The Indian budget every year has always been an eagerly awaited event. For many decades, the best minds in economics, finance, tax, business and industry throng the media house to analyze the provisions shared by the Financial Minister.
Sometimes major events completely disconnected may be data points for the plans of the different powers around the world. The challenge is to discern what purpose they serve? More critically, what are we moving towards?
When the US Ambassador threatened India's "Strategic Autonomy" policy over India's friendship with Russia - much more than meets the eye was at stake. Let us unpack how the Ukraine war has fundamentally changed the US and the world. And why are we here anyway?
There are beauty pageants galore around the world today. There are Miss Such and Such Country…. then there is a Miss World, Miss Universe etc. India has had a fair share of many Beauty Queens, winners of such contests. But in many cases, one finds that these are women with a lot of verve, beauty and energy – but often plastic smiles and less than smart intelligence. I don’t want to belittle good looking women – of course this one, a Miss USA contestant, doesn’t help their cause much either – but smart and strong intelligent women aren’t the rule on the ramps.
But there was one Beauty Queen in 1966. Her name was Reita Faria. A Miss India who won the Miss World contest. Here she is in a video with Bob Hope entertaining US troops in Vietnam. Bob Hope was a smart guy.. witty and funny. At the end of the video, one feels that he met his match in this beautiful lady. Bummer she never thought of making a career in TV and Media.. she could have been one of the best TV anchors in her time.
[Update: the video is no longer available on YouTube.] See this instead:
The Indian budget every year has always been an eagerly awaited event. For many decades, the best minds in economics, finance, tax, business and industry throng the media house to analyze the provisions shared by the Financial Minister.
When the US Ambassador threatened India's "Strategic Autonomy" policy over India's friendship with Russia - much more than meets the eye was at stake. Let us unpack how the Ukraine war has fundamentally changed the US and the world. And why are we here anyway?
This visit of India left me with many questions. Many observations and inputs from different people and sections. Food for thought that I have tried to contemplate on and make sense of. Sharing all that with you.
When you analyze the last 60 years of the economic miracles of Singapore, South Korea and Malaysia versus the continued impoverished Indian economy, you get very interesting lessons. Can Indians have the wherewithal in them to do in one generation so that the coming generations may rise?
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