Monthly Archives: February 2015

Wedded to self-respect for over 70 years

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All
Sampoornam in her house at Tiruvanaikoil in Tiruchi.
Sampoornam in her house at Tiruvanaikoil in Tiruchi.

Staying alone in a tiled house at Tiruvanaikoil, 92-year-old Sampoornam had a VIP visitor calling her recently.

Confined to her cot in a dingy room, the nonagenarian was elated when she learnt that the visitor was Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) treasurer M.K. Stalin. The grand-old woman was someone so special for Mr. Stalin that he took time off to interact with Ms. Sampoornam whose “self-respect” marriage (Seerthirutha Kalyanam) over 60 years ago in Tiruchi set off a renaissance in those days.

It was in October 1941 that the late DMK founder, Annadurai, conducted the first “self-respect” marriage between Rama. Chinnaiah and Sampoornam. The wedding held in the Tamil month ‘Purattasi’ was a simple event in a small shed with 50 members attending it. “I was 19 years old then and my husband was aged 34,’’ recalls Ms. Sampoornam.

Nevertheless, it was a special occasion as the late Tamil scholar and social activist, K.A.P. Viswanatham and lawyer T.P. Vedachalam also took part, she says with her memory afresh.

Getting emotional, she says it was an exceptional moment as Annadurai had conducted the first “self-respect” marriage then. “An order was placed for just two rose garlands and 50 rose flowers”. Born in a family of five siblings, Ms. Sampoornam says her elder sister prepared lunch for the invitees with five ‘padis’ (a ‘padi’ means one-and-half kg) of rice at the wedding.

As someone who had sung at DMK meetings and at Karanthai Tamil Sangam, Ms. Sampoornam says it was her elder brother Simon Ramasamy who was instrumental in her “self-respect” marriage.

Having worked as a teacher for several years in Tiruchi, she says her elder sister Porselvi Ilamurugu was closely associated with the family of DMK patriarch M. Karunanidhi.

Ms. Sampoornam had met Kalaignar only at meetings and was inspired by his speeches and more so his pronunciation, says the nonagenarian whose husband died in a road accident several years ago. The aged woman, whose sons live in Tiruchi and Madurai, is now being look after by a caretaker.

The interaction with Mr. Stalin who took time to meet Sampoornam while campaigning for the Srirangam Assembly by-poll, lasted a few minutes. Yet, it was a stirring moment for both.

“He offered me a ponnadai and asked me to take care of my health. I asked him to care of Dayalu Ammal and inquired about Kalaignar and wished him many years of good health”, says Ms. Sampoornam.

It was in October 1941 that Annadurai conducted the first “self-respect” marriage between Rama. Chinnaiah and Sampoornam

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Tiruchirapalli / by R Rajaram / Tiruchi – February 21st, 2015

IN LIGHTER VEIN – MGR’s martial arts guru

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

KaliCF22feb2015

Kali N. Ratnam essayed the role of the ‘Man Friday’ in the box office hit, ‘Sabapathi.’

The film which established Kali N. Ratnam as a top comedy artist, ranking equal with N.S. Krishnan, was the 1941 box-office bonanza, ‘Sabapathi.’ The ‘back story,’ (a familiar Hollywood expression) of the excellent comedy is worth narrating at some length.

Handy Andy is one of the popular comical characters of English literature created by Samuel Lover during the 19th century. Samuel Lover (1797–1868) was an Anglo-Irish songwriter, composer, novelist, and a painter of portraits, chiefly miniatures.

In fact, it was said that he was someonewho had the singularly ingenious knack of doing everything the wrong way!

The celebrated Tamil theatre person, Pammal Sambandam Mudaliar, wrote several plays called ‘farces’ built around a ‘Handy Andyish’ servant Sabapathi who is the ‘Man Friday’ for a not so bright young man also bearing the same name. Such farces were enacted by Sambandam Mudaliar with his troupe Suguna Vilas Sabha and proved to be popular.

A. T. Krishnaswamy, the neglected but talented writer-director-producer (‘Arivaali,’ ‘Vidyapathi,’ ‘Manam Oru Kurangu’) suggested to A.V. Meiyappan with whom he was working in Pragathi Pictures, to make a comedy built around Sabapathi.

Those were the days of the Second World War when life was grim. People, under these circumstances would love to laugh and AVM agreed to make the film.ATK wrote the story based on Mudaliar’s farces.

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Like many other Tamil film artists of yesteryears who were part of boys’ drama companies, Kali N.Ratnam too, before he came into the movies was especially well versed in traditional Tamil martial arts like swinging the club, sword fighting, wrestling etc. Another person who learned these martial arts from Ratnam, was the cult figure,cultural icon and one of the leading personalities of modern Indian history, M.G. Ramachandran. He learnt the arts from him and considered Ratnam his guru. Later, when MGR became a hero and Ratnam was fading, MGR reverentially addressed him as ‘Anney,’ which surprised many people who did not know their back story.

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T.R. Ramachandran who was on the rolls of Pragathi Pictures on a princely salary of Rs. 35 per month, was cast as hero with Kali N. Ratnam, played the Tamil Handy Andy. ‘Lux Soap’ beauty R. Padma was the hero’s wife, an educated heroine who teaches her duffer husband English. C.T. Rajakantham, then slim and saucy, played the Man Friday’s heartthrob.

Another noted comedian of the day, K. Sarangapani, played a Tamilschoolmaster who is ragged endlessly by his students. During that period, Tamil teachers were the buttof jokes for they were considered inferior to schoolmasters who taught English!

For the first time, the name ‘A.V. Meiyappan’ appeared as director in the credit titles though the film was written and directed by A. T. Krishnaswamy.Padma was active in Tamil Cinema during the 1940s but sadly, she never made it to the top and is barely remembered today. However, Rajakantham made it as a comedian with Kali N. Ratnam and the pair was next in fame to N. S. Krishnan and T. A. Mathuram.

‘Sabapathi’ had contrived humour, jokes built around wrong usage of English, making fun of Tamil teachers and such. However, moviegoers of 1941 belly-laughed making it a big success. T. R. Ramachandran achieved star status with this film and was mentioned in the same breath as N. S. Krishnan.

For a while, even MGR called himself ‘M.G. Ramachandar’ to be different!‘Sabapathi’ placed AV. Meiyappan firmly on the ladder of success and he was well on his way to movie stardom. It brought A.T. Krishnaswamy into prominence as a director and a talented writer of comedy.

Produced at a cost of around Rs. 40,000, ‘Sabapathi’ proved to be a cash-ringing box-office success. It is often screened on Tamil TV channels and quite familiar even after 70-plus years.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Friday Review / by Randor Guy / January 29th, 2015

 

A grand sporting tradition slowly fades away

Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, Sports
The Madras Polo and Riding Club team in 1973 along with Mukarram Jah, grandson of the last Nizam of Hyderabad (third from left). Also seen is Col. Maharaj Premsingh (second from right)—Photo: Special Arrangement / The Hindu
The Madras Polo and Riding Club team in 1973 along with Mukarram Jah, grandson of the last Nizam of Hyderabad (third from left). Also seen is Col. Maharaj Premsingh (second from right)—Photo: Special Arrangement / The Hindu

As Chennai soaks in the fervour unleashed by the cricket world cup, a fact many residents may not know is that around the 1960s and 70s, it was polo that was the pride of Madras.

As the city soaks in the fervour unleashed by the cricket world cup, a fact many residents and even sports enthusiasts may not know is that around the 1960s and 70s, it was polo that was the pride of Madras. Every year, between September and October, the city played host to some of the best polo players from across the world in tournaments such as the Kolanka cup (which holds a Guinness record of being the tallest sports trophy at six feet), Bobbli cup and the South Indian Gold Vase.

The city’s eminent polo player Buchi Prakash says, “Before independence, many kingdoms had polo teams.  The military too trained officers to take up the sport. Polo is a game that requires deft horsemanship and these skills were crucial when cavalry was one of the important components of an army.”

Hailing from the first family of sports in Madras, the Buchi Babu clan, Prakash says polo is almost a family heirloom that has been handed down through seven generations. He recalls, “It was in Gymkhana Club that my father (M.V. Prakash) and grandfather played polo. Island grounds and the Chettinad Palace (now the MRC Nagar area) were other haunts.”

The Madras Riding Club and Madras Polo and Riding Club (MPRC) however popularised the sport among civilians. N.V. Ravi, president of the Madras Riding School says, “While the Madras Riding Club did have polo and bicycle polo, it was only with the MPRC set up by M.V Prakash, A.C Muthiah, M.A Chidambaram and M. A. M Ramaswamy that polo truly gained the spotlight. They even managed to get the world renowned polo champion Col. Maharaj Premsingh of Jodhpur to train aspiring sportsmen in the game.”

Kishore Futnani, who runs the Chennai Equestrian Academy, was trained by Premsingh. He fondly remembers the words of his late coach before his first tournament, “I was all of 15 and he said to me, ‘I’ve taught you all you need to know to play, so now all I can say is  when you’re in the field  ask yourself  ‘what the hell am I doing?’ If your answer is ‘nothing’ then that’s your cue to do something – hit the ball or stop your opponent from doing so.” Futnani says that these words have held him in good stead, even off the pitch.

Four decades on, the sport barely has a presence in the sporting landscape. Experts say only an investment in infrastructure and funding can revive the glory of polo.

In the 1960s and 70s, Chennai was home to a thriving polo culture

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Nitya Menon / Chennai – February 20th, 2015

In a city on the move, destitute find an angel of mercy

Amazing Feats, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

Chennai :

Should you chance upon a 50-something, bespectacled man giving a haircut or a bath to a destitute person in the city, stop by and ask him how you can help, if you can buy a bottle of water or medicine, or some food for the less fortunate individual he is caring for.

Siddique Ali, a resident of Sidco Nagar, owns a small shop and sells and repairs bags. He also delivers cooking gas cylinders to commercial establishments. He has a family to look after, a wife and an 18-year-old daughter, though his two sons now have jobs of their own. But he also does what he can to make the lives of society’s outcasts a little less miserable.

With medicines, soap and towels, a set of clothes, bottles of water, biscuits and food, Ali goes around the city on his two-wheeler to help people who have been abandoned by their families, the orphans and beggars and the other abject people whose presence others usually refuse to acknowledge.

Ali, who steadfastly refused to give an interview to this correspondent for three days because he did not want any publicity, says most barbers will not give homeless people a haircut even if they had the money for one. “Restaurants will turn them away even if they can pay for food,” he says.

“I wanted to do so much for my father but, when he passed away a decade ago, I decided to do something for the needy,” he says. “When I someone in tattered clothes, I stop and ask them if they will change their clothes if I gave them a new set and Rs 10. Most agree,” Ali says, recalling how one homeless man slapped him because he suspected that he was trying to steal his money.

“When I clean, bathe and shave the needy, poor and destitute and cut their hair and change their clothes, there are times when they cry in joy,” he says. “That is the most wonderful moment for me. What greater blessing can a man want?”

Everyone can do small things to make the world a better place, Ali says. “Place water on the terrace for thirsty birds to drink. Don’t throw away rotten tomatoes… Squirrels love them. Keep them on a compound wall and they’ll find them.”

Sometimes people stop and offer him money. “I don’t accept money. Depending on the condition of the person I am helping, I ask them to buy medicine, water or some curd rice,” Ali says.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / by Daniel George, TNN / February 20th, 2015

Banana Fest Leaves Sweet Memories of Unity in Rural Shrine

Arts, Culture & Entertainment
Devotees throw bananas on folk deity Kadavu Katha Ayyanar during the ‘Banana festival’ (Masi Kanimatru Vizha) at Andarkottaram village in Madurai district on Thursday night | K K Sundar
Devotees throw bananas on folk deity Kadavu Katha Ayyanar during the ‘Banana festival’ (Masi Kanimatru Vizha) at Andarkottaram village in Madurai district on Thursday night | K K Sundar

Madurai  :

In what could be described as a unique case of caste-Hindu and Dalits coming together, residents of six villages adjoining the city, hailing from both the communities, joined hands to celebrate the three-day ‘Banana festival’ (Masi Kanimatru Vizha) at Andarkottaram on the outskirts here, on Tuesday night. Strangely this has been in practice for years but has unfortunatley gone unnoticed.

Devotees gathered in huge numbers on Thursday – the last day of the fest – to pray to their folk Deity Kadavu Katha Ayyanar and offer bananas. The festival is also an attempt to maintain the age-old social order of harmony between caste-Hindus and Dalits in a restricted sense. “It is not possible for us to organise the festival without Dalits. On the second day of the celebration, caste-Hindus would assemble at the temple of Dalit deity Nondi Swamy located in a Dalit settlement and offer prayers,” said Swamy (62), a caste-Hindu.  On the final day, a caste-Hindu priest (Sangli Swamy) and Dalit priest (Nondi Swamy) will go dancing around the Ayyanar temple in a state of trance as a mark of commencing the banana fest, said Swamy.

However the Dalit communities offers their prayer only standing at the entrance of the temple. But Dalit priest Ganesh claims, “We don’t find any discrimination in this practice because we are doing it voluntarily to maintain the tradition,” he said.

Once the festival was declared over by priests, people start throwing hundreds of bananas for the next 15 minutes thanking HIM for granting their wishes. The bananas are later collected  by people as Prasadam (sacred food).

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by Gokul Vannan / February 21st, 2015

Christ King Girls’ School Has a Triple Celebration!

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

ChristSchoolCF21feb2015

Chennai :

Christ King Girls’ Higher Secondary School, East Tambaram, celebrated Republic Day and Annual Day, and held the felicitation ceremony for the non-teaching retiring staff on January 26.

The tricolour was hoisted by chief guest Dr Pratiba Nalini, an alumnus of the school. There was a march past by students of the school’s voluntary units (National Service Scheme, guides, junior Red Cross and National Green Corps). Cultural programmes included Parai aattam, an ancient form of folk art where dancers perform while beating a drum. Prizes were awarded to toppers in academics and sports.

The special guest was Beno Zaphine, who passed the Indian Administrative Services exam though she was visually challenged.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Education> Student / by Express News Service / February 20th, 2015

Thaikkal: Testimony to unbiased royal patronage

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence

Madurai :

The four streets from Thaikkal 1 to 4 start from the southern bank of Vaigai River near Albert Victor Bridge and ends in North Veli Street. According to residents, the area was a major Muslim settlement, nestled between River front and Old Nayak’s fort that ended with Veli streets, until the British came. According to historians the area could have come up during Nayak kings, since they were known to patronise all religions without discrimination.

M V Gurusamy, 72, a resident, said Thaikkal meant the settlement of Pattani Muslim (Urdu-speaking Muslim) community in the past. In many cities and towns in the state, there are areas which bear the name Thaikkal, including Trichy and Pudukottai. Over the period, the demographics changed and Muslims population became like any other community living on these streets. It is also a place where some of Muslim leaders were buried in the past. Sometime ago, there used to be grand celebrations during Ramzan but the practice faded away, residents said.

City-based history scholar R Venkataraman said that Muslim population in the state was only handful before the invasion of General Malik Kafur in 1310 AD. The religion started thriving during their brief rule. “There is every possibility that the piece of land could have been given by Nayak kings because they patronised all religions under them. A king considered himself a ruler of all and not just of a sect or community. If Nayaks and local rulers were against other religions, Islam and Christianity would not have taken roots here because people were afraid of kings and their anger those days”, he said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Madurai / by S. Lenin, TNN / February 15th, 2015

She paved the way

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All
Saraswati Bai (1892-1974)
Saraswati Bai (1892-1974)

Saraswati Bai, the phenomenally talented first woman Harikatha artiste of south India, came from poor circumstances. With a fine guru, and great patrons, she rose to the top against all odds and was called Lady Bhagavathar

The world had its way...
The world had its way…

Years ago I happened to hear a short rpm recording of C. Saraswati Bai; it was the famous kriti “Aada Modi Galade”. Robust and full throated, her non fussy music left an impact on me. Years later, when I saw her on the cover page of the Sruti magazine, the Charukeshi kriti emerged dusting cobwebs of memory. Music historian Sriram V. had written an extensive story on the life and music of Saraswati Bai, and it continued in the next issue of the magazine. It was a thrilling experience to read the story of Saraswati Bai, and somehow it immediately took me to the life of Kannada’s early woman writer Saraswati Bai Rajwade’s. Was there a connection beyond the name – not beyond their grit and determination perhaps. Of course, that they were woman who occupied the same period in history and struggled to change its course was also common to them.

Apart from Sriram V.’s wonderful essay on Saraswati Bai and a commemorative volume put together by M.S. Ramaswami Aiyar, there is not much information available on her. As Sriram himself says, Saraswati Bai wrote a sketch of her life in 1935 for the Tamil magazine Ananda Vikatan which is the only other authentic source. Lady Bhagavathar, as this first harikatha woman exponent was called, and Brahmin at that, led a life that was marked by ups and downs. But it is worth recalling her story not only because it allows us to re-read history, but also for her passion for learning which remained a constant through all the adversities she encountered. It is important to revisit because many of these forces, in our minds are always oppositional in nature – man and woman, upper caste and lower caste, rich and poor. But, they have integrated in heart-warming ways to make this great story of Saraswati Bai.

Born to the Madhwa Brahmin couple Rangammal and Rama Rao in 1892, Saraswati Bai’s life was to change when her mother Rangammal nursed the cholera stricken, wealthy Venkataswami Naidu back to health. Circumstances took Rama Rao’s family from Renigunta to Madras and they lived in close relationship with the Naidu family. Saraswati Bai accompanied Venkataswami Naidu’s great grand daughter Narasamma to her Hindustani music classes with Yakoob Ali Khan and just by being a passive onlooker she had learnt “songs, how to play the sitar and harmonium.” Several musicians such as Veena Dhanammal, Abdul Karim Khan, Hirabai Badodekar… visited the Naidu household giving the eager Saraswati a footing in music. Sanskrit scholar Krishnachar who happened to listen to Saraswati sing at an informal gathering was determined to teach the girl. A teacher at the Madras Christian College, Krishnachar became a devout guru and taught her Sanskrit along with a few Carnatic kritis. He took her to top artistes of those times – T.S. Sabesa Iyer, Muthaih Bhagavathar, Pudukottai Dakshinamurthy Pillai and several others, making sure that she learnt the best from their repertoire. He was so obsessed with teaching the young Saraswati that he even neglected his job.

If the support Krishnachar gave Saraswati was phenomenal, the encouragement the Naidu family extended to her was equally important. They provided opportunities for her to perform harikatha discourses and soon, Saraswati’s knowledge and depth was being widely discussed. She was married as a child, and her husband took care of the house and allowed her to pursue her passion. But with her rise, they began to cast aspersions on her character. Her guru was sufficiently maligned and he was even asked to give up his post in the college. People stopped attending her performances, getting sabha became impossible, finding accompanists was a herculean task. Vidwans who had accompanied her were ostracized by the Brahmin community and were later forced to undergo ritual purification. Saraswati Bai wrote: “If I were to list out the ways in which I was insulted and troubled by men, it would disgust the reader.” But the backing of her guru was solid.

She relentlessly held on, and with growing public support, in the years to come, none could stop Saraswati Bai’s increasing popularity. In 1911, as a 19-year old, she travelled widely across India giving performances. Saraswati Bai also went to Sri Lanka and by the time she turned 22, she was one of the most accomplished Harikatha performers. Saraswati Bai was greatly appreciated by the stars of her time like Dhanammal and Mukta. In fact, she paved the path for other Brahmin women to pursue their interests.

Sriram V. records F.G. Natesa Iyer (in 1939) as saying: “Saraswati Bai is a pioneer, and today, as a result of her sacrifices…. Brahmins and non-Brahmins walk freely over the once forbidden ground. C. Saraswati Bai has achieved this miracle.”

This is the first of a four-part series on women from the world of Performing Arts

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Deepa Ganesh / February 12th, 2015

Guard of Honour for MOP Achievers

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education
Students of MOP Vaishnav College during the College’s annual day celebrations | D SAMPATHKUMAR
Students of MOP Vaishnav College during the College’s annual day celebrations | D SAMPATHKUMAR

Chennai :

A colourful marchpast by enthusiastic students and a choreographed aerobics show were the highlights of the 23rd annual sports day of MOP Vaishnav College for Women held at the University Union grounds on Monday.

Dr S Sundararaj, Minister for Sports and Youth Welfare, Government of Tamil Nadu, presided over the function and addressed the students and staff.

“We are moving towards an age where education is not just about marks, but also about health and fitness,” said Sundararaj, lauding the college for recognising this. The minister felicitated Aparajita Balamurugan of first year MBA (silver in squash) and Aishwarya Nedunchezhiyan of second year BA sociology (bronze in sailing), who won medals at the Asian Games.

MOP sportswomen who performed well at the recent National Games in Kerala were also recognised. G Gayathri, a PhD scholar in commerce, who won the gold medal in 100m hurdles, setting a new meet record, was awarded the BS Raghavan Endowment Prize for top individual performance in athletics. Also awarded was Sandhya Winfred, who won bronze in rifle shooting at the National Games. The college presented awards to six international players, 19 national-level players, 76 state-level players and 54 university-level players. Dr V Mahadevan, director of physical education, University of Madras, was guest of honour.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Sport / by Express News Service / February 17th, 2015

More between the covers

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Leaders
M.A. Sikandar / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu
M.A. Sikandar / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu

National Book Trust Director M.A. Sikandar on his concerns for the book fair

The New Delhi World Book Fair, to be held at Pragati Maidan from February 14 to 22, will be all about inclusiveness as for the first time lesser known literary figures from the North East of the country will be acknowledged for giving a glimpse into the cultural heritage and rich diversity of the states known as the Seven Sisters. Their books will be displayed in a special theme pavilion of the exhibition ground.

National Book Trust Director M.A. Sikandar has gone out of his way to accommodate the genuine concerns of North Easterners. As a result, the book fair’s theme programme titled “Suryodaya: Emerging Voices from Northeast India” will see books by Sanjay Hazarika, also participating in a panel discussion, and by literary figures like Sanjeeb Kakoty, Mitra Phuken and Arup Kumar Dutta at Hall No. 7.

“When I took over the reigns of NBT in 2012, we selected cinema as the theme. It was followed by tribal literature, children’s literature and now literature from the North East. There are prolific writers who have produced work in different languages. The time has come to acknowledge these writings and showcase them to an international audience. Former militant Hemanta Jamatia, now a folk singer, will be in conversation with Utpal Borpujari,” says Sikandar.

Sikandar informs us that NBT has opened two centres in Guwahati and Agartala to promote the book reading habit in the remotest regions of Assam and Tripura respectively. “Whenever book fairs are held in these States, schools shut down and children accompanied by their teachers come from far and wide. In the years to come, the North East, with a sizeable urban, educated population, would become the most literate State. There is a direct link between literature and education. Tripura has become the number one literary State.”

The NBT director feels that the decision to highlight the literature from these states would eventually help in integrating the entire North East with the rest of the country as people would be acclimatised with the rich culture, traditions and history of the region.

As for choosing South Korea as the focus country, he says, “This move would open business opportunities for Indian publishers. Or else, like other years, European publishers would have struck deals with their Korean counterparts. Now Korean publishers do not have to go to the London Book Fair and the Frankfurt Book Fair. Consequently, publishers and authors would get royalties and Korean publishers would sign translation rights.”

About 200 books, contemporary literature, comics and children’s books, authored by well known as well as new Korean authors will be available.

The WBF does not provide facilities like snack bars or cafés inside the auditoriums. Even the infrastructure at Pragati Maidan, which is fit for hosting melas rather than exhibitions, dies not match world-class book fairs held in cities like London, Frankfurt and Seoul.

“We do not know. The ITPO (Indian Trade Promotion Organisation) is planning this event and is our co-organiser. Not even a big auditorium, where the opening ceremony can be held with all invitees in attendance, exists at the moment at Pragati Maidan. Last year, the audience was sitting under the open sky and it started pouring. Due to lack of infrastructure, business generation is not on the expected lines. We are not able to attract leading foreign authors to the fair and even lose out on translations of famous English books into Indian languages.”

Sikandar says modernisation of infrastructure needs to be carried out in right earnest at Pragati Maidan. “We cannot have such a venue in Greater Noida or in the NCR.”

This time round, NBT has appointed a committee to catch hold of exhibitors, including foreign participants, who are selling the remaindered books.

As China will be the guest of honour nation next year, a five-member Chinese delegation will be discussing the next edition, to be held in January 2016, says the director.

“Since last year, I was keen to change the month, because November is the time of examination fever for school students. To strengthen our age-old storytelling traditions, puppeteers from Iran have been invited. When Chinese President Xi Jinping visited India last September, I had the good fortune of signing an MoU with the Chinese Minister to have China as guest of honour country at World Book Fair-2016.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Madhur Tankha / February 13th, 2015