Azim Premji University
K aleidoscope
of
Our Thoughts
'16
If life’s journey be endless, where is its goal? The answer is, it is everywhere. We are in a palace which has no end, but which we have reached. By exploring it and extending our relationship with it we are ever making it more and more our own.
Rabindranath Tagore
The Editorial Team would like to thank all contributors, supporters, members of the University faculty and administration for their contribution in bringing out the 5th edition of Karvan. A special thanks to our faculty-mentors for their guidance and encouragement. You can email your suggestions, comments and contributions to
[email protected]
From the
Editorial Team Hello Reader!
Editorial Team
Welcome to this journey! It is with great joy and anticipation that we release the fifth edition of Azim Premji University’s annual magazine, Karvan. We hope that you will enjoy reading this magazine as much as we have enjoyed putting it together. Have you ever looked through a kaleidoscope and marvelled at how a thousand tiny pieces of coloured glass constantly re-arrange themselves to produce new patterns every single time, each more colourful and exciting than the last? Life at Azim Premji University is similar to this. Each person here is a like a piece of vibrant glass in this kaleidoscopic college, with their own dynamic thoughts, ideas and skills. No two people are the same. With each passing day, with each new event, we interact with each other in several different ways, clashing and rearranging ourselves constantly to form an exciting amalgamation of cultures and perspectives. Through this magazine, we hope to capture this
Aditi Sameer Rao Aditi Vibha Dipak Upadhyay
energy, and showcase how truly colourful this college is. These two years are not easy. With mountains worth of readings and thousands of words to be written in response papers, life here is no cake walk. But where there is work, there is also play, and
Parul Dubey Vaishnavi Varadarajan
this certainly holds true. There is no shortage of clubs, cultural activities, sports events and celebrations of various kinds in our time here. As you flip through the pages of this magazine, we hope you will catch a glimpse of some of the exciting things that have shaped the previous year here in this university.
UG Student Coordinator Sahana Subramanyam
Lastly, this magazine is more than just words. With each reading of its contents, we hope that you will unearth fresh shades of yourselves, shaped by the varied and interesting thoughts of our diverse student body who have carefully penned these down for everyone to read. Life at Azim Premji University, much like looking through the eyepiece of a kaleidoscope is an exuberant experience, and while the pieces may occasionally clash and break, they will always find spaces in between other hues where they fit perfectly, and are able to shine.
Contributing Member Prachi Shirole
Faculty Mentor Kinnari Pandya
Here’s to another colourful year at Azim Premji University!
Cover Page Design Credits
Cheers!
Aniruddh Sheth
CONTENTS Messages
‘My Work and Its Influences’ by Dr. Ramachandra Guha......................................22
From Anurag Behar.............................................04
Quotation Quest..................................................22
From S. Giridhar..................................................05
Kathavana...........................................................22
From Arima Mishra..............................................06
Interaction with Jan Bremen................................23
From Ankur Madan..............................................08
Creative Expressions Mela 2015........................23
From Srikrishna Aiyyangar..................................09
Mental Health Day...............................................24
From Radhika Mahadev and Usha Rajaram.......10
POE Conference.................................................25 Space For Solidarity............................................25
Life at the University................ 11 Students Journal of Education and Development.......................................................12 Debating Development Initiative.........................13 I want to ride my bicycle......................................14 Creative Writing Club..........................................14 Bio Club...............................................................15 Esperanto............................................................15 Thought Criminals...............................................16 Poetry Club..........................................................16 Celluloid...............................................................17 Sports Club..........................................................17 Pahal...................................................................17
Postcards from Bardoli and Mahadev Bhai.........26 Republic Day.......................................................26 UNMUKT: The Students Annual Festival............26 Health Photo Exhibition.......................................28 Interaction with Naseeruddin Shah.....................28 Gender Workshop...............................................29 Law and Governance Clinic Workshop...............29 Ambedkar Week..................................................30 Book reading and discussion with Jerry Pinto....30 Talk with Ravish Kumar.......................................30 Farewell...............................................................30
Artwork and Pictures............... 31
Fotons: Theatre Society......................................18
Musings .................................... 34
Events at the University.......... 20
For the Love of God............................................35
Freshers..............................................................21
Pretend Play........................................................39
Eid and Onam Celebrations................................21
Talim of My Life...................................................39
Narendra Dabolkar’s Second Death Anniversary..................................21
viu erych.........................................................40
Tribute to Dr. Kalam............................................21
Three Tales..........................................................41
My Journey........................................................36
ftanxh..................................................................42
In Time.................................................................66
Mine No More......................................................42
Monologue: Touch? ............................................67
lkSnkxj.................................................................43
dkSu gS\................................................................68
Truth of Us...........................................................43
Poem on Caste...................................................68
शहरीकरण पर राजनीति..........................................43
Know-l(ed)- edge.................................................69
gS oanu] vfHkuUnu bl fodkl dk.......................44 Begging Bowl......................................................45
ç—fr% ,d loZJs"B çn'kZd ds :i esa..................45
Babu Bhai............................................................70 Tale of an epiphanic bus ride..............................71 Nationalism .........................................................73
Seeing Like A Squatter........................................46
Potty Culture: Looking into cultural aspects of toilet use in India.............................................75
fot;h fo'o frjaxk...............................................47
Dignity of a Developer ........................................76
Unity in Diversity?...............................................48
Air Conditioned Empathy ...................................78
Vªsu esa ,d fnu% vlfy;r ls lkeuk...................50 My fellow countrymen.........................................52
Tales from the field..................79
f'k{kk dk ge vy[k tyk,¡..................................52
Education and Hope............................................80
LÙkqfr¡ ...................................................................53
dkxy lxZ............................................................81
Let me feel the morning breeze..........................53
When Saving Lives Becomes A Daily Adventure................................................82
10 Hadith.............................................................54 Be You.................................................................56
Deeper Introspections............. 57 Dissent: The Necessary Evil...............................58 Profile of a Protest...............................................59 In the Shadow of the Patriarch............................62 The Wild One......................................................63 Who is the Villain?...............................................63 A difficult question...............................................64 Anger: The Emotion of Neoliberalism.................65
Nostalgia: Unforgettable Himachal......................84 Ground Zero: Introduction to realities.................85 My Field Experience............................................86 Agastya Kuppam Visit.........................................87 Story of Ramkailash Yadav.................................88
Turning Back The Wheel Of Time...................89
MESSAGE
ANURAG BEHAR, VIcE - cHANcELLOR The Karvan goes on, as it should. This is now the 5th edition of the magazine of student life and culture at the Azim Premji University. I am one of those many, who know the centrality of student life and culture at a University, from personal experience. It seems also that it’s not only (exciting) life lived then but often an unconscious preparation for the future. This was particularly poignant, when I went back to my college in December 2015, for our 25th year reunion. With every step in that campus, and with every encounter with a friend that I was meeting after decades, I was acutely conscious how those four years had shaped with me. Shared memories of the chais at 2 am, with animated conversation about the films of Kurosawa, Manmohan Desai and Balachander, about Exxon Valdez, and in the same breath about heart-break and new found love, and of cricket games lost on the last ball, of disasters in the mess and a million more. It was wonderful to discover how much each one of us was the same at the core, yet changed completely. And there was no doubt that life in those 4 years had played a central role. Let me try to draw, what seems to have mattered most from those 4 years, even after 25 years. While this is a simplification, it’s as valid as any such effort can be. Engagement, deep engagement seemed to have mattered a lot. Whether it was with the teaching-learning inside the class, sports in the fields, student politics and management or cultural activities, what has mattered is whether we were intensely engaged, and really gave everything to it. Seems to be a good predictor of success later in life, in whatever way defined. Feet being firmly planted on the ground, seems to have mattered equally. Dreaming big, challenging things, have all come to life and become real, only when combined with basic common sense, with humility and with a desire to be constructive. Friends, affection and love, have mattered more than anything else. While everything may have turned topsy-turvy, the friends have remained and so has their affection. The ability to make friends and trust them, seems to have been crucial throughout life. This has not merely been a matter of success or achievement, but of happiness and well-being. Finally, Integrity and an ethical-moral sense, seems to have tied everything together. The absence of this has been telling, and the presence truly seems to have integrated the person’s life. We parted at our college, thinking of the 50th year reunion, because it’s only now that we realized that 25 years have passed in a flash. You will have your 5th, 10th and 25th year reunions, and I think that your experiences will remain common at the core, and will continue to shape you. And the Karvan shall keep going on, as it should. Wish you the very best.
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Azim Premji University
MESSAGE S. GIRIDHAR, REGISTRAR Dear Friends, I write this letter at the period that is most redolent of any University’s annual academic calendar. It is the first day of a new academic year. The second year students are walking into their classrooms for their 3rd semester while the first year students are in the midst of a wonderful orientation program that will prepare them for their stay and study at the university. The faculty missed the students the most during the vacation and I can see a radiant happiness on their faces as they greet their students. It is also a time when we are preparing for the convocation of the students of the 2014-16 batch who have just graduated. The convocation is on 17 August and we look forward to seeing all these students at the ceremony where their degrees will be conferred on them. These students like our alumni from the earlier batches are already in the thick of their new work lives, engaged fully in what we hope will be very fulfilling and meaningful careers in the social sector. When the students of the 2014-16 batch left the campus in early May, I wrote a letter to them, not so much a farewell letter but one that expressed our good wishes as well as our great expectations. Perhaps you will allow me to repeat or quote from that letter again here: "Our alumni will increasingly play a most crucial role as spokespersons and ambassadors of our university. Organizations that wish to take our interns or recruit our students; people who are deciding whether to pursue education at our University – all these people’s decisions will be influenced by our alumni and their interactions with our alumni. We will do everything to strengthen our relationship with alumni to keep it vibrant and mutually enriching. So please keep in touch. And a few words as you embark on your exciting new journey. It is a fact that the work place at your organization will be different from what one experienced as a student at the university. Your organizations have huge responsibilities, urgent commitments and rhythm of work – when you join them, they will expect you to strengthen their hands. They will see your personal strengths and the competency that you bring as a result of your education at the University. Many organizations have told us how much they like and respect our students’ ability to understand, think, question and create. But what they want to see and will value even more is a good work ethic – basic values like discipline, punctuality, mutual respect and humility. Good organizations will provide necessary freedom and respect even as they will expect you to respect their basic institutional rules and code of conduct." The batch of 2015, will now have to don the mantle of ‘seniors’ with responsibility. Some of the great things that have been initiated by your preceding batches must be nurtured. Karvan is one such precious initiative of the students. This magazine is a product of the students’ passion and commitment not only to bring it out in time but also to ensure that various perspectives, various languages find space and expression. Thus, to see it in one’s hands is a joy not easily described. What is true for Karvan is also true for other student initiatives be they the annual festival UNMUKT, the Quiz Club, the Theatre activities or PAHAL the social initiative. These are saplings planted by the batches from 2011. Each succeeding batch must take care of these saplings and help them grow into fine representatives of the University’s culture. And finally to the new batch of 2016, a very warm welcome. Embrace this place with all its diversity, its exciting possibilities and its constraints. Remember that you are here because each one of us believe you have the heart and mind to contribute in a great manner to social change in India. As you have already seen in your initial days here, there is a core set of values that we cherish. In your safe hands, rests the responsibility of passing on a better place than what you got when you arrived to the future batch of students. With all good wishes, Giridhar
Karvan | August 2016
5
MESSAGE
ARImA MISHRA - PROGRAm cOORDINATOR, MA
IN DEVELOPmENT
Though development is a buzzword, it is marked with deep contestations over ideas, practices, experiences and trajectories of development. Even after several decades after Independence, India is confronted with many development challenges. While riding on the ‘uncertain glory’ of economic growth, it faces the hard reality of high maternal mortality, infant and child deaths, persistent poverty and malnutrition in several parts of India. The benefits of developmental policies and program are inequitable along the lines of caste, class, gender, region and ethnicity. Acknowledging the need for engaging with such development challenges, the program is committed to prepare individuals who can contribute to development practice by being well informed of the contours of development discourses and their implications for policies and actions. The program rests on training in development practice, that is theoretically informed and methodologically grounded. The curriculum is thus carefully designed to have a balance of theory and practice. The program unfolds in a two year period through four semesters with the first two semesters consisting of core courses followed by a wide range of electives in the subsequent third and fourth semesters. Development is not a unitary discipline but an integrated field drawing on insights from several disciplines. Hence the first semester takes the students through different disciplines including Sociology, Political Science, Economics and Ecology to understand the perspectives on development from each of these disciplines, thus initiating students into a broader and comprehensive view of development. The second semester core courses further such lens by introducing them to legal and philosophical aspects of development. An important skill to engage with the program is to have a research mode of inquiry. The course on the Introduction to Research aims to develop such competency. The core course on Skills in Development Practice ensures that students graduate the program with essential hands on skills including organizational, communication, and research and advocacy skills. This course was newly introduced last year (2015-2017). Another core course on an Introduction to Education, Health and Livelihoods was also introduced to familiarize students to key issues, debates and challenges in these development domains. The third and fourth semesters offer a wide bucket of electives (more than 60 electives) covering different aspects of the domain of development. Since the last one year, students’ choices have been widened to include electives offered in other programs (Masters in Policy and Governance and Law and Development), and Masters in Education are cross listed with Masters in Development. These electives provide enough space to the students to realize their own interests for a deeper engagement with specific developmental themes. Students are also given a choice to specialize in any specific aspect of development, thus contributing to the concerned sector. The program currently offers four specializations including Public Health, Livelihoods, Sustainability and Law, Governance and Policy. Apart from specializations and electives, the course of Independent study offers an additional scope for students to have an intensive engagement with questions and issues outside the electives offered. The program goals distinctly articulate the need for students’ continuous interactions with the situations ‘on the ground’, engaging with complex lived realities of individual and communities, and experience development interventions in action. The curriculum thus has focused space for engaging with the ‘field’. The field component gradually develops from a 2 weeks encounter to a deeper engagement through six weeks and eight weeks. These field components spread across the four semesters allowing continuous back and forth between class room settings and field sites seeking to integrate conceptual and theoretical learning with ground realities. These components are a) field immersion (two weeks) b) summer internships (6 weeks) and winter field project (8 weeks) with 2, 3 and 4 credits respectively. The credit structure has been revised with the revised curriculum from the 2015-2017 batch onwards. The objectives, processes and expected outputs of each of these components are clearly laid down in the field practice handbook. This handbook is prepared for the first time to guide students through the entire journey of field engagement taking them through the academic, operational and ethical processes. More than 100 development organizations across the country
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Azim Premji University
have hosted our students for internship and/or facilitated their field immersion and field projects. The university actively reaches out to organizations committed to the field of development to explore opportunities of learning for our students. Students’ field projects have ranged from understanding the lives of workers in bangle factories in Uttar Pradesh to innovations in water resource management in north Karnataka to shadowing village health workers in Chhattisgarh to processes of local governance in remote tribal districts of Odisha.
Damini (2014-2016 batch) interacts with a village health worker in a remote district in Chhattisgarh as part of her eight weeks field project.
Students (2014-16) showcasing their 8 weeks field project work on the state of maternal health in different parts of India through a photo exhibition in Metro Art Gallery, Bangalore. People from different walks of life visited the exhibition and applauded the work of our students.
The program promotes an academic culture where in learning is continuous, both individually and collectively enriching, and rests on values of academic integrity, mutual respect and empathy. Students get an opportunity to learn in a diverse environment with their peer group being drawn from 26 different states in India, with different professional experiences and personal backgrounds. The learning process in the program, both in class room as well as field settings, offers rich scope to learn from one another. I on behalf of my colleagues in the School of Development take this opportunity to welcome the new batch of students (2016-2018) to this program. We look forward to an exciting journey of teaching and learning together. Wish you all good luck!
Karvan | August 2016
7
MESSAGE
ANKUR MADAN - PROGRAm cOORDINATOR, MA
IN EDUcATION
The beginning of an academic year always brings with it a mixed bag of feelings-as a new batch of students arrives on campus, renewed energy and excitement fill the air. Apprehension, nervous excitement and loads of questions writ large on faces, students find their way into a new routine, settling in gradually into a way of life that brings with it expectation and hope. The expectation to learn, to gain perspective and to evolve as individuals. The new academic year is also the time when we bid goodbye to our graduating batch of students. Students with whom the two year journey is about to culminate. As students walk up to the dais to collect their graduation degrees, you feel the same nervous energy fill the air- the pride and joy of having completed a journey successfully, the apprehension of what lies ahead, and the nostalgia of all the sweet and sour memories that one has gathered along the way. As faculty members, our feelings are no different. As we prepare for a new semester, we feel the same excitement and nervousness as you do. Walking into a classroom filled with a new batch of students is a nerve-wracking experience for us too! With 40 pairs of expectant eyes focused squarely on you, every teacher realizes the sense of responsibility that the role brings with it. It helps us reinvent ourselves, year after year. On the other hand, as the outgoing students come to say their goodbyes, we are flooded with wonderful memories of the time spent together. The comfort that comes with having known one another for a period of time, the classroom space that grows on you gradually, the heat of the classroom discussions, the uninhibited expression of an opinion, the students’ questions that you sometimes cannot answer and yet no longer feel embarrassed to admit, the little wisecrack that a student makes at you or the hug that happens spontaneously… all make you realize, the unquestioning strength of the bond that has formed, that will last a lifetime. Whether you are on the brink of a new journey on this campus or at the threshold of a promising career, know that an inquiring mind, a humble disposition and the courage to question are your best companions on this journey, and that you are not alone on this path. Make meaning of the world around you, make friends along the way, and learn from the challenges that are thrown at you. The world may not appear very different at the end of the journey, but if you feel the difference in your heart, you have hit the nail. All the very best to each one of you!
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Azim Premji University
MESSAGE
SRIKRISHNA AIYYANGAR - PROGRAm cOORDINATOR, MA
IN PUbLIc POLIcY AND GOVERNANcE
The Master of Arts in Public Policy and Governance, that we refer to as MPG, has now completed its first year and is onto its second year. We have around 38 students in the first batch, and around a similar number in the second batch. What has the experience been like? If I had to describe it in a phrase, it has been a welcome challenge. In the early months of the programme, and perhaps even now, many of us have been asked how is the programme different from its closer sibling, the MA in Development? The first challenge was to explain the intuition behind the MPG – that institutions matter – and if we want to make our public institutions work because they are the primary drivers or change, we as a university need to pay attention to their workings and governance concurrently with other challenges that inform the other programmes. The second challenge we thought we would face is to convince the outside world of the relevance of our programme to public affairs in India. We thought we would meet a lot of skeptics outside the university who would be doubtful of our purpose, and therefore be dismissive of what we do. We underestimated their optimism and enthusiasm for our programmes and our motivations. Clearly, there is an active and positive interest, or a buzz if you will, in trying to make governance mechanisms work, and these organizations proved willing collaborators by inviting our students to intern with them. Interestingly, we also underestimated the determination and resilience of our students to intern under challenging circumstances, without getting disenchanted with the bigger questions around which their internships were framed. As is typical of all Azim Premji University programmes, we also see some students being timid, scared and anxioius about their place in the university because they are a bit too, perhaps even unnecessarily diffident, of where they come from, in the initial weeks of the first semester. But it has been a pleasure to see them slowly and surely transform into students with verve, sharpness and a resilience that is admirable. If one has to see how education can transform lives, we are literally living it! All this being said, we are not just a small drop in the ocean of public affairs, but also a small contingent in the Azim Premji University family. It would be premature to say more about the programme and its experience because we haven’t finished even one full cycle yet! Watch this space next year for a better round up of our experience!
Karvan | August 2016
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MESSAGE
R ADHIKA MAHADEVAN AND USHA R AJARAm - UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAm COORDINATORS The experience, thrill and excitement of being on a campus filled with undergraduate students is unparalleled. If last year was filled with nervous faculty members, high drama, uncertain students and not quite there yet infrastructure; I think I speak for everyone when I say that this year we all came back to campus feeling older, wiser and better prepared! 2015 marked the beginning of our 3 year, residential undergraduate programme and this year we added 100 + more students to the mix. The programme aims at preparing young individuals to be active, selfdirected learners with the capacity for critical thinking that we think in many ways are the foundation for both personal as well as social wellbeing. While students delve deep into their disciplinary interests, they also engage with the challenging social realities in India to understand their education as not simply a path to personal achievement but also as preparation to contribute meaningfully to society. Students choose to do a programme that either awards them a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) or a Bachelor of Arts (B.S.) degree at the end of 3 years. Specialisations offered are Physics, Biology, Economics and combined Humanities (History, Literature and Philosophy). They select their “Major” and “Minor” area of study from the above mentioned list and they could also choose to do their Minors in interdisciplinary areas such as Education Studies, Development Studies and Data Science. All students study courses in the “Common Curriculum”. This entails courses in Critical Reading, Quantitative Reasoning, Understanding India and perhaps the most popular set of courses – Creative Expressions (courses in Art, Music, Craft, Theatre, Sports and other aesthetic pursuits). The common curriculum aim to help build critical and analytical abilities, sensibilities for dialogue, reflection and cooperative learning. Parents, potential students and many others, often ask us as to why this is a fully residential programme. As educators, we believe that college education should not only be a platform for academic preparation or employment, but also prepare young adults for life ahead in the real world. When we envisioned this programme, we aimed at creating a vibrant, caring, and inclusive environment for learning and living. As teachers, we wanted to offer time and support both inside and outside the classroom to help students understand coursework and broader issues in areas of their academic interests. And finally, as mentors, we aim to engage with students outside the classroom to find out what interests or bothers them and work with them to navigate life in this community. In order to work towards these goals, we depend heavily on our students to create a pro- active, caring, and engaging community where they work towards their own well-being, and actively contribute to the well-being of others. The demands of a programme of this nature are unique and multiple. The commitment, drive and energy required both of students and faculty are high. And these first few years of this programme are crucial for building the culture and values that can help translate the educational vision into practice. On to another exhilarating year and adventures ahead!
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Azim Premji University
Life at the University Karvan | August 2016
11
CLUBS THE STUDENTS’ JOURNAL OF
EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT Postgraduate Programme
T
he
Students’
Journal
of
Education
and
Development was an initiative undertaken two
on the condition that certain changes be made to it, or decide that the paper is not a good fit for the journal.
years ago to publish and showcase some of
Papers are slotted into the categories of Research
the best work done by students and alumni of
Articles, Perspectives and Practices, Notes and Classics
the University. For most students joining the university, publishing their academic research seems like a lofty goal best left to more established scholars. Their scribblings from field work and their observations from
Revisited. Two years after the first issue was published, the Student Collective battles the many-headed
all across the country, which relate to a variety of issues
monster when it comes to the journal. Little does each
in education and development, are displayed just once
new batch know that getting the journal together is a
in a class presentation and wrapped neatly into a term
dynamic process fraught with uncertainty and deadlines.
paper or project report, awaiting the nudge of a faculty member who considers it publishable. We rarely think of
We have experienced that first year students of the MA in
our research as worthy, exposed as we are to the best
Development or Education hesitate to submit their work
academic writing in our respectable fields.
as they do not have full-fledged term papers until the end of their first semester or later. Nevertheless, their
SJED was conceptualized to allow students to overcome
contributions have been encouraged through the book
their hesitation, to show them that there was a chance
reviews they write in their classes and their observations
for them to get their work read by a wider audience than just their teachers and to capitalize on the hard work they had put into their field studies and independent research.
during the field immersion component of their courses.
The journal was also designed as a learning experience for the students who wanted to be part of steering a publication. The Project Coordination team was given the immense organizational task of putting out calls for papers, seeking student paper nominations from faculty, distributing the papers for editing and collating the recommended papers into the final product: a tidily bound journal which belies the immense amount of effort taken to get it there. The student editorial collective has the daunting task of choosing papers that qualified as original, insightful, sharply-written and well-organized. Each paper is reviewed by at least two editors as part of a double-blind peer review process. Editors either recommend the paper for publication, recommend it
get them to drop the fruit of their labor into our inbox.
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Azim Premji University
The second-year students of the Master’s programs have done their research and term papers, yet we struggle to
The papers that made it through student inhibition and editorial decisions, both individual and collective and through a plagiarism check have been great examples of student research and display their diversity of interests, approaches and lens. Besides serving as a treasury of knowledge, we think that the journal brings together the best of work from the field of education and development, fields which co-exist in their own compartments, but the learnings of which rarely cross over to ‘the other side’. As the Collective works to get students to start sharing, we also have to constantly steer our own processes out
of choppy waters and work out the kinks after a through
The eventual idea is to get SJED to be considered a
post-mortem of the previous issue. This year, we are
journal of caliber that will carry to academic institutions
grateful for the helping hand of a faculty collective,
and organizations working in education, development
which will help us shape the journal along the lines of
and policy the ideas and efforts of students studying at
professional publications. There are plans to get an
Azim Premji University and other educational institutions.
ISBN number, propositions to accept entries year round,
We are a work in progress, laying the foundation as we
and proposals to work with the authors after the initial
make our way to crystallizing that idea, and binding it
screening to produce the most lucid paper possible. All
between two covers.
this while we ourselves work to understand the qualities of a good paper and what counts as relevant research.
DEBATING DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE Postgraduate Programme
D
ebating Development Initiative is an open,
a series on ‘Religion and the Modern State’ that
judgement-
by
involved a student discussion and faculty debate on a
students and faculty members to enable
free
space
co-created
deeper understanding of terms such as secularism,
a deeper engagement with contemporary
communalism, fundamentalism in the light of the tragic
development issues and events within and outside
events of the Dadri lynching, beef ban and the attacks
the course framework. Through this, we aim to have
on rationalists.
enriching discussions by strengthening our knowledge on this issue, looking at it from various perspectives and developing skills of open dialogue and debate. Through DDI we have managed to create within Azim Premji University, a space for political expression, sharing of ideologies and an exploration of challenges in development. This has helped in deepening our
A debate was held on net neutrality which focused on awareness building, and providing students with an opportunity to take an informed stand on the topic. The panel discussion explored net neutrality activism, policy explorations and theorization to put technology in a larger social perspective.
understanding of the complex and interconnected ways
The last series of discussions was on the ethical, legal,
in which development decisions play out in real life.
psychological and moral consequences of the Juvenile
Last year, we started with an open series on Yakub Menon case, discussing various aspects behind death penalty, functioning of the criminal justice system and minority bias in death penalty cases.
Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Act. We first understood the various facets of the bill and analysed the parliamentary debates that led to the act, after which we had a debate amongst the students on whether this was a needed change or a regressive move.
This was followed by a scintillating discussion of the
Interesting perspectives were shared on the various
ongoing Bihar elections before the results, which involved
ways we look at crime and how to understand a child’s
an expert panel discussion on the topic by academicians,
role in criminal cases.
political scientists, journalists and election statisticians from Centre For Study of Developing Societies, along with student discussions on various aspects such as the caste dimension of the elections, and the role of media.
We hope to have even more informative and engaging discussions on issues of development and through this space, give an outlet to students to express their opinion via nuanced debates and discussions.
With a new set of recruits in November, we had
Karvan | August 2016
13
I WANT TO RIDE MY BICYCLE Undergraduate Programme
C
ycling
is
a
great
activity
to cycle effectively and safely, how to maintain a bicycle
and also a green and affordable mode
well and how to ride in a group. It also looks forward
of
the
to organising cycling trips twice a week. The UG Hostel
transportation,
recreational especially
for
undergraduate students of Azim Premji
currently has a fleet of six bicycles that are maintained
University who live quite inwards from Sarjapur town.
and rented out by the Cycling club. The club also plans
Moreover, Sarjapur has scenic routes that are cycling
to train its members and seriously interested students to
friendly and are far away from the crazy Bangalore traffic.
participate in long rides organized by various amateur
The cycling club of Azim Premji University undergraduate
cycling clubs all around the year in Bangalore. Cycling
program aims to integrate cycling and bicycles into their
club membership
daily lives of students by getting together to learn how
CREATIVE WRITING CLUB Undergraduate Programme
T
he creative writing club has been prolific.
discussing what people had written or looking at the
Poetry, shortstory and screenplay writing
beginnings of published works. During the second
and even drawings to illustrate what people
semester the group became more cohesive and worked
have written have been the activities of some
together to write a screenplay and illustrate it which is to
evenings or what people have shared in the club to get
be filmed by the college surveillance cameras. The club
feedback. During the first semester what happened in
has been a place for all enthusiasts of creative writing to
the club was more loosely structured where participants
delve into the art regardless of whether they had done
wrote based on some very flexible prompts and entire
any before and has been warmly welcoming.
meetings were sometimes spent on just sharing and
14
Azim Premji University
BIO CLUB Undergraduate Programme
I
f someone is interested in the megillah of biology
what they observed in their internships related to the ides
in a context outside a classroom the bioclub
of biology were discussed. There have been discussions
has always been a good place to go. Informal
about the history of science and philosophy of organic
discussions and screenings abound. The club is
farming which, although relevant, could not take place
dedicated to focusing on what people in it are interested
in class and screenings of documentaries on wildlife and
in doing rather than what is prescribed by a curriculum.
the environment as well. People from various majors
Students have talked about their own projects in biology,
have dropped in at some point and this is an indicator of
such as internships they had been a part of, and
how fetching the club is.
discussions of the scientific methods adopted and how
ESPERANTO Postgraduate Programme
E
speranto-Club Azim Premji University came
Bhande and Vaishnavi Varadarajan paired up and belted
into existence last semester. The Club aims
out multilingual versions of Bob Dylan and John Lennon
to learn and use the easy and equitable
– in English, Hindi and Esperanto!
planned language Esperanto. (Check it out
on YouTube!)
In April, the well-known Esperanto-writer Dr. P V Ranganayakulu and his student Ms Ramya Jyothi
Our Esperantists participated actively in the cultural
(who teaches Telugu in a college) visited Azim Premji
life of the University. Sajal Bhateja was among the
University from Tirupati. They spent time with some of
proposers of “Linguistic Diversity” as the theme of
our Esperantists.
Unmukt 2016. In a multilingual campus like ours, the theme was readily accepted. Koundinya Dhulipalla (KD) and Sajal worked on the Facebook pages of both Unmukt as well as Esperanto-Club Azim Premji University. Kavya Chowdhry and Ujjwala Sharma organized an Esperantobased “Ring-the-object” game. Our young Unmukt guests from Vimochana Nagar thoroughly enjoyed the language game. The Club’s mentor Giridhar Rao conducted a “Language Express” -- Esperanto in 60 minutes. And finally, during
The Club has begun to get the Esperanto magazines Monato
(from
Antwerp,
Belgium)
and
Kontakto
(Rotterdam, The Netherlands). Meanwhile our Library has acquired a few Esperanto textbooks, dictionaries and reading material. Do search “Esperanto” in our catalogue! All in all, tre bona semestro! -- Interested in our Club? Send an email (even in English!) to
[email protected] Premji University.edu.in.
the open-air performances of the cultural festival, Aditi
Karvan | August 2016
15
THOUGHT CRIMINALS Undergraduate Programme
T
hought Criminals is the first society of the
The result is the outlawing and repression of thought.
Under Graduate Programme Azim Premji
“Thought crime does not entail death: thought crime IS
University, run by a core committee of five
death”.
students with a passion for voicing their
opinion. The intention of this debate and discussion society is to overcome the barriers of language and prejudice and create a space for free expression of
As thought criminals, we aim to move past the shackles of social, moral and political constraints, free our thoughts and express ourselves as openly we can.
thought and ideas. The origin of the term ‘Thought
The topics of discussion have covered a wide range,
Criminals’ is from George Orwell’s novel ‘1984,’ which
including the death penalty, creativity in education, the
describes life in an extreme totalitarian state, devoid of
meaning of ‘anti-nationalism’ and the prevalence of caste
free expression, speech and well, thought. A thought
in Azim Premji University Undergraduate Programme, to
crime is the criminal act of holding unspoken beliefs
name a few.
or doubts that oppose or question the superior power.
POETRY CLUB Postgraduate Programme
dfork dh dfork dfork D;k gS \ eSa dfork D;ksa ugha dj ikrh \ ;s bruk vPNk dSls fy[k ysrs gSa \ ,sls gh u tkus fdrus gh ç’uksa ls rqe gj ml le; >w>rs gks tc rqEgkjs dkuksa esa fdlh Hkh dfork ds cksy iM+rs gSaA dHkh rqEgsa ;s cksy rqEgkjs gh varj esa LFkkfir dj nsrs gSa rks dHkh cgqr Å¡ps liuksa ds vkleku esa mM+us dh rkdr ls Hkj nsrs gSa] ijUrq fQj Hkh ç’u rks cuk gh jgrk gS] vkf[kj ç’u gh ,sls gSa vkSj rqe Hkh cl iwN ds jg tkrs gSaA pyks vkt eSa dfork Lo;a gh vius jgL;ksa dks [kksy nsrh gw¡A tc rqe [kq’k gksrs gks rc tks ‘kCn rqEgkjs eu ds iV ij mHkjrs gSa eSa ogh gw¡A tc rqe O;fFkr gksrs gks vkSj rqEgkjs uSuksa ls vJq/kkjk cgus yxrh gS] muls tks vk—fr;k¡ rqEgkjs eq[k&eaMy ij mHkjrh gSa eSa ogh gw¡A tc rqe çse esa gksrs gks rc ºzn; ds vUnj tks dEiu ‘kq: gksrk gS ml dEiu ls iSnk gksus okyh ygj gw¡ eSaA tc fdlh ls b”kZ~;k esa rqe viuh vk¡[kksa dks mldh vksj ls Qsj ysrs gks ;k fQj mldk fojks/k djus ds fy, vkxs c<+rs gks rc eSa gh rqEgkjk cy gksrh gw¡A tc rqe viuh thr ij xkSjokfUor gksrs gks rc eSa gh fot;Hkko cudj rqEgkjs eq[k ij pedrh gw¡A tc rqe vU/kdkj esa ç;kl ds fy, fpaxkjh iSnk djus dk ç;k’k dj jgs gksrs gks ;k fdlh ykS dks tyk jgs gksrs gks rc eSa gh rks m”ek vkSj fdj.k ds :i esa rqEgkjk lkFk nsrh gw¡A tc rqe ç—fr ds vuwBs [ksyksa dks ns[k dj vk’p;Zpfdr gksrs gks rc eSa gh foLe; dks vius vUnj lekfgr dj rqEgkjs ‘kjhj esa nkSM+ tkrh gw¡A
16
Azim Premji University
eSa rqEgkjs lkFk gh iSnk gqbZ gw¡ vkSj rqEgkjs fgLls dh eSa rqEgkjs lkFk gh pyh Hkh tkmaxhA eSa rks rqEgkjh Hkkoukvksa ds xHkZ esa u tkus dc ls gw¡ cl rqe eq>s ‘kCnksa dh ‘kDy gh ugha vf[r;kj djus nsrsA gkyk¡fd tc rqe eq>s vius xHkZ ls fudky dj fc[ksj nksxs rc eSa rqEgkjs fy, Hkko vkSj nwljksa ds fy, rqEgkjh jph dfork gks tkÅ¡xhA dqN ds fy, cQZ esa f[kyh /kwi rks fdlh ds fy, rst /kwi esa Nk;knkj o`{k gks tkmaxhA ysfdu eSa rqEgkjh Hkh jgwaxh tSls paæeka dh ‘khryrk vkSjksa dks lq[kn vuqHko nsus ls mlls vyx ugha gks tkrh eSa Hkh rqEgkjh gh jgwaxhA D;ksfd esjh jpuk rqeus gh dh gSa eSa rqEgkjh gh gw¡] flQZ rqEgkjhA oju rqEgkjs tSls dqN vkSj yksxksa us eq>esa Lo;a dks ns[kus dk nkok t:j fd;k gS vkSj oks eq>esa gSa Hkh D;ksfd oks rqeesa Hkh gSaA bl çdkj rqe gj le; dfork djrs gks vkSj Lo;a gh ;s Hkh dg nsrs gks fd rqEgsa dfork djuh ugha vkrhA cl QdZ bruk gS dh rqe mls ntZ ugha djrs vkSj ftl lqxerk ls ;s dkO;kRed Hkko rqEgkjs Hkhrj ços’k djrs gSa mruh gh lgtrk ls rqe mUgsa fonk Hkh dj nsrs gksA rqe pkgks rks eq>s ‘kCnksa ds vyadkjksa ls foHkwf”kr dj vkSjksa dks vius thou esa >kdus dh vuqefr ns ldrs gksA vc ;s fu.kZ; eSa rqe ij NksM+rh gw¡A rqEgkjh v/kkaZfxuh] rqEgkjh dforkA
CELLULOID Postgraduate Programme
F
or all the film aficionados, celluloid club of
films, and even animation. The idea to start the club was
Azim Premji University gives them a reason to
to devise a platform for both amateurs and cinephiles
rejoice every Friday by screening hand-picked
who love to see films and make films. In the tenure of
and critically acclaimed movies every week.
last year, they introduced a lot of new foreign language
A club full of cine buffs who want to devour the best of
movies as well. They screened quite a wide range of
world cinema, and works hard to promote cinema among
movies under the theme ‘city spaces’, like ‘The Factory,
Azim Premji University students, initiating a special way
Bicycles Thief and Bari Theke Paliye. The screenings
to invite everyone for the screening by sending emails,
were generally followed by a discussion around the
and contacting people via social media as well.
movie with the professors and students. There is more to look forward this year, as the celluloid
With an aim to spread the culture of good cinema, it
team will be organizing Azim Premji University’s first film
screens some of the greatest films, be it in comedy,
festival!
romantic, drama, documentary, or foreign language
SPORTS CLUB Postgraduate Programme
T
he Sports Club of Azim Premji University had organised several indoor and outdoor sports activities throughout the academic session. Basketball,
Volleyball,
Football,
Chess,
Cricket and Carrom tournaments were organised which witnessed enthusiastic participation from the students. One of the most looked forward events was the Cricket Tournament between the out-going batch and the faculty members of the University which turned out to be a funfilled event for both the players and the audience.
PAHAL Postgraduate Programme
P
ahal- a club focused on initiating activities
as a whole. The aim of our society is to inculcate the
for a social cause, reflects the idea that
practice of social welfare, and to provide service to the
the welfare of an individual is ultimately
society without any bias or discrimination. At Pahal, we
dependent on the welfare of the society
give our volunteers tremendous scope to expand their
Karvan | August 2016
17
leadership abilities and develop as individuals. Our main idea is to inculcate fervor of selfless service in the hearts of our volunteers, without being enticed by any form of superficial gains. Last year we conducted Independence day celebrations at the university for the people of Vimochana Nagar.
• Education of Construction Workers Children • Old Age Home visits • Mission Tuhina (working with children suffering from cancer at the Kidwai Cancer Hospital) We are welcome to ideas for new initiatives for this year.
We organized a blood donation camp with Sankalp foundation, and a Stem Cell Donation Drive with the help
There is no hard and fast rule about how you can
of Datri organisation. We also raised funds under the
help Pahal in its initiatives. Some ways can be by
project ‘Mission Tuhina’ to support the treatment of a
accompanying us to the field, through donations, by
12-year-old girl suffering from cancer.
sharing your ideas, organizing workshops, everything is welcome.
Our ongoing initiatives in Pahal, planned for this year are To get connected with us, you can email us at
as follows:
[email protected] Premji University.edu.in • Slum Improvement at Vimochana Nagar
FOTONS: THE THEATRE SOCIETY
W
ith the inaugural of the Fotons the past
and directed by Pankaj Tiwari, held three packed shows
year, we tried to start a new theatre
within campus.
culture in our campus and shake things up a bit. This is a club which is open to
all, and rather than taking auditions to select people, we conducted workshops to allow everyone to be part of the process of making a play. Along with the diverse and fresh talents of the students of Azim Premji University,
Our second play’ Carnival: The Fest of Bodies’ (on the violence on bodies),written and directed by Pankaj Tiwari, was a promenade production in which the audience travelled with the play, and it made use of different spaces in the university.
we came together to understand theatre in different
Members of Fotons also staged a performance of
ways, which were witnessed through the various events
‘Macbeth’ as a part of a theatre festival organized
that we organized, in and outside the college campus.
by Auroville Theatre Group, on the occasion of the
We started out with a series of short plays and improv sessions. As a reaction to the rising Hindutva forces
400th birth anniversary of Shakespeare. This we later performed in campus as well.
and murder of rationalists like Dabholkar, Pansare
With the sapling of the bud sown last year, this year
and Kalburgi, we did a protest performance by using
we have even bigger plans for the theatre society. Our
Muktibodh Kavita.
productions are already underway, with performances
A Pash Kavita Manch was held with an interplay of words, lights and music.
planned in Hyderabad, Delhi and Bombay. We are also hoping to organize Azim Premji University’s first theatre festival which will try breaking the boundaries of
Our very first play production, ’30 Days of September’,
proscenium, and use different spaces for performance
a play on child sexual abuse, written by Mahesh Dattani
all around the university campus.
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Azim Premji University
Karvan | August 2016
19
Events at the University
20
Azim Premji University
Life at Azim Premji University largely surrounds coming together to celebrate our successes, to debate and discuss our viewpoints and to showcase the wonderful things that we learn and see as a part of our educational experience. The following should provide a glimpse into what the past year looked like. While this does not span all the events that were organised, these certainly serve as a good representation of the highlights of the year gone by.
FRESHERS (14
TH
AUG, 2015)
The welcome for the batch of 2015-2017 consisted
In addition to this, the second years organised a treasure
of small activities and tasks through Freshers week,
hunt to familiarise their juniors with the university, the
culminating in an evening of celebration on 14th August
campus and the people. The final celebration was an
2015. The week leading up to the party consisted of
evening of fun and games, full of dancing, music and
several small tasks like colour co-ordinating outfits or
food, an event that left the first years excited for the year
coming up with creatives ideas to match a given theme.
to come.
EID AND ONAM CELEBRATIONS Staying true to form, the Cultural Club decided to
in white, red and gold to enjoy a enjoy a hearty feast and
celebrate the diverse identity of its student base by
partake in some traditional games, the Eid celebrations
organising events for Onam and Eid in August. While
turned the girls’ hostel into a stage for one night for
the Onam celebrations saw the student body decked up
performers who sang and danced with great enthusiasm.
POLITICS ON YOUR FOOD PLATE (4
TH
SEP, 2015)
Students organised an event called ‘Politics on your
food as well as organic food in Greenpeace, conducted
Food Plate. Know Your Food’, a workshop where faculty
an interactive session to discuss the issues around food.
who have extensively worked on genetically modified
NARENDRA DABOLKAR’S SECOND DEATH ANNIVERSARY (AUG 20-21, 2015) On the occasion of Narendra Dabolkar’s second death
dangers of superstitious practices. Movie screening,
anniversary, a two-day drive titled ‘Resisting Attacks
discussions, play, and poster presentations were part of
on Voices of Reason’ was organized by students on
the programme.
August 20-21, 2015, for raising awareness on the
TRIBUTE TO DR. KALAM (7
TH
AUG, 2015)
As a tribute to the missile man, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam was organised by students on 7th August 2015, followed by a screening of ‘I am Kalam’.
Karvan | August 2016
21
‘MY WORK AND ITS INFLUENCES’ BY
DR. RAMACHANDRA GUHA (OCT 15
TH
, 2015)
An interactive session with Dr. Ramchandra Guha was held at the University on October 15th, 2015 where he talked about his work and its influence on the world of social history. He touched upon aspects of his life (or ‘accidents’, as he liked to call them) which had pushed him towards writing and the social sciences.
QUOTATION QUEST A quotation campaign initiated by the students was held
of encouragement and appreciation, the best three
at the University. It received an overwhelming response
quotations among all were rewarded by the campaign
from the students across all the programmes. As a token
team.
KATHAVANA
(SEPT 9-11, 2015)
One cannot imagine the lives of children without the
a three-day event organised by the University which
fantastic world of stories and a bunch of storytellers who
enthused participation from government and private
lead them into that world. Teachers apart from parents
school teachers and children and organisations like
and family are the ones who give children the first
Bookalore, Kathalaya, Bimba and Tarikita who along
exposure to the wonders of literature. It is essential that
with the students of Azim Premji University participated
the teachers are qualified to guide children to become
to engage the students in the fun-filled activities such as
good readers. Keeping this in mind, the theme adopted
storytelling, reading, puppetry shows, writing, painting
for Kathavana 2015 was ‘Teachers as Readers’. It was
and drama performances.
22
Azim Premji University
PUBLIC LECTURE BY
PROF. JAN BREMEN (OCT 7-8, 2015)
Discussions about the burning development challenges have become a part of the lexicon of our everyday lives. The students were able to address these challenges even more deeply through an interaction with Prof. Jan Breman, Department of Sociology, University of Amsterdam before his public lecture on ‘On Poverty and Destitution’ as a part of the Public Lecture series organised by Azim Premji University on October 8, 2015 at the Ginserv Auditorium, Bengaluru. Bremen shared with the students, his anecodotes on his experience of working as a social anthropologist in India and the personal relationships he developed with the people in his area of research. The talk was based on Prof. Breman’s forthcoming book ‘On Pauperism’, followed by a lively Q&A session.
CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS MELA 2015
Karvan | August 2016
23
The
Common
of
the
Undergraduate
Programme Premji
Curriculum
of
University
the
Azim
aims
to
engage students on multiple levels such as intellectual, affective, interpersonal and physical. As an integral part of the Common Curriculum, Creative Expressions seeks to
nurture
the
capacities
of mind and body through embodied art practices and physical activities. Workshops such
as
Woodwork,
Clay
work, Theatre for Dialogue and Change were offered in the first semester keeping in mind the need to bring about the
students’ creative
and
adaptive strengths. The journey culminated with the Creative Expressions Mela, organized on November 17, 2015; a platform for the students to showcase the work they have done through the semester. It was also an opportunity for students to interact with their peers, those from workshops other than one’s own and speak about one’s process / journey in one’s chosen Creative Expressions course.
MENTAL HEALTH DAY (OCT 9, 2015)
As a part of Mental Health Day event Health, Development and Society group at Azim Premji University organised a Forum play and a talk by Anando Chatterjee, Hank Nunn Institute, Bangalore on October 9, 2015. The students engaged enthusiastically on the complex issues of mental health through the form of forum play, infographics, posters and discussions.
24
Azim Premji University
POE CONFERENCE (JAN 10-12, 2016) The fourth International Conference on Philosophy
exclusion of culture and religion in school curriculum
of Education was organised by the university from
and the role of philosophy in shaping education policy.
January 10 th, 2016 to January 12 th, 2016. Educationists
Attended by around a 100 people, the conference saw
and philosophers from the world over came together
productive debate through panel discussions and paper
to discuss and debate such matters as the inclusion/
presentations.
SPACE FOR SOLIDARITY
“In the dark times, there will be singing,
There will be singing in the dark times” - Bertolt Brecht
With the recent attacks on universities, a few of our
and Pixel B, had long discussions on various topics like
students came together on February 17th 2016 to
sedition, nationalism, the relevance of a protest, sang
support the students in JNU and HCU who are being
protest songs, designed posters and wrote quotes and
attacked by the state, and to understand the relevance of
messages on the walls.
a university campus as a space for dissent. On this day, our campus space transformed through this platform, which allowed students to come together, discuss and engage in creative forms of dissent. Students and
After which, the students headed to Townhall to show their solidarity at the Bangalore protest in support of JNU students and the attacks on universities.
faculty members sat on the lawns, in between Pixel A
Karvan | August 2016
25
POSTCARDS FROM BARDOLI AND
MAHADEV BHAI (JAN 21
- 22ND )
ST
Two plays, ‘Postcards from Bardoli’ and ‘Mahadevbhai’
performed in the university cafeteria space but they
(1892-1942)
of
transported the audience (some 300 of them) back in time
Development. The two performances were conducted
and created a space for them to witness the changing
by a Bombay based theatre group called ‘Working Title’.
socio-political
They were written and directed by Ramu Ramathan and
and policy. Actors Jaimin and Amol had an engaging
Jaimin Pathak respectively. The plays may have been
interactive session with the audience thereafter.
were
organised
by
the
School
contexts
REPUBLIC DAY (JAN 26
TH
of
education,
development
, 2016)
Students and faculty celebrated Republic day at the
day of people sharing stories, memories and meanings
university on the 26 th of January, 2016. The flag hoisting
they associate with freedom and the nation, singing
on University premises in the morning was followed by a
inspirational songs and poetry recitation.
UNMUKT, STUDENTS ANNUAL FESTIVAL (FEB 19-20, 2016) Unmukt is an expression of freedom and we at Azim
games, delicious food delights, NGO product sales and
Premji University proudly associate it with the joy of
the conduct of many fun and informative workshops
being able to speak our minds, respecting each other’s
such as those on Kathak, Puppetry Belly Dancing,
cultures and of creating a judgement free space, free
Photography, Film making, Mask making, Meditation etc.
from the pressures of competition, of winning.
The Drum Jam on the 20 th of February, where students
Following a week of activities like wall painting, open
and Vimochana Nagar kids played over a hundred drums
air movie screening, and blood donation drives, the
together was one of the highlights of the event and was
of February, 2016.
representative of our unity, of a beautiful rhythm arising
A puppet show was conducted highlighting the festival’s
out of diverse notes. The university alumni website was
theme of ‘Celebrating Linguistic Diversity’. The nest two
also launched in Unmukt, 2016.
event was inaugurated on the 19
th
days saw beautiful, colourful cultural performances, fun
26
Azim Premji University
Karvan | August 2016
27
HEALTH PHOTO EXHIBITION (FEB 27-28) Students from the Health and Nutrition Specialization
West Bengal, SHGs of Bihar or the slums of Bhopal, all
organised a photo exhibition, ‘At the Thresholds of Life
photographs narrated the stories of struggles for health
and Death’ on February 27
th
and 28
th
at the Metro Art
care access in public, private and domestic spaces.
Centre, M.G Road. The exhibition displayed photographs
Ranging from students to health institutions, to women
that told the stories of women from over seven different
activists and academia, the event was attended by over
Eastern and Central Indian states. Whether from the
500 people in the two days.
Garos in Assam, Kandhas of Odisha, Muslims from
CONVERSATION WITH NASEERUDDIN SHAH
(FEB 24, 2016)
As a part of the open course on Theatre and Film
students, Mr Shah talked about the history of cinema,
appreciation, well known film and stage actor, Padma
the changing face contemporary cinema, the differences
Bhushan Shri Naseeruddin Shah interacted with the
between cinema and theatre and the challenges of
students. In what was a room packed with excited
performing in both those areas.
28
Azim Premji University
GENDER WORKSHOP The axis of gender appears multiple times in multiple
organization working to spread awareness on sexual
courses in the PG programs here at the university. While
issues.
there is adequate exposure to the gender dimension in theory, the workshop was organised on Gender, Power and Sexuality to facilitate an experiential understanding of gender. The workshop, a part of a series of workshops, was conducted on the 2 nd of March by Enfold, an
Akkai Padmashali took a session where she shared her views on how we understand gender and sexuality through her personal experience, struggles and her work with the transgender community
LAW AND GOVERNANCE CLINIC EXHIBITION (APR 23
RD
-24TH 2016)
A 2 day public exhibition was held at the Rangoli Metro
in Nangali Gram Panchayat, Kolar under Section
Art Centre, Metro boulevard, MG Road to present the
61A of the Karnataka Panchayati Raj Act, 1993.
work of the Law and Governance Specialisation Clinics. This was free and open to all, to present the work done over 9 months by the students working in the clinics.
iii) Land Governance Clinic (Jagjit Pal Singh, Radhika Oza, Amria Parulkar, Kharingyo Shimrah) working on the governance of common lands with a specific focus
Over the year, there were three clinics, which includes
on Amrit Mahal Kavals in Challakere, Chitradurga
the following:
district, Karnataka.
i)
ii)
Human
Chakraborty,
The three clinics presented the research and the work
Muhammed Jalaludeen Albakari, Piyush Kumar,
they did through pictures, infographics, detailed reports
Sarah Jacobson) working on the issue of death
and documentary presentations. On the second day of
penalty with an emphasis on death row convicts in
the event, there was a panel discussion on ‘Learning
Karnataka.
through
Local
Rights
Clinic
Governance
(Madhumita
Clinic
(Naveena
Kruthiventi,
Sanjay Kumar Jaiswal, Sree Harica Devagudi, Vikash Madduri) working on village subcommittees
Developmental
Clinics’
in
which
Atreyee
Mazumder, Naryana , Sitharamam Kakarala shared their experiences as clinic educators, and the discussion was moderated by Abhayraj Naik.
Karvan | August 2016
29
AMBEDKAR WEEK (10
TH
APR-16TH 2016)
On the occasion of Ambedkar’s 125th Birth Anniversary,
The idea behind these sessions was to understand
some of the students came together to organise a week
Ambedkar beyond the discourses that narrow him down
long program with the theme of ‘Understanding and
to certain identities. Many of his ideas were discussed
Debating Ambedkar’s Legacy’. During the week, various
from different perspectives, and the students also tried
sessions were organised with a host of panelists which
to understand the relevance of his ideas in the current
included student activists from Hyderabad University,
political rubric. Ambedkar was understood as a politician,
members of the the Ambedkar movement on youth and
economist, feminist, a dalit, a nationalist leader and in
democracy, journalists, documentary filmmakers and our
depth conversations occurred on understanding the role
own faculty members.
of caste within a university space.
BOOK READING AND DISCUSSION ON ‘EM AND THE BIG HOOM’ WITH JERRY PINTO (APRIL 07TH, 2016) This was the last session of the Mental Health Conference organised in our campus. Along with reading out portions of the book, Jerry Pinto gave a delightfully raw talk about his personal life and the challenges of dealing with
mental health, and the anxiety and despair it arises. During the event, he also released the Mental Health Directory curated by students of the Mental health course in Development.
TALK WITH RAVISH KUMAR (2
ND
MAY, 2016)
A conversation with the students and Ravish Kumar
Sethi. Ravish Kumar talked about his life, how he got
was organised and facilitated by his professor and
into journalism, and shared with students his views on
mentor from college days, our very own, Professor Anil
politics and democracy.
FAREWELL (29
TH
The final event on the Azim Premji University calendar
While the entrance was an event in itself, the ‘Gold Monk
was the Farewell, an event where the first years gathered
Awards’ were surely special enough to mark the highlight
to bid their seniors adieu. The second years made their
of their night.All dressed up and ready to celebrate their
grand entry in a tractor, an experience they are sure to
life at Azim Premji University one last time, the seniors
carry with them as a fond memory from their college days.
were treated to performances, speeches and goodbyes.
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Azim Premji University
APRIL, 2016)
ARTWORK & PICTURES
ARCHANA KHYADI, MA Development, 2014-16
KOUNDINYA DHULIPALLA, MA Development, 2015-17
Karvan | August 2016
31
Arts Mela - ‘Ullasada Humale (A Flowery Shower of Delight)’ organized by the students of courses: Arts in Early Years Education, and Curriculum and Pedagogy in Early Childhood Years. – NAZIA PERWEEN, MA Education, 2014-16
ARCHANA KHYADI, MA Development, 2015-17
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Azim Premji University
VISHNUPRASAD A R, MA DEVELOPMENT, 2014-16
Shivani Ronaki, UG
Three Musketeers Ekta Dhankher, MA Education, 2015-17
Karvan | August 2016
33
Musings
34
Azim Premji University
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD – Amritha Vellat, Undergraduate Programme, 2015-18 At age six, they first met,
As they reached the marriageable age,
seeing each other for the first time in the alleyway,
they would prank the potential in-laws and make sure
where one was on his way to the temple, another to the
they never come back.
mosque,
they would sabotage each other’s chances,
and carefully eyeing one another, they both broke into
They would do anything to stay together.
a smile.
But for how long? They talked one night for hours and hours,
They were best friends in school,
wondering if they can be one even if they married
in the afternoon one would watch the other pray on his
another.
mat, and would never leave the other’s side.
They talked of compromise, with tears in their eyes,
In the morning they would stop by the temple,
they talked of a way to be together, forever.
in the evening they would chase each other home, talking of cricket and football,
The year was 1992,
laughing all the way.
both had married, married women just for the name of it,
The vegetarian tried meat for the first time on Eid al-
both would meet under the stars to consummate their
Adha,
love,
but he was willing to give it a try, this strange red meat,
both were grown men, still merry in love,
that gave his friend the kind of courage he desired,
and would hold each other close all night long.
much against his friend’s consent, or so he thought.
So in love with each other were they,
They were welcome in both homes,
that the world was lost to them.
whether there were sari-clad women or women under
The problems between their religions were unknown to
their burkas,
them,
they were welcome, because they were brothers,
they turned a blind eye to anything that could break
and everyone knew that.
them apart.
They were sixteen, and out late from home,
But the world caught up to them,
sitting under the stars, drunk as can be,
and reality hit them hard in the face.
talking of fantasies, taboo and not.
They were told different stories:
They spoke of women, two virgins shy of talking to girls
“They built a mosque on the remains of our temple.”
at all,
“They want to demolish our mosque to make their
they spoke of ambitions, as if the moon they desired
temple.”
was right above their faces,
“They placed idols in our mosque as if they owned it!”
they spoke of love, as if they didn’t have it already.
“This is Sri Ram’s birthplace.”
Somewhere in the intimacy of their talks,
“Burn these Sons of Babar!”
a romance bloomed,
“Kill these usurpers of our mosques!”
a kiss was shared,
“Ram naamsatyahai!”
a relationship was born, the most taboo of all.
“Allahu Akbar!”
They sneaked around, glimpsing from side to side,
The hate consumed them slowly, painfully.
holding hands when no one was around,
Their meeting under the stars was now a forum to
two boys, two souls so merry in love,
argue,
kissing under the stars,
of who is right and who is wrong,
holding each other under the sun,
that this shouldn’t have happened, that that should not
adoring each other even more than before.
happen.
Karvan | August 2016
35
They argued and fought and argued and fought, until their caresses became slaps and punches, and they went home, bruised, bleeding, beaten, broken. Alas, the mosque fell, and terror ensued. One killed another with God’s name on their lips, houses were burned saying that, that is the way of God. God is the reason, God is behind this, God wants this, so let it be. Their neighbourhoods burned, their families, destroyed, and they ran on the streets, one with a butcher’s knife, the other with a trident, they ran and killed whoever they saw fit to kill, and burned whoever they thought deserved to be in hell. This went on and on, until they faced each other,
coated in blood and gore, ash and dirt, their faces streaked with the desire to kill They saw each other, and couldn’t speak. One cried, falling to his knees, the other let out a wail and ran to embrace him. They held each other once more, tired of the hate, but they couldn’t let go of their religion, for that is what made them what they were now, and there was no turning back. Slowly, they kissed each other one last time, and while gazing at the other, one drove his trident deep into the other’s heart, the other gently slit the other’s throat, as the town burned completely, and they died, in each other’s arms, gazing at each other, as they had wanted, forever. The stars twinkled brightly, consuming the lovers with it.
MY JOURNEY – Jayaram Polaki, MA Development, 2015-17
W
hat I am about to narrate is a true story.
period, he neglected his health and focused on work.
It begins in R.H. Puram, a remote village
Afterwards, he went to a doctor, who told him that his
in the Srikakulam district of Andhra
nerves were weak. He took medicines, but the problem
Pradesh. My family had four members-
was increasing day by day. He went to another doctor, but
my father, my mother, my sister and I. We were a middle
nothing helped. We went to different hospitals in Andhra
class family who did not have many problems. My
Pradesh, Orissa and Kerala, but things did not improve.
relatives would often come home to celebrate all festivals
To bear the health expenses, we sold my mother’s gold.
with us. My father gave them saris and gifts. He was a
Finally, the doctors advised my father to take a lot of
very hard working person, who earned his livelihood not
rest. My family was literally living on the road. My mother
only through agricultural activities such as farming, but
had two responsibilities- to take care of my sister and
also by maintaining a coconut business. In the process
my father. There was no financial support for our family.
of working, he would often forget to eat. He worked late
After this incident, all my relatives maintained some
nights and double shifts, which added to his tension and
distance from us because of the fear that we may ask
burden. Everything put pressure on him, but he worked
for money from them, but in doing so, they had forgotten
hard and sacrificed a lot for his family.
what they took from my family.
I was enrolled in Arunodaya Model School. It is a private
In those days, we did not have proper food to eat. I
school about 5 kilometers away from my village. Things
still remember that we had to only eat rice water with
were going well until 2004, when my father faced some
green chillis and onions. We faced pathetic situations.
health problems. Since it was during the cultivation
My life was filled with darkness. My whole family took
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Azim Premji University
the decision to commit suicide. But my father gave us
On one side, I was pursuing education and on the
some motivation, and after that, we knew that something
other side, I had a vegetable business. I was very busy
positive will come out of it. He told us so many failure
with both. When I was in 7 th standard, we were about
stories. Finally, he concluded, “Death is not a solution to
to have public exams. The pressure of studying was
our problems.” This gave me the boost to do something.
increasing while my business was improving. I decided
At that time I had two choices. One choice was to stop education at 5 th standard and support my family. Another choice was to continue education while supporting my family. I chose the second option. I went to my principal and explained to him my situation. He was a very kindhearted person. He allowed me to study in the school without paying fees or sometimes by paying only 30% of the total fee. That gave me strength to continue my studies in that school. Somedays I was unable to attend classes because of my problems, but he allowed me to continue studying.
to sell my vegetables, while pulling a cycle rickshaw. For this, I purchased a second hand rickshaw. I would sell vegetables every morning for three hours and every evening for three hours. My business expanded to the surrounding six villages. On Sundays, I would spend a lot of time selling vegetables. During the remaining time, vegetables were sold at home. I went to school and continued my studies, and after school I took the vegetables home by cycle. It was a rotten life, but I passed the 7 th standard public exam. After that I had a big dream to expand my vegetable business, but lacked financial support. I did not fulfill my dream at that
Every Wednesday, the whole village would come beside the school to buy vegetables from me. After seeing this, my father gave me a business idea– he told me to opt to be a vegetable seller as a livelihood option. I purchased vegetables from the town and started selling them in my village. I got a great response from the village because I did not charge much compared to the town. I would charge one rupee for one kilogram of
time. I worked hard for it, but unexpectedly, my father’s health took a serious turn, and we had to take him to the hospital. Then life came back to the starting stage. I took vegetables from a wholesaler on debt, because he trusted me to give some financial credit in return. I started purchasing and selling my vegetables that way, which allowed the rotation of my business. Then day by day, life came back on track.
vegetables because I got vegetables at wholesale rate. I was able to earn some profits. That was useful for my dad’s medicines and family’s daily needs. I began to form strategies for selling vegetables. If my vegetables got spoilt, I increased the cost of other vegetables slightly to recover losses. I continued to sell vegetables in the mornings and evenings from home. After the morning sales, I would list out which vegetables are low in supply, then buy those vegetables on my way back from school. In the afternoons, if anyone came for vegetables my mother sold those. Source: Google Images; represents my life from mid 7th std-8th std
In January, my village celebrated the Nilamma festival. For this, I got the chance to supply a huge number of bananas. I earned a lot of profit. During Sankranti I was able to supply soft drinks and other items. All these sales earned me some profits, which helped me financially. I was able to set up a shop during my 8 th standard summer holidays. My uncle owned a liquor shop, but because of his drinking habit, he had many losses. He had to shut down his business, so I asked him to sell his shop to me. He agreed to sell me the shop for a good price. Source: Google Images; Represents my life from 5 th to 7 th class
The liquor shop soon turned into a vegetable shop, and all my dreams came true. I was really happy because I achieved my goals and gained success. I started stocking
Karvan | August 2016
37
all items in my shop, and the villagers stopped going to
10 th standard. Soon after this, I came to know that for
town, and instead came to me to purchase the items. It
police and army positions, one needs inter (+1 & +2). My
was a plus point for me to be able to stand on my own
professor gave me one social book and told me about
feet. I had my own identity as a vegetable seller. The
A.P.R.J.C (Andhra Pradesh Residential Junior College).
shop did not need publicity. There was a daily struggle
After one month of working hard for this, I attempted the
to improve the shop day by day, but all the profits were
state level examination, where I got 75 th rank. I got a
spent on medicines for my father. When I was in 10 th
seat in A.P.R.J.C, Nimmakuru state level college. It was
standard, I also had the burden of the public exams. I
the first stepping stone to success in the story of my
feared failure, so I began working harder. I would read
education. I joined the college. The government provided
in the shop when no customers were there. This is how I
free food and accommodation.
maintained the shop while studying. I even began selling rice and millets. I involved myself wherever there was profit, however small.
Initially, I struggled a lot with the studies, but soon, I got adjusted to the lifestyle. After this, I wrote the Andhra University and A.P.R.D.C (Andhra Pradesh Residential
I got festival orders again that year during the Nilamma
Degree
festival. A relative, who worked as a police constable
universities. I secured 15th rank, and got a campus seat.
came to see my father after five years. He asked me
In A.P.R.D.C I got 3rd rank. I decided to join A.P.R.D.C,
why I was sacrificing my education, and advised me
Nagarjuna Sagar.
to complete 10
th
standard, saying that my height was
suitable for police or army positions. Until then I had only thought about my life as a vegetable seller. For the first time I began thinking about another kind of job. My heart told me to close the vegetable shop even though the villagers told me not to since it was so successful. But I had made the decision. I finally decided to close my shop on the 1 st of February 2010. I gave the money to my family. Because of the hope of other opportunities, I left everything I had built.
College)
exams.
I
got
selected
in
both
Unfortunately, during my first year my father passed away. All the family responsibilities then fell on me. After I turned 18, I decided to attend army rally for selection. I successfully completed every stage, but I broke my hand in the process. I still fought for it, but unfortunately, I was rejected. My professor scolded me a lot, and asked me why I did those things without telling him first. I told him my problems with studying. Then he took the responsibility of supporting me in my studies. After my degree, I cleared Hyderabad Central University, Tata Institute of Social Science and Azim Premji University. When I chose Azim Premji University, he took the financial responsibility during my interview. He has continued to support me by sending me the monthly expenses. I have found donors to continue my education up to now. The University has given me 70% of financial assistance. For 30% fee, I have been lucky to meet many generous people. Now I have the responsibility to take care of my mother, and my sister’s education. Even now, I am maintaining
Source: Google Images; represents my life from the 8th standard summer holidays to Feb 1, 2010
two responsibilities. All along the way, time has tested my willpower so much, but I have not compromised, I have not stopped looking ahead and stepping forward. I am
From here onwards the journey of my education truly
fighting against every challenge, and am now standing at
started. I joined a hostel for two months. My friends
this stage. I truly believe that a smooth sea can’t make
supported and helped me a lot while studying. Two
a skilled sailor.
months were dedicated to studies. Finally, I passed my
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Azim Premji University
PRETEND PLAY – Sahana Subramanyam, Undergraduate Programme, 2015-18
I picked up the piece of paper, analysed the mysterious
My mom, the government, wasn’t too happy and I was
writing, and made furious illegible ‘adult style’ notes in
force fed the lethal greens, before my flight took off to
my handy-dandy notebook.
China, the ‘dragon land’.
It was the peak of summer, but I still roamed around
The airport in China was a beautiful parade of lights and
with a fleece invisibility cloak and my winter thumbprint
dancers, and the robber was a very cultural man named
analyzing gloves.
Mr. Hu.
I went into my office (the dining room) to type my findings
I knew he would be in the sword shop as he was planning
for the day
to kill me.
My super expensive, cutting edge and one of a kind
Entering the shop, I saw the hooded Hu from the corner
laptop, made out of cardboard had specially designed
of my eye.
secret buttons like the “explode button” -just in case I had to destroy top secret files.
He recognised me from my trench coat. It’s a well established fact that all detectives worthy of being one
I, the world famous, yet undercover detective, casually
need to wear a trench coat, just like how all thieves need
glanced out of the window, and with one swift move
to be dressed in black and scary clothes to be taken
closed the laptop and breathed out the words, “activate
seriously.
invisibility”.
I picked up a beautifully crafted silver sword. He turned
The laptop disappeared just in time, as my mom called
back with a look of utter shock on his face. Clearly, he
me for dinner.
had misjudged my skills. I pointed the lethal weapon at
Night time was the robber’s friend... but it was also mine.
his jugular and quickly disarmed him.
I gulped down my secret diet which gave me my fantastic
He tried to run, but a powerful left kick from me, pushed
intelligence. I did some quick, yet incredibly complex
him to the ground and woke me up from a shooting pain
mathematics in my head.
that happens when you kick the wall.
I decided to leave the spinach behind on my plate as a
I cried in pain and woke up my furious mom. Little does
code for the government on my next move.
she know the joy of being a detective and the wonderful world that a six year old lives in.
TALIM OF MY LIFE – Srinivas, MA Education 2014-16
In this poem I have tried to consolidate my thoughts on Nai Talim for my dream school. These thoughts could be what sets the course of our lives in direction to make it more meaningful in itself. A life with some light could share the darkness of others by spreading it. Dreams of life never flourish alone in the darkness as minds of the ignited travel with speed destroying all.
Karvan | August 2016
39
Joyful and cherishing learnings
We produce nothing out of greed
With peers playing all along the day.
To conserve nature never for the wealth.
We question, we discuss, we critique The theories and we practice the truth of life.
We hope to change ourselves not others By embracing the differences of skin colours.
We do and learn, learn how to learn
In thought and practice we may differ
Learn for the essence of life with perseverance.
But strive with the potentials of humaneness.
We create neo-theories for life of fair and equal For humans and living beings on earth.
A Talim for the progressive lives Challenge rote and rude, learning and teaching.
We share food, space and ideas
We excel with Nai (new) Talim
For the existence and never left alone.
Spreading love and peace for lives.
viu erych & /kesZUæ ekyfo;k] MA Education, 2014-16
viu rks erych gSa] cl eryc dh ckr dgrs gSa-HkhM+ esa tks pkgsa dg nsas] gj ,d ckr dk iDdk lcwr ns nsa] ij lkeus vkus ls ?kcjkrs gSa] cseryc dh cqjkbZ ysus ls drjkrs gSaA ij [kqn ij dksbZ bYtke u vk;s] bl prqjkbZ ls] nqfu;k dks nks"k nsrs gSaA viu erych gSa] cl eryc dh ckr dgrs gSa---yksx Hkw[k ls ejrs gSa rks ejs] viuk D;k tkrk gS\ vjs mudh Hkw[k ls gh rks] vius ?kj jk’ku vkrk gSA viu rks mudh Hkw[k Hkh] cktkj esa csp nsrs gSa] cnys esa gfFk;kjks ds O;ikjh ls]iSls ,UB ysrs gSaA vc Hkh muds isV [kkyh gS rks jgs] viu rks] viuh Hkjh IysV esa Hkh] Lokn ij tksj nsrs gSaA viu erych gSa] cl eryc dh ckr dgrs gSa--HkkbZ] xanxh vius dks ilan ughA ukd] Hkksa fldqM+ dgha; tkrs gSa] tks ns[kys dghA blfy, rks] turk dks] LoPN Hkkjr dk] nsrs gS viu ukjk] ij viuk iS[kkuk [kqn lkQ djuk] gesa ugh gS xaokjkA ij ifCyflVh dh [kkfrj] lMd ij iM+h nwljks dh Hkh] xanxh lkQ dj nsrs gSaA viu erych gSa] cl eryc dh ckr dgrs gSa -----
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Azim Premji University
yksx xjhc gSa] rks oks uaxs gSaA uaxk gksuk mudh etcwjh gSA viu [kqys fopkjksa okys gSa] rks viuk lc dqN] [kqyk&[kqyk jguk t:jh gSA ij lsok dk çrhd rks [kknh gS] vkSj viu rks fn[kkos ds vkfn gSA lks tc djuk gks tSlk çn’kZu] oSls ru dks <¡d ysrs gSaA viu erych gSa] cl eryc dh ckr dsgrs gSa--t#jh rks ugh t#jr ean dh] okdbZ esa enn djuk] mudh rdyhQksa ds fy,] gqDejkuksa ls yM+ukA vjs cl ehBh ckrsa djus ls Hkh] xjhcks dk eu cgy tkrk gSA vkSj oSls Hkh dqN u djus ls] dqN djuk vPNk ekuk tkrk gSA oSls Hkh gesa rks cl vkRe larks"k pkfg,A vkSj blds fy, dgh tkus esa D;k cqjkbZ gS \ blhfy, dHkh&dHkh xjhc cfLr;ksa esa ;w¡ gh Vgy ysrs gSA viu erych gSa cl eryc dh ckr dgrs gSa-HkkbZ viuh drqZrs rks] vius dks gh irk gSA vius ij /;ku ns bruh QqlZn fdls ;gk¡ gS\ viu 'kjhQ+ gSa] viuh 'kjkQ+r fdls irk ugh \ vkSj vius dks cny ns Hkyk] bruh fgEer fdlh esa gS dgha \ ij t+ekus dks cny us dh rkyhe viu ysrs gSA viu erych gSa] cl eryc dh ckr dgrs gSa---
THREE TALES – Prahalad Saldanha, Undergraduate Programme, 2015-18
T
his is a review of three music videos: “Routine”,
me to sleep” while the woman’s world is being shattered
“The Raven that Refused to Sing” and “Drag
around her.
Ropes”. Each of these animated videos is a little less than ten minutes long, and while the
stories they tell are simple in plot, they are really moving. The first two are compositions by Steven Wilson, and the third is by Storm Corrosion, which is a band made up of two members: Steven Wilson and Mikael Åkerfeldt.
The song is from the album “Hand. Cannot. Erase.” which is a solo album composed by Steven Wilson telling the story, “ about a woman growing up, who goes to live in the city, very isolated, and she disappears one day and no one notices” which was inspired by Joyce Carol Vincent who died in her apartment in the middle of the
I chose to review these videos because I think that they
city and whose body was not found there until more
are both worth watching. A good story should have some
than two years after her death. Routine is therefore a
impact on the reader/listener/viewer to captivate their
chapter in the life of Steven Wilson’s fictional character,
imagination, intellect or emotion. These stories all affect
but is also a story in its own right. There is also a blog
the viewer emotionally; the first one is very sad (it may
on “Hand. Cannot. Erase.” which is like a first person
bring you to tears), the second one is a demonstration
narrative of the album which tells the entire story.
of desperation, and the last one may be just a little haunting.
The video of “Routine” is without doubt one of the most beautiful, moving and sad videos I have ever seen.
Also, I think the way in which these simple stories have been expressed is beautifully done; the combination of
The Raven that Refused to Sing
music with visuals is unlikely to get any better than these
Trying to capture beauty for oneself, bleakness and
videos where they combine the two in a stunning manner.
dependence are the themes of this video. Whether one
These stories are told with but a handful of verses which
can capture beauty and try to keep it for them self is
set the moods conveyed in the music.
illustrated in this; sometimes when you try capturing
Music can carry stories in ways, text cannot because it can convey meanings in very different, perhaps ambiguous ways- for example try just listening to “Routine” after watching the video, without the video. The song might not be as sad, but when it is combined with the visuals it can become more clear and can communicate what plain words cannot- take “Khoon Chala” from “Rang De Basanti” as another example.
beauty it does not shine as brilliantly; it is like friendship where you do not ask for miracles but where they sometimes appear giving the same feeling as winning the lottery. The man in this story tries to escape from something in the past, its paralyzing effect is expressed through the low piano chords, and he becomes dependant on a certain beauty in much the same way as in the woman in “Routine” is trying to escape though her chores. He becomes more desperate as the video
All of these videos are easily accessible on Youtube- you
progresses, pleading to the raven to sing all the while as
just need to search for their titles and you will be able to
he shares his insecurities with it, just as the number of
watch them.
instrumental sounds pick up.
Routine This video tells the story of a “Routine”, which as the video progresses you can see becoming more and more futile. The repetition of the routine and the expression of the woman’s face subtly start to suggest that something
The video captures the slightly abstract concept of bleakness in an appropriately visual manner. It creeps towards the man and he flees from it. The image clearly shows what the man does at the end of the video to deal with the raven and the darkness.
is not right. Like several tragedies you can begin to
The song is from another Steven Wilson album called
anticipate the grimness ahead in the narrative (like in
“The Raven that Refused to Sing (And other Stories)”.
John Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’), and it comes in
In the album Wilson tries to use the style of progressive
the climax with a burst of built up sounds where the
rock bands from the 1970s and therefore chose not use
protest against the bitter reality is expressed in the lines
many modern sounds for the album such as electronic
“Routine keeps me in line/ Helps me pass the time/ Helps
ones.
Karvan | August 2016
41
Drag Ropes
to music is that they try to create brutal songs without
Of the three videos this probably uses the simplest way
using heavy metal sounds. This has not been explored
of making an animated video, with its usage of a handful
as much as heavy metal, and is hence, a creative way
of stick puppets and painted backgrounds for visual
of conveying fear, something the puppets were used for
appeal. The way in which the stick puppets tell the story
extensively to tell the tale.
is eye-opening; you probably would never have guessed how much you can tell with just the limited number of ways you can bend stick puppets’ bodies. The body language of the puppets and their actions convey the plot while the song conveys its mood and meaning.
The plot is dark and involves misguidance and betrayal of friendship. However, what is really creepy about it is that death seems to lurk around every corner and the answer to everything is death. This is a video to save for when you are alone late at night in a dark room.
The interesting thing about Storm Corrosion’s approach
ftanxh
MINE NO MORE
vkfgLrk py ftanxh] vHkh dbZ dtZ pqdkus ckdh gS A dqN nnZ feVkuk ckdh gS] dqN QtZ fuHkkuk ckdh gS AA
This poem depicts the monopoly of a few over the wind
&çHkkr dqekj fgeka’kq,
MA Education, 2014-16
j¶rkj esa rsjs pyus ls] dqN :B x, dqN NwV x, A :Bksa dks eukuk ckdh gS] jksrksa dks g¡lkuk ckdh gS AA
– Gunjit Kaur, MA Development, 2015-17
energy in the Attapadi region. Mother Nature laments the loss of her own produce, and narrates how much money has become important. Carrying her was glee Light burden for long.
dqN fj’rs cudj VwV x,] dqN tqMr+ s &tqMr+ s NwV x, A mu VwVs &NwVs fj’rksa ds] t+[k+e~ ksa dks feVkuk ckdh gS AA
She sprung out full of life, Slight murmurs of existence. She was great at giving Joy, energy and sweet nothings.
dqN gljrsa vHkh v/kwjh gS]a dqN dke Hkh vkSj t:jh gSAa thou dh my>h igsyh dks] iwjk lqy>kuk ckdh gS AA
I loved her more than life, I gave her all I had. The sun, the moon, the stars My life rose there and set too.
tc lk¡lksa dks Fke tkuk gS] fQj D;k [kksuk ]D;k ikuk gS A ij eu ds ftíh cPps dks] ;g ckr crkuk ckdh gS AA
And then I see her drifting away Pulled, snatched, grabbed from me. I tried so hard, held on tight I saw my life going past my sight.
vkfgLrk py ftanxh] vHkh dbZ d+tZ + pqdkus ckdh gS A dqN nnZ feVkuk ckdh gS] dqN QtZ fuHkkuk ckdh gS AA
I cried, I wept, I bled But in vain; All the energy in vain All the rights of claim in vain. Sold her to the highest Money did it once again. High demand for her at present No true love whatsoever. They eat out of her result They leave no stone unturned.
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Azim Premji University
lkSnkxj
– शुभांगी सैनी, MA Education, 2015-17
बैंगलोर में सबसे दरू , अपने घर और ख़ासकर बचपन के अपने दिन याद करते हुए मैंने यह कविता लिखी थी। एक तस्वीर भेजी गई थी मझ ु े जिसमे कुछ बच्चे खेल रहे थे; उसी गली में जहाँ मैं खेलते हुए बड़ी हुई। बस, फिर क्या था, यादों का कारवाँ चल पड़ा और आँसओ ु ं का भी | फिर कलम से निकले ये शब्द... कोई लौटा दो मझ ु े वो बचपन के दिन,
और बदले में ले लो यह सयानापन, इस उम्र की सौगात को।
THE TRUTH OF US – Mathew M George, MA Education, 2015-17
Every day we wake up with an aim, An aim to study. Impossible. We come, we go and nothing happens, Our aim remains a dream for tomorrow. Classes are like a drama without story, And we are just violent spectators. Some of us sit making castles in the air, Most of the others making a merry time. We know, we pass through the hardest time, Yet we walk in careless attitude, Is it fair to continue this walk?
पहुंचा दो मझ ु े उन गलियों में जहाँ परू ी शाम,
No, we ought to have a story for us,
याद आता है मझ ु े आज अचानक से वो
Or continue in this disastrous path
गज़ ु र जाया करती थी दोस्तों के संग ।
It may be too late for us to rethink, Still, we have to change the track,
बात बात पर झगड़के, दोस्तों के मनाने का इंतज़ार करना ।
And sink our ship in this competing world.
और वो दिन तो खासा याद है मझ ु ,े
शहरीकरण पर राजनीति
जब गिरी थी साइकिल चलाते हुए, कोहनी और घट ु ने छिले थे,
– हीना परवीन, MA Education, 2015-17
खन ू भी निकला था, कई आंसू भी गिरे थे,
वो चोट आज की भागम भाग से ज़्यादा प्यारी लगती है। निशान बाकी है उसके आज भी घट ु नों पर, घाव गहरे थे वो भी,
पर दर्द इतना नहीं दे पाए जितना दे जाती हैं आजकल लोगों की महज़ बातें हीं! हाँ, निशान दिखाई नहीं देते हैं इनके; अपनी हँसी में दर्द छुपाने की कला जो सीख ली है हमने! बचपन आता है याद मझ ु े
बिकते देखा है क्या किसी ने कहीं? बता देना वहाँ का पता भी कभी।
खाली बंजर ज़मीन पर प्लौट बनें, फिर घर बनें, गलियाँ बनीं, इलाके बनें, नगर बनें फिर एक शहर बना, और ये सिलसिला चलता रहा… बढ़ौतरी होती रही... सड़कों पर भी पल ु ों की इमारते बनने लगीं,
और वो गलियाँ अपार्टमेंट मे बदलते हुए ऊँचीं ऊँचीं इमारतों से देखी जाने लगी। छोटी दक ु ानें डिपार्टमेंटल स्टोर्स और मॉल मे तब्दील हो गईं । देखते ही देखते लोग आवागमन की नई नई चीजों से रूबरू होते गए और उन के आदी हो गए | और सड़कों पर बनी इमारतें कम पड़ने लगीं !
Karvan | August 2016
43
लोगों के आवागमन के लिए समह ू यात्रा प्रबंध हुए, सवु िधाएँ बढ़ती गईं । इन सब के साथ साथ क़दम से क़दम मिलाकर अन्य सवु िधाएँ भी चलती रहीं…… शिक्षा बढ़ी, उनकी इमारते बढ़ी,
चिकित्सा सवु िधा का क्या कहना, वो भी पीछे न रहीं । समस्या तब खड़ी हुई जब पेड़ो ने चीखना शरू ु किया, “ज़मीन न खोदो, न खोदो!” के नारे लगाने लगें , पक्षी शहर छोड़ कर जाने लगे, और इंसान जो इन सब का भोगी था वो भी रो दिया ! इस बढ़ने-बढ़ाने की जंग मे एक इंसान दब गया, जो इन सब को सहन न कर सका | ज़्यादा दख ु तब हुआ जब उसे अपने ही घर से बेघर होना पड़ा, क्योंकि एहमियत उस पल ु या सड़क से कम थी जो अब बनने जा रहे थे । चौंकाने वाली बात तो यह थी कि,
gS oanu] vfHkuUnu bl fodkl dk –
रानी राय, MA Development, 2015-17
है वंदन, अभिनन्दन इस विकास का,
जो बदल रहा है सपनों के भारत को |
सदियों से है कर्ज़ में उसके संसाधनों का खाना, नदियों का पानी और जंगलों का ठिकाना, है वंदन, अभिनन्दन इस विकास का |
कि उसकी नदियों के जिस्म पर सुलगते हुए शोषण की चिनगारी ने बना दिए कई बेघर बस्ती, बेरोज़गार मज़दरू ,
कि उसके जंगलों के जिस्म पर बना दिए इन मशीनों ने हिंसा के कई निशान
कि आज सूने पड़े हैं वो किनारे जहां चहकते थे कुछ इंसानों के जीवन |
जिसे हमने चन ु ा उसने हमे न चन ु ा, न सहारा दिया |
अब कर दिया बंजर इसे विकास के प्यासे
अब इंसान में आक्रोश उठा |
है वंदन, अभिनन्दन इस विकास का |
पहचानने से इंकार कर दिया और बेगोरा कर दिया । फ़साद हुआ मगर कुछ हाथ न लगा,
और चीखता चिल्लाता वापस हो लिया। ये दवु िधाएँ बढ़ती ही गईं,
मगर बढ़ौतरी अपनी ही चाल से चलती रही,
कि बड़े आसान से लफ़्ज़ों में फरमाते हैं, इन संसाधनों से है अस्तित्व हमारा,
इन पर पड़ रहा है आदिवासियों का साया | वह लाचार है , असहाय है !
परिणाम यह हुआ कि समाज वर्गों में बँट गया !
है वंदन, अभिनन्दन इस विकास का |
लोगो की सोच ने उड़ान भरी और ज़मीन को भल ू गई !
यह भारत है इंतज़ार में ,
अमीर अमीर हो गया और गरीब गरीब हो गया ।
इंसानियत को बेड़ियाँ लग गईं और हैवानियत जाग उठी! यह तरक्की का मल ू मंत्र बन गई ।
वो इंसान जो दब गया था अब उसी में खश ु रहने लगा, अपने आप को समायोजन सिखाता रहा ! और इसी को ज़िंदगी कहने लगा |
44
शिकारियों ने
Azim Premji University
किसी सूनामी तूफानों के,
किसी भूकंपीय उद्गारों के,
किसी ज्वालामुखी के अंगारों के,
जो करे हिफ़ाज़त द्रवित नदियों की धाराओं की, मरहूम जंगलों के घरोंदो की, फीके पलाश के रं गों की, अपनेपन की महक की,
है वंदन, अभिनन्दन इस विकास का।
THE BEGGING BOWL – Jamsheer Khan, MA Development, 2015-17
The path I walk everyday
Seeing few coins spread before them.
And I return the same way.
At street corners, churches,
The sufferings of those I see
Mosques, temples, etc.
I try to erase,
They stand in a row, with their
Arrest my attention again.
Hands on their empty stomachs.
Every day a new portrayal of life appears
Look at this life of self-mockery and self-pity!
And disappears replaced by another.
That has become a routine every day.
Looking at this life become prevalent today.
A voice emerges as a conscience;
From morning till evening, he lies sedate
I am your leader, your fighter,
Clenched in despair and hunger.
Your Crusader, Your Protector.
But how many
None can snatch your rights as their own.
Will feel their sufferings in wilderness?
I am carrying your future
They dare not! As their pulse begins to faint
The destiny is not far away
In loneliness they lie on the footpath
The wayward path
Looking up they discover joy in stars.
Await’s for your destiny.
Someone is up there to look after
Till then,
Tomorrow is a familiar gesture in the mind. The sun rises, the bowl emerges to beg
Carry your bowls…
The begging is done in their unique way.
Carry your bowls…
Lame physically or economically, they are idled
Carry your bowls...
ç—fr% ,d loZJs"B çn'kZd ds :i esa – Sumeet Gardia, MA Development, 2015-17
(प्रस्तुत वत ृ ांत प्रकृति के साथ, मनषु ्य एवं बाकी प्राणियों के रागात्मक सम्बन्ध को बयाँ करने की कोशिश है, और कागल की खब ू सरू त स्मृति को शब्द देने की लालसा की उपज है, और इस लालसा की पर्ति हेतु विलियम वर्ड्सवर्थ की कालजयी कविता ू ‘डेफोडिल्स’ से प्रेरणा ली है I अतः वर्ड्सवर्थ और हिंदी में उस कविता की संदर्भित व्याख्या करने वाले अनभिज्ञ व्यक्ति को विशेष धन्यवाद का अर्पण है | मल ू तः ये रचना संयोजन का वह स्वरुप है, जिसमें जीवन के बहाव को आप महसस ू कर पाएँगे |) प्रकृति हमें अपने जादईु अंदाज से हमेशा रोमांचित करती है | अंदाज़ जिसमें वह जीवन सँवारती, बचाती और छीन भी लेती है |जीवन एक वयवस्था है जिसमें
कोई स्थायी भाव नहीं है | यह एक तालमेल है, मधरु संगीत है - मिलने का, बिछडने का, जीवन को जीने का | और इस जीवन को जीने की कवायद में हर जीव का अपना खद ु का अंदाज़ है और इस अंदाज का निर्धारण करना ही प्रकृति की जादईु कार्यशैली का प्रमाण है I ये मनषु ्य की जिज्ञासु आखें हैं जो पश्चिमी घाट के पर्वतीय भदृ ू श्य को पिछले कुछ दिनों से निहार रही थी | इस क्षेत्र में गज़ ु रा हमारे जीवन का हर क्षण इस मधरु संगीत के साथ तालमेल बैठाने की निरंकुश कोशिश में था | यह उसी कोशिश का हिस्सा है जब इन्सान पहली बार अपने आप यह पछ ू ने के काबिल हो जाता है कि वह कहाँ से और क्यों आया है | वहीं से आविष्कार के सरू ु र यानि जॉय ऑफ़ डिस्कवरी की शरु ु आत होती है|
Karvan | August 2016
45
इस अंतहीन प्रकृति को खोजना मनषु ्यों के लिए सख ु दाई होता है | यह वत ु तू ि ृ ांत उसी लम्हे की अनभ का वर्णन है जब हम श्रीमान आदम के साथ सर्या ू स्त के दर्शन हेतु पहाड़ी यात्रा के बाद पार्श्व नतृ ्य करती खब ँ |े वहाँ पहुच ँ ने पर जीवन का ू सरू त घाटी में पहुच मधरु संगीत हम सभी को सन ु ाई देने लगा | उस वादी ने हमारी चिंताग्रस्त मनोस्थिति पर बाज़ी मार ली थी | उस दृश्य को देखकर मझ ु े विलियम वर्ड्सवर्थ की एक कविता याद आ गई | वर्ड्सवर्त प्रकृति के कवि के रूप में प्रसिद्ध हैं | उनकी कविताएँ काफ़ी लोकप्रिय हैं | उस छोटी सी कविता में कवि उस दिन को याद कर रहे हैं जब उन्होंने ‘डेफोडिल्स’ से भरा एक मैदान देखा था| ये वैसी ही स्मृति थी जिससे लगभग हम भी गज़ ु रे थे और जब भी हम आने वाले जीवन में दर्द और ख़ालीपन को महसस ू करें ग,े अतीत की ये खब ू सरू त स्मृति चिंता और खालीपन को दरू कर देगी ! वर्ड्सवर्त के शब्दों मे Daffodils: घम ू रहा था अकेला निरुद्देश्य, एक मेघ सम
जो तैरता है, ऊँचाई पर, घाटियों और पहाड़ियों पर! जब अचानक देखी मैंने एक भीड़,
स्वर्णिम कमल जातीय डेफोडिल्स पषु ्पों की! झील के बगल में, पेड़ों के नीचे, शीतल मंद पवन की तरंगो में,
पंखों को फड़फाड़ते और नतृ ्य करते
अंतहीन तारों की तरह जो चमचमाते
और टिमटिमाते आकाशगंगा में अंतहीन पंक्ति में फ़ैले थे, वे
सर्वत्र खाड़ी के किनारे–किनारे! क्योंकि बहुधा पर्यंक पर लेटता हूँ जब विचार शनु ्य या बोझिल मनोदशा में. वे एकाएक चमकते हैं, मन की आखों पर, जो परम सख ु है नितांत एकांत का! और तब भर जाती है, ह्रदय मैं उमंग और मन नतृ ्य करने लगता है, उन पषु ्पों के संग! सार यह है दोस्तों जब कभी-भी जीवन में हम अपने बिस्तर पर दखित अथवा चिंतन शील मानसिक अवस्था ु मैं खोए होंगे, उस घाटी की खब ु सरू त स्मृति हमारी कल्पना को जगा देगी और सारी ध्यान आकर्षित करने वाली चिंताएँ दरू हो जाएँगी | बस विश्वास रखिएगा कि अतीत की यह खब ू सरू त स्मृति भी आसानी से और स्पष्टता से याद आती रहेगी जिस तरह विलियम वर्ड्सवर्थ ‘डेफोडिल्स’ को याद कर आनंद विभोर हो जाते हैं, बस उसी तरह शायद हमारा मन भी उल्लास और आनंद से भर जायेगा | बस विश्वास रखिएगा अपने होने पर, विश्वास रखिएगा रचयिता के होने पर | धन्यवाद !
SEEING LIKE A SQUATTER – Vidya P S, MA Development, 2015-17
Globalization and urbanization have brought a different angle to citizenship. The state, which is a captive of capitalist powers, has failed to address the concerns of people who are evicted from their dwellings to give way to capitalistic developments. The people, who are left to walk alone in their struggle for living, bring forth the question of who are the citizens and what are their rights? Who created squatters and how it feels to walk in search of food and shelter as squatters, far… far away from the quest of the meaning of life.
46
Azim Premji University
I walk on,
I walk on,
From my shoddy tent,
Selling my rights to wrong,
Into to the wild dent.
In return to belong.
I carry eviction stamp,
Buying my sleep,
Politically inflicted dump,
From wounds so deep,
To be a squatter.
To bury my mutter.
I walk on,
I walk on
To live anywhere,
In front of glories, built
To use anything.
Not finding culture of cult
Owning the whole sky above,
Find my share in scrubbed drum
Yet only foot space below,
Quenching my thirst in that brim
To live with fetter.
To outlive my jitter.
I walk on,
I walk on
To relieve myself,
Not talking on my walk
In the public shelf.
Battling with my talk
Scorching dirt,
No tunnels in this walk
Unwanted guilt,
Who will light my talk?
To find my gutter.
To enable my twitter.
I walk on,
I walk on,
My ‘agency’ is at seal,
Hiding my shadow,
I am let free to steel.
Beside closed window.
My currency at conceal,
Seeing like a squatter,
I am left with an empty creel,
Feeling like a matter,
To end up in clutter.
To survive like a fitter.
fot;h fo'o frjaxk – अमरीश राय, MA Education, 2014-16
सबसे ऊँचा सबसे प्यारा और साथ में नंगा |
लगेगा हर मंदिर, मस्जिद, गरु ु द्वारा, शिक्षण संस्थान में यह तिरंगा,
मिलके करें गे दंगा क्योंकि लहू है एक-रंगा |
लगती है यह बात बड़ी बेढंगा |
बहुत हो गया खेल हमारा अब होगा तीन-रंगा, नास्तिक भी आस्तिक भी, संघी भी वामी भी,
अस्मिता की अग्निपरीक्षा ने ले ली है अंगड़ाई,
लाल न होगा काला न होगा ना होगा अब नीला,
बिरसा- फूले-गांधी-सावरकर सब अपने में रंगा,
अब तो बस विजयी विश्व तिरंगा |
नाम अलग है, बात अलग है, राग अलग है पर,
यह दौर जो चल रहा है केसरिया एक-रंगा
रात बची है, लहू बचा है,
रंगा-रंगा, बिरला, टाटा, अंबानी या ठाकुर-ब्राम्हणया चमार खान-पठान, सब होंगे इकरंगा,
एक बात है भैया विजयी विश्व तिरंगा!
बात पते की, -देशद्रोह या देशभक्त अब होगा ये तिरंगा?
लाल करने को चल पड़े हैं,
उठी है बात पर ना होगा खाक तिरंगा ! क्योंकि विजयी विश्व तिरंगा |
करना है कुछ बेमिसाल क्योंकि हाथ में है तिरंगा | अब तो न चरखा ना तो हसिया बस एक तिरंगा, आखिर में विजयी विश्व तिरंगा |
Karvan | August 2016
47
UNITY IN DIVERSITY? – Viraj Kumar Negi, MA Development, 2014-16
W
e all know that student diversity is
Learning Challenges faced by students in Azim
an important feature in Azim Premji
Premji University due to diversity
University’s Admission policy, which make us stand out but also comes with
a set of challenges. Viraj tries to tackle the learning
1. Problems of Medium of instruction and examination - Language
challenges that students may face in Azim Premji
Because of university’s preference to the diversity in
University and gives pertinent suggestions for the
the admission policy, different students from different
university to consider.
parts of the country are taking admission in Azim Premji University. The medium of instruction and examination
Azim Premji University gives considerable importance to
is English, in the university. However, many students
the diversity of the students. One can find students from
have done their schooling and even graduation in other
each and every state of the country in the University.
regional languages. Because they are not so familiar in
According to world web dictionary, Diversity is “the
attending classes and writing exams in English medium,
noticeable heterogeneity, which has qualities of non-
it becomes very difficult for them to cope with this change.
comparable kind”. Diversity can be beneficial because it gives us an opportunity to learn from, and interact with
Whether it is a question of understanding the readings
many different students. In addition to this, diversity also
and lectures, class participation, writing for examinations
allows us to know about different cultures, traditions,
and assessments, at all these places, they face
languages, dialects, festivals, religions and geographical
difficulties in understanding the concepts and expressing
locations. This process of knowing various cultures and
their thoughts. Many of the times, even after knowing the
traditions enrich our knowledge and experiences about
answer of the questions, they are not able to construct
the country and the world we live in. However, despite
the proper sentences and articulate in the appropriate
its advantages, diversity also brings a lot of problems.
manner. As a result, it directly affects the morale of the
Students from different background, enter into the
student, and this will be reflected in the form of non-
university, with a lot of enthusiasm and expectations.
participation or poor interest of the students in academic
But some of them, due to diversity and differences, face
activities.
some difficulties in the university. This essay will discuss some of the major challenges faced by the students of the Azim Premji University due to diversity. The essay will also discuss the possible ways to deal with the problem, in latter part of the essay. According to me, the major challenges are1. Problems of Medium of instruction and examinationLanguage 2. Examination and Assessment Pattern 3. Differences in Cultural Capital- linguistic capital and Institutionalized cultural capital 4. Work Experience
In addition to this, because English was not the medium of instruction in their earlier education, some students will struggle to understand the new terminologies, new words and sometimes the whole sentences of some readings and lectures. Many students find it difficult to speak and write grammatically correct sentences, which will directly results in wrong meaning and perception of their sentences. The Academic Reading and Writing course effectively tries to help students to deal with these challenges by enhancing their reading, writing and comprehension capabilities, but there is also a greater need of involving more
grammatical
and
vocabulary
strengthening
The essay systematically deals with all these challenges
exercises, more presentations and practice sessions,
and their implications on the student’s morale, self-
in the ARW Course. This will help students to improve
confidence and performance in Azim Premji University.
48
Azim Premji University
their oral and written English Communication which
B. Institutionalized Cultural Capital – In the university,
may directly results in increase in the self-confidence
different students have different previous academic
and performance of those students in their academic
credentials or qualifications from different educational
activities.
institutions, where they have got different kinds of the education such as in central or state universities, different subjects, state or secondary boards of
2. Examination and Assessment Pattern
secondary education. This will directly get reflected
The way many students had their examinations in their
into familiarity of some students in particular
previous education is very different from the way they
subjects, and also the familiarity with rigor of the
have in the Azim Premji University. The Assessment
program vice versa. So, because of this difference
of examinations like Term papers, Response papers,
in previous educational qualification and familiarity,
essays and book review demand understanding of the
some students are finding it difficult to learn much.
main and sub-arguments of the readings provided, critical evaluation of the readings, summarizing the articles and articulation of their own views and comments of the
4. Work Experience
students on the given topic. Many students who are not
Azim Premji University's PU admission policy encourages
familiar with these kinds of examinations, find it a difficult
those who have got some amount of experience in any
task to achieve.
field for taking admission in the university, which is actually a significant element of. But despite its benefits,
Also in case of group presentation and group report
some students may have just passed out from their
submissions, the difference in capabilities of the
graduation or have very less experience, and thus they
students to give presentations, their participation in
may lack the knowledge that comes from working in
group presentations or in writing different parts of a
the field, in comparison to those who come with work
group report will affect the assessment. Some students
experience.
may lag behind due to lack of these capabilities. The causes of these differences in student capabilities may
How can the University Deal with these Learning
be due to their background, the level of education they
challenges
received and the area they belong to 3. Differences in Cultural Capital
The
University’s
commitment
to
the
diversity
is
unquestionable and really adding value to the programs and courses of the Azim Premji University. But the
As far as the cultural capital is concerned, it is all about
challenges comes with the concept of diversity must be
non-financial assets which promotes social mobility
addressed, for making this more useful and efficient. At
beyond economic means like education, intellect, style
present, The Pathway workshop and Academic Reading
of speech and dress (Source- en.Wikipedia.com/cultural
and Writing course are working efficiently to bridge the
capital). Different people from different background have
existing gap among the students. Following are some
different cultural capital which will easily get reflected
more suggestive measures which can help the University
during class participation and group discussions. When
in best dealing with these learning challenges.-
a diverse group of students participate simultaneously in the same class and discussions, some students feel inferior or less capable due to comparatively less amount of cultural capital. This inferiority complex in students, will further restricts them to participate, take initiatives, learn new things and also hampers their creativity and potential to perform well in many academic and extracurricular activities. The major cultural capital difference among students can be observed in followingA. Linguistic capital- Some students are more capable
a. Organizing training sessions for building English vocabulary and grammatical understanding b. Organization of participatory workshops on building self-confidence, morale and inculcating motivation c. Involving and giving more opportunities to the students for oral presentation and group discussions d. Organizing more practice sessions like debate, speech and group activities on academic readings
of expressing their views and articulation of their
As one can conclude that, despite many advantages of
ideas as compared to others. In that case, some
diversity, there are some challenges which must be taken
students starts comparing themselves with other
care of for gaining maximum benefit from the available
students, which in turn diverts the concentration
diversity at the university.
of the students from academic learning, selfobservation and improvement.
Karvan | August 2016
49
Vªsu esa ,d fnu% vlfy;r ls lkeuk – आकाश कु म ार, MA Development, 2015-17
“ए हक़ मेरे सैलानी अल्लाह पीर के बाबा, किस्मत
के पैसे माँग रहा है| १२ साल की सम ु ोला ५ साल की
का नौजवान अल्हा के नाम पर चादर फैलाये पैसा
हिंदी गाने गा के पैसे माँग रही है| दो औरतें हाथ में
खोल दे इनकी”…… ४ साल के बच्चे के साथ २५ साल
माँग रहा है तो ४० साल की औरत अपनी दोनों अंधी
अपनी बहन सायालू के साथ छोटे पत्थर के धन ु पर
आँखों को लिए खाना खाने के लिए पैसा| १५ साल का
अस्पताल की रसीद लिए हुए अपने बीमार बच्चे के लिए पैसे माँग रही है| ५० साल का बढ ु ा खाने के लिए
पैसे माँग रहा है| ८ साल का बच्चा रुपेश करतब दिखा
के कारण पैसे माँग रहा है|
लड़का अपनी शर्ट उतार के ट्रेन के फर्श को साफ़ करके
50
Azim Premji University
पैसे माँग रहा है| दोनों पैर से विकलांग अपनी अक्षमता
अरे जनाब, कहा खो गए? ये कोई भीख माँगने का
मिले तो इन भख ू े इंसानों को परू ा का परू ा ले लो|” है
दो दिन की यात्रा ने कमाने और भीख माँगने की
क्या बकवास कर रहे हो? तम ु गरीबों का मज़ाक उड़ा
बाज़ार नहीं, भारतीय रेलवे है! जयपरु से बेंगलरु ू की
विविधता के बारे में बहुत कुछ सिखला दिया| कई इनकी परिस्थिति पे तरस खाकर दो-चार-दस दे देते
थे तो कई नहीं देते थे क्योंकि उनका मानना था की
उन्होंने इसे अपना पेशा बना लिया है| पर ये तो मानना होगा कि वो भले ही भीख माँग रहे थे मगर अलग-
अलग कलाओं का प्रदर्शन कर के! वो भीख माँगते हुए भी अपने टैलट ें को बेच रहे थे| २५ साल का नौजवान अल्लाह को बेच रहा था अपने पीर अंदाज़ में, ४० साल की औरत अपनी इन्द्रिय कुशलता को, १५ साल
का लड़का अपनी मेहनत को, रुपेश अपने करतब को,
सम ु ोला और सयालू गाना गाने की कला को, दोनों औरतें समझाने की कला को, बढ ू ़ा अपनी हालत को, तो विकलांग अपनी मेहनत और अक्षमता को|
एक महत्वपर्ण ू बात यह है कि ये सिर्फ़ ट्रेन के उस
हिस्से में ही सफ़र करते हैं जिस हिस्से में इनके ही जैसे या सामान्य श्ण रे ी के लोग बैठे रहते हैं| ट्रेन के
उन हिस्सों में इनका प्रवेश नहीं है जिनमे १४ बोगियों
के बराबर समद्धि ृ वाले लोग होते है| अरे! मेरा कहने का मतलब वातानक रे ी में बैठे लोगों से है| ु ू लित श्ण
ना एक बेहतरीन आइडिया? अब कोई मझ ु से कहेगा
रहे हो! अरे जनाब, अब इन्हें कौन समझाये ट्रेन या स्टेशनों पर ऐसे भटकने वालो को कोई इज्ज़त नहीं
मिलती है, वहाँ भी वे मज़ाक के ही पात्र होते हैं|
अब आप को क्या लगता है? जब सम ु ोला और सयालू ट्रेन में गाना गाते है तो उन्हें इंडियाज़ सिंगिंग स्टार के
जैसी इज्ज़त मिलती है क्या? नहीं | उन्हें बस मिलते
है हमारे-आप के करम से दो-चार रुपये! अगर छुट्टा न होतो वो भी नहीं| अरे मैं तो सिर्फ उन्हें एक जगह छत
देने की बात कर रहा था जहाँ वो अपने परिवार के साथ रह सके, जहाँ रुपेश को एक महीने के लिए पढाई और अपने माँ-बाप को न छोड़ना पड़े, जहाँ सम ु ोला और सायलू को पढ़ने और रहने को मिले!
छोडिये ये तो आम लोग है पर हमारी सरकार, जिसे
हम माई-बाप कहते है क्या कर रही है? केंद्र सरकार के आंकड़ों के अनस ु ार परु े देश में ४,१३,६७० भीख
मांगने वाले है! पर यदि हम २०११ की जनगणना
देखे तो करीब ३,७२,२१७ भीख माँगने एवं घम ु क्कड़
की श्ण रे ी में आने वाले ऐसे है जिनकी उम्र १४ वर्ष
आखिर क्यों ये ट्रेन और स्टेशनों पर भटके? क्या
तक ह| जिनके लिए थोड़ी बहुत योजनायें बनाईं गईं हैं जिनमे से किसी में भ्रष्टाचार, तो कसी में घोटाला
जहाँ ये स्थायी रहकर अपने टैलट ें को बेच सके? जहाँ
के लिए मिड-डे- मील योजना लागू की गई है परन्तु
हम इनके लिए एक ऐसी जगह या बाज़ार न खोल दे
पर लोग समय-समय पर जाकर इन्हें देख,ें अपना मनोरंजन करें | है न पते वाली बात? किसी को भी
भटकना नहीं पड़ेगा! सोच रहा हूँ बाज़ार का टैग क्या होगा? क्यों न ये हो “ एक छत के नीचे, देखिये कईयों को जीते”. या ये “इज़्ज़त ले लो, बढ़ ु ापा ले
लो, सपने ले लो, मजबरू ी ले लो, रही सही कुछ न
किया गया है| प्राथमिक विद्यालयों में संख्या बढ़ाने
बच्चो को खाने में मिलता है दो कलछुल चावल नमक
के साथ, ठं ड में शेल्टर होम के नाम पे टिन की छाया, कम्बल बिस्तर कहाँ है कुछ पता नहीं | विकलांगो के
लिए सामाजिक न्याय एवं अधिकारिता मंत्रालय के
वेबसाइट पर ४० से ज्यादा योजनायें है, पर लाभ कौन
उठा रहा है पता नहीं!
Karvan | August 2016
51
MY FELLOW
f'k{kk dk ge vy[k tyk,¡---
COUNTRYMEN – Ganesh Pol, MA Development, 2015-17
–
जावेद नेहाल, MA Education, 2014-2016
Do you remember me, my fellow countrymen! Someone was calling for me from the mountains of the Himalayas. His uniform was damp, his hair was wet, there was snow all around him. He said, “We were defending Mother India in the Siachen glaciers, the world’s highest battlefield. And a huge wall of snow engulfed my sāthis and I”. I heard Mahesh, he shouted, “Sāthi ab toh Himālaya se bhi upar milenge…” I said, “Jaroor milenge sāthi”. Everyone was laughing, except me. Because, When I left from home the last time, My younger daughter asked me, “Papa will you come to see my dance? At the school gathering this year?” I said, “Yes, my dear”, and I promised her with a heavy heart. She didn’t know her father was lying. She said, “Come
आओ चलें, शिक्षा का हम अलख जलाएँ, आओ चलें अशिक्षा को हम दरू भगाएँ| हम हैं बच्चे इक्कीसवी सदी के, हम हैं बच्चे प्रगतिशील सदी के, रटने और रटाने से दरू , तर्क और विवेक की एक नई राह बनाएँ, डर और भय से दरू , शिक्षा की एक नई ज्योत जलाएँ, खेल खेल में शिक्षा की एक नई उमंग जगाएँ सीमित साधनों में भी, शिक्षा की उम्मीद जगाएँ!! आओ चले शिक्षा का हम अलख जलाएँ... नन्हे-मनु ्हे, बढ़ ू े और जवान
back soon. I miss you Papa”.
धनी, निर्धन, मजदरू और किसान
I choked, bidding her goodbye.
सब को हम एक नई राह दिखाएँ
My wife! My love was angry, I had not spent enough time with her. She refused to kiss me this time, but she couldn’t control her tears. This time even I cried. I don’t know why. When he saw me crying, he smiled and said, “Don’t cry mere sāthi, bas yeh masalā hal karo aur kisi ko Himālaya ke itne bhi upar mat bhejanā ki woh usase bhi upar jāye aur fir vāpis nā āye…” The moment I moved to hug him, I woke up from the dream, before the dawn
52
Azim Premji University
अपने और उनके सपनों का... २ एक नया विवेकशील संसार बनाएँ, आओ चलें शिक्षा का हम अलख जलाएँ, आओ चलें अशिक्षा को हम दरू भगाएँ!
LÙkqfr
–
प्रभात कुमार हिमांश,ु MA Education, 2014-16
कृपा की न होती, ये आदत तम ु ्हारी I
न घर –घर में होती, इबादत तम ु ्हारी II न हम होते मज ु रिम, न तम ु होते हाकिम I तो सन ू ी ही रहती, ये अदालत तम ु ्हारी II कृपा की न होती ...
न हम होते बालक, न तम ु होते माता I तो सन ू ा ही रहता, ये आँचल तम ु ्हारा II कृपा की न होती ...
न हम होते सेवक, न तम ु होते स्वामी I तो सन ू ा ही रहता, ये नाता तम ु ्हारा II कृपा की न होती ...
न हम होते भिक्,षु न तम ु होते दानी I
तो सन ू ा ही रहता, ये दरवाजा तम ु ्हारा II कृपा की न होती ...
न हम होते धागा, न तम ु होते मोती I तो सन ु ी ही रहती, ये माला तम ु ्हारी II कृपा की न होती ...
LET ME FEEL THE MORNING BREEZE – Akash Kumar, MA Development, 2015-17
Let me feel the morning breeze,
To recognize my own potential.
After the long, cold night.
Let me sink into my life,
Let me feel the sunshine,
So I understand what I want.
After the long dark storm.
Let me roam around,
Let me breathe heavily,
To realize.
After a suffocated past. Let me take my time, After a long unstoppable rush. Let me survive in my own way, After looking out for others. Let me become strong,
Let me live alone, To feel affection for myself. Let me do what I want, Let my mind be free. To come and go from every thought, expression, and perception I have.
Karvan | August 2016
53
10 HADITH – Jamsheer Khan, MA Development, 2015-17 Through these messages the author wishes to convey the need to integrate ecologically sound practices and thoughts in our every day lives.
A believer is like a growing tree
Plant a tree even if it’s your last deed
The example of a believer is that of a plant; from whatever direction the wind comes, it bends it, but when the wind quietens down, the plant becomes straight again...
If the Hour (the day of Resurrection) is about to be established and one of you was holding a palm shoot, let him take advantage of even one second before the Hour is established to
– Abu Hurayra, Bukhari
plant it. – Al-Albani
Planting trees is a renewable source of reward If a Human plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, it is regarded as a charitable gift (sadaqah) for him. – Imam Bukhari
Conserve resources even when used for routine rituals Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, happened to pass by a Companion, Sa’d, as he was performing ablution (wudhu) next to a river. At this, the Prophet said, “Sa’d what is this squandering?” Sa’d replied: “Can there be an idea of squandering (israf) in ablution?” The Prophet said: “Yes, even if you are by the side of a flowing rivera.” -Ibn Majah
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Keeping the environment sanitary maintains the community
Thus, Prophet Muhammad said
Beware of the three acts that cause you to be cursed: [1] relieving yourselves in shaded places (that people utilise), in a walkway or in a watering place.
about street clean-ups
Removing harmful things from the road is an act of charity (sadaqah).
– Abu Dharr Al-Ghafari
– Mu`adh, hasan, by Al-Albani
Eat a little less every day
Say no to over-consumption
Nothing is worse than a person who fills his stomach. It should be enough for the son of Adam to have a few bites to satisfy his hunger. If he wishes more, it should be: Onethird for his food, one-third for his liquids, and one-third for his breath.
(or at least reduce it)
Abdullah ibn `Abbas reported that the Prophet said, "The believer is not he who eats his fill while his neighbor is hungry. – Al-Albani
– Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah
Animals should be cared for
Consider recycling and fixing before buying new items
"A man felt very thirsty while he was on the way,
When asked about how the Prophet used to live in his house, the Prophet's wife, `A'ishah, said that he used to repair his own shoes, sew his clothes and carry out all such household chores done without complaint or want for more.
he saw a dog panting and licking mud because of
– Al-Albani
there he came across a well. He went down the
well, quenched his thirst and came out. Meanwhile excessive thirst. He said to himself, "This dog is suffering from thirst as I did." So, he went down the
well again, filled his shoe with water, held it with his mouth and watered the dog. Allah appreciated him
for that deed and forgave him." The Companions
said, "O Allah's Messenger! Is there a reward for us in serving the animals?" He replied: "There is a reward for serving any living being."
– Imam Bukhari
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BE YOU – Roopal Bakshi, MA Education, 2014-16
Learn to be fearless, and be all that’s you
So now is the time for you to decide...
Grow up through your mistakes; and be ready to learn
Do you still want to listen to others?
things new
And continue to abide?
Let not the world lend you their eyes to see Build your own vision that looks beyond the sea.
Think Think Think…
Pave your own path of wisdom and enlightenment
Life is yours, and so is your choice
That lights up your journey ahead...
Listen to your heart, and follow what’s right
And let not anyone else downplay your containment.
Walk on the pavement that sets you towards your goal And let you achieve
Life is what you make out of it, said someone wise
Your dream that satisfies your soul...
Take a stand on the decisions that make you rise. This is what is called to be one among the few; This world will hold you by the clutches of your judgments But it’s time Stand up to a world that seeks encroachment.
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Without giving up on yourself Continue to be you!
Deeper Introspections Karvan | August 2016
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DISSENT: THE NECESSARY EVIL – Riddhi Gyan Pandey, MA Development, 2014-16
“
Yeh humaara sabse shaant, kehna manne wala
remarkably similar. At our workplaces, our bosses decide
bachha hai. Kabhi ladaai nahi karta. Baaki dono
what job we’re suitable for, how much pay we deserve
bahut badmaash hain.” (She is our most quiet and
and how we must conduct ourselves. In our colleges and
compliant child. She never argues. The other two
universities, the administration not only decides what we
are the problem creators.) This is how my parents would
can learn, but in some instances even interferes with how
talk about me, while comparing me with my two sisters
we dress up during our time in those institutions. Our law
in their conversations with our extended family and other
determines who we can choose as our intimate partners.
acquaintances. I believed them. And I cherished this
Our ruling Government regulates the kind of food and
special affection that was bestowed upon me as a reward
beverages that we can consume. The list of examples
for being the docile, obedient and conforming child,
where some arbitrary authority imposes choices on us
one who never raised her voice or argued or created
is endless. And we’re expected to continue the legacy of
any conflict. On the other hand, my sisters were more
obedience which has been indoctrinated in us from our
independent minded and vocal about what they thought.
childhood.
They dissented quite frequently. Obviously, this was not appreciated or encouraged by my parents. As a result my sisters got frequent doses of scolding, which were generously sprinkled with instances of my supposedly exemplary compliance.
As a result of this systematic conditioning over years, most of us become habitually compliant. We forget that each one of us is potentially a thinking being with the ability to question and reason. We give up our right to be critical and to dissent against the various social
Obedience as a virtue is forcefully taught to us from a
injustices. The authoritarian machinery encourages
very young age. This teaching follows us everywhere-
this tendency of avoiding dissent. Through its various
at our homes, in schools, in summer camps, in sports
punishment and reward mechanisms, our paternalistic
grounds, in excursions, in picnics- all spaces that a
State reinforces compliance in us.
child can possibly be in. We are taught to believe that there exist these well-meaning authorities which are superior to us and at every point in time know what is best for us. We are expected to comply with the choices and decisions that they make for us. And if this is not enough, the next level of conditioning forces the belief that any form of resistance or questioning of these allknowing authorities can have terribly detrimental effects in our lives. Not complying with their will, will ensure that everything in our lives that could possibly go wrong, will go wrong.
However, the problem with this culture of avoiding the much needed disagreements and dissent of any form is that it strengthens the culture of unconditional compliance to authorities. This leads to a very dangerous situation, where more and more individuals give up their autonomy and choose to follow the authorities blindly. The powerlessness that is attached to this kind of compliance is something we must all be wary of. And the only way that we can avoid the spreading of this dangerous culture, is by actively dissenting against all injustices, big or small, that we come across. Each one
But what is interesting to note is that our adult lives are
of us has an important role to play in doing this. It would
not very different from those we lived when we were
be unfair to leave this burden on the shoulders of the
young. Indeed, the authorities that we are expected to
few who already face much repression for voicing their
obey change. However, their modus operandi remains
dissent from time to time.
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PROFILE OF A PROTEST – Ishan Banerjee, MA Development, 2015-17
T
his is the first part of the quasi-fictional series on Ahmed Akash- the time-traveller, perpetual flaneur, and poet. This part is the starting of his journey from a satellite. In this one, Ahmed Akash was witnessing HokKolorob (Jadavpur Student protest, 2014). Which considerably the starting moment of 21 st century’s student movement against the images of autarchy in this
country. With Akash the reader can become the part of this journey, which is still the same from where it was being started.
1.1 Ahmed Akash gets injured while watching a film
streams in through the window. He thinks, ‘I guess
inside a cinema hall. He had to pay only 47 paisa for
I am dead.’ His phone beeps. ‘It is 3:45am, what an
the show. When the film nears intermission, one of
odd time to wake up’, he wonders to himself. Beep,
the walls inside the theatre collapsed onto Ahmed,
goes his Nokia Asha 210, a broken phone; broken,
who was seated in the last row. Anyways, Akash’s
like the republic, or a system, or security? He checks
parents take him to the hospital in Barasat and are
his phone – it is a notification. A friend has sent him
told by the doctors that their son has very little chance
a video message: a 30-second clipping of a campus
of coming out of coma. They are also informed that
at night, students being attacked by uniformed cops.
further contact with him would only ensure their
Around the twelve-second mark, the camera tilts
own imprisonment because this isn’t their municipal
down to show a girl being kicked silly by a cop who
precinct and therefore, they have broken the law by
wears flat slippers. But here’s the real story: the girl
coming to Barasat and choosing to have their son
is shielding a boy from the police lathi.
treated there. The parents are forced to abandon their son and return to their village, where the mother
is on fire’. Nice masthead. It reminds me of a poem.
soon develops agoraphobia and father becomes a systematic abuser of the female inmates of the small
The video is captioned rhetorically: ‘At midnight, JU
You have always been childishly impatient, you
mental institution where he works. The boy, Ahmed
know, Trying to embrace pain. We were given too
wakes up in a city he doesn’t know, alone in a room
long a life, Trotsky, And too many cares, Sometimes
in the middle of the night. A mysterious red light
so many that cares of the revolution, began falling
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59
short, Shame brings the revolution, Trotsky. Wait
for it.
Britannia. The jingle plays in his head along with a million other voices.
This was written by Sammya Mukhopadhay, a former
He observes the film posters stuck to the wall in front
student from Jadavpur University and one of the most
of him – a few for upcoming Hindi films, the others
relevant Facebook activists from the University. Her
of releases in Bangla. He is slightly perplexed. The
name reminded me of Soumya Achariya, a student of
faces on the Bollywood posters are all laughing or
the same University. It’s a question of a letter or two
cheerful, but those for the Bangla films seem to be
in English, but in Bangla, the distinction is critical.
afflicted with major sadness. ‘This is confusing’,
I thought of a time when the walls of the University
he thinks to himself, ‘before the wall fell on me,
were littered with graffiti that translates to, ‘Let us go
I’d heard that Bengal was on the verge of its third
ahead in the name of our comrade Soumya Achariya’.
freedom, that the end of the dictatorial regime was
This was 1967, maybe 1968 – about the last time
near. Why are the people in these films so sad then?
the community in Kolkata yearned for a collective
Where is their hope? Aren’t they on Facebook?’
engagement with international transpirations. Think
But there are more questions on his mind. Why did
back to slogans like, ‘tomar naam, aamaar naam…
his friend send him a video, which contained an
Vietnam, Vietnam’ (my name, thy name, Vietnam,
assault on a woman? Why specifically a woman?
Vietnam), or ‘Sorbonne theke Jadavpur Songramer
Ahmed thought of the recent video from Bangalore:
eki sur’ (from Sorbonne to Jadavpur, the struggle is
a woman assaulted on the side of the road. Why did
the same).
people shoot and then transmit it? What scandal did they locate in the particular image of the woman at
Two communist-factions split like an atom and a
the end of a slipper held aloft by the havaldar that
third emerged; in an interview with Solanas, Jean-
September night? I think of how December 2012
luc Godard exclaimed, “We must use the camera
made the society evaluate its relationship with
as the Vietnamese use their cycle against the
a word. ‘Rape’. The challenge of living in India is
Americans in the war.” It was also the decade when
within the realm of socio-political and obviously, the
the subcontinent was marred by a war centered on
financial, but here is a problem that is philological. A
the concept of a ‘mother tongue’. It was the 70s, the
minister in the Mamata Banerjee government says, ‘I
‘doshok’, so to say when Bengalis held onto their last
will call my boys and they will rape you’, and there is
remaining vestige: Bangla, for the last time (perhaps
outrage. Outrage, similar to the person who sent the
everyone would rather continue to live in that era).
video with the woman and the policeman. A word as
It was a period where forces motivated by religion
image, image as word – but also, an image as all of
opposed those motivated by a language – several
its meanings: harassment, humiliation. An hour has
educated intellectuals were brutally murdered by a
passed. Ahmed is walking back to the station after
regimented force inside campuses across the state
having been turned away by the security guards
and across the border. No, no records exist of the
at the Max Mueller Bhavan for being an outsider.
event. No footage, or documentation, which can be
‘Interesting’, he thinks to himself, looking at the wall
used as historical evidence that may implicate the
in front of him. ‘These aren’t the same, sad posters
past in the future.
as before.’ The film has changed, but the posture of
1.2 Ahmed Akash is dizzy as hell. When he looks at the
the actors in this new poster is the same. He takes
image of this girl being kicked by the cop, he thinks
a step to read the title but is accosted by policemen
of 1971. In his mind, the two events begin to mix.
who slap him silly. They accuse him of being a
One becomes a memory of the other. It is 3:45am.
protester. He says he is not and they let him go, so
He stumbles out of his room, walks down holding
he decides to join the protests anyway – how will
his bandaged head to the reception, signs his own
they punish him twice for the same offense? He visits
release form and leaves this damned hospital behind.
the university and witnesses a sight he hasn’t seen
He hails a taxi and is surprised to actually find one.
before: girls smoking ganja in the open balconies.
He asks the driver to take him to Ballygunge. In his
He looks around and finds various posters on the
childhood, his father told him about this place – he
wall. There is one with the three monkeys, which he
said it’s as big as the world, and that’s why they call
likes, and others that discuss vague political ideas.
it ‘biswa bangla’. But when he reaches there, it isn’t
The security guards reappear to him: ‘Outsider!’
as big as he thought it would be – it’s a thin island, like an arrowroot biscuit.
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He is not special. He is definitely not the only outsider here. Those fighting in the jungles against organised
state violence are also implicated in cases of gender
had such a large political fallout, if not for those who
violence. ‘Well’, he thinks, ‘at least an English
were sentient enough in the middle of the melee to
magazine from Delhi will write about them.’ But the
not pick up a weapon, but a mobile phone? Perhaps,
revolutionaries at Vishwabharati weren’t really as
but perhaps not. On the other hand, when Mamta
fortunate. The protests at Jadavpur became famous
Banerjee discredits the protestors by rejecting the
because of the images that the melee yielded, but
human spirit inherent in their demand and instead,
there were no cameras at Vishwabharati, no artists
laying thick upon them the accusation of being
to sketch the scenes, no songwriters to depict them
in collusion with the communists, she rejects the
in verse. Maybe that’s why there is no memory of the
image. Because you see, the video recordings and
protests at Vishwabharati. Akash’s head felt funny.
the photographs from the night do not chronicle
1.3 No one knows what transpired on the day of the Freshers. No video of the event has been issued
political affiliation, but policemen raining down blows on students. It’s there, it is on record.
or circulated. But there was word in the air, ‘a
1.4 On the second day of a film festival in Ashoknagar,
molestation’, ‘a molestation in the compound.’
a suburb in Kolkata, I met Kasturi, a member of the
Molestation? And as always, ‘why?’ As if there is a
Cinema of Resistance, the cultural front of CPI-ML.
reason that may explain it. Apparently, the girl was
As part of the festival, they organised the celebration
alone with her boyfriend, dressed in ‘nontraditional’
of the Jadavpur protests in collaboration with the local
clothes. This riled up their seniors, who decided
All India Students Association (AISA) leadership.
therefore
molested.
Kasturi documented the event. They screened
‘Molestation or rape is always a matter of power’,
three films: AFSPA 1958, Ranchi-Lohardaga Mail
said Mala Hashmi to me in an interview. Power, but
and finally, Kasturi’s own film, ‘Bishe September’. A
also negotiation and access. The parents of the girl
series of images, video recordings and vaux-populi
in question were active supporters of Trinamool
from the protests, Bishe September is now iconic –
Congress, the ruling party. When the ensuing protests
not in the popularly understood meaning of the word,
were in a complete swing, a minister and a student
but in how it encapsulates the protest desires to be
leader came to the girl’s house, made promises of
seen: polish, organised, meaningful. I am thinking
money (in other such cases, the collateral can be
of Rajbhawan and the million students – like Ahmed
money or employment) and asked them to withdraw
Akash - who will stand in front of it, protesting,
their complaint. Withdraw their complaint, take their
screaming slogans passed down to them, inherited,
grief and mourning and anger and render it impotent.
secondhand. But why is self-preservation no longer
But the fact is that a large number of sexual offences
a concern for them? What is it that brings them out,
in the country are never talked about or discussed
even in the heavy rain? Yes, I have been told as well,
openly, because they are termed as ‘gharelu mamla‘
‘this is a movement for equality’. For men, women,
(an affair of one’s house) – not open to social
girls, boys, transsexuals, gays – but it isn’t only that.
scrutiny or comment. It constitutes therefore, a non-
It is also the fact that revolution is such a rare event
image. The negation of an image, of the truth itself.
that the simmering of one cause lets another boil
The police assault on protestors inside the Jadavpur
over. Perhaps this is why when the police arrived
campus is on the other hand, an image, a record of
at the scene of the Jadavpur protests and applied
the events that transpired on the sixteenth night of
Section 144 to it, as the protesters began to shout,
September. Is it possible that the protest may have
‘Occupy Dharamshala’ in unison.
that
she
deserved
to
be
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IN THE SHADOW OF THE PATRIARCH – Sanjana Santosh, MA Development, 2015-17
A
poem on misunderstandings, or the inability to converse a feeling that could change over time. This poem is merely a story from classroom experiences and also elsewhere, where the author finds it difficult to convey how terrible she feels when she is not able to discuss opinions with her peers without assuming opposite views, and how there is a general sense of dismissing of
opinions on feminism and other ideas without due consideration.
Our obsession to distinguish between right and wrong is
I see him because I’m trying to stand in opposition; trying
so strong,
to stand in the scorching sun squinting at the giant, and
Our obsession to define what we are by what we are not, so strong Our obsession to create binaries, well, strong is an understatement-it’s like an animal instinct.
you ask me, 'Why should girls have all the Sun?' Irony is an understatement. It’s cute to see you complaining of reverse misogyny by using misogyny to empower you. You say ‘Men’ are exploited with responsibilities. Well privilege hurts, you
I’m a vegetarian – I’m a non-vegetarian
see! Let’s demolish these poles where you are masculine
It’s sense – It’s non-sense
and I’m feminine, for one can’t bind spirits and bodies
black – not a black
into categories.
Masculine – Feminine
And when we challenge these false divisions, by
Nationalist – Anti-Nationalist
going out wearing what we want, studying, choosing
Feminist – Anti-Feminist
our partners, sometimes by eating, screening films, screaming slogans, asking questions, doing anything
We are ready to overlook the politics, the real differences
that challenges the fictionalized ideal dictated by a
only to perform false divisions.
patriarch we, are violently reminded of breaching these
I know Sultana’s dream scares you; the thought of Ladyland haunts you, Well many have been living the nightmare, living the fiction of false divisions set by some patriarch. I fight not you, because you are not significant enough, you are busy following your ‘MANKIND’ I fight those divisions, fictions, binaries to unburden you of a ‘MANKIND’ in which you ‘men’ don’t have a say what it should be, as you stand under the shadow of the patriarch himself.
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boundaries. But when we will ask questions, challenge constructions and see fiction as fiction, it won’t seem like breaching boundaries but like a demand for equality. So you might ask me what do we want from all this rant? Hum kya chahte hain? –Azadi Freedom from the fiction of these false divisions, freedom from performing an ideal, freedom to fight so that I can stop fighting you.
THE WILD ONE – Gunjit Kaur, MA Development, 2015-17
This poem is an ode to the women who work in Kudumbashree in the Attapadi region of Palakkad.
WHO IS THE VILLAIN ? – Himani Gautam, MA Development, 2015-17
Women have been having changing roles in rural India and are being empowered more and more as the years go by. It is their sense of determination that urge them to take control over their lives and continue their beautiful struggle despite the obstacles, which is an inspiration to this poem.
The main theme of this poem deals with the recent spurt of farmer suicides and the need to understand this as a serious issue. She screamed again and again,
She was always the wild one.
But her tensed voice went in vain.
She glides with the gust of wind
With heavy steps she walked towards the field.
That rustles all the leaves above. She’s the creator and the creation, She breathes life into one. She is the well kept secret, The one that keeps people together.
Having no clue what future is going to yield. Those wheat fields were no more green, To find Baba and touch his feet she was keen. The dusk was not in her favor,
She’s the envoy of love and peace, That the hills echo far and wide.
As Baba was no more going to call her;
She’s an eccentric mess of a being,
Gudiya, laali aur laakdi.
The sweet cacophony of the cicadas alike.
The words echoed in her mind,
She is the protector, caring of hers, Damp soil, with still so much warmth.
Too many feelings she had to bind.
She perseveres relentlessly,
In a span of few hours she grew up too much,
Brick by brick, grain by grain.
The world for her was nothing more than a hutch.
Her love is like the river glorious, The lifeline that sustains her people. She gives what’s hers; Oh! So selfless, Kith and kin, and even beyond. She strives to rise, up and above, And succeeds ever gracefully so. She is the wild one; roars of wisdom, The life of the forest, glory of the mountains. Her crescendo reaching far and wide, her grace Inspiring multitudes!
Karvan | August 2016
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A DIFFICULT QUESTION – Lakshmi Hariharan, MA Education, 2014-16 A story from Shrishti Arts & Communication Center, from their campaign on Meena – Girl child education in Karnataka
“
Miss, what can I do now? How can I continue my studies?”, asked Lakshmi, a class 9 student
from a Government school. My namesake from Nagarala Village, Mudhol, Bagalkot, had called me to ask this question. The call left me speechless. The voice was without any hope. It wasn’t even expecting an answer. What answer should I give her? Do I have an answer? Can I ask any other person to help me answer her question? Lakshmi’s question triggered off a number of questions in my mind, to which I had no clue where I could find answers.
This question came from Lakshmi, after a gap of 2 years. She had earlier called me to ask me a similar question, “what should I do now?” There was eagerness in her voice and she was looking for an answer, a solution to her problem. There was hope and she sought an urgent action. I too had an answer. Her family had decided to send her to “gandana mane”, husband’s house, in the summer holidays when she was in the middle of preparing to get her first stamp of being educated, i.e. class 10 board exams. She did not want to go. She wanted to continue her education, and wanted to know from me what she should do. Lakshmi was a student studying in class 9, from a village in Bagalkot district of Karnataka, a far away remote village, when I met her along with 11 other girls. These children, studying in a Government school were in the range of classes 3 to 10. They had one thing in common, which was that they had been married off at childhood but were still coming to school. They were well aware of the sword held by a thread that was hanging over their neck, ready to drop anytime and cut their freedom and make them wear the cloak of responsibilities of housewife. Lakshmi was one child who I had met during one of the girl child education campaigns that were being conducted, in Bagalkot. I vividly remember her eyes sparkling as she talked about her aspirations of completing her education and becoming a teacher. There was a lot of determination in her voice as she shared her master plan with me. Instantly my heart too prayed and wished that all her dreams would come true. Lakshmi was married when she was in class 5 and it was decided by her family and her husband’s family that she would complete her education, which was 10+2. She said her husband was very supportive of her getting educated. The reason why she called now was to find a way for her to complete her 10 th exam, which was 9 months away. Both of us were in the frame of mind to find solutions. I
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offered to talk to her family. She asked me to talk to her in laws, her husband and a close relative, her uncle. The problem was resolved. She was given the permission to continue schooling and complete her 10th grade. She was happy and so was I. She valued this opportunity to continue her schooling. In the month of May, the following year, Lakshmi called me again to share both a happy news and sad news and confronted me with the same question, “what should I do?” She cleared her 10 th exam with 1 st class marks, but her family had decided that she would have to go her husband’s house as her mother-in-law was not keeping well. There was moral and social commitment to go to her “gandana mane”, and she did. My response to the question was that she could still pursue her dream with her husband’s help, as he had encouraged her to do so. There was still a possibility to do +2 privately or from a nearby high school near her husband’s house. Lakshmi found the courage to keep her hope alive – of becoming a teacher. “What should I do?” the question which Lakshmi now asked me after a gap of two years left me speechless. She explained that the situation at home demanded all of her time. Her mother-in –law was not well and the burden of entire household fell on her. All Lakshmi could see was only a long dark tunnel in front of her, and her dream to be a teacher, lost in the darkness of the tunnel. She sounded helpless and I felt helpless too. This dilemma can be called a common feature of every educated, career woman’s life. Their pain and struggle may be similar to what Lakshmi was going through. However, the difference is that the modern woman is empowered, with the education, access to psychological help to handle the mental trauma, and physical support of family, women’s’ support organizations, social media etc. to seek other alternatives for pursuing her career. But Lakshmi is all alone. No one can understand her trauma, her dreams. Soon even she may not understand her own dreams. This was evident in the voice I heard on the phone, which had lost all its exuberance. What could I tell her? Am I to advise her to take a rights based approach and seek her right to education, and divorce herself from all family ties at a vulnerable age or should she give in to the demands of family and community and sacrifice her educational dreams? Is it the responsibility of this young girl to fight for her right to education or is this responsibility of all of us and the State?
ANGER: THE EMOTION OF NEO LIBERALISM – Vanisha Narendrakumar Tiwary, MA Development, 2014-16
A
ll metro places give you a life of comfort, a
scenario also, we can see the struggle and anger that
life where everything is at your doorstep from
lies behind each of the smiling faces of your domestic
your laundry to groceries, from your coke
help, your delivery boy, your cab driver, the lady who
to chai, and what not. Neo-liberalism has
works 12 hours to stitch garment for some global brand
very cleverly tapped every need and desire of middle
which she is not aware of and who then goes back home
class people. Be it going to office in a nice AC car, and
after travelling for 2 hours or more and then fulfills her
not having to struggle with the scorching heat, overly
family’s needs and demands as well.
crowded buses and metros or having “maa ki thali” at your doorstep when you are missing nice North Indian home-made food when you live alone in Bangalore or Chennai, we have got it all.
This neoliberal monster looks so generous as if it is someone who is increasing productivity, giving jobs to the unemployed, illiterate, emancipating women from the gender norms which confine them within the four walls
I must say that somewhere these needs are created by
of their houses. However, we turn a blind eye towards
neo-liberal institutions through social media, hoardings
the cruel face behind this generous looking monster,
displaying houses where there is good connectivity to all
who snatches land from the tribal or marginal farmers
amenities and displaying a child asking his mom, “Which
and forces them to become laborers, who Forces
mall are we going next?” or Sonam Kapoor standing in
women to move out of the house, but at the same time
the lavatory with a tagline “curves are important”. The
doesn’t change the gender roles but instead creates new
list is endless.
institutions where these existing gender norms will fit
These needs are not only generated in urban settings but in rural ones as well. In many villages there is an intense competition to grow more and more cash crops because they are needed for global consumption. Hence, every farmer has started installing motor pumps to increase production. For this they start taking money from the money lenders to buy these technologies, which later generally end with them being under the burden of heavy debt which takes them a very long time to pay off. All these processes of competing with the fellow villagers
in. Such as the IT industry (women are working at the bottom level in a closed cubicle where physical work is not required and failing to make it to the top hierarchy), garment Workers, domestic help, receptionist, babysitter, cheer girls etc, as the one who breaks the community bonding into small nuclear families, who takes away the beautiful wilderness from nature to create scientific agriculture, for construction purposes for the growing needs of an ever-growing population and their desires. The list goes on.
in a race of generating more and more income leads to
This is how the giant Neo-liberal monsters with the help
anger, frustration and tension among the family members
of governmental and international agencies sneak into
and sometimes this comes at the cost of sullying the
the common man’s life and tells the state “let me do
relationships. Interestingly, those who don’t have land
my job of making money and you just be there like a
generally migrate to the city and become part of the
watchman who should just keep a watch on my actions
manufacturing and service industries which contributes
but not dare to interrupt me. Let these people run behind
to country’s GDP and global productivity and provides
money and end their days with a hope for some light the
various kinds of services to these emerging middle
next day”. Thus, all these emotions of frustration, failure,
class at the cost of the exploitation of their labor. In this
agony, leave a very important emotion of ANGER.
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IT’S TIME – Akshit Patnaik, MA Development, 2015-17
T
his short piece aims to reach out to all
They say women need to be treated like delicate flowers,
the women in this world who have had
yet men and society are the first to go, run and pluck
their voices suppressed, who have faced
them.
discrimination or exploitation of any kind.
It’s to tell them that there are people in this world
Crumple them up and throw them away.
who are there to help them. They just need to break
Society worships its cows and protects them with new
their silence, which is the only way for them to help
laws, and here the existing laws seem to fall short to
themselves. It also touches upon the state of affairs in
protect our women.
society today, i.e., how we are treating the women in our society. This is a tribute to the women in my life, who have faced such discrimination and exploitation and fought against it all. It is a mark of respect for all the things they had to go through, to how they have fought by raising their voices. The piece aims to inspire women to act against the wrongs they have faced, to find their voice and to break their silence. A tribute and appeal to God’s own creation, one he couldn’t himself understand, God created them to maintain the balance of this world. God created them as equals. Men and women were always meant to be at par with
The same women we used to run to when we were in tears, the same women we run to even today. Why this silence? Why this ignorance? A lack of representation seems to cripple all efforts to help women. When women raise their voices, the so called pillars of society subdue these voices. We come as agents of change; we come as agents of hope. Trying to fight against these pillars, Trying to help women find their voices,
each other.
Fight against the discrimination and the inequality.
Sadly, being a woman in today’s world is different from
Be it on the road or in the room,
what he must’ve intended. Starting from my childhood I have been taught how women are the pivot of a family and consequently of the society. I have been taught to treat them with respect. But the society we live in today doesn’t seem to be on the same page as I am or my peers are.
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We are there to listen. It’s about time we understand how we would be incomplete without women. It’s about time we give them the respect they deserve. It’s time women raised their voices. “It’s time to break the silence”.
MONOLOGUE: ‘TOUCH?’ – Pritha Bannerjee, MA Development, 2015-17 Mathura: Here, hold my hand? C’mon, why won't you? Well, it is just my hand; please do not shy away from it. Here, touch it! You really wouldn’t, would you? Ahhhhh… I see. I guess I might end up compromising your purity? Your power? Your soul? Stage Directions: Mathura now quietly steps into the spotlight, looks around and continues with her monologue. Mathura: I have no rights, and that is your right to decide? But you see, love needs no right, it just engulfs you, knowing no boundaries of purity or pollution. Yet, you claim to have the upper hand even over love and thus, you took it upon yourself to reach out to the custodians The following is the author’s attempt to creatively
of law. Oh, you poor thing, little did you know that they
respond to the infamous Mathura Rape Case incident.
would be the ones to voice out my rights, they would be
There was an incident of custodial rape in India on 26
the ones to display my forever invisible face, they would
March 1972, wherein Mathura, a minor and orphan
be the ones to break the notions of my impure touch….
Dalit girl was allegedly raped by two policemen on the
Heh (shrugging). They would be the ones …
compound of Desai Ganj Police Station in Chandrapur Azim Premji Universityr district of Maharashtra. Mathura and her relatives threatened to burn down the Police Chowky if they were not allowed to file a police complaint.
Stage Directions Stage turns red, creating a tense backdrop
The judgment of the case in the Sessions Court found
What are they saying? Why is he making me stay back?
the defendants not guilty by stating that, Mathura was
Didn’t we finish giving our statements? What more do
“habituated to sexual intercourse” and thus her consent
they want now? Wait… Where did Meshram, Ashok
was voluntary. The Supreme Court in their judgment on
and Nushi go? I don’t like that hand on my shoulder, it
Tukaram vs. State of Maharashtra acquitted the accused
does not feel right…. Lights??? Why did the lights go
policemen on the grounds that Mathura had raised no
off??? Ahhhhhhh…. “Please, Please I m begging you
alarm, there were no visible marks of injury and that she
stop, STOP! Nooo Please don’t...Pleeeeeeease Stop!” I
might have incited the cops since she was used to sex.
shrieked till that authoritative rod was thrust right in my
As theatre is a place that allows her to experience and represent different people, situations and emotions, through this piece the author wishes to completely immerse herself into Mathura’s shoes and explore a first hand experience of being her.
screaming mouth and he said with his gritted teeth, “We will throw your slutty cunt behind bars along with your lover and his aunt without any bail if you so much as whimper!” I couldn’t … I couldn’t let that happen. Down came my underwear, standing in a latrine behind the station, a flashlight staring into the folds of my
Stage Directions
‘untouchability’ … you plundered and plundered into it,
Curtain opens. The stage is dark. Suddenly, spotlight
consumed by your desire and thirst, or no… it was the
falls on the centre of the stage. Mathura walks in. As she does, her footsteps can be heard. She stops short of
establishment of your power, your authority, your khaki!
the spotlight and puts only her hands in the lit up area,
Stage Directions
thereby creating a huge shadow of her hands on stage.
Mathura walks towards the audience, the spotlight follows her and she continues with the climax of her monologue.
Karvan | August 2016
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Mathura: So here, now you will hold my hand? Wouldn’t
Stage Directions
you? Well, it is just my hand; please do not shy away
Mathura looks around, strips and exits parading through
from it anymore. Here, touch it! Feel it! Own it! You really
the audience.
wouldn’t, would you? Ahhhhh… I see. I guess I might still end up compromising your purity? Your power? Your soul? Well, don’t you worry, I was habituated to sex and I did not scream!
–
dkSu gS\
प्रीति खुराना, MA Education, 2014-16 कौन है ? वह कौन है ?
कौन है जो मेरी रूह को एक नई आवाज़ दे रहा है ? कौन है जो मेरे विचारों को गहराई दे रहा है ? क्या मैं वही हूँ जो पहले थी ?
या कोई मेरी इच्छाओं को नए पंख दे रहा है ? एक वो थी, जो बस उड़ने के ख़्वाबों को बुनती थी,
पर पता नही कब उन ख़्वाबों का रं गीन तना बन गया, और लगा के जैसे दनि ु या बदल सी गई !
आस्मां जैसे बाहें फैलाए उसका ही इंतज़ार करने लगा, ख्वाबों के दरवाज़े की जैसे चाबी सी मिल गयी! हर दिन जैसे एक नया गीत गाने लगा, ख़ुशी की सीमाएँ जैसे लुप्त हो गयी | शायद ख़ुशी भी उसके संग हो गयी...
ऐसे लगा के जैसे ये वक्त रुक सा गया, पर फिर भी जैसे चलता रहा | उसकी दनि ु या में टिक टिक की आवाज़ का संगीत भरता रहा...
A POEM ON CASTE – Jayaram Polaki, MA Development, 2015-17 Note: The translation from Telugu to English has been provided in the end. However, feelings and thoughts are sometimes better expressed in one’s own mother tongue. The same may often get lost in translation.
ఓ ఆధునిక మానవుడా ! అజ్ఞానాంధకారన్ని వదిలి చుడూ........... కులం నేను కులం నేను
కులం పేరుతో కలత రేపగలను నేను కులం జాఢ్యం కులం పిచ్చి
కులం లొనే మనిషి చావు, బ్రతుకు. కలతులెందుకు కులం కొరకు
కులం ఇవ్వదు మనిషికి కుడూ, గుడూ
కుడూ పెట్టని కులం కొరకు, సాటి మనిషికి వీడినావు
సాటి మనిషిని చూడకుండా ఇంటి నుండి తరిమినావు. జగతి లోనె ఏది లేదు
కులం కన్నా హీనమ�ైనది
నిజం మరచిన పిచ్చి జనులు కులం తోనె బ్రతుకుతుండ్రు నిన్న కాలం రేపు కాలం
కులంకెప్పుడు అంత్యకాలం మనిషిక�ైతే నూరు ఏళ్ళు
మరి కులంక�ైతే ఇంకెన్ని ఏళ్ళు....? కులం లేదు కులం లేదు ప్రేమపెళ్ళికి కులం లేదు
పంచభూతాలికి కులం లేదు
ఈ సంత్యంబు ఎరుగని పిచ్చి జనులు కులం గజ్జి తొ ఎగురుతుండ్రు.
కులం వద్ధు కులం వద్ధు, కులంతొ ఆ బ్రతుకు వద్దు.
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Translation of this poem
Swaraj scattered with dreary local gears. The oceanic circle arose at force,
Oh, modern man!
Circumflexing the future of denizen.
Leave your blind knowledge behind to see caste for
Self-aggrandizement monopolized,
what it is...
Alienating intra-generational equity.
I am caste In the name of caste, I create conflicts I am a disease, a madness of the people
Immersed a bursting machinery age. Submerging village economy.
Because of me, humanity is both living and dying Why do we have caste conflicts? Does caste give us food and shelter? If not, why did you leave your fellow men and women? Why did you push them out of your home?
Burgher at rise. Commercializing without morality. Marched with the world’s capitalism. Aliened soils, left parched and unattended.
There is nothing in the world more insignificant than caste You are ignoring this hard truth You are still living in the madness induced by caste Over the course of time, nothing is permanent
The Interior locals tied in captivity, Of loafing unemployment; To unprecedented chimney harrows. Was this Gandhian tomorrow?
If so, when will this caste madness ends? There is no caste for water, fire, land, air, blood, nature,
Richness materialized copper for few,
love
Paupers sorrow grew to cold stoves.
Why don’t people realize this fact? Why do people still live for caste, care for caste? That is why, I don’t want a life with caste.
Penny-Penny saved by village communities. Withstood drought of sustainability in their vicinity. Was this what Chacha Nehru wanted? Was this the retina of Nehru’s envisioned India? Maybe, maybe not. Industries with its toddling steps Voiced for proficiency and efficacy.
KNOW- L(ED) – EDGE – Zahra A Kayyum, MA Education, 2014-16
It was then, a voice for the unrecognized Spoke for the oppressed. Ambedkar was he, extending Nehruvian sight Envisioning Higher education for the poorest.
An era of Swaraj, defunct today.
Education did reach many,
Manual work no longer valiant.
But yet unemployed youth
No longer worshipped in its principality.
Chuted into chimneys,
It was a period of cooperative community.
Of vacuumed local crafts and arts.
Synergistic elements of indigenous culture. Cottage industries, greased locks. Quietude past envisioned blooming Swadesh.
Rusted and layered dust.
Where, integrated knowledge was worshiped.
Was this industrial revolution?
Manor, labor was flavored with sweat,
Or a pathway for polished educated
Of experiment, discovery, support and synchronicity.
To cross the Indian periphery.
Local craft thrived in its citizenry boundaries. For practical education in a large country.
Sustainability did sustain, yet unattained Men wore suits and gowns,
But this residential pond slowly flowed,
Propelling with degrees in Law,
From Nai Talim Sangh,
Medicine, Architecture and Engineering.
To the river of Industries. Colonization and migration overflowed.
Man’s ability to work with hands, heart and head,
Nuclear families swirled currents,
Diminished while learning to work with pen.
Of marketization and alienated workmanship.
In this era men have forgotten to hold a pen. It’s the electronic age of today.
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Pen was once a sword,
Hindering progress, a diverse wonderland.
But it has cut through the umbilical cord
Home schooling to Basic education,
Of Swadeshi and Swaraj.
Alternative education to alternated education.
Pen is pointless! Aimless! - Where,
Education is forever altering, molding, reshaping,
Unpracticed handwritings understands typing.
In the current, currents of globalization.
Keyboards knuckles and click at a command. It’s all about the demand.
Today, Globe need to sustain, with a vision of
Crafts are now highly priced at exhibitions...
Sustaining, not just Indian soil but the soil of world.
Exhibiting the bygone era.
May be Gandhi’s vision coughed to turbulence,
Motherland is sinking in- hinterland.
But His essence and presence always remains.
BABU BHAI – Ribhu Ranjan, MA Development, 2015-17
T
The
73
rd
he objective of establishing models of Local Governance and Panchayati Raj institutions was to enhance participation of citizens at the local level of governance. and
74 th
constitutional
amendments
represent the local self government in rural and urban
areas
respectively.
Both
amendments
are aimed at decentralizing the political powers and awarding local bodies such as Panchayats, Municipal
Corporations
with
limited
executive
powers. These bodies do not possess legislative and judicial powers. Legislative powers are vested in the hands of politicians, and executive powers with the bureaucrats. Hence, the true nature of democracy and participatory involvement can’t be traced. There have been instances when politicians and bureaucrats with the involvement of authorities, industries, etc have coerced people for personal benefits. Those benefits have indirectly stemmed exploitation and have marginalized them further. The Poem ‘Babu Bhai’ represents such a scenario. Here, fed up of not being considered, people are trying to organise themselves so that their voice can be heard. They are raising their voices against the corrupt rule which is exploiting them. They are demanding for the freedom to access their fundamental rights. They are fighting against illegitimate authority as it promotes coercion. They are fighting against the wrong-doings of bureaucrats and politicians. The word ‘faceless’ in this poem is used as a metaphor to represent an authority which is illegitimate. People are demanding for the powers not to be vested in wrong-hands. For example, a corrupt bureaucrat.
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We’re on a mission for representation We’re on a mission for legitimacy On a mission for upholding democracy On a mission for our rights Come forward my people, Come forward united We have to face the Faceless! Babu Bhai, you took an oath, by which you swore to uphold To work for people, to give our humanity a fighting chance But what have you done? We will remember, we will not forget! Babu Bhai, speak up if you got it Accept the sins you committed Or run if you have to But watch out for yourself We will remember, we will not forget! ‘Babu Bhai’ is true to only the love of power Takes our gold, sells us whiskey Destroying and enslaving both our young & old We will remember, we will not forget! ‘Our’ humanity is at stake Let us give each other some hope Let us not betray each other for once Come forward my people, Come forward united We have to face the Faceless! Oh! My people! The time has come To destroy, to annihilate, to bring an end To the ills, to the wrath We’ll see the dawn, only if The power of ‘Babu Bhai’ doesn’t fall in wrong hands! Come forward my people, Come forward united We have to face the Faceless!
THE TALE OF AN EPIPHANIC BUS RIDE! – Theertha Menon, MA Development, 2014-16
T
he journey from my dingy hostel room to
journey, and I thought it would be nice to have company.
serene Aizawl started a bit later than I wanted
Then again pouring water over my secret desirous fire, it
it to as I had a couple of unavoidable errands
was the elderly man who ended up traveling in the end.
to finish before catching the bus. The longing
I immediately reassured my folks and friends that I had
for eating ‘biryani’ was making my stomach sing burp
boarded the bus and was safe. To my relief, I came to
operas. I had been urging myself for a long while to be
know that the main bus terminal that my present vehicle
patient till the time to relish this treat finally came. My
was only to be used for 40 minutes, and not the entire
gluttonous stomach could not wait any longer. Around
journey. After twenty minutes of waiting at the terminal,
twelve noon, when I reached the restaurant and ordered
we were ready to board. Excitement filled me as I was
a ‘Veg Biryani’, the look on his face was as if I had asked
prepared to engage in the experiences that came with
for a UFO spaceship! It was not any different from the
this unknown land. I found myself next to a migrant
looks I have been getting to see in the past couple of
Bihari who worked for some electronic company. He told
weeks for asking for vegetarian dishes in Guwahati. The
me that he had no idea about this place we were headed
much awaited steamy biryani arrived and as I indulged
to, and not much about Guwahati either as it hadn’t been
in it, my phone rang. It was one of my closest friends
long since he shifted his base here in search of a job,
wishing me luck for the 20+ hours bus journey that was to
like several others who travelled to far off lands in search
follow. Much to my dismay, the biryani was nowhere near
of destined opportunities.
my expectations. However, thanks to the conference call, I did not pay much attention to the food and just gobbled it up like a ritual.
Why has migration of labour escalated into a global phenomenon? My friends from the North East had mentioned during a casual conversation that they found
Although the conversation traversed through varied
it difficult to take a positive approach on this migration
topics such as deciding which saree to wear for a
pattern as some fear that the opportunities of indigenous
wedding reception, to helping my friend finding a
people may get affected. With many illegal migrants from
passion in life, the back of my mind was still fixed on
Bangladesh and business men from Marwari community
the journey I was about to embark on. I could not wait
crossing the border, this phenomenon has become their
to travel around the north east, as this held the topmost
main concern. These profound thoughts (and monsoon
position on my bucket list. As usual I arrived earlier than
winds!) left me saturated, and I comfortably slipped into
the prescribed time and waited in the depot for the bus
a deep sleep that I woke up from only 50 kms before
to arrive. Unable to make out whether it was the biryani
Shillong.
or the afternoon heat, I was feeling very sleepy. Sleep was looming heavily on my eyelids, just as a random person called out, ‘Aizawl ka bus’. I woke up from my semi-sleep and to my shock saw a tempo traveler. The thought of traveling in this small vehicle for 20 hours was making my head spin. The lack of a better option and the burning desire to travel pushed me to turn a blind eye to the inconvenience and walk towards the traveler in steady steps. As I moved closer, I noticed two girls about my age, looking at me with curious eyes. I also noticed that there was a lady, an elderly man and a handsome boy, who I figured to be a family member, though that did not stop me from secretly wishing that the boy would be traveling to Aizawl; obviously because it was a long
The landscape of Meghalaya reminded me of the hill ranges of my native state Kerala. I felt a sense of familiarity. I was transfixed by the captivating beauty of Shillong and its hills. Mother Nature has truly endowed them with the best! I made a mental note to come back to this beautiful hill station to soak up as much of its beauty as possible. My usual sense of pride in owning an extraordinary camera phone failed me as the pictures I took on them could do no justice to what my eyes witnessed. A quarter of the journey was done within no time. I had stocked my bag with biscuits and eatables so that I would not have to get out of the bus for dinner or lunch, dutifully obeying orders of my mother! Primarily
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also because being a vegetarian has raised more
in the early stages. I couldn’t help but think about how
eyebrows than a girl traveling alone in north east. As the
we pass by all sorts of people who do exceptional work
night grew darker, the rains lashed out on us, soaking my
which has a huge impact on the world, and we know
seat and my entire right arm as water droplets dripped
nothing about their stories. As he shared his stories and
down. Conversations with my co-passenger continued
experiences, I realized how much we learn from just
along the rhythm of rain.
listening to someone. If only we listened more!
I would like to talk about general perceptions people
The topography of Mizoram is mainly hills and deep
have about men of Bihar and UP. To be very frank, I
valleys. To see how locals have conquered their
didn’t know any better until I started interacting with
adversities and built their lives is awe-inspiring. The
my classmates who were from that part of the country.
houses stand on bamboo poles perpendicular to the hills
They have become my closest friends in the journey
and sometimes have two-three stories. I have grown up
and have aided to end the prejudice and my tendency
in concrete jungles, and I detest the sight of buildings of
to stereotype. I understand now that humans in general,
cement and metal. This sight was a breath of fresh air.
come in many shades of grey and need not be classified to groups based on moralistic outlooks or the region they belong to.
I had already traveled for 21 hours straight, and still had two hours left. The difficulties of traveling long distances in buses, especially for women include going to toilet,
I was still wide awake owing to the lengthy and
due to which my water consumption levels had dipped to
rejuvenating afternoon nap. As my eyes kept staring out
two gulps. The weariness of the travel was getting to me,
into the dark nothingness, I started wondering how these
but I was still quite excited. To believe that this place too
drivers see where they are going! The muddy roads and
belongs to India was difficult to digest as it is so far away
hilly terrain had absolutely no street lights. Their jobs are
from the mainland. The idea of belonging to a nation just
difficult and dangerous. I braced myself for the worst,
seemed to be a faraway reality, as the Mizo land is an
fearing that they did not really have any idea, and were
entity on its own, secluded and isolated in the middle of
just driving along anyway. Out of nowhere my phone
nowhere. But then I realized that is the case for all, the
rang, interrupting me from my stream of thoughts. It was
fights for different states, countries and boundaries are
around midnight, and my mom was calling to check on
all defined by the underlying need for recognition. It is
me, to see if I was fine. I explained to her that I had
a bizarre idea, this India, the diversity, the languages,
nowhere else to be except the bus.
the cultures, the facial features. Yet it’s the sense of
This conversation happened in my native mother tongue, Malayalam. The uncle who sat right in front of me, turned around and asked, “Malayali aanale?” (You are a Malayali!) It was more of a proclamation than a question.
belonging together to one nation that binds us together, regardless of the colour of our skin, the language we speak. It is the identity of ‘Being Indian’ that unites us amongst all these diversities.
I have often been told by my non-Malayali friends, in jest,
With half an hour left, just when I thought that my tedious
that we are an infestation, found just about everywhere.
journey was about to end, the bus suddenly stopped.
This just proved their hypothesis, I guess. What are
The driver’s side-kick said that the road is blocked for
the odds that I found a fellow Malayali in a bus that
two hours. Again, I found myself face-to-face with yet
was leaving to Aizawl from Guwahati? For a state that
another adventure. Doctor Uncle and I went searching
looks like a banana and acts like banana republic, the
for people to share a cab with us to go Aizawl city through
ubiquitousness of its people is just unbelievable.
a different route.
The duration of the journey now seemed more bearable
And so, I got a glimpse into an entire different life through
as I had another new friend to share my journey with. In
that journey. I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
the wee hours of the following day, we reached Mizoram
While parting, Doctor Uncle expressed his concerns, and
to find that my co passenger had vanished. I was a little
also shared that he was mighty impressed that for a girl
disappointed that he left without so much as a goodbye.
from Kerala was traveling through these rough terrains
In life we have no power to control who comes or leaves.
of North East alone. He called me courageous.
My new Malayali friend was a doctor and he was a
I was left wondering whether he would say the same to
“Neuro-Neonatologist”, who was doing exceptional work
a boy of my age! But that’s a conversation for a different
among newborns to prevent or curb genetic diseases
day.
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NATIONALISM: A HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INTERPRETATION IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF MODERNITY AND SYMBOLISM – Shadab Alam, MA Education, 2014-16 In this piece, the author explains how the idea of nationalism has emerged through cultural interaction, language and symbolism in modern state apparatus.
Introduction After the reformation period in Europe, the Bible got
of question for the people. Thus, in latter period, this rule
translated from Hebrew to Latin and then much later to
got converted to democracy and especially sovereignty.
English (By John Wycliffe, during 14
th
century). Major
changes have taken place since then in the European societies. What caused this, is a fair question.
Thus, a large number of people came on the common platform of the society to re-think about themselves. As a result, the platform was the common language (English
Before Renaissance, European Societies were dominated
and other languages), historical and cultural background
by the Church and the Pope, and it was because of two
(they were all exploited by church and feudal system)
reasons. First, notion of sacred language of the Bible,
and it was their psychological makeup which manifested
which was Hebrew. It was only supposed to be read and
their belongingness to all these indicators. As a result,
explained by the Pope and church authorities. It (Hebrew)
they felt, psychologically connected with each other,
was not a medium of interaction with each other. Thus,
although in reality they were not gathered at one place
there was monopoly of church and the Pope on the
to connect to each other physically. In the course of
Bible and its language. As a result, they misinterpreted
time, they developed the feeling of belonging towards
the text and scared the people in the name of religion.
each other, in a given territory (although not necessary
Second, it was the collaboration of ruling dynasties from
always, because before 1948, Jews were not residing in
the church. They were interconnected to each other as
a given territory to form a state but they were feeling and
per the need of the hour to rule the society.
thinking like a Jewish nation). Further, the mentioned
But, after the translation of the Bible, from Hebrew to Latin and then English; the truth (knowledge) conveyed to the Europeans was in a very systematic manner. Meanwhile, the printing press had been invented. It provided momentum for the ‘democratization of knowledge’ to the whole world. Now, not only was religious knowledge spreading across the globe but also literature, science and various technological ideas knowledge were circulating among the global societies. Now, instead of being religious, people became rational and scientific to look beyond their socio-economic issues. In this discourse of time, the hegemony of the church had declined and the rule of dynasties became a subject
discussion happened about the 17 th and 18 th century (except example of Jews). Here, I want to point out that the feeling and thinking about the spirit of nation and nationalism is very modern, which came to India during Indian National Movement. Modern National State and Nationalism The idea of nationalism a purely cultural product based on the prerequisites mentioned above. This is entirely based on the symbols, language, media and technology. All these characteristics belong to ‘modern national state’. Before, the concept of modern state, the notion of nationalism was not there. For instance, the presence of
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various princely states in India, indicates that there were
What is the rationale? Because we feel we are victims
lot of countries, including India.
of these disasters, which belongs to nationals. Later, it
But, in the modern times, the idea of nationalism
produces the feeling of nationalism.
gained momentum in order to deal with socio-economic
In addition, symbols like ‘param veer chakra’ and ‘veer
problems in particular societies. For instance, the spirit
chakra’, are awards, related to the army. Army people
of nationalism during the Indian national movement for
get these awards when they do a great job during war,
independence. Here, needless to say that Indians were
external or internal threat. Further, in my childhood
being exploited by the British.
I remember seeing a person from my village who get
But the question is why exactly did the idea of nationalism emerged in the late 18 th century? And why not before or after it? We can find its answer in the modern state apparatus, which is a precondition for nationalism. In other words, it requires virtual interaction through symbols or language, and can be done with daily newspapers, T.V. news channels, books (novel and literature etc.). It requires ‘political technology’, symbols like ‘param veer chakra and ‘veer chakra’ for
‘param veer chakra’, posthumously. When I asked my grandfather why his family received the award, I got the answer that “Isne border par ladte hue pure desh ke logon ki rkasha ki hai islye sarkaar ye samman de rahi hai” (he fought at the border to protect our nation, so the government is honoring him). Now, we can observe how these awards connect with the nation, which is also a modern phenomenon. Before the emergence of the modern state, this was not the case.
army people, tombs of unknown soldiers, national flag,
In case of the national flag, the national anthem and the
national anthem, national songs and national emblem,
national song, we understand the ‘importance’ of these
army’s uniform etc. Here, I want to make a point that
symbols through the current debate on nationalism in
all these things are characteristics of the modern nation
India, specially focusing on the issue of JNU. Now, the
states and not characteristics of ancient and medieval
discourse is that whoever sings the national anthem and
states.
the national song, will be considered as a nationalist. Those who hoist the national flag, will be nationalist and
Explanation and justification of above mentioned
they respect Indian institutions like army, judiciary and
characteristics of nationalism
constitution. The remaining population is considered
To begin let’s understand it through the example of
'anti-national' (according to a certificate distributer),
newspapers. Hegel observed that newspapers serve
or if you question about the validity of these symbols
modern man as a substitute for morning prayers, which
and institutions then you will be categorized as 'anti-
is paradoxical. It is performed in silent privacy, in the
nationalist'. Now, we can see how the idea of nationalism
lair of the skull. it means, at a certain time, on certain
is converting into different views and directions, which is
dates in the calendar, thousands of people shaped their
extremely new, modern and also very disappointing.
1
ideas about nation or related to the idea of national. Hegel describes it as a mass phenomenon. In the same manner electronic media is also doing the same thing either through news, movie (like Border) and daily tuck shops
References: 1- ‘Printed materials encouraged silent adherence to causes whose advocates could not be located in any one parish and who addressed an invisible public from afar. ‘Elizabeth L. Eisenstein, ‘Some Conjectures about the Impact of Printing on Western
Further, whenever any incident happens in a country,
Society and Thought,’ Journal of Modern History, 40: 1
let’s say large scale earthquake or bloodshed of army
(March 1968), p. 42.
people in danger zones, when we come to know about these incidents through print or electronic media, first we feel sad, later we gather for a condolence meeting.
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POTTY CULTURE: LOOKING INTO THE CULTURAL ASPECTS OF TOILET USE IN INDIA – Akshit Patnaik, MA Development, 2015-17
“I am known to be a Hindutva leader. My image does not permit me to say so, but I dare to say. My real thought- Pehle Shauchalaya, Phir Devalaya (Toilet first, Temple later)”.
– Narendra Modi
T
his quote was taken from a speech which our
is trying its best to achieve the target but in all this they
Prime Minister gave in October 2013 before
forget about the larger issue which is in-front of them-
he became Prime Minister. This brings in
the issue of ritual purity attached to the act of excretion,
front of us the problem or the connection the
the problems which arise out of the lack of understanding
Hindu religion makes with toilets. How it is considered
about the need of these toilets etc. What happens now is
an impure thing, how even talking about a toilet with a
that, even if people got toilets built, they would still prefer
temple is something that would threaten the image of a
to go in the open. (This is not always the case. South
Hindutva icon like Mr. Modi. This piece aims to look into
India has a different aspect which will be talked about
this connection of toilets with Indian culture, the ways in
it in the next few sections) There are stark differences
which the idea of using toilets is seen, and the reason
in the reasons for open defection in the rural and urban
why these ideas came about.
context which need to be looked at separately as they
“Ending open defecation would bring immense benefits.
are related to reasons other than religion or caste.
Some 130m households lack toilets. More than 72% of
The people first have to be informed about the reason why
rural people relieve themselves behind bushes, in fields
they need to use the toilet rather than going in the open.
or by roadsides. The share is barely shrinking. Of the
According to them, going in the open is a sign of a healthy
1 billion people in the world who have no toilet, India
rural lifestyle. For them having a toilet in the premises
accounts for nearly 600m.” This part taken from the
of their home is polluting their space, their house. They
economist highlights how important the sanitation issue
do not understand the implications of open defecation,
is on a global level.
the outcomes of it, the contaminated soil, contaminated
The solution to this problem with respect to India is not to just build more toilets, but to convince people to use them. This has a connection to cultural aspects, which vary among the various religions practiced in India, and also regionally we see a variation in this culture of not using toilets. Talking about toilets, if we see the current situation after our Prime Minister launched the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, which aims at bringing about a hygiene and sanitation revolution in India, the number of toilets have increased. Most schools in most states now
water table, the risk that the people, particularly children, face from exposure to parasites, the various diseases which happen because of this and the severity of the risk. These things need to be communicated first, before just providing the people with toilets. The ideas of purity attached to toilets need to be changed, like what Mr. Modi tried to do by putting temples after toilets. People also need to understand that it is not impure to have a toilet in their houses. In fact it’s a sign of sanitation and cleanliness which actually is purity.
have separate toilets for girls and boys. This is just the
This sort of an idea is something that is prevalent in
beginning of things, most people would think. In the last
mostly North Indian villages, majorly among the Hindu
two years at least 3-4 lakh toilets have been constructed
population. It is interesting to see that the Muslim
in order to help achieve complete eradication of open
populations are open to the idea of having toilets in their
defecation by 2019. All these initiative are being taken
homes. They generally tend to use them as well, unlike
up in good spirit, to help its citizens, and the Government
other cases where people have toilets but still go in the
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open. This, I think, is because they do not associate the
for the rural population have septic tanks which need to
idea of sanitation with that of impurity. This form of an
be cleaned from time to time depending on the size of
abandonment of toilets is not seen in the Southern part of
the tanks. The argument provided by the people is that
India. This brings up several questions: Why is this so? What makes people in the north shun toilets? What is so different about the people here? These questions can be answered only if we go and look into the histories of both the regions, the connections they make with the idea of filth, dirt, and how they relate those ideas to the act of defecation. This will show a stark difference in how people in the North and how the people from the South think about the need for toilets. Why is there a regional divide?
when this tank is full, who will clean them? Who would want to do the a disgusting and filthy act of handling faeces? This shows how caste is firmly associated with the work one does, and we can see the question arising in the minds of the people: How can an individual from a high caste do the work which is typically supposed to be done by the low caste people? To conclude, I would like to point out that the ideas attached to cleaning and sanitation in India vary from
The whole idea of not using toilets has a lot to do with
region to region, and from religion to religion and one
the fact that only the low castes are associated with
must look into this to understand the various reasons
handling filth and dirt, the dirty work of the society,
behind the problem of open defecation India faces
cleaning human faeces etc. The reason this was brought up was because now the toilets which are made at home
DIGNITY OF A DEVELOPER – Akanksha Behera, MA Development, 2015-17 “They are illegal to the courts, inconvenient for the authorities, necessary for parties and unions. Thus they are seen as categories – construction site workers, agricultural labourers, mining laborers, scavengers, street vendors, manufacturing industry workers, domestic child labourers, hawkers, beggars, divested of history and identity and hence of rights and needs.”– Aveek Sen (quoted with a bit of modification).
A
large percentage of India’s workforce is in the
of the informal sector as an independent entity. It’s
informal sector. Around 64% female and 72%
worth giving a thought to whether can the workers who
male were employed in the informal sector
constructed lavish towers afford to live in them? Can
in 2012, leaving the agriculture sector. The
even the farmer who produces food be assured of safety
figures for informal employment are likely to be even
from a drought or famine? Also, can a highly qualified
larger because enterprises identified as “employer’s
person work carefree and contribute to the economy if
households”, which account for employment like the
there is no domestic help to take care of their children
provision of domestic services, are excluded from the
and the house?
1
definition of the informal sector. 2
Few of the various problems of the informal sector are:
The informal sector is in reality, the developers of the
Workplace and the space issues, working environment/
Indian Economy; hence I would not hesitate to refer to
conditions,
them as the city makers. It is the invisible work of this
unequal distribution of money, low wage rate, gender
sector that makes the so called formal economy flourish
discrimination in wage, lack of security, indebtedness,
and make high margins of profits. The idea of looking
bondage labor, child labor, etc. The informal sector
at the informal sector with the lens of formality causes
labourers are mostly looked down upon because the kind
most of its problems, ignoring the nuances and beauty
of work done by them is considered menial. To elaborate
poor
skill
and
technology,
migration,
more on the kinds of issues they face, I strongly feel that 1 Statistical update on employment in the informal economy ILO - Department of Statistics June 2012 2 http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/columns/Chandrasekhar/indias-informaleconomy/article6375902.ece
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Azim Premji University
visuals like photographs will speak more for themselves. I have tried to create a kaleidoscopic image of the
various issues through these different photographs. The motive is to generate series of thoughts among the increasingly ignorant educated readers about the dignity of the laborers and respecting their profession.
Invisible work force- sustaining society and market economy!
Picture Courtesy: Sudhakar Olwe
We all create waste. But lack the basic ability to take care of it in humane manner. Do we have the moral right to look down on them as secondary human beings?
I did this throughout my life and it passes on. Where is the development of the developers?
Plight of the city makers…
Inviting slow and early death as a payoff for getting livelihood.
The sustenance of the formal sector is highly dependent on these informal laborers. Yet it is interesting to see how the concept of invisibility is used to alienate the informal sector and leaving it to sustain itself, including the exploitation part of it. The least we can do is to give respect to them and add value to their social status and dignity.
Can’t the one who makes our infrastructure even afford it for a single day in life?
Migrated with dreams of better life? Picture Courtesy: Boban Baby
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77
AIR CONDITIONED EMPATHY – Ankita Redkar, MA Development, 2015-17
Me and You
You say your Parents can’t send you to school?
Us and them,
I will put them away for the rest of their lives, away from
Men and women,
you.
Normal and abnormal,
Don’t sell your herbs, your oils, your indigenous
Rich and poor,
medical miracles,
Brahmin and dalit,
For there is only Allopathy,
Erudite and uncultured
I will call it Science.
I called it caste,
I built skyscrapers on your shoulders,
I called it class, I called it gender. I called it Sir, Madam I called it servant, maid. Walls between You and I that we built, But I called it Fate. So now, let me think for you. Pretend we empathize with them. Let’s solve their problems for them. For they are illiterate. They are wild. I will make decisions for you that will turn your life
Made millions from air-conditioned fortresses off your blood and sweat I was luxuriating in the villa, While you toiled away your dreams, ambitions for two meals a day, Cleaned my drains, my streets, faeces and dead carcasses. I am the Man, I am the Brahman, I am the Baron, I am the Knowledgeable Other. You are the ladder to my success. In your oppression, lies my freedom.
around,
But, You are Me and I am You.
Make you civilized, bring you in the mainstream.
Flesh, bones and emotions meshed together.
Make you normal enough to live amongst us.
We gave birth to them and they succumbed to us.
For I am your Messiah!
Or did they?
Worship me, pray to me.
All for my convenience, I made you into me.
I saved you from savagery.
This Me who will soon rise too, usurp our privilege and
I ripped away the insanity.
use it against us.
I stripped you off of the absurdity that was you.
Could We blame them?
Your identity, your culture, your beliefs,
I should’ve celebrated our uniqueness, our differences,
I saved you from you.
Our colors, our shapes, our cultures,
Don’t sell your body for that is beneath a Lady.
Our weirdness, our strangeness,
You needed to make ends meet, But how dare you?
For that is what makes us so beautifully Human.
I will advocate for you.
Or what else is left of us?
Don’t sell your labor, my child, for only education is the
Assembly line products.
answer.
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Azim Premji University
Tales From the Field Karvan | August 2016
79
EDUCATION AND HOPE – Kunal Kumar, MA Education, 2015-17
I
am sharing my personal experience of visiting
Male heads who were the breadwinner of these households
Marathwada region which shall leave an indelible
had committed suicides leaving behind female members
impact on my memories for years to come. Turned
to fend for all the survivors. I have observed that the
off ovens (chulhas) where no food cooked for
houses are left with the females, children and the old
several days, few utensils and one box with few tattered
people. Females, owing to their limited educational
clothes, dried and cracked agricultural lands with dead
background, limited exposures and social taboos were
standing crops and dried water wells and also tears
not coming out of the houses to interact with us except
rolling down the emaciated cheeks of old mothers and
the old ladies of the families. These women were also
widows whose sons and husbands committed suicide,
not much informed about the amount of the loan which
children with sunken eyes and protruding collar bones
their husbands had taken from the bank. However, one
due to malnutrition and hunger, gathered around our
of the ladies, aged 65 mentioned that her 27-years old
vehicles. They were the refugees in their own motherland.
son committed suicide because he was unable to repay
Widows were showing photocopies of torn aadhar cards
a loan amount of Rs.30, 000/-. These female members of
and election cards to us and women were standing with
the community have great aspiration for their children’s
folded hands behind the doors (chaukhat) while we were
education and they want their children to get the best
talking in an open veranda. One or two goats at home
education so that it will improve their financial condition.
were their only wealth. and one or two goats at home were their only wealth. The villagers greeted us with smiles and always arranged tea for us. After getting back to my car, I was unable to control my emotions. I was unable to have my dinner in the hotel as the hungry faces of children always kept appearing before me. However, at the end of the internship, I had seen happy faces of these children in WREC which I will be explaining in the succeeding paragraphs and finally I got some assurance about their care and concern.
Due to family crisis, the most vulnerable people are the children. The gloomiest part is that children have to leave their education so that they can earn to support their families. This is a cataclysmic change in the life of a child. Children are staying at home and carrying the emotional baggage of the death of their father or brother and financial crisis leading to depression, anxiety, aloofness and lack of confidence. Many a times family members, especially children, during conversations burst into tears which was very hard for me to face. Children
Marathwada is in Maharashtra which comprises of eight
and woman talked with us in a somber mood which was
districts including Beed, Latur, Osmanabad, Aurangabad,
clearly depicting their emotional turmoil.
Hingoli, Jalna, Nanded and Parbhani. Marathwada is a terribly drought-hit region and in recent years this has deteriorated the farmer’s economic condition drastically. I had an opportunity of visiting 30 households in Nanded district where farmers have committed suicide from the period of January, 2016 to December, 2016 due to drought and no production of crop leading to financial crisis. We covered 5 villages under Nanded district which are Kandhar, Nanded, Loha, Hadgaon and Mukhed. Farmers had taken loans from the banks or from the money lenders and were not able to pay back. I was part of a team where we were convincing families to send their children to WERC (Wagholi Educational Rehabilitation centre). WERC has been started under the umbrella of Shantilal Muttha Foundation (SMF) for providing free education and shelter to children for 8 years from class 5 to class 12. WERC is a project which is dedicated to help children who are from disaster prone areas.
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Azim Premji University
I stayed in WERC (Wagholi Educational Rehabilitation centre) and did an observational analysis of how the children, brought from villages, participated in various preventive interventions. Painting is a tool of selfexpression. These children were very happy to show their creativity and painting their ideas on the paper which is in fact developing their cognitive and affective skills because they are learning to use color, shape and size of objects. They participated in inter school painting competitions. Every evening, there is a colossal gathering at a drawing room where children watch television together. Initially, these children were quiet. However they soon started interacting with other children. Watching television together works as a cementing force and builds a kind of solidarity between the isolated individuals which was remarkable. It is opening up vistas of opportunities to mingle with the other children of different villages and cultures leading to social development. These children
participated in yoga session and the main motto was to
earning money, he would like to go back to his village
create peace in the mind of the child for a moment so
and start some factory. These beliefs of the children are
that a child lives in the present and their past no longer
very optimistic. Finally, I have observed that these newly
troubles them. Present moments have an infinite power.
joined children made new friends and always preferred
It is a process of cleaning of the mind. These children
to be together while studying and dining. These children
seemed to be enthralled and relaxed after doing yoga.
also started learning patriotic songs in a group to
A cordial relationship between the teachers and the students was eloquently reflected on the eve of Christmas as they were working together in decorating Christmas tree. These children enthusiastically danced on the occasion of Christmas Eve. They put laudable effort in
participate in daily school assembly. This increased team building qualities and removed seclusion from children. During Pune Darshan, one can clearly observe ecstasy of happiness among these children through their body language, talk and glittering eyes.
learning dance from the senior children. Clapping from a
In the light of my observations, the menace of drought
huge gathering and appreciation from teachers made it a
at Marathwada region, tormented souls of the members
gala day and it was an everlasting experience for them.
of destitute families and prolonged despondency is
Once in the morning, when there was water scarcity in hostel, I observed that a senior child helped one of the children who had newly joined, in carrying the bucket of water for him. I have seen the same remarkable practice in the evening during group study where this newly joined junior child helped another child in building English vocabulary. Thus, children are learning to help each other in difficult situation. I have observed that they do group studies very seriously. They are serious about their studies. According to one of the children, they do not get this environment of study at home. Another child mentioned that after studying hard, getting job and
highly affecting our future generation in all aspects, educationally, socially, emotionally and economically. The need of the hour is that the government should take devised action in association with NGOs like SMF to speed up the work of rehabilitating members of these families especially children, women and old people. There is an exigency of removing our tendency of giving wishywashy responses in terms of policy implementation. It will be a paralyzing situation if our help reaches to these aggrieved families after another suicide. It’s now high time to separate grain from the chaff. It is a time to save our own children from economic crisis. It is the time to give them a dignified life through education.
dkxy lxZ – Sumeet Gardia, MA Development, 2015-17
(प्रस्तुत लेख में लिए गए नाम और अनभ ु ाव कागल
कि हमको बताया गया था पन ु र्निर्माण की एक प्रक्रिया
है, और प्रस्तावित तर्क - वितर्क का कुछ हिस्सा हमारे
परिवेश में अपने आप को निहित कर लेता है I अरब
में हमारे सर्वे के दौरान हमारे अनभ ु वों पर आधारित समह ू चर्चा पर आधारित है, अत: परू ी इमर्शन टीम
को धन्यवाद और हाँ ! असहमति आपका अधिकार है, जिसकी रक्षा के लिए मैं कटिबद्ध रहने की कोशिश करूँ गा)
है, जिसमें वस्तु या तत्व एक परिवेश से किसी दस ू रे
सागर के तटवर्तीय क्षेत्र की जीवन माला में हमारा ये
immersion या पन ु ः सर्जन जीवन के सबसे यादगार और कीमती अनभ ु वों वाला एक पक्ष रहा ! एक तरफ तो अरब सागर की उछलती और अपने सरू ु र में रहने
उत्तरी कर्नाटक का तटवर्तीय इलाका, जो पश्चिम
वाली लहरें हमारे क़दमों को छू रही थी वहीं दस ू री ओर
समद्री टी के तरफ ु तटों का निरुपम संगम है, यनिवर्सि ू
यापी लोगों से सराबोर दस ू री लहरें , हमारे मस्तिष्क को
immersion के लिए गए हुए थे I “Immersion” जैसा
के साथ विसर्जन की प्रक्रिया को चरितार्थ कर रही थी|
घाट के अभिभत ू करने वाले जंगल और खब ू सरू त
पश्चिमी घाट की जैव विविधता और वहाँ के जीवन
से मैं और मेरे कुछ साथी वहाँ अपने पहले field
ज्ञान के दस ू नाओं और नए आयामों ू रे सागर से नई सच
Karvan | August 2016
81
इन दो उद्धत लहरों के मध्य हमारा immersion श्रीमान
पलायन करने की मजबरू ी पर यह कहेगा जहाँ उसके
अपने अंजाम तक पहुच ँ रहा था| और कुछ देखी गई बातें जो आपके समक्ष प्रस्तुत कर रहा हू,ँ उसे शायद
पाता है, की कभी किसी रोज चिलचिलाती धप ु में किसी
आदम जाधव और उनके साथियों के सहयोग से बखब ू ी
कहे अनस ु ार वो उन दिनों में 3-4 घंटे की नींद ही ले
पत्थर पर पानी डालकर तो देखो शायद तम ु ्हे हमारी
आप “ क्रिटिकल अनॅलिसिस “ का दर्जा ना दें लेकिन
प्यास का अंदाजा हो जायेगा!
पाएँगे | हमारे immersion का सबसे महत्वपर्ण ू भाग
निश्चित ही हमारे देश में आर्थिक मोर्चे पर काफी
संपोषित विकास की संकल्पना करना एक बहुत घट ु न भरा एहसास था ! यह भी सच है कि किसी भी गरीब
चाहूग ँ ा कि हमें आज़ादी को वरदान के रूप मैं ग्रहण
पछ ू ने की हिम्मत नहीं हुई की आपको कैसा विकास चाहिए| पर सच यह भी है कि सर्वोत्तम विकास वह
महानगरों की कुछ विशेष गलियों और “स्मार्ट” शहरों
यकीन मानिये आप उसे नजर अंदाज़ भी नहीं कर था हाउशोल्ड सर्वे | धरातल की सच्चाई के साथ
मच्छु आरों या किसानों से बात करते वक्त उनसे ये
होगा जो स्थानीय प्राथमिकता पर आधारित होगा और
उसे तय कौन करेगा | निश्चित ही स्थानीय लोगों को
ही करना चाहिए पर अगर लोगों से पर्यावरण संरक्षण
विषमता है | इसी विरोधाभास के साथ यह कहना करना होगा I और यह भी सनिश ु ्चित करना होगा कि
आज़ादी संविधान के पन्नों से निकलकर केवल चंद
की मेहमान बनकर न रह जाये ! बल्कि कुछ दिन वहां
भी जाकर कुछ समय बिताये जहाँ आज भी जीवन अच्छी सड़क, बिजली और पीने के पानी से दरू है|
करने के लिए कहें जो संपोषित विकास का महत्वपर्ण ू
बंद करिए अपना वाद-विवाद और चर्चा लोगों की
मच्छु आरा है, वह तो यही कहेगा कि बड़ी मद्दत ु ों के
आज भी शकीरा को पीने का पानी नहीं मिलता, आज
अब्दुल रहमान जो की एक गरीब
मल ू भत ू आवश्यकताएँ निर्धारित करने के लिए क्योकि
बाद उसके आँगन में थोडा सा उजाला हुआ है और अब कुछ लोग कह रहें हैं कि अंधरे ा होने वाला है!
भी मक ु ्ता के पास अपने परिवार के साथ रहने के लिए
हिस्सा है, तो?
!! और तो और वही अब्दुल रहमान, अपने रत्नागिरी
अपना घर नहीं है और आज भी शिवराज के घर तक
पहुच ँ ने के लिए अच्छी सड़क नहीं है! धन्यवाद!
WHEN SAVING LIVES BECOMES A DAILY ADVENTURE – Anjali Mariam Paul, MA Development, 2015-17
T
here is something magical about watching a
her baby, burp her, when and how to bathe her and how
woman breastfeed her newborn for the first
to gently hold her, supporting her neck and head at all
time, especially when it is in one of Assam’s
times. The baby weighs about 3.3 kg and the mother
sand bars, where infant and maternal deaths
is highly anemic but a few hours into the delivery, both
are just as common as fevers and colds. The Auxiliary
are looking healthy. Not many women in Assam are as
Nursing Midwives (ANMs), who have along with the boat
lucky as her; that being said neither are many babies
clinics, just coincidentally come to this particular sand
as Assam has the highest Maternal Mortality Rate and
bar on their routine monthly visit, a day after this baby
Infant Mortality Rate in the country, and it has been this
is born, instruct the mother as to how she should feed
way since the late 1900s.
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Azim Premji University
As a student of development, with no background
I silently observed the boat crew as they set up a tent in
whatsoever in the health sector, the past few weeks
a few minutes on the mainland, as soon as we docked
with C-NES’s boat clinics has been a dumbfounding
and how methodically, the team of ANMs, GNM, Medical
experience. In preparation for my 6 week internship
Officers, Laboratory Technicians, Pharmacist and the
here, I read as many articles, papers, state reports and
community workers set the tables up, with the required
basically any piece of literature I could lay my hands, be
equipment, waiting for the patients to start trickling in.
it fiction or nonfiction about Assam as this was my first
In Jorhat, the community worker set up a megaphone
trip to the North East and I wanted to be prepared. Little
on the boat and informed the residents who stay in the
did I know that no amount of literature would even come
interior areas of the islands (due to the fear of erosion)
close to defining the destitution that I would witness
that the doctors have arrived. In addition to this, the
on these forgotten islands, known as saporis or chars,
ASHAs go around on their cycles, to the tenements in
which would pierce my soul and keep me awake into the
the islands to remind the women who are due for their
wee hours of the morning.
routine antenatal checkups and to bring their children for their vaccinations and Vitamin A drops. I accompanied a community worker as he went to a makeshift government school (the school building got washed away due to the erosion caused by the raging BrahmAzim Premji Universitytra) to ask the teacher to send children who were suffering from cold, cough, fevers, skin irritations etc. to the health camp happening near the shore.
The mighty BrahmAzim Premji Universitytra, framed by the majestic Himalayan ranges of Arunachal Pradesh in the background as we sail along the sand bars in Assam’s Dibrugarh District
Over the past few weeks, as I traversed along the mighty BrahmAzim Premji Universitytra, gulping in the fresh air and the exquisite view of Arunachal’s hills draping the river on one side while I was in Dibrugarh and the Naga Hills when I was in Jorhat, sleeping under the starlit sky, never would I have dreamt that there would be death, destitution and deprivation lurking close by. Yet, that was the reality that would be unfolded to me in a few hours when Maternal Mortality Rates and Infant Mortality Rates wouldn’t be just numbers but suddenly have names, families and now what remained, fond memories. I was privileged to spend 2 nights with the Dibrugarh and 5 nights with the Jorhat team of miracle workers, where I faced a mighty storm, leeches, unbelievably huge spiders, incessant rain and last but not the least, an unfortunate tumble out of a moving truck to actually see first hand what is happening in these islands which are
As the monsoons are just setting in, most of the patients suffer from respiratory issues, skin irritations and seasonal colds and fevers. The Medical Officers inform me that nearly 30% of the patients who come to these health camps are fake patients, who have come to hoard up on medicines, for when they might actually need them. Wouldn’t you, if you knew that these boat clinics came in once a month and were giving away free medicines? There is so much that I want to say and it has taken me forever to pick the right story which will give you an essence of what life is like for the Medical Officers and ANMs on board the boat clinic and the lives they touch and sometimes are forced to let go of too early, because of the ignorance and lack of seriousness that prevails in these islands.
excluded from the mainland, both physically and socially.
Medical Officers in Jorhat spend countless hours patiently dealing with the patients as they counsel them along with prescribing them medicines
During my night trip in Dibrugarh, the presiding ANM, Damayanti Das who has been working with C-NES’s Damayanti Das, an Auxiliary Nursing Midwife who has been with C-NES’s Dibrugarh Boat Clinic since 2008, effortlessly gives a child a required vaccination
boat clinics since 2008, painfully narrated a story about a young girl in one of these saporis, who got pregnant at
Karvan | August 2016
83
a young age of around 16 and during an ANC, was found to have a weak heart. The presiding Medical Officer, Dr.B.C.Borah, along with the ANM, Damayanti attempted to convince this young teen to have an abortion as it was highly critical to her and the baby’s health. Her husband and in-laws were contacted and advised about the same but they refused to terminate her pregnancy. The doctor even referred her to a doctor in the Dibrugarh Medical College, who advised the same course of action and finally asked her to be admitted a few weeks prior to her delivery, to be monitored closely. The pregnant girl and her husband didn’t take this issue seriously and waited till the last minute to be admitted, leading to her demise a few hours into delivery. Her newborn died a day later. The death of this pregnant girl marks the first and only maternal death in the islands of Dibrugarh since they started work here in 2008. This medical team of Dibrugarh’s boat clinic spend days conducting health camps on these islands, spreading awareness of family planning methods, immunizations, vaccinations, the right age to get pregnant, regularly attend their antenatal and postnatal checkups, eat nutritious food, maintain hygiene etc and yet there are situations which are beyond their control. That being said, most of the women I spoke to explained how it cost them about Rs.3, 500/- to reach the mainland from their sand bars, which even the Rs. 1,400/- paid by the government for institutional delivery, through the Janani Suraksha Yojna scheme didn’t cover.
Rijumani, who is a recent entrant to the Dibrugarh team as an ANM, knows most of the patients by name and carries out her duties as a nurse flawlessly, while she is strict with pregnant women about being regular with their ANCs and absolutely friendly with the children who come to get their vaccinations and Vitamin A drops
I remember the torturous, sleepless night which followed reading about Rakku, a fictional character who symbolized the state of poor maternal and infant health care in the rural areas of Tamil Nadu, in the 1970s. I remember the discussion in class and how it all seemed too distant and here I was in the midst of it all, listening to women talk about the death of their children, husbands talking about their wives dying as though it was a normal occurrence. I then remembered the number of people attending these health camps, going back with medicines for their illnesses and the faces of those dedicated and passionate miracle workers… doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians, pharmacists, community workers, ASHAs and the boat crew who knew these patients by name and smiled, knowing that all hope isn’t lost… not yet.
NOSTALGIA: UNFORGETTABLE HIMACHAL – Das Antoni Samuel, Jayesh Khairnar, Mayank Porwal, MA Development, 2015-17
“The gladdest moment in human life, me thinks, is a departure into unknown lands.” – Sir Richard Burton Prelude
goal should be sharing happiness with others. Travel is
In what were the most remarkable days of our lives, a rare
one of the best ways to live life in a different way for the
opportunity knocked our doors with true triumph to learn,
well being of the society, and the fellow brethren around
share and cherish the unforgettable memories of our
us. As we sat in corner of our desk to discuss and pen
experience in Aavishkar. According to us the exposure
down the incredible thoughts about our stay in Aavishkar,
and experience in Aavishkar, paved a way to unlearn &
it was an awesome reminiscence.
rethink the meaning of life as a journey and the ultimate
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Azim Premji University
Voice Unheard in the farthest place
We learnt what kind of struggles, especially girls, have
Before the commencement of our practical experience
to undergo in a community where literacy rate is hardly
in Aavishkar, we had a different opinion about the
two percent. We got lifetime of learnings and memories
organizational working process and the procedure.The
at Aavishkar. To best of our interaction with those girls,
moment we reached the destination, we realised that
we explored and found out they are extremely creative.
our preconceptions about Aavishkaar were wrong, since
It will not be an exaggeration if we say they gave us the
their teaching styles and methods are entirely different
required space for self-introspection.
from the olden ways of tutoring girls. The subjects taught are mathematics and science. They don’t stop just with
Epilogue
subject knowledge but make them realize importance
In the debate over reservations, we frequently hear
of education for survival, and it’s about “voice”! Voice
comments like - the socially disadvantaged section of
of the depressed! Voice unheard. Because of the social
the society lacks in meritocracy and they get pushed
background of the learners, Aavishkar equips them with
only because of the reservation. Naari Gunjan and
the emotional courage and motivates them to be bold,
Avishkaar are perfect examples for these people aid
optimistic minds and psychological support to the best
and educate them. When this section of the society
level provided for the students.
gets exposed to proper education they will be no less in a meritocracy because a human is a human, social
Enchanting and Enlightenment Days of Stay in
borders are a human creation. The day of our departure
Aavishkar
left us blank and immersed in lot of questions about their
It was very interesting to learn how subjects like
future life. With unending questions and a heavy heart,
mathematics and science can be connected with our life.
we departed.
It was indeed a new conception of the whole teaching learning setup implemented by the organizers. Where the teacher is not just a teacher of external appearance but more than that of personal relationship as they call
Someday, there will be a way to repair the broken roads by straightening it in a proper way with the tool of “EDUCATION”.
them as Didi/elder sister. We got an opportunity to work
We would like to thank the institution and Aavishkar for
with them and observe their alternate education model,
entrusting us to climb the ladder to strive, and to achieve
and also the practical techniques utilized to teach and
our dreams.
train the students. We had very productive discussions with Mr. Sarath and Mrs. Sandhya Sarath, who are the
“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns
founders of the organization. We discussed the overall
you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta
education system, no detention policy, the elections in India and a lot more to equip their ability to think and
Organization - Aavishkaar: Center for Science,
learn and make use of the intellectual gifts provided to
Arts & Technology
us. The girls who came from Bihar to attend the camp
Address:
Mandi-Pathankot Road, Dharman
taught us lot of things which were precious and valuable
Himachal Pradesh 176081
for us, in our journey towards working for the society.
Phone:
098163 14756
GROUND ZERO: INTRODUCTION TO REALITIES – M S Mahala, MA Development 2015-17 Can you imagine what these people are doing here?
conditions and no basic rights. Yes! This is the reality of
These are Mazdoors, the so called labor force who are
most of rural India and we’re talking about Vision 2020
bought everyday by contractors, industrialists and by elite
or Digital India. But this is the reality; these mazdoors
classes to do their work without any terms and conditions
(labors) don’t have work to feed their families and if they
such as little or no minimum wage, no quality working
find any, they have to work in such conditions where
Karvan | August 2016
85
there are no rules and rights. We talk about technology, education, international relations and policy changes but are we concerned enough to discuss our own internal relationship with these people? The difference between poor and rich and their access to resources? Are we planning effectively to develop our community relationships? Do we demand that the government servants deliver public services on time? Do we have any kind of governance model for the grass root levels? We reduce the wages of an MNREGA worker if he/she did a little less than allotted work to them. Yes that’s the best way to get paid for what you had done BUT do we have the same law for our government servants or officials? This is what “Jawabdehi Yatra” wants from the government. One law for accountability. Zindabad!
MY FIELD EXPERIENCE – Maddirala Sai Praveen, MA Education 2015-17 As a part of one of my field visits, I went to Ranchi
the child were pretty interested in going to school. He
Brambey.
told the same to his grandmother. As a part of promoting
It is the place where education was nowhere in the list of priorities in the community. Education was a dream for the children who are residing in that area. A school
education in rural villages, a campaign named “Reach to Teach” was conducted by the high School. With that support, she started sending the child to the school.
named H.H.High School was established in 2010 to fulfil
Since the child was from a rural background, he wasn’t
the dream of those children who are orphan child labours
aware of the proper etiquette that was followed in
who works in nearby garage or shop and some go to
schools. A small example: This kid went to the washroom
Ranchi to work as construction labour.
and eased at the corner of the washroom and came out.
Now I am going to explain to you the story of a kid in the tribal area who started studying with the help of his grand Mother and is now studying well by paying his own fees and looking after his grandparents and family. Parents of children in a tribal village don't bother to send their children to school and instead encourage them to work and support the family. They also say, “If I send my child to school,he will not get anything by evening, but if I send him to cotton field, by evening we get Rs. 70 which are useful for us to feed the family”. But
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Azim Premji University
Noticing this, servant complained this to the teacher. Then the teacher asked why he did that. In a smooth voice he said “Ji, who itna saaf hai, mai usko kyun gandha karna?” (It is so clean, why should I make it dirty). The teacher just gave a smile sent him back to class. We all believe in a pre-conceived notion that people know basic etiquette like behaving with teachers, washing hands etc. I really felt that when someone is dealing at root level one should unlearn and be away from such notions. Unlearning is very important to start from the rock bottom.
With the support from teachers and friends, the kid is
evening. After knowing this, the kid’s parents started to
doing well in academics as well as in sports. As usual,
take care of his grandmother who showed the path to
his grandmother who sells some stuff at a wine shop in
the child to get a life of education. “Age doesn’t matter
Brambey came to pay his school fees. This time, she
to inspire and motivate people. My grandma is too old.
slowly picked out the money from her pocket and kept
She didn't go to school but she encouraged me and
on the table. There were 10 rupee notes and twenty
inspired me. She is my role model. my grandma is too
rupees notes crumpled, and one and two rupee coins
old, she didn’t go to schooling but she encouraged me
were scattered on the desk. She said, “Ji ye hai mere
and inspired me she is my role model,” says the kid.
bachha ka school fees” [Sir, this is my child’s school fees]. After looking at her dedication towards sending her kid to school, Shadab Ji (school headmaster) came to her, bent on one knee, kept that money in her hands
Now he is studying in X class and is interested in Science. With his education, he wants to become a doctor, to serve the poor for free.
and said: “Ji aapka bachoon ko mei free mei padaunga”
I often listened to the success stories of people who
(We provide education for free to your children). This
struggled in life to achieve a greater position. My
clearly shows there is always someone to help when you
experience with these kids really showed me how many
work with dedication on a task.
kids struggle in rural areas to get basic education.
When the kid reached 7th class, he also started to work
This looks very simple but when it counts, it will make a
in evenings and pays the school fees. He is now good in
great impact on the lives of the people.
managing his schooling in the morning, and work in the
AGASTYA KUPPAM VISIT – Sriharsh Chandak, MA Education 2014-16
5
3 students from Azim Premji University started
Special thanks to Team Agastya which includes Ajith
their journey from the university to Agastya,
Basu Sir, Tapasya Ma’am, Balakrishna Sir and Our
172-acre
Kuppam,Andhra
University Faculty members Rajashree Ma’am, Manoj
Pradesh (approx. 110 Kms) on 16th April 2016.
Creativity
Lab,
Sir, Ananth Kamath Sir ,for their full support. Whatever
It was the first time University supported a fully student
I write, words have their own limitations to put down our
led trip which included students from different programs
excitement, joy, learning which we had experienced by
(MA Education, MA Development and PPG) of different
the magic of Science, Art and nature, of which we will
Years (14 and 15 batch). We thank our University and
cherish the memory for a long time
Agastya International Foundation for making it possible.
Karvan | August 2016
87
THE STORY OF RAMKAILASH YADAV – Nikhil Kinhekar, MA Development, 2015-17
T
his is the story of a villager called Ramkailash
on improved and advanced agriculture practices, to
Yadav who lives in Khanpura village, Sehore
farmers. In these meetings, he discussed basic issues
District, Madhya Pradesh. He was born and
with the farmers like cost reduction practices, issues
brought up in Khanpura. He completed his
surrounding proper production methods in farming
grade. His livelihood fully
and investment, how to do seed treatments, traditional
depends on tailoring and agriculture. From tailoring he
farming etc. Before the intervention, people used to
earns Rs.100 a day, but this amount is not sufficient to
sow 50-60 kg of Soya bean seeds in one hectare. After
fulfill the basic needs of his family, of which he is also the
receiving proper training, they started sowing 30 kg in one
sole breadwinner.
hectare, but with proper systems to increase yield with
schooling 5 years ago till 9
th
One day, he met some amazing people from an
minimum input. Likewise they were given the platform to discuss small issues of farming and find solutions with
organisation that promised to put an end to the troubles
the help of Vrutti. Ramkailash Yadav was both learning
in his life. They gave him the task of conducting a survey
and teaching.
in his village. These people, he learnt, belonged to Vrutti Livelihood Resource Center of Tehsil Rehti district, Sehore, Madhya Pradesh. They asked him to work with them on a trial basis. Though he initially resisted, they
Personally, this experience has been very good for me, and while doing this, I truly enjoyed myself and learnt so many things from both this village and the villager,
were able to get through to him over time.
Ramkailash Yadav. I have learnt from their struggles
In initial stages, the organisation gave him some basic
interventions, how villagers deal with their lives when
tasks, like conducting a primary survey of the village,
compared to city folk, varied lifestyles, etc, and they
which included aspects like finding the numbers and
have all been fresh experiences that I have gained from.
mean earnings of the farmers in village, classifying them
By using natural resources, they are able to sustain their
as rich or landless, etc. He grew to like his work. As
livelihoods. There are a number of things which are very
time went by, Vrutti offered him the role of a Business
good, and there are some things that are very painful;
Development Service Provider (BDSP). The organisation
about good things, there is no need to worry, but when
was going to pay him an amount of Rs 500 Rupees a
it comes to the painful things, we really need to think
month against his services to villagers.
about it.
His work now included conducting meetings to spread
I personally think that revolution starts from within
awareness about organisation, and pass on information
ourselves, not by waiting for others.
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Azim Premji University
in life, the kinds of problems they face, government
Turning Back the Wheel of Time Karvan | August 2016
89
I am in neither of these pictures, but I absolutely love
George Eliot has rightly said in her book ‘The Mill on
them. These are from our very first field immersion to
The Floss’ - “We could never have loved the earth so
Gulbarga. This was the very first opportunity we had to
well, if we had had no childhood in it… ” I hope someday
explore and understand grass root realities of children
education becomes such a beautiful journey for each
and schooling in India. These two pictures capture our
of these children and the society is more egalitarian
entire time at Gulbarga and Surpur as our days were
so that each of them has a chance to experience an
spent with the children alone who taught us so much and
unadulterated childhood.
took us back to days of innocence and glee.
– Adithi Manohar MA Education, 2014-16
“Indeed there are bad people in this world, but you don’t
“Education which reduces people to mere labor is no
need to fight with them. You just need to make yourself
education at all.”
strong enough.”
– Deepjeet Kumar MA Education, 2014-16
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Azim Premji University
faculty was what kept us on our toes. For us as students, to see our ideas conceptualizing on field was heartening. In the hills of Kumaon, with the misty rains coming in, I fondly remember how we went for our community visits. Each house that we visited provided us a hot cup of extra sweet tea which gave us the energy to go from one village to the other. But most essentially the experience provided us with an insight. The ground realities were revealed to us and we remembered all our discussions in class ranging from policies to problems in implementation. We realized how an act on the paper can make a simple For us the field practice was a true learning experience. From choosing our own topic to the site of study,
dream of going to school a reality for many. It changed something inside us, it made us humbler.
everything was decided by us. While the project was of
– Garima Awasthy and Varun Khimani
our interest, an equal amount of enthusiasm from our
MA Education, 2014-16
“Orientations galore, Readings to Scroll, sorry for Spamming, do Not Reply to All.” – Harshwardhan Sharma MA Development, 2014-16
This photograph depicts one of the many fond memories that I have had at Azim Premji University.
I hope you are doing well and I wish you will do better. Azim Premji University is the best example of unity in
– Garima Awasthy MA Education, 2014-16
diversity. It provides us with a great opportunity to come together and explore. For me, and hopefully for all of us, it was really a great experience
These
two
years
have
made me a better person. I
have
grown
individual
and
as
an
become
more patient. It has taught me
how
to
work
with
people by understanding and
not
judging
them.
Everyone is moulded by their experiences and act accordingly. The key is to know where they are coming from and then work togetherthe result will be a combined learning experience. – Garima Awasthy MA Education, 2014-16
here,
studying
and
I
lucky to have
feel been
in such a learning space. that
I
am
before
this each learn
sure
leaving
University, individual
will
something
new and something different from here. So, keeping in mind, “There are far better things
ahead
than
any we leave behind”, just move ahead. All the best! – Nazia Perween MA Education, 2014-16
Karvan | August 2016
91
PADDY FIELD BOUND The moon shone bright. So
perfect spot to view the magnificence. I sat and he lay
bright, that we abandoned
down. There was momentary brightness to a side when
our pursuit of finding the
he lit matchsticks, one after the other. The water trickled
torch. The stars were few.
lusciously beneath us. It crawled through the never-
They looked like freckles
ending paddy fields. The coconut trees stood tall at a
on the face of the sky.
distance. The light sky carved the black silhouettes of the
Grey clouds did not lull
trunk, the pointy leaves and roundness of the coconuts.
around.
seemed
The crickets chirped and the frogs croaked for as long
to have taken a day off
as we could remember. The breeze tickled the grass.
from the excruciating task
They swayed incessantly with laughter. Prayers broke
of breaking into infinite
out from two distinct mosques to commemorate the holy
droplets all day long. The street lights were dysfunctional;
month of Ramadan. Every sound, tone, noise blended
but no complaints were made today. We needed a guide
to make one big picture. Nothing seemed out of place. It
and the paternal presence of the moon sufficed for the
was a continuous frame filled with the best.
They
night. Warmth exuded from each passing home. Families huddled together for dinner and talks and customary television serials. Families huddled together to pray and
“And in that moment, I swear, we were infinite.” Then a sudden buzz… a flicker… a call…
thereafter, to gossip about who did what. A couple of
We were advised to leave it all for a morning and
motor bikes zoomed past us, maybe for a movie, a late
head back to safety for the fear of abrupt rumours and
night drink or the touch of a loved one. Few heads turned
nonsensical fights. Shaking our heads dismissively, we
at the sight of a girl with a boy, both strangers to this land
strolled back with the picture plastered in our heads for
on a walk at an odd hour. We yearned for the beautiful
the years to come.
fields and walked with no care in the world.
(A snippet from my internship at Thrissur, last summer,
Upon reaching the start of the curvy road, we paused
with the Vayali Folklore Group.)
to see, breathe, feel, touch and take in all the beauty.
– Steffi M. Cherian
We took careful steps so as not to disturb the creatures
MA Development, 2014-16
resting on muddy paths. The wooden bridge was the
"देना या ना देना ऊपर वाले के हाथ में हैं, हम कोशिश भी ना करे ये तो बरु ी बात हैं |"
– Prabhat Kumar Himanshu MA Education, 2014-16
I don’t know how many words does this one say but with this I would like to thank Azim Premji University family to give me some of the best and life transforming experiences. This is Life at Azim Premji University... – Ritu Vaishnav MA Development, 2014-16
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Azim Premji University
Making memories - A reunion of MAD 2014-16, Section 1, in our very own ‘Tapi’, few days before our final exit. As they say, the picture says it all. Yes, the place and the people will be missed ! – Roma MA Development, 2014-16
I started searching for an iconic picture of mine to share for our magazine. Finally, at the end of two years, I have no idea how much I succeeded but this is what I found - a still from the 2nd day of UNMUKT, 2015, when I wore a saree at Azim Premji University for the first time. It has been an amazing journey of 2 years at Azim Premji University. The amazing faculty, the administration people and the canteen Anna add to the glory of Azim Premji University. Although, I was never too much into the classroom readings, the practical experiences I gained from our very own Azim Premji University culture as well as the internships, is my take away from the place. :) Waiting for the grand reunion during the Convocation! – Roma MA Development, 2014-16
“Be prepared to serve than to be served” – Ruby Jacob MA Education, 2014-16
Karvan | August 2016
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Saani Hussain MA Development , 2014-16
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Azim Premji University
Changing the face can change nothing. Don’t complain about others change yourself if you want peace. If you wait for the perfect condition you will never get anything done. – Santosh Kumar Singh 2014-16
जिन चीजों के लिए हम पहले लड़ते थे, आज उन पर
हम हंसते हैं |
University is what you make it. Make your stay count. – Shriharsh Chandak MA Education, 2014-16
The relationship which we had built with our seniors was really amazing. We never considered them as seniors but as our own brothers/sisters. We still have strong bond with them. We still remember those days when we celebrated farewell with them; cooked together and shared with affection. We also expect the same bond I am leaving with a lot of sweet memories and skills.
with the 2015-17 batch and would continue the journey
Thank you and miss you Azim Premji University :)
together even though we may have left the college.
– Vishala M.S.
– William Lahary
2014-16
MA Development, 2014-16
Karvan | August 2016
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Jammu & Kashmir State Rural Livelihood Mission, Jammu Division.
William Lahary
– William Lahary, MA Development, 2014-16
MA Development 2014-16
Life at the university was a roller coaster ride with many ups and downs, but at the same time I enjoyed the perks of academic life here. My whole perception of the nine lettered word “education” went for a holistic toss, making me realize that merely being literate does not correspond to being educated. The learning here constituted more of rethinking, questioning, unlearning, learning reviving, , critiquing every bit of what I assumed to be true in the context of what is conveyed by the ‘ministerial masses’. I came in as a shepherd taming the mental sheep’s juggling in my head, but now, I am stepping out in the real world like an eagle ready to fly with passion. – Zahra Shakir, MA Education, 2014-16
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Picture Credits (For the separators) Musings Aparna Krishnan (Illustrations) Archana Khyadi (Top left and centre phtoto) Ekta Dhankher (Bottom right Photo)
Deeper Introspections Archana Khyadi (Top left and Bottom right photo) Bhakit Damle (Illustrations)
Tales From the Field Nagaraj Kulkarni (Elephant photo) Archana Khyadi (Illustration) Deepjeet Kumar (Centre photo) Garima Awasthy (Bottom right photo) Akash Kumar (Bottom left photo)
Azim Premji University
Azim Premji University Pixel Park, B Block, PES University Campus Electronics City, Hosur Road, Bangalore - 560 100 India.
