One of the places I have been meaning to visit for many years is Landour, a small cantonment in the Himalayan foothills in Uttarakhand. I finally made it there last month as a speaker at the Mussoorie Writers’ Mountain Festival, held at Woodstock School. Walking the winding hill roads and descending steep paths through the forest was a delight. All around us were pines and deodars which, aside from their beauty, carry a pure, reviving scent that is the perfect antidote to living in a city like Delhi.

Most of my experience of climbing in the Himalaya and Karakoram has been virtual, describing the journeys of great explorers, but some of the other speakers were expert mountaineers. As well as these athletes, I had a chance to meet the legendary 81-year-old writer Ruskin Bond, who has made his home in the hills for more than half a century. Knowing that Bond is prone to be pestered by tourists, I resolved not to spend too long at his house, but while I was there he amazed me with his memory.

When I mentioned that I was writing the authorised biography of the Nobel Prize-winning novelist Doris Lessing, who achieved more in her 94 years than most of us can expect in several lifetimes, Bond got up and went over to a bookshelf. “Have you seen this?” he asked. It was a 1951 copy of a magazine named Lilliput, featuring a story by Doris Lessing that I had never read.

As I was fl icking through it in amazement, his telephone rang. “Buckingham Palace,” said Bond as he picked up the receiver. Then came a knock at the door. “Please tell them I’m not here.” I relayed the message to the visitor, who responded by pushing open the door and bringing in a party of impromptu visitors—the family of a minor dignitary who had come to be photographed with the legendary author.

One of the things I admire about Bond’s writing is its simplicity, which means that as a reader you can put yourself inside the head of each of his characters and imagine their thoughts and feelings. In The Room on the Roof, for example, Rusty likes the look of Meena Kapoor, who wears a red sari and white silk jacket, and has her hair plaited and scented with jasmine. “Rusty gazed admiringly at her; he wanted to compliment her, to say, ‘Mrs Kapoor, you are beautiful’; but he had no need to tell her, she was fully conscious of the fact.” You can picture both Rusty and Meena.

This is the last of my Last Word columns for THE WEEK, though I am looking forward to returning to these pages for special articles. As other publications have become more raucous, THE WEEK has been a haven: I do not recall a single occasion when one of my columns has provoked the sort of virulent and intolerant reaction that is now common on TV and social media. You are the gentlest and most understanding of readers, and writing for this magazine has always reminded me of a lovely winter that I spent 12 or 13 years ago, living in Fort Kochi. (I was even photographed for these pages wearing a mundu that was, I realised later to my sartorial chagrin, an inch shorter than it should have been.)

One of the pleasures of appearing in a publication like this one, which has an inquisitive and eclectic set of readers like you, is that as a writer you feel free to tell your stories in an open, anecdotal way, like the great Ruskin Bond up in Landour. For ultimately, it is the reader and not the writer who has the last word.

Patrick French is a British writer, historian and academician.

'Who will marry you?' is one of the most common questions that almost every girl gets to hear at least once in her lifetime. This question becomes even more unbearable for girls who have gone through a tragedy or are born with any kind of disability. 

Shatabdi Awasthi, a paralympic athlete, faced a lot of ridicule when she met with an accident in 2006, while she was preparing for armed forces recruitment.

“I got an injury in my spinal cord and lost the sensation. While the treatment was going on, I was told that improvements will take place gradually. My relatives used to tell my parents that it would have been better if she died. Who will marry her now?,” she said at the We The Women (WTW) festival in Jaipur on March 4.

Awasthi did go through a tough time, but she was determined to not give up. It was her dream to join the armed forces. It shattered the day she got to know that she has to spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair. 

Since she could not sit, she would lie down and study. In 2010, she got selected as a probationary officer at the State Bank of India (SBI). Nevertheless, her aspiration for joining the army kept pushing her, and she finally became the first paralympics athlete from Rajasthan.

A resident of Sawai Madhopur, Awasthi has won several medals, including a silver medal at the international level.

At the WTW forum, she was honoured with the Hope Empower Rise (H.E.R) award by superstar Amitabh Bachchan’s daughter Shweta Bachchan, a columnist, author, and former model.

Self-love is a journey, emphasised Sakshi Sindwani, a fashion content creator, who shared the stage with Awasthi. She realised the importance of self-love long after she came out of depression, the reason for which was a lot of bullying at school. It further led her to an eating disorder and she gained a lot of weight.

“I was bullied in school, and it took me so many years to come out of it. In the later stage, I heard comments like ladki patli sundar honi chahiye, tabhi shadi hogi. So, my family members would have diet conversations during dinner which I would ignore because I was content with myself. I accepted my body the way it was,” she said.

Today, Sindwani runs an Instagram page with more than five lakh followers and inspires people with different forms of content. She is not body-positive, but body-neutral now.

“Education doesn't make you body-positive, awareness does. Accept your body the way it is. Be who you are, but never forget to work on yourself,” she said.

Another woman who shared the stage with Awasthi and Sindwani was Sanjana Rishi, an Indian-American entrepreneur, who wore a pantsuit for her wedding and was criticised for the same. She didn’t want to wear a 10 kg lehenga.

“I wasn't setting out to accomplish anything. Seeing a bride in coat-pant, I was called an anti-Indian, someone who was defaming the Indian culture. I was even asked to go to Pakistan,” she quipped.

She also spoke about the glorification of women bouncing back post-delivery.

“Getting into shape post-delivery is quite glorified and this bounce-back culture is toxic. As a woman, you are also told to be so controlled. We all have gone through that. However, when it comes to my daughter, I want her to know and explore the body types and the ideologies people have, and understand herself and her choices better.”

Loving oneself and breaking stereotypes is a must for women in a male-dominated world. That is how they lead their path towards their ambitions in life, concluded the three women on the panel.

Pepper House, a colonial-style, spice warehouse-turned-gallery, houses a room filled with mesmerising mise-en-scene, presenting paintings and sculptures, created by Mithra Kamalam that explore feminist archetypes.

Mithra Kamalam's installation titled 'Corrective Measures - Resetting Sati; Still, is there a slippery, a fall in disguise? And here we are shivering in disgust' at Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2022-23, showcases an extension of her latest series of works called “Corrective Measures”. The title phrase was used to denote the idea of healing through repetition and address intimations of counter-narratives in her work. Kamalam's art is deeply personal and extends beyond the confines of her own practice to connect with wider historical, social, and gender positions.

Kamalam's works can be described as journalistic and autobiographical records that combine scenes from her environment and use them to create narratives featuring partially fictional characters. These characters come together in surreal settings to perform in a dreamlike atmosphere.

In the central painting, Kamalam referenced a 16th-century Dutch illustration, Sati from the Itinerario of Jan Huyghen van Lincschoten. The illustration depicted the ritual Sati, a traditional Hindu practice that was prevalent until 1987, in India where a widow was supposed to immolate herself on her husband’s funeral pyre.

“I was drawn to the depiction of a woman who was portrayed as "loose" as possible with all her vulnerability exposed, voluntarily falling into the fire or man's body/corpse. By adopting this notion of "fall", I aimed to explore the deeply linked connections between female sexuality and body, and positioned herself socio-politically,” said Kamalam.

In a personal anecdote, she used two overlaid self-portraits to appropriate the gesture of this archetype and to bring a contradictory dialogue on patriarchal power structures and female autonomy. In one portrait she voluntarily submits herself to the pyre and in another, she shows restraint.

In 'Corrective Measures', the repetition of forms that include figures of fruits (pomegranate) and flowers serves as a therapeutic expression and evokes emotions, while also connecting with female psychology, body, social, and gender positions.

“My approach to these components follows the cathartic reasoning of one revisiting distressing occurrences with the aim of rewriting and reclaiming them from a female perspective, navigating the assigned role and gender in a traditional society,” Kamalam said.

Kamalam's art is experimental and often extends beyond the boundaries of painting. The work also incorporates photo montages and sculptural installations to create a meta-fictional and interrupted narrative. Her work frequently interrupts the single flow of narration by overlaying multiple frames.

The exhibition also explored militant feminist archetypes such as 'Chonnamma/Red Mother', a local Kali-like figure portrayed in Malayalam writer R. Rajasree's debut novel Kalyaniyennum Dhakshayaniyennum Peraya Randu Sthreekalude Katha.

The phrase 'Ms Militancy' used in one of her paintings is taken from the poem Ms. Militancy 2010 by Meena Kandasamy, using it as a powerful and provocative piece that challenges patriarchal and sexist norms in society and celebrates the strength and resilience of women.

Speaking about her inspiration Kamala mentioned, “I drew inspiration from folktales mostly from Kerala and Tamil Nadu, as well as contemporary literature and cinema. The references that I find are simply accidental. For my research, I usually reflect on the references I found and develop connections.”

“My fascination with various art forms, including Mughal miniature paintings, early Arab illustrations, and folklore, has inspired me to incorporate archetypes from these traditions into my work,” she added.

Through her art, she aims to merge these archetypes with her immediate surroundings and personal experiences, resulting in dreamlike settings featuring partially fictional characters. Although her work is autobiographical in nature, Kamalam seeks to readdress the idea of indigeneity and vernacular idiom, showcasing the interconnectedness of different cultures and traditions. Her work reflects her admiration for diverse art forms and her desire to incorporate them into her artistic expression.

Kamalam's enthusiasm is to further explore gyno social imaginaries that include friends, family, luminaries, myths, and mystics. Her exhibition at Kochi Biennale is a powerful and thought-provoking exploration of gender, power, and healing.

“My art is an attempt to heal the disrepair, disorder, and interruptions in society through repetition and therapeutic expression. By exploring feminist archetypes, I seek to challenge power structures that interrupt female autonomy and spread over other domains,” she said.

With the ongoing Kochi-Muziris Biennale, a wide array of artworks are being acknowledged and appreciated—some for the unique concepts they convey, and others for the innovative techniques used.

The world of flora and fauna is not new to humans. But artist Anju Acharya's works look at nature and ecosystems from a fresh perspective. In her series of paintings titled 'Lull', on display at the Aspinwall House, Acharya portrays the connection between human beings and other living organisms. Dripping with natural elements, her paintings reflect her concern for the impact of human activities on nature.

Hailing from Kerala, Acharya is known for her distinct style of art which incorporates dyes from flower extracts, human hair, blood, beetle wings, threads, rice paper, and other natural elements.

“According to my mom, I used to scribble in mud and books from the age of one,” says Acharya, “and the power of my drawings is all acquired from my father's designs of machine engines.” Her family has never been the stereotypical one that doesn’t let a child pursue the arts professionally and has always supported her decision to become an artist. She says she was also deeply influenced by her biology classes in high school. When I started taking drawing and art more seriously, I got inspired and found myself deeply influenced by the artworks of Japanese artist Fuyuko Matsui, German-American artist Kiki Smith, and the famous German artist Albrecht Durer,” she adds.

Acharya is focused more on satisfying the artist in her than pleasing the audience. She says: “I never visualise my audience. My prime focus is always on the self-satisfaction the particular work gives me.” Acharya, whose works capture the themes of birth, death, and decay, says her university life in Hyderabad, with its natural atmosphere, helped her connect deeply with nature and observe life around her. Beyond the central theme, her works portray the physical and emotional changes in organisms. Her entire body of work serves as a window into her emotionality and sensitivity to the world around her. "Initially, even though my subjects were mostly nature and its emotions, I preferred acrylic for drawing,” says Acharya. But the realisation that her actions and choice of medium did not sync together made her turn to nature to source materials for her artworks.

Some of her famous exhibitions include the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi Grand Exhibition which featured Acharya's debut solo exhibition, 'Unborn', in 2019. She exhibited her work, titled 'Fantasy of Having a Trailer Wagon All to Myself', in a group exhibition curated by Tatiana De Stempel in London in 2021. Her works that were exhibited at Lokame Tharavaadu, a group exhibition curated by artist Bose Krishnamachari in 2021, grabbed eyeballs.

As an extension of her works displayed at the Kochi Biennale, she also led a workshop titled 'Memory Book'. Guided by the aroma of leaves, fruits, buds, and flowers, the workshop allowed participants to take a trip down memory lane. They were also introduced to Tataki Zome, a Japanese technique for applying botanical dyes to cloth or paper by pounding flowers and leaves. In addition to bringing up the use of natural elements in art, this serves as a way to preserve our memories.

The Biennale, in Acharya's words, is the only place where "even people who are not into the arts are also speaking, sharing, and experiencing my works."

Acharya's 'Lull' will be on display until April 10

Art has the power to shine a light on the experiences of those who are often overlooked or forgotten. In a society that perpetuates inequality, art can be a powerful tool for marginalised communities to share their stories and perspectives with the world. This is precisely what the artists at the fifth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2023 aim to achieve: a space where the experiences of those communities, ignored and discriminated against can be heard and seen.

Through the exhibition by Jithinlal N.R. and Amol K. Patil at the biennale, the artists invite us to explore their experiences—from their struggles to their joys—in a way that is both personal and universal. Whether through photography, painting, sculpture, or other mediums, the artworks on display offer a window into the lives of people whose stories are often silenced.

The literary narratives in the form of folk songs, stories and poems are transformed into visual narratives by these artists to represent the complexity of caste identity.

As we step into the exhibition at the Aspinwall House, we are struck by the diversity of the artworks, installed by Amol, and the emotions they convey. His work—‘Politics of Skin and Movement’—explores the theme of identity, migration and movement, particularly in relation to how these ideas intersect with issues of caste, race and ethnicity.

“My practice is rooted in questioning the conditions of labour and casteism,” says the Mumbai-based artist.

‘Politics of Skin and Movement’ reminds us that marginalised communities are not just defined by their struggles, but by their humanity and the richness of their experiences. The mixed media installation by Amol, who comes from a family of artists, includes sculptures, kinetic works and literary works of his father and grandfather from which he derives the framework for his art.

“These written archives of my father and grandfather had a strong impact on my understanding of the community. Later, I started using these conversations in my visual art practice,” Amol said.

Amol’s ‘Casteist Wall’, visualised in the kinetic installation, is a metaphor for skin as land. The movements emerging from within feel as though the ground is breathing.

Speaking to The Week, Amol said, “With the making of the ‘Casteist Wall’ as a metaphor, I wanted to bring into conversation the binary that is created between people on the basis of their caste. Here, the wall referred to an incident that happened in Tamil Nadu. A 6,000-metre-long wall was built to segregate the housing of lower and upper-caste people. Later, the structure was demolished because of protests but one can still find the residues of the wall there. The wall is also connected to the idea of the hybrid relationship between humans, the barrier created through a person’s skin or the community to which they belong.”

The bronze ‘unfinished’ sculptures created by Amol visualise parts of a body lying apart, connected only with a line, compelling us to question the severe condition of the labours, their freedom of movement and our perception based on the texture of one’s skin. At the exhibition, the drawers creates two different space; an inside and an outside, indicating the government offices, where they keep the files. Referred to as ‘chambers’, they are a beholder of the dust or the ‘ash of hope’. The movements in the sand are symbolically made by souls fighting for their rights, trapped in the form of paperwork.

Kochi-based artist Jithinlal’s artwork at the biennale opens the door towards the history and experience of the dalit community which was once hidden and traces of which were only visible in indigenous folk songs and tales. His work ‘Spectral Speech’ draws its narrative framework from the literary device of the same name, employed by well-known dalit author C. Ayyappan in his novel to fictionalise the complexity of caste identity.

“In Kerala, the idea that talking about caste will encourage it, has silenced the people of the community from speaking about their experiences and sharing their stories and culture. While in college I realised that casteism still prevails and that not talking about it is not the solution. When I moved to Baroda, I began sharing the dalit identity and discovered that the discourse of dalit identity varies across India. I found art as the medium to express the confusion about identity that I experienced,” Jithinlal said.

To engage with the theme, Jithinlal creates illustrations and comic figures, using strokes and marks, which suit to represent the oppressed rather than applying any exorbitant methods or style.

Coming out from the dalit community, Jithinlal’s drawings and paintings investigate the modern subaltern memory to revive the harsh reality of dalit existence and challenge the normative idea of perception. The constitutive diagrams and pictograms explore the notion of transgression related to spectrality and produce forms that address caste oppression problems. His works create a new gaze, liberating the people fighting to become ‘human’ again.

Both artists agree that it is necessary for the community to have a place in a society where they can identify themselves as they are and hence it is important to encourage art forms that talk about the marginalised and oppressed.

“The history of the dalit community is usually presented from the colonial or Brahmanical viewpoint. My work is a historical inquiry of the movements, folk songs and poetry that concern the dalit community and seeks to present an alternate image of society through the viewpoint of the masses usually unrepresented using the work of subaltern artists like C. Ayyappan,” Jithinlal added.

The idea put forward by theorist Stuart Hall that cultural identity is not only a matter of 'being' but of 'becoming', 'belonging as much to the future as it does to the past’, became the ground of his art style. According to Jithinlal, the dalit community lacked historical evidence for them to identify with. Therefore he tries to capture the stories of the community, present around us in the form of landscape or bodily sensation, on a canvas to fill the gap in the subaltern history of Kerala.

Amol feels a lot of people still are unaware of the caste politics of the country. “There are always layers to how we ask questions or how things are changing. We can trace a lot of conversations that had already happened about poetry, protest, and community issues but it still exists,” he says. That is why he finds it important to bring it into this conversation.

“I look at the young people who do cleaning jobs in the morning and do theatre practice at night. It is like a process of learning from the community and also learning from our history. It is about bringing up a futuristic conversation, a talk about changing the new times.” Amol said.

From the bold and striking drawings of Jithinlal to the haunting sculptures and movements in Amol's work, the exhibition at Kochi is a celebration of creativity, diversity, and resilience, to capture our imagination and open our eyes to acknowledge and understand how societal structures impact upon ideas, identities and art.

A cycle rally set out on its journey all the way from Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod on February 19, with the goal of spreading awareness about whale shark conservation. The rally, covering the entire 589.5 kilometres of the state's coast, is conducted by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) as a part of its ‘Save the Whale Shark Campaign’.

The 10-day-long journey, entered its third day on Tuesday, covering Kochi and heading towards Thrissur. The rally which was flagged off from Shankumugham Beach by Pradeep Kumar IFS, saw 10 participants from Cyclers Thrissur wearing campaign t-shirts and hats bearing the slogan "Save The Whale Shark," and advocating for the conservation project around the coastal communities. The team set out in two batches—the first group rode from Thiruvananthapuram to Thrissur from where the second group will head to Kasaragod.

Along the route, the participants engaged in conducting various sensitisation activities at each stop using a whale shark inflatable to raise public awareness of the threats posed by ocean plastic pollution. Supported by Oracle, the campaign throws light on the threats faced by whale sharks—listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). While whale sharks are often hunted for their meat, fins and oil, accidental by-catch in fishing nets is also a leading cause of death of the world's biggest fish.

“The rally had a great impact and saw support from many local fishermen around the coastal areas of Kerala. We are reaching out and interacting with school students and local communities to educate them about the dangers as well as the methods to conserve the whale shark,” said Sudheer P.S., Secretary, Cyclers Thrissur.

The campaign launched in October 2022 in Kerala yielded positive outcomes, including the rescue of a few whale sharks with the support of the local fishermen community. “This inspired us to expand our reach,” said Sreenanth K, Programme Communication Officer, WTI.

“Though being the world’s largest fish, people are unaware of its existence and threats,” said Sajan John Programme Lead, WTI. “With whale sharks being filter feeders, it is necessary that marine waste is controlled. Through this initiative, we aim to bring this topic to the forefront and reach out to more and more people in the coastal region.”

The fishing community's role is critical for this endeavour. Sajan adds: “Due to a lack of awareness and fear of getting into trouble, people hesitate to report to authorities if a whale shark gets entangled or trapped accidentally. It is vital to rescue the trapped fish and release it back into the ocean as soon as possible. Being the key stakeholders in such rescues, the fishing community's participation is therefore critical and it becomes important to sensitise the community about whale shark conservation.”

The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is a keystone species in the marine ecosystem, reaching lengths of up to 12 metres and weighing as much as 21.5 metric tons. Although distributed widely across tropical and warm temperate seas, limited information is available on the population trends of this species, especially along the Indian coastline.

In the age of chatGPT, it is crucial that children imbibe good education without becoming victims of technology. This is why it becomes even more significant for social impact organisations to partner with state governments to improve the quality of teaching and learning at multiple levels. Reach to Teach, is one such organisation that champions the cause of 'good education' outcomes in Government schools. Reach to Teach works directly at a systemic level building upon its extensive work with communities at the field level over the past decade. To date, they have engaged with numerous government schools through their ‘frugal innovation’ and ‘appropriate technology’ approaches in the states of Gujarat, Haryana, and Arunachal Pradesh. In an interview with THE WEEK, Ratna Viswanathan, CEO, Reach to Teach and a former civil servant throws light on the many ways in which her organisation is making a difference in the lives of hundreds of children on the ground.

How does Reach to Teach bring joy to classrooms?

Government schools are treated as post offices where the teachers and the school authorities themselves have zero agency over what to teach and how to teach. They are simply asked to follow instructions. In the state of Arunachal Pradesh, where we have an agreement with the government, along with Niti Aayog, we are rewriting content from Class 1 to 12 without touching the curriculum or the syllabus. We are introducing experiential learning and activity-based learning to make the experience of learning interesting for both, students and teachers. This way we also bring agency back to the teachers. Teaching no longer becomes a monologue and becomes interactive instead. Parents are also integrated into the system to ensure we have ideal levels of enrolment of children in schools. 

In today's day and times of chatGPT, how do we ensure that actual, physical classroom teaching remains unaffected by technology?

Technology is only the enabler. It does not drive learning. At the end of the day, AI (Artificial intelligence) is only an input which also comes from human learning. Digital innovations are great, no doubt in providing access to learning, but they cannot be the only way of learning. What is a smart classroom? that helps in planning better and teaching a larger audience. Human interface and interaction are extremely crucial and will always remain so. The point is that education should not be driven by technology, rather technology should enable education. 

How do you assess a student's grasp over his or her learning?

We have just done a baseline assessment. So what we do is give the same question to students of classes 3, 5 and 8 and see their responses. that's how we will know whether there is grade-appropriate learning or not. We train teachers and also in every state where we work, we try to equip the state by building capacity for it to run on its own once we have exited it. 

Post Covid enrollment in government schools has increased significantly. Do you think parents from the middle and upper middle classes should also consider municipal schools as good options for their wards, especially when private schools charge exorbitant fees?

Definitely. A lot of parents have been shifting their children from private schools to government schools because the latter have done extremely well concerning education and facilities. It is about intuitively understanding what it is that a child wants.  

How do you put the concept of frugal innovation into practice? 

It's about what you innovate at a local level and it need not have anything too expensive, state-of-the-art classrooms, smart classes and internet connectivity etc. It is about using whatever is available to leverage and create different concepts and innovations that are frugal. They are local and coined out of what is available. For instance, in a school I went to, a headmaster had conceptualised a small tiffin box in which he asked children to put money to make them learn how money grows. They'd return the money to each child with a small interest added to it at the end of each year. In another school, the teacher kept a tray with paraphernalia including stationery and asked the children to pick up what they wanted and put the money as per the price labels on the item. Nobody was supervising but a camera was put up and none of the children knew about the camera. So 99 per cent of children honestly put the money in each time they took. Now that was a lesson in honesty. So, it's a small but crucial example of how we can teach the most basic ideas in the most profound and hands-on manner. Also, I feel the concept of frugal innovation hasn't yet been captured fully in government schools. It is important to capture local knowledge and disseminate it within the community.

Walking through the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB) venues, one thing was clear: people need to understand that the Biennale is more than just about what's on display at the Aspinwall House or Pepper House. It is a reflection of a society that needs to be scrutinised rather than something to merely glance over.

The TKM Warehouse, one of the venues of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2023, houses various invitation programmes; 'Communities of Choice' being one of them. 'Communities of Choice', presented by the Chennai Photo Biennale Foundation and Ffotogallery (Wales) with the support of the British Council, poses a few underlying questions and exhibits photographs and news articles of various social issues that have not received adequate acknowledgment.

The exhibition aims to use the expression of emerging artists from India and Wales to create and develop bodies of work that explore the concepts of belonging and inclusion. It also explores themes like gender disability, politics, constructs of race/caste, identity, and sustainable community. The concept note of the invitations programme describes the exhibition:

Who am I?

Where do I belong?

Do I belong to A community?

Do I belong to many?

Palani Kumar's 'Out of Breath', a photo exhibition in the 'Communities of Choice' programme, depicts the hardships and suffering of manual scavengers in India, particularly in Tamil Nadu, and leaves many viewers feeling distressed by its portrayal of reality.

Manual scavenging—the act of manually cleaning human excrement from drainage and sewers—and employing people to do it have been banned in India according to the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act of 1993. This law was replaced in 2013 with the Prohibition of Employment of Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, which outlaws the use of dry latrines as well as the manual cleaning of unhygienic latrines, pits, and open drains.

And yet, it is still been practiced in several states of India, especially Tamil Nadu. The series of photographs portrays the harsh realities of the lives of these oppressed scavengers and their deaths. As of December 31, 2022, the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis estimates that hazardous cleaning of septic and sewer tanks has resulted in the deaths of 1,054 people since 1993. Many people do the activity of cleaning sewage and drainage systems without any protective gear, leading to the most common cause of death among them—asphyxiation due to the inhalation of toxic gases.

“This is an everyday happening in India, but the issue has been avoided by the masses,” says Kumar, “and that is why I chose to fight for them by exhibiting photographs on the issue and showing the reality.” Despite the prevalence of reservation systems in society, finding employment outside stereotyped, long-term caste-based occupations is not easy. The hierarchical power structure plays a role in maintaining the situation by appointing and calling them for scavenger work.

Even if people want to leave, there seem to be no other job options available to them because no one is willing to give them jobs other than those, leading to a clear case of discrimination. As a result, people are forced to scavenge to acquire food for their families, who are sometimes kept in the dark about their occupation.

People suffer deaths due to asphyxiation because none of them have been provided with protective gear while working, even while having to fully submerge under these contaminated waters. In all of these upheavals, their children resort to and fall into these roles, and the cycle of discrimination continues.

Kumar is ready to talk about manual scavenging anywhere and everywhere until it is acknowledged and necessary actions are taken. “We say photography has the power to change the world, and many instances have shown that,” he says, “but in India, we have to constantly fight for it to be impactful.” Manual scavengers have played a huge part in the times of the pandemic and cyclones, and yet no one recognises their work. It has been more than five years since Kumar started documenting the lives of manual scavengers and their families, and yet he points out how nothing has changed in their lives and they still continue to suffer silently.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently announced that this year's budget will allocate around Rs 100 crores for the newly named NAMASTE (National Action Plan for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem) scheme and that "all cities and towns will be enabled for 100 per cent mechanical desludging of septic tanks and sewers to transition from manhole to machine-hole mode" as part of the announcement regarding urban sanitation in the budget for the year 2023.

“These are ‘election duties’ of the government,” says Kumar. “We are waiting for a time when the government will actually implement the law seriously and manual scavenging is going to end.”

“India has the power and technology to replace the work of manual scavengers with machinery and yet failed to do so,” states Kumar, and further says: “Why does the government not take murder charges against the people who employ the manual scavengers, knowing it is banned?”

The photographs convey the question of why nothing changed in their lives. Why are there no actions taken against people who assign jobs for manual scavenging, even after knowing it is illegal? Why are people not provided with protective gear before work? Why are these people unable to find other jobs having to reluctantly rely on being manual scavengers? Why are there no machines available for the job? Or, more importantly, why is India's drainage system still reliant on manual labour and not being prioritised for improvement?

“We are part of a web of interwoven communities. Some we have the privilege to choose, while others are simply assigned to us.” In the end, this description in the concept note seems more accurate than ever, as it captures the myriad of issues the community—which did not have a choice—had to deal with.

The India Art Fair, this year, is witnessing an amalgamation of art and technology, along with several other themes, grabbing a lot of eyeballs. Being held in the national capital from February 9-12, the fair showcases enthralling artworks of cutting-edge digital artists, along with contemporary and modern artworks, championing powerful and rising new voices from India and South Asia.

Being held in partnership with BMW India, the fair presents 85 exhibitors, including 71 galleries and 14 institutions. It also consists of an extended studio that presents the ‘Digital Artist in Residence’ programme, which provides an online platform for digital artists to create and display new artwork. The initiative aims to aid artwork created using digital processes, exploring the boundaries of art and technology.

In line with this, BMW’s new model, X7, which was launched in India last month, has an artwork by Devika Sundar with the theme 'going boundless.' With Sundar's art, one steps into a world of magic and inspiration. Her design perfectly captures the spirit of wonder and possibility that lies at the heart of the human experience.

Talking about her journey of the artwork on the BMW X7, Sundar said, “I drew this art with hands first, using water colours and pen, and, then, each element was done through painting on paper. So, the background and the forms are done separately, and then, I combined them digitally and put it on the 2D render of the car. Later, it went into 3D and BMW cleared this version.”

The digital art studio comprises the artwork of three artists; all made on iPad Pro in response to the theme ‘Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary.’

Visual artist and illustrator Mira Felicia Malhotra highlights the oddities and idiosyncrasies of the Indian family life in vibrant portraits of women titled 'Log Kya Kahenge' (what will people say). Inspired by her own life experiences and the work of renowned psychologists and psychiatrists, she has created three family portraits, depicting conflicts that often go unseen in traditional family structures. One can view these portraits in Augmented Reality (AR) using iPad Pro to uncover the complexities of gender roles.

In one of her paintings, that hangs on the wall, there is a family comprising a man, his wife, their daughter and an infant (whose gender is not known) – all of them smiling. However, when one sees this particular painting using the iPad Pro scanner, the visual shows the man’s angry expression instead of a happy face. The woman’s expression seems to be that of a subjugated lady, who seems to be tired of her life and is striving hard to survive in a male-dominated society. The daughter changes into a boy (representing the LGBTQ community) and the smiling baby is full of tears behind the scanner. Such is the power of technology displayed at the India Art Fair 2023. One device changes it all at the blink of an eye.

 Another artist, poet and writer Gaurav Ogale’s art, also created on iPad Pro, invites the audience to explore the extraordinary biographies of ordinary people through an audio-visual book anthology series 'Bestsellers'.

One of his artworks tells and makes one hear the story of a hijra (transgender) on the iPad Pro itself, using earphones. Nasreen, who belongs to Mumbai, begins her day doing household chores, and while she moves her hands, one can hear the sound of her bangles, the hustle-bustle of the city, and the honking sound of the vehicles while she gets out of her home.

Another artist, Varun Desai, has created an immersive projection room giving a glimpse of the future—one that fuses Artificial Intelligence (AI) and human consciousness. 

Will AI replace manpower in the future? “No, because AI is just a tool to support and enhance one’s art that comes from the heart,” he believes. 

Responding to the theme ‘Forwardism,’ and presenting a unique vision of a future where art, science, and fiction meet, Sundar will also design the wrap for BMW X7. She has also been awarded a special commission titled 'The Future is Born of Art.'

On display at Pepper House, as part of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, are 8,000 photographs depicting the extensive history of women's movements in Nepal. Curated by NayanTara Gurung Kakshapati and Diwas Raja KC, the photo gallery titled 'The Public Life of Women' intends to track the path of protests to increase women's visibility in public places, education, trade, and history.

The road was not easy, but the photo collection succeeds in showing viewers that the women of Nepal were tenacious and uncompromising in the pursuit of their goals. The photos on display were selected from a larger collection of about 1,20,000 photographs from the Nepal Picture Library, initiated in 2018.

As personal albums were included, every unique form of protest that women used was conspicuously represented. The massive rallies—unquestionably activities that defied social conventions—translated into pathways toward better visibility for women. Women's movements for visibility were centered on marking a space for their stories in history books as well. The 'publicity' became a fundamental strategy in establishing their actions as an outcry for freedom that would not stop until it is heard. Women needed to be able to speak in public, work and earn money, obtain education, travel, and move freely in both private and public settings.

The photo collection opens a window into a wide range of personal and public protests, right from Mangala Devi who founded the Nepal Women's Association and campaigned for women's education, to Hisila Yami who encouraged her daughter to be proud of her womanhood in a personal letter to her.

It is impressive to see that women had started fighting for what matters to them in ways that ensured they were heard loud and clear. The numerous rallies held over 50 years were also beneficial in voicing opposition to caste concerns. The initiative urged Tharu (an indigenous ethnic group) women to rise up against landlord abuse and unite against their oppressors.

This gallery seeks to take a thorough look at all the battles that women fought to guarantee their inclusion in the universal community. The photographs also shed light on patriarchal practices that ran deep through the fabric of society.

The themes, nuances, and dimensions of these various movements and stories explored by the photo collection are vast, as we see that the ways by which each woman chose to protest were linked together by their common aim and how their efforts spurred progress over time. The archive stands as an encouragement, inspiration, and challenge to this day because of its truly timeless relevance. 

ऋतु   बसन्त   आये   सतगुरु   जग   में ,

चलो   चरनन   पर   सीस   धरो   री ।

“With the auspicious season of Basant, Most Benevolent, Supremely Merciful Satguru manifested on this earth,

Let us all bow our heads in homage at His Holy Lotus Feet.”

In the month of maagh, January/February, the auspicious day of Panchmi (the fifth day of the lunar fortnight in the Hindu Calendar), which is popularly known as Basant Panchmi, is considered as a blessed and sacred day among Hindus and is welcomed as a harbinger of joy and exuberance. With the passing of the winter season, as soon as the season of Basant commences, there is an infusion of new energy in animals as well as birds, human beings and vegetation. Saints too have compared the time for the manifestation of the Supreme Lord of All Creation on this earth with the most majestic of all seasons—Basant.

देखो   देखो   सखी   अब   चल   बसन्त   ।  

फूल   रही   जहँ   तहँ   बसन्त   ।।

“Let us, dear friend (fellow spirits) rush to get the blissful vision of Basant,

Basant which is flowering with joy and bliss here, there and everywhere.”

The Basant season is of special significance for Dayalbagh, the headquarters of the Radhasoami Faith situated in the city of Agra. For the satsangis of the Radhasoami Faith, the auspicious day of Basant is one of extreme happiness and Bliss as on this sacred day, February 15, 1861, the first Revered Leader of the Faith, Param Purush Puran Dhani Huzur Soamiji Maharaj, revealed for the first time the Divine message of the salvation of all creation and mercifully opened the doors of Satsang to the general public.

घट   में   खेलूँ   अब   बसन्त   ।  

भेद   बताया   सतगुरु   संत   ।।

“I revel in the joy and Bliss of Basant internally within the depths of my soul,

Most Gracious, Ever Merciful, All benevolent, Sant Satguru has revealed the secret.”

On the auspicious day of Basant Panchmi, on January 20, 1915, the fifth Revered Leader of the Radhasoami faith, Sir Sahabji Maharaj, laid the foundation of Dayalbagh, the headquarters of Radhasoami Satsang by planting a Mulberry seedling. Along with this, the foundation of a new Satsang culture was also laid. At Dayalbagh, Education and Culture or a Way of Life commenced in the form of a very beautiful and delicate plant, on January 1, 1916, with a Model School popularly known as Radhasoami Educational Institute (REI). This plant slowly and gradually grew into the vast tree that it is at present, in the form of a University, the impact of which can be felt not only on different parts of the country, but also on countries abroad. The fragrance of this tree named Dayalbagh Educational Institute, is spreading in all four directions.

आज   आई   बहार   बसन्त   ।  

उमंग   मन   गुरु   चरनन   लिपटाय   ।।

“Today, the beauty, glory, joyous splendor of Basant is here,

With their minds filled with exuberance and Bliss, the disciple devotees embrace in adoration the Holy Lotus Feet of Ever Merciful Sant Satguru.”

The day of Basant is of extreme importance to the satsangis of Radhasoami Faith. This year is the 205^th Samvat of Radhasomi Faith. This day is celebrated with much enthusiasm and pleasure by all satsangis as they sing and praise the Glory of Ever Merciful Radhasoami Dayal. Before the arrival of Basant, the preparations for its welcome begin well in advance. From very small children to adults and seniors-- there is no limit to the enthusiasm and zeal. All get fully involved in the cleaning and decoration of houses, mohallas, in fact the entire Dayalbagh. Because of the collective efforts of all, one can get a glimpse of the most beautiful vision and luster of Dayalbagh on the auspicious occasion of Basant. The Festival of Basant is celebrated by satsangis with rituals steeped in the spirit of immense love and devotion, by expressing a deep sense of gratitude in the Holy Lotus Feet of their Beloved Sant Satguru with intense Faith in Radhasoami Dayal. With complete love and devotion, joy and Bliss, they pass this day in offering aarti, worship and meditation, feel Blessed and exult in their good fortune.

मोहि   मिल   गए   रा - धा - स्व - आ - मी   पूरे   संत   ।  

अब   बाजत   हिये   में   धुन   अनन्त   ।।

“I have found the All-Gracious, Ever Merciful Supreme Being, the only True Ra-Dha-Sva-Aah-Mi Satguru Sant

In my heart the melodious eternal sound current reverberates in everlasting Bliss.”

On the occasion of Basant, in Dayalbagh, a variety of programmes like baby Show, Fancy dress Show, Gymnastics and different Sports events are organized. In all these programmes, children, youth and all brothers and sisters actively participate with enthusiasm and zeal.

आज   आया   बसन्त   नवीन   ।

सखी   री   खेलो   गुरु   संग   फाग   रचाय   ।।

“Today Basant has arrived anew

Fellow devotee spirits, let us celebrate the joy and Bliss of spring with our beloved Sant Satguru.”

On the auspicious occasion of Basant, in Dayalbagh and in Satsang colonies all over the country and abroad, the most glorious and attractive decorative lighting is displayed at night. For this candles and oil lamps (diyas) which can cause pollution, are not used. LED lights, powered by solar energy are used for this lighting decoration.

How OneRare has benefited by associating with Cornitos- A leader in the snack category

OneRare’s mission is to bring the Food & Beverage industry to the blockchain and our partnership with Cornitos helps us take a step forward in the right direction. Cornitos has a young and engaged target audience, something that fits seamlessly with the kind of users we see in Web3. When a leading FMCG brand launches their NFTs in the metaverse, it creates a domino effect. Working with real-world brands and creating new mechanisms for them to harness the blockchain is an exciting opportunity for us. 

Future of Foodverse in India

India loves food. Indians are foodies and so many families pretty much plan their day around food. We are also extremely tech savvy, we don’t take much time to grasp a new technology. Whether you look at SaaS, Social Media, or web3 — Indians have always been at the forefront of new technologies. So when we decided to bring food & technology together, we were already very optimistic about it. We are building a user-friendly gaming experience for foodies that allows them to experience food in an all new avatar. Users can explore new cuisines and discover chefs & restaurants from across the world. The future of Foodverse will bring a revolutionary experience to India, combining their virtual activity with real-life meals and deals. 

Collaboration with the renowned Indian Chef- Saransh Golia, and Vicky Ratnani. 

OneRare is thrilled to partner with the top talent from the Food industry and start their journey on Web3. Chef Saransh and Chef Vicky are loved & celebrated globally and we want to bring their signature dishes to their fans and foodies across the world. We celebrated World Food Day in 2022 by launching the first NFT Dishes of our Chef Partners - launching Tandoori Phool with Chef Saransh and Roti Tacos with Chef Vicky.

This is the beginning of our collaboration with chefs and bringing more engaging experiences to the Foodverse. NFT Loyalty Clubs, Virtual Restaurants and Interactions, Cooking Shows and Phygital experiences - we will help them explore new avenues of marketing & fan engagement. How OneRare envisions bringing the Global Food & Beverage Industry to Blockchain

We are democratising food experiences for global audiences. We truly believe that food is a universal love language and the industry can benefit greatly by applying blockchain to increase their marketing and monetisation channels. The Food industry learnt a severe lesson during the pandemic and is opening up to digital channels for revenue rather than relying on purely physical sources. As we build the largest food community in Web3, food businesses can advertise their products & offerings globally without setting up any physical outlet in any part of the world. This can be a powerful opportunity to discover new markets, monetise their social community, and even collaborate with other players - Imagine an NFT Membership Club started by Sushi restaurants from across the world that gives patrons benefits to discounts, experiences and more. A business can grow from a single entity to a global player by just leveraging blockchain technology.

How OneRare aims to establish the next wave of Blockchain Metaverse in India

The next wave of metaverse will be driven by mass adaptation. 2023 is going to be a significant year for the blockchain industry as more use cases will come to the fore. We have always looked at ourselves as a bridge between web2 and web3 or a gateway to web3, with a lot of our community being first-time users of the blockchain. Our game is simple, user friendly and has multiple features which makes it convenient for an average internet user to access our game. You do not need to make a crypto wallet to play our game, you can simply login using your social accounts. If you don’t know how to purchase in-game tokens, we have enabled UPI and other payment methods so that you can buy tokens with INR. We are hoping that these upgrades will motivate more people to enter web3. More projects should start working towards product simplification. India already has a pool of talented builders, all we need is mass adaptation & regulations for India to lead the next wave of blockchain developments. 

Samuel Hagai's  journey from a self-taught painter to a professional muralist is an inspiring story of hard work, determination, and risk-taking. Born in Israel to a family of modest means, Hagai had few resources to aid him in honing his painting skills. But for Hagai, this was not a roadblock but rather an opportunity to challenge himself and push his limits.

He worked relentlessly, taking odd jobs to pay for art supplies while developing his skills and providing for his family. As time passed, Hagai's skills grew exponentially, and his paintings began to receive attention in the local art circles. The local community was fascinated by his works, and the international community soon began to take notice of this young artist's talent.

The life of Hagai changed drastically in 2015 when Hagai took a leap of faith and moved from his comfortable home in Israel to the United States. Hagai chose New York City as his destination, drawn by the big goals and opportunities that America offered. However, it wasn't an easy start—Hagai didn't know many people in the city and struggled to learn the language. But he was determined to turn his hobby into a full-time career, and eventually, after a year of failure and struggles, businesses started becoming interested in his work, and jobs began to come in.

With hard work, dedication, and an optimistic mindset, Hagai was able to secure large-scale mural work with clients such as Macy's and the US Air Force, as well as show his paintings at various exhibits around town. But despite his success, Hagai began to feel tired of life in New York and knew he needed a change. In 2019, he took another leap of faith and moved to Los Angeles, where he is now fully engaged as a muralist and oil painter.

This risk paid off, as Hagai found the new environment stimulating and refreshing. Los Angeles provided him with a new kind of creative energy and the opportunity to collaborate with other artists and take part in the thriving local art scene. This vibrant city offers a wealth of opportunities for the artist, with art museums like MOCA, the Getty, the Broad, and LACMA, as well as beautiful downtown patios and the famous Venice Boardwalk.

On January 27, the Air India Express’s Boeing 737-800, with a painting featured on its tail, was unveiled at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. Artist Smitha GS’s acrylic painting was selected to represent the Kochi-Muziris Biennale on the 25-foot-long tail of the aircraft.

The vibrant artwork depicts chameleons, grasshoppers, insects, and other tiny critters set against the enormous mountains and broad landscapes in which these creatures are placed in. The original artwork is currently on display at the Aspinwall House, the prime venue of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2022.

A self-taught artist from Kozhikode, Smitha's paintings were initially displayed at the 'Lokame Tharavadu' exhibition curated by Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) president Bose Krishnamachari. Her unique perspective on species that typically go unseen drew a lot of attention. Soon after, her meticulously detailed depictions of landscapes and creatures earned her a spot at this year's Biennale. 

"Painting has always been a passion of mine. My father encouraged me to paint, and I enjoyed it over studying. My house was surrounded by lush green forests, and I enjoyed going for walks and admiring the scenery. The setting in which I grew up has been a major source of inspiration for my works," Smitha said.

She painted a lot throughout the pandemic lockdown, and it became more fun for her as she began using vibrant colours and delving deeper into the subjects she was passionate about. It took multiple layers of bright colours and meticulous detailing on the paintings before she was finally satisfied with her work.

Speaking of her inventiveness, she attributes it to the picturesque surroundings she grew up in, as well as her father. "He crafted toys for me with coconut leaves in my younger days, I would imagine them coming to life. As a tribute to my father, I paint my images in green. Spending time in the forest allowed me to intentionally examine the life and creatures that sometimes appear inconsequential. All of this immensely enhanced my imagination," the artist said.

Her paintings are all tied directly to her own life, making them highly personal to her. She chose superstitions as the subject of another painting, which is also displayed at the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. The artwork features many images or creatures that were deemed terrifying or harmful in Indian culture, and she believes that the painting would create a genuine impact and change in the people who view it.

"I have a lot more to do since I have so many more paintings in my mind that I want to paint. I feel art requires a clear vision, mental preparation, and time. A journey alone or a stroll helps me prepare to paint the picture that I have formed in my thoughts," Smitha said.

There has been a dip in the learning ability of students, post-pandemic, as reported by the recently-released Annual Status of Education Report (ASER). While there is a massive surge in the number of students who have enrolled in schools after the pandemic, the learning skill deficiency caused by the pandemic and the challenges children are required to overcome to get back into learning, are at an all-time high.

Educators THE WEEK spoke to cited multiple reasons for the dip ranging from shorter attention spans, gadget usage and reduced social skills. Besides these obvious reasons, educators also said the reduced immunity level in younger children who stayed fully indoors for two years has also affected post-pandemic schooling.

When asked about the study's findings, an early-year educator, Chrisen Raju, reflected for a moment and answered, “Children struggle with a lot more health problems and fall sick more often because they get exposed to flu or cough. Their immune systems never got the chance to develop resistance against as they hardly left their homes and were never exposed to these because during the pandemic.”

Explaining further, Chrisen highlights the deeper problem that directly affects children’s learning. “Their health affects their attendance, since they fall sick so often, they miss a lot of classes every other week. The children are unable to understand the portions as they miss lessons and end up struggling when they show up to class after getting better.”

Sofia Dini, a kindergarten teacher, also had similar findings and said, "There was a serious loss in the foundation for mischievous children who cleverly had their parents complete their homework. They struggled to write letters and to hold pencils.”

Prathibha Menon, a lower primary teacher, talked about children's reluctance to adjust, shorter attention spans, and lethargy post-pandemic. "Their social skills have reduced and they cannot adjust or share even with friends now. They don’t want to learn concepts guaranteed to interest them anymore" she added.

While tiny tots struggle with holding pencils properly and having trouble sitting still, the students and teachers in higher grades also face challenges. "Students struggle with their psycho-motor abilities, find cognitive thinking challenging, and are unable to focus for prolonged durations. Offline classes were initially overwhelming for learners," said Roopma Anand, an educator. She also drew attention to students’ use of abbreviations even in their exams and the use of slang words in formal settings.

“A bad network was an easy excuse for some to skip classes, while a few genuinely had trouble joining classes. Some would play games or chat with friends during class hours,” Merin Jacob, an 8th grader recalls.

Esther Susan and Shiv Narayanan, both of them 12^th graders, described getting back to offline learning as a good shift that came with problems like finding it harder to concentrate and being overwhelmed by the post-pandemic stress. A higher secondary teacher, Reyma Reji, also observed that there have been a lot of changes in the classroom behaviour of the students. She noted how teenagers feel isolated and often struggle with mental health issues more than ever.

Chitra S. Nair, principal of Bharatiya Vidya Mandir in Kerala's Thrissur, said restlessness returned in students with a loss of focus in academics as gadgets consumed unchecked amounts of their time. “Classes one to five are managed with dynamic methods of experiential learning and loads of activities now, but the high schoolers were rather anxious to face the board exams they don’t feel prepared for,” she said.

Both students and teachers are facing struggles in various dimensions of teaching and learning as schools are back open after the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Sheetal Ohri who is a successful and experienced entrepreneur, an accomplished communicator gives an insight in her writing journey. In this candid conversation she talks about the book, her inspiration, work life balance and a lot more.

1.  How was your experience writing the book? Was it challenging to go through the memories all over again?

Writing the book was definitely time consuming. Sometimes, it was weeks on the same chapter, re-writing chapters, thinking and planning on chapters, numbering them, detailing and then formulating everything by doing the research etc. Challenges were in the form of writing, it was emotional, memories used to hit hard and at times I used to stop for weeks before I could continue. The memories of pain of being away from my son, injustice of court system, dealing with immigration aspects of two countries, dealing with memories of what I had to go through and then thinking and still be strong to write the book to help others who would be in my situation gave me the courage and motivation to continue to write.

2.  What kind of research did you do while writing the book?

I went through many law books, family law data, self-help centers details for various states in the USA. There was extensive research done on the custody sharing and visitation rights, children psychological effects due to parental alienation and many other researches like South Asian Domestic Violence and or Women’s Help center details. Some of the immigration and other visa researches and other required researches to compile the book. I had to do research while writing the book and then offered this as resources for readers and people who may need this help in the book.

3.  Share more about your radio show ‘Making a Difference with Sheetal Ohri’ and the podcasts you have contributed to.

“Making a Difference with Sheetal Ohri” is over 10 years old. It airs every Sunday on San Francisco’s largest South Asian FM radio station Bolly923FM. I started the show with just one thought in mind which was how to create a positive impact on the listeners minds and to showcase individuals, companies, nonprofits and or local and national leaders and political heads to the Radio station listenership and empower them with their stories and journeys. I believe my Radio talk show is successfully doing so.

After I wrote the book, many known local US podcasts interviewed me and we talked about Custody, Custodial rights and many other aspects relating to my book.

4.  How did you find support in such difficult times?

My work, restarting my life, establishing myself from the beginning while contesting for child custody made me stronger. Volunteering with local and community based Non profits and giving back in some form or way by assisting is what gave me the support and motivation to deal with the difficult times and keep moving forward.

5. Share more about your career as an entrepreneur and the work you’ve done.

My journey has been in various fields and workings. I started my career in the hospitality and travel industry in India and moved on to managing restaurants and hotels in London. For the past 29 years I have worked in top companies and name brand hotels and restaurant chains managing the departments of PR, Marketing and Sales, Operations and Facility and construction management. In the last 14 years, I have branded my own name as the CEO and founder of Sheetal Ohri Inc in San Francisco California. I have won many California State Legislative, California Senate awards for her work. She has worked with various companies and individuals from USA and India doing Media, branding, PR, consultancy work. I have had my own weekly radio talk show “Making a Difference with Sheetal Ohri '' for the last 10 years. The radio talk show started airing in 2012 on San Francisco’s largest South Asian Am radio station and has been going for over 6 years now on Bolly923Fm which is San Francisco’s largest South Asian FM radio station. I launched Silicon Valley Awards-SVA ``Making a Difference” in 2012. These awards were the first of its kind Red carpet glamorous affair awards in San Francisco. I have launched, directed and produced the first Bollywood Broadway show “Bollywood Dreamz- Journey of a Star '' in 2013, using local talent. I have recently authored a book in 2021 “Custodial Battle” which has been a reflection of issues and challenges I faced while going through my own son's custody situations due to Immigration status. I decided to write situations to help and provide resources to other immigrant parents in need of understanding the US family courts.

6. Do you plan to write another book? And what are your thoughts on taking up writing as a full time career?

My second book is in the writing stages. It should be published by the end of 2023 or early 2024. I have not thought of taking writing as a full time career as of right now as I am very involved with my Entrepreneur work, philanthropic workings etc and wish to continue those duties.

7. What were the thoughts behind writing a fictional story taking inspiration from your own, and not an autobiography?

The thoughts behind writing a fictional story taking inspiration from my own was to guide and help parents who were in a similar situation as mine. Thinking if I could be the voice and bring them resources and an understanding of the family law system, then at least they could have better results than I did during the years I was going through my issues. My autobiography still has years to be published.

8. Do you think this is a common issue faced by immigrants?

Most common issues faced by immigrants are the Immigration status, then per immigration status, their rights and mostly lack of knowledge of the local and state laws. In reality, immigrants do face these issues.

9. When did you start writing Custodial Battle, and can we expect another book? If Yes, when do you plan to finish it?

I started writing Custodial Battle somewhere towards the end of 2018. Yes, I am working on my second book which should be out by the end of 2023 or early 2024.

10. Who is your biggest critic? What were his/ her thoughts after reading The Custodial Battle?

My biggest critic is myself. It took me a long time to finalize the book for publishing as I was never sure if the book was completed to give understanding and guidance to other immigrant’s and provide them resources via my book.

-“Sit, be still and listen”

-“Patience is the key to joy”

-“Dance until you shatter yourself”

-“Set your life on fire”

A cursory search on Rumi, the 13th-century Sufi mystic, throws up these sayings of his. Many of us may have received them as forwards on WhatsApp, and this is what infuriates London-based writer Moin Mir, whose latest book, The Lost Fragrance of Infinity, explores the allure of Sufi philosophy. “One does not know whether [these sayings] were actually written by him and reused in the most bizarre way,” he said at a session with historian Rana Safvi presented by THE WEEK at the Jaipur Literature Festival. “Rumi in the west became this symbol of hippie culture and he was very far from that.”

To disabuse his readers of such misconceptions, he said, was one of the reasons why he wrote The Lost Fragrance. There were others, too. “Sufism, in many ways, is the lost voice of compassion,” he said. “And in its essence, it is not understood properly. I, too, am a student of it because it is so complex. There are various ways in which one can approach Sufism. Historians and academics look at it through the lens of history and philosophy, but I thought of looking at it through the lens of the complex mind of the Sufi. One that is fired by curiosity and that drives innovation, one that surrenders to divine love and finds itself investigating art, literature, and poetry. I took that approach.”

It was his grandfather, Mir Khairat Ali Khan – a leading scholar of Sufism in India – who got him interested in the subject. Khan was an expert on Mirza Ghalib and Persian mathematician and poet, Omar Khayyam. Under his tutelage, Moin began exploring the byzantine alleyways of Sufism. If he got his love of books from his grandfather, he got a love of travel from his grandmother, Ziaunnissa-Ladli Begum, who spent most of her youth travelling between India, Baghdad, Cairo and the Levant. 

Moin himself travels extensively to research his books. In fact, going through his Instagram page is like sinking into another world, another time. He makes you see things with new eyes – like the majestic square in Palermo, the ruined city of Pompei, the quaint island of Mazara Del Vallo in Sicily, the caves and monasteries of Greece…. You don’t just see them, you see them through Moin’s eyes. He shows you how he discovered the Greek philosopher Plotinus’s teachings in Greece or was wonderstruck by the sculpture of a satyr at a museum in Sicily.

In fact, it was while he was passing through the town of Bursa in Anatolia that he found the Sufi who would inspire the central character of the tilemaker Qaraar Ali in The Lost Fragrance. “Early in the morning, I visited a fabulous mosque with geometric tile work,” said Moin. “I found an old man sitting under an arch twirling his beads. He was a Sufi, and as the slanted rays penetrated the stained-glass windows and fell on him, I felt a pull towards him. I went and spoke with him. He asked me what I saw when I looked at the tiles. Then he told me that they represented the different castes, cultures, races and languages of mankind, and bang in the middle was the eight-pointed star, which is the star of enlightenment. Now obviously, historians and academics will have a completely different take on what geometric tile-making is, but I was struck by the simplicity of it. This ascetic sitting in this quiet mosque saying something so beautiful was amazing. And so that became the heart of my story in many ways.” The Lost Fragrance is set in the 18th century and is about a man who flees Delhi and on his way to Andalusia, Spain, he discovers love through Sufi philosophy. It is almost a metaphor for Moin’s own life.

Moin says he is not a practising Sufi and hence has never had a mystic or transcendental experience. However, he has had “flashes of inspired intuition”, when he would get the surety that he was destined to write a particular line. Every good writer has perhaps had that experience, of finding perfection in a thought which would then almost write itself. Moin knows how rare such an experience is, and like the tenets of Sufism, he holds it close to his heart.

Acclaimed economist and author Sanjeev Sanyal is a staunch proponent of the idea that India’s history of freedom struggle must be rewritten. Sanyal, who was the Principal Economic Adviser to the Union Finance Minister till February 2022, recently released his book that talks about the revolutionaries who got neglected in the post-Independence period.

On the sidelines of the Kerala Literature Festival, he spoke exclusively to THE WEEK on various issues related to India’s past and present.

Excerpts:

The dominant narrative about India’s freedom struggle says it had been a non-violent movement. Is your latest book Revolutionaries: The Other Story of How India Won Its Freedom—a book about those who took arms to fight the British—challenging this narrative?

There is no doubt that the mainstream narrative of India's freedom struggle is dominated by the story of the non-violent movement. While this did have a role, it should be remembered that there was also an armed resistance [against] the British Colonial occupation of India. It is not that we have forgotten all these names like Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad, Sachindra Nath Sanyal or Rash Bihari Bose.

But get the impression from the official narrative that these were some sporadic events in the fringe and that they had no real impact on the mainstream narrative. And, that is not the case. The purpose of the book is to show that revolutionaries were very much in the mainstream movement.

They were not only important as part of the resistance against the British. They were important within the Indian National Congress itself. One cannot understand the Indian National Congress without reference to what the revolutionaries were doing. As Netaji demonstrated, the revolutionaries were capable of winning an election within the Congress for the party president against the Gandhians. So, the revolutionary movement has to be given back a correct, due place in our national narration.

Recently you said there is a need to rewrite the history of India's freedom struggle. If that process happens, how do you want it to be?

First of all, you need greater recognition of many of these great freedom fighters. The book is one contribution to that, but you have also seen recently the Netaji statue unveiled in Delhi. Another step is the gallery inside the Victoria Memorial Museum dedicated to the revolutionaries. So, in some ways, they are being brought back into the conversation. Of course, ultimately this has to also reflect in the school textbooks, which I hope will happen over time.

During your research, you might have come across the stories of many extraordinary characters. Could you share the story of one such revolutionary whose story got neglected in the post-independence period?

There are dozens of such characters. Let me tell you about one of them. Many of you may have never heard of somebody called Pandurang Khankhoje. He was an extraordinary person born in the late 19th century in Nagpur. He became part of the revolutionary movement and to escape British Intelligence, he went up to Japan. From there, he went to north America where he gained military training and made contacts with the Ghadarite revolutionaries. When World War I happened, he made his way to Iran—what was then Persia—and he created a group of Persian rebels and Indian revolutionaries and fought in the first world war backed by the Germans and the Turks against the British. Interestingly, his opponent was none other than Reginald Dyer. Dyer first gained a reputation fighting against [Khankhoje's forces] on the Balochistan-Persia border. The war ended with the British side winning and the Germans losing. So first he made his way to Russia and ultimately to Mexico where he became a very famous agricultural scientist. Many of the technologies we now know as the Green Revolution, [were developed by Khankhoje]. In the 1950s, he came back to India and introduced these technologies in India, leading to the green revolution in India as well.

Now, here is just one character, who gave amazing contributions to the freedom fight. Just his contributions to the green revolution and changing the world's food production patterns would alone have made him an all-time great. And yet, most Indians probably have never heard of him.