Entrepreneurship in IIM Lucknow

“Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won’t so that you can spend the most of your life like most people can’t”

How should we harness our lessons, great content and brilliant ideas, make them available to the rest of the world as best practices? That’s exactly what the students inside the gates of IIM Lucknow keep asking themselves. They utilise the resources available and come up with ventures. And to support them, Abhiyan, the E-Cell of IIM Lucknow, actively helps them. Abhiyan is one of the most active entrepreneurship committees in business school campuses in India. They organize business plan competitions, give away prizes and take initiatives to provide incubation facilities. Thus, here the budding entrepreneurs sow the seeds of their plan. These are the students who could have enjoyed the comforts of a great job but choose to take the harder way to make a difference. The increasing number of students opting to begin their new ventures after graduating from IIM Lucknow is expected to continue as students become more confident about themselves and the immense resources around them to initiate a new idea. They work out a detailed business plan that usually lists the entry and exit barriers. They identify the potential customers and market segments and position themselves accordingly. They chalk out distribution, promotion and financial strategies, the value proposition for target customers, detailed competitor analysis and strategy for future growth.

The institute encompasses various ventures that implement the classroom theories and see the result for real. Two such businesses running inside the campus are Not Just Tea and Gossip n Bite. Managing academics and business indeed becomes a challenge for the students but that has never stopped these budding managers. One such venture is Indofash, an online shopping website, by Pallavi A. Mohadikar from PGP 2. Indofash provides premium and exclusive Indian ethnic wears. Pallavi aims to make customers reconnect to their traditional roots and embrace the Indian culture through myriad hues and rich texture.

IIM Lucknow always welcomes fresh ideas and students are never short of them. Imprint, for example, is an idea-stage venture, a magazine that intends to follow the Charles Dickens model to make lives better for the weaker sections of the society. The students, Debalina, Saurav, Vidushi and Gargi, all from PGP 1, formed a team to shape this extremely new social business plan. The magazine will include short stories to highlight the ugly truth of poverty, sanitation, social prejudices, unemployment and atrocities on women to make lives better. Positioning themselves as “Imprint of the people, for the people, by the people”, the team looks forward to touch millions of lives to make an impact.

The students believe that these ventures are like parallel curriculum which can teach the extra bit beyond the pedagogy inside classrooms. They are driven by the fuel of passion, ignition of ideas and thrill to do something on their own.

What makes a good B School?

Have you ever wondered why B-schools can’t be like engineering colleges, teaching students how to technically solve business complexities? Or why are B-schools different from medical schools, teaching people proven remedies and prescriptions that work 100%? The nature of life in business is completely unpredictable. One doesn’t realise any clear relationship between intervention and outcome… did your idea succeed or were you just lucky with the stars… did the meeting go down well or were the others unable to pull you down… etc etc. Here we have a point to note down – nothing in business is black or white, all are shades of grey.

A good business school teaches how to deal with the uncertainties of life, learn beyond our on-the-job learning and boosts careers of students. We hear about B-schools with good reputations, we see rankings… but when deciding what a good B-school is like, we should look beyond all this to find educational strategies that lead to real meaningful change.

Case studies from real life business situations are among today’s most relevant learning tools. Good business schools offer classes that realistically fit into the lives of business executives. Being global is no longer just an option for B-schools in a constantly evolving and an increasingly interdependent international marketplace. Good B-schools attract international faculty and students for a global perspective based on intellectual and cultural diversity. Also, learning isn’t always an individual venture. A good business school often forms teams of students to enhance peer group learning. Business schools also partner with companies for internships to ensure that students are aware and well converse with organizational needs and strategic approaches to meet business challenges. Hence, a healthy combination of all this and expert faculties make a great B-school.

Learning is not a one-off thing. It continues life-long. A good business school has a strong alumni base for students to seek leadership and management knowledge from. Beyond the tough schedule and strict deadlines, clubs and committees have a huge role in making a good B-school. In the midst of classes and quizzes, cultural festivals, good food, great library and infrastructure is a must in every business school.

Rather than trying to plug in text book response, a good B-school trains students to approach business solutions as smart and self-aware leaders and prepares them for any situation. This forms an imperative part of a truly transformational learning – a must for good B-schools.

‘The victim could be anyone’ - The Hindu

‘The victim could be anyone’ - The Hindu

FEHMIDA ZAKEER

Debalina Haldar talks about her debut novel, based on a traumatic personal experience.

Debalina Haldar has been writing poems and short stories since she was in Std. II. She transitioned into an author during the last year of her engineering course. But her book, The Female Ward, is not a chronicle of the happenings in yet another professional college. Rather, the focus is on ragging.

“I had to face it as a student,” she says, “and I know how demeaning it can be. And I also got to know the other face of ragging when a fake suicide attempt by a junior, and dirty politics at the college administration level got me arrested and sent to a correctional home.”

She saw the deplorable conditions under which poor women lodged in the home were living. “This was an India I didn’t know about, and now that I have seen it, and for a short while lived it, I realised that until rich India cared enough to tackle illiteracy and poverty it would never be able to call itself a developed nation.” Excerpts from an interview.

What prompted you to write this novel?

I have always loved the idea of having my novel published. I’ve had multiples ideas running in my head for quite some time now. I was also determined to highlight social issues associated with women but didn’t know the right way to start, couldn’t find the perfect plot.

Then this thing happened in my life. I don’t like to refer to that episode as something bad or negative. Rather, I’d say it was an opportunity that paved the way to meet so many women from diverse backgrounds. I got close to them and learned a lot about so many things.

Did writing help you overcome your own traumatic experience?

Writing has always helped me come out of depression. It is the best pain-killer and anti-depressant. Writing this book gave me my confidence back.

Usually, stories about ragging are from the viewpoint of the victim. Your book takes another perspective.

This book does blame the perpetuators of ragging in the first few chapters where Dishari, the protagonist, is abused, rebuked and often left alone to cry. The novel also looks at ragging as a very handy tool in the hands of students — something that can be used to settle scores with so-called perpetuators. A fake suicide attempt, combined with a ragging complaint, is enough to finish the careers of students. Whether it is tormenting a new student or slapping a ragging complaint against a senior, both can’t be justified. I’d say that the victim could be anyone.

How long did it take for you to complete this novel?

Six months during the final year of my college. I was totally determined and focused and words started flowing like, my editor used to say, a runaway horse. Editing was a truly enriching experience. My editor is Rebecca Lloyd, an award-winning author and a novelist herself. She taught me the little intricacies of fiction writing. It was fun but rigorous at the same time.

How easy or difficult was it to find a publisher?

Being a debut writer, I didn’t have too many options. I was rejected by a few publishers before Thames River Press, U.K., accepted my work.

How long have you been writing? What are you working on now?

I’ve been writing since I was in Std. II. I always loved writing about social issues. My short story, ‘By-lane Dreamers’, won the Critics’ Choice Award in Illuminati 2011. This was my first big achievement. My next work is an anthology of short stories. I am also doing my MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow.

What has been your friends’ and family’s response to your writing?

My parents and sisters have always encouraged me in everything that I’ve done. I have wonderful friends who make my life meaningful. My mother is the pillar behind my every success. She says that she always knew that I’d be a writer! I was disorganised as a child. My writings would’ve been lost had my mother not kept them safe.

Exchange Students at IIM Lucknow

As everything gets globalized and global events give a formation to our future, top management schools from across the world want a slice of experience at IIM Lucknow. Student Exchange Programmes open up the opportunity to enjoy life inside the gates of the beautiful campus. The students of IIM L play host to those from Italy, Switzerland, Ireland and other countries across the world.

Different culture, tradition, language, attitude and similar things often make us feel uncomfortable. But surprisingly, Fabian from Copenhagen Business School has something totally different to say. “I was absolutely excited about coming to India. I always wanted to find out what it meant to be a part of such a rich culture.” He hails from Switzerland and loves the food in the mess. “The students of IIM Lucknow are so friendly, the campus is beautiful, I’m loving it. It’s altogether a great experience.”

Recently, the exchange students participated in the fashion show and other events in Varchasva, the annual sports and cultural fest of IIM Lucknow. It is not easy to live in a place where everyone is so different. Hence, the students of IIM Lucknow step forward as guides and buddies to their new friends and thus builds a healthy, invaluable and timeless relationship between them. “My buddies have taught me small phrases in Hindi like ‘Aapko Kya Chahiye’ (laughs),” said Daniele from Bocconi University. Daniele goes on to say, “I enjoy going to the gym and the swimming pool every day. It’s a great place to be.”

On what he did not like inside campus, Matteo from Copenhagen Business School said, “I don’t understand if it is good or bad. But things are different over here… the food, the culture, the people. And I’m cherishing the difference as much as I can during my stay here.”

The Exchange students involve themselves in scores of activities inside campus. On the festival of Diwali the exchange students decorate hostels with lights and colours. It is always a great sight to find exchange students in Indian ethnic wears. It is a symbiotic process of learning, enjoyment and fun between the exchange students and the students of IIM Lucknow… the only time in the year which gives a feeling of living inside a white globe with all those imaginary boundaries removed. Inside the gates of IIM Lucknow, these students smile… they laugh, they participate, they learn, they cherish, they carry home an awesome experience with amazing memories.

Art attack: Inspiring story of the painter from IIM Lucknow

We all have been passionate about our crayons, brushes and sketch pens at some point of time in our childhood. Mohini Patil, a PGP first year student of IIM Lucknow (IIM-L), continues to have her box of colours with her, inside campus. She enjoys trying out different art forms and specifically loves sand animation and encaustic painting.

Her art collection seems like a product of artistic usage of crayons or colours or anything else, but definitely not what she reveals. "Encaustic is a rare and an amazing art," she says. "It means mixing multiple colours. And I use crayons, melt them and paint with an iron." Mohini has been practicing encaustic art for six years.

Such art forms are rare and are getting rarer every day. On the reason behind art moving away from the masses in general, she says, "The lack of awareness is creating this void. Interest should be there along with it, as well. This fact has always bothered me. I've learnt art forms from YouTube videos with no expert training and I know that it is difficult. But then, where there is a will there is always a way."

Her biggest achievement is the Mumbai National Art Exhibition that featured four of her masterpiece creations in 2011. She recalls, "It was the moment when my dreams since childhood came true. I can still feel goose bumps when I remember the evening."

Mohini says that she would soon start a website that would have online sessions on craft making, sand animation and oil painting amongst many others in different levels. As of now, she sits with her canvas, iron and crayons whenever she feels tired of studying. "It basically acts as a refresher, an energy booster. After few strokes on the canvas, I suddenly feel so complete."

Is art dying out of today's youth? If it is, how do we retrieve it? Explains Mohini, "If someone has a little idea about an art form, one should research it out. The thirst for knowledge and the eagerness to learn will never let one stop before any barrier." 

Mohini wants to keep this amazing hobby going along with her academics in IIM-L. She realises the fact that finding out time for painting after classes and assignments would be difficult but she says, "Even if someday I get busy and leave art work, art will never leave me." You go, girl!

Devanshu Kakkar mentors under privileged children

Not many of us would remember the last child we snubbed at, who appeared at the window, when our cars were stuck at a traffic jam. Where we do not even sit back to think what compels them to come out in the streets, at times, in extreme weather conditions, Devanshu Kakkar, a first year PGP student of IIM Lucknow, shares his insight.

Ever looked at the eyes of those children and orphans who stare at the school going kids, holding the fingers of their parents? Wouldn't most of them wish to go to school, or to be at least under the care and guidance of someone? These questions chased Devanshu since his days in school when the kids in their once green, blue, grey clothes-turned-rags would stare at him. What started off as a question, took the form of an endeavour to make a difference to the lives of these small ones, to give them hope and support to live their dreams. Devanshu, beyond the red bricks of IIM Lucknow, is now an active member of the Rotaract Club.

"Graduation and academics were no pressure for me. People join clubs and committees. I just wanted to explore my ideas," he says. Our country has 2,500 Rotaract Clubs and the members are the youth. They run schools and conduct classes for students from diverse backgrounds and are achievers in their own domains. "One of my student was a national level karate player; another was an actor in a theatre. They cross hurdles and difficulties every day. Stories of their achievements and wit can run for pages," he recalls.

The club also encourages promotion of culture and values that are specific to the state it functions in. The children love festivals and their joy knows no bound when they celebrate Diwali, Children's Day and many more. Today we all are running rat-races. Most of us are aware of our social responsibilities. But we complain about lack of time. Says Devanshu, "Multitasking has always been a challenge. I had CAT on 3rd November. My students had their pre-board exams in the same month. So, could I take a break for my own studies in October? No. I accept them as a part of my own reality."

On the possibility that these students might step on the other side of the red bricks, Devanshu says, "I recently got a call from my student who I was mentoring. He wanted guidance to proceed from Class X to engineering. This happened after I told them about JEE, which was oblivious to them before. Most of them come from slums but you give them something to aspire for, they will achieve them."

"I would suggest others to keep their motivation going, irrespective of how the other factors affect you", he says, about the young crowd of people who aspire to create an impact through an initiative like his. "This is a success for me. Even if it has helped only one child, I would be glad, since my help would touch a generation. I would love to carry on my work with the Rotaract club in Lucknow. I have plans."

Devanshu is a perfect epitome of all those who want to follow their dreams in life.

Rashmi Bansal at IIM Lucknow

“There is a value to struggle in life. Then you value that as well since the passion of doing something drives you”

A room of students, signed copies of bestselling books and Rashmi Bansal… a combination that is rare and enthralling. It did happen on the 27^th September evening when the writer visited the IIM Lucknow campus and I, with my Media and Communication Cell team, had a warm conversation with the author over a cup of coffee. She owns an outstanding literary career after writing five bestselling books featuring entrepreneurs.

I was totally taken aback when Rashmi expressed in excitement that she loved the crowd, the facilities and the “five star mess food”. More so when she said that all these make her wish if she could come back for a second MBA at IIM Lucknow! The crowd which has always been a nerdy, serious-looking, always-in-a-hurry bunch of young people… facilities are no doubt one of the best… but the (five star) mess food! I’ve always been a woeful survivor on milk and cornflakes... not that the food is totally hopeless, the biryani

gets monotonous with time. But Rashmi feels that this is the beauty of IIM Lucknow. The serious students don’t step back to express their excitement and creativity. The facilities, in Rashmi’s words, are “so good” in terms of sports, library, swimming pool and gym, unlike so many colleges that she has seen. I asked her again about the mess food to see if she would like to reconsider her take but she says that there is variety, taste and warmth in the food of IIM Lucknow which she preferred over dining at a fancy restaurant that day!

Rashmi says that she would like to see 10% of the batch become entrepreneurs. In her words, if the best and brightest brains in our country, who are capable of time management and hard work, don’t think differently, then who will? “We all are born with some unique dream… to climb Mount Everest and likewise… dreams that are not motivated by the money part of it. But as we move from KG to PG 90% of the spark dies out.” I saw a broad smile on Shivangi’s face who was behind the camera. I think she recalled some unique dream that she had.

We do often get carried away by money. I mean most people do… just that students like us don’t have money at this stage of our career. But it was so inspiring for all of us when she said, “Do you really work to make money? Sometimes you look for path breaking ideas.”

I was just about to put forward my ending question to Rashmi when Saurav, my MCC co-member, mentioned my book and that I was going through a problem, a second book syndrome. And I adored it when Rashmi said, “You should write what your heart wants to be told… not what readers would love to hear… I too went through the problem, everyone does, but this way you counter-attack the syndrome.” It was a wow moment when she promised to come for my second book launch (as and when it happens). “I’m happy that IIM Lucknow has so much diversity,” Rashmi said.

It was really a pleasure to have Rashmi between us and we did mention that to her. To this, she sweetly smiled and said, “Dear, it was my pleasure as well… I enjoyed with you guys… and I would love to be back.”

Godrej Loud Dream

Debalina writes about her dreams for Godrej Loud...

"Writing for a Purpose…and the purpose is to touch the lives of the lesser fortunate"

 In West Bengal, in the year 2007, there was a huge disorder regarding the land acquisition by the Tatas in Singur and Nandigram. Innocent farmers were killed, their families destroyed… a complete human barbarism was moving around in the air. Most terrible was the fact that women were being raped and burnt. I was in my class 12 then and the entire episode hovered in my mind like ghosts. I penned down a poem, “An enigma called Woman” and dedicated it to Tapasi Mallik, a 16 years old rape and murder victim of that time, and women like her. It received the Editors’ Choice Award by Poetry.com and International Library of Poetry.

There were tears in my unbelievable eyes at 12 midnight, somewhere in the month of July in the year 2011. A story that my pen told the world about an ugly truth of street children in India had won the Critics’ Choice Award by the All India Short Story Competition, Illuminati 2011. And there was the joy that it was being read by millions in our country and abroad. The story thus unfolded was called “By-lane Dreamers” and somewhere down the line, I was happier since my creation could be an opportunity for many dreamers who have sweet-might-have-beens in their eyes… the poor children who belong to the streets

And finally, in 2012, my debut novel, “The Female Ward” was released internationally by Thames River Press (London). It is a diary of a young girl who witnesses few social issues in India like corruption, prisons and ragging. Again, a dream came true in the attempt to change India.

Now, I’m here at IIM Lucknow. The busy schedule has not stopped me from dreaming about a changed India where everyone is happy. I’m so glad that my mission, writing for a purpose, is actually helping me realise my dream. I’m working on my second book, “The Interpreter of Propinquity”, not a novel, but an anthology of short stories. It will have 20 stories, 750-1500 words each, highlighting current issues in India, helping people come out of their ship-wrecked existence and live a life. I’ve the manuscript ready for 10 stories and working hard to complete the remaining in a year. I would love to disclose the titles of the stories I’ve written already and they are:

1.       An Empty Title

2.       Imaginary

3.       Ocean

4.       The Conch Shell

5.       Fading Clouds

6.       The Last Hint of Orange

7.       By-lane Dreamers

8.       The Stripper in Radha

9.       The Old Giant

10.   The Paper Boat

So here I am, a full-time dreamer since 2007, writing for a purpose and the purpose is to touch the lives of the lesser fortunate because

“There’s nothing like a dream to create future” – Victor Hugo, Les Miserables

Inside Those Red Bricks of IIM Lucknow

Arnab Goswami might damage his voice after engaging in a two hours long verbal battle with a politician, but the students of IIM Lucknow can scream out loud enough to break records and statistics. Such is the enthralling crowd of the best brains in the country. And such is the rare occasion when these unlikely and uncommon quintessential would-be managers do get together to shout.

 The 29^th batch of PGP entered the gates of IIM Lucknow with a population of diverse background from lawyers to musicians to cricketers to pharmacists… and a smile on each of their faces. Their eyes, wide with self esteem for getting the IIM tag, were awaiting tears of anxiety and tension in the recent future for the two years ahead. First there was the CAT… which they could all bell. And there they were, more indifferent than ever, about any reason why IIM L could be called Hell.

And with the morning alarm on the 18^th day of June, the Induction programme began. The Director and the Dean welcomed the Governor of UP, the chief guest of the day. The students in their business formals were already feeling the warmth of being a CEO or, for lesser ambitious people, a VP of some high-paying enterprise. That was a Monday.

A week passed with inflated ego lurking behind wide smiles… only the selfdom to be crushed mercilessly by the Monday that showed up. Thus began the sleepless nights, the “hell”thy and strong night mess coffee and chicken rolls, the management jargons and… hold on your breath… the classes… that got more sleepy than ever. The eyes those were once as wide as anything could now barely remain open. With their heads as heavy as lead… they decided to sleep instead. They hung in slow simple harmonic motions (SHM). And then suddenly, like a bolt in the blue, a surprise quiz was announced. Boom! The SHMs ceased and the sleep disappeared.

The quiz got over and the heads hung low with zeroes running in the mind and the heart pumping fast. And with a bunch of high spirited people around and given the fact that 99 of every 100 persons think they are innocents, the blame was passed on to the professors for being cruel, atrocious, barbarous, vicious, brutal, bloodthirsty, or any other creative complimentary or visionary substitution for these words … the atmosphere was back to normal… the same sleepless nights, the night mess coffee and the drowsy classes. The thoughtfully gullible, the willingly clumsy, the skilfully frenetic, the woeful survivors on milk and cornflakes make IIM L (read Hell) Hellarious… an unbelievable combination of always-in-a-hurry nerds and unpredictable times.

What Lights up your Life... All India B-school Writing Competition

As the last hint of orange falls beyond the faraway mountains and darkness shields us under its shackles, I sit at my table with a pensive state of mind. I look up and the ceiling stares back. I begin an unusual thought process in my otherwise stagnant mind… has light, the source of my motivation, merged with obscurity? Have the golden rays of the glorious sun hid behind oblivion? Did I take light too much for granted? Did it tempt me to do so? The room is closed. The walls feel like coming closer with every moment of apprehension. On such rare occasions, when I give light so much of thought, after split seconds, I feel like a moth to the flame. I ask for light. I crave for energy. I yearn for hope. I cry for direction. And then a violin starts playing from somewhere when the hero of the night appears. It bathes me in milky white rays and then I shower all my gratitude to the fluorescent lamp above my study table, for being what it is. Finally, I feel complete… as if good has won over evil. I sit back and salute light for a lightless world would be such a gloomy place.

And then at some point of time, hunger strikes hard. Being as lazy as a sloth, I usually prefer staying in my room to continue my life as a woeful survivor on powdered milk and cornflakes. But sometimes I do get rebellious and come out of the four walls. I walk down the short cut road, leading to the Mess. The trees at IIM L are well maintained, but at night, they look quite creepy. They bend front, back and sideways… dancing with the air in the darkness. I keep my concentration on every little detail on the road lest I may step on some reptile! Well, good things come in short packages and as soon as I am at the end of the shorter road… wow! I feel like out of a dark dungeon after days. The Not Just Tea stall dazzles in the yellow light… the Gossip n Bite in the white… the Nescafe shop… the Juice Corner… and the queen of all places, the Mess. And behind all the festivity, the glamour, the light, the food, the happy faces of the otherwise serious, nerdy or always-in-a-hurry crowd of students… behind what makes the night life of IIM L what it really is… are fluorescent bulbs and incandescent lights?(!!!!!!!!!!) Unbelievable as it may seem, a set of 5, 8, 11 and 14 watt energy saver lamps brings smile on the faces of hundreds of people in the campus. Small as they may look, they light up the campus that is spread over one hundred and eighty five acres of land. And there is light and love all around since “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that”.

CAN YOU SPOT ME???

Make them come alive!

Efficient Tricks that Build Characters in a Story

Readers are very difficult to be fooled. They always have it in their minds that the account they're reading is a story... a made up fabrication of lies and falsehood. This might sound disappointing but sadly, readers know that stories are stories. Now what? Take the challenge of fooling them and winning them over!

See, any story or novel has its base formed by the characters. As writers, you need to build the characters live and strong... make sure that the readers might forget the name of the book after three decades but not the characters... the characters should come and talk to them... haunt them in their dreams... make them cry... make them laugh... make them feel as their individual selves... make them believe in them. And it is here that your blood and sweat will be shed and it is tough.

Showing and not telling: This is imortant. if you say that Sameera was old readers will take it as an information. But in their minds there wouldn't be any appropriate picture for her. Show it by what she does... say:
Sameera took her steps slowly as she walked down the hills. The sunrays touched the wrinkles near her nose as she stooped downwards holding her stick. "Oh! The sun!" she said to herself as the corners of her lips drooped down.
This serves my purpose!

Dialogues: They are very effective and you're almost there near perfection if you've used them efficiently.

Dreams: Yes... This is a great tool.
Madhu turned his head with a creaking noise and hurled towards me. She picked me up and threw me from one corner of the room to another. I was sweating and struggling for fresh air. The telephone rang and I opened my eyes. It was a dream.
This makes an impression that Madhu is a bully.

Letters: If suddenly in the middle of the plot you realize you need to share a background information about a character, you've got it... you can always use letters. They're a fabulous way to help your characters come out open with their thoughts and feelings, letting the reader find out more about them.

These are the few tricks that I've used to build characters and there are many more. But yes, you the basic rule is you have to know your characters. Think about them. Interview them. Talk to them. Make sure that every aspect of the character has been covered. And be prepared to let your characters and their responses surprise you.

Keep writing to explore them.

Sit to Write... Make it Right

Things new writers must know

** None of the following is fictional or exaggerated. These are all the things that I've personally encountered while working on my debut novel...


1. Avoid using unnecessary adjectives - ominous, ill-fated, calamitous world... I know, I know the world is indeed a bad place... anything else????

2. Stop using anthropomorphisms and I really mean it since you tend to do this especially if you're a new Indian writer. Fate was giving a vicious smile? Who told you that Fate is a woman and can smile!!?

3. Dialogues should sound real. Read them and read them again. Use I've instead of I have and the likes.

4. It is always better if Harry says than Harry remarks, answers, questions, etc... New writers, note it down.

5. Don't tell that Robin was angry. Instead, show how his face gradually turned red before he tightened his jaws.

6. Shelly was gullible? I don't believe you. Bring this out in a series of dialogues.

7. First time novelist? Don't get over ambitious with your first novel even if it is a bitter experience you're writing about from your life. Be polite, use your brains.

8. Don't leave loop holes in between your story line. Readers are lazy asses and they just hate to guess.

9. Don't put an abrupt ending. They never work. Bring out a clear conclusion.

10.  Using overwrought language? You've got hold of the wrong end of the stick. Be simple and correct.

11. And do not repeat words... The old man remembered the old custom and remembered the old saying... The old man remembered the antique custom and recalled the ancient saying. Which one sounds better?

12. Think of a title... make sure that it is subjected to change. This will have a magical effect. You'll see how you get more responsible and committed towards it.

Good writing is concise, clear and economical. Bad writing is obscure, muddled, long winded and full of adjectives with disconnected flights of fancy.

*** Becca, thanks for teaching these.

Rotary Club of Bombay Hosts Event for 'The Female Ward' at Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai

With Indira Chandrasekhar, author and founder editor of Out of Print

With Sucharita Hegde, Chairman Programs Comm.

With President, Rotary Club of Bombay

India Vs. Bharat- is it an apt point of discussion?

Let us consider two entities- Mr. India and Shri Bharat. Mr. India hails from a big city, goes to elite schools, receives degrees from universities abroad and settles down in India with a high salary. Shri Bharat comes from a remote village, cannot speak english, or speaks english but not as fluently as Mr. India, goes to a school that is shorn of the basic amenities and ends up being a school teacher in his village. The huge socio-economic difference might have almost got me into believing it apt for discussion. But actually, it is not.

This topic had become a point of discussion after Mohan Bhagwat said that rapes are common in India, not in Bharat after the incidental rape case in delhi on 16th December last year. The ever widening rift between the rich and the poor people of the society may form this a topic of debate but at the end of the day, India is a single country with an economic growth of only 5%; whether we call it India or Bharat the problem lies at the core of the country.

Considering the westernised culture as India and the erstwhile tradition as Bharat, when Ramayana is referred and women are cautioned against crossing the Lakshmana Rekha are we referring to India? No, it is Bharat we are referring to. This is ridiculous since rapes take place all over the country. If we were to say that rapes occur in India only then Shri Bharat should be a great guy- a great father, brother, an eligible bachelor for marriage (Matrimonial sites... do note it down!)

India is one country and all Mr. India-s and Shree Bharat-s should fight against the wrongs. the bewildered reader is requested not to discuss on this topic. Rather, listen to the silent voice of Ma Hindustan, who has a lot to say but is suppressed down by the pressures of society... by Mr India-s and Shri Bharat-s. Let's hear her speak out from whichever part of India. Let the region she is crying out from not be a topic of discussion. The debate of India vs. Bharat is ridiculous and strives only to move focus from the real issue that haunts our country.

The Girl Without a Name

For the past few days I feel so strange, restless perhaps, don't have the apt word. I see the entire nation reverberating with anger, the rallies and protest vigils, the indifference combined with lathi-charge and tear gas spray by the protectors of law and order, etc is spreading so much of unrest. The morning newspapers highlight the recent rape and molestation cases happening across the country. The entire nation demands a change in the existing sexist laws in our country. Honorable ministers are putting up the blame on girls and women for stepping out at night. But don't rapes occur in the morning, afternoon or early evening. And do they occur only by the road or in open areas, outside home? I've read and heard at least a dozen cases where fathers, brothers, cousins, uncles have victimised women. And what kind of control do we expect to implement on children as small as two years old? And talking about laws, the indifference of the Indian police while registering FIRs for a case, as simple as burglary, proves the inefficiency of system... leave alone a case of rape. Their utter negligence towards their work is hidden behind the lesser number of cases filed, which in turn shows how efficient our system is! And why blame the system, when the biggest problem is we ourselves? Just remember the last time when you had snubbed at a small kid in front of your window pane, begging, at a traffic signal. Did you think what compels them to come out and beg even at the extremes of weather conditions? No. Every time we see them, we either think someone else would help them or the super hit movie, Slumdog Millionaire comes to our mind. This was just an example to show where, as humans, we are heading towards? If we hear about a heart ripping crime we tend to think about it for a while, and then forget it thinking that we are at a different situation and thanking God for that. The gang-rape case in Delhi is just an exception where we, as a nation, have empathised with the girl without a name. there are so many cases out there which do not get such hype and hence, no FIRs are taken down. this, in turn leads to suicides like in the recent Patiala case. We must remember that we have laws against heinous crimes like murder too. Could they eliminate the crime from the country? A country where the leaders, expected to be setting examples for the nation, think that prostitutes can be raped, is it not expected that the nation will empathise with someone only with a moral character, who stays at home, doesn't visit pubs, wears traditional clothes and so many other symptoms of the erstwhile concept of a cultured Indian woman. If she is confident of her sexuality, her character is loose and deserves to be raped. I've seen fake photographs of the girl without a name on social networking sites... a beautiful young girl under medical treatment. The link received so many likes and comments wishing fast recovery. But does a woman have to be beautiful to stand the minimum requirements of empathy? Capital punishment, if enforced, on rapists will only worsen the situation. Laws could never stop crime and hence laws can never stop rapes. Only thing that will happen is murders after rape to remove all evidence since capital punishment shall be guaranteed by such moves. Nothing will change unless we change our views. Everything worth having comes with a trial worth withstanding, Let the death of the girl without a name not go in vain.