Making actions speak

IIPM Prof Arindam Chaudhuri on Our Parliament and Parliamentarians' Work

Mime artist Moinul Haque can claim to have put back the 'act' in action. The founder of Mime Academy has resuscitated the art of pantomime, at least in the northeast'

Back then, he was a very popular stage artist; a mono actor and a dubbing artist much adored in the state of Assam. And then came the mime chapter of Moinul Haque's career. Haque's journey with solo mime has taken him to countless venues ' national and international ' over the last 30 years, and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for mime acting early this year was just another milestone in his perseverant pursuit of this marginalised art.

After he found his calling in pantomime in the seventies, Moinul Haque formed a group called 'Sound and Comedy' through which he conveyed mime to the masses. It was at a time when exposure to the creative and artistic movements in the rest of the country was the privilege of a lucky few in the Northeast. Three decades of commitment to this art form, he is recognised as the undisputed pioneer of mime in the Northeast of India and can be credited for creating much awareness about it.

As the years progressed, Haque used the versatile and sensitive nature of this beautiful art form to convey many important and relevant issues of society. He has given thousands of performances throughout the country proving that mime is a universal language transcending the barriers of caste, creed and colour.

Moinul Haque is a self- taught artist. During the late 80s, a Cherry Blossom television commercial on Doordarshan, the one showcasing pantomime by actor Paintal, had influenced Haque. 'I drew inspiration from various incidents of my life. After all, it is the small things which add meaning to our life,' Haque says. The 'small things' include the pond near his house, to the games he played in his childhood.

It was at B. Borooah College that Haque was noticed by his teachers for his stage skills. 'At that time I did not know anything about mime. My teacher Bhupen Lahkor (at B. Borooah College) suggested I should hone my mime skills. He recommended a book, Mukabhinay Tottar Bidhi, by Shyam Chakraborty, which I ordered from Kolkata,' Haque recalls. There were minor setbacks, but he continued with his rigorous practice sessions. His hard work paid dividends the day he attended a workshop organised by the National School of Drama in Guwahati, where he happened to meet an artiste from Kolkata who appreciated his talent. 'It was a turning point of my life. That artiste referred me to the cultural circle of Kolkata and in 1988, I was called to perform there in the National Mime Festival,' says Haque. It proved to be the beginning of his journey as a mime artiste, for his audience was greatly appreciative, and he went to win many more invitations and accolades. Over the years he has given numerous performances all over the globe with his winning acts that include 'Moinul and the Dog', 'Boxing Champion Moinul', 'Childhood of Moinul', 'I love you Moinul' etc. In his performances, Moinul says, he attempts to get in a universal touch to the act so that audiences everywhere can relate to it. 'When I enacted 'Childhood of Moinul' in London, everyone in the crowd enjoyed the performance and many of them said that they could really identify with the character' After all, everybody goes through some common experiences in our lives,' Haque relates.

Felicitated at locations far and wide including New Delhi, Port Blair, Allahabad, Udaipur, Dubai etc. by various organisations, Haque has worked as a senior resource person in Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT), New Delhi and a faculty member for Sangeet Natak Akademi. In 1991, he had founded the Mime Academy in Guwahati, which is the only recognised institution of its kind in the Northeast. Having also acted in various plays, films and television serials, he has been one of the few to live his passion and be successful at it too.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board
Run after passion and not money, says Arindam Chaudhuri
Award Conferred To Irom Chanu Sharmila By IIPM
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting

IIPM Lucknow – News article in Economic Times and Times of India
Prof Rajita Chaudhuri follow some off-beat trends like organizing make up sessions

IIPM Prof Rajita Chaudhuri's Snaps

Rashmi Bansal Publisher of JAMMAG magazine caught red-handed, for details click on the following links.

• Hindustan Times Article - Publisher goes underground
• Rashmi Bansal (Editor of JAMMAG)
• Rashmi Bansal (Publisher of JAMMAG)

Jharkhand: Stuck In a state of limbo

Prof Rajita Chaudhuri follow some off-beat trends like organizing make up sessions

The state has never had the stability that is needed to take the development agenda forward

Prayag Rai Veteran journalist and ex-Tata Steel employee

It is truly ironical that Jharkhand, a state flush with mineral and forest resources, is still waiting for a clean and development-minded government. As self-seeking politicians continue to trifle with the people, there seems to be little hope of the scenario changing for the better anytime soon.

Tangled in a maze of political instability and widespread corruption, the state is in the grip of a sort of paralysis. All development-related work has come to a virtual standstill. Jharkhand has been in existence for less than ten years but has already seen seven Chief Ministers and as many Governors, a fact that bears testimony to the extent of the political instability that plagues the state. It is hardly any surprise that real development has remained just a mirage and the issues concerning the people and their needs have hardly been addressed.

Jharkhand, which was part of Bihar, came into being as India's 28th state on November 15, 2000, and Ranchi was chosen as its capital. BJP's Babulal Marandi formed the first government in the state. The government got coal, uranium, gold, brass and mica as natural resources. In fact, the Chhotanagpur and Santhal Pargana regions, which previously constituted what was known as South Bihar, had huge reserves of these and other minerals.

Jharkhand primarily comprises Chhotanagpur plateau and the forest region of Santhal Pargana, and has a rich and unparalleled culture heritage. The topography of the state is such that it will never run out of natural resources. But having said that, one must also not forget that Jharkhand got more than its fair share of troubles as well. The foremost challenge was, of course, Naxalism. Governments came and went but the problem of Naxalism stood where it was. Not a single day passes when you don't hear news of attacks on police stations or police contingents, and that too with deadly weapons like bombs and landmines.

The railway infrastructure in the state that is such a necessary a lifeline to support the mining industry is perpetually under threat of Maoist violence. Several incidents of the railway system being disrupted by Maoists and its property being damaged have been reported in the last few years. The culmination came this year when Naxals actually 'hijacked' the Rajdhani Express and held its passengers 'captive' for a number of hours. When Babulal Marandi became Jharkhand's first chief minister, he pushed the state down the path of development. His government did a lot to improve the basic infrastructure of the state, including roads, water supply and electricity generation and supply. However, the internal squabbles in the BJP eventually led to the removal of Marandi as chief minister. He was replaced by pertyman Arjun Munda on March 17, 2003. The development work that Marandi had initiated during his tenure suffered because the priorities of the new government changed. Jharkhand hasn't quite recovered from that reverse.

Two years later, on March 2, 2005, the Arjun Munda regime was replaced by a Shibu Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) government. The government fell on March 12, merely ten days after he was sworn in. Arjun Munda once again assumed the reins of power. He somehow managed to survive at the helm of affairs till September 18, 2006. The Munda government fell when several Independents members of the Vidhan Sabha withdrew their support.

The next man to take charge of Jharkhand was Madhu Koda's Congress-supported government that came to power on the same day. Heading a government with only five Independents behind the chief minister was a tough act to pull off. But Koda had other surprises in store.

Corruption and embezzlement of public money were sort of institutionalised under his regime. He was personally charged with felony and amassing property worth Rs 20,000 crores. He went to jail and is currently fighting dozens of cases. His tenure as chief minister was a blot on the state.

The Congress withdrew support and the Madhu Koda government fell on August 27, 2008. The next day, Soren was again sworn in as CM. This time around he survived longer than he did in his first stint ' until January 18, 2009.

The next Jharkhand Assembly election was held under President's rule. The result, as expected, was fractured. Another round of horse-trading ensued and the BJP and JMM cobbled up a coalition government. That too fell a few days ago. In short, political instability has continued to be Jharkhand's principal bane. It has prevented the development clock from ticking since the very day of state's inception.


An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board
Run after passion and not money, says Arindam Chaudhuri
Award Conferred To Irom Chanu Sharmila By IIPM
Planman Consulting: The sister concern of IIPM

Planman Consulting
Prof Rajita Chaudhuri on 'THEY ARE COMING TO GET YOU – NOT ALIENS SILLY'
IIPM Prof Rajita Chaudhuri's Snaps

Rashmi Bansal Publisher of JAMMAG magazine caught red-handed, for details click on the following links.

• Hindustan Times Article - Publisher goes underground
• Rashmi Bansal (Editor of JAMMAG)
• Rashmi Bansal (Publisher of JAMMAG)

It Pays to Unbelong

IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board

West’s shifting of the goalpost on Iran and its disregard for the Turkey-Brazil brokered Nuclear Swap deal has jeopardised the legitimacy of the UNSC, says Saurabh Kumar Shahi
SAURABH KUMAR SHAHI

Just a week before the Turkey-Brazil brokered Nuclear Swap deal, I, like many other Iran watchers, was pretty optimistic about its outcome. We had info that the deal will cover all the aspects of the previous deal that the West offered last October. However, a European diplomat friend of mine pricked my confidence just a night prior to the announcement. Casually, he put forward a question which I was not prepared for. “What if we shift the goalpost?” he said, with a smirk on his face. I did not take it just as another bout of cynicism which many diplomats suffer from. I, at least, was sure what fate awaits the deal. As the week unfolded, both I, and over and above, my diplomat friend, were right.

As it happened, the US had yet again shifted the goalpost on Iran in order to warrant that the face-off wasn't resolved even with Iran’s concession on the Uranium swap deal. And also, by doing so, the US has abandoned its own Uranium swap deal bid. Now, this should come as no revelation since experts have long maintained that Uncle Sam's present stance, like its earlier stands, was purely intended to drag out the confrontation rather than resolve it. The matter is now pretty clear: the US still persists on zero enrichment in Iran, a presumably unattainable touchstone proposed to avert a resolution.

Several of the pro-western analysts decrying Turkey-Brazil Swap deal--popularly called Tehran Research Reactor (TRR) deal--are harping on the fact that Iran never stopped producing enriched uranium since the Americans put forward the first version in October last year. This, according to them, means that albeit some of the low enriched uranium goes to Turkey, “the residual would be adequate to produce a theoretical nuclear weapon if Iran ever wished to exercise Article X of the NPT and broke out of the NPT regime. This analysis, nonetheless, completely discounts the fact that the initial offer by the US never reflected that Iran should stop enrichment. So, discontinuing the enrichment was by no means a part of the bargain. “Actually, this aspect was the real disclosure of the initial proposal, for it was broadly understood as an implicit US acceptance of Iran’s right to enrich Uranium. It was, in effect, LEU generated at Natanz that was to be swapped over for new fuel cells,” says noted Iranian watcher and proliferation expert Cyrus Safdari, while talking to TSI. Moreover, the alarm of Tehran achieving “breakout capacity” is hogwash and relies merely on pretexts as, technically speaking, any nation with a nuclear programme could hypothetically produce bombs. Going by the IAEA’s own assessment, presently 42 nations can swiftly make nukes if they so desired, which essentially means that it is not an Iran specific issue. On the posturing front, the regime in Washington has suffered a credibility setback of biblical proportions. Therefore, understandably, the US is acting swiftly to reclaim the initiative and summon up the impetus. And to do that, Washington will need not merely to unravel the deal, but essentially discredit the whole idea of parley and negotiations with Tehran. However, above all, the regime will do whatever possible to badly humiliate Turkey and Brazil and show them their “right place”.

“Two confident and growing economic powers, from what the world once referred to as the ‘Third World’, have now asserted critical political sway on a prestigious global security question. Turkey and Brazil, thus, have signalled that Washington can no more unilaterally characterise conditions for managing such matters,” says Flynt Leverett, noted Washington based Iran analyst, while talking to TSI.

Therefore, the unfolding excitement of the deal and the knee-jerk reaction of the Obama regime to quickly move a draft sanctions resolution in the United Nations Security Council will have long-term consequences on the texture of international relations. For those who still question the viability or the possibility of the post-American world, the deal is a wake-up call.

Also, by countering Brazil and Turkey’s astonishing diplomatic coup by an egotistical show of the Big-5’s power, the Obama regime has taken an itinerary that could not only inflict serious damage on America’s reputation but also on the legitimacy of the Security Council itself. It Pays to Unbelong And as coming weeks will unfold, getting the P-5 to see a common ground on a considerably diluted and deficient draft resolution in UNSC is far easier than managing the mandatory nine assenting votes to pass it. In all probability, even though Washington is able to hammer in new rounds of sanctions through an extremely fractured and divided Security Council, the initiative will profoundly damage its credibility. By now, Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan has already started questioning the UNSC’s “credibility” to resolve Iranian impasse. And if the US torpedoes the TRR deal before giving it a chance, as it will do in all probability, expect Turkey and Brazil to dent UNSC’s legitimacy with a generous help from “non-aligned” nations. As it happens, NAM is not dead as of yet.

So, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s announcement of the text of new draft of sanctions before even officially going through the nitty-gritty of the TRR deal reflects extensive disrespect, to say the least, for Brazilian and Turkish diplomatic pains. But what has the US achieved? Merely a watered down text.

To bring the Russians and the Chinese on the table, the US had to drop any idea of a prohibition on fresh ventures or other ideas that could have hampered Iran’s capability to generate and export hydrocarbons.

Secondly, Washington, on the insistence of Jewish lobbies, had asked for a wide-ranging, all-inclusive stoppage on arms sales to Iran, but it will have to be content with restrictions on sales of a few definite types of weaponries. It had also asked for a complete embargo on fiscal transactions with the Revolutionary Guards and its subsidiary entities. However, it settled for the enforcement of earlier endorsed asset freeze and movement curb to specific elements from Guards’ ranks.

Clearly, with a masterstroke, Turkey and Brazil have changed the rules of the engagement in particular and the game in general. Rami Khouri, a Middle East expert based in Beirut sums it up well. “Iran and Turkey symbolise something new and potentially momentous in the region: Muslim-majority nations that are politically poised and have guts to stand up to the US and Israel. Washington and Tel Aviv stay perplexed on how to deal with such a phenomenon.”

Now, a deservingly short comment on Indian foreign policy. While we harp on the same string of being the next superpower, Turkey and Brazil, political non-entities till not very long ago, stole the show from under our nose. In Tehran, our position as a lackey Third World nation was reinforced. That Ali Ardashir Larijani gave 20 minutes to S M Krishna after literal pleadings reflects our stature in the region.

Given the hyperbole our media and MEA indulge in, it should have been India that brokered the deal. Krishna, on his part, later came up with obtuse-sounding and ad nauseam repeated maxim of every-nation-has-the-right-to-see-its-interests, but he, his entourage, and his maxim all appeared to be completely out of sync and out of place.

It is not surprising that Iranian experts consider India’s recent overtures to Iran as merely a bargain-chip for India’s relation vis-à-vis America. Krishna’s, probably insincere, reaction got a second page mention in Tehran Times and, god forbid, third page snippets in Iran Daily. That explains everything.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Run after passion and not money, says Arindam Chaudhuri
IIPM BBA MBA B-School: Rabindranath Tagore Peace Prize To Irom Chanu Sharmila
IIPM Prof Rajita Chaudhuri: The New Age Woman

IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
IIPM makes business education truly global
Planman Consulting: The sister concern of IIPM
Planman Consulting
Social Networking Sites have become advertising shops

Rashmi Bansal Publisher of JAMMAG magazine caught red-handed, for details click on the following links.

• Hindustan Times Article - Publisher goes underground
• Rashmi Bansal (Editor of JAMMAG)
• Rashmi Bansal (Publisher of JAMMAG)

Castaway: An island’s plight

IIPM B-School Detail

The river island of Majuli in Assam is buckling under the recurring onslaught of floods and erosion. Would it be too late before we wake up to revive this pristine hub of nature, wonders Pranab Deka…

It’s the same old story. As the monsoons come to Assam, there resurfaces news and concern for the world’s largest river island Majuli (which has now reportedly lost its ‘largest’ status to Brazil’s Amazon island). Regarded as a holy centre of Baishnavite movement founded by Srimanta Sankardev, one of the leading exponents of Assamese culture and literature, Majuli is famous for its Satras or centres for spiritual and cultural learning. There are 22 such centres in Majuli now. But Majuli is not devoid of its woes. Geographically, its situation is such that every year floods and erosion caused by the mighty Brahmaputra eat away a remarkable portion of its land. Now Majuli is reduced to half of what it used to be. It even failed to get the world heritage status owing to the state government’s apathetic attitude. To top it, the government of Assam and the Brahmaputra Board are still busy passing the buck of responsibility to save Majuli from the yearly ordeal.

It is the people who love Majuli and wish to preserve its unique heritage who are passionately working away for its conservation. “The Brahmaputra Board is merely taking some temporary protection measures to save Majuli,” says Manoj Bora, a local social activist. “We demand the construction of permanent rock spurs round Majuli, but the Board wants to get away by constructing some wooden pickets in some places. Besides, the board plans to start its work in the rainy season which is not workable,” he added.

The people of Majuli are losing their agricultural land every year and are forced to live on the streets and by the dams temporarily. The Satras of Majuli had also to be relocated following threats of erosion. “The government is arranging land for the Satras in other places in the state. But what about the local people” wonders Demi Gum, a renowned poet and local resident of Majuli.

Though Majuli remains synonymous with Satra sanskriti – as centres for practice of classical arts such as Borgeet, Ankia Bhawona, Satria dance, mask making etc. – there is more to Majuli beyond the Satras. It is also home to many unique tribes of Assam like Mishing and Deuries, who are known for their closeness to nature and traditional lifestyle. “Majuli can become a major tourist attraction if we showcase the unique tribal culture of this area to the rest of the world. With its natural beauty and geographical uniqueness we have so much to offer,” says Haren Narah, a local entrepreneur who runs a Mishing heritage cottage in Majuli named Mepo Okum.

Ravaged by annual flood, backwardness and government indifference, Majuli might find recourse in tourism, but the conflict between development and conservation is likely to stay. “We are opposing a government plan to build a bridge over Brahmaputra to Majuli from Jorhat. We fear that it will open up Majuli for other activities and Majuli will lose its uniqueness and tranquility. People visiting Majuli are excited by the boat journey to reach here. The government should thus take steps to develop the boat and ferry service instead of constructing a bridge,” say Demi Gum and Haren Naharh.

“We want government to give us geographical security, without which we cannot survive. People of Majuli are used to annual floods; our lifestyle is adjusted to it, but our biggest threat is erosion. The river is changing its course and Majuli is a delicate eco-system. Everybody should look for a conservation effort sustainable over long term,” says Manoj Bora.

There are notable efforts including petitions, seminars, demonstrations and delegations in process for Majuli's future. Arun Sarma, an ex-MP from Assam raised the issue in Parliament too. Eco-tourism can prove to be saviour for a region that is nature’s very own lair. Whether Majuli gets World Heritage status or not, the onus to preserve this fragile eco-system is a matter of survival, and not of choice.

Pranab Deka

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
IIPM Lucknow – News article in Economic Times and Times of India
Arindam Chaudhuri – Everything is not in our hands
Planman Consulting

IIPM makes business education truly global
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
Social Networking Sites have become advertising shops
IIPM ranked No 1 B-School in India
IIPM: Management Education India

Rashmi Bansal Publisher of JAMMAG magazine caught red-handed, for details click on the following links.

• Hindustan Times Article - Publisher goes underground
• Rashmi Bansal (Editor of JAMMAG)
• Rashmi Bansal (Publisher of JAMMAG)

It is widely acknowledged that NGOs have played a vital role when it comes to the development of the society

IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting

The arguments are many. The facts are unproven. The time period is unknown. Even the existence is under a clutter of clouds including both belief and disbelief. Yet, people remember the King of Thieves, Robin Hood, and unanimously believe in what he existed for, “Robbing from the rich and giving to the poor.” Centuries have passed since then, but this thief from Sherwood is still alive; not in person, but certainly in the faith of a breed, more reckoned as NGOs or the not for profit organisations. With time, these NGOs too have devised their own version of the Hood theory: “Raising from the rich and giving to the poor.”

But then, they say there are no free lunches in this world. Thus, while a for-profit organisation can raise loads of money from the market, investors and other fund providers without any hassle, a non-profit organisation goes through a lot of hassle to raise every single penny. From lack of funds to lack of faith (on part of donors) to the kind of response they get from the society; problems are their mistresses at every step. Result: Some die, some stay alive. But alive, in today’s world, is not half enough if one wishes to succeed. For however much they hate it – or even love it – NGOs have to prove their mettle as great marketers and learn the art of fighting competition. Yes, you got it right. No matter what the real situation may be, but as the competition for available funds gets tougher than ever, non-profits too are now using conventional marketing tools to grab attention.

But then, the question remains: How? Going deeper, does branding and advertising really play a role in an NGOs fund-raising strategy? Or is the quality of work enough? Weren’t NGOs supposed to simply be virtuous upholders and implementors of social work, while the government was supposed to automatically give them money? Or has the No Logo generation been truly and surely dispensed with? Hard as it may seem, the fact is that money has become scarcer, and NGOs many the merrier. With some of the world’s largest donor agencies like UNDP, SIDA, Melinda & Bill Gates Foundation even auditing their funds usage quite critically, the NGO world is becoming as similar to the intense rivalry shorn corporate world as never before seen.

Says Sarah Durhum, Founder, Big Duck (a US-based communication agency for non-profits) to 4Ps B&M, as she writes in her book Brandraising: How Nonprofits Raise Visibility and Money Through Smart Communications, “In the for-profit world, corporations place a high value on marketing. In contrast, non-profits rarely provide budgeting or staffing for communications... But in the past few years, the conversation has shifted as non-profits of all sizes see more and more examples of how branding and marketing build value relationship with donors, clients and other key constituents.” Harmala Gupta, Founder-President, CanSupport (an NGO that works for cancer patients) disagrees, “Branding and advertising do not play much of a role, unless one finds a sponsor. As this is an expensive exercise, therefore, we rather prefer to spend every single paisa on our programmes.”

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Award Conferred To Irom Chanu Sharmila By IIPM
IIPM Lucknow – News article in Economic Times and Times of India
IIPM: Planman Stars – Event management made easy

Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
IIPM Related Links
Social Networking Sites have become advertising shops

Rashmi Bansal Publisher of JAMMAG magazine caught red-handed, for details click on the following links.

• Hindustan Times Article - Publisher goes underground
• Rashmi Bansal (Editor of JAMMAG)
• Rashmi Bansal (Publisher of JAMMAG)