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PAMMY’S BEAUTY TIPS
Tech Talk
Write to Renee
FILM REVIEW
Persistence pays
Beads of love
Will this Jodee jell?
‘Buniyaad’ flashback
EARTHY PALETTE
In the city
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50-year-young The Pracheen Kala Kendra has completed 50 years recently. Gayatri Rajwade talks to the couple, who is the driving force behind its success FIFTY years and the “sincerity of purpose” have developed into an edifice of an ethos no less. The Pracheen Kala Kendra, Sector 35, stands tall today as an artistic centre of performing arts, instruction and research that started in 1956 and has spread to 3,700 centres and affiliates around the world. The creative expression of Madan Lal Koser, leading exponent of Tandav Nritya, the Kendra was a result of “Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s suggestion to come to the Punjab and start something here”, explains Koser. The beginning was humble. “I was asked what I needed to start off and I said give me a cycle so I can move around.” With the support of the government, a table and a typewriter were bought and both Koser and his wife Shobha (a renowned Kathak dancer) began taking classes in dance. In 1962, Shobha started to teach dance at Government College, Sector 11, yet both Koser and she devoted themselves completely to the cause of nurturing and building an institution to promote, encourage and propagate traditional fine arts of dance, music and art in their pure and undiluted form. The deep bond between them is the unifying force borne out of an inherent passion for culture and art forms. “Artists fight, but we have no ego problems. We used to argue on taal and toda once upon a time but like a true Indian wife I decided nothing would come of these altercations so I stopped arguing,” Shobha explains laughingly. She believes her husband has been a great source of inspiration for her. “I had only studied till the tenth class when I got married and today I have two master’s degrees. I will not call him my guru for a guru is like a father but I remember something he once told me—everyone dances, but we have to scale such heights that people hold their heads up to look at us—I have never forgotten that.” Dismissing controversies as “mere jealousies”, Koser believes that, “if I draw my line long, others will not be able to catch up. That is why we keep doing our work.” Toil and labour with dreams—both wanted to establish an institution that would spread the heritage of Indian classical dances and arts in the region but never believed it would go so far. “We have enjoyed every moment and all the money we could spare has gone into this place.” And their ideas are still growing wings. “We have recordings of all the performances that have happened here with us and we are building a library of those for the future generations. We are also planning to start Odissi and Bharatnatyam here in a month or two. Ultimately of course, we would like to develop an open university for the promulgation of dance, music and arts.” While Shobha still teaches Kathak at the Kendra every day, Koser is planning to come back to teaching the technique of ballet in a few months from now. “Dance is my life, my heartbeat and when I die I want to be on stage, dancing,” says Shobha. For Koser, it is worship. “Even when I am doing yoga in the mornings I do in the form of dance postures.” For both it is piety in its purest form for “does not every God in the Hindu pantheon come into our traditional dances?” asks Shobha. So, what has been their biggest achievement, with all the accomplishments to their names? “We have remained down-to-earth and grounded in our beliefs and we want to be together for as long as we can to keep going.” For them, life is art by definition, nothing else matters.
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PAMMY’S BEAUTY TIPS WITH numerous brands of hair dyes on the shelves in the country, the Indian consumer is still in the dark about the hazards of hair dyes and the safety issues involved. The importance and knowledge of patch test before the hair dye is currently insufficient. There is inadequate health and safety practice at the salons and widespread ignorance among public and professionals about the risks of carrying on the colouring process without the patch test. Remember, reaction could occur the first time or after a dozen times you apply the hair dye. No complications last time do not mean that there is no reaction this time. In India where pre-test is not among common practice, the importance of patch test after the interval of 2 months must be looked into by the industry professionals and the health and safety authorities. The Control of Substances hazardous to health apply to many of the dangerous chemicals used in the beauty and hairdressing industry. The most controversial is hair dye which in darker colours can contain PPD( Paraphenylene Diamine). The chemical can cause significant allergic reactions causing severe skin and eye irritation in those who are allergic to it. The most common reaction is of the scalp, face, eyes and ears which may include rash, extreme swelling, and a severe burning sensation of the scalp. PPD is at the centre of concerns for black henna which have led to severe allergic reactions in Africa and Asia. Skin contact increases the risk of allergic reaction, the manufacturers instructions must be adhered to and never to be used on the face to colour eyebrows, eyelashes or moustaches. A patch test must be done 48 hours before applying the dye. You could do the allergic test yourself – mix a tiny amount of dye with peroxide and apply it to the skin, either behind the ear or inside the elbow. Leave it on for 30 minutes before you rinse it off thoroughly- if even mild itching or redness , soreness or inflammation occurs you should avoid PPD for life.There is a widespread agreement on the usage of protective equipment, it is mistakenly believed that gloves and protective clothing is to protect the clothes from staining rather than protect health. It will take a lot to change the perception of the public that these dyes are harmless. We need more warnings as people don’t hear the message and the fact that patch test is necessary to minimise risk. PPD is found in most hair dyes there are hardly any dyes that do not contain this. They might contain other harmful or highly allergic substance such as Nickel. It is an aniline dye known as coal tar dye also. A substance used in photo developer, ink, rubber chemicals, gasoline, dark cosmetics such as black henna and hair dye. When it comes to showing real commitment in managing health and safety in the salons in India–very few come to my mind .The good salons are still guided by the glitz and glamour attached to them. In general, there is poor observance and a tendency to put health and safety to one side-money is placed above safety of the client. This all stems up from the fact that salon owners are not qualified in the field and have poor knowledge and give shockingly bad advice. Health and safety is still hard work but remains very important for the work place in the interest of the health and safety of people. It for sure calls for maintaining high standards by the salons. The hair dressing industry must recognise the importance of good health and safety management in India. Hair and beauty needs a good awareness of regulations to be introduced. We need clear industry and authority guidance that will help to make salons safer.
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Tech Talk How would you react if someone told you that there are 327 references to your name on different web pages on the internet. Surprised? If you have been a netizen for a while or happen to be a ‘who’s who’ of even your local friends’ circle, chances are that the web is aware of your existence. Most people do not know whether they have been mentioned in different web pages on the net. And worse, they do not know that what is being said about them is positive or negative. Interested to find out what the web is telling the world about you? Welcome to the world of Ego Surfing! What Is Ego Surfing? For the unenlightened, Ego Surfing is the act of searching your own name, your family or your company references on the Internet. It is like gathering all the online information about yourself to see how your online profile shapes up. Ego Surfing is one of the latest trends gaining popularity with web surfers all over the world. The search process is simple to perform and takes only minutes and once you are hooked, you’ll not notice how time flies. You’d probably be surprised to know how many people regularly indulge in ego surfing – although few are so quick to admit! Even people who have never contributed to web sites or submitted any content to the Internet, discover their name popping up on sites they’ve never even visited. Ego surfing, by virtue of its very name connotes a sense of vanity – the idea that ego-driven surfers are sitting at home monitoring every time their name, or someone else of their name sake, is published online. But ego surfing is evolving into a far more interesting and far reaching concept. Not only are people using this function to see who is discussing them online, now websites and personal web spaces can be monitored more effectively simply by using a basic search engine. Put Ego Surfing To Good Use So what exactly is the importance of this new craze? Other than the personal satisfaction and ego massage, how is ego surfing beneficial for the average Internet user? As we all know the Internet has become the number one source for all kinds of research. Now imagine you are applying for a highly lucrative job, or you are looking for a suitable matrimonial alliance and are very hopeful of a positive outcome. Imagine if the prospective employer, or the alliance, impressed with a number of potential candidates, decides to do a background research on you online. What if a search on your name reveals a murky past highlighting your involvement in ‘less-than-desirable’ activities. What if references to your name are incredibly negative? Your chances of securing your dream job or your dream alliance rapidly evaporate within minutes, all without your knowledge and a fair chance to defend your stand. What makes it worse is that you may not be responsible for any of the comments listed against you. You only have the misfortune of sharing the name with someone less associable. However, if you are already aware of your online references, you can do any of the following: If the references are good: Flaunt them subtly; exploit them. Show these references to your potential employer, to your potential alliance, family, friends and colleagues etc. Link to these references from your website. You’d be surprised to see how you can leverage positive opinion about yourself in your circle, when you are able to show 3 rd parties talking good about you. If the references are bad: Protest. Write to the webmasters of such websites explaining your position and letting them know how it might be hurting your reputation. Let them know the truth. You’d be surprised how many webmasters would listen to you and agree to cooperate. If the remarks appear on discussion forums, sign up as a member and submit your comments and explanations. Very often, if your complaint is genuine, the moderators of such forums delete the slandering remarks posted by other members. Even if you are unable to do much about the negative remarks, you’d better know what is being said about you out there, just so you are better prepared to handle confrontations. Start Ego Surfing Today Ego surfing is simple and fun. All you need to do is search for your name or your company name in prominent search engines like Google, Yahoo or MSN (Tip: Search for “Your Name” using quotation marks. This instructs the search engine to search for a particular phrase rather than search both first name and surname as separate occurrences on a page). If you share your name with a celebrity, you’ll get lots of results but not all of them would relate to you. You can easily narrow down your search by providing negative search terms. For example, if you share your name with a famous cricket player, you can modify your search by typing “Your Name” followed by – cricket (“your name” –cricket). This search method would omit all the results that contain your name but also carry the word ‘cricket’ on that page. Google also allows you to set an alert, whereby it will send you all the pages it discovers from time to time that carry your name in them. Prominent search engines: www.egosurf.org www.Google.com www.Yahoo.com www.MSN.com Google Alerts: www.google.com/alerts Courtesy: Atul Gupta, CEO – RedAlkemi.com
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Write to Renee
I’ve just started dating a guy who is the nicest person I’ve ever met. I am 32-years-old and obviously this is not the first guy I’m dating. But seeing from my past experience with men, this one seems to be a dream come true. But somehow I am very skeptical about him. In today’s world can one really trust somebody? Are there truly any nice guys out there or is it, that he is just putting up this front in order to charm me? Rajinder Kaur, Mohali My dear girl, just go for it. Going out with a nice guy does take some getting used to, but then life is all about taking chances. After all, you cannot just keep on sitting at home and just wondering what life could be like out there. The problem with us humans is that we are all programmed to deal with all sorts of negatives in our lives. Right from our childhood, we are taught not to trust in people and to deal with pain. We find it very hard to accept love which is unconditional as we always believe that all things come with a price. Do give this poor fellow a chance and enjoy the flowers he brings you and the care he showers on you. Please don’t let your imagination get the better of you negatively. After all, every man is different he might be just the right one for you. I am well into my 30’s and have two failed marriages behind me and also a couple of bad romances. You must be wondering what’s wrong with me but I still haven’t lost hope. I am still searching for love and companionship and a very meaningful relationship. I just don’t seem to find the right person in my life, but somehow I don’t seem to want to give up on it. My friends seem to think I am lacking in stability but I feel that if I find the right companion who really understands me, I will become stable anyways. I do have a good job and a steady income with some nice friends but I miss the feeling of having a person to share my life with. Is it wrong to look for love ? Preetinder Sodhi The search for love is the most basic of all human urges, you are not wrong at all to feel that ways, at least you are accepting yourself and not denying your own inner urge. I always believe that it requires tremendous inner strength on the part of a man or a woman to live life by their own terms and to also have a set of friends who love and respect them for the way they are. You should just spend some more time reflecting on what you really want from your relationship or your partner before getting into another not so good situation. Relationships are serious business and they need to be handled with utmost care. You have to put a lot of yourself in the relationship, so before you plunge into one this time, think carefully and go for someone who understands the inner you. I am a 35-year-old married man, working in a company in Dubai. My wife and two kids have been living in Chandigarh with my parents for the last five years. I keep going and coming as we had decided this was the best way to keep the kids education steady and also have someone to care for my parents, who are quite old and seemed to enjoy with the kids. On my last visit to India, I overheard a conversation my wife was having on the phone and discovered that she had been secretly having friendship with one of my friends who is also married and has been my friend since many years. The shock and hurt took me a long time to get over. I confronted my wife and she accepted the situation. Now she has gone to live with her parents while, I decide what to do. Should I take her back. My parents miss the kids. Gurvinder Chhabra Young man this is life. One is confronted with so many situations one least expects and yet has to deal with. I do have all my sympathies with you but on the other hand, I have to also tell you to be practical and realistic. Life is really not easy but sometimes, we have to take decisions to keep so many people’s lives happy and protected. Your kids and parents are totally dependent on your decision. Well, in the given circumstances I would suggest you have a heart to heart with your wife. May be the loneliness and the pressures of having to deal with family and children on her own pushed her into seeking her level of comfort with another man. May be it was just a friendship and you are reading too much into it.
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FILM REVIEW TEESRI Aankh has been produced by harry Baweja who is one of the most prominent personalities in Bollywood. All his films have fared superbly at the box office. "Teesri Aankh" is yet another film which takes a profound probe at the very pertinent and modern day topic of the 'hidden camera' which is hot news today in print and electronic media? However, if the viewers are expecting some worthwhile stardust sprinkled in this film which hit the Piccadilly Chandigarh and Fun Republic Manimajra on Friday, they are highly mistaken. Don't get fooled by the promos as they are misleading. Dharam Puttar Sunny Deol's name appears on screen as a special appearance. Ameesha Patel is also in guest appearance. Only the lead stars are Aashish Chaudhary, Aarti Chhabria, Mukesh Rishi, Mukesh Tiwari, Murli Sharma and Neha Dhupia. "Teesri Aankh" written and directed by harry Baweja had a huge load of expectations when it hit the theatres. But given his enviable reputation over the medium, this film fails to deliver. It is unable to provide his fans the healthiest entertainment. The rugged macho-man Sunny Deol just sleepwalks through his role. Amesha Patel, Neha Dhupia, Aarti Chhabra are average. Aashish Chaudhary looks helpless. His facial expressions go for a ride. The music score is by Harry anand, Nitz and sony. Sukhwinder Shinda and Jazzy B debut track also fails to impress the viewers. — D.P.
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Light purse, heavy style You do not have to be a princess to dress up like one, says Saurabh Malik after doing a survey in garment houses offering export surplus must-haves at incredibly low rates. SHE lives like a princess without king’s ransom at her disposal. Though her coffers are perpetually empty, her wardrobe is full of glittery tops in red and gold. Call her a flaunter or exhibitionist, her attire reeks of prosperity though she is not stinking rich. Meet Anupama Kathuria — just another teenybopper playing rich with the right kind of clothes. Every now and then BA first year student in a local girls’ college, Anupama slips into a Sector 9 showroom with a light purse, but comes out with a heavy satchel, and a satisfied smile that only the “haves” can afford. “By pulling out less than Rs 500 from my wallet, I pick up snug tube tops in lush hues and delicate work, besides full flared skirts that demand admiration and cheerful scarves with turquoise buckles — all To a discerning ear, it all sounds so implausible. After all, there is a limit to everything. How can you buy so much for so little, unless the showroom owner is related to you and believes in offering heavy discount? Off-season sale can provide the answer, but then Anupama is talking of stuff all set to become a rage in the coming months. Poor quality? Seems unlikely. The stuff is branded. But to her and so many others picking up a halter-neck top for just over Rs 200 is all very natural. “Until a few years ago, we would have paid double the price for the same stuff. Or else, would have purchased cheap imitation from the rehri market. But now with showrooms across the city offering export surplus, the incredible is affordable”, says Aarti Rao, another student studying fashion technology from a Sector 35 institute. Go chic If you haven’t picked up a nice little printed top to go with a pair of well-cut trousers and chunky accessories, it’s never too late. Just hop into your car and drive down the road meandering its way to the polite world of high fashion. Find aisles lined with temptation in the export-surplus stores, ready to be picked up. Right from Espirit, GAP, Mossimo, Armani and Diesel to TESCO — you will uncover them all there. “Set the ramp of life afire without burning holes in your pocket by buying a crisp white shirt and coloured corduroys,” says Ginny Chawla of Just Casuals. “Or else, flaunt that simple, yet spunky look, after buying a nice little denim top with puff sleeves and drawstring neck.” Variety-mix There is something for the guys too. In fact, you can pick up the “g” stuff in all sizes without allowing beads of perspiration to dot your brow. “In less than Rs 350, you can take home a hep check or a stripe shirt, even the one with front like that of a pullover. This is not the end of it. You can choose jackets and trousers at a cool price,” adds fashion designer Prakriti Chawla. Just in case you are looking for something nice to gift your little niece on her first birthday, your search ends here. From cool tees to hip-hop pants in mini sizes, you will find everything on the glass shelves, dazzling under the synthetic daylight. Go ahead, pick up the sizzlers. It’s worth every buck you pull out of your purse.
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Persistence pays WHILE waiting under an enormous banyan tree in front of my daughter’s school on a spring afternoon, my cell phone rang. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a boy of around ten, walking towards me, two monkeys in tow, on bedraggled leashes. While I tried to pursue my conversation, he kept asking me, “Madam, nach dekhoge?” I tried to ignore him. He came closer and started gesticulating – mouthing pleas with rapid fire succession –“Madam, bahut badiya khel hai – gana bhi gayenge – sirf das minute me khatam ho jayega – bandaronko khana khilana hai and many more.” I scowled at him and said, “phone pe baat kar rahi hu – dekhte nahi ho?” At that, he retreated two steps and started all over again, this time in sign language, while the monkeys stared at him quizzically. I rang off and decided to reward the boy –for his sheer perseverance. I know, it can be quite annoying, being accosted by the agarbattiwalla, sevak of Shani Maharaj and mobile casewalla at all odd places. But, some of them display remarkable tenacity and enterprise. One boy of about twelve chased me all the way from HSBC Bank on Madhya Marg to the British Library. I had to give in and buy a gel pen – my daughter when informed about this particular purchase, thought I should have bought many more. In Sector 17, I have been chased by the mapwallas – the map hangs over a study desk, the cushionwallas – my sister has them in her Houston living room, the keyringwallas – my office drawer has a whole range of those. I am a weak customer. I am easily broken by the vendors, specially if they are persistent and exhibit ingenuity. It does occur to me that they have a formidable task to undertake. How many of us will be able to tempt and engage women (sometimes men) dealing with popcorn purchase, tantrum-laden babies, butterscotch ice-cream, tricky parking, ringing phones and high heels? And they really have nothing much to sell, except persistence. All these young boys and girls, who should be in school learning about the grasslands and Satyagraha – have only your disinterested face as a starting point. Yet, they plod on, like generals of the Roman Army and you go home with a brand new box of soft tissues. A young girl who wanted to make some money by cleaning the windscreen of my car ambushed me recently. She was wearing dirty rags and had beautiful, doe-like, brown eyes. I said – “mat karo, koi zaroorat nahi hai.” At that, she started wiping even more vigorously. When I became livid and started shouting – she sighed, gave me a resigned and condescending look and said – “car itna gandha hai aur kehto ho ki zarrorat nahi?” At that, I had to take out my purse – again.
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Beads of love
RAJU Pyare puraiwala came from Rae Bareilly to this city at the age of 22 in search of work. Now, eight years later, he is chasing his dreams with the belief that he can fulfil them. Seated in a corner at Bhola Jewellers, Sector 8-B, where he works, he is surrounded by beads and motis, neatly strung necklaces and finely patterned bracelets, sachets of pearls and coloured bits and bobs. “Simple stringing everyone does, but I spent time learning this craft. I look forward to something I have not done earlier. The thing is to persist and suddenly even the most difficult job falls into place.” Of all that he has mastered, he places the greatest emphasis on “setting the design” not so much the skill. A bazuband (armband) took all of three days to conceive and construct. A bracelet made out of stringing pearls through an elastic plastic thread with little translucent beads nestled at the corners took two days to accomplish. “It is not the question of hundred or even fifty rupees. The piece should be perfect.” The goal is simple and clear. “I want to make this job a brand. I want to keep learning not just this but other things as well.” No wonder his visiting card reads, “Emposible work posibale here.” The confidence is endearing. He has miles to go. “I feel I have achieved so little. Money does not matter as much as having a name does. And indeed that is true, for in his domain, Raju Pyare has a reputation for proficiency and above all honesty. “I have been told that the company one keeps defines a person. This place has decent, sincere people and I would hate to do something that gives them a bad name.” This dreamy poet (he writes ditties in his spare time!) hopes to touch the stars someday.
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Will this Jodee jell?
WITH a remote control in hand and a plethora of programmes to choose from, the couch potato is the ultimate boss. In a bid to grab eye-balls, Star Plus is bringing Jodee Kamal Ki, its new celebrity couple show, following the huge success of its dance show Nach Baliye. The show will be aired every Saturday at 9 pm. Produced and directed by Dheeraj Kumar’s Creative Eye, the show is being hosted by Rakshanda Khan aka Mallika of Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin fame. Each episode of the show will have three celebrity couples competing with each other to prove their compatibility. The show aims to test the strength of relationships, which are mostly taken for granted. According to Rakshanda Khan, “The show is about relationships. The idea is to target viewers from six to 60 years.” Popular celebrity couples from various fields — be it sports, films, television, sports, politics, etc will be the participants. Each episode will have five rounds with interesting titles like Pyaar Ka Imtihaan, Kaam Ke Na Kaaj Ke, Hum Saath Saath Hain, etc. Rakshanda Khan, who is hosting a game show for the first time, says, “It has been a fun-filled experience shooting for the 18 episodes of the show. One can never predict how the guests will perform.” It however needs to be seen if the show will be able to capture audiences at a time when reality shows, live performances and audience participation is dominating television.
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‘Buniyaad’ flashback Buniyaad—the serial that changed the look of the Indian television, is back after two decades for the viewers who have never managed to forget this remarkable show. So phenomenal was its success back in 1986 that countless other serials have come and gone, but Buniyaad remained forever. No one has been able to recreate the magic of Ramesh Sippi’s debut on televison. Here, in conversation with Kanwaljeet Singh who gained immense popularity and success with this serial will be best remembered for his best performance. It is nostalgia time at Sahara One and they have brought back a series that held the hearts attention and imagination of the county hostage in the late 80’s. How were you selected for Buniyaad? I was then working for Chappe Chappe that was produced by Ramesh Sippy and directed by Sudhir Mishra. Rameshji was looking out for someone for the role of Roshan that was later played by Mazhar Khan. Rameshji wanted me to do that role but I wanted to do the role of Satbir since I saw more potential in it. But he said that I needed to look younger for it. So I took a break for a month and then lost 10 kg. That’s how I then bagged the role. How was it to be working with someone like Ramesh Sippy? It was a good learning experience with Rameshji since I was just starting out. He was brilliant as a director and I’m happy that I got the opportunity to work with him. How would you view the relevance of a serial like Buniyaad vis-a-vis today’s shows? If anything has good content then whether new or old it will always beget popularity. If a film like Mughal-e-Azam, which was released again, could become such a hit amongst those who has not seen it the first time then definitely something as unique as Buniyaad will be a hit again. And I guess in today’s times, the need for acknowledgement of royalty is important. Did you expect Buniyaad to be so popular? With the big name of Ramesh Sippy behind Buniyaad, the serial surely generated a lot of hype then. We knew it would do well and I’m happy that it is still regarded as a classic in Indian television. Some special memories from your Buniyaad days We were in a minuscule world of our own on the sets of Buniyaad. From morning till night, we would be shooting and our lives would be revolved around that show only. So many memories—I have moved on since then but it will be unfair to just tell about a few incident. It was a complete learning experience and I guess all the actors who started with Buniyaad would feel the same. — DP
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The next Deepak Chopra CALL him the next Deepak Chopra, the wizard of words or even Vivekacharya (teacher of wisdom). Yes! this new age wisdom guru is making ripples, if not waves across the country. Presently the CEO of French multinational Vygon, his passion lies in training future leaders for the corporate, espionage, police, defence and administrative services. Having collected kudos from bureaucrats, police officers, CEO’S and ministers, this author-cum-mental trainer is presently playing mentor and instructor to the country’s sportspersons like Pankaj Advani (Billiards champion) and Gagan Narang (shooter). Meet wisdom wizardPawan Chaudhary. He’s lectured at institutes like the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy (IAS) of Administration, Mussorie, National Police Academy (IPS), Hyderabad, National Institute of Criminology &Forensic Sciences, New Delhi, National Security Guards institute, Manesar, IIM, Ahmedabad, IIM, Lucknow, NID, Ahmedabad, NIFT, Delhi, IIFT, Delhi, Times School of Journalism, Delhi and other premier institutions. He has also addressed several National Seminars on General Management and HR, Marketing and Advertising. Besides, he is editorial advisor to the Mediworld Group and on the advisory boards of several prestigious management institutions. He is also President, Arise India, The Social & Consumer Action Forum and Council Member, European Business Group (EBG) and Chairman, EBG’s Healthcare Group. So, what’s it about him that made P.V. Rajgopal, (IPS, Ex Director, National Police Academy), call this 39-year-old man the next Indian world guru? We find out: What are the kind of workshops you conduct? I conduct workshops in both English and Hindi on leadership and man management in India and abroad for ministers, CEOs and other senior managers, bureaucrats and corporate professionals. I have trained more than 1300 corporate personnel in the Private/Public sectors. In Paris recently, he addressed CEOs and other leaders from USA, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Itlay, Netherland, Belgium, Switzerland, Sweden and many other countries. And what’s the essence of these workshops? Some topics that figure in my workshops are the art of fine leadership, secrets of success for an administrator, how to become a CEO, how to stay a successful CEO, how a good king should rule, how to handle difficult subordinates, how to instill values and how to improve morale of your force, low sweat- high return karma, strategic& visionary leadership, mastering sensitivity- the secret of success and understanding the order of the universe. So is it more about psychology and corporate culture that you lecture? Yes, but my philosophy extends beyond that. I hold workshops for people working in different sectors—media, defence, police, administration, advertising, marketing and more. But all my lectures have two target groups. The first consists of people striving for success and the second consists of people who’ve achieved success and wanna know how to digest it. Some people in the second category? (Smiles). Amitabh Bachchan, Yash Birla and Aishwaria Rai. What according to you has made your lectures such a big hit? My talks are very sensitive. And I try to bring in examples that my target group can identify with. Like if I’m talking to fashion designing students, I’ll talk about famous models, designers and page 3 people. But if I’m lecturing, say, police personal, I’ll quote Kiran Bedi and K.P.S Gill. Something about your career ladder? A brush with Lintas, Cadila and Dabur followed by an offer of being the CEO at the French multinational Vygon. In 1997, came my first book The Rx Factor, on pharmacy marketing, published by Sage publications, which stayed among the top three in the genre for three years. Words of wisdom for our readers? To be successful, commit yourself to your goal like the energy of a commando and keep the calm of a saint. Also, when you come across a tunnel in your life, don’t get lost in its darkness. Use it as a kaleidoscope to view the light outside. Well, in today’s stressful and hyper competitive environment, his words are an inspiration to the ones moving in the slowest moving traffic lane and a solace to the ones driving at a jet-propelled speed!
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EARTHY PALETTE
Kolkata based artist, Ganesh Dey’s first solo exhibition of 14 paintings titled, ‘Smell of Earth’ at the IndusInd Art Gallery reverberates with his passions and sentiments, beliefs and attitudes. All works in oil on canvas, the robust figures reveal the influence of cubist thought but his paintbrush, nevertheless, has compassion for life and its meandering journey. “The happiness and the sadness, the good and the bad, everything flows but one has to strive for fulfilment in an imperfect world.” Pointing to his painting Shelter of Peace depicting Jesus Christ, he believes life is not about an eye for an eye but about forgiveness. The raised palm is the hand of peace. The painting comes alive through the eyes illustrating deep compassion. In fact, the paintings are full of emotive expressions where the eyes speak volumes—Silent represents the victim, a woman, along with a bakri. Princess of Doll Dance a lush painting in a vibrant red is a deep rendition of mistreatment of women. With fine attention to details, folds, motifs like butterflies and flowers on the dress allude to the feminine, “tender aspect” of the puppet, the woman who “is like a puppet in our society. She is pulled in every direction against her wishes,” explains Dey. Along with this torment is Heaven—a serene portrait in white and blue where a man plays the shehnai, lost in a world of his own, full of peace and Embrace I and II where two canvases in geometrically flowing lines depict love. Cobalt blue juxtaposed with earthy yellow, indigo and bottle green are vibrant works of art. The sun and the moon are important elements in his works. The moon in fact is salient and is featured in many of Dey’s earlier paintings as well. “Like life, the moon goes through variations and unlike the sun, which blazes, it is a quiet and still factor.” Touch the Moon is a moving work of the union of the male and female power which allows the woman to touch the moon, to reach new heights while the radically different Mysterious Dark is an imaginative work taken from the life of Pandu in Mahabharata which suggests to the sexual instinct of man without fear of even death depicted in the form of a roaring tiger. This “full-time” painter just wants to live his passion, even if the going gets tough. “It is not so important to fill the stomach as it is to express oneself.” On till March 10 at the IndusInd Art Gallery, SCO 53-54, Sector 8-C.
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In the city Robin Cook’s ‘Marker’ is another entry in his series featuring two New York City medical examiners, Laurie Montgomery and Jack Stapleton. Laurie and Jack are lovers as well as colleagues, but their relationship may end because of Jack’s unwillingness to make a permanent commitment. Laurie is further distracted by a series of cases in which seemingly healthy young people die overnight in the hospital. Laurie instinctively suspects foul play, but she cannot convince her supervisors that she is right. Therefore, she takes matters into her own hands. She tries to figure out what all of the victims had in common, as well as who might have had both the motive and the opportunity to commit murder.
“Marker” is Robin Cook’s twenty-fifth novel and it follows a familiar formula. Jack and Laurie are attractive, brilliant, and dedicated physicians. Cook throws in a psychotic killer, as well as a few soap opera elements involving a love triangle and a possible pregnancy. A Million Little Pieces It is about the life of the author whn he was 23-year-old, on a Chicago-bound plane “covered with a colorful mixture of spit, snot, urine, vomit and blood.” Wanted by authorities in three states, without ID or any money, his face mangled and missing four front teeth, Frey is on a steep descent from a dark marathon of drug abuse. His stunned family checks him into a famed Minnesota drug treatment centre where a doctor promises “he will be dead within a few days” if he starts to use again, and where Frey spends two agonizing months of detox confronting the fury. All Marketers Are Liars The author of ‘Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable’, contends that, in an age when consumers are motivated by irrational wants instead of objective needs and “there is almost no connection between what is actually there and what we believe,” presenting stolid factual information about a product is a losing strategy. Instead, marketers should tell “great stories” about their products that pander to consumers’ self-regard and worldview. Troubled by the cynicism of his own argument, Godin draws a line at deceptions that actually kill people, like marketing infant formula in the Third World, and elaborates a murky distinction between ‘fibs’ that “make the thing itself more effective or enjoyable” and “frauds” that are “solely for the selfish benefit of the marketer.” Saving Fish from Drowning A highly entertaining novel, this one narrated from beyond the grave. San Francisco socialite and art-world doyenne Bibi Chen has planned the vacation of a lifetime along the notorious Burma Road for 12 of her dearest friends. Violently murdered, days before the takeoff, she’s reduced to watching her friends bumble through their travels from the remove of the spirit world. Making the best of it, the 11 friends find themselves trapped in jungle-covered mountains, held by a refugee tribe that believes Rupert, the group’s surly teenager, is the reincarnation of their god Younger White Brother, come to save them from the unstable, militaristic Myanmar Government. The book branches out with a broad plot and dynamic digressions. It’s based on a true story. Courtesy: Browser
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