Delhi Guardian

“I promise you in 21st Century Narendra Modi will never become the Prime Minister of the country. …But if he wants to distribute tea here, we will find a place for him." This was Mani Shankar Aiyar's caustic claim in January this year, a gratuitous insult which I am certain embarrasses Aiyar today. He is wrong at so many levels. Mani Shankar Aiyar is a supercilious, a blatantly pompous, intellectual who believes that anyone who has not studied at The Doon School, St Stephen's College, and the University of Cambridge is devoid of the cognitive moorings to engage with him. An illusion which mirror the manifold misconceptions which plague him. His cavalier attitude has not taken him very far. His drubbing at the hustings this year has made him even more belligerent. Shashi Tharoor, very recently, was very vocal about his positive views on Narendra Modi. This distressed Aiyar of course.   A disgruntled man like Aiyar is a pleasure to watch on television. He is...

I have followed Smriti Irani's career trajectory quite closely. Right from the time when she was the protagonist in 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabji Bahu Thi' till the time she became a part of the new cabinet and was vested with the responsibility of guiding the educational policy as the Human resource Development Minister. I am told that she was a Miss India finalist. I have observed her on television channels where she vociferously attacked the Congress on a number of issues. Her stamina and the articulate manner in which she voices her opinions are commendable. Smriti’s checkered history is indeed a success story; rising from a nondescript individual to a minister in the Modi cabinet. Being in the educational sector, I have a number of policy suggestions for the new minister but that calls for a separate blog. I want to focus more on the contentious debate regarding her educational qualifications. She herself boldly stated that she should be judged by the quality of he...

Narendra Modi has assumed the mantle of leadership. The resounding victory for the BJP was a referendum denouncing dynasty rule, stubborn inflation and nepotism.  The year 1991 was a landmark moment in India's economic history. The reforms introduced in 1991 ushered in economic growth and propelled the Indian economy to new heights. It was a significant break away from a dirigiste past. Similarly, 2014 will go down as a watershed year in India's political history.  The contours of the political landscape have been altered. The shift would be irrevocable if the Congress does not learn from its errors. They must surmount their deep rooted perceptions of the dynasty and build a democratic party.  It is time for the Congress party to reinvent itself. Seasoned incumbents must question their, hitherto indubitable, allegiance to the apparent first family. The Congress party has always relied on the dynasty for moral guidance and support. Accomplished leaders within the Con...

We have just completed the largest democratic exercise undertaken in human history. Kudos to the Election Commission for organizing this mammoth exercise with little hiccups. The political mudslinging continues unabated. Opinion polls, surveys and debates - despite portraying a distorted picture - have an overwhelming focus on the views of the voting adults. As a teacher, I ponder over the incipient views of students, our future generation. As an instructor in Economics, I have had the sheer joy of entertaining a wide array of thought-provoking questions. The inescapable relevance of politics and the election to the economic climate in the country allows me to go beyond the scope of the prescribed syllabus and delve deeper into other pertinent issues. I devote ten minutes in every lecture to discuss the elections. What has startled me in the last few weeks is the enthusiasm that students demonstrate with reference to the elections. Never before have I witnessed such raw energ...