The Indian National Congress has made a significant shift in its ideology by amending its constitution seeking to provide 50 percent reservation for weaker sections. This marks a departure from its past as, historically, it did not support the cause of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and instead relied on its vote base of advanced castes, Dalits, and the minorities. The change in political dynamics over the years, and the consequent erosion of its traditional vote bank, has led to this shift. The Congress adopting the traditional Dravidian principles such as federalism, opposition to imposition of Hindi, and reservation for OBCs, is a strategic move to align with marginalised communities, particularly those in the north. It is an attempt to rebuild its political base, and connect with the aspirations of OBCs who have largely voted for regional parties. However, this shift is not without its challenges, as the Congress’s history of neglecting the demands of OBCs can undermine its credibility. Therefore, the party needs to demonstrate its commitment to these principles through continued emphasis and concrete actions.Social Justice: At its 85th plenary session in Raipur on February 26, the Congress made an important change in its constitution. It has guaranteed 50% reservation for SC-STs, OBCs, minorities, and women in the Congress Working Committee (CWC). It has also promised a dedicated Ministry for the empowerment of OBCs and reservation in the appointments of Judges in the higher judiciary. This is a significant shift from the party’s historical stance on social justice. Back in November 21, 1925, Periyar E. V. Ramasamy protested against the Congress’s refusal to accept his resolution for reserving posts in the party and legislature for non-Brahmins, and ultimately left the party along with 50 supporters. He had been advocating proportionate representation in Congress posts since he joined the party in 1919, but his efforts to convince the leadership were unsuccessful. Subsequently, he launched the Self-Respect Movement, which had a transformative impact on the socio-political history of Tamil Nadu. However, under the leadership of Mallikarjun Kharge, a Dalit leader with the full support of the Gandhis, the Congress has now passed this resolution.Previously, the Congress believed that its vote base was made up of advanced castes, Dalits, and the minorities and, as a consequence, did not support the cause of the OBCs. However, owing to changing political dynamics and the erosion of support from these groups, adopting traditional Dravidian principles – such as providing reservation for OBCs – has become inevitable for the Congress.State Autonomy and Federalism: On February 2, 2022 Rahul Gandhi delivered a 45-minute speech in the Lok Sabha, emphasising the importance of federalism and the States’ rights, a key Dravidian principle. He criticised the BJP government’s policy of centralising powers, stating that the diversity of India cannot be suppressed and that the country cannot be ruled from the Centre. Similarly, in 1962, CN Annadurai, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s founding leader and its first Chief Minister, gave a famous speech in the Lok Sabha advocating State autonomy and federalism. He also criticised the concentration of power in New Delhi and the interference of the Union government in States’ affairs. He argued for according more control to the States over their resources and development, and recognising the linguistic and cultural differences among the States. His speech was well-received by many members of Parliament. M. Karunanidhi, who succeeded Annadurai as Chief Minister, went on to establish the first state-level commission under the chairmanship of P. V. Rajamnnar in 1969 to study Union-State relations. Later, in 1974, he forwarded its recommendation, along with an Assembly resolution (1974) demanding State autonomy, to the Union Government requesting it “to effect immediate changes in the Constitution of India” in order “to establish a truly federal setup with full State autonomy”.Opposition to Hindi: The Congress’ outlook on the language policy has also undergone a shift, particularly in the context of the BJP’s emphasis on Hindi. During a speech at a Bharat Jodo Yatra rally in Rajasthan’s Alwar, Rahul Gandhi said: “If you want to speak to people of the rest of the world, Hindi will not work, English will.” He criticised the BJP for preventing poor children from learning English (by insisting on Hindi). He accused BJP leaders of speaking out against English and and its teaching in schools, despite their own children attending English medium schools. Gandhi acknowledged the importance of mother tongue, including Hindi, but argued that in order to communicate with the rest of the world, English was necessary.This shift proves that Periyar’s legacy lives on, as he was instrumental in launching a series of protests opposing compulsory Hindi in schools. C. Rajagopalachari issued an order on April 1, 1938, making Hindi compulsory in schools, during his tenure as the Chief Minister of the Madras Presidency. Protesting against this policy, Periyar raised the slogan “Tamil Nadu for Tamils” and was eventually jailed for two years. At the height of the anti-Hindi agitation thousands of people were jailed. Tragically, the agitators Thalamuthu and Natarajan were seriously injured in the police lathicharge and later died in jail owing to the harsh conditions inside. Rajaji, following the Congress’ decision to resign from the government as a mark of protest against the British government’s move to enter the Second World War in 1939. Ultimately, the government’s decision was withdrawn by Governor Erskine in February 1940.Periyar opposed the imposition of Hindi for the same reason articulated by Rahul Gandhi in Alwar now. Periyar opposed Hindi as a medium of education and preferred English over that language. He believed that Hindi would not only stifle the progress and progressive ideas of Tamils, but also destroy their culture. Other Dravidian leaders such as Annadurai and Karunanidhi too fought against the Congress for trying to impose Hindi again, post-1947.Today, M. K. Stalin, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and the president of the DMK, continues to fight for all these causes. The difference is that the fight now is against the BJP. Dravidianism, which emerged from the south, has gained so much relevance at the national level that it has become an ideological tool in the fight against the BJP in the north.Strategic Shift towards Dravidian Ideas: The Congress’ present shift is a strategic move aimed at aligning with marginalised communities, particularly the OBCs in the north. The party’s political base has been diminishing over time, and this is an effort to rebuild it. Sanjay Kumar’s (2013) study shows that, regardless of the BJP’s performance, it remains the preferred choice among Brahmins and other upper castes. In five consecutive Lok Sabha elections (since 1996), these groups heavily favouored the BJP, with the Congress trailing as a close second in winning over the upper caste voters. This trend continued in the 2014 and 2019 elections, resulting in a complete erosion of the Congress’ upper caste base.The Congress’ move comes in the context of the growing discontent among these communities and the BJP’s efforts to appropriate B.R. Ambedkar and thus win Dalit votes. Although the BJP has been successful in gaining the support of the upper castes, in the post-Mandal period OBCs have effected a ‘silent revolution’ by voting largely for regional parties. Therefore, the Congress has nothing to lose by supporting the policy of reservation for OBCs and adopting the social justice theme that would connect with the OBC vote bank, which is the largest social segment in India.Credibility Gap: However, it may not be easy for the Congress to reap the gains of its approach. Historically, the party has neglected the demands of OBCs due to the over-representation of the upper castes among its leaders. During the Constituent Assembly proceedings, the Congress avoided defining the OBCs, and its social policies led to numerous court verdicts against reservation for this segment in independent India. It took three years for the Congress government to establish the First Backward Classes Commission (with Kaka Kalelkar as Chairman) as mandated by Article 340. However, the Congress subsequently rejected the Commission’s recommendations on the grounds that caste-based reservation would disrupt India’s unity. It further argued that economic justice to be ushered in through planning would also take care of social justice. Despite demands for another commission to study the issue, the Congress refused to establish one.The Second Commission led by B.P. Mandal, known as the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Commission, was eventually established by the Janata Party Government. However, on returning to power, the Congress shelved the Commission’s report for another decade until the entry of V. P. Singh. When the V. P. Singh government, another non-Congress coalition government supported by regional parties such as DMK, the Telugu Desam Party, and the Asom Gana announced the implementation of the Mandal recommendations, the Congress joined forces with the BJP to topple the government. Such past actions have undermined its credibility vis-à-vis the policy of social justice.In a way, the upper caste resistance to OBC reservation with the support of Congress and BJP, facilitated the mobilisation of OBCs in the north during the post-Mandal era. This led to the erosion of the Congress’s vote base and the emergence of more regional parties in the north.It is in this context that the Congress may have to demonstrate its commitment to social justice through concrete actions and policies that benefit OBCs. Only by doing so can the party regain the trust and support of this crucial voting bloc.The Congress’ emphasis on federalism, the State’s rights, and the importance of the English language against the BJP’s insistence on Hindi will go a long way in defending India’s democratic and federal values. By opposing the BJP’s centralising policies and emphasising India’s diversity, the Congress is trying to uphold federalism, one of the basic structures of the Constitution. Moreover, the Congress’ support for English education can be viewed as a progressive stance towards empowering the marginalised communities and recognizing the importance of regional languages as a counter to the BJP’s cry of one nation-one language.The elevation of Dalit leader Mallikarjun Kharge as the party president indicates the party’s shift towards giving due representation to and empowering marginalised communities within the organisation. Nonetheless, Congress needs to demonstrate its commitment to this new direction before the general election of 2024 to regain the trust and support of the marginalised communities and challenge the BJP’s agenda.References:<ol><li>Kumar, Sanjay (2013), “Shift Towards Regionalisation of Indian Politics” in Sudha Pai (ed.)</li><li>Handbook of Politics in Indian States, Oxford University Press, New Delhi</li></ol><strong style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(33, 37, 41);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Subscribe to our channels on <a style="background-color:transparent;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(255, 53, 36);display:inline-block;margin:0px;padding:0px;transition:all 0.4s ease 0s;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.youtube.com/c/THEAIDEM"><strong style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(33, 37, 41);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">YouTube</a><strong style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(33, 37, 41);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;"> &amp; <a style="background-color:transparent;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(255, 53, 36);display:inline-block;margin:0px;padding:0px;transition:all 0.4s ease 0s;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/ELqD1D1bImgAP6MrG8jskq"><strong style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(33, 37, 41);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">WhatsApp</a>

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The Indian National Congress has made a significant shift in its ideology by amending its constitution seeking to provide 50 percent reservation for weaker sections. This marks a departure from its past as, historically, it did not support the cause of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and instead relied on its vote base of advanced castes, Dalits, and the minorities.

The Congress’ Dravidian turn: Course correction to take on BJP

<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">The three major bills introduced by Union Home Minister to replace Indian Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code and Indian Evidence Act have generated intense debate. The big question is whether it enhances inclusiveness in the judicial system or just makes it more punitive.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">The claims of removing colonial legacy and clearing the backlog of cases do not seem to be convincing at this point. The government has also chosen to bypass the democratic procedures that need to be observed while bringing such a major policy reform.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">The AIDEM discusses different aspects of this contentious move of the Narendra Modi government with Kalanidhi Veerasamy, DMK member of the Lok Sabha, Ravinder Kumar, Lawyer, Supreme Court and President of Rashtriya Mukti Morcha and Thulasi K Raj, lawyer at Supreme Court. Senior media person Anand Haridas anchors the discussion.<figure class="image"><img alt="600x600-1-1024x1024.jpg" src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/600x600_1_1024x1024_e81898957f.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_600x600_1_1024x1024_e81898957f.jpg 156w, https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_600x600_1_1024x1024_e81898957f.jpg 500w, https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_600x600_1_1024x1024_e81898957f.jpg 750w, https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/large_600x600_1_1024x1024_e81898957f.jpg 1000w" sizes="100vw" width="1000"></figure>

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The three major bills introduced by Union Home Minister to replace Indian Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code and Indian Evidence Act have generated intense debate.

Judicial Reform Or Paving the Way for a Police State?

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Tamil Nadu’s Three Year Long Demand to Abolish NEET Gains Fresh Traction Amidst New Controversies

<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;display:inline !important;float:none;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">In this detailed interview, Professor Jawahar Nesan, former Vice Chancellor and a key member of the Justice AK Rajan committee formed by the Tamil Nadu government points out that the NEET examination system has defeated its own proclaimed objectives at all levels and the only alternative left for all stakeholders, including the Union government is to scrap it completely. He pointed out that NEET has failed at the level of academics, in terms legal relevance and most importantly in the realm of social justice in the education sector. Watch Here.

Scrapping NEET Only Alternative, It Has Defeated Proclaimed Objectives

Malayalam (ml)

Tamil (ta)

English (en)

Hindi (hi)

Telugu (te)

Kannada (kn)

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Dancing To Her Tune

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An Unwritten National Autobiography

<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/images_1_6258d15665.jpeg" alt="images-1.jpeg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_images_1_6258d15665.jpeg 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_images_1_6258d15665.jpeg 500w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><div class="post-body clearfix single-blog-header single-blog-inner blog-single-block blog-details-content" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(85, 85, 85);font-family:Manjari;font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;"><div class="entry-content clearfix" style="box-sizing:border-box;counter-reset:footnotes 0;margin:0px;padding:0px;">People who read literature in India knew him, MT Vasudevan Nair. Language was no hurdle for his works to reach out beyond the state borders of Kerala. While Malayali diaspora took a handful of nostalgia along to the places they went, a little bit of MT was also in that.Today, the big business of literature finds translators to translate anything that moves. All tetrapods of literature are given awards that stink of corporate imperialistic nexus. But MT belonged to a different era when blood recognised blood, genius recognised genius. He got translated not once but several times.Basheer, Takazhi and MT were the triumvirate that could transcend the borders and stand tall among the Indian modernist literature. Yes, MT’s literature also had a fair amount of auto-fiction but he hoodwinked it with the magic of text. He was a persuasive minimalist both in writing and in person.An unsmiling MT could generate generations of readers who could smile through tears. MT wrote about a collapsing social structure that divested the old feudal class with their ill-gotten properties. But their social capital remained intact and could exert a lot of influence among the readers by becoming the surrogate emotional ethos of a transition time of Kerala’s socio-political history.<figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;display:block;height:auto;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;padding:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:1196px;" id="attachment_31084" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-31084"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/mt_1024x575_251dd09907.jpg" alt="mt-1024x575.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_mt_1024x575_251dd09907.jpg 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_mt_1024x575_251dd09907.jpg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_mt_1024x575_251dd09907.jpg 750w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/large_mt_1024x575_251dd09907.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-31084">MT during his Interview with Sabha TV (Watch <a style="background-color:transparent;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(255, 53, 36);display:inline-block;margin:0px;padding:0px;transition:0.4s;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NttnjeaVqn0">Here</a>)</figcaption></figure>When society evolved into a different being altogether, MT turned to the treasure trove of myths and itihasas to eke out allegories that explained the pain of loss, of class, roots and love. His literature spat on the face of bigotry, whether it was religious or familial. He was so stoically poised in his literature that none could have challenged him and expelled him from the world of literature.MT’s literature spoke of love and separation as vehemently as he wrote about the changing social complexions. But he was not sentimental. There was something in his writing that touched some chord in every reader. Before initiating themselves into Ambedkarite politics, the Dalit ideologues also, in their torturous nights of youth, pined for MT’s characters.Those who call the modernists, Dad Vibes, have really lost the sight of the forest while focusing on shrubs and thicket. MT was a forest that moved, as in the great tragedies. He remained a serious writer while the post modernists fell in the trap of publishers and wrote lightning stories and became laughing stokes.MT remains, so is the MT critique. That’s the beauty of a great writer’s life and of course, death.</div></div>

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MT: A Forest that Moved

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An ‘Overture’ Stringing The Pope, Yesudas and the ‘Songster Chaplain’

<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/1_cc9df0fe47.png" alt="വലതുപക്ഷവുമായുള്ള-സംവാദത്തിൻ്റെ-വ്യർത്ഥത-1.png" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_1_cc9df0fe47.png 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_1_cc9df0fe47.png 500w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><div class="post-body clearfix single-blog-header single-blog-inner blog-single-block blog-details-content" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(85, 85, 85);font-family:Manjari;font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;"><div class="entry-content clearfix" style="box-sizing:border-box;counter-reset:footnotes 0;margin:0px;padding:0px;">When old age shall this generation waste,Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woeThan ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say’st,“Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is allYe know on earth, and all ye need to know.” (John Keats, Ode on a Grecian Urn)<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/6_904b2e9f2a.jpg" alt="6.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_6_904b2e9f2a.jpg 147w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_6_904b2e9f2a.jpg 470w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined">Siddharth Tagore, Founder Director of Delhi’s <a style="background-color:transparent;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(255, 53, 36);display:inline-block;margin:0px;padding:0px;transition:0.4s;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.facebook.com/artkonsultindia/photos">Art Konsult</a> Gallery is no more. He cannot be contained in such a cold statement, so matter of fact like death itself. Besides the gallery, he founded magazines such as Art and Deal, Travel and Deal and many other publications. Even when he knew that he wouldn’t make any profit out of the publications, he invested money in them because he knew art wouldn’t survive without the literature surrounding it.&nbsp;Yet another venture of Tagore’s was an auction house, namely Art Bull. The name was perfect for a bullish art market of the 2000s. But the glitch was this: Siddharth Tagore was not bullish. Nor was he bearish. He was cherubic, complete with a benign smile on his face and a burning cigarette between his fingers. Whenever I came out after having a meeting with him, I would ask myself, was he cut for this business?&nbsp;Tagore could have been a poet and dreamer like his internationally renowned namesake of yesteryears.. After the pandemic period I met Tagore after a gap of four years at the Visual Art Gallery, India Habitat Centre where Art Konsult had organized a group exhibition. After the inaugural function, I shook hands with him and I realized that his hands had lost the firm grip though the warmth remained. “I have not been keeping well,” he told me.&nbsp;<div class="gallery galleryid-31051 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-full" style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:30px -8.96875px 0px;padding:0px;" id="gallery-1"><figure class="gallery-item" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;display:inline-block;height:auto;margin:0px 0px 1rem;max-width:33.33%;padding:0px 8.96875px 17.9531px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top;width:262.609px;"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/c_768x993_a7cec9742c.jpg" alt="c-768x993.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_c_768x993_a7cec9742c.jpg 121w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_c_768x993_a7cec9742c.jpg 387w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_c_768x993_a7cec9742c.jpg 580w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"></figure><figure class="gallery-item" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;display:inline-block;height:auto;margin:0px 0px 1rem;max-width:33.33%;padding:0px 8.96875px 17.9531px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top;width:262.609px;"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/b_768x985_3f8fb449e6.jpg" alt="b-768x985.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_b_768x985_3f8fb449e6.jpg 122w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_b_768x985_3f8fb449e6.jpg 390w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_b_768x985_3f8fb449e6.jpg 585w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"></figure><figure class="gallery-item" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;display:inline-block;height:auto;margin:0px 0px 1rem;max-width:33.33%;padding:0px 8.96875px 17.9531px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top;width:262.609px;"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/a_7888f94e4b.jpg" alt="a.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_a_7888f94e4b.jpg 121w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_a_7888f94e4b.jpg 385w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_a_7888f94e4b.jpg 577w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"></figure></div>Then on another occasion, at the same gallery, I met him again, this time without the crowd. He preferred to wear a pair of fading blue jeans and white shirt, a reminder of those romantic 1970s when every youth in West Bengal dreamt of poetry, love and revolution. Jeans and Shirt were the uniform of love and revolution. I think, when Tagore came to Delhi as a young man, he carried those qualities along, plus his sense of dressing. Lovers in those days smoked rather constantly and drank Old Monk Rum.&nbsp;On that day when I met him, Tagore told me that he had quit smoking, which was news to me. I couldn’t have imagined the man without a cigarette between his fingers or at least a packet of cigarettes to fuss with. I understood the gravity of the situation.&nbsp;Then again, we met when Praveen Upadhyay of the Progressive Gallery at Laddo Sarai organized a talk session with art professionals that included Tagore, Prayag Shukla, Vinod Bharadwaj and myself. Tagore was supposed to talk about the art market. When the mike was handed over to him, he fussed with it for a while and said that he always wanted to make it big by promoting young artists, but somehow, he never made huge business.<figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;display:block;height:auto;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;padding:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:689px;" id="attachment_31054" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-31054"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/7_768x511_149563fe01.jpg" alt="7-768x511.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_7_768x511_149563fe01.jpg 235w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_7_768x511_149563fe01.jpg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_7_768x511_149563fe01.jpg 750w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-31054">Siddharth speaking to the media at Art Konsult</figcaption></figure>Then I remembered Tagore telling the same during the market boom years that lasted in India for around ten years starting from 2005 to 2015. In 2008, the world market had collapsed, but the Indian art market using its cunning and reserve withstood the pressures and dragged the impending failure for a few more years only to revive itself by the beginning of the third decade of the new millennium.&nbsp;Had Tagore acquired a penchant for failure despite his resilience in running a gallery, publications and an auction house for over three and a half decades ? Did he enjoy calling himself a failure in the art market? Was he romantically involved with the idea of failure even when he kept others who were with him in the business, floating? I don’t know for sure. But Tagore remained grounded and rooted; he tried his best to keep himself away from the nefarious market practices.&nbsp;There were a few people who stood with Tagore in his highs and lows (lows that lasted for not some months but for years together), never deserting him, following his orders. Prashant Seal and Rajula Bisht are two people I remember. These two people have been so close to his heart and even after his twin daughters joining him in the business, both Seal and Bisht never lost their position as the confidantes of Tagore. He loved them like family.&nbsp;I met Siddharth Tagore in 1995. He had started Art Konsult in Hauz Khas Village. Meena Tagore (now Meena Varma) was with him then. Late Vijayan Kannanpally was the editor of Art and Deal. With the growth of art scene, Tagore’s gallery also grew in stature. Art Konsult was one of the few A listed galleries in the city. Tagore took it to South Delhi’s art district, Laddo Sarai during the boom years and later relocated it to Hauz Khas again.&nbsp;<figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;display:block;height:auto;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;padding:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:562px;" id="attachment_31055" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-31055"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/0_768x512_88eabd3bbc.jpg" alt="0-768x512.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_0_768x512_88eabd3bbc.jpg 234w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_0_768x512_88eabd3bbc.jpg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_0_768x512_88eabd3bbc.jpg 750w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-31055">Siddharth Tagore with art critic and curator Jyoti A Kathpalia at the Art Konsult, New Delhi</figcaption></figure>It was in his Laddo Sarai phase that I joined him as the Editor of Art and Deal. It was the same when he decided to start Art Bull and Travel and Deal. I brought out around ten issues of Art and Deal between 2010 and 2013, with a gap in 2012 when I joined the United Art Logistics to establish the United Art Fair. Tagore literally lent me to the other organization with a promise that I could walk into the editor’s office at any time that I wanted. And I did go back.&nbsp;As a part of Tagore’s team, he gave me full freedom to edit the magazine and curate exhibitions. I curated a few shows and introduced a few new artists of which some are very reckonable names in today’s art scene. The exhibition ‘Merging/Submerging’ was a showcasing of contemporary photography art and ‘R.A.P.E’ (Rare Acts of Political Engagement), an all-woman show responding to the brutal murder of Nirbhaya in Delhi. This exhibition was a super hit and was discussed in all the print and television media. Art Bull did do a couple of exhibitions and auctions. I did not take much interest in it though Tagore hoped that his auction house could change the scenario and also break certain monopolies. Tagore also initiated an Art History Lecture series which I conducted on his behalf.&nbsp;Siddharth Tagore remained true to his calling. With a kind of detachment, he sponsored exhibitions that he knew well, would not bring any business. He was an avid collector of folk and tribal art and together with Meena Varma, he initiated an organization called ‘Art of the Earth’ for promoting the folk and tribal art of India, much before the ‘folkploitation’ of today’s art market became rampant. Tagore helped whoever came to him with a request for an exhibition or an immediate financial relief. &nbsp;<figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;display:block;height:auto;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;padding:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:640px;" id="attachment_31053" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-31053"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/3_e1734762508660_669x1024_7c977a7959.jpg" alt="3-e1734762508660-669x1024.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_3_e1734762508660_669x1024_7c977a7959.jpg 102w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_3_e1734762508660_669x1024_7c977a7959.jpg 327w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_3_e1734762508660_669x1024_7c977a7959.jpg 490w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/large_3_e1734762508660_669x1024_7c977a7959.jpg 653w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-31053">Siddharth Tagore signing the <a style="background-color:transparent;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(255, 53, 36);display:inline-block;margin:0px;padding:0px;transition:0.4s;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://amzn.in/d/4TijcgO">book</a> “Ganika- In the visual culture of the 19th-20th Century India” at the Art Konsult</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/4_560x1024_090314e000.jpg" alt="4-560x1024.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_4_560x1024_090314e000.jpg 85w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_4_560x1024_090314e000.jpg 273w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_4_560x1024_090314e000.jpg 410w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/large_4_560x1024_090314e000.jpg 547w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined">When artists in Calcutta packed their wares and set out for Delhi, they knew Siddharth Tagore was there if nothing else worked (perhaps he was their primary destination), along with cigarettes and Old Monk Rum. He never discouraged the people who came to him with a clear intention to exploit. He was not cautious about relationships that brought him a fair amount of heartburn. As I said elsewhere, Tagore was a poet in his heart, with a heart ready to bleed for love and art.</div></div>

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