Interview: Ahmad Safi, Ibne Safi's son

Ahmad Safi

Ahmad Safi at Ghalib's tomb

Ibne Safi

Ibne Safi, the pen name of Asrar Ahmad, was once described as "the only original writer in the subcontinent" by Agatha Christie and wrote 125 novels in his lifetime.

Born in Allahabad, he moved to Pakistan after Partition. He created the protagonist as the spy and crime-fighter hero Imran or X-2 in the Imran series and the duo of an aristocratic and Oxford-educated Col Faridi and his happy-go-lucky sidekick Capt Hameed in the Jasusi Duniya series. Ibne Safi was also a poet, writing under the pseudonym Asrar Narvi. Recently, Westland, along with Blaft, has published four translations of Ibne Safi's Jasusi Duniya series. His son Ahmad Safi, talks about his father's literary inspirations.

Are Col Faridi, Capt Hameed and Imran modelled on any real or fictional characters? Any secondary characters inspired from real life?
Col Faridi, Hameed and Imran are totally his creation... 'Abbou' used to term Faridi his dream hero. He wanted a law enforcement person like Faridi to exist in our system (of India and Pakistan), someone who would live and die to uphold the law. Faridi was a complete personality and over the years this character developed in such a way that Ibne Safi saheb was very careful in writing about him. One small mistake and the fans would go berserk... they wouldn't tolerate anything unlike Faridi from Faridi. That is probably the reason why though many people tried to write on Ibne Safi's character but no one adventured with Faridi!

The only secondary character that existed in real life was a comical figure "Ustaad Mehboob Niralay Alam." He lived in Karachi and claimed to be the last descendant of Bahadur Shah Zafar. He was known to have written letters to the Indian government to release all Mughal buildings, including Taj Mahal to him. Imran uses him in many novels to create various distractions for the enemies.

Where are the novels set?
A very strange thing about Ibne Safi's novels is that he never mentions the name of Faridi or Imran's countries. Although there are many fictitious places in his books described in complete geography, culture and social setups that people think those are probably real places. The reason for not mentioning the names of countries was probably that when he started writing, it was not much after Independence. India and Pakistan had come into being... but he raised the level of his locales above these boundaries yet maintaining individual identities. If you read Jasoosi Duniya with Col Faridi and Capt Hameed, from the names of the characters and places, you can guess that the series is set in India. Similarly, in the Imran series, the tell-tale names of places and characters imply that the locale is Pakistan. But why should we tag locales as such.... let's leave those to be Faridi and Imran's countries and enjoy the thrillers without any biases... that's why we have millions of fans on both sides of the border tied together with this relation.

Ibne Safi moved to Pakistan, but did he keep alive his connection to Allahabad?
The Allahabad connection never broke. He moved to Pakistan but the books kept being published simultaneously from Karachi and Allahabad till the end. Abbas Husainy Saheb of Nakhat Publications, Allahabad was more than just a friend; they had started Jasoosi Duniya in Nakhat together in early 50's and the relationship transcended the borders. Even when the mail could not be transacted between the two countries the manuscript from Pakistan used to get to Allahabad via England and other countries and the books appeared on shelves on both sides of the border about the same time. The connection still exists.

Nakhat Publications was closed down after the demise of Abbas Husainy and Shakeel Jamali as the offsprings took to other professions. In Pakistan, Asrar Publications continued publishing the novels. And during my recent trip to India, the Husaini and Safi families came together once more.

What were Ibne Safi's inspirations - books, films, personalities?
Ibne Safi saheb was a very well-read person. He enjoyed reading western detective literature a lot. He loved to watch English and American movies too. He liked to watch movies of various genres: from westerns to drama and action (e.g., James Bond). His favorite though was the TV presentation of the Alfred Hitchcock Hour, the weekly show on Pakistan TV. He loved watching Hitchcock movies and loved how he created and depicted suspense scenes without any music. In authors, he liked Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Earl Stanley Gardner (with all the pseudonyms he used!), Harold Robbins, Alistair MacLean, Louise L'amour (westerns). When he passed away the last novel on his bedside was L'amour's Rivers West. He also used to read Urdu literature from India and Pakistan and loved Miraji as a poet.

What kind of a person was he? How did overcome the depression he succumbed to during his career? And how did he manage to write one book a month?
He was a very down-to-earth and thorough gentleman. To many, he appeared rather reserved, but to close friends, he was a very frank and jolly person. His friends still remember his acute witticisms. His satirical and humorous remarks used to make people laugh their hearts out as they do in his books. He was both Father Hardstone as Faridi and a very light hearted and jolly man as Imran... both characters strangely stem out of this single person.

In the late 50's he became too prolific a writer with the output reaching four novels a month. This was the point at which his brain stopped normal functioning in 1961, as a psychiatrist put it when I discussed this episode with him in New York in the late 90's. It turns out that in some personalities in the literary and arts field, when the creativity peaks to these levels, they become vulnerable to many mental disorders. In Ibne Safi the disorder manifested itself as schizophrenia, disabling him to function normally for three years.

According to the psychiatrist I talked to, this disorder could clear all by itself if the patient survived through a certain period. Many medicinal and clinical methods were tired. Eventually, he came out of it in October 1963 when he wrote and published his great masterpiece Darh Matwaalay which was inaugurated in India by Lal Bahdur Shastri. It was very well received on both sides of the border and people queued up in long lines to get this masterpiece.

How did he react to Agatha Christie's remark that he was the only original fiction-writer in the subcontinent?
This quotation appeared in one of the local magazines "Alf Laila Digest" (1972) narrated by a famous poet and radio personality Mr. Razi Akhtar Shauq who had a meeting with Agatha Christie.

Ibne Safi was cool about it. He never commented on this and did not use in any of his novels as a promotional line. He was indifferent about what people say about him and was more focussed on his art. Once someone advised him to write like another famous English writer and he replied, "Why don't you tell that writer to write like me instead?"

As a father, what kind of books did he encourage you to read?
As a father, Ibne Safi never put any restrictions on his kids as to what they should read. We were pretty much free to read anything. All sorts of books were available at home as he himself was fond of reading. We loved to read his thrillers as it was the reigning craze at that time. He, however, used to discuss and describe the merits of one author or type of work on the other. Fiction of all kinds was recommended by him.

How many of his novels have you translated and what was the experience?
So far eight of his novels have already been translated. Bilal Tanweer translated two Imran Series novels from Random House under the title House of Fear. Four novels of Jasoosi Duniya (Faridi-Hameed) of the Dr Dread series were translated by Shamsur Rehman Faruqi published by Blaft/Westland. Two more novels of Imran Series translated by Taimoor Shahid are in press as we write these lines. Indeed, translating Ibne Safi is not a trivial task. He mixes local Urdu/Hindi local humor with the suspense stories in such a way that the reader laughs his heart out... however, if translated plainly, these puns would have no meaning in English. Couplets of Mir and Ghalib are used along with other poets, in creating hilarious situations. A true nightmare for the translators. I would congratulate Bilal, Faruqui Saheb and Taimoor for taking the challenge and completing the task at their best. The reviews of the last four Jasoosi Duniya novels can be seen on the Amazon.com as these novels were simultaneously published in eBook formats as well. People want more... and we'd have to think about it.

How is the response to his books? Do they have more takers in the regional language or in English?
The response has been great. From the customer reviews we find out that the translations are well received and easy for people to go through as thrillers by any other world class author. The young generation that grew up on English is again discovering an author that had been limited to Urdu/Hindi speaking populations of the world. In Pakistan Urdu versions are still popular and now even primary and secondary school libraries are found ordering the complete sets. English would take some time but I am sure that as more books are translated, these will also become very popular.

What do you think of detective fiction today? Who are your favourite authors in English and regional languages?
First of all, the reading habits are declining all over the world in general. We are not seeing A-class writers as we used to in the past. Detective fiction is no exception. In India and Pakistan, not many people are writing detective fiction and for those who are, the quality of their works in not worth reading. In Urdu, there are almost none and in Hindi, I have heard of Surinder Mohan Patak saheb. But since I do not know Hindi, I cannot give any opinion on his writing. However, I have heard only good things about him. For us, he is more important and respectable because he openly declares Ibne Safi as his predecessor from whom he learned.

In the West, however, the detective fiction is written by big names like Tom Clancy, John Grisham, Robert Ludlum and others. But I would have to admit that these novels are at times google-infested works of research, packing more information and with less of a story. Still, I love to read them.

Why the name Ibne Safi? And, what made you take on the surname Safi?
Ibne Safi had started writing in an era where only sexually explicit translations of the English novels were selling. If someone had to make money this was the shortest route. Ibne Safi took the challenge and created Jasoosi Duniya in 1952 which though devoid of sexually infested material, became popular in no time. When he wrote the first novel, he told Abbas Husainy Saheb that he, Asrar Narvi, the up and coming poet would not want his name to be associated with this genre of literature. The reason was the infamy of the genre of Jasoosi Duniya. Abbas Husainy saheb suggested many proper names but the final one that was very well liked was "Ibne Safi" (the Son of Safi).

When I was young, my grandfather Safiullah saheb took me to enroll in a school in the neighborhood. When the teacher asked my name, instead of saying "Izhar Ahmad" I said "Ahmad Safi" and the name stuck. All my brothers later changed their surnames to Safi. This is the name which gives us our identity and is a source of pride for all the family. 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-&-style/people/The-son-of-Ibne-Safi/articleshow/8270314.cms

Halal meat more tender, less cruel, say experts

Even as the UK Parliament refuses to serve halal meat at restaurants on its premises, fresh scientific opinion suggests halal is the better option. TOI investigates. 
Kounteya Sinha, Amit Bhattacharya & Anuradha VarmaKounteya Sinha, Amit Bhattacharya & Anuradha Varma, TNN
 

For Mohammad Salim, owner of a tiny meat shop in the Gurdwara Road Market of New Delhi's Kotla Mubarakpur area, business is just as it's been for the last 15 years since he moved to the capital from Agra. There seem to be more takers for mutton that Sunday morning than for the fresh batch of Rohu that's just arrived. The practising Muslim packs half kilo curry pieces of a leg of mutton in polythene. For this seller of halal meat, the recent debate over the UK parliament rejecting demands to serve halal meat in its restaurants, on grounds of cruelty, is pointless.

"We read a kalma (Quranic verse) before the meat is cut. Lekin, marta toh murga hi hai (Finally, it's the animal that pays the price). It's just a question of using different methods of slaughter," he shrugs.
Early this month, British newspapers had reported that Muslim MPs and peers were told they wouldn't be served meat slaughtered in line with Islamic tradition - slitting the animal's throat without first stunning it - since it was offensive to their non-Muslim colleagues.


Even as voices of dissent grow louder among furious UK parliamentarians, experts are speaking in favour of halal meat. According to fresh scientific opinion, halal - the method of slaughter that kills the animal with a deep cut across the neck - produces meat that's more tender, stays fresh longer, and is less painful to the animal than say, the jhatka method that involves severing its head in one powerful blow.


Dr V K Modi, head of department of meat technology at the Central Food Technology Research Institute in Mysore, says the halal method is effective in draining out most of the blood from a slaughtered animal, which is vital if its meat is to be soft. "In jhatka, chances of blood clotting are higher. This could spoil the meat if it's kept uncooked for a few days. It could also make the meat tougher to chew."


Halal has been the traditional method of killing animals for meat. It's only in the early 20th century that Sikhs of Punjab propagated jhatka as a 'less painful way' of killing the animal, although it would appear that the alternative way of slaughter was propagated more to differentiate it from the 'Muslim way' of killing the animal.
Halal involves a swipe with a sharp blade across the animal's neck, severing the windpipe, jugular vein and carotid artery. Contrary to popular belief, Dr Modi, who trains butchers in the art of slaughtering at the institute's abattoir, says evidence suggests that animals slaughtered through jhatka suffer more trauma than those killed by halal. "The less an animal struggles, the better the meat. When animals face trauma, the glycogen content in their muscles is activated, leaving the meat tough. Stored glycogen is the agent that leads to rigor mortis (or, stiffening of muscles on death)," Dr Modi says.


For the meat to be tender and juicy, the pH count in the animal should ideally be around 5.4 after slaughter. "Struggle leads to the utilisation of stored energy, making the pH count rise to as high as 7," In halal the struggle is lesser by at least 20 per cent, claims a Delhibased nutrition expert.


Dr Modi has support from Dr Karuna Chaturvedi, consultant nutritionist at Apollo Hospitals in New Delhi. "Halal is considered healthier because after slaughter, blood is drained from the animal's arteries, ejecting most toxins because the heart continues to pump for a few seconds after slaughter. In jhatka, not all the blood is drained, leaving the meat tougher and drier."


Tracing the origin of jhatka, Jodh Singh, editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia of Sikhism, says it was at the beginning of the last century that Sikh scholars compiled the faith's Rehat Maryada, or code of conduct. "It clearly prohibits slaughtering animals through halal," he notes. Chapter 13 of Section 6 of the Maryada mentions four taboos, including "eating the meat of an animal slaughtered the Muslim way".


Food is a vital marker of identity, believes Sikh scholar, chair and Crawford Family professor, department of religious studies at Colby College in Maine, Prof Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh. "Halal is prohibited in Sikhism to avoid both, the pain caused to the animal and the ritualistic dimension practised by neighbouring 'others'.
Ironically, in most Indian abattoirs, animals are first stunned with 70 volts of electricity in the brain, leaving them unconscious. "The animal's state of unconsciousness reduces its struggle," says Dr Modi. However, Islamic scholar Maulana Wahiuddin Khan argues that the Islamic code of slaughter doesn't approve of stunning. "According to Islam, the purpose of slaughtering is to release all blood from the animal's body, leaving no room for growth of micro-organisms. When stunned, only a part of its blood is released."


Flesh is lawful, blood, unlawful, states Islam, according to the Maulana. Stunning, in fact, puts the breaks on the blood drain due to a halt in the brain's activity, freezing it mid-stream.


But Mohammed Noman Lateef, GM, Halal India Pvt. Ltd., an established halal certification body in India, highlights a subtle difference in detail. "We are not against stunning as long as it doesn't kill the animal before it's presented for slaughter."


"By cutting the windpipe and the carotid artery, the flow of blood to the nerve in the brain that causes the sensation of pain, is stopped," says Mufti Obaidullah Qasmi, former teacher at Darul Uloom, Deoband. "This leads to reduced pain." The animal may appear to struggle and kick but that's due to the contraction and relaxation of muscles deficient in blood rather than pain.


Lateef says halal is finding favour even among non-Muslims for the hygiene factor. Halal, a $2.1 trillion industry is growing at the rate of $500 million annually. "By 2015, Muslims will account for 25 per cent of the global population. Even in a country like France, there are over eight million Muslims, who love meat. Their needs cannot be ignored."


Given India's sizeable Muslim population, it's not surprising that most supermarket chains prefer to offer halal meat. Sreejith Mohan, headcategory, Godrej Nature's Basket, says halal is practically standard operating procedure. "Most slaughter houses in India have moved to the halal system, and the meat comes halal-certified." For fast food multinational McDonalds, using halal meat in its products makes practical sense. "We respect cultural and local sensibilities," says Amrita Pai, McDonalds spokesperson for south and west India region.


The HyperCITY chain of supermarkets that offers fresh produce, foods and grocery among other items, stock both, jhatka and halal meat. Ashutosh Chakradeo, head - buying, merchandising & supply chain, says jhatka works in the northern Indian market while it's halal across most of the country.


In a move that's perhaps befitting the theory of leaving food, if nothing else, out of controversy, butcher Mohammad Salim finds company in leading Sikh scholar JS Neki: "Meat in both cases is just that - meat !"

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-&-style/food/food-reviews/Science-of-meat/articleshow/11672654.cms
 

The Widowhood Effect

Losing your partner in your twilight years is tough, says Anuradha Varma, but you need to move on.

Losing a spouse can be tough, that too when you are no longer young. Known as the Widowhood Effect, it leaves surviving spouses feeling lonely, lost and depressed.

Experts say that dependence on a spouse begins to increase once the children grow up and leave home. Losing a spouse means losing a confidante and companion. Clinical psychologist Seema Hingorrany explains, "I hear many people say that they don't know who to share their problems with anymore. They feel the children are busy with their own families and work. They feel that no one can take the place of a spouse."
Those who lose a partner in their twilight years, she adds, "go through extreme loneliness and depression, which could lead to physiological problems. There is also insecurity that accompanies advanced age."

A time of great stress
Research shows that immense grief may cause many to die within three years of their spouse's passing away. Elderly care-giving spouses are at a 63 per cent greater risk of death than older people not caring for their mates, according to the American Medical Association.

In a study involving 58,000 married couples, researchers at St Andrews University found that 40 per cent of women and 26 per cent of men died within three years of their partner. A study published in the Internal Medicine Journal in 2009 also reported that such bereavement can cause elevated heart rates, particularly during the early weeks.

Lack of will to live
Shweta (name changed) remembers her father, in his late 70s, losing the will to live after her mother died. Any effort to elevate his mood remained unsuccessful. He passed away a year later. Another elderly gentleman in his 90s was leading an active lifestyle, but the death of his wife saw his health deteriorating. At times, even having a large family around doesn't help the grieving spouse.

Remarks psychiatrist Anjali Chhabria: "For some time, the partner may need some time and space to deal with the grief. Old memories hound you for a while, since you have spent almost your entire life with that person and shared everything, emotionally and physically, which makes the absence unbearable. You meet people or go to places which remind you of your spouse. Elderly couples report they don't feel like living themselves after their partner's loss. However, avoiding and isolating yourself is not an appropriate solution."

Get independent
Support structures play a crucial role here. Points out Chhabria, "Handling your spouse's responsibilities and liabilities once the person is no more causes more stress. Picking up the pieces without your partner may not be easy. However, dealing with loneliness, emptiness and the depression is most important."

People who are still active and independent tend to move on faster than the ones who have been financially and emotionally dependent on their spouses. How can one survive such loss? One way is to stay occupied and gain independence. Chhabria adds, "Spiritual discourses can help some become emotionally stronger. Actively participating in senior citizens' groups may help in forming new friendships. Health is of prime importance, so morning walks, temple visits, catching up with old friends should be encouraged."

Seema recommends, "One should try to cultivate hobbies like playing cards or doing social work. Building bonds with grandchildren also helps; help them with their homework or attend PTA meets."

Meet your peer group
Old age can be especially tough for those who lack meaningful attachments and feel isolated by society, trapped in a cycle of loneliness and lack of dignity. Faced with hopelessness, death seems welcome. Astrologer Bejan Daruwalla, who is now pushing 80, says, "Many times, senior citizens feel completely betrayed. They feel they have been let down, done in, by those they had nurtured when they were younger and had the strength to do so."

An encounter with Dignity Foundation showed Bejan that there was hope for the elderly. The Foundation, which works for empowerment of senior citizens, also runs a companionship programme for them in Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata and Pune. Its founder Sheelu Srinivasan says, "We have volunteers, also seniors, who visit individuals in their homes. We get requests from many young people to help seniors living at home. Interaction with a peer group is very important. A person who loses a spouse at this stage in life can be very lonely. Sharing stories with similar people, giving vent to their emotions, rescues them from the brink of hopelessness." They also organise regular daily sessions of activities such as yoga, meditation and Tai Chi termed 'Kalyan Mitrata' on the Buddhist principle of "welfare for all," encouraging bonds with deep empathy.
Ultimately, it's all about relearning how to enjoy the little joys of life!

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-&-style/spirituality/holistic-living/Learning-to-live/articleshow/11168361.cms

Gift a memory

Anwita Sarin's work

A niece blogs about her former Miss India aunt, another little girl creates a scrapbook for her older sis... it's time to archive memories. Anuradha Varma reports

There's nothing like turning back the pages in time to revisit precious memories. A gift of the past creates firm bonds in the present.


A book of memories: When Vijay Mehta turned 70 in August last year, his family gifted him a coffee table book of memories. Recalls his wife Radha, "He was reduced to tears. He said we had made him immortal. My daughter Anjali Soota and her husband, based in Singapore, contacted friends and family, who shared their memories about him." The book was unveiled along with a video during the celebrations in Lucknow.





A scrapbook is also a great way to keep memories alive. Mumbai-based Kaya Shewakramani started Kreating Keepsakes after making scrapbooks of photographs for family and friends. She says, "It's simple and yet special and unique to each individual. No two personalised scrapbook albums can be the same. One woman created her daughter's growing years, from her hospital birth to her 21st birthday. A 10-year-old girl made an album for her 15-year-old sister on her birthday."

A life archived: Anwita Sarin combined her talents as an artist, textile designer, illustrator and stylist to put together an exhibition which turned her focus on her husband's grandmother. While studying in London, she participated in a reminiscence therapy group organised for the elderly. This triggered her work Looking In Your Wardrobe, which led to her archiving the life of "a member of my family, Audrey Sarin".

Based in Delhi, Anwita explains, "My work is an investigation into how old objects can perpetuate memories. I write biographies by imprinting memories in the form of photographs, letters and writings onto personalised objects, using hand screen printing and embroidery. These objects then become part of an installation."

She believes, "Storytelling is an inseparable bond that brings together generations - a bond that creates a feeling of oneness and belonging." Besides receiving enquiries for creating similar installations, she was touched when a 10-year-old girl told her mother that they should go home and take out her grandmother's photographs to make a scrapbook.

The memory project: Anusha S Yadav began researching for old and new wedding pictures for a book on Indian weddings, but the search led her to something beyond - an oral history of Indians. From Facebook, the project went online as The Indian Memory Project, where people were free to post their collective memories. She recollects, "If I were to put 20 pictures and their stories side by side with Mumbai city and people through time, it would give me a fair idea about Mumbai's history!"

Veena Sajnani, Miss India 1970

The images and stories include model Veena Sajnani's story, contributed by her niece Smita Sajnani, on how she won the Miss India contest in 1970, beating Zeenat Aman. Another tells the story of a teenaged couple Chameli and Phool Chand, who fought for India's independence, contributed by their grandson Sreenivasan Jain. The sepia photograph shows them holding hands, unconventional for those times. Anusha states, "We are also in midst of a curious generation, exceptionally curious about the future and somewhat respectful of history."

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-13/trends/30338517_1_oral-history-coffee-table-book-scrapbook

Young & blogging it!

Raghav Sarma

They're opinionated and know what they're talking about. From writing on golf tournaments to make-up and cars, tweens and teens are out there, registering their presence on the worldwide web.

Teeing off online!
Sanjith Rao (9) tees off with high-profile Internet entrepreneur Sabeer Bhatia and blogs about his day on Little Mairpady. In a post on the South Zone Junior Golf Tournament at Thiruvananthapuram last year, he writes, "For breakfast I had idli and sambhar. At 7.30 am we teed-off. My game was good. I took 52 shots (They are known as strokes)." His posts span the gamut from magic tricks, board games, and climbing trees. He loves computers and figures, "in 2 or 3 years I will know everything about programming and I will be able to write my own programs."

Sanjith, a grade 4 student at Bangalore's Shishu Griha Montessori, started the blog, when he was seven. He says, "Nobody in my school knows yet." Does he know what he wants to be once he's older? "Yes, a software engineer."

On a virtual highway
Raghav Sarma (13), a student of New Delhi's Modern School and perhaps the world's youngest automobile blogger, wanted his father to teach him how to drive a car. He obviously refused, but when Raghav wailed, "I know more about cars than you do," he asked him to chronicle it online and prove it. That's how the blog LTD - Licence To Drive began. One month on, Raghav blogs about the F1, hybrid cars and his favourite SUVs. His blog also attracted advertising banners from international automobile biggies.
He says, "I'm too young to know what I want to be in the future, but I like the idea of automobile journalism or even becoming a footballer." His father's friends also take his a dv i c e on what car to buy!

All made up!
"Make-up, make-up and some more make-up... Just a blog with random thoughts, reviews on products and much more from a young make-up addict," states Fathima Abdul Kader's blog Brittu00Present.

The 16-year-old from Paravur, near Ernakulam in Kerala, dreams of getting a degree in literature or journalism, learning the art of make-up or turning fulltime blogger. The writing bug first bit the 11th grader when she started contributing articles for a lifestyle blog to make some extra bucks and finally, set up her own. Her parents are supportive and her brother offers technical support, but she didn't tell her friends for a long time, worried they would "think I was vain". But now, they come to her for tips.

She says, "I mainly get products from online shops and small mineral make-up companies who want their brand to be known t h r o u g h word of mouth. I have never ever been paid to write on my blog and would never do that as it goes against review-blogger ethics." Her dream for her blog? "I want people to see it as a make-up blog for teenage girls by a teenage girl, where I review cheap and good products for girls like me who can't afford high-end products."

Miss, Mr or Mixter?
It's tough being a gay teen in India, and that's probably what drew "Firebolt" to the virtual space. The teen started a self-exploratory blog The Freezing Flames three years ago, aged 16. Says the student of BTech (computer science), "I 'came out' to my parents and they understand. I identify as nothing, neither male nor female. Only my sister and very close friends are aware of the blog. It was my private space."

There's a second blog now - Space of Nothing. Having given up the idea of gender, the pronoun "he" is fine if pushed. The identity remains secret. A quote from the blog, "I hate being called 'Miss' and am not quite used to 'Mister'. The other day, I came across a gender neutral honorific 'Mx' (pronounced Mix or Mixter)... and I'm considering using that if need be." From tweeting about the Delhi earthquake to Durga Puja with cousins and spending vacations in Bangalore, he also reads a lot of queer blogs and is a fan of the "queer" Khaos Komix. His Twitter profile states: "I refuse to conform. I defy your notions of gender and sexuality. You cannot tell me who or what I am. I am me. I dare you to face me."

They can't be ignored and looks like we'll be reading a lot more from them!

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-06/man-woman/30366354_1_blog-hybrid-cars-automobile

Eager to give, but don't know where to begin?

These social entrepreneurs just put their skills where their heart is, from teaching slum children English, to packaging social awareness in mobile games and spreading smiles through theatre, discovers Anuradha Varma

YOU won't find them in kurta-pyjamas but in jeans and t-shirts, doing what they do best - getting things done. These innovative visionaries are high on social consciousness. For Siva Cotipalli, whose website Dhanax connects the 'haves' with 'havenots', Poonam Bir Kasturi, whose dream is to make India green with her do-it-yourself biodegradable Daily Dump pots, Brij Kothari, who gives literacy a leg up with his concept of 'same language subtitling', Karthik Kumar of Evam, a theatre group that gives you happiness for the price of a ticket, Hilmi Quraishi who sells social awareness through a mobile phone and many others like them, the return on investment more often than not comes from their impact on society. A social entrepreneur works for more than just profit...


Jithin C Nedumala, Make a Difference (MAD)

MAD provides a common and convenient platform for youth to make a difference in children's lives, by teaching a batch twice a week. The cost of teaching a child for a month comes to something like Rs 10.41. Says Nedumala, "We take a child when she is in the 5th standard, teach her English in a fun way four hours every week, ensure she has her computer class half an hour daily and meets professionals from various fields." He adds, "Once she finishes 10th she would be well equipped with the language and we would find a sponsor for her higher education. Hence, MAD is probably the most efficient way of spending your 10 rupees." MAD teaches 1,200 children with the help of 350 volunteers in four cities, which will soon expand to five more. They plan to take the concept to Nigeria and Pakistan as well.


Siva Cotipalli, Dhanax

Want to put aside some money to help the needy? Contact Dhanax. It partners with NGOs and self-help groups to identify credible borrowers. They also determine the ability of the borrowing party to honour the repayment of loan. A lender registered on the Dhanax website goes through the borrower information and chooses one or more borrowers to lend to. People lend only once to the borrower. The borrower repays the lender monthly. The beneficiaries are mainly low-income women earning Rs 5,000-Rs 8,000 per month who take loans for starting small businesses, pay kids' school fees, etc. Says Cotipalli, "So far, over 350 loans have been funded through the website. We have transacted over Rs 20 lakh of loan amount and the largest lending has been Rs 60,000."



Brij Kothari, Planet Read

When Kothari was a student of Spanish during his time at Stanford University, he once commented to friends that if Spanish films came subtitled in the same language, it would help their linguistic skills a lot more. Recalls Kothari, "In jest, I added that if they put Hindi subtitles on Hindi film songs, India would become literate." The idea stuck and he spent the next 12 years on research. He explains, "It's karaoke on popular culture. Viewers begin to read along and thus, reading improvement becomes a by-product of entertainment." Over the last 10 years, SLS (Same Language Subtitling) has been implemented on Bollywood film songs on TV in Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Oriya, and Punjabi. It has woven regular reading practice into the lives of 150 million early-literate people. The goal is to persuade all channels in India to show song content on TV with SLS.


Poonam Bir Kasturi, Daily Dump

Can an ordinary person do anything to make the five-km radius around them better? That's the question Bangalore-based NID designer Poonam Bir Kasturi asked herself. The answer was Daily Dump, which enables the ordinary home owner to not throw out her organic waste, but compost it at home in a pot. Kasturi explains, "All organic waste can be composted - vegetable, fruits, cooked food, even bones and fish waste, teabags, newspapers, flowers, sawdust, etc. Plastic, metal, medicines and diseased plants can't be composted." The compost can be sold to a nursery or put in potted plants or used to nourish a tree. Her dream is to make "composters fit every home in India". While Kasturi funds her business from what she earns as a design consultant, she maintains, "Wall Street would discount it, but I think it's worth it."


Hilmi Quraishi, ZMQ

An educational technologist, Quraishi believes profits make for more commitment. From mobile games creating awareness on HIV/AIDs and climate consciousness, the company plans an SMS-based system offering prenatal and post-natal advice for women in rural areas, which will give her tips on what to eat, vaccines, etc. Also planned are a series on lifestyle diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes. While the games are usually free, a nominal amount is charged. The games are made popular through NGOs, schools and other local organisations. Often, profits are put back into making games. He says, "If an aerated water bottle can be sold in villages for Rs 10, why can't we sell training packages for the same price?"


Karthik Kumar, Evam Entertainment Pvt Ltd

The "happiness factory" was a vision of two people - Sunil Vishnu K and Karthik Kumar, both MICA graduates. Says Kumar, "We ran a successful youth-theatre movement in Ahmedabad and this sparked our own storytelling enterprise." He adds, "Our audiences have been easily enthused by energetic performances, and this has led to workshops, fun merchandise, and stories in other formats." They have been self-funded in their five years of operation, and this shows the soundness of the model itself.


Vishal Talreja, Dream A Dream

The project had modest beginnings, with a group of young people, taking children from local orphanages on special outings on weekends. Soon, the dream got bigger. Founded in 1999, it now teaches life skills to children referred by their partner NGOs in Bangalore. Says Talreja, "They are children whose basic needs such as food, shelter and education are being met but who, without support and opportunities run a risk of falling back into the vicious cycle of life on the street." The skills taught include teamwork, communication, decision making, besides building confidence and self-awareness.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-toi/Eager-to-give-but-dont-know-where-to-begin/articleshow/3996205.cms

Mobile hell…

After weeks of research, I decide to abandon my CDMA connection and buy an android GSM handset. Right after buying it, I walk two shops away to the Reliance store and ask for a GSM connection… should take a couple of hours, I think.

Ha! Guy at counter: Why do you want to shift to GSM? Me: Not enough good CDMA handsets. He: That’s true… but GSM gives problems.  Me: I don’t care.. I just want it fast. He: It’ll take seven days and you have to provide fresh identification.

My pancard and press i-card (with my billing address) won’t do … I need to get a bank passbook, an updated one. I say forget it, I’ll just go elsewhere. I go to Airtel nearby… how long does it take to get my number ported? Seven days, he says, without looking up. Not happy, I walk to Idea next door. Seven days, the guy says, and says the ID I’m carrying will do. He looks helpful. Great… so let’s do it. I go back to Reliance, pay my bill and inform guy at Reliance that Idea is doing it now… Good for me, he says.

In this case, the network really follows me… I call both mobile providers daily for updates (sometimes more than once a day), desperate to use my new android phone. Reliance calls me almost daily too… asking me why I want to shift (old customer)… at first, I enthusiastically complain about the guy at the store and over the next few days, am reduced to asking them to just get it done… finally, I get a confessional call, where I’m informed that nothing has moved and will take another week.. so why not just stick with us? By now, I’m yelling and am used to putting on my rude voice effortlessly.. JUST DO IT, I tell them. Okay? No… the next call tells me that my number portability request is cancelled… Why? “Why don’t you put in a request to find out?” I won’t! Stern voice: “Well, then, if you don’t cooperate, we can’t help you.” I want to talk to a senior… “I’m the senior.”

Idea too has little idea what’s happening. “Today’s the seventh day, your old connection will switch off at midnight and after two hours, the new one will start working. Don’t worry… pucca.” At midnight, my old connection’s still working. Mad and feeling slightly foolish for believing them, I call customer care: “It’s 7 days minus Sunday and Diwali.” And Saturday? “No, only Sunday.”

I count 7 days, minus Diwali, Sundays and also throw in Bhai Dooj, etc. 3 more days to go then… I call after 3 days. Guy at Idea: Didn’t you just call? You didn’t get status then? Me: That was in the morning; now, it’s evening. What’s the status? “You can’t count Saturdays and Sundays.” Saturdays too? “Obviously, Saturday and Sunday.” Obviously.

Maybe I should just chuck the number and get a new one. I go to the Vodafone showroom. They seem happy to see me. I have a landline bill for my residence, but am not home during the day. No problem, they’ll verify at my office. Just give a colleague’s reference. No.. I’m not sharing any colleague’s contact. Just give the name, I'm told, it’s a formality. Okay, I guess. Three days later, I want to know why my connection hasn’t been activated. Customer care is full of assurances as usual and it should take anywhere from 24 hours to 72 hours. After being put on hold for 5 minutes, I head to the showroom. My connection hasn’t been activated since my colleague hasn’t presented his ID. Okay, and what if he shows his I-card, will it do? Hmmm, will it contain the address he stays at? I yell at the guy, “Would you know that about any of your colleagues?” Silence. Fine, meet my landlady… provided she’s not out for kirtan when you come. My landlady sounds wary when I call, “Aunty, they want to see your ID.” Getting a home loan was easier… I give up. Give me a prepaid card instead.. how long will that take? 24 hours! That was three days ago. I can’t recharge it online.. customer care says to visit the showroom.. I don’t have the time. “Then we can’t help you.” Do they have the number? “We can only give you the address.”

I try to prove to a friend that I’m not exaggerating… in front of her, I call up Reliance thrice.. a different status each time. The first one tells me everything is in order, the last tells me he’ll lose his job if he gives me a false commitment… I assure him he won’t; I have been getting such commitments all fortnight. When I call Idea, the male voice asks, “Madam bol rahin hain ya sir? (Is that a Madam or Sir).”

So, now I have to prioritise.. Chase Vodafone, try Airtel now or just chase Reliance? By now, I have written to the nodal officer, TRAI and the Corp Comm of Reliance… I guess I’ll just chase Reliance. I’d still rather retain my number. Meanwhile, use the new handset to play Angry Birds. When I first started playing it, I was so involved I thought a call would almost be intrusive… no such fear now!

PS: At midnight (November 10), the switch finally happened. Couldn't believe it was actually happening! It took almost 21 days. All is well with the world again... for now!