People

Rahman’s new oeuvre

Celebrated multi-lingual music composer and director A.R. Rahman (42), who has carved a niche for himself in India and abroad with his unique style of Indian music presentation, is all set to assume the role of mentor and guide to aspiring musicians. In June this year, he plans to inaugurate K.M. Music Conservatory and Audio Media Education, a first of its kind institution in India which will transform amateur musicians into trained professionals. The music conservatory, a joint venture established in collaboration with the Chennai-based Audio Media Education India Pvt Ltd (an Apple authorised training centre (estb. 2002) in music technology and sound design) will enhance the Indian and western instrumental, classical vocal and music technology management skill-sets of students.

"In India, general musical proficiency is below professional standard. Today young musicians take to the electronic keyboard and technology-based music too early. If this trend continues, future generations will be deprived of the joys of hearing live classical music. The conservatory will nurture and develop talented students through exposure to music of different cultures and ultimately create an exemplary and authentic Indian orchestra. Our holistic approach to music will enable musicians to read western notations and learn to harmonise with players of all types of musical instruments," says Rahman who as founder-principal of the institution will oversee the training and curriculum design besides conducting special classes for students.

To set high standards for the conservatory, Rahman has persuaded illustrious musicians of Indian and western origin including Hindustani vocalist Ustad Gulam Mustafa Khan, Carnatic violinist L. Subramanian, Czech concert performer Ladislav, and Prof. Srinivas Krishnan, co-founder of the US-based Global Rhythms ensemble among others, to serve on the board of advisors. The managing director of Audio Media Education, T. Selvakumar will also serve as director of the music conservatory which will admit its first batch of 150 students in June this year.

The conservatory will offer a part-time preparatory course, one-year foundation course and a two-year diploma programme. Courses include western vocal and instrumental tutoring, Indian classical vocal, western and Indian music theory, audio engineering, and a course in Logic Pro certified by Apple and Pro Tools certified by Digidesign. The conservatory which will initially be located in a building adjacent to A.R. Rahman’s studio in Kodambakkam, Chennai will move to new premises next year. According to Rahman, the project is an open ended one with finite costs and course fees yet to be finalised. "Admission will be through audition of students with some proficiency of wind and string instru-ments with scholarships for deserving students," says Rahman.

Coterminously Rahman also plans to assemble an Indian symphony orchestra for staging public performances. The orchestral group will comprise renowned professional musicians from India and abroad, some of whom will also be teaching at the conservatory. "My vision is to create a national symphony orchestra which blends aspects of Indian culture and bhakti (devotion), which is the basic element in all music. Audition dates for members of the orchestra will be advertised and will commence in two months time. Upon completion of their courses, students at the conservatory will also be given the opportunity to audition for the orchestra," says Rahman whose new venture has generated considerable excitement among aspiring musicians and in the cinema and entertainment industries.

Hemalatha Raghupathi (Chennai)

Alten visionary

The European renaissance post-formation of the new European Union (27 countries) is on a new high. The spearhead of the industrial revolution and modern technological development, Europeans are beginning to re-assert their engineering core competence. But to flower the new technological renaissance, the nations of mainland Europe need bi-lingual English-competent engineers and technology management professionals. Hence the interest of European countries in students from India.

The French R&D engineering and technology consulting group, Alten (annual revenue: €700 million or Rs.4,340 crore), which provides engineering services and consultancy advice to European corporates in the automotive, aeronautics, telecommuni-cations, micro-electronics, energy, and industrial process businesses, is all set to increase its intake of engineering graduates from 2,000 in 2007 to 16,000 in 2010. "We’re growing fast as almost all sectors of engineering application are on an upward growth curve especially in emerging markets like India. Therefore we need qualified people," says Gerald Attia, an alumnus of Hartford University and currently executive vice-president, corporate development of Alten Group.

A co-promoter of Alten, Attia was in India last month as part of a high-powered n + i (a network of 74 front rank French engineering education institutions) delegation to select 20 engineering graduates for Alten scholarships this year. "India is our first priority in Asia, as we regard this country as an important strategic potential partner for its educated and skilled manpower as also an emerging market for our businesses. In the next few years, we want to establish Alten’s presence in India and awarding scholarships to engineering graduates for study and research in France is the first step in this process," adds Attia.

According to Attia, as a growing number of Indian engineers acquire insight and experience of European — especially French — industry, it will deepen Indo-European business cooperation and also create collaboration opportunities for students and academics of the two countries. "Our effort will be to support this integration and fusion process," he says.

Since Nicholas Sarkozy was sworn in as president of France in May 2007, Indo-French relations have warmed with great emphasis on education cooperation in particular. During the past six months the French minister for higher education and research Valerie Pecresse has visited India twice, as a result of which an Indo-French consortium of universities has become a reality. Moreover there are high hopes in Paris and Delhi of industrial cooperation, particularly engineering outsourcing to India.

Bienvenue!

Autar Nehru (Delhi)

Street child champions

For India’s estimated 20 million street children who pour into the country’s five metros and 35 major cities fleeing rural poverty and/or abusive homes, urban railway stations are a natural habitat. That’s why in 1991 Victor Baniswar and his wife, Rajshri started the outreach (open air) operations of Voluntary Organisation in Community Enterprise (VOICE) — an education NGO — besides the railway tracks of Andheri (W), a suburban station in Mumbai.

The mission statement of VOICE is "to reach out to vulnerable and neglected street children, and through education enable them to become whole human beings and self-reliant, responsible, contributing citizens". Today VOICE provides nursery, technical and vocational education to 300 children aged three-14 in its outreach units sited in the Dadar, Bandra, Vile Parle and Andheri suburban railway stations.

In addition to literacy, numeracy and scholastic programmes, VOICE also offers vocational and skills-learning programmes including tailoring, screen printing, stationery, computer literacy and handicraft items.

Started with a meagre capital of Rs.500 in 1991, VOICE was fortunate to attract donations. Terre Des Hommes (TDH) — a Germany-based funding NGO located in Pune — contributed an initial Rs.10,000 in 1993. Since then, TDH has contributed over Rs.1 crore to VOICE. "The funding is needs and projects based. We have also been encouraged by public donations," says Rajshri Baniswar.

A geography, education and social work postgraduate of Rajasthan and Mumbai universities, Victor began his career as a teacher at the St. Jude School in Rajasthan in 1972. Subsequently he served with the Catholic Relief Service (CRS), an American development agency, as a projects evaluator (1979-1987). In 1986, Victor was assigned to the David Sasson Remand Home, Mumbai by CRS where he conceptualised VOICE together with his wife.

Rajashri, a health and nutrition graduate of SNDT Women’s University with a Masters in social work from Nirmala Niketan, began her career with CRS where she met up with Victor. After a brief stint in CRY (1989-91) she co-promoted VOICE.

Apart from its outreach programme, in 2006 VOICE promoted Sanjivani, a home for abandoned and destitute girl children in Modhel Padha, a village on the outskirts of Mumbai. With a grant from the Sir Dorab Tata Trust, the NGO bought the land for the home in 2002, and currently provides boarding school education to 50 girl children aged between five-15 years.

The Baniswars’ efforts to educate and help street children make a new start are being appreciated and acknowledged. Last March (2007) Victor was awarded the CRY Fellowship instituted by the Times Foundation of the Times of India, for his extraordinary social work.

"Of the many children to whom we have reached out over the past 15 years, around 4,000 have acquired basic literacy and vocational skills and most importantly, they have learned values that will enable them to meaningfully contribute to society, rather than live on its fringes," says Victor.

The force be with you!

Vidya Sundaresan (Mumbai)

Mental positivist

In the overcrowded space of life skills training, Bangalore-based Eric Jacob’s innovative game plays to help children and adults develop soft skills and positive thinking, are refreshingly welcome. A neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) trainer certified by the National Federation of NLP Trainers (USA) who served for over 25 years as chief executive of YMCA, Mumbai, Jacob has created three first-of-their-kind "mind power games" to develop positive thinking and self-confidence. By applying the theory of "thought conditioners", Jacob has reinvented the ages-old snakes and ladders board game with snakes representing negative thinking (e.g. ‘What’s the use I’ve never succeeded’) and the ladders (e.g. ‘I can do it’) representing positivism.

"In my snakes and ladders board game I use the power of affirmation and declaration to help individuals learn to think positively. The power of positive thinking to change lives is well acknowledged through the centuries and distinguishes successful people," says Jacob, who has priced this innovative board game at Rs.350.

Jacob’s other invention — mysteriously christened benchmark@mindpower.com — is a card game in which some cards represent negative ideas and the others positive thinking. While playing the game, individuals become aware that every negative thought can be replaced by a powerful liberating idea followed with power-driven affirmation. "A player will notice that as she absorbs powerful affirmations, her self-belief increases making her more confident," explains Jacob, an economics graduate of Pune University who has attended several short-term courses on leadership, motivation and positive thinking.

Currently a life skills trainer with the newly started Abraham Ebenezer International School, Bangalore, Jacob has conducted over 70 workshops for school teachers and students on unleashing mind power and has also produced a booklet, CD and audio-cassette on ‘The Amazing Power of Affirmations’. "It’s critical for teachers to dispel negative thinking to help students overcome academic and personal problems. My workshops feature simple neuro-linguistic exercises which encourage the use of the five senses to help teachers and students develop their innate strengths and capabilities. Positive affirmations can make a huge difference in helping people to succeed in life. Through my games, booklets and CDs, I help students, teachers and parents realise their dreams with the power of positive thinking," he says.

Right on!