MxMIndia

Tag: Vidya Heble

  • Verbs have their places in black and white, not including grey areas. Vidya Heble counts the shades

    Speaking of Which | Shall We Disappear You?

    By Vidya Heble

     

    There is a venerable text by a venerable pair of birds, Wren and Martin. Those over 40 should know about it, and those under that should too, if it is still the standard for school grammar education since I was there. It is titled High School English Grammar and Composition, and it is always called the Wren & Martin, and it has been published by S Chand & Co in slightly different versions of the same utilitarian cover with the insides, as far as I can tell, unchanged.

     

    And as far as I can tell again, there isn’t any reason to change them. Grammar has not, fundamentally, changed. Yes, some words and phrases have expanded in meaning and shifted shape a little, like elastic-waisted jeans that help the wearer absorb delicious dinners without popping a button. But the essentials of grammar are still what they were. A noun is a noun, and the parts of the sentence still need to be in their places for the sentence to make sense.

     

    We may not always need to know why something is right or wrong, except when we’re explaining them to someone else. Generally when writing or editing I don’t usually need to look up points of grammar. After 25 years on the job, language generally comes naturally to one. But when I get onto the Speaking of Which soapbox, and I have to justify my pontification, that’s when a tome is useful. There is a choice of volumes – Fowler’s, Oxford Companion, Websters, a selection of Penguin titles. But to explain one particular point of grammar I had to dig out my Wren and Martin.

     

    That point of grammar is the verb – transitive versus intransitive. In grammarese, an intransitive verb is a verb that has no direct object. This is distinct from a transitive verb, which takes one or more objects. The verb property is called transitivity. Very broadly and a bit simply, a transitive verb is something that you do to someone else. And an intransitive verb is one that you do yourself or to yourself. You don’t have to worry about which verb is called what, although the word “trans” = “transfer” will help you remember if you want to. Far more important is to remember that an intransitive verb should not be made to do a transitive verb’s work. One instance of this is people using (or misusing) “disappear” thus. “He disappeared the file,” was one. You can’t do that. You can make the file disappear, or you can do away with the file. Or you yourself can disappear, as I wish perpetrators of these grammatical injustices would do.

     

    In English, of course, there are grey areas. It has been compared to a woman’s wardrobe in terms of its lack of logic, although these days a man’s wardrobe would compete quite satisfactorily for that. The verb “grow” used in conjunction with money is one which baffled me for a while. “Grow your money” sounded terribly wrong but then what about growing plants? There’s no one-size-fits-all rule here. Finally I decided that you should not grow inanimate objects. Grow tomatoes, yes. Grow money – nice concept but it won’t happen. You can, however, make your money or your company grow, and here’s hoping you benefit majorly from it.

     

  • It used to be suo moto. Now it seems to have turned into suo motu, which sounds wrong to Vidya Heble. Anyone there to clarify?

    Speaking of Which | So Suo Me

    By Vidya Heble

     

    Now and then I dip into other newspapers and every time I think I have indeed made the right choice with my Hindustan Times subscription. It’s not perfect, but no newspaper can be (ok maybe the New York Times but we don’t know for sure, do we?) and HT is probably as good as it can get. Mistakes are few and far between, and often excusable as what I call “genuine typos”.

     

    Now and then HT surprises one with a zinger of the nice kind, such as the other day when they described an upscale neighbourhood as “tony”. An unusual word to use but I’m glad they did; people who don’t know what it means will either get the drift, or (one hopes) look it up and thus be educated as well as edified.

     

    Then I turned a page.

     

    In a report about something to do with courts, there was the phrase “suo motto”. Even typing it makes me laugh; it evoked a hearty chuckle when I read it. Actually the phrase suo moto is one of the topics on the Speaking of Which list, because it usually gets printed as “suo motu”, which may be amusing to those of us who know Hindi, but is also incorrect. That is, as far as I know. Apparently a Wikipedia entry gives the definition for “suo motu”, but the only instances I can find of its use are on sub-continent news sites. I still think suo moto – which exists in Latin definition lists – is the right phrase, and anyone who can back it up with a proper Latin dictionary or the equivalent will get a box of chocolates with no compulsion to share it with me.

     

    Literally translated, suo moto means “on its own motion.” The term generally refers to a situation wherein a judge acts without request by either party to the action before the court. Perhaps if the judge made a quip while doing so, it could well be suo motto.

     

  • Besides common avoidables such as stealing other people’s ideas and being caught gossiping in the aisles once too often, there are some quirky traits that may be driving colleagues up the cubicle walls and you may never know…

    The Anchor: 5 no-nos in the office. No matter what

    By Vidya Heble

     

    #1 Stealing people’s food. This is the big one. You do not have to be the person who shares their food. It’s the era of portion control and diet selection. It’s fine not to share. But do not be the person who steals from the fridge, however tempting that salad in the unidentified lunchbox may look. Leaving aside the question of world famine for now, it is crushing to realize that someone has been boorish enough to eat one’s carefully packed food.

     

    #2 Vocalising your aargh. It’s a stressful world, none more so than media and advertising. And there is this cutesy trend to actually say “Aaarghh!” out loud, growling the aargh. Don’t. It’s not cutesy, it startles people around you, and it shows you up as a loose cannon who may have a screaming fit any moment. Channel your frustration in one of many other non-disruptive ways.

     

    #3 Brushing out your hair. It’s lustrous, long and lovely… and when you brush it out at your desk, it travels across to other people’s. No one likes hair straggling across their work, and god help you if it reaches a high-strung creative type.

     

    #4 Being the sound-effect person. Clackety heels or – sometimes worse – flats announce your approach. Your bag is set down with a thump, both actual and vocalized by you. You sigh dramatically as you take your seat. You wonder aloud why the computer is slow and implore it not to die (a phone call to tech support would help). Everyone else is hoping you shut up soon.

     

    #5 Spreading your mess. Whether it’s your meeting notes on scrap paper or the printouts from your slick presentation – no one will lurve them if you leave them lying around on desks other than your own. If it needs to be junked, put it in the waste basket or the shredder. And if you have the habit of carting your lunch or snack box to a colleague’s desk and carelessly leaving it there when you’re finished…  what kind of slob are you?

     

    Vidya Heble is Deputy Editor of MxMIndia and – ahem – often works from home.

     

  • Besides grammar and spelling, here are some other etiquette tips for writers

    The Anchor: 5 tips on how to make writing copy-editor-friendly, if there is such a thing

    By Vidya Heble

     

    #1 Making it bigger / bold / coloured doesn’t work if your writing is bad. In fact, if it is big, bold and/or coloured, editors may regard your writing with suspicion even if it is perfectly good. Just use a standard font – MS Word’s defaults are fine – and a decent size such as 12 points.

     

    #2 Look it up. Don’t use a word that you think sounds like the word you should actually be using. It could mean something else altogether.

     

    #3 If it’s a long word, ask whether it needs to be there. If it’s a long sentence, practise saying it. If it’s convoluted, shorten the words and the sentence because you’ve probably created a bhelpuri that doesn’t belong.

     

    #4 Don’t use sms speak in official communication, even if it is chat or, in fact, sms.  Good language is a good habit. Not only will it tell the recipient that you care about how you say what you say, it will also make disciplined communication second nature for you. Note that this does not apply when you are chatting with friends or making non-official posts on Facebook – here you’re free to do what you like.

     

    #5 Don’t forget the basics. If you’re writing a story, type your name at the top or the bottom of it, or put your name in the filename if possible. Yes, you sent it from your email address but the editors are likely to have more things on their plates than your masterpiece, so don’t make them go hunting down the origin of the story for the author’s name, when they get round to editing it. If you’re sending out a press release, check the file name. Don’t send out ‘(Company name) revised’, or ‘(CEO’s first name)’. Give it a short explanatory filename which includes the bare basics, such as ‘MxMIndia 1st Anniversary’ for instance.

     

    Vidya Heble is deputy editor at MxMIndia, and is thrilled when good copy comes her way.

     

  • Perhaps afraid of committing themselves with a "will", or wanting to sound polite and ineffable, more and more people are using "would" in the wrong place. Vidya Heble tries to restore order

    Speaking of Which – The Woulds Are Not Lovely

    By Vidya Heble

     

    Perhaps afraid of committing themselves with a “will”, or wanting to sound polite and ineffable, more and more people are using “would” in the wrong place. It is reminiscent of the backlash against “me”, which resulted in everyone saying “I” even when “me” was the correct word. That wave has begun to recede, fortunately, but there’s a new one upon us. It’s the tsunami of the “would”.

     

    I see it in at least one press release every other day, and I kid you not. There’s an announcement of someone’s impending appointment or a product launch or an event, and we are told, “So-and-so would take charge on Monday.” “The gadget would be priced at Rs x.” It should be obvious to the reader that “will” is the right word to use in these instances. So why don’t they say “will”? (Or are they secretly telling us that So-and-so would take charge on Monday if he could shake off the massive hangover he’s bound to get after the Sunday party? And that the gadget would be priced at Rs x if the marketers felt generous, but instead they are selling it at Rs x++, suckers?)

     

    I can only imagine that it is some sort of desire to sound fancy – that is what drives most of the drivel these days.  But being wrong is not fancy at all, and the sooner the would-wielders learn it, the better.

     

    “Would” is, of course, used by news writers when quoting someone in indirect speech, ie without inverted commas. For example: The announcement would revolutionize the industry, he said. “The announcement will revolutionize the industry,” he said. When “would” is used in the context of a future event, it indicates a condition attached to it – ie, “I would if I could”. It is also a super-polite way to say “will”, but not quite in Press Release Land: “Mr Tochuka Sui would be happy to attend.”

     

    There are many other legitimate uses of “would”, and who better than the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv43.shtml)  and the British Council (http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/english-grammar/verbs/modal-verbs/will-or-would) to explain them?

     

    I would hit the sack now if I could, but there are miles to go before I sleep.

     

    Vidya Heble is Deputy Editor at MxMIndia, when she is not twitching obsessive-compulsively.

     

  • There are those who argue that accurate grammar and spelling doesn’t matter as long as the message gets through. Vidya Heble begs to differ

    Speaking of Which: Why words matter. Why everything matters

    By Vidya Heble

     

    I had a little run-in on a discussion board recently with someone who argued fiercely that attention to grammar and accurate language should stop when the workday stops. Sure, she has a point, though I don’t agree with it. In any case, it’s one that was valid some – many – years ago, when our work lives and our non-work lives were demarcated fairly clearly. We swiped out or signed out and went home, and lived our other lives. Those of us who had a telephone may have had some seepage of work into their personal lives but if that happened it was an emergency; it was not expected and certainly not taken for granted.

     

    Nowadays, work and life are one and the same thing, as the constant tap-tapping on diminutive keyboards all around us demonstrates. I’ve staunchly resisted getting a smartphone because I don’t want to be working 24/7. Though I work primarily from home, I want to be able to switch off when required, and not take my email with me to the vegetable market.

     

    But for many, it’s taken for granted that even if they are with their immediate family or close friends at a personal event late at night, an email can be read and answered, a work call can be made. It’s insane. Work is almost never switched off. It is also the reason one cannot switch off grammar and spelling, either. There is no excuse for using language badly, but at least a case can be made for informal usage, shortcut spellings specially in the age of SMS, and a disregard for grammar that, when done well, can be charming (for example, the deliberate muffing of the language on icanhascheezburger.com).  But that’s when you’re at play, not at work.

     

    Today, there is practically no demarcation between work and play. We write emails side by side with Facebook posts. Breaking the rules in one seeps through into the other, hence it’s better to follow the rules for both. For those who communicate, communicating well needs to become second nature.

     

    But how much does grammar and spelling matter? Let’s find out. Back when Arundhati Roy won the Booker Prize, the Sunday edition of a certain publication carried comprehensive coverage of her and her family, mainly her mother Mary Roy who was already a very well-known person in a different sphere. The story on Mary Roy was written by someone based in a part of India where, as I learnt later, they pronounce “Marie” as “Mary”. (How they pronounce Mary, I have no idea.) So the publication’s correspondent wrote the whole story about “Marie Roy”, and because she was senior enough, no one questioned it. And so it was that this Sunday publication was probably the only one in the country which talked about Arundhati Roy’s mother “Marie” Roy. Incidentally, that correspondent was the same person who had the argument with me (and ended it by unfriending me on Facebook).

     

    Spelling may not matter to some… but what if you are the one whose name is misspelt? What if the name you misspelt belongs to a future boss of yours?

     

    That’s why it matters. Try to get it right. Because someone, somewhere will notice.

     

    PS: On a Singapore Airlines flight I read an article on tea in their inflight magazine Silver Kris. The brand of tea Twinings was spelt “Twinnings”, a surprising gaffe for a magazine of that quality. I happened to know the writer of the article and later asked her how the mistake had happened. “Oh but that’s the spelling,” she said. “Haven’t you seen the brand in the supermarket?” I asked her. “Of course I have,” she said, “that’s the name, Twinnings.” Lesson: You can wave the brand name under the writer’s nose but you still can’t make them spell it right if they don’t want to.

     

    ‘Speaking of which’ is a new fortnighly series that (or should we say ‘which’?) will, among other things, talk of common errors people in our media make, and how good usage can make for better communication. Written by Vidya Heble, Deputy Editor, MxMIndia and Managing Editor, The Blue Pencil Company, a content editing and writing start-up. Vidya has over two decades of experience in advertising, print and online media… in India, the Gulf and Singapore. She has also edited books, written speeches and communiques and recently took a sabbatical to set up and execute the online avatar of a popular show.

     

  • Infer or imply? Discreet or discrete? Evoke or evince? Common misunderstandings can lead to confusing writing… Vidya Heble in 'Speaking of Which'

    Speaking of Which: Confounding Confusions

    By Vidya Heble

     

    Using the right word can ensure your brief or release or presentation is accurate; using the wrong word that sounds right could mean the difference between “enter” and “inter”. If there are words you are unsure of, and which you need to look up more than once, add them to a list which you can easily refer to, when you need clarification. There’s nothing wrong in admitting that one needs to look something up – I do it all the time. With gadgets at our fingertips, accessing a dictionary or a thesaurus or even an encyclopaedia has never been easier. When in doubt, look it up. Meanwhile, here’s the kickstart to your list.

     

    convince / persuade

    One convinces a person that something is true but persuades a person to do something. “Pointing out that I was overworked, my friends persuaded [not convinced] me to take a vacation. Now that I’m relaxing on the beach with my book, I am convinced [not persuaded] that they were right.”

    Tip: Don’t use “convince to”, it should be “persuade to” and “convince that”.

     

    historic / historical

    Historic means important in history. Historical refers broadly to what has gone before, in history (whether important or not).

    Eg: “The historic meeting between heads of state was held in the historical Great Hall.”

     

    beside / besides

    Beside is a preposition that means next to: “Stand here beside me.” Besides is an adverb that means also: “Besides, I need to tell you about the new products my company offers.”

     

    alternately / alternatively

    Alternately means one after another, taking turns. Eg: “We carried the bag alternately on the walk home.” Alternatively means on the other hand; one or the other, as an alternative. Eg: “You could buy a cooking range, or alternatively you could just go for an induction cooktop.”

     

    discreet / discrete

    Discrete is not a fancy way of spelling discreet. Discreet means careful, prudent, modest. Eg: “Her discreet handling of the case earned her accolades.” Discrete means separate or individually distinct. Eg: “Each section operated discretely.”

     

    farther / further

    Farther refers to distance, further refers to degree or extent.

    Eg: “We can go farther with more petrol, but discussing it any further is pointless.”

     

    literally / virtually / practically

    These are not words you can freely interchange.

    Literally means that it actually happened. Eg: “When I heard the knock on the door I literally fell out of my chair.”

    Virtually is an imagined happening. Eg: “She virtually drooled over the shoes in the shop window.”

    Practically is hand in hand with virtually, and almost there. Eg: “He practically spat the words out at her.”

     

    flaunt / flout

    To flaunt means to show off in a brazen way. Eg: “They missed no opportunity to flaunt their win.” To flout means to show scorn or contempt for something, usually a law. Eg: “The older boy was a misfit and often flouted the rules.”

     

    leach / leech

    leach – to empty, drain, or remove

    leech – a bloodsucking worm or to a person who preys on or clings to another; also a verb meaning to (archaic, unless people still practice this somewhere in the world) bleed with leeches or (current) act as a parasite

     

    imply / infer

    Imply means to suggest indirectly, while infer is to draw a conclusion.

    Eg: I imply that your work is below standard. You infer that I hate your guts.

     

    ‘Speaking of which’ is a new fortnighly series that (or should we say ‘which’?) will, among other things, talk of common errors people in our media make, and how good usage can make for better communication. Written by Vidya Heble, Deputy Editor, MxMIndia and Managing Editor, The Blue Pencil Company, a content editing and writing start-up. Vidya has over two decades of experience in advertising, print and online media… in India, the Gulf and Singapore. She has also edited books, written speeches and communiques and recently took a sabbatical to set up and execute the online avatar of a popular show.

     

  • First person accounts on 'The Year That Was' from Team MxMers

    First Person Team accounts by: Alok Kapuria, Tuhina Anand, Vidya Heble, Johnson Napier, Shruti Pushkarna, Ananya Saha, Meghna Sharma, Akash Raha, Robin Thomas, Shubhangi Mehta, Insiyah Rangwala, Rafiq Barak & Kishor Kate

    While some of those who were part of our founding team have moved on, we value their contribution in helping MxMIndia attain the success that it has.  Presenting Team MxM accounts on ‘The Year That Was’:

     

    Alok Kapuria: A superb innings

    We have been able to achieve what we aspired to, and that is gaining editorial trust and respect from everyone from the industry. All one needs is clarity of thought. I feel proud to say that we at MxMIndia have managed to keep our environment clutter- and confusion-free.

    http://www.mxmindia.com/?p=30606

     

    Tuhina Anand: Giving something more… &more!

    MxMIndia has always been about pushing boundaries, it’s about giving an edge to our coverage, knowing that when people will read the same stories on different media the next day, they will realize that we have gone that extra mile to give our readers something more meaningful.

    http://www.mxmindia.com/?p=30623

     

    Vidya Heble: A year of living excitingly

    Getting the story, ensuring it is accurate, telling it well… we do it all in a sort of measured frenzy, and though we have moments when we think we’re going to fall short, it somehow all comes together

    http://www.mxmindia.com/?p=30624

     

    Johnson Napier: Daring to dream

    Though it has turned a year old now, MxMIndia’s story is one that could easily be referenced by aspirers or businessmen as a model to go by when launching a venture of a similar kind in future.

    http://www.mxmindia.com/?p=30609

     

    Shruti Pushkarna: A year of learning happily

    When I look back now, I can say I got a chance to do a lot of other stuff that I wouldn’t have done in my conventional role as a TV producer. But back then, the first time I was writing and reporting a story, the idea seemed ridiculous!

    http://www.mxmindia.com/?p=30627

     

    Ananya Saha: Short but sweet

    I have not been a part of this journey for long, but it looks promising. It has been a good month chasing crazy stories, always-tied-up in-meeting people, and just-do-or-die deadlines.

    http://www.mxmindia.com/?p=30607

     

    Meghna Sharma: Happy to be here

    We are small team; some work from home; but somehow, the office never feels empty. We discuss work, industry trends and ideas. And of course, have our share of fun too. Who doesn’t love a little office gossip?.

    http://www.mxmindia.com/?p=30625

     

    Akash Raha: Being different

    What makes me proud is when I see a media house reports fearlessly on issues. There are obvious disadvantages of doing that. Losing friends in the industry is one, and if I may, even losing an advertiser.

    http://www.mxmindia.com/?p=30690

     

    Robin Thomas: The journey has just begun

    Despite the tough competition in the market, brand MxM has already created positive vibes, not just among the media industry but also with advertisers and agencies.

    http://www.mxmindia.com/?p=30626

     

    Shubhangi Mehta: MxM’emoirs: An experimental voyage

    The admirable element of working with MxMIndia has been that whether one is a beginner looking to express one’s own voice or someone experienced looking for inspiration, there has been room for it all.

    http://www.mxmindia.com/?p=30628

     

    Insiyah Rangwala: Breaking through the comfort zone

    MxM for me personally has been a great experience. It has been a fantastic stepping stone in the media field, as well as just a great place to start one’s working life.

    http://www.mxmindia.com/?p=30608

     

    Rafiq Barak: Getting the picture

    Of all the tasks, the one that is the most challenging but also fruitful for me is preparing imagery for the Big Story.

    http://www.mxmindia.com/?p=30629

     

    Kishor Kate: High on feel-good factor

    One of the best things about working with MxMIndia is the fact that I am constantly learning new things, and the exposure it offers me to various multinational companies and big media houses, many that I have only heard about.

    http://www.mxmindia.com/?p=30610

  • Back in the gory old days of hard-copy reports and chattering teleprinters (huh, what?), reporters got short shrift from editors. Today’s comparatively cossetted bunch may like to take a peek into the past, says Vidya Heble

    The Anchor: 5 old-school rules for today’s writers

    By Vidya Heble

     

    #1 Your story got laughed at.

    You wrote that fancy intro – and the editor read it out, mockingly, to the rest of the newsroom staff who chuckled while you stood there red-faced. This is exactly what happened to me, and I remember which story it was as well as the lavender prose that I thought made a great opening paragraph. Lesson: There’s a difference between lyrical and laughable, and the quicker you learn it, the better.

     

    #2 Your story got mangled.

    Maybe your language wasn’t clear. Did you try to write fancy? If so, the sub-editor didn’t get it. The end result – your story ends up very different from what it was supposed to be. Lesson: Write simply and clearly.

     

    #3 Your story died.

    There were times when your carefully composed prose just vanished. Was there a black hole into which it had gone? Yes, it was called the news editor’s dustbin, and if you asked why that had happened, you got sat down for a lecture, if you were lucky, or more likely ridicule. Lesson: If you want it to survive, write it well.

     

    #4 Your big story of the day was an obituary.

    Newbies were taught the hard way, and the deceptively simple obituary or death notice was among the starting courses. You had to get it right, and if you didn’t, you got – yes, ridiculed. Lesson: No job is too small, no story too simple.

     

    #5 You rose the hard way.

    You worked your story well, you wrote it well, you cooperated with the editing desk to make it look good. And when it shone, you got that boost. Not like today where one rises at the job almost as easily and quickly as one rises in the elevator. (By “pushing the right buttons”? Wicked.) Lesson: It may seem as if hard work doesn’t pay, but you get a reward that the easy risers don’t.

     

    Vidya Heble is Deputy Editor at MXMIndia.com.

     

  • MXM India's Vidya Heble recollects the personal side of Bal Mundkur – offbeat, eclectic and tad spicy.

    Obituary – Bal Mundkur: Slogans, spice and a bite of ‘song’

    By Vidya Heble

     

    “Bal Mundkur has passed away.” It seemed an impossible thing to believe, but the fell hand had indeed taken him, on the morning of January 7, 2012.

     

    It was on a winter day many years ago when I first met Bal Mundkur at his home, Surya, on the banks of the river Mandovi in Goa. He was, of course, a legend and I trembled inwardly at actually meeting him, albeit in a personal capacity.

     

    His career as a naval officer and aviator had been followed by an illustrious innings in advertising, which he had famously given up to retire in Goa. ‘Retire’ was only figurative, because he proceeded to put his unrelenting energy into designing and building his house, and then lending his prodigious talent to projects which he felt would benefit society, including restoration of a fort and setting up of a museum. He even found his way into an offbeat little film (http://wn.com/rare_indie_goa,_ma_cherie_part_1) which is quintessentially ‘Bal’.

     

    “For the Royal Society for Asian Affairs, where he contributed an article on ‘Incredible India: The Inconvenient Truth’, he described himself “as neither an activist nor a frustrated journalist but as a dispassionate commentator”.

     

    People in Goa looked on him with awe, and he was known as a man of exacting standards and uncompromising expectations. Even my “Hello”, I felt, would be subjected to scrutiny. But he was delighted to meet a fellow Konkani, and dwelt pleasurably on the joys of Konkani food, much of which he was not allowed to eat by then. Pickle, chutney and spicy food was out of bounds, but Uncle Bal, as I called him, managed to sneak teekha stuff onto his plate now and then. When he discovered that I can cook, he extracted from me a solemn promise to make him some standard Konkani dishes, among them potato ‘song’ – a simple dish of cubed potatoes cooked in well-sauteed onions, tamarind and a lot of chilli. I made a mental note to tone down the chilli for Uncle Bal, who of course read my mind and said, “Don’t forget, lots of chilli!”

     

    But Uncle Bal had so much else on his plate that he never did find the time to come over for a Konkani meal. With time and circumstances, I didn’t meet him again for some years. But being in the business of media news meant, inevitably, that our paths would cross professionally. When I rang him up after a long interval, to ask for an interview on Ulka’s anniversary, he remembered the long-promised ‘song’, and once again we assured each other that I would cook and he would eat, one day.

     

    As always, however, Uncle Bal had too much going on in his life. One never knew where he would be next – dashing between Goa and Mumbai, scooting off to Europe or South-East Asia or somewhere else – or what project he would take up. Perhaps fittingly, his last offering was the history of Indian advertising, Ad Katha, which was released at Ad Asia 2011 in New Delhi.

     

    But those who know him, know that he would not have rested after this. That fertile brain would have been working on something else, and he would have been ringing people up with exhortations to participate, to donate, to sponsor. His zeal was unwavering and his passion, perpetual. Somewhere he might even have found time to stop for a bite of ‘song’.

     

    We will all remember Bal Mundkur in different ways. I’ll recollect him with a dash of spice.