Salaam Bahrain March - April 2019

BD 1.500

March-April 2019 - VOLUME 12, ISSUE 1

PRAVASI SAMMAN FOR PHILANTHROPIST TYCOON DR. VINODAN

 WOMEN RACERS ACCELERATE  EGYPT’S HAUNTED HINDU PALACE  COPING WITH EXAM STRESS

we speak your language

NOTE FROM THE CHAIRMAN

Mar - Apr 2019 - VOLUME 12, ISSUE 1

the editorial team P.O. Box 50650, Arad, Kingdom of Bahrain Licensed by the Ministry of Information Publication Licence no : GASB 740

Chairman and Managing Editor Mahmood Al Mahmood Managing Director P.K. Ravi Editor Meera Ravi Contributors • Maharaja Features Pvt. Ltd. • Amritha Foustine • Grace Yasmin • Anup Surendran - Motoring Correspondent

You probably think sitting in an office and tapping out an article on that computer is the safest job there is. That would depend, of course, on the rules you follow: how rigorous is your investigation, how factual your work - because then you cannot be hauled up for poor journalism. However, safety in outdoor workplaces and in handling dangerous chemicals, for example, requires a whole new understanding of the terminology of a 'safe workplace'.

The world over, many occupations require exposure to risky elements. With the surge in construction and infrastructure-related activities, many lives involved are prone to occupational hazards ranging from flammable liquids and gas hazards, construction hazards, mechanical hazards and more. While it is safer to work a desk job, there's no escaping air pollution. According to the EPA, the levels of indoor air pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than outdoor levels, and in some cases these levels can exceed 100 times that of outdoor levels of the same pollutants.

In other words, sometimes the air inside can be more harmful than the air outside. Recent external air quality tests conducted show that the AQI in the Manama region alone has dropped to 107, which is considered unhealthy. Which means long working hours inside rooms exposes you to double the damage.

While work has to be done regarding internal work safety, external occupational hazards have been a concern of the Bahrain authorities for quite some time.

Updated laws have been in place since 2014 covering a list of plausible work hazards and even ensures primary health-care in many fields. But these laws don't cover enough occupational hazards and many violations are often detected.

Labour inspections show the lack of supervised training and danger prone work sites on the rise. With World Day for Safety and Health at Work coming up this on March 28, let us take steps to ensure that productivity leads to benefits rather than disadvantage.

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All Rights Reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher.

The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the publisher and Editor.

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, the publisher & editor cannot accept legal responsibility for any error, content or omissions.

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Capt. Mahmood Al Mahmood

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we speak your language

Highlights March - April 2019

22 COVER STORY Dr. Vinodan's philanthropy wins award Dr V.T. Vinodan receives the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman for his philanthropic pursuits and his innovative business acumen.

26 YOUNGISTAN Cutting the stress Amritha Foustine discusses with educationists, parents, a doctor and student on everything the 2019 board examinations.

34 HISTORY 52 GAMING Geek Culture Comic Con hits Bahrain and in full blast. From the real Mantis' Marvel stories to Star Wars cos-players, we've covered the successful Bahrain Comic Con.

Haunted Egyptian Hindu palace There is a supposedly 'haunted' palace in Cairo, modelled on a Hindu temple. Will it face renewal from ruin?

12 F1 SCENE • Women & the speedometer What is it like to be a bold lady and a driven girl of the track?

In conversation with Bahraini female track trailblazers.

• An F1 roundup Former Bahrain endurance karting champion Anup Surendran decodes the action on the Sakhir track in advance.

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FASHION

Magic of Maheshwari Follow the royal tale of the Maheshwari saree from start to finish, from its historic roots to its revival - a subtle but strong saree story.

COLUMNS • 30 • 39 • 42 • 64

Ayaz Memon News Adda Shobhaa De Celeb chakkar

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IN THE NEWS

ArtBAB brings international success for Bahraini artists Paris Biennale and New York residency beckon The 2019 edition of ArtBAB, Bahrain’s premier international art platform, was marked by a triumphant engagement of new ideas and new avenues to take Bahraini artists to bigger global platforms.

Held under the patronage of HRH Princess Sabeekha bint Ebrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of the King of Bahrain, the show saw eleven countries participating in the fair this year: Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Russia, Bulgaria, Argentina, India, Belgium, UK, Italy and Portugal.

The 16 participating international galleries recorded sales of BD 93, 156.

This year, the annual fair also saw a rise in sales overall, ringing in BD 257, 700 in overall sales. Of this, Bahraini artists recorded sales of BD 156, 097 which is a jump over last year’s BD 147, 900 and the highest recorded so far at ArtBAB. Participating local galleries and universities recorded total sales of BD 11,050 . The Bahrain-based galleries and universities included Baghdad Art Gallery, the Bahrain Contemporary Art Association, Art for Heart, the University of Bahrain and the Royal University for Women. This year there were 17 artist stands and a BAAB Pavilion of Bahraini contemporary art show framing the works of 30 selected Bahraini artists.

“The success of the Bahraini artists, especially the emerging talent, is a sign that ArtBAB as a movement has clearly helped to elevate the recognition levels and commercial victory of Bahraini art which is increasingly finding a place in some of the most prestigious collections around the world,” commented Fairs & Programme Director Kaneka Subberwal.

International Exposure

She added, “The growing weight of excellence that the ArtBAB shows have brought to international attention, has resulted in many significant collaborations and exposure. Ten Bahraini artists will be participating in an artists’ residency programme in New York, founded by wellknown art authority Nathalie Angles. The eighteen-month programme which begins in September 2019, will be a valuable insight

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for our artists on trends and techniques of the contemporary art scene internationally.

The artists will attend the residency in two batches of 5 artists each.”

In another development, the works of 5 Bahraini artists being selected for inclusion in CollectorIQ, a US –based art-collection management online system that lists over 320,000 artists and 6.5 million listed works of art from around the world. The Bahraini artists listed on CollectorIQ are Balqees Fakhro, Omar Rashid, Jamal Abdulrahim, Faika al Hasan, Nabeela Al Khayer and Othman Khunji.

“This inclusion is a first step towards making contemporary Bahraini art accessible

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online alongside our efforts to take artists and art across borders to different countries,” Kaneka said, “I can say that it places Bahraini artists at the intersection of art and technology and well ahead of the regional curve.”

The organisers have also announced that Bahrain will be the ‘invited country’ at the prestigious La Paris Biennale with a 300 sq.m pavilion dedicated to contemporary Bahraini art. The Paris exhibition shall be conceived and curated by Kaneka and Art Select Programme Manager Tasneem Al Shuroughi, in collaboration with a curatorial team from Paris. The pavilion will also exhibit artefacts and collectibles from ArtBAB’s newly-

launched crafts showcase, The Bahrain Room.

According to the agreement, the Biennale shall feature a central Pavilion that will showcase over a 100 works of Bahraini artists.

Biennale Focus "With 300 square metres , the Bahrain Pavilion will be the biggest one at the Biennale Paris,” said Mathias Ary Jan, President of the Syndicat National des Antiquaires, which organizes the biennale, “Bahrain’s presence as a guest country at the Paris Biennale is expected to energise the event and reinforce its international standing. In addition to this significant presence, Bahrain will also sponsor several tables during the traditional gala dinner.

We are confident that this robust presence along with the excellence of contemporary Bahraini art will attract collectors from the region and also other parts of the world.”

The Paris Biennale runs from Friday, September 13 to Tuesday, September

The most popular and recommended destination for Traditional Indian Dishes, Desi Spice Restaurant serve the generic Indian dishes and do not focus on any particular state’s cuisine. Desi Spice is a cozy place for family or friends gathering. Located at the Bu Ghazal garden in Zinj, Desi Spice Restaurant is perfect hang out for families with kids.

The Chaat Menu (Indian Fritters with Spices) is quite popular.

The raw mango pieces in the regular chats make them more special, unique and crunchy.

17, 2019. ArtBAB 2019 also broke new ground, with visitors getting to experience a renewal of the Kingdom’s traditional crafts heritage through The Bahrain Room, a curated collection of specially designed collectibles that were based on Bahraini craft traditions but given a contemporary look by international fashion and design icon JJ Valaya, assisted by Ameena Khan.

There was also a CRAFTed section where Bahraini and international designers working with design elements unique to the Kingdom showcased their fashion and style portfolios.

“We are delighted with the warm response of art-lovers, collectors and the

artist community to ArtBAB – it’s an indication of the continuing relevance of the fair to the spread of Bahrain’s artistic narrative across borders,” said Shaikha Maram bint Isa Al Khalifa, Director of the Office of Her Royal Highness, Princess Sabeekha bint Ebrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of the King of Bahrain, who is the Patron of ArtBAB, “We are pleased to have started new global conversations about

Thali

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contemporary Bahraini art and the Kingdom’s crafts heritage.”

The much-anticipated ‘Conversations@ ArtBAB’ proved to be an intellectual magnet with over 40 speakers and panelists from around the world discussing viewpoints on art and commerce, AI and VR as game changers for the arts and the role of blockchain and artificial intelligence to improve transparency, attribution and authentication of art works.

Visitors also travelled across borders at ArtBAB where they enjoyed a VR tour of world-renowned art collections which is a regional first.

Kaneka Subberwal said, “Through this exciting fair we are building our legacy for the future. By collaborating with such a wealth of artisanal design talents and bringing knowledge of artificial intelligence to the arts, we believe we have opened up a new creative panorama. Bahrain continues to push boundaries in the arts."

The ArtBAB initiative is being held in collaboration with Tamkeen.

Truly Indian !

where taste comes to life Desi Spice’s ethnic Thali is a must try due to the assortment of dishes that they offer.

It also comes with a glass of buttermilk refreshingly flavored with cumin seeds, mint leaves and a crush of chilly.

The menu is ideal for both Vegetarians and non- vegetarians and offer a variety of dishes that you crave for!

SALAAM SOCIETY

Young India takes centre-stage on R-Day

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It was Young India all the way on Republic Day as children and youth gathered in unprecedented numbers at the Indian Embassy’s flagunfurling (Saturday week-end and so, more relaxed, maybe?).

The formal function was followed by a lively dance programme centred on India’s colourful folk dance traditions.

Bringing together two countries

This year’s Indian Republic day witnessed a wonderful celebration of culture and of the warmth of Indo-Bahraini ties of friendship.

Intertwining the intricate mixture of red and white with the Indian flag colours, dancer Dr Nidhi S Menon created a wonderful video based on a dance performance set to the famous tune of ‘Mile Sur Mera Tumhara’ - a song that talks about national integration and unity in diversity.

Dr Nidhi has conceptualised and directed the dance piece showcasing ten professional Indian dance teachers from Bahrain against the typical Bahraini backdrop.

Keeping in mind the theme of diversity, the dance forms ranged from classical to hip hop, painting a visual of commonality and unity. The

various dancers who included celebrated Bahraini kathak dancer Khalil Al Ashar, gracefully traverse through various sites in Bahrain including the Bahrain Bay, the Tree of Life, Arad Fort and so on.

The vibrant hues commonly found in Indian dance costumes show up to a striking effect against the azure skies and beige sands of Bahrain. The dancers themselves are diverse and brimming with grace, looking towards a future where their external differences are viewed as part of the universal aesthetic.

The project was led by the Principal of the Indian Institute of Performing Arts (IIPA) Ambilikuttan Aravindakshan Nair and prominent Bahraini filmmaker Bassam Al-Thawadi. Fighting

the fog and cold winters of Bahrain, the dancers were able to put a colourful display of strength and integrity and ended the video album with the two project leaders raising their respective flags.

The project was a part of a vision by Bhawahara Envisions, an art production company that proudly stands for “Art for a cause and artists with a cause.” The company has also put out various other audiovisual pieces highlighting issues of child abuse, conversations between Kunti and Karna and more.

The piece is put out for all to enjoy and can be found on Youtube under the title Mile Sur Mera Tumhara in Dr Nidhi S Menon’s eponymous channel.

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EXCLUSIVE

The return of Maestro Waheed AlKhan Tareq Al-A’amer talks to the prodigious Bahraini composer about his passion for music and his love for Bahrain Waheed AlKhan is a Bahraini musical genius who recently presented a beautiful concert celebrating the National Action Charter. Bahrain is in fact witnessing the re-flowering of AlKhan’s musical talent after a long period and what a treat it has been.

Based on Bahraini folkloric tunes, the music is arranged to be played by Western as well as Eastern orchestra and has been winning rave reviews everywhere. It was conducted

by Waheed Alkhan and Nayer Nagui with the Cairo Symphony Orchestra.

The performance presented Alkhan’s latest compositions for the philharmonic orchestra and the music from his album, ‘The Return: Spirit of Bahrain’, which reflects on the stories and scenes about the kingdom.

A multi-talented musician, AlKhan is also a multimedia show designer and a businessman. He is an experienced strategic businessman with broad exposure across music, entertainment, management and development sectors. There is one other act that will make Waheed AlKhan’s name immortal – he founded the first classical music institute in Bahrain.

As a child, Waheed dazzled listeners with his precocious talent and played self-taught pieces to his listeners – mainly family. Later, he went on to study at the Cairo Conservatory of Music and gained a Bachelor Degree in oboe and piano, then a Master Degree in ethnomusicology.

It was a time when Egypt and Russia shared a cultural relationship and Al Khan was deeply influenced by his reputed Soviet instructors. He also studied under Prof. Dr. Martha Roy of the USA, Dr. Margit Toth of Hungary, Professor Dr. Samha Al Khooly, and many other international instructors and mentors.

He had composed many musical pieces locally and internationally and has designed and directed numerous multimedia shows in grand ceremonies and major international events. There was a break in his career when he abandoned his artistic career owing to life circumstances and the demands of the family.

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But he has made a triumphant re-entry now with the release of his new album "Al Awda Ruh Al Bahrain (The return, Bahrain’s spirit) ", which includes 10 tracks and is classified as "World Music", inspired by some of the tunes and songs of the Bahraini music heritage.

East-West confluence

Explaining the creative challenge of the album, AlKhan explained, “Actually it took me more than two years to implement this new format on the orchestra where works inspired by Bahraini heritage and popular songs are arranged in a way that appeals to the Western ear, which finds the complex rhythm difficult because their cultural music is not rhythmic.

He elaborated, “I introduced local instruments accompanied by Eastern and Western instruments. It is known that the rhythm of the Gulf is characterised by instruments and rhythmic richness texture, so I interspersed the Gulf rhythm with a more universal appeal. It is inspired by Bahraini folkloric tunes and music, but the

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SPOTLIGHT

music is based on Western orchestral and western composition designs.

“This experiment was already carried out in my early years in Egypt but more simply by an Egyptian orchestra. It was a variation on a popular melody that was prepared in the new album in another way, based on how to combine Eastern instruments with Western instruments in a simple way and reach the Western world. It was an adventure that came up with very good results.”

The name of the album “The Return” is inspired by the story of the return of Sheikh Isa bin Ali to Bahrain, the Grandfather of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. It mimics the wave of the sea in which the ship of Sheikh Isa bin Ali is travelling.

AlKhan has painted a melodic portrait of his beloved Bahrain, especially his childhood hometown, Muharraq.

“Truly, some music of the album "The Return" is part of my childhood which I miss a lot, that time is followed by unforgettable memories. Most of the pieces come from the heart, as if I wanted to tell the people and the world who will listen to this C.D. to discover Bahrain through my eyes. For example, "My Muharraq" came because I lived most of my life in Bahrain in Muharraq.

I carry very beautiful memories of this city.

Despite the circumstances that forced me to leave not only Muharraq but also my country Bahrain, Muharraq remains in my mind.

Explaining the importance of his project, AlKhan said, “I believe that music is the universal language of human beings and the only one that all people are aware of, no matter how different their backgrounds, races, creeds, principles and ideas. People do

not need an interpreter or master of another language to understand your music. I believe that it is one of the most powerful tools of soft power through which it can change the stereotypical and unrealistic image of Bahrain, which is full of distortion, to tell the world: ‘This is the true picture of Bahrain, which has a history of more than 4500 years.’ "

Art madness

AlKhan believes that true art needs a touch of madness. At the same time, he insists that every approach must be grounded in knowledge. “ Through my album, I have introduced something new and as I said, I adore the challenge and boldness and the entry of new ways. Arts need madness,” he said, “But madness does not equal to lack of knowledge. Music has no room for amateurs.

Perhaps the professional difference between the works of orchestral and traditional melodies lies in the fact that orchestral music is written by trained academic professionals only. When I work, I insist that every person working on my production is a trained professional - from music writers, playwrights, sound engineers to technicians.

Even the directors of photography must be academic musicians, this is Waheed AlKhan!”

Next, AlKhan plans to link his music to visuals that will play as accompaniment on big screens when the musicians are performing.

He is cautious, though.

“I used experts in this field, so the image does not overwhelm the ear. All I care about is that the audience enjoys what we are doing and does not tire of listening, especially since our Arab audience is not used to listening to music without singing.”

Always looking for an unusual way to

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EXCLUSIVE work, AlKhan arranged for the release of his album before an extremely knowledgeable and critical audience in Hungary, instead of in the Arab world.

AlKhan has been invited to take his Bahraini music to the world by UNESCO and shall be performing to a world audience on April 15.

"I decided to start my tour in Europe.

Despite their objection to the idea, I did it, as the first concert of the launch of the C.D. was in Hungary, accompanied by an elite group of Hungarian musicians from the “Pannon Orchestra Philharmonic”, and the reception was extraordinary and more than remarkable. Among the audience was our ambassador in Germany, who was impressed by what he saw and heard. ” AlKhan has made it a point to reach out to the non-Arabic audience through his work.

“Through this work, I liked to send a

message to the Western world, to see Bahrain through music. To serve the purpose of this project, we wrote everything related to the work in English. I see that the easiest way to reach the people of the world is through the arts and not through politics at all.”

Artistic surprises

The reception in Hungary made up for the loss of his music during the time that he was not active in the arts for 15 years.

“My artistic absence was not my desire, but I was forced to leave. I moved away from my country for reasons that need not be mentioned now, they are not political but social reasons. I was uprooted from my roots and planted in another beloved country, but I could not be rooted in the country where I lived. The reception of the wonderful audience both in Hungary and the Egyptian Opera made me forget the years of absence and compensated for that period.”

Celebrating International Women’s Day, the CA way This International Women’s Day, the Bahrain Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (BCICAI), the largest organised professional body of Indians in Bahrain hosted a seminar to celebrate and extend their adulation for the women chartered accountants within the organization.

Three prominent women were asked to speak on the event highlighting various issues faced by women and the achievements they had made so far. The first person to speak on the occasion was Chairperson CA Sridhar Seethapathy who acknowledged the efforts of the women accountants.

“We are proud to see the Indian Women Chartered Accountants progress and reach great heights in their career.”

The guest of honour for the day was Renu Yadav, Second Secretary to the Indian Embassy. Suzy Salman Kanoo, President of Khalil Bin Ebrahim Kanoo, a leading Bahraini business woman, led an interactive session that stressed the importance of family in creating gender equality in the society and addressed the role of women in the business world.

CA Sripriya Kumar, past Central Council Member of ICAI (parent body of BCICAI) spoke about the various aspects of the changes in the audit landscape and how the role of auditors had changed over the last decade.

BCICAI also celebrated the winning of Best Overseas Chapter Award given by parent body ICAI for the 3rd consecutive year.

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He added enthusiastically, “The success of my work filled me with a positive energy and made me start my new work, which I finished writing three parts of it. In a few months I will announce many artistic surprises at the level of music composition, and I prepare for another huge art work that will bring together more than one of the greatest singers of the Arab world.”

Vehemently against piecemeal composing where composers give a basic tune to others to flesh out, AlKhan says a true composer should take responsibility for the whole act of composition.

“Recently, in the Gulf, there has been a new phenomenon between simple composers who believe that when they prepare (not compose) an electronic melody and then give to another one to make a musical distribution and then record it, imagine that it is an orchestral work, and this is not true. The composer must compose from A to Z and not in bits and pieces.”

SALAAM SOCIETY

Lulu brings community together

This Republic Day, it was all about community at Lulu Hypermarket where different clubs and even groups of enterprising home chefs and crafters set up stalls to showcase regional food and clothes as well as hand-crafted jewellery and home-accessories. There was a colourful entertainment show by children and a saree fashion show turn by members of the popular online Saree Speak group.

The star turn, quite literally was the entry of actors Aishwarya Lekshmi, Asif Ali and Balu Varghese who were in Bahrain for a premiere of their film, 'Vijay Superum Pournamiyum'.

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F1 SCENE

Women spee the stereoty From being the butt of 'driving' jokes to taking on the race track, women have proved their mettle finds Grace Yasmin

C

ontemplating long-term commitment to a passion which rides high on the tunes of being ‘fast and furious’, can come with uncertainties and for women, this statement holds stronger than their male counterparts.

Considered a predominant male passion to be ‘pursued’, motor racing history can be traced back to the first recorded street match between steam carriages in 1867 and started as a male hobby. It was only three decades later that women followed pursuit with recorded event of Parisian women on motorised tricycles and a hit at the “gentleman’s” sport was taken. In the 21st century, with social progression, interests and possibilities for both sexes are far wider and accessible. And now, where there is a growing automobile industry, it is only natural that there is a burgeoning motorsport scene too. And Bahrain is not far behind when it comes to women making their mark in the sport.

Putting the island on the global map, the country brought a major international racing event to the region. when the first Bahrain Grand Prix took place in 2004. It took place at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), a motorsport venue which paved the way for the island to host a range of events and races. Bahrain is also one of the top countries in the region where there is a strong local racing community that embraces and supports local talent with amazing facilities. The strongest are Karting and Drag racing with National Circuit Racing is getting more drivers with every season. There are also many clubs and smaller

Martyna Al-Qassab

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ed past ype opportunities, like AutoX and Time Attack for those who prefer to race against themselves or simply enjoy an open track day at the BIC. Speaking to Salaam Bahrain, Anup Surendran, the Founder and Team Captain of ‘Racing Falcons’, a racing team established with a vision to dominate international Motorsports, said the birth of BIC enabled amateur and professional racers all around Bahrain to take up racing safely out on the tracks. “Drag and Drift Nights by E.K. Kanoo

and Auto X events being among the new initiatives that are booming in the auto racing scene are inspiring a lot of aspiring racers to set the track ablaze.” He added how youngsters have benefited the most from the recent developments in the racing scene as

Anup Surendran second right and team

enthusiasts from various backgrounds and nationalities have been encouraged by the Bahrain Motorsport authorities to take their need for speed to the track where they can really put their skills to the test. “Honestly I consider a real racer as not someone who weaves through traffic putting lives in danger but someone who can set the best times on a track amongst other racers,” he claims.

Some prominent and successful teams like Batelco Racing Team and Ice Racing have been created as world class facilities are now readily available on the island. And while things may now be escalating off-road, the ratio of women’s active participation to men in local motorsport demographics is still low.

Shedding light on this, Anup stated, “Women enthusiasts have to be taken more seriously and encouraged further. This can only be done by further promoting women racers in the Kingdom thereby enhancing their image.

Women racers have taken very prominent roles in motorsports worldwide and the same can be done in Bahrain.” Bahrain has geared into streamlining the female quotient on the tracks with prominent initiatives and campaigns. One of them is Yallah Banat which was launched last year.

LET’S DO THIS!

The largest female-only car parade and motor show, Yallah Banat supports women empowerment; builds on the momentum and a wave of energy that has spread across the

MENA region in support of initiatives focusing on the development of the next generation of female achievers. Founder and Managing Director, Martyna Al-Qassab says that there is still a long way before we see equal numbers of women and men at the tracks around the world but it is amazing to see the transformation already happening. “There are a lot of women in Bahrain who like to bring their cars to the track and even if not as racers, they have fun testing their skills. I think the opportunities are equal already and if anyone is interested they can join many different types of motorsport activities and we at Yalla Banat would be more than happy to support with all the necessary arrangements.”

Among the many participants at last year’s event, one name which surely stood out is that of Gracie Rose Grantham. A nine-year old who wasn’t into cliché interests of Barbie dolls or tea parties, her excitement over the sound of roaring tires began the day she went to F1 testing with her grandfather at the BIC in 2014. Aiming to become the youngest F4 driver, she is already making her mark on tracks, as she has won second position at the Bahrain Rotax Mojo Max Challenge (BRMMC) a few years back; she has taken part in many other races including Micro-Max series, UAE X30 Cadet Series Challenge, among others. The young motorsport star is keen to take up even more challenges, and is grateful to her family especially her

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F1 SCENE

Anju Sivadas

examples in the history to prove that nothing is impossible. “Every day I meet amazing women in the region who have already achieved great things in different fields, making their mark in the history.”

AGELESS PASSION

Anna Diamantidou

grandparents for their continuous support. “I have two races in Bahrain in April as well as two in UAE. I get continuous practice on the BIC tracks every week and I am glad this country provides the podium needed to nurture passion as early as possible. I will be again taking part at this year’s Yalla Banat as it allows me to meet inspiring racers and enthusiasts,” Gracie said.

This year’s edition of Yalla Banat is set to take place on the 18-19 of October 2019.

Reflecting on the rise in interest and response to the event, Martyna shared, “Last year’s event exceeded our wildest expectations hence we are expanding it into

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a 2 day event, where day 1 will focus on innovation, technology and talent development (areas that we have been working on successfully past year) and second day will be a family festival with lots of attractions and surprises including a music concert. We have received great interest from not just Bahrain, but also from KSA, UAE and Kuwait. This year we have already confirmed some regional influencers as well as international stars. It is going to be big.”

Living by her motto that any woman is capable of achieving anything they set their minds to, Martyna says there are enough

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And making a mark can occur at any time in a person’s life, for digits do not define the timeframe in which you can pursue what you believe in. This can be reflected with how Anna Diamantidou defied the conventional mindset and took up heavy bikes at the age of 59.

An active participant in many campaigns and events like Harley Rally and Bahrain Bike Week, she got intrigued with the freedom of riding in the open air and embracing the surroundings, something which was amiss when she was driving a car. Sharing her first experience on a bike, she said, “I was a bit hesitant but the moment I took one round with my friend on his bike, I kept on looking for reasons to do it often.” Overcoming her fear and the voice telling her ‘grandma slow down’, Anna eventually got her license in 2015 and sold off her car to own her two wheels which she has been using for commute every day. She recalls her first official ride with a Harley group which was 12 hours from dawn till dusk. Deeming it as one of the greatest moments of her life, Anna says if she was able to steer heart first into her passion and not back down due to her being a woman and not of ‘ideal’ age, anyone can and

Gracie Rose Grantham

should pursue their dreams. Anna and fellow bikers have also formed a support group called ‘Safety on the Road’ which provides bikers especially women the support to confidently handle their bikes, by giving volunteered practicing sessions. “We have many cases, where women have got their licenses but didn’t have the favourable circumstances to actually practice their skills.

We encourage them to come in our group sessions to improve their maneuvering tactics and gain confidence. I was able to get better with practice, others will too.” The group also aims at mutual respect and understanding among bikers and car drivers to ensure a smooth journey for all on the road.

Looking into how there was once a time

when women were often outright barred from competing in male-dominated sports, Anna is amazed how times have changed, allowing many to ignore the status quo, pursue their dreams and change the adrenaline game for the better. “I tell women of any age to fight for their happiness. To chase that dream and block the distractions.

You do what makes you feel alive-everything else will fall into place itself eventually.”

Having received her Harley license six months ago, Anju Sivadas- an avid Harley rider who was recently elected as the Activities Officer of the H.O.G Harley Club, shares how she was destined to take up the venturesome hobby. During her college days, Anju once rode on her friend’s heavy bike

and discovered she was more comfortable on that than what would have been a ‘scooty ride’. It gave her more confidence and became an expression of personal freedom and individuality. Stating how it all starts with keeping the end-goal in mind, Anju is grateful to have steered into the path that made her happy and while she has had the full support of her husband, she knows many don’t always face the same agreeable situation at home. “I know many instances where parents would blatantly point it to be a men’s passion to pursue, but it is high time for us to break the stereotypes and it is great how in recent times ,we have seen a major surge in women motorsports enthusiasts with acceptance and encouragement.”

As an Activities Officer, she is responsible for conducting various events and other cultural activities and Anju is striving to involve and encourage women into the programme.

“The cultural shift is great - women just have to be extremely passionate about their riding.

It is as essential as breathing! It will help you to conquer your fears and face any barriers that might come along the way; women should just showcase their confidence and determination- the ride will only prove to be exciting from here on!”

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F1 SCENE

ALL THE ACTS ON

THE TRACK Our Motoring Correspondent, former Bahrain Endurance Karting Champion Anup Surendran decodes the action on the Sakhir track in advance.

F

or Bahrain, the Formula One Grand Prix race set for March 28 is the prestigious 15th and fans can look for some exciting edgeof-seat action once the supercars are flagged off. The Formula One is the highest class of single-seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile and owned by the Formula One Group. The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one of the premier forms of racing around the world since its inaugural season in 1950.

Since then numerous iconic racers and racing car manufacturers have contributed to the racing spectacle that we see and enjoy today. Legendary racers like the legendary Juan Manual Fangio, Ayrton Senna, Niki Lauda and Michael Schumacher are some of the stars who have inspired today’s champions like Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel Nico Rosberg and others. And then there are the cars - great brands like Ferrari and McLaren, have, over the years given the racers very powerful yet extremely aerodynamic platforms on which they were able to showcase their driving skills.

Bahrain’s race came into being with the first-ever F1 Race in the Middle East in 2004. Ever since then there has been plenty of action and drama at the BIC leading to spectators from all over the world and Middle East gathering every year at the circuit to experience the adrenaline that F1 always has to offer. BIC, in Bahrain’s night race will be the second fact has been awarded the "Best round of the 2019 FIA Formula 1 World Organised Grand Prix" by the Championship. The 57-lap sprint in the heart FIA. Despite the thrilling speed, of the desert will mark the 999th World BIC is one of the most advanced Championship race in the history of the top yet safest circuits in the world. flight. It is being held as part of the landmark Photographs supplied by Premjith Naryan

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15th season of BIC and it will be the sixth time it is taking place under BIC’s state-of-the-art floodlights.

Crystal tyre-gazing

As we gear up for the 2019 edition of the Bahrain F1, let us now focus on some of the action that has happened during the past year and certain predictions for the upcoming race. Sebastian Vettel has had quite a few victories up his sleeve - four so far, to be precise. This makes him the most successful driver on this track.

Ferrari as a constructor has been the most successful with 6 wins on this track. Sebastian Vettel will be behind the wheel of Ferrari this year as well. Now it doesn’t take much knowledge of F1 to understand what we expect to see when the most successful driver and constructor in Bahrain combines. 2018 Bahrain GP also saw Sebastian win the race. Therefore, it is easy to say that the chances are in favor of Sebastian this year as well.

Ferrari during preseason testing have been looking to be the strongest of the lot. However preseason testing never gives a clear indication of season race pace as certain constructors have known to do something called "sandbagging". Sandbagging refers to running a car that doesn’t show its full potential during testing and hence show the public and the competitors that they are in some form of trouble. However, come race day and all teams run to their full potential, gunning for the win and we get to see all manufacturers run their cars in all their glory.

2018 saw Ferrari start strong during the first half of the season keeping their closest rivals Mercedes at bay. But, as the season progressed, Mercedes closed the gap and eventually climb to the top of the podium to claim both the driver’s and constructor’s championships. F1 can be brutal to teams who don’t advance technologically as the season progresses. After every race, the teams and drivers share information that leads to improvements in the next race. Improvements can be in the form of better aerodynamics, engine horsepower, fuel efficiency or even the tyre wear and many other improvements. These improvements have strict guidelines within which the teams have to make their improvements which helps to keep the teams comparatively close to each other enabling the spectators to witness close wheel-to-wheel racing.

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Sakhir power track

BIC has a good combination of highspeed straights and corners which enables high speed overtakes and some spectacular incidents on the first low speed corner from the long straight. The race start sees all the race cars start off the line and bunch into the first corner where incidents are bound to happen. However as mentioned before Bahrain F1 is very safe due to the track having very wide run off areas which helps slow down the cars in case they run off the track before they hit the safety barriers. However it also makes it a comparatively easy track as the drivers are not punished too much for their mistakes.

Team strategy also plays a key role in race victories as manufacturers tussle to beat each other using better strategies at the pit stops and management of overall tyre wear. We can safely say some of the best races have been won outside the track where genius team engineers and team principals call the shots which leads to some very unpredictable yet exciting outcomes on the track. However, team orders have been controversial over the years as it leads to certain drivers in the same team moving over for the number one driver to gain position and eventually win the championship. This happens even today even though team orders are not allowed by the officials, the teams find a way to do the same enabling certain race outcomes from the pits. Bahrain shouldn’t see much team orders in play as the teams would have already planned out their best strategies and will improvise as the race unfolds.

As in the last few years we can expect Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull to fight it out for top honors in the 2019 season.

Expect both Ferrari and Mercedes to be very strong in Bahrain as the track suits powerful cars over those that are able to take corners better since the track characteristics are mostly high speed.

Sensational support

Aside from Formula 1, the weekend’s programme will also include racing from the FIA Formula 2 Championship and the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East.

The FIA Formula 2 Championship is a form of open wheel motor racing introduced in 2017 following the rebranding of the long-term Formula One feeder series, GP2 Series.

Formula 2 is widely accepted to be the chief feeder series to Formula 1, with many of its graduates moving on to the top flight after honing their skills at this level.

Formula 2 will be staging the opening round of its 2019 season in Bahrain. The new campaign is set to feature 12 meetings in all, with each weekend running in conjunction with a Formula 1 Grand Prix.

There are 20 cars representing 10 teams on the grid.

Meanwhile, the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East is the biggest and most popular one-make motor racing championship in the entire region. It has been the number one choice of the Arab world’s most promising circuit racing drivers to broaden their racing experience in a professionally run series. Drivers race in identical Porsche GT3 Cup Car 911s, supplied by the founders from Lechner Racing.

The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East is well established as the the proven path for regional drivers to accelerate their careers on-to the biggest stages of racing through intense competition with global motorsport professionals. Launched in 2009, the championship returnes for a landmark tenth season, featuring the region’s leading drivers, all competing in the powerful and dynamic Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars on the world-class Middle Eastern circuits in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

The GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East is based on the highly successful Porsche formula for one-make series racing.

The championship was created to give the region’s home-grown driving talent an opportunity to realize their racing potential while enhancing personal circuit experience. It has become popular for drivers and fans alike, featuring real racing and genuine rivalries on the track.

Clear rules ensure an equal footing – single-seated, near-standard race vehicles of the same make adhering to strict safety guidelines. The regulations consistently ensure fair competition and the highest standard of safety for participants. At the Bahrain Grand Prix, the Porsche GT3 Cup is holding its sixth and final meeting of its 2018/2019 campaign.

All in all, we can expect to see another episode of exciting racing during the 2019 Bahrain GP. High octane racing from start to finish.

Months of sleepless nights and neverending fine tuning are about to come to an end as the final Race Day of the 2018/2019 Bahrain Drag Racing Championship takes place March 28 to 31. Dreams will be realised by some and hearts will be broken for others as there can only be 13 champions crowned as the season comes to a thrilling conclusion.

These winners will also be honoured with prestigious Wally trophies, given only to a select few around the world by USbased drag racing body the National Hot Rod Association. The racing will take place along BIC’s quarter-mile drag strip, which is a member of the prestigious NHRA Worldwide Network.

More than 100 participants from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, and beyond are set to join Bahrain’s leading drag racing talents for one final evening of head-to-head battles. The categories in which they will race in include the Outlaw FWD, Super Street 6-Cylinder, Outlaw 6-Cylinder, Street V8, Competition 4.5, Outlaw 10.5, Pro Mod, Index 10.5, Index 9.5, Index 8.5, Street Fight Bikes, Street Bikes and Super Street Bikes.

Bahrain International Circuit also hosted the season-opening round of the 2019 Ferrari Challenge Europe, the most admired global one-make car race series. Fans were able to enjoy a full day out at the Sakhir track on with hundreds of Prancing Horse enthusiasts from across the Middle East and Europe taking part in the true Ferrari festival. The Ferrari Challenge is a one-make championship with a legacy dating back to 1993 and made its debut in Bahrain this year. It places dream cars and very special customers in the most beautiful racetracks in the world. The series of activities at the action-packed Ferrari Racing Days included the F1 Clienti and XX Programmes events that followed a separate calendar, occasionally overlapping with the dates of one of the Ferrari Challenges. These global initiatives provided Ferraristas with a platform to race in their single-seaters or “XX Programmes” laboratory cars on exciting and challenging tracks like BIC. The Ferrari Challenge is divided into three continental series: Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. The European 2019 season commences at BIC, before heading to Valencia, Spielberg, Le Mans, Nürburgring, Imola and the Finali Mondiali in Mugello.

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F1 SCENE

Limitless Thrills Only days remain until the eyes of the world turn to BIC for the start of the weekend’s events in the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2019. True to its reputation as the most family-friendly F1 race, the team at the Bahrain International Circuit has lined up spectacular off-track entertainment for all age groups. Attractions will include a Ferris wheel for the first time, offering views across the track and beyond, as well as a 60-metre tall Star Flyer and a carousel. There will also be a Formula One Game Zone, children’s attractions, parlour games, roaming performers, stage shows and more.

BIC makes it a point each year to offer something memorable for the whole family at the Formula 1 weekend, and it is no different this March 28 to 31 in Sakhir.

Roaming performers

Race-goers will have plenty to look forward to on all four days of the event, most especially with the fantastic roster of roaming performers. Located in the Formula 1 Village vending area, these artists coming from all over the world can make anyone smile. Some of these performers this year include the Circolo Stilt-Walkers, Circus Parade, The Dans, Men-Alien and Rainbow Ballet.

The Circolo Stilt-Walkers come all the way from Germany, and they are also known as Europe's finest Walkabout Duo. Truly a sight to behold, their colourful, bigger-thanlife costumes and hilarious routines make them a crowd favourite at every event they participate in.

Circus Parade is nothing short of wonderful. Their accompanying musical box invites everyone to share a smile or a dance.

They are bubbly, quirky and fun to be with.

Adrian Schvarzstein, also known as The Dans, is not only a mix of various nationalities but he is also a clown, an actor, a circus and theatre director, and a very energetic entertainer-showman! Having been in show business since 1989 after studying Commedia Dell'Arte in Italy, he theatrically toured all over Europe where he collaborated with and created many street-theatre groups; circus, opera and TV prgorammes; and the like.

Men-Alien is proof that extraterrestrials do exist, or at least, extraterrestrial lookalikes. Men-Alien looks very different from what we expect to have come from outer

space though. It has four heads and four legs, and all day long it noses around and touches everything, as if too curious of its surrounding. Fans will see for themselves just how mesmerising Men-Alien is at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Rainbow Ballet is composed of professional actors, expert in dance and performing arts, hailing from Germany. They have been delivering outstanding shows, extravagant acts and exceptional stage performances since 2003. Each performance is unique, accompanied with world-class, glamorous and colourful costumes.

World-class music

Aside from the races, there will be loads of off-track attractions highlighted by the back-to-back live performances of Martin Garrix on the Friday of the event and world-renowned producer, songwriter, DJ and music marvel Kygo will play on March 30.

BIC Chief Executive Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa said “The addition of global megastar Kygo to our line-up for F1 this year without a doubt means we have our most incredible concert line-up ever. The addition

of Kygo will add to the excitement and anticipation.”

Sean Bratches, Managing Director, Commercial Operations, Formula 1 said: “Our efforts to engage fans are working well.

The whole show of a Grand Prix weekend the Formula 1 race, all the support series and the activities around the track - constitutes a great experience for the fans, as the attendance and research figures confirm.”

Martin Garrix will be performing on March 29 and Kygo, the following day, while several other entertainment activities have been lined up for the four days coinciding with the race.”

Attractions will include a Ferris wheel for the first time, offering views across the track and beyond, as well as a 60-metre tall Star Flyer and a carousel. There will also be a Formula One Game Zone, children’s attractions, parlour games, roaming performers, stage shows and more.

This year’s Bahrain Grand Prix will flag off at 6.10pm with some of the world’s most popular star drivers lining up on the grid representing some of the motorsport’s leading international racing teams.

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F1 SCENE

The Formula 1 spectacle, this year themed “Limitless” and the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, will be the second of 21 rounds in the new season. The 57-lap sprint in the heart of the desert will mark the 999th World Championship race in the history of the top flight. It is being held as part of the landmark 15th season of BIC and it will also be the sixth time it is taking place under BIC’s state-of-the-art floodlights as a night race.

Over four million spectators attended at least one of the 21 Grands Prix on the 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship TM calendar, with an average attendance of almost 200,000 per weekend. The Bahrain Grand Prix drew a double-figure, over 22% increase over the previous year and is expected to increase two-fold this year.

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SALAAM SOCIETY

Uday-Chanchal celebrate wedded journey

Uday Bhagwan, son of well-known businessman and community leader Bhagwan Asarporta and his wife Aarti, celebrated his wedding to Chanchal Khiara with a reception for Bahrain family and friends.

The grand wedding was held at The Lalit, Mumbai while the reception took place in the kingdom. The event was graced by the presence of Mohammed bin Salman Bin Hamed Al Khalifa, son of the Crown Prince, other members of the ruling family, members of the Shura Council, Members of Parliament and other dignitaries. The wedding rituals culminated with a celebratory event the following day at the Krishna Temple.

#BLOCK331 gourmet debut at Galleria Mall

Galleria Mall, Bahrain’s exclusive open-plan shopping destination in New Zinj held its first food market. The theme of the food market Discover #Block331GalleriaMall was well received by the visitors, who immensely enjoyed the variety of cuisines served up by the tenant restaurants. The event was in support of the Royal Charity Organization's Al Faris Project to donate insulin pumps to children with diabetes.

Also present was the Bahrain Diabetic Society. The event also featured various entertainments and free blood sugar and blood pressure test.

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COVER STORY

Teaching the world to care

Dr. V.T. Vinodan wins hearts & the PBS 2019

A

s the accolades poured in from community leaders and volunteers who channel charitable initiatives to the needy, the focus of their encomiums sat smiling gently and visibly detached from the celebrations.

That, in essence, is the character of Dr. VT Vinodan, Vice-Chairman of the Al Hilal Al-Hilal Hospital & Medical Centers and 2019 winner of the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, India’s highest civilian award for non-resident Indians and people of Indian origin.

Modest, unassuming and yet a lion in the arena of business excellence, Dr. Vinodan (he is recipient of an honorary doctorate from the Commonwealth University in the field of International Business) has many business triumphs to his credit. He is the founder of the Badr Al Samaa Hospitals medicare group in Oman which is the parent company of Bahrain’s largest private healthcare group, Al Hilal. He is the founder of the giant Mars Hypermarkets and Shopping Centres which is steadily making its way to the top of the retail charts throughout the region. Above all, he is a generous supporter of community causes in the GCC and in India but believes that all his help for the needy should be kept off the publicity limelight.

At a felicitation ceremony arranged in his

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honour and attended by his family, there was no stopping people from praising Dr. Vinodan, though.

No publicity

The one common thread that ran through the praise was how difficult people found it to find out about Dr. Vinodan’s generosity because he was so determined not to publicise it.

“Although I am very close to my father and know of all his activities, I was really surprised by the depth of his philanthropy,” says his son Naveej, “It was only when I heard him

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answering a journalist’s questions that I found out how much he has helped a wide cross-section of society personally.”

Like many Gulf tycoons, Dr. Vinodan is a self-made millionaire. He came to Muscat in the ‘seventies as a 19-year old with dreams in his eyes and a steely resolve to turn them into reality. Never one to shirk hard work, his story is an inspiring narrative of grit, vision and innovation. His first commercial break came in 1991 with the opening of a small supermarket in the Ruwi area. This was the first building block for todays Mars Hypermarkets & Shopping Centres, a retail

giant that is slowly but surely growing its footprint across the region.

In 2002, Dr. Vinodan joined hands with business leaders Abdul Latheef and Dr. P.A. Mohammed to establish the Badr Al Samaa Hospitals in Oman. From there the healthcare group has spread its presence across the GCC and in Bahrain, it runs the Al Hilal Hospital and Medical Centres, the largest private healthcare facility in the Kingdom.

He attributes his success to his hard work and to the support of his wife Premaja and sons Naveej and Dr. Nithin. The family, which was present at the Bahrain community honouring, follows Dr. Vinodan’s lead and is measured, calm and simple in their acceptance of all the praise.

In Bahrain, Dr. Vinodan’s award was celebrated by a wide cross section of the community, where his charitable work and humility were praised by one and all.

“Humility is the mother of all virtues and here we have a humble person who has done so much for the community,” said Chairman of Veritas Media and Public Relations Soman Baby, himself a Pravasi Bharatiya Samman awardee. He added, “When I got the chance to interview the late Indian President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, I had asked him to give a

Felicitation from TEAM AL HILAL

message for the people in Bahrain. He said Indians must enrich the host country with

our sweat, knowledge and dignity. Here we have a man who has done just that for two

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COVER STORY countries – Bahrain and Oman. This is why we take pride as he’s the sixth awardee from Bahrain to receive this prestigious award.”

Dr. Sharath Chandran, CEO of Al Hilal spoke eloquently about Dr. Vinodan’s business acumen, saying, “Dr. Vinodan has a keen sense of business acumen and whenever I have approached him with any issues related to the hospital management, I have always found a mentor who listens carefully, processes the issue at hand and gives a measured and valuable answer. I guess that is what differentiates achievers like him from others – his willingness to listen, absorb and respond meaningfully.”

He added, ““What powers an organization is the vision of the leaders who found the organization and move it forward.

The life story of Dr Vinodan is inspiring indeed. Like many of us in this room, who come to the Gulf, Dr Vinodan came with a vision in his mind with what his life should be. He came with a will to make it happen.”

P.V. Radhakrishna Pillai, himself a Samman awardee and President of the Bahrain Keraleeya Samajan, pointed out,

“Only 136 people in the world have received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award and it is a matter of pride that at least seven of them have some link to Bahrain. There are many reasons that an awardee is chosen and Dr. Vinodan’s business success and his charity make him a deserving winner for his service to the community.”

Of the many charitable groups that Dr. Vinodan supports, the two that have been most impactful were Daya and Thanal. Both work extensively in supporting the needy for medical aid and Dr. Vinodan has been the backbone of these and other organisations.

Thanal offers free dialysis treatment to needy people suffering from kidney ailments while Daya works with society’s vulnerable in many areas, ranging from elderly care and environmental awareness drives to medical rehabilitation.

“In 2002, when Daya was seeking a premises for a clinic for indigent cancer

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patients who left their villages to come for treatment to the city, the first person who bought and donated a plot of land for the princely sum of Rs. 17 lakh was Dr. Vinodan,”

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said Daya’s Bahrain Chapter representative Babu G Nair, “That spontaneous support continues to this day. Whenever we have a needy cause, we can be sure that a significant portion of the amount needed will come from Dr. Vinodan.”

Among the many felicitation ceremonies held to commemorate Dr. Vinodan’s honours, the Kozhikode Association (from Calicut, his hometown) held a grand reception. One of the most energizing moments at the community function spearheaded by the Al Hilal Hospital, was when all the staff of the hospital gathered around Dr. Vinodan and expressed their joy at his award.

The world needs visionaries to make its energy centres thrive and do things differently. More importantly, we need champions of charity to keep the milk of human kindness flowing freely in our midst.

Dr. Vinodan is a warm and compassionate person who epitomises both causes.

SALAAM SOCIETY

Pakistan Day marked

March 23 is always an emotional and patriotic day for the people of Pakistan because it immortalises the adoption of the Pakistan Resolution by the All India Muslim League in 1940 at Lahore's Minto Park. The Resolution demanded a separate homeland for the Muslims of South Asia.

In Bahrain, the Pakistani diaspora celebrated this momentous anniversary with a gathering at the Gulf Convention Center. Ambassador of Pakistan, Afzaal Mahmood welcomed the Royal guests, diplomats, BCCI members, Parliament members and representatives of the business community of Pakistan and Bahrain.

Earlier in the morning, the community gathered at the Pakistan embassy for a flaghoisting ceremony presided over by the Ambassador where traditional patriotic songs were sung and children joined to cut a cake. A typical Pakistani breakfast of Halwa-Puri was then served. The Pak Club also celeberated the occasion with a cultural programme.

Children join Lions' peace call The Lions Club of Riffa organised the Lions Club Annual Walk-In Essay and Painting Competition for children at the New Millennium School, Zinj. The competition was supported by The United Nations Information Centre for the Gulf Countries (UNIC Manama). Entrance to the competition was free. More than 500 children from various schools in Bahrain participated in this competition. The objective of the competition was to stimulate the inherent creativity of the youth of the country and present a forum to express their views on the topic of ‘Peace’. Samir Imtair Aldarabi, Director of United Nations Information Centre for The Gulf States, was the Chief Guest of the event. The winners will be announced in the press. The school sending the highest number of participants will also be recognised.

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EXAM FEVER

Game of Boards

Amritha Foustine tackles the stress factor that students face with board exams There’s a silence in the restaurants and cinema houses – the school board exams are here and families are focussed on protecting the exam warriors at home from all outside distraction. Its school – tuitions – study-study-study for most.

Even parents switch off the home TV to supervise their children.

Sounds familiar? The fact is there are school toppers who hit the highest notes but the majority of students will bring in good grades of 70 or 75% and feel the terrific pressure of not being able to go to the college of their choice. If that were the only issue, we would be lucky. But often, parents and children together get into a depression and find it difficult to correlate their performance with harsh reality.

Although Bahrain is a more protected environment, there have been instances in the past of young people taking drastic steps to hide their so-called failures. Over the years the conversation revolving around the pertinence of examinations and related stress has been on the increase. Parents, teachers and everyone involved is looking at ways to achieve a fine balance between academic success and mental stability.

In the run-up to the board exams, we spoke to some people who represented the key players in the drama: a student, two educationists and parents to get their insight on managing exam stress.

ANIRUDDHA BARANWAL DIRECTORFIITJEE INDIA WLL

“I forgot to make a back-up copy of my brain, so everything i learned last semester was lost.”

1. How differently do you see kids approach the boards today vs. before?

Careers today are competitive and tough to secure, the children today are aware of the stakes and you can see it in their preparation for the exams. The competition doesn’t just pertain to colleges and universities but also among schools - today’s school’s measure their success directly via their top ranking students. Board exams are a platform in which all schools are at the same playing field and provide the right platform to judge the quality of education being given.

Hence the pressure put by schools is intense as well.

2. What do you do to ensure the children are fully prepared?

At FIITJEE we make sure our children are fully prepared so that they do not have to worry. Our strategy is four fold: We prepare students to face all a. types of exams irrespective of their nature and pattern. This can be done only when the fundamentals are made clear. This helps students to tackle even HOTS questions ( Higher Order Thinking Skills) with more ease

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and confidence. Every year at least one subject in the board exam has a typical paper.

This year Physics Board exam was one such exam where few graphical questions were purely analytical. Naturally, the students prepared through rote learning found the paper to be difficult. b.

The Syllabus for Board Exams is covered much in advance so that our students get ample time to practice exam papers of the previous years. The teachers encourage students to write a number of mock tests either at home or at the study centre and they ensure that these tests are checked analysed and discussed with each student individually. These mock tests also help the students to improve their presentation, which is very important. c.

For students who are weak in academics, the teachers provide them with remedial classes on an individual basis and focus on those portions which are very important and frequently asked. This ensures that the child at least gets the basic percentage which ensures him/her entry to a reasonably good college.

Lastly, we ensure our children are d. stress-free. For this, our teachers do in-class

counselling, help the students to plan their studies and manage their time table well.

These strategies have helped us to produce toppers in board exams over the last 5 years.

3. How does a support class format like FITJEE use modern technology like the internet and learning aids in coaching for external exams?

FIITJEE is the only institute which has always been proactive in changing itself to the demand and need of the hour. For external exams like IIT-JEE, NTSE, KVPY & SAT some of which are online, FIITJEE has launched an online testing service www.mypat.in which has a web version and mobile version in which students can register and attempt chapter-wise, exam-wise, topic-wise tests or assignments. For junior grades, teachers take the help of online videos to explain concepts like Generators, Motors, Solid state Chemistry, Mathematical figures etc. In India, FIITJEE students are provided with Tabs with our testing services and educational modules.

4. Do you think university requirements of 99% marks for entry are unrealistic? Does this fuel a scramble for rote learning and tuitions?

We must understand one thing - the top performers in most of the coveted exams are the ones who would have topped with or without any external support. Institutes like FIITJEE only help them to refine their concepts and talent. The requirement is 99% because students today are capable of attaining these scores. Good universities would naturally want to attract these talents, thereby making their own names on the top list.

However, this has definitely created an atmosphere of rote learning and tuitions.

Many institutes thrive on this. In such cases individuals, students & parents place more importance on marks than the learning itself.

It defeats the very purpose of education.

5. What do you want to let the children know in these tough times?

There are a few things that students must know: • Opportunities are increasing and expanding. Many of our students who had the capability to qualify exams like IIT-JEE have channeled their potential into fields of Commerce, Music and many off-beat and newly emerging fields. It matters that you find

something you love and not waste your talents in a widely appreciated field just because you are capable of it.

• Real learning takes place when you accept that there are things you do not know.

Education is meant to enhance one’s perception and not to test. Hence one exam can never ascertain one’s potential and capability. Life guarantees failures, not successes. If your goal is to score marks, it will lead to anxiety and stress. If your goal is to learn, it opens numerous possibilities and to the pursuit of happiness.

• Never play the comparision game. Not even twins can be the same. Peer pressure and comparisons in schools often lead to depression. Work on bettering yourself rather than defeating another.

6. How tough has the competition become over the year?

While the opportunities have increased the number of good colleges & universities have not been proportional to the growth in population. Hence competition is tougher.

Earlier, there were just 5 IIT’s in India with a total of around 3000 B. Tech. seats and just around 2 lakh students appeared for the exams. But today, around 13 lakh students appear every year for IITs for 10,000 available seats.

7. With colleges and universities implementing their own admission procedures including entrance exams, how does securing top marks in the boards fare when it comes to the effort?

It is true that many colleges & universities have their own admission procedures though, entrance exams like IIT, NIT and many US Universities demand good SAT subjects scores. However, the marks obtained in the board exam still play a role. Many foreign universities demand good CBSE Board marks and in fact give provisional admission based on the school’s pre-board marks. Many private colleges in India like VIT, Manipal require a basic minimum percentage to give direct admission. Even to avail DASA scheme for NRIs in NITs, a minimum percentage in boards is required. However, it is worth mentioning that students who are the toppers in entrance exams are most often not the toppers in Board exams. Getting good percentages in boards can be achieved through rote learning while entrance examinations test one’s understanding of the basic concepts.

DR. BABU RAMACHANDRAN

FAMILY PHYSICIAN, AMERICAN MISSION HOSPITAL & VICE CHAIRMAN- INDIAN COMMUNITY RELIEF FUND

1. How much does the stress imposed on securing grades relate to depression rates?

Various factors like parental as well as peer pressure add to the stress that students face.

In addition to external stress, internal self-esteem issues also add up. When students do not reach the expectations set on them by their parents/teachers it leads to depressive episodes which if not recognised and corrected moves from bad to worse.

Depression rates among students are definitely on the rise but this is not a localised phenomenon, it is a worldwide reality.

2. Do you think a grade-based education system is the right way to measure education and success?

Not always. A lot more clarity has to be incorporated into the grade-based system for a foolproof education assessment. In my opinion educationalists, psychologists, and policymakers should go back to the drawing board. The down side of this revamping is that the first few batches of students involved in this exercise will be the guinea pigs.

3. What are some of the tips you want to let children know when it comes to relieving stress?

I have more tips to offer to parents than children. To the children, I would say : • Examinations are just a passing phase in your long life. Do your best. The competition should be with yourself. Don't worry about the results.

• Have a focussed approach during

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EXAM FEVER preparation time.

• Do not bite more than you can chew.

• Allow yourself time for relaxation and sleep. Make sure to eat properly as well.

• Do not try to cram yourself on the day before the exams • There is always a better tomorrow ahead.

• Spend some time in prayer.

Dear parents: • Don't take out your stress onto your children • Reassure them that you are with them in success and failure

DR. ARUN KUUMAR SHARMA

PRINCIPAL, NMS PUBLIC SCHOOL.

1. How differently do you see kids approach the boards today vs. before?

Today’s kids are well informed, goal-oriented and more mature. They are aware of the various options available after the board examination. Accordingly, their approach is more focussed. They set their target and prepare accordingly.

During our time, fear dominated. Ours was a test of retention and rote learning.

Introduction of MCQs and short answer questions have helped students to focus more on the understanding and application of a concept rather than memorization. Today’s kids answer board papers far more confidently.

2. What do you do to ensure the children are fully prepared?

We give them enough practice of board questions and expose them to many mock exams apart from the two Pre-Board examinations. Our teachers conduct

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• Sit with them if they need you when they study but give them their space.

• Allow them to have their own periods of rest and relaxation.

• Help them to prepare a time table for their study time at least one month before the exams start.

• Be firm with your children but don't lose your temper • Never compare your child with another child. Each one has his/her own strengths and weaknesses.

• Always remember " WE WERE ONCE STUDENTS TOO".

Dear teachers.

counselling sessions to discuss the ‘do’s and don’ts’. We also conduct orientation for parents and students before the examination.

For average students, we organize one to one interactions with teachers and for brighter ones we expose them to more challenging questions. We make them all believe in themselves and their ability to perform better.

write previous year’s board papers and get it checked by teachers as many times as they can. Every practice paper will hone their skills and give an opportunity for scoring better.

God’s angels are all around. Children must pray to the Almighty with gratitude. They must seek the elders’ blessings. Hard work, prayers and elders’ blessings work wonders.

3. What measures do you take to keep the children relaxed?

SHAKKIR KHASIM

We don’t overstress the board examination factor. We advise them to take it as a usual Annual Examination. Moreover, when the preparation is good, they are confident and relaxed. We train them to focus on the process rather than the result. We involve them in various case studies, where they realize that marks and success in life may not necessarily be co-related and examinations are for assessing the self.

4. Do you think the boards are getting tougher to crack each year?

Assessment patterns are changing. Earlier it was more memory retention based. Now it is more of an understanding and applicationbased approach. The students who focus on learning the concepts and their application find the boards easier than those who engage in rote learning. Easy and tough depends on the approach followed. I think it has become easier over the years. There was a time when 75% was called distinction. Now even 95% is not enough to secure admissions in prominent universities.

5. What do you want to let the children know in these tough times?

Practice, prayers and elders’ blessings.

Practice is the only key to success. They should

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1. From the beginning of the academic year, emphasize the importance of a time table for studying.

2. Try to maintain personal interactions with your students.

3. Don't be over imposing on the students.

You should be their friend. After all, they spend a good portion of their day in school.

4. Have an open line of communication with your students where they can clarify their doubts freely before the exams. It is difficult but not impossible.

5. And remember " YOU WERE ONCE A STUDENT".

12TH GRADE STUDENT, NEW INDIAN SCHOOL

1. How important do you think the boards are in your journey?

As an aspiring entrepreneur, I think business has a lot more to do with efforts and understanding the tips and tricks of the trade.

It is more about being street smart than being book smart. While theoretical knowledge and concepts play an important role in shaping a good foundation I think experience and practical based knowledge is more important.

Having said that, I recognize the immense pressure to deliver on the boards and measure my success through my grades. After all, many universities still look at board marks to see how you will perform given the right tools.

2. Do top marks indicate smartness and what is the cut-off?

I know many of my peers who are more capable and smarter than those who consistently score well in examinations. Our education system while it is changing is still steeped in this outdated notion that you are as smart as the number of things you can memorize. Many of the top scorers in my batch are often the people who have a better memory retention capacity than those who understand the concept well. Sometimes we lose marks in our exams because of the way we worded our answers. It isn’t as strict as it was before thanks to application-based questions and MCQs. but they still make up a minority of questions in the paper.

does vary through colleges depending on the course as well as the university it is affiliated to but it doesn’t dip below 65%.

3. What measures have you taken to fully prepare yourself for the boards?

Apart from going for extra classes and tuitions, I set a time-table for myself and tried my best to religiously commit to it. I have scoured through previous board papers that I could get my hands on. I am constantly revising and praying that the efforts come through.

SHANKAR V V & DEVAKI

4. With colleges and universities implementing their own admission procedures including entrance exams, how does securing top marks in the boards fare when it comes to the effort?

Most colleges and universities will only consider you for applications if your preboards or board examinations meet their minimum criteria. So the marks still play an important role, the minimum requirement

5. Do you think schools today promote competition between peers and batch mates when it comes to the boards or is it more individualised?

I do think there is school-induced competition but most often the practice is targeted by teachers among kids who are already top scorers so that they can outperform themselves. I think the competition between peers often stems from parents who constantly compare their children with other kids but most kids my age don’t take it seriously.

PARENTS

1. What has the last few months looked like preparation wise for you as parents?

We have tried to let our son move at his

own pace, we’ve assured him that if he needs anything he only needs to ask. We do not want to overcrowd him or make him feel pressured.

2. How important do you feel the boards are in securing admissions?

We believe the boards are very important as it guarantees a spot in top colleges. As parents, we always want the best for our children and with competition toughening up we think the better you score in the boards the better chance you have in securing admissions. the criteria has changed quite drastically, the competition is also made aware.

So we do believe that it is more challenging to perform in the boards these days because it feels like there is a lot at stake.

3. What do you as parents as do to ensure your child is fully prepared to take on the boards?

I think our role in his preparation has been one of a silent caretaker. We try and keep him relaxed and make sure he eats while preparing. We show our faith in him and do our best in boosting his confidence.

4. Are you concerned about your children being overstressed, and if so what do you do to combat or relieve their stress?

We are very worried indeed, so we do not give him any kind of pressure to sit and study.

We provide him with leisure time and not restrict him from taking part in any recreational activities. We try and take him out sometimes moreover we ensure that there is a line of communication between us always.

Pak school WSC students praised Pakistan School organised a felicitation ceremony in honor of the students who qualified for the Global Round in the World Scholars Cup Bahrain Round 2019. The school qualified for the global round to be held in Netherlands later this year. The students exhibited amazing performances on par with the top schools in Bahrain. They won more than hundred gold and silver medals in different categories. The winners were honored in an award ceremony at St.Christopher's School on the last day of the event. A special felicitation ceremony in honor of the participants was held in the Jinnah Hall of the school where both students and teachers were awarded certificates. The principal Mr Attiq Ur Rehman congratulated the participants and praised them for bringing fame to the school.

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Bahrain’s latest hospital promises to set new standard

The Royal Hospital for Women & Children in Riffa was formally inaugurated

by Bahrain’s Deputy PM Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, in March.

“It is an honor for the Kingdom of Bahrain to be home to a range of specialised hospitals that offer distinguished services and compete to attract qualified professionals and experts in the field of healthcare. The total number of registered health institutions in the Kingdom have increased by 7% in 2018 reaching 716 establishments in comparison to 617 in 2017 – this includes 21 hospitals, 95 public centers, 41 specialised centers and 132 clinics,” commented Shaikh Khalid.

During a tour of the hospital, Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah praised the Royal Hospital for Women and Children on its comprehensive patient care services, state-

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of-the-art operating rooms and advanced facilities including the ICU, labour and delivery rooms, day care treatment rooms and minor operating rooms.

During the ceremony, Hamad Al Shamsi, Chairman of the Royal Hospital for Women & Children extended his thanks and appreciation to the leadership and people of Bahrain for their support. He also extended his thanks to His Excellency Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa for his patronage of the official opening ceremony.

“It gives me pleasure to express my gratitude to our partners who have helped turn this vision into a reality and I affirm all parties’ commitment towards achieving Bahrain’s Economic Vision, and playing a major role in enhancing the healthcare sector not only in Bahrain, but across the region,” commented Hamad Al Shamsi.

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He also highlighted that the hospital offers the latest machinery and medical equipment, and the first and only Level-III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit among private hospitals in the Kingdom. In addition, the hospital houses a professional team of doctors and nurses specialised in providing healthcare to women and children. Commencing with outpatient care at its opening phase, the hospital will offer a wide range of services in the coming weeks, including assisted reproductive treatments and reconstructive female surgery before and after birth.

The inauguration was attended by the Chairman of the Supreme Health Council Lt-General Dr. Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, and Bahrain’s Minister of Health, Faeqa bint Saeed Al Saleh as well as a number of senior officials and guests from Bahrain and abroad.

YEH MERA INDIA

Indian WWI soldiers' letters & songs inspire London-based British artist Angeli Sowani’s exhibition of paintings inspired by the poignant letters and photographs Indian soldiers during World War I and folk songs sung by families pained by war and separation

London-based British artist Angeli Sowani’s exhibition of paintings inspired by the poignant letters and photographs of Indian soldiers during World War I and folk songs sung by families pained by war and separation have once again highlighted the unsung role of brave Indian soldiers in the world wars.

'Medals and Bullets', an exhibition of these forgotten soldiers, opened for viewing at Mumbai’s Jehangir Art Gallery in March.

"These were naive, largely illiterate young men, most of who had never ventured far beyond their own villages. Paid an average of Rs 11 a month, these sepoys crossed the Kala Pani to far-away shores drawn both by economic need and with ideals of fighting for izzat (honour) and namak (salt) in their minds.” Sowani, who has studied at Ahmedabad's National Institute of Design, wrote in her note on the exhibition. "The brutality of war in the trenches soon evaporated these illusions."

India, an erstwhile colony during World Wars I and II, partook in British defence with

thousands of soldiers. While they won 9,200 gallantry awards and 11 Victoria Crosses in the first war, what remains less-remembered is the emotional dimension of lives lived and lost many miles from home.

Many of the moving letters have been translated into English alongside the exhibits and have inspired artist Angeli Sowani's exhibited paintings that give voice and image to the forgotten soldiers.

"I have been wounded twice, and now this is the third time that I am being sent to the trenches... If Parmeshwar (God) allows I will escape, but the butcher does not let the goat escape," read a letter dated April 5, 1915 by a soldier. It was sent from England to his home in Punjab.

A February 1915 letter by a wounded Garhwali soldier to his elder brother explains different types of combat. "The fighting is of five kinds. First, there are the aeroplanes which move about dropping bombs and causing great havoc. They are like the great bird of Vishnu in the sky," it read.

Its accompanying canvas titled "The Great Bird of Vishnu" shows a ferocious, mighty bird looking back.

A letter written home by one of the soldiers poignantly illustrates: "For God's sake don't come, don't come, don't come to this war in Europe. Cannons, machine guns, rifles and bombs are going day and night, just like the rains in the month of savan (monsoon).

Those who have escaped so far are like the few grains left uncooked in a pot."

Many soldiers serving in the war were recruited from Punjab, giving rise to a rich legacy of war folk songs which were sung in their absence. A folk song sung by the village women in Punjab goes: "Write my name amongst widows, you who is off to Basra/ From being like a widow I would become blissfully married/If the war in Basra came to an end." Basra is now in Iraq, where several war memorials lie even today.

Born to an English mother and Indian father, Sowani now lives and works in London.

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HISTORY

The most haunted Hindu Palace in Egypt Aditi Nagappa explores an eerie facet of the Cairo cityscape.

Located on a slightly raised dais in the heart of Cairo’s suburban district of Heliopolis is a bizzare building – in the heart of Muslim Egypt are the ruins of ‘Le Palais Hindou’ , a massive palace modeled on the ancient Hindu temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Orissa in India. Built for the Belgian railway magnate Baron Édouard Empain, the Baron Palace was designed and built by French architect Alexandre Marcel who also built the Paris Métro between 1907 and 1911and decorated

by Georges-Louis Claude. The reinforced concrete used to build it was a new material and caused quite a sensation, along with the exotic design.

In 1904, the Baron travelled to Egypt to try and salvage a contract for one of his companies to build a railway line. The contract was lost but the Baron stayed on. Some said he was entranced by the desert, others that he succumbed to the more worldly charms of Yvette Boghdadli, one of Cairo's most beautiful socialites.

Oriental dream

The following year Empain bought a large stretch of desert from the British colonial government. On this he began the construction of Heliopolis, 'a city of luxury and leisure'. At the centre would stand the Baron's own grand residence, on an artificial elevation from which he could watch his city rise from the desert. This Heliopolis, once a separate township outside Cairo, is now one of the poshest areas of the expanding Cairo city and a grand hotel which the Baron built in it, the Heliopolis Palace Hotel, now serves as

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Baron Edouard Empain

the Presidential Palace, an executive office of the Presidents of Egypt.

The mansion is covered with detailed animal and mythical figures inspired by Orissa in India and Angkor Wat in Cambodia. To reach the palace, guests had to negotiate verdant terraces, each with its own erotic statues set amid exotic vegetation. The exterior is covered with statues of Hindu deities, mythical creatures and elephants.

Stranger still, its main tower, in which Empain had his rooms, is said to have been built on a revolving base to allow a 360-degree view and constant sunlight.

In its prime, the palace had luxurious gardens, gilded doors, and Belgian mirrors designed by Georges-Louis Claude. It was the venue of many an haute society party with guests travelling from as far as Europe to stay there. The King of Egypt, European

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royals and American millionaires were all entertained here.

Haunting rumours The ‘Hindu Palace of Egypt’ as it was called, was abandoned by the Baron’s family around 1952 although they continued to live there after his death in 1929. That is when rumours started spinning that the mansion was haunted and had been the supposed location of satanic rituals, heavy metal parties, orgies, and animal sacrifices. There are rumored sightings of the Baron’s daughter, of furniture moving across rooms, and of ghostly parties going on late into the night. The palace is said to be connected to underground tunnels which lead to the mausoleum where the Baron is buried in the Our Lady of Heliopolis basilica.

Despite the glamour of the palace, it was a place where some tragic episodes stained its reputation. The Baron himself walked with a

limp and suffered from epilepsy, succumbing to regular seizures in the gardens of his palace. Scorned by at least two affairs, his wife Helena eventually fell to her death from the revolving tower. The couple's daughter Merriam was plagued by psychological problems, and would sit for hours in one of the basement rooms when she was in a bad mood. It was this chamber in which she too was found dead, just a few years after her mother's death.

After World War I, the Baron returned to Europe and his son took control of the house, hosting parties and living the good life, but after the July 23 revolution in 1952, the house was sold by the Empain family to a group of wealthy Saudi investors in 1957.

The new Saudi owners just locked up the palace and over time vandals had stolen all the valuables and destroyed all the statues and furnishings in the palace.

Blood and spirits

Surrounded by a sprawling, overgrown garden and a barbed wire fence and despite the reputation of eerie hauntings, the vandals

got onto the grounds and sprayed graffiti on the beautiful statuary and defaced many of the decorations. In the 1990s, a group of vandals who broke into the palace claimed that they had found blood smeared on all the mirrors in the palace. Soon more such sightings were quoted and within years the palace gained a reputation of being one of the ‘Most Haunted places in Egypt’ lists.

Interestingly there was a time in the 1990s, when there were proposals to build a hotel, casino or a museum in the palace. There was even a proposal by the Indian Embassy to convert it into a cultural center. Sadly, all the plans fell through. In 2005, the property was acquired by the Egyptian government and there were plans for its restoration. However, the ‘Arab Spring’ and the wave of protests in 2011, put a sudden stop to it. Thankfully, the restoration work has been restarted here in 2017.When the palace was bought by the Egyptian government in 2005, there was some hope that the authorities might repair its decrepit and vandalised masonry. But only two months after being opened to the public, it was closed again without explanation.

Re-opening Before the Arab Spring, the Egyptian government had announced plans to remodel the palace and open it as a museum or park, but with the deposing of Hosni Mubarak, the project came to a halt. Since 2017, there have been sporadic reports that the government would renovate the palace and use it as a conference space, but as of yet, these plans have yet to materialize. Then in late 2018, Khaled El Anani, Antiquities Minister, announced that 50% of the renovation was finalised and had been completed. The total renovation cost was said to be in the area of 100 million Egyptian pounds.

Although the palace is not generally accessible to the public, the area around the palace, El Korba, is a vibrant and dynamic neighborhood full of shops, restaurants and a marketplace and adventurous can visit the area and grab a glimpse of the Baron’s Palace through their camera lens.

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CULTURE

Anupam Kinger…

Mubarak Ho! Rohini Sunderam, writer-mentor from the Bahrain Writers Circle is our guest culture critic this month for a local theatre production.

I was privileged to see Anupam Kinger’s Hindi play, ‘Ram Rattan Hazir Ho’ recently.

This is the second play written, directed and produced by Anupam that I was part of the audience for. The impact of the first one ‘Main Noor Bano’ was so powerful that I was sure this one would be as moving, thoughtprovoking and interesting as the first.

I was enthralled.

‘Ram Rattan Hazir Ho’, casts a light on the sadly increasing phenomenon of elder care, or lack of it, in middle-class India. There are many arguments on both sides of this issue, but this is a review of the play not a discourse on the subject.

Story line

The cast is dramatically introduced by the narrator, recently deceased Major Arya, who has spent his last few years in his son’s home.

The action takes place after Major Arya’s death. The family is ostensibly still in mourning, and the various rituals are being followed, although everyday life takes precedence over these “observances”. In the midst of all this Ram Rattan, Major Arya’s friend’s erstwhile orderly, who has been taking care of him, feels he is no longer needed and decides to leave. The lady of the house, Mrs Sharma (the major’s daughter-inlaw) is extremely distressed by Ram Rattan’s departure as he had without demur until that time, been doing the household chores at no cost to the family. They have all become so accustomed to Ram Rattan’s helpful presence that they take him for granted as a domestic servant.

On the heels of Ram Rattan’s departure, Major Arya’s grandson, Aman returns from the photographer’s shop with the news that a “gentleman” at the store wishes to purchase the major’s spectacles as he’s a collector of antiques and retro fashions and is willing to pay handsomely for them. This throws the family in a panic, as the extra funds would come in useful for a number of small

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indulgences. However, no one wishes to go into the old man’s room to search for the glasses. During the years that he has lived there, the only person who went into the room, spoke to and comforted the old major was Ram Rattan.

Sadly, as often happens, the family decides that Ram Rattan, who has just left the house, must surely have known the value of the spectacles and stolen them. To make the accusation stick they decide that they may as well tell the police that some jewellery is also missing.

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Twist

The police arrive at the home to make enquiries and Ram Rattan is then summoned “Hazir Ho!” During the course of the questioning it is revealed that Ram Rattan is a “fauji” i.e. military man. The tone of the enquiry suddenly turns more respectful to Ram Rattan. He then exposes the family’s neglect of their father and grandfather, their superficial lives and lack of even basic affection for a man who had not only dedicated his life to the nation but also to the family. They all feel small and deeply regret their behaviour, especially Arya’s son, Mr Sharma – an effete

and ineffectual character. Towards the end Ram Rattan reveals the spectacles to be readily available in a drawer in a side-table in the living room, so to speak “right under their noses.” There is a twist to the ending that I will not reveal as I believe it will soon be available to view on YouTube and it’s such a clever twist that I’d spoil it for potential viewers.

The spectacles, as a metaphor for viewing life and people, is another clever and subtle device used by Anupam. In retrospect I see it as a great dramatic

pun. When I think back on the play it’s reflected throughout as points of view and perspectives as well as taking a closer ‘look’ at family values, external and internal views and so much more.

As a writer, I find the notion of writing a play difficult enough – as it is a narrative driven solely by dialogue – but then to add to it visual and verbal metaphors, wrap it up with a holy man singing a commentary in a typical Punjabi style and finally tie up the play with a moving poem written and delivered masterfully by Anupam raised the experience to a whole different level.

Khwabgah, the theatrical company founder by Anupam, under whose umbrella she and her team

present stories, dramatic productions, poetry, and more in Hindi, is a production company to watch. I, for one eagerly await the next presentation.

Editor’s note: It was also great to see local companies sponsoring local shows to create a thriving community cultural scene. Lulu Hypermarket, BBK, National Motor Company, AFS & Al Maya International were generous sponsors. The proceeds from the play, after expenses were met, were donated to Al Rahma Centre for the Care of People with Special Needs.

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SALAAM SOCIETY

BPFS presents Pak cultural treat

Bahrain Pakistan Friendship Society (BPFS) participated in the First International Cultural Festival held under the patronage of Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammad Al Khalifa, Minister of Culture and Antiquities and organised by Royal University For Women and ASEAN Bahrain Council. The Ambassador of Pakistan, Afzaal Mahmood, Community Welfare AttachĂŠ, Saad Bin Raffique, other prominent community leaders and dignitaries were also present at the event. The Pakistani community participated in great numbers. Children and adults alike participated in traditional dress shows, cultural dances and exhibited handicrafts and antiques at various stalls.

PWA Qawwali Night

PWA organised a Qawali night performed by Ustaad Fareed Ayaz , Abu Mohammad Qawal group at the rivers at Saar as their annual event. Qawali is famous for its Sufi music as well as the religious form of music. Their Qawali and music can be found in the Pakistani movies as well as the Hollywood movies.

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NEWS ADDA

What’s the celebration about, again?

Ramya Krishnamoorthy questions our reasons for celebrating international days

As you know, an adda is a communal space where we argue, discuss and fiercely debate.

Every month we shall discuss a red button topic from the point of view of our readers and see what readers feel. Join the debate by responding to these arguments with YOUR comments. Write to us with NEWS ADDA – October in the Subject line. Just 200 words. The best response will be published in the next issue of Salaam Bahrain.

It was International Women's day on 8 March and women across various societies, vocations and fields were celebrated. Special programmes were held across the island, social media was overflowing with messages, WhatsApp with stickers. It's indeed a very nice feeling when you are celebrated worldwide.

In 1975, UN started celebrating 8 March as International Women's Day and continues to do so. In fact every year UN has a theme for IWD. The theme for 2019 is "Think Equal. Build smart and Innovate for change".

However, I am not so gung ho about all the hype over women's day. It's very nice for educated and qualified women like me, who are not challenged in any ways and have enough opportunities in life to do what we want to do.

But is it so for all ? Across all social strata? It's like an elephant in the room which no one wants to talk about.

Many millenials may feel that 'all the battles have been won for women' while many feminists from the 70's know only too well the longevity and ingrained complexity of patriarchy. I won't deny the fact that today women have proved their mettle in almost every field and I am proud of it too. With more women in the boardroom, greater equality in legislative rights, and increased visibility of women as role models in every aspect of life, one could think that we have gained true equality.

But the unfortunate fact is, there are still hundreds of them who are denied basic fundamental rights... right to speak, right to be educated and even right to live. It is also a fact that women are still not paid as well as their male counterparts, and, women are still not present in equal numbers in business or in politics. As per Forbes, in 2018, the top 100 highest earning athletes are men. Serena Williams is the highest earning female athlete with total earnings of $18.1 million while her male counterparts earn 5 to 6 times more than her.

The 100th highest paid athlete, a French basketball player had a total earnings of $23 million. Need I say more?

Globally, women's access to education and medical facilities is far less as compared to that available for men. If we look at the rate of sexual /domestic violence against them and child trafficking , the numbers are mindboggling....

Then what are we celebrating?

The same holds true for other internationally recognised days like World Autism Day, day for the disabled, day for elimination of racial discrimination, World books day‌ We celebrate these days for a day and then forget all about it.

Are we encouraging our next generation to work towards these causes and be sensitive?

If we want to celebrate something, should we not also try and make a difference on that front?

Although there has been a significant attitudinal shift regarding women's equality and emancipation - we come across many households with a 'house-husband', stay -at-home fathers and women in every career, there's still more to be done. We need more organisations that are conducive to the careers of pregnant women, organisations that promote gender parity. Tata and Wipro have been torchbearers in this front by setting up creches and daycares at the workplace(Wipro) , TATA had started the 'SCIP- second career, inspiring possibilities' programme for women who have taken a career break and want to get back to work now. We need more organisations like these.

Celebrating one day in a year will not really make any difference. When we collectively can create a society where women are not denied fundamental rights, where women are treated as equals to men in all respects , where women are not victims of any kind of violence, that's when we are really celebrating womanhood in its entirety, everyday!

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CULTURE

Kamala : taking art beyond Bahrain

As a cultural hub, Bahrain has always had a full calendar of events featuring every art form, be it classical or modern and from all countries. With the Indian community being represented in large numbers, it is probably inevitable that there are so many local and visiting Indian cultural shows.

But for a dance drama powered by local artists to take India by storm – now that’s unusual! The Bahrain produced dance drama Kamala was selected by the renowned SOORYA Stage and Film Society, based in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala to head its 2019 festival and was greeted with resounding applause by art buffs in the city when staged on March 10 at the prestigious Tagore Theatre.

Salaam Bahrain has covered the inaugural screening of Kamala: A Ballad of Celestial Love when it was staged at the Cultural Hall in Bahrain. The dance drama has been conceived and choreographed by Vidya Sreekumar, with music composed by Palakkad Sreeram and the Sanskrit lyrics by the famous poet Dr. L Sampath. The script has been adapted by scriptwriter Sreekumar Ramakrishnan.

Led by the lovely and talented Sneha Ajith, over 35 artists took the stage in Kerala by storm, lavishing talent and creativity on the production. Kamala is also set for a wider audience with broadcasting rights to the dance drama being secured by Flowers TV. “The experience of performing in front of a discerning audience and in the Tagore Theatre which has seen so many prominent artistes perform was a dream come true for me,” said Sneha, “It was made possible only by the support of SOORYA founder Soorya Krishnamoorthy, who is a living legend in Kerala art and culture circles. I am deeply grateful to represent the

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abundant talent of Bahrain-based artists on such a prestigious platform.”

Added Soorya Bahrain chapter secretary Varghese Karakkal, “An opportunity to perform in a Soorya stage is considered a rare accolade even for renowned artists. Soorya Krishnamurthy was the chief guest for the inaugural show of Kamala and I think his acknowledgement of the creativity of Bahrain artists is a big feather in our cap as a community.”

Vidya Sreekumar who conceptualised and directed the production, besides choreographing the dances, said that this was her biggest production to date and that she was energised by the research and preparation of the dance drama.

“It is indeed a proud moment for me as my directorial venture has been selected by Soorya Krishnamoorthy for the 2019 festival,” she said. “Art forms are means to inculcate powerful messages to society. The Kerala show was an amalgam of the work of key artistes from Bahrain and also India-based supporting artists.”

MOTORING

NISSAN BAHRAIN PREVIEWS NEW 2019

NISSAN ALTIMA

Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons, the sole distributor of Nissan vehicles in the Kingdom of Bahrain, had successfully hosted an exclusive Preview of the all-new Nissan Altima 2019 at the Nissan Showroom in Sitra on the 18th of February 2019. Long-time Business partners across the industry attended this premier preview which took place prior to the official launch.

The all-new Nissan Altima 2019 has raised the bar for the mid-size sedan segment, creating a new standard of design, driving enjoyment and technology. Nissan’s sixth generation best-selling sedan made its world debut at the 2018 New York International Auto Show, alongside the first North American showing of Nissan’s Formula E race car. It comes complete with Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies and new powertrains.

Arindam Chakravarty, General Manager, Nissan Bahrain said, “The all-new 2019 Nissan Altima is designed to shake up the mid-size sedan segment in terms of design, driving enjoyment and technologies that are simultaneously advanced and affordable.

Nissan Altima has been one of our core models and with the new features being added to it, we believe it will be a great opportunity for all of us to achieve our business results together.”

The brand new 2019 Altima will be offered in a range of trim levels – S, SV and SL in the 2.5L and SV and SL grades in 2.0L Turbo. 2.0L VC-Turbo will be open for reservations in early summer 2019.

Product features

Inspired by the design of award-winning Nissan V-motion 2.0 concept car, which debuted at the 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the all-New Altima is lower, longer and wider than the previous generation with a highly balanced, aggressive stance and the option of 19-inch wheels and tires. Inside, the all-new premium interior features a wide ‘gliding wing’ instrument panel – which accentuates the exterior’s low cowl and hood, helping create an open, airy environment.

Key interior comfort and convenience features include upgraded seats with added bolstering for improved holding and support.

The car also features Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ and an 8-inch multi-touch colour display for complete in-car entertainment and ease of driver control.

Cutting-edge Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies have been integrated into the 2019 Altima as standard. These include Nissan’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert, which helps

drivers to detect stationary objects when reversing. When an object is detected, the system warns the driver with visual and audible warnings.

The all new Altima also provides front, side and rear safety monitoring and intervention technologies – including Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Warning (LDW), radar-based Blind Spot Warning (BSW), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) and High Beam Assist (HBA).

Two new engines have been introduced on the 2019 Altima. Standard on all 2019 Altima grade levels is a new 2.5-liter DOHC inline 4-cylinder direct injection engine. More than just the gains in horsepower and torque, the new engine offers improvements in smoothness and cabin quietness, along with enhanced fuel economy and cleaner emissions.

A significant technological breakthrough, the VC-Turbo seamlessly changes its compression ratio, delivering the performance of a much larger powerplant with fuel efficiency and improved emissions.

For complete, in-depth information about the all-new 2019 Nissan Altima, please call Nissan Showroom Sitra on 17732732 or Nissan Showroom Arad on 17221555.

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Bahrain India Society (BIS) elected a new board of directors Bahrain India Society (BIS) has elected a new board of directors for the period 2019 -2021 at a meeting held at the Capital Club. The new office bearers are : Chairman Raj Damani, Vice Chairman Abdulrahman Mohamed Juma , Secretary General Madhavan Kallath, Treasurer P S Balasubramanyam, Director - Public Relations Soman Baby. Other directors : Ahmed Jawahery, Talal Mannai, Vijay Boloor, V K Thomas, Kishore Mathur and Harish Gopinath.

BIS, which is the leading society consisting of representatives of both Bahraini and Indian community, is involved in programmes aimed at further strengthening the business, cultural, social and educational ties between Bahrain and India.

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FASHION

Legendary warrior queen Ahilyabai Holkar literally gave birth to the Maheshwari saree in the 18th century. It took her descendant Richard Holkar and his American wife's 20th century efforts to revive this weave.

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t the first glance any saree is a striking thing of beauty, woven with intricate designs that glow with the colours of the rainbow. What goes

unnoticed by the common eye is that every region in India – sometimes even villages just a couple of miles apart! – has a unique weave or textile manufacturing process. The saree often have six yards worth of stories woven into its elaborate fabric.

One such story of a woman’s wisdom and courage

and the subsequent revival of a lost art, lies embedded in the Maheshwari saree.

The tradition of Maheshwari saree weaving in the ancient temple town of Maheshwar dates all the way back to the 5th century but it was only popularised during the reign of the Maratha queen

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FASHION Rani Ahilyabai Holkar (1725-1795). The queen was known as a pioneer ruler, benevolent but firm and a warrior stateswoman.

ROYAL GIFT During her reign, she brought master weavers from Malwa and Surat to her kingdom in present-day Madhya Pradesh to create the traditional Nauvari or Maharashtrian style nine yard saree and even turbans.

Originally woven from fine silk, these sarees were gifted to relatives and royal guests.

Legend has it that the first Maheshwari saree was personally designed by Queen Ahilyabai herself.

The sarees were traditionally made in colours like peacock blue, bright yellow, forest green and an Indian red dye, Aal. The pallus were designed with stripes of red, white and gold zari. The body of the Saree has small checks, stripes, or plain, but the typically striped pallu and border designs are inspired by the traditional motifs or architectural embellishments found in the town’s temples and monuments, especially the Maheshwar

Fort and the natural surroundings: Leheriya (wave), Narmada (the sacred river), Rui Phul (cotton flower), Eent (brick), Chatai (matting), Heera (diamond.

Originally, the classic Maheshwari Sarees were only woven 9 yards long and with pallus at both endsso when they frayed, the saree could be reversed and worn some more. That was the uniqueness of a Maheshwari Saree- its elegant versatility and durability. The weave, combining silk and cotton, makes the saree light and comfortable, ideal for the region’s hot and dry weather.

Richard Holkar (above) was responsible for reviving the unique Maheshwari weave

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CONTEMPORARY REVIVAL When royal patronage ceased with the advent of Indian democracy, the weaving tradition of Maheshwar went into decline. Then in 1978, Shivajirao Richard Holkar, the scion of the Holkar family visited India with his American wife Sally – she was immediately drawn to the beauty of the Maheshwar weave. The duo then founded the Rehwa Society that spurred the growth of the local textile industry and turned the Maheshwari saree into a fashion statement. Today, nearly 800 families in Maheshwar are involved in the weaving business.

Often the weavers at Rehwa cater to master designers from urban centres like Mumbai, who give them a design, with detailed specifications such as what thread or colour to use in the warp and weft.

Two types of handlooms are used in Maheshwar – the older pit looms which are heavy and fixed, and the newer frame looms with lightweight metal frames. The latter is the more popular type now. The dyed and untangled yarn is now ready for the tedious and time-consuming process of weaving by master weavers. After dyeing, the yarn is normally received by the weavers in the form of bundles.

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FASHION Both in the case of weft and the warp, the thread needs to be freed from tangles and stretched in order to make them tighter. They are then are taken through a process of reeling by using a charkha, thus converting the bundles into small rolls. In case of warp, a big motorised charkha is used; in case of weft, a small, hand�driven charkha is used, which makes bobbins.

In the case of the warping of the silk threads, a more delicate process involving an octagonal cylindrical frame and hooks is used.

The fabric is dyed with naturally extracted colours and zari and kinari was used to enhance the richness of this weave. Weavers also used gold or silver threads and gemstones to embellish the

TYPES OF MAHESHWARI SAREES

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intricate patterns and add shimmer to the saree.

However, nowadays, copper coated nylon wires have replaced the zari and time constraints leave little room for the process of slow natural dyeing. Apart from sarees, Maheshwari fabric today is used for kurtas, shirts, stoles, dupattas, etc.

Since the fabric is airy and lightweight, outfits made of this fabric are perfect for the Indian weather.

SALAAM SOCIETY

Angana Sree at BKS

Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam organised a beauty pageant named Angana Sree ‘19 for Malayali moms. The event focused on bringing out the hidden talents and passions of women caught in the everyday bustle of family and work life. The competitions ranged from cookery contests, fashion shows, interview rounds and more. The final round saw Niketa Vinod emerge as the winner with Shaffila Yasser and Soumya Sajjit securing the first and second runner up positions.

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FASHION

SUBTLE BUT STRONG

W

hile the world keeps shifting and spinning so does the take on the modern woman.

In the morning, she’s an entrepreneurial force leading her business and team to new heights.

In the night, she’s the classy hostess, the razzamatazz party party animal, walking across the hallways like it’s a runway she owns. The hair changes and so does the attire, the makeup. But in the constant millennial need for change, there’s one thing that doesn’t always have to change and that’s jewellery. Modern minimalist contemporary jewellery has revamped itself into a versatile medium of expression for the woman of today.

The new Liali collection is designed to make a statement in the most subtle way and here are few ways to keep things fresh and bold.

1. Experiment with multiple layers Try two or three different types of pendants and chains to create a style of your own.

2. Minimal Accessorizing Sometimes less is more. Choose one focus piece that tells a story

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3. Eccentric Statement Jewellery Select designs that can transform an ordinary outfit into an extraordinary one with a piece of jewellery that makes a statement.

4. Jewellery with a casual outfit.

Dressy jewellery can easily be worn with casuals. In fact it can be used to spruce up your denims, to give it a glamorous feel.

And what about special occasions?

Here’s a guide to sparkle anytime:

The Wedding

The perfect opportunity to showoff your glam jewels, you can never go overboard when it comes to wearing jewellery as a wedding guest. Layer diamond necklaces of different lengths and add dazzling stud earrings for the ultimate glamour. Just makes sure to keep your outfit as simple and elegant as possible if you plan on outshining everyone else with just your jewels.

The Brunch

A brunch date with your girlfriends

is perfect opportunity to showcase your jewellery layering skills. Whether its layering delicate pendants or stacking up bracelets and bangles, layering is the sneaky trick to showing off all your bejeweled possessions.

The Office

Diamonds are the perfect accessory for all the boss-ladies out there. The key here is to keep it classic and not too distracting.

Classic solitaire diamond pendants and earrings are always elegant, however to take it up a notch why not stack your rings?

The Dinner Party

Depending on the occasion, you can either wear exquisite pieces like chandelier earrings with an updo to accentuate your neck for a red-carpet event or a classic sapphire and diamond necklace for a casual dinner with friends. And to instantly take your outfit to a whole new level of glamour, add a matching diamond bangle or bracelet.

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GAMING SCENE

Geek Culture gets mainstreamed in Bahrain Grace Yasmin goes starry-eyed at the Bahrain Comic Con

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ind-blowing costumes, blasters, games aplenty, celebrity meet-ups and convention badges Bahrain Comic Con 2019 was certainly one of the most exciting events to kick-start this year.

With more than 16,000 attendees in the two-day multi-genre entertainment paddock, the convention brought movie and gaming enthusiasts within Bahrain and regionally, to feast into a spectacular presentation of happenings and activities.

Consisting of 4 major zones which included gaming arena, exhibitors zone, cinema and studio hall, the event took place at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) and was streamlined with a main area covering a range of segments like cosplaying stand-offs,

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dance-offs, Q&A sessions and more.

Compared to last year’s debut, the second edition definitely saw more energy and more operations in flow, allowing organisers to strive towards making Bahrain a strong platform to represent pop culture.

Brothers Bukhari

Comic Con is an international event with the first edition being held in San Diego, California in 1970. In the earlier years, the conventions were small affairs, however with time the fan culture scene had an explosion and superheroes were becoming the hottest topic in town. Brothers Khalid Bukhari and Salman Bukhari, the founders of Dallah Promotions and organisers of Bahrain Comic Con, felt the time was right to launch this mega event last year. With Marvel coming

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onboard and allowing Dallah to make use of their logo, Bahrain was also the first comic con in the MENA region to have gotten a major shout out from the ‘Ready Player One’ team last year.

Since the early days, the Comic Con has been continuously evolving as an annual event in popular cities around the world with the 49th annual Comic-Con International: San Diego hosting more than 130,000 attendees and raking in around $19 million in revenue this year alone. And while these statistics serve as a mammoth number to follow (just yet) Bahrain Comic Con has certainly paved the way for the global spotlight to shine on the Land of Pearls. The convention also got an exhibit from WWE, with Daniel Bryan as one of the guests.

Celeb guests

This year, Dallah took things up a notch with its celebrity line-up as fans were eager to catch sight of mega stars like Korean-French actress Pom Klementieff who portrayed the Marvel Comics character Mantis as well as actress Alison Sudol who plays Queenie Goldstein in 'Fantastic Beasts'. They were joined by David Harbour, best known for his role as Jim Hopper in the Netflix science fiction horror series 'Stranger Things' who is also going to portray 'Hellboy' in the highly anticipated movie, set for release in April 2019.

Aside from hosting many of the major brands and companies from last year, there were many new vendors joining this year including international exhibitors, artists and gamers. Samah Kamil , a Saudi freelance artist who has done a master research on Manga and draws in Arabic style, presented her book called ‘A Tale of Proverb Manga’ at the event.

Speaking to Salaam Bahrain, she said, “Manga has certainly gained lot popularity in Saudi Arabia in recent years and I’m glad to attend the Bahrain Comic Con and showcase my book which represents proverbs with manga art and history.”

The family fun weekend also hosted many international gaming companies, while emphasizing the need to showcase the talent and achievements’ of local gamers at the grassroots level. Khalid Al Dosri, who was representing Wargaming Bahrain (a locally established community of fans of miniature war gaming), spoke on how the space provided a solid platform for members to interact with other representatives of the gaming culture. “Bahrain is now picking pace when it comes to creating a strong gaming establishment in the local sense and with good

projection tactics, we can certainly create amazing products and have major entrepenuers notice and take-up strong collaborations.” Speaking on similar lines, was Alaa Almaadi, who with her business partner Eman Sharif, launched ‘Bahrain Deal’ – a card game in the Arabic language. Showcasing the game at the event, she told Salaam Bahrain that since its launch a few years back, they have added VIP cards into the set, making the game even more interesting. “We already have a strong fan base locally that come and try out the game and buy the card set but what amazes us is how in such events we get the

opportunity to promote our culture and language to the international attendees as well.”

A “hardcore connoisseur” of conventions, Anthony Petes came to the convention for the first time from the UAE and was impressed by what it had to offer. “It isn’t easy to begin such a mega project from scratch but I think the team has done a decent job with the kind of activities and guests lined-up. I am hoping to see more competitions and cosplaying in the coming editions; this might be a great way for Bahrain to showcase how it’s a small island but comes with large possibilities.”

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CUISINE

Salaam Bahrain brings in Masterchef

Nikita Gandhi

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eason 4 Masterchef India (2015) winner Nikita Gandhi holds the record for being the youngest and only vegetarian winner of the popular TV competition. Expanding her culinary journey, she recently visited the kingdom with the help of Salaam Bahrain to showcase fun and innovative dishes to fans and serious foodies of Bahrain. Making three stops, the first destination on her itinerary was a public show at the Oasis Mall in Juffair. She was greeted by a large crowd of culinary enthusiasts from different walks of life. The master-class cookery demo held at Oasis focused on Nikita’s take on

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Mexican food – aptly, she was supported by a team of support crew from the Senor Paco’s Mexican Restaurant in the mall food court. From a refreshing Pineapple Jalapeno Slush to a spicy Mango Avocado Elote to a decadent eggless Three Milk Cake, Nikita wowed her crowd with her creative streak and chirpy interactions with the audience. The same energy continued at the second master-class she held a couple of weeks later at the Home Centre in City Centre where she took on Arabian cuisine. She mentioned the influences Arabian cuisine has had in her culinary journey, living in Abu Dhabi. She curated a menu of four items, including an interesting hibiscus

iced tea infused with chia seeds, a falafel crepe with a tahini and Arabic vegetable pickle filling and a creamy layered deconstructed kunafa dessert at the end.

The tour de force of Nikita’s Bahrain visit was an exclusive Curated Culinary Journey for 25 guests at the gilded Mewar Restaurant in Galleria Mall. There were two menus presented here – one for the Master-class and another for the fabulous sit-down lunch, were a display of

contemporary Indian fusion cuisine and Nikita’s awesome imagination. Along with the chefs of Mewar, she presented a complete seven-course meal showcasing her flair for fusion cuisine. The audience had an opportunity to interact with her and questions flew about tips on presentation, managing disasters and also about her grueling Masterchef TV experience.

“Contestants put in an intense 18-hour day every day for 6 months and through it all, we lived, breathed and thought only food, food, food,” Nikita revealed, “The standards were high and we were expected to outdo each other and – even more difficult – ourselves with each dish. Many fans ask me how come we had to put in 18-hour days for an hour-long show. You see, we had to factor in make-up, dressing and our menu planning as well as waiting for the results of each round.

The only time that we had to work to a short time schedule was when cooking. Then it went by the clock.”

The love and excitement that food brings into our lives was easily seen at all of Nikita’s sweet and savoury stops in Bahrain. Nikita also runs a vegetarian/vegan food blog of her own called The Veggie Fix. We present some of her recipes for you to try.

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CUISINE

Pineapple Jalapeno Slush • as served at Oasis Mall

INGREDIENTS: For the slush: • 2 cups ripe pineapple chunks • 1/2 cup pineapple juice • 2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped • 6-8 slices pickled jalapeños • Sugar to taste • Zest of 1 lime • A squeeze of lime juice • 3-4 cups ice cubes For the serving glass rims: • 2 tsp superfine sugar • 2 tsp red chili powder • 1 tsp salt • A wedge of lime For garnishing: • Jalapeño slices • Fresh coriander sprigs Preparation 1. Grind all the slush ingredients together in a blender till the consistency turns into soft ice or slush.

2. Mix the superfine sugar, red chili powder and salt very well. Rub the wedge of lime around the rim of the serving glasses. Invert and dip the rim in the sugar-chili mixture.

3. Pour the slush into glasses, garnish with a sprig of coriander leaf and a slice of jalapeño.

4. Serve immediately.

Mango Avocado Elote • as served at Oasis Mall

INGREDIENTS: • 2 corn on the cobs, steamed and cut into 2” pieces • Salted butter, melted For the avocado sauce: • 1/2 ripe Hass avocado • 1/2 cup sour cream • 1/4 cup Philadelphia cream cheese • 1 clove garlic • 1 green chili • 2-inch piece spring onion • 2 tbsp coriander leaves • Juice of half a lime • Salt & roasted cumin powder, to taste • 1/4 cup mango puree Preparation 1. Blend together avocado, sour cream, cream cheese garlic, green chili, spring onion, coriander, lime, salt and cumin till very smooth. Strain the mixture and fill in a squeeze bottle.

2. Fill the mango puree in a separate squeeze bottle.

3. Brush some melted butter on the corncobs. Blowtorch the corn to char it.

4. On a plate, place the charred corn cobs. Drizzle over generously with avocado sauce and mango puree or plate it as you desire.

5. Sprinkle over red chili powder and finely chopped coriander.

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Achari Ricotta Eggplant Rollatini in Makhani gravy • as taught in the MEWAR Masterclass

INGREDIENTS: For the eggplant rolls: • 2 medium eggplants • Oil, for brushing • Salt & pepper, to taste Preparation 1. Cut the eggplants lengthwise into thin slices.

2. Brush both sides of the eggplants with oil and sprinkle salt and pepper.

3. Heat a nonstick pan and place the eggplant slices on it to cook through. Set aside to cool slightly.

For the Achari spice blend: • 1 tsp coriander seeds • 1 tsp cumin seeds • 1 tsp fennel seeds • 1 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji) • 1 tsp mustard seeds • A pinch of fenugreek seeds Preparation In a pan, dry roast coriander, cumin, fennel, nigella, mustard and fenugreek seeds till toasted and aromatic. Grind them into a coarse powder.

For the ricotta filling: • 2 tbsp oil • 1 medium onion, chopped finely • 2 green chilies, minced • 2-4 tsp achari spice blend from above • 1 tsp turmeric powder • 1 tsp red chili powder • Salt, to taste • 3⁄4 cup ricotta cheese • 1⁄4 cup paneer, crumbled • 1⁄4 cup coriander leaves, chopped Preparation 1. Heat oil and sauté onion till softened. Add green chilies and cook.

Add achari spice, turmeric, red chili and salt.

2. Add this to the ricotta along with paneer and coriander leaves. Mix well.

3. Fill the mixture in a piping bag and pipe onto the grilled eggplant slices. Roll up tightly and serve with the makhani sauce.

• • • •

For the makhani gravy: 2 tsp butter • 2 tsp oil • 1⁄2 tsp cumin seeds • 1 bay leaf 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste • 1⁄2 cup tomato purée • Salt, to taste 1⁄2 tsp red chili powder • 1⁄2 tsp honey • 2 tbsp fresh cream 1⁄4 tsp dried fenugreek leaves • Fresh mint leaves for garnish

Preparation 1. Heat butter and oil in a non-stick saucepan.

2. Add in cumin seeds and let it splutter.

3. Add bay leaf and ginger-garlic paste. Sauté till aromatic.

4. Add in tomato purée, salt and red chili powder. Simmer for a few minutes to reduce.

5. Lastly, add in honey, fresh cream and fenugreek leaves. Cook for another minute or two. Take off the heat and pass the sauce through a strainer.

6. Add to the Rollatini, garnish with mint leaves and serve.

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CUISINE

Jowar Passion Fruit Cupcakes • as taught in the MEWAR Masterclass

INGREDIENTS: For the cupcakes: • 1 cup jowar atta (sorghum flour) • 1/4 cup plain flour • 1 tsp baking powder • 1/2 tsp baking soda • 1/2 cup paneer, crumbled • 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk • 1 cup honey • 1/4 cup ghee/softened butter • 1/4 cup yogurt Preparation 1. Sift all the dry ingredients into a bowl. Add in the wet ones and mix well by folding with a spatula.

2. Divide the batter in a mini cupcake tin lined with cupcake liners. Bake for 12-15 minutes in an oven preheated to 180oC. Cupcakes are done when they are risen and browned completely.

3. Let cool.

For the passion fruit syrup: • 10 ripe passion fruit • 1/4 cup passion fruit juice, store bought • Juice of 1/2 a lemon • 1/2 cup sugar * Remove the pulp from the passion fruit. Add in the remaining ingredients and boil until slightly thickened. Strain and keep aside.

For the vanilla bean diplomat cream: • 1 cup milk • 1⁄2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla essence) • 4 tbsp caster sugar • 3 tbsp custard powder • 1⁄2 cup whipped cream Preparation 1. Heat 3⁄4 cup milk with vanilla. Mix together remaining 1⁄4 cup milk with sugar and custard powder. Slowly add to hot milk and mix vigorously using a whisk. When mixture is thickened, pour into a bowl

and cover with cling wrap immediately, making sure that the cling wrap touches the surface of the custard. Refrigerate until chilled completely.

2. Remove from refrigerator and whisk the custard until smooth.

Gently fold in whipped cream. *Ideally this is the first thing to do for this recipe as it gives the custard time to set and cool in the fridge when the cake is being baked and the syrup is made.

Assembly: 1. Peel off the cupcake liners. Dip the cupcakes in passion fruit syrup and place them upside- down.

2. Pipe a small dollop of vanilla bean diplomat cream. Garnish with edible flower and serve.

AOL’s cosmopolitan Women’s Day

To mark International Women’s Day, the Art of Living Foundation’s Bahrain chapter organised a truly international gathering of ladies at the Capital Club. The group were led through an enjoyable ice-breaking session and guided meditation and introduced to the social objectives and work of the AOL Foundation. This was followed by a sumptuous all-vegetarian dinner. It was truly an evening with a difference, the emphasis being on empowerment through self-realisation.

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VICTORINOX More than 130 years of Experience and Lived Swiss Tradition.

A rock solid heritage, exacting commitment to Swiss precision and a consistent focus on quality and innovation are the absolute cornerstones of our business.

The original Swiss Army Knife, created by Karl Elsener in 1897, embodies the essence of Victorinox. Directional, intrepid and pioneering on the global stage, today our international brand spans five product categories: Swiss Army Knives, Cutlery, Watches, Travel Gear and Fragrances.

VICTORINOX CUTLERY The right tools always make the job at hand more pleasurable, especially in the kitchen. And that's why we put our passion into creating household and professional knives that are ergonomically designed and exceptionally sharp. Whether you use it in your five star restaurants or in your home kitchen, you'll feel like a pro with every slice, dice and chop.

SALAAM SOCIETY

SYMS Honours Daya Bai Compassionate human rights activist, Daya Bai was honoured with an award by the Syro-Malabar Society(SYMS) The Society's annual SYMS GFSS Work of Mercy Award 2019 was presented to Daya Bai in recognition of her tireless work in uplifting tribals in Central India.

Daya Bai originally named Mercy Mathew, overcame many hardships to become one among the tribals. She has since expanded her activism to victims of the toxic pesticide endosulfan which was widely used in Kerala's Kasargod district and affected many thousands of people.

“I am grateful to be here to meet many good people as I believe, each time you meet new people, new relationships arise, new hope and strength, new energy to build a new society, a just society,” said Daya Bai. She was given the award by chief guest, Capital Municipal Council Chairman Saleh Tarradah. The special guest of the day was Bahrain Businesswomen's Society President, Ahlam Janahi.

Singin’ for love

Kalaalaya, a group of enthusiastic amateur musicians celebrated Valentine’s Day with melody and warmth. The singers stepped up to belt out a mix of classic and new numbers and Satyan and his wife Srividya who drive the Kalaalaya team forward, welcomed and honoured supporters including Chief Guest Unnikrishnan, Chairman of SPAC and Editor-in-Chief of Daily Tribune newspaper, Prince Natarajan, the Honorary Chairman of The Indian School Bahrain and ISB Riffa Primary Section Principal Pamela Xavier and Vivekanand, a constant supporter and MD of Anand Bhavan.

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Bharathi Association celebrates Tamil traditions

The rich and mellifluous cadences of the Tamil language as spoken by special guest Suki Sivam delighted audiences at the Bharathi Association’s Pongal festival.

TheBahrain.pdf Tamil socio-cultural group12:24 alwaysPMmakes the most of this beloved harvest festival of the state and this year’s guest was the famous Salaam 7 3/13/19 orator and writer Suki Sivam. There was also a colourful cultural programme of traditional and folk dances, skits and traditional games.

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SALAAM SOCIETY

Bahrain Toastmasters Annual Speech Contest

This year’s Toastmasters’ Division D, District 20, was conducted under the patronage of H.E Shaikha Noora Bint Khalifa Abdul Aziz Al Khalifa, CEO and Founder of Medpoint at the Hotel Regency Intercontinental. The intense contests were divided into four major categories - Evaluation, Humorous, Tabletopics & International Speech. The winners were given trophies and the sponsors were recognised with a memento by the Division D Director Toastmaster Sarah Faqihi & Event Chair Toastmaster Waleed Othman.

Busy times at Al Noor Al Noor International School students have had a busy start to 2019 with many activities to keep their feet and minds nimble. There was a Spelling Bee which challenged the contestants’ literary abilities. After several nail-biting rounds, Lewangama Imeth Uthsara of 5Q, Lithesha Elangesan of Grade 6O and Rimsha Mohamed Ilyas of Grade 7G emerged as the winners out of 30 contestants.

Bahrain Sports Day was marked with students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 coming together for different events. The School's Scouts and Girls Guide troop participated in a walk at Sitra Park. They also participated in the Bahrain Sports Day celebrations organised by the Capital Governorate at Al Najma Club.

Inside the school, students enthusiastically participated in the Awareness sessions about Bahrain Sports Day, Walkathon, Aerobic sessions, football, volleyball & basketball matches and athletic events. The students also participated in a Career Fair at which they were enlightened about career opportunities and met with representatives of 38 universities.

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YOUNGISTAN

Delightful ISB Riffa Annual Day

The infectious energy of kids and the meticulous planning of the teachers combined to make for a crisp, creative and smooth Annual Day function of The Indian School, Riffa campus. More than 350 students wowed the audience with a cultural

show. Chief Guest, Renu Yadav, Indian Embassy Second Secretary and Guest of Honour Ministry of Education Kindergarten Directorate Senior Educational Specialist Yousuf Almadhi were full of praise for the show. More than 250 students received

awards for their academic and extracurricular achievements.

Vote of Thanks was proposed by Junior School Head Boy Chriswin Brawin and Head Girl Aysha Abdul Mishel Hamza.

Baby Kiara’s welcome party

Proud grandparents Gopichand and Komal went all out to throw many pretty pink welcome parties for their newest addition to the family. Four-month-old Kiara Vineet Menon is the daughter of Naval officer Vineet Jayprakash Menon and Deepti Talreja who are currently visiting the kingdom to show the baby the sandscapes of Bahrain.

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SONAKSHI FAILS TO HONOUR CONTRACT A case has been filed against Sonakshi Sinha and four others for allegedly not performing at an event in Delhi after having accepted payment for the same. The company claims that Sonakshi’s absence has caused a great deal of damage to their reputation.

Apparently, the spectators present at the show were so annoyed at the actress’ absence that they vandalised the venue.

According to the complainant, Sonakshi had agreed to be a part of his show in Delhi on September 30 and even accepted Rs 37 lakh for the same. However, she refused to turn up at the last minute, he added.

The news first emerged in November last year. Pramod Sharma, the owner of a Moradabad event firm named India Fashion and Beauty Award, claimed to pay Sonakshi Rs 28.17 lakh in June (in four installments

through electronic transfer) to perform at the company’s award show in Delhi.

It was reported that he spent Rs 9 lakh more on the commission of two event companies associated with Sonakshi and in arranging for her accommodation and travel.

However, despite having accepted the payment, Sonakshi did not show up at the event. It was reported that Sonakshi had released promotional videos of the award show after accepting the payment. But, on the day of the show, she cancelled her 10am flight and got two seats booked on the 3pm flight but never came to the event.

"I tried convincing her (Sonakshi) a lot to perform at the event and even told her that I will incur huge losses if she doesn't come, but she refused to perform," Sharma said.

Kriti plays PR-politics Leggy lass Kriti Sanon flashed in and out of a short romance with Raabta co-star Sushant Singh Rajput and despite Sushant’s efforts to woo her again, she is being wary about getting back into the relationship.

Sources say that Kriti is in no mood to mend fences with Sushant and turned down his invitation to the preview screening of his next release, 'Sonchiriya'.

As luck would have it, 'Sonchiriya' and Kriti-Kartik Aaryan starrer 'Lukka Chuppi' shared the same release date (March 1)..but not the same fate. While 'Lukka Chuppi' tipped the Rs. 18 crore mark by Day 2, 'Sonchiriya' limped to a mere Rs 2.70 crores for the same period.

Hmm – are we reading more into this than just PR politics? Did professional Kriti just avoid 'Sonchiriya' preview to make sure the public related her only to 'Lukka Chuppi'?

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HOW SALMAN BECAME PREM Much before Salman Khan was called 'Sultan' or 'Bhaijaan', the superstar was known as 'Prem', a popular screen name given by filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya, who says, its origins, just like his films, stem from the family.

Barjatya made his directorial debut with 1989's "Maine Pyar Kiya", which starred Khan as Prem, in what went on to become his breakout film.

The duo then worked on films like "Hum Aapke Hain Koun.!", "Hum SaathSaath Hain" and "Prem Ratan Dhan Payo", in which all of Khan's characters were christened Prem.

Even in the two films which Barjatya directed without Khan, "Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon" starring Hrithik Roshan and "Vivah" featuring Shahid Kapoor, he retained the name Prem for the male protagonist. "'Prem' signifies a man who has his basics right, who's traditionally rooted, has

fun but loves to be with his family and is good at heart," the hit-maker director said.

"When we were working on the script of 'Maine Pyaar Kiya', we were thinking about the name we should give to the hero.

There were options like 'Gaurav', 'Pratap' and even 'Raj'. This is before Shah Rukh Khan came." he revealed.

Finally, the name Prem was chosen as a good-luck omen since the biggest Rajshri Productions hit at that time was 'Dulhan Wahi Jo Piya Man Bhaye' (1977) and the hero in that movie was Prem Krishen and his screen name too was 'Prem'.

“So we all thought if that became a hit, let's use the name for this film too in the hope that this would become a hit too.

So that's how this name started and has stayed till now," he added.

Barjatya's films have always featured wealthy, large families, often in the backdrop of a grand wedding or a lavish family function.

Miley’s two words make PeeCee’s post a chart-topper How we obsess over relationships of celebs!

While everybody admired the photo of Nick Jonas and Priyanka ChopraJonas’ PDA at the Oscars after-party, a special comment from Miley Cyrus (she dated Nick seriously when both were teen stars) made everyone go into a frenzy.

Nick’s ex girlfriend Miley Cyrus hogged all the limelight with just one comment on a photograph of the Quantico actress that celebrity make-up artist Pati Dubroff shared on her social media.

“Pretty! Love,” Miley commented on a close up picture of PeeCee. In no time, fans made the post go viral and were asking the two pretty ladies to pose for a picture together.

Miley recently wed Liam Hemsworth who, incidentally, co-starred with Priyanka in her most recent film, 'Isn’t It Romantic'.

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Andria says she’s a #MeToo victim of Being Human CEO Mumbai-based model-actor Andria D’Souza, 33, has accused Manish Mandhana, CEO of Salman Khan’s charitable organisation, Being Human, of physically and sexually assaulting her. The violence, she says, has impaired her hearing in one ear.

D’Souza filed an FIR at the Gamdevi police station in Mumbai under Section 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt) of the Indian Penal Code.

Andria and Mandhana first met in Dubai in late 2015 during the launch of a Being Human store where they instantly “hit it off.”

Things, however, went downhill in August 2017, after which he got physically abusive, Andria said.

“He hit me so hard that I fell down and hit a table,” Andria said of the abuse. “The violence continued till November, when I couldn’t take it anymore. I would vomit, get vertigo attacks, feel

dizzy. Eventually I sought medical help, which is when I realised that I had suffered hearing impairment in one ear, besides several other complications. Socially, mentally, as well as financially, I was vulnerable and weak. I couldn’t function. The damage that abuse does to you is lasting.” ““I hope Salman Khan takes action against this man because he’s a serial offender. Several women have written to me saying the things he has done to them.

How can a monster be at the helm of a charitable organisation that’s called Being Human? He uses Salman’s name and brand to lure women,” she alleged.

We have every sympathy for Andria and absolutely do not condone abuse against any person. But when talking about the scars of abuse, did the model and aspiring actress take into account that infidelity too leaves

scars and marks a person for life?

When she blithely says she wrote to Mandhana’s wife about the abuse, did she pause to reflect on the bitter irony of the act?

Mandhana Industries is a major textile company based in Mumbai. In January 2011, they approached Khan’s Being Human NGO and entered into a licensing agreement to design, manufacture and distribute all Being Human merchandise. They are Being Human’s exclusive partners until 2028, The Quint reported last year.

Besides Khan’s massively popular brand, Mandhana has partnerships with other premium brands such as Pepe Jeans, Allen Solly, Tommy Hilfiger and River Island.

Both Mandhana and Salman Khan were unavailable for responses.

Karthi defends dad Sivakumar’s cellphone rage Veteran actor Sivakumar is a lucky man to have son Karthi who jumps to his defence, breathing fire and brimstone. The old-timer is normally a courteous man but recently, he created controversy by knocking away the mobile phones from the hands of fans on two different occasions when they tried to take a selfie with him. While he apologised to the fan the first time, the second time he just kept quiet and didn't issue a statement.

Recently, Sivakumar’s son Karthi and actress Kasturi Shankar met each other at the audio launch of 'July Kaatril'. On the dais, Kasturi said she's going to take a selfie with him and added that his father Sivakumar wasn't there with them (to knock her phone off).

A visibly irked Karthi was furious and he hit back saying, “This is completely unwanted now. The act of taking a selfie is just disrespectful in recent times. There is no sense for people to ask others before taking a photo. Instead, they just shove the phone on to your face. On top of it, the mobile phone has heavy flashes, which might affect a person with migraine.

It is just disheartening to see people stoop down to such levels that they cannot even ask permission of the concerned person.”

Earlier, when Sivakumar knocked down a fan's phone, his act was

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condemned by a lot of people. The veteran actor said that he is not a person who wouldn't take photos with his fans. Instead, he said that if his fans had asked him permission, he'd be willing to oblige for a selfie.

Later, Sivakumar apologised and gifted a new phone to the first fan whose phone broke when he knocked it off.

QUOTE OF THE

MONTH

Why do people have a movie star as their role model? My parents are my role model. I try to follow them. If you really want to see me as a role model, why don't you follow my real life personality? I am a socially responsible person. I don't drink and drive.

I don't smoke around in public places. I pay my taxes. Why don't you take up that Oviya as a role model? The Oviya you see in '90 ML' is an actor. She does what the director asks her to do. That's all.

Whe she was a Big Boss inhabitant, smalltime actress Oviya hit the headlines as the darling of the masses. Her ardent fans called themselves 'Oviya Army' and ‘Oviyans’.

Naturally, there was a lot of (unrealistic) expectations about her first film after Bigg Boss.

When the trailer hit the public though, the world came crashing down for these fans. The film, '90ML', has been panned by critics for its crudeness and lack of cinematic vigour. However, its Oviya’s fans and the self-appointed protectors of Tamil culture who are baying for blood.

In the film, Oviya and her five-member girl gang from the film are shown drinking, smoking and discussing their sexual desires

– very much a la 'Veere Di Wedding'. The actress’s fans have been mauling her on social media and dictating how women, especially actresses, should choose characters with responsibility.

Strange that male actors never face such criticism for worse on-screen behavior.

In fact, anybody who dares to call out the demi-Gods of cinema like Mammooty or challenge official decisions taken by Mohanlal as President of the AMMA, can be sure to face online ire and threats from fans.

Cool Oviya has shown how to handle such pressure with elan, asking fans to differentiate between her on-screen roles and real-life persona and firmly telling male chauvanists to simply not watch the movie.

Happy times for Nayanthara The year has begun well for Lady Superstar Nayanthara – her unofficially official relationship with filmmaker Vignesh Shivan is trending on social media with New Year and Valentine’s Day happy photos.

Vignesh's social media account is testimony to their relationship and often a treat to the sore eyes. Vignesh even called Nayanthara 'The Most Important Woman' of his life on Women's Day. The hard-working heroine scored a major hit with her film 'Viswasam', opposite Ajith which shook the bastions of Tamil box office by outpacing Rajinikanth’s 'Petta' in January and has gone on to make over Rs. 200 crores.

Just before the year ended, Nayanthara became the only South Indian heroine to feature in the annual 2018 Forbes India Celebrity 100 list. With an earning of Rs 15.17 crore, the actress occupies the 69th

spot in the list, ahead of actor-politician Kamal Haasan (71), Ram Charan (72) and Vijay Deverakonda (73).

Bengaluru-born Deepika Padukone, with earnings of Rs. 112.80 crores in 2018, came fourth in the list to become the first woman celebrity to find a place in the top five. Iconic beauty Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan weighed in at No. 56.

Representation from the South Indian film industry became more prolific with the number increasing to 17 from 13 in 2017. AR Rahman, with Rs 66.75 crore, and Rajinikanth with 50 crore, occupied the 11th and 15th positions on the list.

Oh, and for the third year, for the third time running, Salman Khan has topped the list, with earnings of Rs 253.25 crore.

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EDITOR'S VIEW

The year has started with a sad blood-letting across the world. And yet, in the darkest hour, we have been confronted by the power of goodness. The way in which NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern turned a bloody assault on Muslims by an Australian terrorist into a triumph of humanism and a one-ness with the victims and inspired her whole country to do the same, holds out hope for us all. Her unforced and genuine compassion and the swift action to ban all military-style semi-automatic weapons shows what can be achieved if the head and heart work as one.

Increasingly, we are assaulted by polarising conversations in our ordinary everyday lives about identity. We are constantly picking up the fragments of our selves – frayed by gender, race, religion and political affiliations – so that what is stitched together is a patchwork human being. The inventiveness with which we see our own reflections in every aspect of our engagement with life is where trouble begins. There is no simple devout visit to the mosque, the temple or the church anymore – it has to align with political affiliations; friendships and even intimate relationships are dented if two sides are not on the same page. We have lost the art of debate and the ability to disagree amicably.

Has it always been like this? As Shashi Tharoor said at his talk at the Capital Club, the reactions around us represent the dark side of globalisation. Considered as an inevitable and absolutely necessary process when it became the buzzword in the 1980s, globalisation, and its handmaiden, technology, dismantled the barriers between faraway cultures. While it was enjoyed and celebrated in the beginning, we are today seeing a backlash as localised cultures and traditions assert themselves against the one-size-fits-all impact of multinational cultural influences.

We have to keep our minds open against this destructive current that offers us a false sense of identity strength while encouraging the narrowing of our cultural understanding.

Ask yourself: does it really help you or your society that you bind yourself to narrow identities to the exclusion of a wider world view? Can you not accept and understand a different viewpoint and still hold your own, so that both can stand side by side and face the world with equanimity?

Vigilance against intolerance is our duty if the world of tomorrow has to be a better place for our children. It stamps out the ugly rash of prejudice that gives rise to terrorism, bullying and racist phobia. Are we ready to embrace a different opinion and become whole again?

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