Mamata arrives on national scene
India is in dire need of a strong opposition. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has now arrived on the national scene....
The times they are hard
After the first Covid-19 wave, it was mistakenly thought that the worst was over. Complacency was all too evident. The...
My memories of Fidel Castro
During my 1982 visit I had not expected to meet President Castro. A few hours before my departure I was...
Wind of change in Russia-Pak relations
Sergey Lavrov has been Foreign Minister of Russia for 17 years. Perhaps the longest serving Foreign Minister in the world....
A letter from Sharda Prasad
‘Diaries are not always truthful. They record the minutiae but miss the essence.’ When Emergency was declared on 26 June...
Gopal book gives peek into Gandhi’s life
Gandhi Restless As Mercury is an extension of Gandhiji’s autobiography. I have respect for a few people. Gopal Gandhi I...
Those who gave us quotable quotes
‘No Englishman is too low to have scruples; no Englishman is high enough to be free from tyranny.’ Gandhi: “I...
Dandi march: The salt revolution of 1930
The march began on 12 March 1930. Gandhi left Sabarmati Ashram at 6.30 am, accompanied by 79 satyagrahis. Mahatma Gandhi’s...
No lowering our guard against China
China is planning to build a ‘passageway’ between Tibet and South Asia. The National People’s Congress opened in Beijing on...
Fingers crossed on India-Pak ceasefire
Moeed Yusuf later denied that any meeting between him and Ajit Doval was held. This should be taken with a...
Remembering Nelson Mandela
While Nelson Mandela was a genuine admirer of Mahatma Gandhi, he writes, ‘In India, Gandhi had been dealing with a...
Matter of Myanmar: Our own interest is priority
It would be unwise to withdraw our ambassador. He could be called for consultations and kept in Delhi for some...
Re-reading a Gandhi biography
Louis Fischer’s first book on the Mahatma, A Week with Gandhi was published in the United States in 1943. I read...
What if Netaji had returned to India?
Bose would have challenged Nehru for the post of Prime Minister. In the 1920s, the two upcoming Congress leaders were...
Trump divided the United States
Today, Washington resembles an armed fortress. ‘America is therefore the land of the future, where, in ages that lie before...
The worst US President ever
For the first time in the history of the USA four former Presidents have condemned a serving President. Mr Donald...
Donald Trump will not be forgotten
His amazingly thick skin makes him the most insensitive US President ever. President Donald Trump, to the relief of most...
2020: Anything that could go wrong went wrong
2020 ends with the frightening, unprecedented worldwide coronavirus pandemic.
My China Diary
After shaking hands, Dr Radhakrishnan patted Mao Tse Tung on the cheek. I was posted to China-Peking in July...
Men who shaped the 20th century
Some made the world a better place, others poisoned it. In the second half of the 19th century were...
Don’t underestimate Jat Sikh anger
I pray that reconciliation is achieved before it is too late. One of the most important duties of any government,...
Congress will miss Gogoi and Patel
Ahmed Patel’s death is a colossal loss to Sonia Gandhi, who gives her confidence and mind to few. She trusted...
Obama is a remarkable man
Whether he was a great President or not only time will tell. Former US President Barack Obama’s autobiography, A Promised...
Biden will be a blessing after Trump
In 2001, in Washington, Joe Biden hosted a lunch for Sonia Gandhi. Manmohan Singh, Murli Deora and I accompanied her....
