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The Hindu :

Injuries are part and parcel of a sportsperson’s life. But with the right medical care and fitness training these can be overcome, says David V. Rajan, specialist in sports medicine

PHOTO: S. THANTHONIPUTTING SPORTSPERSONS BACK ON TRACK David V. Rajan

Sport occupies a bigger canvas these days. The focus is no more on sport and sportspersons but on sport and the quality of life. Everyone, right from a company executive to a serious student of a game is keen on deriving the benefits of fitness through the medium of sport. That is where the role of doctors who specialise in sports medicine, and fitness trainers, comes into play. And this is only now being understood what with more and more people becoming fitness conscious. A specialist in sports medicine and an experienced arthroscopic surgeon, David V. Rajan has helped innumerable athletes get back to their chosen sport after a breakdown caused by injuries. He believes that sports medicine is still to gain popularity in India. “This is unlike the scenario in Europe and other developed nations,” he said.

Today, while awareness has increased, people are yet to fully understand the importance of insurance in this field and how it helps beneficiaries reduce their expenses. This is significant, for the one factor that could dissuade those in need of an arthroscopic procedure is the cost. “A surgical procedure cannot be done completely free because there are so many elements involved. Insurance helps reduce the burden,” he said.Group insurance

Dr. Rajan believes that the ‘group insurance scheme’ could well be the most popular way of meeting costs and getting a remedy. Some of the enquiries he received were a revelation and convinced him that the younger generation, most of them computer savvy and eager Internet browsers, have a good knowledge of the various surgical procedures to remedy knee or arm-joint problems. With insurance to help,…More

The Hindu : y>What makes Chetan Bhagat’s books best-sellers? Is there a marketing mantra behind his phenomenal success? ZIYA US SALAM finds out

Photo: K. GopinathanReaching out Chetan Bhagat: ‘I think a writer’s first job is to strike a chord, and not please elitist circles’

You would have never come across a Chetan Bhagat advertisement on television or on the road on your way to office. You would not have found him gracing many literary functions. Yet, he sells.More than the so-called best-sellers, which start off with a few thousand copies in the first couple of weeks and then settle down to 10,000 copies over a year or so! Such is the confidence in the man who gave us “Five Point Someone” that his latest book “Two States: The Story of My Marriage” is all set to meet an astronomical target of 10 lakh copies in ten weeks. A little earlier “Three Mistakes” sold 10 lakh in 10 months. Make no mistake, the bar just got higher. Chetan Bhagat sells more than a daily newspaper in a city! Purists might call his writing a dumbing down of literature, but then as his publisher, Kapish Mehra of Rupa and Co. says, “There are only two kinds of authors. The successful ones and the rest. Chetan is obviously successful.”Why Chetan’s books sell

Is there a marketing mantra at work in the success of his low-priced, quick-read books? “When Chetan writes, people feel as if it is their story. Then there is smartness of marketing. For instance, for “Two States”, we released the book simultaneously across the country. The book was available at the same time in Delhi and Dibrugarh, Bombay and Bhubaneswar. We have defied the publishing mindset.A lot of Chetan Bhagat sales come from smaller towns, people who have been introduced to books beyond school and college by Chetan Bhagat. He is a phenomenon that has affected…More

The Hindu :

Old-fashioned barber shops have a loyal following

Photo: V. Sreenivasa MurthyOld-world charm And a comforting familiarity is what takes customers faithfully back to where grandpa went for a cut

It’s a strange paradox, but if you care to look, there are parts of Bangalore which still hang in a time warp of the 60s and 70s. Ride down the bustling Brigade Road and on either sides there are glass and chrome buildings selling all the brands your heart desires. But cruise down till after St Joseph’s Commerce College and you’ll see a maze of narrow lanes to your left.

Choose any of the lanes and as you walk by don’t be surprised if you see several little old fashioned barber shops.

Sri Venkateshwara Men’s Salon even has an old world bench outside the door, packed with waiting customers. Inside the tiny room, with just two fancy push back chairs, one of the customers was having a leisurely oil head massage. The only modern touch was that CFL bulbs lit the mirrors.Customers don’t migrate

Narayan runs Elect Gents Hairdressers on the 3rd Floor at House of Lords on St Mark’s Road.

His father N. Venkatesh and his uncle N. Swamy began the business in 1932 on Brigade Road. In 1991, a glitzy mall shifted them to St. Marks Road and all of Narayan’s customers moved there with him.

In his shop, Narayan has three push back chairs and offers haircuts, colouring, facials and oil head massages.

“All my customers are regulars and many High Court Judges and ministers are my customers. Engineers, doctors and now the sons of old customers come to me because they like my old-fashioned salon and service. Many of my clients dislike the new unisex salons,” he says.

Dr. C. S. Rajan, head of surgery in St Martha’s Hospital, has been coming to Narayan since he was a kid. “I am 55 years…More

The Hindu : y>

Check it outChorla Ghats

Wishbone is organising a trip to Chorla Ghats, Goa on December 11, 12 and 13. The Chorla Ghats boast of a variety of wildlife from tarantulas to bison with vine snakes, porcupines, pond terrapins and Malabar rock pit vipers in between. Accommodationwill be provided at cottages at Wildernest, an eco-resort..

The trip will be led by Kaushik, the founder –director of Wishbone. He will be accompanied by field specialists of the area and Greg Barreto, a herpetologist, who is also a rock climber and an outdoor instructor. Not more than 12 participants will be taken on the trip. At the base, wildlife biologist, Nirmal Kulkarni, will share his experiences.

To register, call Kaushik on 9886169689.

Last date for registration is November 22. You can also log on to www. wishbone. co.in

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The Hindu :

The Indian International School is an exception — it has made sport as much a serious part of the curriculum as it has academics

Nuturing young talent Krishna feels that the IIS will produce many sporting champions for the country

Catch ’em young has been a favourite catch phrase for sports administrators in the country. It is one of the best methods to spot young talent, though the talent must be groomed and nurtured in a specific manner, to match up to the best in thebusiness. It is the collective responsibility of sports administrators, parents and educational institutes to groom the young talent, with schools often playing a vital role.

However, in India, sports is relegated to the background in a curriculum that focuses on academics. Very few schools are proactive in encouraging sporting talent in children. In Bangalore, only a handful of institutions such as St. Joseph’s High School, Bishop Cotton, Baldwin High, JIRS, Vidyashilp and Kumaran’s Home have given sports its due place. Joining this ‘elite’ club is the Indian International School.

The school is an initiative of the Abhyudaya Educational Trust, founded in 1990 to provide holistic, value-based education to students. The institute integrates several divergent academic systems, including the IGCSE (University of Cambridge Internal Examinations (O & A Levels) ICSE, ISC and SSLC.Talent spotted early

Though the institute has centres at Marathalli Outer Ring Road and Koramangala, the main campus is located on Sarjapur Road. It is spread over 30 acres and claims to offer the best academic and sports facilities.

“We do not consider sports as an extra curricular activity. We have included sports as part of the curriculum to ensure that the children develop sporting skills,” says IIS principal, Usha Mohan.

The campus comprises playgrounds, tennis courts, athletic tracks, gymnasium and a six-lane pool, apart from an indoor stadium comprising badminton and squash courts.

“Providing playing space is not enough. We…More

The Hindu : y>

Travels unlimitedPaul Merton getting a glimpse of life in Chennai

Catch Paul Merton as he arrives in Chennai and heads to the beach to relax. He discovers that relaxing is the last thing Indians do on a beach.

Walking on the shore, he is confronted by somersaults and cartwheels as the local stuntmen practice their moves. Chennai is also home to the profitable and often overlooked Tamil film industry, known as Kollywood. Leaving the acrobats to it, Paul heads inland and discovers many more interesting groups. Catch all the action only on Paul Merton in India-Chennai and Mumbai on Friday at 9 p.m. only on the History channel.

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The Hindu :

Apricots have nutrients that protect the eyes and heart

WEALTH OF HEALTH BENEFITS Apricot

Apricots are beautiful, orange-coloured fruits full of fibre and vitamin A. They are one of the first signs of summer. Relatives to peaches, apricots have velvety skin and flesh. They’re not too juicy but are definitely smooth and sweet. Some describe their flavour as almost musky, with a faint tartness that lies somewhere between a peach and a plum.

While selecting apricots, look for ones that are rich orange in colour; avoid those that are pale and yellow.Add sliced apricots to hot or cold cereal. The next time you make whole grain pancakes, add some chopped apricots to the batter. Give a Middle-Eastern flavour to chicken or vegetable stew by adding dried, diced apricots. Serve fresh apricots in your green salad when they are in season.

The nutrients in apricots can help protect the heart and the eyes, as well as have the disease-fighting effect of fibre. Their high beta-carotene content makes them important heart health foods. Beta-carotene helps protect LDL cholesterol from oxidation, which may help prevent heart disease. Apricots contain nutrients such as vitamin A that promote good vision. Being a good source of fibre, apricots offer a wealth of benefits, including preventing constipation and other digestive problems.

Now, for a recipe.Apricot Stuffed BBQ Chicken

Ingredients

Whole chicken breasts, boned with skin on: two

Dry stuffing mix: 100 gm

Chopped onion: 50 gm

Unsalted butter, melted: 2 tbsp

Ground ginger: half tsp

Fresh apricots, halved: 4

Apricot jam: half cup

Cider vinegar: 1 tbsp

Method: Place the chicken skin-side down and pound it with a mallet to flatten it slightly. Combine the stuffing mix, onion, butter, and quarter tsp of ginger. Spoon the stuffing mixture in a strip along centre of each breast. Place the apricot halves on top of the stuffing. Wrap the chicken around the filling; tie each chicken…More