CPR is pleased to invite you to a seminar on
Private Wealth, the State and Popular Reaction: Parallels and Contrasts Between Contemporary India and the US Gilded Age
Thursday, 30 July 2015, 11:30 a.m.
Michael Walton
Conference Hall, Centre for Policy Research
Mansion from US Guilded Age and scycraper from 21st century India

With the emergence of extreme wealth in India in recent years, a number of commentators have drawn comparisons with the Gilded Age of the United States of America in the late 19th and 20th Century, that was famous for its “robber barons” Many of these individuals achieved enormous private wealth on the back of a new breed of large-scale corporations, often facilitated by links with the state.

The presentation will explore the comparison both with the Gilded Age and with the counter-movement in the Progressive Era, that brought both greater regulation of US capitalism and the development of significant elements of a social welfare state. It will argue that there are both useful parallels and some intriguing contrasts, and that these are of interest to India’s current political economy.

Michael Walton teaches at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University and is a non-resident fellow at the Centre for Policy Research.

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JULY 25, 2015/LEAVE A COMMENT/EDIT

#8 UBA Indian Pro Basketball League – Delhi upset Haryana; Punjab keep Mumbai winless

Gopalakrishnan R & Vishnu Ravi Shankar, Hyderabad, 24th July 2015: In an eventful afternoon of matches during the UBA India Pro Basketball League 2015, Delhi Capitals stunned the undefeated Haryana Gold, while Punjab Steelers outclassed Mumbai Challengers yet again. Special guests John Rafty, a UBA investor and Hindi Film actor Mugdha Godse graced the occasion. “I was into basketball back in school, and I really look forward to you guys playing today,” said Ms Godse, who arrived prior to the tip-off of the second match between Punjab and Mumbai.

Delhi Capitals v. Haryana Gold

Coming off an emphatic blowout victory in their last game against Mumbai Challengers, Delhi Capitals were confident entering their game against the undefeated Haryana Gold today. Their last head to head ended with a thrilling 1-point last gasp victory for Haryana.

Today’s return leg game started out in similar fashion, with the teams picking up from where they left off. Delhi changed their starting lineup, going smaller with guard Aaditya Raj in place of forward Aaditya Vikram Singh. This move immediately paid dividends for the Capitals as Aaditya knocked down a couple of 3-pointers in the first quarter. Delhi’s Pravin also provided a spark with some acrobatic layups. But Haryana matched punch for punch and the first quarter ended at 17-17.

Haryana’s most consistent player thus far Birender Singh was largely quiet in the first half. Guard Vikas Mor and centre Rakesh provided Gold with the much needed scoring to keep pace with Delhi. Rakesh and forward Abhishek held down the fort on the defensive end as well with some emphatic blocks. Delhi held on to a slim lead at halftime leading 37-33.

The third quarter had both teams with evenly matched scoring 18-17 in favour of the Capitals. The only undefeated team in this tournament thus far, Haryana, was in no mood to give up its unblemished record so easily. Q4 began with Haryana on a scoring run to tie the game at 55-55 with under two minutes of play.

The two teams have virtually identical scrappy style of play, and it came down to whichever team could execute better and keep their composure in the last few minutes. The game continued to be close until the very end. With under a minute left to play and Haryana up by 1 point, 70-69, Pravin from the Capitals made his way to the freethrow line to make 1 of 2 and tying the game. Haryana was not able to convert a bunny in the ensuing possession and half a minute left in the game, Capitals’ point guard Sachin Sharma nailed a huge 3-pointer to put his team ahead. Haryana failed to convert on the final possession of the game and Delhi hung on to clinch the upset victory and hand Haryana their first loss of the tournament.

Delhi Capitals (Pravin 18, Aaditya Raj 15, Yudhvir Dahiya 14) bt Haryana Gold(Rakesh 20, Birender Singh 17, Vikas 15)74-70 (17-17, 20-16, 18-17, 19-20)

Punjab Steelers v. Mumbai Challengers

Mumbai Challengers entered the second game of the day still searching for their first win of the tournament. Up against the formidable Punjab Steelers, Mumbai shook off their tournament woes to start the game strong and keep pace with the Punjab offense.

For the first three quarters, the game was close, with neither team taking a significant lead. Mumbai’s best scorer Karan Pal Singh piled up the points for his team scoring from inside and outside. He ended up top scoring the game with 40 points. But his inefficient field goal percentage hurt his team, as they had little ball movement in the game. Mumbai’s other go-to frontcourt player, Raj Kalbhor, had an off day against the taller Punjab defense, going 3 of 13 from the field and finishing with only 6 points.

For the Steelers, Ravi Bhardwaj used his size to bulldoze his way to the basket. Coupled with international forward Gurvinder Gill, they ended up giving Punjab a massive rebounding advantage. Ravi ended up with a huge double-double in this game with 27 points and 21 rebounds, while Gill put up a double-double of his own with 15 points and 15 rebounds.

The fourth quarter belonged to Punjab as they pushed their game to another gear, outscoring Mumbai 35 to 20. Punjab’s Sartaj Sandhu, who sustained a gash above his left eye in the game, had to leave midway in the second and third quarters. But he came back in the fourth to lift his team, ending up with 23 points in the game. In the end, Punjab picked up a comfortable win and moved to the top of the table in their group.

Punjab Steelers (Ravi Bhardwaj 27, Sartaj Sandhu 23, Gurvinder Gill 15) btMumbai Challengers (Karan Pal Singh 40, Arif Mohammad 18) 100-83 (19-18, 18-19, 28-26, 35-20)

Current Standings

Group A	Group B
Chennai Slam 3-1(+32)	Punjab Steelers 3-1(+26)
Bengaluru Beast 2-2(-6)	Haryana Gold 3-1(+14)
Hyderabad Sky 2-2(-15)	Delhi Capitals 2-2(+37)
Pune Peshwas 1-3(-12)	Mumbai Challengers0-4 (-77)

About the UBA Pro Basketball League

The UBA Pro Basketball League is structured on a league cum knockout basis. The Pro League is being held between 17thto 30th July at the Gachibowli Multipurpose Indoor stadium in Hyderabad that has been specially refurbished for this event. There are eight teams in total: Pune Peshwas, Delhi Capitals, Haryana Gold, Punjab Steelers, Chennai Slam, Mumbai Challengers, Bengaluru Beast and Hyderabad Sky.  The eight teams have been divided into two groups of four each on geographical lines: Bengaluru Beast, Pune Peshwas, Chennai Slam and Hyderabad Sky in one group and Delhi Capitals, Haryana Gold, Mumbai Challengers and Punjab Steelers in the other group. Teams will play each other twice in the league rounds, and the two teams with the best records after six league matches will qualify for the semifinals.

For more information, visit:http://www.ubaindia.com/.

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JULY 25, 2015/LEAVE A COMMENT/EDIT

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                             

Reflections on All the World’s Futures  

A panel discussion on the 56thEdition of the Venice Biennale

27 July, 5.30pm, Italian Embassy Cultural Centre, 50E, Chandragupta Marg

(Entry from Nyaya Marg), Chanakyapuri, New Delhi

“The Biennale is now 120 years old, and year after year it moves forward and builds on its own history, which is formed of many memories but, in particular, a long succession of different perspectives from which to observe the phenomenon of contemporary artistic creation. The great mountain of the fragments of our history grows year by year. Opposite stands the even greater mountain of all that was not shown in past Biennales.”

– Paolo Baratta, President of la Biennale di Venezia

The panel discussion brings together reflections on the 56thEdition of the Venice Biennale and its collateral constellation that recently opened to the public   under the artistic direction of Okwui Enwezor. Titled “All the World’s Futures“, the main  exhibition of  the Biennale poses the question of how  different  frequencies  by  artists,  thinkers,  writers,  composers, choreographers, make sense of the world’s  current  ‘state of  things’.

With  over 136 artists  from 53 different  countries  “All  the World’s  Futures”  moves  beyond  a   curatorial  design  that  produces an   overarching  theme.  It institutes the idea   of   ‘filters’ as conceptual layers that partake in imagining and   realizing the enormous diversity of artistic practices that the biennale hosts.

The panelists of this discussion will closely engage with this global curatorial provocation and the wider problematics it aims to pose on the world    and    its many futures.  Apart  from  sharing  their  insights  from  being  part  of   the conversation,  they  will also  reflect  on  the curatorial  forms instituted  by  the artistic  director  as well as the implications  they  would   have for  the present  and   future  of  contemporary  art globally  and within the context of India.

Panelists: Eugenio Viola, Contemporary Art Museum of Naples, Italy;Jeebesh Bagchi, Raqs  Media Collective, Delhi; Prasad Shetty andRupali Gupte, Crit Studio, Mumbai

Moderated by: Kaushik Bhaumik, School of Arts and Aesthetics, JNU, Delhi

Conceptualized by: Srinivas Aditya Mopidevi, School of Arts and Aesthetics, JNU, Delhi in collaboration withJulia Libertad,Vadehra Art Gallery, Delhi

For further information please contact:

Italian Embassy Cultural Centre at media.iicn