Press-Impress

There are some opinions on the press by well wishers. Here are some of the excerpts. 

Animesh Sen and others on the article of Harsh Kabra, Published in Outlook. We are waiting for your valuable comments and opinions. 

ART...captive..?
Posted 11/4/2005 @ 4:23 AM Candid Vision
Art...?... as dictionary says, is a product of human creativity. But, what uses of these products remain unless fellow humans have their faith or strictures bestowed upon them. Art is anything but an austere activity in which one resigns himself from the rest of the world and pours his creativity over a piece of paper or out of some instrument. Art is a form of human evolution and hence subject to social assessment. For it derives its motivation from the society itself, be it social subjugation or failure or suppression, or even the elation of mind. But then what about art in prison? What about the creativity of the people circumscribed behind the bars. Recently in Mumbai's jails there held a fest for creativity flow, in assumption that art, or expression of any kind, is a cathartic booster (Outlook, 7th November). Avitoko – Akshar Visahwa Ka Tosh Avivam Kosh – is a four year old organization that conceived the congregation in pursuit of establishing a connection between people of each side of bars. The Kavi Sammelan, had many veterans like Akshay Jain and Yagya Sharma, and even more many prison poets. They recited their verses in Hindi and English both. Their themes ranged from suppression to reformation. Avitoko is planning to publish their work, an idea that ail authority have eagerly welcomed. Ramesh Owale, an inmate of Thane Jail where he is serving life sentence, won a special award at a national painting competition. Another from Warli jail teaches painting to fellow inmates and wants to take it to prisons elsewhere. Life behind bars has not restrained the creativity. It's a tool that would connect the people outcaste through social and political means to the mainstream. Avitoko is working in this direction but solely on a single shoulder – 45-year-old Vibha - Hindi and Maithili playwright. Let's join hands on this side of the bar to help people on the other side and evolve a better tomorrow. 

http://mumbaigirl।net/2005/10/30/the-poet-in-his-prison/

There is a wonderful article in Outlook about the organisation Akshar Vishwa Ka Tosh Aivam Kosh or Avitoko founded by Hindi and Maithili playwright Vibha Rani that holds Kavi Sammelans in prisons and “has successfully used art, theatre and literature with mainstream and special children (like orphans or the mentally challenged), marginalised people, women, youth, even corporates to help them understand themselves, identify their strength, kill inhibitions and become confident.” You can read about it here

freakyTechie Says: November 15th, 2005 at 6:52 am
Nice to see Vibha Rani being noticed and discussed in Weblog world. I met her yesterday and found her home a collection of artifects and artworks. Before knocking the door of her home, I couldn’t see any number plate or something helping me match her name with the contact details I had with me. It was distinctiveness of even the outside of home, and surroundings of door, that made me be sure that that home belonged to Vibha Rani. The way she has manually decorated the in and out of the home was quite vivid in style and vibrance and so was the personality of the Lady, Vibha Rani.Ethnicity was quite visible in everything related to her, the effect of art was evident in her entire being.A great meeting, a great impression, result of a great luck!!- Vikas Agarwal

No bars Held

Its one more report, published by Indian Express, long back. Soon AVITOKO will bring its fresh activities for jail inmates and other 'special' people of our society. By the time, go through it and opine. Remember, your opinions value for the their betterment and creativity.   

No bars Held By Indian Express 

Monday August 7, 04:49 AM

Through her theatre workshops, Vibha Rani gets jail inmates to put on a new act. I have been in jail for over three years now, but the past two days were the happiest ever. I always wanted to do theatre and Avitoko gave me that opportunity. Now I am planning to pursue it as a career, once I am out," says Ramnath Helkar (name changed), an inmate of Arthur Road jail, in a letter.

Forty-five-year-old Vibha Rani, the founder of Avitoko, to whom it is addressed, is often complimented with such words. For the past five years, she has been organising theatre workshops for the benefit of jail inmates.

"Two to three years into their stay inside, the inmates' confidence is often shattered. Sometimes causing them to go back their old ways. Through these workshops, I feel I can make a difference to their future," says Rani.

A Hindi and Maithani writer by profession, Rani decided to start Avitoko-Akshar Vishwa Ka Tosh (contentment) Aivam Kosh (treasure)-five years ago. Through this, she now conducts workshops twice a month for inmates at jails in Byculla, Arthur Road, Thane and Kalyan.Using theatre, poetry and art, awareness messages on child marriage, AIDS, sati, child abuse and other social issues are also dispensed.

What has made Avitoko welcome to the prisoners is that ''we never ask them what their crime was,'' says Rani, adding, ''We just tell them that they have immense potential. It is surprising how creative and talented these people are.

"At one session, they came up with some very stunning collages. And it was easy to see that most of them reflected their own story through them.''

Rahul More and Ramesh Owale are serving life sentences at Byculla and Thane jails, respectively। Owale recently won a special judges' award at a national level art competition conducted by Avitoko. Whereas, More, who is a good hand at Warli, has now been given an opportunity to teach his art to other inmates.
साभार - इंडियन एक्सप्रेस

The Poet In His Private Prison.

"AVITOKO" HAD ORGANISED A "KAVI SAMMELAN" IN KALYAN JAIL IN 2005. HARSH KABRA HAD FEATURED THIS EFFORT FOR 'OUTLOOK'. THE SAME IS HERE FOR YOUR VIEWS.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

The Poet In His Private Prison

Lifers penning and reciting verse: that's just one way solutions to special needs can be truly creative

HARSH KABRA

http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?229161

Mumbai's Kalyan jail is an unlikely venue for a kavi sammelan. Even unlikelier is the sight of Mumbai's noted poets like Akshay Jain and Yagya Sharma sharing the stage with poets serving life sentences. At the sammelan, eight prisoners, including five women, pour their hearts out in verse. Ramesh Bhoir and Praveen Bharucha rue the few moments that wrecked their entire lives. And Janaki Iyer, who writes in English, longs to change the unfair ways of the world. 

"Nobody likes sermons these days," says Vibha. So, theatre as a mode of expression enables kids to overcome shyness and women to get rid of "unnecessary guilt".

Their themes range from suppression and separation to introspection and reformation.

Life behind bars hasn't restrained their creative streak. Such creativity, according to Akshar Vishwa Ka Tosh Aivam Kosh or Avitoko, the four-year-old organisation that conceived the sammelan, provides a much-needed support system to individuals as well as society. After gifting these prison poets the satisfaction of reciting their verse in the presence of veterans, Avitoko plans to publish their work, an idea jail authorities have welcomed. Avitoko believes in expression as a cathartic booster and has successfully used art, theatre and literature with mainstream and special children (like orphans or the mentally challenged), marginalised people, women, youth, even corporates to help them understand themselves, identify their strength, kill inhibitions and become confident. "As media of change, they can help develop positivism and banish negativism," says Vibha Rani, Avitoko founder-secretary and a Hindi and Maithili playwright-author. "They aid self-actualisation and create a person within a person."

As Avitoko's single-handed driving force, 45-year-old Vibha has turned activities like painting and collage-making into valuable modes of expression for children and grown-ups alike. Theatre, on the other hand, helps them hone their speaking skills, put forth their ideas and deal with issues bothering them. Children have overcome problems like shyness and stammering to excel in extra-curricular activities. The youth have chosen careers that their innate talents are best suited to. Women have enhanced their personality by getting rid of "unnecessary guilt" they often cage up within. "Nobody likes sermons nowadays," says Vibha. "Our participatory approach opens them up." That's why Avitoko only facilitates while participants manage everything from script and dialogue to props and action. The organisation encourages talent, be it through annual playwriting competitions or exhibitions of participants' works. Yet, many can't readily appreciate Avitoko's work, leaving it dependent for funds and help from a handful of like-minded people.

Avitoko decided to work with prisoners because social and legal barriers make it difficult to bring inmates into the mainstream. There are so many talents behind those bars. Take the case of Ramesh Owale and Rahul More, both in their thirties, serving life sentences in the Thane and Byculla jails for over a decade. Owale recently won a special award at a national painting competition. "His firm lines, befitting an artist, astonished the judges," recalls Vibha. More is a gifted Warli painter, he has taught the art to other inmates and wants to take it to prisoners elsewhere. With Avitoko's encouragement, he is also writing about himself.

Inmates of the Thane, Byculla and Arthur Road jails have also staged plays. "They innovate brilliantly," says Vibha. "Once, they made a policeman's batons out of paper and created sounds to make them seem real." Avitoko plans to take its activities, ranging from health camps to art workshops, to jails outside Mumbai. Greeting cards are also a regular feature but sadly, there aren't many takers yet for prison art, says Vibha. She's determined to do her bit to gain these people acceptance. ###

Deepal Shaw and Jail

Bollywood Actor Deepal Shaw had actively participated AVITOKO programs. She visited Byculla jail to celebrate her birthday with the kids of women jail inmates. She went to Yervada jail, Pune, where AVITOKO had organised an All Women Kavi Sammelan. Deepal had recited her poems along with others. A Times of India Report is placed below. You might have seen her in the film "A Wednesday", where she played the role of media reporter.

 Printed from

The Times of India -Breaking news, views. reviews, cricket from across India

Deepal 'Baby Doll' Shaw meets jail inmates28 Mar 2006, 0936 hrs IST,IANSSMS NEWS to
MUMBAI: Deepal Shaw, nicknamed 'Baby Doll' after her sizzling video Kabhi aar kabhi paar , paid a visit to Byculla jail here recently and was deeply moved by her interaction with the inmates। "I went to the jail to interact with the prisoners and add some colour to their dull lives. I wanted them to relate to me as Deepal and not Deepal Shaw," she said.

She visited the jail as part of the Mumbai-based organisation AVITOKO, which works for the welfare of underprivileged children and prison inmates using theatre and art as a medium of change.

"I was surprised to see the condition of the cells. It was more like a hostel than a jail. That gave me a sense of relief. Jail inmates were waiting for me and greeted me with a smile. As it was her fist visit to a prison, Deepal says she interacted with the women inmates. She discussed their problems and also organised an acting workshop for them.

"Though they are cut away from our progressive world, they are aware of their responsibilities and even prepared scripts on AIDS awareness and female infanticide. Their strength to cope up with life was so inspiring. "For a while I forgot all my worries and pain. This was an enlightening and eye opening experience. By the end of my visit I was Deepal and not Deepal Shaw for them!"
साभार- टाइम्स आफ इंडिया

No verses barred in Kalyan jail

AVITOKO conducts creative activities for jail inmates of Mumbai and Pune. Though this is an old report, but it is important for us to know that people, who are behind the bars, not only need such type of creative activity, but they also participate creatively. 
Courtesy: DNA, Mumbai

No verses barred in Kalyan jail

Bhargavi Kerur
Saturday, October 08, 2005 23:56 IST

Saturday was an eventful day for the inmates of the Kalyan district jail as some of them with a poetic streak were given a chance to present their skills at a kavi sammelan held in the premises.
At the sammelan, eight undertrials took centre-stage and recited their creations. Ironically, they were penned in dark, dingy quarters with some of the budding poets being tried for snuffing out human lives.
Some of them may have got consolation from the fact that even if they were not ‘heard’ by the courts, people at least listened to them while they recited their poems. Others were convinced of conviction, but in their doomed existence, they were giving life to some creative pieces of literature in Marathi, Hindi and English.
The event was organised by Avitoko, an NGO working exclusively to promote recreational activities among jail inmates in Mumbai. It was attended by eminent poets like Akshay Jain, Om Prakash Tiwari, Hridayesh Mayank, Vageesh Saraswat, Yagya Sharma and Kavita Gupta.
Among the eight participants, five were women, who dwelt more on the problems of the materialistic world, while men shared their deepest and darkest emotions. Janaki Iyer expressed her thoughts on law and order and solving the issue of child labour through her verses. Shireen Jeleva described the plight of a suppressed woman in the society. Among the men, Kamlesh Patre described his emotions of undergoing a painful separation from his wife as he remained confined within the jail walls. A mature thought emerged from Praveen Bharucha, when he narrated that his life in jail has made him a human being.
The groundwork for the session was done by Jail Superintendent Vijay Bendre, who was inspired by similar kavi sammelans at Pune’s Yeravada Jail. “This is the best way to explore their hidden talents,” he said. The honorary secretary Vibha Rani of Avitoko said the NGO plans to publish the poems of the inmates in two months.

Cerativity- Beyond the bars and barriers.

I requested Ms. Sarita Chauhan and Sri Subodh Poddar. Sarita is a Delhi based artist, now settled in Mumbai. She is  a self taught artist. Having several group and solo shows of her paintings at Delhi and in Mumbai, she has crossed all the barriers and established herself with knowledge and grace. Subodh is an Ad Guru and highly creative. he had invented "Dance Scape" with the jugalbandi of art and dance. In his Dance Scape, dancers dance and he sketches with minimal lines. All renowned Indian Classical dancers had participated in his such innovative concept. Recently, he had worked with the dancer of Mohanjodado and exhibited his sculpture in Mumbai. Both of them accepted my request with life and support.

All paintings were there. I did not tell anything about them. Let them see, let them decide. It was an examination for me too, whether a small child's painting and a vetran's painting will stand before each other? Whether this jail inmate's art of work will attract these judges?

After so many rounds, they finally selected some paintings. I got aghashed. Painting, which was selected for FIRST prize was of a 4 year girl's painting. And the judges special prize was bagged by inmate's art of work. I simply cried. They became nervous- "What happened? Did we do something wrong? Tell us. We may change our decisions too. Its just selection round. We can rethink on our results."

"Nothing to be done. Unknowingly you both had stamped on my faith that creativity are beyond the bar of age, atmosphere, class, creed, richness and poverty. The 4 year old girl, who won the FIRST Prize was a slum girl and judge's Special Prize was won by a jail inmte.

Result were declared. Winners were informed. Date for prize distribution was decided. It was 15th May- World Family Day. AVITOKO was established on May 1st- on International Labour Day. And celebration of our faith will be on World Family Day.

This was not a big issue. The main thing was that how the inmate will get awarded?  

Work of Art from Jail

After announcing Art Competition in open catagory, I started waiting for views,comments and of course, entries. I got very bitter remarks that how a 4 year child will stand before a 44 years old veterans? I was told, that in the name of art, you are making us fool. Some said, this will not get successful. My fingers were crossed. I was just waiting. In spite of people's comments and reactions, entries started coming from all over India.
One fine day, I got a call from the Jailer of Thane Central Jail- "Madam! We had seen advertisement of your Art Competition. We have one inmate name Ramesh Owle. He is very good in art. He is a very good man too. He had participated in various programs and competitions and he scored every where. We request to accept his entry also". He was a littele apprehensive that whether a prisoner can participate or not.
I heard him pateintly and told that this competition is open for all. So, each and every person of this earth is entitled to participate in it.
He sent his entry.  It was a pencil sketch. A highly professional lines and sketch. I dont know any thing about art and drwaing, but to see that work, I was very happy. I was sure that certainly this work would be liked by the judges. But what will happen, if it wont liked by them?
Positive-negative-both thoughts came into my mind. but, I did not care. I just thought- "let stipulated period get over. Let me request some artists to judge these entries. .........