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Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandra Babu Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh is clearly moving centre stage in politics. The 42-year old Minister for IT and Human Resources Development came for high praise from PM Modi on the way he organised the International Yoga Day event in Visakhapatnam. The event was a logistical success with Lokesh overseeing extensive arrangements. Modi specifically praised Lokesh’s efforts, a gesture that resonated widely within TDP circles and reinforced his growing stature. He managed to mobilise a record crowd of 302,087 at Visakhapatnam alone. Calling him bhai, PM Modi said “I want to praise Lokesh profusely. He has proved how a social celebration should be planned, and executed and how all sections of society should be brought together in just one and a half months”. How Lokesh had organised the Yogandhra Abhiyan should serve as a role model for the rest of India. In this abhiyan, two crore people took part in it (referring to events across mandals). This is the cardinal principle of the Viksit Bharat, said Modi. TDP spokesperson Prof Jyothsna Trinagari said the Visakhpatnam numbers were double of Surat which was about 1.47 lakh. A notable highlight of the event was the use of a QR code-based participant tracking system, which yielded highly accurate attendance data, setting a new benchmark. Of course, it is not that Lokesh had suddenly moved into the spotlight; he has had a number of high-profile engagements with national leaders, including a one-on-one dinner with Modi on May 17 along with his family and meetings with key Union Ministers. These suggest that he has been slowly emerging as key interlocutor for Andhra and TDP — he has been acting as a bridge between the Centre and the state.
Just a year for the most bitter battle for the Tamil Nadu gaddi and a whole host of chinks and breaches in the DMK armour are tumbling out. Is the DMK being dismantled by a cunning Chanakya? Are DMK MP K Kanimozhi and MK Alagiri being instigated to rebel against a dynastic family succession? Political seers are seeing red at every turn. The latest buzz about the Maran brothers, Kalanithi and Dayanidhi fighting for their share of spoils has shaken the DMK leaders and cadres. The father of Maran brothers, Murasoli Maran was Kalaignar’s (nephew) alter ego, power broker and conscience keeper. The two families grew wealthy and powerful even as the DMK’s political relevance grew to sustain the families. Kalanithi, founder of the SUN TV Group, an entrepreneur with an unfailing Midas touch and brother Dayanidhi too basked in the sun’s radiance and held sway in Delhi. The timing of the fallout is what everybody is questioning. Whose hidden hand is at work? The recent star status accorded by PM Modi to Kanimozhi (Stalin’s step sister) to lead an all-party delegation post Operation Sindoor indicates she is a power centre in her own right. Was she given the plum role to highlight that she too was ready for the state’s CMship? On his recent visit to Madurai, an estranged Stalin made amends by calling on older brother MK Alagiri, who assured Stalin that he is no longer interested in politics and would create no trouble as the family’s “Southern Satrap”. BJP knows that 2026 may be too early to make a significant dent in the iron grip of the Dravidian parties. But chipping away brick by brick could dent that grip. Chanakya at work on many fronts.
After spending two years at 10 Janpath with his mother Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is moving into a new address. He started the process of shifting on his birthday on June 19. It is being said 5, Sunehri Bagh Road, barely two km from 10 Janpath, will be his new address and Rahul will move into the Type VIII bungalow before the Monsoon Session of Parliament starting July 21. The Sunehri Bagh residence was earlier occupied by Karnataka BJP leader A Narayanaswamy, who was Minister of State for Social Justice in the Modi government from 2021 to 2024, and had not contested 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Since he became an MP in 2004, Rahul has been staying at 12, Tughlaq Lane for 19 years till 22 April, 2023. This was the house he had to vacate after he was disqualified from Lok Sabha following his conviction in a defamation case involving PM Modi. He was given the choice of moving back to 12, Tughlak Lane — but it was believed that it lacked an auspicious vastu and the Gandhis declined moving back. Rahul had the option of paying market rent and continuing to stay in the bungalow after filing an application but he chose to stay with his mother. He continued to stay at 10 Janpath even after the Lok Sabha election and assumed the chair of Leader of Opposition.
Shares of Sun TV Network crashed over 5% on June 19 after a family feud came to light. Dayanidhi Maran accused elder brother Kalanithi Maran of taking control of the Rs23,000 crore Sun TV through fraudulent practices soon after their father Murasoli Maran’s death in 2003. Now, there are reports that the legal battle over Sun TV ahead of Tamil Nadu assembly elections has begun to worry the ruling DMK. DMK leaders have begun to worry how they would face the polls without media, muscle and money. They are not only feeling caught between feuding Maran brothers but also feel they have no answer for the TASMAC liquor scam involving close aides of Deputy CM Udhaynidhi Stalin. Sources close to DMK say Dayanidhi’s revelation is bound to please chief minister MK Stalin’s son-in-law V Sabareesan as well as be music to ears of his sister DMK Lok Sabha MP Kanimozhi, who also runs a TV media network Kalaignar. Both Sabareesan and Kani have been in cold and watched Udhaynidhi flex his muscles. In his notice, Dayanidhi sought to restore the Sun TV’s shareholding structure to its pre-September 2003 status. This implies that Dayanidhi and his sister, Anbukarasi Maran, along with MK Stalin, and his two brothers and sister, would be the owners of Sun TV, as Kalanithi did not own any shares in the company 22 years ago. Dayanidhi says that after their father’s death, Kalanithi took over more than 75% of the company, while the shares held by their parents were reduced from 50% to just one single share. He claims Kalanithi used none of his own money to do this. He has threatened to request a government investigation by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office if Kalanithi does not agree to fix the issue. The notice says that when Sun TV was founded in 1985, the only shareholders were MK Dayalu (Karunanidhi’s second wife) and Mallika (Murasoli Maran’s wife).
The West Bengal government’s action is once again under scrutiny after political cartoonist Manjul received a takedown notice from Cyber Crime wing of the state police. News website, The Wire, reported that the notice targeted two 2019 cartoons featuring chief minister Mamata Banerjee; one depicting defections from TMC to BJP, and the other on chit-fund scams under her regime. The state police cited alleged legal violations behind the notice. Earlier in March, FIRs were filed against CPI(M)’s Mohammad Salim and BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya for sharing a video showing a woman being flogged by a TMC leader in North Dinajpur’s Chopra. The post led to public outrage, prompting police to seek content removal. These instances reflect a long-standing pattern. In 2012, Jadavpur University professor Ambikesh Mahapatra was arrested for forwarding a cartoon featuring Banerjee; his case dragged on for a decade. Farmer Shiladitya Chowdhury was branded a “Maoist” by Banerjee after questioning fertiliser prices, then detained and legally pursued. In 2019, Sanmoy Banerjee, ex-Congress spokesperson, was arrested for criticising the chief minister’s nephew. In June 2022, YouTuber Roddur Roy was arrested from Goa for allegedly abusing Banerjee and her nephew. In 2023, advocate and former Congress spokesperson Kaustav Bagchi was also detained for allegedly derogatory remarks about Banerjee. Both later joined the BJP. Notably, during protests over the rape and murder of a junior doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College in August 2023, artists criticised the state’s response. In retaliation, the TMC initiated a cultural boycott led by Kunal Ghosh, backed by MP Kalyan Banerjee and Education Minister Bratya Basu.
After Opposition parties BJD and Congress lashing out at Majhi government’s performance, it’s now the turn of titular Puri King expressing his displeasure and disappointment. He has openly shown red flags to CM Mohan Charan Majhi’s administration capability over preparation of Lord Jagannath Temple’s Ratha Yatra in Puri on June 27. The King said, “Everyone thought the Majhi government will make darshan hassle-free at Lord Jagannath temple but nothing has happened so far.” Everything is moving at a snail’s pace and the entry/exit of devotees seeking Lord Jagannath’s blessings is yet to be finalised. This is because the temple management committee has not been formed in the last nine months despite King’s personal written request to the Majhi government to appoint the temple governing body. Meanwhile, the Shree Jagannatha Temple Administration (SJTA) management committee issue has now snowballed into a legal issue to be decided by the Odisha high court. According to Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan the delay in appointing the temple management committee is because one ‘sabayat’ and seven others had moved Odisha HC challenging the inclusion of two individuals in the sacred ‘patabola seva’ — a ritual service traditionally reserved for hereditary sevaks of the Puri Jagannath Temple. In the recent HC interim order on 19 June by Justice RK Patnaik, he has now directed SJTA to consider excluding finalisation of two names of the new temple committee members for participating in the committee meeting since it is reserved for hereditary sevaks.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has targeted the BJP for distorting Bengal’s contribution to India’s freedom movement through the recently released film Kesari Chapter 2, starring Akshay Kumar, R Madhavan and Ananya Panday. Banerjee and the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) have accused the filmmakers of deliberately altering the names of iconic Bengali revolutionaries, alleging that this was done with political intent, as Kumar is known to be close to PM Narendra Modi and the BJP. According to Didi, the BJP had been consistently targeting the state and its rich cultural heritage. The film, directed by Karan Singh Tyagi, released in theatres on April 18 and later on OTT platform JioCinema, has now landed in controversy. A formal police complaint has led to a FIR under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for allegedly insulting freedom fighters and misrepresenting historical facts. Ranjit Biswas, a resident of Nabapalli Sector IV in Bidhannagar South, filed the complaint, claiming that the courtroom scene in the film related to the Muzaffarpur Conspiracy Case misrepresents revolutionaries Khudiram Bose and Barindra Kumar Ghosh. In the movie, they are portrayed as ‘Khudiram Singh’ and ‘Birendra Kumar’ from Amritsar, which Biswas called an “insult to Bengal’s martyrs.” Following the complaint, the police have registered a case under BNS Sections 352 (intentional insult), 353(1)(c) (public mischief), and 353(2) (dissemination of false information). The TMC has demanded an apology and correction, accusing the film of whitewashing Bengal’s revolutionary history.
The Bharatiya Janata Party in Maharashtra is facing some sticky moments over the entry of two controversial politicians, both belonging to the Shiv Sena (UBT). BJP sympathisers and supporters are perturbed over the welcome accorded to Sudhakar Badgujar and Baban Gholap, both from Nashik in north Maharashtra. Badgujar was till a fortnight ago a close associate of Sena MP Sanjay Raut. He was expelled from that party since he presented a memorandum listing civic demands to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis who was visiting Nashik. Badgujar was in the news for the past year after his pictures dancing with Salim Kutta, an alleged operator of Dawood Ibrahim, went viral on social media. Several BJP members had castigated the Sena though he had remained untouched. Even after he joined the BJP, Raut was cautious to react. Normally in the habit of launching a tirade against Sena opponents, Raut merely said about Badgujar that he would not comment on those who were not in his party. Gholap, a former minister in the first Sena-BJP alliance regime, was imprisoned for fraud and was rather inactive politically for a long time. His BJP entry was somewhat surprising for many. The BJP is facing heat for admitting the duo. Fadnavis has said that none should be held guilty unless convicted by the court. All said and done, Badgujar’s entry into the BJP has weakened the Sena (UBT) which is already facing a deluge.
Various political parties in Maharashtra are unanimous in opposing the imposition of Hindi in primary schools. The issue of teaching Hindi has provided cannon fodder to the various political outfits, which have started flexing their muscles in view of the coming local body elections. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has repeatedly clarified that the opposition to Hindi teaching is misplaced but this has had no effect for those who have taken up cudgels against Hindi’s teaching. For the first time in many years, the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena led by his cousin Raj Thackeray have expressed similar sentiments on the touchy situation. Those leaders and insignificant political parties, which had been in hibernation after the Lok Sabha election, have suddenly reactivated themselves. In this atmosphere, senior leader Sharad Pawar has once again taken an ambivalent position. Pawar has indirectly supported the teaching of Hindi. In a chat with the media, while saying that Hindi should not be imposed, he has observed that hating Hindi will not be in the interest of the students. Pawar also pointed out that nearly 60% of India’s population conversed in Hindi. Pawar’s position is considered reasonable though with a rider, as usual. Other partners of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi are nixed since they can neither support him nor speak against him. The issue, however, has potential to impact the local body elections.
Time to keep fingers crossed as an Indian team, trying to juggle with a number of questions in batting and bowling, will get down to the serious business of the first day of the first Test at Headingley, Leeds on Friday. India’s new captain Shubman Gill (three Tests in England) will have a brush with the maverick Ben Stokes who has led England in 33 Tests and won 20 for a 60.61 % win- record and with an 18- led-13-win record at home for a 72.22 positive percentage. Anyway one looks at it, the odds are stacked against India and Gill. But the charm of multi-day Test run-ins is all about outsmarting the rival team with the bat and ball for near about 450 overs if a contest lasts almost five full days and India has the opportunity to play (out of its skin) to baulk the home team which is a touch short without express fast bowlers Mark Wood and Jofra Archer. England will still have a pace bowling apparatus to trouble the inexperienced (in English conditions) top and middle order in Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Karun Nair (recalled after many years), Dhruv Jurel and Gill. Fortunes could fluctuate in a matter of a few overs, and the likes of Jaiswal & Co have their task cut out. On the bowling front, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj have the experience, but on a day when a team has to bowl 90 overs, the Indian team could be hard-pressed. In these circumstances Gill, while batting and Bumrah, while bowling hold the key for India to take control of events.
The song, Why This Kolaveri Di sung by popular Tamil film hero Dhanush, rocked music lovers globally in 2011. Dhanush now has hit another big-time chart buster anthem that is sure to be a global foot tapper. Kandaa Vara Sollunga Karnana Kaiyoda Kuttivarunga belted out by an unknown folk singer, Kidakkuzhi Mariyammal, has already garnered five lakh hits in just under a month. Dhanush turns ballistic in this just released movie Karnan, a powerful story on caste oppression. Mariyammal’s powerful voice, the rustic flavour and her no pretensions attitude has cast a spell on the audience. It is as though the audience wants to see the movie just to savour the setting and touching folk poetry. The Dravidian Parai beat and the poignant lyrics have made this folk song haunting. Director Mari Selvaraj, composer Santosh Narayanan, and of course lead actor Dhanush are all basking in the popularity of the song and the singer. And another unplanned fallout, this song featured as a satirical election anthem for many campaigners who played it to taunt the opponent – “bring him if you see him”. Just shows that Indian polity and society has come off age. Oppression is showcased powerfully, with unforgettable narratives.
Super star Rajinikanth cited health reasons and backed out of politics. But stories and innuendos are still doing the rounds. What happened after he went to Hyderabad for that shooting schedule of yet to be released Annaatthe? Just to jog memories, this mega budget movie is a SUN Network production, and it is vital that Maran brothers get the DMK elected — several legal issues are riding on a DMK win for the brothers and the cousins. According to the tongue-in-cheek waggers, if Annaatthe had a Pongal release as originally planned, it would have given huge heft and traction to Rajini’s political entry and indirectly hit the DMK. So why not delay? And what better reason than Covid on the sets. Many think the penny dropped, a bit late for the star. Things were not going to be that simple, that you get a crazy fan following translate into votes, and snowball it into an AIADMK victory with its alliances. What MGR, M Karunanidhi, and J Jayalalithaa had wrought, endured and survived cannot be replicated. These were very special talents, colossuses who could overcome the toughest challenges. Rajini realised that his health issues could not take on the scorching heat and vitriol of election politics. Better to accept the fan frenzy, sustain your superstardom. Politics is a marathon only a few can run.
Cycling his way from Chennai to Mamallapuram in a red and black tracksuit, sporting his party colours, MK Stalin is sending a message of dynamism to the public of Tamil Nadu. Private exit polls run by elements close to political parties seem to suggest he should get ready for his coronation. Even before he hit the campaign trail, Stalin had presented himself to the voting public as a younger man with a complete makeover — hair transplant, dentistry and Botox — to give him greater confidence in front of the camera. He is the quintessential political leader now all geared to take his father’s seat in Fort St George as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. His DMK party’s booth level workers have also injected plenty of confidence in him with confidential reports of how the party may sweep the polls. Looks like the 68-year old Stalin who has been waiting in the wings for a long time will finally find the well-deserved place under the sun.
South’s diva, Nayanthara, the acknowledged female super star is worth all that big moolah paid to her. She has acted in over 75 films –in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam – and is the only south Indian female actor to have made it to the Forbes India Celebrity 100 2018 list. She is quite professional. She has not allowed her stormy love life to come in the way of hits like Naanum Rowdy Thaan, Aram, Ram Rajyam and Darbar. She has been in and out of love several times. Simbu and Prabhu Deva have gone through those revolving doors. Nayan turned wary and watchful after these breakups even as she held on to that top slot. And then came Director Vignesh Shivan. They have been in a relationship ever since they worked together in Naanum Rowdy Thaan. Nayan, it seems, is smitten by him. But the couple have still not announced wedding plans. Recently she was offered a whopping Rs 10 crore for an OTT movie. But when she heard the script and some over-the-top scenes in the movie, she coolly turned down the drool worthy offer. Has she finally found her anchor in Vignesh Shivan?
The former Indian skipper Mahendra ‘Mahi’ Singh Dhoni has been the most successful brand in the Indian market. And, he has been handled and managed quite well by none other than his childhood friend and former cricketer Arun Pandey. Pandey, who used to chuck ball at the nets to Mahi, runs a brand management firm, Rhiti Group. He was the go-to man, if anybody wanted to sign up Mahi for ads or events. He was also the producer of the biopic, MS Dhoni: The Untold Story. Now, it is learnt that Pandey won’t be managing brand Dhoni anymore. Dhoni’s wife Sakshi has stepped into his shoes. As far as Sakshi’s credentials are concerned, she is the managing director of the Mumbai-based production house, Dhoni Entertainment, that’s into producing films and web series. The documentary web series, titled Roar of The Lion essaying the comeback of the Chennai Super Kings to lift the 2018 Indian Premier League starring MS Dhoni in the lead role was well received. It has entered into a JV with Black White Orange Brands to create Captain 7 an animated fiction show based on Dhoni in a never-seen-before avatar. Close observers feel that the husband-wife team can work wonders for the business as she is extremely confident while Mahi is cool as cucumber. Good luck to Mahi and company!
Business legend Dhirubhai Ambani would have been crying the blues had he been alive today. His alma mater in Gujarat’s Junagadh city is in shambles. The science stream of the government-run Swami Vivekananda Vinay Mandir, where not only the invincible Reliance Industries founder, son of a school teacher, but several state biggies once studied, has had to be closed down due to lack of enough students. In its halcyon days, the science stream, which was started in 1976 in the historical school (formerly Bahadur Khanji School in British India), had as many as six classes each for Class XI and Class XII. With each class comprising about a hundred students, thousands have passed out of the school with a scientific temper. But, according to Principal Pratibha Nagrecha, with the mushrooming of self-financed schools and private tuition classes, the number of students at the school started falling over the past four years with the result that the science stream had just 14 students in the latest academic term as a result of which it had to be shut down. Mayor Dhirubhai Gohil, an alumnus says that teachers of this sarkari school were so dedicated that they often even paid the fees of poor students from their pocket but insisted on a 100% attendance that perhaps did not go well with the students, he feels.
Three-time Olympian (Moscow 1980, Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988), India captain and the gold medal winner at Moscow, MM Somaya is pleased as punch at the Indian team’s back-to-back wins against Rio Olympic gold medal winner, Argentina, in the FIH ProLeague in Buenos Aires. Somaya, who can articulate on hockey, retired as an Executive Director with oil major BPCL in 2017 after a 30-year service. He resides at Sportsfield, Worli in Mumbai and has spent the last year travelling to Coorg, Goa, Lucknow and Bhubaneswar to present the Sportstar Aces Award to Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. “India is certainly a medal prospect at the Tokyo Olympics in July–August. I saw both matches against Argentina. India played an all-round game. Earlier, one or two players would carry the burden or would be in focus. But this is a team wherein all 18 are good. There is strength across the field which the opposition finds difficult to contain. The team’s fitness levels are very high. And they are playing professional and correct hockey. Goalkeeping is critical in hockey and PR Sreejesh and Krishan Bahadur Pathak are giving us the confidence,” says Somaya who keeps himself fit by walking 6 km a day.
The short answer is: they were over confident that they would be able to manage the environment (read politicians, police). That in essence is the story of all the three law breakers — Big Bull Harshad Mehta, INX Media promoter Indrani Mukherjea and rogue cop Sachin Vaze. Indrani Mukerjea, the main accused in the alleged murder of her daughter Sheena Bora made the cardinal mistake of coming back from London. She was perhaps cocky that no harm would come to her as she had friends in high places. Remember music composer duo Nadeem-Shravan? Well, Nadeem Akhtar Saifi fled the country in 1997 when his name was linked to the murder of T Series founder Gulshan Kumar. He continues to stay in London. Similarly, encounter specialist Vaze seems to have blessings at all the levels. For somebody who was seven notches below, in terms of ranking, he could walk in and out of the Police Commissioner’s Office at will. No questions asked! When BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis was seeking a probe into La Affaire Vaze, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray defended him on the floor of the House saying Vaze was No Osama Bin Laden. It is this kind of support that saw Vaze cooking up charges and exploiting people in Mumbai. Republic TV, hounded by Vaze at the behest of his political masters, is bringing to light the nexus between politicians-police that would put any thriller in the shade. In the case of Big Bull, he was a publicity hound and did not lose any opportunity to flaunt his wealth. He came under everybody’s radar for not only his crazy valuations of scrips like ACC, Karnataka Ball Bearing but also driving around in a Lexus. The entire staff of the State Bank of India at Nariman Point came down to see his car when Mehta, at the height of the scam, went to meet the chairman. Finally, he was caught and died in a jail.
Gambling syndicates in Kolkata are offering bets on the results of 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections, including picking the winners of 294 seats. The official results will be out on May 2. So, who will form the next government? How many seats will the TMC win? Will the BJP improve its tally? You get some answers from the bookies, based on their projections, as on April 12: BJP may win 154-156 seats, while TMC may bag 116-118 seats and the balance by other political parties. The going rate is even money, that is, 1:1, for both TMC and BJP. BJP is clearly the favourite as of now. Bookies are paying Rs 1.20 for WB Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who is contesting from Nandigram and Rs 0.40 (40 paise) for BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, Didi’s confidante-turned-adversary. Higher rate indicates lower winning probability while lower rate indicates higher winning probability. A month ago, before elections began, the bookies were paying Rs 0.40 for Didi and Adhikari. After the first phase, the rates for both Mamata Banerjee and BJP were Rs 0.90 each. The bookies were quoting a price of Rs 1.20 for TMC and Rs 0.40 for BJP after the second phase. High rate indicates lower winning probability, while lower rate indicates higher winning probability. The high-voltage poll rallies have kept the bookies on their toes as they are frantically exchanging notes almost every minute, and fixing rates for each party and candidate. Following the completion of the fourth phase of polling, Kolkata bookies claim BJP is clearly ahead of TMC. The fifth phase of the poll scheduled for April 17, may go in favour of TMC and Left Front, they speculate. As for the veteran political pundits, the fierce tussle seems to be leading towards a hung assembly!
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The new political brawl is not about vaccine-hesitancy or vaccine-denial but about the vaccine-scarcity, as the nation is hit hard by the second wave of pandemic. Mumbai, which is staring at a re-lockdown, saw supplies go down by half to about 22K jabs on April 10. Average jabs per day have touched 3.5 million a day versus the combined capacity of 2.4 million a day between Covaxin and Covishield. And there is no immediate capacity expansion in sight as Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawala has written to the Government for Rs 3,000 crore to scale up operations – failing which it will approach banks for loans. Clearly, an opportunity to stay ahead of the curve has been frittered away. Meanwhile, other five vaccines, including J&J via Bio E, will be made available not before October! Suddenly, this realization hits you: Has India failed to reap the dividends of its global vaccine-science leadership due to investment hesitancy? Our failure to comprehend that in a pandemic-like extraordinary conditions, the free-market as well as the atmnirbhar economy operates not only on the principles of demand and competition, but also legitimate corporate profits – and the combo of incentives (guaranteed purchase agreements) and risk capital (for research and capex) extended by the State. This is evident in America’s successful vaccine roll with the state funding private pharma majors. Hopefully, there will be some aatm-manthan when Prime Minister holds the next Covid-19 review meeting with Chief Ministers.
India has leaped dramatically from Covid-19 vaccine-reluctance to celebrate the Tika Utsav since the first Covid-19 jab received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 1 and the second one on April 9. From less than 1% of population receiving at least one dose of vaccine on March 1 (1.2 crore), the coverage jumped to 6.3% (8.57 crore) by April 9. Modi taking Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin dispelled all fear and doubts. “The Covaxin has not yet had Phase 3 trials. Approval was premature and could be dangerous,” Congress leader Shashi Tharoor had tweeted earlier. Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav announced he would not take the “BJP Vaccine”. On April 12 – the second day of Tika Utsav, and the 87th vaccination day – more than 37.63 lakh citizens (over 45 years) received jabs, making India the fastest nation to administer vaccine doses to 10.8 crore. With the states running mass campaigns – from high-frequency TV ads of Delhi Chief Minster Arvind Kejriwal to Sonu Sood being appointed as brand ambassador by Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh – the focus has now shifted to preventing vaccine wastage (6.5% nationwide) amid the second wave of pandemic. States like Telangana with wastage of 17.6%, Andhra Pradesh 11.6% and Uttar Pradesh 9.4%, will have to reorganise their efforts to meet the goal of keeping it below 1%. The task is critical as capacities are ramped up with new vaccines like Sputnik V getting regulatory approvals.
The untimely death of Sushant Singh Rajput last June kicked off a national debate about nepotism and outsider vs insider in Bollywood. The uncharitable lines one heard was: “Oh! Karan Johar is the son of a successful producer Yash Johar; Aditya Chopra is the son of an eminent director Yash Chopra; Sonakshi is daughter of a super star Shatrugan Sinha; Ranbir comes from the most celebrated Kapoor family so on and so forth. And this is why they made it big! Actually, all these so-called “insiders” had skills, which was a cut above the rest and proved their mettle to emerge successful in their own rights. Pedigree gave them entry, but it does not guarantee success. Or else how do you explain sons and daughters of successful stars not being able to make a mark. What about Feroz Khan’s son Fardeen; what about Abhishek Bachchan? What about BR Chopra’s son Ravi Chopra? What about the sons of Guru Dutt? What about the sons of Chetan Anand and Dev Anand? In the cricket world one can think of Sunil Gavaskar’s son Rohan and Kumar Mangalam Birla’s son Aryaman. The list is endless. People forget that in any creative field or even in sports it is the performance that finally speaks. Of course, luck too plays a major role. Rajendra Kumar may not have been considered a great actor but he was popularly known as Jubilee Kumar as all his movies ran for 25 weeks in theatres.
Prithvi Shaw went after the bowlers to notch a super strike rate of 11.37 runs an over in the IPL-14 rough night skirmish against Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium on April 10. Not long ago, the poster boy of Mumbai schools’ cricket, Shaw was used to scattering the ball at Mumbai’s Azad and Cross maidans. Nothing in attitude though has changed, even when turning out for Mumbai or in the IPL. His go-for-broke knock of a 38-ball 72 gave a rousing start to Parth Jindal’s baby in the league, which is the Delhi Capitals. Shaw’s international career, which got a roaring start against the West Indies in Rajkot in October 2018 (he smashed a 154-ball 134) has hit the wall a few times. The news on the grapevine is that his technique is inadequate to deal with top pacemen, and that’s why he was exposed in the Adelaide horror Test in which India was shot out for 36. Prithvi made 0 and 4 and was dropped like a hot potato a week before Christmas. His Test average with one century in Rajkot and scores of 70 and 54 is still good at 42.37, but Shaw will have to go through the real hard yards to win the national selectors’ nod again.
Anil (Billy) Kapoor the legendary advertising man and former chairman of FCB Ulka passed away on April 12 at Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital & Research Centre, Mumbai. He had successfully battled pancreatic cancer almost a decade ago but it recurred aggressively a couple of months ago. He had been living in Singapore for the last several years and was flown back on Saturday. Unlike the fanfare behind the big brands he promoted, his funeral was a private affair. He along with Ranjan Kapur of O&M, Mike Khanna of HTA were referred to as the ‘Punjabi Club’. The trio controlled the era of big brand advertising. Billy was the last to go. One may recall what Ambi Parameswaran wrote when Ulka turned 60 in his column: “It was Bal’s (founder Bal Mundkur) bold move in 1988 that saved the agency. Or it was Anil Kapoor’s courage of conviction that he could rebuild Ulka in a new image. Anil joined as MD in 1988, identified some key managers to re-motivate and retain (Shashi Sinha and Niteen Bhagwat are still in FCBUlka/IPG Group); Anil also managed to rope in a few more – Arvind Wable, Nagesh Alai and yours truly.” Kapoor is survived by his wife, Rita, daughter Aruna and son Ram Kapoor who is a well-known TV star.
An ambitious target of one billion doses of Covid-19 vaccine and financial aid of $1 billion to make them in India seems to be the most heartening news of the day. The American multinational Johnson & Johnson (J&J), operating in 60 countries, seems to be routing that kind of investment as “grant” from two large countries where the pharma major operates. It is learnt that the Hyderabad-based company, Biological E, which has been appointed as J&J’s contract manufacturer earlier this year, will soon start bridging clinical trials for which they have sought official permission from Indian regulators. Biological E, set up in 1962, and partnering with global majors, supplies its vaccines to more than 100 countries. It has supplied more than two billion doses of vaccines in the last decade alone. Since J&J’s single-shot vaccine is already approved by the US regulator and is currently administered across the United States, they would only need a bridging trial in India, which means a small group of 1,000 participants would take the shot before it is officially approved. Bridging trial for J&J’s vaccine is expected to be on similar line of that done by Russian Covid19 vaccine Sputnik V by Dr Reddy’s Laboratories and the trial conducted by Serum Institute for the Oxford University-AstraZeneca Coronavirus vaccine.
It is a heady combination – money and fame. If you don’t know how to handle it smartly, then it could destroy your personal and professional life. The latest news wafting from the dressing room is that the marriage of a leading cricketer from north India is on the rocks. According to insiders, this flamboyant cricketer, known for his brilliant batting and fielding skills, was having a torrid affair and his wife caught him red-handed. Incensed by his philandering behaviour, she has decided to walk out of the marriage with her kids in tow. The divorce threat seems to have brought the cricketer to his senses, and he has gone on all fours asking his wife to give him another chance. Apparently, she is in no mood to relent, say people close to the cricketer. Earlier, we saw paceman Mohammed Shammi facing bouncers after bouncers from his wife Hasin Jahan – and that furious spell could have hurt his career too. They are still not divorced reportedly, and for the moment Shammi must be secretly swooning over his wife’s Instagram pictures that are breaking the internet, especially the one in aquamarine blue saree where she is sporting a chutki bhar sindoor. Her rhapsody – “Sabar ki ungli pakad kar ham itna chale ke raste hairan reh gaye – has indeed left us all ‘hairan’ (pleasantly stunned actually). Well, we are keeping fingers crossed, leaving both the marriages in the hands of God.
While the BCCI-IPL, that gets off the ground today in Chennai — with an anticipated revenue in excess of Rs 4,000 crore — has been the talking point leading to the ‘D’ day, because it’s going to be played amid the vortex of the COVID-19, the cricketing community in Telangana is anxious to know its fate at the BCCI’s seventh Apex Council meeting (April 16) that will consider the Telangana’s application for associate membership. The Telangana Cricket Association’s (TCA) case is being pursued by Telangana Lok Sabha MPs, including Kishan Reddy, Deputy Minister to Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister. The TCA has applied for membership following the Supreme Court order, and the order of the Bombay High Court directing the BCCI to hear the TCA application before April 30, 2021. The irony of it all is that Telangana appears as Full Member in the BCCI constitution on its website. And Puducherry doesn’t appear as one. Experts hold that the BCCI, steered by its Secretary Jay Shah should take steps to update its constitution on the BCCI website. It should and not go by the Ostrich like attitude of people inimical to the progress of associations which have a greater passion for the game and are doing a lot in their region.
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?
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?
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.
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.
Once upon a time in Bollywood, there were only popular actors like Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand. Then, there was no concept of superstars till Rajesh Khanna burst onto the scene like a tsunami, giving seven hits in a row. He was a phenomenon, a rage who whipped up mass hysteria wherever he went. People emulated his hair style and mannerisms. Every girl wanted to marry him. Sadly, Kaka could not hold on to his title for long. Soon, he was dethroned by Amitabh Bachchan with his angry young man image. Big B, as he is popularly known, held the title for nearly three decades. Bachchan’s spell continued till the coming of the Khans – Shah Rukh (SRK), Salman and Aamir. During this time, Bollywood movies were going global, and this worked for SRK like magic. He became the heart throb for the younger generation world over. Everybody drooled over him. King Khan had arrived ruling the heart, mind and wallet space. Even as he continued to hold his sway, Hrithik Roshan entered the scene with Kaho Naa Pyar Hai. This movie made him an overnight sensation. Old cinema buffs say the frenzy around Hrithik is reminiscent of Rajesh Khanna’s days. Now, everybody is asking who will be the next superstar after Hrithik? Today, there are exceptionally talented actors like Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Tiger Shroff and Kartik Aaryan but they haven’t really made that super impact. According to industry observers, in this digital age with multiple platforms, stardom has got so fragmented that there may be no next superstar in the immediate future.
Five-time IPL winner, Mumbai Indians’ (MI) contribution to the development of Indian cricket has been immense. The Ambani-family owned franchise has been an enabler in spotting talent for the national selectors. A unique fast bowler, whose running to the crease was described “neither here, nor there” by Danny Morrison, Jasprit Bumrah is a fine example of MI’s objective to invest and reap rewards. Spotted by MI talent scout, John Wright, during the Mushtaq Ali Twenty20 in Indore in March 2013, Bumrah has become India’s leading strike bowler taking 83 wickets in 19 Tests, 108 wickets in 67 ODIs and 59 wickets in 50 Twenty20. These are phenomenal numbers. And the credit goes to the Gujarat coaches, Vijay Patel and Hitesh Majumdar, and the MI coaching team, for nurturing Bumrah whose natural action has remained intact. Recently the workload management policy saw him being rested on and off. Bumrah, who recently got married to Star Sports anchor, Sanjana Ganesan — has taken 543 wickets for Gujarat right from the time the likes of Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and Jay Shah have been the GCA office bearers and Parthiv Patel, the team’s captain. Bumrah’s IPL bag is a collection of 109 wickets at 23.73 from 92 matches. He is set to return to competitive cricket soon!
Politicians know what they don’t want – a lockdown. But the second wave of Covid-19 has put them in a dilemma. If they go in for lockdown, they will have to weigh in on its socio-economic implications vis-a-vis political fallout. The other option is to ensure everybody gets vaccinated and plug the deficit in healthcare infrastructure while simultaneously enforcing stricter Covid protocol. It is evident that the five states – Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry (UT), which are in the throes of election fever, have thrown Covid protocol to the wind. The Election Commission had mandated during the Bihar elections that Covid-appropriate steps should be taken. But that was forgotten after the elections. Come to think of it, everybody needs to share that blame equally. In Mumbai, the BMC officials are on an overdrive, collecting Rs 200 fine from Mumbaikars for not wearing masks. And in Aurangabad, we have a Member Of Parliament, Imtiyaz Jaleel being cheered by his ‘maskless’ partymen. They carried him on their shoulders as they were thrilled that the government may not go in for a complete lockdown. If politicians break law with such impunity, then what do you expect from the ordinary citizen? In reality, all politicians merely pay lip service when they say, Do gaj ki doori, mask hai zaruri. –Mahesh Vijapurkar
As the Final Countdown begins for the high-voltage Kerala Assembly elections on April 6, the voters are presented with two simple options: BJP candidate E Sreedharan’s Palakkad model and Kochouseph Chittilappilly-Kitex’s 20:20 model, versus the decades old alternate rule model of the Left and the Congress. Sreedharan has outlined his five-year development vision for Palakkad. This is also reiterated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi: “The time has come for FAST development in Kerala — F for fisheries and fertilisers, A for agriculture and Ayurveda, S for skill development and social justice and T for tourism and technology.” V Guard’s Chittilappilly and Kitex’s Sabu have transformed Kizzakambalam panchayat’s (in Ernakulam) socio-economic landscape with their 20:20 party’s transformative endeavours: roads built to last with a 20-year guarantee, a corruption-free panchayat office and the 20:20 supermarket (akin to a DMart or Walmart’s scale) that enables even a poor family of four members to shop their entire week’s groceries for just Rs 500! Sreedharan, Chittilappilly and Sabu are positioning themselves as the Mahabalis of Kerala (the legendary king of the native folklore in whose memory the festival of Onam is celebrated by all communities in Kerala), who can ensure that it’s a daily Onam lifestyle in certain assembly constituencies of the state. Is “Onam Lifestyle” – having Onam every day as a way of life – an idea whose time has come? Well, we will have to wait for the final word from the Kerala polls to understand the voters’ tryst with Onam.
The Shree Cement-East Bengal deal, which was announced with lots of fanfare last September, is yet to get cemented. The final agreement – drafted by law firm Khaitan & Co – has not been ‘signed and sealed’ till now though the deadline for the same was March 15. Sports enthusiasts were hoping West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would intervene to iron out the differences. But that has not happened with the state witnessing one of the most intense Assembly elections in the recent history. Rumours that East Bengal is not eligible to participate in the forthcoming Hero Indian Super League (ISL) matches have got muffled amidst the high-decibel and cut-throat battle in Bengal between Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Those closely following the state’s football development claim the rumour is not unfounded. To participate in the ISL, The Club – rechristened as Shree Cement East Bengal Foundation, has to give bank guarantees by April 12, 2021. “If the definitive agreement does not get signed, Shree Cement will not give bank guarantees. And, if the bank guarantees are not given, The Club will not be able to take part in the ISL,” they apprehend, and claimed the deal between the two may fall through. It may be recalled this 101-year-old iconic football club, popularly known as Red & Gold Brigade, got a jolt when its lead investor Quess Corp pulled out from the two-year agreement in July 2020. Being a popular club among the migrants, the Kolkata-based Shree Cement, controlled by the Bangurs, entered the scene picking up 76% stake.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Principal Advisor PK Sinha, who resigned on March 16 citing personal reasons, is tipped to be the next Puducherry Lieutenant-Governor (L-G). The position is lying vacant ever since L-G Kiran Bedi was called back by the Centre because of constant face offs between her and V Narayanasamy, who eventually stepped down as Chief Minister after the Congress government lost majority. Tamilisai Soundararajan, current Governor of Telangana, has been given additional charge of Puducherry. The official announcement is expected to be made after May 2 when the Puducherry assembly election results will be declared. Sinha, who is from 1977 batch, is the only IAS officer to get three extensions as Cabinet Secretary. It is learnt that Modi is keen that Sinha, his trusted advisor, can be a guide and friend sitting in the Raj Bhavan unlike his predecessor’s constant tug-of-war with the Chief Minister. The Madras High Court last year amid widening rift between Bedi and Narayanasamy had ruled that a government is “a trustee for the little man who should not have a perception that the running of the government is a gigantic conspiracy.” It held that the role of Puducherry’s L-G and that of an elected government in the Union Territory were intertwined as per law, and therefore they were expected to act in unison and not in division. Against this backdrop, the BJP insiders point out that Sinha is the best choice.
The much-awaited Glenmark Life Sciences’ initial public offer (IPO) might get bigger. It is reliably learnt that the parent firm Glenmark Pharmaceuticals is likely to raise around Rs 2,000 crore and they plan to file the prospectus before the SEBI sometime in April or May with a float likely in June 2021. Reportedly, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals had tried to sell minority stake in its API (active pharmaceutical ingredient) business a while ago but due to depressed market conditions those off-market deals never progressed beyond a point. Glenmark Pharma’s CMD Glenn Saldanha has a clear vision of unlocking value of its API business. In keeping up with this vision, the parent firm Glenmark Pharma had transferred its API business to Glenmark Lifesciences in December 2018. Today, Glenmark Lifesciences partners the world’s top 20 generic companies to supply over 130 APIs produced at its five state-of-the-art plants in the country. It has more than 700 customers across 65 countries. All these are visible in the company’s third quarter FY21 topline. It has posted consolidated revenue of Rs 501 crore as against Rs 409 crore previous year, a growth of 22.35%. Given its strong parentage, the retail investors will be keenly waiting for this IPO.
The BJP fights every election — be it Taluka Panchayat or the Lok Sabha election — with a spirit to win and establish its rule. Even though the party’s plan went haywire with superstar Rajinikant bowing out of politics, it has not given up hopes. It is going whole hog with its ally AIADMK and other smaller parties to ensure the AIADMK-led government retains power. Towards this, all their senior leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi are vigorously campaigning in Tamil Nadu. Very much aware that the BJP may not make big gains in Tamil Nadu, it is doing everything within its means to make its presence felt in Dravidian politics. BJP’s strategy received a major push after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Karuppa Palaniswami announced a 10% quota to Vanniyar community from the Most Backward Class category. This move was to checkmate DMK which enjoys sizable support. What is interesting is that the Vanniyar community has a strong presence in at least 40 of the total 234 seats where it can really change the political equations. Further, PMK, which had garnered 5.36% vote share in the 2016 elections, and has been demanding a quota for the Vanniyar community, is the AIADMK-BJP alliance partner. This quota politics has also raked up an issue of caste-based census. Looks like the BJP is spreading its wings in yet another southern state by riding piggyback on AIADMK.
Prakash Adhav, 54, received copious accolades from the England captain, Jos Buttler, and the Man of the Series, Jonathan Bairstow, for preparing three pitches that delivered 1,892 runs in six ODI innings at the MCA international Stadium at Gahunje, Pune. Indian captain, Virat Kohli, also had good words to say about the pitch after winning the series 2-1 on Sunday, March 28. Adhav is the West Zone representative in the BCCI Elite Panel of curators. He is a BSC Agriculture from the Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, and he has been maintaining flowers and landscaping at the Cricket Club of India for over 20 years now. “Prakash is a good curator,” said Prof Ratnakar Shetty, former GM, Game Development of BCCI. Adhav, with assistance from local curator, Ramesh Borde and the MCA ground staff, scarified the pitches, kept 6-mm grass, watered it, and used the medium and heavy roller straight, diagonally and cross-wise to prepare a batting beauty. The match officials were delighted and so also the England coach, Chris Silverwood, who appreciated his work and said: “It’s a good pitch for ODIs.” Adhav was a neutral and additional curator before being inducted into the BCCI elite panel.
Remember childlike, seductive and that infectious smile of Dev Anand with that small gap in his upper left denture that sent women swooning. What became a selling point was actually a bone of contention between Dev Saheb and his director. Well, it’s a ‘painful’ story. Dev Anand got the first break in the movie because of his smile. Baburao Pai, producer of Prabhat Films part of the Pune-based Prabhat Studio (founded by the likes of VG Damle and V Shantaram was), was mesmerized by Dev’s smile and signed him to play a hero’s role. But, when the shooting began director PL Santoshi (father of Rajkumar Santoshi) and the cameraman did not like the gap in Dev’s teeth. It ‘looked odd’, they both felt, in close-up shots. So, it was suggested Dev put cotton buds and fill the gap. After few days of shooting the gum got infected and Dev Saheb could not bear the pain and he complained. Giving to hero’s complaints, the cotton buds were removed and it was status quo ante. The smile took him more than a mile. No wonder he was called the Evergreen Hero till he passed away in 2011 at the age of 88 in London.
By not denying his meeting with NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the de facto chief of BJP, has yet again dropped hints that it has not given up on “Operation Lotus’’ in Maharashtra. At the same time, he has created suspicion among Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners about Pawar’s next move. Shah knows that by holding parleys with Pawar, it will make Opposition parties think twice of forming a front under Pawar’s leadership to take on Modi. Political analysts say the idea is to sow the seeds of suspicion that Pawar cannot be trusted. Shah’s timing seems to be perfect. Currently, there is a mistrust between the three MVA partners — Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress — after the Ambani bomb scare conspiracy came to light. This incident has opened the Pandora’s Box with Maratha strongman trying to defend Home Minister Anil Deshmukh over the Rs 100 crore hafta charges levelled against Deshmukh by the former Police Commissioner, Parambir Singh. On another front, the Leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis who has rocked the MVA government with his explosive expose is now getting ready to fire more salvos ahead of the BMC elections slated for 2022. BJP has launched MissionMumbai 2022 with a resolve to elect its own party mayor and thereby end Shiv Sena’s dream run. Here it is toying with the idea of entering into an alliance with Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena so as to steal Sena’s Marathi Manoos plank and wrest BMC. But, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray seems to be leaving no stones unturned to ensure that BMC, the country’s richest municipal body stays in Sena’s fold.
The stock market is booming with the Sensex currently hovering around 50,000-mark. At this level the market capitalisation works out to around $2.7 trillion. It may be recalled that at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 the Sensex had crashed to 25,638 points. So did the market cap to $1.3 trillion, its lowest since March 2016. Now, there are visible signs that the economy is picking up if one looks at the performance of the sectors like auto, infrastructure, healthcare, IT and FMCG. A number of brokerage houses seem to be bullish; some are predicting that Sensex will touch the 100,000-mark by 2025. Such a bullish outlook is unleashing a buying frenzy among investors. The herd mentality is evident. Nearly 6.3 million demat accounts were added during April-September 2020 to take the total demat accounts to 2.13 crore. Work from home saw people investing in both primary and secondary markets. Thirty companies have already raised around Rs 31,000 crore via IPO in FY-21. But, post-listing, are they all doing well? Not really, says The Hindu Business Line report. “India’s IPO market boom, which began exactly a year ago in March 2020, with the SBI Cards offer, is showing signs of fatigue. Every second stock that posted gains on debut in the last one year has slipped.” So, the opportunity to make a quick kill post listing is clearly waning. Now, some of the fly-by-night operators are recommending below par or penny stocks. With the second wave of pandemic hitting the country, it would be advisable for investors to ignore the conventional market adage “Buy the rumour, sell the news.”
The Indian Express annual list IE 100: The List Of Most Powerful Indians in 2021 is out. There are no surprises in terms of Top 10. Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds on to his #1 position, so does Home Minister Amit Shah at #2 followed by RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat at #3. Bhagwat was ranked #4 in 2019, and this slot has been occupied by the BJP President JP Nadda this year. Reliance CMD Mukesh Ambani holds on to his #5 rank while Adani Group Chairman Gautam has pole-vaulted from 28th position to #10. As always, every year there are new entrants. This year there are five names from the healthcare sector as this sector had to do fire-fighting to manage Covid-19. There are 59 politicians, 17 businessmen, 9 bureaucrats who find a place in the survey. Surprisingly, there are no film stars, spiritual guru or sports personalities save for Virat Kohli. So this brings to fore what was the methodology or criteria used to select these powerful Indians? The prefatory note is silent on that front.
Bollywood camp seems to be divided over some of the winners of the 67th National Film Awards for 2019. Kangana Ranaut, who bagged the National Award for Best Actor for Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi, and Panga, is being compared to Priyanka Chopra’s performance in The Sky Is Pink. Similarly, some veteran critics are comparing Sushant Singh Rajput starrer Chhichhore that won the coveted award with their own choices: Section 375, Art 15, Batla House and Uri: The Surgical Strike. The Jury could have selected from one of these four films, the seasoned critics hold, suspecting that the awards are being given to score political brownie points. All awards, be it national or independent ones, attract such endless criticism. This brings to mind the story told to the undersigned by the Dadasaheb Phalke Award winner Manoj Kumar aka Mr Bharat. His movie Upkar (1967) was a runaway hit. Mr Bharat got a call from a babu in New Delhi to attend the National Films Awards function at Vigyan Bhavan as his film Upkar was the winner. When the announcement was made, he found much to his dismay that a south Indian film had bagged the award and his film got the Award for the Second-Best Feature Film. Seeing a visibly irritated Manoj Kumar, the babu, in question, quickly whispered into his ears: “Sir, please understand the politics of balancing!” After reluctantly collecting the medal, Manoj Kumar quietly walked out, went to the refugee camp in Delhi where he had grown up (after Partition 1947), and threw the medal into a nullah.
The Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) international stadium, beneath the Ghoradeshwar Hill at Gahunje village in the outskirts of Pune, hosted three high-scoring ODI matches between India and the 2019 ICC World Cup winner England on March 23, 26, and 28. Some of the biggest hitters like Ben Stokes, Jonathan Bairstow, Jason Roy, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, featured in these matches. But the Covid-19 restrictions imposed by the State Government, prevented the spectators from thronging one of the modern venues in India. The MCA officials were disappointed that the local faithful could not be present for the high-profile matches, culminating into the 50th match. The MCA has hosted 38 IPL matches, much of it featuring the Sahara-owned Pune Warriors, Sanjeev Goenka-owned Rising Pune Supergiant, CSK and Kings XI Punjab. The MCA has also hosted seven ODIs, three Twenty20 internationals and two Test matches. After the new stadium was constructed by the Shapoorji Pallonji Group, the MCA hosted the first Twenty20 match between India and England in December 2012. The MCA Secretary, Riyaz Bagban said: “With paying spectators the revenue from gate receipts would have been Rs 15 crore for three matches, but the MCA has earned around Rs 10 crore by way of in-stadia advertising.”
With technocrat and builder of some of India’s iconic public infrastructure projects, E Sreedharan joining the BJP, the Kerala voters finally have an “optimistic third option.” The state assembly elections have traditionally been marked by a two-horse race to power – and the rotation of power between the LDF and the UDF over the past couple of decades. Two scenarios are available for the voters: BJP backed by the Christian leadership, Church and voters, could get the 72-seat simple majority to form the government (140 seats). The state observers hold that Sreedharan’s clean image, the likelihood of political autonomy that he may command, and a “strategic” election manifesto should nudge the average Kerala voter to back the BJP and allies. In the second scenario, contrary to opinion polls now favouring the Left, the Congress can form the government, mainly backed by allies IUML, SDPI and Welfare Party. However, it will be a plain replay of the past 20-year administration. Though the Anna-Kitex group backed 20:20 party could win the entire eight contested seats, it prefers to sit independent in the opposition and continue with its well-received public welfare goals. For some analysts, with this assembly polls, the NDA and the 20:20 party may get positioned as formidable options in the next 10-15 years in a radically transformed Kerala.
Not many would have bet on the Men in Blue after the humiliating rout they suffered in the first Test at Adelaide (Dec 17-19, 2020), scoring 36, their lowest total ever. Even on the final day of the last Test at the Gabba (Jan 15-19, 2021), they were given 1% chance. India ended Australia’s 33-year dominance at the Gabbatoir with Shubhman Gill hitting a mesmerising 91 and Rishabh Pant an audacious 89 to chase down the target of 328 with 18 balls left in the match. Wisden Cricket’s Editor-In-Chief Phil Walker notes: “Seasoned and sober judges are saying it’s perhaps the finest series win away from home by any side ever.” Cricket analyst Robert Craddock wrote in the Daily Telegraph: “Australia got their best squad to throw their best punch – and they got knocked cold.” The incredible turnaround story for the team (that lost all four tosses, their power-hitting captain, and several frontline players through injury) was scripted by the fiery energy of the debutants and the steely spine of the young guns batting at lower order. The same debutant spirit was unleashed after the thrashing England inflicted in the first Test at Chennai. India managed to defend its fortress, securing 13th consecutive Test Series win. The 3-1 series victory over England seals India’s berth in the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) final, where they will face New Zealand, the team of “scrappers that scraps for win.” Hopefully, India will soon find answers – as Saurav Ganguly (president of the BCCI) and Rahul Dravid (in charge of the National Cricket Academy, Bengaluru) sharpen focus on training young talents like Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, and Shubman Gill, among others.
Film stars are in great demand during election time. It is a star parade in West Bengal; some are fighting elections, some canvassing for the TMC or the BJP. Ditto: Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Stars are magnets, drawing the huge crowds. But once elected, are they able to serve their constituencies? A simple analysis shows that 90% of the reel stars fail to play the role of political leaders in the real world. Amitabh Bachchan, Govinda, Rajesh Khanna and Dharmendra won elections with convincing margins but eventually retreated after failing to make an impact. However, there are a few who successfully occupied centre stage: MGR and Jayalalithaa in Tamil Nadu; and NTR in Andhra Pradesh had a splendid journey to the top. Vinod Khanna is remembered for being the only Bollywood star to win Lok Sabha polls four times – he won from Gurdaspur in Punjab on the BJP ticket; he also served as a minister. Among the living legends, Dream Girl Hema Malini who was first nominated to the Rajya Sabha won both 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls. So did singer Babul Supriyo. Raj Babbar has been active since 1989, having changed three parties. He won the Lok Sabha seat thrice and was also once nominated for the Rajya Sabha. Backed by the Samajwadi Party, Jaya Bachchan is also making her presence felt at the Upper House. Bihari babu Shatrughan Sinha, who won two terms and became a minister, is acknowledged for his fiery debate. Jaya Prada, Khushbu, Manoj Tiwari and Ravi Kishan continue to hog the limelight. In the south, Rajinikanth’s much anticipated political debut didn’t materialise – but Kamal Haasan has taken the plunge.
V-Guard Industries’ Founder Chairman and philanthropist Kochouseph Chittilappilly, in a no holds barred chat with Kerala’s popular Food Vlogger Mrinal Das Vengalat, dropped a bombshell that Yusuff Ali, CMD of the multi-continent Lulu Group, may not be the richest Malayalee of Kerala origin, despite a net worth of $4.8 billion! Chittilappilly, a self-made billionaire, said the combined personal net worth of the UDF and the LDF politicians, who ruled Kerala by “default turns” over the last 20 plus years, could surpass that of Lulu’s Ali. If one were to extrapolate Chittilappilly’s observation to the entire country, then the combined net worth of politicians could well be over billions of dollars, surpassing that of combined networth of top 10 industrialists. The money-spinning arithmetic of politicians only gets eye popping every year, especially in the light of the letter written by the recently transferred Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh. In his letter, he alleged that the Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had asked the arrested Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze to collect Rs 100 crore every month. And the maths that was allegedly given was: “There are 1,750 bars and restaurants in Mumbai. If you collect Rs 3 lakh on an average that works out to Rs 50 crore. As for the balance amount, there are other avenues.” Is India a land of “mega bucks” for the renegades?
Can an embarrassed and troubled Uddhav Thackeray ask his Home Minister Anil Deshmukh to resign after former Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh’s allegation that Deshmukh had asked his officers to extort Rs 100 crore per month for him? Given the tradition in Maharashtra’s coalition government, the Chief Minister is helpless unless the alliance partner NCP agrees to let him go. In this case, it is the NCP which must decide. Had it been a Congress minister, it would have been entirely that party’s call. Should Pawar decide to nominate him for another ministry from those allocated to the NCP, Uddhav would have to allow that. Had it been a Sena minister, Uddhav needn’t ask anyone at all. Technically, it is the CM, who heads the cabinet, but the team members are decided by each partner. When Chhagan Bhujbal was the Deputy Chief Minister to Sushilkumar Shinde, they both got along like a house on fire. But Pawar asked Bhujbal to resign when it was alleged that his supporters had violently attacked a TV station’s offices in 2003. He was replaced by Vijaysinh Mohite Patil while Shinde just had to grin (which he literally does as a habit) and bear it. If Uddhav goes against the delicate alliance arrangement, a serious crisis in the coalition could arise.
Star Sports Kannada is going places! Thanks to its policy of promoting sports, and in particular cricket across the country and among the Indian diaspora scattered all over the world, Star Sports has been able to capture the niche audience in different languages, notably, Bengali, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam. This is apart from the two main language broadcasts in English and Hindi. The ongoing England tour is being broadcast in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada. For the Kannada language, the broadcaster has a pool of commentators in Gundappa Viswanath, Venkatesh Prasad, Bharath Chipli, Srinivasa Murthy. B Akhil, GK Anil Kumar and Vijay Bharadwaj. Venkatesh Prasad was a skilful operator of the new and old ball, having outsmarted many a top batsman in the world. He says, “Kannada commentary is more like a cricket conversation between friends. We bring the nuances of the game from different perspectives in a simple colloquial language and with very minimal bookish words. It is casual, it is fun and highly informative, meant for viewers aged from 8 to 80. Kannada commentary is Nimminda haagu nimmagagi.”
Like the Texas ranger J.J. McQuade in the Hollywood thriller Lone Wolf McQuade, this 60-year old Parliamentarian NK Premchand too likes to work alone. He is the one-man army who has made his presence felt in the Lok Sabha. A four-time MP from the Kollam district of Kerala, he is the Central Secretariat Member of the Revolutionary Socialist Party. Whether it is debate or raising questions, he is in the forefront. According to PRS.Org, between June 2014 and February 2019, Premchand asked 471 questions (national average: 293), participated in over 300 debates (national average: 67), and had attendance record of 87% compared to the national average of 80%. He introduced a private member bill overturning Sabarimala verdict and it was the first private bill introduced in the 17th Lok Sabha. Everybody from the prime minister to speaker to MPs acknowledge his dedication and commitment. And nothing misses his sight. He raised the question about a Supreme Court-appointed panel issuing an advertisement in a leading newspaper inviting comments on new farm laws. It was “unfortunate” that the Apex Court was encroaching upon the domain of Parliament, he said. If the panel can seek comments on the new laws, “then what is Parliament meant for”. Quite.
Born into an aristocratic family, Himanshu Roy is one of the leading pioneers of the Indian cinema. Bombay Talkies studio, which produced a number of hits and launched several stars, was his brainchild. It was set up in 1934 along with his actress wife Devika Rani. The other partner was Shashdhar Mukherji who roped in his brother-in-law Ashok Kumar Ganguly as a technician. According to a knowledgeable source, Roy in a fit of rage threw the leading hero out of the movie as he suspected him of having an affair with his wife Devika. Now, the whole studio was in a fix as the movie was going on the floor. A desperate hunt began for a new hero and everybody’s eyes fell on Ashok Kumar and he was cast as a hero opposite Devika Rani. Now rose another tricky situation. Since Mukherji was controlling the whole project there was an issue as to how he would address Ashok Kumar who was his wife’s elder brother. His nickname was Moni so Mukherji like a good Bengali added the prefix Dada to Moni and started calling him “Dada Moni”. The rest is history.
Trouble, they say, never comes alone. At least that is what West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee may be discovering much to her dismay. Many famous personalities who helped build Trinamool Congress from scratch and were part of her inner circle are quitting the party. Respected and seasoned politicians like Dinesh Trivedi, Adhikari brothers, Rajib Banerjee and film personalities are attributing their quitting to Didi’s temperament; as they are not able to put up with her angry outbursts, insults and uncharitable remarks. Add to this, the phenomenal rise of her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, who is rubbing senior party leaders the wrong way. The exodus continues and the latest news wafting from the Writer’s Building, according to reliable sources, is that the current Finance, Commerce & Industries Minister Dr Amit Mitra may relinquish his office after the assembly elections. It is learnt that Dr Mitra is keen to spend more time with family and focus on his health. It may be recalled that Dr Mitra was the familiar face in Delhi when he served as the Secretary General of the FICCI. Born in an illustrious family, economist Dr Mitra joined the All India Trinamool Congress in 2011 and defeated the then Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta belonging to the CPM. Incidentally, Dr Mitra is part of the ministers and MLAs who have been denied party tickets for the current Assembly elections.
Shishir Hattangadi, a successful opening batsman for Bombay from 1981 to 1992, cracked brave front foot drives off good Australian speedsters Craig McDermott and Bruce Reid and scored 63 in a rare skirmish against international class bowlers at the Captain Roop Singh Stadium, Gwalior in September 1986. He was unlucky not to have played for India with 3,722 runs from 60 first-class matches and with 10 hundreds and 21 fifties. A keen student of the game, Hattangadi, who can be likened to a Bhadralok being born in Kolkata, and also familiar with khem cho world of Gujarat, is perhaps the first first-class player-turned-CEO of the Baroda Cricket Association. He was Director, Cricket with Deccan Chargers and Mumbai Indians. “A lot of it is common even as CEO. It’s policy making, HR and P&L. It’s also creating a strategy to build the Baroda brand. Now you are learning a lot other than cricket. I talk to the coaches and captains of different teams. It’s given me the learning of adaptability. The challenging part is adapting to the elected members,” said Hattangadi, who cut his teeth in the game at St Mary’s School and RA Podar College, Mumbai.
Showman Subhash Ghai, who was the guest of honour at The Indian Idol Show, revealed an interesting story about Jackie Shroff. Ghai was looking for a fresh face for his movie Hero and Jackie Shroff came to meet him with his portfolio. Ghai asked him three questions: Can you sing? Can you dance? Can you act? And Jackie Shroff said NO to all the three questions. Then why have you come to meet me, asked Ghai. Jackie said his friends forced him! Impressed by his innocent honesty, Ghai said: “You are selected to play the hero’s role opposite Meenakshi Seshdari in the movie Hero. Jackie was stunned. After profusely thanking Ghai as he was walking out of the cabin retraced his step and said: “Sir I will tell you one thing truthfully. I have played a role in Dev Anand’s movie in which there is a goonda Shakti Kapoor who has an assistant goonda and I am assistant to assistant goonda. Now, you are casting me as a hero, Sir Aap Fas Jaogey.” Ghai was moved by the hero’s honesty. Even today after tasting phenomenal success Jackie is the most grounded star, says Ghai with a touch of pride. The 64-year old star who has become synonymous with the word Bhidu is also fondly called “Jaggu Dada”.
That’s the billion-rupee question. The late actor Sushant Singh Rajput continues to trend for nine months now. On March 17, the Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, who is in the eye of the storm, was trending on Twitter via #IamwithAnilDeshmukh. A few months ago, it was the Mumbai Police Commissioner who was subsequently transferred. The question everybody is asking: Does Deshmukh have the charisma or mass following like his boss Sharad Pawar, the NCP Supremo? Earlier, when the Founder-Editor of Republic TV was arrested by the Mumbai Police he was trending at #1. It was a natural public sympathy; even the Supreme Court made scathing remarks on the illegal arrest. Sure, he had a strong platform to tell his story. Similarly, starlet Rhea Chakraborty was trending both ways; for one group she was a villain whereas for the other group she was a victim. Suddenly you see #CBI Expose Jiah Khan Killers trending. Jiah died in 2013. The last time the whole country, sans social media, came together was during The Emergency in the mid-70s. Likewise, the Anna Hazare movement over corruption became a national movement. So, this trending business raises lots of questions. Who decides the trending patterns and ranking? In whose interest it is to keep issues alive? Is it a perception game? Does judiciary take cognizance of social media numbers?
After the fourth scrap against England on March 18 at the NaMo stadium in Ahmedabad, Suryakumar Yadav talked about butterflies — in the stomach of course. All this after going after England fast bowlers, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood in his first outing with the bat. He had dumped Archer over the square leg picket of the first ball he faced, and former England captain Michael Atherton likened the shot to West Indian Gordon Greenidge like; rocking on his right leg to play the horizontal bat shot. Atherton’s colleague in The Times, UK, Simon Wilde, described the first ball pull shot as Calypso-like. Yadav is 30, has played for Mumbai in the BCCI tournaments for 12 years. After the early promise, he appeared to have lost focus, but suddenly his adrenaline soared to positive levels, seen as he was in thundering form in IPL Season-2018 (512 runs), IPL-2019 (424 runs) and IPL-2020 (480 runs). He was picked in the India Twenty20 squad based on the runs he amassed in the IPL and he was in cracking form in his first hit in the national colours. “The passion for the game has kept me going. I knew my chance would come. And when it came, I grabbed it with both hands,” said Yadav.
In 1984, the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi saw the Congress party win 411 seats out of 542 with her son Rajiv Gandhi becoming the Prime Minister. It was a sympathy wave. A similar situation arose when Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated while campaigning during the 1991 elections. In areas where polls were held before the assassination, the Congress fared badly. It was a vote against non-performance. Post Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, the Congress did well due to the sympathy wave but could not muster enough seats and had to form a minority government led by PV Narasimha Rao. So this brings to the fore whether West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who met with an accident in Nandigram constituency will romp home on a sympathy wave? Will her campaigning on a wheel-chair optics make the various scams, misrule a non-issue and catapult her party TMC into the winning zone. It may be recalled Chirag Paswan did not gain much from his father Ram Vilas Paswan’s demise but YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, current Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, more than benefited when his father and Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy died in a helicopter crash. Likewise, one must see what happens in Tamil Nadu with the demise of two icons — M Karunanidhi of DMK and J Jayalalithaa of AIADMK. Will it be sympathy or performance that will tilt the scale? It is worth mentioning that the BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi got two terms on sheer performance indices and so did AAP in Delhi, led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Looks like the electorates have wizened up and optics do not matter.
It is no more signing amount or territory sharing in Bollywood. According to the industry insiders, the top 13 actors today not only charge a fee but also get a share in profits of their films. Thus, by the new model, Aamir Khan earns around Rs 100-300 crore per film. It is also learnt that he takes profits only after the producer has earned his money from the film. Salman Khan earns about Rs 100-150 crore per film; he has been making double of what he earns from a film from the reality show Bigg Boss. Akshay Kumar either co-produces a film or takes an outright price of Rs 90-135 crore for a film. Interestingly, Shah Rukh Khan — the superstar who scored a record number of blockbusters in the 90s — charges Rs 75 crore plus profits per film. Hrithik Roshan charges in the range of Rs 75-100 crore per film plus profits. The actor was offered Rs 100 crore for the web series Night Manager which is yet to go on floors. Ranbir Kapoor earns about Rs 60-75 crore for a film. Ajay Devgn produces most of his films but if he is involved as an actor, he takes Rs 50 crore. In the past, Ajay, Salman, Big B, Jeetendra opted for certain territories. Amitabh took Bombay Circuit, Jeetendra CP Circuit. The newcomers are no different; they have swung into the game by charging fees plus profits. Thus, Ranveer Singh earns about Rs 20-30 crore which includes profits; Shahid Kapoor Rs 35-50 crore plus profits. Tiger Shroff earns Rs 18-20 crore per film. New sensation Kartik Aaryan’s seems to be moving in the big league amazingly fast, having already hit the Rs 15-20 crore mark.
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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.