Month: December 2012

Categories
Big story

Makeshift Bal Thackeray memorial to go

But State anticipates law and order problem while the memorial is removed; BMC to submit action plan to State soon.

While the Shiv Sena slugs it out with the State Government about wanting a Bal Thackeray memorial at Shivaji Park, the makeshift memorial put up for the late Shiv Sena chief’s funeral last month, is now to be removed. This is not without its share of issues, however – the State anticipates law and order problems while the temporary memorial is removed.

The State had given permission for a temporary memorial and funeral to take place at Shivaji Park in the wake of Thackeray’s death on November 17, 2012, and since it was rightly anticipated that lakhs of people would turn up for a final darshanof the late leader. However, the Shiv Sena was to remove the memorial after the funeral was over. Since the Sena did not remove it, and shows no signs of doing so, the State has now instructed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to prepare an action plan about the memorial’s removal and submit it to the Government at the earliest.

However, security personnel will have to be deployed at the site at the time of removing the structure. BMC Commissioner Sitaram Kunte will consult with Mumbai Police chief Dr Satyapal Singh about the presence and number of security personnel. Meanwhile, Uddhav Thackeray has still not issued his stand on his party’s demand for a permanent memorial dedicated to Bal Thackeray at Shivaji Park, a move being opposed by local residents and the State Government alike.

(Picture courtesy thehindu.com)

Categories
Become

‘Feed your mind as much as possible’

Graphic designer Soumya Mohanty talks about the joys and the perils of working freelance, and how you can follow suit.
by The Diarist | thediarist@themetrognome.in

Soumya Mohanty (27) used to work full time as a graphic designer, before branching out on her own in 2009 and cracking the work-for-yourself code. The Bandra resident has done a wide range of work since then – she’s designed brochures, home pages for websites, company logos and even business cards. The self-taught designer tells The Metrognome about being a freelance graphic designer, and about finding the thing that makes you happy and doing it forever.

What prompted you to take up web designing as a line of work?

I always loved well-designed things ever since I was a kid. When I was in class eight and we got our first computer, I saw an interface related to Disney. I cannot recollect if it was a website or an application, but I thought to myself that whoever has done this, is so lucky to get to do this, it’s so much fun! I thought, I’d love to do this myself!

Of course, I never thought of it seriously then, because Graphic Design as a career was unheard of then. So, I researched and considered other options, never really feeling truly happy about any of those choices. Then finally during my graduation year, I saw an article about Graphic Design and I knew that was what I had been looking for. It turns out, the thing that excited me the most, which I then did not consider seriously, was the only thing that truly made me happy and I now had found a way to do it forever.

Where did you study to be a graphic designer?

In design, I’m self-taught with the help of online resources and books. There are many who benefit from classroom teaching and others, autodidacts like myself, who prefer to study on their own. I think the key is to follow your interest, so it is up to you to decide whether a structured programme can give you what you want or you would rather directly learn by yourself if you have the passion and discipline.

I did not find any programme which would have allowed me to practice the exact skills that I wanted, so I learned by myself. You’ll find many resources online and books as well from other professional designers themselves. It feels like being directly mentored by the people whose work you admire the most.

How long have you been in this industry now?

For about four years.

Have you noticed any differences in the industry now than the way it used to be before?

Computer-aided design is now almost a necessity. Of course, there’s a lot more demand for it now and it is increasing as companies slowly realise the importance of design as an approach altogether.

Who have your clients been?

As a freelance designer, I mostly work with small and medium-sized businesses, though I have done a few small projects for Radiocity and Viacom18 amongst the known ones.

What are the biggest challenges as a freelance designer?

Challenges appear phase-wise. For example, while starting out, the biggest challenges are finding clients and maintaining a steady stream of work, not knowing your own working patterns, and deciphering how to appropriately choose, estimate, and price projects.

For finding clients, these three factors help: 1) Applying to listings on job boards like Naukri and TimesJobs (having the ‘Freelance’ keyword) and on specific freelance related sites such as FreelanceSwitch Jobs and Elance or oDesk.

2) Promoting your work through an online portfolio (preferably your own website as that helps in search engine rankings), actively displaying your work samples on other portfolio sites such as Coroflot and Behance, and staying active on Linkedin. Facebook page and Tweeting will also help if you really promote yourself there. So, clients find you.

3) By referrals from your existing clients. You don’t have to do much there other than focusing on making sure your clients have a good experience working with you. Whatever you do, the key is to remember that you’re not just working on a project. You’re building a client relationship. So, the same clients frequently come back with more projects thus adding to the work stream.

Establishing a working pattern is important to estimate scope of project and pricing better. If you don’t know how long and how much effort something’s going to take you, fairly accurately, then you might over-quote or under-quote. If you over-quote, clients run away. If you under-quote, you feel like running away! Also, you might end up working all the time if you don’t draw a line regarding when to stop working, especially if you also have international clients in another time zone. So, keeping a work log helps identify patterns.

Please describe the one project you worked on that made you truly happy.

That’s hard to choose because every project I work on makes me happy. I try my best to create a more than satisfactory solution. However, I recently worked on a Music CD cover for an artist abroad, and I really loved doing the cover artwork for them because of having to convey an abstract emotion through my artwork.

What are clients’ expectations when they entrust a project to you?

Everyone wants something that ‘looks awesome’ and ‘great’ and ‘oooo wowww.’

Do you have a team (other designers, developers) working with you?

No, I usually only collaborate with a couple of developers when clients need the HTML/CSS done too.

What other things do you design, apart from websites?

I design logos, brochures, ad banners, emailers, business cards/stationery, CD cover design, and Power Point presentations.

What are your future plans?

Apart from Graphic Design, I’m interested, rather very excited, by some related disciplines such as Matte Painting, Digital Painting (commercial artwork for book covers, game covers, etc.), Architectural Visualisation, and Concept Art. I’m looking forward to sharpening my skills there. I’m also excited to be working on a couple of personal projects for sales and see myself taking that direction more along with client work.

What are your expectations from the industry for the future? Also, what is the level of competition among your peers?

Graphic Design is an all pervasive field from print to web to now mobile. With growth in the web and mobile sector especially, there’s a growing need for more interface designers. As long as information needs to be communicated through various media, this industry will only grow. I don’t have any expectations other than to just keep doing what I love doing and continue building my skills in Graphic Design as well as Commercial Art.

The design community is driven more by sharing and inspiration than competition. So, you could say it’s a very healthy competition. Designers constantly keep sharing valuable information and techniques on myriad sites such as PSDTUTS+, Smashing Magazine, Noupe, Web Designer Depot, Dribbble, A List Apart and many, many more.

Any tips for others wishing to pursue the same profession as you?

To be a Graphic Designer, I’ll say the clichéd: study, practice and get inspired every day. You need to feed your mental library with as many marvellous images and ideas as possible whether on print, online, TV, your environment, books or music. To be a freelance Graphic Designer, do all that AND set a financial target for yourself every month and plan ahead to fill in projects worth more than your target, as a buffer. The world of design is all about creating new, better, useful, and remarkable things that make life so much better. Have fun!

Check out some of Soumya’s work here:

(Pictures courtesy Soumya Mohanty) 

Categories
Guest writer

How I got over my travel block

Priyanka Dalal got over her ‘travel block’ by not leaving enough time to talk herself out of a recent trip.

I have heard of ‘writer’s block’, but I have never really faced a serious one. For the last few months, however, since my Coimbatore-Mysore-Bangalore trip in February, I was not able to go on a trip despite planning five different trips! The reasons for not going were varied – viral fever, passport issues or just simply cancelling at the last minute. Even though on the face of it, it seemed that these were all genuine reasons for not going, I knew in my heart that there was something wrong. I have gone on a number of solo trips, and I had never cancelled a single one!

I recalled people mentioning writer’s block… and never having really experienced one, I figured this was some sort of ‘traveller’s block’, if something like that exists. I have never really heard of one, but I think other serious travellers may have experienced something like this, too!

I had to get over this, because travelling is really important to me. Not because of money or anything material. It is just important. As most things in life, I sat down and thought more deeply about this – what made me cancel my trips?

I realised that every time I planned a trip, it would be at least a month in advance. I would get excited for a few days, but then I would end up getting anxious…this anxiety would build up slowly until the week just before the travel date, and then I would cancel because it would get too much! How to plan, pack so anxiously for an activity that is my passion?

I realised that an impromptu trip might actually cure me of this anxiety loop-a-loop! So I just decided a day before, did some minimal packing and left for Pune. Pune being only four hours from Mumbai, I hardly needed to do any prior planning!

I had a good four days of relaxation, and being on my own in Pune at a favorite budget hotel. I know the city quite well, so I didn’t really travel much anywhere. I was considering going to some nearby places like Urli Kaanchan or Kaas Plateau, but got called back for some family reasons to Mumbai. Overall, it was a nice, relaxed trip, and most importantly, I feel that I am at least partially over my block!

What really helped me get over the block and go back on the road was,
1. Impromptu – just didn’t have much time to get anxious.
2. Proximity – Pune is near by, and yet far enough to classify as ‘travel’.
3. Closeness – I lived in Pune for many years, so I am close to the place.

I find that this block, and consequently working to get over it, has been a very interesting experience in my travel adventures! Have you experienced or heard of such a traveller’s block?

Priyanka Dalal has founded a social media marketing company, www.digiwhirl.com. Apart from this, she is a volunteer, traveller and an avid reader. She blogs at travel.priyankawriting.com.

Categories
Event

200 participate in Transplant Games

Transplant Games 2012 by Narmada Kidney Foundation
Transplant Games 2012 by Narmada Kidney Foundation
Organ donors and recipients participate in the sporting event held in Mumbai on Sunday. A pitch report from the organisers.

The nation has seen the best of performances by Indian sportsmen in recent times. Mumbai was witness to another national sporting event, which was very different from other sporting events – this was the ‘National Transplant Games’, organised by the Non-Government Organisation (NGO), Narmada Kidney Foundation, for the fifth consecutive year. The Games were held at Goregaon.

Transplant Games 2012 by Narmada Kidney FoundationAs per estimates, about 200 patients from across the length and breadth of the country participated in the Transplant Games held on Sunday. Dr Bharat Shah, founder of the Foundation said, “This is one of the most emotionally overwhelming events for us. It is such a pride and pleasure to watch the enthusiasts coming from different parts of the country to participate in the Games. This event has been inspiring not only many potential recipients and donors, but also the Foundation to keep working in this direction relentlessly.”

The Transplant Games 2012 encapsulated outdoor and indoor games, especially organised for the transplant recipients and the organ donors. The objective of these Games is to demonstrate the success of organ transplantation and paint a big, positive and hopeful picture for the future donors and transplant patients. The Games underscore the significance of care, compassion and contribution.

Dr Shah further added, “Every year, approximately four lakh people are diagnosed with the last stage of acute kidney failures, of which only 4,000 patients are fortunate to get a kidney transplant. Approximately 10,000 patients are put at the helm of dialysis, which is an expensive modality with poor quality of life and poor long term survival. The approximate cost of dialysis is Rs 25,000 per month and the cost keeps increasing with the passing time for the patient.”

Approximately 2,000 patients on dialysis are waiting to receive kidney transplant in Mumbai alone. At the current rate, it would take 10 to 15 years for a dialysis patient on the cadaver wait list to receive a transplant. The present situation is alarming, as many patients would exhaust their resources on dialysis when they have their turn for a transplant. There are patients to tell their own stories of struggle, suffering and fighting for the life merely waiting for the day when they would be able to receive a transplant of the critical organ, like kidneys.

(Pictures courtesy Narmada Kidney Foundation)

 

Categories
Enough said

‘Amrita Shergill threatened to seduce me’

Khushwant Singh tells Humra Quraishi about his first love affair and how he could never make a pass at women.

I need to get something off my chest. I am disturbed by the upheaval taking place in the sexual lives and attitudes of us Indians. Divorce rates are going through the roof, singletons’ clubs are seeing more memberships. And everybody’s writing books – just yesterday, a newly-divorced friend cooed that she’s all set to make the most of the divorce by penning a book on it!

So it was very refreshing to catch up with Khushwant Singh, and I asked him if he thought sex education ought to be introduced at the school level. His reply was rather surprising. “It may lead to an early indulgence in sex…but then, it’s shocking to know that many adults don’t know a thing about sex, not even the basics.”

He went on, “My friend Prem Kirpal didn’t even know that women menstruate! In his 30s, he was attracted to a woman friend and wanted to get close to her, but she wouldn’t let him near her. The next day he told me that he couldn’t go ahead with her as she was wounded!”

He said that there was “too much sexual frustration in the country, leading to rapes and gang rapes,” and that the concept of ‘love’ in India was limited to “a tiny minority that prefers to speak English rather than Indian languages, read only English books, watch only Western movies and even dream in English.” He then added, with his usual candour, what love and seduction have meant for him. “It baffles me, why do women confide in me the way they do? Total strangers have rung me up to discuss their personal problems. They tell me of their inhibitions, their love affairs, their extramarital relationships. When it comes to women, I am a patient as well as an interested listener.”

And he dwelt on seduction. “Women do seduce. I have been seduced by women all my life, right from the time I was attracted to Ghayoor (it’s she who’d held my hand). Most women have made the first pass at me, led me on, with the exception of two women, where I took the lead.

Even when I was attracted to a woman, I had little confidence to make the first move. I was terribly flattered when women made a pass at me…looking back, I wish I had the confidence to make the first move, for I could have got closer to several women, like Amrita Shergill. In fact, Amrita had threatened to seduce me just to teach my wife a lesson, but she couldn’t carry out this threat because she died a few months later.”

The thing about Khushwant is, he never holds back. I asked him about his first intense love affair, and he said, “I was in college. She was a Muslim from Hyderabad and had to come to Delhi to study at the Lady Irwin College for a degree in Home Science. I was around 17 years old and Ghayoorunissa was three years older than me, and she was my sister’s friend. On one of those occasions when she, my sister and I had gone for a movie, she’d slipped her hand in mine. That alone meant a lot to me…I really loved her. Now she is dead…she died several years ago, and I went to Hyderabad when I heard of her demise, visited her grave and have been in touch with her daughter ever since.”

“Why didn’t you marry her?” I ask.

“I went to England and she went to Hyderabad and got married. I continued to meet her even after her marriage, and I was so in love with her that I was drawn to the entire Muslim community. I believe that when you fall in love, your perception of his or her community changes, you begin to feel closer to that community.”

Humra Quraishi is a senior political journalist. She is the author of Kashmir: The Untold Story, and co-author of Simply Khushwant. 

(Khushwant Singh picture courtesy caravanmagazine.com)

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