A letter from “Studio Systems” reader Vijay Kumar Patnaik got me thinking about the enormous confusion experienced by most people wishing to enter the profession of Music in India. I meet numerous youngsters almost every day who want to make Music their career but have just no idea what to do as there is no clear cut path available, no job placements, no job interviews and no recognised colleges which could guarantee employment. Hopefully some of the tips offered in the booklet 'So you want to become a Musician in India???' can help clear the fog and help in focusing these youngsters into achieving their goals. Also this booklet hopes to give Parents & the Music Business professional a better understanding of the mindset of musicians and a deeper understanding of Music itself. Music, after all, is like religion for all dedicated musicians. Please email us for details about how you can get your own copy.
Nandu Bhende
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Prof Asha Bhende
Citation read out at the presentation of the "Prof. Asha Bhende Gold Medal" for the Best Student at MA / Msc at the 53rd Convocation at the International Institute For Population Sciences (IIPS) on 17th June 2011.
Prof. Asha Bhende, Former Professor and Head, Department of Population Policies and Programmes, IIPS, Mumbai will always be remembered for her contribution to the field of Family Planning & Reproductive Health. Born on 1st October 1928 in the family of eminent academicians, Prof. Bhende had three Masters degrees – in Sociology (Bombay University), in Social Work (Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai), in Public Health ( Berkley University, California, USA) and Ph. D. from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. Her doctoral work on “Husband-wife Communication and Family planning Acceptance” under the guidance of Prof Gore, a well known sociologist, which reflected her insight into the social aspects of population issues was much ahead of the time. Equipped with this unique educational background she was a multidisciplinary population scientist in the true sense of the term.
Her contact with the community, while working in the Family Planning Training Center at the initial stage of her career and later on the experience of working in the action research project at IIPS with Dr. Chandrasekaran enriched her understanding of grass root realities ,which was reflected in her research and teaching .
She was a joint author of ‘Principles of Population Studies’, a text book on Demography which presents the complexities of population dynamics lucidly. Twenty editions of the book in a span of 32 years show the popularity of the book among students of population studies. She was convener of the University Grant Commission’s Population Education Consultation Committee
Prof. Bhende’s study of Mumbai slums, undertaken for the World Vision is recognized as a pioneering work in the area of adolescent sexuality. She was also a consultant to International Labor Organization for the project on “Family Planning and Creation of Job Opportunities for Women Slum Dwellers in Nairobi, Kenya. She also worked as a consultant to UNFPA, Rockefeller Foundation, FRHS Ahmedabad and National Association for the Blind. She was a visiting fellow to the East West Center, Hawaii in 1985.
With her contribution to Marathi theatre as an actress and her achievements in the field of Population Studies, Prof. Bhende was a rare combination of artistic mind and academic temperament
As a chairperson of the Ashish Gram Rachna Trust, of the Institute of Health Management, Pachod, Maharashtra, she was active till her death on May 28, 2010, in directing the programmes of the trust aimed at the holistic development of the individual, family and community and to the upliftment of marginalized groups.
The International Institute for Population Sciences is privileged to announce Prof. Asha Bhende Award instituted by the Institute of Health Management, Pachod for the Overall Best performance in the MA/ MSc Course in Population Studies from IIPS.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Economic Crisis and its Effect on Football
My son Akshay's first article.
First it was a credit crunch, and now it's a global crisis - but football teams seem to have sleepwalked their way through it, with Manchester United spending £30m to get Dimitar Berbatov, Manchester City being taken over by Abu Dhabi United Group, owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Liverpool spending millions on every Spanish footballer that was ever born.
Finally, football clubs are beginning to see the magnitude of the crisis at hand and they don't like what they see. Everton's Bill Kenwright has already admitted that it's a game for the billionaires and the club's finances have hit rock bottom with Kenwright forced to mortgage the club's future against a stadium that may not even get the go-ahead. Everton are in a bad state and badly need someone like Anil Ambani to bail them out - but the three who maintain the debts are the three in the frontline: Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United. Together they owe £1bn worth of debt - and Football Association Chairman Lord Triesman says that the debt of these three clubs alone constitutes a third of the debt owed by English football clubs.
Take a look at West Ham today, with Chairman Magnus Eggertson having to issue a statement saying that the club will not be affected by Landsbanki going into receivership. As of 12 September 2008 the club terminated its contract with its main sponsor, XL Leisure Group which had been placed in administration. The club is already set to hand out millions over the Tevez affair and have had to scale back their spending plans as a result. What happens when the Glazers of Manchester United or Gillette & Hicks of Liverpool wind up in trouble? Liverpool has already put the new stadium on hold...
Just as nobody predicted the collapse of Lehman Brothers, nobody has predicted the collapse of a Premiership football club.
The Premier League, of course, have tried to deflect attention away by claiming that the FA itself is heavily indebted and that clubs' income is proportionate to their expenditure - but the debt packages that have been tied into Liverpool and Manchester United are just as murky as any of those that have been bringing down American banks - and now banks around the world.
As long as there are billionnaires around to bail out clubs, those with chairmen who view their clubs as playthings will survive - until they get bored or see their fortune halved overnight and decide they're going to stop playing around. Arsenal, too, will remain solid – although still suffering from £43m in debt, invested wisely in their stadium and a youth scheme that is paying dividends. But there are clubs in the Premier League who have been playing around with debt - and if one does start to struggle, it could pull the others down with it.
The future? Unless every Premiership club gets itself a billionaire, then the Premier League clubs ought to think along the lines of the Championship, which sees clubs start on a relatively equal footing and punishes those with poor financial records. However, even in this volatile market, I don't see that happening unless a club collapses. And as long as there's debt involved, there remains a possibility that we might see Sir Alex carrying the items from his desk out of Old Trafford in a cardboard box. A small one, but not as crazy as Lehman Brothers or Manchester United's own sponsors AIG going bust.
Akshay Bhende
First it was a credit crunch, and now it's a global crisis - but football teams seem to have sleepwalked their way through it, with Manchester United spending £30m to get Dimitar Berbatov, Manchester City being taken over by Abu Dhabi United Group, owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Liverpool spending millions on every Spanish footballer that was ever born.
Finally, football clubs are beginning to see the magnitude of the crisis at hand and they don't like what they see. Everton's Bill Kenwright has already admitted that it's a game for the billionaires and the club's finances have hit rock bottom with Kenwright forced to mortgage the club's future against a stadium that may not even get the go-ahead. Everton are in a bad state and badly need someone like Anil Ambani to bail them out - but the three who maintain the debts are the three in the frontline: Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United. Together they owe £1bn worth of debt - and Football Association Chairman Lord Triesman says that the debt of these three clubs alone constitutes a third of the debt owed by English football clubs.
Take a look at West Ham today, with Chairman Magnus Eggertson having to issue a statement saying that the club will not be affected by Landsbanki going into receivership. As of 12 September 2008 the club terminated its contract with its main sponsor, XL Leisure Group which had been placed in administration. The club is already set to hand out millions over the Tevez affair and have had to scale back their spending plans as a result. What happens when the Glazers of Manchester United or Gillette & Hicks of Liverpool wind up in trouble? Liverpool has already put the new stadium on hold...
Just as nobody predicted the collapse of Lehman Brothers, nobody has predicted the collapse of a Premiership football club.
The Premier League, of course, have tried to deflect attention away by claiming that the FA itself is heavily indebted and that clubs' income is proportionate to their expenditure - but the debt packages that have been tied into Liverpool and Manchester United are just as murky as any of those that have been bringing down American banks - and now banks around the world.
As long as there are billionnaires around to bail out clubs, those with chairmen who view their clubs as playthings will survive - until they get bored or see their fortune halved overnight and decide they're going to stop playing around. Arsenal, too, will remain solid – although still suffering from £43m in debt, invested wisely in their stadium and a youth scheme that is paying dividends. But there are clubs in the Premier League who have been playing around with debt - and if one does start to struggle, it could pull the others down with it.
The future? Unless every Premiership club gets itself a billionaire, then the Premier League clubs ought to think along the lines of the Championship, which sees clubs start on a relatively equal footing and punishes those with poor financial records. However, even in this volatile market, I don't see that happening unless a club collapses. And as long as there's debt involved, there remains a possibility that we might see Sir Alex carrying the items from his desk out of Old Trafford in a cardboard box. A small one, but not as crazy as Lehman Brothers or Manchester United's own sponsors AIG going bust.
Akshay Bhende
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Robot-the mother of all movies
Finally an Indian movie that has outdone Hollywood and that too using their best technology! A great story that swings from the ridiculous to the sublime, "Robot" is an experience that is as exciting as a roller coaster ride in the best tradition of Hollywood action films.
Except for a few songs that make it a trifle too long and slows down the pace (you might like them if you enjoy Rajni waving his arms in the name of dance), "Robot" is an ode to the super stardom of Rajnikant who plays both Hero and villain and towards the end there are more a thousand replicas of him!
South Indian films have a reputation of being melodramatic and over the top but I found "Robot" quite believable in a strange way! Maybe they finally succeeded in making me loose my mind & and I guess that is a success of sorts!
Monday, June 7, 2010
A journey worth taking - Dr. Purnima Mane
Deputy Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund
and Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations
70th Convocation Address Tata Institute of Social Sciences
Mumbai, 10 May 2010
My sister, Purnima recently delivered this convocation address.
Mr. Krishna Kumar, Chair of the Board of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences; Dr. Parsuraman; Director of TISS; Members of the Board; Graduating students, Parents and family members of the graduating students; Faculty; staff; and other Students of TISS; Distinguished guests; Colleagues and friends.
It was with a deep sense of honour and privilege that I accepted the invitation from the Chair of the Board of TISS and the Director to deliver the Convocation address of the 70th convocation of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
Empowering generations of women
Thirty-seven years ago I was sitting in this audience on the lawns of TISS receiving my Master's degree. I was in the audience for the first time as a 7 year old, watching my mother receive her Master's Degree, and the Award for being the Best Student of the Year. I was proud to watch her get her doctoral degree much later in 1976 from TISS. More recently, in 2001, my niece Amrita received her Master's at TISS. So my sense of honour is deepened by the fact that over the last 55 years, three generations of my family have benefited from this premier institution and all that it has to offer.
The fact that all my higher educational qualifications come from India and more so, from TISS, is a matter of great pride to me. Standing here today, I recall with gratitude my teachers - Professor M. S. Gore, Professor Gauri Rani Banerjee, Professor Suma Chitnis, Professor Grace Mathew, Professor Ramachandran, and many others who shaped my thinking. I am even prouder that I served as a faculty member of TISS for 13 years, learning lessons from my students and colleagues that continue to serve me till today.
The alumni and faculty of TISS have contributed to global transformation- in India and abroad- by speaking out against inequities, standing up for rights of the voiceless and fostering innovation to promote development. I remember the many illustrious students that have gone through the portals of TISS, some of whom were friends and batch mates: Medha Patkar, Srilatha Batliwala, Sheela Patel, Suneeta Dhar, Pradeep Prabhu, and several others including many of the faculty of TISS and the College of Social Work, Nirmala Niketan. Collectively, we must be proud of what we have achieved as TISS graduates.
The journey ahead
As you, the graduates of 2010, stand poised to face a journey in your life which will involve tackling diverse challenges – both personal and professional - and contributing to the amazing story of India's development, I thought it would be befitting to talk today about life as a journey and what it can bring, and what ideals and values helped me along the way.
Let me reflect on four journeys – some which have influenced my life, and others which have influenced yours as well. I will reflect only momentarily on my own journey at TISS and comment briefly on the journey of TISS as an institution, before talking about the amazing journey of India since the time I graduated. I will conclude with some reflections from my journey within the United Nations, where I have served – in WHO, UNAIDS and UNFPA, promoting development, human rights, gender equality and sexual and reproductive health.
When I look back to what went through my mind on the day of my TISS convocation, I recall a sense of wonderment and trepidation at what life would bring for me, a heady mix of idealism and activism as well as pragmatic concern about my own future; a sense of having completed my life as a dependent young adult to a sense of not knowing if I have it all to make it independently.
What helped me through my journey was to maintain some of that sense of excitement and adventure about life's unexpected gifts and pains; some of that idealism blended with strategic pragmatism in the path to achieve my ideals; and maintaining a sense of independence in thinking but inter-dependence in action, recognizing that there is an
innate value in collective power and in maintaining a strong support system and partnerships that can help me to achieve those ideals. Had it not been so, I doubt I would have been able to work in so many different countries, in diverse multi-cultural settings, away from my homeland and family, and within a complex, inter-governmental body such as the United Nations.
While journeys give you the time and experiences that help the evolution of your thinking, decision making and analytical capacities, and the uneven paths teach you to persevere, despite the pitfalls, the wisest lesson that TISS has taught me is that learning does not stop at the portals of an academic institution. In fact it only begins.
Being too cautious is the greatest risk of all
Since I left TISS after over a decade as a faculty member when Dr. Armaity Desai was blazing new paths as the director, till Dr. Parsuraman took over its mantle, the Institute has had a sharp growth in size, scope, locations, and reputation. Thanks to the visionary leadership of Dr. Parsuraman and the Board of TISS and the strong involvement of its outstanding faculty, students, and supporters, the Institute is now respected even more than before, the world over, as a premier institution where research, training, and policy and programme development are nurtured and which produces the finest human resources possible for contributing to India's development.
I know that embarking on this journey to growth and development must have also filled the minds of the TISS leadership with trepidation and excitement. The results have been impressive to say the least. And the leadership, I am sure, continues to believe that there is so much more to be done, especially at the start of the 75th year of the institute's existence. The words of the late Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru display the true sign of leadership – “The policy of being too cautious is the greatest risk of all.”
True global leadership starts at home
When one looks at the magnificent journey that India has taken over the last 15 years, one is awestruck. India has always fascinated those who studied its culture and development. Daunting to many, India was seen as the land of abject poverty only a few decades ago. India has since grown to be an impressive social and economic power, closely following only China in terms of its overall economic growth. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said India must first tackle a host of domestic problems like ignorance, poverty and underdevelopment. Today, it is hard for India to justify living in the world of the G20 while still being counted among the poorest countries in the world.
While maintaining steady growth, the country has increased government investments in social sectors in the last few years in large social welfare programmes such as the National Rural Health Mission, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (now renamed the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme). These programmes, aiming to advance rights to education, health and an adequate standard of living, have their supporters and their critics. But one thing is clear - their focus on improving opportunities and services for the poor and people living in remote areas was overdue and commendable.
I am excited by the growing evidence that some progress is being made in reducing maternal and infant mortality thanks largely to the increase in institutional delivery, with more and more women going to health facilities to give birth and benefiting from skilled medical attendance. What this will mean in terms of sustainable impact and quality of services is yet to be seen. While the early signs are promising, we still have a long way to go.
All is 'not' well
With apologies to a recent hit Bollywood movie, 'all is 'not' well' when it comes to addressing some basic issues. And I am talking of maternal mortality, violence against women, health information, awareness, and service delivery, nutrition, education of girls and livelihood security – all issues that the UN holds as dear to its heart.
As is seen in so many countries around the world, including India, services are still reaching mainly those who live in cities and towns. To enhance equity, rural and primary healthcare needs far more attention. More radical reform is needed to strengthen health and education systems, and financing methods, to ensure universal access. Wherever people have to rely on out-of-pocket payments to cover health-care costs, exorbitant health expenses can lead to poverty. The United Nations supports a comprehensive primary health-care approach to counteract the fragmentation of health systems, achieve health equity, and promote health security. And, of course, a vibrant and vocal civil society, which stands ready to make services responsive to people's needs and hold governments accountable, is indispensible.
One of the responsibilities of the United Nations, as we strive to support countries in achieving the Millennium Development Goals and other international commitments, such as those of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development and the 1995 Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women, is to build a bridge between civil society and the government—a bridge so that communities and governments can work together to get more done to improve people's lives in every sense of the word, and, in the process, deepen the values and ideals of democracy and human rights.
The power of people to accelerate social change
In my work at the United Nations, I have seen time and time again how a small but palpable people's movement can lead to pressure on policymakers and elected officials to respond and can foster changes in policies and laws and shifts in cultural beliefs and practices.
I saw this in the case of a movement encouraging men and boys to fight violence against women in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, Brazil, where the culture of machismo is predominant.
I saw it in several African countries where female genital cutting was the norm and where today religious and community leaders, parents, women's groups and governments are increasingly standing up against this practice.
I saw this in the case of HIV in South Africa, where it took people living with HIV to start a movement, first, for anti-retroviral treatment but then, for HIV prevention as well, to stop further infections.
In a country that fought apartheid, the seeds of such a people's movement were already laid. India has an even longer, rich tradition of people's movements and rooted democratic ideals that make social development led by the people not just a distant goal but a reality in many parts of the country.
Addressing inequities is democracy in action
One of the key functions of graduates of TISS should be building social awareness among the marginalized so that they can demand and claim their human rights. Today we are happy to see vegetable sellers and roadside vendors with mobile phones and view this as a sign of progress. But we have to acknowledge that the underprivileged continue to struggle to get a ration card; for ensuring birth, marriage and even death registration; are forced to deal with middlemen for securing basic services which are theirs by right; and lack the basic necessities for a dignified, secure, and healthy life. We have experienced a revolution in wireless connectivity, but we remain tragically disconnected when it comes to equal rights and opportunities. This disconnect threatens the very foundations of democracy. Closing the disconnect between impressive economic growth and widespread human depravation requires more than policy and legal reform; it requires a shared belief, and passion, that this is a journey worth taking.
The principle of equality between men and women, for instance, is inscribed in the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is fundamental to the Indian Constitution. Giving women 33 percent of the seats in Panchayats all over India has resulted in the induction of “at least one million” women to public life in rural India at the grassroots level. And now, having a 33 per cent reservation for women in parliament offers an exciting opportunity to ensure that women get the voice they deserve and to participate meaningfully in a democracy that values gender equality and human rights.
Change requires courage, confidence and conviction
Dear students, as you embark on an energizing journey ahead, you will need more than formal education to achieve all that you wish because it is not just about knowledge, skill and ability alone. Of course these count. But being open minded, listening carefully to dissenting voices just when you think you have the answer, learning from your mistakes and successes, and bringing passion to whatever you do will all help enormously. And there is no need to set off on this journey alone – bring others along and join others in their journeys. And don't forget to leave behind the baggage of stereotypes; forget the vision of culture as strangling, but see it instead as evolving. And remember that we, the people, create the culture we seek to live in and have the power to change it when it is harmful. Stand up and be counted if you want everybody to count.
And most importantly, don't just keep thinking about what you want to do. Go ahead and do it.
If everybody kept worrying about doing the right thing without errors, we would not be able to fly across the world, communicate across the seas and nations, treat HIV through anti-retrovirals, eradicate polio and increase life expectancy. If we did not take calculated risks and aim high we would not expect to enjoy a revolution in education and health, economic development, and progress for those countries that were seen as harbouring little potential for growth some years ago. Change requires the courage, confidence and conviction that it will happen if we make the effort.
The results of our labour won't be immediate or visible sometimes even in our lifetimes. Most change does not happen overnight but if you do nothing, your great grandchildren won't be in the world you dream for them. If my great grandfather had not educated my grandmother, we would not have had a family where the education and employment of women and girls were valued.
Finally, I hope you will remember that it is important to do your bit in making the changes that count towards social development. Small or large, all contributions matter. My father encouraged his wife to study after marriage, encouraged his daughter to strive towards broader vistas, and encouraged his granddaughter to strive for the stars. If we do not have enlightened grandfathers, fathers, mothers, and family members, none of us would or will make it to where we are or could be. So BE that brother, sister, parent, spouse, family member that nurtures human development towards self-fulfillment and resultantly, national development.
Find your own song
Let me close on another personal note. When I was your age, there was a trend to look to foreign pastures for better prospects. Those days are long gone with Indian outsourcing contracts being fought over in the industrialized world and growing momentum for India to play a larger role in international affairs. I have always been proud to be an Indian in the United Nations representing a country which continues to confront its challenges, contradictions, diversities, and which encourages introspection and self reflection; a country which, by and large, tolerates external scrutiny and analysis on what it can do better; a country that can frustrate, inspire, overwhelm, all in one go. My uncle, the poet Nissim Ezekiel, said in one of his finer and briefer moments:
Confiscate my passport, Lord
I don't want to go abroad
Let me find my song
Where I belong
I wish my uncle were alive for me to tell him that my passport pages are full of stamps from the countries which I have visited or in which I have lived; that I work and live in a country far away from my own. But belongingness to me does not come from where I physically live. I believe that I have found my song and it remains the song I would have sung if I lived here. Whatever you do, wherever you go, I hope you find your song and sing it loud and clear, fearlessly and joyously. Good luck and Bon Voyage!
and Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations
70th Convocation Address Tata Institute of Social Sciences
Mumbai, 10 May 2010
My sister, Purnima recently delivered this convocation address.
Mr. Krishna Kumar, Chair of the Board of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences; Dr. Parsuraman; Director of TISS; Members of the Board; Graduating students, Parents and family members of the graduating students; Faculty; staff; and other Students of TISS; Distinguished guests; Colleagues and friends.
It was with a deep sense of honour and privilege that I accepted the invitation from the Chair of the Board of TISS and the Director to deliver the Convocation address of the 70th convocation of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
Empowering generations of women
Thirty-seven years ago I was sitting in this audience on the lawns of TISS receiving my Master's degree. I was in the audience for the first time as a 7 year old, watching my mother receive her Master's Degree, and the Award for being the Best Student of the Year. I was proud to watch her get her doctoral degree much later in 1976 from TISS. More recently, in 2001, my niece Amrita received her Master's at TISS. So my sense of honour is deepened by the fact that over the last 55 years, three generations of my family have benefited from this premier institution and all that it has to offer.
The fact that all my higher educational qualifications come from India and more so, from TISS, is a matter of great pride to me. Standing here today, I recall with gratitude my teachers - Professor M. S. Gore, Professor Gauri Rani Banerjee, Professor Suma Chitnis, Professor Grace Mathew, Professor Ramachandran, and many others who shaped my thinking. I am even prouder that I served as a faculty member of TISS for 13 years, learning lessons from my students and colleagues that continue to serve me till today.
The alumni and faculty of TISS have contributed to global transformation- in India and abroad- by speaking out against inequities, standing up for rights of the voiceless and fostering innovation to promote development. I remember the many illustrious students that have gone through the portals of TISS, some of whom were friends and batch mates: Medha Patkar, Srilatha Batliwala, Sheela Patel, Suneeta Dhar, Pradeep Prabhu, and several others including many of the faculty of TISS and the College of Social Work, Nirmala Niketan. Collectively, we must be proud of what we have achieved as TISS graduates.
The journey ahead
As you, the graduates of 2010, stand poised to face a journey in your life which will involve tackling diverse challenges – both personal and professional - and contributing to the amazing story of India's development, I thought it would be befitting to talk today about life as a journey and what it can bring, and what ideals and values helped me along the way.
Let me reflect on four journeys – some which have influenced my life, and others which have influenced yours as well. I will reflect only momentarily on my own journey at TISS and comment briefly on the journey of TISS as an institution, before talking about the amazing journey of India since the time I graduated. I will conclude with some reflections from my journey within the United Nations, where I have served – in WHO, UNAIDS and UNFPA, promoting development, human rights, gender equality and sexual and reproductive health.
When I look back to what went through my mind on the day of my TISS convocation, I recall a sense of wonderment and trepidation at what life would bring for me, a heady mix of idealism and activism as well as pragmatic concern about my own future; a sense of having completed my life as a dependent young adult to a sense of not knowing if I have it all to make it independently.
What helped me through my journey was to maintain some of that sense of excitement and adventure about life's unexpected gifts and pains; some of that idealism blended with strategic pragmatism in the path to achieve my ideals; and maintaining a sense of independence in thinking but inter-dependence in action, recognizing that there is an
innate value in collective power and in maintaining a strong support system and partnerships that can help me to achieve those ideals. Had it not been so, I doubt I would have been able to work in so many different countries, in diverse multi-cultural settings, away from my homeland and family, and within a complex, inter-governmental body such as the United Nations.
While journeys give you the time and experiences that help the evolution of your thinking, decision making and analytical capacities, and the uneven paths teach you to persevere, despite the pitfalls, the wisest lesson that TISS has taught me is that learning does not stop at the portals of an academic institution. In fact it only begins.
Being too cautious is the greatest risk of all
Since I left TISS after over a decade as a faculty member when Dr. Armaity Desai was blazing new paths as the director, till Dr. Parsuraman took over its mantle, the Institute has had a sharp growth in size, scope, locations, and reputation. Thanks to the visionary leadership of Dr. Parsuraman and the Board of TISS and the strong involvement of its outstanding faculty, students, and supporters, the Institute is now respected even more than before, the world over, as a premier institution where research, training, and policy and programme development are nurtured and which produces the finest human resources possible for contributing to India's development.
I know that embarking on this journey to growth and development must have also filled the minds of the TISS leadership with trepidation and excitement. The results have been impressive to say the least. And the leadership, I am sure, continues to believe that there is so much more to be done, especially at the start of the 75th year of the institute's existence. The words of the late Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru display the true sign of leadership – “The policy of being too cautious is the greatest risk of all.”
True global leadership starts at home
When one looks at the magnificent journey that India has taken over the last 15 years, one is awestruck. India has always fascinated those who studied its culture and development. Daunting to many, India was seen as the land of abject poverty only a few decades ago. India has since grown to be an impressive social and economic power, closely following only China in terms of its overall economic growth. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said India must first tackle a host of domestic problems like ignorance, poverty and underdevelopment. Today, it is hard for India to justify living in the world of the G20 while still being counted among the poorest countries in the world.
While maintaining steady growth, the country has increased government investments in social sectors in the last few years in large social welfare programmes such as the National Rural Health Mission, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (now renamed the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme). These programmes, aiming to advance rights to education, health and an adequate standard of living, have their supporters and their critics. But one thing is clear - their focus on improving opportunities and services for the poor and people living in remote areas was overdue and commendable.
I am excited by the growing evidence that some progress is being made in reducing maternal and infant mortality thanks largely to the increase in institutional delivery, with more and more women going to health facilities to give birth and benefiting from skilled medical attendance. What this will mean in terms of sustainable impact and quality of services is yet to be seen. While the early signs are promising, we still have a long way to go.
All is 'not' well
With apologies to a recent hit Bollywood movie, 'all is 'not' well' when it comes to addressing some basic issues. And I am talking of maternal mortality, violence against women, health information, awareness, and service delivery, nutrition, education of girls and livelihood security – all issues that the UN holds as dear to its heart.
As is seen in so many countries around the world, including India, services are still reaching mainly those who live in cities and towns. To enhance equity, rural and primary healthcare needs far more attention. More radical reform is needed to strengthen health and education systems, and financing methods, to ensure universal access. Wherever people have to rely on out-of-pocket payments to cover health-care costs, exorbitant health expenses can lead to poverty. The United Nations supports a comprehensive primary health-care approach to counteract the fragmentation of health systems, achieve health equity, and promote health security. And, of course, a vibrant and vocal civil society, which stands ready to make services responsive to people's needs and hold governments accountable, is indispensible.
One of the responsibilities of the United Nations, as we strive to support countries in achieving the Millennium Development Goals and other international commitments, such as those of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development and the 1995 Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women, is to build a bridge between civil society and the government—a bridge so that communities and governments can work together to get more done to improve people's lives in every sense of the word, and, in the process, deepen the values and ideals of democracy and human rights.
The power of people to accelerate social change
In my work at the United Nations, I have seen time and time again how a small but palpable people's movement can lead to pressure on policymakers and elected officials to respond and can foster changes in policies and laws and shifts in cultural beliefs and practices.
I saw this in the case of a movement encouraging men and boys to fight violence against women in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, Brazil, where the culture of machismo is predominant.
I saw it in several African countries where female genital cutting was the norm and where today religious and community leaders, parents, women's groups and governments are increasingly standing up against this practice.
I saw this in the case of HIV in South Africa, where it took people living with HIV to start a movement, first, for anti-retroviral treatment but then, for HIV prevention as well, to stop further infections.
In a country that fought apartheid, the seeds of such a people's movement were already laid. India has an even longer, rich tradition of people's movements and rooted democratic ideals that make social development led by the people not just a distant goal but a reality in many parts of the country.
Addressing inequities is democracy in action
One of the key functions of graduates of TISS should be building social awareness among the marginalized so that they can demand and claim their human rights. Today we are happy to see vegetable sellers and roadside vendors with mobile phones and view this as a sign of progress. But we have to acknowledge that the underprivileged continue to struggle to get a ration card; for ensuring birth, marriage and even death registration; are forced to deal with middlemen for securing basic services which are theirs by right; and lack the basic necessities for a dignified, secure, and healthy life. We have experienced a revolution in wireless connectivity, but we remain tragically disconnected when it comes to equal rights and opportunities. This disconnect threatens the very foundations of democracy. Closing the disconnect between impressive economic growth and widespread human depravation requires more than policy and legal reform; it requires a shared belief, and passion, that this is a journey worth taking.
The principle of equality between men and women, for instance, is inscribed in the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is fundamental to the Indian Constitution. Giving women 33 percent of the seats in Panchayats all over India has resulted in the induction of “at least one million” women to public life in rural India at the grassroots level. And now, having a 33 per cent reservation for women in parliament offers an exciting opportunity to ensure that women get the voice they deserve and to participate meaningfully in a democracy that values gender equality and human rights.
Change requires courage, confidence and conviction
Dear students, as you embark on an energizing journey ahead, you will need more than formal education to achieve all that you wish because it is not just about knowledge, skill and ability alone. Of course these count. But being open minded, listening carefully to dissenting voices just when you think you have the answer, learning from your mistakes and successes, and bringing passion to whatever you do will all help enormously. And there is no need to set off on this journey alone – bring others along and join others in their journeys. And don't forget to leave behind the baggage of stereotypes; forget the vision of culture as strangling, but see it instead as evolving. And remember that we, the people, create the culture we seek to live in and have the power to change it when it is harmful. Stand up and be counted if you want everybody to count.
And most importantly, don't just keep thinking about what you want to do. Go ahead and do it.
If everybody kept worrying about doing the right thing without errors, we would not be able to fly across the world, communicate across the seas and nations, treat HIV through anti-retrovirals, eradicate polio and increase life expectancy. If we did not take calculated risks and aim high we would not expect to enjoy a revolution in education and health, economic development, and progress for those countries that were seen as harbouring little potential for growth some years ago. Change requires the courage, confidence and conviction that it will happen if we make the effort.
The results of our labour won't be immediate or visible sometimes even in our lifetimes. Most change does not happen overnight but if you do nothing, your great grandchildren won't be in the world you dream for them. If my great grandfather had not educated my grandmother, we would not have had a family where the education and employment of women and girls were valued.
Finally, I hope you will remember that it is important to do your bit in making the changes that count towards social development. Small or large, all contributions matter. My father encouraged his wife to study after marriage, encouraged his daughter to strive towards broader vistas, and encouraged his granddaughter to strive for the stars. If we do not have enlightened grandfathers, fathers, mothers, and family members, none of us would or will make it to where we are or could be. So BE that brother, sister, parent, spouse, family member that nurtures human development towards self-fulfillment and resultantly, national development.
Find your own song
Let me close on another personal note. When I was your age, there was a trend to look to foreign pastures for better prospects. Those days are long gone with Indian outsourcing contracts being fought over in the industrialized world and growing momentum for India to play a larger role in international affairs. I have always been proud to be an Indian in the United Nations representing a country which continues to confront its challenges, contradictions, diversities, and which encourages introspection and self reflection; a country which, by and large, tolerates external scrutiny and analysis on what it can do better; a country that can frustrate, inspire, overwhelm, all in one go. My uncle, the poet Nissim Ezekiel, said in one of his finer and briefer moments:
Confiscate my passport, Lord
I don't want to go abroad
Let me find my song
Where I belong
I wish my uncle were alive for me to tell him that my passport pages are full of stamps from the countries which I have visited or in which I have lived; that I work and live in a country far away from my own. But belongingness to me does not come from where I physically live. I believe that I have found my song and it remains the song I would have sung if I lived here. Whatever you do, wherever you go, I hope you find your song and sing it loud and clear, fearlessly and joyously. Good luck and Bon Voyage!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Carlos Santana Lives, Tom Jones Amazes & The Who Rock The Super Bowl...
A note written by my cousin, Nissim Ezekiel, the former rhythm guitarist of "The Combustibles" and later a director at the World Bank, on his recent experiences in the world of Classic Rock
Dear All (with genuine apologies to those not truly interested--please don't read further!):
I cant help but say this as an intro, honestly...
In an era where the most hallowed politicians tell us Black is White and White is Black, to the point where we begin to think maybe we are the ones who are crazy; and,
In a world, where the most evil acts are perpetrated by people who tell us its in the name of a god...to the point where we begin to think maybe we are the ones who are crazy;... and, speaking as a new 60 year old, it has been an incredible couple of weeks back in the embrace of our musical dreams listening with amazement, sharing thrills with other human beings, and realizing that after all there is inspiration and joy yet in what committed and talented and honest human beings can bring to others...and the truth is truly what it seems.
First, Santana last night at the Hard Rock Hotel here in Vegas...in the intimate confines of The Joint..packed full but perhaps only about 1500 people given the structure of the hall. An incredible band with heavy focus on percussion and keyboards and of course Santana himself bringing his guitar to life...a beautiful stage, incredible energy with people dancing in the aisles almost continuously....the old (Black Magic Woman, Evil Ways, Oyo Como Va), newer from Supernatural from a few years ago, nostalgia rock (Santana's new rhythm to Sunshine of Your Love) and of course the long encore ending with the Woodstock classic that rocked Santana to fame--Soul Sacrifice.
For a 60 year old it was a particular thrill to watch a 63 year old help us bring the memory of Woodstock back for those who did not attend...with the live music on stage synchronized perfectly for the intro with images from the Woodstock movie...allowing those of us in the hall to welcome Santana back to the stage with the same rhythmic chanting and clapping that had precedeed the original beginning of the song on the Woodstock stage that all of us will surely remember...what power, what grace, but most of all what a beautiful smile and happiness on the face of the man who started those memories for most of us back in 1969!
But 63 for Carlos Santana does not match Tom Jones at 70!! Performing in a small dinner theater kind of very typical Vegas hall at the MGM Grand--to a Monday night crowd of 500 or so. And what an incredible voice still that he repeatedly acknowledged was God's gift to him...the same sexiness, energy, plaintively tearfully pleading with the "woman" in a particular song, I'll Never Fall in Love Again, or returning softly to acoustic guitars to The Green Green Grass of Home (is it really possible to cry to a song...??), or reprising Whats New Pussycat and Its Not Unusual and once again and unfortunately for Delilah managing to find her with a knife in his hand....and some brilliant new stuff from a first album in 15 years 24 Hours...with new songs including some from his Irish friends Bono & The Edge.
How does a 70 year old maintain that look and energy that still had the ladies throwing intimate items of apparel on stage, gift us again with the joy of a voice still incredibly powerful and softly pleading, and yet not forget at the end of the day to thank God for giving him his voice...and singing about the voice in a new song he explained might be mistaken as one written to a lover, i.e. "Never"...e.g.
"Can't get enough of your highs and your lows
You take me places where nobody goes
And if you went away, I would never be the same!"
And then just a few hours ago, Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend (65 and 64 respectively!), rocked the Super Bowl and hundreds of millions on TV in a 12 minute sound bite that contained all the ferocity of performances I have seen now six times but also reflecting age that surely has to catch up with those who simply cant seem to leave anything but broken guitars and blood on the stage...nothing held back ever...for all of the musical legends that have graced the Super Bowl half time stage (and that includes the Stones and Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen), this one had the perfect storm of an incredible live band, a wild stage and a lights and fireworks display perfectly coordinated to Townshend's windmill guitar chords...!!
Yes, it was a mini concert but to hear a full throated throng of 85,000 screaming about a Teenage Wasteland, wow...!! For those who have not followed just check this out if you would like....but sitting in my living room, I was up with hands raised to the sky in tribute...
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/08/sports/football/08who.html
http://www.thewho.com/index.php?module=news&news_item_id=390
But to revert back to the first lines of this email, it was only fitting that Roger & Pete (with young Ringo on drums (yes thats Ringo's son Zak there on drums) would end with the backing of 85,000 (or at least the rock fans amongst the 85,000!) with a wild and shortened version of what surely in these days has to be the anthem of our time...
Won't Get Fooled Again...
and yes helped along by electronics perhaps, but the primal Roger Daltrey scream towards the end of the song has never been wilder and more spectacular than when framed by the light and fireworks coordinated in and outside the Stadium...
Yes, indeed, We Won't Get Fooled Again...!!
For those still with me, thanks for helping me share these thoughts and emotions...
Lots of Love...Nissim
Dear All (with genuine apologies to those not truly interested--please don't read further!):
I cant help but say this as an intro, honestly...
In an era where the most hallowed politicians tell us Black is White and White is Black, to the point where we begin to think maybe we are the ones who are crazy; and,
In a world, where the most evil acts are perpetrated by people who tell us its in the name of a god...to the point where we begin to think maybe we are the ones who are crazy;... and, speaking as a new 60 year old, it has been an incredible couple of weeks back in the embrace of our musical dreams listening with amazement, sharing thrills with other human beings, and realizing that after all there is inspiration and joy yet in what committed and talented and honest human beings can bring to others...and the truth is truly what it seems.
First, Santana last night at the Hard Rock Hotel here in Vegas...in the intimate confines of The Joint..packed full but perhaps only about 1500 people given the structure of the hall. An incredible band with heavy focus on percussion and keyboards and of course Santana himself bringing his guitar to life...a beautiful stage, incredible energy with people dancing in the aisles almost continuously....the old (Black Magic Woman, Evil Ways, Oyo Como Va), newer from Supernatural from a few years ago, nostalgia rock (Santana's new rhythm to Sunshine of Your Love) and of course the long encore ending with the Woodstock classic that rocked Santana to fame--Soul Sacrifice.
For a 60 year old it was a particular thrill to watch a 63 year old help us bring the memory of Woodstock back for those who did not attend...with the live music on stage synchronized perfectly for the intro with images from the Woodstock movie...allowing those of us in the hall to welcome Santana back to the stage with the same rhythmic chanting and clapping that had precedeed the original beginning of the song on the Woodstock stage that all of us will surely remember...what power, what grace, but most of all what a beautiful smile and happiness on the face of the man who started those memories for most of us back in 1969!
But 63 for Carlos Santana does not match Tom Jones at 70!! Performing in a small dinner theater kind of very typical Vegas hall at the MGM Grand--to a Monday night crowd of 500 or so. And what an incredible voice still that he repeatedly acknowledged was God's gift to him...the same sexiness, energy, plaintively tearfully pleading with the "woman" in a particular song, I'll Never Fall in Love Again, or returning softly to acoustic guitars to The Green Green Grass of Home (is it really possible to cry to a song...??), or reprising Whats New Pussycat and Its Not Unusual and once again and unfortunately for Delilah managing to find her with a knife in his hand....and some brilliant new stuff from a first album in 15 years 24 Hours...with new songs including some from his Irish friends Bono & The Edge.
How does a 70 year old maintain that look and energy that still had the ladies throwing intimate items of apparel on stage, gift us again with the joy of a voice still incredibly powerful and softly pleading, and yet not forget at the end of the day to thank God for giving him his voice...and singing about the voice in a new song he explained might be mistaken as one written to a lover, i.e. "Never"...e.g.
"Can't get enough of your highs and your lows
You take me places where nobody goes
And if you went away, I would never be the same!"
And then just a few hours ago, Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend (65 and 64 respectively!), rocked the Super Bowl and hundreds of millions on TV in a 12 minute sound bite that contained all the ferocity of performances I have seen now six times but also reflecting age that surely has to catch up with those who simply cant seem to leave anything but broken guitars and blood on the stage...nothing held back ever...for all of the musical legends that have graced the Super Bowl half time stage (and that includes the Stones and Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen), this one had the perfect storm of an incredible live band, a wild stage and a lights and fireworks display perfectly coordinated to Townshend's windmill guitar chords...!!
Yes, it was a mini concert but to hear a full throated throng of 85,000 screaming about a Teenage Wasteland, wow...!! For those who have not followed just check this out if you would like....but sitting in my living room, I was up with hands raised to the sky in tribute...
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/08/sports/football/08who.html
http://www.thewho.com/index.php?module=news&news_item_id=390
But to revert back to the first lines of this email, it was only fitting that Roger & Pete (with young Ringo on drums (yes thats Ringo's son Zak there on drums) would end with the backing of 85,000 (or at least the rock fans amongst the 85,000!) with a wild and shortened version of what surely in these days has to be the anthem of our time...
Won't Get Fooled Again...
and yes helped along by electronics perhaps, but the primal Roger Daltrey scream towards the end of the song has never been wilder and more spectacular than when framed by the light and fireworks coordinated in and outside the Stadium...
Yes, indeed, We Won't Get Fooled Again...!!
For those still with me, thanks for helping me share these thoughts and emotions...
Lots of Love...Nissim
Friday, February 5, 2010
Hours of Studio Experience!
For a flying start in the well paying world of Voiceovers, Acting and Singing, you need to be well trained & well prepared. At the Nandoo Bhende Voice Workshops, we help you get the best Voice training available but you also need 3 critical components that can make the very difference between success and failure.
1) Tons of practice
2) Hours of Studio experience
3) A lot of luck!
The intimidating atmosphere of a recording studio, where every breath you take gets hugely magnified, can be a huge barrier to a great performance. The only way to overcome this obstacle is by getting studio experience. But how does one get experience in an expensive studio, unless you are doing a real, paying VO or singing job?
And is it advisable for you to risk using this rare opportunity to get that experience?
We, at InSync, have the answer! Our studio is now available to our students absolutely free for a further period of 4 hours so that they can hone their skills in a professional environment. If more hours are required, they will be available at very heavily discounted rates to ensure that our students overcome any fear and feel prepared to take on actual jobs. This special offer is available only to our past & future Voice Dynamic Course & Advanced Workshop students so that we can take a proactive role in their quest to achieve success in the shortest possible time. After all, who knows when the next job may come up… And when it does, will you be at your best?
All the best,
Nandoo Bhende
1) Tons of practice
2) Hours of Studio experience
3) A lot of luck!
The intimidating atmosphere of a recording studio, where every breath you take gets hugely magnified, can be a huge barrier to a great performance. The only way to overcome this obstacle is by getting studio experience. But how does one get experience in an expensive studio, unless you are doing a real, paying VO or singing job?
And is it advisable for you to risk using this rare opportunity to get that experience?
We, at InSync, have the answer! Our studio is now available to our students absolutely free for a further period of 4 hours so that they can hone their skills in a professional environment. If more hours are required, they will be available at very heavily discounted rates to ensure that our students overcome any fear and feel prepared to take on actual jobs. This special offer is available only to our past & future Voice Dynamic Course & Advanced Workshop students so that we can take a proactive role in their quest to achieve success in the shortest possible time. After all, who knows when the next job may come up… And when it does, will you be at your best?
All the best,
Nandoo Bhende
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