"I will be God"

"When do I make my mark in this world?" asked her mind.
"Why do you need to make a mark in this world?" questioned a tiny voice from deep within her, trembling slightly as it's yet a child in the midst of towering consciousnesses.
"Because I wish to be remembered for posterity," replied the mind, slightly irritated that a young one had bothered to question her, who is known for her age old wisdom and scientific temperament.
"And then what?" the tiny voice sought to know, emboldened by now.
"And then people will follow the path shown by me, my ideals, my thoughts..." the mind said proudly. "My thoughts will become their thoughts; my command their wish."
"Later?" persisted the child within.
"Later? What's there for later? People will idolise me and worship me for my knowledge and for bringing them onto the true path. I will be God," boomed the mind.
"Then?" the child who did not wish to be defeated by mere words, queried the mind.
The all-knowing mind was puzzled. What was the best way to answer the child? It remained silent, thinking of a retort that would silence the inquisitive young one.
"Then," the child itself answered, "the path of truth laid by you will be forgotten by those who follow leading it to be overgrown with weeds of lies and dishonesty; your ideals and great thoughts will be trampled upon in the great rush towards your temple. You will be a God alright, but dwarfed and inaudible in the din of ballads of greatness sung in your honour. You will be reduced to a mere beautifully carved stone. Your teachings will be alive only in the pages of a book which everyone worships but no one reads and comprehends. You will be a God not wanted for real in the world of humans. You will remain a mere nagging fear in the back of people's minds who can neither be ignored nor embraced. Do you wish to be so?
For the first time in ages, the great mind bowed to the young one, reason.

City girl with lilting voice wins Filmfare, connoisseurs’ hearts: Music is in her veins. When she speaks, she speaks music...

Queen of a lilting voice which can sail smoothly over classical or fall-rise unexpectedly in western, young singer Indu Nagaraj has been adding colourful feathers to her vocal talent with many awards including the coveted Filmfare (Best Female Playback Singer-South) and more recently, the Radio Mirchi award (Best Upcoming Singer-South) for the path-breaking hit song ‘Pyaarge Aagbitthaite... from the film ‘Govindaya Namaha.’
Born in a musically-inclined family to Vidwan C.A. Nagaraj (English Lecturer, Maharani Govt. PU College, Mysore and renowned vocalist & flautist) and H.S. Radha, Indu began her musical journey at a tender age of two years. Her initial training began with her grandmother late Vidu. C.S. Satyalakshmi and later under her father. She gave her first performance at five and first recorded music programme in DD and AIR at the age of 7.
She has given hundreds of concerts with her sister and well-known singer Lakshmi Nataraj and bagged State Award as Chilkunda Sisters. The sisters came into limelight with the winning of popular TV shows like ETV’s ‘Ede Thumbi Haaduvenu,’ Zee TV’s ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ etc. Her talent has been suitable recognised with numerous awards including Aryabhata award, 92.7 Big FM Promising Singer State Award, Udaya Film Award (Best Female Playback Singer) etc.
Always busy hopping from recording studios to music concerts, Indu Nagaraj took out time to chat with ‘SOM’ on her tryst with microphone:
Star of Mysore: ‘Pyaarge Aagbitthaite...’ is a retro-rock and you come from a classical background.
Indu Nagaraj: All film songs have a classical base. Thus if you have a strong foundation in classical music, it will be easier to sing any type of song, whether it’s retro-rock or sugama sangeetha. Hence, I did not find it difficult to sing the song.
Shwetha: You recently received the prestigious Filmfare award and the Radio Mirchi award for the song. Did you expect the song to bring you so many laurels?
Indu: No. But I am very happy for receiving the awards and the recognition.
Shwetha: How did your journey in playback singing begin?
Indu: Since childhood, I have been singing classical and sugama sangeetha songs. I first got a chance to act in ‘Minchu’ serial of T.N. Seetharam. Music Director Hamsalekha gave me a chance to sing a song (Ninna nenape nanna haadu) for Seetharam’s film ‘Meera Madhava Raghava.’ From then on, I have sung for about 20 films in Kannada including ‘Olave Vismaya,’ ‘Paraari,’ ‘Yuva,’ ‘Nee Tata Naa Birla,’ ‘Bachchan’ etc., and the recent Telugu film ‘Potugadu.’
Shwetha: Your future plans?
Indu: There are lots of opportunities in the music field, especially in playback singing. Apart from that, I am also singing for albums, both folk and devotional songs.
Shwetha: What, according to you, is your voice best suited for?
Indu: I believe it’s classical. But I would love to sing in any style of music, be it retro, classical, rock or any other form.
Shwetha: What do you feel about borrowing playback singers from other languages to Kannada film industry?
Indu: I believe there are many local talents who, given the opportunity, have the ability to do justice to their singing. Kannada film industry should first give chance to the singers here; they too can sing well like those from other languages.
Shwetha: Finally, who is the music director in Kannada you can comfortably work with?
Indu: I have worked with almost all music directors in Kannada filmdom and I have enjoyed it. Each have their own styles.

BOOK TALK: MAHARSHI KABBA: A POETIC GUIDE TO HARMONIOUS LIFE

Title: Maharshi Kabba
Author: B.S. Nataraju (Besina Maharshi)
Pages: 134
Publisher: Maharshi Innovatives & Publishers
Price: Rs. 99
A look at the serene environs outside his friend’s house one day where the eternal blue sky touched the vast land at the horizon gave birth to a profound philosophy in the heart of a poet. Thus was born the poem ‘Anantha’ (Eternal) with the lines “Ananthavihudu ninna manasige, Diganthavihudu ninna kannige...” which, as the poet says in his ‘Author’s Note’ was influenced by the scenery.
He sent it to his friend as an SMS. The appreciation he received resulted in a series of poems not just on time-tested and profound subjects like life, feelings, time, truth, soul, God... but also on day-to-day wisdom regarding marriage, hunger, money, lust, corruption, political India and even diabetes.
‘Maharshi Kabba,’ authored by Besina Maharshi, is a collection of four-line poems which seem to be a watered-down version of DVG’s ‘Mankuthimmana Kagga,’ yet easily comprehensible by the commoners. Each poem whispers to the reader the secret of leading a balanced and harmonious life, stressing on gentleness, humbleness, compassion and strength.
“Be blind in glaring light/ Be deaf among critics/ Be a leader if in fear/ Be a fool among others’ happiness,” says a stanza of a poem on ‘Life of Acting.’ 
The verses, which end with the characteristic ‘Maharshi’ just like ‘Mankuthimma’ in Kagga, have a calming effect on a distraught mind with its rhythmicity and soothing quality. Some of the verses are astoundingly beautiful in the sense that they hit the nail right on the head by speaking out the truth of the matter without wincing.
However, in a few poems, it seems the poet, in an effort to put words which rhyme, has come short of achieving poetic beauty. This creates a blandness in the stanza and makes it too frivolous to read and enjoy.
In the poem on ‘Madi (Untouchability),’ Maharshi rightly asks, “Do you know how many have climbed your throne before you/ How many have ruled your State/ How many have drunk your water/ You are the last one; there is no first one.” His take on praise, sloth, power of money and poverty, science and the world hold mirror to the present lifestyle and conditions of the world.
The 134-page book ends with a poem on diabetes where the poet advices and urges the readers to rise early and be healthy.
The book can be read in one go as it is simple and touching in its thoughts. B.S. Nataraju, who writes with the pen name ‘Besina Maharshi,’ is an Instrumentation Technology Engineer by profession and an alumnus of SJCE in city. He dedicates the book to sages, scientists, poets, scholars, hard-workers who have inculcated philosophy in their life and to his parents. 
Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama President Swami Muktidanandaji has written the foreword while his friends and gurus have penned encouragement. The book, published by Maharshi Innovatives & Publishers, Ramakrishnanagar, Mysore and priced at Rs. 99, is worth a read for both youngsters and those with greying hairs. 

This Beautician Is a Maven in Make-up: City's Uma Jadhav wins Natl. award

Beauty is in the nature of some persons, others strive hard to look beautiful, there are a few others who love prettifying other people. The 39-year-old Uma Jadhav is among the third kind of persons. Uma Jadhav's Cosmos The Brides Pride Beauty Care and Spa, on 13th main, fourth stage in T.K. Layout, has been a part of Mysore since Nov. 1999.
She was 27-year-old when she decided to become a beautician. She had a diploma in beauticians’ course from Government CPC Polytechnic in Mysore and trained at Waves Academy in Bangalore, Hima Bedi at Andheri in Mumbai and also at Cosmetic Studio in Austria. Uma has won many laurels for her skills.
She had won first prize in make-up, bridal make-up and creative make-up, third in fashion make-up and creative hairstyle, in the competitions conducted by State Beauty Parlours Association. In the year 2009 and 2008, she had won first prize in make-up and best performance-hair, and make-up and hairstyle respectively in the same contest, thus earning ‘Hattrick’ to her name.
In the year 2005, she had won first prize in make-up in a similar competition conducted by Mysore District Beauty Parlours’ Association. She had also participated in a competition conducted in Mumbai last year and was among the final 10 out of 400 contestants.
The latest feather in Uma's cap is the 'Bharat And Dorris Hair and Make-up Award' which she received at the National Bridal and Fashion Hair and Make-up Contest oragnised at Taj Lands End, Bandra, Mumbai on April 29. She has emerged as the first woman beautician to have represented Karnataka in a competition held outside the State.
Here is a tete-a-tete with the beautifying artiste:
 Shwetha Halambi: Why did you decide to become a beautician?
Uma Jadhav: I have studied only upto 10th standard. Though I wanted to study further, I could not do so because of some health matters. And then I was married. After marriage, whenever I went to beauty parlours, I felt a strong urge to learn how to beautify others. Thus I took up the course and am working as a beautician in Mysore since 13 years.
Shwetha: What is your area of expertise?
Uma: Though I do all the basic beauty work at the parlour like eyebrow shaping, facial, waxing etc., I specialise in make-up and hair-styling. There are more than 500 types of hair-styling and about 40 types of make-up like fashion, beads, halo, carrots, ramp, mythology, wedding make-up etc. People who compete in fancy dress contests and act in films opt for halo (ghostly look) and mythology make-up. Carrot make-up is chosen to remove facial marks.
Shwetha: Have you dressed up film artistes?
Uma: Yes. I have also done make-up for film artistes but only if the shooting is done in Mysore, because travelling outside the city for months together along with the film crew is difficult.
Shwetha: You have won many awards for your skills in beautifying others. Does your family support you in your endeavours?
Uma: Absolutely. My husband Gopal Rao, who works in building construction, son Naveesh, who is a II PUC student at Vidhyaashrama, my brother, sister... all help me. Without their help, I would never be able to successfully participate in so many contests and win awards.
Shwetha: Many people believe that application of cosmetics for a longer duration is harmful to the skin — facial or other parts of the body. This can be seen when one looks at the faces of yesteryear actors. As a beautician, do you agree?
Uma: May be it was so in earlier days when there were no good quality creams or cosmetics available. People had less knowledge too about cosmetics. Nowadays, a lot of scientific research is going on in cosmetic industry and many quality products are available in a wide variety of brands.
Most people buy good cosmetics, keep them aside if no occasion arises to use them, and one day remember about them. They then take it out and use it even after its expiry date just so that it doesn't go waste. This harms the skin.
Mostly make-up artistes of actors other than stars don't get good remuneration. So they refrain from buying very good quality cosmetics for the actors and this results in the skin of actors losing their vitality after some time.
Shwetha: Do you teach others who are interested to become beauticians?
Uma: Yes. I have been teaching interested persons since many years. At present, four students are training under me. I conduct regular classes from 11 am to 1 pm. For economically backward students, I teach free of cost.
Shwetha: Keeping aside your profession for a moment, tell us what do you personally believe in — inner or outer beauty?
Uma: Of course, I believe in inner beauty. One's words, behaviour and attitude makes one look beautiful even though that person is without make-up. I remember that I had gone to attend a function recently where Dr. Dharanidevi Malagathi (Dy.SP and Karnataka Police Academy Director) had come as a guest. She was quite simple in her dress and with minimum of make-up. Yet, she was so beautiful. The words she spoke and the way she behaved made her attractive.

I want to serve my country's poor: Dr. Muruga

The tales of rags to riches are always inspiring. Most of us can take a leaf from the lives of such persons who stand up from the midst of adversity and shake off their 'predetermined' future to write a new one for themselves. Such achievers are all around us and the one who stands out among them is Dr. Muruga, Medical Officer, Community Health Centre, JSS Medical College premises in city.
Dr. Muruga is the son of Chengappa, a labourer and Anniyamma, an agarbatti maker. One among five children -- a brother and three sisters -- he lived in Madiwala, Bangalore. Muruga himself drew the path of his life at the age of five years.
SOS Children's Village International, an NGO which gives a loving home to poor, orphaned children, opened its branch in Bangalore in 1989. They went from place to place to look for children who were orphaned, who could not be looked after by their parents due to poverty etc. One day, the van of the NGO came to Muruga's doorstep. When the volunteers asked Muruga's parents if they would like to send one of their five children with them so that their burden could be lessened, Muruga's parents decided to send his elder brother with the Children's Village.
Muruga, then all of five years, decided that he too would go and live at SOS Children's Village. And before anyone could dissuade him, he ran and sat in the van. None of his parents' persuasions worked. The wide-eyed boy found a new family with the batch of 10 children at the Children's Village.
Thus began Muruga's journey from a hut to the seat of a medical officer. Having lost his father, an alcoholic, early in life, Muruga is today a 28-year-old doctor with qualifications from India and abroad.
Dr. Muruga, who spoke to SOM, says during his younger days, his tuition teacher Kamalamma whose son was an engineer and worked in the US, often gave him foreign chocolates. This led to a young Muruga to dream of becoming an engineer. However, a study trip to Victoria Hospital in Bangalore at the age of 14 changed his destiny. Seeing the sufferings of patients in the hospital, he decided to study medicine.
From then onwards, Muruga did not look back. He took up his studies with determination and always one among the class toppers, he got a scholarship to study in the United World COlleges (UWC), Canada. After finishing the Class 11 and 12 studies in Canada, Muruga returned to India as Canada did not provide full scholarships to students from other countries. After coming back to India, however, he realised that his Canadian certificate was of no use in India for entry to the MBBS course. He then took the CET exam and secured a place at the JSS Medical College, Mysore. In 2012, he completed his MBBS degree.
He says many of the well-to-do students take up coaching for about one year before applying for PG CET, but he had no such luxury. Hence he applied for the Community Medical Officer's post in JSS University, so that he can take up PG course in medicine.
His mother stays with him and his siblings live in Bangalore, well settled in their life. His brother studied till 10th std., but left the Children's Village to go back to their family. Speaking about his friends from SOS, he says, “Everyone is happy with a profession of his/her choice. We have all kept in touch.”
Speaking about SOS Children's Village, its alumnus said the Village has about 16 houses each housing about 10-11 children. They are looked after by a 'mother' who takes care of the children's tuition, food and all other needs.
To the parting question if he would go and serve in a foreign country as a doctor if he gets the chance, Dr. Muruga says with a smile, "I will never India as I want to serve my country to my utmost capacity as a doctor."

SOS Children's Villages is an independent, non-governmental international development organisation which has been working to meet the needs and protect the interests and rights of children since 1949. Founded by Dr. Hermann Gmeiner in Austria, it has over 450 Children's Villages across the world. The organisation focuses on abandoned, destitute and orphaned children who may have been victims of domestic violence, neglect, natural calamities, parental separation etc.
In Bangalore, SOS Children's Village was set up in 1989. It has its own SOS Kindergarten, where up to 100 children can be taught in two group rooms. In 1993, an SOS Youth Facility was opened. In 2003, SOS Children's Villages India launched its family strengthening programmes in Bangalore. These programmes are intended to support families at risk of abandoning their children and to encourage families to stay together.

THE SAVIOUR OF MANY A LIVES FROM DERAILMENT

It was 4.50 am. The night was dark as it always is just before the dawn. The train was moving at 25km/hour speed. Suddenly, the engines jerked to a halt so smoothly that none of the 1,200 passengers were neither stirred in their sleep nor disturbed either by the screeching of the wheels or the absence of movement beneath them. The driver of the train, who stopped the rail, peeped from his cabin to see if he could find out why the wheels of the train seemed to descend from their normal track. He saw a crack in the track, which could have caused a major tragedy, derailing the entire train and injuring/killing the passengers on board, if it had not been stopped on time. He then informed his superiors about the incident through walkie-talkie, as cell phones get no signal in the thick of the forest. He did not awaken the sleeping passengers and inform them about the narrow escape they had as that could have created a panic and led to mayhem. When they woke up, however, the passengers were in for a shock to find that they were in the midst of Western Ghats, somewhere between Yedakumeri and Kadagarahalli of Sakleshpur taluk, narrowly escaping from jaws of death. The passengers were later taken to their destinations by the Railway officials who arranged special KSRTC buses to ferry them. The presence of mind and alertness displayed by the loco pilot prevented the disaster and saved the lives of many passengers.
It was G. Shivaram, the loco pilot, who turned hero on that fateful night of Jan. 5, 2013 by becoming the saviour of hundreds of people who slept confidently in the Yeshwantpur-Mangalore-Kannur Express. Speaking to Star of Mysore at his residence in Ittigegud in city, Shivaram recalled that eerie moment when he just felt a sudden shift and slight descending of the wheels and fearing the worst, applied the emergency brakes to bring the train to a screeching halt. “I had no time to check what had caused it; if I had taken even a peep outside the window down at the track, it would have been akin to sounding a death knell for passengers and myself,” he recalled and added with humility: “I just did my duty.”
The 53-year-old Shivaram has been sincerely doing his duty not just at his work place but also at his home. A father of three children and one among the seven children of his parents, he lives in a joint family of 15 members and is the bread-winner for the family. Having passed SSLC, Shivaram joined Railways as a ‘D’ Group employee as Kalasi about 33 years ago and worked his way up the ladder to become a loco driver six years ago. However, his perseverance can be seen by the way he attends to his wife, who is bed-ridden since five years. His wife Nirmala suffers from a rare medical condition wherein her lungs take in just 65% of oxygen required for the body and the remaining has to be supplied through an oxygen cylinder. Among his three children, two boys have completed SSLC and PUC and are supporting the family by taking up jobs. His daughter is studying SSLC and aspires to become a doctor after seeing the condition of her mother. Shivaram’s family, who were in Arsikere earlier, had to shift to Mysore after his wife developed this rare illness as his family could not access proper medical facility in Arsikere. He spends about Rs. 7,000 to Rs. 8,000 on her treatment every month.
His alert act of saving 1,200 passengers wasn’t just a singular case in Shivaram’s career in Railways. He has helped other colleagues too beyond his line of duty. One such instance happened way back in 2007. It is said, when Shivaram, who was off duty, was travelling as a passenger, the train was stopped between Yedakumeri and Siribagilu as a huge tree branch had fallen on the track. The train was caught inside the tunnel. Shivaram immediately climbed down and began cutting and clearing the branches with the gang staff. His initiative to help others was appreciated and awarded by the Railways.
Recognising his presence of mind and alertness in preventing the recent tragedy, various organisations felicitated Shivaram. Rotary Mysore Midtown bestowed on him the ‘Real Life Hero’ award while Mangalore’s SCDCC Bank honoured him in the presence of Rajya Sabha member Oscar Fernandes.
The Railways started an enquiry into the incident under the guidance of the Commissioner of Railway Safety who has sent a report citing his bravery to the Railway Board in Delhi. The final report of the enquiry is awaited. Shivaram is among the rare breed of people who perform their duty efficiently and also something extra so that others can lead a life of happiness. His work ethics and alertness in performing his duty deserves to be emulated by one and all.

Bhavageethe is a perceptive song from a poetic heart

 The year was 1950. The day auspicious, being the Gowri festival. The family was huddled around a radio. The air was filled with a sense of curious anticipation... Then came the announcement of the song by H.R. Leelavathi from All India Radio, Mysore. During the next ten minutes, there was an absolute stillness except for the melodious song “Haradi Parvathi Devi...” The flow was smooth like the subtle waves of a gentle breeze on a placid lake... The experience was thrilling... Little did anyone realise then that this would be the beginning of a long and eventful musical journey to culminate in the pinnacle of glory... thus writes K.R. Bapu Somashekara, the brother of Leelavathi, in the book ‘Nadaleela.’
Yes, it was a long musical journey which brought widespread praise and fame to H.R. Leelavathi, who can easily be called the ‘Mother of Sugama Sangeetha.’ The yesteryear listeners of Akashavani would enthusiastically remember Leelavathi who was synonymous with AIR and bhavageethe as it was she who nurtured the hitherto lesser known sugama sangeetha and introduced it to the world in all its poetic glory on AIR. Not only has she experimented and sung thousands of songs in both Karnatak classical and bhavageethe categories, Leelavathi has also penned poems, articles, books and composed ragas for poetry. A student and contemporary of great poets including Chennaveera Kanavi, Prof. M. Gopalakrishna Adiga, Dr. K.S. Narasimhaswamy, B.R. Lakshman Rao, Sumatheendra Nadig, Dr. N.S. Lakshminarayana Bhatta and other stalwarts in the fields of music and literature, Leelavathi is married to (late) S.G. Raghuram, also a well-known sugama sangeetha singer. After spending a lifetime serving Goddess Saraswathi, the couple founded Sugama Sangeetha Academy in city with a view to pass on the treasure of light music to the youngsters.
In a tete-a-tete with me at her home in Saraswathipuram, the singer-poet-writer-guru spoke on the life that she led, about music close to her heart and her fears on the future of music...
Shwetha Halambi: Sugama sangeetha seems closer to heart than classical music.
H.R. Leelavathi: That is because literature (sahitya) is the soul and essence of sugama sangeetha while classical singing is mainly based on music. Bhavageethe includes all the emotions experienced by man — be it love, god, friendship, romance, affection, motherly love, all feelings are seen in the poetry, which is the main element of sugama sangeetha. Hence, it is liked by all. Music is the vehicle through which literature reaches the hearts of people. For example, people like hearing a story in song form than reading it. But while providing tune for a poem or song, a sugama san-geetha singer has to first un-derstand the words of the poet, his thoughts and feelings expressed in the poem. Anybody who sings cannot be a sugama sangeetha singer.
A singer should also have a good voice which can touch the sensibilities of the audience. In Karnatak classical music, there is neraval, swara prasthara, alapane and even though we may not have a good voice, we may reach the audience through our expertise. Sugama sangeetha ends in about 4-5 minutes. It is just a perceptive song from a poetic heart. As it is pure sahitya, the singer should sing with feeling, purity, articulation and pellucid words. Then it will be a successful song.
Shwetha: You first learnt Karnatak classical music and then stepped into bhavageethe sphere, which was unexplored till then.
Leelavathi: I and P. Kalinga Rao were the first ones to sing sugama sangeetha. He came in 1949 and myself in 1950. I used to give classical music kacheri earlier. According to me, a successful sugama sangeetha singer need not have complete maturity in classical music. But the roots of any form of music is classical music, where you will be introduced to shruthi, gati, laya... Our sthayi can be practiced through which our voice will attain purity. On the foundation of classical music, any other form can be learnt as they are just branches of the classical root.
In the professional theatre of earlier times, singing was mandatory for artistes — from the character of a servant to a king. They had to know classical music and there would be music teachers to teach rangageethe in the drama companies.
 love and respect all styles of music. May be we grew up in such an environment. My mother Jayamma was a disciple of theatrist Kotturu Basappa and learnt Karnatak classical music. She also sang ghazals, Hindi    and Marathi songs. My father Hassan Ramanna (well-known  in olden days as Athana Ramanna as he was fond of Athana raaga) was proficient in gamaka vachana and was B.M. Shri's disciple. He also sang many English poems after composing raga for them apart from bhavageethe. But then it was not formally known as sugama sangeetha.
All these forms have influenced me. When we were in T. Narasipur at a young age, I had seen many dramas and heard theatre songs.
I learnt Karnatak classical music along with sugama sangeetha. When I was studying in Christ The King Convent (CKC) in Mysore, all students had to compulsorily listen to radio. One day I heard two bhavageethe – Punyabhoomi Bharathi... and Jaya Jaya Jaya Vijayeebhava... Hearing those two songs, I was thrilled. I wanted to know who directed music for those songs. My friend Prabhavati, daughter  of Rallapalli Ananthakrishna Sharma, said it was A.V. Krish-namachar, a disciple of her father, who had composed music for those songs. It was then I decided that I had to learn under Krishnamachar.
At that time, the Mysore Akashavani conducted a talent search. Four of us went to the contest from our school. I did not know any other song apart from what I learnt at home. Then I sang the Kannada translation of Thomas Hood’s 'Bridge of Sighs' taught by my father. At the age of 16, I started singing. I learnt classical music from Sangeetha Vidyanidhi late Chennakeshavaiah. Though I started singing both forms, I  fully shifted to sugama sangeetha due to throat problem, because of which I had to bid adieu to classical music as it needed a firm tone.
I listen to Chinese music, Jazz, Rock... I have music cassettes of about 12 languages. I have also sung in Bengali, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and many other languages.
Shwetha: At a recent function, poet G.S. Shivarudrappa opi-ned that the cacophony of loud instruments was spoiling the beauty of sugama snageetha. What do you say?
Leelavathi: Yes, it is true. As I said, sugama sangeetha is literary and poetry-based. If the audience cannot comprehend poetry and its words, what is the use of singing it? We can sing any song and no one will understand it. In Gamaka, Bharatha va-chana, it was reading of epics and not based on musical laya but on poetic beauty. We were interested in the story and would keenly listen to the story.
Now loud instrumental music is killing sugama sangeetha and through this we are committing sacrilege towards poets. When I and Kalinga Rao sang, we used only a string instrument and a percussion instrument, a violin and a tabla. Each of us would sing for four hours, unlike now where many singers sing a song each on the stage and exit. People loved our singing.
Many people have written down the songs I have sung in Akashavani and learnt them, this was because there was clarity in singing and absence of too many instruments which blotted out singing.
Once Siddalinga Pattana-shetty told me that nowadays, when singers sing sugama sangeetha in orchestras and music programmes, we think we hear some words scattered here and there between loud music. There is no respect for sugama sangeetha where literature is not given any value.
Shwetha: You have been in music field since many years. What do you feel when you look back?
Leelavathi: Seeing a seed planted on earth, which grows to be a plant, a tree, yielding flowers and fruits, is a great feeling. There is happiness and sorrow in everyone’s life. When you achieve in a field, there will be people who feel happy, who pull your leg, who bless you... But we have to accept everything with a single-mindedness.
This is my chosen field. Art is like an ocean and we can take only so much water from it. There is no end to what I can achieve here. No one can reach the pinnacle of perfection which is a mirage in music field. But our attempts should not end till our last breath. A goal is that which can never be reached.
However, there is contentment in trying. When I walk forward and look back, there is the satisfaction of still carrying out my job with love. Saraswathi is unattainable. She comes nearer as we perform our penance, but we can never attain her. I believe I have done my work to my utmost capability.
Shwetha: You have met and interacted with many great personalities. Are there any instances that touched your heart?
Leelavathi: Shivarudrappa always praised me saying, "Leelavathi helped me in gaining recognition as a poet by singing my poems." He said Leelavathi is 'Uduganaveshtitta' and the song 'Uduganaveshtitta' is Leelavathi [Leelavathi sang this song many times in various programmes and also at Phoenix, USA, when she had gone to take part in the World Kannada Meet in 1998. The song became very popular and was aired by Akashavani many times].
In 1962, I sang D.R. Bendre's songs 'Kogile Cheluva Kogile...' and 'Hotte Hosedare Hasivu Hinguvudenu...' during a programme in Bangalore’s Town Hall. When I came out of stage, Ben-dre came to me and said, "How beautifully you sing, like Asha Bhosle." It was an unforgettable compliment to me. I regularly met Kuvempu. I am the only singer to have sung Kuvempu’s 140 songs. He would say that if I hadn’t sung his poems, they would be lying in the closet, unread, unknown. Poems should reach the public, at least through music. Karanth and Jayacha-maraja Wadiyar too appreciated my singing. Wadiyar always asked me to sing his favourite song Gopalakrishna Adiga’s Aaradiru aaradiru o nanna belake... at all his functions.
One incident which will always remain in my memory happened in Holenarasipura during a music programme when I was about 22 years old. I was giving a kacheri for about two-and-half hours. A woman bent with age came onto the stage and said, "How melodiously you sing. I felt as if I saw Goddess Saraswathi in you. I cannot sit for a long time due to my back pain. Hence, I am leaving." She left after giving me a rupee and blessing me. I will always remember this because I may have been honoured with hundreds of awards, but the happiness she got from my music made by concert worthwhile. If I touched the hearts of people with my music, their appreciation in turn touches my heart.
Shwetha: Were there instances which brought you sorrow?
Leelavathi: Sorrows are a part of life. There are many instances of injustice where my program-mes have been usurped by others because I never go to knock on anybody‘s doors and ask for anything. I have never done any work by losing my self-respect and will never do that. Many of my students have betrayed me. Life has both sweet and bitter moments. I accept everything.
Shwetha: Are present day poems by contemporary poets suitable for singing as bhava-geethe? Will there be the fragrance of sugama sangeetha?
Leelavathi: Poems of ‘Navya’ (modern) time written in a raw manner cannot be sung. Even in ‘Navodaya’ style, there should be beautiful themes in the poems. Many senior poets have written on some brazen topics which cannot be sung. They may be great poems from the viewpoint of poetry, but they are not poetic and emotional enough with  beautiful word structure to be sung as bhavageethe. Even the words should be melodic. We should be careful and intelligent enough to select suitable poems of short length. For example, Bendre has penned 'Jogi Ka-vana' which cannot be sung. The poets surely are great but the styles of some of their poems do not suit sugama sangeetha. Even prose can be sung, but they will not become songs.
You may ask that 'Kurigalu saar kurgalu...' and other such songs have been sung, but they are just experimental. If we sing such songs for three hours, there will be no audience left to hear us. There is no opportunity to savour the beauty of words.
Shwetha: You applied raga for nadageethe Jaya Bharatha Jananiya Tanujaathe... for the first time. But then it was changed and there was a controversy regarding the tune.
Leelavathi: Yes. I had sung that song when Kuvempu was honoured with Pampa award. My raga is in Ragamalike and Kuvempu had liked it. Hence, the then AIR Mysore Station Director had asked me to sing it on AIR. Later, Mysore Anantha-swamy applied a different raga for the song. I agree that my raga was suitable for solo singing but when nadageethe is to be sung, it is better to sing it in group. Nadageethe should be sung by everyone present on any occasion, be it in hundreds or thousands and Ananthaswamy’s raga made it possible.
Shwetha: What is your opinion about today's film songs?
Leelavathi: I don't understand why we have sunk so low. I am surprised that no one in the film industry knows anything about sahitya. Anybody can make a film, write songs and such an attitude is deplorable. Words have lost their value. Oldies were very good. Experts like Vijaya Nara-simha, K.R. Seetharam Shastri and others penned good and valuable lyrics. Some songs of today speak derogatorily about one’s own mother and father. Even in stone age, there may not have been such a lowly language. Film industry is culturally bankrupt now. Our children will be under a very bad influence because when they listen to the same bad songs everywhere, be it in loudspeakers, marriages, hundreds of uncensored TV channels, festivals etc... the repetitive words get stuck in their mind. But such songs are not aired on Akashavani because there is censorship. Every song is listened to first and then selected before deciding to air it.
Shwetha: In the midst of sugama sangeetha and classical music, is the value of sugama sa-ngeetha losing  significance ?
Leelavathi: Though the number of singers is increasing, no one at present has the capa- bility to sing for two to three  hours perfectly. To most people, it is just a way to gain fame. Anybody with money can bring out a cassette nowadays. Just like when Pandavas won Mahabha-ratha and all the five said to Krishna one day: I am king, he too is king and all the five are kings, here everyone is a singer.
All those who learn are not su-gama sangeetha singers. Shruthi should be pure, laya should be perfect, sahitya and bhava sho-uld be understood before anyone can sing a song and touch the hearts of others. A singer who does not understand the meaning of words in the song is never a sugama sangeetha singer. I ask meaning of the words with my students and many fail to answer because most don’t even know Kannada properly.
Many singers who come to Akashavani are unaware of even the basic knowledge about poets. They confuse Kuvempu’s poems with that of Bendre and Bendre’s as someone else’s.  Adiga is Lakshminarayana Bha-tta to them. They just hear some song, write it down and come to sing. This is cassette singing, which is just sad.
Recently, there was Bendre songs contest at a city college. Many sang but each time I would get up and say, this song is Adiga's, this is Kuvempu's and  so on... Someone came and ask-ed me what is this, as most participants failed to sing Bendre’s songs. I said I have been singing since the age of 16 and I read, have knowledge about who wrote which poem.
Shwetha: What are your words for youngsters?
Leelavathi: As I said, they have to be ready for assiduous work. Any art, including music, is as huge as an ocean. What you can hold in the cup of your palm is yours. If you take up music for fun or to participate in a reality show and learn two songs, it will not carry you forward. Your face is seen on TV, your parents and neighbours feel happy and that’s it. It’s not growth; it needs commitment, penance, diligence. Only when art is taken up for art’s sake will it succeed.
Some parents today just want to see their child on stage — equipped with just two songs. In olden gurkula system, a disciple would not perform till the guru permitted. That was commitment, respect and love towards their guru. Even my students’ parents ask me to teach their kids two songs so that they can participate in a reality show.
Learning any art is not that easy. That is why I said, a goal is that which can never be reached. Youngsters should learn music with love and we ourselves should transform into that song and express its intricacies. Any art should be learnt through a guru and cassette is not a guru. Only those who have dedication towards music will become a  successfully singer.

Mother of Sugama Sangeetha: H.R. Leelavathi, A Profile

Born on Feb. 8, 1935 to Hassan Ramanna and Jayamma, H.R. Leelavathi studied her BA in the Mysore University in 1954 and Senior Grade in Karnatak Classical Music (Vocal). Leelavathi is the third daughter among four children — two elder brothers H.R. Bapu Seetharam (late) & H.R. Bapu Satyanarayana (retd. Engineer and city's well-known social activist) and younger brother Bapu Somashekar.
 An 'A' Grade Music Composer (retd.) of All India Radio, Mysore, she is married to sugama sangeetha singer (late) S.G. Raghuram and has two sons — Sunaad Raghuram and Sukumar.
A singer with a dulcet voice, Leelavathi trained in classical music under Sangeetha Vidyanidhi late Chennakeshavaiah; in light music under famous music composer and AIR violinist A.V. Krishnamachar (who wrote under the pen name Padmacharan), Jnana Prakash Gosh at Calcutta and Deben Sharma Gauhati and in Rabindra Sangeeth under Robin Ray in Calcutta.
Apart from giving hundreds of performances in India and abroad and being a playback singer, Leelavathi has served as the Chairperson of Karnataka Sangeetha Nritya Academy and chaired many conferences on music.
She is the founder of Sugama Sangeetha Academy (1985), Mysore, for promoting sugama sangeetha and has trained hundreds of students who are now artistes of AIR and Doordarshan.
Leelavathi has penned many books including a play, musical feature Nisarga Vandana for AIR, short stories, poems and vachanas like 'Savirada Sanchaya' which received Rathnamma Heggade award and DVG Mukthaka award.
She has also written many articles on music. Her book Sugama Sangeethada Hejje Guruthugalu has bagged Sharada Ramalingappa Endowment Award by Sahitya Parishat.
The prestigious titles and awards conferred on Leelavathi are numerous including Karnataka Kala Tilaka by Karnataka Sangeetha Nritya Academy, Rajyotsava award, Sree Santa Shishunala Sharief award by Karnataka Government, Ganakala Paripoorne, Kannada Gana Kogile', 'Ganakala Sharade'... the list goes on with honours and awards by hundreds of organisations in the State and USA.

Feeding Nation's Guardians

George Patton, a General who led the American army during World War II, once said: Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. Men whose needs ought to be taken care of by a grateful nation in turn for their utmost sacrifice — their Life. India’s jawans are fortunate in this aspect as they have a separate institute to look after their needs of food which is the most necessary for their sustenance in harsh climatic and living conditions apart from keeping them cheerful amidst the drudgery of army life. The Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL) in Mysore may not be glamourous, but it feeds hungry jawans whose life seems to be the most pretermitted in this country. Here is a tribute to the scientists who are doing a noble work.
Napolean Bonaparte said 'An army marches on its stomach,' thus concisely giving the gist of a military win against an enemy – well-fed and fit soldiers. Soldiers who serve the country at extreme climatic conditions exerting themselves physically and mentally had to suffer for long due to lack of proper food. The food items, when they reached the guardians of our nation across rough terrains, would be unpalatable. In times of peace, man forgets three persons — god, doctor and soldier. And it is the nation's responsibility to constantly remember the soldier and his sacrifices, and take care of his needs. Since 50 years, the DFRL has served the armed forces by providing logistical, storage, transport and research & development support. Its services are sponsored mainly by the armed forces, apart from the Coconut Development Board in Kochi, Karnataka government's Neera project. They have also taken up many rural projects to help the village youth by providing them simple technologies and teaching them skills. Armed forces in all areas — hot, hot & humid like Assam, sub-zero conditions, etc. — need quick cooking food without elaborate processes, says Dr. Sajeev Kumar, Scientist 'E' and Public Relations Officer of DFRL, taking this correspondent around the DFRL premises. Elaborating on it, the scientist said that DFRL started preparing dehydrated products which were cooked, dried and preserved. A soldier can just boil it for a lesser time and consume it. The food needed just 15-20 minutes for reconstitution. Then the reconstitution time was reduced from 15-20 minutes to 2-3 minutes like in case of Maggi noodles. It just needs warm water to cook.
Such packaged foods weigh just 100gm to 400 gm so that a soldier can carry it easily for long distances. Western countries first started using canned foods but they were not appealing to the Indian palate due to the metallic taste of the food got from the can and the soldiers were not happy. Then they brought out food in pouches. However, the imported equipment needed to prepare the pouch-food cost nearly Rs. 3 crore, which was too costly for us. Hence the DFRL scientists themselves took up an ambitious project and indigenised the technology with every part of the equipment made here. Now it costs just Rs. 12 lakh. This was our major achievement in cost-reduction, says Dr. Sajeev Kumar.
During wars like the Kargil operation, the soldiers at the frontlines did not have time to heat the food or boil water to cook the food. In such a situation, DFRL's ready-to-eat products helped them immensely, he added, before taking the correspondent to a conference room where Director & Scientist 'G' Dr. Harsh Vardhan Batra and senior scientists of the Institute — Dr. K. Radhakrishna (Scientist 'G' and Associate Director), Dr.G.K. Sharma (Scientist 'F' and Head, Cereals & Pulses Technology), Dr. M.C. Pandey (Scientist 'F' & Head, Freeze Drying & Animal Products Technology), Dr. S.N. Sabapathy (Scientist 'F' and Head, Food Engg. & Packaging), Dr. A.D. Semwal (Scientist 'F' and Head, Central Instrumentation), Dr. Farhath Khanum (Scientist 'F' and Head, Biochemistry & Nutrition), Dr. K.V. Ramana (Scientist 'F' and Head, Food Biotechnology), A. Ramakrishna (Scientist 'F' and Head, Research Appliances), P.E. Padki (Scientist 'F' and Head, Post-Graduate Diploma), Dr. K.R. Anilakumar (Scientist 'E' and Technical Staff Officer) and Dr. Jagannath (Scientist 'D') — had taken their time out and gathered to give a glimpse of DFRL's activities. Dr. Batra answered most of the questions with other scientists answering the queries related to their field. 

Shwetha: Not many people know what exactly the scientists create here in DFRL.
DFRL team: DFRL has got a broad mandate. Our mainstay is that we have to take care of all the three Armed Forces — Army is the main user of our products, and then Navy and Air Force; and very recently, the security forces involved in low-intensity conflicts, anti-terrorist, anti-naxal operations etc. like CRPF, ITBP, Special Protection Group and NSG. They are using our products for their survival and energy needs and we are continuously improving our technology. Though there are some restrictions regarding cost, we do not compromise on quality and hence we try to look for cost-reduction ways.
We have supplied specialised food to space missions, for Wg. Cdr. Rakesh Sharma (who flew aboard Soyuz T-11 as part of the Intercosmos programme and was the first Indian to travel in space) and even Soviet astronauts, for Chandrayaan mission etc. The scientists working in Antarctica mission are being supplied food by DFRL since many years. They stay in Antarctica for long periods ranging from six months to an year, without much contact with the outside world.
We look after the Armed Forces' food requirements during combat situations fulfilling their logistic, climatic and physiological requirements. All these vary depending on the nature of their job, place and duration where they are stationed. We take all these things into account before we design and develop specific foods.
Today's soldier does not just come from any village and join the Army. He has to operate electronic gadgets, he needs to be alert, his mind function has to be very sharp and quick. That requires some functional foods with specific nutritional requirements. We see how we can provide them easily available and natural food, not tablets or chemicals. We don't want the soldiers to be depressed when they are serving the country. Hence we have taken up research to keep them from depression. This is a new area where our scientists are working and progressing.
Our role in all sorts of disaster management is a flexible approach where we are continuously growing and proving our skills, technologies, capabilities. We are very closely working with National Disaster Management Authority and providing inputs for their operational requirements.
Another area in which we are working based upon our expertise and zeal is, rural employment generation. Our former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, when he visited the Institute recently, spoke about it and also about additional income for agri-based population when monsoon fails. Rather than the farmers committing suicide, we are seeing to it if we can generate alternate income so that they survive that period of calamity.
Added to that, Dr. Kalam wanted us to develop low cost processed packaged foods to take care of mal-nourishment of children.
We are also mooting on how we can play a pivotal role in midday meal to children so that pilferage does not happen and adequate nutrition is gained by the children who are our future. All spin-off technologies from DFRL go to rural and urban industries of the country helping educated youth build success stories.
We also train students who, after completion of the course, get jobs in food industry, quality control assessment etc. The job-oriented course is recognised by Mysore University and is held from September or October every year to May or June.
These are our mandates.

With DFRL Director Dr. H.V. Batra

Shwetha: How are you different from CFTRI?
DFRL team: CFTRI has a different mandate from us. We have a targetted customer — Armed Forces. In the civil sector, we have all the gadgets to prepare and conserve food, whereas for armymen, guarding the country is of utmost priority and not food. But they need food to keep them in fighting shape.
To make it easier for the jawans, Dr. Sajeev Kumar has come out with a self-heating system where the pouch itself heats up the product inside it so that the soldier in a sub-zero area gets his food easily cooked within minutes.
Shwetha: What about technology transfer? Do you transfer the technology developed to private companies?
DFRL: Yes. We have been regularly transferring our technologies. Examples of industries who have used the technologies and prepared successful products are MTR, Aashirvaad, etc., who bring out ready-to-eat foods prepared by using our technology.
Shwetha: Do you yourself prepare food for the Army or transfer the job to outside industries?
DFRL: In small quantities, we prepare food for the Army. In case of emergency like Kargil war too, we had to provide a large amount of food. We have a production unit for emergency services like war or natural disaster.
Shwetha: A new invention?
DFRL: Foods that help a soldier to stay alert. Those who are fighting 24x7, don't have time to cook food. So we have prepared nutrition-rich 15 to 20 types of ready-to-eat products like bars and munches with lots of carbohydrates.
Shwetha: Foods that suppress sleep in soldiers. How do they work?
DFRL: There are some substances which block the receptors in the brain so that the person remains awake for a longer time without affecting their performance. We get the substances from natural sources.
Shwetha: Does not suppressing sleep affect the person's body? Because sleep is a natural instinct of man to get rest.
DFRL: No. Because any security-based operation needs alertness and the soldier should be necessarily awake. Like for example the Mumbai terror attack where the soldiers had to stay awake for three days and be alert, especially when there is no replacement possible. Then, in order to survive, they should stay alert and have energy.
Such foods are mainly used for small anti-naxal or such paramilitary and other operations.
Shwetha: How do you plan to increase the shelf-life of perishable foods as in our country lots of food is going waste due to improper storage methods.
DFRL: We are right now concentrating on perishable foods like tomato and pineapple. Due to their low shelf-life, farmers are either forced to sell them at very low prices or commit suicide unable to bear the burden of losses and debts. So we are encouraging farmers to prepare value-added products from such foods like sauces and jams with the help of local co-operative societies. Instead of committing suicide, farmers can use simple technologies, prepare products and sell them. We are demonstrating low cost food and vegetable storage in rural areas. Soon, without the use of electricity, villagers will be able to produce all sorts of foods that will stay for two months. The technology will be low cost.
Shwetha: What about food grains? How do you plan to preserve them?
DFRL: Dr. Kalam's vision includes this. Recently lots of wheat were lost in Punjab due to lack of storage methods. Now we are looking into grain storage in silos for two-three years. And the life of a silo is about 20 years.
Shwetha: You teach food technologies to rural people. Do they easily accept it and turn away from age-old methods?
DFRL: We are starting on a small scale with women entr-epreneurs and there is acceptance by villagers. After about six months or so, if permitted, we may go on a larger scale by conducting a national-level mela of rural technologies in food processing by all institutions including DFRL. State governments may like to take up these technologies and use them to help farmers and the economically backward.
Shwetha: What about the rampant malnutrition in India, especially in children?
DFRL: It is a big challenge to us as malnourished people wouldn't be so if they could afford nutritious food. About 50% of girls around the world are malnourished though they can afford good food. This is due to lack of awareness and the love for a slim body. There is a natural chemical Bromolin present in pineapple. It is helpful in reducing weight naturally. We are working on how to get it to reduce weight without leading to malnourishment. There are also herbal tea and other products which though nutritious, do not make you gain weight. We have to develop new technology wherein malnourishment can be taken care of at a low and affordable cost to the poor. There are many good research papers exploring feasible ideas in this direction but those researchers do not take it to the implementing stage.
Shwetha: What about your interaction with technology-based institutes of other countries?
DFRL: We were having some interaction with research institutes but still not on the expected lines for the very simple reason that our interaction with foreign countries is more related to technological components. They have better expertise in developing processes with the help of high-end equipments. However, we cannot take much help from them as their foods are fully different from Indian cuisine. They consume raw meat, sausages etc., for breakfast which is not possible in Indian cuisine.
Here is an example: Yogurt is nutritionally rich in protein, calcium, riboflavin, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12. It has nutritional benefits beyond those of milk. It is available in many forms all over the world and is stable at extreme temperatures. But our jawans say, "give us curd, we don't want yogurt." Their palates refuse yogurt as they are accustomed to the indigenous curd. Thus we cannot fully use foreign technology as our cuisine is different.

Thus DFRL was born...

Before Independence during the First World War, only the British soldiers of the army serving in India was supplied rations and allowances. Indian soldiers got just cash allowances and the food had to be arranged by themselves. Indian soldiers suffered from scurvy during World War I whereas the British soldiers remained unaffected. This led the authorities to supply food items to Indian soldiers also. However, during World War II, supply of rations became difficult due to rise in the cost of living. Malnutrition cases were commonly observed among Indian soldiers and food with higher nutritive values was recommended.
However, after independence, our soldiers got traditionally preserved food. But it was difficult to protect food items from physical and chemical deterioration during storage, transport, handling and packaging. Indian defence troops include soldiers from rural background and diverse cultures. They often operate in either mountainous regions or in hostile weather conditions like extreme hot or extreme cold where transportation and communication facilities are not easily available. As fresh food is unavailable, they can survive only on packed food. Thus entered Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL) located in Mysore which provides simple-to-cook food for soldiers which can be preserved for six months to 1 year under extreme climatic conditions, apart from giving much-needed nutrition and energy.
DFRL was established in Mysore on Dec.28, 1961 under Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Ministry of Defence, Govt. of India, with a view to meet the challenging needs of food by the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force and paramilitary forces. Before its inception, activities related to Food Science and Technology with special reference to Military Nutrition was being carried out by a small Food Group within the precincts of Defence Science Laboratory, Delhi. The lab has progressed under the leadership of its Directors Dr. P.K. Vijayaraghavan, Dr. H. Nath, Dr. T.R. Sharma, Dr. R. Sankaran, Dr. S.S. Arya and Dr. K. Santhanam, Dr. A.S. Bawa and now, Dr. Harsh Vardhan Batra.
The work by DFRL scientists get regularly published in the international journals of repute. A good number of patents are also being filed every year. Post Graduate Diploma Course: To benefit food processing, the laboratory runs a 10-month Post Graduate Diploma Course in Food Analysis and Quality Assurance affiliated to Mysore University, the students of which are employed in food industry.
Bars, chikkies, fruit slices: A 'snacky' refreshment
The lab does not just produce meals, but also snacks — nutritionally balanced and high in energy — like cereal and fruit bars, chikkis, halwa, egg biscuits, fruit slices and so on to keep the soldiers on their toes and happy. Earlier, these energy bars were used by sports-persons who were involved in strong physical activities and therefore, needed greater source of energy during peak performance. But today, due to the increasing focus on nutrition and healthy food habits and an increasing number of people involved in greater physical activities, energy bars have become a perfect choice as energy sources.
These energy bars are prepared either using compression technology or using different binders of choice.
The bars contain wide range of nutrients as well as sufficient amount of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates and are available in smaller packets or pouches, light in weight, very convenient to carry.
There are different types of energy bars referred to by different names such as protein bars, meal replacement bars, granola bars, neutraceutical bars, breakfast bars, health bars and so on.
DFRL has developed different types of energy bars such as compressed tasty bar, composite cereal bar (protein rich), sweet and sour tasty bar, flaxoat tasty bar (rich in soluble fibre), soya-fortified oat bar, ergogenic bar (energy dense), barley bar (rich in soluble fibre ß-glucan), omega-3-rich bar (rich in omega-3-fatty acids), fibre enriched bar, coco-cocoa delight bar (antioxidant and fibre rich), and bars for desert and high altitude to cater to the requirements of the Armed Forces.
Each bar provides maximum health benefits with a calorific value ranging from 400-540 kCal with shelf-life of 6-15 months.

Serving tasty chapathis to jawans

The DFRL's well-known product is the chapathi, half of India's staple diet. Now it comes in flavours and in phulka form too for jawans. Tasty spiced potato parathas, potato-stuffed and sweet-stuffed parathas, green leafy vegetable chapathis have been developed by DFRL.
Preservation of chapathis has great importance in operational pack rations of Armed Forces. The freshly prepared chapathis have limited shelf-life of 12-24 hour and later becomes unpalatable due to moisture loss, development of off-flavour and microbial spoilage. Hence, attempts were made to preserve chapathis using antimycotic agents like sorbic acid, propionic acid and other ingredients with shelf-life of one year.
These chapathis, however, were not acceptable due to bitter aftertaste of preservative and brittle/hard texture during storage. To overcome this, chapathis were prepared by lowering the concentration of sorbic acid along with natural biopreservative nisin.
With an aim to prepare chapathis without additives and having a shelf-life of one year at ambient temperature, the DFRL team started extensive research and developed chapathis with natural sensory attributes and additives using thermal processing.
Chapathi makers: Leg-operated, semi-automatic and automatic chapathi making machines are the major inventions of DFRL. The leg-operated machine produces 200 chapathis per hour. It may also be used to prepare pooris and papads.
Non-veg delights: The jawans, who miss home-made non-vegetarian food neednot despair as DFRL has also taken up producing yummy non-veg dishes like chicken pulav, meat chunks (mutton & chicken) which can be reconstituted into meat curry, shrimps etc., as also instant mutton soup and chicken soup powders rich in protein which can be consumed after adding hot water. The Army personnel deployed in icy heights like Siachen and Kargil can now expect mutton and chicken biryanis or non-veg sandwiches with all nutrients and home-made taste.
Freeze dried food and drinks like fruit juice powders, fruit slices, herbs juice, electrolyte drinks flavoured with orange, apple, cucumber etc., quench the thirst of Army personnel who sometimes have to walk for long distances carrying a heavy backpack.
Testing kits: Kits to test milk, meat, microbial presence like E.coli etc., have been developed by DFRL which can be very beneficial to farmers, industries and also the Health Department which can use them to check the quality of the food at hotels and meat-sellers.

Moving ahead with technology

DFRL doesnot just produce foods. It has been trying its hands, very successfully, at developing various technologies. Retort pouch processing, Food additives, Cold shock dehydration, Accelerated freeze dehydration, Flaking, Fluidised beds — Drying of cereals, pulses and vegetables, Spray drying, Hurdle processing and preservation, Intermediate Moisture (IM) foods, Microencapsulation, HTST processing, Extrusion, Thermal processing of food in aluminum containers (canning), Combination dehydration, Stack encapsulation, Extension of the shelf life of fresh fruits & vegetables, Self-heating system, High pressure processing, Pulsed electric field processing, Infrared processing, Irradiation etc.
Nanotechnology: The programme on nanotechnology — studies on the application of nanotechnology in nutrition, food additives, biotechnology and packaging (estimated cost Rs. 18.25 crores) will be taken up soon.
The other programme in the pipeline is on the development of food products to improve combat efficiency at high altitudes. In addition, the programme to develop systems and products for detection of bio-threat pathogens and toxins in food and water is also submitted for the approval. By this, anti-hunger RTE foods, convenience mixes and drinks and establishment of their shelf-life, development of ready-to-eat bars / chocolates with natural / synthetic ingredients to keep troops awake and alert will be developed.

Know what our jawans eat

Meals-Ready-To-Eat (MRE) for Indian Army: This ration does not require any cooking since the contents are thermally processed. It can be consumed readily after a little warming if required. The pack consists of chapathis, sooji halwa (300 g), vegetable pulav (300 g), potato peas curry (300 g), chocolate bar and tea (3 servings). Items like spoon, tissue paper, matchbox, specially designed foldable stove and fuel tablets for warming the food are also included.
MRE for Marine Commandos of Navy: They may land in unknown and hostile territories as part of their duties. Hence they need specialised rations with required calories, easy to carry and of high quality. DFRL's food for them is based on mutton, chicken and a vegetarian food. The ration packet provides approximately 3300-3800 calories / day and weighs less than a kg.
One Man Compo Pack: It consists of early morning tea, breakfast, mid morning tea, lunch, evening tea and dinner. It is easy to reconstitute by using hexamine fuel tablets. Weight is 880g.
Mini Combo Pack Ration: It contains Sooji Halwa mix (100g) and pre-cooked dehydrated vegetable pulav (125 g) along with 3 times tea, weighing about 400 g.
Survival Ration: It consists of 2 pieces of soft bar each of 100 gm, 3 pieces of chikki each of 50 gms and 3 pieces of chikki (Jaggery base) each of 50 gms.
Main Battle Tank (MBT) Ration: Being a major achievement of DFRL, it helps in the survival of a soldier who is in closed conditions for 3 days. First and second day ration packs weigh 2 kg each and provide 4000 calories and third day ration weigh 1.5 kg and gives 3000 calories.
Operation Vijay: DFRL processed and supplied 50,000 survival rations and 30,000 MRE rations to the Army for Kargil operation at a very short notice of only 48 hours. Besides, it supplied 1,000 MRE rations to Navy and 125 MRE rations to Air Force Station, Pune.
Other food items: There is less oxygen at high altitudes. Armymen in areas like Siachen and Kargil in the Himalayas suffer from acidity and feel their stomach always full. Thus they tend to lose appetite, eat less food and lose weight. DFRL found solution for this by developing appetiser foods and drinks which can be consumed 30 minutes or one hour before a meal. These are based on lemon, ginger, ash gourd, cumin or curd-based. Sea-buckthorn grown in Himalayas are rich in minerals and antioxidants which help in controlling ageing, cataract, diabetes. Biscuits and squash are prepared using its fruits and leaves.
Tender coconut water: DFRL has developed a technology to preserve tender coconut water for up to six months at room temperature and up to nine months under refrigeration with thermal treatment and a bio preservative.
Minimally processed vegetables: It is a latest technology by which a variety of tropical, subtropical and temperate vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, carrot, beet-root, potato, sweet potato, sponge gourd, ridge gourd, radish, papaya raw, mango raw and French beans etc., are proce-ssed. It does not include any thermal treatment. This retains the freshness of vegetables for a longer period. They are safe from microorganisms besides being rich in ascorbic acid.
DFRL's technologies for food preparation and preservation include: Freeze-Thaw dehydration technology (6.25 tons of instant khichadi was supplied to victims in Gujarat earthquake); Self-heating packets with three components — one of food and other two of a special liquid and a chemical powder. By connecting the liquid and the chemical powder compartments, heat is generated due to chemical reaction. This heat is transferred to the compartment of food and cooks it in a few minutes; Packaging the food using technologies like hot air drying, foam-mat drying, freeze drying etc., retort pouches, jute bags or high density polyethylene woven sacks, etc.
Preserving environs: DFRL has also developed a biodegradable package material as the normal material may pollute the enivornment in high altitude areas like Himalayas.

A harried experience: Love for language or...?

I visited Chennai after many years to attend a function on Wednesday. My experiences from the past visits made me cringe at the thought of going there. However, I thought things may have changed in the first major British settlement of South India. But I was gravely desponded and disappointed.
The AC car which took us from the railway station was not imperviable to the odours I had so well come to connect with the city since childhood. In the evening, I and my hubby went in search of a bindi for me and believe it or not, walked for nearly two kms for a fancy store. But the story was yet to begin. None of the auto drivers we got knew any English. The next day we were to board the train to return home at 5 pm and had to get the train ticket which was in email inbox printed.
At 3 pm, we went in search of an internet cafe near Nalli Silks. We walked for nearly a kilometre, inquiring on the way. Nobody seemed to know what an internet cafe was and everybody pointed us either in the wrong direction or towards an STD booth. Frustrated and nowhere near an internet centre even at 3.45 pm, we went back to the room and packed up.
On coming to know that there were two cafes nearby, we went there, only to find that the girl in the first one did not know how to open the webpage! When we did and tried to print the ticket, power went off. Then again started our search for internet centre, which resulted in begging with travel agents, cafe operators, auto drivers who did not/ cared not to help us... Finally after a tension-filled hour of running here and there and trying to be amicable with an auto driver who simply did not understand our urgency, we managed to get a print-out and reached train station at 4.55 pm.
With 5 minutes left, we went in search of our platform and decided to hire a coolie who would invariably know it, or so we thought. But our coolie only succeeded in learning from us about the location of the platform! He then got lost in the crowd with our bags. I stood a harried five minutes being watched by men with hungry eyes and pickpockets behind me till my hubby successfully searched for the coolie and came to me. The train moved out of the city to our utter relief!
Now I fully realise the need for Indians to learn English or the national language like Hindi for practical purposes, even though we love our mother language. Or else, visitors or tourists to the city will invariably suffer from the lack of communicational skills of the localites. I wish our 'litterateurs' who send their children to English medium and ask poor kids to compulsorily learn in Govt. Kannada Medium Schools, learn a few lessons about the need for English learning in the present day.

Pearls of Wisdom for Laymen, Management Students

How does a person stand uncompromised on ethical values in business and in life? How does one find answers to queries on loss and gain, finding success, countering negativity, social engineering and such other questions? Is morality dying in business practices? How to find spirituality in daily life?
The book In search of meaning: A spiritual perspective of management by Management Monk Moid Siddiqui attempts to quench both the spiritual thirst of laymen and the moral dilemma faced by most businessmen.
Though akin to hundreds of in-spirational books on the art of living, the book is written with a st-rong judgement over some less-discussed topics including bea-uty contests, cosmetics & porn industries, sex reassignment surgery etc. Denouncing the glamo-rous world and its illusionary attractions, the author says success lies in living in the contaminated world and getting the least tainted.
He says beauty treatments and products harm India's culture, civilisation, chastity and the national character; beauty contests are a frog's leap towards indecency, encouraged by cos-metics industry for its gain. The author justifies his opinions by quoting American Rabbi and author Harold S. Kushner: "There is no right way to do a wrong thing."
Though some of the 65 articles in the book seem quite opinionated and one-sided, others make the reader see the world of spirituality in a new light.
Moid asks the reader not to go on looking at a 'closed door' but to look around and see the many open doors and walk towards one of them confidently.
An interesting theory debated by Moid in one of his chapters is the presence of 'God Spot' in hu-man brain, discovered by Dr. Vilayanur Ramachandran, Head of research team at University of California (San Diego). He says that scientists believe if a 'God Module' exists, then it might suggest that individuals who are atheists could have a differently configured neural circuit. But he believes atheists choose to deny the 'truth' and are willfully blind.
Every piece has a quote by a well-known personality. Though most quotes are quite commonplace, it is refreshing to read them again and try to associate them with the pearls of wisdom given in the chapter.
Small stories in most chapters interspersed like seeds in a fruit are a delight to read, as mere write-ups seem like dry sermons but remain anchored to our consciousness if delivered with interesting stories. May be that is why children are taught morals through stories. Though told in simple language, Moid's words are sprinkled with wisdom at its best when he says: If you want to live your truest life, fill your heart with so much love and passion that there remains no place for hatred; Unless you join two perceptions, you cannot understand the Whole and clichés Humility is the sign of greatness or Laugh at yourselves...
Management students can take a leaf out of this book in case they find themselves at crossroads. Moid's lessons for them are based on analyses of the hu-man mind and its workings. He teaches them the 'art of building a cloud' to examine a problem and resolve differences and conflicts to get a win-win situation. Though they make for a smooth-reading, some oft-quoted sentences seem unrealistic to adapt in life.
Moid, who has written numerous books like The Corporate Soul, Management Parables, etc., with his articles published in the famous Chicken Soup for the Soul series, is the MD of Intellects Biz, known for its innovative training and consulting out-looks. The collection of articles are a delight to read for those in the management and people who hanker after motivational books. Laymen too may gain from the pearls of wisdom in each page.