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AFRICAN SAFARI.....a Book Review

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  "African Safari" is an intriguing title for a book that nowhere talks of  any expeditions to animal kingdom in the jungles of Africa. This book is about a cigar smoking business tycoon , a multibillion and multinational conglomerate whose business interest goes beyond his inherited empire of liquor and beer industries and spreads across industries  as diverse  as Airlines, Pharma, Paints, textiles to name a few. The media across the globe dub him as "King of good times".  "African Safari " is the story of "Rana Kapoor" the business tycoon and his business ventures in the French speaking regions of Africa, a continent that is fast emerging as world's big time growth market. The book takes us through  intricacies of clinching  business deals.  It talks about how political lobbying and networking with people in high places and bankers collaborate and become a blue print for M&A  stories. The book tells you that stories of business ventures...

Giving words to my thoughts...

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I  am returning to this space after 2 years and past 242 posts .It doesn't mean that I have lost my itch  for writing. I have always loved  scribbling words that give voice to the way I look at a situation, or to the way I feel about anything on the ground and under the sky. . My   view  may or may not matter  to the rest. However for me it remains a  mark of my own creativity. My creativity is more about visualizing things that  seldom see the light of the day.   Some call this  “Daydreaming” . I don't mind if people call me  a “wandering mind.” Neither I am bothered about the stigma called  “laziness” attached to it.  I see it as a tonic that energizes me  to think  beyond the realm of possibility For instance no matter how much  ever  I would have   chased my dreams  of becoming a corporate tycoon  I would never have been one simply because I would then lose the privilege and intimacy ...

Election 2020 ....a bid for the "WHITE HOUSE"

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  We all say we are proud to be Indians,  yet winning any type of  H1 Visas to move  to America remain an all time fascination for every Indian across the peneninsula. Almost every household here today  has  a member or two  migrated to Ameirica from the day we won our freedom from the British rule We may much boast of our educational systems and institutions, yet every Indian youth with brilliant brains aspire io  make it to Harvard or any of the ivy league elite colleges in America. We may claim of best medical facilities yet everyone  of our  politicians and the members of our affluent  elites fly away to America for their medical treatments  Except for Indian movies ,Indian music and indian culinary, we remain fascinated by everything that is America. The Indian settlers in America may not ordinarly talk  and  take pride of their Indian lineage and heritage, but  when it comes to ballot harveting they will ne...

Who will win BIHAR .. 'Let the last Vote get counted'

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This Bihar election is the first major election since the Covid 19 pandamic disrupted the political calender and prompted sweeping measures for social distencing. The three Phase Bihar Poll for 243 Vidhan Sabha seats was completed on the 7th. The turnout for the poll as per media report was 58%. Today is the vote counting day. By the time the sun sets today , the dawn  of the next political regime in the State will emerge. Will this dawn usher in a new political 'don' or  the "Sarkar Raj" will continue  with  their  "All is Well " narrative for another 4 years. Will PM Modi, the over used "trump card" political campainer for NDA  be able  to push  back JDU- BJP led alliance once again into rulling Bihar for another four year terms or will he   concede defeat without playing and  crying foul.  Well whatever be the outcome of today's polling verdict, the politics of vendetta and vilifying the  poor will continue. The proble...

Farmers cannot runaway from....

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  This morning in flat 10 minutes BJP got the  2 contrversal "Farmer bills" passed in the Rajaya Sabha through a sham voice voting amidist the panddemonium created by an  urully opposition .Once again our parliamentary democracy witnessed an udemocratic voting  system being  uleashed  No debate. No diascussions , Bill passed.. The two Farmer bills that got passed today were (1) The Farmers' and Produce Trade and Commerce(Promotion and Facilitation) Bill,2020. (2)Farmers(Empwerment and Protection)Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm services Bill,2020. The above bills that now become a statutory law will  take away a major revenue stream of the States. Additionally it will in times to come bring in big Corporate Houses spreading their wings into Agricultural products. Further since the govt will let go its control on minimum support Price assured to farmers(MSP), the farmers specially the margainilzed farmers will become victims of giant Corporate Hous...

That mid night "phone call"!

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The month of MAY.,, It was dead of the night , I was just about to catch my wink of sleep when the  silence of the night was suddenly disturbed by the shrill of the telephone bell ringing in the drawing room. I got up from the bed and like a robot  walked  into the drawing room to  pick up the phone. As I lifted the receiver and brought it to to my ear, I heard a voice from the other side that said...Hi Bala. The voice was very familiar, so I said hi and got  into conversation.  The phone conversation went on something like this: The voice from the other side:   Bala what is this "Corona Virus"?  My Voice:    Hey don't tell me you don't know ...I chuckled The voice from the other side :   You stupid  if I knew that  I won't be asking  My Voice:     How could some one on this damn earth remain so   ignorant...I quizzed The voice from the other side :  ...

"Coronavirus " From Crisis to Calamity

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"Coronavirruseses" are a group of related viruses that cause diseases in the mammals and birds. Human eating habits obviously cause the spread of this virus in human. In human this virus causes resiperatory track infections that can be mild but can turn leathel very fast if not treated immediatly. Covid-19 is part of the group of  "Coronaviruses".  It is this Covid-19 that has now globally hit us.  Ecnomically crippled the world is fighting the war for  very existence  As per United Nations out of the total 195 countries world over  193 countries are fighting this virus .It has now become a fight for very survival. Covid -19 has turned pendamics. 'Pendamic' is a situation where the outbreak  affect  extensively the population world over. As I write this , Covid -19 has already become an event of alarming distess and disaster .We as a world  are today  in a state of Calamity. Covid-19 poped up in the city of  Wauhan in the ...