law, water scarcity and air pollution. Theatrekaaran has seen around 200 artists, each of them contributing to what it stands for. Actors are given a lot of space and freedom to apply their own creative element and touch to the script. When asked about the age group welcomed in the
troupe, it was brought to notice that there are artists who are students, professionals, office-goers and even a sixty-year-old. “There have been times when we got into trouble for using the ‘Brahmin’ language in our plays, as certain audience took offence.” says director Sabari. “One person even came up and started fighting but the beauty of it all was when the other set of audience stood up for us, respecting the performance art and its artists. Some of them have, in such a sweet gesture, made sure that the show went on in good health.” he smiles. “Post shows, people have showered us with such confidence, it gave us the sheer energy to get together after one show to practice for the next” he concludes.
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“Here, we do not have an audition system. We take in anyone who comes in with a heart of interest. Over the span of three years, we have produced a good number of plays. As they might talk for us in the stead, we are lovers of Ithihasam or history (for those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it) and incorporate it in every production we do.” says Raghav. An array of elements including multiple narrative style, storytelling, method, acting and the like put these actors in limelight. The backstage work, props and everything else to ensure a brilliant show is done by their very own Assistant Directors, Aishwarya and Rayan who organize the sets and make sure that the play proceeds in a great spirit. Freshly out of college, they call it their idea of fun. “Even if there is no upcoming play, no scheduled practice, we meet up to jam, quickly sketch some stand-up comedy and just bond with one another.” they say. Pooja Shankar, a 25-year-old marketing professional from the audience, who was heavily inspired by Sai Vignesh - an UberEats employee, enacting a story about Jallikattu during their Kadhaigal Kaanalam show which is Theatrekaaran’s flagship act, describes how soulful his performance had been. “He got us all hooked onto a writeup from history, and that too for thirty minutes. It is really heartwarming to see raw talent crop up from unexpected places; It catches you off guard!” she says.
Social media seems to have created quite a buzz in the lifespan of Theatrekaaran, and for the goodwill they hold, word of mouth has helped them build a glad fortress. Preceding every play or show, they have a month long workshop to accelerate the process of scripting, training for actors and other quintessential elements that go into the making of their production. “Bringing the life of theatre back in Tamilnadu has always been our primary sight. For all we know, theatre is an art all of us mutually agree upon immensely and respect the nuances. We all aspire to travel, take our plays along to different cities and perform for them, for there is no greater joy.” says Sabari. “It’s a noble feeling, when you cry on stage and the audience reciprocate the emotion, there is an instant reaction, it is nothing but priceless”.
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COVER
IN HUNT OF T U S K S A N D
TRUNKS
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Maheen Afshan. F
Hailing from Tamil Nadu, this prodigy of a photographer jumps from village to village with his camera and a dozen lenses clicking pictures of not humans or landscapes but of animals. To think that humans don’t understand the language of animals is proven entirely wrong by Senthil Kumaran. Having the animals around the globe call out to him, photographer Senthil Kumaran documents their lives, language and emotions in the best way possible. Over the past 5 years, his work has progressed into Environmental and Wildlife Projects. Now works for various reserves in India, to document his longtime project of Human and animal conflict issues. He has won several awards from international organizations like International Picture of the Year, World Report Award, Istanbul Photo Awards, National Geographic, WWF, Pano, Nature Image Awards, UNESCO etc. In 2007, he won the “Geographical Photographer of the Year Award” from Royal Geographic Society, London and received the “Hope Françoise Demulder Grant” from Angkor Photography Festival, Cambodia in 2014. He has also been selected for “World Press Photo” Talent Program 6x6 Asia Region, 2019 in Netherlands. His ongoing project, “Tamed Tuskers” was exhibited at the Angkor Photo Festival at Cambodia and he passionately talks about his career and animals further along the conversation…
Talk to us about Tamed Tuskers. A rapid growth in India’s development and human population has slashed the forest vegetation at a devastating rate of 1.5 millions hectares over the past 10 years, resulting in significant destruction of wildlife habitat. This ecological imbalance and the fight for living space has led to the increased conflict between humans and wildlife across the country. As migratory, nomadic animals that can walk up to 20km a day in search of food and water, elephants in this part of the world have had their usual migration paths disrupted by farming plantations, settlements and the construction of roads and highways. As they lose their forests, the elephants increasingly come into human-inhabited lands, inadvertently destroying agricultural crops. Some elephants even become habituated to crop raiding and teach their young to do the same. The affected communities have resorted to setting up electric fences and sometimes poisoning to protect themselves and their livelihoods. For the Kurumba people, a tribe from the Western Ghats, their relationship with elephants stretch back to centuries. Known as world-class elephant tamers, the Kurumba have been engaged in the tradition of taming wild elephants for over many years, passing on their knowledge and expertise from generation to generation. Working with wild elephants, which have killed several people continuously and were captured from areas of conflict, the Kurumba undergo a long process to tame and train them, eventually earning the trust of the elephant and forming a relationship of respect between man and beast. Throughout the process, no sharp tools or weapons are used. The Kurumba only uses a thin stick to touch and communicate with the mammal.
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The tamed elephants, also known as Kumkis, are in turn used to tame and train newly captured elephants from the wild. Kumkis are also very effective in leading wild elephants which have strayed into areas with human settlements back into the wild. They are a part of the Kurumba family, where men and beasts work together for over 12 hours a day.
When and what was your first human-animal conflict witness?
Even though they could get jobs and good salaries in Hindu temples in urban areas caring for elephants, they never leave their original homelands. They do however work with the forest department which sometimes uses a few elephants for tourism safaris, removal of weeds and fallen trees, and patrolling during the monsoon season when it is difficult for vehicles to enter muddy areas of the forest.
The impact it left in me through its majesty, behavior and habitat, sparked an avid interest in me to somehow see the tigers in its natural habitat. I went to several forests with a hunger to see tigers but couldn’t find any.
Through their work, the Kurumbas have ensured a reduction in human-elephant conflict situations and poaching. Since childhood I was excited about the tuskers. The elephants in temples are often brought to my streets for a walk during which me and my friends always gathered to see it and also walked alongside patting it. When I was around twelve years old, I had a chance to visit many tamed male elephants from Mudhumalai elephant camp during which I happened to see a single tusker, chained separately from the rest of the group. When enquired further, the care taker said it has been from the wild and not tamed properly. This created a spark within me to learn more about the tuskers in the wild and the process to tame the wild elephants. I had been to Mudhumalai Elephant Camp several times where I got in touch with the Vet, Dr. Kalaivanan. As we met often, he talked about each and every elephant’s uniqueness and historical information in detail. He also mentioned about the Kurumba tribe which astonished me. In the recent years, I’ve been to Mudhumalai Elephant Camp nearly 25 times after which I became familiar with each and every elephant, the Kurumba families and the mahout. In 2016, I received permission to document a film about the Elephant camp in Mudhumalai. Simultaneously, I documented photos.
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When I was 10 years old, I saw a tiger for the first time on television. That documentary on tigers really impressed me. I was so fascinated that I cannot describe its majesty through words.
Several years later when I was in Mudhumalai to shoot elephants, I received a message from Valparai, that a tiger had entered the town. Considering this an opportunity to view a live tiger, I travelled to Valparai immediately. As I reached the place, it was heavily crowded with nearly two hundred forest workers and more than a thousand civilians with poles and weapons. Amidst the crowd, I saw the tiger savaged by the civilians and lying down at the back of a house. It’s an unforgettable event where nearly 100 people were preparing to attack the tiger. The excitement that I had, turned into a disappointment. It was that scene that made me realize the dark side of a tiger and its contemporary ecology. That passion and search prompted me to start a photo story of Tiger-Human conflicts. I’ve been documenting it for the last 8 years.
What was your most adventurous experience? Twenty years ago, a tusker named Moorthy got into the human habitat and had killed around 23 people. Since this became a major issue, the forest officials and the villagers decided to kill it. Several bullets hit the tusker and it ran to the nearby Mudhumalai camp where it was cautiously caught by Kurumbas and was given medical assistance. After 1 year of treatment and training the tusker came out as one of the calmest elephants in the camp. I was to eager to photograph that tusker and waited a long time to get an opportunity. Two years ago I got an invite to document the elephants in the camp. I stayed in the camp and roamed around with various elephants. Generally, it is risky to be close to the elephants in the camp. However, I wanted to touch and feel Moorthy. So, I offered him sugarcane, jaggery and bathed him. Finally, one day when I went close and touched him, he didn’t harm me. I held its trunk firmly and stood there for a while. It was one of the memorable moments for me.
What made you view the conflicts important enough for you to work on? For a decade, I have been involved in various conservation activities. I have seen many human conflict issues and realized the core reasons of these issues, but the accessibility and feasibility was my main challenge. In 2012, when I saw the tiger conflict incident, I made my mind to start my Human-Tiger conflict project intensively. I had travelled to more than 10 tiger reserves and 60 villages. At that time, I didn’t think my project would be a success. During my travel a lot of conservationists and forest officials helped me get access. How difficult is it to shoot a documentary? Access and feasibility were the key challenge. During the journey, my point of view always traversed between animals and humans. I understood the mindset and cons of both the sides and have captured the same in my photographs. In villages, sometimes, people believed that I support only conservation and simultaneously some nature lovers think that I support people alone. Every village and forest I travelled through had different conflicts and it cannot be summarized in a single photo story. That has been the challenge to me. It was indeed very difficult because I was covering the spot news, like tiger translocation, man eaters, cattle kill and human causalities. Since, I lived far from the conflict zone, I had to start immediately as soon as I got information and travel long distance to reach the spot. Now my tiger edited story consists of 25 to 30 selected images. I have spent almost 8 years, travelling through 60 villages all over India in order to capture those images. In 2013, I travelled to Sundarbans to document the maneaters and victims for my project. I selected only 2 pictures for my final edit, but I had travelled 3000 kms by unreserved transport; put all my capacity and effort into this project.
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Have you always wanted to be a documentary photographer?
emotions and voices. I would like to use it to make positive changes.
Yes, I want to be a documentary photographer. I started my career with street photography and practiced commercial, landscape, wild life, underwater photography etc. But documentary photography is totally different than the other genres. It is entirely subject oriented. We need to have a long and strong connection to our subject. For some, photography is a hobby or an adventure or even an art medium. But, for me, documentary photography guides my experiences,
What’s your biggest achievement?
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The experience that I carried after travelling various reserves has totally changed me. I have become a Conservationist as a whole, beyond my vision as a photographer. In India, Human-Animal Conflicts is one of the most important contemporary issues and I feel the documentation that I have done on Human-Elephant conflict is just a small part of it. My job isn’t done yet. There is a long way for me to go.
What inspires you? I strongly believe that curiosity, excitement and wonder that develops in a child should never be lost. Such a child must be a creative self with a vision, an enthusiasm for knowledge and action, and always a surprise to see. You are the creator of your work and you are the spectator. The value of your work is yourself and your integrity.
What is the permanent solution to this humananimal conflict according to you? In India, Human-Animal Conflicts is one of most important contemporary issues among others. Twenty years back, we never encountered such brutal conflicts that exist today. Vast developments made by government, industrialization, constant change in landscapes and increase in human population in the last twenty years are the main reasons behind this. Our country’s growth rate can be directly interlinked with the loss of its own forests. In the past 10 years, we have lost almost 15 lakh hectares of forest land which is four times bigger than the total space of Goa. In the last 50 years the elephant population has reduced by 75% and their landscape by 50%. I feel this is the last chance to save our habitat and wild life. We need sustainable development to balance our economic, environmental and social needs, allowing prosperity for now and future generations. We also need the integrated management systems along with micro level planning that can reduce the conflict between humans and animals. Where to next? Now, I am going to start the project about Tribal relocation and Effects of Climate changes in Marine biology. I am practicing wet plate photo process and 1850’s photo processing techniques. In 3 words, tell us the message you want to spread to the people. “Be a nature”
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CREATE
Lady with a F I S T O F F U N Gayathri Krishnaraj
“Aditi is funny” is how she likes to be known. However, she prefers not to label herself. Having had an interesting journey through her career, Aditi Mittal gets candid about herself, comedy and sexism faced by the industry with Brew.
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How was your childhood and college? My childhood was fantastic and my college was even better. Life is going great. I get to make my defence mechanism; my daily job and I get paid for it. If a problem arises it has nothing to do with how life is going on right now.
As a woman you need to find out what kind of humour appeals to you. And I’m sure you can name out four male comedians. It’s difficult and it will remain difficult as long as people don’t prepare before they come ask us questionsgood questions or don’t even know about our jobs enough.
How did comedy happen? Comedy happened because I went to open mics. I think everyone wants a story where they are spotted by a Karan Johar and everyone is like ‘Wow! You’re a prodigy!’. That is bulls**t! The story is hard work. You have to struggle. You have to go to open mics after open mics. You have to try out your jokes, listen to the audience - that’s how stand-up comedy works. You have to love everything that you talk about. For me personally, the moment I don’t understand something or fall in love with something, I start talking about it whether I write about it or not. So yeah, these are a few things that make you a comedian.
What sort of comedy do you think you do? Fun comedy. I think it’s observational. It’s based on things that I see in everyday life and the world that I live in. It ranges all the way from my life experiences of what I see around me to the life experiences of the people around me. Observational is my style!
You are one of the first female comedians in India. Was it difficult to enter the scene? That is a very stupid question! You know I’m actually kind of sick of answering this question because it makes it sound like we are the ones complaining. No, you, as a woman journalist also know that there’s sexism in your profession. It is more difficult for a woman in every profession and it’s almost dishonest. It is definitely challenging because there was nobody doing it. There was no one to follow the path - having said that, that made me more determined to change it. And to be more focused on my path to make sure that whatever path I’m on, the people that come after me won’t have to go through the same bulls**t. That’s the point of laying a path if the grass has grown over it and you are the only woman. That’s why I find it irritating when people say ‘Oh you’re the only woman that has... – you’re a pioneer’ and then keep rewarding you for the same thing in circles then you’re only as good as the people that follow you. If there are lots of women that have followed your path, then you have done a good job being a pioneer, that is what I think.
Could you tell me more about being on the BBC panel of the hundred top comedians? It was about one hundred women across the world coming together to talk about the experiences and lives of women and I was in it for about two and a half years which was a great honour to be chosen not once but twice. And what I experienced was that women are pitted against women and that kind of thing is often demonised. Women are forced against other women and made to feel like we’re against each other which is a very bad stereotype. That prevents women from coming together and identifying with each other’s experiences. When you are the 50 percent of the world and you’re being told that each and every one of you is the enemy of the other, you are not going to come together as a unified voice. I learnt there that every voice matters and has its own unique story to tell. And that determined me to be more truthful and be less shy while telling my story. Because as women we want to be liked so badly. We want to hear people say, ‘Wow! Such a lovely person’, ’Such great luck’, ‘What a smile she’s got’ and what not. This made me realise that that’s not the only quality to aspire as a woman and that’s okay.
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I’ve observed that usually a guy is complimented based on “You have a very smart son” and along those lines, but for a girl the take is different - “If she serves coffee” or “Oh! This girl is so beautiful’ What is your opinion on this? We as women have to step out and be comfortable with being perceived in other ways. You know the backlash is always substantial to everything. A woman breathes and it’s a political freaking act, ‘Oh, look at how she’s breathing so loudly’. So, I think that the one hundred women’s experiences truly changed me as a person. It exposed me to so many different women from different parts of the world of different professions, attitudes and cultures. And, at the end of the day we all realised that we needed to come together and believe and trust each other and have faith in each other because we tend to also outsource that to men. We tend to ask men about our validations, our expertise, faith and trust. In these successive years of doing stand-up I believe in women and believe in the sisterhood stronger after meeting the hundred women. Any other such experiences where being a part of something added to your journey of being a comedian? Everyday adds to the journey of being a comedian. I get to process my life for jokes, and people laugh for it and sometimes I get paid well for it. So, what’s not to love about it. 34I BREW LIFESTYLE I JANUARY 2020
What do you think are your biggest achievements in your career? Lasting this long. Because I know there is enough time and space and by saying that, it means I’ve had a long career, but the fact that I’m still here, I think, is my speciality. Showing up is half the battle won and I am showing up every day to do my job. Is there anything you’ve planned for your future? Maybe a new show? I am planning for my future to become better. I’ve been doing it for nine years now and I think that you only get better as you grow older and as you spend more time doing the craft. And that’s for every art. You have to spend a certain amount of time before you start getting good at it and to me, that’s my plan, to just keep doing it and to keep at it. The second time you see me should be better than the first time you saw me, for example, ‘Wow! This girl has really evolved; this girl has really grown as an artist’ or as a ‘writer’. I want that and I want a consistent group. I’m going to the US for the Edinborough Fringe Festival and to London where I’ll be on tour the entire year. I’ll get to see the world, meet new people, hear new stories, and maybe be able to process that through jokes.
What else do you like to dabble in? I’ve been learning music. I used to learn classical-western singing when I was in college and now, I’ve taken it up as a passion. I’ve been attending guitar classes regularly whenever I have time on my hands. I’ve also been preparing for a marathon now; the 42k which is going to happen at Bombay in January. You have to start it six years in advance and its good fun preparing for that. I’m not into sports as much as I’m into running. It’s a good meditative thing. I can’t sit still and look at a flame and all that, so, I just put on a podcast and run.
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LIVE
Maheen Afshan. F
In 2019, she was titled the Transqueen India Brand ambassador. She was the first trans-person to represent India for Trans International Beauty Pageant. She has won Miss Popular voted by the public. She quotes, ‘I consider myself the queen chosen by the people.’ And this new decade, she plans to open an Institute or participate in the International Beauty Pageant again, if possible. She is Miss Namitha Ammu.
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How was your childhood?
What would you believe is your strength?
I’m a Chennaite. My parents live in Royapettah. After my schooling, I enrolled in Software Engineering in College. After my second year of engineering, my parents found out the difference in my gender and weren’t ready to accept it. I was forced out of the house, hence not being able to continue my studies.
My strength is my confidence. I don’t brush off my failures. I work on my mistakes and correct myself. I strive for things I don’t have or get, because I know I can achieve anything in this world.
What pulled you towards Beauty Pagaents? After dropping out of engineering, I faced a lot of struggles on how to transfer myself. That’s when I met my transgender mother Ms. Sudha who stays in Porur. She helped me transit at the age of 19. I poured my problems to her and how my parents haven’t accepted me and she helped my parents; counselled them which eventually made them accept me. I was staying in Choolaimedu and couldn’t find a house as it’s hard for transpeople to find a place to stay. That’s when my parents sold a property at my native and bought me an apartment in T. Nagar, 7 years ago. I know the pain and struggle of the people like me because I have suffered for food and accommodation. Hence, I made up my mind to take care of them. Now there are about 40 to 50 people living with me. Every transwoman wants to look pretty and beautiful like the rest. In 2014, I participated in a function familiar to our community held at Villupuram and won the title. I realised that if I could win with 120 kgs body weight, then I could shed it and actually be a beauty model. 2016 was my break. I won Miss Chennai. In 2017, I won Miss Trans and in 2018, Miss India. In 2019, I was Miss Trans Queen and I knew that stepping into this field would take me places. What is the highest compliment given to you by someone? Lots of people have supported me , so I can’t provide a specific name. But the highest compliment currently received is that I am the Transqueen Indian Brand Ambassador. I previously was the winner and now am the brand ambassador for which I am also organizing a show. I think that’s my biggest
compliment. Even though people have come to be more accepting, transgenders are still often mistreated. How do you feel about that ? I think soon all of it will change. Because now, transgenders are getting opportunities everywhere. In India, we have police officers, nurses, teachers, engineers and many such. Hopefully, in 5 years, there will be more oppurtunities from the Government. What is your vision for the transgender community? My aim is to change the vision of how transgenders are looked at in the society. Because people say, and even I say to myself ‘You are now an actress and a model. Why is it that nobody else is trying to do anything?’. They are either begging or working as sex workers. After my competition that was held in December, I’ve decided my future plan is to start a modeling institute for transgenders. I want to train them to participate and help them represent India for the International title. Did you let societial norms affect you? Personally, I don’t care what anyone says. They could say anything they desire and I will prove it over and over that I am the best. However, society may not be an issue for me but it is for many. People sturggle for basic necessities like accommodation, education and jobs. I am happy that I participated in an International Beauty Pageant because earlier transpeople did not have an ID. But now, in India we are given rights and provided with necessities. I got my passport as a Female. India is changing and that makes me happy.
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I want to tell the transpeople ‘Please educate your parents about your transition and needs and convince them to accept you because only with their support can you survive and do things’. They shouldn’t end up doing bad things or forced into bad jobs. If they have their parent’s support they won’t be worried about spoiling their reputation. This will help them concentrate and work on their dreams. We were all born in a natural way by being in our mother’s womb for 9 months. We came out as general human beings from our respective mothers. So all of us have the right to make our life choices and choose our lifestyle. Nobody has the right to oppose them or to say you shouldn’t do this or that. Everyone has equal rights and can choose their own lifestyle.
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Although, not many from your community have progressed the way you have, do you see advancement in the country for their betterment? Yes, definitely. I am the first transgender in India to travel across European countries for a Beauty Pageant. I’ve created history. Looking at me, people would definitely wonder if she can, why can’t we try? And moreover I don’t want to be the last one of that kind. I want people to take a step and reach there. We have a primary education system which provides kids the basic knowledge about society, the community, the gender factor and so on. Do you think there should be a change in the system where it’s not just male and female columns but inclusive of other genders too, as a way to raise your kids? Yes, when a child sees a transgender person, they get scared and move away. They are afraid of them. It’s our duty to help them understand the gender they are, what they do and how their lifestyle works. They too are human beings. We should create awareness and educate not just children but everybody. What’s the one advice you would give the new parents in their way to parent their kid?
Kollywood movies do not adapt much to the change in the country. Important issues are not highlighted. We have stereotypical movies where the hero falls in love with the heroin and vice versa. How do you think the country should focus on mainstream issues? (Laughs) If it’s about national issues, then movie is never going to be cleared for release. People are afraid because it’s not an easy job to release a movie. They have the censor board, editing and things like approval from the authority and so on. Why would anybody risk their own money to spread a message? But there are directors who want to show what the reality is. In my movie, Nadodigal 2, the director beautifully shows about how the transgender comes up in life and makes her dreams come true by becoming a police inspector after being harassed and thrown out of home. I’ve played the role of Prithika Yashini, the first Indian transgender police. I want to tell the society that my people also have dreams yet sadly we’re forced into things which we do not wish for. It is in fact enforced upon us by the society. If we give them equal rights and provide them with what they require, they’ll definitely focus on their dream like everyone else. Society is the reason for a lot of unpleasantaries. Nadodigal movie shows it. However it’s not possible to show it accurately as they have censor board issues.
I would ask the parents to not dwell about the society. If a child is transitioning, support them and think of them as your own. Bullying and harrassment would trigger the child to either run away or commit suicide. Instead keep them near to you. Please do not force them out of the house as they would have to struggle a lot in order to lead a simple life.
What’s your resolution for 2020?
Tell us your message of hope.
If you wrote an autobiography someday, what would the title be?
What I would like to say is that please don’t hide your gender or lifestyle. Do not think that it would affect your parents or friends or neighbours. Do justice to yourself and believe in yourself.
I am going to concentrate more on movies. This January is when my movie releases - Nadodigal 2. Then there is a second movie on the charts. Soon, I’ll be signing more projects. And I wish for the transpeople to concentrate on modeling and acting.
Queen.
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LIVE
A Run Across
M UDDY
FI E L D S
Purushothaman Appu
The state where rich, western ghats reside, Karnataka is anything but single faced. Although it is one of the most talked about places in India, regarding it’s advancement in technology and corporate sector, it still fourishes in traditions and culture which are lead with the famous race – Kambala! A well-built man grabbing on to the bond which binds two bulls running at high speed, crossing a person like lighting on a muddy water bed was indeed a thrilling experience to watch. Though there are many popular races involving animals have been conducted in South India, Kambala hoists the pride in Karnataka.
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Traditional races in India are not only confined to the word ‘entertaining’ but expands to the place of birth, cultural features and spectator’s emotions. As I traced the history of Kambala race is traced I notice that it has been vogue since the period when Aluppa kings ruled Mangalore. However, it is a fact that travellers assemble from Dakshina, Udupi and Kannada to witness this race. About 160-meters long and 12-meters wide across a muddy field, a passage is created. Healthy bulls are locked in carts and made to run through this path
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along with the farmers. Two bulls race against each other and the first bull to reach the finish line is awarded prizes and shields. In some races, four or eight pairs participate at the same time. The rules and schedules change according to the places where the races are conducted and they are spread across various areas of Karnataka. Approximately, 140 pairs of bulls participate in the race. The people of Karnataka believe that these contests help increase the production in agriculture as they take place between the months November and March.
In order to compete, the bulls are fed special nutrients and exercised too. However, the animal welfare organization - PETA had obtained a stay on the race in 2019 from the Supreme Court claiming that the bulls are treated horribly. The Karnataka Government later brought an ordinance to keep conducting the competition. The organization which hosts the Kambala race made a statement that all efforts of PETA to stalemate the game would be stopped legally and the organisation would take care of the race of Karnataka.
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The stories of the lives roped with the Kambala race are stunning. The people/racers who run with the bulls behind them take special training. They have certain rules as, to take special nutritious food with many restrictions. At times, college students are also allowed to participate out of enthusiasm. The spectators cheer and pour water at the muddy pathway of the race continuously. The organisers watch closely from a gallery near the path for any mischief. Young and old run for the race. At the goal post, sand is deposited, hence making it a ridge. Win or lose, the contestants climb the ridge with pride showing that they ran the race and from the arena the scene is nothing less than dazzling. Yet, by changing the rules or making it more interesting, the end could be altered adhering by the curiosity of the foreign travellers. After the race, the bulls run into the villages nearby and the young boys follow to catch them. It is a small game played separately. Once the contest is finished, the paths are closed. Consecutively, the farmers sow the seeds for the crops to bloom. It is interesting to ponder where the bulls and contestants might practice until successive year for the race
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As for the spectators, they experience the joy of the mighty Kambala race by gathering at the gallery and cheering the participants with all their might as the bulls run with vigour in the feet deep water and mud while the contestants bring the rear. When the mud splashes on one’s face, the cheers roar while wiping it without concern because a game isn’t always a game. It embraces brotherhood.
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LIVE
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“
I DID OR STRUGGLED FOR IN LIFE HAS BEEN FOR “ WHATEVER MONEY BUT NOW MY DREAM TO TRY AND HELP CHANGE
CHILDREN’S LIVES
Deepa Aathreya Anju Asokan
“When I was in college I had no idea of becoming an entrepreneur” says Deepa Aathreya, the Founder and CEO of the School of Success who ironically did not have an easy run on the path to success. Where there is a will, there is definitely a way and the successful entrepreneur of today abided by it even when she was is in her death bed. When Deepa was in school, she hid within her shell until middle school. ‘I used to be dull headed and shy; Not great with academics.’ She quotes. She felt the black sheep in her family since she had two brothers who excelled in academics. ‘I was the odd man out in the family. I think it was 6th standard when I was asked to leave school as I couldn’t cope with the CBSC syllabus.’ This resulted her in continuing her schooling under an Anglo-Indian syllabus. Sadly, things far from taking a turn got even worse for Deepa. ‘In the convent, my insecurities added up as I was studying in a “not-so-famous” school
while my brothers were still in one. I wore divider skirts to school and thanks to my obesity, my friends called me baby elephant.’ Being bullied by her peers took a stab on her confidence. But right around the corner came 8th standard which turned the tables around for Deepa big time.
‘During 8th standard, our school organized for a motivational speech. I don’t remember everything but two words hit me like lightning – “Take Charge”. Life is in your hands so take charge.’ The idea of taking charge of her own life was new and raw for Deepa. And like every student has that one teacher in their life who helps them sort things out, Deepa too had her class teacher by her side.
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‘One day my class teacher asked me to read a paragraph to the class from the English reader and I did. She complimented me, and said I had excellent communication skills. Since then she mentored me through school. In high school she encouraged me to stand for the school elections which I did and surprisingly won.’ That had been the first time Deepa Aathreya was proud of herself. Deepa then moved on to pursue B.A. Economics at Ethiraj College where she topped her university. And yet having come from an orthodox family, she was not spared the idea of marriage. To buy herself more time, she enrolled for an MBA at the same college. However, her Masters course didn’t just buy her time but something much more as she found her partner. Her parents sad to say weren’t on board. She was grounded but was let to attend her Viva examination when Deepa’s life fell apart. She met with an accident almost greeted death. ‘When I woke up, I took Aravind’s name and it was like one of those moments in the movies. My parents agreed for our marriage and immediately after my MBA, we tied the knot and within a year, I gave birth to a son.’ Deepa and her husband soon met with financial troubles and just on time, a door opened. ‘I met my ex-boss who invited me to her son’s birthday party with an opportunity. Since I am good with kids she asked me if I could do a themed birthday
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party.’ The first party went well under the theme ‘Go Green’ and Deepa soon started building a network to organize birthday parties. Soon, she set a summer camp to promote leadership through short film making since it would help introverted kids loosen up. ‘I wanted a 10-day program where the children learn film making. Having only an idea but no money, I met Nina Reddy ma’am and asked her if she could give me a space at Hotel Savera for the camp for free. I was relieved as she immediately said yes. She said she sees the fire in me and I would go on to achieve big things.’ The first summer camp was a hit with about 50 children. Opportunities knocked on Deepa’s door and she was suggested to do it full-time. Voila! Hence began the School of Success. Deepa’s husband quit his job and together they built the School of Success for its succession to the next level. It was the perfect combination of passion and professionalism. ‘We were doing great and somewhere down the line I felt proud but had become arrogant too. Success hit me too hard; too fast. As we were doing unbelievably awesome financially, my husband asked his friend to partner up.’ Yet again, rain poured on her parade as the friend misused the funds leaving the couple with a debt of 25 lakhs. ‘We had to give up everything we earned and it came to a point where we had to pull our son from school. Just as all this was happening, I was pregnant with another baby. I was worried sick but my husband gave me hope.’
Neck deep in financial disaster, Deepa refused regular check-ups. When her due date came around, she went in for a check-up and the doctor informed her that a C-Section was required. Hustling for money, the couple gathered enough for the surgery which went well and Deepa gave birth to a baby girl. ‘We named her Kamakshi after the Goddess herself and are really proud of her. Kamakshi is the first Indian to represent in Greece and is a child activist who focuses on the value of education to children today.’ Deepa is the sole person to applaud for the success of Kamakshi today. When Kamakshi had still been a baby, Deepa in order to provide her with food and milk bought balloons for Rs. 100 and sold them each for Rs. 10. As she did it regularly, she started being noticed by the people as she told children a story as soon as they bought her balloon. ‘Coming to light, people from media, asked why I was doing this and I lied. I told them I loved children and that’s why I did it. The children increased and I met a lot of people. One of them being a school correspondent, who had read about me in a Tamil Magazine, asked if I can come to their school and do story-telling. I would be paid in return too.’ Agreeing happily, she did a show at the school where another idea came to Ms. Aathreya. ‘I thought why not be a trainer in schools for story-telling and that’s how I ended up doing it in one school after the other.’
Just as Deepa and husband were free of debt, the year 2011 hit them harder than ever when they met with a terrible accident. It took 20 minutes for the ambulance to arrive and those 20 minutes changed their lives forever. ‘The lorry driver who hit our car ran away and my husband got out of the car to call for help. The system was jammed and the car engine did not stop. The situation was highly critical as diesel leaked from the lorry with both engines still working. I couldn’t get out as my left side felt paralyzed. And then and there, I prayed to God for two things; To get me to my children because they didn’t deserve to be orphans and secondly, if given a chance I would live to transform a million lives.’ Luckily Deepa made it our and was hospitalised. Slowly, with each step life fell back on track. ‘After the accident, there was a racial nerve damage in my hand and my thumb almost doesn’t respond. Initially I had heavy memory loss too but now I can remember up to 50 to 60 percent of the conversation. Whatever I did or struggled for in life has been for money but now my dream to try and help change children’s lives.’ As Deepa relived all her nightmares during the interview touching our hearts, it is brilliant to learn that her dream to transform children’s lives has been a massive success and the talented entrepreneur has helped over 3 lakh students. While it hasn’t always been a joyful ride, it enclosed various faces of Deepa Aathreya to herself. She is a mother, a teacher, a wife, a story-teller, an entrepreneur who always Learnt. Transformed and Lead.
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LIVE
Shoaib Ahmed
Ashim is an Indian-Australian travel blogger and bike enthusiast who takes pride in kicking off his day on his trusty GSXR motorbike. Currently, working as a project manager in IT in Sydney, he takes his time off from work to explore the world, chasing new highs and exotic experiences. During his tour of India on his trusty bike, Ashim spoke to the Brew, sharing his story so far, and treading the road that lies ahead:
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Who isn’t fond of solo trips? Wandering into an unknown land with unknown people, trying out the new tongue there, exploring uncharted territories… In simple words - An Escape from Reality. However, globetrotter, Ashim Ranadive believes that traveling is much more than that.
When exactly did the traveling bug bite you? I guess it all began once I completed University. I started backpacking across Southeast Asia because for most Australians it’s the most viable option, and quite cheap as well. Most of my friends were satisfied with their trips, but I wanted to keep going. So, I decided to make the jump and traveled through Asia, The Middle East, South America and so on.
What are some other countries you’ve traveled to? So, my trip to India was in 2013 and in 2014, I got a chance to travel through America. In 2015, my brother was studying in Europe, so I decided to go visit him there. I bought the same bike again because the shipping costs would’ve drained my wallet. I went from the Netherlands to Turkey and all the way back, covering about 21,000 km, and passing through two-three countries at once sometimes. I have passed through 25 countries during the entire trip.
What’s the story behind using your own bikes on your trips? Well, it’s actually all connected. At the same time that I was doing all these backpacking trips, I was also interested in motorbikes. I used to participate in a couple of races at the local racetracks as a hobby. But one time as I was exploring Thailand on a rental bike, I came across a bike whose registration plate showed it was from Australia, and that baffled me. After some research, I realized I could use my own bike for all my trips. After that, I used my bike to travel through Australia for about three weeks. This was in 2011. Then in 2013, when I had the opportunity to come to India, I borrowed my uncle’s bike to travel, supporting myself for the first time to Jammu and ride up to Leh from there. The terrain was a bit challenging, and the roads were a bit coarse, but I just wanted to keep going. I managed to take three months off from work and decided to travel through South America. I didn’t have an uncle there, unfortunately, so I purchased the same bike that I had in Australia and was on my way. When you’re traveling or backpacking with a group, you’re bound by someone else’s schedule, someone else’s bus timings and you can only go point to point. I wanted complete freedom and traveling on my own bike gave me that.
Where are you currently headed? Currently, I’m in India and this has been a dream trip for me - mainly because India is the home where I’ve not lived, so exploring my roots was a real magical experience. I even managed to come across my father’s first bike. It was an incredible feeling to post it on my Instagram alongside my first bike. Coming back to my current trip when it comes to traveling through Asia, most people travel through Nepal. It wasn’t an easy trip but I didn’t want to tour on a rental. The plan was to come to India through Russia and Central Asia, which consists of all these small mesmerizing countries in-between like Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Mongolia. To make this trip a bit more difficult, I wanted to customize my own bike and head for it. I looked up some stuff on Youtube and made all the changes myself. Then I had the bike shipped to South Korea, and from there to Russia. From Russia, I rode down the road through Central Asia making my final stop in India. The toughest trip you’ve been on? Well, I do like to make things difficult for myself progressively so that I can learn new skills. Also, I wouldn’t have to wait for help to arrive when such things occur. But if I had to put a tag on it, I’d say Mongolia made me question why I was even doing this. The terrain was really hard to get
over. But about three weeks later, I managed to pass through Mongolia, which made me – “The first person to pass through the country on a sports bike” Tell us more about your recent voyage. Once I passed through Mongolia, I passed through Tajikistan. I went all the way towards the border and came across the Wakhan corridor. Afghanistan fell on the other side of the corridor, separated by a river. As you pass through you can see all these small Afghan villages, living amicably and peacefully. However, I met a German couple that wouldn’t come to the Wakhan corridor because they had been warned that there had been some shootings going on and it was a dangerous territory. That’s when it hit me that we live under life-threatening situations everyday. Anyway, I stayed at the valleys of Wakhan. The many cultural changes in Central Asia, might be overwhelming at the beginning, but then you get used to it. From Tajikistan, I rode back up to China. The four days spent in China weren’t pleasant. From China, I crossed the highest border in the world - the Khunjerab Pass, into Pakistan. Having crossed the second highest border earlier in Tajikistan, I had the opportunity to cross two of the highest borders in the world in a single trip.
53I BREW LIFESTYLE I JANUARY 2020
Pakistan was a really good stay. Despite popular belief, the people there are very hospitable, and the culture is astonishingly similar to India. Next stop was Islamabad from where my bike soared into India. What really surprised me was that when I came to India and chatted with some of the bikers here, they all told me that it wasn’t easy for someone of Indian origin to enter Pakistan. I was one amongst three people to be able to travel freely!
I feel really lucky to have had the opportunity to meet such kind people too. In Islamabad, my bike had a breakdown, and for a bike like mine, there weren’t many mechanics who could fix it. But the people got it done. I left the country with a very positive outlook. Entering India through the Dwarka border had been an emotional and special ride. There was no one at the border during that time, and I had a
How did you overcome the language barrier? The beautiful thing about traveling is that you learn all these new things about culture and people and languages you never knew existed before. You also develop skills that really help you along the way. All you really need is someplace to sleep, something to eat, and headphones. And people are always nicer than you expect.
I also take some time off to get to know which roads to travel through, and plan things the day before. Talking to local travelers can really help understand the route better because when you’re traveling off-road, the course of the road can change really quickly if it rains. It always helps to be prepared, but I don’t overthink it. Taking it one day at a time helps me focus much better on the road ahead.
Some people have not even heard of a few countries I’ve been through and I’m so grateful for the opportunities I’ve had and the exposure to different people and their lifestyles. It truly is freedom in its purest form.
What’s next? I’m currently having a couple of days off in Pune, as my bike is in the workshop. I traveled from Delhi where the pollution crisis had a very bad effect on my eye making me rest in Rajasthan. I, then went
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flashback of my entire journey. After roaving through 20,000 km and enduring all that hardship, I was finally here and all that separated me was the border. At the end of the day, it’s just people on both sides of the border. They may say that the other is dangerous, but they’re fundamentally all the same. Both sides helped me during rough times. The world is much nicer than you would imagine.
ahead to Jaipur, Bikaner and to Gujarat. In Gujarat, I traveled through Ahmedabad, Baroda, Mumbai, and now in Pune. I’ll be returning to Mumbai to ship my bike home, and then definitely plan on visiting Kerala next and at that point my journey will probably come to an end. Ashim wishes to visit America with his wife in 2020, and also wants tour through Africa, but he’s in no rush, planning on taking it one day at a time. You can follow his entire journey on his Instagram and Facebook page, both titled - “7 Days One Shower.”