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Rafale_001
Who Is Trying To Rake Up Rafale Issue?
In less than nine months of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s welcoming the first batch of Rafale jets and highlighting how the fighter jet acquisition was a unique Government-to-Government deal, the Congress party is back with a fresh Rafale assault. “Karma = The ledger of one’s actions,” tweeted Rahul Gandhi, triggering a low-intensity twitter brawl with hashtag #Rafale. India’s season of multi-state polls and rallies has once again got animated after Yann Philippin’s Rafale report appeared in French portal Mediapart.fr. Subramanian Swamy’s joining the brawl has only raised confusion. His tweet, “Gov may brief a few to counter the ballooning demand for probes in France on the Indo France Rafale deal. I had originally studied it when XXX struck a 126 plane deal with Carla Bruni. Parrikar cancelled it and started a new deal. He briefed me. But alas Parrikar passed away.” Soon, Swamy shared a livefistdefence.com story (May 11, 2011) where he had attacked the IAF’s $12-billion M-MRCA fighter deal during the UPA regime.  Philippin’s disclosures to Barkha Dutt’s Mojo Story point to involvement of a middleman who is already being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate in AugustaWestland case. That partly explains why the so-called scandal – dismissed as “completely baseless” by Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad – didn’t get the desired twitter momentum. The question being asked is at whose behest is the Rafale issue being raked up again?
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When OP Nayyar, Mohd Rafi Sang To Shammi’s Tune
The Shammi Kapoor-Sharmila Tagore starrer Kashmir Ki Kali directed by Shakti Samanta was not only a box office hit but also renowned for its popular songs composed by OP Nayyar and sung by Mohammed Rafi. Remember the famous number, Yeh Chand Sa Roshan Chehra, shot on Dal Lake shikara which became an eternal boat ballet to remember with the song reaching a striking crescendo – Tareef Krun Kya Uski Jisne Tujhe Banaya What’s not known to many is an interesting story behind the song. At the recording studio, as is customary, the hero, Shammi Kapoor, was present. But he did not like the way music director OP Nayyar had composed the song – especially the end part of it. Being a popular star, Shammi Kapoor requested Nayyar if he could quicken the pace of the song at the end to a crescendo and sync the last line Tareef Karun Kya Uski with the music. Nayyar, it seems, turned down Shammi’s suggestion. Seeing a sulking Shammi, Rafi saab asked him what the matter was. Shammi told Rafi saab about his suggestion and how Nayyar saab refused to entertain him. Rafi was convinced; he told Nayyar saab, “Looks like Shammi has something in his mind as to how he will perform on this song. Why not listen to him and compose the ending as per his wish.”  With Rafi also making a request, Nayyar relented. The picturisation is dramatic as you see Shammi serenading Sharmila in the middle of the Dal Lake, as she’s rowing her shikara, full of flowers. The performance has become immortal. What would have happened had Nayyar saab not given in?
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Sanmar Chief Sankar Giving A Helping Hand To Retired Cricketers
Recently, N Sankar, Chairman of the Chennai-headquartered Sanmar Group, demonstrated his affection to cricketers who represented the company-owned club, mainly the famous Jolly Rovers. Sankar, who turned 75 last November, reached out to former Club cricketers Najam Hussain and KR Rajagopal. After blogger Sampath Prabhu wrote that Hussain (played 23 Ranji Trophy matches for Madras and 18 for Mysore between 1961-70) was in financial need, Sankar, the good Samaritan, provided substantial monetary assistance to the troubled former cricketer. Afterwards, Sankar arranged for utility services assistance to Rajagopal (played 20 Ranji Trophy matches for Mysore and 22 for Mysore between 1961-70) living at his home in Banashankari in South Bengaluru. Both Hussain and Rajagopal are 80 years old, who have rendered yeoman service to their Club and States. The US-educated Sankar has been a great patron of sports, in particular, cricket, and was President of the TNCA. His family’s decision to promote cricket, especially the running of the Jolly Rovers in the 1960s, changed the ecosystem of the sport in Madras. Sankar was a talented tennis player, but after being affected by polio, he won doubles tournaments with cousin N Srinivasan (MD, India Cements), who became the President of TNCA, BCCI and Chairman of the ICC.
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VK Krishna Menon’s Dark Side
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh’s biography of VK Krishna Menon — A Chequered Brilliance: The Many Lives of V.K. Krishna Menon — based on fresh archival material, reveals that the then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru entrusted Menon with responsibilities such as the post of high commissioner to the UK and defence minister, although Nehru had himself diagnosed Menon as suffering from depression and dark mood swings, as early as 1938. When asked to leave as high commissioner, Menon in a letter acknowledged to Nehru that he took sedatives and hypnotics, but insisted that the barbiturates were not habit-forming. The mercurial Menon, who had strong likes and dislikes, usually created divisions wherever he worked. As defence minister Menon played havoc. He encouraged army chief General PN Thapar to humiliate and charge-sheet two of the most outstanding officers in the Indian Army, General KS Thimayya and General SPP Thorat, who were later exonerated. He instigated his favourite, General BM Kaul, to hold a court of inquiry against Lt General Sam Manekshaw, who was to be later appointed India’s first field marshal. Clearly, even the best of leaders can be fickle-minded – and a disaster.

TRENDS & VIEWS

Editor’s Note: Big Punch In Small Pack

It is the Third Anniversary of Short Post and as a news media startup launched during the Covid-19 pandemic it certainly feels better than good to find ourselves where we are today. Here, I must cite the unstinted support of our seasoned contributors, all senior editors in the country, who brought a great degree of maturity and sagacity to the Short Post newsroom. But for them, our tagline “Authentic Gossip”, an Oxymoron, would not have matured viably. Our user numbers may be small but our stories have created the desired impact among people who matter — decision makers and influencers. We offer a big punch in a small pack and Short Post with its 225-word stories has been punching above its weight category. Having posted close to 3,000 stories in the last 36 months, Short Post, I feel, is an idea whose time has come.
And this is vindicated by our two marquee advertisers – IDFC FIRST Bank and ICICI Lombard. Both believed in our story and have supported us from Day one. A big thank you to both.
If you look at the media landscape – print, TV and digital — it is a mixed bag. There are job losses as some outfits have closed down while a lucky few were bailed out by large corporate houses. Yes, there is a lot of action in the digital space. However, the entry of corporate houses has raised the question of independence of news media outfits. Sadly, there are just a handful of independent media outfits in the country that are highly respected for their neutrality. At Short Post, our credo is not to take sides, prejudge issues or be biased but, informing readers of behind-the-scenes happenings. In essence, Short Post strives to be a neutral editorial platform — neither anti-establishment nor pro-establishment.
As I said last year, disruptions in the media world are moving at a fast and furious pace. Technology is playing a very big role in how content is generated and consumed. But, we are neither alarmed nor perturbed as it is all a part of the evolution process. What gives us comfort is that AI is unable to create original gossipy content. And that is the news arena where we have achieved a distinction.