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First, India did not travel to Pakistan — the host country for the ICC Champions Trophy – and then on Tuesday (Mar 4) it marched to victory against Australia in the semi-finals and confirmed its entry in the final. Which meant that the last piece of the Champions Trophy action would happen in petro-$ Emirate Of Dubai because that was the arrangement worked upon by the ICC with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) which was enthusiastic to parade the “Champions” talent at three of its most popular venues in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi. One can only be sympathetic towards the PCB and the country’s cricket diwane having waited for around three decades to host an ICC event, but circumstances beyond the control of the BCCI and the men in blue team has led to a peculiar situation wherein Pakistan will not be able to host the final. The only way the PCB and Pakistan could have hoped to stage the final was with its national team advancing to the knock-out stage and India getting eliminated at the group stage itself. But always a white-ball giant, the India juggernaut quelled four ‘Champion’ teams and took a big stride to position it for winning another title. While Pakistan will be utterly disappointed, the Indian expatriates are only happy to cheer their favourite team yet another time. India has not lost a single ODI match at the Dubai International Stadium There has been anomalies this ICC event has brought to the fore. Can this be rectified at all?
Did Home Minister Amit Shah and Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar have a secret understanding? That is when they met in Coimbatore at Isha Foundation for Mahashivratri? Karnataka BJP has made a provocative statement, drawing parallels between DKS and Maharashtra’s Shiv Sena breakaway leader Eknath Shinde. “There are many in Congress who could be like Eknath Shinde, DKS might be one of them,” claimed Leader of the Opposition R Ashok suggesting that the Congress strongman could be on the verge of engineering a split within the party. Ashok’s remarks assume significance as he, like DKS, also belongs to the Vokkaliga-Gowda community. BJP sources indicate that Shah had a 15-minute one-on-one meeting with Shivakumar. It is this factoid of information that had fuelled Karnataka BJP leadership to ratchet up murmurs of infighting within the ruling state Congress. Sensing an opportunity to deepen the cracks, BJP leader Ashok said he had long anticipated a leadership change within the Congress-led government, hinting that CM Siddaramaiah could soon make way for DKS in November this year. DKS, however, dismissed all speculation of a political switch as baseless. He also categorically denied any plans to defect to the BJP, dubbing the claims as “BJP propaganda.” “I am a born Congressman and committed to leading the party to victory in the 2028 assembly elections,” he asserted. As for his recent religious visits, Shivakumar downplayed its political significance. It is being said, he is very unhappy with the way Rahul Gandhi is treating him. DKS apparently had been promised that he will be made CM when Siddaramaiah completes two years in office in November. But the Congress high command is scared that Siddaramaiah will split the party if he is asked to step down for DKS.
Disruption or disruptor are terms used in connection with the startup ecosystem. Take for example the way the cab business got disrupted by the ride hailing apps or the food delivery apps that disrupted the way you ordered food. These companies were well funded and they began their early part of the journey by burning loads of money and gaining relevance in the marketplace. Switching into time and the first time something different than a startup player becoming a disruptor happened was when Kumar Mangalam Birla through Grasim announced his entry into the decorative paints industry through Opus paints. With the start of its 4th factory in Karnataka, he is already the second largest in terms of capacity in the decorative paints industry. It is expected that this paints division would have a turnover of Rs 8000-10,000 crore in three years’ time. Asian Paints which reported a revenue of Rs 35,000 crore for the year ended March 2024 saw its market cap fall by more than 40% after Opus entered the fray and well before it has become a sizable player in terms of size and market share. Recently, Kumar Mangalam Birla did the same thing in the cement sector. One of his group companies, UltraTech Cement announced its plans to enter the cables industry with an investment of Rs 1,800 crore for setting up a cable plant. The two key raw materials for this are copper and aluminium, of which Hindalco Industries, a group company, is one of the top two producers. This mere announcement shook the incumbents and the top players cumulatively lost a market cap of over Rs 50,000 crore in a single day.
Visitors to a conference on ‘Good Ideas’ in Abu Dhabi and an AI summit in the UAE were in for a major surprise as Artificial Rain is giving way to Artificial Intelligence. Cloud seeding is an old idea from the oil-rich UAE decades ago but today AI seems to have equipped the process with more power. The day the delegates landed in Abu Dhabi the weather, at 35 degrees Celsius peak, was hot. And the next day the day’s top temperature was 22 C and the contrast seemed to make it appear as if winter had set in suddenly once again in the land of the desert sands. Under a thick cloud cover all day, the wind was howling. The Met Office in Dubai tried to explain it saying cold winds were blowing in from Saudi Arabia and Iraq, but locals said with a wink and a smile that this weather change was artificial as the UAE rulers in Abu Dhabi and Dubai wanted the days to be cool at the beginning of the Ramadan month. While speakers were referring mostly to the good that AI can do and does, those giving voice to the lurking fears around AI were also around. The handling of the weather for good by changing the weather a bit with creation of artificial rain is a pointer to the infinite possibilities of AI though it can go wrong as it did last year when Dubai saw unprecedented flooding causing chaos.
Thirty six year old Vicky Kaushal is rapidly emerging as the new superstar of the Indian film industry, particularly following the phenomenal success of Chhaava directed by Laxman Utekar. The film has made waves at the box office, grossing over Rs 400 crore plus in just 10 days, marking a significant relief for the exhibition industry, which has been in dire need of such a blockbuster. Chhaava’s success reinforces Kaushal’s status as a leading figure in contemporary cinema. Examining his filmography reveals a trajectory of impressive versatility. While his previous film, Bad News was met with average reviews, his performances in Sam Bahadur and Zara HatKe Zara Bachke showcased his ability to connect with audiences. Kaushal’s breakout role in Uri: The Surgical Strike catapulted him to commercial success, and he has since delivered commendable performances in supporting roles in films like Sanju, Dunki and Raman Raghav 2.0. Vicky’s filmography is a testament to his range, encompassing biopics like Sardar Udham Singh anthology films like Lust Stories and commercial ventures such as Govinda Mera Naam. His journey began as an assistant to Anurag Kashyap, and he has since evolved from art-house films to mainstream cinema. As the veteran superstars — Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan — become increasingly selective with their projects, and with contemporaries like Ranbir Kapoor and Ranveer Singh also taking fewer roles, Vicky Kaushal stands poised to fill that void. His versatility and consistent performances suggest that he is not just a rising star but a potential new pillar of the industry.
It may be a genuine slip of the tongue or deliberate but opponents don’t miss the opportunity to make the most of it. Recall while addressing NRI audiences in the USA in 2014, PM Modi referred to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi as Mohanlal Karamchand Gandhi. Similarly, while talking about Ayushman Bharat health scheme, Modi said it allowed a resident of Jamnagar to avail treatment anywhere in the country — be it ‘Kolkata’ or ‘Karachi’. A few months back, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar said “May Narendra Modi become CM again”. Recently, Andhra Pradesh Governor S Abdul Nazeer, while addressing a joint session of both the houses, addressed the chief minister as ‘Narendra’ Chandrababu Naidu instead of ‘Nara’ Chandrababu Naidu. Was it a Freudian slip? Similarly, during the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, BJP leader Dr Sambit Patra while canvassing for votes in the holy city of Puri, told the gathering that “Lord Jagannath is my bhakt”. Two years back a Congress spokesperson misread PM Modi’s full name. Andhra Pradesh Governor’s unintended slip was trolled. And looks like the opposition leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of YSR Congress party is leaving no stones unturned to capitalise on this golden opportunity to get some publicity for his party and party men. Political analysts say this tit-for-tat is repeating in Andhra Pradesh once again. In June 2019, the then newly appointed deputy CM P Pushpa Srivani belonging to the YSR Congress faction while addressing a Press Conference inadvertently said her government aimed to deliver “corrupt rule” instead of saying “corrupt free rule”.. It’s not endemic to India, it happens world over. Recall how UK PM Keir Starmer accidentally asked for the release of Israeli ‘sausages’ instead of ‘hostages’.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is on mission mode since assuming office and extended his micro-management skills (exhibited in run up to state assemblies) to laser focus the state administration. Rooting out inefficiencies, corruption (as shortpost.in reported on Feb 4) within bureaucracy under his 3.0 tenure, Fadnavis has targeted truant IAS officers (including former BEST GMs Anil Diggikar, Harshdeep Kamble) as also kept on hold recommendations from his own cabinet colleagues for appointing personal secretaries, officers on special duty (OSDs). The CM had cleared 109 out of 125 recommendations received by the CMO. Fadnavis silenced criticism emanating from some ministerial quarters over pending postings while emphatically stating it was his prerogative and decision that was final. Maharashtra’s state secretariat is abuzz about collective political grouping within the Mahayuti alliance upset with the CM putting his foot down against ministerial staff carrying legacy of inefficiency and corruption. Fadnavis is enraged over corruption charges levelled against MMRDA by a French consultant involved in his pet ‘Maha Mumbai Metro’ project, ordering a probe. A political war of words broke out, meanwhile, between alliance counterparts: deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar over one-upmanship for second spot in Maharashtra’s political leadership. Shinde’s averment, “Don’t take me lightly,” found resonance in Pawar’s jibe, “Keep check on public averments as alliance protocol.” Pawar also noted he could overturn the horse-cart. All eyes will be on Maharashtra’s budget that deputy CM Pawar will announce over the next fortnight and implications for Shinde’s party held departments, as the political feud escalates.
There are movie stars, and there are movie stars who want to be a part of society and its serious concerns. R Madhavan (54) has consistently come through as a middle class mascot and muse for social issues. His film Rocketry: The Nambi Effect — a sensitive work to lay bare how politics impacts individual brilliance, focussed on the need to bring controversy to closure. His Railway Men, series on the 1984 Bhopal Gas tragedy was an effort to highlight the same puerile political interferences that leave a trail of human tragedy behind. His very first Tamil film AlaiPayuthey was directed by Mani Ratnam in which he played the romantic hero. After this movie, Madhavan became every girl’s chocolate hero. Try as he could, his middle class Jamshedpur upbringing and morally upright, wholesome image could never be dented by filmi pretentiousness. So, it did not come as a surprise that he recently launched his socially conscious app, Parent Geenee with an impassioned plea for parents to become more involved with their children’s way of life. Today’s kids are overly precocious, almost shedding their childhood and innocence, an integral part of growing up. And games like Blue Whale and Port Knight send shivers down the spine… every child is in his own world, his parents lost to any communication or bonding. This app is meant to be a responsible “seeing eye” to parents, giving them elbow room to know and be aware of what their offspring is up to. In an era where film folks make news for broken marriages and stormy lives, here is a hero who wants to be with his audience as a silent force in bringing up children. There are heroes but a socially conscious hero is special.
Numbers…big numbers matter in cricket; the scorers love it, the statisticians love it, the media loves it and there is no denying the fact the cricketers love it….and here is a big number that Virat Kohli has hit in his long and fantastic career that is into its 18th summer….and that in the form of playing for the men in blue in 300 one-day international matches! And this massive number is an accomplishment only six other Indians in Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Mohammed Azharuddin have achieved. What makes this big achievement even more significant is that Kohli had taken only 287 innings (from 299 matches) to make the 14000-run cut when juxtaposed against the numbers of Tendulkar (359 matches/350 innings) and Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara (402 matches/378 innings). It is a phenomenal feat which is embellished with 51 centuries and 1470 boundary shots (1318x 4s and 158 x 6s) accounting for 6184 runs of his 14085 runs before the 300th ODI – against New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai. Kohli began his international career as a 19-year old, a few months after he left the junior ranks in style leading India and clinching the ICC Under-19 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur. And 17 years later, he has been celebrated as the greatest ever ODI player by former international captains. Kohli has already played over 100 Tests and Twenty20 internationals and stamped his authority in each one of them. He has won the white ball World Cups — 50 and 20 overs format in India (2011) and West Indies (2024) and the 2013 Champions Trophy in England. And now the 300th ODI….terrific!
Irrespective of whether Aaditya Thackeray bags the post of leader of the opposition’s post in Maharashtra or not, Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena is pushing the envelope a bit far. Edged out by Eknath Shinde in the polls, Uddhav’s options are limited. Uddhav Sena with 20 seats, Congress 16 and Sharad Pawar’s NCP 10 seats, officially can’t claim the top slot. The Opposition does not even qualify for the LoP’s post, since none of the three parties have the requisite 28 seats or 10% of the 288 seats — the qualifying mark. Technically the ball is in the speaker’s court on whether to allow a Leader of the Opposition in the current situation but CM Devendra Fadnavis is said to be in favour of Aaditya. The other UBT Sena choice, six-time legislator Bhaskar Jadhav is too sharp and strong for the comfort of the ruling party. The soft-spoken Aaditya’s lack of experience — he is just on his 2nd term — could just help the ruling Mahayuti alliance tide over its own weak points. Despite having 237 seats, the Mahayuti has been on the backfoot over issues like reining in populist schemes, women’s safety, internal friction between ruling parties and even demand for resignation of two ministers over allegations of corruption and extortion attempt. Letting in Aaditya also helps snub Eknath Shinde, whom the BJP has been trying to clamp down for nursing ambition for the state’s top job. Shinde’s decisions are being overturned, cancelled or reviewed. A clearly upset Shinde has already started warming up to Sharad Pawar and even met up with Amit Shah to get his way around with Fadnavis.
August 16, 1946 is mourned by millions as a day of catastrophe: Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s call for Direct Action Day in Kolkata – with the threat of ‘We shall have India divided or India destroyed’ – led to mind-numbing slaughters as bazars and homes were torched, thousands massacred. The carnage also broke the resolve of the secular leaders, who decided to buy peace by conceding to Jinnah’s demand. According to Freedom at Midnight by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins: “Mountbatten was haunted by the spectre of Direct Action Day staged in Calcutta in 1946 by the Moslem League in which 26,000 Hindus were killed in 72 hours.” The consequence of the Great Calcutta Killings should have been the arrest and trial of the perpetrators, but it ended up rewarding them: talks accelerated for the creation of West and East Pakistan, which became a nightmarish reality a year later August 14, 1947. Against this traumatic background, West Bengal’s ruling party Trinamool Congress’ idea to celebrate Khela Hobe Divas on Aug 16 is being decried as not only insensitive but also an insult to the memory of those butchered in the savage killings. For BJP Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, “Khela Hobe’ was never a poll bugle: it was always a veiled call to the cadres for unleashing stone age barbarism.” TMC has dismissed the public opprobrium as an attempt to spread hatred.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s breakfast meeting with the Opposition parties barring Akali Dal, MIM, AAP and BSP to decide strategy to take on BJP-led government on Pegasus spyware snooping, farmers’ agitation and rising auto fuel prices is being looked by the participants with a lot of reservations. Some of the participants recall that similar efforts were made ahead of 2019 elections, but Opposition unity remained merely a slogan largely due to ego and prestige issues of regional parties and Congress party’s rigid stand that they are first among equals. Some of the participants argued that the Opposition unity in a bid to put up a solid front against mighty BJP and especially against Modi-Shah duo will not happen as some parties fear retributive action by central investigating agencies. However, participants were unanimous to accept one thing that Rahul is now approachable and ready to listen to them. But for how many days, how many months, is still a million dollar question. Some of the leaders who attended the meeting hoped that such meetings do not become a non-starter like in the past. They feel there should be a concrete action plan instead of breakfast meetings which are mere photo ops. Clearly, my enemy’s enemy is my friend does not fly today. You need unity and strategy.
Kamala Harris has become the most unpopular U.S vice president six months into an administration since at least the 1970s, according to polls. The disappointing numbers are worrying Democratic strategists who were hoping she would run for President in 2024. Recent polls showed only 46% of Americans approved of Kamala with 47% and 48% disapproving of her. In contrast, Joe Biden’s approval rating in a polls average is 51.3%, and disapproval 44.9%. The only recent vice president to have such poor ratings after six months was Mike Pence, but he did not have more people disapproving than approving him. Kamala’s unpopularity among young people is a source of concern to the White House. As many as 41% of young voters (18 to 29) held an unfavourable view and she is seen particularly struggling with the Hispanic voters because of her role in the U.S. border policy and her reluctance to go to the border where migrants are eternally trying to enter the USA. Ahead of midterm elections in 2023, the White House might send her on foreign visits to boost her image. Indian Americans who played a major role in getting her on to the Biden ticket and helped enable the victory of the Democrats are a worried lot now.
Not long ago the badminton grapevine was replete with talk of the impending break up between PV Sindhu and her coach Pullela Gopichand, and when it happened a few months before Tokyo 2020, none was surprised. On their part, the celebrated All-England champion and coach, Gopichand, and his illustrious protege-turned-champion, Sindhu, have not thrown the slightest hints of having quarrelled over some sensitive issues or the other. The two have maintained dignity and have not allowed their differences, as professionals, to become grist to the rumour mill. A jewel in India’s badminton scene, Sindhu has become a true champion, winning the Silver Medal at Rio 2016 with Gopichand as coach; the World Championship title at Basel, Switzerland in 2019 with South Korean coach Kim Ji Hyun; and most recently the Bronze Medal at Tokyo with another South Korean court-side coach in Park Tae Sang. Sindhu, at the peak of her career at 26, and daughter of former India volleyball internationals, Ramana and Vijaya, and younger sibling to Divya, who is a practicing doctor, was the 13th highest female athlete in the Forbes World list 2019 with prize money and endorsements earnings of $5.5 million. Already a darling of the badminton world and India’s sports loving public, Sindhu could easily double her big-event medal collection in the next few years, and also see more endorsements chasing her.
Now, the next big event on advertisers’ watch list is ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to be hosted in the petro-dollar venues UAE and Oman from October 17 to November 14, 2021. Reliable sources say Star Sports, the official broadcaster, which includes its video streaming app Hotstar, has already lined up event sponsors (BYJU’S, Dream11), broadcast partners (Coca Cola, Vimal) and are hoping to get on board two more sponsors. Already 40% of the inventory has been sold – with the cost for a 10-second spot put at Rs 10,000-Rs 12,000. The World Cup which will be played after Dussehra but before Diwali may prove to be bang for the buck for both advertisers and broadcasters. Star Sports which was expected to rake in around Rs 3,000 crore (that includes Hotstar) by way of advertising revenue from IPL 2021, could not hit that number as matches were suspended due to the second wave of pandemic. However, insiders are optimistic that Star Sports will earn close to Rs 1,200 crore from 45 matches to be played between 16 teams in the T20 World Cup. It is learnt several advertisers like BharatPe, Upstox, OPPO, MRF Tyres, Booking.com have signed on as ground sponsors. As always the most keenly watched match will be one between India and Pakistan and for this match advertisers don’t mind paying a premium.
August 16, 1946 is mourned by millions as a day of catastrophe: Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s call for Direct Action Day in Kolkata – with the threat of ‘We shall have India divided or India destroyed’ – led to mind-numbing slaughters as bazars and homes were torched, thousands massacred. The carnage also broke the resolve of the secular leaders, who decided to buy peace by conceding to Jinnah’s demand. According to Freedom at Midnight by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins: “Mountbatten was haunted by the spectre of Direct Action Day staged in Calcutta in 1946 by the Moslem League in which 26,000 Hindus were killed in 72 hours.” The consequence of the Great Calcutta Killings should have been the arrest and trial of the perpetrators, but it ended up rewarding them: talks accelerated for the creation of West and East Pakistan, which became a nightmarish reality a year later August 14, 1947. Against this traumatic background, West Bengal’s ruling party Trinamool Congress’ idea to celebrate Khela Hobe Divas on Aug 16 is being decried as not only insensitive but also an insult to the memory of those butchered in the savage killings. For BJP Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, “Khela Hobe’ was never a poll bugle: it was always a veiled call to the cadres for unleashing stone age barbarism.” TMC has dismissed the public opprobrium as an attempt to spread hatred.
A few months back, when the 30-year old Kartik Aaryan lost three films in a row there were murmurs in the film trade especially the big production houses that the actor’s career is over and he may not get work as he was ousted from both Shah Rukh Khan and Karan Johar productions. On the contrary, the opposite has happened. A few well-known production houses who were chasing him have quickly signed him on. Among them is well known producer Sajid Nadiadwala. Likewise Ekta Kapoor who is supposedly to be a close friend of Karan has taken over the project that was once to be produced by SRK’s Red Chillies Entertainment. Interestingly, Kartik seems to have carved a niche within Bollywood. He has support from award winning filmmakers like Hansal Mehta who is also directing him. Besides, producer-director-writer Anubhav Sinha has been praising Kartik on social media. The proof of the pudding is in eating and it is learnt that the actor’s remuneration too has gone up. This proves that he is a bankable star and his box office track record proves he is a big draw as a solo hero. Kartik who started his journey in Bollywood with multi-starrers It is his track record with Lukka Chhupi and Pati Patni Aur Who that won him the confidence of producers like Sinha, Mehta and Nadiadwala.
Indian skipper Virat Kohli wears too many hats. He has opened a resto-bar in the city of joy, Kolkata. Nestled in the heart of the city, One8 Commune Kolkata is designed by Sumessh Menon, whose firm specializes in upscale, bespoke residential, commercial and hospitality interiors. The interiors are infused with the spirit of the city’s nostalgic heritage. While the vibrant blue wall, designed as a book wall, alludes to the city’s rich treasure trove of literature, arched windows, vaults and touches of cultural vibrance are inspired by the city’s architectural heritage and endeavour to bring out a warm, nostalgic ambience. Overseeing the menu is Pawan Bisht, corporate chef and R&D executive of One8 Commune, who intends to offer Kohli’s favourite dishes including mushroom googly with truffle oil and mushroom, millet-based red and white quinoa salad and sugar-free mocktail made with aloe vera juice and pineapple along with some more flavours. Sprawled over 4,500 square feet of space, the resto-bar is Kohli’s second outlet in the country after Delhi’s Aerocity. Besides becoming co-owners in the football and wrestling franchise, he has also invested in fashion brand WROGN, gym & fitness chain Chisel. Before Kohli, other cricketers like Sourav Ganguly, Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Ravindra Jadeja too invested in the hospitality business. While for some the ventures ended in disaster, others are quite successful.
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Editor’s Note: Short Post Noticed By People Who Matter
Four years have zipped by and we are crossing another milestone on 31st January 2025 – it’s our 4th Anniversary. It feels good.
Looking back at the 1460 days, I must say Short Post has made its mark with people who matter via 4000 stories published in the areas of politics, business, entertainment and sports. All made possible by the unflinching commitment and dedication of our senior editors, most of whom have been part of this journey from Day One.
Small pack, big impact is in essence the story of Short Post which was launched at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. It shows our conviction. In all humility, I can say, we have created a new niche in the news segment space like Hindustan Unilever which created a new segment, when it launched CloseUp Gel.
Yes, we have created a brand (in a limited sense), created demand (readers) and created supply (senior journalists). But we are facing teething problems like all start-ups. What makes us happy and confident is the recognition of our efforts. For instance, we have an arrangement with the OPEN Magazine, part of the $4.5 billion Kolkata-based Sanjiv Goenka-RPG Group. This arrangement sees around 10 Short Post stories posted on OPEN Magazine website every week. This arrangement is testimony that our content has been well received! Also, I may add that the Maharashtra government has recognised Short Post and has allowed our senior editor to cover the Assembly sessions. Ditto: Odisha.
Our goal is to ensure that Short Post becomes a habit. I would like people to keep checking their smartphones to know the latest Authentic Gossip. As regards AI and the fear of it disrupting all businesses including media. On that, personally, I have no such fear as I am confident AI cannot smell news particularly Authentic Gossip. That’s the place we are well entrenched.