GAIL Aims To Strengthen Athletics

GAIL (India) Limited has initiated a program in the sporting arena, concerned with the forte of athletics known as GAIL Indian Speedstar. The program primarily focuses on discovering and grooming young talent across the country. GAIL (India) Limited has collaborated with National Yuva Cooperative Society (NYCS) for this noble program. The program was launched on March 22, 2016 at the Constitution Club of India, New Delhi. The National Yuva Cooperative Society has identified Anglian Medal Hunt Company to be the Technical Partner for the GAIL Indian Speedstar project.

The persevering and pivotal initiative with intensive grassroots program intends to build a solid cluster of talented athletes in order to create high possibilities of bringing India on top in track events at the most prestigious sporting event – Olympics 2020/2024. The launch of this program will definitely streamline the process of identification, selection and nurturing of the unknown stars in athletics that are spread across the country and have not been able to mark their recognition so far in the eyes of selectors despite having high level of capabilities hidden in them.

The program will target the budding and talented athletes in the age group of 11 – 17 years in several track events across like 100m, 200m, and 800m. The list of panelists includes well-known sports legends of the country such as P T Usha, Kavita Raut, Rachita Mistry, and Anuradha Biswal who are distinguished well in their respective areas. They have been appointed as members of the selection committee and are comprised for chalking out concrete criteria for selection of youngsters for the GAIL Indian Speedstar program and thus developing customized plan and modules for training of the chosen athletes at the National Level.



The program has been formalized with the help of renowned athlete P T Usha along with the organizers Rajesh Pande – President, National Yuva Cooperative Society Ltd (NYCS), Maneesh Bahuguna – CEO, Anglian Medal Hunt, and Dr Ashutosh Karnatak, Director (Projects), GAIL (India) Ltd.

The district-level trials have already been conducted under the guidance of coaches and selectors, recognized by the core selection committee. The athletes are selected on the basis of talent and qualifying criteria formulated by the selection committee. The initial trials have already been conducted at 55 districts across 10 states in the country. There were more than 25,000 enthusiast participants out of which 850 youngsters have been selected for the state level competition.



The first state level trials were made in Jaipur on February 27-28 in Sawai Maan Singh Stadium. Around 60 boys and girls participated in this camp out of which 4 have been selected for the next level. Similarly, the same activity was done in other states and young athletes were selected. In Odisha camp 14 youths were selected, in Delhi 28 selections were made, in Kerala 28 got shortlisted, and in Jharkhand there were 4. The same activity followed in Maharashtra and Gujarat in the last week of April.



These shortlisted youngsters qualifying the state level trials will be participating in the National Camp in May 2016 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi where they will be attending an intensive national level training. At the end of coaching camp there will be final trials and winners will be selected on the basis of the qualification criteria and their potential. These winners then will get an exhaustive training throughout the year. After a year, 9 athletes will be selected for providing a world class coaching for the next 5 years with a goal of one of these athletes would be representing India at the Olympics.

You could also pitch in to motivate and encourage these athletic enthusiasts by liking GAIL India's FB Page, following GAIL India on Twitter and tweeting with #GailRaftaar. 

What's All This 'Tamasha' About?

Just yesterday, while browsing through the myriad channels on television and being bored by News, enough to switch over to the Movies, I landed on &Pictures, aiming to publicize a premier by its HD twin, proclaiming thus - &picturesHD – India’s premium mass Hindi movie channel keeping its promise of #HDfirst will premiere ‘Tamasha’ on Saturday, 30th April at 8 PM. 

At the back of my mind, it occurred to me that we had made a beeline for the multiplex when Tamasha had released, partly because I was intrigued by its upbeat trailer and partly motivated by the sea of positive reviews surrounding it.

The 'Dream Film Trinity' so as to say, comprised of the impeccable direction of Imtiaz Ali,  and brilliant portrayals by heartthrobs Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor had come together to conceptualize and present to us, another stellar masterpiece - Tamasha.

The choice of story line, the essence of which, seemed to connect, is what made me decide that we had to book our tickets to watch this one on the 70mm screen.

A person who seemed vexed by the socially bounding limitations of conducting oneself and the notion of conforming to which, seemed to distress him. Battling the loss of self as opposed to the 'baffling yet befitting' social norms is a concept that I buy, and thus, I was made to identify with the 'Tamasha' that our society has made out of itself, nowadays too.

Now that the film is all set to make an appearance before Indian audiences yet again next week, I was prompted to give my readers some reasons to tune into &Pictures HD on a relaxing Saturday night, at prime time! :)

What’s All This ‘Tamasha’ About? :)  

 ~~~ 

At Constant War With The 9-to-5 Monotony 

Imtiaz Ali had very candidly revealed once that the concept of the film comes from the fact that the talent in most people is not tapped to their full potential if they fail to discover and pursue the life-path that suits them best. One such individual is Ved (whose character has been enacted by Ranbir Kapoor), who is trapped in a world which is not suited to him. He brings to celluloid, an inner fight between acceptance of societal norms and pursuing one’s passion. We relate to his dreariness, that which we sometimes conveniently refer to as ‘schedule’.

Travel Makes The World Go Round! 

Imtiaz’s films are known to revolve and revel around the fact that travel and exploration can be a game changer in one’s life. And, Tamasha is no different. It is interesting to see how the movie explores new countries centered around love as the core theme coupled with many twists and turns. The exotic locations of Corsica, Tokyo, Delhi, Shimla and Kolkata blend into the movie beautifully and give the movie a myriad-hued palette.

Mona Darling Brings Don Along! 

The characters in the movie come alive and how! Deepika as Mona Darling and Ranbir as Don are very fresh to watch and are the pulse of the movie. The bohemian, starry eyed Don and the fashionable Mona Darling are no less than a treat to witness. Together, they set out to explore the picturesque French island with the dreaded yet exciting star signifying Terms and Conditions Applied of course!

Emulating Soul With A Funky Undertone 

When the Oscar winning composer A R Rahman agrees to curate the music for the film, it is like the cherry to the cake. Irshad Kamil's lyrics touch the soul and add a new dimension to the story. From ‘Matargashti’ to ‘Heer Toh Badi Sad Hai’, the songs evoke a series of emotions in the audience’s hearts. The music, accompanied by its amazing visuals has definitely been enacted to impress.

Bollywood’s Dream Team… 

One cannot help but stand amazed at the brilliant chemistry between Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone. Even apart from that, Tamasha’s Ved comes across as Ranbir breakthrough performance in a long time. Deepika’s impeccable portrayal and her ability to make us fall in love with Tara from Tamasha is once again applauded. Add to it, Imtiaz’s sheer artistic excellence and it is bound to be magical!

 ~~~ 

I am surely excited to watch Tamasha, once again, this time on my television. All thanks to #HDFirst at &Pictures HD, I was able to list out my favorite nuances about this 'Tamasha', through this blog-post.

You'd also be watching along, next Saturday, won't you? Meanwhile, do tell me about your favorites below while we await the World HD Premiere of Tamasha on &picturesHD on Saturday, 30th April at 8 PM! :)

PlaceofOrigin - An Ultimate Range Of Tea and Coffee

PlaceofOrigin can now be undoubtedly termed as India’s first and only one marketplace for specialty Indian foods, regional specialties, and ethnic foods. It is an online conglomerate of producer and end consumer in a real sense. When you place your order online on PlaceOfOrigin for any available food products, it is automatically forwarded to the genuine producer of those products which then get directly delivered to the end consumer. The story does not end here. This ocean has more precious gems to explore. It is not only popular among the food fanatics across the country but all tea and coffee lovers too, are an ardent fan of this portal.

The website is simple to navigate yet powerful to deliver in the best possible manner. There is a wide range of Tea and Coffee that is offered on PlaceOfOrigin. Most of the varieties of tea – green tea, chamomile tea, ginger tea, organic tea, and so on are available. The same is true for different variants of coffee. Now, a refreshing cup of hot tea or coffee remains incomplete without its most liked accompaniments - snacks like cake, namkeen, biscuits etc. I bet there is not a single quality food product that is missing here. You can even find those tea variants that are not easily available and are made available online for the first time. Some of the most wanted tea specialties are Long Island Green Tea, Bohag Organic CTC, Green Tea with Himalayan Tulsi and Rhododendron, Palampore Kangra Leaf Green Tea & Kesari Mango, and a lot more.

When it comes to coffee, you will find all your favorite blends and products here. La Bamba Dark Roast Coffee, The Sunkissed Blend, Eka – Whole Bean, The Deep Bliss Blend, Rogue River Blend Medium Roast Coffee, Rain Song Dark Roast Coffee, French Vanilla Coffee, and much more are the part of a large variety of coffee available here. The new variants are constantly added to the Coffee section. For instance, Panduranga Aroma Grand Coffee is the latest newcomer. Similarly, in Tea section, there are few latest entrants like Spearmint Green Tea, Yellow Saffron Tea, Oolong Tea, Spearmint Infusion Tea, Chamomile Tea, and Green Tea with Tulsi.

The great thing about PlaceOfOrigin is that every time you visit the portal, you find a few more variants added to all the sections – tea, coffee, snacks etc. This fact can be treated as a great way to engage with the end consumers as they keep awaiting the new additions to PlaceOfOrigin's e-catalogue.

#HoppingoBeforeShoppingo With See-Commerce!

Hoppingo is soon going to emerge as the new digital haven for shoppers. E-commerce is a blessing for all online shoppers. There are many reasons behind such popularity. Online shopping is available to you 24x7 with no store opening and closing timings. Therefore, despite all your hectic schedules, you can manage your shopping schedules at your ease and comfort, even on-the-go or at your leisure time thus not impacting your work or important tasks. Visiting a store and sparing enough time to explore has really become difficult. 

Imagine if there was no online shopping available, it would have been a real pain in the neck to visit a store squeezing such a requirement amid all the chaotic timelines. And on top of it a physical visit to a store is not always fruitful. Sometimes the sales guys are not that instinctive to pay attention and understand what you need exactly. At times it happens that you select an item, pay the bill, pick up your packet and when you reach home, you find it is a wrong piece packed, not the one you finalized. It also happens that you realize later the purchase you made was not worth the amount you paid.

That is where Hoppingo comes into picture as a shopper’s paradise for such and many more reasons. The digital haven called Hoppingo is India’s first platform on the innovative concept known as “See-Commerce”. It is not like any other e-commerce portal just showcasing a number of products in various categories for you to pick and choose from. Hoppingo is unlike other e-commerce sites that expontiate the confusion as you go on browsing. It is a logical interface between the seller and the buyer. You get millions and millions of products showcased by a number of e-stores in their prime. Hoppingo dives into these plethora of e-stores most intelligently. All you have to do is – See. And you can set your eyes on a range of products – all at one place! 

We fancy a certain delight in visiting e-stores, having saved ourselves from the physical fatigue of visiting their brick and mortar counterparts, blissfully ignoring the mental fatigue we’ve bargained for, instead. Lured by the creative visuals and designs of such platforms on the Web, we end up harassing ourselves to no end. At times, selecting and adding products to one’s wishlist may seem promising but those products end up as only being ‘wished’ for, thanks to one’s moodiness and lethargy. 

Hoppingo’s USP is the fact that they help save time when it comes to e-shopping. From classy and corporate to funky and festive, Hoppingo showcases products in the most organised and detailed fashion. 

Their expert product curators don’t just help navigate through products sourced from a heap of e-stores, but also offer invaluable advice on the finer nuances of shopping online. See it, to believe it. There’s always #HoppingoBeforeShoppingo as India’s First See-Commerce Experience! 

The Best Of Branding, Advertising and Marketing...

What?

Indian Brand Convention & BAM Awards 2016, open to participation from professionals in Branding, Marketing, Design, Communications, Advertising, Sales, and Creative fields in India

When?

Saturday, May 14

Where?

New Delhi

The Indian Brand Convention was in the news today by announcing the 2016 edition of BAM Awards and throwing the ball in an open court by calling out to participants.

The Indian Brand Convention is an annual event that enables numerous professionals to interact with each other and set the trends of the advertising, branding and marketing industry in the country.

IBC aims to channelize and felicitate the efforts of illustrious professionals in the versatile domains of Branding, Marketing, Design, Communications, Advertising, Sales, and Creatives in the country. The participants can then utilize this magnificently designed platform as a means to share knowledge and gain insights from industry stalwarts alike.

In line with the enthusiastic participation over the past edition, the organizer, Wafisilpa Entertainments, is expecting a pleasant repeat of sorts comprising pioneers from the marketing, branding, advertising disciplines who often play an imperative role in making an enterprise scale its pinnacle.

Today's India is a vibrant economy with businesses achieving unprecedented statures and also contemporary startups proving their mettle with unique innovation and novelty. There is now an entire breed, a whole generation of professionals who list smart as well as hard work as the pointers to the success of today’s business ventures. Indian Brand Convention & BAM Awards aim at recognizing all such professionals and offer them a platform to share their stories to inspire others.

Talees Rizvi, Director of Wafisilpa Entertainments, was quick to remark thus:

“A number of professionals have already registered for the event and some of the industry bigwigs are in the race for this grand recognition. However, we are expecting more participation till the entry closes and are being ready for a massive event at the financial capital of the country.”

Its predecessor, The BAM Awards 2015 lauded the achievements of some of the industry magnates of the likes of:

• Escorts Limited 
• L&T Metro Rail 
• Goibibo  
• Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance 
• Zee Entertainment 

The 2016 Awards will announce the names of the new industry leaders at a Grand Ceremony. The event is expected to be an amalgamation of the industry leaders, business tycoons, entrepreneurs, media professionals, politicians, celebrities and others.

According to Talees, Indian Brand Convention 2016 will again have a knowledge-provoking agenda that will focus on the real-life case studies and examples, enlightening professionals to plan or create solutions for the growth of the Indian business.

The convention will witness the participation from the senior officials of different companies who will share their insightful thoughts and address the impending issues that commonly plague various industry verticals.

IBC urges Businesses, professionals and others who are interested to be part of the conclave to complete the participation process on their website http://indianconventions.com/. 

Of Evolving Workplaces And Technological Advancements

What?

The second edition of SHRM Tech’16 Conference & Exposition

When?

Wednesday and Thursday, April 20-21

Where?

Renaissance Hotel, Mumbai

Technology been a driving force to the brainstorming sessions of mankind. Necessity is the mother of invention and has always been the motivation to achieving breakthroughs in various fields of interest across the human strata. Technology has been a catalyst to enhancing the productivity of our being.

More or less, technology has completely revolutionized our ideologies. Our daily routine is all about operating in conjunction with technological influences on our lifestyle. Technology has revamped our day-to-day activities by incorporating a high degree of convenience into it.

The fact which however, reigns supreme is that the availability of land, labor, and capital is of no use in the absence of human resource. Though it is true that the latter exploits the former to their optimum, there is also no denying the fact that the former three are pretty powerless if they are to be on their own, as it is just a bank of resources with zero utilization.

 ~~~ 

The other day, I came to read about the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). With its Motto of 'Leading People. Leading Organizations', SHRM is recognized for devoting itself to human resource management. The association has recently announced the agenda for the second edition of ‘HR Technology Conference & Exposition’, which is deemed to be an influential conclave of people, business and technology.

By tapping the potential of the triple of Information, Knowledge, and Wisdom, this conference aims to provide a common platform to more than 650 delegates from organizations across all sectors.

The two day conference being conducted next week boasts of highly constructed sessions, panel discussions, and keynote addresses, wherein industry experts will debate and discuss the pertinent question of being able to bridge the gap between HR and technology.

A few of the illustrious personalities on the Global as well as Indian strata, who have consented to gracing the exposition are:

• Jason Averbook, CEO, Thought Leader & Author; 
• Anuranjita Kumar, Managing Director, Chief Human Resources Officer, Citi South Asia; 
• Viresh Oberaoi, Founder CEO and MD, Mjunction Services Ltd.; 
• Dr. Sumit D Chowdhury, Founder CEO 'Gaia Smart Cities', Business Leader, Author & Motivational Speaker, Coach; 
• Yuvraj Baghwala, VP- HR, Genpact; 
• Kevin Freitas, Director, Global Recruiting & Rewards – InMobi; 
• Nishchae Suri, Partner & Head-People & Change Advisory- KPMG, India; 
• Pradeep Mukerjee, Former CEO & Country Head - Mercer Consulting Pvt. Ltd; 
• Unmesh Pawar, Global MD, Talent Acquisition – Accenture;  
• Jaspreet Bakshi, Sr. VP, HR & Regional Head – HR, People Services India; 
• George Oommen, Director - HR, Technology & Process Consulting; Sameer Khanna, VP and Head of HR, Region India – Ericsson; 
• Manu Narang, VP, HR - American Express; 
• Vikas Joshi, Sr. Director, HR Transformation - PepsiCo's Asia, Middle East & North Africa; 
• Sunder Ramachandran, Head, Training Function - Pfizer India; 
• Abhijit Bhaduri, Chief Learning Officer, Wipro Ltd. 

The conference aims to focus its attention to, and gain a broader perspective on how HR technologies are impacting company bottom lines, while applauding HR Innovation in the age of Technology.

Also on the radar would be how it is imperative for HR Tech to be about user experience, while observing how human resource management is becoming increasingly more technology-based, and how Technology is being employed as an HR Strategy.

 ~~~ 

Panel discussions are also to be held on varied topics of technological interest of the likes of Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things And… People, and Wearable Technologies. 

Ms. Achal Khanna, CEO, SHRM India Operations, while announcing the conference, said:

“After receiving an overwhelming response in the last year’s conference, we proudly announce our second edition of HR Tech Conference. Technology is driving HR Profession at a great pace, be it, mobile, analytics, cloud (SMAC), or Software as a Service (SaaS), video, Big Data, gamification, MOOCs, or the Internet of things (IoT). It is a perfect time for HR professionals to unite and discuss the way forward for an extensive use of technology in HR domain to be at par with the fastest changing business world. SHRM Tech Conference is a perfect platform for the HR professionals to share their experiences and connect with the leading experts through transformational sessions and workshops, based on leading and emerging technologies in HR space.” 

Besides more than fifteen uniquely constructed knowledge sessions and panel discussions, there will be live product demos where one can get a real-feel of the technologies that will redefine work processes in organisations.

I would advise corporate professionals in Mumbai to register themselves as Delegates for the Expo as it seems quite a promising line-up and exchange of ideas and had I been a corporate myself, I would have registered for such a brilliant conference. 

PR, The IndiBlogger Way!

What?

Launch of IndiPR, by India's leading and most loved Blogging Community, IndiBlogger

When?

Friday, April 8

Where?

Over the World Wide Web, and Indian Blogging horizon! :)

The other day, I overheard a conversation in the Delhi Metro. As always, observations in any means of public transport make for interesting chronicles, over here or even otherwise.

Blog.
Sounds like a familiar word, doesn't it, nowadays?

Yeah! 

It's THE catchphrase now, Dude!

I have one, too. 

Do you? 

Yes.

I have a Weblog. 

Weblog? 

What's that, mate? 

We - blog: Do you have a co-authored blog? 

Me: *Too amazed to respond* 

        *Should've better been on my own* 

 ~~~ 

Contemplating on what I had just heard, it dawned upon me that I had been an audience to the observance of the adage 'Ignorance is Bliss', yet again. Here was Yours Truly, who is a genuine blogger, and here were these simpletons, discussing 'THE' catchphrase, in their opinion. 

There has been a perpetual debate over being or not being a Blogger in the true sense. By true sense, I aim to refer to individuals who 'blog' not just for the sake of it but those who pursue it as a driving force, which motivates them to express themselves and express themselves well. 

But then, we live in a country where the sense of expression and the sensibility of freedom - of expression, or otherwise - is so abused, that it is better to maintain a steady stand. 

While there's no denying the fact that slow and steady, we have come to acknowledge Blogging and the Art (no less than Science, though!) that it is, considering the mushrooming we have here, we cannot just turn a blind eye to the fact that there remain MANY such people who consider it as a hobby, pastime, or such. 

While Blogging is a life-science in itself, having helped me appreciate the abundance of creative expression within others and myself, and there can be a thesis of sorts on that too, but more on that some other time. 

 ~~~ 

Fridays are meant for relaxation, and the one that just went by was no different. As soon as I accessed my email that day, I heaved a sigh of relief. I was caught unaware by my blogging community, IndiBlogger, and their naive but re-introduced Kiddo, IndiPR. 

As is the norm with initiatives, this particular 'New Kid On The Block' was not so new to me, but I guess it had just returned from its summer vacation of sorts, with a makeover for itself. And, boy! Was I impressed, or was I Impressed? 

IndiPR (formerly IndiOne) had been unveiled by IndiBlogger! :D 

This mail in my inbox lent a reassurance - There is Hope... For Bloggers... 

~~~ 

If none else, my fellow bloggers would identify with the fact that Blogging and being a Blogger is no child's play. And, IndiBlogger as a bloggers' platform, takes their act seriously. 

Well, one may or may not choose to keep their blog abuzz with the latest happenings in their niche, by the means of attending events and blogging about the same. That comes along with a fair share of PRs by PRs. :D 

PRs, that are pressing on us, bloggers to release those PRs by the means of our digital selves, more often than not, for mere peanuts. PRs, that fail to realize that Blogging ain't monkeying around!  

In accordance with their core ideology and in order to toss those mundane and run-of-mill Press Releases into the bin, while resolving to make it known that this pursuit is not to be taken for granted, IndiBlogger has come up with IndiPR. 

That for me, is PR, the IndiBlogger way.

~~~ 

IndiBlogger says they are 2007-Forever. With each passing day, month and year, IndiBlogger has been growing - by the means of being populated by Indians who once wished to establish themselves as Bloggers, Indians who are at the top of their game, and Indians who are gradually learning the ropes as well. IndiBlogger is Mini India, I believe, mirroring the potpourri of creativity! :)

Their growth has not just been in terms of quantity - statistics - six digit figures or such, but in the terms of quality that each individual's perspective on various topics and genres of interest. 

IndiPR, thus comes across as yet another milestone, wherein a blogger has the creative freedom to blog about an organisation's newly launched product or initiative. While acting as an effective intermediary to diminish the communication gap between Businesses and quality Bloggers aka Influencers, I believe IndiPR redefines B2B! :) 

The swanky new A.I.T.E. has piqued my curiosity as it incorporates Artificial Intelligence into itself. The ‘Automated Influencer Targeting Engine’ as it likes to be addressed, proceeds to accept applications, and automatically shortlists bloggers, for Press Releases uploaded by businesses, based on various factors including internal rankings. Their system just needs the Press Release and the rest would be history, Karthik DR, Co-founder & Business Head at IndiBlogger says. :)

Upon being shortlisted and accepting the Project (Yes, one can Decline as well), apart from rejoicing as the first reaction, the influencers are to publish their articles, choosing to either mirror the release or add their own element to it. 

While I am enjoying being a 'beta tester' of sorts to A.I.T.E. at the receiving end, I am waiting for it to learn with time and tailor itself to the blogger's niche or their performance with respect to a particular article. (A.I.T.E. rates bloggers secretly, y'know!)

Renie Ravin, Founder and CEO of IndiBlogger, opines that in a way, one could be writing about the next Google without even realizing its immense potential. 

Gradually, I am being told that IndiPR would not be restricted only to SEO and content marketing but also expand to creative assignments, invitations to attend the trendiest launch events and being privy to the latest news on the planet. That's like a Blogger's Secret Society, albeit open to all Bloggers! :) 

~~~ 

I'm all set for my experience with IndiPR and A.I.T.E. as a Blogger, an IndiBlogger. 

Are You? :) 

~~~ 

For more information on IndiPR, visit https://www.indipr.com/ first. Feel free to bother Co-founder & Director of Marketing at IndiBlogger, Anoop Johnson, then. Write to IB at contact@indipr.com or pester them with calls at +91-9900-001655 or 0124-4891498! :) 

Mirroring Personalities With The Jungle Book!

~~~

जंगल जंगल बात चली है... 

पता चला है... 

~~~ 

Does this prompt you to hum along to a familiar yet timeless childhood melody? 

It does, Yes! 

Whose arrival does it proclaim? 

Who else, but the innocent yet playful 'man-cub' Mowgli's! :) 

 ~~~ 

भारत के इन जंगलों के बारे में कई अजीब कहानियां हैं। 

मगर सबसे ज़्यादा अजीब कहानी है मोगली नमक एक छोटे लड़के की। 

यह सब तब शुरू हुआ जब एक अजनबी आवाज़ ने जंगल का सन्नाटा तोड़ दिया। 

 ~~~ 

Thus began, humanity's tryst with fauna that interwove with itself, lifelike emotions. Visualize a three-year-old being introduced to such an interesting avenue of familiarizing herself with the nuances of being one of the elements of the wilderness as opposed to seeing the wild come to life, from the point of view of a 'man-cub'. 

But, of course, it would intrigue any inquisitive child to learn how these two very different worlds came to collide with one another and explore each other's companionship! 

Yours Truly was no different a child, then. Just as mesmerizing as Mowgli's first chuckle which drew Bagheera to him, was Panther Bagheera's narration to the children of the nation. It seemed to draw its audience into the narrative. 

 ~~~ 

What fascinated me the most as a child was the fact that the 'man-cub', in no time, became his foster brothers' favorite. The pack of wolves along with their parents Rama and Raksha, adored Mowgli as his foster-family! 

Mowgli too, considered them as one of his own, not realizing the bitter fact, highlighted by Bagheera as an initial pointer, that Mowgli was not meant for survival in the wilderness. He had to be united with the village-folk, one day or another. 

It, of course, broke many hearts, when the separation had to come soon, in the form of the leader of Wolves, Akela informing the pack of the return of the fierce Shere Khan, thus prompting the decision of Mowgli's exit from the wilderness! 

Bagheera being Mowgli's closest confidante chose to break the news to him, to which a puzzled Mowgli questioned the beast's intention of drawing the life out of him. Mowgli, as a child, wanted to persuade the Tiger instead, that he would not grow up to become 'एक और शिकार का शौक़ीन मानव', but in vain.

While Mowgli's dislike of Bagheera's remark of him not being able to climb a tree to rest on one of its branches for the night, was quite evident, a striking parallel came to mind when he himself admitted thus.

और फ़िर, मेरे पास तो पंजे भी नहीं हैं...  :(

While the night's episode began with Kaa, the Python's deceitful gaze, coupled with the repeated knotting of his tail over the narrative's length and ended with the trumpeting of Colonel Hathi's contingent's orchestrated march at dawn, this Jungle adventure had just begun! 

जंगल की ताल पे हम... 

मतवाले मस्त कदम... 

धरती हमदम... 

चलते हैं हम... 

न रुकेंगे कभी हम! :)

Another fable that came along with the customary patrolling was 'सन अट्ठासी के वीर चक्र की कहानी'. 

Colonel Hathi's strong belief of a 'man-cub' being included in the contingent hinting to rebellion highlighted his principled outlook. 

~~~ 

While Mowgli's idiosyncrasies prompted Bagheera to let him be on his own, Mowgli ended up bumping into Baloo the Bear, and his easygoing डूबी डूबी डूबी डी डू, and we thus spoke of bare necessities which Baloo thought highly of! :)

अपुन इस जंगल में सब देखेला है... 

पर यह चीज़ तो बहुत सही चीज़ है! 

It was as if one had been introduced to a new dialect altogether, all at once! Papa Baloo's छोटे मियाँ had just been learning the ropes of growling like a bear, when Bagheera took no time to describe him as मस्तमौला, भटकू, जंगल-छाप बालू! 

Well, of course, Papa Baloo believed that the village-folk would spoil Mowgli and make him turn into a human, to which he ends up taking Mowgli's responsibility entirely. 

Who can forget their signature steps to मस्ती की गुदगुदी चाहिए, बस मस्ती ही चाहिए? Not me. 

In all this fun, the monkey shenanigans successfully kidnap Mowgli to take him to their ape-king, King Louie, leaving Baloo helplessly approaching Bagheera to rescue him. 

King Louie on the other hand, tricks Mowgli into believing that he could stay back in the jungle, provided he lets King Louie become like him. Baloo and Bagheera reach just in time to learn that Louie is hell bent on learning to make fire, instead, as Shere Khan, the Supreme is scared of only fire! 

Their foot-tapping tune captures Baloo's musically inclined free spirit, to which Bagheera brings him back to his senses by saying, इस वक्त भेजा चाहिए, भंगड़ा नहीं! 

While they manage to barely escape with Mowgli in tow, we heave a sigh of relief too. By the time one realizes, Mowgli's journey has become our own too! :) 

After a fair share of gimmicks overnight, Bagheera succeeds in persuading Baloo to let go of Mowgli, to let him settle with the village-folk, but Baloo's persuasion in turn to Mowgli falls on deaf ears. 

Innocent Mowgli feels betrayed by his Papa Baloo and runs off, deep into the wilderness, only to be recaptured barely by Kaa, and comforted by a venue of vultures, who too, are unwelcome and displeasing to the creatures of the Wild. 

The final showdown with Shere Khan results in a severely injured Baloo rescuing Mowgli from the clutches of death, yet again, coupled with the alertness of those vultures. 

A lightning stricken tree branch provided for fire, which was no match for a helpless Shere Khan, जो अपनी 'दुम जला कर भाग लिया'! 

Just as the narrative is about to end on a sad note, with Baloo's death and Bagheera's declaration of him being a Hero, Baloo springs up to life saying, 'ऐ, बन्द मत कर बग्घू, अरे मस्त बोल रेला है!' 

It was as if life had been summoned back into lifeless being, that even the audience would rejoice at such a good news! 

All's well that ends well, especially if our Mowgli is smitten by a village belle, to be back where he belongs, while Baloo and Bagheera return to where they belong, isn't it? ;)

~~~ 

While as a child, I was intrigued by the mannerisms of each character in this fable (and continue to do so in a corner of my heart and mind, I believe), as an adult and a parent, I have been better able to draw a parallel between each of the character's personalities and the life lessons they impart. 

As engrossing as the narrative was, for a naive three-year-old, it was, is, and will be interesting for me as a grown-up, with its many adaptations too. 

As a parent, I felt a certain newness on re-exploring the fable with my child, appreciating or condemning certain qualities or shortcomings in each character as the narrative proceeded. 

 ~~~ 

Take for instance, the fact that Mowgli's was the most familiar characterization, for he was to be the star of the story, the one around whom the fable's numerous situations revolve! 

As a fictional feral child, he is able to evoke in his audience - children and adults alike - the emotions of amusement, sadness, anger, disappointment, and bewilderment, at various instances in the fable. 

On one hand, Raksha and Rama fit the bill in abiding by the gender stereotypes of the Wild, with the male choosing to hunt while the female rears her cubs. On the other hand however, be it in print or on celluloid, Raksha has always been portrayed as a mother who knows her business. It is this parental instinct which always binds a mother to her child, and Raksha to Mowgli too. 

The jungle is wilderness, and such wild attitude translates to danger for naivety, thus prompting Bagheera to mentor Mowgli to escape from the clutches of the ferocious Shere Khan, by persuading him to leave the jungle and return rightfully, to village-folk. 

Bagheera's art of persuasion is to be applauded, while he talks Baloo into his plan of Mowgli's return and Colonel Hathi to send his contingent to search for him when he runs off, into the jungle after being supposedly betrayed by Baloo. His stern attitude acts like Mowgli's guardian angel at more times than one and he is the perfect mentor to this man-cub! 

Kaa's deceitful gaze mirrors the fact that we as individuals too, could be led astray into unpleasant avenues, and one must exercise a certain degree of self-control in order to prevent probable mishaps. 

Baloo comes across as a generous teacher and friend, whom Mowgli addresses as 'Papa'. His uninhibited and exuberant outlook towards life in the jungle leads to Mowgli learning a trick or two regarding the Law of the Wild, from him. Baloo cares for Mowgli as his छोटे मियाँ and puts up a brave face, twice. Once, to prevent his kidnapping by the trouble-making monkeys, and second, to save Mowgli from the clutches of Shere Khan. 

Baloo prompts Mowgli to learn to fight like a Bear, from him, and when the man-cub lands a powerful punch, he is quick to remark, सही जगह पे फटका दिया, which leads me to believe that no matter how big a problem may seem to be, in its scale and stature, once one knows how to deal with it in the right manner, it is nothing but a mere grain of sand. 

King Louie presents another face of selfish treachery, by luring Mowgli with the rights to stay back in the Wild, provided he lets him in on Man's secret to making Fire. Just as monkeys are close behind Man with respect to evolution, Louie and his apes are the closest equivalent to Mowgli in the fable, thus repeatedly pursuing the man-cub, हम बनेगा जैसा तू! His myopic plan to threat Shere Khan with Fire, thus tilting the Jungle Throne in his favor is foiled by Bagheera and Baloo's wittiness. 

Shere Khan comes across as a ferocious beast, who has his own weaknesses - Man and Fire. He wants to suppress a potential hunter - a harmless man-cub by nipping it in the bud itself. This predator is shown riding high on his immense physicality as opposed to other animals who fear him for their lives. 

Mowgli comes across here, as a confident, fearless individual who emphasizes the fact that he can care for himself in the wilderness, while not being bothered by any Shere Khan. What outwits the Tiger on the other hand is the fact that the man-cub was the first of his kind, who refused the join the league of other apprehensive and terrified creatures in the jungle. 

Towards the end, it is not physical stature, but the presence of mind, that leads Mowgli to outlast the Tiger in the big, wide, and wild Jungle. 

~~~ 

There is not just one favorite character or memorable instance from this classic by Rudyard Kipling but the beauty in its narrative's entirety which leads me to believe that each incident and character in the story complement one another and lead the fable to achieve its rightful beginning and end. 

I believe that there is a Mowgli in each of us, guided towards right or wrong by its alter-egos in the form of such fauna's personality traits as in the Jungle Book. This fact leads me to be of the opinion that my entire experience with The Jungle Book, as a kid and as an adult, forms for a beautiful #MyMowgliMemory. 

Would you like to share your #MyMowgliMemory with me too? :)

 ~~~ 

I’m blogging about #MyMowgliMemory at BlogAdda.