Batch a issue 18 final

The Weekly

BSERVER An IIJNM Publication

Bengaluru: Karnataka will become the seventh state in the country, and only the second in South India, to have a court set up specifically to deal with issues concerning children. Last year, Telangana became the first south-Indian state to have children friendly courts, following Goa and Delhi.

Karnataka will follow the Goa model of the Child Protection Act, which Goa executed in 2003 when the state government legislated and

passed the only state-level child welfare act in existence. Two years later, in 2005, the Goa Children’s Act was amended to protect, promote and preserve kids’ best interests and create a children-friendly society.

Karnataka Legal Services Authority, Juvenile Justice Committee are drawing up plans to have at least one child-friendly courtroom in Bengaluru, keeping necessary guidelines under effect.

The children’s courts feature separate waiting rooms for children and video camera trial for the accused, mandated under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act-2012.

Under the Child Protection Act, Karnataka will have children’s courts to specifically handle child abuse cases. There will be Victim Assistant Units (VAUs) that will be set up based on the model developed

by Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN), a non-governmental organization (NGO) consisting of experienced persons and experts from the field of law, social work and psychology.

Child Protection Coordinator and Co-founder for SCAN, Emidio Pinho, said: “It has been a major task to set up the first unit for the State of Goa. There was a need to completely overhaul the entire system dealing with child protection in Goa. We had to do away with many old procedures which were followed by the police, doctors, prosecutors and other stakeholders.”

Pinho said Goa’s major achievement was that it created a dialogue between the concerned departments.

Based on the modules of various child protection units existing worldwide, SCAN has developed its own program to provide sustainable, comprehensive services for children who are abused, children in need of care and protection and children in conflict with the law.

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Tuesday, 07 March 2017

Rise of the Depressed and Anxious in India Page 2

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By Ayushee Chaudhary ayushee.c@iijnm.org

@theweeklyobserver

Volume 16 Issue 18

Digital art takes a roll in the art industry Karnataka to follow suit in establishing children’s courts

The Weekly Observer

E-waste another threat to ecosystem Many e-waste companies are emerging but the residents are still unaware about proper disposal of electronic waste

By Mrigakshi Dixit mrigakshi.d@iijnm.org Bengaluru: While the disposal of old electronic devices is increasing at a rate of 30 percent each year, most people continue to be ignorant about the proper way of discarding things like television sets, computers and mobile phones.

Man’s dependency on ease and comfort has drastically increased the use of electronic appliances and devices. And when those devices no longer function, they become e-waste.

Bengaluru, being the hub of the Information Technology (IT) sector, produced 92,000 tonnes of e-waste in 2016, according to the Associated Chambers of

Source: recode.net Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) cKinectics report.

According to scientists, the life expectancy of electronic devices is generally four to five years, after which these valuable devices become e-waste and add to the earth’s environmental burden.

E-waste includes DVDs, cameras, batteries and CFL lamps.

The Assocham study showed that e-waste generated by Mumbai and New Delhi account for 1.2 lakhs

and 98,000 tonnes, respectively.

Annually the e-waste production in India is 18.5 lakh tonnes.

Dr. T.V Ramachandran of the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, said that, compared to other waste material, e-waste takes more time to degrade in the soil. Sometimes the waste does not even get decomposed due to its chemical makeup.

E-waste is made up of 70 percent heavy metal and 30 percent lead, said Ramachandran. All non-func-

tional devices are left with some radiation even after they stop working. Simply disposing off the items in the normal fashion affects the ecosystem and also human health.

“Our shop produces around 40 percent of e-waste, in two months. As I am running a cyber café, we have to frequently replace the computer parts,” said Firoz, from Bengaluru.

“Most of the time we give parts to computer engineers who come to repair them. We have heaps of nonfunctional electronic e-waste stored with us. Students sometimes need it for their school project to create models; we give it to them or else at the end of the year we sell it to the scrap dealers,” he said.

Continued on page 3

Our shop produces around 40 percent of e-waste, in two months. As I am running a cyber café, we have to frequently replace the computer parts.

- Firoz

Bengaluru sees a dip in traffic violators after fine revision riod dropped to 32,17,238.

The figures also indicated a marginal decrease in the fines collected by police in 2016, Rs. 61.42 crore – compared to 2015, when Rs. 67.50 crores was collected.

Under the proposed Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill, 2016, driving without a licence will now attract a minimum fine of Rs. 5,000 from the initial fine of Rs 500. For over-speeding, the penalty has increased to Rs. 1,000 to Rs 2,000, up from Rs 400.

Not wearing seatbelts will result in a minimum penalty of Rs. 1,000 up from Rs. 100.

The Traffic Police Department also reported a decline in the number of cases booked under drink and drive. In 2016, some 59,028 drink and drive cases were registered, Recent figures indicated a marginal decrease in the fines collected by down from 62,576 in 2015. the office. Source: yourstory.com “There is a wider awareness about the need to avoid trafthe Traffic Police Department. fic violations. Citizens are getting

By Yogita Chainani Between August and December more serious about traffic rules and yogita.c@iijnm.org 2015, police registered 34,56,509 safety,” said Additional Commiscases of traffic violations, includ- sioner of Police (traffic), Dr.M.A. Bengaluru: Last year’s hiking of ing driving off traffic signals, not Saleem. “This revision in fines fines for traffic violations and the wearing seat belts and talking on has not only informed the pubrevision of towing charges have helped reduce the number of traffic a mobile phone while driving. But lic, but citizens have now become in 2016 from August to Decem- more alert about the traffic rules.” violations in the city, Emili Verma, a resident of M. according to records maintained by ber, the number of trafic violations registered for the same pe- G.Road, Bangalore, said: “I see to

it that I don’t talk on [the] phone while driving, since the fine revision acts as a big hole in the pocket. So it’s better that I keep my phone aside while driving.”

“Commuters are now getting aware because of the CCTV cameras installed at the traffic signals and this in its own way is creating awareness and is also helping the police department to fine the violators,” said a source in the Traffic Police Department.

In comparison to 2015, five crore fewer cases under the Motor Vehicle Act were registered in 2016 because of the surveillance cameras installed in the city.

As per the Bangalore city police, 175 surveillance cameras keep a watch on motorists crossing stop lines, breaking lane discipline and violating other traffic rules.

The revision in towing charges has also helped traffic police to reduce the traffic congestion. In 2016, some 79,340 towing cases were registered, down significantly down from the 99,236 registered in 2015.

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The Weekly Observer

Tuesday, 7 March, 2017

HEALTH

Rise of the Depressed and Anxious in India

By Chhavi Nagpal chhavi.g@iijnm.org “In school we always had this notion that if you’re going to a psychiatrist or a psychologist, to tum pagalho (then you are mad),” said DevyaniSrivastava, 22, who is currently working as a social media consultant with the India Today Group.

Depression, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report, was ranked as the single largest contributor to global disability. “Depression and Other Common Mental Disorders”- a WHO report, released in February 2017, revealed that globally the total number of people suffering

from depression is estimated to have exceeded 322 million in 2015. It is seen as above 7.5 percentamong females and above 5.5 percentamong males, in the age group of 5574 years. However, depression also occurs in children and adolescents below the age of 15.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines depression as “a common but serious mood disorder which causes severe symptoms that affect how you feel, think and handle daily activities such as sleeping, eating or working.”

Persistent depressive disorder, prenatal depression, psychotic depression, seasonal affective disorder and bipolar

disorder- are the five types of depressive disorders that have been identified by NIMH.According o NIMH, 56, 675, 969 cases of depressive disorders, representing 4.5 percent of the population, were recorded in India in 2015.

Depression isn’t the only mental illness that has been a cause of worry globally. A total of 38, 425, 093 cases of anxiety disorders, representing 3 percent of the population, were also recorded in India in 2015.

In 2015, the estimated number of people, living globally, with anxiety disorders was 264 million, having increased by 14.9 percentsince 2005. According to WHO, anxiety is an emotion which is characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure.

Srivastava started showing symptoms of anxiety, during her first year of college (2013), due to the pressure of performing well and fear of failure.

Her parents thought that it was best to consult a counsellor. “In the initial stages, I was scared of getting isolated by her peers,” said Srivastava.

Caroline GauriBosco, a counselling psychologist at Hank Nunn Institute in Bengaluru, said , “Depression and anxiety are both clinical disorders, therefore, people with a diagnosis should be provided pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy.” Drugs can help in symptomatic treatment and therapy can be very effective in rehabilitation, she added.

“I consulted a psychologist when I realized that my moods and emotions were not under my control anymore,” recalls Kritica, a trainee journalist in Bangalore. “One moment, I would be weeping and other moment, I would be laughing.

I lost interest in things that I used to enjoy. I started going for sessions but soon stopped.

There were times when I almost ended my life,” she said.

According to WHO, 788,000 people committed suicide, in 2015. Suicide accounted for close to 1.5 percent of all deaths worldwide, bringing it into the top 20 leading causes of death.

A study conducted by the Indian Psychiatry Association found that rural Indians show significantly higher stigma, especially those with a manual occupation. They also deploy a punitive model towards the severely mentally ill, while urban Indians show a strong link between stigma and not wishing to work with a mentally ill individual. Divya Singh, 23, a student at University of Delhi,

Signs and symptoms, if observed for at least two weeks, may indicate depression

1. Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood 2. Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism 3. Irritability 4. Feelings of guilt, worthlessness or helplessness 5. Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities 6. Decreased energy or fatigue 7. Moving or talking more slowly 8. Difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions

DO YOU KNOW? Women are twice as likely to suffer from depression than men.

Women may be at a higher risk for depression due in part to estrogen, which may alter the activity of neurotransmitters that contribute to depression.

Studies show that pretending to be okay when you are not increases mental pain and makes you even sadder.

Cuddling literally kills depression, relieves anxiety and strengthens the immune system.

Depressed people dream 3 times more than people who are not depressed.

Individuals with higher IQs are 3 times more likely to suffer from depression because of increased brain activity.

Depressed people get colds more frequently

shares a similar experience. “I was too scared to consult a psychologist because I knew my parents wouldn’t understand, so I took some self-help measures. While, at times, I would manage to calm myself down, the suicidal thoughts were very difficult to control,” she said.

“The stigma attached to depression manifests itself in several ways, from not seeking professional help to mocking those who do. ‘Psychoeducation’, right from the primary level can be the first step to spread awareness about mental health is-

sues,” said GauriBosco.

Work pressures and lifestyle are the major causes of mental disorders, and Indians are no exception to them. “Our lifestyle, in terms of food habits, is directly related to poor physical health, which in turn has also been linked to poor mental health,” said GauriBosco. “A person’s socio-economic status can also predict the likelihood of them developing a mental health disorder at some point in life. Lack of education, resources, lack of access to professional helpcan be contributing factors.”

Signs and symptoms that may indicate anxiety 1. Feelings of panic, fear and uneasiness 2. Sleeping problems 3. Shortness of breath 4. Heart palpitations 5. Not being able to be still and calm 6. Dry mouth 7. Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet 8. Nausea and dizziness

The Weekly Observer

Tuesday, 7 March, 2017

METRO

End of the road for Maruti Suzuki’s Ritz hatchback

By Konica Kamra konica.k@iijnm.org Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. has ceased domestic and international production of its Ritz compact hatchback to make way for the recently launched Ignis, India’s first premium urban compact vehicle.

The production of Ritz was stopped from October 2016, due to lagging sales, compared to its siblings Swift and Celerio, according to Maruti Suzuki’s dealership, Rohan Motors, Chhatarpur, who spoke to Financial Express.

Maruti Suzuki, India’s largest car maker is trimming down its product range and keeping only its high-selling models to retain in the market.

Ritz sales declined significantly from August 2016 according to Motor Beam who spoke to Maruti Suzuki dealers across country and they confirmed the same. According to data by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, sales were 3,038 in August, 2,515 in September and five units in October. On an average, Maruti Suzuki India sold around 2,5003,000 Ritz hatchbacks, which was very low when compared to other models in the same class.

In the Ritz’s complete life cycle of seven years, from 20092016, the car got a makeover only once in 2012, and total sales through that period were 4 lakh. “There have been zero sales from the last

November in the showroom, Stock information but the sale of Ignis, Swift, Celerio, Baleno and Brezza has grown considerably after this discontinuation,” Harsha Maruti Suzuki India Ltd ended at Bhat, a spokesperson from the Rs. 4215.65, down by Rs. 50.9 or Kalyani Motors at Kengeri, 1.19% from its previous closing of Rs. 4266.55 on the BSE. The scrip said that with the discontinuopened at Rs. 4281 and touched a ation of the lower variants of high and low of Rs. 4325.8 and Rs. premier crossover S-cross with 4195.8 respectively.

1.6-litre design, the other mod- A total of 1075528(NSE+BSE) els are capturing the market. shares were traded on the In recent months, Maruti counter. The current market cap of Suzuki India has also discon- the company is Rs. 128883.94 crore. tinued two of its other small The BSE group ‘A’ stock of face hatchbacks – the Celerio diesel value Rs. 5 touched a 52 week high and the WagonR Stingray - be- of Rs. 4789 on 23-Nov- 2015 and a cause they were slow sellers. 52 week low of Rs. 3352.15 on The demand from private car 02-Jan- 2015. buyers to these models had slumped while there was a (Source= indiainfoline.com) boom in demand from cab opEven on the official website of erators like Ola and Uber. The cab Maruti Suzuki, under the name operators also use Maruti Ritz in its of ‘Our car collection’, every car Lxi (with CNG) and LDi variants. listed except Ritz.

Ritz discontinuation had been In a written statement, Marurumoured since last October, ti Suzuki India said spare parts but the company consistently and service for the Ritz would be denied the rumours. provided for the next 10 years.

Source: CarDekho.com

People unaware about disposal of e-waste water. In the study he mentions, in Hong Kong, Guiyu, e-waste was continuously disposed in waAccording to the research con- ter causing depletion of water reducted by Professor Ramachan- sources and the result of it people dran, the main sources of e-waste faced acute water crisis. E-waste are IT companies, government releases toxic fumes, acids and offices, schools and households. gases directly polluting the air.

The release of polychlorinated biThe study says e-waste generally phenyls, mercury, lead, cathode ray accounts for 70 percent of comcan also cause fire in the landfills. puter material, 12 percent teleMany times, the scrap pickers put communication devices such as devices on fire with other materials, mobile phones, 8 percent electrical and 7 percent medical equipment. this factor can also cause fire and afAbout, 95 percent of e-waste fect the surrounding habitat, he said.

The workers involved in the octhat goes to the scrap dealers is cupation are not aware of the not properly handled. They just steps or safety measures for indismantle the device, keep the escineration of e-waste they breathe sential parts and throw the broken parts in some landfills or water in toxic gases that can cause respiratory problems. bodies, asserts TV Ramachandran. severe We have seen many workers who Ramachandran, in his research writes, about the ill effects of e- were involved in direct disposal of waste on environment and human e-waste. They use acids to extract health, the hazardous electronic the metals and other precious elecparts, when mixed with soil or tronic chips. Even the workers are water, release acids that increases unknown about its side effects. the contamination in the soil and They throw away the useless part that seep in the water bodies and landfills, said the owner of Binbag, a city based ewaste company.

He says the workers suffer from problems like DNA damage, asthma, bronchitis, muscle weakness, chronic damage to brain etc.

ContinuThe dark side of digital age.

Source: World Report

Continued from page 1

ous release of burnt e-waste into the heart can also cause respiratory problems in human beings.

Many e-waste companies like Binbag, Rashi e-waste, Saahas zero and Karma recyclers are setting up in the city. Yet people are unaware about the techniques used for proper disposal of e-waste.

“We usually throw things like batteries, cells, circuits, wires along with our daily waste. We are not aware about its side effects. Sometimes, we throw leaked batteries also, as they are of no use,” said Gayathree, 32-year-old resident.

Another city resident Vidya Radhakrishnan said, I am aware about few e-waste companies, but generally they are located at a very distant place from our house. Most of the time, we store the e-waste for a long duration of time and then give to the garbage collector. After that we don’t know where it goes.

She adds we are still not aware about the techniques of throwing e-waste or where to dispose off.

I think these companies should take more initiative to educate the masses and to connect with them.

As per Achitra Borgohain, the founder of BinBag, writes, after IT sectors, it’s households that generates about 15 per cent of the total e-waste.

The reports say the production of e-waste is constantly increasing and by the year 2020 the generation can rise up to 500 percent, if proper steps are not taken. The ubiquity of electronic devices and access to buy them should be leveraged otherwise after air pollution, water pollution, e-waste will be another threat to the ecosystem, said Ramachandran.

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Children to have dedicated courts

Source: The Huffington Post

Continued from page 1 “This Unit is more viable than the One Stop Center (OSC) which the ministry has come up with, as the OSC only caters to women and girls,” said Pinho. “This unit targets all children who come under the criminal justice system. If each state constitutes one unit under the State Commissions for Children it would help all children who come in the system.”

The programs also ease court proceedings as children do not have to go from one department to the other; everything is done in the same place, he said.

The support monitoring system under the Goa act also has a provision for establishing:a socio-legal cell at Juvenile Justice Boards (JJB), a going-to-court programme, special children’s court, and juvenile/child welfare police unit in each police station, along with VAUs. According to reports, Bengaluru has the highest number of cases in the country filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Also,Karnataka comes fourth among all states in registering such cases, according to the Crime in India report released by the National Crime Records Bureau in August 2016.

In 2015, some 1,073 cases were registered in the state under POCSO Act while Bengaluru recorded 273 cases. In 2016, 280 POCSO cases were reported in Bengaluru.

In Karnataka, kids between age 16 and 18 forms the majority of victims with 520 of them falling under this bracket. While 33 children less than 6 years were sexually exploited, 419 between age 12 and 16 were abused. According to the National Crime Report Bureau data, in 2014, 13766 rape cases were reported under crime against children.

SOME SALIENT FEATURES OF GOA CHILDREN’S ACT

- Calls for the state to ensure children are protected from any form of abuse, exploitation and neglect.

- Make UNCRC (United Nations Commission for Children’s Rights) provisions legally enforceable.

- The act calls for registration, monitoring and evaluation of all children’s homes.

- All police bodies must take actions against any reports of child labour and child trafficking. Child trafficking for any purpose is a punishable offence. Allegedly sexually abused children will go under medical testing.

- The state will take all necessary measures to prevent, rescue and rehabilitate child victims of commercial sexual exploitation.

- The state shall also take all necessary measures to protect children in difficult circumstances from abuse, neglect and exploitation of any kind with special attention for the girl child and differently-abled children.

Under this act, the state must create a Children’s Fund to ensure the implementation of this act.

(Source: http://childlineindia. org.in/Goa-Children-Act. htm )

How do Victim Assistance Units (VAUs) operate?

Whenever a case is reported to the police, the Unit gets a call. A VAU case number is generated and the team, a lawyer and counselor visit the police station. The Response Team has to reach the police station within one hour,maximum. The team visits the police station in cases of sexual abuse (molestation), verbal, physical abuse and corporal punishment.Once at the station, a detailed statement is recorded before the police and socio-legal counseling is provided to the child by the team.

The child is then sent to the nearest hospital for a medical examination.

Thereafter the case is transferred to the follow-up unit.

1. In cases of grave sexual assault (rape), the child is brought to the VAU Unit by the police. The Unit handles the recording of a statement, medical examination and socio-legal counseling.

2. The follow-up team does a home visit when required and telephonic follow-ups are done.

3. In all casesteam members’ mobile numbers are shared with the victim and the family to get in touch when required.

4. The VAU hopes to have a police officer deputed to the Unit to streamline the procedure, so that registration of a complaint, recording of statement and medical examination of victims takes place under one roof.

Source: EmidioPinho, Child Protection Coordinator, SCAN

4 The Weekly Observer

Tuesday, 7 March, 2017

HISTORY

100 years of Champaran Satyagraha The first Satyagraha movements inspired by Mahatma Gandhi occurred in Champaran district of Bihar during 1917 to 1918

By Prabhakar Thakur prabhakar.t@iijnm.org In 1916, Mohandas K. Gandhi, a 48-year-old barrister trained in London, was invited byRaj Kumar Shukla from Champaran, Bihar to raise the issue of distressed farmers who were forced into indigo cultivation by the British rulers.

No one at that time knew that Gandhi’s acceptance of the invitation was going to change the course of history.

On 15 April 1917, Gandhi arrived in Motihari and led the first Satyagraha Movement in India against the oppressive polices of the British, which set an example for many more movements to come.

The Champaran Satyagraha Movement is completing 100 years in 2017 and centenary celebrations are being planned in a grand manner in Bihar. On 20 February, the government of Bihar invited former United States President Barack Obama and Tibetian spiritual leader The Dalai Lama to attend the celebrations.

According to reports, Bihar’s Tourism Department has planned a four-day programme in Patna starting on 10 April with 800 guests from different parts of the world. The programme will be comprised of semi-

nars, workshops and exhibitions.

Dilip Raj, a student of 12th standard from Motihari, said: “It gives me immense pride that the father of our nation, Gandhiji, started the freedom movement from Motihari. I would like to walk on the path shown by him.“It would be great to witness the centenary celebrations,” Raj added.

Gandhi, while he was in South Africa, had revolted against racial discrimination by the British. His first big movement in India that brought him to the national prominence was the Champaran Satyagraha.

It was during the ‘Lucknow Convention’ of The Indian National Congress in December 1916 that Raj Kumar Shukla, a poor peasant from Champaran, asked Gandhi to take up the issue of indigo cultivators in Champaran.

On 10 April, Gandhi arrived atBankipore Railway Station (now Patna Railway Station) on a train from Calcutta (now Kolkata) with Shukla. He held several meetings with lawyers, authorities, and leaders. Five days later, on 15 April, he arrived in Motihari, the capital of Champaran where he was greeted by a huge crowd who saw in him the “Messiah.”

Gandhi was accompanied by eminent lawyers Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Anugrah Narayan Sinha.

Even after several attempts by authorities to make Gandhi leave the district, Gandhi stood firm. He proposed a Satyagraha to protest against the oppressiveTinkathiya (three-twentieth of an acre) law according to which peasants had to plant three-twentieth of their land with indigo and surrender the entire

The weak can never forgive.

Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.

-M.K.Gandhi indigo harvest as tax to the landlords.

Meanwhile, the British discovered that Germany had developed synthetic indigo which meant that its farming won’t remain profitable.

They asked the farmers to pay compensation for being released from the Tinkathiya arrangement. Many farmers, who were irked with the sharecropping system but did not know that it’s a deceit, paid money to the landlords to end their misery.

After a while, farmers got to know that the British asked for compensation for their greed while inreality, they themselves wanted to stop in-

digo cultivation. The furious farmers started demanding their money back. Other farmers, who had not paid compensation, also wanted the Tinkathiya law scrapped.

Gandhi was served a notice by the Commissioner of Tirhut Division to leave Champaran immediately. Gandhi disobeyed the order after which he had to appear in a court where he received huge support from the people. The court was forced to bow to the people’s will and Gandhi was released by the court withoutbail. Later, the case was dropped.

Gandhi held four meetings with the Lieutenant Governor of Bihar and Orissa to raise the issue of indigo cultivators, after which an inquiry commission was set up by him. The inquiry found credible evidence against the landlords and they asked Gandhi, “How much refund should we pay?” Gandhi demanded 50 percent. The landlords offered to pay only 25 percent, to which Gandhi agreed.

Gandhi argued it was not the amount in itself, but the fact that landlords had to oblige to pay that was more important.

Gandhi’s argument proved true because after a few months, the landlords abandoned their lands and the property went back to the peasants.

On 1 May 1918, the Governor General of India signed The Agrarian Act which ended Tinkathiya

law. It was the first victory of the Satyagraha Movement in India and paved the way to further agitations and movements against the oppression of the British.

Prof. Surender Kumar, head of the History Department at Patna College, said that Gandhi is such a massive figure that dominated the entire freedom struggle of India.

“Champaran marked the first victory of people’s movement against the British Raj. It filled them with confidence that they are strong enough to challenge the mighty foreigners.

“Gandhi knew that defeating the British by the non-violent movement was more important than the money which was being refunded. It could only have been done by a farsighted and determined man,” said Kumar. “It is this spirit of Gandhi which has been admired by many across the globe, from Martin Luther King Jr. to Nelson Mandela to The Dalai Lama to Aung San Suu Kyi.” On 11 June 2016, Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu flagged off Champaran Satyagraha Express train from Motihari to mark the 100th year of Champaran Satyagraha. The train runs between Bapu dham Motihari and Anand Vihar Terminal (Delhi).

Two months ago, the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Govind Singh was celebrated with great pomp and show in Patna, his birth place.

On 15 April 1917, Gandhi arrived in Motihari and led the first Satyagraha Movement in India against the oppressive polices of the British, which set an example for many more movements to come.

In 1916, Mohandas K. Gandhi, was invited by Raj Kumar Shukla from Champaran, Bihar to raise the issue of distressed farmers who were forced into indigo cultivation by the British rulers.

15 April 1917

26 December, 1916

10 April 1917 On 10 April in 1917, Gandhi arrived at Bankipore Railway Station (now Patna Railway Station) on a train from Calcutta (now Kolkata) with Shukla. He held several meetings with lawyers, authorities, and leaders.

1 May 1918 On 1 May 1918, the Governor General of India signed The Agrarian Act which ended Tinkathiya law. It was the first victory of the Satyagraha Movement in India and paved the way to further agitations and movements against the oppression of the British.

The Weekly Observer

Tuesday, 7 March, 2017

and over again. I, Action Hero, am your safe space, as you are mine. #INeverAskForIt is another platform that has the power to move people and raise community awareness. It visually demonstrates the range of clothing women were wearing when men eve tease them.

During one demonstration, the students projected the clothes of the girls which they were wearing at the time of harassment. This was intended to deliver a message to men who walked by to give a glimpse into what it feels like to be objectified when a girl is walking down a street. “The length of the skirt does not put the girls in the trouble, the problem lies in thinking. Through conducting this campaign women are making a powerful point about sexual violence,” Gayatri Jayaraman, who participated in Blank Noise in Bengaluru near MG Road Metro Station, said.

Another national network -#IWillGoOut campaign, which was formed soon after the “molestation” case on New Years’ Eve in Bengaluru, hundreds of women across thirty Indian cities marched to show their support for women’s right to step out of their houses.

The collective describes itself as “a nationwide gathering in solidar-

ity against sexual harassment and misogyny, and to reclaim women’s right to safe public spaces”. A short film was also made to showcase the world a collective strength and solidarity across borders.

The art forms prove that there is a determination to create new kind of consciousness and resistance to violence through creative disruption.

Globally, “Stop Street Harassment” has different models of art.

One of the components is “Talking Heads” where men and women were interviewed about street harassment,

ness about women’s issues.

Bollywood actor Aamir Khan recently did an advertisement to empower women and support the birth of girl children in India. In the women in developing coun- U.K., BBC Radio will play tries with phones and ac- music composed only by cess to technology, which women for the special day. will help them start busi- UNESCO, in collaboranesses, access information tion with UN Women’s to further their careers and French National Commitaccess healthcare. Around tee, has arranged a concert the globe on March 8, com- in Paris. The Division of panies, civic groups and in- Gender Equality of UNESdividuals are raising aware- CO, in collaboration with

its permanent delegations, has organised an art exhibition, also in Paris, that focuses on young women in shaping the future.

International Women’s Day is a celebration to show respect and appreciation towards women for their achievements in social, political, economic and academic fields. It is not just for those women who are successful in their profession, but also for those who want to achieve their dreams.

The history of International Women’s day goes back to 1909. On 28 February 1908, workers of International Ladies Garment Worker’s Union factory in United States of America called for a strike to protest against bad working conditions for women. Following the strike, the then-Socialist Party of America organized the first National Women’s Day. International Women’s Day was marked for the first time on 19 March 1911 in countries like Austria, Den-

An art that can spread awareness

By Konica Kamra konica.k@iijnm.org Sexual violence, abuse and harassment are the issues that many-atimes go invisible. So, Non Profit Organisations (NGOs) working in this field are using creative engagement models such as art works which can send a more attractive and visible message.

Stop Street Harassment (SSH) is one such NGO which aims at eliminating gender-based violation. Its founder Kearl wrote two books — Stop Street Harassment: Making Public Places Safe and Welcoming for Women (2010)

and Stop Global Street Harassment: Growing Activism around the World (2015). It compiles anecdotes from hundreds of women detailing about their feelings and also actions, that women and men take to stop street harassment.

Blank Noise is another such platform which was initiated in 2003 by the graduation students of Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology, Bengaluru. One of the messages delivered through posters and artworks read — I feel safe when I am heard. I feel safe when I am not judged. I feel safe when I don’t have to justify, defend, explain, and defend over

Celebrating women across the globe

By Ahana Chatterjee ahana.c@iijnm.org

In honour of International Women’s Day tomorrow, telecommunications giant Vodafone has launched the #ConnectedSheCan campaign to “support and show strong commitment to gender equality,” the company said.

Vodafone has launched a programme to recruit more women and will hire 1,000 people worldwide in frontline and managerial roles this year.

In addition, the #ConnectedSheCan campaign aims to provide 50-million

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and were asked the same questions.

After that, the videos were compiled into one which turned out to be very effective in understanding the mentality of people on this issue.

Creative strategies like these are aimed at changing a theatrical public protest to building testimonials by using technology so as to reach out to more number of people.

Thus, these artistic expressions provide effective tools to positively influence the daily lives of individuals which lead to awareness through introspection.

More than hundreds of people joined ‘One Billion Rising Solution’, a global movement to end violence against women where people from

mark, Germany and Switzerland. Millions of women and men attended the rallies to demand the right for women to vote and to hold public office. People also asked for women’s right to work, vocational training and equality on the job front.

People from around the world started supporting the movement and in 1975, the United Nations started celebrating 8 March as International Women’s Day. This year’s theme is ‘Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030.’

“We want to construct a different world of work for women,” according to a report released by the United Nations in honour of this year’s celebrations. “As they grow up, girls must be exposed to a broad range of careers, and should be encouraged to make choices that go beyond the traditional service and care options to jobs in industry, art, public service, modern agriculture and science,” said the report.

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The Weekly Observer

Digital Art: The new realm By: Mrigakshi Dixit mrigakshi.d@iijnm.org With digital arts becoming popular in the art industry, evolution of technology has made it easy for the young artists in the city to experiment more in order to bring out their creative best.

Today, with the advancements of technology, a masterpiece can be created with a few clicks and artists, too, have started to gravitate towards technology.

The transition from real to digital world has given birth to a new era of art.

It all started with a simple computer graphic application called Microsoft Paint.

Now, software’s like Adobe

Photoshop, Adobe Creative Suite, CorelDraw, Corel Painter, Autodesk Sketchbook, etc. are giving artist the wings to indulge in seamless creativity. “Technology has facilitated artists by providing software for all kinds of artistic expressions. The best thing is that you can try out everything, be it a cartoon or something realistic, pixel to vector or flat colouring etc,” says Peter Rocque, a city based freelance digital artist. He believes present and upcoming artists, are looking up to this stream of art as a career with technology providing innumerable styles to

Tuesday, 7 March, 2017

RT showcase their talent.

Massive changes can be witnessed in the art industry through paintings showcased on social media platforms like Pinterest and Behance.

Referring to this Rocque says, “Ideating becomes much easier and quick with the multiplicity of tools and functions the software’s provide.” One can examine the picture made on software with an astute eye from a simple brush stroke to fine textures due to enhanced picture quality.

The major USP of such software is that everything is available on a single platform. The fusion of traditional techniques with digital is also available on these software especially Adobe Photoshop. The software offers options like pencil, pastels, charcoal, watercolour, acrylic, sketch, ink and textures to create something distinctive and unique.“The ‘undo’ and ‘erase’ functions are probably the greatest gift the software’s pro-

vide. During the time of developing ideas, we often take the artistic call to go off on a tangent, if it does not work out you can always go back,” said Ratan Prabhu, student of Automotive product design from M.S Rammaiah University of Applied Sciences in Bengaluru. “Methods like Claymation can be replicated via 3D software. Realism in imagery, imaginative environments, characters and effects can be replicated or simulated virtually rather than having them produced in a physical space,” Rocque said. “We belong to an industry where more is always

better, so this certainly affiliates the notion,” he quips.

This science of art has reduced the cost of production and the time taken to make it.

“Projects can be completed in far less time with a significant cost reduction, giving one time to move onto other creative projects,” said Rocque.

“I use a Graphics Pen Tablet from Wacom Company (Wacom Bamboo Tablet) so usually instead of sketching my designs onto paper, I explore my designs directly on software using the tablet, then there is a quick visualization of the designs and variety of Designs could be ex-

plored as well,” said Prabhu.

The major benefit of digital medium is that it offers the young artist, the technique of editing, as artists find it quite favourable in development of the art work. Feature the software offer is that they enable systematic workflow through layering. “Layering your work helps focus on one thing at a time and can always adjusted at any given point of time,” says Shreya Gupta a city based digital artist.

“We never make a mess.

That’s certainly helpful, with no stationeries to invest in for the innumerable pieces of artworks that you would need to hoard off into extra storage spaces,” she adds.

Digital art, titled ‘Restless King’ was made by Peter Rocque using software Adobe Photoshop.

Kalamkari in the closet By: Ahana Chatterjee ahana.c@iijnm.org

Kalamakri stall at the Mela of Kartaka Chirtakala Parisad.

Courtesy: Romita Majumdar Kalamkari, since last few years has resurged in the textile industry as designers are increasingly working with this art and the customers have also shown greater interest in it.

Kalamkari’s origin goes back to the Mughal age.

Kalam means pen and kari means craftsmanship. The pen, with which the art is created, is made of sharpened bamboo sticks. The kalam is sharpened from the top so that it can make definite lines bon the cloth.

In order to make the cloth soft, it is soaked in cow’s milk for around four to five hours and is left to dry.

This art form is said to have originated in Andhra Pradesh.

Currently, it is practiced

in Srikalahasti of Chittor district and Machilipatnam of Krishna district. These styles of Kalamkari are different from each other.

In Srikalahasti, the printing is done using the Kalam and in Machilipatnam, it is done by using blocks. In Machilipatnam vegetable dyed block printing is very popular. This art form is used in bags and coffee mugs as well.

Kalamkari materials are exported all over India from

Andhra Pradesh.

Kalamkari has revived; but now, the vegetable dye is not done in a traditional manner.

Gopa Chakraborty, owner of a boutique in Kolkata who brought back the trend in town five years ago, says, “It was a dying art but I wanted to bring it back to the people. I started purchasing material from Andhra Pradesh and made sarees, kurtis for women and shirts for men.

I also used social media and television to spread awareness regarding this art.”

Various celebrity designers have also started working with the art recently. In the Lakme Fashion Week last year, designer Divya Seth showcased Kalamkari in a different manner and named it “Nijmandir”.

Another designer, Gaurang Shah, worked with the art and showcased it in 2015’s Lakme Fashion Week while celebrity designer Nita Lulla used Kalamakari in her winter collection in Lakme Fashion Week 2016. Poojitha V. S. from Kerala, who herself makes maxi dresses and sell it to her customers through IInsta-

gram, said, “Kalamkari is comfortable to wear and the prints are unique and different from other fabric. If we wear a maxi dress or kurta made of this fabric, it gives us a traditional touch. This textile and art has recently been introduced in the syllabus of National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), India’s premier institute for studying fashion designing.

“It was a dying art but I wanted to bring it back to the people.

I started purchasing material from Andhra Pradesh and made sarees, kurtis for women and shirts for men.

I also used social media and television to spread awareness regarding this art.”

-Gopa Chakraborty, owner of boutique in Kolkata

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