EDUCATION REGULATORS - SAVIOURS OR BETRAYERS?

By M H Ahssan

From MBBS to biotechnology, across academic and professional programmes, the reguilators have consistently been betraying the trust students place in them. Read on to find out how?

From the number of students that an institution can admit to the number of rooms that it must have, education regulators specify every aspect of the education process.

Take the regulatory process of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), for instance. It has over 67 different parameters incorporating standards that an institution must meet in order to be approved. But barring the insistence on the number of contact hours, AICTE has hardly any measure to ensure a good learning experience for the student. No discussion on transparency in the admission process, none on quality of teaching, no way for the student to objectively assess his or her experience and seek remedy for being treated unfairly or getting cheated.

The student has always felt cheated. Nearly 67 percent of the queries that Careers360 receives are about bad experiences of the students, which, in turn, is the result of bad regulatory regimes. A lack of application of mind in designing regulations, indifference to the impact of haphazard rulings on students, pious but useless sentiments about student welfare, and a colonial mindset of controls, all has resulted in a regulatory quagmire that is difficult to escape from.
 
The pity is that most of these problems can easily be solved, if only the State looks at education through the eyes of the student. We identify nine instances where the regulatory mess has inflicted unwarranted pain on students:


- Q1: Should Deemed University status be withdrawn?

Student problem 1: Fate of 44 Deemed UniversitiesSanction and withdrawal without a thought for the consequences seems to be order of the day. Newsindia tackles a reader's query on the subject.
Core players and where they standMINISTRY OF HRD:The Ministry had been instrumental in declaring the 44 deemed universities as not on par and merits closure.

UGC:This is the agency that inspects institutions and recommends to the Ministry that the institutes deserve to be provided the status of a deemed university.
SUPREME COURT: The apex court is currently hearing a bunch of petitions and has stayed the Ministry’s notification which had intended to withdraw the DU status to 44 of the 137 players.
Status quoNo matter how valid the be the reason for withdrawal of Deemed University (DU) status the question still remains: is it fair to the thousands of students whose career it would affect badly? Careers360 had examined this question in detail in the April 2010 issue.
If UGC can make a one-time exemption for Distance Learning B.Tech students, if it can permit one-building, two-faculty units as central universities, we must be prepared to slightly lower our standards when it comes to some DUs. What is good for the goose must be good for the gander!

The last we heard, the HRD Ministry had set up a review committee to evaluate the submission by these 44 institutes. Ideally the State must swallow its pride and rescind the notification, prescribe minimum standards, give the institutes (both public and private) reasonable time to implement them and then stop admissions forthwith for those who still do not meet the criterion.

In the process the student’s future is safeguarded. If that means, for a few years we might end up having slightly less trained engineers and architects we need to live with it. But should we sacrifice the future of thousands of students because of the whims of a few?


- Q2: Study centres in various States. Are they legal?

Student problem 2: Is my Distance Learning course valid?Can public universities located in one state set up study centres/off-campus centres in other states? Newsindia tackles a reader's query on the subject.

Core players and where they standSupreme Court: In its famous Prof. Yashpal Versus GOI & others, the court very clearly banned off-shore centres, study centres and off-campus centres by universities, which are governed by State Acts.
UGC: Citing the above judgment UGC has been issuing circulars periodically which very clearly deny permission for such centres by State-level universities as well as Deemed Universities.
DEC: After a series of flip–flops, DEC now says there can be no territorial limits for distance learning, but distinctly bans franchising and subcontracting of these centres.
Status quoThe issue here is one of genuine distance learning institutes vis-à-vis some ‘authorised’ study centres that begin to offer their own full-time/regular programmes without regulatory oversight. In a normal study centre, a student gets library and laboratory support, administrative help and at times it may even offer academic inputs.

The programme, however, remains distinctly self-learning driven and accordingly cost effective. In the ‘hybrid’ model, the education institutes are given fancy names like ‘on-site partner’ or ‘approved institute,’ which help them masquerade as regular institutes. So the students are fooled into believing that they are studying under a regular, full-time programme and are charged for the course accordingly.

The issue here is not a debate over territorial jurisdiction. The concern is the effortless mixing of different modes of education by the institutions. While study centres are for distance education, off-campus and off-shore centres are meant for full- time programmes.  They serve different needs and hence should not be clubbed together. As in the case of Saif, students are led to believe that they are doing a full- time programme, which they are not. They do get a degree finally, which is legal and valid, but again, it will only be a DL degree.


- Q3: Can I do a B.Tech degree through correspondence?

Student problem 3: BTech/ BE in distance mode, valid?
There are open violations even when UGC, AICTE and DEC disapprove B.Tech degree by Distance Learning. Newsindia tackles a reader's query on the subject.

Core players and where they stand
MINISTRY OF HRD: Very clearly came up with a notification advising DEC not to permit Engineering degrees through correspondencee AICTE: Has a clear-cut policy of not permitting B.Tech by correspondence DEC:  Does not permit such programmes.

Status quoIt’s a saga of remissness displayed by both the regulating bodies - UGC and AICTE.

The first wave of distance learning (DL) degrees in engineering came when some Deemed Universities like JRN Vidyapeeth started B.Tech by correspondence and began setting up study centres across the country. On August 9, 2005, the UGC came up with a circular that explicitly forbade distance learning B.Tech programmes.

When the decision was challenged by JRN Vidyapeeth and others, the UGC allowed, quite inexplicably, a one-time exemption to these institutions and permitted B.Tech degrees by correspondence between 2001 and 2005.

The institutes continued to admit students until both UGC and DEC woke up in 2009 and began notifying the correspondence degrees as invalid. JRN Vidyapeeth again went to the court which stayed DEC’s actions in this matter.

Four questions arise:
- If technical degrees cannot be offered in distance learning mode, how is the government justified in permitting engineering degrees like AMIE and AMIETE?
- How can the AICTE come up with notifications regulating universities which are supposed to be outside its purview?
- If DEC is against distance learning programmes in engineering, how is IGNOU justified in offering B.Tech?l

As a result of the actions and inaction of the regulators, the situation remains muddled and open to litigation. The students have therefore been left out in the cold.


- Q4: PGDM and a foreign degree? Are they legal?

Student problem 4: Are tie-ups with foreign universities valid?Many institutes now offer a range of programmes by tying up with foreign partners. Are they valid?

Core players and where they standAICTE: A PGDM offered by an institution approved by AICTE is equivalent to MBA for the purposes of employment. Unless AICTE has approved the tie-up even the foreign MBA is invalid for any Govt. job purpose

AIU: Citing the above judgment UGC has been issuing circulars periodically which very clearly deny permission for such centres by State-level universities as well as Deemed Universities.

Status quoThe players in this case are, in fact, more. Each regulatory agency, whether it is Medical Council or Pharmacy Council has its own norms as far as foreign degrees are concerned.

But most universities would agree to accept AIU certification, if available. Until India becomes a member of internationally-known associations like the Washington Accord, which provides reciprocal equivalence to degrees, the validity of each foreign degree is suspect in the country!

So for a student, a foreign degree may not make you eligible for a government job or to pursue higher studies unless it is from an approved or a recognised university.

In Suri’s case, both PGDM and MBA are valid. But not so for many others, since AIU is not active in obtaining reciprocal equivalences and there is no exchange of information among individual regulators.


- Q5: My college offers a Joint degree. Is it valid?
Student problem 5: Are joint degrees with foreign univ credible?With foreign institutions setting up local campuses, the clamour for tie-ups is on the rise. Is there value?

Core players and where they standMinistry of HRD: Has proposed a new law to regulate foreign educational institutions. But as of now it has no legal base.

AICTE: Mandated to ensure quality of technical education, it has suo moto initiated a scheme to approve such joint offerings and local campuses of foreign institutions.

Status quo
Most of the reputed institutions do not go through the AICTE approval route, since they feel the regulatory regime is stifling. The most notable example is the certification offered by ISB. AICTE terms even this as an unapproved programme.
The programme cited in the above problem is valid and approved by AICTE. But unless a level playing field is created many good institutions will continue to be termed as unapproved, and a host of unscrupulous players would use the same as an argument to offer substandard programme.

Will the regulator introspect as to why such events happen?


- Q6: Why should institutes be prevented from establishing campuses?

Student problem 6: One university, multiple campuses - valid?An obscure rule by UGC might suddenly hit institutions and the students. A Careers360 reader shares his predicament.

Core players and where they standUGC: UGC has categorically stated that neither State universities (public and private) nor deemed universities can have additional campuses during the first five years of their existence and even after five years they can only do so with its prior approval.

STATE GOVTS: Most State governments suggest a territorial jurisdiction for each university, but have permitted establishment of centres and campuses, both within and outside the States.

Status quo
This is one of the many norms that students may not be aware of, but can hit them hard if a bureaucrat decides to implement it by declaring all the additional campuses of a  university as null and void. That UGC itself does not take this notification seriously is established by the fact that its own inspection teams clearly make a mention about establishment of additional campuses in certain universities and observes it as illegal. Nevertheless the team recommends sanction of UGC approval.

When universities like Harvard can come and set up campuses in India, it makes no sense to prevent an Andhra University from setting up a campus in Jammu and Kashmir. But as long as the notification exists, the sword of Damocles of de-recognition stares at the hapless students who inadvertently pursue their dream courses in any one of the multiple campuses.


- Q7: Should only select academic degrees be valid for becoming a professional?
Student problem 7: All pharmacy degrees are not validStuck in a time warp Pharmacy Council says only some degrees are valid. Is it right?

Core players and where they standPharmacy Council: The Council’s stand is clear. It only approves B.Pharm, D.Pharma and Pharma.D programmes. No other programme is valid.
Universities: Individual universities hide behind the UGC Act which empowers them to award any academic degree and hence argue that all their degrees are valid.

Status quoThis is a classic case of a profession not keeping up with academia. The profession is not interested in investing time and energy in evaluating whether the alternative or new programmes that are on offer in a host of institutions provide the students with competencies essential to practice the profession or teach the same.
The case is not limited to NIPER. Many deemed universities too offer Master’s programme, which are not approved by PCI. But despite their courses having tremendous market value, despite the students finding plum positions in various pharma companies the profession fails to take note and take steps to approve them as professional courses.
 
For no fault of the student, he or she is now saddled with a degree from a premier academic institutions, but cannot aspire to become an academic or a professional? What can be more cruel?


- Q8: What do the new PGDM regulations mean for thousands of students?

Student problem 8: PGDM courses have too many regulationsAICTE’s regulations on PGDM programmes will in all probability kill good institutes, letting bad ones thrive.

Core players and where they standAICTE: Is adamant that the policy is right and has to be implemented. According to officials the challenge in the court is only a temporary setback. 

Institutes: Have been crying hoarse and have approached the court for relief, individually and collectively.

Supreme Court: Has provided interim relief for a year and is currently hearing the case.

Status quoThis notification is a perfect example for the saying, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Nobody can quarrel with the AICTE, when it says admissions has to be transparent, fees must be reasonable, and students must be provided quality content. But the norms they have suggested will not achieve any of them. If admissions are done by State governments, then parochialism is likely to creep in, and the national character of most of the good schools would go down the drain.

Ensuring financial transparency would go a long way rather than just fixing fees. Mandating contact hours and specifying competencies would force institutes to think in terms of raising the bar. The ends must be specified and the means to achieve them must be left tot the students.
 
What this myopic policy has achieved is ‘needless confusion’ and sleepless nights for students and, of course, an unexpected windfall for lawyers across the country. But that, we presume, is not AICTE’s intention.


- Q9: Should we not have a national standard? Will teaching improve?

Student problem 9: BCom grads can't pursue BEd?National Council for Teacher's Education (NCTE), the apex body for quality standards, faces resistance from the States in implementation.
Core players and where they standNCTE: The norms are very clear. 50% minimum percentage in graduation, all streams are permitted for BEd and Distance learning BEd open only to in-service teachers with two years of work experience.

State Govts: Have varied norms for both eligibility and streams.

High courts: At least five different High Courts are adjudicating on each of these parameters.

Status quoThe arrival of National Council for Teacher’s Education (NCTE) is supposed to have heralded an era of high quality teachers education. But the policy regime appears not to change at all.

Even with respect to the recent Teachers Eligibility Test, the initial notification did not include Commerce graduates, despite Commerce being one of the core subjects taught in schools. Even Jamia from where two Chairmen of NCTE came, does not allow commerce students to appear for BEd.
The anomaly between local universities and NCTE standards is a cause for concern. It is a pity that many colleges consider teachers training in Commerce as a non-essential feature. The minimum percentage too must be made uniform. In a nation where diverse sections of the population have been treated differently with respect to minimum eligibility what must be taken care is that equality of opportunity is available to all.

When will the States accept the national standard, despite the Supreme Court affirming the right of the Parliament to make laws for the whole nation, especially when it comes to issues like education that are on the Concurrent list of the Constitution?

Foods That Change Your Mood

By M H Ahssan

How many times have you found yourself burrowing into the very bottom of a Baskin Robbins tub after a bad breakup? Or caught your gob stuffed with a burger in the middle of a stressful day? Food might not fill that void in your heart, but it can help you perk up enough to pick up the pieces of a shattered heart or the yellings of an erratic employer to start afresh.

The bottom line: Good food gives you hope. You just need to eat the right kind." The key to understanding the connection between the food we eat and our mood and levels of alertness lies in knowing about how the brain functions," says consultant neurologist Dr Rajesh Kumar, Rockland Hospitals, New Delhi.

"The brain communicates by chemical substances passed from one nerve cell to the next. These chemicals, called neurotransmitters, are made in the brain from the food we eat. The neurotransmitters that are most sensitive to diet and influential in affecting the mood are serotonin, nor epinephrine and dopamine."

Dopamine and nor epinephrine are alertness chemicals to help us think and react faster or get motivated. Serotonin is a calming chemical to dissipate stress and tension.
Foods that cure depression

TunaA study in the Alternative Medicine Review found a fifth of depressed people lack B6. And there's nothing fi shy about this bit: "Tuna supplies approximately 60 per cent of your daily allowance of B6," says New Delhi-based nutritionist Dr Sonia Kakar.

Dark chocolateChalk one up for chocolate: "It releases pleasure enhancing endorphins into the brain and contains phenyl ethylamine, a stimulant associated with love," says Dr Kumar. The higher the cocoa content, the better you feel. So head for the darkest.


HummusPack on muscle with a smile: High in protein and fibre, hummus helps avoid blood sugar fluctuations with a slow, sustained release of glucose into the blood stream. "Depression and mood swings are related to poor blood sugar control, so scarf this now!" says Dr Kakar.

WalnutsThese nuts will put a smile on your dial. "They're an excellent source of Omega-3s which help brain cells and mood-lifting neurotransmitters function properly," says Ritika Samaddar, head of dietetics, Max Healthcare, New Delhi.

Foods that up your sex drive

BananasNot only do they sport a happy colour, they also contain vitamin B6 that ups serotonin levels. Apart from this, they contain an alkaloid bufotenine that ups your sex drive. Feeling happier reading this aren't you?

ChilliIf your relationship's facing a libido-level slump, spice it up, literally! Chilli's capsaicin content gets the heart pumping, triggering reactions as sweaty and similar to when you're having sex. Instead of a pungent dish, try Lindt's Chilli chocolate to really heat up your nights.

Almonds"Almonds are often associated with health, but most of us don't know that they are packed with essential fats that regulate prostaglandins, required for the production of sex hormones," says Samaddar.

VanillaAccording to Chicago's Smell and Taste Treatment Research Foundation, vanilla can boost penile blood flow. So bury into a tub before date night, not post breakup!

Foods that soothe rage

Watermelon
This juicy fruit contains citrulline and arginine, chemicals that trigger production of nitric oxide, a compound that relaxes your body's blood vessels. Watermelon is also reputed to be the only natural answer to Viagra. And you don't even need a prescription!

Ginseng tea
"Ginseng has been shown to improve the body's response to stress and decrease feelings of anxiety," says Dr Kakar. Sipping it slowly will also give you time to think over your initial reaction, which might have worse repercussions later.


Kidneys
Slip some into a mutton curry when you've banged your car on the way back home. A study in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience showed kidneys contain high levels of phosphatidylserine, which are associated with reducing stress levels and lifting mood.

Salmon
The omega-3 fatty acid in salmon, called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), isn't just good for your skin. Studies show people who eat ample amounts of DHA have a much lower incidence of depression, aggressiveness and hostility.
Foods that wake you up

Lemons
“Lemons have a wide variety of uses from curing asthma to liver stimulation,” says Ekta Tandon, dietician at dailydiet. in. “To wake up, smell the fruit or lemon oil or suck on a lemon drop—it’s an instant refresher, which is why it’s a common base for room fresheners and scents.”

Broccoli
This green contains boron, which is responsible for hand-eye co-ordination, attention and short-term memory. Boron-rich foods also maintain healthy bone and blood-sugar levels.


Apples
A recent Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease research shows apples protect the brain from memory loss and senility due to their quercetin content. “They’re almost as effective as caffeine as the fructose content doesn’t bring you back to a slump like coffee would,” says Dr Kakar.

Orange juice
“We eat oranges or drink OJ in the morning to wake us up,” says Dr Kakar. “Oranges contain vitamin C that beats fatigue to keep us active throughout the day. Try eating one instead of drinking the juice to keep calories at bay.”

The 100 Greatest Weight Loss Tips

You thought you knew them all? We don't think so! MH's digest arms you with the ultra knowledge-so you can finally and forever shred those die-hard inches from your gut.
Nutrition

Which foods are your natural allies?
1. Eat vitamin-filled melon followed by protein-rich egg for the perfect fat fighting breakfast. The eggs even break down the melon's carbs.

2. Swap your regular cheese for goat's cheese. It's 40 per cent lower in calories than cheese made from cow's milk.

3. Drink oolong tea instead of water. The combination of caffeine and EGCGs will burn 12 per cent more body fat.
4. Choose spinach ahead of other greens. It packs double the fibre, which helps your body process fats more efficiently.

5. A daily glass of red wine can stop you putting on fat, especially around your belly. Resveratrol from the grapes inhibits the development of fat cells.

6. Eat more berries to lose weight. Other fruits contain fructose, which can combine with carbs to add body fat.

7. Eating a bowl of muesli two hours before training increases fat burning during your session. Muesli is a slowdigesting carbohydrate and is less likely to be transferred to the body as fat. A good energy boost.

8. Eat 'good' fats to burn fat. Eggs, walnuts, rapeseed oil and the dark meat in chicken are all good for this, and also help cut the risk of heart disease.

9. Eat Swiss cheese after a meal to boost fat fighting. It contains potent fat-burning calcium.

10. A salad of black beans, peppers, tomatoes, onion and sweet corn with olive oil and lemon helps weight loss. This healthy combination will shed the pounds.

11. Eat avocado. This will supply oleic acid that aids weight loss and helps to stave off hunger pangs.

12. Eat two scrambled egg whites and two sausages for breakfast. The protein will keep hunger at bay.

13. Drop a few kg by switching to red cabbage with your lunch each day. It aids weight loss by increasing your body's production of fat-burning adiponectin and appetite-suppressing leptin.

14. Want to lose weight but love mutton? Portions taken from the loin end of the hind leg packs the most protein, with minimal fat marbling.

15. Drink juice with 'bits' in. The fibre is processed more quickly, making you feel fuller for longer.

16. Eat high-fibre, low-starch carbs such as raw nuts, quinoa, barley and oats. These will regulate your insulin levels and reduce hunger pangs throughout the day.

17. Eat pineapple. Not only a great snack to spark your metabolism, it has bromolina that breaks down protein.

18. Sprinkle cinnamon into a yoghurt each day to burn fat. The spice is a powerful metabolism raiser; half a teaspoon a day is enough to burn an extra kilo a month.

19. Swap rice for grated cauliflower to shave your gut. It's non-starchy, and the Vitamin C hit helps you burn body fat for fuel during physical activity.
20. Add chilli to your meals. This contains capsaicin that fires up your metabolism to process fats faster.

21. Add paprika to meals. Its ground red peppers contain six times the vitamin C of tomatoes, crucial for helping your body to turn fat into energy.

22. Dilute full-fat milk in your cereal with water. This reduces the absorption of sugar, and decreases fat intake.

23. Fish and natural yoghurt will help boost your metabolism. They are great sources of iodine, which encourages the thyroid gland to burn fat.

24. Sip green tea. It contains a compound that reacts with caffeine to boost fat oxidisation.

25. Putting tomatoes in your sandwiches will keep you feeling fuller longer and make you less likely to gorge on post-lunchtime snacks. The fruit suppresses the hunger hormone ghrelin.

26. Drink milk. Calcium prevents fat storage at the cellular level

27. Eat blue corn tortilla chips. They are half the fat of standard crisps and also release sugar more slowly into the bloodstream, which controls insulin levels and slows weight gain.

28. Red meat can help you lose weight. It packs a lot of the proteins that help you maintain muscle mass, and muscle burns four times as many calories as fat.

29. Vinegar-based food dressings contain acetic acid, which speeds up fat-burning rate. Add a few glugs of vinegar daily to salads.

30. Drizzle a little olive oil on salads. Its 'good' fatty acids trigger a protein that tells the body it's full, to help prevent you from overeating.

31. Try Omega-3 fatty acids as a new supplement for weight loss. Found in fish and nut oils, they are essential good fats that helps cut weight. Bonus: helps reduce heart diseases.

32. Munch three 250-calorie protein-rich snacks a day. Those who do so are 30 per cent more likely to lose weight.

33. Go for pomegranates. Their seed oil reduces the body's ability to store fat, and they'll curb your desire for sugars.

34. Have red peppers. They contain capsaicin, the chemical that gives them their taste, and which boosts your resting metabolic rate by up to 25 percent.

36. Eat rajma masala once a week. The spices will boost metabolism.

37. Take a tablespoon of coconut oil a day. This will raise your metabolism and reduce body fat.

38. Go nuts with 70 almonds a day. You’ll lose eight per cent body fat in six months. Their protein and fibre keep you feeling full.

39. Eat beans. People who eat them are 22 per cent less likely to become obese.

40. Add lentils to each meal to lose over 7kg in 10 weeks. The pulses are packed with the amino acid leucine, which burns fat fast.

41. Strategise your food. Even the lightest snack in your office canteen can lead you to obesity. Pack home food and live lighter!

42. Eat an apple 15 minutes before a meal. You will consume 187 fewer calories if you do.

43. Want to boost metabolism with breakfast? Blend 200g strawberries, 125ml soya milk and 2tsps vanilla extract for a belly-busting smoothie.

44. Grab a handful of peanuts a day. This is to get hearthealthy folates and fibre, plus a higher satiety level than other foods.

45. Get the right percentage of body fat. Eat 1.5g of protein per kilo of body weight.

46. Add spring onions to your post-workout meal. They metabolise carbs for fuel which aids weight loss.

47. Drink grapefruit juice. You’ll lose 2kg in 12 weeks due to its insulin-lowering enzymes.

48. Eat eggs for breakfast. They contain low-calorie protein, perfect for weightloss, plus they’ll keep you full all morning.
49. Eat a portion of dairy every day. Doubling calcium intake increases the rate your body metabolises fat by 50 per cent.

50. A glass of carrot juice a day will help you lose 2kg over 12 weeks. It’s high in nutrients that help burn fat.

51. Drizzle on some soy to shed the pounds. Research shows soy proteins interact with receptors in our brains that tell us we’re full.

Lifestyle

Make these a habit.
52. Chew sugarfree gum. Do it for 15 minutes after eating, and again two hours later, to cut snack cravings.

53. Eat raw chillies. They release stress hormones in your body, which boost your metabolism and improve weight loss.

54. Eat with others. Research shows people match their food intake to their dining partner. Eating with a lady means 35 per cent less calories.

55. Take a calcium supplement. You'll lose 2.6 per cent more fat than those who don't.

56. If it didn't grow, walk or swim, don't eat it. Processed foods have unhealthy transfats and artificial sweeteners.

57. Have a laugh. A good laugh for 10 minutes a day increases weekly energy consumption by up to 280 calories.

58. Multiply your ideal body weight in pounds by 10 to know how many calories to eat daily. It keeps your eye on the prize.

59. Cut out the late night carbs. Bigger men are likely to eat 25 per cent of their calories after their dinner.

60. Slice food into strips and pile it high. You'll eat less, but feel full.

61. Order one large meal rather than a mixed platter. Small dishes urge you to over-eat.

62. Tempted by an all-you-caneat Chinese buffet? Cut calorie intake by 30 per cent by using chopsticks.

63. Slice your food to consume 20 per cent fewer calories. Sliced stuff is larger than equal amounts of whole vegetable.

64. Take lunch breaks away from your desk. You'll consume 250 less calories in a day than those who eat and work.

65. To burn more calories, listen to music that builds tempo during workout. It'll help guard against fatigue.

66. Make a point with acupuncture. Do this once a week to lose 4.5kg in 90 days. Pressure points trigger pulses that suppress appetite.

67. Banishing carbs will lead to storing more fat in the long run. Cut carbs by 200g a week to incite the appetite repressing hormone leptin.

68. Wear glasses with blue lenses. They cut weight by blocking hunger-stimulating red light.

69. Tune into classical music. Relaxing music during eating will make you'll eat less.

70. Turn off your TV while you eat. This will cut 3.5kg of weight gain each year.

71. Stress at work is the biggest cause of overeating. Breathing for two minutes and focusing on your diaphragm will dampen hunger pangs.

72. Fire up the tandoor to grill the calories in your meat. Barbecuing meat lets extra fat escape while it cooks. If you are slimming, heat it up.

73. Go to the cinema. Plain popcorn lowers your blood glucose levels and burns fat.

74. Take a hot bath in the evenings to aid digestion. It will also help you sleep.

75. Invest in a juicer for your bar. Freshly squeezed fruit juice mixed with your drinks can cut down alcohol intake and provide antioxidants.

76. A strategic tipple aids weight loss. Small amounts of alcohol increase the body's metabolic rate, causing more calories to be burned.

77. Wait before going for seconds. It takes your brain 20 minutes to tell you that you feel full.

78. Leave a maximum of three hours between meals. This ensures your metabolic rate doesn't fluctuate.

79. Have more sex. As well as burning 150 calories every 20 minutes, it boosts a hormone that increases your metabolism and lean muscle growth.

80. Hit the Horlicks before bed. It's full of sleep-inducing trytophan. Lack of sleep spikes cortisol, disturbs blood sugar and leads to overeating.

81. Sit down at the table to eat. You'll eat a third less than when munching on the move.

82. Eat breakfast. Those who fail to kickstart their metabolism with a morning meal eat 100 more calories a day.

Exercise

Time to transform your regime.
83. Avoid energy drinks during your workout. Their high-GI carbs can make you pick up body fat. Drink water instead

84. Walk after exercise to keep fat-fighting enzymes working. Sitting for too long deactivates the enzymes that prevent fat storage.

85. Double your calorie burning. Alternate between upper and lower-body moves during your workout.

86. Hit the treadmill. The running machine is the best tool in the gym to burn the most calories in the shortest time.

87. Burn fat faster by skipping. Ten minutes of it will burn the same number of calories as a half-hour jog.

88. Take creatine after weight training. It will increase your body's metabolic rate by 6 per cent-so you'll burn more fat.

89. Do 10 burpees every morning. 30 seconds of intense exercise each day can up your metabolism in two weeks.

90. Resistance training with low weights builds Type-II muscle fibres. This is important for increasing metabolism and reducing body fat.

91. Be quick. Performing explosive exercises burns 11 per cent more calories than doing them slowly.

92. Don't exercise alone. Train with friends and you'll lose 1/3 more weight.

93. Work out with your leg muscles rather than your upper body. Your body uses more energy-and calories.

94. Perform your cardio exercises at 6pm. This is when body temperature peaks, making for faster reactions.

95. Pump iron quickly. Lifting weights more explosively burns more calories.

96. Take whey protein. It'll also help you lose 6 per cent more body fat compared with those who don't use it.

97. Exercise in direct sunlight to lose 20 per cent more body fat. It boosts the appetite killer leptin.

98. High intensity intervals are the perfect lard-busters. They burn up to 30 per cent more calories.

99. Bleary-eyed exercise helps you burn fat faster. Training first thing in the morning will shed a kilo quicker than at any other time.

100. Play squash for an hour. You'll burn 1,035 calories- which is more than you would playing any other sport.

(Newsindia Syndication)

ISLAMIC HERITAGE - PHOTO FEATURE

By M H Ahssan

From Kerala to Kashmir and from Tripura to Gujarat, India has a vast and rich heritage of Islamic architecture.



Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, 17th century.

India is an enchanting land watered by the streams of compassionate philosophies since ancient times. Flourishing communities of the Islamic, Christian, Zoroastrian and Jewish faiths exist here. The Hindu, Buddhist, Jaina and Sikh faiths were born here. It has a great cosmopolitan heritage of culture and art.



The best-recognised monument in the Indian subcontinent is the Taj Mahal, the tomb of Arjumand Banu Begum (also known as Mumtaz Mahal), wife of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. He was also later laid to rest here. The pearly clarity of the white marble structure acquires different hues with the changing colour of light, from sunrise to sunset.

Although Mughal architecture of north India is famous, the fascinating richness of Islamic architectural heritage in other parts of the country is not so well known. The vastness of India's Islamic architectural heritage is unbelievable. India has more beautiful medieval Islamic architectural heritage than any other country. This is a fact which neither Indians nor the rest of the world is fully aware of.



QUTB MINAR, DELHI, early 13th century. In 1206, Mohammed Ghori was assassinated and his realm was divided among his slaves. One of them, Qutbuddin Aibak, assumed control over Delhi. He built the Qutb Minar near the Quwwat-ul-Islam ("might of Islam") mosque. One of the world's tallest minarets, it is 72.5 metres high.

It is a known fact that the most famous Islamic monument of the world, the Taj Mahal, is in India. But what is not equally well known is that one of the oldest mosques in the world is also in India, in Kerala. In fact, India has a vast and rich Islamic architectural heritage, from Kerala in the south to Kashmir in the north, from Tripura in the east to Gujarat in the west.



AGRA FORT, UTTAR Pradesh, 16th-17th century. Akbar, one of the greatest Mughal emperors (reign 1556-1605), was a brilliant intellectual and ruler. A remarkable monarch whose empire rivalled that of Asoka, he built a network of fortresses and palaces between 1565 and 1571. The first of these was the fort at Agra. His successors Jahangir and Shah Jahan added many sections within the fort. Here is a part of the white marble section of Agra Fort, which was built during the reign of Shah Jahan.

Islamic architecture is characterised by a few visible symbols. One is the arch, which frames the space; the second symbol is the dome, which looms over the skyscape; and the third is the minaret, which pierces the skies. Minarets were actually symbols in the middle of deserts. They represented fire, which was lit atop them to guide travellers. The dome represents the infinite and also the sky. As tomb architecture represents both the finite and the infinite, the dome has a very important role to play.



GATEWAY OF AKBAR'S Tomb, Sikandra, near Agra, Uttar Pradesh, 17th century. The impressive structure was built by his son Jahangir, who closely supervised the work, which was completed in 1613. Akbar did not impose his faith on his subjects. He forged matrimonial ties with Rajput rulers. Some of his closest confidants and advisers followed faiths other than his own.

Islam did not come to India from the north as is commonly believed. It came through Arab traders to the Malabar region in Kerala, and Muslims flourished as a trading community there. You can still see traces of that community amongst the Moplas of Kerala, who trace their ancestry to the Arabs.



ZIARAT OF SHAH Hamadan, Srinagar, Kashmir. In the mountainous kingdom of Kashmir, Islamic architecture was heavily influenced by ancient Hindu and Buddhist stone architecture. Wood was used extensively in the mosques and tombs of the Kashmir Valley. Shah Hamadan from Persia is known to have laid the foundations of Islam in the Kashmir Valley. The saint is deeply revered by the people. Built on the bank of the river Jhelum in Srinagar, the ziarat is a beautiful example of Kashmiri wooden architecture. It is in the ziarats of the saints of Kashmir that the people of the valley worship. Over the centuries, both Hindus and Muslims have equally revered the ziarats.

Since ancient times, India has had considerable trade contact with the Arab world. In the 1st century A.D., the Roman historian Pliny the Elder wrote about the existing routes to India and the July monsoon winds that traders used to catch to reach the Indian coast. He spoke about a ship that left the coast of Arabia and took 40 days to reach Muziris, which was then the name of present-day Kodungalloor.



GOL GUMBAZ, BIJAPUR, Karnataka, 17th century. The Gol Gumbaz, literally meaning "Round Dome", is one of the most impressive monuments in India. Built during the reign of Muhammad Adil Shah in the mid-17th century, it is the mausoleum of the ruler. It is one of the largest domes ever made in the world.

With the advent of Islam, Arab traders became the carriers of the new faith. The first mosque in India was built at Kodungalloor by the Chera King Cheraman Perumal in A.D. 629, within the lifetime of the Prophet. This is one of the oldest mosques in the world.



TOMB OF SHER Shah Suri, Sasaram, Bihar, 16th century. Sher Shah Suri (1486-1545) defeated the Mughal emperor Humayun in 1537 and created an empire. Even though he reigned only for five years, he laid the foundations of an Indian empire for later Mughal emperors. His lasting legacy is the Grand Trunk Road that he laid from Sonagarh in Bangladesh to Peshawar in Pakistan. Of Afghan origin, Sher Shah was born in Sasaram. His tomb is situated at the centre of an artificial lake. The location of the tomb in the middle of the water is a reference to Paradise with its plentiful waters, as described in the Quran.

Kayalpattnam is an ancient town about a kilometre from the mouth of the Tamiraparani river. Arab traders built the Kodiakarai Mosque here as early as Hijri 12, or A.D. 633. It is the first mosque to be built in Tamil Nadu and ranks among the oldest mosques in the world. Kayalpattnam has many other early mosques. In fact, Kerala on the west coast of India and Tamil Nadu on the east coast have numerous mosques, made through the ages. At Nagore, on the east coast, is one of the grandest dargahs ever made.



HUMAYUN'S TOMB, DELHI. It was built in the 16th century by Haji Begum, the emperor's eldest widow. It is closely related to the previous architecture of Delhi, of the 14th and 15th centuries.

Islam came to the north of India through different invasions, starting with the invasion of Mahmud of Ghazni, who came as far as Gujarat. Thereafter, there was the peaceful contribution of different Sufi saints, traders and other individuals who moved to the northern region of India because of political instability or dynastic changes that were taking place in and around Central Asia and Afghanistan at that time. Gradually, a small community developed and increased its strength once Turkish rule was established in north India.


JAMI MASJID, CHAMPANER, Gujarat, 15th century. A new capital was built at Champaner by Sultan Mahmud Begarha towards the end of the 15th century. The Jami Masjid is one of the most striking buildings here. The symmetrical appearance of the whole is enhanced by the exquisite details of its parts. The surface is profusely decorated with fine carvings. It is one of the most exquisite monuments of Gujarat.

The Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque was the first mosque built in north India, in A.D. 1193. A number of Quranic verses are beautifully etched on the mosque. Some medieval writers say they are so beautifully carved that it looks as if they are written on wax.

MAHMUD GAWAN MADARSA, Bidar, Karnataka, 15th century. Founded in 1472 by Mahmud Gawan, the Persian minister of Muhammad Shah III, it was built by engineers and craftsmen from Gilan on the Caspian Sea. The structure closely resembles the madrassas of Persia and Uzbekistan.

The most impressive monument in the Qutb complex in present-day Delhi is the Qutb Minar itself. It was made in the early 13th century by Qutbuddin Aibak, the sultan of Delhi. At 72.5 metres, it is one of the tallest minarets in the world. The traveller Ibn Batuta, who came to India after journeying all over the Islamic empire, starting from Africa and covering Samarkand and Damascus, has recorded that nowhere in the world has there been a minaret as impressive as the Qutb Minar.



STONE JAALI, MOSQUE of Sidi Saiyyad, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 16th century. One of the unique features of Islamic architecture in Gujarat is the use of intricate stone jaalis with exquisite carving. Naturalistic carvings of foliated designs with delicate leaves and shoots derive directly from earlier indigenous traditions.

Close to the Qutb complex is the tomb of Ghiyasuddin Balban, another 13th century ruler of Delhi. Balban ruled from 1266 to 1286. His tomb marks a very important development in the field of architecture. Before this tomb was built, a number of arches had been made in Indian Islamic buildings, but these were not “true arches”. In Balban's tomb, for the first time in India, a keystone, which is fundamental to the true load-bearing arch, was used at the top of the arch. Subsequently, the “true arch” began to be used in numerous structures across the country.



BIBI KA MAQBARA, Aurangabad, 17th century. The mausoleum of Emperor Aurangzeb's wife Rabia ul Daurani was built by her son Prince Azam Shah between 1651 and 1661. Set at the centre of a charbagh enclosure, the white marble mausoleum was inspired by the Taj Mahal. It is known as the `Taj Mahal of the Deccan'.

The Alai Darwaja was built by Allauddin Khilji as part of the extension of the Qutb complex in 1305. It is very fascinating from the point of view of architecture. In the 13th century, owing to Mongol attacks in West Asia and Central Asia, a large number of craftsmen had to flee from their lands. Many of them were given refuge in this part of India and were very fruitfully employed in the making of the Alai Darwaja. We see here the introduction of the horseshoe arch in Indian monuments.

The Deccan
Meanwhile, Islamic influence continued to grow further south, in the Deccan. The end of the 15th century saw the establishment of five sultanates in the Deccan: Ahmadnagar, Bijapur, Golconda, Bidar and Berar. The sultan of Bijapur was a descendant of the Ottoman dynasty of Istanbul. The sultan of Golconda was a Turkman prince who had taken refuge in India. The sultans were followers of the Shia sect of Islam and were close allies of the Safavid rulers of Iran. A distinct culture thus developed in the cosmopolitan community of the Deccan.


JAMA MASJID, JUNAGARH, Sourashtra, Gujarat, originally built in the 13th century. Junagarh is located at the foothills of the Girnar hills. The name literally means "old fort". The plan of this is in the Arab style, which was not repeated in Gujarat after its subsequent conquest by the Delhi Sultanate.
The streets of the Deccani sultanates were filled with Turks, Persians, Arabs and Africans. In India, the Deccan became the greatest centre of Arabic learning and literature. In fact, Iran and Central Asia only had single courts. If you were a soldier, a religious figure, an intellectual or an artistic person and you could not find a sponsor in what is now Iran or Uzbekistan, chances were that you could find some sort of patronage in the Deccan. Thus there was a continuous migration of people, ideas and artistic devices from the Near East to the Deccan.

A remarkable example of an architectural transplant from Central Asia is the madrassa of Mahmud Gawan, in Bidar, built at the end of the 15th century. It would be very hard to tell the difference between this and the madrassas of Uzbekistan or eastern Iran. The similarities between the two are not only in form or in other architectural elements such as corner minarets, the square courtyard in the middle and four great arched portals, but also in the decorations of the exterior with blue-and-white tiles.

Sultan Ibrahim Adil Shah II ruled Bijapur from 1580 to 1627. He was a contemporary of the Mughal emperor Akbar. A visit to his rauza, or tomb, is a pilgrimage for someone deeply interested in Indian art, for some of the finest miniature paintings ever made in India were made during his rule.



IBRAHIM RAUZA COMPLEX, Bijapur, Karnataka, 17th century. The monumental heritage of the Deccan is distinctive and quite different from that of the Mughals. The architectural styles that are seen in Bijapur, Bidar, Gulbarga and Hyderabad are closely related to those of Persia and Turkey. Ibrahim Adil Shah II ruled the kingdom of Bijapur from 1580 to 1627. He was one of the most humane and cosmopolitan kings in history. He was a magnanimous patron of the arts. Painting, poetry and music flourished during his reign. In his autobiography, the great sultan calls himself the "son of Ganesa", a Hindu deity.
The Gol Gumbaz in Bijapur is the tomb of Sultan Muhammad Adil Shah, who ruled from A.D. 1627 to 1657. This is the largest dome ever built in the Islamic world. It is the second largest dome in the world, after the one at Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. It measures 37.92 metres on the inside.

The massive Bidar fort was built in the 14th and 15th centuries. It is one of the most formidable forts in the country. It has walls that run for 5.5 km around. Inside, it has beautiful palaces, two mosques, a madrassa, ornamental gardens and hamams.



TURKISH MAHAL, BIDAR Fort, Karnataka, 15th-16th century.
Timur, when he came to India, was struck by the beauty of its historical cities. In his autobiography, Malfujaate Taimoori, he says, “I ordered that all the artisans and clever mechanics who are masters of their respective crafts should be picked out from among the prisoners and set aside. And accordingly some thousands of craftsmen were selected to await my command. I had determined to build a Masjid-e-Jami in Samarkand, the seat of my empire, which should be without rival in any country. So I ordered that all the builders and stonemasons of India should be set apart for my own special service.” In some other records it is said that he took about 3,000 artisans from India and employed them in the construction of the Jami Masjid at Samarkand.

Mughal architecture
The dynasty founded by Babur became one of the greatest the world had seen. It ruled a vast empire whose fame spread far and wide. The culture and the art it created helped shape future developments in all spheres of life in the Indian subcontinent.

Humayun's Tomb, which might be considered the first great masterpiece of the Mughals, is very much related to the previous architecture of Delhi. It is closely linked to the Lodhi and Tuglaq architectures of the 14th and 15th centuries. Mughal architecture presents us with a fusion of local elements, building techniques, styles and traditions with imported traditions and styles. The genius of Mughal architecture is that it sustained this incredibly rich mingling of different traditions throughout its history.

Agra was the imperial capital of Akbar in the mid-16th century. The fort here was one of the most powerful in north India. In 1565, Emperor Akbar ordered the reconstruction of the fort. The fort has palaces of Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan. The most prominent among all the structures are the white marble buildings of Shah Jahan. The Khas Mahal, made of pure marble, is one of these elegant buildings. It is flanked by the palaces of Shah Jahan's daughters Roshanara and Jahanara.



THE BIDAR FORT is one of the most impressive forts in the country. Completed in 1532, it was the largest architectural undertaking of the Bahamanid dynasty. It has palaces, two mosques, a madrassa and many royal tombs inside.

In 1571, Emperor Akbar decided to build a new capital city. And a magnificent city was built at a site not very far from Agra. It was called Fatehpur Sikri. This was Akbar's most ambitious architectural project. By the end of the 16th century, there were a quarter of a million people living in the new city.

In the building of Fatehpur Sikri, no cost was too much, no effort too great, for Akbar. He wished to build the city true to his conception. As a matter of fact, miniature paintings of that period show the emperor amidst the workers, supervising the construction of the city himself. Fatehpur Sikri is one of the best ordered and symmetrically laid-out cities of the entire medieval world.

The world's best-known tomb stands testimony to a timeless love story. The Taj Mahal was built in 1648 by the Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Arjumand Banu Begum, known to the world as Mumtaz Mahal. The construction of the Taj Mahal was a stupendous engineering feat. It is built of marble and is finely inlaid with semi-precious stones. As many as 20,000 workers and master craftsmen laboured for 17 years to erect this magnificent edifice. Several hundreds of mosques and Islamic tombs of great beauty are spread throughout India.

Coming to the west of the country, in Gujarat is the World Heritage Site of Champaner of the 15th century. In the east there is the impressive Nakhoda Masjid and several others in Kolkata. There are famous dargahs in Hajo and other places in Assam. In the north-eastern region of India, in Agartala in Tripura is the beautiful Gedu Mia Ki Masjid.

In the mountainous State of Kashmir, Islamic architecture was influenced by ancient Hindu and Buddhist traditions. The resultant form was combined with influences from Persia and Turkistan. Wood was used extensively in the mosques and tombs of Kashmir.

India has a vast, living heritage of Islamic architecture. These monuments are a great treasure of India's culture and many of them are recognised as World Heritage Monuments. We see in these the confluence of local talent and inspiration from Iran, Arabia and Central Asia. These mosques, tombs, madrassas, palaces and fortresses are a unique heritage of Islamic architecture.

Banding Together, for Their Rights

Tribal women in Uttarakhand are standing up for their community rights, and resisting the dispossession of their lands by a nexus between powerful landlords and the government machinery. PUJA AWASTHI reports.

One morning the pond named Haldubala was gone. It had turned into a slushy farm. Not that the residents of Khempur village (near the city of Sitarganj in Udham Singh Nagar) hadn't noticed what had been going on. Sardar Jangir Singh, a powerful member of the local Rai Sikh community, had been, bit by bit, filling up the pond (named after the spice turmeric, haldi) with earth, emptying it of water and increasing the boundaries of his farm, a few feet at a time. "Every six months he would drop in a few drums of mud. We had ignored it", says Kalawati Singh, a Tharu tribal.

In the foothills of the Himalayas, land and natural resources are increasingly turning into bitter subjects of feuds. And Kalawati Singh and others are mindful of a major change all around them - the dispossession of tribal land by non-tribals. The biggest victims are always the lower castes and the tribals. All sorts of ruses are resorted to in this land grab - offering tribals loans in lieu of land, marrying a tribal woman as a second wife to buy land in her name, employing tribals as servants and getting land registered in their name, etc.

The goal is always the same - to get control over land and natural resources to which tribals have enjoyed entitlement for ages. According to an independent study, in just the town of Khatima for instance, 8071 acres of land has been transferred from tribals to non tribals since the formation of the State of Uttarakhand.

But the women of Khempur were not willing to let their pond go. "There were four ponds around Khempur earlier. Three had already been lost to encroachments", says Kalawati.

The first instinct of the Tharus was to attempt to resolve the matter amicably. But when Jangir Singh threatened them, they decided to ask the administration for help. It was the women who took the lead. Among them Kalawati - the secretary of a local self help group (SHG) - and Pushpa Devi, treasurer of another SHG. Both are also part of the Khempur unit of the Bhoomi Adhikar Manch (BAM) a land rights forum. Both the SHGs and BAM are part of a five year development project called Bhoomi, funded by the British government's Department for International Development. Implemented by the Indian arm of Find Your Feet, UK, the project launched in 2007, addresses issues of poverty, lack of empowerment and denial of rights to 2580 tribals, mainly women, in 90 villages in Uttarakhand.

Four days after the pond had been taken over, 15 women and six men went to the panchayat in Dhusri (which covers six villages) to demand that the pond, a community resource, be returned to them. For a month nothing happened, despite Jangir Singh.s promise to the panchayat that he would return the land.

A month later the women again approached the Panchayat. A formal proposal for measuring the land and changing it back into a pond was passed. "Not all women joined in. They said the sardar was a dangerous man. We said, we are much more dangerous than him. And we told the women, if you won't help us now, we won't permit you to use the pond when we get it back", remembers Kalawati.

A day after the panchayat proposal, the women and some male BAM members demonstrated at the office of the sub divisional magistrate in Sitarganj and handed over the resolution. Fearing that there would be no action in the case, they once again marched to the SDM office after three days and issued an ultimatum to the officer. Within a week, block level officials were sent to Khempur for measuring the erstwhile pond and to mark the area.

Two days later the temporary wooden logs that served to mark the area were forcibly removed by Jangir Singh. More threats to the women followed.

Pushpa Devi says that act made the women even more determined to fight for the pond. "We heard the Rai Sikhs had been complaining among themselves that the women of Khempur talked too much and needed to be taught a lesson. But there was no way we could let go what belonged to us and our children. When the other ponds were lost, we did not know a community could own resources. Now we do."

Another demonstration at the SDM office followed and once again block level officials were sent to measure the land. Sensing the growing enormity of the situation, Jangir Singh backed off.

That is just one success story in a state where tribals are slowly realising their rights. Bhajan Singh Rana, president of the state-wide BAM says, "It is not that the tribal does not fight. But once defeated, he loses the courage to pursue the matter any further. Despite their large numbers (Tharus are the biggest tribal group in Uttarakhand) they lose because they are not well represented in government and politics. We are not in confrontation with the government. We are only asking for proper implementation of what has already been promised by the government."

In this case, the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 which promises both individual and community rights to communities which have traditionally lived in or around forests and have drawn livelihood from the same.

Pushpa Devi says the land rights forum has a difficult task at hand. "If we announce a meeting, only a few villagers turn up. They think it is far better to earn a day's labour wages than invest in a meeting that might not yield any results. The emphasis is on enrolling more and more women because while men can be made aware of the issue, they do not feel the emotional connect that women have with land. Though we do not have land in our name, we are determined that our children not be deprived of their rights."

Thus it is unsurprising that in many villages it is the women who are drawing the men to join BAM.

Lal Singh Kopa in Udham Singh Nagar is another village under the project area where women are putting the power of the BAM to good use. Urmila Singh (30) recalls a time when the forest patrols would stop the village women from gathering firewood from the jungles. "I was returning from the jungle with my husband when the forest patrol stopped us and hit my husband. I took off my chappals and threatened to beat him up if he ever tried that again." What followed was a two month battle with the police and the forest department.

"Even BAM members who supported my fight, suggested a compromise to buy peace. I was unrelenting. I was fighting for my family's respect", says Singh. When the local media highlighted the issue, the department was forced to suspend the forest guard and later posted him in another village.

"I see this as a partial victory because the guard must be similarly harassing women elsewhere," says Singh. Thanks to her courage though, the women of Lal Singh Kopa have not faced any subsequent trouble during their daily forays into the forest. But they recognise that they will have to fight each step of the way for their rights - confronted by the might of the government machinery, the tribals of Uttarakhand will need many more Kalawatis, Pushpas and Urmilas.