The PM’s speech in Toronto contained the analogy that while India and Canada growing separately would be a2 + b2, when joined together in friendship they would be (a+b)2 which equals a2 +2ab+b2, with the synergy giving an extra 2ab.
Articles by Manas Chakravarty
The eleventh hour
Phew! Saved by a whisker. The apocalypse has been postponed. 11.11.11 has come and gone, without major mishap. A couple of good things happened, like Pippa Middleton ditching her boyfriend and being ready to mingle. Manas Chakravarty writes.
Updated on Nov 12, 2011 09:03 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Manas Chakravarty
No rhyme or reason
I'm very happy that AK Ramanujan's essay on the Ramayana has been dropped from the history syllabus at Delhi University.
Updated on Nov 05, 2011 11:16 PM IST
None | Manas Chakravarty
On a clean slate
'And we never write anything negative", says.....a teacher at the school. "Even if there is scope for improvement, it is put across in a positive manner"
Updated on Oct 29, 2011 11:12 PM IST
Thoda adjust kar lo
The government order is limited to allowing the use of common English terms in official Hindi work. But the floodgates have been opened and Hinglish may soon become our official language. Manas Chakravarty writes.
Updated on Oct 23, 2011 10:45 AM IST
None | Manas Chakravarty
The final frontier
The Starship Enterprise has burrowed through a wormhole and ended up in the early 21st century, in the vicinity of planet Earth. We are in geosynchronous orbit above an ancient civilisation called India, where we are observing some amazing goings on.
Updated on Oct 16, 2011 12:44 AM IST
None | Manas Chakravarty
Much riches in rags
Welcome to this conference on poverty. Let me begin by saying how touched I am with the concern for the poor shown by everybody. I'm happy the misunderstanding about the Planning Commission's definition of poverty has now been resolved. Manas Chakravarty writes.
Updated on Oct 08, 2011 11:40 PM IST
None | Manas Chakravarty
Grass-roots fascists
Last week, I discovered that fascism was alive and well in this country. No, I’m not referring to a right-wing political party. I’m talking about serving only vegetarian food in hospitals.
Updated on Oct 02, 2011 12:38 AM IST
None | Manas Chakravarty
Auditor who counts
The CGA and the CAG have nothing to do with the Commonwealth Games and they are not, as some think, the Commonwealth Games Agency and the Common-wealth Agency for Games respectively. Manas Chakravarty writes.
Updated on Sep 24, 2011 10:51 PM IST
None | Manas Chakravarty
Glint in his eye
I always knew the boss was a psycho, sitting in his corner office and hatching his evil plots. Seriously, though, my experience with bosses has been rather different. Most of them have been nice nutcases, rather than psychopaths, writes Manas Chakravarty.
Updated on Sep 18, 2011 01:51 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Manas Chakravarty
Loojh Canawn
I've been reading the rot people have been talking about West Bengal's name change to Paschimbanga and it's time to set the record straight.
Updated on Sep 03, 2011 10:25 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Manas Chakravarty
Angels and demons
Ramlila has come early to Delhi this year. The epic drama of the victory of good over evil is celebrated every year, culminating in the burning of a huge effigy of the ten-headed demon king Ravana. But the recent celebrations have been absolutely fantastic. Manas Chakravarty writes.
Updated on Aug 28, 2011 02:05 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Manas Chakravarty
Mad tea partymen
After the government's excellent imitation of a headless chicken last week, I was intrigued about how they actually managed it. A shady fellow claiming to be a sub-assistant-private secretary has since provided me with the minutes of the meetings of the core group of bigwigs.
Updated on Aug 20, 2011 11:05 PM IST
None | Manas Chakravarty
Such alien notions
A discussion on the economic crisis in the Lok Sabha started to run down “western culture”, Facebook and homosexuality. Hindustan Times, August 11.
Updated on Aug 13, 2011 11:05 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Manas Chakravarty
No visiting rights
I usually enjoy my trips to Delhi. I put up at the company guest house near Connaught Place and gape at the city on my way from the airport. I goggle at the wide tree-lined roads, the unending flyovers, the imposing buildings and sigh with immense satisfaction. This is what our capital city should look like, I think, this is a place fit for the rulers of a billion people. Manas Chakravarty writes.
Updated on Aug 26, 2011 04:06 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Manas Chakravarty
Losing their heads
Suresh Kalmadi may or may not have dementia, but if what his lawyer says is true and he has had the disease for years, then it’s very worrying. Manas Chakravarty writes.
Updated on Jul 30, 2011 10:28 PM IST
None | Manas Chakravarty
Snooze permanently
If things work to plan, India's finance minister may not have much to do in a budget 20 years from now. Columnist Manas Chakravarty comes with this FM tune for 2031.
Updated on Jul 24, 2011 12:14 AM IST
None | Manas Chakravarty
A quote of arms
The Supreme Court is facing a lot of criticism for its judgement on Salwa Judum, but I think they've done a wonderful job of quoting Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. Manas Chakravarty writes.
Updated on Jul 23, 2011 10:09 PM IST
None | Manas Chakravarty
From a Mumbaikar
I am a resilient Mumbaikar. I am used to facing bomb blasts. I think nothing of bodies ripped apart by flying shrapnel, of blood in the streets, of friends and relatives who fail to come back home, writes Manas Chakravarty.
Updated on Jul 17, 2011 01:43 AM IST
None | Manas Chakravarty
Breaking the spell
‘With the name of West Bengal, we face grave administrative problems. For example, in meetings of representatives from various states, our turn comes at the end since the name starts with the letter ‘W’. In fact, people doze off when we rise to speak.’ Manas Chakravarty writes.
Updated on Jul 09, 2011 09:46 PM IST
None | Manas Chakravarty
Gum maro gum
“My office and conference tables… had some foreign-looking substances”-The finance minister to ET Now
Updated on Jul 02, 2011 11:17 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Manas Chakravarty
Lost but not found
One of the burning topics at the moment is whether the Prime Minister should be under the lokpal bill. I would respectfully like to point out that, for him to be in any bill, we have to find him first. For where exactly is the prime minister? Manas Chakravarty writes.
Updated on Jun 25, 2011 11:09 PM IST
None | Manas Chakravarty
Ah, youthful spirits!
‘Young people in Mumbai are saying you’ve done a very silly thing by raising the age limit for buying alcohol to 25. They’re saying if they can get married and vote before 25, why can’t they get drunk?’ I asked the minister.
Updated on Jun 18, 2011 10:36 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Manas Chakravarty
Feasting on fasts
An epidemic of fasting has broken out. It isn’t just Baba Ramdev who, at the time of writing this, was all set to go on an indefinite fast.
Updated on Jun 04, 2011 11:35 PM IST
None | Manas Chakravarty
Pass on the class
Here's the draft of the speech by an IIT dean welcoming this year's freshers:
Updated on May 29, 2011 12:18 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Manas Chakravarty
The Indo-Pak letters
Here's the alleged correspondence on the Most Wanted list by the ministry of home affairs, handed over to me by a chap smoking something interesting.
Updated on May 21, 2011 10:50 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Manas Chakravarty
Hysterical materialism
Letter to Prakash Karat from a party worker:
Updated on May 15, 2011 04:48 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Manas Chakravarty
Bin Laden, done that
More and more details of the US operation to kill terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden are now being revealed. Sources say that Osama’s last words, uttered just before being gunned down, were “Et tu, Kayani?”. Manas Chakravarty writes.
Updated on May 07, 2011 10:55 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Manas Chakravarty
Those were the daze
Why has it taken the people of West Bengal 34 years to challenge the Left Front? To find an answer to that question, I travelled to the state recently. Manas Chakravarty writes.
Updated on Apr 30, 2011 10:24 PM IST
None | Manas Chakravarty
A bill of goods
A few years after the Lokpal Bill has become law…
Updated on Apr 24, 2011 12:56 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Manas Chakravarty
Knots and crosses
JD(U) MP Mangani Lal Mandal … told the High Court here [in Patna] he doesn’t know how many wives he has. Manas Chakravarty writes.
Updated on Apr 17, 2011 12:48 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Manas Chakravarty