Bigger India

November 2011

Dinner at the Patels

I could feel them taking inventory of my outfit, my hair, and my non-designer shoes, and inevitably, as soon as whomever I was talking to chalked me up as being a “fresh-off-the-boat,” they simply turned to someone more important.

The Vanity Deal

Why Indian firms are on a buying spree.

The Curious Case of Freida Pinto

“In such an insanely competitive market, to carve a niche with such modest talent, is indeed fantastic and I mean it as a compliment.”

Mein to Ek Khwab Hoon

Whatever happened to Bollywood’s heartbreak melodies?

7 Charred to Death as Fire Breaks Out in Express Train

At least seven persons, including children, were charred to death after fire broke out in two coaches of Howrah-Dehradun Express in Jharkhand's Giridih district in the wee hours on Monday, officials said.

Indian Expatriates in UAE Rejoice As Rupee Falls to New Low

The fall of the Indian rupee to a new low of Rs14.1953 against the UAE dirham (and Rs 52.20 against the US dollar), has brought a feeling of joy among Indian expatriates here.

Sterilize the Rich

Local elites in many developing societies shared the Western sensibilities and often took draconian measures to limit population growth.

When Let Down, Girls Feel More Anger, Sadness than Boys

The findings suggest that when more serious violations of a friendship occur, girls struggle just as much and, in some ways, even more than boys.

Rupee at Historic Low Against US Dollar, Looks Vulnerable

Exposure to short-term portfolio flows, a rising oil import bill and slowing export growth have heightened the risk on the rupee and the outlook remains bearish

The Promised Land

For a glorious half century, India dominated international field hockey and Sansarpur was its secret weapon. The village of just 4,061 people has nurtured 300 national hockey players and produced more Olympic medalists per capita than any other place in the world.

Beer is Good For your Heart

Good news for beer buffs: A pint of the beverage a day may ward off your heart disease risk by more than a quarter, a new study has claimed.

Uttar Pradesh Assembly Passes Resolution to Divide State into 4 Parts

The Uttar Pradesh assembly on Monday passed a resolution seeking to divide the state into four parts. The resolution was passed with a voice vote.

Suggest Names for My daughter, Tweets Abhishek

Actor Abhishek Bachchan, who recently became the father of a baby girl, has thanked his fans for their good wishes and is now asking them to suggest names for his newborn.

UK Plans Curry College to Teach Indian Cooking

The David Cameron government wants to launch a college to teach Indian cooking to UK citizens so that they get jobs in the 3 billion pounds Indian food industry.

5 Biggest Worries for India Inc

The picture is getting gloomier and gloomier. Indian companies are getting hit by a barrage of problems, ranging from high interest rates and high inflation to a plunging rupee and slumping exports. And there’s no light at the end of this dark tunnel as yet.

3 Bangalore Techies Crippled IGIA in June

In this wired era, hell hath no fury like techies scorned. The Indira Gandhi Inter-national Airport (IGIA) found it out the hard way on June 29 when its advanced passenger check-in services were crippled and flights delayed.

Bachchans Upset With the Morphed Picture of the Baby

Many morphed pictures of the 'little one' with her mother in hospital doing the rounds on the net... all fake!!' -- Amitabh posted on his Twitter page.

Chandigarh Police Arrest Two for Tourist Visa Fraud

In a unique case of forgery and fraud for arranging tourist visas, Chandigarh Police Sunday arrested two immigration agents, including a former paramilitary trooper.

NRI Tycoon Sells London Home for Whopping £120m

Raj Bagri is reported to have sold a stately home in north London's Regent's Park for a record-breaking £120 million.

US State Department Shows PoK as Part of Pakistan

The official website of US department of state, which handles foreign relations of the country, shows PoK as part of Pakistan, notwithstanding India's claim over the region.

2G: CBI Registers Case, Raids Vodafone, Airtel Offices

Expanding its probe to cover the NDA regime, CBI today registered a case against Shyamal Ghosh, who was Secretary in the Telecom Ministry headed by late Pramod Mahajan, and two Telecom service providers -- Airtel and Vodafone for alleged irregularities in grant of additional 2G spectrum.

Kingfisher’s Bleeding may Not Stop Now

The Kingfisher model is inherently flawed because it is not a full service but a ‘full service plus plus’. You cannot grow that segment beyond a point because only a limited number of people can afford that segment.

Incredible India? Certainly, Not for the Tourist

Being a tourist in India is not easy. Travel is no fun and it empties out the pocket. It does not matter if the tourist is home-grown — travelling within the country to see sights and visit temples — or the foreign tourist who wants to ‘experience’ India.

Kambli, Please Provide Proof or Shut Up

Why does not the BCCI sue Vinod Kambli? He is either telling the truth or giving a bad name to the game. Legal action would settle the matter once and for all.

Balasaraswati vs Rukmini Arundale: The Grand Bharata Natyam Controversy

Bala’s outspoken criticism of carnality in Sringara rasa as presented by some traditional dancers had been a matter of public record by the 1930s.

Indian Spiritual Guru Found Guilty of Immigration Fraud

An Indian spiritual guru has been found guilty by a federal jury of selling religious worker visas to Indians for over USD 30,000 each to enable them to enter the US fraudulently

Christmas Comes Early to Singapore

The timing could not have been more perfect. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his entourage landed here Saturday evening, just in time for the fairy lights to go up in the city's famous Orchard Road boulevard.

Olympics: Sikhs can Carry Daggers to Games

Sikh athletes and spectators will be able to wear ceremonial daggers around the London 2012 Olympic sites, organisers said on Sunday.

Singapore Opened New Horizons for India

Singapore had opened new horizons for India, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said here Sunday and recalled that it was New Delhi's engagement with Singapore that led to a strategic shift and evolved into the 'Look East' policy.

India's New Social Entrepreneurs: Making an Impact Where government Fails

Indian professionals, many of whom led comfortable lives abroad, are increasingly giving up their well-paid jobs to become social entrepreneurs, bringing in the process modern-age management and perspective to solve basic problems like reaching power, water, education and healthcare to the millions.

Singapore Opened New Horizons for India

Manmohan Singh, who has been stressing on India's engagement with the region and came here on his first bilateral visit as prime minister Saturday, said that the city state had contributed to the country's progress.

Economic Crisis Looms as Obama Returns from Asia

As President Barack Obama returns home after a sojourn in Bali he faces a looming economic crisis that threatens to unravel the gains of his "return to Asia" trip to promote ties with the Asia Pacific region.

Land of Gods and Ghouls: the Hindu Connect in a Muslim Nation

From street corners to city squares, from hotel lobbies to sweeping driveways, the sculptures are part of the landscape, making Bali in many senses like an open air culture gallery, with aesthetics the leitmotif of everyday life.

Lokpal Bill to be Introduced in Winter Session of Parliament

Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare and his activists will have a busy winter as they fight for their version of the Lokpal Bill to be made a law.

Senate India Caucus to Host Reception for Nirupama Rao

The powerful Senate India Caucus, which is the largest country specific Caucus in the US Senate, plans to hold a rare reception for the new Indian ambassador to the US, Nirupama Rao.

IIM-A to Give Marketing Lessons to Gujarat Prisons

Inmates of two prisons in Gujarat will now get lessons from the prestigious Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad to improve marketing of their factory products and for honing their inter-personal skills.

Kambli Raises Doubt About 1996 World Cup Semi-final

Kambli claims that his suspicion arose due to Azharuddin's decision to field first even though it was unanimously decided that the team would bat after winning the toss.

Rupee at 32-month Low, More Downside Likely

The sentiment in the rupee market has further dampened after the RBI's comment on its limited ability to intervene.

Mallya Says Nearing $370mn Deal to Save Airline

The Bangalore-based entrepreneur told the FT he was nearing a deal with 14 banks led by State Bank of India that would provide the loss-making carrier with working capital of 6 billion rupees ($118 million). He did not name the banks.

Not Just Forgetful and Unsafe, Mumbai is also Insensitive

About six feet by three feet with no windows, it was probably designed to be a connecting passageway of sorts and not the kind of place where you’d want to house anything breathing, let alone a human being. This, my friend announced, was the servant’s room,” says a WSJ blogger.