Indholdsfortegnelse for January 15, 2018 i India Today

Of late, there has been considerable criticism of the news business. Those in the establishment in the West and in India have suggested we are unfair, biased and a little too interested in “negative” news. We in the media business have been called purveyors of fake facts, uninformed biases and personal agendas. But as a journalist for over 40 years, I can only say we reflect the society we live in, and the times we are going through. If there is violence, it is our duty to report it; if there is corruption, it is our job to expose it; and if there is incompetence or inefficiency, to flag it. This often makes the powerful uncomfortable and angry. Unfortunately, the tendency to malign the mainstream media is backed by the…

Laughing is Dangerous It was funny while it lasted. Last week, the administrator of Facebook parody, Humans of Hindutva, felt compelled to delete the page. He had received death threats that had left him “scared for his wife and children”, tweeted his friend Jairaj Singh, an editor at the India Today Group’s opinion site DailyO. Started in April, Humans of Hindutva relished in the ridiculous—in showing up the paranoid viciousness of so much Hindu supremacist ‘thought’. Those, including journalists, who found the page biased against Hindus argued that the administrator had not been bullied off Facebook but shut down for hate speech. The administrator briefly resurrected the page to show he had not been banned. Hema Malini: Urban Planner BJP MP Hema Malini could not resist expounding on the causes…

By making it punishable, triple talaq, rendered illegal anyway, has become an offence greater than any in the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act In a bid to rescue her personal law from the grip of perverse custom, Shayara Bano petitioned the Supreme Court of India to declare talaq-e-biddat (instant triple talaq) illegal. None of the opponents was in favour of triple talaq either, but they cautioned against political motiva tions in the name of the ‘Muslim woman’s cause’. They argued that strengthening her economic rights would be more empowering than keeping her in a marital bond that survived only because the husband could not declare talaq three times in quick succession. Such opponents were declared ‘anti-abolitionists’ or ‘pseudo-secular’. Eventually, the Supreme Court declared talaq-e-biddat as illegal in a…

Framed by the Western Ghats, overlooking eucalyptus forests and coffee fields lies Bylakuppe, a little-known outpost of Tibetan Buddhism in Karnataka’s Coorg district. A signboard reads, Sera Jey Monastic University. Inside, scarlet prayer flags flutter, as monks chant, study and meditate. But what goes on in a small laboratory in the campus makes for an unusual spectacle: here monks are strapped to electrode sensors, while scientists measure upward spirals of positive emotion in their brain on electroencephalogram, or EEG, machines. Call it a ‘happiness project’, where science meets spirituality. Imagine 100 billion little wisps of jelly (or tofu, or toothpaste) that is your brain. It can ‘talk’ to itself—via molecules, neurons, nerve networks—faster than an F1 car. It can fall in love, do complex arithmetic, contemplate the meaning of life,…

PEOPLE WHO CONSIDER THEMSELVES HAPPY HAVE  √ Lower levels of stress hormone cortisol, responsible also for weight gain, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure √ Lower blood pressure, as happiness hormone dopamine is released √ Lower sleep disturbance and insomnia 300% more likelihood of developing common cold and chest infections among the least happy people compared to their happier counterparts HAPPIER PEOPLE HAVE HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE √ They are better at self-regulation; hence choose healthy behaviours √ Invest in relationships; have a supportive network of family and friends 47% greater consumption of healthy diet among 7,000 adults, according to an Apr. 2017 study by British Medical Journal Open 30% more likelihood of engaging in healthy physical activity, that strengthens bones, boosts energy levels (BMJ Open, Apr. 2017) HAPPINESS COMBATS DISEASE…

They don’t run NGOs, wear khadi or carry jholas and protest banners. The only thing that drives them is wanting to make a difference to society. Which is why they have harnessed their resources and their education to find simple solutions to everyday problems and change millions of lives. There’s Harvard graduate Gitika Srivastava, who founded Navya Network to help cancer patients access expert opinion and seek treatment accordingly. Warwick graduate Ankit Agarwal teamed up with his friend Karan Rastogi in Kanpur and found a way to process 800 kg of waste flowers into incense sticks and vermicompost, a venture they call Help Us Green. IIM-A graduate Sucharita Mukherjee likewise teamed up with rural management graduate Puneet Gupta to set up Kaleidofin, a financial solutions firm that helps the poor…

Shameek Chakravarty, CEO, 39 Gitanjali Rajamani, COO, 36 Sudaakeran Balasubramanian, CTO, 37 CO-FOUNDERS Farmizen PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE Shameek is an alumnus of ISB, Hyderabad, and BITS, Pilani, has worked with Amazon and Yahoo Gitanjali handled large scale delivery management at TCS, and is founder &CEO of landscaping firm GreenMyLife Sudaakeran is a computer science graduate from Anna University WORKS FROM Bengaluru It happened one day that we wondered how great it would be if we had a real life Farmville where we could grow chemical-free veggies, monitor everything on an app and get fresh veggies delivered at home. I wanted to fix the food system, says Rajamani. Currently, consumers have no access to safe, traceable food; farmers continue to see dwindling incomes, and chemical inputs are ruining top soil quality. The…

Parag Agrawal, 47 Anurag Agrawal, 45 FOUNDERS Janajal PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE Parag was in the field of water management while brother Anurag was an investment banker in the US WORK IN Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh They wanted to fix responsibility of maintaining the flow of safe drinking water, using a custom-made approach. The great solution The only way to provide safe drinking water to those in need is through water ATMs, not piped water. The pipeline network might take many years to complete. Happiness to us is when elders bless their young team after using the water ATMs or when people say buying safe water at Rs 5 is better than getting free but unsafe water. With a vast experience in water management, Parag was looking for a larger…

Khushbu Kumari, 23 Police constable and handball player HEADY DREAM Winning gold for India in the 2018 Asian Games STRAIGHT TALK “Boys have two arms and legs and so do girls. So why can’t girls do better?” She was in Class 8 when she fell for handball. It wasn’t the wisest choice for a girl growing up in a remote village, watching her parents struggle to put food on the table. But nothing could stop Khushbu Kumari. Not the neighbours, who badmouthed her, not her grandfather who forbade her from stepping out of home. Khushbu scaled walls to play with boys, and soon beat them hands down. In 2012, the Bihar Handball Association selected her for training at the Sports Authority of India centre in Lucknow. On returning home in…

To the crowd watching the 23rd South Zone Climbing Championships in Bengaluru in December, the final bouldering route looked impossible. Some of India’s youngest and strongest climbers could not make it past the first two moves. Then Praveen C.M. (in the picture above) arrived. India’s most decorated competitive climber, he was nursing a biceps injury, not to mention that he was competing after a two-year break and against athletes who were 10 years younger. But he flew past the second move that had stymied his juniors, then the third and the fourth and the fifth… with the ease and tenacity that had defined most of his long climbing career. The cheers reached a crescendo when he got to the final move—then died when his fingers slipped from the last hold,…

It’s Gotta Be the Shoes Get a good pair of trail running shoes. Key features: Toe-protection to ward off roots and rocks, added support to avoid ankle sprains and lugs with lots of traction Cache and Carry Pick up a running vest that allows you to carry food and water, warm layers, waterproof layers, head lamp, and a phone Be Prepared Trails are never flat, so be prepared to climb and descend–a lot. Understanding what you might come across and replicating that in training will go a long way Gear Up A good GPS device is an essential piece of safety equipment. I use the SUUNTO Spartan Ultra, which provides elevation details and other data. —Ultra marathoner Kieren D’Souza was the first Indian to finish the Spartathlon, a 246 km…

OUTDOOR TRAINING Gyms suck. Loud (bad) music, judgmental stares, mirrors everywhere and weirdly inflated guys. You can escape all that and get a good workout at any park or playground with a personal trainer. AQUA CYCLING Burn more calories, increase resistance to build muscle and stay cool with an underwater spin class. A great way for non-swimmers to get the benefit of working out in the pool. FIGHTING FIT The fad for combat sports is here to stay, with mainstream gyms ramping up aerobics-oriented workouts. Look for a trainer with mat or ring cred: Waving your arms and kicking your feet around is not a recognised martial art. VIRTUAL REALITY WORKOUTS Hyderabad-based Loop Reality and others offer an “immersive experience” designed to make running on the treadmill or pedaling the…

Only lifestyle can heal stress. But foods like dark chocolate, caffeine, bananas, almonds and nuts can help Fitness guru LUKE COUTINHO, a doctor of alternative medicine, specialises in helping cancer patients stay in remission through better nutrition and a holistic lifestyle. He spoke with INDIA TODAY about getting fit through food Q. Tips to meet New Year’s reso lutions about health and fitness? We all know new year resolutions are fads. If you need to wait till the new year, it’ll be short term. The tip is to start NOW. Q. Your philosophy on fitness? Fitness is mind and body combined. Having a fit body but a messed-up mind or a fit mind and a messed-up body is poor health. Health needs to be holistic and revolve around balanced nutrition,…

After acquiring a fistful of top-rated apps and the fitness band developed by HTC, UnderArmour has doubled down on becoming the integration leader by making its apps play well with apps and wearables made by competitors. Get in sync by linking your Fitbit Charge 2 or UnderArmour band to MyFitnessPal, and you can automatically log exercise and measure calories in vs. calories out, for example. The main benefits of a wearable over an app like MapMyRun: Fitbit and other bands can automatically record your activity as “exercise” every time you walk or run continuously for 10 minutes, they provide a more accurate complete calorie count for all your activity throughout the day, and those with heartrate monitors measure whether you’re building aerobic endurance or burning fat. Otherwise, you can log…

A diamond is but a tiny spark that is chiselled and crafted to perfection. The emotions invoked by that tiny spark, however, are as many as the stars that twinkle in the sky. Watch someone’s eyes light up with these earrings from Orra’s Aquila collection that bear resemblance to a constellation of stars, the inspiration for the collection. Diamonds set in 18 carat white gold make a statement with a simple yet elegant design. Crafted using the micropave technique where a large diamond is set in the centre and smaller, brilliantly cut diamonds are set closely around it. These earrings equal the radiant brilliance of a solitaire. Price On Request Available Brand outlets around the country.…

Art by definition knows no boundaries. In unision with the letter and spirit of that thought, no material is off-limits for luxury watchmaker Hublot, no matter how challenging it is to work with. The brand has revolutionised and popularised the use of unique materials in watchmaking including magic gold and sapphire crystal. Now, Hublot’s Big Bang Unico Sapphire Rainbow has taken inspiration from the prism to create watches in a rainbow of colours. Championing the cause of universal peace, Hublot has created the Big Bang Unico Sapphire Rainbow with a contemporary aesthetic. As a symbol of peace, diversity and harmony, the watch combines both warm and cold colours evoking rainbows and moonbows. Forty eight baguette cut precious stones in eight different colours create a striking colour spectrum on the bezel…

It’s not too often that you can tuck into traditional delicacies by home chefs sitting in the comfort of a sprawling restaurant. Tvum, housed in a villa with an elegant wooden roof, brings variety to its already extensive Indian cuisine with brunches hosted by talented home chefs. They’ve hosted a Parsi Bhonu, a Bohri Thaal and have traditional regional cuisines by more chefs lined up for the new year. At Tvum, Lane 13, opposite Joggers Park, Kalyani nagar…

It was an evening of high fashion as the Blenders Pride Fashion Tour reached its last stop in Bangalore on December 20 at The Leela Palace. On display were collections by designer duos Abraham & Thakore and Gauri & Nainika, both inventive yet different in style. While Abraham & Thakore brought glamour on the ramp through an understated monochrome palette and hand-loom textiles in the form of gowns and sarees, Gauri & Nainika chose pastels with minimalist embellishment and a flowy silhouette. Talking about their collection, Abraham & Thakore said, “We continue our engagement with handloom textiles. The colour palette is simple, yet has a strong graphic blend of black and white. The collection offers contemporary alternatives to urban India making it a perfect match for Blenders Pride Fashion Tour”.…

Speaking in Pune, JIGNESH MEVANI, newly elected to the Gujarat assembly, reiterated his absolute opposition to the BJP and the politics, he believes, the party represents. He was invited to address a conference to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the ‘Battle of Koregaon’, in which a Peshwa army was defeated by a heavily outnumbered East India Company regiment comprising mostly Mahar soldiers.…

Exactly a year after the passing of the late chief minister and Tamil icon J. Jayalalithaa, his Poes Garden neighbour in Chennai, ‘Superstar’ Rajinikanth, has announced that he’s entering politics. On New Year’s eve, at the last of the week-long meetings with film fans, ‘Thalaiva’ (The Boss), as his fans refer to him, declared that he wants to usher in real change, give Tamil Nadu a new deal. “I will enter politics. The current situation demands it. If I don’t make this decision now, I will let the people down and that guilt will haunt me... I want guardians, not cadre. I’ll supervise these guardians,” he said in his trademark staccato style. If one goes by the timing alone, Rajini has managed his entry into the political orbit with some…

Gitika Srivastava, 38 FOUNDER Navya PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE With a bachelor’s in computer science from Harvard and an MBA from MIT Sloan, Gitika is also partner at Cambridge, Mass. angel investing firm KAHM Capital WORKS FROM Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Bengaluru It happened one day that I lost interest in using technology, people and networks for anything but for levelling the playing field for cancer patients. From negating the side-effects of chemotherapy, which are as tedious to manage as the diagnosis itself, to knowing that everything that can be done is being done, I began to rely on all tools I had to obsessively use for this, and only this, fight. I wanted to fix the problem of disparity of care. Such disparities exist not just between patients with financial resources and…

Umesh Malhotra, 48 CO-FOUNDER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE Hippocampus Learning Centres PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE Co-founded Bangalore Labs, India’s first infrastructure managed service provider WORKS FROM Bengaluru It happened one day that a five-year-old in one of my schools led an assembly of 350 children, came up on stage and read out a pledge, entirely in English and was followed by all the other children. I laud the potential in the country, all that the people need is an opportunity and a platform. I wanted to fix the yawning gap in education. Education for me is a tool and not the goal. It is the tool to get everybody in the world connected and confident. I wish to see that the same confidence I had while choosing a vocation or the shift in…

Ishira Mehta, 36 Puneet Jhajharia, 39 FOUNDERS Original Indian Table PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE Jhajharia is a former investor with Grassroots Business Fund and Mehta, a project manager with International Finance Corporation I wanted to fix the skewed diet structure of Indians which is tilted in favour of cereal grains The great solution Seeing farmers increase the acreage of crops. Year on year scale of production is increasing for black rice because of increased awareness. Happiness to us is if the farmers we work with have the freedom to grow what they like and price it the way they feel appropriate. Farmers are the only ones who do not get to decide how to price their products. At OIT, we don’t negotiate with the farmers—we go with the price that the farmer…

Dhrubojyoti Ghosh, 70 Environment crusader HEADY DREAM With some smart marketing, wetland can earn Rs 1,000 crore THE HURDLE Ghosh says his efforts to conserve the wetland cost him his job The East Kolkata Wetland, comprising 12,500 hectares, is like my child and I want to see my child protected,” says Dhrubojyoti Ghosh. Way back in 1982-83, Ghosh identified this area and raised his voice for conservation. The Ramsar Convention, an international forum for conservation of wetland, acknowledged it as a priority area. “Indifference on the part of people and government led to massive shrinking–in 2002, there was 88 per cent wetland, in 2017 there’s only 16 per cent. I want people to realise that by neglecting the wetland, we are digging our graves,” he says. Ghosh started his efforts…

Dantewada’s Greenline First auto service in Naxal land HEADY DREAM The service will help women access markets and enhance income ANTI-MAOIST “Government feels that in case Maoists burn these e-autos, people will turn against them” In Maoist-infested Dantewada, Chhattisgarh, the first organised public transport system is an all-woman preserve. The Danteshwari electric auto rickshaws service, launched in the district in October, aims to provide connectivity from nearby villages to Dantewada town, helping women access marketplaces, enhance income and, in a way, also fight Naxalism. The service has been provided to women self-help groups, with the government financing 80 per cent of the cost, the remaining 20 per cent being paid by the beneficiaries. The district mineral fund is to be used to finance the project. The autos can be driven…

1 DEAD HANGS Hang from a bar for 30 seconds; take 30 second break, repeat six times. Increase hang time, try with one hand as you get stronger. 2 PULL UPS WITH RESISTANCE BANDS Can’t do an unaided pull up? Tie both ends of a resistance band to a pull up bar onto a bar and stand on the loop to build your back, biceps and forearms. Do three sets of five repetitions. 3 PLANKS With elbows, toes in push up position, use ‘core’ muscles of back, abdomen and hip flexors to stiffen body like a plank. Hold for as long as you can. Do once a day. 4 ONE-LEG JUMP Squat on the floor with one leg and jump up. Three sets of five repetitions using each leg.…

Put in the effort Keep in mind that it is always easier for people who’re overweight to lose fat and build muscle, rather than people who are skinnier and want to bulk up, because their metabolism is really high. So no matter how much they try, they can’t seem to gain enough. Be prepared to make a concerted effort when it comes to your diet as well as your exercise regimen. Load up carefully The key is quite simply to eat a lot, but you must be careful about the kinds of food you take in. You can’t have the food turn into fat. Avoid sugar, and include green leafy vegetables that will help bring down the toxicity that comes from red meats (high in protein, but also in cholesterol…

The price tage ranges from Rs 1,299 to Rs 29,900 1 BEGINNER Bargain fitness bands track steps and exercise, monitor your sleep and offer notifications for incoming calls and messages. The Xiaomi Mi Band HRX edition (Rs 1,299) is also splash resistant, while the Honor Band 3 (Rs 2,799) comes with custom swim mode and optical heart rate monitoring.  2 A STEP FARTHER Fitbit (from Rs 4,999) offers a wide range of activity trackers with advanced features and social network “challenges” like daily showdown, weekend warriors, workweek hustle and adventures. Samsung’s Gear Fit 2 Pro (Rs 13,999) features a 1.5 inch curved AMOLED touchscreen and allows the user to record water and caffeine intake on the band itself. 3 HEALTH CONSCIOUS Goqii (from Rs 1,999) records workouts and sleep…

Waist-ed Grab eyeballs with this edgy Paul Smith Artist Stripe belt in calf leather. Pair with a monochromatic outfit to add a dash of colour or match with pop coloured shoes to go all out funky. Price 18,500 Availability Flagship boutiques Pocket Pick Add that luxe touch to your ensemble with this Stefano Ricci embossed leather cardholder wallet. Created by hand using Florentine craftsmanship, the wallet is rendered iconic by its recognisable SR octagonal design Price On request Availability Flagship outlets Statement Cuffs These Deakin & Francis cufflinks are sure to make it straight to the top of your wishlist. Crafted from silver-tone metal, this playful pair is fitted with a lever on the reverse which, when pulled, shoots out an enamelled yellow flame. How’s that for quirky?…

Colour me Crazy 59 RIVOLI Check out the counterculture at the art squat—where the floors and walls are covered in colours, words and sketches. This starkly vibrant structure is an interesting contrast to the commercial clothing and other shopping establishments along the busy street. 59 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris Courting Cubism MUSÉE PICASSO No trip to Paris is complete without a few hours at Musée Picasso. The creator of Cubism, his relationship with art—inspired among others, by his wife Olga and the his model and mistress, the athletic Marie-Thérèse Walter—are available for view at the museum. 5 Rue de Thorigny, 75003 Paris Travelling through Time MUSÉE DU LOUVRE If you spend some time walking across the rooms at the Louvre, you’ll come across a wealth of Islamic and ancient…

YOGA SELF AWAKENING Rina Hindocha Rina Hindocha, 35, took up yoga in a desperate attempt to lose weight after the birth of her first child. “Over the last decade, yoga has helped me turn into the peaceful and centered person I am today from the stiff student that I was, with no body awareness, during my first class,” says Hindocha. She teaches a combination of hatha flow and ashtanga vinayasa yoga to bring about improved physical, psychological and spiritual well being. “Rather than being associated with religion, yoga is more of a science of self-realisation, as it was considered in ancient India,” she says, underscoring the significance of yoga enabling you to “awaken your potential and the divinity within.” Among the most important life lessons she learnt from her yoga…

Tea Time What could be more comforting than spending a winter afternoon sipping tea with friends? The just opened Bombay Brasserie has thoughtfully put together an extensive tea menu for those who prefer to skip caffeine. With sunlight filtering in through the tall glass windows and an eclectic vibrant décor, the restaurant is a great place to curl up with a book and tea or catch up with friends while the mercury dips. On the menu is tea inspired by different corners of the country—the Bombay Monsoon Chai which is reminiscent of the ginger-infused cutting chai in Mumbai monsoon; the Hyderabad-inspired Charminar Chai brewed with spices and lemon or the cardamom-flavoured milky tea of Delhi’s bustling Chandni Chowk. Test the Tea If you are in the mood to test your…

Granola Power PURPLE HIPPIE Fitness trainer and baker, SA Shruthi, 26, straddled many roles before the breakfast cereal junkie inside her had the better of her. “We would go through cartons and cartons of it before we realised the junk that went into it,” she says. The experiments began and she was soon making batches of granola that would have neighbours coming home enquiring about the aroma. “It is then that I thought of doing it professionally,” she adds. Purple Hippie started with a single granola product and now has 10 offerings including granola bars and peanut butter. The website was launched in July 2016 and the loaded homemade granola was being delivered to homes. Some of the variants are chocolate and cinnamon granola, the fully loaded granola and the…

BJP president Amit Shah will not rest with a Congress- mukt Bharat (Congress-free India). He wants the BJP to replace the Grand Old Party. Shah told journalists at the party’s Ashoka Road headquarters in New Delhi that the ‘Golden Age’ for his party would begin the day there is a BJP government in every Indian state. Yes, all 29 of them. Wonder what the BJP’s political allies in the NDA have to saytoaBJP- yukt Bharat? Return of Favour Subhash Bhamre may have moved to Delhi’s power corridors as minister of state for defence but he hasn’t forgotten the people who helped him get there: BJP workers in his home constituency, Dhule. On J anuary 1, he was at Mantralaya, imploring officials to consider on merit applications for development works from…

A“new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light,” wrote physicist Max Planck in his autobiography, “but rather because its opponents eventually die and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it.” It’s called Planck’s principle, after the Nobel laureate. And it captures the mood of Canadian journalist Geoff Dembicki’s recent book. He argues that Millennials—the generation born in the ’80s and the ’90s—are gradually changing humankind’s response to climate change. Why? Because they have grown up with the climate debate, and because they are concerned about their future. Not just that; they are convinced that the dominant political-economic order is short-selling their long-term well-being. That simple. Splat. It’s easy to laugh at such a premise, just that Dembicki doesn’t lack…

90% OF PEOPLE FALL INTO 4 PERSONALITY TYPES… reports a study of human behaviour published in the September 2016 issue of Science Advances. The study analysed the responses of over 500 volunteers to different social situations that could lead to either conflict or collaboration, in order to test the data. Here are the four personality types. 20% OPTIMISTIC people with a very positive outlook, who work well with others, in order to find solutions to a problem 20% TRUSTING they are co-operative, not too concerned about winning or losing. Also resourceful in their help for others and enjoy learning 20% PESSIMISTIC tend to focus on the negative aspects of a situation, which affects their emotions and thoughts 30% ENVIOUS the most common category, people who don’t mind what they achieve…

Sucharita Mukherjee, 38 Puneet Gupta, 38 CO-FOUNDERS Kaleidofin PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE Economics graduate from Delhi University and an MBA from IIM, Ahmedabad. Was founding CEO of IFMR Capital, a firm that works towards financial inclusion. Mukherjee has also worked with Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank in London Puneet is a commerce graduate from Kurukshetra University and a PG Diploma holder in rural management from IRMA. He was the co-founder of IFMR Trust WORKS FROM Chennai It happened one day that sitting at a crowded airport, we saw an insurance ad filled with jargon and got talking about easy, intuitive and personalised financial solutions. We wanted to fix the current design of financial products, from being manufacturer- to customer-centric, where the latter can access the best banks, mutual funds, insurance. The great…

Ankit Agarwal, 28 Karan Rastogi, 29 FOUNDERS Help Us Green PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE Ankit studied business analytics at Warwick University, London, and was working with Symantec; Karan did a master’s in innovation management from Symbiosis, Pune, and was looking after the family footwear business It happened one day that we decided that we will not allow pollution of any kind to be associated with religion. We wanted to fix the stigma against waste-picking women and impart security and honour for them, even as we kept the river clean. Happiness to us is contributing to a pollution-free environment. As one approaches Bhaunti, a small village 25 km west of the district headquar ters of Kanpur, the smell of flowers becomes overpowering. It’s coming out of a building that houses Help Us Green,…

THE BEST POSSIBLE SELF (BPS) EXERCISE Take 10 minutes each day to write about a future you imagine for yourself, with the best possible outcomes in mind: career, family or anything else. A positive psychology exercise that’s known to boost optimism and even manipulate you into actively pursuing the future that you hope for. KEEP A KINDNESS JOURNAL The point of this exercise is to track kindness: what you do for others and what others do for you. It’s a positive psychology technique to encourage optimism. An inspiring activity that can be shared with friends and family. THREE THINGS THERAPY Write down three good, great and fun things that happen every day, say, for a week. Write down why or how they lifted your mood. At the end of the…

Ankush Singh, 22 Disabled cricketer HEADY DREAM Playing for India in the World Cup THE HURDLE With the Bharatpur Stadium being renovated, regular practice for this left-arm medium pacer all-rounder is getting hampered As a child, he dreamt of becoming the next Tendulkar, and parental pressure was no deterrent for Ankush Singh. The mustard field of Nagla Karan Singh was his cricket ground and he was the star batsman of this village near Bharatpur in Rajasthan. At the age of 10, he lost his right arm while working with a boring machine. His parents, who till then had been opposed to his dreams and even burnt his bat, softened towards his passion and bought him a bat and a ball. Disabled for life, Ankush began training under his elder brother…

HYGGE AND LYKKE If 2017 was about why everyone should try and be a bit more Hygge (pronounced “HUE-gah”), 2018 seems to be all about Lykke (pronounced: LOUK-keh). Both are from the land of the Vikings, Scandinavia, and mean the Danish way of enjoying life’s simple pleasures: friends, family and cozy graciousness. Lykke has an additional happiness with good fortune added to it. IKIGAI Get ready to hear a lot of “Ikigai” (Ick-eeguy), the Japanese secret to health and happiness. A lifestyle concept that means something like the reason for being, encompassing joy, a sense of purpose and meaning and a feeling of well-being. Ikigai is what allows you to look forward to the future even if you’re miserable right now. FIKA It’s a concept of happiness in Swedish culture.…

FOOD CHOICES Filmmaker Michal Siewierski investigates how the food we eat impacts our health and the world around us in this documentary. The message: Go vegan. Netflix. WHAT THE HEALTH Another bit of vegan propaganda, this documentary drew fire for exaggerating data and misinterpreting science. But it’s not all wrong and offers plenty of food for thought (sorry). Netflix. AT THE FORK Focused on industrial agriculture in America, this doc follows meat-eating filmmaker John Papola on a journey through the nation’s farms—at the behest of his vegetarian wife. Amazon Prime.…

Gym Gyaan The personal trainer app is overrated. Nobody wants to watch an instructional video at the gym. But record keepers like Pumping Weight, JetFit, Strong or GymBuddy make sure you don’t “plateau” by doing the same reps with the same weight day after day. Social Climbers Strava, MapMyRun, Endomondo and Nike Training Club let you track your distance and performance and compete with other users. The hardcore Strava is probably the most robust social network, while MapMyRun may well have the most local users. But the much-needed “Tinder for training partners” has yet to emerge. Calorie Counters The popular MyFitnessPal plays well with others and offers tonnes of crowd-sourced nutrition data (think “Mom’s aloo gobhi”). Make-in-India HealthifyMe is a comparable alternative that adds access to nutritionists and instructors. Measure…

“THE PICTURE SHOULD BE FECUND. IT MUST bring a world to birth” said artist Joan Miro and that is perhaps one of the greatest interpretations of the role of art. Across generations, art has nudged people out of their cubbyholes and forced them to accept the presence of an alternate reality. From being one-dimensional and within the frame to art that thrives on being provocative and abstract, what qualifies as art has undergone a 360-degree shift. Our exclusive cover story bridges the worlds of art and fashion as we showcase ten designers who designed stunning outfits for the India Today Art Awards that are inspired by artists from across the world. From Arjun Saluja and Samant Chauhan to designers like David Abraham and Gaurav Gupta, they have drawn on artists…

Write Aligned Challenge norms with the Montegrappa Micra Pink pen, a writing instrument that brings together tradition and innovation beautifully. The perfect gift for the fastidious gent, the pen is made of pearlised resin in luminescent colours and highlighted with silver trims. Price On request Availability Flagship boutiques Pajama Party Its a cosy party with these J Crew vintage pajamas inspired by classic menswear designs. Its the perfect outfit to sip hot chocolate in, while exchanging gifts, of course. Price 6,580 Availability nordstorm.com High Spirits Make merry this holiday season with the Johnnie Walker limited edition festive gifting pack emblazoned with the creativity of international graffiti artist Triston Eaton. Drink up cool design. Price On request Availability Major metro cities Mauve Mania The perfect gift for…

1 SPECIAL DELIGHTS If you are in year-end party mood, the all-new AllRounder Shots is where you should head. Spread over a sprawling 30,000 sq feet, the virtual gaming space brings together a massive sports zone, entertainment, drinks and food. With more than 20 virtual games, there are ample options—it’s equipped with state-of-the-art VR zones, a FX1 car racing simulator, neon futsal, a robokeeper goalie, and box cricket among others. Eat and Play AllRounder Shots isn’t only for those who want to play. If you are going with friends who want to spend time over a drink, they have an extensive bar and food menu too. Price Rs 1,500 for two At Level 3, Phoenix Market City, Viman Nagar 2 RUN FOR A CAUSE Join the Polite-O-thon, a half marathon…