Tatsat Chronicle Magazine

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Jan 2023

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A SCIENTIST’S ANGUISH

DR DEEPAK PENTAL, DEVELOPER OF DMH-11, DEMOLISHES THE MYTHS SURROUNDING GM MUSTARD

In October last year, after the Government of India gave its approval for commercialisation of GM mustard, it kicked up a raging storm. Activists were quick to criticise the government’s move and filed Public Interest Litigations (PILs) in the Supreme Court against the commercial release of the genetically-modified DMH-11 mustard variety for production. For long, activists and NGOs have opposed GM crops on the grounds that they are unsafe for human consumption. But scientists have challenged their arguments, which they say are not based on any scientific evidence or merit.

Given the fog of claims and counter claims, we decided to speak to the person who led the efforts to develop DMH-11 at Delhi University’s Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants (CGMCP) to clear the air. For this month’s cover story, we conducted an extensive and exclusive interview with Dr Deepak Pental, who set up CGMCP in 1996 and developed DMH-11 in 2006 along with his team of agriculture scientists. It was a completely indigenous effort that was funded by taxpayers’ money.

The reason for conducting this interview is simple: we know all about the objections of activists, who have been very vocal, but we hardly know what the scientists and science have to say about genetically modified crops. We leave it to our readers to draw their conclusions after reading Dr Pental’s interview. But one thing is clear, if India is to achieve self-sufficiency in edible oils, it cannot afford to junk science at the altar of activism….

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Tatsat Chronicle is the brainchild of Tatsat FoundationTM  India’s first not-for-profit organisation that provides CSR-specific education, certification and skill-development solutions through its vast network domestic and global partners.

Tatsat Chronicle magazine and its 360-degree digital platform, including a live website with daily updates, Social Media channels, and a fortnightly newsletter in digital format.

The social sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in India. Given the current size of the social sector—accounting for approximately 8.8 percent of India’s GDP in spending terms—and the number of people who are directly and indirectly involved with this field, it doesn’t have a robust media platform that engages with the various stakeholders involved in this sector. It’s this gap that Tatsat Chronicle intends to fill and carve out a niche.

Tatsat Chronicle has been envisioned as a monthly magazine that offers a deep dive into the rapidly evolving Corporate Social Responsibility space for better understanding and appreciation of the remarkable work being done by corporate houses, Public Sector Undertakings and Non-Government Organisations towards creating a more equitable society.

The main objective of Tatsat Chronicle is to inform, engage and stimulate its readers with ideas, case studies and well-researched insights, covering the entire gamut of CSR activities in India and abroad.

Every month the print magazine with a production run of 50,000 copies and its digital version generate a combined readership of 250,000 people. In a short span of time, Tatsat Chronicle has established itself as a go-to resource for key decision makers and influencers, who are instrumental in shaping CSR policies and project implementation at the grassroots level in India.

Tatsat Chronicle is edited by a team of highly-experienced and reputed journalists, who bring a diverse skill-set to the table that helps us to put together a rich content package every month.

Our columns are written by domain experts, who breakdown complex issues and subjects into easy-to-understand narratives. Our overall editorial philosophy has been to position the magazine and its digital avatar as the most authoritative and authentic voice in the CSR media space by cutting through the clutter and information overload.

We place people in focus in our articles, analysis and opinion. We encourage our readers to engage with us. We gain as much in developing a more nuanced understanding of the issues that impact the CSR sector from this engagement.

One of our missions is to empower young talent engaged in the CSR sector, especially women, Dalits and OBC category, to pitch us ideas for articles and stories that they wish to contribute. To pitch story ideas for Tatsat Chronicle, refer to story pitching guidelines.