The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

OPINION

Armaments deal with Russia
Biggest ever & profoundly significant
Inder Malhotra
For close to half a century Russia — in both its incarnations as the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation — has been this country’s largest and most dependable source of armaments. For the benefit of the younger generation that may not know this, let it be recorded that Russia was not New Delhi’s first choice as the source of its defence equipment.

OF LIFE SUBLIME

Gayatri mantra: a song of humanity
V. N. Datta
Recently there arose a controversy in The Tribune whether the Bhagavada Gita were a scientific book. Religious beliefs, however, laudable, do not stand the test of scientific analysis. Independent of its profound religious spirit which is manifest in Divine Revelation, the Gita is a great philosophical poem comparable to Dante’s Divine Comedy.

IN THE NEWS

A visionary vacates Bombay House
There is something amiss in the board room at Bombay House — the headquarters of one of India’s largest business conglomerates, the Tata Group. On December 28 Ratan Tata retired as the executive chairman of the group, at the ripe old age of 65.

Redefining the art of sipping coffee

TRENDS & POINTERS

Husbands, wives set different goals
Love and sex are more important to a happy marriage for men in their late 50s and early 60s than at any other time in their lives, a new survey says. Unfortunately for them, that’s just when intimacy becomes less important to women.

SPIRITUAL NUGGETS

EDITORIALS

Mufti’s new peace mantra

After his “healing touch” formulation Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has come out with another idea in his search for peace in the terrorism-hit state. He has begun courting industrialists, persuading them to invest in J and K for the sake of peace. His new mantra is that any investment in J and K will be an investment in peace and the overall security of the country. He has been chanting this mantra for the past few days during his meetings with the captains of industry at various places, including Mumbai, the country’s commercial capital. His idea seems to rest on the belief that tackling widespread unemployment in the state can help prevent youngsters from joining the ranks of militants. Revival of business and industrial activity can create an atmosphere forcing everybody in the state to develop a stake in peace and economic growth. Once the entire population starts hating people who do not talk of development but terrorism and other destructive ideas, militancy will find it difficult to survive despite the unending sponsorship from across the border. A new industrial policy is to be announced soon for wooing private sector investment in a big way. Of course, it will be a herculean task to revive tourism, once a thriving industry in the state, as it is directly linked to terrorism. Yet the government is devising plans to attract tourists with various projects like setting up a skiing centre at Gulmarg. There is no harm in trying with all the problems J and K has. But the state’s great potential in the area of hydroelectricity (it can generate as much as 20,000 MW ) needs to be harnessed as a priority. The Mufti government has expressed its preference for small power plants as these have a short gestation period. If it succeeds in getting the necessary investment, a lot of job opportunities can be made available to educated and uneducated youngsters. Besides this, an increased availability of power will be a great attraction for potential investors, from within the country as well as abroad.

The state government has already offered a package of incentives like 100 per cent duty exemption for 10 years in certain industrial areas, a 3 per cent interest subsidy on working capital loans, a 15 per cent subsidy on capital investment and total insurance premium reimbursement. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is showing considerable interest in the cause of J and K as projected by the new government. The state administration is, however, not depending entirely on the business community within the country. It is trying to cash in on the realisation of the miseries of the J and K people worldwide. It has also set its sights on the foreign direct investment, which has been only of the order of $ 11 million out of the total $ 47,000 million in India so far. That is why it has been impressing upon the visiting representatives of foreign countries that if they really sympathised with their plight, they should express it through institutional or other investments. Finance Minister Muzaffar Hussain Beigh made such appeals to a delegation of French parliamentarians, US Ambassador Robert Blackwill and British High Commissioner Sir Rob Young who had been to Srinagar recently. There is, however, a serious problem with regard to FDI inflows. FDI is possible only when there are counter-guarantees from the Government of India. The Chief Minister is greatly hopeful on this count. But it all depends on the success to immobilise the terrorist monster ravaging the state since 1979, claiming as many as 40,000 innocent lives. Thus, the idea of investment for peace is a laudable one, but it cannot be translated easily into a reality in an atmosphere of insecurity.

Flying the Tricolour

The Union Cabinet's decision to impose strong punishment, including imprisonment, for showing any disrespect to the National Flag is to be lauded, especially since common people now have the permission to fly the Tricolour at their premises. The National Flag is a symbol of our nation, a visible sign of the ideals of the people as reflected in the Constitution. As it is, the flying of the National Flag is governed by the Emblem and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950, and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971. So far, insult to the National Flag has been defined at greater length by including the depiction of the flag on costumes as serious disrespect. In fact, common citizens were not allowed to fly the Tricolour at their homes or establishments except on Republic Day, Independence Day, Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary and the National Week (April 6-13) that is held to commemorate the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, or any other specified days. This situation changed on Republic Day last year when the Union Cabinet decided on greater latitude to the issue as a result of the six-year court battle of Haryana industrialist Naveen Jindal, who fought for the right of common people to fly the National Flag at their premises. The Supreme Court, while upholding the Delhi High Court decision, found no reason for disallowing the people to hoist the Tricolour at their premises. The Centre thereafter relented. It was against this background that the P.D. Shenoy panel was set up. It recommended the use of the flag by common citizens, and also recommended strong punishments for its misuse. A minimum imprisonment of one year was proposed in case of second or subsequent offence of deliberate insult to the Tricolour or the offence of intentionally preventing the singing of the National Anthem or causing disturbance to any assembly engaged in such singing. This is necessary since with greater freedom come greater responsibilities.

At the same time, the issue of the singing of the National Anthem at movie theatres, as instituted by the Maharashtra Government, has thrown up a related issue. The National Anthem was sung on such occasions all over the country at one time, till it was rationally decided that it would not be appropriate to sing it since most of the persons did not show proper respect at the end of cinema shows. This was a correct decision. Indian patriotism is far beyond the stage of tokenism and the overuse of symbols is one way of making sure that their value is degraded. Everything has a proper place and a proper time. Cinema halls are not the proper place for the singing of the National Anthem.

Ripples in Orissa

Reports on the serving of a delicacy made of the meat of some exotic migratory birds poached from the world famous Chilika lake in Orissa at a dinner hosted by a senior IAS officer of the state government at Bhubaneshwar Club the other day has kicked off a major controversy. Even as the club authorities have refuted the allegation, Forest and Environment Secretary G.B.Mukherjee has said that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has ordered a probe by the Chief Wildlife Warden. However, the Orissa unit of the Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN) is not satisfied. It has demanded an impartial probe by a Central agency like the CBI as it feels that investigation by a government official, considered subordinate to the Forest Secretary, would only be an eyewash. Professional fraternity among IAS officers in the country is well-known and there is no denying the fact that the official inquiry will neither help ferret out the truth nor bring the guilty to book. The issue is serious because birds like waterfowls are protected under the law and poaching of these rare species is punishable under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. More important, the accused in this case is himself a Secretary to the government. Therefore, the ends of justice will be met only if an impartial investigation, preferably by the judiciary or by a Central agency, is ordered. The aim should be to dispassionately examine whether Mr Priyabrata Patnaik, the officer in question, who is incidentally the vice-president of the Bhubaneshwar Club, is indeed guilty of the crime and, if so, to allow the law to take its own course.

The issue has once again brought to the fore the question of poaching in our lakes and sanctuaries. Unfortunately, though the Chilika lake has been a victim of this menace over the years, adequate steps have not been taken to check this problem. During the winter months, birds migrate to this lake from places such as Siberia, Mongolia, Arctic Ocean and Central Asia. The Chilika lake has recently been designated a “Ramsar site” for being a wetland of international importance. If it is true that the Union Government has not lagged behind in providing the funds needed for the prevention of poaching and protection of wildlife, where is the money going and who are all responsible for the continued menace? Earlier, poachers used pellets or air guns to shoot down migratory birds in this lake. Now they adopt new methods to hoodwink the wildlife staff and poach the birds. They reportedly mix an intoxicant with bird feed and wait for the birds to fall prey. The unconscious birds fall in the poachers’ nets. Clearly, this problem is not confined to the Chilika lake alone. Consider other examples — the Hussain Sagar lake in Hyderabad, the Bellandur lake in Bangalore, the Ranganathittu bird sanctuary near Mysore and the Bharatpur sanctuary in Rajasthan. Even Chandigarh’s Sukhna lake seems to be no exception. Filmstar Salman Khan’s reported involvement in the killing of two black buck and an antelope in a forest near Jaipur in Rajasthan in 1998 hit international headlines. Sadly, the case is dragging on with no early judgement in sight. Poaching can be effectively tackled only if the accused, especially when they are celebrities or top officials, are tried for the offence and prosecuted under the due processes of law.

OPINION

Armaments deal with Russia
Biggest ever & profoundly significant
Inder Malhotra

For close to half a century Russia — in both its incarnations as the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation — has been this country’s largest and most dependable source of armaments. For the benefit of the younger generation that may not know this, let it be recorded that Russia was not New Delhi’s first choice as the source of its defence equipment. The first preference of the military leaders and even civilian bureaucrats was the West. Although the MIG-21, the war-horse of the IAF in subsequent decades, was contracted for in 1961, India went to Moscow to shop for arms systematically only at the end of 1964 when Harold Wilson, the then British Prime Minister, wouldn’t even lease to this country a single submarine for training. On this count, America’s doors had been shut much earlier, thanks to the Cold War and the US-Pakistan military alliance.

At the start of the New Year Moscow has once again lived up to its reputation. During a visit there by the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, the two countries have all but clinched a $ three-billion arms deal which is the biggest ever single transaction of this kind India has entered into with any country. But far more important than the dimension of the deal is its profound significance.

For the new agreement — likely to be signed before the end of March — transfers to India the state-of-the-art weaponry the like of which has never before been available from any source and today would still be unavailable for any source other than Russia. With the Soviet-era aircraft carrier, Admiral Gorshkov, as its centrepiece, the package of arms to be delivered by Russia includes for TU-22M3 Backfire strategic bombers and two Akula-class nuclear-powdered submarines. Together, these would give a big boost to India’s nuclear deterrent. Sceptics who had constantly doubted that India would be able to have a triad of land, air and sea-based nuclear deterrent can be effectively silenced now.

As it happens, all three constituents of the present package mean an accretion of strength to the Indian Navy. TU-22M3 is a naval aircraft with a range equal to the distance between Murmansk on Russia’s northern coast and Havana in the Caribbean. The Akula-class submarines would be the vehicles to make the under-water Indian nuclear deterrent secure from a surprise, nuclear strike to “decapitate” it and to launch the massive retaliatory strikes, if and when necessary. India, being wedded to No First Use, would not be the first to launch a nuclear attack on anyone.

However, it is only fair to recognise that it would be some time before the Russian-supplied submarines can become effectively operational. This is so because they as well as TU-22M3s would carry BrahMos, a supersonic cruise missile that India and Russia have designed and developed jointly. This missile has undergone preliminary tests and is expected to be test-fired within the next few days. But more tests would be needed before the serial production of BrahMos can begin.

It is remarkable that until very recently all attention in India was concentrated on the aircraft carrier Gorshkov in isolation, not as a critical element in the sea-based nuclear deterrent. Consequently, the proposed purchase of a ship that had been mothballed for years became controversial. The Russians had, of course, offered the vessel as a free gift. But because it requires comprehensive refit at enormous cost, some in the decision-making structure opposed the idea of buying it. Moreover, they started looking the gift-horse into the mouth also because New Delhi would have to pay for at least two MIG-29K aircraft to be put initially on the carrier named after the Father of the Russian Navy.

At the end of his six-day visit to Moscow, Mr Fernandes admitted that the price to be paid for Gorshkov was still a “sticking point”. But he added that Indian and Russian governments were determined to conclude the deal before the end of March. A protocol that he signed before leaving for home duly reflects this determination. But specific contracts can be signed only after the price issue is out of the way.

All these negotiations are being conducted under the umbrella of Indo-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission (IRIGC) for Military-Technical Cooperation that meets once a year. Mr Fernandes had gone to attend the third meeting of the commission. When asked about the details of the discussion at the IRIGC, the Defence Minister said this could not be done for “obvious reasons”. “We have”, he added, “a mischievous neighbour and there are some countries which do not want to see us strong, but we need these weapons for our security”. His swipe at Pakistan is obvious. But the second part of his elliptical statement can be understood only by those aware of the import of the Indian nuclear doctrine and the criticism of it by the USA and some European countries.

Submitted by the National Security Advisory Board in August 1999, the draft nuclear doctrine put the utmost emphasis on the Indian nuclear deterrent resting on a “triad” of nuclear weaponry usable on land, in the blue sky and in the deep blue waters of the seas. This immediately became a target of attack by western countries and by those Indian “strategists” who love to repeat parrot-like whatever is said by western governments and analysts.

Ironically, there was an element of contradiction in the critical comments on the Indian triad. Some India-baiters said that this was an irresponsible idea because it would usher in an “open-ended nuclear arms race” in South Asia that would escalate tensions in the region and undermine its precarious economy. Others declared disparagingly that whatever India’s grand designs, it would not be able to build up a sea-based nuclear deterrent.

Behind the second category of observations there obviously was a mixture of arrogance and a rather deprecatory attitude towards this country. Up to now, only the five countries recognised as the nuclear weapon powers by the NPT, that also have permanent seats on the UN Security Council, have a triad of nuclear weapons. It must gall them that India is now well within reach of the same goal and would be the sixth country in the world to have the triad.

While this is surely a matter of legitimate pride, complacence and euphoria on this score would be wholly out of place and indeed dangerous. Unfortunately, we have a tradition of announcing grandiose plans and at the same time being guilty of unconscionable delays in implementing them. Let us take the simple matter of which aircraft to put on Gorshkov when it is in service of the Indian Navy. Evidently, just two MIG-29Ks would not suffice. We have to buy either more of these or look for some other suitable aircraft. Admiral Gorshkov himself had once said that the British Sea Harriers could be deployed on board the ship he was then flying his flag on.

However, there is no dearth of those who say loftily that we must not buy naval planes from any other country when the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LAC) would be suitable. A good idea this, but the trouble is that the LAC should have been flying years ago but is unlikely to be visible in the Indian sky for God alone knows how long. The pie-in-the-sky promises of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) should not be allowed to imperil or delay disgracefully the triad of Indian nuclear deterrence.

Incidentally, the DRDO’s boast that it would quickly develop the necessary flying machine that has contributed considerably to the holding up for 17 long years a decision on the acquisition of an advanced jet trainer (AJT) that the Air Force needs desperately. Nobody knows when the choice between the British Hawk, the Czech-American L-159B and the Russian MIG-AT would be made. This disastrous precedent must not be repeated in selecting the warplanes needed for Gorshkov because they would be a part of the nuclear deterrent that must not be trifled with.

As of today the Army has the nuclear capable Prithvi missile, the Air Force has the Sukhois-30, the Mirages and the Jaguars as the delivery system, and the Navy is on way to getting the platforms for the retaliatory nuclear launch, if and when necessary. There is, however, a missile gap even in relation to Pakistan, leave alone China. The Agni that could fill this gap is still being tested. Of course, Pakistan has operational missiles because it got them from China and North Korea and just repackaged them as Ghauris and Shaheens. This problem has got to be dealt on urgently and speedily.

OF LIFE SUBLIME

Gayatri mantra: a song of humanity
V. N. Datta

Om bhur bhuvah swah
Tat savitur varenyam
Bhargo devasya dhimahi
Dhiyo yo nah prachodayat

(“O Lord, who pervades the earth,
The intermediate world and the world of life,
We mediate on the supreme light
Of the illumining Sun-god,
That he may impel our mind.”)

Recently there arose a controversy in The Tribune whether the Bhagavada Gita were a scientific book. Religious beliefs, however, laudable, do not stand the test of scientific analysis. Independent of its profound religious spirit which is manifest in Divine Revelation, the Gita is a great philosophical poem comparable to Dante’s Divine Comedy.

In the eleventh discourse of the Gita in which Krishna revealed his Divine self to overcome Arjuna and induce him to choose the religious path to destroy evil, he said, “I am Gayatri mantra”. Some time ago at the meeting of Mohyal Brahmans who call themselves ‘Hussani Brahmans’ and trace their descent from Dronacharya, the proceedings, as usual, began with a recitation of Gayatri mantra. After the recitation someone asked about the meaning of the mantra. Explanations were given but not satisfactory. It may be mentioned that the Arya Samaj had brought in Punjab the message of the Vedas closer to the hearts of Hindus, and gradually the Gayatri mantra began to acquire the widest popularity at their social and religious functions.

What is important is not the literal meaning of Gayatri mantra but its spirit and significance. When Krishna said that He was a Gayatri mantra, he emphasised, to use Bergson’s expression, the necessity of using vital-free or soul force for the enhancement and rejuvenation of the quality of human life. And it is by means of prayers that this rare gift is to be sought. As Tennyson wrote that more things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.

The celebrated verse of Gayatri mantra is derived from the Rig Veda, a hymn of the rishi Vishwamitra, and was a part of the devotion of the Brahmans. For the first time it was made known to English readers by Sir William Jones. The Gayatri mantra, the chosen formula of the ancient Vedic search is addressed to Surya, the Sun. In his autobiography, Maharishi Davendranath Tagore (1817-1905), leader of the Brahmo Samaj, wrote about the decisive impact the recitation of Gayatri mantra had produced in his life by opening to him the significance and mode of spiritual life. He wrote, “The deep significance of the Gayatri became clear to me. Gradually the spirit of Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat filled my heart. I established a certain connection with Him. Formerly I had deemed it a privilege to salute Him from a distance. Now I realised that He is not far from me. He opened my inner eye, the eye of wisdom... what profits beyond all expectations had I not gained by adopting the Gayatri mantra. I had seen Him face to face. He taught me wisdom like a Guru and prompted me to do good... In punishment and reward I discerned Him alone”.

By relating it to the cosmological order of the universe, rather than to any caste, creed and race, Davendranath’s more famous son Rabindernath Tagore emphasised the universal message of the Gayatri mantra for humankind. By highlighting the indissoluble subsisting bond between God and human beings, Tagore showed that the beauty of the Gayatri mantra lay not in asking for material favours, but for stimulating our mental faculties and directing us to do notable deeds. In other words, by reciting the mantra we are addressing the Director of our intellect to bring us close to the universe and God. There is nothing narrow and sectarian in the mantra. That is why he called Gayatri the lyrical epic of the soul, and an aspiring song of humanity to which a devout follower of Aurobindo Ghosh, A.P. Kapur has drawn attention.

I think it is Aurobindo Ghosh who has given a brilliant exposition of the Gayatri. He was sorely disappointed with his would-be disciple for not understanding the Gayatri. He explained it literally as “we choose the supreme light of the divine Sun, we aspire that it may impel our minds.” The mantra as said earlier is addressed to the ‘Sun or surya which is a symbol of the Divine light.’ According to Aurobindo Ghosh, the Gayatri “gives expression to the aspiration, asking the divine light to come down and give impulsion to all the activities of the mind”. This interpretation emphasises the creative activity of the mind as the supreme ideal of life because the creative impulse at work means the cultivation and exposition of inventive capacities to fructify finer qualities of human life and promoting thereby the general good and happiness.

It is for Divine light of Truth that a favour is sought asking it to come down and illuminate the intellect. But the sunlight is so enormous and dazzling that it might blind the eye. All cannot bear the light of the sun, meaning thereby a general apathy of humankind to open the mind, to enable it to know itself, to digest, master, use its knowledge, and give it power over its faculties to develop the virtues of analysis, perception, discipline and sagacity.

But what kind of knowledge is intended to acquire when Sun, the symbol of God, is approached. It is not information nor a potted version of classical knowledge but wisdom or what may be called, revelatory knowledge by which we can arrive at the highest Truth. But for this incessant search the primary impulse is a restless activity of mind, perpetually at work to know, and imbibe the Divine light of Truth and bliss.

The mystics use symbols and words which have both inner and outer meanings. But in his interpretation Aurobindo Ghosh had given a deeper interpretation, a new perspective. To Aurobindo Ghosh the recovery of the Vedas was “a practical necessity for the fortune of the human race”.

IN THE NEWS

A visionary vacates Bombay House

There is something amiss in the board room at Bombay House — the headquarters of one of India’s largest business conglomerates, the Tata Group. On December 28 Ratan Tata retired as the executive chairman of the group, at the ripe old age of 65. To be sure, it was only an implementation in letter and spirit of the decision he himself had taken in 1994 on fixing the retirement age for the company top brass.

Ratan Tata’s rise to the helm had been not been smooth as is the case in most family-run companies in the country.

A graduate from Cornell University, a bachelor and complete teetotaller, he joined the group’s flagship Tisco as an apprentice in Jamshedpur and rose from the ranks. Those were the licence-raj days of Indian industry and the names of many luminaries such as Rusy Mody, Darbari Seth, Ajit Kelkar and Sumant Moolgaokar were doing the rounds for taking charge. However, Ratan Tata, credited with inculcating strong corporate ethics in the group’s functioning, made his way up the ladder as some of the contenders fell by the wayside because of controversies.

Known to be an extremely private and media-shy person, he has guided the group grow from strength to strength as a visionary. For one, not many could have dreamt of rolling out a completely indigenous Indian small car — Indica— that too from the Tata stable, which is best known for producing heavy commercial vehicles. Today, Indica is galloping shoulder to shoulder with other models with a distinct global lineage. And the latest offering, Indigo, is all set to make a definitive entry into the mid-size segment.

The business conglomerate has also successfully diversified into the new economy segment— Tata Teleservices — and the subsequent acquisition of erstwhile public sector behemoth VSNL are cases in point. As the speculation ripens about his successor (Noel Tata his half-brother is believed to be a strong contender), Ratan Tata can enjoy the evening stroll in the United Services Club with his dogs with a great sense of accomplishment.

Redefining the art of sipping coffee

Not long ago coffee was a hot beverage served only in South Indian homes as an early morning stimulant. Outside, sipping coffee was limited to a few coffee homes scattered at various places across the country. Today, in select metros at least, the name Barista, a brainchild of Mr Ravi Deol, has become almost synonymous with coffee.

In less than two years Deol, with a few other peers in the industry, has redefined the experience of drinking coffee in the country. An MBA with more than 16 years of professional experience spanning across diverse organisations, including Coca-Cola, Ciba-Geigy and Wipro-GE, Mr Deol is credited with floating the notion of customised coffee bars. Mr Deol says Barista is making a definitive lifestyle statement.

The phenomenal growth of Barista Coffee has prompted Mr Deol to spearhead the creation of the world’s largest authentic Italian Espresso Bar brand. Already, Barista has established itself as the largest retailer of fine speciality coffee in the South Asian region.

Based in Delhi, Mr Deol’s the rudimentary elements of the novel notion took shape about two years ago and soon began working on the concept with aggression, passion and excitement. In his own words, Mr Deol says that “the idea was to recreate the ambience and experience the typical Indian neighbourhood Espresso Bars. It is not just about drinking coffee but also about the entire experience” and more so in the traditionally non-coffee drinking North Indian region of the country.

Being a North Indian and with Punjabi descent, Mr Deol has seen a huge opportunity in the segment. And if others have followed suit, he can take credit for creating a hitherto untapped market.

TRENDS & POINTERS

Husbands, wives set different goals

Love and sex are more important to a happy marriage for men in their late 50s and early 60s than at any other time in their lives, a new survey says. Unfortunately for them, that’s just when intimacy becomes less important to women.

The survey, being published in the February issue of Reader’s Digest, found that between the ages of 57 and 64 men become more attentive to their wives while women, finally freed from family responsibilities, find more goals outside of marriage.

“The guys are saying, ‘Now I get it. I want more intimacy,’” said John Gottman, a marriage expert who analysed polling data for the magazine. “And the women are saying, ‘Sorry, bub, I’ve already done that. I’ve got my own goals now.’”

A 60-year-old New York woman in the survey said she was finally getting the chance to travel, but her retired husband didn’t want to. “What am I supposed to do? Stay home?” she asked. “Life’s too short.”

The nationwide telephone survey was conducted in June for the Chappaqua-based magazine by the Ipsos-NPD research group, which randomly chose 500 married men and 500 married women, but no couples. Questions were designed to determine how happy their marriages were and find out about specific behaviour and attitudes.

Gottman, who teaches at the University of Washington and is the author of “The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work,” compared the answers to find the relationship between marital happiness and particular behaviour and attitudes. AP