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J U LY 10, 2017 INDIA TODAY 1

have learnt over the years that there is the world’s way of doing things and then there is the

Indian way. There are practices and policies that have successfully worked across the globe but we insist on reinventing them and making them worse. We never learn from history. Look at our khichdi model of development—it’s a bit of everything. Our mixed model of privatisation has three kinds of public sector units, with regulators for some sectors but not for others. Incrementalism has marked the opening up of sectors to foreign direct investment. I believe global trends are inevitable and India as a developing country has the opportunity to see the future and come back. We can learn from others and make it better. Yet, somehow we seem to mess it up every time.

The latest example is the Goods & Services Tax (GST) being intro-duced on July 1. It is a most welcome and long-pending reform. The government must be commended for having the political savvy and deter-mination to push it through while other regimes only paid lip service to it. With 29 states, getting everyone on board was a complex exercise. The creation of a common market with the removal of all other tariffs would mean the free movement of goods, better tax collection and less red tape, resulting in the addition of a couple of percentage points to our GDP growth. Done properly, this is a revolutionary reform, but the Indian phantom has struck again. Most countries who have adopted this have ensured a single slab for all goods and services. Not so in India. The GST still maintains three layers (CGST, the GST to be levied by the Centre on intra-state supply of goods and/ or services; SGST, to be levied by states; and Integrated GST, IGST, to be collected by the Centre, which

will also apply on imports) as well as five slabs of taxation besides a sepa-rate rate for petro products. There are some bizarre classifications. Shoes at different prices will have different rates, as will hotel rooms. Soft drinks as luxuries will attract 28 per cent GST, gold will be taxed at 3 per cent GST. This portends to be a bureaucratic nightmare, with taxpayers having to make 37 filings for each of the 29 states, which adds up to over 1,000 filings, only half of which will be automatic. Also, there is no guarantee of free movement of goods as there will be checking on e-way bills, rules for which have been not been framed. All this seems to defeat the original purpose of mak-ing it easier to do business.

Our cover story, written by Deputy Editor M.G. Arun and Senior Editor Shweta Punj, has a detailed and exclusive interview with Arun Jaitley, the man responsible for man-aging the consensus that allowed the GST Bill to pass. I have, for long, been an advocate of bold reform, and any innovation that eventually builds transparency and accountability in the tax collection process, plugging loopholes in a country where the gov-ernment said it uncovered indirect tax evasion worth Rs 50,000 crore last year. India’s tax to GDP ratio at 16.6 per cent is much below the emerging economies at 21 per cent and OECD countries at 34 per cent. This reform is a must for India. I only wish we could have done it without the unnecessary complications, but I realise we are a complex country and a democracy to boot, where everyone has to emerge a winner. Hopefully, with this reform, we will eventually blunder into brilliance.

(Aroon Purie)

I

FROM THE

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Delhi/New Delhi only

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Aroon Purie

GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: Ashish Bagga

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Volume XLII Number 28; For the weekJuly 4-10, 2017, published on every Friday

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India Today unveils its State of the State report on Rajasthan in the presence of CM Vasundhara Raje

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UPFRONTTA RG E T I N G K H A K I I N KA S H M I R PG 4

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The government ropes in 13 of the country’s top designers

for the project

The much-awaited Goods & Services Tax is finally here. Plus, interview with finance minister Arun Jaitley26 Dawn

of the GST Era

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PM ’ S U S V I S I T

FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS20

Prime Minister Narendra Modi sets up an equation with the new American President

10 INDIA TODAY J U LY 10, 2017

We can have lunch in Gangtok and dinner in Ya-dong,” mused Le Yucheng, the then Chinese en-voy in Delhi, speaking in June 2015 at the small,

muddy Tibetan mountain town of Yadong, which sits on the Chinese side of Nathu La. That summer morning, Indian and Chinese officials, with great fanfare, welcomed 40 Indian pilgrims, the first to undertake the Kailash Mansarovar yatra through a newly opened road through Nathu La—one that is two days shorter and less arduous than the older route through Lipulekh, Uttarakhand. The opening was seen as a hugely symbolic goodwill gesture and confidence-building measure, underlining that both

countries could put aside their difficult boundary dispute—at least for the sake of Kailash pilgrims. But two years on, lunch in Gangtok and dinner in Yadong seems as distant a prospect as ever.

An ongoing standoff between India and China in Sik-kim has halted the yatra through Nathu La this year. In mid-June, China denied entry to two batches of pilgrims,around the time a standoff began at the border at Doka La, with India objecting to the construction of a road by China and Chinese troops entering Indian territory and destroy-ing two Indian bunkers. This standoff has to be seen in the context of the dynamic in the northeast. The Chumbi

What Happened at Doka LaI N D O - C H I N A T I E S

By Ananth Krishnan in Beijing

BORDER VIGIL Chinese soldiers at a Nathu La watch post

TA RG E T I N G K H A K I I N J & K PG 4

QATA R : W H AT ’ S AT STA K E

PG

G A N G A : TA N G L E D I N M E TA P H O R

PG 1

A F S PA S H O U L D G O : M A N I P U R C M PG � UPFRONT

SIKKIM

(Tibet)

164 Mountain Brigade (if deployed)

63 Mountain Brigade

Chinese Army

Nathu La

Dolam Plateau

Amo

Chhu

WEST BENGAL

BHUTAN

CHINA

TRIJUNCTION

Map not to scale

SUMEET INDER SINGH

Upfront-1-4-Jul10.indd 10 6/28/2017 6:28:36 PM

6

39


have learnt over the years thatthere is the world’s way of doingthings and then there is the

Indian way. There are practicesand policies that have successfullyworked across the globe but we insiston reinventing them and makingthem worse. We never learn fromhistory. Look at our khichdi model ofdevelopment—it’s a bit of everything.Our mixed model of privatisationhas three kinds of public sector units,with regulators for some sectors butnot for others. Incrementalism hasmarked the opening up of sectors toforeign direct investment. I believeglobal trends are inevitable andIndia as a developing country hasthe opportunity to see the future andcome back. We can learn from othersand make it better. Yet, somehow weseem to mess it up every time.

The latest example is the Goods& Services Tax (GST) being intro-duced on July 1. It is a most welcomeand long-pending reform. Thegovernment must be commended forhaving the political savvy and deter-mination to push it through whileother regimes only paid lip service toit. With 29 states, getting everyoneon board was a complex exercise.The creation of a common marketwith the removal of all other tariffswould mean the free movement ofgoods, better tax collection and lessred tape, resulting in the addition ofa couple of percentage points to ourGDP growth. Done properly, thisis a revolutionary reform, but theIndian phantom has struck again.Most countries who have adoptedthis have ensured a single slab for allgoods and services. Not so in India.The GST still maintains three layers(CGST, the GST to be levied by theCentre on intra-state supply of goodsand/ or services; SGST, to be leviedby states; and Integrated GST, IGST,to be collected by the Centre, which

will also apply on imports) as well asfive slabs of taxation besides a sepa-rate rate for petro products. Thereare some bizarre classifications.Shoes at different prices will havedifferent rates, as will hotel rooms.Soft drinks as luxuries will attract28 per cent GST, gold will be taxedat 3 per cent GST. This portends tobe a bureaucratic nightmare, withtaxpayers having to make 37 filingsfor each of the 29 states, which addsup to over 1,000 filings, only half ofwhich will be automatic. Also, thereis no guarantee of free movement ofgoods as there will be checking one-way bills, rules for which have beennot been framed. All this seems todefeat the original purpose of mak-ing it easier to do business.

Our cover story, written byDeputy Editor M.G. Arun and SeniorEditor Shweta Punj, has a detailedand exclusive interview with ArunJaitley, the man responsible for man-aging the consensus that allowedthe GST Bill to pass. I have, for long,been an advocate of bold reform, andany innovation that eventually buildstransparency and accountability inthe tax collection process, pluggingloopholes in a country where the gov-ernment said it uncovered indirecttax evasion worth Rs 50,000 crorelast year. India’s tax to GDP ratioat 16.6 per cent is much below theemerging economies at 21 per centand OECD countries at 34 per cent.This reform is a must for India. I onlywish we could have done it withoutthe unnecessary complications, but Irealise we are a complex country anda democracy to boot, where everyonehas to emerge a winner. Hopefully,with this reform, we will eventuallyblunder into brilliance.

(Aroon Purie)

I

FROM THE

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction ofcompetent courts and forums in Delhi/New Delhi only







EXECUTIVE EDITORS: Damayanti Datta, S. Sahaya Ranjit,Sandeep Unnithan



SENIOR ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Kaushik Deka, Ashish MukherjeeMumbai: Suhani Singh, Kiran Dinkar Tare; patna: Amitabh Srivastava

ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Shougat Dasgupta, Chinki SinhaKolkata: Romita Sengupta; Bhopal: Rahul Noronha;Thiruvananthapuram: Jeemon Jacob; BeiJing: Ananth Krishnan



PHOTO DEPARTMENT: Vikram Sharma (Deputy Photo Editor),Rajwant Singh Rawat (Principal Photographer),Kekhriezhazo Miachie-O (Senior Photographer), Chandra DeepKumar (Photographer); Mumbai: Mandar Suresh Deodhar(Chief Photographer), Danesh Adil Jassawala (Photographer);ahmedabad: Shailesh B Raval (Principal Photographer);Kolkata: Subir Halder (Principal Photographer);Chennai: N.G. Jaison (Senior Photographer)

PHOTO RESEARCHERS: Prabhakar Tiwari (Chief Photo Researcher),Saloni Vaid (Principal Photo Researcher),Shubhrojit Brahma (Assistant Photo Researcher)


ART DEPARTMENT: Sanjay Piplani (Senior Art Director);Jyoti K. Singh, Anirban Ghosh (Art Director),Vikas Verma, Rahul Sharma, Vipin Gupta (Associate Art Director);Bhoomesh Dutt Sharma (Senior Designer)

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IMPACT TEAMSenior General Manager: Jitender Lad (West)General Manager: Mayur Rastogi (North),Upendra Singh (Bangalore), Velu Subramaniam (Chennai),Kaushiky Chakraborty (East)

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SALES AND OPERATIONS: D.V.S. Rama Rao, Chief General ManagerDeepak Bhatt, General Manager (National Sales)Vipin Bagga, Deputy General Manager (Operations)Manish Kumar Srivastava, Regional Sales Manager (North)Rajeev Gandhi, Regional Sales Manager (West)Arokia Raj L., Regional Sales Manager (South)


l Editorial Office Living Media India Ltd., India Today Group Mediaplex,FC-8, Sector-16A, Film City, Noida - 201301; Phone: 0120-4807100l Subscriptions: For assistance contact Customer Care India Today Group, B-45,Sector-57, Noida (UP)-201301; Phones: Toll-free number: 1800 1800 100 (fromBSNL/MTNL lines); (95120) 2479900 from Delhi and Faridabad; (0120) 2479900from Rest of India (Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.); Fax: (0120) 4078080;Mumbai: 022-66063411/3412, Kolkata: 033-40525327, Chennai: 044-24303200;e-mail: [email protected] Sales: Direct all trade enquiries to General Manager (Sales), Living Media IndiaLimited, B-45, Sector 57, Noida-201301 (UP)l Regd. Office: K-9 Connaught Circus, New Delhi-110001l Impact Offices: 1201, 12th Floor, Tower 2 A, One Indiabulls Centre, (JupiterMills), S.B. Marg, Lower Parel (West), Mumbai-400013; Phone: 66063355;Fax: 66063226 l E-1, Ground Floor, Videocon Towers, Jhandewalan Extn,New Delhi l Guna Complex, 5th Floor, Main Building, No.443, Anna Salai,Chennai-600018; Phone: 2847 8525 l 201-204 Richmond Towers, 2nd Floor,12, Richmond Road, Bangalore-560025; Phones: 22212448, 22213037,22218343; Fax: 22218335; l 52, Jawaharlal Nehru Road, 4th Floor,Kolkata-700071; Phones: 22825398; Fax: 22827254; l 6-3-885/7/B, Somajiguda,Hyderabad-500082; Phone: 23401657, 23400479, 23410100, 23402481,23410982, 23411498; Fax: 23403484 l 39/1045, Karakkatt Road, Kochi 682016;Phones: 2377057, 2377058 ; Fax: 2377059 l 2/C, “Suryarath Bldg”, 2nd Floor,Behind White House, Panchwati, Office C.G. Road, Ahmedabad-380006; Phone:26560393, 26560929; Fax: 26565293 l Copyright Living Media India Ltd. Allrights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited.

Printed and published by Manoj Sharma on behalf of Living MediaIndia Limited. Printed at Thomson Press India Limited,18-35 Milestone, Delhi Mathura Road, Faridabad-121007, (Haryana)and at A-9, Industrial Complex, Maraimalai Nagar, DistrictKancheepuram-603209, (Tamil Nadu). Published at K-9, ConnaughtCircus, New Delhi-110001. Editor: Aroon Purie.

l india today does not take the responsibility for returning unsolicitedpublication material.

www.indiatoday.in

Let Edit-Jul10.indd 7 6/28/2017 7:26:18 PM


Valley, held by China, leads into a so-called ‘trijunction’ between the borders of India, China and Bhutan (see map) and points towards the Chicken’s Neck, as the 27 km-wide (at its narrow-est point) Siliguri corridor, linking northeastern India to the mainland, is called. China could, the Indian army fears, move troops down this valley in a future conflict, thereby severing India’s link with its northeast. The Indian army has been wary in recent years about a Class 40 (a military classification) road China is building through the Chumbi valley, which could be used to transport heavy weapons and bring the Chicken’s Neck within artillery range.

The defence and external affairs ministries declined comment, anxious not to let it cast a shadow over the Trump-Modi meet in Wash-ington. China, however, in a statement released before the meet, accused India of crossing the border and obstructing ‘normal’ activities and said it had to suspend the yatra ‘out of secu-rity concerns’. One possible reason for China’s

response is their view that the construction is on their side of the border—and if anything, Bhutan, not India, should object. “Donglong (or Doklam) is a major issue between China and Bhutan, not China and India, who have agreed to the 1890 [Sino-British] treaty on Sikkim,” says Hu

Shisheng of the China Institutes of Contempo-rary International Relations. “Maybe Bhutan is asking India to take responsibility for patrolling.” China’s road could perhaps have been testing Bhutan, and India’s willingness to intervene.

What makes this standoff different is China’s move to up the ante by closing the yatra route. This year, seven batches of 50 pilgrims had been given permission to undertake the yatra through Nathu La, while 18 batches of 60 would travel through Lipulekh. (As of June 27, the first batch at Lipulekh was allowed to enter Tibet.) In the past, officials say, India-China border disputes have been localised affairs, insulated from other aspects of engagement. It therefore came as a surprise when China responded by stopping the pilgrims. As Lu Kang, a Chinese foreign ministry official, said bluntly when asked if the pending six batches would be allowed, “It all depends on what India does, and whether India takes action to improve the security situation.” n

UPFRONT

In the early hours of June 23, a frenzied mob in downtown Srinagar bludgeoned a police-

man to death. Dressed in plainclothes,

Mohammed Ayub Pandith, 57, a deputy superintendent (DSP) with the security wing of the Jammu & Kashmir police, had been on duty at the Jamia Mas-jid, at Nowhatta, in downtown Srinagar. Accounts of the inci-dent vary: some say Pandith had been taking photographs of peo-ple leaving the grand mosque, which led to an altercation with a crowd of angered locals. Others say that once he was surrounded, Pandith, in self-defence, drew his

service revolver and fired shots into the crowd, which triggered the lynching.

This was the first public lynching of a policeman by a civilian mob in the three decades of unrest that Kashmir has suffered. This brutal act is symptomatic of the intense sense of betrayal and anger that a large section of the population, particularly the Valley youth, feels against the state police. In

The Ipsos Global Survey at-tempts to ‘provide a snapshot of the world today’ by surveying over 18,000 people in ‘23 key countries’. India is, of course, one of those countries, and saw some 400 questions posed to 1,000 people on everything from governance to the place of women in society and citizens’ concern for the environment. The numbers show that Indi-ans are generally optimistic about the future and trusting of technological advances. Intrigu-ingly, attitudes to women are seemingly both progressive and conservative.

The Indian Way of Life

I N D E X

Targeting Men in Khaki

J& K

2050THE YEAR IN WHICH

INDIA IS PROJECTED TO OVERTAKE THE US AS

THE WORLD’S SECOND LARGEST ECONOMY

78%OF INDIANS BELIEVE THE ECONOMY IS “RIGGED TO

FAVOUR THE RICH AND POWERFUL”, COMPARED WITH 94% OF MEXICANS

AND 56% OF SWEDES

69%OF INDIANS THINK THEIR

“GOVERNMENT DOES NOT PRIORITISE CONCERNS” OF

ORDINARY PEOPLE, LIKE 75% OF AUSTRALIANS, 74%

OF AMERICANS AND 50% OF THE JAPANESE

India has objected to the con-struction of a military-grade road by China

AB

ID B

HAT


SUMITRA MAHAJAN, at an event organised by an RSS-affiliated group, offered some unasked-for advice to journalists. Comparing the role of journalists to that

of Narada, the itinerant bard-reporter of mythology, she appeared to argue that journalists should spread good news

and not be so negative, regardless of facts on the ground. But if journalists must play the role of Narada, does that

make the prime minister Vishnu?

“Whatever is said should be said in beautiful language. A lot can be

communicated to the government using such (polite) language. Satyam

bruyat. Priyam bruyat, na bruyat apriyam satyam (Tell the truth. Say beautiful things.

Do not tell an ugly truth)—this is also required sometimes”

PU L L Q U O T E

fact, there’s been a telling up-swing in the attacks on police personnel, and this anger has also been evident in recent militant attacks, including those involving local extrem-ist groups. Since January, 18 state policemen, including two special police officers, have been killed.

A statement issued by the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) on June 14 warned Kashmiri

policemen of ‘consequences for participating in counter-insurgency operations’. On June 15, Shabir Ahmad Dar of the JKP Special Opera-tions Group was shot while on leave in his village of Kulgam. On June 16, mili-tants ambushed a police jeep at Achaba, 65 km south of Srinagar. Six policemen were killed. The militants (later identified as LeT cadres) deliberately disfigured each of the dead men.

While these events make it evident that the attacks are part of a militant strategy to intimidate state police personnel who are at the forefront of the fight against insurgents, the anger of locals adds a disconcerting aspect to the attacks.

A senior officer who has served at the helm of the state police in the Valley points out the civil aspect of policework, saying that “local policemen are also involved in [maintaining] law and order, including quelling protests”. Officials acknow-ledge that the anger against security forces, including paramilitary personnel, has been building since street protests first erupted over the decision to hand over land to the Amarnath shrine board in 2008. Nearly 300 protesters have since been killed. But unlike CRPF and other paramilitary person-nel, who enjoy a fair degree of anonymity and are deployed for brief tenures, the officer says, “local policemen are easily identifiable and so the most vulnerable”. n

—Asit Jolly

18POLICEMEN

have been killed in J&K since

January

64%INDIANS ALSO BELIEVE THE “ROLE OF WOMEN IN SOCIETY IS TO BE GOOD MOTHERS AND WIVES”, COMPARED WITH 22% BRITONS AND 19% SPANIARDS

82%INDIANS SAY GLOBALISATION IS GOOD FOR THE COUNTRY, COMPARED WITH 49% AMERICANS AND 30% BELGIANS

79%OF INDIANS BELIEVE

THINGS WOULD WORK BETTER IF THERE

WERE MORE WOMEN IN POWER. BUT ONLY

12% OF LOK SABHA MPs ARE WOMEN

81%OF INDIANS SUPPORT THE DEATH PENALTY,

COMPARED WITH 34% OF SWEDES

63%OF INDIANS DON’T CARE IF COMPANIES ARE ETHICALLY OR SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE AS LONG AS THEY MAKE GOOD PRODUCTS, COMPARED WITH AN AVERAGE OF 45% OF RESPONDENTS FROM ALL COUNTRIES SURVEYED

FIRING LINE Relatives mourn DSP Pandith’s death


UPFRONT

B O OK S

Adam Roberts, in the preface to his new book Superfast Primetime Ultimate Na-tion, admits that being a foreign corre-

spondent in India is the “best job in journalism”. You know what he means—a garrulous country, eager to impress, happy to save the visitor a seat at dinner and spill its secrets. Charmed, foreign journalists fill their books with the surreal panoply, the bonkers pageantry of Indian life.

There is almost no Indian cliche Roberts can resist. A former South Asia correspondent for The Economist, he begins the story of his India years on a train. “Along the way,” he writes, “all your senses buzz at full tilt; absorbing strong colors and noise, you are jostled by crowds and confronted by heat and heady odors.” In the next chapter, Roberts reveals that in India, cricket is “taken more seriously than religion.” When talking about the Narendra Modi government’s cack-handed attempt to block online pornogra-phy in 2014, he expresses wide-eyed bewilder-ment “considering that India gave the world the Kama Sutra and celebrated erotic sculptures”.

Roberts is a diligent reporter, adept at pur-

veying received wisdom, but has few insights of his own. Though he pays lip service to Amartya Sen’s human development index, the idea that focusing on the well-being of people leads to higher growth rates, Roberts keeps presenting prosperity as a panacea. He believes Modi is “sincere in wanting to modernize India and its economy, to make it more open”, but “open” in this context just means open to business. And after a chapter detailing the many infractions on personal freedom, the many crimes, even murders, that have been the result of actively supported bigotry, it’s strangely tin-eared to repeat pabulum such as, “How liberal and secular Indian democracy remains will be connected to how stable and prosperous the country becomes.”

What is clear from Roberts’ reporting is the opposite—that India can become ‘richer’ and a progressively more cruel, more divided, more unequal society. Roberts is pollyannaish despite the evidence, as if he has bought the hype he satirises in his book’s title. n

—Shougat Dasgupta

INDIA SHINING, SORT OF

Qatar: What’s at StakeSince June 5, when Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt suspended diplomatic ties with Qatar, the conflict between Gulf neighbours has appeared alternately a family affair and of grave, global concern. Just this week, Bahrain’s foreign minister suggested that the growing presence of Turkish troops at its small base in Qatar was a “military escalation” of the dispute. India has stayed out of any direct comment on the issue, describing it as a private problem. But with so many Indian citizens living in the Gulf, New Delhi will be keeping a wary eye on any further rise in tension.

I N D E X

Il lustration by ANIRBAN GHOSH

40%OF REMITTANCES TO INDIA RECEIVED BY KERALA. IN 2014, REMITTANCES WERE 1.2 TIMES THE REVENUE GENERATED BY THE STATE. 86% OF MIGRANTS FROM KERALA GO TO THE GULF

$100 BILLIONANTICIPATED VALUE OF TRADE BETWEEN INDIA AND UAE IN 2020. INDIA IS THE LARGEST IMPORTER FROM THE UAE, ACCOUNTING FOR 14.9% OF ITS EXPORTS

8.5 MILLION TONNESOF LNG IMPORTED FROM QATAR PER YEAR, ABOUT 65% OF THE ANNUAL TOTAL

` 1,416 CROREANNUAL BUFFALO MEAT OR ‘CARABEEF’ EXPORTS FROM INDIA TO SAUDI ARABIA

$27.1 BILLIONIN REMITTANCES JUST FROM

SAUDI, UAE AND QATAR. THROW IN KUWAIT AND

THE TOTAL IS NEARLY $32 BILLION, ABOUT HALF OF

INDIA’S TOTAL REMITTANCES

$12.6 BILLIONIN REMITTANCES FROM

THE UAE, COMPARED WITH NEARLY $4 BILLION FROM

QATAR. DESPITE A NEARLY 9% DROP IN REMITTANCES,

INDIA STILL RECEIVES MORE IN REMITTANCES THAN ANY

OTHER COUNTRY

8.8 MILLIONINDIAN CITIZENS LIVE IN SAUDI, UAE AND QATAR. 900,000 LIVE IN QATAR,

COMPARED WITH 300,000 QATARIS. INDIANS MAKE UP

OVER 30% OF THE TOTAL UAE POPULATION

SUPERFAST PRIMETIME ULTIMATE NATION By Adam Roberts Published by Hachette India Pages 313 Price ` 599

16 INDIA TODAY J U LY 10, 201716 INDIA TODAY J U LY 10, 2017

Black EidFor the residents of Ballabhgarh, Eid this year was made bitter by the murder of a Muslim teenager, Junaid, by a mob on a train. An argument over some seats quickly descended into religious baiting followed by violence and stabbings. Only one man has been arrested and he claims to have been both drunk and egged on by the crowd. With other recent murders fresh in the memory, people took to social media to express their abhorrence. Many young Muslims wore black armbands and posted pictures online accompanied by hashtags such as #StopKill-ingMuslims. ‘Not in My Name’ protest marches were planned in five cities, including Delhi. The online furore was markedly different from the official silence, with no condemnation coming from either state or central government until three days after the lynching. n

Yellow Badge of ShameVasundhara Raje’s embattled BJP government in Raj-asthan found itself the object of more anger and deri-sion on social media over the decision taken by some local councils to paint signs identifying poor families entitled to subsidised grain. “I am poor”, the signs read in large letters, embarrassing many families and leading to taunts from neighbours. Some people even chose to go without their rations to avoid what they described to reporters as public humiliation. Local BJP leaders claimed they were only following a practice established by the Congress in 2009 and argued that it was necessary to ensure people got the benefits they were owed. On social media though, the broad reaction was disbelief at the insensitivity and crudeness of the policy. n

Keep Calm, Read onIndian cricket captain, Mithali Raj, astonished Twitterati by reading a book before going out to bat against England in the World Cup. Raj was reading Rumi to help calm her nerves. It worked. She scored 71 of 73 balls, a record seventh consecu-tive half century, in an emphatic win. Raj also won plaudits for deflating a reporter’s sexist question about her favourite male player. n

@ShougatDasgupta

The week in social media

C H AT T E R

Bloody Monsoon

M AO I S T S

This will be a bloody mon-soon in Chhattisgarh. Security forces battling

Maoist rebels in the state will not observe the unofficial ceasefire during the rains that both have so far adhered to.

Evidently provoked by the killing of 25 CRPF personnel in Sukma in April, the forces had begun mobilising units and equipment in the South Bastar region—which is the heart of Maoist-held terri-tory—and were gearing up for a major offensive, named Operation Prahar.

But the Maoists drew first blood. Three jawans from the District Reserve Guard were gunned down in an ambush in Doorma, in the Bhejji police station area, on June 24. Five Special Task Force personnel were also injured in a gunfight and had to be airlifted to the capital, Raipur, for treatment. Special director-general in charge of anti-Naxal operations, D.M. Awasthi, says a large number of rebels, including a Maoist section

commander, were killed in the encounter. Security sources say that Maoist commander Hidma, on the most wanted list, was also injured in the operation. Operation Prahar was called off the next day.

Besides the south, anti-Naxal operations have also been intensified in the west, in Rajnandgaon and Kabir-dham districts across the state line from Balaghat in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra’s Gondia district. This follows intelligence reports that the Maoists are trying to establish a new Maharashtra-MP-Chhattisgarh zone.

Awasthi says the new Maoist zone reflects a certain slackening of the rebel hold. “Pressure mounted in south Bastar has forced them to move west,” says the officer. But it’s after nearly a decade that the Naxals are moving back into territories where they once held sway. Some-thing for Raipur and Delhi to worry about? n

—Rahul Noronha

UPFRONT

BATTLELINE A jawan injured in the Maoist attack on June 24

PTI


“It’s time to review AFSPA”

On June 22, Manipur’s first BJP Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh completed 100 days running one of the most disturbed states in India. In an interview with Kaushik Deka, Singh agrees that insurgency is the biggest ob-stacle to development in Manipur, but he also believes the draconian Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act is no kind of way forward. Excerpts:

Q. What are the big achievements of your government in its first 100 days?A. Within a week of my government coming to power, the 150-day-long eco-nomic blockade was lifted in the state. Several central government schemes such as Ujjwala have been implement-ed, while free medicines and diagnostics

have been provided to BPL families for 57 diseases. The state government is also going to get another three or four battalions of Indian Reserve Battalion troops, which will be used for the pro-tection of highways.

Q. Insurgency has affected the develop-ment of the state for several decades. How do you intend to tackle it?A. It is indeed the biggest hurdle. I have reviewed the surrender and rehabilita-tion policy. Those who are leaving the violent path and returning to the main-stream must be settled and protected.

Their families have to be protected. My cabinet has submitted a revised surrender plan and now the proposal is with the Union home ministry. We will create self-sufficient housing societies for surrendered militants and their fam-ilies. I’m also planning to dialogue with civil society groups. Political dialogue is the only way out. Q. What is your formula to create jobs?A. Government jobs cannot be provided to all. But we have started skill develop-ment and vocational education schemes.

Q. What’s your view on AFSPA? Do you think Manipur still needs it?A. The time has come to review AFSPA.

Q. How do you intend to bridge the divide between the Meiteis in the plains and Nagas and Kukis in the hills?A. The main problem is mistrust be-tween these communities. My approach is to recognise and respect everyone—only then can we live together. n

5 Q U E S T I O N S

M Z

HA

ZO


UPFRONT


UNHAPPY EIDMen in front of Delhi’s Jama Masjid tie black

armbands on Eid-ul-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramzan, to protest the recent assaults on and lynching of Mus-

lims. Most recently, a teen-ager, Junaid Khan, was

murdered on a train. He, his brother and two cous-

ins were set upon by a mob shouting religious slurs, in-cluding describing the men

as “beef-eaters”. India’s largest Muslim organisa-tion, the Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind, cancelled its annual

Eid Milan scheduled for June 30 because of what it described as “the current communal atmosphere in the country”. Rajnath

Singh, the Union minister for home affairs, attended

last year’s event.

SUSHIL KUMAR/ GETTY IMAGES

E X P O S U R E

UPFRONT

G L A S S H O U S E

GST done, the finance ministry is prepping for electoral bonds next. An-

nounced by FM Arun Jaitley in his budget speech this February 1, these are meant to clean up political funding and facilitate transparent donations to political parties. But first the RBI Act and Income Tax Act will have to be amended. Shouldn’t be an issue. Top North Block officials affirm it’s the government’s next big thing.

—Sandeep Unnithan with Amitabh Srivastava, Amarnath K. Menon, Shweta Punj and Kiran D. Tare

The Next Big Bang

Edifice Complex

Not the home ministry nor the culture department, chief min-

ister K. Chandrasekhara Rao is counting on his roads and buildings department to realise his ‘monu-mental’ dreams. On the to-do list: a Rs 350 crore police command and control centre; the Rs 300 crore cultural centre, Kala Bharathi; 26

dis trict collectorates for Rs 35 crore; the Rs 80 crore Ambedkar Smriti Vanam and

104 legislative as-sembly constitu-ency office-cum-homes for a crore each.

A nondescript district in Raghubar Das’s Jharkhand has

raised both the bar as well as eyebrows. The district administration in Jharkhand has presented bills of nearly Rs 9 crore for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state’s eastern district on April 6 to lay the foundation stones for various projects. A significant chunk of the cost went towards erecting what are colloquially called ‘German Hanger Pandals’ and arranging nearly one lakh chairs for various events. Food and lodging bills for guests, including state officials totted up to another Rs 50 lakh. Last heard, the state government has suspended all payments and begun an audit of the expenses.

COSTLY VISIT

VIPs across the country might be mourning the loss of beacons on their official cars,

but not Pankaja Munde, Maharashtra’s minister for rural development. She is

revelling in the anonymity it provides her, especially from her constituents in Parali in Beed district, who’d follow

her around the city. Including to the beauty parlour in south Mumbai, where she goes to

get her hair done.

Beacon Stalkers

T he purchase of 12 US-2i ShinMaywa amphibious

search and rescue aircraft worth over $1 billion was to have been India’s first defence deal with Japan,

a country that shares New Delhi’s wariness of Beijing.

The deal has been found menti on in the joint state-

ments of premiers Modi and Abe since 2014 but is yet to get past South Block babu-

dom. They had even opposed its whittled-down purchase of two Japanese ‘Utility Sea-plane’ amphibians, the navy

has discovered.

cultural centre, Kala Bharathi; 26 district collectorates

for Rs 35 crore; the Rs 80 crore Ambedkar Smriti Vanam and

104 legislative assembly constituency office-cum-homes for a crore each.

GROUNDED AMPHIBIANS

Can we call the Ganga ‘Ma’ and

continue to contribute to over a billion gallons of shit

and sewage that are poured

into it daily?

A River Tangled in MetaphorP O I N T O F V I E W

By Emmanuel Theophilus

March 2017, just days after the Whan-ganui river in New Zealand was giv-en the status of a legal person by an

Act of Parliament, the High Court of Uttara-khand in India ruled that the Ganga river and one of its tributaries, the Yamuna, were living entities, and accorded them the status of a legal person. Religious sentiments of Hindus, the dependence of almost half of India’s population on the river, and its present dire condition were cited as reasons for scaling up its legal status, and to enable greater protection.

Ten days later, the court took a judicial leap. It ruled to include ‘Himalayan mountain ranges, glaciers, rivers, streams, rivulets, lakes, jungles, air, forests, meadows, dales, wetlands, grasslands, and springs…’ as legal entities/persons. Entities and objects such as religious idols, corporate bodies and financial trusts are routinely accorded legal personality and rights for procedural functions, such as being represented in courts, owning property and enforcing contracts. What was unprecedented was that the Ganga was personified as Ma or Mother to people in India and unequivocally given the legal status of a human being.

Taxonomically speaking, whether the sta-tus of an ape of the genus Homo, and just one of them, for an entire river system and all the life in it is truly an elevation, or just an Oedipal obsession, is a longer story. However, since a river is unable to ‘speak for itself ’, the court nominated three government bureaucrats as loco parentis or local guardians; the chief secretary, the advocate general of the state, and the director of Namami Gange (a government project to clean the Ganga), to ensure protec-tion of these rivers and represent them in court.

The two court verdicts make difficult read-ing. Apart from what the ‘Lordships have held as under’, the texts are rambling, repetitive and barely proof-read. They come across as hurried first drafts. Despite their untidy presenta-tion, let us be clear: they are stunningly bold, pioneering first steps in a judicial realm that is still uncertain. And they have taken the bu-

reaucracy by the…well, horns. They have, apart from recommending institutional frameworks and legislative reform, directed the govern-ment to take time-bound and serious action against offenders. Problem is, the offenders include industrial corporations, hydropower corporations and the builders’ nexus, ashrams and hotels, besides municipal corporations.

Not surprisingly, barely three months after these rulings, the government of Uttara-khand has challenged the court’s verdict in the Supreme Court, contending that the verdict is ‘unsustainable in the law’ and constitutes judi-cial overreach. They have asked to be relieved of the function of legal guardians of the river and have played on diversionary aspects that are sure to resonate with bureaucracy: uncertainty and financial liability. Their plea, for example, raises the scaremongering questions of whether, in the event of casualty during floods, the chief secretary, one of the loco parentis, could be sued for damages, and whether the state government would be financially liable, and would they have such resources.

What will come of this path-breaking verdict in the Supreme Court is uncertain right now. Have no doubt, the case will be sought to be further mired with other metaphors such as ‘Development’ for competing uses of water from our rivers, and ‘Renewable Energy’ for stealing of entire rivers for hydropower for the peaking hours of the ravenous metropolis.

Perhaps we need to reconcile our meta-phors with our actions. Can we call the Ganga ‘Ma’, and the holiest of all rivers in India, and continue to contribute to over a billion gallons of shit, sewage and industrial poisons that are poured into it every day? And just because we have dressed up the Ganga with beauti-ful metaphors that are dominant today, does this concern not apply to every river in our subcontinent, with smaller but equally poetic metaphors of their own? n

The writer is an environmental activist and

researcher based in Munsiyari, Uttarakhand

Illustration by ANIRBAN GHOSH

J H A R K H A N D : T H E T R I BA L C O D EPG 6

T E L A N G A NA : A P R E G NA N T PAU S E

PG 7

K E R A L A : C H O K I N G T H E R I V E R SPG 8 STATES M A H A R A S H T R A :

M O O B I L E A P P PG

It’s into its fourth week and the Gorkhaland agita-tion is finding support from outside the state too, like the government in neighbouring Sikkim and the ‘separate state’ movements in Assam, Tripura,

Vidarbha, Bundelkhand and Purvanchal.The People’s Joint Action Committee of Bodoland

Movement and the Indigenous People’s Front of Tri-pura (IPFT) fighting for a separate Tipraland in Tri-pura have both staged processions in June to express solidarity. Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling’s letter to Union home minister Rajnath Singh, express-ing unequivocal support to the Gorkhaland cause, has also come as a major boost for the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leadership. (Anticipating Chamling’s stand, 550 hotels in Gangtok and other places in Sik-kim asked tourists to vacate rooms and head home.)

State intelligence officers say GJM chief Bimal

In Madhya Pradesh’s Burhan-pur district, on the night ofJune 18 after the ChampionsTrophy cricket final telecast,

15 Muslim men were arrestedby the police. The charge wassedition (IPC Section 124-A) andconspiracy (120-B), for they hadreportedly cheered for Pakistanafter their famous win.

The accused were finallygranted bail by a court on June 27evening, after spending nine daysin jail. By then, the MP police hadcovered itself in ignominy, earn-ing ire and ridicule in equal mea-sure for arresting the men—agedbetween 18 and 40 years—onthe claim by a Hindu neighbour

in Mohad village. The bail wassecured after Subhash Koli, theoriginal plaintiff, told the courtthat he had been forced by thepolice to make the complaint.

A day after the arrest, evi-dently unnerved by the nationaloutrage, the overzealous cops haddropped the ‘sedition’ charge andbooked the men afresh, this timeunder Section 153-A for ‘spread-ing communal enmity’.

Mohad, on the MP-Maha-rashtra border, is predominantlyMuslim and OBC, and many areconverts from the tribal Bhil com-munity. The police files perma-nently list the village as ‘commu-nally tense’. Two characters are

NationalEmbarrassmentHow the MP police made a complete mockery of lawenforcement in the cricket final sedition case

Gurung is hiding at a base along theRangit river, close to the border withSikkim. Not that the Mamata Banerjeegovernment in Bengal is planning todetain him or his men (though they havebeen charged with arson, looting, evenmurder). Sources say the governmentwould rather have them back at the tablefor talks. Gurung seems receptive to theidea but the GJM’s youth wing is still benton the violent action route. A few daysof candle-light marches and so on endedwith a section setting fire to the house ofKhas Board chairman Rajen Ghetwal inKalimpong. Ghetwal had participatedin the all-party meeting convened by thegovernment last Friday in Siliguri. Theyouth wing has also threatened self-imm-olation bids in front of Parliament duringthe monsoon session if the Centre keepson ignoring their demand.

The GJM leadership too insists thatnothing short of a separate Gorkhalandwill do this time. To show their serious-ness, Gurung and 43 colleagues quit theGorkhaland Territorial Administration—the autonomous council formed in 2011.

Meanwhile, with things coming to ahead, the Trinamool Congress, Left Frontand Congress in Bengal have demandedthat the BJP spell out its stand on Gorkha-land, putting it in a fix. Having supportedthe GJM and its separate state demandsince the 2009 parliamentary polls forelectoral gains, the party can’t do an about-turn now. Nor can it afford to be seen assupporting a division of Bengal, especiallywhen it is looking to make inroads in thestate ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The BJP’s state unit is already dividedon the issue. State president Dilip Ghoshsays he supports Gorkhaland while Bengalin-charge K. Vijayvargiya clarified that thecentral leadership doesn’t want a division. n

THE GJM YOUTH WINGHAS THREATENEDSELF-IMMOLATIONBIDS IN FRONT OFPARLIAMENT

M A D H YA PR A D E S H

By Rahul Noronha

MOHAD

W E S T B E N G A L

An Azadi Rash in the EastAs support for a separate Gorkhaland gains ground, the BJP finds itself in a bind

By Romita Datta DARJEELING

UNITED WE STAND GJM protesters

in Darjeeling, Jun 24

NO CHEERSome of the 15 accused atthe Shahpur police station

PTI

14 INDIA TODAY J U LY 10, 2017 J U LY 10, 2017 INDIA TODAY 15

States-Jul10.indd 24-25 6/28/2017 3:21:31 AM

11

1 1 9

In Madhya Pradesh’s Burhan-pur district, on the night of June 18 after the Champions Trophy cricket final telecast,

15 Muslim men were arrested by the police. The charge was sedition (IPC Section 124-A) and conspiracy (120-B), for they had reportedly cheered for Pakistan after their famous win.

The accused were finally granted bail by a court on June 27 evening, after spending nine days in jail. By then, the MP police had covered itself in ignominy, earn-ing ire and ridicule in equal mea-sure for arresting the men—aged between 18 and 40 years—on the claim by a Hindu neighbour

in Mohad village. The bail was secured after Subhash Koli, the original plaintiff, told the court that he had been forced by the police to make the complaint.

A day after the arrest, evi-dently unnerved by the national outrage, the overzealous cops had dropped the ‘sedition’ charge and booked the men afresh, this time under Section 153-A for ‘spread-ing communal enmity’.

Mohad, on the MP-Maha-rashtra border, is predominantly Muslim and OBC, and many are converts from the tribal Bhil com-munity. The police files perma-nently list the village as ‘commu-nally tense’. Two characters are

National EmbarrassmentHow the MP police made a complete mockery of law enforcement in the cricket final sedition case

Gurung is hiding at a base along the Ran git river, close to the border with Sikkim. Not that the Mamata Banerjee government in Bengal is planning to detain him or his men (though they have been charged with arson, looting, even murder). Sources say the government would rather have them back at the table for talks. Gurung seems receptive to the idea but the GJM’s youth wing is still bent on the violent action route. A few days of candle-light marches and so on ended with a section setting fire to the house of Khas Board chairman Rajen Ghetwal in Kalimpong. Ghetwal had participated in the all-party meeting convened by the government last Friday in Siliguri. The youth wing has also threatened self-imm-olation bids in front of Parliament during the monsoon session if the Centre keeps on ignoring their demand.

The GJM leadership too insists that nothing short of a separate Gorkhaland will do this time. To show their serious-ness, Gur ung and 43 colleagues quit the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration —the autonomous council formed in 2011.

Meanwhile, with things coming to a head, the Trinamool Congress, Left Front and Congress in Bengal have deman ded that the BJP spell out its stand on Gorkha-land, putting it in a fix. Having supported the GJM and its separate state demand since the 2009 parliamentary polls for electoral gains, the party can’t do an about-turn now. Nor can it afford to be seen as supporting a division of Bengal, esp ecially when it is looking to make inroads in the state ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The BJP’s state unit is already divided on the issue. State president Dilip Ghosh says he supports Gorkhaland while Ben gal in-charge K. Vijayvargiya clarified that the central leadership doesn’t want a division. n

THE GJM YOUTH WING HAS THREATENED SELF-IMM OLATION BIDS IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT

M A D H YA PR A D E S H

By Rahul Noronha

MOHAD

NO CHEER Some of the 15 accused at the Shahpur police station


key to the drama of June 18—inspector Sanjay Pathak of Shahpur police station and Koli, who subsequently stated in court that the police forced him to file the complaint. Thirty-two-year-old Koli says he went to the police station to inquire about the release of another youth who was in custody when police personnel there beat him up and forced him to call in a complaint to the control room. He denies hearing any slogans but maintains that some crackers went off that night.

Pathak claims Koli is backtracking, because of pressure from the media. The inspector insists that during interroga-tion, the accused admitted to bursting crackers. Sources, however, say that Koli, who repairs dish antennae for a living, has been known to work closely with the police as an informer. So why did he backtrack? The police say he got spooked

after complaining against a community that forms most of his clientele.

Whatever the truth, all 15 accused were sent to 15 days in judicial remand on June 20. Political analysts say the events are symptomatic of the com-munally charged atmosphere that is building up in the Malwa region of the state. “Manning the districts in the Malwa region is one of the most chal-lenging assignments as a cop in Madhya Pradesh,” says a senior police officer who has served in many districts there.

Meanwhile, in another incident, the police in Gwalior booked a Kashmiri student, also under section 153-A, after he made a pro-Pakistan comment on Facebook after the same match. Two other people, including a minor, have also been booked in the case. Elections are due in the state in 2018. Is there a grand design to all this? n

STATES

POLICE SAY KOLI GOT SPOOKED AS THE COMMUNITY FORMS MOST OF HIS CABLE TV CLIENTELE

J H A R K H A N D

The Tribal CodeCM Raghubar Das is on the backfoot as Governor Murmu returns bills seeking amendments to the tribal tenancy act

By Amitabh Srivastava

RETURN TO SENDER Governor Droupadi Murmu with CM Raghubar Das

RANCHI


A Pregnant PauseSurrogacy exploitation cases show up government’s ineffectual rules

T E L A N G A N A

A huddle of 135 surrogate moth-ers held in virtual confinement through the nine months of their pregnancy—the shocking revela t ion

of the goings-on at two clinics in Hyd erabad and Bhongir has exposed the inadequacy of regulations to protect such women.

The Telangana police conducted searches at Hyderabad’s Sai Kiran Infertility Clinic and the Dr Padmaja Surrogacy Centre in Bhongir following complaints that the sur-rogate mothers were poorly cared for. The raids revealed that surrogacy, hitherto seen as an extension of in-vitro fertilisation facili-ties, had in fact become a hugely lucrative business. Police found that while prospective parents who commissioned the surrogacies paid the clinics a minimum of Rs 20 lakh, the surrogate mums received just Rs 3.5 lakh or even less.

The findings have provoked a storm of indignation in Telangana. Responding to a slew of public interest petitions, the high court in Hyderabad directed the state

By Amarnath K. Menon

In a major setback to Chief Minister Raghubar Das, Jharkhand governor Droupadi Murmu has put her foot down on the controversial amendments to the Chotanagpur Tenancy (CNT) Act, 1908, and

the Santhal Pargana Tenancy (SPT) Act, 1949, and returned the two contentious amendment bills to the government with queries.

While sending the two bills back, Murmu is said to have asked how tenancy land amendments would help the masses. She has also forwarded the 192 protest petitions that the Raj Bhavan has received from various organisations against the proposed amendments.

The Das government now has its back to the wall. Not trying to push the bills through will be tantamount to conceding a mistake, whereas sending it to the gov-ernor again with little or no change could be risky. Das has not even been able to get even the BJP tribal leaders on the same page over the proposed reforms (former CM Arjun Munda and senior leader Kariya Munda have crit-icised the move). In hindsight, the passing of the CNT and SPT amendment bills by voice vote on November 23, 2016 looks to have been a politically imprudent step.

It was a risky move for Das, Jharkhand’s first non-tribal CM, who thought facilitating ‘non-farm’ use of holdings while keeping ownership intact could potentially change the lives of the tribal community.

The argument may have its merits, but Das failed to read the pulse of tribal Jharkhand. He also underestimated the Opposition’s ability to create a

tribal-non-tribal divide over the proposed amendments (it has dubbed it as the BJP’s ploy to please industrialists at the expense of the tribal people and original settlers). Das’s new domicile policy, introduced in April 2016, which gave local resident status to anyone who has lived in Jharkhand for the last 30 years, had already caused resentment among the tribal community. The BJP then brought a tribal, Tala Marandi, as state president, to appease tribal sentiments. But the move boomeranged, with Marandi opposing the change in tenancy laws and Das getting him removed in August 2016. All this has proved electorally counterproductive—the BJP has lost two of the three byelections held since May last year.

While the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led Opposi-tion has congratulated governor Murmu for “under-standing the tribal’s pain”, the BJP still has the option to send the bills to her again. CM Das has remained silent on the governor’s decision till now, and news is that he will seek advice from the BJP high command in Delhi before making the next move. n

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Kerala’s rivers are in peril. A study by the Kozhikode-based Centre for Water Resources Development & Management (CWRDM) has found that the increasing solid waste dumping and inflows of untreated sewage could soon

sound a death knell for the 44 rivers in the state.The CWRDM has been monitoring water quality and pol-

lution levels in the rivers since 2009 and P.S. Harikumar, lead scientist on the study, warns that “pollution levels have been rising and if the current level of microbial contamination continues, the rivers could be reduced to mere pools of waste water”.

The Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF govern-ment has now initiated public campaigns to rescue the 41 west-flowing and three east-flowing rivers in the state. Biological indices for different water domains have been used to pinpoint the problem spots.

Relatively smaller than its counterparts elsewhere in the country, Kerala’s rivers are faster flowing because of the state’s topography. Thus far, scientists say, heavy monsoonal rains have saved the rivers by annually reviving the water quality. The study, however, warns that now, despite the monsoons, con-

Choking the RiversBy Jeemon Jacob

STATES

44RIVERS

in Kerala, all affected by

pollution

government to have all surrogacy centres inspected by teams of government doctors. Recent years have witnessed a scramble for surrogate parenthood, much of it due to the high cost of legal adoptions. There is, however, no law to govern Assisted Reproductive Tech-nology (ART) clinics that provide such ser-vices. Guidelines issued by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) state that every state must have an accreditation authority for ART clinics. But the National Registry of ART clinics and banks lists just about 600 such facilities across the country.

“A law is imperative for ART and surroga-cy,” says Telangana’s health minister C. Laxma Reddy. The Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill 2016, pending before a par-liamentary committee, intends to do exactly that. Besides protecting women from exploita-tion, it also secures the rights of children born through surrogacy. Only altruistic surrogacy is permitted for infertile Indian couples. Foreign nationals, NRIs, PIOs, homosexu-als, single parents and live-in couples aren’t permitted to commission surrogacies.

IVF specialists say there’s a real fear that ART spawns murky rackets with or without regulation. Two central concerns, they say, need to be addressed: Firstly, should we al-low foreigners to have babies here through

sur r ogacy? Secondly, should the surrogate’s (mother) compensation be limited to the loss of wages over nine months or much more? Specialists say there are already signs that it’s evolving into ‘reproductive tourism’.

Kamini Rao, among the pioneers in re-productive medicine in India, advises caution. Women, she says, must not be compelled into surrogacy nor allowed to resort to it as a pro-fession. “That said, if an impoverished woman resorts to surrogacy to ensure a decent life for her family, it is grossly unfair to deprive her of this choice,” says Rao. Until the regulation is put in place, both commissioning parents and the surrogates must live with uncertainty. n

THERE ARE SIGNS THAT SURROGACY IS DEGENERATING INTO A ‘REPRODUCTIVE TOURISM’ INDUSTRY

K E R A L A

THE SLUDGE

Banks of the Killiyar river in the capital

The state’s flowing water bodies are dying due to urbanisation and poor waste management


STATESSTATES

tamination is rising steadily thanks to the toxic combination of urbanisation and poor waste management.

Based on over 400 samples that Harikumar and his team collected for pre- and post-monsoon periods, the Periyar, Kerala’s longest river course, and the Pamba, were found to be the most polluted. Scientists say sewage and solid waste generated in towns and cities along the banks are being directly discharged into the rivers.

State water resources minis-ter Mathew T. Thomas claims the

government is taking steps. Besides promoting water literacy as part of the Haritha Keralam (Green Kerala) Mission, he said a high-level coordina-tion committee is looking into ways to

minimise the pollution.Green activists, though, contend

that it’s hardly enough. Latha Anan-tha, who’s part of a campaign to pro-tect the Chalakudy river, says govern-ments only wake up to the problem of polluted rivers ahead of each monsoon. “Kerala has failed to assess the socio-economic and environmental impact of the pollution of its rivers,” says the activist. While Anantha decries the missing political will, everyone in Kerala has their fingers tightly crossed for a bountiful monsoon. n

THE PERIYAR AND PAMBA RIVERS WERE FOUND TO BE THE MOST POLLUTED

Rajlakshmi Joshi, an architect by profession who has had a long association with a cow protection cell in Mumbai, is

on a mission—to rediscover the ‘hidden wealth’ of the Indian cow. Convinced there’s a significant global market for cow urine and dung, she has roped in husband Mahesh Joshi and two family friends—K.G. Chari and Narendra Rao—to put together Cow-Connect, a mobile application that gives out infor-mation on the bovine and the business possibilities in its ‘products’.

Positioned as “a bridge between cow lovers and traders”, the app gives details on 38 indigenous cow breeds, their geographic distribution, addresses of

cow shelters, available cow products, and contact info for traders.

“People don’t take cow protection seriously because they aren’t aware of its usefulness,” Mahesh says. “Our aim is to highlight the benefits.” Rajlakshmi doesn’t mind being called a gau rak-shak but insists, “We are not vigilantes. Real gau rakshaks work to protect cows through non-violent means.”

The idea of creating Cow-Connect came to the Joshi couple after attend-ing a Mangala Gau Yatra, a gathering of 150,000 cow-lovers in Mangaluru, Karnataka, in January this year. It then took them a month to put it together. Chari said the foursome toiled day and night to complete the project. And they

believe it is paying off—over 2,000 us-ers in Assam, Karnataka and Maha-rashtra had downloaded the app within five days of its June 18 launch.

Part of the Virat Hindu Sangam, an organisation floated by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, the Joshis and their friends see their app fostering e-commerce as a platform where farmers and traders can deal directly without middlemen. Citing the $400 million that India earns from beef (primarily buffalo meat) exports, Rao claims, “We will show that India can earn $4,000 million selling cow products without killing cows.” It’s more than a tall order but Mumbai’s gau rakshaks-turned-innovators insist it can be done. n

Moobile AppBy Kiran D. Tare

M A H A R A S H T R A

HIDDEN WEALTH Rajlakshmi Joshi shows off the Cow-Connect app

MANDAR DEODHAR

30 INDIA TODAY J U LY 10, 2017J U LY 10, 2017 INDIA TODAY 19






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FRIENDS WITH BENEFITSBEYOND THE OPTICS, THE MODI-TRUMP MEETING WAS AN EXERCISE IN DIPLOMATIC GIVE AND TAKE. NOW, THEY HAVE TO DELIVER ON THEIR PROMISES

BY RAJ CHENGAPPA

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Before Modi’s first face-to-face meeting with Donald Trump on June 26, however, it was the US president who was mouthing the adjectives, tweeting that he considered the prime minister “a true friend”. The Indian team, though, was not willing to take such praise at face value. They knew that apart from the two leaders building the right chemistry, given Trump’s mercan-tilist approach, they had to figure out the mathematics in the relations that would interest him. They also took into account biology—the fact that the first family, particularly Trump’s daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner, were among his key advisers. Mean-while, Modi had told his aides that, hav-ing spoken to Trump on three occasions over the phone, he had built a rapport with him and was confident of doing business with him. But it was impor-tant that in Modi’s first meeting with Trump, he hit it off well with the mercu-rial US president and put the relations on a more favourable and firm track.

There were other concerns that had to be factored in. In the run-up to the meeting, when Trump announced that he was pulling the United States out of the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agree-ment, he had targeted India among

other countries. With characteristic hyperbole, he stated that India was seeking “billions and billions and bil-lions” of dollars in aid while doubling its production of dirty coal. Delhi was furious and was forced to counter the diatribe. Moreover, Trump’s flip-flops on China, despite all the hard talking he did against it on the stump, had left India worried. Delhi saw more red when in April, Nikki Haley, his UN ambassador, said that the US may mediate between India and Pakistan to de-escalate tensions.

So, before the two leaders met, the Indian team had worked out what should be the ideal outcome and focused

its efforts on three major hot-button is-sues: terrorism, defence and trade. To garner support, the Indian team, weeks before the summit, held discussions with all the key decision-makers in the system, including the State Department, the Pen-tagon and the US Congress. Knowing that Trump would be transactional in his dealings, they focused on winning him over with a give-and-take approach. The personal touch was added with Modi inviting Ivanka Trump for a global entre-preneurship summit to be held in India later this year.

With Trump’s domestic popularity ratings dropping and his forays into in-ternational affairs bumpy, the US presi-dent was keen on strengthening ties with India and soothing its ruffled feathers. So he went out of his way, getting his wife, Melania, to host a reception for Modi and his team, and then having a sit-down dinner at the White House for the Indian prime minister—his first for

diplomacy, when heads of state meet, per-sonal chemistry is a key determinant of outcomes. Bad vibes was one of the major reasons why Prime Minister Indira Gandhi never got along with US President Richard Nixon. In a conversation with his secretary of state Henry Kissinger in 1971 (which was de-classified recently), Nixon referred to Indira derogatorily as a “bitch” and an “old witch”.

In contrast, years later, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President George W. Bush, despite differences in age and interests, got on famously and even signed the path-breaking Indo-US nuclear deal. The reticent Manmohan surprised Bush by tell-ing him, “The people of India deeply love you.” More recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi prided himself on being on first name basis with President Barack Obama and said, “Barack and I have developed a bond, a friendship.”


FOR INDIA, THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT

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any foreign leader since he took charge.For India, top on the list of priorities

was getting Trump to support its point of view on security issues, by playing on his pet theme of eradicating radical Is-lamic terrorism. Trump had earlier set his gunsights only on the ISIS. More re-cently, he had started focusing on state-sponsored terrorism, but his attention stopped at Iran. India wanted that to extend to Pakistan and to get Trump to come down harder on cross-border terror groups sponsored by Islamabad than the previous US administration had. The government was also deeply concerned that Trump had softened his stand on China and, much to its chagrin, even supported Beijing’s One Belt One Road (OBOR) global connectivity pro-ject. India had boycotted the event as one of OBOR’s trunk routes runs through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Modi then scored an early victory by getting the US administration to

designate Syed Salahuddin, the Hizb-ul Mujahideen chief, as a ‘global terrorist’ hours before his meeting with Trump. It was followed up with a strong joint statement by the two leaders, calling on Pakistan not to allow its territory to be used to launch terrorist attacks on other countries. And also to bring the perpetrators of 26/11, Pathankot and other terror attacks to book. To add to Pakistan’s discomfiture, India and the US agreed to set up a consultative mech-anism on domestic and international terrorist designations listing proposals, indicating there could be more naming and shaming of terror masterminds. The US also backed India’s role in Afghani-stan—another slight to Pakistan.

It was the surprisingly strong US ac-tion and statements on Pakistan that set the tone for the meeting. Ashley Tellis, Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, states, “The out-come on terrorism was the single most

important takeaway from India’s point of view and an area of convergence, with both leaders recognising Islamic terrorism as a critical national security threat.” About action against Salah-uddin, Tellis says, “This is one space we need to watch.”

On China, Trump and Modi’s interests converged when they reiterated in their joint state-ment their belief in freedom of

navigation, overflight and commerce in the Indo-Pacific region (read South China Sea), and on regional econom-ic connectivity ensuring respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity (read OBOR and PoK). In return, In-dia joined the US for the first time in condemning North Korea’s pursuit of nuclear and ballistic missile technology in violation of its international com-mitments. For India, given its limited engagement with Pyongyang, it was

ALL EARS Donald Trump and his team in a meeting with PM Narendra Modi at the White House on June 26


a small price to pay to get the US to back its concerns over OBOR.

Given Trump’s transactional ap-proach to international relations andhis boast that he is the best dealmaker,what did the US get in return for thismajor concession to India? Here, In-dia seems to have played several of itscards. Among the carrots it dangledwas the promise of big deals in the civilaviation and defence sectors. Monthsearlier, SpiceJet, a private airline, hadannounced it was buying over 100aircraft from Boeing, the US avia-tion giant—a deal worth $10 billion(Rs 64,500 crore). Trump signalledhis appreciation by mentioning thedeal with Boeing in his remarks to thepress about the visit. The joint state-ment also mentioned that the US hadoffered to sell India 22 Sea Guardiandrones to boost the Indian navy’s in-telligence and reconnaissance capa-bilities. The US sells these drones onlyto the closest of allies, and the orderworth $2 billion (Rs 12,900 crore) isa win-win for both sides.

In another significant develop-ment, a week before the two leadersmet, the Tata Group signed a deal withLockheed Martin, the world’s largestarmaments manufacturer, to producethe latest version of F-16 fighter jets.The joint venture will bid for the dealto make 70 combat aircraft—worthover $12 billion (Rs 77,400 crore)—forthe Indian air force. US defence ex-perts are hopeful that Tata-Lockheedwill bag the deal and cement the de-fence relationship that has blossomedin the past decade.

It was really on the issue of tradethat Trump extracted his pound offlesh from Modi. Indo-US trade is at

a modest $109 billion annually and in2014, Obama and Modi had agreed toboost trade to $500 billion. India hasa trade surplus with the US, but not ofa proportion that would make Trumpswear as much as he did against Chi-na. US businessmen have been urgingTrump to get India to lower its tariffs,especially in agriculture, strengthenits intellectual property rights regimeand further open key sectors to USinvestments. The joint statement in-cluded the US wish list on all thesecounts. It talked of having “free andfair trade” and increasing market ac-cess in areas such as agriculture, ITand manufactured goods and services.While India made no specific com-mitments, Trump is certain to be onModi’s tail to deliver on these areas.

Overall, experts believe thatboth Modi and Trump hadaccomplished the limitedgoals that they had set out

to achieve in their first meeting. For-eign secretary S. Jaishankar observedthat both “seemed comfortable witheach other and the chemistry was vis-ible”. This augurs well for the future.Modi went back home reassured thatTrump would not dilute the strategicpartnership with India that had beenbuilt over a decade. And importantly,keep India’s concerns in mind whiledealing with Pakistan, China and Af-ghanistan. Trump could boast that hehad got India to review trade prac-tices inimical to US business interestsas well as the promise of big deals indefence and civil aviation.

“The visit went better than eitherside expected,” says Tellis. “The PM and the president hit it off well. Bothsides got a significant amount on is-sues of substance. This is a great foun-dation for moving forward.” MichaelKrepon, co-founder of the Stimson Center, a US think-tank, adds: “Thevisit was a success. To me Modi’s bearhug of Trump was priceless.” Thereare still contentious issues, such asH1B visas and the US commitment to India on clean technology, thatneed to be addressed. In the com-ing months, it will need more thanjhappi-pappi for the two nations tostay bonded in friendship. n

OUT OF THE CLOSET

NARENDRA MODI IS SET TO MAKE HISTORY BY BECOMING THE FIRST INDIAN PM TO VISIT ISRAEL

On a road trip across Israel in late 2014, a young Israeli diplo-mat accompanying Indian journalists pointed to a port-manteau of highway

signs for two cities, ‘Modi’in’ and ‘Jerusalem’. “Very soon,” he said. His optimism will be vindicated on July 4 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi becomes the first Indian PM to visit the Jewish nation.

“Unlike past prime minis-ters, Modi has no inhibitions in openly expressing his admiration for Israel’s achievements,” says G. Parthasarathy, former Indian high commissioner to Pakistan. “Others have fought shy because of domestic vote bank considerations.”

The visit comes even as the PM carries out a balancing act in West Asia by simultaneously improving

ties with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Iran and Israel, making India one of a handful of major nations with excellent ties with all countries.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu hailed ‘my friend’ Modi’s upcoming visit as ‘historic’: “In the 70 years of this country’s existence, no Indian prime minister has visited, and this is a further expression of the State of Israel’s military, economic and diplomatic strength.”

Modi’s visit might appear largely symbolic as it comes soon after a spate of high-profile visits between New Delhi and Tel Aviv. President Pranab Mukherjee became the first Indian head of state to visit Israel last year, and it saw a reciprocal visit by Israeli President Reuven Rivlin in January this year. Neither has there been a radical shift in India’s policy towards Palestine. New Delhi hosted Palestinian president Mahmoud Ab-

bas in May, evidently to signal this. “The visit is important because

today, we must be clear who our friends are,” says Hardeep Puri, for-merly India’s representative to the UN. “Given the orientation of our policy, we need to have better and stronger relations with Israel.”

Defence and agriculture are the keystones of this relationship. Bilat-eral trade grew from $200 million in 1992 to $4.5 billion in 2016, primarily on the sales of military hardware, agriculture and water technology.

India-Israel friendship had long stayed in the closet. India’s move to establish bilateral ties in 1992 came only after several Arab countries recognised Israel. Military and intelligence ties, however, stretched back to even earlier and were facili-tated by Mossad and R&AW. From Israel’s transfer of arms to Mukti Bahini fighters in 1971 to training a

covert R&AW special forces unitin 1982. During the Kargil warin 1999, Israel shipped 155 mmartillery shells for India’s Boforsguns from its own stocks, leased amilitary spy satellite and soldtwo all-weather spy planes forR&AW’s air wing.

Despite the US emerging as amajor Indian defence equipmentsupplier, Israel has held steadycourse as India’s third largesthardware supplier, even though itdoes not make capital-intensiveweapon platforms like the fighterjets, major warships or submarinesthat India imports. In Febru-ary, the Cabinet Committee onSecurity cleared a Rs 17,000 croredeal for buying 40 Medium RangeSurface to Air Missiles (MR-SAM)systems from Israel for the Indianarmy’s strike corps. Deals worthan estimated $5 billion are in thepipeline for missiles and drones.

Moves are afoot to expandthis relationship beyond security.On June 25, Netanyahu approveddecisions to deepen ties, begin-ning with agriculture and water.His cabinet approved measures toincrease, by 25 per cent, Israel’snon-diamond-related exports toIndia, now $1.38 billion, over thenext four years as well as set upa joint innovation, research anddevelopment fund.

No major defence deals are ex-pected to be signed during Modi’svisit. The Jerusalem Post says the trip will focus on furtheringcooperation in three areas criticalto India: water management, ag-riculture and technology. Clearly,Modi in Jerusalem will leave alasting impact. n

By Sandeep Unnithan

MODI WENT HOMEREASSURED THAT

TRUMP WOULD NOTDILUTE THE STRATEGIC

PARTNERSHIP WITHINDIA THAT HAD BEENBUILT OVER A DECADE


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a small price to pay to get the US to back its concerns over OBOR.

Given Trump’s transactional ap-proach to international relations and his boast that he is the best dealmaker, what did the US get in return for this major concession to India? Here, In-dia seems to have played several of its cards. Among the carrots it dangled was the promise of big deals in the civil aviation and defence sectors. Months earlier, SpiceJet, a private airline, had announced it was buying over 100 aircraft from Boeing, the US avia-tion giant—a deal worth $10 billion (Rs 64,500 crore). Trump signalled his appreciation by mentioning the deal with Boeing in his remarks to the press about the visit. The joint state-ment also mentioned that the US had offered to sell India 22 Sea Guardian drones to boost the Indian navy’s in-telligence and reconnaissance capa-bilities. The US sells these drones only to the closest of allies, and the order worth $2 billion (Rs 12,900 crore) is a win-win for both sides.

In another significant develop-ment, a week before the two leaders met, the Tata Group signed a deal with Lockheed Martin, the world’s largest armaments manufacturer, to produce the latest version of F-16 fighter jets. The joint venture will bid for the deal to make 70 combat aircraft—worth over $12 billion (Rs 77,400 crore)—for the Indian air force. US defence ex-perts are hopeful that Tata-Lockheed will bag the deal and cement the de-fence relationship that has blossomed in the past decade.

It was really on the issue of trade that Trump extracted his pound of flesh from Modi. Indo-US trade is at

a modest $109 billion annually and in 2014, Obama and Modi had agreed to boost trade to $500 billion. India has a trade surplus with the US, but not of a proportion that would make Trump swear as much as he did against Chi-na. US businessmen have been urging Trump to get India to lower its tariffs, especially in agriculture, strengthen its intellectual property rights regime and further open key sectors to US investments. The joint statement in-cluded the US wish list on all these counts. It talked of having “free and fair trade” and increasing market ac-cess in areas such as agriculture, IT and manufactured goods and services. While India made no specific com-mitments, Trump is certain to be on Modi’s tail to deliver on these areas.

Overall, experts believe that both Modi and Trump had accomplished the limited goals that they had set out

to achieve in their first meeting. For-eign secretary S. Jaishankar observed that both “seemed comfortable with each other and the chemistry was vis-ible”. This augurs well for the future. Modi went back home reassured that Trump would not dilute the strategic partnership with India that had been built over a decade. And importantly, keep India’s concerns in mind while dealing with Pakistan, China and Af-ghanistan. Trump could boast that he had got India to review trade prac-tices inimical to US business interests as well as the promise of big deals in defence and civil aviation.

“The visit went better than either side expected,” says Tellis. “The PM and the president hit it off well. Both sides got a significant amount on is-sues of substance. This is a great foun-dation for moving forward.” Michael Krepon, co-founder of the Stimson Center, a US think-tank, adds: “The visit was a success. To me Modi’s bear hug of Trump was priceless.” There are still contentious issues, such as H1B visas and the US commitment to India on clean technology, that need to be addressed. In the com-ing months, it will need more than jhappi-pappi for the two nations to stay bonded in friendship. n

covert R&AW special forces unit in 1982. During the Kargil war in 1999, Israel shipped 155 mm artillery shells for India’s Bofors guns from its own stocks, leased a military spy satellite and sold two all-weather spy planes for R&AW’s air wing.

Despite the US emerging as a major Indian defence equipment supplier, Israel has held steady course as India’s third largest hardware supplier, even though it does not make capital-intensive weapon platforms like the fighter jets, major warships or submarines that India imports. In Febru-ary, the Cabinet Committee on Security cleared a Rs 17,000 crore deal for buying 40 Medium Range Surface to Air Missiles (MR-SAM) systems from Israel for the Indian army’s strike corps. Deals worth an estimated $5 billion are in the pipeline for missiles and drones.

Moves are afoot to expand this relationship beyond security. On June 25, Netanyahu approved decisions to deepen ties, begin-ning with agriculture and water. His cabinet approved measures to increase, by 25 per cent, Israel’s non-diamond-related exports to India, now $1.38 billion, over the next four years as well as set up a joint innovation, research and development fund.

No major defence deals are ex-pected to be signed during Modi’s visit. The Jerusalem Post says the trip will focus on furthering cooperation in three areas critical to India: water management, ag-riculture and technology. Clearly, Modi in Jerusalem will leave a lasting impact. n

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GST GETS ROLLING, BUMPS

AHEAD

Midnight sessions of India’s Parliamentare reserved to ring in events of great sig-nificance, beginning with India’s inde-pendence on August 15, 1947, and PrimeMinister Jawaharlal Nehru’s ‘tryst withdestiny’ speech. Since then, Parliament

has commemorated midnight sessions for only two otherevents—the golden jubilees of the Quit India movement in1992 and of India’s independence in 1997. For the NDA tochoose a special midnight session to roll out its landmarkGoods & Services Tax (GST) signifies the enormous sym-bolism bestowed on this biggest of tax reforms. GST willfree India of its archaic, multi-layered tax structure with aregime that will create a single market across the country.It will unify all the states with a single tax rate and reducethe interface with tax inspectors, setting the stage for a ‘newnormal’, as Union finance minister Arun Jaitley puts it. Inanticipation of the new normal are anxious traders and busi-nessmen, who are grappling with the fine print of the newtax, the prospect of an anti-profiteering agency and an elec-tronic system that will now rate taxpayers on how promptlythey upload their invoices, pay taxes and file returns.

Considered India’s most significant tax reform sinceindependence, GST comes after 13 years of deliberations

THERE’S A LOT OF HOPE RIDING ONINDEPENDENT INDIA’S SINGLEBIGGEST TAX REFORM. IT WILL

HAVE TO OVERCOME MANYOBSTACLES TO HIT TOP GEAR

By Shweta Punj & M.G. Arun

Illustrations by ANIRBAN GHOSH; Graphics by TANMOY CHAKRABORTY

COVER STORY / GST

CS-GST-Lead-Jul10.indd 38-39 6/29/2017 12:39:26 AM


BUMPS AHEAD

Midnight sessions of India’s Parliament are reserved to ring in events of great sig-nificance, beginning with India’s inde-pendence on August 15, 1947, and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s ‘tryst with destiny’ speech. Since then, Parliament

has commemorated midnight sessions for only two other events—the golden jubilees of the Quit India movement in 1992 and of India’s independence in 1997. For the NDA to choose a special midnight session to roll out its landmark Goods & Services Tax (GST) signifies the enormous sym-bolism bestowed on this biggest of tax reforms. GST will free India of its archaic, multi-layered tax structure with a regime that will create a single market across the country. It will unify all the states with a single tax rate and reduce the interface with tax inspectors, setting the stage for a ‘new normal’, as Union finance minister Arun Jaitley puts it. In anticipation of the new normal are anxious traders and busi-nessmen, who are grappling with the fine print of the new tax, the prospect of an anti-profiteering agency and an elec-tronic system that will now rate taxpayers on how promptly they upload their invoices, pay taxes and file returns.

Considered India’s most significant tax reform since independence, GST comes after 13 years of deliberations

THERE’S A LOT OF HOPE RIDING ON INDEPENDENT INDIA’S SINGLE BIGGEST TAX REFORM. IT WILL

HAVE TO OVERCOME MANY OBSTACLES TO HIT TOP GEAR

By Shweta Punj & M.G. Arun

COVER STORY / GST

4 0 INDIA TODAY J U LY 10, 2017

YOUR GUIDE TO GST A breezy reckoner on the Goods &

Services Tax—the what and how much of an all-encompassing levy

An indirect tax that subsumes central and state taxes

It will make India a unified market

A single tax on supply of goods and services to replace the multiple taxes at various points

Central GST, levied and collected by the Centre

State GST, levied and collected by the state

I-GST (Integrated Goods & Services Tax), levied and collected by the Centre on inter-state supply of goods and services

WHAT IS GST

WHAT YOU DON’T PAY, POST-JULY 1

WHAT YOU PAY INSTEAD

Central excise duty

Additional excise duty

Service tax

Additional customs duty

Special additional duty of customs

State value-added tax

Entertainment tax

Octroi and entry tax

Purchase tax

Luxury tax

Taxes on lottery, betting and gambling

COVER STORY / GST


Education cess on imported goods

Cess on crude petroleum oil

Road cess on motor spirit and diesel oil

Paan masala: 135%

Tobacco products: 290%

Aerated drinks: 15%

Luxury cars: 15%

Coal: Rs 400/ tonne

0% GST RATE

Goods: Meat, fish, chicken, eggs, milk, curd, fresh fruits and vegetables, bread, salt, judicial papers, newspapers, printed books, handloom, salt, children’s picture, drawing/ colouring booksServices: Hotels and lodges with room tariffs below Rs 1,000

3% GST RATE

Goods: Gold

5% GST RATE

Goods: Apparel below Rs 1,000, packaged food items, footwear below Rs 500, skimmed milk powder, branded paneer, frozen vegetables, coffee, tea, spices, medicines, stents, pizza bread, lifeboats, bio gas, insulinServices: Railways, air transport, small restaurants

12% GST RATE

Goods: Apparel above Rs 1,000, frozen meat products, butter, cheese, ghee, dry fruits in packed form, fruit juices, namkeen, Ayurvedic medicines, cellphones, all

diagnostic kitsServices: State-run lotteries, non-AC hotels, business class air ticket, fertilisers, works contracts

18% GST RATE

Goods: Most items fall in this tax bracket: footwear over Rs 500, biscuits, pasta, pastries, cameras, speakers, monitors, soups, mineral water, instant food mixes, tampons, tissues, CCTV, optical fiberServices: AC hotels that serve liquor, telecom services, IT services, branded garments, financial services, and restaurants inside five-star hotels

28% GST RATE

Goods: Beedis, chewing gum, chocolate not containing cocoa, waffles and wafers coated with chocolate, paan masala, shampoo, dishwasher, weighing machine, washing machine, ATM, automobiles, vacuum cleanersServices: Hotels with room tariffs above Rs 7,500, 5-star hotels, cinemas

TAX SLABS

CESSES

and dithering. It is considered transformational as it not only envisages a “one nation, one tax” policy that makes life simpler for the common man, but also builds transparency and accountability in the tax col-lection process. It aims to curb tax evasion in a country where small traders/ businesses routinely evade tax by not creating invoices for goods sold. It is also trans-formational because what is seemingly an economic decision took intense political manoeuvring, bringing the states on board with a ‘give and take’ negotiation that has arguably diluted the bill in the process. GST is expected to be as disruptive as the recent demonetisa-tion move, which was touted as a drive against black money but ended up hurting the country’s growth in the final quarter (it fell from 7.1 per cent to 6.1 per cent) of financial year 2016-17. And the jury is still out on it.

“GST is a mammoth exercise in which you will, in the first instance, converge multiple taxes into one,” an upbeat Jaitley told india today in an exclusive interview (“You either take the plunge, or do nothing at all”). “Second, you fix the rate for every commodity and for every service. You will have free flow of goods and services across the country.” In addition, there will be a new system for filing returns. Nobody will have to pay tax on tax, so the cascading impact of taxation is history. Moreover, the state governments will still have higher collections because of a more efficient system (in the long run), and also because the Centre will compensate for any shortfall in the first five years.

THE CASE FOR GSTNo doubt, there is a strong case for simplification of the country’s indirect tax system. There are now a multiplicity of taxes—both central (customs, excise and service tax, for instance) and state (value-added tax, purchase tax, entry tax, octroi and so on), which have a cascading effect on prices. Under GST, mul-tiple taxes will converge into one. Doing away with the cascading effect of the various taxes should en-sure that the consumer pays a more reasonable price for a product or service.

Jaitley’s optimism comes in the midst of concerns that GST is still not optimal, in the sense that the layers are still too many. Taxes will henceforth range from 0 to 28 per cent (with 3, 5, 12 and 18 per cent in between) plus cesses. But the finance minister lays down his rea-sons for having those slabs. “Not having multiple slabs would be highly inflationary and discriminatory,” he

The additional burden on consumers:


“Under the new GST regime,

evasion will come down,

leading to much better collection. It will help

exports a lot as all input

taxes will get refunded.”—Adi Godrej, Chairman,

Godrej Group

“GST will help in terms of movement of goods, in getting all the input tax credit into our business. A level playing field

will be created.”—Kishore Biyani, Founder & CEO, Future Group

“The real benefit of GST is in simplifying the business and streamlining everything. We are not expecting any major price reduction opportunities because of GST.”—Pawan Goenka, MD, Mahindra & Mahindra

“GST WILL ENABLE A VIRTUOUS COMPLIANCE SPIRAL TO TAKE EFFECT. AND IT WILL LEAD TO FORMALISATION OF THE ECONOMY. PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT PAYING TAXES WILL BE IN THE SYSTEM.”—Jayant Sinha, MoS for civil aviation

VOICES

“IDEALLY, GST SHOULD HAVE BEEN A

SINGLE TAX RATE OF 12 PER CENT WITH

NO EXEMPTIONS AND VARIATIONS

IN THE TAX RATE.”

—Satya Poddar, Tax partner, EY

“I have taken a (GST) registration. But it’s online filing and I have no idea how many returns to file in a year. I fear my business is going to be hit.”

—R. Ramesh, Provisions store owner, Thiruvananthapuram


COVER STORY / GST

says. “Would you charge a hawai chappal and a BMW car at the same rate? It will be inequitable.”

IMPACT ON THE CONSUMERSo what does GST, in its current form, mean to the end-customer? Ideally, GST should have had a uni-form impact on all sectors, but experts say this will not be the case. Abhishek Jain, tax partner with Ernst & Young (EY), says some goods will become cheaper, and others dearer, in the new tax regime. The indirect tax cost on most goods is currently on the higher side, since they attract an excise duty of 12.5 per cent and a VAT of 12.5 to 15 per cent, depending on the state (for instance, beauty products, most consumer electronics, non-luxury automobiles). Along with the cascading ef-fect of other state taxes, the combined effect amounts to a burden of 25 to 30 per cent indirect tax on the end- customer. However, under GST, the tax would be only 18 per cent, lowering prices for the end-customer.

But in some other cases, as in textiles, edible oil and low-value footwear, the excise rate is zero and VAT in most states is 5 per cent. So, if GST of, say, 18 per cent is imposed on these products, the price rise would be significant for the end-consumer.

On the services front, where the indirect tax is 15 per cent, an increase in GST to 18 per cent could have hurt the consumer. But Jain says that services are already costlier after imposition of some non-creditable taxes on the procurement side (such as VAT or CST). When these non-creditable taxes be-come creditable (i.e., when a businessman can reduce the taxes he paid while buying the goods from what he will have to pay for selling it), it should help neu-tralise the price rise.

The government, perhaps cognisant of the disrup-tive effect, is wary of hazarding any predictions on prices. “We haven’t worked out any estimates. This (price reduction) is subject to the fact that all those who get input tax credit calculate it correctly and pass on the benefit to the consumer,” says revenue secretary Hasmukh Adhia. Input tax credit, the cornerstone of GST, is a tax refund on the portion of final cost of goods and services that one has already paid.

Research and ratings firm Crisil has estimated that only 20 per cent of the elements in the CPI basket (goods used to calculate consumer price index, the weighted average of prices, to measure inflation) will see a rise in tax rates. These are mostly services, which will see some inflation. For the rest, tax incidence is down and the price effect will be neutral. However, there is a catch here. Producers will be quick to pass

“Most studies show that in the medium term, GST brings down inflation due to the efficiencies created in the system.”

—D.K. Joshi, Chief economist, Crisil

“IF WE HAVE A GOOD GST SYSTEM, GDP COULD

GO UP BY 150-200 BPS.”

—Deepak Parekh, Chairman,

HDFC

“THERE ARE IMPERFECTIONS... IDEALLY, WE SHOULD NOT

HAVE A 28 PER CENT RATE, BUT RIGHT NOW THAT IS THE TAX INCIDENCE AND WE WANT TO MAKE IT REVENUE NEUTRAL.

OVER A PERIOD, WE MUST GO TO THE INTERNATIONAL STANDARD OF A SINGLE OR

TWO GST RATES.”—Hasmukh Adhia, Revenue secretary

“Home buyers will end up paying more. The price of

a Rs 50 lakh flat could go up by

Rs 3.5 lakh after GST.”

—Suresh Raheja, Mumbai-based entrepreneur


COVER STORY / GST

on the hike in taxes, but perhaps not the tax reductions, leading to profiteering. And that’s where the proposed anti-profiteering agency will come into play.

“It is also possible that there will be confusion on whether the price rise is due to GST or a general rise in prices, since inflation is not going to continue at the low levels of 2.5 per cent for long,” says D.K. Joshi, chief economist, Crisil. Even RBI estimates suggest that in-flation will rise in the second half of the year, he adds. Most studies show that, in the medium term, GST brings inflation down due to the efficiencies created in the system, such as a reduction in logistics costs.

COMBATING TAX EVASIONExperts say that pre-GST, traders evaded taxes since they were not eligible for many credits. They bought goods from someone who was also exempted from VAT, and thus a shadow economy was operational. Under GST, these traders will be eligible for credit on central duties paid on inputs. If they don’t declare transactions, they will lose these credits. “Traders will cheat less be-cause it will be profitable not to cheat,” says V.S. Krish-nan, advisor, tax policy, EY. It is also likely that there will be more direct tax compliance after GST. This is fac ilitated by the GST identification number (GSTIN)—a 15-digit code. Nobody except those exempted can carry out any business in India without this GST number, the first few digits of which are the state numbers, the next the income tax PAN. By adopting the income tax PAN and incorporating it into the GSTIN, the indirect tax database and the direct tax database have been linked. This makes it very difficult to cheat under GST. Adi Godrej, chairman, Godrej group, is enthused: “In the new GST regime, evasion will come down and it will lead to much better collections. It will also help exports a lot because all input taxes will get refunded.”

There are varying estimates on the impact on GDP. HDFC chairman Deepak Parekh believes the GST reg-ime can push up India’s growth by as much as 1.5 to 2 percentage points. Others like tax expert Satya Poddar

Businesses are flummoxed by the distortionary and complicated system to claim input tax credits

MORE OR LESS?Prices of goods and services will likely go up or down depending on how businesses transfer the input credits to the consumer. India’s experience with passing on of tax benefits has not been encouraging

Eating out, phone bills, jewellery, online shopping,

banking and financial services, business class

air tickets

COSTLIER

Buying a car, television sets, processed foods, cement, air conditioners, pulses, rice, milk, grains

Overall lower prices for FMCG goods like soap, toothpaste and hair oil

CHEAPER


say that GST will not be inflationary but will not lead to economic growth either. “Disruption in transition could be the same as demonetisation,” he says.

However, if the GDP base widens, tax collections will increase as well, and some economists expect the fiscal deficit to come down to 0.7 to 1.2 per cent of the GDP in five years. Crisil believes that industry stabi-lisation under the new tax regime will take a couple of quarters. The experience of other economies is that it’s better to make a start and then make adjust-ments. But then, most countries that have adopted GST have ensured a single slab for all goods and services. Some countries like New Zealand started at a low rate and then raised it subsequently. However, in countries like Malaysia, the process took a long time to implement. Later, there were public protests in Malaysia demanding GST be scrapped, even a year after it was rolled out on April 1, 2015.

CHALLENGES AHEADIn a country as diverse as India, with its inherent inefficiencies in governance, slack technology adop-tion and poor track record in accountability, the challenges for implementing the GST will be huge.

Businesses are flummoxed by the distortionary and complicated system to claim input tax credits—for instance, an airline can claim input credit on an engine for its business class passengers but not for economy passengers. In fact, budget airlines will not be able to claim input tax credit, but as a respite, tax incidence for them has been reduced from six per cent to five per cent while for business travel, the tax rate has been increased from 9 per cent to 12 per cent (see graphic: Where GST Will Strike).

The root of this distortion, aviation experts say, is that aviation turbine fuel has been kept out of the purview of GST. And this is just one of the many ex-emptions that in a way distorts the core of what ought to have been GST. States have managed to arm-twist the Centre to keep petro products and electricity out of the ambit of GST to safeguard revenues. Therefore, even as energy is an essential cost to economic activity, businesses will not be able to claim refunds on tax paid on energy used as input in their businesses.

Some experts say India has lost an opportunity to have a wide GST base, which was the recommen-dation of the 13th Finance Commission. Real estate has been brought under GST only partially through


COVER STORY / GST

works con tracts, to be taxed at 12 per cent. Suresh Raheja, a Mumbai-based entrepreneur, says home buyers will end up paying more. “The price of a Rs 50 lakh flat could go up by Rs 3.5 lakh after GST,” he cautions.

That’s not all that bothers business-es. Another big concern is the three tax levies—in the form of state GST, Centre GST and integrated GST, multiple cesses and a rate classification with different variants of single products taxed under different slabs. For in-stance, biscuits with chocolate attract a higher tax, a garment under Rs 1,000 will attract 5 per cent GST and above Rs 1,000, 12 per cent. Fabric will attract 5 per cent. So, if a garment above Rs 1,000 goes on sale in the evening and if its after-sale price is below Rs 1,000, will it be taxed differently? “Ideally, it (GST) should have been a single tax rate of 12 per cent with no exemptions and variations in the tax rate,” laments Poddar. He surmises that the com-plexity of the GST regime is a consequence of the government following the path of least resistance.

There is also a widespread apprehension that the tax filing procedure for manufacturers is too cum-bersome. “I have taken (GST) registration. But I’ve no idea how it’s going to affect my business,” says R. Ra-mesh, who owns a provisions store in Thiruvanan-thapuram. “Earlier, we used to file monthly returns to the tax department and hired a local tax consul-tant for filing returns. Now it’s online filing and I’ve no idea how many returns I have to file in a year.”

THE COMPLEX GST DESIGNThe biggest challenge is going to be that of tech-nology. It is expected that there will be 8 million GSTN assessees. Of this, 7 million will be small and medium businesses. For these businesses, GST has worked out an offline format, something on the lines of a Microsoft Excel sheet. The returns have to be sent offline, the GSTN captures it and converts into the online form. But the problem with this is that if the person who files makes errors, it will be difficult to revise it later. Also, the invoice will have to be validated by the vendor for input tax credit to be evaluated and claimed. This can be cumbersome. China, for instance, has a far simpler mechanism. Every time a business wants to claim input tax credit, the invoice has to be issued on the ‘golden tax machine’, designed and owned by the government. This automatically guarantees that

invoices are valid and unique, substantially bringing down the risk of invalid credit claims.

Technology readiness has been one of the biggest worries cited by the government. GSTN or the Goods and Services Network is a not-for-profit firm owned by the central and state governments and private financial institutions, with the mandate to establish a uniform interface for the taxpayer and a common and shared IT infrastructure for the Centre and states. It has the task of building the IT backbone, on which hinges the smooth functioning of the GST.

About Rs 1,400 crore has been earmarked for the network, to be used for filing GST returns and for claiming input credits. Navin Kumar, chairman, GST Network, iterates that the network is ready for a July 1 rollout. He goes on to add that constant revisions have meant reconfiguration of the system a few times. There are two aspects to the network—the GSTN platform and the states’ network. Of the 29 states, nine are building their own systems, while GSTN, a platform built by Infosys, is helping the others to become GST ready.

As many as three billion invoices will have to up-loaded by the 10th of every month. If there is a break-down in one state, the entire process could get stalled (see graphic: Bugs in the GST Code). While Kerala and West Bengal used the ordinance route to pass the legis-lation, J&K is yet to pass the state GST act. And Jaitley is stridently critical of the government there, saying the decision to abstain “is a conspiracy against the Kashmiri people. Consumers will pay tax twice over... they will not get a rupee out of the promised five-year compensation”.

MORE WORK TO DOOf course, there is an admission of the fact that the tax is not perfect. Adhia explains: “We have imperfections in the current system. Ideally, we should not have any 28 per cent rate, but right now, that is the tax incidence and we want to make it revenue neutral.” Over a period, India must reach the international standard where there is a single or two GST rates, he adds.

Jayant Sinha, MoS for civil aviation, has been han-

The biggest challenge is going to be technology, as the GST network will have some 8 million assessees


dling representations from airlines on the new tax rules which they say will hurt their competitiveness, and asking for a postponement. He insists, though, that most issues have been resolved. On the question of being GST-ready for ticketing and cargo services, he says service tax rules will be followed here as well. “GST will be a platform that will enable a virtuous compliance spiral to take effect,” he says.

Considering the widespread apprehension trad-ers have towards moving to the GST network over-night, the government has simplified things a bit for the trading community. Traders with annual rev-enues of up to Rs 20 lakh need not register under the

GST network. Moreover, a busi-ness entity with a turnover of up to Rs 75 lakh can avail the benefit of a ‘composition scheme’ where it will have to pay a much lower tax rate and fulfil very minimal com-pliance requirements. The Centre has also relaxed the norms for fil-ing returns until September, so that the transition to GST does not hurt small traders and oth-ers not ready for the new regime. Meanwhile, retailers and car dealers were seen offering huge discounts to clear stocks, because they won’t get input credits on old stocks, post-GST.

Clearing the air on the need to file multiple returns every year (as many as 37), Jaitley says this is a misconception. “You have to just keep yourself registered once and then before the tenth of ev-ery month you have to file your previous month’s return,” he says. The other two are self-generated online. On the argument of hy-brid cars being under a higher tax bracket, Jaitley counters vehemently that car companies have been slow to pass on the tax benefits and have often ‘pocketed’ the tax advantages.

“It is good that GST on job works has been reduced from 18 per cent to 5 per cent in leather, textile, gems and jewellery. It gives relief to the industry as well as to its workers,” says Biswanath

Bhattacharjee, president, Federation of Small & Me-dium Industries, Kolkata. So does the lowering of GST rates on products under MSME (micro, small & medium enterprises) category such as pickles, sauces, incense sticks and kites, he adds. It’s evident that GST is a work in progress. While the Centre and states have shown the political will to make this happen, the onus is now on the tax administration and businesses to be equal partners in driving the transition forward and, most importantly, move towards a regime of lower tax and much simpler compliance methods. Despite its many imperfections, GST in India seems to be poised for a good start. n

with Romita Datta and Jeemon Jacob

Jaitley, who helped stitch the intricate political cons ensus on GST among the states, says it will set the ‘new normal’

TAXING MATTERS Hasmukh Adhia and Arun Jaitley

CH

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DR

AD

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KU

MA

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COVER STORY / GST GUIDE

WHERE GST WILL STRIKEA look at how ‘One Nation One Tax’ affects 10 key sectors

The passenger vehicle segment will see a reduction in overall taxation, the extent of which will vary across segments. Big cars and SUVs will become cheaper

Hybrid vehicles will become costlier, since they attract a cess of 15 per cent above the base GST rate of 28 per cent

Electric vehicles will be taxed at 12 per cent

Two wheelers: the impact will be negligible. The GST base rate will be 28 per cent, down from the current 30 per cent rate

No impact on tractors and commercial vehicles

Negligible change in taxation rates pre- and post-GST

The reduction in the tax rate on domestic coal should reduce the cost of power generation

The wind energy sector will see an increase in capital costs

AUTOMOBILES

PHARMACEUTICALS

POWER

Telecom services will likely be costlier, as the tax rate goes up from 15 to 18 per cent

TELECOM


Pre-GST, room revenues attracted luxury rates and service taxes. Being a state subject, luxury tax rates vary from state to state

Post-GST, hotels across the country will fall into one of four tax brackets, from 12-28 per cent

No GST on hotel rooms that cost less than Rs 1,000; 12 per cent GST for hotels with tariffs of Rs 1,000-2500, 18 per cent on tariffs of Rs 2,500-5,000 and 28 per cent on tariffs greater than Rs 5,000

With GST rate at 18 per cent, similar to the pre-GST regime of excise duty and VAT rate, the impact of GST on end-users of steel products will not be significant

Construction and infrastructure: Tax rate goes up from 11-18 per cent to 18 per cent, but full input tax credit will nullify the impact of tax increase

Economy travel largely unaffected—GST rate at 5 per cent is down from the current 6 per cent

Business travel will likely be more expensive

HOSPITALITY

STEEL

AIRLINES


Crude oil, natural gas, petrol, high speed diesel and aviation turbine fuel kept out of GST

For LPG, naphtha, kerosene and fuel oil, tax rates decrease 12-30 per cent, to 18 per cent

Exclusion of crude oil and natural gas from GST would have an inflationary impact on the prices of downstream products such as naphtha, kerosene, petrochemicals etc.

Natural gas has been kept out of GST, which could lead to complications for gas marketers

OIL AND GAS

Gas marketers would face complexity as they will pay GST transmission tariffs while sale of natural gas is outside the purview of GST. Gas distribution companies will not be able to get input tax credit for GST paid for capital expenditure

GAS UTILITIES

Impact expected to be neutral as most earlier exemptions continue. Pre-GST rate was 4.5 per cent; post-GST, the rate will be 5 per cent

SHIPPING

Source: Icra report, ‘Impact of GST on the Indian corporate sector

COVER STORY / GST GUIDE


BUGS IN THE GST CODEGST promises a simpler taxation regime and a single market across India. However, it has conceptual and operational bugs which, if not fixed, could complicate compliance

1. Three-tier GST, against the expectation of a single GST regime across the country

2. Multiple slabs—ranging from 0 to 28 per cent—and input tax credit over multiple service credit has made compliance difficult

3. Fuels, electricity and real estate have all been kept out of the ambit of GST

4. Dual authority—Centre and state. This creates more bureaucracy

5. Multiple slabs for services. Services were earlier taxed in a single slab, now taxed in five

1. Increased compliance burden for industry, because multiple returns will have to be filed in multiple states

2. The GST network is not ready. It has not been tried and tested

3. The work-in-progress approach to the rollout has left assessees unprepared

4. There is some confusion about transition rules—the transition from existing excise rules and back to GST

5. There is confusion over carriage rules—the transport of goods

5 CONCEPTUAL BUGS

5 OPERATIONAL BUGS

By Anshuman Tiwari

COVER STORY / INTERVIEW

UNION MINISTER FOR FINANCE,DEFENCE AND CORPORATEAFFAIRS ARUN JAITLEY, who isat the centre of all the GST action,talks about the challenges of execu

ting the biggest tax reform since Independenceand takes on naysayers of the new tax regime.Excerpts from an exclusive interview with SeniorEditor SHWETA PUNJ

Q. Where would you place GST among theeconomic reforms India has undertaken?A. This would certainly be one of the big ones. Ifyou look at the others, delicensing would be one,bringing down the rates on direct taxes wouldbe another, creating world-class infrastructurein highways, telecom, medical care, aviation—we have started moving in that direction. Youadd a few more sectors, that would be one bigreform; then global integration has given a newconfidence to the economy. GST would be as big.In terms of taxation, it is certainly the biggestpost-Independence. The great takeaway is thatthe GST Council has become India’s first federalinstitution. And the fact that every decision wastaken by consensus—that is a good precedent.

Q. What will the overall impact of GST be?A. The GST is the economic integration of India.It lays down a new normal. [Until now], we’vehad a taxation system of multiple taxes, with dif-ferent rates in different states, not to mention thecascading effect of taxes, arbitrary decisions, cor-ruption in assessments and evasion by assessees.We are transiting to a system where the countrywill have only one tax.

Q. How might the consumer benefit?A. In the long run, there will be two impacts. Ifeverybody pays their taxes and collections increase,then there is a capacity for the economy to make indi-rect taxation rates more reasonable, in the mediumand the long run. Second, the cascading effect goes.There will be an immediate dip in taxation. The rateswill be lower, the weighted average will be lower, butthe collections will be higher, so the outgo will bemore in the initial stages. In the long run, the ratescome down. If your basket of taxes is bigger, then youhave to lower taxes.

Q. What might be the impact ofGST on GDP growth?

A. The higher revenues andspending should lead to higher

growth, but we are not mak-ing any predictions as to howmuch. The GST is being imple-

mented for the first time inIndia, and there are no settled

models to predict this.

Q. What are the challenges of implementing such acomplex tax reform?A. GST is a transformational change. If you look atthe present system, we have separate sets of taxesat the Centre—excise, service tax. We have separatetaxes in every state, such as the Value Added Tax(VAT), and then we have a lot of smaller taxes like

“YOU EITHER TAKETHE PLUNGE, OR DONOTHING AT ALL”

Photograph by BANDEEP SINGH

CS-GST-Interview-Jul10.indd 52-53 6/28/2017 6:36:59 PM


UNION MINISTER FOR FINANCE, DEFENCE AND CORPORATE AFFAIRS ARUN JAITLEY, who is at the centre of all the GST action, talks about the challenges of execu

ting the biggest tax reform since Independence and takes on naysayers of the new tax regime. Excerpts from an exclusive interview with Senior Editor SHWETA PUNJ

Q. Where would you place GST among the economic reforms India has undertaken?A. This would certainly be one of the big ones. If you look at the others, delicensing would be one, bringing down the rates on direct taxes would be another, creating world-class infrastructure in highways, telecom, medical care, aviation—we have started moving in that direction. You add a few more sectors, that would be one big reform; then global integration has given a new confidence to the economy. GST would be as big. In terms of taxation, it is certainly the biggest post-Independence. The great takeaway is that the GST Council has become India’s first federal institution. And the fact that every decision was taken by consensus—that is a good precedent. Q. What will the overall impact of GST be?A. The GST is the economic integration of India. It lays down a new normal. [Until now], we’ve had a taxation system of multiple taxes, with dif-ferent rates in different states, not to mention the cascading effect of taxes, arbitrary decisions, cor-ruption in assessments and evasion by assessees. We are transiting to a system where the country will have only one tax.

Q. How might the consumer benefit?A. In the long run, there will be two impacts. If everybody pays their taxes and collections increase, then there is a capacity for the economy to make indi-rect taxation rates more reasonable, in the medium and the long run. Second, the cascading effect goes. There will be an immediate dip in taxation. The rates will be lower, the weighted average will be lower, but the collections will be higher, so the outgo will be more in the initial stages. In the long run, the rates come down. If your basket of taxes is bigger, then you have to lower taxes.

Q. What might be the impact of GST on GDP growth?

A. The higher revenues and spending should lead to higher

growth, but we are not mak-ing any predictions as to how much. The GST is being imple-

mented for the first time in India, and there are no settled

models to predict this.

Q. What are the challenges of implementing such a complex tax reform?A. GST is a transformational change. If you look at the present system, we have separate sets of taxes at the Centre—excise, service tax. We have separate taxes in every state, such as the Value Added Tax (VAT), and then we have a lot of smaller taxes like

“YOU EITHER TAKE THE PLUNGE, OR DO NOTHING AT ALL”

Photograph by BANDEEP SINGH


purchase tax, entry tax, octroi and luxury tax. Under GST, multiple taxes are conver- ging into one. That’s a first. Under the old taxa-tion system, one had to have multiple interfaces with different tax authorities. Large-scale evasion took place because of an inefficient tax system; movement of goods and services was extremely difficult as there were blockages because of differ-ent rates of taxes. There were no input credits—so we paid tax on tax. The GST is a mammoth exercise in which we will, in the first instance, converge multiple taxes into one. Second, we will have a free flow of goods and services across the country. We have a new system for filing returns. Now, nobody will have to pay tax on tax, so the cascading impact of taxation is gone. The weight-ed average of the entire basket of taxes post-GST is lesser than the existing weighted average, and I am sure that over the next few years, this direc-tion can be maintained. The governments will still have a higher collection because of [the GST being] a more efficient system.

Q. Why does India have multi-ple slabs and not a single one

as experts had proposed?

A. Not having multiple slabs would be highly inflationary and discriminatory. Would

you charge taxes on a hawai chappal and a BMW car at the same rate? It would be ineq-uitable. So those who talk of a single slab are completely off the mark. To avoid infla-tion, you have to stick to an equivalence figure. [Taxes on] food items have to be

kept nil or negligible or very low. Then, the definition of ‘luxury items’ will also keep changing. A lot of the ‘31 per

cent items’, instead of being brought down to 28 per cent,

have been brought down to 18 per cent. Soap and toothpaste

are not luxuries. [In the future], we will have to include furni-

ture as well. Just so that it is not inflationary—we have kept our

standard rates as 12 per cent and 18 per cent. But in an ideal situation, the 12 and 18 per cent

have to converge.

Q. There is plenty of confusion about the GST process among taxpayers...A. There are plenty of misconceptions. For instance, about businessmen having to fill 37 forms in a year. You have to register only once, and then, before the 10th of every month, you have to file your tax return for the previous month. The other two returns are self-generated by the computer. There will be minimal interface with the assessing officer—clas-sification disputes, for example, will be a one-time affair. You won’t know who your assessing officer is, whether Centre or state. And the bulk of assess-ments will be online. Also, a lot of this confusion has been created by the stakeholders who found that the earlier system was easier to evade.

Q. It is the small traders and shopkeepers who are the most concerned...A. Small traders will be [unaffected by the change to GST]. [For sales of] up to Rs 20 lakh, there is no tax, and up to Rs 75 lakh, you have the composition scheme. So if you are a trader and have sales of up to Rs 75 lakh a year, you pay 1 per cent—and if you are a manufacturer, 2 per cent, but then you don’t get input credit. And you just have [to file] a quarterly return, so the whole universe of small traders has the simplest way, and there should be no confusion. Earlier, under the service tax system, you had a Rs 10 lakh limit, and for VAT, different states had a Rs 5 lakh or a Rs 10 lakh limit. And [for] central excise, [the limit] was Rs 1.5 crore. That’s why we ar-rived at the figures of Rs 20 lakh and 75 lakh. So, in this way, the bulk of your small guys get covered.

Q. There are also worries that the GST network system is not ready, and that could

lead to chaos...

A. For the first two months, we have given a relaxation

of time, for two reasons. The first is that it will give time to traders and manufactur-ers to get acquainted with

the new system. Those who have not registered, will reg-ister. The July return, which [would have had] to be filed

in August, will [now] have to be filed in September.

Secondly, when you change from a manual system to an entirely technological sys-tem, however competent

the technology is, there are bound to be some glitches

in the initial stages. This would happen anywhere in the world. This two-month

relaxation will help us over-come [the initial] glitches,

and allow the system to smoothly set in.

Q. What about the free movement of goods between states? Is the e-way system ready? Have the rules for it been framed?A. The rules for the e-way system will be framed—there hasn’t been enough time [to do so]. So, in the meanwhile, the existing system will apply. Some states already have a robust e-way system, some don’t. There were also two views whether to have an all India e-way rule

or not—we will need a little more time to bring together a consensus [on the matter]. Till then, the movement of goods will be free, and whatever is the existing rule in the states will remain appli-cable. In some cases, if there is a spot check—just share your GSTN number and whether you have paid tax or not will be checked. There will be no traffic jams on highways. Q. What about the preparedness of the GSTN—the network that will be used to transact the tax? Is it up and running?A. The GSTN has done some trial runs. There were some initial glitches, which have been fixed. Also, we have been framing rules right up to the 18th of June—now they have incorporated those changes as well. They require some time to do the tests, which Infosys is doing. And that is why you require only the registration for now. For filing returns, you need to get ready between now and September.

Q. If all this was not ready, why didn’t you postpone implementation for a couple of months?A. We had to begin by either July 1 or Septem-ber 1—the law doesn’t give you an option. Initial confusion or transformational problems will be there [in the beginning] even if you do it on the 1st of September. In any technology, there will be some initial glitches. So if it is done earlier, we’ll be able to settle the problems—that’s the philosophy. In my experience, once you postpone and blink, you can never push through reform. There are two options: either you take the plunge, [face the problems that come up] and finally it will smoothen out, or you follow the UPA and do not do anything at all. Also, for the first time in history, it is the private sector and not the govern-ment that is not ready. Q. Couldn’t the timing of the GST rollout have been better, considering that small traders are still reeling from the aftermath of demonetisation?A. The kind of exaggerated analysis that was be-ing made (during demonetisation)—the western media and Indian media that were influenced by these analyses were all proven wrong. Not one man in the world of economics predicted that India, despite demonetisation, would have a 7.1 per cent growth. That India would cross 7 per cent in the year of demonetisation—not one economist said this. Not even Arvind Subramanian. n

With a big push to policy reforms, the Vasundhara Raje government is setting the agenda to transform Rajasthan

GAME FOR GROWTHBy Kaushik Deka

o government can bring development onits own. It must be able to inject the en-thusiasm for development in the minds of its citizens and must work shoulder to shoulder with them,” said Rajasthan

chief minister Vasundhara Raje at india today’s State of the State Conclave held in Jaipur on June 24.

The State of the State Conclave is a signature india today Group event where a special report mapping a state’s growth indicators is released. The performance of all districts is analysed—under various categories and over a time period—on the basis of a set of parameters.

Raje, in her keynote address, dwelt on how public participation helped the Rajasthan government tackle water crisis in the state despite financial crunch. The Mukhyamantri Jal Swavalamban Yojana, she said, became a success with help from “the army, religious organisations, bureaucracy and political people”.

The chief minister showered praise on Prime Minis-ter Narendra Modi for creating a buzz about India glob-ally. “India has been talked about as the country of the future,” Raje said. “Countries of the future don’t happen overnight. It requires visionary leadership, and we are

CHANGE AGENTS Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje (in purple sari) and India Today Group editorial director Raj Chengappa(to her right) with the award-winners at the State of the State Conclave in Jaipur on June 24

Nlucky to be in a time when such leadership is driving thecountry.” She also highlighted her own government’sinitiatives in various sectors, such as health, education,infrastructure and social welfare.

Later, Raje released the State of the State report onRajasthan. The report is an in-depth measure of progressof the state’s 33 districts in the past one decade throughkey indicators—infrastructure, education, health,agriculture and industry, to name a few. Raje and indiatoday Group editorial director Raj Chengappa gave awaythe awards to the heads of the winning districts. Thestudy was conducted in association with Nielsen. Thefirst such study was done in July 2016, for Jharkhand,followed by reports on Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.

During the day-long event, spread over 12 rivetingsessions, 31 eminent speakers discussed and debated themulti-dimensional growth of Rajasthan. Among themwere Union ministers Piyush Goyal and C.R. Chaud-hary, industrialist Anil Agarwal, Union home secretaryRajiv Mehrishi, former Union minister C.P. Joshi, edu-cationists T.V. Mohandas Pai and Manish Sabharwal,musician Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, singer and actor IlaArun and fashion designer Raghavendra Rathore.

AND THE WINNERS ARE...Category Best district Most improved district

Infrastructure Jaipur Tonk

Water andSanitation

Jaipur Alwar

Industry Rajsamand Nagaur

Law and Order Jaisalmer Bhilwara

Agriculture Baran Sawai Madhopur

Education Tonk Sri Ganganagar

ProsperitySri Ganganagar

Churu

Health Hanumangarh Jaisalmer

Services Churu Churu

Overall Jaipur Churu

Photograph by RAJWANT RAWAT

44 INDIA TODAY J U LY 10, 2017 J U LY 10, 2017 INDIA TODAY 45

STATE OF THE STATE REPORT: RAJASTHAN

SOS-Lead-Jul10.indd 58-59 6/28/2017 2:03:22 AM

CHANGE AGENTS Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje (in purple sari) and India Today Group editorial director Raj Chengappa (to her right) with the award-winners at the State of the State Conclave in Jaipur on June 24

lucky to be in a time when such leadership is driving the country.” She also highlighted her own government’s initiatives in various sectors, such as health, education, infrastructure and social welfare.

Later, Raje released the State of the State report on Rajasthan. The report is an in-depth measure of progress of the state’s 33 districts in the past one decade through key indicators—infrastructure, education, health, agriculture and industry, to name a few. Raje and india today Group editorial director Raj Chengappa gave away the awards to the heads of the winning districts. The study was conducted in association with Nielsen. The first such study was done in July 2016, for Jharkhand, followed by reports on Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.

During the day-long event, spread over 12 riveting sessions, 31 eminent speakers discussed and debated the multi-dimensional growth of Rajasthan. Among them were Union ministers Piyush Goyal and C.R. Chaud-hary, industrialist Anil Agarwal, Union home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, former Union minister C.P. Joshi, edu-cationists T.V. Mohandas Pai and Manish Sabharwal, musician Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, singer and actor Ila Arun and fashion designer Raghavendra Rathore.

AND THE WINNERS ARE...Category Best district Most improved district

Infrastructure Jaipur Tonk

Water and Sanitation

Jaipur Alwar

Industry Rajsamand Nagaur

Law and Order Jaisalmer Bhilwara

Agriculture Baran Sawai Madhopur

Education Tonk Sri Ganganagar

ProsperitySri Ganganagar

Churu

Health Hanumangarh Jaisalmer

Services Churu Churu

Overall Jaipur Churu



Goyal, who is minister of state (indepen-dent charge) for power, coal, new and renew-able energy and mines, said India’s coal sector is handicapped by a ‘scam’ to the tune of Rs 25 lakh crore. “Forty per cent of our ther-mal power capacity is dependent on imported coal because the plants are designed that way,” he said. “They cannot run on Indian coal though India is the third largest coal-producing country. This is costing India Rs 25 lakh crore a year. It’s a big scam.”

Goyal, however, praised Raje for initia-tives in the power sector. “When Vasundhara Raje took charge of the state in 2013, the state was suffering an annual loss of Rs 15,000 crore in the power sector,” he said. “In barely three years, she brought the losses down to Rs 5,200 crore. I’m sure that by next year, the state will make a profit and make it to a case study by Harvard University.”

Agarwal, founder and chairman of Vedanta Resourc-es, gave the thumbs up to the Modi government’s roadmap for reform. “Demonetisa-tion, the new bankruptcy law (Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016) and GST (Goods and Services Tax) will change India and give comfort to the investors,” he said. “The cred-ibility of India has never been so high in the last 30 years.” Agarwal informed that Vedanta will invest Rs 60,000 crore in India in the next three years, of which 30 per cent will be in Rajasthan.

Agarwal said Rajasthan’s economy holds immense potential, and if Punjab can take care of the country’s foodgrains needs, “Ra-jasthan has the potential to be the country’s leader in eradicating poverty”. The indus-trialist called upon the government to focus more on exploration of resources beneath the ground: “India, we have done enough above the ground; now, money must come from below the ground.”

The debates saw a lively exchange of views. While Union minister of state for consumer affairs, food and public distribution Chaud-hary said that three of Raje’s schemes—Sarkar Aapke Dwar, Aapka Zila Aapki Sarkar and Nyay Aapke Dwar—were fast transforming the state socio-economically, Congress leader Joshi alleged that the BJP

government in the state had not launched any major infrastructure project.

On the fallout of GST, Rajasthan industry minister Rajpal Singh Shekhawat said the state’s strategic location and the government’s policy of giving incentives will continue to boost industrialisation after the new tax regime comes into effect. Heritage hotelier Randhir Singh Mandawa, however, said GST imposes higher tax compared to the top glob-al tourist destinations. “People will not come to India. Even local tourists will go abroad since that will be cheaper,” said Mandawa.

Amid such differing views, the state government’s work received rich praise from independent experts. “What is discussed in conference rooms in Rajasthan is executed on the ground,” said Arun Kapur, director of Vasant Valley School. Manish Sabharwal, co-founder of TeamLease Services, said

Rajasthan tourism is a 10 horsepower engine running on 2 horsepower, and once it gets the marketing right, it can be restructured and real growth achieved.

Pt Bhatt, who hails from Rajasthan, said one must not run after global recognition; instead the priority should be to promote local tradition. Bhatt appealed to business tycoons such as Anil Ambani

and Gautam Adani to donate a fraction of their wealth for the promotion and preserva-tion of classical music.

Even news across the country did not es-cape discussion. Joshi offered his logic behind the selection of Ram Nath Kovind as the BJP’s presidential candidate. “The BJP did not field Ram Nath Kovind because they are concerned about Dalits,” he reasoned. “The Gujarat elections compelled them to select him, as the Koli community that Kovind is from constitutes 18 per cent of Gujarat’s elec-torate. And in Gujarat, Kolis are not Dalits.”

And though incidents of public lynching have been on the rise, Union home secretary Mehrishi felt hate crimes weren’t new to In-dia. “It’s a feudal form of crime,” he said. “The only difference is that such crimes shake our conscience much more than they did 1,000 years ago. With TV channels, hate crimes are over-reported and over-hyped.” n

FROM THE IMPACT OF GST TO THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, THE DEBATES SAW A LIVELY EXCHANGE OF VIEWS

I have a 10-year-long dream for the development of Rajasthan”VASUNDHARA RAJE RAJASTHAN CHIEF MINISTER

Rajasthan has the potential to be the country’s lead-er in eradicating poverty”ANIL AGARWAL CHAIRMAN, VEDANTA RESOURCES

In barely three years, Raje brought (power sector) losses down to Rs 5,200 crore (from Rs 15,000 crore)”PIYUSH GOYAL UNION MoS FOR POWER


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Reforms have helped the state break barriers to growth, dramatically reduce poverty and forge ahead as the top

tourist destination of north India

RAJASTHANRISING

By Ajit Kumar Jha

IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT Jaipur’s metro rail network

PURUSHOTTAM DIWAKAR



ahals, havelis turned into hotels, camel safa-ris, tourist-attractions such as the Dilwara temples, Pushkar fair

and Ajmer Sharif, the ruggedly splen-did Thar desert, the Palace on Wheels and the annual Jaipur Literature Fes-tival—all of them together conjure up alluring images of Rajasthan. The land of the rajahs—which indologist Lt Col James Tod chronicled in his book An-nals and Antiquities of Rajasthan—is India’s largest state geographically (10.41 per cent of the land mass), but seventh most populated (72.16 million people in 2014-15, according to the National Accounts Statistics).

Against its architectural splendour and culture of royalty, Rajasthan was, for decades, a BIMARU state (acro-nym for Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Ra-jasthan and Uttar Pradesh, referring to their poor economic conditions). The state contributes only 5 per cent of India’s GDP, way below potential. Ra-jasthan is water deficit, with just 1.16 per cent of the country’s surface water and 1.72 per cent of ground water.

Established as a state in 1956, Rajasthan’s politics was dominated by the Congress party until 1977. The first non-Congress government was formed by the Bhairon Singh Shek-hawat-led Janata Party from 1977 to 1980. After 1980, the Congress returned to power till 1990. Shekha-wat formed two governments between 1990 and 1998. Since then, the state has witnessed a ding-dong battle be-tween the Congress and the BJP—two Congress governments led by Ashok Gehlot and two BJP governments led by Vasundhara Raje, none lasting more than one term. Raje came to power for the first time in 2003, but lost in 2008. In the 2013 election, the BJP won by a landslide, securing 163 of the 200 seats. Raje became chief minister for the second time.

RADICAL REFORMSThe turning point in Rajasthan’s eco-nomic history appears to be the open-ing up of the Indian economy in 1991. The state piggybacked on tourism, especially heritage hotels. This fol-

BIMARU NO MOREIn the Hindi heartland, Rajasthan is on par with other states in services, is average in agriculture, but seriously lagging in industry

2.13.5

6.7

8.9

6.77.1

8.1

10.7

11.8

INDUSTRY

6.4

9.27.7

5.2

8 8.2 8.47.4

6.7

SERVICES

Gross Value Added (GVA) Compound Annual Growth Rate

(%) 2011-12 to 2014-15

AGRICULTURE

9.9

2.63.9 3.9

2.9

0.40.50.1

-1.3

The three sectors as percentage of GVA (2014-15)

33

2026

1610

1915 14

23

AGRICULTURE

17

9

21

3946

22

35 36

16

INDUSTRY

50

71

5245

44

5950 50

60

SERVICES

Madhya PradeshBiharRajasthan

ChhattisgarhUttarakhandHaryana

Himachal PradeshJharkhandUttar Pradesh

Source: Ministry of statistics and programme implementation

M

Graphics by TANMOY CHAKRABORTY


lowed by power and financial reforms from 2003 to 2008 led to jobs and faster growth in the later years (2009-13). The robust performance of animal husbandry and fisheries boosted farm sector growth. Since 2013, the state government has aggressively wooed big investments in the IT (Infosys, Wipro) and automotive sectors (Mahindra, Honda). The oil finds in Barmer dis-trict, with the help of Cairn Energy, are likely to bring rich dividends.

Since August 15, 2014, Raje initiated reforms such as the Bhamashah Yojana, her dream project for women’s financial independence. Her government opened bank accounts for women, routing all government benefits to families through them. Fifteen million women are considered to have benefited.

The Mukhyamantri Jal Swava-lamban Yojana, which was launched on January 27 last year to create a water-sustainable state, has turned into a people’s movement. “The scheme has addressed water deficit in rural Rajas-than. The first phase has covered 3,529 villages, benefitting over 4.1 million people and 1.65 million hectares,” says Sriram Vedire, chairperson, Rajasthan River Basin and Water Resources Plan-ning Authority.

The Raje government has also initi-ated widespread labour reforms by relaxing the Trade Union Act, Industri-al Disputes Act, Contract Labour Act and the Apprenticeship Act to boost

economic development and attract in-vestment. The reforms have increased industrial investment and helped Rajasthan shed the BIMARU tag.

TOURISM HOTSPOTIn 2015, Rajasthan attracted 6.3 per cent of the total foreign tourist arrivals in India, according to Indian Tourism Statistics at a Glance, a tour-ism ministry publication. Rajasthan was ranked sixth, behind Tamil Nadu,

Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and West Bengal. While four of these states have the top four metros—Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi and Kolkata—with direct international air connectivity, UP has the Taj Mahal. Yet, Rajasthan is the biggest hub for foreign tourists without any of these advantages. It is part of the golden triangle, a tourist circuit connecting national capital Delhi to Agra and Jaipur. In the domestic tourist circuit, Rajasthan is ranked among the top 10 states. It attracts 2.5 per cent of the domestic tourists. Tourism accounts for approximately 2.7 per cent of its Gross State Domestic Product and, at 1.9 per cent, is the third largest employer in the state, after agriculture and textiles.

Reforming policies not only helped Rajasthan emerge as a cultural cor-nucopia and top tourist destination in north India but also beat back poverty. As per Suresh Tendulkar Committee estimates, the overall poverty rate in the state declined from 34 per cent in 2004-05 to 15 per cent in 2011-12—a near 20 percentage point reduction compared to the national level drop of 15 percentage points in the same period. According to World Bank estimates, poverty in Rajasthan has declined drastically since 2005—urban poverty has fallen sharply, by almost two-thirds, while rural poverty has halved. This is significant achievement

UPS & DOWNSThe state’s growth rate has been less volatile after 2003-04

GDP growth rate40

30

20

10

0

-10

-201981-82 2014-15

Source: Ministry of statistics and programme implementation

METHODOLOGYThe State of the State study of Rajasthan is aimed at figuring out broad trends of economic development in

the state and a district-wise ranking of performance. The evaluation has two segments: best performing district at a particular time and the most improved district over time (say, the past decade). The data was collected by research agency Nielsen from sources such as the Census and National Sample Survey and standardised. The rankings were

done by the Borda method, in which voters rank options/ candidates in order of preference. Ten categories were selected, each a composite index of parameters for which uniform, continuous data was available. The ranking varies

by category. For instance, a higher concentration of households with electricity gets a higher rank while a higher incidence of crime gets a lower rank. The most recent year is used to rank the best district. The difference between

the most recent category value and the value 10 years earlier is used to rank the most improved district.

2003-04



for a state that was a laggard for de-cades in agriculture, industry, services, literacy and urbanisation.

CLUSTERS OF GROWTHLandlocked Rajasthan borders six states: Punjab in the north, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh in the north-east, Madhya Pradesh in the southeast and Gujarat in the southwest. It shares a 1,048 km border with Pakistan, acquiring strategic importance in national security.

Of the total 33 districts, the north-ern districts of Sri Ganganagar and Hanumangarh and the southeastern districts bordering Madhya Pradesh have high fertility and are relatively prosperous in agriculture. While Baran and Bundi are influenced by the agriculture revolution in MP, Sri Ganganagar and Hanumangarh have achieved high agriculture growth with the help of the Indira Gandhi canal and the Gang canal. The seven districts in the eastern belt, bordering Gujarat, are ironically the most underdeveloped agriculturally. They fall under the Thar desert and are largely tribal.

The northeastern districts of Alwar (including Neemrana), Jaipur and

Ajmer, bordering Delhi and linked to it by National Highway 8, are the main drivers of industrial growth. A decade ago, Neemrana could boast of little else than a fort converted into a hotel. Today, this area along the Delhi-Gurgaon-Jaipur highway has trans-formed into a bustling industrial zone with a Japanese touch, like Nogedaira in Narita next to Tokyo, with sushi and sashimi cafes competing with the state’s own dal-baati-churma. Thanks to a business pact between the Rajast-han government and the Japanese Ex-ternal Trade Organization, investment worth millions of dollars has poured into the state. Neemrana now has 46 Japanese plants, including brands such as Daikin, Nippon and Nissin. The factories employ both Indian and Japanese workers.

Rajasthan’s economic backward-ness in the past has been somewhat of a paradox as the state has been the home of one of India’s most enterpris-ing communities—Marwari traders. Moreover, western Rajasthan has large deposits of hydrocarbons. Indeed, Raj-asthan has become the second-highest crude oil producer in India (after Bombay High), generating 9 million tonnes of crude oil or 24 per cent of the

total domestic crude oil production. Rajasthan also has a sizeable mining sector. The state is a top producer of polyester and the largest producer of cement in India, with a capacity of over 44 million tonnes per annum. Yet Rajasthan’s industry is relatively un-derdeveloped, and so is urbanisation. According to the 2011 census, almost 75 per cent of the population lives in the rural areas. Only three cities have a population of over one million—Kota, Jodhpur and Jaipur. However, the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor, a significant portion of which will pass through the state, is likely to transform its infrastructure.

Rajasthan’s GDP growth rates of the past 33 years show enormous volatil-ity. For example, in 2002-2003, the growth rate nosedived (to minus 10 per cent), but the next year, it surged (to 28.7 per cent). Incidentally, this was the year the Gehlot government was defeated and the Raje government as-sumed power for the first time.

However, the massive volatility is not a result of regime change. Between 2000 and 2003, Rajasthan experi-enced two drought years. The econom-ic growth rate nosedived to negative. Arguably, the massive drought might

MARCHING AHEAD Republic Day at Banasthali Vidyapith in Niwai, Tonk district

PU

RU

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TAM

DIW

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partly explain why the Gehlot govern-ment lost the elections despite high growth during its first three years. Rajasthan has suffered several drought years in the past, triggering negative growth. The average volatility post 2003-2004 (3.07 per cent) is much less than in the period before it (11.48 per cent). It suggests that buffer stocks of agricultural commodities improved during the boom years and there was also general improvement.

Compared to the top four states—Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka—Rajasthan had the best agricultural growth rate (2.63 per cent) between 2011-12 and 2014-15, with the exception of Gujarat. But in the Hindi heartland, for the same periods, MP (9.94 per cent), Chhattis-garh (3.87 per cent), Himachal Pradesh (3.89 per cent) and Jharkhand (2.9 per cent) were ahead of Rajasthan. Rajast-han could beat only UP.

In industry, Rajasthan has the

second lowest growth rate of 3.49 per cent, just ahead of MP (2.06 per cent). In services, its growth rate of 7.7 per cent is close to that of India’s (7.89 per cent). But when compared to the Hindi belt, Rajasthan ranks after Bihar (9.2 per cent), HP (8.36 per cent), Haryana (8.23 per cent) and Uttarakhand (8.04 per cent). Rajasthan’s agriculture grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.63 per cent between 2011-12 and 2014-15. This is higher than the average agricultural growth rate of India (1.79 per cent). In industry, Rajasthan’s growth, at 3.49 per cent, is much slower than India’s (5.48 per cent). Overall, Rajasthan has grown at a slower pace than the country be-tween 2011-12 and 2014-15.

But helped by reforms, Rajast-han today is much better off. It has considerably reduced its debt to GDP ratio, from an average of 36.6 per cent during 1999-2000 to 24.9 per cent in 2014-15. But the reforms haven’t yet

penetrated enough to change macro-economic data when compared to the faster-growing states.

STATE OF THE STATE ANALYSIS

With a firm belief that the country’s future lies in its states and Union ter-ritories, the State of the State survey, started in 2003, emerged as the gold standard for analysing the perfor-mance of states. The State of the State report was the next logical step. It analyses the performance of districts in each state over a period of time and across categories. Each category is usu-ally a composite index of parameters, measurable across time, provided comparable data is available. In Rajas-than’s case, all 33 districts are grouped under seven divisions.

We have relied on the latest com-parative data for all categories and reliable and robust parameters for all

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCHRajasthan is a leader in law and order in the Hindi heartland but a laggard in education and economy

EDUCATION INFRASTRUCTURE AGRICULTURE LAW & ORDER ECONOMY HEALTH

Himachal Pradesh

Uttarakhand

Chhattisgarh

Haryana

Madhya Pradesh

Rajasthan

Uttar Pradesh

Jharkhand

Bihar

Source: India Today State of the States Study, 2016

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

1

2

3

4

5

6

77

9

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9



33 districts. We have compared Rajas-than’s performance with that of other states, mainly those from the northern Hindi heartland. Based on our research findings, we have attempted some solutions on how to fix the problems and provided a vision on how to take Rajasthan forward.

BEST DISTRICTS

Agriculture—Baran (latest data 2011): Baran tops in two of the five parameters considered: agricultural GDP per capita (base 2004-05) and percentage of agricultural labourers in total population. It has the fifth highest

net irrigated area as a percentage of net sown area and the ninth highest food grain yield for maize and wheat. Baran is followed by Bundi and Bharatpur.

Education—Tonk (latest data 2016): While Chittorgarh and Tonk are the top-ranked districts, Tonk has a better rank than Chittorgarh in three of the five parameters, thus getting the top spot in our final ranking. Tonk has the third highest teacher to pupil ratio, the second highest ratio of girls to boys, the sixth highest classroom to student ratio and the eighth highest number of schools per 1,000 population. Overall, the central districts and Sri Ganga-

nagar rank high in education.

Health—Hanumangarh (latest data 2013): Hanumangarh ranks first in three parameters—highest percentage use of contraception, highest percent-age of children between 12 and 23 months having an immunisation card and the highest percentage of women with awareness about HIV/AIDS. In two parameters, it ranks second—the second lowest infant mortality rate and the second highest percentage of deliveries attended by skilled person-nel. Such performance in five out of the seven parameters ensures Hanuman-garh the top position.

NATURE’S BASKET A brimming stepwell in Alwar


Industry—Rajsamand (latest data 2015-16): Industry includes mining and Rajsamand is rich in mineral re-sources. It is one of the main suppliers of marble, granite and other valuable stones. The Dariba and Zawar mines are the principal Indian sources of ores for zinc, silver and manganese. The population of Rajsamand is largely employed in the mining industry. Ra-jsamand has the highest percentage of workers engaged in industry, the fourth highest contribution of industry to its GDP and the sixth highest indus-try GDP per capita. These rankings together give Rajsamand the top rank in the category. The central belt, which includes Rajsamand, Bhilwara, Ajmer, Jaipur and Alwar, is the industrial and mining hub.

Infrastructure—Jaipur (latest data 2011): Top-ranking Jaipur is followed by Kota, Ajmer and Alwar. This also happens to be the industrial growth cluster of Rajasthan. Both Jaipur and Kota are urban centres with more than one million people. Jaipur has the highest percentage of pucca houses, the second highest percentage of bank branches per 10,000 popula-tion, the second highest percentage of households with electricity connection and the second highest percentage of

households with a landline. According to one estimate, Jaipur, in the last five years, witnessed the highest growth in the real estate sector across the county, after the metros.

Law and order—Jaisalmer (latest data 2014): Jaisalmer, despite border-ing Pakistan, is the best district in law and order. Tonk and Bikaner complete the top three list. Jaisalmer has the lowest number of kidnapping and abduction cases as a percentage of total cognisable crimes and the second low-est number of rape cases as a percent-age of total cognisable crimes. Overall, it has the seventh lowest crime rate per 1,000 population.

Prosperity—Sri Ganganagar (latest data 2015-16): Sri Ganganagar beats Jaipur to top the category. Jaipur per-forms better than Sri Ganganagar in all parameters except one (employment rate). Jaipur is top-ranked in three out of the five parameters. However, Jaipur’s rate of employment brings down its overall score substantially. The other three completing the top five in this category are Bhilwara, Kota and Ajmer. Sri Ganganagar has the sixth highest GDP per capita, the fifth highest per capita spending, the second highest bank credit per person and the

ROAD TO PROSPERITYPoverty has declined sharply in Rajasthan since 2005. While it has fallen by almost two-thirds in urban areas, rural poverty has more than halved

RURAL URBAN TOTAL

Population below poverty line (%) 1994 2005 2012

38 34 1541 36 16 30 30 11

Source: World Bank

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fifth lowest percentage of households with income less than Rs 75, 000 per annum. In employment rate, it’s ranked 12th whereas Jaipur stands at 32nd out of the 33 districts.

Services—Churu (latest data 2015-16): With its highest services to GDP ratio, the second highest percentage of workers employed in services and the fifth highest services to GDP per capita, Churu beats Jaipur to the top position. Overall, the northern districts are doing better in services.

Water and sanitation—Jaipur (latest data 2011): Jaipur tops this list, fol-lowed by Bikaner, Sri Ganganagar, Kota and Jodhpur. The northern districts are ranked higher than their counterparts. Jaipur has the highest percentage of households with waste water outlet connected to closed drainage, the third highest percentage of households with a toilet, the seventh highest percentage of households with tap water and the eighth highest percentage of households with bathing facility.

Overall best—JaipurOverall is a composite index of the other categories. As expected, Jaipur and Kota are the top two districts. Both have the highest population, over one million. Sri Ganganagar, Ajmer and Hanumangarh compete for the top five positions in overall. In six out of the nine categories, Jaipur ranks among the top five. In eight out of the nine categories, it ranks among the top 10. Only in agriculture does Jaipur rank the second lowest, getting the 32nd position.

MOST IMPROVED DISTRICTS

To arrive at the most improved rank-ing, we considered the percentage change in values over the past 10 years. Irrespective of the level of development, the district that achieves a higher level of change in a decade was adjudged the most improved.

Agriculture—Sawai Madhopur (2001-11): Sawai Madhopur made the highest improvement in grain yield (maize and wheat) and the sixth best improvement in agricultural GDP per capita. In the remaining parameters, it ranked between 10 and 15. There seems to be no distinct regional pattern, except that Sawai Madhopur, Tonk and Karauli lie adjacent to each other and are all in the top five.

Education—Sri Ganganagar (2006-16): Sri Ganganagar registered the largest fall in the dropout rate between 2006 and 2016, the third highest increase in the number of schools per 1,000 population and the fifth highest increase in the teacher to pupil ratio. The stupendous performance in these three parameters pushed the district to the top spot. Jaipur, Tonk and Ajmer, which are ranked second, fourth and fifth, form an education cluster in the centre of Rajasthan.

Health—Jaisalmer (2002-13): A mild regional pattern emerges here. The districts of Rajasthan in the north and east seem to be improving more than those in the west. Jaisalmer saw the highest improvement in the percent-age of women’s awareness on HIV/AIDS, the highest percentage use of contraception by modern methods and

the highest percentage of women with awareness of the signs of pneumonia. It registered the second highest improve-ment in the percentage of children aged 12-23 months having an immunisation card and the fourth highest improve-ment in the percentage of deliveries by skilled personnel.

Industry—Nagaur (2005-16): Nagaur was followed by the southern districts of Pratapgarh and Dholpur. Nagaur has the third highest improvement in the industry to GDP ratio, the ninth highest improvement in the percent-age of workers employed in industry and the third highest improvement in industry GDP per capita.

Infrastructure—Tonk (2001-11): The southeastern districts are ranked higher in terms of improvement in infrastructure, with Tonk at the top. Tonk gets the honours mainly due to improvement in two parameters—the highest percentage of households with a landline and the second highest per-centage of pucca houses.

Law and order—Bhilwara (2005-14): Except for Bikaner, the top five most improved districts in this catego-ry lie in the southeastern part of Raj-asthan. Bhilwara saw the highest drop in kidnapping and abduction cases as

REAPING IT RICH Harvest season in Sawai Madhopur

TIM GRAHAM / ALAMY



MARU category, reforms have started transforming Rajasthan economically, culturally and socially. In the Hindi heartland, Rajasthan is the number one state in reducing poverty. More-over, it has finally emerged out of the shadows of BIMARU. The state has also become the new tourist hub of north India. Given the development in infrastructure, the tourist footfall in Rajasthan—both domestic and international—is second only to Uttar Pradesh in north India. The state has attracted foreign capital, especially from Japan, in the districts linked with Delhi, such as Neemrana in Alwar district.

However, the fact is that despite having 10.4 per cent of India’s land-mass and a seventh of the country’s population, Rajasthan contributes only 5 per cent of India’s GDP. Rajasthan might have improved over its past per-formance, but given its potential it still has a long way to go when compared to neighbours Gujarat, Punjab and Hary-ana. Any roadmap for its future must give top priority to agriculture. Rajas-than must try and replicate the great successes of its northern districts, such as Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh and Churu, in agriculture and prosperity.

The important lesson is that agri-culturally prosperous Sri Ganganagar beats capital Jaipur in prosperity. Replicating MP’s model of agricultural growth has paid dividends in Baran, Bundi, Bharatpur and other southern districts. The investment in irriga-tion systems, such as the Gang Canal and the Indira Gandhi canal, will have far-reaching effects in terms of agricultural prosperity. Developing the tribal areas of western Rajasthan, like Gujarat did in Kutch, too can prove to be a game-changer. n

With Rohit Parihar and Sanchit Arora

a percentage of the total cognisable crimes and the third highest drop in cases of rapes as a percentage of the total cognisable crimes. It is ranked seventh in terms of the total cognisable crimes per 1,000 population and the percentage of petty crimes.

Prosperity—Churu (2005-16): There seems to be no regional pattern except that Sawai Madhopur (third), Karauli (fifth) and Tonk (second) are located next to each other. Churu (ranked first) and Sri Ganganagar (ranked fourth) are the northern districts in this category. Churu is the sixth most im-proved in terms of per capita spending, the second most improved in employ-ment rate, the seventh most improved in bank credit per person and saw the highest reduction in the percentage of households with an annual income of less than Rs 75,000.

Services—Churu (2005-06 to 2015-16): Churu saw the highest improvement in services primarily due to two parameters—services to GDP ratio and services to GDP per capita (the fourth most improved) and the percentage of workers employed in services (the second most improved).

Barmer, a western district, and Chit-torgarh, Jhalawar and Bundi, all south-ern districts, complete the top five.

Water and sanitation—Alwar (2001-2011): Alwar, the manufactur-ing hub, stands out among the eastern districts. The other top five dis-tricts are concentrated in the state’s west. Alwar saw the eighth highest improvement in the percentage of households with tap water supply, the fourth highest improvement in the percentage of households with toilets and the ninth highest improve-ment in the percentage of households with waste water outlet connected to closed drainage.

Overall most improved—ChuruChuru (north), Tonk (centre) and Jhal-awar (south) are the top three most improved districts. Churu manages to secure the top spot mainly due to its performance in three categories—the highest improvement in prosperity, the highest improvement in services and the third highest improvement in water and sanitation.

Agriculture’s the way aheadOnce at the bottom even in the BI-

HERITAGE HAVEN The Hawa Mahal in Jaipur is a crowd-puller

PURUSHOTTAM DIWAKAR








(Aroon Purie)

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FROM THE

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF





























www.indiatoday.in

OVERALLBEST DISTRICT MOST IMPROVED

1 Jaipur 1 Churu

2 Kota 2 Tonk

3 Sri Ganganagar 3 Jhalawar

4 Ajmer 4 Karauli

5 Hanumangarh 5 Hanumangarh

AGRICULTUREBEST DISTRICT MOST IMPROVED

1 Baran 1 Sawai Madhopur

2 Bundi 2 Tonk

3 Bharatpur 3 Bikaner

4 Sri Ganganagar 4 Pratapgarh

5 Jhalawar 5 Karauli

INDUSTRYBEST DISTRICT MOST IMPROVED

1 Rajsamand 1 Nagaur

2 Jaipur 2 Pratapgarh

3 Bhilwara 3 Dholpur

4 Ajmer 4 Dungarpur

5 Kota 5 Jalor

SERVICESBEST DISTRICT MOST IMPROVED

1 Churu 1 Churu

2 Jaipur 2 Chittorgarh

3 Sri Ganganagar 3 Jhalawar

4 Bikaner 4 Barmer

5 Tonk 5 Bundi

INFRASTRUCTUREBEST DISTRICT MOST IMPROVED

1 Jaipur 1 Tonk

2 Kota 2 Dausa

3 Ajmer 3 Jhalawar

4 Alwar 4 Jhunjhunu

5 Chittorgarh 5 Alwar

EDUCATIONBEST DISTRICT MOST IMPROVED

1 Tonk 1 Sri Ganganagar

2 Chittorgarh 2 Jaipur

3 Rajsamand 3 Jalor

4 Sri Ganganagar 4 Tonk

5 Jaipur 5 Ajmer

HEALTHBEST DISTRICT MOST IMPROVED

1 Hanumangarh 1 Jaisalmer

2 Sri Ganganagar 2 Jodhpur

3 Kota 3 Churu

4 Sikar 4 Chittorgarh

5 Jhunjhunu 5 Bharatpur

LAW AND ORDERBEST DISTRICT MOST IMPROVED

1 Jaisalmer 1 Bhilwara

2 Tonk 2 Bikaner

3 Bikaner 3 Bundi

4 Jhunjhunu 4 Baran

5 Barmer 5 Dholpur

WATER & SANITATIONBEST DISTRICT MOST IMPROVED

1 Jaipur 1 Alwar

2 Bikaner 2 Barmer

3 Sri Ganganagar 3 Pratapgarh

4 Kota 4 Jalor

5 Jodhpur 5 Bhilwara

PROSPERITYBEST DISTRICT MOST IMPROVED

1 Sri Ganganagar 1 Churu

2 Jaipur 2 Tonk

3 Bhilwara 3 Sawai Madhopur

4 Kota 4 Sri Ganganagar

5 Ajmer 5 Karauli

MAPPING RAJASTHAN’S DEVELOPMENTTop five districts of the state across 10 categories


RAHUL MISHRA, 37Cluster Assam

“Handloom can be mass produced”

>> At his Noida workshop with model Rubi Boro

Makeup by Ishu Nagpal; Hair by Kalyug Arjun (for all models); all models by modelling agency TSS Talents India

For a country that gave the English dictionary words such as chintz, calico,

gingham and dungaree, and whose textiles were the stuff of ancient trade, the practitioners of its craft—some 45 million

of them—have had nothing but misery and debt woven into the warp of their

existence. Zia-ur Rahman, 27, from Lohta in Varanasi, made a tragic statement on

the plight of the weavers when he hanged himself from his loom in August 2016.

“We are a poor country. We could not maintain handloom. So we became a

polyester republic. Somewhere, I feel, we lost control,” says Rohit Bal, who has been

at the vanguard of the Indian fashion movement since the ’90s. Union minister

for textiles, Smriti Irani, has been trying to regain some of that control ever since she took charge of the ministry in July 2016.

Shortly after taking over, she had in an in-terview said, “We need to find ways to bring in engineers to repair the broken looms of weavers.” Those engineers, it seems, have

stepped forward. Thirty of the country’s top

By Chinki Sinha

A unique government-designer partnership strives to rescue the

sector from oblivion

HOPE LOOMS

M. ZHAZO

F A S H I O N H A N D L O O M


designers will be presenting their collections at Textiles India, a mega event at the Mahatma Mandir in Ahmed-abad, on June 30. With more than a thousand stalls, the event is expected to attract over 2,500 international buy-ers, agents, designers, retail chains and 15,000 domestic buyers. The ministry is making an ambitious bid to pitch India as a global sourcing centre for all fabric, making handloom India’s niche contribution to the international fashion industry. Though handloom is a mere 10 per cent of the cloth produced in India, it comprises 95 per cent of the world’s handwoven textiles, according to the 2016-17

annual report of the ministry.Irani had set the ball rolling last August with her

#iwearhandloom campaign on social media. Soon after-ward, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated August 7, National Handloom Day, to the weavers of the country, making good on his poll promise of the 5Fs: farm to fibre, fibre to fabric, fabric to fashion and fashion to foreign. A special package of Rs 6,006 crore was announced for the sector last year, along with 100 per cent FDI in the Indian textiles sector under the automatic route. The much-await-ed National Textile Policy, however, is yet to materialise.

A CLUSTER OF INITIATIVESIrani’s greatest achievement, however, has been to rope in India’s top-notch designers in an extraordinary public-private partnership for the revival of handloom. Thirteen designers—among them Rajesh Pratap Singh, Abraham & Thakore, Rahul Mishra and Samant Chauhan—have been assigned handloom clusters for ‘product develop-ment’ and training weavers to upgrade their skills for the 21st century buyer. The Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme was introduced in 2008-09 to develop mega handloom clusters. There are 600 handloom clusters today, with 28 weavers service centres (WSCs) across the country to provide handloom weavers technical assistance to improve their skills.

Designers themselves had been working with clusters in their individual capacities. The grande dame of Indian fashion, designer and textile revivalist Ritu Kumar, for instance, has been promoting the Banarasi weave for long. In this fast-paced world, she says, where trends die by the moment, it is difficult for traditional craftsmen to sustain a livelihood. “People are opting for lighter, west-ern clothing,” she says, “wearing traditional clothing only on festivals or special occasions. With revival projects for craftsmen in Banaras, Kolkata, Odi sha and Gujarat, we can restore the legacy of Indian motifs and weaves.”

Varanasi is where Rajesh Pratap Singh has long been chasing the perfect muslin and where he’ll be handling one of the nine clusters. David Abraham and Rakesh Tha k ore, who have been working with Ikat, Mangalgiri cotton and silk for 20-odd years, have been assigned the Andhra Pradesh cluster. “We are also looking at Assam,”

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ANAVILA, 41Cluster Gadwal, Hyderabad

“I think handloom is luxury and that’s how it should be treated”

>> Model Bishakha Thapa in an Anavila linen sari

SMRITI IRANI’S #IWEARHANDLOOM CAMPAIGN LAST AUGUST GARNERED AROUND 22 MILLION ‘IMPRESSIONS’ ON TWITTER


says Abraham. The duo has been reinventing yarn, trying to change patterns and weaves for new markets.

Anavila Mishra, whose work with West Bengal weavers established her as one of the torchbearers of handwoven textiles, has been allocated a cluster in Gadwal, near Hyderabad. Rahul Mishra, winner of the International Woolmark Prize in 2014, is in charge of the Assam clus-ter. At his workshop in Noida, he is trying to turn a red-and-white Mekhla sari into a trench coat with gathers.

In Bihar’s Bhagalpur cluster, Delhi-based designer Sa-mant Chauhan, who has always worked with handwoven textiles from his native state, is trying to figure out the way ahead, setting up tailoring units and training centres for a ready-to-wear line. “I want to make yarn, fabric, clothing, even package and ship from under one roof in Bhagalpur and sell it as ‘Made in Bhagalpur’,” he says. He has even put a jacquard machine in the ‘silk city’ and got master craftsmen from Varanasi to train local weavers.

WEAVERS’ WOESIn Bajardiha, a small village outside Varanasi, more than a dozen weavers are working in pit looms in a dingy room. Imtiaz, 35, says their condition has improved but they need more work. “Sometimes, it takes us a day to weave just two

inches. Handloom’s labour intensive,” he says. He recalls exactly when things hit rock bottom—in

1995, with the advent of the power loom and synthetic yarn from China. “In 1995, Banaras started getting power looms. Weavers became labourers,” says Imtiaz. With power looms replicating traditional designs and motifs, and 10 times faster than handloom, people thought they were getting the same thing at a much lower price, he adds.

Add to this, the shortage of silk yarn. Silk is a major fi-bre used in almost all handloom clusters. India is the larg-est consumer of silk as well as its second largest producer globally. However, bivoltine silk production (silkworms that produce two broods a season, highly popular in

M ZHAZO

RAJESH PRATAP SINGH, 48Cluster Varanasi

>> The designer with model Sravanthi Mamillapalli

“Every day I try and create a new textile”

China) is very low in India, leading to imports from China. Back in 1983, the government had set up the National

Handloom Development Corporation (NHDC) to make yarn available to weavers through a well-ordered system. But lax implementation and bureaucratic delays ensured its initiatives fell through.

In 1999-2000, the government allo wed duty-free im-ports of plain Chinese crepe yarn. In a report titled ‘Suicide and Malnutrition among Weavers in Varanasi’, city-based NGO Peoples’ Vigilance Committee on Human Rights at-tributed their plight to the government undoing the ban on weaving with Chinese silk yarn and abolishing quantitative restrictions on silk imports in 2001. With Chinese yarn working better on power loom, it paved the way for the powerloom industry to thrive in the city.

The shoddy implementation of the Handlooms (Res-ervation of Articles for Production) Act, 1985, has been another nail in the handloom coffin. The legislation, aimed at “protecting the livelihoods of handloom weavers and protecting the cultural heritage of the handloom industry from encroachment by the powerloom and mill sectors”, set aside 22 traditional cloth items such as saris with borders, dhotis, lungis for exclusive handloom production. In 1993, when the act finally came into being after fighting litiga-tion by the powerloom sector, it had only 11 items.

Weavers are also supposed to get the same wages as skilled and semi-skilled labour. However, non-compliance with minimum wages has hit weavers in most sta tes. Being a decentralised sector, there is no system in place. Ramesh Menon, a fashion consultant, says the weavers barely earn about Rs 5,000 per month. “That’s not making it attractive for them,” he says. Now, the government is trying to digitise the process of payment to weavers. Irani also launched a ‘Pehchan’ ID card for handloom artisans last year. Linked to their Aadhaar cards and bank accounts, it can help them avail direct cash benefit transfers.

DESIGN, NOT DEATH“They call it abstract, but it sells,” says master weaver Haji Sharfuddin. On a bright fuschia silk sari, bulbs are being woven in zari. It has taken them 25 days to weave the sari. Other saris have electric circuits and switchboards. It is part of ‘Unbanaras’, a project aimed at freeing Varanasi of paisleys and Mughal motifs. The effort is being helmed by the city-based designer Hemang Agrawal, a NIFT alumnus.

“Weavers need to adapt, evolve and change,” says designer Gaurang Shah. Reinterpreting the traditional for the modern is what he too advocates. A Kanjivaram sari can be fashioned into a gown and we can weave for international designers, he says.

Innovation, says Anavila Mishra, is the only way out of a certain death for handloom. Gadwal weavers, she says, had stopped weaving traditional cotton saris and switched to silk because weaving cotton was not cost-effective. Try-

Power loom has long been the villain in the hand-loom story. Since it is mechanised, power loom is 10 times faster than handloom and accounts

for 60 per cent of the fabric produced in the country. Yet, the powerloom lobby has been strongly opposed to protection for handloom, beginning with the Handlooms (Reservation of Articles for Produc-

tion) Act. Now, power loom itself is under threat from cheap imports from China and Bangladesh and lack of infrastructure. So even as the handloom sector sees a revival, the textiles ministry is trying to fix loopholes

in the powerloom sector. In August last year, pow-erloom sector representatives met textiles minister

Smriti Irani. For power looms to operate optimally, the government has proposed two schemes—the New

Powerloom Credit Yojana and Solar Energy Scheme. Schemes for power looms in Gujarat and Maharashtra include an In-situ Upgradation Scheme for plain power looms, a group insurance scheme for social security

and the Integrated Skill Development Scheme.

The Indian powerloom industry has 2.43 million regis-tered looms, producing 54,000 sq m of fabric. It’s con-centrated in clusters across Erode, Salem and Madu-rai in Tamil Nadu, Ichalkarnaji, Solapur, Bhiwandi and Malegaon in Maharashtra and Bhilwara in Rajasthan, among others. The fabric ranges from grey, printed, dyed, cotton, various mixes of cotton, synthetic and

other fibre. Major exports are to the United States, EU, China, UAE, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, South

Korea, Bangladesh, Turkey, Pakistan and Brazil.

Poor roads, problem of effluents, frequent power cuts, scarcity of water and shortage of warehouses

are some of the infrastructure issues plaguing the sector, besides obsolete technology that causes the looms to run at very low speeds. Unskilled labour is another handicap and, like in the handloom sector,

there is lack of marketing support and dependence on middlemen. Getting finance, too, is a hindrance.

In 2008-09, as part of the Comprehensive Powerloom Cluster Development Scheme, the government set up mega powerloom clusters in Bhiwandi and Erode. A

year later, it announced the development of another cluster while a third was announced at

Ichalkarnaji in 2012-13.

THE POWERLOOM

GLOOM

F A S H I O N H A N D L O O M


ing to reverse the trend, she says, “I am blending linen. I am also utilising Pochampally, a neighbouring cluster, to create textile of interest. The challenge is to find a balance between showcasing the craft as a key element and present-ing a successful, commercially viable, urban collection.”

Rahul Mishra couldn’t agree more. “Why can’t we make fashionable garments from handloom? Craft should stay in a museum if it can’t help people achieve an empowering income,” he says. “Mass production in han-dloom can be done. It’s simple. You bring in mechanised tailoring at the second stage.” He is entering into a unique partnership with Reliance where he will design for Proj-ect Eve, a line of clothing ranging from Rs 3,000 to Rs 10,000. His inspiration is the hugely successful model of the Spanish clothing company, Zara, which came to India in 2010. The young in India, says Mishra, want to wear ‘cool’ stuff and it is up to the designers and the industry to cater to them, he says.

Anita Dongre has already shown how handloom can go pret. Grassroot, the luxury ready-to-wear brand she set up in 1995, is hailed as a game-changer. Navigating the space between tradition and modernity, Grassroot works with a number of NGOs, such as the Sewa Trade Facilita-tion Centre of Gujarat, the Umeed Foundation in Punjab,

the weavers’ cooperatives in Andhra Pradesh and Kash-mir Box. Her aim, she says, is to empower artisans with fair wages and pride, helping create better livelihoods.

Senior designers Abraham & Thakore too think design intervention is very important. “A bunch of designers cannot save the weavers but they can raise some aware-ness,” says Abraham. Rohit Bal agrees, but only partially. A bunch of designers can’t save thousands of weavers or revive all the craft, he says. “The machine-made virus is there,” he adds. “Therefore, handloom should be treated

CHANDRADEEP KUMAR

HEMANG AGRAWAL, 36Cluster Varanasi

>> On the ghats of Banaras with master weaver Haji Sharfuddin

“We need to go beyond the old narrative if we intend to make hand-loom survive”

J U LY 10, 2017 INDIA TODAY 8 3

as art.” It’s the only way to ensure weaving is sustainable in India, where weavers weave with their soul.

FRUIT OF THE LOOMThe government now offers 90 per cent of the price of a new loom to weavers who have adapted their skill set to incorporate new designs and marketing techniques, says Irani. S.K. Gupta, who heads the WSC at Varanasi, says wages have gone up from Rs 200 to about Rs 300 per day. “We are working on the India Handloom Brand (that was founded in 2013) and so far, 48 weavers have been granted

the IHB logo,” he says. Under the partnership, a designer is asked to visit a cluster and train weavers. Young designers from NIFT are paid Rs 25,000 to help weavers contempo-rise their craft and do product development. In addition, a team of master weavers help in skill upgradation.

It’s not easy, though. So far, three designers from NIFT have quit because of the tough working conditions, says Amaresh Kushwaha of Angika, a handloom cooperative where designers such as Sanjay Garg and Dongre get their weaves done. “Designing on the loom is different from designing on paper,” he says.

At Chanderiyaan, a project run by the NGO Digital Empowerment Formation (DEF) with support from the government in Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh, the ministry is aiming to link weavers to e-commerce. The Chanderi sari has also got the Geographical Indication tag, like its Banarasi counterpart. Chanderiyaan seeks to pre-serve the craft, educate the weavers and their children to enter the marketplace by making them understand tailoring, use of computers in design and digitisation of the archives of the traditional designs. A handloom park that will house about 240 weavers from the area from different clusters will be functional in a couple of months. This was the initiative of Jyotiraditya Scindia who saw looms taking up a whole room in the small tenements the weavers lived in. As part of the project, weavers have to put in about Rs 50,000 each and get a 30-year lease. It helps them earn better wages: Rs 300-500 per day instead of the Rs 80 they were earning till 2009. Their condition was terrible, says Muzaffar Ansari, who comes from a weaver family, used to weave as part of the family vocation but now works as a guide. “Now, we are able to access the outside world. Wi-Fi was introduced in the city in 2010. Websites were created for e-commerce. We can see designs and see what sells. We have sent our saris and other products to Canada, France, Italy and Germany,” he says. About 2,000 girls were given tailoring lessons. Computer training was given along with other initiatives to enable the weavers to set up their own business.

Entrepreneurship, maintains Rahul Mishra, is the way forward. Jaya Jaitley of the Dastkar Samiti says weavers have to gain access to markets, for which more awareness has to be created. Skills like entrepreneurship, merchandi-sing, finance, IT know-how and con temporary design interventions, she thinks, are the need of the hour.

Entrepreneurship will drive the economic revolution, says Irani. The organised apparel segment is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 13 per cent over 10 years. The ministry, which has set a target of doubling textile exports in 10 years, plans to enter into bilateral agreements with Africa and Australia.

“The government,” says Rajesh Pratap Singh, “is rais-ing awareness. The rest is all individual effort. And I am willing to make it.” All the better for handloom. n

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DAVID ABRAHAM, 54, & RAKESH THAKORE, 61Cluster Andhra Pradesh

“Textiles are the heart of fashion”

>> Thakore with models Himanshu Shailey and Priya Jain

E N T E R TA I N M E N T C O M E D Y

When it comes to a sense of humour, they are second to none

BY SUHANI SINGH

WITTY

WOMEN

ras, of varying sizes, strung together like fairy lights. Risque games, the kind you’d find at a bacholerette party, like bra pong and a dirty talk phone service. Counters selling vibra-tors and one where you try throwing razors and wax strips into a bin. It isn’t your average evening at Brewbot, a bar and restaurant in Mumbai. Men have been barred tonight, with the exception of staff, keeping the hundred-odd loud girls

merry with an endless supply of drinks. The venue is refurbished for comedienne Sumukhi Suresh’s stand-up special, Disgust Me. Over an hour, Suresh, 29, draws laughs and ‘ewws’ as she recalls her most revolting habits (eating nose poop) and embarrassing episodes (bedwetting as an adult).

Suresh, who has figured in online sketches and the mockumen-tary web series Better Life Foundation, is among the many funny women livening up India’s burgeoning comedy scene. They have long been part of the comedy circuit, with Radhika Vaz, Vasu Primalani, Neeti Palta and Aditi Mittal performing for over five years. But it’s only in the past year, says stand-up comic, improviser and producer of comedy shows, Jeeya Sethi, that the scene has “picked up like mad”. And her company Ra-

“What would you do if you woke

up as a man? I’ll be like, Whoa!, now I can do anything!”

PUNYA ARORA, 27

The Bengaluru-based comic dabbles in professional fashion and underwater photography, and is also a guest lecturer at the Light and Life Academy in Ooty

NILOTPAL BARUAH


tatouille, which she set up in 2016, has played a part: in getting stage time for herself and newcomers like her.

GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN... AND BE FUNNY

No longer is it rare to see a woman comic in a line-up. “Stand-up is about perseverance more than talent,” says Punit Pania, stand-up comic and founder of the Chalta Hai Comedy production company. “It has to be done live. You have to fail embarrassingly to get better. Only by performing more can you get better.”

There’s no dearth of opportunity. Mumbai has at least two all-women open mic nights a month: Chalta Hai’s featured show Dame Funny and Ratatouille’s FemaPalooza. More restau-rants are open to stand-up gigs. There are enough female comics to have their own WhatsApp group—also named Femapalooza—with 37 members and growing. “You need to be funny, own a functioning blowdryer and a straightener and have a vagina to get on the group,” says Femapalooza member and stand-up comic Sonali Thakker. The 27-year-old Mumbaikar was a chartered accountant before embrac-ing stand-up as a career.

Unlike Thakker, ‘improv’ comedy specialist Kaneez Surka, 33, and Mallika Dua, whose diffe rent types of Delhi girls and Make-up Didi character have audiences in splits, showcase their comic side in web sketches (AIB’s A Woman’s Besties, If Apps Were People) and TV and web shows (Surka in The Week That Wasn’t; Dua in the Trip). “In India, everyone assumes if you are funny you do stand-up,” says Surka, who was born in South Africa but moved to Mumbai in 2005 and dabbled in theatre before landing a spot on The Week That Wasn’t as the weatherwoman with poor Hindi-speaking skills.

Surka would rather use audience sug-gestions and situations “to make up

stuff on the spot”, like in Whose Line is it Anyway. That’s what she does on The General Fun Game Show, which she hosts and uploads on her YouTube channel.

LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX

“Stand-up is still a novelty for audience,” says Thakker. “A woman doing stand-up on

stage is an even bigger novelty. Women talking about sex is an even bigger novelty. This is niche ke

andar niche ke andar niche.” Never mind that men have long used toilet humour and sexist remarks, particularly on annoying exes, to get laughs, The Kapil Sharma Show being a case in point. As Aditi Mittal, 31, one of India’s leading stand-up comics, whose bio describes her as “the girl Alok Nath warned his daughters about”, says, “I hope for the next 30 generations, female comics talk about periods and babies and fat thighs because not nearly enough has been said about these things.”

Talk of casual sex does raise eyebrows. As does use


K ANEEZ SURK A, 33

TV and web are her worldwide stage, in shows like The Week That Wasn’t and The General Fun Game Show

“I want to be a mom so bad. When a date’s not going well, I don’t friend zone, I MOMZONE them. I tell them to text when they

get home”

There’s no dearth of talent when it comes to women with funny bones

THE OTHERS RADHIKA VAZ Best known for Unladylike, Older. Angrier. Hairier. and web series Shugs & Fats

NEETI PALTA Ad professional-turned-stand-up comic, has taken her act across 30 countries

SUMUKHI SURESH Catch her on web series Better Life Foundation

PAVITRA SHETTY Deloitte employee by day, stand-up comic by night

DANESH JASSAWALA


of expletives, says Pania. Also, “what you’re wear-ing”, in Bengaluru-based comedienne Punya Arora’s experience. As she puts it, “If Priyanka Chopra cannot wear a dress in front of the prime minister, we still have a long way to go.”

Often, the personal seeps into writing. Arora, 27, jokes about not knowing who her father is in her half-hour performance. “It is a tough topic to joke about but something close to my heart,” says Arora, who specialises in professional fashion and underwater photography and is a guest lecturer at Light and Life Academy, Ooty.

However, the joys of stand-up as a career take time to materi-alise. Pay in some cases depends on ticket sales, with the amount split between the producer and venue; in other cases, organisers hand a fixed fee irrespective of the turnout. Comedians like Thakker take up writing assignments such as scripting for award shows, while others like Sethi and Surka offer training in stand-up and ‘improv’ comedy respectively. More than remuneration, it’s passion that keeps them going. “Before 35, I was living

for society,” says Sethi, 36, who has been doing stand-up for over a year. “I went

to school, college, got a job and even tried to get married. None of it worked. I have 14

years until I’m 50. I should be something. So I’m doing this for myself.”

Some like Pavitra Shetty, 27, strike a bala nce between their professional life and creative pursuit. An employee at Deloitte by day and a stand-up comic by night, she currently has a 45-minute set. “I enjoy my job and I need a constant

source of income,” she says. “In comedy, payments are so irregular and you have to do so many follow-ups.”

Regardless, she is content as long as she gets to talk about her quarrels with her mother, her constant battle with the weighing scale and being ‘Undate-able’, a show she participates in along with three other comedians, including Pania.

STAND-UP HIGH

Though they have a long way to go, audiences are warming up to stand-up, looking at it as an alternative

to going for movies—tickets for a show start at Rs 200. Web streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon are also helping the cause. In a seeming response to Amazon’s all-male stand-up roster in India, Netflix announced that Mittal’s special Things They Wouldn’t Let Me Say will be available from July 18. Shot at the restored Royal Opera House in Mumbai, it makes Mittal only the second Indian artiste after Vir Das to be featured on the website alongside other popular female voices such as Amy Schumer, Ali Wong and Sarah Silverman. This is not the only feather in Mittal’s cap this year. In August, she takes her show Global Village Idiot to the Edinburgh Fringe festival. No guesses who is having the last laugh. n

with Prachi Sibal

9 0 INDIA TODAY

passion that keeps them going. “Before 35, I was living

SONALI THAKKER, 27

The Mumbaikar was a chartered accountant

before becoming full-time comic

“Fawad Khan’s good-looking, sure.

But so’s every Sumo driver from Kashmir, who looks

just like him”

ADITI MITTAL, 31

Shot at the Royal Opera House in Mumbai, her Things They Wouldn’t Let Me Say will be available on Netflix from July 18

“Right now, Republic

is the equivalent of an Emraan

Hashmi movie: too much tongue and no

ACTUAL story”


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M AY 15, 2017 INDIA TODAY 91M AY 15, 2017 INDIA TODAY 91

C O M I C S A N D D I S S E N T PG 4

T H E U N D E RG RO U N D R A I LWAY

PG

Q & A : S H R A D D H A KA P O O R

PG � 2

A R P I TA S I N G H ’ S A R T E X H I B I T I O NPG 5 LEISUREBeing Norinder Mudi

With 187,439 follow-ers on Facebook, Norinder Mudi

isn’t quite as popular as the prime minister. He’s nearly as ubiquitous, however—his handsome mug goes viral with the regularity of his lookalike’s mann ki baats.

Created in 2013 by an animator who goes by the screen name of Swagmo-han, to replace an earlier

W E B C O M IC S

NORINDER

MUDI

has inspired hate

mail and threats of

FIRs. He remains

hugely popular

7

7

7 6

8

character known as Mon-muhin, the Mudi memes are fairly innocent in comparison with much of the political satire on the web. Yet they’ve inspired hundreds of hate mails and run-ins with internet trolls.

india today (IT) had an anony-mous chat with the current adminis-trators—who choose to call them-selves SM and AP—who say the page has been taking a backseat because “life happened”. Excerpts:

IT: What inspired the aesthetic and language of the comic? SM, AP: In 2013, ‘Dolan comics’ were an absolute rage—poorly drawn Disney characters and barely readable, blatantly offensive text. The distinctive features are extremely poor, broken use of English, accompanied by intention-ally badly drawn characters, usually on MS Paint. This type of comic is sort of a paradox—it seems like a kid has drawn it, but the content is extremely adult in nature. Norinder Mudi is essentially an Indianised Dolan, with the content being more politically correct for the hot-headed Indian audience.IT: Speaking of hot-headed audiences, have online trolls affected your art?SM, AP: We had to tone down the offensiveness of our posts. We started out as a dark humour page, but since Modi fans are really sensitive, we have had to be careful with what we were posting. We receive a lot of hate, but we refused to engage with it. There were threats of FIRs, police complaints and vile abuses

but nothing much happened. IT: How do you choose subjects?

SM, AP: The character in question is [based on] an extremely charismatic individual who is always in the news. Standout trends generally dictate the content of our posts. For instance, the “Abki baar, Modi sarkar” trend was started right on our page! We made a meme on the extremely catchy tagline, and it spread like wildfire. IT: You have stated that you have no political affiliations. How would you describe your political stance though?SM: I don’t lean towards any side. I’m fed up with the Left vs Right fight—I’ve reached a point where nothing seems interesting or amusing to me anymore.AP: Three years ago, I would have said I was a hardcore centrist. However, at this moment, I’d consider myself leaning the slightest bit towards the Right. The extreme showboating of the extreme Left irritates me more than the annoyingness of the far-Right.IT: What’s next for you? SM: I’ve been putting in long hours [at work]. I am bored of political humour. I haven’t even had time for the Indian Railway Memes for Teens page that I started to cover non-political subjects. AP: I’ve just gotten done with my first year of computer science engineering. My social media use has now been reduced to infrequently browsing Facebook. The page is well known in my college and among my peer group.

It’s a great ice-breaker, and that’s good enough for now. n

—with Farah Yameen

To hear the political pundits tell it, dissent has never been more unpopular. But a raft

of snarky web comics—cover-ing everything from farmer’s suicides, women’s rights and Adani’s venture on the Great Barrier Reef—suggests just the opposite. And they’re fast becoming the preferred means of sharing dissenting opinions on social media.

The comics don’t have any apparent agenda and the content is often driven by the most viral news in circulation. Their tones range from angry satire to frustrated head shak-ing. Crocodile in Water, Tiger on Land packs some pow-erful political commentary, most recently on the Madhya Pradesh farmers’ protests. Sanitary Panels, on the other hand, condenses the angst over the news, while Inedible India attempts to make light of the incongruity that is news.

The artwork, too, ranges greatly in style. Sanitary Panels uses simple stick figures, while Crocodile in Water... fea-tures line drawings of cows, microphones, televisions and hairy declaiming hands. Royal Existentials and Inedible India repurpose Indian miniature paintings and other vintage artwork, while Adarsh Balak employs the aesthetics of the old school textbook to drive its point home. Say what you want about social media’s prefer-ence for the instant opinion, web comics are adult, immedi-ate and here to stay. n

—Farah Yameen

O N L I N E H U M O U R

MUDI ISHTYLE

Broken SMSese

English and

intentionally badly

drawn characters

posting. We receive a lot of hate, but we refused to engage with it. There were threats of FIRs, police complaints and vile abuses

my college and among my peer group. It’s a great ice-breaker, and that’s

good enough for now.

GREEN HUMOUR Focuses on wildlife, the environment and conserva-

tion, but isn’t afraid to take on politics either

ROYAL EXISTENTIALS This one makes use of vintage art and

snarky dialogue for a pithy take on modern times

ADARSH BALAK Really a series of memes referencing the unintended humour of a pre-digital cult object, the ‘Ideal Boy’ poster

SANITARY PANELS It all began in 2014, with a strip about students being arrested for Facebook posts

INEDIBLE INDIASatirises trending

news, such as the cynical

response to the disappearance of JNU student

Najeeb Ahmad in November 2016

BROWN PAPERBAGPossibly the most PG-13

of the lot, this comic takes potshots at the zeitgeist of the day, but without ruffling

too many feathers in the process

Newly released in India, Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Underground Railroad, works well as a literary thriller of

sorts, and is set in pre-Civil War America. With all the excitement of a physical chase, it’s a cat-and-mouse game between the slave and the slave-catcher, with the latter closing in on his quarry all the time.

At the centre of the story is Cora, an African slave from a cotton plantation in Georgia. Cora, we learn, is ‘an outcaste even among her fellow Africans’ because her mother, Mabel, managed to escape slavery, leaving her daughter and her fellow slaves to their fate. Cora is welcomed to womanhood by four rapists who drag her behind the smokehouse to finish their job. Nobody intervenes. ‘The Hob women sewed her up,’ the narrator informs us clinically.

When Caesar, a young slave from Virginia, decides to include Cora in his plans to escape slavery using the underground railroad, it does not take her long to throw in her lot with him—even though both of them are aware that being caught would mean a virtual death sentence. Their journey becomes even more perilous later in the

story, after Cora is forced to kill a ‘white boy’ in order to escape his clutches.

The underground railroad is not simply a metaphor; it’s an actual track with a box car led by a steam engine, which is occasionally used to harbour refugees and convey them to freedom. At one of the stations there is even a cave-in, ‘a ruse to camouflage the operation below’. Close on Cora and Caesar’s heels is Ridgeway, a most brutal slave-catcher who especially despises Cora because her mother managed to escape him. Help comes from unexpected quarters in unexpected ways—

from Sam, Martin and Ethel Fletcher—amateur rescuers, sympathisers and raw abolitionists who eventually have to buckle before the powerful evil forces.

As a character says, ‘And America, too, is a delusion, the grandest one of all…. This nation shouldn’t exist... for its foundations are murder, theft, and cruelty.’

Whitehead’s account of the horror of slavery is unsparing. He writes about it unflinchingly. And yet, one senses a distance between the writer and his work. The narrative lacks the psychological depth that would have hooked readers who demand more. n

—Divya Dubey

With a focus on the tragic side of immigration, Shanthi Sekaran’s

Lucky Boy creates and navi-gates ‘terrain pitted with mel-ancholy’—but in the end, leaves you unmoved. The plot follows two women in contemporary America. One is a Mexican ‘illegal’. The other is an Indian-American in Silicon Valley. One is fighting the ‘silence and heavy bones’ of life in her village by dreaming of California. The other is ‘at the center, dried out, empty’ after months of attempt-ing to get pregnant.

The book moves between these two lives, from the village

of Popocalco, through the hazardous journey across the Mexican border, settling in the Berkeley of everyone’s dreams, complete with ‘vagrants and academics of the world, their doctorates and dogs on strings’.

Sekaran endeavours mightily to make immigration and infer-tility heartbreakingly real, and does an admirable job reflect-ing the social, legal and political complexities in which these two lives are mired: right and wrong, just and unjust, liberal and conservative.

Yet there is something amiss.

Over 400 pages, Lucky Boy sets out people, places and emotions in a way that seems researched, but doesn’t allow us to slip into their depths, to immerse our-selves in this world. The lan-guage and voice are confident, but the plot too often borders on the trite—as in the sitcom-style illustration of the Indian-American family, or Kavya’s Friends-style babymaking urges.

All told, Lucky Boy holds up an intricate, contemporary

tableau that we are able to recognise and even under-stand. But it is unable to

draw us in. n —Disha Mullick

Notes on the Underground

R E V I E W

R E V I E W

TRAGEDYUNTOLD

two lives are mired: right and wrong, just and unjust, liberal and conservative.

Yet there is something amiss.

up an intricate, contemporary tableau that we are able to

recognise and even understand. But it is unable to

draw us in.


SightUnseen

E X H I B I T I O N

Best known for her figurative paint-ings, Arpita Singh unveiled a series of early abstract works for her ongo-ing show, ‘Tying Down Time’, at New York’s Talwar Gallery. All untitled, these drawings show an artist in the process of rethinking the basic means

of her art—rethinking the whole meaning of deliberate mark-making, while mostly eschewing the seductions of colour, recognisable imagery and overt cultural refer-ences. It’s like a poet eschewing rhyme, meter and story, learning how to make do with just the sounds of the letters themselves. This back-to-basics approach also gives Singh’s drawings a time-less and seemingly universal eloquence that suggests the rough, intimate and spontane-ously expressive quality of classic Chinese literati painting as well as of elder contempo-raries like Henri Michaux or Philip Guston.

In many of her drawings from the 1970s, Singh seems concerned with how to impose an overall sense of structure on

concatenations of marks that would otherwise conjure something like a nebulous field with no distinct archi-tecture. Thus, in one piece from 1978, a multitude of crosshatchings, sometimes densely packed together, elsewhere quite loosely spaced, create a sort of hum-ming, vibratory field that seems to come in and out of focus. This fluctuating space is traversed in turn by a skein of long, precise, wiry lines that hold it fast like a tight net. In contrast, in her drawings from the early 1980s, she seems confident enough to let her marks do as they will. Here, her marks are often blunt and force-

ful, yet always ready to shift in character from one passage to the next. They gather and disperse in storms and swells, according to some unaccountable rhythm.

There’s nothing delicate or fragile in this series of poignant, quietly courageous work. Sometimes stained or slightly battered, the drawings show their age proudly. This is art, after all, that survived the intensity of its own turbulent making. n

—Barry Schwabsky

THE DRAWINGS SHOW THEIR AGE PROUDLY. THIS IS ART, AFTER ALL, THAT SURVIVED THE INTENSITY

OF ITS OWN TUR-BULENT MAKING

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With two films and a web series slated for release this year, filmmaker Hansal Mehta is on a roll.

Simran, starring Kangana Ranaut, releases in September. Omerta, which Mehta says is a companion to his movie Shahid, also starring Rajkummar Rao, will hit the international film festival circuit later this year. And he’s a creative producer for Bose, a series on the life of Subhash Chandra Bose, that will air on Ekta Kapoor’s web channel, ALT, in August.

After winning critical acclaim—and stepping on a few toes—with Aligarh in 2015, Mehta is keen to push the enve-lope with more thoughtful, politically aware films. He has a script on former PM Manmohan Singh under way and is plan-ning another on Sanjay Gandhi. And he’s bent on telling stories that remind future generations of their history—without embellishment or adulteration.

However, in an era when the govern-ment and vigilante groups have no prob-lem preventing films from screening at festivals, and the establishment sees cin-ema as a tool for nationalist propaganda, that’s not an easy road. “Anything that could provoke debate or provide a contrar-ian view is seen as anti-national,” he says. “This kind of attitude is counter-productive to such an expressive art.”

Talk to him about the scant support independent cinema receives, and he inter-jects, “Expecting support from a State that thrives on control is akin to accepting slav-ery. Independent voices need support from individuals, foundations, collectives and an alternative platform to be showcased.” That’s part of the reason he is excited about the online medium: “Less restrictions, the ability to explore multiple plots… as a sto-ryteller, it pushes me to cross all boundar-ies. I am here to stay.” n

—Sukant Deepak

SPEAKING OUT

PRO F I L E

“Anything that

provokes

debate or offers

a contrarian

view is seen as

anti-national”

DANESH JASSAWALA

LEISURE

Now showing at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre in Califor-nia, director Mira Nair’s adaptation of Monsoon Wedding as a Broadway-style musical is a crowd-pleasing show—and chances are, ready or not, the musical may be on its way to 42nd Street. The reason: Bollywood on Broadway is a natural progression.

Last Friday’s performance was packed, and the audience gave Nair a standing ovation when she appeared for a curtain call, demonstrating the production’s success in translating the masti and exuberance of daily life in India into vibrant theatre. But some

reviewers have asked for more than just the dazzling spectacle of colours and shimmer, sug-gesting the show may need tweaking to make Broadway.

The show opens on the eve of the wedding of Aditi (Kuhoo Verma), who lives with her parents in Delhi, and Hemant (Michael Maliakel), a successful Indian-American. At first, this story of a modern arranged marriage seems to offer up a defence of tradition. The pro-duction, too, seems to glamorise the Indianness of the event. Mixed with classical qawwali, bhaially, bhangra and Hindi movie inspirations, the music by Vishal Bhardwaj takes cen-tre stage. Dazzling costumes, as dramatic as the story, showcase the brilliant hues of local fabrics. Still, it’s not without nuance. In a dramatic turn, at a private meeting away from their families, Aditi tells Hemant she’s not sure about the whole thing even though she’s ready to tough out an arranged marriage. Hemant replies that it isn’t as weird as being matched to a stranger by an app—an updated reference to the expanded role of technology in relationships.

Love also finds its way into girl talk that spans four generations as they declare, “Aunties are coming!”, in a get-up-and-dance number by the Verma and Rai women. It’s in the sudden awakening in Aditi’s conflicted heart for a man’s she barely knows. It’s in the familiar wife-husband relationship whose spark has dulled.

But when, in the climax, wealthy NRI uncle Tej’s sexual abuse of Aditi’s cousin Ria when she was a child is revealed, the myth of the tra-ditional family is both upheld and undermined. Familial ties and the power of wealth weave a complex fabric of tra-ditional and modern mores.

Heavy stuff for a musical. But the production mostly carries the weight well. n

—Joy Ma

The musical adaptation of Monsoon Wedding translates the masti and exuber-ance of India into vibrant theatre

MIRA NAIR

SONG AND DANCET H E AT R E

Photo Courtesy of KEVIN BERNE/BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE


Almost five years after he quit TV, Barun Sobti still enjoys

small screen heartthrob status. This status came largely because of his role as Arnav Singh Raizada in Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon (IPKND), a show whose success extended

as far as Indonesia, Turkey, Egypt and Uzbekistan. Now, after hav-ing holidayed with his wife and done a couple of films and two web

series, Sobti returns to TV to star in a new season of the show. Talking about Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon?, Sobti says, “It’s a

revenge drama with a lot of thrills. We’re treating it like a masala film.”Sobti plays Advay Singh Raizada, who is entirely unlike his earlier

character, Arnav, even if their middle and last names are the same. Sobti refers to the Hollywood boxing drama The Cinderella Man to

differentiate between the two: “Arnav is like Russell Crowe, the guy outside the ring who doesn’t know what hit him,” he says. “Advay

knows exactly what hit him, and wants to hit back.”Unlike his other shows, this series will have a fixed one-year run on Star Plus. There will be more Sobti later in the year, however, as his film Tu Hi Mera Sunday, a Mumbai-set slice-of-life comedy about a

bunch of football-loving friends, is expected to hit the big screen. For someone who quit his night job as an operations manager at a call

centre to take up acting, Sobti is content with how things are going. He is glad to be back , he says: “There is a sense of belonging—you

have the same set to come back to every day. [And though] not every scene is extraordinary, a lot goes into building that one huge

moment—I look forward to that a lot.” n —Suhani Singh

WAT C H L I S T

PLEASE LIKE ME

Josh Thomas writes, directs and stars in this sincere and heartwarming comedy-drama of a twentysomething navigating friendship, loneliness, relationships and

homosexuality while dealing with his moth-er’s mental illness. All four seasons of the

Australian show are on Netflix

INTO THE BADLANDS

This futuristic kung-fu series with a virtually all-white cast is more than a little campy. But it’s worth a gander for its slick fight scenes

and a post-apocalyptic scenario inspired by samurai flicks and the Opium War. Seasons 1

and 2 now on Amazon Prime

LONG STRANGE TRIP

In what’s billed as the definitive Grateful Dead documentary, director Amir Bar-Lev

provides enough little-known tidbits to please diehard Deadheads as he outlines the basics of the iconic band’s emergence as a cult phenomenon. Amazon Prime

HINDI HEARTTHROB

T V S E R I A L S

BARUN

SOBTI

The actor

returns to the

small screen

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82 Volume XLII Number 28; For the week July 4-10, 2017, published on every Friday Total number of pages 104 (including cover pages)

—with Suhani Singh

Earthy VibesShraddha Kapoor, actor,

on films, awards and farming

Q A

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

A: My dad gives me a lot of advice, but there’s one thing he recently said to me: “Bachcha, suno sabki, karo apni (Child, listen to everyone’s advice, but do what

you feel is right).”

Q: The worst part about acting?A: Sometimes it takes too long

to get ready.

Q: What’s your most prized possession?

A: It’s the first watch that my dad ever bought—he was in the fifth grade

at the time. I recently wore it.

Q: The best movie of all time?A: Pyaasa is my all-time favourite. I

sometimes wish I had been born in that period, just so that I could do films with

Guru Dutt.

Q: Would you rather be part of a film that wins a National Award or breaks the Rs 100

crore mark?A: I just want to be remembered as someone who did some good

work. I’m happy with that.

Q: Is there anything you want to acheive that isn’t related to acting?A: I’d like to have my own farm where I grow my own vegetables, pluck them myself, eat them and also feed others.

THANK YOU FOR READING

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DIGITAL EDITION

JULY 2017INDIA TODAY SPICE 1

e-mail your letters to: [email protected]

Volume 13 Number 7; July, 2017

Copyright Living Media India Ltd. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited.

Printed and published by Manoj Sharma on behalf of Living Media India Limited. Printed at Thomson Press India Limited, 18-35 Milestone, Delhi Mathura Road, Faridabad-121007, (Haryana) and A-9, Industrial Complex, Maraimalai Nagar, District Kancheep-uram-603209, (Tamil Nadu.). Published at K-9, Connaught Circus, New Delhi-110001. Editor: Kaveree Bamzai

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Editor-in-Chief Aroon PurieGroup Editorial Director Raj ChengappaEditor (Special Projects) Kaveree BamzaiGroup Creative Editor Nilanjan Das; Group Photo Editor Bandeep SinghDeputy Editor Prachi BhucharSenior Associate Editor Chumki BharadwajEditorial Consultant Jahnavi ChakravartySr. Art Director Sanjay PiplaniAsst. Art Director Rajesh AngiraPhoto Researchers Prabhakar Tiwari and Shubhrojit BrahmaProduction Harish Aggarwal (Chief of Production), Naveen Gupta, Vijay Sharma Group Chief Executive Officer Ashish BaggaPublishing Director Manoj Sharma

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Group Chief Marketing Officer

Vivek Malhotra

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

THAT TIME IS THE BIGGEST LUXURY IN today’s world has become a truism of sorts. As days flip faster than you can swipe your phone screen from left to right there is an accompanying awareness that the day that is gone will never return. It’s an odd mix of wistfulness, nostalgia, moodiness, sometimes even paranoia as time whirs by, leav-ing a trail of should haves, could haves in its wake. Every year, when we unveil our watch special, one can’t help but wonder if the new tools of time will one day have the power to slow the tick, lengthen the moment, the here and now. And yet, there is the undeniable madness of wanting to fast forward the moment, to know what tomorrow holds.

Our cover girl in this issue is a difficult one to pin down since she straddles genres, generations and vocations as effortlessly as she flits through continents. For Spice, she agreed to play pin-up model as she shared her love for watches, erotic art, literature, and travel. British-born Lisa Hilton is an author, art historian, opera librettist, columnist and broadcaster. She is the author of five historical biogra-phies and three novels, and has recently written two psycho-logical thrillers Maestra and Domina, of which Maestra has already been optioned for motion picture rights. Since Maestra’s publication last year, Hilton has been named Glamour Magazine’s ‘Writer of the Year’ and is one of Porter magazine’s Incredible Women of 2016.

This year, in addition to bringing you the finest timepiec-es attracting buyers and collectors the world over, we bring you an exclusive roundtable helmed by two key luxury watch retailers. Yasho Saboo’s Ethos is today one of the country’s largest retail chain of luxury and premium watch retail stores and Manish Madan is a third generation entrepreneur from the Johnson Watch Company, New Delhi. Both know time better than anyone else and share their insights about the industry, decode trends, pick favourites and place the two big watch fairs in the Indian context.

While India is a mere blimp on the watch map in terms of creating timepieces, we take this opportunity to highlight three homegrown watch brands that have Indian entrepre-neurs behind them. They are still a long way off from manu-facturing world class watches that bear the Made in India stamp but are slowly and surely entering the fray.

We also bring you in-depth interviews with top watch CEOs who discuss their brands and the biggest releases this year. As we come full circle, it really all comes down to pinning down the elusive nature of time.

ON THE COVER LISA HILTON | COVER IMAGE M ZHAZO

Author Lisa Hilton straddles both history

and erotica with aplomb

THE RISQUE TAKER

08

CONTENTSJ U L Y 2 0 1 7

THE GOOD LIFE


JULY 2017

BEST OF 2017

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THE GOOD LIFE

Straddling literary genres from the historic to the erotic, author Lisa Hiltonon her love for watches, art and travel

JULY 2017

BEST OF 2017

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Location Deluxe Suite, The Grand, New DelhiWatch Panerai from Ethos Watches



A break down of all things horological for this year

NEW AND NOW

20

The journey from tool-watches to smart watches

SHIFT IN TIME

26

Horological creations that go beyond the wrist

CRAFTING A FANTASY

48

JULY 2017INDIA TODAY SPICE 4 JULY 2017

Six CEOs on what makes their brands tick

TOCK OF TOWN

34

Watches that double as glittering works of art

TIMELESS TREASURES


40

Three Indian watchmakers enter the fray

INDUS CREED LETTER FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

HOTSHEET

LASTLOOK

44

01

05

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HOTSHEETA U C T I O N

The Audrey Diaries“We belong to nobody, and nobody belongs to us,” said a distraught Holly Golightly, played by the ethereal Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. However, an auction of the actor’s personal collection renders Golightly’s dismay vaguely untrue. Christie’s will present a sale of the celebrated actor’s personal effects on September 27 in London, along with an online auction from September 19 to October 3. This is the first time these items, chronicling the life

and career of Audrey Hepburn through the lens of objects she collected, used and loved, have been offered for sale. The sale will feature Hepburn’s extensive personal wardrobe and her own annonated working copies of film scripts from her best loved movies including Breakfast at Tiffany’s. “Her name is one that instantly resonates; her appeal and

relevance remain as strong today as they ever were,” says Adrian Hume-Sayer, Director, Private Collections at Christie’s.

For more information log on to www.christies.com/audreyhepburn

COMPILED BY JAHNAVI CHAKRAVARTY

F A S H I O N

HOTSHEETPreppy Charm Nothing makes a summer

statement quite like a classic polo tee in a bright sorbet

colour. Pair this Hackett Lon-don classic with khaki shorts and you’ve got your fail-safe

uniform for the season. Price `6352

Availability DLF Emporio, New Delhi

Quirk is You These Comme des Gar-çons White X Fornasetti

face print bermuda shorts are sure to be a conversa-tion starter at your next beach party with its sig-nature eclectic print and distinctly holiday vibes

Price $639Availability www.lyst.com

Superhero The Ermenegildo Zegna

Boucle sweater is a super smart must-have for the world traveller. The cashmere and silk sweater is soft enough to sleep in, and smart

enough to dine in.Price `95,500Availability

Zegna stores across India

Into The Blue It’s hard to beat the freshness of linen, especially as temperatures soar. This linen twill field jacket from hits all the right notes on the fashion scale. Play it

cool and make it work for you. Price `85,000 Availability DLF Emporio, New Delhi

The New FormalSlip into these super versatile Tod’s slider sandals for the ultimate summer casual

look. Pair with board shorts or a linen suit, these ingenious slip-ons work just as

well at the pool side as at the bar.Price $439

Availability www.farfetch.com



Lip Service Lips, often neglected in summer, get

chapped easily. The Aēsop Protective Lip Balm is free of animal-derived products,

and does a marvelous job of soften-ing and moisturising your lips, with the

added benefit of SPF. Glide some on and you’re beach-ready.

Price $19 Availability www.aesop.com

Mane Tamer Cultivating a beard requires

much dedication. But the style pay-off is worth it. Penhalion’s Bayolea Beard and Shave Oil

cuts your work in half by soften-ing and smoothening your facial hair. It’s just what a gentleman’s

vanity cabinet was missing.Price £59

Availability www.mrporter.com

Skin Guardian Protecting your skin with

sunscreen is grooming 101. But finding one that suits your

skin can be a tough task. Try the eucalyptus-enriched SPF

lotion from The Art of Shaving to moisturise and refresh your

skin. Its blue chamomile es-sential oils relax you while SPF 15 protects your skin from the

harshest summer rays.Price $35

Availability www.theartofshav-ing.com

Beach Vibes Beach holidays can wreak havoc

on your hair and skin. Dr Jack-son’s Coconut Melt is the secret weapon to battle skin and hair ravaged by sand and sea water.

The super-luxe formula melts on touch and smells like a pĩna co-

lada in a bottle. Price $16

www.net-a-porter.com

Natural BoostChemical-free products are the order of the day, and the Brickell’s Revitalizing Condi-tioner for men delivers in an all-natural package. Packed

with aloe and peppermint, this is the coolest way to wash the

day off your mane.Price `2,560 Availability

www.beautysource.in

HOTSHEETG R O O M I N G

Time is the only enemy of the innocent and the beautiful, says Lisa Hilton. The British author shares some beautiful

memories and not-so-innocent confessions with Spice.

By CHUMKI BHARADWAJ

DAMEDOMINA

THE CHIAROSCURO CONTRAST BETWEEN SUBLIME ART and primal instinct; lavish locations and intimate detail, steely ambition and swarthy desires follow true in letter and spirit not just of 42-year-old British author Lisa Hil-ton’s fiction but also her life. And standing in a hotel bathrobe, wet hair, bare-faced, and smiling, it is never clearer. Unlike her books and characters that inhabit a world

of the super rich, in an orgy of branded fashion, art and exotic locations, she claims none of it as her own. “A lot of it was observation; my daughter’s father is Italian and his family has a house near Por-tofino in Italy. So I spent a lot of time down there and it was really just watching people more than anything else. I live a very boring life.” Spouting sassy wit and saucy tales, this lover of mysteries and mistress of murder is anything but boring. Straddling genres, generations and vocations as effortlessly

AU T H O R | P E R S O N A L I T Y

COVER STORY

WRITER IN RESIDENCE Lisa Hilton

Photographer: M ZhaZo Location: Deluxe Suite, The Grand New Delhi Makeup: Ishu Nagpal Hair: Kalyug Arjun Watch: Panerai and Breitling

courtesy Kapoor Watch Compnay

COVER STORY

FAVOURITE WATCH BRANDSRolex There is a Classics Lady dated in white gold that I wear everyday; it was a gift. If I was going to buy myself a Rolex, I would get a huge metal one with a triple strap in rose gold. It's either the go big or go home way. Vacheron Constantin I gave Judith Rashleigh, my heroine, my fan-tasy watch, a Vacheron

Constantin. I think it's the simplicity of appear-ance and the extraor-dinary workmanship that draws me. I don't like anything that's too bright and blingy, al-though that can be fun too. Better be vulgar than dull. Patek Philippe I think Patek Philippes are lovely; I like the old ones.

There's a place in Lon-don in the Burlington arcade, where they have a couple of shops that specialise in vintage lux-ury watches, especially the Patek's from the 50s. They are very slim and have intensely woven bracelets. Jaeger LeCoultre Re-verso The J LC Reverso is very nice as well.

MURDER SHE WROTE Hilton writes under the

pen name LS Hilton

as she flits through continents, she has authored five historical biographies and three novels, and only re-cently ventured into erotic thrillers with Maestra—the first of the trilogy, which has already been optioned for motion picture rights—and Domina, that she is in the country to promote.

With frenetic chases across Europe, dark intrigue, sexy blackmail with dollops of deceit and murder, these psychological thrillers use art as a painterly digression to colour both the plot and the sex, which is both thrill-ingly graphic and achingly detached. It wears the skin of a Bond world where The Night Manager cohabits with Gone Girl as Russian oligarchs and Kazakh escorts roost on sprawling yachts overflowing with champagne, Prada bags and Vacheron Constantin watches. This is celebrity lifestyle porn as a poetic overwrite.

No wonder, art historian, opera librettist, columnist and broadcaster, Hilton was named Glamour magazine’s ‘Writer of the Year’ for 2016. Ironically, she hates both writing and playing dress-up, calling her classic make-up tip, “more is worse.” With Spice, she shares her love of erotic art, literature, travelling, watches and some confessions: “I don’t think that I am a creative person at all; the best excuse for not writing is tidying up so I live in the cleanest house in the world.” CHOOSING EROTICA OVER HISTORY I was interested in writing about a woman who broke the rules. I wanted to invert the convention of the

femme fatale and write about a bad woman who gets away with it. Maestra was quite a divisive book, on the other hand we have sold more than a million copies, so some women must like it. I think it gets people’s strong opinions and that’s really exciting. I think the last thing you want someone to say about your work is that ‘it’s nice’. It was Judith (Rashleigh) as a character who inter-ested me more than anything and it was a book that I wrote as an opposite to any political polemic. If I wanted to write a serious book on politics I would have done it. In fact I did write a serious book on politics: Elizabeth: Renaissance Prince but no one ever really wants to talk about that. So what I wanted to do with this book was to write something that gave people pleasure. I wanted to do what I loved when I was a teenager, which was write a book that you can escape into; you can be transported by something which is gripping and funny rather than anything polemical. Judith lives in an exaggerated reality in every sense and that is exactly what I wanted to do.

WHAT MAKES A HEADY COCKTAIL OF SEX AND MURDER?I did a lot of research for both of these books. I think that the readers are really smart and if something is badly researched or poorly imagined they can tell straight away and it breaks the spell of the book. So, for these books I have been to Serbia, Italy, Switzerland; I have interviewed everyone from a billionnaire hedge-funder to an internet hacker to an arms dealer. I’ve had


TOP DRAWERFive landmarks

Getting into Oxford; seeing Venice for the first time; birth of my daughter Ottavia; publishing my first

book; eating my first oyster.Perfect vacation

Boat, island, no WifiLuxury is...

Coco Chanel said elegance is refusal. Luxury is refus-ing anything but the most refined of its kind.

Dream holiday spot Patmos in the Mediterranean

Most indulgent purchase ever A sequined dress from Yves Saint Laurent

Favourite hotel The Gritti Palace in Venice; best view on the planet.

Most prized possession A box of letters from my daughter which has

cards and drawings.Foodie haven

Delhi. I have tasted food here that I’ve never tasted before.

Book worth re-reading The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford

Fashion brand of choice Isabel Marant and Balenciaga

Favourite authors of Indian originAnita Desai, VS Naipul, Arundhati Roy, Vikram Seth

and Salman RushdieErotic Art

Venus of Urbino by Titian; Story of O by Pauline Réage, Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos; Le boucher by Alina Reyes; In Praise of the

Stepmother, by Mario Vargas Llosa

CODE RED Lisa Hilton, draped in a red trench coat by

Rajesh Pratap Singh, wearing a Panerai watch

is no prince charming, there is no happy ending. So I feel sorry for people who enjoyed Fifty Shades of Grey, who bought my book because of that one comparison that a journalist made. We tried very hard to avoid any associations with the trilogy but I got angry letters from a lady saying “your book is an insult to E L James”. We liked her statement so much, we put it on the book.

THE DRAW Maestra and Domina deal with all the really impor-tant themes in literature: sex, murder and shoes. And because it’s a book for both men and women—it’s fast paced, glamorous and it aims to transport you.

friends of mine act out scenes to make sure that the choreography works. I tried a few of the more ex-treme things in the book on myself, without wishing to go into too much detail.

COMPARISONS WITH E L JAMES AND THE GREY TRILOGYIf my book produces half as much pleasure in the world as EL James then I am very glad at the com-parison. Personally, I’ve only just read the first one, and that’s because I was getting paid to; I think it’s unutterable rubbish. Fifty Shades of Grey is a story about a virgin who falls in love with a powerful older man; it’s Cinderella. Maestra is not a love story, there

COVER STORY


watchspecial

Every year thousands of watch

lovers gravitate to Switzerland in the months of January and March, to witness

time’s newest avatar. Between the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie and Baselworld, approximately 155,000 people

from different nationalities are in attendance. The novelties introduced at these fairs sets the tone for global sales and also highlights the biggest

trends in watch making for the current year. This year, while the we saw Maisons like Vacheron Constantin, Greubel Forsey and A. Lange & Sohne launch some

beautiful minute-repeaters and striking watches, the industry was also attempting to make timepieces more accessible by offering novelties at a reasonable value. The focus of

most brands has been on consolidating their collections rather than introducing completely new models in 2017.

If we study trends, the malleable yellow-gold has made a comeback, both in women’s and men’s watches. The use of ceramics, titanium and other hi-tech materials to fashion external

components of the watch also remains popular. This year we have seen many key brands going mainstream with the production and use of the watch’s movement components, innovating and using specialty materials like silicium, blue Parachrom hairsprings and wheels and gears made of

anti-magnetic materials. There was speculation about watch cases becoming smaller but this seems unfounded, as barring a few markets, mid-size watches for ladies and 40-42mm case sizes

for men still remain the norm. Spice also speaks to the leaders of fine-watch making who share their brand vision with us.

Where does India fit into the watch landscape? This year we get key experts to put the Indian story in perspective as they discuss what works in the Indian context and which

brands continue to excite customers. While the Swiss always have the first and last word in watch making, Indians are keen to explore this space as well as they take

tentative, baby steps into the industry through their niche watch brands. An emotion, an indulgence, a gift, or an object of personal gratification, a watch is a reflection of one’s personality and

remains a symbol of affluence, no matter how much or little it costs. Dive into the deep end as we take you

through time in all its manifestations.

TIMECAPSULE


THE ANNUAL FAIRS IN SWITZERLAND, THE SALON INTERNATIONAL de la Haute Horlogerie and Baselworld are pivotal when it comes to showcasing watches internationally.

The fairs not only introduce brand novelties for the year, they also highlight trends, market sentiments, the detail who’s buying what globally. India remains a tough market to crack, given the tax structure, a growing

middle class and a luxury consumer who is always looking for something unique. Given these challenges and complexities, the one-size-fits-all wrists theory fails in this dynamic market.

India Today Spice tries to break it down for consumer, reviewing the top watches of 2017, focusing on the timeless gems and bringing you the expert opinion as two top luxury watch retailers, Yasho Saboo, Chairman

and Managing Director of Ethos and Manish Madan, promoter of Johnson Watches, a third generation

company retailing luxury watches in India give us their opinion and pick the best of the best.

By SAROSH MODY

TOP 15 FROM 2017

MANISH MADANGreubel Forsey Grande SonnerieBreguet Marine Équation Marchante 5887A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk Decimal StrikeUlysse Nardin North Sea Minute RepeaterHarry Winston Avenue C™ Mini Moon Phase

FIVE FAVOURITES

ROUNDTABLE

watchspecial

This year, our team of luxury watch experts pick the top scorers from the two watch fairs of 2017

Yasho Saboo and Manish Madan (Johnson)

YASHO SABOORolex SkyDweller in yellow Rolesor

(yellow gold and steel)Jaeger-LeCoultre Duomètre

Quantième LunaireOris 10-day Power Reserve

with CalendarCorum Big Bubble ‘Eye’

Movado Edge

Not the usual classical aesthetic by Breguet, the bold 43.5mm case in platinum is a smart addition to the existing Marine collection.

Marine Équation Marchante 5887CONTEMPORARY MAKEOVER

Yasho Saboo A fabulous timepiece by Breguet. The way the brand has been able to rebuild history over the past 20 years is remark-able. The Breguet aesthetic remains true to every piece they bring

out from the Maison. The details on the dial, the fluted columns on the side of the case all have the Breguet stamp with an added con-

temporary touch.

Manish Madan A complication such as this which is fantastic, has been priced very competitively by the brand at approximately `1.5 crore

Spice The Equation of Time complication is not that common in complications. The combination of a perpetual calendar with a

tourbillon is a clear winner.

breguet

ROUNDTABLEKEY TAKEAWAY

Complications still attract a wide audience

GRANDE SONNERIECOLLECTOR’S CLUB

The first ever striking timepiece to be ever produced

by Greubel Forsey.

Manish Madan The shape of the case is unique to Greubel Forsey. At a price point of 7.7 crore it is out of reach for most but will appeal to the

ardent collector.Spice The combination of their

very own tourbillon with their first ever Grande Sonnerie puts the

piece into one of the most sort after complicated watches amongst the

collector’s fraternity internationally. Only three to five pieces will be

produced each year.The incorporation of eleven security

functions ensures there will be no tampering or accidental misuse.

vacheron constantin

Les Cabinotiers Symphonia Grande

Sonnerie 1860TECH MARVEL

The oldest watchmaking maison has launched many

minute-repeaters through their 262-year history. The Symphonia though, is their first ever Grand

Sonnerie watch.

Spice Creating a timepiece with a 9mm thickness is no easy feat to

achieve in a Grand Sonnerie piece. The movement also eliminates

‘phantom’ quarters, or the gap of silence that would otherwise occur between hours and minutes when

there are no quarter hours to chime.

greubel forsey

a. lange sohne

ZEITWERK DECIMAL STRIKEMORE BANG FOR BUCKAn audible striking watch with a twist. Hours are sounded and the minutes at every 10 minute intervals. Decimal striker

Manish Madan For an individual looking for a me-chanical chiming watch, the Zeitwerk Decimal Strike opens an attractive price point. Yasho Saboo One of the finest finished movements in the industry, non-Swiss, with a unique colour of gold cases, proprietary honey-gold. Though we would like to see more of these pieces come into India.Spice The only striking timepiece with a mechanical jumping numeral display

ulysse nardin

North Sea Minute RepeaterONE OF A KINDArt and mechanics come together in this creation. One of the finest repeaters with an automaton and exquisite champlevé enamel dial.

Manish Madan The automata function of the three golden cranes is fascinating. The motion of the cranes is in sync with the striking tones of the minute repeater.Spice In-house metier de arts, enamel and en-graving. Only minute-repeater automaton watch released this year.



Old is still gold in the watch universe

rolex

SkyDweller BUILT FOR EASY USE

Manish Madan With the steel and gold version, the SkyDweller lends

itself to a wider audienceYasho Saboo A true utilitarian

complication. A little detail that most people miss out on is the lumines-cent compound used on the mark-ers which is one of the finest in the industry. The proprietary material used by Rolex, Chromalight, emits

an intense blue glow, which increases the legibility of the dial significantly

in low light conditions.Spice An easy to use, practical

complication from one of the most robustly built luxury watchmakers. Despite being the largest producer

of luxury watches, Rolex still has the highest brand recall in India.

cartier

PanthereUNISEX WONDER

Return of the symbolic Panthere, with a face-lift

Yasho Saboo An iconic design from the brand, it is a watch that can be rec-ognised even without the Cartier name

on the dial.Manish Madan Though the revival is

most welcome, the classical size could be a restrictive and keep the younger buyer away. Cartier’s patrons will welcome this

re-launch with open armsSpice A unique design aesthetic that appeals to both men and women. Not

too many watchmakers have been able to appeal to both sexes through an identical

design aesthetic.


chopard L.U.C PERPETUAL CHRONOJEWEL IN THE CROWNA hidden gem from the Chopard Haute Horlogerie workshops

Manish Madan This is purely a collector’s watch. Most men identify Chopard with the Mille-Miglia, but this watch is for an extremely mature watch buyer, who’s been there, done that.Spice A true collector’s watch with a fair-mined plati-num case, superlatively finished manufacture movement, COSC certified and signature aesthetic.

jaeger-lecoultre

Duomètre Quantième Lunaire

VALUE FOR MONEYOne of the most finely balanced, open-work watches this year. Combines a sporty-chic

with classical elegance.

Manish Madan The grey dial with the rose gold case is a lovely combination that has appeal.

Yasho Saboo Though the Reverso remains a bigger draw from the Jaeger-LeCoultre stable, the Duomètre for me, is the line which is really growing. This line will take Jaeger-LeCoul-tre’s mechanical prowess to another level. The pricing is com-petitive for a complication of this kind and I doubt anyone can

match Jaeger-LeCoultre in this.Spice One of the first technical innovations with the dual-

wing concept. The movement holds to power source points, one of which is for timekeeping, the other for powering the

complication. This ensures that the timekeeping section is al-ways supplied with optimum power for precision timekeeping.


Brands continue to cash in on old favourites

Manish Madan A technically refined time-piece by the brand, It may be a while before the target audience is able to dwell on the finer mechanical aspects of a timepiece.Yasho Saboo Though the peripheral rotor system has been around for a while, Carl F. Bucherer was the first to commercially use it in a watch. However, beyond the technical-ity of the movement, I think the clean and simple aesthetic, with just the right shimmer of diamonds and a lovely mother-of-pearl dial, is very impressive.Spice A highly technical ladies watch main-taining an elegant aesthetic with a feminine mother of pearl dial and diamonds

carl f bucherer

omega THE OMEGA 1957 TRILOGY LIMITED EDITIONSGOING BACK IN TIMERevisiting 1957, a year when Omega released three professional timepieces that have remain its most iconic pieces

Yasho Saboo Preserving the 50s aes-thetic, remaining true to producing the trilogy, keeping the spirit of 1957 intact. The set of three is more of an emotional offering by the brand for collectors.Manish Madan One of my favourite ‘vintage-revival’ pieces.Spice The retro-styled Omega logo and black tropical dials should interest the collector . This is a brand that does not do Limited Editions often, so the 3557 pieces of the trilogy will have collectors queueing up for their piece of nostalgia.

Manero PeripheralONE FOR THE LADIESA 40.6mm ladies watch in a steel case with a manufacture movement. Bold, yet classical


corum THE BIG

BUBBLE “EYE”BIG BOSS

The 52mm case diameter is not for the

faint hearted

Yasho Saboo I admire Corum’s spirit in bringing

back the Bubble. The “eye” might not appeal to all but

I approve this eccentric creation.

Spice The Bubble makes a comeback. Combines fine Swiss watchmaking with a contemporary aesthetic.

rado

True Thinline ColoursTHIN IS IN

Uncluttered clean dial and monochromatic colour scheme

Manish Madan Rado is to India what Longines to China. Though the Diastar remains most popular, I think the Thinline Colours should attract

a wider, younger audienceYasho Saboo What I like about Rado is that they innovate in design but

stay true to their use of speciality materials.

movado

EDGE™DESIGN DRAMA

Regarded today as an icon of mid-20th century mod-ernism, the museum dial remains one of the most

recognized and acclaimed watch dial designs

Yasho Saboo An extremely affordable luxury Swiss watch

with an ingenious design. Spice An out-of-the-box approach to watch design by collaborating with an industrial designer Yves

Behar resulting in innovation and sophistry that is

unmatched.

nomos Aqua Series

COOL WATERSGerman watch

brand makes waves in the world of

fine watchmaking.

Yasho Saboo Nomos is a brand that presents the ideology and craft of an

independent watchmaker at an affordable price. People

who are intrigued by the “manufacture” ethos in watchmaking, will be

drawn to it.Spice A unique aesthetic inspired by Bauhaus with

smooth movements

Rado is to India what Longines to China. Though the Diastar remains most popular, I think the Thinline Colours should attract

What I like about Rado is that they innovate in design but



Indie brands make an innovative splash

By SAROSH MODY

FRONTRUNNERS

COSMOGRAPH DAYTONAA GOLDEN OLDIE

Popularised by racing legends Sir Malcolm Campbell and actor Paul Newman, Rolex first served as Daytona’s official timekeeper in 1962, a year prior to the debut of the Cosmograph. The rest, as they say, is history. The new versions of this icon are fitted with the innova-tive Oysterflex bracelet in elastomer, reinforced with a metal blade, and are equipped with a monobloc Cerachrom bezel, patented by Rolex, in black ceramic. This lat-est evolution is a blend of high technology and sleek aesthetics, and pays trib-ute to the heritage of this legendary chronograph. The black bezel is remi-niscent of the 1965 model that was fitted with a black Plexiglas bezel insert.

rolex

Only human beings endeavour to invest significant amounts of time in designing and creating complex tools, turning utilitarian implements into valued pos-

sessions. The 1950s and 60s specialised in tool-watches (watches with application-specific functions ) for most

professionals, such as astronauts, divers, pilots, doctors, sailors and the armed forces. Today, although digital

precision tools have taken over, nostalgia manifests it-self in poignant expressions on the wrist. Spice discovers

modern versions of the tools of yesteryear as new-age ‘renditions of smart’ horology.

watchspecial

montblanc TimeWalker

Chronograph Rally Timer Counter Limited Edition 100

RACING AHEAD

The chronograph symbolises the spirit of racing and harks back to these glorious instru-

ments by offering a new line for the modern performer. With an elegant black leather calf

strap, it can easily be converted into a pocket watch by simply folding the strap attachments

under the case and turning the case from 0 to 180 degrees. The pocket watch can then be placed either on a table,

thanks to two arms below the case used as a stopwatch with the strap used as a handle for

security, or clipped into a metal plate covered with leather that attaches to a car’s dashboard,

offering a highly functional and extremely legible timepiece

when behind the wheel.

richard mille RM 50-03

McLAREN F1LESS IS MORE

The new Richard Mille launch would give present

day speedometers a run for their money when it comes to technology. Produced in

collaboration with the famed Formula 1 constructor, the

new Richard Mille calibre is a technical masterpiece offer-ing off-the-chart mechanical performance. The RM 50-03 tourbillon split second’s

chronograph ultralight McLaren F1 weighs less than

40 grams—including the new strap—which makes it

the lightest mechanical chro-nograph ever made.

hublot

TECHFRAME FERRARI 70 YEARSTOP GEAR

This watch is a result of team effort that began with Ferrari in Ma-ranello and ended in Nyon with Hublot. The Hublot manufacture

took this design by Ferrari and applied its expertise in engineering, materials and watchmaking. The single-button chronograph is

considered to be the best by specialists, is handled by an original lever in Ferrari red anodised aluminium.

blancpain FIFTY

FATHOMS MIL-SPECVINTAGE WINS HANDS DOWN

Reinterpreting one of its vin-tage pieces from the 1950s,

Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms with a water-tightness indicator, was one of the finest diver watches at Baselworld 2017. Earlier, to combat water-tightness, the

indicator was an ingenious in-novation. If, by chance, liquid

was to leak into the watch case, a disk at 6 o’clock would signal the problem by changing its

colour from white to red. This water-tightness indicator was present on the dial of the Fifty

Fathoms model called the MIL-SPEC 1, which was

introduced in 1957-58 to meet the stringent requirements

of the military.


favre leuba Bivouac 9000 CAPTURING NEW HEIGHTS

This is the first mechanical wristwatch that’s capable of measuring altitudes of up to 9,000 metres above sea level, with the aid of an aneroid barometer. The red central hand indicates the altitude on the bi-directional rotating bezel, which carries a scale divided into 50-metre steps. One full clockwise rotation of the red central hand indicates a climb in altitude of 3,000 me-tres. The bezel is held in place by a two-way ratchet mechanism.

oris

Regulateur ‘Der Meistertaucher’DIVER’S DELIGHT

Oris became the first watch company to introduce the traditional complication of a ‘regulator’ into a diver’s watch. What becomes most

important for a diver is the watch’s ability to relay accurately and clearly the remaining dive time. And it’s for this reason that Oris has created

and now redesigned the new Regulateur ‘Der Meistertaucher’.

graham

Chronofighter Vintage Nose ArtART OF THE MATTER

The pinups on the Graham Chronofighter Vintage Nose Art Ltd family tease and please as they further another chapter in the Anglo-Swiss brand’s passionate tale of aviation highlights. Graham presents the Flying Forties in watch form. The 100 limited editions that make up the latest collection are recruited as part of the Chronofighter Vintage series. Glamorous illustra-tions, in the style of those first applied to military planes in the 1940s to bolster military morale, transform these timepieces into attractive statements of hope and freedom.

bell & ross

HorographA TRAVELLER’S TIMEPIECE

This model is intended to inform the traveller with the utmost clarity and precision. Its graphics are very elaborate and the display is as rigor-ous as those of airport clocks. Housed with an automatic movement in

the ever-recognisable square Bell & Ross case, made to resemble one of the analogue counters on an avionics panel.


This brand has a resilient account with the Ital-ian navy, a tradition of creating iconic underwater watches with unique and distinctive characteristics. This special edition limited to 1,000 units comes in a 47mm bronze case, combined for the first time with a blue dial. The rotating bezel with a graduated scale for calculating the time of immer-sion, is connected to the case by a special system designed and patented by Officine Panerai. The functions include the date (at 3 o’clock), the small second’s counter (at 9 o’clock), the device for stop-ping the balance wheel so as to synchronise the watch with a reference time signal, and a mecha-nism for rapidly adjusting the hour hand, which can be moved forwards or backwards in one-hour jumps without interfering with the running of the watch. Now that’s called multi-tasking.

On this new version of this superlative-charged chronograph, issued in a 1,000-piece limited edition, Breitling has equipped the black dial with luminescent hands and numerals featuring a slightly patinated yellow-beige colour that evokes the nostalgia of watches produced by the brand from the 1940s to the 1960s, A nod to Bre-itling’s long standing heritage in the aeronautical and military field, the 50 mm case boasts an exclusive high-tech material 3.3 times lighter than titanium and 5.8 times lighter than steel but still remains signifi-cantly harder.

panerai

LUMINOR SUBMERSIBLE 1950 3 DAYS AUTOMATIC–BRONZOMARITIME TRADITION

breitling

Avenger Hurricane MilitaryINVOKING NOSTALGIA

FRONTRUNNERS


Fossil’s hybrid smartwatch blends analogue design with smart connectivity. The watch is equipped with new smart technology and a battery life of up to six months. Dressed in dark navy leather, the Q Tailor features vintage Arabic indices in a rose gold-tone case. Using Bluetooth® technology, it receives smartphone notifications and accomplishes daily fitness goals when the hour, minute and sub-eye hands spin or the watch case vibrates. Set an alarm, track multiple time zones or steps walked, calorific intake, sleep, or even take a photo. You can even customise your look with interchangeable straps. Powered by the Fossil Q App, Fossil Q Hybrid Smartwatches are compatible with phones run-ning Android OS 5.0+ or iPhone 5/iOS 9.0+.

tag heuer

CONNECTED MODULAR 45BREAKING NEW GROUND

Featuring an original concept that is brand new in the field of connected watches:the module is interchangeable with an haute horlogerie mechanical module. The three hands or chronograph tourbillon COSC certified of-

fers a vast choice of materials, colours and combinations; the concept of modularity also applies to the lugs, strap, buckle. This offers nothing less than a luxury watch which can be completely tailored to suit your mood. Above all, the connected watch is a Carrera Model. It fits in this famous TAG Heuer collection, the perfect representation of avant-garde, art of manufacture and accessible luxury. Measuring an elegant 45 mm in diameter, the design of the TAG Heuer Connected Modular is primarily that of a genuine watch whose lugs, strap, buckle and, the case in par-

ticular—its central module—are interchangeable elements.

fossil

Hybrid Smartwatch Q TailorCONNECTING PEOPLE

FRONTRUNNERS

W

AClass Apart

The changing aesthetic of the classic Zenith does not compromise on the DNA of the brand, insists its CEO Julien Tornare

hile Zenith is a classic brand, your latest creation seems edgier. Was this deliberate?We as a brand believe that legends are forever. It highlights the fact that Zenith is a tradi-tional, established brand that wants to bring back innovation. My plan is to work within the DNA of the brand, within its historical con-text but to be forward thinking. The first way to do this is through the creation of products like the Defy El Primero 21.

What are your key challenges?My biggest challenge is to bring the magic of the brand back. I have just taken over but am already understanding the brand ethos better; I would say I have been bitten by the Zenith bug, I am really excited about the brand and I

want our clients to feel the same passion. We need to bring back the magic and the emo-tion that will create desirability, which in turn will lead to sales. The skill and passion are extraordinary, we need the team to believe in our projects, share the vision and drive them in the right direction.

The brand’s iconic chronograph, the El Primero has changed com-pletely in aesthetic. What was the inspiration behind the makeover of this classical chronograph?We are now introducing Defy El Primero 21, offering 100th of a second timing. It’s the most accurate series-made chronograph on the market and it combines Zenith’s expertise in terms of technical precision with a more

CEO SPEAKwatchspecial


powerful and particularly cool-looking design. This is a historical moment for the brand with such a novelty and stunning techni-cal achievement. Of course, there are some joint research within LVMH and Zenith, TAG Heuer and Hublot, but we have tried to remain true to Zenith’s DNA and positioning and we wish to connect this exceptional and authentic Manufacture not only with its great history, but also with its future.

What do your watches stand for?The way forward for us is to create models like the Defy 21, which is a fantastic watch based on the El Primero chronograph that measures time to 1/100th of a second. We reinterpreted the design of the historical Defy and made it look very contemporary. We also have to look at the product envi-ronment—the catalogues, the displays, the launches and more. It’s important to give a new dynamic to the brand and this is a clear priority. Our industry is always look-ing to the past for inspiration but I believe Zenith is poised to embrace the future through innovation. After having spent 12 years in the market, I believe the client is key. I strongly believe that our industry is too HQ-centric, manufacture-centric. I want to put the client back at the centre of our universe and create watches specifically for him.

What next for Zenith? Talking about Zenith, I have only been here for a month so I can give you my first impressions, but of course I have been in the industry for 20 years. First of all, I want to concentrate on brand perception which I feel has taken a beating because of the lack of positioning. A lot depends on the message we send out over the next few months.

LEGEND The new avatar of the DEFY EL PRIMERO 21 in ceramicised aluminium and an open-worked dial


I

The

CodeIWC reaffirms its loyalty to female customers with a brand new collection this year, says CEO Christoph Grainger-Herr

IWC is known to be skewed toward men, however at Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie this year, we saw a novelties col-lection for women. What inspired it? Because we are generally perceived as a male-oriented brand, it may come as a surprise to many that IWC Schaffhausen has a long history of producing women’s watches as well. In fact, women’s watches have been an integral part of the Da Vinci family since 1988, and IWC has been manufacturing women’s watches in general since the 1870s. With the new Da Vinci collection, we are revisiting this tradition of creating selected refer-ences with a dedicated focus on our female customers. With the Da Vinci Automatic 36 and the Da Vinci Au-tomatic Moon Phase 36, , for instance, we are directly addressing women by adding diamonds and fashionable straps. We have a strong female segment now, catering to a variety of preferences and price points.

You recently took over the reins at IWC. What are the changes that you’re planning?

My focus is on continuity. I have been with IWC for more than 10 years and have developed many of our current initiatives with my predeces-sor Georges Kern. We have six well-established product families covering a broad spectrum, from entry-level watches to haute horlogerie complica-tions. Since I am trained in architecture and design, I have a distinct aesthetic vision for our brand and this will reflected in some of our future initiatives and products. I want to continue to develop beauti-ful, iconic products and engaging in storytelling around our partnerships, while offering a coherent brand experience to the customer. My goal is to further grow IWC into one of the dominant players in fine watchmaking.

The iconic Da Vinci has seen an aes-thetic evolution from the tonneau-in-spired case to the classical round. What are the other changes in the comeback Da Vinci this year?

CEO SPEAK

Da Vinci

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The new Da Vinci line marks the return to the iconic round design that was established so successfully with the launch of the Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chro-nograph in 1985. The round case with a doubleframed bezel, as well as the circular motifs on the crown and push-buttons were inspired by sketches from Leonardo da Vinci showing fortifications in the port of Piombino in Italy. Another 1980s feature, our designers have in-tegrated into the new collection are the articulated strap horns with curved lugs. They are not only a distinctive design element for the new Da Vinci model, but also ensure a comfortable fit on slimmer wrists, making these watches especially attractive for women.

With a mandate for luxury, what are the essential principles you instil into each of your watches?

The foundation is, of course, an outstanding product of uncompromising quality, meticulously handcrafted in our workshops in Schaffhausen. But a mechanical watch from IWC is much more than that, because it also sum-mons pure emotions to your wrist. As a luxury brand, we are probably the most focused on storytelling. Each of our six product lines have a strong narrative that people fall in love with. These stories are enriching our products with an experience or emotion. The Da Vinci family, for example, is about the mysterious “Code of Beauty” that Leonardo strove for in geometry or mathematics, while our Ingenieur line focuses on the fascination with classic cars and historic motorsport. These stories add an ad-ditional dimension to our products, and they are some-thing that many people can strongly connect with.

As CEO, it is always a challenge for a luxu-ry brand to strike a balance between being a niche brand and showing growth. Please tell me how you keep this balance? IWC Schaffhausen is on a global trajectory. We are outstandingly well-positioned today. There is strong po-tential in all of our six product lines and we clearly have the ability to become a top player in the luxury watch market during the next years. This is what we are focus-ing on. We are currently building a new manufacturing site, where we combine our centuries-old watchmaking knowledge with state-of-the-art technology. With this step, we are not only expanding our expertise in the manufacture of in-house movements, but also laying the foundation for the future growth of our brand.

Many say that millennials do not have an affinity for watches, rather they are satis-fied with their devices. What would you say to that? Who are the future patrons of IWC? Just look around in Silicon Valley. A lot of these man-agers are wearing mechanical wristwatches. Why is that? We live in a fast-paced time. We are always con-nected and always online, but we have no sustainable symbols. In these times, people are looking for lasting symbols to add meaning to their own existence. With the help of art, culture and architecture, people have always created objects or symbols that outlasted them. Digital bits and bytes are not everlasting, and especially in today’s sharing economy, everything has become interchangeable. But as humans, we don’t function this way. We need something physical, a symbol we can connect with durably. And a mechanical watch can provide this feeling in a certain measure – beyond the moment and for generations.

A FEMININE EDGE

The Da Vinci Automatic 36 is one of two new

models with which IWC Schaffhausen

addresses an exclusively female

target group this year.

RRoger Dubuis’s penchant for extreme technical precision sets it apart from the milieu, says Jean-Marc Pontroué

CEO SPEAK

oger Dubuis’s aesthetic has changed as they embrace the ‘Dare to be Rare’ slogan. Tell us more about the brand’s plans.Roger Dubuis was always a brand that sought to be different and challenged the accepted norms of haute horlogerie. Right from its in-ception, this drive to be different, to do some-thing out of the ordinary or as they say today, be disruptive, was part of the brand’s DNA. Our ability to stand out from the norm, gave us our signature identity as a high-end brand renowned for extreme technical complications and innovative design. We continue to tread that path, with the slogan ‘Dare to be Rare’, which exemplifies our commitment to innovation as we challenge mindsets and set

trends in the horological world while crafting some of the industry’s most captivating and rare timepieces.

What are the exciting markets for the brand?While we continue to forge ahead on the inno-vative and path-breaking track that the brand is known for, we are exploring further avenues of development as we strive to maintain our reputation as a brand that stands out from our rivals. We are looking at different market segments and developing timepieces suited to regional tastes as we continue to grow our footprint globally. India, for us, is a market that is full of exciting potential and we see it playing a significant role in our future growth plans.

A BreedRare

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The Exclaibur has become one of the most recognisable watch-es of the brand. What defines the special partnership you forged with Pirelli to create this?The world of high-end and high perfor-mance motorsport shares a lot with our world of haute horlogerie. Those who appre-ciate, use and race these high performance cars are also some of the people who are our patrons. The qualities of excellence, exacting performance in high stress situations and innovative design and streamlined style are common to both Pirelli and Roger Dubuis, so our tie-up was really quite natural. The high-octane partnership with Pirelli sym-

bolises a perfect match on all key levels and we deliver money-can’t-buy experiences. This is a stunning embodiment of what can happen when visionary engineers meet incredible watchmakers. The commemora-tive special edition was designed to be a unique, one-of-a-kind collector’s timepiece to commemorate a special occasion and so is limited in number.

It’s always a challenge for a luxury brand to strike a balance between being a niche brand and showing growth. How do you maintain this balance?Our brand has cemented its reputation as a high-end luxury brand and we will continue to grow in that direction. But our strength lies in innovation, adaption and flexibility of design. The way ahead may be challeng-ing, but as a brand we are already looking at evolving new strategies to reach different markets. It is important for us to continue to push the envelope of innovative watch-making which is extremely sensitive to the evolving trends and preferences in the fine watch markets of the future.

What next for the brand?While it is true that many of today’s mil-lennials have yet to develop a taste for fine watches and many of them don’t even wear a wristwatch. Roger Dubuis with its avant garde approach, brings an ultra-modern and cutting edge approach to watch design and the technology that drives its present and future masterpieces. Going forward, the maison is also to conceptualise a series of unforgettable tie-ups and experiences that will capture the imagination of the millen-nial fine watch lover and align them with the pioneering and innovative spirit that is a fundamental part of the maison’s DNA. All these current and future developments are part of our ‘Dare to be Rare’ concept, which sums up the way we approach the future—with utmost confidence.

INNOVATE Excalibur ramps up its avant-garde engineering limited edition of eight pieces performed with winning motorsport tyre rubber


Baselworld 2017 saw the launch of the new avatar of the iconic Serpenti by Bulgari. Tell us more about this.Our philosophy is to let the lady be the pro-tagonist, rather than the watch. Our women customers love to talk about their experiences, write a blog, etc. If you gave them an oppor-tunity to design, for sure, they would love to design their own watch too. The design your own watch plan stems from our bridal concept “Design your Love”. This digital programme allows the woman to customise her own jewel-lery. We decided to take it a step further, allow-ing the lady to put together her own colours and materials to the Serpenti as well.

So how does customisation work with the Serpenti?The Serpenti can be transformed in a heartbeat thanks to an extremely practical fastening sys-tem making the straps easily interchangeable on all models, including those with a steel or pink

The wearer takes centre stage with the new Serpenti by Bulgari, says Jean-Christophe Babin

TwistsTale in the

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gold case, with or without diamonds. While each watch comes with two straps, Karung or calfskin, in the client’s choice of colours, a wide range of additional shades are available at Bulgari bou-tiques where the new Serpenti is now available.

How many variations are likely?A lady can literally “compose” her personal Ser-penti by means of an app installed on a tablet, by choosing the case, dial, the gem-setting and potentially the strap as well. The client will also be able to have an engraving of her choice on the case-back. In all, the palette of combinations and colour variations comprises a total of 312 varia-tions, providing plenty of scope to enable each woman to define her own Serpenti and make it virtually unique and always madly desirable.

You have also launched a record breaking, ultra-thin watch for men. Could you explain the features?With men’s watches, as a jeweller, we should set the same benchmark of elegance and sophistica-tion that we have for women. When you are Ital-ian, the elegance and sophistication is defined by a sharp silhouette. We wanted a slim watch which would keep the watch’s inherent strong charac-ter intact. We merged it within the Octo design, which has a bold yet sophisticated look. The Octo Finissimo Automatic is the slimmest ultra-thin self-winding watch ever created. When we first launched the Tourbillon in 2014 and the Minute Repeater in 2016, both in Octo ultra-thin series, the Finissimo Automatic began to attract a wider audience of men. It has a strong pedigree and is sold at an excellent price.

Tell us about the Bulgari boutique in New DelhiThe boutique is now two years old. We are happy to be there, though we are performing slightly below expectations due to the current financial changes in the country. We are optimistic that the traffic will grow. Meanwhile, we are looking for a suitable opportunity to open in other cities and expand our Indian presence, so Mumbai might just be our next stop.

FEARLESS Serpenti’s

new field of expression, as

the icon adopts double wrap-

around straps made from

multicolour exotic leathers

CEO SPEAK

FEARLESS

expression, as the icon adopts


CTech

Years AheadOmega remains synonymous with technological precision and pathbreaking design, claims Raynald Aeschlimann

ould you explain the use of superior technology in most of the Omega’ timepieces?Pioneering innovation has always been one of Omega’s greatest strengths. The inside of a watch is incredibly important. Consumers shouldn’t forget that. The Co-Axial escape-ment launched in 1999 is certainly one of the defining technologies of our brand. It was designed by George Daniels and has revolutionised watchmaking. The technology is complex but there are some impressive advantages including less friction, greater mechanical efficiency and outstanding chro-nometric performance over time. For the consumer, it maximises quality and means that they are buying a watch that goes well beyond traditional standards.

What are your plans for Omega?For me, it’s not so much about change. It’s about progression. Omega has such a rich history, reputation and culture. My job is to make sure we continue this into the future.

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We must remain relevant and attractive and that is something we can do through sales strategy, product design and market-ing. I want to ensure that everything works together in the best way possible.

What was the inspiration for the makeover of the classic Speedmaster?The Speedmaster is a unique timepiece because it is loved by so many people all over the world. We simply wanted to offer diversity, both in colour and size. Everyone has different tastes in watches and we recognised a desire, often among women, for a more refined Speedmaster case, hence the makeover,

What do Omega timepieces stand for?You can’t just call a product luxury. You have to earn that tag. For Omega, every single part of the watch must subscribe to the highest standard possible. Not only in the use of the finest materials and technologies, but also by going through the most superior production processes and getting certification. Everything we do, from the first manu-facture of pieces to the final boutique experience, must be of the highest standard. That’s when you gain respect and your products become aspirational.

How do you strike a balance between the past and future?Omega has a strong advantage because we are already an aspirational brand. People know our history and many of our products are considered to be “iconic”. So we don’t really fit into that niche area. For us, the balance is needed between heritage and progress. We do that through our storytelling and product evolution. The Speedmas-ter Dark Side of the Moon is a great example of how Omega has taken a classic product and made it attractive to the new generation through updated design and revolutionary mechanics.

Will watches remain relevant in today’s gizmo-heavy world? I always believe that watches are a part of your personality and style. A watch can represent who you are. Unlike devices or clothing, watches have an emotional connection and they can remain with you for a lifetime. I think this will still be true in the future. Yes, millennials are showing different needs and wants as consumers, but I think their core desires are the same as past generations and there will always be an appreciation for fine watches. It’s a market Omega is following closely and I think we are already doing very well at connecting with them.

TIME-HONOURED:

One of the most recognised

chronographs in the world, Omega

introduces the famous look and

heritage in a 38 mm


ITimekeeper

The life and times of brand Longines after its 185th anniversary, according to CEO, Walter von Känel

n 2017, the Swiss watch brand Longines celebrated its 185th anniversary. What is going to be special this year?Life must go on, beyond the 185th anniversary at Longines. For me the key elements this year are the V.H.P and our COSC certification with the Record collection and of course the creation of a new version of the iconic Lindberg watch that remains special.

What makes the new Conquest V.H.P. launched by Longines at Baselworld 2017 so special?Based on the many years of experi-ence we have with quartz, this year, we are presenting a very special and newly-developed movement. Longines will present a year long exclusive col-lection using the latest technology in quartz (battery operated) movement.

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Year of the V.H.P

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AN ICON The new Conquest V.H.P boasts of high degree of precision for an analog watch; Longines celebrates the 90th anniversary of the first ever non-stop solo transatlantic flight with a limited edition of 90 watches (Opp)

The new Conquest V.H.P., which stands for Very High Precision, is equipped with a movement developed by ETA exclusively for us. This move-ment is renowned for its high degree of preci-sion for an analog watch (5 s/yr). This means that it would have a variation of five seconds, within a span of a year.

The movement can also reset its hands after an impact or exposure to a magnetic field, using the GPD (gear position detection) system. These

two important functions will remain proprietary of brand Longines. These attractive features are complemented by a long battery life and a per-petual calendar. The steel 42mm diameter model displays hours, minutes and seconds, a 30-min-ute counter at 3 o’clock, a 12-hour counter at 9 o’clock and a 60-second counter in the centre, on its black dial. A steel bracelet with a folding safety clasp completes this exceptional timepiece.

Where do you see V.H.P. being posi-tioned globally?We are quite optimistic and bullish about V.H.P. We might land up doing 120,000 units this year itself. The best part is that China has taken to V.H.P. very well. They were always skewed towards men’s mechanical watches, but this new watch has changed that perspective. For the world to have all this at CHF 950, is a steal. So, we have started with a chronograph and a calen-dar, but with the future implications and use of this technology, sky’s the limit.

Could you talk about the kind of numbers that Longines generates?The brand manufactures about 1.4 million units in watches with a turnover of CHF 1.5 billion.


‘Beyond time’, is an apt expression to define timepieces that straddle both craftsmanship and creativity with equal aplomb. These treasurable works of virtuosity represent the different strokes of haute horlogerie.By SAROSH MODY

harry winston

Divine TimeSPARKLE SAGA

The Divine Time by Harry Winston can be worn as a pendant, with a Harry Winston tag set with a brilliant-cut diamond on an 18-carat white gold chain, or around the wrist on

an open-work alligator leather strap, which is embellished with an additional 27 brilliant-cut diamonds on the ardillon buckle. The transformation from pendant to timepiece is done with

great ease and makes room for versatility.

DIFFERENT STROKES

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audemars piguet

Diamond Outrage

A BLING FLING

Diamond Outrage’s distinctive glittering spikes in varying sizes (ranging from 29.30mm to 40mm) are created using the snow setting technique, where diamonds are set so close together that the jewel’s white-gold frame is

rendered almost invisible, creating a luminous effect. Invisible setting, another rare technique,

is used for each of the three distinctive ba-guette-cut diamond points featured on the full diamond version. Here, linear-cut diamonds appear to float, held perfectly in place as if no setting were required. It takes many years of training for an expert jeweller to acquire the necessary skills to master an invisible setting.

breguet

Reine De Naples 8918

MARCH OF AN ICON

A lively and joyful blue script contrasts beautifully with the warm shimmer of Tahitian mother-of-

pearl in the new version of Breguet’s iconic Reine De Naples. With distinctly larger Breguet

numerals delicately framed in a rose gold case set with brilliant-cut diamonds on the bezel and

flange, as well as a briolette-cut diamond on the crown, it's simply sublime.

hermes

Cape Cod ShadowOUT OF THE BOX

The Cape Cod is Henri d’Origny's—a long-standing creative partner of the Maison—almost irreverant response to convention: a watch rep-

resenting a ‘square inside a rectangle’. Cape Cod surprises observers with the full-on aesthetic

appeal of the shadow. A black DLC-treated case, a matt black dial, red burnishing of the strap

edges are the deliberate style choices of a model that loudly professes liberty.

jaquet droz

Grande Seconde Tourbillon

TAMING THE TOURBILLION

Tourbillons for women are not unheard of, though one does not chance upon them that

often either. Jaquet Droz is putting a twist on its iconic lines to create a new standard in women’s watches. Master craftsmen did this by choosing

one of the most beautifully luminescent materials: mother-of-pearl. Fragile and delicate, it demands

amazing dexterity to prevent chipping. With an age-old tradition of mineral dials, Jaquet Droz

has all the expertise it needs to achieve flawless-ness yet again. The shimmering effects offset the gleam of the red gold on the 39 mm case set with

brilliant-cut diamonds.


tissot

Femini-TROCKING THE SIXTIES

The Tissot Femini-T is inspired by one of its gold women’s models that dates back to the sixties. This re-edition stays true to the original watch with its distinctive cushion-shaped case design, which is echoed in the indices set with Top Wesselton diamonds. This gives the watch the true allure of jewellery.

SENSUALSPORT WITH STYLE

Inspired by delicate feminine curves, this sophisticated timepiece is an ode to poetry and romance. Calvin Klein's sensuality is a revelation in desire

and beauty, made up of a silver or black dial accented by a stainless steel or bicolour stainless steel and pink gold PVD bangle.

calvin klein


DIFFERENT STROKES

T

INDIA IN TIME

THE DIAL IS beautiful, ornate, classic, the move-ments smooth and confident. At first glance it looks like a watch that has all the trappings of a Swiss-made wonder but closer inspec-tion reveals that this is a Made in India showstopper. While the Swiss watch manufacturers hold sway over a majority of the world market by virtue of their timekeep-ing prowess honed over succes-sive generations of family owned and loved businesses, the Indian time story is only just beginning. We chronicle three Indian watch brands that are attempting to go

Homegrown brands carve a niche for themselves in the world of watchmaking

By PRACHI BHUCHAR & SAROSH MODY

Watch Out

INDIA

jaipur watch company

Early DaysSince watch making was new in India, Gaurav Mehta, 34, had to start from scratch. Capital was also a big issue but he sold his old business, took a loan and launched the company in 2013. The other big challenge was to source unused condition coins from collectors across the country.

USP The JWC specialises in storytell-ing through its products and a story card accompanies every watch sold. Watches are conversa-tion pieces appreciated by collec-tors and those looking to pass a watch on from one generation to another.

Special FocusThe brand makes unique, titanium coin watches that are automatic. This year, Mehta has started man-ufacturing bespoke and 18-carat gold watches. This service gives the brand a Made in India edge.

Most Memorable PiecesA client wanted a watch with a 3mm Ganesha figure inside, fit with diamonds, and also indicated that the hands of time should not go through the Ganesha. It took six months to create this masterpiece with Swiss movements. From the prêt collection, the Imperial 2 automatic which is a successor to the first watch Mehta created is special.

Indian ConnectJaipur inspires the pieces in some way or the other. The hand painted dials, meenakari work are created by local artisans in Jaipur. The JWC’s logo depicts the four gates of Jaipur and is all-Indian.

Price pointThe pret collection ranges be-tween `16,000-55,000. Bespoke pieces start at `2.5 lakh.

Address02, Roop Kamal Building, C-55, Sarojini Marg, Jaipur, Rajasthan

watchspecial

beyond the tried and tested to give Indian consumers a chance to wear a piece of his-tory on their wrist.


CHINMAY SHAH, 35, always wanted to create a business that would combine his love for numbers and creativity and Aiqon was born. The brand began its journey in 2014 and has been taking baby steps since, creating timepieces that allow you to wear a part of India on your wrist. According to Shah, “The name of the watch was meant to be simple. I didn’t want it to be an Indian-sounding name but at the same time I didn’t want it to sound foreign, so I came up with Aiqon since most of our designs are based on iconic themes.”

Biggest challengeWhat you end up manufacturing here is lower grade expect for the dials which can be designed in house. The movements of even a middle grade watch have to be imported and that remains a big challenge. Getting people to accept an Indian-made watch is also a challenge as there is a perception that Indians can’t make watches.

USPThe watches are designed exclusively by Shah and the entire combination of idea, colour, machine, etc all decided by him so they are all unique pieces.

InspirationThe pieces produced at Aiqon have hints of Swatch in them. History was Shah’s favourite subject in school and the former stock analyst who worked in oil and gas in New York drew on both history and his love for encyclopaedias to cull out his

collection. Most of the watches are theme-based and are firmly rooted in India.

Special Focus 2017The current collection houses more classic and sporty-classic interpretations of Mumbai, London, technology, films and golden bird themes. For the Mumbai theme, in the central star on the dial, the spears and curves are from the spears held by the gargoyles atop CST (VT) station. The five triangles around the centre are based on similar shapes on the clock of the station. At 6 o'clock in the sporty and 9 o'clock in the clas-sic versions, you can find a map of Mumbai.

Price`4,000-11,000; more high end pieces in the pipeline

Address Korum Mall, Ground Floor, Thane (W), Mumbai

aiQon


USP of the brand Team Horpa believes that its brand philosophy which focuses on stellar design execution is its biggest USP. The brand aims to develop and deliver timepieces that are a fusion of great design, fine material and excellent craftsmanship.

Top CollectionC1 – THE WATCH was part of the first collection by the brand. It stands for Code-1 and Code, which is what the brand philoso-phy is based on (Construction of Design Excellence). The most integral element of this creation is the dial, which has been in-spired by the concept of the grid. The skeletonised three-layered, satin-finished and lacquered grid dial forms the crux of the watch, reflecting the mechanism and movement through the dial. C1 comes in seven variants, each with its own distinct personality. There are three variants in stain-less steel, three in stainless steel coated with black PVD and one

horpa

LL“LET PASSION BE the soul; the rest will find its way,” is a quote that Rajeev Asrani lives by as he and his friend Deepak Choudhary decided to walk a new business path. The result was the birth of watch brand Horpa. Having spent over three decades dealing with some of the finest watches and watch brands, he was keen to create timepieces that had a global outlook with an Indian aesthetic. Horpa, derived from horology and passion, was launched last year, Horpa is the coming together of independent professionals who were keen tro fashion a new time story for Indians.

It all began with As-rani sketching the dial of a watch in the crudest form, trying to create a design that would be unique. Multiple meetings with component manufactures and excellent feedback led to sale of the first concept and the birth of the brand. “For us this journey has just begun and we are grateful for the support lent by experts to build the right voice for the brand," says Asrani.

in stainless steel coated with gun metal PVD. This gives custom-ers a wide range to choose from.

ManufactureBased out of Mumbai, Horpa collaborates and works with the best in the field who have been specially trained to deal with premium and luxury watches, be it to source dials, cases, crowns, bracelets or plain manufacturing.

What Next?Horpa now plans to set up a design studio to create unique designs. The future will see the launch of special timepieces for women and a range of classic watches for men as well.

PriceThe stainless steel variants are priced at `14,500 and the black and gun metal are priced at `16,500

Addresswww.horpawatch.com

INDIA IN TIME


van cleef & arpels

This highly complex mechanism that animates various elements besides tell-ing time is a poetic ode to movement and lightness, the beauty of nature, the grace of a fairy waking from sleep and the nuances of precious stones and enamel. When activated, the automa-ton comes to life for about 50 seconds, revealing a scene worthy of a fairy tale. First, the water lily leaf begins to ripple, then chimes ring out a crystalline melody and then the water lily slowly blooms. The fairy wakes up and raises her head to admire a butterfly, at the center of the corolla, which rises into the air, beats its wings and twirls about. After that, the butterfly returns to its shelter, the fairy goes back to sleep and the water lily’s oscillation ends.

BEYOND THE WRIST

AUTOMATE FÉEONDINE

The tales of time go well beyond the mundane as

one creates extensions of timepieces that are all about

an experience. For those who are passionate about

everything to do with time, Spice dwells on some of

these marvels of 2017 that go beyond the wrist and write

stories of their own.

By SAROSH MODY

MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

watchspecial

bernard favre

Watchwinder PlanetMATCHLESS ACESSORYMade from anodised aluminium, featuring chromium-plated parts, and endowed with a glass transparent shell protecting it, this object is a paragon of virtues. Favre’s winders are, undoutedly, the ultimate ex-travagance for luxury timepieces in the accessories space.

jaipur trunk co.

ACCESSORY TRUNKBOXED IN

Trunks Company’s cre-ations are a pure amalgam

of ingenious design and old-world craftsmanship.

Every aspect, from assem-bling to fine detailing is

handled with singular focus, care and discretion. Each

trunk is crafted to reflect the subtle aspects of the client’s

personality and desire.

qlocktwo

CREATOR’S EDITION VINTAGE COPPERCLOCKWORK PRECISIONA unique combination of technology and art, time is celebrated in a special way. The letters form words describing time in five-minute intervals.

ShermanGEEK COMEDY

It’s a cute little robot, but let’s be honest, Sherman doesn’t do very much at all. Sherman just tells the time. And Sher-

man makes people smile, which is probably the world’s most useful and (emotionally) valuable complication.

How’s that as a superpower?

mb&f


LAST LOOK

History is in VogueOld world charm usually summons the mellow warmth of gentler times; the familiar trill of the tried and

tested; the patina of the past, especially when it comes to fine jewellery. Where Sunita Shekhawat’s heritage pieces make its mark is in interpreting traditional masterpieces, using conventional meenakari, in a contem-porary aesthetic. The designs, as in the case of this square-shaped pendant with diamond polkis and pearl-

polki strands, preserve the richness of the craft while reinventing the sensibility using unusual colour palettes and interpretations of fresco motifs and architectural shapes from various regions within the country.

The result is sheer magic. Desire is never so ardent as when imagined through a rear view mirror.

Price on request; Availability at boutique outlets in Jaipur and Delhi






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5cover story

Editor-in-Chief: Aroon PurieGroup Editorial Director: Raj ChengappaEditor (Special Projects): Kaveree Bamzai

Group Photo Editor: Bandeep SinghGroup Creative Editor: Nilanjan Das

Senior Associate Editor: Shelly AnandEditorial Consultant: Asmita Bakshi

Art Director: Anirban Ghosh

Photo Department: Vikram Sharma Chief Photo Researcher: Prabhakar TiwariPhoto Researchers: Saloni Vaid, Shubhrojit Brahma

Production: Harish Aggarwal (Chief of Production), Naveen Gupta, Vijay Sharma, Prashant Verma

Group Chief Executive Officer: Ashish BaggaPublishing Director: Manoj SharmaAssociate Publisher: Anil Fernandes (Impact)

IMPACT TEAMSenior General Manager (Impact): Jitendra Lad (West)General Managers: Upendra Singh (Bangalore), Velu Balasubramaniam (Chennai)Kaushiky Chakraborty (East)

Group Chief Marketing Officer Vivek Malhotra

Contents

What after Class 12? A degree in engineering, law, management, mass communication or fashion design? Know which subject is more

suited for you, top colleges to study at, and what experts have to say about industry trends.

MAP OUT YOUR CAREER

34

T O O LS O F L E A R N I N G

Gamified learning is the new

experiment in interactive education

Final Cut 32

W H Y ST U DY L I B E R A L A R TS

Pramath Raj Sinha, co-founder, Ashoka

University, on the relevance of a

liberal arts degree

Interview with Icons2

T H E B I G D E B AT E

Professor Geeta Gandhi Kingdon

breaks down the whats and whys of private education

In Focus

Cover by ANIRBAN GHOSH

Vol. 12 Number 6; June 2017

Copyright Living Media India Ltd. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited.

Printed and published by Manoj Sharma on behalf of Living Media India Limited. Printed at Thomson Press India Limited, 18-35 Milestone, Delhi Mathura Road, Faridabad-121007, (Haryana) and published at K-9, Connaught Circus, New Delhi. Editor: Kaveree Bamzai.

India Today does not take responsibility for returning unsolicited publication material.

Illus

trat

ion

ANIR

BAN

GH

OS

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Fee charging private schools are loved and loathed in equal measure in India. On the one hand, they are valued by parents for education of their children; on the other, they

are loathed as either ‘teaching shops that are playing with the lives of the children’, or as profiteering institutions that charge high fee. Notwithstanding the questioning of the morality of private education, there has been a silent private school revolution in the country, with rapid spread of private education of all shades, from slum private schools all the way to the elite private schools. Between 2011 and 2015, the number of children attending government schools fell by 11 million and the number attend-ing private schools rose by 16 million, as per the government’s DISE (District Information System for Education) school-census data. Parents have voted with their feet to bypass or abandon the government schools (despite the inducements of free tuition, textbooks, uniforms, school bags and meals), and opted for private education instead.

WHY THE CHANGEThis rapid drift has generally been attribut-ed to innocent explanations such as parents’ desire that children learn English, or the growing affluence in the country. However, parents notice that even the unrecognised low-fee private schools produce higher-learning levels than the state government schools. It is now difficult for naysayers to deny this, because annual ASER (Annu-al Status of Education Report) report data continuously for 10 years have shown that raw learning levels in rural private schools are substantially higher than in government schools, and teacher effort levels in private schools are greater—absence rates are low-er—than in government schools, for exam-ple, as per the School-TELLS survey and a recent study by Karthik Muralidharan, As-sociate Professor of Economics at Univer-sity of California, San Diego, US. Despite their ubiquitous and growing presence, the reality about private schools is little known, largely because government statis-tics tend to exclude them from data collec-tion exercises, from the NCERT’s National Achievement Surveys of student learning levels, from NUEPA’s (National University of Educational Planning and Administration) recent study of teachers in nine states, and from government surveys of teacher absence rates.

ARE PRIVATE SCHOOLS BETTER? It is vital to take account of the totality of schooling in the country, both private and public. Ignoring reality carries the risk of poor policies/legislation based on hunch, ideology, or expediency, rather than on evidence. The Right to Education (RTE) Act 2009 decrees that private schools not complying with its stipulated infrastructure norms to gain ‘government recognition’ will

THE PRICE OF STUDYING AT PRIVATE SCHOOLS Failing government school education system is the primary reason for rise of private schools across the country

GEETA GANDHI KINGDONCHAIR OF EDUCATION ECONOMICS

AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, LONDON

INDIA TODAY ASPIRE JUNE 2017 2

Illustration TANMOY CHAKRABORTY

IN FOCUS

be closed down. The recent Budget Private Schools Report, however, presents NSS data 2014 which shows that in more than 80 per cent of the private schools of India, fee lev-els are substantially lower than their state government schools’ per-pupil-expenditure. Since government admits that only 6.4 per cent of the government schools themselves comply with the infrastructure norms of the RTE Act, then how can the vast bulk of pri-vate schools be expected to comply, which are run on a small fraction of the unit-cost of government schools. Thousands of private schools have closed down; through RTI que-ries and government reports, the National Independent Schools Alliance (NISA) cal-culates that in 2014-16, a total of 6,489 un-recognised private schools were shut down, another 7,898 were issued closure or show cause notices, and a further 14,911 schools received closure threats, in only 10 states for which they could glean partial data. Such unintended counter-productive effects of the RTE Act could have been avoided had the legislators sought evidence on the ground realities of private and government schools.

THE FEE DEBATEFee regulation of private schools is much in vogue today. Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana and Gujarat have brought (and Uttar Pradesh is considering) legisla-tion to regulate fees. However, any law on fee regulation should be made with evidence on the ground realities, some of which are as fol-lows. Firstly, there is an almost perfect com-petitive market of private schools in densely populated urban areas in India, where no school can charge unduly high fee, since par-ents will go to other schools that offer rough-ly the same quality education at a lower fee. Secondly, owing to perfect market con-ditions, 80 per cent private schools are already ‘low-fee’, which means with fees lower than the government schools’ per-pu-

pil-expenditure. NSS (National Sample Survey) 2014 data shows that private un-aided elementary-schools’ median fee is `417 per month (`292 a month in rural and `542 a month in urban India), with `1,563 a month in Delhi and `150 a month in Uttar Pradesh being the two extremes, and exposing the huge inter-state variation.

The data also shows that only 18 per cent of private schools charge fee higher than `1,000 per month, only 9 per cent charge more than `1,500 per month and only 3.6 per cent charge more than `2,500 a month. This implies that only about 1 per cent chil-dren study in private schools with fee greater than `2,500 a month, since 32 per cent of India’s elementary-age children study in private schools. Thirdly, in some states like Uttar Pradesh, it is mandatory for private schools to pay salaries equal to those in state schools as a condition for getting the govern-ment’s NOC (No Objection Certificate). The private schools that abide by this condition pay annual salary increments equal to those in government schools, where salary has ris-en by 15.4 per cent per year between 2008 and 2017, obliging private schools to raise fee levels commensurately with the profligate increase in government teacher salary rates.

THE FINAL WORDFinally, the RTE Act has imposed costs such as complying with its infrastructure norms, low reimbursement rate by state governments for educating poor children, and loss of fee revenue due to 25 per cent seats remaining vacant when no disadvantaged applicants are sent for admission. The spread of private edu-cation in India is parents’ anguished reaction to a failing government school system, rather than a happy choice. It behoves the govern-ment to improve its own schools, and to seek to understand the reality of private schooling in the country before making educational policy legislation.


IN FOCUS

Illustration TANMOY CHAKRABORTY

INDIA TODAY ASPIRE MARCH 12 . 2017 1

Engineering or law, fashion design, mass

communication or management? Choose your course of action.

Map your Life

Deciding what to do after Class 12 can be daunting for any student. With unlimited options, they are often confused between popular career choices—to be a doctor or

become an engineer? Take up fashion designing or study management? Once that is zeroed in on and the student is focussed and clear on his or her profession of choice, the next step is to consider which college would be best for the required training. Though names are often tossed around, it is unclear which institution offers the required specialisations and placement opportuni-ties. Today, not merely legacy, but also logistical consid-erations while choosing an institution are important. Here is our list of colleges for top courses, besides views and opinions from students and experts in the fields of engineering, law, fashion, mass communication and management on everything from admission to job mar-kets, alternative career options and more.

with Ursila Ali, Aditi Pai and Sparsh Batra

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COVER STORY

By SHELLY ANAND and ASMITA BAKSHI


Be ready to sweat it out, get equipped with the tools that

help you face challenges of the technological world

“Faculty and students

interact a lot”

SIDDHARTH BABBAR, Final-year undergraduate

student, Department of Energy Science and Engineering,

IIT Bombay, Mumbai

Students have to take theory and practical courses during engineering

he Indian Institutes of Technology or IITs were set up after Independence to train engi-neers spearhead the technolog-ical force of the nation. Among

the best of the best stands IIT Bombay, Mumbai. We have 15 departments, a management school, and interdisciplin-ary programmes and centres, offering undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Among these is the department of energy science and engineering, one of the newest on the block, and the one I hail from. As is common to all undergraduate courses, we have a gruelling curriculum, with both theory and practical courses. What’s differ-ent about the programme is that we have a few basic science courses to help us better understand their application to engineer-ing, and a diverse curriculum to equip us with all the tools to be able to manage the challenges thrown at engineers due to ever-increasing relevance of renewable energy in the world. The faculty is very supportive, and it being a small depart-ment allows us to have a higher than usual faculty-student ratio leading to interac-tions, knowledge sharing and research.

But all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. One has so much to choose from and is often torn between extra-curricular activities, ranging from technical societies making race cars, underwater vehicles and sustainable houses, to cultural activities like dance, drama, literary arts, photog-raphy and filmmaking. Each is supported by the institute from providing funds and mentorships to acquiring equipments and relevant spaces. And how can one not talk about the festivals—Mood Indigo, the cultural festival and Techfest, the techni-cal one. We also have a few lesser known department and cultural festivals which are attractive for the domain experts. To conclude, while IIT Bombay may not be the best place in the world to go to or live in, it trains you for the future.

T

COVER STORYE N G I N E E R I N G

JUNE 2017 INDIA TODAY ASPIRE 7

The media has predicted sev-eral job cuts in the IT sector. However, nothing very dra-

matic is happening. That said there is an adjustment taking place in the market, where people with the right kind of skills and those who are going to be taking companies into more of an automated business model will gain prominence. But, there will be no job cuts; the titration, the types of jobs will change. Engineering colleges are a very robust system in our country. We have the national board of accred-itation, which accredits programmes with high quality standards and mentorship by professors and institu-tions on what to do. This is why there will not be large-scale unemployment.

GROUND REALITY

There should be dignity of labour, which means, one should prepare to roll up their sleeves and go to a con-struction site rather than sitting in an air-conditioned room. It has become fashionable—the aspiring, middle class, stereotypical way of thinking, to not work on the shop floor. But, India’s future is there. Students have to change their mind-set that every-one needs to do an MBA and sit in an air-conditioned office. They have to acclimatise themselves to recognise the value and dignity of labour.

A CUT ABOVE THE REST

Every student who is aspiring to do something big should find their own compass. They should discover their own north, rather than being carried away by aunts and uncles and broth-ers and sisters. Drop stereotypical beliefs that institution X is the best in the world and institution Y is not great. Even if it is a so-called non-pre-mium institute, strive to be at the top of your class. Even if you don’t do well in all subjects, strive to do make your extracurricular activity fill the gap. Creativity and leadership qualities are very important. Don’t have tunnel vi-sion about your books alone. Indians are fantastic at entrepreneurial skills and interpersonal skills. Keep your books away for an hour every eve-ning, shut off the lights in your room and go with your friends for a coffee. Discuss ideas and creativity.

ON PROTECTIONISM OF MARKETS

H1B visa is a straw in the wind. There will be a natural market change, which will correct itself. If the pol-icy makers in the US made a partic-ular policy, it is for a specific reason. The world will continue to see a free flow of talent, even if policies appear to be polarised. Talent will be the single most entity in the world for supremacy of a country.

BUSTING THE BIG IT MYTH

Rumours about unemployment, layoffs and job

cuts are doing the rounds. The reality

is a lot different and optimistic.

YOGI SHRIRAM, Senior Vice-President,

Corporate HR, Larsen & Toubro, Mumbai

Illustration ANIRBAN GHOSH

THE COURSE WORK IS SUPPLEMENTED BY INDUSTRIAL VISITS,

EDUCATIONAL TOURS AND GUEST LECTURES FROM ACADEMICS AND

INDUSTRY EXPERTS

M K SONI Executive Director & Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Manav Rachna

International University, Faridabad

EIGHT-STOREYED LIBRARY, RESEARCH BLOCK AND

IMAC LAB HAVE MUCH FOR

ENGINEERING STUDENTS TO GROW

AND ACCOMPLISH

LOVIRAJ GUPTA Executive Dean, Faculty of

Technology and Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Punjab

THE FULLY FLEXIBLE CREDIT SYSTEM (FFCS)

ALLOWS STUDENTS TO TAILOR THEIR OWN COURSE TIMETABLE

AND CHOICE OF PROFESSORS

G VISWANATHAN Founder, Vellore Institute of

Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu

WE FOLLOW A CHOICE-BASED CREDIT SYSTEM WITH SEVERAL

INNOVATIONS LIKE LIVE-IN LABS AND PROJECT-BASED

COURSES

P VENKAT RANGAN Vice-Chancellor, Amrita University, Coimbatore

OUR STUDENTS SPEND 45 PER

CENT OF THEIR TIME OUTSIDE CLASSROOMS

GAINING PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE WORKING

ON REAL-LIFE PROJECTS

AKSHAY KANT MUNJAL President, BML Munjal University,

Gurgaon


CHANGING FACE OF ENGINEERING


NAME OF COLLEGE CITY WEBSITEYEAR USP

ANNA UNIVERSITY

BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCES

BHARATI VIDYAPEETH DEEMED UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

B M S COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

CHAITANYA BHARATHI INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

C V RAMAN COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

DELHI TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

GURU GOBIND SINGH INDRAPRASTHA UNIVERSITY

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU

PILANI, RAJASTHAN

PUNE, MAHARASHTRA

BENGALURU, KARNATAKA

HYDERABAD,TELANGANA

BHUBNESHWAR, ORISSA

DELHI

DELHI

DELHI

SHIBPUR, WEST BENGAL

annauniv.edu

bits-pilani.ac.in

bvuniversity.edu.in

bmsce.ac.in

cbit.ac.in

cvrgi.edu.in

dtu.ac.in

Ipu.ac.in

iitd.ac.in

iiests.ac.in

Since December 2001, it has become a renowned university, having brought into its fold 426 self-financing engineering colleges and six government colleges.

The institute focuses primarily on undergraduate education in engineering and the sciences.

It has colleges of health-related disci-plines like medical, dental and nursing within same campus.

The college, started in 1946 by B M Sreenivasaiah, was the first private sector initiative in technical educa-tion in India and is run by the BMS Educational Trust.

Its students were part of the team involved in the design and launch of a satellite, STUDSAT, with Indian Space Research Organisation

It is placed at 92nd position among engineering Institutes including NITs and IITs, in an All India Ranking carried out by NIRF in 2017.

It offers courses in bachelor of technology, master of technology, doctor of philosophy and master of business administration and contains 14 academic departments with emphasis on scientific and technological education.

It is a teaching-cum-affiliating university which affiliates 84 colleges in Delhi NCR region and has 15 schools and centres.

The Entrepreneurship Development Cell (eDC) at IIT Delhi is a cell which aims to support and augment efforts of entrepreneurs to get established as successful and independent entrepreneurs.

The institute offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in engineering and architecture as well as master’s and doctorate degrees in science and management.

1978

1964

1966

1946

1979

1997

1941

1998

1959

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ENGINEERING COLLEGES TO WATCH OUT FOR20

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INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (INDIAN SCHOOL OF MINES)

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

JAYPEE INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

JAWAHARLAL NEHRU TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

MANIPAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

R V COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

S R M INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

VELLORE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

VELAMMAL ENGINEERING COLLEGE

DHANBAD, JHARKHAND

THIRUVA-NANTHA-PURAM, KERALA

HYDERABAD, TELANGANA

NOIDA, UTTAR PRADESH


MANIPAL, KARNATAKA


CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU

VELLORE , TAMIL NADU

CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU

iitism.ac.in

iist.ac.in

iiit.ac.in

jiit.ac.in

Jntuh.ac.in

manipal.edu

rvce.edu

srmuniv.ac.in

vit.ac.in

velammal.edu.in

It has courses in engineering, pure sciences, management and human-ities with focus on engineering. The programmes are changing as the in-stitute is evolving into a full-fledged engineering university from earlier focus on mining.

It is the first university in Asia to be solely dedicated to the study and research of outer space.

With about 1,500 students, IIIT Hyderabad has cultural and athletic activities throughout the year.

There is a five-year dual degree programme as well as doctorate research programmes offered by the institute’s business school.

The only college to have a big, state-of-the-art laboratory and equipment related to mining department.

It is currently rated as among the best private engineering colleges in India with top-notch facilities for the study of engineering.

The department of mechanical engineering is the state’s first degree programme in a private institution to be accredited by the National Board of Accreditation.

It was accredited by NAAC with ‘A’ Grade in 2013 and is placed in ‘A’ category by MHRD.

The institution offers 20 undergraduate, 34 postgraduate, four integrated and four research programmes to students.

It has been in the forefront of establishment of the TIFAC-CORE in pervasive computing technologies.

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Law is prevalent in everything we do, and students need to stay on

top of things in order to make it big

“Internships help to

shape you”

RADHIKA ROY, Third-year student, Campus Law Centre, Faculty of Law,

Delhi University, Delhi

y decision to enrol in Faculty of Law, Delhi University, was motivated by not only the ranking of the institution, but also the alumni comprising names such as Arun Jaitley, Justice A K Sikri, Justice Rohinton Nariman, and

Kapil Sibal. Being one of the largest law schools in India, I remember how daunting it was to enter the premises on the first day as I did not know anyone. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to make friends and interact with people. The positive of studying at a premier institution is the basic environment. You get acquainted with people from all walks of life and realise the importance of networking. The Faculty of Law has an esteemed Moot Court Society which conducts the Com-mon Induction Moot and Fresher’s Induction Moot for students wishing to be a part of the society and thereby, representing the college in competitions. An import-ant segment of a law student’s life is the art of writing research papers. Research is the first skill a law student needs to perfect. Faculty of Law’s Delhi Law Review is a paper which calls for and publishes only the best ideas. Being an editor of such a journal allows me to not only monitor other people’s methods of putting their creations into words, but it also helps me hone my writing skills which is important for every law student. An internship is the most important ingredient for the cultivation of a good law student. It is the practical knowledge of law which aids in the development of the student. Interning under different lawyers and law firms is what assists a student realise where his or her strengths lie and which field of law they should choose.

MAn ever-evolving subject, law as a study requires constant research

COVER STORYL A W


Thus, the agent implores Your Excellencies to recall a particular episode from a

famous fantasy drama series, Game of Thrones,” I said while spreading my arms to imitate the famous ‘Come at me, crow’ gesture. It’s 3 pm in a packed auditorium, filled mostly with law students but also occupied by three exhausted yet extremely bemused judges. Two of them get the reference immediately, one merely raises an eye-brow. We’re in the middle of arguing a complex international arbitration, defending a movie studio which hadn’t paid its main actress despite her shoot-ing scenes for over six months.The above mentioned iconic scene had in-volved a 30-second shot and had taken three weeks to finish.

REAL-TIME LEARNING

My argument established that time spent on shooting does not imply a lot of footage being shot, thus disput-ing claims of payment. Welcome to the beautiful world of mooting. Now that you’ve made it past the proce-dural nightmare of entrances, Robert Frost-esque decisions and counselling, it’s time to be introduced to the best part about law school. Moot courts are stimulations of real court experiences, where one has to handle a fabricated ‘problem’ and prepare arguments for one or both sides. The arguments are first presented in a written submis-sion (known as memorials) and then verbally, before ‘judges’. I took it up

initially because it was the ‘it’ thing in law school. Then I realised that it was an incredible experience, one which teaches you to think, write and logical-ly analyse legal issues; instead of theo-retically mugging up the same.

GIVING YOUR BEST SHOT

One learns to work with people and utilise research resources in a man-ner that proves invaluable when set loose in the real world. There are other extra-curriculars to do as well. You could take up alternate dispute res-olution, which aims to demonstrate how disputes can be settled outside court. There are also Model United Nations, which enable you to debating intricate international issues as the representative of a country; an expe-rience that will, at the very least, stop you from scoffing when you see a desi debating Brexit or the French elec-tions. Being a mooter, however, can also be equated to a Chinese curse. It will demand time, money, energy and often a sacrifice on the social altar. It may also alter the course of several relationships in law school, owing to the inevitable cut-throat rivalries that will arise. You will face woes which include a delicate balance with grades and attendance, and several attempts to explain to your parents that memo-rials are a tad different from ‘projects’. It may take everything you’ve got, and give you nothing in return. Or it could change your entire law school experi-ence and refine the way you think.

MAKING THE CASE IN MOOT COURT

Moot courts train you for the

road ahead

NEERJA GURNANI, Lawyer, going to pursue

masters from University of Oxford, UK



RESEARCHING IS KEY

It is the process of identifying and retrieving infor-mation necessary to support legal decision-mak-

ing. The ability to conduct legal research is essential for lawyers, regardless of area, the field or

types of practice. Finding the law is an important part of legal research but the ability to analyse what

you have found and reach a conclusion or formu-late an argument based on it is most essential.

PRESENTATION SKILLS

Presenting information clearly and effectively is a key skill to get your message or opinion across.

Advocacy is not possible without this skill set. The journey for the students begins with

elocution, debate, paper presentation and maturing with proper presentation for

moot and mock trials.

TEAM SPIRIT, LEARNING TO WORK IN GROUPS

These are the life skills we use every day when we communicate and interact with people both indi-

vidually and in groups. Students are given group projects to enhance their team spirit and collabora-tive working. Client counselling exercises are con-

ducted regularly. Emphasis is on being humane, polite, accommodating, patient, empathetic and

being able to provide proper legal remedies.

DRAFTING LEGAL DOCUMENTS

The written words are one of the most important tools of the legal profession. Words are used to advocate, inform, persuade and interact. Although mastering legal writing skills takes time and practice, superior writing skills are essential for success. We at Galgotias Law School, stress more on writing skills through legal writing competitions and draft-ing legal documents. We also call experts in the field and impart training to the students.

INDUSTRY READINESS

Law does not work in isolation but within the society. Students are encouraged to work with NGO’s, bringing legal awareness and working for the rights of marginalised sections of society. This gives them a fair idea of the problems faced by people at large. Students must be aware of current happenings around the world. They should be aware of business, politics, treaties, and justice systems crime ratios, and should be able to apply their analytical reasoning skills to offer solutions. The best of the legal pro-fession without ethical values is not going to serve the cause of justice. Emphasis is also placed on inculcating professional ethics.

FIVE LAWS OF THE LAWYERS

Key skills required for any legal professional

SUNEEL GALGOTIA, Chancellor, Galgotias University, Greater Noida

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WE HAVE A GLOBAL

CURRICULUM AND PEDAGOGY,

INTERNATIONALLY QUALIFIED AND

PUBLISHED TEACHING

AND RESEACH FACULTY

C RAJ KUMAR Founding Vice-Chancellor, OP Jindal Global University;

Dean, Jindal Global Law School, Sonipat

THE INSTITUTE OFFERS A GLOBAL CAMPUS

WITH STUDENTS FROM OVER 10 COUNTRIES AND TIE-UPS WITH

INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITIES

ALOK MISRA Dean, School of Legal Studies,

Apeejay Stya University, Haryana

LAW SCHOOLS ARE SHIFTING FROM THEORETICAL TO A

PRACTICAL AND APPLICATION-BASED LEARNING

TABREJ AHMED Director and Professor, College

of Legal Studies, UPES, Dehradun

WE HAVE OUR GRADUATES HOLDING POSITIONS IN THE UN,

WORLD BANK, AND GRADUATE COLLEGES

LIKE HARVARD, AND STANFORD

R VENKATA RAOVice-Chancellor, National Law

School of India University, Bangalore

WE PUT EMPHASIS ON ACTIVITY-BASED

LEARNING WITHIN CLASSROOMS AND KEEP

STUDENTS ENGAGED WITH DIFFERENT

ACTIVITIES

D K BANDYOPADHYAY, Acting Chairman, Amity Law

School, Noida

STUDYING LAW MAKES A

DIFFERENCE

COVER STORYL A W

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AMITY LAW SCHOOL

ARMY INSTITUTE OF LAW

ALLAHABAD UNIVERSITY-FACULTY OF LAW

ALLIANCE SCHOOL OF LAW

BANARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY

CHANAKYA NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY

DR D Y PATIL LAW COLLEGE

FACULTY OF LAW, UNIVERSITY OF LAW

GUJARAT NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY

JINDAL GLOBAL LAW SCHOOL


CHANDIGARH, PUNJAB

ALLAHABAD, UTTAR PRADESH


VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH

PATNA, BIHAR

PUNE, MAHARASHTRA

DELHI

GANDHINAGAR, GUJARAT

SONIPAT, HARYANA

amity.edu

ail.ac.in

allduniv.ac.in

alliance.edu.in

bhu.ac.in

cnlu.ac.in

law.dypvp.edu.in

lawfaculty.du.ac.in

gnlu.ac.in

jgu.edu.in

It offers a five-year integrated LL.B (H) programme that promotes multi-disciplinary analysis of socio-legal problems.

Has a Moot Court society that plays a pivotal role in the training of students for clinical legal work.

They have close relationships with high courts; part-time professors and part-time readers are allowed to be appointed from the High Court bar.

Provides students integrated degree courses with honours level specialisation.

One of the law schools in India to introduce a full-time two-year LL M (master of laws) programme.

Provides courses such as BA LLB (Hons), BBA, LL (Hons), and a few research degrees.

Provides internship assignments with advocates, counsel and legal firms.

The library is one of the best and biggest with over 1.5 lakh books and a large number of law reports and journals.

It holds house moot courts competitions, after which meritorious students are sent abroad for moot court jamborees.

Has inked MOUs with American universities to establish dual degree programmes. Through these programmes, students are able to earn an LL B (or a BA, LL B) from the institiute and a joint degree from partner American University.

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ince a young age, I was curious and inquisitive. I had an aptitude for mathematics and science in school, and this led

me to pursue science in Class 12, and later, engineering from IIT Delhi. Like most of my peers, and a trend seen generally, engineering students attempt CAT and pursue an MBA degree. However, I had a different journey towards MBA than the rest of my peers at IIT. Taking the CAT exam is what most people usually do, it is seen as a fall back option. But for me, just like others, I also took the CAT when I was a fresher in 2014, I got into IIM Bangalore but decided against joining at the time, the reason being, I didn’t know much about MBA. I didn’t want to enter the rat race without knowing what I was getting into and I sought advice from others who told me to explore my options, my objective of pursu-

ing an MBA and understand where I want to be in life a few years down the line. I decided to defer my MBA for two years, did a man-agement consultant stint at a firm, worked at a start-up for a year, got some exposure and decided to take the CAT again. What management teaches is simple concepts and gives insights into a practical and hands-on approach of running a business. I prepared for CAT for a month. I was fairly balanced across the three sections—quantitative ability, data interpretation and log-ical reasoning, verbal and reading comprehension. Students who want a management degree should put a lot of thought into why they want to do the degree and what will they get out of it. Cracking the CAT should not be the only goal. Put emphasis on the professional development front, get work expe-rience and internships. As told to Ursila Ali

S

Management studies equip you with practical learning

skills besides ins and outs of running a business

‘‘Don’t just focus on cracking the CAT”

PRAKHAR BALASUBRAMANIAN, Second-year student , IIM Ahmedabad

COVER STORYM A N A G E M E N T

Work out a clear plan before going for an MBA degree


I f you have just completed school and are keen on taking up business leadership by pursuing an MBA,

here are some of the skills that will help you in the long run.

LEARN TO LEAD

This is an important skill set that every B-school would like you to have. They will ask for it in their tests, essays and in interviews. Leadership could mean leading teams or even taking initiatives.

BE TECHNOLOGICALLY UPDATED

A lot of businesses are getting equipped with machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Your ability to lead business set-ups will be effective if technology is an everyday word for you and if you continuously devise thoughts and patterns consistent with a rapidly changing landscape. DRIVE AND HUNGER TO QUESTION

Another great skill set that can set you apart is your drive to move forward and question your self at every stage and career in your life. As you move forward, you will have the op-portunities to stop at various intervals and question yourself across a wide spectrum of parametres such as build-ing networks, analytical skills, and being enterprising.

ABILITY TO WORK WITH PEERS Can you work with a diverse set of peers and successfully complete tasks? The real world future will not

be like school where you make life-long friends and care more for their solutions. There will be times when your jobs will require you to disagree with people close to you. You will have to move forward with velocity and take everyone along with you.

SEEING BEYOND NUMBERS

Can you detach yourself from numbers and hitting the solutions till the third decimal point and start focusing on the problems from a wide perspective. Think about it this way; numbers help us understand the relationships between problems and help us identify patterns. However, remembering that numbers are an accessory helps. It is an accessory and not the end game.

ASKING FOR HELP

Be open to reaching out to people and expressing your weaknesses, and encouraging others to help you. You cannot expect to live in a cocoon anymore keeping in mind the times we live in, where technology drives us. Neither are you expected to have your families at your disposal. When you move forward, the range of problems that you will be solving will be wider than what you experience now. You will be required to involve teams and experts in identifying the best methods. For that, you will have to learn to accept the fact that what you know may not be complete and reaching out to others help is a great idea.

STEP UP YOUR GAME

Stay ahead of technology, be

a team player, and question what’s not acceptable

JATIN BHANDARI, Founder & CEO,

Pythagurus, Delhi




SHAPING YOU FOR FUTURE

Because the exam is so competitive, most of the students at Indian Institute of

Management (IIM) have been great per-formers in their respective fields, academ-ically or in sports. You come to an IIM and

suddenly realise, you are not that special after all, there are many just like you or even better than you. That system makes

you competitive. It is one of the best situa-tions to be in, it improves you dynamically.

Academic pressure was a given, but what I liked about IIM Calcutta was also equal

emphasis on co-curricular and extra-curric-ular activities. There were music bands, cul-

tural activities, and national meets that I was part of and fondly remember this.

GIVING SPACE FOR CREATIVE PURSUITS

Creativity is not a part of the IIM curricu-lum, to be honest. IIM Calcutta would give

a lot of space and time however, for students to pursue their creative interests. Unlike

other IIMs , which were focussed more on attendance, IIM C alcutta was a little lenient,

this in itself gave us plenty of time to pursue other interests at the same time.

TRAINING YOU TO MAINTAIN A BALANCE

One line that I learnt at the institute, and was my favourite throughout my corporate career was—life is short, the road is long, hurry! Most of the students at IIT and IIMs are from middle-class families with no wealth to fall back on. They have a natural flair for per-forming and being competitive. This line truly captures that spirit. But now howev-er, being away from the corporate world, I have turned a bit more philosophical, and detached. I now find a balance, not to become so competitive to drive myself crazy or being so easy going to become lazy. This is what IIM prepared me for.

SURVIVAL OF THE SKILLEDHow a management degree can

help in every field of life

AMISH TRIPATHI, Author, IIM Calcutta alum

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HOW MORE IIMS ARE GOING TO HELP

It will be unpatriotic of us to wonder whether the exclusivity of the IIMs will come down if there are more of them set up across different cities. What India needs is an expansion of the higher education sys-tem. There is simply not enough supply of good universities in the country. The more IIMs we have (and of course other insti-tutes/universities/centres of learning) the better it is for India’s long-term interests.


THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE IS ENRICHED BY A

MULTITUDE OF CLUBS, RANGING FROM

DRAMATICS TO BUSINESS GAMES RUN BY STUDENTS

ADYA SHARMA Director, Symbiosis Centre for

Management Studies, Pune

WE HAVE DEDICATED DEPARTMENTS TO

NURTURE THE CULTURE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP,

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF OUR

STUDENTS

ASHOK MITTAL Chancellor, Lovely Professional

University, Punjab

ALL OUR COURSES ARE TAUGHT IN LIVE VIRTUAL

INSTRUCTOR-LED CLASSES THAT ENGAGE

LEARNERS IN AN INTERACTIVE SESSION

PRAKASH MENON President, Global Retail Business,

NIIT, Gurgaon WE HAVE OUR CORE SUBJECT OF DUAL

SPECIALISATION OF HUMAN RESOURCE

AND FINANCE

CHAVI BHARGAVA SHARMA

Dean, Faculty of Management Studies, Manav Rachna International University,

Faridabad

STUDENTS ARE PUT THROUGH RIGOROUS

CORPORATE READINESS PROGRAMMES WHICH RUN CONCURRENT TO

THEIR ACADEMIC PROGRAMMES

SADANANDA PRUSTY Dean of School of Business,

Galgotias University, Greater Noida

WHY A DEGREE IN MANAGEMENT

MATTERS




ALLIANCE UNIVERSITY

AMITY SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY

CMS BUSINESS SCHOOL

GREAT LAKES INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

ITM BUSINESS SCHOOL

INDIAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS



GREATER NOIDA, UTTAR PRADESH


CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU


GHAZIA-BAD, UTTAR

PRADESH

KOLKATA, WEST BENGAL

MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA


alliance.edu.net

amity.edi.in

bimtech.ac.in

bschool.cms.ac.in

greatlakes.edu.in

iimb.ac.in

imt.edu

iimcal.ac.in

itm.edu

isb.edu

Offers courses such as BBA, MBA, PGDM, executive PGDM and PhD in management studies.

Has a cell named The Academia Industry Interface that provides ample opportunities for summer internships and placements.

Offers students exchange programme with partner institutions.

Provides exposure to students through a panel of distinguished international faculty.

Provides empirical study either individually or by a group of two or three students jointly.

A digital learning initiative known as IIMB-KITE that works on creation of an online knowledge repository by focussing on digital content.

Offers various recreational facilities, stresses upon giving students holistic learning environment.

It has segregated study areas, social spaces for students and a world-class hostel facility .

Has a bi-annual research publication international journal of business insights and transformation that publishes theoretical and empirical research related to management.

It is part of the IEMS network (ini-tiative for emerging market studies), with the intent to provide incisive insights on market to practitioners.

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While studying mass communication, focus on

gaining experience through challenging assignments

“Be curious, stay inquisitive”

t doesn’t take more than a day in Class 9 for the proverbial rat race to begin and although I was a science student, I never wanted to pursue medical or engineering. I started

writing for my school newspaper early on and fell in love with it. When the time came to apply for colleges, it was a no-brainer. Mass communication covers a wide array of topics ranging from history, policy, business, economics, sociology, and philosophy, to name a few. So, if you aren’t curious by nature, you will not do well. The mass communication course at the Symbiosis Centre for Media and Commu-nication (SCMC), Pune, has no textbooks. The focus isn’t on rote learning, instead, you have to be hands on, knee-deep in it to even begin to comprehend how it works. Further, you can take on the audio-visual medium (film and television or bridge the information asymmetry through journal-ism (we learnt camera work, how to use sound, editing, reporting, interviewing, public relations skills, advertising and mar-keting communications). You have most fields of work open to you, which you can explore—the media industry or literary and humanitarian fields. So, the jobs arena is pretty large. I decided to specialise in the field of journalism by heading for my masters right after graduation. Even while applying for Columbia University in the US, it was the vast array of subjects I learnt and took interest in that gave me an edge. We’ve entered an age where we’re slowly moving away from the “safe” fields; the only thing to keep in mind is to know what you’re passionate about and give it every-thing you’ve got. As told to Aditi Pai

LABANYA MAITRA, Fresh graduate, 2017

batch, Symbiosis Centre for Media and

Communication, Pune

I

COVER STORYM A S S C O M M U N I C AT I O NThere are several learning

opportunities for students of mass communication


While the traditional roles of journalists—reporters, editors and writers, film-

makers, advertisers, PR professionals and media managers—tend to stay, these roles are getting reconfigured in the context of digital innovations. All media organisations are becoming digitally active and digital-only enter-prises are leaving no stone unturned to offer high levels of user engagement. Today’s media professionals not only have to be well-informed but also have the prudence and skills to package the information in diverse ways for read-ers and users.

A CLASS APART

Everyone with a smartphone can claim to be a journalist, filmmaker or photographer. So what distinguish-es a mass communication graduate from others who own easy-to-use, sophisticated technology? It’s the approach to be holistically educated and not merely trained. It is important to distinguish between the terms edu-cation and training. Nuanced under-standing based in theoretical rigour is significant when we look at media studies as an educational pursuit. Knowledge of language, political sci-ence, sociology, even psychology and marketing, engagement with subjects like gender, class, caste among oth-ers and the ability to observe, reflect and argue are the core of this field. Filmmakers depend on it. Journalists cannot survive without it. Advertis-ing campaigns can’t be successful till

they hit the pulse of the audience with understanding of their contexts.

FOCUS ON CONTENT Digital and social media platforms have brought in unprecedented tech-nological shift in the media industry. New media technologies and the In-ternet of things will keep redefining this industry in unpredictable ways in the time to come. The fact that we cater to a highly dynamic indus-try is both challenging and enthrall-ing at the same time. However, form and technology can work only if the content is appealing and interesting. While skills and training are crucial for budding media professionals, they mean nothing if the content is weak. Media education should not lose sight of the bigger picture and ensure that technical training is effective only when complemented with rigorous academic inputs.

SKILLS TO MASTER The media industry is one of the most interesting places to work. However, it requires a resilient at-titude, high levels of commitment and unrequited passion. Only if the world of media content excites you and you would like to be part of this creative journey, should you sign up for it. Developing rigorous reading habits, honing your perspectives by referring to multiple sources, view-ing and reflecting upon content and the curiosity to look around to develop a worldview is significant.

TAKING THE PLUNGECreativity, curiosity,

familiarity with audio-visual and

digital componets will help you make it in the industry

RUCHI KHER JAGGI, Director, Symbiosis Institute of Media &

Communication, Pune


ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILLS IS THE ABILITY TO TELL

STORIES IN AN ENGAGING MANNER,

WHETHER IT IS TO INFORM OR ENTERTAIN

ANUPAM SIDDHARTHA Director, Symbiosis

Centre for Media and Communication, Pune

THE CHALLENGE BEFORE ASPIRANTS IS

TO INCULCATE CRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING AND

DEVELOP A TASTE AND FLAIR FOR WRITING

ASHOK OGRA Director, Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi

THE FIELD OF COMMUNICATION

REQUIRES PASSION AND DEDICATION, BUT ALSO SKILLS

TO EXCEL.

RAMOLA KUMAR Dean, The Delhi School of

Communication, Delhi

HOW DO YOU WRITE, PRESENT AND DISPLAY IDEAS IS A SKILL THAT

MUST BE WORKED UPON. THE ABILITY

TO COMMUNICATE IS ALSO IMPORTANT.

RAHUL PURI Head of Academics, Whistling Woods International, Mumbai

WE EQUIP STUDENTS WITH EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

SKILLS AND PRACTICAL EXPOSURE TO

DIFFERENT FORMS OF MEDIA

NEEMO DHAR Dean, Faculty of Media Studies and Humanities, Manav Rachna

International University, Faridabad

MASS COMMUNICATION

IS IN DEMAND

COVER STORYM A S S C O M M U N I C AT I O N


ASIAN COLLEGE OF JOURNALISM

AMITY SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION

DELHI SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION

DEPARTMENT OF MEDIA STUDIES, CHRIST UNIVERSITY

INDRAPRASTHA COLLEGE FOR WOMEN

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MASS COMMUNICATION

SYMBIOSIS INSTITUTE OF MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION

VIVEKANANDA INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

XAVIER INSTITUTE OF COMMUNICATION

CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU

NOIDA, UTTAR

PRADESH

DELHI



DELHI

DELHI

PUNE, MAHARASHTRA

DELHI

MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA

asianmedia.ac.in

amity.edu

dsc.edu.in

commuoh.ac.in

christuniversity.ac.in

ipcollege.ac.in

iimc.nic.in

simc.edu

vips.edu.in

xaviercomm.org

The ACJ postgraduate programme has been audited and recognised by The Cardiff university, Wales, UK.

A communication institute under the Amity University umbrella, which offers courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Provides apprenticeship and two full-time internships to students.

Necessary four to six weeks of internship in communication related organisation is provided to students.

Offers new departmental activities such as news that covers all the events and broadcasts them in in short, catchy news form.

It has a non-credit internship com-ponent, factored in at the end of semester four.

The college has its own radio channel called Apna Radio 96.9 FM, running as a community radio.

It lets students venture out for field visits and educational tours and learning beyond desks and chairs.

Spandan, a grand event oragnised by students and teachers is the main highlight of the college.

Has a audio visual wing—CGMRC that comprises a collection of 2,500 audio-visuals that are readliy accessible for students.

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Encouraged to come out of comfort zone, students of fashion design won’t settle for mediocre learning

“Creativity is inculcated in us”

he most common perception about National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) is that it is a fashion school where students learn how to

make clothes. That it is not just that, but an institute where they are pushed to excel, became clear to me when I attended the open house session at NIFT, Delhi, before sitting for my entrance examina-tion. The open house which takes place from November to mid-January every year, much before the admission process starts, is when students who want to apply to the college get to interact with the faculty, to clear their doubts and misconceptions, and know more about fashion design as a career choice. It was after attending the session that I decided to opt for fashion communication design as specialisation for my four-year bachelor of design course. I realised that I like to put together looks but not making clothes, and fashion communication design can teach me how to do that. It is all about fashion photog-raphy, visual merchandising, filmmaking, styling, and lot more. During four years, we are taught practically everything; from basic sketching and creative thinking skills, visualisation and representative drawing to elements of design in detail, introduction to world art and culture, and familiarisation with art and craft. Getting used to challenging assignments as part of the course is what I remember vividly, so learning how to make paper cuts inspired by a rainbow but in white colour and how to draw 33 different forms of happiness through dots are instances where we stu-

T

NIHARIKA DUBEY, Graduate 2017 batch

Bachelor of Design (Fashion Communication Design),

NIFT, Delhi

dents are forced to get creative in the class-room. A sense of art and craft is ingrained in us as we are sent to the interiors of the country to interact with craftsmen to work on projects. NIFT inculcates values in us, teaches us to respect people as individuals. We get to experience first-hand what goes in the backend to put together a look, to shoot a portrait, and to make an outfit; it is lot of hard work, and the institute prepares us for that and the world outside. As told to Shelly Anand

COVER STORYFASHION DESIGN

The focus is more on mind learning while

studying fashion design


When I interview students who want to enrol in a fashion design course, the

first thing I explain to them is that they should study fashion design in a sim-ilar way as that of studying medicine. Why? Same as a doctor, our job is to find possible solution to any hypothet-ical problem.

CREATING NEW TECHNIQUES

Design is about progress, design is making people’s life easier; it is also creation of new things and this re-quires a method, a process to follow as well as an extensive research capa-bility. I have been involved in fashion education for more than a decade from Europe to Thailand, to China and now India. Fashion in India is still at an early stage, it is something very new; this fact allows students to explore millions of possibilities. Our role is to create an impact in the industry; in academics we constantly look at the future. We analyse, understand and predict what could become desirable for the market in the upcoming three to five years. Any renowned designer that creates current trends once upon a time was himself a student; this is how the fashion cycle goes.

MAKING IT SKILL ORIENTED

Approximately 75 per cent of interna-tional designers come to India at least once in their lifetime to discover the craft, to “steal” the technique, go back home, apply the same technique and

make something completely new out of it. Their way of thinking, the way of approaching and process design is different; skills are important but it is the combination of understanding and application of design thinking process together with strong skills that makes any designer a successful designer.

KEEPING PACE WITH TRENDS

Indian fashion should focus on the heritage of crafts and textiles that the country can offer, identify those that are under risk of extinction and un-derstand how to bring them to life by applying new technologies like repro-pose the craft in an innovative way. One of my current students is working on how to manipulate khadi to be a desirable fabric for the European mar-ket; together we have been working on understanding the psychology of a European consumer in order to blend the fabric in a way that could be imple-mented in everyday fashion.

GROOMING TALENT TO EXCEL

One of my goals has always been build-ing students to be successful designers.Same as the rest of the world, a fashion sense is first developed in a metropolis where fashion houses are located and spread later across the country. So, every garment that we design for any collection, right from the beginning, we look at who is the potential user, where and when will he/she need the garment for, and why would this per-son buy that specific product.

TRICKS OF THE TRADE

The world of fashion is a lot more than just ramp walks.

Industry secrets to help make an

impact.

ANTONIO M GRIOLI, Area Head, School of

Fashion Styling & Textile, Pearl Academy, Delhi


WE HAVE LINKAGES WITH THE FASHION INDUSTRY, WHICH

GIVES OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDENTS FOR

SUMMER INTERNSHIPS AND PLACEMENTS

PRADIP JOSHI Director General,

Amity Directorate of Applied Arts, Fine Arts, Performing

Arts, Visual Arts, Amity University, Noida

THE PROGRAMME PROVIDES STUDENTS

WITH A COMPREHENSIVE

VISION WHERE THEY GAIN PRACTICAL

HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE

VINAY MUNDADA Director, Symbiosis Institute of

Design, Pune

TEXTILE DESIGN STUDENTS CAN

EXPLORE INDEPENDENT DESIGN STUDIOS.

FURNISHING, FASHION AND ACCESSORY DESIGN

ARE GOOD OPTIONS.

SHILPI YADAV Fashion designer, Founder,

Kharakapas, Delhi

WITH STATE-OF-THE-ART CLASSROOMS AND

LABS, WE DIGITALLY SHARE OUR WEBINARS

AND MODULES WITH STUDENTS

RUCHITA VERMA Pearl Academy Campus Director,

Mumbai

THE CURRICULUM HAS BECOME AGILE AND THE FOCUS IS

ON CURRENT ISSUES LIKE ETHICS AND

SUSTAINABILITY TO MAKE FASHION RESPONSIBLE,

YET FAST

VANDANA NARANG

Director, NIFT, Delhi

A NEW DAWN FOR FASHION STUDIES





AMITY SCHOOL OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY

INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE OF FASHION

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF CRAFTS AND DESIGN

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF ART AND DESIGN

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF FASHION & DESIGN

INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FASHION

JD INSTITUTE OF FASHION AND TECHNOLOGY

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY (NIFT)

PEARL ACADEMY

SYMBIOSIS INSTITUTE OF DESIGN


DELHI

JAIPUR, RAJASTHAN

DELHI

CHANDIGARH

PUNE, MAHARASHTRA

MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA

MUMBAI , MAHARASHTRA

DELHI

PUNE, MAHARASHTRA

amity.edu

icf.edu.in

iicd.ac.in

iiad.edu.in

iifd.edu.in

inifdpune.co.in

jdinstitute.com

nift.ac.in/mumbai

pearlacademy.com

sid.edu.in

During their annual event ‘KREATIV’, final year students get an opportunity to showcase their talent through a formal presentation.

It has state-of-the-art facilities and students have access to leading industry figures including mentors, educationalists, guest speakers, collaborators and visitors from across the industry.

Exposes students to a variety of learning methods and provides them a fine blend of craft design experience.

It has collaborated with Kingston University, UK, and offers a creative, studio based education.

Provides students an opportunity to earn while they learn through their unique IIFD studio where students get to showcase their talents.

Provide a lifetime placement assistance to students and helps shape their career in right direction.

It shares a strategic partnership with Milan fashion campus, a leading institute for fashion styling in Milan, Italy.

It facilitates on-campus placements for graduating students of NIFT to enable them to start their careers.

Aims to take education to a different level for students by taking them to different cities/ countries for regular factory visits.

It organises regular study tours and provides industry exposure to students and equips them for challenging roles in future.

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DESIGN COLLEGES TO WATCH OUT FOR10

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INTERVIEW WITH ICONS

Pramath Raj Sinha is a busy man. Founding dean of Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, co-founder of Ashoka University at Sonipat, Haryana, the former McKinsey man is also

founder of Vedica Scholars Programme for Women in Delhi, an alternative masters in business administration (MBA) programme and all-women residential pro-gramme that tries to address the problem that there are far more women graduate from high school than men, but get left behind in careers. Alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, with a PhD in applied mechanics and robotics from the University of Pennsylvania, US, he knows the power of a good education. Here Sinha, who continues to edit his father’s Patna-based Hindi paper Nai Dhara, talks to KAVEREE BAMZAI about the virtues of a liberal arts education. Excerpts from a conversation: Ashoka University is now in its fifth year. Why should a young person pursue a liberal arts education?As I see it, it’s a way of educating. One should have both breadth of perspectives and depth in a subject. Students should be able to choose their majors. There should be flexibility in exploring multiple subjects. In the 21st century, no one will have just one career for life. How do you prepare students for this? Liberal education

Pramath Raj Sinha, co-founder of Ashoka University, makes a compelling case for the study of liberal arts

The art of education

ensures students develop critical thinking, which allows them to identify problems, disaggregate them and solve them through a collaborative process, regardless of the subject and prior knowledge. They need communication skills which enable them to translate thought into action. They need self-awareness, recognising their strengths and weaknesses, having a sense of purpose. With a gross enrolment ratio of 20 per cent, and 1 in 5 young people getting into higher education institutions, college students are privileged and cannot ignore their obligation to society. They need to be committed to public service and to being the kind of leader the world needs today. At Ashoka University, we encourage our students to have a sense of


optimism about the world but ensure they don’t live in a bubble. How do we ensure the children of today have empathy?It arises from increasing self-awareness and engendering a sense of purpose in students. At Ashoka, we ensure it through diversity, choosing students from all walks of life, and in particular we are committed to supporting students who would not be otherwise able to afford a high quality education. You then expose them to the real problems in our communities, our societies, our country and our world. You teach them to question and challenge, but constructively. You inspire them with the experiences of others’ lives that have been well-lived, purposeful and giving. And, of course, you give them strong academic grounding, that is not coloured by opin-ions, delivered by inspirational teachers. As our new vice chancellor Pratap Bhanu Mehta recently said: My role as a teacher is to present in the most generous manner the work of others. Then you leave it to the students to connect the dots. What is the biggest challenge you faced?Our biggest challenge is to convince parents to send their children to a young institution. A lot of our time as founders (Ashoka University was established by a set of founders including Sanjeev Bikh-chandani of naukri.com, Ashish Dhawan of Central Square Foundation, Vineet Gupta of Jamboree Education and Sinha)

was spent in evangelising to parents. Now that the first batch has graduated, the world can see the outcomes. All of us put our personal credibility on the line. A second challenge is to attract and retain high quality faculty. In most institutions in India, students are treated like non-enti-ties. But everybody needs a champion. In my own case, my stint at IIT Kanpur was academically a disaster. It was only when one of my professors noticed me and helped me get into University of Pennsyl-vania that I could make a fresh start. So how do we transform higher education in India?We have to start by creating a tiered structure for institutions. Apart from institutions of excellence for those who wish to learn, research and specialise, we need a second rung of institutions that feeds the economy, like the booming IT, retail, banking, pharma sectors. We also need institutions with focus on minimum social commitment to build skills on the lines of community colleges and vocation-al colleges. Each of these tiers needs to be governed differently. Currently, we have a system that is administered by the lowest common denominator where a leader like an IIM Director is expected to work for an annual salary of `25-30 lakh. We need to remove the huge barriers to entry. What about teachers?We need a National Mission to get people to teach. If countries can have a compulsory national service to serve in the armed forces, why can’t we have a year-long national service of teaching for everyone who goes to college? Or individuals volunteering at least three hours a week to teaching in the local college or local school. Technology can only help educate the already educated. We will still need live teachers in the classroom if we have to give our children their due on education.

“IN THE 21ST CENTURY, NONE OF US WILL HAVE JUST ONE CAREER ANYMORE. HOW DO YOU PREPARE A STUDENT FOR THIS? USING LIBERAL ARTS AS A METHOD WE HAVE TO ENSURE STUDENTS DEVELOP CRITICAL THINKING”

Illustration ARIJIT GUPTA


FINAL CUT

Have you ever wondered why you never have to motivate children to go out and play

with friends as opposed to studying? Why they always remember film and cartoon trivia more than equations and theorems, and why they prefer playing video games over reading text-books? We all know the answer. It’s fun and playful. Gamified learning tries to bring in the same element of fun to learning. It brings various elements of game play to the learning environment to make it engaging and entertaining.

WHAT IS GAMIFIED LEARNING? The gamification of learning is an educational approach to motivate students to learn by using video game design and game elements in their learning environments. The goal is to maximise engagement by captur-ing the interest of learners and in-spire them to continue picking up new things and expand knowledge base. Currently, the gamified learning industry is worth $2 billion across the world with over 20 mil-lion users. Not only that, gami-fied learning is quickly gaining traction within the formal school curriculum as well.

WHY GAMIFIED LEARNING?

Gamified learning does not replace teachers, or discourage students from studying along with others in the class. It works hand-in-hand with these new age learning techniques to enhance the experience. It helps improve the learning outcomes and intrinsic motivation of the child to get equipped with these knowledge-based tools. Some of the tangible benefits of learning through the means of games are informal and safe learning environ-ment that lets you practice, make mistakes, and learn from them; imme-diate feedback that improves knowl-edge retention; and motivation to learn through various gameplay elements like points, badges, leaderboards.

TRICKS FOR STUDENTS USING

GAMES AS LEARNING TOOLS

Stay open to picking up new things. You will be doing it for the rest of your life. Try to find real-life relevance to what you learn. Compete with others or yourself. Put your own unique spin to things. You don’t have to memo-rise everything. Analyse and critique every concept and do your research. With the right attitude and tools, any learning outcome can be achieved.

YOU CAN LEARN FROM GAMESThe new buzzword

in interactive education, know how

to enhance your knowledge base through gamified

learning tools

INDIA TODAY ASPIRE MARCH 2017 34

TOP AP

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GAMIFIE

D LEAR

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Lumosity A game-led experience to help improve cognitive abilities

ClassDojo Turns class into a game of rewards and offers instant feedback

DuoLingo Gamified learning tool for learning new languages

DHEERAJ SHARMA, CEO, Playablo, Bengaluru






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PROMISES & PERILS

JULY 2017

QUEST MALL, KOLKATA





livingluxe

THE GOOD LIFE


JULY 2017

BEST OF 2017

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DIGITAL EDITION

JULY 2017

QUEST MALL, KOLKATA





livingluxe

2 INDIA TODAY KOLKATA F JULY 2017

inside

Editor-in-Chief Aroon Purie

Group Chief Executive Officer Ashish Bagga

Group Editorial Director Raj Chengappa

Editor-at-large Kaveree Bamzai

Group Creative Editor Nilanjan Das

Group Photo Editor Bandeep Singh

Associate Editor Mohini Mehrotra

Editorial Team Akshita Khosla, Rewati Rau

Photo Department Vikram Sharma

Photo Researchers Prabhakar Tiwari, Saloni Vaid,

Shubhrojit Brahma

Design Bhoomesh Dutt Sharma

Production Harish Aggarwal (Chief of

Production), Naveen Gupta, Vijay Sharma, Prashant Verma

Layout Execution Ramesh Kumar Gusain

Pradeep Singh Bhandari

Publishing Director Manoj Sharma

Associate Publisher (Impact) Anil Fernandes

Impact Team Senior General Manager:

Jitendra Lad (West) General Managers:

Upendra Singh (Bangalore); Velu Balasubramaniam (Chennai)

Kaushiky Chakraborty (East)

OUR PICK of the month

High Life Designer labels, luxe home decor,

expensive hobbies—it's time to crank up the glam quotient in your life

4

14City Life

Fifteen exciting things to look forward to this month

Cover photograph by SUBIR HALDER

Cover Story

Buzz

Ü

Ü

Happy HoursChef Joymalya Banerjee, best known for his quirky take on familiar Bengali flavours, no longer closes the doors to his Old Bal-lygunge restaurant Bohemian post lunch hours. Instead, he has come up with a special menu comprising a range of appetisers, alcoholic ice creams, signature desserts and signature cocktails that he now serves during the hours between lunch and dinner. He calls them Boho Hours. At 32/4, Old Ballygunge 1st LaneMeal For Two Rs 600 Tel 07550076005

LIFEDESIGNER LABELS, LUXE HOME DECOR, EXPENSIVE HOBBIES AND

SUNSET CRUISES. IT’S TIME TO CRANK UP THE GLAM QUOTIENT IN

YOUR LIFE.

cover story

_ By Priyadarshini Chatterjee

Ace jewellery artist Eina Ahluwalia’s recent collaboration with Swarovski has resulted in a dazzling, limited edition range of earrings, neckpieces and finger rings, aptly christened Rruhi.

Sleek, elegant and luxe, the line is part of Confluence by Swarovski (a collective of designs by renowned Indian designers)

and Ahluwalia’s first tryst with crystals. The designs are inspired by Persian and Islamic motifs,

dubbed as metaphors of spiritual exploration, and hence the name. “With this line we celebrate the palmettes, rosettes and

leaf scrolls, interlaced with geometric, arabesque and calligraphic patterns created thousands of years ago, with a spiritual and

philosophical approach to art,” says Ahluwalia, 42. The designs are crafted in brass and embellished with Swarovski crystals in amethyst, sapphire, morganite and

Scarabeaus green hues. “We have used the crystals sparingly, to strike a balance with jali work in order to stay true to our DNA,”

says Ahluwalia, who has, over the years, extensively explored the luxurious intricacies of fretwork in her striking designs.

The large Persian Jaal Earings from the collection might be the most popular pick by virtue of its intricate detailing,

but Ahluwalia’s personal favourite is a pair of ear studs with a Scarabeaus crystal in the centre, and repeating pattern framed

with stars around the circumference. “The design is also available in Blush Rose, where the crystal looks exactly like one

of my favourite stones, the morganite,” says Ahluwalia.

At Neelanjan Apartments, 4E, 18/2, Gariahat Flyover, Ballygunge Gardens Tel 9831059125

SHINE ON

Eina Ahluwalia

JULY 2017 F INDIA TODAY KOLKATA 5

Model wearing Eina Ahluwalia jewellery

Phot

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cover story

Narayan Sinha Artist Narayan Sinha, 39, is best known for his stunning installations and sculptures, but it is his signature line of jewellery that will make you swoon and go weak in your knees, more so if ‘nonconformity’ is your thing. Each piece in his collection is an objet d’art packed with visual drama, a dash of eccentricity and what Sinha aptly describes as, ‘aesthetic luxury’. Quintessentially ethnic

yet contemporary, Sinha’s designs are also fetching illustrations of ingenious up-cycling. “The idea is to take an otherwise inconspicuous object and turn it into something extraordinary,” says Sinha. So, in addition to precious and semi-precious stones, ceramics, cut glass, wood and metal plates, his maverick creations use everything from discarded calibers of old wrist watches, half a cooking spud, metal valves used in

bicycle tyres to fragments of floor tiles, dismantled parts of old padlocks, nuts and bolts. A vintage pocket-watch is transformed into a quirky but stunning pendant, and a portion of a throwaway ‘jafri’ artistically lends itself to a striking neckpiece. Sinha’s sensibilities as a sculptor spill onto the jewellery he creates. “In fact, I see my jewellery as sculptures, only smaller in form,” he says. Each piece—there are no two pieces of the same design—is painstakingly crafted by hand, which makes it exclusive. “My jewellery is not merely ornamental; they are meant to be an extension of an individual’s personality,” says Sinha, whose focus is on making timeless pieces worthy of bequest by virtue of its matchlessness. At The Weavers’ Studio, 5/1 Anil Moitra Road, Ballygunje Place and Ekru Couture, 40/1 Roopchand Mukherjee Road

DRESS TO IMPRESSThe Quest MallIf you’re in the mood to splurge or flaunt your extravagant streak, head to The Quest Mall for some mid-summer retail therapy in a swanky setting. Check out Emporio Armani for drawstring pants, fluid tops and flowery blouses with contrasting trims in colours ranging

Narayan Sinha's jewellery is

crafted by hand and there are no two pieces of the

same design

Photograph by SUBIR HALDER


cover story

from unsaturated pastels and neutrals to shades of blue and grey that cleverly combine serious and sensuous. Indulge in some shoe love at Jimmy Choo with their Pre-Fall ’17 collection which is quintessentially feminine with a bold streak. There’s everything—from open-toed sandals tastefully speckled with studs and platform-soled low block heel sandals with wide ankle straps decked up with oversized buckles to rocker boots with studded straps. The colours range from vintage rose to metallics and striking neons, and star-shaped accents rule the line.

For bag lovers there’s Michael Kors’ latest collection which is an impressive mix of styles and shapes. Choose from chic pebbled leather shoulder bags and bold clutches jazzed up with flamboyant metal studs. The unusual floral patchwork leather tote bags with tassels are a delight for all shopaholics. An especially cheerful (and summery) pick is a sunflower yellow Mercer convertible tote with removable straps and a cute Hamilton charm. Add some glint to your look with dainty Heritage Monogram hinge or

slider bracelets and delicate ear-rings studded with semi-precious stones. Furla’s perennial favourite, Metropolis (mini bags), has received a sprightly makeover with a see-through flap and detachable pouches in motley pop prints. The Spring Summer collection also includes the Vittoria Bucket Bag with drawstring accent in the front and the Furla Club cross-body saddle bag that comes in colours such as navy blue, black and off white.At The Quest Mall, 33, Syed Amir Ali AvenueTel 03322811111

The Quest Mall has hordes of outlets where

you shop for the best of luxury

goods



cover story

EXTRAVAGANT AFFAIROutbox SurprisesThey say it is the thought that counts, but a dash of luxury and a pinch of flamboyance could double the magic.

Outbox Surprises offers just what you need to turn up the romance quotient in your love life. The Kolkata-based outfit, started by Sukriti Agarwal and Kaushal Modi, who like to be called Surprisewale, specialise in crafting ‘luxury experiences’ for couples.You could enjoy a multiple-course gourmet meal tossed up by your personal chef with a private butler at hand, take off on a private helicopter, sip on some bubbly under the

stars on a yacht, surprise your partner with a private musical concert or a play in your living room or take them for spin in a rare vintage automobile.

“Every experience on offer can be customised according to one’s taste and budget,” informs Agarwal. So, hot it up with a range of add-ons like a private photographer, or even a drone, fireworks and sky banners. “Or kick it up a notch by having your partner’s name or personalised messages printed on balloons, embossed on the cutlery or stitched on the table linen,” says Agarwal. Luxury, after all, is in the details.Tel 8030474129 Price Up to Rs 1 lakh

Book a private cruise with Outbox Surprises


A Travel DuetWhen it comes to once-in-a-life-time experiences, honeymoons are particularly special. And a trip so special is best taken aboard the luxe-wagon. A Travel Duet, a leisure travel company helps you craft your dream honeymoon, spiked with a generous dose of exuberance–luxury rides, stays at lavish properties and specially curated experiences. “We work closely with our clients to

craft bespoke itineraries that best reflect their proclivities and preferences, and then add our unique touch to it,” says owner Pritish Shah. So, your itineraries could be interspersed with indulgent surprises ranging from a luxury sunset cruise, deluxe spa sessions and private theatre screenings with champagne and hors d'oeuvres to cookery lessons with celebrity chefs and private helicopter rides. You could also opt for a

candid video safari which will take you to stunning locales and capture some of your best moments on reel for a personal honeymoon movie. Those with a budget of Rs 20 lakhs or above could sign up for their signature honeymoons that also pack in discount vouchers for wellness facilities, complementary merchandise and gourmet dinners. At 35/17a, Paddapukur Road, 3rd floor Tel 983016 5270

Sign up with A Travel Duet for luxury

honeymoons

cover story

ECLECTIC DECORScarlet SplendourBack from their third consecutive stint at the Milan Design Week, home-grown luxury furniture brand Scarlet Splendour is all set to blow your mind with their latest off-the-wall furniture collection. Founded by Kolkata-based brother-sister duo, Ashish Bajoria, 43, and Suman Kanodia, 48, in 2014, the label offers an eclectic range of uber-luxe furniture that not only boasts of ingenious and quirky designs but also craftsmanship of international standards. “Our idea is to take something to its highest aesthetic form with a keen eye for details in order to transform it into an ultimate luxury,” says Kanodia. So, get on the luxury wagon with Scarlet Splendour’s latest collection, 88 Secrets by Nika Zupanc. Their first collaboration with the ace Slovenian designer, 88 Secrets, recently showcased at the Spazzio Rosanna Orlandi at the Milan Design Week 2017, is an exquisite collection of elegant-luxe furniture and rugs that draw inspiration from the 88 recognised constellations. Minimalist yet opulent, each number oozes sensuous sophistication. “The designs cleverly trump up visions of stars while the soft colour palette celebrates the season,” says Kanodia.

A particularly fetching number is the blush rose bar cabinet with sinuous rose gold trimming that resembles a ribbon tied around a gift. An equally evocative collection is Nesso, Milan-based designer Matteo Cibic’s latest for Scarlet Splendour. With Nesso, Cibic has created magic with the otherwise humdrum ‘straight lines’ by transforming them into shimmering columns of resin inlay in lacquered brass with a pearl finish to create geometric patterns. Done in chic shades of beige, mint and grey, the line packs in a side board, dining table and chairs, and plush rugs that look as gorgeous on the wall as they do

on the floor. At 9B, Wood StreetTel 9831010243 Kallol DattaIf there’s one thing common between Nikhil Paul (of Delhi-based light studio, Paul Matters) and designer Kallol Datta, it is their penchant for pushing boundaries.

Datta has designed a remarkable collection of light sculptures steeped in visual intrigue and inspired artistry for Paul’s atelier, to mark the latter’s second year in the industry. “Transposing my pattern-cutting techniques from fabric to metal and glass is what interested me,” says Datta, whose vision of arresting the three dimension free flowing folds of his clothes in metal has been brilliantly executed in this series. “Skewing proportions, shapes and treating lights as forms were important factors,” he adds. Christened Overlay & Underlay, the collection includes ceiling pendants, floor lamps and surface lamps fitted with LED lights in four variations, apt for adding a touch of drama to your interiors. “The lights are entirely

handcrafted using age-old techniques. We have used

everything from hand-beaten metal to burnt brass and smoked glass,” says Dutta. Website paulmatter.com

Ashish Bajoria and Suman Kanodia founded Scarlet

Splendour in 2014

Add drama to your interiors with Kallol Datta's new range of light fittings

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cover story

EMOTIONAL INDULGENCERajiv GhoshThe premises of vintage car aficionado Rajiv Ghosh’s Mandeville Gardens bungalow is something akin to a mini al fresco museum of vintage and classic automobiles. You walk past a gleaming black 1947 Chevrolet Fleetmaster imported from the USA by Ghosh’s great grandfather Justice JP Mitter, and a 1932 Ford V8, only to bump into the immaculate 1956 Dodge Kingsway, flame red with a shell white top, another

head-turner from the Ghosh’s private collection. The metallic maroon 1964 Chrysler New Yorker (the mere frame actually) has come all the way from Nepal for restoration. “We have several restoration projects in progress at the moment,” says Ghosh, 38, a committed collector and restorer, who shares his passion with his father Sanjay Ghosh, a distinguished name in the country’s rally circuit. There’s a 1961 Chevrolet Impala; a 1948 Austin Sheerline; and a 1927 Daimler Double Six,

allegedly one of the three surviving models the world over. The workshop has 40 workers, among whom are a few skilled mechanics adept at the art of restoration. “During his spell as a restorer spanning over four decades, my father has restored around 250 vintage and classic cars, including legendary numbers like Lord Louis Mountbatten’s Rolls Royce and General AAK Niazi’s Mercedes that was confiscated by the Indian Army during the Liberation War of 1971,” adds Ghosh. “Restoring an old car could take

anything between 8 to 18 months depending on the condition the car arrives in,” he adds. One of the most spectacular specimens of ingenious restoration is perhaps the family’s very own 1949 Cadillac V8 that was restored from a crumbling cadaver, axed by rioters who first failed in their attempt to set the car on fire. Rajiv, like his father, is goaded purely by his passionate fixation with vintage and classic cars. This is his bequest, and an emotional indulgence. After all, not all luxuries are tangible.

Rajiv Ghosh with one of his prized vintage cars


Rajiv Ghosh with one of his prized vintage cars


cover story

A Lavish SpreadThe Oberoi GrandThe menu at The Oberoi Grand’s all-day dining destination, Threesixtythree° is quintessentially ingredient-driven, speckled with luxurious dishes ranging from heirloom black rice and Kashmiri morels to Prosciutto di San Daniele and Gaeta olives. Executive chef Saurav Banerjee takes things to a whole new level with his Poached Lobster Tail and seared New Zealand Scallops served with caviar, black truffle shavings and 18 Carat gold specked champagne jelly. This dish doesn’t feature on the menu—it is especially curated for guests looking for something uber exclusive. “The black truffles imported from Perugia come at Rs 2,000 for a measly 35 gm and the organic black cherry tomatoes are brought in all the way from Bengaluru,” says Banerjee. At Threesixtythree°, The Oberoi Grand, Kolkata Meal For Two Rs 8,500 plus taxes

Taj BengalTaj Bengal’s elite watering hole, The Junction, is easily the swankiest drinking destination in town and is often dubbed as one of the best whisky bars in the country—thanks to a remarkable selection of rare whiskies and premiums malts. One of the most stunning numbers on their list of tipples is The John

Walker, best known for its long-lingering after taste, rich colour, complex flavour and hefty price tag. Smoky with traces of honey and spice, this limited edition blended Scotch whisky from the Johnnie Walker label, folds in old and rare stocks from nine Scottish distilleries that operated in the nineteenth century. In fact, a few of these distilleries have long since closed. Besides, it is hand blended, matured in 100-year-old casks and bottled in hand-blown Baccarat crystal decanters that come in stunning lacquered boxes that adds to its exclusivity.At The Junction, Taj BengalPriceRs 40,000 plus taxes for 30ml

The Poached Lobster Tail is luxury on a plate

The John Walker is a limited edition whisky with a hefty price tag



city buzz l [ NEW OPENING ]

All Things Classic

[ LISTINGS ]

Alliance Francais du Bengal in association with the Bhowanipore Film Society is all set to host a two-day French Film Festival at the iconic Nandan to mark the French National Day. Two French films will be screened between 4.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. in

the evening on July 15th and 16th.At Nandan, 1/1 Lala Lajpat Rai Sarani, AJC Bose Road

things to lookforward to

15

Within months of its incep-tion, The Astor Hotel’s

68-seater al fresco chill zone, Deck 88, has already claimed a top spot in the city’s drink-and-dine scene. The stately red-brick façade of the century-old building, with its white gothic style arches fitted with huge garden troughs, makes for a striking backdrop. The café-style seating—apt for chill-ing with friends, has cozy tables and canopied alcoves that give a little privacy. A touch of quirk comes from the wooden tables with wire-wheel stands and the hand pulled cycle rickshaw that stands at the foot of the iron stair-case that leads to the deck. The 8-ft long bar with its retroesque awning is impressively stocked and offers a mix of classic cocktails and innovative house specials such as the Lavender Margarita and the Cranberry Mojito. The menu at Deck 88 packs in a separate chakna section which has every-thing from peanuts and sprouts chaat and assorted pakodas to

masala chips and the quintessen-tial Kolkata street munchy, ghoti gorom. Besides, the menu is heavy on small plates, one-bowl meals and grills. Some of the popular picks include crunchy fish slid-ers and spaghetti laced with spicy desi-style minced meat sauce. For dessert, try the cream cheese and red velvet cookie that comes with ice cream and chocolate sauce. Or stick to classics like the chilled lemon pie. At The Astor Hotel, 15 Shakespeare Sarani Meal For Two Rs 1,600

n By Priyadarshini Chatterjee

The French Connection


Europe on Reel

VOICE FOR VICTIMS

The Kolkata chapter of the 22nd European Union Film Festival starts on July 14 at the Satyajit Ray Film &

Television Institute. Twenty two award-winning European films across genres ranging from comedy to adventure,

from 22 different European countries will be screened over nine evenings. With entries like Liza - The Fox Fairy from Hungary and Benoit Jaquot’s Three Hearts from France,

the festival will have the city’s cinema buffs watching in rapt attention. The screenings are free and the seats are avail-able on first come first serve basis. At Satyajit Ray Film &

Television Institute, E.M. Byepass Road

In an event titled Framing Innocents: Films and Conversations, The People’s Film Collective has organ-ised a screening for three short films. All three narra-tives follow the life and struggle of Muslim victims to bias, suspicion and bigotry. While Farooq Versus The State, delves into the story of Farooq Mhapkar, a vic-tim of indiscriminate police firing during the Riots of 1992, KP Sasi’s 2013 documentary, Fabricated tells the story of a Muslim spiritual leader who was framed and incarcerated for opposing the demolition of the Babri Masjid. At Jogesh Mime Academy, 95, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Road, Kalighat On July 9

City-based men’s wear designer Surbhi Pansari has recently launched her

Summer Wedding Collection 2017 that includes a range of bandhgalas, Jodhpuri and Nehru jackets, embroidered kurtas

paired with churidars, pathanis and sleek trousers. Pansari has stuck to light, airy natural fabrics like linen, cotton silk and

cotton jute, suitable for the sultry Kolkata heat. The colour palette is essentially summery with marmalade, aqua and

hazelnut hues ruling the line. The collec-tion gets its touch of flamboyance from

intricately embroidered motifs—Ottoman patterns to vintage roses—inspired by art and architecture from around the globe.

At Surbhi Pansari, 12, Loudon Street Tel 9830254947

Dressing the Groom



[ LISTINGS ]

Rakshabandhan is only a month away and your shopping plans are surely taking shape. And while you’re at it, you could check out the Rakhi Haat coming up on July 21. The three-day shop-ping gala will see over 80 stalls showcasing everything—from jewellery and ethnic wear, to embellished gift boxes and artifacts, earthenware and leather goods and a collection of intricately crafted rakhis.At Kolkata Ice Skating Rink, 78 Syed Amir Ali Avenue On July 21

Kolkata-based designer Roy Abhishek recently opened doors to his design studio Bohurupi by Roy on Graham’s Lane in South Kolkata. The first-floor store-cum-studio with its quirky but earthy interiors, done

with strictly eco-friendly and recycled material, showcases everything from curious artifacts, jewellery and even hand-picked books along with Roy’s signature line of clothes comprising sarees, kurtas, waistcoats, summer jackets and dresses. Dubbed as cool, casual and affordable, Roy’s clothes, contemporary with an

ethnic touch, come in soft, organic fabrics like cotton, linen and jute, apt for the Kolkata weather. The colours are bright and cheerful, the silhouettes, imaginative. The generous use of hand-textured and block prints

dominates the line. At Bohurupi by Roy, 20/23A, Graham's Land, N.S.C. Bose Road Tel 9821945758

DESIGN DIARIES

Indulge Your Sibling

The hot, sultry summers are especially cruel on your fur babies. So take them on a day-out to cool off in a pool. Kashika’s Pampered Paws, a city-based pet management outfit is organising a day-long pool party for your

four-legged kids on July 9 where they can swim in a pool strewn with colourful toys and props. Once out, they will be dried off on the spot by

their trained staff. Besides that, a complementary check up by veterinar-ian Dr Mainak Dey can be availed between 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

At Neelachal Abasan Society, 98 Rajdanga Gold ParkTel 9038043590 Price Rs 1,200

Popular gelato parlour Mamma Mia has been a pro at churning out unusual, even peculiar flavours

(they had once come up with sweet corn and rock salt gelato), and this time they stepped up their game by bringing a global sensation home with

their stunning ‘black’ gelato. After black pasta and black burgers, it is black ice cream that has the

smart-phone savvy new age foodie clicking away. Christened Stardust Vanilla, the gelato gets its lus-

trous back colour from activated charcoal, known to be rich in antioxidants and is flavoured with the

premium vanilla. Besides that, this out-and-out gothic number is totally instagram-worthy.

At Mamma Mia outlets in New Alipore, Ballygunge, City centre I and II, and Diamond plaza

Price Rs 89 for a scoop

Black Magic

Doggy's Day Out


[ LISTINGS ]

Shaadilogy, an online portal that provides exclusive wedding shopping experience and other

wedding-related services, is hosting the first chapter of the Trousseau Closet, a curated showcasing of high-fashion and designer

prêt clothes and accessories. Here you will be able to check out collections by top designers

such as Arpita Mehta, Nitya Bajaj and Divya Reddy all under one roof.

At Gharana, The Oberoi Grand, 15, Jawaharlal Nehru Road On July 7

If you’re tired of your gym routine, it’s probably time to step up your game with something more intense and exciting like a rigorous session of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Skulpt Gym, in association with Taponomics, has recently introduced an MMA programme and the thrice-a-week sessions are conducted by MMA experts.

At Skulpt Gym, 57 Jawaharlal Nehru Road, 5th Floor Tel 40716035

BREAK A LEG

FASHION FORWARD

Hip Hop MogulOn his first trip to India, Japan’s award-winning Disc-jockey, Ta-Shi, will treat

Kolkata's party animals to a special Hip-hop and commercial set on July 22. He

is touted to be Japan’s first hip-hop deejay and was voted as one of the

best Vinyl DJs in the world.At Roxy, The Park Kolkata, 17, Park Street


They say there’s an artist in all of us. Canvas and Chai, a unique event where you could create your own work of art over steaming cups of tea could help you dis-cover your creative streak. A one-of-a-kind initiative by Chaitown Creatives, a city-based outfit dedicated to promoting artists across genres, Canvas and Chai is an evening of art and conversation. Young artistes and art school graduates will help participants create an artwork. Canvas, paints and other materials will be provided, but it’s a good idea to carry an apron if you don’t want to spoil that favourite top. At The Country Roads, 4B, Allenby Rd, Sreepally, Bhawanipur Tel 9051234019 Price Rs 1,200

The Factory Outlet, a popular drink and dine destination in the city is called so for a reason. It is because it serves the good stuff at half the

price. They have come up with yet another smashing idea–Pitching Nights–to get you

happy high (or sloshed) without burning a hole in your pocket. Every night, one particular alco-holic beverage will be served in pitchers attrac-

tively priced at Rs 599 sans taxes. So, there’s Mojito on Mondays, Martini on Tully Tuesdays, Sangria on Wednesdays, Whiskey-based cock-

tails on Thursdays and potent Punches on Fridays. At 5th Floor, Westside Building, Block

D, 22 Camac Street

TIPPING POINT

ARTY AFFAIR

A FRESH PLATE

Flurys, Park Street’s iconic tearoom, has introduced a brand new assortment of a-la-carte options for

lunch and dinner to kick-start a year-long celebration to mark its 90th anniversary. The fresh menu is a shift from Flurys’ trademark fare. Executive Chef Vikas Kumar has contemporised the menu by giving it a cosmopolitan touch. So, the menu is peppered with dishes such as the Moroccan cigars stuffed with minced lamb, meaty curries and the quintessentially Asian, Laksa loaded with noodles, prawns, eggs and chicken. At Flurys 18A, Park Street Tel 40007453 Price Rs 1,600 plus taxes


Head to Tung Nam in the city’s old China town for mind-blowing

home-style Chinese food

The much-hyped Chinese breakfast at Tiretti Bazaar is poor excuse for a cockcrow

expedition to the city’s old China Town. Nowadays, it merely survives on conjecture. But later in the day, make that trip to the area anyway for a sumptuous meal at nearby Tung Nam–a no-frills, family-run Chinese eating house on Chatawallah Gully, behind Poddar Court. Comfort Food The setting is decidedly shabby but don't let that deter you, for the place serves up some of the best Cantonese-style food in the city. “What we serve here are treasured family recipes. It’s the kind of food you could expect to eat in a Chinese home in Kolkata,” says Susan Hsieh, 54, who now runs the place along with husband Michael, 58. In the kitchen to the right you are likely to spot members of the Hsieh family supervising bubbling pots of meaty broth or working the wok.

Known for its nostalgia-induc-ing flavours, the establishment is, in fact, relatively new having opened its doors only in 2001. Ever since, Tung Nam has quietly built a strong reputation and a bloc of staunch loyalists on the strength of unpretentious food, generous portions and reasonable prices. Plate Full Popular staples like the mei-foons and the Manchurians in place, the menu packs in a few unique numbers

like shreds of chicken or pork sim-mered with salt-pickled mustard greens in a flavourful broth, or cooked with button mushrooms and chunks of tofu in subtly fla-voured gravy. Tung Nam’s signa-ture Hamei sauce (you could take your pick from chicken, pork, fish or shrimp balls in this tear-jerking sauce) is a closely guarded recipe, which allegedly gets its unique flavour from a generous dose of fermented shrimp paste–a definite crowd-puller. The wantons here–silken parcels of supple dough, generously stuffed with subtly sea-soned mince are easily among the best picks. They also come nestled with mustard greens in steaming bowls of clear soup.All-time Favourite The place is especially popular with pork-enthusiasts who drop in for platefuls of chilli pork (often dubbed the best in town) or the fiery pork in hamei sauce, a bestseller. Besides, this is one of the few places in town that has kaptai (pig offal) on the menu. Those in the know, however, call days in advance to request specialties like the Char Siu Pork. Or ask one of the Hseihs for suggestions and they might just toss up an off-the-menu gem for you. At 24, Chatawallah Gully, Tiretti, Kolkata Meal For Two Rs 500Time 12 noon to 3 p.m. (lunch) and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. (dinner)


SLICE OF NOSTALGIA

Feature

SECRET IN THE CITY

Tung Nam is best known for its

pork items. Call in advance to

request gems like the Char Siu Pork.

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Feature

The essence of monsoons can hardly be realised in the city where the sound of rain is drowned by zooming vehicles, and overcast skies are merely a warning to a messy day ahead. After all

water-logged streets and over-flowing drains are hardly a reminder of the rain-doused beauties of nature. If you want to savour the season, leave the city lights behind, at least for the weekend. Take your pick from these getaways that sport a new beautiful look once the rains hit.

TrystRainwith

Hit the roads this monsoon and rediscover these rain-soaked getaways close to the city._ By Priyadarshini Chatterjee


Rain-washed Ajodhya hills (left), red crabs at Tajpur beach (inset), Tajpur waters (top right) and a temple near Ajodhya hills (bottom left)

AJODHYA HILLSIf grey clouds hovering over jade hills freckled with trickles of white water and pristine lakes is your idea of ‘picture perfect’, head to the Ajodhya Hills (a part of the Dolma range) in Purulia this monsoon. Trek through rain-washed forests that pad up the rocky hills to explore the regions impressive biodiversity or climb the Gorgaburu hill, the highest among the Ajodhya hills. The hills are dotted with charming waterfalls and lakes reinforced by the rains—the vigorous Bamni falls is a must-do, espe-cially for its idyllic beauty and a potent spray bath. And

the Khairabera Lake close by is just the place for some good old bird watching. However, while you’re in the area you cannot miss the Pakhipahar (bird hill). Artist Chitta Dey and his team of tribal artists has painstakingly painted gargantuan birds on the face of this hummock. How to reach Ajodhya Hills are about 250 km from Kolkata. The best way to reach Ajodhya hills is by trains like the Lalmati Express and Howrah Chakradharpur Express. The nearest railway station is Barabhum, a few kilometers from the village of Baghmundi, one of the main entrances for Ajodhya Hills.Where to stay There are a number of budget hotels and guest houses in adjoining villages like Baghmundi.

TAJPURSea, sand and sun might be a trendy phrase, but true romantics would chase the rains to the beach. And a good place to experience rains by the sea is Tajpur. You could brave the drizzle for a long walk down the shore flanked by casuari-nas and tamarisk forests and the sweeping grey waters of a rain-pierced Bay of Bengal, as hun-dreds of red crabs scamper out of your way and into their secret holes. Or grab a table at one of the beach shacks and enjoy the stunning views of the cloud-laden skies. How to reach Tajpur is about 180 km and a four-hour drive from Kolkata via NH17 and then NH6. You could also take a train to Digha or Contai, and then a hire a car for the short drive to Tajpur.Where to stay There are numerous mid range resorts and budget hotels along the beach and inside town in Tajpur.

Photographs by SUBIR HALDER


MON CHASHA, PAUSHIPaushi is a small village in East Midnapore, a few hours’ drive from the city. Luminescent greenery inter-rupted only by winding red earth roads, sweeping grasslands specked with tiny ponds, unassuming clay huts with thatched roofs are hard to resist. Come monsoon, the place takes on the sinuous qualities of a Vikrant Shitole painting. It is also where Mon Chasa, a responsible eco-tourism destination constructed entirely out of organic materials sourced from the area is perched right on the river front. Monsoon is the only time when the saline waters of the Badga River turn sweet. Enjoy a traditional Bengali meal on bell metal plates, walk in the rain or read your favourite book sprawled on a hammock. Should weather permit, hitch a ride to the Sarpai Sarbamangala temple.How to reach Take a train to Contai from the Howrah station. Pick-ups are available from the Contai railway sta-tion. Paushi is at a distance of 150km. Where to stay Mon chasa has rustic bamboo cottages for guests, albeit non-air-conditioned. Food comes at an additional price.

KHOAI There’s something strangely evoca-tive about the Khoai region of Bolpur, immortalised in Tagore’s poetry. Throughout the year Khoai attracts tourist with its distinct raanga maati (red earth), craggy landscape, silent forests where bauls sing. The adjacent Shonajhuri forest bursts into a flurry of rain-soaked greens, a spectacular contrast with the dull grey skies of the monsoons. It’s also good idea to visit the Ballavpur Wildlife Sactuary, famous

for its population of spotted deer or drive down to Viswa Bharati for a tryst with the bard, if you must.How to reach Several trains ply between Howrah and Bolpur every day. Luxury buses are also available. In case you want to take the road, get on to NH19 and then move on to NH14 from Nababhat.Where to stay There are guest houses and farmhouses in the vicinity that can be rented. The Shonajhuri Resort is a fantastic place to stay in.

JHARGRAMMost people go to Jhargram to check out the octogenarian Jhargram Palace, an opulent piece of architecture sur-rounded by gardens. The undulating topography, verdant hummocks and sal forests is a stunning setting for a mon-soon retreat. A trek through the forests of Gurrasini or the enchanting Laljal hills is a matchless experience. Visit the Khandarani Lake, famous as a haven for migratory bird. The Ketki Falls are in its prime during monsoons.How to reach Jhargram is about 170 km from Kolkata. It’s best to take trains like the Ispat or Koraput Express that ply between Howrah and Jhargram.Where to stay There are several budget hotels and guest houses, but your best bet is the Rajbari Tourist Complex, just outside the walls of the Jhargram Palace.

Feature

Cottages beside river Bagda (left), aerial view of Gurrasini forests in Jhargram (above) and tourists flocking the Khoai region (bottom)


BACKYARD your

City-based travel outfit, Let Us Go is urging locals to get to know their home-ground better.


What goaded you to start these city walks in Kolkata?I have been on several interesting city walks during my stay in cities like Mumbai and Delhi. It is one of the best ways to get to know the city. When I started my travel outfit I wanted to do

something similar here. Of course, Kolkata had established outfits that conduct such walks. But I had noticed that they catered exclusively to a niche crowd, mostly foreigners. I, on the other hand, wanted to cater to the locals, hence our motto, “Know your city first”.

Feature

More often than not we tend to take our home-ground for granted. Familiarity breeds indifference. But every city has its secrets waiting to be discovered and you will be surprised at how little

you actually know. But that could change, one step at a time. A young travel outfit in Kolkata, Let Us Go is encouraging locals to explore their city through a range of interesting and unique walks and expeditions--from nightly ghost tours to walks that explore its diverse religious fabric or rich literary heritage. Founder Deepayan Roy shares what’s on offer.

REDISCOVER

St. Andrew's Church (above)St. John's Church (left)

Vidyasagar Setu

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Who conducts these walks and tours?We have a small but stellar team of explorers at the moment. There’s ace travel writer Rangan Datta, a mine of information on the city’s history, veteran photographer and blogger Amitabha Gupta, and National award winning documentary filmmaker, Kamalesh Kamila, who conducts our photo-walks and workshops.

What goes into crafting a particular walk?A lot of research goes into each of our walks. We do a recce of the sites several times, get to know them better, work out the logistics, seek the neces-sary permissions, sometimes even from residents of still-inhabited heri-tage buildings, which is often tricky. What is your target audience?Surprisingly, our night bus tour is most popular with women, while the youngsters prefer the photo walks. A lot of people of non-Bengali origin, now settled in the city, have a keen interest in the city’s history.

What is your philosophy?Our aim is to move farthest from stereotypes. Usually, every dialogue about the city’s heritage tends to be dominated by our colonial history. Through our walks, we try to explore more local narratives of the city’s history and heritage.

Tell us about one of the walks.Every year hundreds of camera-toting visitors, foreigners and locals alike flock Kumartuli. On our walk to the area, titled Kumartuli–Not a Photo Walk, we discourage guests from carrying cameras. The artisans' workshops are not the focus of our walk either. Instead we explore lesser-known gems like the Baneswar Shiv Temple, Sobhabazar Baro Chura Temple and the Kumartuli Black Pagoda.

What is your USP?It’s perhaps the surprise element and the stress on unique experiences. For instance, our midnight heritage bus tour includes a stopover at a long abandoned helipad on the bank of the Ganges, fol-lowed by a visit to the Kidderpore docks late at night, just in time to witness the city’s very own draw bridge and swing bridge in motion. Again, on our Bengali literature themed walk, which includes a visit to author and humourist Shibram Chakraborty’s erstwhile home, we intro-duce our guests to someone who has personally interacted with the author in his lifetime.

Any challenges that you faced? There isn't much support from the state government for such pursuits. But another major road block is the popular mindset that such undertak-ings should come for free.

Feature

Rangan Datta Speaks“Unlike other outfits, Let Us Go’s heritage

walks are not restricted to North and Central Kolkata. They are also exploring the South and East. A particular walk I conduct

explores old lesser-known temples along the Adi Ganga (Tolly Nulla) in the southern part

of the city.”

Tips to Write Rightn Do your homework. Advance research gives you perspective.

n You could click away on your smart phones all you like, but make sure you carry a note pad and pen, the old fashioned way,

to jot everything down. n Downloading a navigation app

always helps.n Walk a lot and use local transport—this is

the best way you can get to learn about the local ways.

n A great way to learn about the local culture is through food, so sample local

cuisine.

Howrah Railway Museum (above)and Chhoto Rashbari Temple (left)


PROMISES & PERILS - Magazinos.com

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