I know I am bit late in the party. The elections have already begun, and the great festival of democracy has reached the zenith of excitement. The war of words have taken ugly turns, the "musical chair" of the less reliable partners is also in full swing. Twenty four hour news channels no longer have to rack their brains to come up with inconsequential news items to fill that void in the "Breaking News" category. The TV channels are having a feast, and so is, I imagine, the middle aged Indian male. Finally, in the civil war for the "TV... Read Blog »

A new 24 hour soap opera is playing out in the corridors of power in Delhi in the recent days,following the debates on the nuclear Deal. This is the kind of mega serial that we have been used to, since the days of coalition politics have begun. Remember Vajpayee's 13 day Government or the drama surrounding DeveGowda's resignation in the days of the Third Front! These dramas have given rise to new kinds of politicians, the "deal brokers". The greatest of them all is a one time small grocery shop owner from Kolkata,a man called Amar Singh. Amar Singh... Read Blog »

The corporate world had long realized that there was a huge,huge market to be trapped in the emerging "Shining" Indian Economy. "Cricket" is that one emotion, that almost every Indian is passionate about, irrespective of caste, creed or religion. From giant screens in plush shopping malls, to small,generator operated TV sets in shanties and slums, it is the thing that defines the sense of being an Indian. Back in my childhood, I remember, this was the one thing, except probably for politics, that sparked off raging debates in fish markets,roadside tea stalls, or in the young teenagers'... Read Blog »

Ten years ago,at a time when the political waters of India were much more turbulent than they are now,Sonia Maino had entered politics by overthrowing Sitaram Kesari,in one of the dirtiest coups in modern Indian politics. It was deemed as a crisis move, a desperate attempt to save the sinking ship called Congress. Few had imagined that the naive Sonia would survive in the big,bad world of Indian politics. Jyoti Basu,among others,had dismissed her as a "mere housewife".There was not much in favor of her,except for that magnetic charm of a word called "Gandhi".With little experience in political life... Read Blog »