Issue:October 2010 - Consulate General of India, Dubai

PUBLICATION OF THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF INDIA IN DUBAI
VOL. 2 ISSUE 10 | OCTOBER 2010
INDIA’S
MOMENT
OF GLORY
Indian athletes put up their best
ever performance even as the
country hosted the biggest ever
Commonwealth Games
CONTENTS
FROM THE CONSUL
GENERAL’S DESK
Dear Reader,
Duty is in my right hand and the fruits of
victory in my left…
– A mantra in the Atharva-Veda
The Commonwealth Games has been a stupendous success. It was the largest international multi-sport event to be staged in India, since
the Asian Games in 1982. The Games overcame
concerns about security and infrastructure and
we proved worthy hosts. Jawaharlal Nehru’s
famous words come to mind: “Success does not
come suddenly or without setbacks”.
It was also a matter of pride for us that we
managed to secure 38 gold medals, putting us
in the 2nd place in the overall rankings. Here’s
to a new dawn for India in sports!
Thanks to Theatrewallas for putting up an
excellent show ‘Mahaprayan’ on the occasion of
Gandhi Jayanti celebrations at the Consulate. It
was a well-scripted play that depicted the last
day of Bapu’s life. Gandhiji’s favourite songs
and the open house on Gandhiji’s relevance
rounded up the celebrations.
US President Barack Obama’s historic visit to
India is something to look forward to, in the
coming month. Also our President, Honorable
Smt. Pratibha Patil, will be visiting UAE at the
end of next month for the launch of the Indian
Workers Resource Centre amongst other events.
Our radio show will be back on air soon as
the station is undergoing a technical upgrade.
Look forward to a new and improved format of
India Matters on air.
And last but not the least… India Matters
has undergone a makeover. From a brand new
masthead to a completely new design, with new
fonts and colours, India Matters has sought a
blend of the classic and the contemporary. With
this issue, we bring you additional features that
I am sure will delight you and enrich you.
Happy Reading
Sanjay Verma
4 India’s moment of glory
Indian athletes put up their best ever performance even as the country hosted
the biggest ever Commonwealth Games
12 Penguins in
BUSINESS
the desert!
INDIA MATTERS ON AIR
An Indian company has helped build a $100
million ice-themed water park in the emirate
of Ras Al Khaima
14 Anchor
SUPERBRANDS
The winner of the
September 2010
monthly quiz contest is
Mr. Rakesh Bohra
He wins a gift hamper.
The Consulate General of India in Dubai has re-launched
its weekly radio programme, India Matters, with the
purpose of informing the public about various Consular
services, events relating to India and about what matters
to Indians in the UAE.
India Matters is aired every Saturday between 6 pm and
7 pm on FM 105.4 Radio Spice and repeated every Friday
between 5 pm and 6 pm.
FM 105.4 Radio Spice caters to the South Asian community in the UAE, broadcasting mainly in Hindi and English.
ns!
Congratulatio
19 The World’s
INTERVIEW | SUHAS GOPINATH
18 Eatables have
BOOKS
a story to tell
Are you a guilt-ridden unhappy reader? Read
Ratna Rajaiah’s ‘How the Banana Goes to
Heaven’ to discover the nutritional and
medicinal value of common foods...
Youngest CEO
20 Knotty
TRAVEL
Destinations...
Plan your wedding hotspot
India Matters is a monthly publication of the Consulate General of India (CGI) in Dubai. All rights reserved. No part of this journal may be produced, stored
or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the permission of the CGI Dubai.
Editorial correspondence and manuscripts can be addressed to indiamatters@cgidubai.com
Content and design by IANS (www.ianspublishing.com) on behalf of Consulate General of India in Dubai.
2
IndiaMatters|
October 2010
SEPTEMBER 2009
October 2010 |IndiaMatters
SEPTEMBER 2009 3
THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES
The grand opening ceremony of 19th
Commonwealth Games held in
New Delhi on October 3, 2010.
INDIA’S
MOMENT
OF GLORY
Indian athletes put up their best ever performance even as the country hosted
the biggest ever Commonwealth Games
W
ith song and dance, colour
and culture, a touch of tradition and a dazzling display of
technology, the rich tapestry
that is india unfurled before millions worldwide as the 19th Commonwealth Games were
declared open in New Delhi on October 3 —
celebrating the spirit of sport and the
sportsperson.
the anticipation and anxiety of the months
preceding the biggest sporting event india
has hosted faded as the ceremony, deeply
emotive for millions of indians glued to television sets to witness their country’s moment
of glory, proceeded for three hours to encapsulate 5,000 years of indian history.
Amongst the 65,000 people packed into
the main venue of the Games, the Jawaharlal
Nehru Stadium named after india’s first
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IndiaMatters|
October 2010
SEPTEMBER 2009
Prime Minister, were indian President
Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister
Dr. Manmohan Singh, Britain’s Prince
Charles, and ruling United Progressive
Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
Fireworks lit the cool night sky and the
stirring strains of the national anthem
“Jana Gana Mana” set the mood for what was
to come as india greeted 6,700 athletes from
71 countries and Commonwealth territories
to the 19th edition of the $6.8 billion Games
— mostly limited to former British colonies
and the second biggest multi-discipline
extravaganza after the Olympics.
the 71 teams comprised 19 from Africa, six
from the Americas, eight from Asia, 15 from
the Caribbean, 10 from Europe and 13 from
Oceania.
“Welcome to india, welcome to the Games,
the people of india are delighted to host the
Commonwealth Games in this historic city,”
the Prime Minister told the teams and other
guests to thunderous cheers.
“We will see human endeavour at its best,”
President Patil said while Prince Charles, who
read Queen Elizabeth’s message, was sure the
Games would be “an experience of a lifetime”.
the spectacle unfolded with electrifying
energy through a meticulously segmented
ceremony that rejoiced in the ‘Rhythms of
india’, sang out ‘Swagatam’ (Welcome),
showcased its ‘tree of Knowledge’, displayed
the ancient wellness regime of ‘Yoga’, traced
the ‘Great indian Journey’ and recreated the
joie de vivre of a village fair.
Puppets danced in the air to the beat of
thousands of drummers, schoolchildren gathered in the centre and, led by well-known
vocalist hariharan, sang out
“Su Swagatam” in welcome.
the children formed a “namaste”, the ageold indian greeting with hands folded, in the
vast field. A collective roar echoed as the participants, in a rapid fluid movement, held
aloft white sheets to splash red paint and
show up intricate henna designs.
All through the ceremony, the moving
lights on the helium balloon continued to
change their hues, projecting life size revolving images of the action on the ground.
From the guru-shishya tradition to classical
dances to folk, with the tenor changing from
the serene to riotous joy and back again, the
ceremony had the crowds enthralled.
Whether it was the azaan, the muezzin’s call
to prayer, Buddhist chants or the joyous
strains of Bollywood number “Chaiya,
Chaiya”, this was a celebration of all that is
india.
there was magic as the strains of Mahatma
Gandhi’s favourite hymn “Vaishnav Janato”
filled the air and the familiar outline of the
bent head and the horn rimmed glasses lit up.
Music maestro Allah Rakha Rahman sang out
the anthem for the Games “Jiyo Utho Badho
Jeeto” (Live, rise, grow, win) and moved on
to his Oscar winning chant “Jai ho”.
But even as the cultural colours of india
unveiled, the underlying theme was sport and
the sportsperson spirit — best illustrated in
the athletes parade.
Lines blurred and overlapped as the 71
teams, led by indian girls showing 71 ways of
wearing a sari, filed past the appreciative
crowd. if England doffed a hat to india by
wearing a Nehru style sleeveless jacket over a
white ensemble resembling a kurta pyjama,
indians reserved the loudest cheers for
Pakistanis.
New Zealand journalist Joseph Ramonos
added emphatically: “i have covered the
Commonwealth Games for 25 years, but
there is no doubt this was the best opening
ceremony ever.”
It raIned gold for IndIa
As the ceremony ended in a blaze of colour
and sparkle, it paved the way for two weeks of
sporting action in 11 spanking new venues.
indian athletes were geared up with a new
spirit to perform their best at the home turf.
they showed it and how! india won the high-
October 2010 |IndiaMatters
SEPTEMBER 2009 5
est number of gold at 38, took the second
spot in the medal table for the first time in
the Commonwealth Games history as the
medal tally read an impressive 38 gold, 27 silver and 36 bronze for a total of 101.
the Games will be remembered for the
splendid show by women shooters, wrestlers,
paddlers, archers, weightlifters and badminton players. Krishna Poonia sent india
into ecstasy with her gold winning discus
throw. harwant Kaur and Seema Antil followed her with a silver and bronze for a stunning 1-2-3 finish for the first time by indian
women in the Games.
A.C. Ashwini, Manjeet Kaur, Mandeep
Kaur and Sini Jose lifted the gold in the
4x400 metre women’s relay. And then the
historic firsts by indian women came in badminton — Saina Nehwal getting the gold in
the singles and Jwala Gutta and Ashwini
Ponnappa in the doubles.
Saina beat Malaysian Mew Choo Wong 1921, 23-21, 21-13 in an edge-of-the-seat thriller
when india needed one gold to knock off
England from the second spot. She scripted
a sensational victory by clinching a
befitting win.
Men played theIr part too
the indian men contributed by winning
gold in shooting, archery, boxing, weightlifting, wrestling, table tennis and tennis.
Shooting included the familiar marksmen
Gagan Narang and Abhinav Bindra who won
gold. Somdev Devvarman in tennis singles,
Manoj Kumar, Paramajeet Samota and
Suranjoy Mayengbam Singh in boxing,
Sharath Kamal and Subhajit Saha in table
tennis doubles. Ravi Kumar Katulu in
weightlifting, Yogeshwar Dutt, Sushil Kumar,
Narsingh Panch Yadav, Anil Kumar,
Rajender Kumar, Sanjay, and Ravinder
Singh in wrestling.
a MeMorable close
As laser lights danced in the sky and
the best of Bollywood and indi-pop music
brought the crowds to their feet, bringing the Commonwealth Games to a
colourful and electrifying close on
October 14, india marked a triumphant
moment, pulling off one of the biggest
sporting galas in the world with aplomb.
Fireworks in the night sky lent a magical
halo to the over two-hour-long closing ceremony at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, crowned
by a giant helium aerostat, as close to 60,000
spectators roared and cheered and even foreign athletes and delegates were left
6
IndiaMatters|October 2010
INDIAN ATHLETES LED BY SHOOTER ABHINAV BINDRA, MARCH PAST DURING THE
OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 19TH COMMONWEALTH GAMES (LEFT) THE FORMATION
DISPLAYS THE BENEFITS OF INDIA’S ANCIENT HEALTH REGIME ‘YOGA’
charmed. it was a photo finish to the October
3-14 event that saw india showcasing its
organisational might.
“Delhi, you have delivered a truly exceptional Games and a wonderful experience for
us all, thank you Delhi,” said Mike Fennel,
chief of the CWG Federation.
it was a night of martial arts, Sufi rhythms,
Bollywood and indi-pop music, powered by
glitzy laser lights and booming music — as
also nearly 7,000 artistes. While tens of millions across india and around the world
watched the ceremony on television, the
crowded stadium had international and
indian dignitaries in thrall.
Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa
was the guest of honour, flanked by VicePresident hamid Ansari and Prime Minister
Dr. Manmohan Singh. Also present were
Prince Edward, younger brother of Prince
Charles and vice-patron of the
Commonwealth Games Federation, Congress
president Sonia Gandhi and Delhi Chief
Minister Sheila Dikshit.
the spectacle began with over 500 martial
artistes from the far corners of india.
Carrying swords, sticks and other traditional
weapons, they leapt into the air or moved
with agility on the ground, they performed an
act titled “Agni”, the glory of sports. there
was a burst of patriotic fervour as military
bands worked up a crescendo. Bagpipers and
drummers, clad in black, white and orange
stirred up martial music.
the moment soon softened, when over
2,000 schoolchildren, clad in white, came to
perform “Vande Mataram”, the national song.
With the Ashoka Chakra at the centre, they
spun around, and what soon materialised was
the orange, white and green of the indian flag
— on the ground and their faces!
taking over from them were the many volunteers who had toiled to make the Games a
success. Waving and smiling, the volunteers
in red and white track suits had their
moment of glory.
the loudest cheer though was reserved for
the real heroes — the athletes and officials of
the Games, especially the indian contingent.
there were smiles, waving of hands and flags
from the players, many of whom put up banners thanking india for pulling off a spectacular Games. And then in came Shera the tiger,
the extremely popular mascot of the Games!
the CWG flag was then handed over to
Robert Winter, Lord Provost of Glasgow,
Scotland, which will host the 20th edition of
the Games in 2014. Winter had a word of
thanks for the indian capital: “thanks Delhi
for being such generous hosts.”
But the best was yet to come — a laser
show crisscrossing the length and breadth of
the stadium. On the ground, 1,000 dancers
wearing lighted costumes kept pace.
But could any show in india be complete
without its best export — Bollywood? From
Kailash Kher and Zila Khan to Usha Uthup to
ila Arun to Sunidhi Chauhan and Shankar
Mahadevan, they were all there. Folk rhythms
stirred as did Sufi tunes.
Oscar winning composer A.R. Rahman’s
anthem for the Games, “Jiyo, Utho Badho,
Jeeto” filled the air. the crowds went berserk,
knowing fully well that is exactly what india
and indians had done.
Living up to President Pratibha Patil’s hope
on the opening day, it was human endeavour
at its best!◆
October 2010 |IndiaMatters
7
GANDHI JAYANTI
Hindi Divas
Observed
The Making of
the Mahatma
T
On the occasion
of the 141st Birth
Anniversary of the
Father of the
Nation, CGI pays
tribute to the
apostle of peace
and his vision
HE Consulate General of India
on October 2 hosted a special
function to mark the 141st
Birth Anniversary of Mahatma
Gandhi, observed as the UN
International Day of Non-Violence
across the world.
Addressing the gathering, ConsulGeneral Sanjay Verma said, “There is
a lot that can be said about Gandhiji
and a lot that should remain unsaid.
The idea is to keep Gandhiji in focus
and to distil his central message.
Gandhiji is far easier to admire than
follow, as his standards were very
high if you look at his life in various
dimensions, such as social, political
and economic, and his relationship
with people. Gandhiji was like a
normal man like us, with a sense
of humor et al, but at the point he
evolved, he became ‘Maha-Aatma’.”
Referring to Gandhi’s life and
Consul-General Sanjay Verma speaking at the Consulate General on the
occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.
8
IndiaMatters|
October 2010
SEPTEMBER 2009
T
times, Verma spoke about his stay in
South Africa, the political vision he
brought with him to India, and the
historic struggle for freedom he
eventually led. Encouraging the
young to read more about Gandhi,
Verma urged them to adopt and
uphold his standards and views,
especially those relating to
sustainability and fraternity in
today’s world.
As Gandhiji strongly believed in
prayers, the event started with
bhajans sung by Abhirami Ajay
Kumar, a Grade 8 student, followed
by a classical performance by Ajmal
Ali, a singer who belongs to the
Patiala Gharana.
Next, Theatrewallas, a drama
group based in the UAE, rendered a
play titled ‘Mahaprayan’ based on
the last journey of the Mahatma. It
was woven around the events at Birla
Bhavan, Gandhi’s headquarters in
Delhi, on the historic day, January
30, 1948. Set amidst the political
turmoil of post-partition days, the
play, while capturing the ethos of the
tragic event was also laced with
humour flowing from commonplace
events of everyday life through
conversations among well-known
names of the Gandhi era.
At the end of the play, Prasanna
Krishna, a student of SP Jain
Institute of Management, Dubai
Campus, made a power point
presentation on the relevance of
Mahatma Gandhi in the 21st century.
The floor was then thrown open
for discussion and those present
were given a platform to express
their opinion on Gandhi, his life,
and how people could inculcate his
values and ideals in their lives.◆
HE Consulate General of
India, in association with the
Indian High School (IHS),
Dubai, observed September 14 as
‘Hindi Divas’ to promote the use of
the official language.
Members of the Consulate
participated enthusiastically in
Hindi quizzes, a ‘guess the movie’
contest and an impromptu story
telling competition. The topics for
the quiz ranged from literature to
music, and science to culture.
Speaking on the occasion,
Consul-General Sanjay Verma
reiterated: “Language is a living
heritage, it invokes the history of
our country. Linguistic culture is
extremely rich in our country and
as it is tangible, it has to be
preserved,” he added.
A presentation by IHS teachers
highlighted the importance of the
language. They also spoke about
how Hindi and our mother-tongues
could be weaved into daily life in
order to keep these languages alive
and vibrant.
Later, prizes were also given to
the winners of each contests.◆
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Consul-General
Sanjay Verma giving
away a prize to Shri
M.P. Singh, Consul
(Labour & Welfare).
Consulate staff participating in the quiz competition on the occasion of Hindi Divas at the Consulate General.
October 2010 |IndiaMatters
SEPTEMBER 2009 9
COMMUNITY / INTERVIEW
The world’s
youngest
CEO
He began his journey in a cyber café. Today, he leads a company with offices across
continents, works closely with the World Bank and is perhaps the youngest member
of the World Economic Forum…
set policies on ICT in university education.
In 2007, the european Parliament and
International Association for Human Values
conferred the ‘Young Achiever Award’ on him.
He was also invited to address the european
Parliament and other business dignitaries
assembled in the eU Parliament. The prestigious World economic Forum also named
him as one of the ‘Young Global Leaders’ for
2008-2009. Suhas is the youngest member
ever in the World economic Forum’s history.
Members include the Louisiana governor
Bobby Jindal, Hollywood star Leonardo
DiCaprio, musician A R Rahman, Prince of
Brunei, and others.
Excerpts from an interview:
T
en years ago when 14-year-old
Suhas Gopinath started Globals Inc
from a cyber cafe in Bengaluru, little
did he know that he had become the
youngest CeO in the world.
Today, Globals is a multi-million dollar
company with offices in the United States,
India, Canada, Germany, Italy, UK, Spain,
Australia, Singapore and the Middle east and
has 100 employees in India and 56 abroad.
Among the several honours that have been
bestowed upon this young man, the most
prestigious is the invitation to be a member of
the Board of the ICT Advisory Council of the
World Bank. He is helping the World Bank to
10
IndiaMatters|
October 2010
SEPTEMBER 2009
On his childhOOd
I come from a middle class family. My
father worked as a scientist for the Indian
Army. I used to study in the Air Force school
in Bengaluru. As a child, I was more interested in animals and veterinary science. But
when I saw my friends who had home computers talk about it, I had this urge to learn
and talk in their wavelength.
But we didn’t have a computer at home
since, in those days, computers were very
expensive and we couldn’t afford one. So, I
located an Internet cafe near my house. With
a pocket money of Rs. 15, I couldn’t afford to
surf the net every day. I noticed that the shop
was closed in the afternoon from 1 pm to 4
pm. So, I told the owner that I could keep his
shop open after school hours and take care of
his customers and in return he could let me
browse the net for free. He agreed and that
was the first business deal of my life and it
turned out to be a successful one!
On getting the first contract to build a
website
Initially I joined a freelance marketplace on
the web to offer my website building services.
I had to do the first website for free as I had
no references. It was for a company in new
York. My first income was $100 when I was
13 for building another website. After that, I
built my own portal and called it
Coolhindustan.com. It was focused on nRIs.
It was a portal where I wanted to showcase
my skills. After that, many companies
approached me to be their web designer.
On rejecting a job offer from the Us
When I was 14, network Solutions offered
me a part-time job in the US and they said
they would sponsor my education in the US.
I rejected the offer because that was the time
I had read a story about Bill Gates and how he
started Microsoft. I thought it was more fun to
have your own company.
On starting his own company at 14
Soon after my 9th standard summer vacation, I started my own company, Globals Inc.
I wanted the name Global or Global Solutions
but both were not available, so I named it
Globals. I registered my company in the US,
as in India, you will not be able to start a company unless you are 18. I became the owner
and CeO of the company. My friend, an
American who was a university student,
became a board member. From that day,
I started dreaming of making my company
as big as Microsoft.
On looking at Europe as a market
We used to build websites and also offer
online shopping and e-commerce solutions.
When I was 16, I saw that there were enormous business opportunities in europe as a
majority of the Indian IT companies were
working for American companies. When I
contacted a Spanish company, it rejected my
offer saying Indians do not know Spanish. As
an entrepreneur, you can’t accept rejection,
especially when you are young. So, I hired five
student interns from some Spanish universities and told them they would be paid based
on their successful sales. They were the people
who met the companies and bagged the projects for us. By now, we decided to have a
home office in Spain. I replicated the same
model in Italy by hiring some Italian university students.
On going to Germany to talk about
entrepreneurship
The American newspapers were writing a
lot about me as the world’s youngest CeO at
14 from India, from a middle class background. It was a good story for the BBC as
well. On seeing these stories, a B-school in
Germany invited me to talk to its students on
entrepreneurship. I was 17 then. By now,
I had completed my 12th standard and had
joined engineering in Bengaluru. When I was
18, we set up an office — the european HQ in
Bonn. Then, we moved to Switzerland. Six
months back, we started our operations in
Vienna as well. That is how we spread our
operations from a small Internet cafe to
become a multinational company with significant operations in europe, Middle east, the
US, Canada, the UK, Australia, etc.
Suhas with
Selma
Prodanovic, CEO,
Brainswork and
president,
IncrediblEurope,
Austria, at the
recent
IncrediblEurope
Summit 2010
held in Vienna.
On moving to creating products
We wanted our company to go into product
development as well and so we developed a
software that manages everything about a
child while in school starting from admission
till he/she leaves school and becomes an
alumnus. The software is now being used in
more than 100 schools all over India,
Singapore and the Middle east. We are now in
the process of raising funds. Once we do it, we
will separate the company into two — service
and product development. I want to concentrate on products as I can’t sail on two boats.
On his dreams for his company
I have always believed that IT is not just
technology but a tool that can solve the problems of people. That is what I want to do in
my company. I want my company to be a
market leader in software solutions concentrating on education. What drives me is my
passion and it has been an amazing journey
so far.◆
(As told to Shobha Warrier on rediff.com)
October 2010 |IndiaMatters
SEPTEMBER 2009 11
ECONOMY
Penguins in the desert!
An Indian
company has
helped build a
$100 million
ice-themed water
park in the
emirate of
Ras Al Khaima
UAE posts $599 mn trade
surplus with India
P
A long view of Ice Land
Water Park in Ras Al
Khaima.
12
IndiaMatters|
October 2010
SEPTEMBER 2009
enguins frolicking in icy
waters in the middle of the
desert? if that sounds like a
tall tale, just visit the ice
Land Water Park in the emirate of
Ras Al Khaima to see the spectacle
with your own eyes.
The park built at a cost of $100
million with the help of an indian
company was opened to the public
on september 29, 2010 by
Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler
of Ras Al Khaimah sheikh saud
bin saqr Al Qasimi. The park is
part of a 125-acre resort project
inspired by the issue of global
warming. “This is a reflection of
our tradition of hospitality, our
openness and our willingness
to make friends with open
arms and open minds. We are
after all a nation born to partner with
others and trade with others,” sheikh
saud said at the inauguration.
The park, spread across 110,000
sqm, packs an array of unique
attractions, including the world’s
largest manmade water fall and rain
dance pool along with over 50 exhilarating water slides and rides.
Managed by Polo RAK
Amusement, a joint venture between
india’s Polo Amusement group and
RAK Properties PJsC and RAK
investment Authority (RAKiA), the
park is equipped with a full set of inhouse utilities, including four
megawatt power generation, a water
desalination plant capable of producing 525,000 gallons a day and water
filtration systems to maintain the
four million gallons of pool water.
Khater Massaad, CeO of RAKiA,
said: “The park is a unique and wonderful project. i hope this will add to
the tourist attractions available in
Ras Al Khaimah.”
Balwant singh Chawla, MD, Polo
RAK Amusement, said: “The ice
Land Water Park qualifies among the
top five parks in the world. With the
addition of more facilities, it will be
among the top three water parks...”
H.e. M.K. Lokesh, indian
Ambassador to the uAe, Mohammed
sultan Al Qadi, CeO & MD, RAK
Properties PJsC, and santokh singh
Chawla, JMD, Polo RAK
Amusements LLC, also spoke at the
inaugural function.◆
IndIa news
at a Glance
Us$ 20 billion
The amount net foreign institutional
investor (FII) inflows crossed on
October 5, 2010
Us$ 676.8 million
The amount the Government has
agreed to spend during the 11th
Five Year Plan for setting up 13
new central universities and
converting three existing state
universities into central universities
9.7%
India’s growth projection that has been
revised upwards for the third time by
the International Monetary Fund
Us$ 15.8 million
The amount BMW, the luxury
carmaker, plans to infuse in its
Indian operations
Us$ 55 billion
India’s expected investments by 2015
in the renewable energy sector which
is expected to produce 35 giga watts
of power
u
Ae’s trade surplus with
india rose to 2.2 billion
dirhams ($599 million) in
the first quarter of 2010
from a deficit of 7.3 billion dirhams
($2 billion) in the corresponding
period last year, the country’s foreign
trade ministry said in a report
released in september. The report
attributed this positive change to the
big increase of 273 percent in the
value of uAe’s non-oil exports, up
from 2.2 billion dirhams ($599 million) in the first quarter of 2009 to
8.4 billion dirhams ($2.3 billion) in
the first quarter of 2010.
in addition, the value of indiabound re-exported commodities rose
by 162 percent to 11.5 billion dirhams
($3.13 billion), up from 4.4 billion
dirhams ($1.2 billion) in the first
quarter of 2009.
The report revealed that there was
an 83 percent increase in the value of
non-oil foreign trade between the two
nations. The indicators reflected the
strength of the existing ties between
uAe and india and strength of uAe’s
economy and development.
it also indicated that india is the
uAe’s largest trade destination, while
the uAe is the number one trade destination for indian exports, and second largest source for indian imports,
coming in second after China.
investments by uAe firms in india
stand at 5.7 billion dirhams ($1.6 billion). The report predicted that the
value of uAe investments in india
would reach 6.9 billion dirhams ($1.9
billion) by the year 2011.
The report also indicated that uAe
investments in india have witnessed
a steady increase over the past 10
years, from $1.6 million in 2000 to
$257 million in 2008, reaching $629
million in 2009. uAe investments in
india were concentrated in five main
sectors that took a 48.6 percent share
($705 million) of the total value of
these investments. The energy sector
received 19.1 percent share of uAe
investments in india (worth $264
million), followed by services at 9.3
percent ($143 million), programming
and construction at 7.8 percent ($115
million) and 6.8 percent ($99.2 million) respectively, while tourism and
hotels came in at the 5th place at 5.6
percent ($84 million).
◆
October 2010 |IndiaMatters
SEPTEMBER 2009 13
An India Matters-Superbrands Presentation
Market
These are heady times. The country
is moving forward rapidly and its
people fanning across the globe
learning the secrets of modern life
and living. Armed with deep pockets
and an innate desire to catch up
with the rest of the developed
world, the transformation has been
truly awesome. Cities are turning
into metropolises and sleepy towns
into pulsating cities. The changes
can be seen on India’s choked
roads, in homes where style is
replacing simple need and in the
spaces that house companies that
make India’s world go around.
Many palpable changes are evident; not least of all in the electric
switches and accessories segment.
The market for this ubiquitous
product is divided into two: nonmodular and modular. The former is
mostly confined to rural and semi-
14
IndiaMatters|
October 2010
SEPTEMBER 2009
urban areas where more than 100
manufacturers – almost all in the
unorganised sector – battle for
supremacy. On the other hand, the
latter, now growing at some 20%
annually, dominates the urban landscape. In the combined Rs. 800
crore (US$ 200 million) per year
market what is most evident is the
complete change that has taken
place. From the dimness of allwhite, a range of colours, sleek
designs and distinct styles have
emerged.
Leading this make over is the
Rs.1000 crore (US$ 250 million)
Anchor Electricals. The brand commands a massive 50% of the organised market. The other half is fought
over by nine other national and
multinational players.
Achievements
Anchor is almost generic to electrical switches and accessories in
India. The company, turning out more
than 50 switches every second, has the distinction of
being the world’s number one
switch manufacturer.
Keeping the momentum
going is a small army of
achievements and supports:
more than four decades of
experience, a research and
development unit that continuously innovates new product
lines, an advanced tool-room
armed with the latest
CAD/CAM facilities, ISO:9002
Certification for quality con-
trol, South Asia’s largest installation of fourth-generation injectionand hydraulic-moulding machines
and a team of more than 7000
employees. Seventeen factories
located in Mumbai, Daman, Gujarat,
Haridwar, Chennai and Hyderabad –
as well as one of the most modern
wires and cables plant in the world
– cover 1.5 million square feet of
space and gives Anchor unmatched
manufacturing capabilities.
The company manufactures more
than 1600 LT electrical products
and accessories catering to 70% of
the market and enjoys an outstanding reputation for quality, reliability
and safety. Anchor also happens to
be the only Indian company with CE
and ISO: 9000 Certifications as well
as IEC conformity – a testimony to
its world-class range of more than
3000 products in 20 product
groups.
Anchor products are distributed
across the country through 10,000
dealers and more than 300,000
retail outlets.
Over the years, Anchor has fed
India with state-of-the-art products
by simply sourcing cutting edge
technologies and collaborating with
world-class organisations. This list
reads like a who’s who of the
world’s greatest electrical switch
companies.
Italy’s AVE (Anonima Vestonese
Elettronica), the world’s foremost
manufacturer of intelligent low-voltage electrical control and management systems and accessories;
UK’s British General (Woods), world
leader in contemporary technologydriven upper end switches and
Heinrich-Kopp of Germany for its
technologically advanced and aesthetically designed range of switches. To add to these stunning
strengths, Anchor has acquired
Rider, the electronic regulators and
dimmers domestic brand. This has
given Anchor a potent presence in
India across the entire spectrum –
from top-end products to entry level
merchandise.
Anchor also has a sizeable presence in the Middle East. Apart from
private-label manufacturing for its
joint venture partners, the company
has a commanding presence in
West Asia and several parts of
Africa.
It has set for itself the target of
generating 30% of its turnover from
global sales by 2011. This will propel it to being one of India’s first
truly Indian multinational brands.
In April 2007, in another significant move, Anchor entered into a
joint venture arrangement with
Matsushita Electric Works Limited –
owners of the world-famous National
and Panasonic brands. This
Japanese electrical giant is helping
Anchor extend and consolidate its
leadership position in the Indian
market. In the near future a range
of innovative home automation systems and futuristic products for
everyday categories will be introduced. These will include products
in the home appliances, lighting,
interior design solutions and security systems categories.
For the year ended March 2007,
Anchor Electricals had recorded net
sales of Rs. 934 crore (US$ 233.50
million) and net profit of Rs. 180
crore (US$ 45 million).
History
Fifty years ago India was still coming to terms with its new-found independence. The existing markets
were still dominated by the last of
the British manufacturers and wellset indigenous industrial groups.
Entrepreneurship was riskier than
ever.
In this environment, two brothers
Damji and Jadavji Shah saw an
opportunity for the manufacture of
electrical tumbler switches. A smallscale factory was commissioned in
suburban Mumbai. Christened
‘Anchor’ to connote solidity and
steadfastness, it was a pioneer in
the field of electrical engineering.
The brothers would not have known
then, that one day their fledgling
company would go on to become a
world-leader.
From its early days, the company
was determined to create quality
goods – not just commodities. In
time to come this proclivity would
October 2010 |IndiaMatters
SEPTEMBER 2009 15
result in Anchor appropriating the
high ground and becoming synonymous across India with superior
products.
Anchor introduced India to the
piano switch in 1976. Insignificant
as it may sound in the bigger
scheme of things, this was a watershed event which forever changed
the parameters by which switches
would be judged. From a mundane
product, the switch had been elevated to an aesthetic object, something to be displayed, proud of and
talked about.
Offerings like Roma, the
first modular range of switches
and accessories with 10 Amp AX
rating which conformed to CE
(Conformite Europeene) and CSA
(Canadian Standards Association)
Certifications as also to ISI and IEC
values, have earned for Anchor the
absolute trust of consumers. More
than anything else these have been
responsible for making Anchor the
brand it today is.
The current millennium has seen
Anchor go from strength to
strength. In 2000, Anchor was
awarded the ISO:9002 Certification
for quality control, design and development. A year later the AVE range
of intelligent low-voltage electrical
control and management systems
and accessories was introduced.
The range included such top-of-theline products as anti-intrusion network; burglar- and fire- alarms,
met by the introduction of the Woods
range. The range is a departure from
the traditional and offers a variety of
cover plates and an inclusive choice
of matching accessories.
Given the evolution that is taking
shape, the company has concluded
that the time is right for intelligent
lighting. Its collaboration with AVE
is a reflection of this belief. With
AVE, Anchor has made an
entry into lighting automation and home automation –
a step that may well be suggestive of foresight.
home automation systems, circuit
protection and control, signalling,
programming and measuring systems, enclosure and switchgear
equipment and remote control
wiring accessories. In 2003 Anchor
Woods was launched. These rockerstyle electrical switches and accessories were an integral part of
British interior design and soon
became an integral part of the
homes of upper middle class Indians
and young professionals.
The ascension into product and
marketing legend was recognised
and rewarded in April 2006 when
Anchor acquired the coveted
Superbrands status and joined the
elite list of 91 Indian consumer
bestsellers.
These breathless years culminated in April 2007 with Anchor
becoming a consolidated subsidiary
of Matsushita Electric Works
Limited owners of the worldrenowned National and Panasonic
brands.
Product
Anchor has always been quick to
react to change that is relevant to
evolving consumer needs. This has
had the delightful affect of growing
the market and keeping it updated
with the latest technology. Not surprisingly, Anchor can boast more
than 3000 products in 20 product
groups, including over 1600 LT electrical products and accessories.
Collectively they cater to more than
70% of the market.
Anchor also happens to be the
only Indian company with CE and
ISO: 9000 Certifications as well as
IEC conformity – a testimony to its
world-class status. Apart from electrical switches and accessories
(sockets, voice and data outlets,
regulators, dimmers, holders, power
switches, plug tops, adaptors, etc.),
Anchor also makes wires and
cables, switchgears and protection
Promotion
Anchor believes in brand
building. Its exposure in
media is a judicious mix of
consumer research and relevant messaging. As a result,
the brand is very visible and
recall for its advertising high.
Anchor was one of the first
companies in this segment to
have associated strongly with
the television medium.
Local promotions are often
communicated over the vernacular press. Activities such
as in-shop displays, giveaways, sales-linked incentives and motivational gifts
are used to keep momentum
going. Below-the-line is seen
as an important medium. Using
direct marketing tools as arrow
heads, the company has built strong
relationships with architects, electrical consultants, institution heads,
builders, dealers, contractors and
electricians.
To reach influential decision-makers, Anchor publishes an exclusive
Architect’s Diary featuring profiles
of world-recognised architects such
as Le Corbusier, Ken Woolley and
Hafeez Contractor, amongst others.
Channel partners – everyone vital
for business generation – are taken
accurate analogy with the
Mr. Dependable of Cricket India –
Rahul Dravid – and his star performers from the Karnataka State
Cricket Association. The point
being driven home was that Anchor
switches, accessories and wires,
like Rahul, were absolutely dependable. The campaign was a resounding success.
on in-depth factory visits so that their
understanding of the company and
the products is strengthened.
The Team Dependable campaign
launched three years ago made an
Brand Values
Anchor is synonymous with
dependability, reliability, trust and
safety. It is the choice of every
architect, institution, builder, contractor and electrician. The brand
strives to be relevant, to meet
consumer expectations, fight competitive challenges, continuously
innovate and remain the gold standard of electrical switches and
accessories in India.
www.anchor-world.com
THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT ANCHOR
Anchor
devices (MCB, ELCB, RCCB, DB),
energy metres, lighting luminaries
and fixtures, fans as well as compact fluorescent lamps.
Recent Developments
The market for sophisticated security equipment is a rapidly growing
niche whose demand Anchor has
identified and fulfilled. LED footlights, motion sensors and electronic key tags are now available for
quality hotels and other institutions.
The demand for aesthetically different and appealing products has been
n If a new city with a population of
1.5 million were developed each
month, Anchor would be able to
meet its complete requirement
n Anchor has one of the largest
plastic moulding facilities in
the world
n If Anchor’s manufacturing facilities were housed in a single
building it would be 200 feet long,
100 feet wide and 75 storeys tall
n Anchor touches the life of every
Indian from Kashmir to
Kanyakumari
(Reproduced with the permission of Superbrands India Private Limited - copyright owners)
16
IndiaMatters|October 2010
October 2010 |IndiaMatters 17
BOOKS
CINEMA
Eatables have a
story to tell
F
ood was once a good word. It
symbolised fulfilment, nutrition
and well-being. But when did it
all change? When did we become
such guilt-ridden unhappy eaters?
Food writer Ratna Rajaiah explores
many such questions in her new book
How the Banana Goes to Heaven.
“As our cells are nourished and rejuvenated, our noses should exult in the
embrace of a hundred aromas. Our
taste buds should laugh joyously at
being tickled by all the six tastes,”
Rajaiah says. Published by
Tranquebar, her book explores the
history of “old buddy foods” to discover the nutritional and medicinal
value that common foods have.
Rice comes first. Rajaiah explores
the unusual history of the country’s
staple grain — also known as the
grain of tranquillity. “The ancestor of
rice that we eat today was a wild
grass that possibly grew in the supercontinent of Gondwana at least 130
million years ago. From this ancient
A rare, precious
film on nationalism
grass, two mother species evolved
and they parented the approximately
120,000 varieties of rice that grow all
over the world today. “An astonishing
20,000 of these varieties come from
India,” Rajaiah says.
Then come bananas, which Rajaiah
describes as “happiness in a peel”.
Many believe it originated around
4,000 years ago in the jungles
between Malaysia and India.
According to Rajaiah, the Bengal
gram is the pulse of health — a complete food. It was baptised as the
Bengal gram by the British because
they first discovered it there.
The mung was born in India at
least 5,000 years ago. The Sanskrit
name for the bright yellow lentil was
“mudga”. In the Rig Veda, the three
‘m’s of health that get repeated mention are ‘mudga’, ‘masha’ and
‘masura’ — or mung (lentil), urad
(black gram) and masura (lentils),
Rajaiah writes in her book.
Read on for more such nuggets!◆
Are you a guilt-ridden unhappy reader?
Read Ratna Rajaiah’s
‘How the Banana
Goes to Heaven’ to
discover nutritional
and medicinal value
of common foods...
Film:
Khelein Hum Jee
Jaan Se
Director:
Ashutosh
Gowariker
TOP TEN
“Makers of
Modern India”
Author:
Ramachandra Guha
Publisher:
Penguin/Viking
Price: Rs.799
Non-Fiction
“Tony Blair:
A Journey”
Author: Tony Blair
Publisher:
Hutchinson
Price: Rs.999
“Decision Points”
Author: George
W. Bush
Publisher:
Virgin Publishing
Price: Rs.999
“The Sunset Club”
Author:
Khushwant Singh
Publisher:
Penguin viking
Price: Rs.399
“Obama’s Wars:
The Inside Story”
Author: Bob
Woodward
Publisher: Simon &
Schuster
Price: Rs.972
“The Finkler
Question”
Author: Howard
Jacobson
Publisher:
Bloomsbury
Price: Rs.499
“Arming Without
Aiming”
Author: Stephen
P. Cohen and
Sunil Dasgupta
Publisher: Penguin Book
Price: Rs.499
KhJJS is not as playful, lyrical and
lush as Lagaan. This time Gowariker tells
his story with brutal straightforwardness.
The setting, Chittagong in Bengal in the
1930s, is created with a fluency, virility
and scrupulousness that make us believe
in the characters and their mission from
the word go. The narrative is an artless
criss-cross of patriotic plotting.
A sense of calm camaraderie prevails
even during moments of unsettling
bloodshed. The patriotic zeal never felt
more tranquil before. This is history
without hysteria. In KHJJS, each one of
70-odd characters seems born into his or
her respective parts.
Much of supporting cast does what it is
expected to. It supports the drama and
the tension with restraint and skill.
Standing tall in the supporting cast is
Sikandar Kher expressing indignance and
ire without going over the top. Deepika
Padukone gets unexpected competition
from debutante Vishakha Singh who
seems to get under the skin of her character.
But the film finally ‘belongs’ to
Abhishek Bachchan in the way that films
become the property of actors who own characters not for a display of histrionic vanity
but because they grasp instinctively the world
which the character inhabits.
Abhishek’s empathy with his character is
complete and unimpeachable. As Surjya Sen,
he conveys a muffled but obstinate idealism.
Abhishek’s eyes become his window on a
world where pain governs the journey to a
greater glory.
On the technical front, Kiran Deohans’ cinematography and Nitin Desai’s art direction
are subtle delicate but evocative. Sohail Sen’s
music fits in like a glove with the film’s theme
and mood of restrained revolution.
The effectiveness of Gowariker’s drama is
drawn from the director’s determination to
keep his drama denuded of exhibitionism.
Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey is the kind of
rare and precious cinema on the theme of
idealism, nobility and nationalism that is
being progressively pushed out of our cinema
by crass boorish comedies. It must be seen
not because it retrieves a forgotten chapter
from our history, but simply because it’s a
story so well told you forget it’s a true story.
The truth of the moment in the cinema of
Gowariker is the only truth that matters for
the audience. The rest is history.◆
“The Confession”
Author: John
Grisham
Publisher:
Arrow Books
Price: Rs.299
“Our Kind of
Traitor”
Author: John
Le Carre
Publisher:
Prakash Books
Price: Rs.299
Fiction
“The Corrections”
Author: Jonathan
Franzen
Publisher:
Fourth Estate
Price: Rs.446
Cast: Abhishek
Bachchan, Deepika
Padukone, Sikandar
Kher, Vishakha
Singh
Indo-Asian News Service
T
heRe’S ongoing sense of serenity compounded by a feeling of sincerity and
transparency in the cinema of Ashutosh
Gowariker. This filmmaker never hides life’s
most essential truth in cinematic subterfuge.
Rather, Gowariker goes the other way.
he strips the emotional content of cinema
of its accessories and trappings and leaves the
screen with just that right amount of drama
that does complete justice to the characters
without making them a casualty of excessive
creative freedom.
Celebrate the creative freedom of a fearless
and honest cinema. Khelein Hum Jee Jaan
Sey (KhJJS) is an inherently dramatic story
about a large group of young people who
fought an unknown chapter in India’s freedom movement.
Going to a world that is strongly redolent of
historic ramifications, Gowariker pulls the
real-life material out of the textbook and
transforms it into an eminently engaging
story about anti-colonialism. Who can forget
the director’s neo-classic Lagaan where one
villager gathered a whole team of ragged villagers to beat the Brits at their own game.
Courtesy: Bari Sons, New Delhi
18
IndiaMatters|
October 2010
SEPTEMBER 2009
October 2010 |IndiaMatters
SEPTEMBER 2009 19
TRAVEL
Knotty
Destinations
The Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur
in its full glory.
ed a huge party. Nestling in the Aravali hills
of rajasthan, the 18th century palace commands one of the three main passes into the
valley of Udaipur. It was recently re-styled
with sleek contemporary designs to suit the
tastes of its high-profile visitors. Some of the
suites are gilded with semiprecious stones,
rendering a royal ambience. A perfect place
for those who prefer things kingsize.
A regal wedding or a mountain-top nuptial,
a beach wedding or an exotic forest wedding…
India is the ultimate destination for it all to
cater for every whim and fancy of those seeking
novelty and adventure, says KAMINI KUMARI
F
rom the palaces of rajasthan to
the beaches of Goa, the hill stations
of Uttarakhand to the backwaters of
Kerala, India’s diverse cultures and
landscapes provide an array of picturesque
settings for the ideal dream wedding. Beach
weddings, palace weddings, island weddings, hill station weddings, forest weddings, houseboat weddings, cruise weddings, farm house weddings, the list can go
on and on. India’s rs. 500 billion wedding
industry continues to grow at 25 percent
annually. Employing an army of planners,
caterers, designers, stylists, DJs, and even
Bollywood stars — who get paid to shake
their booty at weddings. India’s diverse
landscape makes sure that it remains among
the world’s most preferred destinations
when it comes to tying the knot...
India’s diversity has inspired a wide range
of wedding themes, from hill station weddings in the snowy Himalayas to sandy
ceremonies on beaches. royal weddings are
among the most popular themes. Held in
palatial hotels and old palaces, such affairs
treat the bride and
the groom like queen
and king. A marching band welcomes
the couple with
horsemen and torchbearers escorting
them to the mandap.
Beaches in India
have also metamorphosed into pictur-
20
IndiaMatters|
October 2010
SEPTEMBER 2009
esque backgrounds for a memorable affair.
From islands in the Arabian Sea to the
sandy tip of the subcontinent, India is
graced with hundreds of miles of pristine
beachfront property. Goa and Kerala are the
most popular venues on the mainland with
the Andaman and Lakshadweep Islands
steadily turning into hot favourites.
Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, perching
on a hilltop and crafted out of golden sandstone, is an art deco marvel. Giving you a
feel of the grand and the regal, the maharani
Suite features a bathtub carved from a single
piece pink Italian marble, while the
maharaja Suite sports murals of leopards
and tigers. The palace reinforced its wedding credentials earlier this year when it
hosted the nuptials of actress Elizabeth
Hurley and Indian businessman Arun
Nayar.
Goa
Goa is renowned the world over as
an ideal venue for beach weddings.
Its pristine beaches, vast stretches of
swaying palms and breathtaking
canopies, all combine to form a perfect destination for a dream wedding. There are beach resorts, hotels
with their own private beaches,
where one can arrange exotic and
lavish weddings. Also, you can
laKshaDweeP islanDs
In recent times, the Lakshadweep Islands
has become an ideal place for weddings.
This breathtakingly beautiful island is situated over 240 km from the malabar Coast in
Kerala. Coral reefs, palm fringes and white
sand make the coastline of the island. The
sparkling water of the sea, replete with
marine flora and fauna makes it an incomparable venue for weddings. The place is
also home to a number of world-class hotels
and resorts.
choose from a host of secluded beaches if
you want a private celebration.
Kerala
Fervent chanting of hymns against the
backdrop of a houseboat lapping against the
sparkling green backwaters... Whether it’s
the backwaters, plantations, hills, houseboats, food, or the famous rejuvenation
therapies, Kerala ensures the experience of a
lifetime. Blessed with a unique geographical
location, myriad tropical features and a network of tranquil backwaters, Kerala offers
the India of your imagination. Exotic local
cuisine, traditional music, forest gardens,
chapels and temples, boat rides and many
more, await to shape a dream wedding.
DeviGarh Palace, UDaiPUr
When Vikram Chatwal’s epic wedding
came to Udaipur, the Devigarh Palace host-
DhanaUlti
Imagine a wedding venue that doubles up
as your honeymoon destination. Dhanaulti,
a hill station in Uttarakhand, is just the perfect spot for love-lorn couples. Set amidst
forests of oak and deodar, a pandal in the
open will make for a picture-perfect wedding. The bride and the groom can ride to
the venue on horses, a la Julia roberts and
richard Gere in The runaway Bride. The
lovely weather and the fabulous view of
snow-covered mountains make it an ideal
retreat for a wedding.
From top: Experience
the thrill of untamed
nature with
Ranthambore as your
wedding destination;
Lakshadweep Islands
is emblematic to
ranthambore
exclusivity — perfect
Ever since British comedian russell
for a memorable
Brand and American pop singer Kate Perry event; Get a taste of
got married at a resort near ranthambore
the grandeur of a
national park, forest wedding has become
regal marriage with
the latest fad. Get the thrill of tying the knot the Devigarh Palace
with dense forests enveloping you from all
in Udaipur;
sides. ranthambore is not only home to
Left: The backwaters
tigers but also possesses exquisite resorts
of Kerala, another
and luxury hotels. Situated in Sawai
popular nuptial
madhopur district of rajasthan — about 130 destination.
km from Jaipur, it offers a spectacular view
of untamed nature. migratory and local
birds, animals such as deer, hyenas, foxes,
sloth bears, wild cats and, of course,
the tiger.◆
October 2010 |IndiaMatters
SEPTEMBER 2009 21
KALEIDOSCOPE
Which race forms the basis of the
Indus Valley Civilisation?
This magazine will
accept contributions
from readers in the
form of Q&As, factoids,
quiz news and
announcements of
upcoming quiz events
and also photographs.
You can write in to
indiqtive@gmail.com
1
2
What is the line that demarcates
the boundary between India and
Pakistan called? When was it drawn
and after whom has it been thus
named?
What and where is Sabarmati
Ashram?
3
Who is regarded as the founding
father of the Indian Constitution?
nal developers of calculus several centuries before Isaac Newton?
The mega-blockbuster Bollywood
movie 3 Idiots is based on a book
by an Indian author. What is the name
of the author?
7
The internationally acclaimed
Slumdog Millionaire is based on a
novel written by an Indian diplomat.
Name the book and the author.
8
What is
Aadhaar?
Name the architect who designed
the Rashtrapati Bhavan and what
is that school of architecture called.
Also identify a nearby iconic structure
designed by the same architect.
Mathematicians from which part of
India are now regarded as the origi-
10
4
5
6
9
Which Indian city was the first to
have a Metro Rail system?
THE PICTURE
QUESTION
The installation
shown in the
picture is located
in which Indian
city and what is
its name?
ANSWERS TO LAST ISSUE:
1. Colva | 2. State Bank of India | 3. The White Tiger by Arvind Adiga | 4. Natya Shastra by sage Bharata
5. Maheswari sarees | 6.Brahmaputra | 7. Ardeshar Irani | 8. Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award | 9. Tripura.
10. Justice M. Hidayatullah. |The Picture Question: Ranji Trophy cricket torunament.
22
IndiaMatters|
October 2010
SEPTEMBER 2009
Photo courtesy: Incredible India!
Monarch of mudra…
Heroic, majestic and larger-than-life…
That sums up Kathakali, one of India’s
most spectacular dance-drama forms.
Deeply rooted in Kerala’s ethos, Kathakali
is an art form often identified with magisterial complexity and passionate intensity.
Though Kathakali is not more than 300
years old, its roots can be traced to over
1,500 years. It is regarded as a fusion of
the Aryan and Dravidian cultures. Many
scholars attribute its evolution to the various ancient theatre traditions of Kerala,
such as Krishnattam, Ramanattam,
Koodiyattam, Mudiyyetu and Teyyam.
Mahakavi Vallathol, one of Kerala’s
greatest poets, has been a seminal force in
the history and evolution of Kathakali. It
was he who set up the now iconic and
world famous Kalamandalam in 1930 that
imparts residential training in Kathakali.
Mostly based on mythology and themes
chosen from the Ramayana and the
Mahabharata, the performance lasts all
night. One unique feature of Kathakali was
that till recently only men could enact
female roles. Today, many women, including some consummate performers from the
West, have made a mark! The most popular Kathakali stories, among a host of others, are Nalacharitam (a story from the
Mahabharata), Duryodhana Vadham
(describing the killing of the Kaurava warrior prince Duryodhana),
Kalyanasougandhikam, (the poignant and
touching story of the great Pandava warrior Bhima going to fetch flowers for
Panchali), Keechakavadham (another
story from the life of Bhima and Panchali
during the time they spent in exile),
Kiratham (Arjuna and Shiva’s fight, from
the Mahabharata) and Karnashapatham
(on Karna).
October 2010 |IndiaMatters
SEPTEMBER 2009 23
HAPPY DIWALI
An Indian woman helps her son light a lamp during Diwali. The ‘Festival of Lights’
marks the homecoming of Lord Rama after vanquishing the demon king Ravana and
symbolises the arrival of light and the victory of good over evil.
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