by Harish Trivedi
First a personal note:
The Dadar area in Mumbai (Bombay) is a suburb of Mumbai where I grew up. One of the three bombs exposition occurred in Dada area. The site of the explosion is less than two miles from where my brother and his family live now and the area where I grew up.
My brother and his wife are currently in California but my youngest niece lives there and we learned from her call about an hour ago. She is fine, though a bit rattled...
One of my friends lives across from where the blast occurred but all the communication lines to Mamba are jammed so I was not able to reach him. I'll try again later... It is around 10.30 pm in Mumbai now...
I regret for sharing this really horrible news with you...
Harish
There is short video clip on the following Times of India web link.
>
> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Three-bomb-blasts-rock-Mumbai/articleshow/9212554.cms
MAMBAI: Three blasts rocked Mumbai within minutes of each other, police said on Wednesday. According to TV reports, eight persons have died in the blasts and 70 have been injured.
Police sources said the nature and intensity of the blasts was not known. The ministry has confirmed it is a terror strike.
The first explosion took place in south Mamba's Zaveri Bazaar, near the famous Mumbadevi temple, in which some people were injured, said Mumbai Police spokesperson Nisar Tamboli. The bustling market also has a number of jewellery shops.
The second explosion was reported in a taxi in Dadar area in central Mumbai, he said.
The third blast was reported from south Mumbai's Opera House *in Charni Road after 7pm.
All three are busy commercial and residential areas, and were bustling with people and traffic during the evening peak hours when the explosions took place.
The communication network has been jammed. People are unable to get through phone lines in the city.
An NIA team has been sent for Mumbai. All states have been put on high alert. A parked car bore the brunt of the blast in Dadar.
Police teams quickly moved into the three places. In New Delhi, the home ministry put the National Security Guard (NSG) on alert.
166 people were killed in a terror strike in 2008 by Pakistan-based terrorists.
______________________________________
* (Opera House is a historic building where in early part of last century Anna Pavlova danced and was a venue of many a touring British theatrical companies. Opera House used to show movies and since last decade or so has been closed down... There is famous Devdhar School of Indian Music from across the Opera House where I used to go for rehearsing my plays. Some of the scenes of Raj Kapoor's first film AAG were shot there. It is also a place where the doyen of Indian movies, Prithviraj Kapoor (the grand old man of the Kapoor dynasty) used to perform his Hindi plays with his Prithvi Theatre... all now memories of days gone by...). Prithvi Raj Kapoor's grand and great grand kids are still drawing crowds for their Bollywood films. The Wilson College, one of the oldest colleges in Mumbai is located a few blocks away from the Opera House.
The Very Rev John Wilson after whom the College is named was Born in Lauder, Scotland in 1804.
As a linguist John Wilson was a man of amazing calibre. Having studied the Classics, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, and French at Edinburgh, he soon became proficient in the local languages and the classical eastern languages of Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic. In 1832, convinced of the importamce of Christian Education, he founded the Ambrolie English School, which has grown to become the Wilson High School and Wilson College of today.
His missionary travels took him around Western India in his bullock cart. Wherever he went he showed a natural curiosity for all things local, becoming a keen student of the antiquities of the area. His work on the translation of rock inscriptions at Girnar in Saurashtra gained him the highest award science had to offer at that time a Fellowship of the Royal Society. He became President of the Royal Asiatic Society and Vice Chancellor of the University, but above all he was a Christian Missionary.
He died in Bombay on 1st December 1875, his final words having been "I have perfect peace, and am content that the Lord should do what seems good to Him."
Now, 236 years after his birth, it is only fitting that we should remember him - the truly great missionary that he was... After his death his personal collection of books was donated to the Bombay University Library.
Wilson College the legacy continues...
Wilson College has witnessed the turn of two centuries. As a tribute to the journey of this diminutive school started at the residence of Dr. Wilson, to develope into a multi - disciplined University affiliated college
...as an educational institution going back to 1832. It began as Ambrolie School in Girgaum, later seeing several changes of sites and names, eventually being called Wilson School. A collegiate section from which Wilson College evolved in 1836.
The founder of these institutions, the Rev. John Wilson of the Scottish Missionary Society. John and his wife Margaret arrived in Bombay on February 14,1829, learnt the local language and with great zeal set up schools for boys and girls of all castes and classes.
John Wilson's work went beyond the field of education. He was a Linguist, an Orientalist, a Reformer, an Author.
The pioneering work in higher education began a quarter of a century, before the establishment of any official body for this purpose. The vision and foresight of Dr. Wilson saw the establishment of the University of Bombay in 1857. On 14th December 1861, the collegiate section of Wilson's institution under the name of Free General Assembly's Institution became the first privately owned, non-government institution to get affiliated to the University.
For many years, both the school and college sections were housed in one building, but largely through the efforts of Dr. Mackichan, a site for the college was secured at Chowpatty and the present college building was opened on 14th March 1889.
Fostering a tradition of liberalism and freedom, the Scottish Principals inspired many students to be at the centre stage of the freedom - struggle Usha Mehta (Political Science professor for my Masiter degree, freedom fighters - Acharya Kriplani, a fire-brand revolutionary and freedom fighter S. .A. Dange, Aloo Dastoor- another Political Science and Contract Law professor for my Master's and Law degrees, B.G. Kher... to mention a few.
India's former Prime minister Morarji Desai along with the great Orientalist and Sanskrit scholar P.V. Kane and one of the pioneers for women's education D. .K. Karve are also proud alumni of this institution.
Today Wilson College is one of the few colleges in Mumbai which offer an array of subjects in the Arts, Science and Vocational stream, along with undergraduate courses in Management Studies, Mass Media, Biotechnology, Computer Science and Information Technology.
The students of Wilson College are from nearly every ethnic, religious and social group, of the country as well as of the world.
The college motto Fides, Spes, Caritas - Faith, Hope, Love - Vishwas, Asha, Prem speaks of Faith in God, the Love that steers the college community through life and Hope...
(Source - the Wilson College history...)
Showing posts with label India. Show all posts
Showing posts with label India. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
India, Senior Indian politician expelled from BBC News, August 19, 2009
Senior Indian politician expelled
India's Hindu nationalist BJP expels a senior leader, Jaswant Singh, after he praises Pakistani founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah.
A senior leader of India's Hindu nationalist main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been expelled from the party.
Jaswant Singh's expulsion was announced by the party during a meeting.
This comes a day after the BJP "dissociated" itself from a new book on Pakistan's founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah, written by Mr Singh.
Mr Singh had praised Mr Jinnah in the book and said the latter has been "demonised in India".
Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8208812.stm
India's Hindu nationalist BJP expels a senior leader, Jaswant Singh, after he praises Pakistani founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah.
A senior leader of India's Hindu nationalist main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been expelled from the party.
Jaswant Singh's expulsion was announced by the party during a meeting.
This comes a day after the BJP "dissociated" itself from a new book on Pakistan's founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah, written by Mr Singh.
Mr Singh had praised Mr Jinnah in the book and said the latter has been "demonised in India".
Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8208812.stm
Friday, August 14, 2009
India: Free Public Education for all its citizens, August 14, 2009
http://www.heritage.org/Research/AsiaandthePacific/wm2586.cfm
THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION
August 13, 2009
India’s Future in the Balance
by Michelle Kaffenberger and Derek Scissors, Ph.D.
WebMemo #2586
A possibly critical event within India has gone largely unnoticed elsewhere: The Indian federal legislature has approved a bill mandating free public education for all citizens. Whether the bill is properly or improperly implemented could play a notable role in determining whether India becomes a global economic leader, and a global economic partner for the U.S.
The education bill is an attempt to reconcile two fundamental forces: (1) India’s painfully low literacy rate and shortage of skilled labor, and 2) a pronounced demographic shift toward a larger, younger population.
If the tide of new workers can be adequately educated, their job training can progress far more easily, and their employment will be much more beneficial for the Indian economy. In this case, the demographic trends will contribute powerfully to economic expansion. The alternative, however, is dire: decades of massive underemployment and slow growth due to low labor productivity.
Requiring Education
The heart of the education bill is free and compulsory education for all children aged six through 14, which requires students to complete eighth grade. To this end, the bill decrees that, within the next three years, a school must be built in every neighborhood lacking one. The federal government has lofty ambitions, but it is state governments that must fulfill them--building the schools, providing the free education, and tracking every child.
The bill provisions include:
*Compulsory education ages 6-14;
*Universal free education ages 6-14;
*Schools must be built in all communities within three years;
*No discrimination against the disadvantaged;
*Private schools must reserve 25 percent of billets for the disadvantaged; and
*The federal government will standardize national curriculum.
An unremarked section of the bill mandates a "Management Committee" at each school, where three-fourths of the members are parents or guardians. The committees will be responsible for monitoring and preparing plans to serve as the basis for action by state governments. This is intended to make schools more accountable to parents. The bill also establishes a certificate of recognition that must be obtained from the respective state government, without which a school will face fines and closure.
The Demographic Challenge
The stakes for the education bill are high. One quarter of India’s 1.1 billion people are under age 15, over half under age 25, and over two-thirds under age 35. Almost 90 million people--the combined labor forces of Britain, France, and Italy--are projected to join the workforce by 2013. By 2028, the population is projected to rise by 370 million. India will simultaneously have the youngest age profile among large economies and the largest national workforce. That development could make it an exceptionally valuable partner for the U.S. and others.
This workforce explosion is typically presented as marvelously good news, guaranteeing rapid growth for a generation. More workers mean more production, consumption, and GDP. Demographic expansion does not, however, automatically bring net benefits. Productive employment for so many is a daunting prospect. One assessment is that a successful year requires 7 percent real growth and no fewer than 15 million new positions. If job creation is impeded or workers are ill-prepared, tens of millions will be left under- or unemployed.
Agriculture, where three-fifths of the population is employed, illustrates the potential and peril. There are already 60 million redundant agricultural workers; finding real jobs just for them in industry or services would boost GDP 25 percent in five years. Higher farm productivity is certainly a worthy goal, as it raises income and reduces poverty. But it would also cut the number of workers needed, adding tens of millions more to those seeking jobs in cities.
INDIA IN 2025, TWO SCENARIOS
DEMOGRAPHIC BOON DEMOGRAPHIC BURDEN
Average
Annual GDP 8.1% 3.8%
Growth
Beginning
2010
Global
GDP 4th 9th
Rank
Per Capita
GDP $6100 $2400
Annual
Inward Direct $145 billion $70 billion
Investment
Trade Volume
With US $420 billion $140 billion
An Inadequate System
A huge, young, well-trained Indian workforce would play a powerful role in the global economy. Such a workforce does not yet exist, though. Much attention has been focused on highly skilled labor in technology. High-tech companies, however, will not be able to absorb the flood of new workers soon to enter the labor force. India must therefore enhance basic skills by providing broad primary education.
Problems in the system extend beyond the quantity of resources devoted. The budget for the Department of School Education and Literacy, which oversees primary and secondary education and adult literacy programs, was almost quintupled from fiscal year 2003-04 to 2007-08. Yet the national literacy rate is only 64 percent. (China’s is 90 percent.) Clearly, funding by itself is not a solution.
Even if more schools are built, at present 25 percent of teachers do not show up for work, and only 50 percent actually teach when at school. Only one of every 3,000 administrators has ever fired a teacher for absenteeism. It is hardly a surprise that half of 10-year-olds in village schools are unable to read at a six-year-old level. India ranked 102 out of 129 in UNESCO’s 2009 Education for All Development Index, which grades on the quality, spread, and gender balance of primary education and adult literacy.
Significant change is needed, and soon. By 2013, 58 million more secondary school dropouts could join the labor force, with 60 percent of the new working-age population concentrated in five of the poorer states. Their access to education may be severely limited.
The Bill as Round 1
The education bill is a positive first step in meeting India’s demographic challenge. The potential benefits and costs are gigantic, however, and far more needs to be done.
Decentralizing authority from federal to state governments is a step in the right direction. Teachers must be made accountable and the new bill addresses teacher performance, in principle. New training standards, to which the bill obligates the federal government, should improve quality in new hires. The local management committees will give parents a greater voice. To the extent possible, authority over teachers should be more fully decentralized. As an illustration of possible gains, Bihar state cut teacher absences in half by making teachers locally accountable.
States should decentralize other tasks to communities, such as tracking students to ensure they remain in school. This is a daunting task given the size of state populations. Unless it is done well, though, the number of secondary school dropouts could swell further, turning much of the labor force into a burden.
Private Sector Must Contribute
Federal and state governments clearly need a great deal of help. Evidence suggests the very poor--at risk of being unskilled, underemployed, and failing to contribute fully to economic development--are well served by extremely low-cost private education. Schools with very little funding, provided almost entirely by poor parents unsatisfied with government options, have fared well in comparison to much better financed public schools.
Yet opening a private institution requires years of battling the bureaucracy. The provision in the new bill requiring every school to be certified creates yet another layer of regulation. In addition to implementing the new public commitment to education, federal and state governments should recognize that, in light of demographic change, a major private contribution is necessary for economic development and India’s emergence as a prosperous, democratic, and global power. And the development of India--an increasingly important American friend--is good for the U.S.
Michelle Kaffenberger is former Production Coordinator and Administrative Assistant in the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies , and Derek Scissors, Ph.D., is Research Fellow in Asia Economic Policy in the Asian Studies Center, at The Heritage Foundation.
_________________________________________
THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION
August 13, 2009
India’s Future in the Balance
by Michelle Kaffenberger and Derek Scissors, Ph.D.
WebMemo #2586
A possibly critical event within India has gone largely unnoticed elsewhere: The Indian federal legislature has approved a bill mandating free public education for all citizens. Whether the bill is properly or improperly implemented could play a notable role in determining whether India becomes a global economic leader, and a global economic partner for the U.S.
The education bill is an attempt to reconcile two fundamental forces: (1) India’s painfully low literacy rate and shortage of skilled labor, and 2) a pronounced demographic shift toward a larger, younger population.
If the tide of new workers can be adequately educated, their job training can progress far more easily, and their employment will be much more beneficial for the Indian economy. In this case, the demographic trends will contribute powerfully to economic expansion. The alternative, however, is dire: decades of massive underemployment and slow growth due to low labor productivity.
Requiring Education
The heart of the education bill is free and compulsory education for all children aged six through 14, which requires students to complete eighth grade. To this end, the bill decrees that, within the next three years, a school must be built in every neighborhood lacking one. The federal government has lofty ambitions, but it is state governments that must fulfill them--building the schools, providing the free education, and tracking every child.
The bill provisions include:
*Compulsory education ages 6-14;
*Universal free education ages 6-14;
*Schools must be built in all communities within three years;
*No discrimination against the disadvantaged;
*Private schools must reserve 25 percent of billets for the disadvantaged; and
*The federal government will standardize national curriculum.
An unremarked section of the bill mandates a "Management Committee" at each school, where three-fourths of the members are parents or guardians. The committees will be responsible for monitoring and preparing plans to serve as the basis for action by state governments. This is intended to make schools more accountable to parents. The bill also establishes a certificate of recognition that must be obtained from the respective state government, without which a school will face fines and closure.
The Demographic Challenge
The stakes for the education bill are high. One quarter of India’s 1.1 billion people are under age 15, over half under age 25, and over two-thirds under age 35. Almost 90 million people--the combined labor forces of Britain, France, and Italy--are projected to join the workforce by 2013. By 2028, the population is projected to rise by 370 million. India will simultaneously have the youngest age profile among large economies and the largest national workforce. That development could make it an exceptionally valuable partner for the U.S. and others.
This workforce explosion is typically presented as marvelously good news, guaranteeing rapid growth for a generation. More workers mean more production, consumption, and GDP. Demographic expansion does not, however, automatically bring net benefits. Productive employment for so many is a daunting prospect. One assessment is that a successful year requires 7 percent real growth and no fewer than 15 million new positions. If job creation is impeded or workers are ill-prepared, tens of millions will be left under- or unemployed.
Agriculture, where three-fifths of the population is employed, illustrates the potential and peril. There are already 60 million redundant agricultural workers; finding real jobs just for them in industry or services would boost GDP 25 percent in five years. Higher farm productivity is certainly a worthy goal, as it raises income and reduces poverty. But it would also cut the number of workers needed, adding tens of millions more to those seeking jobs in cities.
INDIA IN 2025, TWO SCENARIOS
DEMOGRAPHIC BOON DEMOGRAPHIC BURDEN
Average
Annual GDP 8.1% 3.8%
Growth
Beginning
2010
Global
GDP 4th 9th
Rank
Per Capita
GDP $6100 $2400
Annual
Inward Direct $145 billion $70 billion
Investment
Trade Volume
With US $420 billion $140 billion
An Inadequate System
A huge, young, well-trained Indian workforce would play a powerful role in the global economy. Such a workforce does not yet exist, though. Much attention has been focused on highly skilled labor in technology. High-tech companies, however, will not be able to absorb the flood of new workers soon to enter the labor force. India must therefore enhance basic skills by providing broad primary education.
Problems in the system extend beyond the quantity of resources devoted. The budget for the Department of School Education and Literacy, which oversees primary and secondary education and adult literacy programs, was almost quintupled from fiscal year 2003-04 to 2007-08. Yet the national literacy rate is only 64 percent. (China’s is 90 percent.) Clearly, funding by itself is not a solution.
Even if more schools are built, at present 25 percent of teachers do not show up for work, and only 50 percent actually teach when at school. Only one of every 3,000 administrators has ever fired a teacher for absenteeism. It is hardly a surprise that half of 10-year-olds in village schools are unable to read at a six-year-old level. India ranked 102 out of 129 in UNESCO’s 2009 Education for All Development Index, which grades on the quality, spread, and gender balance of primary education and adult literacy.
Significant change is needed, and soon. By 2013, 58 million more secondary school dropouts could join the labor force, with 60 percent of the new working-age population concentrated in five of the poorer states. Their access to education may be severely limited.
The Bill as Round 1
The education bill is a positive first step in meeting India’s demographic challenge. The potential benefits and costs are gigantic, however, and far more needs to be done.
Decentralizing authority from federal to state governments is a step in the right direction. Teachers must be made accountable and the new bill addresses teacher performance, in principle. New training standards, to which the bill obligates the federal government, should improve quality in new hires. The local management committees will give parents a greater voice. To the extent possible, authority over teachers should be more fully decentralized. As an illustration of possible gains, Bihar state cut teacher absences in half by making teachers locally accountable.
States should decentralize other tasks to communities, such as tracking students to ensure they remain in school. This is a daunting task given the size of state populations. Unless it is done well, though, the number of secondary school dropouts could swell further, turning much of the labor force into a burden.
Private Sector Must Contribute
Federal and state governments clearly need a great deal of help. Evidence suggests the very poor--at risk of being unskilled, underemployed, and failing to contribute fully to economic development--are well served by extremely low-cost private education. Schools with very little funding, provided almost entirely by poor parents unsatisfied with government options, have fared well in comparison to much better financed public schools.
Yet opening a private institution requires years of battling the bureaucracy. The provision in the new bill requiring every school to be certified creates yet another layer of regulation. In addition to implementing the new public commitment to education, federal and state governments should recognize that, in light of demographic change, a major private contribution is necessary for economic development and India’s emergence as a prosperous, democratic, and global power. And the development of India--an increasingly important American friend--is good for the U.S.
Michelle Kaffenberger is former Production Coordinator and Administrative Assistant in the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies , and Derek Scissors, Ph.D., is Research Fellow in Asia Economic Policy in the Asian Studies Center, at The Heritage Foundation.
_________________________________________
Monday, August 3, 2009
India: Monmohan Singh, India-Pakistsan
Manmohan Singh has always seen himself as the steward of historic changes, as one who has the courage to challenge the status quo.
The PM knows what he’s doing.
Very few in the Congress are really upset by the substance of the statement. They are most concerned by the fact that the PM is asserting himself.
In UPA-2, the goal the prime minister has set for himself is to try and achieve a breakthrough in Indo-Pakistan relations.
As in the second half of UPA-1, he will play a proactive role in foreign affairs.
The fact that external affairs minister S.M. Krishna is a lightweight helps him play a dominant role.
If history is any indication, it is unlikely that the all-round criticism will be an obstacle for the PM. For, by now, the country is familiar with the fact that behind Manmohan’s mild manner is steely resolve—he has a vision for a subcontinent at peace with itself and he will pursue it.
OUTLOOK INDIA.COM, AUGUST 10, 2009
A Fortress Unto Himself
Others may not see the method in his plan, but the PM knows what he’s doing
Smita Gupta
Why The Party’s Unhappy With The PM
A section within the Congress has been voicing its disquiet over the Indo-Pakistan joint statement because it feels that it will give a handle to the Opposition to attack the government.
Another section, which is being described as the coalition of the disgruntled, consists of those who were looking for an occasion to attack the PM, and used the BJP’s ire as an opportune excuse.
Very few in the Congress are really upset by the substance of the statement. They are most concerned by the fact that the PM is asserting himself.
Some members of the old guard feel that the party should have been consulted before the joint statement was drafted.
***
Man Can Cook: Trust, But Verify
In UPA-2, the goal the prime minister has set for himself is to try and achieve a breakthrough in Indo-Pakistan relations.
India’s policy has always been that the only way forward with Pakistan is through dialogue.
Manmohan Singh believes that to make any headway the government cannot remain a prisoner of old mindsets.
This is why he wants to be seen as being more accommodative. That is the only way he thinks progress can be made.
As in the second half of UPA-1, he will play a proactive role in foreign affairs.
The fact that external affairs minister S.M. Krishna is a lightweight helps him play a dominant role.
Read more: http://outlookindia.com/article.aspx?261111
The PM knows what he’s doing.
Very few in the Congress are really upset by the substance of the statement. They are most concerned by the fact that the PM is asserting himself.
In UPA-2, the goal the prime minister has set for himself is to try and achieve a breakthrough in Indo-Pakistan relations.
As in the second half of UPA-1, he will play a proactive role in foreign affairs.
The fact that external affairs minister S.M. Krishna is a lightweight helps him play a dominant role.
If history is any indication, it is unlikely that the all-round criticism will be an obstacle for the PM. For, by now, the country is familiar with the fact that behind Manmohan’s mild manner is steely resolve—he has a vision for a subcontinent at peace with itself and he will pursue it.
OUTLOOK INDIA.COM, AUGUST 10, 2009
A Fortress Unto Himself
Others may not see the method in his plan, but the PM knows what he’s doing
Smita Gupta
Why The Party’s Unhappy With The PM
A section within the Congress has been voicing its disquiet over the Indo-Pakistan joint statement because it feels that it will give a handle to the Opposition to attack the government.
Another section, which is being described as the coalition of the disgruntled, consists of those who were looking for an occasion to attack the PM, and used the BJP’s ire as an opportune excuse.
Very few in the Congress are really upset by the substance of the statement. They are most concerned by the fact that the PM is asserting himself.
Some members of the old guard feel that the party should have been consulted before the joint statement was drafted.
***
Man Can Cook: Trust, But Verify
In UPA-2, the goal the prime minister has set for himself is to try and achieve a breakthrough in Indo-Pakistan relations.
India’s policy has always been that the only way forward with Pakistan is through dialogue.
Manmohan Singh believes that to make any headway the government cannot remain a prisoner of old mindsets.
This is why he wants to be seen as being more accommodative. That is the only way he thinks progress can be made.
As in the second half of UPA-1, he will play a proactive role in foreign affairs.
The fact that external affairs minister S.M. Krishna is a lightweight helps him play a dominant role.
Read more: http://outlookindia.com/article.aspx?261111
Saturday, August 1, 2009
India: "State of mind: What kind of power will India become" , August 1, 2009
In an article titled, "State of mind: What kind of power will India become" published in International Affairs of July, 2009 (Vol. 85, No. 4), Rahul Sagar, Assistant Professor in the Department of Politics at Princeton University, says India’s place in international affairs is shaped by the following four competing visions:
1) Moralists who wish for India to serve as an exemplar of principled action (moral exceptionalism);
2) Hindu nationalists who want Indians to act as muscular defenders of Hindu civilization (martial vigor);
3) Strategists who advocate cultivating state power by developing strategic capabilities (state power); and
4) Liberals who seek prosperity and peace through increasing trade and interdependence (wealth).
EXCERPTS:
**There is growing consensus in India that the pursuit of moral prestige has proved unrewarding. The demanding vision of the Hindu nationalists enjoys only limited public support, and India’s political elite display little willingness to pursue the tough policies advocated by the country’s strategic community. Increasingly, it appears India will, if by default, pursue prosperity and peace, a strategy that promises to transform it to a great commercial power. However, if this quest is thwarted by external threats it is likely that a contrary dynamic will be set in motion, as calls to enhance India’s military power grow louder -- and are heeded more closely.
**The desire to act in a principled fashion (Moralists’ vision) has three implications: First, it implies that India will continue to look sceptically on alliances that threaten its freedom to act and speak as it wishes. A recent example of the diplomatic consequences of this independent streak is provided by the conflict between India and the US over Iran. Even though it shares the American concern about Iran’s efforts to develop nuclear weapons, and has twice voted with the US at the IAEA to refer Iran to the UN Security Council, India has repeatedly affirmed its desire to to pursue an independent policy vis-a-vis Iran, including the option of undertaking major energy projects in that country. A second implication of the desire to act in a principled fashion will be India’s continued leadership of coalitions endeavoring to ensure that international regimes do not undermine the interests of the developing world e.g. in the debate over the principles that should govern the distribution of costs and responsibilities for reducing environmental damage. The third implication of the desire to act in a principled fashion is that India will use civil means to challenge what it sees as discriminatory features of the international order e.g. on the nuclear issue. It is increasingly unclear whether India’s conduct will in fact continue to be shaped by Nehru’s vision. Though his proud defense of Indian autonomy still reverberates in Indian ears, his policies face a growing chorus of crticism from those who wish to see India adopt stances that correspond to its cultural, military and economic potential. The critques have already begun to influence policy and further shifts in the role India conceives for itself in international affairs.
Read more:
The full text electronic article of Rahul Sagar is available for purchase. It costs $41.89 plus tax (http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bpl/inta/2009/00000085/00000004/art00009). However, a summary of the article titled, "Indian Foreign Policy in the 21st Century", is available at the website of CASI (Center for the Advanced Study of India of the University of Pennsylvania -- http://casi.ssc.upenn.edu/iit/sagar
1) Moralists who wish for India to serve as an exemplar of principled action (moral exceptionalism);
2) Hindu nationalists who want Indians to act as muscular defenders of Hindu civilization (martial vigor);
3) Strategists who advocate cultivating state power by developing strategic capabilities (state power); and
4) Liberals who seek prosperity and peace through increasing trade and interdependence (wealth).
EXCERPTS:
**There is growing consensus in India that the pursuit of moral prestige has proved unrewarding. The demanding vision of the Hindu nationalists enjoys only limited public support, and India’s political elite display little willingness to pursue the tough policies advocated by the country’s strategic community. Increasingly, it appears India will, if by default, pursue prosperity and peace, a strategy that promises to transform it to a great commercial power. However, if this quest is thwarted by external threats it is likely that a contrary dynamic will be set in motion, as calls to enhance India’s military power grow louder -- and are heeded more closely.
**The desire to act in a principled fashion (Moralists’ vision) has three implications: First, it implies that India will continue to look sceptically on alliances that threaten its freedom to act and speak as it wishes. A recent example of the diplomatic consequences of this independent streak is provided by the conflict between India and the US over Iran. Even though it shares the American concern about Iran’s efforts to develop nuclear weapons, and has twice voted with the US at the IAEA to refer Iran to the UN Security Council, India has repeatedly affirmed its desire to to pursue an independent policy vis-a-vis Iran, including the option of undertaking major energy projects in that country. A second implication of the desire to act in a principled fashion will be India’s continued leadership of coalitions endeavoring to ensure that international regimes do not undermine the interests of the developing world e.g. in the debate over the principles that should govern the distribution of costs and responsibilities for reducing environmental damage. The third implication of the desire to act in a principled fashion is that India will use civil means to challenge what it sees as discriminatory features of the international order e.g. on the nuclear issue. It is increasingly unclear whether India’s conduct will in fact continue to be shaped by Nehru’s vision. Though his proud defense of Indian autonomy still reverberates in Indian ears, his policies face a growing chorus of crticism from those who wish to see India adopt stances that correspond to its cultural, military and economic potential. The critques have already begun to influence policy and further shifts in the role India conceives for itself in international affairs.
Read more:
The full text electronic article of Rahul Sagar is available for purchase. It costs $41.89 plus tax (http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bpl/inta/2009/00000085/00000004/art00009). However, a summary of the article titled, "Indian Foreign Policy in the 21st Century", is available at the website of CASI (Center for the Advanced Study of India of the University of Pennsylvania -- http://casi.ssc.upenn.edu/iit/sagar
Monday, July 20, 2009
Ambassador Tezi (Terestia) C. Schaffer's Book on India and the United States in the 21st Century: Reinventing Parnership
I have just received a note from Ram Narayanan of the US-India Friendship that I thought I should share with you all - Harish
"INDIA AND THE UNITED STATES IN THE 21ST CENTURY:Reinventing Partnership."
by Teresita C. Schaffer
Dear Harish:
Ambassador Teresita C. Schaffer is director of South Asia Program at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) in Washington. Earlier she was ambassador to Sri Lanka and also served in the State Department as deputy assistant secretary of state for South Asia.
She has just published a book titled, "INDIA AND THE UNITED STATES IN THE 21ST CENTURY:Reinventing Partnership." (To get a copy of the book, price $22.95, click:http://www.csisbookstore.org/).
I have not had a chance to read the book. However, from a summary of its contents, I observe that the new book "examines the astonishing new strategic partnership between the United States and India. Unlike other books on the subject, it brings together the two countries’ success in forging bilateral relations and their relatively skimpy record of seeking common ground on global issues despite the vibrant new network of bilateral ties."
Following is a synopsis of the book provided by the author. (I have highlighted the passages which bring out her deep understanding of the issues that will shape the US-India relationship in the 21st century):
*****
The revolution in U.S.-India relations started in the 1990s, and rested on three foundations. The first was the acceleration of India’s economic growth. Starting in 1980, but especially after 1990, India morphed from a rather slow-moving and inward-looking economy based largely on agriculture to one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.
Next, at least in chronological order, came the end of the Cold War, which reoriented both U.S. and Indian foreign policy away from the traditional focus on a world divided into two major blocs, with a nonaligned group in between. India came to look on economic performance as a critical element in its national power and foreign policy. Russia was no longer India’s key international relationship: that role was now played by the United States.
Finally, the growth and prosperity of the Indian-American community created new bonds between the two countries, outside the ambit of government and closer to the day to day experience of Indians and Americans.
Against this background, India and the United States began in the 1990s to build the bilateral infrastructure for a serious relationship. The United States became India’s largest trading partner. The information technology industries in both countries were joined at the hip. India sent over 80,000 students to American universities.
These are all private relationships, but the government side expanded as well. For the first time, India and the United States developed a serious security relationship, with regular military contacts, a sophisticated strategic dialogue, and the beginnings of military trade. And during the latter part of the current decade, India and the United States started to overcome the big taboos that had inhibited their ties. The Next Steps in Strategic Partnership (NSSP - an agreement on export controls and liberalization of export licensing) led the way; the civil India-U.S. nuclear agreement was a dramatic change in U.S. policy.
This expansion of bilateral relationships is the big success story, built by both major parties in both countries. At the same time, India’s economic growth and thirst for energy created important common interests going beyond the bilateral. The two governments have not yet taken advantage of these to develop a common vision of the world, or at least parts of a common vision.
This is what both countries need to do now if they are to make the “strategic partnership” that both talk about into a reality. For U.S. strategic thinkers, Asia is increasingly the centerpiece of U.S. policy. The United States does not wish to see Asia dominated by a single country; it much prefers the prospect of a balance of peaceful engagement that includes all the major powers in Asia – China, Japan, and India, with the United States continuing to act as an “offshore Asian power.” This largely dovetails with India’s hopes for the region. But they have done relatively little to probe each other’s strategic thinking along these lines, or to develop parallel policies.
Indian Ocean security is another area where India and the United States have interests in common. The strong relationship between the two navies reflects this, but once again, there is much more that could be done to build up this understanding of common interests.
In the Middle East, India and the United States have focused on different priorities, especially when it comes to Iran. But even there, both countries have important reasons to seek stability and continued economic expansion in the Persian Gulf region.
Pakistan is of course a long-standing bone of contention between India and the United States. But even on Pakistan and Afghanistan, there are important points of convergence between Indian and American interests. India has no interest in seeing a resurgence of Islamic extremism or a meltdown in government authority in either place – and neither does the United States.
India and the United States regularly spar in multilateral settings, but here too, there are areas of important cooperation, especially peacekeeping. Big global issues will be on the international agenda in the coming decade, including climate change, nuclear proliferation, and international financial reform. These cannot be addressed without both the United States and India.
This makes a strong case for taking the U.S.-India partnership global – for undertaking the painstaking work required to figure out which of these global issues are ripe now for collaboration, which require some form of mutual compromise, and where these two giant countries will need to “agree to disagree.”
Complicating this task are two disconnects in their policy. First, despite the changes in its foreign policy, India remains attached to the notion of “strategic autonomy,” meaning that no country should appear to have undue influence on India’s foreign policy. This makes India a bit reluctant to work too closely with the United States in an international setting. Second, India’s priority has been on bilateral issues, whereas for the United States, the big prize has been a global relationship.
This means that we need to develop a new model for partnership. We have different histories of partnership. For the United States, most partners have started out with a common security vision, and the bilateral relationship has been built on this basis. Moreover, most partners of the United States are much smaller than the U.S. With India, things work the other way round: the bilateral has come first, and India is not prepared to enter into an unequal relationship.
A new model of partnership based on equality and on a willingness to recognize both similarities and differences will need to be built over time. This book recommends that India and the United States continue building up their bilateral ties, but start now to take the relationship global.
To do this, it advises a policy of inclusion and candor, with the United States helping to move India into global and regional councils of leadership. At the outset, organizations like the G-20, which work discreetly behind closed doors, will be the easiest to manage. But taking India’s ideas and leadership credentials seriously is the way to ensure that India takes equally seriously the views of the U.S. on how the globe should organize for the big problems it confronts.
A final thought on democracy. It is the most important unifying theme in the values Indians and Americans hold dear. It is also, quite often, a complicating factor in their relations. The things that leaders say in order to please their constituents are very different in Delhi and in Washington. However, when the bond of democracy coincides with the more practical connection of similar interests, you have the chance for a “foreign policy sweet spot.” That is the potential both countries now need to take advantage of.
*****
Thomas R. Pickering, former U.S. Ambassador to India says:
"This book is essential to understanding the present state of U.S.-India relations and the prospects for the future. It is well organized, comprehensive, balanced, thoughtful, and full of the kind of insight that not only makes for good reading but even better understanding."
David Good, chief representative for North America, Tata Sons Ltd. says:
"Ambassador Schaffer’s book puts into clear focus why all the effort that has gone into improving U.S.-India relations is worth it, and more importantly, how that new relationship can be put to use by President Obama in tackling global issues that threaten all of us. It’s an extremely important book that should be read by anyone dealing with international policymaking."
This week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has completed what looks like a successful five-day visit to India. Some key decisions have been taken in New Delhi to further strengthen the US-India relationship, which she said will be her personal priority.
Ambassador Schaffer’s book has come out at the right time to serve as a guide for the policymakers in Washington and New Delhi.
Cheers,
Ram Narayanan
US-India Friendship
http://usindiafriendship.net/
"INDIA AND THE UNITED STATES IN THE 21ST CENTURY:Reinventing Partnership."
by Teresita C. Schaffer
Dear Harish:
Ambassador Teresita C. Schaffer is director of South Asia Program at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) in Washington. Earlier she was ambassador to Sri Lanka and also served in the State Department as deputy assistant secretary of state for South Asia.
She has just published a book titled, "INDIA AND THE UNITED STATES IN THE 21ST CENTURY:Reinventing Partnership." (To get a copy of the book, price $22.95, click:http://www.csisbookstore.org/).
I have not had a chance to read the book. However, from a summary of its contents, I observe that the new book "examines the astonishing new strategic partnership between the United States and India. Unlike other books on the subject, it brings together the two countries’ success in forging bilateral relations and their relatively skimpy record of seeking common ground on global issues despite the vibrant new network of bilateral ties."
Following is a synopsis of the book provided by the author. (I have highlighted the passages which bring out her deep understanding of the issues that will shape the US-India relationship in the 21st century):
*****
The revolution in U.S.-India relations started in the 1990s, and rested on three foundations. The first was the acceleration of India’s economic growth. Starting in 1980, but especially after 1990, India morphed from a rather slow-moving and inward-looking economy based largely on agriculture to one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.
Next, at least in chronological order, came the end of the Cold War, which reoriented both U.S. and Indian foreign policy away from the traditional focus on a world divided into two major blocs, with a nonaligned group in between. India came to look on economic performance as a critical element in its national power and foreign policy. Russia was no longer India’s key international relationship: that role was now played by the United States.
Finally, the growth and prosperity of the Indian-American community created new bonds between the two countries, outside the ambit of government and closer to the day to day experience of Indians and Americans.
Against this background, India and the United States began in the 1990s to build the bilateral infrastructure for a serious relationship. The United States became India’s largest trading partner. The information technology industries in both countries were joined at the hip. India sent over 80,000 students to American universities.
These are all private relationships, but the government side expanded as well. For the first time, India and the United States developed a serious security relationship, with regular military contacts, a sophisticated strategic dialogue, and the beginnings of military trade. And during the latter part of the current decade, India and the United States started to overcome the big taboos that had inhibited their ties. The Next Steps in Strategic Partnership (NSSP - an agreement on export controls and liberalization of export licensing) led the way; the civil India-U.S. nuclear agreement was a dramatic change in U.S. policy.
This expansion of bilateral relationships is the big success story, built by both major parties in both countries. At the same time, India’s economic growth and thirst for energy created important common interests going beyond the bilateral. The two governments have not yet taken advantage of these to develop a common vision of the world, or at least parts of a common vision.
This is what both countries need to do now if they are to make the “strategic partnership” that both talk about into a reality. For U.S. strategic thinkers, Asia is increasingly the centerpiece of U.S. policy. The United States does not wish to see Asia dominated by a single country; it much prefers the prospect of a balance of peaceful engagement that includes all the major powers in Asia – China, Japan, and India, with the United States continuing to act as an “offshore Asian power.” This largely dovetails with India’s hopes for the region. But they have done relatively little to probe each other’s strategic thinking along these lines, or to develop parallel policies.
Indian Ocean security is another area where India and the United States have interests in common. The strong relationship between the two navies reflects this, but once again, there is much more that could be done to build up this understanding of common interests.
In the Middle East, India and the United States have focused on different priorities, especially when it comes to Iran. But even there, both countries have important reasons to seek stability and continued economic expansion in the Persian Gulf region.
Pakistan is of course a long-standing bone of contention between India and the United States. But even on Pakistan and Afghanistan, there are important points of convergence between Indian and American interests. India has no interest in seeing a resurgence of Islamic extremism or a meltdown in government authority in either place – and neither does the United States.
India and the United States regularly spar in multilateral settings, but here too, there are areas of important cooperation, especially peacekeeping. Big global issues will be on the international agenda in the coming decade, including climate change, nuclear proliferation, and international financial reform. These cannot be addressed without both the United States and India.
This makes a strong case for taking the U.S.-India partnership global – for undertaking the painstaking work required to figure out which of these global issues are ripe now for collaboration, which require some form of mutual compromise, and where these two giant countries will need to “agree to disagree.”
Complicating this task are two disconnects in their policy. First, despite the changes in its foreign policy, India remains attached to the notion of “strategic autonomy,” meaning that no country should appear to have undue influence on India’s foreign policy. This makes India a bit reluctant to work too closely with the United States in an international setting. Second, India’s priority has been on bilateral issues, whereas for the United States, the big prize has been a global relationship.
This means that we need to develop a new model for partnership. We have different histories of partnership. For the United States, most partners have started out with a common security vision, and the bilateral relationship has been built on this basis. Moreover, most partners of the United States are much smaller than the U.S. With India, things work the other way round: the bilateral has come first, and India is not prepared to enter into an unequal relationship.
A new model of partnership based on equality and on a willingness to recognize both similarities and differences will need to be built over time. This book recommends that India and the United States continue building up their bilateral ties, but start now to take the relationship global.
To do this, it advises a policy of inclusion and candor, with the United States helping to move India into global and regional councils of leadership. At the outset, organizations like the G-20, which work discreetly behind closed doors, will be the easiest to manage. But taking India’s ideas and leadership credentials seriously is the way to ensure that India takes equally seriously the views of the U.S. on how the globe should organize for the big problems it confronts.
A final thought on democracy. It is the most important unifying theme in the values Indians and Americans hold dear. It is also, quite often, a complicating factor in their relations. The things that leaders say in order to please their constituents are very different in Delhi and in Washington. However, when the bond of democracy coincides with the more practical connection of similar interests, you have the chance for a “foreign policy sweet spot.” That is the potential both countries now need to take advantage of.
*****
Thomas R. Pickering, former U.S. Ambassador to India says:
"This book is essential to understanding the present state of U.S.-India relations and the prospects for the future. It is well organized, comprehensive, balanced, thoughtful, and full of the kind of insight that not only makes for good reading but even better understanding."
David Good, chief representative for North America, Tata Sons Ltd. says:
"Ambassador Schaffer’s book puts into clear focus why all the effort that has gone into improving U.S.-India relations is worth it, and more importantly, how that new relationship can be put to use by President Obama in tackling global issues that threaten all of us. It’s an extremely important book that should be read by anyone dealing with international policymaking."
This week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has completed what looks like a successful five-day visit to India. Some key decisions have been taken in New Delhi to further strengthen the US-India relationship, which she said will be her personal priority.
Ambassador Schaffer’s book has come out at the right time to serve as a guide for the policymakers in Washington and New Delhi.
Cheers,
Ram Narayanan
US-India Friendship
http://usindiafriendship.net/
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Homosexuality in Ancient India, HIV/AIDS in India - Part II
HIV/AIDS in India - A brief survey
By Harish Trivedi,
Copyright 2009
What about AIDS and HIV infections in India?
Is HIV a fast spreading epidemic in India?
Would decriminalization of gay and lesbian activities give rise to AID and HIV infections?
We’ll have to wait and see if there is a correlation between decriminalization of homosexuality and subsequent rise in HIV/AIDS infections in India.
Here’s a brief history of HIV/AIDS infections in India culled from various reports:
1986: First case of HIV detected in Chennai (Madras), India.
1990: HIV levels among High Risk Groups like Sex workers and STD clinic attendants in Maharashtra and amongst Injecting Drug Users in Manipur reaches over 5 percent.
1994: HIV no longer restricted to high risk groups in Maharashtra, but spreading into the general population. HIV also spreading to the states of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu where high-risk groups have over 5 percent HIV prevalence.
1998: Rapid HIV spread in the four large southern states, not only in high-risk groups but also in the general population where it has reached over 1percent.
2001: Infection crosses one per cent in six states. These states account for 75 per cent of the country's estimated HIV cases.
In 2003 the estimated number of people living with HIV/AIDS was 5.1 million.
Here are some excerpts from the Avert Report (AVERT is an international AIDS charity)
At the beginning of 1986, despite over 20,000 reported AIDS cases worldwide, India had no reported cases of HIV or AIDS. There was recognition, though, that this would not be the case for long, and concerns were raised about how India would cope once HIV and AIDS cases started to emerge.
Later in the year, India’s first cases of HIV were diagnosed among sex workers in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It was noted that contact with foreign visitors had played a role in initial infections among sex workers, and as HIV screening centers were set up across the country there were calls for visitors to be screened for HIV. Gradually, these calls subsided as more attention was paid to ensuring that HIV screening was carried out in blood banks.
Current Estimates:
In 2006 UNAIDS estimated that there were 5.6 million people living with HIV in India, which indicated that there were more people with HIV in India than in any other country in the world. In 2007, following the first survey of HIV among the general population, UNAIDS and NACO agreed on a new estimate – between 2 million and 3.1 million people living with HIV.
In 2008 the figure was confirmed to be 2.5 million, which equates to a prevalence of 0.3%. While this may seem a low rate, because India's population is so large, it is third in the world in terms of greatest number of people living with HIV. With a population of around a billion, a mere 0.1% increase in HIV prevalence would increase the estimated number of people living with HIV by over half a million.
The national HIV prevalence rose dramatically in the early years of the epidemic, but a study released at the beginning of 2006 suggests that the HIV infection rate has recently fallen in southern India, the region that has been hit hardest by AIDS. In addition, NACO released figures in 2008 suggesting that the number of people living with HIV has declined.
Some AIDS activists are doubtful that the situation is improving: “It is the reverse. All the NGOs I know have recorded increases in the number of people accepting help because of HIV. I am really worried that we are just burying our head in the sand over this.” Anjali Gopalan, the Naz Foundation, Delhi, India.
Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS, says, “The statement that India has the AIDS problem under control is not true. There is a decline in prevalence in some of the Southern states… In the rest of the country, there are no arguments to demonstrate that AIDS is under control”
By Harish Trivedi,
Copyright 2009
What about AIDS and HIV infections in India?
Is HIV a fast spreading epidemic in India?
Would decriminalization of gay and lesbian activities give rise to AID and HIV infections?
We’ll have to wait and see if there is a correlation between decriminalization of homosexuality and subsequent rise in HIV/AIDS infections in India.
Here’s a brief history of HIV/AIDS infections in India culled from various reports:
1986: First case of HIV detected in Chennai (Madras), India.
1990: HIV levels among High Risk Groups like Sex workers and STD clinic attendants in Maharashtra and amongst Injecting Drug Users in Manipur reaches over 5 percent.
1994: HIV no longer restricted to high risk groups in Maharashtra, but spreading into the general population. HIV also spreading to the states of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu where high-risk groups have over 5 percent HIV prevalence.
1998: Rapid HIV spread in the four large southern states, not only in high-risk groups but also in the general population where it has reached over 1percent.
2001: Infection crosses one per cent in six states. These states account for 75 per cent of the country's estimated HIV cases.
In 2003 the estimated number of people living with HIV/AIDS was 5.1 million.
Here are some excerpts from the Avert Report (AVERT is an international AIDS charity)
At the beginning of 1986, despite over 20,000 reported AIDS cases worldwide, India had no reported cases of HIV or AIDS. There was recognition, though, that this would not be the case for long, and concerns were raised about how India would cope once HIV and AIDS cases started to emerge.
Later in the year, India’s first cases of HIV were diagnosed among sex workers in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It was noted that contact with foreign visitors had played a role in initial infections among sex workers, and as HIV screening centers were set up across the country there were calls for visitors to be screened for HIV. Gradually, these calls subsided as more attention was paid to ensuring that HIV screening was carried out in blood banks.
Current Estimates:
In 2006 UNAIDS estimated that there were 5.6 million people living with HIV in India, which indicated that there were more people with HIV in India than in any other country in the world. In 2007, following the first survey of HIV among the general population, UNAIDS and NACO agreed on a new estimate – between 2 million and 3.1 million people living with HIV.
In 2008 the figure was confirmed to be 2.5 million, which equates to a prevalence of 0.3%. While this may seem a low rate, because India's population is so large, it is third in the world in terms of greatest number of people living with HIV. With a population of around a billion, a mere 0.1% increase in HIV prevalence would increase the estimated number of people living with HIV by over half a million.
The national HIV prevalence rose dramatically in the early years of the epidemic, but a study released at the beginning of 2006 suggests that the HIV infection rate has recently fallen in southern India, the region that has been hit hardest by AIDS. In addition, NACO released figures in 2008 suggesting that the number of people living with HIV has declined.
Some AIDS activists are doubtful that the situation is improving: “It is the reverse. All the NGOs I know have recorded increases in the number of people accepting help because of HIV. I am really worried that we are just burying our head in the sand over this.” Anjali Gopalan, the Naz Foundation, Delhi, India.
Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS, says, “The statement that India has the AIDS problem under control is not true. There is a decline in prevalence in some of the Southern states… In the rest of the country, there are no arguments to demonstrate that AIDS is under control”
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
India's Foreing Policy "Software" by Daniel Markey
In a landmark paper titled, Developing India’s Foreign Policy "Software," Daniel Markey, Senior Fellow for South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, "outlines significant shortcomings in India’s foreign policy institutions that undermine the country’s capacity for ambitious and effective international action, and proposes steps that both New Delhi and Washington should take, assuming they aim to promote India’s rise as a great power."
The paper goes on to say:
India’s own foreign policy establishment hinders the country from achieving great-power status for four main reasons:
(1) The Indian Foreign Service is small, hobbled by its selection process and inadequate midcareer training, and tends not to make use of outside expertise;
(2) India’s think-tanks lack sufficient access to the information or resources required to conduct high-quality, policy-relevant scholarship;
(3) India’s public universities are poorly funded, highly regulated, and fail to provide world-class education in the social sciences and other fields related to foreign policy; and
(4) India’s media and private firms—leaders in debating the country’s foreign policy agenda—are not built to undertake sustained foreign policy research or training.
For India to achieve great-power status, a number of improvements to its foreign policy software will be required:
• expand, reform, pay, and train the Indian Foreign Service to attract and retain high-caliber officers
• encourage the growth of world-class social science research and teaching schools in India through partnerships with private Indian and U.S. investors, universities, and foundations
• invest in Indian think-tanks and U.S.-India exchange programs that build capacity for foreign policy research
• bring non-career officers into the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and other parts of the foreign policy establishment as term-limited fellows to improve outside understanding of the policy process
• support the efforts of Indian researchers to maximize public access to material related to the history of India’s foreign policy by way of the 2005 Right to Information Act.
To read an executive summary as well as the full 24 page report, please log on to http://usindiafriendship.net/ and turn to the top left hand corner of the page.
The paper goes on to say:
India’s own foreign policy establishment hinders the country from achieving great-power status for four main reasons:
(1) The Indian Foreign Service is small, hobbled by its selection process and inadequate midcareer training, and tends not to make use of outside expertise;
(2) India’s think-tanks lack sufficient access to the information or resources required to conduct high-quality, policy-relevant scholarship;
(3) India’s public universities are poorly funded, highly regulated, and fail to provide world-class education in the social sciences and other fields related to foreign policy; and
(4) India’s media and private firms—leaders in debating the country’s foreign policy agenda—are not built to undertake sustained foreign policy research or training.
For India to achieve great-power status, a number of improvements to its foreign policy software will be required:
• expand, reform, pay, and train the Indian Foreign Service to attract and retain high-caliber officers
• encourage the growth of world-class social science research and teaching schools in India through partnerships with private Indian and U.S. investors, universities, and foundations
• invest in Indian think-tanks and U.S.-India exchange programs that build capacity for foreign policy research
• bring non-career officers into the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and other parts of the foreign policy establishment as term-limited fellows to improve outside understanding of the policy process
• support the efforts of Indian researchers to maximize public access to material related to the history of India’s foreign policy by way of the 2005 Right to Information Act.
To read an executive summary as well as the full 24 page report, please log on to http://usindiafriendship.net/ and turn to the top left hand corner of the page.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Gang rapes in Surat, India
SURAT GANGRAPE SIGNALS RISE OF SEX MANIA IN SOCIETY?
by Meenakshi Joshi
The Surat gang rape has again shocked the whole state after the last year’s Patan gang rape. As after Patan gang rape one after another rapes and gang rapes were coming out. Similarly after the Surat shameful gang rape one after another incident of gang rapes and rapes are coming out from different corner of the state. By the time the article is published many more cases of rapes and gang rape may surface, It is assumed that only 25 % case of rape cases are registered , and rest remain a silence, because of facing social ostracism. Last year only 10% cases of rapes were registered before the police in Gujarat.
Whenever one open the newspaper in the morning is shocked to come across the news of rape, sexual abuse, gang rape which range from father raping daughter, kids raped by elders.
The gang rape of Kashmiri two women by paramilitary forces last month has rocked the whole valley, and protests are going on. The Interim Committee report has indicted the Paramilitary force and the doctors, who tried to suppress the truth in their Post Mortem report. the Bollywood star raping the maid servant in Mumbai is another bombshell. The gang rape in the moving car in Bhopal, where the wife and husband from Mumbai were picked up in the name of a lift is another incidents. One women was raped inside on of the police station in Delhi.The rapes in car has become normal after the series of rapes inside the car in Delhi.
How Safe is Gujarat for women-
Gujarat is claimed to be the haven for the safety of women. The Patan Gang Rape had broken the myth of this claim.From January 2008 to December 2008 there are 374 cases of rape, 1110 kidnaping,122 sexual harassment,6094 cruelty by husbands. These are the registered cases on before police only. See the tally of the Crimes against Women in Gujarat :( In three years : March 2006 to March 2009)
_________________________________________________________
The Crimes against Women in Gujarat : In three years : March 2006 to March 2009
District: Rape - Sexual Harrasment/Eve Teasing
Ahmedabad (City ) 132 - 237
Ahmedabad ( Rural ) 036 - 068
Rajkot ( City ) 016 - 036
Rajkot ( Rural ) 068 - 104
Surat ( City ) 101 - 114
Surat ( Rural ) 016 - 027
Baroda ( City ) 022 - 040
Baroda ( Rural ) 033 - 050
Gandhinagar 034 - 046
Surendranagar 055 - 095
Kutchh 041 - 095
Amreli 028 - 053
Junagadhh 031 - 130
Kheda 039 - 094
Anand 029 - 076
Sabarkantha 034 - 068
Jamnagar 039 - 045
Banaskantha 065 - 143
Patan 031 - 059
Bhavnagar 012 - 088
Porbander 004 - 008
Narmada 017 - 019
Dahod 032 - 055
Valsad 016 - 026
Danga 015 - 015
Bharuch 030 - 036
Godhara 050 - 088
Tapi 014 - 005
Navsari 012 - 017
____________________________________________________
Daily more than one women is raped , 19 women abducted, 16 women fall prey to domestic violence.
The women development cell of Gujarat University receives 200 complains of sexual harassment in colleges per year.
There is not a single day kids, school girls, college girls, women are not abused. The news papers are full with news in Gujarat. We know that many cases of sexual abuses goes unreported. Is it the rapes during the Carnage 2002 in Gujarat has infected the whole society in the state. It is presumed that after the Patan Gang rape and the public anger followed by the Surat gang rape and the public anger, there will be a halt to this on going sexual crime but it appears that the rapists are least bothered or scared of the Police , the administration or the people and the rapes are going on unabated. After Surat gang rape so many cases of rapes and sexual abuses has taken place with in last 10 days only. On the day of RathYatra, the some of the school remained half closed in Ahmedabad. Taking the advantage of the closure of the schools some girl students went to a park in the most populated area of the city, in the morning. The vagabond youths tried to sexually harass the girls in the park. As the girls raised their voice of alarm the vendors came to the rescue of the girls and caught hold of the boys. The police came but did not arrest the vagabond youths, and released them, which has surprised many in the city. This reflects the indifference attitude and the insensitivity of the whole police and it's attitude to wards women.
Surat Gang Rape
The Surat Gang rape took place in one of the most posh locality of Surat. A 17 years girl student of 12th standard of science stream was on her way to attend the tuition class which is scheduled at 5. A.M. She was exchanging the tutorial note book to one of her tutorial class mate, a boy, parking their two wheelers. The tutorial class starts from early morning to late night and the time is allotted accordingly to the students. After this incident of gang rape it has been changed to 7 A.M. through out the state.
Suddenly an Opel car stopped close to them, where three youths including the driver were boarded in. The two youths came out of the car and accused them of indecent public behavior and asked them to come to the police station. The driver of the car posed himself as the Police officer. Being scared the both - the girl and the boy were forced into the car. Then the girl was raped by one after another in presence of the boy. The sexual acts were video recorded in the mobile phone in order to black mail her in case she opens her mouth. Meanwhile the tier of the front wheel got punctured, but they drove the car into a construction site and continued the rape. The security guard of the construction site tried to intervene but was threatened with knife. The trio relieved the raped girl and the boy at 7 in the morning. The girl narrated the entire orgy of incident to her parents. The parents are from a reputed family and the girl is the niece of a prominent doctor. Instead of burying the rape in fear of social stigma they informed the police and in no time the police tracked the punctured car from a garage and reached the culprits. First Shahid Zaheer Saiyed was caught. He admitted the crime and his arrest led to others, Tariq Saiyed and Abu Bakar Shaikh. The trio were identified and taken to the remand for 14 days.
Shahid aged 23, is the son of Police Mr. N.G. Saiyed, now posted in Palanpur. Tariq, a student failed in 12thstandard is the son of head constable posted in Surat. Both of them pose themselves to be models. The third one aged 33 Abu Bakar is the owner of a mobile shop. The three has been committing crime one after another.
The incident of the gang rape reached the people with in no time and the whole city was raged into anger Though the police acted swiftly behavior of the Police commissioner, Shri Deepak Swaroop was very shocking. He wanted to underplay the gang rape, rather accused that the victim girl was in a compromising position with her tuition mate when the trio reached there. Presumably he was trying to underplay the shameful incident putting the blame on the girl. But thankfully the statement of Deepak Swaroop was contradicted by his junior officer, DCP Subhas Trivedi. He denied any such thing .
The comment of the Police Commissioner outraged the citizens of the city. He was not found in the office when the crowd reached there to submit the memorandum. Rather that very day evening he was busy in hosting party with the who is who of the city to celebrate the birth of a child of her daughter.
The Home Minister Shri Amit Shah rushed to Surat, met the victim, took charge of the situation, held the press conference, assured for the fast track court for immediate justice. Finally on the Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s direction the Police Commissioner was immediately transferred, and charge was handed over to Mr. Shivananda Jha the Addl. DGP of Surat range. He is the member of Special Investigation Team(SIT) appointed by Supreme court to probe post Godhra Riot , 2002. The Chairperson of National Women’s Commission too rushed to the city and demanded for Fast track court instead of High Court to ensure early justice as in the gang rape case in Rajasthan.
The news of gang rape spread like a wild fire in the city. The people were coming out to protest as it happened in Patan last year. In Patan , people came out spontaneously and the Bandh of the town was spontaneous. The mood was the same in Surat . The anger of the people went to the extent of lynching the rapist in the Civil Hospital, when they were brought for Serum Truth test. But both VHP and Bajrang Dal tried to wrest the opportunity and give a twist to the whole gang rape incident because the rapist happen to be Muslims. The Bandh call of the city on 15th June by both VHP and Bajrang Dal was alarming one . There was all apprehension of communalizing the whole incident of gang rape. Thanks to the people of Surat who were not carried by the ploy of communalization and rightly judged the rape as the heinous crime and demanded to hang the rapists. Sensing the mood of the people both BJP and Congress distanced themselves from the call of the Bandh. Few Muslim organizations naturally supported the Bandh Call and demanded the exemplary punishment to the culprits. BJP’s distancing from VHP’s & Bajarang Dal’s call was to distance itself from VHP and Bajrang Dal. Not only the BJP Govt. distanced itself from the Bandh Call but cracked down on it to prevent the Bandh Call, which has annoyed Pravin Togadia.In the age of internet the E Court has given death sentence for the rapist of Surat.
The fathers of the two rapists, belonging to the Police department. demand death sentence to their sons if found guilty. The families have been ostracized which hurt put them in shame in the society. The families of Shahid and Tariq has a tradition of serving in police department for years. The policemen’s surrounding in the family has encouraged the sons of the police men to take advantage of the situation. It has come to lime light some time Shahid was carrying the father’s revolver with him .On a routine check up he was caught with revolver by the police in that same Opel Car which belongs to his father, Mr. N.G Saiyed, the Circle inspector, posted in Palanpur. Shahid said that his father forgot the revolver in the car.
Now the trio has admitted that they also have raped a mentally challenged girl in Piplod area of the city 5 months back. They are suspected of murder of a Nepali sex worker Juhi , aged 35 , who was lost but her body recovered in January 16, 2009.
The MMS clippings taken by the trio are coming one after another. From MMS clippings the Police could discovered another victim of gang rape by these group, but she is reluctant to file the case. The reason is obvious.
One welcome the statement of the fathers of two rapists, who happens to be policemen, but it hard to believe that they were ignorant of their sons’ criminal activities.
These two rapist were posing themselves as police and taking the advantages. It was perhaps known to their fellow policemen, but they would prefer to overlook as an expression of fraternization within Police dept. Shahid carrying the revolver , is enough as a proof to the waywardness of these sons of policemen and ironically Deepak Swaroop’s statement too corroborate this fact.
The rapist sons of the police men were fully convinced that they can act freely because of their police background. More over the silence of the earlier victims encouraged them to black mail the victims and act wildly.
As a matter of fact there is no fear in the mind of the rapist due to the current system, which is very sluggish, distasteful ,and clumsy and time consuming with all kind of harassment of the victim. The slack attitude of the enquiry is one the cause of fearlessness of the rapists.
It is to remind that the Bijal Gang rape took place in 2004.The Chandani Rape case took place at Datar hill near Junagadh on May 13, 2007. The rapist killed the minor girl after the rape and her friend escaped after the rape in the Jungle. The rapists, though were identified escaped the arrest for two years and were arrested from Mumbai on last 30 th. May, this year. They were sent to Junagadh Prison where they were beaten by the prisoners and now transferred to Porbnder jail. The Chandani case rocked the whole state for two years.
Now after gang rape in Surat two gang rapes have come to lime light from Rajkot. One 17 year girl was missing for 5 months. She eloped with her friend. She was drugged and rapped by the person with whom she eloped with his two friends for five months, in Rajkot. A girl of 15 years was kidnapped , from Rajkot on 29th May, taken to Ahmedabad and raped by three persons for 17 days.
It appears that the sex mania has taken grip of the society and it is growing like a virus in the society. video recording with the aid of Mobile and the MMS has become a new instrument of black mailing tactic. More over one cannot deny the impact, media, internet, films, advertisements which is portraying the women as the object of sexual pleasure. Not only the teen-agers but also the aged people are also becoming the rapists. The rape and gang rapes are increasing like virus and sex mania in on rise, which is very alarming for a healthy society. This is ought to break the moral and ethic and culture of the society.
Rape and Business-
The Surat Gang Rape has opened another dimension of the lucrative business involved in the gang rape. It has come to limelight that the gang rapists earned 40,000 rupees per head out of selling the MMS clips. So raping and video recordings fetch money through black mailing.
The sexual crimes is becoming a bussiness and it is increasing in menancing scale in the state. The rising unemployment, moral degradation, exposure to obscenity through media, insensitive of the police, administration has opened the sexual crime as an avenue of earning too.
Due to the hostile attitude of the ruling party and the administration on Patan Gang Rape case the rapes are in creasing in Gujarat.. Thanks to the victim girl, girls students, parents of the victim and the protest through out the country, that finally the rapists lecturers got life imprisonment. The Jhagadia gang rape case verdict was followed by Patan case verdict was followed by life imprisonment to the culprits. But yet the Principal of the Patan PTC college, the Director of DIET—and other responsible persons for Patan case are yet to be punished.
While in Patan case , the Ruling party and the administration have created all kind of hindrances to un earth the truth of Gang Rape and tried to save the lecturers, just it was contrast in the case of Surat. The Home Minister Mr. Amit Shah rushed to the spot, transferred the irresponsible Police Commissioner, Chief Minister Narendra Modi expressed concern ,( where as he maintained a stud silence on Patan gang Rape). the rapists were conducted the truth serum test, with extra ordinary speed. It is fine. But is it the Muslim factor of the gang rape that prompted the ruling party to act so swiftly.? But every body would like that the Govt.and it’s machinery act as quick as possible and punish the culprit by opening more fast courts with the approval of the High Court with out delay, which the women organizations citizens have been demanding for a long time. Last year it was No More Patan This year it is No more Surat.
People of Gujarat are going for zero tolerance on the rapists.
by Meenakshi Joshi
The Surat gang rape has again shocked the whole state after the last year’s Patan gang rape. As after Patan gang rape one after another rapes and gang rapes were coming out. Similarly after the Surat shameful gang rape one after another incident of gang rapes and rapes are coming out from different corner of the state. By the time the article is published many more cases of rapes and gang rape may surface, It is assumed that only 25 % case of rape cases are registered , and rest remain a silence, because of facing social ostracism. Last year only 10% cases of rapes were registered before the police in Gujarat.
Whenever one open the newspaper in the morning is shocked to come across the news of rape, sexual abuse, gang rape which range from father raping daughter, kids raped by elders.
The gang rape of Kashmiri two women by paramilitary forces last month has rocked the whole valley, and protests are going on. The Interim Committee report has indicted the Paramilitary force and the doctors, who tried to suppress the truth in their Post Mortem report. the Bollywood star raping the maid servant in Mumbai is another bombshell. The gang rape in the moving car in Bhopal, where the wife and husband from Mumbai were picked up in the name of a lift is another incidents. One women was raped inside on of the police station in Delhi.The rapes in car has become normal after the series of rapes inside the car in Delhi.
How Safe is Gujarat for women-
Gujarat is claimed to be the haven for the safety of women. The Patan Gang Rape had broken the myth of this claim.From January 2008 to December 2008 there are 374 cases of rape, 1110 kidnaping,122 sexual harassment,6094 cruelty by husbands. These are the registered cases on before police only. See the tally of the Crimes against Women in Gujarat :( In three years : March 2006 to March 2009)
_________________________________________________________
The Crimes against Women in Gujarat : In three years : March 2006 to March 2009
District: Rape - Sexual Harrasment/Eve Teasing
Ahmedabad (City ) 132 - 237
Ahmedabad ( Rural ) 036 - 068
Rajkot ( City ) 016 - 036
Rajkot ( Rural ) 068 - 104
Surat ( City ) 101 - 114
Surat ( Rural ) 016 - 027
Baroda ( City ) 022 - 040
Baroda ( Rural ) 033 - 050
Gandhinagar 034 - 046
Surendranagar 055 - 095
Kutchh 041 - 095
Amreli 028 - 053
Junagadhh 031 - 130
Kheda 039 - 094
Anand 029 - 076
Sabarkantha 034 - 068
Jamnagar 039 - 045
Banaskantha 065 - 143
Patan 031 - 059
Bhavnagar 012 - 088
Porbander 004 - 008
Narmada 017 - 019
Dahod 032 - 055
Valsad 016 - 026
Danga 015 - 015
Bharuch 030 - 036
Godhara 050 - 088
Tapi 014 - 005
Navsari 012 - 017
____________________________________________________
Daily more than one women is raped , 19 women abducted, 16 women fall prey to domestic violence.
The women development cell of Gujarat University receives 200 complains of sexual harassment in colleges per year.
There is not a single day kids, school girls, college girls, women are not abused. The news papers are full with news in Gujarat. We know that many cases of sexual abuses goes unreported. Is it the rapes during the Carnage 2002 in Gujarat has infected the whole society in the state. It is presumed that after the Patan Gang rape and the public anger followed by the Surat gang rape and the public anger, there will be a halt to this on going sexual crime but it appears that the rapists are least bothered or scared of the Police , the administration or the people and the rapes are going on unabated. After Surat gang rape so many cases of rapes and sexual abuses has taken place with in last 10 days only. On the day of RathYatra, the some of the school remained half closed in Ahmedabad. Taking the advantage of the closure of the schools some girl students went to a park in the most populated area of the city, in the morning. The vagabond youths tried to sexually harass the girls in the park. As the girls raised their voice of alarm the vendors came to the rescue of the girls and caught hold of the boys. The police came but did not arrest the vagabond youths, and released them, which has surprised many in the city. This reflects the indifference attitude and the insensitivity of the whole police and it's attitude to wards women.
Surat Gang Rape
The Surat Gang rape took place in one of the most posh locality of Surat. A 17 years girl student of 12th standard of science stream was on her way to attend the tuition class which is scheduled at 5. A.M. She was exchanging the tutorial note book to one of her tutorial class mate, a boy, parking their two wheelers. The tutorial class starts from early morning to late night and the time is allotted accordingly to the students. After this incident of gang rape it has been changed to 7 A.M. through out the state.
Suddenly an Opel car stopped close to them, where three youths including the driver were boarded in. The two youths came out of the car and accused them of indecent public behavior and asked them to come to the police station. The driver of the car posed himself as the Police officer. Being scared the both - the girl and the boy were forced into the car. Then the girl was raped by one after another in presence of the boy. The sexual acts were video recorded in the mobile phone in order to black mail her in case she opens her mouth. Meanwhile the tier of the front wheel got punctured, but they drove the car into a construction site and continued the rape. The security guard of the construction site tried to intervene but was threatened with knife. The trio relieved the raped girl and the boy at 7 in the morning. The girl narrated the entire orgy of incident to her parents. The parents are from a reputed family and the girl is the niece of a prominent doctor. Instead of burying the rape in fear of social stigma they informed the police and in no time the police tracked the punctured car from a garage and reached the culprits. First Shahid Zaheer Saiyed was caught. He admitted the crime and his arrest led to others, Tariq Saiyed and Abu Bakar Shaikh. The trio were identified and taken to the remand for 14 days.
Shahid aged 23, is the son of Police Mr. N.G. Saiyed, now posted in Palanpur. Tariq, a student failed in 12thstandard is the son of head constable posted in Surat. Both of them pose themselves to be models. The third one aged 33 Abu Bakar is the owner of a mobile shop. The three has been committing crime one after another.
The incident of the gang rape reached the people with in no time and the whole city was raged into anger Though the police acted swiftly behavior of the Police commissioner, Shri Deepak Swaroop was very shocking. He wanted to underplay the gang rape, rather accused that the victim girl was in a compromising position with her tuition mate when the trio reached there. Presumably he was trying to underplay the shameful incident putting the blame on the girl. But thankfully the statement of Deepak Swaroop was contradicted by his junior officer, DCP Subhas Trivedi. He denied any such thing .
The comment of the Police Commissioner outraged the citizens of the city. He was not found in the office when the crowd reached there to submit the memorandum. Rather that very day evening he was busy in hosting party with the who is who of the city to celebrate the birth of a child of her daughter.
The Home Minister Shri Amit Shah rushed to Surat, met the victim, took charge of the situation, held the press conference, assured for the fast track court for immediate justice. Finally on the Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s direction the Police Commissioner was immediately transferred, and charge was handed over to Mr. Shivananda Jha the Addl. DGP of Surat range. He is the member of Special Investigation Team(SIT) appointed by Supreme court to probe post Godhra Riot , 2002. The Chairperson of National Women’s Commission too rushed to the city and demanded for Fast track court instead of High Court to ensure early justice as in the gang rape case in Rajasthan.
The news of gang rape spread like a wild fire in the city. The people were coming out to protest as it happened in Patan last year. In Patan , people came out spontaneously and the Bandh of the town was spontaneous. The mood was the same in Surat . The anger of the people went to the extent of lynching the rapist in the Civil Hospital, when they were brought for Serum Truth test. But both VHP and Bajrang Dal tried to wrest the opportunity and give a twist to the whole gang rape incident because the rapist happen to be Muslims. The Bandh call of the city on 15th June by both VHP and Bajrang Dal was alarming one . There was all apprehension of communalizing the whole incident of gang rape. Thanks to the people of Surat who were not carried by the ploy of communalization and rightly judged the rape as the heinous crime and demanded to hang the rapists. Sensing the mood of the people both BJP and Congress distanced themselves from the call of the Bandh. Few Muslim organizations naturally supported the Bandh Call and demanded the exemplary punishment to the culprits. BJP’s distancing from VHP’s & Bajarang Dal’s call was to distance itself from VHP and Bajrang Dal. Not only the BJP Govt. distanced itself from the Bandh Call but cracked down on it to prevent the Bandh Call, which has annoyed Pravin Togadia.In the age of internet the E Court has given death sentence for the rapist of Surat.
The fathers of the two rapists, belonging to the Police department. demand death sentence to their sons if found guilty. The families have been ostracized which hurt put them in shame in the society. The families of Shahid and Tariq has a tradition of serving in police department for years. The policemen’s surrounding in the family has encouraged the sons of the police men to take advantage of the situation. It has come to lime light some time Shahid was carrying the father’s revolver with him .On a routine check up he was caught with revolver by the police in that same Opel Car which belongs to his father, Mr. N.G Saiyed, the Circle inspector, posted in Palanpur. Shahid said that his father forgot the revolver in the car.
Now the trio has admitted that they also have raped a mentally challenged girl in Piplod area of the city 5 months back. They are suspected of murder of a Nepali sex worker Juhi , aged 35 , who was lost but her body recovered in January 16, 2009.
The MMS clippings taken by the trio are coming one after another. From MMS clippings the Police could discovered another victim of gang rape by these group, but she is reluctant to file the case. The reason is obvious.
One welcome the statement of the fathers of two rapists, who happens to be policemen, but it hard to believe that they were ignorant of their sons’ criminal activities.
These two rapist were posing themselves as police and taking the advantages. It was perhaps known to their fellow policemen, but they would prefer to overlook as an expression of fraternization within Police dept. Shahid carrying the revolver , is enough as a proof to the waywardness of these sons of policemen and ironically Deepak Swaroop’s statement too corroborate this fact.
The rapist sons of the police men were fully convinced that they can act freely because of their police background. More over the silence of the earlier victims encouraged them to black mail the victims and act wildly.
As a matter of fact there is no fear in the mind of the rapist due to the current system, which is very sluggish, distasteful ,and clumsy and time consuming with all kind of harassment of the victim. The slack attitude of the enquiry is one the cause of fearlessness of the rapists.
It is to remind that the Bijal Gang rape took place in 2004.The Chandani Rape case took place at Datar hill near Junagadh on May 13, 2007. The rapist killed the minor girl after the rape and her friend escaped after the rape in the Jungle. The rapists, though were identified escaped the arrest for two years and were arrested from Mumbai on last 30 th. May, this year. They were sent to Junagadh Prison where they were beaten by the prisoners and now transferred to Porbnder jail. The Chandani case rocked the whole state for two years.
Now after gang rape in Surat two gang rapes have come to lime light from Rajkot. One 17 year girl was missing for 5 months. She eloped with her friend. She was drugged and rapped by the person with whom she eloped with his two friends for five months, in Rajkot. A girl of 15 years was kidnapped , from Rajkot on 29th May, taken to Ahmedabad and raped by three persons for 17 days.
It appears that the sex mania has taken grip of the society and it is growing like a virus in the society. video recording with the aid of Mobile and the MMS has become a new instrument of black mailing tactic. More over one cannot deny the impact, media, internet, films, advertisements which is portraying the women as the object of sexual pleasure. Not only the teen-agers but also the aged people are also becoming the rapists. The rape and gang rapes are increasing like virus and sex mania in on rise, which is very alarming for a healthy society. This is ought to break the moral and ethic and culture of the society.
Rape and Business-
The Surat Gang Rape has opened another dimension of the lucrative business involved in the gang rape. It has come to limelight that the gang rapists earned 40,000 rupees per head out of selling the MMS clips. So raping and video recordings fetch money through black mailing.
The sexual crimes is becoming a bussiness and it is increasing in menancing scale in the state. The rising unemployment, moral degradation, exposure to obscenity through media, insensitive of the police, administration has opened the sexual crime as an avenue of earning too.
Due to the hostile attitude of the ruling party and the administration on Patan Gang Rape case the rapes are in creasing in Gujarat.. Thanks to the victim girl, girls students, parents of the victim and the protest through out the country, that finally the rapists lecturers got life imprisonment. The Jhagadia gang rape case verdict was followed by Patan case verdict was followed by life imprisonment to the culprits. But yet the Principal of the Patan PTC college, the Director of DIET—and other responsible persons for Patan case are yet to be punished.
While in Patan case , the Ruling party and the administration have created all kind of hindrances to un earth the truth of Gang Rape and tried to save the lecturers, just it was contrast in the case of Surat. The Home Minister Mr. Amit Shah rushed to the spot, transferred the irresponsible Police Commissioner, Chief Minister Narendra Modi expressed concern ,( where as he maintained a stud silence on Patan gang Rape). the rapists were conducted the truth serum test, with extra ordinary speed. It is fine. But is it the Muslim factor of the gang rape that prompted the ruling party to act so swiftly.? But every body would like that the Govt.and it’s machinery act as quick as possible and punish the culprit by opening more fast courts with the approval of the High Court with out delay, which the women organizations citizens have been demanding for a long time. Last year it was No More Patan This year it is No more Surat.
People of Gujarat are going for zero tolerance on the rapists.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
History of Gujarati Theatre by Hasmukh Baradi and Oxford Companion to Indian Theatre, Editor, Dr. Ananda Lal - A Critical Review
Critical review of Gujarati Thiyetarano Itihasa (in Gujarati language) or the History of Gujarati Theatre by Hasmukh Baradi and Oxford Companion to India Theatre, Edited by Ananda Lal, Oxford University Press, India.
By Harish Trivedi
© 2008.
All Rights Reserved
(Reproduction or storage or copying in any form in whole or any part of these reviews without written permission of the writer is prohibited).
Gujarati Thiyetarano Itihasa
By Hasamukha Baradi
Published: Navi Dilli, Nesanala Buka Trasta, 1997.
ISBN: 8123719957,
English translation: Vinod Meghani
History of Gujarati Theatre
By Hasmukh Baradi
Published: 2002 (Paperback - April 2004)
Published by National Book Trust, New Delhi,
And
Oxford Companion to Indian Theatre
Editor: Ananda Lal
Oxford University Press, Printed in India 2004
One of the contributors on Gujarati Theatre in this Oxord Companion … is Mr. Hasmukh Baradi. His contributions bear his initials HB.
Out of sheer curiosity I read through Mr. Baradi’s work on the history of Gujarati theatre and found there to my surprise similar mistakes that I have enumerated in my observations about his articles in the Natak Budreti (Special Issue, that I now call Part I)
I am much troubled by the errors of fact, incomplete information and blatant omissions in the English and Gujarati versions of Mr. Baradi’s History of Gujarati Theatre.
Mr. Hasmukh Baradi’s contributions to the most reputable, no - venerable work such as the Oxford Companion to Indian Theatre too is replete with incomplete information and omissions.
First about the History of Gujarati Theatre:
Mr. Baradi’s distaste or aversion for providing sources or citations for information he presents as history is evident in his History of Gujarati Theatre. (The original Gujarati version of the same appeared in 1997).
Mr. Baradi’s History of Gujarati Theatre does not include any specific citations about the sources for the information gathered by him except a general statement, ‘…I express my sincere thanks to…my predecessors of being helpful in providing matter for this compilation… ‘
Well, this history is indeed a compilation and like the Natak Budreti issue (March 2007), this History of Gujarati Theatre is full of errors and questionable English translation.
Although Mr. Baradi has provided a general list of sources and reference books at the end of his version of history. But no specific source is given for his assertions.
My concern about the lack of sourcing or citation is related to the issue of scholarship, particularly for the benefit of present and future students of the history of Gujarati drama and scholars who may want to conduct further research on the subject.
According to various guide lines on the subject of research and writing and writing styles, citations and sourcing are essential in order to 1) provide useful information and to avoid the claims of plagiarism, 2) to show that a particular portion or whole writing is not original research, 3) to ensure that the content of articles is credible and can be checked by any reader or editor, 4) to help the readers find additional reliable information on the topic, and 5) to improve the overall credibility and authoritative character of the work – a magazine article or a book of history or for that matter a book on any subject. And finally citations and sourcing is necessary to reduce the likelihood of editorial disputes or to resolve any that arise.
As the sourcing or citation for information presented in the History of Gujarati Theatre is completely absent there is no way for a reader to verify any statement in this history for its accuracy. In other words there is no way to know what is fact, opinion or mere conjecture presented as fact by our historian Mr. Hasmukh Baradi.
In-text citations that refer readers to a list of works cited. (For example the list of reference books at the end of the above named history book). There are no in-text citations in Mr. Baradi’s History of Gujarati Theatre.
Mr. Baradi’s listing of reference books at the end of the history of Gujarati theatre is meaningless.
(Please refer to a detailed note about citations, sourcing and plagiarism at the end of this review on page 55)*
Here are a few and randomly selected examples of errors, misstatements, erroneous headings or questionable English translation:
Note: All page numbers below refer to History of Gujarati Theatre by Hasmukh Baradi, English Translation by Vinod Meghani.
In this history on – page 20 - Mr. Baradi has described Mr. Jaggannath Shankar Sheth as a Gujarati entrepreneur.
He (Mr. Baradi) has made a similar conjecture about Anil Mehta - page 214 - as he has done in that Special Issue of Natak Budreti (March 2007).
This is Mr. Baradi’s version of History of Gujarati Theatre! Some book of history of Gujarati theatre indeed!
Greenroom Techniques (on page 176). Mr. Baradi describes production techniques as Greenroom Techniques.
Any one with a rudimentary knowledge of theatre terms would know that, a greenroom is a place where an actor or actress rests, changes costumes or waits for his/her next entry. There are no production techniques inside the greenrooms across India or around the world.
Creation of an illusion of an aerodrome or showing of sailing ships (the translator has used the term enactment) and other such stage effects cannot be and should not be called greenroom techniques.
B) On page 167 this gem appears:
In 1963 Pravin Joshi ‘produced the first play, Mogra-na Sap. For acting as well as direction, in Mogra-na Sap inclusive, he claimed four awards. Also in 1963, he begged six awards in the (Mumbai) State Drama Competition for a play Shyam Gulal.
Pravin Joshi’s first directorial venture after joining INT was Kumar Asambhavam, a Gujarati version of Ravindranath Tagore’s Chirkumar Sabha.
A young actress named Varsha Acharya had a leading role in that play. For novices, Varsha Acharya is none other than Varsha Adalja a respected novelist and a winner of Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak and many other awards and honors.
Secondly, Pravin Joshi did not beg for six awards. I am sure the translator meant bagged.
C) On the same page (167) we come across another nugget –
‘He (meaning Pravin Joshi) rendered for Gujarati theatre the adaptation of Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw’. This is only partially true, INT’s Santu Rangilee was based more on My Fair Lady – a musical version of Shaw’s Pygmalion. The credit for the Gujarati version/adaptation goes to Madhu Rye, one of the mold-breaking writers in Gujarati theatre during the last five decades and who has been recipient of many accolades, awards and honors for his contribution to the Gujarati theatre and literature...(shockingly this does not find room in Mr. Baradi's so-called History of Gujarati Theatre)
D) On page 168 we come across this paragraph:
Under the stewardship of Damu Jhaveri, who provided actor-director Pravin Joshi with all that absolute freedom and encouraged his experimental plays like Bharelo Agni (Ramanlal Desai), Sona Vatakadi (Chandravadan Mehta) and Jesal Toral (Jitubhai Mehta)…
Nothing can be farther from truth. Mansukh Joshi directed Jesal Toral and it starred Urmila Bhatt and Pratap Oza among many others. Bharelo Agni was adapted for stage by Madhukar Randeria and was directed by Ramesh Jamindar and Madhukar Randeria.
Pravin Joshi was in no way near when Sona Vatakadi was staged by the INT at Ranga Bhavan and Pravin Joshi did not direct it as Mr. Baradi has asserted in his History of Gujarati Theatre.
The lighting for all these productions was designed by Ramesh Jamindar and was marvelously executed by Gautam Joshi while Mansukh Joshi and Vijay Kapadia designed the sets. In Jesal Toral Mansukh Joshi most effectively and imaginatively used two revolving stages. And one more thing: Naran Mistry DID NOT design sets for Bharelo Agni as claimed by Mr. Hasmukh Baradi.
The story about how Mr. Damu Jhaveri recruited Pravin Joshi for INT as narrated by our historian Mr. Hasmukh Baradi is wrong too.
Here is what happened:
Krishnakant Shah, during the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan sponsored inter-collegiate one-act play competitions proved himself as an actor with great potential, particularly through his performances in the play Bhagna Mandir and Station Master.
Krishnakant was invited by Damu Jhaveri to direct and act in Prabodh Joshi’s full-length play Kadam Milake Chalo under the INT banner. The play was very successful. But after its good run when Mr. Krishnakant Shah decided to move to the United States for studies and pursue his dramatic interests, Damubhai (Mr. Damu Jhaveri) invited Pravin Joshi to take up the role in Kadam Milake Chalo. This was an entry point for Pravin Joshi and a beginning of his long, historic and very rewarding theatre career.
During the years 1954, 1955 and 1956, (the same decade of 1950s of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s inter-collegiate drama competitions) Pravin Joshi acted in three plays starting with Number 209 (in 1954). Prabodh Joshi wrote it and if I am not mistaken Kanti Madia had directed it.
It is worth noting that the decade of 1950s with the start of the Bhavan’s Inter-collegiate one-act play competitions is also the decade when Krishnakant Shah, Pravin Joshi, Kanti Madia, Kishore Bhatt, Jayant Vyas, D. S. Mehta – Dhirubhai, Navin Parekh, Vijay Bhatt, Satyadev Dubey, Varsha Acharya (Adalja), Chitra Bhatt, Bharati Sheth, Panna Modi, Amrit Patel, Upendra Trivedi, Pradyumna Badheka (now a political activist and a lawyer) appeared on stage and later emerged as notable theatre personalities, some theatre careers lasting as long as five decades or more. – And the above list is not all-inclusive.
Back to Pravin Joshi:
In 1955 Pravin performed in Vandrano Panjo – a Gujarati version of W. W. Jacob’s short story and later a play titled Monkey’s Paw and in 1956 Pravin performed in Najuk Sawari, which was written by Tarak Mehta.
The Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s very demanding and tough audience stopped the performance of No. 209 within the first ten minutes of its start. Pravin’s performance in Vandrano Panjo was a moderate success. Vandrano Panjo was performed at least two or three other times during the decade of 1950s. But it was the fast paced comedy called Najuk Sawari (with Ashwin Jani) that helped Pravin Joshi to fully exploit his comedic talent. The rest is history as they say.
Some may question the labeling of Vandrano Panjo or Monkey’s Paw as a comedy. Curious or purists should read the published script of either versions of the play. Mr. Baradi has described Pravin Joshi’s performance in Vandrano Panjo as a comedic performance. (Although Mr. Baradi has not provided any source for this piece of information)
Prabodh Joshi has written in detail about the inter-collegiate competitions and Amar Jariwala and Prof. Vishnukumar Vyas have written a series of articles on their respective associations with the theatre group Rangabhoomi. The back issues of Mumbai Samachar and other contemporary papers’ archives would be a valuable source for further research on this subject.
Many of the veterans of that era are leaving us one by one and it is a matter of time when no one with memories of that period of theatre history would be available for historic research and nostalgic conversation. Mr. Nirjanjan Mehta, a journalist, writer and a public relations expert is still around and active in Mumbai. He has recently started a series in a leading Gujarati journal where in he reminisces about that era.
E) Mr. Baradi has named various actors who worked with Pravin Joshi but he has completely ignored the names of stalwarts of his ensemble cast such as D. S. Mehta or Dhirubhai as he was popularly known, the great comic talent Kishore Bhatt and Hansu Mehta. Hari Jariwala (With screen name Sanjeev Kumar he appeared in many movies). Hari Jariwala had a lead role in INT’s Koino Ladakvayo a Gujarati version of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons. This Gujarati version was based on a Hindustani version of the same and Pravin Joshi had directed Koino Ladakvayo.
A young actress by the name of Varsha Acharya (now Adalja – a successful novelist, a playwright and winner of various literary awards and honors including the coveted Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak) had also acted in many memorable plays and won numerous acting honors, including at the inter-collegiate full-length drama competition that was sponsored by the INT. She had also acted in the Maharshtra and Gujarat State Drama Competition (not Mumbai State or Bombay State as Mr. Baradi refers to these competitions in his history) for her acting in Allabeli (written by her father Shri Gunvantrai Acharya) and Purnima (a stage adaptation of R. V. Desai’s novel by the same name by Prof. Vishnukumar Vyas). She won acting honors for her acting in Panchme Pagathiye – the original Gujarati version of Frederick Knot’s Dial M for Murder.
It is worth noting that the script of Panchme Pagathiye was with INT as it was the sponsor of the competition. Meghnad Desai, now Lord Desai, had done the skillful Gujarati adaptation of that play. It is easy to guess as to where the inspiration for Mograna Sap came from. Incidentally Dhirubhai or Mr. D. S. Mehta was given credit for the adaptation of Mograna Sap from the Frederick Knot’s play. Varsha Adalja’s last major theatrical role was in Rangabhoomi’s Jehr To Pidha Che Jani Jani with Upendra Trivedi. In later shows, Surendra Shah performed Upendra Trivedi’s role.
The name of Varsha Acharya or Varsha Adalja and her luminescent theatre career does not find any space in Mr. Baradi’s history. For that matter the Dave brothers from Bombay - Bharat Dave, Sailesh Dave and Hari Jariwala (prior to his transition in to films with a screen name Sanjeev Kumar) and contributions of such pioneering writers/translators as Babubhai Bukhanwala and Dhansukhlal Mehta too are absent or have been dismissed with a cursory note or two by our historian Hamukh Baradi.
Just for comparison it should be noted that there are over twenty entries under the name Baradi, Hasmukh in the index to the History of Gujarati Theatre.
Incidentally, when Mr. K. M. Munshi wrote Gujarat and Its Literature he had asked Mr. L. J. S. Taraporevala to write about him (K. M. Munshi). Commenting about this Mr. Taraporevala noted, “ It was an unexpected honor to be asked to write about Munshi in the present work. Obviously it would have been bad taste for a writer- anybody except, perhaps, Bernard Shaw – to write at length about himself…. And when he asked me to write about him, I undertook to do so with great pleasure…’- (Chapter V, page 324, Gujarat And Its Literature, First Edition 1935).
F) On page 169 there is a paragraph devoted to Nila Theatres and its founder Jagdish Shah where Mr. Baradi states that ‘ in Pattani Jod by Prabodh Joshi, Jagdish Shah, ‘…then only eighteen, had played the role of the aged grandfather’. Let’s just say that Jagdish Shah was not eighteen at that time (ask Mr. Niranjan Mehta or Tarak Mehta who were involved in many of the productions of the Nila Theatres and were associates of Mr. Jagdish Shah at his newspaper…The name of Jagdish Shah’s theatre group was Show People before it became Nila Theatres.
Another sentence on the same page 169, ‘With Tarak actress wife Gira then founded Nila Theatres’. What should a reader who is not familiar with Gujarati theatre make of this line? Was Gira, Tarak Mehta’s wife? No she was not… she was married to Jagdish Shah. This kind of carelessness and ignorance should not be accepted in any writing and certainly not in the History of Gujarati Theatre.
Adi Marzban:
Mr. Adi Marzban, the icon of Parsi/Gujarati and English theatre in the post independent India is very tardily described in this book of history.
A well-known and well-publicized joke narrated by Adi Marzban is presented as a true story by Mr. Baradi and the joke has been terribly mangled (page 173).
The fact that the Marzban family was for generations involved with theatre and journalism is also missing from Mr. Baradi’s history.
(The Parsi newspaper Jam-e-Jamshed was taken over by the Marzban family in 1870s. The founder of the family was Fardoonji Marzban according to The Parsis of India: Preservation of Identity in Bombay City By Jesse S. Palsetia)
Many of Mr. Marzban Parsi/Gujarati plays are based on the plays by Moss Hart & George S. Kaufman. This is a very important fact that is igonred by Mr. Baradi.
One of the most memorable plays, a Gujarati adaptation of J. B. Pristly’s An Inspector Calls by C. C. Mehta. It was called Gunghat and was directed by Adi Marzban. The impressive cast included Champshibhai Nagada, Chandrika Shah, and the role of the Inspector was played by Amir Merchant. This could arguably be called a most definitive Gujarati production of the Prestly play. There is no mention of this in Mr. Baradi’s History.
Mr. Baradi states that Mr. Adi Marzban attended the Pasadena Drama School. Mr. Marzban, during his trip to the United States visited Pasadena Playhouse and some Hollywood studios before he left for Hawaii.
The fact that Mr. C. C. Mehta, Mr. Adi Marzban and Mr. Upendra Trivedi were honored with a Padma Shree for their contribution to theatre cannot be found in this History of Gujarati Theatre! Adi Marzban was also honored by the Sangeet Natak Academy with its special honor.
Absent or Missing In Action:
Among other MIA or those missing in action in this History of Gujarati Theatre are such luminaries as Damu Jhaveri, Dhansukhlal Mehta, Tarak Mehta’s major contribution to the Gujarati theatre at the Inter-Collegiate level as well as the mainstream Bombay theatre in the 70s, directors, actors and actresses such as Honey Chhaya – a great director of prize winning plays such as Gujarati adaptation of Sharad Babu’s Parineeta, where Chel Vaida and Paresh Daru got their major break as scenic designers and also a prize for their scenic design for that production – the Gujarati version of Pirandello’s Six Characters In Search Of An Author – (Takhto Bole Chhe in Gujarati. The original literal Gujarati translation was done by Vajubhai Tank that was re-written and edited for production by Harish Trivedi). The play won multiple awards at the Maharashtra State Drama competition.
The following are ignored in the History of Gujarati Theatre -
1) Among the actors and actresses who got acting honors at these competitions were Usha Santheria (for Parneeta), Veena Prabhu and Krishnakant Vasavda (for Takhto Bole Chhe) and Chel-Paresh (for set design for Parneeta) Manisha Patel. Pratap Popat got acting honors for Duniyane Undha Chashma and Kaanchan Ranga. – …
2) Landmark productions like Dayaram written and directed by Prof. Vishnukumar Vyas. Prof. Vyas was honored with a writing award for this play.
3) Rangabhoomi’s other stunning productions such as Allabeli, Mrichhakatik, Shah Jehan, Pallavi Parni Gai, Aapghat, Ame Idario Ghad Jitya Re (based on Goldsmith’s She Stoops to Conquer), Narabanka (based on Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People), Kanchan Bhayo Katheer, Darpan…
4) Among the missing should be included - Rang Manch a very active theatre group from Ghatkopar, Bombay. Ranjit Atha, Gunvantrai Acharya, Vishnukumar Vyas - all were associated with this group too… all of the above and other pertinent information about the Gujarati Theatre activities in post independent India, particularly in Bombay is missing in Mr. Baradi’s History of Gujarati Theatre.
It is safe to say that our historian Mr. Hasmukh Baradi does not seem to know the full length and breath of the contributions of Ramesh Jamindar, Vishnukumar Vyas, Honey Chhaya, Madhukar Jhaveri (theatre critic, the Times of India for over a decade), Dr. D. G. Vyas and Damu Jhaveri.
Ramesh Jamindar or Boss as he was known among the young at that time could be considered a mentor or a teacher for young theatre enthusiasts at that time that included Kanti Madia, Pravin Joshi, Krishnakant Shah, Bhart Dave, Amrit Patel, Jayant Vyas, Kishore Bhatt… and the list could go on… There was a time when every one-act play written by Prabodh Joshi was directed by Ramesh Jamindar.
The Indian National Theatre as we all know it today and fondly remember would not have been what it was without the stewardship of Damubhai Jhaveri. He was associated with Sangeet Natak Academy for a long time and was considered a major voice in the theatre world of that time.
Nritya Natika or Dance Dramas:
Avinash Vyas and Yogendra Desai who pioneered and fully exploited this form of theatre for over two-decades from around 1950s have been ignored by our self-styled historian Mr. Baradi. People used to line up at the Birla Matushri Sabha Griha in Bombay on Sunday mornings to see these fabulous shows. During the heydays of the presentations of dance dramas. Mr. Pratap Oza had provided narration to many of these dance dramas.
Avinash Vyas was a gifted and blessed soul. Sheer volume of his music compositions and writing of lyrics for geet and garba still remains unparalleled. He not only composed music and lyrics for his dance dramas but also wrote melodious music for many a memorable Gujarati and Hindi films.
Yogendra Desai would always be remembered a great choreographer who contributed much to the evolution of dance dramas. In addition he was an excellent dance teacher. A young dancer and a budding movie star of the time - Asha Parekh had also appeared in one of the Nritya Natikas presented by this duo.
Sadly this theatre genre does not find a spot in Mr. Baradi’s history of Gujarati theatre.
While a passing reference to the Manbhatt tradition is made the name of Dharmiklal Pandya, one of the most knowledgeable
exponent of the Maan Bhatt and the Aakhyan tradition too cannot be found in this history.
Radio Plays:
The unsurpassed king of the radio-play, Barkat Virani does not find even a mention in this so-called history of Gujarati theatre. For over a quarter of century, late Barkat Virani (Befam) wrote and acted in the radio plays that were presented by the All India Radio’s Bombay station. He has over a hundred radio-plays to his credit. In addition to radio plays, Befam also wrote Gazals and appeared at various Mushairas during the 50s and 60s of the last century. He would always be remembered for his radio plays as well as for his velvety voice.
Gulabdas Broker, Tarak Mehta, Pratap Sangani and many others also wrote numerous radio plays that were broadcast from the AIR (All India Radio), Bombay. Tarak Mehta was awarded first prize for writing the radio-play Dayaram in an AIR sponsored competition. This was a different play than the one later written by Prof. Vishnukumar Vyas and for that he got writing prize at the State Drama Competition as mentioned above.
One could easily conclude that Mr. Hasmukh Baradi has not bothered to undertake any serious research about the theatre activities in Bombay or has intentionally ignored it.
Gujarati theatre activity in Bombay, during the post independence years - from 1947 through early 1970s - is sorely missing and the history Gujarati theatre in Mumbai for the last three decades of 20th century is very sparse and anecdotal at best.
Spelling:
Mr. Baradi separates the words in the title of the play Mograna Sap in to Mogra na Sap and he spells Gunvantrai and other Rais as Ray and that too with hyphen. In Mr. Baradi’s history the names of Ranchodrai appear as Ranchod Ray, the Parsi actor/director and one of the owners of the New Alfred Theatre company Kekhashru Kabraji appears as K. Khushru Kabraji.
Mr. Vinod Meghani has provided some explanation about the spellings in English translation of the History but he says nothing about the use of Ray. Mr. Meghani further compounds the spelling problem when he states that the spelling style adapted by him is not uniformally followed in the translation.
Our historian Mr. Baradi does not seem to know the last names of Chel Paresh. Probably he thinks Chel Paresh is one person. The names of Chel Vaida and Paresh Daru appear as Chel Paresh in Mr. Baradi’s history (page 214) book, including the index at the end of the book.
Naran Mistry (pages 143,168, 176 and 214) was associated with Rangabhoomi, Bombay and not with INT as our historian Mr. Hasmukh Baradi has repeatedly asserted in his version of history of Gujarati theatre!
Mr. Baradi calls Franz Kafka a German author (page 238). Kafka was from the country previously known as Czechoslovakia. Kafka never left his hometown Prague except once when he visited Vienna.
Our historian describes Frederich Durrenmatt as a German writer (page 34) But Friedrich Dürrenmatt was a Swiss author and dramatist.
Under ‘A brief chronology of theatre criticism follows…’ page 235 Mr. Baradi provides a list of varous theatre critics but again no specifics. For example. ‘A number of reviews of the plays of Dahya-bhai (his spelling) Dholshaji are on the record.’ But no information as to what ‘record’, in what publication the reviews appeared and or who wrote those reviews.
In the list of various theatre critics or reviewers, writers/critics from Bombay is missing. Shantikumar Dani (Janmabhoomi and Mumbai Samachar), Shakunt Raval (Janashakti), Burjor Pawri and K. K. Lala (Mumbai Samachar) and Madhukar Jhaveri (the Times of India) are totally ignored. Mr. Madhukar Jhaveir established very high standards for theatre criticism, starting in early 1960s till his retirement in early 1970s. Johnny-come-lately or wanna be theatre critics could learn a thing or two from his reviews.
An Index to the History of Gujarati Theatre that starts on page 247 is divided in to two categories. On page 247 one can find index for – what is described as Concepts & Processes.
Here are some samples of entries under this category - Balcony 48, misunderstanding about 14, British rule 109, …
I must confess that I do not know if the term British rule or the word Balcony is a concept or a process …
The other category in Index is Nouns, under this category the names of two scenic designers Chel and Paresh appears as a single entry – Chel Paresh – as has been noted above.
Thankfully the historian Mr. Baradi has stopped after providing an index for nouns, concepts and processes. One can only imagine an index for pro-nouns, verbs, adjectives etc.
Some other intriguing facts from the History of Gujarati Theatre:
a) The names of Alfred Company (page 67), Alfred Natak Company (page 88), and Alfred Natak Mandali (pages 21, 58 and 63) without any explanation about these groups being one and the same or entirely different entities.
b) Mr. Baradi equates the length of time spent for rehearsing a particular play with the quality of production of that play (page 177).
Mr. Baradi does not seem to know that the time devoted or allotted for rehearsals varies from a theatre group to a theatre group. Under such circumstances, sweeping generalization that Mr. Baradi provides is of dubious value to the reader. Is this what history of Gujarati theatre is all about?
c) Young Amrit did not go on his own to Lucknow as Mr. Baradi states on page 58.
Young Amrit Keshav Nayak was sent to Lucknow by Kabaraji and Sorabji Ogra to study Abhinaya, Kathak and Urdu language under various experts and Munshees.
Mr. Baradi also states that young Amrit, a young boy of eleven was offered a salary of rupees forty per month. This too is untrue. But since Mr. Baradi does not provide any sources for his information, it is difficult to verify the accuracy of his statement.
d) Describing Mr. Kanti Madia’s productions, Mr. Baradi writes about Sytlization – a whole page is devoted to this aspect of acting. It seems to me that Mr. Baradi has misused or mis-applied or misunderstood the term Stylization.
What Mr. Baradi describes as stylization in Kanti Madia’s productions should more appropriately be called Realistic style
"Realism" when used in context of acting, should be understood as a particular style that seeks to convince viewers that they are watching events unfold in the real world.
Realism as a genre derives much of its power from the illusion that occurs on stage as if the action is occurring here and now - say an illusion of a sailing ship in an ocean, or thunderstorm and rain or an airport or the landing of a helicopter on stage as was seen in the production of Miss Saigon.
Between the two poles of realism and stylization are genres such as the period or historic costume dramas. This is because these plays provide a realistic illusion of a particular period that is by definition different from contemporary reality, and therefore it becomes a form of stylization.
Use of the term stylization (By Mr. Baradi) without context or proper understanding, at best is likely to confuse the reader or at worst misinform the reader.
After reading his Special Issue on the history of the Gujarati Theatre (Natak Budreti, March 27, 2007), his History of Gujarati Theatre and his numerous contributions to the Oxford Companion to Indian Theatre, it is fair to conclude that Mr. Baradi seems to have no knowledge or very little knowledge of theatre activities in Bombay during the post-independence period. What little information that appears in his works mentioned above, seems to have been derived from anecdotal sources. Mr. Baradi’s parochial vision or bias may also have affected his objectivity.
The National Book Trust has made the English translation History of Gujarati Theatre to many libraries in the Unites States as well as across the world. Now all the readers across the globe of this questionable history of Gujarati theatre would unknowingly learn only half-truths and omissions from Mr. Baradi! What a shame and what an embarrassment! It is clear that the Emperor has no clothes!
Mr. Baradi owes an apology to the National Book Trust and to his numerous readers in India and across the world.
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* Here are some random notes about citations and plagiarism compiled from the web pages. These are not in any particular order.
Whenever quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing, or otherwise referring to the work of another, it is only proper to cite its source, either by way of parenthetical citation or by means of a footnote.
Otherwise the writing could end up being characterized as plagiarized writing.
An in-text citation names the author of the source, often in a signal phrase, and gives the page number in parentheses. At the end of the work, a list of books and works cited provides publication information about the source; the list is alphabetized by authors’ last names (or by titles for works without authors) and appears in the same sequence as the reference provided in a particular chapter or on a particular page of the main text. There are no in-text citations in Mr. Baradi’s History of Gujarati Theatre.
Plagiarism:
Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary defines Plagiarism means using another's words and ideas and passing them on as your own. Words, ideas, or knowledge are considered the Intellectual Property of the original author. U.S. Copyright Law and laws of many nations protects the author.
When others, including students, or (self-styled historians) use an author's work and present it as their own without giving proper credit, they are dishonest, and this leads to plagiarism.
Plagiarism means representing the words or ideas of another as one's own in any writing…
Most educational institutions in the United States have codes of conduct that are in place to deal with academic honesty. Plagiarism is usually included in these policies.
Following are the various policies currently in effect at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University (as it appears on the web):
(From the Undergraduate Bulletin - 2002-2004, p. 13, "Academic Dishonesty")
"Academic dishonesty is unacceptable, and condemned in the strongest possible terms. It undermines the bonds of trust and honesty between members of the community and defrauds those who may eventually depend upon our knowledge and integrity. Such dishonesty consists of any of the following:
"Cheating - using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, ...
"Fabrication - unauthorized falsification or invention of any information or citation...
(Pravin Joshi’s first directorial venture was Mograna Saap or Jagganath Shankarsheth was a Gujarati businessman fall under fabrication category)
From the College of Management, Long Island University:
"Not only is plagiarism a practice that is unacceptable, but also it is condemned in the strongest terms possible on the basis of moral, educational and legal grounds...(Undergraduate Bulletin 2004-2006, p.147)
The proper use citation and sourcing can protect writers from accusations of plagiarism, which is the purposeful or accidental uncredited use of source material by other writers. Some writers and publishers do prohibit extensive quoting or paraphrasing of copyrighted work without written permission either from the author or the agent of the author or the publisher.
How can one avoid charge of plagiarizing?
Acknowledge sources by giving credit. If you don't, intentionally or not, it is plagiarism.
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The Oxford Companion to Indian Theatre
The Oxford Companion to Indian Theatre,
Edited by Ananda Lal,
Published by Oxford University Press, New Delhi 2004.
(Nearly 600 pages including the introduction and Credits for Illustrations)
Contributors to the section on Gujarati Theatre among many others is Hasmukh Baradi. His contributions appear with initials HB at the end of each entry in this prestigious volume. All the other contributors’ names appear with their initials. Mr. Baradi, as he has done in his other writings on Gujarati theatre shows his lack of knowledge about Gujarati theatre activities in Mumbai. And because of such ommissions, as far as Gujarati theatre is concerned the Oxford Companion to Indian Theatre remains incomplete and poorer in its content.
Other contributors to the section on Gujarati theatre are Mr. Dinkar J. Bhojak, Govardhan Panchal. Mr Panchal’s contribution seems to be posthmusoully submitted by some one else.
It would have been better and more balanced coverage of Gujarati language theatre if knowledgeable theatre experts such as Utpal Bhayani (theatre critic), Niranjan Mehta (Theatre Historian), Honey Chhaya (Writer, Director, Actor, Acting Coach) from Mumbai were invited to write about theatre activities in Mumbai.
The names of many a great writers and actors of the Gujarati Theatre do not appear in this mamoth work. Writers such as Prof. Vishnukumar Vyas (who has won many awards and accolades including honors and awards from the Gujarat and Maharashtra state) does not have an entry under his name.
Among those missing include Mr. Damu Jhaveri, founder and general secreatry of the Indian National Theatre for over half-a-century, a producer and an impressario of note…
Dhansukhlal Mehta whoes play Rangilo Rajja was the very first play of the modern Gujarati theatre to have more than one-hundred performances to its credit.
Mr. Dhansukhlal Mehta wrote such memorable plays as Mamajino Morcho, , Sarijatu Surat, Garibni Jhupadi, Dhumraser (with Gulabdas Broker, Bicharo, Bhulno Bhog, Arvachina with Avinash Vyas, Manuni Mashi, Snehna Jher, Vavazodu (with Bachubhai Shukla, Pankhino Malo (with Dhiruben Patel).
Also missing are plays like Anantne Aare by Madhukar Randeria (based on Ibsen’s Master Builder) or Babubhai Bhukhanwala’s memorable plays like Jama Udhar, Gunegar, Rajnu Gaj, Varasdaar and Vijetani Haar…
Two of the leading actors, Jayanti Patel and Prof. Madhukar Randeria
who also wrote numerous one-act and full-length plays are absent in
this Oxford Companion to Indian Theatre.
Among other theatre personalities that do not find a spot in this important book mention must be made of Babubhai Bhukhanwala, Bharat and Shailesh Dave, Arvind Joshi, Upendra and Arvind Trivedi.
Upendra Trivedi is responsible for reviving the dormant Gujarati movie industry during the 70s, he also presented some ground breading adaptations from critically acclaimed Gujarati novels such as Jher to Pidha Che Jani Jani and Vevishal. Upendra also acted in some of the most memorable plays produced by Rangabhoomi, Bombay that included Shah Jehan and Kanchan Bhayo Katheer. Upendra Trivedi is also recipient of the Padma Shree honor.
Bharat Dave wrote numerous one-act plays for the inter-collegiate drama competitons, wrote full-length plays and also acted and directed plays. He collaborated with Kanti Madia and formed a short-lived theatre group called Bohemians. Bhart Dave passed away at a very young age. Kanti Madia later formed his own theatre group Natya Sampada where he produced, directed and acted in series of very successful plays.
Shailesh Dave presented some of the most challenging and successful plays from 1970s onwards till his death at a young age. Among his notable plays were Karma Kshetra, Sahebjee based on Kiss Me Good-bye, Khel, Kachna Sambandh, Aol Khan and many other…
Arvind Joshi’s Aeni Sughandhno Dariyo (based on Bernard Slade’s Tribute), Vrashcheek (based on Simon Grey’s Stage Struck). During the two decades, starting from early 70s, Arvind Joshi won numerous awards for his productions and his acting. In addition to Pravin Joshi, the two remaining Joshi brothers, Arvind and
Original Plays in Gujarati:
Prabodh Joshi has enumerated over seven-hundred plays that were staged in Bombay from 1930 thru 1979. Among the plays were such original works as Gharno Divo, Snehna Jher, Varasdar, Kadam Milake Chalo, Pattani Jod, Anahat Naad, Aapghaat, Sanskar Murtee, Putra Samovadi, Suvarna Rekha, Parneeta, Chheeye Tej Theek, Veni Sanhaar, Duniyane Undha Chashma, Ramni Sumati, Rajane Gaami Te Raani, Swayam Siddha, Mangal Murti, Meenal Devi, Sheni Vijananda, Jaya Jayant, Ramde Peer, Lopa Mudra, Geet Govind, Kunvarbainu Mameroo, Peelu Gulab ane Hun, Sunanda, Devdas and the list could go on and on… (from Gujarati Rangbhoomi, 1853 –1978, Sava Shatabdi Smarak Granth, Pareeshisht - Appendix 3, pages 191-202). Most of these plays were produced and presented only in Bombay.
Nearly three-hundred and fifty Gujarati plays are listed in the Bibliography of Stageable Plays in Indian Languages – Edited by C. C. Mehta (1963, pages 3 to 30)
Mr. Baradi’s sweeping generalizations not withstanding, not all the plays listed in above two lists - over one thousand plays -are based on translations from English or any other languages
Other than Jayshankar ‘Sundari’, Mr. Baradi does not mention any of the male actors who successfully played female roles.
Among those were Chand Meeya (Pingala), Suraj Ram –Special Sundari, Chhana Lal – Surya Kumari, Nanjee Shivlal – Hothal, Master Bhogilal – Malti, Master Ghordhan - Bhavana B. A. and so on. (Names of the male actors are followed by the name of the female characters they played). And for the rest of their lives, these actors became associated with the names of the female characters they played and got attached to their names.
Parsi actors such as Shyavaksh Rustamjee Master who was called Parsi Bal Gandharva and who played in Indrasabha the role of a fairy – Paree, sang in his beautiful baritone voice many songs in classical melodies.
Female stars of yester-years or Jooni Rangbhoomi included such effervecent personalities as Ranee Premlata, Kamaalbai, Shyama, Moheeni, Saraswati, Chandreeka, Ram Pyari, Dullari, Munniba – who played memorable roles in Rati Madam and Khavindane Khatar and Mumbaini Badi; other actresses of the time include Roop Kamal, Sharda, Miss Gohar and Gauhar Jaan…to name just a few.
Notable actresses of Parsi/Gujarati/Urdu stage such as Miss Amelia Joan Bristo, a British actress who had campainged for female roles to be played by female actresses and British actresses such as Mary Fenton, Miss Grace Darling – who not only played female roles in Parsi/Gujarati plays but also sang in the play Rati Madan… do not even get a mention in this book.
Notable writers or Munshis of the Parsi/Urdu stage such as
Munshi Aahesan, Moonsi Agahashr Kashmiri, Munshi Latif Shad, Munishi Murad Ali, Munshi Anwaruddin (Mukhalis), Narayan Prasad ‘Betab’. These pioneers contributed a great deal in introducing and popularizing Shakespearean plays and actors/writers/directors like Sorabjee Ogra, Kekashru Kabrajee, Amrit Keshav Nayak do not get the recognition they deserve in the Oxford Companion to Indian Theatre or in Mr. Baradi’s History of Gujarati Theatre.
Bapulal Nayk about whom Mr Baradi raves about – and deservedly so - was brought to Mumbai by Amrit Keshav Nayak and so were many others from the Nayak and Bhojak community of north Gujarat who followed in the foot steps of the famous son of the soil - Amrit Keshav Nayak. One can add names of such notable actor/directors as Vallabh Keshav Nayak or Vallo (Amrit’s younger brother ) who later established his own company – the Shakespear Natak Mandali, directed plays and made a name for himself as a great comedy actor by playing the role of Gulfaam in Fankado Fitoori
Kawasjee Palanjee Khatau who played the role of Jehangir – Hemlate in the Urdu version Khune-Nahak, Jehangir Khambata who played a memorable role in Dharatikump.
Seems like Mr. Baradi does not consider Parsi actors and actresses contributions to the theatre just because they were Parsis, even though they spoke and acted in Parsi Gujarati, English and Urdu plays. According to Parsi Natak Takhta Ni Tawarikh one of the early Gujarati play Karan Ghelo was produced and staged by a Parsi theatre enthusiast Koonvarji Nazar. It was also Konwarjee Nazar who commissioned the play Karan Ghelo. Faramjee Appu played the role of Karan Ghelo. While the role of Roopsundari was played by Kawasjee Manekjee Contractor. Koonwarjee Nazar also wrote Kadak Kanya in Parsi Gujarai. He was also one of the founders of the Natak Uttejak Mandali.
Similarly one of the earliest Gujarati play Gulab by Nagindas Marfatia and plays by poet Narmad were commissioned by Kekhashru Kabrajee.
Bahmanjee Navrojee Kabrajee – a great Parsi writer of the time wrote such successful plays as Joogar, Bahera Bahel Kaka, Bholi Gool, Bhoolo Padelo Bhoolbhai, Baapna Shraap… yes, all the plays in Parsi Gujarati. But the Parsi dialect of Gujarati language is not recognzied by Mr. Hasmukh Baradi. The play Rustom Sohrab was also writeen in Parsi Gujarati. (All the references to Parsi actor, actresses and plays can be found in Parsee Natak Takhto written by Firozgar).
About the influence of the west or colonialism that Mr. Baradi laments about –
The famous Parsi play Bholi Gool was based on Eastlyne by Henri Hood. Ninda Khanu based on Sheridan’s School for Scandal,
Bholi Jaan was based on Collin Dawn, Jugari Bholanath Yane Veenash Kale Viparitta Buddhi was based on the Red Hut of the Old Mountain, Kekhashru Kabarajee’s Soodi Vachhe Sopari was based on Wives as they are, Maids as they are… Over ninty per cent of plays of the Parsi Gujarati theatre were either direct translations or adaptations of Shakespearean plays or based on Persian mythology and history. The Oza brothers and others of that era also mined the rich stories from Mahabharat and Ramayan. Even Dalpatram’s Laxmi was based on a Greek play.
So Mr. Baradi’s concerns about contemporary playwrights borrowing from the west seem to be ignoring history when he implies that only the playwrights in Mumbai are borrowing from the West. He even overlooks the fact that he - Mr. Baradi himself has borrowed from the West and the then Soviet Union, now Russia, Germany and France – particularly the plays of Bercht, Chekhov, Jean Genet etc. So Mr. Baradi’s gratutious comments about borrowing from the West seems hypocritical.
What is more troublesome is a practice of free-wheeling translations and adaptations without any acknowledgment about the source from which such plays have been written in Gujarati. Writers and critics – including Mr. Hasmukh Baradi do not even raise an eye-brow or have questioned such contemporary practices.
What happened after the copy of these reviews were sent to Mr. Hasmukh Baradi and the National Book Trust – the publisher of the History of Gujarati Theatre?
Mr. Baradi sent an e-mail to Harish Trivedi that said - Thanks, Really.
The National Book Trust’s Chief Editor Dr. Baldve Singh ‘Badhan’CHIEF EDITOR and Director Ms. Nuzhat Hassan, IPS have received the copies of the review of History of Gujarati Theatre. Dr. Baldev Singh has acknowledged the receipt of the review by email and also by regular mail.
The review was mailed by email and also by regular mail on December 15, 2008. Since then I have talked with Dr. Baldev Singh many times. Each time he has said that ‘we are investigating’ and they will let me know when the investigation is over.
After over six months the Nationla Book Trust is still investigating while Mr. Hasmukh Baradi has failed to acknowledge the errors and omissions in his History of Gujarati Theatre either on his Blog or his web page (now infected with viruses) or in his magazine NATAK Budreti.
So Mr. Baradi’s readers in the print media are still unaware of the errors in his writings.
Dr. Ananda Lal, the Editor of the Oxford Companion to Indian Theare has informed me - by email and personal conversations - that due to limitations on space a lot of information could not be included but had he received my note sooner he might have tried to correct or rectify the missing elements in the section on Gujarati Theatre.
Mr. Hasmukh Baradi has now described Nana Shankar Sheth as Shankar Sheth and has decided not to call him a Gujarati Businessman as his has done many times in his previous articles in various books and magazines.
Has mentioned the names of Dhansukhlal Mehta and Madhukar Randeria, Vanlata Mehta and others in his blog (possibly inspired by my review). Mr. Baradi seems to be still reluctant to admit his errors.
His blog is nothing but a revision of his chapter from the History of Gujarati Theatre and his other writings. He seems to regurgitate or seems to be reproducing ideas or facts without understanding them.
In other words Mr. Baradi seems to be vomiting partly digested ideas and facts.
It is also clear from reading his writings that he hardly verifies what he writes as fact and because of his aversion to in-text citation or indicating the source of his ‘facts’, it is difficult to judge the source of his various statements in his History of Gujarati Theatre.
Next:
About Mr. Hasmukh Baradi’s blog
Hasmukh Baradi: Torrent of Images
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