Walk the Talk

The best tribute that one can pay to our martyrs who fought and laid down their lives for the freedom of our country is by being truthful to oneself, and honest in whatever we do, said Sumita Misra, Chairperson of Chandigarh Literary Society in her inaugural address of the "Beyond August 15" exhibition at Hotel Aquamarine on 22nd August.
The exhibition and installations curated by our member Ms Neenu Vij of Kadamb Art who had brought together artists from Chandigarh and Delhi to showcase their representation of the India's independence, and how one can continue to sustain it beyond August 15, in collaboration with the Chandigarh Literary Society.

Mrs. Sumita Misra, IAS, Secretary Tourism, Government of Haryana earlier cut the ribbon to formally inaugurate the exhibition.
Those present from CLS included beside the Chairperson herself, Mr Man Mohan Singh Kohli of Hotel Aroma, Vivek Atray, Saguna Jain, CJ Singh, Neenu Vij, Renee Singh, besides several other prominent citizens.
Explaining the concept, the curator Neenu Vij said that 15th August. It is not just a date for any Indian as it is associated with memories of historical importance and personal sacrifices.  It is an admixture of emotional pride, a struggle to behold, dream to yearn for achievements as well as acknowledge ideas to flourish. The independence day has also been moment of sheer pride and eternal bliss, and also gave us an identity as a nation.
Neenu Vij receited some of the poems that his father had penned for her during her childhood that carried deep learning and message.
Mr. Vivek Atray, IAS, Managing Director, Hartron, complimented Neenu Vij for bringing together the retrospect of such emotions and unique combination of art and literature.
The combination of poetic expression and visual presentation of the idea is to elaborate the fact that the aim of art in any way is to convey a thought, carry a mission and unite people for the same.
Another highlight of the evening was the recital of Rabindranath Tagore's "Ekla chalo re" by city's famous musician Subhash Ghosh followed by 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram'. 
The participating  artists included Amargeet, Natasha Jaini, Meena Baya,  Vishal Bhuwania from New Delhi, and  Madan Lal, Bheem Malhotra, Alka Kalra, Namita Kohli from Chandigarh.
The exhibition is on view from August 22 to 24 at Hotel Aquamarine.
Our special thanks to Mr. Man Mohan Singh Kohli for providing perfect ambiance and hosting the event with aplomb and personal care.

Be Creative to be Successful

Introducing himself, Ketan Bhagat, remarked, "I am the Other Brother."  But Ketan Bhagat, brother of famous Chetan Bhagat, emerged as very eloquent and witty speaker who carried the audience along through his supposedly mundane topic of "Creativity for Entrepreneurs".

It was a bright Saturday morning as members of Chandigarh Literary Society and The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) tropped into the fabulously decked newly opened art gallery by TiE charter member, Atul Gupta and his wife Anuja, in Sector 34.
People interacted over hot cup of tea and coffee with cookies, brownies and cake, connecting with the old and making new introductions before the programme.
With a brief introduction about his recently published “Complete/Convenient”, which breaks the myths that surround the NRIs, Ketan Bhagat summarises the entire experience into his book title most aptly.
He said, that while living abroad for an NRI might be very convenient but it is not complete.
Having worked abroad for seven years, Ketan decided to return to India unable to contain the feeling of ‘completeness’ that India gives no matter how chaotic, crowded, and difficult Indian life is.  “Every Indian living abroad howsoever successful he/she may be, misses India tremendously.
While my brother writes about superheros and larger than life episodes, my story is about a common man from a common man, who is in 30s, married, working in an MNC, but "powerless, helpless and speechless," he remarked.
Punctuating his presentation on creativity for entrepreneurs with wit and humour, he said that creativity can win new customers, make employees happy, and reduce stress for the entrepreneur.
Every customer has the capacity to pay more for creative products and services, and a creative environment can continue to help your employees happy and satisfied which translates into better bottomline, and progressing business, he added.
Though he advised that everyone, not only entrepreneurs, must dedicate a time-slot every day to some creative pursuit, to which our own celebrated author Mr Vivek Atray added that instead of keeping creativity into any structured timeframe, it must be a part of one's being to be creative in everything that one does.
After the interaction Mr Vivek Atray introduced everyone to the Chandigarh Literary Society 

and its objective of reviving interest in books among youth and encouraging budding artists to write.

Ketan Bhagat, brother of Chetan Bhagat, would be addressing members of TiE and CLS at The Art Lounge, SCO 358-359, Sector 34A, Chandigarh. 

He would be speaking on 'Creativity for Entrepreneurs'. 

You are invited.

'Manoj and Babli: The Hate Story' Released

Penguin Books India brings the spine chilling story of Manoj and Babli

Chandigarh Literary Society and Penguin India released, Chandra Suta Dogra’s debut book  “Manoj and Babli: A Hate Story” at a function organized at UT Guest House here on 2nd August.

Chander Suta Dogra, who is a senior journalist having worked with ‘Ourlook’ magazine and is currently the Assistant Editor with ‘The Hindu’, invited her mother Mrs. Sudesh Chandel to release the book.

Others who spoke on the occasion included a prolific writer and reviewer Neeraj Bali, Maj Gen (Retd) Pushpinder Singh, and a well-known columnist Kishie Singh.

This is the true story of the honour killing of Manoj and Babli of Haryana and its aftermath. In this painstakingly researched book, Chander Suta Dogra recreates how the couple eloped, breaking the taboo of same-caste marriage, and was seized and brutalized by the girl’s people, with their bodies being eventually dumped into a canal. Tacitly approving the deed, the village people did not attend the funeral and the tardiness of the local police and other agencies bordered on acquiescence.

The book by Penguin India, powerfully describes how, with the support of the media and women activists, Manoj’s mother, Chandrapati, and Sister Seema stood up to intimidation, social ostracism and the fury of the khaps or Jat councils across north India.  Manoj and Babli is a brilliant expose of the face-off between those who abide by the law and the upholders of archaic traditions that clash with it.

Chander Suta Dogra, earlier with Outlook magazine and now senior assistant editor with The Hindu, has covered north India for two decades. She has travelled extensively in the heartlands of Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir for investigative reporting, often at great risk to herself, on issues ranging from caste and women to the agricultural crisis.  

Published by Penguin India: Rs 299