Friday, December 30, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
An air-conditioned local train coach designed by the Western Railway in 2002
Fresh blueprint for AC locals on anvil | ||
This is a part of Indian Railways Vision 2020 programme | ||
Air-conditioned local trains for the city are back in talks, with the railways research wing at Lucknow preparing a new blueprint for such trains for the Western Railway tracks. In a bid to catch up with the Metro railways being planned across the country, the railways is in tearing hurry to freeze plans for these special locals, railway officials said. Confirming the railways’ decision to go ahead with the ambitious project, a senior official said the air-conditioned trains were likely not just in Mumbai but in all the major cities, as part of Indian Railways Vision 2020 programme. In 2007, the railways had planned to run AC trains as a pilot between Churchgate and Borivli on a public-private partnership, but scrapped it following opposition. In the 2008 rail budget, the then railway minister Lalu Prasad had stated the possibility of introducing AC suburban trains for the city in the 11th Five Year plan by 2012. It is learnt that top officials of the Research Design and Standards Organisation in Lucknow are already working on the “tough task” of designing AC trains for Mumbai. The Western Railway had also internally prepared one such coach at its Mahalaxmi workshop and taken trials a few years ago. The plan for Mumbai had been earlier rejected as air-conditioned trains required closed doors, which was not possible in the dense crush load that the city’s trains ferry. Another idea proposed comprised air-curtains to separate the cold air from the warm, but that too did not click. An air-curtain is a ventilation device used for separating two spaces from each other, a downward-facing fan with a powerful jet to help keep outside air out. The city’s railway think-tank, the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation, too, had taken up the AC locals plans, but it did not take off due to technicalities. Now, with plans to revive the idea, the railways have taken to chalking out a new blueprint. As local trains could not be fitted with air-conditioners, it was then decided to install forced ventilation blowers in trains. The “forced ventilation’’ technique was to aid in decrease of carbon dioxide levels in packed trains. —RA | ||
| Photo Caption(s):An air-conditioned local train coach designed by the Western Railway in 2002 | ||
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Kid with rare heart disease goes under scalpel, successfully
Finally, it’s time to celebrate for Nobert and his family after Kevin, his six-year-old son, suffering from a very rare heart disease, congenital atresia of the left main coronary artery, was successfully operated by the doctors at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital (KDAH) last week. Congenital atresia of the left coronary artery is an extremely rare disease with only 50 cases published in the world literature so far.Kevin suffered from two attacks before his parents brought him to the KDAH. His last attack was three months ago. “The last attack was severe. He was in the school bus and suddenly, he blacked out. There was no pulse and he required cardiopulmonary resuscitation for 15 minutes,” said Nobert.
With no other symptoms, Kevin was initially evaluated for seizure disorders. “His cardiac examination was found to be normal. Kevin’s cardiac tests like Echocardiogram, ECG, Holter, etc were also normal. Doctors then opted for coronary angiography,” added Nobert. Though structurally and functionally the heart was normal, the coronary angiography revealed severe narrowing of the left coronary opening from the aorta. The left main coronary artery and its main branches were also very narrow in calibre.
Nobert later decided to bring Kevin to KDAH. The surgeons planned an open heart surgery to see if normal anatomy could be restored or at least whether a coronary artery bypass graft could be placed to augment the blood supply to the “blood starved” left ventricle.
Dr Suresh Rao, paediatric and congenital heart surgeon, KDAH said, “At surgery, to our complete surprise, we found that there was no opening of the left coronary artery in the aorta and a dimple was seen where the opening should have been. This has obviously been since the heart developed in the foetus. The artery was seen to be branching normally, but it was small in calibre. The rest of the visualised cardiac anatomy was normal.”
Though the doctors had the choice of restoring the normal anatomy or place a coronary artery bypass graft they went for coronary osteoplasty, which involved creation and enlargement of the coronary opening.
“Coronary bypass is not a good option for a children compared to coronary osteoplasty, which lasts longer. Thankfully, we didn’t have any hiccups and the operation was successful. We did his coronary angiogram again and he has a good sized left coronary ostium with good filling of the left main stem coronary, LAD and circumflex arteries.”
Photo Caption(s):Dr Suresh Rao, paediatric and congenital heart surgeon, KDAH, with Nobert and his son Kevin, who has since been discharged.
Be a witness Swami Sukhabodhananda
Be a witness | ||
Swami Sukhabodhananda | ||
Secondly, the moment you are a witnessing consciousness, unnecessary thoughts will reduce. Learn not to language an experience but be without words. Use words only when needed, otherwise be devoid of them. Thirdly, you will find your thoughts will further reduce. Learn not to identify with your inner self-talk. When thoughts come do not identify or participate in them. Do not say I like this or dislike that, as this is a form of identification. You will slowly slip into a witnessing consciousness and thus a new ‘presence’ opens up within you. Whenever you are free, for example, while in flight, observe your breath. The breath is in the present, and thus by observing your breath you will also be in the present. If you are driving, do not observe your breath, but be alive to the present. Be open to it without verbalising it. Practise the art of being in the present and see the miracle happening in your consciousness. More than prayer, it is prayerfulness that helps achieve enlightenment. Just be prepared and available for the divine. You cannot go after the Lord, for you do not know his address. Nevertheless, the Lord knows your address. You should be worthy for His grace to descend. Then you will find yourself enlightened. There is no other reason for unhappiness except ignorance. If unhappiness exists, we keep it alive; we identify ourselves with it. We say, it will take time for the unhappiness to vanish, but because we give time, we keep unhappiness alive. Learn to surrender unhappiness and believe that the impossible will happen. If it does not, then there is a cosmic purpose. Allow it to be. If you can surrender your ego that life should happen the way you define, then a spiritual energy will descend. Ego brings with it an ordinary energy, whereas surrender brings a spiritual or a divine energy. Swami Sukhabodhananda is nicknamed the Corporate Guru and is founder chairman of Prasanna Trust. www.prasannatrust.org |
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
It's never too late to throw a Christmas party with (almost) all the trimmings
Yes, today is December 25, but it's never too late to throw a Christmas party with (almost) all the trimmings
It's never too late to throw a Christmas party with (almost) all the trimmings
And so this is Christmas And what have you done?
If the answer is nothing, there's no need to panic.
Even with almost no notice at all, there is time to put together a last-minute Christmas celebration just by exercising a bit of ingenuity. After all, it isn't every day that there's an excuse to throw a party, and since the end of the festive season is almost upon us, it's time to make the most of it. So send out your SMS invites, and let the planning begin.
THE HOLLY AND THE IVY This is an easy one, since the theme is obviously red and green. You can stretch a point and make it red, white and green. So bring out all your red or green plates, cups and serving bowls, and get them washed.
When it comes to decorating the house, there's no limit to the imagination even on a limited time frame. For a quick-fix tree, Yashika Punjabee and Pragnya Rao of Groovy Two Shoes, a Mumbai-based boutique events house, recommend using post-it notes (if you have green ones, even better) and sticking them on to a wall in rows slightly overlapping each other in the shape of a cone to create a tree. Write your favourite quotes on it, and leave bunched-up fairy lights at its foot.
Alternatively, you can buy a small tree and ornaments, and make decorating the tree into a group activity once all your friends arrive.
For bunting, you can hang up red, green and white dupattas and shawls (wrap the fairy lights around them), or, as Groovy Two Shoes advises, tear out pages of an old book and fold them over, and tie (or staple) them to a string. Fairy lights can be used in abundance; get your friends to bring over their own, and try to use them as the only source of illumination.
And as Yashika and Pragnya suggest, light candles in glass jars or clear vases, decorated with pearls or faux gold baubles. Vanilla, cranberry and pine-scented candles (if you have them) will also add a fantastic ambience. Finally, red and green satin ribbon can be used to good effect.
THE FIRST NOEL Once the house looks festive enough, set the mood. Various Internet radio stations offer Christmas and `Holiday' music meaning that they play nothing but carols (choose from folk, country, rock and instrumental stations). Google `Internet Radio' and choose one.
Alternatively, download the soundtracks of these movies The Holiday, Love Actually, the Home Alone movies, etc, and you'll have festive music filling your ears.
MISTLETOE AND WINE What is a party without good food and drink? While the short notice of this party demands that you order in food, try and make sure you get as many red and green foods as you can to fit the theme. Think cranberry and litchi juice, red wine, tomato bruschetta, a salad, cherries, salsa sauce and guacamole, strawberries, kebabs and green chutney, pizza with sundried tomatoes and capsicum, carrot cake, red velvet cupcakes, watermelon and feta salad, and more. If you feel up to making a cake, here's a recipe for a 25-minute one (see box). And for a truly traditional touch, why not make eggnog (see box)?
ALL I WANT FOR XMAS...
What's a Christmas party without gifts under the tree? Even if you can't manage full-scale gifts for all friends, a small present will add to the excitement and really raise the spirits. Think chocolates (a lot of foreign brands are now easily availble at grocery shops) and alcohol miniatures (again widely available). Scan shops in your area and look for hair accessories, mobile charms, fun toys like darts or a travelling chess set and wrap them in glossy newspaper if you can't find wrapping paper. Put the gifts in Santa caps, and string them up around the house for guests to find. If you've run out of ideas, buy online gift vouchers.
Finally, put on your prettiest red outfit, warn guests to come wearing red or green and you're ready to bring in Christmas.
Happy holiday!
CHRISTMAS PLUM CAKE
INGREDIENTS: 1 kg butter; 1 kg sugar 20 eggs; 20 gms baking powder; 1 kg flour; 300 ml orange juice; 500 gm assorted dry fruit like walnuts, glazed cherries, tutti frutti, raisins, blackcurrants, orange peel and lemon peel.
METHOD: Soak dry fruit in rum for 5 minutes. Mix the butter and sugar with a ladle to make a cream, slowly adding eggs to it.
Add flour and baking powder. Add the dry fruit soaked in rum. Put into the moulds as required. Bake the cake at 170 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes. Once out of the oven, soak the cake in orange juice and the remaining rum.
NOTE: You can add caramel colouring to make the cake look more attractive.
TRADITIONAL EGGNOG (SERVES: 8) INGREDIENTS: 12 eggs, separated; 6 cups milk; 2 cups heavy/ thickened cream; 2 cups bourbon; 1+ 1/2 cups sugar; 3/4 th cup brandy; 2 tsp nutmeg, ground METHOD: In a large bowl and using a hand mixer, beat egg yolks together with sugar for approx 10 minutes (you want the mixture to be firm and the colour of butter).
Very slowly, add the bourbon and brandy a little at a time. When the bourbon and brandy have been added, allow the mixture to cool in the fridge (for up to six hours, or depending on how long before your party you're making eggnog). Thirty minutes before your guests arrive, stir the milk into the chilled yolk mixture. Stir in 1+ 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg. In a separate bowl, beat the cream with a mixer on high speed until the cream forms stiff peaks. In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Gently fold the cream into the egg mixture. After ladling into cups, garnish with the remainder of the nutmeg.
Here are some FAQs about kapha.
NOW THAT winter is in full swing, prepare for coughs, colds, respiratory troubles, lung and sinus infections and weight gain. This is due to low immunity, an incorrect diet and lifestyle, a constitutional predisposition towards a kapha disorder, and environmental conditions.
Here are some FAQs about kapha.
IS THE KAPHA SEASON UNHEALTHY?
Actually, this the best season to build immunity and stamina and improve your skin and hair. But you need to balance the environment with the correct nutrition, lifestyle and exercise.
WHAT IS KAPHA?
Kapha is an energy found in the human body, in foods, in the environment, the time of the day and also your age. Kapha energy among humans provides strength, stamina, good skin and hair and a calm temperament. Kapha gives food high binding and cohesive properties, increases body mass and strength, cools and increases moistness in the body. Kapha in the environment means it is cold, moist, heavy and slow. In the diurnal cycle, kapha energy manifests at night.
WHY DO WE NEED TO BALANCE KAPHA?
People who already have high kapha in their system accumulate more this season. This may lead to disorders such as high cholesterol, increased weight, increase in blood sugar, increase in bile thickness, gall bladder stone tendency, cholesterol blockages, vulnerability to fibroids, arthritic pain, sinusitis and an accumulation of fluids in the respiratory system.
IS PHLEGM THE SAME AS KAPHA?
Phlegm is only a small aspect of kapha excess. For good health, we need the correct balance of kapha. Therefore, foods high in kapha should be eaten with caution this season.
These include milk, curd (high kapha), cold drinks, red meat, bananas, processed cheese (high kapha), rice, cashew nuts, coconut, ghee, butter, fried foods, processed and refined foods, watery fruits like melons and cucumbers, oily foods, sugar and sweets.
To balance high kapha, eat dalia (with vegetables), bajra, jowar, corn, fenugreek, cumin, spices, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, mustard seeds and oil.
Also try massages with sesame seed oil or dry herbs, inhale steam with calyptus oil and exercise heavily so you sweat.
Walking is the simplest and most effective form of exercise provided you do it correctly
WALKING IS the king when it comes to exercising. It is easy to do, feasible to maintain, and its benefits are proven beyond doubt! But you need to make it really effective.
EVERY STEP COUNTS Take a spin around the office or walk to the nearby market; take the furthest parking space from your building; schedule walking meetings instead of sit-downs in stuffy rooms; walk while you're on your phone. Also, if you can't set aside 30 minutes of your day for a walk, take a 10-minute walk after breakfast, lunch, and dinner to reach the goal of 30 minutes a day, or take a family walk after dinner.
HYDRATE WELL Hydrate well before, during and after the walk.
To determine the quantity of fluid you require, weigh yourself before and after the walk. The difference in weight would be the quantity of fluids you may need to replace. Avoid caffeinated drinks before your walk as they lead to loss of fluid from the body and make you thirsty.
POWER WALK When done right, walking can blast away fat as fast as jogging maybe faster. Follow these pointers to power walking.
- Aim to walk at about 4.5-miles per hour.
- Take quick heel-ball-toe steps as these are more efficient and less tiring than long strides.
- Raise your chin and look about 10 feet ahead of you.
- Bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle, close your hands in relaxed fists and swing them in an arc from waist to chest, keeping them close to your body. This way you'll walk faster, burn more calories, and build upper body strength.
- To strengthen your lower legs as part of your warm-up, walk on your heels for 30 seconds.
- Aim for four to six power walks a week of 20 to 30 minutes each. Rest your body now and then to let it repair and build muscle.
TAKE A SILENT HIKE When walking, tune into your surroundings.
Be aware of the fragrance of the soil, the sensations of the breeze, the warmth of the sunshine. This will enhance your sense of serenity and `walk' your mind as well as your body.
Be aware of the fragrance of the soil, the sensations of the breeze, the warmth of the sunshine. This will enhance your sense of serenity and `walk' your mind as well as your body.
GET A PEDOMETER A pedometer senses your body motion and counts your footsteps. This count is converted into distance by knowing the length of your usual stride. The simplest pedometers only count your steps and display steps and / or distance. A visual reminder (a pedometer clipped to your belt or shoe) not only makes walking easy but also keeps you accountable to something, even if it is a machine. For weight loss, experts recommend an uninterrupted walk each day of 4,000-6,000 steps. A total of 10,000 steps every day is considered a magic number.
You can find pedometers at sports stores or use a pedometer app on your mobile.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Protecting Nature’s Nomads
Protecting Nature’s Nomads | ||
For the elephants that are returning to southern Angola, after herds were devastated during the country’s civil wars, the battle is far from over. Old land mines, sown during the decades of conflict that ended in 2002, are threatening the lives and limbs not only of people, but also of the growing elephant populations that are crossing into Angola from northern Botswana on ancient migration routes that continue into Zambia. Mines are a particularly stark example of how humans interfere with migratory journeys that have linked breeding and feeding sites across the globe for millennia. Up to 10,000 animal species are thought to migrate. Yet, increasingly, air, water, and land routes are being destroyed by barriers, ranging from roads, fences, dams, and power lines to unsustainable hunting or fishing practices, habitat degradation, pollution, and climate change. One example is the critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphin, found in the Bay of Bengal and Southeast Asia. Barriers to its migration range from entrapment in fishing nets to conditions caused by gold mining and dam building. Likewise, someone strolling through Norway’s Fennoscandia region in the 1900’s would have marvelled at the abundance of Lesser White-fronted Geese, which then numbered in the thousands. Today, only 20-30 breeding pairs remain — the result, according to the World Wildlife Fund, of the drainage of wetlands in countries such as Greece, and of hunting along the bird’s migration routes. In North America, one of the world’s fastest land animals, the Pronghorn antelope, faces obstacles such as highways and fencing. The harsh winter in 2010 left herds stranded and hungry, blocked by fences while they burned up their fat reserves searching for ways through. Similarly, in South Africa, 12% of Blue Cranes, South Africa’s national bird, and 30% of Ludwig’s bustards are dying annually in collisions with a growing number of power lines. Climate change is also having a severe impact on the world’s most peripatetic animals. Migratory species, from Monarch butterflies to humpback whales, are suffering as a result of shifts in temperature and the disruption of the traditional timing, abundance, and location of food sources. The trend looks bad. But some countries are taking action. Since the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals entered into force in 1983, its membership has grown steadily to include 116 countries in Africa, Central and South America, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. To date, the CMS has concluded agreements and memoranda of understanding to conserve more than 26 migratory species. Thanks to the CMS, Papua New Guinea and Mozambique, for example, recently agreed on cooperative arrangements to conserve migratory dugongs, animals once thought by seafarers to be mermaids. Likewise, a 20-year agreement has recently helped to increase the number of harbour seals in the Wadden Sea, shared by Germany and the Netherlands. Protecting migratory species benefits not only the animals concerned, but humans as well. A ten-year programme to restore and conserve seven million hectares of wetlands in China, Iran, Kazakhstan and Russia has improved conditions for the critically endangered Siberian crane, as well as drinking-water supplies, inland fisheries, and carbon storage. Austin, Texas, is home to the world’s largest urban colony of migratory bats, which live underneath the city’s central Congress Avenue Bridge. On summer nights, hundreds of people visit to witness the bats emerge for their nightly feed. Not only do the bats act as natural pest controllers, consuming up to 4,000 mosquitoes each per night; they also underpin a local tourism industry that generates an estimated $10 million a year. On November 20-25, the CMS held its 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties in Bergen, Norway. Among other success stories, the participants cited the example of the tiny Pacific island nation of Palau. Many shark species are now at high risk, owing to growing consumption of their fins, which are widely believed to boost sexual potency and enhance general health. But Palau is helping to reverse this trend. Two years ago, Palau became the first country to declare its coastal waters a shark sanctuary — scientists estimate that shark-diving tours now generate around 8% of the country’s GDP, and that a single shark generates revenues from ecotourism amounting to $2.6 million over its lifetime. Nature should never be prized merely for its economic value. But, in a world of competing demands and limited resources, economic considerations can help to tip decisions in favour of conservation rather than degradation. This kind of strategic thinking can help to ensure that the world’s 10,000 migratory species continue their journeys, so that future generations can also marvel at these nomads of the natural world.   |
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Dating a sociopath made me insecure & paranoid Roohi Sabarwal’s boyfriend could charm at first sight. But that couldn’t make up for his pathological lying and manipulativeness
Dating a sociopath made me insecure & paranoid
Roohi Sabarwal’s boyfriend could charm at first sight. But that couldn’t make up for his pathological lying and manipulativeness
Late one night, six years ago, a chat window popped up on my computer screen. My early twenties weren’t the same after that. The person on the other side first sent a smiley, but I told him I wasn’t interested. Then, he told me something so personal about myself that I couldn’t help but chat with him.
I know — it is crazy to chat with strangers online. But at 19, if you’re a tomboy surrounded by pretty girls and guys swooning over them, you’re not thinking of safety. What I was doing was dubious, but it was out of the ordinary.
Nisheet was charming, articulate and, within days, he began finishing my sentences. Speaking to him was as intimate a feeling as writing a journal can be. He visited me in Bombay from Pune 10 days after we first chatted. I noticed he dressed really well, and his company was even better.
Anyone who’s been with a sociopath will tell you what a rollercoaster ride it is. There are unimaginable highs that seem worth the lowest of lows and even the loss of self-esteem that inevitably follows. While girls around me moaned about how guys didn’t understand them enough and weren’t as romantic, I was flooded with gifts (always worth Rs20,000-30,000), bouquets and surprise visits. Childhood fairytales seemed pale in comparison to my relationship.
Then there were moments when I didn’t understand what I had gotten into. A few months into our relationship, Nisheet told me he had decided to approach me after hacking into my email account and reading my online journal in it. I was disgusted, but he made all the right excuses — how it was a bad joke because he was immature (he was two years younger than me), and how something so beautiful had come out of a lie. He made subtly-concealed threats of self harm if I left him, and I panicked because I cared. Soon, he admitted that his real name was Neeraj and, because he helped the cyber crime cell, he had faked his identity (another lie).
With time, Neeraj’s lack of consideration for the law, and for most people around him shocked me. Everyone was an “idiot”, the law was “for wusses”. And my friends? Well, they were plain “dumb”. He made people, especially girls, feel special with his charm and glib talk, and smoothly bitched about them in their absence. If I argued against the pathological lying, he confidently claimed I couldn’t see the ‘truth’.
Neeraj steadily isolated me by asking my friends to stay away. I didn’t dare meet them much with him around anyway. They couldn’t stand his attitude and he would act hurt about how “no one liked him”. The rant often went on to how he was insecure because his father didn’t love him, and people often “abandoned” him — the good old I-have-been-wronged-and-you-can-make-it-all-right talk.
The effect was instant and insidious. I didn’t want to be someone who abandoned him, so I held on, terrified of leaving him. Before I could get a grip over myself, I had changed beyond recognition. I found myself second guessing everything Neeraj told me, even cross-checking ‘facts’ with his sister (they were always false).
The stories got more disgusting, even illegal. Eight months into the relationship, Neeraj admitted that he made money by hacking into accounts of US citizens who approached him to investigate their spouses’ infidelities. Once, I came across emails of him flirting with a girl. When I confronted him, he fled. I panicked (exactly what he wanted). He returned later, blood oozing from his knuckles. I knew I was dealing with a cold, sick individual who wanted me to doubt my own logic, but I found myself assuring him instead.
I know I should have seen it. I also know that it seems impossible that you can carry on with something so damaging for one-and-a-half years. It was only over time that I realised how being with him made me insecure, paranoid and on the wrong side of the law, away from my family and friends. So, I carefully planned my breakup four months before telling him about it. I acted my old, broken and dependent self, and gradually got hold of his brother’s contact details and told him about Neeraj’s lies regarding his education. His family dragged him back home.
Me? I grappled with trust issues for a while, but eventually found a healthy, loving relationship. Neeraj kept up the threats and calls trying to emotionally blackmail me, but eventually stopped when he found another girl. It is amazing how parasitic and leech-like it could get.
I disagree with people who say this happens only to the not-so-confident lot. It can happen to anyone. It gets easier to break free if you have a good dose of self-respect, but there isn’t any immunity from someone like that. I wish there was.
Roohi Sabarwal’s boyfriend could charm at first sight. But that couldn’t make up for his pathological lying and manipulativeness
 |
I know — it is crazy to chat with strangers online. But at 19, if you’re a tomboy surrounded by pretty girls and guys swooning over them, you’re not thinking of safety. What I was doing was dubious, but it was out of the ordinary.
Nisheet was charming, articulate and, within days, he began finishing my sentences. Speaking to him was as intimate a feeling as writing a journal can be. He visited me in Bombay from Pune 10 days after we first chatted. I noticed he dressed really well, and his company was even better.
Anyone who’s been with a sociopath will tell you what a rollercoaster ride it is. There are unimaginable highs that seem worth the lowest of lows and even the loss of self-esteem that inevitably follows. While girls around me moaned about how guys didn’t understand them enough and weren’t as romantic, I was flooded with gifts (always worth Rs20,000-30,000), bouquets and surprise visits. Childhood fairytales seemed pale in comparison to my relationship.
Then there were moments when I didn’t understand what I had gotten into. A few months into our relationship, Nisheet told me he had decided to approach me after hacking into my email account and reading my online journal in it. I was disgusted, but he made all the right excuses — how it was a bad joke because he was immature (he was two years younger than me), and how something so beautiful had come out of a lie. He made subtly-concealed threats of self harm if I left him, and I panicked because I cared. Soon, he admitted that his real name was Neeraj and, because he helped the cyber crime cell, he had faked his identity (another lie).
With time, Neeraj’s lack of consideration for the law, and for most people around him shocked me. Everyone was an “idiot”, the law was “for wusses”. And my friends? Well, they were plain “dumb”. He made people, especially girls, feel special with his charm and glib talk, and smoothly bitched about them in their absence. If I argued against the pathological lying, he confidently claimed I couldn’t see the ‘truth’.
Neeraj steadily isolated me by asking my friends to stay away. I didn’t dare meet them much with him around anyway. They couldn’t stand his attitude and he would act hurt about how “no one liked him”. The rant often went on to how he was insecure because his father didn’t love him, and people often “abandoned” him — the good old I-have-been-wronged-and-you-can-make-it-all-right talk.
The effect was instant and insidious. I didn’t want to be someone who abandoned him, so I held on, terrified of leaving him. Before I could get a grip over myself, I had changed beyond recognition. I found myself second guessing everything Neeraj told me, even cross-checking ‘facts’ with his sister (they were always false).
The stories got more disgusting, even illegal. Eight months into the relationship, Neeraj admitted that he made money by hacking into accounts of US citizens who approached him to investigate their spouses’ infidelities. Once, I came across emails of him flirting with a girl. When I confronted him, he fled. I panicked (exactly what he wanted). He returned later, blood oozing from his knuckles. I knew I was dealing with a cold, sick individual who wanted me to doubt my own logic, but I found myself assuring him instead.
I know I should have seen it. I also know that it seems impossible that you can carry on with something so damaging for one-and-a-half years. It was only over time that I realised how being with him made me insecure, paranoid and on the wrong side of the law, away from my family and friends. So, I carefully planned my breakup four months before telling him about it. I acted my old, broken and dependent self, and gradually got hold of his brother’s contact details and told him about Neeraj’s lies regarding his education. His family dragged him back home.
Me? I grappled with trust issues for a while, but eventually found a healthy, loving relationship. Neeraj kept up the threats and calls trying to emotionally blackmail me, but eventually stopped when he found another girl. It is amazing how parasitic and leech-like it could get.
I disagree with people who say this happens only to the not-so-confident lot. It can happen to anyone. It gets easier to break free if you have a good dose of self-respect, but there isn’t any immunity from someone like that. I wish there was.
If you thought a finishing school is just for children and brides-in-waiting, think again. Even 60-year-olds are now signing up for etiquette classes on their children’s insistence,
MANNERS MAKETH A PARENT?
If you thought a finishing school is just for children and brides-in-waiting, think again. Even 60-year-olds are now signing up for etiquette classes on their children’s insistence,
Friends describe 15-year-old Shweta Pandey* as a bright and independent-thinking girl. Pandey is always at the top of her class, is a fantastic athlete, and is described as having a low threshold for ‘geeks’. In other words, she is the stuff teen TV shows like Gossip Girl are made of. But not everyone’s happy. Ask her mother, Gita*.
On March 4, 2010, Shweta turned 13 and decided to throw a party at home for her close friends. “Her papa and I decided to order Chinese food and serve it as a surprise since she loves Chinese food,” says Gita.
Shweta turned sour-faced when her mother used a spoon instead of a chopstick. “She looked so angry,” Gita chuckles. “After the party, Shweta told me that she told all her friends that I usually eat Chinese food with chopsticks!” But what amazed her more than the lie was the demand that followed: Shweta wanted her 44-year-old mother to join a finishing school. “We may not have the airs and graces of city-bred people, but that doesn’t mean we haven’t done well in life,” asks Gita, looking around the living room of her plush two-bedroom flat in Mahim.
Once, her daughter cut out a newspaper advertisement about a finishing school in Mumbai and kept it on top of Gita’s dresser. “But I had fried rice at the party,” says the exasperated mother. “How can I eat that with chopsticks?” An indignant Gita refused to go to a finishing school.
Sixty and still in school
Parents have begun to enroll for etiquette classes at finishing schools under the watchful eyes of their children — a trend that has been picking up pace steadily over the past few years. “Two years ago, I used to have a maximum of two families a month. But now, I get as many as three to four enquires from interested families in a week,” confirms Lt Rita Gangwani (Retd), a Delhi-based personality consultant.
“There are three types of such elderly students. Grandparents trying to connect with grandchildren. Two, parents whose children have married into more well-off families. And lastly, parents of school-going children. Some parents may not be very confident speaking publicly. Children compare their parents to others,” explains Gangwani. Children insist on accompanying their parents while enrolling them for a class. “The children often want to know what exactly we teach their parents,” says Gangwani. The most frequently requested for programmes are on dining etiquette, how to wear and carry off Western clothes, and speaking skills. “There are some parents who feel resentment. Those offended argue ‘Why do I need these classes.’” But Gangwani insists that parents end up having a great time at these classes and benefit hugely.
“My mother wears
only denim now”
Delhi-based consultant Anjali Bhalla from Lifelong Learning, conducts etiquette classes only for women. “20% of women in my classes have been enrolled by their children,” says Bhalla.
The generation gap between her mother and herself is what propelled Delhi-based 21-year-old college student Mohita Nangia to help her mother enroll for Bhalla’s etiquette class. “In our parents’ time, there was no concept of fine dining. You can’t blame them. That’s their upbringing,” says Nangia. “If we want our parents to come out with us to the kind of restaurants that we like to go to with friends, they should know these things,” says Nangia. “I heard about this particular class and went for it. I really liked it. I enrolled my mother for a six month ‘diamond’ course.” And so, at the age of 48, Nangia’s mother was taught to slip her feet into heels, eat, cook, dress up, put on make-up and take care of her wrinkles. Nangia is pleased with her mother’s transformation into what family members call ‘metrowalli’. “You won’t believe it, but now when we go out every weekend, she wears only denim. Astonished family members say ‘Didi, aap kitney badal chukey ho!’”
Bridging the
generation gap
With their manners in place, these classes also help parents see the bigger picture in a complex situation, like when children bring home a groom or bride of their own choice. “It’s not only about etiquette,” explains Prakriti Poddar, owner of the Mumbai-based Mind Over Image. “It’s also about getting the parents to understand what society is like today.”
Fifty-one-year-old Yogita Sinha* decided to enroll for etiquette classes on her own accord when her son broke the news that he has found his bride.
Sinha decided not to tell her family about the classes. To her, going for an etiquette class is akin to going for a treatment at a beauty parlour. “You go to the parlour to polish your looks and you go to an etiquette class to polish your manners. And you certainly don’t announce it to the world every time you go to the parlour, do you?” laughs Sinha.
Interestingly, classes can also help you to tone down your sophistication on request. Rita Gangwani remembers a lady whose daughter got married to someone from a lower economic background. “She wanted to unlearn everything that she knew to make the new in-laws feel comfortable and not conscious,” remembers Gangwani. “Obviously the other lady is not going to be covered in jewellery or draped in an expensive sari. She also had to stay away from sensitive topics like money.”
If you thought a finishing school is just for children and brides-in-waiting, think again. Even 60-year-olds are now signing up for etiquette classes on their children’s insistence,
Friends describe 15-year-old Shweta Pandey* as a bright and independent-thinking girl. Pandey is always at the top of her class, is a fantastic athlete, and is described as having a low threshold for ‘geeks’. In other words, she is the stuff teen TV shows like Gossip Girl are made of. But not everyone’s happy. Ask her mother, Gita*.
On March 4, 2010, Shweta turned 13 and decided to throw a party at home for her close friends. “Her papa and I decided to order Chinese food and serve it as a surprise since she loves Chinese food,” says Gita.
Shweta turned sour-faced when her mother used a spoon instead of a chopstick. “She looked so angry,” Gita chuckles. “After the party, Shweta told me that she told all her friends that I usually eat Chinese food with chopsticks!” But what amazed her more than the lie was the demand that followed: Shweta wanted her 44-year-old mother to join a finishing school. “We may not have the airs and graces of city-bred people, but that doesn’t mean we haven’t done well in life,” asks Gita, looking around the living room of her plush two-bedroom flat in Mahim.
Once, her daughter cut out a newspaper advertisement about a finishing school in Mumbai and kept it on top of Gita’s dresser. “But I had fried rice at the party,” says the exasperated mother. “How can I eat that with chopsticks?” An indignant Gita refused to go to a finishing school.
Sixty and still in school
Parents have begun to enroll for etiquette classes at finishing schools under the watchful eyes of their children — a trend that has been picking up pace steadily over the past few years. “Two years ago, I used to have a maximum of two families a month. But now, I get as many as three to four enquires from interested families in a week,” confirms Lt Rita Gangwani (Retd), a Delhi-based personality consultant.
“There are three types of such elderly students. Grandparents trying to connect with grandchildren. Two, parents whose children have married into more well-off families. And lastly, parents of school-going children. Some parents may not be very confident speaking publicly. Children compare their parents to others,” explains Gangwani. Children insist on accompanying their parents while enrolling them for a class. “The children often want to know what exactly we teach their parents,” says Gangwani. The most frequently requested for programmes are on dining etiquette, how to wear and carry off Western clothes, and speaking skills. “There are some parents who feel resentment. Those offended argue ‘Why do I need these classes.’” But Gangwani insists that parents end up having a great time at these classes and benefit hugely.
“My mother wears
only denim now”
Delhi-based consultant Anjali Bhalla from Lifelong Learning, conducts etiquette classes only for women. “20% of women in my classes have been enrolled by their children,” says Bhalla.
The generation gap between her mother and herself is what propelled Delhi-based 21-year-old college student Mohita Nangia to help her mother enroll for Bhalla’s etiquette class. “In our parents’ time, there was no concept of fine dining. You can’t blame them. That’s their upbringing,” says Nangia. “If we want our parents to come out with us to the kind of restaurants that we like to go to with friends, they should know these things,” says Nangia. “I heard about this particular class and went for it. I really liked it. I enrolled my mother for a six month ‘diamond’ course.” And so, at the age of 48, Nangia’s mother was taught to slip her feet into heels, eat, cook, dress up, put on make-up and take care of her wrinkles. Nangia is pleased with her mother’s transformation into what family members call ‘metrowalli’. “You won’t believe it, but now when we go out every weekend, she wears only denim. Astonished family members say ‘Didi, aap kitney badal chukey ho!’”
Bridging the
generation gap
With their manners in place, these classes also help parents see the bigger picture in a complex situation, like when children bring home a groom or bride of their own choice. “It’s not only about etiquette,” explains Prakriti Poddar, owner of the Mumbai-based Mind Over Image. “It’s also about getting the parents to understand what society is like today.”
Fifty-one-year-old Yogita Sinha* decided to enroll for etiquette classes on her own accord when her son broke the news that he has found his bride.
Sinha decided not to tell her family about the classes. To her, going for an etiquette class is akin to going for a treatment at a beauty parlour. “You go to the parlour to polish your looks and you go to an etiquette class to polish your manners. And you certainly don’t announce it to the world every time you go to the parlour, do you?” laughs Sinha.
Interestingly, classes can also help you to tone down your sophistication on request. Rita Gangwani remembers a lady whose daughter got married to someone from a lower economic background. “She wanted to unlearn everything that she knew to make the new in-laws feel comfortable and not conscious,” remembers Gangwani. “Obviously the other lady is not going to be covered in jewellery or draped in an expensive sari. She also had to stay away from sensitive topics like money.”
People who choose to surrender material success in order to pursue their passions have to contend with their life choices being ridiculed by friends and family members,
On the road less travelled
People who choose to surrender material success in order to pursue their passions have to contend with their life choices being ridiculed by friends and family members,
Follow your dreams.” “Discover your passion.” These traditionally western concepts are encouraging more people to shun stability and launch themselves into the unknown in hopes of finding fulfillment.
India certainly isn’t a stranger to the idea. Robin Sharma’s popular series of books, spearheaded by the The Monk Who Sold His errari, espouse just that. According to his philosophy, everyone should practise creative envisioning, find out what they love and direct their energy to it. But how well do these ideas gel with the mindset of the average Indian today? Ask someone and they may comment, “You need to have a errari first before you can sell it.”
Manoj, 39, didn’t have a errari but he did have a factory. He followed in his father’s footsteps to become a mechanical engineer. His father, who obtained his qualification from a premier engineering college in Mumbai, owned five factories. “I felt a great deal of pressure to live up to my father,” Manoj explains. “However, engineering didn’t help me grow as an individual. I became disenchanted. I felt that my passion was to create social and cultural change, but that couldn’t happen in manufacturing.”
The man who sold his factory
Manoj ended up getting rid of his factory. He went on to establish a successful community website for his local area, Powai.info. Although he’s found fulfillment in his work, he’s also found that people’s perceptions of him have changed. “People look at what I do as more of a hobby than a business and wonder how I can possibly make money. Many don’t respect me because I’m not in a traditional job.” Manoj, however, remains inspired and believes in his vision. “I want to keep serving people. My goal is to turn Powai.info into an event management company and hold a high profile Powai estival that will bring people together and put Powai on the map.”
Remaining focussed and motivated in the face of societal disapproval isn’t easy though. Just ask professional photographer, Prasana, 36. An MBA, he worked briefly in advertising before giving it all away to pursue his passion just over 10 years ago. “People tend to look down on me until they learn that I’m an MBA. I’m still seen as a good for nothing guy. I’ve had so many relatives say bad things about me. My NRI cousin advises me often on the need to settle down and make money. My sister didn’t speak to me for three years because I couldn’t attend the fixing of the alliance for her marriage. I had a big shoot that day, and was struggling hard to get a break. The constant fear of failure and ridicule gives me nightmares as people are waiting to laugh at me for making a ‘wrong’ choice and say ‘I told you so’. My wife is my pillar of strength,” confesses Prasana.
But how does following one’s passion come in the way of fulfilling one’s duties? Is it possible to do both at the same time? Prasana makes a good point, “It makes it very difficult for guys to get a bride. In a male-dominated society, the husband must be well employed.”
Sujata (named changed), 26, whose parents are in the process of searching for a suitable groom for her says, “My mother is mostly concerned about guys’ jobs. She’s trying to outdo everyone, and is determined that my husband be better than my cousin’s husband.”
The seduction of money
Indian women aren’t free from expectations though. Duty often dictates that they get married at a young age. Rekha (name changed), 24, studied fashion at university. She loved it and it was her passion. “However, I never got the chance to enjoy my working life, as my mother pressured me into marriage early,” she rues.
or India’s upwardly mobile middle class, money and status are a huge issue. “Our society is more obsessed with material success and less concerned about job satisfaction. I still feel pressure from my family to fulfill expectations such as owning a house, a car, and having investments, and gold jewellery even if I can’t afford any of it. So even if my job is different, the expectations are the same,” Prasana states.
According to Manoj, “Young people these days trade passion for money. The get seduced by it. There’s huge pressure to perform.” So, it would seem that alternative career options are okay only as long as they make money. That is, unless you already have money. “Only the well-off can afford to pursue their passion,” Manoj says. Pradeep, 37, who’s been a professional DJ for the past 20 years, confirms this. “These days, DJing is extremely competitive for those who want to get into it. It was far from a respectable career when I started, but Bollywood has added glamour to it, and now so many young kids want to be DJs. Earning an income isn’t a concern for them if they’re wealthy.”
Cultural issues aside, the technology boom is undoubtedly helping those who are determined to find and pursue their passions in India. Prasana’s advice to anyone who’s thinking about following their dreams: “I’ve learnt that we have to decide what we want from life and not crib about what we don’t have. A software job will give material wealth and success, but I’m happier with what I have. I’ve learnt to ignore all the insults and concentrate only on my work.”
People who choose to surrender material success in order to pursue their passions have to contend with their life choices being ridiculed by friends and family members,
Follow your dreams.” “Discover your passion.” These traditionally western concepts are encouraging more people to shun stability and launch themselves into the unknown in hopes of finding fulfillment.
India certainly isn’t a stranger to the idea. Robin Sharma’s popular series of books, spearheaded by the The Monk Who Sold His errari, espouse just that. According to his philosophy, everyone should practise creative envisioning, find out what they love and direct their energy to it. But how well do these ideas gel with the mindset of the average Indian today? Ask someone and they may comment, “You need to have a errari first before you can sell it.”
Manoj, 39, didn’t have a errari but he did have a factory. He followed in his father’s footsteps to become a mechanical engineer. His father, who obtained his qualification from a premier engineering college in Mumbai, owned five factories. “I felt a great deal of pressure to live up to my father,” Manoj explains. “However, engineering didn’t help me grow as an individual. I became disenchanted. I felt that my passion was to create social and cultural change, but that couldn’t happen in manufacturing.”
The man who sold his factory
Manoj ended up getting rid of his factory. He went on to establish a successful community website for his local area, Powai.info. Although he’s found fulfillment in his work, he’s also found that people’s perceptions of him have changed. “People look at what I do as more of a hobby than a business and wonder how I can possibly make money. Many don’t respect me because I’m not in a traditional job.” Manoj, however, remains inspired and believes in his vision. “I want to keep serving people. My goal is to turn Powai.info into an event management company and hold a high profile Powai estival that will bring people together and put Powai on the map.”
Remaining focussed and motivated in the face of societal disapproval isn’t easy though. Just ask professional photographer, Prasana, 36. An MBA, he worked briefly in advertising before giving it all away to pursue his passion just over 10 years ago. “People tend to look down on me until they learn that I’m an MBA. I’m still seen as a good for nothing guy. I’ve had so many relatives say bad things about me. My NRI cousin advises me often on the need to settle down and make money. My sister didn’t speak to me for three years because I couldn’t attend the fixing of the alliance for her marriage. I had a big shoot that day, and was struggling hard to get a break. The constant fear of failure and ridicule gives me nightmares as people are waiting to laugh at me for making a ‘wrong’ choice and say ‘I told you so’. My wife is my pillar of strength,” confesses Prasana.
But how does following one’s passion come in the way of fulfilling one’s duties? Is it possible to do both at the same time? Prasana makes a good point, “It makes it very difficult for guys to get a bride. In a male-dominated society, the husband must be well employed.”
Sujata (named changed), 26, whose parents are in the process of searching for a suitable groom for her says, “My mother is mostly concerned about guys’ jobs. She’s trying to outdo everyone, and is determined that my husband be better than my cousin’s husband.”
The seduction of money
Indian women aren’t free from expectations though. Duty often dictates that they get married at a young age. Rekha (name changed), 24, studied fashion at university. She loved it and it was her passion. “However, I never got the chance to enjoy my working life, as my mother pressured me into marriage early,” she rues.
or India’s upwardly mobile middle class, money and status are a huge issue. “Our society is more obsessed with material success and less concerned about job satisfaction. I still feel pressure from my family to fulfill expectations such as owning a house, a car, and having investments, and gold jewellery even if I can’t afford any of it. So even if my job is different, the expectations are the same,” Prasana states.
According to Manoj, “Young people these days trade passion for money. The get seduced by it. There’s huge pressure to perform.” So, it would seem that alternative career options are okay only as long as they make money. That is, unless you already have money. “Only the well-off can afford to pursue their passion,” Manoj says. Pradeep, 37, who’s been a professional DJ for the past 20 years, confirms this. “These days, DJing is extremely competitive for those who want to get into it. It was far from a respectable career when I started, but Bollywood has added glamour to it, and now so many young kids want to be DJs. Earning an income isn’t a concern for them if they’re wealthy.”
Cultural issues aside, the technology boom is undoubtedly helping those who are determined to find and pursue their passions in India. Prasana’s advice to anyone who’s thinking about following their dreams: “I’ve learnt that we have to decide what we want from life and not crib about what we don’t have. A software job will give material wealth and success, but I’m happier with what I have. I’ve learnt to ignore all the insults and concentrate only on my work.”
FOR A LOT OF MEN, ‘I DO’ MEANS ‘I DIE’ Statistics show that men make up a majority of suicides committed by married people
FOR A LOT OF MEN, ‘I DO’ MEANS ‘I DIE’
Statistics show that men make up a majority of suicides committed by married people
They say marriages are made in heaven and solemnised on earth. But what happens after you’re married? Of all the 1,34,599 suicides last year in India, a staggering 93,207 suicides were committed by married people, representing almost 70% of all suicides in 2010.
Of all the suicides committed by married people last year, it is men who outnumber women. As against 61,453 married men, 31,754 married women committed suicide during 2010.
A ZRG analysis of Home ministry’s National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) data reveals that the number of married men committing suicide last year was as high as 70.5% of all suicides committed by men during the year. Married women too formed a significant 65.7% of all the women who committed suicide last year.
The analysis further shows that the overall male tendency to commit suicide has been on the rise over the years. The number of male suicidal victims has increased from 72,651 in 2004 to 87,180 during 2010. Last year, of the total 369 suicides committed daily, 239 were men.
Male suicide has been on the rise over the years, with the suicide rate growing for men by 16.7% since 2004 as against 13.4% for women. The gender percentage gap (men to women suicide variation) grew from 43.5% in 2004 to 45.6% in 2010.
Giving a scientific reason for the rising number of male suicides, doctor Sameer Malhotra, the head of psychiatry division at Fortis Hospital says, “Lifestyle pressures, exacerbated by financial inadequacies, force men, especially married men, to commit suicide.”
With more and more married men being driven to the extreme, men’s rights bodies are up in arms. Expressing deep concern over the present scenario, Atit Rajpara, xpresident of Men’s Rights Association said, “Year after year, more and more husbands are committing suicide and despite efforts by men’s rights groups to create awareness about the same, the message seems to be falling on deaf ears.” The problem seems to be too personal to get sorted externally.
Ironically, marriage means trouble for men is also borne by another piece of interesting statistic, again from the NCRB: Lower suicide cases were registered amongst divorcee men in comparison to divorcee women during 2010.
Objecting to the “prejudiced” mentality against men, Rajpara from the Men’s Rights Association argues that “Husbands are subjected to inhuman and unconstitutional laws like Section 498A of IPC, wherein, an uninvestigated complaint by the wife can land the husband’s family in jail, or even the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, wherein the husband can lose his hard-earned property owing to allegations of domestic violence, even without a fair trial. This shows how biased we are when we talk of equality.”
Marriage, and then age, both seem to be giving men the stick. The home ministry data further shows that majority suicide victims among men were found within the age group of 30-44 years of age, while in the case of females, it was the 15-29 years age group that registered higher suicides.
Reasons doctor Malhotra at Fortis, “Men lack social support and thus can’t vent their feelings. It’s true that the level of depression in men may be lesser than women, but isolation and loneliness in men leads them to opt for lethal ways for a solution in comparison to women.”
Statistics show that men make up a majority of suicides committed by married people
They say marriages are made in heaven and solemnised on earth. But what happens after you’re married? Of all the 1,34,599 suicides last year in India, a staggering 93,207 suicides were committed by married people, representing almost 70% of all suicides in 2010.
Of all the suicides committed by married people last year, it is men who outnumber women. As against 61,453 married men, 31,754 married women committed suicide during 2010.
A ZRG analysis of Home ministry’s National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) data reveals that the number of married men committing suicide last year was as high as 70.5% of all suicides committed by men during the year. Married women too formed a significant 65.7% of all the women who committed suicide last year.
The analysis further shows that the overall male tendency to commit suicide has been on the rise over the years. The number of male suicidal victims has increased from 72,651 in 2004 to 87,180 during 2010. Last year, of the total 369 suicides committed daily, 239 were men.
Male suicide has been on the rise over the years, with the suicide rate growing for men by 16.7% since 2004 as against 13.4% for women. The gender percentage gap (men to women suicide variation) grew from 43.5% in 2004 to 45.6% in 2010.
Giving a scientific reason for the rising number of male suicides, doctor Sameer Malhotra, the head of psychiatry division at Fortis Hospital says, “Lifestyle pressures, exacerbated by financial inadequacies, force men, especially married men, to commit suicide.”
With more and more married men being driven to the extreme, men’s rights bodies are up in arms. Expressing deep concern over the present scenario, Atit Rajpara, xpresident of Men’s Rights Association said, “Year after year, more and more husbands are committing suicide and despite efforts by men’s rights groups to create awareness about the same, the message seems to be falling on deaf ears.” The problem seems to be too personal to get sorted externally.
Ironically, marriage means trouble for men is also borne by another piece of interesting statistic, again from the NCRB: Lower suicide cases were registered amongst divorcee men in comparison to divorcee women during 2010.
Objecting to the “prejudiced” mentality against men, Rajpara from the Men’s Rights Association argues that “Husbands are subjected to inhuman and unconstitutional laws like Section 498A of IPC, wherein, an uninvestigated complaint by the wife can land the husband’s family in jail, or even the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, wherein the husband can lose his hard-earned property owing to allegations of domestic violence, even without a fair trial. This shows how biased we are when we talk of equality.”
Marriage, and then age, both seem to be giving men the stick. The home ministry data further shows that majority suicide victims among men were found within the age group of 30-44 years of age, while in the case of females, it was the 15-29 years age group that registered higher suicides.
Reasons doctor Malhotra at Fortis, “Men lack social support and thus can’t vent their feelings. It’s true that the level of depression in men may be lesser than women, but isolation and loneliness in men leads them to opt for lethal ways for a solution in comparison to women.”
Fitness is important for a long life
Passion is that emotion which gives you the strength to survive the tribulations of life and to aim for the ultimate goal you’ve ever set for yourself. A life without passion is a life wasted. Passion need not be necessarily big and it can be something as complicated as wanting to land on the moon to something as simple as reading. In this spectrum, my passion falls somewhere in the middle. I would like to open a chain of state-of-the art gymnasium all over the country.
How often we see people who have a tough time trying to reach their toes. Every day, we notice at least one ‘all-rounder’ who huffs and puffs to climb that one floor to their home or that one flight of stairs to the platform. But, that is not seen as a sign of being unhealthy—the panting is attributed to stress, those few extra pounds are characterised as a ‘sign of the wealthy’.
Let’s look at the reasons we would normally cook up when explaining our inability or unwillingness to exercise. These include: financial constraint, time, and nothing good in the vicinity. This list can go on and on .But the truth is, human life will not. Why is it that the average life expectancy in the US is 86 while it’s somewhere around the 70’s in India? The reason being, we are not paying enough attention to fitness regimes. Heart diseases, diabetes, arthritis and so many other diseases strike those who are unfit and obese. Not just that, exercise boosts immunity and can keep many diseases at bay including the recent and deadly H1N1. Besides, exercise releases endomorph which are the hormone that makes one ‘happy’ and thus relieves stress and improves mental health.
I strongly believe that every individual has the right to healthy living. Healthy living is not a privilege, but a right. Sadly, however in our country, healthy living is more like a right of a pocket of people who are able and willing to pay for it. That is the reason I want to open a chain of health clubs—to make fitness the part of every Indian’s lifestyle. To provide easy access to superior quality, affordable fitness regime that will be an integral part of every Indian’s.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Size 0 aside, less calories could keep brain young
London: Restricting the number of calories you eat activates genes linked to longevity and keeps the brain functioning properly for longer, according to research on mice.
Low-calorie diets have been shown by animal studies to extend life, reduce the risk of dementia and disease and boost memory, but experts were unsure how this happened.
Researchers from the Catholic University of Sacred Heart in Rome claim eating fewer calories triggers a protein, CREB1, which switches on sirtuins, molecules linked to a longer and healthier life. They said the discovery could lead to new drugs that could keep the brain healthy and youthful without a restrictive diet. This was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal.
Mice that were permitted only 70% calories they usually ate lived a third longer than normal and showed better mental function, were less likely to suffer from obesity or diabetes, slower to develop dementia and showed less aggression.
Having too rich a diet is thought to bring forward the brain-ageing process and raise the risk of age-related diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
The finding backs up previous studies on CREB1, which is known to play a key role in a variety of processes in the brain, including memory and learning. Because CREB1 weakens as we grow older, triggering it by eating less could help slow down the mental ageing process, scientists believe.
Giovambattista Pani, who led the research, said: “This discovery has important implications to develop future therapies to keep our brain young, and prevent brain degeneration and the ageing process. Our hope is to find a way to activate CREB1, for example through new drugs.”
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Herbs: Fully loaded
Wheatgrass Juice:
SINCE TIME immemorial, herbs have been used in ayurveda; many have been restudied and reresearched for confirmation about their benefits. Some of these herbs are listed below.
SPIRULINA: Spirulina, a super food, is a type of blue-green algae that is rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, B complex vitamins, betacarotene, vitamin E, manganese, zinc, copper, iron, selenium and an essential fatty acid.
In studies done on animals, spirulina improved their immune fighting response. Plus, it has a high concentration of amino acids. Some studies showed that taking spirulina helped protect against a hyper allergic response typical in allergies.
When you take antibiotics for a long duration, it kills the good bacteria of the gut. Taking spirulina helps restore the balance.
Spirulina is also being researched for benefits in viral infections like herpes and viruses causing colds. In a study related to patients with mouth cancer, spirulina seemed to reduce a precancerous lesion known as leukoplasia. Spirulina also helps detoxify the liver and improves liver cell regeneration.
BARLEY GRASS JUICE: It is rich in iron, folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin B12, pyridoxine and proteins. The amount of calcium and ir teins. The amount of calcium and iron in barley grass is higher than normal. In addition, chlorophyll, vitamin K and calcium are all involved in blood clot formation and breakdown. Barley grass is beneficial for weight loss, the heart, healing of ulcers, correcting blood sugar problems and as a general tonic.
GUGGUL: This is a plant resin used in combination with other herbs as a treatment for hypothyroid conditions, arthritis, high cholesterol, acne, hemorrhoids and obesity. The medicine removes blockages that make the nutrient supply and the waste from cells all stagnate at one place and create tissue toxicity.
Obesity, arthritis and high cholesterol are different diseases, but they are the manifestations of a similar blockage in the tissues.
SINCE TIME immemorial, herbs have been used in ayurveda; many have been restudied and reresearched for confirmation about their benefits. Some of these herbs are listed below.
SPIRULINA: Spirulina, a super food, is a type of blue-green algae that is rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, B complex vitamins, betacarotene, vitamin E, manganese, zinc, copper, iron, selenium and an essential fatty acid.
In studies done on animals, spirulina improved their immune fighting response. Plus, it has a high concentration of amino acids. Some studies showed that taking spirulina helped protect against a hyper allergic response typical in allergies.
When you take antibiotics for a long duration, it kills the good bacteria of the gut. Taking spirulina helps restore the balance.
Spirulina is also being researched for benefits in viral infections like herpes and viruses causing colds. In a study related to patients with mouth cancer, spirulina seemed to reduce a precancerous lesion known as leukoplasia. Spirulina also helps detoxify the liver and improves liver cell regeneration.
BARLEY GRASS JUICE: It is rich in iron, folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin B12, pyridoxine and proteins. The amount of calcium and ir teins. The amount of calcium and iron in barley grass is higher than normal. In addition, chlorophyll, vitamin K and calcium are all involved in blood clot formation and breakdown. Barley grass is beneficial for weight loss, the heart, healing of ulcers, correcting blood sugar problems and as a general tonic.
GUGGUL: This is a plant resin used in combination with other herbs as a treatment for hypothyroid conditions, arthritis, high cholesterol, acne, hemorrhoids and obesity. The medicine removes blockages that make the nutrient supply and the waste from cells all stagnate at one place and create tissue toxicity.
Obesity, arthritis and high cholesterol are different diseases, but they are the manifestations of a similar blockage in the tissues.
It's one of our humbler fruits, but it packs quite a punch
WINTER IS on to us. And so are the hunger pangs that strike so often now. If you are looking for a foolproof way to diminish hunger then turn to a banana. Surprised? Don't be. The banana is considered an anomaly in fruits; a food that leads to weight gain. But that's not true. Rather, bananas are a zero fat food loaded with resistant starch (RS), a healthy carbohydrate that fills you up and keeps those cravings away. Plus, they help boost metabolism. And what's more, RS consumption is associated with lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels and better calcium and magnesium absorption in the body. Slightly under-ripe, firm, medium-sized bananas give you 4.7 grams of RS, perfect to keep you full for a long duration. Other high RS foods are bulgur wheat (dalia), corn, barley, brown rice, lentils and potato.
ALL IN ONE FRUIT The banana has a lot going for it. Compare it to an apple a banana has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the potassium and twice the vitamin C, iron and phosphorous than the fruit that apparently keeps the doctor away. And what's more, a medium banana contains less than 100 calories. Not bad at all!
Ever noticed that the banana is a hot favourite with athletes? That's because it contains three natural sugars sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with an extra large dose of fibre, so it gives an instant boost along with sustained and substantial energy.
Bananas are chock-a-block with tryptophan, which gets converted into serotonin in the body. And serotonin is known to make you relax and improve your mood. It has high iron content and so has the ability to stimulate haemoglobin production in the bloodstream.
The high fibre content of bananas keeps the digestion humming along, so it beats constipation effectively without resort to laxatives.
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief. If had with a little salt, it effectively treats dysentery too.
The potassium found in bananas keeps blood pressure down and also helps to promote bone health. It helps counteract the increased urinary calcium loss caused by the high salt diets typical of today's times, thus helping to prevent bones from thinning at a too-fast rate.
GOOD TO KNOW Bananas are a perfect `rescue recipe' for those trying to junk the cancer stick. The vitamins B6 and B12 and high potassium and magnesium found in it help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Friday, December 16, 2011
How to stay optimistic in uncertain times
How to stay optimistic in uncertain times
A little over a week left for Christmas, and this period’s looking a bit of an anti-climax — the global climate ought to be celebratory, but cautious would better describe it, gauging from the gloomy financial picture, India too, with the rupee in almost free fall against the dollar. B-Town, contrarily, is showing buoyancy this quarter, celebrating hit after hit and hoping for more, next week and in early January, with Don 2 and Players to hit the marquee.
King Khan hasn’t been seen as out and about for his Don offering as he had for Ra.One. There is another star though, a Hollywood one, who is appearing to match the intense energy we witnessed from SRK during those earlier promotions — the magnetic Tom Cruise, continent hopping for MI 4. After India, it was Dubai, then London, in a whirlwind time span. Just when you thought him done, he’s slated to be back here, today, in Pune no less — amazing for a star who’s nearly 50 years old: guess when a global big budgeter is at stake, impossible is nothing. In fact, at the London premiere he told scribes he would dabble in even more action once he turned the big 5-0h in July next year.
On the topic of London, one of my favourite poets Ted Hughes (essayed on screen by a relatively unknown Daniel Craig, pre-Bond days), who was married to the brilliant American poet Sylvia Plath was honoured last week with a memorial at Poet’s Corner (Britain’s most famous resting place for the greats in literature) in Westminster Abbey.
He was Britain’s Poet Laureate from the early 80’s till his death, so for fans its surprising this memorial took so long — but better late than never. It is perhaps unexpected for many, that a poet using animals as metaphor in his works — their beauty and simplicity certainly, but also, more evocatively, their savagery — also wrote children’s books. But he did, and a lot of them too.
And whilst on the topic of children, the latest Brit survey in popular culture has underlined how more and more women are turning to alcohol to cope with the pressure of being ‘supermoms’. It is a fallout of the times we live in perhaps, where pressures are enormous and we also want it all — settling for less is not really an option.
I find my own pressures eased considerably by just being in the company of my five-year-old and her friends, regardless of the ‘supermom’ situation. I got a wondrous opportunity last week too, being a part of the funfair put up by her pre-primary school, aptly tilted ‘A magical land’. Not sure about hitting the bottle, but I would gladly advocate a morning spent in the company of babies, beribboned, ballooned multi-hued surroundings, carnival atmosphere replete with laughter, the unadulterated joy of the very young at the simplest of things —a merry-go-round ride, a cotton candy, winning an egg and spoon balancing prize — as stress buster par excellence in these uncertain times, nothing seems as healing.
A little over a week left for Christmas, and this period’s looking a bit of an anti-climax — the global climate ought to be celebratory, but cautious would better describe it, gauging from the gloomy financial picture, India too, with the rupee in almost free fall against the dollar. B-Town, contrarily, is showing buoyancy this quarter, celebrating hit after hit and hoping for more, next week and in early January, with Don 2 and Players to hit the marquee.
King Khan hasn’t been seen as out and about for his Don offering as he had for Ra.One. There is another star though, a Hollywood one, who is appearing to match the intense energy we witnessed from SRK during those earlier promotions — the magnetic Tom Cruise, continent hopping for MI 4. After India, it was Dubai, then London, in a whirlwind time span. Just when you thought him done, he’s slated to be back here, today, in Pune no less — amazing for a star who’s nearly 50 years old: guess when a global big budgeter is at stake, impossible is nothing. In fact, at the London premiere he told scribes he would dabble in even more action once he turned the big 5-0h in July next year.
On the topic of London, one of my favourite poets Ted Hughes (essayed on screen by a relatively unknown Daniel Craig, pre-Bond days), who was married to the brilliant American poet Sylvia Plath was honoured last week with a memorial at Poet’s Corner (Britain’s most famous resting place for the greats in literature) in Westminster Abbey.
He was Britain’s Poet Laureate from the early 80’s till his death, so for fans its surprising this memorial took so long — but better late than never. It is perhaps unexpected for many, that a poet using animals as metaphor in his works — their beauty and simplicity certainly, but also, more evocatively, their savagery — also wrote children’s books. But he did, and a lot of them too.
And whilst on the topic of children, the latest Brit survey in popular culture has underlined how more and more women are turning to alcohol to cope with the pressure of being ‘supermoms’. It is a fallout of the times we live in perhaps, where pressures are enormous and we also want it all — settling for less is not really an option.
I find my own pressures eased considerably by just being in the company of my five-year-old and her friends, regardless of the ‘supermom’ situation. I got a wondrous opportunity last week too, being a part of the funfair put up by her pre-primary school, aptly tilted ‘A magical land’. Not sure about hitting the bottle, but I would gladly advocate a morning spent in the company of babies, beribboned, ballooned multi-hued surroundings, carnival atmosphere replete with laughter, the unadulterated joy of the very young at the simplest of things —a merry-go-round ride, a cotton candy, winning an egg and spoon balancing prize — as stress buster par excellence in these uncertain times, nothing seems as healing.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Flurry over fur Winter wear fur is flooding high street stores here, but can you really wear it in Mumbai?
Flurry over fur
Winter wear fur is flooding high street stores here, but can you really wear it in Mumbai?
Flashback to the black-and-white Western era when fur was worn by the royalty, the rich and the famous. Think status symbol and fur has always inherently and effortlessly managed to denote that. But it wasn't long before fur was brought down to high street fashion, with average fashionistas flaunting it. There was a hitch though. With PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) coming into the picture, fur, mainly derived from animal skin, was declared illegal to be used in any form of clothing. Faux fur clothing began to pour in to the international fashion scene. India however hasn't seen much of the flurry of fur, thanks to the hot and humid climate that makes it quite impossible to wear it. Nonetheless, several fashion brands are now bringing down fur winter wear into their stores right here in Mumbai. The pertinent question however remains: who wears fur here?
Designer Narendra Kumar Ahmed vigorously shakes his head and says, "People who are travelling abroad may occasionally go for fur, but there's not much consumption in the local market here. High street brands may be bringing it here because they are tied in by their international operations." He however admits that fur accessories are sold throughout the year and they also see good customer base in the city. "But fur clothing becomes a problem because we don't really have the concept of a Fall/Winter here in India," says Nari.
Designer Archana Kochhar says, "It's illegal and it may look cheap if you aren't wearing the original. Fake furs have a fake synthetic shine, which makes it look trashy. It doesn't make sense to wear fur in Mumbai, but I guess everybody's wardrobe is getting wider because of travelling," she stresses, admitting layering works better in Mumbai winters.
Young designer Nishka Lulla however feels Mumbaikars can wear fur on lighter fabrics like cottons, mulmul, chiffons, textured nets and georgettes: "You can drape it differently — around shoulders, half shoulder, waist, on bags and so on. The resort season is on here, so you can even wear it with a bikini. I feel fur is quite versatile."
Winter wear fur is flooding high street stores here, but can you really wear it in Mumbai?
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Flashback to the black-and-white Western era when fur was worn by the royalty, the rich and the famous. Think status symbol and fur has always inherently and effortlessly managed to denote that. But it wasn't long before fur was brought down to high street fashion, with average fashionistas flaunting it. There was a hitch though. With PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) coming into the picture, fur, mainly derived from animal skin, was declared illegal to be used in any form of clothing. Faux fur clothing began to pour in to the international fashion scene. India however hasn't seen much of the flurry of fur, thanks to the hot and humid climate that makes it quite impossible to wear it. Nonetheless, several fashion brands are now bringing down fur winter wear into their stores right here in Mumbai. The pertinent question however remains: who wears fur here?
Designer Narendra Kumar Ahmed vigorously shakes his head and says, "People who are travelling abroad may occasionally go for fur, but there's not much consumption in the local market here. High street brands may be bringing it here because they are tied in by their international operations." He however admits that fur accessories are sold throughout the year and they also see good customer base in the city. "But fur clothing becomes a problem because we don't really have the concept of a Fall/Winter here in India," says Nari.
Designer Archana Kochhar says, "It's illegal and it may look cheap if you aren't wearing the original. Fake furs have a fake synthetic shine, which makes it look trashy. It doesn't make sense to wear fur in Mumbai, but I guess everybody's wardrobe is getting wider because of travelling," she stresses, admitting layering works better in Mumbai winters.
Young designer Nishka Lulla however feels Mumbaikars can wear fur on lighter fabrics like cottons, mulmul, chiffons, textured nets and georgettes: "You can drape it differently — around shoulders, half shoulder, waist, on bags and so on. The resort season is on here, so you can even wear it with a bikini. I feel fur is quite versatile."
Friday, December 9, 2011
Bullies rule the Net, kids 80% to 85% of students face cyber-bullying in India, of which 30% are from Mumbai, says survey
Bullies rule the Net, kids
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80% to 85% of students face cyber-bullying in India, of which 30% are from Mumbai, says survey
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Goregaon homemaker Swapna Mhatre became worried after
her 11-year-old son began showing signs of depression. He lost interest
in studies, would refuse to go to school and would not talk to anyone.
Swapna consulted a child psychiatrist who managed to find out the reason for the change in the child's behaviour. Mitesh was a victim of cyber-bullying. His school friends knew the password to his account on a social networking site and they would post malicious contents on his page. Mitesh is not alone. "An increasing number of children — even as young as eight years old — are hooked on to Facebook and other social networking sites. Parents need to be very cautious because when children are exposed to the cyber world, they can be bullied or even harassed," warned Dr Rajiv Anand, child psychiatrist who also runs Rahat Child Guidance Clinic in Andheri. According to a survey conducted by eScan, an antivirus security solution firm, 80% to 85% of students face cyber-bullying in India of which 30% are from Mumbai. Hardly 50% to 55% of the children were aware of the minimum age eligibility to join social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The survey was conducted in the four metros — Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and Chennai — in November. Questionnaires were sent to 5,000 parents who had children between 10 and 15. "The objective of the survey was to know whether cyber-bullying in India is on a rise and is it the main cause for depression among children," said Govind Rammurthy, managing director and CEO, eScan. "cyber-bullying was found to be more prevalent among children. Though most parents claimed to control their child's computer use, a few parents lacked awareness about internet security," he added. The survey found that 50%-60% of the children allowed others to use their profile IDs, passwords, email IDs and 60%-65% of them were unaware of online security tips. According to psychiatrists, cyber-bullying and cyber-harassment can lead to depression, anxiety, severe isolation and in extreme cases suicide. Child psychiatrist Dr Fabian Almeida said: "One of my patients was a 15-year-old girl who accepted a friend request on Facebook from a man claiming to be 18. After chatting with him for a month, they decided to meet at Dadar. She was shocked to find out that her 'friend' was a 44-year-old widower. She suffered from depression." The American Academy of Paediatrics recently issued new guidelines urging doctors to advise parents to get involved in their child's use of internet and other social media such as Facebook and Twitter. "Today, children as young as seven to eight years of age are hooked on to the internet. They not just play online games, but also chat online on social networking sites," said Dr Seema Hingorani, a senior psychiatrist. |
Measure haemoglobin without needle prick New device called TouchHb will make test easier and cheaper at Rs5; device to be launched in Feb 2012
Measure haemoglobin without needle prick
New device called TouchHb will make test easier and cheaper at Rs5; device to be launched in Feb 2012
Five Thane-based researchers, including two doctors, have created a device that can measure haemoglobin, oxygen saturation level in the blood and monitor heart rate without the prick of a needle for just Rs5. The device, TouchHb, will be available from February 2012 and will be especially beneficial to pregnant women who are anaemic and scared of using the needle.
It took three years for Mysikin Ingawale, Dr Abhishek Sen, Dr Yogesh Patil, Dr Darshan Nayak and Aman Midha who formed a company called Biosense Technologies Private Limited to create the device.
TouchHb comes with a probe into which the finger is inserted. When light-emitting diodes in the probe shine light through the nail, a photodiode on the other end interprets the absorption patterns to produce an instant reading of the volume of haemoglobin in the patient's blood.
The hand-held, battery-operated device weighs around 300gm and can diagnose anaemia in less than a minute. TouchHb will be launched at the world's biggest TED Conference in California in February 2012.
"It is a really welcoming research. In India, it is common for pregnant women to be anaemic. But now they can know their haemoglobin levels without the prick of a needle. Now we can also start giving them iron supplements and injections on the basis of this test. During delivery, there is a chance of loss of blood and if we do not treat women for anaemia at the right time, it can prove fatal," said Dr Rekha Davar, head of gynaecology department at JJ hospital.
Dr Davar said the device will be more useful in rural India where women are scared of being pricked by needles. The researchers, however, said that women must check their haemoglobin levels three to four times during and after pregnancy.
Data by the World Health Organisation shows that having low haemoglobin in the blood affects more than half of children below the age of five and pregnant women in developing countries.
The disorder, which remains the biggest indirect cause of maternal mortality, weakens the blood's ability to clot, increasing the risk of postpartum haemorrhage.
"The idea to create the innovative device came after we completed our MBBS from Nair hospital. For our internship, Dr Abhishek Sen and I were sent to rural areas where we saw that most pregnant women were scared of being pricked by needles. They did not undergo the test and as a result suffered heavy loss of blood leading to maternal mortality of the child as well as the women. That is when we decided to make a device that can test haemoglobin without using a needle," said Dr Yogesh Patil, co-founder of Biosense Technologies.
Dr Patil said discovering TouchHb was a dream come true. "We made this device and after conducting trials at Nair hospital. It can measure both haemoglobin and oxygen saturation in the blood. The cost of TouchHb is nearly Rs15,000 and 3,000 tests can be carried out with it after which the probe must be changed," he said.
New device called TouchHb will make test easier and cheaper at Rs5; device to be launched in Feb 2012
Five Thane-based researchers, including two doctors, have created a device that can measure haemoglobin, oxygen saturation level in the blood and monitor heart rate without the prick of a needle for just Rs5. The device, TouchHb, will be available from February 2012 and will be especially beneficial to pregnant women who are anaemic and scared of using the needle.
It took three years for Mysikin Ingawale, Dr Abhishek Sen, Dr Yogesh Patil, Dr Darshan Nayak and Aman Midha who formed a company called Biosense Technologies Private Limited to create the device.
TouchHb comes with a probe into which the finger is inserted. When light-emitting diodes in the probe shine light through the nail, a photodiode on the other end interprets the absorption patterns to produce an instant reading of the volume of haemoglobin in the patient's blood.
The hand-held, battery-operated device weighs around 300gm and can diagnose anaemia in less than a minute. TouchHb will be launched at the world's biggest TED Conference in California in February 2012.
"It is a really welcoming research. In India, it is common for pregnant women to be anaemic. But now they can know their haemoglobin levels without the prick of a needle. Now we can also start giving them iron supplements and injections on the basis of this test. During delivery, there is a chance of loss of blood and if we do not treat women for anaemia at the right time, it can prove fatal," said Dr Rekha Davar, head of gynaecology department at JJ hospital.
Dr Davar said the device will be more useful in rural India where women are scared of being pricked by needles. The researchers, however, said that women must check their haemoglobin levels three to four times during and after pregnancy.
Data by the World Health Organisation shows that having low haemoglobin in the blood affects more than half of children below the age of five and pregnant women in developing countries.
The disorder, which remains the biggest indirect cause of maternal mortality, weakens the blood's ability to clot, increasing the risk of postpartum haemorrhage.
"The idea to create the innovative device came after we completed our MBBS from Nair hospital. For our internship, Dr Abhishek Sen and I were sent to rural areas where we saw that most pregnant women were scared of being pricked by needles. They did not undergo the test and as a result suffered heavy loss of blood leading to maternal mortality of the child as well as the women. That is when we decided to make a device that can test haemoglobin without using a needle," said Dr Yogesh Patil, co-founder of Biosense Technologies.
Dr Patil said discovering TouchHb was a dream come true. "We made this device and after conducting trials at Nair hospital. It can measure both haemoglobin and oxygen saturation in the blood. The cost of TouchHb is nearly Rs15,000 and 3,000 tests can be carried out with it after which the probe must be changed," he said.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Artist brings alive his other half
Artist brings alive his other half
'4-Shakuntal' is Subhash Awchat's studio that he calls home. And his home is where his heart is, even if no one waits for him there except his vast canvases with which he converses.
Here, he eats, sleeps, socialises, cooks and, yes, even paints. For it is here where the nucleus of all his paintings is born. In his own words, "I have permanently relieved various categories of people waiting for me or missing me at home, consequently no one waits for me." He waits for himself in his studio.
A brush with Awchat and you'll never believe you are talking to one of the loneliest painters on the planet, so full of life and laughter. But that's where it all ends. His real life spills onto his canvases, where he unmasks.
Here you see three divisions to his exhibition. One, a set of six huge abstract canvases (acrylic) where you marvel at the thick impasto gold texture and the cave-like atmosphere of 'discovery'.
The other is a composition of eight tall canvases of sadhus or wandering minstrels that you see even in his earlier works, for they are always a part and parcel of his life. They are Awchat, forever wandering, looking for those elusive dreams, even though fleeting, with faces that may be calm, but not content.
The third is a section of four large format canvases of blunt close-ups of an anguished face surrounded by darkness... The mood in this entire exhibition is dark, somber and the sparse lighting only adds to the moroseness, where if you listen minutely, you can hear distant laughter, the clink of champagne glasses, the hushed whispers of the multitude.
'4-Shakuntal' is Subhash Awchat's studio that he calls home. And his home is where his heart is, even if no one waits for him there except his vast canvases with which he converses.
Here, he eats, sleeps, socialises, cooks and, yes, even paints. For it is here where the nucleus of all his paintings is born. In his own words, "I have permanently relieved various categories of people waiting for me or missing me at home, consequently no one waits for me." He waits for himself in his studio.
A brush with Awchat and you'll never believe you are talking to one of the loneliest painters on the planet, so full of life and laughter. But that's where it all ends. His real life spills onto his canvases, where he unmasks.
Here you see three divisions to his exhibition. One, a set of six huge abstract canvases (acrylic) where you marvel at the thick impasto gold texture and the cave-like atmosphere of 'discovery'.
The other is a composition of eight tall canvases of sadhus or wandering minstrels that you see even in his earlier works, for they are always a part and parcel of his life. They are Awchat, forever wandering, looking for those elusive dreams, even though fleeting, with faces that may be calm, but not content.
The third is a section of four large format canvases of blunt close-ups of an anguished face surrounded by darkness... The mood in this entire exhibition is dark, somber and the sparse lighting only adds to the moroseness, where if you listen minutely, you can hear distant laughter, the clink of champagne glasses, the hushed whispers of the multitude.
Shibani Dandekar, performer
Shibani Dandekar,
performer
While my father and grandfather are deeply spiritual people, I find spirituality in the moments in between dealing with the real world. I’m a chatterbox and my mind works nineteen to the dozen…it’s only when I’m searching for some peace that my thoughts turn towards spirituality. I find a beautiful sunset can have a spiritual and calming effect on me…or being by the ocean on the beach. The form of exercise I practice — Pilates — helps me focus on myself. I always feel the need for prayer. I recite the Gayatri mantra and am constantly asking the Higher Power to watch over me. I also believe that it’s important to be grateful for what one has been given. One has to be grateful for the clothes on one’s back, a roof on one’s head and the fact that one has a job — when there are so many who don’t. I came to India after living in Australia and New York and am extremely thankful for the way my career has taken off. It was like God was listening the entire time, even in my down moments, when I felt things weren’t working out. Even though my family goes through ups and downs, it’s like there’s always someone Higher watching over us. — As told to Ashish Virmani
performer
While my father and grandfather are deeply spiritual people, I find spirituality in the moments in between dealing with the real world. I’m a chatterbox and my mind works nineteen to the dozen…it’s only when I’m searching for some peace that my thoughts turn towards spirituality. I find a beautiful sunset can have a spiritual and calming effect on me…or being by the ocean on the beach. The form of exercise I practice — Pilates — helps me focus on myself. I always feel the need for prayer. I recite the Gayatri mantra and am constantly asking the Higher Power to watch over me. I also believe that it’s important to be grateful for what one has been given. One has to be grateful for the clothes on one’s back, a roof on one’s head and the fact that one has a job — when there are so many who don’t. I came to India after living in Australia and New York and am extremely thankful for the way my career has taken off. It was like God was listening the entire time, even in my down moments, when I felt things weren’t working out. Even though my family goes through ups and downs, it’s like there’s always someone Higher watching over us. — As told to Ashish Virmani
Be proud! The things one takes pride in can direct the course of one's life, feel celebs
Be proud!
The things one takes pride in can direct the course of one's life, feel celebs
In school they told us that 'Pride comes before fall', but as we grew up we realised that there are some things that human beings rightfully need to be proud of. In fact, it's true that pride is an invaluable emotion within the human psyche, one that can encourage human growth and potential when correctly directed. On the other hand, it is equally true that misdirected pride, usually seen as arrogance, can result in the fall of the individual.
Says actor Tisca Chopra, who's currently reading the autobiographies of sports champions Andre Agassi and Lance Armstrong, "I think that in order to become a world champion it's critical to have a sense of pride in what one does. I think if pride leads us to desire to show a sense of perfection in our lives, then it's an amazing emotion. On the other hand, if the reason behind having pride is only the ego, or if one thinks that one is the only person in the world who can do something, then that is arrogance — it's a glass bubble that is liable to break sooner or later."
Adds Tisca, "I would like to be proud of being a decent person. Of being a good actor. Real achievement in these areas is not possible if I don't have a sense of pride in achieving these things."
Actor Shweta Kawatra would like to pride herself for respecting her parents and for being around them when they need her. She says, "I take not so much pride in achieving status, wealth and material happiness as I do in the intangibles of life. I would rather have pride about being able to think about other people and their needs and extend them a helping hand if I can." Shweta feels that people should pride themselves on virtues such as honesty and achieving a non-violent state of life. "On the other hand, if I have pride in all the material assets that I've achieved then that can most easily turn into arrogance," she says.
Art of Living instructor Rhea Pillai feels that the pride she feels in her life doesn't have any relation to arrogance. "Instead it's about respect," she says. "There is so much one can take pride in — in the way one lives, in how one thinks, the person one has become. Or even pride in what you've achieved." Her own sense of personal pride comes from her home among other things. "It is also the fact that if today were the last day I were to live, I would know that the life I have lived is one I have respect for, something that I have valued," she stresses.
Fashion designer Maheka Mirpuri's sense of pride comes from the things she's achieved in her career in the last six years. "It's been worthwhile meeting all those challenges and it's made me a more confident person," she says happily. She's also proud to be a Mumbaikar and for having survived the major challenges the metropolis has faced in the last few years. "I'm also proud to be an Indian and to be able to offer the world such a rich cultural heritage," she rounds off.
The things one takes pride in can direct the course of one's life, feel celebs
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In school they told us that 'Pride comes before fall', but as we grew up we realised that there are some things that human beings rightfully need to be proud of. In fact, it's true that pride is an invaluable emotion within the human psyche, one that can encourage human growth and potential when correctly directed. On the other hand, it is equally true that misdirected pride, usually seen as arrogance, can result in the fall of the individual.
Says actor Tisca Chopra, who's currently reading the autobiographies of sports champions Andre Agassi and Lance Armstrong, "I think that in order to become a world champion it's critical to have a sense of pride in what one does. I think if pride leads us to desire to show a sense of perfection in our lives, then it's an amazing emotion. On the other hand, if the reason behind having pride is only the ego, or if one thinks that one is the only person in the world who can do something, then that is arrogance — it's a glass bubble that is liable to break sooner or later."
Adds Tisca, "I would like to be proud of being a decent person. Of being a good actor. Real achievement in these areas is not possible if I don't have a sense of pride in achieving these things."
Actor Shweta Kawatra would like to pride herself for respecting her parents and for being around them when they need her. She says, "I take not so much pride in achieving status, wealth and material happiness as I do in the intangibles of life. I would rather have pride about being able to think about other people and their needs and extend them a helping hand if I can." Shweta feels that people should pride themselves on virtues such as honesty and achieving a non-violent state of life. "On the other hand, if I have pride in all the material assets that I've achieved then that can most easily turn into arrogance," she says.
Art of Living instructor Rhea Pillai feels that the pride she feels in her life doesn't have any relation to arrogance. "Instead it's about respect," she says. "There is so much one can take pride in — in the way one lives, in how one thinks, the person one has become. Or even pride in what you've achieved." Her own sense of personal pride comes from her home among other things. "It is also the fact that if today were the last day I were to live, I would know that the life I have lived is one I have respect for, something that I have valued," she stresses.
Fashion designer Maheka Mirpuri's sense of pride comes from the things she's achieved in her career in the last six years. "It's been worthwhile meeting all those challenges and it's made me a more confident person," she says happily. She's also proud to be a Mumbaikar and for having survived the major challenges the metropolis has faced in the last few years. "I'm also proud to be an Indian and to be able to offer the world such a rich cultural heritage," she rounds off.
Head over heels Winter means cracked heels. Experts cite ways you can maintain soft, smooth feet...
Head over heels
Winter means cracked heels. Experts cite ways you can maintain soft, smooth feet...
As the cold weather draws closer, several skin problems also usher in. And one of the common complaints during winters is dryness and cracked, chapped skin especially in the feet area, as they are more exposed and often neglected. Feet are sometimes severely affected due to the dry and cold weather. And with the nip in the air, comes along a set of foot complaints. Hence attention to your feet is very important. After Hrs speaks to experts for seeking solution to curb and treat your foot woes.
"Winter is a problematic weather for feet. Select a cream, which has natural ingredients like honey and turmeric. Avoid dryness, and wash feet with warm water. Do not soak you feet in water for long, as it takes away the natural oils. At night, apply vaseline or warm coconut oil to your feet and wear socks overnight. Use pumice stone to remove dead skin every day," says skin expert Mamtaa Joshi, of the Orangetree Studio.
Home care along with regular pedicure can help avoid cracked feet. Says dermatologist Tejaswini of Ethnic Salon, "Apply sesame oil and sunflower oil every night before sleeping. Also, moisturise your feet as they are exposed to dust, dirt, grime and so on. With pedicures too, instead of the regular or aroma, one should opt for brightening and moisturising pedicure every 15 days."
Baby oil is light and helps mositurise well. Hence using it on a daily basis will help avoid cracked heels. "For winter care of your feet, regular use of foot creams at night and regular pedicures with moisturising products keep the dryness at bay. Nowadays, paraffin treatments are easily available and help combat dryness and cracked heels," adds an expert at Nalini's salon.
Winter means cracked heels. Experts cite ways you can maintain soft, smooth feet...
 | |
As the cold weather draws closer, several skin problems also usher in. And one of the common complaints during winters is dryness and cracked, chapped skin especially in the feet area, as they are more exposed and often neglected. Feet are sometimes severely affected due to the dry and cold weather. And with the nip in the air, comes along a set of foot complaints. Hence attention to your feet is very important. After Hrs speaks to experts for seeking solution to curb and treat your foot woes.
"Winter is a problematic weather for feet. Select a cream, which has natural ingredients like honey and turmeric. Avoid dryness, and wash feet with warm water. Do not soak you feet in water for long, as it takes away the natural oils. At night, apply vaseline or warm coconut oil to your feet and wear socks overnight. Use pumice stone to remove dead skin every day," says skin expert Mamtaa Joshi, of the Orangetree Studio.
Home care along with regular pedicure can help avoid cracked feet. Says dermatologist Tejaswini of Ethnic Salon, "Apply sesame oil and sunflower oil every night before sleeping. Also, moisturise your feet as they are exposed to dust, dirt, grime and so on. With pedicures too, instead of the regular or aroma, one should opt for brightening and moisturising pedicure every 15 days."
Baby oil is light and helps mositurise well. Hence using it on a daily basis will help avoid cracked heels. "For winter care of your feet, regular use of foot creams at night and regular pedicures with moisturising products keep the dryness at bay. Nowadays, paraffin treatments are easily available and help combat dryness and cracked heels," adds an expert at Nalini's salon.
Lounge in style Mumbai designers talk about the first ever luxe fashion gala that begins today in Goa
Lounge in style
Mumbai designers talk about the first ever luxe fashion gala that begins today in Goa
That resort wear is more than just bikinis, sarongs and flip-flops, is a fact well known amongst Indian fashion buffs. This category of fashion wear also completely suits the Indian climate. And now that India is perceived as a potential fashion market, it is not surprising that a resort fashion week makes its foray here. The first ever India resort fashion week begins in Goa today.
Designer Narendra Kumar Ahmed agrees that resort wear is the next big thing in India. "But I feel people here do not yet really understand tailoring considering that Indian markets are more apt for loose silhouettes," he says.
Among the many designers particpating at the resort week, two Mumbai designers — Narendra Kumar Ahmed and James Ferreira — are foraying with their resort lines. Nari's collection is called 'Osonai' which in Japanese means 'offering to God'. "This collection is made of fabric, which is specifically dyed by flowers and herbs collected from temples by slum dwellers. These people are trained to do this. This is an organic collection and the first time that I have gone completely organic. This collection is very dear to me since it is about social empowerment and it amalgamates modern tailoring and my statement sensibilities," he reveals, adding, "Also, doing this collection is very exciting since I have never done anything like this before."
As far as James's collection goes, he has tried something new too. He says, "With this collection, I have tried something totally different. I have given my resort line an Indian twist. Considering the wedding season is around the corner and with so many destination weddings being a trend, a major part of my collection is sarees, salwars, kurtas, etc that can be worn over bikinis. There are also jumpsuits, maxis and dresses. I have used a lot of batik fabrics from Colombo, which has been beautifully colour blocked."
Ask them about this season's resort trend and Nari says, "It is all about jumpsuits, shorts, loose silhouettes and easy-to-carry clothing." James adds that colours will make a big impact. "A major trend that will be spotted on the runway is bright colors," he informs. He adds, "Sexiness will be back in an Indian avatar with sarees and translucent cholis with very minimal work but well constructed. Besides jumpsuits, flowy dresses are perfect for a city like ours. It is hot and humid all year round and the collection is comfortable. So you get the perfect blend of fashion and comfort!"
Mumbai designers talk about the first ever luxe fashion gala that begins today in Goa
 | |
That resort wear is more than just bikinis, sarongs and flip-flops, is a fact well known amongst Indian fashion buffs. This category of fashion wear also completely suits the Indian climate. And now that India is perceived as a potential fashion market, it is not surprising that a resort fashion week makes its foray here. The first ever India resort fashion week begins in Goa today.
Designer Narendra Kumar Ahmed agrees that resort wear is the next big thing in India. "But I feel people here do not yet really understand tailoring considering that Indian markets are more apt for loose silhouettes," he says.
Among the many designers particpating at the resort week, two Mumbai designers — Narendra Kumar Ahmed and James Ferreira — are foraying with their resort lines. Nari's collection is called 'Osonai' which in Japanese means 'offering to God'. "This collection is made of fabric, which is specifically dyed by flowers and herbs collected from temples by slum dwellers. These people are trained to do this. This is an organic collection and the first time that I have gone completely organic. This collection is very dear to me since it is about social empowerment and it amalgamates modern tailoring and my statement sensibilities," he reveals, adding, "Also, doing this collection is very exciting since I have never done anything like this before."
As far as James's collection goes, he has tried something new too. He says, "With this collection, I have tried something totally different. I have given my resort line an Indian twist. Considering the wedding season is around the corner and with so many destination weddings being a trend, a major part of my collection is sarees, salwars, kurtas, etc that can be worn over bikinis. There are also jumpsuits, maxis and dresses. I have used a lot of batik fabrics from Colombo, which has been beautifully colour blocked."
 | |
Ask them about this season's resort trend and Nari says, "It is all about jumpsuits, shorts, loose silhouettes and easy-to-carry clothing." James adds that colours will make a big impact. "A major trend that will be spotted on the runway is bright colors," he informs. He adds, "Sexiness will be back in an Indian avatar with sarees and translucent cholis with very minimal work but well constructed. Besides jumpsuits, flowy dresses are perfect for a city like ours. It is hot and humid all year round and the collection is comfortable. So you get the perfect blend of fashion and comfort!"
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Save the girl child - Maharashtra State fails to nail errant doctors Low conviction rate in PCPNDT cases
State fails to nail errant doctors
Low conviction rate in PCPNDT cases
While the state is busy campaigning for 'Save the girl child' and seizing sonography machines to curb sex determination tests, it has failed to nail errant doctors and sonography centres for violations of the PCPNDT (Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique) Act.
According to the records of the directorate of public health, out of 294 cases registered till November under the Act, 56 cases have been cleared till now. But there have been convictions in only 21 of these cases.
Among the 21, doctors were punished in only five cases. Fines were imposed in the rest of the cases. The state government lost even those cases where the centres were not registered.
It is not a good sign in a state where the sex ratio is alarmingly low (883/1,000 in 2011 census) and where the government is making all efforts to discourage sex determination tests and female foeticide.
Experts blame district appropriate authorities who register the cases and seal the machines. "Officers who register the case don't know about the technicality involved and thus miss vital proofs and the state loses the case," said Nirmala Samant Prabhavalkar, who is the part of state supervisory board on PCPNDT Act.
"The officers have a soft corner for doctors as they think that sex determination test and abortion is not their fault. I think more awareness is needed on this issue," she said.
Satara-based social activist and advocate Varsha Deshpande, who has conducted several sting operations of sonography centres, said: "Due to poor case presentations, in most cases the doctors get bail and they get back their seized sonography machines too. They start their business again while the cases are going on in courts."
A radiologist said, "Low conviction rate also gives a wrong signal in society that the government is unnecessarily framing doctors."
However, director of health services, Dr Suresh Gupta said: "We are working hard on that. Till now there was little awareness about the PCPNDT Act among district appropriate authorities, judiciary and prosecutors. We have started sensitising them. Conviction rate will also increase as awareness increases."
Low conviction rate in PCPNDT cases
 | |
While the state is busy campaigning for 'Save the girl child' and seizing sonography machines to curb sex determination tests, it has failed to nail errant doctors and sonography centres for violations of the PCPNDT (Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique) Act.
According to the records of the directorate of public health, out of 294 cases registered till November under the Act, 56 cases have been cleared till now. But there have been convictions in only 21 of these cases.
Among the 21, doctors were punished in only five cases. Fines were imposed in the rest of the cases. The state government lost even those cases where the centres were not registered.
It is not a good sign in a state where the sex ratio is alarmingly low (883/1,000 in 2011 census) and where the government is making all efforts to discourage sex determination tests and female foeticide.
Experts blame district appropriate authorities who register the cases and seal the machines. "Officers who register the case don't know about the technicality involved and thus miss vital proofs and the state loses the case," said Nirmala Samant Prabhavalkar, who is the part of state supervisory board on PCPNDT Act.
"The officers have a soft corner for doctors as they think that sex determination test and abortion is not their fault. I think more awareness is needed on this issue," she said.
Satara-based social activist and advocate Varsha Deshpande, who has conducted several sting operations of sonography centres, said: "Due to poor case presentations, in most cases the doctors get bail and they get back their seized sonography machines too. They start their business again while the cases are going on in courts."
A radiologist said, "Low conviction rate also gives a wrong signal in society that the government is unnecessarily framing doctors."
However, director of health services, Dr Suresh Gupta said: "We are working hard on that. Till now there was little awareness about the PCPNDT Act among district appropriate authorities, judiciary and prosecutors. We have started sensitising them. Conviction rate will also increase as awareness increases."
Have ASR hip implant? Cops want you FDA files complaint against firm for not taking steps to protect recipients
Have ASR hip implant? Cops want you
FDA files complaint against firm for not taking steps to protect recipients
The state FDA has registered a complaint with the Mumbai Police against DePuy, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson that manufactured ASR implant, which is used in hip replacement surgery.
A year ago, DePuy publicly recalled more than 93,000 articular surface replacement joints worldwide. The move came after claims of metal debris from wear on the implant leading to a reaction that destroyed surrounding soft tissue and exposed patients to cobalt and chromium poisoning. In other countries, patients were compensated and re-operated. However, no such steps have been taken in India.
The FDA and the Mumbai police now want people to come forward if they have undergone a hip replacement surgery with this company's implant.
Ramrao Desai, senior inspector, Mahim police station, said, "The FDA lodged a complaint with us 15 days ago. Under section 328 of the IPC, and section 17, 18 and 27 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, we have registered a case against the company's director. "
The implant, released in 2003, used a metal cup and socket instead of a plastic or ceramic cup, to replace the hip joint. The company recalled the implants in August 2010 and admitted that 13% of those who received the device worldwide may need revision surgery.
The state FDA has claimed that it doesn't even have any data on how many patients received the implant in India.
"The police are investigating. Once the implant recipients come forward, we will know how many are affected, and accordingly take action against the company," said an FDA official.
City's orthopaedic surgeons, however, had stopped using the implant since last year. Dr Pradeep Bhonsle, head of the department of orthopaedics, KEM hospital, said, "We decided to stop using the implant, as a precaution. We have not received complaints from the patients on whom the implants were used earlier."
According to Bhonsle, Johnson & Johnson had stopped the implant's sale in India.
Dr Arun Mullaji, president-elect of the Asia Pacific Arthroplasty Society and founder member of the Indian Society of Hip and Knee Surgeons, said, "We had asked all orthopaedic surgeons who used the implant to follow up with the patients. Regular x-rays and blood tests were advised. So far, we have not found any cases like those detected abroad."
Around 4,700 implants were sold in India, out of which few are in Mumbai. Dr Ameet Pispati, consulting orthopaedic surgeon at Jaslok hospital who had performed a few surgeries using the implant said, "So far, none of my patients have needed a revision surgery. They have been following up; there's only been excessive wearing out of the implant or parts coming loose. The company has promised to fund the recipients' evaluation tests, and pay for the next surgery if need be." The officials of DePuy in India were unavailable for comment.
FDA files complaint against firm for not taking steps to protect recipients
The state FDA has registered a complaint with the Mumbai Police against DePuy, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson that manufactured ASR implant, which is used in hip replacement surgery.
A year ago, DePuy publicly recalled more than 93,000 articular surface replacement joints worldwide. The move came after claims of metal debris from wear on the implant leading to a reaction that destroyed surrounding soft tissue and exposed patients to cobalt and chromium poisoning. In other countries, patients were compensated and re-operated. However, no such steps have been taken in India.
The FDA and the Mumbai police now want people to come forward if they have undergone a hip replacement surgery with this company's implant.
Ramrao Desai, senior inspector, Mahim police station, said, "The FDA lodged a complaint with us 15 days ago. Under section 328 of the IPC, and section 17, 18 and 27 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, we have registered a case against the company's director. "
The implant, released in 2003, used a metal cup and socket instead of a plastic or ceramic cup, to replace the hip joint. The company recalled the implants in August 2010 and admitted that 13% of those who received the device worldwide may need revision surgery.
The state FDA has claimed that it doesn't even have any data on how many patients received the implant in India.
"The police are investigating. Once the implant recipients come forward, we will know how many are affected, and accordingly take action against the company," said an FDA official.
City's orthopaedic surgeons, however, had stopped using the implant since last year. Dr Pradeep Bhonsle, head of the department of orthopaedics, KEM hospital, said, "We decided to stop using the implant, as a precaution. We have not received complaints from the patients on whom the implants were used earlier."
According to Bhonsle, Johnson & Johnson had stopped the implant's sale in India.
Dr Arun Mullaji, president-elect of the Asia Pacific Arthroplasty Society and founder member of the Indian Society of Hip and Knee Surgeons, said, "We had asked all orthopaedic surgeons who used the implant to follow up with the patients. Regular x-rays and blood tests were advised. So far, we have not found any cases like those detected abroad."
Around 4,700 implants were sold in India, out of which few are in Mumbai. Dr Ameet Pispati, consulting orthopaedic surgeon at Jaslok hospital who had performed a few surgeries using the implant said, "So far, none of my patients have needed a revision surgery. They have been following up; there's only been excessive wearing out of the implant or parts coming loose. The company has promised to fund the recipients' evaluation tests, and pay for the next surgery if need be." The officials of DePuy in India were unavailable for comment.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
'I never looked at him as an artist' ...says artist Owais Husain, who recently paid a tribute to his late father, eminent artist MF Husain in an art show in the city
'I never looked at him as an artist'
...says artist Owais Husain, who recently paid a tribute to his late father, eminent artist MF Husain in an art show in the city
Tell us more about this tribute show, 'Namaste America'. How have you picked up the art works?
Atul Nishar, President, of Namaste America — Indo American Association for Art and Culture, wanted to host an evening in celebration of Art and pay tribute to my father MF Husain. That is how this tribute show was conceived.
Are you a big fan of your dad's works?
I have never looked at him as an artist; he is no more than my father to me.
MF Husain is a brand in the art world… did that ever unnerve you?
No, it is something that has always inspired me. I question this brand tag. His body of work and his spirit would always inspire me as a son.
Any particular art work of his that is close to your heart and why?
'Between the spider and the lamp' — one of his most iconic and well-known works, done in the early 60s. It is an important station of his first 15 years as a painter where his iconography evolved into a new language that grew through the body of his work for the next 50 years.
Was he the biggest inspiration for you as an artist and as a son?
His hunger for life and his need to celebrate its every element is always inspiring to me.
Do you compare yourself with your dad in terms of work or otherwise?
Art is subjective and its creators are always victim of circumstances. We live in our own universes that we create. There is no generic scale to compare one artist with another. But I do admit that his hunger for life has always been a perfect point of departure for me, as I dive into my search to unravel the mysteries of our universe through my work.
...says artist Owais Husain, who recently paid a tribute to his late father, eminent artist MF Husain in an art show in the city
 | |
Tell us more about this tribute show, 'Namaste America'. How have you picked up the art works?
Atul Nishar, President, of Namaste America — Indo American Association for Art and Culture, wanted to host an evening in celebration of Art and pay tribute to my father MF Husain. That is how this tribute show was conceived.
Are you a big fan of your dad's works?
I have never looked at him as an artist; he is no more than my father to me.
MF Husain is a brand in the art world… did that ever unnerve you?
No, it is something that has always inspired me. I question this brand tag. His body of work and his spirit would always inspire me as a son.
Any particular art work of his that is close to your heart and why?
'Between the spider and the lamp' — one of his most iconic and well-known works, done in the early 60s. It is an important station of his first 15 years as a painter where his iconography evolved into a new language that grew through the body of his work for the next 50 years.
Was he the biggest inspiration for you as an artist and as a son?
His hunger for life and his need to celebrate its every element is always inspiring to me.
Do you compare yourself with your dad in terms of work or otherwise?
Art is subjective and its creators are always victim of circumstances. We live in our own universes that we create. There is no generic scale to compare one artist with another. But I do admit that his hunger for life has always been a perfect point of departure for me, as I dive into my search to unravel the mysteries of our universe through my work.
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