GERMANY + INDIA TRANSLATION SELLS NEW STANDARD

Transcription

Rs 1 / vol. 52
NEW STANDARD
the magazine on indo-german relations
Indo-German intergovernmental
consultations
GERMANY + INDIA
Dazzling event series starts
in September
issue no. 1 / aug. 2011
TRANSLATION SELLS
German novels spark interest
in India
EDITORIAL
/ je n s u r b a n
BMW 7 Series
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Driving Pleasure
I
t’s finally here. After months of preparation, hundreds of
Amitabh Sinha from the Indian Express describes why
meetings and negotiations, telephone and video confer-
Germany and India are a perfect match to foster low car-
ences, on 23 September we will kick-start our 15-month
bon growth. One case in point is infrastructure. Business
series of events › G ermany and India 2011-2012: Infinite Op-
journalist Volker Müller from the Financial Times Deutsch-
portunities ‹, and I am really excited about it. Writing about
land takes a closer look at sustainable solutions in this key
the many aspects of Indo-German relations as we do in GER-
sector. In our economics section, Mr Müller also portrays a
MAN NEWS is one thing, but having the opportunity to inter-
young, but very well-known Indian lady, who took over the
act with many of the people involved on the spot − the › heavy
German fashion brand Escada. She brought some of India
hitters ‹ from business and politics, scientists, artists, house
Inc's spirit to the company. Her dedicated commitment
DJs and fashion enthusiasts, in the seven Indian megacities
saved a lot of jobs. Jobs are needed in Germany and India,
that we will be touring − is something else. In the 60th year
especially highly qualified ones. If India wants to benefit
of diplomatic relations between our two countries, we want
from its demographic dividend, it needs to train its huge
to showcase the entire ambit of Indo-German cooperation in
pool of human resources. Skills development will do the
the fields of politics, business, culture, science and educa-
trick and Germany is very much engaged in this area. Su-
tion. The main focus will be on » C itySpaces « and solutions
nanda Rao-Erdem gives an insight into some of the ongoing
for the challenges facing our ever-growing metropolises. Hi-
activities in this field. Did you ever try to read a German
manshi Dhawan from the Times of India outlines some of
book? In German? Sounds all Greek to you? Not any more.
the highlights for you.
Christoph Hein from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
tells the fascinating story of how German literature gets
Federal Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel officially inaugurated
translated into Hindi and other Indian languages, e.g. Ma-
the festival during her visit to Delhi on 31 May. But that
layalam. His conclusion: translation sells!
was only one topic on a loaded agenda. The visit set a new
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milestone in our strategic partnership. Berlin and Delhi
In our science section Narayani Ghanesh from the Times
held their first intergovernmental consultations, a format
of India presents a German Research Foundation (DFG)
of comprehensive bilateral negotiations that we had so far
funded project on how cultural memory, history and belief
reserved for our close European partners and Israel. The
systems inf luence the way we deal with disasters. Chetan
consultations were a huge step forward and will enhance
Chauhan from the Hindustan Times gives you the back-
our cooperation in the spheres of trade, vocational training,
ground on the new Indo-German Centre for Sustainability.
science and education, renewable energies and defence, to
When it comes to culture, our bilateral exchange is growing
name just a few. Our joint stint in the United Nations Secu-
manifold: Aamir Khan was a member of this year’s Berli-
rity Council since January 2011, the situation in Afghani-
nale jury. Max Müller Bhavan engages with contemporary
stan and Pakistan, the fight against terrorism, the dramatic
Indian photography and more and more German galleries
events in the Arab world, the G20 and climate change were
exhibit at the India Art Summit.
also high on the agenda. Tanushree Sengupta reports in full
for GERMAN NEWS.
tives and projects? I look forward to seeing you at some of
That's politics, some critics might say, but does it material-
the many upcoming events during the Year of Germany in
ize on the ground? It does! Our bilateral trade is thriving and
India!
there are ever more initiatives and projects between our two
countries. GERMAN NEWS brings you some of the stories.
/ / / g er ma n n ew s / vo l u me 5 2 / i ssu e n o . 1 / au g u st 2 0 1 1
The model, equipment and possible vehicle configurations illustrated in the advertisement may differ from the vehicles supplied in the Indian market.
Want to know more about other Indo-German joint initia-
Enjoy your read!
5
content
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Take off: Germany and India 2011 - 2012: Infinite Opportunities
34
Move on: Indo-German joint initiative to fill the skills gap
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Standards
politics
economy
CULTURE
Touch down: first intergovernmental consultations
Editorial
SHOTS
notepad
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Coming Up
60
ImprINT
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Photo Credits
62
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NEW STANDARD
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AAMIR STARS IN GERMANY
First Indo-German intergovernmental consultations held,
Indian publishing houses envisage German literature for
An interview with Bollywood actor Aamir Khan,
by Tanushree Sengupta
the indigenous market, by Christoph Hein
by Tanushree Sengupta
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GERMANY + INDIA
FILLING THE SKILLS GAP
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BEYOND IMAGE
›Germany and India 2011-2012: Infinite Opportunities‹
Germany’s vocational education scheme offers a healthy
Fine art and contemporary photography grab attention
event series begins, by Himanshi Dhawan
mix of theory and practice, by Sunanda Rao-Erdem
of Indo-German cultural exchange, by Raahab Allana
EYE-CATCHER
GREATER EFFICIENCY, FEWER EMISSIONS 18
VIEW FROM THE OTHER SIDE
Delinking mobility from CO2 emissions presents major
Journalist turns chocolatier; Indian track record awakes
India Art Summit attracts more and more German galleries,
latitude for Indo-German partnership, by Volker Müller
German entrepreneurial spirit, by Dorothea Riecker
by Meera Menezes
LOW-CARBON GROWTH
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On the low-carbon growth path, Germany emerged as one
of India’s most trusted partners, by Amitabh Sinha
PORTRAIT
Cover Illustration by Groupe-Dejour.de
TRANSLATION SELLS
Catch on: India Art Summit attracts German galleries
did you know that...
science
CULTURES OF DISASTER
A German prince made stunning drawings of the
Anglo-Sikh Wars of 1845-46, by Jutta Jain-Neubauer
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Cultural perceptions of a disaster influence reactions
in its aftermath, by Narayani Ganesh
YOUNG, ATTRACTIVE AND SUCCESSFUL 26
MISSION SUSTAINABILIT Y
A portrait of Megha Mittal, the owner of the German
Climate change poses big challenges, Germany and India
fashion label Escada, by Volker Müller
set up a new research centre, by Chetan Chauhan
/// g e rm an n e ws / vo l u m e 52 / is s u e n o . 1 / au g u s t 2 0 1 1
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s hots
/ german street art
GERMAN
STREET ART
--Untilled space is not implicitly uncultivated. What
might appear like squander resources, artists experience
the same as wealth in open space. Thus, Berlin – still
rich of fallow land – became a centre for national and
international street artists. One of Berlin’s wastelands,
embedded in the lively Kreuzberg neighbourhood, has
made its mark by its dazzling paintings on the walls of
adjoining residential buildings. This work was created by
Blu, an Italian street artist, who is known for partly comic-
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© le o se id e l / os t kr eu z
like, partly monstrous large-scale images on buildings.
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s hots
/ g e r m a n s t r e e t li g ht
GERMAN
STREET LIGHT
--Countless streetlamps and headlights dress the Avus, one
of Berlin’s traffic aortas, in illumination at dawn, giving
the 11,9 km-long highway a mystic glow. Andreas Muhs, a
renowned German photographer, took this picture from the
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© an d r ea s mu h s / os t kr eu z
top of the Funkturm tower in March 2011.
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NEW
STANDARD
politics
/ n e w s ta n d a r d
---
On 31 May 2011, as Chancellor Angela Merkel’s plane touched down at New Delhi’s international
airport, in many ways it was a visit marked by departures from convention. Foremost among
them – the chancellor was leading Germany’s first intergovernmental negotiations with India,
a format of comprehensive bilateral negotiations that Germany had so far reserved only for its
close European partners and Israel.
/ t e xt: ta nu s h r e e seng upta
U
nlike the ceremonial routine followed during a visit,
After the meeting, Merkel remarked, » We both share
the chancellor got straight to work on arrival. She
the conviction that we can only live well together … if we
was accompanied by four cabinet ministers and high-
truly define global rules in such a way that they are ben-
ranking officials, five members of the German parliament,
eficial not only for the industrialised countries but also for
as well as representatives of German business, education
those countries that still have a great potential for further
and research organisations. A day before the delegation ar-
growth. « The consultations proved to be fortuitous, given
rived, Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle f lew in to meet
the subsequent developments in the Arab world, the start of
his counterpart S M Krishna and prepare the ground for
NATO-led troops pulling out of Afghanistan and the pros-
what the chancellor termed a » m ilestone in Indo-German
pect of an emerging economic downturn.
relations « .
In her talks with the German media, the chancellor reiterSince 2000, Germany and India have had a strategic part-
ated the respect and high comfort level she has with India’s
nership, which takes on a new meaning in 2011 when
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. She spoke of the Indian
Germany and India sit side-by-side for two years as non-
leader’s tolerant and calm approach to issues and his great
permanent members at the UN Security Council. At the
understanding of the world. » I think thrice before rejecting
May 2011 intergovernmental consultations, interlocutors
any idea that comes from him « , she remarked.
global issues, significantly, strategies at the United Na-
The consultations in New Delhi covered the full range of bi-
tions Security Council, the global fight against terrorism,
lateral relations, beginning with the conventional areas of
the situation in North Africa and the Middle East, as well
trade and education & research, but also extending into ar-
as the G-20.
eas like security and defence policy, vocational training,
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© r eu t e rs
from Germany and India addressed current regional and
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politics
/ n e w s ta n d a r d
infrastructure and sustainable energ y and environment
will mean a quantum leap for Indian scientists in bringing
Transfer of sustainable energ y and environment technolo-
As with all events in India, the chancellor’s visit rounded
technologies. On the sidelines of the intergovernmental
this project to fruition.
gies was another focus area in the talks. Katharina Reiche,
off on a high note of celebrations. On the evening of 31 May,
secretary of state in the environment ministry, met the then
she inaugurated the Year of Germany in India along with
the speaker of the Lok Sabha, Meira Kumar. The traditional
consultations, ministers and senior government officials
accompanying the chancellor held bilateral meetings with
Providing a high level of skill-based training to India’s bur-
Indian environment minister Jairam Ramesh to discuss
their Indian counterparts. As many as 10 agreements were
geoning working-age population is a challenge that was
international climate change negotiations, possibilities
Indian ceremony of › l ighting the lamp ‹ was followed by an
signed, one in the economic sphere and nine dealing with
brought into focus during Chancellor Merkel’s visit in May
of cooperation in environment, as well as a future interna-
evening of music by the Young Euro Classic Orchestra and
education, research and vocational training.
2011. Both Merkel and Singh stressed on the importance
tional scientific advisory body on biodiversity – for which
Indian Dhrupad artists. Preparations are now in the final
of sharing knowhow in the field of vocational education.
Germany has offered to host a secretariat. Reiche also met
stages for the 15-month long festival – a German › m ela ‹ of
German transport and urban development minister Peter
Singh emphasised, » We have a lot to learn from Germany’s
minister for new and renewable energ y Farooq Abdullah to
mobile tents that will travel through India’s seven largest
Ramsauer – who visited India the second time in just over
experience in vocational training and skill development. «
explore Indo-German initiatives in the renewables sector.
metropolises – New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore,
a month – met Indian finance minister Pranab Mukherjee,
Germany’s world renowned system of dual vocational train-
minister of shipping G K Vasan and the secretary of road
ing – a combination of › in-the-school ‹ and › o n-the-job ‹
Chancellor Merkel’s visit, though, was not all hardcore ne-
transport and highways, R S Gujral. The mandate of the
training – can prove invaluable for India to effectively capi-
gotiations. The chancellor was nominated for the Jawaha-
Indo-German Joint Working Group (JWG) on the Automo-
talise on its demographic dividend.
rlal Nehru Award for International Understanding, which
The visit was lean and businesslike, and it laid the ground
she was awarded by Indian President Pratibha Patil on the
for enhancing the strategic partnership between Germany
Chennai, Pune and Hyderabad – as well as a number of
tive Sector was renewed until 2013 in Ramsauer’s presence.
other cities.
Set up in 2009, the JWG has representatives of the German
Three agreements on Indo-German cooperation in voca-
afternoon of 31 May. In her acceptance speech Merkel said,
and India in the years to come. In her concluding remarks
and Indian automobile industries. Its objective is to inten-
tional education and training (VET) were signed at a meet-
» I regard this award as confirmation that our two countries
at a joint press conference with Manmohan Singh, Chancel-
sify cooperation in the development of efficient automotive
ing between German education minister Annette Schavan
have travelled along the right road together. « She further
lor Merkel said, » We would like to support you in achiev-
technologies and alternate fuels and drives.
and India’s labour minister Mallikarjun Kharge. The main
reiterated, » T oday we can look back on these 60 years of dip-
ing the same degree of prosperity that we have been able to
agreement extends cooperation in VET under the lead-man-
lomatic relations with gratitude and indeed some pride. «
achieve, in a spirit of partnership. « ■
Bilateral cooperation in education and research has been
agement of the Indo-German working Group on Vocational
a priority for both countries. Germany’s endeavour to fos-
Education and Training.
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ter excellence in higher education and research and India’s
Tanushree Sengupta, a communication professional, works at the
growing pool of talented young scholars have created a win-
Another agreement was formalised between iMOVE and the
ning synerg y. While academic exchange began way back in
National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC) in India.
1957, with Germany providing technical assistance to set up
iMOVE is an initiative of Germany’s Ministry of Education
the Indian Institute of Technolog y in Madras (IITM), rela-
and Research (BMBF) to support the export of German vo-
tions in the science & technolog y (S&T) sector have intensi-
cational education and training. Under the agreement,
fied significantly over the last few years. As part of the May
German training providers will be involved in the expan-
2011 visit, six research MoUs were formalised.
sion and improvement of India’s vocational education and
German Information Centre in New Delhi.
training capabilities. iMOVE will support NSDC in promotThe Leibniz Association and India’s Department of Science
ing private sector initiatives in the field, as well as provide
and Technolog y (DST) signed an agreement for organising
assistance in setting up Sector Skill Councils. The third
joint symposiums on frontier areas of science & technol-
agreement covers cooperation between the Chamber of
og y. The University of Stuttgart and the newly set up IIT
Crafts Rhein/Main and Infrastructure Leasing & Financial
Mandi penned an agreement to exchange students and fac-
Services (IL&FS) in establishing about 100 multi-skill voca-
ulty, as also to sponsor seminars and workshops. The Insti-
tional training institutes along the Delhi-Mumbai indus-
tute of Materials Physics at the University of Münster and
trial corridor.
the University of Hyderabad launched their cooperation
agreement.
During the consultations, Chancellor Merkel and Prime
per year by 2012. The German business delegation, includ-
research, particularly in the field of infectious diseases.
ing representatives of the German industr y association
Dresden University of Applied Sciences and the National
(BDI), large German multinationals, as well as its real eco-
Institute of Hydrolog y, Roorkee formalised an agreement
nomic growth drivers – the SMEs – accompanied secretar y
to establish an Indo-German Competence Centre for Riv-
of state Hans-Joachim Otto to his meeting with Indian
erbank Filtration (IFCCRBF). DESY, a Research centre of
commerce minister Anand Sharma. While the Indian side
the Helmholtz Association, and the Saha Institute of Nu-
invited higher German investment commitments in infra-
clear Physics, Kolkata (SINP) signed an MoU on the usage
structure, advanced technologies, environment and en-
of PETR A III, one of only four third-generation synchro-
erg y, the German delegation expressed its hope for further
trons in the world. SINP proposes to construct a third-
policy reforms, especially in retail, insurance, defence and
generation synchrotron in India and access to PETR A III
banking.
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© d pa
trade is on course to reach the target of 20 billion euros
of Medical Research (ICMR) signed an MoU for biomedical
© d pa
Minister Singh reaffirmed that Indo-German bilateral
The Helmholtz Association (HGF) and the Indian Council
15
politics
/ germany + india
Germany + India
--Germany and India 2011-2012: Infinite Opportunities − the so titled 15-month long
event series in India strives to showcase the whole spectrum of 60 year long Indo-German
partnership and further opportunities
Rapid urban development presents a number of challenges
A vacant kindergarten in East Berlin has been transformed
– both today and for the future. These challenges occur
into a hip design studio, where authors, fashion designers
across areas ranging from practical issues such as efficient
and photographers brainstorm. A war bunker, reminiscent
transport infrastructure to water supply and wastewater
of many dying dreams, became home to artists’ vivid imag-
disposal, waste management and social issues, to the co-
ination. In India, Mumbai has witnessed a similar trans-
existence of rich and poor as well as of various religious
formation in a limited fashion in the industrial district of
groups. This results in new ways of life developing in the cit-
lower Parel, where shuttered textile mills have given way to
ies and creates numerous opportunities for art and culture.
office spaces, discotheques and malls.
› S tadtRäume – CitySpaces ‹ provides a broad and highly
The familiar turning unfamiliar can have a disconcert-
relevant platform of four interdependent thematic fields:
ing effect and a feeling of alienation. One of the projects
town planning and architecture, mobility and transport,
explores this fusion through the art installation › It’s All
supplies and infrastructure and culture, society and public
Rheydt ‹. The legendary › H aus u r ‹ by the famous German
life. The centrepiece of the project is the › M obile Space ‹ , a
artist Gregor Schneider, awarded with the Golden Lion at
set of modern multi-purpose pavilions, designed especially
the Biennale in Venice in 2001, will be reconstructed by lo-
for the Year of Germany in India by renowned German art-
cal craftsmen and integrated into the Durga Puja Festival
ist Markus Heinsdorff. The pavilions combine state of the
in Kolkata in October 2011. During his 2010 visit to Kolkata,
art steel and textile technologies from both countries. The
Schneider was inspired to design a puja pandal that would
› M obile Space ‹ will be set up for 10 days each in Mumbai,
incorporate his thematic work › H aus u r ‹ as well as contain
Pune, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata and New
the ideas of local artisans who make this annual celebra-
Delhi and will host interactive presentations by various
tion into trend-setting artistic structures typical of this
German corporations and organisations on topics and so-
festival.
lutions related to › S tadtRäume – CitySpaces ‹ .
As a foreigner and a sensitive artist, Schneider saw a mys-
/ text : himan s hi dhawan
D
The set of pavilions consists of six differently shaped mod-
terious and unexpected angle to the artistry of the pandal
ules inspired by Indian motifs and symbols, like the Ashok
that housed the idols. In fact, he was prepared to » e xpect
Chakra. The designers hope that government and non-gov-
the unexpected « in Kolkata and this is the feeling he wants
ivided by seas but united by disappearing spaces.
India 2011-2012: Infinite Opportunities ‹ will be held in In-
ernment organisations can use these pavilions after the
to convey with his design. He will work in collaboration
Spaces are a luxury for a generation that has grown
dia from September 2011 to November 2012 and will focus
project has been completed. The pavilions will play host to
with local artisans associated with the Ekdalia Evergreen
up in a large metropolis, be it in Delhi or Berlin. Im-
on the theme › S tadtRäume – CitySpaces ‹ .
contemporary cultural performances and conferences with
Society using locally available materials. Once the Durga
business partners offering solutions to urban challenges
Puja festival is over, parts of this › G erman pandal ‹ will be
like effective water management and sustainable energ y.
shipped to Germany and reconstructed for exhibition there.
posing malls, glittering billboards and honking cars vie for
attention relegating parks, cultural and creative spaces to
Cities across the world face similar challenges in the use
the background. As India gallops towards higher economic
of spaces and balancing climate change and sustainable
growth and its cities and people struggle to keep up, it is
development with the pressure of housing and provision
One of the most exciting parts of the programme series is
If the › It’s All Rheydt ‹ project weaves old-world tradition
perhaps only right that it engages with one of its strategic
of amenities. Adding to this is the growing realisation that
the › A Wall is a Screen ‹ project that throws the multiplex-
with new sustainable materials, then › I ndia goes 3D ‹ rep-
partners – Germany − for solutions to better prepare for
rapid urbanisation and the fascination for malls and multi-
experience with its popcorn and sanitised surroundings
resents the pulsating youth and their shared passion for
this tumultuous urbanisation it is witnessing.
plexes is devouring space meant for recreation, community
out of the window to create the magic of movies in ever y
electronic music. Electronic music artists from India and
interaction, cultural events and green spaces.
day life. Cinema in public spaces is a popular concept
Germany will perform in Bangalore, Mumbai and New
in Germany with quiet residential areas or busy market
Delhi between November 2011 and February 2012.
Germany and India have long seen each other as reliable
partners in all fields of bilateral cooperation. This provides
The projects − planned across the period of 15 months −
spaces appended as part of several films. The viewer is no
an excellent foundation for both the countries to work as
have been created to tackle issues like mobility, energ y,
longer in wilful suspended disbelief but a part of an audio-
Germany and India 2011-2012: Infinite Opportunities is
partners in addressing the issues of the future. One of the
sustainable city development and architecture through
visual interaction watching clips screened on a billboard or
being initiated by a unique private public partnership −
primary objectives of the Year of Germany in India is there-
performing, visual arts and science, technical and business
a familiar wall, then walking a short distance for the next
including the German Federal Foreign Office, the Goethe-
fore to expand this partnership in all areas.
interactions.
segment.
Institute, the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business
The collaborative celebration − Germany and India 2011-
Cities are currently home to an estimated 30 per cent of the
A rare occurrence in Indian cities, reusing old spaces for
Research. The project is managed by the Goethe-Institute
2012: Infinite Opportunities − was jointly inaugurated by
Indian population and contribute about 60 per cent to In-
dramatically different purposes, is popular in European
New Delhi (Max Mueller Bhavan). Amongst the corporate
Dr Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of
dia’s total GDP. In the next 20 years these figures will rise
cities − on the banks of Berlin’s river Spree, for instance.
partners of the project are companies such as Bajaj Allianz,
Germany, and Smt. Meira Kumar, Speaker of Lok Sabha, in
rapidly. It is estimated that 40 per cent of the Indian popu-
Radialsystem V, a turn of the century pumping station for
BASF, Bosch, Deutsche Bank and Siemens. ■
May this year.
lation will be living in cities by 2030, producing as much as
the city’s water services, has been recreated as a cultural
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70 per cent of India’s total GDP. This means that in 20 years’
centre, where new ideas › r adiate ‹ in all directions. Inciden-
Himanshi Dhawan is an assistant editor with the Times of India,
The upcoming 15-month long event series promises to
time, an estimated 250 million more people will be living in
tally, the Centre is situated in the heart of Berlin between
and participated in the Berlin-Young Metropolis visitor’s pro-
bring in a fresh perspective to our cities. › G ermany and
Indian cities than today.
Friedrichshain, Mitte and Kreuzberg districts.
gramme in June 2011 on the invitation of the German government.
(APA) and the German Federal Ministry of Education and
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politics
/ gre ate r ef f i c i e n c y, f e w e r e m i s s i on s
c
Greater efficiency,
fewer emissions
rates and sacks piled all over, the ground strewn
public transportation in India and was built, among oth-
with wilted salad leaves and squashed cartons. The
ers, by German companies. Munich-based Dywidag In-
frenetic voices of the traders, loaders rushing to and
ternational, a subsidiary of the Austrian Strabag group,
fro – this is the Azadpur Mandi wholesale market in north-
constructed key tunnel sections, while the rail technology
west Delhi, one of the lifelines of the Indian capital. Thou-
division of Bombardier in Brandenburg supplied a majority
sands of tons of fresh fruits and vegetables are traded here
of the metro cars.
every day. The produce is largely delivered by trucks from the
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surrounding hinterland: from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and
The operator consortium selected Munich-based technology
Punjab. It is quite a scene.
multinational Siemens as partner to build a further metro
track section in the upcoming industrial and administrative
India is growing at a rapid pace. Sustainable solutions
that delink economic growth from energy consumption are
needed for the new infrastructure that will be built.
Less than two thirds of the products from the fertile plains
hub of Gurgaon. » They understood our requirements best,
in northern India actually reach Delhi’s wholesale market.
and were in a position to offer the right technical solution, «
The packaging is frequently inadequate, the trucks more of-
says Sanjiv Rai, head of Rapid Metro Rail Gurgaon. Accord-
ten than not in a sorry condition – and transportation over
ing to him, Siemens offers first-rate technology, has had a
bumpy roads takes far too long. It is not rare for a stretch of
local presence for years and comes with excellent references.
50 km to take five hours. » W hat you end up getting in the
/ t e xt: vo l k e r m ü l l er
truck is tomatoes on top, puree in the middle and ketchup
Supporting India in developing efficient and environmen-
at the bottom, « says Vishal Sehgal, Head Corporate Rela-
tally sound structures is also one of the objectives of the Ger-
tions at the wholesaler Metro. Up to 40 per cent is no longer
man federal government. Peter Ramsauer, Federal Minister
saleable.
of Transport, Building and Urban Development, underlined
Germany’s considerations recently in April during a visit to
According to experts, the country’s infrastructure is seldom
Delhi, » I n addition to transport, building and urban devel-
able to keep up with the furious pace of economic growth.
opment, I see external economic relations as one of my main
» I n India the average speed of a truck is 32 km/h as com-
responsibilities as a federal minister. Germany is a world
pared to 97 km/h in Western Europe or the United States, «
champion in logistics and a world leader in the construction
observes a study by the economic research institute ICRIER.
of infrastructure as well as in energy-efficient technologies
Despite this, the bulk of inland logistics is borne by roads.
in the transportation sector. We are keen on sharing these
65 per cent of all goods are transported by trucks, while the
technologies with our partners in India. «
railways account for most of the rest.
He particularly singled out the automotive industry in this
The situation is similar for passenger traffic, where private
regard. During the third meeting of the Indo-German Joint
passenger vehicles now account for 85 per cent. The share of
Working Group (JWG) set up in 2009, in which automobile
buses and railways is steadily declining. In response to this,
manufacturers of both countries are represented, Ramsauer
the Indian government has been focusing on building more
turned the spotlight on sustainable technologies. He said
roads. In fact, over 10 years ago the government presented
that the German Government was specifically promoting
a masterplan for an efficient highway network. India’s road
electric mobility, which was also an area of focus to further
network has now grown to be the second largest in the world,
intensify cooperation between the two countries. Germany
next only to that of the USA.
is a strong supporter of electric mobility. Currently, there
© d pa
are about 1,500 electric automobiles in service on German
18
However, the condition of roads and vehicles and the in-
roads. » B y 2020, Germany aims to have at least one million
crease in freight and individual traffic are cause for grow-
electric vehicles operating on the roads, « Ramsauer said.
ing concern. With rising prosperity there has also been a
That should suit India just fine. Mahindra Reva, one of the
dramatic increase in CO2 emissions. India is currently the
fifth largest emitter of greenhouse gases. In about five years,
pioneers in electric passenger cars, is based in Bangalore in
south India. It is now the largest supplier of its kind in the
it will advance to third position behind the United States
world. ■
and China. Therefore, more emphasis will be laid on public
---
transport in urban agglomerations. According to the Indian
Volker Müller is a Delhi based business journalist and runs the cor-
government, every city with a population of over three mil-
respondent office German Press India. He reports about the Indian
lion should have a metro system. The technical and opera-
economy regularly for leading German publications, including Die
tional benchmark is the metro system in the capital Delhi.
Welt, Financial Times Deutschland, WirtschaftsWoche, Capital
This sophisticated system has changed the perception of
and Spiegel Online.
19
politics
/ low - c a r b on g row t h
LoW-Carbon
GroWth
INDIA’S LOW-CARBON GROWTH PATH
---
India and Germany make an almost perfect demand-supply match.
/ t e xt: A M ITA BH S I N H A
To embed the low-carbon strategy into the financial plan-
been present in India for long − with German Development
ning process, India set up a task force last year to suggest
Service (DED) and Capacity Building International, Germany
policies for the next five-year period beginning 2012. The in-
(Inwent). » We have one of our biggest operations in India.
terim report of this task force has just been submitted. This
Low-carbon is the motto for GIZ and our work in India is fo-
report projects India’s total GHG emissions in the year 2020
cused around energy, environment, economic and sustain-
to be double that of 2005 levels. Significantly, this report
able development, « said Stefan Helming, country director
concludes that during this time, India can easily bring down
of GIZ in India. On the Indian side, the projects are being
its emission intensity by 30-32 per cent compared to 2005 lev-
executed by government agencies like the Bureau of Energy
els, which is more than what India has targeted for. With a
Efficiency and the Central Electricity Authority, both under
little more effort, and some international help in terms of
the Ministry of Power or the Indian Renewable Energy Devel-
access of finance and technology, India can cut its emission
opment Agency (IREDA), which is under the Ministry of New
intensity by over 40 per cent.
and Renewable Energy.
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
INDIA-GERMANY ENERGY PROGRAMME
It is in this requirement of international finance and tech-
Commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Eco-
nology that Germany is playing a big role and has emerged
nomic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the broad man-
as one of India’s most trusted partners. Germany is a world
date for this programme is to help India in implementing its
leader in the use of renewable energy. Nearly 17 per cent of
Energy Conservation Act that came into being in 2001. This
its electricity is now produced by renewable energy. Out of
programme, which has several components, has been run-
the total electricity production of about 600 billion kwH in
ning since 2003 with the objective of achieving greater effi-
Germany in 2010, wind turbines, hydroelectric plants, solar
ciency in all forms of energy use be it oil, gas, coal or even
cells and biogas digesters together contributed as much as
renewable sources. About €400 million are being invested
100 billion kwH. This ratio is headed further upwards as the
every year in the programme, which is slated to run till 2013.
German government, after announcing a suspension of operations at its nuclear power plants in the wake of the Fu-
A major initiative of this programme is to replace millions of
kushima disaster in Japan, unveiled an ambitious expansion
incandescent light bulbs with energy-saving CFL. The CFLs
plan for the renewable energy sector.
are being distributed to households at a subsidised price of
Rs 15 each. The interesting part of this exercise is that the en-
CO2-free coal power pilot plant in Germany, Brandenburg
I
Similarly, German technology is known to be one of the
ergy thus saved is being sold in the form of carbon credits in
cleanest and most energy efficient. Globally, between 30 to
carbon markets under the Clean Development Mechanism
40 per cent of all patent applications for energy-efficient
(CDM). This is how the differential amount between the cost
technologies reportedly were filed by German individuals
of a CFL and the price at which it is being distributed is be-
and companies. India and Germany, therefore, make an al-
ing made up. » T his is a one-of-a-kind and the first large pro-
most perfect demand-supply match. India needs to take ur-
grammatic CDM in the world, « said Ajay Mathur, director
gent measures to ensure that its rapid economic growth is
general of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency that is executing
delinked from greenhouse gas emissions and Germany is an
the project on the Indian side. » A bout 20 million bulbs have
ideal partner in helping it achieve its objective.
already been replaced. The whole of Kerala has switched over
to CFLs. Karnataka and Punjab are likely to switch over in
the next two months. The programme is in various stages of
ndia is already the fourth largest emitter of green-
To avoid such a scenario, it becomes imperative for India to
house gases in the world. With the kind of develop-
embark on a low-carbon growth strategy that will harmonise
GERMANY IN INDIA
ment challenge it is faced with, it needs to grow at
its 9-10 per cent projected economic growth rates with the
India and Germany have a rich history of scientific collabo-
said. The savings in terms of avoided greenhouse gas emis-
implementation in 20 other cities in the country, « Mathur
need to rein in greenhouse gas emissions. In the run-up to
ration. Joint projects and cooperation in research have been
sions is huge, of the order of several thousand tonnes of car-
the Copenhagen climate change conference in December
going on for the last 60 years. With climate change becoming
bon dioxide equivalent.
its people. It aims to build many more roads, power
2009, India said its target would be to cut its carbon inten-
a global concern, there has been, of late, a lot of emphasis
plants, industries, ports and other infrastructure in the next
sity – the amount of carbon dioxide released per unit of GDP
on low-carbon projects, focused mainly around two areas –
Another project that has huge potential to save energy is the
few years than any other country in the world. All this would
produced – by at least 20 per cent by the year 2020 from 2005
renewable energy and energy efficiency. Almost all of these
introduction of tri-generation technology in large buildings
mean that India’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, if not
levels. It has come out with a National Action Plan on Cli-
projects are being executed through the Deutsche Gesell-
and industrial installations. A German technology, trigener-
restrained wisely, would soar exponentially in the coming
mate Change that outlines present and future policies to
schaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on
ation is about getting three results from a single fuel input.
years, a situation that is dangerous not just for India but for
control the growth of emissions in eight different sectors.
the German side. GIZ came into being in January this year by
Traditional power plants release the waste heat into the en-
the rest of the world as well.
These eight › m issions ‹ are currently under different stages
merging German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) – which has
vironment. In a trigeneration plant, however, this waste
of implementation.
22
© d pa
breakneck speed over the next 2-3 decades to ensure
decent living standards for hundreds of millions of
23
politics
/ low - c a r b on g row t h
heat is utilised for cooling and heating purposes. » T rigen-
IREDA. This was the fourth such line of credit opened by
eration ensures about 33 to 80 per cent savings in energy con-
Kf W with IREDA for the promotion of renewable energy.
sumption. As a pilot project, this technology is being set up
INDIA’S EMISSION STRUCTURE
in the JP trauma centre at the All India Institute of Medical
Emissions Distribution in per cent and in MT CO2
Sciences where a gas-based power plant is being installed, «
CARBON BAZAAR
said Dr Anant Shukla, a senior technical expert with GIZ,
At the initiative of the German Federal Ministry for Environ-
who is involved with this project. The recently opened luxu-
ment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, India and
rious Leela hotel in New Delhi has also installed the technol-
Germany are organising › C arbon Bazaar ‹ for the last two
ogy, and so have a number of other buildings.
years, providing a platform for businesses to prospect op-
/ source: low carbon strategies for inclusive growth,
interim report, may 2011
equivalent across sectors (2007)
portunities in low-carbon technologies in India. The Bazaar
On the renewable energy front also, several projects are un-
is turning out to be an effective way of establishing direct
der implementation. A prominent one is being carried out
linkages between different stakeholders in the energy sec-
in some villages in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, where
tor, all towards the overall aim of reducing the carbon foot-
people are being taught to produce clean electricity from
print of economic activities. Another similar initiative was
jatropha oil. Nothing comes out as waste from this process,
the annual Indo-German Environment Forum, which brings
with the last product being used as fertilizers. Test runs have
together industry leaders, government agencies, non-gov-
been going on for the last two months and electricity genera-
ernment organisations and other stakeholders together at a
tion is likely to start very soon. » T his is not just about elec-
conference. Being organised for the last two years, the en-
tricity production through environment friendly processes.
vironment forum has established itself as a useful platform
It is also about community participation, social engineer-
for policy makers to debate and discuss an environmentally
ing and giving the local people a stake in their own devel-
sustainable roadmap for the country.
38%
opment. This is a do-it-yourself kind of experiment in which
people from 4-5 villages, what we call clusters, have to get
together to set up and run the plant, which will ensure full-
A FRUITFUL PARTNERSHIP
time electrification of their villages, « said Anurag Mishra,
Ajay Mathur of BEE says the reason Germany is such a suc-
who is working on this project.
cessful partner for India is its ability to adapt and custom-
18%
Germans invest a lot in capacity building. And they are very
tious Solar Mission, one of the eight › m issions ‹ under the Na-
flexible in their approach. If it is discovered that the chal-
tional Action Plan on Climate Change. The main inhibiting
lenge is x and not y as was thought earlier, they are not afraid
factor in popularising solar power is its cost. It is very expen-
to change in response to the changed situation. That is why
sive compared to other traditional sources of energy. But in
they are such good partners and agenda drivers in many
some places, harnessing solar energy can not only be com-
cases, « he said.
142.04
129.92
117.32
57.73
Electricity
Agriculture
Other
Energy
Industries
Other
Manufacturing
Industries
Transport
Cement
Iron & Steel
Waste
dia and Germany matches. Therefore, there are immense
of GHG emissions across sectors (1994-2007)
sometimes more than one are located in the same complex,
possibilities for cooperation. » I ndia has a very good knowl-
all running separately and consuming large amounts of en-
edge base and there is a keen interest in getting things done.
ergy. Solar power is abundant in these areas and if the cost
There is a huge commitment from the government side. On
of transporting and storing the fuel is considered, then solar
our part, we would love to scale up our activities and proj-
power actually turns out to be a cheaper alternative, « Mishra
ects, if more funding is available. « Helming points out some
said. Mishra’s team is now doing an exercise to hunt similar
recent initiatives in India’s North East through this collabo-
areas where solar power can be an economical source of en-
ration, » T his is about adapting to climate change. Each of
ergy. Top five industry sectors would be identified and sug-
the participating states is developing an action plan on how
gested for a switch over to solar energy. Simultaneously, a
people are affected by climate change, and what needs to be
solar mapping exercise is also on, to categorise areas on the
done. Assam, Sikkim, Meghalaya and Nagaland are partici-
basis of the solar energy they receive.
pating in this project and the Department of North Eastern
Amitabh Sinha is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Ex-
cently, the German government-owned development bank
press. He writes on issues related to science and technology, cli-
Kf W signed a €200 million worth loan agreement with
mate change and environment, amongst others.
24
© d pa , in f o gr ap hi c s b y gro u p e- d ej o u r .d e
areas. They run on fuel-guzzling diesel generator sets and
the upgrade of the renewable energy sector in India. Re-
3%
165.31
Compound annual growth rate (CAGR)
---
6%
238.71
Stefan Helming of GIZ says the overall agenda for both In-
stration exercises, Germany is also supporting financially
7%
334.41
option. » A n example of this is the telecom towers in remote
Region is our partner in the exercise, « he said. ■
7%
INCREASE IN EMISSIONS
petitive in terms of price but also turn out to be a cheaper
Apart from such capacity building and technology demon-
9%
719.31
ise solutions for Indian conditions and requirements. » T he
Germany is also helping India in implementing its ambi-
12%
1.9%
Other
2.0%
Iron & Steel
3.8%
Other
Energy
Manufacturing
Industries
Industries
/ source: low carbon strategies for inclusive growth,
interim report, may 2011
4.4%
4.5%
5.6%
Residential
Transport
Electricity
6.0%
7.3%
Cement
Waste
25
PO RTRAIT
/ yo ung, at t r a c t i v e a n d . . . s u c c e s s f u l
Young,
attractive and...
successful
G
lamorous, his outfit certainly isn’t, not even overtly
the details. While successful entrepreneurs such as hotelier
stylish. It is a rather business-like mouse-coloured
P.R.S. Oberoi still involve themselves in deciding the colour
attire. Christian Gerloff, former insolvency admin-
of each f lower vase in each room, Mittal merely watches,
istrator of Escada AG, stands somewhat unobtrusively on
keeps herself informed, but relies on the competence of her
the sidelines during the opening of a store on Munich’s
employees. » S ometimes I steal into the design department,
chic Maximilian Street. He downs his glass of champagne
simply because I am curious. But I don’t interfere. «
and glances across at Megha Mittal, the new owner of the
---
fashion label. » H er hands shook when she handed me the
In any case, Mittal found a kindred spirit in chief execu-
purchase offer, « Gerloff remarks casually. The offer was ru-
tive Bruno Sälzer. The former CEO of rival Hugo Boss and
moured at €70 million.
the new owner are both driven by the ambition of making
A year and a half ago Megha Mittal acquired
Escada what it was in the 80s − the dominant global com-
the bankrupt fashion house Escada. It was
the best thing that could have happened to
the German company.
For Escada it was hitting the jackpot; for the Mittal fam-
pany for exclusive women’s fashion. The latest expansions,
ily it was more like a minor investment. The family’s as-
however, reveal that it need not remain just that. In 2012,
sets are estimated at over €20 billion. Critics called it
the first men’s collection will hit the market. Niche prod-
play-money, a mere diversion for a rich but bored woman.
ucts like bed linen will be available by this year itself. » You
Even if Megha Mittal – recently turned 34 – wanted to be
know « , says Mittal matter-of-factly, » I always want more. «
taken seriously, she fitted the cliché perfectly: married at
/ t e xt: vo l k e r m ü l l er
22 into the world’s fifth richest family, her father-in-law the
The Mittal family has been living in London for many years
founder and controlling shareholder of the steel giant Ar-
and is involved in social causes. The emotional attachment
celor Mittal, husband, Aditya, the Group’s chief financial
to their home country India has remained intact. Megha
officer, she herself a mother of two with barely a year’s work
was born in Calcutta and her parents own a yarn factory in
experience. Compulsion to work: nonexistent.
Hyderabad. So will Escada venture into the subcontinent?
» T he market there is growing slowly in our segment. Escada
Escada’s development tells a different story. In 2010 the
currently has no presence there, not yet. We will start at the
fashion label was able to maintain its turnover despite
right time, « says Mittal. She is reticent, doesn’t want to cre-
dropping prices. Earnings were back in the black. Its stores
ate a hype about ideas that are not yet concrete.
and product line now sport a younger look and the company will employ 100 new staff in the current year – just 18
Even today, at Escada parties and fashion shows she re-
months after it filed for insolvency. » 2 010 went off well for
mains conspicuously inconspicuous. Others can strut like
us, better than we had planned. Escada is back in the run-
peacocks: her present and potential customers who simply
ning. I am proud of this turnaround, « says Mittal.
want to f launt their wealth. Mittal’s style is simple: occasionally a high-neck top with a knee-length skirt, some-
Escada was never intended as a pleasant diversion or oc-
times a dress with a discreet design. She doesn’t wear nail
cupational therapy for a woman in search of an identity.
polish or ostentatious jewellery. Insolvency administra-
» T here is a very strong work ethic both in my family and
tor Gerloff must have sensed it two years ago: Mittal is no
in my husband’s. My mother always worked and so did my
fashion victim with cash to spare. She is ready to roll up her
mother-in-law. That is how I have always known it. « Her ad-
sleeves. With her, Escada will be in good hands. ■
vantage: there are many more opportunities open to her.
» T hree years ago I came to the conclusion that my interest
---
lay in fashion and I suggested acquiring a fashion brand to
Volker Müller is a Delhi based business journalist and runs the cor-
my husband and my father-in-law. «
respondent office German Press India. He reports about the Indian
Megha Mittal rescued the German
luxury fashion label Escada
26
© arc e lo r mi t ta l
economy regularly for leading German publications, including Die
She seems to have managed the balancing act of setting the
Welt, Financial Times Deutschland, WirtschaftsWoche, Capital
direction for the fashion house without losing herself in
and Spiegel Online.
27
economy
/ t r a n s lat i on s e lls
TRANSLATION
SELLS
---
More and more German literature gets translated into Hindi and Malayalam.
/ t ext : christ op h hein
I
n his 37-year career as a publisher in New Delhi, Pramod
of its coffee table books to German publishing houses,
Kapoor has missed just one book fair in Frankfurt.
for instance kite-view photographs of the subcontinent,
» T hat was in the year when I launched India’s first Sun-
a magnificent volume on India then and now, and even a
day newspaper. It was simply not possible then, « recalls the
cookbook. Frederking & Thaler have over time become one
founder of Roli Books, who religiously continues to travel
of Roli’s important partners.
– and we are part of it, « says the publisher who is known
The Goethe Institute − referred to as Max Mueller Bhavan in
primarily for his large-format coffee table books. » O ver the
India − is also actively involved in promoting German litera-
years we have built up our own network. « He hasn’t needed
ture. It has facilitated the increasingly close cooperation be-
agents for buying or selling titles. While the majority of his
tween the Suhrkamp Verlag and Seagull Books in Kolkata.
Indian colleagues focus on Great Britain and America for
Navin Kishore, Seagull’s dedicated publisher, has bought
linguistic reasons, Kapoor targets the French and German
the world rights for 28 Suhrkamp titles. » I ndia at best wants
market. » C urrently there is a keen interest about India in
Hesse or Brecht, « says Petra Hardt, who heads the rights
both countries, so we are on the right track. «
and licenses division at the Berlin publishing house, » b ut
Seagull has shown tremendous interest and commitment. «
Others too have realised this and are training their sights
The translations for Seagull are financed by the Goethe In-
westwards. » O f course we want to popularise Germany as a
stitute, which is naturally interested in furthering cultural
land of books in India. It’s a two-way street, « says Akshay
ties between India and Germany. It was also the only way
Pathak. He heads the German Book Office (GBO) in New
Indian publishing houses could afford the highly qualified
Delhi. Set up in 2008 and financed equally by the German
but expensive translators whom the authors trusted. » We
foreign ministry and Frankfurt Book Fair, it is the hub of
do have an interest in selling rights outside the English
literary bridge-building between Germany and India. A
and British region, « says Hardt. Meanwhile, even the Han-
large poster hangs at the entrance to the office: » B ooks are
ser Verlag has started working with Seagull. » We are trying
Sustenance « .
to change the traditional India-West relationship and not
end up merely reprinting their original titles for the Indian
Sustenance in the literal sense is also on hand at Meher-
market. We print books here and in the UK and distribute
chand Market in Delhi, where the Roli bookshop is located
in the rest of the world, « says Kishore, explaining his busi-
just next to the cafés. On entering, the first thing one sees
ness model to the financial newspaper Mint. The Tesloff
are not Indian coffee table books but a rack holding a heav y
Verlag, known for publishing children’s books, in fact set
pictorial volume on modern architecture – published by
up a joint venture with Sterling Publishers in Delhi in 2009.
Phaidon in Berlin. » We do the distribution for Phaidon in
Spokesperson Annet Hänel says, » O ur books appear in In-
India, « reveals Kapoor. But the business works the other
dia in English and we use Sterling’s distribution network in
way round as well. Roli has also been able to sell some
African, Arabic and Southeast Asian countries. «
28
b oo kc ov e rs b y d c b a n d p rat h a m b o oks , c ov e rf lo w -e f f e ct e d it e d b y g ro u pe -d e jo u r. d e
to Frankfurt every October. » It’s all one big family there
29
economy
/ t r a n s lat i on s e lls
The variety of strategies matches the huge interest Ger-
rate of 9 per cent has resulted in the creation of a middle
southern India has had its own book fair for the last two
Christine Schelberger. The old German printing presses are
man publishers are showing in the Indian market. India is
class that wants to read. The literacy rate is 74 per cent for a
years where Indian publishers can acquire licensing and
still standing in the workshop of the painter, who is idolised
ranked sixth among book producing countries. Apparently
population of 1.2 billion, but among the youth it is already
translation rights into regional languages from each other.
in India. A recent successor to this tradition is Heidelberger
about 19,000 publishing houses bring out roughly 90,000 ti-
83 per cent. Everyone in the publishing industry knows that
The GBO is also represented at the fair. In Kerala, a com-
Druckmaschinen who are firming up their presence on the
tles every year. But no one is absolutely sure. There are just
the demand is growing. In 2009 German publishers sold 98
munist state that is considered highly educated, people
subcontinent. The printing machine company from Heidel-
65,000 ISBN numbers. » T here continues to be a dearth of
licenses in India. In 2006, when India was guest of honour
know their literature. The intellectuals here are familiar
berg has even opened a printing academy in Chennai that
data on the industry and the market, « says Pathak. But one
country at the Frankfurt Book Fair, the number climbed to
with German philosophers like Jürgen Habermas. DC Pub-
covers the entire sector including printing for packaging.
thing does appear certain: the market is still dominated
a record 145. By way of comparison, 491 German licences
lishers, named after the initials of its founder, has tapped
by medium-sized family-owned publishing houses. Fol-
went to China in 2009 and 113 to Japan. » F rom a purely com-
this potential. It is publishing two volumes by German-
Nevertheless, Roli publisher Kapoor still prefers to get the
lowing the liberalisation of the economy in 1991, however,
mercial perspective, it is also an untapped market, which
speaking Nobel Prize winner Herta Müller as also Daniel
bulk of his books printed in Singapore. » We have had con-
even large international publishers are making forays into
waits to be discovered and developed, « says Pathak.
Kehlmann in Malayalam. Suhrkamp, too, has found two
tacts there for decades so the prices are comparable. But
women publishers who will translate their books initially
quality and reliability are better than they are here, « says
India. Random House, Hachette Livre, Harper Collins, the
Penguin Group and McGraw-Hill have all come to the Gan-
But do Indians want to read books by German authors only
into Bengali and Hindi. » B ut the business is slow in taking
Kapoor. But this scenario is gradually changing. » We are in-
ges. The market today is estimated at €1.4 billion. About 40
in English? » N o, « says DC Kizhakemuri. The publisher from
off, « feels Hardt.
creasingly trying to get our coffee table volumes printed in
per cent of new books are printed in English, 30 per cent
Kerala consequently translates them into languages that
in Hindi, the rest is made up of the 23 other national lan-
most Germans would never even have heard of. » I n India
The barriers are high. Describing the situation and urgent
ers too tend to shy away from printing in India. The art book
guages. So it is not surprising that Penguin India began
the book market for languages like Bengali, Malayalam,
need to modernise, Mallya explains, » A key factor in recent
publisher Taschen from Cologne gets its books printed in
translating many of its bestsellers into Hindi and some of
Marathi or Tamil is at least as active as the one for English.
years that has worked to the disadvantage of publishing in
Singapore and Hong Kong but not in India.
its Hindi classics into English several years ago. Overall,
Even the number of potential readers is much higher, « says
Indian languages is the lack of appropriate computing tech-
India is considered the third-largest producer of English
Pathak. It is hardly surprising therefore, that the Kolkata
nolog y. Word processors, desktop publishing, and other
While it may still take a while for printing to take off in a
titles. » E nglish has remained the language of the elite and
book fair is considered the largest in the world with 1.6 mil-
enabling technologies and localised IT solutions were un-
big way, a network of the entire publishing industry has
is widely used for the transmission of important ideas on
lion visitors.
available for a long time. « Kishore also criticizes that while
now been built up. It started with India being the guest of
the Bengali publishers, for example, are committed, their
honour country at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2006 and has
India. But some things are still lacking. « German publish-
policy and development, « says Vinutha Mallya, Senior EdiAdmittedly, total print runs are still low. Translations into
standard is not yet at par with the world market. » For in-
been becoming increasingly close-knit. Pathak’s GBO is the
art books, based in Ahmedabad.
Hindi or other Indian languages still do not show up in the
stance, they have to learn to prepare their advance infor-
nerve centre of these activities. The GBO serves as a kind
Litrix system of the Goethe Institute, Frankfurt Book Fair
mation of future books at least a year in advance so as to
of incubator of literary exchange. Of course, there is also
be able to circulate it at venues such as the Frankfurt Book
money to be made. » B ut that is not our main objective. We
Fair. « And then of course there are the challenges of trans-
regard the GBO as a gateway to the Indian market. We want
lation. How would one translate chocolate pudding into
to build up enduring and dependable relationships, « says
Hindi? A chocolate pudding which no one in India knows?
Claudia Kaiser, who is responsible for business develop-
Pathak translated the children’s book » L enny and Tweak «
ment at Frankfurt Book Fair (FBF). Obviously FBF is happy
from German into Hindi. After much mulling he made the
when Indian publishers book a stand at the fair. » We are
unknown pudding into mithai, or simply › s weets ‹ , a finger-
also looking at the market in India with the objective of set-
licking treat for every Indian child.
ting up a book fair, « says Kaiser. The GBO now offers semi-
About half of all new publications are educational books;
or the German Cultural Foundation, as opposed to titles in
young India is a voracious learner. The economic growth
Arabic or Chinese. But things are changing. Trivandrum in
30
b oo kc ov e rs b y d c b a n d p rat h a m b o oks , c ov e rf lo w -e f f e ct e d it e d b y g ro u pe -d e jo u r. d e
tor at Mapin Publishing, the leading Indian publisher for
nars covering various aspects of the publishing industry.
The cultural ties between Germany and India are far older
A five-day intensive course for senior management in the
and more wide-ranging than it would seem. With regard to
publishing industry conducted in spring was completely
printing alone, India and Germany have links that go back
overbooked. In June, GBO invited Indian publishers from
over a hundred years. The painter Ravi Varma printed pic-
the » M ind, Body, Spirit « segment on a trip to Germany to
tures of the icons of Indian mytholog y in Germany in the
link up with their German counterparts. Presumably yoga
1920s. At that time Germany offered a much more sophis-
books comprised part of the luggage.
ticated printing technolog y, sharper and with brighter
colours. Varma subsequently brought a German printing
Pramod Kapoor ref lects, » We ourselves have not needed the
press to Bombay in the early 20th century. “The technical
German Book Office so far. « Then he pauses for a minute.
management of the press, however, was in the hands of ex-
» B ut perhaps we should try it out. « ■
perienced printers from Germany who were instrumental
in introducing their highly organised management and
work methods. Popular Indian imagery was as much inf luenced by the technical methods and stylistic conventions of
---
these technicians, as from cheap, imported ‘Made in Ger-
Christoph Hein is business correspondent for Asia for the German
many’ prints,” write the art historians Erwin Neumayer and
daily newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
31
economy
FILLING THE
SKILLS GAP
/ f i lli n g t he s k i lls g a p
---
A
With a newly laid foundation of bilateral cooperation in vocational education, Germany is supporting India in developing its vast base of human resources.
Commercial Vehicles
4.13 12.57
11.5
Cars
10.79 27.83 18.56
Three Wheelers
0.27
1.08 0.99
Two Wheelers
1.99 15.75 12.40
Direct employment – Incremental human requirement (in 100,000) expected in 2022
■ Auto OEM
34
so u rc e : im ac s a n a ly si s / i n fo - gr ap hi c : g ro u p e - d ej o u r. d e
/ t e xt: s u nand a r a o -er dem
fter the onset of liberalisation two decades ago, work
Germany’s › dual system ‹ has served as an excellent exam-
and living patterns have changed drastically in India.
ple of vocational education worldwide. The idea is to offer
Modern cars, stuffed with electronics, can not be re-
a healthy mix of › in-the-school ‹ and › on-the-job ‹ training,
paired easily in the garage next door. Airports and metro
supported by the government and industry simultaneously.
stations need highly-skilled personnel to cater to interna-
Along with theoretical training provided by vocational
tional construction companies. Not just in infrastructure
schools, companies take over practical instruction, which
and automobile industry, lack of skilled manpower is a con-
constitutes a major chunk of the education. The ratio be-
cern across all sectors. At the current rate of growth, India’s
tween theory and practice is 35 to 65 per cent. Based on a
requirement for skilled workforce will perhaps reach 500
compulsory curriculum, the training is adapted to the con-
million by 2020. According to a study conducted in 2005 by
ditions of a company but is monitored and controlled by the
consultants McKinsey, based on the current rate of up to 60
respective chambers. Besides, as trainees learn by working,
per cent school drop-outs before 10th standard exam, only
the company pays a › t raining salary ‹. There are many advan-
a quarter of the 500 million manpower will be available in a
tages to this system: Governments save on expensive costs
decade, which is aptly skilled. The main reason is still cited
for training equipment and students train with state-of-the-
as lack of practical on-the-job training within companies,
art machinery within companies, enabling them to experi-
which are unable to absorb raw talent.
ence real working processes.
The need for vocational education is also felt strongly by
Jürgen Männicke, Advisor for International Vocational Edu-
German companies based in India. A survey by the Indo-
cation with iMOVE, feels optimistic about the paradigm
German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC) in 2010 shows that
shift in India’s approach, which strives to incorporate the
while German companies are poised to hire more personnel
private sector, business chambers and unions, lessening the
to adequately cater to the increasing demand, some com-
burden on ministries. » T his is a new playing field for Indo-
plain about the insufficient availability of talent. The survey
German cooperation. The b2b approach is very good as the
further derived that while vocational in-house training can
Indian government recognises the capacity of the private
compensate for a lack of skilled staff in the labour market,
sector. Companies are involving themselves more and more
only 37 of the 100 companies that participated in this survey
in training, which is a part of their corporate responsibility.
can afford an internal training programme. This is where
We are not looking at copying the German model in India but
iMOVE, an initiative of the German Ministry of Education
we want to adapt it to Indian conditions and search for solu-
and Research (BMBF), has helped in bridging gaps.
tions together, « he says.
Educational development cooperation between India and
Main targets of iMOVE are to contribute to a general and
Germany started some 50 years ago. Today, Germany offers
more harmonised curriculum development, capacity build-
mainly strategic consultancy, coordinated and led by BMBF.
ing for training of trainers, modernisation of instructional
The experts from iMOVE have researched prevailing condi-
media and setting general standards for examinations and
tions in India and the growing need for practical courses
certification along with accreditation. For this purpose, the
in vocational training programmes. The newly established
National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) of India
bilateral working group on vocational education & training
has been identified as a new main partner to iMOVE. Also,
has been meeting regularly since 2008 to enhance voca-
the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry
tional training methodolog y based on the industry-driven
(FICCI) signed MoUs with the German Federal Institute
› d ual system ‹ .
■ Auto Component Manufacturers ■ RM
35
economy
for Vocational Training and Education (BIBB) and iMOVE
has always been the USP of IGTC. In IGTC, they are not aca-
in 2010, which supports FICCI’s activities in the training of
demicians, but experts: best in the business with rich indus-
trainers, cooperation in setting up Sector Skill Councils in
try experience, « remembers Tirthakar. After more than two
Retail, Media and Entertainment, Food processing, Hospi-
decades of successfully conducting courses in the manage-
tality and Tourism and establishment of a permanent net-
ment services sector, IGTC is now looking at entering into
working infrastructure for German training providers in
the sphere of technical training. The project of a training
India and Indian stakeholders.
centre in Pune is in the pipeline, for which the blueprint is
Fraport – Airport Operations
from Austria to Xi’an.
ready and discussions on funding will start soon. Courses
The NSDC in India has identified 22 sectors catering to an
like welding technology, metal technology, vehicle mecha-
ever-increasing demand for skilled workforce. One of its
tronics and vehicle electronics are envisaged.
aims is to set up and monitor training standards in the auto
manufacturing sector. This is where Germany has been ex-
According to Jürgen Männicke from iMOVE, India is under-
emplified: Instead of waiting for Sector Skill Councils (SSCs)
going not just an economic upsurge but also a socio-cultural
to be set up by the government, companies are encouraged
movement. He feels that social barriers towards handicrafts
to contribute towards SSCs and collaborate with authori-
and skilled labour have to be lifted and the time is ripe for
ties. Accordingly, German companies in India have been ap-
this. » T he magnitude of this sector is mind-boggling. If
proached by iMOVE, suggesting that they may team-up with
India gets the right opportunities to learn, the skilled per-
appropriate Indian partners while they establish their own
sonnel sector will explode, « concludes Männicke. Direct
training infrastructures. Many German-rooted companies
cooperation between Indian companies and German train-
have individually set up infrastructures for vocational train-
ing providers has also been initiated. The Shalimar Group
ing in India. Some of the well-known examples are VE&T-Sys-
of Industries is going to set up their own Satya Narain Khai-
tem of BOSCH India, Gedee Technical Training Institution
tan Institute of Mechatronics in cooperation with FESTO
in cooperation with G.D Weiler Machine Tool Ltd., FESTO In-
Didactic GmbH, Germany. For this purpose Shalimar Group
dia Ltd. or TUEV Sued India Ltd. Another example of this co-
has already contacted the concerned state governments of
operation is the VW Academy India, which was inaugurated
Rajasthan and Gujarat. In the first phase it is intended to
in October 2010. Run by Volkswagen India Pvt. Ltd. Pune, the
create up to 10 institutes. At the Business to Business (B2B)
academy has also employed 60 ITI-students under the ap-
level, the Indian Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Ser-
prenticeship act of 1961. Ralf Mayer, Head of Apprenticeship
vices (IL&FS) has agreed to cooperate with the Handwerks-
and Advanced Training at the Volkswagen Academy, empha-
kammer Rhein-Main in setting up 100 vocational multi-skill
sises the importance of iMOVE in bringing companies and
institutes along the industrial corridor between Delhi and
authorities closer. » T hrough iMOVE we came in contact with
Mumbai.
The Company
Fraport AG is a leading player in the global
airport industry. Following its initial public
offering (IPO) Fraport has become the
second largest listed airport company in
the world, by revenues.
Fraport’s expertise is based on more than
80 years of aviation history at Frankfurt am
Main, Germany. Frankfurt Airport (airport
code = FRA) is located about 12 kilometers
from downtown Frankfurt. A renowned
pioneer for decades, FRA serves as Fraport’s
home base and as a showcase for the company’s know-how, technology, products,
and services.
Indian Government institutions like the Directorate General
of Education and Training (DGE&T), the Directorate of Vo-
India’s massive reservoir of talent, if properly trained, will
cational Education and Training (DVET) of the Government
not just fulfil domestic demands but also help countries
of Maharashtra and industry-related organisations like the
struggling with depleting skilled manpower. A big example
National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and the Au-
is Germany itself: The country’s federal labour agency has
tomotive Skill Development Council (ASDC), « he adds.
shown an urgent need for two million foreign qualified work-
With outstanding connectivity to all five
continents of the globe, FRA is a intermodal
hub with one of the largest catchment areas
in the world and direct access to the German
high-speed railway network. FRA is strategically situated in the heart of Germany and
the European Union. Airlines can profit from
high utilization rates and traffic yields.
ers to avoid an impending skilled worker shortage, and by
The Indo-German Training Centre (IGTC) – established in
2025 this number would rise to seven million throughout all
1991 by the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce – has also
industries. Maybe it is too early to talk about India fulfilling
contributed in a big way to India’s growing industrial needs.
this shortage, but as Germany goes through a demographi-
Operating out of Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore and Kolkata,
cal change, this idea could soon become a reality.
Range of services
it facilitates training of 18 months in world-class German and
Indian organisations comprising of six months of practical
Mahatma Gandhi once said, » T hose who do not train their
‘on-the-job training’ in management courses. The success of
hands, who go through the ordinary route of education, lack
this programme is indicated through a 100 per cent place-
› music ‹ in their life « – Seeing the change that India is going
ment record, with the majority of students continuing to
through, these words are surely music to the ears. ■
The company prides itself in being a leading-edge provider of integrated airport
services. Besides managing FRA, Fraport
AG and its subsidiaries provide the full
range of planning, design, operational,
commercial and management services
for airports around the world. Fraport AG
serves as a neutral partner to the world’s
major airlines: offering a complete package of aircraft, cargo, passenger and other
ground handling services. Outside Germany, the company has ground services
operations in Austria. Other areas of Fraport expertise include cargo and ground
handling, real estate development, airport
retailing, IT services, intermodal concepts,
environmental management, hub management, training, etc.
Fraport worldwide
Through investments, joint ventures and
management contracts, Fraport is now
active on 4 continents. Fraport served
some 73.7 million passengers in 2009 and
handled 2.1 million metric tons of cargo
(airfreight and airmail) at the Group’s
airports.
Fraport, which bids for airport management projects worldwide, was awarded a
30-year concession for operating, managing and developing Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in India. Together
with state-run Airports Authority of India
(AAI) Fraport AG has formed “Delhi International Airport Private Limited (DIAL)”.
Fraport is the nominated “Airport Operator” and an Airport Operator Agreement
concluded with DIAL – under which it will
be utilizing its extensive airport expertise
developed over the past 80 years to assist
with the operation, management and
development of IGIA.
Fraport AG
Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide
60547 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.fraport.com
www.frankfurt-airport.com
Contact:
Ansgar Sickert
Vijender Sharma
Fraport India
Paharpur Business Centre
Suite 302
21, Nehru Place
New Delhi – 110 019, India
Phone: +91 11 4120 7355 (AS)
+91 11 4120 7334 (VS)
Fax:
+91 11 4120 7558
Mobile: +91 99 1038 2806
E-mail: [email protected]
[email protected]
work with their training company. This has enabled trainees
feels Ashwin Tirthakar, the topper of the trainings batch of
---
2010. » W hat attracted me towards IGTC was its unique dual
Sunanda Rao-Erdem is based in Delhi and works as Consultant
education system offering six-months of industrial expo-
with CNC communications India. She has worked as Diplomatic
sure, that too with a German MNC. I was selected as a trainee
Editor for the Hindi daily New World. She lived in Germany and
by a company invented for life: BOSCH. Exceptional faculty
worked with Deutsche Welle for 13 years.
36
// / g e rm an n e ws / vo l u m e 52 / is s u e n o . 1 / au g u st 2 0 1 1
© d pa
to find excellent job placements in world-class companies,
37
ECONOMY
/ v i e w f rom t he ot he r s i d e
View from
the other side
F
or a year, Volker Müller watched from his desk
Volker Müller has, obviously, not remained the only choco-
as the Indian economy surged steadily upwards.
late confectioner in Delhi. Western-style Indian confec-
Then the entrepreneurial bug bit him. Müller,
tionery shops are sprouting all over the place, especially
with a degree in economics and journalism un-
in modern shopping malls, but Volker is not afraid of this
der his belt, set off in search of a business idea. He
competition. » T he secret of our success is very high quality.
found it in South Africa, in a small café at the edge of the
Everyone else uses cheap chocolate substitutes to raise the
desert sitting in front of a huge vat of melted chocolate. » T he
melting point « , he explains. In a hot country like India the
aroma was divine, « recalls Müller, » a nd I thought, if this is
biggest challenge for the › M avo ‹ founder is to produce real
possible here then it must be possible in Delhi too, despite
chocolate. » R eal chocolate is a difficult product. It is as un-
the 50°C temperatures in summer. « That was when › M avo ‹
predictable as a diva. It is extremely sensitive to heat. « Yet he
was born – the first chocolate production house in Delhi.
wouldn’t dream of compromising on the quality.
---
Business start-ups need facts. Müller required figures on
A visit to the German chocolatier’s factory takes one by sur-
From business journalist to chocolatier – India’s
chocolate consumption and the behaviour patterns of his
prise at first because it is no bigger than a living room. While
future customers. According to trade magazine Beverage
Müller pours the liquid chocolate from the melting pots
growth story inspires German entrepreneurship
& Food Processing Times, the market for chocolate is peg-
into moulds, his wife Maya and an employee roll out fine
ged at Rs 30 billion and is growing at 15 per cent annually.
truffles at the other end of the table. An enticing aroma fills
Among the affluent, upwardly mobile, well-travelled middle
the room. » T here is more to it than just melting and cooling
class there is a demand for Western consumer goods. Apart
down. We produce small works of art « , Müller comments,
from wine, cheese and bread, smooth melting chocolate is
carefully putting the delicate treats in a refrigerator set to
the new luxury product. Müller’s analysis of the competition
18°C. The product range includes high-quality truffles, melt-
proved equally encouraging. He identified only three com-
in-the-mouth pralines and luxurious chocolate bars like
petitors and their products were very expensive. » We felt we
those sold in exclusive chocolateries in Germany. Taking a
were on the right track. The market for high-quality choco-
short break from the production process, the chocolate per-
late confectionery at a reasonable price was evidently un-
fectionist speaks with enthusiasm and a passion for detail
tapped. « Initial contacts with wholesalers, however, quickly
about his select ingredients that would be any connoisseur’s
brought him back to earth. No one deals in real chocolate
delight: raw chocolate from Belgium and France, Grand Cru
in Delhi. The raw materials have to be imported. What is
chocolate with cacao beans sourced from a single plantation
available is chocolate glaze, a heat-resistant substitute for
and premium blends of beans from Indonesia, Ghana and
chocolate in which cocoa butter is replaced by cheaper fats.
Ivory Coast. The mini company produces about 3,200 choco-
This was just one of the hurdles the chocolate start-up faced.
lates a day. New creations such as mango lassi confections
» None of us had a clue about making chocolate confection-
or pina colada truffles are the results of experiments. In his
ery, « Müller admits. He and his wife Maya finally enrolled
free time Müller is constantly trying out new recipes.
/ text : dorot hea riecker
© im ag e so u rc e/ m ih o mi h o
in a professional course in chocolate-making at the choco-
38
late academy of the world’s largest cocoa producer. They
Two years ago the ex-journalist would not have dreamt that
were now ready for their first attempt. Chocolate v. 1.0 tasted
he would be conquering Indian hearts through chocolate.
awful. » O ur kitchen resembled a battlefield. « But the mar-
Although India lags far behind in the world rankings with
ket test two months later at the Christmas fair of the Indo-
a per capita chocolate consumption of just 300 grammes,
German Chamber of Commerce was a success. It was time to
he is convinced that this is the chocolate El Dorado of the
clear the last hurdle and set up a company. In Germany, it is
future. If his current success is anything to go by, he could
possible to establish a small partnership in a day. In India
well be right. On holidays, especially, he has to put in over-
that would suffice merely to obtain a rough idea of the bu-
time hours. His production of 35 kg a week falls far short of
reaucratic procedures involved. But the fledgling enterprise
meeting demand at these times. He is planning a chocolate
didn’t give up. Müller sought the advice of a business consul-
academy to train the Indian sweet tooth to appreciate choco-
tant. After 12 months he had finally made it. Initial discus-
late’s delicate seduction. Who knows, perhaps Volker Mül-
sions with potential business partners went off exceedingly
ler will succeed in kissing India awake from its chocolate
well. Sales were brisk at the Diwali and Christmas markets.
slumber. ■
Defying all odds, the company broke even in the first year.
--Dorothea Riecker is foreign correspondent for the German news
magazine Focus.
39
science
CULTURES OF
DISASTER
/ c u lt u r e s of d i s a s t e r
---
Cultural memory, history and belief systems have
important roles to play in the way we deal with disasters
W
hen does a natural event become a disaster?
network of researchers at Heidelberg University’s Cluster
And what’s culture got to do with natural disas-
of Excellence › A sia and Europe in a Global context ‹. Here,
ters and their management? Quite a lot, it seems.
scholars from different discipline backgrounds study
» A natural event becomes a disaster when it clashes with
the processes of exchange of ideas, concepts, technolo-
cultural settlement structures « , says researcher Prof Gerrit
gies, commodities, and people between Asia and Europe
Jasper Schenk, team leader of the Junior Research Group
throughout history, the impact these exchange processes
› C ultures of Disaster ‹ . Human agency and dealing with risk
have on local environments (human and natural), and how
shape the course a catastrophe takes decisively. It is here
these retroact in their places of origin.
that culture comes into play.
The application of such a perspective on disaster research
To enable better understanding of why and how disasters
could reveal the ways in which we react to catastrophic
occur worldwide and how best we can learn to face the chal-
events and deal with them through the layers of social and
lenge, the German Research Foundation (DFG) has allotted
cultural conditioning while working within the constraints
generous funding to Schenk’s research group to encourage
imposed by political institutions, governance and public
the study of disasters from a historical and cultural per-
administration and sense of collective responsibility. This
spective. The research group is part of an inter-disciplinary
could result in finding solutions that are not merely
40
fl o od e d w i t h m emo r ie s: p or t ra i t s o f i n u n d at io n from ass am b y k az e m u d d in (k az u ) ahm e d
/ t e xt: na r ayani g a nesh
Matmora, where these photos have been taken, has long
been lost in the depths of the Brahmaputra. The village
has all but completely disappeared, leaving nothing but its
memory in the swirling waters of the Brahmaputra.
41
science
/ c u lt u r e s of d i s a s t e r
operational in the sense of post-disaster management but,
undertaken by reconstructing the materials and technol-
reactions in its aftermath while at the same time people’s
The outcome of the workshop on the transculturality of di-
more importantly, in dealing with disasters through cul-
og y that created them in the first place, thereby not only
perceptions of the causes of a disaster may have only little
sasters − as the two held before this one, first in Heidelberg
tural learning experiences from across the world and per-
preserving the purity of that heritage but also ensuring
impact on larger schemes for disaster management. » For
and then in Beirut − has been to sharpen ref lexes of involved
haps help minimise the trauma and damage.
their survival for longer periods.
example, after the earthquake in 1934 in Bihar people re-
persons to cultural and not just technical dimensions of di-
ferred to myths and beliefs which placed the earthquake
sasters. » P eople don’t react the way that government and
Among the worst examples of parachute-dropping western
This is true not just of man-made structures but of natural
within their worldview. This is not to say that › s cience ‹ or
policymakers expect them to « , says Prof Schenk. Therefore
solutions to eastern crises was seen in the way rehabilita-
habitats as well, as was seen clearly in the way the Indian
seismological theories were less important; but, in order to
it is necessary to integrate local knowledge and tradition in
tion of ancient monuments was carried out prior to the
Ocean tsunami wreaked havoc in the subcontinent in 2004.
make sense of an extraordinary event that causes death and
the region you are working on to make it efficient.
earthquake that devastated Gujarat in 2004, particularly
Wherever mangroves were vibrant, the coastline remained
changes physical landscapes within seconds, the myths
in Bhuj where the impact was most severe. Medieval struc-
largely protected or at least suffered minimum damage.
and beliefs seem to help people to cope with a disaster, «
Sir Bernard Feilden, celebrated British conservation archi-
tures that had recently been › s uccessfully ‹ renovated by the
Wherever mangroves had been destroyed and the coastline
she adds.
tect, would repeatedly reiterate the importance of planning
Archaelogical Survey of India were reduced to rubble while
was vulnerable, there was maximum damage to life, live-
those that had retained their ancient form remained intact
lihood and property. So the transfer of ideas, knowledge
Prof Schenk emphasizes that global technologies plus lo-
ory and sharing of community experience across regions
despite the earth shaking their foundations. How did this
and commodities from one region or culture to another
cal knowledge equals hybrid solutions. » T echnical ap-
play pivotal roles in preparing the ground for action. The
happen? Western technolog y using cement was slapped
has to be done with great sensitivity and applied in a way
proach might have been developed in the west but we need
need is for a bottoms-up approach, not a top-down one. And
onto the dome that was constructed in ribbed fashion.
that synergises existing knowledge systems in affected ar-
to include local knowledge that has important lessons to
one that takes into account all historical and cultural facts
Rendered top heav y with uniformly plastered cement, the
eas, and not by replacing them with entirely new ways that
teach us « , he asserts. When we cease to respect traditional
and belief systems, even if the latter are not comprehensi-
structure simply collapsed under its own weight when the
have no organic presence. The striving is to institution-
systems, the outcome can be disastrous, he says, quoting
ble to some, for they have a role to play in the way disasters
ground shook.
alise a method that would be dynamic rather than static;
a bad example of adopting western techniques in east In-
are dealt with and in the way individuals and communities
that would take into account both modern developments as
dia. River embankments, an idea imported from the west,
come together to move ahead and take responsibility. ■
It is no longer viable or even practical to look at human pop-
well as include older perspectives that have grown out of
has disrupted the way riverine populations conducted their
ulations and the ecosystems from a purely local standpoint;
ancient knowledge systems and cultural experiences that
lives, without fear of f loods. Similarly, big dams can be
---
with globalisation and explosion of economic and cultural
are invaluable when dealing with large scale catastrophic
problematic, he says, especially when it leads to thousands
Narayani Ganesh is senior editor with The Times of India. She
activity crossing all man-made boundaries, the way we
events. In this context, the value of a cluster study that in-
becoming internally displaced people.
writes on issues related to science and technology, environment,
interact with our environment is increasingly becoming
vokes international expertise as well as draws from local
global even if the origin of a disaster could be reduced to
wisdom could be immense. This way, the cluster seeks to
a local event. A disaster any where in the world has wide-
establish a network or fund of scholarship that can handle
ranging repercussions on the economic, political, cultural
area studies from a global perspective, which is what glo-
and psychological lives of communities living any where
calisation is about.
the earthquake and tsunami that has devastated Japan but
Edward Simpson, senior lecturer in social anthropolog y at
whose effects resonate to far f lung areas that are nowhere
the Centre for South Asian Studies, SOAS, London, deliv-
near ground zero. Disasters, thus, can no longer be viewed
ered a keynote lecture at the Delhi workshop on the signifi-
as isolated local phenomena; they are to be viewed from the
cant similarities in the way people of different religions lay
prism of a more holistic medium of the global and the local
blame and attribute agency in the region in the context of
− in other words, making possible what is being termed as a
earthquakes. By invoking collective social memory, com-
glocalised approach to the problem.
munities are able to » r ender the extraordinary, ordinary, «
he says, pointing to the importance of drawing from com-
To this end, a recent workshop on › T ransculturality of His-
mon sources of strength in facing large-scale disaster.
torical Disasters: Governance and the Materialisation of
Therefore, regional understanding of disasters and the lo-
Glocalisation ‹ was organised by Prof. Schenk’s research
cal way of dealing with them can prove to be significant in
group at the Max Mueller Bhavan, New Delhi. Experts from
calming nerves and ensuring collective responsibility.
around the world came together to share their views and
findings on the subject. What is the relation between na-
Prof Schenk says that the network of 12 scholars in Europe
ture and society vis-à-vis what are termed as › n atural ‹ di-
studying the historical aspect of disasters is doing excellent
sasters like earthquakes, f loods, droughts and storms? The
work. He adds that disaster is only one part of research; gov-
importance of historical study and analysis of ancient ma-
ernance and administration are being looked at in equal
terials used cannot be underestimated only because they
measure. He has two doctoral students, Kristine Chalyan-
are ancient. If only a historical and cultural perspective
Daffner, who is studying disasters in the Middle Ages in
had been adopted, it would have become obvious that to re-
Eg ypt, and Eleonor Marcussen, who is focusing on India.
pair an ancient structure and preserve heritage, it would be
According to Marcussen, who has studied responses to di-
sensible to use only those materials that were used in the
sasters in northern Bihar in the early 20th century, it seems
first place. In the UK, restoration of monuments is largely
evident that cultural perceptions of a disaster inf luence
42
heritage and philosophy.
f lo o d ed wi t h mem o ri e s: p o rt r ai t s o f in u n d at i o n f ro m as s am b y k az e m u d d in (k az u ) ahm e d
on the globe. The most recent example would be that of
for the period » b etween disasters « – and here cultural mem-
While the land is gone, the people continue to survive and
need an identity to hold on to. An embankment hitherto
nameless has been rechristened as the village and become
home for the people of Matmora.
43
science
/ m i s s i on s u s ta i n a b i li t y
--The Indo-German Centre for Sustainability aims at developing the capacity and the capability to
promote sustainable development in Germany, India and South Asia.
te xt: ch e ta n ch auh a n
I
ndian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and 54-year-
promote sustainable development through analysis, train-
old Kalka Devi in the northern state of Uttarakhand
ing, information dissemination and guidance and action in
resonate that climate change will pose the biggest survival
a few pilot demonstration projects, « says coordinator Pro-
challenge, but their areas of concern are different. For the
fessor S C Rajan, who has expertise on climate change is-
PM, changing climate could be a possible stumbling block
sues through his work at IIT-Madras. » O ur work can provide
for achieving India’s economic growth at 9 to 9.5 per cent
important inputs for policy makers. «
of the GDP in the next five years, with a council headed by
him estimating that it can impact GDP growth by 1 to 1.5
To start with, the Centre is focusing on four areas − water,
per cent. Devi is more worried about getting clean drinking
waste, energ y and land use – vital for safeguarding India
water in the hill state – source of two big rivers in India,
from the onslaught of devastating effects of climate change.
Ganges and Yamuna − for her family, as glaciers are melt-
The issues chosen are important because India’s water re-
ing probably because of global warming. She has to walk at
sources are diminishing as demand increases, huge migra-
least two kilometres a day to fetch a bucket of water, which
tion to urban areas (half of India will be in cities by 2030) is
until late 1990s was available in her village.
leading to huge waste generation, 46 per cent of Indians do
not have access to regular power supply and land is becom-
A possible answer to the trauma of the PM and Devi is inter-
ing the most priced commodity because of high industrial
national collaboration for deploying solutions as per local
growth.
needs. One such collaboration has started between Indian
and German scientists at the premier Indian Institute of
Water
Germany came together to set up the Indo-German Centre
In India, water will be the most sought after natural re-
for Sustainability (IGCS) at IIT-Madras, where scientists
source in the next decade mainly because of the impact of
from the two countries will jointly conduct research proj-
climate change on monsoon, a big source of fresh water.
ects on climate change issues with an aim to find solutions.
The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorolog y at Pune has
The IGCS is jointly headed by the Director of IIT-Madras
found that climate change has been causing lesser rainy
Construction works at metro station Dubai Marina Mall,
Prof. M. S. Ananth and the Director of RWTH Aachen Uni-
days during monsoon months, even though overall precipi-
Dubai, December 2009, United Arab Emirates.
versity Prof. Dr. Ernst Schmachtenberg. Experienced sci-
tation levels are constant. » T he main uncertainty regard-
entists from Germany will be stationed in Chennai for two
ing climate change is the sensitivity of the monsoon regime
years to provide input for improving current projects and
against changes in global climate, « Peter Fiener, visiting
developing new ones.
professor from Germany to work on water related issues at
© t h o ma s me y er / o st kr e u z
Technolog y (IIT) Madras. On December 6, 2010, India and
The photograph is a part of › D ie Stadt. Vom Werden und
Vergehen ‹ − an exhibition that searches for the essence of
present-day urban realities and documents urban growth
and decay in 22 cities worldwide. The exhibition is one of the
programme highlights of › G ermany and India 2011-2012:
Infinite Opportunities ‹ and will travel from Hyderabad
(September) to Chennai (October), Delhi (November) and
the Centre, explains.
The IGCS will mean cooperation between German and
Indian scientists on fundamental and applied research,
By 2020, India’s water demand is expected to be around
teaching and training and dissemination of information in
1,000 billion cubic metre (BCM) as against the supply of
the area of sustainable development. » T he Centre aims to
about 700 BCM. The biggest demand generator will be
Kolkata (December).
44
45
Science
the agricultural sector, as it will reel under global warming.
treatment with the production of energ y in a sustainable
Fiener points out that the Centre will develop management
manner and are in great demand to solve regional prob-
techniques to reduce water demand for irrigation during
lems, « Steger emphasises.
the dry periods, and techniques for water harvesting, due
India needs over 100 million megawatts of additional en-
ing water quality – with 36 per cent of river water in India
erg y to ensure economic growth of 9 to 9.5 per cent and
being highly contaminated. » T here is a great need and op-
provide reliable electricity to all its citizens, from just 54
portunity in educating farmers on appropriate use of fertil-
per cent today. India’s power demand is expected to dou-
izers and agrochemicals, « says Fiener.
ble by 2020 and thermal, a major source of CO2 emissions,
seems to be the most favourable way. This is a major chal-
For better water management, the Indo-German centre
lenge for the Centre as it will have to provide clean thermal
is working on strategies for water basins in India, which
energ y options different from the unacceptable ones such
would be regulated through a national authority in the
as carbon sequestration and storage. Rajan says that they
next three years. » T o my mind the centre has two main
are working on different energ y scenarios for India with
objectives in respect of mitigating water problems. On
the aim to provide an energ y mix that helps in sustainable
the one hand, the centre will promote interdisciplinary,
development. » We want to show the solutions after imple-
water-related projects, which should exemplarily show op-
menting them at the local level, « he adds. Besides, Prof. Dr.
tions of a sustainable water use. On the other hand, the
A. Kumar Kolar of the Department of Mechanical Engineer-
centre will encourage students − as multipliers of new
ing, IIT-Madras and Prof. F. Behrendt of Berlin Institute of
ideas − to focus on aspects of sustainable use of water
Technolog y will work together with students from IITM to
resources, which is a major challenge in India, « Fiener
develop new technolog y to provide energ y solutions. » It can
states.
be anything from solar to wind to thermal, « Kolar says.
Waste
Land Use
India, as a fast developing economy, is also facing huge
With India’s demographic profile changing at a fast pace
waste management problems. 28 per cent of municipal
and half of the country’s 1.3 billion population expected to
waste remains uncollected and over 80,000 tonnes of elec-
be in urban areas by 2030, the Centre will also carry out re-
tronic waste gets generated in 12 major cities of the coun-
search in the field of viable land use. Sustaining urban wa-
try. » A ssuming that most of the waste goes directly to land
ter bodies, ensuring better local air quality and sustainable
filling or incineration, this would lead to increasing emis-
land use will be the focus areas of research at the centre.
sions of CO2 and affect the climate as a long-term conse-
Dr. H. Schnyder of the Department of Grasslands Science of
quence. Moreover, groundwater can be affected by intensive
Technical University Munich will be the visiting professor
land filling, and water bodies, in general, are affected by
for the programme. IITM already has research programmes
accumulating waste, « warns Kristin Steger, who is also a
in urban air management, which could be handy for re-
visiting professor at the Centre and has vast experience in
search. The outcome of the centre’s research is expected
this field. The Centre will work on projects to find locally
by the end of 2011, when it does its preliminary studies
adaptable solutions for effective waste management. » We
on Chennai river basin and some other major river basins
can teach students about waste prevention, waste recycling
in India. In the coming years, it will also provide trained
and the potential of sustainable waste treatment and in
manpower to understand climate change better and to pro-
turn encourage students to be aware of our environmental
vide local solutions. » S tudents from IITs will be associated
resources. The centre could also be used as a platform for
in the projects, « Rajan says, and adds that the centre may
information, about newly developed waste treatment strat-
eventually offer Masters and PhD degrees. Welcoming the
egies, by technical staff from the waste industry or by local
collaboration, Jairam Ramesh, erstwhile Minister of State
farmers, « Steger adds.
in the Ministry of Environment and Forests said, » C limate
change, whether induced by carbon dioxide or not, will be a
According to centre coordinator Rajan, there is huge poten-
challenge and any research to provide adaptation answers
tial for research and designing of solutions. For example,
will help us all. « That can also probably give answers to con-
anaerobic treatment of organic waste leads to the produc-
cerns of both PM Singh and Devi. ■
www.eurofighter.com
Energy
The Centre will also work on another area of concern – fall-
© t h o ma s me y e r / o st k reu z
to the promotion of infiltration, for wet periods.
Eurofighter Typhoon: The Best Multi-Role Capabilities for India
Eurofighter Typhoon: the world’s most advanced new generation multi-role combat aircraft. Representing the combined strengths of
Europe’s leading aerospace and defence companies, the Eurofighter Typhoon provides engineering and industrial benefits for all customer
nations. Designed with an established technology insertion programme, Eurofighter Typhoon is an open platform offering industrial
partnership, shared development and affordable logistics solutions.
tion of biogas, which can provide fuel for the local public transport, like buses. » S uch concepts combine waste
--Chetan Chauhan is a senior assistant editor with the Delhi edition
of Hindustan Times
nothing comes close
46
NOTEPAD
GTZ becomes GIZ
from humble birth to global dominance
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit
What began 125 years ago in Germany as a humble three-
(GTZ) GmbH (German Technical Cooperation) changed
wheeled motor carriage with a top speed of 18 km/h has
its name to the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale
evolved into today's high-performance automobiles tear-
Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on January 1, 2011. It also
ing down the highways. It was on 29 January 1886 that Carl
merged with InWEnt – Capacity Building International
Benz filed an application in Berlin for a patent on his motor
and the German Development Service (DED). It is owned
tricycle. Ever since, that day has been considered the offi-
by the German Government and works in the field of inter-
cial birthday of the automobile, which, in 2011, celebrates
national cooperation for sustainable development. GIZ is
its 125th anniversary. The prototype device had a clatter-
also engaged in international education work around the
ing, water-cooled horizontal single cylinder gas engine. On
globe and currently operates in more than 130 countries
its first run, it managed to travel just a few hundred metres,
worldwide. Germany has been cooperating with India by
but improvement was rapid. The first breakthrough came
providing expertise through the organisations now form-
only two years later when Benz’s intrepid wife Bertha suc-
ing GIZ for more than 50 years. To address India’s prior-
cessfully piloted model number 3 from her parent’s home
ity of sustainable and inclusive growth, GIZ’s joint efforts
to the town of Pforzheim in August 1888. At the same time
with the partners in India currently focus on the following
as Benz, Gottlieb Daimler was developing the first four-
areas: Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, Sustain-
wheeled motorcar. In this way, working independently of
able Urban and Industrial Development, Natural Resource
each other, the founding fathers of today’s Daimler AG and
Management, Private Sector Development, Social Protec-
its globally successful Mercedes-Benz core brand laid the
tion and Financial Systems Development.
foundation stone for all present-day passenger cars, commercial vehicles and buses.
www.giz.de
www.125-years-of-automobiles.com
TEICHMANN BROTHERS ON TOUR
The Goethe Institute's invitation had the Teichman Brothers Electro DJ duo from Germany criss-crossing South
Asia. Their stops on the tour were Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Dhaka, Chennai, Bangalore, Colombo and Kabul. The
goal: to explore the electro music scene in the region. In
their luggage were compact synthesizers and a few dozen
LPs. Andy and Hannes Teichman discovered a small but
enthusiastic and growing scene of DJs and musicians who
combine disco, traditional music and Sound Art. » A part
from our performances we also organised workshops.
Perhaps these will serve as a take-off point for someone
to make it big in electro-acoustics, « hopes Andy. They returned to Germany with double the amount of luggage and
an interesting realisation. » House and techno were not
born in America or England – as most people think – but
in Bombay in 1982. Charanjit Singh’s › 10 Ragas To A Disco
Beat ‹ were the blueprint for the acid house wave that began
in Chicago four years later, « sums up Hannes. The most
commonly used electronic stand-ins in India, like electric
tanpuras and shruti boxes or the tabla rhythm Digi 100
computer, whetted the brothers’ electro collector appetites. Ultimately for Andy and Hannes, their tour through
India threw up many ideas for future cooperation – and a
sizeable gain in luggage.
www.myspace.com/teichmann
48
// / g e rm an n e ws / vo l u m e 52 / is s u e n o . 1 / au g u s t 2 0 1 1
49
CULTURE
/ a a m i r s ta r s i n g e r m a n y
M
Aamir stars
in Germany
r. Khan, you have attended the Berlin Film
for 4 – 5 hours outside the hotel to meet me. Based on all
Festival for the first time, and that too, as a
of this, I am assuming that it is a growing audience in Ger-
jury member. What were your expectations
many for mainstream Indian cinema. They (the fans) were
when you went to Berlin and your experience
constantly saying, » We want more Indian films to reach
at the festival?
us. « But all of them (Indian films) don’t, because Indian
cinema doesn’t have a smooth pipeline of distribution as
Aamir Khan: I’ve always heard so much about the Berlin
yet. In the US we have a smooth pipeline of distribution. All
Film Festival. It is certainly one of the most highly regarded
our films release in the cities where a lot of Indians live. But
festivals in the world. So, I was very keen to experience it,
here it’s not Indians, here it’s Germans actually who want
and I was very pleased to be invited there as part of the jury.
to watch Indian films. They kept telling me, » P lease try and
The festival lived up to all the expectations that I had. It’s
see to it that a distribution set-up is in place so that we get
---
a very well-organised festival. The entire festival was such
to watch all the films. «
Each February, the German capital Berlin turns into a world film mecca with the hosting of the
warmth, but I have to say that the Berlin Film Festival was
Your home production › P eepli Live ‹ was released last year
as good, if not better, as a host.
in Germany, and your latest production › D hobi Ghat ‹ is
a lovely host for us. India is known for its hospitality and
Berlin International Film Festival. This Year, Aamir Khan was part of the international jury.
also due for release in Germany soon. What response did
Sitting on a jury with some of the most prominent inter-
/ i nter v iew: tan u s hree s en gu p ta
› P eepli ‹ get?
national film personalities, what did you keep in mind as
an Indian film professional while looking at the competing
Aamir Khan: The response for › P eepli ‹ from the distributor
films at the Berlinale?
of our film Stefan – his company is called Rapid Eye – was
not very good. He mentioned that the business was much
Aamir Khan: I think that filmmaking is so subjective that
lower than what he had expected. Of course, Kiran, me and
it’s very difficult to be objective about cinema. It is a very
him – all three of us were disappointed with the response.
subjective medium and each one has their own emotional
Now › P eepli ‹ is, as I was saying, an art-house film. So maybe
response to different films and different things in the
the audience that watches mainstream Indian cinema did
films. The best that you can do is to be honest with what
not go for it. Let’s see how it goes for › D hobi Ghat ‹ .
you feel towards each film that you watch. That’s the best
that any jury member can do and that’s what I tried to do – I
Do you also foresee co-productions with film boards or pro-
just tried to stay honest with what I felt towards the films
duction houses in Germany coming up under your banner?
that I was watching.
Aamir Khan: There have been a number of enquiries and
As you know, Bollywood films are extremely popular in Ger-
scripts that have been sent to me for that purpose. I prom-
many. They sell an exotic image of India. But what is your
ised to read those scripts and if something excites me or
opinion on the potential of opening up the German and
interests me then I would definitely go ahead with that.
European film markets to the regional and art-house films
from India, that are a portrayal of the real India?
What have been your experiences of Germany when you’ve
travelled in the country, this time and on your earlier visits?
© d pa
Aamir Khan: I have to say that in my experience people,
50
across the world – and this is for people in the US, in other
Aamir Khan: I found the people very warm and friendly.
countries in Europe and other parts of the world – I find
That’s something I can say straight away. But I have to say
that the audiences for art-house cinema, no matter which
that I was very much limited to the festival this time, be-
part of the world it’s coming from, is a fairly limited au-
cause I was trying to stay just within those films that I was
dience. In Germany also, I would imagine strictly an art-
supposed to watch. I didn’t even get to visit Berlin. My wife
house audience would be a small audience. My personal
did travel quite a bit – she managed to see Berlin to a cer-
experience has been that when I was in Berlin for those 12 –
tain extent. I didn’t at all, because of my responsibility as a
15 days, every day there was a mob of girls outside my hotels
juror. My wife went and saw some of the museums and art
and outside theatres where the screenings were happening,
and architecture, and she was praising it a lot. She said, » I
waiting to take my photographs and autographs. And in my
wish you’d come with me. « So certainly I would like to go
interaction with them, I realised that these young girls are
back, this time just to visit and see Berlin and experience
audiences of mainstream Indian cinema. They watch all
it better. ■
our mainstream films, they enjoy Bolly wood films. A number of them have travelled from outside Berlin to come to
---
meet me. You must remember it was very cold over there
Tanushree Sengupta, a communication professional, works at the
– minus 10, minus 15 on certain days. And they would wait
German Information Centre in New Delhi
51
© ar n e d e kn eg t, n o b l e b ro n ze , fro m t h e ser i es d h a ravi men s we ar co l l e ct io n , 2011, d ig ital , pu b l is he d in pix vo l 2, m ay 2011
Culture
52
Beyond
Image
/ b e yon d i m a g e
---
Max Mueller Bhavan engages with contemporary photographic practice in India
/ te xt: ra h a a b a l l a na
A
n image is born, but photographs are › t aken ‹,
sites for investigating › e xistences ‹ within the contemporary.
exposed, amended and sometimes framed.
The title PIX manifests due homage to an organisation of
The relationship between photos and images is
photographers by its namesake in New York in the 1930s.
imaginably similar to the way words and ideas
Many of them, now reputed, would go on to provide images
are shaped to create legitimate meaning. Simi-
for Life Magazine. The quarterly is meant as an honest invo-
larly, if this is the ethics of our engagement with the world
cation to their relentless spirit for hunting down › i mages ‹,
through a lens, then we are in fact › t reating ‹ it for a purpose,
seeking to reach out to a wider world of readers and viewers,
composing its elements, developing a measured view, and
and if possible, find a throbbing pulse of the modern world.
more often than not, dealing with a visual lexicon.
In a gesture to address a network of images, and how they
Photography is now a field we can access in order to trace
constitute an exchange of identities, PIX is eager to investi-
histories, gender equations, politics and aesthetics, so much
gate and engage with broad and expansive fields of contem-
so that it is a › c ultural ‹ component by virtue of reflecting
porary photographic practice in India and outside, ranging
a moment in time. We hold a picture in our hands, view it
from the application, conceptual standing and adaptabil-
on a wall or otherwise, see it illuminated on a screen. This
ity of photography to its subjects: its movement, transmis-
equation with › pictures ‹ represents an › i nterface ‹ with life; a
sion, appropriation and distinct relation to the allied arts.
mode of operation that will allow us to look across borders
The structure for PIX will be consciously based on practices,
and barriers, simulate realities, reorient focal points, and
technologies, curating and circulations of photography in
often forge › r eality ‹ in a manner that resonates outside the
India and outside today. Photography has come to be viewed
frame.
as a means of the everyday, in possessing the power to influence us and even lead us astray. Images are now animated
With their unwavering support of a photography quarterly
beings, with desires of their own. For example, the › c ity ‹ as
titled PIX, Goethe-Institut − Max Mueller Bhavan (MMB) −
geographic and abstract space plays an important role by be-
has also taken a step towards questioning the true import of
ing the subject of reportage or the motivation behind com-
reality in photographs − together with a group composed of
missioned work. The city is itself a living being, and a gallery
artist collectives, practitioners and enthusiasts, who share
space. How do photographers use it? Roy Sinai, a Bangalore-
an inquisitive bent for images and how they form composite
based photographer who contributed to the first issues
53
Culture
© ar n e d e kn eg t, b u z zi n g d h ar av i , from t he ser ie s h u ma n i sin g t he m achin e , 2011, d ig ital , pu b l is he d in pix vo l 2, m ay 2011
/ b e yon d i m a g e
54
theme of PIX › S uburbia ‹, underscores the importance of us-
These ideas quickly moved westward and were expanded in
ing spaces as a means of expression that may connect outside
Germany between the two world wars by film makers like
the fetters of region or locale. » I n these images «, he explains,
Fritz Lang, and photographers like August Sander who docu-
» I choose to see the gasping silence left behind, as a homo-
mented these great shifts, « explicates Gupta.
geneous suburbia − confident, vibrant, brash and unrelenting − gets belched out of city centres and urban hinterlands
Over the last three years, Max Mueller Bhavan New Delhi had
alike, across India’s metros. Surrounded as many urban
a couple of curious exchanges with art − for example: › 4 8°C ‹,
dwellers in India today are, by perpetually unsettled, churn-
the first international public art project in Delhi (2008),
ing spaces, I too watch the transient become permanent. «
MMBs all over India celebration of their 50 years presence in
India (2009), the launch of the arts management programme
Drawing from another interesting recent exhibition, curated
› A RThinkSouthAsia ‹, designed to help develop skills and
by Sunil Gupta at the Max Mueller Bhavan, entitled › Photo-
networks of potential leaders in the cultural sector of South
graphing the Metropolitan ‹, Berlin-born Verena Jaekel in-
Asia (2010). Regarding future activities, Robin Mallick,
teracts with Sandip Kuriakose from the Delhi College of Art.
MMB’s Director Cultural Programmes South Asia adds, » No
The juxtaposition of such images is deliberate: documentary
doubt, there is a substantial representation of Indian culture
mode and digital photo-collage, creating a disjuncture in
in Germany, for example, through the German-Indian Soci-
both. Jaekel’s uncanny photos of an emerging Delhi Metro
ety e.V. (DIG) and its network of more than 30 local associa-
and Kuriakoses › R isePowerFall ‹ series show how spaces and
tions who closely work with the Tagore Centre at the Indian
bodies resist and entwine in what seems a forceful drive
Embassy Berlin. The Days of Germany in India 2011-2013 will
against the › s elf ‹ in being contained, by either culture or the
offer excellent opportunities to promote cultural exchange
frame of the image. As a mirror image, the city seems to lurk
between India and Germany furthermore. «
in the background of metamorphosing structures, pushing
people out of the frames, growing as self-seeking entities.
Leading from here, one of the most compelling archives in
The city cowers in their presence, but they too are swallowed
Berlin that enhances this connection is located at the Asian
in what is called the Metropolitan. These are, perhaps, re-
Art Museum. It houses some of the most important 19th and
flections of an anxiety drawn upon the seamless movements
early 20th century prints from India. Already produced as a
in the › s tate of art ‹, where the art is in fact the state.
publication, some of the images have been drawn from the
archives to project the life in Kashmir through the eyes of
Curator Sunil Gupta intimates how the construction of
one of the early picturesque photographers in India, Samuel
spaces and indeed these very frames is not bound by the idea
Borne. But this endeavour is not a solitary one, with exciting
of place. » T he witnessing of such moments and the recording
plans to project Indian culture though photography more
of them on film, either as cinema or photography, and show-
directly in the Photography Museum in Berlin, next year. ■
ing them as projections or as graphic art on the printed page,
has a long history going back to the Russian revolution and
---
the birth of cinematic montage in Sergei Eisenstein’s › B attle-
Rahaab Allana is editor of PIX: A Photography Quarterly, curator
ship Potemkin ‹ (1925) and artists like Alexander Rodchenko.
and founder of Alkazi Foundation for the Arts, New Delhi.
55
EYE-CATCHER T
CULTURE
/ e ye – c at c he r
he buzz in the air was palpable. The 3rd edition of India’s
commercial photographer, certainly attracted a number of
largest modern and contemporary art fair, the India Art
visitors, who were eager to familiarise themselves with an art-
Summit, was like a giant beehive: energised and humming
ist they clearly did not know too much about.
with activity. Held from 21st to 23rd January in New Delhi,
the event offered a platform to showcase not just the best and
For the gallery owner, Flo Peters, the decision to participate in
most edgy Indian contemporary art but also a representation
the Summit was to keep herself abreast with the latest devel-
of artists from across the globe.
opments in other parts of the world. She wanted to get firsthand experience of the booming Asian art scene, having heard
---
Adding to the international flavour were undoubtedly a string
about the global success of Indian artists. While the sales and
India’s biggest art mela,
of established German galleries, who regarded the fair as a
organisation of the fair may not have quite met her expecta-
chance – not only to tap into the Indian market but also to
tions, she was happy to have got a glimpse of the range of In-
go beyond and forge deeper connections with the Indian art
dian art on display and was enthused by the work of at least
scene. While for some this was their second participation at
one Indian contemporary artist – Vivek Vilasini.
the India Art Summit, attracted
German Galleries.
the much awaited art event of the year, others were making
their debut.
/ t e xt: m e e r a m e nezes
Indian artists were also a favourite with the Duesseldorfbased gallery Beck & Eggeling, who were participating in the
First time participants, Die Gallerie from Frankfurt, certainly
Summit for the second time. Buoyed by the interest that they
grabbed eyeballs with their display of French Pop artist Robert
encountered at the India Art Summit in 2009 and the encour-
Combas’s monumental sculpture in synthetic resin, titled › L e
aging sales of art works, they decided to return. Their portfo-
Pot de jambs en bouquet de pieds et le mollets ‹. A flowerpot-
lio included a mix of well-know European artists and artists
like structure from which some attractive female legs stuck
from Asia. So all time favourites Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall,
out, the work certainly ushered in a whiff of the Moulin Rouge.
George Braque showed cheek-by-jowl with Indian artists Viveek Sharma, Sonia Mehra Chawla and Desmond Lazaro.
The gallery also juxtaposed the works of established European artists like Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro, Andre Masson and
For Katja Ott of Beck & Eggeling, the fair offered not just a
Salvador Dali with young contemporary German artists. This
chance to sell works but also to network with the international
gave Indian viewers the opportunity to get acquainted with
art community at large. The gallery’s long-standing interest
the paintings by Volker Stelzmann of the renowned School of
in Indian art and artists is also mirrored in the fact that all the
Leipzig along with his master students Torsten Holz and FD
three Indian artists they represent have had solo shows with
Schlemme.
them in Germany. Viveek Sharma was invited to show in Duesseldorf in 2010 and Sonia Mehra Chawla displayed her works
Also on display were works by sculptor Dietrich Klinge, while
at the end of May 2011.
an Indian touch was lent by Klaus Zylla’s mixed media on canvas titled › I ndian Drapery ‹. Judging by the number of visitors
While this might be a case of German galleries putting their
thronging the stall, it was clear that the gallery had managed
trust in Indian artists, the reverse also holds true. Ranjana
to awaken the curiosity of the Indian art loving public for
Mirchandani, the owner of Mirchandani + Steinruecke, has
contemporary German art. Die Gallerie’s owner Peter Femfert
exhibited works not just by the young German artist Norbert
was quite euphoric over the response » I am really happy about
Bisky in 2008 but also by the more celebrated Sigmar Polke at
the great interest shown here. It is extraordinary. There is an
her gallery premises last year.
energy and a great hunger to learn and see. «
© t o r st e n h o l t z, d r essu r , 2 01 0
There is clearly a deepening of relationships between the In-
56
This was an opinion echoed by fair director Neha Kripal.
dian and German art communities which is being fostered by
» T he key lesson we learnt at the art fair this year was the over-
private initiatives. The India Art Summit is certainly one plat-
whelming interest people have to see art in public places. With
form where art lovers from the two countries can engage and
1,28,000 visitors to the art fair from 17 cities across India in
learn more about each other. As Peter Femfert summed it up,
three and a half days, we all saw the potential of this mass in-
» I am really happy about the great success of the fair. I am also
terest in art; with school children buzzing around the art fair,
delighted by the enthusiasm and work put in by director Neha
visitors curiously following the curated walks and others buy-
Kripal and her team. I will definitely return. « ■
ing their first ever artwork, « she said.
--The other newcomer to the Summit was the Hamburg-based
Meera Menezes is the Delhi correspondent of Art India, a magazine
gallery Flo Peters. Unlike Die Gallerie, however, it decided to
on contemporary Indian art. She has been involved with the Indian
follow a different approach by concentrating on just one art-
contemporary arts scene since the late 80s and was the liaison per-
ist, putting up a solo show of Albert Watson’s photographs.
son in India for the Amsterdam-based Foundation for Indian Art-
Watson, one of the world’s most successful fashion and
ists (F.I.A).
57
CULTURE
/ d i d you k n ow t hat . . .
DID YOU
KNOW THAT...
P
rince Waldemar of Prussia (1817 – 1849) was a
on doing his assigned duties. Waldemar angrily shouted at
remarkable person in many respects. Though he
him, which had the desired effect, followed by his guard-
went through the customary military training
ian's contemptuous and scornful glances. Prince Waldemar
and received the highest accolades for his brav-
writes further, » I was more than happy to get rid of this use-
ery and military service, his actions were driven
less attendant, and enjoyed going out anonymously. It is
by an insatiable desire to explore the natural phenomena,
such a pleasure for me to stroll around in unknown towns
to venture into the unknown world, and to understand the
and to observe the hustle and bustle in the local streets and
cultures of the Other. From a young age, he was in touch
markets. And if this appeals to me in Europe, how much
with the senior and world-renowned scientist and explorer
more in this country, where I encounter hundreds of new
Alexander von Humboldt (1769 – 1859), who fondly charac-
exciting images at every step. «
terised him as follows, » A deep admiration for the beauty
of nature, an inner longing for achieving something Great
The outcome of this trip was not only innumerable notes,
and to explore distant lands, might have prompted the
essays and observations on the cultural, historical, social
… the Chandigarh Museum has exquisite lithographs of the journey of
young Prince to travel to East-India. « It was the admiration
and political scenery of India, which are extremely valuable
Prince Waldemar of Prussia to India in 1844 – 46
for von Humboldt’s adventurous life and field-research in
because they consist of first-hand scientific data, but also a
the Americas that further encouraged the young Prince to
valuable collection of Indian arms and armoury, which was
embark on a trip to India. Equipped with an inquiring mind
passed on to the Prussian Museum in Berlin, and a com-
and the latest technological devices to study geography, ge-
prehensive herbarium of plants collected and meticulously
olog y and f lora, Prince Waldemar started his expedition
pressed and annotated by Dr. Hoffmeister. The herbarium
in September 1844, accompanied by botanist and medical
included 456 species, of which 108 were newly-discovered,
doctor Dr. Werner Hoffmeister and others.
and 270 botanical genera. Two famous botanists, Dr. Fried-
---
/ text: jutta jain-neubauer
rich Klotzsch and Dr. August Garcke, were hired to work on
The group reached Calcutta in January 1845 via Athens,
the material collected in India. They compiled a pioneer-
Eg ypt, and Ceylon. Other destinations of their field stud-
ing magnum opus entitled Die Botanischen Ergebnisse der
ies included Patna, Kathmandu, Benaras, Delhi, Nainital,
Reise seiner königlichen Hoheit des Prinzen Waldemar von
as well as the regions of the Himalayas up to Tibet. But
Preussen in den Jahren 1845 und 1846… . This truly won-
it was not only scientific explorations that they encoun-
derful work was published in Berlin in 1862, sixteen years
tered. They also happened to be drawn into the midst of the
after Waldemar returned from India. In commemoration
Anglo-Sikh Wars of 1845-46 at Ferozeshah, Mudki and So-
of Waldemar, who died in 1849, some plants which were
braon, where Dr. Werner Hoffmeister, only 26 years of age,
hitherto unknown in botanical circles were named after
was killed in battle. Leaving Bombay on 20 October 1845,
him, for example Waldemaria Argentea and Diospyros
Prince Waldemar returned to Berlin, where he arrived on
Waldermarii.
13 June 1846, only to hear about his mother’s death just a
few weeks before.
Waldemar was a keen and talented artist, and while in In-
© kö n i gl i c h es l i t h og ra f i sc h es i n st i t u t z u b e rl i n
dia, he made hundreds and hundreds of fine sketches and
58
While in India, Prince Waldemar wrote a comprehensive
watercolours, depicting landscapes, village life, monu-
diary, many notes and essays elaborating his observations
ments or the adventures of the Anglo-Sikh battles. These
and ideas, and numerous letters to his parents, which bear
were skillfully turned into lithographs by the most well
witness to his distinguished and inquisitive character.
known lithographers of the time in Berlin, Ferdinand Bell-
Prince Waldemar was most happy to explore different lo-
ermann and Hermann Kretzschmer, who were both famil-
cales on his own. Being of royal descent, he was given spe-
iar with the visual vocabulary of distant and remote regions
cial security personnel by the British high command, which
on account of previous journeys to Southern America and
he usually considered rather annoying. When he once tried
the Orient. Alexander von Humboldt admired these works
to sneak out of his room to stroll through the › n ative ‹ ba-
as » e ndowed with life and artistic value « . Some of these
zaar in Calcutta, his › B utler ‹ caught him and suggested that
wonderful lithographs, based on the paintings of Prince
he saddle the horses and prepare the carriage for him. The
Waldemar of Prussia, belong to the collection of the Mu-
Prince requested to be left alone, but his guardian insisted
seum in Chandigarh and are displayed there. ■
--------------------------------------
---
top: Outpost near Sobraon. The Battle of Sobraon was fought
Jutta Jain-Neubauer is an art-historian writing on Indian mini-
on 10th February 1846, between the forces of the British East
ature painting, history of Indian textiles and other aspects of
India Company and the Sikh Khalsa Army.
Indian art. Since 2006 she has been writing the column › Did you
left: Afghan attendance of Major Broadfoot near Mudki.
know that ... ‹ on lesser known aspects of Indo-German cultural
right: Outpost near Sobraon.
relations.
59
COM I NG UP
The City – Becoming and Decaying
Me&myMum by Samir Akika
Merck Philharmonic Orchestra
Future Dialogue
1 September – 30 December 2011
23 September – 29 September
23 September – 5 October 2011
24 September 2011
The 18 photographers from the photography agency
The ensemble production by Samir Akika is dedicated
The powerful and dynamic orchestra consisting of
This unique international conference, themed › S us-
OSTKREUZ present their work in an exhibition that
to the many facets of the mother-child relationship
up to 80 musicians performs Ludwig van Beethoven’s
tainable Cities: Mastering the Challenges and Oppor-
searches for the essence of present-day urban reali-
and combines a virtuoso pathos and humour with film
Leonoren-Overture Nr. 3, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s
tunities of Rapid Urbanisation ‹ , will look at how cities
ties in the form of a long-term photographic project
quotes, dynamic dance and theatrical elements. The
Flute Concert Nr. 2 D major and Johannes Brahms’
in fast-growing developing countries like India are
documenting urban growth and decay in 22 cities
work plays radically with clichés and stereotypes and
Symphony Nr. 3 F major on a tour through India. The
tackling the combined challenges of facilitating eco-
worldwide. The exhibition will travel from Hyderabad
gives solid ground to strong emotions. Me&myMum is
Merck Philharmonic Orchestra was founded by the
nomic growth, while controlling both the environmen-
(September) to Chennai (October), Delhi (November)
dedicated to Akika’s mentor and the › mother ‹ of German
Merck family, which set up the world's oldest pharma-
tal and social impact of rapid development.
and Kolkata (December).
dance theatre, Pina Bausch.
ceutical and chemical company.
www.germany-and-india.com/program
www.future-dialogue.org
It’s all Rheydt
India goes 3D!
River — Yamuna and Elbe
Passageway — Overgoing
2 October – 6 October 2011
1 November – 30 November 2011
10 November – 24 November 2011 17 December 2011 – 13 January 2012
The legendary › H ouse u r ‹ by the famous German art-
Berlin Music Commission, c/o pop (Cologne) and their
The project focuses on ecological, cultural, historic
Wolfgang Laib concentrates his work on few materials:
ist Gregor Schneider, awarded with the Golden Lion at
partners in India bring together German and Indian
and economic implications of the river on the cities of
pollen, milk, beeswax, marble, rice and sealing wax.
the Biennale in Venice in 2001, will be reconstructed
electronic music artists who explore new spaces for their
Delhi and Hamburg. Contemporary Indian, German
Significant works are part of the collection of the
by local craftsmen and integrated into the Durga Puja
performances along with workshops and competitions.
and international artists show their works at, on and
MoMA New York. Galerie Mirchandani & Steinrücke in
Festival in Kolkata. In the original › H ouse u r ‹ , Schnei-
Events will take place in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.
around the rivers Yamuna and Elbe in public spaces,
cooperation with Goethe-Institute Mumbai will show
der created movable replicas of the existing rooms by
bringing various issues facing the cities into public
some of Laib’s › a uratic installations ‹ .
building complete rooms inside of other rooms.
discussions.
60
www.ifa.de/en/exhibitions/exhibitions-abroad/bk/laib
61
I M PRI NT
PHOTO CREDITS
Editor: Jens Urban
Cover
page 1 © Möbius strip by CoDESIGN, edited by Groupe Dejour Berlin (www.groupe-dejour.de)
Editorial
page 5 © German Embassy
Content
page 6 (left) © dpa / page 6 (right) © Möbius strip by CoDESIGN, edited by Groupe Dejour Berlin
page 7 (left) © Volkswagen / page 7 (right) © DIE GALERIE
Shots
page 8/9 © Leo Seidel / OSTKREUZ
page 10/11 © Andreas Muhs / OSTKREUZ
New Standard
page 13 © Reuters
page 15 © dpa
Germany + India
page 16 © Möbius strip by CoDESIGN, edited by Groupe Dejour Berlin
Greater Efficiency, Less Emission
page 18 © dpa
Low-Carbon Growth
page 22/23/24/25 © Patrick Pleul / dpa
page 25 Infographic: © Groupe Dejour Berlin (www.groupe-dejour.de) Source: Low Carbon
Strategies for Inclusive Growth, Interim Report, May 2011
Young, Attractive and Successful
page 26/27 © Arcelormittal
Translation Sells
page 28/29/30/31 © dcb, Pratham Books (Book covers), edited by Groupe Dejour Berlin
Filling the Skills Gap
page 34 Infographic: © Groupe Dejour Berlin (www.groupe-dejour.de) Source: IMaCS analysis
View from the other side
page 38/39 © Image Source / Miho Miho / dpa
Cultures of Disaster
page 40/41/42/43 © Kazemuddin (Kazu) Ahmed
Mission Sustainability
page 44/45/46 © Thomas Meyer / OSTKREUZ
Notepad
page 48 (top) © GIZ / Ostermeier
page 48 (bottom) © Ina Kim
page 49 © Daimler
Aamir stars in Germany
page 50/51 © Patrick Seeger / dpa
Beyond Image
page 52/53/54/55 © Arne de Knegt
Eye-Catcher
page 56 © Torsten Holtz, Dressur; 2010 / DIE GALERIE
Did you know that ...
page 58 © Königliches lithografisches Institut zu Berlin
Coming up
page 60 (top left) © Andrej Krementschouk / OSTKREUZ
page 60 (top right) © Ralf Emmerich
page 60 (bottom left) © Gregor Schneider
page 60 (bottom right) © Reuters
page 61 (top left) © Brigitte Schneider
page 61 (top right) © Reuters
page 61 (bottom left) © Reuters
page 61 (bottom right) © Wolfgang Laib
Imprint
page 62 © IStockphoto
Managing Editor: Yvonne Krause
Editor, Publisher and Printer: Jens Urban on behalf of
the Press and Information Office, Embassy of the
Federal Republic of Germany, 6/50 G Shanti Path,
New Delhi 110021 India.
Circulation: 76,000
Translation: Anya Malhotra / Anu Pande
Design: Groupe Dejour, Berlin, Germany
(www.groupe-dejour.de)
Art Directon: Groupe Dejour
Fonts: › P ort ‹ by Groupe Dejour and › A rnhem ‹ by Ourtype
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