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Sunday,
July 14, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Improving the quality & standard of Ph.D research Need to set up defence university for higher military studies Making Delhi a ‘civilised city’ |
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Thrilling experience of football
Vice-President: Shekhawat vs Bhajan Lal?
Media not quiet about Palestinian scribe
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Improving the quality & standard of Ph.D research THE quality of doctoral research in Indian universities may appear to be an esoteric subject and remote from more pressing concerns of existence and survival for the people. But its neglect hurts the nation deep. Already it has acquired a lepromatous aspect and is crying for attention. The 76th All-India Vice Chancellor's Conference has made a recommendation which, if implemented, could stem the rot in Ph.D research in Indian universities. "Ph.D to be through publication in reputed journals', says the recommendation. The issue of quality of Ph.D research, particularly in science and engineering, was examined by us in a paper presented at the National Seminar on Networking of University-Institution-Industry (with a focus on quality of Ph.D research in Indian Universities) organised by the Association of Indian Universities at Mysore. We strongly advocated that a scholar be awarded Ph.D only when he\she publishes three research papers in internationally reputed research journals. In the context of Ph.D research, the quality of work may be defined by a general criterion: Does it serve any purpose? The purpose can lie only in two domains: (a) knowledge, or (b) utility. One has to see whether the work advances the frontier of knowledge domain in any way or, alternatively, whether the work offers new knowledge-based solutions to any of the existing problems or creates knowledge that can be converted into wealth. By and large, Ph.D research in India is way off these goals. We discuss the issue specifically with reference to science and technology, but several observations have wider applicability. Many a factor critically affect the quality of Ph.D research — research facilities and infrastructure, peer presence and work culture of the place, nature of regulatory systems and quality of administration, power of extra-academic influences. However, we consider primarily the human element — the Research Scholar and the Supervisor — as the principal determinant of quality. The two together can significantly overcome the shortcomings in other elements of the system, but any shortcomings in them are impossible to make up for. In a landmark study published in 1991 under the title “Scientific Research in Indian Universities and the Institutes of Technology", covering 27 institutions (six Central Universities including the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 5 IITs, 16 state universities), and 10,000 research scholars, Rais Ahmed et al, reported that 60 per cent of the scholars had come from villages or small towns and cities; 10 per cent were first generation learners. Thus, a majority of scholars had deficient schooling, limited exposure to books and poor linguistic and communication skills. Also, though they all came through CSIR-UGC examination, of the over 21,000 students with 60 per cent marks in M.Sc who took the five tests conducted between 1983 and 1987, less than 1 per cent got 60 per cent marks in the tests. This showed that (a) little reliance could be placed on marks awarded by the universities as indicators of academic worth; and (b) the scholars were hardly of the quality that scientific research requires. Two developments have taken place since the study would further adversely affect the academic profile of the scholar: (a) higher education has gone beyond the reach of a large number of students of considerable merit but modest means; and (b) science has lost appeal to students as pay and perks offered by alternative jobs hit the roof. However, such jobs are fraught with uncertainty, and one may see one's opportunity here. The future of a country is its science including technology. There is no way we can do without getting our best students back to science, and ensuring that the quality of research in our universities becomes absolutely first rate. We have two suggestions in this regard. First, attract the best students to research in science and technology. Offer to a substantial number of them a reasonable and assured career. It will help if even a fraction of the research jobs on offer every year are filled up through a tough open examination testing preparation and attitude for research. The culture of the pink slip is still repulsive in India. Second, screen the universities for necessary competence and facilities to conduct quality research of Ph.D. The right to award Ph.D has to be restricted to universities/university departments which have been so accredited. Disturbingly, research supervisors are also under a cloud. In the Rais Ahmed study, a third of the scholars felt that their supervisors were not up-to-date in knowledge, not very well connected with other institutions or specialists, did not check data or experimental readings, did not give generous credit to the scholars for their original ideas and were not men of ideas. Added to this, it is not uncommon to find an abominable state of human relationship in the management of facilities and operation of administrative systems. Inter-departmental and inter-laboratory coordination is often non-existent. Extra mural networking is largely unknown. However, the cause of greatest worry is the way the theses or dissertations are prepared and evaluated. Sex, caste, religion, region and non-academic factors are known to sway supervisors, unethical practices including manipulation of data, plagiarism, unacknowledged lifting of others' work, appointing convenient examiners, awarding degree despite adverse reports etc., are not exactly unknown. The way the examining cliques have emerged, it seems a tall order to expect objectivity and adherence to standards. With due apology to the few institutions which still command respect for their research, the present system of evaluation of a thesis has compromised its credibility. It is time to seriously look for alternatives. It is in this context that the writers strongly plead that a scholar be awarded Ph.D only when he publishes three research papers in internationally reputed research journals. There is little beyond this that thesis examiners could do to improve the standards of work. Dr Lal is State Bank of Patiala Chair Professor & Head, Centre for Industrial Liaison and Placement; and Dr Khanna is Professor & Head, Centre for Relevance & Excellence in Bio-technology, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Patiala. |
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Need to set up defence university for higher military studies CONSEQUENT to the recommendations of the Group of Ministers (GoM) set up in the aftermath of the Kargil conflict, the Ministry of Defence had taken a decision to establish a National Defence University (NDU) devoted to higher military studies in the country. It is now understood that the government has allocated Rs 200 crore for setting up the world’s third national defence university. The other two existing NDUs are said to be in China and the USA. Why emulate China? Incidentally, the Chinese have always been highly appreciative of the Indian military training institutions and would like to duplicate them in their own quaint system. India on the other hand has very fine armed forces’ training institutions such as the National Defence Academy (NDA) where military and post-secondary university level academic training is imparted side by side for a three years’ duration leading to BA or B.Sc degree from New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University. Thereafter, officer cadets go to the appropriate higher armed forces’ institution for professional training such as the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, Naval Academy, Cochin or the Air Force Academy, Dindigul near Hyderabad in accordance with the Service they have opted for. They are finally awarded their officers’ commissions only after successful completion of a lengthy and arduous professional training at these academies. After getting their hard earned commissions, armed forces officers continue to update their professional knowledge further as they spend a considerable period of their service career in attending various courses of instructions at training institutions pertaining to the science of warfare and related subjects. Many of them are sent to friendly countries to learn and get acquainted with the latest trends of warfare. Within the country itself the armed forces are already blessed with several excellent establishments of higher learning. In order to oversee their functioning, the Indian army in the early nineties, had set up its Training Command with its headquarters at Shimla devoted to military science, its hardware cum software, training techniques and field tactics. Then, there are prestigious institutions like National Defence College (NDC) in New Delhi and Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) near Ooty in Nilgiri hills where Brigadiers and equivalent officers and Majors and their equivalent ranks respectively are exposed to and fine tuned in complexities of higher military learning. While successful completion of course at the DSSC leads to the award of M.Sc degree in military science from Madras University, the stress at the NDC is on the impact of the country’s overall domestic, economic and foreign policies on the national defence, security and strategy. The Ministry of Defence also funds New Delhi-based Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) which acts as its official strategic think tank. In addition, the army has its College of Combat based in Mhow where higher battle tactics are taught and practiced to the budding senior commanders. Similarly, the Indian Air Force has an institution functioning in Secunderabad on air warfare. Earlier, Defence Minister George Fernandes had promised the previous Akali-BJP ruling alliance in Punjab to allocate the prestigious university in that border state which had reportedly earmarked suitable land for the purpose. Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala too had staked his state’s claim to the NDU. He was reportedly promised that given the number of people joining the armed forces from this region, a site in Haryana for setting up the university would certainly be considered. No one will deny the important contribution and sacrifices made by the brave citizens of the frontier states of Punjab and Haryana to defend the motherland from external threats. But almost all important major armed forces training institutions in India are located in the hinterland away from the international borders. Indications are that the new institution of higher learning in defence will be located in Delhi or in its vicinity. Having plenty of armed forces establishments, the national capital is already bursting at its seams. The city is home to the headquarters of the army, navy and the air force. Moreover, out of the three Services, the air force has its Western Air Command also located in New Delhi. The fact must be underlined that proximity of India’s capital to Pakistani border exposes it to surprise hostile air or missile attacks. Having so may eggs in the same basket can have an apocalyptic effect since our western neighbour is adept in often flashing the newly acquired nuclear sword. In view of this, the NDU should come up somewhere else like Mhow, the Mecca of military science in central India. The Ministry of Defence, at the same time, should also take steps to disperse the numerous defence establishments erroneously located in Delhi to other parts of India. The government’s intentions of setting up the NDU are no doubt commendable. The decision to set up this institute of higher learning was taken following the realisation in the post-Kargil era that university research in defence was not managed and funded effectively. But how does the proposed outlay of Rs 200 crore in the project which is likely to shoot up further and subsequent recurring budgetary allocation on its upkeep add to our defence capabilities? Will it not turn out to be another post-retirement green pasture for the retired armed forces’ brass and former mandarins in the corridors of power? Should not the proposed NDU instead of being an additional centre of learning amalgamate all the existing armed forces institutions disseminating knowledge in the science and art of modern warfare? These questions need to be addressed before going ahead with the proposed National Defence University. The writer is a retired Wing Commander. |
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Making Delhi a ‘civilised city’ FOR nearly six months, the print media had gleefully exposed what is now called “match-fixing” scam of cricketers and bookies in South Africa, India, Pakistan and the United Kingdom, all of them with huge mass-based groups of fans of this game. A former British Prime Minister, John Major, an amiable, modest, courteous politician who did not lust for power or misuse it — a leader with liberal outlook and culture — is one of them. In the Nehru era, our leaders, including Jawaharlal Nehru, President, Speakers and others donned cricket caps and wielded bats in hilarious “match-fixing” games. But now our criminologists in Delhi Police consider cricket to be a focal point for crime! They presumably forget that all sports are tainted. Football pools, horse racing, hockey, tennis, soccer, ping-pong, volleyball, bull-baiting, boxing — all these are integral features of the tyranny of sports capitalisms, casinos, gambling dens, lotteries, stock-exchanges, tax-houses, off-shore banking centres, export-import excise- and-customs- free zones are also the many off-shoots of money values and memmorism. Had the Delhi Police stem the cobra, the Bohemian bourgeoisie capitilists — the colourful, fashion conscious descendants of the hyppies and yuppies of 1960s-80’s? Apparently, the Delhi police devote much of their time and energy in such pursuits because they are feted, photographed and succeed in including foreign joints — all of course, at the tax payers, while violent crimes of murder, mayhem, robberies, thefts, pickpocketing, abuse of women and children are spreading at a horrifying pace. What is needed, with the end of the chase of “match-fixing’, despised, derided, laughed at as “phoney” police “probe” during these six months in polite, liberal circles is to deposit those reports in the dustbin, and deploy the arm-chair police officials, serviced by the many submissive aides and comfortably esconsed in their air-conditioned offices to go out on patrol duties day and night to catch the offenders and book them. Towards civilising Delhiites, crimes could be categorised in the list of priorities and the
custodial of law and order, the police in cooperation with the judiciary, should have to enforce without fear, both preventive and punitive measures in mapped out areas, with the provision that whatever be reasons would not only be frowned upon but also attract punishments. Some of these measures are suggested below, to be referred by criminologists and judges: Constables upwards should patrol their areas round the clock and any uncivilised behaviour of Delhiities should be openly noticed and notified publicly while major derelictions should be recorded in computerised inventories from year to year. In no case should the police have supervisory roles only in air-conditioned offices, served by minions and surrounded by heaps of files. They must sample the heat and dust of Delhi, like the other Delhiites and constables, to update their knowledge of infringement of law and order and note impolite, discourteous and uncivilised behaviour and take corrective steps. Accountability and transparency should be the watchwords for Additional, Joint Commissioners and all others. They must share praise and blame with the ranks, not merely find fault with others. While intensive patrolling by police constables would curtail violent crimes, none, whosoever be, should be forgiven, whatever the provocation. Murders, clashes in the name of religion, tribal rituals and familial feuds must be put down with a heavy hand. Similarly, crimes against women and children must not be glossed over. At the same time, burglaries, robberies, thefts and vandalism should not be forgiven or ignored by the police who must also educate people not to indulge in inflammatory or abusive language. Pickpocketing, stealing, forgery, fraud and cheating are by no means “minor” crimes and must not be ignored. The judiciary has the responsibility to mete out justice swiftly and in no case, in more than six months tried. Land, building, drug and illicit distilleries mafia groups, too, border on violence and must be nipped in the bud. Intelligent police officers of middle ranks are needed for detection and punishment of these crimes. With the expansion of money market and transactions, IT-electronic crimes should be dealt with by a separate agency and the police should not be burdened with this. Basic moral education is required to check them. Finally, a “war” on crime calls for demotion of officers. For civilising Delhiites, public figures must pledge themselves to refrain from bandhs, street rallies, mass demonstrations which disrupt normal flow of life. For civilising Delhi, conceived attempts have to be made by police, politicians and people. The writer, a former diplomat, was Chief Editor, Indian and Foreign Review. |
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Thrilling experience of football THE month of June was threatening to be horrendous, with war clouds gathering in the sky and nuclear confrontation staring us obscenely in the face. To Pakistan’s assertion that there
would be no promise of no-first-use, our Defence Minister boasted that India would be capable of absorbing the enemy’s first strike and then would strike back with multiple force. Pakistan, he assured us, would no longer exist. Big deal! This kind of school-boyish exchange would have gone on had the western powers not intervened to put a stop to it. They were obviously frightened out of their wits, a fact that became clear when they issued a call to their citizens in the subcontinent to get home fast, which many of them did. Our tourism people were naturally upset. They couldn’t understand why foreigners couldn’t adopt the same philosophical spirit as us, or have the same faith in God, as Dr. Kalam obviously has. While all this was going on, the World Cup arrived to mesmerise us all. Hawks and doves were glued to the television and for the time being forgot about warfare. Intellectuals and strategic experts forgot about first strike and second strike. The whole world took part in the spectacle and the skill — all five continents being participants. And what a spectacle it was! There could not have been a soul unmoved by it. People temporarily forgot their race and colour and their nationality (except, of course, when their own country was playing). The players and the crowds were on their best behaviour. No arguments with the umpire (or hardly any) no deliberate foul, no hooliganism (except for a brief flare-up in Russia). It was a secular event, more like a carnival, unmatched for its vitality, grace and exuberance. No other game produces this effect. I’m only sorry that it doesn’t take place more than once in four years. Football’s universal popularity (except in the USA perhaps) is in the nature of the game itself. For one, it is classless. Rich and poor can play it, it’s inexpensive. The magic of the Brazilians (particularly the three R’s, Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho) must have inspired millions of youths in the Third World. “This is soccer as Samba”, wrote The Hindu editorially, “played like a joyous dance, rhythmic and fluid”. The disciplined Japanese and Korean audiences were no less joyous, and lent considerable grace and charm to the occasion. In India, where cricket holds undisputed sway, except in West Bengal and Kerala where football is still a favourite game, the World Cup matches have no doubt been a thrilling experience. Whether India will in the next four or eight years be able to produce a team of world standard remains a challenge to our national honour. It shouldn’t be impossible to achieve if we organise a nation-wide scheme of coaching with foreign help. When the magic of the World Cup vanishes, is the worry and the tension going to return to the subcontinent? After this experience of universal joy, will we have less of the bitterness and hatred and hostility that have marked the last many months or will it be back to business as usual. Will we still have a million soldiers on our western borders? The world has just witnessed what has been described as the worse nuclear weapons crisis since the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. So long as India and Pakistan hold on to their nuclear weapons, all our policies and attitudes to our neighbour will be coloured by it as the last four years have proved. Is there any chance of initiating a dialogue on de-nuclearisation on the subcontinent? |
Dhirubhai’s sons lead by their own example Having risen from a high school drop out to corporate India’s legend, Dhirubhai has groomed his children well and passed on his managerial skill and his vision to Mukesh and Anil. The day-to-day management of Reliance since Dhirubhai had his first stroke has been looked after by his two sons. MBA from prestigious Stanford and cut in his father’s mould, 45-year-old Mukesh is currently the Vice-President and Managing Director of the Reliance
Industries; he is sure to succeed his father as the chairman of the group. Two year younger Anil did his MBA from Wharton Business School and is currently the Managing Director of the Reliance industry. Singularly responsible for the group’s foray into the international capital market from 1992 onwards, Anil saw Reliance raise an astonishing $two billion from overseas investors. Though two brothers make excellent team, temperamentally they are different. Mukesh is reserved, maintains a low profile, keeps off the glare of publicity and looks introspective type while Anil is known as the public face of intensely image-conscious house of Ambanis. Very well read and an excellent communicator, he briefs journalists, gives interviews and his strength lies in shrewd understanding of financial markets, both international and Indian. Unlike brother Mukesh, he would pick up the gauntlet thrown by competing business houses or to defend the group’s name when mired in controversies. Anil was the only one to revolt in the conservative Ambani family when he decided to marry Bollywood heroine Tina Munim against the wishes of Dhirubhai; the patriarch tried hard to prevent the alliance. Anil had ultimately his way but Tina mingled in the Ambani family like the traditional ‘Gujarati’ daughter-in-law. Both Mukesh and Anil have been workaholic, very organised in their functioning. When they fix a target, there is no question of looking back. Also they have a knack of recognising talents; talent hunt is a continuous process in the group. When they get the person of their choice, money is no consideration. Like Dhirubhai, his two sons have been hard task masters but look after the huge army of workforce as family members; right from housing, medical facilities recreation and schooling of children. Says a senior Vice-President of Reliance Petroleum: “when my father died, the first telegram of condolence I received was not from my relatives but from Dhirubhai”. It was a long message in which he had said: “this happens. Don’t worry. We are with you”. Says the Vice-President: “I was only 26 then, and it made a difference”. President of Reliance Petroleum, A.G. Dawa, had similar experience. In his words: “I was working for a Saudi Arabian petrochemical company when I got a call from Reliance asking me if I would be interested in joining them. I said ‘No’. Come and just have a look, even if you want to say no, came another message from Mukesh personally as he sent a ticket to Dawa. “ When I reached Jamnagar, they asked me to drive around to get a feel of the place”, says Dawa , adding “Oh God, I said, what can you show a man who has worked for 40 years in the construction industry ? So to humour them I said Okay. I drove around the site. I saw 45,000 people working. After 45 minutes, I said stop. I went to the nearest phone and called Mukesh in Mumbai and told him my answer is ‘Yes’. Mukesh and Anil lead their workers by example of their own. Mukesh starts his work at home and reports to his desk at 10.30 am, staying on in office often till past midnight, monitoring the progress of various projects and following up his frequent spot inspection tours. Anil is the first to arrive in office, checking in at his desk at 9.30 am though office hours begin an hour later. Often his working day stretches late into the night but never end before 9 pm. Dhirubhai Ambani’s sons have all the makings of Wall Street tycoons and their father’s legendary management skills. Their driving ambition has already made them the only billionaire business family left in India after the Asian markets turmoil, says a reputed economic journal. They may emerge on India’s industrial scene as “Business Maharajas”. Watch them. |
Vice-President: Shekhawat vs Bhajan Lal?
Of course, his name being finalised does not seem a serious possibility and is being mentioned in Congress circles only to draw a comparison and score a point. However, even a remote possibility of this happening would give a lot of cheer to Bhajan Lal baiters in the Haryana Congress because the Opposition candidate is unlikely to win the Vice-Presidential election and Bhajan Lal, in such a scenario, would be out of the Haryana scene for a long, long time. Star attraction Matinee idol and BJP MP from Punjab, Vinod Khanna, while assuming office on his first day after the recent Cabinet reshuffle definitely would not have missed the female fan rush which usually accompanies the Bollywood stars. With tourism as such being a citadel for the women journalists they were present in large numbers and in the informal interaction that followed the press conference, Khanna not surprisingly was almost mobbed by the women press corps present for the show. There was a rush among the ladies to hand over their visiting cards to the former superstar of Bollywood, who would have been pleasantly surprised at the rush despite being a onetime favourite of women. Being his first day in office, Vinod Khanna did well by appropriate handling of all the awkward questions put to him. And the women press corps also definitely contributed their bit to make the macho man of yesteryears at home in the ministry.
Joshi worried Sources say, Joshi is hoping that the BSP-BJP coalition government under Chief Minister Mayawati lasts till the Lok Sabha elections so that his utility to both Prime Minister as well as to Mr Advani remains. Mayawati considers Dr Joshi as her brother and she had tied Rakhi on his wrist when he went to her residence almost a decade ago.
RSS softens? With fanfare, the Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangh announced its support for the trifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir and went to the extent of floating a party and a front which would support the creation of a separate state of Jammu for Hindus. Prime Minister Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani are reportedly very disturbed at the RSS proposal. So RSS Sarkarvah Madandas Devi, who liaises between the RSS and the government, was called to convey the discomfort that the RSS proposal has caused to the Vajpayee government. Advani reportedly asked Devi whether the RSS has decided to hand over Muslim majority areas of Kashmir valley to Pakistan. The idea was against the RSS’s goal of an Akhand Bharat, Advani told Devi. After this, Devi’s effort with RSS supremo Sudarshan have led to some softening of the stand and the RSS spokesman M G Vaidya was seen toning down his earlier strident stand saying the organisation was not going to float any pro-trifurcation party for contesting the Assembly elections but would only support the idea.
Changing times Dhirubhai Ambani’s success story had its share of controversies. However, it is the changing times and the liberalised economic environment that saw the entire nation saluting his entrepreneurial skills when he died. It was said not long ago that there was no
political party, or babu in the capital who did not enjoy Dhirubhai’s largesse. The man entrusted with carrying out the Reliance group’s networking in the corridors of power was G Balasubramaniam. It was ironical that only a few weeks before the country’s most admired industrialist passed away, Balasubramaniam packed his bags from Delhi and settled in Chennai. Back from a major surgery in the USA, Balasubramaniam, known as Balu to his friends, probably did not feel the need to remain near the corridors of power. After all it is an era of automatic and single window clearance. Balu’s skills are not needed any more.
Naidu’s treat Ever wondered why the newly appointed BJP President M.Venkaiah Naidu got a good press in his first media conference? The reason has got to do with Naidu playing the great host at his first press conference in his new avatar as the numero uno of the saffron brigade. The Andhra leader had organised a lunch that was fit for the kings. For the non-vegetarian scribes, there were prawns which were flown from Visakhapatnam, Andhra chicken pulao, and Disakaya mamsam made of mutton. On the vegetarian side, there were delicacies like chama dumpa vepudu, vadala pulusu and pulbongaralu. Naidu also arranged several varieties of chutneys and powders which could be mixed with rice and had. After having eaten the spicy fare, the scribes had no appetite for a masala copy. Contributed by Prashant Sood, Girja Shankar Kaura, Satish Misra, T.V.Lakshminarayan and S.Satyanarayanan.
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Media not quiet about Palestinian scribe THE media is no longer quiet about some issues —hounding of Tehelka’s Tarun Tejpal, the arrest and detention of Kashmir Times journalist Iftikhar Geelani, harassment of Time correspondent Alex Perry and now the discreet manner in which Arab news channel Al Jazeera’s correspondent Nasir M. Shadid was almost forced to leave the country. There is considerable disquiet about these issues in the media. Informed sources say, Al Jazeera was given two options — close their bureau in the country or replace Shadid. His fault ? His reportage on Gujarat and Kashmir had been a little too blatant for the digestive health of our political class. And journalists who had been close to Shadid say, being a Palestinian, he had seen human rights violations in his home country (courtesy Israel and US games in the Middle East) and later when he’d come to India (he first came here to study in a Bangalore college), he had been a keen observer of the political developments here, reporting rather too specifically. Coincidentally, last week almost around the time the Al Jazeera man was told to quit the country, there were reports of Palestinian Ambassador to India Dr Khaled Al Sheikh and three other Arab envoys being summoned by the Foreign Office (Secretary, West Asia). In subtle ways, they were asked to explain their presence at a certain meet in Hyderabad wherein Israel was criticised and also the carnage in Gujarat. Khaled is said to have walked out of the office. Repeated efforts to seek his comments on the episode have proved futile. He is one of the most popular Arab envoys in the country. He speaks and understands Hindustani. He has studied in the AMU. He has been his country’s representative to India for well over a decade. Though Arab diplomats do not want to comment on the episode, they do say that a new chapter is in the making — ‘Indo-Israel bhai bhai’ chapter. With Deputy Prime Minister L.K.Advani ‘s very obvious tilt towards Israel, there could be a tilt in our foreign policy. This tilt has been very obvious in the last few months. During the national days of Arab and African countries, there are none of the political men from the present-day establishment. A sprinkling of men from the MEA together with some old Congressmen. That seems to be the general pattern. Of course, let me not omit those men and women in business. Afterall, our exports to the Gulf and Middle East cannot be overlooked. And now the latest — our craze for Lebanese cuisine and for the man (who is behind the promotion of his country’s cuisine) — the Lebanese Ambassador to India, Jean Daniel. A thorough gentleman, he has brought the Lebanese cuisine right to our taste buds, in the subltest yet surest of ways... Not
in demand As July 15 nears, focus will once again be on the two candidates in the fray for the President’s post. Though Kalam’s biography is doing the rounds, surprisingly, the two books on Sahgal and the INA (published by Kali and Rupa respectively) haven’t really been much in demand recently. Coupled with this is the fact that Sahgal is not one of those to live on past glories. She doesn’t talk much of the present too. The fact that even at the age of 88 years, she is still an active gynaecologist, came up during a round of questioning, but her daughter Subhashini Ali makes up for that. Subhashini is the president of the All India Democratic Women’s Association and has also been a one-time actress and former spouse of Muzaffar Ali. There is little known about Sahgal’s other daughter except that she is “completely apolitical” and works as a senior accountant in our upmarket outlet — Fab India. Fab India has a lovely background. It was set up by an American John Bissell and his Punjabi wife Bim. Though John passed away a couple of years back, the place is flourishing. Now manned by their son, who is married to the daughter of Delhi Lt. Governor Vijay Kapoor. |
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Dhirubhai’s sons lead by their own example
POVERTY unites and affluence divides. So goes the popular saying and it is literally true of big industrial houses and tycoons who have built their empires from scrap but went down owing to family feuds. Mighty industrial houses in the past have split or crumbed under the weight of riches. The late Dhirubhai Ambani’s Reliance Industries have grown from humble beginnings to a giant group — Rs.75,000 crore conglomerate — because the family remained united. Now that the patriarch is no more, the baton has passed on to his two sons, Mukesh and Anil, who have so far functioned in tandem like the wheels of a golden chariot. The future of Dhirubhai’s empire depends on the two brothers and portends are optimistic; they will keep the only billionaire business family of India intact. Videocon International Managing Director, V.N. Dhoot, has been quoted as saying: “Dhirubhai has trained both his sons in such a manner that any situation of conflict between both the sons is impossible”. 
IF it is Bhairon Singh Shekhawat for the BJP, will it be Bhajan Lal for the Congress? The Congress is mulling contesting the Vice-presidential polls and the party has begun identifying candidates. Bhajan Lal’s name has cropped up because some Congress leaders feel that it is only the Haryana leader who can match Shekhawat’s winning skills. They recall how Shekhawat camped in Delhi for days together to mobilise support when the Vajpayee government had faced a trust vote. Bhajan Lal is famous for turning the tables on his opponents and pulling the carpet from under their feet.
Union Human Resource Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi, marginalised by his arch rival Deputy Prime Minister L. K. Advani both in the party and in the government, is a worried man and is keeping his fingers crossed these days. Even his follower Vinay Katiyar, who was taking instructions from Dr Joshi after his appointment by former BJP President K Jana Krishnamurthi, has read the writing on the wall and is said to be cold to Dr Joshi after Mr Venkaiah Naidu took over the reins of the party.