Without malice towards Khushwant Singh

Khushwant Singh, the grand old daddy of Indian journalism, is still standing tall and writing big at the ripe old age of 98. In a country presided over by a Sikh gentleman, and another overseeing the working of the Planning Commission, Khushwant Singh is one of the most recognizable Sikh faces in not just India, but the world.

I recently finished reading a collection of Khushwant Singh's essays and profiles (Why I Supported the Emergency: Essays and Profiles), and my word, I was blown away. In a media world filled with hypocrites and writers with views as fickle as a hysterical female, Khushwant Singh serves a reminder that honest and unbiased writing still exists. 

With great power comes great power

I recently had the good fortune of being part of a VIP entourage and their visit to Varanasi for one Sunday. My aunt, a high ranking government official, was in town for a meeting and I had been invited to tag along with her a few of her colleagues, a senior IAS officer and an MP, no less, as they explored the wonderful city I've been living in for the past 3 years. 

It was an eye opening experience as I got to see first hand the power wielded by such officers based simply on their association with the central government of India. Coming from a family with a history of government service, anecdotes glorifying the privileged position enjoyed by many of these officers had always been commonplace for me. But to see (and enjoy!) such treatment first hand is a different matter altogether.