the activist - St. Pauls Institute of Communication Education

For Private Circulation Only November 2013
Presented by the students of the PG Diploma in Journalism
Chimbai
Under Threat
Message
he journalism students of the
2013-14 batch of St Pauls Institute
of Communication Education
(SPICE) are happy to launch the
first issue of their newspaper,
combining the twin themes of
youth and issues. Readers will
notice the new masthead, and this
is why not one but two entities are
represented.
The Activist is a community
newsletter
of
the
H-West
Federation that deals with a wide
range of concerns in Bandra(W),
Khar(W) & Santacruz(W) and
aims at inculcating awareness of
both rights and responsibilities
in citizens of this great city. In
tying up with Spice Enquirer, it
seeks to introduce students to the
practice of journalism, while giving
the project itself the gravitas it
deserves. Hence we cover real
issues that engage the public
and raise civic consciousness,
combining this with an effort to
educate, inform and entertain.
Overall, however, the theme of
this first issue is youth. Optimistic,
futuristic, sometimes erratic and
often misunderstood, youngsters
are responsible for bringing about a
significant change in urban society,
whether it is through joining
NGOs and making a difference, or
becoming young entrepreneurs
and setting an example for GenNext to follow. With the country
on the developmental path, it is
mandatory to educate youth and
make them aware of their rights,
responsibilities and power.
Our first issue carries a mix
of articles that highlight the
Westernized influence that seems
to rule, creating a paradigm shift
in the attitudes and lifestyle of
the youth in the last 10 years.
The topics that we present are
contemporary, if at times bold,
with attempts made to point out
solutions to problems of attitudes,
lifestyle choices and relationships.
And no, it is NOT our intention
to shock!
Happy Reading
- Batch of 2013-2014
Pic by Shailesh Andrade
T
C
Santia Gora &
Yohann Pereira
himbai beach in Bandra is
under attack again, if events
that took place in September
are any indication. The last in a line
of various attempts to change the
land use status of the beach which
fronts a 500-year-old urban fishing
village, this one saw six trucks laden
with huge boulders begin dumping
their load right up against the
mangroves that protect the shoreline.
Dateline for destruction
l 1981- GR stating sea shore to be used by fishermen for their
livelihood.
l 2006 - Sea erosion wall proposed by local MLA. Rejected by the
locals.
l 2009 - First letter of complaint written to the CM against 20 illegal
structures at Chimbai pumping station.
l 2009 - Police chowkie proposed H West Ward Federation,
supported by MP Priya Dutt. Not implemented.
l 2009 - Demolition of 20 illegal structures.
l 2010 - Promenade proposed by architect P.K Das. Proposal rejected
by the locals.
l 2012 - Dumping of construction and household waste done on a
large scale.
l 2012 - 2nd letter of complaint written to the CM, regarding dumping
and requesting regular clean up drives.
l 2012 - Clearance of the debris begins. Regular clean ups stopped.
l 2013 September - Dumping of boulders on the beach. Forcibly
stopped by activists.
Only immediate and strong action by
activists stopped the brazen violation
of both state government and Coastal
Regulation Zone rules.
The dumping was stopped and
the men were forced to retrieve the
boulders. Shockingly, neither the
local corporator, nor the ward officer
or the police were aware of what was
happening. Only activists seemed
aware of the move!
Only the very naïve will believe
that the matter has been resolved,
implies Anil Joseph, chairman of the
Perry Road Residents Association.
He disclosed that according to the
Existing Land Use (ELU) plan, on
which the Development Plan (DP)
for the city will be based next year,
Chimbai has already been designated
a slum, leaving the area wide-open
for forced “development” by builders
and similarly interested parties.
Much of the once beautiful beach
is a dumping ground already, most of
it construction rubble and everyday
garbage. An elaborate proposal was
made by architect P K Das, which
envisages a promenade, a walk
way, a community amphitheatre, a
children’s playground and park, a
jetty, ramps, space for parking boats
and drying nets. Chimbaikars were
not impressed and turned it down.
For one thing, they said, and
activists concurred, they had no
use for promenades and walkways
over which fishermen would then
have to drag their boats to the sea.
There were also various ecological
implications to be considered, such
as the change in the tide line, which
would affect the CRZ status of the
land. Even the mangroves and rock
line would have to be removed if this
project were to be carried forward.
Originally, Chimbai was given the
status of an urban fishing village. A
1981 government resolution (GR)
states that the first use of the sea
shore is for parking their boats and
drying nets and fish. When this
status was changed is not clear.
The dumping of construction
debris close to the mangroves is
completely illegal. The Bombay
High Court has clearly prohibited
any kind of construction or dumping
within 50 meters from a mangrove.
All Chimbai needs is regular
clean-ups by the BMC and a police
chowkie in the area to keep illegal
construction and dumping at bay,
say residents. After repeated calls
to the civic body, desultory cleaning
has taken place in the past, but much
remains to be done. “The cleaning is
just done as a formality,” said Thelma
Pujari, a resident Chimbaikar. “I have
lived here all my life and seldom has
BRAZEN: A yellow truck dumping
boulders. (Above) Chimbai panorama
the BMC bothered to clean up the
beach.” she added.
Anil Joseph says, “Only cleaning
of the beach is required. The
Government should not disturb
the lifestyle of the kolis, the
original inhabitants, by imposing
revitalization plans on them that
take into consideration neither their
needs nor their lifestyle. The politics
of turning the area into a slum for
real estate benefit should come to an
end.”
As Lawrence Falcao, resident of
Chimbai since the 40’s, recollects,
“Chimbai was never such a pit of
dirt, there was never any plastic,
garbage and debris dumped on the
beach. There was sand on the shore,
which we can no longer find. We
simply want our clean Chimbai back.
We want the dirt to be cleaned.”
2
Influences
Angry,
kya?
Ektaa Kumaran &
Aasma Shah
B
eing a rebel in your youth
is not a crime. What is
worrying, however, is the way
“Youngistan” seems to suffer
from constant anger attacks”,
during which the smallest
provocation can act as a trigger
to set off bouts of anger. Study
pressure, peer pressure and
frequent feelings of frustration
contribute to this behaviour.
Dr Mrugesh Vaishnav, a
pyschiatrist in Mumbai , says
"13.3% of 16 – 19 year olds
and 15.8% of 20 – 24 year
olds that I studied suffer from
anxiety attacks.
Vaibhav Shah (22) says, “I
November 2013
bollywood buzz!
T
Aasma Shah &
Ektaa Kumaran
he influence of Bollywood on
today’s youth is evident in
every aspect of their lives.
It’s a craze among youth to be like
their favourite stars and copy their
behaviour, their way of talking, and
dressing.
Nor is this all. Conversations with
groups on the subject revealed that
many of them are not just influenced
by the glamour but actually find that
the stars themselves are motivators
for their careers.
Movies like 3 Idiots, “Udaan”
and “A Wednesday” focused upon
young protagonists in a work
situation and had messages that were
used by the youth as career-pointers.
However, more than underlying
messages, the youth follow externals
– Aamir Khan's hairstyle in Gajini,
Salman Khan’s workout routines or
his bracelets, size-zero figures like
Kareena Kapoor's.
Today movies are accepted even
when the content verges on the
obscene or displays a frantic rush
to appear 'global', as in “Grand
Masti” and “Kya Kool Hai Hum”.
The former, in particular, raised
eyebrows for its bold depiction
of youthful morals (or their lack),
and though a lot of people spoken
to said the film should have been
sobered down a bit, largely they
were accepted and even enjoyed,
revealing how this generation differs
from the one before.
Movies are made for both classes
as well as masses. Today there are
plenty of takers for both commercial
as well as off-beat or art-house
films. That is why the fact that a
film like The Lunch Box, with its
minimalist plot, was not sent for
the Oscars as India’s nomination,
though it was critically acclaimed
was much discussed. Thus, it is clear
that young people not only watch a
movie to see an actor’s dance or for
the glamour quotient but they also
come to appreciate and enjoy a good
script and a good story.
The influence of Bollywood
'Peer pressure can kill'
often get frustrated, primarily
because I do not have any one
to talk to, or mentor me.” He
adds that , at times, jealousy
about his friends' success or
social life is also a reason for his
frustration. He adds that the
generation gap between him
and his parents often triggers
irritation.
Kushal Modi (23) shares
how frustration, stress and
peer pressure have turned his
life upside down. “I used to be
an anti-smoking guy earlier.
But now I seek relief in the
butt and I am not happy to
admit that I am now addcited
to smoking.”
Aneri Shah (19), a physiology
student, says that this kind
of behaviour also depends
on the way you think and
it is a common response
to opposition. “Anger and
disappointment arise from
the perceived resistance to
an individual's fulfillment. The
greater the obstruction, the
more the frustration. The
causes of frustration may be
internal or external. Usually,
internal frustration arises from
challenges in fulfilling personal
goals and desires.”
Shruti Chaturvedi, (20)
however, has a different
viewpoint. "People my age
find it cool to be a rebel.
Being rebellious for them is
like sporting a tattoo or weird
hairstyle. Which is senseless.”
Leona Nathan
Who introduced you to drugs?
My friends introduced me to drugs
but becoming a druggie was my
choice.
Did you start drugs to fit in a
group?
No, I did it because I wanted to run
away from reality. In my case I was
already on alcohol and I thought
weed was less harmful and that I
could withstand its high better than
alcohol's. Big parties with rich kids
got me addicted to weed.
Was alcohol addiction also
'BUILD
CONFIDENCE'
Neha Mehta, psychologist, on
what parents can do
I
t is a common and understandable
desire for every human being to be
part of a group, to belong. For young
people, this is an overwhelming
need, driven by the desire to validate
oneself in the context of a larger
group with similar tastes and life
view.
These groups are often based on
playing on the negative qualities of
its members - trying to be one up
on their friends, cutting out some
people from the group, judging
someone by what they wear, etc.
Aaron Sequeira (22) from Bandra
feels that this attitude must change
if young people are to grow in
friendships and relationships. Change
is good, he says, and peer pressure
can be fatal. He should know,
having plumbed the depths of drug
addiction before he started valiantly
to overcome the habit. Spice Inquirer
met him to find out a bit more:
can also be very dark. The death
of actress Jiah Khan a few months
ago brought in the youth to debate
the issue of her boyfriend being
arrested for aiding her suicide. Yet in
Kashmir, a young teenager ended his
own life because he was her fan!
Here, the debate hinged upon
the pressures in Bollywood to both
make it big and be in a relationship.
The social media was largely
divided over whether her boyfriend
Sooraj Panscholi should be blamed,
whether she could have been more
responsible, and her family more
supportive and, more importantly,
whether the police was handling the
case intelligently and fairly.
Who do the youth admire in
Bollywood currently? Mainly those
who have made it - Ranbir Kapoor,
Deepika Padukone,
Anushka
Sharma, Parineeti Chopra and
Ranveer Singh are mentioned as
actors everyone enjoys watching,
mostly because they are seen as
successful and as achievers.
a choice or a result of peer
pressure?
Everyone in my group used to smoke
and drink, so I did, too. But one thing
led to another and I started smoking
weed. Though I was a dumb geek
in school, I became rebellious as
a teenager and found smoking and
boozing with friends very cool. If this
is considered peer pressure, then
perhaps I was doing it due to peer
pressure.
Did your parents know about
this?
No; I was always in control in front
of my parents. I always took extra
care about that.
Weren’t you scared of getting
caught?
No. They never knew nor will they
ever know. This was just a dark
phase of my life which I will never
repeat again.
Why did you decide to quit?
Now that I have found a purpose,
which I lacked all this while, I want
to quit.
Can you elaborate a little?
Sorry, it’s personal. I was trying to
quit for about two months, and then,
finally, I did.
Okay, let me put it this way:
What made you realise that
what you were doing was
wrong?
An accident, a broken jaw and 22
stitches on my head made me realise
how precious life is. I am alive that’s a miracle. The accident was
an eye-opener and it’s time I live up
to my potential. I also realised how
many people really care for me after
all those who came to the hospital
every day. This is a new life and I will
live for my mom now.
Will you stick to your decision
forever?
Yes. I made a fool of myself all this
while; now it’s time to grow up.
Now that I've made up my mind,
Parents can prevent their
children from falling into drug and
alcohol traps by being friendly
and understanding. They should
not put too much pressure on
their children in studies or other
areas, or the child may end
up with low self-esteem. The
youth are going through various
kinds of stress and it makes
them go to extremes - either
short-tempered or very quiet.
The pressure starts from the
age of three. Parents send their
children to all kinds of classes drawing, general knowledge,
singing, dancing etc. They want
their kids to be all-rounders. But
my advice to them is that they
should lower their expectations,
and build the child's confidence.
This will later help the child to
be emotionally mature and
therefore, able to deal with
difficult situations.
there is no looking back. And now I
don't have to pretend in front of my
parents any more.
Have you recovered fully?
My jaw is healing, my wounds are
stitched up, I cannot talk and for
two months I am to be on a liquid
diet. I am getting well but I still need
prayers, so pray for me.
Any message you would like to
give the youth of Mumbai?
Don’t wait for a broken jaw and 22
stitches to guide you to the right.
path. Live a healthy life.
3
TRENDS
November 2013
Porn in hand –
and its free!
Nikita Pardeshi
I
f you are a smartphone user, chances are that you
have porn at hand and don’t even know it. But the
police do and sometimes they use this knowledge
to harass young students into paying them under
threat of facing the “consequences” of breaking the
law!
The 'Google Play Store' which is available on all
Android smartphones has a lot of stuff that could
be considered pornographic. Various porn videos,
vulgar photographs and slang- coaching apps
comprise the entertainment section of this feature and
are not filtered in terms of vulgarity.
Nor is there any way to censor these
sites which can be found in the first
ten offerings of the section - for free.
Google Store is the only app
store on cell phones which has offcolour stuff, whereas 'IOS' (Iphone
Operating System) and 'Nokia Ovi
Store' are far ‘behind’. YouTube, a
popular video viewing website which
is linked to Google, has videos teaching questionable
stuff and catering frankly to the prurient mind. These
cellphones are routinely found in the hands of
school-going kids with the market now practically
overtaken by the Android platform on which it is
available. School kids are a soft target and access to
such material always leaves them confused, affects
their studies, attitude, mindset and knowledge.
The effect on college going and young working
segments of cell-phone users is even worse. Witness
the increase in sexual and other crimes in which the
offenders are usually the youth, influenced by among
others things, pornography. A recent example is of
the Shakti Mills gangrape, where the accused were
allegedly porn addicts. During the assault, they
forced the victim to watch porn on their cell-phones
and also filmed themselves assaulting her.
Then there is the problem of the attitude of
the police. If porn clips are in the cellphones of
youngsters, unscrupulous policemen, especially at
Addiction starts
in the womb
Friyana Soonawalla
the stations, will often terrify them
with threats of complaints to parents
and even jail time if they don’t pay up!
Never does the police ever indicate
that they are aware of the fact that
many such students who fall prey to
fear and pay up, are innocent.
Section 67 of the Information
Technology Act, 2000 penalizes cyber pornography.
Other Indian laws that deal with pornography include
the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition)
Act and the Indian Penal Code. The punishment
provided under this section can be severe. A first
offence -simple or rigorous imprisonment up to 3
years and fine up to Rs 5 lakh. Subsequent offence
- imprisonment up to 5 years and fine up to Rs 10
lakh.
According to Prakash Warke, Senior officer, Cyber
Crime Investigation Cell, BKC, Bandra(E) "It is
very difficult indeed to remove Youtube links. So
there is little we can do in the matter.”
"Computers in themselves are a medium so it
becomes easier to commit a crime. Publishing and
transmitting porn is a crime, possession is not.
Google permits its users to upload anything they
want whereas IOS and Nokia Store own their apps
so the chances of outside interference is less," says
Sagar Rahurkar, a cyber crime lawyer.
E
ver wondered what that group
of youngsters was doing hiding
in the corner of the street?
A growing trend today amongst
youngsters in Mumbai is consuming
alcohol and using drugs. “Most of us
are unaware of this, but a majority of
the youth are addicts of some kind,”
says Rajendra Prabhakar, Counsellor,
Anmol Jeevan Foundation Deaddiction and Rehabilitation Center in
Virar East.
“Addiction starts in the womb. If
a parent is an addict, the chances of
the child being an addict are higher,”
he adds. Here at Anmol Jeevan
Foundation, an all-male rehab centre
with 72 beds, they treat drug and
alcohol addicts as young as pre-teens
to men who are in their 60s and 70s.
Yoga and daily counselling are an
important part of the routine for the
addicts.
“An individual's friends circle tends
to affect them to a large extent.
An addict only needs a reason to
consume alcohol or drugs. They are
not mentally strong people,” says
Prabhakar.
He adds that most addicts tend to
blame a troubled childhood or broken
relationships. “Consumption starts
because the person wants to run
away from situations and does not
want to take responsibility for his or
her actions,” says Amir Surani, owner
of the rehab centre.
Does the consumption of drugs and
alcohol help in any way, we asked the
addicts. A majority of them claim that
the consumption of any substance
gives them temporary satisfaction, but
is of no use in the long run. “Addiction
makes you do horrible things to
yourself and your family. I used to steal
things from the house and pawn them
for drugs instead,” says an addict.
Prabhakar adds that an addict fears
only two things – the shortage of sleep
and money. It is also seen that addicts
have suicidal tendencies. They live in
a world of denial and everything they
do is blamed on their ‘pitiful past’.
“The acceptance that consuming
alcohol or drugs is wrong is the first
step to recovery for an addict”, says
Prabhakar. He adds, "Addiction is
treartable but not curable."
The sound of young India
Chirag Vacha &
Seshadri Iyer
I
ndia today is rapidly growing in music.
Various international artists now look forward
to coming and playing here, because of massive
and appreciative audiences irrespective of any
genre. All forms of music are being welcomed
with open arms. The thing is - are we forgetting
our own rich culture of classical music? We
asked Varun Bidye, who has worked and also
recorded with great music directors such as A.R.
Rehman, Shankar Mahadevan and many more
what he felt about the issue.
What is the present music
scenario?
It is certainly developing more towards the
western style, making it tough to gain fame
quickly, because it is so competitive. But
struggling for five or even 10 years is the
price you pay for future success, respect and
earnings.
Does India have a bright future
in music?
Yes, India has a bright future, if we mould
ourselves according to international standards.
in Western music. The downside is that we are
losing touch with our own culture as we struggle
towards international levels of acceptance.
Varun Bidye
Do you think electronic sounds
have become more imnportant
than the voice and real talent?
The era in which the 90 percent of the result
was based on the singer has gone. As electronic
sounds have taken over the music industry, this
has shadowed the natural skills of any singer
in the world. This might well affect the human
or emotion content of songs in the future.
Nowadays, even if you cannot sing, you can
make yourself sound good and even create an
album by using the wide range of software
and sound effects that are available even on
the internet. This could well be an obstacle to
discovering real talent in the country.
Has our ancient culture of music
begun to lose value?
People have started accepting more of the
western style of the music as it is now a trend
globally. It is taking away the attention that
our music culture deserves. Unfortunately,
nothing is constant in this industry as most of
the listeners are very fickle minded and there is
no consistency in style or quality when it comes
to a particular form of music.
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4
photo feature
November 2013
Anurag Sh
Freny Fernandes
astri
Trapping the light: A young photographer tries to capture the sunset at
Bandstand, Bandra.
Santia Gora
Friyana Soonawala
Alone together: Street children living their daily lives at Carter road, Bandra.
VIEW MASTERS: A crowd at the Bandra shore overlooking
the Sealink enjoys the sights on a cloudy day
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BiG BIRD: The Governor’s helicopter waits on the Raj
Bhavan lawn, prepared to take HE anywhere.
Let it shine: There
is always light in the
darkest of places.
Nikita Pardeshi
Leona Nathan
Bowled over: A man
mimics Donald Duck at his
favorite sport.
Aasma Shah
Colours of Devotion: The vibrant array of candles adds to
the charm of Mt. Mary church, Bandra.
5
Features
November 2013
Irani chai and bun maska forever
Freny Fernandes
H
undreds of fans of the Irani
cafés gathered at Sophia
College’s Bhabha auditorium
on October 12, to celebrate the
invincibility of the Irani chai and
bun maska culture. At a function
highlighted by sheer nostalgia and
organized by Dr. Mansoor Showghi
Yezdi, they also watched and
applauded the documentary ‘Café
Irani Chai’ made by him as a tribute
to a unique bit of Mumbai's history.
The documentary was based on
the lives of the Irani chaiwallas, who
came walking all the way from Iran
in the 18th and 19th century, armed
with nothing but the ability to work
hard. They made India their home and
became famous for their bun maska
and Irani chai. The documentary
touched their hearts and brought
back fond memories for each Irani
Heart and sole
Shrutika Sukhi
I
t’s been said that creativity has
no boundaries. So when I saw
a young girl wearing shoes with
a Minion cartoon design on the
sides, I had to ask about them.
They were so attractive that I
went up to have a closer look,
which is when the hand-painted
design revealed itself. Where did
she get the shoes? That’s when
we discovered Shoe – U.
Stefan Fernandes (20) is a
young entrepreneur who has
been hand-painting shoes for the
last two years. A confident guy
who took the risk of turning his
passion into his career, he can't
stop talking about his work. In
this competitive world, where
surviving as an entrepreneur is
very difficult, he has made his
business work.
But as in most things artrelated, people saw more
disadvantages than advantages to
his plans. Firstly, he was (and still
is) very young. Secondly, he was
supposed to be studying towards
SHOO-IN: Young Stefan makes
business sound dead easy!
a bright future and nothing was
supposed to interfere with that.
What his parents wanted to
know was, how was he going to
combine his ideas for business
with his studies? However they
did not reckon with one basic
fact – for Stefan, his business,
which combined his love for art
with a definite business plan, was
actually a stress buster from his
Why Mumbai? Just!
Juhi Mukharji
"N
o matter how much you do, it’s never
enough," says Samir Shaikh (24),
cameraman- turned-rickshaw driver, who
came to Mumbai from Nagpur to try his luck in
Bollywood. "If you want to survive in Mumbai,
you have to come out of your fancy dream
world. I am a cameraman but as I couldn't go
with my crew for outdoor shooting, I had to turn
into a rickshawala for
few months to survive
here."
It is seen that once
people come to Mumbai,
they are ready to do
anything and everything
to survive, even if means Dilip Narayan
cutting down on their (29)
Priyanshi Singh (21)
basic needs so that things become a bit easier
for them. "My wife and kids have come here
just seven years after I did. I used to go home
to meet them once a year as I couldn't afford to
bring them to Mumbai,” says Dilip Narayan (29)
sadly. He is a vegetable vendor who came from
Ghaziapur.
What is it that draws people to this city when
living here is so difficult? After all, it is not as if
in the audience as they remembered
their ancestors. Their hard work and
passion to serve quality food and
tea, as shown in the documentary,
reflected the Irani way of being.
The documentary was followed by
studies!
The best part about his designs
is that he not only has readymade
stuff but he can customise
designs for you on plain white
canvas shoes.
Manchester
United? No problem, he’ll do it
for you. Racing enthusiast? It’s a
breeze. Super heroes, cartoon
figures, graphic designs? Ask and
you shall receive.
Stefan even does his own
marketing. He has his own
Facebook page and handles it,
pushing out his message to his
target groups. Since he started,
he has seen a 60 per cent growth
in his business; not bad for two
years at all. Recently, he’s even
expanded his business and started
painting T-shirts and mugs.
You ask him where he sees
his business in the next three
years and pat comes the reply,
“In three years I see my brand
being a familiar name among the
people, especially the youth.”
Pablo Picasso had said, “Every
child is an artist; the problem is
staying an artist when you grow
up.” But Stefan broke all these
norms and did what he wanted
to from a very young age.
other cities don’t have malls, opportunities and
facilities. Many places can even be considered
to have a better quality of life, so why do they
choose Mumbai and not a large city in their home
states where they can live better on less money?
Is it because Mumbai is the hub for Bollywood,
education and the media? "Well, it's not the only
reason people come to Mumbai. It's the night life,
the freedom of fashion, of thought. That is what
motivates the youth to come here. And once you
move here, it is difficult to live anywhere else,"
says Priyanshi Singh (21), a student from Jaipur
who has been studying in Mumbai for three years
and now just keeps looking for reasons to come
back to Mumbai. She does - every two months!
We must be satisfied with such half-answers
– that people ‘just’ want to be here, no matter
what they must do to survive. Simran Pruthi
(19), also from Jaipur, says "I'd sell my soul
to come and live in Mumbai. I have been there
once for a family function and I can't resist the
temptation to go there again."
an Indian classical music performance
by well-known sarod player Vivek
Joshi, and lyrical Indo- Iranian songs
and music by singer Ahmed Ghani,
which made the atmosphere all the
more intimate.
When asked whether the Irani
youth would carry forward this
tradition, Dr . Yezdi said that they
are all well-educated professionals
and in well-paying jobs. However,
while they may not want to manage
Irani restaurants, one thing has not
changed: they still want to maintain
the love that exists, thanks to them,
between Iran and India.
“I am 101% sure they will
maintain the culture. We have this
famous saying, ‘Indian culture is like
milk and Irani culture is like sugar.
When mixed, they do not interfere
with the other, but, absorb each other,
adding sweetness to the other’,” said
Mansoor.
Dr. Yezdi believes that Irani
chai signifies love, affection and
Indo-Iran unity. The reason for
the popularity of their cafés and
restaurants, he believes, was because
these Irani cafes offer a very homely
feeling to all those who walk through
their doors and into their traditional
interiors. People love going there
because they love to share their lives,
troubles and joys with the warm and
cheerful workers in these cafes.
Feels like home
Priyanka Bhatt
“I
came to this city seven years ago and it feels like
home now,” says Kangana Ranaut, a Bollywood
actress who has made it big on her own in Mumbai.
She came to this city just like any other struggler in
Bollywood, an outsider with no godfather or any
contacts, but has made it thanks to sheer hard work
and talent.
“I wasn’t treated well when I came into the industry
and it has left scars on my mind. It has become easier
for me to handle criticism than compliments. When
I
started, people in the industry thought I didn’t
deserve to be taken seriously. I didn’t know
the language of the city, Marathi, nor was I
fluent in English. It was very difficult to stay
in the city in the beginning,” she said.
It is known that director Anurag Basu
spotted her in a café in Mumbai and
offered her Gangster. She believes she was
meant to be an actor. When asked about
what is her bond with the city seven years down
the line, she says, “This is a wonderful city, but I worry a lot about it. The infrastructure
isn’t great and the roads are too bad. The traffic is increasing by the minute, there
aren’t enough facilities for the poor and too many slums around. I want the city to be
cleaner, and people here to live a better life.”
6
FEATURES
November 2013
BARBIE OR G.I JOE,
IT’S OUR CHOICE
T
Priyanka Bhatt &
Freny Fernandes
he debate about
homosexuality is ongoing, through
time and place. Some call it
a psychiatric disorder, while others
pretend to ignore it because they
regard even a discussion about it a
society taboo.
On the other hand some studies
show that sexual orientation is
neurobiological and determined
at birth. Thus it is not a matter of
choice.
Ashok Row Kavi, an Indian
journalist and a prominent Lesbian
Gay Trensgender Bisexual (LGBT)
activist, says, “People’s attitudes
towards
homosexuality
have
changed in the past decade. People
are aware of both sides of the story.
The gay community has come out
openly and doesn’t feel the need to
hide any more.
“Although there have been cases
SECTION 377
Chapter XVI, Section 377 of the Indian
Penal Code is a piece of legislation in
India introduced during the British Raj
that criminalises sexual activity “against
the law of nature”. This section was read
down to decriminalise same-sex behaviour
among consenting adults in a judgment by
the Delhi High Court in 2009. Section 377
continues to apply in case of sex involving
minors or coercive sex.
of violence in the last
few months in places
like Nashik and
Amravati where the
police thought there
were illegal activities
going on, that has
been cleared now. There is a lot less
discrimination than there used to
be, and it’s not a secret society any
more. The media has played a very
important role in this.”
Indian youth is generally receptive
to new ideas and concepts and
coming out of the closet does not
have as intense a stigma as it did in
the past. But it is certainly still there;
many people we interviewed did not
allow us to use their real names.
Vihaan (name changed on
request), a student and a part of the
LGBT community, says, “I belong
to a conservative family and my
parents aren’t exactly open. Only a
few close friends know that I'm gay.
If my parents knew, they might well
disown me.”
Another member of the LGBT
community, Roshan Keluskar, a PR
professional, believes that his parents
might not be open to him initially, but
they might accept gradually. When
asked what the biggest problem they
face as a community is, he says,
“No matter how open people
are about other social
issues, we are always
looked down upon. If a
five-year-old boy wants
to play with a Barbie doll, he
isn’t allowed and is handed a G.I.
Joe. It’s all rooted in people's minds.
If you tell them you’re gay, it’s the
only thing they’ll associate you with.
But in the last few years people's
attitude has changed a little because
of awareness.”
Most of this community lives
with a common feeling: that society
needs to stop defining people on the
basis of their sexual orientation and
start seeing them as fellow human
beings.
Dance to the ‘waste not’ band
Anurag Shastri
E
ach sound is a gift to the ears,
and who better to prove this
than the Indian dhols. And now a
two-year-old band from Kandivali's
Gokul Horizon Cooperative Housing
Society has become popular for
making music with instruments
usually considered waste items,
such as glass bottles and disposable
aluminum trays.
Where one spends a handsome
amount in buying expensive musical
instruments to create the finest of
music, Dhols of India, a band of boys
between nine and 17 years old, are
using a unique pathway to success.
Vinay Shukla, the manager of the
band, says “I once saw the kids from
the society making music with bottles
and thermocol. That’s when the idea
of forming a band came to me.
But we wanted the band to be
different, so we decided that we
would make use only waste material
and make the best music with it.
Dhols of India: Vinay Shukla (Manager) , Sahil Palav, Prajwal Udyawar,
Varun Gupta, Sagar Vartha, Hardhik Damaniya, Chimmay, Aayush Sangvekar
(standing from left to right), Prajwal Shetty and Rahul (sitting from left to
right)
Music is everywhere and you don’t
need to have expensive gadgets or
instruments to enjoy its magical
effect.”
Shukla says, “We even pick up
thermocol boards and stuffing that
is used for packaging and are often
thrown away once the package is
Performance perfect: At an event organised by the local corporator, the
boys in the band play their hearts out to great appreciation
opened. Paint cans, soft drink cans
and dustbins are all we need to make
every body dance.”
It's not easy, however, to maintain
a balance between their studies and
the band. Shukla, who is himself is
a final year student in a Bachelor of
Ayurveda, Medicine and Surgery
(BAMS) course, says, “Initially,
we faced a lot of opposition from
our society and our parents, as all
of us are students and have to fare
well in our exams. But gradually,
we understood that they were doing
so for our own good. However, this
didn’t mean we would compromise
on our passion.”
All the band members made it
a point to see that none of their
practice sessions coincided with their
classes. "We did not compromise on
our studies, but we were equally
determined to pay attention to our
band practice. Our efforts resulted in
great appreciation with people calling
us to perform at venues. When the
elders from the society saw this, they
encouraged us. Now we are making
our mark,” he says.
Ankit Pandey, the coordinator of
the band, says, “We prioritise our
study time in such a way that we don’t
compromise on our rehearsals.”
“We have been approached by
different NGOs and have performed
at Growels mall in Kandivali for one
of them. Once, the Western Railway
had invited us to perform at Bandra,
but we turned down the offer, as the
kids had exams going on at the same
time.”
The chairman of the society,
Jayant Udayawar, says, “There is
no professional aid or guidance, yet
these kids from our society have
come up with this creative concept. It
makes all of us proud when their
performance is appreciated.
They first performed at a gettogether of our society and we
were amazed at their performance.
The corporator of our area, Yogesh
Bhoir, has asked them to perform at
an open forum, an indication of how
they are going places.”
Pandey says, “It’s a matter of
pride for the band, as we are sending
out a message that waste, if used
efficiently, can be of great use. I
am an engineering student and will
continue to be a part of this band all
my life. The appreciation we get is
a great encouragement and it helps
us try out different ways to make
music.”
To hell
with
fashion!
Anusha Iyengar
F
rom bellbottoms to jeggings, the fashion
world amazes us with its melange of
colours, cuts and fabric. A decade ago,
glamour would have outrun comfort, but the
latter has overpowered glamour – which is
exciting in its own way.
Every time we flip to the entertainment
section of our newspapers, we find ourselves
gawking at the Jimmy Choo shoes, Longines
watches and Louis Vuitton bags, not to forget
the celebrities that take these accessories’
desirability to another level. Whenever we
look at Sonam Kapoor walk the ramp with
her eccentric panache, we realise how much
Omkar Chitnis:
Be comfortable
we might want to be her.
Starting from their hairstyles to their
socks, youngsters want to be unique. The new
trend therefore, is not following a style, but
creating your own.
The youth today are
not hesitant to
pair a necklace of
teeth with a pair
of palazzos and a
tank top. Anything
quirky adds oomph,
thereby creating
a style statement.
This trend however, Sayali
Angachekar:
is not restricted to Be unique
the youth, as several
children have also been seen following trends
or creating their own styles.
Fashion Photographer, Omkar Chitnis
says, “Well, most of the youth dress up as
fashion dictates without
even understanding the
logic or story behind it.
It is very important to be
comfortable in what you
wear. You will look
good only when you
are comfortable.
“The youth
follow trends but
also create their
own styles based
on their comfort
levels. I advise
all young people
to go with their
instincts and wear
what they like because
this is the time you
can experiment and
explore your own
unique style,” says
Sayali Angachekar,
a fashion stylist.
7
Karate Kid
Sports
November 2013
Mumbai’s
K
Seshadri Iyer &
Yohann Pereira
arate is a sport which most
people imagine as being
violent and dangerous,
a sport that involves two people
beating each other up in a competitive
manner.
Some don’t even consider it a sport
but a form of self-defence that one
learns to protect oneself. And almost
everyone connects karate with some
Hollywood martial-art movie.
Howevr, those involved in the
sport would firmly disagree with
these perceptions.
Third-degree black belt Abhishek
Pai (22), a three-time national karate
champion, says that it is not about
beating up the opponent nor is it
about strength. “Karate is a martial
art, which means it is more of an art
than a sport. It is not about beating
your opponent mercilessly, it is
about control. Karate teaches you the
strengths and weakness of your body
and how to use them,” he said.
This talented youngster was
introduced to karate at the tender
age of five. At the age of seven,
after attaining the green belt, he
started competing in tournaments
oragnised by the Karate Association
in Mumbai.
He competed in his first-ever
international tournament at the
age of nine, in Japan, where he
Top
of the
Table
FUN SPORT: But Nishaad Shah (17) is dead serious about it
Seshadri Iyer &
Yohann Pereira
T
able tennis originated in England in the
1880s. It was played by the upper classes as
an after-dinner parlour game. It was suggested
that the game was first developed by British
military officers in India and South Africa who
brought it back to England with them.
Since then, table tennis has evolved as one of
the fun sports for youngsters. Nishaad Shah (17)
has been playing table tennis from when he was
nine years old, and has played 15 tournaments,
including state, national and international. He
has been playing as an under-18 professional
table tennis player for the last six years. He
put up a brilliant performance in 2011 when
he reached the finals of the state level Cadet's
Hanging on
Santia Gora
M
umbai’s old gaothans,
comprising cottages of
Portuguese, British and gothic
architecture., owned by members
of the east Indian community,
are under threat. Of the 189 such
gaothans that once existed, only a
handful have survived, including
Gundowli in Andher (E), Kalina in
Santacruz (E) and Kolvary village
in Santacruz (W). The others have
disappeared into the past, replaced
by concrete structures and multistoreyed buildings.
It is easy to see why. In landstarved Mumbai, original owners
of the cottages are tempted by
the seemingly huge sums of
money and apartments promised
by the builders. With families
outgrowing ancestral homes and
fields disappearing, the answer is
often to accept the builders’ offers
and move. When families show
reluctance move, threats are often
employed.
VANISHING BEAUTY: An old
gaothan home in Bandra
Some gaothans, including
Gundowli and Kalina, have
fought back and resisted offers
to buy ancestral villages and their
accompanying histories. The
Mobai Gaothan Panchayat, an
umbrella organization representing
the gaothans that remain, has taken
the initiative to spread awareness
among residents, with the
intention of putting people’s
THIRD DEGREE: Abhishek Pai (22) is a
national champion
tournament. Today, Nishaad is 97th in the
world, 8th in India and the number one player
in Maharashtra and Mumbai.
When asked how he manages to play table
tennis and keep his grades going in college,
he had a very simple answer “I was about to
quit, but when I scored 91% in the 10th grade, I
realized I can do both.”
Nishaad can see himself improving all the
time. The teenager represents Air India, which
provides him with a monthly income and air
tickets for travel. He practises at the Santacruz
Gymkhana under his personal trainer.
The government is also doing its bit by
providing a lot of facilities for people who play
well and are looking to pursue a future in this
sport. The government also arranges for players
to attend training camps in countries such as
Sweden, China and Japan to be trained under
the best coaches.
The future looks bright for India's table
tennis players.
culture in place and thus saving
the heritage of Mumbai.
However, it is too late for
almost 25 gaothans, including Pali
and Sherly Rajan, in Bandra and
the Santacruz west gaothan. Out
of the remaining enclaves, another
30 are under serious threat, but
can still be saved. Gaothans in
the Dharavi belt are the center of
attraction for builders right now.
And in Gorai, Manori and Uttan,
a tourism plan to make them into
visiting hubs of activity hangs like
a sword over the gaothans.
Mumbai has a Gaothan Policy,
but it has proved completely
unable to actually protect these
communities. So can anything
actually be done?
“Awareness and unity among
the residents is one solution to this
issue”, says Alfie D’Souza, head
of the Mobai Gaothan Panchayat.
“The residents of gaothans should
be allowed to construct ground
plus floors, so that they can manage
their growing families. And the
BMC and the state government
should monitor the builders to
save our heritage from turning
into another concrete colony”.
stood fourth. Having participated
in numerous tournaments, both
domestic and international, his
greatest achievement, according to
him, was winning the All India Karate
Federation (AIKF) championship for
the third time in 2008.
Even though karate is far from
being a top sport in the country,
Abhishek is pretty optimistic about
its potential. “There have always
been many spectators for every
tournament that I have participated
in so far, showing that people do
follow karate and are interested in the
sport. Besides that, each year there is
an increase in the number of people
joining the sport.” All positive signs,
he points out.
While Abhishek’s parents were
supportive and allowed him to
participate even if it meant that he
missed school or college, others
aren’t as supporting. This has led
to many talented players quitting
the sport. For them he has simple
advice: “If you are really interested
in karate you should go ahead with
it. It helps build your inner strength
and discipline. Karate also develops
your ability to focus, which will help
in other areas as well,” he says.
When asked whether he planned
to continue with karate or quit, he
replied, “There is still a lot more
for me to learn and achieve. I have
no intentions of quitting for now at
least.”
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8
Back Page
Anurag Shastri,
Leona Nathan &
Freny Fernandes
A
dditional
Commissioner
of Police. Vishwas Nangre
Patil, better known as the
first policeman to enter the Taj
Hotel during the 26/11 attack,
candidly speaks to students of St.
Pauls Institute of Communication
Education (SPICE) about various
topics that affect youth, from
ensuring their safety to protection
from vices. Formerly DCP of South
Mumbai and currently in charge
of Mumbai West Region, Nangre
Patil has stopped various rave clubs
that are a hotspot for many illegal
activities involving youth.
The people were very happy
with the efficiency of the
police force during the recent
Navaratri celebration. How did
you manage it?
Festivals are a big challenge for us.
We do a lot of planning from various
perspectives like law and order,
anti–terror point of view, security
measures for women, etc. During
festivals additional reinforcements
are provided and we activate our
intelligence forces. Our recent major
tension was Bakri Id coinciding with
the Durga Festival. Communal riots,
safety of women, and terrorism are
the major areas we focus on. Hence
we conduct meetings with the
Mohalla committees and co-ordinate
with the mandals. The people in my
force work 24/7 with no weekly off
during this period. Neither do we
get credit for this, nor do we ask for
it. It is just a good feeling.
There are many schools and
November 2013
Police protection
in 7 minutes
changes have had resulted positive
results.
colleges in your jurisdiction.
Their surroundings can be a
magnet for illegal activities like
drugs, alcohol, tobacco etc.
What steps are you taking to
keep youth safe from peddlers?
Drugs have micro and macro
repercussions on youth. There is
an independent anti – narcotics cell
of Mumbai police of which I was in
charge for almost 1 ½ years and I
was instrumental in raiding three
parties. We deal with government
executive
machinery,
schools,
colleges, NGO’s etc. We take strict
action against drug peddlers. We
mainly focus on peddling spots and
take action against habitual drug
addicts on the roads. However, we
see the drug addicts as victims and
not criminals. More than 500 drug
addicts have been sent to corrective
institutions
What changes have you brought
since you took up your current
posting?
Since I have joined, there have been
many changes taking place. One of
which is the ‘adaan pradaan’ system
where criminals are transferred
from one police station to another. If
he is detected to have committed an
offence in a particular police station
area, he is taken into custody in that
area. Every weekend we take them
for a fashion show and make them
walk on the ramp and my officers
As compared to your previous
post in South Mumbai, what
difficulties or challenges do you
face now?
South Mumbai is absolutely different.
The area here is more extensive.
As there are people coming from
various parts of the country, the
population is more. Also we have
film stars residing here and so the
issues are very different from issues
in South Mumbai.
take pictures of them. We also have
started an anti- eve teasing squad
for the first time, after the KeenanReuben murder which took place in
my jurisdiction in Amboli. All these
After the Shakti mills case there
have been a lot of questions
about the security of young
women working late night shifts,
etc. What steps are you taking to
ensure their safety? Is Mumbai
the next Delhi?
I feel Mumbai is a safe city. Yes there
are incidences that are very serious in
nature, but otherwise I feel it is safe. I
see women roaming around at night
safely. The most positive thing about
the Mumbai Police is that we respond
in maximum 7 minutes. Anybody calls
100 and the police team reaches in 7
minutes. The police are well trained
to deal with these situations. Every
beat has one police mobile even at
night. I would actually compliment
the public here for being more active
and responding when people are
harassed on the road. They do not
The H-West Federation brings you the 3rd
Edition of its minithon ‘Must Run’
T
he H-West Federation is
gearing up to bring to the
suburbs the third edition of its
popular minithon ‘Must Run’ in
February 2014.
Initiated in 2011, the event seeks
to promote participation, bonding
and a healthy lifestyle amongst
the residents of Bandra, Khar and
Santacruz, especially the youth,
and also reaches out to fitness
enthusiasts and serious runners
from across the city.
The first two editions saw
the participation of over 1,500
runners,
each
comprising
school students, youth, senior
citizens, the differently-abled
and representatives from various
NGOs, the BMC, the Police as
well as the armed forces. Previous
editions has seen the attendance
of celebrities from the area like
Neelam Kothari, Sameer Soni,
Divya Dutta, Raza Murad and music
legend Kersi Lord.
The initiative, held in partnership
with Wake Up Bandra, seeks to
sensitize residents to the need to
take care of their neighbourhood
and highlights the contribution being
made by various bodies towards
the same. The last two editions
have highlighted the role of NGOs
such as ADAPT, Kripa Foundation,
Habitat for Humanity and Cheshire
Homes as well as campaigns such
as Citizens’ Association for Child
Rights (formerly Mumbaiites for
Child Rights – M4CR) and another
to raise funds for the iconic
Kamlabai Nimkar Pustakalaya or
Khar Library at Madhu Park.
The minithon is a mix of events
with a longer half-marathon for
serious runners that traverses all
three suburbs and smaller events
like the Veteran’s Run, the Senior
Citizens’ Walk, and an event for the
Physically Challenged. The last two
editions saw all races end at the St.
Stanislaus High School grounds in
an atmosphere of music, dance and
celebration.
In keeping with the commitment
of the Federation to civic
consciousness, all the waste created
during the event is collected
and recycled by the Stree
Mukti Sanghatana’s (SMS) trained
Parisar Bhagini workforce.
While The Teenager magazine
has been partnering the event
since inception, this time St. Paul’s
Institute
for
Communication
Education (SPICE) will join in to
enhance the reach of the event and
provide much needed media and
promotion support. Talks are also
on with the Rotary Club of Mumbai
to support the event.
The H-West Federation is a 20year-old association of citizens’
organisations and ALMs that seeks
to empower the citizens of the
H-West Ward comprising Bandra,
Khar and Santacruz to address civic
and other issues concerning the
area and align with like-minded
initiatives in the city to encourage
watch and go away. The Shakti mills
case was very unfortunate, but it
happened in a desolate area.
What do you personally think
about youth security?
Youth is a vibrant energetic phase
of life and it is, at the same time,
equally vulnerable. Communal or
fundamental elements, political
leaders, bad characters can easily
influence youth as they are prone
to accept everything they get.
There should be a filtering mode to
counter this like teaching institutes
and the family, so that the process
of their development is taken care
of. I would like to tell a story about
a painter who wanted to paint Lord
Krishna. He finds a boy and paints
his innocence on canvas. It becomes
a famous painting. After 20 years,
he now thinks of painting an evil
person. So he goes to jail and picks
up a dreaded criminal and paints him.
When he starts painting, the criminal
starts crying, so the painter asks him
why he is crying. The criminal says,
“I am the same guy who you had
painted as Lord Krishna. In 20 years
the God in me has died slowly, but
the devil grew.” There is always a
battle of good and bad, God and the
devil. Whom they should feed, that
the youth has to decide.
Sir, now you’re an Addl.CP and
your next position will be that
of the joint CP. Before you get
there, what impact do you want
to leave?
I want to do my job sincerely. I am
a public servant. I am paid for this.
I want to work according to the
police manual which has extensive
guidelines for good policing. I don’t
want to do anything extraordinary!
good
governance
and quality of service
delivery. During this
time, the Federation
has worked closely
with the Municipal
Authorities,
the
Police,
other
Governmental
agencies and NGOs in upholding
citizens' right to a clean, safe,
healthy and just environment.
The Federation is managed by
the H-West Ward Citizens' Trust,
a public trust registered with the
Charity Commissioner’s Office.
Various aspects of the event are
being finalized at the moment and
more details will be available in
forthcoming issues leading up to
the event in February.
To volunteer for the event or
to come in as a donor supporter,
do contact the following: Naresh
Karmalker (Tel: 9833772721,
email:
nareshkarmalker@gmail.
com), Nitin Wadhwani (Tel:
9987598509 , email: nitin_29w@
yahoo.com)
Published by St Pauls Institute of Communication Education in collaboration with the H-West Ward Citizens’ Trust.
St Pauls Media Complex, 24th Road, TPS II, Bandra (W), Mumbai 400050,
Tel: 022 26435709 Website: www.spiceinstitute.com