Divided United Nations
Your cover story on Shashi Tharoor (The Write Stuff) got it just right. India has a long way to go before it deserves a seat in the UN’s Security Council. The world may be divided over many matters but over India’s admission into the UN’s penthouse, so to speak, not many countries see it as a pressing matter. Even Tharoor won’t have smooth sailing for the secretary general’s post. That’s because India still hasn’t got its diplomacy right. When you get your guy elected unopposed, that’s when you get your diplomacy in line.
Sandeep Verma
Vancouver
I disagree with your view that Shashi Tharoor’s candidature is India’s way of asserting its legitimate aspirations. Having your man as the secretary general of the UN is no big deal. It actually amounts to very little. Secretary generals have come from countries as important and powerful as Thailand and Austria.
Amit Rawat
New York
Sultan Of Steel
L.N. Mittal has done for India what even the Ambanis couldn’t—created awe in the West for an Indian enterprise. His takeover of European steel maker
Arcelor, despite strident, and often virulent, opposition from the European establishment, is something that every Indian should be proud of. My guess is that it’s the first of many more giant-sized takeovers by Indian companies. Already the Tatas have acquired the truck division of Kia Motors of Korea. Japanese companies sell their tractors in the US under the Mahindra brand name. These are just two instances of Indian companies making it big globally. Dozens of small and medium-sized firms are being gobbled up by Indian companies. We’re doing just fine.
Rakesh Krishnan
Washington D.C.
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Diaspora dissected
Bhikhu Parekh’s speech which you reproduced was quite cutting. He’s right. If India is interested in NRI money, NRIs are just as interested in making money from India. The interest rate that’s available in India is definitely several notches higher than in most western countries. Also, few NRIs are rich. A few more are making it. But most are just better off than they were in India. So expecting too much from NRI pockets is a sheer waste of time. Where India could gain is that a large number of NRIs are returning to India after making a few dollars or pounds. While the majority of NRIs plan to settle in the West, a sizeable chunk—comprising mostly white collar folk—want to return because they are confident of making a good living back in India. Plus, there is the advantage of living in their home country. That’s the NRI India should be
targetting.
Alok Gupta
Sydney
Preparing To Taxi
The merger of Air-India and Indian (Flying Tandem) will indeed create a major new airline on the block. But these days it’s service that sets an airline apart. Carriers such as Singapore Airlines and Malaysian Airlines have taken service to new levels. So has Emirates, another major player known for its super inflight service. That’s where the Maharajah has to improve. Public sector rudeness won’t be tolerated any more. With Vijay Mallya waiting for his 600-seater Airbus A-380s, surely having planned all kinds of gimmicks on board, passengers are just waiting to jump ship. So can we please have the smiles back. Plastic would do just fine.
Monica Kapoor
Mumbai
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