It was BJP’s calculated decision to ask party’s poster boy and Lingayat face BS Yediyuruppa to resign as Chief Minister of Karnataka. His continuation may have led to factionalism with the opposition hurling allegations of corruption. The decision was taken after a series of meetings between the RSS and the BJP leaders, especially Home Minister Amit Shah and JP Nadda while keeping PM Narendra Modi in the loop. Even though Yediyuruppa is credited with BJP’s growth in Karnataka and its opening in south India, RSS and a section of BJP realized that this asset may become a liability ahead of the next assembly elections. Party insiders have not forgotten how the mining barons, Reddy Brothers, called the shots a few years ago and caused a major harm to the party’s image. The Parivar is clear that contractors and fixers should not be allowed to create their clout and tarnish the party’s image. Had Yediyuruppa continued, RSS feared that the party’s image may have taken a beating due to alleged links between CM’s relatives, close aides and middlemen. Ultimately the party took a call to send off Yediyuruppa honourably instead of sacking him publicly! RSS activists BL Santosh, Krishna Gopal played a major role in making a strong argument for a change.   On February 1, 2021 shortpost.in published a story that hunt was on to replace BSY.

The Lingayat supremo and Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyuruppa (BSY) who built up the BJP from scratch in Karnataka was ousted for the fourth time when well short of anything close to a full term, but on this occasion by his own party BJP. With his son BY Vijayendra operating as an extra constitutional authority, Yediyurappa was under pressure from critics within his party even more than the central leadership in New Delhi. Too many ministers took offence at the ‘virtual CM’ role played by his son and were bent upon using the age of 75-year rule of BJP to target BSY saying he was too old to be able to stop his son. However, BSY’s mission since making an offer to PM Modi to resign on health grounds on July 10 was to get his son into any post, at the Centre or as Deputy CM in succession plans, including those which envisage bringing a non-Lingayat as CM. The observers feel that the BJP is being held to ransom by the numerically strong (upto 17%) and influential Lingayats and their seers. With BSY being asked to associate with finding a successor, it would be interesting to see who will be the CM. It is a remarkable story for a 78-year-old who had spells of seven days, three years, three days and two years in four terms as CM.

The animosity between former Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palanisami, EPS and his deputy O Panneerselvan (OPS) seems to have intensified ever since DMK came to power. Compounding it further is the re-entry of VK Sasikala on the scene. This is why speculation is rife why both EPS and OPS headed separately to the Capital to meet the PM. There are different versions. Were they beckoned or summoned? Or did they go to complain about the vendetta raj unleashed by Chief Minister MK Stalin? The ED has raided former minister RS Vijaya Bhaskar. Another viewpoint, the duo had gone to personally handover their version of the wealth trail of DMK supremos. Finally, a vanilla version: the pair were to appraise the PM about vaccine shortage, the NEET issue, Mekedatu dam problem and other issues. This unscheduled trip seems straight out of the Panchatantra Tales…rewind to JJ’s body lying in state before her internment. A sobbing Sasikala, and a reassuring Modi who consoled her. Fast forward to Sasi’s homecoming from jail, and her sky-high expectations that she could just walk into the AIADMK and reclaim her rightful place. Ground reality proved otherwise. Is this an attempt to bring the duo to heel, and make them accept Sasikala as the General Secretary of the party? More importantly, an ambitious plan to bring it under the BJP Chhatra Chaya?

On the brink of a collapse, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) was expecting the Union Cabinet approved 2019 revival package – which included a Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS), monetisation of assets and 4G rollout – to nurse it back to health. While the State-owned telecom behemoth implemented the VRS scheme in 2020, letting go of nearly 79,000 employees, the other plans in the package are yet to materialise. Forget being profitable, BSNL is now finding it difficult even to pay salaries on time. According to sources, the company is now seeking arrears of about Rs 39,000 crore from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to tide over the financial mess, rather than waiting for the implementation of the revival plan. This, according to the various unions and associations of the public sector unit, is under various heads such as salaries and pension contribution of officers deputed to BSNL by DoT, financial support to be provided for rural telephony services and cost of surrendered CDMA spectrum among others. Last week, the representatives of BSNL’s various unions and associations met Communications Minister Devusinh Chauhan and apprised him about the dues, and the delay in crediting of salaries and 4G rollout among others. The minister had assured to look into the issue, a source said, adding, “fingers crossed”.

Apeejay Surrendra Group have sold off their interest in the UK-based Typhoo Tea to London based private equity firm, Zetland Capital. Post sell off, the PE firm led by dealmaker Ahmed Hamdani, has become the majority shareholder of Merseyside, the Liverpool-based company which has been battling heavy losses over the past few years. As per the agreement, the licence to sell teas under the Typhoo brand in India will remain with the Apeejay Group for the time being. The Kolkata-based Pauls, with interests in real estate, hotels, shipping, tea plantations and logistics, had bought the 120-year-old UK-based Typhoo Tea from Premier Foods for £80 million in 2005. The Pauls launched Typhoo packet teas and herbal infusions in India in 2008, building on its famed British legacy. Typhoo Tea’s troubles began after its strategy to ramp up sales at its private label business floundered badly. The prolonged uncertainty over Brexit also hurt badly. The Pauls decided to exit Typhoo Tea because the British venture was bleeding and needed huge cash infusions. Founded by John Sumner Junior in 1903, Typhoo Tea was the first to sell ready-packaged and also the first to launch a green tea blend in the UK. Typhoo’s brand portfolio includes: Glengettie, Melrose’s, instant tea Lift, organic Heath & Heather, and speciality tea Ridgways of Londo

Tokyo 2020 Olympics  began with a bang for India when Manipur’s Mirabai Chanu, all of 4.11 “ in height, and 49 kg in weight, bagged the silver medal in the snatch and clean and jerk competition.. While the diminutive Mirabai has stolen the thunder from the rest of the athletes, even getting a cash reward of Rs 2 crore from Indian Railways, Manika Batra, a bright spark in the first few days of the Olympics, has ruffled the feathers of the table tennis fraternity by rejecting the national coach, Soumyadeep Roy, to guide her at onsite. The tall 26- year-old from Delhi, Manika who began her first lessons at Sandeep Gupta’s academy in Punjabi Bagh, relocated to Pune two years ago in order to be close to her personal coach Sanmay Paranjape. Manika, who was ranked World No 46 in March 2019, dropped to a low of 79 in September. It has been in the 60s since November 2019. She appeared to be petulant at being denied the opportunity to be coached and mentored from the court-side by Paranjape. He was in the stands though. After winning two matches, Manika was outplayed by Austria’s world no. 17, Sofia Polcanova in the third. The authorities believe that rules have to be adhered to, and nominating a personal coach for any competition, and not the national coach, would open the Pandora’ s Box for them.

Sashadhar Mukerji became a legend in his own lifetime. Popularly known as S Mukherji, his contribution to the Indian film industry remains unparalleled. Mukerji, who initially joined Bombay Talkies and went on to create Filmistan and Filmalaya Studios was known as the man with Midas touch. Everything was a hit – his movies, stars, songs. In fact, people who worked closely with Mukerji say that he had an ear for music. They say he had the knack of picking the right ones when a music director gave him a choice of 10 tunes for a song. Naturally this success created a lot of enemies within the industry, and they would spread rumours about his movie. A similar thing happened in 1954 when he released Nagin, famous for its song Man Dole Mera, Tan Dole Mera sung by Lata Mangeshkar to the accompaniment of Been music.  His rivals said snakes were entering the cinema halls the moment Been music played. This rumour kept the audience away from the theatres for a few days. But, not for long. Not only was the movie a super hit but the Been music became synonymous with snakes and snake charmers. And of course, the movie established Vyjayanthimala’s career as a star.

The #MeToo movement seems to have resurfaced in Bollywood but in a new avatar with the arrest of Raj Kundra, husband of film star Shilpa Shetty, for allegedly exploiting young girls and actresses to make adult content for his mobile app. Not many cases of #MeToo were reported during the Lockdown but a couple of high-profile cases of sexual assault and exploitation were filed. FIRs were filed against Bhushan Kumar of T Series fame; and Ajit Thakur, former head of content, Reliance Industries. But, no action was taken as both have stated they were ‘victims’ of extortion. Tanushree Datta, who led the #MeToo movement against veteran actor Nana Patekar (the charge failed in the court); and Payal Ghosh against filmmaker Anurag Kashyap are trying to keep the issue alive via media. In the past names of Alok Nath, Vikas Bahl, Sajid Khan, Kailash Kher, Rajat Kapoor, Subhash Ghai and Anu Malik surfaced. Recently, actress Prachi Desai talked about her #MeToo experience. And so did Priyanka Chopra in her book Unfinished though without dropping any names. An actress confides that most people who had spoken out against big names have settled the issue for “consideration”. This is the reason the entire movement within Bollywood has gone kaput. So, will the adult stars like Poonam Pandey, Gehna Vashishth and Sherlyn Chopra revive the #MeToo movement

It is not just BJP leadership which is united to counter Opposition parties on the controversy over the alleged snooping by Israeli cyberarms firm NSO Group by using Pegasus spyware but also the RSS functionaries and the members of Parivar who are solidly behind Prime Minister PM Narendra Modi and the government at the Centre. Pegasus is a spyware that can be covertly installed on mobile phones. The common thread: It is a conspiracy by the Opposition parties to defame and discredit not just the BJP-led government but also India at a time when the country is weathering the coronavirus pandemic. Days after the expose by news agency and the Opposition’s attempt to disrupt parliament, RSS leaders including BL Santosh, Krishna Gopal and Suresh Soni internally met and later communicated with Home Minister Amit Shah and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi extending their support to the government. They assured to talk to Modi for a possible tie-up in a serious bid to argue government’s case among the people. After the scrapping of Article 370 and the NRC and CAA, it is RSS’ turn to be with the government to foil the Opposition and Left wing organisation’s attempt to target BJP, especially Modi.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s return serve, to use a tennis phrase, seems faster than what BJP had anticipated. Even though Didi has won the game comfortably she is not happy. A reliable source says that hurt by party deserters her ire is directed at the mastermind – BJP. And she is doing everything within her might to put BJP on the back foot. For starters, Governor Jagdeep Dhankar who has been highlighting horrific post-poll violence has been called ‘corrupt’, Nandigram election results challenged in the High Court, HC judge handling that case has been asked to recuse from the case by her and now she pledges Khela Hobe with focus on 2024 Lok Sabha polls to oust BJP. In doing so, Didi, according to a businessman, is missing wood for the trees. Election is past tense; now the most important thing before Didi is the West Bengal economy. And she has not made any statements about giving fillip to state industrialisation. The business fraternity, he says, will not embark on any green field projects but perhaps do incremental brown field projects. To avoid being caught in the crossfire in the slanging match between the Centre and State, some businessmen are thinking of relocating out of India. If Didi focusses on West Bengal economy all other problems will solve itself.

The land of the rising sun, sumo wrestling,  sushi food, and prime minister Yoshihide Suga is all set to unveil the Games of the 32nd Olympiad  on July 23, 2021.  The pandemic-caused delay of the Summer Games by a calendar year, has acquired a handful of monikers, notably COVID Games and TV-Screen Games, but the most significant is the one described by the International Olympic Committee, that starts the two-week competitions with the opening ceremony pageant, full of pomp and parade. The IOC has put down “Tokyo 2020” as the most gender-balanced games with more than 200 nations given the option to nominate for the first time, a male and female athlete as flag bearers at the opening ceremony. It’s a norm for countries to nominate its most decorated sports persons taking part in the Olympics for the opening day spectacle that’s much critiqued for a variety of reasons. At the second “Love in Tokyo” games (Tokyo was the host in 1964), India’s flag bearers will be its boxing icon, Manipur’s Mary Kom and the male hockey team captain, Punjab’s Manpreet Singh. Mary is a London Olympics bronze medalist and Manpreet is a two time Olympian (2012 London and 2016, Rio). Mary will be the third woman athlete after Shiny Wilson (1992 Barcelona) and Anju Bobby George (2004 Athens) to be bestowed the honour of leading India’s athletes in the march past.

With the DMK returning to Fort St George after a considerable hiatus, expectations are running high among people. After all, it is a dream come true for MK Stalin, the son of former chief minister late M Karunanidhi. Having become the chief minister, Stalin is in an ideal position. In his ascension to the chief minister gaddi, DMK has an opportunity to refurbish itself to play a decisive role in the national politics. If politics is an art, late Karunanidhi proved himself to be a fine artist. When Karunanidhi was around, he had in him an astute Murasoli Maran, his nephew and Member of Parliament for 36 years. The senior Maran was Man Friday for the former chief minister. And he played the perfect communication bridge between the then DMK government and the ruling class in New Delhi. The erstwhile combination in the DMK kept political channels open all the time. This worked well for the welfare of the state of Tamil Nadu time and again. The connecting line appears to be conspicuous by its absence now. That seems to have put the DMK government under Stalin at a disadvantage. And, that is not doing any good for the Stalin regime. You stay connected in politics. That can be done by a mature mind.  Well, Stalin has a quick job on hand.

Chennai’s Greames Road Apollo Hospital is often a stage for intense political drama as VVIPs get admitted there, and warring VIPs come calling. AIADMK presidium chairman Madhusudanan was rushed to Apollo on July 20. Former Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palanisami and his entourage came calling to see the ailing presidium chief. Imagine his predicament when he heard that Madam Sasikala, his arch enemy and political nemesis was on the way for the same purpose. Ousted AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala was not just on the way but was travelling in a car similar to J Jayalalithaa’s with the AIADMK flag fluttering proudly on its mast. Edappadi could only squirm and sputter. Many a mighty political warrior had been quelled by the lady in question. He quickly gathered his herd, and exited from Apollo, even as madam’s car stopped in the portico. Now the memes and sarcasm are flooded with the question, will the Presidium Chief be ousted from the party for being in her company? Remember, her recent bizarre strategy of calling up party malcontents in the dead of night, shoot the breeze, record the conversation and go public with such chats has chucked out quite a few from the AIADMK for anti-party activities! Some people have a talent for whipping up trouble. Sasikala is intent on a hostile takeover.

The raging pandemic has triggered in its wake a social distancing of an unusual kind. That has reconfigured the relationships. While relatives staying afar have become digital friends, immediate neighbours have become close relatives. Indeed, the world has changed so much since the outbreak of the virus early last year. Well, that has brought connectivity issues for many religious institutions. The Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam in Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu has now sought to overcome this by embracing the digital platform. It is all set to launch a web TV in the name and style of Kamakoti TV. Coming up with the blessings of the current Shankaracharya, it will go live on the auspicious Vyasa Puja Day – July 24. The ostensible objective of launching a TV is to reach the programmes and events of the Mutt to devotees across the globe. Also, the devotees are assured of an ad-free experience of watching the Mutt programmes. Mutt followers – young and old alike – can now hope for a round-the-clock spiritual delight with the advent of Kamakoti TV.  Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham was established by Sri Adi Sankara in the year 482 BC and has the distinction of an unbroken line of 70 Acharyas.

There is this oft repeated story of a child asked to describe a cow. “A cow is a four legged animal, two legs forward, and two afterwards.” Whatever the perception of this child, the cow has to be taken seriously in our communication, perception and opinion. Manipur-based Harvard Kennedy School educated activist Erendo Leichombam, and his journalist buddy Kishorechandra Wangkhan learnt a lesson the hard way. On the death of Manipur state BJP president S Tikendra Singh, they posted on FB that science and sense would be a better bet to deal with Covid-19 than ‘cowdung’ and ‘cow urine’. (On social media, Gaumutra has emerged as a slur of choice to attack BJP followers while Islamists routinely use the jibe against Hindus). Promptly they were put in jail on May 13, under the National Security Act (NSA) for causing unrest by such claims! Imagine the consternation of the Lordships, Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah when this matter was escalated to the Supreme Court level by Erendo’s father. The Solicitor General did not contest the plea. Justice Chandrachud ruled, “He cannot be kept in jail even for a day. We order his release today (on bail),” averring that this arrest was a violation of Article 21! The Right to Life and Liberty. Invoking the NSA for such matters must be a matter of concern for our democracy.

The five-year term of the 14th President of India Ram Nath Kovind ends on July 24, 2022. So, who will be the next President? Intense speculation was around Maratha strongman and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar considering his several rounds of meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. But, Pawar stumped everybody by formally announcing that he will neither contest 2022 Presidential elections nor be the PM face in 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Now, the other name that is doing the rounds is that of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. It is seen as a quid pro quo arrangement. Once Nitish Kumar moves to Delhi, then the next Chief Minister will be from the BJP, some suggest. In Maharashtra, BJP is running with the hare and hunting with the hounds to regain control. It is reliably learnt that BJP has been talking to both Shiv Sena and NCP. Apparently, Sena is asking for the moon – three Cabinet ministers and Deputy CM’s post.  As of now the BJP top leadership is not willing to relent to Sena’s demand. But, the party’s big objective is to regain control of States where they have lost out before the next General Election in 2024.

It is the mystery of the century. The disappearance of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and death of Lal Bahadur Shastri. Reams and reams have been written on the subject but still there is no finality. The latest book His Holiness The Fourteenth Dalai Lama: An Illustrated Biography written by Dalai Lama’s trusted companion and aide for over four decades, Tenzin Geyche Tethong, touches on a subject that Indians have been seeking an answer – death of Shastri. The book throws light on Shastri’s equation with the Dalai Lama. According to RSS mouthpiece Organiser, which has exclusive access to this chapter in its latest edition, writes: “On an early day of January 1966, the Dalai Lama received a message from WD Shakabpa, his representative in New Delhi, which carried the news which he has been longing to hear since the day he had entered India in 1959 after his 17-day long daring escape from the guns of Chinese Army in Tibet. Shakabpa informed the Dalai Lama that “the Indian government was prepared to recognize the Tibetan government in exile and that he would receive a definite answer once the Prime Minister (Lal Bahadur Shastri) returned from Tashkent.” Unfortunately, Shastri, according to reports, died of a heart attack in Tashkent. But, this biography published by Roli Books, will once again stir debate about Shastri’s death and the hand behind it.

For Kerala-based Kitex Garments chairman & managing director Sabu M Jacob, moving to Telangana was an easy decision. “If I invest Rs 1,000 crore in Telangana, over the next 10 years, the government there will pay me back almost a similar amount via capital subsidies, payback incentives etc. But if I invest Rs 1,000 crore in Kerala, I need to shell out another 100 crore to deal with ‘other expenses’ here,” Sabu said. Kitex is investing in an apparel park at the Kakatiya Mega Textile Park in Telangana’s Warangal district. He has also made it clear that the existing facility that gives employment to over 15,000 people will continue to operate in Kerala. Just that the expansion plans will be moved out of state for operational reasons. Sabu says this decision to relocate expansion plans to another state is purely a financial decision and nothing to do with politics. This comes after media speculation that the ruling Communist Party of Kerala thought it was high time to clip his wings after Sabu’s political entry via his CSR arm 20:20 started making an influence in the electorate. The 29-year-old company, part of the Anna-Kitex group, is the largest private sector employer in Kerala. Being an employment generator saw many States willing to roll out the red carpet to the company.

UK’s new cricket competition – The Hundred – kicks off July 21, seeking diversity among its audience. It aims specially at the inclusion of Asian Brits who are not so much into the county game, which is mostly white, in fact 94%. Eight teams based on city lines for tribal loyalties as in the IPL, a draft system and a focus on overseas players as Afghans, Pakistanis, Nepalis and five Indian women cricketers swing into action. England and Wales Cricket Board’s 100-ball competition borrows heavily from IPL thanks to PIO Sanjay Patel who is its MD. English cricket is looking seriously at attracting more South Asians not only as spectators but also players. Take the case of Moeen Ali, who had to move to Worcestershire from Warwickshire to take off on his career. He grew up on tape ball cricket near Edgbaston before becoming a sought after T20 player currently with Chennai Super Kings. The Hundred is hoping to bridge the gap between English cricket and Asian spectators, mostly from the subcontinent. No Indian men are allowed to participate yet by the BCCI but that could change when there is less international cricket during the summer for India. Tactically, it is only a little different from T20 but a bowler can be kept on for ten balls at a time rather than stop with five balls.

Popular Tamil star Suriya’s Soorarai Pottru boldly released on Amazon Prime in November 2020 brought him and his home production house, a number of accolades. While most were left trying to understand the esoteric Tamil title (Hail The Brave), the film’s treatment of the subject Simply Fly and its impact on the audience was terrific. Suriya played the role of Capt GR Gopinath, who introduced the concept of low-cost flying experience to the not so well-heeled, his struggles for raising the money, get the needed approvals to get Air Deccan on flight mode. Suriya struggled just as much with his ambitious movie which Sudha Kongara Prasad directed so brilliantly. Apart from Paresh Rawal and Urvashi, the other actors were not so well known. Suriya has just announced a pan Indian Hindi version, with Kongara to direct this intense subject that has transited to cinema with telling impact. So far, the cast and other components have not been finalised. May be he wants to keep it a suspense and reveal all once the project is buttoned up. Sudha Kongara had a fully ready script before shooting started for the Tamil version. The Hindi version of Simply Fly, Capt Gopinath’s dream airline will take off before long with Suriya’s determination and passion for perfection. Any takers for a campaign to guess the cast from Bollywood?

Under fire from the international community for allegedly creating the pandemic, bruising the global economy, bringing the fun-filled and joyful lives of the world to a standstill, China will send a record 431 vaccinated athletes (for an overseas multi-event games comprising 298 women, 133 men) for the Summer Olympics celebrations in Tokyo in its 125th year. In all, the dragon country will send a jumbo delegation of 777 athletes and officials. The quadrennial showpiece event founded by the Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin, known as the father of the modern Olympic Games, has acquired the moniker “COVID Games” because of the contagious nature of the virus that has caused millions of deaths, postponed the games by a year, and forced top-notch sportspersons to drop out. Japan (population: 13 crore) has already spent around $16 billion to keep the Olympics going ahead, in spite of a stout local opposition. A little over three hours flight from Beijing to Tokyo, that cost upwards of $ 1730 (Rs 1.3 lakh), China had the financial muscle to fill the 42 venues with cheering crowds, and look to grab much of the 339 glittering gold medals across 33 events. But Tokyo has made the 18-day event a TV-screen games. China’s youngest participant in Tokyo will be 14, and the oldest, 52.

For star kids getting entry into Bollywood is easy. But, how many make it big – like Hrithik, Aamir, Kajol and Ranbir in past three decades? The cine fans are pinning hopes on a new crop of star kids. Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter Suhana who has performed in plays will soon face the camera; while son Aaryan who has done a voice over for The Lion King is keen to stay behind the camera, for now. Suniel Shetty’s son Ahan who debuts in Tadap may be signed for Aashiqui3. Producer Sajid Nadiadwala’s son Subhan is all set to debut. Shashi Kapoor’s grandson Zahan (Kunal’s son) has just started shooting for Hansal Mehta’s film. Meezan Jaffrey, son of actor Javed Jaffrey, made his debut in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Malal, and is already into his second film Hungama2.. Abhimanyu Dassani, son of Bhagyashree of Maine Pyar Kiya fame, who made his debut in Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota, eagerly awaits the release of Nikamma with Shirley Setia as heroine. Sanjay Kapoor’s daughter Shanaya gets a lead role in a Karan Johar film. Salman Khan’s niece Alizeh and nephew Nirvaan are all set to dab the grease paint. Waiting in the wings are Sridevi’s daughter Khushi and Saif Ali Khan’s son Ibrahim. So, who will survive the star race? Only talent will tell!

Nothing excites the Opposition parties and their rank and file so much as the sight of Prashant Kishor holding strategic sessions with friendly political honchos. His meeting with the Gandhis – Rahul, Priyanka and Sonia – in the Capital, following multiple parleys with Sharad Pawar, the NCP supremo and the driving force behind the ruling MVA alliance in Maharashtra, has once again sparked an animated speculation about his larger-than-politics future. Speculation has been rife ever since he announced quitting polls ‘space’ after inflicting a spectacular defeat on the legions of mighty Amit Shah (whom he dismissed as an over-rated poll manager) and helping his client Mamata Banerjee’s AITC retain West Bengal; and guiding MK Stalin’s DMK win Tamil Nadu. Archana Dalmia, a close aide of Rahul Gandhi and Chairperson, Grievances Cell @INCIndia, raised hopes. “A warm welcome into the Congress family,” she said, only to delete the tweet. A deleted tweet is more newsworthy, you know. Arguably more newsy than Congress’ frontal attack: “The Home Minister, who has likely played a key role in the #CabinetReshuffle should first take a look at his own track record … overall breakdown of law & order across the nation – this is his legacy.” With Kishor joining the action – and Modi 2.0 taking a fresh guard with a radical ministerial reshuffle, the road to 2024 promises Mother of All Slugfests.

Problems never come singly, it is often said. It has come in two in this instance. Two think-tanks are in Tamil Nadu. And, that is one TWO many for the political mandarins to care for. Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS) and Madras School of Economics (MSE) are two eminent policy institutions in the Dravadian land. They have consistently got sustenance in the form of active support from the Tamil Nadu Government. But there is a catch. And, the catch – nay the truth – lies somewhere in between.  The MIDS was founded with the blessings of late M Karunanidhi. While he ruled the state, MIDS was in the limelight. But MSE was patronised by AIADMK founder and former chief minister J Jayalalithaa.  Even after her demise, MSE found in her successor a well-wisher and reliable supporter. The Edapaddi Palanisamy regime was favourably disposed towards MSE, and encouraged free flow of advice from its expert team. With the DMK back in Fort St George with Karunanidhi’s son MK Stalin as the chief minister, how will these two institutions be viewed?  That the present finance minister of Tamil Nadu PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan is unhappy with the erstwhile AIADMK Government’s softness toward MSE is quite on record. Well, will the balance now shift towards MIDS? Think hard!

That Sharad Pawar nursed the ambition of becoming prime minister is public knowledge. Perhaps, that may be one of the reasons, he quit Congress, and set up the Nationalist Congress Party in 1999 along with PA Sangma. Analysts feel he could have well become one had Dr Manmohan Singh not backed out from joining the NCP. The 80-year-old Maratha strongman, revered and feared, loves to keep everyone guessing about his next move. He foxed everybody when he met poll strategist Prashant Kishor three times within a fortnight. And quickly denied he was forming a Third Front. It may be recalled that the run-up to meeting Kishor was preceded by Shiv Sena’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut mooting the idea that Pawar should be the next UPA leader. In his 60 years of political career, Pawar is not known to give formal interviews or quotes to the Press. But, ever since the formation of Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government, he has been talking to media frequently. He went into a silence zone for a long period, post his reported meeting with Amit Shah in Ahmedabad in March 2021 even though MVA infighting was out in the open. Now, he has formally told the media that he will not contest 2022 Presidential elections or become PM face in 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Now, everybody is stumped!

Congress in Maharashtra is a divided house. The state unit chief Nana Patole seems to be a man in hurry – with his going solo mission for future elections. His frequent outbursts against CM Uddhav Thackeray and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar (alleged to be tracking his moves) and describing Sharad Pawar as “MVA’s remote control” has shocked many. Veterans like Balasaheb Thorat and Ashok Chavan, and young Turks like Sunil Kedar and Satej Patil want party to expand but insist that it should not be at the cost of allies Shiv Sena and NCP. They suspect that Pataole’s stratagems may work to the advantage of Sena and NCP, who have consolidated their position in the state. Both, Sena and NCP have made it amply clear that if the Congress ditches the alliance, then the two parties will contest elections together. Congress insiders point out that both Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are keen for the continuation of the party’s alliance with Sena and NCP, both at the state and the national level. Meanwhile it is learnt that a section of Congress has quietly launched movement to oust Patole and bring in a new chief who will be a bridge maker. But, the question remains: is Patole acting on his own volition or at the behest of the High Command?

The local BJP chief K Annamalai seems to have got off on the wrong foot when he took on the media soon after succeeding L Murugan, who got promoted to the Union Cabinet in a junior minister’s role. In an official warning, the BJP threw cold water on talk of dividing Tamil Nadu into two parts to create a Kongu Nadu. But that seems to have had little effect on the former cop who lambasted the media for false news saying that his former boss would soon control all media from Delhi while in the I&B ministry. The talk of a Kongu Nadu in western Tamil Nadu, which showed some interest in electing a couple of BJP MLAs while being a long time bastion of AIADMK, was built up by the media but shot down by New Delhi where leaders sent word down to the rank and file that they would not countenance the idea of carving a region out of the old State. “Kongu Nadu is not BJP’s idea. A prosperous Tamil Nadu and a strong India is the BJP’s goal,” the party’s State media unit president, ANS Prasad said in a statement, urging party members not to express their personal views at party meetings, media interviews and social networking platforms.

The Summer Olympics are around the corner, after a delay of one year caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and all the stakeholders are gearing up and praying for a safe and smooth Olympics from July 23. The sponsors have also got down to business. They are vital to the conduct of games, and to individual athletes. In India, Bridgestone India, which has Pusarla Sindhu and Mary Kom as its Brand Ambassadors — the two world-class achievers in badminton and boxing are part of the company’s “Chase Your Dream” campaign — has extended its best wishes  to them, to golfer Udayan Mane, and to the Indian contingent. The parent company, Bridgestone Corporation founded by Shojiro Ishibashi, nine decades ago, became the Olympic movement’s Worldwide Partner in 2014, the Paralympics Gold Partner in 2018, and its presence will be felt in Tokyo, and till the 2024 Olympic in Paris. “We believe that harbouring a strong culture of sports and investing in our people will contribute towards creation of better individuals leading to a holistically developed society,” said Parag Satpute, MD, Bridgestone India. Former World Champion and a silver medallist at Rio 2016, Sindhu, and many times gold medal winner at the World Championships, and the bronze medal winner at the London Olympics 2012, Mary Kom, have applauded Bridgestone’s support to the Olympic movement.

Rumours about who will take over as Governor in Chennai’s Raj Bhavan are swirling. The incumbent Banwarilal Purohit, from a newspaper-owning family in Nagpur, is nearing the end of his term. An interesting name doing the rounds for Governorship in DMK-ruled Tamil Nadu is that of the former Communications & Information Technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad who was dropped from the Union cabinet. Any number of names kept coming up when the rulers decided to move on after a temporary Governor from Maharashtra C Vidyasagar Rao was given additional charge of Tamil Nadu for long. That Governor proved his mettle when he sat on J Jayalalithaa’s confidante V Sasikala’s application to become Chief Minister until the top court order came out but when Purohit came to Chennai it was a bit of a surprise. Enjoying the perks of a massive Raj Bhavan in the midst of the Guindy national park while AIADMK, friendly alliance partner of BJP ruled was easy enough but, with a change in regime, New Delhi might be looking at a tougher Governor, which is why Ravi Shankar Prasad’s name is bobbing up. The only inhibiting factor could be that Prasad will have to resign as Lok Sabha MP and BJP may not want to conduct by polls in Patna in the current situation.

Barely three days after returning from the U.S. post his medical check-up, superstar Rajinikanth hinted at some significant announcement and the media swarmed the cul de sac in front of his Poes Garden home as early as 8 am. As usual, a makeshift podium outside his Brindavan gates. Thalaivar came out in a grey linen T shirt, looking healthy, trim but grim. He made a brief statement … Annathe shooting delayed, then election, the U.S. trip. So now I need to consult with my Rajini Makkal Mandram (RMM) about whether I should come to politics? Press meet over! Some guffawed, of course, Annathe is yet to release…he needs all the fan support to conjure up a super hit! Yet others, some powerful super force is manipulating him to gain mileage for LS election. Still others, superstars can never be weaned off fan frenzy. Money, money…how much more do these aged heroes want to earn? Yet others, it must be the home front egging him on to enter and stay relevant.  Finally, the statement from Rajini, I am not entering politics, as such the RMM stands dissolved! Whew, as if people were not aware that this journey never started. Taking on the sharks and barracudas is not for a stylish star who perfected throwing up a ciggy to land between his lips.

‘Can We Do Another 1991’ – This is the latest from Business India (July 12-25, 2021). The cover story compares former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh with the current prime minister Narendra Modi. The magazine says, “Given the abnormal times, comparisons about economic performance of successive prime ministers are odious. Like Singh, Modi is having his share of troubles not entirely of his own making. If Singh had to battle the domino effect of the global financial meltdown, Modi has to cope with the pandemic’s dark shadow since last year.” Still, let’s see in brief how the comparison works. On the face of it, there is little doubt that Modi as a PM has been running a tighter ship than what Singh did in terms of governance. This is mostly because of his centralised form of governance and lack of any extra-constitutional power interfering in his work. Yet, Singh stands tall over Modi as a reformer. The BJP-led dispensation has been no match for Singh as finance minister in the Narasimha Rao government in anchoring far-reaching structural reforms that invigorated the economy. Modi’s reforms like demonetisation and a hastily stitched GST have caused major disruptions in the informal sector. He has been forced to keep the farm reform laws in abeyance because of farmers’ protests and the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code because of the pandemic.

It’s going to be the Arab world’s biggest sporting extravaganza ever, the 22nd FIFA World cup. And Qatar, which won the right to host the 32-team competition, 10 years ago, is in a ready, get set, go mode, almost, to showcase the beautiful game of football from November 21 to December 18, next year. Qatar did not lose sight of the relevance of announcing the 500-day countdown to the event, even as the global football fans were riveted on the Copa America and the Euros. On the milestone event, Nasser Al Khater, CEO of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC, said: “500 days means we’re getting very close. It’s been 10 years in the making, and this will be the biggest event that’s ever happened in the Middle East. The compact nature is probably the most positive aspect of this World Cup. Fans won’t have to follow their team from city to city, which means there will be a significant cost saving, and this means they will have time to take in the ambience and enjoy what Qatar has to offer.” Five stadiums have been completed, three will be ready soon and six venues will play host to the FIFA Arab Cup 2021 in November-December. India’s Larsen & Toubro, and its local associate Al Balagh Trading & Contracting have constructed the 40,000-seat Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.

The pandemic is playing havoc in the real estate segment, at least where rental deals are concerned.  According to Squarefeatindia.com, a leading real estate website, rental deals in Mumbai has seen a sharp fall of 39% in the first quarter of this year. In April-June 2019, the number of registered rental deals was 69,536 against 42,468 in April-June 2021. Yashika Rohiira of Karma Realtors, talking to the website, attributes this sharp fall to Covid-19. With pandemic, most people have returned to their homes. Be it college students or even those who work in the city hail from different parts of the country. With the threat of third wave looming large no one sees either colleges or workplaces opening up too soon. Hence, there is not much desire for people to come back and rent the places.  Even in upscale places like Bandra or South Mumbai, where foreign nationals generally rent properties, there has been a lull as many have gone back to their countries and work-from-home culture has set in. Rohiira feels with the danger of third wave looming large the rental market of Mumbai will continue to suffer for some more time.

Sai Pallavi, all of 29 years, is on a high. Why not? Her chartbuster 2019 Rowdy Baby from Tamil film Maari2 with Dhanush as her lead garnered 5 million likes (and over a billion views), an unheard of popularity for a Tamil film song and dance. This racy, raunchy and rambunctious number has amazingly inane lyrics…For Sai, Dhanush is her Goli Soda (the flying fizz), and she, his Kari Kuzhambe (spicy hot curry)! Who cares for such over the top lyrics? Sai has danced her way in frame to frame, all the way to fame. Dhanush who has sung the song and played the lead, comes off as a timid foil to the high voltage Sai Pallavi. From a Badaga family of Nilgiris with an MBBS from Georgia University, this youthful charmer has already tucked away two Filmfare and several other film awards, for her electrifying performances in Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu films. Premam, Fidaa, Athiran, Kali, and Maari2 have zoomed her to the top. She comes across as innocent and sparkling as a mountain stream, hardly needs any makeup as her envious skin is inner lit. Watch out for this bubbly.

The surprising exit of two known BJP faces Prakash Javadekar and Ravi Shankar Prasad from the Union Cabinet was not just based on performance criteria but other factors like their caste, mass base and utility within the party. “What is the political capital they bring to the table,” asks a political analyst. As I&B Minister Javadekar was pursuing RSS agenda and Modi government’s slew of initiatives. But his handling of various issues seems to have made him the object of ridicule, especially among the Delhi media. Besides, it was felt that the move will not evoke any backlash from Maharashtrian Brahmin community — to which Javadekar belongs. Whereas in Narayan Rane, the party saw a Maratha who could counter Shiv Sena and consolidate the party’s base in Konkan region ahead of the forthcoming Assembly polls. As for Ravi Shankar Prasad, whose electability transcends his being a kayastha from Patna, and who strongly put the government’s case against the dominant global Big Media, especially Twitter, the speculation continues. A large section of media and also some insiders say his arrogance, and style of working created a lot of anti-sentiments against India. In a few weeks, there is a meeting with the U.S. President Joe Biden, who is a tough negotiator and the Indian government does not want to lose its bargaining position, holds a corporate lobbyist. Besides, as a law minister Prasad failed to take initiative in filling a large number of posts of judges. According to some observers, he created a rift with the judiciary that was a negative factor against him. Insiders say both Javadekar and Prasad are expected to be rehabilitated by giving them organisational responsibilities in the run up to the assembly elections to the five assemblies.

At the boardroom or playground, the captain’s writ runs large. So, it is no different in the political arena. Nobody respects or admires an indecisive leader. A case in point is the former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is different. He seems to have taken a leaf out of the U.S. President Harry S Truman’s frequently used phrase “the buck stops here.” To ensure that he is always on the top of the situation, everything is routed through the Prime Minister’s Office. So what’s wrong? But, this prime ministerial centric government seems to be getting everybody’s goat. Why?  During UPA I and II everything was routed via Sonia Gandhi’s office. Then everything was centralised with one family; the so called ‘concerned citizens’ did not have any objections. In the corporate world, the shareholders hold Mark Zuckerberg, Mukesh Ambani or Warren Buffett accountable. The buck stops with the CEO. Accountability and responsibility are two sides of the same coin. Are opposition or some of the BJP leaders unhappy with the centralisation of power because they are not able to game the system? Modi seems unperturbed with this surround sound and his latest cabinet reshuffle clearly points out that he means business. For now, this powerful well-oiled coterie, basically Modi haters, have to twiddle their thumbs because their social media efforts to denigrate  him has come to nought.

At the boardroom or playground, the captain’s writ runs large. So, it is no different in the political arena. Nobody respects or admires an indecisive leader. A case in point is the former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is different. He seems to have taken a leaf out of the U.S. President Harry S Truman’s frequently used phrase “the buck stops here.” To ensure that he is always on the top of the situation, everything is routed through the Prime Minister’s Office. So what’s wrong? But, this prime ministerial centric government seems to be getting everybody’s goat. Why?  During UPA I and II everything was routed via Sonia Gandhi’s office. Then everything was centralised with one family; the so called ‘concerned citizens’ did not have any objections. In the corporate world, the shareholders hold Mark Zuckerberg, Mukesh Ambani or Warren Buffett accountable. The buck stops with the CEO. Accountability and responsibility are two sides of the same coin. Are opposition or some of the BJP leaders unhappy with the centralisation of power because they are not able to game the system? Modi seems unperturbed with this surround sound and his latest cabinet reshuffle clearly points out that he means business. The report cards of the ministries and ministers were the deciding factor. Twelve ministers who did not score passing marks were dropped while seven who came out with flying colours were promoted. Besides, 36 new faces or future leaders were inducted. For now, this powerful well-oiled coterie, basically Modi haters, comprising journalists, politicians, bureaucrats, academicians, historians, actors and authors have to twiddle their thumbs because their social media efforts to denigrate him has come to nought. But, they are no quitters. To keep the ember burning they are now heavily tweeting and retweeting about grammatically incorrect language of the new health minister.  Still living the Raj days!

Dilip Kumar was not just a legendary actor but was also a writer and producer who made the blockbuster movie Ganga Jamuna in 1961 and played the title role of Ganga in that film. The heroine was Vyayanthimala. It was a tale of two brothers one — an uneducated, simple human being who is forced by the circumstances to take the law in his own hands and the other Jamuna who is educated, urbanized and who tilts on the side of the law of the land. The movie Ganga Jamuna was inspiration for the famous duo Salim-Javed while scripting for Deewar.  So too it was for Amitabh Bachchan. Well, when Ganga Jamuna was to be released it went to the Censor Board for clearance. They recommended a cut of the scene where Ganga is shot and utters Hey Ram! When asked why should it be cut? The Sarkari Babu said it was Gandhi who uttered Hey Ram…so how can you utter the same words? Dilip Kumar was shocked by his logic and said every Hindu when he dies might utter Hey Ram!  Come to think of it one must admire the creative guys from Bollywood who have had to put up with idiosyncrasies of babus and politicians for decades now.

A deliriously joyful England, if not quite all of the United Kingdom, is preparing for its greatest night out on Sunday after its football team made it to the Euro final. They are talking of a knighthood for manager Gareth Southgate and he could be called “Sir” even if England can’t get past the Italian wall. Harry Kane, who scored the winning goal against Denmark off a penalty kick rebound, and Raheem Sterling, to whose talent Southgate stayed loyal enough to keep him in the starting lineup, are quite the flavour of the season. Even so, it was a questionable penalty award, which stayed despite a second look on VAR after Sterling seemed to go down too readily in the Danish penalty box that made the difference.  England is accustomed to celebrating beyond questionable refereeing decision, including most of all the disputed goal in the 1966 World Cup final when no one is till today sure if the ball actually passed into the net beyond the goal line. The penalty against Denmark was spoiled by one spectator in the stands shining a laser pen at the face of Danish goal keeper Kasper Schmeichel.  As a home final at Wembley nears voices are rising against football jingoism, unleashed at full throttle after months of tight lockdown rules, as booing of the Italian national anthem is feared.

Relocating the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to the petro-dollar venues in the UAE and Oman from October 17 to November 14, has come as a blow to the BCCI members who were bullish on hosting money-spinning matches. The host associations receive good money per match; for example the Vidarbha Cricket Association received Rs 14 crore for hosting the ICC World Cup in 2011 and Rs 12 crore for hosting the Women’s World Twenty20 in 2016. The BCCI had shortlisted Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi, Dharamshala, Lucknow, Kolkata Ahmedabad and Mumbai for one of ICC’s signature events in October-November. There were reports that the BCCI would eventually whittle down the venues to three, all in West Zone, but with the threat of the third wave of the COVID-19 looming, the BCCI shifted the event to the offshore venues. The Mumbai Cricket Association which received Rs10 crore for hosting 10 IPL-14 matches, Pune and Ahmedabad would have probably lost considerable money for not getting the opportunity to host the World T20 matches, but the former BCCI Secretary, and long-time Secretary of Saurashra Cricket Association, Niranjan Shah said that the  BCCI has been up to date releasing “on account” money till the 2020 fiscal. “We do not know about the bifurcation (IPL and BCCI media rights share),” said Shah. The BCCI has disbursed Rs 50 crore, for two fiscals, to majority of its members.

L Murugan, 44-year old BJP’s points man in Tamil Nadu was the butt of many a joke when he took over as state BJP president.  YouTube shows nicknamed him “L Board” Murugan. When he scripted the Vetri Vel Yathra and took off with an ersatz Vel like Lord Murugan, the chortling was loud enough to make waves of mirth. Such teasing and tongue-in-cheek reactions would have shaken a lesser man. Not L Murugan. Before coming to TN, he was Vice Chairman of the Minority Commission for Scheduled Castes, with a 15 year lawyers’ stint in the High Court. Sent to TN to add sinew to a weak BJP presence, the Dravidian parties could not have anticipated that he could come up with his own formula for “boost as the secret of my energy.” Murugan succeeded in inducting a few high profile wannabes, including Khushboo to BJP. He himself did not win the Assembly seat. But Destiny cannot be denied…. if not a quick gun, Murugan is a pole vaulter. He has bagged a coveted ministry, I&B, with Fisheries & Animal Husbandry, Dairy. Soon, Murugan will have to take on the latest controversy about the changes to the Cinematrography Act, a fiery issue bound to test this legal eagle and his canny brand building. Never judge a book by its cover.

Covid-19 has indeed re-jigged the world of business. And, it has realigned relationships as well in several instances. For some, this has turned out to be a new opportunity. One of the big things that happened last year at India’s largest auto component manufacturer Wheels India was the exit of Titan Europe by selling its stake to TVS group. With its exit, Wheels India, part of the TVS Group, can now sell all its products anywhere it wants. When Titan was around, the Chennai-based company had restrictions on where it could do business. A quarter of its turnover comes from exports. Having got out of the Titan bandwagon, Wheels India, led by managing director Srivats Ram, is now feeling free and is very much keen to explore its new found-freedom internationally. It is now eyeing a bigger pie in the global space. And, it has quietly moved toward realising this. A Rs 140-crore cast aluminium wheel plant is, in fact, the result of the de-risking strategy of a U.S. customer who has already committed off-take. A windmill project is currently underway. This too is the consequence of a strategic partnership with a windmill supplier who has decided to build a global base for his product in Chennai. A good portion of its Rs 100-crore capital expenditure will go into this new wind mill plant.

For reasons known to a few, the Grand Old Party has not been able to declare date for the election of the new president. This dithering poses twin challenges: keeping its flock together in various states and avoiding internal bickering among senior leaders. This indifference has already led to diehard Congressmen quitting: Jitendra Prasad, followed by Pranab Mukerjee’s son Abhijit Mukherjee. But so far nobody has been able to persuade Rahul Gandhi to reverse his stand and once again assume the post and responsibility of Congress party president. The insiders rue his approach, saying instead of putting his house in order Rahul is taking potshots at the BJP government from time to time, on wrong advice given by people close to him. “They have lost all elections in recent times, yet there is no introspection or post mortem. In the corporate world the CEO would have been sacked,” says a political analyst. Lack of decisions at the high command level has made the leaders, and rank and file restless. Witness this: In all Congress ruled states of Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Punjab, the rift among senior leaders is out in the open; and so too in Karnataka where the party is in the opposition. For BJP and other regional parties, a rudderless Congress is good news.

Is it chemistry or mental harassment or the classic story of doosra aadmi or pati, patni aur woh? The morality in most of us is intact because of sheer lack of opportunities but in the case of celebrities — film stars and cricketers — they have opportunities galore. Money, fame and with that comes women and men.  So, Aamir Khan-Kiran Rao deciding to go in for a divorce should not raise eyebrows. They have more than survived a seven-year itch. Well, one can say… 16-year itch. Insiders say it has been simmering for over two years now. So much so that Kiran moved to Goa. So, what was the final nail in the coffin? Again, close circles point out it is another woman. In the past many marriages were almost on the rocks because of linkup — Shah Rukh Khan-Priyanka Chopra, Amitabh-Rekha. In the case of yesteryear’s superstar Rajesh Khanna, it was one too many affairs. Again, in the case of a well-known star, his wife’s affair rocked his marriage of two kids. Women alone cannot be blamed. A respected star confessed: “It is difficult not to have an affair with our co-stars as we work in close proximity.” Some stars did not call off their marriages because of sheer societal pressure and kept it under wraps. Others did not: Hrithik Rohan, Karishma Kapoor, Arjun Rampal.

The late J Jayalalithaa was a firm believer in vaastu all her life. While she was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, even the choice of sari to wear for the day was determined by the stars. As an intense believer, she encouraged many a soothsayer to study her Kundali (horoscope) and give her advice. And, ironically, after her death too the question of vaastu is hanging around the political party AIADMK which she headed after her mentor MGR’s death. The election defeat and the prevailing confusion and infighting in her party ranks is now being ascribed to bad vaastu. Voices are now being raised about bad vaastu creating all the problems, chaos and infighting in AIADMK. If you believe the pundits, the theory is that Amma’s memorial on the Marina Beach is totally against vaastu.  At least one vaastu believer avers that Jaya was no Phoenix rising from the ashes and such a depiction in her memorial by the architect is all wrong. There were other designs submitted that would have served Jaya’s memory best, like a blooming flower that would last forever.  The erroneous curvilinear design is to blame for all the woes, says the ardent Jaya admirer but it is unlikely that the party will tinker with the memorial now.

Woken up at dawn on September 5 by the unusual clatter around his block at the Olympic Village in Munich in 1972, India’s expert runner in the half-mile, metric mile and over 5000 metres was terrified and scared by the goings-on at the block across, where the Israeli contingent was put up. It was on September 6 though that the famous Eddie Sequeira from Sanata Cruz, Mumbai came to know that the Palestinian ‘Black September’ group had invaded the Olympic Village, killed two Israeli delegates, and held nine more as hostages, all of them later killed around midnight at a nearby airport. The carnage sent shock waves across the world. “I was terrified and scared by what I saw on September 5. They were in red track suit, black bags, mask and hood. Myself and Sriram Singh were occupying a room in a ground floor block. And the Israel team was across our Block, about 100 metres away. At 4.21 am or thereabout, there was a lot of noise, and I saw people running away. I awoke Sriram immediately. It was not very dark, but a light morning. We made sure our door latch was on. Later in the morning we were told that the events for the day have been cancelled. The fright was there in my mind, but I managed to clock my personal best in the 5000 m run.”

Manoj Sinha, in his role as the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), is a man on a mission, reaching out to the region’s key stakeholders, including the Abdullahs and Mufti, and ensuring peace and security needed to hold assembly elections, just like the District Development Council (DDC) elections that won him laurels from all quarters. He is arguably Prime Minister Narendra Modi Government’s most agreeable messenger who is doing everything to help remove Dilli Ki Doori (the distance from Delhi) as well as Dil Ki Doori (distance from the heart) through a raft of development work and thoughtful conversations. His confidence building exercise has indeed yielded positive results. Opposition leaders under the aegis of Gupkar alliance participated at the meeting chaired by PM Modi – the first meet after the scrapping of Article 370. Sinha’s presiding over the meeting moved many when they learnt that his son was getting married during the same time. As a people friendly gesture, Sinha discontinued the darbar tradition, letting Jammu and Srinagar secretariats operate from either Jammu or Kashmir throughout the year. This move has also given savings of Rs 200 crore. His focus on reviving the J&K economy, helping the administration embrace critical Digital expertise, and empowering local bodies, will ensure that the newly elected government will have everything on a platter.

Cricketers are now no less prima donnas than Hollywood stars, Olympic legends and Wimbledon warriors. Fame comes, often with a price. Dinesh Karthik on his first test commentary outing for Sky Sports at the 3 ODI between Sri Lanka and England was on a high…he even had his own desi cheerleaders, led by brother and company rooting for him. Karthik in an effervescent spell of commentary said, “Often batsmen don’t like their own bats, they like others (bats)…a neighbour’s wife always feels better.”  In a conference hall, this scandalous sexist comment would have met with…pin drop silence. On a cricket ground, especially a test match, such an infamous remark took time to sink in. Women’s Groups condemned Karthik’s motor mouth remark. He apologised later, admitting that he got a lot of stick from his mom and wife. Remember Dean Jones? His contract with 10 Sport was terminated instantly after he made that other dishonourable comment about South African player Hashim Amla and his full bearded appearance. “The terrorist got another wicket”. In these days of super cricket technology, when TV cameras capture every nuance of the game, we really don’t need commentators to interpret the excitement of the game. But they certainly add value by analysing various nuances. And then comes along a Dinesh Karthik, foot in the mouth addict. Representing India also means being a gentleman.

The king of romance is back in what he does better. The Mumbai-based Hygienic Research Institute has signed up the 55-year old superstar Shah Rukh Khan as their brand ambassador for Streax Hair Colour. The first brand which Shah Rukh Khan endorsed was Liberty Shoes way back in 1988. During the last 33 years, SRK has endorsed close to 44 brands and hair colour is the latest addition to his remarkable portfolio. With fewer movies in action, SRK, it is learnt, is looking at every opportunity to climb up the Brand endorsement rank. According to Duff & Phelps Celebrity Brand Valuation Report 2020, Shah Rukh Khan has moved up one notch to No. 4 commanding a brand value of $51.1 million. At No. 1 is Virat Kohli with brand value of $237.7 million followed by Akshay Kumar ($118.9 million) and Ranveer Singh ($102.9 million). Shah Rukh is trying to move up the pecking order. He has signed a number of brand endorsements contracts and shooting of most of the ad films was done at his residence, Mannat during the second lockdown. The superstar, whose personal net worth, according to Forbes Rich List 2021, is around $690 million also runs a successful production house Red Chillies and is the co-owner of the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders.

Ever since Uday Shankar, former chairman & CEO of Star India and President of Walt Disney Asia Pacific, joined Business Standard as non-executive director in February this year, rumour mills have been on an overdrive. Avid media watchers say, BS has been looking for a good investor to buy a majority stake. Shankar, a former TV journalist who redefined media business in the country, is not joining the board for its ornate position. They say, going by his past track record, he may play an active role in the running of the paper and chalking out its growth plans. Coincidentally, Shankar has entered into a new venture with his former employer James Murdoch. The venture will be focusing on technology and media opportunities, including digital media, in the emerging markets. “The fact that BS has been looking for an investor is no secret and hence it will not be a surprise if Uday Shankar buys a majority stake in the paper,’’ said an insider. The paper has been quietly witnessing a slew of changes. Veteran business journalist TN Ninan, who transformed the paper, after getting in Uday Kotak and company to buy stake from Ananda Bazaar Patrika, has stepped down as chairman and director after over three decades of association. The business daily’s CEO Shivendra Gupta has been appointed as MD & CEO.

The New York Times’ call for an enterprising journalist would have been a non-event, a non-issue but for the backlash its grand 627-words job description evoked. “India’s future now stands at a crossroads. Mr Modi is advocating a self-sufficient, muscular nationalism centered on the country’s Hindu majority. That vision puts him at odds with the interfaith, multicultural goals of modern India’s founders.” The message was soon picked up. Tweeted one @SamairaRehan: “These two factually incorrect sentences are part of the job description for the position of @nytimes ‘South Asia Business Correspondent’ based in New Delhi. Journalism is in danger, indeed. But from within.” Apparently, anybody arguing against these twisted premises knows they haven’t got a hope in hell of getting an NYT offer. Senior I&B Ministry adviser Kanchan Gupta fumed: “@nytimes has dropped all pretences of impartiality with this job ad. They are clearly looking to hire an anti-Modi activist who can also stoke anti-India sentiments in our neighbourhood. With this, the paper qualifies as a foreign-funded NGO.” Such hiring practices by dominant Big Media – with naked political and ideological tilt – point to a scary future of journalism. And this practice is unlikely to stop anytime now – given American billionaire George Soros’ $1-billion fund to fight nationalists; China’s ads in Big Media; and Pakistan, Turkey and Malaysia floating a media joint venture.