The Weekly
BSERVER An IIJNM Publication
Volume 16 Issue 17
Thursday, 09 February, 2017
Ah, the Bowling Green Massacre. Adele Dazeem deserves the death penalty for that one. Jordan Peele @jordanpeele : I’m one of 100 million #SuperBowl fans that just went #Gaga for the Lady, & her message to all of us. Hillary Clinton @hillaryclinton “Baby” “Presstitute” “maika” “boyfriend”.. Trolls are offensive and sexist so as to avoid actually having a rational argumentDe3. Suhasini Haidar @suhasinih Elementary math under Betsy Devos- Q: Ned and Shryl each have 4 apples. Who has more apples?; A: Whomever Mike Pence decides has more apple Stephen Colbert @stephenathome Condolences on the sad demise of Mr. E Ahamed, a veteran parliamentarian & former Union Minister. May the departed soul rest in peace. Arun Jaitley @arunjaitley As I’ve said many times, it will be an Army of Comedy that brings him down. His skin is so thin, he can’t handle the humor or the ridicule. Michael Moore @MMFlint : My fellow film folk, if we do not unite now against these recurring incidents of bullying, it’s going to get much worse. #IstandbySLB Farhan Akhtar @Faroutakhtar Atal Bihari Vajpayee never went to Oxford, nor did Gandhi. For them, civility and decency were traits that were human, Indian, Hindu. Ramachandra Guha @ram_guha
SANS MONEY
A month and a half into 2017, cash seems to be steadily making its way back to the Indian markets.As old notes vanish into the background, will the printing of new notes reintroduce cash into the Indian wallet? || Pic by Leo Reegan
Turahalli forest: Into the receding wild
Air-India becomes first to have a female-only section
“Why do you want to go here?” Shivanna, a resident of Kanakpura road said pointing to the little, visibly infinite patch of green expanse of the Turahalli reserved forest, 20 kilometres away from the city, surrounded by concrete structures. This deciduous reserve is home to over a hundred different species of birds that primarily include those from the heron, magpie and mynah families and numerous reptiles and mammals like wild boars and jackals that are gradually decreasing in numbers. Multi-storied apartments surround it, and real estate construction does not seem to have slowed much. The tall Sobha Forest View apartment, towering over the trees at the periphery of Turahalli appears to be influencing its neighbours to match its massivity; animals and birds like peacocks have been pushed to the interiors which government laws and nature enthusiasts are trying hard to shelter and protect.The task , however, becomes more challenging as forest comes under
In a first for international carriers, Air India has decided to reserve six seats on all domestic flights for women passengers travelling alone. The seats, which the airline began offering on Jan. 18, the will be available at no extra cost, according to the Air India website. In an interview with The Hindu, Air India’s general manager for revenue management, Meenakshi Malik, said that it was the airline’s responsibility as the national carrier to enhance comfort levels for women travelling solo. The move comes after a recent incident involving a man who was arrested for sexually assaulting a lady on an international Air India flight. The man allegedly had moved from his business-class seat to sit next to the woman in economy class, and later allegedly groped her in her sleep. Managing operator of the Airport Passenger Association of India, Ms. Kavitha, called the move “a ridiculous one … aimed only at scoring brownie points.”
Arunava Banerjee arunava.b@iijnm.org
more urban influence each passing day. Turahalli forest continues to draw adventurers, bird watchers and environmentalists, whose concern and voices have helped this forest’s survival till now.For example, in 2012, when the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara palike (BBMP) decided to privatise parts of the reserved forest, a movement started by avid bird lover, Deepak Avri, helped preserve the forest’s purity. Although Mr Avri is no more, his cause remains, but the forest’s pristinity has become a matter of question for all concerned environmentalists in the city. Mr Avri’s wife, Kanthi, said that the space had always been very dear to her husband, and he dedicated
a large part of his life to ensure that the forest thrived and fostered the large eco-system in this small space of urban territory.But she is sceptical about how much her husband’s dream would remain considering the ruthless expansion of Bengaluru. However , increasing presence continues to contaminate the eco-system and adventure camps, occassional treks and bike rides into the forest has made it a favourite ‘picnic’ spot for the city dwellers. Walking along the Turahalli boulevard to reach a hill and observe the panaromic view of the city one can see the plastic covers on the bushes. “This is not a forest,” Shivanna had said, adding, “Go to Bannerghatta if you want to see a forest.” Varun Kumar,the Range Forest Officer(RFO), could not be reached for comments. Although the forest is reserved, rapid urbanisaition is pushing it towards oblivion. The broken fence around Turahalli needs immediate repair if city dwellers wish to preserve, arguably, the last standing forest of the ‘garden city.’
Sonal Agarwal sonal.a@iijm.org
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The Weekly Observer
Auto
Thursday, 9 February, 2017
Rise of the forbidden monsters Aneesh Sreenivasan aneesh.s@iijnm.org
Sports Utility Vehicles, or SUVs, as they are popularly known, are selling like hot cakes in recent years. There has been a major shift of people’s preferences from sedans and hatchbacks. SUV sales throughout India contributed about 15 percent of total car sales in August 2016, up from 11 percent in August 2015, according to Team-BHP. Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Ford and Renault saw a huge increase in the sale of their vehicles. The increased popularity of SUVS, especially in the mediumsized segment, Also, holds true for other Asian countries such as China, where SUVs accounted for 35 percent of passenger vehicle sales in the first six months of 2016, compared to 27 percent for the same period in 2015. “I feel that SUVs are here to stay. People are not going to stop buying them,” said S. Srinivasan, an SUV owner. “Companies are also introducing many incentives to enhance the user experience,” he said.
“There is also the added advantage that SUVs give you the goanywhere feeling. You can drive it offroad and on-road. This must be another reason why people love these huge fuel guzzling monsters,” said Srinivasan.
In Europe, the sale of SUVs grew at a gigantic 18 percent in the first three quarters of 2016. According to data given in Jato.com, the mid-size segment of SUVs - like the BMW X3, Volvo XC 60, Audi Q3 - saw an increase of 42 percent in the same year. The Volvo XC 90 saw a 163 percent rise in its sales, making it the second-best selling SUV in Europe. BMW has seen a 5 percent rise in its sales
4717
18700
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45610
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year-after-year in Europe alone. Automobile experts claim sales in Europe will reach the 2 million mark by 2020. Automotive News Europe quoted Hyundai UK boss, Tony Whitehorn, as saying: “Styling is the number one reason for which people buy these cars.” America is famous for their love of SUVs. This love has only kept increasing with the sale of 67,518 mid-size SUVs in January 2017, according to the The Wall Street Journal. With the proliferation of the Internet, online videos and the popularity of urban music, in many parts of the world, SUVs have come to represent luxury. The one SUV that
is really popular in the luxury end of the market is the Audi Q7, while the Toyota Fortuner is the one that is the most popular in the mid-segment of the market. These cars are available at various price ranges. The Ford Ecosport is the cheapest of these compact SUVs. The Hyundai Creta, on the other hand, is the car that is the most expensive amongst the compact SUVs. Here is a table that gives the price of these cars in lakhs.
Hyundai lakhs
Creta-
14.85
Nissan lakhs
Terrano-
13.95
Renault lakhs
Duster-
13.89
Maruti Suzuki S-Cross13.74 lakhs Ford lakhs
Ecosport-
10.37
Old wine in new bottle: The new BMW X1 Bibin Raj P B bibin.pb@iijnm.org There was a time when the term 4X4 referred to a rugged, offroad, bulky and not-so-comfortable car, but not anymore; the new BMW X1 is here to change just that idea. The German luxury vehicle makers have come up with the perfect balance of a driver’s car and one which has all the characteristics of a premium SUV. Now we get both the rugged SUV look on the outside, a high quality trimming a high driving position on the inside. When you compare the BMW X1 with other premium SUV’s in its range, it is the smallest in size. But that’s hasn’t stopped BMW from increasing its ground clearance to 19.30 cm, which means that the sits almost 15cm higher than a family hatchback, allowing for the better driving position and visibility that many customers crave. Overall, the car is a remarkable machine, and makes for a good example of how German
engineering is slowly taking over the SUV market. When you compare it with competitors like the Audi Q3 and Mercedes Benz GLA, the X1 stands out with some of the things discussed below. Space Considering the fact that it is one of the smallest of its kind, the amount of room that one gets in this car is truly impressive; it has the largest internal dimensions w h e n among its rivals.
T h e front seats are made for long rides, with the driver’s seat being adjustable in multiple directions. Meanwhile in the back, there is enough leg room and elbow room for two passengers. But a passenger in the middle of the rear seat may
lose out on comfort. Comfort The seats in the BMW are amazingly supportive; you can go on a long journey without ending up with a back ache. For soft rides one should opt for 17inch wheels, but 18 inch tyres won’t
ruin the ride quali t y either, as they are made more for handling than comfort. The difference is easily noticeable. Interior German build quality is exhibited at its best here. It is ex-
tremely difficult to find faults in this category, especially keeping in mind the car’s price tag. The interior is replete with clear and direct controls with minimal usage of confusing gadgets. The twin gauges ahead of the driv-
er are simple and easy to understand. While the BMW system in the centre console might get confusing at times, one usually gets used to it before long. Engine Petrol: The only petrol X1 is the 2.0 litre xDrive 20i four-
wheel-drive model. It has the maximum output of 189 bhp and can reach 100 kph in just 7.4 seconds. Diesel: The engine model that- I got to drive- was the more slightly powerful 2.0 litre xDrive 20d M sport. It also has a four wheel drive system to distribute 190 bhp output. As it is diesel variant, it lags slightly in the lower range revs, but picks up the pace as it revs up. If you put your foot down on the accelerator, you’ll reach its maximum speed of 234.96 kilometers per hour in not time. Fuel Economy The fuel economy of the diesel variant in the city comes around 16.6 kmpl and in the highways it comes up to 20.68kmpl. For a premium SUV, it’s as good as it gets. Verdict If you are looking for a small 4X4 SUV, the X1 should be on top of your list. It is roomy, economical and has a great interior. It is the whole package. Even when it comes to the driving experience, BMW maintains its superiority over the rest.
The Weekly Observer
Nation
Thursday, 9 February, 2017
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‘Common tweeple’s leader’ keeps Indians informed Azmia Riaz azmia.r@iijnm.org Social media has helped narrow the distance between people and their leaders. As technological innovations brush up against the world of democracy, newer modes of communication open up making the whole process more mobile than it has ever been. In different parts of the world, this has resulted in a variety of dynamics between people and their leaders – ranging from American President Donald Trump’s nearly-daily tweets and Turkey’s RecepTayyip Erdogan who compares it to ‘a knife in the hand of a murderer’ to politicians who employ these tools to reach ordinary people. In India, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) under Sushma Swaraj has made social media a formidable tool to inform and assist thousands of Indians living in different parts of the world. The minister’s ability to be all-seeing has earned her a number of nicknames across the media. This year, Foreign Policy magazine awarded her the title of “global thinker for her extraordinary ability to use Twitter for diplomatic purposes. Many also call her “The Common Tweeple’s Leader” for being at the beck and call of the online Indian. The Washington Post tagged her as being the “Supermom of the State,” while Buzzfeed praised her as being, “The most badass foreign minister on the Internet.” Swaraj took the reins of the ministry in 2014 when the NDA government came into power. She is only the second woman to hold this post since Indira Gandhi. But that’s not the only way in which she has made history. Not more than a year into the job, her ministry would answer and reach out to Indians living across the world. The idea was to use the faculties of the MEA to help anyone who would ask for assistance, using the tools of social media. Swaraj’s staff would work with Indian embassies abroad to lend a hand to Indian citizens. VikasSwarup, spokesperson for the MEA,said the ministry saw accelerated growth in 2016 with over two million followers on Facebook, 40 million minutes watched on Youtube and five million followers on Instagram. According to him, one of the major challenges in digital diplomacy is: “Stay-
ing ahead of an extremely steep curve. For an audience with decreasing attention spans and increasing visual appetites, the dilemma is how to find the balance between attractive content without diluting value.” Swarupsaid the social media model of diplomacy is sustainable going forward. “As in the past years, our effort in 2017 will be to adapt to technologies and genres that have a significant presence – from Whatsapp to video – and identify mechanisms to incorporate them into the diplomatic
toolkit.”
The policy started to gain attention from the public on July 31, 2016 when the media began reporting that over 800 Indian workers in Saudi Arabia were facing a food crisis. They had lost their jobs and were stuck in migrant camps without food to consume. Later, Swaraj, who admits to using Twitter late into the night and who is famous for addressing people using endearing words such as “my child,” tweeted using the handle @SushmaSwarajthat the number was in fact over 10,000 and assured thepublic that “No Indian worker rendered unemployed in Saudi Arabia will go without food.” Following that Tweet, she began monitoring the issue on an hourly basis. Indian consulate officials in Jeddah provided over 15,475 food materials over the following three days and they were distributed to among more than 3,000 Indian workers. Swaraj later launched a social me-
dia campaign that questioned the lack of wages and food for the workers who were contractually obliged to work in Saudi. Then Swaraj, who was not available for comment, turned her attention toYemen. In August 2016, Yemen was in the middle of a raging war with Houthi rebels, Swaraj began sending out a series of pleas requesting Indians to leave the country immediately. Initially, she responded to a tweet by Sabah Shawesh, a Yemeni woman married to an Indian man. Hers was a request to bring their child, an Indian national, into the country. With Swaraj’s intervention, the Indian embassy in Sana’a worked towards confirming their claims. Within a number of days, the couple’s child was brought to India and Mrs. Swaraj welcomed the baby into the county via Twitter. Following this, the ministry embarked on a series of strong efforts to bring more Indian nationals home from Yemen. “We evacuated more than 4,500 Indians and over 2,500 foreigners from Yemen,” tweeted the minister at one point. By late August, she explained through a series of tweets that the Indian embassy in Sana’a and the MEA had done all they could at the time to save the maximum number of people. In February 2015, the MEA introduced a new online portal of the government, which they aptly named “Madad,” meaning help or assistance. Prior to Madad’s creation, India did not have a proper system in place to monitor the number of Indian students living abroad. Swaraj explained to the Press Trust of India thatthe portal seeks to significantly reform the linear process adopted to post grievances and cut down the time required for them to be sent from Delhi to the Ministry’s missions abroad and to get them to take necessary action. According to Madad’s official website, 8810 students have registered by January, 2017. They show that 17,924 cases filed, over 12,687 have been addressed by the ministry using the portal. Sushma Swaraj’s online endeavours do not end here. Beyond major humanitarian crisis, she also lends a hand to the ordinary individual for more run-of-the-mill issues such as helping a wo man find her passport in Germany to advancing money to a helpless man’s company abroad.
Tweets that saved lives
Yemen: April 5, 2015 “We shall evacuate all Indian nationals from Yemen. Nobody will be left behind for want of travel documents.” Evacuating 3 Pakistanis from Hodeida, Yemen: April 5, 2015 “Humanitarian gesture - Indian Navy evacuated 3 Pak nationals from Hodeida by INS Sumitra. Pakistan brought 11 Indians from Makala.” Saudi Arabia: 30 July 2016 “The number of Indian workers facing food crisis in Saudi Arabia is over Ten Thousand. It is not 800 as is being reported. @JagranNews” Evacuating woman being held in South Africa: 13 April 2015 “Our high Commission in South Africa has rescued the girl. She is in touch with her family and will join them soon. “ Protecting citizens from pirates in Djibouti: March 30, 2016: “We are aware of pirates in the area. That is why we have sent a naval ship” Rescuing 41 Indians sailors in sinking ships in UAE: Jan 8, 2017 “We have contacted the Captains of the two vessels, Ship owners, port authorities and the Government.” To a father worried that his children wouldn’t be able to secure passports: January 24, 2017 “Your daughters do not have to go anywhere. The Passports will reach your house today.” Rescued Indians in Iran: January 27, 2017 “Indian Embassy in Iran has facilitated the exit of 73 Indian workers of Fulad Sanat Tejarat Azerbaijan. The workers have arrived in India.” Rescued Indians jailed in Togo: 1 February, 2017 “We have secured the release of 5 Indians from Kerala jailed in Togo. Good work by Indian mission in Accra and Consulate in Togo.”
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The Weekly Observer
Elections
Thursday, 9 February, 2017
Sandeep Kadian @GappistanRadio In the Game Of Yadavs, either you are with Mulayam or you are a nobody Sagar @sagarcasm Samajwadi party reminds me of Nagpur’s pitch. Too many cracks. Vaibhav verma @vaverma #GoaElection2017 Go Goa Gone 67% voting till 3 pm #ChalaDoJhaadu Rishi Bagree @rishibagree So ultimately Uttar Pradesh elections boil down to worst form of minority appeasement. The only Question is who can woo them better?
Minhaz Merchant @MinhazMerchant With its leaders’ sons & grandsons contesting the UP poll, BJP could be walking into a dynastic trap. My column http://www. dailyo.in/ Shekhar Gupta @ShekharGupta Feb 4 Akalis are counting on votes if self-anointed MSG’s (Messenger of God) edict of support to them. Devout Sikhs are furious #PunjabPolls2017
Uttar Pradesh Elections 2017: Competition looms for the region nearing election season by Vishal Chawla Vishal.c@iijnm.org Western Uttar Pradesh is witnessing a powerful contest among multiple parties, both regional and national, that threatens to release the stronghold that the BJP relished over the region through the last Lok Sabha elections. The political battle is primarily among four parties – the two national parties, Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) and Indian National Congress, and the regional, Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The difference between the state and national parties in UP
is the ability of the state parties to recognize vote banks based on particular castes and communities. Voters, classified by weak socio-economic conditions, usually lean to support those who promise them basic infrastructural needs like food, housing, electricity and employm ent. It would be wrong to say that national parties do not classify caste-based vote banks. However, they fail to bring the rural stroke which persuades voters in far-off corners. When Chief Minister, Akhilesh Yadav, guarantees to build a well to solve water scarcity, he is addressing an effective issue. When Prime Minister Modi
promises overall progress, it becomes a more abstract notion. The 73 seats that are being fought over in the first phase of the elections have a big percentage of Jats, Muslims and Dalits in that order. Each of these communities play a significant role in forming political success. Since the appearance of the BSP, Dalits have voted for them in election after election. In the last Lok Sabha elections in 2014, the BJP received 34.3 million votes compared to SP’s 18 million and BSP’s 15.9 million. A major cause of these results was the shift of Dalit voters towards the BJP. But the important question
is whether the Dalits would shift back to BSP President Mayawati or stay with the BJP. Another big community in Western Uttar Pradesh, the Jats, look unhappy over what they say are multiple unkept promises by the ruling BJP. These include rejection of reservation, due sugarcane arrears and the denial to build a monument for Jat icon Charan Singh in Delhi. It is difficult to ignore their disappointment with the central government and the gradual shift towards the Opposition. The BSP appears to have benefitted from this discontent by giving a large number of tickets to Muslims in the hopes of
getting together a Dalit-Muslim combination to win past the others. One new feature that all political parties are contending is the leaning of the young voter towards Akhilesh Yadav and the SP-Congress alliance. Across demographics and different constituencies, young voters seem to have a distinctive liking for the young chief minister and his ally Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Congress, whose only hope of getting into power is this newformed alliance. All this and more will be set to test when elections take place in the 15 western UP districts on February 11.
The Weekly Observer
Metro
Thursday, 9 February, 2017
Bengaluru third in number of cervical and breast cancer patients: ICMR study
An app to revolutionise Thalassemia care
Siddharth Chakraborty siddharth.c@iijnm.org
Mitali Goyal mitali.g@iijnm.org
A recent report by the Indian Council of Medical Research has showed that 155 of every 100,000 women in Bengaluru were diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer in 2016. Bangalore ranks third in the number of breast and cervical cancer cases in the country. “The rising number of cancer cases among women in Bangalore is due to a combination of genetic and lifestyle factors, the increased awareness levels among women also have resulted in more cases being reported.” said Dr B. Thejaswani, Department of Radiology. “The number of female cancer patients is much more than the male patients as they have preponderance towards breast and cervical cancer,” said Dr C. Ramesh, Professor and head, Department of Epidemiology, Kidwai Hospital. The challenge with regards to cancer care in India is the inability to bring the latest advancements in treatment quickly. With the vast
number of treatment options and clinical trials available, it is important for physicians to have easy access. The two major problems faced by cancer patients are access to expertise and cost effective medicines. It is believed that socio-economic and lifestyle changes such as later childbearing and dietary changes and associated changes in menstrual patterns are responsible for rising risk of breast cancer in India. Cervical cancer is more common in women who do not have a pap test regularly. Pap smear testing is the single most effective tool in reducing deaths due to cervical cancer. A large percentage of women in India fail to undergo this test due to a lack of awareness. Jayanti Jyakumar, a cancer patient said “I have been suffering from cervical cancer since the last one year. I was lucky as I was diagnosed early and could immediately start my treatment with right medication”.
BENGALURU: Over 30 million Indians suffer from the hereditary blood disorder, Thalassemia. The disease results in abnormal functioning of haemoglobin in the body along with mild to severe anaemia. A Bangalore based start-up, Jagriti Innovations in collaboration with the NGO Sankalp foundation has taken a step forward to help such patients through the app, Thalcare. In India, each year, around 9,000-10,000 cases of thalassemia are added, according to Indian Paediatrics. Once a child is diagnosed with the disease, he/she has to go for regular check-ups and has to take lifelong treatment. Kalpana, 15, has already spent lakhs of rupees on her treatment. “I have received around 200 units of packed red cells; I also go for regular check-ups. Life is not easy for me. My family has spent around 10 lakhs on my disease till now,” said Kalpana. Jagriti Innovations was founded in the year 2010. Recently, they have come up with an effective solution which is going to make
the treatment cost-effective for the families and extremely simple for health institutions that take up thalassemia patients. “With our app designed for patients and doctors, we provide patients with virtual doctors where every kind of infor-
mation is available.” says Rajat Kumar Agarwal, 32, CEO at Jagriti Innovations. The start-up focuses on treating thalassemia patients. “Thalcare allows doctors to know when their patient is in crisis. If the patient’s pulse rate is high or low, it immediately signals the doctor wherever he/she is,” adds Agarwal who
An interview with India’s ‘Garbage Guru’ Supriya Dedgaonkar supriya.d@iijnm.org Supriya Dedgaonkar, reporter for the weekly observer recently met the ‘Garbage Guru’ of India Col. Lt Suresh Rege, 70, who was awarded the tag by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 for his excellence in the field of waste-management. He is the founder and chairman of Malhem Engineers private limited, manufacturers of bio gas and waste treatment plants. Here are some excerpts from the interview: 1.What was the most important lesson you learnt as a child? I come from an Army family and there are some values that the Army implicates. Discipline, sense of time, loyalty and transparency is something that we have always practised. Doing justice to everyone and no favouritism is something that I have learnt since childhood and it is something that has stayed with me till today. 2.What pushed you to start a business venture? How did you first conceive the idea? I left the Army at a young age of 40, so I had enough ability and energy to start up my own company, and after serving the Indian Army for quite a while, it gives you a confidence that you can do
anything. One thing I was very sure of was that I would not serve under anyone. I always wanted to do something different. When I eventually realised that there is nothing really different, the idea of garbage struck me. We started with small projects. As for my success, it was 20% luck and 80 % determination. 3. What do you think should be the mantra for aspiring entrepreneurs? Perseverance is the most important quality for an entrepreneur. Selfconfidence that you will achieve a particular target is extremely important. You have to go through hardships to enjoy the fruits of success. The ability to communicate and convey your thoughts is crucial and one should know that tact. Let not failures disappoint you and success blind you, that is one thing which will help one in the long run. Lt Suresh Rege 4.Were there 2015
any failures on your way up? Yes, without failures there is no success. I believe you should not let your failures make you feel low and dejected. You need to learn to take success and failure with the same smile and spirit because this is what is required. It’s easy for me to say, but this is what is exactly required. And it’s during the hard times that your leadership (skills) will make a difference.
5.How do you balance your personal and professional life? It (work) has now become like a passion, you never really get an off. You are continuously working. It’s a 24/7 cycle. When it’s your business, you get what you give in. Sometimes I feel I would’ve been very happy had I been serving as a commanding officer, I could have taken off’s whenever I felt like it, but here it is like ‘the man at the top is always lonely’. When you have the passion it doesn’t matter how long you keep working. One thing I make sure is not take office work back home. When I’m home I am solely at home. I do not let other things bother me. 6.What are the ideals that you would like to pass on to the next generation? Transparency and loyalty, it is something that this generation really needs. Make efwho was conferred ‘Garbage Guru’ by PM Modi in forts, try as much as you can before
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believes that their innovation has done wonders and will continue to do so. Everything including patients’ previous records, medicine prescriptions and appointments can be accessed through the app. Naazim, a 17-year-old girl was under deep crisis. She was battling for her life when the start-up came to her rescue. “My parents and I knew how expensive the whole treatment was. I underwent a lot of blood transfusions and I almost gave up. Thalcare is really useful. They helped with my bone marrow transplant; and through their network of doctors, I was also offered some fee concession.” In a span of seven years, the start-up has involved more than 250 doctors in their range and more than 4000 patients. Last year, they successfully treated 180 children with the help of Thalcare. Around the world, they have put up 10 centres, wherein 10 teams of doctors work for the patients. In Bangalore, they have collaborated with two centres to help the patients, namely, Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health Hospital and Project Samraksha (Rashtrotthana Parishat), Chamrajpet.
you give up. Try your level best to not use inappropriate means like giving money under the table to achieve a certain target. 7.What do you think is the best way to achieve long term success? As I said, you should be able to handle failures well and not let them dishearten you and make you want to give up. Somewhere down the line you will hit a roadblock which you should be able to overcome. 8.What is the best part of being an entrepreneur? You are your own man; you know that you have no boss. 9.What keeps you going? Age is never a factor that stops me from doing anything. Initially when we started, we were really happy with undertaking small projects, but eventually you find the need to grow and that’s how it should be. If you are satisfied with whatever you have achieved, you can never push yourself to do better. Dhirubhai Ambani and Narayan Murthy, they are two people who have highly inspired me. One knows how to make money, and other is someone with who is very intellectual and yet down to earth. So I have always followed the principle of making money, but in the right way.
6 Upcoming events
JAPAN HABBA 2017
Japan Habba has been conducted every year in Bangalore since 2005 with the aim of promoting Indo-Japanese relations and creating an opportunity for people to know more about Japan, get together, have fun and experience oriental culture on Sun, 12 Feb 2017
Times Litfest
Set your dates for the Times Litfest Bengaluru, presented by ACT Fibernet, returns for its third edition. With `Discover’ as its theme, promises Bengalureans a vibrant mix of writers, thinkers, activists, with a sprinkling of film personalities on Sat, 11 Feb 2017
Unwind
The Weekly Observer
A celebration of contemporary dance Jenika Shah jenika.s@iijnm.org Attakkalari centre for movement Arts has set its steps to connect Bangalore by organizing its 8th edition of Attakkalari India Biennial is one of the Largest South Asia’s contemporary festivals. It includes more than 200 artists from over 20 countries around the globe. It is a ten day long festival which showcases different troops telling stories with music and moves which go with that rhythm. Ruhi Chaturvedi who has been an event coordinator from past two editions said; “The main aim of this festival is to showcase the best pieces of art from all around the world and give chances to dancers as well as non dancer to see this various aspect of dance”. “This festival is only focuses on contemporary dancers and in this ten day festivals there are more than 35 shows performing
The 8th edition of the Attakkalari India Biennal ( A festival of dance) at different venues across Bangalore.” She added. The festival will also showcase the work of young choreographers who are part of Attakkalari centre for movement Arts. By this festival they have got the opportunity to interact with different people and culture.
A final wave of darkness
Leonard Cohen’s 14th studio album, ‘You Want it Darker’ whispers in his self-assured baritone. The following songs are also addressed to God, explaining the nature of their relationship as he nears the prime of his life. “I wish there was a treaty between your love and mine,” he tells him in the song Treaty, frustrated and unable to reciprocate the Lord’s mercy. In the song, Leaving the Table, the tone is directed towards earthly life and family. “I don’t know the people in your picture
Guy Nader and Maria Campos who were the choreographers of the show ‘Times Take The Time Time Takes ‘from Spain performed a contemporary piece with the troop of five members to explain a concept through the repetition and accumulation of oscillations, creating complex
mechanism and constellation in space time. Guy Nader said; “I cannot describe what dance means to me but I can say that it is very close to me and I can express my feeling through dance.” On this Maria said, “In the end it is my work but it is more than that to me, it is a way of being honest through movement, and with my way of moving it becomes real for me.” People who come to watch shows at Attakkalari India Biennial have a very positive reaction towards dance and artist who are performing there. They can connect with some of the stories which these performances try to portray. Contemporary Dance form is evolving with Bangalore city and is connecting dancers to pursue their passion of dance. According to Jayachandran Plazhy, festival director of Attakkalari India Biennial it is a place to try out new moves and make new friendships by being a part of the unique BLR moves. He said; “Let us dance and celebrate life.”
REVIEW
Azmia Riaz azmia.r@iijnm.org ‘Hineni, Hineni’ sings Leonard Cohen in a voice so deep that it rips a permanent sense of loss into your heart. In the album ‘You want it darker’ that was released on 21 Octobe 2016, merely a month before his death, he repeats this Hebrew word which means ‘Here I am’. Cohen’s albums have always been a surrounded by themes of life, death and spirituality. Known for his lyrics filled with despair, he was never been afraid to explore the darker side of life. However, in his final gift to the world, it seems as though he has transcended that sense of grief. Finally, he is ready to celebrate death. The title track ‘You want it darker’ draws you into the mood of the album. It may be a question or a statement to his maker, but there is no doubt that he is at peace with the lord that he has been swooning about for decades. ‘I’m ready, my lord’ he almost
Thursday, 9 February, 2017
frame,” he sings, unable to relate to his surroundings. It almost seems as though Cohen had already passed away into an ethereal afterlife by the time this album was recorded. “I don’t need a lover, the wretched beast is tame,” his lyrics go, having transcended the beast of desire; he is ready for what is to come. In the following song, If I Didn’t Have Your Love, he imagines a world in which the stars no longer have light and the
world slept in an endless night. In Travelling Light, he actually bids au revoir to the world.”I guess I’m just somebody who has given up on the me and you,” here, he is the travelling light, the fallen star. A note of hopelessness in human existence can be detected in these words. The music that surrounds these gripping words, seem to be played from the heavens themselves. Steer Your Way is an ode to his own heart as he remembers the journey he took through life. This is his final legacy to the listener. We can follow the path he learned and steer our way through the pain and the grief or feel it exactly as he did. He wraps up the album with another painful rendering of Treaty. One is able to detect a sense of liberation in his voice as he sings the final note. Listeners are left with the same sense of freedom. The travelling light has lit our hearts for the final time as he graces the earth’s darkness one final time.
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