The Times of India

The high Cost of Delay

On returning to work after four weeks\’ leave, my colleagues tell me that Enron remains the hottest topic in town. and that I simply must write about it. I have long argued that the ideal solution is for the Maharashtra …

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Let thousand Telecoms bloom

I can buy soap or garments from scores of different manufacurers. But I can get a telephone service from only one supplier — he government. Inevitably, the monopoly supplier is inefficient and callous. The telephone goes dead twice a month, …

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The Banias who run Star TV

So Nikki Bedi and her phalanx of teeth are off Star TV, for reasons she could not possibly have anticipated. Her chat show specialised in mild sexual titillation, which is why she. invited Ashok Row Kavi, the celebrated gay journalist …

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SAARCasm about SAPTA

After ten barren years, SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation) has finally delivered a baby called SAPTA (South Asian Preferential Trade Agreement). New-born babies in the subcontinent often suffer from malnutrition, and I suspect SAPTA will be no exception. …

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Tax Foreign Brands

Dear Mr Manmohan Singh, You have the unenviable task of formulating a budget which sticks to long-term economic sense while accommodating the populist election year. I intend over the next few weeks to give some suggestions on how you can …

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Sexism more than Communalism

Many secular people will be dismayed by the reaction of some Muslim organisations to Mr Mani Ratnam\’s film, \’Bombay\’. It is important to stress that the protests have emanated mainly from a few communal Muslim outfits, and that many secular …

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Tale of three Cultures

In the last two decades, Asia has grown rapidly, Latin America has registered spotty progress, and Africa has gone downhill fast. These differences cannot easily be explained in economic or political terms since the three continents faced the same global …

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