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Pavan K Varma

Articles by Pavan K Varma

Just Like That | Notes on a simpler time, and the life & times of two great men

On what 19th century Delhi did in the winter months, and the launch of great Indian spook AS Dulat's and filmmaker Muzaffar Ali's memoirs.

A Life in the Shadows; Zikr: In the Light and Shade Of time.

opinion

Published on Jan 21, 2023 07:37 PM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Remembering Pranab, a remarkable politician

Pranab was the quintessential witness to an era. Born in 1935, his career began as a clerk in the post and telegraph department in West Bengal and culminated as the 13th President of India

Pranab Mukherjee kept a detailed daily diary. His daughter is writing a biography of her father using this invaluable historical material (Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)

opinion

Updated on Jan 14, 2023 07:56 PM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Just Like That | Notes on a life lesson and a lunch bringing in 2023

It is better to do what you are good at, not what you think you can do because our capabilities don't always match our interests. This note and a New Year lunch hosted by Shovana Narayan and Herbert Traxl

I decided that I would never do something I'm not good at, even if it is something that I would like to do. And this is my advice for my readers too. (Shutterstock)

opinion

Published on Jan 07, 2023 08:57 PM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Just like That | Notes on New Year festivities

I take this opportunity to wish all readers a very happy New Year. Enjoy yourselves, stay safe, and try not to have a hangover!

The manner in which New Year is brought in also changes with time. (SHUTTERSTOCK)

opinion

Updated on Jan 01, 2023 12:15 PM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Just Like That | Notes on the art of predicting the future

Astrology is based on the movement of the planets. I am an agnostic: I neither fully believe nor entirely disbelieve. By now, I have learnt that there is infinitely more in life than our human mind can comprehend

Do you believe in astrology, palmistry, tarot reading and tea leaves et al? (HT PHOTO)

opinion

Updated on Dec 25, 2022 01:44 PM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Just Like That | Notes on the mystery and the inevitability of death

At the cremation of a class fellow from St Stephens, what struck me afresh was the finality of death.

Birth and death are the two fixed coordinates of our lives. (Shutterstock)

opinion

Updated on Dec 17, 2022 07:46 PM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Just Like That | Notes on the Capital City and a Cultured Connoisseur

On Delhi, a cradle and the graveyard of empires; And Arun Bharatram, a successful and rounded businessman who brought Alam Khan to an Indian audience last week.

New Delhi was a sleepy, mofussil city camouflaged in imperial robes. (Shivam Saxena/HT Photo)

opinion

Published on Dec 10, 2022 09:45 PM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Just Like That | Notes on hangovers of the past and an institution of the future

On our special relationship with the British as seen through the ‘superiority’ of the English language; and a recent trip to NIIT in Rajasthan, whose campus was particularly impressive.

Rajendra Pawar, whom I have known for several years now, founded NIIT in 1981 with Shiv Nadar and Vijay Thadani. (Wikimedia Commons)

opinion

Published on Dec 04, 2022 02:28 PM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Just Like That | Notes on wise Indians and Indian witticism

Musings on the arrival of winter and travel across the countryside in India; on my dear friends Vinod and Chinna Dua who I lost during the second wave of the pandemic; and a recent, rewarding, lecture that I gave at RNTU

opinion

Updated on Nov 26, 2022 08:56 PM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Just Like That | The colonial legacy of subordination culture

A bureaucrat will consider it blasphemy to call his senior anything but sir; most times, a sentence will begin and end with “sir”

India’s subordinate culture breeds an unedifying obsequiousness and an acute consciousness of status (Shutterstock)

opinion

Updated on Nov 19, 2022 07:20 PM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Just Like That | Notes on the admirable Rajiv Gandhi & a time of macabre humour

Of the impact that Rajiv Gandhi used to make abroad, which I witnessed first-hand; and how Delhi's annual bad air problem led citizens to embrace macabre humour to cope.

opinion

Published on Nov 12, 2022 08:30 PM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Just Like That | Notes on two Indian jewels: The Kohinoor and Shah Rukh Khan

On my visit to London where I saw the Kohinoor and learnt that it was not the only priceless stone that came to Britain from India. And a few days after SRK's birthday, recalling the story of the success of King Khan

The Kohinoor on the Imperial Crown (L); and Shah Rukh Khan. (HT File Photo)

opinion

Published on Nov 05, 2022 11:27 PM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Just Like That | Notes on classical music, heritage and my own yearly traditions

On preserving the sanctity of Indian classical music – ragas — in our modern era; and the festivities, celebrations and moments of togetherness every year on Diwali

Another Diwali has come and gone. (Representative Image)

opinion

Published on Oct 30, 2022 11:05 PM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Just Like That: Notes on 5 successful men

These are: MK Rasgotra, former foreign secretary; Karan Singh, politician, writer, poet, and statesman par excellence; KP Singh, chairman emeritus of real estate giant DLF; K Natwar Singh, former external affairs minister of India and writer, and Prem Prakash, founder of Asian News International

MK Rasgotra is former foreign secretary. At 98, he still hosts intimate and elegant lunches. He attends dinners, has a glass or two of wine, and carries a walking stick, making him look even more patrician (HT PHOTO)

opinion

Updated on Oct 22, 2022 07:51 PM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Just Like That | Notes on nostalgia, a must-read book and important translations

Remembering a serendipitous evening in my house with a very talented ghazal singer; necessary reading on the forced displacement caused by Partition; and young colleague's work in translating his grandfather's work.

The 1946 Partition of British India (L). Pavitra Papi.

opinion

Published on Oct 15, 2022 09:07 PM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Just Like That | Notes on two good men and their pursuit of culture & education

Of Mahatma Gandhi, who, through his actions and appearance, spoke of the centrality of Indian culture and heritage during the freedom struggle; and Symbiosis University founder, SB Mujumdar, whose mission is education for all.

Mahatma Gandhi (L) and SB Mujumdar. (Wikimedia Commons)

opinion

Published on Oct 08, 2022 10:56 AM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Just Like That | Notes on jugaad, Cap Gopinath's story & an exciting Q&A at YPO

On examples of how Indians always find a way even in challenging situations; an anecdote on Captain Gopinath and Deccan Airways; and a recent, exciting Q&A on my book

Our India by Captain Gopinath, and my book, Adi Shankaracharya.

opinion

Updated on Oct 01, 2022 10:58 AM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Just Like That | Notes on three remarkable people, past and present

Of how Khushwant Singh helped me — then, a novice writer — get my first book published; of Zail Singh's immeasurable wit; and of Malavika Sarukkai's gift of dance.

Khushwant Singh, Malavika Sarukkai and Zail Singh.

opinion

Published on Sep 25, 2022 10:24 AM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Just Like That | Notes on reforming DGC; and remembering my friend Suresh Neotia

With Delhi Gymkhana Club in the news for the wrong reasons, I can't help but recall an incident in 1989, when I found its priorities askew. And remembering entrepreneur, art collector, educationist, philanthropist and my dear friend, the late Suresh Neotia, a few days after his birthday

Delhi Gymkhana Club (L). Suresh Neotia. (Mint; ANI)

opinion

Published on Sep 17, 2022 06:15 PM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Just Like That | Notes on culture, an ‘inspired’ play, and a hilarious incident

Of the uniqueness of culture in a globalised world; a well-received play staged across countries that was inspired by a book I wrote; and an evening with Gulzar Saheb which involved an ill-equipped ambulance and several moments of panic

A true but hilarious story demonstrates how, in spite of the homogenising influences of globalisation, cultures remain distinct. (IStock Photo)

opinion

Updated on Sep 10, 2022 02:10 PM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Just Like That | Notes on biting political humour and morality in an immoral age

Of one of my first postings to a dictatorship, where people mocked leaders in private, and complied with the regime in public; and the release of a new book on the dilemma of doing the right thing even in very difficult circumstances.

Nicolae Ceausescu, the general secretary of the Romanian Communist Party (1965-1989) and Hardayal Singh's The Moral Compass. (Wikimedia Commons (L)/Amazon.in)

opinion

Updated on Sep 03, 2022 07:13 PM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Just Like That | Notes on Gulzar, dramas, and the journey of Kathak

On Gulzar Saheb, a close friend with a great sense of humour, who celebrated his 88th birthday; two landmark drama events of long-standing importance in Delhi; and the release of a new book on Kathak

I consider Gulzar to be one of my closest friends. It was my privilege to translate into English four volumes of his poetry, Selected Poems, Neglected Poems, Suspected Poems, and Green Poems — all for Penguin books. (HT Photo)

opinion

Published on Aug 27, 2022 08:03 PM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Just Like That | Notes on a Presidential home, faith, and miracles

Of Droupadi Murmu being the latest occupant of the Presidential Estate, which is a world unto itself; and my belief that there is a divine energy that some chosen few become a conduit of.

It took almost three decades for RB to be completed in 1931. (ANI)

opinion

Published on Aug 19, 2022 08:04 PM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Just Like That | Notes on our longing for rain, of civil debate, and of rakhi

Of our love for dark clouds, darkened skies, and the rain; the need for sabhya samvad or civil debates; and the tradition of Raksha Bandhan.

In more recent times, who can ever forget the song Zindagi bhar nahin bhoole gi woh barsaat ki raat, from the eponymous film Barsaat Ki Raat, where the ethereal Madhubala meets Bharat Bhushan, on a rain-filled night? (YouTube)

opinion

Published on Aug 13, 2022 05:38 PM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Just Like That | Notes on a literary paradise, poems, and Ghalib

A literature festival in the Maldives, a flight I spent reading a biography of Atal ji, and a conversation between Mirza Ghalib and Bahadur Shah Zafar.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee (L). Mirza Ghalib (R).

opinion

Published on Aug 06, 2022 05:22 PM IST

ByPavan K Varma

Essay: Lord Ram, the role model of the perfect human being, by Pavan K Varma

Pavan K Varma, author of a new book on the Ramcharitmanas, writes that in the face of the distortion of the image of Ram, it is imperative to understand what he stands for

A traditional poster of Ram, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman.(Shalini Saran/Getty Images)

books

Updated on Jun 01, 2020 03:14 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByPavan K Varma

Opinion | Why federalism can’t just be another slogan

Regional parties with powerful leaders are no longer subservient to the party at the Centre. Their priorities, too, have come to the fore.

A strong unitary spirit underlies Indian federalism.(Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

htls

Updated on Oct 04, 2018 12:16 PM IST

ByPavan K Varma

There was no ego attached to his creativity: Pavan K Varma on Vajpayee the poet

Atal Bihari Vajpayee wrote poetry, but there was never a sense of overriding ego attached to his creativity. He took his personal and public achievements lightly, with a sense of abandon, but without devaluing them in any way.

A 1980 photograph of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.(HT Photo)

india news

Updated on Aug 16, 2018 05:39 PM IST

New Delhi | ByPavan K Varma

Stop playing games with ourselves

A cold, hard look at our flaws that hold us back from exploiting our virtues. Pavan K Varma writes.

cities

Updated on Oct 02, 2010 10:19 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByPavan K Varma, New Delhi

A Date with MF Hussain

Any one who has come into contact with Hussain knows that he is a bit of a fakir. He goes where his muse takes him, says Pavan K Varma.

india news

Updated on Jun 04, 2005 03:37 PM IST

PTI | ByPavan K Varma, London

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Pavan K Varma

On what 19th century Delhi did in the winter months, and the launch of great Indian spook AS Dulat's and filmmaker Muzaffar Ali's memoirs.

Pranab was the quintessential witness to an era. Born in 1935, his career began as a clerk in the post and telegraph department in West Bengal and culminated as the 13th President of India

It is better to do what you are good at, not what you think you can do because our capabilities don't always match our interests. This note and a New Year lunch hosted by Shovana Narayan and Herbert Traxl

I take this opportunity to wish all readers a very happy New Year. Enjoy yourselves, stay safe, and try not to have a hangover!

Astrology is based on the movement of the planets. I am an agnostic: I neither fully believe nor entirely disbelieve. By now, I have learnt that there is infinitely more in life than our human mind can comprehend

At the cremation of a class fellow from St Stephens, what struck me afresh was the finality of death.

On Delhi, a cradle and the graveyard of empires; And Arun Bharatram, a successful and rounded businessman who brought Alam Khan to an Indian audience last week.

On our special relationship with the British as seen through the ‘superiority’ of the English language; and a recent trip to NIIT in Rajasthan, whose campus was particularly impressive.

Musings on the arrival of winter and travel across the countryside in India; on my dear friends Vinod and Chinna Dua who I lost during the second wave of the pandemic; and a recent, rewarding, lecture that I gave at RNTU

A bureaucrat will consider it blasphemy to call his senior anything but sir; most times, a sentence will begin and end with “sir”

Of the impact that Rajiv Gandhi used to make abroad, which I witnessed first-hand; and how Delhi's annual bad air problem led citizens to embrace macabre humour to cope.

On my visit to London where I saw the Kohinoor and learnt that it was not the only priceless stone that came to Britain from India. And a few days after SRK's birthday, recalling the story of the success of King Khan

On preserving the sanctity of Indian classical music – ragas — in our modern era; and the festivities, celebrations and moments of togetherness every year on Diwali

These are: MK Rasgotra, former foreign secretary; Karan Singh, politician, writer, poet, and statesman par excellence; KP Singh, chairman emeritus of real estate giant DLF; K Natwar Singh, former external affairs minister of India and writer, and Prem Prakash, founder of Asian News International

Remembering a serendipitous evening in my house with a very talented ghazal singer; necessary reading on the forced displacement caused by Partition; and young colleague's work in translating his grandfather's work.

Of Mahatma Gandhi, who, through his actions and appearance, spoke of the centrality of Indian culture and heritage during the freedom struggle; and Symbiosis University founder, SB Mujumdar, whose mission is education for all.

On examples of how Indians always find a way even in challenging situations; an anecdote on Captain Gopinath and Deccan Airways; and a recent, exciting Q&A on my book

Of how Khushwant Singh helped me — then, a novice writer — get my first book published; of Zail Singh's immeasurable wit; and of Malavika Sarukkai's gift of dance.

With Delhi Gymkhana Club in the news for the wrong reasons, I can't help but recall an incident in 1989, when I found its priorities askew. And remembering entrepreneur, art collector, educationist, philanthropist and my dear friend, the late Suresh Neotia, a few days after his birthday

Of the uniqueness of culture in a globalised world; a well-received play staged across countries that was inspired by a book I wrote; and an evening with Gulzar Saheb which involved an ill-equipped ambulance and several moments of panic

Of one of my first postings to a dictatorship, where people mocked leaders in private, and complied with the regime in public; and the release of a new book on the dilemma of doing the right thing even in very difficult circumstances.

On Gulzar Saheb, a close friend with a great sense of humour, who celebrated his 88th birthday; two landmark drama events of long-standing importance in Delhi; and the release of a new book on Kathak

Of Droupadi Murmu being the latest occupant of the Presidential Estate, which is a world unto itself; and my belief that there is a divine energy that some chosen few become a conduit of.

Of our love for dark clouds, darkened skies, and the rain; the need for sabhya samvad or civil debates; and the tradition of Raksha Bandhan.

A literature festival in the Maldives, a flight I spent reading a biography of Atal ji, and a conversation between Mirza Ghalib and Bahadur Shah Zafar.

Pavan K Varma, author of a new book on the Ramcharitmanas, writes that in the face of the distortion of the image of Ram, it is imperative to understand what he stands for

Regional parties with powerful leaders are no longer subservient to the party at the Centre. Their priorities, too, have come to the fore.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee wrote poetry, but there was never a sense of overriding ego attached to his creativity. He took his personal and public achievements lightly, with a sense of abandon, but without devaluing them in any way.

A cold, hard look at our flaws that hold us back from exploiting our virtues. Pavan K Varma writes.

Any one who has come into contact with Hussain knows that he is a bit of a fakir. He goes where his muse takes him, says Pavan K Varma.

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