TATA, THE TITAN

The outpouring of grief that started on the 10 of October when people lined up to pay tribute to the gentleman at the core, Mr Ratan N Tata, is continuing in the writings of his admirers from the world over. His passing has evoked deep reflections on his extraordinary life and nonpareil leadership. 

A beacon of India Inc., an out-of-the-ordinary leader with an immeasurable contribution to making India, his influence on the lives of people in our country will continue when he is no longer amongst us. Tatas are the biggest employer in the country, employing over a million people in their conglomerate. Ratan Tata’s benevolence touched the lives of millions through his varied philanthropic contributions. The legend, born in 1937, joined the Tata Group in 1962 and continued his journey till the end, although he relinquished the Chairmanship when he turned 75. He was conferred Padma Vibhushan by the Indian government, a lifetime achievement award by the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Knight Grand Cross of the Excellent Order of the British Empire. It did not change the compassionate human deep inside him. 

Ratan Tata chose impact over wealth accumulation, wherein sixty per cent of profits go towards charitable trusts that fund varied philanthropic activities across India, including education and healthcare. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tata Sons and Tata Trusts pledged 1500 crores to support India’s fight against the virus. His salt to software enterprise is an integral part of our daily life and reaches every sphere of our lives. We start the day with the morning cup of Tetley tea, eat Tata salt in the food, buy clothes from Zara, Taniera and Westside stores, cosmetics from Zudio, jewellery and watches from Tanishq, cars from Tata Motors, education in the company run institutes to getting treated in their hospitals and much more. Acquisition of British brands Jaguar Land Rover and Tetley Tea put the Tatas on the world map. Tetley Tea was one of the mammoth overseas acquisitions by an Indian company at the time. 

A kennel for stray dogs at the Bombay House, Tata Headquarters is a testament to his love for animals. In 2018, he skipped Buckingham Palace Honour to be with his ailing pet dog. Prince Charles admired the man for such a decision. Last year, he opened India’s first Small animal Hospital after years of planning. The hospital, built with such a philanthropic spirit, has high-tech facilities for small animals, his love for creatures who cannot speak. An animal welfare activist, in his own words, "My love for dogs as pets is ever strong and will continue for as long as I live," 

He had a rare combination of stately calm and fierce discipline. He took up projects that most think unthinkable. A soft-spoken gentleman could be tough when required, a balance that put Tata Group in the place it reached. The tenets of kindness, integrity and humility in times of mad race for accumulating wealth of this indistinguishable gentleman were matchless. Ratan Tata managed to retain the Tata culture, the Tata way of life set by the earlier leaders. 

A life well lived will continue to inspire generations to come. Touching the lives and hearts of millions of people is the legacy you leave behind. His trusted assistant rightly will miss his lighthouse. A philanthropist in the steps of JRD Tata believed, “Apart from values and ethics which I have tried to live by, the legacy I would like to leave behind is a very simple one—that I have stood up for what I consider to be the right thing, and I have tried to be as fair and equitable as I could be.”

Picture from Google

         LAUGHTER IS TRULY A THERAPY

Jam-packed Tagore Theatre in the heart of the City Beautiful was ready for non-stop laughter thanks to the visiting eminent stand-up comedian. A family show with an enthusiastic audience, a mix of the elderly and the young, who have paid for the entertainment, speaks of the popular genre. Houseful attendance is a reality of the need for such shows where the feel-good sensation stays long after the finale. This show reminded me of the famed Punjabi Marasis of the olden days, who could get away with their mimicry and witty humour and who did not spare the rulers. In ancient Greek society, political and social satire entertained and educated the masses. Modern-day comedians convey subtle messages of social change in society. 

These humorists' sense of wit, scrutiny and the art of mimicry makes mundane funny and relatable. Their master card is making people laugh at their own expense. Most comedians place everyday characters in amusing situations, often picking up from the audience through wit and humour. Some crusaders in the garb of the comedians expect a well-versed audience whom they entertain through thought-provoking humour. 

The stand-up comedians talk about painful and not easily accessible topics by giving it a humorous angle. The absurdities and the confusion of our daily lives are handled funnily with a message. They inadvertently steer the path that is difficult to tread in routine conversations. It is a cathartic experience for the host who shares his weaknesses or shortcomings with a room full of strangers in the supporting environment. They pick on the audience and share their escapades to create a humorous atmosphere that keeps the audience in splits. The enterprising audience is encouraging; however, not everyone in the audience is game to the planned moments of impromptu interaction. They take it in the stride.

Satire is a relief mechanism that dispels stress and anxiety from our lives. Their passion for their craft makes the show engaging for their audience. They mock the powerful and find humorous angles to some of the darkest sides of life. Comedy, a business worldwide, is a form of self-expression as much as it is about connecting with an audience. Adhering to the boundaries of free speech and playing the role of the interrogator of social boundaries, the task is debatable. When they joke about their lived experience and be the butt of the joke themselves is taken well by the audience. 

Stand-up comedy is prone to be misunderstood by the uninitiated, but its rising popularity speaks of mature participants. The complex interplay of culture, politics, and history makes them relevant to the times. The biographical and observational stories are relatable, where the comedian speaks his mind, thus evoking a response through laughter and applause. 

This evolved art form is challenging and necessitates skill and technique to ace. The acts involve planning that we find relatable yet pleasurable. We laugh the loudest at the jokes we find relatable, wherein nuances of existence are made funny for us. The mimicry acts, the storyline and the ways of delivery are a sell-out. The keen observer in the comedian judges the audience in the first few minutes to provide non-stop laughter at the stipulated time. 

The new form of this genre also ridicules and exposes issues miring the society at large through jokes that may be relatively new to India; its antecedent in the form of marasis is age-old who could get with their mockery and did not spare even the rulers. We can regulate stress owing to Alpha generation comedians who insist laughter is medicine. The adrenaline, where the live comedy has us whooping in our seats, is addictive, and one looks forward to being at another one soon. 

                           GRATITUDE 

                         SUNSET SOIRÉE

           IS THERE HOPE IN SOLIDARITY?

Beti Padhai, but could not save her! Waking up to the horrendous news of a rape and murder of a woman doctor was shattering. The gruesome way she had been brutally raped and murdered speaks about how inhuman society has become. How long can men get away with such barbaric acts where even the beast will feel ashamed? What the doctor must have gone through when the monsters were ripping her modesty apart, and how come no one heard her cries? How can the workplace be so insecure for a working woman? Are these the signs of development and progress?These are some of the questions which come to mind. The life of this aspiring doctor was cut short by this rape and murder. Imagine the healers do not feel safe in their environment. 

The power of people took charge in the form of protests, angry young medics were on the street fighting for a safe environment. Protests encompassed both men and women gave hope for the solidarity as women deserve better. There was a time when it was easier to brush a rape case under the carpet and the victim was stigmatised. This is no longer the situation, society is moving on. The agonised and spontaneous response is forcing the authorities to take action. How long can women take the nonsense? When the power of people did get some results in the case of Nirbhya, there is a chance of something concrete coming out of the doctors around the country asking for justice. 

The same power brought about results at the time of Nirbhya a decade ago, where Criminal Law Act, also known as Nirbhaya Act strengthened penalties for sexual offences, introduced the death penalties for repeat rape offenders, and enhances provisions for the protection of survivors, including stricter definitions and punishments for crime such as rape and stalking. Due to the Juvenile Justice Act of 2015, after the Nirbhaya case, the age at high violent offences such as rape may be tried as adults was lowered from 18 to 16. 

The case being handled by the CBI and the Supreme Court of India’s decision to take suo motto cognisance of the case are steps in the right direction where the three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud has constituted a National Task Force led by senior medical professionals to formulate comprehensive safety protocol for healthcare workers across India. The action plan, according to SC must ensure the safety and well-being of medical professionals. Health Ministry too announces a series of measures to provide additional security to healthcare employees at the workplace. 

FAIMA deciding to call off the strike following positive directions from CJI and SC directing that no coercive action against the peaceful protestors and urging the protesting doctors to resume work are the steps in the right direction wherein the power of people is bearing results. The sliver of hope should not get lost in making it a political issue. Nothing should be able to override the dignity of women. Women deserve justice and do not want to be just treated as beneficiaries of free bus tickets. It is high time culprits are lynched in broad daylight so that another one will shiver before committing such a heinous crime. It scares not only the ones of the recent case but a warning for the future on anyone who dares to do it. 

At the same time, we have to address the underlying reasons.  Parents have to stop pampering a child just because he is a boy. Before saving our daughters, let us teach our sons equality from a young age and not spoil them as if they are extraordinary beings who are superior to the girls. From a young age boys have to know that if they make a mistake, they will be punished so that they do not get away with committing crimes when they grow up.