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Journalism of Courage
Rajendra K. Pachu-ari, 58, spends every waking moment at his India Habitat Centre office. Thus it8217;s only natural that his office be tailor-made. When he moved in three years ago, as the Director of the Tata Energy Research Institute, he concentrated on the minutest detail. 8220;My day starts at 7 a.m. and extends late into the night. Therefore, the place has to feel like home,8221; points out Pachauri, who has a double Ph.D.in Economics and Industrial Engineering.
Walk into his spacious, cosy office, and you8217;ll understand. What lures you in is the soothing effect of green everywhere. 8220;It8217;s easy to guess my best colour,8221; gushes Pachuari. 8220;I choose it for everything, including our publications.8221; Apart from the potted plants, there8217;s a 8220;green8221; corner, with large green chairs around a small conference table. And all this on the carpet his wife bought from Pakistan, also shade of green!
Pachauri tries to bring in as much nature as possible. The glass door opens into a green terrace, the window gives a breathtaking view of the Lodhi Gardens. 8220;Greenery soothes my nerves and allows me to relax while I am working.8221;
Everything in the room has been conveniently plac-ed. Tucked aw-ay in a shelf, under his computer, is a music system, with a pile of CDs. 8220;I lprefer soft Western Classical or instrumental music,8221; he reveals. The oversized chair no prizes for guessing the colour! is his favourite spot . 8220;When I want to catch up on my reading, I simply recline in the chair, switch on some music and pull out a plank for my feet,8221; he grins. To make reading easier, there is a small light right above his head. Perfect! And if he decides to work on the computer instead, all he has to do is swirl around and tap away!
8220;Endearing8221; is how Pachauri describes his office. 8220;But it shouldn8217;t be drab. I like it to be bright without looking garish,quot; he continues, quot;I want my office to complement my shabby personality, not represent me!8221;
The most eye-catching feature of Pachauri8217;s office, is a collection of 30-odd miniature Dutch homes in porcelain. 8220;I8217;ve collected these from KLM flights on my trips abroad,8221; he explains. 8220;All of them are filled with a typical Dutch gin and I haven8217;t opened even one yet.8221; Pachauri says that there is nothing in his office that he would like replaced or change. Here8217;s hoping it always stays that way!
