[Reader-list] A suggestion for Arka

[Arundhati]

Arka,

I have been reading some of the stuff that you have been writing on the Sarai list - your opinions about the Tatas and IFA - which is supported in its various programmes by institutions like the Tata Trusts, the Ford Foundation and many other organisations and individuals who find IFA's work worth supporting. 

You have suggested to artists not to accept funds from organisations that are supported with money 'tainted' because of its source ( which makes almost all money tainted if you really look hard and find the 'source' where it originally came from one way or the other). 

I recall that you have received an award of Rs 25,000 (Rupees Twenty five Thousand) from Toto Funds the Arts (TFA), for creative writing in Feb 2008. TFA is an organisation that is mainly funded by individuals like me, Mr Suresh Kumar, and many others who believe that TFA is doing great work supporting young artists. Both Suresh and me work for IFA, an organisation supported by the Tata Trusts thus our source of money that we donate to TFA is tainted as well according to your logic. As a donor to TFA, I would suggest to you to return the award to TFA if you want to really walk your talk. 

While you may find it more convenient to sit in Bangalore and 'email' protest campaigns against the Tatas and not really go down to Singur and Nandigram with hundreds of young people in Kolkata who are really trying to understand and engage with the issues there, the least you can do is practice what you preach.

Arundhati
(works at IFA, supported by the Tata Trusts among many, donates to TFA)