Talk of the town

When the utterances of an academic become gospel truth for hundreds across the world, it is natural to expect that the apostles spreading his word would be his own students. This, however, does not hold true for Prof. Noam Chomsky.

Obviously finding it difficult to inspire an army of apostles, an Indian academic attending one of the lectures by Prof. Chomsky here, posed the question: ``Do your students also follow your teachings?''

Surprisingly, from the many questions addressed to him, Prof. Chomsky singled this one out saying it was the ``easiest'' to answer. As eager ears plugged in, he said: ``I do not let my own thinking interfere with my teaching. I am a professor of Linguistics at the Massachussets Institute of Technology and that's what I teach. What I do or say outside the Institute is a separate side of my life.''

Waiting for an enlightening answer, this sounded rather insipid for the Indian academic in the audience, many of whom see in the classroom a perfect stage to flaunt their political identity.

Stumped as they were by the response, Prof. Chomsky went on to justify that being an ardent follower and upholder of democratic values himself, he would consider it inappropriate to allow his political leanings to interfere with his teaching.

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In this Year of Women Empowerment, there are some active participants and model Gul Panag, who is all set to become a ``global citizen'', claims to be one of them.

This former Miss India, who has her fingers in quite a few pies, has dared to look beyond walking down the ramp and cutting ribbons. All set to leave for the U.S., last week she was wrapping up, perhaps her last assignments for a while.

In the city, for the inauguration of the new collection unveiled by Lalsons jewellers last week, she said: ``I am all set to leave the country to join my course in communications in Kellong University soon. This is my first step to becoming a global citizen.''

And when you question her about the wisdom of leaving her career behind which is still in its formative stage, she says, ``Every year there are plenty of new pretty faces and more people to walk down the ramp. I have realised that just because I happened to win the crown it does not ensure anything in life. That is why I am off to equip myself with skills that would stand me in good stead. A pretty face or a great body are just not enough, at least not for me.''

About cutting ribbons, doing fashion shows or even TV programmes, she laughs, ``This is just another responsibility which comes hand in hand with being well-known and, of course, I enjoy it too and, most important, it pays well,'' she smiles.

But Gul Panag has some really interesting news. ``In about a year and half I will come out with a book which is basically a collection of short stories. Right now I am not getting enough time to finetune my stories, but wait for the surprise,'' she promises.

* * *

After the success of ``Ho Gayee Hai Mohabbat'' and ``Thodi Thodi Sanjh'', Indipop singer Shibani Kashyap has set her eyes on a musical cornucopia of folk, Sufiana and, of course, lots of pop. Her new album, ``Nagmagee'' is ready to hit the Indian music charts and will be released in December 2001.

More than being a pop star, Shibani is a musician who croons a different tune. She won the Channel V award for the best video with her debut album and over the past three years, she has gained immense popularity as a live performer among the youth. Being full of surprises, she quips: ``Music has a transcendental character, so why should one attempt to stick to boundaries?''

A conglomerate of eight scintillating numbers, her forthcoming album is conceptualised, designed and sung to suit the tastes of all. ``It is a cocktail of qawwal music, strands of Sufiana qalam, Spanish rhythm and Arabic lyrics,'' claims Shibani. ``Nagamgeee'', the title track, is a sensational ``Jugal Bandi'' of Urdu poetry and Sufi composition what with Murad Ali, son of designer-cum-film maker Muzaffar Ali, narrating the Urdu verses.

A feisty number from this album is a Punjabi folk song, ``Hakim Tara Chand'', which has already created waves. The breathtaking video features the suave gentleman from Bollywood -- Jackie Shroff playing the lead role opposite her.

(By Pranab Dhal Samanta, Bindu Jacob and K. Kannan).

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