September 22, 2010
by Atanu Dey
38 Comments
No one can escape the huge amount of press on the ongoing disaster called the “Commonwealth Games” in New Delhi. There is little doubt about the train-wreck — it’s inevitable as the locomotive has long left the track and is … Continue reading
March 14, 2010
by Atanu Dey
16 Comments
The Chinese leadership knows how to think big — which is more than what one can say about the Indian leadership, which one must remember has been mainly from the Congress party led by the Nehru-Gandhi Dynasty. One case in … Continue reading
February 18, 2010
by Atanu Dey
6 Comments
I think that one feature common to the majority of the third world countries is that they don’t have one law for all.
September 2, 2009
by Atanu Dey
5 Comments
Mr. B Raman, in his South Asia Analysis Group paper of 20th August — “Counter-terrorism & Appeasement” — writes: * There have been four acts of mass casualty terrorism since 1981. All the four were carried out when the Congress … Continue reading
May 13, 2009
by Atanu Dey
5 Comments
Gurcharan Das writes in the Times of India (10th May) that “The Future Belongs to India.” That’s his argument which I suppose he made in a debate in London on the proposition that “the future belongs to India, not China.” … Continue reading
March 26, 2009
by Atanu Dey
12 Comments
It could not possibly be a lack of imagination, could it? Why is everything in India named after Nehru, Indira, Sanjay, and Rajiv? I have pondered that matter here before.
January 30, 2009
by Atanu Dey
1 Comment
Although I had planned to, I will not be attending the “5th National Conference on Electoral and Political Reforms” of the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). It’s happening in Mumbai, and I alas, am in Pune. My colleague Rajesh Jain … Continue reading
March 12, 2008
by Atanu Dey
1 Comment
A fatwa is a religious decree made by a mullah. A “patwa” is like a fatwa but made by Patil. A patwa, like a fatwa, is not based on reason or logic. But it is not just a matter of … Continue reading
February 14, 2008
by Atanu Dey
2 Comments
Some years ago I came across a single-panel cartoon which showed a statue of a figure on horseback. It was clearly the statue of Shivaji Maharaj, the great Maratha hero. Standing in front was a little kid with an adult. … Continue reading
January 16, 2008
by Atanu Dey
2 Comments
A recent Wall Street Journal article, World Bank Disgrace, (hat tip: Prakash Advani) reports that an internal review of five WB health projects in India totaling US$ 569 million in loans shows major corruption. The report begins with Credit Robert … Continue reading
May 9, 2007
by Atanu Dey
11 Comments
I was born in India. Most of the time I am quite content that the land of my birth is not a hell-hole. But every now and then I am rudely awakened to the fact that to a very large … Continue reading
March 29, 2007
by Atanu Dey
5 Comments
So then the two state-owned Indian airlines are going to merge (according to this rediff report — hat tip: Tejaswi) and the merged entity will be called — umm, let’s see now — “Air Indian,” the title of a blog … Continue reading
February 22, 2007
by Atanu Dey
16 Comments
Imagine a restaurant where the number of employees exceeds the number of seats. Would be a very expensive restaurant indeed. Now imagine an airline where the number of employees exceeds the the number of seats. Actually, you don’t have to … Continue reading
January 23, 2007
by Atanu Dey
10 Comments
Cafe Baghdadi is a little hole in the wall restaurant in Colaba, Mumbai, just around the corner from Regal Theatre and next to the famous street restaurant Bade Miya. Baghdadi’s fried chicken would beat KFC’s chicken any day of the … Continue reading
November 3, 2006
by Atanu Dey
37 Comments
A Letter to Dr Manhoman Singh If there is one thing that makes me see red, it is senseless discrimination in general and unfair treatment of people. But when it comes to discrimination based on a person’s religion, I abhor … Continue reading
July 18, 2006
by Atanu Dey
19 Comments
“Somebody must have asked for some sites to be blocked. What is your problem?” I can just hear the derision in that question. That is what Shivam Vij was told by Dr Gulshan Rai, director of CERT-IN, which is the … Continue reading
June 16, 2005
by Atanu Dey
9 Comments
Haldiram’s is perhaps the only brand known around the world which comes from Nagpur (my home town). They make a great variety of wonderful namkeens (traditional Indian salty snacks), sweets, and other stuff which can be lumped as Indian junk … Continue reading
May 27, 2005
by Atanu Dey
13 Comments
Dateline May 4th, 2005, Kolkata: The Slimes Times of India reported that IIT entrance test set for overhaul: The IIT-Joint Entrance Exam may soon be easier to crack. The Union HRD [Human Resource Development] ministry feels the examination is too … Continue reading
February 25, 2005
by atanu
7 Comments
Farce is funny when staged deliberately. It borders on the tragic when it is splashed across the front pages of the nation’s newspapers and is eagerly slurped up by the gullible even in high places. Just the other day I … Continue reading
January 17, 2005
by atanu
10 Comments
Some months ago, I had recorded here the ideas of the Tathagata (It’s the small stuff, stupid) on the importance of taking care of the itsy-bitsy small bits. Today I was struck yet one more time about that truth. I … Continue reading