Talking Poetry, presented by Open Space for the Word and the British Library
Talking Poetry is part workshop and part discussion group. We will:

Talking Poetry is also a space where your poems could be discussed. Your work could be published in the poetry section of the Open Space website (http://www.openspaceindia.org) that seeks to foster change through the innovative and strategic use of the arts.

Talking Poetry will be led by Priyaa Sarukkai Chabria, poet and novelist. She has been awarded the Senior Fellowship to Outstanding Artists for Literature by the Indian government. Talking Poetry at the British Library, Monday, June 6, 5.30pm

(presented by Aalochana and Open Space)

Open Space invites you to a Lecture titled ‘Reflection of heterosexual relationships in Marathi language with special reference to terms related to sex work and extramarital sexual relationships' by Rohini Sahani, Professor of Economics at Pune University.

Marathi, a language over 700 years old, has accumulated over 200 words that are synonymous to 'prostitute'. They do not necessarily mean a sex worker, but include words for mistresses, servants, performers etc.  Exploring these words is an interesting exercise that throws up interesting insights into the history and role of prostitution in India. 
Open Space, Wednesday, June 15, 5.00pm  

A lecture by Dr Anant Phadke on the various aspects of profiteering in the pharmaceutical sector and ways to oppose this. Discussion to follow.

Reputed companies like Cipla, Reddy Laboratories, Alembic, Lupin etc. supply drugs under generic names to wholesalers at one half to one-fifth of their brand-price in the retail market. Retailers earn a margin ranging from 100 to 1000 % on these ‘branded generic' drugs. The Lokayat Medical Centre eliminates the middleman's huge margin and makes medicines manufactured by LOCOST (an NGO) and by some reputed companies, sold under generic names, at one half to one fifth the brand price in the retail market.

The situation with the Indian drugs industry is a bit like the situation of our overflowing food stocks in godowns and starving masses. Paracetamol, for reducing pain and fever, can cost as little as 13 paise per tablet to produce. When sold under a brand name it can cost four to five times more. The price of the brand has apparently no relation to the cost of production. For example, amlodipine is a drug for high blood pressure. The most expensive brand costs almost nine times as much as the cheapest brand of the same drug. Worse the same company may price the same drug under different brand names at different prices, sometimes ‘positioned' for different market segments.

Drug prices need to be controlled to protect the interests of vulnerable groups, which would be the majority in India. Instead, the number of drugs under price control has gone down from 347 in 1979 to 74 in 2004.
Open Space, Wednesday, June 22, 6.00pm