An Odyssey Through Kathputli Colony

Our Association, Its Transition and The Impending Demolition...

February 2012: We first visited Kathputli Colony. Anxious faces. Apprehensive artists. They were curious. Eager to know what we had come for. They were a bunch of young souls aspiring to make a mark for themselves. They had the determination and zeal to carry on the beauty of the puppets that are a legacy of their forefathers.

Multiple visits to Shadipur. Training sessions. And then came our first breakthrough.

June 2012: Our first show at Kalawati hospital.

We began Project Kayakalp with four artists from Kathputli Colony and came a long way. In

December 2012 we included 10 more artists under its ambit.

February 2014: We have conducted over 50 shows. The artists who had been driven to the margins and have now learnt the art of muppetry. They perform bilingual shows too. The performers whose potential till now found audience only in birthday parties, are now staging their own theatre performances.

These two years of working in the Kathputli colony have been inspirational. It has been a journey full of accomplishments, failures, understanding each other, but most importantly it has been a journey of self-discovery for the artists. They realized their capabilities. They are aware of the opportunities waiting ahead.

Kathputli colony redefines hope, ambition and passion. Every young boy here aspires to be the next Salman. Days reverberate with song and music, and houses are crammed with puppets and props. These may not be the fanciest of houses. But they won't ever let you leave without offering tea.

Kathputli colony with its open drains and narrow alleys, looks like any other slum, but it is an abode of artists. It has since generations nurtured talent, preserved our rich cultural heritage.

The world recognizes the immense potential these artists have. But sadly, Kathputli colony will be demolished soon. It will bring down with itself the dreams, the aspirations and the hope to survive.

They may have mastered the art of puppetry but they have been reduced to being puppets in the hands of the government. Forced to evacuate. Kathputli colony will cease to persist and it will bring with itself the decline of an era. Performing artists in Delhi shall indeed be history.

We urge you to support the spirit of Kathputli Colony. 

Shreysi Mehendiratta and Swarnima Gupta- 

Crossroads Outing with Enactus

Crossroads, SRCC’s annual festival, is sacred to SRites - and it should be too! Having been called the biggest fest in Delhi by any parameter, whether be it funds invested or the footfall witnessed, attending Crossroads is a must in the to-do list of every student.

Enactus SRCC saw in Crossroads an opportunity            

An opportunity to present a cause

An opportunity to display the skills of our communities

An opportunity to increase their incomes

An opportunity to inspire

And an opportunity to help people find their own cause

All of this, by means of a stall at Crossroads!

We sold puppetry merchandise procured from the puppeteers of Kathputli Colony, Shadipur under Project Kayakalp; and ‘Neki’ detergent, made by the women of Nekpur under Project Azmat. We also had a brainstorming session to come up with other things to do at the stall, and settled upon having a photo booth with puppet masks and muppets - and some games with fancy Superhero bookmarks as prizes!

Crossroads finally began amidst great hustle and bustle, and we set up our stall on the first day itself. Amazingly, we had an overwhelming response! The crowd loved the photo booth and the games! Seeing this, we decided to stock merchandise made by artisans of West Bengal as well. These were procured for us by Banglanatak, and were admired by all.

We also organized the second edition of Life On Wheels Escapades Adventure Programme (LEAP) in collaboration with The Travelers on the third day of the festival. An allied activity with the children (age group 6-12) of our rickshaw puller community, LEAP turned out to be a huge success too! The morning was full of fun where everyone enjoyed on the trampoline, and played games of volleyball and Tug of War. The energy was infectious and a great start for the day!

During the four days, we earned a fair income from the stall, got many supporters on ‘Gudville*’ and spread the spirit of social entrepreneurship amongst the people present there.

Four days of immense fun, we shared our Enactus experience with visitors, bonded further as a team and as a result, enjoyed Crossroads together!

* Gudville is a private social action network for discovering and sharing personal causes and inspiring friends to action. Please support us in our cause by clicking here.

- Mitali Gupta

BAB Interview: Mrs. Mohini Daljeet Singh

 In the following conversation with Mrs Mohini Daljeet Singh, CEO of Max India Foundation - the CSR initiative of Max India - we explore the changing scenario of Corporate Social Responsibility in our country. Our Business Advisory Board member since 2009, she has a lot to say about the social side of the healthcare industry. The passion she has for her work and the attachment to her cases is indeed very inspiring, something that is very evident in her talk.

Q: So ma’am, what can you tell us about the CSR initiatives of Max India?

Max India Foundation was formed in 2007 to undertake the philanthropic initiatives of Max in an organised way. I have been associated with it from the very start. It was officially launched on 15^th January 2008, which is celebrated as Max’s annual day. Being in the business of health care, we wanted our CSR to take that further. So now we utilise our infrastructure and technology for providing high-end tertiary health care to those who cannot afford it.

Q: Since you have been in this industry for so long, how have you seen the CSR scene in India change through the last decade?

As a nation, over the last decade, we have become more socially inclined. Philanthropy has been going on for quite some time in our country, but as compared to the West it is very little. But still, things are now changing. Businesses have realised that it makes sense to grow the environment in which they work, because ultimately it will help them grow. They are now reaching out to the people and gaining their confidence. They’ve realized that growth cannot be exclusive, it has to be inclusive.

Q: Apart from poverty and health, what other pressing issues do you think CSR initiatives need to look into?

There are issues such as women empowerment, skills training that need to be looked into, because with such a huge population, there are a lot of things we fall short of. And where does this gap exist? The education sector. Even when a school is there, the teachers are not. Dropout rates are so high. When I visited Chandigarh, near a Max Specialty Films production unit, I was appalled to see that there was no Math or English teacher for the students – with barely a few months left before the boards! I then arranged for extra classes after school hours, and that year, the pass percentage was 58% (as compared to 22% the year before). And this year, we’ve achieved a 100% pass percentage!”

Q: On this beautiful journey that you’ve had, what can you title as your defining moment?

I wouldn’t know how to tell one, there’ve been so many! One was when I came across this young guy from Manipur. He was only 29 years old, a father to two sons, and both his kidneys had failed. So he needed a kidney transplant desperately, which as you know, is a very expensive procedure. Through various channels, the case reached us. We paid completely for his surgery. And they were all so grateful! I still get texts from them, and they all keep in touch. When something like this happens, you realise that it is not just about one life, it is about how the whole family sees an array of hope.

Q: So how did your association with Enactus SRCC come about?

Mr. Analjit Singh was approached by Dr. Abhay and from there it all started. When I got associated with Enactus, Life On Wheels was just starting, so health camps were organized for the rickshaw pullers.

These student initiatives are very important. The sensitivity has to come at an early age. Even I used to work as a volunteer in college for educating women in backward areas. The nuns that we worked with taught them stitching, while we used to play with the children, teaching them a little bit about health and hygiene. That was the point I became aware of this cause, and I was converted for life.

Q: Ma’am, you’ve been associated with Enactus for quite some time now. How do you think we’ve changed?

I think that you have developed quite a lot. Now you are handling more projects, and have grown even more confident. I think that as an organization, you have a better sense of direction now, you know where you are heading.

Q: And what do you think is your favorite project?

Oh, I think that they all are important in their own ways. Every project counts! For example, I think in Project Azmat, you are making a great change.

Q:  Any suggestions or final words?

I would just like to say that keeping in touch with your communities and following up with them is very important. Health is an issue that every household in the country needs to be aware about. When you interact with your communities, you can put in a word about basic hygiene. Talk to them on a one-on-one basis, as a friend, and try to make them aware about things such as family planning or childcare. Because every bit counts. No effort is too small!

-Interviewed by Sanket Agarwal and Bhumika Gupta