Indian tales for Aussie kids

Two enterprising young mums bring a wealth of traditional and modern Indian literature to children in Australia

BY USHA RAMANUJAM ARVIND

The names Amar Chitra Katha, Chandamama and Tinkle bring back fond memories for most of us desi transplants who date back to the pre-Nintendo era.

Of uncluttered, innocent childhoods and warm, tangible friendships; of sultry summers spent under the shade of neem and mango trees curled up with a comic book that recreated the magic of our mystical past. Of Lav and Khush, Akbar and Birbal, Bikram and Betaal, Tenaali and Supaandi – epics, folklore and fables, retold with utter simplicity. The list is endless and the repertoire rich and varied. Enriched by that unforgettable experience, many of us have no doubt tried to bequeath the same legacy to our own children. No trip back home so far has been complete without a few of those literary souvenirs, gifted no doubt by an indulgent grandparent or thoughtful aunt.

Those delectable gems are now merely a click away thanks to two enterprising Sydney mums, Dolly Singh Miranda and Shalu Gupta, who have founded an e-bookstore - Indian Mystique. Their collection, which includes picture books, classic/ancient tales, religious books and comics in Hindi and English, is aptly called Little Tall Tales. Through the medium of literature, Little Tall Tales hopes “to enable the expression of diverse cultural identities and sow the seeds of multiculturalism in children by bringing to life stories from around the world.”

Indian Mystique has tied with leading Indian publishing houses and bookstores to bring the original editions. Prior to their launch in August last year, Miranda and Gupta have conducted a comprehensive research on their product line to understand and explore the market, the process and sourcing.

“Here we were two busy working mothers raising our families in a faraway land, wondering how best to recreate our own happy childhood for our kids,” Dolly Singh Miranda told Indian Link. “That’s when we decided we would actively help our children understand their roots, their culture and get them as excited about reading

Panchtantra tales as we had been in our childhood!”

“Our aim was to envelop them in the warmth of books on Indian stories – books about Indian heroes, Indian villages, Indian mythology, Indian history,” added Shalu Gupta.

“The idea of Indian Mystique, quite literally as with most other Indian stories was born over a steaming hot cup of chai, as my business partner Shalu and I met up for our weekly nostalgia trips,” Dolly Singh Miranda stated. “We both share a lot in common – from young families to ideology, and now of course, this enterprise born out of a shared passion for books.”

“We feel it is important for our children growing up here to be surrounded by images and literature from their country of origin,” added Gupta. “Our vision is to help children understand, appreciate and learn about Indian culture, Indian epics, history and Indian mythology through beautifully written books.”

A former human resources professional and now a stay-athome mum, Dolly moved to Australia in 2006, while Shalu who specializes in marketing is currently employed part time in banking.

“Books have always been my raison d’etre, keeping the fuzzies at bay,” said Singh. Her love affair with reading started with Enid Blyton’s series like Noddy, Famous Five, Secret Seven, Malory Towers, St Claire’s and of course, Amar Chitra Katha!

“My visits to the library were always the most exciting part of the evening for me – lovingly searching for a new title and waiting to get home and start the adventure,” she remembered nostalgically. “Journeys into the magical lands of India - laughing aloud at Supandi’s adventures, marvelling at Birbal’s chaturai (wisdom), savoring each story and reading slowly to make it last long… Ah, the disappointment of reaching the last page! Then the eager anticipation till the next book came home,” she added fondly.

Miranda and Gupta hope to make RK Narayan as popular with young kids as Roald Dahl.

While most of the marketing is by word of mouth, currently Indian Mystique has a page on Facebook through which their new collection is advertised. Shalu and Dolly are also in the process of setting up a website.

“We want to see our books widely available across book stores, local libraries, schools, and all possible forums and events,” they stated. “We want to set up a reading centre for children with beautiful Indian books.”

“It is a market with enormous potential and thus far we have provided our books to certain leading libraries along the North Shore,” said these two enterprising ladies.

The pair has also been in touch with Consul General Amit Dasgupta, and he has lent his support for their idea and vision.

“As well, recently we have also met with Dr. Phil Lambert, Regional Director for Education in NSW and he is providing his support by introducing our books in certain schools in Sydney,” Miranda added. “It’s always very exciting to hear a resonance of our thoughts and ideas among the leaders of Australia!”

“Come along and begin your magical adventure – read a story from the Indian sub-continent and discover the beauty and wisdom of these tales,” is Miranda and Gupta’s invitation to young readers.

Some of their upcoming titles include a selection form the legendary RK Narayan, aimed at school going kids.

“Journeys into the magical lands of India - laughing aloud at Supandi’s adventures, marvelling at Birbal’s chaturai (wisdom), savouring each story and reading slowly to make it last long”

Dolly Singh Miranda

“Our aim was to envelop them in the warmth of books on Indian stories – books about Indian heroes, Indian villages, Indian mythology, Indian history” Shalu Gupta)

30-day jail for Indian student Dharun Ravi; no deportation

Indian American student Dharun Ravi was recently sentenced to 30 days in jail by a New Jersey judge for spying on his roommate kissing another man on his webcam. The judge said he will recommend that Ravi not be deported.

Tyler Clementi, Ravi’s freshman roommate at Rutgers New Jersey State University, committed suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge days after the spying incident in September 2010.

Ravi was not charged in connection with Clementi’s death and was convicted on 15 counts of bias intimidation and invasion of privacy charges.

Sentencing Ravi, Middlesex County Judge Glenn Berman said he will recommend that Ravi not be deported.

“Down the road you can expunge this judgement,” he said. “You cannot expunge the conduct or the pain you caused.”

“I do not believe he hated Tyler Clementi. He had no reason to, but I do believe he acted out of colossal insensitivity,” Berman said.

Ravi must report to the Middlesex Adult Correctional Centre May 31 at 9 a.m. for his probationary sentence.

“I heard this jury say, ‘guilty’ 288 times -- 24 questions, 12 jurors. That’s the multiplication,” Berman said. “I haven’t heard you apologise once.”

Before the judge’s sentencing, Ravi’s mother delivered an emotional plea for leniency, during which she and her son both broke into tears.

At the end of her plea, Ravi’s mother threw herself on her son, sobbing and hugging him.

The family of Clementi bitterly asked the judge to sentence Ravi to prison time.

The Indian American community has rallied in Ravi’s support and in recent days, several prominent gay activists too have made public pleas for Ravi to not be sent to prison.

Judge Berman began the proceedings by noting that the court had received a box full of petitions seeking pardon for Ravi, some addressed to President Barack Obama and others to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

Only Christie has the authority to pardon someone for a state crime.

New York polytechnic honours

Sam Pitroda

Polytechnic Institute of New York University, America’s second-oldest private engineering school, has conferred an honorary degree of Doctor of Engineering on Sam Pitroda, adviser to Indian Prime Minster Manmohan Singh.

Delivering the keynote address at the school’s 157th Commencement in New York recently, Pitroda urged the class of 2012 to recognize technology as the key to social change and inclusive growth, not only economic prosperity.

“How do we use connectivity to address the challenges of the 21st century?” he asked and himself answered: “India has been growing at a rate of 8-9 percent and everywhere, I see technology as the key driver. To me, technology is a great social leveller.”

“Technology is the key in the 21st century. The challenge of today is inclusive growth, access and equity,” said Pitroda, who grew up in the small village of

Titlagarh in the Indian state of Orissa without electricity, running water or access to education and went on to earn two masters degrees and revolutionise India’s telecommunications infrastructure in the 1980s.

“We need affordable, scalable, and sustainable solutions,” he said. “My advice to you is that hard work and discipline is the key to your success. There is no shortcut”.

US varsity honours Narayana Murthy

The University of South Florida has honoured Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy with the Global Leadership and Free Enterprise Awards for his leadership and contributions to the international business world.

Presenting Infosys chairman emeritus Murthy with the awards at the Patel Centre for Global Sustainability in Tampa, Florida recently, USF President Judy Genshaft praised him for his entrepreneurial spirit, according to a university press release.

Earlier, in an informal conversation with past and present students, Murthy said because of his middle class background, it was not as difficult for his company to maintain its values as it might be for the mass of people eking out a living.

“You need a spirit of sacrifice and you need to have trust,” he said.

Murthy explained how the company’s ethos has its roots in the very first meeting held at his house in Mumbai with his six fellow founders. Their discussion was focused on profitability.

Murthy focused their attention on “seeking respect”, “living in harmony with society” and making sure “you don’t shortchange your customers,” he said. When you do those things, “revenue will come. Profit will come”.

In response to a question from about the chances of Murthy entering politics, he mentioned his preference for “rational discussion” and the difficulty the political world offers for such and expressed some hesitation.

Kaushal Chari, chair of the USF information systems and decision sciences department, said Murthy’s story is inspiring for students.

“He’s a world-class business leader,” said Chari, who leads a study abroad trip to India every year for business students. Sikhs

In Turbans Can Now Serve

Washington

Police

Sikh police officers in the American capital will be allowed to wear turbans, beards and other religious items while on the job.

The new uniform policy announced by Washington DC police Chief Cathy Lanier makes it the first major metropolitan police department in the US to permit Sikhs to maintain their articles of faith.

Developed with the Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund (SALDEF), the new police policy states that Sikh officers can wear turbans that are the same colour as the uniform that they would otherwise be required to wear, with the department badge that is normally on hats pinned to the front of the turban.

Male Sikh officers will also be able to wear beards that are neatly kept. Other officers are allowed to grow beards if they get a waiver from the department.

Lanier said that it is hard to find qualified police officers, so it is practical to accommodate candidates who would otherwise be fit for the job.

“This is a common-sense decision,” she said.

There are no known observant Sikhs among Washington’s roughly 3,800 officers. However, the new policy was motivated in part because a Sikh who will graduate from the Police academy in August and plans to become a reserve officer, has requested the accommodation, Lanier said.

“This first of a kind guidance by one of the nation’s premier law enforcement agencies serves as a model for other agencies across the country.” said Jasjit Singh, Executive Director of SALDEF.

In other parts of the country, Sikhs have had to fight for religious accommodations, he said, noting that nine years ago members of the Sikh community sued New York City to become traffic enforcement officers.

In the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, observant Sikhs can serve in the reserves but not as full-time officers.

There are about 700,000 adherents to the Sikh faith in the US, according to SALDEF.

India-born professor donates sustainability award money

India-born professor Kamal Bawa has donated the entire prize money of one million Norwegian Kronor (about Rs.10 million) from the world’s first major international sustainability award to the Indian organisation he founded in 1996.

Bawa, distinguished professor of biology at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, is the 2012 winner of the Gunnerus Sustainability Award from the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and letters (DKNVS).

He gifted the prize money to the Bangalore-based Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), a research institution in the areas of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. Bawa is its founder and president.

The Gunnerus Sustainability Award is given for outstanding scientific work that promotes sustainable development globally, and the first award was given to Bawa for his work on biodiversity in Central America, the Western Ghats in India and the Himalayas.

At the acceptance ceremony in February, Bawa said it was unfortunate that almost all money in international assistance goes to projects rather than to strengthening institutions.

Standing by his belief that “it is institutions that transform societies”, Bawa donated the award money to ATREE.

“The gift is a fine example of philanthropy at its best. It also endorses Bawa’s commitment to a better world, and to ATREE,” said Pheroza Godrej, a member of the governing board of ATREE.

ATREE director Gladwin Joseph said: “The gift will help ATREE address important environmental challenges. ATREE was recently ranked No. 9 globally, and No.1 in Asia among environmental think tanks.”

Bawa was recently elected to the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences for his contribution to public discourse and public policy surrounding sustainability.

Indian students return to Australia

Indian students are once again heading to Australia, along with a rise in international students, with the perceived threat of physical violence having receded to a large extent.

Violence against Indians in Australia has been a sensitive issue, especially after several racially motivated attacks on international students a few years back had strained relations between the two nations.

Indian students, according to an Australian Immigration Department report, top the list of visas granted in Australia.

Overall, 284,152 international students were granted visas in the first three quarters of the Australian financial year ending March 31. This figure represents an increase of 4.5 percent compared with the same period in 2010-11.

Over 23,000 Indian students were granted visas this year.

The Australian Immigration Department assessment of Indian applications seem to have improved significantly from the same period last year as there has been a whopping 82.8 percent increase in Indian students getting the all important nod.

While 2,319 Indian students were granted visa in India in the three quarters ending March 2011, the number has ballooned to 4,238 this year.

A massive increase has also been noticed, according to a recent Immigration Department report, in the Indian students making application for Australian student visas. More than 8,000 Indians applied for visa to study in Australia in the nine months to March 31 which represents approximately 120 percent increase as compared to the number of applications last year.

The latest Immigration Department report on student visas has elicited comments from Monash University migration expert Bob Birrell, who is known for his hardline approach on anything linked to Indian students or academic courses they usually opt for.

“They have been swooshing around the system, applying for student and tourist visas, family reunion and as temporary skilled migrants,” Bob Birrell told The Herald Sun newspaper while referring to Indian students in Australia.

“The student system was opened up to allow so many in, and now they are seeking whatever means are available to stay on via other visas,” he said.

The noticeable turnaround in student visa grants is also being attributed to a “backlash” from the Australian education institutes who had criticised the way Immigration Department was refusing applications from international students.

“Recent changes in the visa application process has made it easier for Indian students to come down under to study,” says Jag Khairra, a Melbourne-based migration and education consultant.

“The Australian government has also worked hard to address fears about attacks on Indian students,” Jag added.

There were approximately 345,000 international student visa holders in Australia as of March 31.

Indra Nooyi among 18 women

leading Fortune 500

Soft drink major Pepsico’s Indian born CEO Indra Nooyi is one of the 18 women who have shattered the glass ceiling to lead America’s 500 largest corporations, according to Fortune magazine’s latest ranking.

Nooyi, who leads the 41st biggest company in America, is listed fourth among top women executives by the leading US business magazine. She “has overseen a shift in focus from soft drinks into less profitable, albeit healthier, snack foods market in recent years,”

Others on the list that includes more women CEOs than ever before are Meg Whitman of Hewlett-Packard (10th) and Ginni Rometty of IBM (19th), both of whom started within the last year. Rometty is IBM’s first female CEO and Xerox chief Ursula Burns is the first African-American woman to head a Fortune 500 company.

The top five female CEOs on the list all held positions in strategic planning before being appointed.

There are an additional 21 female CEOs in the Fortune 501-1000, some managing steel, oil and energy companies. About 10 percent of the top 500 US companies, and almost 40 percent of Canada’s 500 largest companies have no women on their boards, according to Catalyst, a nonprofit research organization advocating for more women in business.

Chaurasia’s magic flute charms Poles

The profile of Poland has gone up by many notches as a cultural destination for Indian artists. After Bollywood films and translations of Urdu masters into the Polish language, Pandit Hari Prasad Chaursia, one of the doyens of Indian classical music maestro, enthralled the Polish crowd in three cities - Wroclaw, Krakow and Warsaw.

In all these places, Chaursia won the hearts of the audience with his spellbinding flute recitals.

“He creates magic with his flute and we simply feel enchanted with his performance. It was once in a lifetime event and so memorable that we would love to remember him for a long time to come,” said Janusz Krzyzowski, president of the India-Poland Cultural Committee in Warsaw.

Chaurasia was jointly sponsored by the Pandit Chaturlal Memorial Society of New Delhi along with its sponsors the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and the Embassy of India. They had persuaded Chaurisia to give concerts in Poland to mark the annual Chatur Lal Music Festival. He was accompanied by Snehgunshu Banerji on the tabla.

Pandit Chatur Lal was regarded as a tabla wizard in his days when he used to play with Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and other great artists not only in India, but also in western countries.

Yehudi Menuhin, a great violinist, once said: “Chatur Lal was one of those few supreme pioneer musicians who won for India the greatest and growing following it now commands. He stole the hearts of his audience wherever he went with his art and his enchanting personality.”

Unfortunately, Chatur Lal died at the young age of 40 in October 1965. After his death, a memorial society was established, and since then the society organises its main function on his birthday.

On his 86th birth anniversary, the admirers of Indian classical music in Poland had a feast of functions, named “Smritiyan”.

In each of the three cities, there was a local body to sponsor the event. In Warsaw, the Indo-Polish Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IPCCI) under the patronage of J.J. Singh agreed to foot the bill. Similarly, the India-Polish Cultural Committee (IPCC) in Krakow provided the local hospitality.

“We are really indebted to ICCR for selecting Krakow, the cultural capital of Poland, as a venue for one of its programmes. The love for Indian classical music for Krakowians is an established fact and many classical dancers and musicians have been coming to this city in the past fifteen years. We eagerly awaited for Chaurasia’s concert and he obliged us,” Umesh Nautial, president of the IPCC, Krakow branch, told IANS.

In Wroclaw, a fast emerging metropolis because of its proximity to Germany, the Embassy of India along with Wroclaw University organised the function. It was for the first time that the citizens of Wroclaw had a chance to listen to Chaurasia’s magical flute.

“The attraction of Poland for the Indian artists has grown very fast and now many big artists want to come to Poland to give their performances. There is an absolute necessity to have an Indian Cultural Centre here,” said Monika Kapila Mohta, Indian ambassador to Poland.

Obama cites Dalip Singh Saund to laud Asian contribution

Citing the example of Dalip Singh Saund, the first Indian American elected to the US Congress, President Barack Obama has lauded the contribution of the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in building up America.

“They were trailblazers like Dalip Singh Saund - a young man from India who, in 1920, came to study agriculture, stayed to become a farmer, and took on the cause of citizenship for all people of South Asian descent,” he said recently at the 18th Annual Gala for the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies in Washington.

“And once Dalip earned his own citizenship, he stepped up to serve the country he loved - and became the first Asian American elected to the Congress,”

Obama added amid applause.

Born in Chhajulwadi, Punjab, Saund represented the 29th District of California from 1957 to 1963.

“When I think about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, I think about my family - my sister, Maya; my brother-in-law, Konrad. My nieces Suhaila and Savita. I think about all the folks I grew up with in Honolulu,” Obama said striking a personal note.

“I think about the years I spent in Indonesia. So for me, coming here feels a little bit like home. This is a community that helped to make me who I am today. It’s a community that helped make America the country that it is today.”

The Asian Americans, he said, “came here looking for new opportunities not merely for themselves, but for their children, and for their children’s children, and for all generations to come”.

“Few of them had money. A lot of them didn’t have belongings. But what they did have was an unshakeable belief that this country - of all countries - is a place where anybody can make it if they try,” Obama said.

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Indian artist Subodh Gupta’s installation titled “Line of Control” went up in a shopping mall in New Delhi last month. The installation, made of steel utensils, is in the shape of a giant mushroom cloud referring to the dust-cloud of atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, while also literally alluding to the contested India-Pakistan border.

Pomersbach’s lawyer denies he has confessed

Counsel of Luke Pomersbach, the Australian player of IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), denied that the cricketer had confessed to police of having inadvertently touched or molested US citizen Zohail Hameed.

Lawyer Neeraj Chaudhry told reporters that his client did not make any confession to police or anyone that he had molested the woman in a five-star hotel.

“It was all a rumour. Luke did not make any such confession. His case is pending in court. So, he will only tell court if he needs to say anything,” said Chaudhry.

Additional Commissioner of Police K.C. Dwivedi told reporters that Pomersbach did not confess to police that he had inadvertently touched or molested Hameed under the influence of alcohol.

Dwivedi said another IPL cricketer K.P. Appanna, who has also cropped up in the case as he was caught in CCTV footage while accompanying Pomersbach in the corridor of Maurya Sheraton where the incident took place, told police that his presence at the time of the incident was a coincidence.

“He was not accompanying Pomersbach,” said Dwivedi on the basis of Appanna’s statement to police.

“Appanna’s name came to light after he was seen in CCTV footage recovered from Maurya Sheraton hotel where the American woman was molested during a party,” said the officer.

Police questioned Appanna, a leg spinner who plays for Karnataka in Ranji Trophy.

Pomersbach was arrested after Hameed alleged that he molested her and hit her friend Sahil Peerzada when he objected to the cricketer’s behaviour. Peerzada was punched in his ear following which he had to undergo a surgery.

The official said that Peerzada, who is a friend of RCB director Sidhartha Mallya, was invited to the post-match party at the hotel.

At the time of the incident, Peerzada was present along with Hameed, his friends Moiz and Miraj, and Pomersbach.

Pomersbach allegedly misbehaved with Hameed at the party.

“When she left the party along with Peerzada, she was followed by Pomersbach and Appanna after a few minutes,” said a police source.

Appanna had come to ask whether Mallya was there in the room, the source said, adding Hameed had also corroborated this.

The official informed that they had recorded Moiz’s statement too.

Hameed had alleged in her complaint to police that five to six members of the IPL team had pressurised her to withdraw the case against Pomersbach.

‘Global brands can generate jobs in India’

International brands can generate job opportunities if their entry into India is facilitated, says Montblanc, a century-old German company known for its timeless luxury pens, watches, eyewear, leather goods and fashion accessories.

“For an international brand, the Indian market is extremely strong. It is a developing and emerging market and I believe it will continue to grow,” said Karl Handke, Montblanc’s president for the western hemisphere, in New Delhi recently.

“One of the main problems a brand faces while retailing in India is the laws, duties and taxes. The import duty on luxury goods is high, making it difficult for international brands to enter India. If more international brands enter India, it will only be beneficial for the country since it will provide for more employment opportunities,” he added.

Hadke handles sales and marketing for the brand in Europe, North and South America, Africa, the Middle East and India.

He was in New Delhi to launch the brand’s Grace De Monaco collection, which includes limited-edition jewellery, writing instruments and time pieces for women.

The brand has a presence in 10 citiesincluding New Delhi, Mumbai and Ludhiana - and is definitely looking for expansion. However, the restricted number of luxury malls is hindering the expansion plans.

“We are definitely looking to expand our retail network extensively.... India, as compared to other countries, yet has few luxury malls and no high streets like Madison Avenue or a Barneys (in New York); so this, of course, limits our expansion,” the 61-yearold Hadke said.

“But we are looking at tier-two cities with wealthy and cultured people. We are also opening boutiques at airports, starting with Hyderabad. At the moment our priority is Calcutta (Kolkata) where we do not have a stand-alone Montblanc boutique. We are planning more stores in New Delhi,” Handke added.

The brand, which started producing writing instrument 100 years ago, is now also into watches, leather goods and accessories. Handke says expansion notwithstanding, they never compromised on brand’s aesthetics.

“We have never compromised in terms of brand value from the past to present. Even while venturing into new categories, we carefully selected the product segments which we wanted to occupy and made sure that they are in line with the brands DNA,” he said.

“Today Montblanc is a luxury mason, which helps cultured people to express their lifestyle through beautiful products,” he added.

Any plans to foray into apparel?

“No, we do not wish to foray into apparel... Clothes are something which are in fashion today and outdated tomorrow. We believe in creating products which are timeless and classic. Our products are family heritage and clothes can never be that,” Handke concluded.

Now, a robotic way to hasslefree surgeries

Four finger-tip sized incisions, four robotic arms, including a camera eye snaking inside, the magnified image of the visceral organs being watched on a screen outside as the surgical instrument arm moves deftly to remove the tumour or blockage. Minimal blood loss, no long hospital stay -- welcome to the revolutionary world of robotic surgery that is gaining in popularity in India.

Some of the major hospitals in New Delhi, including the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), are performing complex surgeries the robotic way.

Major procedures such as removal of tumours, heart surgery and gynaecological surgery that would traditionally require the scalpel to make large and deep cuts in the body and consequent blood loss are now being done with robotic arms.

“Robotic surgery allows us to do many complex operations that would require large incisions,” said Sudhir Srivastava, chairman, CEO and managing director, Fortis Healthcare International Centre for Robotic Surgery in New Delhi.

Srivastava said conventional cardiac surgery requires splitting of the sternum, but in robotic surgery, using a robotic surgical system called Da Vinc, just four-five fingertip sized incisions are all it requires.

“The tips of the robotic arms behave like human wrists and allows us to do complex surgeries through tiny holes,” he said.

The camera arm of the robot allows surgeons to see inside the body in 3D. The image of the internal organs -- magnified up to 10 times in high definition -- shows up on a screen at the surgeon’s console. Using hand and foot controls, the surgeon directs the robotic arms with the surgical tools to perform the required procedure.

“The camera acts as the eyes, while the instruments act as the arms of the surgeon,” said Srivastava, adding that the surgery is “very precise, the incisions are tiny, there is little trauma and the patient can return home in a day or two. There are less complications, less blood transfusion and it is cosmetically preferable”. What about the cost? The cost varies between Rs.60,000 and Rs.1.5 lakh (approx $1,000-$2,700), depending on the procedure, he says.

“It works out more expensive than the conventional surgery, but the benefits are huge because of all the advantages,” Srivastava said.

He says the cost is due to the technology, as each machine costs about Rs.8-10 crore (approx $1.4-1.8 million), depending on the model.

He says that robotic surgeries abroad are “10 times more expensive”.

Fortis has two robotic systems and the hospital performs cardiac, thoracic, urology, gynaecology, general, head and neck and orthopaedics procedures.

At AIIMS, robotic surgery is done in the field of urology, ENT cardiac, thoracic and in general surgery, says P.N. Dogra, professor and head of the Department of Urology, adding that the urology section gets around 130-140 patients every month.

But AIIMS does not charge anything from general patients. “During the hospital stay, even the meal charge is not taken from some patients,” Dogra said.

One major advantage of the robotic system, he says, is the “tremor filtration” in which the “unintentional movement of the doctor is not carried over to the patients during the operation as the doctors are behind the operation table monitoring the robot”.

Arvind Kumar, a former professor of surgery at AIIMS, who is now heading the Institute of Robotic Surgery at Sir Gangaram Hospital, says the hospital performed “Asia’ first vascular surgery” using the robotic system.

Explaining the high costs, Kumar says the robotic technology is in evolution. “As its uses become more, the prices will crash, like in the case of mobiles,” said Kumar.

India’s defence varsity by 2017 India’s first and only defence university, approved by the union cabinet in 2010, will take about seven years to come up and the land acquisition process at Binola in Gurgaon district of Haryana has begun, parliament was informed recently.

Defence Minister A.K. Antony, in a written reply to questions from Lok Sabha members, said the Indian National Defence University (INDU) was accorded “in principle” approval by the union cabinet on May 13, 2010, and it will be set up at Binola. For this, the Haryana government has already issued notification to acquire land.

“It is projected that the establishment of INDU and its constituents will be spread over seven years,” he said.

In INDU, it has been proposed to conduct courses of varying duration on subjects ranging from strategic studies, war gaming and simulation, neighbourhood studies, counter insurgency and counter terrorism, Chinese studies, evaluation of strategic thought, international security issues, maritime security studies, Eurasian studies, South East Asian studies, material acquisition, joint logistics, and national security strategy in peace and war.

The government has engaged Educational Consultants of India Limited (EdCIL), a public sector enterprise under the human resource development ministry, for the preparation of a detailed project report, the layout plan, and draft act and statutes for setting up the university, Antony said.

“An estimated expenditure of Rs.295 crore (at the rate of 2010) for setting up the university and Rs.162 crore (at current rate) for the acquisition of land is likely to be incurred,” he added.

Heard her voice, now taste her food - with Asha’s Food is a far cry from playback singing. But Bollywood’s girl with the golden voice, Asha Bhosle, who has morphed into an astute hotelier over the years, is ready to bring her award-winning eatery chain Asha’s to India from abroad in 2013.

“We have 10 restaurants overseas nowthree in the UAE, three in Kuwait, one in Qatar, one in Bahrain, one in Egypt and one in the UK. The first outlet in India will open in the national capital in 2013,” stated Anand Bhosle, Asha Bhosle’s son, recently.

Land has been identified and investment for the project is well under way.

Asha’s, which won the Time Out Dubai 2012 Best Indian Restaurant award, flaunts the music diva’s passion for northwest Indian cuisine with specialities like nally gosht, tandoori lobster, chicken jalfrezi and desserts like Asha’s platter comprising gajar ka halwa and mango kulfi.

Anand said, “Asha’s, as the name of the eatery suggests, has been inspired by the life of the music icon.”

The logo of the chain enhances the concept a step further. The menu is northwestern frontier cuisine and many of the recipes are Asha Bhosle’s special which she has invented and worked on for many years in her home in Mumbai.

“The special masala, which is a secret of the restaurant’s kitchen, is manufactured by her under strict guidelines - and is used in all the eateries worldwide,” said Anand, who manages the chain with his mother.

Asha Bhosle, who takes an active and personal interest in the restaurants by deciding the menu and even choosing the right spices, works “closely with her team of worldwide chefs”.

“Northwestern cuisine and Lucknawi or Awadhi cuisine are the hallmarks of Asha’s, but the strength also lies in innovative Indian food,” said Anand.

Asha Bhosle’s personal favourite is a platter of ghar ki daal, plain white rice and

Muscat gosht, her son said.

Asha’s has also been mentioned in the Michelin restaurant guide for the past four years in Britain, as one of the world’s top destinations for quality Indian cuisine outside the Asian subcontinent.

The Time Out Dubai described Asha’s as having “elegant, modern decor with warm welcoming hues, efficient and friendly service” and food that “sings”, Anand said.

The clientele of Asha’s UAE outlets “is 50 percent from the Indian subcontinent, 30 percent Europeans and 20 percent Arabs, which more or less describes the demographic breakdown of the UAE”, her son said.

Women in combat roles in armed forces: Wait gets longer

Women in the Indian armed forces will have to wait longer to get into combat roles. The defence ministry has recently said it has no proposal as of now, including recruiting women as fighter pilots, a distinction that even Pakistan has.

“There is no proposal to induct women into combat duties in the defence forces including as fighter pilots in Indian Air Force (IAF),” the government has asserted before parliament twice in the last two months.

For rejecting the combat role demand, the government has cited the studies on women in combat roles carried out by the Delhi-based Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) headquarters in 2006 and the tri-services committee which gave its report in 2011.

“Induction of women in combat duties has not been recommended by the studies carried out by the IDS headquarters in 2006 and the High level Tri-Services Committee in 2011,” the government has said.

Though India began recruiting women as short-service commissioned (SSC) officers into the armed forces in 1992, it is yet to make up its mind on allowing them to participate in combat. It has only in recent years relaxed its norms on having women as permanent officers.

But countries like New Zealand, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Israel and Sweden, however, allow women to serve at all army positions. The US and the UK too allow women to join combat roles, but with a few restrictions. Neighbouring Pakistan too has women fighter pilots in its air force now.

India’s women are recruited initially as SSC officers for five years, but are offered to extend the commission up to 14 years of service.

In certain branches of the three services, though, they are offered permanent commission on a par with men SSC officers, provided they complete the criteria laid down.

The defence ministry, after considering a comprehensive policy paper on induction and employment of women submitted by the armed forces and keeping in view the role and responsibility of the armed forces in defending the nation and protecting its territorial integrity, issued in November 2011 a letter laying down the policy framework including granting permanent commission.

Permanent commission has been offered to women officers in Judge Advocate General (JAG) and Army Education Corps (AEC) of the army and their corresponding branches in the navy and the air force, apart from the naval constructor branch in the navy and the accounts branch in the air force since September 2008.

Additionally, women in the air force are eligible for consideration of permanent commission in technical, administration, logistics and meteorology branches.

“The grant of permanent commission will be subject to willingness of the candidate and service-specific requirements, availability of vacancies, suitability, merit of the candidate as decided by each service,” the government said.

At present, a petition filed by some shortservice women officers regarding offering them permanent commission and against their release from service is pending before the Supreme Court.

“Women serving in the Indian armed forces is an evolving process. Till 1992, women were never recruited. Now we get permanently absorbed into some of the streams of service. We have come far ahead since the time we started out. I am sure time will come when we will do combat roles too. But it is still a little far away,” stated a serving woman officer in the rank of an army captain.

“Over these 20 years, we are now rubbing shoulders with men officers at every level of service. It is more so in the air force and navy than in the army. But there are practical issues, which need thought and resolving, such as living quarters in forward areas,” according to an air force woman officer.

“I know women officers who have laid mines in border areas. I know women who flew planes better than men during training. Once the mindset changes, things will fall in place. It is just a matter of time,” says another woman army officer.

According to figures available, there has been a 67 percent increase in recruitment of women officers into the army, navy and air force since 2009. As many as 781 women joined the armed forces as officers during this period. The army alone inducted 343 women, the navy 129 and the air force 309. These figures do not include the women officers joining the armed forces medical services.

There is no separate fixed sanctioned strength for recruitment of women officers in the armed forces and they are recruited within the overall sanctioned strength of the respective services.

“Both society and armed forces are reconciling to women in uniform, donning roles traditionally performed by men. I am sure, not only combat roles, even commanding units may become a reality in the future,” said a woman squadron leader from the air force.

Indian designer Manish Arora’s 2012 Paris collection is filled with autumn ambience