Readers Digest June 21-Compressed

JUNE �� `100
TO T H E
POW ER
PEOPLE
Sa v iou r s
e C itiz en
Meet t h r en c e
ng a Di �e
M a k i
INTERVIEW
The Ever
Beloved
Ruskin Bond
TRUE CRIME
Volunteers of
Khalsa Help He Robbed
International
supplied oxygen
to COVID patients
Banks—
and hospitals On a Bicycle!
HEALTH
8
Reasons You’re FOOD
So Tired and What The COVID

To Do About it Social Media Pakistan 0345-6738217
Recovery Diet
Social Media Pakistan 0345-6738217
�� ’� ��
CONTENTS
Features 68 124
��
38
Underwater The Ever Beloved
Nightmare Mr Bond
All hope was lost for the In conversation with
�� diver trapped in a sub- the grand old man of
THEY GIVE US HOPE aquatic cave. One man’s Indian storytelling.
As the country coped instincts said otherwise. ��
��
with the trauma of a
second COVID wave, a 132
new set of citizen heroes
came to its rescue.
116 ��
�� The Bank Robber
��
He Trots the Air on the Bicycle
Her horse stayed by her He chased Olympic gold
52 side for 25 years. Now it on his bike. Then he used
it as a getaway vehicle.
�� was time to let him go.
��
Why am I So Tired?
If you feel pooped all
day, the solution isn’t
always more sleep.
��
60
��
My School
Desk—in a Bar
��: � ��
The people in his dad’s
124
saloon gave this boy a
masterclass in life.
��
��.�� 3
��.�� 3
�� ’� ��
12
10 Over to You
Better Living ��
��
36 The Right and
Conversations 28 Go with the Flow Left of Blood
�� Pressure, How
��
�� Snoring Affects
12 We Will Study!
�� 32 Open Up and the Heart and
Say Ha Ha Exercise for
�� a Better Brain
16 Mom Needs
IT Help Again ��
�� 34 The Post-COVID
Recovery Diet
��
��
18 Not all Masks are
Equal and a Near-
34
��: ��
Terminal Wait
��
��
20 Anita Desai,
Bob Dylan and
Noam Chomsky
4 ��
�� ’� ��
��
Culturescape 155 Arshi Irshad
�� Ahmadzai’s
�� Ek Adhuri Baat
142 Having Finally ka Mitna (Erasure
Arrived of the Unsaid)
��
��
150 Films, Watchlist, 156 Farah Bashir’s
Books and Music Favourite Reads
��
154 Everyone’s Got Brain Games Humour
a Story to Tell 158 Brainteasers 8
��
160 Sudoku Humour in Uniform
161 Word Power 50
163 Quiz Life’s Like That
164 Quotable Quotes
66
All in a Day’s Work
150 115
As Kids See It
146
Laughter, The Best
Medicine
On the Cover
�� Bandeep Singh
Power to the People: Citizen Saviours Making a Difference ........... 38
��: ��
Interview: The Ever-Beloved Ruskin Bond ........................................ 124

True Crime: He Robbed Banks—On a Bicycle! ............................... 132
Food: The COVID Recovery Diet ............................................................... 34
8 Reasons You’re So Tired and What to Do About it ....................... 52
6 ��
VOL. �� NO. �
JUNE ��
E��C�� Aroon Purie
V�� C�� Kalli Purie
G�� C�� E�� O�� Dinesh Bhatia
G�� E�� D�� Raj Chengappa
C�� E�� O�� Manoj Sharma
�� Kai Jabir Friese IMPACT �ADVERTISING�
�� Nilanjan Das �� Anil Fernandes
�� Bandeep Singh ��: �� Jitendra Lad
��: �� Upendra Singh
�� Ishani Nandi
��: �� Indranil Chatterjee
�� Naorem Anuja
�� Shreevatsa Nevatia
�� Jacob K. Eapen BUSINESS
�� Vivek Malhotra
�� Angshuman De ��, �� & �� Ajay Mishra
�� Chandramohan Jyoti, �� , �� G. L. Ravik Kumar
Vikas Verma ��, �� Kunal Bag
��, �� Anuj Kumar Jamdegni
�� Harish Aggarwal
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��.�� 7
�� ’� ��
“I sure hope the negotiations go well.”
of the Marines asked that before he arrived,

�� in where she’d been. he complained, “Some-
UNIFORM
“I’ve been to visit body moved my piano.”
the colonel,” my sister “Why would moving
joked. The Marine the piano cause you to
looked confused. miss shaving?” I asked.
�� .��
“Colonel Sanders!” His reply: “My razor

My mom was ex-Army, she explained. was on the piano.”
so during the holidays “Sorry, ma’am,” he —��
she and Dad would in- said, “I don’t know
vite local Marines from those higher-ups.”
Camp Pendleton over —��
for dinner.
One night, my A young airman Reader’s Digest will pay
sister came home showed up at forma- for your funny anecdote
or photo in any of our hu-
from work at Kentucky tion needing a shave. mour sections. Post it to the
Fried Chicken, still When I asked why he editorial address, or email
in her uniform. One hadn’t taken care of us at [email protected]
8 ��
The Old Man Versus
OVER TO The Mountain
‘Age is just a number’
YOU
��
fits Bill McDonnell
perfectly. What had
me enthralled was his
April ��
never-give-up attitude;
his optimism never fal-
tered. It is a testament
to his courage and
Worth Her Weight spirit that despite the
life-threatening ordeal
Body-image issues have been the bane of my he faced, at the end as
existence. Often, people greet me and say I’ve lost he is being rescued, he
weight—they think it will make me feel better. Is it is sure that given half
so hard to just say hello, and not comment on a per- an hour more of day-
son’s appearance! Growing up, I would cover up my light, he would have
legs as I considered them ‘beefy’. I worried that I was made it out by himself.
shaped ‘like a boy’. My perspective shifted when I �� -
discovered the body-positivity movement. Beautiful ��, Indore
bodies come in all shapes. I thank the author for wri-
ting about her experience; it is hard to love your body How To Live To 100,
the way it is when the opposite has been engraved in And Love It!
Thanks for an infor-
your brain for so long. Her story gave me hope that
mative article on the
I too will overcome my issues in the future.
secrets of living a lon-
—�� . ��, Nagpur ger and happier life.
Surabhi S. Pathak gets this month’s ‘Write & Win’ prize of ₹1,000. —EDs We can certainly in-
crease our lifespan by
Kanupriya Durve’s story was so heartening. Self-love making smart choices
should be taught to children by parents, especially throughout our life.
when they are entering adolescence. We all struggle These choices will also
with something at that vulnerable age, even if it’s ensure that we have
not weight or colour. It should be taught that ‘we better quality of life.
manifest what we believe’. Often, we are so over- We must focus on
whelmed by judgement on our bodies that we maintaining a sense
forget to pay attention to what’s going on inside of optimism, conscien-
it. To all young women: You are beautiful. tiousness and kindness
�� , Kharagpur as these are just as
10 ��
�� ’� ��
significant as diet and communism and the facing the terrible conse-
exercise in living a long, aggressive and chauvin- quences not only of nar-
healthy life. Equally im- istic rules of America row nationalism but
portant is maintaining a and many countries of also of acute intolerance,
healthy social network Europe, which appar- divisive politicking, reli-
and hobbies—garden- ently stemmed from the gious chauvinism and
ing, painting, reading trends of rising nation- even fascist tendencies.
and writing articles or alism found in Germany The letter invokes the
letters to the editor. and other nations prior realization that builders
�� , Pune to World War II. Nehru of post-Independence
sounded particularly India had visualized a
Kindness: Pass it On! brilliant in emphasizing nation free of pseudo
The pandemic has that temporal shifts in and thrusted national-
made acts of compas- attitude are fundamen- ism and majoritarian-
sion even more relevant. tal to the vibrant and ism. It is a fact that in
I experienced kindness dynamic politics of in- addition to known com-
of strangers first-hand clusion by comparing munal organizations,
when my father was the two phases of India, there are others who
admitted to a hospital viz., before and after carry this “narrow influ-
with COVID. The help Independence. He was ence” and turn people
I received from people prophetic, as demon- narrow-minded. His ex-
fighting their own bat- strated by the present hortation to fight these
tles and the tireless state of politics in India, forces has to be taken
work of the medical staff in asserting that it is pri- seriously by all who have
touched me to my core. marily the narrowness faith in human values
Unfortunately my father of mind, most often and age-old positive tra-
didn’t survive but this professed by communal ditions of India. For us
has only strengthened organizations, that con- Kashmiris, this letter
my resolution to spread tributes towards an generates a lot of hope.
kindness, as life is too insidious, destructive �. �. �. ��,
short for hate. form of nationalism. Kashmir
�� , New Delhi �� ,
Kolkata
The Costs of Narrow
Nationalism The letter written by In- Write in at editor.india@
Nehru’s political views dia’s first Prime Minister, rd.com. The best letters
discuss RD articles, offer
exhibit a marked ambi- regarding the dangers of criticism, share ideas.
valence—he equally narrow nationalism is Do include your phone
denounced dictatorial timely. We are currently number and postal address.
��.�� 11
�� ’� ��
CONVERSATIONS
We Will Study!
School closures have pushed rural girls in India back
into a life of labour, underage marriage and gendered
roles. It’s time their voices are heard
�� Shantha Sinha
I
n March 2020, discontinue my classes. They sup-
as the COVID-19 ported me fully and even begun en-
pandemic took quiring about where I should go for
firm hold, govern- my next level of education. The clo-
ment-mandated sure of schools has changed this situ-
lockdowns led to ation completely,” says Sandhya from
a blanket closure Nuthankal, a small village in Telangana,
of schools and col- who had reached the 10th grade at her
leges—staying safe by staying home local school. She has now begun farm
being the need of the hour. Amongst work since further learning is no lon-
the many groups adversely affected ger an option. In the nearby village of
by this policy—and extraordinarily Kandagatla, Lakshmi, an 11th grader,
so—were children, particularly girls in remembers fighting with her parents
rural India, for whom the chance to be for permission to commute to the near-
educated was the result of hard-won est high school eight kms away, assur-
battles against gender discrimination ing them that she could take care of
and social pressures to conform to tra- herself and her safety. Before the lock-
ditional roles earmarked for women. down, parents of these children had
“I convinced my parents not to stopped pressuring daughters to get
12 ��
According to a UNICEF report, only one in four children in India has access to the devices
and internet connectivity necessary for digital learning.
married, hopeful that a better future dropping out because of the COVID-19
might be in store. pandemic. In fact, the research esti-
According to the 2021 UNICEF re- mates that as a result of the pandemic,
port, COVID-19 and School Closures, 20 million girls in developing countries
the pandemic and the ensuing lock- may never return to the classroom.
downs in 2020 have impacted 247 mil- With the closure of schools and all
lion children enrolled in elementary residential educational institutions
and secondary schools in India. Need- during lockdown, girls’ education has
less to say, this crisis further exacer- become unpredictable. Learning losses
bated learning opportunities for many have a substantial impact on girls and
vulnerable sections of an unequal soci- young women, much of which extend
ety. In April 2020, the Malala Fund esti- beyond academic progress. For a ma-
��
mated that 10 million girls at secondary jority of girls in India, schools are the
education in low and lower-middle only channel to meet peers, seek sup-
income countries would be at risk of port, access health and immunization
��.�� 13
�� ’� ��
services and eat a nutritious meal. Con- lamented that three of her close
sequently, uncertainties about the fu- friends have gotten married and
ture, lack of food and little to no health their dreams of studying further have
support leave families in precarious come to an end. Gugulothu Indu, 17,
situations. The result: much against a 12th grader from Yembamla village
their wishes, girls are being forced into says, “I have kept in touch with my
the gendered roles they so vehemently friends and made calls to Childline to
fought against before lockdown. Patri- report that their marriages were fixed. I
archal values have rebounded and they am glad that their weddings have been
are being pushed into more domestic postponed, if not totally stopped.”
work, forced to abdicate Like Indu, many girls
control over their mo- have not yet given up on
bility and freedom and GIRLS FROM a brighter tomorrow in
compelled to accept a VULNERABLE spite of dire odds made
cloistered, disempowered FAMILIES’ ARE harsher by the lock-
life without choices. PUTTING UP STIFF down. Undeterred, they
Girls have now joined work hard so as to use
the farm-labour force RESISTANCE TO their earnings on mobile
along with their moth- PATRIARCHAL phones that are equipped
ers, recruited to 9-to-5 NORMS. THEY to access online classes—
work such as cotton- MUST NOT devices that can cost be-
seed picking, ginning, tween `7,000 to `12,000.
chilli processing and STAND ALONE. Fi f t e e n - ye a r- o l d
lemon plucking. Large Shailaja, studying in
numbers have also been sucked into 10th grade, is a leader of the Girls’ Com-
family-based labour jobs—vegetable mittee in her village Istalapuram and
vendors, beedi workers, shepherds, is determined to keep up her stud-
cattle-herds and in other such home- ies “to make my mother proud”. “My
based units in the informal sector. father is an alcoholic, abusive and does
They work under the scorching heat, no work. My mother has sacrificed a
with burnt faces and hands, blisters lot to educate my brother, twin sister
on their feet and aches and pains—a and myself. I used my savings to buy
far cry from a life of packing school a mobile phone for `10,000 to attend
bags, doing homework, meeting online classes, watch good videos and
friends and playtime. improve my knowledge. I cannot give
The increasing pressures of early up.” Chandana, also from Istalapuram,
bethrothal is perhaps the most dif- studying in the 12th grade, echoes the
ficult to endure. Sirisha, 19, who is same determination. “I am taking on-
in the second year of graduation, line tutorial classes to prepare for the
14 ��
Conversations
large rural–urban and gender divide

barring the way. According to the
Global Education Monitoring Report
2020, only 12 per cent of households
in the poorest countries have internet
access at home, and access to mobile
internet is 26 per cent lower for women
and girls than for their male peers.
These figures are supported by a 2020
UNICEF report which states that at
least every seventh girl globally has
been unable to access remote learning
when schools are closed.
While these girls from poor, margin-
alized and vulnerable families’, daugh-
ters of illiterate parents, are putting up
stiff resistance to structural inequities
and patriarchal norms, it is imperative
that they not stand alone. Governments
at all levels must propel state action to
reach out and relieve them from labour
force, stop child marriage and protect
freedom and rights of girls. Without this
For Shailaja, a 10th grader from support in terms of educational mate-
Istalapuram, Andhra Pradesh, juggling rial, digital tools, food security, health
online classes and her job as a lemon
harvester is all in a day’s work.
and hygiene provisions and scholar-
ships, such children are being left be-
qualifying examinations for entry into hind in the worst way—with lost futures
professional colleges. It is very diffi- they are trapped in generational cycles
cult to adjust work and online classes, of poverty and deprivation. Stories of
but I do it.” such girls must become visible. Their
Shailaja and Chandana are part pleas must be heard.
of a small minority, however. Online
��: ��
education is a distant dream for Child-rights activist, Shantha Sinha is

most rural children. According to a the founder of MV Foundation and a
UNICEF report, only one in four children professor of political science at Hyder-
in India has access to the devices and abad Central University. She received
internet connectivity necessary for the 2003 Ramon Magsaysay award
digital learning. Moreover, there is a and the Padma Shri in 1999.
��.�� 15
SMILE
Mom
Needs ��, �� ‘��’ pops up on my
call display, I look at my phone, sigh
IT Help
heavily and think, “What now?” At
almost 80 years old, my mother seems
to have more tech gadgets than I do,
and yet she’s hopeless when it comes
Again
to basic troubleshooting. Whether I
like it or not, I am her dedicated tech
support. I field calls about her laptop,
smartphone, printer, scanner, univer-
sal remote, Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth
I’ve become her always- speaker and ultrasonic toothbrush,
on-call tech assistant just to name a few. Twenty-four hours
a day. Rain or shine.
If you have been similarly con-
�� Craig Baines scripted, here are some tips from
�� Emily Chu the trenches:
16 ��
�� ’� ��
Always take her call. I know, I Get-Out-of-Jail-Free card from helping

know, it can be painful, but you have to Mom figure out where her Spider
trust me on this and pick up. She is your Solitaire icon disappeared to? (I have a
mom, and she’ll play that card. I usually life, too, Sis!)
get a “Craig, I am your mother.” Plus,
if she detects even the slightest hint of Help mom’s Wi-Fi help her.
my exasperation, she hits me with Recently, while taking a break from
“I changed your diapers!” Well, Mom, looking out her front window, Mom
being your personal Geek Squad is a managed to locate that one corner of
crappy job, too! her home that has a weak Wi-Fi signal.
What prompted her to use her tablet in
Don’t troubleshoot in front of the furnace room I’ll never know,
co-workers. Over the years, Mom but she sure as sugar called me
and I have developed a familiar, ‘un�l- afterwards to complain about it …
tered’ tone when we talk to each other. followed by an update on her
My side of a typical call starts with “Yes, neighbours. Faster than Roto-Rooter, I
Mom?” and quickly spirals from there was over fixing her network and
to “You can’t do what?” to “I would love decided to rename it. I felt ‘Linda Wi-Fi'
to help, but I don’t think ‘thingamajig’ was boring. �anks to me, folks within
is a $%&# technical term!!!” Such talk, a �ve-house radius have seen ‘Pick Up
while often justi�ed, doesn’t go over After Your Dog Wi-Fi', ‘Mow �at Lawn
well in an open-concept o�ce. Your Dammit Wi-Fi' and ‘Your Powder
colleagues will think you’re �e. Worst. Room Needs Blinds Wi-Fi!
Son. Ever. To avoid raising any eye-
brows, take the call from the nearest Avoid emojis at all costs. Finally,
supply closet. (Pro tip: if you need a word of caution. I mistakenly
something to scream into, a roll of introduced Mom to emojis thinking
paper towel works great!) they would liven up our otherwise
mundane text exchanges. At first,
Share the burden. �e next time I needed the Rosetta Stone to decipher
Mom hands you her smartphone to Mom’s messages. For instance, on one
‘�gure out’, take a proactive step by cre- occasion I wasn’t sure if she was
ating a new contact called IT Emer- describing her garden or curious
gency Helpline and encourage her to about medical marijuana. But things
use it. But instead of inputting your turned really awkward last August
number, use your sister’s. (Sorry, after Mom got home from the local
Krista!) It’s about time she stepped up. peach festival. Her texts describing
Sure, she may be balancing three kids plump, lip-smacking peaches still give
and a new job, but since when is that a me nightmares.
��.�� 17
It Happens
ONLY IN INDIA
“I think he is prepared for the Third Wave.”
Fraudulent in love curfew restrictions get lockdown in 2020.

All the world loves a in the way. Dutta’s fix: Looks like he wasn’t
lover? The Assam Rent a car, drive over for just answering love’s
police would sigh in a tryst, and, in case he clarion call!
disagreement, having was stopped by the au- Source: sentinelassam.com
taken into custody a thorities, impersonate a

certain Biswajit Dutta district magistrate. This Back to life
who, tired of being wasn’t Dutta’s first ro- As we live the conse-
quartered at home on deo—he had previously quence of the pan-
his beloved’s birthday, claimed to be a Juvenile demic, the subsequent
decided to take matters lawyer, a member of the policy paralysis and the
into his own hands. District Child Protection ensuing decimation of
Surely love is not love, if Service and even a our healthcare delivery
government-mandated doctor during the first systems, 76-year-old
�� Raju Epuri
18 ��
�� ’� ��
Shakuntala Gaikwad’s pages of a notebook as Mask on, Mask off

bizarre case scares the penance. Lockdown In our monthly ‘Covid-
bejesus out of us. Gaik- violators have been iot’ update, we bring
wad who tested positive aplenty, and enforcers you a saffron-clad man
for COVID-19, was being have run the gamut of of god, wearing a mask
rushed to Baramati by punishments, but this of neem. In a viral video,
her family in a bid to one is for the books. the baba can be seen
find a hospital bed, Source: indiatoday.in wearing his precariously
when she was found constructed mask, re-
unresponsive and de- In sickness and in air plete with wide gaps,
clared deceased. Much Rules don’t apply to the stuffed with neem. Fur-
grief and, dare we say, rich, or so it seems ther, he instructs we do
commotion later, as thought a couple from the same to protect our-
Gaikwad was being Madurai as they took to selves from the virus, but
prepped to meet her the skies to solemnize for premium security we
maker, she woke up on their wedding. In a move would do well to add a
the bier visibly terrified. that smacks of pure priv- few lemon and tulsi
Turns out, she had only ilege, the duo chartered leaves. The logic, if we
passed out in the car a Boeing 737, stuffed it can even called it that, is
due to the long wait. with 160 unmasked “Neem is very useful for
Her happy but shocked guests for their wedding any illness.” At the pain
family quickly rushed ceremony, breaking ev- of gross simplification:
her to a hospital. ery COVID-19 guideline Dear reader, do not
Source: indiatoday.in in the book. As video swap your masks for
and photos of the wed- the neem–lemon–tulsi
Hey Ram ding circulated on social variant. As for the baba,
The dominant register of media, SpiceJet claimed we wish him good luck:
the pandemic response the couple told them It’s bound to come in
has not only been one they were already mar- handy, because the
of exception, it has often ried and were only tak- mask sure isn’t.
ventured into bizarre. ing their guests on a Source: thequint.com
Case in point: In Satna, postnuptial joyride. An —COMPILED BY NAOREM ANUJA

Madhya Pradesh, sub- investigation is under-
inspector Santosh Singh way and the airline crew
came up with the idea of has been de-rostered. Reader’s Digest will pay
making people straying We just think it’s a lot of for contributions to this
column. Post your sugges-
outdoors during lock- money to pay to get ev- tions with the source to the
down write Lord Ram’s eryone you love, sick. editorial address, or email:
name and fill up four Source: hindustantimes.com [email protected]
��.�� 19
POINTS TO PONDER
An old man in Gaza held a placard that read: “You take my water,
burn my olive trees, destroy my house, take my job, steal my land,
imprison my father, kill my mother, bombard my country, starve
us all, humiliate us all, but I am to blame: I shot a rocket back.”
Noam Chomsky, academic
Every life deserves a certain amount of dignity, no
�� : ��, ��, ��

matter how poor or damaged the shell that carries it.
Rick Bragg, journalist
I think there are two major lessons from this pandemic. One, that the
country needs proper planning and decentralised implementation
mechanisms to improve our health system. And two, there can
be no delay in enhancing public investment in healthcare.
K.K. Shailaja, Kerala’s former health minister
Noam Chomsky Rick Bragg K. K. Shailaja
20 ��
�� ’� ��
Destiny is a feeling you have that you know something about

yourself nobody else does. The picture you have in your
own mind of what you’re about, will come true.
Bob Dylan, musician
For, while the tale of how we suffer, and how we

are delighted, and how we may triumph is never new,
it always must be heard. There isn’t any other tale to
tell, it’s the only light we’ve got in all this darkness.
James Baldwin, novelist
�� : ��
Isn’t it strange how life won’t flow, like a river, but moves in
jumps, as if it were held back by locks that are opened now
and then to let it jump forwards in a kind of flood?
Anita Desai, author
Bob Dylan James Baldwin Anita Desai
��.�� 21
�� ’� ��
28 ��
BETTER LIVING
ITH
How little acts
W
of spontaneity
T
can make
H your day
G O BYE Leah Rumack

��
THE PANDEMIC HAS made me a more

F LO W
spontaneous person. Weird, I know.
Before COVID-19, I was very Type A
about my social life: dinner at 6 p.m.—
6:30 if I was feeling sassy—usually
at a restaurant of my choosing that
I’d researched and booked with three
other moms, four weeks in advance.
The upheaval of this last year
completely changed my Virgo
approach to recreation.
��.�� 29
�� ’� ��
Now, with so many activities o� the your aim—more friends? A new hobby?
table, whenever there’s a chance to do Getting out of a fashion rut?—you then
anything, I jump. Socially distanced need to identify which habits are keep-
falafel in the park? Sounds glamorous! ing you from getting what you want.
Walk with an acquaintance who lives Maybe your weekend routine is too
around the corner? My new BFF! Lawn packed or too rigid, or you keep making
cocktails with the neighbour? Why flimsy excuses to not try that new
didn’t I think of this before? online baking class.
My new ‘Sure, why not?’ vibe has �en you can consciously substitute
been one of the surprising upsides of those spontaneity-killing habits for
this time. I’ve made some new friends, ones that will help you achieve
seen parts of my hometown I didn’t your goal. If this doesn’t exactly
even know existed and become sound spontaneous, that’s because it
extremely good at dropping everything isn’t—at least not at �rst. “It’s just like
at a moment’s notice. going to the gym,” says Joordens. “You
I’ve also learnt that embracing may have to force yourself in the
novelty and openness to new beginning, but then hopefully it
experiences can make us happier— becomes your new habit.”
even if it’s con�ned to small changes in
our daily routines. Here are some easy MAKE SOME ROOM
ways you can give spontaneity a Having gaps in my day, thanks to the
�ghting chance to thrive. widespread closures of restaurants,
bars and movie theatres, definitely
FOCUS YOUR EFFORTS helped foster the creation of Brave-
Someone who’s naturally more New-Why-Not?-Leah. I could accept
introverted or anxious doesn’t need to last-minute invites for bike rides or
revamp their entire approach to life to phone chats, and I quickly learnt the
reap the bene�ts of spontaneity, says small joys of unexpected fun.
Steve Joordens, a psychology professor According to Edward Slingerland, a
at the University of Toronto, professor of philosophy at the Univer-
Scarborough. �e key, he says, is to sity of British Columbia, the �rst thing
identify which areas are the ones you you need to do to nurture spontaneous
feel could bene�t from a little more of experiences is to create some space for
an o�-the-cu� approach and focus on them. �e author of Trying Not to Try:
changing your habits there. Ancient China, Modern Science and the
“The first step is asking yourself Power of Spontaneity, he became inter-
what’s lacking in your life,” he says. ested in spontaneity while studying
“What’s your goal?” Once you identify Chinese philosophers who wanted to
30 ��
Better Living
cultivate a state of Wu Wei, or e�ortless mental breakthroughs that can occur

action, and saw spontaneity as an when we let our minds wander.
important goal. You’re not going to strike up that
“We overstructure our lives and plan interesting conversation with the
too much,” he says. “Most people don’t person next to you in line if both of your
have any gaps in their day to play.” faces are buried in your phones.
And while Slingerland admits that And you’re not going to notice that
leaving those gaps is de�nitely trickier you’ve just passed a cute new bakery if
if you’re juggling things like work, tak- you’re too busy checking email as
ing care of family members or a busy you scurry by. So put your phone
volunteering schedule, even just having down and embrace the unexpected
the mental goal of not overscheduling world around you.
yourself can help change your
approach. Many rabid list checkers EMBRACE FAILURE (NO, REALLY)
(guilty!) might also be initially ba�ed Learning to not fear failure is a daunt-
as to how to put this into practice. ing but essential step in the path to
“Spontaneity is this weird combina- becoming more spontaneous.
tion of trying and not trying,” says “�e hardest thing for a non-sponta-
Slingerland. He suggests giving yourself neous person is going to be that risk,”
a very loose goal—like, say, going for a says Joordens. Even though we’re not
walk without a particular destination or necessarily talking about capital-B ‘Big
just put ‘leaving the house’ on your Risks’ here, even making small changes
agenda—to help build the sca�olding to your routine can be enough. Your
for interesting things to happen. You partner might not like that new bed-
just have to get comfortable with the room idea; you will perhaps look silly if
idea that you might not always be you take up tap dancing (okay, you will
‘accomplishing’ something, per se. look silly); it could be a �op if you
Another quick way to give spontane- stream that movie you know nothing
ity a �ghting chance? Stop scrolling. about. �e trick, says Joordens, is to
Screen time, says Slingerland, is a take a cue from the entrepreneurial
‘black hole’ for adults and children world and try to reconceptualize failure
alike. “Digital addiction is a real barrier as a learning opportunity.
to spontaneity,” he adds. �e modern “Entrepreneurs embrace failure and
instinct to reach for our devices at the the notion of learning from it,” says
�rst hint of empty time (guilty again!) Joordens. “�e upside is if you’re spon-
eats up both actual time when we could taneous, you’re more likely to discover
be engaging with our environment in a something new, and that could turn out
more present way and the sudden to be something you really love.”
��.�� 31
HEALTH
G
� � � � � � � ��
that laughter is the best
medicine. But what do sci-
entists say? While chuck-
ling can’t cure cancer, it does have
some measurable health benefits—
it’s good for your heart, your brain,
your relationships and your overall
sense of well-being.
Laughing is considered a sign of
happiness, but it also brings it on, trig-
gering the brain to release feel-good
neurotransmitters: dopamine, which
helps the brain process emotional
responses and enhances our experi-
ence of pleasure; serotonin, which
buoys our mood; and endorphins,
which regulate pain and stress and
induce euphoria. A recent study even
showed that laughing with others
releases endorphins via opioid recep-
Open Up and
tors, which suggests that laughter-
produced euphoria is like a narcotic—
but without the obvious drawbacks.
Say Ha Ha Beyond a mood lift, laughing often
may help prevent a heart event. Com-
The surprising reasons mon daily challenges—big workloads,
overdue bills or con�icts with loved
laughing is good for you ones—can cause chronic stress as they
continually trigger our ancient �ght-or-
�ight response, in turn causing our
�� Rebecca Philps blood vessels to constrict and our blood
�� Michelle Theodore pressure to rise. �at can lead to myriad
32 ��
�� ’� ��
health problems, including increased we’re alone. �ese shared giggles act to
risk of heart attack and stroke. But like reinforce and maintain our sense of
cholesterol-lowering drugs and aerobic togetherness by way of endorphin dom-
exercise, a good laugh can actually inoes: when someone starts laughing,
counteract the e�ect of stress. In 2005, others will laugh, even if they’re not
researchers at the University of Mary- sure what everyone is on about. Laugh-
land Medical Center found that laughter ter is, quite literally, contagious.
increases blood �ow by dilating the And when you laugh, you’re accessing
inner lining of vessels. Your heart an ancient system that mammals have
doesn’t have to pump as hard, which evolved to make and maintain social
reduces your blood pressure. connection, according to Sophie Scott,
a British cognitive neuroscientist. �at
social connection is vital to our physical
WE’RE and mental health—it strengthens our
30 TIMES immune system and lengthens our life.
People who feel more connected to
MORE LIKELY others have higher self-esteem, lower
rates of anxiety and depression and
TO LAUGH SOCIALLY THAN are more empathetic.
WHEN WE’RE ALONE. Babies inherently understand the
importance of shared laughs, says
Dr Caspar Addyman, a developmental
Laughter is also an antidote to pain, psychologist and director of the Gold-
and so increases our endurance. A smiths InfantLab at the University of
2011 Oxford University study showed London. “Babies can make you laugh
that subjects’ pain thresholds were sig- and you can make them laugh almost
ni�cantly higher after laughing, due to instantaneously, no jokes involved,”
that endorphin-mediated opiate e�ect. he says. “It’s all about connection.” As
�is means that sharing a joke with a Scott points out, even for adults, laugh-
friend can help you squeeze out a few ter isn’t always connected to humour—
extra reps at the gym or go further on we laugh to show people we under-
your daily walk. A good belly laugh stand them, that we agree with them,
also happens to be a bit of a workout on that we’re part of the group and that we
its own—it exercises several muscle like or even love them.
groups, including your abdomen, back, So go ahead and be silly with some-
shoulders, diaphragm and face. one you care about—it’s the quickest
Joking around is also a boon to our and easiest way to lighten your mental
social life, and laughter is 30 times more load and improve your physical well-
likely to occur with others than when ewbeing. It’s pretty fun, too.
��.�� 33
FOOD
THE POST-
COVID
RECOVERY
DIET
5 best foods to help
you bounce back
�� Lovneet Batra
B
�� the SARS-CoV-2 ALMONDS
virus is no mean feat, but the Healthy fats in almonds are a rich
process of regaining your full source of oleic acid, which helps stabi-
health can be a long, arduous journey lize high blood-sugar levels and �ghts
too. Due to lingering after-effects that in�ammation—one of the most harm-
vary in intensity from person to person, ful long-term e�ects of the COVID virus.
COVID-19 can continue to make you Just about 20 almonds a day can pro-
feel poorly, even after testing negative. vide 37 per cent of vitamin E and
Fatigue, inflammation, pulmonary 20 per cent of magnesium require-
fibrosis—scarring on the lungs leading ments, both essential for recuperation.
to shortness of breath, chronic fatigue Vitamin E helps protect our cells from
and dry cough—hair loss, joint pain, in- oxidative damage while magnesium
somnia and feelings of depression and increases energy and muscle strength,
anxiety, are just some of the symptoms boosts restful sleep and reduces stress.
you might be feeling. Here are some Higher magnesium intake is also linked
foods that can help a speedy recovery. to reduced symptoms of depression.
34 ��
�� ’� ��
AMARANTH ginger is traditionally used as a �u

Muscle wasting, body aches and �ghter and has been found to help
exhaustion are commonly seen due to control high blood sugar post-COVID.
hypermetabolism and excessive nitro- Ginger juice helps in reducing mucous
gen loss during the COVID infection. To and soothing a sore throat. It improves
overcome this, try amaranth which blood circulation and cell oxygenation
o�ers good quality protein, iron, sele- and is a natural prebiotic, meaning it
nium and magnesium. Protein and acts as food for good gut bacteria.
selenium are also needed for the anti-
bodies we make as an immune
response. �is pseudo-cereal also pro-
vides a balance of nutrients that
reduces hair loss after COVID.
SPROUTED CHICKPEAS
High bioavailability of nutrients in
chickpea sprouts makes this an ideal
dietary element during recovery. Not
only do sprouted chickpeas have an
amino acid pro�le that is better suited ANTIOXIDANT-RICH
to digestion than unsprouted ones, POMEGRANATES CAN HELP
their phytic acid content is also low
thereby enhancing our ability to easily
RESTORE RESPIRATORY
absorb its vitamins and minerals. STRENGTH AFTER COVID.
Chickpeas are also a great source of
�bre. Studies reveal that a high-�bre
diet is related to lower levels of POMEGRANATE
in�ammatory cytokines and enhanced Pomegranates are rich in punicalagins
levels of short chain fatty acids—a key and punicic acid both of which have
factor in maintaining healthy gut high antioxidant properties. This
microbiota, which plays an important nutrient-packed fruit helps restore
role in better immunity. Sprouts are respiratory strength by boosting the
also rich in critical B and C vitamins, concentration of nitrates in the blood
which supports our energy production and its powerful anti-in�ammatory
and tissue-repair abilities. compounds aid in reducing joint pain
and swelling.
��
GINGER
Packed with potent metabolites Lovneet Batra is a clinical nutritionist
including gingerols and shogaols, and natural remedies expert.
��.�� 35
�� ’� ��
Grin (or Grimace)

and Bear Your
Vaccine
If a needle jab makes

you wince, that might
be a good thing. Ame-
rican participants in
a study were asked to
make various facial ex-
pressions while getting
News �� injected. Those who
WORLD OF wore either a grimace
�� : ��. �� : �� . ��
or a genuine smile
MEDICINE with both mouth and
eyes reported about
40 per cent less pain
EXERCISE PROTECTS than those with a
stoic poker face.
THE DECLINING BRAIN
Alcohol
It’s not unusual for some cognitive decline Impairment
to occur as you age, and it’s nothing to worry Begins Below
about. But if you have more difficulty with Legal Limits
judgment, language or memory than is ex-
In many countries,
pected for your age, a doctor may diagnose
it’s illegal to drive
you with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), with a blood alcohol
a condition that raises your risk of progress- concentration (BAC)
ing to dementia. However, in a Korean study above 0.05 per cent.
Now new research
of nearly 2,50,000 people with MCI, par-
suggests that the abil-
ticipants who exercised more than once a ity to process visual
week were 18 per cent less likely to develop motion can be com-
Alzheimer’s disease. Physical activity may promised with a BAC
as low as 0.015 per
protect us by increasing blood flow to the
cent. So call a ride
brain or by aiding the production of the even if you’ve had
molecules that help neurons grow. as little as half a beer.
36 ��
OBSTRUCTIVE
SLEEP APNOEA’S
TOLL ON THE HEART
As one of the most prevalent sleep disorders, ob- Taking Your
structive sleep apnoea (OSA) affects around one bil- Blood Pressure?
lion people worldwide. For those with this condition, Check Both Arms
the muscles in the back of the throat relax too much
during sleep, creating a narrowed passage for air and The ideal way to take
causing breathing to stop and restart repeatedly. Each blood pressure is by
time this happens, the sleep cycle gets interrupted, measuring it in both
which often leaves sufferers feeling tired all day. But arms, according to in-
the potential consequences don’t stop there. Un- ternational guidelines.
treated sleep apnoea may also raise the risk of dying In real life, this happens
from heart disease by up to five times. at best only half the
A recent Finnish study explored one of the rea- time—even at the doc-
sons for this by recording OSA patients’ nighttime tor’s office. Checking
heart rhythms. When the body runs low on oxygen both arms is important
and suddenly awakens, this causes a surge of ac- because when arteries
tivity in the sympathetic nervous system—and re- stiffen and harden, one
leases stress hormones in the body. The longer a side is usually affected
participant’s breathing was interrupted, the faster more than the other in
the heart raced and the more the short-term heart a way that blood pres-
rate varied. Over time, too much of this strains the sure testing may detect.
cardiovascular system. A slight disparity isn’t
Fortunately, there are treatments cause for concern, but a
that work well for OSA . Mild cases difference of 10 mm Hg
may improve with lifestyle in the systolic number
changes such as quitting smok- could be a sign of car-
ing or shedding excess weight. diovascular problems.
For more serious cases, the So the next time you’re
most effective solution is at a doctor’s appoint-
a continuous positive air- ment, if they check
way pressure ( CPAP ) ma- only one arm, encour-
chine that pumps a constant age them to take a
stream of air into your throat few extra moments
by way of a mask. for the other one.
��.�� 37
COVER STORY
THEY GIVE
US HOPE As the country
coped with the
trauma of a second
COVID wave, a new
set of citizen heroes
came to its rescue
�� Team Reader’s Digest
��
38 �� Bandeep Singh
�� ’� ��
With Gurpreet Singh Rummy (centre,

in white) at the helm, Khalsa Help
International stepped in to provide
medical oxygen to COVID patients
when hospitals were overwhelmed.
��.�� 39
�� ’� ��
N
o one, it s e eme d, had Versha Verma, whose free hearse service
warned us about the second offered COVID victims a dignified final journey
COVID wave. A spike in the
number of infections set While some COVID patients needed
some alarm bells ringing in ambulances and medicine, there were
March, but none were loud enough more who, by then, needed hearses.
to prepare us for the devastation we Amidst the ensuing chaos, most of us
saw barely a month later. As hospital were left with little idea about which
beds and oxygen became scarce, our number to call, where to go and what
very Indian rules of privilege ceased to do. Finally, it was some brave,
to apply. COVID-19 was, suddenly, committed and selfless individuals
the great leveller. Regardless of our who stepped in to create that support
position on the ladders of caste and system. Here were ordinary Indians
class, we all fought hard to access showing extraordinary courage.
critical healthcare. We gasped Helping shore up India’s frontlines
��: ��
together. We were all desperate. were volunteers and warriors who

Governments in the country, at often put themselves in harm’s way
the levels of both centre and state, just so that they could alleviate
were visibly unprepared. Their distress. Social worker Versha Verma,
complacency created a vacuum. for instance, transformed a moment of
great personal loss into an opportunity
40 ��
Cover Story
to serve her city of Lucknow: “I lost of community, not by a want to profit.

my best friend to COVID in mid-April. With every life they save or better, they
I waited at Ram Manohar Lohia give us an India to hope and root for.
Hospital with her body for four hours.
No middle-class family could afford the *****
`10,000 to `15,000 that drivers were
charging. The crematorium was only Breathing Life into Us
four km away.” �� week of April, watching
The next day, Verma rented an the news had become an anxious, often
Omni van and returned to the same horrifying experience. Hospitals were
hospital, holding a placard that turning away severely ill COVID pa-
read ‘Nishulk Shav Vahan’ (Free tients. They had no beds, and, in Delhi
Hearse). The 42-year-old remembers specifically, many had no oxygen.
performing the last rites of five COVID Pradhan of Shri Guru Singh Sabha Gu-
patients on her very first day. “At rudwara in Indirapuram, Ghaziabad,
the crematorium, there were 70 to Gurpreet Singh Rummy remembers
80 bodies burning. I was wearing PPE exactly when the second wave crescen-
in the scorching sun. I thought I would doed at his doorstep—it was 11:30 p.m.
melt or faint. Slowly, however, I got on 22 April. A 55-year-old woman had
used to it.” When people saw her work been brought to the gurudwara. Her
tirelessly for over 13 hours a day, they SpO2 levels had dipped to 50 per cent.
decided to fund her initiative. Verma “We, thankfully, had some cylinders,
used this money to employ 12 workers, but not a lot of knowhow. We some-
adding to her fleet three more vans how brought up her levels up to 95 per
and an ambulance. cent in about an hour,” recalls Rummy.
Ever since the pandemic struck in “We made a video of this and put it
2020, Verma hasn’t stopped to either up on social media. In about an hour,
breathe or despair. She has helped 100 to 150 cars showed up. They also
distribute food packets, rations, had nowhere else to go.”
medicines, blood and plasma to After Rummy, 44, helped set up
those who need it most. Like her, Khalsa Help International (KHI) last
there are others whose efforts are year, he ensured that the needy get ra-
bringing comfort to countless Indians tions, LPG and free COVID tests. The
in these dark, uncertain times. organization even helped patients find
From drivers kitting their rickshaws hospital beds and treatment. Since
with oxygen cylinders to school April this year, however, the scale of
children coordinating relief efforts on KHI’s operations has increased tenfold.
WhatsApp, these modern heroes all In just three-odd weeks, Rummy and
seem to be motivated by a deep sense his volunteers had provided oxygen to
��.�� 41
�� ’� ��
Members of the Oxygen on Wheels team in Shantiniketan, West Bengal
approximately 12,000 people, but to do us that none of his colleagues have yet
this, they had to source cylinders from been vaccinated. “The work we do is
Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Utta- non-stop. People are sometimes down
rakhand. Rummy remembers weeping for two or three days after a vaccine. If
when KHI’s oxygen stocks once dwin- we’re short even one person, many pa-
dled: “Everyone put up their hands, tients would suffer, patients for whom
saying we’ll supply hospitals first, but we’re the only hope,” he says.
what about those who didn’t get a bed, In comparison to Delhi, says
people who can’t afford one?” Dr Abhijit Chowdhury, chief advisor
In the end, it wasn’t just individu- to Kolkata’s Liver Foundation, the
als who benefited from KHI’s unique second wave peaked later in West
oxygen langar—health-care facilities Bengal. “When it became clear that
��: ��
did, too. “At least six hospitals had us oxygen would be needed, we felt
on call in case they ran out of cylin- we needed to rise to the occasion.”
ders. The government couldn’t help On 7 May, using two ambulances
them, but they were able to save lives which the state government had lent,
with the oxygen we supplied.” Even Liver Foundation volunteers started
though six of KHI’s 90 volunteers have taking the organization’s 11 oxygen
tested positive for COVID, Rummy tells concentrators to those who needed it
42 ��
Cover Story
urgently. It didn’t take long for donors in the morning. After having fallen
to see the merits of this initiative. In seriously ill, an old lady had come
less than a month, the organization to ask if Sawant could take her to the
had received over 140 concentrators, hospital in his auto rickshaw. She had
and with them, greater resolve. already been turned down by three
Oxygen on Wheels, Liver other drivers in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar
Foundation’s 24x7 oxygen-delivery area. “I took her to a nearby hospital,”
service, was never meant to be an says Sawant. “I thought What if it had
urban, Kolkata-only drive. Dr Partha been my mother, ill and unable to get
Sarathi Mukherjee, the foundation’s to the hospital. What if it had been
secretary, says, “News of the oxygen me? I figured why not use my auto as
crisis itself created massive panic an ambulance.”
among people living in small towns In metropolises like Mumbai, there
and villages. Without big-city facilities, are often more critical COVID patients
they had no idea about what to do than there are ambulances. Also, as
or where to go.” As Liver Foundation Sawant saw in the case of his ageing
looked for partners in rural and remote passenger, even non-COVID patients
West Bengal, Dr Chowdhury reached were finding it hard to sometimes
out to Manisha Banerjee, headmistress make that life-saving journey to the
of a school in Shantiniketan. “I told him hospital. He decided he would not
[Dr Chowdhury] we want to launch an differentiate between the two: “I
all-women effort.” she says. take everyone who comes to me.” In
Made up of teachers, students Sawant’s rickshaw, you can now find
and homemakers, Banerjee’s team of an infrared thermometer, sanitizers
10 women does everything from run- and a pulse oximeter. Sawant protects
ning a helpline to driving concentra- himself with PPE and a divider he
tors around the districts of Bolpur has installed. In just five weeks, he’d
and Birbhum. In villages, says Baner- ferried 77 passengers, 42 of whom had
jee, cylinders are either unaffordable tested positive for COVID.
or unavailable, “so this seemed like a Sawant, who is also an English
good initiative”. Moreover, she adds, “It teacher, has not let the dangers of
is also helping break stereotypes of the his brave endeavours deter him. “All
ways in which women can contribute.” essential workers such as doctors,
nurses, ward boys go to work and
***** stay in contact with COVID patients
24x7. What if they stayed home?
Driving Us to Safety What would happen to us then? So, I
�� , Dattatraya Sawant heard thought it was nothing for me to ferry
someone knocking on his door at two a few COVID patients.”
��.�� 43
�� ’� ��
Much like Sawant whose initiative a distance of five or six km. What is a
has the financial and emotional poor person to do? Get himself treated
backing of his wife, Mohammad Javed or pay for the ambulance?” asks Khan.
Khan has also found similar support Once the 34-year-old had decided he
in his Bhopal home. When he told his would use his rickshaw to ferry COVID
wife that the cost of filling the oxygen patients in need of transport, help
cylinder with which he had kitted his started pouring in. After a journalist
auto rickshaw was `700 to `800, she shared his Google Pay details, Khan
agreed to sell her jewellery. received enough money to put
In April, Khan saw on his WhatsApp together and distribute ration kits.
chats and Facebook wall, pictures we Although Khan now has an e-pass
all did—people carrying their ailing that helps him move across the city
parents on their shoulders, young during lockdown, he recalls a bitter
men and women suffering outside experience with the Bhopal police.
hospitals. “If an ambulance did turn On his way to ferry a patient from
up, it would charge people `8,000 for one hospital to another, he was
��: ��
Mohammad Javed Khan began ferrying COVID patients for free and set up an oxygen
cylinder in his auto rickshaw to help sustain critical cases on the go.
44 ��
apprehended by city cops. They
accused him of illegally selling
oxygen. By the time this ordeal was
over, the patient had passed away.
“Why harass those who try to work
for a good cause? People need to rally
together, not leave each other alone
to fend for themselves,” argues Khan.
In Dhar, a tribal district in Madhya
Pradesh, Aziz ul-Rahman Khan had
also seen harrowing pictures on his
social media—husbands carrying on
their shoulders their deceased wives,
a man pulling a COVID patient in a
thela (cart). “I thought I have to invent
something that is within everyone’s
reach,” says the engineer. The 46-year-
old Khan’s invention—portable am-
bulances that can be attached to
motorbikes—will soon be provided to
16 community health centres in Dhar.
At the peak of the second wave, Dhar’s
10 ambulances were in no way enough
for its thousand-plus COVID patients.
Khan is helping plug that gap.
*****
Marshalling Our
Resources
�� possible to foresee a
spike in our collective distress in
March, no one had predicted a sudden
collapse of the nation’s health systems.
With testing kits and oxygen cylinders (Clockwise from top) School students
Rishay Gupta, Ansh Garg and Avani Singh
��: ��
both in short supply, people soon took

set up a lead verification and resource
to social media. Some were looking for management effort to help connect
medicine, others for hospital beds. The people in need with reliable information
pleas that circulated on Twitter and for COVID treatment through WhatsApp.
��.�� 45
�� ’� ��
The medicine bank started by doctor couple, Marcus Ranney (second from the right)
and his wife Raina, services impoverished communities in seven cities.
on WhatsApp groups made one fact Sahayta Kendra and Sahayta Kendra
clear—the few resources that were Volunteers—to verify various leads.
still available needed to be managed. “India is a country with a large youth
Samaritans, one saw, stepped up population,” says Garg, 16. “If not us,
before governments. then who will work?”
Seeing havoc unfold around The groups, now overseen by
them, Ansh Garg, Rishay Gupta and more than 300 volunteers, check
Avani Singh, three students freshly information from across the country
entering class 12, decided they must to help connect people in distress to
do something. The teenagers from those who can help. The students work
Meerut and Saharanpur had a student in shifts, with calls coming in until
��: ��
organization—they put it to use. In two a.m., then abating for a few hours
the melee of appeals for medicines, before resuming at five a.m. Garg
beds, oxygen and other requests, there says that as 16- and 17-year-olds it’s
was also a lot of information that was sometimes tough to deal with this
either outdated or false. The trio set much pain and grief on a daily basis,
up two WhatsApp groups—COVID-19 but they do their best.
46 ��
Cover Story
Efforts such as these have sprung up “We don’t just amplify requests, but do
across geographies. In Mumbai, doc- our best to not let a case go without a
tor couple Marcus and Raina Ranney resolution.” The 180-odd volunteers,
began collecting unused medicines divided into eight sub-groups, have
in early May. It started with trying to successfully assisted more than 300
help someone they knew, so they put people in the state, including those
the word out over WhatsApp in their in underserved parts. “We try to be a
housing society, asking if anyone had bridge between patients, the adminis-
unused and unexpired medicines to tration and available resources,” says
spare. This simple effort then became volunteer Umesh Talashi.
an initiative, one which soon metasta-
sized to cover seven cities where dedi- *****
cated collection centres and logistics
are all now in place. Dignifying Our Dead
“If one building can save a life, �� a hospital super-
then imagine what a city or a country visor for 10 years, Majeed Bilal had
can do,” says Marcus Ranney. They grown used to death, but last year, he
have collected more than 200 kg of was moved to tears when he saw an old
medicines so far—mostly medication woman die of COVID. “This happened
required for light to moderate COVID during the first lockdown,” he tells us.
treatment, including Fabiflu, Dolo, “No one was ready to touch her dead
anti-allergics and other drugs for pain- body, not even her children.” After hav-
relief. With the help of non-profits, ing seen municipality officials throw
these medicines are then sent to areas the lady’s body in a pit, Bilal decided
or communities that need them. “Oth- he would start conducting the last rites
ers have also been inspired by this tem- of COVID patients himself. “Soon after
plate and we are happy to share it,” says starting, I quit my job. No one wanted
Ranney. The doctors hope to continue to be near me.”
running their medicine bank in some Though Bilal’s organization, Hu-
form even after the pandemic abates. manity First Foundation (HFF), was
In Jammu and Kashmir, a group of given two hearses by a donor, he
volunteers called SOSJK offers a motley found that not many people in his
list of services—connecting people to area—Karnataka’s Bidar district—
resources, liaising with hospital au- were similarly generous. “We needed
thorities, arranging tele-medicine con- food and new PPE kits. I knew I’d
sultations, sourcing RT-PCR tests and have to raise the money myself, so I
medical equipment. “We are a one- sold my two plots of land.” With the
stop shop for all COVID-related things,” `10 lakh he received, Bilal has already
says Khushboo Mattoo, a volunteer. facilitated 790 funerals. In the last two
��.�� 47
Jatinder Singh Shunty
began cremating COVID
victims in March 2020.
48 ��
Cover Story
months, the 31-year-old feels his work get their loved ones cremated.” In 2020,
has doubled. “Earlier, we used to only YWT would receive 25 to 30 calls in a
take bodies from hospitals. Now we are week. After 15 March this year, they
also getting calls from people’s homes. were fielding 25 to 30 calls every day.
All the villages here know about HFF. “After the second wave hit, there was
They rely on us.” a day when we got 120 calls,” informs
Wanting to protect his family, Bilal Zafar. “In all of 2020, we conducted
has been living in a boarding house the last rites of 900 people. This year,
for over a year. He sometimes sees we have already touched 1,000. What’s
his wife and children from a distance. worrying is that it’s only May.”
“I don’t mind hardship as nothing Speaking on the phone from Delhi,
matches the contentment I feel. If I Jatinder Singh Shunty shares simi-
die for this cause, I’ll consider myself lar figures. Of the 3,500-odd bodies
a martyr.” Thankfully, Bilal says, he his Shaheed Bhagat Singh Sewa Dal
has tested negative for COVID all (SBSSD) has cremated since 23 March
of 29 times. He then discloses a 2020, around 2,200 were bodies they
figure he holds close to his heart. cremated between 1 April and 16 May
“We’ve buried only 150 Muslims. The this year alone. As Shunty saw the sec-
others all belonged to different faiths. ond wave peak, he decided to sleep in
We stay true to our name. We put his car: “I would spend all day packing
humanity first.” bodies, sanitizing them, lighting pyres.
Much like Bilal, Syed Jalaluddin In the event I’d picked up the infection,
Zafar has helped give 1,900 COVID pa- I didn’t want to give it to my family.”
tients a respectful farewell. What irks Shunty remembers his phone ringing
Zafar, a Hyderabad-based publisher, through the night. “I’d get calls from
is the lack of official help. Despite hav- NRIs, wanting me to arrange funer-
ing worked since 2020, his organiza- als for their loved ones. I’d sometimes
tion, Youth Welfare Telangana (YWT), show them the last rites on a video
is yet to receive any government sup- call,” says the Padma Shri recipient.
port. “We have faced problems on Not one to give in to despair, Shunty
all fronts,” he says. “The government prefers silver linings. “I started SBSSD
��
didn’t give us vehicles. Hospitals would with one old car I’d bought in 1995.
first not give us the bodies. Graveyards Today, we have a fleet of 25 vehicles
wouldn’t allow COVID patients to be that have all been donated to us.
buried, and the rates charged by cre- Someone gives diesel, another petrol.
matoriums continues to be exorbitant.” People in India all have a big heart.
In some cases, adds Zafar, a single cre- Why worry?”
mation can cost as much as `20,000. � REPORTING BY SHREEVATSA NEVATIA, ISHANI NANDI,
“We use donations to help poor people NAOREM ANUJA AND BHAVYA DORE
��.�� 49
“Scotch and toilet water?”
he asked the shop announced, “I love

owner, “do you have living on a planet
LIFE’S
Like That
today’s newspaper?”
“Yes, I do,” answered
with wind!”
—��
the man. “It’ll be here
tomorrow.” After our Siamese kitten �� .��
—�.�. via rd.com ran up our expensive
curtains, snagging them,
On a trip to a rural Irish My wife often surprises my wife took him to the
village, a friend of me with her unusual veterinarian to have
mine stopped off at perspective on life, him neutered, hoping it
the only shop in town but never more so would calm him down.
to buy a newspaper. than when she walked A few weeks later, my
However, all it had outside one breezy sister-in-law brought her
was the previous day’s afternoon, threw new boyfriend over to
edition. “Excuse me,” open her arms, and meet us. Before entering
50 ��

�� ’� ��
A friend is someone you can text “Do I look sister asked, “Whatever
happened to the
good in yellow?” and three dots appear and
element of surprise?”
disappear twice before you get back “No.” —��
— @��
My daughter turned five
the house, she offered doesn’t taste good. today. She’s currently
him this bit of advice: — @�� having a meltdown be-
“Whatever you cause, according to her,
do, don’t touch I was visiting my sister she “still looks four.”
the curtains.” in Tennessee when we — @��
—�� noticed a sign placed
by Civil War re-enac- Reader’s Digest will pay
Update: My husband tors that announced, for your funny anecdote
is mad because I didn’t “Civil War Battle or photo in any of our
humour sections. Post it
warn him the cake I 6 November, 10 a.m.” to the editorial address, or
PUT IN THE TRASH CAN My disappointed email: [email protected]
THANKS, KIDS …
We love our mothers, and they love us back but
let’s not forget just how much Mum has had to
put up with over the years.
�� No one makes more

� �� Scene: Family at the
�
observations than a dining room table
child sharing a stall Daughter: Mom, is there put it where it belonged.
with his mother in a any more open wine? He put it in my purse.
public restroom. Me: In the wine fridge. — @mommajessiec
Daughter: There’s a
��
— @Lhlodder Five-year-old: Just

wine fridge? one more question!
�� While I was applying
�
Son: That’s what she What are the lines on
face cream, my husband
calls the fridge. your forehead?
asked our daughter
what I was doing. She —Kathy Nieman Me: ...
yelled back, “She’s ap- �� My four-year-old threw
� Five-year-old: Now
plying Oil of Delay.” a wrapper on the floor. I they look angry.
—MJ Robarts told him to pick it up and — @PaigeKellerman
��.�� 51

�� ’� ��
52 ��
HEALTH
WHY
AM I SO
TIRED?
If you feel
pooped all day,
Carol He�ernan, a 43-year-old marketing
writer from Wisconsin, Canada, regularly felt
worn out from her busy life of working,
the solution shuttling her two kids to elementary school

and play dates, and taking care of housework.
isn’t always But when COVID-19 hit last March and
the kids were suddenly at home all day,
more sleep learning remotely, she noticed that her run-
of-the-mill weariness quickly turned into
full-on exhaustion.
BY Vanessa Milne “All the extra responsibility and the mental
ILLUSTRATIONS BY load—it just added up,” she says. “I felt grumpy
Chanelle Nibbelink and tired—and it wasn’t due to lack of sleep.”
��.�� 53
�� ’� ��
He�ernan didn’t have any time in the exercise regimen—working out for
day to exercise o� her stress. She was 20 minutes, three times a week—
short on energy, and she started boosted their energy levels by 20 per
becoming short with her kids. “After I cent in six weeks. “When we don’t work
put them to bed at 8 p.m., I would just out regularly, our muscles can become
crash on the couch,” she says. weakened, so when we do use these
If there’s one thing many of us have muscle groups in everyday activity,
in common, it’s that we’re tired. In fact, we’re more tired,” explains Dr Yufang
lethargy is so pervasive that it’s one of Lin, an integrative-medicine physician
the issues people ask their doctors at the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for
about the most. Doctors even have a Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine.
name for it: ‘tired all the time’, or TATT Exercise also works its magic at the
for short. �e solution isn’t always as cellular level: the mitochondria—the
simple as getting more sleep; nearly a parts of your cells that provide energy
quarter of people who get seven or to your muscles—actually grow more
more hours of rest a night report they powerful and numerous after aerobic
still wake up feeling tired most days exercise, providing a continuous
of the week. source of increased energy.
Here are eight reasons your
energy is low—and what you can do to BECAUSE YOU’RE PUSHING
bring it back: YOURSELF TOO HARD
BECAUSE YOU’RE People who feel overcommitted—
SPENDING TOO MUCH whether from volunteering for one too
TIME ON THE COUCH many causes or shouldering too much
at work or at home—often try to
When you’re feeling sluggish, it can be squeeze in more tasks so they can get
tempting to plop down and binge- everything on their to-do list crossed o�.
watch TV. But doing something active But it might be wiser to take a break.
will actually give you more energy, not “When it comes to optimizing energy
consume the little that you have. In over the long haul, it’s about getting
fact, researchers at the University of into a rhythm of periods of exertion
Georgia found that just 10 minutes of and rest,” says Dane Jensen, CEO of
low- or moderate-intensity exercise �ird Factor, an organization that helps
gave study participants a noticeable companies’ employees perform better
energy boost. under pressure. “In fact, to stay ener-
Starting a regular exercise routine is gized over the course of the day, you
even more bene�cial. In another recent need a 15- to 20-minute break every
study, people who committed to an 90 minutes.”
54 ��
Health
Not all downtime is equal: a 2016 BECAUSE YOU’RE ANXIOUS

study looked at o�ce workers in South
Korea and found that those who looked Anxiety is draining. When you’re
at their smartphones during breaks distressed, your body is on high alert
were signi�cantly less recharged than and produces adrenalin. Your muscles
those who went for a walk or chatted might tighten up, and your brain
with friends. shifts into overdrive to try to work
Jensen suggests choosing breaks through all possible scenarios. �at all
that balance out what’s taxing you. If takes energy—and will leave you
you’ve been working at a computer, feeling tired.
take a walk outside. If you’ve been And right now, the pile-up of global
doing spring cleaning, sit down and crises—political instability and the
call a friend. pandemic being the most notable—is
having a measurable e�ect on many
people’s mental health. One study pub-
THE PILE-UP OF lished in the British Journal of Psychol-
GLOBAL CRISES IS ogy found that participants who
watched a negative news bulletin were
HAVING AN EFFECT more likely than those who watched a
ON PEOPLE’S MENTAL neutral or positive one to feel anxious
HEALTH—AND or sad—and to then feel worse about
their personal problems, too.
ENERGY LEVELS. One antidote to all the bad news is
cultivating your friendships. Scientists
have long known that socializing
For more inspiration, Jensen decreases the risk of developing
suggests considering four categories of mental-health issues like depression,
breaks, based on how they can bene�t and avoiding loneliness also lowers
you: physical (walking or stretching); stress-hormone levels in your body.
cognitive (crossword puzzles or One study from researchers at Arizona
Sudoku); emotional (phoning a loved State University found that university
one); and spiritual (walking in the students who had spent more time
woods or practising a religion). socializing had lower cortisol levels the
“It’s just not enough to say, okay, I’m next day—and they slept better, as well.
going to take a break every once in a Dr Vincent Agyapong, director of the
while,” he explains. “You want to do it Division of Community Psychiatry at
intentionally and spend that time on the University of Alberta, says that his
something that’s actually going to research has demonstrated that nur-
give you energy.” turing relationships is a mood booster.
��.�� 55
�� ’� ��
“Maintaining social contacts is one of anaemia can also occur during preg-
the ways to maintain your mental nancy or stem from gastrointestinal
health,” he says. “It doesn’t necessarily problems such as ulcers or Crohn’s dis-
have to be face to face—it can be via ease. �ese and other less common vita-
social media, telephone call or video min and mineral de�ciencies can all be
conference.” identi�ed with a blood test and treated
All that said, if you think you might with supplements and a change in diet.
have clinical levels of anxiety—for However, Lin warns that supple-
example, if you’re having panic attacks ments and drinks that are advertised as
or completely avoiding doing everyday
tasks—speak to your health-care pro- IF YOU’RE DRAGGING
vider about talk therapy or medication.
YOURSELF THROUGH
BECAUSE YOU’RE EVERYDAY TASKS, YOU
LOW ON VITAMINS MIGHT HAVE SLIPPED
Fatigue is often connected to not hav- INTO DEPRESSION.
ing enough of two key nutrients, says
the Cleveland Clinic’s Lin: iron and
B vitamins. When you don’t get enough energy enhancers can be dangerous. “A
iron in your diet, it can lead to iron- lot of those ‘energy’ supplements are
de�ciency anaemia, which means your laced with ca�eine, ginseng or other
body doesn’t produce enough healthy stimulants at a high dose,” she says. Lin
red blood cells. also cautions that they can cause seri-
“When there are not enough red ous side e�ects, like heart palpitations,
blood cells around, less oxygen gets insomnia and anxiety.
carried to the cells to allow them to
generate energy, which causes fatigue,” BECAUSE YOU’RE
says Lin. People with anaemia might DEPRESSED
also experience shortness of breath,
dizziness and cold hands and feet. If you’re feeling excessively fatigued—
Having a B-vitamin de�ciency, espe- dragging yourself through the normal
cially B12, also a�ects energy levels, tasks of daily living, or are unable to
since vitamin B12 is another key to cre- complete them—it could be a sign that
ating enough red blood cells. Since you’ve slipped into depression.
iron and vitamin B are commonly Some people are genetically predis-
absorbed from red meat and shell�sh, posed to the condition, and others
people who follow a vegetarian or develop it as a result of di�cult cir-
vegan diet are at more risk. But cumstances; rates of depression in the
56 ��
Health
the morning, can help suppress

melatonin, the chemical in your
body that makes you sleepy.
3. Take a few deep breaths

When you’re stressed, it’s natural to
breathe a little bit shallower, which
can decrease the amount of oxygen
that reaches your cells. To counteract
that, try breathing in through your
nose for four seconds, holding your
breath for four seconds, then slowly
60-SECOND FIXES: exhaling for four seconds.
BOOST YOUR ENERGY
IN A MINUTE OR LESS 4. Chew a piece of sugar-free gum
Though it’s not exactly clear why,
1. Pour some peppermint tea numerous studies have shown that
According to a study published in the chewing gum increases alertness. Even
North American Journal of Psychology, before science confirmed it, during the
sniffing peppermint helped reduce fa- First World War, American soldiers
tigue while driving. And researchers were issued gum to help them focus.
have also found that those who drink
peppermint tea are more alert and 5. Sing along to a song
complete mental tasks faster. Listening to music can increase levels
of happy chemicals like serotonin and
2. Open the blinds oxytocin—and belting out lyrics makes
Exposing yourself to natural sunlight, you breathe deeper and take in more
especially right when you wake up in oxygen, boosting your energy.
United States, for example, tripled after pathological for a lot of people.”
the coronavirus arrived, rising from Other symptoms of depression
eight per cent to 28 per cent. include loss of appetite and irritability.
“It’s expected that so much fear and If you’re feeling tired all the time and
uncertainty will increase people’s lev- suspect depression might be to blame,
els of stress, anxiety and depression,” ask your doctor for a mental-health
says Agyapong. “With how long the screening. Talk therapy can help, as
pandemic is going on, it’s becoming can antidepressants.
��.�� 57
�� ’� ��
BECAUSE YOU’RE EATING kinds of foods,” she explains. “And that

AN UNBALANCED DIET cycle can repeat inde�nitely.”
Instead, reach for complex carbs—
We often think about how our diet like whole grains and non-starchy veg-
a�ects our weight, but what you eat has etables—which are more slowly
a large e�ect on your energy levels, too. digested than simple carbs, giving you
When your body digests food, it turns a steady stream of energy. To make
it into glucose, which is then sent by sure you’re getting enough nutrients to
way of your blood to all of your muscles fuel your body, Harbstreet recom-
and organs, including your brain. Our mends trying to get three food groups
blood sugar naturally �uctuates during at every meal and at least two at snacks.
this process, and when it’s low, we can
feel sluggish. BECAUSE YOU’RE
NOT BREATHING
WELL AT NIGHT
SLEEP APNOEA, A
CAUSE OF CHRONIC Before going to the e�ort of changing
FATIGUE, IS ON THE your lifestyle to deal with fatigue, it’s
important to make sure it’s not a symp-
RISE, LIKELY BECAUSE tom of a more serious, undiagnosed
OF GROWING RATES condition. If you’ve been unusually
OF OBESITY. tired for more than a month, ask your
doctor if an underlying problem could
be behind it.
A simple way to keep your blood One common culprit is sleep apnea,
sugar consistent is to eat regularly. “If a condition that causes breathing to
you go more than several hours without start and stop throughout the night.
a meal or snack, that’s probably too long Sleep apnoea a�ects more than 20 per
of a stretch,” says Cara Harbstreet, a cent of Americans—and those num-
Kansas City–based registered dietitian. bers are on the rise, likely because of
Another common error, Harbstreet growing rates of obesity.
says, is eating too many simple carbo- Since sleep apnoea causes su�erers
hydrates—juice, candy bars or white to rouse multiple times a night to keep
bread. �ose can lead to an increase in breathing—often without knowing it—
blood sugar, prompting your body to they don’t get enough deep sleep. �e
produce insulin, which then makes condition, which often comes with
your blood sugar drop. “You get an daytime exhaustion and nighttime
energy spike and then you come crash- snoring, can also lead to other issues,
ing down and eat more of the same including cardiovascular disease and
58 ��
Health
diabetes. If diagnosed, sleep apnoea treated by taking a medication that

can be treated with a machine that contains either natural or synthetic
pushes pressurized air into your nose thyroid chemicals
or mouth during the night to make sure
your airways stay open. A few weeks after her fatigue set in,
Heffernan knew she needed to do
BECAUSE YOUR THYROID something to feel better. Finally, one
IS STRAINED day she decided to drop everything
and go for a walk—something she
Another underlying problem to watch hadn’t done since the pandemic
out for is hypothyroidism, which began. “I just wanted to be by myself,”
a�ects about �ve per cent of the popu- she says. “I needed a break.” When she
lation and almost always includes returned, she felt recharged and
tiredness as a symptom. �e condition decided to make a habit of it.
is caused when your thyroid, a Now, every afternoon, she leaves her
butterfly-shaped gland inside your kids and husband at home, puts on an
neck, produces too few hormones. uplifting podcast and goes for a
“Thyroid hormones control your 45-minute stroll through her neigh-
metabolism, which is like the engine in bourhood. “�e walks really feed me,
your car,” says Lin. “When your engine spiritually, emotionally and physi-
runs too low, the car drives too slowly.” cally,” she says. “I have something to
Along with fatigue, hypothyroidism look forward to every afternoon. I’m in
may also result in weight gain, a better mood. And after putting the
slow movement and speech, and sen- kids to bed, I have the energy to stay
sitivity to cold. �e condition is most up, talk to my husband and have some
common in women over 60 and can be more time for myself.”
Hitting the Road

Most runners run not because
they want to live longer, but because they want
to live life to the fullest.
�� , ��
There is an expression among even the most

advanced runners that getting your shoes on
is the hardest part of any workout.
�� , ��
��.�� 59
�� ’� ��
60 ��
MEMORY ROOM �� ’� ��
My School
Desk—in a Bar
It was an unusual place to raise a child, but the characters this boy
met in his dad’s saloon gave him a master class in life
�� Jeffrey Sabbag
�� Tim Bower ��.�� 61

�� ’� ��
grew up in a bar. When most kids my

age were at the park playing ball or
riding bikes, I was watching old men
shoot pool and play shuffleboard. I
saw a barroom fight before I ever saw
a sporting event on TV. I don’t imag-
ine that Dr Spock’s book on child rear-
ing, which was so popular 50 years
ago, advised exposing children to
dimly lit drinking at an early age.
But lessons can be taught by unlikely
teachers in unusual environments.
All that is needed are instructors with
pure hearts. Clear eyes are optional.
62 ��
Memory Room
My father spent his entire life

serving drinks and bringing cheer to
an eclectic clientele. There were the
white-collar executives who would
stop in to unwind from the day’s
stress. They would bend elbows with
the blue-collar and day labourers
on either side of them. It always
surprised me that they were able to
mingle. Of course, eight ounces of
draft—and/or any liquor splashed
over ice—have a way of helping two
parties find common ground. I would
sit at the last table by the kitchen,
sipping Cokes and eating a bag of
Better Made potato chips with my
twin sister, watching it all.
It was the 1960s version of a reality
show. There was Cran, the school-
teacher, who always said he graded
his sleep-deprived students on an ‘S’
curve, handing out passing grades
even to those who nodded off because
he knew they were making up for the
sleep they lost in their troubled home
My parents owned a neighborhood lives. If the students stayed awake,
bar called the M Ninety-Seven, named they received a B. If they slept through
for a nearby highway, on the corner class, they got a C.
of State Fair and Hoover Avenues in Then there was Big Bill, the tough-
Detroit. Built in the ’30s, it had a long talking policeman who stood six and
wooden bar that was on the right as a half feet tall and weighed just shy of
you walked in. It was curved at the the beer truck he drank daily. Bill was
end, with four-sided lamps, the kind not what you would call politically cor-
you might see in an old movie about rect. In fact, his views on society could
18th-century London, hung low over the be hard to listen to at times. But one
bar every three or four feet. Customers night, he showed that he was all talk.
sat on stools with burnt-orange vinyl While Bill was on patrol, a call came
seat backs or at one of six tables against over the radio about an apartment
the wall. Miller was always on tap. fire just blocks from his location. He
��.�� 63
�� ’� ��
raced his scout car

to the scene, beat-
ing even the fire
crew. The build-
ing was ablaze. He
ran up three flights
of stairs through
smoke and flames
to rescue two
frightened chil-
dren. The burly cop
carried them out in
his arms like each
was a carton of eggs.
The man with an explo-
sive mouth but a keg-sized
heart had saved the day. It is just
too bad that Bill wasn’t at the bar to blessed them with 48 grandchildren
stop the man who ate a full ashtray of and, well, let’s just say several great-
cigarette butts to win a bet! grandchildren. Frank and Eleanor
Without a doubt, the most memo- raised their large brood on his meagre
rable guest of the establishment was salary. But together these two people
a man dubbed the Mayor of State Fair scraped by in the little bungalow that
Avenue. His parents had named him had more bodies than doorknobs.
Frank, but throughout the neighbour- Frank often said, “I don’t have a pot
hood, everyone called him Mr Mayor. to pee in or a window to throw it out
He lived just a rolling beer bottle of.” Still, no matter how much he had
from the back parking lot, and the to drink, he never went to bed without
bar would light up when the Mayor saying a prayer for “the other guy.” He
brought the room to session. He had told me, and his wife confirmed this,
a smooth tongue, smooth enough to that he never once asked the Lord for
talk my teetotaler grandmother into anything for himself. A guy without
hoisting a beer with him. a pot or a window, and with more
Frank was balding and bespecta- mouths to feed than the Brady Bunch,
cled and often wore a cardigan over never thought to slip a request in to
his slim frame. He was retired from have a C-note or two slide under the
his tool-and-die job by the time I got front door to make things a bit easier
to know him. He and his lovely wife, around the old bungalow. Instead,
Eleanor, had nine children, who through bloodshot eyes, Frank prayed
64 ��
Memory Room
for someone else every night of his how people can talk one way and act
life. They could not bottle enough another, even risk their lives, as Big
Kessler whiskey to make him forgo his Bill the cop did, and how it benefits
nightly ritual. us all to pay little attention to what
Years passed, my father died, and people might sometimes say—and
the bar was sold. Like secondhand absolute attention to what they do. A
smoke, the words and the ensemble
from that bar stayed with me.
One day years later, I heard the I HAD A FRONT-ROW
sad news that the Mayor of State Fair SEAT TO THE
Avenue had died. I knew that I had GREATEST SHOW
to go to the funeral home to pay my
respects to the man who had always ON EARTH.
put the other guy first. I was two
decades removed from the little boy
at the back table and now working for man with few worldly goods showed
the post office. The parking lot was me how important it is to care more
full, the streets were lined with cars about another’s burden than your
and the sidewalk was packed with own. The line of people waiting to pay
people waiting to get in the front door. their respects was the proof.
That Sunday afternoon, I couldn’t get I remembered all those old-timers
within two blocks of the funeral home. who would flop down in a chair at my
I stood in line smiling in the summer table to dole out wisdom above the
sun and began reflecting on those din of the jukebox. They often told me
long-ago smoky days when I had a the same thing, that I would get a bet-
front-row seat, at the back table, to the ter education in the bar than I would
greatest show on earth. ever gain from school.
I thought about Cran, the teacher, These men were right. I certainly
who realized that tough circumstances have retained more of the wisdom that
can make it more beneficial to rest a they imparted to me in the barroom
weary head on a book than to have than I ever have from what I learnt in
a nose planted inside it. I pondered a classroom.
Party Foul
To the person who brought multigrain chips to the party—you could
have just said you didn’t want to come.
� A N N I E M U M A RY
��.�� 65
�� I asked. She shrugged, analyzed one too many
in a Day’s “It would be OK if patients could give:
WORK people wouldn’t keep

asking for stuff.”
—��
“Honey, normal is what
people are before you
get to know them.”
—��-��
Our teenage grand- We were dining with my
daughter was thrilled husband’s colleague, a A customer called
when she landed her therapist, who told us our Los Angeles travel
first real job waiting that her seven-year-old agency asking how
tables. But after one daughter had recently much a round-trip
shift, the excitement asked, “Mommy, what’s flight to Hawaii would
��
seemed to have waned. normal?” Our friend cost. Evidently, she

“How do you like gave a response that didn’t care for the price
being a waitress?” only a mother who’s I quoted her, because
66 ��

�� ’� ��
I can’t believe Zoom gives away THE OFFICE-
their best feature, limiting meetings LINGO-TO-ENGLISH
to 40 minutes, for free. DICTIONARY
—�� , founder of ��.��
�� :
��
the next thing she asked on the foot of a com- The disgusting buildup
of dirt and crud found
was, “How far is it if we plaining patron.
on computer keyboards.
decide to drive?” —��_��_��
—�� I work construction. �� :
We had two new hires The online, wired
generation’s answer
At a mall in Brooklyn, who were friends.
to the couch potato.
I watched as a gentle- Boss told one to take a
man was approached coffee order and come �� :
by a kiosk vendor. back. He took every- A person who seems to
“Excuse me,” said one’s money and said thrive on being stressed
out and whiny.
the vendor, “can I ask he needed his friend
you a question?” to go with him because �� :
The gentleman it was a big order. They Someone who takes
smiled as he replied, never came back. training classes just
to get a vacation from
“You just did,” and —��
his or her job.
kept right on walking.
—�� I called my local sec- �� :
ond-hand bookstore Hacker slang for printed
Reddit.com contributors to ask when it opens. documentation.
remember colleagues The owner said, “Usu- �� :
who got axed fast. ally it’s 11, but I’m in A euphemism for
��Guy slept through two the middle of a lovers’ being fired.
�Berkeley.edu
meetings on his first quarrel, so today it’s
day. The second meet- more like 12.”
ing, he started snoring. — @��
��
—��
��As a teenager, I
worked at a bowling
Reader’s Digest will pay
alley. Within an hour for your funny anecdote
of starting, a new girl or photo in any of our
was fired on the spot for to the editorial address, or
dropping a ball email: [email protected]
��.�� 67

CLASSIC DRAMA IN REAL LIFE
UNDERWATER
NIGHTMARE
It seemed impossible that anyone could
be left alive. But an inner voice kept
telling Nico that there was hope
�� Christopher Matthews
68 ��
�� ’� ��
�� Federico Gastaldi ��.�� 69

T
�� ’� ��
he handsome 30-foot-long cabin cruiser

bobbed at anchor in the crystal-blue water of the
Adriatic, about 180 metres off the southern Italian
coast. “You’ll see, it’s an incredible sight,” Antonio
Giovine was telling his German friend Horst Hartmann.
The day before, Antonio had gone scuba diving off the
small coastal village of Polignano a Mare where they
were vacationing. In an underwater passage in the reef,
he had found a cave where fresh and saltwater mixed,
creating strange optical effects.
On board the boat with Antonio and bringing his underwater camera and
Horst was a group of relatives and a flashlight. It was 3:30 on a beautiful
friends, including Luciano, Antonio’s August afternoon.
brother and the owner of the boat. “Okay, let’s go!” Antonio shouted,
Horst, a cheerful airport employee flipping backwards over the side. With
from Frankfurt, Germany, and Antonio, Antonio in the lead, the four divers
both 27 years old, had been friends moved parallel to the reef for almost
for years and often spent holidays half an hour, while Antonio searched
together. Both shared a passion for for a gap. He was about to give up
scuba diving. Antonio was self-taught, when he found it and signalled the
while Horst had completed a diploma others to follow. Now they’d been
course back home. underwater for 45 minutes. Horst and
Luciano and Antonio had double his friend were already using their
air tanks, holding around 100 minutes emergency air supplies.
of breathing time. Horst and a German Antonio pointed to the tunnel as
friend had only one tank, or 50 min- if to ask, “Are you going in?” Horst’s
utes’ worth of air. But since they would friend shook his head and motioned
dive no deeper than 30 feet, it was more he was going back to the boat. Luciano
than enough to take a quick look at the would go with him. But Horst nodded
cave and get back to the boat. Horst was enthusiastically. Antonio hesitated, but
70 ��
Classic Drama In Real Life
decided there was no problem. The divers, one exhaling while the other
cave was only a few metres inside the breathes in. He must be out of air,
tunnel. It would take his friend little Antonio thought. He opened his mouth
time to reach it, shoot a couple of to release the hose, but Horst, in his
pictures and resurface. frenzy, knocked Antonio’s mask off. Un-
Antonio remained below, and able to see or breathe, his lungs almost
watched Horst approach the cave bursting, Antonio turned to his last
entrance and switch on his flashlight. resort: sucking the air directly from his
Then, with a thumbs-up sign to his reserve tank.
friend, he slid into the inky darkness. On the verge of blacking out,
As the minutes went by, Antonio Antonio wriggled out of his backpack
started to feel a hard ball of tension in harness and opened the tap on the
his stomach. Horst is sure taking his tank. A jet of air geysered out. He tried
time, he thought. What on earth is he to inhale it but coughed on a mixture
doing? Has he forgotten he is on reserve? of air and water. The regulator’s outlet
Then: Something’s wrong! valve must have gotten fouled.
HE HAD TAKEN A WRONG TURN AND

WAS TRAPPED. HE COULD ONLY WAIT FOR DEATH.
ANTONIO STARTED TO SCREAM.
Kicking out with his fins, Antonio Antonio pulled on his air hose,
started into the hole. Just then he and it came back. He inserted the
caught a glimmer of light ahead. It grew mouthpiece but immediately started
stronger. It was Horst. coughing again. He couldn’t last much
Thank God ... Antonio started longer. Where is Horst? He prayed his
to think but stopped in mid-thought. friend had made a breath-held dash
Horst was only three or four metres for the surface.
away, but the flashlight beam Paddling through the muddy water,
was dancing erratically. There is his backpack clutched to his chest,
something wrong! Antonio found Horst’s flashlight, lying
Before he knew it, the German was on the bottom, and picked it up. Ahead
on Antonio, grabbing for his air hose, the tunnel floor sloped gently upwards.
trying to pry it from his mouth. Instinc- It had to be the way out. His legs
tively Antonio tried to pull away. Then thrashing, Antonio made for the exit.
he realized Horst wanted to share his Any moment he would see daylight.
air. It’s called buddy-breathing—one The tunnel began climbing almost
mouthpiece is passed between two vertically. Antonio sucked hard on the
��.�� 71
�� ’� ��
mouthpiece, but there was nothing water and the lack of help. Too risky.
left. He dropped the useless tanks and Nico Fumai, chief frogman with
swam for the exit with his last strength. the Bari Fire Brigade, was at home on
Antonio’s head broke the surface, his way to bed at 11:30 p.m. when the
and he gulped huge breaths of air phone rang. It was headquarters call-
into his burning lungs. But where was ing: “Did you hear what happened out
the bright blue summer sky? Looking at Polignano? “ the duty officer asked.
up, he saw only solid rock. The space “Yes,” Nico answered, “I got it on the
around his head was not much larger radio link.”
than an upside-down washbasin. He’d “We need your help,” the officer
taken a wrong turn and emerged in a told him.
tiny air pocket in the reef. Without air “No problem,” he replied.
tanks, he was trapped. He could only He called his three other dive team
wait for death. He started to scream members. “Rendezvous tomorrow
and went on screaming until he had morning at 5:30 am,” he told them.
no voice left. At his kitchen table, Nico began
planning the next morning’s opera-
A
� �� passed and An- tions. The muscular 45-year-old vet-
tonio and Horst failed surface, eran diver knew that hasty preparation
Luciano knew he had to get help. could be fatal. He had had narrow
He swam back to the boat and used his escapes from death in the past. Each
cell phone to call the nearest rescue time, though, training and a cool head
squad, the fire brigade in Taranto, some had saved him.
64 kilometres away . The thought that now entered Nico’s
Shortly after 6:30 p.m., Taranto’s mind struck him with the force of a fall-
head diver, 52-year-old Cataldo Pala- ing brick. Who said there’s a corpse in-
dino, entered the tunnel. Twenty-five side the tunnel? That guy may be alive!
feet inside, his heart missed a beat as He called his team again. “Rendez-
the beam of his flashlight caught a dark vous an hour earlier, at 4:30.”
shape floating against the roof of the By 6:41 on Sunday, Nico’s team was
passageway. It was Horst. He was dead. positioned outside the tunnel on board
Cataldo, used all his strength to push a 20-foot inflatable dinghy. Nico was
and pull the body out of the tunnel. He suited up and ready to dive. He had
knew two men had entered the reef, connected two air hoses to his twin
and his years of experience told him tanks, so two people could breathe off
the other diver, lost even further in the them. His deputy would stay at the cave
maze, must be dead too. He considered entrance and pay out the lifeline tied to
going back in but decided against it be- his waist. As always before a dive, Nico
cause of the incoming dark, the muddy prayed. Then he went overboard.
72 ��
A
�� ‘��’ he was drown- glinting on the tunnel floor. A diver’s
ing. Then he forced himself awake mask. I’m on the right track, Nico
to find he was gagging: his throat thought, pocketing the mask. Then he
was full of water. His head must have found Horst’s camera caught under a
slipped underwater when he dozed ledge. Getting closer.
off. He couldn’t feel his limbs anymore. The tunnel started climbing. He
The cold was taking over his body. I’m should be more than 18 metres into the
dying, he thought. He was too tired to reef, he judged. The walls around him
feel scared. Dying was like turning off a now widened, and he found himself in-
computer, he decided. You switch it off, side a narrow chamber. What his flash-
and the screen goes blank. No reason to light beam showed next stunned Nico.
be frightened. Dangling between two massive
Nico turned on his flashlight and rocks above him was a pair of pale legs
entered the tunnel. Three metres, four. wearing black fins. And one of the legs
A fork ahead. He caught his breath. was moving! When Nico reached out to
From a hole in the rock to the right, a touch it, a hand came down and closed
huge, shining black eye stared at him. around his left wrist.
A conger eel. He tugged the rope twice Nico knew the young man must be
to let his deputy know everything was kept from panicking. Gently he passed
okay and, keeping his gaze fixed on the the mouthpiece of his reserve regulator
eel, cautiously advanced down the first up over his head, through the surface
right fork. Ahead there was something of the water to where Antonio’s face
��.�� 73
�� ’� ��
must be. He heard him take a couple they had to move like Siamese twins.
of breaths before handing the air hose Finally, they came to the eel, which sur-
back down. Antonio is trying to buddy- veyed them from its den. Seconds later
breathe with me, Nico realized. How in- they were out in the blue-grey light of
credible that, after 17 hours in this hole, the open sea.
he is still lucid! “He’s alive! He’s alive!” Nico
Nico had to show Antonio he could screamed as they broke the surface.
keep the hose. He took the mouthpiece “Get some warm clothes.” The frogmen
out of his own mouth and, holding this lifted Antonio’s limp body from the wa-
and the reserve, passed them both up. ter and radioed for an ambulance. As
This time Antonio kept one hose and they waited, the men rubbed and mas-
handed back the other. Pulling on An- saged Antonio. “You can’t die now,”
tonio’s arm, Nico coaxed him under- Nico told him. “You’ve got to live.”
water. Now he saw the young man‘s At the closest hospital, Antonio was
face: pale, boyish features with a stub- treated for exposure, exhaustion and
bly beard and flowing, shoulder-length an oedema caused by near drown-
hair. Antonio shook his head, his eyes ing. Doctors said he would not have
ANTONIO HADN'T THE STRENGTH TO SWIM,

SO NICO PUSHED HIM ALONG, TOWARDS THE EXIT.
wide with terror, and retreated back to survived more than another hour in
the surface. Nico understood. Antonio the cave—hypothermia would have
wouldn’t submerge unless he could see stopped his heart. When Nico finally
where he was going. Luckily there was climbed back into his van to head
the mask he’d found. He handed it up. home, he doubled up, sobbing. He felt
Antonio put it on and returned under he had taken part in a miracle. Some-
the surface. how an unseen hand that had guided
Nico slipped the guide rope into An- Antonio to a tiny air pocket had guided
tonio’s hand and pushed him headfirst him there too. Where he should have
into the tunnel. Antonio hadn’t enough found death, he had met life.
strength to swim, so Nico had to keep
pushing him from behind, checking at On 13 September 1992, Nico Fumai and
the same time that he was still breath- his men were awarded the prestigious
ing. The guide rope stayed taut as, out- international ‘Captain Courageous
side the tunnel, his deputy picked up prize for bravery at sea. This article
the slack. They made agonizingly slow originally appeared in the June 1994
progress. Linked to the same tanks, edition of Reader’s Digest.
74 ��
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READER’S
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Trusted Brand Special Supplement 2021
INTRODUCTION
The Brands We Trust

R eader’s Digest launched Trusted
Brand in 1998, as a way to uncover
India’s most trustworthy brands
with the help of its readers. Honouring
excellence and quality, the Reader’s
Digest Trusted Brand awards are now a
benchmark in the Indian marketplace.
Our winners have built a longstanding
relationship with consumers, allowing
them to stay relevant in a mercurial
market and obtain the seal of
customer approval.
For the past 23 years, consumers
have picked their favourite brands The Reader’s Digest Trusted Brand
across segments and categories, award continues to serve as a buyer’s
sharing with us the factors that guide to the Indian consumer, allowing
influence their purchases, including them to make decisions regarding their
value for money, consistent quality, product choice by enlisting only those
innovation and excellent customer brands that have kept and maintained
service. These years of research allow the trust and loyalty of a discerning
us to confidently dissect the qualities public for several years.
that top brands embody as well as The following pages contain some of
measure brand performance against India’s most trusted and best-loved
the yardstick of customer approval and brands. Our winners have continued to
satisfaction. This is particularly useful stay in step with changing consumer
in India’s ever evolving market, where needs and have become wonderful
the customer is spoilt for choice. success stories over the years. �
READER’S
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DIGEST | JUNE
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METHODOLOGY
How We Conducted the Survey

F or the last 23 years the annual
Reader’s Digest Trusted Brand
survey has showcased Asia’s most
trusted brands. 2021 marks the 16th
edition of the survey in India.
Conducted in collaboration with Ipsos,
one of the world’s largest market
research companies, the survey has
established itself as a premier
consumer-based, international
measure of brand preference.
A representative sample of 3,750
people across 17 cities were surveyed
online. Respondents were asked to
name their most trusted brands across
44 categories. The participants were
then requested to select ‘Most Trusted reflect the population distribution of
Brand’ out of the ones given and further the respondents.
rate their choice of ‘Most Trusted The results of the 2021 Reader’s
Brand’ on a predefined list of attributes Digest Trusted Brand survey aims to
on a scale of 1 to 5. To ascertain the accurately reflect consumer
Trusted Brand winners, the composite preferences, and identify and award
scores for each brand were arrived brands that have earned the seal of
at through the collation of the stated consumer approval by maintaining
and derived scores. For statistical brand excellence and the highest level
accuracy, the data was weighted to of quality and integrity. �

ADVERTISING FEATURE
2021
ALL BRANDS LISTED HERE ARE IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
AUTOMOBILES
CATEGORY BRAN D
CASTR O L
GULF O I L
HP
LUBRICANTS
MAK BHA R AT
PETROLE U M
SERVO
BHARAT PET R O L E U M
HP
PETROL STATIONS INDIAN O I L
RELIAN C E
SHEL L

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2021
SERVO: India’s Most Preferred

Lubricant Brand
S ERVO is India’s biggest lubricant brand
with a turnover of nearly `8000 crores
and a market share in excess of 27% in the
Finished Lubes segment. Launched in 1972,
SERVO boasts of 5300 lubricant and grease
formulations and 1600 commercial grades shops. ‘Gramin SERVO Stockists’ and tie-
of lubricants. It is no surprise that it has ups with leading e-commerce platforms
earned the coveted ‘Superbrand’ status. like Amazon & Flipkart have ensured that
SERVO serves as a one-stop shop for SERVO has a dominating presence—physi-
complete lubrication solutions in the auto- cal as well as online—in all cities, towns
motive, industrial and marine segments. It and the rural hinterland of India. SERVO
has made inroads into the highly competi- plays a crucial role in powering India—sup-
tive global markets, with a presence in plying lubricants to meet the requirements
over 30 countries across South-East Asia, of core industrial sectors of India like rail-
Middle East, Africa and neighbouring ways, cement, coal, steel, power, marine,
countries like Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri fertilizers and defence. SERVO lubricants
Lanka. Formulated at IndianOil’s world- have serviced the requirements of these
class R&D Centre with its cutting-edge core sectors for five decades now.
technology, these high quality grades con- Backed by a dedicated team of expert
form to global standards. technical service engineers offering on-site
The SERVO range of lubricants is avail- lube-related consultancy and value-added
able across the country through various services, extensive knowledge of processes
retail channels including SERVOXPRESS and the state-of-the-art infrastructure, the
stations, IndianOil fuel stations, Bazaar SERVO team is always ready to provide
outlets and thousands of auto spare parts solutions for just about anything! �

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2021
CONSUMER DURABLES
CATEGORY BRAND
BAJAJ
CROMPTO N
FANS HAVELL S
ORIENT
USHA
BAJAJ
CROMPTO N
LIGHTING HAVELL S
PHILIPS
SYSKA
AQUAGUARD–E U R E K A
FORBES
BLUE STA R
WATER
HAVELL S
PURIFIERS
KENT
PUREIT

ADVERTISING FEATURE
2021
CONSUMER ELECTRONICS
CATEGORY BRAN D
ACER
APPL E
COMPUTERS DELL
HP
LENOV O

ADVERTISING FEATURE
2021
FINANCIAL SERVICES
CATEGORY BRAND
BANK OF BA R O D A
BANK OF IN D I A
BANKS
CENTRAL BANK O F I N D I A
(NATIONALIZED)
PUNJAB NATION A L B A N K
STATE BANK O F I N D I A
AXIS BAN K
HDFC BA N K
BANKS ICICI BAN K

(PRIVATE)
IDBI BAN K
KOTAK MAH I N D R A

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FINANCIAL SERVICES
CATEGORY BRAN D
AXIS
HDFC
CREDIT CARDS
ICICI
(INDIAN BANKS)
KOTAK
SBI CA R D
BAJAJ ALL I A N Z
HDFC L I F E
INSURANCE ICICI PRUDE N T I A L
(L IFE)
LIC
SBI LIF E
AXIS
HDFC
MUTUAL ICICI PRUDE N T I A L

FUNDS
SBI
TATA

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2021
SBI CARD: Riding High On

Innovation And Customer
Centricity; Making Life Simple!
T oday, with a base of over 11 million
cards in force, SBI Card is India’s
largest pure play credit card player.
terminals. Such initiatives make the
payment process simple, seamless, secure
and hygienic, as is the need of the hour.
Product portfolio, technology and SBI Card is redefining the user
customer centricity are the main factors experience, by innovating and using the
for the brand, ‘SBI Card’. power of Artificial Intelligence, Machine
SBI Card, as an adaptive and agile Learning, Robotics Process Automation,
organization, has played a key role in the besides varied digital tools. Technology
transformation of credit cards as a has been meticulously deployed to
ubiquitous digital payment instrument. digitize the customer journey at every
SBI Card has ensured that all its step, for instance, VKYC for on-boarding,
customers have a contactless card. AskILA chatbot to address varied queries,
Customers can use SBI Card Pay to create highly rated mobile app, websites for
a virtual version of the physical credit self-servicing and cutting-edge IVR for
card on their mobile and simply use it to hassle free on-call resolutions.
‘tap and pay’ on NFC-enabled PoS Accepting the Readers’ Digest award,
Mr Rama Mohan Rao Amara, MD & CEO,
SBI Card, said, “My thanks to the Reader’s
Digest audience for their continued trust.
Being conferred with the award for the
10th consecutive year is a validation of our
customer centric focus. We stay committed
and will continue to make focused efforts
to delight our valued customers”. �

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2021
FOOD AND BEVERAGES

CATEGORY BRAND
FORTUN E
NUTREL A
COOKING OILS PATANJA L I
SAFFOL A
SUNDRO P
FROOT I
MAAZA
PACKAGED JUICES PAPER BO AT
REAL
TROPICAN A

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ADVERTISING FEATURE
2021
HEALTH & PERSONAL CARE

CATEGORY BRAND
DOVE
LAKME
COSMETICS L'OREA L
NIVEA
PONDS
BOOST
BOURNVI TA
HEALTH DRINKS COMPLA N
HORLICK S
PROTINE X

ADVERTISING FEATURE
2021
HEALTH & PERSONAL CARE

CATEGORY BRAN D
AMWAY
DABU R
HEALTH
HIMAL AYA
SUPPLEMENTS
PATANJ A L I
ZAND U
COLGAT E
DABUR R E D
TOOTHPASTE ORAL - B
PEPSOD E N T
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2021
HOME IMPROVEMENT
CATEGORY BRAND
CERA
HINDWA R E
JAQUA R
BATH FITTINGS
JOHNSO N
KOHLE R
ROCA PARRY WA R E
ANCHO R
HAVELL S
ELECTRICAL ORIENT
SWIT CHES
POLYCA B
WIPRO
BOSCH
BUTTERF LY
KITCHEN FABER
CHIMNEYS
HINDWA R E
SUNFLAM E

ADVERTISING FEATURE
2021
Johnson Bathrooms: Leader In

Aesthetics And Quality
H & R Johnson (India) a division of
Prism Johnson Limited was
established in 1958. A pioneer of ceramic
tiles in India, the brand expanded its
offerings over the last 63 years adding
Sanitaryware, Faucets, Wellness products, latest introductions is Johnson
Cabinets and Engineered Marble & Quartz. International, a premium range of
The Johnson Bath Division started exquisite Faucets & Sanitaryware designed
operations in 1998 with Milano as their and developed in-house at Johnson’s
brand. Milano was the first to introduce manufacturing facility. Some of the unique
Instant Showers, Shower Panels and Bath features of the Johnson International range
Enclosures in India. Following its success include Water-Saving Technology—all
with showering units, the company Faucets come with International Grade
expanded its product range. This led to a aerators that reduce water consumption. It
change in the brand’s positioning and it also has 4D–360 Degree Flushing, a new
was renamed Johnson Bathrooms—a mechanism that creates a powerful swirl
complete bathroom solutions provider. for efficient flushing, Rim-free Toilets that
Johnson Bathrooms over the past decade are easy to clean and prevent germ
has grown immensely and now offers a build-up, a Smooth Zircon Opacified glaze
comprehensive range of Sanitaryware, that resists the build-up of stains due to
Faucets and Wellness products. usage, Durashine chrome plating on
One of Johnson’s innovative solutions is faucets for a long-lasting dazzle finish and
the introduction of Germ-free Faucets with Tilting aerators that enable
Sanitaryware that helps maintain hygiene controlled flow of water by simply
and health of customers. And one of its adjusting the aerator. �

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2021
HOME IMPROVEMENT
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SERVICES
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107
ADVERTISING FEATURE
2021
Fenesta: Innovation, Passion,

Perseverance Driven by Legacy
E stablished in 1889 as a family-owned
business, DCM Shriram Ltd., is now
a global conglomerate with diverse
health and wellness. The change has
won a million hearts. Fenesta raises a
toast to celebrate 18 years of innova-
business interests. Fenesta is one among tion, customer love, and success!
the several innovative ventures of this Traditionally, most homeowners
` 8,308 crore company. would spend time and money on a se-
A lot has changed in Indian homes lection of sanitaryware to kitchen ame-
since Fenesta forayed into the market nities, but windows were always an
18 years ago with ready-to-install Win- afterthought. Windows and doors were
dows and Doors. Moving beyond mar- handmade and no carpenter could
ket and sales competitions, it has guarantee their quality and perfor-
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profound makeover in people’s life- dia, it did not replicate European tech-
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the aesthetics of wood and the durability the safety of their homes. The brand en-
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2021
Johnson Tiles: Offering

‘Smart’ Solutions
E stablished in England in 1901,
Johnson Tiles came to India in 1958.
Today, H & R Johnson (India) is one of
India’s leading names in tiles,
sanitaryware, bath fittings and The other tiles in the SMART category
engineered marble & quartz. include Solar Reflective tiles which
Tiles from H & R Johnson are creations lowers room temperature thereby
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is transforming the tiling industry with reduces the risk of fire or explosion,
their unique offering of SMART Tiles. Tactile—warning and directional tiles for
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first range of Antimicrobial tiles back in Another addition to the Johnson portfolio
2009. This range of wall and floor tiles are is Stepping Stone, a range of ready-to-use
infused with the brand’s patented, non- staircase solutions.
toxic Germ-Free technology which is Many of Johnson’s tile collections are
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Johnson’s R&D wing, Industrial Products make an environmentally-conscious
& Natural Resources (IPNR), approved by choice. Johnson’s focus on innovation has
the Department of Scientific and earned the brand awards such as the
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India, has driven several such innovations Innovative Product Awards and Brand of
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ADVERTISING FEATURE
2021
Blue Dart: The Nation’s Trade

Facilitator BALFOUR
MANUEL,
Managing
B lue Dart, a Made in India brand,

continues to reign as South Asia’s
premier express air & integrated trans-
Director,
Blue Dart
portation and distribution company.

Part of the DPDHL Group’s DHL eCom-
merce Solutions division, Blue Dart
drives its market leadership through its gon, carrying COVID-relief aid. The
passionate Blue Darters, cutting-edge brand has formed Blue Dart Med-Ex-
technology, a wide range of vertical- press Consortium to operate experi-
specific products and value-added ser- mental Drone Flights for delivery of
vices. Blue Dart’s network stretches critical medical supplies in Telangana.
across 35,000 locations in 220 coun- Balfour Manuel, Managing Director,
tries and territories worldwide. Blue Dart says, “We are all surrounded
As the national lockdown was im- by challenging times where TRUST
posed, Blue Dart leveraged its extensive plays a very important role. The fact
ground network and market differen- that Blue Dart has been recognized as a
tiator fleet of six Boeing 757-200 freight- Trusted Brand for the 15th year is a
ers to ensure supply chain and business matter of pride. We follow a simple
continuity. As part of the government’s approach based on our ‘People First’
‘Lifeline Udan’ initiative, Blue Dart air- philosophy and customer centricity.
crafts were operated to Guangzhou, Happy Blue Darters translates to happy
Shanghai, Hong Kong, Dhaka and Yan- customers and this has helped us to
continue to be an Employer of Choice, a
Provider of Choice and the most trusted
Investment of Choice.” �

ADVERTISING FEATURE
2021
CONCLUSION
Fostering Relationships Built on Trust

S uccessful brands are not built
overnight. Great brands go beyond
marketing blitzkriegs—they walk that
their ethos intact. The Trusted Brand
Award 2021 winners have not only me-
ticulously adapted to the changing
extra mile in order to establish a loyal marketplace, but have also been able to
consumer base and add new patrons continuously deliver on
into the fold by ensuring that their consumer satisfaction, product quality,
products and services meet the innovative product range and versa-
highest quality and reliability tility, while also providing the
standards. They also hold consumer with a positive,
steadfast to their core wholesome experience.
principles and Consumer trust is
continue to evolve hard to win and
and innovate in harder still to main-
order to meet the tain. The best brands
high expectations of understand the value
the modern-day of this trust and know
Indian consumer. that a satisfied, happy
Over the years, as customer is key to a suc-
traditional marketplaces cessful business. The
have given way to newer Trusted Brand Award 2021 win-
platforms, consumer needs and de- ners believe that ensuring consumer
mands have evolved alongside it. The satisfaction converts consumers into
altered market landscape has ushered loyal brand champions. The Indian con-
in fresh challenges along with a host of sumer looks not only for the best bar-
new opportunities. Brands need to tap gain, but at how a brand enriches their
into the potential of this rapidly chang- life in a holistic way. This is what makes
ing market environment while keeping a Readers Digest Trusted Brand. �

�� ’� ��
AS KIDS SEE IT
“Are you sure I’m not allergic to broccoli and Brussels sprouts?
Maybe you should check again.”
During the pandemic, The older sister One day, my seven-year-

my two granddaugh- paused, then said, old was staring at my face.
ters—six and eight years “Spell ‘mosquito’.” Me: What is it, sweetie?
old—were being home- —�� My seven-year-old: Is my
schooled by their mom. nose weird, too?
One day, the eight-year- There is no stronger act- � �THISONESAYZ
old had a spelling bee ing performance than a
with her sister. “Spell kid who pretended to fall Reader’s Digest will pay
CON A N D E VR I E S
‘elephant’,” the older asleep in the car so they for your funny anecdote
one said. “Let her spell could be carried into the or photo in any of our
small animals, not big house by their parents. to the editorial address, or
ones,” said her mom. — @��_�� email: [email protected]
��.�� 115
�� ’� ��
116 ��

INSPIRATION
He
Trots
Air
T H E
He r
s.
rh e a
ors 5 y
e ha r 2
No f o
d s ta y
ed by her s i d e
g o
w it h i m
w a s t i m e to l et
�� Pam Houston
�� OUTSIDE
��.�� 117
�� ’� ��
I
� �� of 2019, I put my violent household, so my tempera-
old roan horse in the ground. But ment ran a little closer to Deseo’s. I
there’s way more to the story than counted on Roany to keep the whole
that. Thirty-nine years on the barnyard calm, not just Deseo and the
planet, 25 of those with me. mini donkeys but also the ewes and
The first thing I noticed about lambs, the recalcitrant rams, the age-
Roany was that he had a kind eye; ing chickens and me.
the second was his size—just un- I called Roany “the horse of a differ-
der 17 hands (five foot eight) at the ent colour.” In the dead of winter, he was
shoulder. The cowboy from Santa Fe, burgundy wine with tiny white flecks. In
New Mexico, who sold him didn’t tell March, he would shed to a dappled grey
me much apart from his age, which with rust highlights. By midsummer he
��, �� : �� . ��
likely had a year or two shaved off. was red again, but not such a rich red as
Within days, I came to understand
Roany’s intensely good nature. Each ROANY BLEW BUBBLES
morning when I went out to feed him,
he greeted me with a just-happy-to-
IN HIS WATER BUCKET
be-here chortle. BECAUSE HE KNEW IT
He was as solid a trail horse as I’ve MADE ME LAUGH.
ever ridden, never flinching in strong
winds, or while crossing water, or
when mule deer twins who’d been in wintertime. And when his heavy coat
stashed by their mother in some wil- grew back in October, he was solid grey
lows leaped in front of him. He was so for most of a month.
bombproof that the county search- For two and a half decades at
and-rescue team enlisted his help a the ranch, Roany’s coat marked the
few times a year to find and deliver a changing of the seasons. I stopped
wayward hiker. riding him when he turned 33, be-
I bought Roany the same year cause I thought he deserved a lengthy
I moved to a ranch in Creede, retirement, though he stayed well
Colorado, because Deseo, my other muscled and strong until a few
horse, was deciding that Colorado was months before his death.
the scariest place he’d ever been. First He had a bout of lameness in April
off, there was snow—a whole lot of it. and a longer one in May. By late June,
The predator-to-livestock ratio was he was limping more often than not.
not to his liking, and the pasture was When Dr. Howard came for a ranch
surrounded by 100-foot spruce trees call, he said, “There’s a number
that often sang in the wind. associated with this lameness, Pam,
I grew up in an unpredictably and it’s 39.”
118 ��

Roany’s coat marked the changing of the seasons: burgundy with white flecks in the
dead of winter, dappled gray in the spring, and red again in summer.
I
�� there are to do: and named it Roany’s golf course.
supplements, an ice boot, DMSO gel He had some good days there, but
to reduce swelling, Adequan shots, mostly he hung around the corral.
even phenylbutazone on the most The downside of Roany having the
painful days. We’d had very little snow best head on his shoulders of any ani-
and no spring rain, and for the first mal I’d ever owned was that he never
time in my tenure the pasture stayed got the bulk of my attention. But that
��
dormant all summer, the ground extra summer, between me, my fiancé,
hard on sore hooves. Mike; and my ranch helpers, Kyle and
Roany loved nothing more than Emma, he hardly had a moment’s
the return of the spring grass, and peace. We iced his legs and groomed
it seemed radically unfair that in him twice daily, mixed canola oil into
what was looking to be his last year, his grain to help keep weight on him,
there wouldn’t be any. I watered, and hugged him constantly.
daily, a thin strip of ground between He seemed bemused, maybe even
the corral and the chicken coop touched, by all the attention. Every
��.�� 119
�� ’� ��
time we set the water in front of him, sneak into the barn to get at the win-
he took a giant drink, and I suspect it ter’s stash of alfalfa. He blew bubbles
was more for our sake than his. One in his water bucket because it made
day, Kyle, not knowing I was out there, me laugh, and he would sometimes
set a bucket down next to Roany not even give himself a bird bath by
three minutes after he had drunk splashing his still-mighty head.
three fourths of a fresh bucket for me. I also knew that just because he
Roany looked at Kyle for a minute, could handle the discomfort didn’t
glanced over at me, then lowered his mean he should. He had been so
head to drink again. strong so recently, a force of nature
My biggest fear was that he would thundering back and forth across the
fall and break something during one pasture. There was no chance I was
of the weeks I was away from the going to ask him to make another
ranch and would have to be put down winter, but as long as he was hobbling
immediately. This was accompanied to his golf course and chortling to me
by a lesser but still palpable fear that each morning, it seemed too early to
the same thing would happen on a end his life.
day when I was there all alone.
T
As his condition deteriorated, I �� , I was getting
worried that we would pass the point ready to marry Mike, a US Forest
when we could ask him to walk far Service lifer who was teaching
enough across the pasture to a burial me, in my 56th year, what it meant
site where his grave wouldn’t invite for a man to show up in a relation-
trouble to the remaining animals who ship. More than one of my friends
lived in and around the barn. suggested that Roany had held on so
I had made difficult decisions a long to deliver me safely to Mike, and
dozen times in my life with beloved I had no reason to argue.
dogs, but the length of a horse’s life Among Mike’s other gifts is a deep
and the sheer size of its body made intuition about the suffering of peo-
the timing even trickier. I knew I ple and animals, so I paid attention
didn’t want Roany rendered with a when he said, on a Monday night in
chainsaw. I knew that if we had to mid-August less than two weeks be-
drag his body across the pasture before the wedding, “This is entirely
hind a piece of heavy equipment, it your decision, but if you want to put
would tear him all to hell. Roany down this week, I could take
Roany was stoicism defined. As Wednesday afternoon off.”
his condition worsened, he learned I was not surprised, on Tuesday
to pivot on his good front leg—and morning, to see a slight downturn in
would, for an apple or a carrot or to Roany’s condition. He ate his food,
120 ��

Inspiration
drank his water, stood for his treat- that after all these weeks of suffering
ments, but there was something a he was miraculously cured. Then I
little lost in that kind eye, in the way heard Deseo’s high whinny. My hot-
he held his body up over his ach- blooded alarmist, my early-warning
ing feet. I called Doc and made the system, my tsunami siren. Deseo skid-
appointment for Wednesday after- ded to a stop in front of me and butted
noon, with the caveat that I could his head against my chest, seeming to
cancel if Roany’s condition improved say: About time you got here.
or I lost my nerve. The flashlight batteries were already
By Tuesday night, Roany was sway- dying, but my eyes were adjusting to
ing just slightly over his feet. He ate the dark. I started out across the pas-
his gruel of Equine Senior horse food, ture with Deseo beside me, heading
bute powder and oil, but with a little for one of Roany’s favorite spots—the
less enthusiasm than usual. I went out wetland (though dry this year) at the
back of the property. When I turned
at the quarter pole, Deseo whinnied
“IF YOU WANT TO PUT again: Not that way, human. By this
ROANY DOWN,” MIKE time, Mike was crossing the pasture to
SAID, “I COULD TAKE meet me. Deseo whinnied again, and
we followed him to another favorite
WEDNESDAY OFF.” spot—a shady stand of blue spruce at
the base of the hill where the ranch’s
original homesteaders are buried. It
to check on him at 8 p.m. and then at was the first time since last summer
10 p.m. The moon was bright and the that Roany had been out that far.
coyotes were singing; there was a tinge He was still standing when I got
in the air that suggested a light morn- there. But the minute he saw me, he
ing frost. Even by moonlight I could see went to the ground with relief. He
that Roany was holding his body like he curled up like a fawn, and I could hear
didn’t feel right inside of it. that his breathing wasn’t right. Mike
I woke at 4:30 a.m. with the kind of and I sat beside him and petted his
start that always means something has handsome neck.
happened. The moon had set by then, Above us, stragglers from the Per-
so I grabbed a flashlight and rushed seid meteor shower, which had peaked
to the corral, but Roany wasn’t there, over the weekend, streaked the black-
nor on his golf course, nor in the yard. ness. Pegasus, the biggest horse of
I called his name and heard hoof- all, galloped across the sky, carrying
beats coming hard across the pasture. Princess Andromeda away from her
I allowed myself to indulge the fantasy mother, Queen Cassiopeia,with her
��.�� 121
�� ’� ��
The author and Mike on their wedding day, with the excitable Deseo (right) and a
donkey named Isaac serving as the four-legged members of the wedding party.
future husband, Perseus, alongside. OK, and he could go whenever he

Eventually, a lighter blue tinted the needed to, but he went on taking one
eastern horizon. Deseo stood nearby, slow breath after another.
head lowered. We listened to Roany’s
O
breathing and the coming of dawn. � �� Roany’s first bad days,
In the distance, the hoot of a great a bank teller in town, a compas-
horned owl, the sheep stirring in their sionate horsewoman named
pen clear across the pasture; even far- Debbie Lagan, had quite innocently
ther away, tires crossing a cattle guard. asked me how I was. My answer was
In the gathering light, Roany no doubt more than she’d bargained
��: ��
stretched out his long legs and put for, but on that day she became my
his head in my lap. I thanked him for adviser and advocate in horse elder-
taking good care of the ranch animals, care and pain relief. She also prom-
including the humans, including me. ised that, when the time came, she
I told him I’d be OK, that we’d all be would send her husband out on his
122 ��

Inspiration
track hoe to dig the hole, never mind wanted an excuse to stay near his old
that they lived off the grid more than friend for a while, he would have one.
32 kilometres away. D e b b i e’s h u s b a n d , Bi l l y Jo e
It was finally daylight, but the sun Dilley, had a dozen things to do that
hadn’t risen. Mike and I were shive- morning, but he arrived at the ranch
ring hard, so he slid into my place to before the first vulture (or even fly)
hold Roany’s head and I ran to get made its appearance. I don’t know
sleeping bags. I called Debbie to say Debbie very well, and Billy Joe hardly
I thought we were close, and Doc to at all, but as much as anything else
say I thought we might not need him. this is a story about them and about
When I got back across the pasture, the way people in my town care for
Roany’s head was still in Mike’s lap, one another.
When I tried to pay Billy Joe for his
time, or even for gas, he shook his head
“AN OLD COWBOY and said, “An old cowboy doesn’t take
DOESN’T TAKE money to bury an old horse.” He buried
MONEY TO BURY Roany respectfully and efficiently, the
cowboy way, with his tail to the wind.
AN OLD HORSE.” If there is such a thing in the world
as a good death, Roany had one. It was
almost as if he had heard Mike’s offer,
but now he was struggling for breath. looked at his watch, and said, All right
“Touch him,” Mike said. I knelt and then, Wednesday, and how about in
put my hand on his big red neck, and that stand of spruce on the other side
he took one breath and then another of the hill? What I’ve always said about
and then the last breath he would Roany is that he was a horse who never
take forever. wanted to cause anybody trouble. He
“I was helping him go,” Mike said. “I remained that horse till the last second
was with him in that place, you know?” of his life and beyond.
I nodded. I did know. I had been in Late that night, I watched the
that place with several dogs and more Perseids burn past my window and
than one human. Mike said, “I think he imagined my old Roany up there,
was waiting until you got back.” muscles restored to their prime
A moment later, the first rays of and shining, burgundy coat alongside
sun came over the hill, turning the the white of Pe gasus, b oth of
sky electric. I crossed the pasture one them with their heads held high,
more time to get Roany’s brushes to and galloping.
groom him up for burial. I grabbed From Outside (May 2019), Copyright © 2019 By Pam
a flake of hay for Deseo so that if he Houston, Outsideonline.com.
��.�� 123
�� ’� ��
�� : ��
124 ��

INTERVIEW
THE EVER
BELOVED
MR BOND
In conversation with the grand old man
of Indian storytelling
�� Naorem Anuja
Few writers can make the old mountains sing like

Ruskin Bond. His timeless stories have introduced
countless readers to the mountains of Garhwal, its tall
deodars, and to the lively characters and ghosts that
people his Himalayan universe, transporting readers
back to simpler times. As a writer who seems endlessly
delighted by children and their world, Bond’s writing is
bracingly real, often relaying the knottiest ideas about
loss and loneliness in granular detail that resonates
across ages. Reader’s Digest spoke with the grand old
man of Indian storytelling over a lively phone call, just
after his 87th birthday last month.
��.�� 125
�� ’� ��
Your first book was published when a good story but won’t tell you much
you were 21—almost right after about himself really. So, there is room
school. At 87, you are writing still. for all kinds of writers and I wouldn’t
Is it safe to say that, for you, the joys say one is better than the other.
of writing outweigh the anguish?
Oh yes! For me there is no anguish to How do story ideas come to you? Do
writing at all, or I wouldn’t be writing. they sail in unannounced, or is there
I like to enjoy my work and I think I some sort of method you follow?
have succeeded. That’s why I have In different ways. For one thing, the
been able to continue writing without longer you live, the more memories
a break for 70 years. you have—provided your memory is
I was 17 when I wrote my first good. You’ll have met so many people
novel—it took me a couple of years to and seen so much happen around
find a publisher. Over the years there you. You pick up little anecdotes here
have been lots of ups and downs but and there and then you can develop
I have kept going simply because I them. I keep a notebook, where I put
truly love writing. And I have been down ideas and thoughts that I might
fortunate in that, for most of those not use immediately, but they may
70 years, I have been able to make come in use some time. I also keep a
a living off it. To be able to live off dream book. When I have an interest-
doing something you enjoy, that’s ing dream, I make a note of it. I don’t
what makes it so worthwhile for me. try to interpret the dream—I’m no
Freud. He got it all wrong anyway!
Much of your work draws heavily
from your own life. Is it good writing Stories and characters can some-
advice to say that people should times take on a life of their own.
stick to writing what they know? Have you ever been surprised by
Or could that potentially be limiting? one of your fictional creations? At
No two writers are the same. The sub- their trajectories or final forms?
jective writer is someone like myself, Sometimes a character can run away
who writes a lot about his or her own with you—actually, they usually do.
life—about the people you know, your Very often I will start with an episode
own experiences. Emily Bronte wrote but when I start writing it, the story
passionately out of her own life. On will go on in a different direction, a
the other hand, you’d get the objective character will change. One of my early
writer, someone who is a good story- stories called The Woman on Platform
teller, like a Somerset Maugham, a Eight is based on a memory of being
Dickens or a Balzac who writes about stranded at Ambala station on my way
people rather cynically and could tell to school in Shimla when I was eight or
126 ��

Interview
nine. I was on my own, feeling lost. A twenties. It was only when I got older
lady came up to me—she had her own and came to the mountains that
son with her—and she was very kind. I came closer to nature. For about
When the next train came in, she put 10 years, I lived near the forest above
me on it. In the story version, I tried to a mountain stream, surrounded by
explore why she was being so nice to different trees, birds and small ani-
me, and started seeing her as a sort of mals that came there. The stream was
substitute mother, imagining that she just about a 20-minute walk down the
perhaps had a small boy or girl, whom hill and I would visit it quite often.
she lost. I ended up creating a sort of So, daily life changed considerably. It
mother–son relationship there. But all came into my writing more and more
that hadn’t really happened. When I as time went by. Today, whatever I am
was writing, I could just remember this writing, the natural world comes into
it, even though for the last year and
a half I have been home-bound like
everyone else. Most writers write from
home anyway. I have been fortunate in
the sense that this current catastrophe
hasn’t stopped me from working, as it
has so many people.
You’ve been quoted as saying that

as a boy you wrote for adults, and
for children once you were grown.
How and why did that happen?
Was it a conscious shift? Which
Bond at a meet-and-greet in Mussorie with
his young fans, in pre-COVID-19 times.
do you enjoy more?
That’s true. Although as a boy, I was
person’s kindness. So sometimes the writing for adults, or rather for the
story carries you away towards some- general reader, I was writing about
thing quite different from what you set childhood—my own, or that of boys
out to do. Not always, but often. and girls I knew—and about friend-
ship. It’s only when I was about 40 that
The natural world is a consistent I started writing stories specifically for
�� : � ��
and important participant in many children. Since I was quite at ease writ-
of your stories. How would you de- ing about children, I could now write
scribe your connection to nature? for them too. It happened quite acci-
Like most of us, I took nature for dentally: I wrote a sort of novella called
granted when I was boy and in my Angry River and sent it to a publisher
��.�� 127
�� ’� ��
Ruskin Bond, with his family at home in Landour, Uttarakhand
in England and the editor there said, then you are inclined to get a bit lazy.
“Mr Bond, this is too short to be pub- And you get used to a certain time
lished as a novel for adults, but if you of the day. For me, it is fairly early in
could make a few changes, we could the morning, after I’ve had a cup of
make a great story for children.” I did tea. The sun comes into my room, it’s
that and it worked. bright and cheerful and I will sit at the
desk for half an hour or an hour at
Day to day, what does a disciplined the most. For the rest of day, you feel
��: ��
writing routine look like for you? happy that you’ve done something.
Is having one important to the If, in the middle of the night, I wake
writing process? up with a great idea, I switch on the
It helps to be a bit disciplined. I don’t light and jot it down. It will come in
tie myself down to any particular time use later on.
of day, and sometimes two or three
days may pass, without my having Do you use a laptop to write?
written anything. But it is nice to be I don’t use any technology. I still write
fairly regular. If you keep missing out, by hand. In fact, I’ve got fairly decent
128 ��

Interview
handwriting, so the publishers don’t upon us. We are never looking for it,
complain too much. I enjoy writing by it’s not something you enjoy. Solitude
hand. There is something fairly sensu- on the other hand, we seek. A writer,
ous about it—the feeling of the paper, particularly, wants a certain amount
the pen. When I was younger, I used to of solitude. You can call it a matter of
type but [typing] gives me a stiff neck temperament—not everybody enjoys
now. I wouldn’t be able to write very solitude. I was a lonely boy. I lost
long, hunched over anything. And I my father when I was 10 and had to
rather like the business of holding a adjust to a stepfather and a completely
pen and watching it flow against the different life. I’ve since learnt to cope
page, the words coming to life in nice with loneliness, while at the same time
purple ink. I use purple ink. appreciating being alone sometimes. I
think, as someone who makes a living
That’s quite specific! as a writer, an artist of any kind would
Well, I must confess the ink doesn’t need solitude from time to time. It
make me a better writer! But, long ago, helps you in your work, you can be
I was in love with this girl in Delhi. more reflective. In a way, you are
She and I used to go to India Gate communing with yourself.
and eat jamuns. There were those
jamun trees there—lovely fruit that You’ve often said that you are an
stain your lips purple. Purple was my Indian not only by birth, but by
favourite colour, and she would ever choice. Did India ever force you
so often wear jamuni dupattas as well. to look at yourself as the ‘other’?
So I feel a bit nostalgic when I use Yes. I went to England after finishing
jamun-coloured ink. school, but I could never feel at home
there—I was always longing to come
V. S. Naipaul said that no one quite back. India was very much in my blood.
writes about solitude the way you I missed everything I had known as a
do. What distinction do you draw boy, from friendships to the things that
between loneliness and solitude? I could write about like the monsoon
Did writing ever leave you lonely? rain, dust storms and mangoes in sea-
Writing doesn’t, but I’d say that son—everything that was India. These
loneliness is, of course, in a way thrust were things I couldn’t write about
IT HELPS TO BE A BIT DISCIPLINED WITH YOUR

WRITING. IT IS NICE TO BE FAIRLY REGULAR. IF YOU
KEEP MISSING OUT, YOU ARE INCLINED TO GET LAZY.
��.�� 129
�� ’� ��
sdfhfgy ufg fbfvufvf hgvwbv wgv wf whgfv

wefvwfvwf hb gfvwfvw
Ruskin Bond, who turned 87 in May rang in his birthday with a new book.
sitting in a room in London. Apart problems. But, by and large, it also

from being happier here, you can makes for some sort of homogeneity
never run out of stories in India. in itself. It’s a land of contradictions.
But I guess at times I did feel like You wouldn’t get anything like it
the outsider looking in over the years. anywhere else in the world. It is
Some people see me as an outsider different and I think we should
of sorts, because obviously I am not appreciate that difference.
everyone’s ideal of an average Indian.
But the thing about India is that over One assumes anybody who has
centuries, all sorts of people have come gotten to your age has been knocked
and made their home here and become around a bit. With time, do you find
Indian—even though they might yourself developing a growing
have been something else before. pessimism about the world?
��: � ��
India is a wonderful—and at times At times. As we get older, we become

troublesome—mix of ethnic, racial a little critical of the changes that take
and religious and language differences place. We don’t like change so much,
of all sorts, which, at times, makes for but one has to accept the world is
130 ��

Interview
going to change—some things change read because they might find a story
for the better and some for the worse, or memoir of mine in which I say one
I would say. We have to sort of bal- of my favourite books is Alice in Won-
ance them together. At times, I am derland. Over a year, I have received
pessimistic, and at times I feel, well, six copies of Alice in Wonderland. The
it’s not such a big, bad world after all. good thing is that usually the illustra-
tions are different, so I have some-
You have a phenomenal body of thing different to look at.
work, dating back several decades.
Was it hard to pick the stories in your I cannot resist a cliché: What advice
latest collection (All-Time Favourites would you give budding writers?
For Children)? For people or children who want
This is a selection of some of my more to write but have problems with
popular children’s stories. I’ve added language, the best way to improve is
three or four new ones, so the reader to read more—read well, write well.
won’t complain. And while making So many people want to have their
the selections, I tried to include a few name on a book, or feel they have
that aren’t so well-known. This new got a book in them that they dash
book is a blend of what’s popular, off sometimes without any regard
what I like and a couple of new ones. to the language itself—not just the
rules of composition but a feel for
For an Indian kid reading in English, the language. Be patient and work on
you are essential reading. Who are your writing. Be professional about it
some of your favourite writers and rather than rushing into print just to
what are you currently reading? say you’ve written a book. In the long
I am reading a lot—much more than run, it will pay off.
I normally do. Sometimes I read old
favourites—I like going back to books After writing for almost seven
I have enjoyed before. I also read decades, do you sometimes not
quite a lot of current writing. I am just want to put your feet up and relax?
finishing this book that I couldn’t put I have my feet up right now and I am
down, called An Officer and a Spy by relaxing! There is a heater on in front
Robert Harris. I’ve read half a dozen of me—we’ve had a lot of rain and
of his novels recently. I have also been it’s a bit cold today. A cup of tea is
reading classical ghost stories by writ- just being made for me, along with a
ers like M. R. James, Edith Wharton, ham sandwich.
Oliver Onions, Algernon Blackwood.
Kids often send me books—very sweet That sounds wonderful.
of them. They send me books I’ve See how well I am looked after!
��.�� 131
�� ’� ��
132 ��

TRUE CRIME
�� Steven Leckart
From Chicago, published in
partnership with Epic Magazine
Tom Justice chased Olympic gold on his bike.

��
Then he used it as a getaway vehicle
�� Wayne Brezinka ��.�� 133

�� ’� ��
�� the baseball cap and “Thank you,” he said, and walked
sunglasses waited for the teller to out the front door.
notice him. The morning of 26 May Less than two minutes later, he
2000, was quiet inside the LaSalle emerged from an underground park-
Bank in Highland Park, Illinois, a ing lot carrying a bicycle on one
suburb of Chicago. shoulder and a messenger bag over
“May I help you?” said the young the other and wearing a red, white
woman behind the counter. The man and blue spandex bodysuit. He
reached to the back of his khakis as if climbed on to the bike and began to
to fish out a wallet. Instead, he pre- ride leisurely.
sented her with an index card. The He cruised up to a trash can. After
teller’s smile wilted as she stared at fishing two crisp $20 bills out of the
the words: “THIS IS A ROBBERY. PUT plastic bag, he held it upside down
ALL OF YOUR MONEY IN THE BAG.” over the can. Several bundles of
The robber, a slender man wearing cash—$4,009 in all (around `1,74,390
a blue oxford shirt, returned the card at the time)—tumbled into the trash.
��
to his pocket. “Nice and easy,” he said The man returned the empty sack to
coolly, handing over a plastic shop- his messenger bag and pedaled away.
ping bag. While the teller anxiously
transferred bundles of cash, the man �� , 13-year-
gently pressed his palms together as if old Tom Justice watched in awe as the
he were about to whisper “Namaste”. cyclists careened around the outdoor
134 ��

True Crime
track of the Ed Rudolph Velodrome, everything else—lapsed. Instead of

outside Chicago. Every time the pack training, he broke into empty houses
whirled by, it cut the air, unleashing a to smoke cigarettes and chug beers
concentrated whoosh. with his buddies.
Before that summer of 1983, Tom Somehow Tom still harboured
had never seen a bicycle race, let grandiose expectations. And since
alone a velodrome. But from the nothing else ever clicked for him the
moment he entered the stadium, he way cycling had, after graduating
was transfixed. from college, he moved to Los Ange-
He returned a week later with les to train alongside the US Olym-
his maroon Schwinn [bicycle]. As pic team. He did little to distinguish
the stadium lights buzzed, a dozen himself. The other sprinters could
suburban kids gathered on the track. tell he lacked discipline. “Tom’s fast,
Everyone was wearing T-shirts and but he doesn’t train right,” one noted.
gym shorts except for Tom, who stood “He needs to apply himself.” He soon
out in the professional-grade jersey
and padded cycling shorts his father
had just bought him.
HE PRESENTED HER
Tom won the 12- to 14-year-old heat WITH AN INDEX CARD:
handily. Straddling his bike, his chest “THIS IS A ROBBERY.
still heaving, he felt a surge of adrena-
line. He had finally found something
PUT ALL OF YOUR
at which he excelled. His father, Jay MONEY IN THE BAG.”
Justice, a Navy veteran with an abun-
dance of athleticism, was thrilled.
By Tom’s junior year at Libertyville washed out, returned to Chicago and
High School, his identity hinged found a job as a social worker. Help-
on cycling. In 1987, just four years ing people was a welcome distraction
after his first velodrome victory, from his own issues. But after a while,
Tom was selected to attend the it felt like a pointless slog.
Olympic training camp in Colorado As Tom’s Olympic dream slipped
Springs, Colorado. away, he fantasized about identities
In the school’s 1988 yearbook, one he could substitute for the thrilling in-
page asked, “What will your friends stant gratification of cycling. He made
be doing in 10 years?” Tom Justice’s a list, and then wandered from inter-
caption read: “On the cover of a view to interview, growing increas-
Wheaties [cereal] box, with his bike.” ingly unhappy with his mundane life.
But after high school, Tom’s Late one night in 1998, Tom revis-
commitment to cycling—and ited the list he’d added to over the
��.�� 135
�� ’� ��
Tom’s fascination with bikes started early. He had this one when he was four.
years. Under ‘helicopter pilot’ and between two houses and slid on a
‘lock picker’, he’d scrawled two letters: pair of khakis and a blue oxford but-
‘B.R’—Bank robber. ton-down over his cycling spandex.
Several notorious American bank He slipped on his wig and dark over-
robbers had spent time in Chicago. sized sunglasses reminiscent of Jackie
That history added to the allure O’s and then continued on foot to the
for Tom. At a wig shop in the same American National Bank branch.
neighbourhood where gangster John When Tom approached the teller,
Dillinger hid out, Tom considered she perked up immediately. Hallow-
his options. Ultimately, he settled on een had apparently come early this
black braids with short bangs that year. Then the love child of Rick James
made him look like ‘Super Freak’ and Jackie O handed her an index
��
singer Rick James. card but wouldn’t let go of it. As an

On 23 October 1998, Tom entered awkward tug-of-war ensued, the teller
his parents’ garage, grabbed his mes- leaned in and read the message. Tom
senger bag and Fuji AX-500, and ped- slid his plastic bag across the counter,
alled towards downtown Libertyville. and she loaded it up with cash.
He coasted up to a tree-lined fence Tom strode outside, bag in hand.
136 ��

True Crime
His heartbeat surged. His legs tingled. was moving to Southern California
Two minutes later, he was beside his to train for the Olympic trials. He had
bike, feverishly stripping down. He retained his classification as a
shoved his disguise and the money Category-1 cyclist, so he would auto-
into his messenger bag. matically qualify for the trials.
Then he casually cycled back to When he arrived in California, Tom
his parents’ house. He parked his looked in the mirror and told himself,
bike in the garage and tiptoed into “I’m not going to rob any more banks.”
the basement. Kneeling on the shag
carpet, he looked at the money and “��’� �� ” asked Laura, calling
began to weep. It had been a long from Chicago.
time since Tom had felt this alive—or “Well!” replied Tom. His skin was
this important. tan from his time at the San Diego
Outdoor Velodrome. Every morn-
�� , that $5,580 (`2,30,230 ing, he worked through the Olympic
that year) he’d stolen sat in a gym bag
inside the closet of his old room at
his parents’ house. Tom assumed the TOM’S HEARTBEAT
bills were traceable, so he kept only SURGED. IT HAD BEEN
two $20s as souvenirs. Late one night, A LONG TIME SINCE
he tossed the remaining cash into a
few dumpsters. HE’D FELT THIS ALIVE.
Nearly one year after his first
robbery, Tom committed his second.
This time, he discarded the bills
in alleys where he knew homeless strength- training regimen to build
people would find them. Robbing muscle mass. His already explosive
banks and giving away the money dead start was getting deadlier. As
were intoxicating. Tom saw himself the weeks passed in early 2000, Tom
as both mischievous and righteous. rounded into the best shape of his life.
But that feeling faded. Tom’s real But the monotony of training was
life seemed mediocre and unfulfill- setting in. The day after Valentine’s
ing. He wrestled with depression and Day, he hit a bank in Encinitas. On
brooded over the realization that at 29 February, one in Solana Beach.
29, his window of opportunity to be- The next day, another in Encinitas.
come a world-class cyclist had nearly Two weeks later, one in San Diego.
passed. If he wanted to pursue his On 24 March, Tom robbed two
Olympic dream, he had to do it now. banks, nabbing his biggest score yet:
He told his girlfriend, Laura, he $10,274 (`4,61,713 at the time).
��.�� 137
�� ’� ��
Then one morning, an intense dependent on drugs. He had no job,

pain surged through Tom’s lower but he had pockets full of cash and
back. He’d thrown it out overtraining. cocaine. As he increased dosages, his
It would take weeks before he could post-high depression deepened.
pedal without waking up in agony the Tom started attending Narcotics
day after. His plan to race in the Olym- Anonymous meetings. When it was
pic trials was over. his turn to share, he talked about
Soon after he returned to Chicago, merely experimenting with drugs. He
Laura dumped him. He moved into was in denial. “This is gonna be my
an apartment with George, a 104-kilo last meeting,” he announced after
Greek hulk who worked nights. just six weeks. He said he was moving
“What do you do?” asked Tom. back to California. He was planning to
“I’m a cop,” said George. apply to grad school there. Everybody
Once his lower back recovered, in the room wished him luck.
Tom robbed the LaSalle Bank in
Highland Park—the heist in which “��-�� .” The voice
he dumped his $4,009 haul in a trash crackled through the radio in Officer
can. The next week, he hit three banks
in three days. George had no clue his
roommate had just knocked over his HE BOLTED IN A DEAD
13th bank. START AS HELLACIOUS
In the summer of 2001, Tom
joined a club cycling team run by
AS ANY HE HAD
Higher Gear, a bike shop not far EVER MUSTERED.
from the LaSalle Bank. One day, the
shop’s manager mentioned to Tom
that a local rider was selling a used
Steelman. Steelman bicycles are Greg Thompson’s squad car. Some-
exceptional. Tom, whose own bike one had just robbed a Union Bank
had recently been stolen, was looking in Walnut Creek, California. It was
for a replacement. As soon as he saw 7 March 2002, a drizzly day. Thomp-
the Steelman, he was torn. It was son was passing a parking garage
painted a garish Day-Glo orange. But when a bicyclist shot out of the
he knew that a used Steelman didn’t driveway and flew behind the cruiser.
just magically appear every day, so he Thompson squinted into his side mir-
bought it. ror. The cyclist looked like every other
By this point, Tom had stopped weekend warrior, except for one de-
giving away the cash from his tail: the messenger bag draped over
robberies. He was becoming his shoulder.
138 ��

True Crime
lifted his right foot, clicked down into

the pedal and—whoosh!—bolted into
the street in a dead start as hellacious
as any Tom had ever mustered
on a velodrome.
A few blocks away, Officer Sean Dex-
ter was sitting in a squad car when he
spotted a cyclist on an orange bike
charging through traffic towards a
red light. Dexter pulled into the inter-
section, but the cyclist didn’t stop.
Tom swerved around the police car,
crossed two lanes and hopped the
As a teenager, Tom qualified to compete in curb. Darting through a parking lot, he
the Olympic trials as a track cyclist. headed towards a tall fence bordering a
thicket of 15-foot-high bamboo.
Dexter reached for his radio, but
A n 1 8 - y e a r p o l i c e v e t e r a n , before he could even open his mouth,
Thompson taught new recruits to another cop hopped on the channel. “A
thrive on instinct. This was one guy on a bicycle just ran from me!”
of those moments. But before he “I’ve got him right here!” Dexter
could flash his lights, the cyclist shouted into the radio.
pulled over, hopped off his bike and Dexter got out of his car and paced
started fidgeting with his back wheel. towards the fence. He slowly cracked
Thompson parked a few feet ahead the gate and peered into the jumbled
and walked back to the cyclist. Tom mess of vegetation. A creek flowed
pretended to adjust his brakes before 30 feet below, amid fallen tree branches,
climbing on to the bike and clicking dry brush, and piles of wet leaves.
his left foot into the pedal. Sirens blared as officers secured the
“Do you mind if I take a look in your perimeter. While Dexter and Thomp-
bag?” Thompson asked. son walked the upper banks, police
“Yeah, no problem. I just have to un- dogs combed the creek. After about 15
clip,” replied Tom. “These pedals are minutes, a detective spotted something
��
actually counterbalanced, so I need to in the leaves: an orange bicycle. Then

click into both in order to get out at a German shepherd from the K-9 unit
the same time.” led them to a pair of cycling shoes hid-
There’s no such thing as counter- den under a concrete retaining wall
balanced pedals. But Thompson didn’t beneath a bridge.
know that. He watched as the cyclist As the sky grew bleaker, the search
��.�� 139
�� ’� ��
was called off. They had one good clue, said. He wanted to see his parents
though: the orange bicycle. before the cops found him.
Tom was lying facedown in a cold,
damp dirt tunnel. Hours earlier, as �� ’� know anything
the orange Steelman tumbled through about bikes, Officer Dexter had a
the brush, Tom had slid down the hunch that the orange 12-speed was
embankment, crashing violently special. He walked it from the sta-
through the leaves. He trudged 50 feet tion to a nearby bike shop. A guy be-
upstream and took cover underneath hind the counter said the frame was
a bridge, where he discovered a two- custom-made by a man named Steel-
foot-wide hole at the water’s edge. He man. Dexter called the company and
crawled in headfirst and squirmed spoke to Steelman’s wife, who han-
11 feet to the narrow tunnel’s end. dled the bookkeeping. She told Dexter
Panting in the dark, he heard sirens, that the serial number he had might
then faint voices and the jingling of a be for a 1996 orange bicycle sold at a
dog’s tags. Tom assumed that was the shop called Higher Gear in Chicago.
end. But then—a miracle. The cops Dexter called Higher Gear, but the
gave up the search. guy who answered said they didn’t
It was dark when Tom emerged. He keep records that far back.
had parked his 1983 Mercedes-Benz Meanwhile, the FBI was doing its
about three kms away. He found it and own investigating.
drove to his apartment in Oakland. A month later, the manager of a
“Is everything OK?” asked Tom’s bicycle shop in Chicago called the
roommate at the time, Marty. Walnut Creek police. In 1996, he’d
“Yeah, just a rough couple of days,” assembled the orange bike. He knew
Tom replied. the original owner and the guy who’d
A six-foot-five opera singer, Marty bought it secondhand.
wasn’t looking for a new friend, but
he’d found one in Tom. Marty knew �� father sat in the kitchen.
Tom was snorting cocaine, but he was It was less than a week since Tom had
unaware of his other vices. confessed to Marty.
“What’s going on?” asked Marty. “How’s that job of yours?” Jay asked
“I can’t say,” Tom said. his son. “What’s your plan for the
“Tom, you can tell me anything.” future?” As far as he knew, Tom was
Eventually, Tom reluctantly told working as a bike messenger.
Marty everything. “I’m gonna apply to some new grad
“What are you gonna do?” Marty school programmes,” Tom replied.
asked. Jay nodded. Sounds familiar.
“I need to buy a ticket home,” Tom Tom headed out the door. “See you
140 ��

True Crime
Left: Tom while he was living with a cop—and robbing banks. Right: the Steelman bike.
guys later,” he called, and he climbed of Tom. The orange Steelman had
into his car. led them right to him. Riding an
When the first police car appeared average bicycle, Tom might never
behind him, Tom didn’t think much have been caught.
of it. Then there were three more. Red He gave a full confession. In all,
lights were now flashing. Tom pulled he had robbed 26 banks and stolen
over and glanced back. Five cops were $1,29,338 (`62,87,120). He pleaded
aiming their guns at him. guilty and was sentenced to 11 years.
As the handcuffs tightened around After being released, Tom returned
his wrists, Tom wanted to cry, not out to cycling at his local velodrome.
of despair or fear but out of a much He also eventually found a job at a
�� : �� . ��
heavier sense of something he wasn’t doughnut shop. Little do the cops

expecting: relief. After four years, his know that the 49-year-old handing
self-destructive cross-country loop them their chocolate glazed is one
was finally coming to an end. of the most prodigious bank robbers
In the interrogation room, an FBI in history.
agent placed a photograph on the
CHICAGO ��
table. It was a security-cam shot EPIC MAGAZINE . � �� , ��.
Don’t Do That, Please

Life hack for parents: Convince your kids you hate something you actually like.
My �ve- and seven-year olds just spent 10 minutes ‘tormenting’ me
by massaging my shoulders.
��
��.�� 141
Has your phone been busier
CULTURESCAPE than ever post Scam 1992?
��, �� Entertainment What kind of offers have
come your way?
Oh, yes! After Scam, my phone
has been buzzing non-stop
HAVING
with lots of messages and calls.
The best part is that many are
good offers for mainstream
Bollywood films or web series
FINALLY
or even brands. There’s some
interesting content coming my
way. It’s an exciting time.
ARRIVED
You have won multiple
awards for your perfor-
mance. Did you imagine
the series would enjoy
this much success?
The one thing I was sure of was
Fresh off the success of web series that we were on to something
Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta really good, something we will
be proud of. None of us had
Story, actor Pratik Gandhi talks thought that it’d be so big that
about how he suffers a “multiple it would change lives, like it
passion disorder”—how he wants has mine. It was not my first
to now do many things project, but in Hindi main-
stream, it was my biggest. Be-
fore that, I was only the hero’s
friend in projects like Mitron
�� Suhani Singh and Loveyatri.
It has taken you a while to

find a break like Scam …
I had been trying to get some-
thing better in Hindi cinema
for a long time, but I had no
142 ��

�� ’� ��
idea about who to meet

or where and how I could
meet them. The only route I
knew was to audition for the
part. It took me time to un-
derstand that leading roles
aren’t cast through audi-
tions. I realised I needed to
be a part of a writer’s and
director’s mind to be their
first choice. To reach that
level, however, I had to prove
myself. For that, I needed a
break. It was a vicious cycle
which kept going.
��.�� 143
�� ’� ��
Now that you’ve established yourself, cal and OTT—is the same. Everybody
is there pressure to be more judicious seems to be open to experiments now.
with what you do next?
I felt this pressure for five days after Your first Gujarati web series,
Scam released. Many people said that Vitthal Teedi, released recently.
the next thing you do will define your Is shuttling between Hindi and
career. But there is no process or thumb Gujarati projects a priority?
rule. I still have to go with my gut. I have I will be working in Hindi and Gujarati
been doing that all this while and it has projects, and if given a chance, in other
helped me in everything I have done. languages too. Every language has its
Scam helped me prove to myself that own grammar when it comes to writ-
I can be the lead. The format gave me ing or speaking it. I believe it has a dif-
that chance. It changed the belief that ferent grammar for performance, too. I
you may be good on stage or in regional am curious to explore different regional
cinema, but for mainstream Hindi, you
need a name to get audiences in.
Your upcoming Hindi films see you

as the lead. Do you think it shows
that producers believe in actors
more, that once actors have had
their breakthrough on OTT, they
enjoy a mass appeal which can
translate to box-office success?
There are a lot of aspects to this. I feel
that having proven myself in a web
series—almost nine-and-a-half hours
of screen time, which, in turn, is the
equivalent of three to four films—film-
makers will now have a lot of confi-
dence about doing something more
with me. That’s what OTT has given me.
But then again, I have been told by a lot
of people—even I am thinking on simi-
lar lines—that you may have already
proven yourself on the streaming front,
but the box office is a different ballgame
altogether. At the end of the day, the au-
dience for the two mediums—theatri- Gandhi, as the gambler Vitthal from Vitthal Teedi
144 ��

Culturescape
THEATRE IS AN ACTOR’S GYM, A PLACE WHERE

YOU MASTER YOUR CRAFT. BECAUSE, ULTIMATELY,
ACTING IS A PRACTISING ART.
cinema, also. I have a multiple passion tiful part of theatre is that an actor gets
disorder—I want to do many things. multiple opportunities to create the
same character. When I perform the
We have seen actors from other same play five times, or the 500th time,
languages break the geographic living through the same journey, there
barrier. Would you like creators to are a lot of things I learn on each occa-
cast you in non-Gujarati roles, too? sion. Theatre is an actor’s gym, a place
I don’t want to put myself in any one where you master your craft. Because,
category or cage. I am ready to explore ultimately, acting is a practising art.
characters from all walks of life and You cannot learn it only by watching
from different parts of the world. In- or listening to somebody or by reading
dia is such a diverse country that each about it. You have to fail multiple times
region has lots of stories and I want to to get that move or emotion right. Only
be part of them. That way, I can create the stage gives you that opportunity.
characters that are absolutely different
from me as a person, characters that Looking back on your journey so far,
will help me grow as an actor. In what- which has had its share of struggle,
ever work I have done, no two charac- would you do anything differently?
ters have been the same. My constant Somewhere I always felt that if I had
effort is to think like the character. I got this success a little earlier, I’d have
don’t want to put Pratik into them. had a long run in this industry. But
that thought came from she er
You love theatre. How instrumental immaturity. Now I am fully convinced
a role has the stage played in the that the universe gives you the
artist you are today? opportunity when you are absolutely
All credit to whatever, wherever and ready. So, there is no better time than
whoever I am today, goes to theatre. It this, even if it has come when I am 40.
has given me everything. I stepped on There are no complaints and regrets
stage for the first time when I was in whatsoever. Also, I stopped using this
the fourth standard. Since then, I felt word ‘struggle’ long ago. I never saw
that’s where I belong. It has taught me what I did as a struggle. To put my
a lot of things about life and the per- journey in proper perspective, I use
forming arts. The most basic and beau- the word ‘experience’.
��.�� 145
LAUGHTER
�� Medicine
Sandy began a job as

a school counsellor
and was eager to help.
One day during recess,
she noticed a girl stan-
ding by herself on one
end of a playing field
while the rest of the
kids enjoyed a game
of soccer at the other. “My doctor says you should be drawing
Sandy approached more fruits and vegetables.”
the girl and asked
if she was all right.
The girl said she was. looking at Sandy suspi- When the spirit doesn’t
But a little while ciously. Feeling she move a thing
later, Sandy noticed was making progress, �� I’m so lazy, I’m more
the girl in the same Sandy then asked, of an atrophy wife.
spot, still by herself. “Why are you standing — @��
Approaching again, here all alone?” �� I don’t spring into ac-
Sandy offered, “Would “Because,” said the tion. I dead of winter
you like me to be girl with great exaspera- into action.
your friend?” tion, “I’m the goalie!” — @��
“OK,” said the girl, �Coursehero.com
A plane is heading
to Washington, D.C,
When I find myself walking through the when a politician
valley of the shadow of death, I remind in the economy sec-
myself not to trust Google Maps again. tion gets up and takes
a seat in first class.
—Submitted by ��
The flight attendant
146 �� P. C. Vey �

�� ’� ��
sees him do this and his ear. The politician amazed and ask the
asks him to return to says, “Oh, I’m sorry,” pilot what he said
his original seat in and then gets up and to make him move.
economy. But the goes back to his origi- “Easy,” he says.
politician says, “I’m nal seat in economy. “I told him that first
an elected official, The flight attendant class isn’t going to D.C.”
I’m important, I’m on and the co-pilot are —��
my way to D.C., and
I’m staying here!”
The flight attendant YOU KNOW THE FEELING?
tells the pilot and the Hangry, a portmanteau that describes the irritability
co-pilot about this. that arises from hunger, succinctly gets at a very
The co-pilot then goes particular human emotion. Shouldn’t we have more
to ask the politician of these terms? Here are some clever nominees.
to return to his original �� : The �� :
seat. But the politician paralyzing anxiety you A feeling of humiliation
insists again, “I’m an feel when confronted at the memory of an
elected official, I’m with bureaucracy. awkward or shameful
important, I’m on my �� : The mix- experience from long
way to D.C., and I’m ture of frustration, ennui ago, often unrelated to
staying here!” and anxiety that washes current circumstances.
The co-pilot returns over you when you real- �� :
to the cockpit and tells ize you’ve been cornered The pleasure, denial,
the pilot that the politi- by a known long-talker. delusion and mania
cian just won’t listen. �� : The guilt of being in a store you
“I fly the D.C. route that follows browsing don’t belong in and
all the time,” the pilot Netflix and seeing an buying an item you
says. “I’ll handle this.” ‘important’ film that you cannot afford.
The pilot walks back know you should watch �� : The feeling
to the politician and but choosing John Wick: of searching on your
whispers something in Chapter 2, a movie you’ll smartphone for an emoji
convince yourself you’ve that doesn’t exist.
never seen. �Thecut.com
�� 3 �
Reader’s Digest will pay

for your funny anecdote
or photo in any of our
to the editorial address, or
email: [email protected]
��.�� 149
RD RECOMMENDS
Films
ENGLISH: Like all good
Disney animation films,
RAYA AND THE LAST
DRAGON is set in a fan-
tasy world, Kumandra. A still from Raya And The Last Dragon
As monsters turn all liv-
ing creatures into stone, access the wonder that With his much-ac-
dragons sacrifice them- is his literature. Directed claimed Newton, Amit
selves to save human- by Abhishek Chaubey, Masurkar captured bril-
kind. When Kumandra Srijit Mukherji and liantly the loneliness
is again threatened, only Vasan Bala, the antho- of upright government
the princess Raya can logy’s four shorts are officials in India. With
save the world with Sisu, each inspired by the SHERNI, the director
the last dragon. Premier- legendary filmmaker’s seems to be hoping to
ing on Disney+Hotstar literary oeuvre. repeat that award-win-
on 4 June, the film ning performance. This
promises to take time, a forest depart-
the breath away. ment officer, played
by Vidya Balan, seeks
HINDI: The warm, to balance animal pre-
insightful stories of servation and human
Satyajit Ray have, for needs. The film is all set
long, been essential to release on Amazon
reading for Bengalis, Prime Video this June.
but RAY, an anthology
film releasing on Netflix TAMIL: Witty dialogue is
on 25 June, gives the rest Vidya Balan in Sherni as essential to a gangster
of the world a chance to film as thrilling action.
150 ��

�� ’� ��
Premiering on Netflix
on 18 June, JAGAME
THANDIRAM has a
bucketful of both.
Dhanush plays the
protagonist, Suruli
Rajan, the ‘original
gangster’, who is hired
by London-based mafia
boss Peter Sprott (James
Cosmo) to infiltrate a
rival gang. As Suruli
travels from Madurai to
London, he is left with
a choice—good or evil? Dhanush in the Tamil gangster film Jagame Thandiram
#WATCHLIST: leaving you in splits.

0N OUR RADAR It should come as no
surprise then that
Loki Season 1: Of all Marvel has given Loki
the antagonists in the (Tom Hiddleston) his
sprawling Avengers own series. Releasing Poster for Dom Season 1
universe, Loki is, per- on Disney+Hotstar on
haps, the only one who 9 June, Loki will see of Victor and Pedro,
proves impossible to the God of Mischief a father and son who
forget. He disrupts the encounter alternate find themselves on
moral status quo while versions of himself. opposite sides of the
law in Rio de Janeiro.
Dom Season 1: Coming Victor is an upstand-
to Amazon Prime Video ing cop, trying to rid
on 4 June is Dom, a his city of cocaine
much-awaited Brazilian and crime, while
thriller–crime series. Pedro starts making
Inspired by true events, his way up from drug
the show tells the story runner to gangster.
Tom Hiddleston in Marvel’s Loki A still from Space Force
��.�� 151
�� ’� ��
Books
The Startup Wife by Tahmima Anam,
Hamish Hamilton
Tahmima Anam’s first that Anam is now
novel, A Golden Age� releasing her fourth Scope Out
a book about the novel. The Startup India And the Silk Roads:
Bangladesh Liberation Wife tells the story of The History of a Trading
War but, also, ostensi- Asha Roy. A brilliant World (HarperCollins):
bly, about her par- coder, Asha is well on Jagjeet Lally asks a key
ents—was as her way to be- question—what hap-
beautiful as it coming the har- pened to India’s pros-
was moving. binger of an AI perous caravan trade
Its sequel, The revolution, but once sail and steam
Good Muslim, then love hap- came into vogue?
was longlisted pens. She mar-
for the Man ries Cyrus. They The House of Scindias:
Asian Literary create a plat- A Saga of Power, Politics
Prize. Those form that per- and Intrigue (Roli
who have been sonalizes the Books): Rasheed
in love might find her everyday rituals of Kidwai writes about
2016 novel, The Bones millions. They strike the Scindias, a royal
of Grace, devastating. gold. Cyrus becomes family that has given
It really is good news famous, Asha plaintive. us some of our more
enigmatic and canny
politicians.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE ... The Heartbeat
of Trees: Embracing Our Ancient Bond Keeping in Touch
with Forests and Nature by Peter (Context): Written by
Wohlleben (Penguin Viking): News Anjali Joseph, winner
about climate change might make you of the Desmond Elliot
feel that we have lost our connect with Prize, this is a novel
nature altogether but Peter Wohlleben assures us about Anjali, who is
that our relationship with the natural world, forests charming but commit-
in particular, is too old to be so ruthlessly and ment-phobic, and Ved,
suddenly broken. The forester argues that nature who is smitten but a
speaks a language we do, and that consciousness tad toxic.
sees no difference between flora and fauna.
152 ��

RD Recommends
Music
TUNE IN
Song: ‘Kali Teri’
Artists: Hari & Sukhmani
Listening to Hari & Sukhmani

perform ‘Kali Teri’, one thinks it
belongs on the Monsoon Wedding
soundtrack. It’s not just that the
video of the song features marigolds,
it’s also because the sensibilities of Sukhmani Malik and Hari Singh Jaaj
Hari Singh Jaaj and Sukhmani Malik
seem to mirror that of Mira Nair’s as its inspiration aesthetics of
2001 film—it makes Punjabi culture more than one culture, musicians
accessible and also cool. Hari and need to be mindful of the rules that
Sukhmani fuse folk and electronica make each of their influences great.
to create ‘folktronica’—a sound both Hari and Sukhmani don’t ruin ‘Kali
urban and earthy. We’ve all heard Teri Gut’ by slowing it down. They,
‘Kali Teri Gut’, but the Chandigarh instead, give us a chance to hear the
duo imagines it anew. melodic potential of a tune we only
In order to successfully create a thought of as peppy. This is an
crossover music, the kind that takes experiment done right.
LISTEN “literary event”. friend. He’s started

AUDIO- Hear actress Marisa the podcast CONAN
BOOK: Tomei read it and O’ BRIEN NEEDS A
Set in a you see why. FRIEND to correct that.
divided
Naples, PODCAST: After spen-
Elena ding 25 years hosting
Ferrante’s latest novel, Late Night, Conan
THE LYING LIFE OF O’Brien realized that
ADULTS, was described no celebrity he’d
by Elle magazine as a interviewed was his
�COMPILED BY SHREEVATSA NEVATIA
��.�� 153
�� ’� ��
REVIEW
Everyone’s
Got a Story
to Tell
Heartwarming and
humorous, Cinema Bandi
pays tribute to unsung A still from Cinema Bandi
storytellers and the
magic of movie-making
people to become ‘film- who is always around
makers’—often display- for the shoot, but quiet
�� Jai Arjun Singh ing remarkable creati- and summarily over-
vity as they work and shadowed by what is
In a village, an auto- learn on the job. going on around him.
rickshaw driver named Things get compli- He does get to speak
Veera finds a big video cated for Veera and the film’s hilarious
camera that someone Gana as they gather a last line, though.
accidentally left in his suitable crew (including Fittingly, this tribute
vehicle. With the help a girl who sneaks away to small filmmaking is
of his friend Gana, he for the shoot on college itself a small, low-bud-
sets about trying to time because her father get one, with first-time
make a film himself. won’t let her act), but actors (only a little more
Who knows, it might be- slowly they figure out polished than the hired-
come a pan-India hit? the vagaries of shot- on-the-fly ‘performer’ in
The charming new taking, continuity and the story). This requires
film directed by Praveen costume. Everyone is one to have a bit of
Kandregula, Cinema infected by the project— patience with Cinema
Bandi (Netflix) perhaps in one scene Veera and Bandi, its more raw
derives inspiration from his wife even behave a moments, cliches and
the fact that in recent little ‘filmi’ when they an over-earnestness in
years, thanks to mobile- quarrel. And in one of some of the storytelling.
phone technology and the wittier touches, the Ultimately, though, its
apps like Tik Tok, it has ‘writer’ of the amateur sincerity and gentle hu-
become possible for movie is an old man mour carry the day.
154 ��

Culturescape
STUDIO
May 11, Ek Adhuri

Baat ka Mitna
(Erasure of the
Unsaid)
by Arshi Irshad
Ahmadzai
Ink and flower-dye
paste on Manjarpat
fabric, 2020
40 x 23 cm
THE WORD ‘isolation’,

much like the word
‘love’, means different
things to different peo-
ple. For Arshi Irshad
Ahmadzai, it was clearly
an opportunity. She
used the COVID lock-
down to create 128
pieces of art. It’s only
when you dig a little All letter writers written. The ink
deeper and look a little know that editing is a has blotted, and,
longer, do you perceive violent act. The lines like blood, it drips
the anguish that has we draw across our on her fabric canvas.
informed them. Each of words can come to The woman drawn by
these artworks is a letter seem brutal, often the artist has no face.
she wrote to her Kabul- making the reader She can’t see, hear,
based husband from more curious about smell or taste, but
Delhi, a city where she what was left out. Ahmadzai gives her a
found herself stranded In Ek Adhuri Baat heart, one that beats
when India closed its ka Mitna, we see that and blurts words that
borders and bazaars Ahmadzai has crossed need to be erased.
in March last year. out all that she has � BY SHREEVATSA NEVATIA
��.�� 155
ME & MY SHELF
A communications consultant
and former photojournalist
with Reuters, Farah Bashir
is the author of Rumours of
Spring, her debut coming-of-age
memoir about growing up amidst
the political turmoil and
violence in Kashmir.
My Brilliant Friend Muslims clashing with the policies of the

BY ELENA FERRANTE Western world and o�ers us a peep into
Europa, `999 clashing identities from the perspective
�e �rst of the Neapolitan of di�erent characters. �e attempt by a
novels is a fantastic read sister to �ght for her brother’s rights, to
about the di�erent shades restore his dignity in death, in a world
of female friendship. I re- increasingly spinning out of control,
read this bildungsroman to conceive an is heart-stopping.
ordinary childhood and adolescence that
girls may experience in a no-war zone. Beloved
BY TONI MORRISON,
The Year Of Magical Thinking RHUK, `499:
BY JOAN DIDION, RHUS, `945 It was not the pivotal event
Didion’s memoir is about the ability to of a violent act of love that
process loss after the sudden death of Sethe, as a mother, dem-
her husband at their dinner table. It rein- onstrates by killing her
forces the ephemerality of life and is a own children rather than give them up to
testament to the human spirit that carries a slave-catcher—what stayed with me for
on despite enduring an intimate tragedy a very long time was the way characters
��: ��
and preparing for an impending one. existed in their present and their history
all at once, relevant even to this day.
Home Fire BY KAMILA SHAMSIE,
Bloomsbury India, `599 Sharon and My Mother-in-Law
In this adaptation of Antigone by Sopho- BY SUAD AMIRY, Pantheon, `4,581:
cles, Shamsie creates a portrait of young A re�ection of the larger political reality,
156 ��

�� ’� ��
Amiry anchors her book on the 40 days garb of sophistication while destruction
she spent in curfew. She reveals the is carried out in the world. What it reveals
absurdities of living in an occupied land transcends nationalities; he goes beyond
by describing mundane, everyday life, his own worlds and becomes a writer
rendered extraordinary by dint of it whose words are at once applicable to a
being in Ramallah, while trying to stay Palestine, an Iraq, an Africa, a Kashmir.
equanimous during a time of siege.
The Return: Fathers,
Things Fall Apart Sons and the Land
BY CHINUA ACHEBE, Penguin, `519 In Between
Achebe merges the loss of a culture and BY HISHAM MATAR,
the transformation brought on by the be- Random House Trade
ginnings of colonialism in the �ctitious Paperbacks, `1,309
village, Igbo. While he spells out the frac- �e heart beats and stops
tures induced in its society, the true act at the command of the author while
of resistance was in his use of the natives’ reading this memoir. No unconscionable
language interspersed with English, at act of the Libyan regime is enough to di-
a time when there were apprehensions minish the hope that Matar carries in his
about publishing an African writer. To heart to �nd his disappeared father. It's a
enforce an identity threatened by poten- devastating ledger of love, loss and hope.
tial erasure demonstrates courage. �e non-linearity of the narrative reveals
the events from his younger angry self to
Power, Politics and Culture: the measured older self, and the humane
Interviews with Edward Said, and digni�ed writer that he is.
Vintage, `1,310
�is collection is a vast canvas of Said’s The Late Bourgeois World
ideas on politics, culture, music, activism BY NADINE GORDIMER, Bloomsbury, `899
and scholarship, the mixing of the two, On the surface of this novella, Nadine
nationalism and even Salman Rushdie’s Gordimer paints an intimate portrait
underground existence. I often dip in of her failed marriage to an ine�ectual
and out of these short lucid lessons. rebel, single parenthood and half-
hearted a�airs, the crevices of which
Known and Strange Things she �lls with the deep apparatus of
BY TEJU COLE, Fabe and Faber, `499 apartheid. She weaves a mesh of the
�is collection of essays establishes political and personal with ease and
Cole’s place as a writer of intellectual cleverness to expose the interiority of it.
depth on non-African subjects. In one of �ere is a quiet force in this book that
his essays (A Reader’s War), he shows us compelled me to write. Each time, I’d
how façades are maintained under the get stuck while writing, I’d return to it.
Book prices are subject to change. ��.�� 157

BRAIN GAMES
7 Pages �� Your Mind
Lighten Up
Di�cult Three digital alarm clocks are
sitting in a pile. The numbers inside the
squares of this grid indicate how many of
the lines adjacent to that square are lit. 3
Can you �ll in three numbers (with three
digits each) so that the numbers on the 0
two top clocks add up to the number on
the bottom clock? The digits 0 through 9 1 2
are shown for your reference.
2
1
1
3 3 4
�LIGHTEN UP� DARREN RIGBY; �TIMES SQUARE� FRASER SIMPSON
45 Times Square
Moderately Di�cult Fill in each
cell of the grid with a digit from 1
16 through 9. Each number outside the
grid is the product of multiplying
98 the digits in its row or column. The
number 1 will appear exactly once
in each row and column. Other
54 numbers can be repeated, and not
every digit from 1 through 9 will be
48 63 42 30 used. Can you complete the grid?
158 ��

��’� ��
Symbolism
Moderately di�cult Based on these
equations, what’s the missing symbol?
+ =
+ =
Feeling Lucky?
Easy You enter a casino and are
presented with a game where you
+ = must draw the ace, king, queen
and jack of diamonds, in that exact
order, out of a standard deck of
+ = ? 52 playing cards. What’s your
probability of winning?
Str8ts
Di�cult Fill in the white cells 8 5 4
�SYMBOLISM AND FEELING LUCKY?� SUE DOHRIN; �STR�TS� JEFF WIDDERICH
with digits from 1 through 9

so that no number repeats in 1
any row or column. Black cells
divide the rows and columns
5 2 1 4
into ‘compartments’. Each 1 4 7 8
compartment needs to contain
a ‘straight’. A straight is a set of 3
numbers that have no gaps
between them, but they can 6
appear in any order (for example,
2, 3, 5, 4). A clue in a black cell 9 7
removes that number as an
option in the cell’s row and 3 5 8 2
column, but it is not part of
any straight. 7 8 6
For answers, turn to page 160.
��.�� 159
BRAIN GAMES
ANSWERS SUDOKU
FROM PAGES 158 & 159
BY Je� Widderich
Shape Up
3
4 3 7
0
1 2
9 6 8
2
5 9 4
1
1
9 5 7
3 3 4
Times Square
7 6 3
1
4
3
1
3
2
5
2
3 5 1
2
6
7
3
7
1
1
3 8 1 4 5
Symbolism 4 9
+ =
To Solve This Puzzle
Feeling Lucky? Put a number from 1 to 9 in

1 in 6,497,400. each empty square so that:
SOLUTION
Str8ts � every horizontal row and
3 8 7 2 9 6 1 4 5
5 2 6 4 3 1 7 9 8
8 9 5 6 7 3 4 vertical column contains all 9 4 1 8 7 5 3 6 2
9 8 1 5 6 7 4 3 nine numbers (1-9) without
5 2 1 4 8 9
2 9 3 1 5 8 6 7 4
1 2 4 3 5 7 8 repeating any of them; 4 1 8 7 6 9 2 5 3
6 7 3 2 4 8 9 6 7 5 3 2 4 9 8 1
7 6 2 1 3 4 5 � each of the outlined 3 x 3
1 6 4 9 8 3 5 2 7
3 4 9 5 6 7
boxes has all nine numbers,
8 5 2 6 1 7 4 3 9
3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 7 3 9 5 4 2 8 1 6
4 5 7 8 9 6 2 1 none repeated.
160 ��

Brain Games
9. philistine adj.
WORD POWER (‘fih-luh-steen)
a allergic.
b uncultured.
This month, we’re celebrating words c foreign.
with Hebrew roots. You may know more
than you think: balm, cherub, cider, kosher 10. maven n.
(‘may-vuhn)
and Sabbath, for starters. See if you can a expert.
schmooze your way through our quiz, b matchmaker.
and then say shalom to the next c rebel.
page for answers.
11. messiah n.
(muh-’sy-uh)
�� Sarah Chassé a follower.
b savior.
c traitor.
1. pharaoh n. 5. hosanna n.
(‘fair-oh) (ho-’zan-uh) 12. jezebel n.
a ancient grain. a mountaintop. (‘jeh-zuh-bel)
b small boat. b shout of praise. a hoopskirt.
c Egyptian king. c eldest daughter. b immoral woman.
c ram’s horn.
2. jubilee n. 6. babel n.
(‘joo-buh-lee) (‘bab-uhl) 13. behemoth n.
a 50th anniversary. a noisy confusion. (bih-’hee-muth)
b candied fruit. b skyscraper. a something huge.
c lucky charm. c naughty child. b something old.
c something holy.
3. cabal n. 7. matzo n.
(kuh-’bahl) (‘maht-suh) 14. chutzpah n.
a secretive group. a flatbread. (‘hut-spuh)
b prayer shawl. b ceremony. a cookie.
c city-state. c card game. b nerve.
c blessing.
4. golem n. 8. scapegoat n.
(‘goh-luhm) (‘scayp-goht) 15. manna n. (‘man-uh)
a set of rules. a one who swears. a godsend.
b artificial human. b herdsman. b great-aunt.
c poached fish. c one unfairly blamed. c winged beetle.
��.�� 161
�� ’� ��
A Not-So-Mighty Hunter
It wasn’t always rude to call someone a ‘nimrod’. In the Hebrew Bible
(aka the Old Testament), Nimrod was the name of an exceptional hunter,
and ‘nimrod’ would later refer to any hunter. So how did his name be-
come an insult? One popular theory: Cartoon character Bugs Bunny
often sarcastically called the bumbling Elmer Fudd ‘Nimrod’ in 1940s
cartoons, teaching generations of Looney Tunes fans that it meant idiot.
Word Power 6. babel �� noisy 11. messiah �� saviour.

ANSWERS confusion. “I can’t
hear myself think
The self-help guru has
been hailed as a messiah
over all this babel!” by his followers.
1. pharaoh �� Egyp- Nusrat shouted.
tian king. The pharaoh 12. jezebel �� immoral
commanded that a gi- woman. “In my day, you’d
ant pyramid be built 7. matzo �� flatbread.
The only matzo I eat is be labeled a jezebel for
in his honour. showing your knees!”
the kind that’s been
covered in chocolate. Aunt Rita said with a laugh.
2. jubilee ��
50th anniversary. 13. behemoth ��
Our town celebrated 8. scapegoat �� something huge. The
its jubilee with a parade one unfairly blamed. merger would create a
down Main Street. Though the whole tech behemoth that could
team played badly, crush all competition.
3. cabal �� secretive the starting pitcher
group. The mayor and became the scape- 14. chutzpah �� nerve.
her cabal of insiders goat for the loss. “I can’t believe he had
have ruled this city the chutzpah to say that
for decades. to me!” Tanmay fumed.
9. philistine ��
4. golem �� artificial uncultured. Call my
taste philistine if you 15. manna �� godsend.
human. In Frankenstein, This cancer breakthrough
a young scientist like; I still think that
The Three Stooges might be the manna that
��
brings a hideous so many patients have

golem to life. was hilarious.
been waiting for.
5. hosanna �� shout 10. maven �� expert.
of praise. The new Jaden is the financial Vocabulary Ratings
production of Wicked maven of our group, � & ��: good
opened to hosannas advising everyone on ��–��: gold
from theatre critics. saving for retirement. ��–��: god
162 ��

Brain Games
11. What kind of dancers

QUIZ traditionally perform at
an English May Day cele-
bration, accompanied by
BY Beth Shillibeer bells, sticks and sometimes
a white handkerchief?
1. Actor Morgan Free- 6. Which northeastern 12. What German vehicle

man turned his 50-hect- European capital city once favoured by hippies
are property into a sanc- o�ers its residents will be available in an elec-
tuary for what species free public transit? tric form in 2023?
recently labelled ‘the
most important living 7. Adherents of what 13. Which Irish writer said,
beings on earth’? religion have practiced “We are all in the gutter,
langar—feeding those but some of us are looking
2. After she successfully in need—throughout at the stars”?
climbed the Matterhorn the pandemic?
in 1895, the press 14. What milestone did
8. Heron of Alexandria Chris Nikic achieve when
debated whether Annie invented the �rst vend-
Smith Peck should be he crossed the Ironman �n-
ing machine in the �rst ish line in November 2020?
arrested for what reason? century AD. What did
it dispense?
3. Where in our solar
system might it rain 9. The Bios Urn, created
diamonds? by Spaniard Gerard
Moline, transforms the
4. What writing imple- remains of loved ones
ment can be made out into what?
of eggshells?
10. Which disease,
5. The Central Public a�ecting roughly 422
Library in Vancouver is million people globally, 15. Which European
modelled after what type did University of Alberta general was attacked by
of building, famously researchers recently rabbits, forcing him to
SHUTTERSTOCK/HAPPY MONKEY
found in Rome? cure in mice? retreat from a hunt?
with Down’s syndrome to complete the Ironman triathlon. 15. Napoleon Bonaparte.
10. Diabetes (types 1 and 2). 11. Morris dancers. 12. VW Bus. 13. Oscar Wilde. 14. First person
Neptune, Uranus). 4. Chalk. 5. A coliseum. 6. Tallinn, Estonia. 7. Sikhism. 8. Holy water. 9. A tree.
Answers: 1. Bees. 2. She wore pants while climbing. 3. In the outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn,
��.�� 163
�� ’� ��
QUOTABLE QUOTES
What modest dreamers we have become.
Zadie Smith, author
Home is not where you were born; home is where

all your attempts to escape cease.
Naguib Mahfouz, nobel laureate
The only solutions that are ever worth anything are the
solutions that people find themselves.
Satyajit Ray, filmmaker and writer
ALAMY ��; SAIBAL DAS �INDIA TODAY�
Zadie Smith Naguib Mahfouz Satyajit Ray
Want to build your brand

reputation? Brand Images
are Fragile, handle with care.
JAGDEEP KAPOOR, brand guru
Call or WhatsApp on 8291100591 � [email protected] � www.samsika.com

Copyright © 1995. Jagdeep Kapoor

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Interview: The Ever-Beloved Ruskin Bond ........................................ 124

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he handsome 30-foot-long cabin cruiser

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