The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

EDUCATION

Seminar focuses on task of business schools
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 26
Jagannath International Management School, popularly known as JIMS, in collaboration with the Association of India Management School (AIMS), organised a seminar on `Competitiveness 2010: Task and Challenges for the Indian Business Schools’ last week.

The seminar was inaugurated by Dr P. L. Sanjeev Reddy, IAS (Retd), Director of the Indian Institute of Public Administration. Dr K. K. Aggarwal, Vice-Chancellor, IP University, presided over the inaugural session. The event was graced by eminent academicians and top brass of the corporate world and government sector. According to Mr A K Sengupta, Director of JIMS, “The objective of the seminar is to provide a forum for academicians, policymakers and business executives to explore various issues related to tuning up the management education system in India with due emphasis on the role of the government in reorienting the education system, institute-industry interface and modification in the course curriculum.”

Speaking on the occasion, Dr P. L. Sanjeev Reddy said: “Stress should be given on the networking of business schools and ‘operationalising’ of synergy, including knowledge management, nurturing knowledge and experimental knowledge. Having seminars on topics like the ‘Task and Challenges for the Indian Business Schools’ is a welcome delight for the serious students, who are bound to gain by this opportunity.” Dr K. K. Aggarwal spoke on issues pertaining to globalisation and challenges of Indian management education with emphasis on curriculum modifications, teaching methodologies, standard of quality education etc.

In his welcome address, Mr Amit Gupta, chairman of JIMS, said that JIMS imparted a systematic, practical and focused approach to education and had designed a curriculum where similar seminars, lectures, workshops were held on various topics. “Students are given a chance to experiment with on their own ideas. Our mission is to offer innovative programmes that blend creativity and analytical skills, and a process-oriented learning with a high degree of industrial interaction .”

COURTS

HC gives nod to crèches for lawyers
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 26
The Delhi High court has given a notice to the central government to provide land for the construction of crèches for the children of lawyers working in the courts.

The bench comprising Chief Justice S. B. Sinha and Mr Justice A. K. Sikri while hearing the petition filed asked Additional-Solicitor General K. K. Sud, appearing for the Centre, to look into the matter.

The PIL filed by Mr Ashok Aggarwal of the Council for Social Jurists points out that women lawyers in the absence of a crèche had to compromise on their career. The petition stated that there were more than 500 lady lawyers working in various high courts and district courts and that some of them had to give up their profession to look after their children.

The petitioner also pointed out that lady lawyers had been agitating for the past several years and in December 1999 more than 175 lawyers submitted a representation to the Delhi Chief Minister. The CM had promised that room would be allocated for the purpose in the office of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals opposite the Tis Hazari Courts, but it is yet to materialise. Pointing out that 0-five years is a time of rapid growth in children and also of maximum vulnerability the provision of crèches has major implications for the right to work for the mother as well as for the optimum survival and development of the child.

CULTURE

‘Now, ghazals are more issue-based’
Nalini Ranjan

New Delhi, September 26
From his first audio album `Forgiveness' to the latest ‘Forget Me Not’, Jagjit Singh has travelled a long way as a ghazal singer. He was born in Shri Ganga Nagar in Rajasthan but spent many of his early years in different parts of Punjab, earned his bachelors degree from DAV College, Jalandhar.

After that, he went to Bombay to try his luck in the film industry, but turned out to be one of the most successful and adored ghazal singer in the country.

Jagjit Singh was in the Capital recently to launch a unique restaurant. In a conversation with ‘NCR Tribune’, Jagjit Singh traces his growth and speaks about various aspects of the ghazal singing industry. Excerpts:

Q: How did your first album come about?

A: After a long struggle, my first album came out in 1974. I had gone to Bombay in 1965 and tried my luck. I had to struggle a lot to carve a niche for myself. With the release of my first album, my favourite ghazal `Aye Hain Samjhane Log, Hain Kitena Diwana Log' had become a household song during those days and I had become a celebrity in the industry. This ghazal had been written by a lesser-known ghazal writer Mahender Singh Bedi. I was so impressed with him that later on in my latest album, I took all his ghazals.

What is the future of the ghazal singing industry?

Style, approach and orientation of ghazal singing have changed with the course of time and it is quite natural. Now the ghazals are mostly issue-based. It is not merely confined in romanticism and Sufism. Now ghazals are being written in a very simple and lucid language. It is not overloaded with Urdu and Persian words.

There are ghazal singers like Khalish Tezavi in the new generation. He is really very promising. Chandan Das is also good.

What do you do to maintain your mellifluous voice?

I am a trained singer. I have learned classical singing for many years. I practice three to four hours daily even today.

ARTSCAPE
A passionate art guru who tries to see beyond ‘still life’
Garima pant

A moment arrested in eternity.

Popularly known as the ‘Cats Painter’ of India, Rajabather Bala Bhaskaran, is in his element in whatever he does. India has produced several great artists and art teachers, but barely the two come together in one man. For four decades, he has been one of our finest all-rounders – artist, administrator and pioneer of the movement, which culminated in Cholamandal, the artist village, which was built on idealism and sand.

A leading artist himself, Achuthan Kudallur says: “Importantly, Bhaskaran was not interested in making clones of himself, but let each artist find his own slots.” He has worn many hats. As a regional secretary of the Lalit Kala Academy, he brought dynamism to the institute.

“Art must be pure,” says Bhaskaran. He rejects all ‘isms’ as being restrictive. He discards intellectualism as being the lazy catch-all for artists, who refuse to paint with their heart. “I have no message, I don’t hanker after ‘useful’ art. Give me passion, that’s all I ask for in an artist.”

The canvases of R. B. Bhaskaran, ‘Still Life’ and ‘Life’.

He has dealt with the themes like life cycle, echo of freedom and has been acknowledged for his well-known couple series or the ‘Marriage photo’ series, which won him the National Award in 1983. His present series tries to capture ‘Still Life’ and has been treated to suit his vision. He has tried to look beyond the conventional projection of ‘still life’, and give it more definitions. His recent works ‘Still life- Redefined Pictorially’, are on display at the Dhoomimal Art Centre, till October 4, 2002.

He was brought up in an environment of art. He did a huge amount of work at a very young age and was even associated with the southern film industry. He painted huge movie banners, worked with the artists and picked up techniques. Later, he joined the Arts College. And therewith, he began his artistic journey as one of the key figures in Madras school. He is a tremendously knowledgeable person and holds the conviction of passing it on. He is a rare blend of a great artist and a great teacher, which the Indian soil has produced.

As he says that the most satisfying experience of his life and the role he has enjoyed the most is that of teaching. He finds himself to be a good teacher and students also like him as they are very successful. He is dedicated to his teaching and his paintings have given him references to pass on to his students and try and solve their difficulties with their help. He wants to be remembered and remain in the history and do all that he has always looked forward to do.

Rainbow paintings

Artist Baidehi Mohan with her four-year-old daughter Chitra.

‘RAINBOW WITH 7X7 COLOURS’ exhibits an array of 49 paintings in various moods and medium made up with stupendous colours. The works, on display at the Lalit Kala Academy, are of a budding artist Baidehi Mohan. Her oeuvre brings one’s senses come alive. She has been appreciated for her previous works like ‘LoC’, ‘Boat has to float’, ‘About to Rain’, ‘Peace’ and ‘God is there’ at AIFACS in New Delhi in August 2001.

An Air Force man’s wife, Baidehi is a multi-talented personality. She is a good stage singer. She has also worked as a freelance journalist. She is an active social worker, who takes classes free of charge and teaches art and craft to the poor children and women.

Her paintings in the present exposition are a fine blend of art and creativity. The painting ‘Moon with tide’ presents a breathtaking view of the full moon against the high tide. The entire beauty of the whole painting lies in the magic, produced by a few brush strokes. In ‘Against the storm’, an outline of a human form is presented which is trying to hold itself and remain standing against all the storms, difficulties and turbulent times in his life. A very inspiring work of art, ‘A freak of nature’, which showcases some of the most astoundingly beautiful and breathtaking landscapes much to a traveller’s delight.

Baidehi wants people to judge her from her work, her paintings. Along with her artworks, the portrait of her four-year-old daughter, Chitra, is on display, who has shown talent and is sure to follow her talented mother’s footsteps.

Commerce Day

An artwork by Kishore.

To mark the completion of 25 years, the Commerce Department of Delhi University, organised a seminar on ‘The Indian consumer market: Issues and concerns’ on September 19, 2002.

Professor O. P. Chopra, Dean, Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi University, chaired the seminar. He initiated the proceedings by highlighting the heterogeneous nature of the Indian consumer market.

Ms Pallavi Tiwari of AT Kearney India spoke on the prospects of organised retail in India, which was followed by a lively discussion. Ms Lakshmi Seth, Director of Quantum market research, spoke on the role of quantitative market research interpreting market trends and offered an interesting profile of the Indian middle class consumer.

Mr Anand Ramabhadran, Vice-president (Marketing) Touchtel India, made a lively and interactive presentation on targeting the consumer, highlighting the role of advertisements in selling lifestyles. The directory of alumnae was also released on the occasion by the Principal Indraprastha College For Women, Dr Aruna Sitesh.

Fabulous art

A silent poetry. The workmanship of Padmakar Santape.

A group show of paintings and sculptures, ‘Dhundh’ from Bhopal was on display at the Lalit Kala Academy. Artists like Anwar, Anil Gaikwad, Anand Goswami, Padmakar Santape, Pramod Gaikwad, Rajesh Deoria, Seema Ghurayya and Shailendra, showcased their marvellous works. Each artist used varied imagination and forms to bring forth their ideas and give voice to their expressions. Anil Gaikwad, who has used oil on paper says, “The life itself is a work of art through which unconsciously the paintings appear.” His paintings bring forth splendid blending of colours. Extremely subtle and soft, it seems as if each different colour is born out of one another.

Padmakar Santape, who has used acrylic on paper, feels that his work depicts nature through stone images. He has basically worked in abstract form compositions and has been in this field for the past two decades.

Pramod Gaikwad says, “Sometimes colours give me textures and sometimes textures give me colours, and both of them give me forms, just the way plants grow out of seeds.”

He has also worked with dry pastel on paper. Rajesh Deoria, whose work comprises scrape metal, feels, “I derive pleasure through transforming an insignificant object into a significant entity of my art.” He has really innovated well and produced some magnificent pieces of art.