India is in the midst of another defense scandal involving the purchase of Italian AugustaWestland helicopters to protect important people from being shot in flight. The money trail of the helicopter deal, as in many other similar instances, is murky – fake companies, alleged involvement of politicians, a former Air Force chief and his relatives…
Author: Siddharth Srivastava
Journalist
India Cheers More Coffee
Sensing a big and growing market Starbucks has launched in India. It was Mumbai first and recently in national capital New Delhi that witnessed a beeline of people seeking their first taste of the American cafe chain. Not an extraordinary happening as Indians usually like a new experience, especially when they spot a queue for…
About Mocking Indian
This is a slightly madder way to look at Indian current affairs and more. For now I prefer to remain anonymous. I have been around for a while. Have been published in newspapers and magazines across the world. I am neither too old nor too young. My elder daughter says she is tired of reading…
The Dubious Hanging Of Afzal Guru
There have been extreme reactions to Afzal Guru’s hanging in India. While there is anger and resentment in the Kashmir Valley, many see it as justice finally delivered. Over time Guru has conveyed and symbolized different meanings to different sets of people, despite the judiciary pronouncing him guilty. He is simultaneously seen as a terrorist,…
Modi Plays Sugar Daddy
After Rahul Gandhi, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi has also delivered a speech that underlined his intentions to play a role in the national stage as a possible Prime Ministerial candidate for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Modi spoke to students at SRCC, an elite commerce college in national capital New Delhi. Given the fierce…
India’s Noisy Fringe Elements
India’s fringe elements have asserted themselves again. They have managed to keep away writer Salman Rushdie from Kolkata, held up actor Kamal Hassan’s movie in Tamil Nadu, conveniently misinterpreted a piece written by actor Shahrukh Khan, virulently attacked sociologist Ashis Nandy views about corruption by lower castes and backward communities and forced an all-girl rock…
Rahul Gandhi Takes The Plunge
India’s reluctant prince, Rahul Gandhi has finally taken the full political plunge, anointing himself the Vice President of the Congress party. This effectively makes him the main party mascot for the 2014 general elections. Though Rahul has been the second most powerful person in the Congress after his mother Sonia Gandhi for some time now,…
Siddharth Srivastava 