In 1967 I was called by Atulya Ghosh, the then Treasurer of the Congress Committee to head the General Election Campaign literature writing committee. I was under the guidance of Sadiq Ali,the then General Secretary of the party and T.Manean,another Secretary under Sri Ghosh. My another Oxford friend,Rudolf DeMello was the then Secretary of the…
Why sudden rush for Prime Ministerial race?
The Prime Minister is out of action for the time being. Even before that, there was a sort of race for the Prime Ministerial job! Now, after Dr.Singh went through a period of hospitalization and in the meantime, Mr.Pranab Mukerjee took over as the de facto Prime Minister there has developed new tensions within the…
Government’s agriculture vision is flawed!
Sharad Pawar, Santosh Mohan Dev and Kapil Sibal How they are failing the agri/food/technology sectors? And the huge cost the country is paying! There is no committed policy to protect and promote farmers’ welfare! See the various areas of agriculture. Is there anything worthwhile under the Sharad Pawar-led Agriculture Ministry’s agenda? Pawar is busy with…
David Miliband visit to India is a disaster!
The brash young Englishman and the cringing Indians. India has many lessons to unlearn and learn! Let us stand up and talk more boldly and confidently! Mr.Ratan Tata didn’t do India proud by welcoming the British Foreign Secretary at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai and honouring such an immature man just for the fact…
Special economic zones
The coming of supermarket chains Our big corporates talked big but have they gone anywhere? Reliance and Sunil Mittal haven’t gone anywhere, it seems! How these two developments help farmers? Two latest developments that are likely to impact the farmers, the farming future and the very growth prospects of farmers and the rural development are…
What is important about agriculture exports?
What is dangerous about agriculture imports? The conclusion of the so-called Doha Round, that talk that started in the Qatar capital in 2001,really called Doha Development Round to indicate the trade talk was for promoting. There is almost a total ignorance among the farmers; I dare say the same thing about our agriculture experts and…
The 69th Indian History Congress
Thoughts on history and history writing Can historians take the role of political activists? Indian academic historians just did this type of roles! One school of historians passed resolutions against the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi. They very same school also opposed the Babri Masjid demolition case referred to the Supreme Court. The so-called other…
Chennai music season
Only second best in Carnataic music this season! Briju Maharaj, the Kathak guru was here! This December season in Chennai, it was as usual, houseful in all sabhas. The “kutcheris” were more in number and The Hindu ran almost a full-page engagements column, unusual for any newspaper and more so for a quality newspaper like…