“See ya at da coffee shop...”

It’s not just coffee. It is conversations, connections and more! Baristas,
Costas and Café Coffee Days are considered no less than Orkut or
Facebook—only with a better face value. Ankita Khare sips
numerous cups of coffee watching the drama unfold within the cafes.

Just as every man has his hobbyhorse; coffee has its own fans. It enjoys a long history and rich culture. Complimenting this heritage, the modern coffee corners in New Delhi, have created a special niche for themselves. There is no doubt that these coffee joints create an ambience which is more addictive than the caffeine itself.
“The hip-hop music, an economical menu and a ‘classy’ feel acts like opium for people of all genres. It is amazing to watch an old staunch man reading his newspaper while the couple sitting next to him continue to get more intimate with every passing moment. It is a perfect place for social interactions,” says Parth Goswami, a Delhi University final year law student and a self confessed Barista-addict.

The hip-hop music, an economical menu and a ‘classy’ feel acts like opium for people of all genres

It all started with the economic boom in the nineties. One indicator of change was the sudden mushrooming of Baristas and Café Coffee Days, not only in the metros, but also in small towns. It was refreshing for the young who till then frequented local chai shops and dhabas.
Confirms K S Rao, a middle-aged real-estate agent and a casual Barista visitor: “Some two decades ago, there were hardly any coffee shops in the city. I can only recall Indian Coffee House at Connaught Place. The environment there was extremely different. The crowd was mainly dominated by old people. Students hardly approached these places...Baristas and Café Coffee Days are a welcome change from that scenario.”
Almost everything within is adorable. Loud music. Semi-formal interiors. Decorated coffee froth. Acoustic guitar. Air conditioned Wi-Fi environment. And most importantly, an affordable menu.
Yet, there are some who want a change. “The arrangement is not very comfortable. The music is too loud. It is better in America. They have more options there. We have a lot of catching up to do in India,” suggests Harsha Misra, an America-returned business executive.
Some even blame these new social networking places for “westernizing our good old Indian Culture.” Says 50-year-old home-maker Aditi Asthana: “The youth have suddenly discovered a new meaning of being in love—it is all about hanging out at a coffee shop, blowing their parents’ money and getting cozy. Youngsters are turning into nocturnal animals, courtesy these 24X7 coffee bars.”
However, despite the criticism, the city’s coffee culture continues to gather steam. And when it comes to social networking, Baristas, Costas and Café Coffee Days are considered no less than Orkut or Facebook—only with a better face value.
So as people continue to discover new meanings of networking at these bars, even a coffee hater is compelled to tell his buddies… “see ya at the coffee shop.”

ankitakhare21@gmail.com

'Gorgeous' Jhumpa Lahiri among 'thinking man's sex symbols'

Indian origin author Jhumpa Lahiri, with her "hypnotic eyes", has been named among the top 10 "sex symobls of the thinking man" for 2008, which put Serbian tennis player Ana Ivanovic in the number one slot.

The list, prepared by the popular website The Daily Beast run by former New Yorker journalist Tina Brown, places US-based Lahiri at No.8.

"Jhumpa Lahiri is the gorgeous author of three seriously literary books including, this year, a collection of short stories called 'Unaccustomed Earth'. Those hypnotic eyes are devastating," wrote Touré, a TV journalist, columnist and author.

Clarifying the concept, he notes: "Before we dive into the Top Ten Thinking Man's Sex Symbols for 2008, let's make sure we're all on the same page. TMSS is a term that's thrown around a lot. So let's quantify.

"A man has two minds. The lower mind is brainless ... The upper mind, which works with actual grey matter, is more persnickety. The upper mind, when employed, is moved by intelligence, success, power, self-confidence, a smart sense of humour, and, of course, not having a castrating nature.

"And that's the challenge. Can a woman be independent, creative, sharp, witty, strong, and self-empowering without making me feel like she wants to be a man?"

According to the columnist, a TMSS is someone "we imagine having great conversations with, laughing with, revelling in her success with, and getting drunk on her power with. Where Maxim girls are purposefully brainless, we look at a TMSS and say she's hot because she's smart and beautiful".

The list for the past year is topped by 21-year-old tennis player Ivanovic with British novelist Zadie Smith in "honourable mention".

"If Zadie Smith had published a book in 2008 she'd be #1 (not only is the chick beautiful and brilliant and literary and into hiphop, but she's also got this really sexy deep voice, not Kathleen Turner deep, but a really nice, full, low tone that always kills me). But she didn't, so she's the obligatory honourable mention.

"...And when tennis produces a woman so gorgeous that it's unbelievably hard to take your eyes off her, she's an insuperable TMSS. And unlike that pathetic cream puff Anna Kournikova, my #1's not a frequently double-faulting, habitual first-round loser. No, my #1 won the French Open this year and reached the finals of the Australian Open weeks before winning in Paris.

"Ana Ivanovic from Serbia is currently the fifth-best woman in the world. She's got a mean forehand, is studying finance online as she travels the world, winning tournaments, and is blowing men away with a butterscotch-coloured face that's all smooth slopes and haunting eyes. Ivanovic is the most beautiful female professional athlete of all time."

The list:

No.10: Jennifer Granholm, governor of Michigan.

No.9: Samantha Power, Irish American journalist, author and academic

No.8 Jhumpa Lahiri

No.7: M.I.A., stage name of Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam, British song writer and artist of Tamil descent

No.6: Meredith Vieira, American journalist and TV celebrity

No.5: Lisa Ling, American TV journalist

No.4: Katie Couric, American TV journalist

No.3: Sarah Silverman, American singer, actor, comedian, writer

No.2: Tina Fey, American TV actor, producer

No.1 Ana Ivanovic and Zadie Smith (Honorable Mention)

DDA denies housing fraud, politicians demand probe

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) Monday strongly denied allegations of any foul play in the draw for over 5,000 flats, but politicians demanded a high-level enquiry into the alleged scam and the resignation of Minister of State for Urban Development Ajay Maken.

Delhi Police, enquiring into the matter, said no "cognisable offence" has been found so far in the allotment process.

DDA's Housing Commissioner Asma Manzar, addressing a press conference, said: "As far as the draw of lots is concerned, there is absolutely no possibility of any wrongdoing. We can assure you that no demand letter would be issued to any undeserving candidate."

DDA had invited applications for 5,238 flats for which there were more than 566,000 applicants. The draw of lots took place Dec 16 last year after which several unsuccessful applicants alleged the draw was rigged.

Several media reports suggested that many applicants had used forged documents and there were irregularities in the information provided and discrepancies in the reserved category forms.

"We had made clear earlier that verification of documents would be done after the draw is completed. Before the draw, we scrutinised the forms on the basis of photographs, addresses and PAN cards," Manzar said.

"The second round of scrutiny will start now. Let the process be completed and I assure you that not a single undeserving candidate would get a flat," she added.

Manzar said the housing authority would take extra care in the case of reserved category candidates. "We will first call them and verify their documents and then double check the documents with the issuing authorities. In the case of general category applicants, we will verify their addresses, PAN card details and photographs," she said.

Manzar said the DDA was ready to face "any investigation by any agency at any forum".

DDA spokesperson Neemo Dhar said: "If any one is found with fake documents, their allotment would be cancelled, the amount will be forfeited and an FIR registered against them. We will try to issue the demand letters to the genuine successful candidates by January end."

The DDA officials added that refund cheques of the unsuccessful applicants have been sent to them.

A Delhi Police officer said: "If we find any cognisable offence, we would register a case. But so far we have not questioned anyone. We are still in the process of collecting the information." The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police's Crime Branch is investigating a complaint received Dec 16.

According to the complaint, some real estate agents allegedly connived with DDA officials under fictitious names to get the flats under the SC/ST quota.

Leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which heads the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and the All India Confederation of Scheduled Castes and Tribes Organisation chief Udit Raj Monday demanded the resignation of Minister of State for Urban Development Ajay Maken over the alleged scam.

Udit Raj said, "Maken should resign till a probe into the allegations is completed - the CBI should carry out a thorough investigations."

After media reports based on the account of Udit Raj, who alleged the whole affair was rigged, the housing authority's draw came under the scanner.

The reports suggested that several applicants from Rajasthan whose names appeared as successful applicants had denied having applied. Other discrepancies like different people having submitted the same phone numbers were also reported.

BJP-led MCD standing committee chairman Vijender Gupta said: "After this housing scam has come out in the open, Urban Development Minister Ajay Maken should resign on moral grounds and there should be no less than a CBI enquiry." He said he has written to the prime minister raising the demand.

Senior BJP leader V.K. Malhotra demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the alleged scam.

Udit Raj claimed that he got hint of the scam from an insider in the "property-dealing cartel".

"This is a deep rooted team work," he said, adding that many officials were in cahoots with property dealers in the scam.

Raj said: "We will hold a protest Jan 8. We want everything to be scrutinized in the public domain. The draw should be stopped and the CBI should probe the matter."

Media coverage of Mumbai Terror Attacks

What a biffing our eyes have received during the recent Mumbai terror attacks. A nation glued to the idiot box like never, watched in horror and disbelief the terror drama unfold in Mumbai.
The media coverage of the attacks broke all the barriers of sensible journalism. The terrorists may not have been able to bring down the Taj Mahal, Oberoi Trident, Café Leopold and Nariman Point, but they have been successful in achieving their main objective, which was making the nation feel the tremors of what happened in Mumbai through media. Media especially television gave wide coverage as if they were watching a cricket test match. Terrorist were provided a running commentary of what commandoes and police were doing. Even if terrorists had no access to television, their masterminds surely had. Who were regularly on phone with them. Media called the events in Mumbai as a war, but the way it was covered it had no element of war journalism.
In a war, the armed forces take every care that their adversary is not aware of the strength of the opposing forces but the anchors of television channels were constantly breaking news about the reinforcements and their details and the images of people locked up in their rooms surely gave the terrorists concrete targets to go after. The disclosure of the death of ATS chief Hemant Karkare, encounter specialist Viajy Salaskar and many others surely boosted the morale of terrorists.
Most of the television channels have been around for less than five years. For some the Mumbai terror seize was the first major event that have covered live and they rushed to provide live non stop coverage. In the way amplifying the general hysteria and panic.
It has been impossible to ignore the countless times news channels claimed to be the first to report a certain incident in the 60 hours long terror seize. It is almost sickening, before the incident is reported; they remind us that they are the first to report the incident. Is that really the most important side of a developing crisis?
For more than 60 hours of Mumbai seize, resilience was another word that annoyed the pundits of news channels and their patrons this time. What resilience, enough is enough, said Pronoy Roy’s channel on the left side of channel spectrum. Same sentiments were echoed by Times Now. Similarly CNN IBN was also not left behind in the game of upmanship over TRPs. They all attacked resilience this time. They wanted firm action from the government in tackling terrorism.
The same channels celebrated resilience when bombs went off in trains and in market killings. The resilience of the ordinary man suited the rich business class of Mumbai since work, manufacturing and even film shooting did not stop. When it came to them, the rich shamelessly exhibited their lack of nerves and refused to be resilient themselves.
Media also declared the attacks as 9/11 of India, even a CIA official on CNN called it the same. Yes, indeed it was 9/11 of India, but what CNN did when 9/11 happened. They did not try to show the exclusive rescue action and they did not invade ground zero. But India’s television channels surely seemed to do one thing that CNN did during 9/11. They did not take commercial breaks for a day.
Advertisements were not shown because viewers could switch to other channels in the meantime. All the news channels wanted the highest TRPs in troubled times so that they later can demand higher rates for advertisements and stay up on charts.
Worst was the conduct of so called celebrity reporters, who wanted their cameraman to zoom on everything as they lay on ground. A star reporter cum anchor spoke lying on the ground to create the impact that he was reporting from war zone.
The most maligned journalist has been Barkha Dutt, the anchor cum reporter of New Delhi television. The Facebook group, "Barkha Dutt for worst journalist in the world," has attracted nearly 1,600 members since its creation following the attacks. The group accuses her of being melodramatic, arrogant, and insensitive to relatives of victims.
The implicit assumption that information should be available universally and in real time is interesting. The right to be informed is not the same thing as the right to be a spectator. Nature of 24X7 television has made us transit from wanting to know to wanting to see. Information on TV has been recast in present continuous tense. The trouble is that we now construe our fundamental right to know as right to see.
Terrorism in its present form is a post media phenomenon. For terror to be produced from symbolic acts of violence, information must be conveyed to millions of people as quickly as possible. Media has become terrorism’s new best friend.
The recent Mumbai seize underlines that media is fast becoming a crucial part of terrorists’ calculations. Media needs to restrain itself from sensational journalism and must rise on the occasion. The rating driven nature f today’s media leaves less chances for an introspection and way towards sensible and efficient journalism.

Global Meltdown: Impact on India

Tsunami has struck, not the poor east, but the rich west in the form of sub prime crisis and housing market collapse. This financial fury claimed mortgage leaders like Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, high profile investment banks like Bear Sterns, Lehman Brothers and one of the most venerable insurers in the world, the American International Group.

The collapse of subprime mortgage market and housing bubble lead to destruction of wealth worth trillions of dollars across the world. And since, most of the United States companies do business in India and with companies in India; It is sure that India wont go unscathed from this crisis. The impact is already visible in the form of volatile sensex, layoffs and depreciating value of Rupee.

Most economists think that current financial crisis is the worst since the Great Depression of 1929. Many believed India was sufficiently decoupled from the western financial markets. We have no subprime mortgage crisis like many nations in the west. For example, India has witnessed rapid growth and wealth creation in recent years. There was increased western investment in India.

However this financial crisis has shown that in an increasingly inter-connected world, there are always knock-on effects as a result, India has increased exposure to problems stemming from the west. Bombay stock exchange suffered huge losses and rupee value underwent a suffering.

A slowdown in wealthy western nations means risk of job losses. Companies like Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, AIG and Morgan Stanley, to name a few, have their captive research units, brokerage arms, investment banking arms in India employing several hundred thousands in what are popularly called as BPOs and KPOs.
Lehman Brothers’ Powai unit itself employed about 2,200 people, most of whom will be rendered unemployed unless some company buys out Lehman’s India operations, but except the rumors about a possible deal with Nomura, Japan’s top brokerage group, its future is in doldrums.

Now as all the top financial giants have been either sold out, have filed bankruptcy, or surviving on Fed’s bailout, It would be difficult for them to maintain profits and to just cut even they will start downsizing their workforces. Layoff news is becoming quiet frequent in India nowadays. Sectors like real estate, aviation, IT have already started downsizing. There were news reports about DLF and Kingfisher reducing their staff strength by 300. Technology giants like TCS and IBM had removed more than 500 people citing poor performance even before the Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy.

In the end October 2008, a major meeting between the EU and a number of Asian nations including India resulted in a joint statement pledging a coordinated response to the global financial crisis. However as Inter Press Service reported, this coordinated response is dependent on the entry of Asia’s emerging economies into global policy-setting institutions. There is good news for consumers, if experts are to be believed real estate prices in India are likely to come down by 10-15 pc in next few months. The reason is simple mathematics, as most of the US companies that had bought stakes in Indian real estate companies, and now are facing a cash crunch. The outcome could be real estate developers lowering prices to lure buyers to fulfill liquidity gap.

Another area of concern for Indians is the rise of gold prices. We, Indians are very fond of jewellary, whether its marriages, festivals or family functions, jewellary is second to none – but because of financial problems in the United States global investors are losing their faith in Dollars as the store of value. They are turning towards Euro or Yen. In that case, they fill flock to ultimate source of value called Gold. The prices have already hovering around 13,000 for quiet sometime.

Indian growth story has been investment-driven and a decline in foreign investment will impact the growth prospects in the equity market. Though the spreads have lowered in recent days because of numerous policy measures, they are still high compared to 2007 levels. The Reserve Bank has been effectively able to manage domestic liquidity and monetary conditions consistent with its monetary policy stance. This has been enabled by the appropriate use of a range of instruments available with RBI such as the Repo I Reverse Repo rates, Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR), and Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR), the Market Stabilisation Scheme (MSS) and the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF). So everyone is keeping fingers crossed and expecting this Tsunami does not lead to any major destruction in India.

Media should be careful in reporting terror attacks: Antony

Joining the chorus demanding that the media exercise restraint in covering terror attacks like that in Mumbai Nov 26 last year, Defence Minister A.K. Antony Friday urged the media to be a “little careful” in all aspects.

“During the recent Mumbai terror attacks, the armed forces had to work under extreme pressure. On such occasions, it will be of help if the media performs its role without endangering national security and is a little careful while reporting the events,” Antony said while speaking at the centenary celebrations of the armed forces journal 'Sainik Samachar' here.

“In such crisis situations (Mumbai terror attack), the defence forces and the security agencies must be allowed to work without exerting any pressure. We must ensure that good work is done without endangering national security,” Antony added.

'Sainik Samachar' had started as 'Fauji Akhbar', an Urdu weekly on Jan 2, 1909. Its aim was to provide army personnel with "a summary of news with a military bias". It was re-christened Sainik Samachar on April 4, 1954.

Unveiling a Coffee Table Book 'Soldiering On...' on the centenary celebrations of Sainik Samachar, Antony called upon the editorial team of the publication not to use the magazine only as a chronicler of prominent events and incidents taking place in the armed forces but also to “reflect the hopes and aspirations of jawans”.

“Through the use of journalistic tools such as analytical articles and features, including photo features in Sainik Samachar, your effort must be to further boost the morale of our jawans,” said Antony.

He also asked them to bring out the magazine both in print and its online version in all the Indian languages.

“This is imperative to broad base the overall reach of the publication to cover all corners of the country. The distribution mechanism of Sainik Samachar may also be further toned up, so that it reaches out to our jawans in the remotest corners of the country and even to those engaged in UN peacekeeping missions,” he said.

The book “Soldiering On…” is an anthology of articles, rare photographs and documents relating to the history of the Indian armed forces, spanning the last 100 years.

Air force chief Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major, army chief General Deepak Kapoor, defence secretary Vijay Singh, Navy's vice chief Vice Admiral R.P. Suthan and Deputy NSA Shekhar Dutt were present on the occasion.

11th Bharat Rang Mahotsav to Begin from January 7

The 11th Bharat Rang Mahotsav, marking the beginning of the 51st year of the prestigious National School of Drama (NSD), will open at the Kamani Auditorium on January 7, 2009. The Festival will be inaugurated by Shri. Jawhar Sircar, Union Secretary for Culture, in the presence of guest of honour, Smt. Zohra Sehgal, an eminent theatre personality.

The festival will open with a performance of Awagha Rang Ekachi Zaala (Marathi), directed by Ashok Samel. Awagha Rang Ekachi Zala depicts the story of Appa Velankar, a well-known kirtankaar, and his family. It also highlights the rich culture and music of the kirtan form as juxtaposed against the current musical trend.

The Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM) was started a decade ago by the NSD in order to contribute to the growth and development of theatre across the country. The National School of Drama started its annual festival by showcasing plays performed by Indian theatre practitioners, and the same has grown into an international event, catering to theatre companies from around the world. It is today acknowledged as the largest theatre festival of Asia - dedicated only to theatre - and is firmly established on the international theatre festival map.

In Delhi, the festival will feature 63 productions, out of which 51 are from India and 12 are overseas plays, over a span of 12 days. As done in past few years the 11th Bharat Rang Mahotsav will also be showcased in lucknow this year. This year 18 of the productions will travel there for the BRM Festival scheduled from January 11 to 19, 2009.

The NSD, in its effort to nurture talent and encourage upcoming directors, has focused on the productions by young directors. Plays included in the festival are collaborative works, based on rich texts, adaptations and also plays developed through training and workshops. The Festival also includes a work advised by the theatre legend Badal Sircar which is one of the most important classics by Tagore; "Rakto Korobi".

A remake of the everlasting love story of "Laila Majnu" by the famous theatre director Ram Gopal Bajaj is a part of the upcoming festival and also the play is selected to be the inaugural play for the BRM Festival in Lucknow.

With seven venues presenting five to six productions per day through the duration of the festival in Delhi and two venues presenting the productions over a period of 9 days in Lucknow, the NSD will play host about 2,000 theatre people as its participants. As in the past, the festival shows are expected to run to full houses, attracting over 50,000 spectators in Delhi and about 10,000 viewers in Lucknow.

To design, mount and coordinate a festival of this size in two cities in such a short span of time involves a logistical feat that the NSD manages with élan because of its highly trained technical personnel, faculty and staff and the commitment they bring to the cause of theatre worldwide.

International Plays

This year too the there will be many international productions. The Czech play 'The Painted World' is a unique black light show performed by the best black light effects and images in a story of world continents. 'Le Premiere Fois' is a collaboration between the Swiss / French actors and NSD who have come together exclusively for this festival and are performing this play for the first time. The 'Days of Adel' from Israel is set against the background of a psychiatric ward in Jerusalem.

Plays from Japan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Israel, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Nepal and Poland will be showcased at the festival, and will provide an opportunity to interact with directors and theatre groups. This gives an opportunity to learn and understand theatre from a global perspective and the festival becomes a melting pot of different cultures and views.

Exhibitions

NSD would be staging two exhibitions, one based on the work of theatre legend Badal Sircar and the other one which presents the contribution of NSD to the world of theatre in the course of its 51 years.

Performance Venues

The performances will take place at 7 venues - the Kamani Auditorium, the Shri Ram Centre, Meghdoot (open air), the LTG Theatre and the three theatres in the premises of the NSD-Abhimanch, Sammukh and Bahumukh theatres.

BRM Festival in Lucknow

The BRM Festival in collaboration with Dept. of Culture, Government of Uttar Pradesh, started 4 years ago by taking a part of the Festival repertoire to a second city, and the city selected is Lucknow this time, with 18 productions being performed at the UPSNA and Theatre Bali between 11 and 18 January 2008. Laila Majnu is scheduled to be the inaugural play for the BRM Festival in Lucknow.

Pakistan blocks hockey, squash tours of India

Pakistan Friday blocked its hockey and squash teams' tour of India because of the tense relations between the two countries, with Sports Minister Aftab Shah Jilani saying the authorities were concerned about the players' security in India in the current circumstances.

"We sought advice from the foreign ministry and took the decsion that it's not advisable to send the teams to India over security fears," Jilani told reporters here.

Pakistan's hockey team was scheduled to feature in a four-nation tournament at Chandigarh Jan 31-Feb 8 alongside Germany, Holland and hosts India.

The national squash team was readying for the Asian Junior Squash Championships at Chennai Jan 16-23.

The Pakiastani government decision was not surprising, considering the fact that India cancelled its cricket team's tour of Pakistan last month following the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. After that decision, Pakistan was expected to retaliate by refusing to let its sportsmen travel to India.

The minister stressed that sporting ties between the countries could be revived if the situation improved.

"Once we have normalcy in the situation, we can review of our participation in sporting events in India," Jilani said.

In 2001 too, Pakistan and India broke off sporting ties in the wake of the terror attack on the Indian parliament. India lifted the ban in October 2003, paving way for its cricket team's visit to Pakistan a year later.