The Common Man

The political uprising in our country has brought to the forefront the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spearheaded by social activists who wanted to bring about change, but the sequence of events landed them in becoming change agents themselves. The political party in the capital has totally hijacked the term ‘aam aadmi’ who was earlier referred as ‘common man’--- the ordinary Indian who was most suitably depicted in the cartoons of noted R K Laxman for more than 50 years before the birth of AAP.

Common man is the person who everyone relates to, who the masses identify with. The common man is the one who survived the Mumbai floods in July 2005, who endured the terrorist attacks in the financial capital in November 2008, who died in the Uttarakhand floods. The common man is time and again bogged down by corruption and inflation, and the common man is the one who is thought of and remembered by politicians every five years when the election bells are ringing.  The common man is the one who lives on hope that there will be a change, and his dream of India will come true very soon. The common man is no more a passive observer, but is making his voice heard. 

We are saluting the spirit and strength of this common man who lives through all this and much more each and every day in different parts of the country. We have handpicked six ordinary people who have provided extraordinary service to the common man to change their lives forever. The February issue highlights all the dimensions of the multifaceted common man.

In the lead article ‘The Common Man is surging’, Prof. Yogesh Atal says, the recent happenings in the political arena have changed the very perception of the Common Man. He is not the beggar waiting to receive the doles or relief; he has begun to demand what is his due.

Prof Atal is an internationally acclaimed sociologist who has authored a number of books and edited nearly 40 books and monographs for UNESCO including a trilogy on Poverty. He worked with UNESCO for nearly 23 years and retired as its deputy assistant director general in 1997. He is among the pioneers in the social sciences to write and publish in Hindi, and popularise social sciences through the medium of Hindi. He is also a poet and litterateur.

In ‘The ubiquitous ‘Common Man’ of India’, Prof. P. Radhakrishnan says, corruption, misrule, crony capitalism, lack of accountability and transparency all have exacerbated the condition of India’s common man. Further, the manner in which the Constitution has been worked over in the years has proved that the common man has been squeezed out of politics.

The writer is a Professor of Sociology at the Madras Institute of Development Studies and is a media commentator on public affairs.

In ‘An Uncommon Common Man’, well known satirist, V. Gangadhar talks about the common man immortalised by the iconic cartoonist of India, R.K. Laxman. Laxman’s themes, says Gangadhar, were not lofty, as his common man was someone who every Indian could easily identify with. His sketches exposed the rot in the system, which angered the aam aadmi, but never failed to bring a smile on his face. 

In ‘The rise of the Aam Aadmi’, Dr. Bhalchandra K. Kango, Secretary, state council CPI, Maharashtra says, the ‘aam aadmi’ of the 70s and 80s was a composition of emerging middle class and toiling masses who got lost in identity politics. Today, with corruption and problems of governance taking centre stage along with growing concern about inflation and economic slowdown, we see a commonality of interests amongst the two classes re-emerging and bringing the common man or the ‘aam aadmi’ into focus.

The Right to Information (RTI) is one of the simplest and most powerful tool in the hands of the common man to seek information on a number of issues, in order to minimise corruption and get what is rightfully due to him, writes Shailesh Gandhi in his article ‘Right to Information (RTI) – path to Swaraj.’

Gandhi is former Central Information Commissioner. A distinguished alumnus awardee of IIT Bombay and a first generation entrepreneur, he sold his business to become a RTI activist in 2003. He gave many landmark decisions on RTI, apart from organising the first digital fileless Commission office.

Aam Aadmi Crusaders

In Aam Aadmi crusaders, India One People Foundation salutes the spirit and achievements of six ordinary people who have changed the lives of the aam aadmi. Read the struggle and achievements of the crusaders:

Baba Amte

One man crusade

Baba Amte was a one man crusade and messiah for the people struck with leprosy. He served them till his last breath.

(Contributed by Veena Adige, Associate editor of Bhavan’s Journal, the fortnightly magazine of Bharatiya Vidya BhavanShe has authored four books including The Legacy of Baba Amte.)

Advocate Varsha Deshpande

Her fight to save the girl child

Advocate Varsha Deshpande has been striving to save and protect the girl child. She founded the ‘Lek Laadki Abhiyaan’ that upholds the mantra ‘Eliminate Inequality not Women, Destroy Dowry not Daughters’.

(Contributed by Prof. Vibhuti Patel, Director, Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai.)

Rajendra Singh

A man, water and a revolution

Rajendra Singh’s message to people is to see the earth like a bank. If you regularly deposit water, you’ll always have some to withdraw. If you are just taking, you will have nothing in your account.

(Contributed by Rajlakshmi Pillai, former sub-editor, OIOP)

Dr. Anil Joshi

He makes the mountains smile

Dr. Anil Joshi set up an organisation that looks into need-based science and technology developments and execution for the mountains. He is rightly called the ‘Mountain Man’ for he makes the mountains smile.

(Contributed by Rajlakshmi Pillai, former sub-editor, OIOP)

Advocate Mahesh Chandra Mehta

Lawyer with a cause

Advocate Mahesh Chandra Mehta, is a practicing lawyer in the Supreme Court since 28 years. He pledged his life for environment and has held the baton to achieve environmental sustenance through the legal route. He is the first Indian lawyer to indulge in legal activism and to show the path on how to protect and safeguard environment.

(Contributed by Sonam Saigal, sub-editor, OIOP)

Anna Hazare

The man behind the change

Anna Hazare, single handedly won the hearts of millions of Indians across the country when he sat on an indefinite fast in New Delhi in 2011. His cry was to exert pressure on the Indian government to enact a stringent anti-corruption law, the Jan Lokpal Bill. This septuagenarian made the entire country shout in unison, ‘main bhi anna, tu bhi anna, ab toh saara desh hain anna, (I am anna, you are anna, now the entire country is anna)

(Contributed by Sonam Saigal, sub-editor, OIOP)

Know India Better

Know India Better is on the paradise on earth --- Kashmir, a year-round destination with each season showcasing a different facet of the valley. In ‘How beautiful is my valley’ Gustasp and Jeroo Irani, who are uabashed Kashmir lovers, visit the valley in winter, when snow-cuddled mountains and valleys and half frozen lakes and rivers take centre stage. They cruise on the Dal Lake in  colourful shikaras , stroll the famous Mughal Gardens, learn to ski on the slopes of Gulmarg and enjoy the mountain view in pristine Aru and Betab valley, while indulging in local Kashmiri cuisine.

Gustasp and Jeroo are travel companions for whom life is a never-ending journey. Over the last 25 years they have travelled extensively across India and the globe, taking the rough with the smooth; sampling different cultures and cuisines. In the process they have trekked in the Australian Outback, slurped snake soup in Hong Kong, have danced with the Samburus in Africa, stayed with a local family in a Malay village, cracked the Da Vinci Code in Pari. For them, writing and photography are more than just freezing moments of that journey; it’s a passion.

In Face to Face, Shoma Chatterjee has a tête-à-tête with noted English fiction writer Shashi Deshpande who was recently bestowed an award for her contribution to creative fiction by women by Soi (meaning female soulmate), an organisation of women writers in West Bengal founded by Nabaneeta Deb-Sen. Daughter of the renowned Kannada dramatist and Sanskrit scholar Shriranga, Shashi has authored eleven novels, several short story collections, four books for children and one book on essays. She has won many awards including the Sahitya Academy Award and the Padmashri. Shashi talks of her journey as a writer for nearly 45 years.

In Youth Voice, Urvish Paresh Mehta a F. Y. B.Com student at Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics, shares his thoughts on “Learning by doing”. Urvish who is also pursuing Chartered Accountancy has a flare for writing, and regularly participates in Inter-Collegiate Debate Competitions. His articles have been published in newspapers and magazines. He follows cricket religiously and dreams of living in a ‘happier India’. 

In the General section, the spotlight is on the future of the AAP. In the article Will Aam Aadmi Party survive as a National Party?, Prof. P.M. Kamath uncovers the AAP by looking at its strengths and weakness and puts forward a valid argument of whether or not the party will be a national player.

The writer is a former Professor of Politics, University of Bombay. Currently, he is Hon. Director, VPM’s Centre for International Studies (Regd.) and adjunct Professor, Department of Geopolitics and International Relations, Manipal University.

While pointing out that India-US bilateral relationship is too vital for both sides to allow incidents such as the recent Devyani Khobragade episode to vitiate the atmosphere, Dr. B. Ramesh Babu, in ‘Khobragade episode triggers a much needed correction’ contends that the archaic legacy of diplomatic immunities between the nations need a critical re-evaluation and re-tooling in tune with the transformational changes sweeping the world in the era of globalisation.

Dr. B. Ramesh Babu is a specialist in International Relations and American Politics and Foreign Policy. He is currently scholar in residence, Foundation for Democratic Reforms, a think tank and advocacy group based in Hyderabad. He is also a visiting professor at the University of Hyderabad. Formerly he was the Sir Pherozeshah Mehta Professor and Head of the Department of Civics and Politics at the then University of Bombay.

In the first in our series on Indian classical dance, noted dancer and academic, Dr. Kanak Rele classifies the various dance styles and explains the meaning of the many techniques used to convey a theme, mood or idea in this time-space art.

She is the Director, Nalanda Dance Research Centre.

In Gems from the past, B.M.N. Murthy writes on Navigation in India. He explores the navigation expertise in ancient India and says that the social taboo that existed against crossing seven seas raised from a myth without any scriptural sanction.

The writer, a retired chief Engineer from the Life Insurance Corporation of India, is a prolific writer. He writes regularly on Indian heritage, tradition, Vedic wisdom, etc. If you wish to be on his mailing list, contact him at bmnmurty@gmail.com

 

Great Indians

In Great Indians, we profile V P Menon -- Unparalleled leadership (1893-1965),

Vasudeo S. Gaitonde - Abstractionist par excellence (1924-2001), and

Farooque Shaikh - A thinking actor (1948-2013)

And also read our regular columns and other features.

To book a copy, email to oiopfoundation@gmai.com / oiop@vsnl.net or call Nagesh Bangera, OIOP Subscription-in-charge at 022- 2353 44 00.

We look forward to your feedback.

January-14

Inclusive Growth

Since 1991, the mantra of ‘Inclusive Growth’ has been discussed ad infinitum and many programmes have been launched to reduce poverty and promote economic inclusion. The pre-liberalisation era saw the launch of many anti-poverty programmes, but most of them were symbolic in nature and failed to alleviate poverty as was propagated in the Five Year Plan. Over the past two decades, more rapid economic growth gave us greater opportunity and more tools to reduce poverty and promote inclusion. Many flagship programmes were launched with the primary objective of transferring the fruits of development and economic opportunities to the poor. The Planning Commission’s approach paper to the Twelfth Five Year Plan documents 13 flagship development programmes covering many sectors – rural employment guarantee, housing, roads, direct assistance to the poor, health, education, child nutrition, urban development, irrigation, rural electrification, drinking water and agriculture. Are these programmes achieveing the results as envisaged in the FY Plan? While  some sociologists feel that ‘Inclusive Growth’ is more a myth than reality, there are others who believe that if implemented with honesty and systematically India can inch towards inclusive growth.  The January 2014 issue gives an insight on Inclusive Growth.

In ‘Symbolism vs Substance’, Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan, the founder and President of Lok Satta Party, proposes seven broad approaches to promote inclusive growth in the next decade. He believes India has the technology, resources and cumulative knowledge to make every Indian a productive member of a modern economy. But what is needed is an honest and robust approach in place of symbolism, hypocrisy and short-term populism, he says.

Though official documents state otherwise, there is little evidence, to claim that India has pursued a sustainable inclusive growth strategy, as the Five Year Plan formulation is not integrated with respect to participation in economic activity, income generation and welfare improvement. In ‘Sustainable growth still a distant dream’, Dr. M.H. Suryanarayana, teacher/researcher at Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai, says India has a long way to go even to conceptualise such a process, let alone realise it.

In ‘Mindsets need to change first’, Dr. Madhav Chavan, CEO-President, Pratham Education Foundation, says that inclusive growth is not just a matter of making laws and creating governmental welfare programmes. It needs a cultural shift in the society. Schools are but one point where the process of shifting can begin, he says.  

In ‘The key to infrastructure development’, Dr. Buddhadeb Ghosh says that we need to wait and see how the new Government in 2014 will coordinate both public and private sector allocation across the ‘districts’ as opposed to ‘states’ in order to minimise the differences in key infrastructure facilities between the waning and the accelerating regions within a state. Therein lies our success, he says. The writer is Principal Investigator for MGNREGA and Border Area Development Programme (BADP) Projects, Planning Commission, GOI, New Delhi and Associate Scientist, Economic Research Unit at Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata.

Indian agriculture accounts for almost 14% of the total GDP and around 60 percent of our total population is still directly or otherwise involved in the agrarian systems. In ‘Peasantry neglected in the growth strategy’, Prof. Ajay Dandekar, a social scientist, writes that in such a scenario, India’s peasantry will have to be given its due place within the system, if the dream of inclusive growth has to be realised.

Economic growth has not generated as many jobs as anticipated. In ‘Bipolar Disorder’, Anuradha Kalhan, Lecturer, Dept of Economics, Jai Hind College, Mumbai (needs to be changed I think…plz get her exact design now), says that there also appears to be a growth in survival strategies to stay above the line of destitution instead of measurable employment.

The Approach Paper to the 12^th Five Year Plan was titled “Faster, Sustainable and More Inclusive Growth.” Sadly, there is no discussion about the status of women and the need to make a special effort to improve it. In ‘Bringing women into the ambit’, Kiran Moghe says that if there is no fundamental change in the direction of government policies, which need to turn their face to the poor, the marginalised and the deprived in our country, inclusive growth for women will be only a distant dream. The writer is National Joint Secretary, All India Democratic Women’s Association - AIDWA (Akhil Bharatiya Janwadi Mahila Sanghatana), a mass organisation of rural and urban women. Her work involves grassroots as well as policy level interventions on various gender issues.

In ‘Know India Better’, we feature ‘India: the new adventure land’. With adventure sport tourism on a steep incline, Akul Tripathi, a media professional and freelance writer, embarks on a quest to understand the ones emerging in India and the best places to experience them. He finds options galore and a bright future for all adrenaline junkies. Text and photographs: Akul Tripathi

In ‘Face to Face’, Arup Mitra, Professor of Economics, Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi, says, “Inclusive growth, in terms of notion, is not an illusion.” Prof. Mitra’s research interest encompasses urban development, labour and welfare, industrial productivity and growth, and gender disparities. He has written four books and more than hundred papers in various academic journals and edited volumes. His latest book ‘Insights into Inclusive Growth, Employment and Wellbeing in India’ covers a wide range of issues in development. Prof. Mitra, in an email interview with Rajlakshmi Pillai, speaks about the various factors that can contribute or hinder inclusive growth. In his view, if inclusive growth in India is pursued realistically, it can be a possibility.

In our ‘Feature’ section, in the article, ‘Focusing on the small economies is the need of the hour’, Amrita. S. Nair offers a few suggestions to revive growth and says how strengthening village economy and MSMEs can help decrease the intensity of the economic slowdown. The writer is an Economics graduate from Jai Hind College, Mumbai. She was an active member of the economics association of her college and a part of various group presentations concerning the economics seminars.

In the wake of the recent Supreme Court judgment upholding IPC Section 377 that criminalises homosexual act, Shoma A. Chatterji, in her article ‘Homosexuality in Indian mythology, literature and cinema’, writes that homosexuality is not a mere aping of the West but is evident in Indian mythology, history, literature and culture. The writer is a freelance journalist, film scholar and author. She has authored 17 published titles and won the National Award for Best Writing on Cinema twice. She won the UNFPA-Laadli Media Award, 2010 for ‘commitment to addressing and analysing gender issues’ among many awards. She is currently Senior Research Fellow, ICSSR, Delhi, researching the politics of presentation of working women in post-colonial Bengali cinema 1950 to 2003.

From this issue on, we are embarking on a new journey to unearth the gems of wisdom from Indian’s rich ancient heritage. In the first part of the series, we present to you ‘India’s pioneering contributions to the world of medicine’. How many of us know that the world’s first plastic surgery was conducted in India by an Indian? Sushruta, an ancient Indian surgeon, delved into the intricacies of medicine and fine points of surgery in his treatise Sushruta Samhita, much before the western world even knew about it. Isn’t it time that the medical fraternity in India take a ‘Sushruta oath’ in place of the ‘Hippocratic oath’? This would be an apt tribute to the father of Indian surgery. A feature by B. M. N. Murthy, a retired senior engineer from the Life Insurance Corporation of India, who writes regularly on Indian heritage, tradition, vedic wisdom, etc. If you wish to be on his mailing list, contact him at bmnmurty@gmail.com

In ‘Cultural Kaleidoscope’, we conclude our series on Indian classical music. In the concluding article, Latha Venkatraman,  an independent journalist and a student of music, profiles three gharanas that continue to enrich Indian classical music and enthrall audience not just in India but worldwide.

In ‘Youth Voice’, Bhavya Ashwin Mehta who is pursuing Chartered Accountancy, shares his thoughts about serving society. Bhavya is the founder and Managing Trustee of Deeds Of Kindness Trust, a Borivili-based organisation that reaches out to people in need. He aspires to be an IAS officer so that he can bring about a change in the country. In his free time, he keeps researching on issues such as water harvesting, fuel saving, etc. 

In ‘Great Indians’, we feature Swati Tirunal, The Raja-Rishi (1813-1846); 

Lolita Sarkar, torchbearer of gender justice (1927-2013) and 

Colonel Venugopal Vasanth AC, Honour and pride…forever (1967-2007).

And also read our regular columns and other features. To book a copy, email to oiopfoundation@gmai.com / oiop@vsnl.net or call Nagesh Bangera, OIOP Subscription-in-charge at 022- 2353 44 00.

We look forward to your feedback.

December  Issue

 

The year 2013 in many ways, was a path-breaking one. The year witnessed many incidents that not only forced the authorities to look at the way things were run, but also taught a lesson or two to the government at the Centre. The hasty introduction of an Ordinance to outsmart the SC judgment of disqualifying tainted legislators, inflation and several scams have forced the UPA government and especially the Congress Party to “never underestimate the power of common man” (to borrow lines from the film ‘Chennai Express’). The recent outcome of Delhi elections proves the point.

Women’s safety has been an issue of concern since many years but nothing much was done about it. But things are changing. As the common public comes out in large numbers to protest against heinous rapes and assaults, the authorities are forced to take action and initiate steps to assure security of women at public and work places. The recent Tarun Tejpal episode shows that no one is above law. The involvement of juveniles in rape crimes and the punishment meted out to them, was a topic of debate all through 2013 and with Central government proposing amendments to the Juvenile Justice Act and child rights activists opposing it, the debate promises to continue even in 2014. We have to wait and watch to know the outcome. We, humans, have long played with environment and have been destroying it in the name of ‘development’. The Kedarnath disaster showed that nature too has its own limits of endurance. Post the disaster, governments have been forced to mull over ‘environment friendly’ development agenda. Another shocking incident of 2013 was the series of allegations against the Indian Army, yet, the brave soldiers carry on the message of service to nation before self and that is reassuring that the Indian Army will triumph over all odds. The killing of anti-superstition activist Dr. Narendra Dabholkar refocused our attention to the dangerous lobby behind self proclaimed godmen and the need to relook at the superstitions and blind beliefs that have tainted India. The killers are still at large but the murder has put the focus on the need to pass the long pending anti superstition bill. In India cricket is still a religion and a sport devoured by Indians, all over the world. So, when the fixing scandal once again broke out resulting in the arrest of popular cricketers, the faith in the game did waver for many hardcore fans. Hopefully, 2014 will see cricket being played in the true spirit of the game.

These are some of the issues that OIOP focuses on, in its December 2013 issue ‘2013: SOME KEY LEARNINGS’. We look forward to your feedback.

A landmark ruling of the Supreme Court mandating immediate disqualification of tainted legislators raised hopes of cleansing politics of criminals. The UPA government tried to bring in an Ordinance to reverse the judgment, but it retracted following public pressure. In ‘Taking away the taint’, Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan proposes initiatives for a systemic reform that will transform politics. The author is the founder and President of Lok Satta Party – new politics for the new generation; Email: info@loksattaparty.com; Url: www.loksatta.org

In ‘Safety of women still a far cry’, Ranjona Banerji, senior journalist and consulting editor with the media website MxMIndia.com, says that incidents of crimes against women and subsequent outrage over these crimes have forced us to re-examine ourselves, our laws and our attitudes and that this is a silver lining that will have its own positive impact.

In the wake of reports about children under 18 involved in serious criminal offences, there has been a clamour for amendments to the Juvenile Justice Act, one of which is lowering the age of juveniles. In ‘Give juveniles a chance to reform’, Anant Kumar Asthana, a Delhi based lawyer specialising in Juvenile Justice Law and who has extensively worked with Juveniles in conflict with law, argues that throwing juvenile delinquents in jails cannot be a solution to the problem. They should be given a chance to reform, he says.

Recent incidents such as corruption charges against senior army officers, the V K Singh controversy and reports of conflict between men and officers have dented the image of the Indian Army. In ‘Indian Army will always stand tall’, Brigadier Suresh Chandra Sharma (retd) dismisses any doubts about the integrity of men in uniform and asserts that the credibility of the Indian Army continues to remain high, and the army is battle worthy for any eventuality.

Brigadier Suresh Chandra Sharma (retd.) served in the Army for 30 years. Post retirement he served the telecom industry with multinational and Indian corporates. He is also a freelance journalist and has interests in national security issues.

The Himalayas are ecologically vulnerable, and as the June deluge showed, crossing its bearing line can be disastrous. In ‘‘Ecopreneurship’ can save the hills’, Dr. Anil P Joshi recommends the concept of ecopreneurship for the hilly regions that will nurture the ecosystem, besides bringing economic benefits to the people living there.

Dr. Anil P Joshi is referred to as the ‘Mountain Man’ for his pioneering efforts in ecological development of hilly regions, particularly the rural areas in the Himalayan regions, in the last 33 years. He is the founder of a voluntary organisation named Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organisation (HESCO), and promotes rural economy and ecology. The main slogan of HESCO is “Local need meet locally”. You can log on to www.hesco.in to know more.

The year 2013 saw the killing of anti-superstition activist Dr. Narendra Dabholkar and the arrest of godman Asaram Bapu for alleged misconduct. In India, superstitions have always thrived in the name of religion. In ‘Shun those superstitions’, Dr. G Vijayam, Executive Director of Atheist Centre, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, stresses on the need to promote scientific temper in our society, so that irrational beliefs do not go unchallenged.

Yet another shocking match-fixing scandal came to light this year leading to the arrest of popular cricketer S Sreesanth and others. Though this isn’t the first time that Indian cricket has been mired in such a controversy, the Board of Control for Cricket in India is yet to take any concrete steps to curb such malpractices. In ‘A ‘fixed’ lesson for BCCI’, Abhijeet Kulkarni suggests some measures to stem the rot.

A sports reporter for over a decade, Abhijeet Kulkarni has covered various major international events, including the cricket world cup and IPL. He currently freelances for couple of media houses and also provides expert inputs on national television channels.

The Indian rupee fell sharply against the dollar and touched an historic low in the second half of 2013. This had an overall cascading effect on India’s economy. In ‘After the fall’, Alex K Mathews says while the government has taken several initiatives to stabilise the rupee, only quick policy decisions and its implementation can support the currency in the longer run.

The writer is the winner of Zee Business’ ‘India’s Best Financial Analyst Award 2013’ and has authored several books on finance, the latest being Security Analysis and Portfolio Management. He has also authored columns for various financial magazines and newspapers and also appeared as panelist on English and Malayalam news channels. Currently, he is working as the Research Head, Geojit BNP Paribas Financials Limited at Kochi in Kerala.

In ‘Know India Better’, we feature ‘Fatehpur Sikri’ which is a dream in red sandstone. Fatehpur Sikri is not only a magnificent symbol of Mughal architecture but also a reflection of Emperor Akbar’s fine taste for art and culture. Located near the city of Agra, Fatehpur Sikri was inscribed on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1986. It houses some of the most splendid monuments of the Mughal era, such as the Jami Masjid, Rang Mahal, the Diwan-i-Khas, Panch Mahal, Hawa Mahal, Buland Darwaza and the mausoleum of the revered sufi saint Salim Chishti. Text is by Md. Masarrath Ali Khan, freelance travel writer and Photos by Faeem.

In ‘Face to Face’, Shammi Nanda talks to Rajlakshmi Pillai on his idea about learning, health benefits of organic farming, the need to allow the body to heal itself, and his dream of creating a space for conflict transformation through NVC.

Shammi Nanda is a film maker who promotes sustainable living. He is a man who walks the talk. He promotes and talks about issues that he has had firsthand experience with. Starting from experimenting with ‘healthier’ ways of cooking, Nanda moved to exploring how our food is grown and has been connected with the organic food movement in India for the last eight years. The healing journey made him look at the toxic nature of negative emotions related to the food we eat. He discovered Non Violent Communication (NVC) as a way of allaying conflicts and advocates homeschooling as a way of learning. 

Also read some interesting general features.

In ‘Films that tugged at your heart’, Shoma A. Chatterji talks about two filmmakers whose hard-hitting films dealt with out-of-the-box people the mainstream hardly knows about. These outstanding films were the highlights of the 19^th Kolkata International Film Festival, which concluded on 19 November 2013.

The writer is a freelance journalist, film scholar and author. She has authored 17 published titles and won the National Award for Best Writing on Cinema twice. She won the UNFPA-Laadli Media Award, 2010 for ‘commitment to addressing and analysing gender issues’ among many awards. She is currently Senior Research Fellow, ICSSR, Delhi, researching the politics of presentation of working women in post-colonial Bengali cinema 1950 to 2003.

On the Occasion of Navy Day, we are happy to include the article ‘Navy Day – celebration of valour’, by Brigadier Suresh Chandra Sharma (retd). On 4 December 1971, in a daring operation, the Indian Navy attacked the Pakistan Navy in Karachi with surface-to-surface-missiles. This day is observed as the Navy Day. Brigadier Sharma (retd) narrates the heroic operation and hails the sailors whose valour and endeavour pushed the ships and machines to their technical limits.

We pay tribute to the ‘Unsung heroes of Indian aviation’, on the occasion of International Civil Aviation Day on December 7^th. All of us know the Wright brothers as the inventors of aeroplane. But how many of us are aware that it was an Indian who created an aircraft years before the Wrights, inspired by another fellow Indian who studied the thousand-year-old treatise on aeronautics by Sage Bharadwaj? B. M. N. Murthy profiles the extraordinary work of these two pioneers who deserve to be recognised and lauded not just in India but worldwide.

The writer, a retired senior engineer from the Life Insurance Corporation of India, is a prolific writer. He writes regularly on Indian heritage, tradition, vedic wisdom, etc. If you wish to be on his mailing list, contact him at bmnmurty@gmail.com

Days before his final test match, Sachin Tendulkar ensured the entrance to Wankhede stadium is wheelchair-friendly for his mother’s visit. In ‘The ground beneath the last hurrah’, Malay Desai talked to some cricket-crazy persons with disability to know what they felt about this gesture…

This is a part of a series of articles that celebrate the intriguing lives of persons with disabilities. This is an initiative of Trinayani which is a not-for-profit advocacy trust founded by Ritika Sahni. Trinayani works towards Disability Awareness and Support, communicating through workshops/seminars, print, radio, films and other electronic media.

In ‘Youth Voice’, Pratik Mantri asks, “Why the need and desire to ‘show-off?’ Pratik Mantri is a freelance writer based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. His dream is to see India as a poverty-free nation.  He loves to read, write and follow sports and politics closely.

In ‘Great Indians’, we feature 

T. Balasaraswathi, the legendary dancer (1918-1984); 

Manna De, The versatile musician (1919 – 2013) and 

Naib Subedar Chuni Lal AC, VrC, SM, display of excellent leadership (1968-2007).

Also read our regular columns and other features in the issue. To book a copy, email to oiopfoundation@gmail.com / oiop@vsnl.net or call Nagesh Bangera, OIOP Subscription-in-charge at 022- 2353 44 00.

We look forward to your feedback.

November 2013 issue

The roots of the cooperative movement in India can be traced to agriculture and its allied sectors. The year 1904 was a watershed year in the history of the cooperative movement in India as that year saw the enactment of the Cooperative Credit Society Act, 1904. The 1912 Cooperative Societies Act replaced the 1904 Cooperative Societies Act. The early forays in the cooperative sector were in the arena of agriculture credit, inputs and marketing, and over the years that has by and large remained the mainstay of the movement. Today in India we do have more than six lakh cooperative society organisations. They are one of the major pillars of the rural developing economy. The cooperatives have at the pan national level generated significant numbers of employment. The works that they engage in encompass a wide range of economic activities related to fisheries, handlooms, cold storage, dairy, marketing, consumer goods, credit and services, large sized multi-purpose cooperative societies, horticulture, etc.

Though umpteen cooperative societies were founded post independence and many of them did meet the vision that cooperative movement aimed at, many cooperatives saw a decline due to rampant corruption and political high handedness. Maharashtra’s cotton and sugar cooperatives are two such examples.

November 2013 issue of One India One People looks at the history, growth and problems of the cooperative movement and also presents some success stories in the cooperative sector.

In ‘Many challenges ahead for the cooperative sector’, Ajay Dandekar, Professor at TISS, based at Rural campus, Tuljapur, Maharashtra, says that as the cooperative sector enters the 21st century, it becomes inevitable for cooperatives to guard their autonomy which will give them the edge and moral high ground to arrive at a position that dovetails into democratic movements in the country.

Prakash Bal Joshi

In ‘Political power flows through cooperatives’, Prakash Bal Joshi, Mumbai based journalist and artist cautions that unless sugar cooperatives makes serious efforts to adjust to changed atmosphere and take action against corruption, which is eroding its strength, their chances of survival are slim.

The success stories:

Anuradha Dhareshwar

Anuradha Dhareshwar, Editor, One India One People, tells us the inspiring story of the Saraswat Cooperative Housing Society, Asia’s first cooperative housing society that came up at Gamdevi in Mumbai in 1915, and the pioneering work of Rao Bahadur Shripad Subbarao Talmaki, the doyen of India’s cooperative movement.

Dilip Chawre

Veteran journalist Dilip Chawre charts the success story of Pravaranagar Sugar Cooperative in Maharashtra. The Pravaranagar Sugar Cooperative factory is a model sugarcane cooperative, which has been able to create a better life for its stakeholders with innovative agricultural development, improving rural economy and transport, and creating health and educational infrastructure in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. The writer has covered state and national politics for over 35 years and has successfully documented the careers of many chief secretaries of Maharashtra for archival purposes.

R. S. Sodhi

The AMUL (ANAND MILK UNION LIMITED) story is not just a landmark in the cooperative sector of India but also an inspiring one. In ‘An utterly, butterly inspiring story’, we look at the journey of the invaluable Amul. The dairy cooperative movement at Anand in Gujarat not only paved the way for White Revolution in the country, it also served as a model for the successful working of cooperatives in India. Even today, 65 years after its inception, Amul leads the way, says R. S. Sodhi, Managing Director, GCMMF.

Shamrao Vithal Cooperative Bank is a sterling example in cooperative banking. The Shamrao Vithal Cooperative Bank, one of the oldest surviving cooperative banks in India, has beaten competition to emerge as one of the most trusted and successful banks in the cooperative banking sector.

Mohanraj Y

In ‘Amendment falls short of expectations’,  Mohanraj Y, CEO of Pangal Computer Services Pvt Ltd provides an insight into the major changes that have been made in the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies (MCS) Act of 1960 with specific application to the housing sector. The amended Act fails to address some of the important issues that concern residents of cooperative societies, he says. Pangal Computers is one of the largest service providers of Computerised Billing and Accounts and Management Services to Housing Societies in and around Mumbai.

Balkumar Agarwal

In ‘Will consumers benefit is still doubtful’, Balkumar Agarwal, Former Additional Chief Secretary, Maharashtra Government, says that the success of the proposed Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Bill 2013 will however depend on its honest implementation and the time-bound procedures followed by the Housing Regulator. Otherwise, the Bill will result in more red tape and interference without any real benefit to the intended consumers, says Balkumar Agarwal.

Rangan Datta

In ‘Know India Better’ section, Rangan Datta takes us on a visit to the little known Chinatowns in Kolkata, where the first Chinese settlement in India came up 250 years ago, thanks to Tong Achew, a tea trader, who made it his home. The Chinatowns come alive during the week-long Chinese New Year celebrations held in late January or early February, to the beating of Chinese drums and cymbals, the ritual lion and dragon dance and the lighting of fire crackers. Visitors can also get a glimpse of the Chinese rituals and traditions, which are religiously followed by the dwindling Chinese population living there.

Hasan Ekbal

In ‘Face to Face’, Hasan Ekbal speaks to Anuradha Kalhan and Ashwin Kumar on the problems faced by project co ordinators and the changes required for enhancing the performance of Gender Resource Centres (GRCs) under the Samajik Suvidha Sangam, more popularly known as Mission Convergence of Delhi Government, founded in 2009. The objective of the Mission is to reach out to vulnerable citizens for their inclusion in government welfare schemes. Ekbal is one among the lot of young, dedicated social workers who coordinate the 124 GRCs.

In Great Indians, we feature: Rao Bahadur Shripad Subbarao Talmaki, Doyen of India’s cooperative movement (1868-1948); 

H V R Iengar ICS, An able administrator and a competent leader (1902-1978) and 

Balraj Sahni, The versatile actor (1913-1973)

Also read our regular columns and other features in the issue. 

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