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In 2008, an Indian author (proper Indian, not just Indian-origin) won the Booker prize. Usually, this prestigious international literary award comes with an exaggerated sense of adulation. Not so, for Arvind Adiga’s the White Tiger. In reviews, essays and the quite supercilious conversations at parties of English speaking India, the story about a driver who kills, cheats and steals his way to a better life was subtly denigrated. Its artificiality, its lacks of literary merit and even the act of trying to write in English, in the first person, of invisible “servants” who subsidize our comforts-- there were a plethora of reasons to hate the book, in accents that pronounce consonants with the lightest of emphasis.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The ongoing Governor-Government standoff, the fishermen’s agitation against the Vizhinjam international seaport and the Lok Ayukta imbroglio have roiled Kerala politics as never before, deepening the confrontationist ambience.

Two-day National Labour Conference of labour ministers and labour secretaries of states and UTs concluded at Tirupati on August 26 which almost evaded the real issues against which the Joint Platform of the 10 Central Trade Unions have been agitating since 2019 when the Modi government got the Code on Wages passed in the Parliament of India, the first among the four controversial labour codes. The three others - the Code on Social Security, the Code on Industrial Relations, and the Code on Occupation Safety and Health – were passed in 2020. The conference though discussed several other important themes, and the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment proposes to come out with roadmaps on them to take the vision forward in the Amrit Kaal, ie in the next 25 years.

Imphal: Hyderabad FC (HFC) overwhelmed 10-man Chennaiyin FC (CFC) 3-1to register their second win in the 131st Durand Cup Football Tournament at the Khuman Lampak Stadium here on Friday.

Chennai: Gurugram’s Manu Gandas fired dazzling five-under 67 on the last day and with a total of 20-under 268 won the Chennai Open by four-shot at TNGF Golf Course here On Friday.

It was only last month in the first week of July, the leader of the opposition BJP in neighbouring West Bengal Suvendu Adhikari revealed his party's gameplan after the successful Maharashtra experience to form government in Jharkhand. The BJP leadership had already started the "Operation Jharkhand" in right earnest by that time by tightening noose on CM Hemant Soren's neck. Within two months, his reported disqualification as an MLA has triggered a political turmoil in Jharkhand.

The President of India has appointed Justice U.U. Lalit as the next Chief Justice of India (‘CJI’). The present CJI, Justice N.V. Ramana, retired on August 26 marking an end to his eventful 16 months’ tenure.

There seems to be no end to the woes of the Indian tea industry. Following massive floods in Assam recently, industry circles expect overall production to drop by around 25% from last year’s levels. In turn this could lead to a corresponding reduction in exports and higher domestic prices, but there are no definite estimates from Tea association sources yet as they face another difficult year.

The deputy chief minister of Bihar Tejashwi Yadav, the youngest son of Lalu Yadav cautioned on Wednesday the three investigating agencies, ED, CBI and IT the jamais (son in laws) of the BJP government, to refrain from indulging in nefarious game of victimizing Lalu Yadav and other RJD leaders. He alerted them not to fall in the trap of the government and help the politics of vendetta. He did not mince words in saying them to refrain from implicating them in false cases, not to harm them and malign their images.

There is no hard and fast rule that says the son should be like father. Otherwise, Aurangzeb would not have taken his own ship to the horizon after sinking Shahjahan’s luxury yacht. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is accused of dumping his father’s socialism for BJP’s rightwing-ism, and making a mess of Karnataka’s prospects. “How could he?” will dog Bommai till the eve of his stay on earth. Basavaraj Bommai maybe King of Karnataka, but the system stands locked against him.