Break Ke Baad: Buzz kill

IIPM Mumbai Campus

Fresh on the surface, stale inside

Having cast Deepika Padukone, a bit of a new age heroine and Imran Khan, the fresh faced underdog in the Bollywood face of the future race, Danish Aslam did manage to pull off an unconventional lead pair. If only his story in “Break Ke Baad” was not this conventional. “Break Ke Baad” is a dyed in the wool romantic comedy but the romance is quite intolerable and the comedy is sparse. And the been there, seen that feeling is all over, what with a bunch of half cooked romcoms having hit the screen this year. Aaliya (Padukone) is the ambitious girlfriend and Abhay (Khan) the loyal childhood sweetheart. And there’s the usual gripe about space and distance as Aaliya takes off to Australia to follow her dream of becoming an actress only to find Abhay come tumbling after.

The supporting cast and characters, like Abhay’s aunt played by Lilette Dubey and Aaliya’s mom played by Sharmila Tagore are interesting but never rises beyond the impact of a line or two. And while lovely Australian locales and some peppy tunes from Vishal-Shekhar try to uplift the visual appeal and make things look ‘cool’ they can’t mask the lack of substance. You could ignore all that and go by the earnest effort of Imran Khan and call this a one time breezy watch. But a few minutes beyond the innovatively crafted opening credits sequence and it becomes a drag. You’d only be humming Queen’s “I want to break free” by then.

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Red: Rollicking, Extremely Delightful

IIPM Mumbai Campus

Too many cooks don't always spoil the broth

The formula for this one was simple - assemble a mammoth cast, something productive will self-generate and the movie will draw viewers in flocks. And that is exactly why Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren, Karl Urban, Mary-Louise Parker and Brian Cox were all roped in!

Loosely inspired by a comic series of the same name, RED (Retired, Extremely Dangerous) is a strange love-action-comedy-thriller. Frank Moses (Willis) is a lonely retired CIA Agent, living a quite retired life until the vehement peace in his life is scattered. He realises that someone is attempting to kill him, his phone-friend and former fellow CIA operatives who served with him in Guatemala. One would have to wonder just how many more times Bruce Willis would play the retired bald-old-man who can shoot-a-gun.

Marvin (Malkovich), a paranoid schizophrenic played to perfection, is painfully funny. The script is not worthy of such an elaborate cast but the performance
of the seasoned actors give it a neck.

The concoction of talent may prove disastrous more often than not, as made evident by a certain ‘Valentine’s Day’ this year. But a definite green light for RED.

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Is the Indian realty space now getting too hot to handle?

IIPM Mumbai Campus

2010 has seen a huge rebound for real estate in urban centres, particularly Mumbai, but also raised fears of overheating. We went to the developers and found out their original point of view. By mona mehta

Six years ago, when a resident of suburban Vile Parle in Mumbai bought a 1BHK flat for Rs three million, he wouldn’t have realised that the price of the same property would appreciate by three times. The same property now fetches an amount of Rs 11 million, and is poised to rise even further. This is one short-term windfalls that home buyers in the city are enjoying currently. Property prices have appreciated by 30-60% in Mumbai in this year itself.

Amidst the scenario, in calendar year 2010, real estate developers feel that it is time for flat buyers, even from the middle end of the market, to tap the opportunity of buying a second home; be it on rent basis, and later sell their first home to invest in their second home on ownership basis. Commercial space is on a similar rebound. DLF, for instance, has witnessed growth in leasing commercial spaces in Delhi/NCR from 0.9 million sq. ft. in 2009 to three million sq. ft. in 2010.
Navin Raheja, MD, Raheja Developers, told us, “During this calendar year, many projects were launched and were sold at a much better pace than last year. We hope real estate would come on the fast track within 6-8 months.” Currently, the Rs six trillion Indian real estate sector gets 80% contribution from the housing finance sector, which means that banks are willing to lend for good projects. Even if a flat buyer from the middle-end of the market may refrain from buying a 1 BHK flat worth over Rs 10 million on ownership basis, the attitude changes when the perspective is introduced of financing EMIs by giving out the newly purchased flats on rent.
For instance, talking to us, an accountant, who stays in Thane in Central Mumbai and has recently booked two flats in a project, told, “This is because I feel that since my new home is closer to my office, I can save commuting time, and that when the prices appreciate in the short-term, I would sell one flat and purchase another flat on ownership basis.” According to a senior official from Mumbai-based Satellite Group, “Due to steep price appreciation, a flat buyer can recover triple the amount they would have invested in buying a flat in the short-term.”

This is exactly the kind of warning sign doomsday prophets look for to predict a property bubble. Joy Sanyal, Head – Development Initiatives, Jones Lang LaSalle India comments on the Mumbai scenario, “The market for residential property in Mumbai started showing signs of stability since the third quarter, most visibly in South/Central Mumbai, where investors had begun to outnumber actual end-users by then. But the deeper suburbs (Borivali and beyond) and far suburbs like Thane and Navi Mumbai continued to be dominated by end users.” More madness is anticipated now that the Navi Mumbai airport has the approval of the environment ministry.

Now the RBI has most certainly taken notice of the kind of upsurge being seen. Earlier this month, the central bank took a string of measures. It raised risk weightage to 125% for houses priced above Rs 7.5 million, capped loan to value ratio to a maximum of 80% and hiked standard asset provisioning to 2% for home loans with teaser rates. RBI Governor Dr D. Subbarao had said in the Q2 policy review, “Although income levels of households and earnings of corporates in India have continued to rise, a sharp rise in asset prices in such a short time causes concern.” That concern has been exacerbated just recently when CBI unearthed a shocking bribery scam, where developers were bribing officials to get loans for their expansion projects, for which they took undue advantage of the easy liquidity and the surge in property prices. Clearly, the fundamentals for the sector are getting a bit loose here.

However, realty players aren’t exactly of that view. Raheja opines that demand in the market is already outstripping the supply – especially for housing and commercial office spaces – because of which the upward trend in prices will continue. And due to the upswing, realty developers can now easily raise money from banks and avoid reducing property prices to boost volumes. For example, as media reports suggest, Mumbai-based Oberoi Realty’s Exquisite residential project at Goregaon has sold over about 7 lakh sq ft in 2010 and that's despite increasing its prices thrice this year.
There are listed debt-ridden real estate developers such as DLF, among others, who will be able to repay 60% of their debt by FY ‘12, feel analysts. Param Desai, real estate analyst of Angel Broking told us, “Looking at the scenario, I don’t think developers will be planning to hike their property prices. Instead, certain developers who are currently selling properties at 10-15% discounted rates are benefiting in sales transactions.” Mumbai and NCR have already seen a steep price appreciation this year and could sober down. But Bangalore and Chennai are expected to experience a hike of 20-25% in the short term.

In the midst of this is the ‘affordable’ housing market, which is the last mile, and is not getting the thrust it deserves. Some mainstream realtors still feel that it is not an easy territory to enter into. DLF Group Executive Director Rajeev Talwar comments to us, “One of the main concerns remains the price of land.” DLF’s own consolidated net profit took a hit for the quarter ending September 2010 by 5% to Rs 4.18 billion, despite an increase in revenues by 39% to Rs 25.1 billion. Evidently, the ‘affordable’ segment is more suitable for players who are accustomed to the factory model and can set up residential projects in quick succession. Reports suggest that realtors were keener on the phenomenon when recession struck, but quickly changed gears once revival began towards luxury housing and the top 20%. Besides curbing an asset bubble in the urban centres, the government has to spur demand in this sector, with a nearly 25 million housing shortfall as on date. That kind of market will take quite a while to even start looking like a bubble.

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Abida Parveen needs no introduction.

IIPM Mumbai Campus

Abida Parveen of the surreal voice, the one that renders the poetry of Khusro, Bulle Shah, Waris Shah and Sultan Bahu into a divine communion, is to Sufi music what romance is to youth. In an exclusive interview with Vimalendu Kumar Singh, Abida Parveen reflects over the worldly majlis, music and Maula..

You have touched the pinnacle of your career. How difficult has this journey been?
I have achieved whatever I have thanks to Maula; I owe it to the blessings of my elders and saints. We only make an effort, to make an untrained voice sound sweet is the work of God. With rigorous practice, and if you have the right training and God's blessings with you, nothing is impossible.

How did you choose this profession, considering it was taboo for female Muslims to sing...
My initiation into music was done by my father Ghulam Haidar saab. He used to run a music school at Larkana in Sindh. He was equally adept at classical music and Sufiana kalam. Although I was not a part of his school technically, my training started when I was all of three years old. In fact, music was all around me in my house. When I was 12, my father sent me to Ustad Salamat Ali Khan in Lahore for further training in music. I learned all the nuances of music under him.

Tell us about Ustad ji. How was it learning from him?
Ustad (Salamat Ali Khan) ji polished me and showed me the path. I have not seen another singer like him when it comes to layakari and range. I consider myself fortunate that I trained under him.

Why did you opt for Sufi music and not pure classical?
Actually the place I belong to, Sindh, has a different aura – that of Sufiana. Such is the popularity of Sufism there that every man is somehow addicted to it. My father loved Sufi music, and that infected me too. You can see him in my music and my temperament.

What is it about Sufiana music that sets it apart from other genres?
The greatest virtue of Sufiana is Ruhaniyat. Its relation with spirituality is very deep. It is the thirst to attract the attention of God; to be close to Him. Songs are all good, but the music for Allah and saints has a different feel. It puts you on a different, higher level. None can remain untouched by it.

But there are other genres too that are dedicated to God...

I don't claim that the only way to Allah is Sufiana. There are the bhajan, kirtan and the Drupad styles as well. All of them have their distinct feel and all of them take you to God.

Sufi songs, as you said, connect one to God. What have your experiences been like?
The path takes you to God. Whenever I sing, I consider it the first and last Majlis (forum). So I take that opportunity to seek blessing from saints and God. And they deliver.

The world likes to hear you sing. Whom do you listen to?
I hear all old and new singers. And I try to learn from them. I hear Bade Ghulam Ali Khan with concentration. I also love Ustad Aamir Khan of Indore gharana. Among females, I love Kishori Amonkar and Begum Parveen Sultana. Amjad Ali Khan is one of my favourites. I have hundreds of CDs of these singers. I hear them in solitude and keep crying. It enriches the heart. Their voice is the voice of God. I am also inspired by Salim Gilani. I have never heard another exponent of ghazal like him.

Can anybody really learn Sufiana or does it come from within?
Ruhaniyat and yearning cannot be bought. And a heart that does not yearn is not a heart at all. The one who has not experienced yearning cannot understand what the heart expresses in words. That is the real inspiration; real addiction.

You are among the few singers whose popularity transcends the border. How does it feel when you sing in India?
Music cannot be bound by language or border. For me, Pakistan and India are like blood brothers. India is like my second home and that's why I keep visiting here. People give me immense love in both the countries.

A fan of yours in London once said that if Abida ji lends her voice to a shopping list, even that will sound spiritual. People in the West don't understand Urdu, Punjabi or Sindhi, and yet you have a tremendous fan following…

Sufism is the connection between two hearts. To understand the emotion and to connect with God, one requires no language. In the US, Britain and Scandinavia, people give me a lot of love. They wait for me for hours. They become part of the
performance.

Your trademark style of long kurtas and the Sindhi Ajrak is unique too. Is it an attempt at branding?
You call it branding, but it has become my identity for years. The Ajrak that you see on my shoulders comes straight from the Dargah of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif. It is not merely a show-off. I live this life.

Why have you stayed away from Hindi films even though Sufiana is a rage here too?
Artists from Nusrat Fateh Ali to Rahat Fateh Ali and now Amanat Ali have lent their voices...

I have submersed myself in Sufi music and my aim is to popularise it. I'll stick to serving Sufiana genre for the time being.

Shariyat considers music to be haraam. Did you ever face any protest?
Shariyat does not consider it haraam. Why would Shariyat do that? The voice that we hear came first. Shariyat came later. The 12 sur were not made by men. It came before Shariyat. Music is a gift of Allah. These 12 sur consist of all the voices of the world. It is omnipresent. Whatever the language, the sur remains the same. It is the message from God. When we recite the Quran, even that is music. Don’t we love the Azaan when we hear a good voice?

India and Pakistan are always at loggerheads. As a cultural ambassador, what do you feel about it?
Where is the tension? If it is there, I cannot see it. I would not have been sitting here talking to you. That’s all politics and artists have nothing to do with it. The only wall is a visa.

These days many misunderstand Islam to be synonymous with terrorism. What has gone wrong?
Terrorism is not new. Islam is not to be blamed. Islam is a gift from Allah that runs in harmony with the world and humanity. The problems are man-made. One needs to keep the thought process pure. We will have to increase the purview of education and culture. There is no better tool to tackle it with than love.

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No state in India has as many Kisan Credit Card holders as Orissa. Yet the farm sector in the state is in the doldrums

IIPM Mumbai Campus

The Numbers don't add up

In a land of many ironies, here is another one. Orissa's farmers top the list of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) beneficiaries but the agricultural scenario in the state continues to be dismal.

Asked about his farm productivity and income, Gopinath Mallick, a farmer of Aul area in Kendrapara district who owns two acres of land, says: “I cannot buy quality seeds and fertilisers nor can I adopt modern technologies. From my land I earn just about enough to take care of the needs of my family.”

Hasn't Gopinath heard of KCC? “No,” he replies. “Last year, I did try very hard to get a loan from the cooperative society but I failed. They wanted to be bribed. I had no money.” He is among countless Orissa farmers who could do with some organised financial support but do not know where to look for it.

Given the number of KCCs that have been distributed in Orissa, securing an agriculture loan should have been a cakewalk for Gopinath. If it isn't, it is simply because farmers in the coastal belt of the state have no clue that they are entitled to this credit facility. Over the years, the government, both in Bhubaneswar and Delhi, has announced various schemes for farmers. But these programmes have remained on paper even as official records show that everything is on course.

Though Orissa has got the distinction of bringing the largest number of farmers under the cooperative ambit, the reality on the ground tells a different story. A private survey confirms that lakhs of farmers in the state do not know what KCC is. “Even those who have cards are unable to draw the benefits due to lack of awareness,” says R.N. Rath, AGM of Orissa State Cooperative Bank.

Orissa's is primarily an agrarian economy. Farming accounts for nearly 30 per cent of the Net State Domestic Product (NSDP), with 73 per cent of the work force engaged in this sector. Cropped area in the state is about 87.46 lakh hectares out of which 18.79 lakh hectares are irrigated. Therefore, climatic conditions and soil play a vital role in the state’s agricultural productivity. Though there was a breakthrough in agriculture in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh during the mid-1960s owing to the use of new seeds, fertilisers and water technology, the onset of the Green Revolution was delayed by about two decades in the case of Orissa.

The increase in yield rate in Orissa was marginal compared to the agriculturally advanced states. Agriculture has stagnated here over the the last two to three decades. The growth rate has hovered around one per cent during this time span. While the average value of yield was only Rs 5979 per hectare in Orissa it was Rs 15,626 in Kerala, Rs 14,073 in Tamil Nadu, Rs 13,597 in Punjab and Rs 7388 in the rest of India. In Orissa, the compound annual percentage growth rate of yield was only 1.3 whereas the all-India figure was 2.3 in 2009. Moreover, the yield rate of foodgrains in Orissa is only 1080 kg/ha, whereas the all-India figure is 1620 kg/ha.

Says Bimal Pandia, a well-known agricultural activist: “The reasons for low agricultural productivity in Orissa are varied. It is a combined effect of climatological, institutional, technological and infrastructural factors. The often cited reasons are inequality in land ownership and operation, small size of land holdings, land fragmentation, high incidence of concealed tenancy, inadequate irrigation facilities, ineffective extension services, bottlenecks in input supply, warehousing and marketing, frequent occurrence of natural calamities like droughts, floods, cyclones and the like.”

Pandia emphasises the role that constricted agricultural credit has played in slowing down growth in farm output in Orissa. "In recent years, due to fiscal compression public investment in agriculture sector has decelerated. But non-availability of financial support in form of loans to farmers, which they could use to increase productivity from agriculture, is a major reason of low productivity,” he explains.
A progress report of the KCC scheme reveals this failure in the agricultural sector. Orissa also lags behind other states in average loan disbursement. According to Reserve Bank of India sources, while the average loan amount drawn by a KCC holder in Orissa is merely Rs 26,600, the average loan taken per KCC holder in Gujarat stood at Rs 14.6 lakh.

Sanjeev Patro, a senior journalist working in the agricultural sector, says, “The average landholding size in Orissa is around 1.3 hectare against 2.33 hectare in Gujarat. As productivity is directly proportional to the increased input use in the field, higher use of inputs necessitates more loan amount per KCC holder. A recent Nabard study has clearly documented that crop yield per hectare has been higher for farmers holding KCC as they have access to adequate and timely inputs for their crops.”

That brings us back to the fact that Orissa has the highest number of farmers in the country under the KCC scheme. RBI data confirms that over 5 lakh farmers in the state have been registered for KCC, while this figure is around 3 lakh in Gujarat. But the irony is that here credit size far outweighs the benefits.

Rath agrees: “Absence of sealing and small land holdings are a major stumbling block in the way of smooth running of the farm credit system in Orissa. We have more than 2714 credit cooperative societies in the state and of the total of 52,88,00 farmers, 37,80,687 have already availed of credit facility. However, as 90 per cent of these farmers are small and medium land-holders, the credit amount is bound to be relatively low.”

Though the government seems to be happy with the state of affairs and the nodal agencies responsible for disbursement of agricultural loans claim credit for executing pro-farmer programmes with huge success, our farmers are still waiting to be informed about KCC. “The farmers of the state still don't have adequate knowledge about KCC and its use,” he asserts. He should know.

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Doctor, heal thyself!

IIPM Mumbai Campus

In collusion with pharma biggies, doctors in government hospitals across Madhya Pradesh are conducting dubious drug trials on unsuspecting patients, thus endangering lives and the reputation of a noble profession

For the last few years, drug trials have been carried out in some hospitals of Madhya Pradesh in a hush hush manner. This is apparently being done by multinational companies hand in glove with some doctors. Patients are neither informed, nor is their consent taken. The matter has been brought to light of late, and the government has started looking into the issue seriously now.

If you are going to a Madhya Pradesh hospital for treatment of a serious disease and are made to sign a consent form in English, beware. It is quite possible that you unknowingly become the guinea pig for a vaccine trial. In the last five years, thousands of patients in Madhya Pradesh have faced this fate.

Sharad Geete’s wife Sheela Geete died on August 8, 2010. She was suffering from Alzheimers. Her husband had brought her to Indore’s MGM Medical College’s neurology department. After his wife passed away, Sharad came to know through local media reports that the doctor in question was deep into drug trials. He then collected material which indicated that Eisai Pharma’s Donepezil Immediate Release and Donepezil Sustained Release were being tried on her. Geete subsequently complained to the state’s health minister Mahendra Hardia.

Similarly, Ajay Nayak of Indore complained that in the name of ordinary vaccination, one doctor at Chacha Nehru Hospital conducted a vaccine trial on his newborn. He was made to sign a consent form in English which he did in good faith. When he took the infant home, the newborn fell sick and developed white marks all over his body. In yet another case in Jabalpur, cancer patient Rammani Upadhya died of another drug trial as well.

Despite these deaths, information received on the calling attention motion of Congress MLAs Pratap Singh and Pratap Grewal and Independent MLA Paras Saklecha reveals that there are no such trials taking place in the state nor have there been any deaths related to drug or vaccine trials.

This goes against the fact that many doctors independently confirm that such trials are one – in fact, one particular doctor is even reported to have conducted 30 drug and vaccine trials on 1,700 patients (yet, the doctor in question did not disclose the names of any patient). Dr Anand Rai of MP’s Resident Doctor’s Association says, “This [not disclosing of patients’ names] has been done deliberately so that it cannot be found out what the condition of the patient is post trial.”

In the monsoon session of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly when this matter became public, a committee was formed under the principal secretary of the Assembly. After two meetings, the committee recommended that new drug trials should not be conducted but those being conducted should not be stopped. Hence the drug and vaccine trial business continues to flourish in the state.

In the winter session of the Assembly, Paras Saklecha questioned the trials of the HPV vaccine. The response was that trials were conducted on 39 people at the Chacha Nehru Hospital, Indore. It is surprising that the trial for a drug, HPV Vaccine V 503, which is to be used on women with cervical cancer, is being done by a child specialist and not by a gynaecologist. According to Dr Anand Rai, “Many doctors in MP are taking money from pharma companies to conduct drug trials. Almost all the doctors present in the local ethical committees are involved in the trials. How can it then be imagined that they are taking the right decision? This is the reason why the cervical cancer vaccine was tried by a child specialist on females between the ages of 15 and 26 when patients above the age of 12 should not even have come under the purview of treatment.”
Drug trials are happening for diseases which are not even found in the state, whereas there is no concern about the diseases the state is battling with. Cervical cancer, for instance, is more common in American and European women. In those countries, strict laws govern drug trials. This is why multinationals prefer to conduct drug trials in India. The trial for V 503 vaccine is a result of this.

Even in the past, trials for cervical cancer vaccines have triggered controversy in the country. Pharma major Merck’s Gardasil vaccine was tried in Andhra Pradesh’s Khammam area and Gujarat's Vadodara on girls aged 10-14. Two girls died in Vadodara and four in Khammam as a result of the trial. That had caused health workers across the country to unite against the propriety use, negative effects and costs of the vaccine, forcing the government to end all such trials. Merck then graduated to trials of V-503.

In summary, the fact is that the two big multinationals, Merck and Glaxo, are in a race to find a cure for cervical cancer. So, trials in Indore are on in full swing. The control mechanism is not well defined and the government needs to set up definite rules as soon as possible.

State minister for health Dr Mahendra Hardia says, “A separate committee has been formed in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly to look into the matter. Its directives shall be followed. An investigation by the state human rights commission is also being considered. There is also consultation about drafting a drug trial law in the state. Drug trials are necessary for the availability of common drugs. But no new drug trials will be conducted in the state.”

Saklecha says, “There must be a health research policy in the state. Patients who are going to hospitals for treatment are being tricked into drug and vaccine trials. The V503 trial has terrible side effects. It uses sodium borate which is a chemical used to kill rats. The polis argon eti used in it is a detergent which can cause cancer. It also contains aluminium salts which cause heart diseases.”

While the government might be right in holding that drug trials are necessary, conducting such tests on unknowing patients is not only unethical but also absolutely uncalled for.

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With 4,000 divorce applications filed in the last 10 months

IIPM Mumbai Campus

India's IT hub of Bangalore is also fast becoming the nation's divorce hub. N K Suprabha tries to fathom the reasons...

Bangalore-based IT professional Sunil tied the knot with Ramya in 2008 on a high note. Chennai-based Ramya, too, is in the same profession and the two quite liked each other when they met. Barely a year down the line, the two felt that they had had enough and decided to part ways.

Subsequently, Sunil got a divorce notice from Ramya and accepted it. “My wife was not ready to compromise on any of the issues that cropped up between us. Instead, she used to call her parents and they would meddle in everything. In the short span of one year, her parents travelled all the way to Bangalore several times to ask for explanation for petty fights between us. Their interference only worsened the situation. At last my wife went off to her parents’ house and sent a divorce notice to me from there,” says Sunil.

Sunil's is not a one-off instance. During the last 10 months, more than 4,000 divorce applications have been filed in Bangalore. The number of divorce applications has been on the rise for the last few years. India's IT hub is in fact on the verge of earning the sobriquet of India's divorce hub. In 2004, a total of 2,229 divorce cases were filed. The number went up the next year when 2,493 applications were filed. In 2006, the figure was 2,888 and in 2007, it was 3,025. In 2008 and 2009, a total of 3,357 and 3,500 cases were filed respectively. The year 2010 has not yet ended and the number of divorce applications has already crossed the 4,000 mark. Interestingly, most of these applications (about 70 per cent as per the records) have been filed by IT, BT and BPO professionals and about 60 per cent of them were filed with mutual consent.
People see a direct link between the pulls and pressures of professional life as well the financial security that it brings with it and the rising number of divorce cases in urban India.

Riding high on their newly found financial independence, socially empowered and financially secure women today want to live on their own terms and want to be treated as equals. This sometimes leads to ego clashes between the partners and, combined with a few other issues, often culminates into divorce. Hemalatha Mahishi, an eminent legal representative from Bangalore, says, “The increasing number of cases of divorce reflect a changing lifestyle. Women have adopted a new style of living and their thoughts have changed. We can't say the same for men.” Elaborating further, she adds, “Men want their spouses to be respectful and obedient but you can’t expect so from any self-respecting 21st century girl. So, problems crop up.” The facts that girls are getting support from their families in going ahead with their decision to part ways and that remarriage is not difficult further boost their morale.

The divorced women have the same opinion about their husbands. “I did not want to fight with my husband on petty issues. Yes, I am financially independent and want equal respect from my husband. Instead, he wants me to be submissive and respectful every time. He had problems with my parents visiting me and them helping me in making decisions. He used to get angry if I lent financial help to my parents. He was not at all ready to acknowledge my opinion on any issue and had insecurity regarding my high salary which always led to fight between us,” says Suman, a BPO employee who recently sent a divorce notice to her husband.

However, men who have gone through the ordeal of a failed marriage, have got different tales to tell. “My wife is a software professional earning Rs 50,000 per month. She recently sent me a notice for divorce, barely six months after marriage. I can see no reason behind her step and I am trying to persuade her to reconsider but she is adamant. Even her parents are backing her decision,” says Ramesh , a manager in a leading software firm. “If a girl decides to divorce her husband, she can easily get over it. The good old law is on women's side. But now the law needs to be changed as wives are no longer as vulnerable as they used to be. Instead men are suffering,” Ramesh adds.

There are other reasons too for breaking relationships. The social stigma over the word ‘divorcee’ has almost vanished from urban societies. Today people are accepting girls with the divorced tag and new concepts such as 'single mom' and 'live-in relationship' are gaining grounds. The present generation, largely brought up in nuclear families, has shed much of the sacredness attached with family values. Western values are fast replacing the traditional Indian ones and consumerism is playing its part in eroding social ethos. Well-known psychiatrist Dr Ashok Pai tells TSI, “Feminine identity, emotional security, sexual equality and the desire to grow individually from within make many women prefer to remain single and look out for better options at an opportune time. Disturbed family set-up, inadequate parentage model and disharmony with peer groups are factors for women preferring to remain single. More than insecurity and inferiority, it is a combination of de-personalisation and de-individualisation which gives rise to egoistic traits.”
Still, there are women who prefer the family's integrity over their career or aspirations. Shreeza, a journalist, resigned from her job in a mainstream newspaper and joined a smaller magazine because her husband did not like her coming home late every night. Shreeza found her marital relationship more important than her professional life and quit her job. But perhaps not many women today would like to go Shreeza's way.

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Divorces are the reality of today

IIPM Mumbai Campus

Dr Ashok Pai, a well-known psychiatrist from Shimoga

Divorce cases are increasingly being noticed among BPO, IT and BT employees. What could be the possible reasons?
Divorces are the reality of today. There are multiple factors. In fact, earlier there were instances of emotional divorce in the traditional culture-bound family set ups. With globalisation, women's empowerment, growth of structured female identity, the emotional divorce has taken a legal format because of affordability and self-ascertainment.

Do you see any link between the increased exposure of these sectors to the west and rising number of divorces?
Yes. With consumerism expanding its tentacles and by working as effective tools of hidden persuaders, we are catching up fast with the west. More than insecurity and inferiority, it is a combination of de-personalisation and de-individualisation which gives rise to egoistic traits.
To what extent does a woman's financial independence cause her decision to separate?
Economic security makes a woman feel independent, secure and decisive in her role play. It is this identification and insight which makes her decision making more relevant in tune with the immediate reality.

Do you think the increased possibility of remarriage of divorced women also contributes to this?
There is liberalisation in the mental and physical perspective of the individual psyche which greatly contribute to live-in relationships and pre-marital sex. Extra-marital affairs and homosexual relations are almost getting social and legal acceptability. Remarriage of divorced or widowed women has become a socially accepted reality.

In metropolises like Mumbai and Bangalore, many women prefer to remain single. What is the thought behind such mindset?
As I said earlier, increased consciousness about feminine identity, emotional and financial security, sexual equality and the desire to grow individually urge women to remain single rather than tying themselves up in marriage.

Do the prevalent feminist theories contribute to the disintegration of family?
Partly yes and partly no. We cannot make a generalised statement about this as there are several other factors too in the picture.

Don’t you think the institution of Indian family is itself at stake here?
Not necessarily. There is no clear cut definition for family as an institution. It's dependence and interdependency of more than one individual that comes within the purview of a family.

What about people who kill their spouses?
That is an instance of deviant behavioural pattern that can be termed psychopathic disorder or personality disorder.

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