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Political parties have their own whims and fancy notions about good luck charms of their parliamentary party offices. That’s why when it comes to the new Parliament complex, it seems — both the Congress and the BJP– are reportedly being reluctant to move their parliamentary party offices from the old Parliament House. Both the offices are on the ground floor and have plenty of history to it. Of course ministers and the LoP do have their offices in the new complex. The only party which has moved into the new building is the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) which stormed to power in Andhra Pradesh winning 164 of 175 assembly seats in an electoral alliance with Janasena Party and the BJP and has 16 seats in Lok Sabha. The Lok Sabha Secretariat allocated a new office, F09, to the TDP on the first floor of the new Parliament, a prime location that also houses the offices of the Prime Minister and Union Ministers. This change marks a transition from the party’s previous office, Room No 5, which was situated in the old Parliament building. Recalling how the YSRCP led by Jagan Mohan Reddy had occupied TDP’s office after party was routed in 2019 elections, a TDP source pointed out that in the 2019 LS polls, the YSRCP had swept the elections, winning 22 of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state and TDP was reduced to just 3 seats. Official sources said regional parties like DMK are also reluctant to move into the new Parliament complex.
A new star has joined the Indian insurance galaxy! Galaxy Health Insurance Co Ltd is the new addition. The birth of Galaxy signals the re-entry of yet one more family of the erstwhile TVS group into the insurance space. Significantly enough, this happens a few years after the formal legal separation of four families of the erstwhile TVS group. Galaxy Health Insurance is promoted by Venu Srinivasan and his family. V Jagannathan, former CMD of United India Insurance Company and the founder of Star Health & Allied Insurance, is the co-promoter. Industry stalwart G Srinivasan, former head of United India Insurance, is the MD & CEO. The Galaxy board comprises Dr Sai Satish, a renowned cardiologist, and Sudarshan Venu, MD of TVS Motor Company. Galaxy Insurance is all set to commence its operations shortly. Insurance business is nothing new to the Chennai-based TVS Group. It was the owner of Madras Motor and General Insurance before the industry’s nationalization. After nationalization, Madras Motor merged into United India Insurance. Subsequently, in the post-liberalization era, Sundaram Finance, initially promoted by Madras Motor, launched Royal Sundaram Insurance, a general insurance company. Ironically enough, two former heads of United India Insurance will be guiding Galaxy Health Insurance to make a mark in the space. The size of the Indian health insurance sector was estimated at Rs 1.17 lakh crore in FY 2024, and is currently growing at a CAGR of 20%. Post the legal separation, assorted organisations who once formed part of the erstwhile TVS group are now freely exploring the freedom of opportunity, it appears.
Top BJP minister Nitin Gadkari’s sensational disclosure that he had been offered support for Prime Ministership by a prominent opposition leader before the Lok Sabha election is considered significant owing to its crucial timing. Gadkari generally avoids commenting on political developments and does not entertain any media questions in this regard. Hence, his candid revelation has surprised the BJP brass, which has refrained from reacting to it. The opposition, by and large, also has kept away from the potential bombshell. Gadkari has refused to name the opposition leader who made this offer to him. But the political grapevine is on overdrive to identify the opposition emissary. Various algorithms are applied to find out who it could be. Is he from Maharashtra? From Nagpur or Vidarbha? A former BJP member? Close to Rahul Gandhi or Mallikarjun Kharge? Or someone having tacit approach to the RSS decision makers? Of course, all these are supposition without any factual backing. Still, the suspense is mounting in view of the coming assembly elections. It is deepened since Gadkari has declared on multiple occasions that he is not interested in the topmost job and is happy with his ministry. In the past, his name was being discussed to become the Maharashtra CM but he had firmly rejected the idea. His only connection now with the state elections is that he is one of the star BJP campaigners.
The ongoing RG Kar Medical College protests have cast a shadow over the Bengali film industry, with many in the fraternity struggling to return to work amid constant backlash and online trolling. While several actors, directors, and singers actively participated in the protests, some have gone back to work sparking mixed reactions from the public. The situation intensified after West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s call to “return to festivities”. This statement was widely criticized. Amidst this political tension, prominent figures in the Bengali entertainment industry have found themselves facing undue criticism from netizens. Celebrities like singer Iman Chakraborty, actors Swastika Mukherjee, and Sohini Sarkar, all of whom supported the protests, became targets of online trolling. Swastika faced particular backlash after promoting her upcoming film Tekka, despite her regular attendance at protest rallies. Dev, who stars in Tekka and is also a Trinamool Congress MP, defended his stance, supporting the movement while stressing that livelihoods, especially during Durga Puja, should not be affected. He pointed out that marginalized groups, such as dhakis, decorators, and vendors, depend on the festive season. Singer Shilajit, another victim of online criticism, echoed similar sentiments. He defended the importance of continuing work, noting that events contribute significantly to artists’ earnings. Director Raj Chakraborty expressed concern over how easily celebrities become targets for trolls, leading many to avoid social media. Amid this growing tension, promotions for upcoming Puja releases, such as Bohurupi and Shastri, have been toned down to avoid further controversy. The Bengali film industry continues to navigate these challenging times with caution.
The mantle of head coach of the Indian cricket team has passed on smoothly from Rahul Dravid to Gautam Gambhir. The once famous ‘Wall’ of Indian cricket has returned to IPL’s Jaipur franchise, Rajasthan Royals, but the immediate focus will be on the doughty left hander from Delhi who showed guts and gumption for India across the three formats, scored 10324 runs in 242 matches embellished with two World Cup titles — the Twenty20 In 2007 and the 50 over format in 2011. Gambhir’s international career spanned from 2003 to 2016 after which he spent time as a BJP member of the Lok Sabha from 2019 to 2024 before he joined Shah Rukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders. His success there has catapulted him to the national team that won the Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies in July. Gambhir’s first major work will be to facilitate India qualify for the final of the World Test Championship. India under Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri and Rohit Sharma and Dravid finished second best against New Zealand and Australia in the two previous cycles of the WTC, the finals being played in Rose Bowl and The Oval. India has to win at least five of the remaining 10 Test matches to be in the running for a third consecutive WTC final appearance, and this time the final will be played at the famous Lord’s Cricket Ground in London from June 11 next. Gambhir will have five home Tests — two against Bangladesh, starting this Thursday and three against New Zealand — before the historic five-Test series in Australia from November 22. Guiding India to the WTC summit before the ICC Champions Trophy in February- March 2025 in Pakistan will give a perspective about Gambhir’s coaching and mentoring philosophy.
A free burqa distribution programme organised by a Eknath Shinde camp legislator highlighted the uneasiness between the ruling alliance partners particularly over the Muslim vote bank. While the BJP did express its displeasure about such acts as “appeasement politics”, they clearly had to leave it at that. The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena neither publicly disowned nor criticised the drive, thus recognising the need to woo core voters. The MLA concerned, Yamini Jadhav recently lost from the prominent Mumbai South Parliamentary constituency by over 50,000 votes mainly due to the fact that the Muslim voters there chose to throw their weight behind Uddhav’s nominee, Arvind Sawant. The fact that 50% of voters in her Mazgaon constituency are Muslims, could not have been lost on her as she faces her electorate yet again to reclaim her MLA seat. All this, while the prominent alliance partner, the BJP continues to adopt an aggressive pro-Hindu pitch with Nitesh Rane’s diatribe against Muslims being the order of the day. The BJP has also been critical of Uddhav’s recent success in garnering the support of the Muslim vote bank terming it as a result of not being sincere to core Hindu ideology. The third partner, Ajit Pawar, has already clarified that he would continue to be secular, in spite of his alliance with the BJP. Pawar has gone ahead and almost-declared the candidatures in key Muslim-dominated seats like Bandra East (Zeeshan Siddiqi) and Anushakti Nagar (Nawab Malik’s daughter Sana Malik) ignoring the BJP.
Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin said he would be seeking an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and personally request him to release funds meant for the second phase of the Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL) project as well as the funds due to the State under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) relating to school education. Both funds have been blocked by the Centre. His finance minister Thangam Thennarasu has already issued a statement hitting out at the Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman for saying that the ongoing CMRL second phase for Chennai was a State sector project. He had pointed out that the project envisaged in 2017 was a central sector project in which the Union government’s share had worked out to Rs 7,425 crore. He also refuted a statement by Ms Sitharaman that the state had spent only Rs 5,880 crore on the 119-km phase II whereas the state had already expended more than Rs 18,000 crore so far. The step motherly treatment being meted out to Tamil Nadu, considered the last bastion against the ruling BJP is borne out by the fact that funds allocated for Metro Rail schemes in cities like Bengaluru (Rs 30,399 crore), Kochi (Rs 1,957 crore), Nagpur (Rs 6,708 crore), Pune (Rs 910 crore) and Thane (Rs 12,200 crore), are all from the Centre’s kitty while not even what was promised for Chennai Metro expansion has been delivered.
Even as film fans across the country are wildly speculating about divorce in the Bachchan’s family comes the news from Kollywood that Jayam Ravi, one of the most dependable performers (the standout star of Ponniyin Selvan) dropped a bombshell on his 44th birthday (Sept 9) that he is seeking divorce from wife Aarti after 15 years of marriage. The couple have two children. A shell shocked Aarti, a successful entrepreneur in her own right, said “Ravi did not consult me, nor was I aware that he is about to drop this bombshell on me and the kids. This unilateral announcement never gave me a chance …much as I tried to talk to him.” Coincidentally, Ravi’s first hit, M.Kumaran S/O Mahalakshmi was a film that touched the hearts of many. It is about a single mother who brings up her son with no help from a husband who walked out on the marriage. Ironically, Ravi asking for divorce will see Aarti face a similar predicament. Aarti is the daughter of successful TV serial producer Sujatha Vijayakumar. Has Ravi come to the end of his tether because of perceived interference of his in-law? Inspite of his busy schedule, Ravi has always given quality time for his family says sources. No one is aware of the real reason for Ravi’s ultimate break decision. But the way he has done it made Aarti lament, “My grace and individuality have been knocked out by the media speculations.” She still hopes for a rapprochement. Marriages are made in heaven, but hit the rocks in this fantasy world of tinsel make believe.
It was Chandrababu Naidu’s dream to create a world class city — Amaravati — as the capital of Andhra Pradesh. But, he lost the 2019 assembly elections badly and the new government headed by Y Jagan Mohan Reddy put his plan on the backburner. A kind of political vendetta. With Naidu’s TDP sweeping power in Andhra Pradesh 2024 Assembly elections Naidu is going all out with his dream capital plan. The new city, to be built from the ground up, will start from December 1. The Modi government has already sanctioned Rs 15,000 crore for the project, besides Naidu is talking to multilateral agencies like World Bank seeking soft loan for this mammoth project. Sources say Naidu definitely wants a city which is resilient, creates value, drives new markets and responds to future demand. For now the 29,966 farmers who had pooled in 34,400 acres of land for this ambitious project eight years ago are in a celebratory mood. The land prices have zoomed from Rs12,000 to Rs35,000 per square yard. Naidu has roped in renowned London-based architectural firm Foster + Partners to design the government complex to house the legislative assembly, high court and secretarial buildings. Sources say Amaravati would require a budget of at least Rs 40,000 crore.
Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray has miffed his supporters by declaring that he has never hankered for the chief ministership. In the same breath, he has expressed determination to wrest power in the coming election. Conversing at a rally of an Old Pension Scheme organisation, Uddhav said, “You, the people of Maharashtra are my power, which none can take away.” Uddhav performed darshan of Sai Baba at Shirdi and later addressed the OPS meet at Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. His observation is viewed in the context of the persistent efforts of his supporters to project him as the next CM of the state. The campaign had dampened some time ago as veteran NCP leader Sharad Pawar and state Congress president Nana Patole had publicly clarified that this issue will be discussed only after the assembly election results are out. Uddhav has refreshed the issue by giving an emotional touch to the meeting by saying that he had been invited to speak with its members though he had no power, no office now. “But you are my power. Nobody can retire me from this position. I don’t care for power, I am concerned for your future,” he said. Nonetheless, he assured the audience that he will wrest power and dispense justice to them and the people of Maharashtra. Uddhav has thus dwelt on both possibilities, although not in explicit terms. His statement, hence, can be interpreted in any way but will make his supporters think before taking any stand.
South Africa had the last laugh at Cape Town and outwitted India 2-1 to win the Freedom Trophy. Had India put it across the home team on the auspicious day of Makar Sankaranti, it would have become the first Asian team to win a Test match at a city that visitors visualise as “God’s Own”. So hitherto India/Pakistan/Sri Lanka have not won a Test match at a fascinating venue that’s beneath the Table Mountain and Devil’s Peak. India has now played six matches at Newlands and lost four, Pakistan and Sri Lanka four each and lost all. Bangladesh has not played a Test at this venue. The successful touring teams have been Australia which has played 14 and won 10, England has played 21 and won 10, and New Zealand has played three and won one. The West Indies has played four and lost three and Zimbabwe has played one and lost it. India created an opportunity to sort of buck the trend that has occurred over the last three decades because Asian teams have been playing in South Africa only after the apartheid policy was dismantled in the country. The sage of South African cricket, Dr. Aron ‘Ali’ Bacher said thus some hours before the start of the fourth day’s play: “Great Test series and a great Newlands Test match.”
Malaika Arora’s Bollywood career started in 1998 with run-away hit item song Chaiya Chaiya making her a star. She stayed rooted as an item girl without the urge to evolve as an actor perhaps, by design. The 47 years young model, fitness freak single mom carved a distinct place in Bollywood with more memorable item numbers including Gur Naalo Ishq Mitha, Maahi Ve and, Munni Badnaam Hui. This Mumbai-born middle-class lass started modeling as a teenager that made her film industry smart. She typically took in her stride and moved on, after her 19-year marriage with Salman Khan’s brother, producer Arbaaz Khan soured. She walked away with her son and started afresh, even dropping the Khan surname. She is a brand and needs no morning walks with a pet dog in tow, as other paparazzi crazy stars do. Malaika still bags modeling assignments, is part of dance reality shows and partners with Sarvanga Yoga to post pics of various asanas over Instagram. A Bollywood insider says, “She is a person, unlike most celebrities, comfortable in her body. She wears what she feels like and aces it.” She showed guts by dating a younger man, actor Arjun Kapoor and soon may even tie the knot. Malaika’s is the story of a strong-willed woman who has come of her own, on her own terms.
The third wave (Omicron) has turned politically providential for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra that is actively considering deferment of scheduled local self-body elections including the big stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in Mumbai. The MVA is beleaguered after the SC ordered the elections, re-designating 27% of allocated OBC seats in the general category. Faced with a political backlash from the unrepresented backward castes, MVA is actively considering postponement of polls to April/May 2022, giving it ample time to complete the ongoing fresh OBC census. A Shiv Sena minister’s aide told shortpost.in, “Omicron is spreading faster. We are considering postponement of elections to BMC and other local bodies scheduled in February 2022.” In the previous elections to BMC in 2017, the richest civic body in India, saw the Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena fighting tooth and nail against each other, and winning 83 and 85 seats respectively. Post elections, BJP withdrew from its natural claim to be leader of opposition post in the civic body, which then went to the Congress party. This time though, there is no state alliance between the two parties and no love lost either. While NCP and Sena announced joint plans to contest BMC elections, the Congress is yet to make up its mind.
AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra kept her word giving 40% tickets to women in Uttar Pradesh as she released her party’s first list of 125 candidates for the state that featured 50 women candidates. There are going to be 120 women candidates out of a total 403 seats. Prominent among Priyanka’s picks were Asha Singh, mother of the Unnao rape victim, who battled for justice for her minor daughter. The other candidates include Poonam Pandey, an Asha worker who was allegedly roughed up by the police while trying to meet UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Shahjahanpur in November last year, and Congress leader Sadaf Jafar, who was incarcerated over the anti-CAA stir in the state. The list also has Ramraj Gond, who had spearheaded the Gond tribals’ legal battle over land in Umbha village in Sonbhadra. Significantly, Priyanka took a lot of pride in her candidates that she aired a short video clip on her activist candidates. Priyanka feels by setting a gender agenda, she has made other political parties follow suit. Has she? The BJP dismisses such challenges. After all, in the Lok Sabha, out of 81 MPs, 42 belong to BJP.” It is not enough that more women are fielded; it is important that the party helps them get elected,” says BJP spokesperson Anila Singh.
Mythologist-author-speaker Devdutt Pattanaik courted controversy, even before he spoke, as invitee of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports at the Two-Day National Youth Festival virtual conference, Puducherry. This may also have led to his live telecast over Doordarshan being blanked out. Pattanaik’s session was not televised live by DD due to “unforeseen technical issues”, said Kanchan Gupta, senior advisor to the I&B Ministry. Union Minister Anurag Thakur also faced flak from his own party and women’s pressure groups asking why the mythologist was chosen to inspire youth through his lessons from Bhagavad Gita? Sexist, misogynist and sexual abuses frequently hurled across social media by Pattnaik went viral on social media. The chorus for his removal from the event gained shrill currency even as author and columnist Shefali Vaidya (among several women) tweeted, “The problem with Devdutt Pattnaik is not just that he is a mediocre person, who completely distorts our scriptures without even basic knowledge of Sanskrit. He is an absolute filth who loves abusing people’s mothers. To hail this man as a ‘great mind’ is truly sickening!”. The fallout: of the huge banner of revolt and repulsion was that one of the backroom boys for the event decided on the “unforeseen technical issues” as a better option than facing the further wrath of the scorned women.
The sports broadcaster SuperSport of South Africa is in the crosshairs after an “impossible” replay reprieved skipper Dean Elgar when he seemed plumb in front to off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the Cape Town Test. Visiting teams are accustomed to facing hostility from various quarters but a telecaster is an additional one on tours of South Africa. Known for commentators who are cheerleaders for the home team, SuperSport is, however, not in charge of the technology of replays that is outsourced to a technical company and whose feed is made available to the match referee and TV. On an early tour of South Africa, Kepler Wessels shocked the cricket world by swiping his bat across Kapil Dev’s shins after taking his first run. There was a huge brouhaha about it and conveniently, the host broadcaster said it had no replays to show because the cameras had been on the blink. As excuses went, that was the weakest one but the South Africans, rabid supporters of their own, were quite smug about it. It is moot whether the host broadcaster can influence the replays which have predictive elements to them but the Indians let the world know what they thought of it by using the stump microphones strategically. And KL Rahul went the farthest with his cutting comment – “Whole country is playing against 11 guys.” The occasion probably deserved it.
The political party that swears by the ideology it preaches in India — the CPM — has failed the test of practice. By ideological standards, Communist leaders should head to Cuba, China for their medical treatment. Only, the preaching stops at the level of party members and the public without applying to the top leadership. At least three topnotch leaders, VS Achuthanadan, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan flew to the USA for medical treatment at the John Hopkins Hospital. Ironically, the same trio had scuttled John Hopkins University’s plans to set up its first University outside the USA in the 1990s, its Asian Institute of Public Health costing Rs 700 crore in Kerala’s picturesque hill station of Munnar. The Congress government headed by AK Antony then, had offered 150 acres of land free of cost as also the promise of local infrastructure. When the John Hopkins team landed in Kerala, however, they were red flagged by the CPM and, on the forefront were Achuthanadan, Kodiyeri and Vijayan. Seizing the opportunity, Singapore’s Li Kuan Yu, sent a chartered plane to fly out the John Hopkins officials from Kerala. The кряк для фотошопа cs5 result: John Hopkins Singapore International Medical Centre, a premier institute in Asia and the World came up in the Island nation instead seriales de activación malwarebytes anti malware 2018 of India
True to his style, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi returned from his two-week foreign trip on January 9 night and plunged straight away to take stock of Goa. He had a meeting with AICC observers for the state P Chidambaram and AICC General Secretary (organization) KC Venugopal. Much to Gandhi’s annoyance, PC has been advocating an alliance with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and, speaking about a secular alliance in the western state to take on the BJP might. PC is also known to have personally written to Rahul for forging a tie-up with the TMC. Apparently, TMC strategist Prashant Kishor was sending feelers to the Congress for a tie-up. However, in a setback to the TMC in a late-night tweet on January 10, Gandhi through his close aide Venugopal clarified that the rumour in circulation that about “A possible alliance with the TMC was discussed by Rahul Gandhi in today’s meeting and is completely baseless and untrue.” Rahul is piqued that the TMC wants to do business with Congress after poaching its MLAs like Luizinho Faliero and Alexio Reginaldo Lourenco in Goa. TMC has reportedly spread the word in South Goa that it got the FCRA account of Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charities restored. But does Mamata Banerjee really have a friendly equation with the Centre to have secured anything for her home state?
For journalists, even authors, high prestige also follows penning the Biography of a national icon. If that doyen is Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus of the Tata Group, it is most certainly a reiteration that one has arrived. Many wannabe authors had vied to write Tata’s biography but, being introverted, Tata felt the moment was not opportune then. Now, comes the news of Tata’s authorized biography to be published by Harper & Collins, will be penned by retired IAS officer Dr Thomas Mathew who was additional secretary to the late Indian President, Pranab Mukherjee. Dr Mathew has already written two books – The Winged Wonders Of Rashtrapati Bhavan and Abode Under Dome. But, his nomination to write Tata’s life account surprised many corporate watchers and equally upset at least two hopefuls. Well-known in the national capital’s politico-corporate circles neither got the endorsements for the prestigious writing assignment of a lifetime. The two highly networked Page 3 personalities, in their own rights, have been closely associated with the Tata group in various capacities as advisors and strategists for long. Clearly, one man’s gain is two men’s lost recognition.
The Bengaluru-headquartered MTR Foods has fired the first salvo in its battle with fellow Bengalurite iD Fresh through an advertisement announcing its distinctive batters for idlis, dosas and even its ‘signature dosa’. “Idli and dosa are not the same. Why is your batter alike?” the advert questions. “Shots fired! How would iD react/respond?” asked a Twitter user. Others are quick to take up cudgels on behalf of one or the other of the two and say “Those who make it at home know there’s no major difference” or, even point out that the real competition for both MTR and iD is from mothers who make batter by themselves at home. One self-proclaimed ‘Delhi-Malayali’ says the convenience and taste of iD is “good enough to keep me loyal” while another asserts that those who love idli and dosa but don’t make it at home wouldn’t be too bothered. Musthafa PC, Co-Founder & CEO of iD Fresh, is unruffled: “We had tried it (separate products). Consumers prefer the same batter for both.” Meanwhile Musthafa has announced that the company has received Rs 507 crore in a Series D round of funding, led by NewQuest Capital Partners, in one of the largest deals in the food start-up space. Clearly, with such big funding the battle for batter could intensify in the coming days.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s deep involvement with the Kashi Vishwanath Dham is quite well known. He keeps track of all related issues and developments in the pilgrim town and, recently found most people working at the Vishwanath Dham had to perform their duties bare-feet due to the bar on leather footwear, even made of rubber, within the temple premises. The bar covers priests, people performing Seva, security guards, sanitation workers, and other temple staffers. He immediately procured 100 pairs of jute footwear and sent them across to the Vishwanath Dham so that those performing their duties don’t have to remain bare feet in the chill winter months. Needless to say, people working at the Vishwanath Dham were elated. Not that this is the first time that the PM has shown concern for workers at the Kashi Vishwanath Dham. After all, it was their efforts that helped complete the corridor work in a record time of two years. That’s why at the time of the inauguration in December 2021, Modi had showered flower petals on construction workers and honored them for their role in bringing the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project to life and even had lunch with them. At the time of inauguration, Modi had acknowledged their contribution despite the difficult period imposed by the Covid pandemic when they did not allow the work to stop here.
Tamil Nadu’s Finance Minister, Dr P Thiaga Rajan (PTR) had many credits to his name when Chief Minister MK Stalin hand-picked him. His exalted background (Harvard, Wall Street, Bespoke political DNA, American wife, the yearning to serve his state). But, his quick temper, sometimes acerbic repartees, and not-so-friendly relations with other party colleagues have come under media focus. The latest news wafting through from the DMK HQ is that PTR has resigned as DMK’s IT Wing Secretary, an important party post, citing his (increased) workload as Finance Minister as well as a member of the GST Council. It may be recalled that a few months back, Dr Mahendran, who quit Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Manram party, was appointed as Deputy to Rajan in DMK’s IT wing by Stalin himself. The DMK ‘s IT arm, though set up as late as 2018, did a commendable job during the 2021 Assembly elections under the guidance of poll strategist Prashant Kishor. But, post-election, there has been a lull in the IT cell since. Now Rajan is being blamed for his touch-me-not attitude. Of course, the first family’s meddling is quite evident with Udhayanidhi Stalin strongly rooting for TRB Rajaa, his candidate from the delta region to take control of the IT wing. Clearly, whoever runs this new platform, social media and optics are crucial for the DMK. Is this a signal for the FM?
Mithali Raj has been the ubiquitous face of Indian women’s cricket for near about two and half decades. She made her one-day international debut against England in Milton Keynes in 1999 and became captain against the West Indies at Lucknow in March 2004. And into her 40th year, she is the captain, although her success rate in 143 matches (as captain) is 59.44. She has led India in 21 matches in three World Cups (2005, 2013 and 2017) won 13 for a success percentage of 61.90. These numbers indicate that women’s cricket in the context of leadership has not advanced, owing to, as the discerning believe, the selectors being bereft of dynamic thinking. The present selection committee has also refused to look at Harmanpreet Kaur (playing for India since March 2009) or Smriti Mandhana (playing for India since April 2013). Indian cricket ought to have gone for Harmanpreet after her splendid unbeaten 171 against Australia in the World Cup semis of 2017. Smriti is the fourth-highest run getter post the 2017 World Cup in England after England’s Tamsin Beaumont, Australia’s Alyssa Healy and South Africa’s Lizelle Lee. But the Mithali Raj rule continues; hopefully she will be lucky the fourth time as captain in the quadrennial event. Incidentally, Jhulan Goswami led India in the 2009 World Cup in Australia and won five matches!
The England Test cricket captain Joe Root has decided to stay in the job beyond the Ashes series till he can groom a successor, it is learnt. His resignation was thought likely after his team lost the Ashes 3-0 in double quick time halfway during the third Test. But he has thought it through and believes he has to put up his hand to ensure he passes on the baton to the right player. Ben Stokes, who was being groomed for the captaincy, does not want the burden. He is a multi-format cricketer who is in great demand in IPL. He is also just back from a break to tend to his mental stress problems and would much rather be the star all-rounder contributing to the team cause rather than bearing the additional responsibility of leading the team. Root, like Virat Kohli, is a committed Test cricketer who had an extraordinary year of success in 2021 when he became Test cricket’s third highest scorer in a calendar year after Mohammad Yousuff (1,788) and Viv Richards (1,710) with 1,708 runs. He also had reason to somewhat celebrate his team’s escape in Sydney when they were nine down while managing to draw. He has declared his intention to keep facing the challenge of Test captaincy after the final Ashes Test in Hobart this week.
Prime minister, Narendra Modi, states ad nauseam that he wants India Inc to prosper and, therefore, the all-out efforts by his government on the ease-of-doing-business front. For the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) though, it was business-as-usual when it recently “forced” RBL Bank’s renowned boss, Vishwavir Ahuja, to go on leave without citing what went wrong at the private sector bank. This comes in the wake of fiscal imprudence causing upheavals at several banking institutions over the last five years including Punjab National Bank, the Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services, Dewan Housing Finance Corporation, YES Bank, and Punjab & Maharashtra Co-operative Bank. These incidents led to considerable financial instability at huge cost to the exchequer. It also distracted the ruling government which had to expend both time and political capital to salvage and set right the mess. This has been the case since the early 1990s — remember Harshad Mehta scam, CRB Capital, Ketan Parekh-Bank of India and Madhavpura Co-operative Bank. Successive Union governments were compelled to launch into respective cleansing acts after the RBI was caught flat-footed on the supervisory front. Surprisingly, no one at RBI was asked to go on leave or lost their jobs because of supervisory lapses. Can India Inc afford regulatory complacency anymore?
Even as an entire nation was outraged over the breach of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security, with non-BJP CMs like Naveen Patnaik condemning it, a day later it made for quite a spectacle watching Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi across TV channels. Channi downplayed the “inconvenience that may have been caused to Modi” whose entourage was stuck on the Ferozepur flyover for 15-20 minutes as a “small matter”. What compelled the Congress CM to conduct himself in such a bizarre fashion? Did Channi go overboard in order to score brownie points with PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu? Or, was he under pressure to compete against Sidhu to demonstrably prove his higher loyalty standards towards the Gandhi family? After all, Sidhu has been pressurizing the Congress high command to declare a CM face ahead of the assembly elections. Also, why else would a sensible Channi skip receiving Modi at Bathinda airport on the pretext that one of his staffers had tested positive for Covid and then follow it up, the very next day with a public interaction with people and the media, without any qualms whatsoever? Meanwhile, Punjab Congress campaign committee chief Sunil Jhakhar who flayed the way Channi handled the Modi visit has gone off to Sweden to attend to his ailing wife. As for the assembly tickets, sources say the screening panel had already finalized 82 of the 117 seats before Jakhar left. The remaining 35 seats will be finalized on January 8.
The perennial pan India cash cow, the cinema business, with its jingling cash registers is sending out distress signals right now! After two long Covid-19 pandemic hit (locked down) years, just as the film industry started seeing rosy dreams of making up for heart-breaking business losses, come Pongal Festival, a sudden downturn is now predicted. For years now, the Tamil calendar’s annual Pongal week always meant family indulgences with anything cinematic. That may not happen this time round, as Omicron and its tsunami wave hits the solar plexus of exhibitors and industry big guns alike. Three big budget films, RRR (directed by India’s Cecil B DeMille aka Bahubali SS Rajamouli), Boney Kapoor’s Ajith Kumar starrer Valimai and Prabhas-Pooja Hegde love anthem, Radhe Shyam were lined up for the Pongal sweepstakes. Then came government orders about total Sunday curfews, lockdown daily between 10 pm and 5 am and 50% seating in cinemas. The trade had estimated Rs 600 crore collections from these three films released worldwide and overseas. They had probably structured all their debt and business plans on Pongal to rake in big moolah. But, Omicron seems to have played spoilsport. Big disappointment for fans of Ajith, Prabhas NT Rama Rao Jr, and Ram Charan. But, it’s a question of a month or two before these movies hit theatres near you soon.
An advertisement in a newspaper, issued by the Credit Recovery and Legal Service Department of the public-sector Union Bank of India, announces an e-auction of immovable property at Mahalunge in Pune district to recover loans totalling Rs 52.74 crore. The property, around 1.27 hectare, is being auctioned because of borrowings by Viorica (sic) Hotels, which operated the erstwhile Hotel Holiday Inn — now Hotel Ramada – at Hinjewadi on the city’s outskirts. The ad names four personal (which the bank spells ‘personnel’) guarantors and, five corporate guarantors, headed by Vascon Engineers. “We will not be affected by this,” says Vascon founder chairman R Vasudevan, whose son Siddharth is among those named in the notice. “I don’t know why they are still dragging us into it. We got out of the hotel business five years ago, when we sold the property to Maruti Navale, formerly of Singhgad Institutes.” Navale and his Neemco Traders are also named in the notice. Vascon, which got into the hospitality sector in 2006-07, exited it because, as Vasudevan had explained then, this was a specialised job which did not fit into their specialisation of construction. The company held stakes in three hotels in Pune — Holiday Inn, Hyatt Regency and Golden Suites — and two in Goa, Galaxy Resort and Vista Do Ria.
Trust Punjab PCC president Navjot Singh Sidhu to give a weird spin to Rahul Gandhi’s prolonged absence from the country — he claimed his party leader has gone for a “secret meeting abroad”. He even told a TV channel it was quite possible that the Gandhi scion was indulging in ‘secret meetings’ with karyakartas. “When others go on vacation or take trips abroad, nobody questions them. Today, wherever Rahul Gandhi has gone, he is probably meeting with Congress workers or holding a secret meeting to present his personal views. That’s his right,” said Sidhu. Sidhu’s claims regarding Gandhi’s sudden vacations did not go uncontested. The BJP wanted to know if he had gone to meet his Chinese handlers. Between Congress General Secretary Randeep Surjewala, who said Rahul Gandhi was on “a brief personal visit” and Sidhu’s claims of secret meetings with karyakartas, the party seems left in this year of elections looking leaderless. It is likely that the Wayanad MP may play a limited role in the assembly elections in the five states that go to the polls. Meanwhile, there was a lot of trepidation in the party after reports emerged that 125 of 179 passengers who arrived at Amritsar international airport by a chartered flight from Rome had tested positive for Covid. Will this impact Rahul’s return? This is a speculation that no one in the party is willing to hazard a guess about.
The world’s greatest tennis player Novak Djokovic is holed up in an immigration detention hotel in Melbourne that is famous for serving maggot-infested food and mouldy bread. The experience of being hauled through the coals for his beliefs may not, however, knock any sense into the Serbian who has been susceptible to all kinds of quackery in his life. He believes that his breathing trouble from gluten intolerance was solved by a quack who held slices of bread on his stomach and used kinesiological arm testing as a diagnostic tool. A great believer in alternative medicine, he once copied a page from Chinese traditional medicine that said – “Each organ in our bodies is undergoing repair in roughly this order: Lungs 3-5 am, Large intestine 5-7 am, Stomach 7-9 am…” The lover of nature and seeker after truth considers a Brazilian fig tree in the Fitzroy Park near Tennis Australia as his best friend in Australia. He once supported a quack on his Instagram Live Channel selling bottles of Advanced Brain Nutrients for $50 a bottle. It is curious that a professional athlete of his standing would believe in such mumbo-jumbo but not trust science enough to take a Covid vaccine that is doing so much for public health around a world beset by a coronavirus pandemic for more than two years now. “No vax, no entry” might be the verdict in his case.
There is now a call on Odisha’s Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to consider transforming public administration by hiring corporate talent from the private sector. The idea, mooted by BJD’s Rajya Sabha MP Dr Amar Patnaik, has urged the Odisha Government to consider lateral entry of young and brilliant minds from the private sector to be inducted into the state bureaucracy in the rank of Special Secretary and below, percolating down to the district level. The whole exercise will be routed through OPSC giving the candidates a fixed term of 3-5 years, similar to what the Government of Karnataka has initiated through a collaboration with a non-profit organization — the Nudge Foundation. Knowing Patnaik’s progressive mindset, he is likely to be receptive to such ideas. It may be recalled that two years ago, it was Naveen babu who had asked his bureaucrats to share “transforming game changing ideas” so as to improve governance, speed of action and delivery of public service in the state. Should the Odisha government decide to recruit professionals from the private sector it will be touted as another major reform initiative by Naveen Patnaik’s government!
Dean Elgar, the mean opening batter may not fit into the “elegant left-hander” category. But, yet again, on the rain-marred fourth day of the second Test at The Wanderers, Johannesburg, the South African led the national team for the 12th time in four-and-a-half years and delivered the southpaw punch to the Indians; in cricketing parlance, a typical captain’s knock of an unconquered 96. Into his 10th year of international cricket, Elgar showed his body to defend and a lot of pluck while facing up to the Indian fast bowlers for five hours and nine minutes helping his team to level the three-Test match Freedom series 1-1 and, go to Newlands, Cape Town with their heads held high. The stodgy-looking batter has scored 4559 runs in 71 Tests — 4323 as an opener with 12 centuries and 19 half-centuries, almost 50% aiding in his team’s winning cause. Applauding Elgar’s unyielding undertaking, former captain and the man who worked hard for South Africa’s acceptance into the international fraternity in the early 1990s, Dr. Ali Bacher texted this correspondent saying: “Elgar showed what can be achieved by guts and determination. His performance is particularly praiseworthy because the pitch favoured the Indian fast bowlers.” Elgar is all set to become South Africa’s third left-hander opener to score 5000 runs after Graeme Smith, 9018 runs, and Gary Kirsten, 5726.
The reasons for Rupa Gurunath’s resignation as President of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) run deeper than the BCCI resolution citing a conflict of interest. This is one of the battles former BCCI and ICC chief honcho N Srinivasan is fighting to retain control over his billion-dollar brand — CSK. Earlier, Radhakishan Damania of DMart fame picked up a nearly 20% stake in India Cements. Was it to wrest control? Currently held by Indian Cements Shareholders Group Trust, CSK would become vulnerable if Srini is unable to ward off raids on India Cements. His plan is to move daughter Rupa to a key post in CSK after restructuring its ownership so that the IPL franchise stays in the family, regardless of developments in India Cements’ shareholding pattern. There is still a lot of fight left in the old cricket lover and corporate czar who once fought a pitched battle to wrest back control of the cement company with the help of Murasoli Maran. But if the tide turns against him, Srini would rather keep CSK in the family and leave the TNCA presidency to the DMK first family. V Sabareesan, the son-in-law of Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, is one of the frontrunners for the post after it was found that son Udhayanidhi was ineligible as he holds public office as an MLA.
A proliferation of the newfound Covid virus or the Omicron Effect is rippling through the Bollywood taking in A listers into its embrace. It began with Kareena Kapoor Khan and friends – Amrita Arora and Seema Khan – admitting to their positive status with Covid after attending a party that was high on the celebrities’ quotient. Then came news of the other Kapoors. While Anil Kapoor was negative, daughter Rhea and her husband Karan and cousins Anshula and Arjun Kapoor tested positive. Curiously, none of these celebrities took to social media to apprise their daily contacts and connections about their Covid status, ignoring commonly followed protocol. Why these stars failed to warn people they came in contact with is perplexing. Others like Ekta Kapoor, who also tested positive, immediately posted their Corona status on social media. John Abraham and wife Priya also tested positive, while Pooja Bedi’s daughter Alaya F who was covid positive finally tested negative. Some crew members of the film Geheriyaanhave also tested positive. Despite infections reported rampantly, shooting for films and TV serials continues unabated just as before. However, two big films RRR and Jersey releases have been postponed as cinema halls are being shut in some states or occupancy reduced to 50% levels. Looks like Bollywood has thrown caution to the wind.
During a recent year-end TV event, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami revealed how Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s post-midnight visit to Varanasi Railway Station actually came about. The visit followed immediately after the PM concluded his meeting with 12 BJP Chief Ministers and two deputy CMs that had gone on way past midnight. After the meeting ended around 12.30 am, Modi told the CMs that he had one more engagement before he called it a day. They were collectively taken aback! “What engagement could the PM possibly have at such a late hour?” they wondered. The PM ended the suspense by stating that he would be checking the progress of development works in Varanasi city. He added that he did not want to do it during the day as his formal visit would disturb normalcy. So he preferred the wee hours of the night to inspect Varanasi railway station and other infra projects with UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in tow. By 6.30 am the Prime Minister had launched into his next day’s official tasks without having slept a wink. Modi takes immense pride in his Lok Sabha constituency, particularly on remaking the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, and has asked party MPs to visit the pilgrim city, considered sacred by Hindus. Party leaders were also given booklets regarding the reshaping of Kashi under Modi.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has mastered the art of saying ‘No’ tactfully, without acrimony, notwithstanding his bonhomie with the BJP. So, when the Ministry Of Home Affairs refused to renew the registration of Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act leading to a fund crunch and threatening a possible collapse of its charitable activities in the state, Patnaik stepped in with relief supplies. Acting quickly and, instead of indulging in empty political rhetoric, Patnaik directed all District Collectors (DCs) to ensure that no inmates would miss a meal or suffer health-related issues at any of Mother Teresa’s homes due to food shortage or lack of medical supplies. The Odisha CM opened up the coffers of the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. While doing so Patnaik was not cocking-a-snook at the Centre over the blockade imposed on foreign funding but ensuring that people in Mother Teresa’s homes in Odisha did not suffer hunger or sickness. Some political analysts say that Patnaik, unlike other opposition leaders, did not whine or go to the media about the Centre’s action but took decisions in the best interest of his state. Once again, Patnaik has reiterated that he is the boss of Odisha and his governance style is to talk less and do more public service.
The Indian pharmaceutical industry witnessed many learning curves and has come a long way since the days of controls. Today, the industry wears an entirely transformed look. In the rough and tumble of the modern-day business world, which has to contend with intense competition, only an honourable few have managed to ensure the longevity of their respective businesses. Take the case of Chennai-based company Tablets (India), one of the early pharmaceutical ventures in the country. It was founded in 1938 by Sri Krishna Jhaver, who ventured into the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry and acquired the British-owned Oakley & Bowden Company based out of Chennai. While primarily set up to serve the healthcare needs of British Colonials, it was renamed Tablets (India). It boasts of some well-documented products in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical segments and is recognized as a pioneer in amino acids and probiotic therapy. A flagship company of the closely-held Jhaver Group, it is managed by accomplished professionals across various functions in the organization. It has five business divisions and three manufacturing facilities. How long could it have remained a family-owned enterprise? Not just that. The owners too, want to unlock value, thereby monetizing a part of their holdings. And what better way than to tap into the capital markets even as IPOs seem to be the flavour of the season.
There is no way the zoom media interaction at god’s own and sparkling wine country, Cape Town, can become “Dhoom, dham”; that’s the way Head Coach Rahul Dravid, uttering a line or two with gusto before the second Test, wanted Virat Kohli’s chat about with the media to be before his 100th Test at Newlands on January 11. Kohli, who has missed 13 Tests so far after his debut, because of injuries and personal, complained of a flare up of his upper back and is not playing the second Test at The New Wanderers in Johannesburg, and so the third Test at Cape Town, should he be declared fit, will be his 99th. This eventuality will make the first Test (from February 25) against Sri Lanka at Bengaluru his 100th. Kohli’s injury and absence from the second Test, enabled the selectors to name KL Rahul as India’s 19th captain in Test cricket and Jasprit Bumrah as vice-captain. It would be interesting to see the way the selectors go about looking at Rohit Sharma’s fitness. With two World Cups of the Twenty20 and 50 over variety to happen from October- November this year, the selectors would want a captain without injury baggage or concern. By close of the tour in South Africa, Rahul would have led India in two formats. All said and done a terrific jigsaw puzzle taking shape in Indian cricket!
Will Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who turns 50 this year, contest elections in the forthcoming assemblies? Conventionally, UP Chief Ministerial candidates are known to prefer the legislative council route, as Yogi himself did in 2017. Things may change in 2022, however, and there is a strong buzz that he will definitely seek to enter the UP Vidhan Sabha, although Yogi has left the decision to the BJP’s top leadership. Will he opt for Ayodhya or his home turf of Gorakhpur which elected him 5 times as Lok Sabha MP? Yogi could also choose Mathura, where efforts to reclaim Krishna’s janmabhoomi are ongoing. Party MP Harnath Singh Yadav even dashed off a letter to BJP chief JP Nadda proposing Yogi’s name from Mathura, even claiming it was the ‘wish of Lord Krishna, who had communicated with him (Yogi)’. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav countered Yogi’s Mathura plans claiming that Lord Krishna had visited him in a dream also and told him that SP would form the next government! A year younger than Yogi, Akhilesh is the sitting Lok Sabha MP from Azamgarh. Picking an assembly seat, however, won’t be easy after Yogi launched a no-holds-barred pitch of ‘Garv Se Kaho hum Hindu hai’ in Amethi. Akhilesh may not even find it easy going to contest from Yadav strong-holds like Kannauj and Mainpuri.
Former AIADMK minister KT Rajendra Balaji, who embarrassed his party by a public reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when he said, “Modi is our Daddy”, has been on the lam for over a fortnight now. The Tamil Nadu police are on the lookout to arrest Balaji for alleged involvement in a Rs 3 crore recruitment scam reported during his ministerial stint at the helm of the Tamil Nadu Co-operative Milk Producers’ Federation, which markets products under the brand name Aavin. The fugitive ex-minister, who was hopeful of securing anticipatory bail, was last seen addressing a public meeting in his Virudhunagar constituency. The moment police reached the spot he did a Houdini act and vanished much to their consternation. The TN police formed six special squads to nab him and have gone into overdrive, viewed by many as vendetta politics of the MK Stalin government. The underlying objective of the ruling DMK government is to tarnish the image and name of the AIADMK. Balaji is known to sport a red tilak prominently on his forehead and, mostly attired in bright mustard yellow shirt, is equally colorful in his choice of words. He served as Tamil Nadu’s Milk & Dairy Development Minister between 2016 and 2021. During the last Assembly elections, he tried his best to jump onto the BJP bandwagon but found no takers.
Before he flew to Europe over the year-end, Wayanad (Kerala) MP Rahul Gandhi thrust a futile debate upon his own unsuspecting Congress party — Hinduism versus Hindutva-vadi. At an anti-price rise Congress rally in Jaipur held on December 12 to launch the party’s campaign in poll-bound states in north India, Rahul had inexplicably veered off-course while mid-speech. A needless debate was kicked off by the Gandhi scion and has now been capped by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on January 3. In his counter Yogi made clear that the Congress leader was lecturing people about the differences between Hinduism and Hindutva even though he had once sat on his knees in a temple instead of sitting cross-legged. “Gandhi’s ancestors called themselves accidental Hindus”;Yogi said, referring to Hindu Mahasabha leader NB Khare’s assertion about Nehru in 1950. Yogi asserted that he had never hesitated to refer to himself as a Hindu. “We don’t hide..We said it when I was not a chief minister, we keep saying it when I am the chief minister, and will continue saying in future too — Garv se kaho hum Hindu hain. It’s interesting that Yogi made the remarks in Amethi where Rahul had further sharpened his Hindu versus Hindutva postulation against the BJP. It was during his, now very rare and, infrequent visits to Amethi that Rahul had also taken a swipe at PM Narendra Modi for taking a solo dip in the Ganges while inaugurating the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi government, apparently on the verge of a collapse ‘anytime’, completed two years in power on November 28, 2021. Yet, all is not well between its constituents – Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress. Besides the enemy on the outside – BJP – the MVA is constantly battling the foe within – individual moorings of each political constituent. Mistrust, lack of transparency and double talk persists. For example: The Congress announced for a mega rally on the iconic Shivaji Park grounds on December 28. Then came news that CM Uddhav Thackeray would decide whether the Congress could mark its foundation day at the Sena’s traditional Dusshera rally venue. Then NCP sppokesperson Nawab Malik suggested that holding public rally would need prior court approval. Infuriated Congress’ (Ashok) Bhai Jagtap, Mumbai President, petitioned the HC only to withdraw subsequently. He insists that rising Omicron cases saw Rahul Gandhi deciding against the rally on pain of being termed as super spreader. He added that the venue would witness a Congress rally before the BMC elections in Mumbai. For now, the NCP, Congress and Sena don’t see eye-to-eye on a number of issues. NCP chief Sharad Pawar seems preoccupied in getting non BJP parties together to rally behind Mamata Banerjee (for the time being) to take on BJP for 2024 general elections.
Initial buzz said President Ramnath Kovind would be among dignitaries to lay a wreath on the mortal remains of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and others killed in the Tamil Nadu helicopter crash, at the Palam air base. Apparently, however, as per protocol the President may not place a wreath on the bodies of any soldier. Being Supreme Commander of the armed forces he may not discriminate between a general or a soldier while paying tributes. The President, of course, had canceled all engagements after the helicopter crash and tweeted his condolences to the bereaved families. The PM and Defence Minister who laid wreaths had actually done so on behalf of the President. However, when it comes to commiserating civilian deaths, the President is not encumbered by any such protocols. Ramnath Kovind was first to write to Mallika Dua, daughter of late journalist and Padma Shri awardee Vinod Dua who passed away early this month. PM Modi also followed suit, condoling Dua’s demise. Modi’s gesture surprised some in the news media as the late journalist was among the PM’s staunchest critics. Was it a move intended to soften the liberal media that is vocally against the PM or, just a routine letter from the PMO? Only time will tell.
December 12: Superstar Rajini’s 71st birthday Stargazers, fans and critics stood lost right outside his Poes Garden home in Chennai. Media persons held vigil since 7 am, even as gathered fans raised slogans:‘Iraiva, Thanga Thalaivaa, Yesuvee’!…a crowd that could not be fathomed as friendly or angry. For years, Rajini or Thalaiva always met fans, handed out Rs 100 each as a birthday take away but the dole stopped by mid-2000. Still restive crowds waited, hours on end before the brief appearance, almost a Hitchcockian glimpse lapping it up. More change followed. Rajini left for known/unknown destinations. Rumours of a Himalayan sojourn sometimes or, his farmhouse and, even in Bengaluru at times. When his imminent political foray was known, carefully scripted and crafted, crowds went ballistic. But an anti-climax followed. A December 2020 announcement – “No (more) politics, my health is fragile. Sorry if I led you on, fans.” Rajini’s popularity as an entertainer is unabated. But, some equations are mutating. Wife Lata is emerging as the driving force, a shadow alter ego with strong political aspirations. A superstar’s wife has limits but a superstar’s political heir has endless possibilities. The birthday crowd’s clamor now turns into a crescendo, demands for her appearance. Analysts are trying to decode as to why fans were cheering for Mrs Thalaiva. Hopefully, the cat will be out of the bag soon.
Feisty 47-year-old investment banker turned TMC MP, Mahua Moitra was taken by surprise when her party boss and, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, ticked her off for her brand of politics. Moitra nodded meekly as Didi dressed her down in public, apparently for writing to SEBI chairman alleging irregularities by brand Adani Power when it delisted. The letter, came just days after the Mamata-Gautam Adani meet in Kolkata, a prelude to the business summit planned in January 2022 so, Didi naturally blew her top. Moitra’s letter to SEBI was the proverbial last straw. Sources say Moitra’s solo style of politicking finds her out of team TMC’s favour. Her negative local politics over seat distributions and rumour mongering on TMC corruption in Nadia (where elections are scheduled) sparked off the party chief’s ire. And Mamta said “Mahua, let me give you a clear message here. I don’t see who is in whose favour or against. I don’t believe in the politics of putting on a show on YouTube, paper, digital etc. This kind of politics cannot sustain for long. And it is not right to expect that one person will stay at one post forever.” Question doing the rounds now is: Will Moitra quit after her public humiliation?
PM Narendra Modi’s complete endorsement of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, whom he calls ‘Karmayogi’, was clear and evident over the last several weeks during his frequent trips to Uttar Pradesh, ahead of assembly elections slated next year. Modi has good reason to be happy with the manner Yogi has executed and delivered projects very close to his heart, in particular, the Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor in Varanasi, well within the scheduled timelines. Returning the compliment Yogi compared the PM to Ahilyabhai Holkar and Raja Ranjit Singh who had contributed similarly and restored the temple. At the inauguration ceremony of the corridor, Yogi was at the PM’s side all the time at various stages of the ceremony. Several other BJP leaders, including chief ministers, attended the ceremony but no one accompanied the PM. Significantly, a month ago Yogi’s twitter handle shared a picture of PM Modi during a stroll with his hand on Yogi’s shoulder. The picture, snapped up at the UP Raj Bhawan captured Modi in deep conversation with Yogi. The PM was in Lucknow attending the DGPs conference when the CM called up on him. Buzz is, the idea to share the Modi-Yogi picture of camaraderie had emanated from the PMO.
Justice Krishnaswamy Chandru is in the limelight after the critically acclaimed movie Jai Bhim, based on the human rights abuse case that he handled to expose police brutality in Tamil Nadu, is not popular with the judges of the Andhra Pradesh high court at the moment. A division bench of the AP high court was up in arms about comments made by the outspoken retired judge who is championing public causes in his speeches these days. Speaking at an event in Andhra recently, Justice Chandru had said, “We need judges who will protect the rights of the people. Now, what do we see in AP? Today, an elected government is fighting for survival not from rivals, not from political rivals or mass movements, but from the judiciary itself!’’ He had gone on to say that the judiciary, whose duty is to defend the rights of the people, “is doing something different, which is not expected.” The AP HC chief justice blamed the celebrity without naming him, saying remarks made against the judiciary were just to be in the limelight. Why should a judge from another state come to Andhra and make comments on the functioning of the court, the CJ asked. He explained that contempt of court proceedings are not being contemplated now in consideration of the judge’s contribution to the judiciary in the past.
An all males association in Andra Pradesh has petitioned a court to ban an item song-and-dance in the just released trilingual movie, Pushpa. This is a first in India’s male dominated misogynistic society. Samantha, who recently divorced, openly flaunts her assets, and dances to a raunchy rap song crooned by Andrea with lyrics by Vivekh. The gist of the in-your-face song: “When the lights are off, who cares if the catch is skinny, winny, winsome, wholesome or just plain?” The song has turned on a macho challenge (read bristled some male egos). Samantha is rumoured to have earned Rs 1.5 crore for the item song and returned good value for money, her attire and gyrating causing temperatures to sky rocket. Yes, Samantha ki jawani will jingle cash registers for the movie at the box office. Sentimental Rajesh Khanna said it right famously, “Pushpa I hate tears!” Producers of Pushpa are laughing all the way to the bank. An estimated million people saw the gyrating dance and have already drooled. What is the sought ban set to achieve? Surely more clicks of the mouse.
The Pune-based Maritime Research Centre (MRC) has achieved a milestone by submitting an interim report on a proposed national capacity- and capability-building policy to bring about effective Underwater Domain Awareness (UDA). This is a ‘whole-of-nation’ approach to bring all the stakeholders in UDA together, feels the founder-director of MRC, Dr (Cdr) Arnab Das, who presented it to NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant in Delhi last week. Kant is understood to have appreciated MRA’s continued efforts in taking the UDA framework forward. The project had started with a presentation to the NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar and four Advisors. Cdr Das also had the opportunity to meet Milinda Moragoda, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India, and brief him on the UDA framework and its importance for Indo-Sri Lanka relationships. The increasing maritime activities in the Indian Ocean Region lead to higher noise levels, affecting marine species that use sound for multiple biologically critical functions like foraging, navigation, communication and finding mates. The sensing of the undersea domain for threats, resources and activities, making sense of the data generated for security strategies, conservation plans and resource utilisation plans are vital; and the MRC is keen to play a major role in this critical national and regional initiative.
Paris, the fashion city of France and Europe is on an overdrive to get ready for the 2024 Summer Olympics. The organising committee on Monday (Dec 13) announced that the 777 km long river Seine will be the iconic place where the Opening Ceremony will be held with athletes to take a 6 km boat ride as part of a spectacular show. Paris 2024 took the International Olympic Committee into confidence before making the news public. The Paris 2024 Chief, a three-time Olympian Tony Estanguet feels that there will be 10 times more spectators at an open setting than a stadium setting. The organizing committee expects over 600,000 people to watch the Ceremony in the capital city. Athletes will travel in 170 boats starting from the Pont d’Austerlitz, to the bridge located close to the French national library. The Eiffel Tower is close by Estanguet said: The 6 km route would allow for full immersion into Paris, with landmarks including the Notre-Dame Cathedral. He also revealed that Paris 2024 would look to implement ideas used during their previous Olympic Day celebrations, where sporting events have been held within the French capital. It has been reported that no security obstacles have been identified so far and that the Opening Ceremony is scheduled to take place on July 26 in 2024.
Word is out already that Virat Kohli is ready to step down as Test captain at the end of the tour of South Africa. He is disappointed at the way things have turned out as he was stripped of the ODI captaincy, which he wished to retain. He had given up the T20 captaincy of his own volition but without realising that was signal enough for the selectors to split the captaincy and empower Rohit Sharma with the white ball captaincy. The aura around Kohli was lost after India was wiped out of the T20 World Cup after losing to Pakistan and New Zealand. He was no more the Kohli who was in command along with Ravi Shastri when taking India into the World Test championship. Losing that was bad enough and the abandoning of the England Test series meant he could not even claim victory there though India was leading 2-1. This is a judgment call by the selectors. Kohli just can’t read the white ball game quickly enough to make a difference in fast-paced games when mental agility is called for. The laidback Test match format might be more his cup of tea but in a world moving on to the instant delights of T20 there is no patience left. Kohli’s reign was great in some ways, but it has ended with no ICC trophies in the bag.
Ajinkya Rahane seems to be the biggest loser in the churning carried out by the selection committee in a ruthless manner. He has been removed as vice-captain of the Test team that he actually led in the Kanpur Test against New Zealand. The roll of the dice finally did not favour him after an ordinary effort with bat at the Green Park. He is already out of the white-ball cricket for India and his inability to get the big knocks after a Test match winning century at Melbourne last year has cost him dear. He cannot afford another poor show in the first Test against South Africa at Centurion from December 26. Both Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara have won the vote of confidence from the selection committee, coach Rahul Dravid and skipper Virat Kohli. Both have a lot to vindicate in the three Test series in South Africa. Once Kohli made way for Sharma to take control of the reins of the Twenty20 team, the selection committee in Chetan Sharma, Chairman and his colleagues, Sunil Joshi, Abey Kuruvilla, Debashish Mohanty and Harvinder Singh have now completed the process of a single captain for white-ball cricket. This has been the biggest move after they revived the white-ball career of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, sent to the doghouse by the team management after the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s decision to visit Coonoor after the helicopter crash that killed Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat is being much appreciated in Delhi by PM Narendra Modi and his ministers. He took a flight to Coimbatore from Chennai and drove to Coonoor. Besides paying homage to Rawat, Stalin also stayed back overseeing arrangements to transport bodies to Delhi. Stalin’s actions were prompted by a phone call from NSA Ajit Doval to Tamil Nadu DGP C Sylendra Babu. The NSA had asked Babu to secure the area for investigations. Babu rushed to the site. Soon, Stalin wanted State Chief Secy V Irai Anbu to be at the site. By evening, Stalin was there at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, meeting with military officials and directing local officials. Stalin’s conduct is in sharp contrast to what his father M Karunanidhi did as CM in 1990 when he had refused to receive the IPKF in Chennai even as it was pulled out from Sri Lanka by then PM VP Singh exactly as he sought. Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan was also spotted in Wellington. As for bidding hero’s farewell to Gen Rawat and his men in Tamil Nadu, and mobilizing a rousing public line-up outside Sulur air base, credit must go to state BJP unit headed by a former IPS officer K Annamalai.
The question uppermost in everybody’s mind is: who will be the next Chief of Defence Staff following the untimely demise of CDS Gen Bipin Rawat. PM Narendra Modi had picked Gen Rawat for CDS post on January 1, 2020 — because he was blunt, outspoken and a man of integrity. Rawat was liked as he was not afraid of speaking his mind when it came to military reforms and the defence of the country. He was a fighter and a nationalist to the core. Modi noticed his qualities after he, as Dimapur Corps Commander, supervised a strike against NSCN (K) insurgents across the Indo-Myanmar border by Special Forces in June 2015. Prior to that he performed exceptionally as the 19 Division commander in the Uri sector against the Pakistanis. On December 17, 2016, Modi appointed Rawat as India’s 27th Chief of Army Staff after superseding the then Eastern and Southern Army Commanders on grounds of merit, track record and vision. Modi saw Rawat’s role as a military commander when he took on the Chinese PLA at Doklam Plateau on the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction in June 2017. He stopped the PLA from building a road to the Jhampheri Ridge, which would have made India vulnerable in the Siliguri corridor. So Modi wants the next CDS to be someone like Rawat! Who can it be?
Talk about big fat Indian weddings…the scale and spending on these “events” is humongous, even for everyday vanilla mortals. Imagine the scale, splendour, spending, secrecy, stardust for THE wedding of 2021…yes, Sheela ki Jawani fame Katrina Kaif and Surgical Strike Stud Vicky Kaushal got royally hitched on December 9 at Hotel Six Senses, Fort Berbara, Rajasthan in stunning Sabyasachi outfits. Katrina arrived at the mandap in a traditional red outfit, in a Doli like the Royal families of yore, the coy bride sporting dozens of bangles, and special mehendi (said to be of a unique variety from Tamil Nadu). He in pristine white. A very select gathering of exclusive members from family and friends were present. Believe it or not, the layer of secrecy was actually planned, to keep the festivities top secret exclusive. And now we hear rumours of a killer OTT on the verge of signing a Rs 100 crore deal on the dotted mehendi lines for exclusive streaming rights! Box office showing on this scale…oooh, the streamer and fans are already high on anticipation. This is a new money spinner for our desis, apparently in vogue in Hollywood. Whatever the videsis can do, we can do better…..more colour, extravagance, scale on for 4 days, exotic visuals, song and dance. Katrina and Kaushal surely hit the mother lode with this sweet super star deal.
In September there was a strong buzz that the 72-year old Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad who had retired from Rajya Sabha (RS) as the Leader Of Opposition on February 15, 2021 might re-enter RS from Tamil Nadu. But, come the D Day and Azad’s name was missing. Now comes the real story from an insider. Apparently, Tamil Nadu (TN) Chief MK Stalin at the behest of Azad called up the Congress President Sonia Gandhi and said they are willing to support Azad to RS from TN. This telephone call from Stalin to Sonia seems to have irked her. Apparently, she did not like the way the suggestion to elect Azad came from Stalin. Generally, it is the other way round. Since then the chasm between Azad and Gandhis have widened. In between Azad, part of G 23, had thawed the ice. All that is history. He has been kept in the waiting mode. Now, the latest buzz is that Azad might do a Captain Amarinder Singh, form a party in Jammu & Kashmir and BJP may support him. It may be recalled that Azad enjoys a very good rapport with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the latter even broke down while talking at Azad’s farewell speech in the Rajya Sabha. If Azad sets up his own party it will be a win-win situation for both Azad and BJP.
Sustainable energy is big on the Indian government’s agenda, from harnessing wind for the county’s energy needs to making it the primary source of energy for fishing vessels and the processing of marine products. Meetings with top government functionaries from Dr KV Subramanian, Chief Economic Advisor, to Fisheries Minister Parshottam Rupala demonstrated to wind energy evangelist Dr PKC Bose that the country is striving for excellence through renewable energy. Senator Bose, Vice Chairman & Managing Director of the Bengaluru-based Enercon Windenergy, a subsidiary of Germany’s Enercon Group, was in Delhi recently meeting top echelons of the government. They discussed India’s renewable energy sector — especially wind energy, its immense potential, untapped offshore market, policies and regulatory constraints as well as the challenges ahead. Their talks also covered the entire ecosystem consisting of energy, environment and economy, as well as energy economics – economic development and cost of energy under different market conditions, regulations, taxation and subsidies for renewable energy. The government functionaries, who articulated the relationship between energy, environment and economy for building a sustainable and net zero in India by 2070, gave all assurances to work in this direction. Renewable energy minister RK Singh’s commitment to achieve 100 GW wind energy by 2030 and his assurance of all support to the stakeholders was also ‘highly motivating’.
His surname is Khan yet this 51-year old actor has never been bracketed with the other three Bollywood Khans – SRK, Salman and Aamir. But, today this fourth Khan, Saif Ali Khan, is proving to be the most relevant Khan; he has reinvented himself and adapted to the changing times. He’s the first one to experiment with the OTT platform with Sacred Games. Now, other big stars have followed him. Is there a strategy in what he is doing? Yes. This came to the fore after 2000. Playing character Sameer in Dil Chahta Hai and Langda Tyagi in Omkara won him accolades. Since then he has decided not to insist on playing the lead role but to pick up interesting and challenging roles. Son of actress Sharmila Tagore and cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, Saif entered the film industry in 1993 with Parampara, followed by Yeh Dillagi and Main Khiladi Tu Anari. Post that, nobody touched him in the nineties. In fact, industry insiders were derogatorily commenting about his looks. His patience paid off when romantic comedy Hum Tum proved to be a game-changer. Today, Saif is being offered roles that are meaty. But his latest movie Bunty Aur Babli 2 bombed at the box office. But, nobody seems to mind. Saif has arrived and he has created his own space.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is facing intense pressure from the opposition parties to sack the state’s home minister Dibya Shankar Mishra for his alleged involvement in sex scandal. The state Assembly continues to be paralysed over this demand. The opposition parties –BJP and Congress– are asking the Chief Minister to meet face-to-face on the floor of the house to discuss the Mishra issue. Patnaik so far is avoiding such a floor show. This hesitation convinces the opposition leaders that Patnaik is shielding the home minister for reasons best known to him. The sex scandal relates to the alleged murder of a school teacher Mamita Meher of Sunshine English Medium School on October 8. Reportedly, Mamita had threatened to expose the sex racket in the school implicating one accused. It is alleged home minister Mishra used to visit the school frequently. Patnaik, meanwhile, has requested the Odisha High Court to appoint a retired District Judge ABS Naidu to monitor the police investigations pertaining to Mamita murder case which will be subject to court scrutiny, investigating the role of Mishra. Opposition leaders are saying since the police force is accountable to the Home Ministry, how can one expect a fair report. Patnaik’s no action against Mishra has surprised the people at large as he is believed to be a no-nonsense CM having sacked ministers for slightest wrong doings in the past.
Made in India is definitely the flavour of choice for many a tech company when the CEO is chosen to lead uber successful tech brands. The podium of honour is filling up regularly, and fast with youthful, young incumbents, Made in India. Parag Agrawal is the latest to join this roll of honour, heading Twitter at 37, an IIT, Bombay alumnus, succeeding co-founder Jack Dorsey surely a class act to follow and build on. While numerous memes and encomiums sprouted thick and fast, Amul‘s celebratory ad garnered super attention. The ad showed Parag at his computer on which perched a Tweety Bird, and the blurb, Wholetweet toast to Agravault. Amul’s topical and buttery creatives are not entirely new to the public. The former Sheriff of Mumbai, late Nana Chudasama and his succinct banners (Above Talk Of The Town) on Marine Drive’s Soona Mahal was literally that in the 70s and 80s –talked about and debated. We Indians have a tolerable sense of humour too, and memes of Parag Agarwal elicited titters about Agrawal Sweets to Agrawal Tweets. Many a Tamilian wit has joked about the Alphabet CEO, Sundar as India’s “pichai” (largesse) to America, Nadella as our Sathya hi Shiv Hai! Another YouTuber takes this more seriously… “Make in India talent and technology to export to the US.” Hold the xsplit vcam torrent flag high guys and girls, India has download game maker studio 2 full crack super talent.
Global air compressor giant Atlas Copco, which has been on a buying spree over the last few years to take over major vacuum companies around the world, has just signed a sale and purchase agreement to buy out a Bengaluru-based company’s pumps business. The Indian arm of the $11-billion Swedish giant will, however, continue to use the latter’s HHV brand – which is a well-established and very strong one in the vacuum business – for the next three years. HHV Pumps was a 30% partner in a joint venture with a group of private individuals who were ex-CEOs of the century-old pumps manufacturer Edwards, which is now part of the Stockholm-headquartered Atlas Copco. Other vacuum pump companies that have been acquired include the 170-year-old Leybold and the comparatively young US-based Brooks Automation, which was established in Chelmsford, Massachusetts in 1978. HHV, founded in 1965 by SV Narasaiah (1924 -2021) as Hind High Vacuum Company Pvt Ltd, got a good deal, while the Swedish giant will gain a big foothold in the Indian market. The sale is expected to be completed in the first week of January 2022.
TRENDS & VIEWS
Editor’s Note: Big Punch In Small Pack
It is the Third Anniversary of Short Post and as a news media startup launched during the Covid-19 pandemic it certainly feels better than good to find ourselves where we are today. Here, I must cite the unstinted support of our seasoned contributors, all senior editors in the country, who brought a great degree of maturity and sagacity to the Short Post newsroom. But for them, our tagline “Authentic Gossip”, an Oxymoron, would not have matured viably. Our user numbers may be small but our stories have created the desired impact among people who matter — decision makers and influencers. We offer a big punch in a small pack and Short Post with its 225-word stories has been punching above its weight category. Having posted close to 3,000 stories in the last 36 months, Short Post, I feel, is an idea whose time has come.
And this is vindicated by our two marquee advertisers – IDFC FIRST Bank and ICICI Lombard. Both believed in our story and have supported us from Day one. A big thank you to both.
If you look at the media landscape – print, TV and digital — it is a mixed bag. There are job losses as some outfits have closed down while a lucky few were bailed out by large corporate houses. Yes, there is a lot of action in the digital space. However, the entry of corporate houses has raised the question of independence of news media outfits. Sadly, there are just a handful of independent media outfits in the country that are highly respected for their neutrality. At Short Post, our credo is not to take sides, prejudge issues or be biased but, informing readers of behind-the-scenes happenings. In essence, Short Post strives to be a neutral editorial platform — neither anti-establishment nor pro-establishment.
As I said last year, disruptions in the media world are moving at a fast and furious pace. Technology is playing a very big role in how content is generated and consumed. But, we are neither alarmed nor perturbed as it is all a part of the evolution process. What gives us comfort is that AI is unable to create original gossipy content. And that is the news arena where we have achieved a distinction.