Press 09.11 to 15.11.2013

Revue de presse Inde / France
ate d l’édition : 9,10,11/11/2013
Women’s emancipation Prejudices against them still rampant
By S. Nihal Singh
WOMEN around the world have won rights and emancipation up to a point, but they are far from being the equal of men
and are still struggling to find their place in the sun. A remarkable day-long seminar recently held in Delhi, billed as
“Winning Women: A dialogue between India, France and Germany” with French, German and Indian sponsorship,
led to many questions, the answer varying in degree depending on the stage of a country's development.
A striking aspect of the debate was the conclusion that great as progress has been in women's march to equality since the
days of the Suffragettes, prejudices against them are still rampant and the lot of a woman in India is different only in
specifics, rather than in her inability to hold her head high. Indeed, participants brought a rich matrix of experiences and
professions ranging from Indian feminists and a lawyer to a French philosopher and a film-maker and an office-bearer of a
research organisation with formidable academic degrees, a German political scientist who is a member of the Greens
Party, a state parliamentarian suitably dressed in a green blouse.
The Institute Francais, a co-sponsor, even brought out its big gun in the field of women's emancipation, Najat
Vallaud-Belkacem of Moroccan origin, who is a minister for women's rights and is the spokeswoman of the
French Government. The one disappointment of a highly nuanced debate was the fact that the session on “Women &
Power” dealt with women's problems in positions of authority in private and economic organisations, rather than grappling
with issues relating to women wielding political power, a subject of immense possibilities. Perhaps the association of
the German and French embassies in sponsoring the debate was an inhibiting factor.
French philosopher Genevieve Fraisse made the interesting point that women had now progressed from being excluded to
being discriminated against. India's Mrinal Pande felt that the import of Western models of state had distorted women’s
problems; she juxtaposed the unrepentant male against the invisible woman and pointed to male prejudices in the failure
to give fair representation to women in legislatures. Nor is it wine and roses for women in prosperous Germany. According
to Professor Ute Klammer, legal equality of the sexes is not matched by the ground situation, with women mostly in poorly
paid part-time jobs and they get half of men's pensions.
The French film-maker and essayist Caroline Fourest pinpointed the problems imported by migrants from the
former colonies bringing their macho culture and make up for their subculture in ghettoised suburbs by
committing rape, often against their own women who are not properly dressed in their view. On the other hand, in
German political scientist Brigitte Triems's view, violence against women was not culture specific. Indian lawyer Vrinda
Grover suggested that women's rights be equated as human rights. She recognised the role of feminism in India and said
all crimes, not only violence against women, had risen in the country. She said misogyny and patriarchy were the worst
aspects of the Indian scene. In a swipe at her Western colleagues, she said there were no international takers when
women fought economic injustice.
German Greens parliamentarian Andrea Lindlohr patted herself on the back by recounting that there was 36 per cent of
women representation in the Bundestag (Parliament) today, but said as an aside that women tended to avoid one-to-one
situations. Martha Crawford-Heitzmann of mixed French-American nationalities with a set of formidable academic degrees
holds a senior position in AREVA research, but avoided questions of politics and power.
Indian journalist Shoma Chaudhury, who juggles her onerous job with bringing up children, has an
understanding husband, complained of misogyny in India. She believes economic empowerment in the answer
and said women bring in a passion to a job men often lack.
One of the tri-nation dialogue’s organisers is the symbol of Indian feminism, Urvashi Butalia, a director of the
Zubaan publishing company who co-founded Kali for Women in 1984. She has focused on the oral history of the
subcontinent’s partition publishing “The Other Side of Silence: Voices from the Partition of India” in 1984. How far this
unique dialogue will go in giving fillip to the feminist movement remains to be seen. But it certainly gives a new dimension
to women's problems in the country. India, after all, is part of a universal problem accentuated by the prevailing levels of
poverty. But the macho culture is not unique to the Indian male.
Perhaps the next dialogue will focus on the fascinating subject of Women and Political Power. Women politicians have
made their mark in the politics of several countries. Take Germany's dominant politician Angela Merkel, who has just won
a new term in office. India's own Indira Gandhi became an icon in her lifetime. Her conduct of the Bangladesh war with
Pakistan and her diplomacy preceding it won her the admiration of the Bharatiya Janata Party leader and future Prime
Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who compared her to the Goddess Durga. The imposition of the internal Emergency was the
other side of the coin.
There have been other remarkable women leaders such as Britain's Margaret Thatcher, who won renown as the Iron Lady
until she was dethroned in a party coup. Women who exercised power largely behind the scenes such as Argentina’s
Evita Peron are perhaps in another category although she later assumed office. The greater is the pity therefore than this
area was left unexplored in an otherwise path-breaking conversation among women of distinction from three countries.
The next dialogue should be expanded to include participants from other nations.
The India International Centre, one of the sponsors of the recent dialogue, can perhaps seek the help of generous donors
who are uninhibited in discussing political power and the world of women. For instance, one trait women in political power
share is their reluctance to treat questions of governance as gender specific. Perhaps they do not wish to be seen as
wearing the pants.
“Writers, etc.” avec Vikas Swarup et Advaita Kala, le 8 novembre 2013
La France en Inde Ambassade de France à New Delhi publie le 6 novembre 2013
L’Ambassade de France en Inde, Institut Français en Inde, et l’Alliance Française de Delhi ont le plaisir d’annoncer
l’édition de novembre de « Writers, etc ». Pour cette 25ème session, l’auteur à succès Vikas Swarup échangera avec la
scénariste Advaita Kala.
Vikas Swarup
Note :Vikas Swarup, diplomate et écrivain, est né à Allahabad, en Inde, dans une famille
d’avocats. Après avoir obtenu son diplôme de l’Université d’Allahabad, il rejoint les
services extérieurs indiens en 1986. Il a travaillé dans les ambassades indiennes à
Ankara, Washington DC, Addis-Abeba, Londres, Pretoria, et occupait jusqu’à récemment
les fonctions de Consul Général d’Inde à Osaka-Kobe, au Japon. Il est l’auteur de trois romans : « Q&A », qui fut adapté
au cinéma et récompensé aux Oscars sous le titre « Slumdog Millionaire », « Six Suspects and the Accidental Apprentice
». Ses livres sont traduits dans plus de quarante langues. Vikas Swarup a également écrit pour Newsweek, The Guardian
(GB), The Telegraph (GB), Outlook Magazine (Inde), DNA (Inde), ou Libération (France). Son épouse, Aparna, est artiste.
Advaita Kala est l’auteur d’un bestseller, “Almost Single”, qui a été publié aux Etats-Unis et en France, aux éditions
Marabout. Elle a été récompensée pour son travail de scénariste (« Kahaani » notamment), et écrit pour le journal indien
Mail Today. Elle est également l’auteur d’une chronique sur la cuisine « Epicuriosity » pour le journal Financial Express.
"Bollywood Express" débarque au Casino de Paris
culturebox.francetvinfo.fr
le 10/11/2013
CULTUREBOX"Le Bollywood" envahit l'Europe et notamment la capitale française. Le joyeux spectacle "Bollywood
Express" débarque au Casino de Paris avant d'entamer une tournée.
Par Anne Elizabeth Philibert
Petite piqure de rappel pour ceux qui ne connaitraient toujours par l'oigine du terme. Bollywood est le nom donné
à l'industrie du cinéma indien basé à Mumbai, anciennement Bombay. Tous les films réalisés là-bas sont en
Hindi. Si en Occident, ce terme est souvent utilisé pour désigner le cinéma indien, en Inde il désigne surtout le
cinéma en langue Hindi, un cinéma très populaire. Bollywood est un mélange des mots "Bombay" et " Hollywood".
Si les films de Bollywood sont très regardés au Royaume-Uni, l'Allemagne et la France sont aussi des pays où la passion
pour Bollywood commence à émerger. Des films indiens y sont tournés et à Paris des écoles forment de plus en plus de
passionnés à cette danse.
Reportage : Jean-Laura Serra - Didier Morel - Daniel Petitcuenot - Floriane Cattin
Le "Bollywood" débarque à Paris et notamment au Casino de Paris sous la forme d'une comédie musicale, intitulée
"Bollywood Express". C'est l'histoire de Varsha, une journaliste d'origine indienne qui a grandi à Paris et qui est envoyée
en reportage à Mumbai. Elle y redécouvre ses racines, affronte à la fois la tradition et la modernité du pays. Ce spectacle
musical et dansant est interprété par une trentaine d'artistes à l'énergie joyeuse et colorée. A l'arrière de la scène, des
vidéos transportent le public de la Mecque du cinéma au désert du Rajasthan jusqu'au somptueux Taj Mahal. Une
comédie musicale romantique en guise de lien entre les continents et les cultures.
Bollywood Express
Du 14 au 17 novembre 2013, au Casino de Paris
Puis en tournée dans toute la France;
Foreign languages draw desi students to Goa University
Goa Nov 7, 2013 By Gauree Malkarnekar
PANAJI: The intriguing mix of students at a class in Goa University's French or Portuguese departments easily
reminds one of the popular TV series 'Mind Your Language'. Foreign language classes are not just roping in Goan
students, but an assortment of pupils from across the country to Goa.
The learners range from an Assamese boy aiming to gain an edge in the multinational job market to a Delhi academic
whose search ended at GU for the country's only MA in Portuguese course. Even outside of GU, institutes offering training
in foreign languages have native speakers of the tongue as teachers, which is turning out a major incentive for students.
French, Portuguese and Spanish classes are presently finding their enrolments soaring and the demand has encouraged
course organizers to invest further into Russian, German and even Japanese classes now.
Delhi student Abdul Faisal, can converse with some difficulty in English, but is more comfortable when speaking in his
mother tongue Hindi.
"I first learnt Portuguese in Delhi and then came to Goa to pursue a masters degree in the language. There are lot of
translators and teachers ready to teach Portuguese through the medium of English. But there are very few who can
translate or teach Portuguese in Hindi. Knowing the language, I can earn a salary of 7 to 8 lakh per annum back home,
which is around 3 lakh more than what I can earn otherwise," Faisal said.
At GU, students like Faisal enjoy the edge of a native Portuguese speaking teacher Delfim Correia da Silva, who is a
visiting faculty from Portugal at the varsity as well as Instituto Camoes in Panaji.
"Between 1987 to 2001, GU saw 38 students studying Portuguese. But from 2006 to 2013, it saw 48 in just seven years.
The university has relaxed it norms so we can offer courses in Portuguese and French to an entire group of corporates on
a regular basis, for which we get a lot of requests," da Silva said.
Anuradha Wagle, head of the department of French and francophone studies at GU, said that increasing globalization is
giving bilingual job seekers a significant advantage in the market.
"French is among the five major languages spoken around the world and, apart from France, is spoken in large of
part of Africa and Canada. Knowing another language is a marketable skill. Between a regular secretary and a bilingual
secretary, the latter will definitely command a better salary. People have realized that learning a foreign language can
improve their career possibilities and that they can get high profile jobs that involve travel," Wagle said.
Wagle said that employability has been 100% at the foreign languages department at the university.
"Most of my students are able to go to France on French government scholarships and are not even around on
campus when jobs are offered. With more and more foreign companies coming to India, the first thing they seek
is a translator when they want to launch in the Indian market to translate the literature to English," Wagle said.
Also the president of Indian Association of French Teachers for seven years, she knows the deficiency and acute
need for teachers in French across the globe.
Kshama Dharwadkar quit a promising career as an engineer after five years and joined classes in French at GU. "I
realized that I have a liking for French and can also earn more as a French teacher abroad. I am looking at
migration, though I have kept my options open," she admits.
Her classmate is a native of Assam, who has flown to Goa after completing his BA in French in Delhi.
"Multinational companies need French translators, there are jobs on offer in embassies and a lot of opportunities
in academics as faculty. There are very few who do their higher studies in foreign languages. We also have a
native speaker as a teacher here, which is an advantage and because of it I was advised by friends to pursue my
masters in GU," Samrat Dev Sarma said.
The Portuguese and Spanish Centres at Margao's Parvatibai Chowgule College too have native speakers in the
languages as an added attraction for students. "The languages are learnt by our students as an extra skill in the job
market, but a lot many learning them are from outside the college. A lot of lawyers learn Portuguese to be better able to
interpret Goa's Portuguese documents. Doctors and other professionals and housewives are the other largest segment of
learners we receive. Spanish is learnt by those looking at jobs on ships and cruise liners," Ashok Dange, coordinator of the
student support services at Chowgule College, said.
The institute will soon offer Russian and German courses which have gained importance with the increasing number of
tourists from Russia and Germany flowing in to Goa. Japanese too will be offered as trade links with the Pacific Ocean
nation are increasing.
AREVA signs cooperation agreement with Jadavpur University
Consulate General of France in Calcutta France in India
publie le 5 novembre 2013
AREVA has established a cooperation agreement with Jadavpur University, recognized for its work in nuclear energy,
which will provide support for doctoral students in the School of Nuclear Studies and Applications. As part of the
agreement, AREVA’s Research & Development department will provide financial and educational support for three
doctoral students for five years.
Dr. Martha Crawford-Heitzmann, senior executive vice president for Research, Development and Innovation for AREVA,
said : “We are very pleased to sign this agreement with Jadavpur University. It signals AREVA’s engagement to be a longterm partner with Indian educational institutions to help build local expertise in nuclear technologies and their safe
management.” Dr. Pradip Kumar Ghosh, the Registrar of Jadavpur University said : “Our students will benefit significantly
from this agreement with AREVA, as they will have the opportunity to undertake research on strategic topics in nuclear
energy while enjoying the support of a world leader in this field.”
India’s energy policy aims to build 540 GW of new power production capacity
between 2013 and 2032, which includes plans to construct 60 GW of nuclear
capacity. To support this strong growth and reinforce its long-term cooperation with
the country, AREVA also signed a similar agreement with the Indian Institute of
Technology (IIT) Mumbai in February 2013.
More about AREVA : AREVA supplies advanced technology solutions for power
generation with less carbon. Its expertise and unwavering insistence on safety,
security, transparency and ethics are setting the standard, and its responsible
development is anchored in a process of continuous improvement. Ranked first in
the global nuclear power industry, AREVA’s unique integrated offering to utilities covers every stage of the fuel cycle,
nuclear reactor design and construction, and operating services. The group is actively developing its activities in
renewable energies – wind, bioenergy, solar and energy storage – to become a European leader in this sector. With these
two major offers, AREVA’s 46,000 employees are helping to supply ever safer, cleaner and more economical energy to
the greatest number of people.
About Jadavpur University : Jadavpur University is an internationally recognized premier state university in India located in
Kolkata, West Bengal. Jadavpur University has a very strong commitment towards advanced study and research. It is
dedicated to creating leaders who will fashion a more humane and just world. Its interest in the area of nuclear energy
research has been taking a new shape through the School of Nuclear Studies and Applications.
French connections persist, thanks to bookstores
PUDUCHERRY, November 11, 2013
A view of a book shop that sells exclusive French titles. (Inset) French magazines procured from France in another store
in Puducherry.— Photo: G. Krishnaswamy
Though their prime markets lie outside Puducherry, they are sought after by tourists, students
Warm, bright handmade paper covers that capture glimpses of India in lucid French are the domain of one bookseller.
Glossy French magazines and illustrated children’s books from Paris that are sent out to institutions across India is
another store’s forte. However varied their repertoire bookstores exclusively selling French titles, add a distinctive touch to
the Puducherry landscape.
While bookstores around the country have been doubling up as gift shops or adding music and stationery, these
bookstores have managed to stay true to their origins, offering residents, tourists and academicians, only tiles in books.
Even when online shopping for books is steadily becoming the norm, a handful of bookstores selling only French titles
manage to stand their own.
Some of the stores have been in existence for over two decades. Their long run may stem from the fact that they
are not stand-alone bookstores. Kailash on Bussy Street is a publisher of French titles that are essentially Indian
in content, while Presse Bureau which has stores in Vysial Street and Kurusukuppam, claims to be the largest
distributor of imported French books and magazines in India.
“Not all titles are available online and schools and colleges place orders with us for academic books and fiction,” says
Sridevi, general manager, Presse.
“Students who undertake research may need to read a wide range of books, which we are able to procure for them,” she
added.
Started in 1994 by Fabien Ravindran, Presse Bureau also publishes a Pondicherry guide in English and French,
updated annually. While institutions like Lycee Francaise, Pondicherry University and Alliance Francaise pick up
magazines and books, their market includes institutions in cities pan India.
Indian content in French
Covers made from handmade paper from Aurobindo Ashram and neatly stacked on wooden stands are the USP of
Kailash which attempts to capture various facets of India, including history, art, architecture and culture in French.
Raj de Condappa, who runs the publication with his wife Elizabeth, believes the publication is more popular outside India.
Local buyers are few, with 90 per cent of titles being exported to France, Europe and South-East Asian countries like
Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. This is owing to many titles exploring strongly Asian content.
The market for these titles maybe niche and the profit margin maybe ten per cent as books are printed in Puducherry and
transported abroad. But it is a passion to keep the store running, says Condappa.
“We may soon become an antiquarian publisher as the entire process from reading the manuscripts, to publication and
distribution is done by us,” he feels.
Translations of works in Tamil, Malayalam and Urdu are also published in French by Kailash, extending their readership to
European audience.
While their prime markets may lie outside Puducherry, the bookstores are also sought after by tourists, figuring
prominently on guide maps and books.
Presse Bureau offers more than 30 glossy French magazines that span jewellery, interior design, men’s fashion and the
like.
News magazines like Paris Match, Courier International and Le Nouvel Observatore, are available a week after
publication in Puducherry.
With schools offering French as second language, children’s comics and illustrated books are also aplenty. While fiction
and non-fiction may not be available in abundance, the books are stocked according to orders.
“With experience, we anticipate the preference and demands of learners and tutors of French,” says Sridevi. The books
are flown in from France, through the Paris store of Presse Bureau.
Other bookstores in Puducherry also stock French titles as separate sections.
Iconoclast till the end
November 10, 2013
Albert Camus’ opposition to tyranny and emphasis on personal responsibility have lessons for the contemporary world.
The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion. Albert Camus
Few literary intellectuals of the 20th century can rival Albert Camus whose birth centenary is being observed on November
7, 2013. He was born into an obscure working class family in French Algeria in 1913. By the time he died, in a relatively
short span of 46 years, he had carved out a place for himself in the intellectual history of the modern world. He received
the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957 and became a world icon with a lasting legacy.
Camus left behind an impressive crop of writings comprising fiction, plays, non-fiction, letters and essays that still continue
to be read and widely admired. He pioneered a new literary-philosophical movement with a fresh idiom and a remarkable
style of narration whose parentage he disowned. He introduced a new world view that was avidly picked up by the
members of the counter culture everywhere, encompassing the conscientious objectors to the beat generation. He was
inspiration to a whole generation of writers and translators in the postcolonial societies who saw in him and his art an
effective antidote to the establishment.
Camus broke every stereotype and rule of the game. He survived an early attack of tuberculosis in 1930, and fought under
the name of Beauchard (as the novelists George Orwell and André Gide did during the Spanish Civil War) for the
underground Resistance in Nazi-occupied France during World War II. He opposed the dropping of the bomb on
Hiroshima and was against the two power blocs during the Cold War. He gave up a lucrative association with the
UNESCO in the 1950s for the world body granting membership to Franco’s Spain.
Indeed, rebellion seemed to be an article of faith with Albert Camus throughout his life. He joined the French Communist
Party in 1935 and was expelled in 1937, as a dissident and a Trotskyite, for his independent views. Later, joining the
French Anarchist Movement in 1948, he opposed tyranny from all quarters despite his pronounced left-wing sympathies.
He spoke against the Soviet repression of East Germany in 1953 and that of Hungary in 1956 when most of the Left
thinkers maintained a studied silence.
Charismatic and ebullient both in life and letters, Camus led a chequered life. Married twice, he was friend to some of the
most illustrious men and women of his times including Jean Paul Sartre. It is with Sartre that he is generally associated for
the literary philosophical movement best known as existentialism. In some quarters, Camus is also known as a major
exponent of the Absurd Movement in literature and drama. Both claims have a ring of truth, and yet both must be open to
necessary caveats.
On different occasions, both Camus and Sartre denied their affiliation to existentialism as it has come to mean in the
literary-philosophical circles, while Camus shows a qualified and nuanced approach to the notion of the absurd in his
literary works. The best treatment of the theme of the absurd in Camus is seen in his iconic works such as L’Etranger (The
Outsider), 1942, La Peste (The Plague), 1947, L’Homme Revolte (The Rebel), 1951, the play Caligula, written in 1938 and
performed in 1945, and several essays such as ‘Reflections on the Guillotine’ and the collection of essays posthumously
published in 1961, entitled Resistance, Rebellion and Death.
To put the question simply: How does the individual deal with the sense of meaninglessness and the sense of the absurd
in life? In his pivotal work, The Myth of Sisyphus, Camus shows that ‘the total absence of hope’ has ‘nothing to do with
despair’. It must not be ‘confused with renouncement and a conscious dissatisfaction’. And thus, Meursault, the
protagonist of The Outsider who faces imminent execution for manslaughter and is offered the prospect of salvation by the
Christian priest in the prison, makes a paradoxical affirmation of life as evidenced towards the end of the novel in Part
Two. Similarly, Dr. Rieux in The Plague must serve the citizens of Oran afflicted with the dreaded disease and the ensuing
horror. Thus, both Caligula and Meursault, despite their criminality, and being arraigned, epitomise the ostensible paradox:
they become anti-heroes in Camus’ terms. Indeed, based on his study of St. Augustine, Camus might argue paradoxically
that both non-belief and the quest for salvation may simultaneously coexist. It is the need for personal responsibility that
can finally redeem our life and add meaning to our actions.
True to his artistic credo, Camus championed human rights and steadfastly opposed, along with Arthur Koestler, capital
punishment. And, yet, his role during the Algerian freedom movement has been the subject of criticism in informed circles,
a minor blemish admittedly in an extraordinary career.
Camus lived as he wrote — on his own terms. An iconoclast till the very end, he saw the need for action in a world beset
by horror and the spectre of war. He believed in the need to change the world, but rejected the doctrinaire approach.
Camus’ protagonist may have remained an ‘outsider’ to his world, but he remained true to his individual conscience. As
Camus wrote in typically Blakean terms: “I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find out there isn’t, than
live my life as if there isn’t , and die to find that there is.”
Bid to brand Pondy as international tourist hub
Monday, November 11, 2013
Puducherry administration has been taking intensive steps to create tourism infrastructure facilities and branding
Puducherry for positioning as a preferred destination in the International market. As a step towards achieving this goal,
Welfare and Tourism Minister P Rajavelu, along with a delegation from Puducherry, inaugurated the Puducherry centre
under the Indian pavillion in the World Tourism Market (WTM) in London.
An official release here said on Tuesday, Rajavelu distributed ‘travellers brochure’ consisting of details of tourist spots in
Puducherry to the organisers and stakeholders of the WTM. Along with brochures, CDs, power point presentations as well
as a short film were shown at the WTM.
Rajavelu also took part in a news conference along with Parvez Tiwan, secretary, tourism, Government of India. By setting
up a tourism centre in the market and providing tourism directory consisting of details about Puducherry and its culture
and heritage, the former French colony was integrated with the World Tourism Sector. This would help to lure tourists from
different parts of the world to visit Puducherry. Rajavelu will next visit France from November 8 to 11 and also present a
road show at Paris highlighting the potential of Puducherry. He will meet the county council of Ille-et-Vilaine and discuss
about the MoU signed between France and Puducherry on tourism promotion. The MoU was for beach development, eco
tourism, renewable energy, preservation of heritage and exchange of expertise and good practices in education, coastal
zone management, solid waste management and green building concepts.
Department of Tourism had entered into MoU with other County Councils of France in the interest of tourism
promotion in Puducherry. In the past, MoU was signed with French territories of La Rochelle and Villenuv-sur-Lot
which will also be pursued.
Currently, around one lakh foreign tourists are visiting Puducherry annually out of which 17 per cent are from France.
Rajavelu also had a discussion with Parvez and explained to him about Puducherry administration’s plans for setting up
an oceanarium, expansion of Puducherry beach and conversion of the Puducherry airport into one with international
standards. Rajavelu urged him to provide central assistance for the projects. Several ongoing tourism development
schemes in the UT were also briefed to him.
The government is trying to make Puducherry a complete tourism destination for a week-long stay, said Rajavelu.
Chairman of Pondicherry Tourism Development Corporation V Manikandan, secretary (tourism) WVR Murthy and tourism
director A S Sivakumar is accompanying the Minister.
LMars Mission Launch - Ambassador Richier congratulates India
France in India French Embassy in New Delhi
le 6 novembre 2013
Date d’édition : 12/11/2013
Mahindra group to open education university, agro units in Punjab
Oct 24, 2013 By Rohan Dua
CHANDIGARH: Tractor tycoon and business magnate Anand Mahindra, whose grandfather KC
Mahindra had co-founded their company from his hometown Ludhiana, announced the setting up of a
university in New Chandigarh besides providing end-to-end solutions in marketing and agro processing of
fruits and vegetables in Punjab.
The chairman of an estimated Rs 97,000-crore group made the announcement during his meeting with
Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.
Sukhbir on Wednesday continued his investment quest in Mumbai, aimed at boosting industrial growth and
creating job opportunities back in Punjab; as he went on to meet a battery of corporate titans.
Badal junior briefed the businessman about the knowledge city coming up at Mullanpur besides other
initiatives being taken by the government, including creation of a single window for investors and Value
Added Tax (VAT) and Central Sales Tax (CST) retention schemes.
"As far as we are concerned, it will be like returning home by establishing the Mahindra University in
Punjab," Mahindra told Sukhbir. He said the university would be an umbrella institution for five
engineering colleges being established by the Mahindra group in different parts of the country in
technical collaboration with Ecole Centrale Paris of France.
He also said that the family would invest its personal money for the establishment of the university
which would also have liberal arts disciplines, besides engineering studies.
He also expressed his company's interest in processing of fruits and sweet potatoes as he applauded the
new contract farming policy formed by the Punjab government.
Sukhbir urged Mahindra to take up marketing of 'kinoos' from Punjab in the same manner in which it was
marketing Indian grapes worldwide.
?Tech summit
Oct 28, 2013
The India-France Technology Summit was organised from October 23-24 in the Capital by the Department of
Science and Technology, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and French Embassy. The summit witnessed
the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between India and France in the field of science &
technology and education . Various programmes for increasing bilateral collaboration in research were also
held. A new scholarship programme for exchange of Bachelors and Masters students (spring semester) was
announced along with the establishment of Mahindra-Ecole Centrale Engineering College in Hyderabad .
Also, a partnership agreement between Sciences Po Paris and Ashoka University, covering undergraduate
and postgraduate student exchange and faculty exchange programme, was signed. On the other hand, while
the HR Club of French companies in India was created, the India-France job opportunities board for Indian
students who have pursued higher education in France was set up as part of the summit, among several
other initiatives.
On Monday, 28th October, the Embassy of France in India, the Embassy of Germany in
India and Zubaan Books held a day-long international seminar, titled, ‘Winning Women : A
dialogue between India, France and Germany’.
http://www.india.diplo.de
The seminar, organised in partnership with the India International Centre, brought together panelists
from India, France and Germany to dialogue on the situation of women in society and to explore the
multiple facets of women’s empowerment across the globe. It unfolded in three sessions: ‘Culture &
Identity’, ‘Violence & Inequality’, and ‘Women & Power’.
Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen and French Cabinet Minister for Women's Rights and
Government Spokesperson, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem at the seminar)
Addressing the inaugural session, German Ambassador to India Michael Steiner said that Germany had
come a long way. “Although women conquered the right to vote and stand for elections in Germany in 1918,
up to 1958 it was impossible for a woman to administer her own money or take up a job without the consent
of her husband. Today, Angela Merkel signs euro rescue funds over billions of Euros. But we are not yet top
of the class. France is more advanced in offering equal opportunities for men and women."
In his speech, Ambassador Steiner also supported the empowerment of women on a large scale. He said:
“To empower women means to empower the next generation. To empower women means to retrieve talents
– in arts, in politics, in business; And to empower women means economic growth. If you really want
inclusive growth you have to also empower women.”
Further, the seminar examined the panorama of women’s conditions in India, France and Germany and
analysed women's progress in different spheres of life, including the history of feminism in each of these
three countries. The aim of this event was to bring together activists, scholars, essayists and philosophers
who shared their views on various themes such as identity issues, gender equality, violence against women,
gender discrimination in the workplace, women’s movements, etc.
Ambassador of France to India François Richier also presented his views at the inaugural session.
The concluding remarks at the seminar were made by the Guest Speaker of the event, French Cabinet
Minister for Women's Rights and Government Spokesperson, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem. Other
prominent speakers included Prof. Ute Klammer, Brigitte Triems, Andrea Lindlohr, Geneviève
Fraisse, Caroline Fourest, Martha Crawford-Heitzmann, Shoma Chaudhury, Kalyani Menon-Sen,
Vrinda Grover, Pamela Philipose, Mrinal Pande and Urvashi Butalia.
An interconnected subject
November 5, 2013 By Namita Kohli writer is a Fulbright scholar and an independent
journalist)
Saying no to violence:File photo of a student demonstration against the December 16 gang rape.
Discussing violence against women has become de rigueur since the December 16 gang rape. However, for
many in the women’s movement, dealing with the unprecedented media glare and public outrage over the
brutality of the incident as well as the accompanying shrill demands for death penalty, has been rather
challenging. What about the rapes of poor, low-caste women that seldom make news, or get registered by
the police, they have been asking. How should one counter the stereotyping and targeting of poor men in
name of fighting violence? Shouldn’t the issue of violence against women be linked with structural adjustment
policies?
Some of these questions were raised at a session on violence and inequality at the seminar titled “Winning
Women: A dialogue between India, France and Germany”, organised jointly by the French and
German embassies and women’s publishing house, Zubaan Books, at Delhi’s India International
Centre recently.
Panelists at the session discussed legal reforms, constraints faced by activists working on the issue as well
as incorporating the agenda of women’s rights within the broader framework of human rights. Noted lawyer
Vrinda Grover, one of the panelists in the session, pointed out that while there were a plethora of
conferences on this issue, certain positions that were being pushed were problematic. “There have been
demands for establishment of more fast track courts. But then, only certain cases get priority. To ensure
speedy trial of the gang rape case, over a hundred serious cases at the Saket court had to be pushed aside,”
she said. Grover added that already, the demands for raising the legal age of consent from 16 to 18 years
had resulted in the youth losing control over their sexual agency.
In the course of the discussion, the challenge for women’s groups to be both feminists and anti-racists,
particularly in countries such as France, also came up. Journalist and essayist Caroline Fourest, who
edits the French feminist, anti-racist magazine Prochoice, said that there was a need for “universal
feminism”. Men from poor, immigrant communities in France were routinely demonized as violent
and the feminists had to be mindful of that, she said. The current political environment in France had
led to a conflict amongst those such as herself in being feminist or anti-racist. “In universal
feminism, we highlight that crimes against women are not specific to a country or culture. The root
cause is the universal system of patriarchy,” she said.
Reflecting on the issue in the Indian context, activist and researcher Kalyani Menon Sen said that patriarchy
was being used as a cause to negate discrimination on the basis of class and caste. “In Haryana, the police
refuse to recognise and register rapes when they are committed by the upper castes. In fact, they counter
that activists were spoiling the values of bhaichara (brotherhood) in the community. They reasoned that such
crimes were because of patriarchy and not related to caste,” said Ms. Sen, also the moderator of the session.
The session that lasted for an hour and a half also saw panelists discussing strategies to address the issue.
German political scientist Brigitte Triems said that in the European Union (EU), violence was hardly spoken
about at international forums. “We are faced with a serious lack of data and need to have more
documentation on this subject.” However, she pointed out that even when there were comprehensive
documents such as the Istanbul Convention on ‘Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women, 2011’,
the EU members were reluctant to ratify it.
To identify the causes of violence and develop adequate legal responses, there was a need to link violence
to larger structural issues such as policies based on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), said Ms. Grover. “It’s
easy to find allies if one wants to work on the issues of a skewed sex ratio or maternal mortality, but if one
tries to link land acquisition and violence, it is very difficult,” she said.
The seminar ended with a speech by Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, the French Minister for Women’s
Rights, who spoke about several initiatives that her socialist government was taking to address
“women’s issues”. Speaking to a group of reporters after the seminar, Ms. Vallaud-Belkacem said
that “prostitution was a form of violence” against women, a position which is in line with her
government’s definitive anti-prostitution stand. Several sex workers’ rights groups — worldwide —
have been protesting this position on grounds of their agency and issues of livelihood, but the
minister insisted that over 80 per cent of “prostitutes” in France were victims of “trafficking” because
they “didn't have a choice” in the matter.
Writers, etc. with Vikas Swarup
11/11/2013
Award-winning scriptwriter Advaita Kala and bestselling author Vikas Swarup were in conversation. Vikas
SwarupVikas Swarup
The Embassy of France in India, Institut français en Inde and Alliance Française de Delhi have the pleasure
of hosting the November edition of “Writers, etc.”
The 25th session will see bestselling author Vikas Swarup in conversation with award-winning scriptwriter
Advaita Kala
Diplomat and author Vikas Swarup was born in Allahabad (India) in a family of lawyers. After graduating from
Allahabad University with distinction, he joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1986. He has served in Indian
missions in Ankara, Washington DC, Addis Ababa, London, Pretoria, and was till recently Consul General of
India in Osaka-Kobe, Japan. He is the author of three novels: Q&A, which was filmed as the Oscar-winning
“Slumdog Millionaire”, Six Suspects and The Accidental Apprentice. His books have been translated into
more than 40 languages. He has been conferred the degree of Doctor of Literature & Philosophy (honoris
causa) by the University of South Africa (UNISA), the largest university in South Africa and one of the largest
distance education institutions in the world. He has participated in several international literary festivals and
served on the jury of the Cairo International Film Festival and the Man Asian Literary Prize. He has also
written for TIME, Newsweek, The Guardian (UK), The Telegraph (UK), Outlook magazine (India), DNA
(India) and Liberation (France). He is married to Aparna, an artist.
Advaita Kala is the author of the bestselling novel, Almost Single. Almost Single has been published in the
United States under the Bantam Discovery Program as well as in France by Editions Marabout. She is an
award-winning screen writer (“Kahaani”) and is a columnist for Mail Today newspaper. She also writes a
popular food column called EPICURIOSITYfor the Financial Express.
International news channel France 24 to launch in India next week
www.exchange4media.mobi 11/11/2013 By Abid Hasan
France 24, one of the leading 24x7 international news channels of France, is all set to launch in India next
week. Sources close to the development informed exchange4media that France 24 is collaborating with one
of the leading English news channels in India to showcase its content. Launched in December 2006, France
24 is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the public-funded holding company France Médias Monde. The channel
covers international current events from a French perspective and seeks to convey French values throughout
the world. France 24 is a news hub that broadcasts its programmers over the airwaves and over the internet
in French, English and Arabic languages. France Médias Monde has also signed cooperation agreements
with other groups such as France Télévisions, TF1 and GRN to showcase its content.
Spectacle "Bollywood Express" : gagnez vos invitations
le 19 novembre 2013
Écoutez France Bleu Pays de Savoie, jouez et tentez de gagner vos invitations pour le spectacle
"Bollywood Express", mardi 19 novembre à 20h00 à l'Arcadium à Annecy.
Une “comédie musicale romantique” passionnante venue droit de Mumbai, la métropole cinématographique.
Voyagez au cœur de l’Inde pour y découvrir la plus grande histoire d’amour jamais racontée. Appréciez les
couleurs chatoyantes et l’enchantement dans cette tranche étincelante de romance Bollywood.
Féérie et réalisme, tradition et modernité tissent ce spectacle flamboyant.
Pour la première fois dans l'histoire musicale du Bollywood, la production mélange musique, danse et
cinéma où figure la chanson du film oscarisé “Slum Dog Millionaire”.
Avec une troupe de trente danseurs, la crème des talents du film indien, 2 000 costumes scintillants et des
décors somptueux sont à découvrir. Glamour et amour toujours pour une comédie musicale passionnément
romantique et follement épique.
Mahé derrière les cartes
afmagazine.in Sunday, November 10, 2013
by AF Pondichery
Les cartes de Mahé
Une exposition à Pondichéry relate l’histoire franco-indienne des comptoirs du sud. Le travail de l’historien
Jean Deloche nous fait découvrir l’ancienne Mahé.
Après avoir travaillé en 2005 sur les anciennes cartes de Pondichéry qui avaient permis de réaliser une
précédente exposition sur l’ancien comptoir, Jean Deloche, historien et chercheur à l’Ecole Française
d’Extrême Orient vient d’achever sa recherche sur la petite ville côtière de Mahé. Cette exposition
exceptionnelle nous invite à découvrir l’histoire de Mahé entre 1721 et 1817 et nous révèle le patrimoine
franco-indien aujourd’hui disparu.
Une centaine de cartes et plans remontant parfois à près de trois siècles racontent aujourd’hui ce qu’était
Mahé autrefois, une ville dynamique et ingénieuse au destin tragique. Nommé jadis « Mayyazhi », la cité a
été baptisée « Mahé » du nom du Général français Mahé de Labourdonnais qui conquit la ville en 1725.
Depuis, cette petite cité fut à trois reprises, ravagée par les Anglais en 1761, 1779 et 1782. Bâtie par des
marchands français, habitants, négociants et pêcheurs malayalis, Mahé était un véritable reflet du patrimoine
franco-indien. Son architecture franco-indienne d’autrefois n’est visible désormais que sur les cartes. Il ne
reste pratiquement rien de ses anciennes constructions civiles et militaires. Pourtant, jusqu’au milieu du
XVIIIe siècle, Mahé fut un port actif, une ville prospère, entourée de fortifications, dotée de bâtiments
administratifs, de magasins, de marchés et d’une magnifique église.
L’exposition s’articule autour de huits panneaux explicitant l’évolution de Mahé au cours de différentes
périodes en mettant en avant des cartes et des plans très anciens et dévoilant ainsi au public la richesse
architecturale, culturelle et économique de cette petite cité. Jean Deloche souhaite poursuivre ce travail sur
les anciens comptoirs avec Chandernagor, qui fut aussi ravagée par les Anglais en 1756. Par ailleurs, pour
Karaikal et Yanam, les cartes et plans sont trop peu nombreux pour pouvoir organiser une véritable
exposition selon l’historien.
Cette exposition réalisée avec le soutien de l’Institut Français de Pondichéry, l’Ecole Française de l’Extrême
Orient (EFEO) et le Département d’Art et culture du gouvernement de Pondichéry, sera inaugurée le 15
novembre prochain à la Maison Colombani, annexe de l’Alliance Française et sera ouverte au public
jusqu’au 6 décembre 2013.
De la musique indienne à Gravelle
www.sudouest.fr Publié le 06/11/2013 Par Jean-Louis Chanseau
Le trio familial Mishra a donné son premier concert en France à...
Gravelle. (Photo Jean Louis Chanseau)
Le trio familial Mishra a débuté sa tournée en Europe à Gravelle,
dimanche. Le groupe tourne dans le monde entier depuis de
nombreuses années, mais n’était jamais venu en France. Et c’est
Annesse-et-Beaulieu qui a donc accueilli ces musiciens pour la
première fois dans l’Hexagone.
Ce groupe est composé de Shivanth Mishra (le père, 71 ans) qui est le créateur d’un style unique de sitar (1)
basé sur la tradition de sa ville natale, Bénarès, et Deobrat Mishra (31 ans), qui a été le meilleur sitariste
d’Inde. Les deux musiciens sont accompagnés au tabla (2) par le petit-fils de Shivnath, Prashant Mishra (21
ans), qui joue du tabla.
Cette réalisation a été possible grâce à l’association bordelaise Samadhi Musique (3) et à Perspectives
indiennes, qui est l’une des étoiles montantes du style Bénarès.
Plus de 12 générations
Ce concert était l’occasion d’entendre des musiciens indiens de tradition familiale remontant à plus de 12
générations.
En ouverture, le représentant de l’association Samadhi a donné au public présent des éléments pour mieux
comprendre la musique de Bénarès. La gamme utilisée de façon très codifiée, de 5 à 9 ragas, est une façon
de jouer chaque note avec beaucoup de liaisons et subtilités entre les rags.
La qualité exceptionnelle de la musique produite par le trio et le solo de tabla du jeune Prashant a enchanté
la cinquantaine de personnes qui avaient effectué le déplacement.
En fin de concert, les artistes, malgré le barrage de la langue, ont échangé et dédicacé leur CD, satisfaits
d’être là.
(1) Instrument de musique à cordes pincées, composé d’une caisse de résonance en forme de gourde. (2)
Instrument de musique à percussions, composé de deux fûts. (3) Cette association girondine a pour objectif
de promouvoir la musique indienne. Créée par deux joueurs amateurs de tabla, elle met en place des cours
et des ateliers de musique et de chant indien organisés à Bordeaux. Plus de renseignements sur le site
Internet samadhi-musique.org
Date d’édition : 13/11/2013
La France et l’Inde s’unissent contre le viol
lefigaro.fr
29/10/2013 Par Christine Nayagam
Une photo tweetée par Najat Belkacem – @najatvb : Elles ont entre 12&17 ans. A Delhi l’asso ApneAap de la
formidable @RuchiraGup
La ministre des Droits des femmes et porte-parole du gouvernement, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem était en Inde
pendant 4 jours du 25 au 28 octobre. Une visite exceptionnellement longue qui avait pour but principal
d’évoquer les sujets de collaboration entre l’Inde et la France autour de la femme.
« Women empowerment », c’est une expression qui ne se traduit pas en français mais qui est devenue le slogan de
toute une communauté d’activistes et de féministes de part le monde. Il s’agit de donner du courage et des moyens aux
femmes pour qu’elles puissent s’élever, se débrouiller seules, entreprendre. Au cours de sa première visite en Inde, la
ministre a rencontré de nombreuses ONG luttant contre ces violences et discriminations en tous genres et ce qu’elle en a
retenu, c’est que finalement « Il y a davantage de similitudes entre la France et l’Inde qu’on ne pourrait le croire ».
« Nous avons eu largement écho dans la presse française de l’affaire du viol de la jeune étudiante de 23 ans à Delhi en
décembre dernier mais il ne faut pas oublier qu’il y a également beaucoup de violences perpétrées contre les femmes en
France » a confié la ministre lors d’un point presse organisé par l’ambassade de France en Inde, avant de poursuivre : «
Il y a près de 200 cas de viols par jour en France et ceux qui pensent que cette réalité n’est le fait que d’un pays se
trompent. Comme en Inde, les victimes ont encore du mal à dénoncer leurs agresseurs. En France on estime que seule
une femme sur dix va porter plainte ».
Pendant sa visite, la ministre a visité le Commissariat de police de Delhi et pris connaissance des mesures mises en
place par le gouvernement indien pour aider les femmes. « La France et l’Inde ont les mêmes terrains de lutte : pour
former les professionnels qui s’occupent des victimes, travailler avec le système judiciaire et la police, faire des
campagnes pour lutter contre les violences, empêcher les récidives », a déclaré la ministre avant de noter toutefois que
la structure de la famille et de la société sont malgré tout très différentes : « Les Indiens n’ont pas les mêmes inquiétudes
que nous concernant l’arrivée d’un enfant, par exemple. En Inde, la famille, les grands-parents, les parents (ndlr : qui
occupent une place importante au sein du foyer et qui parfois habitent dans la même maison) – peuvent
s’occuper de l’enfant pendant que la mère travaille alors qu’en France nous devons réfléchir au développement
du système de crèches, du financement de la garderie etc. »
L’entrepreneuriat est un autre domaine dans lequel Najat Vallaud-Belkacem souhaite développer la collaboration
entre les deux pays. « En France seules 30% des femmes sont engagées dans des projets et seuls 10% d’entre
eux sont des initiatives innovantes ». Elle a officiellement annoncé la création d’un partenariat stratégique pour
l’entrepreneuriat et d’une plate-forme pour qu’indiennes et françaises puissent s’échanger les bons procédés
dans le développement de leurs projets d’entreprises.
l’Inde s’unissent contre le viol
Indesmagazine Publié le octobre 29, 2013 par Laisser un commentaire
La ministre des Droits des femmes et porte-parole du gouvernement, Najat
Vallaud-Belkacem était en Inde pendant 4 jours du 25 au 28 octobre. Une
visite exceptionnellement longue qui avait pour but principal d’évoquer les
sujets de collaboration entre l’Inde et la France autour de la femme.
« Women empowerment », c’est une expression qui ne se traduit pas en
français mais qui est devenue le slogan de toute une communauté
d’activistes et de féministes de par le monde. Il s’agit de donner du courage
et des moyens aux femmes pour qu’elles puissent s’élever, se débrouiller
seules, entreprendre. Au cours de sa première visite en Inde, la ministre a
rencontré de nombreuses ONG luttant contre ces violences et
discriminations en tous genres et ce qu’elle en a retenu, c’est que finalement « Il y a davantage de similitudes entre la
France et l’Inde qu’on ne pourrait le croire ».
« Nous avons eu largement écho dans la presse française de l’affaire du viol de la jeune étudiante de 23 ans à Delhi en
décembre dernier mais il ne faut pas oublier qu’il y a également beaucoup de violences perpétrées contre les femmes en
France » a confié la ministre lors d’un point presse organisé par l’ambassade de France en Inde, avant de poursuivre : «
Il y a près de 200 cas de viols par jour en France et ceux qui pensent que cette réalité n’est le fait que d’un pays se
trompent. Comme en Inde, les victimes ont encore du mal à dénoncer leurs agresseurs. En France on estime que seule
une femme sur dix va porter plainte ».
Pendant sa visite, la ministre a visité le Commissariat de police de Delhi et pris connaissance des mesures mises en
place par le gouvernement indien pour aider les femmes. « La France et l’Inde ont les mêmes terrains de lutte : pour
former les professionnels qui s’occupent des victimes, travailler avec le système judiciaire et la police, faire des
campagnes pour lutter contre les violences, empêcher les récidives », a déclaré la ministre avant de noter toutefois que
la structure de la famille et de la société sont malgré tout très différentes : « Les Indiens n’ont pas les mêmes inquiétudes
que nous concernant l’arrivée d’un enfant, par exemple. En Inde, la famille, les grands-parents, les parents (ndlr : qui
occupent une place importante au sein du foyer et qui parfois habitent dans la même maison) – peuvent s’occuper de
l’enfant pendant que la mère travaille alors qu’en France nous devons réfléchir au développement du système de
crèches, du financement de la garderie etc. »
L’entrepreneuriat est un autre domaine dans lequel Najat Vallaud-Belkacem souhaite développer la collaboration entre
les deux pays. « En France seules 30% des femmes sont engagées dans des projets et seuls 10% d’entre eux sont des
initiatives innovantes ». Elle a officiellement annoncé la création d’un partenariat stratégique pour l’entrepreneuriat et
d’une plate-forme pour qu’indiennes et françaises puissent s’échanger les bons procédés dans le développement de
leurs projets d’entreprises.
Malgré tous ces points d’entente, des actions restent vivement critiquées par l’un et l’autre pays. « La France et l’Union
Européenne sont contre la peine de mort » a précisé la ministre. Une des dernières condamnations les plus médiatisées
concerne les auteurs du viol de la jeune étudiante de 23 ans.
De son côté l’Inde, qui pratique une politique où toutes les confessions sont représentées, ne comprend toujours pas
l’adoption de la « loi sur la laïcité » en France. « Cette loi touche non seulement de nombreuses femmes musulmanes
dans la pratique de leur religion – dans une démocratie qui prône la liberté – mais elle affecte les Sikhs* de France
également – hommes et femmes – qui ne peuvent plus porter leurs turbans – symbole de respect indispensable dans la
pratique de leur religion. Cela les discrimine également en quelque sorte… », explique une avocate indienne à Delhi.
"Winning Women" en Inde
http://carolinefourest.wordpress.com
Je rentre d’un colloque organisé par l’ambassade de France, d’Allemagne et la
maison d’édition Zubaan. Salle pleine. Passionnants échanges sur l’universalité de ces luttes et le long chemin qu’il reste
à parcourir. Notamment à partir du du viol du 16 décembre 2012 ayant ému l’Inde.
J’ai plaidé pour nommer les discriminations, une même loi pour tous, ne pas séparer le féminisme de l’antiracisme et la
justice sociale, ne jamais répondre à la barbarie (un viol) par une autre (la peine de mort).
J’ai aussi eu le plaisir de présenter mon amie Taslima Nasreen à la ministre des droits des femmes, Najat ValaudBelkacem.
Mahindra and Mahindra to set up university in New Chandigarh
Chandigarh Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Mahindra and Mahindra Chairman Anand Mahindra today announced that his company would establish a world
class Mahindra University in New Chandigarh.
The Mahindra group Chairman made this announcement in Mumbai after Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh
Badal briefed him about the Knowledge city coming at Mullanpur besides other initiatives being taken by the government
including creation of a single window for investors and Value Added Tax (VAT) and Central Sales Tax (CST) retentions
schemes.
Hailing Mr Badal for his "mission oriented" approach, Mr Mahindra said: "As far as we are concerned it will be
like returning home by establishing the Mahindra University in Punjab."
He said the University would be an umbrella institution for five engineering colleges being established by the
Mahindra group in different parts of the country in technical collaboration with Ecole Centrale Paris of France.
He clarified that the family would invest its own money for the establishment of the University which would have
liberal arts disciplines also besides engineering studies.
Anand Mahindra announces establishment of Mahindra University in New Chandigarh Punjab News
Express October 23, 2013
CHANDIGARH: Mahindra and Mahindra Chairman Anand Mahindra today announced his company would establish a
world class Mahindra University in New Chandigarh besides providing end to end solutions in marketing and agro
processing of fruits and vegetables in Punjab.
The Mahindra group Chairman made this announcement after Punjab Deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal briefed
him about the Knowledge city coming at Mullanpur besides other initiatives being taken by the government including
creation of a single window for investors and Value Added Tax (VAT) and Central Sales Tax (CST) retentions schemes.
Lauding the Deputy chief minister for what he termed as the former’s “mission oriented” approach, Mr Mahindra
said “as far as we are concerned it will be like returning home by establishing the Mahindra University in
Punjab”. Mahindra said the University would be an umbrella institution for five engineering colleges being
established by the Mahindra group in different parts of the country in technical collaboration with Ecole Centrale
Paris of France. He clarified that the family would invest its personal money for the establishment of the University which
would have liberal arts disciplines also besides engineering studies.
Speaking about the other initiatives the Mahindra group was ready to foray into in Punjab, Mr Mahindra said the
company was interested in processing of fruits and sweet potatoes. The Deputy chief minister urged the
company to go in for end to end marketing and agro processing of fruits and vegetables which was agreed to by
the Mahindra group head who appreciated the new contract farming policy formed by the Punjab government.
Mr Badal also urged Mahindra to take up marketing of kinnows from Punjab in the same manner in which it was
marketing Indian grapes worldwide.
Earlier while briefing Mahindra about the strides being made by the State government to make it easy for investors to do
business in Punjab, the Deputy CM said his government’s job was not to make money but to create environment which
would result in money creation. He said old archaic rules and posts including that of boiler and vehicle inspectors were
being dispensed with and a new system of self certification had been introduced.
French B-schools keen on India
Hindustan Times (Chandigarh) 16 Oct 2013 By Vanita Srivastava [email protected]
THE NEW SCHOOL WILL JOIN ECOLE CENTRALE BEIJING (2005) AND ECOLE CENTRALE CASABLANCA TO BE
OPENED IN 2014 HERVE BIAUSSER, director of Ecole Centrale Paris
PARIS: A premier business school of France could open its office in India essentially to recruit more students
from India and establish better relationships with companies in India while a leading engineering school in
France has plans to open an offshore campus next year.
HEC Paris, a top business school in France, is open to the idea of opening an office in India. The institution offers a
unique range of education programmes for students and leaders.
“We want to open two offices in Asia and India should be one of them. The broader goal of having an
international office will be to help companies in France establish better relations with their Indian counterparts.
It will also help us recruit more students from India and give placement opportunities in India for our students ,”
Prof Bernard Ramanantsoa, Dean of HEC Paris told HT.
Ecole Centrale Paris, one of the oldest and a prestigious engineering schools in France has decided to set up a world
class engineering college in India in collaboration with the Mahindra Group. To be named as Mahindra École Centrale
(MEC) the new engineering college will be established in Hyderabad. While Ecole Centrale of Paris will provide academic
handholding, the degrees will be provided by Hyderabad-based Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU).
France 24 se déploie en Inde
LEXPRESS.fr
le 12/11/2013
La chaîne internationale d'informations basée en France cherche à renforcer sa présence et sa diffusion en Inde, et a
ainsi annoncé ce mardi vouloir avoir une couverture plus complète de l'actualité du pays.
La chaîne publique d'information France 24 a annoncé mardi le renforcement de sa diffusion en Inde où elle
touche désormais 31 millions de nouveaux foyers.
afp.com/Alexander Klein
La chaîne publique d'information France 24 a annoncé mardi le renforcement de sa diffusion en Inde, où elle
touche désormais 31 millions de nouveaux foyers. France 24 a conclu un accord de distribution pour être
présente en version anglaise dans deux offres de télévision par satellite (DD Direct+ et Dish TV) dans le pays,
ont précisé ses dirigeants lors d'une conférence de presse à New Delhi.
La chaîne peut déjà être reçue sur le câble par 7 millions de foyers en Inde. Au total, France 24 peut désormais être
regardée par un quart des foyers indiens disposant d'une télévision. "Avec une présence renforcée en Inde, nous allons
faire des efforts pour consacrer plus de temps et avoir une couverture plus complète de l'Inde", a déclaré Françoise
Champey-Huston, responsable de la version anglaise de France 24
Rencontrer les "acteurs locaux"
Pour les dirigeants de la chaîne, il s'agira de montrer aux téléspectateurs indiens ce que peut offrir d'original une chaine
internationale d'informations basée en France. "Nous sommes une chaîne totalement libre. Comme l'Inde, la France est
un vieux et sage pays et nous pensons que tout n'est pas blanc ou noir mais peut être gris et qu'il s'agit de l'expliquer", a
dit le directeur de la chaine, Marc Saikali.
Face aux chaînes d'informations internationales en anglais, France 24 veut en particulier montrer "sa capacité à offrir
une couverture en profondeur avec par exemple des programmes qui reviennent sur les lieux d'une actualité pour
montrer ce qui a changé en rencontrant les acteurs locaux", a dit Françoise Champey-Huston.
A l'occasion de son renforcement en Inde, la chaîne a réalisé plusieurs de ses émissions - débats, interviews,
programmes thématiques - dans le pays. France 24 est reçue par 222 millions de foyers dans 185 pays, et affiche une
audience hebdomadaire cumulée d'environ 35 à 40 millions de téléspectateurs. Elle émet 24 heures sur 24 en trois
langues (français, anglais et arabe). Avec
Bonjour India, says France 24
Nov 12 2013 By Manjul Misra New Delhi
FRENCH KIT: (From 2nd left) Presenter Angelise Borges, France 24 director Marc Saikali, deputy director
Françoise Champey-Huston
AFTER BBC World, CNN International and Al Jazeera, France 24 now comes to a television near you. Through
DD Direct and Dish TV. And trust the French to do it in style — the channel was launched over a champagne
brunch under a light wintry sun on Tuesday afternoon.
Entering close to 38 million households across the country, the France Medias-Monde Group channel offers
special India programming in English, covering political, economic and cultural aspects, besides news bulletins
every half hour.
“Give us a try, we tell different stories,” said Francoise Champney-Huston of the English service, addressing the media.
“As we get deeper into the news, our job will be to explain India to Europe and the rest of the world,” she added.
Accordingly, there will be debates and discussions on India-centric issues as well as interactions with policy makers and
captains of industry. Besides, the Passage to India series will map the country’s culturescape as well as explore its
French connection (a team has already travelled to Pondicherry for a shoot). Also, during the Cannes Festival this time,
coverage will not just centre around activities there, but also on broadcasts on 100 years of Indian cinema, said the
channel’s director, Marc Saikali.
As part of the launch, France 24 also recorded a debate, ‘At the heart of the next world power,’ to be telecast on
Wednesday. The panelists were politicians Shashi Tharoor and Nirmala Sitharaman, feminist Urvashi Butalia and
entrepreneur Rajul Garg.
Besides, there was also an experience-sharing session for Indian bloggers with the channel’s interactive platform of
citizen journalists that it calls “The Observors.” These observors — France 24 has as many as 4,000 worldwide — are
ordinary men and women living in remote parts of the world who send first-hand information and images to the channel
from areas where the media cannot reach.
“We hope to recruit a network of such observors across India before the elections,” said Julien Pain, head of The
Observors team.
‘Indian and French sensibilities are not that far apart’
11/11/2013 By Dhananjay KHADILKAR INDIA
Minister for Human Resource Development, Shashi Tharoor, spoke to FRANCE24 ahead of the channel’s official
launch in India about the forthcoming national election, international cooperation and France’s “original point of
view”.
Shashi Tharoor has long been well known on the international stage. He was not only with the United Nations for almost
three decades but also contested the election for the post of UN Secretary General in 2007.
Following his UN stint, he made a successful debut in Indian politics and was elected to Parliament in 2009. Tharoor
was first appointed minister of state for external affairs and is now a minister of state for Human Resource
Development. During his visit to Paris last week, where he represented India at the 37th UNESCO General
Conference, he spoke exclusively with France24.com.
Here are the some of the highlights:
How was your visit to Paris for the UNESCO General Conference?
ST: It was good and very busy. It began with a meeting with education ministers of the BRICS countries. I was also the
co-moderator of leaders’ forum, in which various heads of states and ministers gave their views on the developmental
agenda beyond 2015, focusing on education as a principle concern. I also had bilateral meetings with education ministers
of 14 countries. On my last day, I delivered the official statement on behalf of India to the General Conference. UNESCO
is an organisation we want to see functioning effectively. It has had its share of troubles. But the issue it deals –
education, science and culture—are extremely important for the survival of humanity.
One interesting aspect of your visit was the meeting with education of the BRICS countries...
The BRICS are a very good example of cooperation. What’s interesting about BRICS is that the term was invented by a
merchant bank in the context of emerging markets. But our cooperation has gone beyond economic issues. We are not
only seeing ourselves as complimentary economies, but also as countries with tremendous potential to increase our
presence in world affairs.
What can India gain from such cooperation?
ST: India doesn’t look at international affairs in terms of just what it can gain but also on what it can give. Certainly,
India’s role at the UNESCO has been much more about giving than taking and that’s part of our sense of international
responsibility. When it comes to BRICS, it’s mutual. There is a lot of potential in the BRICS forum which will be
developed. The education ministers of all five countries are already involved in the Education for All” initiative.
We have number of functioning mechanisms for cooperation. We can learn from each other’s mistakes and
experiences. We can share material and methodologies. We can come up with joint solutions which can then be
pushed in international forums.
Having served in the UN for 30 years, do you feel out of place being a part of the rough and tumble of politics in India?
FRANCE 24 speaks with India's Minister for Human Resource Development Shashi Tharoor
ST: I don’t feel out of place. However, my critics certainly feel that way. The accusation is that I have an outsider’s view,
that I have not come up from the grassroots of politics. Of course, I do not agree with this accusation. Even though I was
living outside India, working for the UN, I never stopped being engaged with India. I have written 14 books, 13 of which
are entirely about India. During this time, I have thought, written and spoken about India’s issues. So I didn’t come back
as someone who was discovering India afresh.
What’s new was the rough and tumble of politics. I got a rough baptism. In my first year, every time I opened my mouth, I
was attacked for allegedly making controversial statements. It was a strange thing to happen to someone who had spent
three decades in the international arena, speaking to international media without any controversy. So I realised that it
wasn’t so much about me, but the extent to which I was unwelcome to some people in the ‘system’. But today, I have
now found my peace with all of that. At one point, I felt strongly enough to resign from my government position. But now a
couple of years later, I am back in the government. I have good rapport with my constituency. I am determined to move
forward in the next few years as a committed citizen living in India and seeing a better future for my people.
It looks like the 2014 general election in India is going to be one of the most bitterly fought ever. One of the reasons
seems to be the projection of Narendra Modi as the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate. What are your objections about
Modi?
ST: The Congress party stands for a certain set of values in politics. It has been very much the party of Indian pluralism
and diversity. It’s a party which believes passionately that all Indians irrespective of caste, religion, creed, region,
language, or ethnicity have the same rights and same stake in our society. Modi not only belongs to a party – the BJP –
which has historically had a lot of trouble with the notion of non-Hindu minorities in the country, but he was the chief
minister in Gujarat at a time of – to put it mildly – a massacre.
His conduct as chief minister at that time has been rightly condemned by many. It’s true, as his defenders point out, that
he has not been convicted of any crime. But as chief minister there is a political responsibility. It’s hard to find a single
example of constructive action undertaken by Modi during that time that would show him to be a humane leader of all
Gujaratis and not just of one group of people defined by religion. To my mind, that is the principal challenge.
His disqualification as a political leader in India is because he has failed to stand for the idea of India, the idea of
pluralistic democracy where everyone has an equal voice, equal right and equal stake. We will fight very hard but not
only on that issue but also on the fact that we have done good work in India for the last 10 years, that the decisions,
programmes, policies of the current government headed by the Congress have transformed India for the better. The right
to food, the right to work, the right to information, the right to an education… all of these are unprecedented policies
which have given Indians opportunities and benefits that they never had before.
What is your opinion about FRANCE 24 becoming accessible in India?
ST: I think it’s going to be very interesting. The Indian and French sensibilities are not that far apart. Secondly,
France has the entire heritage of western democracy and western civilisation. But it also has an original point of
view on a number of issues which are not the same as some of the other western powers that we in India know
well, like the US and the UK. Because of the language barrier, many Indians are not exposed to the French point
of view.
I think that having FRANCE 24 in English will certainly give the Indian elite access to the French point of view. I
am confident that it will actually lead to wider appreciation of French ideas, culture and politics in the Indian
educated section of the society.
FRANCE 24 to launch on DD DIRECT + and DISH TV to 31 million additional households in India
12/11/2013
FRANCE 24 to launch on DD DIRECT + and DISH TV to 31 million additional households in India.
FRANCE 24 has concluded a new distribution agreement in India and will be available on free-to-air Direct-To-Home
service (DTH) DD DIRECT +. Owned by public broadcaster Prasar Bharati, the platform will begin broadcasting FRANCE
24 English version on November 1st.
Thanks to this agreement, FRANCE 24 will also be available on DISH TV basic offer, the n°1 private satellite operator in
the country.
Thanks to this new agreement, which represents the most important deployment for the channel on the Asian market,
FRANCE 24 will now be available 24/7 to 31 million additional households across the country. These will be in addition to
the 7 million households that already receive the channel via cable.
One in every four Indian televised households can now access FRANCE 24 and a special operation will take place in
New Delhi in November to mark this major agreement.
For more real time information on FRANCE 24’s distribution worldwide, go to: http://f24.my/ijOOim
About FRANCE 24, a media of France Médias Monde group
FRANCE 24, the non-stop international news channel, broadcasts 24/7 to 222 million homes around the world in French,
Arabic and English. From its newsroom in Paris, FRANCE 24 gives a French perspective on global affairs through a
network of several hundred correspondents located in nearly every country. It is available via cable, satellite, DTT, ADSL,
on mobile phones, tablets and connected TVs. FRANCE 24’s new media platforms, which are also available in three
languages, attract 15 million visits and 7 million video views a month.
www.FRANCE24.com
Le cinéma indépendant indien à Paris
Indesmagazine Publié le octobre 28, 2013 par Laisser un commentaire
Le Forum des Images organisera son 5e festival « Un état du monde… et du cinéma » du 8 au 17 novembre à
Paris. L’organisation, soutenue par la Ville de Paris, fera cette année la part belle au « cinéma indien indépendant
actuel qui, en marge des productions commerciales de Bollywood, rencontre des difficultés de diffusion malgré sa
créativité », selon les organisateurs. « Le festival est heureux d’accueillir quatre de ses auteurs : Onir, défenseur du
cinéma indépendant et de la cause homosexuelle (I am, My Brother… Nikhil) ; le jeune réalisateur Umesh Kulkarni (Le
Puits), Ritesh Batra, réalisateur du remarqué The Lunchbox ainsi que l’une des figures du cinéma bengali, Aparna Sen,
actrice de Satyajit Ray, mais aussi réalisatrice de Mr and Mrs Iyer », ajoutent-ils.
Forum des Images propose le programme suivant :
Les séances en présence des réalisateurs
Jeudi 14 novembre – 20h30 : My Brother… Nikhil d’Onir (fiction vosta 2005 couleur 2h)
Samedi 16 novembre – 15h30 : I am, d’Onir (fiction vostf 2011 couleur 1h35)
Samedi 16 novembre – 21h : Le Puits (Vihir) d’Umesh Kulkarni (fiction vostf 2009 couleur 2h)
Dimanche 17 novembre – 16h : Mr. and Mrs. Iyer d’Aparna Sen (fiction vostf 2002 couleur 2h)
Dimanche 17 novembre – 20h : soirée de clôture : The Lunchbox de Ritesh Batra (Inde fiction couleur 1h44)
Autres films au programme
D de Kamal K.M (fiction vostf 2012 couleur 1h30)
Maudite Pluie (Gabhricha Paus) de Satish Manwar (fiction vostf 2009 couleur 1h35)
Automn (Harud) d’Aamir Bashir (fiction vostf 2010 couleur 1h39)
Le Bateau de Thésée (Ship of Theseus) d’Anand Gandhi (fiction vostf 2012 couleur 2h19)
Un monde sans femmes (Matrubhoomi) de Manish Jha (fiction vostf 2003 couleur 1h40)
L’Affaire 18/9 (Vazhakku Enn 18/9) de Balaji Shaktivel fiction vostf 2012 couleur 1h55)
Table ronde :
Samedi 16 novembre – 18h30 « Le cinéma indépendant indien contemporain »
Animée par Amandine d’Azevedo (Chargée de cours à Paris III, spécialiste du cinéma Indien) Avec les cinéastes Aparna
Sen, Umesh Kulkarni et Onir et Hubert Niogret (Positif )
Le 11-Novembre se fête aussi à Pondichéry
La Dépêche de Tahiti Le 11-Novembre 2013
Par P. Martin
Lambert Sandou, président de l’Association des officiers et des sous-officiers de Tahiti et des îles, et président de
l’Amicale des anciens combattants de l’armée de l’air, de l’aéronautique et de l’espace de Polynésie française a
souhaité, dans le cadre de la célébration de l’Armistice du 11 novembre 1918, rappeler les liens qui unissent les anciens
combattants polynésiens et ceux de Pondichéry, en Inde, à plus de 14 000 km du fenua.
Selon l’intéressé, les liens fraternels qui unissent les anciens combattants polynésiens et ceux de Pondichéry sont
historiques de par le statut commun que partagent ces deux territoires autonomes : “Pondichéry avait le statut d’ancien
Comptoir des Indes, tout comme la Polynésie, qui avait le statut de Comptoir de l’Océanie. Ce sont des liens très anciens
qui unissent ces deux parties du monde autour de valeurs communes et partagées avec la métropole. Les anciens
combattants de Polynésie française et ceux de Pondichéry ont consolidé ces liens depuis 1984, et c’est dans cet esprit
que j’ai amené à Pondichéry, en 1992, la nacre que nous avions envoyée dans l’espace avec la navette Atlantis”.
Après avoir fait plusieurs fois le tour de la Terre dans la navette Atlantis, c’est donc dans un avion de ligne que la nacre
gravée est arrivée à Pondichéry, le 23 juillet 1992, pour y être exposée à l’hôtel de ville.
De nombreuses personnalités avaient fait le déplacement à cette occasion, dont le secrétaire d’État de l’Aviation
indienne, le ministre en chef de l’État de Pondichéry, qui était accompagné par le ministre de l’Industrie et du Tourisme,
et le consul général de France à Pondichéry.
C’est pour tenir compte des relations étroites établies depuis 1984 avec ses compatriotes de l’Association des anciens
de l’armée de l’air de Pondichéry que Lambert Sandou a participé, le 23 octobre, en présence du consul général de
France, Janvier Kamiyama, à une assemblée générale prévue par le président de l’Association nationale des
sous-officiers de réserve de l’armée de l’air (ANSORAA), Édouard Jabely.
À cette occasion, les anciens ont évoqué les activités effectuées en accord avec l’autorité consulaire, et
notamment la célébration de la commémoration du 95e anniversaire de l’Armistice de la Première Guerre
mondiale, qui aura lieu au monument aux morts de Pondichéry, en même temps que dans tous les Dom-Com et
en métropole.Photos / videos Auteur :
Légende : Le président de l’Association nationale des sous-officiers de réserve de l’armée de l’air, le consul
général et le trésorier de l’Association des anciens de l’armée de l’air étaient présents lors de l’assemblée
générale de l’association.Visuel 1:
France seeks India's support on Iran nuclear deal
Europe November 12, 2013 By Indrani Bagchi
The crosshairs of international criticism for allegedly pulling the plug on a deal with Iran, France says it is looking for a
"credible" agreement. With the next meeting between Iran and the P5+1 slated to be held in Geneva on November 20,
France says it is looking for a "credible" agreement.
France's ambassador to India, Francois Richier, told TOI that Paris "has an independent position" on the issue.
French foreign minister Laurent Fabius raised two important points that proved to be the killed in this round: future of the
Arak heavy water reactor and the fate of the existing enriched uranium stockpile that Tehran has collected so far.
However, the negotiating document in Geneva remains "live". That means there are areas of agreement and some areas
of contention. Countering suggestions that France was taking an anti-Iranian position, Richier pointed out it was
"French president Francois Hollande who was the first Western head of state to meet new Iranian PM, Hassan
Rouhani, before the telephonic conversation with Barack Obama".
While the deal did not happen, reports from Geneva suggest it involved Iran suspending some parts of its nuclear
programme in lieu of some relief in sanctions. The Western sanctions against the Iranian energy industry have crippled
its economy. Coupled with the burdens of the Syrian war and growing social problems, Iran, many say, is ripe for a deal.
France, Richier said, is looking for support from India. In Tehran, the emerging deal has been greeted with as much
skepticism as it has in much of the US and the European Union (EU). Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei tweeted
on Sunday, "French officials have been openly hostile towards the Iranian nation over the past few years; this is an
imprudent and inept move."
Richier, before coming out to India as envoy, has dealt closely with the Iranian nuclear issue for close to a decade,
including participating in the earlier round of negotiations (2003-05), when Hassan Rouhani, Iran's present PM was the
lead negotiator, and Javad Zarif, currently foreign minister, was part of the delegation.
France has taken a lot of Western criticism for their action. In the past decade, France objected to George Bush's
decision to invade Iraq, and this time has stalled the rush to peace by Barack Obama.
US secretary of state John Kerry presented a united front. Richier added neither the US nor the EU poses any "hurdle".
In Abu Dhabi, Kerry said, ""The P5+1 was unified on Saturday when we presented our proposal to the Iranians... But Iran
couldn't take it, at that particular moment they weren't able to accept."
Date d’édition : 14/11/2013
‘We are more focussed on airing content in India and from India than generating revenues’
http://www.campaignindia.in Nov 13, 2013 By Ananya Saha
Filed under Marketing, India
Marc Saikali, director, France 24, on the international news channel’s India launch
After obtaining a downlink license in January 2011, international news channel France 24 has finally launched in
India (in English). The channel beams across regions in Canada, USA, Africa, Europe, Central and South
America, and Asia. Currently available through cable networks in India, the free-to-air channel has launched on
DD Direct+ and Dish TV to reach 31 million additional households in India, according to Marc Saikali, director,
France 24. He attributed the delay to time taken in signing distribution alliances.
The channel, which currently has a bureau of 15 journalists in India, is not too bullish on generating sales
revenues from the country. Saikali told Campaign India, “Right now, we want people to know about our channel.
We are more focussed on airing content in India and from India than generating revenues from the market.”
The young channel (born December 2006), is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the public-funded holding company
France Médias Monde.
The intent is to present news from the French and European perspective, but it would have to compete with
established international English news channels such as BBC and CNN. Saikali noted that France 24’s
presentation and content would make it stand out. To attract Indian audiences, the channel will air India-specific
special programmes. Francoise Champey-Huston, head of English channels, France 24, informed, “We will be
expanding our Indian programming, bureaus, and manpower in times to come.”
On the investment plan for France 24 in India, Saikali said, “We are investing in two stages. The first stage
involved paying Rs 15 million to be distributed in India. The second is advertising. The print advertising will begin
next week to let people know about France 24.”
While not sharing the budget earmarked for advertising, he said that France 24 would not be engaging other
media vehicles, but will focus on special events, like a campaign around the Cannes Film Festival for showcasing
Indian films. Once established, the channel will be advertising and marketing through local partnerships, he
added.
The channel is also exploring content alliances and partnerships with news channels such as Doordarshan.
On launching in other Asian markets, Saikali said, “We are trying for China. But it seems tough.
31 millions de foyers indiens pourront regarder France 24
Iwww.cbnews.fr Le 12/11/2013 par Thierry Wojciak
La chaîne publique d'information France 24 qui vient d'étendre sa diffusion aux Etats-Unis, a annoncé mardi le
renforcement de sa diffusion en Inde où elle touche désormais 31 millions de nouveaux foyers. France 24 a en
effet conclu un accord de distribution pour être présente en version anglaise dans deux offres de télévision par
satellite (DD Direct+ et Dish TV) dans le pays, ont précisé ses dirigeants lors d'une conférence de presse à New
Delhi. La chaîne peut déjà être reçue sur le câble par 7 millions de foyers en Inde. Au total, France 24 peut
désormais être regardée par un quart des foyers indiens disposant d'une télévision. Face aux chaînes
d'informations internationales en anglais, France 24 veut en particulier montrer "sa capacité à offrir une couverture
en profondeur avec par exemple des programmes qui reviennent sur les lieux d'une actualité pour montrer ce qui
a changé en rencontrant les acteurs locaux", explique Françoise Champey-Huston, responsable de la version
anglaise de France 24. France 24 est reçue par 222 millions de foyers dans 185 pays, et affiche une audience
hebdomadaire cumulée d'environ 35 à 40 millions de téléspectateurs. Elle émet 24 heures sur 24 en trois langues
(français, anglais et arabe).
France 24 inks deals with DD, Dish to expand in India
SME Times News | 13 Nov, 2013
Paris-based television channel France 24 Tuesday expanded its operation in India through government-run DD
Direct+ and Dish TV, that will make it accessible to one in every four Indian households having TV.
"France 24 English version is moving into the heart of Indian society and offering special programming covering
political, economic and cultural news in the country," Marc Saikali, director of France 24, said at a media
conference in Delhi.
Saikali said the channel has concluded new distribution agreements in India and is available on free-to-air DirectTo-Home service (DTH) DD DIRECT+, owned by public broadcaster Prasar Bharati.
The channel has also signed deal with private Dish TV.
With these agreements, the channel will be available 24/7 to 31 million additional households across the country.
These will be in addition to the seven million households that already receive the channel via cable, Saikali said.
France 24, a 24-hour non-stop international news channel, offers services in French, Arabic and English.
“In its coverage of news from a French perspective, the newsroom based in Paris and the hundreds of
correspondent offices worldwide seek to highlight the expression of diversity, the confrontation of opinions, and
also open a window on France, its cultural, economic, political, social life and of course its lifestyle,― MarieChristine Saragosse, chairperson and chief executive officer of France Medias Monde, the group in charge of
French international media, said in a statement.
France 24, other global channels eye India polls
Hindustan Times (Delhi)
13 Nov 2013 BY Zia Haq [email protected]
NEW DELHI: More and more foreign news broadcasters are beaming into India, a sign of growing global interest
in politics in the world’s largest democracy, where a general election is due. France 24, a leading French news
channel in English, launched on Tuesday.
The direct-to-home mode, part of India’s mandatory changeover to a fully digital broadcasting sector, has seen
many international channels make forays. After the Dohabased Al Jazeera’s 2011 debut, Russia Today launched
on a leading DTH service. Last year, India blocked 24 foreign channels seeking to tap a growing market due to
permission issues.
France 24 plunged into the heart of domestic politics with an interview of foreign minister Salman Khurshid. Its
website quoted Khurshid as saying that internal issues indeed scuttled PM Manmohan Singh’s Lanka visit. France
24 labelled the story “exclusive”, while many national dailies described the PM’s decision as a “diplomatic error”.
“We want to explain India for the world, not replace your understanding of it,” channel head Françoise ChampeyHuston told HT.
Asked what the discourse in French media was around the polls, François Picard, who will anchor a prime show
on Indian politics, said: “(We’d see) going forward will politics (in India) be inclusive or divisive.”
English Language Assistants in France Programme
English Language Assistants in France Programme
English Language Assistants in France Programme
The intake for 2014 is open! Last date to apply is Dec 2nd 2013!
The English language Assistants in France is a popular and successful programme that gives a unique
opportunity to discover the French language and culture first hand. By living and working in France, the
English language assistants improve their knowledge of the French language and culture and they also
are invested in sharing their English language skills by teaching at various positions in schools, colleges
or training institutions.
Every year, we select young Indian students learning the French language, holding a Bachelor's degree in
French or a DELF B1 diploma along with a minimum band score of 7 in the IELTS (International
English Language Testing System) examination. The English language Assistants teach English or assist
the English teacher, according to the academic level - Primary, Secondary or Senior Secondary for a
period of 7 months.
The programme is an opportunity for them to improve their linguistic skills by living and working in a
French environment. On one hand, the French schools receiving the young Indian assistants benefit from
their knowledge as native English speakers. On the other hand, assistants help their students to explore
the fine nuances of the English language as well as discover the richness and diversity of India and its
culture.
Please download the documents below for more detailed information on the programme and the two
registration forms.
*Please note that the documents are in French. A good level of French is a prerequisite.
Question the Script
Thu Nov 14 2013 By Debesh Banerjee
Not someone who minces words, Israeli filmmaker Amos Gitai says, “If you love your country in a real way then
you have to speak in a free way. You don’t have to agree 100 per cent with everything but you have to speak
freely.” This freedom of thought has fuelled Gitai’s work for more than two decades, making him one of the most
celebrated filmmakers to emerge from Israel.
On his way home from the Kolkata International Film Festival, the 63-year-old stopped by Delhi, for a screening of
his critically acclaimed 2007 film, Disengagement, starring Juliette Binoche. Gitai’s works have largely been critical
of Israel’s policies and
often been deemed anti-national because of his sympathies with
the Palestinians. “I am touching sensitive issues in my films. I cannot understand how people in my trade want to
keep everyone happy,” he says.
Disengagement, which was screened at Alliance Francaise in association with the Embassy of Israel on
Tuesday, links a woman’s search for her daughter against the backdrop of the eviction of
Israeli settlers from the disputed Gaza strip. “Some events inspire only one film, others, a number of films. I have
been exploring the subject of Disengagement over a long period,” says Gitai.
The filmmaker, whose father was an architect, studied architecture from the University of Berkeley, California, and
his mother “never took cinema seriously”. He never trained professionally as a filmmaker, but forayed into cinema
in the early ’80s at the end of the Yom Kippur war of 1973, (in which Egyptian and Syrian armies sprung a surprise
attack on Israel). Gitai was an army rescue pilot and his helicopter was shot down by a Syrian missile on the fifth
day of the war. “When we returned from the war, we had many questions, about the destiny of the country, social
injustices and issues that should be questioned. Somebody needed to ask those questions, and only an artiste
could do that,” he says.
It took Gitai another 27 years to make his critically acclaimed autobiographical film based on that war, titled Kippur
(2000). “It is a war engraved in my memory and it shaped my conscience. At first, I wanted to forget the war, so it
took a long time to gather energy and make that film,” he adds.
Even before Kippur, Gitai’s films were making many in the country uncomfortable during the conservative period of
the ’80s. His 1980 film Bayit (The House) and Yoman Sadeh (Field Diary, 1982), were regarded as inflammatory,
which forced him into exile in Paris for more than a decade.
Gitai used the period to learn about cinema and “surrounded myself with great masters”. He cast German dancer
Pina Bausch and Italian filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci in one of his films (his only acting project) and “in breaks
would discuss cinema techniques with Bertolucci”.
After his return to Israel in the early ’90s, he created feature films such as Yom Yom (1998), Kadosh (1999), Alila
(2003) and Free Zone (1995). “For me, impactful cinema is one that is not consumed like a hamburger. It leaves a
trace,” he says.
Of late, his works have been more inward looking, exploring his links with his parents through films such as
Carmel (2009) and Lullaby to My Father (2012). He also recently inaugurated an exhibition at the Museum of
Modern Art, New York, based on his father’s work as an architect. Even after all these years, he still likes the
thought of questioning decisions. “When I will not be questioning, I will stop making films,” he says.
La visite en Inde en images
www.najat-vallaud-belkacem.com
2013/10/29
Droits des femmes Publié le 29 octobre 2013
Du 24 au 28 octobre, je me suis rendue en visite en Inde à New Delhi pour initier le dialogue entre nos deux pays
sur les droits des femmes. Voici quelques images de cette visite.
Ci-dessus rencontre avec les féministes indiennes.
Rencontre avec Shashi Tharoor, ministre de l’Éducation
Rencontre avec Krishna Tirath, ministre des femmes et des enfants
Avec les policières et policiers de New-Dehli qui luttent contre les violences faites aux femmes
Avec le responsable de la police de New-Dehli pour parler de lutte contre les violences faites aux femmes.
Rencontre avec Najma Heptulla, sénatrice indienne pour échanger sur les questions de parité.
India, France face same issues on women: French minister
www.sarkaritel.com
October 29, 2013
New Delhi, Oct 29 Cultures of France and India are completely diverse but both
countries face the same challenges when it comes to issues of women’s empowerment,
visiting French Women’s Rights Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem said.
Women face discrimination at the workplace and are experiencing it more so in the wake
of the current economic crisis, which began in 2008, Vallaud-Belkacem said at an
Interactive Session on Women’s Empowerment organized by FICCI Ladies Organisation
and the French Embassy here.
She said the French government has resolved that 40 percent of women will hold senior
management positions in companies by 2017.
To elevate the position of women at the workplace, the French government has come up
with initiatives, which will help in reducing the gender gap such as parental leave instead of maternity leave in
India.
The maternity leave only allows a woman to take leave but parental leave can be availed by both the father and
mother.
“Parental leave will help the woman in sharing the responsibility of taking care of the child with her husband,” she
said.
Vallaud-Belkacem added that companies in France having more than 50 employees have been asked to list out
the gender inequalities that they have been experiencing in their organizations and how to deal with them.
The minister said the biggest hindrance a woman faces in start-up businesses is lack of finance as private banks
are wary of lending them big sums of money, rendering the project unviable.
Hence, the French government has established public investment banks catering to women entrepreneurs for
funding their projects, she added.
Date d’édition : 15/11/2013
Children's book illustrator from France
Children's book illustrator from France
The Book Office of the Institut français en Inde / Embassy of France in India is pleased to invite Olivier Tallec to
India as part of the 6th edition of Bookaroo, the much-awaited children’s literature festival. Organized by the
Bookaroo Trust, the festival is committed to bringing good literature to children and focuses on the promotion of
learning, reading and drawing activities by means of interactive talks and creative workshops for children of all
ages and their families. Bookaroo features some of the worlds’ leading authors, illustrators, storytellers, theatre
people, publishers, editors and schools. So come and be part of the festival where the biggest names in children’s
literature will once again play host and spread the joy of reading through their performances, music and craft.
Apart from this, Olivier will tour three other cities in India. So catch up with Olivier Tallec at:
Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai International Litfest, MUMBAI
Saturday, 16 November
10.30 am – 12 pm: “Illustrating Stories”
Type: Illustration workshop
Age group: 8 – 10 years
Venue: National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA)
On registration / limited seats
For more details, please visit http://www.litlive.in/
PONDICHERRY
Tuesday, 19 November
9.30 am: Workshops at the French primary school in Pondicherry
5 pm: Meeting with journalists (Maison Colombani)
6.30 pm: Olivier talks about his works at “Café littéraire” (Maison Colombani)
For members only. For more information, contact the Alliance française de Pondicherry at (0413) 222 31 81
DELHI
Friday, 22 November
4 pm – 5.30 pm :The Third Character
Type: Illustration workshop
Age group: 6 – 10 years
Venue: Oxford Bookstore, N-81 Connaught Place
On registration / limited seats
For registration, contact Atika Bose at + 91 11 4054 5441
Saturday, 23 November
12.15 pm – 1.15 pm: “The Third Character” (at The Crafty Corner)
Type: Illustration workshop
Age group: 6 – 8 years
Venue: Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA)
On registration / limited seats
Sunday, 24 November
11 am – 12 pm: “How to Become an Illustrator” (at The Crafty Corner)
Type: Illustration workshop
Age group: 6 – 8 years
Venue: Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA)
On registration / limited seats
For more details, please visit http://bookaroo.in/
KOLKATA
26 November - 28 November
Olivier participates at the Indo-Franco-German project on comic books in partnership with the Bengali comic book
studio "Trendy Toons". As part of the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Elysee Treaty, comic book
authors from the three countries including Sarnath Banerjee, Dipta Charbak, Jörg Reuter and Olivier Tallec will
come together to work on a joint project.
Biography - Olivier Tallec
Olivier Tallec was born in Brittany in 1970. After graduating from the Ecole Supérieure d'Art graphique in Paris he
worked in advertising as a graphic designer, after which he devoted himself to illustration. Since then he has done
numerous illustrations for newspapers and magazines and has illustrated over 70 books for children. He's
fascinated by textiles and by all forms of popular culture. An avid traveller, he divides his time between Paris,
where he lives, and far-flung adventures.
Website of Author : http://www.oliviertallec.fr/
Post colonial francophonie : symposium at Delhi University and literary evening at the Institut
français.
Carl De Souza in conversation with Judith Misrahi-Barak
Post colonial francophonie : symposium at Delhi University and literary evening at the Institut français.
A symposium on “Post colonial francophonie – texts and contexts” was organized by Delhi University from the 7th
to the 9th of November. Thirty researchers and authors from India, Mauritius, Cameroun, Ireland, South Africa,
Canada, Morocco, Algeria, The United States of America and France participated in the symposium and made
presentations on post colonial literature of French speaking
At the literary meet-up at the CSH library organized by the Institut français en Inde, it was an evening of book
readings from the works of Sylvie Kandé (France, USA) and Car De Souza (Mauritius). The two authors were also
in conversation with Professor Kusum Agarwal from Delhi University and Professor Judith Misrahi-Barak from the
University of Montpellier.
French B-schools merge
Thursday, November 14, 2013 By Shilpa Vasudevan - CHENNAI
We have often heard of mergers between big corporates but Rouen Business School and Reims
Management School, both in France, have come together to create a new B-school, Neoma Business
School. Excerpts from an interview with Frank Bostyn, Dean of Neoma Business School.
What was the reason behind the merger?
We can no longer deny that the Grandes Ecoles are now facing increased global competition. And to remain a
leader in this environment we must gain in visibility and impact. It was absolutely necessary for the two schools to
act on a larger scale. Our organic growth is not fast enough, the merger was therefore natural and a logical option,
as other French schools have done before us.
Both schools appeared as ideal partners to each other. They had a similar size and positioning (even international
policy, for example), geographical proximity to Paris, close positions in the rankings, and the same pattern of
recruiting students. They knew each other for a long time (creation of Ecricome in 1987, founding members of the
chapter, co -creators of CEP 2009). These initiatives have allowed each one of them to learn to work closely
together.
What do you hope to get out of the merger?
My objectives for the school are clear. I do not focus only on growth, what is most important to me is to ensure the
best quality of our programmes. Our mission as a business school is to meet the needs of companies producing
competent and enlightened managers. While some go for numbers, I prefer to commit to the results. However,
without giving specific numbers, we hope to continue the growth initiated by the two schools.
For students, joining Neoma Business School, the first and foremost added value is the access to excellent
training facilities in a school that has triple accreditation, and that offers an internationally recognised degree.
Apart from this, Neoma Business School offers its students the possibility of evolving on truly multicultural
campuses which have representatives from more than 110 countries.
Another important benefit is the strong alumni network — it allows access to a network of graduates where there
are more than 40,000 professionals based around the world. This provides the assurance that Neoma graduates
have access to global positions.
Will these lead to any changes in the programmes offered?
It is important to note that no programme will disappear as such, because the portfolio of both the schools is highly
pertinent. Some programmes merged because of similar characteristics and were revised. Prospective students
will especially discover the new Grand Ecole master’s that will be delivered both in Rouen and Reims campuses,
from September 2014 onwards. Besides the Grande Ecole master’s, Neoma Business School considers it as their
priority to develop powerful international programmes (MBA, executive MBA and executive education) that are
able to meet international standards.
Asian office for INSEAD dean
Thursday, November 14, 2013 By Shilpa Vasudevan - CHENNAI
An external view of INSEAD’s Asia campus.
INSEAD, a leading business school with campuses in France, Singapore and Abu Dhabi, appointed Prof
Ilian Mihov as its new dean on October 1. An economics professor, Mihov joined INSEAD in 1996 and we
understand that he will be based in the school’s Asia campus and discharge his duties from there. A
favourite in INSEAD, he has been nominated several times as one of the best teachers in MBA and EMBA
programmes and won the Outstanding Teacher Award in 2006, 2008 and 2009. His research finesse
extends to topics such as monetary policy, fiscal policy and economic growth. A research fellow at Center
for Economic Policy Research, London, UK, Mihov has also served as member of Scientific Committee of
Banque de France’s Research Foundation from 2002-2010 and on the Advisory Board of Bulgarian National
Bank. In 2010/11 and 2011/12, he served as a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on
Fiscal Crises.
Professor Mihov’s papers have appeared in many academic journals including American Economic Review and
the Quarterly Journal of Economics. Mihov holds a PhD from Princeton University and a bachelor’s in business
administration from Moore School of Business at University of South Carolina where, in 2006, he was recognised
as a Distinguished Young Alumnus. Since 2011, he has served as deputy dean for faculty and research
responsible for recruitment of new faculty, as well as for development of over 140 professors at INSEAD. He also
oversees the PhD programme at INSEAD and the Research and Development committee. After settling into his
job, Prof Mihov spoke to edex over the phone about his plans for his premier school.
What is INSEAD’s USP?
At INSEAD, we share the characteristics of several renowned B-schools. We insist on academic excellence. By
academic excellence, the quality of teaching takes precedence over other aspects. We want to infuse innovation
in the way we deliver our lectures. Not only teaching material, we are always coming up with revamped
methodology and new ways of presenting our materials. We are one of the biggest builders of simulations, which
our students and in general participants have used and admired so much. To give you proof of how seriously we
take our research — in Forbes Top 50 Management and Leadership Thinkers, seven INSEAD professors have
been mentioned — this is the biggest number for any B-school in the world. INSEAD also strives very much for
diversity in our student profiles — for our MBA programme, we have students from 84 nationalities.
We hear you are going to be based in Singapore and not the parent campus of INSEAD, France. Why?
We would like to be recognised as a global B-school with imprints in three continents. While it is natural
to be surprised that I am not going to operate from our flagship campus, France, it was more of a strategic
move by the Board to move my base to Singapore, since it is a much more happening place in recent times. We
want to deepen our relationship with Asia and expand further.
In the wake of the Euro crisis, there are some doubts about a management education in Europe. How’s the scene
in INSEAD?
With two-thirds of our revenue coming from Europe and its companies, Europe remains the biggest market for us.
INSEAD’s student diversity is much appreciated by MNCs who recruit from us since they tend to rely a lot on
cultural teamwork. We don’t expect any diminishing interest in either INSEAD or the European market.
Tell us about your future plans. Do we see INSEAD expanding to other countries?
Our flagship MBA spans 10 months and with an MoU with Wharton Business School, USA, you can study at
Singapore, USA or Europe. Though USA is the biggest market for management education, having established an
alliance with Wharton, we are thinking more of Brazil as a probable location in the future, though it is early days.
We being not affiliated to a university helps us reign in the entrepreneurial spirit more.
What courses are offered?
We offer MBA, executive MBA, executive education, master’s in finance, executive master’s in consulting and
coaching for change and PhD. Details at www.insead.edu.
France 24 renforce sa diffusion en Inde
http://www.lapresse.ca Publié le 12 novembre 2013
Agence France-Presse New Delhi
La chaîne publique d'information France 24 a annoncé mardi le renforcement de sa diffusion en Inde où elle
touche désormais 31 millions de nouveaux foyers.
France 24 a conclu un accord de distribution pour être présente en version anglaise dans deux offres de télévision
par satellite (DD Direct+ et Dish TV) dans le pays, ont précisé ses dirigeants lors d'une conférence de presse à
New Delhi.
La chaîne peut déjà être reçue sur le câble par 7 millions de foyers en Inde. Au total, France 24 peut désormais
être regardée par un quart des foyers indiens disposant d'une télévision.
«Avec une présence renforcée en Inde, nous allons faire des efforts pour consacrer plus de temps et avoir une
couverture plus complète de l'Inde», a déclaré Françoise Champey-Huston, responsable de la version anglaise de
France 24.
Pour les dirigeants de la chaîne, il s'agira de montrer aux téléspectateurs indiens ce que peut offrir d'original une
chaine internationale d'informations basée en France.
«Nous sommes une chaîne totalement libre. Comme l'Inde, la France est un vieux et sage pays et nous pensons
que tout n'est pas blanc ou noir mais peut être gris et qu'il s'agit de l'expliquer», a dit le directeur de la chaine,
Marc Saikali.
Face aux chaînes d'informations internationales en anglais, France 24 veut en particulier montrer «sa capacité à
offrir une couverture en profondeur avec par exemple des programmes qui reviennent sur les lieux d'une actualité
pour montrer ce qui a changé en rencontrant les acteurs locaux», a dit Mme Champey-Huston.
À l'occasion de son renforcement en Inde, la chaîne a réalisé plusieurs de ses émissions - débats, interviews,
programmes thématiques - dans le pays.
France 24 est reçue par 222 millions de foyers dans 185 pays, et affiche une audience hebdomadaire cumulée
d'environ 35 à 40 millions de téléspectateurs. Elle émet 24 heures sur 24 en trois langues (français, anglais et
arabe).
Meeting point
November 15, 2013
Cinema In a career spanning almost four decades, auteur Amos Gitai gives us the value of hope, the importance
of understanding the other. Anuj Kumar
Building bridgesAmos Gitai
Celebrated Israeli filmmaker Amos Gitai is known for his relentless pursuit to find a middle
ground in the polarised West Asia. Fighting odds, film after film he has given us the human
side of the conflict with films like “Kadosh”, “Kippur”, “Free Zone” and most recently, “Ana
Arabia”, an 81-minute single-take film. He calls the technical achievement a metaphor for
the co-existence between Jews and Arabs that the film depicts.
Recently in India for the Kolkata International Film Festival, Gitai, whose
documentaries and feature films are a common feature at Cannes and Venice film
festivals, says he is inspired by the Bengal school, particularly Ray, Ghatak and Sen. In Delhi, he attended
an evening in Alliance Francaise, where his film “Disengagement” was screened.
Here he takes questions on his cinema and the politics of it.
Your films provide a ray of hope in the state of conflict, something that brings the other to the table.
You can say that. I see cinema as a way of asking questions about reality, about some of the endless conflicts.
They may not be resolved but we can create the understanding of the other side. Through my films I tried to create
a dialogue. The cinema can create a bridge. I am a trained architect — I never studied films — I know the
importance of constructing bridges. Cinema is not an intimate art like painting. Here you have to work with people.
You will be a good filmmaker if you know how to work and lead a group. You should be able to use others’ talent
and not just your own.
Your cinema is rooted in Israel but blossomed in France. How did it happen?
My films exist because of two countries. Israel inspired most of them and France made them possible. I
went for a few weeks to Paris in the early ’80s and these few weeks became seven years. There I polished
my craft. I hired the best technical crew, people who worked with Charlie Chaplin and Godard. I learnt a lot
from these people during coffee breaks. In some cases my own biography corresponds to larger events. I
went to (the Yom Kippur) war and when (Yitzhak) Rabin was elected in 1993, his Minister of Culture, who
was a Human Rights activist, invited me to come back. This was a very productive period and this
happened after I had worked on my technical skills in France.
In the process of making the personal public, time and again you have earned the ire of some people in the
establishment, and some Israeli critics find your work simplistic…
I belong to the generation of the Israelis who went to the Yom Kippur war. When we came back we had a lot of
questions and we are still asking them and this is the 40th year since the war. We need to ask questions. Many
times when we touch sensitive subjects, some people like it some don’t. That’s okay. I don’t understand why some
people in my profession of showbiz want to be loved by everybody. I don’t love everybody so why should I be
loved by everybody. The role of art is to speak up, try to heal when there is so much bloodshed.
How has been your experience with censorship?
In the beginning it was difficult because the powers wanted to control cinema. Things are improving now but still
politicians try to interfere. They think they should control the art. So we have to be on guard.
You have been able to explore grey areas and amity in a conflict where every side sees things in black and white
Nobody is angelic here. It is about modus vivendi. It is about knowing to live with imperfections. India went through
a similar process. I met some of the directors from Bengal who said the division of Bengal was culturally painful.
To me camera is a tool to create an understanding about the other. You don’t need to necessarily agree with the
other person. But you do need to understand his point of view. You cannot block yourself from the other.
Is it helping in changing mindsets?
Cinema is not the most efficient way to change the reality. I don’t want to make the politicians unemployed!
Sometimes we can open somebody’s mind. That’s it. But one must keep trying. When you are in a situation of
conflict if you lose hope you become a nihilist. You have to keep hope even if the hope is not realistic, it gives you
the energy to change.
Europe went through a similar process, why do you think peace still looks like a mirage in West Asia?
It is not an easy conflict. It is a collision of different universes, and cultures. Issues of religion and territory keep on
steering the conflict. You mentioned Europe but for the last century Europeans are teaching people how to
behave, when they almost managed to burn the continent and killed tens and millions of people.
Ultimately they learnt to live together….
But they paid very heavily. Now they think they are so noble and they see the rest of the world as savages. They
were more savage than anybody else. I prefer us not to go through the European experience. I mean you have to
reach a simple understanding that you may disagree but for that you don’t need to kill. You are not obliged to be
identical but that doesn’t mean you have to go to war.
How is the young generation responding to the conflict and your films?
There is a very contradictory situation. People are more open-minded now. On the level of consciousness
everybody in the Middle East knows what is the problem and what is the solution but the peace doesn’t seem to
be getting near. They are more exposed to the social scenario but the political situation is getting worse. If you do
a public opinion poll in Israel and Palestine, on both sides the majority will say they want peace but they won’t say
how and when. Recently, I watched “Home”, a film I made 30 years ago. The questions it raises are still valid. It
gives me pleasure as a filmmaker but as a citizen it gives me pain.
Long takes and limited but significant camera movement define your approach to mis-en-scene…
We live in a world where information is so much dissected that we don’t have mental space to interpret. Cinema
has to go against it. It should provide space. For me a good film starts once the projection is over.
Does working with popular names like Natalie Portman and Juliette Binoche a ffect your content? We should not
get disarrayed by names. The main thing is the subject. I haven’t done a film because of a name. Otherwise,
cinema becomes a consumer industry and you are finished. Independent cinema allows you the luxury to hold on
to your voice. I have had my share of red carpets but I like to put back my T-shirt. I don’t want to go home in a
tuxedo!
You give space to actors from Palestine…
Art is a symbolic gesture. If cinema can show a way of coexistence, there is a message not just for people behind
the film but also in front of the film. Are you looking for any collaboration in India?
I would love to. I have been to India many times. Some people are very impressed by the mystical side of
India I am more interested in the human quality. I did a master class in Kolkata. The questions were more
sophisticated than in Paris.
France 24 inks deals with DD, Dish to expand in India
November 12, 2013
France 24 inks deals with DD, Dish to expand in India
The Channel, a 24-hour non-stop international news channel, offers services in French, Arabic and English
Paris-based television channel France 24 Tuesday expanded its operation
in India through government-run DD Direct+ and Dish TV, that will make it
accessible to one in every four Indian households having TV.
"France 24 English version is moving into the heart of Indian society and
offering special programming covering political, economic and cultural
news in the country," Marc Saikali, director of France 24, said at a media
conference here.
Saikali said the channel has concluded new distribution agreements in
India and is available on free-to-air Direct-To-Home service (DTH) DD
DIRECT+, owned by public broadcaster Prasar Bharati.
The channel has also signed deal with private Dish TV.
With these agreements, the channel will be available 24/7 to 31 million additional households across the country.
These will be in addition to the seven million households that already receive the channel via cable, Saikali said.
France 24, a 24-hour non-stop international news channel, offers services in French, Arabic and English.
"In its coverage of news from a French perspective, the newsroom based in Paris and the hundreds of
correspondent offices worldwide seek to highlight the expression of diversity, the confrontation of opinions, and
also open a window on France, its cultural, economic, political, social life and of course its lifestyle," MarieChristine Saragosse, chairperson and chief executive officer of France Medias Monde, the group in charge of
French international media, said in a statement.
"BOLLYWOOD EXPRESS", HINDOU VOYAGE
Le 13 novembre 2013 Par PHILIPPE NOISETTE
Dans une rue de Mumbai, Vandana Joshi, la star de "Bollywood Express" prend la pose entre deux figurants. ©
Manuel Lagos Cid
A MUMBAI, NOUS SOMMES ALLES A LA RENCONTRE DES ARTISTES DE CE NOUVEAU SHOW INDIEN
TRES EPICE, QUI VA BIENTOT ENFLAMMER LA FRANCE.
Mumbai change à vue d’œil. Mais certaines choses restent ici immuables, ainsi l’esprit de famille. « Bollywood
Express », petit dernier des shows musicaux indiens, est l’affaire de deux sœurs, Shruti et Vaibhavi Merchant,
artistes, et de Pranav, leur frère producteur. « Mon grand-père, Shri Hiralal Merchant, était chorégraphe à
Bollywood dans les années 1940 ; mon père, lui, est devenu... constructeur. Nous avons repris le flambeau de la
danse, ma sœur et moi », murmure Shruti Merchant. Dans l’espace loué pour l’occasion, la demoiselle lâche à sa
troupe : « Je ne veux pas manger, j’ai une répétition à mener à bien. » Et la vingtaine de danseurs et acteurs de la
suivre dans une séance chorégraphique intensive. « Je ne l’ai jamais vu fatiguée », ajoute Tanay Pinglay, qui joue
le rôle du narrateur dans un français parfait. Professeur de formation, il a tâté du théâtre régional avant de se
retrouver pris pour ce « musical » à toute allure. « L’objectif de “Bollywood Express” est de transporter le public
dans un autre monde. Mais la danse, omniprésente en Inde, des temples à la rue, c’est presque notre réalité de
tous les jours ! »
LA MONDIALISATION PASSE PAR LA CULTURE POPULAIRE
Commence la présentation avec ces figures très physiques, le bassin qui ondule, les bras qui n’en finissent pas
de rythmer les chansons. On verra même une danse avec Ganesh, le dieu éléphant, brandi par les garçons.
Comme dans les films des studios indiens, c’est irrésistible. « J’avais travaillé sur “La fabuleuse histoire de
Bollywood”, un autre spectacle, raconte Shruti Merchant. J’ai voulu franchir le pas et créer mon show. Mais audelà du style Bollywood, il y a des danses traditionnelles comme le kathak ou le théâtre de masques. Sans oublier
le bon gros mariage à l’indienne ! » dit-elle en riant.
« Bollywood Express » reprend la trame d’un show précédent monté pour les Chinois, qui raffolent de l’exotisme
indien, et pour les grandes salles du pays. Car la mondialisation passe aussi par la culture populaire. Poussés par
un producteur français, les Merchant ont imaginé cette nouvelle histoire d’une Française aux racines indiennes qui
revient dans son pays d’origine et le découvre. Des images tournées en Inde vont servir de toile de fond. Et même
si on entend dans la bande-son un ou deux tubes du film « Slumdog Millionaire », pas question ici de faire dans le
misérabilisme. Déluge de couleurs, sourires aux lèvres, tout est pensé pour vous faire oublier vos soucis. Dans ce
quartier plutôt tranquille de Mumbai, Mahim, le monde semble définitivement merveilleux. Les studios où l’équipe
de « Bollywood Express » répète ce jour-là abritent également des productions télé ou parfois des films.
Priyanshu Painyuli, star de "Bollywood Express" et les danseuses.© Manuel Lagos Cid
A quelques kilomètres, on prend rendez-vous avec l’autre star du spectacle, Bipin Tanna, un banquier devenu
styliste. « Je dessinais des tenues pour mes collègues à la banque, je crois que j’avais déjà l’âme d’un artiste »,
raconte ce personnage aussi haut en couleur que ses créations. Ici, c’est le temple de la paillette, du strass, du fil
doré. Son atelier est au fond d’une ruelle sans prétention. Il peut veiller sur l’atelier tout proche où s’entassent
cinq petites mains – tous des hommes. Bipin Tanna fait vivre aussi des habitants du bidonville voisin par ses
commandes. Il a créé des centaines de costumes pour « Bollywood Express » avec une dizaine d’assistants et 40
tailleurs. « Je préfère travailler avec des danseurs et des chorégraphes, comme les sœurs Merchant. Les stars
des films de Bollywood sont trop compliquées ! Elles sont capricieuses, vous font attendre et tout refaire... » Pour
« Bollywood Express » les broderies voisinent avec le fluo, le traditionnel avec le sexy – « Ces pièces osées, je
leur donne le petit nom de “Lido” ». Coût d’un costume : 8 000 roupies facturé 10 000 au producteur, soit à peine
plus de 100 euros. On fait remarquer à Bipin que c’est une affaire, sa marge étant mince. « Je n’étais pas un bon
banquier mais je suis un bon menteur...»
Qu’on se rassure, les spectateurs de « Bollywood Express » en auront pour leur argent. Une de ses vedettes, la
belle Vandana Joshi, possède un regard de velours, les garçons du show n’hésitent pas à tomber la veste et
montrer leurs muscles. Le glamour a rendez-vous avec les mille et un dieux de l’Inde. Ce voyage pour les sens en
première classe promet. La folie et l’esprit indien en plus.
« Bollywood Express », en tournée actuellement dans toute la France. Du 14 au 17 novembre, au Casino de Paris.
Nouvelle résidence de la Maison de l’Inde à la Cité international
Architecture | Le 12 novembre 2013
Dans le cadre de la coopération universitaire entre la France et l’Inde, le gouvernement indien a financé à hauteur
de 6,8 millions d’euros la construction d’un nouveau bâtiment de 72 chambres à la Cité internationale universitaire
de Paris pour accueillir des étudiants et des chercheurs indiens.
Réalisée par Intégral Lipsky+Rollet architectes, avec M. Bikas C Sanyal, directeur de la Maison de l’Inde, maître
d’ouvrage, assisté par VE Consulting, la nouvelle résidence a ouvert ses portes au terme de 13 mois de travaux.
Ce bâtiment qui jouxte l’actuelle Maison de l’Inde a été édifié sur une parcelle de terrain gracieusement mise à
disposition du gouvernement indien par la Chancellerie des Universités de Paris.
Première construction depuis 1969, cette extension marque l’entrée de la Cité internationale dans une phase
nouvelle de son développement.
L'agence Intégral Lipsky+Rollet architectes a relevé le challenge inédit de construire un bâtiment de 7 niveaux en
bois/béton. Elle a cherché à minimiser au maximum l’impact au sol du bâtiment pour laisser la place au paysage.
L’usage de la structure en bois lamellé-collé présente de nombreux avantages : préfabrication en usine de
panneaux de longue portée, montage rapide sur le chantier, épaisseur de l’isolation réduite, bonne résistance au
feu. Des panneaux solaires en toiture assurent 35 % de la production d’eau chaude sanitaire.
PARMI LES PLUS GRANDS LOGEMENTS À LA CITÉ
Disposant de ses propres accès, hall d’accueil et salle de réunion, la nouvelle résidence pourra fonctionner de
manière autonome par rapport au bâtiment d’origine. Elle abrite, à chaque étage, des cuisines collectives
garantes de sociabilité entre les résidents. Les 66 chambres individuelles et les 6 chambres doubles, équipées de
leurs propres douches et sanitaires, disposent de loggias individuelles, orientées au Sud et à l’Est.
Parmi les plus grands à la Cité (19 m2 pour les chambres individuelles et presque 25 m2 pour les chambres
doubles), les logements, équipés d’un mobilier dessiné par les architectes, sont éclairés naturellement par une
grande baie vitrée positionnée juste au-dessus du bureau. Les chambres, peintes en rouge, bleu et violet selon
leur disposition dans le bâtiment, sont pourvues de nombreux rangements intégrés. A l’intérieur de chaque
cuisine, la référence à l’Inde est matérialisée par des peintures Warli, chacune d’elle illustrant une légende
indienne.
PLAN D'AMÉNAGEMENT DE LA CITÉ UNIVERSITAIRE
L’extension de la Maison de l’Inde est la première construction nouvelle à la Cité internationale depuis 44 ans. Ce
projet s’inscrit dans le cadre ambitieux du projet de développement de ce site. A terme, la Cité internationale sera
en mesure d’accroître sa capacité d’accueil de près de 30 %.
En effet, le 8 avril dernier, Bertrand DELANOË, Maire de Paris, François WEIL, Recteur de l’académie et
Chancelier des Universités de Paris, et Marcel POCHARD, Président de la Cité internationale universitaire de
Paris ont signé une convention approuvant le nouveau Plan d’Aménagement de la Cité internationale et la
désignant comme maître d’ouvrage de l’opération.
Ces engagements s’inscrivent dans la droite ligne de l’échange foncier historique conclu en avril 2011 entre l’Etat,
la Chancellerie des Universités de Paris, la Ville de Paris et la Cité internationale qui permettra la réalisation de
près de 1 800 nouveaux logements étudiants et chercheurs à la Cité internationale.
Ce projet d’aménagement marque une volonté commune : faire de la Cité internationale universitaire de Paris un
campus exemplaire à l’international sur le plan urbain et sur le plan de la vie étudiante. Le schéma
d’aménagement sera financé dans le cadre de la démarche Plan Campus - Vie étudiante à Paris présentée par la
Ministre Geneviève FIORASO le 21 mars dernier.
L.P Image credit: Lipsky+Rollet
Dipavali au rythme de la danse Odissi
publié le 6 novembre 2013 Par SAINT-ANDRE
Dipavali au rythme de la danse Odissi
Avant le spectacle du 8 novembre prochain à la SGA, les sœurs Patnaïk animent des ateliers dans les établissements scolaires de Saint-André.
Devasmita et Madhumita Patnaïk figurent parmi les têtes d’affiche de l’édition 2013 du Dipavali à Saint-André.
Avec leur disciple réunionnaise Bélinda Encatassamy, ces spécialistes de renommée mondiale de la danse
traditionnelle Odissi présenteront le vendredi 8 novembre prochain à la salle Guy Alphonsine (SGA), un spectacle
intitulé Nritya Ananda. Ceux qui ont assisté à leur performance présentée en avant-goût devant la mairie
dimanche dernier ont déjà eu l’occasion d’apprécier le talent hors pair de ces danseuses originaires de l’Orissa
dans l’Est de l’Inde.
Avant la Réunion, les sœurs Patnaïk, se sont déjà produites aux quatre coins de la planète : Etats-Unis, Japon,
Brésil, Malaisie et dans plusieurs pays européens. En tant que seule interprète native de l’Odissi, Dévasmita est
une véritable icône de la danse classique Odissi en France. Sa grande sœur, Madhumita, elle, a mis en scène
une multitude de pièces de théâtre et de chorégraphie depuis 1976 dont celle de la célébration nationale du 50e
anniversaire de la libération de l’Inde en 1998 à Pondichery.
Hier, et tout au long de cette semaine, dans le cadre du Dipavali, les prestigieuses "globe-trotters" ont partagé leur
passion avec les petits Saint-Andréens. Les élèves de CE2/CM1 de l’école Lacaussade étaient les premiers à
profiter de cette occasion. D’autres suivront. Les 22 marmailles ont appris hier des postures et des mouvements
divers : des vagues sollicitant toutes les articulations, la grâce du lotus qui s’épanouit ou encore l’envol d’un
oiseau... "La danse Odissi englobe plusieurs disciplines : la littérature, les légendes, les mythes, l’histoire, mais
aussi les mathématiques avec le calcul des temps et du rythme et même l’architecture par rapport aux postures.
C’est très enrichissant pour les enfants. Dans la danse classique indienne, le moindre petit détail a son
importance pour incarner la beauté : le costume, le mouvement du corps et même le clignotement des yeux",
explique Devasmita dans un français parfait (elle a vécu en Pondichery).
Nritya Ananda, présenté par le trio à la SGA vendredi, est un spectacle composé de tableaux, de postures
sculpturales symboliques relatant la vie des Dieux.