Innholdsfortegnelse for November 6, 2017 i India Today

Elections to the 14th Gujarat assembly are significant for several reasons. Gujarat is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state, which supported his elevation by giving his party, the BJP, a clean sweep of its 26 Lok Sabha seats. It will show the way forward to the BJP in its march towards the 2019 general election—assembly elections follow in the key states of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. It will also be a test of the much-vaunted Gujarat model of development. The year 1995 was the last time there was a Congress government in the state, that’s 22 years ago. The BJP has no rival who can claim credit for the progress the state has seen, but there is no one who can share the blame either. No government can…

“The Doval doctrine has failed as the people in Kashmir were not suppressed with force. People proved that if you try and suppress Kashmir with force, Kashmir will rise again.”…

Talk of silence being louder than words. BJP veteran and Gandhinagar MP L.K. Advani has consented to attend a meeting organised by former Gujarat chief minister Suresh Mehta sometime next month, though he won’t speak on the occasion. Mehta, incidentally, is a known Modibaiter who had quit the BJP in 2007. He has now launched a ‘Save Democracy’ campaign, meetings for which will begin after November 14, smack in the middle of the state’s poll campaign. Mehta has also invited another Modi critic, Yashwant Sinha.…

OCT. 22, 2017 › PM Modi launches projects worth Rs 3,600 crore, including roll on-roll off ferry service between Ghogha in Bhavnagar district and Dahej in Bharuch; Rs 1,176 crore Kandla Port smart city OCT. 16, 2017 › Modi attends rally in Gandhinagar; Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani announces loans up to Rs 3 lakh to farmers at zero interest, benefiting about 2.5 million farmers OCT. 7-8, 2017 › Inaugurates projects worth Rs 12,000 crore SEP. 17, 2017 › Dedicates the Sardar Sarovar dam to the nation at Kevadia SEP. 14, 2017 › Lays the foundation stone in Ahmedabad for India’s first bullet train project JUL. 25, 2017 › Announces Rs 500-crore interim relief for flood-hit Gujarat JUN. 30, 2017 › Inaugurates first phase of the third link of the…

XI JINPING, 64 President, General Secretary & Chairman of Central Military Commission Xi has now consolidated his status as the CPC’s third leading ideologue after Mao and Deng, paving the way for an extended tenure at the helm LI KEQIANG, 62 Premier of the State Council Once an ally of former leader Hu Jintao, has earned a second term for loyalty to Xi though with a diminished role from past premiers LI ZHANSHU, 67 Chairman, National People’s Congress (Parliament) Having been Xi’s close aide and head of CPC nerve centre-the General Office-in the first term, will act as trusted enforcer of Xi’s will on PSC WANG YANG, 62 Chairman, Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (Upper house) Chosen despite his closeness to former leader Hu Jintao and the second Hu ally…

President Trump’s strategy for Afghanistan is more of the same—fight and talk President Donald Trump’s ‘Regional Strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia’ is a theoretical construct centred on Afghanistan, but in the light of recent US official comments, seems integral to the ‘pivot’ theme of the Obama years, which was designed to shore up US primacy in the broader Asian region in the face of the perceived challenge posed by the rise of China. Interpreting the real US intent via-a-vis Afghanistan and the role of India and China has triggered a spate of speculation. Prima facie, the US strategy for Afghanistan is more of the same—fight and talk. This finds ready adherents in Kabul. Continued pouring of funds into Afghanistan and ‘indefinite’ stay provide hope to those who profit from…

“WE DON’T DWELL IN THE PRESENT. WE ARE THINKING FIVE YEARS HENCE. THIS FUTURISTIC VISION MAKES IIM-C THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER.”UTTAM SARKAR, DEAN, IIM-C TOTAL SEATS FOR PGP 463 TUITION FEE 16,74,000 HIGHEST SALARY OFFERED IN 2017 72 LAKH P.A. WHY IT IS THE BEST The highest honour for any B-school, Triple Crown accreditation (AACSB, AMBA & EQUIS), futuristic courses and a thrust on making education competitive in the international sphere. Globally, out of around 14,000 B-schools, only 78 have Triple Crown accreditation Being the only B-school to be ‘Triple Crowned’ in India, it is in alliance partnership with top 30 B-schools all over the world or the CEMS (Consortium of European Management Schools). It sends 20 of its students to any such school for a master’s in International…

Fought for Bangla film industry; gheraoed the Writers’ Buildings and Doordarshan over closure of Technician Studio, against Bangla dubbing of Hindi films, to combat piracy Led FICCI and CII entertainment wings to brainstorm the challenges facing Bangla cinema, need for corporatisation and the release of Bangla films across metros; compiled first report on entertainment sector in the east Promoted Bangla films made and released jointly with Bangladesh to tap into new audience Convinced leading production house, Shree Venkatesh Films, to introduce Bangla films in their repertoire of Tamil and Teluguremakes(Chokher Bali, Iti Mrinaliniand MegheDhakaTara) Acquiring Bangla stories and novels, which his production team is pitching aggressively in Mumbai. Bollywood producers are buying cinema rights of Bangla films Working on a Hindi film, that he will direct, with big casting from…

“STYLING IS A FIELD WHERE YOU LEARN ON THE JOB” Styling is finally gaining prominence. When I was studying marketing and merchandising at Pearl Academy in Delhi, there were hardly any stylists. Even when I launched my company in 2012, it wasn’t really a big industry, but it’s grown phenomenally in the past five years. People are no longer shy of taking professional help, be it for corporate meetings or weddings. People understand fashion more and there are many more brands. Fashion has changed Earlier designerwear was expensive and exclusive. But with the exchange of international fashion, designers and opportunities, there are several fashion-oriented jobs. You can now get designer wear from 5,000 to 5 lakh. Styling celebrities Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s Cannes look got me a lot of appreciation; I’ve…

“ DON’T BE AFASHION VICTIM ” Shopping for weddings, selecting the right look for a high-profile funeral or dressing up clients in elegant nightwear—it’s all part of a day’s work for Prache Khade. She has had a businessman asking for a collection of nightwear with matching bedroom slippers and a young client who needed different looks for each of her kitty parties. “It need not always be glamorous. It could be anything from a mother in smart casuals dropping off her child to school, to dressing up someone for a Hawaiian theme party,” she says. An innate childhood interest in fashion and style and watching her mother pick the right colours and jewellery for the mood led this computer science graduate to do a fashion designing course from Pune and…

“ SHOES ARE WORKS OF ART, MADE FOR WALKING ” While studying architecture, Nidhi Bhandari realised that she wanted to explore her creativity in the field of footwear construction and design. And she decided to get herself a degree in footwear design from London College of Fashion, UK. Enthusiastic about creating singular designs that are eye-catching and contemporary, she launched her label, Nidhi Bhandari Fine Couture Footwear in 2013, which is now synonymous with shoes that come with intricate detailing and fine craftsmanship. A regular on the runways, her brand has managed to elevate shoe-making to the level of art, specialising in laser cut designs, embellished with stones and tassels. “It was tough initially to get the brand out to people, first within a very niche market like Pune and…

Maria Qamar, 26, was forced to study business in Class 11, when all she wanted to do was art. At 20, she quit her job at an advertising firm as a copy writer because of her “struggle with authority and policing creativity”. “They would take these ideas and pass them through 15 rounds of meetings where 20,000 white guys would put their stamp on it and go, ‘hmm is this appropriate for society to see?’” But Qamar, whose family moved from Pakistan to Canada in 2000 when she was nine, now lives by herself, is a fiercely funny graphic artist and no amount of policing managed to deter her. One breed of policing, in fact, is what her work is about. Inspired by pop-artist Roy Lichtenstein, Qamar draws quintessential desi…

A recent survey of over 40,000 people in 38 countries by the Washington, DC-based Pew Research Center has revealed that Indians are by and large comfortable with their government, and their system of governance. Not so comfortable, however, that they cannot envision alternatives to democracy. While only 22 per cent of Americans, for instance, think that an autocrat, unchecked by any parliament or court, would be a good way to govern the United States, over half of the Indians surveyed support the idea. Should we be worried? 55% Indians support rule by a “strong leader” sans interfer ence from parliament or courts. 53% endorse military rule 8% Indians are “committed” democrats, compared with 52% Swedes, 40% Americans and 27% Turks 79% Indians are happy with the way their democracy works,…

Stand-up Order Last year, a two-judge Supreme Court bench declared it mandatory for cinemas to play the national anthem before screenings. Reviewing the order, a three-judge bench acknowledged the illiberal tenor of the order without recanting it. Instead, a Supreme Court justice scolded the government attorney, arguing that it was the job of the executive and the legislature to decide on such matters. Equivocation is rarely a problem on social media. The pseudo-patriots are hyperventilating online, as they are in TV studios. Respect the anthem, they keen. Can’t we stand for just 52 seconds, think what our jawans have to suffer? Will ‘anti-nationals’ in theatres across the country now take a knee? Vijay’s GST Bonanza The BJP has thrown itself headlong into an unwinnable spat with Tamil movie star Vijay…

Among the few things the roads, surface transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari has in common with Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is their home town, Nagpur. Another point of convergence is slowly building up. Fadnavis recently began the demolition and reconstruction of his ancestral home in the city’s Dharampeth area. Word is, Gadkari is planning the same for his ancestral house in the Mahal area. Strengthening the home front?…

THE 2017 WORLD PRESS FREEDOM INDEX RANKS INDIA A LOWLY 136 IN A LIST OF 180 COUNTRIES. THE NEIGHBOURHOOD SEEMS TO FARE EVEN WORSE › In 2011, the UPA government introduced Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, which granted the State near-limitless power to prosecute anyone for posting anything on the net that even a junior police officer considered offensive. The BJP called it “draconian”. On March 24, 2015, the SC struck down the section as “unconstitutional” › In 2015, a PIL forced the Maharashtra government to withdraw a controversial circular, aimed at deploying sedition laws to stifle criticism of political figures › In 2016, the Whistleblower’s Protection Act was tweaked with a proposal that nullified the request of an RTI seeker upon his/ her death, obviously a dismaying…

THE ESTABLISHMENT VIJAY RUPANI Chief Minister. Appointed in 2016. Soft spoken, friendly image unlike many BJP leaders, integrates government with the party NITIN PATEL Deputy CM; Patel face of BJP government; led one of the two ‘gaurav yatras’ in October to spread BJP’s message of development JITU VAGHANI State BJP chief, second Patel face of party, appointed to counter Hardik Patel. Led the second Gujarat gaurav yatra BHUPENDRASINH CHUDASAMA Revenue and education minister, Rajput face of BJP, senior-most state minister; good at negotiations GANPAT VASAVA State tourism and culture minister, former assembly speaker and tribal face of the BJP. Can influence tribal votes in the south THE OPPOSITION SHAKTISINH GOHIL Congress strongman and their most articulate leader; frustrated the BJP’s designs to defeat Ahmed Patel in the RS polls ALPESH…

MAY 1: LAUNCHES PARTY’S CAMPAIGN IN STATE “The Congress doesn’t believe in just telling its own Mann ki baat as we believe in listening to the people.” SEP. 4: ADDRESSES PARTY WORKERS IN AHMEDABAD “Many in the media wish to write against Modi... but they are afraid because of the dictatorship.” SEP. 25-27: THREE-DAY SAURASHTRA CAMPAIGN “Why are there hardly any women in the RSS?’’ OCT. 9–11: THREE-DAY YATRA FROM AHMEDABAD “Both BJP and Congress have their own ideologies... I will never say I want to ‘finish the BJP’ in the country... I will fight the BJP, but never not respect their existence as it’s an ideology from India” OCT. 23-25: ‘NAVSARJAN JANADESH MAHASAMMELAN’ IN GANDHINAGAR “In their GST, there is the highest 28% tax and three return forms that…

It’s not coup season in Pakistan. Not yet. Yes, the Islamic Republic is in the throes of yet another throbbing civil-military crisis. Yes, the Americans are at their throats, the IMF is at their door, the Chinese are in their pantry, and ISIS is in their basement. And yes, Pakistan is in an unprecedented political and administrative mess, with complex constitutional, economic and security turmoil on the horizon. As the top leadership is gridlocked in a legal and political power struggle primarily revolving around the fate of ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family, the nuclear-armed Chinese ally is suffering through what many observers are calling a governance crisis that could spill over into any of the following scenarios: A fresh election. A judicially-driven political purge. Macroeconomic insolvency and…

“WE HAVE RECENTLY UNVEILED A NEW VISION STATEMENT TO NURTURE RESPONSIBLE GLOBAL LEADERS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.”FR E. ABRAHAM S.J., DIRECTOR TOTAL SEATS FOR PGP 362 TUITION FEE 10,05,000 HIGHEST SALARY OFFERED IN 2017 43 LAKH P.A. WHY IT IS THE BEST Life at Xavier School of Management goes far beyond the classroom. Students also have to do a village project, which gives them firsthand experience of working in non-metro, rural India. The exposure helps them understand underserved markets. They can then customise products and services for the non-metro India. It is the only B-school where managerial ethics is a core subject. The institute seeks to nurture responsive ethical leaders who are sensitive to environment and society. The idea is to create a social conscience in business leaders in…

The very first event in the novel is a murder. Of a new born, a girl Kiran Nagarkar first met Jasoda, the title character of his latest novel, in the late nineties. “I had no inkling at the time that I’d be living with this woman for almost 20 years,” he says. Due to hit shelves this month, Jasoda is the seventh novel by the Sahitya Akademi award winning author of Cuckold—and thus much-awaited. An acclaimed bilingual writer of plays, screenplays and critical essays on film, theatre and literature, Nagarkar has been compared favourably to Dostoevsky and Graham Greene. His signature style combines narrative sweep with searing wit, deep compassion and tremendous depth of detail. He talks about his protagonist, this powerhouse of a woman, as if she were in…

Editor Amrita Narayanan spent two years combing through erotica ranging from the Kama Sutra to Tarun Tejpal’s Bad Sex Award-winning novel, The Alchemy of Desire, for her new collection. She spoke with Anita Roy about what she discovered. Q. When (and why) did you first become interested in the genre of erotica in India? The idea for this anthology was suggested about two years ago by Simar Puneet at Aleph Books. After hesitating for a moment (it seemed a lot of work!), I jumped on it. I wanted to create a sourcebook of sorts from narratives and poems separated by centuries, bringing together heterogeneous thoughts, feelings, narratives on aspects of the erotic life. Q. Do you have a favourite from the many, and varied, texts in…

The violence is more sadistic, descriptions more graphic. Sound familiar? IN the latest novel from Sweden’s Stefan Ahnhem, Stockholm cop Fabian Risk has troubles with his colleagues—especially a female cop whose husband hates him—and even bigger problems in his marriage. The kids, including a wayward teenage son, are expecting the parents to divorce any minute. Incapable of coping on the home front, Risk is attracted to a semi-lesbian computer wizard who helps with his investigation into a series of crazy killings but who, at the same time, wants to take sexual advantage of him. Subplots and parallel plots galore take us to Denmark and rural Sweden, as well as the Near East and China, all tied together by two or more serial killers—or are they all one and the same?…

YES Beyond any debate Of course. Should this even be a debatable question in the 21st century? The list of influential women sportspersons is lengthening every day, and we are still stuck should women be encouraged. Is there any sport left in the world where women are yet to make a mark? I think not. Radhika Haralalka, Delhi YES It’s a sign of empowerment Women should certainly be encouraged to play sport and make that their profession. They should be given all the opportunities and resources that men in sports are given. The lack of infrastructure in our country keeps women from considering sport as a real career option, and that is what needs to be encouraged. Sanaah Chopra, Delhi YES It’s the way to go Women are making their…

“ BLOGGERS ARE REAL PEOPLE, NOT AIRBRUSHED MAGAZINE MODELS ” A fashion graduate from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Delhi, Akanksha Redhu started blogging during her college days when she would use the blog as a medium to keep record of the creative assignments she had in college. It was only in 2009 that she actively restarted blogging. “My blog is an extension of me and my life. The audience gets a look at what I enjoy wearing, what beauty products I’m currently trying out, loving and using, what places I travel to and what I do when I travel to these places. It is a platform where I get to communicate with my readers and learn about what they like to read,” she says. Redhu blogs about…

“TODAY, MY IDENTITY AND COMMUNITY ARE UPLIFTED ALONG WITH ME” When I walk the ramp, I feel like a queen,” says model Anjali Lama, who wears her transgender identity on her sleeve. And after she was “one out of five from a total of 200 models” to get selected for Lakme Fashion Week in December last year, that sleeve is now crafted by the country’s top designers. Lama moved from her village in Nuwakot, Nepal, to Kathmandu and worked as a waiter, but she was teased for resembling a woman, both in appearance and manner. One day in 2005, she approached two transgendered people on the street, expressed her desire to be like them and there was no looking back. Encouraged by those around her to take up modelling, Lama,…

“MY STYLE IS AN UNCONSCIOUS MIX OF FINE ART AND FASHION” An economics graduate from St Xavier’s College in Mumbai, Sharvee Chaturvedi says her love for photography flourished on campus. But it was at the London College of Communication, UK, where her understanding of art and culture truly evolved. After she returned, she bagged an assistantship to the renowned fashion photographer Dabboo Ratnani, and her career as a fashion photographer took off. Calendar girl She isn’t your average fashion photographer. Her recent, and most popular work, is the Life in a Dot series, a calendar featuring rising male actors from the film industry, centered around the Dot Chair by designer Lekha Washington. “The idea to create images on a set concept came to me on a whim. I was itching…

Of all the disservices that we women do to ourselves, the most common is that we do not consider ourselves sexual creatures. Blame it on the conditioning we’ve been slapped with all through our growing years and add to it the Madonna-whore dichotomy that the patriarchy imposes on us. The fear of being judged for being sexual creatures makes most women play down their sexual selves and desires. If this is you, and you find yourself always holding back when it comes to all matters carnal, perhaps these tips could help. Tell yourself you deserve better sex The only person holding you back is you yourself. If you don’t make your sexual welfare a priority, no one else will. Lying back and thinking about England might have been sound advice…

Our feet carry the weight of the body every day but we usually tend to ignore that till there is a corn, callosity, fungal infection or some discomfort associated with them that surfaces. To make sure that you stay comfortable, pain and infection free, cultivate these maintenance habits, on a regular basis. Have a medical pedicure once a month It heals the feet by taking away dead skin, removing corns, callosities, and warts through the use of foot burrs and gentle machines utilising emu oil. The feet can breathe easy and you can walk with effortlessly. The medical pedicure is different from a regular pedicure because it is dry and does not cause fungal infections, but only treats them. It is also useful for people with hyperkeratotic foot problems—thickening of…

The other day I phoned a friend and she was in Crete, Greece, shooting for a fashion brand commercial. The last time I’d spoken with her, she was struggling to get back into active work. Till she decided to go online, up her skills and take a course in digital marketing. That helped. Now she has this jet set job—marketing plus digital marketing. So, if you are looking to head back to work, and it seems tough, fear not. Digital marketing If you get a kick out of posting good content and garnering ‘likes’, digital marketing could be the profession for you. It’s booming and everybody, from the supermarket in your neighbourhood to designer boutiques and brands, need digital marketing. Generating sales leads and creating content for a brand is…

the grub guide GROVER ZAMPA AURIGA Celebrating 25 years of winemaking, Grover Zampa has launched the extravagant Auriga, India’s first ever sparkling wine with gold flakes. “We stand for heritage, rich culture and exceptional craftsmanship,” says Kapil Grover, Chairman, Grover Zampa Vineyards. Winning 92 awards since 2013 across various distinguished international platforms, this year, they have also become the only Indian producer of Brut sparkling wine with edible gold flakes—a process that embodies craftsmanship and finesse. What’s special is that the gently aged wine has citrus and floral aromas. The palate is intense with a pleasant sensation of fruit and creaminess. The notes extend to a long and refreshing finish with hints of brioche and dried apricot. Website groverzampa.in Price Rs 1,500 (750ml) YOKU MOKU The premium Japanese cookie brand…

While there has been much criticism and public grumbling about the implementation lapses and cumbersome compliance procedures of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), perhaps the most wounding attack has come from an unexpected quarter—popular cinema. In the movie Mersal, a character played by Tamil film star Vijay (Ilayathalapathy, or young commander, to his millions of fans) has made a sharp attack on the adverse impact of GST on the cost of healthcare services and medicine in India, particularly compared to Singapore. Vijay plays a doctor in Mersal, Tamil slang for shocked or amazed, and his anti-GST tirade might have been dismissed as a typical piece of blockbuster grandstanding if the Bharatiya Janata Party hadn’t taken such offence. The fuss—milked by opposition parties as an example of BJP high-handedness—has helped…

This is not an anti-Modi rant but an anti-development one. The five construction projects announced by the prime minister when he visited Kedarnath—a new township Kedarpuri, a new bathing ghat and a retaining wall along the rivers Mandakini and Saraswati, tourist facilities with wi-fi and, of course, their attendant towers, homes for the priests and finally the ubiquitous motorable road, all seem to suggest that nothing has been learnt from the devastating floods of June 2013. Hundreds died in that cloudburst and thousands were displaced by the surging water as it sought a way past the hurdles of unplanned urbanisation. This is a rant against the idea of ‘development’ underlying the prime minister’s announcement because the use of concrete and more concrete that it implies has produced grave consequences for…

“West Bengal could tilt very far to the right in the not so distant future, largely aligned with the national project.”SUDEEP CHAKRAVARTI And why, the question in the headline begs the response, should anyone other than Bengalis care? Sudeep Chakravarti, a journalist and prize-winning writer of both fiction and experimental non-fiction, appears to argue in the prologue to his new book, The Bengalis, that to the Bengali it is a matter of supreme indifference if anyone cares or not. The Bengali is a vain, querulous creature, self-absorbed enough, as Chakravarti puts it, to view the non-Bengali as “closer to non-person than persona non grata... ethnically, intellectually, culturally and historically your every not-Bengali fibre, provenance, present and future may be construed by the Bengali chauvinist as being one of colossal insignificance”.…

The foreigner slur is familiar but hard to maintain in the case of Shah Jahan, who was born in India and three of whose four grandparents were Rajputs For a building that many regard as a symbol of love, the Taj Mahal generates a lot of anger. It seems to have a gift for provoking some people into saying things that then make others hot and bothered—all of which seems rather remote from the intended effect of a cool marble mausoleum. By omitting any reference to the Taj in its tourism development plan, the government of Uttar Pradesh has opened a new front. Their apparent oversight of one of the greatest and most popular of monuments, not just in the state but in the country, is calculated to enrage through…

Xi is now only the third Chinese leader, after Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping, to have his name mentioned in the constitution XU CHUAN, A 35-YEAR-OLD COMMUNIST PARTY OF CHINA (CPC) official and academic from the southern city of Nanjing, was among the 2,200-odd members of the CPC elite gathered in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on the rainy morning of October 18. For three-and-a-half hours at the cavernous hall, Xu sat upright, barely moving a muscle except to burst into loud applause at all the right moments, as CPC General Secretary Xi Jinping opened the party’s key once-in-five-years national congress. Over a marathon three-and-a-half hour speech, Xu would hear his leader hail the start of what he called “a new era”. It isn’t unusual in China…

NAWAZ SHARIF Three-time former prime minister, leader of PML-Nawaz Disqualified for life by the Supreme Court in July for undeclared income and undisclosed foreign work permit, even though he was tried for revelations in the unrelated Panama Papers MARYAM NAWAZ Nawaz’s daughter and heir apparent Holds no proper portfolio, yet is a rising voice in Pakistani politics. Accused of holding offshore companies in Panama Papers, indicted for undeclared income and living beyond her means SHEHBAZ SHARIF Nawaz’s brother and chief minister of Punjab Officially still with his brother, has not been given any federally powered position, being pressured to tear away from Nawaz and lead the PML-N HUSSAIN NAWAZ Nawaz’s elder son and London businessman, with no political role to play Panama Papers showed him owning expensive London property with…

“THE NEXT 3 YEARS I’LL WORK FOR FMS’S GLOB-AL POSITIONING ROOTED IN INDIAN CULTURE CON-NECTED WITH SOCIETAL CAUSE.”SUNITA SINGH SENGUPTA, HEAD & DEAN TOTAL SEATS FOR PGP 226 TUITION FEE 21,560 HIGHEST SALARY OFFERED IN 2017 53 LAKH P.A. WHAT SETS IT APART Strong alumni, academic strength, best return on investment It is one of the few B-schools in India where a PhD is a prerequisite for every permanent faculty member. FMS also boasts of a high student-faculty ratio. The pedagogy is a mixture of case studies, lectures and role plays, making learning interactive and intense The average cost-to-company (CTC) offered during campus placements at FMS for the batch of 2017 hit a four-year high of Rs 20.6 lakh per annum DID YOU KNOW ? EVERY YEAR, FMS ORGANISES…

If you have bought a house on borrowed money, EMIs, or equated monthly instalments, are likely to be the deepest cuts in your monthly budget. EMI amounts, in turn, are a function of interest rates. Most banks are currently offering new borrowers home loans at an interest of 8.35-8.5 per cent. The rate, however, may be higher for existing borrowers, especially for those who had borrowed before April 1, 2016. On this date, the RBI had introduced a new benchmark for lending called the MCLR, or a rate based on the marginal cost of funds, which allows banks to set different benchmark rates based on the loan tenure. This replaced the earlier base rate method, which was a single benchmark rate. The new benchmark was intended as a more accurate…

A RECENT AFTERNOON. One can make out a crowd gathered outside a crumbling mansion in the heart of old Calcutta. Parked in front of 4, Beadon Street, is an ultra-luxury trailer, engine humming quietly. The word is out on the street: “He is here.” Trams jangle, two-wheelers whizz past, cars toot angrily. But oblivious to the frenetic hustle of the unruly street, the crowd hangs around, hoping to get a glimpse of, and maybe a selfie with, a man who inspires non-stop adoration in packed cinema halls: Bangla cinema’s superstar for last 35 years, Prosenjit Chatterjee. Lights, Camera, Action. Prosenjit is filming Mayurakshi, the story of an NRI son and his ageing father, portrayed by veteran actor Soumitra Chatterjee, who are separated by continents, lifestyles and emotions. The 200-year-old home…

“THE KIDS BELIEVED IN ME AND THE FILM, AND THAT’S WHY WE’RE HERE” After premiering at the Toronto International Film FestivalinSeptember, Village Rockstars wonbest Indian film and two other prizes at the recently concluded Mumbai Film Festival, where it drew comparisonswithSatyajitRay’s Pather Panchali. Like Ray, she’s something of an auteur. Das did everything but star in the film—writing, directing, filming, editing and producing it. Following 10-year-old Dhunu (Das’s niece Bhanita) who aspires to own a guitar and start a band with her mostly male friends, it features postcard-perfect cinematography and charming, artless performances by a cast of untrained child actors from her native village—nine of whom Das brought with her to Mumbai for the India premiere. For many, it was the first time they had left their hometown Chhaygaon or…

ERLENDUR Icelandic author Arnaldur Indridason’s popular series about Reykjavik detective Erlendur Sveinsson includes more than a dozen novels and the acclaimed film Jar City. WALLANDER Swedish author Henning Mankell’s Kurt Wallander series includes a dozen novels, most of which have been adapted for the BBC series starring Kenneth Branagh. SEJER Norwegian ‘queen of crime’. Karin Fossum’s Inspector Konrad Sejer series has earned her a Gumshoe Award for best European crime novel and an LA Times Book Prize for best mystery/ thriller.…

THUNDER ROAD The inimitable Robert Mitchum co-wrote, produced and starred in this black and white cult classic about running moonshine (country liquor) in America’s Smoky Mountains. The car: a two-door 1951 V8 with three two-barrel carburettors. Amazon DEATH PROOF Quentin Tarantino eschewed CGI for his one and only car movie. This ‘grindhouse’ exploitation film has Kurt Russell as a stunt driver and serial murderer who kills beautiful young girls with his car: a 1970 Chevy Nova and a 1969 Dodge Charger. iTunes BULLITT WITH STEVE MCQUEEN A COP THRILLER IN THE SAME YEAR AS THE CAR: A 1968 FORD MUSTANG GT FASTBACK. THE CAR CHASE (VIL-LAINS IN A ’68 DODGE CHARGER R/T) IN SAN FRANCISCO MAY BE GREATEST EVER ON FILM. AMAZON…

Aparna Jain Author, Delhi In taught India about , we are consent not . As toddlers, we are told to “give uncle a kissie, give auntie a hug even as the child is protesting clearly through body language. This continues as toddlers and teenagers, when we tell our children it is their duty to be “sociable.” It continues in marriage where the woman is taught that sex is her duty no matter what the circumstance. Consent is when we are in charge of our bodies. It’s about time this changed—for all ages. We need to empower our children to understand consent. To be in charge of their bodies. We need to respect children when they don’t want to be touched even though we believe the gesture is affectionate. And we…

“ IT’S AS COOL TO BE DIFFERENT AS IT IS TO FIT IN ” Masaba Gupta’s moment of truth came when she was playing a tennis match in Sangli, Maharashtra, and someone from the crowd shouted: ‘’You’re Viv Richards’ daughter. Get your game going. Don’t just wear fancy clothes.’’ She had been playing the game since she was eight and for her state for three years. She stopped, gave up completely. She was in Class 10. Now looking back at that time, one of India’s most fiercely individualistic designers says, “Tennis left me very bitter. I was so unhappy. I got so many chances, had so many great coaches. I was a great sportsman’s daughter. There was intense pressure. My dad was always with me, he was an active part…

“ AS AN ARTIST, I’VE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO OFFER A UNIQUE TAKE ON TRENDS ” Award-winning make-up artist Namrata Soni has become a Bollywood favourite. She has worked on films such as Om Shanti Om, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, Main Hoon Na and Aisha. “People think it’s glamorous, but the truth is for the first four-and-a-half years, I didn’t get paid a penny,” says Soni. You’ve managed to succeed as a make-up artist in Bollywood, a male-dominated industry. What worked in your favour? For years, I used to be harassed on set because I didn’t have a union card. I was fortunate that production houses like Red Chillies and Dharma Productions supported and stood up for me. Movies just kept coming my way. In London, I’d studied fashion make-up…

“ I STILL COME ACROSSWOMEN STUCKWEARING A BAD BRA.I WANT TO TELL THEM, ICAN HELP YOU ” After a ten year-long advertising career, it was a bra-fitting session in New York that changed Arpita Ganesh’s life forever. From a company that retailed international brands, she went on to establish Buttercups, a lingerie brand with elegant bras for working women. “We opened a store in Hyderabad initially and lost a lot of money. With bras from international brands costing 5,000 each, it wasn’t very affordable. However, we realised women really appreciated the bra-fitting part,” says Ganesh. Taking a cue from this, she wanted to take the entire bra-fitting experience online and launched an app, A Bra That Fits (ABTF) which saw as many as 40,000 downloads. “The app required you to…

“ ACCESSORIES AND JEWELS HAVE BEEN IN TREND EVEN BEFORE CLOTHES CAME INTO THE PICTURE ” Even as a 13-year-old, Ritika Sachdeva has always been fascinated by heirloom jewellery and still vividly remembers her grandmother pulling out a meenakari crescent maang teeka for a family wedding. Now running her eponymous jewellery label, Sachdeva is still fascinated by that piece. “My grandmother has been the most important influence on my love affair with jewellery,” she says. The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Delhi, graduate, received her first order in 2005 and hasn’t look back since. The designer’s creations are stocked in stores across over 44 cities globally and have been worn by everyone from Parineeti Chopra to Kriti Sanon. How do you describe your creations? As a designer, I believe…

1 Roll your shoulders back Allowing the shoulders to come forward, such as when typing or driving, puts immense strain on the muscles of the back and neck. To correct this, try a shoulder roll. Bring one shoulder a little forward, a little up, and then back before relaxing it downwards. Let go of any effort to hold it there. Then do the other side. 2 Keep the back of your neck long and your chin angled down When you follow the poor posture guideline to “keep your chin up”, this shortens the back of the neck and can pinch nerve roots causing dysfunction in your arms. To correct this, grasp the hair at the base of your skull and pull backwards and upwards. Let your chin angle down towards…

I have always pushed my body with my workouts. In a regular week, I shift between functional training, swimming, skipping, and yogalates. Basically involving strength and conditioning with some cardio. What sends me into a surprise almost every day is the fact that I recover faster with the dietary regimen I follow, and can power through my workouts with ease. I am letting you in on my secrets—high performance, high recovery diet to maximise what you get out of your workouts. Eat alkaline Make your diet more alkaline and the bulk of it should focus on wholegrain, vegetables, quinoa, amaranth, sprouted seeds, fruits, beans, nuts, some sea weeds and spirulina. Get your fats from avocado, nuts, coconut and sesame oil (cold pressed), coconut meat and natural food sources. You can…

LESS THAN 40 PER CENT WOMEN FEEL THAT THE MAN SHOULD PAY ON THE FIRST DATE Dating and especially online dating has come of age in India, with tons of singles choosing an app to help them find new friends, lovers and partners—even life partners. But what is even more interesting is that perceptions around how we view and treat each other is also changing. TrulyMadly just concluded its annual ‘The Big Date Survey’ among 1,500 respondents and the findings are quite telling. Male grooming has become important over time When we did this survey three years ago, 39 per cent men felt that grooming is best left to women, that number is now down to 15 per cent. Men now realise the importance of grooming and how it improves…