Innholdsfortegnelse for July 29, 2019 i India Today

Every revolution, they say, carries the seed of its own destruction. That seems to apply to India’s Grand Old Party too, the Indian National Congress, which once delivered us from colonial rule. I believe the seed was sown when India’s legendary prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, made his daughter Indira Gandhi the president of the Congress in 1959. Ironically, he was the main reason why India remained a democracy unlike many other countries that were freed from colonial rule. Even such a staunch democrat could not resist the pull of dynasty. After Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri died in 1966, Indira Gandhi defeated her rival Morarji Desai in the party’s parliamentary leadership election and succeeded Shastri as prime minister. Three years later, in November 1969, she founded her own political start-up—the…

A recent government report highlights India’s teacher shortages at the higher levels compared with fellow BRICS nations such as Brazil and China. Consequently overburdened by their teaching load, teachers in India are ‘unable to pursue any research or encourage their students to do so’, notes the report titled ‘Education Quality Upgradation and Inclusion Programme’. An HRD ministry survey also shows that while enrolments increased in higher education institutes between 2014 and 2018, the numbers of teachers have actually gone down. The draft National Education Policy points out that ‘thousands of smaller colleges have hardly any teaching faculty, and there is little or no education taking place’. 24:1 Average student-teacher ratio in Indian higher education institutes, compared with 19:1 in China and Brazil, 16:1 in Britain, 12:1 Sweden, 10:1 Russia, 9:1…

It was June 27 and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was delivering a speech in the assembly when newly elected BJP MLA from Madarihat, Manoj Tigga, shouted “Jai Shri Ram”. As the chief minister paused mid-sentence and the assembly held its breadth in anticipation of an explosion, Mamata surprised everyone by gesturing to her own raging MLAs to keep quiet. She then went on to finish her speech, concluding with a ‘Vande Mataram’, which, she was quick to remind the BJP benches, was written by a Bengali, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyaya, and that the day happened to be his birthday. The assembly was stunned, the usually combative Mamata had turned calm, and even accommodating. Indeed, in the past few days, Didi has been humility personified, addressing veteran CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakrabarty as…

› An overdependence on the Gandhi family has meant the party failed to cultivate mass leaders at the national or state level. Strong state leaders were also not allowed to grow, leading many, such as Mamata Banerjee, Himanta Biswa Sarma and Jagan Mohan Reddy, to quit › Decisions in the party are made by leaders who have no mass base; the Congress Working Committee, the highest decision-making body of the party, has just three Lok Sabha MPs and five MLAs among its 47 members › Unlike the BJP, the Congress never focused on building the organisational structure. It has few grassroots workers in the states or districts. In six states—Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu—which account for 250 Lok Sabha seats, the party has no…

From the hazaar f****d slang of English, August through six subsequent novels and a novella, linguistic playfulness has always been a central feature of Upamanyu Chatterjee’s style, enamouring many, putting others off. Every hue of his hallmark language-driven humour (from adolescent to acerbic to dark) is on vivid display through the 12 stories—written between 1985 and 2018—in this collection. But what is also foregrounded is his playful, experimental approach to form as he flits between fact, fiction and fairytale. The titular story, written earliest and placed at the end of the book, is a straightforward example. As if looking at an event of national importance through the wrong end of a telescope, Chatterjee describes its passing through an individual who has more pressing matters on his mind. He zooms closer…

At 23, Tanay Narendra Bothara is unlike most others of his age. He loves to challenge himself and push boundaries. A student of design at Vivekanand Institute of Technology’s Padmabhushan Vasatdada Patil College of Architecture, Pune, Bothara has recently won a gold for Nippon’s Asia Young Designer Award 2019 under the architectural category. Beating over 8,400 applicants and competing with finalists from 15 countries in the finals, his project Children Uprooted looks at transforming war-ridden spaces in Syria. The theme for this year’s award ceremony held in Singapore was Forward: Challenging Design Boundaries. The Inspiration Bothara is the first Indian to receive the award. Talking about what inspired Children Uprooted, he says that it stemmed from a video he saw on the plight of the children affected by the civil…

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras along with Virtusa Corporation organised the second edition of carbon zero challenge, an All-India Innovation and Entrepreneurship Contest, on campus. The objective was to identify and curate practical, innovative, and indigenous solutions with a sound business case to solve energy and environmental problems in India. In total, 24 teams were selected. The shortlisted teams will receive training and mentoring in addition to financial support of up to ₹5 lakh over a period of six months to build their prototypes and evolve their business models.…

Digital detox Kartikey Gupta was off social media since Class 11. “My daily routine included six to seven hours of coaching followed by six to seven hours of self-study.” Gupta extensively practiced sample papers and took mock tests. He stayed in ALLEN coaching centre hostel and that helped him hold discussions with his peers, clear doubts and understand the concepts well. Goal oriented Gupta, who aspires to pursue computer science from IIT Bombay says, “I enjoyed mathematics and physics very much and that motivated me to spend so many hours preparing for the exam. He adds, “My weakest point was chemistry so I read and revised that multiple times before I appeared for the final test.” Managing it well “Keep calm and do not get stressed on the day of…

INDIAN SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY Gurgaon, Haryana www.ish.edu.in Conceptualised and launched by hotelier Dilip Puri—former Managing Director of Starwood Hotels, South Asia—the Indian School of Hospitality (ISH) is set to transform hospitality education in the country. The faculty at ISH comprises industry professionals who understand the workings of the hospitality sector combined with Swiss learning methodologies to prepare professionals fit for the F&B industry globally. ISH has the academic certification from Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne (EHL), Switzerland, the world’s top ranked hospitality school, and is based on the philosophy to impart lifelong skills to students and help them succeed. TAKE NOTE The school offers both degree and short-term programmes. The curriculum is designed to provide the ideal foundation for managerial and leadership qualities with a focus on developing business and critical…

In the last few years, we have probably created more data digitally than in the rest of human history. Think about the millions of Internet searches and social media posts that are made every minute, and the resultant data that corporations and governments are collecting on consumers and stakeholders. What do we do with this information? This sea of data can overwhelm us; we must learn to tame the data deluge to our advantage. Our key challenge is to filter out the signal from the noise and make sense of the data that is being accumulated every second in this digital era. The discipline of data science is a blend of statistical and computational tools, algorithms and machine learning principles with an aim to uncover hidden and relevant patterns in…

➔ Use big window facades for uninterrupted natural light and views. ➔ Create seamless spaces with few divisions ➔ Bespoke artworks become the signature of the space. A sculptural piece or painting can elevate any room and an art piece has the ability to become the focal point of a space ➔ Every element should tell a story, so find things that interest you. Camelot CoWorks is in a building called I-Rise, named after Amrita Deora’s favourite poem by Maya Angelou, Still I Rise.…

For sharp analysis on topical issues by the editors of INDIA TODAY, log on to www.indiatoday.in/india-today-magazine-insight WHY THE IAF WANTS THE S-400 MISSILE by Sandeep Unnithan The technological leap offered by the System-400’s capabilities far outweighs the risk of sanctions from the US and the loss of status of major non-NATO ally http://bit.ly/2Jy5kIV No budget for farmers by Ajit Kumar Jha Except for a push in rural infrastructure, Nirmala Sitharaman’s maiden budget had little to stimulate rural income and demand http://bit. ly/2GgoQHM Why Indian models are making it big abroad by Chinki Sinha While Indian male models scorch the ramp for major international design houses, back home the fashion industry continues to be obsessed with white skin http://bit.ly/2ShNcpq Water woes: Running out of time by Amarnath K. Menon Tamil Nadu…

A major obstacle to diversity in nation-states is the grossly sweeping historical and political narratives that often underpin them. State power allows those in charge to define the nation and its structures with circular arguments that legitimise the territorial delimiting and historical disinheriting of peoples—who have cultivated those same territories for centuries. In the mid-twentieth century, as the modern colonial empires began to be dismantled, official histories were established by newly independent states for their newly established territories and official chronicles were created to support these narratives. Editors Ather Zia and Javaid Iqbal Bhat are not shy about the objective of their insightful anthology on Kashmir. They take on two states—India and Pakistan—with the aim of ‘destabilising [those] official and nationalistic histories’. Theoretically, this is not difficult. Almost all post-colonial…

IN SOME STATES, INCLUDING UTTAR PRADESH, A WRONG PRACTICE OF FORCING PEOPLE TO CHANT RELIGIOUS SLOGANS AND COMMITTING ATROCITIES HAS BEGUN, AND IT SHOULD BE CONDEMNED... THE CENTRE AND STATE GOVERNMENTS MUST TAKE TOUGH ACTION SO THAT HARMONY IS MAINTAINED EVERYWHERE AND DEVELOPMENT IS NOT AFFECTED Former UP chief minister MAYAWATI hit out on social media at a gang of 12 young men who allegedly forced a Muslim cleric, a resident of Muzaffarnagar, to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’. They also beat him up and pulled his beard, he told the police. This is not the first time Mayawati has complained about the ruling party “allowing crimes of communal frenzy and casteism” and defaming the country and embarrassing the prime minister. The BJP responded with scorn, some in the party likening…

TMC chief realises that steamrolling the old opposition has only helped the BJP The 20% vote share drop of the Left has mostly transferred to the BJP. Worried Mamata urges CPI(M) to focus on “rebuilding the party” TMC cadre told not to ‘impose’ on Left, Congress; CPI(M) offices handed back to the party Even union leaders of the Left are off the hook, they can return to their bases Land for the proposed Jyoti Basu Centre for Social Studies and Research finally cleared Left, Congress involved in House coordination strategy But Left still sceptical of Mamata’s intentions…

Going by the party constitution, a Congress president is elected by All India Congress Committee and Pradesh Congress Committee members. Elections have been held only on three occasions since Indira Gandhi broke away from the parent party in 1969 to form the Congress (R), which later became the Congress (I) and finally the Indian National Congress. Loyal Indira lieutenant K.B. Reddy was elected president in 1977, Sitaram Kesri two decades later. He soon had to make way for Sonia Gandhi, who trounced her challenger Jitendra Prasada, winning 7,448 votes against his 94. In December 2017, Rahul Gandhi was elected unopposed. His resignation has necessitated an election. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) has no authority to select a Congress president. However, according to the rulebook, “in the event of any emergency…

Out of power since 1990, it won 27 assembly seats in 2015, in a grand alliance with the RJD and JD(U). Its tally in the nine Lok Sabha polls since 1989—4,1,2,5,4,3,2,2, 1—read like an out-of-form batsman’s score on a bouncy track Prominent leaders: Madan Mohan Jha, Akhilesh P. Singh, Sadanand Singh, Mohd Jawed, S.K. Singh, Shyam Sunder, Ashok Kumar Its government with JD(S) is on the verge of a collapse with several Congress MLAs jumping ship. Former CM Siddaramaiah and AICC in-charge K.C. Venugopal do not see eye to eye. Dinesh Gundu Rao remains president though the PCC has been dissolved Prominent leaders: Siddaramaiah, D.K. Shivakumar, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Mallikarjun Kharge, Jairam Ramesh The only state where the party has done well in the assembly and Lok Sabha polls since…

It is only in the past couple of decades that historical accounts of the Japanese occupation of the Andamans during World War II have begun to emerge. The Japanese were seen as liberators when they arrived in 1942, and soon the islands nominally became part of Subhas Chandra Bose’s Azad Hind. Actual control rested with the Japanese, though, who soon became paranoid about locals cooperating with British forces. In addition to wartime hardship and famine, the period was marked by torture and mass executions. Some estimates put the number of dead in the war years as high as a quarter of the islands’ population. When the British retook the islands in 1945, now they were welcomed as liberators. The first victim of the Japanese occupation was a young man named…

KARMA aka Vivek Arora was plucked out of obscurity by Raftaar and signed to his label. Since then, the 23-year-old Dehradun rapper has consistently clocked 10 million views on YouTube.Checkout‘ Rap Karte Hain’, ‘ 1 se 23’ and ‘Karmasutra’ by him. FOPCHU is made up of three Delhi gentlemen, goofing around with synths and samples and surfacing with pearls. Elitism at its best. K4 KEKHO is an Arunachali rapper. A major phenomenon in his home state, his hard-hitting lyrics take on everything from cash-for-votes to the racism Northeastern students face in Delhi. Hit single: ‘ I’m an Indian’.…

Employees need to be kept engaged. Take a look around your office. How many of your employees are enthused with their work? It may not seem like a big deal at first glance, but if you look closely, you’ll notice how most of them are detached. A Gallup report estimates that global engagement levels are just 15 per cent today. This level of commitment and loyalty is what your company’s future depends on. But how to recognise what engaged employees look like? For starters, they are the ones that go the extra mile without being asked. They give their all, with passion and a smile on their face, as they enjoy the work they accomplish. Their productivity and performance are reflected in the work they do. So, how can you…

Engineering has the biggest job market with the information technology sector being the biggest employer. There are specialisations in engineering, the circuit branches, such as computer science (CS), electronics and communications engineering (ECE), electrical engineering (EE), and mechanical engineering (ME), which are always in demand. Do IITs often look at changing their curriculum? Yes. The IITs revise the curricula regularly to keep pace with the changing times. Apart from major decadal revamps, new courses are introduced every semester as new areas emerge. Two recent examples are artificial intelligence and additive manufacturing. What’s most in demand at IIT Madras? As with all IITs, computer science and electrical engineering are the most popular courses at IIT Madras. It is primarily because of the perception that the highest-paying jobs and the most exciting…

We are the beginning of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Developments in genetics, artificial intelligence, robotics, nanotechnology, 3D printing and biotechnology are happening around us. This will lay the foundation for a revolution more comprehensive and all-encompassing than anything we have ever seen. In many industries and countries, the most in-demand occupations or specialties of today did not exist 10 or even five years ago, and the pace of change is set to accelerate. Children entering primary school today will end up working in completely new job types that don’t yet exist. In such a rapidly evolving employment landscape, the ability to anticipate and prepare for future skills requirements, job content and the aggregate effect on employment is critical for businesses, governments and individuals. What’s driving this transition? Four technological advances…

With titles such as the Best Women’s International Cricketer awarded by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and accolades by the International Cricket Council (ICC), Smriti Mandhana, 23, is a force to reckon with. Six years ago, she became the first Indian woman cricketer to score a double century in a one-day game and in February this year, she led India’s Women T20I squad for the three match series against England. The young cricketer from Sangli, Maharashtra, recently bagged an endorsement as the face of skin and bath brand ITC Vivel. How did you get into playing cricket? My brother and father used to play cricket so I would follow my brother to the grounds, watch him play and then play with him. That’s how I fell…

Due to the constant stream of advancements being made in the field of robotics, we’re fast becoming comfortable with the idea of robots in our day-to-day lives. Think of complex medical procedures made simple and the bots that help us finish our daily chores such as vacuuming, washing dishes or enjoying a hot cup of coffee. That’s not all. Once you apply the concept of robotics to education, you can change the way students learn. Elias, a social robot, is teaching Finnish children from the town of Tampere in Finland the nuances of language. It teaches the fundamentals of Finnish, German and English and can help the students master up to 23 different languages. The students have taken a shine to Elias and do not feel embarrassed about asking questions,…

At the launch of a spacecraft, the most watched are the giant digital countdown clocks fitted in the control room where the scientists are seated as well as in the media gallery. For India’s second moon mission, Chandrayaan 2, the clock began counting down 20 hours before the spacecraft was slated to be launched at 2.51 am on July 15 at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) facility in Sriharikota in coastal Andhra Pradesh. The 5,000-odd visitors seated in the amphitheatre nearby watched the clock on a giant monitor with anticipation. For the countdown, ISRO had developed a rigorous review of every critical component of the spacecraft, including its rockets, apart from the communications and tracking facilities. That’s because space is unforgiving. A slight error in calculation or a malfunctioning…

Even amidst rising income inequalities, India did manage to lift tens of millions of people out of poverty between 2006 and 2016, according to the UN Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), released on July 11. The MPI measures poverty across a range of indicators besides income, examining, for instance, access to healthcare, education, housing and clean drinking water. India, the report says, has reduced multidimensional poverty the fastest. Despite the impressive progress, there are pockets where poverty remains startling, where the majority of people in a district (over 65%) are as poor as in the poorest parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Seeking a modicum of political mileage, the Congress congratulated itself on the success of UPA policies over the two terms during which much of the poverty reduction noted in the…

The government has finally stepped in to support the battered non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) with a Union budget proposal encouraging public sector banks (PSBs) to buy their pooled assets. It has decided to provide PSBs a one-time, six-month partial credit guarantee, amounting to a total of Rs 1 lakh crore, for the first loss up to 10 per cent for the current financial year. This lifeline thrown to the NBFCs was much needed because the sector plays a key role in driving consumption demand in the economy, especially mortgages, vehicle and consumer durable loans as well as supporting small and medium enterprises hit by demonetisation and GST. This comes at a time when investments and exports, the other GDP growth drivers, are lagging. Securitisation or pooling of assets is a…

With 10 of the 15 Congress legislators in Goa merging with the BJP, the party now has the support of 29 of the 40 MLAs in the Goa assembly. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, in an interview to Kiran D. Tare, justifies the poaching of MLAs, saying a full majority was necessary to ensure good governance. Excerpts: Q. How do you justify the poaching of Congress MLAs? They have joined us without any preconditions for the development of their constituencies. And as they pass the two-thirds (of the number of MLAs of a party) test, we do not need another election to induct them. This will help us give a better government in the state. Q. Was there a threat to the BJP-led coalition government? Earlier, we didn’t have a full…

ON JULY 3, IN A four-page letter posted on Twitter, Rahul Gandhi declared that he had resigned as Congress president. Ten days later, a statement issued by All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal announced that the ‘honourable Congress president’ had approved the proposal for the appointment of the president and working presidents of the Maharashtra Congress Committee. Unlike in the past, where such appointment letters categorically said Congress president Rahul Gandhi, this note did not mention the name of the ‘honourable Congress president’. Who, then, is the Congress president? Who approved these appointments? When asked, Congress communication in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala told INDIA TODAY: “Rahul Gandhi continues to be the president of the party as the party has not accepted his resignation. These appointments were approved…

MUKUL WASNIK 59 An organisation man who has the support of the veterans, he is the frontrunner; age, too, is on his side MALLIKARJUN KHARGE 76 Low-profile, led the party in the 16th Lok Sabha, has the backing of the veterans as well as of Sonia Gandhi SUSHILKUMAR SHINDE 77 Dalit leader who led the party in the Lok Sabha, served as home minister, managed Sonia Gandhi’s campaign in 1999 SACHIN PILOT 41 As PCC president, led party to a win in Rajasthan assembly poll in Dec. 2018; was Union minister; is popular among youth JYOTIRADITYA SCINDIA 48 Suave, articulate, with a youth following. Loss in LS poll and royal lineage a negative if Congress is to counter Modi’s ‘kaamdar’ image…

A cult of personality has taken over politics in recent times. Not only in India, but also the US, Russia, China, Turkey, Japan and Brazil. This is a fallout of the deep penetration of 24x7 TV and social media, and the simultaneous decline of narratives rooted in political and social values. It is almost as if people everywhere have conferred on charismatic leaders some miraculous powers to usher in their version of achhe din. Miracle moves such as the (in)famous demonetisation of November 2016—played up by an obliging media as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s brahmastra (ultimate weapon) in the war against black money—often backfire. But in an atmosphere where fawning media, in a bizarre caricature of reality, had us think Modi might even win India the cricket World Cup, it…

I was at an airport once and was rushing to the loo. One guy came running and asked, ‘Are you Amish?’ I said yes. He said, ‘I need a selfie with you.’ I said, ‘I need to go to the loo.’ He said, ‘My flight is about to take off.’ I said, ‘Dude, please!’ He said, ‘Listen, please!’ So, we took a selfie. And he ran and I ran. Both in different directions.” Humour is not an attribute that Amish, one of India’s superstar mythologists, is known for. Yet, it is as much a part of his multifaceted personality as love is of Raavan’s layered characterisation in his latest release, Raavan: Enemy of Aryavarta. AMISH’S WORK HAS REVIVED INTEREST AMONG SOME IN INDIA’S OLDEST DECIPHERED SCRIPT Over the years, Amish…

Enough, Enough my Masters’, scribbled F. Scott Fitzgerald in one of his private notebook entries. The plea sat atop a list of names of women he had known. Anyone who has a weakness for l’amour will sympathise with Fitzgerald’s plight—provided he or she has also grown to overcome it. But if, instead, one’s development remains arrested, then far from conquering, one is doomed to cling to and continually nurse—to the point of corruption—every beautiful fancy, well beyond that adolescence whose (transient and unrepeatable) atmosphere alone lent it life. The Book of Love, a brief collection of stories with a grandiose title, by the pseudonymous Ekarat, shows the symptoms of this condition. THE BOOK MIGHT KNOW HOW TO TELL A STORY, BUT IT DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO IMAGINE ONE But…

Q. How different was it writing a long format show rather than a film? Here, I get a lot more time to delve into things which I don’t in a feature. It is also a little scary. I really don’t know what is right and wrong, as this is the first time. It’s all intuition. I write what I believe in. I am playing the balancing act. Q. Did you anticipate the success your film Badla found earlier this year? It’s the audience who make it happen. I have nothing to do with it. They are the ones who kept the mystery secret, recommended it to others to watch and took the onus of the film. This has happened before with Kahaani and Jhankaar Beats and even films that are…

JD Institute of Fashion Technology, Delhi, recently organised the Fashion Awards 2019. Over 600 students of the institute showcased their projects across diverse disciplines such as fashion designing, interior designing, jewellery designing and textile designing. The exhibits, based on the theme of Switch, were inspired by concepts such as sound sensors in the garments, designs for specially-abled people, and a focus on dying crafts such as Rogan, the art of painting.…

Engineering graduates are more employable than MBAs according to the India Skill Report 2019. To scale the tough competition for JEE Main (Joint Entrance Examination) demands unwavering focus and dedication from engineering aspirants, and to be employable after graduating requires tenacity and smart skills. In our cover story, we speak to three IIT heads to understand what engineering students should possess to be job ready and the specialisations that are in demand. We also speak to JEE Advanced 2019 toppers to understand how to crack the exam and get an expert to talk about the key technological advancements students need to adapt themselves to if they want to stay relevant globally.…

AFFORDABLE LUXURY Tribe Pune, Mumbai and Bengaluru www.tribestays.com It’s 8 pm and Cafe Mamaliga at Tribe is brimming with activity and good smelling food as students start filtering in for their dinner. An international style hostel, Tribe was started in April by Yogesh Mehra in Pune with an investment of ₹8 crore. With properties in Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru, it offers the residents air-conditioned and plush single occupancy or twin sharing rooms with en-suite bathrooms. With every small detail such as a 24-hour in-house cafe, study areas, a fitness centre, laundry facilities and entertainment zones taken care of, Tribe ensures that students don’t have to deal with these every day hassles. The properties are secure and have keyless and cashless campuses under CCTV surveillance 24x7. The access is only through…

Few would argue that India’s education system is not in a perpetual state of crisis. The statistics have not only inundated us each year, they’ve numbed us. These are datasets telling us that only 27 per cent of Class 3 students can read a second-grade text. They’re numbers indicating that a staggering 67 per cent of children drop out before Class 12. They’re reports suggesting that the average Indian Class 8 student is on par, mathematically, with a Class 3 student from South Korea. WE NEED TO GET INDIA’S BEST TALENT TO CHOOSE TEACHING OVER EVERY OTHER CAREER. ONCE THEY’RE IN CLASSROOMS, WE NEED TO MAXIMISE THEIR TALENTS. Few would argue that India’s teachers are not inextricably linked to our state of education. A 2009 McKinsey study on educational systems…

From the Shakespearean plays of the Globe Theatre to the contemporaries of southern India, drama has evolved in recent times. The language, themes, costumes, and make-up may change but the experience remains the same. Drama can bridge the gap between the two worlds we live in. One that the director creates on the stage and the other that God has created for us. We leave the troubles, insecurities and doubts of the real world on stage and take confidence, pride, self-esteem, and positivity from it. Drama is a great teacher As the learning methods are practical and experiential, an individual trained in drama experiences the freedom and beauty of the art, and in the process develops creativity, confidence, speaking skills and imagination. Drama should be taught in every school as…

With a neon sign that urges people to ‘Dream Big’, vibrant artworks on blue and grey walls and bright couches to unwind in, Camelot CoWorks is a burst of colour and energy in an otherwise glass and concrete sprawling mixed-used township, Aurum Q Parc’ in Navi Mumbai. “I was playing both entrepreneur and designer and this allowed me to work from a very unique perspective and achieve three objectives through my design—increased interaction, increased productivity and increased creativity,” says Amrita Deora, 20, founder of Camelot CoWorks, a 292-seater co-working spaces and a design studio, Camelot Design Studio that curates the aesthetic elements of her family’s real estate business. After a yearlong stint at Central Saint Martins in London to study design, during which she studied and visited several co-working spaces…

1 THE ILLUMINATI Brighten up your interiors with the Autumn Lamp from Inliving made of mango wood, a known sustainable source of timber. PRICE ₹9,000 AT www.inliving.com 2, 28 WALK ON THESE These floor covering designed by Carpet Couture are made using recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and cotton. PRICE ₹17,700 and ₹8,000 AT www.carpetcouture.com 3, 21 AN IRON FIST The Marche White basket (left) uses recyclable iron; while the Wire Lantern (next page) is made of waste iron. PRICE ₹2,199 (basket) and ₹2,239 (lantern) AT www.bubblewrapstore.com 4 NEW RUG RAGA This carpet by Obeetee is made of hand spun, semi-twisted, tri-colour, chemical-free, sustainably sourced wool. PRICE ₹90,000 to ₹1 lakh AT www.obeetee.com 5, 19 GET STONED Creating designs from stoneware is a time tested ecofriendly…

Is there too much sunlight getting in from that west-facing window? Programme your smart blinds to close whenever you want each day. Walk into your home and with the right voice command, switch on everything from the light, to the air conditioner. Prefer a remote? Use that to tell your refrigerator or TV to play music or read out the news. Or better yet, use your smart-phone from anywhere on the globe to lock-unlock the door, keep a watch on the going-ons in a home and check your carbon footprint. No, this is not out of a sci-fi movie, but a reality that homeowners are only too happy about. With the internet of things (IoT) taking over our lives, home automation has made living simpler and smarter. Today, we are…

“No one understood contemporary, everyone was in a Raj or ethnic hangover” Before the term India modern was coined, Raseel Gujral Ansal was already creating designs that fit the bill. She started as an interior-architect for her father’s firm back in 86; in 93 she founded Casa Paradox with her now-husband Naveen Ansal to create furniture pieces for her projects. “No one understood contemporary, everyone was in a Raj or ethnic hangover. So in 95 we opened our first retail showroom,” says Raseel. And people made a bee-line for her pieces. Not surprisingly, Raseel never strayed too far from art. She launched a collection called Illustrati that placed art on furniture; then there was the graphic-driven art by the metre. During this process, she developed a large repository of graphics.…

The journey of pretty paisleys and humble hand-block prints reinvented into bespoke garments began 50 years ago and now, designer Ritu Kumar has launched Ritu Kumar Home that features a wide range of bed linen, wallpapers, tableware and home decor pieces. Like her clothes, her inspiration lies in traditional Indian textiles, architecture and motifs. “It was only natural to move into this direction to make beautiful Indian textiles, prints and motifs a part of one’s everyday life as well,” says Kumar. Truly, a feast for all the senses. PRICE on request AT www.ritukumar.com…