Smita Prakash

Home » Articles . 2010

India's 'Pak Policy of Good Hope' 2010 6 10

New Delhi, June 10, 2010 (ANI): With little over a month left for the meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan, New Delhi appears keen on taking its relationship with Islamabad forward, and is realistic about its expectations but not overly ambitious about the talks process.

In the post-26/11 period, New Delhi found that its decision to stop all interaction with Pakistan was not delivering the expected response or results. In the Indian Government's view, Pakistan's reluctance to move on the 26/11 investigations, Hafeez Saeed and the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) did not inspire confidence, but not talking, also was not improving matters.

Now, however, in view of the positive and conciliatory statements emanating from Islamabad, there is optimism, hope and confidence about forward movement on resuming dialogue.

Maoist Ops- Just Do It 2010 6 3

2 June 2010

Solve it, and if it means calling in the Army, then so be it. The Prime Minister on Tuesday said the government would fight terrorism "root and branch" and that the 'writ of the state" would be firmly enforced.

The fact that it was necessary to say this is proof enough that there are pockets in this country where the writ of the state is not being enforced.

And, it is certainly jungle law when 76 personnel of a paramilitary force are blown up in broad daylight. India didn't lose so many soldiers in any one single operation against enemy forces in the 1999 Kargil War.

Lit-fest in Kerala? Why not Delhi 2010 6 3

New Delhi, June 3, 2010 (ANI): The first every Hay Festival of Literature and Arts is going to be held in Kerala this November and not in the capital, New Delhi. A three-day event, this festival is expected to "showcase Indian writing to an international audience" according to Sanjoy K. Roy of Teamwork Productions who is bringing the festival to Kerala.

Kerala met all the requirements according to the organizers. The state is Communist but not Maoist so it has no law and order issues. Kerala is also blessed, say the organizers, with backwaters, great cuisine and err... Ayurveda massage. Fine, but Delhi has so much more. Have you even tried Butter Chicken with Butter Naan and Butter Dal at Pandara Market? Meen Moiley with its subtle fragrances is nothing compared to the overwhelming swamping of the taste buds that takes places when you rip out a chunky piece of the orange tandoori chicken at Changezi in Punjabi Bagh. And what is your aapam compared to Delhi's paneer dosa? that perfect bastardization of the south-Indian delicacy.

PMs' and those Press Conferences 2010 5 20

New Delhi, May 20, 2010 (ANI) Dr. Manmohan Singh will address the first formal press conference of his second term as Prime Minister on May 24 here. The Prime Minister's Media Advisor, Harish Khare, will conduct the press conference where over a thousand reporters and photographers are expected to be present.

Though, the Prime Minister has addressed the media on several occasions when traveling abroad, he is reticent when it comes to interacting with the press at home. This is inexplicable, because Dr. Singh's press conferences are a no-stress affair for the media and have never generated controversies.

He speaks at great length, does not snap at uncomfortable questions and explains his point of view gently and self-effacingly to even the junior-most of reporters.

The OMG moment of PM Singh’s day 2010 4 13

Washington, Apr.13 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had a busy day Monday at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington D.C.

He had long meetings with the heads of government of Morroco, Kazhakstan and Canada. But, at the end of the day, what grabbed attention of the Indian and Pakistani media delegations was his under a minute handshake with the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Yusuf Raza Gilani.

Washington, April 13, 2010 (ANI): Article after article from across the globe and think tanks around the world are expressing the opinion that if this nuclear security summit in Washington DC is about securing nuclear weapons so as to ensure that they do not find their way into the hands of non-state actors, then why isn’t Pakistan being hauled up.

A report by Harvard University's Belfer Centre for Science and International Affairs, titled Securing the Bomb, said Pakistan's stockpile "faces a greater threat from Islamic extremists seeking nuclear weapons than any other nuclear stockpile on earth".

PM sends greetings on Baisakhi 2010 4 13

Washington, April 13, 2010 (ANI): The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, sent his good wishes to the country on the occasion of Baisakhi.

He was speaking to the media in Washington DC at the conclusion of the two-day Nuclear Security Summit.

He said “This is a new year in several parts of the country and I convey my greetings to people back home and Non-Resident Indians.

India will get access to Headley: Obama 2010 4 12

Washington, April 12, 2010 (ANI): The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, and US President Barack Obama had a 50-minute meeting at Blair House here on Sunday afternoon, during which the American President assured the Indian side that it would get access to David Headley, one of suspects involved in scouting potential targets for Pakistan-based terrorists prior to the26/11 attack in Mumbai.

Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said: “They (the US) were working through the legal system on the issue of provision of access to Headley.”

Describing the summit meeting as “extremely positive and constructive”, Ms. Rao said that President Obama was sensitive to India’s concerns.

Grid locked DC welcomes its guests with a grrrr 2010 4 12

Washington, April 12, 2010 (ANI): Interacting with media at a roundtable meeting here, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Monday he needed more evidence from India about the Lashkar-e-Toiba militant group being behind the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai.

Emphatically stating that Pakistani soil would not be used for extremist activity, and particularly for attacks on neighbouring India, Gilani said: “We don’t want our soil used against any country and neither would we allow somebody else’s soil to be used against Pakistan.” Confirming that President Barack Obama had raised the issue of the Lashkar-e-Taiba and its alleged role in 26/11 with him during their meeting on Sunday, Gilani said Pakistan has already banned several extremist groups and even frozen their bank accounts.

Washington, April 12, 2010 (ANI): The two-day global nuclear security summit hosted by the United States opened in Washington D.C. on Monday morning. Forty-seven countries are participating in this meet, which has the issue of nuclear terrorism at its center.

The United State’s aim is to enlist as many nations as possible to help secure all unsecured nuclear materials, which could fall into the hands of terrorists, within four years. President Barack Obama said: “The single biggest threat to U.S. security, in the short-term, medium-term and long-term, would be the possibility of a terrorist organization obtaining a nuclear weapon.”

New Delhi, April 7, 2010 (ANI):

Jean Antheleme Brillat-Savarin, in his 1825 work, The Physiology of Taste, wrote, "Tell me what you eat and I will tell you who you are." Our current leaders do not talk much about what their dietary preferences are, though everybody knows that the Father of the Nation survived on the bare minimum and the satvik bhojan that he partook of was a major reason for the disciplined life that he led.

No Drama Obama and MMS style similar 2010 4 2

London, Apr.2, 2010 (ANI): On day two, the three thousand journalists who have come from around the world to cover the G-20 summit are all but acutely aware of the difference in styles of the current US President Barack Obama and his predecessor George W. Bush.

There is no backslapping, chummy chummy shoulder massage, or man-hugs with Obama. He is reserved, but warm. A style that is similar to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who is never effusive, however warm his ties with world leaders. Bush and Singh had a warm chemistry, but all the demonstrativeness of warmth came from Bush, not Singh Obama's interactions bordered on the awkward. They both began with their customary reserved ness but then, their attempt to be humorous at the press conference fell flat. The geekiness that typifies Obama's style left no room for chumminess with Brown though they were on a first name basis from the word goes.

««PREV

NEXT»»

About me

I am the Editor News, at Asian News International (ANI), India's leading Multimedia News Agency and the India Correspondent for Channel News Asia, a Singapore based broadcaster.

	Bihar - Patna
	The ruins of Nalanda University lie 90 kilometres south east Patna city in Eastern India
	In India, Bihar is often called the 'area of darkness'
More..