By Saurabh Sharma
“If given a chance I would walk a half way to restore the peace with India” - said the president of Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif to an Indian Delegation led by Kuldip Nayar, the veteran journalist and former High Commissioner to UK।

After the terrorist attack on Mumbai, tension between both the countries has risen to stratospheric level। Civil groups from both the nations have stepped in to diffuse this tension and salvage the peace process.

The Pakistani delegation led by Asma Jahangir, the chair person of Human Rights Commission, Pakistan, toured India between 21st and 24th January। To reciprocate the same message of peace an Indian delegation visited Pakistan from 22 to 26th of February.

The 13-member delegation comprised eminent filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, social activists Swami Agnivesh, Dr। Hanif Lakdawala, Kamla Bhasin, educationist Kamal Mitra Chenoy, journalist Seema Mustafa, peace activist Ramesh Yadav, former diplomat Salman Haider and Shabnam Hashmi, the member of National Integration Council among others.

The main aim of the delegation was to strengthen the civil society of Pakistan and to generate heat and enthusiasm of some sort to lunge forward the peace process that came to a screeching halt after the Mumbai attack।

Mr. Kuldip Nayar stressed on the composite dialogue between both the countries - “We went to Lahore and Islamabad and met with a wide section of society. The one thing which came out strongly was that people of Pakistan want peace with India quickly.”

“There was no war hysteria and we did not hear any anti-India. We did convey them that there is no war hysteria even in India. Except some TV channels saying that on both the sides.” he added।

The Indian delegation met various Pakistani government officials, leaders of all the major political parties, important members of civil societies and also the representatives of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce।

Swami Agnivesh said that Kashmir issue took the back seat as usual। “People were more focused on the ties between the two countries. They want cultural exchange and more people to people contact”, he said.

Truce between Taliban and Pakistan government in SWAT valley was also discussed by the delegation। According to Pakistani officials, around thirty to thirty five thousand terrorists are holding the SWAT valley. Most of these terrorists are not from Pakistan but from fourteen different nationalities and southern Punjab.

Chenoy said that people within Pakistan are not happy with the recent developments in their country। They think they are the bigger victims of terrorism and are disappointed with the government. They want India to help them in the fight against terrorism rather than blaming them.

On referring to the peace treaty with Taliban Chenoy mentioned, one of the former diplomats of Pakistan claimed that they make one concession to these people who lever this concession for further concessions।

The delegation members also pointed that lot of Pakistanis believes that America had a sway over Pakistani governance, partially ruling them। They are the ones who are calling the shots, directing the military officers and political establishment. The bombing by the drone aircrafts in the western border of Pakistan, in which some civilians were killed, has further provoked the common people.

On the issue of Mumbai attack, the officials of Pakistan told the delegation that they are doing their best। Recently 246 people have been detained in connection with the blast. Many are already under house arrest. They are also seeking more evidences from India. What India provided may not be enough to prove in the court of law. So they are asking for more evidences and searching it within Pakistan.

“The media of Pakistan were also very supportive. We were chased by the media and people through out our visit”, said Kamla Bhasin. This enthusiasm was missing on the Indian side. “We hope that media would play a bigger role in shaping the relations between both countries”, she added.

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away”, the age old adage may not prove worthy for Steve Jobs. Co-founder and CEO of Apple computer, known for astounding gadgets like i-Mac, i-Pod and i-Phone is taking medical leave because of his complex health problems.

On January 5, 2009 Steve disclosed that he would be out of action. In his letter to employees of Apple he says: “As many of you know, I have been losing weight throughout 2008. Fortunately, after further testing, my doctors think they have found the cause—a hormone imbalance that has been “robbing” me of the proteins my body needs to be healthy.” However, Steve will continue as Apple’s CEO during his recovery. The stock price of Apple’s shares dropped by 7.07% and came down to $79.30 following the announcement.

Jobs not even attended the Macworld show on Jan. 6 this year. Macworld is a highly anticipated event by the Apple fans with the showcase of Mac products. Steve Jobs keynote speech in the event has always been a rage among the Apple lovers and most awaited among consumer electronics industry.

Steve Jobs’ life is not less than any bollywood masala movie plot. To borrow a cliche, he is a phoenix, who returned from the ashes.

He co-founded the company Apple in 1970. He gave the best personal computers to the world in the 1980-s. He was fired from his own company in mid of 1980-s. He spent 12 years in replenishing himself with same vigor and enthusiasm. He returned to Apple to save it from collapsing and turned it around into success story. The iMac changed the way we see PC’s, iPod transformed the music and iPhone created ripples in the telephone market.

He was born on Feb. 24, 1955 to an unwed graduate mother. Since, she was unwed; she decided to put him on adoption list. But it was with a condition that the parents should have attended college.

Since, Jobs’ foster mother, Clara never graduated from college and his foster father Paul never graduated from high school, his biological mother refused to give him. She only signed the adoption papers after getting assurance from the Steve’s foster parents that they would send him to the college.

This was the beginning of Steve Jobs’ life!

Seventeen years later he did attend the college. But when he went there, he found the classes very dull and boring. Soon, he dropped out from college. But unlike his parents, continued to attend those classes which he found interesting.

But it all came with a cost. He didn’t have a dorm room, so he slept on the floors of his friend’s room. He used to return the coke bottles for 5 cents to buy food. And walked seven miles on Sunday nights to get one good meal at Hari Krishana temple.

In a convocation ceremony at Stanford University he said to students, “it was all scary, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made.”

Later on, with the help of his friend Steve Wozniak he co-founded the Apple computers. On April1, 1976 Apple was born in the garage of his parents. They gave the name “Apple” because they couldn’t find any other interesting name and moreover it was Jobs’ favourite food.

They worked hard and in ten years apple moved to $2 billion company with 4000 employees. They released their finest computer Macintosh in just 9 years. Everything was heading fine.

But one fine day he got fired!

To run an overgrowing company and to maintain the skyrocketing success of Apple, Jobs hired John Sculley, who was the CEO of Pepsico at that time. But soon their vision for the Apple’s future began to take different shapes. After a long tiff Jobs lost the battle and was thrown out of the company.

“At 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating. I really didn't know what to do for a few months,” said Jobs during commencement address of passing out students at Stanford. He further added, “I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life. I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it.”

Steve was rejected but not defeated. He still loved what he did. During the next five years he started a company called “NeXT”. He wanted to manufacture computers which would cater only to higher education market. But despite all his efforts, NeXT was a failure. This made Steve depressed and disturbed. It was at his career’s nadir.

However, such calamities were not new for Jobs and he knew how to bounce back. He started yet another company called Pixar Animation Studios, Inc. in 1985. And he also fell in love with Laurene Powell, an MBA student. Pixar went on to make world’s first computer animated feature film called Toy Story. Today Pixar is one of the most successful animated studios in the world.

At the same time Apple came down from market leader position to a struggling company. In this turn around of events, Apple bought NeXT and Steve Jobs was back in Apple computers, the company he founded.

“I am pretty sure none of this would have happened if I had not been fired from Apple. Sometimes life will hit you on a head with a brick, but don’t lose faith,” said Steve Jobs.
In the convocation ceremony at Stanford he urged students to remain “hungry and foolish”. He added, “You got to find what you love. It is true for your work as it is true for your lovers. Your work is going to fill large part of your life. And the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is a great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking and don’t settle.”

Today Steve Jobs is again on a fighting spree. This time around it is with life. 53year old Steve is again challenged by hard times. But coming back with full force is Steve’s habit.

Everyone is expecting Jobs to get fine and return back to his work. Apple is now synonymous of Steve Jobs. Famous International magazine commented on his leave as, “But the real question for Apple is whether the person of Mr Jobs is the glue that holds the talent underneath him together. Apple’s magic is part design, part engineering, part logistics and part vision. Design is the domain of Jonathan Ive, a shy Briton; engineering is split into hardware and software; logistics is run by Mr Cook. And the vision thing belongs entirely to Mr Jobs. Without him, will all the other pieces, and the magic, come unglued?”

The question is, will Jobs make it this time?

Personal computers to cell phones, rickshaws to kitchen, radio is almost everywhere. With its low cost, wide reach and mobile receiving sets, it is the most effective medium of communication. Community radio can be a big thing in transforming lives and helping in the development of rural India.
To make this vision possible various efforts are being made by the community radio stations. M.O.P. Vaishnav College for Women's community radio in Nungambakkam, Tamil Nadu delivers health and nutrition tips for women. For a radius of 15 km around the college in Nungambakkam, women can tune into M.O.P. FM 107.8 for a daily broadcast of 'Pennae Nee Arivai'. Another community radio Ramana Voices (90.4 MHz) works for the disabled people.

The Early Days
After the 1995 Supreme Court judgment that airwaves or frequencies are a public property, demand for community radio was started. To begin with, government only allowed the campuses to set up their radio stations. The medium was restricted to campuses because government was not in a position to regulate the content aired over a large number of radio stations dispersed throughout the country. It was only after 2006 that government allowed NGO’s to own community radio.

But the journey of community radio was started much before that and was a success too.
Like, the “FM Ranchi” that came in the news after it forced MLA of the Khijli Vidhan Sabha of Jharkhand to come to their village, Angada, and promise to open a school there. This all happened after the play performed by the villagers was aired on the local FM channel.

Similarly the story of “Radio Ujjhas”. In the year 1999 it started as an educational activity by Kutch Mahila Vikas Sangathan (KMVS) in Gujarat. But with the help from United Nations Development Programme and Ahmedabad-based Drishti Media it turned into a full-fledged community radio. The Radio Ujjhas was such a success that it caught attention even in Delhi. The National Foundation for India decided to replicate their experience in Jharkhand by launching a similar initiative, titled "Chalao Gaon Desh Mein".

Community Radio at a Glance
Radio as a medium works in three different forms. One way is to have a public broadcaster like AIR. Their job is to concentrate on the larger issues of the society like education health etc. Second type is in the form of commercial broadcasting like Radio Mirchi, Big FM etc. Their objective is to grab the market and earn profits.
Community radio forms the third category. It is different from the other two and caters only to a small community. This community may comprise of a university, colony or a small village. So, it helps in giving a voice to those who other wise won’t get the chance to speak. In the sense, it helps in transforming the lives of the local people.

Prof. S Raghavchari, in charge of “Apna radio” a community radio station at Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), says: “Community radio stations are by the people and for the people of the community. It broadcasts with the objective of serving the cause of the community by involving them in their programmes.”

“Community radio has the ability to bring about a revolution in a society,” says Sajan Venniyoor, founder of Community Radio Forum, a Delhi-based organisation that is working for broadening the scope of community radio by taking them beyond campuses. The positive impact can indeed be seen in the near by areas of radio Jamia

Abdul Ahmad who owns a Tailor shop at Batla House, a small area in Zakhir Nagar, is very optimistic about the community radio. “I was taken aback when I heard my daughter singing on radio. I always knew she can sing well but it was radio Jamia which provided perfect chords to her voice.”

Community radio has injected people with a fresh source of energy. “A man who runs a three wheeler came to studio one day and asked us to air his complaint of getting filthy, unhygienic drinking water. They feel it as their own station” says Prof. Raghavchari. Radio’s ability of wide reach and quick action makes it more effective.

Women benefit a lot from community radio. In villages they hardly get any chance to step out of their homes. This is their only mode of connectivity with the outer world.

“We have seen a very positive change in the lifestyle of women after the advent of community radio. They take social messages very seriously. Even government realises it and is spending lot of money on such ads,” says Dr. Sreedher, who is acknowledged for the setting up of India’s first community radio station at Pondicherry University in 2006 and is the director of Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMA)


Bone of Contention
Non-profit organisations with a proven record of at least three years of service to the local community can apply. Well-established educational institutions or State agricultural Universities and Krishi Vigyan Kendras can also apply for license. Apart from that, the government has laid some stringent eligibility conditions.

Community radio stations can air only those programmes that are relevant to the educational, developmental, social and cultural needs of the community. At least 50% of the content should be generated with the participation of the community.

“It’s all about community’s combined effort. If you tell them how to speak and what to speak, you are killing their ability to speak,” says Sajan Venniyoor, founder of Community Radio Forum.

Guidelines also restrict CRS to transmit sponsored programmes. They are also not allowed to air news or current affairs programme on air. However programmes sponsored by Central & State governments and other organizations to broadcast public interest information are allowed. Earlier, even advertisements were restricted.

And then the problem of campus radio and community radio. The picture is not as rosy as it seems. There is a debate to define campus radio and community radio clearly. A tussle between civil groups and government is raging. A couple of people who believe that campus radio is the community radio in a true form.

Says Sreedhar: “Community radio in its idle form can never exist. In India it’s not the right time to give the stations in the hands of the community completely. It’s quite evident that whenever autonomy is given it is used against the establishment. Then there is always a chance of getting CRS in the hands of the extremists/ fundamentalist who want to revolt”.

There are also people who want to a make distinction between campus and community radio. Community Radio Forum is one such initiative. “Campus radio is meant to be for the community. Why are Universities and Campuses given licenses in large numbers? Government is unwilling to understand the community and then unwilling to provide what they need,” says Sajan Venniyoor. The government should come out from the mindset of not trusting people, he adds.

Most of the campus stations even adopted villages. Students of “Apna radio” of IIMC Communication adopted a small village near its campus. Once in a week they go there to discuss problems with them. In the process they also teach them the technicalities of how the community radio works. “They are working to make them understand the nitty-grittys of the station. This has a dual effect. Student will have the first hand experience of the community. They will eventually develop a sense of their responsibility for the community,” says Prof. Raghavchari.

Dr. Sreedhar view it as a process in which students are just catalyst. Once the whole system is developed and everything will get in place, the role of the students will be restricted to campus activities. He also said that about 102 NGOs were given licenses but not a single station has started. “They are asking for the subsidies and tax reduction on transmitters.”

So where this issue is heading is indecisive, as of now. But there are lacunas in the policy framework, which needs to be ironed out first.

[Part 2-next week]

Photo : Gargi

Posted By : Saurabh Sharma & Rama Shanker Pandey
Photo By : Jaishree

If the blasts on 13th September rocked the capital city, it has shaken the Jamia Millia University too.

The Delhi serial blast has dragged the University in the spotlight. Two of its students, Mohammad Shakil, a final year student of MA Economics and Zia-ur-Rehman, a third-year student of BA (pass) were detained by the Delhi police in connection with the blasts.

This has stirred a mood of apprehension in the University. Most of the students are now feeling alienated and a sense of anger is quite evident. To quell the emotions and worries of the students, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Mushirul Hasan, addressed students at Ansari auditorium.

“For the past 88 years Jamia has faced so many troubles but every time we came up with some solution to it. The reason why we have grown exponentially from ten-twelve students to seventeen thousand students is just because we acted prudently to every challenge that came to us,” he said.

The Vice chancellor requested students not to get carried away with emotions. “This is not the time to get angry instead we all have to sit and talk, to engage in dialogue and to find ways to resolve the problem.”

On behalf of all the students and the faculty, the VC condemned the act of terrorism without any reservations. Adding further on this issue he said, “We feel extremely bad when something happens wrong with our country. But we don’t have to be defensive and keep on clearing our position to anyone. We all are proud to be Indians and we all love our nation and believe in the constitution as any other citizen does. And there is no need to prove our loyalty to anyone.”

He further commented, “For all those who criticize us on baseless issues we can only say that their criticisms will make us more secular, more liberal, and more progressive in our thoughts and deeds.”

He also criticized the media for blowing the issue out of proportion. “Whenever there are positive things happening in the University media never highlights it. But why did Jamia suddenly become the center of interest when nothing has happened in the University. Here everything is normal as it was a few days back,” he said. “This is a University and to keep the sanctity of the university is not only the responsibility of the fraternity here but also of the media. Rather than concentrating on the petty issues media should concentrate on what is happening in Gujarat, Karnataka and Orissa.”

Speaking on the issue of providing legal aid to the two accused students, he explained: “It’s the right of every citizen to get legal assistance. No one is guilty until proven so. Jamia every year spends 40-45 lakhs on court cases. So there is no point in talking of money.”

He urged the students to help him not politicize the issue. “I don’t know politics and don’t want to deal with the politicians. But if the issue gets politicized because of the behavior of the students I will disassociate myself from the fight.”

In the end he asked students to lead a normal life and start preparing for the celebrations of E-id. “I assure you that when you will come back after holidays you will feel the situation is better and everything will return to its normalcy.”

In the fast pace of life we all want few moments of tranquility. Most of the time it’s the historical monuments where we find those split seconds. But how much we know about these monuments? Are they just becoming places to hang around?
Saurabh Sharma sets to find out why people come to India Gate and how much they know about it, through a radio story.

Photo: Jaishree

By
Saurabh sharma
Photo:Gargi Nim



Early in the morning after a long sleep most of us yearn for bed tea. This one cup of tea comes like a fresh life. Many are addicted to it and have it several times a day. Ask any student preparing for IIT or IAS entrance exam, what are the things he can not live without? His obvious answer would be books and chai. From social gatherings to corporate meetings, from street corners to shopping malls, chai has indeed reached every sphere of our life.

Next to water, chai, or tea, is considered to be world’s most consumed beverage. In India it’s an indispensable part of our lives. “I can not point out a single reason why I like tea, it’s just that I love the taste and aroma of various tea flavors, and in winter holding a hot cup of tea and sipping it all day long is a great way to relax” says Muzaffer Ali Syed, an engineer in Schneider Electric New Delhi.

Journey of tea has now moved from tea stalls to chai bars. Tea lovers are now not confined to their homes or to the smudged dhabas. Pappu tea stall on the pavement has now given way to Tea Bars.

Oxford Cha bar at Statesman Building in Connaught place is one such happening place in Delhi for tea connoisseurs. Anyone with a deep pocket can unwind here and that too in the company of books. The menu includes 85 select brews from all quality tea growing regions of India and the world over. The list includes teas like Bollywood Mix Masala Cha, Truck drivers "100 meel ki" cha, Darjeeling Gold's etc. Everst café in the bustling Paharganj's Main Bazaar, Premier's in Gole market, Chai Garam in Living mall at Jasola Vihar are few such places for tea lovers.

Even in the age of Pepsi and Coke, tea is a hot favorite drink among the students fraternity. Daddu, a canteen owner at Prestige Institute of Management and Research, Indore says “Chai is what I sell most. There is pressure from the students to keep the canteen open even on Sundays as many of them come on Sundays too”. Rahul Gaur, student of India Institute of Technology, Bombay shares his views, “In college chai is my best buddy. It keeps me fresh when i get tired. In the fight to remain awake at nights chai is the only thing which invigorates me. And how can i forget all those intellectual and silly discussions over tea”.

Indians are in love with tea and the tea grown here is famous across the globe. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, the chai has different names as different are the ways to prepare it. While traveling in train our sleep get disrupted with the echoing sound of “chai-ee, chai-eeeee, chai-eeeeeee. Thus, tea holds a special place in the Indian culture as it acts as an ice breaker. Tea played an important part in most of the arranged marriages in India as the first meeting is always held over tea. So, are you in mood for some tea?

Benefits of Tea

1. Tea contains antioxidants which protects body from the ravages of aging and the effects of pollution.
2. Tea may reduce risk of heart attack and stroke and also protects our bones.
3. Tea bolsters your immune defenses. Drinking tea may help your body's immune system fight off infection.
4. Tea protects against cancer. Thank the polyphenols, the antioxidants found in tea, once again for their cancer-fighting effects.
5. Tea increases your metabolism. Lots of people complain about a slow metabolic rate and their inability to lose weight.

A Radio story by Rama Shanker Pandey and Saurabh Sharma

Photo : Babu

A Radio story by Saurabh Sharma and Kinga Dema

A Radio story by Aqsa Anjum and Saurabh Sharma