Manish Chandra Pandey is a Lucknow-based Senior Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times’ political bureau in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Along with political reporting, he loves to write offbeat/human interest stories that people connect with. Manish also covers departments. He feels he has a lot to learn not just from veterans, but also from newcomers who make him realise that there is so much to unlearn.
Articles by Manish Chandra Pandey
Not to hurt, but to heal: TSR
SOON AFTER Baburaj aur netanchal, the Hindi version of former cabinet secretary TSR Subramanian?s expose on politicians and bureaucrats, had been released by the Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav on Thursday, one thought of asking the former top bureaucrat-turned author an obvious query??Why after demitting office, sir??
Published on Apr 21, 2006 12:23 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey
Cine bigs dig into Bhojpuri pockets?
WHEN LUCKNOW girl Madhurima Tiwari declared her intentions to turn producer and churn out Bhojpuri films, the obvious question was ?why Bhojpuri?? She replied, ?Because it?s the boom time for Bhojpuri films.? Madhurima apparently had done proper homework.
Published on Apr 17, 2006 12:38 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey
CBSE ?no pass-no fail? hits roadblock
THE CENTRAL Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) move to de-stress students of class I-V by introducing the 'no pass-no fail' concept has met with an unlikely opposition. According to CBSE chairman Ashok Ganguly parents were opposing the move on the misplaced presumption that their children might become simply complacent.
Published on Apr 15, 2006 01:12 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey & Rajeev Mullick, Lucknow
Hullad?s humour is ?no joke?
IN 1962, China attacked India. Commoners turned patriots. And poets decided to pitch in with poetic help to mobilise masses against the alien invasion. Veer Ras poetry was in fashion. It was in this backdrop that an 18-year old Sushil Kumar Chaddha walked to the organisers of the ?kavi sammelan? at Ram Lila Ground in New Delhi with a poem in hand.
Published on Apr 14, 2006 01:47 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Audience giggles, claps & taps
IF THE success of a poetic symposium was to be measured in terms of making people laugh, the hasya kavi sammelan organised by Hindi Hindustan and HT at Ravindralaya was a hit. And if the success of such a function was to be measured by the depth of the poems recited, Wednesday night?s programme was a super hit. Some Hindi poets, who gathered under one roof to make people laugh, deftly interspersed meaningful messages in their poems. Their words made people sit back and wonder at the deterioration in standards, morality and culture.
Published on Apr 13, 2006 01:37 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
His Jaan faces many Mr Bigs!
IT WAS a paradox of sorts that filmmaker JP Dutta, who feels that ?stars don?t make a hit?, spent most of his time taking questions on Ash-Abhishek, the lead stars of his forthcoming movie, Umrao Jaan Ada after arriving in the city of the famed courtesan of Awadh for promoting his period flick on Tuesday. The movie based on Dutta?s adaptation of Mirza Hadi Ruswa?s novel is set for release around May-June.
Published on Apr 12, 2006 01:18 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey
?Won?t help in long run?
As the "reserve versus deserve" debate rages, statistics reveal that candidates who make it to management/technical or academic institutes on merit perform far better than those who get in via the quota route.
Published on Apr 11, 2006 02:46 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Ultimately, does quota help?
AS THE great ?reserve vs deserve? debate rages across the country, statistics reveal that deserving candidates who make it to management/technical or academic institutes on merit have performed far better than the ones who take the reservation route.
Published on Apr 11, 2006 01:44 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Lucknow a fit case for Metro Rail, says Mittal
HOURS AFTER Union Minister for Urban Development Jaipal Reddy gave the go ahead for Metro Rail projects in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore, commissioner, Lucknow division, RK Mittal indicated that Lucknow too might have its own Metro Rail.
Published on Apr 08, 2006 01:14 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow/new Delhi
Bhojpuri again for Asha bees saal baad
THE ENCHANTRESS has returned with her velvet voice to cast another musical spell in Bhojpuri after an enduring wait of 20 years! It?s none other than Lucknow?s Kewar Kumar who?s convinced the Melody Queen to do it. He?s managed to cajole Asha Bhonsle into singing two songs under his direction for his movie Nehiya Sanehiya, shooting for which began at Shivgarh Estates, near Bacchrawan, on Wednesday.
Published on Apr 06, 2006 12:16 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey
The vicious circle of borrow-n-sorrow
?HELLO SIR/MAM!? That is precisely how they begin. And you end up possessing that plastic money! You punch and flash it with gusto?at Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and shopping malls, at hotels and petrol pumps. The punch-n-swipe game continues till you receive a ?hefty? bank statement. Worse could be in store when you discover that someone else had been happily spending your money. Welcome to the vicious circle of borrow-n-sorrow.
Published on Apr 04, 2006 01:46 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Be aware! Your ATM card may be cloned
NEXT TIME, when you go to an ATM centre to withdraw cash, be careful. Someone might steal your ATM card number and PIN while you push the card inside the ATM and type your PIN. The next thing that may hit you is your ATM account balance showing withdrawals far in excess of the actual withdrawal made by you. Senior bureaucrats have reported such frauds and the fear is that smart criminals may force you to spend sleepless nights.
Published on Apr 03, 2006 12:56 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Mysterious ?turns? in Mehar case
THE MEHAR Bhargava murder mystery turned even more complex on Wednesday with the arrest of Sunny Rawat. Rawat, SSP Ashutosh Pandey says, was a co-accused in the murder but not the one who shot at Mehar on February 28. And the Bhargavas, in a sudden about-turn, now say that since their driver Ganga Prasad, who had driven Mehar to Dalippur Towers on that fateful night, had identified Rawat (after he was paraded before the family) as the one who pulled the trigger, they were ?satisfied? that the killer was found.
Published on Mar 30, 2006 01:37 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey and Bhupendra Pandey, Lucknow
Amit pulled the trigger, says Kavita
Giving a new twist to the murder case, Mehar's daughter in law Kavita, a key witness to the February 28 incident, told Hindustan Times on Monday that it was Amit Singh who had pulled the trigger on Mehar. This is against the police theory according to which it was Sachin Pahadi who opened fire at Mehar.
Published on Mar 28, 2006 01:27 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey
And, Mehar kindles a new light
MEHAR BHARGAVA is dead. The issue, she triggered, is alive and burning. Thousands of lighted candles at the GPO Park beneath the Mahatma?s statue were proof of that as the creme-de-la-creme of Lucknow converged at the park on Monday evening to light a candle before a smiling portrait of Mehar that was placed beneath the statue of the Mahatma. ?She might have gone but still did you notice Mehar?s larger than life presence even here?? asked Sudha Prakash, a close friend of the Bhargavas while pointing towards the portrait.
Published on Mar 28, 2006 12:19 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey
Tears, anger and some action
AT 4.56 pm on Sunday, Mehar Bhargava moved into her permanent resting place, Hormuzd Bagh ?the Parsi cemetery at Narhi since 1902? alongside her mother Naja Kharas, whose epitaph read: ?Tears alone won?t be able to reflect what we feel.? And sure enough, women came in large numbers to bid a final adieu to the lady who laid down her life to protect dignity of women and angrily demanded strictest possible action against Mehar?s assailants at the earliest from Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav when he called on the bereaved family.
Updated on Mar 27, 2006 01:23 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Luv for CBI, Govt says no
CONGRESS LEADER and Mehar?s husband Luv Bhargava demands a CBI probe if assailants are not brought to book within a week, but the State government has virtually ruled out the possibility.
Published on Mar 26, 2006 10:53 PM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Practising what they preach
FOLLOWING IN the footsteps of their pupils, quite a few IIM professors are beginning to migrate to areas where it all happens?the MNCs. The latest to join the bandwagon is Anadi Pande, chairman and associate professor of Strategic Management Group, IIM-L. Prof Pande is all set to take over as vice president of Hero Honda Motors very soon.
Published on Mar 21, 2006 01:41 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
PCS, now IIM, what else?
WHEN RAHUL Singh, PCS officer, posted as Additional City Magistrate (ACM) II in the city, walked up to the convocation podium at IIM-L to receive his diploma, a big applause greeted him.
Published on Mar 19, 2006 12:48 AM IST
None | M Tariq Khan and Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Will she re-script UPFDC story?
WILL RAJYA Sabha loss be UP Film Development Corporation?s gain? This question is doing the rounds as Jaya Bachchan lost her RS seat on Friday. People in the know of action at the UPFDC are asking if Jaya would concentrate more on promoting UP as a potential destination for filmmakers or lose all interest in her job as chairman, UPFDC.
Published on Mar 18, 2006 01:17 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
IIM-L?s nifty nine out to make history
DARING TO be different, they have made history of sorts and signed out of IIM-L placements with the aim of setting up their own organisations and being their own boss.
Published on Mar 09, 2006 01:46 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Banker by day, poet by night
During the day he works at the Lucknow Urban Co Operative Bank of which he is the deputy manager. At night, he is busy increasing his ?intellectual capital? bank. His eyes light up when he is successful giving wings to his thoughts.
Published on Mar 03, 2006 12:26 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey
Making a beeline for Jr B and the soon to B
THE NEWS of the ?Queen to B? shooting with ?AB?s baby? inside the Mehmoodabad palace for JP Dutta?s forthcoming period film, Umrao Jaan, had spread like wild fire. Raja Mehmoodabad was there too, holding fort at a corner of his palatial residence. Not very far from him were Dutta?s crew, working overtime to give shape and substance to yet another depiction on celluloid of the life and times of the famed courtesan of Awadh.
Published on Feb 18, 2006 01:29 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey, Mehmoodabad (sitapur),
Qureshi?s ?Awadhi taste? for celebs
When Anil Kapoor met Ishtiyaque Qureshi, a day after the gala wedding reception of Aamir Khan at Panchgani, he had just one request to make. ?Could I have the leftovers please?? Anil Kapoor had asked. Qureshi was only too happy to oblige. He served him ?Bhuni raan and kundan kaliyan? and the renowned film star went back licking his fingers.
Published on Feb 17, 2006 12:21 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey
A flower shower for Rajnath
WEDNESDAY?S SAFFRON show in the state capital, on the occasion of Rajnath Singh?s first visit here after becoming the BJP national president, was unprecedented in more than one way.
Published on Feb 09, 2006 01:32 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Jailbirds ready to send students on the leather hunt
THIS IS a cricket team whose captain, vice captain, wicketkeeper and main batsmen have all murdered at one time or another?by design or default. But that is their past. What they are looking forward to is February 14. We are referring to the cricket team of Model Jail, Lucknow. A team that comprises once-hardened criminals, who, over a period of time, have sobered down.
Published on Feb 08, 2006 12:49 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
IIM-L may battle for war-hit nations
A COUNTRY emerging from war and ?conflicts? and seeking to put its cultural, legal and security systems back in place, often faces many difficulties. With this in mind, IIM-Lucknow could well become part of a global consortium of institutes helping such nations update themselves with international law, human rights and place their legal processes back on rails.
Updated on Feb 01, 2006 01:35 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Manjunath comes alive at Manfest
AS SOON as about ten youths took the stage to hum in chorus pyaar hamein kis mod pe le aayaa ? everyone at the Samanjsya auditorium of IIM-Lucknow got up ?respectfully? late on Saturday night during IIM?s Manfest.
Published on Jan 22, 2006 01:18 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Sethi trashes past, in ?right frame?
MOST GREATS when asked to look back and reflect say, ?no regrets!? Geet Sethi has one: That he got carried away by name, fame and money. On Saturday, when the man, who received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 1992-93 and dominated the Indian billiards scene winning World Amateur Billiards Championships in 1985 and 1987, addresses students from top business schools at IIM-L, his advice would be, ?Don?t let it happen to you.?
Published on Jan 21, 2006 01:47 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
IIM-L bulls reap rich dividends
IT ALL started two months back as a fun-contest in the run-up to IIM Lucknow?s annual extravaganza Manfest, which is set to get rolling on Friday. But by Sunday when it ends, the bulls from top B-schools of the country would have done a business of over a crore of rupees on the Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange, reaping nearly 50 per cent profit in two months time.
Published on Jan 20, 2006 01:28 AM IST
None | Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow