The second day of Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest 2014 witnessed an elaborate array of vivid discussions, creative workshops, poetry & play readings and a one-man play at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai. Bringing internationally renowned writers and performances from all over the world to the city, the fifth edition of Mumbai’s very own literary festival embraced thought provoking and insightful deliberations on a myriad of themes such as the current political climate, public discourse, environmentalism, socially responsible corporate leadership as well as the role of women in the work environment. Launching the book ‘From Jagan Seth to the Birlas’, which highlights the success stories of Marwari families and the secret behind their accomplishments, Mr. Gurucharan Das chaired an insightful dissection of the role of the Marwari community in building the Indian economy and their DNA which boasts the complex skill of trading. Politically incorrect in nature, the session dignified the caste system prevalent in India where the business communities of the country are a key catalyst for its climb to being the world’s second fastest economy. Author Mr. Thomas Timberg, and Mr. Shashi Ruia, Chairman – Essar Group discussed the art of spending money, the Marwari community’s ability to take risks and their downfall of the age old families who view ego amongst members as the culprit of the Chairing a gripping and provocative panel discussion, Mr. Dileep Padgaonkar conferred on the extent to which the current political climate influences or even encourages diverse schools of thought in India along with panellists Ms. Leela Gandhi, Mr. Pavan Varma, and Mr. Sanjaya Baru. Evoking revolutionary concepts of Swaraj and Ahimsa, the tripartite dialogue emphasized on the diversity and plurality that exists in India and the critical need for exposing young and impressionable minds to alternate point of views.
Martin Moran, or Marty as he continuously referred to himself through the duration of his one man play, ‘All The Rage’, told a winding medley of situations fraught with throes of anger and the intricacies of compassion. Martin charted out a world far away, illustrating his personal battle of self-discovery dotted with homosexuality, sexual molestation, and his complex relationship with his stepmother through hilarious anecdotes and wild outbursts of emotions. He rambled, albeit thoughtfully, jumping from reflective moments of human impulses to soulful insights of confrontation. Motivated by the criticism brought on by his first one man show, “The Tricky Part” he explored how anger and compassion functions in day to day human lives sprinkling his tale of forgiveness and letting go of the past with humour. Speaking at the event, Mr. Martin Moran comments, “It’s astonishing how vivid these plays feel amidst the electric energy of India. Exploring the collision of compassion and anger is an ongoing question for all of us, no matter what land we live in.” A witty conversation with India’s best-selling author, Mr. Chetan Bhagat touched upon really important societal issues such as Section 377, change being a constant process and the challenges posed by rebellion in The World According To Chetan. Discussing men and love with Anuradha Sengupta, a prominent media personality, Chetan commented on the convergence of his personal touch with stories which adds a sense of realism and plausibility to the plot, and stated, “My books are more like ketchup that is found on every table but The panel discussion consisting of Frazer Mascarenhas, Mr. Sanjay Baru and Mr. Harsh Mander, chaired by Samar Haralankar highlighted the idea of liberalism in India today. Possessing a definition of its own in India, the idea of liberalization and secularization isn’t about fighting for your religious rights but fighting for respect in society. A side of the panel believed that the longest running tradition in India was the cultural acceptance of inequality, debating the ideologies of the middle class in India where a growing lack of tolerance for the lesser advantaged has plagued the society The recent elections left the country divided like never before with people rejoicing not in victory but in triumphalism. In the words of Harsh Mander, “India needs to reclaim the once existent idea of public compassion”. The session concluded with a sense of optimism towards India’s youth and the importance of much needed dialogue on secularization in the Modi era. The creative workshop Writing a Killer Thriller by Mr. Liad Shoham was a captivating session on the sophistication of fashioning a thriller tale which consists of a compelling thought, intriguing characters and ‘a tight story’. A session on Socially Responsible Corporate Leadership, Chinese Leadership and Indian idea of a Leader, Straight Talks – The Great Leader had Devdutt Pattanaik emphasizing on mythology being nothing but a map of the mind and leadership in India, where leaders The day wrapped up with a starlit evening which showcased two unique and exciting folk story telling forms from the mystic land of Rajasthan; Katha Gayan 1 Pabuji Ri Phad and Katha Gayan 2 Pandoon Ke Kade enthralled the audience and spellbound them with their musical genius. The musical extravaganza continued with Serenade for Shakespeare which entailed songs and readings of some of Shakespeare’s greatest works. For more details about Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest, please visit: The festival website: www.tatalitlive.in Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TataLitLive Twitter:https://twitter.com/TataLitLive The festival will be free and on a first-come, first-served basis. The Tata group is the title sponsor of Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest. It is also supported by The festival is conceived by Anil Dharker, the Founder and Festival Director of Literature Live! which organises the festival with the support of the Tata group. The Tata group’s core purpose is to improve the quality of life of the communities it serves globally, through long-term stakeholder value creation based on leadership with trust. Founded by Jamsetji Tata in 1868, the Tatagroup is a global enterprise headquartered in India, and comprises over 100 operating companies, withoperations in more than 100 countries across six continents, exporting products and services to over 150 countries. The revenue of Tata companies, taken together, was $103.27 billion (around Rs624,757 crore) in 2013-14, with 67.2 percent of this coming from businesses outside India. Tata companies employ over 581,470 Good corporate citizenship is part of the Tata group’s DNA. Sixty six percent of the equity of Tata Sons, the promoter holding company, is held by philanthropic trusts, thereby returning wealth to society. As a result of this unique ownership structure and ethos of serving the community, the Tata name has been respected for more than 140 years and is trusted for its adherence to strong values and business ethics. Each Tata company or enterprise operates independently and has its own board of directors and shareholders, to whom it is answerable. There are 32 publicly-listed Tata enterprises and they have a combined market capitalisation of about $133.56 billion (as on October 16, 2014), and a shareholder base of 3.9 million. Tata companies with significant scale include Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Power, Tata Chemicals, Tata Global Beverages, Tata Teleservices, Titan, Tata Communications and Indian Hotels.
Best Indian Information
