Beginnings are always exciting and full of hope. No matter how chequered the past, the start of anything new holds great promise for a better time and 2010 is no different. It, too, has come with the same message: learn from the past, do the best today and anticipate a better future.

Not a single day passes without the news media telling us of some scandal or disaster or killings. Of course, there are stories of courage and compassion, but somehow the bad news seem to take precedence. But no matter what, life seems to go on.

The Japanese writer Haruki Murakami puts it eloquently: “So that is how we live our lives. No matter how deep and fatal the loss, no matter how important the thing that is stolen from us—even if we are left completely changed people with only the outer layer of skin from before, we continue to play out our lives this way, in silence. We draw ever nearer to our allotted span of time, bidding it farewell as it trails off behind. Repeating the endless deeds of every day. Leaving behind a feeling of immeasurable emptiness….”.

So here I am at the start of a New Year grieving at a loss which is all at once , personal and yet universal. I lost my guru, teacher, guide late last year. All the years to follow are dedicated to her and what she taught me about living. At such times, it seems easier to wallow in your grief and yet as we all know Nature abhors a vacuum.

There is always a photo shoot to fix, an interview to be transcribed, so many unique people to meet, so many motives to unravel, and a great magazine to be brought out.

In this issue, we bring you a profile of Neerja Birla, wife of Kumarmangalam Birla, chairman of the Aditya Birla Group. She essays many roles with élan and characteristic simplicity.

We also have a profile of Abhilasha Singhvi, founder of the Manav Seva Sannidhi. Here is someone who has dealt with her own great personal pain in the best possible way: by working hard to lessen the pain of others. Plus many more articles and our regular features.

On behalf of the Marwar team, I wish you all a hopeful and fulfilling New Year. A year full of blessing to all our teachers, all those who have taught us and are teaching us what we know of life. Time passes so swiftly, it is the aspirations that we have that gives it meaning.



Reshma Jain
Managing editor