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The Hindu : y>It’s that time of the year when The Hindu Young World Quiz is back… with convincing winners.

PHOTO: K.MURALIKUMAR.CHIEF GUEST with the winners :Actor Puneeth Rajkumar with Athith.K, (left) and Subham Nandy.

Actor Puneet Rajkumar expressed his surprise over the energy present in Chowdaiah Memorial Hall, the venue of The Hindu Young World Quiz 2009 held in Bangalore recently. He said though he had not participated in such competitions when he was in school, he always had a special regard for those who did.Huge lead

Later, distributing prizes to the winners, the actor urged the Bangalore team to bring laurels to the city at the All India Final. The team from Sri Kumaran Public School (SKPS), Mallasandra, Bangalore, comprising Athith.K and Shubham Nandy won the regional finals. They beat the Sri Kumaran Children’s Home team comprising Pranav. C and Abhishek. V. S. by a margin of 45 points. “We were confident of making it to the regional finals. But, we never expected that we will win the competition. Athith is a history buff and hence, we could score 100 points in the third round. We built a huge lead and maintained it till the end,” said Shubham.

Rahul. D. Murthy and Rohit Sar from Manasarovar Pushkarni Vidyashraya (MPV), Mysore, were the second runners up .

The team from The Oxford Senior Secondary School, JP Nagar, Bangalore took the fourth place, while the team from National Public School (NPS), Koramangala, came fifth. The second team from Sri Kumaran Public School which made it to final round had to be satisfied with the sixth place.

In all, 503 teams from 139 schools participated in the tenth edition of the competition. There were teams from Mysore and Tumkur in Karnataka, and Hosur and Shoolagiri in Tamil Nadu.The sponsors

For this year’s edition, S&M Kids Wear was the title sponsor, while Kalasalingam University, the associate sponsor. The national sponsors…More

The Hindu :

Corporates are now organising family picnics for employees as a way to de-stress

Unwind with nature Picnics with co-workers bring colleagues closer and prove to be a great stress buster

The relentless pressure of the 24/7 work schedule, large-scale initiatives, scarce resources, escalating targets…the salaried classes go through terrible stress, fatigue, often leading to a near-total burnout. Of course, there are the usual inherent stress busters. But the fact remains that the blistering pace of life tends to beat these stress busters hands down.Work-life balance

Work-life balance has become one of the most important issues of modern day industry.Getting into a gym, going for brisk walks can help. Getaways are the best solution. Spending quality time outside office environs with your family and friends is a tested way to relieve you of the pressure of work.

Going a step ahead, some corporates have struck upon the idea of organising annual picnics to beat stress and also strengthen bonds among workers. While taking time off work to go on shorts trips is arguably one of the best ways to beat stress, it’s still not high up on the priority list of many offices here.

“Earlier, we used to have our annual meetings in a selected location. Though all of us, from our various branches, used to get together it used to be primarily an official meeting. This year, for the first time, we travelled to Ooty on what was purely a picnic. It was a real recharge break; it certainly helped balance the work-related fatigue,” says Ajay Nair, General Manager, Valappila Communications Pvt. Ltd.

The IT industry has learned to live with stress. Working long hours before computers, lifestyle disruptions, have all made stress busting a ritual in this field. Cafeterias, gyms, recreation kiosks etc. in these IT companies help.

But getaways have been found to be the best solution.

“We have a get together every quarter. Usually…More

The Hindu : y>

Sound haven There will be contests, interesting trivia and exclusive interviews

Love entertainment? Watch this, then. Gear up for 60 minutes of fun, as Tuborg Fun Starter Nights and Vh1 launch “Hip Hop Hustle”. It is telecast on weekdays at 6.30 p.m., Saturdays at 10 p.m. and Sundays at 6 p.m. Catch the interviews, contests, trivia on your favourite artists and artist bytes on the programme, in addition to the music. Don’t miss the hip hop quotes and the ticker.

Supporting various music festivals and artists across the world, Tuborg Fun Starter Nights is synonymous with music, globally. It will also kick off three three-city tours during the course of the year, bringing international artists. Vh1 will also organise talent hunts throughout India to seek blooming hip hop talent. Catch it all on Vh1. “Hip Hop Hustle” launches with a completely fresh, green look. Prepare yourselves for 60 minutes of hustling and bustling as “Hip Hop Hustle” goes lean, mean and green. Don’t miss out on interviews, contests, never before heard trivia on your favourite artist’s and exclusive artist bytes.

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The Hindu :

Kunwar Narain, the winner of the 41st Jnanpith Award, speaks about his literary journey

PHOTO: SANDEEP SAXENATalking tolerance Kunwar Narain: ‘No threat can kill my spirit’

Just a few daysago, the Hindi literary scene felt a ripple. Newspapers and television channels flashed a relatively unfamiliar face and the common man gets introduced to the winner of the 41st Jnanpith Award. The winner – Kunwar Narain – is primarily a poet and though he is not the usual toast of the media, he is therecipient of almost every possible award in the Hindi literary scene, including the Kabir Samman, Tulsi Puraskar, Sahitya Academy Award and Premchand Puraskar. Just as these awards and now the prestigious Jnanpith award sit lightly on his shoulders, the 82-year-old is unflustered by any controversy. Like the debates by some Hindi columnistsin newspapers lately or the statement by an eminent poet-author, Rajendra Yadav who created a ripple recently by saying that there is no award in Hindi that cannot be bought.

“I enjoy such remarks. Such people keep the atmosphere alive,” is what he says. He however quickly adds, “Controversy should also have a character. It should not be uncultured.” Narain lives in Delhi’s Chittaranjan Park with his “50-year-old Italian typewriter” as his best companion, and his family comprising wife and son Apurva Narain, who also translates the father’spoems into English.

Narain, whose literary oeuvre spans the last half century comprising some half a dozen literary movements and works in varied literary genres — poetry, short stories, epic, criticism, essay, musings on cinema and art — post graduated in English literature and got into the family automobile business for a living – all in Lucknow. “The shift to Hindi,” he explains, happened after he took history as a subject for his graduation in Lucknow University. “Exposure to people like Acharya Kripalani, Acharya Narendra Dev and Satyajit Ray widened my horizon.”…More

The Hindu :

British Council dedicated an evening to the shawl

Photo: R.V. MoorthyFilling the gaps The attempt was to bring out the complete Pashmina story

The story of the Pashmina is studded with several myths, often contradictory theories about its qualities, geographical origin and source and method of production. Between fact and fiction, it has become something coveted or owned by many but never fully understood. “Pashmina: The Kashmir Shawl and Beyond”, by Janet Rizvi with Monisha Ahmed, aims to eliminate the chaff.

A presentation held at British Council at Delhi recently saw the launch of Marg Publications’ new book as well as an exhibition and a fashion show.

“The book was the start of a learning curve that continued to this day. Existing literature on the Pashmina shawl was full of gaps. I promised myself that I would try to write a book on the complete Pashmina story,” said Janet about the book that took up six years of research. Janet holds a Ph. D in History from Cambridge.

“At best, the stories started in Srinagar. Most books circulated and recycled old myths… The Western audience found it exotic and bizarre.” “Pashmina: The Kashmir Shawl and Beyond” follows the origin of the fibre right to the Changra goats, which are specially reared by the nomadic Changpa tribes of Ladakh, and then its refinement at the hands of the Kashmiri artisans and subsequent export and consumption by the rest of the world. Monisha, a D.Phil in Anthropology from Oxford who has previously researched and lived with the Changpa, played a crucial role here. “She agreed to document the contemporary trade that existed between Ladakh and Kashmir,” said Janet.

Throwing light on the Changpa, Monisha spoke about the tribe’s present population, which is less than 9,000, and the adverse climatic conditions which force them to keep moving 10 to 12 times a year. “In Ladakh, merchants pay Rs.1,200 to…More

The Hindu :

Lounge Piranha bit hard, treating music lovers to an avalanche of psychedelic post rock

Photo: V. Sreenivasa MurthyLOUNGING AROUND Lounge Piranha sings the never-do-covers tune

The bass guitar begins with a simple pulse, the drums roll in, filling in the beats, while the guitars pitch in together generating an electrifying atmosphere. The music grows bolder and louder with the top-notch musicians throwing in their complicated compositions into a concoction of tasteful music.

Lounge Piranha bit at the Hard Rock Café recently, treating music lovers to an avalanche of psychedelic post rock with tight drumming and rhythmic bass accompanied by ambient guitar soundscapes and some unique didgeridoo sounds.

LP comprises Abhijeet Tambe and Kamal Singh on the guitars and vocals, George Mathen on the drums and Shalini Mohan on the bass guitar. The band is also assisted by Pervez Rajan who plays the didjeridoo and is the official photographer.

The band, made up of an array of professionals from backgrounds as diverse as their music, includes graphic designers, an audio engineer and a photographer. “Lounge Piranha was something visual we conjured up owing to the artistes in the band and we always deliver an optical and auditory feast,” says Pervez.

The term is also an oxymoron and represents the duality of their music. “We are as fierce as a piranha and yet as relaxed as anyone lounging,” he adds. The contrast is obvious in the instrumentation-dominated music they play.

Taking off in 2005, LP found the ground fertile for fresh and experimental music in the city. Inspired by bands such as U2, Mother Jane, Tempo Tantrick and Galeej Gurus, LP launched their seven-song debut album titled “Going Nowhere”, with some of their best compositions: “Going Nowhere”, “Gun Song”, “Snakes and Lotuses”, “Teenage Curse” to name a few.

LP went on a nationwide tour after they launched their album in 2008. “We found a lot of people singing along at…More

The Hindu : y>German fashion joins the world movement against size zero. Will it actually bring about changes to body image, wonders KALA KRISHNAN RAMESH

Photo: AFPMAKING NO BONES ABOUT ITThe world is saying no to sickly skinny models

Come 2010, you will not see stick-thin models in the pages of German fashion magazine Brigitte, but rather women from “real life” with “normal figures.” Brigitte plans to use a mix of readers and distinguished women in photo spreads for all sections of the magazine and has already received responses to their call for profile submissions from interested women.

Among the first reactions to this announcement were tweets that said “About time,” “Getting rid of size zero” and “Does this mean I can also be a model now?” Amulya Shruthi, a creative solutions person with McCann Erikson feels that indeed it is about time that we have “…real, honest measurements to measure up to; and to envy. It’s a tiny, but meaningful step towards changing how we look at others. And at ourselves.”

Similar things were said when Glamour magazine published a non-airbrushed nude picture of Lizzie Miller showing a clear roll of tummy fat. Comments on the magazine’s website were mainly about the thrill of seeing a beautiful woman who was also “healthy.”

Apart from thin models looking unhealthy, there is also, as Ayesha D’Souza, a young Bangalore model without any aspirations of being size zero points out, the fact that “Women would like to see a model they can relate to rather than a model that makes them feel insecure and inferior.”

Thin is apparently on its way out with concerted efforts against size zero. Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman’s private-public letter to prominent fashion designers condemning miniscule dresses; the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s recommendation of a minimum age for runway models (16) and Spain’s requirement that models be a certain weight (8 stones 11pounds) to be part…More

The Hindu :

Madhulika Liddle dishes out a historical detective novel

PHOTO: R. RAVINDRANFACT AND FICTION Madhulika Liddle

What’s a 17th Century aristocrat doing with a jamun-chewing boatman? “Well, though Muzzafar Jang is a nobleman, he has friends in not-so-noble places,” says his creator, writer Madhulika Liddle.

Jang’s fascination with the bustling world of the common man in Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan’s Dilli results in a book that’s different from the steady gush of Indian Writing in English.

As Jang totters upon boats, drinks with dramatic dandies and socialises with gorgeous courtesans, the reader is taken on a riotous ride through a Dilli that few people are familiar with.

Madhulika chose to write a historical detective novel “The Englishman’s Cameo” for her first book, because “I’m passionate about history, about historical monuments, about culture,” she says. She spent many hours poring over old books and taking long walks through the historical area of Shahjahanabad, around Jama Masjid, the place where her story is set, circa 1656. Liddle says she’s addicted to historical detective novels. Instead of picking a story set in the royal court, she decided her hero should mingle with the common people, because there’s so little about them in popular culture.

“This story gives you an insight into how the common people lived at that time. What they wore. What they ate. The books they read. I think that’s more interesting than politics.” An interesting fact that turned up in her research was just how cosmopolitan Delhi was at that time. “There were people from England, Russia, Italy…” says Liddle, talking of how many of her sources were books written by travellers. Of course, this is a work of fiction. “No matter how much research I’ve done, no matter how many historians I’ve spoken to, there are places where I’ve hit a wall,” smiles Liddle. “Thank god I’m a writer of fiction and not a historian! Wherever…More

The Hindu : y>Ravi Sharma says rapid urbanisation means no one respects one and another anymore

Recently, I read an article in a supplement, which mentioned a young lady living in a posh residential colony throwing stones at people who would relieve themselves on her perimeter wall. Though a hilarious piece of information, it is also an indicator of the reduction in the patience and tolerance levels of modern Bangaloreans, a city that was well known for its laidback approach and perseverance. Is it the fait accompli of converting this beautiful city into a brick and mortar behemoth or is it the price which we must pay in transforming ourselves into IT capital of the world? This on-edge rage is visible in every walk of life in this city.

The mega price of growth and rapid cosmopolitanism have certainly compelled many citizens to chuck ethical behaviour. A glaring example of this trend is the annoying cacophony of honking that can be heard at any traffic signal across the city. Drivers disregard traffic rules and are willing to even run over pedestrians in their effort to reach their destination on time.

Gone are the days when the arrival of the monsoon clouds ignited nostalgic memories and poetic sentiments. Now, roads are flooded, the drains are choked and storm water drains wash away young children occasionally, mainly due to the incompetence of civic agencies.

Citizens of this city from the sixties and the seventies will be horrified to see how this once beautiful heaven for the retired people has been scarred in many ways and is just a ghost of its previous self.Just when I am about to finish writing this, a shrill reverse alert of a car backing up from our basement parking breaks the silence of the night with musical tone “Saare jahan se achha, hindustan hamara…”

Do you have anything to say? About the state of the…More

The Hindu :

Palash Sen on Euphoria’s musical journey

Euphoric Palash Sen

For a man who sounds upbeat all the time, Euphoria seems to be the right name for his band. After judging reality shows, Palash Sen, the doc who rocks, is back again to judge an episode of “Kurkure Desi Beats Rock On”, on MTV, along with Kailash Kher, Ram Sampath and Nikhil Chinappa. “The talent on ‘Rock On’ is unbelievable. They have to sing in tandem and maintain the Indian-ness,” says Palash.

He feels “Rock On” focuses not only on singing but also on the participants ability to perform as a band. “For a band to stay together you must hear each other. That creates a balance. Humility is extremely important too,” he says. On the occasion of Euphoria’s eleventh birthday, the band is having a concert in Japan.“It’s called the ‘Diwali Matsuri’ (Diwali festival in Japanese),” says Palash, popularly known as the ‘Godfather of Hindi Rock.’ “The title makes me feel very old,” he chuckles but says that it’s a huge compliment and also a responsibility. He stresses on the need for more bands that play in Indian languages for the band culture to grow in our country.

The band’s calendar is full with concerts, a new album and music direction for films. Also awaited is the release of the movie “Mumbai Cutting” for which Euphoria has created a track. Palash has acted in the film too. Will he don the greasepaint again? Grinning, he says, “I would like to, but nobody is asking me to.”

PRIYADARSHINI PAITANDY

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