New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) Call it pure admiration for their efficiency or a mere coincidence, but it so happens that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's last three trustworthy security advisors have been Malayalis, or Mallus as they are known in common parlance.
The appointment of former foreign secretary Shivshankar Menon as National Security Advisor (NSA) after M.K. Narayanan's exit bears testimony to this.
Coincidentally again, all the three advisors have been Kerala Nairs. J.N. Dixit, who became NSA in Manmohan Singh's first tenure, was born to the famous Malayalam writer Munshi Paramu Pillai. He got his surname Dixit, from his stepfather Sitaram Dixit, a freedom fighter and journalist. He died an untimely death in 2005.
In fact, New Delhi's iron frame of bureaucracy has always been greased by Malayalis, with many at the apex of power. They include the prime minister's Principal Secretary T.K.A. Nair, Cabinet Secretary K.M. Chandrasekhar, Secretary to President Christy Fernandes and Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao - all operating from atop Raisina Hill that has Rashtrapati Bhavan, North and South Block from where these top bureaucrats operate.
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Squeaky Antony comes clean
His reputation as Mr. Clean often precedes Defence Minister A.K. Antony - so much so that he is sometimes accused of not doing anything for fear of inviting a bad name.
His reluctance to take even the smallest decision is weighed heavily lest it should harm his clean image. But Antony finally chose a function organized by Transparency International, the global civil society organisation leading the fight against corruption, as a forum to come clean on this charge.
In an impromptu speech, Antony said: "Sometimes when we are trying to curb corruption we are accused of no action! And that we are stopping modernisation of our security forces by cancelling defence tenders."
Antony has often been criticised for cancelling defence tenders at the slightest questioning. The most recent hit has been the Indian Army's artillery modernisation plan with a shortlisted Singaporean gun major being blacklisted by the defence ministry.
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Talk on sex a no-no for health minister
Minister of State for Health Dinesh Trivedi is an image-conscious man who makes sure his reputation is not besmirched in any way. Last week, however, he found himself in a piquant situation.
He had accepted an invitation to be chief guest at a book release ceremony of India's premier sexologist Prakash Kothari! The book's title: 'Art of Loving'. Not realising that it was going to be a grand function where he was also to speak on a subject that he claims no expertise on, Trivedi managed to wriggle out of the function on some pretext at the last moment.
Many in the ministry are wondering why Kothari, who has been dubbed Sexologist of Asia, had homed in on the Trivedi in the first place! Maybe he thought better loving leads is the secret to good health.
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China seeks more Bollywood, less of classical
Guess who is thirsting for more Bollywood fare? China, which has apparently had enough of Indian classical dance and music.
This year, India and China will be celebrating 60 years of diplomacy by organising cultural festivals in each other's countries. As usual, India is drawing up the menu of performances and exhibitions with advice from the host.
With the Hindi film industry becoming a rage all over the world, China is now keen that Indian cultural shows have a liberal sprinkling of Bollywood.
"They tell us they have seen enough of Indian classical dance and music. Now, they just want Bollywood dancers," said a senior official of the ministry of external affairs, belatedly realising the 'soft power' of Indian popular cinema.
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'Himalayan' heat makes Pachauri sweat
R.K. Pachauri, the usually suave head of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), looked flustered after a long time - with the booboo on the predicted demise of Himalayan glaciers high on everyone's mind.
While addressing the media on India's energy security, Pachauri must have known very well why the room was packed with reporters but refused to answer any questions on the Himalayan blunder.
The media held its patience for long. But an exasperated reporter finally shouted out: "How do you react to the demand for your resignation?" Pachauri refused to answer even that, but for the first time was seen to pull out his green handkerchief to wipe his brow.
He also had to be escorted out of the room so that he was not mobbed by reporters - something he has been known to love in the past!
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Tytler's tales of woe
Congress leader Jagdish Tytler is in a bind once again. One would imagine his woes had ended after his rehabilitation last July as the party in-charge of Bihar - but not quite.
While the list of Bihar office-bearers he finalised generated a major controversy for allegedly containing caste descriptions, Tytler made a bigger mistake by including Speaker Meira Kumar's name among the list of special invitees to the Pradesh Congress Committee.
Several senior Bihar Congress leaders, who are upset over the list of office-bearers, delivered a snub to Tytler last week by not turning up for the meeting he had called in Patna last week.
Tytler's ticket for the 2009 Lok Sabha polls was withdrawn by the Congress following an uproar by the Sikh community over his alleged role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Some party leaders are wondering if Tytler would be able to bring order to the Bihar unit ahead of assembly elections this year.
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Young Indians versus old Germans?
On a visit to India, German Labour Minister Karl-Josef Laumann may have found India's working standards wanting and felt ill at ease over reports of child labour. But one aspect of the country's workforce has sure left him impressed - the energy of its young working population.
Laumann was quite happy to see numerous youth employed as chauffeurs, smartly-dressed hotel executives and factory workers -- a pleasant change from things back home. He said Germany would welcome skilled Indians to work there.
But his catchphrase was for the end: "Personally, like in India, I would like to open more cr裨es, than old age homes."
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On R-Day, an eye on Sri Lanka
When India celebrates its Republic Day with pomp and show Jan 26, a section of the Indian establishment will have its eyes on Sri Lanka, where on the same day people will elect a new president in the first major polls after the decimation of the Tamil Tigers.
The Sri Lankan election is being watched keenly in India, the island nation's giant and only neighbour. The interest is but natural. India provided quiet covert help to Colombo in its war against the Tigers, and New Delhi wants to know who will emerge the winner -- President Mahinda Rajapaksa or former army chief Sarath Fonseka.
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When the music died
Members of the influential Gymkhana Club, located at a stone's throw from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's residence, are an unhappy lot. A recent circular issued by the ministry of environment and forests has banned party-goers in its spacious lawns from playing music after 10.p.m.
Considering it's that time of the year when members are keen to have their parties outside and organise lavish live bands, some members were keen to seek an appointment with Manmohan Singh, who is also a member, to see if an exception could be made.
But knowing his reputation for fair play, they finally gave up on the idea.