The Bengal Dilemma

Having been defeated in its efforts to teach Manmohan Singh a lesson the left faces a major challenges in the next General Elections. Saurabh Gupta points out what these are in West Bengal.

The trust vote on 22nd July may have been an important event in Indian Politics and with the government having survived the left must be licking its wounds after it efforts to topple the government failed. But there are many more problems in store. It has had to expel one of its senior most politicians and speaker Somnath Chatterjee who maintained his dignity by refusing to appeal against the expulsion and quitting active politics. Obviously the party members in West Bengal are not too happy with this decision as Somnath Chaterjee is a respected figure and has been with the party for a long time. Karat’s efforts to enforce discipline have not gone down to well in a state where the party is in power but facing severe criticism for its handling of the Nandigram crisis. Many CPI-M leaders in the state like Subhash Chakraborty have publicly stated their disapproval of the decision and the much touted unity of the left seems to under threat.
There is still time for assembly elections in the state but the bigger headache is the parliamentary elections scheduled for next year. The Panchayat elections have seen the fortunes of the party dip and the Left would certainly not want a repeat of this in the next elections. In the last general elections the Left did exceptionally well but it will be difficult to emulate that kind of a performance this time. There are many reasons for this. If the Congress and the Trinamool Congress decide to go together then definitely that becomes a worry for the Left. However what is comforting for the left is that Somen Mitra, once a bitter rival of Mamata Banerjee has now left the Congress, formed his own political outfit and joined hands with her. The congress in such a situation might want to refrain from forming a coalition with her. This would definitely help the left.
A bigger problem for the Left is Nandigram. It has still not returned to normal and hostilities between the two warring groups have not ceased. More importantly the intelligentsia seems to be unhappy with the government and its handling of the situation there. This may have a rippling effect and if it does then it certainly becomes a headache as their bargaining power at the centre decreases. That is exactly what they don’t want. Besides with many in West Bengal are disillusioned with Somnath Chatterjee’ s expulsion which going to make it even more difficult for the party to motivate its cadres for an all important election. Besides these issues, others like the Rizwanur Rehman case will be used by the opposition which makes it even more problematic for the CPI-M led Left Front. Infact some of the Left Front partners have also voiced their differences with the CPI-M and this is not a good sign for the Party that has ruled the state for more than 30 years.
With the CPI-M boss openly proclaiming that an alliance with the Congress is unlikely in the future, he must be clearly looking at creating the third front. But how far will the CPI-M go with the likes of Mayawati? Though they share common views on many issues it is going to be difficult to form a government with her. She will be demanding and how many of those demands the CPI-M can accommodate remains to be seen.
But strange things have happened in politics before and almost every political party has survived tough times. It would be interesting to see what happens next year. Will Singh be King or will Karat have the last laugh basking in the glory of an actual third front?

The Political Theatre

My views on yesterday's drama.

The victory of the UPA comes as a relief to many like me. I call it the ultimate lesson for Prakash Karat and he should realize that his hard-line approach and attempts to bull doze the gentleman leading the country have been rejected. But people like him never learn. Karat is adamant and stubborn and he seems to be unfazed by the verdict of the Lok Sabha. Somnath Chatterjee’s pragmatic and bold decision should put Karat in place and I hope the CPI-M does not make the mistake of taking action against one of its senior most parliamentarians to restore their general secretary’s ego. Mr. Chatterjee’s decision is befitting of a senior parliamentarian like him and MP’s like Mohammed Salim have a lot to learn from him. The speaker has not only set a precedent for the future but he has shown enormous skill and personality in the manner that he has conducted the Lok Sabha. He has proved that as a speaker he is impartial and will go even against the diktats of egoist like Karat who run his party and put his political career at stake.

According to Mr. Advani this is just a numerical victory for the government. Well if it was that insignificant then I don’t understand why his party was making elaborate plans to airlift critically injured members. After all it was just a question of a numerical victory. Mr. Advani also said if his government came to power he would re-negotiate the nuclear deal. As the leader of the opposition he could have simply pointed out to the Prime Minister what was wrong. But as we all know the BJP saw an opportunity to bring the government down and tried to exploit this chance. Mr. Advani simply cannot wait till the next election. He knows it might be too late for him and his party. The BJP has proved its double standards. They know it’s a historic agreement and they wanted a moment of glory for themselves. They could not see the quiet and demure Dr. Manmohan Singh walk way with the credit of ushering in a new era in India’s nuclear policy.

Meanwhile our MP’s never stop surprising us. If one thought that the Cash for Query Scam was the worst our parliament would see then one was wrong. The honorable members of Parliament went a step further yesterday by bringing a bag full of currency notes into the house after accusing the government of trying to buy votes. Even if their claim is accurate there was no need to bring currency notes into the house and diminish its sanctity. Anyways I am sure next time around they will prove to us again that they can do worse.

With so many things happening there were some moments to admire also. Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee who is one of the senior most members of the Lok Sabha was ailing. But even then when he had to leave on account of his illness he actually sought the permission of the speaker before doing so. This is something that his party members have not imbibed as they do not even listen when the speaker is talking. Another great sight was the impact the speeches made by our young MP’s like Rahul Gandhi and Omar Abdullah. In Indian Politics where age is often the most important qualification and politicians do not retire till they die this was a most welcome situation. It spells a lot of hope for the country.

Now the vote is over. I hope political parties have learnt their lesson and people like Prakash Karat and Lal Krishna Advani do realize that politics is not always about fooling the people. Sometimes it can backfire on you. As for our Parliament and is procedures , I only wish we had a few more Somnath Chatterjees and Atal Behari Vajpayees just to ensure that basic decorum is maintained in Parliament. The nation is watching.

Parliamentary Troubles

My views on last week's political drama.

A comment on democracy in India throws up so many issues. Infact there have been many comments on the nature of our democracy and the way our political system functions. But the last week has left everyone stunned. Amid allegations of horse trading among members of parliament political strategists have tried every trick in the bag to achieve their goals in the 22nd July trust vote. While alliances have shifted, new ones have been drawn up to ensure the government survives. Politicians like Mayawati have openly declared that she has a single point agenda i.e. to topple the government. Defections have occurred leading to party strategists of both alliances, the INC and the BJP conducting meetings and elaborate dinners to ensure every vote is in their pocket. The situation is such that MP’s are even being airlifted from hospitals to allow them to vote. Elusive MP’s who never attend Parliament like Dharmendra and Govinda are also turning up for the 22nd July vote.

In this melee we are left wondering as to what personalities like Dr Manmohan Singh and Somnath Chatterjee must be thinking. While the former has hardly spoken to the media the speaker has refused to be a party to Mission Topple UPA which has been envisaged and executed by the CPI-M boss, Prakash Karat. For Comrade Karat that is certainly an embarrassment as all along he has been advocating that the Nuclear Deal is against national interest and his attempt to prevent this deal from happening has been snubbed by the senior most parliamentarian from his party. I admire Somnath Chatterjee for his decision. He has set a precedent for speakers in the future to follow. Chatterjee has been a parliamentarian for years and definitely understands what is expected of the speaker.

Manmohan Singh on the other hand has been a disappointment. Even when his government is at stake he has not come out and explained what the deal is all about. The people of this country which includes common citizens like me are still willing to hear from you Mr. Prime Minister. We want to know more about the deal so I would be great to hear you and not Mr. Pranab Mukherjee or the National Security Advisor. After all it’s your government at stake.

Also the UPA has had to accommodate tainted MP’s like Shibu Soren. Not that it comes as a surprise given that there are many others already in parliament. What is surprising however that is even as the UPA claims it has the numbers the back channels are working round the clock that they can succeed in saving their faces. While the congress is bent on proving that they have the numbers which they assume to be support for the nuclear deal the BJP and Mayawati are going all guns going to bring the government down. Did anyone hear the left proudly proclaim that they would do everything possible to prevent the BJP from coming to power? Well all that seems to be history.

Every politician has been talking about betrayal of trust. The biggest truth is that they have betrayed the trust of the people by indulging in dirty games that do not befit the ideals with which the parliament was set up by Dr. Ambedkar and Jawaharlal Nehru. I wonder what Dr.Ambedkar would have to say to Mayawati who has said that it is her single point agenda to dislodge Dr. Singh from his seat. The champion of rights for the dalits would be ashamed of the leader who claims to be following his ideals and values. In the efforts to ensure that they achieve what they have set out to all parliamentary ethics and values have been thrown out of the window and we as common citizens are witnessing the ugly side of parliamentary politics. Narrow mindsets combined with the apathetic attitudes of unscrupulous politicians has turned our parliament into market where voting is not issue based but dependent on money and personal gains. No one cares about the institution they are a part of. An institution that is supposed to build the nation based on the example set by leaders like Ambedkar and Nehru. We are proud of being the world’s largest democracy but our politicians have let us down. We have let ourselves down by electing such people.

Living it up in Bombay

Living it up in Bombay
It all began one evening when I was at Mohini’s house. We were celebrating her birthday after our exams and one of our friends from college casually mentioned Xavier Institute of Communications to me. She said the application process was fairly simple and that I should give it a try since I was interested is Mass Communications. That’s when I decided I would and thus began a journey that I am writing about. The journey that I can term as the most important phase of my life. Also it was one of the most enjoyable phases. I found and gained a whole lot more than I had bargained for.

I logged in to the XIC website and found out what I had to do to appear for the admission test which was to be held at New Alipore in Kolkata. I made the demand drafts that were required and went and registered myself. The man at Arena Multimedia who was handling the process turned out to be unprofessional but sweet Bengali gentleman. He gave me a lot of wrong information but was always willing to help. Anyways even after completing the registration I had no idea I would be going to XIC. XIC happened to me by accident and that is one accident I don’t regret at all. Infact I am glad I came to XIC and did not go anywhere else.

On the 27th of May I turned up for the online entrance test and did reasonably well. However I was told later at the interview by Mrs. Swamy at the interview that I could not read or could not write. I was quite surprised. However there was an incident during the test also. Mohini, my friend from college who also was appearing for the test had to sit for the examination twice as her computer hanged while she was typing out her answers. She had to do the whole thing all over again. However even after all this both of us made it to the next round which was the personal interview. We took a flight to Mumbai for the interviews. During the flight I happened to be talking about plane crashes only to be promptly reminded by Mohini that it was not a very good time to talk about plane crashes. I obeyed and shut up and at the end of two hours I set foot in Mumbai for the first time in my life. Mumbai and I met.

I got a taste of Mumbai traffic on the first day itself. It took me almost two hours from the airport to get to my cousin’s place in Nerul. I took the train the next morning to get to Victoria Terminus (Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus) and experienced the lifeline of Mumbai-the local trains. I walked past the imposing structure of the Bombay Mumbai Corporation building and reached St Xavier’s College which was a heritage structure. The building at that time was under maintenance and I could not see it properly. Mohini was already there and we went and registered ourselves for the interview. I was the first person to be interviewed that day.

As I walked into Mrs. Swamy’s office she asked me what I thought of the Mumbai weather. I said it was better than Calcutta. As we settled down for the interview Mrs. Asha Shandilya walked in. I was asked by Mrs. Swamy whether I had gone through the prospectus or not and I lied by telling her I had done it. She asked me what elective I wanted and I had no clue what she was talking about. She must have found out I was lying. Also she informed me that my form was incomplete and asked me to fill in what was required. I walked out of the interview thinking that I had no chances if being admitted into the institute.

After the interview Mohini and I went to Phoenix Mills. I was quite happy to visit the place and I had lunch at Kobe’s. The next day I was informed that both Mohini’s and my name was on the waiting list and I was thrilled. Mohini assigned someone to pay the fees for her if she was confirmed and I also paid my fees the day I was confirmed. Thus I joined an institute which I had no plans of joining. I was still not sure whether I was going to join XIC or not as I was waiting for the IIMC results. The only person I remember meeting during the interview was Gayatri. Kashmira, another classmate of mine at XIC later told me that she had spoken to me during the interview but I don’t recall that.

After completing the formalities at XIC and completing my tests at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai I took a train to Delhi to appear for the entrance test at the Law Faculty of Delhi University. I cleared this test but chose not to enroll as I already had confirmed admission at XIC. I took a flight from Calcutta to Mumbai on the 25th of June to come and join XIC on the 2nd of July. I decided to put up at Seva Niketan which was to be my place of residence for the next ten months. A place again I can never forget.
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I landed on the 25th of June and fell in love with the city. Mumbai struck a chord in my heart right from the time I landed in the city. As I have explained I got a taste of the traffic and the local trains very early but there was something about the city that appealed to me. It was the vibrant atmosphere. Here something was always happening. The city had a life.

I came to college on the 2nd of for the orientation. We were welcomed to the institute by Father Pereira and he told us that the ten months in XIC was going to change our lives forever. For me it did. XIC did change my life forever. I am changed person today. I grew up here. We joined XIC as aspiring journalists and passed out as professionals ready to take on the world.

But change also happens as a result of interaction. I interacted with people and realised that I needed to do a lot of things. I had to learn a lot. And I think I have done that. I am a very outgoing person and I tried interacting with as many people as possible. I got along with people pretty well till I realised that the world was not as simple as I thought. It was a place where one had to struggle all the time.

XIC helped me understand what the industry is all about. It helped me understand what journalism is. It prepared us for the industry. Most of our lessons had a very practical orientation. XIC also had very good infrastructure where students could learn and acquire technological skills that are required for one to be a successful journalist. Along with this and an excellent faculty drawn form the industry itself it was a really good place for professional media education. I did learn a lot at XIC and I can say I got a lot more than I had bargained for.

XIC as a place of study embodies the Jesuit culture and a strict emphasis is laid on attitude and discipline. We had to attend classes not only because we had to meet the required 75% attendance to pass the course. Also a lot of in-class assignments were included in the module which meant that there was no way one could stay away from class and pass the course. Besides Mrs. Swamy ensured we attended class and there was no escape from her.

XIC was all about interaction. I got to interact with so many people from different cultures. I had never lived outside Bengal and my stay at Mumbai gave me an exposure that I badly needed. One of the things that I enjoyed the most in Mumbai was the theatre scene here. NCPA is one of the places that I frequented to watch performances by Naseeruddin Shah and Alyque Padamse. I can still picture Naseeruddin Shah performing in plays like Dear Liar and Antigone. Both the performances were absolutely brilliant and being an avid theatre person enjoyed these performances a lot. I also watched plays like A Mid Summer Night’s Dream produced and directed by Tim Supple. This was an extravaganza and the experience at the Tata Theatre was exhilarating. I wonder what kind of rehearsals went into achieving that kind of perfection and I am only too happy to have experienced it. I also watched Unspoken Dialogues written and directed by Alyque Padamse and this also was a very well done play. Alyque and his genius were visible all through the performance. Apart from this I saw a play called The President is Coming . I enjoyed this play too.

The course at XIC was very hectic and we did not have much time to spare. But we made sure we discovered Mumbai and the spirit of the city in whatever time we had. We did move around a lot and a lot of evenings when we got an off a little early we would sit on Marine Drive and enjoy the sea breeze. Marine Drive is a place that has been shown extensively in movies but once you get there you feel Mumbai. It is a place where you can sit and cultivate dreams. It is a place which makes you think. I spent many evenings on Marine Drive just thinking of my life ahead. There is something about Marine Drive….something that you realise only when you go there.

We attended the Sanctuary awards ceremony held at the Tata Theatre. It was here I heard Tom Alter recite some shayari in his impeccable Urdu. The award ceremony itself was an experience for me. I was thrilled to be sitting in a huge auditorium with so many known faces. I had the opportunity to interact with Tom Alter again and I can say he is a very nice person to talk to. While doing the production work for a radio show we had to produce as a part of our course I invited Tom to be our guest on the show and he readily agreed. Tom was also supposed to interact with the class but that did not happen. So I was only too happy to interact with him.

At XIC we were taught by some really good people. One of them was Mr. T J Ravishankar. Mr. Ravishankar works with Tata Consultancy Services. Mr. Ravishankar held discussions in class which were of immense value. They not only enhanced our knowledge but also taught us to look at things from different perspectives. Another class where this kind of discussions took place was Mr. Yogesh Kamdar’s classes. He was another person who again taught us to look at things objectively. I really enjoyed these discussions as they stimulated our minds and made us aware of things. Knowledge is useless unless one cannot put them to use and share it. These were classes where a lot of knowledge was gained from the discussions that took place.

The two other modules where we were made to critically analyse good work in the media was the Communication, Media and Society module and the Broadcast Journalism module. In these two modules we were shown a lot of films, given backgrounders to read and draw conclusions from them. One critical skill that a journalist has to acquire is to analyse facts and draw perspectives in an unbiased manner. These modules I think were instrumental in cultivating these skills in us. Also a journalist has to have basic qualities like punctuality as a second’s delay can mean the loss of a good story. Mrs. Swamy ensured that we came on time for her classes and though we cursed her for keeping us on our toes all the time she did a brilliant job.

As the year progressed the work schedule got more and more hectic. Soon deadlines became the only thing we thought of. I remember staying up nights to meet them with the help of coffee. We were working almost 16 hours a day at one point of time. This is how XIC prepared us for the industry. The institute ensured we could withstand pressures. As the year progressed we had events like the Alumni Nite where we really had a blast. We also undertook a few trips and I must mention Hideout and Shaktiyogashram.

Hideout was a trip organized for the students who took photography as an elective module. We left by bus from the college gate and reached hideout around 11 AM. It was two day trip where we were to click pictures of the natural surroundings there. The place was serene. After the heat pollution of Mumbai this place was nothing short of a heaven. We also swam at one of the waterfalls. It was a great experience and we had a lot of fun. We clicked some great pictures which were put up at the exhibition. Our hosts ensured that we were well looked after and the food was brilliant. I absolutely loved it. After two days we left hideout and came back to Mumbai with a renewed vigour for work.

A month later we went to Shaktiyogashram and this time it was the full class along with students from the Television and Video Production course. At Shaktiyogashram we spent four days and these four days were very enriching. Shaktiyogashram is almost 20 kilometres away from Lonavla. It is in a valley. During Shaktiyogashram the class was already divided into cliques so here was a bit of tension but otherwise the trip was a lot of fun. We again clicked pictures and had a great time. While at Shaktiyogashram we went for a trek and later on we had great fun playing with water in a mountain stream. I also remember the “Garba” we had and I can never forget Kashmira dancing away to glory. I must mention though that she is a very good dancer and we witnessed her dancing skills that day.

Another event that I remember is Alumni Nite. On this day everyone dressed up and came to college. We had dinner and danced a lot.

After Alumni Nite the pressure on us increased a lot. Our research Paper was due in February and all of us were really busy with that. Once that was done we got down to doing our practical projects. I along with my group made a news show called News at 8. I was very happy with the work. We had a Great story on he Watson’s Hotel which was appreciated by everyone. And it was during this project that I learnt what goes in behind producing a news show and what challenges one can face. I felt that the greatest challenge for us getting permission to shoot in public places.

Soon after the course at XIC was over and we began to appear for interviews and tests. The college arranged for companies to come and recruit at the campus and the entire class found jobs. XIC students were a sought after lot. On 25th April we had our convocation and as Father Myron told us, we were now young media professionals. I joined IDG India and left Bombay soon after. I miss Bombay a lot. It is a great city. A place where one can dare to dream. XIC taught me many things that I will never forget. And my time in Bombay will always remain special to me.

Darjeeling Diary

Darjeeling Diary

Having lived Darjeeling for nine years in Bimal Gurung's constituency, I point out what makes makes Gurung's agitation click with the people of Darjeeling.

I had the privilege of studying in Darjeeling for nine years and during that time I came had the opportunity to observe Bimal Gurung from close quarters. During my days in Darjeeling there were a number of political murders. Anyone who opposed Subhash Ghising was finished off and one of them was Rudra Pradhan, a councilor in the DGHC (Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council). He was hacked to death in broad daylight in the Beef Market of Darjeeling in front of the whole market.Bimal Gurung in those days was a Ghisingh loyalist and he was elected to the DGHC as a councillor from Patlebas (an area that was about five minutes away from my school.
I left Darjeeling in 2004 and I was a little surprised to hear that soon after Bimal Gurung turned against Subhash Ghising. It seemed surprising that a man who had been a Ghising loyalist all through his political career could actually break away from the GNLF and form his own party. However it seems the old adage “There are no permanent friends or enemies in politics has been proven true again. Gurung has floated his own party and plunged into the Gorkhaland agitation, a dream that is still alive among gorkhas who reside in Darjeeling and surrounding areas.
Subhash Ghising was a powerful man in the Darjeeling hills and no one could touch him. However his alienation from the people and his failure to understand the pulse of the people led to his down fall. On the other hand Gurung has is extremely well connected to the masses and that is evident from the way he has garnered support for his agitation to relies a dream that the people of the hills had almost given up. They knew that Gorkhaland was never to happen as Subhash Ghising was no longer interested in it. Along with this the lack of development in the hills proved to be Ghising’s nemesis.
It was in this scenario that Bimal Gurung appeared on the scene. Along with known faces like Roshan Giri he formed the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha to revive the Gorkhaland agitation. He made the people of the hills believe in their dream and renewed their hope of having their own state-Gorkhaland.
Gurung has always been a leader who has delivered. He has been proactive and is very well aware of the mood among citizens of Darjeeling. He has also been smart and formulated a team that has planned his agitation and looked into every detail of it. It is well planned and above all well managed. To top it off, it has support. I have been in touch with a few of my friends in the hills and they say that are happy to take part in the organization as it hardly inconveniences them. They know when the supplies are coming in and what exactly the situation is. Gurung has set up an excellent information management and distribution system which is one of the biggest strengths of this agitation. Also Gurung has been smart in allowing gaps for people to stock up and replenish their stores. This has made it a very sustainable model of agitation and it is helping his agitation a lot.
Another very clever move on Bimal Gurung’s part is that he has spared the schools, tea gardens and cinchona plantations from the purview of the strike. While I was in school the GNLF had called an indefinite strike which lasted for little over a week. This was immensely unpopular because he people did not have a clue of what was happening and the fact that schools and tea gardens were closed made matters even worse as the economy of the hill town depends on these three sectors. Bimal Gurung seems to have learned from the mistakes that the GNLF made and all credit should be given to him because he has managed to create a model where the agitation can be sustained for a long time. His idea to set up a force to combat violence and facilitate law and order during the agitation means that he will almost be running a parallel administrative system. His call for a non violent agitation is another clever tactic and Bimal Gurung seems to be doing all the right things. It is indeed going to be much more difficult for the state government to tackle Gurung. Also the fact that he is a grass roots leader who is now well known at the national level only makes it easier for him to negotiate with the centre and the state. The point is that Bimal Gurung is only getting stronger as the people see him not just as a political leader but as a person who will deliver. Even if he does not get them gorkhaland they know that the hills will be a better place under his regime. I spoke to a friend in Darjeeling just before writing this article and even he agreed that everyone was impressed with the organization of this agitation in Darjeeling.
Where the agitation will go from here is difficult to predict. Whether Gurung will be successful in his endeavour is also difficult to tell. But one thing is sure. Gurung has the support of the people behind him. And that will see him though for a long, long way.

My Boarding Days

My Boarding Days

Boarding school is an experience that I will vividly remember. I spent nine years in Mount Hermon School, Darjeeling. The school was established in 1895 by Emma Knowles in 1895 and I joined in its centenary year 1995. I was excited at the prospect of being in a boarding school and did not cry or create a scene when I was left there. I did feel homesick at times and used the loos to go and cry- something I bet every boarding school boy has done.

I joined Mount Hermon School on the 10th of March, 1995. The next day was the school birthday and a lot of ex students were visiting the school. I remember at that time some big shot in the air force was an alumnus of the school and his helicopter flew over the school before landing at the Lebong Race Course which was on the next hill and clearly visible on a clear day which it was. The students were treated to good food and I was thrilled, only to realize that the good food was a one day affair and hostel food was almost always disliked by everyone.

1995 being the centenary year was a year full of activities. Alumni was visiting the school and old principals were also coming back to see how the school they had nurtured was doing. A new principal, Mr. Gilbert Samuel also took over that year. The previous year the school had been through a rough patch and the centenary year was far different from that. I was first admitted in to Class III. I should have been admitted into Class IV but due to seats not being available I was taken into Class III. However soon a vacancy was created after a student of Class IV named Runit Saria left I was given his seat. This happened after two weeks.

Although during the two weeks in Class III I had a different class teacher when I was shifted to Class IV my class teacher was Mr. Shelton Littlewood. I remember him for a number of reasons. Firstly he was the person who first gave me a role in the class play for that year. We put up a play adapted from of David Copperfield and I remember playing Edward Murdstone in it. That was my first play and that is when I realized that I could act. My interest in theatre started from here. Later on Mr. Littlewood directed another play- an adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities and I played the role of Sydney Carter in this one. An incident I vividly remember from this play is what I am going to narrate now.

Since Sydney Carter had to be executed and a guillotine was not possible to replicate we decided to change it to hanging. I was to be hanging from a rope and the special knot that was to be made for this purpose was designed by Mr. Subhash Das, who was a national swimming champion and expert mountaineer who had been to the summit of Mount Everest. Mr. Das was also a faculty member of the school. Mr. Das was showing us how a real knot to hang people was tied with the rope around my neck. I was standing on a stool which if removed would ensure my hanging to death. Suddenly out of the blue a classmate of mine named Jaison Jose came and pushed the stool and I would have died if it had not been for the presence of mind Mr. Das displayed. As I was going down he stretched out his leg and before the knot could tighten he managed to get to me. Suddenly I was sitting on his leg with a noose around my neck. I survived that incident and Jaison got a good caning for being responsible for my death almost. The next day was the play and everyone who saw the play was very impressed with the way we performed and the methods we used to portray a fairly complex scene. My first lessons in acting and producing plays came from Mr. Shelton Littlewood who was a brilliant teacher and managed to get the best out of me in the two plays that he directed me in. Mr. Littlewood also led the cricket team that fought for the Edinburgh Shield which was a very prestigious award. The top three schools along with The Planters Club played in the competition. Before Independence and a few years after that many English County teams had come and participated in the competition.

Towards the end of the year the school had a 12 day function to mark the centenary celebrations. I remember a lot celebrities coming to the school. During this time I also interacted with Mr. Blackmore who had taught in the school and had directed quite a few plays. He liked my acting style and gave me a few tips which I still remember today. People like him are not famous as directors but they always got the best out of the actors they worked with and always put up excellent plays. We as junior school student did not have much to do and hence we had a gala time. I remember setting up campfires and enjoying roasted squash with rock salt. There was singing and dancing and the entire school were lit up. I was lucky to have joined in the centenary year as I had a lot of fun.

My dormitory in 1995 was in the attic of Stewart Building. This was a five storied building which housed classrooms, laboratories and dormitories. The view if the hills and valleys from the windows were exceptionally beautiful and every morning in summer we were woken up by the sun’s rays reflected of the snow in the Kanchenjungha Range. It was nature at its best and till date it is the best Kanchenjungha view I have seen. We were surrounded by mountains and everything was green. The mountains were all so beautifull.We could also see the Darjeeling ropeway go by and we would always wave to the people inside the cabins. It was the most beautiful place to live in. The trees, the birds, the butterflies, the ladybirds the mountains and the innumerable fresh sparkling mountain streams seemed to be in sync with each other and we were living in the midst of a nature in its most pristine, pure and untouched form. It was beautiful.

The next year was a relatively calm year. The festivities and celebrations of the centenary year were over and everyone was busy getting back to work. My Class teacher in that year was Mr. Honore Lowden. He was a very calm person who hardly shouted at his students. He was also a cricketer. He also directed me in a play based on the origin of cricket. In1997 my class teacher was Mr. G Subba and I remember him very well. He had a broken badminton racket which he called pendulum. He used that to spank students and I was one of the students who got spanked a lot. One day I took the broken racket and threw it away. Mr. Subba found out I was behind this and ensured that I retrieved his favourite spanking instrument and needless to say I had no respite from it. During the middle of the year we had a substitute teacher named Ms. Vani Krishnaswamy. She was a very good teacher but I was quite a pest and managed to irritate her so much that one day she had to complain to the senior master about my behaviour. I remember being taken to the senior master’s office and being spanked. These are memories that are vivid and now when I am writing about them I can almost feel them happening all over again.
Middle school is probably the most boring phase of school life. You do not have the luxuries of being in the junior school, nor do you have the advantages of being in the senior school. Class 7 and 8 was pretty boring for me because there was not much to do. However it was while I was in Class 7 that I got acquainted to Anna and till today she is one of the best friends I have. In class 8 I used to sit beside Reshma and she is another friend whom I can never forget. I think she broke 22 pencil boxes just by flinging them at me. However we are still good friends and we keep in touch through social networking sites like Facebook.

2000 was a very significant year in my life. I was in Class 9. It was the year I had my first cigarette. A lot of other things also happened which I am going to talk about in detail. I almost got thrown out of school towards the beginning of the year for bunking to the Ropeway Restaurant. I wore boxers to avoid being spotted and a letter was promptly sent home stating I was found outside the school campus in my underwear. My father still recalls receiving that letter and we all have a good laugh about it. At that time it was not funny at all.

2000 was a very difficult year for us a family. My mother was confined to bed because of her illness and both me and my brother were far way. On 25th September, my mother passed away after she slipped into a coma. I left for home the next day I remember the journey back home very well. The day I left Darjeeling was a strike day. There were no taxis on the roads and I had to take the Toy Train to new Jalpaiguri. Incidentally that is the only time I have done the entire stretch of the toy train. I remember those 8 hours. They were the longest 8 hours of my life. Anyways I reached home after a very long train journey and completed all the rituals that I had to. And then I was back in school. This year I also acted in a play called The Monkey’s Paw which is a very famous play. This play was directed by Julius Santiago who was teaching our class English. He is one of my best friends today and he is one of the best directors I have worked with. He managed to get the best out of me in every play that I did with him. My acting in The Monkey’s Paw was appreciated a lot and I was very happy with my performance.

The next year was 2001 and we were in I was in Class 10. India follows the 10+2+3 Education system. Thus after Class 10 a lot of students left to complete the next two years of schooling elsewhere. In Class 10 the school arranged a farewell for the students apart from arranging picnics and a walk to Tiger Hill. These were events that we looked forward to from the junior classes and finally we were going to experience it. Also at the end of this academic year we were going to appear for our board exams which were called the ICSE Exams. Then we had other events like the sale day, the carol service etc. Also events like the swimming gala, the inter-house Athletics meet, the inter-house music competition and all these events had a special significance as this was a year where everyone attempted to prove themselves.

The music competition was one event that I remember very vividly. All the houses out in a lot of effort not only into the music that they produced but also into the costumes that they wore. Every house stuck to the colour that they were associated with and there were four houses which were called Dewey (Blue), Fisher (Yellow), Knowles (Green) and Stahl (Red).These houses were named after former principals of the school. The white shirts would be decorated with ribbons and other decorative items of the colour that the houses were associated with. Some houses even made hats out chart paper for the participants. At the end it was not only an evening of great music but also a very colourful one where innovative costumes were created out of very simple things like ribbons etc. The music competition itself had four segments which were a test piece, a group song, a solo, duet or trio and an instrumental piece. Every house would compete in these four categories. The Music competition would be of Asian Music and Western Music on alternate years.

Besides the music competition another event that I remember very clearly is the swimming gala. This even was held at the swimming pool and the four houses again fought against each other. Apart from regular swimming events there were a lot of fun elements like a cock fight etc. And this event is one event that every hermonite remembers. Apart from this another event which was very significant was the carol service where the school choir sang Christmas carols. I was in his choir for 9 years which was from 1995 to 2003.

Our class picnic and the walk to Tiger Hill were cancelled because of disciplinary reasons so we were denied of these experiences. During the ICSE Exams in March 2002 we stayed outside the school campus and this was a unique experience. In May 2002 I joined decided to take up arts as my stream and this was a decision I had made even before appearing for me Class 10 exams. The last two years of school was very fun filled and we had a great time.

In 2002, I was in Class 11 and this time Julius taught us English. He also directed me in another play called “Top Table” which was a comedy. This play also was appreciated a lot. After a more or less quiet year I moved into Class 12 in 2003.This was one of the most exciting years of my life.

Towards the end of 2002, the principal Mr. Fernandez announced that in 2003 the school would be putting up a major production, something that was a tradition in the school but had not been done for a few years. In early 2003 it was decided that the school would be putting up My Fair Lady in the beginning of July. I auditioned for the role of Professor Higgins and was selected for it. My friend Binayak Sundas was chosen to play Colonel Pickering and another friend named Pratima was to play Eliza. This was one project for which I put in a lot of effort and I am happy to say that it paid off. We practiced for one whole month and by the end of it we had a product that the entire town of Darjeeling enjoyed. The Telegraph reported the performance of the play with a headline that read- “A Loverly Show”. I think this was my best performance in a play and I thoroughly enjoyed the recognition and accolades that I earned after the performance. I was happy my father could come to Darjeeling and see me perform in the play. I ended my last year in school on a high. I won many prizes which included The Dr Master’s Cup for Service to the school which is given to a student who has contributed to the school in a very special way. I also won the best Debater of the Year, The Best Elocutionist of the Year and the Dramatics prize. Thus I was a proud hermonite when the time had come for me to pass out and leave the school. I was thrilled to leave on such a good note as it gave me a lot of confidence.

School life teaches us a lot. I learnt a lot and I have absolutely no complaints about my days in my school. I enjoyed every moment of it and consider it one of the happiest times. Today in retrospect there are many things that I would like to change but at the end of it I say “Hail Mount Hermon” with a lot of pride and happy memories.

THE SCHOOL SONG
Beloved Mount Hermon, we greet thee,Thy daughters and sons from afar,

As oft as we pause in our toilingTo hail thee, whose children we are.. chorus ..
Hail, Mount Hermon! Hail, Mount Hermon!Safe for aye in memory's shrine

Hail, Mount Hermon! Dear Mount Hermon!Praise and love be ever thine

With strong steady hand dost thou lead us,Thy powerful arm is our stay,

Thy light is our beacon in darknessWhich ever will lend us its ray... chorus ..
Hail, Mount Hermon! Hail, Mount Hermon!Safe for aye in memory's shrine

Hail, Mount Hermon! Dear Mount Hermon!Praise and love be ever thine

O may thy fair name live forever,Be deeply impressed on each heart,

That we, in our trials and triumphs,May ne'er from thy guidance depart... chorus ..
Hail, Mount Hermon! Hail, Mount Hermon!Safe for aye in memory's shrine

Hail, Mount Hermon! Dear Mount Hermon!Praise and love be ever thine

Our Biggest Challenge

Our Biggest Challenge
A young media professional looks at the future of media and attempts to figure out solutions.

Starting of as a young media professional can be intimidating. All through Journalism school you are reminded of your responsibilities as a journalist and how the power of the pen which is entrusted in you, should be judiciously used. As a student last year in one of the most reputed Journalism schools in the country I learnt what a journalist should do and should not do. I intently listened to the tales our professors, who were media professionals themselves, narrated. And I realized almost everyone was unhappy with the state of affairs in the media today. Everyone pointed out the numerous faults that they saw in Newspapers and Magazines that they subscribed to. It is true that content quality could have diminished in some of the established newspapers of the country since their inception but not everything is wrong with the media. In fact many things are much better than what they earlier were. For example Journalist’s salaries.
In my opinion the ultimate judgment on a newspaper is passed by the readers. We as media professionals have every right to be critical of our work and engage in self evaluation but a newspaper is dependent on circulation of the end of the day. And if readers have no complaints about what is dished out to them then there is very little that we as media persons can do. If a vast majority in this country decide to read The Times of India for whatever it is then we as journalists have to find some other way to see how the issues we have with content in such a paper can be sorted out. I have heard many people complain about The Times of India but if you ask them whether they would like to shift to any other publication their answer is a prompt “no”. And if you asked them why they would continue to read The Times of India in spite of the complaints they had, they either said that they were too used to it or did not have an answer.
Thus I realized that we as journalists cannot determine what is the remedy for the problems we see in publications. I know I am too young to comment on what is wrong or right but the truth is that in spite of what we have to say the circulation of papers like The Times of India is increasing. And this has been the trend for the last few years. While pursuing my diploma in journalism and mass communication I had to do a research project on newspapers in Mumbai. I chose three English dailies for this purpose. And I found out that there was an attempt to sell more newspapers by manipulating content. This leads me to ask the question- Is the aggressive marketing policies adopted by publications right? I do not know the answer to this question but what instantly comes to mind is that today every industry functions in a competitive atmosphere and if entrepreneurs do not push a product aggressively then the chances of that product surviving is vey little. Hence it becomes necessary for newspapers to market themselves and often editorial support is engaged for this purpose. This becomes a moral issue with most journalists. But then today a media professional earns a salary that is comparable with any other industry and his money comes from the profits that publications make. And to ensure that these profits keep coming in, an aggressive marketing strategy has to be maintained. The point to which editorial support can be called for to assist in these strategies is a decision editors have to make and as future editors this seems to be one of the most challenging jobs for people like me. We cannot rule out the fact that, for newspapers to pay the kind of salaries they pay nowadays, circulation and revenue in turn has to increase. The challenge is to fit this into a plan whereby the business need of media organizations like newspapers are addressed without comprising on the principles that traditional journalism professes. And as young media professionals we are looking to find solutions to the challenges we face.
My second observation as a beginner in his industry is that we seem to have taken the view that objectivity and impartiality have to be sacrificed for marketing and selling a newspaper well. I believe that we can find a meeting point for these two different yet critical concerns of a newspaper. A newspaper cannot afford to be partial and unfair. At the same time it has to sell and make money for it to survive and continue to provide impartial, objective news to its readers. So we cannot ignore one at the cost of the other. Therefore for future editors we have to ensure that a newspaper dos a good job in bringing news to its readers and post profits. In the future the marketing and editorial teams have to work together without invading each other’s space. That according to me is our biggest challenge as members of the journalistic fraternity.
I am optimistic about the future. I believe the kind of exposure we as media students got really helped us in knowing our craft. We are story tellers at the end of the day. But the matter does not end here. Our stories have to sell also. We are equipped with the knowledge and understanding to handle this issue. Its time we put that knowledge into practice and made a difference to our profession. We have the skills to do so. And I am sure that things are not as gloomy as they are made out to be. The institution of the press has survived great storms in the past and this hardly a challenge when compared to those times. So we are in fact headed for a better and brighter future.