Soiled shoes dripping muddy water and drinking bottles filled with tadpoles—I was the quintessential monsoon-loving child who would never dodge the puddles and potholes because splashing water on my spotless white uniform on the way home from school was the best thing ever. In other words, I was a ‘daag acche hai’ poster child during the rains.

My mother, however, did not share the same sentiments for monsoons. On the contrary, to deal with this nightmare of a daughter, she would keep her reinforcements ready—a full coverage raincoat and gum-boots, all from the most trusted Duckback.

A bit of spicy, salty and loads of sweet, nostalgia is a concoction of all these flavours bursting in your mouth. Inspired by our childhood memories, check out these items that are bound to take you back in time, just in a single bite!

So, after years, although I don’t really jump on puddles and have graduated to umbrellas from raincoats, the brand Duckback still rings a sense of nostalgia—something almost every child, at least in Kolkata, would relate to. From raincoats and boots for school, to holdall bags and air pillows for family vacations, Duckback has been a consistent partner for a Bengali’s daily endeavours!

Origin of the Legend

The famous Duckback from Bengal Waterproof Ltd is a name synonymous with waterproof wearables in India, as it was the first.

Founded in 1920, Bengal Waterproof Limited, much like Bengal Chemicals and G.D.Pharmaceuticals Private Limited (Boroline), was a fruit of the bubbling swadeshi zeal.

Under the British rule, like other textiles, waterproofs were also being imported to India, making them extremely expensive and beyond the reach of common Indians. It was at that time when Surendra Mohan Bose, in an attempt to push for India’s economic independence and the boycott of foreigh goods, started the Bengal Waterproof star brand, Duckback, indigenously.

A range of products for the Indian masses, Duckback’s USP (Unique Selling Point) was and is, its durability. Hence, the name was derived from the idiom, ‘like water off a duck’s back’. And Bose, with his academic brilliance as an alumni of Berkeley and Stanford universities, brought all his technical expertise and experience to make this promise of keeping water off your back, stand tall for decades now!

Many of these Swadeshi entrepreneurs were driven by the zeal and aspiration to demonstrate that Indians can manufacture and build a home-grown industrial base rather than sheer pursuit of profits or seeking riches. Making profits was not the sole drive for many of these entrepreneurs launching new products and technologies, says Professor Dipen Sanyal, treasurer and trustee of IISWBM, a prominent b-school in Kolkata to Swarajya Magazine 

But the trigger of this idea did not come from the hallowed halls of excellence, but from behind the bars.

A passionate nationalist, Bose was empathetic to the plight of Indian soldiers, and had vehemently fought for India’s freedom. Owing to this, he was imprisoned for ‘anti-state activities’ during the World War I. Behind the prison walls, he learnt about how Indian soldiers had been suffering in harsh regions without proper raincoats, groundsheets and even boots.

It was after his release that Bose, along with his brothers, Ajit Mohan, Jogindra Mohan and Bishnupada, developed the unique manufacturing method—the Duckback process’, to make affordable yet high-quality rainwear in India. And thus Bengal Waterproof Works, a latex and rubber factory began in the century-old Bose family home in south Kolkata’s Nazar Ali Lane.

In the following years, as Duckback became increasingly popular, Bose purchased a closed rubber factory (Dicon) and shifted manufacturing operations to Panihati, in 1938. Two years later, the company was renamed to Bengal Waterproof Limited, although its identity continued to be just, Duckback!

Defence-centric products

Duckback has quite a line of products ranging from school bags, dak bags for postal officers, ice bags, hot water bottles, to overshoes, rubber heels, gum boots, air pillows and even horse covers. But, apart from these seasonal wearables for the masses, it has also been manufacturing a special range for the defence sector.

Also Read: Phantom Cigarettes to Lijjat Papad: 6 Delicacies Every 90s Kid Grew Up On!

From tents, oxygen masks, snow ankle boots, rubberised inflatable boats, helicopter landing gear, life jackets to G (anti-gravity) suits for pilots as well as submarine escape suits, Duckback has been making its contribution to the Indian army, thus staying true to its genesis.

But, with the turn of a few decades, the landscape around Duckback began to alter. As prices of rubber spiralled from Rs 50 to Rs 280 per kg, and students, the company’s major target group, began to take pool cars and buses to school, the demand for Duckback’s premium rainwear dwindled around the onslaught of cheap disposable raincoats that frequented local markets.

However, despite the challenges, around 2006, Duckback came again to the forefront with a featherweight raincoats, waterproof jackets with leggings and hoods, shifting its focus to the two-wheeler riding population. With more research, it also started to manufacture India’s first transportable astrodomes, in association with the National Council of Science Museum for educational purposes. Each of these inflatable, rubberised astrodomes are lightweight, easily foldable, fire resistant and coated with waterproof material.A replica of the same is now at Kolkata’s planetarium, popularly known as ‘Taramondal’.

A hopeful comeback

Although, post 2010, Duckback has had a number of setbacks especially in the mass consumer space, it continues to make strides in compensating and stepping up with out-of-the-box ideas.

With the flavour of nostalgia still alive in various corners in the country, it hopes to resurrect the Duckback influence as an ecologically-friendly brand, whose products don’t leach chemicals on your skin, or disintegrate easily, as do the PVC-based products currently popular in the rainwear market.

Duckback, a living idol for the Indian economy, we hope to see you shine soon!

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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A simple piece of coloured thread, decorated with love and a promise to care and support one another, is what rakhi has always meant to me. It has never been about the gifts or my brother’s tall claims of protecting me from harm.

Instead, it’s more about an emotional bond that ties two individuals so that they are always there for each other, no matter what.

A sacred piece of thread was used to drive hundreds towards a positive change. You can do the same with these eco-friendly plantable rakhis, that will not only be a promise of love and support to your brother but also the environment. Check them out here.

And almost 100 years ago, this precise idea inspired the great poet, Rabindranath Tagore to re-introduce the centuries old festival, Raksha Bandhan, as a celebration of Bengal’s unity, at a time when imperialism threatened to break it apart.

Rakhi, a symbol of unity

At the dawn of the 19th century, Bengal had emerged to become a hotbed of nationalist movements, threatening the British rule. Bengal was meant to be their power centre, but the bubbling discontent among the citizens was a major cause of concern for them.

Hence, in an attempt to curb this, the British decided to resort to the ‘divide and rule’ policy. Their strategy was to break the communal harmony between Hindus and Muslims of the region, and Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy of India was made in-charge of it.

The decision for Bengal’s partition was taken at a meeting between Curzon and a Muslim delegation in Assam, in June 1905, whereby the Hindu majority regions of West Bengal, Bihar and Odisha were to be separated from Muslim-dominated areas of Sylhet and Assam. A month later, they passed the order for partition, which came into effect on 16 October.

The move was vehemently opposed by prominent leaders of the time, including Rabindranath Tagore.

Coincidentally, by the time the partition of Bengal was about to come into effect, the month of shravan had arrived. It is the time when the festival of Raksha Bandhan is celebrated by the Hindu community, and Tagore realised that a simple thread, steeped in mythology and folklore, had the true power to unite thousands of people, invoking brotherhood and togetherness among the two communities.

Hence, the festival emerged to become a symbol of protest against the British partition policy.

“He transformed the religious tradition of Raksha Bandhan to a secular motif of unity among diversity and resisted Banga Bhanga (Partition of Bengal),” writes A Majumdar in his book, Tagore by Fireside.

A single thread weaving communities together

An influential leader at the time, Tagore put in all his efforts to call out to his fellow citizens to rise above their communal identities and embrace each other in unity. As anticipated, the simple thread helped weave the sentiments of hundreds of Indians together.

Be it on the streets, or in community halls, hundreds of Hindus and Muslims came together to tie each other rakhis, as a symbol of protest against the British government’s divisional policies.

For the next six years, widespread protests continued in Kolkata, Dhaka and Sylhet, until the colonial government was left with no choice. In 1911, the British finally withdrew the partition, marking a great victory in the history of India’s freedom struggle.

Despite the political upheavals that followed this victory, this incident hidden between the pages of history books, continues to be a living example of communal harmony in Bengal, and other parts of the country—something to draw inspiration from.

Also Read: How Tagore’s Love For Strange Food Paved The Path For the Modern-Day Adda!

Edited by Saiqua Sultan

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The Global Status Report on Road Safety 2018 published by World Health Organisation (WHO) points India as one of the leading countries in terms of road accident fatalities. There are many reasons for road accidents like nonchalance of the drivers, pedestrians and even vehicle-related failures. Among the reasons is also the post-accident scenario where the requisite actions that could save the life of the crash victim are not taken.

Read on to find out such lessons that can help ordinary citizens become life-savers, and reduce loss of lives.

With many parts of the country reeling under an acute water shortage, you could consider installing these water-saving aerators in your kitchen. Click here to buy. 

Golden Hour

The ‘Golden Hour’ is the first hour after the Trauma. If proper and timely first aid is given, road accident victims have a higher chance of survival. Prompt action may also reduce the severity of the injuries. It is said that the four minutes are crucial.

To be able to make use of the Golden Hour opportunity, one must learn the ropes of First Aid. People often think that injuries and the subsequent blood loss is the main reason for most death, but loss of oxygen supply due to blocked airway is counted as one of the most common causes of accident deaths.

First Aid Tips to follow in the Golden Hour:

• Before you attempt helping an accident victim ensure that you are safe and are not putting yourself in any danger.
• If the accident victim is trapped in a vehicle do not try and get the person out without expert assistance.
• Clear the airway or breathing track by loosening clothing at neck, chest, and waist.
• Help restore breath with mouth to mouth resuscitation until breathing is restored. Blow every three seconds for children and every four seconds for adults.
• Uncover bleeding wound and put direct pressure on the wound with a thick pad of bandage or cloth to stop bleeding.
• Stay positive and calm yourself to be able to help those in need. If you find the victim panicking, try and talk to them to help them stay lucid and positive.

Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

CPR is a life saving medical procedure administered to someone who is in cardiac arrest. The aim of CPR is to make sure that oxygenated blood keeps flowing through the victims body to be able to keep the vital organs alive until advanced care arrives.

Following are the basic steps of CPR as mentioned in the RedCross website:

• Check the scene and the victim
• With the person lying on their back, tilt their head back slightly to lift the chin to open the airway.
• Listen carefully for sounds of breathing for 10 seconds. Remember that if the person is gasping occasionally then it does not equate to breathing. Begin CPR if there is no sound of breathing.
• In the middle of the chest, place your hands, one on top of the other. Using your body weight administer compressions which are at least two inches deep and delivered at a rate of at least 100 compressions per minute.
• Keeping the person’s head slightly tilted back and the chin lifted, pinch the nose shut and place your mouth over the person’s mouth making a complete seal. Blow into the person’s mouth to make the chest rise. After delivering two rescue breaths, continue with compressions.
• Continue the cycles until expert help arrives, if you are getting tired, ask a person standing by to continue while you guide them through the steps.

This video illustrates in steps how one can save a life by following the basic Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) techniques.

It is often said that people refrain from coming forward to help victims of accidents because they fear getting embroiled in a legal mess. To negate this fear, the Good Samaritan law was passed.

Good Samaritan Law

In 2015, The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued the Good Samaritan Guidelines. The Supreme Court of India then gave these guidelines the force of law in the year 2016. The two primary benefits that this law offers are:

1. Protection from any legal complications to anyone who comes forward to help a road accident victim.
2. ‘Good Samaritans’ can choose to file a police complaint without disclosing their names.

You can read about this in detail in an article The Better India has covered earlier.

It is very important to stay as calm as possible in such situations, remember these pointers and act accordingly. You have the chance to save a life!

Before you leave, here is a list of the basic Do’s and Dont’s of driving.

Do’s & Don’ts

• Ensure that you follow the road safety rules.
• Always pay heed to the warning signs and follow the traffic signals while driving.
• If you are riding a two-wheeler, both the rider and the pillion rider must wear a helmet.
• Never use a cell phone while driving.
• If you have been driving for a very long time, take adequate breaks to stay focused.
• Do not encourage children to sit in the drivers seat and fiddle with the steering wheel or accelerator.
• Ensure that your vehicle is stocked with a first aid safety kit.
• Refrain from driving when you are tired or sleepy.

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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Ms Aizya Naaz Joshi’s life has been an incredible journey filled with obstacles that could devastate the best of us. Her story is more than the empowerment of a long-oppressed community. It is also a story of a person who overcame childhood trauma of rape, ostracisation by the community and being reduced to a stereotype.

Today, Naaz is on cloud nine. Why shouldn’t she be? Earlier this month, India’s first international transgender beauty queen scored a hattrick by winning her third consecutive Miss World Diversity crown in Port Louis, Mauritius, defeating other international contestants.

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In an exclusive conversation with The Better India, Naaz says, “I’m overwhelmed, honoured and absolutely delighted at receiving this award for the third time in a row. Winning this award, I feel like I’ve not only done something for myself but my community as well. This win is dedicated to the transgender community.”

Born in 1984 in Shahdara, East Delhi, in a family of humble means, Naaz knew very early that she was different.

We are not born in our proper bodies, and that isn’t our fault. We are born with a soul and heart of a woman trapped inside a man’s body. Ever since I was a child, I would dress up as a girl. That produced a lot of contradictions in my behaviour. To the world, I was a boy, but I felt like a girl within. During various school functions, I would act like a girl. My parents were taunted. Any parent would not want their kids to go away, but society’s overbearing influence forced their hand, she recalls.

Naaz’s parents sent her to live with her uncle’s family in Mumbai, thinking it to be a safe place. For a while, she admits that the bullying became less. Although her mother had sent money for Naaz’s education and other expenses, Naaz didn’t see a dime. Instead, she was asked to find a job in a Dhaba, and that is how the young Naaz sponsored her school education.

However, at age 11, Naaz was the victim of one of the most heinous crimes that left her traumatised. She was gang-raped by her cousin brother and his friends and had to be hospitalised. When she woke up, her aunt and uncle forbade her to talk about this incident to anyone.

I was a child, too and had no idea of what rape even meant. All I knew was that I was brutally injured. I understood much later what had happened to me. At the hospital, however, I met a transwoman who asked me whether I wanted to come along for begging on the streets. I refused, and told her if she could get me a good job, I would do it, shares Naaz.

Naturally, she didn’t want to work at the Dhaba where her cousin brother and his friends were regulars. Thankfully, the transwoman found her a job at a local dance bar, allowing her to be herself and dress as a woman. In the morning, Naaz would go to school, finish her homework in the afternoon and at night dance at the bar.

Dance bars carry the stereotype that they are essentially brothels. “However, I was living a very happy life there. Working there helped me because now I had a place to stay and had food on the table. I was able to finish my schooling and look for other opportunities,” shares Naaz.

She worked at the dance bar for eight years from 1998 to 2006 until she met her cousin sister, the late supermodel Viveka Babajee who always thought that Naaz could make it as a top model. For Naaz, this was another turning point. At the age of 18, she now had a dear friend and mentor who not only believed in her but also encouraged her to study further.

“Thanks to her encouragement, I got into the National Institute of Fashion Technology-Delhi, and she sponsored my education there for three years,” remembers Naaz.

However, Naaz came up against barriers there too because the ‘third gender’ was yet to receive legal recognition from the Supreme Court of India. The only way she could get admission was if she identified herself as a male. She had no choice but to conform to strict gender roles, but it was a price she was willing to pay to enter the fashion industry.

Sadly, in 2010, Viveka died under tragic circumstances, and Naaz was devastated. But somehow she found the strength to finish her studies while working in fast food outlets in Delhi to fund her last year in college.

Naaz topped her class and went on to work with famous designers like Ritu Kumar and Ritu Beri. But she had to eventually quit her job as she felt that her colleagues did not like taking instructions from a transwoman.

Hunting the classifieds for a job posting, she found the position of a manager at a massage parlour in the Lajpat Nagar area of South Delhi.

Meanwhile, in 2011, she began the process of undergoing gender reassignment surgery for which she had to undergo hormone therapy for two years. The final operation was done in 2013.

In 2014, she met ace photographer Rishi Taneja through a common friend. He was making a documentary about transgender lives and had found his muse in Naaz. Taneja ended up making a biopic on her life and struggles. This project catapulted her to celebrity status.

The biopic garnered a lot of media attention with channels like CNN-IBN doing a 30-minute special on her. The growing media coverage opened avenues into the modelling world, and thus she went onto becoming India’s first transgender model.

Viveka’s dream had come to fruition. Making matters better, on 15 April 2014, the Supreme Court passed its historic NALSA judgment that recognised transgender people as the ‘third gender’. In many ways, the judgement was a vindication.

In 2012, things took a turn for Naaz when the Miss Universe pageant changed the rules to allow transsexuals to participate. She tells TBI that it was this decision which inspired her to try her luck in modelling.

Following her sensational first win at the Miss Diversity pageant where many officials couldn’t discern she was a transwoman, Naaz dedicated her life to serving the transgender community. Working with multiple non-profits and raising funds for children with HIV AIDS, she has also gone into rural India offering knowledge on menstrual hygiene and self-improvement. However, she wants to expand the scope of her social activism.

“I want to use my crown to work with governments, for example, on the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019. The government drafted this bill without even consulting our community. This is not done. I also want to work on pushing for same-sex marriages, and transwoman marriages. If Tamil Nadu has accepted transgender brides, why can’t this practice be applicable all over India? Yes, political parties have given tickets to transgender people during elections, but that’s very different from working for them. One day, I would like to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and address our concerns,” says Naaz.

She also wants to use her platform to end the stigma attached to her identity, particularly changing the way mainstream cinema depicts people from her community.

“Life isn’t easy for us even today, receiving regular taunts from society. Even today, my parents are ashamed when people come and tell them ‘your boy has now become a girl’ and ‘log kya kahenge’ (what will people say)? This stigma isn’t restricted to trans people, but even single women in their mid-30s, those who suffer domestic violence, marital rape, and dowry harassment. We must make common cause with them as well,” she adds.

Also Read: Trans People in This Karnataka Village Are Farming Their Way Out of Exploitation

What advice would Naaz give to parents whose children don’t conform to gender norms?

“If you’re a parent and your child expresses different sexual orientations or doesn’t conform to gender norms, don’t disown them. You must stand with them proudly. If you don’t, the world will find ways to victimise your children. There were a few occasions when I contemplated suicide, but I never had the heart to go for it because life, after all, is a beautiful thing,” she smiles.

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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This article has been sponsored by Godrej

With its humble Swadeshi roots, very few industrial houses represent the Indian economic growth story better than the $4.15 billion global conglomerate—Godrej.

Following the incredible loot of India’s riches by colonialism, it was the likes of the Godrej Group that first helped the country get back on its feet. From manufacturing India’s first fireproof safe to its first indigenous fridge, typewriter and Chavi—the world’s first soap made of vegetable oil, this Indian powerhouse in many ways laid the foundation of modern India.

Today, the conglomerate has its fingers in a lot of pies from agriculture to aerospace, properties to personal care. Carrying the thuds, bangs and rhythms of progress, the sounds of India’s growth continues to emanate from Godrej’s factory floors. #SoundOfMakingIndia!

Moreover, it has a history of giving India many of its firsts. In this article, we tell readers about the #IconsOfIndia that Godrej made and introduced in India.

1. First springless lock

Following a few failed ventures, it was Ardeshir Godrej who set up a lock company in 1897 out of a tiny shed in Mumbai’s Lalbaugh area. The high-security Anchor locks proved popular and laid the foundation for the Godrej group known for its eponymous range of steel cupboards.

By 1902, the company began building safes as well, following which, in 1909, Ardeshir Godrej invented the springless lock for which he got a patent.

“Within this pioneering product, the controlling key worked in a stop with its teeth in reverse order of the main key, so that the lever could be raised in the correct position for shooting the bolt. This innovative product provided various levers and fittings for additional security, a feature that the regular spring-fitted lock lacked,” writes Godrej Locking Solutions and Systems.

Meanwhile, the strength, robustness and durability of its safe became world-famous in 1944, when the freighter, SS Fort Stikine exploded on the docks of Bombay (Mumbai), releasing more than half a million tonnes of debris. However, every fireproof Godrej safe in there remained untouched, alongside the pearls and papers inside them.

2. ‘Swadeshi’ Godrej Prima typewriter

By the 1940s, most typewriters were imported or assembled in India. The American manufacturer Remington and Sons dominated the market. By 1948, the idea of manufacturing indigenous typewriting machines instead of importing them took concrete shape among top executives in the Mumbai-based Godrej and Boyce.

With the first general elections coming up, however, manufacturing ballot boxes for Independent India took precedence. Eventually, in 1955, the company launched the locally-made Godrej Prima. It was also the first business enterprise in Asia to manufacture typewriters. India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru saw the launch of Godrej Prima as a real symbol of both an industrialised and self-reliant India. In only a few years, Godrej typewriters were found everywhere from government offices to homes.

By the 1990s, Godrej was manufacturing a third of the typewriters India needed.

3. First Ballot Box

It was on 4 July 4 1951, when Pirojshah Godrej announced the commencement of operations at Godrej and Boyce’s first factory building in the Vikhroli area of Mumbai.

On top of the agenda was manufacturing ballot boxes for the young and newly Independent India’s first general elections in 1951-1952. In 1951, the company secured an order to manufacture 900,000 ballot boxes.

“The factory was churning out more than 15,000 ballot boxes in one day. A newspaper article. . . quoted a Godrej spokesperson mention that if all the boxes (nine inches long) were put on top of each other, they would reach the height of several Mount Everests piled one on top of the other. If placed side by side, they would form a line 200 miles long,” according to this blog in the Institute for Southasian Research and Exchange.

4. First Indian-Made Fridge

Back in the 1950s, the modern fridge was affordable to only a very few Indians who wanted to keep their dairy products, veggies, and water cool.

All the brands available to Indian customers were foreign made. All this changed when Godrej and Boyce manufactured the Indian-made refrigerator in 1958 in collaboration with General Electric. Years later it would also become the first company in India to manufacture 100 per cent CFC, HCFC, and HFC-free refrigerators in India, and thus contributing their tiny bit to battle climate change.

“Godrej made an exorbitant luxury an affordable reality. The genesis lay in the concept of a ‘self-reliant India’ which Ardeshir Godrej believed in. The idea that shaped Godrej was the dream of a self-reliant India with products that could compete with the world’s best,” says a senior Godrej Appliances executives to Economic Times.

5. Cinthol Soap

In 1906, the Indian National Congress had pledged to promote indigenously-made products instead of British-made ones. By 1918, Ardeshir Godrej and his brother Pirojsha Burjorji had co-founded Godrej & Boyce manufacturing company, which would go onto launch India’s first washing soap bar in 1918.

“He (Ardeshir) went on to experiment with the idea of making toilet soaps from vegetable oils instead of animal fats as was the accepted practice in most countries since the beginning of soap manufacture,” according to the archives of the company.

By 1920, the company launched ‘No.2’, which was the first toilet soap made purely from vegetable oil. Two years later, the company launched ‘No.1’ and by 1926 emerged the Turkish bath soap. However, it was ‘Vatni’ (short for ‘Vatan se’ or ‘from the motherland’), introduced sometime between 1926 and 1932, which really took off. Wrapped in green and white packaging, the soap came with the tag line, ‘Made in India, for Indians, by Indians’

Cinthol, however, was developed with the arrival of Burjor Godrej, the son of Pirojsha. “Emphasis was laid on progressively improving qualities at decreasing costs. One of his greatest achievements was the introduction of toiletries containing G-11 or Hexachlorophene (a powdered agent used as a disinfectant in soaps) in India. He obtained a license for the exclusive use of G-11 in India for manufacturing soaps and other toilet preparations. And the result was: introduction of Cinthol in 1952,” says the Godrej archives.

Following the advent of liberalisation, it was the third generation of the Godrej family led by Adi Godrej, the son of Burjor Godrej, who took this conglomerate international. Constantly innovating its products and engaging in largely profitable mergers and acquisitions, the company today has more than 28,000 employees and has business operations in over 60 countries. If this story doesn’t encapsulate the Indian growth story, it’s hard to say what does.

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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When faced with a disaster, most people tend to run away from it. But, there are a few who run towards it.

Ramdas Umaji Madane belongs to the latter category.

After eight days of incessant rains, life in Western Maharashtra was utterly paralysed. From trees, homes to livestock, everything had drowned in the flood which had affected almost 500 villages on its way.

Consequently, more than 2 lakh people had been displaced with almost no access to necessary facilities like drinking water, clothes and food.

Amid all this chaos, one thing that remained constant was Ramdas’s will to help and save as many lives he could.

A fisherman from Dudhondi village, in Sangli’s Palus taluka, he risked his life repeatedly to bring hundreds of people to safety.

Speaking with The Better India, he recalls, “It was raining for over a week, and although the authorities had asked most people to leave their homes and run to safety, most of them had ignored the warning, hoping that the rain would subside. But it didn’t. It only grew stronger and ravaged our entire village.”

According to a 2019 report by South Asian Network for Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRAP), the flood situation in Sangli and Kolhapur coincided with the release of water from three large dams — Warna, Koyna and Radhanagari situated in the Upper Krishna basin.

Owing to this, hundreds of villages submerged under the water in no time. Ramdas’ village, Dudhondi was one of them. And, his own house, located by the river, was severely hit by the flood.

“Ours is a two-story house, and the first floor was completely underwater. We would have to climb up the roof somehow and jump into the second floor to survive the nights as the rains outside raged continuously,” says Vijay Madane, his nephew, who stayed behind along with Ramdas to help the villagers to safety.

Explaining the situation, he adds that Ramdas would use his small round coracle, also known as agarala boat to make multiple trips across Dudhondi and neighbouring villages like Malwadi and Ghogaon, to transport people from flood-stricken areas to a safe place situated almost 2 kilometres away from the village.

“Its a tiny boat and to maintain balance with so many people in it was a challenge. But, I managed and made almost 300 trips back and forth to bring them to a nearby high school called Chhatrapati Shivaji Vidyalaya, which was kept open as a safe place for them,” adds Ramdas.

This way, he managed to save the lives of more than 500 people in the area.

While his uncle saved lives, Vijay managed to bring them necessary facilities like water, food and clothing to the villagers.

“We had to stay back in our half-submerged house, in case anyone needed us. So, I would take all necessary items to the school, where everyone together would cook meals and give me some to bring back home for my uncle and me,” says Vijay.

Ramdas and Vijay followed this arduous routine for days, till help from the authorities finally arrived.

Hoping to recover from the disaster very soon, Ramdas concludes, “People ask me why did I do it. And I ask them, why not? Helping people during an adversity like this does not make me a hero, it makes me human.”

Also Read: A Flood of Heroes: 6 People Helping the Stranded With Courage & Compassion!

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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Pradeep Kumar (name changed) is a 35-year-old Software Consultant residing in Delhi. At the insistence of his family, he decided to invest in an apartment being built by a well-known real estate developer in the city. The developer’s good presence in the market was why Pradeep used up almost all of his savings for the apartment.

Unfortunately, after paying 65 per cent of the amount toward the apartment, Pradeep got to know about the developer defaulting on bank loans and going bankrupt. And that was when Pradeep’s battle began. For the last two years, he, and other home buyers like him ran from pillar to post trying to sort out the mess to get their money back.

Such has been the plight of several home buyers across India in the last few years impacted severely by the insolvency-hit developers.

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Until 9 August 2019, home buyers in India were treated as unsecured creditors who came after secured and institutional creditors in terms of priority for recovery of dues. With the Supreme Court’s decision to treat home buyers as financial creditors, homebuyers have much to cheer about.

In 2018, President Ram Nath Kovind gave his stamp of approval to an ordinance amending the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), putting home buyers on par with banks as financial creditors.

So what does this mean?

The bankruptcy code defines a financial creditor as, ‘A person to whom a financial debt is owed and includes a person to whom such debt has been legally assigned or transferred’. Till now, this definition did not include home buyers who were seen as operational creditors which means that the money they give to the developer was in return for a product or a service, and not treatable as a loan. This clause put home buyers at a severe disadvantage if the developer went bankrupt.

In case a developer filed for insolvency, the home buyers would be faced with a double whammy – one that they will not receive their asset (home) as promised, and two that they had no recourse against the developer to recover anything; in essence, they were at the mercy of the developer.

But the apex court’s order changes the equation as it puts homebuyers on par with banks who have lent the developer money and gives them a significant voice, and leverage in negotiations.

Salient features of the order:

· Homeowners’ rights are now on par with lenders such as banks and other financial institutions.
· Homeowners now have the right to take real estate developers into bankruptcy proceedings.
· In case of liquidation of assets, homeowners will also be eligible to be paid off immediately along with other institutional lenders.
· Justices R F Nariman, Sanjiv Khanna and Surya Kant passed this order in the Pioneer Urban Land and Infrastructure Ltd Versus Union of India case. In so doing, the three-judge bench disposed of over 180 petitions filed by real estate developers challenging the constitutional validity of the amendments made to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code in 2018.
· The regulations listed out in Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) need to be read harmoniously with those of the IBC, and in case of a conflict, the IBC will prevail.
· Once the homeowner establishes that prima-facie a default has taken place, then the onus shifts to the real estate developer to prove the homeowner himself is a defaulter and therefore would not be eligible for any relief under the Act.
· With this order, homeowners can now initiate the process to have the management of the real estate development firm changed to ensure smoother operations.
· In addition, being financial creditors, they are entitled to be represented in the Committee of Creditors (CoC) by authorised representatives.
· The real estate developer will now have to make a declaration supported by an affidavit, stating the time period within which the project shall be completed. Seventy per cent of the amount realised for the project from the allottees will be deposited in a separate account, used only towards that particular project.
· Registration will be granted only after ascertaining that the promoter is bonafide and is likely to perform his part of the bargain satisfactorily.
· While this order further ensures that investments made by homeowners are recovered efficiently, it also promotes resolution over liquidation.

Welcoming this order, Punit Dutt Tyagi, executive partner at law firm Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan Attorneys, in a report published here, says, “The decision to include home buyers under the ambit of financial creditors will be received with a cheer. Several developers have misappropriated funds of home buyers, whose position in the resulting insolvency proceedings has been the topic of speculation for a while now. The decision to end this uncertainty is a step in the right direction.”

Over the past few years, the courts have been very proactive in protecting the rights of homeowners and buyers.

In 2018, the RERA, in what is being looked at as a landmark judgement, ordered JVPD Properties Private Limited to refund Rs 7.10 crore along with 15 per cent interest to 21 aggrieved homebuyers. While many awards to affected homebuyers have been passed before, this order is unique as it potentially blocked a significant loophole in the real estate regulations. You can read all about that case here.

In case you are an aggrieved homeowner, this article explaining which adjudicating body to approach to seek relief might throw some light on your predicament.

While there are various laws to protect the interests of homeowners, you must practice diligence before investing in a real estate development project.

Remember the old Latin adage – Caveat Emptor – Buyer Beware!

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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Born and brought up in the national capital, Pratishtha Mamgain’s roots are in Uttarakhand.

A graduate of St Stephen’s College, Delhi, Pratishtha started preparing for the exam in 2016—the same year she passed out of college. A year later, she appeared for the Civil Service Examination for the first time and secured an All India Rank of 50.

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Pratishtha is currently undergoing her district training at Vishakhapatnam and is posted as an Assistant Collector (training).

In this conversation, she discusses her preparation tactics and gives some helpful tips for UPSC aspirants.

“I primarily referred to The Hindu and the Indian Express. Up until the prelims I used [The] Hindu as my main source of information and gave a cursory glance to IE, but after the prelims, I switched it up. IE became my main source of information, while I continued reading the editorial in The Hindu,” she begins.

Why asked about the switch, she explains that she was deeply impressed with IE’s weekly explainers, which offered her great insight on varied topics.

So how much time should one dedicate to reading the newspaper?

Speaking from her own experience, Pratishtha says, “I would read the editorial every day, and apart from that, go through the explainers very thoroughly. I would also spend some time making notes for issues that were very new to me, and I felt that there was a need to get into deeper. I would dedicate a couple of hours each morning only to read the newspaper.”

Besides these two newspapers, Pratishtha also referred to the monthly magazine Yojana, published by the government of India and the Vision IAS booklets.

How does one decide what newspapers and magazines to read?

“During my college years, I spent a lot of time reading topper interviews and watching videos in which the toppers would share their strategy and tips. I saw that a majority of them had read these newspapers and referred to these magazines. I also made a consolidated list of books that were commonly used and referred to them while studying.”

How should one divide their time studying?

Pratishtha mentions that the first thing she did after waking up, was to read the information that needed to be memorised – “For example—details, like names, places, dates and facts.”

She would then move on to reading the newspaper and spend two odd hours doing that.

At around 10:30 am, she says that she would go on to studying either for the optional paper or general studies. At night before going to bed she would go through the Vision IAS booklet, she says.

When asked if she resorted to making notes while studying, Pratishtha says, “I would make notes only for topics that had content in several different places or something that needed to be memorised.”

“Mostly, I just stuck to studying books in totality and would revise it all countless number of times.”

Like many others, Pratishtha too struggled with retaining information, initially. “I would forget things easily, but soon realised that this was something that could be overcome only with several revisions. I would set a target for myself in terms of how many times I needed to revise a particular topic or book and not stop until I achieved that.”

In conclusion, she says that aspirants must remember to follow these pointers a week or so before the examination:

• Sleep well and stay calm. Given the level of stress, one goes through; it is essential to give your mind the rest that it needs.
• Stick to what you have already covered. Do not attempt to absorb any new content or learn new topics a week before the examination. It is advisable to stick to what you have already covered and spend the time you have just revising it thoroughly.
• Spend time going through mock tests and also analyse the mistakes that you commit in these. That will help you while you attempt the examination.
• Find the pattern you follow—are you risk-averse or one who likes to take risks? Remember, both are not good; you need to find a middle path.

With these pointers, we wish you all the best for the examination!

Also Read: Interview to Essay Paper in Mains, IAS Officer Shares Strategy to Ace UPSC Exam

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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A United Nations Population Fund report suggests that the number of elderly persons is expected to grow to 2 billion by 2050, accounting for 22 per cent of the total population. Suffice it to say that the world is ageing which will impact every aspect of an economy like financial and labour markets, goods and services, as well as sectors like transportation, housing, and social protection.

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The elderly should be viewed as contributors to the process of development, and their ability to affect social betterment must be taken into account during policy and programme formulation at all levels. Public health care systems, social protection and pensions for this ageing populace is going to be big issues for governments around the world.

In India, the elderly population is estimated to reach 30 crore by 2050. There a many schemes that the government of India has in place for senior citizens. In this article, we list out five of them for you or the elderly in your lives.

1. Senior Citizens Saving Scheme (SCSS)

• This is a government-backed savings instrument offered to Indian residents above the age of 60.
• The deposit matures in five years and can be extended once for an additional three year period.
• One can avail this scheme either through a public/private bank or through the Indian Post office.
• interest rate for January to March 2019 has been set at 8.6 per cent and is reviewed by the government every quarter.
• The accrued interest is compounded and credited quarterly.
• A minimum deposit of Rs 1,000 and a maximum of Rs 15 lakh can be made via this scheme.
• Investments made under this scheme are eligible for tax exemptions.
• If, for some reason, you wish to withdraw money before the scheme matures, then there will be a penalty charge of 1.5 percent of deposit amount deducted in case the withdrawal is before two years, and 1 per cent after two years.
• If you wish to register for this scheme, the registration form can be downloaded here.

2. Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY)

• The scheme is managed by the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).
• Under this scheme the beneficiary is assured of 8 per cent per annum return on the deposit. The ‘pension’, or the return will be payable for a period of 10 years and the beneficiary has the option of choosing the tenure of payment.
• One can subscribe to this until 30 March 2020.
• Under this scheme there is a cap on the amount that can be invested, an individual can invest upto Rs 15 lakh and a minimum of Rs 1,000.
• The scheme has no tax benefits.
• In case of death of the beneficiary before the completion of the tenure, the principal amount will be credited to the nominated beneficiary’s account.
• This scheme also has the provision for a premature exit in case of critical illness of self or spouse. In such a case 2 per cent will be withheld as a penalty charge.
• Further details about this scheme can be found here.

3. Varishta Pension Bima Yojana

• Launched by the LIC, this scheme provides its beneficiaries with a steady 8 per cent per annum interest rate for a period of 10 years.
• Unlike other schemes, one doesn’t have to go through any medical check-ups to avail its benefits.
• This scheme, however, has a lock in period of 15 years.
• If the policyholder is diagnosed with a critical illness then one can make an early withdrawal.
• Under this scheme the beneficiary will also get tax exemptions.
• If for some reason you are not satisfied with the scheme then you have 15 days from the start date to cancel it.
• You can opt to get the pension payout monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or annually.
• This is a single premium policy and the premium will vary depending on the pension amount you want.
• Single premium of Rs 6,66,665 enables the policyholder to receive Rs 5,000 per month and an annual premium of Rs 6,39,610 affords the pensioner a sum of Rs 60,000 per annum.
• You can download the form here and submit it along with medical reports, address proof, KYC documents, and existence certificate.

4. Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY)

• Launched in 2017 by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment of Government of India.
• This scheme is only available to those senior citizens who are below poverty line, that is, are BPL cardholders.
• Senior citizens suffering from low vision, hearing impairment, loss of teeth, and locomotor disability will be provided with assisted-living devices.
• A committee chaired by the Deputy Commissioner or District Collector with the help of the State governments identifies those who are eligible for this scheme.
• 30 per cent of the beneficiaries from each district will be women.
• Walking sticks, elbow crutches, walkers, hearing aids, wheelchairs, and artificial dentures are some of the aids that are provided under this scheme.
• The scheme will be implemented in 260 districts and benefit almost 5 lakh plus beneficiaries in 2019-2020.

5. Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme

• Introduced in 2007 by the Ministry of Rural Development of India, this scheme is popularly known as National Old Age Pension Scheme (NOAPS).
• This scheme provides social assistance benefits to senior citizens, widows, and those with disabilities.
• Under this scheme the beneficiary will receive a monthly pension.
• The interesting part about this scheme is that it is a non-contributing scheme, which means that the beneficiary does not have to contribute any amount to receive the pension.
• The beneficiary must be a BPL cardholder and have no regular source of financial support from any other source.
• If the beneficiary is between 60 to 79 years old, a monthly amount of Rs 200 is given and for those above 80 years, a sum of Rs 500.
• The pension amount will be credited to the bank account as furnished by the beneficiary or post office account.
• You can get more details on how to apply for this scheme here.

While we take utmost care in collating information about various schemes, please do read the fine print before you decide to enroll for any scheme.

Also Read: Why This 82-Year-Old Chose to Start an Old Age Home in Bengaluru

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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On 8 August 2019, The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued a draft regulation to prevent the use of anti-biotic colistin in food, banned by the government of India in July. You can read more about what these antibiotics found in our food are in this article, here.

According to the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Amendment Regulations 2019, colistin will be added to the list of antibiotics and veterinary drugs that are prohibited for use in processing of meat and meat products, poultry and eggs, sea foods including shrimps, prawns or fish and fishery products.

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Here are six things that you ought to know about this:

1. The Health Ministry has banned the manufacture, sale and distribution of antibiotic, Colistin and its formulations for food-producing animals, poultry, aqua farming, and animal feed supplements in a bid to preserve the drug’s efficacy in humans.

2. The use of the drug Colistin and its formulations for food-producing animals, poultry, aqua farming and animal feed supplements is likely to involve risk to human beings.

3. The manufacturer of the drug and its formulations have been asked by the ministry to label the packaged drug and mention clearly the words: Not to be used in food-producing animals, poultry, aqua farming and animal feed supplements.

4. While the antibiotic is being used as a last resort for treatment of patients suffering from infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria, it is being highly misused in the poultry industry.

5. Colistin is a valuable last resort antibiotic and because of its rampant use, patients have started exhibiting resistance to the drug leaving the medical fraternity rather alarmed.

6. The ban follows the recommendations that were made earlier this year by India’s top drug advisory body, the Drugs Technical Advisory Board, and the National Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan committee.

This move has been receiving positive feedback from all quarters. V. Ramasubramanian, infectious diseases expert, and medical director, Capstone clinic, in this report says, “This is fantastic, a significant move in targeting the development of resistance.”

Dr Abdul Ghafur, Apollo Hospitals, who advises the committee, said in this report that the wording of the ban was very strong and was “the best gazette notification you can ever get”. He said the ban indicates that “the Indian government is convinced that colistin is a last resort antibiotic, colistin resistance is increasing in clinical practice and colistin is extensively used in poultry and aquafarming as a growth-promoting agent” and such practice should stop.

With this move, India joins China, the EU, the United States and Brazil in banning the use of Colistin. Let’s hope that the implementation is as effective, and colistin is completely banned.

Also Read: Knew Stapler Pins in Tea Bags Are Banned? 4 FSSAI Bans You Should Know About

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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Food safety regulator FSSAI is working to bring the trans fat content in foods down to 2 per cent by 2022. Bringing down the trans-fatty acids in Vanaspati, edible bakery shortenings, and margarine in a phased manner has been one of FSSAI’s agenda for over a year now. According to a report published in The Hindu Business Line, FSSAI sent out a letter to food safety commissioners and food business operators stating, “Food establishments like bakeries, sweet shops and other food outlets are encouraged to use healthier fat or oil options to reduce the trans fat content in the foods.”

What is trans-fat?

Trans-fat can be defined as an unhealthy substance prepared through the chemical process of hydrogenation of oils. This trans-fat is typically used in commercially baked or fried goods. Hydrogenation solidifies oils thereby increasing the shelf life and flavor of oils and foods made with them.

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The World Health Organisation estimates that consumption of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (PHVOs) high in trans-fat leads to more than 5 lakh deaths annually due to cardiovascular disease. People who consume trans-fats regularly are likely to suffer with heart disease, strokes, may develop diabetes. Some studies also show that it could be linked to breast cancer development. Popular foods that may contain trans-fat include cakes, frozen pizza, tortilla chips, cookies, crackers, biscuits, coffee creamer, and margarine.

The WHO had called for the elimination of industrially-produced trans-fatty acids from the global food supply by 2023. Countries across the world, like Denmark, Norway, Singapore, South Africa, and Chile have already limited the trans-fat in all foods to 2 per cent.

FSSAI and It’s Fight Against Trans-fats

• If bakeries, sweet shops, restaurants comply with the norms notified by the FSSAI, they will be allowed to use “Trans Fat Free” logo at their outlets and on their products.

• This is being done to ensure that the industrial trans-fats, which are toxic compounds causing cardiovascular and other related diseases, are eliminated from the food we consume.

• The nutritional claim of trans fat free can only be made if products contain less than 0.2 gm trans fat per 100 gm or 100 ml of food.

• As of now, the trans fat content in fats and oils has already been limited to five per cent, and the FSSAI now wishes to bring it down to three per cent by 2021 and two per cent by 2022.

• This regulation is also being extended to food products having fats and oils.
This is another good move by the FSSAI and one hopes that its implementation is smooth.

Also Read: Packaged Food With High Fat, Sugar To Be Marked Red: How To Read Food Labels

Cover image

(Edited Saiqua Sultan)

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Dr Padmanabha Kamath still remembers an incident from five years ago, when a young auto rickshaw driver in a remote village in Chikmagalur, had a heart attack and passed away because doctors couldn’t make a diagnosis on time.

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“He was a 32-year-old, had two small children, and was the sole breadwinner of his family. The only reason for his death was a delay in diagnosis,” says Dr Kamath.

The WHO reports that heart attacks are the leading cause of disability and death in India. A Lancet study estimated that the prevalence of heart disease in the country has increased from 2.57 crore in 1990 to 5.45 crore in 2016, and deaths resulting cardiovascular diseases also increased from 13 lakh in 1990 to 28 lakh in 2016.

Additionally, the average time it takes for a patient with an ongoing heart attack to get treated is 360 minutes. This is a far cry from the golden hour of 60 minutes, which is prescribed by the medical specialists.

“In India, the average time of 360 minutes is incorrect. Here, it can be anywhere between 10 to 13 hours after one sustains a heart attack,” he says.

The incident mentioned earlier disturbed Dr Kamath to the extent that he started a WhatsApp group, Cardiology at Doorsteps (CAD), with about 800 doctors to help aid quicker diagnosis especially in the remote rural areas where specialists are not easily accessible.

While the doctors dispense their professional advice on heart-related illnesses for free, they also guide rural doctors in terms of reading electrocardiograms (ECGs) that are posted in the group for a second opinion.

The cardiologists also help the doctors working in smaller hospitals and PHCs to connect with a referral hospital and the nearest cardiologist.

In the 1.5 years since they began, they have received at least 8000 consultations spread across four groups which comprise of three cardiologists in each group.

“Till date, 500 heart attack and 850 heart diseases have been accurately diagnosed in the group,” mentions Dr Kamath.

Dr Kamath emphasises that the specialists in the group must share their numbers on the WhatsApp groups as remaining online throughout the day, is not possible.

“Every ECG posted is reported immediately and then archived. If ECG is not normal, the doctor is called on mobile in addition to standard WhatsApp reporting to doubly ensure the well-being of the patients,” he says.

The group has also raised money and installed over 200 ECG machines in small hospitals and PHCs in remote rural areas.

Where do they get the money for these ECG machines?

“The funding for these machines comes from patients, their relatives, well-wishers and philanthropists. The banking sector has also funded a few machines,” says Dr Kamath.

CAD has also donated emergency heart attack diagnosis and treatment kits to about 1000 PHCs. These kits comprise of drugs that can be used for immediate treatment in case of heart attacks until the patient is referred to a bigger hospital.

Dr Kamath narrates a recent incident where an intervention by the group helped save a life.

“A rural AYUSH doctor’s brother, started complaining of severe chest pains. This was at 8:30 pm, and the man was at his remote farmhouse in Ishwaramangala. The doctor took an ECG using the machine that was donated by CAD and shared the report on the WhatsApp group. The doctors immediately identified it as a heart attack and asked him to rush his brother to Mangaluru. The team was ready to perform angioplasty on the patient as soon as he arrived.”

Currently, Dr, Kamath and other specialists provide this consultation service only in 14 districts across Karnataka, but they plan on increasing its reach in other states. They have already donated 12 ECG machines to PHCs in Kerala.

Additionally, Dr Kamath also runs a free WhatsApp helpline (9743287599) in case of heart related emergency cases. However, Dr. Kamath emphasises that this helpline is only for online consultations in case of emergencies and is in no way a replacement to clinical knowledge and judgement.

“My ambition is to take this up on a pan-India level with the help of like-minded cardiologists along with donations from probably larger business houses. THAT will be a game-changer,” he says as he signs off.

You May Also Like: A Messiah for the Poor, This Pune Doctor Has Done 350+ Heart Surgeries for Free!

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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Most people would get jittery if they were to receive an IT notice.

However, just because you receive a notice does not mean that you have committed a crime. There are various reasons why this could happen, and in addition to listing those reasons in this article, we will also offer solutions.

Before you proceed, please be aware that as of October 1, 2019, all IT notices will be issued through a centralised computer system.

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All IT orders and notices will also carry a Document Identification Number (DIN) and any tax notice not carrying the unique number will be considered as not issued unless the manual notices are issued following the procedure as specified under the law.

So check any notice or order that you receive from the IT department carefully before you proceed with your course of action.

1. Late IT Returns Filing

• A notice might be sent across in case you have not filed your tax returns by the stipulated date. If this is the case, then do not delay any further, as this can lead to a penalty.
• The IT department is at liberty to remind you about unfiled returns for the previous six assessment years.
• If you miss the deadline and file a belated return for the current financial year before December 31, 2019, then you may have to pay a penalty Rs 5000. However, this penalty will increase to Rs 10000, if the IT returns are filed on or after January 1, 2020. If there are taxes unpaid in such cases of delayed filing, the assessee is charged 1 per cent interest per month from the due date.

Solution: Ensure that you reply to the notice within the stipulated time. If the notice has reached you by mistake and you are not liable to pay the taxes or have already done so, do respond to the notice with all relevant documents to support your claim.

2. Mismatch in Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) claimed

• This is one of the most common reasons why an assessee is sent a notice. While you file your returns, the TDS amount should ideally be the same as mentioned in Form 26AS and Form 16 or 16A.
• This could be because of an error in filing by your employer or deductor.
• Form 26AS is a statement containing details of all the taxes that are deducted during the financial year from your income and deposited against your PAN to the government. Apart from taxes deducted by your employer from your salary or by the bank from interest income, Form 26AS also shows the taxes that are deposited by you as advance tax or self-assessment tax.

Solution: In this report, Amarpal S Chadha, Tax Partner and India Mobility Leader, EY India, said, “As a precaution, before filing the return of income, one could check the TDS reported in the Form 26AS and ensure that the TDS is correctly reported by various deductors and then proceed to file the return of income. [In the] case of mismatch, the assessee, has to approach the respective deductor to update their reporting.”

If you find yourself in a similar situation, contact your employer or deductor immediately to get this discrepancy sorted out.

3. A discrepancy in returns filed

• All incomes received or accrued during the previous financial year must be mentioned.
• Before you sit down to fill out the form, make a note of all the income you have received over the course of the year. You must list everything to avoid getting pulled up or penalised later.
• Many assessees forget to report interest earned from savings bank accounts, fixed deposits, recurring deposits, etc., under the head ‘ income from other sources,’ so do ensure that you have a list of it all before you submit your form.

Solution: Remember that you, as a tax-payer, are duty-bound to declare all bank accounts held by you. Even if you are exempt from filing IT returns, and your income is tax-free, you still have an obligation to declare the same.

4. Wrong ITR form

While filing the IT returns form, please be extremely careful about the category under which you fall.

• ITR 1 (Sahaj) is applicable for a resident individual/Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) earning income up to Rs 50 lakh from salary, having one house property, and deposits.
• ITR 2 is to be filed for an individual/HUF with any income from ITR 1, more than one house property, lotteries, capital gains, foreign assets or as a director in a company.
• ITR 3 is for an individual/HUF with any income under ITR 2 and who owns a business, freelances or is a self-practising CA, lawyer, doctor, or teacher. ITR 4 (Sugam) is for an individual/HUF/Partnership firm with any income under ITR 1 and presumptive income (below Rs 2 crore) from business or profession under Section 44AD or 44AE.

Solution: In such cases, the department allows time of up to 15 days to respond to the notice. If you ever receive this notice, make sure you file the revised returns before the deadline. If you fail to do so, your returns could be invalidated by the I-T Department.

Sometimes, despite filling out all the information correctly, you might still end up with a notice. While it could be a technical glitch, always respond to the notice and get a professional to check the notice as well.

Also Read: Banks Cannot Charge You For These ATM Transactions: RBI Rules You Need to Know!

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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On August 29, India celebrates its National Sports Day, which is also the birthday of Major Dhyan Chand Singh, probably the greatest hockey player the country has ever produced.

As a tribute to him, the Government of India has decided to mark August 29 as National Sports Day.

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In the past century, India has witnessed many glorious sporting moments. Today, The Better India will undertake the difficult task of listing the top 10 greatest moments in Indian sports.

Here they are in ascending order.

1. Abhinav Bindra Winning Gold in 2008 Olympics

Abhinav Bindra won India’s first individual gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in the men’s 10m air rifle.

Bindra’s electrifying come-from-behind victory may have happened about a decade ago, but the moment remains unmatched.

2. Cricket World Cup, 1983

Fighting back from the brink to defeat the mighty West Indies side at Lord’s not only brought glory to India but also changed the landscape of Indian sports for decades to come. The clip of Kapil Dev lifting the trophy at the Lord’s balcony remains an iconic moment till date.

3. Prakash Padukone winning 1980 All England Open Badminton Championships

Before Pullela Gopichand, Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Sai Praneeth and Kidambi Srikanth, India had Prakash Padukone.

He was the first Indian to win the men’s singles title at the All England Championship with a victory over Indonesian rival Liem Swie King, and it marked the country’s emergence on the international badminton stage.

4. Vishwanathan Anand Unified World Title

The chess genius from Chennai had already created waves by the time he won the 2007 unified world championship in Mexico City. He had won the world junior champion crown in 1987, followed by a maiden world championship title in 2000.

However, in 1993 Russian legend Gary Kasparov broke away from FIDE, the world’s chess governing body, to establish the Professional Chess Association (PCA) Championship in 1993.

Although the first reunification championship match happened in 2006 between Veselin Topalov and Vladimir Kramnik, it was the following year when eight of the best players in the world battled for the crown.

Anand finished a good point ahead of joint-second-place winners Boris Gelfand and Kramnik and became the undisputed world champion.

5. PV Sindhu BWF World Championships 2019

PV Sindhu created history by becoming the first Indian to win a gold medal at the BWF World Championships 2019 after defeating Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara in straight sets under just 37 minutes.

The dominant fashion in which she won the game highlighted how far India has come in the sport, and is an inspiration to millions.

6. India win their first Hockey Olympic gold medal Post-Independence

It was a miracle that India even managed to put together a team for the 1948 London Olympics following the turmoil that Partition had brought upon the subcontinent.

However, the Indian Hockey Federation, led by its president Naval Tata, moved heaven and earth to string a team together that would represent a new generation of hockey talent and these players would go onto make the country proud in subsequent tournaments.

Led by Kishan Lal, the team included legends like Leslie Claudius, who would go onto compete in four Olympics and Balbir Singh. Defeating their erstwhile rulers England in the finals, the win brought a few smiles back onto the faces of families struggling to rebuild their lives following Partition.

7. Wilson Jones, Billiards world champion

Before Pankaj Advani, there was Wilson Jones from Pune. The nephew of Indian hockey player OB Massey, Wilson made three unsuccessful bids at winning the world championships before finally landing his moment in 1958.

With the world championships held in Calcutta (Kolkata), Jones pulled off arguably one of the greatest upsets in billiards history. He defeated defending champion Leslie Driffield of England after conceding a whopping 661 points lead.

“How he put India on the map in a game which was the white man’s exclusive preserve, the manner in which he instilled pride in Indian sportspersons and the inspiration he provided to a whole generation of players who went on to become world-beaters at a time when money did not drive the mare, his contribution cannot be viewed only from the narrow prism of the three-ball game. His deeds furthered the cause of Indian sport as a whole to an extent that was remarkable,” said Michael Ferreira, former world billiards champion, to ESPN.

Also Read: Homemakers, Working Moms, Students: These Gritty Women Won India’s 1st Rugby Medal

8. Khashaba Jadhav wins bronze at Helsinki Olympics

India has a remarkable history of wrestlers, competing at the highest levels. However, it was Khasbhaba Jhadav of Goleshwar village, about 75km north of Kolhapur, Maharashtra, who made history with the first individual medal for independent India at the Olympics by clinching a bronze in the bantamweight freestyle category at the Helsinki Olympics in 1952.

Jadhav ended up putting India on the global wrestling map, but the circumstances he did it under, are quite remarkable. He sought the public’s contributions to pay for his ticket to Finland and his kit. In fact, his college principal, mortgaged his house for Rs 7000 to send Jadhav to the games.

9. Mary Kom, Bronze Medal 2012 London Olympics

The Northeast has witnessed its share of legendary sporting legends. However, none have put the region on the map more than MC Mary Kom, the pugilist from Manipur. Her moment of glory came in the 2012 London Olympics where she won bronze. Before the bronze medal, she had won the World Amateur Boxing championships five times, but it was the London Olympics which brought her into the spotlight. Her story even inspired a movie.

10. Leander Paes, 1996 Olympic Bronze

The Indian tennis legend had entered the 1996 Atlanta Games as a wildcard but went onto bagging India’s first individual Olympic medal in 44 years.

Although he lost to Andre Agassi in the semifinals, Paes had once again put India on the global tennis map after a long gap. Well into his 40s, he continues to play at the highest level.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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From Dhyan Chand and Kapil Dev to Prakash Padukone, India’s long and distinguished history in sports has seen many legendary figures, who have made the nation proud on the international stage.

However, some of these athletes of yore, who overcame remarkable odds in life, remain largely forgotten.

Here are seven forgotten sports heroes of yore we must remember on National Sports Day.

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1. Mihir Sen

Mihir Sen showed the world that Indians were capable of greatness by becoming the only man to swim across the oceans of five continents in one year.

Born into a family where his mother had to sell chicken eggs and milk to ensure he had a decent education, Sen earned a law degree before going to the United Kingdom for further studies. In the UK, he worked as a night porter at a railway station for some time to support himself.

Inspired by Florence Chadwick, an American, and the first woman to swim across the English Channel in 1950, he successfully swam the same 32 km stretch on 27 September 1958, finishing with a time of 14 hours and 45 minutes.

The following year he was awarded the Padma Shri.

He wanted to swim the oceans of five continents, starting with crossing the Palk Strait between India and Sri Lanka in 25 hours and 26 minutes on April 5-6, 1966. Subsequently, he went onto cross the Straits of Gibraltar (Europe to Africa) in a little over 8 hours on 24 August, the Bosphorus in 4 hours, the Dardanelles Straits (Gallipoli, Europe to Sedulbabir, Asia Minor) in nearly 14 hours and the entire length of the Panama Canal in 34 hours and 15 minutes across almost two days—from 29 to 31 October.

This incredible feat earned Sen a place in the Guinness Book of World Records and the following year, he won the Padma Bhushan award. Unfortunately, he died under difficult circumstances.

2. Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav

Born and raised in Goleshwar village in Satara district, Jadhav grew up in a wrestling family with his father Dadasaheb Jadhav, a renowned wrestler. Growing up, he participated in the Quit India Movement, offering shelter and hiding places for freedom fighters and circulating letters against the British. With the patronage of the Maharaja of Kolhapur, Jadhav participated in the 1948 London Olympics, where he finished sixth in the flyweight category.

Four years later, however, in the Helsinki Olympics, he won the bronze medal in the Men’s Bantamweight and Freestyle category. Thus, he became Independent India’s first individual Olympic medal winner. Interestingly, it was the general public who funded his trip to Helsinki and paid for his wrestling kit.

Following his retirement from the sport, he joined the local police force. But after retiring from government service, he had to battle for his pension, was neglected by the sports federation, and ultimately died in poverty.

3. Jaipal Singh Munda

Jaipal Singh Munda was a truly enigmatic figure. He was captain of the first Indian team to win the hockey gold in the 1928 Olympics, member of the Constituent Assembly responsible for framing the Indian Constitution and a life-long activist for tribal rights.

Like many Adivasi families of the day, Jaipal’s parents were simple farmers. It was when he was undergoing training as a probationer for the ICS that Jaipal received a call for the Indian hockey team. Initially, he sought a short leave of absence so that he could play in Amsterdam. Between representing the Indian hockey team and ICS, Munda went with his heart and chose the former, forgoing a career in the civil services.

The Indian team blazed through the tournament with the world getting their first sight of the legendary Dhyan Chand. Unfortunately, the selection of Jaipal, an Adivasi, had created discontent among the many Anglo-Indian players and team management and the issue came to a head just days before the final. After a row with the team management, Jaipal decided not to play the final match against Holland. Fortunately, it had no repercussions on the team as they went onto win the match, and subsequently the Olympic gold medal.

4. Dr Talimeren Ao

Dr Talimeren Ao was the first captain of the Indian football team. Fondly remembered as T Ao, or Tay Ao, or Dr Tay, the Nagaland native has a remarkable story.

The captain of Mohun Bagan and Team India, T Ao was the flag-bearer of the Indian Olympic contingent at the 1948 London Games. Standing at 5 ft 10 inches, Dr Ao was a dominating midfielder and defender for nine seasons at Mohun Bagan, from 1943 to 1952, playing alongside legends like Sailen Manna and Taj Mohammed at the London Olympics. In 1948, T Ao, was the captain of the Indian football team, while also pursuing his studies simultaneously at the Carmichael Medical College in Kolkata. Following the Olympics, English giants Arsenal reportedly offered him a contract, but he chose to return home.

A few years after he graduated, he quit the game and joined the ENT department at the Dibrugarh Medical College, Assam. He returned to Nagaland in 1953, rose through the ranks and retired as the Director of Health Services in Nagaland in 1978.

5. Mohammed Salim

Mohammed Salim was among the first Indian footballers to capture the imagination of Europe. Born in 1904, this football genius from Calcutta grew up amid the freedom struggle.

A star in the legendary Mohammedan Sporting Club side of the 1930s, he played a few friendly matches in China before sailing for the United Kingdom. At the home of Celtic FC, a legendary Scottish club and an institution of European football, Salim went on trial in front of 1,000 club members and dazzled them with his skills.

Before the trial, Celtic manager Willie Maley had laughed off the idea of an amateur from India playing for a recognised Scottish professional club, barefoot.

Instead, they were so impressed with his ability that they played him two matches, where he led them to two thumping victories. Unfortunately, Salim began to feel homesick and decided to leave the club and come back to Calcutta, refusing to sign the professional contract on offer.

6. Arati Saha

Born on 24 September 1940, into a middle-class Bengali family in Calcutta (now Kolkata), Arati showed a natural talent for swimming from a young age.

She went on to create an all-India record in the 100m breaststroke and also participated in the Helsinki Olympics.

In 1959, just five days past her 19th birthday, Arati Saha made history by becoming the first and fastest Asian woman to successfully swim across the English Channel in 16 hours 20 minutes.

Next year, she became the first Indian female sportsperson to be awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, in recognition of her relentless determination, indomitable spirit and outstanding courage. Mind you; this was a time when women weren’t afforded the freedom to pursue their passions, which in Arati’s case was swimming.

7. Murlikant Petkar

How many of you have heard of Murlikant Petkar, the first Indian to win an individual gold medal in either Paralympics or Olympics? Not many, I suppose.

Petkar won the 50 m freestyle swimming event at the 1972 Summer Paralympics in Heidelberg, Germany, setting a world record at the time of 37.33 seconds. He also participated in other events like javelin, reaching the final round.

A soldier in the Electronics and Mechanical Engineering unit of the Indian Army, Petkar was a boxer before suffering permanent disabilities after sustaining severe bullet wounds during combat in the 1965 war against Pakistan. Last year, he was awarded the Padma Shri for his efforts.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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26-year-old Athar Aamir-ul-Shafi Khan appeared for the Civil Service Examination for the first time in 2014 securing a rank of 571. Upon writing the exam again in 2016, he bagged All India Rank of 2.

In this interview, we understand from him how he changed his strategy and what he did differently that worked.

Read more about the amazing work he has been doing to fight child marriage in Rajasthan here.

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He starts with his 2014 attempt, “I began studying in the last semester in college usually during the weekends. I would, on most days, wake up early and spend time reading the newspaper thoroughly.”

With only six months preparation, Khan scored well in the General Studies Paper but could not perform well in the Optionals.

I sat with the result sheet and analysed it thoroughly. It helped me understand where I lacked. I took the time to plug all those loopholes and gave myself more time to prepare, he says.

2016’s Strategy

1. Practise writing answers

Start solving past papers, minimum of five years and a maximum of ten. Khan says, “Because of a paucity of time, I was unable to do this the first time around and I saw the difference it made to my preparedness. During my first attempt time was of the essence and I barely managed to complete the course.”

Perfecting the answers to cover all points is a must for scoring better marks.

2. One main book and other supplementary content

When it came to studying the static subjects like History, Geography, Polity among others, Khan used the material from standard recommended books like Laxmikanth for Polity. Once he had cleared his concepts and created a base knowledge, he would use another book and create more comprehensive notes. “Ultimately at the end of six months I had notes from Laxmikanth plus all the other sources as well. This helped just before the exam simply because I had all my material consolidated in one place,” he says.

3. Notes on newspaper content

For the General Studies Paper Khan relied heavily on two newspapers –The Hindu and The Indian Express. “Normally, aspirants make notes of various news items in notebooks but I made notes on sheets of paper.”

This helped him to add on updates on an important piece of news. “If I was making notes on India’s relations with U.S. for example – there would be a news item published on one date and two months later there might be some update on that. If I were to use a notebook making additional points would be difficult and therefore I chose loose sheets, which I could keep in a folder.”

Following the loose sheets method helped him collate information and use it in an efficient manner especially during revisions.

4. Consolidation of content

“Only when you are done preparing from the mandatory books should you venture into buying any more books. Given that there is no dearth of content in the market today, choose wisely,” says Khan.

He also says that what matters the most is the aspirant reading one book ten times rather than invest in 10 books and glance through them once. Khan urges aspirants to stay away from consuming any new content very close to the examination. At that point what will help is a revision of learnt material.

5. Workable timetable

Khan emphasises on the need to make a timetable that one can follow – he says, “Be realistic when you draw up this schedule. The aim is to help you study better and not just feel good about having made one. Do not set unachievable targets for yourself, for example saying that you will finish the entire GS syllabus in a month is an unrealistic target.”

Draw up a timetable that is compatible to your schedule. Remember that current affairs are the heart of the exam, so spend ample time on them.

In conclusion, he says, “While this strategy worked for me, each aspirant will have to find their own rhythm and ensure that they make it all work for themselves. Be patient while preparing and look at it like a marathon rather than a race.”

Also Read: The Amazing Story of a Railway Junction in Bihar That Doubles Up As a Coaching Centre!

(Edited Saiqua Sultan)

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Elakshi and Samaira, students of grades 6 and 3 respectively are sporting a brand new look. The sisters have snipped off quite a swathe of their lengthy locks. While this is something that many girls do every day, what these little ones have done is different.

“We saw an online video about a girl who was gifted a wig before she went back to school. The girl in the video had lost her hair while she was undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. We saw how excited the girl was with the wig. I will never forget that smile,” shares Elakshi.

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Losing hair due to chemotherapy can have a severe psychological and emotional impact. And the sisters were deeply moved with the video. The girls told their mother, Cynthia, their decision to contribute hair for the same cause.

I had eight inches of my hair cut off, and I did think about whether I would look funny after the haircut. My mother was the one who helped me through it, and she supported me a lot, smiles little Samaira.

Elakshi, on the other hand, grappled with various emotions as she sat on the chair at the salon. “On the one hand, I knew I wanted to make someone happy by giving them hair for a wig, but at the same time, I felt scared. I kept thinking of my friends’ reaction. My mother kept telling me about all the blessings I would get for this, and I think that is what helped me.”

The girls kept the hair safe and then sent them to Mumbai.

“We will also be writing a letter to the person who uses this hair as a wig,” say the girls.

For Elakshi and Samaira, the motivation was simple – bringing smiles to someone’s face. The girls understood how important this would be and decided to go ahead with their selfless act.

If you have been thinking about donating your hair but are not sure how and where to do this, do read on!

Places in India where you can donate your hair:

1. Hair Crown

Established in 2014, Hair Crown is an NGO based in Theni, Tamil Nadu. This organisation accepts all kinds and types of hair; whether treated or coloured. They do insist on the length of the hair to be between 12 to 15 inches. Over the last five years, they have been able to collect hair donations from over 300 people. Arshith from Hair Grown says, “While the number of donations we get is much higher but the hair sent is not useable because they do not follow the right way of sending it in.”

Explaining the process to follow while donating, he explains, “One must shampoo, and condition the hair. Do not use any styling products or hairspray. Once done, gather your hair at the nape and make a ponytail. Ensure that the ponytail is tight enough and keeps all your hair strands together. Measure the length you wish to donate before cutting. The cut hair should be collected, placed in a zip-lock bag and then into a padded envelope and mailed.”

If you wish to reach out to this organisation, you can check their website or call on +91-94861 21062.

2. Cope With Cancer

This Mumbai-based organisation accepts a minimum of 12 inches of cut hair. When asked why, Pooja from Cope with Cancer explains, “Our wig makers find it very difficult to work with anything less than that. While the thickness of the hair is of no concern, the length is very important.”

Pooja also says that a wig is made of the donated hair from at least 6 to 7 women.

“While donating, the donor must mention their name, e-mail address and mobile number so that once we receive the packet, an acknowledgement can be sent across,” informs Pooja.

You can reach out to this organisation via their website or call them at 022-49701285.

3. Sargakshetra Cultural Centre

Based in Kottayam, Kerala, Fr Praikalam tells me that for the last six years they have been collecting donated hair to make wigs, and since then they have made more than 1,000. “We do this without any monetary exchange of any kind. We have been getting donations from people all over the world,” he shares. He says that a minimum of 38 cms (14 inches) of hair is needed to work on a wig and the donation from 3 to 4 women makes one single wig.

They have so far received donations from over 4,000 people. An interesting point that Fr Praikalam mentions is that men can also donate.

This organisation can be reached via their website, or you could e-mail them at sargakshetra@gmail.com.

4. For You Trust

Based in Kannur, Kerala this organisation accepts hair donations of between 10 to 15 inches of length. While most of the instructions remain the same, one must remember not to send the hair swept from the ground. Jyosni from For You Trust says, “It would be of no use to send us hair that fall on the ground since our wig makers will not use them. Do follow all the instructions and mention your name and details when you send us the courier.”

She also says that hair donation can be sent via any courier service you prefer. You can get more details about this from their website or contact them at +91-9072423704.

The right hairstyle adds to your looks. And the best part is that it’s yours to take care of. Cut hair can grow back. Take forward Elakshi and Samaira’s dream of making people smile by donating hair. Shampoo, Condition, Snip and Donate those locks!

Also Read: IIM Grad’s Brilliant Idea Lets People Donate Time to Hear Out Someone’s Problems!

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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Earlier this year, about eight lakh candidates appeared for the Civil Services Examination (CSE) of which about 12,000 qualified for the Civil Services (Main). At The Better India (TBI), we have spoken to many toppers to understand their preparation strategy and study patterns.

In this article, we speak to 52-year-old G V Rao, a retired civil servant who founded Learning Space Educational Services Private Limited (LSES), based in Vijayawada, to coach CSE aspirants.

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While most coaching institute charge anywhere between Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakhs, but students can access all the content that they create at affordable prices.

At any point of time, we won’t charge more than Rs 9,999. We intend to keep our fee within four digits, says Rao, from the 1990 UPSC batch.

In 2012 he took voluntary retirement from the service and decided to build a platform that could help train aspirants appearing for the CSE. It took him four years to get things going and, in 2017, he launched the online portal and app offering content for aspirants.

“Having started this online model in 2017, as of today, we have more than 47,000 students who have signed up on our website and 12,000 paid subscribers. We also have 23 employees with us, many of whom are IAS and IPS officers themselves. We have had one batch appear for the 2018 UPSC examination and in that 9 of our students managed to clear it.”

One of the reasons he decided to take voluntary retirement and work in the educational space was to be able to help students who could not reap the benefits of coaching institutes as they had become money-minting places. “During the time I was preparing for the examination, the entire commercialisation of it had not reached such heights. This commercialisation has prevented good talent from coming into the system, and I wished to address this loophole.”

LSES covers 80 per cent of the UPSC syllabus excluding optional papers simply because of their varied nature.

I take great pride in the quality of content that we put out. It goes through multiple layers of checks to ensure that it is relevant, easy to consume, and extremely useful for the aspirants.

Aspirants can either choose to view the videos online or download them and view them offline, while using the app. Respective faculty members or the administrative staff answers all queries that the aspirants leave on the website. When asked about the investment that this venture needed to get started, he says,

The initial amount of Rs 1 crore came from me, friends and family. I am also hopeful of finding good investors. The only reason I am not rushing into it is because I want to find someone who understands the vision we have and do not curtail that growth.

To ensure that the teachers and facilitators can pay complete attention to teaching, LSES has a team that works on creating content – whether in text form or video material.

With over 6000+ video content and multiple mock tests available online, this portal is sure a goldmine for all aspirants. If you wish to access this content, you can visit their website, or download the app here (IoS) and here (Android).

Also Read: AIR 571 to AIR 2: UPSC Topper Athar Aamir Shares Tips to Improve Rank in CSE

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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The 2018 deluge and the devastation it left in its wake took a lot away from the people of Kerala. With more than 400 deaths, 140 missing and lakhs displaced, it wreaked havoc all across the state. Since the 1924 Great Flood of 99, so called as it happened in the year 1099 according to the Malayalam Calendar, this is said to be the worst in the state.

With the state still rebuilding itself, especially the rural communities, you can do your bit by extending support to them. You can find a few products sourced from local artists and communities, here. 

The floods affected everyone, including the fisherfolk community, scarred but selfless and self-sacrificing. Putting their lives on the line, they rowed, dived and swam to pull hundreds out of the water and brought them to safety. These heroes, almost 4,000 in number, were the fisherfolk who left their homes with kindness, unbridled courage and their boats and rescued more than 65,000 people.

But, as the floodwaters finally receded, and the state slowly rebuilt itself, the memory of the unparalleled contribution of the fisherfolk also took a backseat.

As the state got back on its feet after the floods, the fisherfolk went back to their hardships. They had risked their lives for us, and I wanted to do something to show gratitude but didn’t know-how. Most of us are so ignorant of their needs. They even refused to take money from the government, and instead collected as much as they could and contributed to the CM’s fund. So instead of money, we decided to extend our support to help the community be self-sufficient, says Lakshmi Menon, artist, designer and social entrepreneur.

Hence, Lakshmi started a social campaign called FriendShip, along with Neenu Rathin, to show gratitude to Kerala’s saviours. From symbolic gestures of appreciation to insurance schemes for accidents at sea and land and entrepreneurship opportunities, this campaign has been working to improve the lives of the fishing communities holistically.

It all began with paper, with students from 137 schools making 65,000 paper boats as a symbolic tribute to the fisherfolk’s sacrifice. Exceeding Lakshmi’s expectation, students created and sent more than 2 lakh boats in just two months. These will now adorn the campus of CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Ernakulam, reminding the tale of bravery of the fisherfolk.

“This art installation will be unveiled in December,” informs Lakshmi.

But this was just the beginning of the journey of change.

“Kerala has more than 2.3 lakh fishermen, and 95 per cent of the state’s population consumes fish. And still, we are not aware of the abject poverty the community struggles with. Our crowdsourced insurance campaign is helping these heroes. Those interested pay a premium of Rs 24 for a policy cover of Rs 1 lakh, and almost 2,000 families have already been insured!” she says.

More than 20,000 individuals have already expressed their interest in contributing to the scheme implemented in partnership with New India Life Insurance Company.

“Gratitude is the attitude of the campaign, so it does not stop at paper boats or life insurance. We are building a community network that can enable all kinds of support for the fisherfolk. So, if anyone is interested, they can get in touch with a fisherman’s family through us and do their bit to help, in any way possible,” she adds.

Talking about the impact, Robin Francis Puthiyathura, a member of the fishing community from a coastal village in Thiruvananthapuram, tells TBI, “In my locality alone more than 1,400 fishermen are covered by insurance under the Make Friendship initiative. That was in the first phase. More people will be covered in the second phase. This insurance will cover accidents at sea or on land. Two weeks ago, a fisherman died in an accident. His family will get the insurance benefits.”

Additionally, another venture which will kickstart in the next few months is an entrepreneurial opportunity for the community.

Besides the insurance scheme, several projects are being discussed as part of the Make Friendship initiative. These include a project to sell fresh catch directly to homes and a project for better education for our children. We already have a direct selling system in place, and it is doing good. By teaming up with Make Friendship, we hope we can widen the network and earn well for the local fishers.

According to Lakshmi, the idea to start the project stems from many reasons, one being the fading interest in the trade. “It is sad to see how the younger generation is moving away from the trade. One major factor is poverty and the lack of opportunity there. But, just like the farmers, fishing is an essential profession that ensures food to a majority of the state population.”

The team decided to start motivating the youth to pursue their family trade by increasing the scope of opportunity there. One way of doing so was by giving them the reigns to run their business.

“It means that instead of having to travel great distances to sell the day’s catch, which compromises the quality, fishermen can now sell from a centre located at each panchayat,” says Lakshmi.

An example of self-reliance, this initiative aims to empower every single member of the family. Explaining the process, she says, “It starts with the fishermen who get the fresh catch to the centre. After a thorough quality check, the women of the family will clean, cut and pack the fish, which will then be delivered to various housing societies and localities on a two-wheeler. It’s a fine earning even for the delivery person who might be a college-going boy or girl who can drop the packages during their free time. This business model has received much appreciation and can be replicated all across the state.”

She adds that the process will be further bolstered by an app-based order system, to ensure delivery of fresh fish within hours!

Weaves and Waves

The tragedy of 2018 had also inspired the fashion designer within Lakshmi to launch her new collection — ‘Weaves & Waves of Friendship’ — as a tribute to the two communities. According to her, it is the coming together of weaving and fishing communities that are essential parts of Kerala’s social fabric.

And her previous campaign with Chekutty dolls was to help the former.

“In the face of the fiery floods, she emerged, soiled, scarred but smiling. A simple rag doll grew to be a symbol of their courage and resilience. A reflection of every Malayali who fought against the waves of destruction,” says Lakshmi who created the doll, Chekutty to save a textile village, Chendamangalam.

“The floods had impacted all, but weavers communities had especially incurred great losses. Fabric material worth Rs 21 lakhs was going to waste. I realised that I could not call myself a designer if I can’t find a way to save them. And, that was when I had the idea to make dolls out of the soiled fabric from a textile village called Chendamangalam. At the time, everyone suggested burning the waste sarees, but I brought a few homes, washed them and created the dolls called Chekutty.”

She explains that in Malayalam, the name could mean, cherinna athujeevacha kutty, i.e. a little child that survived the mud, or even Chendamangalam’s kutty or child.

In a few days, with the help of Gopinath Parayil, co-founder of a travel company Blue Yonder, she was able to transform the doll into a mass emotion shared by Malayalees all across the country, and beyond.

Out of a single saree, almost 360 dolls could be made, and more than 50,000 volunteers and 260 schools contributed by making Chekutty dolls worth Rs 70 lakhs, all of which when to restore regular life in the weaving communities.
Her efforts to help the weavers has yielded outstanding results, taking the awareness to various corners of the globe.

We hope that MakeFriendship, similarly, touches many more lives, bringing the much-deserved respite to the adversity-ridden region.

Also Read: Kerala Floods: This Duo’s Cloth Dolls Are Rescuing an Entire Community!

(Edited By Saiqua Sultan)

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O 31 May 2019, Nirmala Sitharaman was appointed as the finance and corporate affairs minister, becoming India’s first full-time female finance minister.

On 5 July 2019, she presented her maiden budget in the Indian parliament. Usually, the budget is presented in March, but the changes made come into force from April.

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However, this year the changes will come into effect from 1 September since the budget was only presented in July.

In this article, we list out five key points that you ought to be aware of.

1. TDS on cash withdrawals from a bank account

In yet another attempt at promoting a cashless economy, there will now be a charge of two per cent tax if the aggregate cash withdrawal for one or more accounts amounts to more than 1 crore.

In an article published here, corporate lawyers, Asim Choudhury and Kinjal Buaria, are of the opinion that while the provisions keep a seemingly high cap, that is for cash withdrawals of more than Rs 1 crore, the same will commercially hurt the liquidity of various manufacturing industries with huge labour requirements where cash payment is essential.

In fact, for example, the tea industry has to pay a large workforce in remote areas without much communication access, will be among the worst hit.

2. TDS on additional payments made when purchasing immovable property

Until now, the tax was being deducted by the buyer from the payment made during the purchase of the property, and other payments, like parking fees, club membership fees, electricity and water facility fees, among others, were usually deducted from the total consideration while computing TDS.

According to the new proposal, “consideration for immovable property” shall include all charges of the nature of club membership fees, car parking fees, electricity and water facility fees, maintenance fees, advance fees or any other charges of similar nature, which are incidental to transfer of the immovable property.

3. TDS on payments made by individuals and HUFs to contractors and professionals

The government has proposed to introduce 5 per cent TDS on all payments made by individuals to contractors or professionals in excess of Rs 50 lakh a year.

Currently, there is no requirement for an individual or Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) to deduct tax at source on payments made to a resident contractor or professional when it is for personal use, or if the individual or HUF is not subjected to audit for his business or profession.

For example, if Mr X purchased a plot of land on 30 August 2019, for a sum of Rs 30,00,000, he will be liable to deduct 1 per cent TDS on this. He then spends Rs 30,00,000 on construction and another Rs. 10,00,000 on the interiors. In total, he will be liable to deduct 5 per cent TDS on both construction and interior designing.

4. TDS from payment in respect of Life Insurance Policy

If life insurance maturity proceeds received by you are taxable in your hands, then TDS will be deducted at the rate of five per cent on the net income portion. The net income portion is defined as the total sum received less of the total amount of insurance premium paid.

For example, Mr Y purchased a life insurance policy in the financial year 2015-16, for a sum of Rs 50 lakhs (for a term of 20 years) by paying the premium of Rs 10 lakhs.

Subsequently, he surrenders the policy for Rs 15 lakhs on 01-10-2019. Before the Finance Bill, 2019, the payer insurance co. was required to deduct tax at the rate of 1% on total sum paid (i.e., Rs 15 lakhs) to Mr Y. However, after the proposed amendment, tax shall be deducted at the rate of 5 per cent on the net income (Rs.5 lakh) and not on the gross amount paid to the insured (Mr Y).

5. PAN-Aadhaar link

As per current laws, your PAN card would have become invalid if not linked with Aadhaar by 30 September 2019. However, in the budget, the operative word has been proposed to be changed from ‘invalid’ to ‘inoperative’, with effect from 1 September.

Therefore while earlier, in case a person’s PAN became invalid, it would be treated as if the person never had a PAN. But now, due to the changed rules to protect the validity of previous transactions done using the PAN, the PAN will become inoperative but not invalid if not linked with Aadhaar by the specified deadline.

It would be prudent to check on the other changes made as well with your financial planner or a chartered accountant.

Also Read: Key Changes in Income Tax Return Forms Announced: 5 Things You Should Know

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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