april 2024. `50 the bullet ball! mayank yadav is the new rocket star in cricket defence agni 5: the big game changer. a mirvalous achievement governance najeeb jung on arvind kejriwal india today digital public infrastructure for the use and benefit of all: modi and gates in conversation

in this issue voices ..................................................................................................... 4 april 2024. `50 elections 2024 the shifting sands of politics. run up to ‘d’ day this june 2024 .................................................................................... 6 india today digital public infrastructure for the use and benefit of all: modi and gates in conversation .................................10 governance najeeb jung on arvind kejriwal ...............................................14 economy 3 important reforms sanjeev sanyal wishes to see for india in viksit bharat .....................................................................18 defence agni 5: a mirvalous achievement ......................................... 22 personality the ‘queen’ with gut and a heart! ........................................26 india global japan honours for amitabh kant...........................................28 travel 'made in india' vfs looks at india's decade as global destination for investments and travel ................31 india global ftas: india’s track record. how present agreements may be different?............................................... 32 health apollo hospitals unveils the 1st zap-x in south asia ... 35 india global ten years of pm modi’s foreign policy .................................36 tourism should outbound travel get a similar scheme like udan for domestic? ................................................................... 40 understanding 10 years of pm modi and india’s tryst with tourism ........................................................................ 44 sports gets a rousing start with bollywood stars rocking! .... 46 ipl: players to watch out for .................................................... 52 cuisine going high-end vegetarian with vir sanghvi ..................58 lifestyle the evolution of an indian kitchen .......................................62 time out jazz and more with arjun, the piano man! ........................66 creative arts the camera, my second love: says artist sanjay bhattacharyya .................................................................................68 outdoors unforgettable and rare ..............................................................70 destination india is a monthly magazine edited and printed by navin berry on behalf of cross section media pvt. ltd, 401, surya kiran building, new delhi-110001. it is printed at advantage offset, naraina, new delhi-110028. registered with rni under reference 28908/1976. all enquiries can be addressed to connect@diconversations.com the bullet ball! mayank yadav is the new rocket star in cricket defence agni 5: the big game changer. a mirvalous achievement governance najeeb jung on arvind kejriwal india today digital public infrastructure for the use and benefit of all: modi and gates in conversation every other day is propping up a new winner. on his own day, either unplayable or unbeatable, such is the depth of talent on display. you dare not discount any of the 100 odd players in the fray. it is the big festival of cricket, a celebra- tion of india’s most passionate pursuit, other than discussing politics, that is, cricket over rides all else. parallels with politics are easy as players switch sides as do politicians. each season brings its own loyalties, very often in sharp positioning with an earlier avatar. cricket is pure entertainment, much fun and lucrative for all. it is also serious business, as the results can make or mar, for this season, or even for good. there are winners and losers, too. so, with the first fortnight into this season, one sees numerous new faces and names not heard of before; ipl is another factory that nurtures and produces talent, fosters a rare sense of competition among players who are also friends, who may have played in the another team last season, who might be together in the next! politics is a career for most of them in the fray, besides a sprinkling of industrialists, film stars, sportsmen, and others. but mostly it is career politicians, also and equally going for a jump up in their careers. it is the unfolding of the great indian political stock exchange, as one news channel calls it. we have learnt the world over that individuals count, leadership counts, political parties count; the future of nations hinges upon its leadership. the political run up has just begun, with almost two more months to go. it matters to the nation, as to who wins, and what policies are pursued, as it matters globally as well, considering the attention that india has attracted in recent years. india’s interaction with the global community has reached a never before level. in town was bill gates, in an exclusive engagement with pm modi; the production of agni 5 is a game changer for india’s defence; a former and senior diplomat reviews the successful conduct of our foreign policy in the last decade. navin berry editor destination india | april 2024 | 3

voices shabaash! thank god for the capricious royals on to some more salacious and sizzling breaking news: at the time of writing, kate middleton was still missing. people asked me: “are you her chaachi? why do you care where she is; no, dearies, i am not the chaachi of the future queen of england, but i am madly interested in the story of her disappearance, now that a fresh angle has been introduced and one more conspiracy theory added. i’m spilling the tea like any other neigh- bourhood aunty with no other kaam dhanda: if indeed the 40-year-old sarah rose hanbury, mother of three (official title: marchioness of chol- mondeley- -and no, it’s not in tamil nadu, but norfolk), the rumoured mistress of prince william, is indeed pregnant with his child, will the offspring be officially ‘next in line’ for the throne - provided, of course, that the throne continues to exist??? just asking for a friend. thank god for the capricious royals -- life would be so dull without their daily dalliances! – instagram handle @shobhaade; twitter handle @deshobhaa nepal names pokhara tourism capital, to urge china to operate more flights signalling that nepal will seek china’s help in development, prime minister pushpa kamla dahal sunday said he would urge china to treat the pokhara international airport as a “grant project” from its side and operate regular commercial flights to and from china. prime minister prachan- da made t he a n nouncement at pok hara while declaring it the “tourism capital of nepal”. the pokhara international airport built by china was declared ready for commercial operation in january 2022, but remained unused ever since, as the governments of nepal and china have conflicted over wheth- er it was a project under the belt and road initiative or not, with nepal sticking to the latter status. the announcement coincided with ne- pal’s final preparation to secure chinese aid to build the nepal-china industrial friendship park in nearly 4,000 acres, with the possibility of it extending to 6,600 acres in east nepal’s jhapa along north bengal border. the park and a 327-megawatt upper marsyangdi hydroenergy project are likely to be formalised at kathmandu’s investment summit on april 29-30, pradhyunna upad- hyaya, spokesperson of the nepal investment board told the indian express. can changing looks change your soul? karan johar’s barbed remarks set netizens speculating. controversies and karan johar go hand-in-hand. the filmmaker, known for his blunt comments and making stars spill the beans on their private life on his show, has shared a cryptic post on social media about people undergoing surgery to enhance their looks. he wrote that “fillers cannot give fulfil- ment, neither can make-up defy age. a nose job won’t help you smell better and botox only makes you look bee stung. you may try to change your looks by going under the knife, but that won’t help you change your soul”. everyone is now wondering who his comments are directed at. one cannot help but review everyone in his circle who has gone under the knife to enhance their look. – the delhi age destination india | april 2024 | 5

any poll, any survey is not likely to tell us the end result. just look back at 2019. it seemed to be going close but in the slog overs, all the remaining results came in favour of the ruling bjp, and the pm returned from kedarnath from his prayers, more than answered. new issues emerging, new areas of con- cern; will these create only more confusion in the minds of the voter? if we thought we had sorted out our answers to all the known issues, new ones are emerging closer to the ‘d’ day. clouding further the average mind. so, will the real issues get sidetracked? instead of trying to win, would the opposi- tion be left to fight with their backs against the wall? instead of attacking, are they being reduced to defending their turf? if you look at the media, this is all what it is about: kejriwal, congress accounts and notices, and some such. the bigger issues facing the nation do not appear to be in the frontline. the ‘conscience’ weighs heavier in times like these what is the other major news these days? it is how netas are crossing the floor! with such impunity and such bravado, like it was a hero come back, like it was a call of duty that could not be denied, like it was a last-minute call of conscience to serve the nation. no doubts in the mind, no explanation required, it is just a sudden decision, to serve the nation best. not individuals only, even political parties en masse. some have been high profile, some surprising as well. each is finding his feet in the quicksand. the matter has become so routine that it is not even worrying anyone anymore. some will get voted for themselves, some as the new party candidate which they have joined, as they believe the party has the edge, with ‘a single magical name’, that will get them elected. the “modi ki guarantee” does give that assurance, in large parts of the country! switching allegiance has become so routine, that there are friends, of many years, in politics and i cannot recall which party they are in at present. but then does it matter, you might ask? is the average citizen insulated from the political game? that is another point of view. worth mentioning here. how many lives are really impacted by the politics of the day? there are knowledgeable people who believe the economy is on a roll, on the back of an aspira- tional middle class that wants to better their lives, has become more intensely competitive and simply wants to work. increasingly, they are taking up enterprise, not just taking jobs. so long as they are allowed destination india | april 2024 | 7

democracy not the rule of the majority? can we at this juncture, when we are ready to roll as an emerging global player, can we afford so many discordant voices? can we lose sight of our need to develop and grow? is there any consensus that we can arrive at? in so many matters, i dare say, there may not be so many disagreements. it is the few areas like oft repeated allegations and concerns: the ‘indiscriminate and selective use of government agencies’ that the opposition is protesting. but the government would say, it is the independent agencies that are doing their job, there is no law that says they should rest awhile because elections are on hand! so, the differences continue to fester. one wishes, some of these differences can be narrowed down! our two planks should be development and defence, nothing else should matter! development that is inclusive and comprehensive; defence that ensures safety and security of our people. a happy family in which we are all indians it is the shifting sands in politics. getting mired so deep, that any calculations would be futile. every day brings news of fresh adjust- ments. how will these trickle down to actual votes? which party will effectively communicate its mandate to its own committed voters? how much will deep fake and blatant use of ai to mis-communicate work? more and more, social media skills have become an important tool to engage as well as disengage, to inform as well as misinform. who has the funds to spend? all this costs money and literally tonnes of it. is there a downside to too much advertising? is there an optimum that a voter can stomach and is that any extra brings fatigue? in terms of maths, numbers are not coming easy, as yet. some alli- ances will cost votes, others will win votes. what will be the net result. how much the winners of 2019 in the states retain their share and win again in 2024? how much does individual bias play a part when we forecast this election? who has the pulse of the nation with him? but honestly, how much does it matter how many numbers come one’s way? so long as you are on the winning side. in all this game, truth has become the first casualty. is there a growing unemployment? is the farmer restive? have we managed to pull out more people out of the poverty line? government schemes have been plenty, innovative and meaningful. schemes like dbt, push for uti, and more. but how much have they impacted lives, in terms of numbers across the hinterland? meanwhile, gst figures have shown a most robust buoyancy, reflecting more commerce, trade and business. the answers are not too far off, just another 60 days to go, before a new government gets elected. one can only hope that once this phase is over, we will settle down to accepting the results, as they come, find what is the other major news these days? it is how netas are crossing the floor! not individ- uals only, even political parties en masse. some have been high profile, some surprising as well. each is finding his feet in the quicksand. meaningful silence, understand and accept that not everything is politics, there are national concerns that override politics, and put the emphasis back to where it should be: development and inclusive growth in our so- ciety. a happy family in which all are indians, above all else. a bou t t h e au t hor navin berry, editor, destination india, over five decades has edited publications like cityscan, india debates and travel trends today. he is the founder of satte, india's first inbound tourism mart, biggest in asia. destination india | april 2024 | 9

with the best hospitals. initially the patients wondered how can they be accurately diagnosed without a doctor physically examining them but later they understood with the right technological instruments even a doctor sitting hundreds of kilometers away can indeed diagnose them correctly. so, people’s confidence is increasing. this is the power of digital platforms. and secondly, education, i want to provide the best education to children. i want to use technology to bring quality education and fill in the gaps. additionally, we are working towards aligning content with children’s interest in visuals, storytelling and we are creating that kind of content. even in agriculture we are bringing a big revolution where i want to change the mindset. bi l l g at e s: in one of the themes, i think india brings to technology is that it should be available for everyone actually, lifting up those who need it the most. modi: when i used to hear about digital divide in the world, i used to think that i will not let anything like this happen in my country. and digital public infrastructure is a big requirement in itself. today i want to extend this digital facility to all our villages. so, i think that is a very big target group. women are more open to adopting new technology in india. i have launched a program – namo drone didi, empowering 15,000 women led self-help groups with drones and this has two goals. firstly, i would like to make 3 crore women ‘lakhpati’ didi in indian villages. so, i want to make that psychological change and make a big impact. secondly, i don’t want women to be limited in the same age-old tasks and hand them technology instead. i need to modernize agricul- ture and make it scientific. it is running very successfully. i spoke with many people from african countries, i told them that i am ready to help you in this because it gives equal opportunity to everyone and its main point is to democratize. even during covid, we had the cowin app to book your slot and also get your certificate within seconds. it was open source; anyone could use it. in my experience, digi- tal technology has significantly benefitted our country. india will be the leader in the 4th industrial revolution through digital advancements. g at e s: i think the key point is that the digital infrastructure keeps getting richer. a lot of people know about the identity system and the digital payment systems, and that the government, by taking virtually all the government payment programmes now and digitizing those, that alone saved a lot of money. and it created access on a more equal basis. but now as you’re moving into the different areas, advice for farmers registering their land, tutoring for kids and the health records, connecting all of those, that’s kind of a second phase. and we’re just at the beginning now, the third phase where these advances in artificial intelligence will come on top of that and make the value even better. m o d i: you are right, ai is very important. let me share an exciting our foundational approach is that we have democratized technology to prevent monopoly. it is by the people and for the people and we have committed to ensure that emerging talents from within the community can continuously contribute and enhance its value to foster trust in technology among people. narendra modi i think the key point is that the digital infrastructure keeps getting richer. a lot of people know about the identity system and the digital payment systems, and that the government, by taking virtually all the government payment programmes now and digitizing those, that alone saved a lot of money. bill gates destination india | april 2024 | 11

ai is very important. let me share an exciting use of ai. during g20, we leveraged ai extensively. our g20 campus featured ai-based solutions for language interpretation. it had a build in translation for all languages. now, i am using my namo app and its very useful. narendra modi obama, you and i and the president of france met and discussed our strategy. regrettably, our efforts did not progress significantly. however, post g20, the atmosphere has fostered a collective resolve towards climate responsibility. a foundation we laid together with your involve- ment being instrumental, i’m optimistic that these efforts will flourish. india has fast tracked use of renewable energy: solar energy, wind energy, we are eager to accelerate in the nuclear sector. similarly, our ambitions extend to making significant progress in green hydrogen. green hydrogen boat will run from kashi to ayodhya to support the clean gange movement. g at e s: well, india brings to climate change a rich history of caring about the environment. how do you see connecting those? m o d i: reuse – recycle are second nature to india. the jacket i am wearing is crafted from recycled materials, using scraps of cloth and recycled plastic to create this fabric. g at e s: the innovation both here in india and the world is coming along are the goals that we set. you know, staying below 1.5 degrees, we probably will miss that. even two degrees isn’t going to be so easy. and the thing you and i really emphasized in paris is the need for innovation. if the green approach can be made as cheap or cheaper than the old approach, then the adoption will be very good. if it’s more expensive, it’s not clear who’s going be willing to pay for that. should the rich countries pay for that. it’s not fair to tell india to slow down, building basic infrastructure just because the west had those emissions. m o d i: i believe we should adopt a two-pronged strategy. first is in- novation and the goal should be to evaluate environment friendly and climate friendly innovations. to this end, india has established a corpus fund of rs 1 lakh crore in this budget. inviting the younger generations to contribute innovative ideas, offering interest free loans for 50 years to support these innovations. there is another important thing we need to focus on is our lifestyle. that’s why i started mission life. it urges people to take action towards environmental protection and conserva- tion. we need to make our life choices and measure progress in ways that are friendly to the climate. g at e s: i’ve been interested in your discussions about green gdp. tell us more. m o d i: i believe that the world should develop the concept of green gdp to measure. for example, how much of our gdp is a green gdp or out of overall employment, what’s the ratio of green jobs out there. we need to change terminology globally. gat e s: now getting consumers involved in this, where they prefer the product that’s the clean product. when they’re buying a car when, when they’re buying any product and changing their food consumption, even if they don’t go all the way to be a vegetarian they can eat less beef and more chicken or less chicken and more fish. you know, they can moderate quite a bit. and we know that also has some health benefit as well. m o d i: not only that. i believe even in vege- tarian diets improvement is needed. such as including millets. it can grow on barren land, with minimum water and no requirement of fertilizer and it’s a superfood. it is also increas- ing the income of the small farmers. g at e s: well, during the pandemic, it was fantastic that the vaccines got invented and india made a lot of those. sadly, in many countries, the fear of vaccination and even rumours about vaccines became a big problem. and you had actually very little of that here in india. so, i’m curious, how did you manage the communication and why do you think it came out better here? m o d i: it’s a great question. firstly, i empha- sized that our fight against the virus involves everyone. this is not virus vs government; it is life vs virus. secondly, i began to commu- nicate openly with the nation from day one. i publicly followed all covid-19 protocols to gain people’s trust. i made clarion calls to clap, light a ‘diya’ despite some ridicule, it was crucial for me to unite everyone in this fight. once the intent was set of protecting themselves and others around, it turned into a mass movement. in democracy, collaboration and education drive progress and take people along with you. and this played a significant role in the success of our vaccination campaign where people did not resist. in the future, we aim to encourage vaccination for all girls to prevent cervical cancer and put funds towards local research as well. there was more to this conversation, which we are editing for reasons of space. read more on the youtube channel of pm narendra modi. destination india | april 2024 | 13

the lg? and frankly speaking i dont think its constitutionally possible or morally ethical and i do not think it is practical at all. k a r a n t h a pa r: in other words, you are saying that this claim that he will function from jail as chief minister is bravado, and you are also saying it runs the risk of president’s rule being declared and mr. kejriwal being dismissed by the governor? naj e e b j u ng: yes. i think the statement is quite nonsensical. i think they’re aware of the risks, and perhaps this is election time. they may be prepared to take the risk. the party comes out heroically, arvind stays in jail, and they take all the advantages of him being a martyr. k a r a n t h a pa r: now, mr. jung, you had your own run-ins with kejriwal during the period when you were the lg of dehi and he was chief minister of the city, but those run-ins were over what i would call extension of authority, not corruption, not any form of illegality. so, let me ask, what was your opinion of arvind kejriwal as chief minister during the period when he worked under you? n aj e e b j u ng: arvind was chief minister twice in my period. the first time for 49 days, and the other being from 2015 to end of 2016. it was a period when he was exercising unnecessary muscle. i think that he had much to learn. there was great excitement in his party and him, and they were refusing, and i use the word refusing to abide by consti- tutional laws and the way the rules are to be followed. i had to tell him several times that what cannot be done cannot be done. but more than that i think he was heading for trouble because of the way he treated his civil servants. the home secretary was abused, the secretary gad was locked out of his room, a lady chief secretary was called corrupt in a public meeting. and even danics officers of the delhi secretariat went on a one day strike. that is pretty unprecedented in the country. so, it was all excitement. it was a sense of new found power. it was, i think, a level of immaturity. but he seems to have outgrown that. you said my run-ins were on constitutional matters. yes. we had to form, as you remember, the shunglu committee where some 4,000 files were sent to mr. shun- glu, the former cag. and he found, i think my memory is not very good; some 400-odd files where he saw the constitution had not been followed. that left us in a very piquant situation on how to remedy actions that had been taken because actually the rules and constitution had not been followed and actions taken on incorrect orders. k a r a n t h a pa r: but you’re saying that in those early years, the first year and a half of his chief ministership, he was often immature, you use that word yourself? n aj e e b j u n g: yes. he was extremely excitable, and he could have done with a higher level of maturity. personally, i think arvind kejriwal has always been a clean man in his personal life. i do not think that he was ever personally dishonest, but it’s been what eight years since i resigned. things may have changed. there may be political compulsions, i really don’t know, but the man i knew was certainly not dishonest. he had many other aberrations in his personality, but this was not one of them. it’s absolutely impossible for any chief minister to function from jail. numerous files are going to him for approvals etc. there are secretaries going to him. there are cabinet meetings to be held, and above all, there are citizens of delhi that need to see their chief minister. so, you can’t have special arrangements in jail for x, y, z. najeeb jung k a r a n t h a pa r: now, if you had been the lt. governor of delhi today, would you have given permission for kejriwal, a sitting chief minister, to be investigated and ultimately arrested for alleged corruption and money laundering? or might you have thought twice authorized before doing so? n a j e e b j u n g : i don’t know the level of charges really. i don’t know the level of his involvement. i don’t even know if legally the enforcement directorate is expected to take permission from the lt. governor. but i do know that in the present circumstances this morning, i would have asked the chief sec- destination india | april 2024 | 15

way of progress has been diminished. but that doesn’t mean that we have improved the bureaucracy. the bureaucracy is still the same one, it is just that its ability to damage the economy is less. but we now need to flip it on its head and to build a bureaucracy that actually delivers services. and there’s no point in arguing with an individual bureaucrat. the whole system is set up for control, not service delivery. so, i think we need to shift this so that we can focus much more on service delivery rather than controlling the bureaucracy. and so that requires a different mindset, the way we set it up and so on. and so, there’s a whole new area of work on administrative reform that needs to be done. the third big area of reform, where the government actually has a limited role, it really has to be done by the judiciary, is to get the judicial system to work faster. we have an absurd situation where 50 million cases are stuck in the legal system. the old cliche about ‘tareeq pe tare- eq’, that has to go. we need a modernized legal system. and i’ve argued for years that, if there’s one area that needs to get reformed, the biggest gains will be from better enforcement of contracts, delivery of justice, and so on. so, these would be really three big areas that i would do. there’s of course, other reforms to be done, but i think the last big area of reform, which is not a specific reform, but actually a type of reform, which is process reforms. so, throughout the government there are large numbers of processes that can need to be revisited. there are departments that need to be shut down, which have outlived their utility and so on. so there has to be a big cleanup of the administrative system. in addition to the administrative reform that i was talking about. there has to be a process re-evaluation, a process re-engineering of the govern- ment itself. this is not true just of the government. every institution in the country or every government in the world needs to do this from time first of all, i think the infrastruc- ture build out has to continue. we, at the very early stages of this build, are building out the high- ways, the ports, et cetera now, but there are lots of other things. water supply, garbage clearance, there’s a lot of other infrastructure that needs to be built. if you are thinking in terms of growth momentum, i have argued for many, many years that sustained growth is always driven by investment, not by consumption. so, we need to have a long consumption cycle and i think we are in a position to sustain this. investment rate is already above 32% of gdp. and i think we could, we could slowly bring that up over the next decade or so to somewhat higher level. that will mean, of course, that savings rates will also go up. to time. and we have, over the last decade or so, done quite a lot of it. lots of old laws have been gotten rid of and so on. but what we now need to get on to do, doing this in a systematic way inside departments, you see, cannot it, it, you know, a lot of it has been top down driven, but really ministries need to own this and do it in a routine basis. and some of that is hap- pening in some parts, not in others. so, i think we need a big sort of process reform agenda, which seeps into the whole government pro- cess so that we are continuously cleaning up processes, laws and so on. and that has to be done in an institutionalized way. destination india | april 2024 | 19

that there is a lot of upliftment from poverty, lower middle classes coming towards middle class, middle classes moving higher. what is your observation around that? because one section of the people also believe that it’s very k-shaped recovery. only the upper band is actually seeing high growth, lower part of the k is not. but this data, where do you stand on that debate? so, you will remember that the people who are saying k-recovery are all the people, also the people who are predicting 5% growth at max, right? so, you should go and ask them about their maths because as you yourself pointed out, not just sbi, there are lots of other indicators we have got as far as you know, whether it is consumption band. we have got the niti aayog’s multi-level data on poverty. all of them indicate that poverty is being removed at a very rapid pace. it’s not disappeared, but the very extreme parts of it have now become very small. there’s of course lots of poverty still in india, and there is still need to maintain this momentum over a longer period of time. but i think jobs are being creat- ed, unemployment rate as far as the latest plfs is drifting downwards. the game really is not whether the numbers are good now, whether or not we can compound it over time and to over 25 years, in fact if you want to be a developed country. so, i think the real issue is not whether we are generating good numbers now. that we are and i get into point- less debates with people who clearly have repeatedly not been able to give the correct prognosis of the economy, but to get into the argument about why and how we could keep this going for 25 years. and in that case, right at the beginning, we discussed the reforms we need to do. we need to get our administration right, we need to keep investing in our infrastructure, we need to get our judicial system cleaned up. there are a whole bunch of process reforms we need to do. much of this will require many years to complete. i would like to get your view on our ‘viksit bharat’ by 2047 ambition. every day we read in et front page, some global mnc, big companies all over the world are wanting to come down, set up base, do partner- ships, and basically expand business here in india. one is getting a sense that we have become an asset class on its own, in its own right and everybody wants to invest here. either it’s a stock market part or the actual you know, brick and mortar businesses and fdi coming in, how do you see india as an emerging destination for global capital and businesses to invest here and run the businesses for next 10, 20 years and become part of this growth story? so, there’s no doubt that india has now become a serious investment destination for foreign investors. whether the portfolio or direct invest- ment, whether it’s companies or mutual funds or those invested into, for the third big area of reform, where the government actually has a limited role, it really has to be done by the judiciary, is to get the judicial system to work faster. we have an absurd situation where 50 million cases are stuck in the legal system. the old cliche about ‘ta- reeq pe tareeq’, that has to go. we need a modernized legal system. and i’ve argued for years that, if there’s one area that needs to get reformed, the biggest gains will be from better enforcement of con- tracts, delivery of justice, and so on. so, these would be really three big areas that i would do. example, the various global bond indices or whatever. in all of these you will see india is there and its weightage is if anything rising. so, if that is a circumstance we should expect sig- nificant resources to come. you will remember if you keep hearing this india is losing to vietnam or some other country, bangladesh, et cetera, no investment is coming when clearly that is not the case. you could clearly see investment coming into the stock market, but also onto the ground and you can see a lot of this inflow happening in real time. i don’t think too many people who are serious will debate that we are doing well. the real game is to sustain it over 25 years. a bou t sanjeev sanyal is a member of prime minister’s economic advisory council. he has worked on several editions of the economic survey of the ministry of finance. he has authored several books, including ‘revolutionaries’, that was recently released by home minister amit shah. destination india | april 2024 | 21

multiple missiles armed with mirvs could even make a comprehensive bmd system cost-prohibitive for the adversary. given that china has bmd capabilities, mirvs boosts the agni-5’s chances of hitting its targets successfully. thus, agni-5 as an effective bmd countermeasure, that enhances the indian credibility as well as deterrence. development of mirv’s as per ‘the centre for arms control and non-proliferation,’ mirvs were originally developed in the early 1960s to allow a single missile to carry multiple nuclear warheads, each capable of striking different targets independently, unlike traditional missiles. the inception of mirv technology was done by the us with deploying a mirved intercontinental ballistic missile (icbm) in 1970 and a mirved submarine-launched ballistic missile (slbm) in 1971. the soviet union quickly followed suit and by the end of 1970 had developed their own mirv-enabled icbm and slbm technology. the us, uk, france, russia, china, and india are among the nations that possess the mirv technology. as per their report a russian mirved missile under development may be able to carry up to 16 warheads, each in a separate re-entry vehicle. warheads on mirved missiles can be released from the missile at different speeds and in different directions. some mirved mis- siles can hit targets as far as 1,500 km apart. pakistan is also on the path to developing mirv capabilities. in january 2017, it reported- ly tested a mirved missile, the ababeel which has a reported range of 2,200 kilometres. at that time, an official press release had stat- ed: “the test flight was aimed at validating various design and technical parameters of the weapon system.” on 18 october 2023, pakistan again tested the ababeel missile at the sakhi sarwar range, with the pakistani military’s media wing stating that the test was “aimed at re-validating various design, technical parameters and performance evalu- ation of different sub-systems” of the missile. as per the international institute of strategic studies, ababeel is one of two nuclear-capable medium-range ballistic missiles that pakistan is developing; shaheen-iii is the other. the main difference between the two is ababeel’s mirv capability. nothing visible from the test response capability. agni-p boasts of enhanced accuracy being the first indian missile with a manoeuvrable re-entry vehicle, that also makes it harder to intercept by anti-ballistic missile systems. it has a range of approximately 2,000 km. agni-5 is india’s longest range ballistic missile. it has three stages. the first two stages are inherited from the agni-3 and the third stage has a lower diameter in the front and broader diameter at the rear to make it more aerodynamic. the second and third stages are made from composites to reduce weight. the missile has a diameter of 2m, length of around 17m and range upwards of 5000 km. the 50 ton missile is canisterised. it can carry 10-12 warheads weighing total of up to around 1,500 kg as part of mirv. mirv mirv technology, possessed by countries like the us, uk, russia, france, and china, enables a single missile to carry several warheads, enhancing the missile’s effectiveness. agni-5, named divyastra, has a reported range of more than 5,000 km. china considers the agni-5 to be an icbm. the warheads carried on the missile can be aimed at multiple targets several hundred km apart. the missile can carry decoy warheads too, that can help defeat the enemy’s ballistic missile defence (bmd). the divyastra system is equipped with indigenous avionics sys- tems and high-accuracy sensor packages, ensuring that the re-entry vehicles accurately reach their targets. the system uses a modified nose cone on a three-stage motor to accommodate multiple warheads, including micro-nukes, mini-nukes, and thermo-nuclear weapons. the development of mirv technology was not easy. it required the combination of large missiles, small warheads, accurate guidance, and a complex mechanism for releasing warheads sequentially during flight. destination india | april 2024 | 23

sure, that enhances the indian credibility as well as deterrence. the warhead mirving becomes even more complex if they have both nuclear and conventional options. china’s df-26 and north korea’s hwasong-10 are thought to have both nuclear and conventional warheads, though this has not been officially confirmed by the respective countries. the question that needs to be asked is, whether putting conven- tional warheads on an expensive missile is worthwhile? the agni-5 has a potential range advantage because it can target beyond the reach of india’s current combat aircraft, including the su-30mki. in a nuclear war, much will happen in the realm of the un- known, because actual nuclear warfighting has never taken place. if and when that hap- pens, you can expect nothing like what you ever imagined. to make this unknown, as known as possible, india needs to con- tinue to work on its credibility, survivability, and resolve. however conventional warheads on ballistic missiles do not pack much of explosive power, especially if they carry multiple warheads. this means that unless they have pinpoint accuracy, they will not be effective. even with high accuracy, they are unlikely to be effective against hardened targets. further using such weapons creates difficulties for the defenders determining whether the incoming missile is armed with a nuclear or conventional warhead. if the same missile can be armed with both types of warheads, the defender might assume it is a nuclear attack, while in actuality, it may just be a warning shot to the adversary of what is yet to come. the adversary may respond with a nuclear strike without waiting to verify the warhead type. hence there is a risk of inadvertent nuclear escalation. potential benefits mirv’s potentially lead to faster expansion of a country’s nuclear arse- nal. theoretically, additional agni-5 missiles with multiple warheads apiece would increase india’s current nuclear warhead capability. dr v k saraswat, former director general of drdo who was deeply involved with a-5 development called it a “force multiplier” and said it would increase the weapon’s radius of influence. the agni-5 mirv, the landmark ballistic weapons system, takes india’s strike/counter strike capability to the next level, giving it higher potency, better influence, and denser zone. it strengthens our promise of “massive retaliation.” china’s current nuclear growth can lead to a huge imbalance as their pursuit of nuclear weapons to match the us could become a serious issue. this is particularly true for india when confronted with a “two-front” nuclear threat. further, having more warheads on fewer missiles is more efficient and cost effective. on the obverse of course, fewer missiles with more warheads also means fewer potential targets for an adversary to destroy and putting more warheads on individual missiles increases their vulnerability. while the agni-5 is a land-based system, development of subma- rine-launched ballistic missiles (slbms) with mirvs will add a great deal of complexities to the existing equations. submarines can carry only a limited number of missiles. further, nuclear-powered subma- rines that carry ballistic missiles are expensive and difficult to field in considerable numbers. though, they have a higher chance of surviving an initial nuclear attack. thus, developing this cutting-edge capability seems to be the next logical step. as china continues to assert itself through advancements in missile technology, india’s ability to develop and deploy advanced missile sys- tems can be seen as a strategic response. conclusion the recent test of india’s agni-5 missile and the presence of chinese research vessels near the indian coast to observe the test highlight the ongoing strategic dynamics in the region. as per lieutenant general kamal davar (retd) “india is well on its way to acquire strategic nuclear de- terrence, a mission which it has been pursuing since the past 40 years or so under its igmdp.” while the weapon system was reportedly tested at a lesser range, in future, agni-5 will be able to match the threat from the chinese dong feng missile, which is reported to have a range more than 8,000 km. as pakistan is also developing its ababeel missile india needs to constantly take the necessary steps to upgrade its platforms and warhead technologies. the induction of missiles of various capabilities for its defence needs is an imper- ative for india, as it is flanked by two hostile nuclear neighbours in a deteriorating strategic environment. the force multiplier being, that they are ‘made in india’ highlighting india’s growing self-reliance in defence technology. in a nuclear war, much will happen in the realm of the unknown, because actual nuclear warfighting has never taken place. if and when that happens, you can expect noth- ing like what you ever imagined. to make this unknown, as known as possible, india needs to continue to work on its credibility, survivability, and resolve. a bou t t h e au t hor maj gen vk singh, vsm was commissioned into the scinde horse in dec 1983. the officer has commanded an independent recce sqn in the desert sector, and has the distinction of being the first armoured corps officer to command an assam rifles battalion in counter insurgency operations in manipur and nagaland, as well as the first general cadre officer to command a strategic forces brigade. he then commanded 12 infantry division (rapid) in western sector. the general is a fourth generation army officer. destination india | april 2024 | 25

sanjay raut, shiv streets and now open threats, why mumbai is feeling like pakistan occu- pied kashmir?” she had then tweet- ed. political witch-hunting followed, and in a highly televised maneuver, the brihanmumbai municipal cor- poration (bmc) first issued a legal notice for “illegal construction” in her house, and carried out a demoli- tion drive. the then shiv sena goons called her names that are best left unsaid in this column, even attacked her house and damaged window- panes. she knocked on the court’s doors and the bombay high court ordered a stay on bmc’s move, while the central government provided her y-plus category security, usually reserved for high-profile leaders and high-ranking security and establishment officials. sena leader, has given me an open threat and asked me not to come back to mumbai after aazadi graffitis in mumbai streets and now open threats, why mumbai is feeling like pakistan occupied kashmir? kangana ranaut since then, there had been murmurs of her joining politics, and her visit to the inauguration of the shri ram temple in ayodhya on the 22nd of january added more fuel to the grapevine. the matter has now been settled, with the bhartiya janata party (bjp) declaring her their candidate from her hometown, mandi, where she will most likely take on pratibha singh. she is no political lightweight and represents the mandi constituency of himachal pradesh and is a member of the indian national congress (inc). even before the noise around her candidature could settle, supriya srinate’s, congress’s spokesperson, distasteful comment on kangana from her twitter handle, which she later said was made by someone with access to her account, has the state’s polit- ical landscape buzzing. the bjp has magnified the issue, making it a matter of rajya ki beti ki izzat. but then, kangana has never shied away from controversies – neither have con- troversies deterred her from seeking what she believes is hers. as we move towards the lok sabha elections where the bjp bats for a his- toric third term under pm modi’s leadership, and congress from a complete wipeout, watch out for the mandi lok sabha constituency! win or lose – she will make it one of the most anticipated political battles of 2024, for she is a destiny’s child. destination india | april 2024 | 27

highlights the profound sense of respect and consideration that perme- ates japanese society, a notion that deeply moved me as a civil servant. witnessing such a strong civic sense among the japanese people served as a poignant reminder of the importance of community-think- ing and collective responsibility in creating a society that belonged to everyone. in japan, riding the shinkansen felt like flying – from the window, you can see a perfectly framed mt. fuji – at once making you feel proud of the sheer ingenuity of human capability, just as you realise our smallness compared to nature. whether through the meticulous attention to detail in tea cere- monies or the stoic disciple of the samurai, i have looked to japan for invaluable guidance throughout my life – especially when the path ahead of me was riddled with distractions and disturbances. i have strived, all of my career, to create a culture of work that meets at the confluence of efficiency and effectiveness, and there has been no better place to look for wisdom and inspiration than the philosophies of the land of the rising sun. in everything that japan does, they embody a meticulous attention to detail – no error is too small to go unnoticed, no challenge is a wast- ed opportunity, and nothing is ever “good enough,” because there is always room to learn, change, and grow. i first learnt of kaizen when i visited the toyota factory as a young officer. it was about empowering people and being transparent. it was about continuous improvement by creating a team atmosphere and mak- ing a job inviting, fulfilling, less tiring and safer. it was human centric. that is why nothing flusters the japanese. their dedication to con- tinuous improvement is evident in every aspect of their work – from the layout of production floors to the training of employees. i observed how i first learnt of kaizen when i visited the toyota factory as a young officer. it was about empowering people and being transparent. it was about continuous improvement by creating a team atmosphere and making a job inviting, fulfilling, less tiring and safer. it was human centric even the smallest details were meticulously analysed and optimised to enhance efficien- cy and quality. workers were empowered to suggest improvements and participate in problem-solving initiatives, fostering a culture of engagement and ownership. they were ready for anything, and when they weren’t, they had a quiet confidence that they eventually would figure it out. and japan has always figured it out. throughout its history, japan has faced nu- merous challenges, from earthquakes to nuclear and natural disasters to economic upheavals, yet time and again, it has emerged stronger and more resilient than ever before. following the devastation of world war ii, the japanese people rebuilt their nation destination india | april 2024 | 29

tr avel 'made in india' vfs looks at india's decade as global destination for investments and travel zubin karkaria is the ceo of vfs global, a company that pursues the idea that he personally germinated over twenty years ago. one of the true ‘made in india’ stories, in the services sector, the idea that visas could be outsourced by governments, has now caught on the global attention. it is faster, more convenient, and cost saving. he was recently in the us, and spoke to pti. highlights are presented below. india has a vibrant and diverse economy, a large young population and a rich cultural heritage which make it attractive for investors and visitors, according to the ceo of the world’s largest visa outsourcing company, said zubin karkaria, founder and ceo of vfs global. india is undergoing a rapid economic and social transformation, he said. “this creates new opportunities for business, trade, tourism, and culture. i truly believe this is india’s decade. in vfs global, we are very optimistic about the prospects of india as a global destination, as a source, both for inbound tourism and outbound travellers. india has a vibrant and diverse economy, a large young population, and a rich cultural heritage. these factors make india attractive, both for investors and visitors,” he told pti in a recent interview. known for creating a new industry of visa and passport outsourc- ing, vfs global in just 22 years of its inception operates in 149 countries through 3,353 application centres. so far it has processed 278 million applications and 130 million biometrics enrolments. today, vfs global is the trusted partner of 67 governments, including the five eyes intelligence alliance (the united states, the united kingdom, australia, canada and new zealand), and 24 of the 27 schengen countries. “vfs global is a truly indian success story that has gone global. i mean truly global. i conceptualised and launched vfs global in india, one of the first made-in-india unicorns to become a global leader in its field,” karkaria said. “we remain committed to supporting india’s growth story by providing seamless and tech-driven visa services to events, to secure cross-border mobility for people and trade. this is to and from india, thereby contributing to india’s economic growth,” he said in response to a question. in the us recently for meetings, karkaria, said there is a lot of excitement and interest by global ceos in india. karkaria previously served as ceo of kuoni travel management ltd, the 118-year-old switzerland-headquartered former travel services provider. “india has been a land of opportunities. it’s expected that india will be the fastest-growing major economy in the next three years. i concur with our prime minister’s vision and statement when he says that india will soon be the third-largest economy in the world,” he said. “the government has also introduced several reforms to improve the ease of doing business, and the ease of living which are today, vfs global is the trusted partner of 67 governments, including the five eyes intelligence alliance (the united states, the united kingdom, australia, canada and new zealand), and 24 of the 27 schengen countries. very important. two basic requirements. but it’s very important for people who want to invest and live in india. this is attracting more investors,” he asserted. days after prime minister narendra modi launched the ‘chalo india’ campaign to pro- mote tourism and motivate people to travel to india, the ceo of vfs global said meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions are a major growth driver for the travel sector and economy in india. india today offers many options across the economic spectrum for travellers with the investments that india has made in its infrastructure and in terms of connectivity around the world. super optimistic about india’s future, he said: “i am committed to prime minister modi’s viksit (developed) bharat’s vision, which is the government’s action plan to transform the country into a developed nation by 2047.” a bou t v fs vfs global is majority-owned by funds managed by blackstone, the world’s lead- ing alternative asset manager. the swiss- based kuoni and hugentobler foundation and eqt, a global investment organisation, headquartered in stockholm/sweden, hold minority stakes in vfs global. destination india | april 2024 | 31

the three most recent ftas that have been signed include the india-gcc agreement and the early harvest of the india-australia comprehen- sive agreement. india has also signed the india-efta trade and economic partnership agreement (tepa) that has an interesting aspect. advantage of the benefits available through its bilateral and multilateral trade agreements. to battle this view that india’s ftas remain ineffective, the government decided to review the gains achieved by the ftas in 2019. ability of indian industry hampered by domestic constraints however, given india’s growing global in- fluence and with the desire to enter diverse markets india has in the last few years started the process of engaging with several im- portant partners in the west as well to sign comprehensive trade agreements. however, the progress of the ftas have been painstak- ingly slow as indian industry is still finding it difficult to compete due to several constraints in the domestic market. further given the push for an “atmanir- bhar bharat” the government too is cautious to ensure that the ftas do not lead to any dis- ruption to the growing investment prospects in the country. while india is engaging with several coun- tries to sign a comprehensive fta the two larg- est ones that are on the anvil are the india-uk comprehensive agreement and the india-eu comprehensive agreement. the india-uk trade agreement has been nearly fully completed and only a political will is now required on both sides to complete the agreement. the india-eu agreement, however, still has a long way to go before it nears completion. the three most recent ftas that have been signed include the india-gcc agreement and the early harvest of the india-australia comprehensive agreement. india has also signed the india-efta trade and economic partnership agreement (tepa) that has an interesting aspect. speaking at the launch of this agreement commerce and industry minister, piyush goy- al said that “tepa is a modern and ambitious trade agreement. india is signing fta with four developed nations for the first time - an important economic bloc in europe. for the ister atal bihari vajpayee, who helped india expand its outreach to the markets in the east. in 2014, prime minister narendra modi expanded india’s look east policy and changed it to the “act east policy”. given the rise of beijing in the region and the new threats emerging in the indo-pacific, pm modi gave a new thrust to intensify economic, strategic and diplomatic relations with countries that share common concerns with india on china’s growing economic and military strength and its implications for the evolving regional order. fta utilisation by india has been small the look east policy helped india build several trade agreements with the countries in the asean and east asia. india started negotiating free trade agreements with asean countries by first inking an agree- ment with singapore. the india-singapore comprehensive economic cooperation agreement was signed in 2007. since then, new delhi has negotiated several regional comprehensive trade agreements. it has a comprehensive agreement with the asean and independent agreements with thailand, malaysia, and singapore. it has also signed comprehensive agreements with south korea and japan. however, several articles indicate that these agreements have yet to help india expand its export basket. many experts feel that the gains from these agreements with india and the trade partners have been negligible. in an article in the east asia forum, rahul nath choudhury of ey argues that between 2017 and 2022, india’s exports to its fta partners increased by only over 30 per cent, while its imports increased by 82 per cent. india’s fta utilisation, he says, remains very low at around 25 per cent, while utilisation for developed countries typically sits between 70– 80 per cent. this low utilisation highlights india’s alarming failure to take destination india | april 2024 | 33

he alth apollo hospitals unveils the 1st zap-x in south asia, revolutionizing brain tumour care treatment non-invasive, 30-minute sessions offer faster recovery and im- proved patient comfort, zap-x brings precise targeting safety to transform patient outcomes. the zap-x gyro- scopic radiosurgery platform, a revolutionary advancement in brain tumour treatment, marking a significant milestone as the first in south asia to introduce this ground-breaking technology. with zap-x, apollo hospitals continues its legacy of innovation and com- mitment to providing world-class healthcare solutions for patients in india and across the world. this transformative technology redefines precision with minimal radiation exposure, enabling new standards in effec- tiveness and patient comfort. unlike conven- tional methods, zap-x utilizes a self-shielded, gyroscopic linear accelerator design, to direct radio-surgical beams from thousands of po- tential angles, accurately focusing radiation on the intended tumour or target. dr prathap chandra reddy, founder chairman, apollo hospitals group said at the launch: “for more than four decades, apollo hospitals has been at the forefront of healthcare, continuously challenging limits to provide exceptional care. upholding this tradition, we have unveiled zap-x, an innova- tive technology designed for the treatment of brain tumours. furthermore, as an outpatient procedure it allows for greater convenience and accessibility for patients. we commit to ensure that this technology is made available for every citizen of our country and for people across geographies, as this will be a boon for how brain tumours are approached and treated.” prof. john r. adler, founder and ceo, zap surgical and professor of neurosurgery, stanford school of medicine said, “stereotactic radiosurgery is among the most important medical advancements of the past century. eligible patients no longer must experience debilitating surgical resections, or potentially with zap-x, apollo hospitals continues its legacy of innovation and commitment to providing world-class health- care solutions for patients in india and across the world. this transformative technology redefines precision with min- imal radiation exposure, en- abling new standards in effec- tiveness and patient comfort. lose cognitive capacity by undergoing whole- bra i n rad iot herapy. instead, with zap-x ra- diosurgery, patients can now be quickly treated in an outpatient setting and often return to nor- mal activities the same day with no incisions, and no pain.” destination india | april 2024 | 35

his second oath taking ceremony on 31st may, 2019. success of the neighbourhood first policy is evident from the fact that india’s ties with its neighbours (barring pakistan, china and more recently maldives) are much stronger and deeper today than they were in 2014. pm modi’s first visit to nepal in august, 2014 was the first bilateral travel by an indian pm to nepal in 17 years. since his first visit in 2014, pm modi has travelled four more times to nepal viz. in november, 2014 for the saarc summit; twice in 2018, one on a bilateral visit and once for the bimstec summit; and the 4th in 2022 on a visit to lumbini at the invitation of the nepalese pm. the meeting of the joint economic commission between the two countries in september, 2014 took place after a hiatus of 23 years. all these visits as well as interactions with nepalese leaders on their visits to india have significantly enhanced understanding and cooperation between the two countries. success of the neigh- bourhood first policy is evident from the fact that india’s ties with its neigh- bours (barring pakistan, china and more recently maldives) are much stron- ger and deeper today than they were in 2014. pm modi’s first visit to nepal in august, 2014 was the first bilateral travel by an indian pm to nepal in 17 years. similarly, the unanimous ratification of the long-pend- ing land boundary agree- ment with bangladesh (indi- ra-mujib accord) since 1975, sent a strong message that india is keen to strengthen its bilateral ties with bangladesh, its important eastern neighbor. india-bangladesh ties today are in their golden phase and have emerged as a model for warm and friendly neighbor- ly relations, not only among foreign policy has emerged as one of pm modi’s biggest strengths. on the domestic and international fronts, pm modi ably assisted first by the late external affairs minister (eam) sushma swaraj and presently by the cur- rent eam, dr s jaishankar, and by virtue of his bold, visionary and firm leadership, raised the image and profile of india as a partner of choice, a voice of reason and a consensus builder in the world. south asian countries but around the world. with sri lanka also, the first visit by pm modi in march, 2015 was the first bilateral visit by an indian pm after a long gap of 32 years. the decisive and emphatic political and economic support by india to sri lanka in its hour of existential crisis and need in 2022 by providing it support amounting to us$4.50 billion in cash and kind, significantly enhanced confidence in bilateral partnership and took it to new heights. relations between india and bhutan have always been close, warm and special. the his- torical, enduring bilateral friendship is rooted in mutual warmth and goodwill, reinforced by frequent high-level exchanges. there is a high level of trust between the leadership and people of the two countries. the recent visits of the bhutanese pm to india from 14th-18th march, 2024 and by pm modi to bhutan on 22-23rd march further cemented the already robust bilateral ties. bhutan pm’s first visit to india after winning the elections in 2024 was particularly significant against the backdrop of bhutan’s economic challenges and its com- plex relationship with china. decline in ties with pakistan, china and maldives is not on account of any failure or missteps by india but due to actions taken by these countries for domestic, political or strategic reasons. india has responded firmly destination india | april 2024 | 37

india and the us pm modi has also been an active participant in the revival of the quad in november, 2017 and its upgradation to summit level over the last 3 years. some minor wrinkles like the alleged indian plot against gur- patwant singh pannun, unwarranted and uncalled for comments by the us state department against delhi cm kejriwal’s arrest, freezing of congress accounts, india’s caa law have appeared in recent weeks but they do not have the potential to derails the rapidly expanding bilateral partnership. it would however be to the advantage of both countries if such unnecessary pinpricks were avoided. india has firmly displayed its strategic autonomy by not only not criticizing russia for its attack on ukraine, notwithstanding the huge pressure from the west but also continued to import large quantities of oil and gas at concessional rates to provide affordable and reliable supply of energy to its people. g20: the success story possibly the successful conduct, both logistically and substantively, of its g20 presidency can be considered to be the pinnacle of pm modi’s achievements over the last decade in the realm of foreign policy. no one had anticipated that india would succeed in crafting a consensus leaders’ declaration, given the widely divergent positions on the conflict in ukraine, of the west on one side and russia and china on the other. but india was able to achieve the unthinkable on the first day itself. much of this success can be attributed to the leadership of pm modi and the personal ties of respect and mutual benefit that he has been able to foster with most world leaders. the world came together to ensure a successful g20 presidency for india. india emerged as a voice of the global south and a vishwamitra (friend of the world) by virtue of the remarkable success of its g20 presidency. covid and the vaccine diplomacy india’s leadership in dealing with the covid-19 pandemic in terms of its health, economic and social impact has won it plaudits and respect from the world. that it was able to initiate far-reaching economic reforms and rapid digitization of its economy even during the pandemic has earned it kudos from the global community. in addition to its huge successes in dealing with the pandemic on its domestic front, india emerged as one of the few countries to share about 300 million vaccines with more than 100 countries, most of them on gratis basis. the world has realized that india’s development and growth is good not only for its own people but the whole world, particularly the developing countries. pm modi and his foreign policy team led by eam dr s jaishankar have acquitted themselves most creditably to deal with the wide-rang- the world came together to en- sure a successful g20 presidency for india. india emerged as a voice of the global south and a vishwamitra (friend of the world) by virtue of the remarkable suc- cess of its g20 presidency. ing challenges that have arisen over the last 10 years. today the world is in transition. the turmoil and turbulence presents challenges as well as opportunities to india to enhance its standing and emerge as a more consequential and effective global player in the years to come. its conduct over the last 10 years gives both hope and confidence that that india will emerge stronger, more influential and author- itative player on the global scene. a bou t t h e au t hor ambassador ashok sajjanhar is executive council member, mahohar parrikar institute of defence studies and analyses; president, institute of global studies; distinguished fellow, ananta aspen centre, and former ambassdor of india to kazakhstan, sweden and latvia. destination india | april 2024 | 39

the question of better international connectivity from a foreign policy angle was again taken up by prime minister vajpeyi in 2003 when he made an open offer to asean countries to connect to 18 indian major cities directly from their countries. a similar offer was issued to saarc countries. however, only those countries which had strong airlines and had existing flights into india took advantage of these proposals. india outbound traffic which is growing faster than the india inbound. this is a great asset which foreign policy makers should consider. if our outbound traffic is incentivized, into direc- tions which are of importance to foreign policy objectives, then it could of great advantage. china has been quite successful in using its outbound to achieve its foreign policy goals. how to incentivize our outbound tourists to desired countries has been discussed in the book. out the role which andaman and nicobar islands can play in it, as strategically placed chain of islands in the bay of bengal. the general impression with foreigners is that in- dia is a peninsular country far away from the straits of malacca, which is unfortunate. with over 570 islands connecting myanmar with indonesia, it has a major stake in the malacca strait. with the last island of great nicobar island barely 100 km from sumatra tip, and near the western entrance of malacca strait, it has a major role to play in the geo-politics of the region, provided india plays its cards properly. 40 on civil aviation in the year 2016 and in annual economic survey of the finance ministry in 2016-17. because of these circumstances, two countries in the east and west of india i.e., singapore and dubai, came up as international hubs largely because of indian traffic. on the issue of relationship between civil aviation and foreign policy he referred to ambassador rajiv sikri’s book which has stated that in order to reinforce our foreign policy the need to have a better understanding and appreciation by the people of any two countries is needed in this day and age, and air connectivity is an ideal choice. even earlier, air india, then the monopoly airline for external trav- el, was nudged by the foreign ministry to go to some countries of importance to india, even though the route was not remunerative. however, when air india lost its monopoly in 2004, it was not able to provide this service from its resources as it had to compete with other indian carriers. the question of better international connectivity from a foreign policy angle was again taken up by prime minister vajpeyi in 2003 when he made an open offer to asean countries to connect to 18 indian major cities directly from their countries. a similar offer was issued to saarc countries. however, only those countries which had strong airlines and had existing flights into india took advantage of these proposals. therefore, the then prime minister’s offer was unattractive mainly because it was without a full proposal, which looked into the financial needs of the airlines to operate these services. the airlines of other countries which did not have an existing service into india found it unviable as they did not have any significant traffic into india. this shows that airlines need more than landing rights, as the service must be viable. should there be a closer play between aviation and foreign policy? then there is the issue of india outbound traffic which is growing faster than the india inbound. this is a great asset which foreign policy makers should consider. if our outbound traffic is incentivized, into directions which are of importance to foreign policy objectives, then it could of great advantage. how to incentivize our outbound tourists to desired countries has been discussed in the book. further, how to incentivise our airlines to go to unremunerative routes has been dis- cussed in the book. in this context, mention was made of how china has channelised its huge outbound traffic and how it uses the leverage of its outbound traffic to reward and reprimand countries. china has been quite suc- cessful in using its outbound to achieve its foreign policy goals. lastly, kaul highlighted the look east policy has totally missed destination india | april 2024 | 41

every part of the world. another aspect of the chinese planning was that they decided in the eighties that they will go for an open economy for which they needed good connectivity. on this issue he felt, however, that we cannot go down the chinese way and subsidise our airlines. india, on the other hand, is now doing well in civil aviation and we should continue the way we are. our private airlines are doing well and our orders for new aircrafts are highest in the world. ambassador nalin surie concluded that we should continue with the present policy which is doing well. moderator navin berry, making his interjections, said that that india cannot pursue open skies as a policy. there has to be a quid pro quo in what we give and what we receive. usually, countries that de- clared open skies, did not have much sky of their own. relating to the success of opening routes with countries, he recalled how india and the us had an open bilateral, where any number of airlines and flights was possible. yet the india-us route was heavily services by third country airlines. ‘flying the flag’, in his opinion, was a thought process that had lost its relevance in the emerging world of competitive marketplace where airlines had to see profits on routes, and governments were longer subsidizing air travel. during the q&a session, kn shrivastava raised the issue of subsi- dy. he recalled how in his time as secretary civil aviation he had tried to nudge airlines to go to siam reap in cambodia which is the airport for angkor wat or to ho chin min city in vietnam or chabahar in iran. however, all the airlines which were private stated the route would not be viable. sanat kaul argued that while the foreign ministry funds roads, ports, hospitals, why a small portion from within its budget, could not be considered for subsidy to airlines to go on select unviable routes, based upon seat utilisation. perhaps an initial subsidy for three years till such time the route would become viable? nalin surie opposed the subsidy issue and stated that our philosophy of development assis- tance is based on a country’s desire for a project and this concept does not find a place in it. subhash goyal, chairman, stic group, added that we need flights into africa especially to meet the chinese influence. he also wanted a removal of the 20% tax on international travel. on andaman and nicobar islands, ambassador surie stated that while the strategic importance of these islands cannot be discounted, yet he was not in favour of promoting tourism in these islands or de- veloping them into another hong kong. lt gen arun sahni stated that he agreed with the author on strategic importance of these islands and stated that a lot of work has already started for this purpose. deepak dadlani, former chairman, air cargo agents’ association connectivity was a crucial issue for china and they had a long-term strategy for it. they bought planes from boeing and airbus in large numbers collectively for its airlines, made them set up plants in china and now they have their own manufacturing facility for a commercial aircraft. they developed hubs for domestic as well as international traffic and implemented their plans meticulously. of india, wanted greater emphasis on cargo by air which has a great future and requires very little additional expenditure. nalin surie agreed with this suggestion and said that this point was extremely important from a connec- tivity and trade point of view, especially with regard to high value, low volume, cargo. in his concluding remarks, shrivastava said that creating a fund for outbound on the lines of udan for a limited period should be considered and to that extent he is in agree- ment with the author. he stated that many of the routes which started under udan subsidy scheme have already become viable and not being subsidized. he again high- lighted how it was a very important book, with rich content and ideas that required a larger debate. a bou t sanat kaul is a retired civil servant who has worked as js in the ministry of civil aviation, has been india’s representative at icao, montreal. kaul has written extensively on civil aviation matters. destination india | april 2024 | 43

his other big concern was swachh bharat. can hospitality become a prime mover? going swachh is the most im- portant surety that our tourism stays! deed to the tourism product that had for long been left to fend for itself. it was almost in decay. if we are to grow our appeal as an inbound destination, it is most important to identify and de- velop the brand india. he has given a pronounced direction to growing the indian legacy, our heritage and tradition – remember tra- dition was one of the original 5ts when they were announced, in 2014. the story took a negative connotation when during covid lock- down there was no relief for the tourism sector. especially when some news channels kept repeatedly saying that we should expect some breakthrough announcements, for which the industry kept waiting with bated breath. who was briefing whom, i cannot say, but the fact is there was never any move for extending relief towards specific sectors but to the entire industry, as a whole. fortunately, for the industry that time has gone by, for all its misery, moving on to an era of unheard pros- perity. it is our own domestic that has come to help, that same domestic who was not counted among its primary market, till a little while back. is there a sense that only relief and incentives amount to serious- ness on the part of the government? that asking for ‘more’ and getting it, meant a well-intentioned government towards tourism? that we need to be recognized as serious economic activity, our other concern, and rightly so, also depends upon how seriously we position ourselves? that, as far as i can tell, is yet to happen. my personal understanding is that industry needs a totally refreshed statement on its impact on economy, jobs and inclusive outreach, to break new ground. politics apart, and that is not the concern of this publication, this government has an impressive score card on all things travel and tourism. in providing a strong edifice upon which we build our tourism, both domestic and inbound. you might ask, what about inbound? what about promotions overseas? what about the replacements for all the international tourist offices that were closed down more than a year ago, without an alter- native mechanism in place? was that the right thing or not? on the one hand, we need not have closed the offices without an alternative in place. the other fact is also true: that our offices had become almost redundant, we did not have the requisite expertise to manage them, that they had become a waste of resource. will pr agencies be an effective alternate? going by our past record, i doubt it; we do not have the understanding/maturity to get effective and professional guidance without making uncalled for interventions. a possible answer lies in creating a national level marketing organization, headed by a renowned and proven advertising professional. i will throw up a name like piyush pandey, for example. or, prasoon joshi, as another. meanwhile, some effort needs to be put into place to assist specific inbound promo- tions, best being through iato, the national body for inbound tour operators, which can assist their members with organizing promotions and road shows, with direct gov- ernment interventions, in fact as an agency appointed by the government. we should not lose the season of 24/25; in fact, the summer of 2024 was ideal to start such activity, but then with elections on hand, with a model code of conduct in place, this may not be possible. a major bane of indian tourism has been the stagnation in indian tourism products. these were either not being added, or re- freshed, we had achieved a position of zero movement. all had come to a standstill. modi has brought rejuvenation to our products across the country. his latest pronouncement of some 1500 crores, to provide last mile con- nectivity or ease in travel will go a long way in ensuring a better experience for tourists. varanasi and statue of unity are two sterling examples. in fact, the re-birth of ayodhya will create a new centre of tourism attraction; it has brought focus on religious tourism which had gone ignored or overlooked by the industry for decades, as not to their ‘taste’; it spells a new awakening for us to look at. but back to modi’s ten years in gov- ernment and its trysts with tourism? many definite pluses, without any specific minus- es, as far as i can tell. there does not appear to be any going back on this impetus. it is only going forward in one way: up north, upwards, with a promising future. (these above remarks are without any political bias, as facts that we can all understand and see. modi’s politics and the national discourse on elec- tions is not within the purview of this magazine). destination india | april 2024 | 45

destination india | april 2024 | 47

over the years, the ipl has wit- nessed the rise of indian cricket- ing stalwarts like jasprit bumrah and the resurgence of internation- al icons such as shane watson. these success stories serve as a testament to the league's ability to unearth and nurture talent, providing a platform for players to shine on the global stage. once the season has started, there is no saying who will come up next? every day brings a new name up on the scoreboard. and, that is the beauty of ipl! this year, while quite a few new comers have risen, we bring just two names, for different reasons, to see what they have ac- complished so far, and what can be expected of them as the season progresses. destination india | april 2024 | 49

riyan parag among the roster of cricketers who have borne the brunt of relentless criticism since their debut, few have weathered the storm as consistently as rajasthan's riyan parag. from enduring a barrage of critiques for his string of lacklustre performances to facing scrutiny over his demeanour and public remarks, parag has been a perennial target of trolls. since his ipl debut in 2019, only rahul tewatia has surpassed parag in appearances, clocking in at 55 games in the tournament among uncapped indian players. however, the 'uncapped' label may soon be a thing of the past, according to rajasthan's head coach, kumara sangakkara. parag's narrative took a notable turn with his standout performances in domestic cricket. he emerged as the highest run-scorer and six-hitter in the 50-over deodhar trophy last year, amassing two centuries and nearly another in just five innings. his explosive batting continued in the syed mushtaq ali trophy t20s, where he amassed 510 runs at a blistering strike rate of 182.79, including a remarkable streak of seven consecutive fif- ty-plus scores. recognizing his potential, the bcci's national cricket academy extended an invitation to parag, including him in a select pool of targeted players. recent developments suggest a newfound maturity in parag's approach, particularly in his adjusted role at number four this season for rajasthan. he has demonstrated a patient demeanour, meticulously setting up his innings before unleashing havoc in his last three outings. notably, his aggregate score in his first two innings eclipsed his entire tally from ipl 2023, underscoring a resurgence in form. moreover, he now finds himself in close proximity to virat kohli, the current orange cap holder. could this signify a genuine fresh start for riyan parag? there are a few others on the rising star brigade. the next few weeks are sure to unfold yet more stars. watch for more action on the small screen, there is much action ahead. he has demonstrated a patient demeanour, meticulously setting up his innings before unleashing havoc in his last three outings. destination india | april 2024 | 51

amassing over 700 runs, includ- ing two double centuries, in the recently concluded england-in- dia test series, he has rightfully earned the prestigious icc player of the month award. yashasvi jaiswal’s breathtaking display has captivated fans worldwide. gill’s consistent accumulation of runs has drawn comparisons to virat kohli, often earning him praise as the next run-machine in indian cricket. however, like kohli, gill is not immune to criticism, particularly during lean patches such as his recent struggles in the test series against south africa and england. nev- ertheless, displaying the resilience and work ethic for which he is renowned, gill addressed his shortcomings and responded emphati- cally, concluding the series against england with 342 runs at an impressive average of 48.85, the second-highest tally on either side. gujarat team director vikram solanki be- lieves that gill has matured sufficiently to assume leadership responsibilities from the seasoned pandya. with his penchant for dominating the big stage, gill is poised to captivate audiences once again with his stellar performances in the upcoming ipl season. yashasvi jaiswal india’s burgeoning cricket talent, yashasvi jaiswal, has been setting the cricket world alight with his remarkable performances in the recent tests with england. amassing over 700 runs, including two double centuries, in the recently concluded england-india test series, he has rightfully earned the prestigious icc player of the month award. jaiswal’s breathtaking display has captivated fans worldwide, and anticipation is high as he gears up to represent the rajasthan franchise in the upcoming ipl. with a record-breaking spree underway, all eyes are poised to witness the fireworks expected from this dynamic indian opener, who now holds the record for the most sixes (26) in a test series. sameer rizvi sameer rizvi, the explosive talent from meerut, has been making waves in the cricketing arena. following his blistering century in the up20 league, rizvi emerged as the highest run-scorer for up in the 23-24 syed mushtaq ali trophy. his prowess did not go unnoticed, as the champion squad csk secured him with a whopping bid of 8.40cr, a testament to his po- tential. riding on a wave of form, rizvi recently notched a triple century against saurashtra in the ongoing u23 ck nayudu trophy, hinting at a promising future with csk. it appears that csk has unearthed yet another hidden gem in rizvi, bolstering their lineup with his aggressive batting style. rishab pant following a harrowing accident in december 2022, india’s star wick- etkeeper-batsman, rishab pant, embarked on a journey of extensive rehabilitation at the national cricket academy. after 14 months of arduous recovery, pant has finally been declared fit to grace the field once again in the upcoming ipl. fans eagerly anticipate pant’s return, especially as he reassumes his captaincy duties with the delhi capitals, a position that seemed difficult to fill during his absence. his comeback fills a crucial void in the team, and expectations are high for his leader- ship and explosive batting prowess to reignite the capitals’ campaign. destination india | april 2024 | 53

dable with a lineup boasting of world cup hero travis head, t20 maestro heinrich klaasen and australia’s match-winner cummins him- self. with only four overseas spots available, it’ll be interesting to see if ex-captain markram even finds a place in the xi this time around. fans are hopeful that their third captain in three seasons, cummins can guide the team to ipl glory once again, reminiscent of their triumph in 2016. hardik pandya undoubtedly, one of the most polarizing fig- ures to watch in the upcoming season is indian all-rounder hardik pandya, whose name has been embroiled in controversy for a myriad of reasons. it all began with a seismic shift when mumbai indians unexpectedly released pandya during the 2022 mega auctions. subsequently, he was snatched up by the gujarat titans, where he not only assumed the role of captain but also led the team to victory in their debut season, followed by a runner-up finish the next year. however, the cricketing world was r o c ke d by t h e s e n s at io n a l t ra n sf e r of pandya from gt back to his former fran- chise, mi, amidst swirling rumors of an as- tronomical transfer fee, purportedly close to 100cr. reports suggest that pandya could have pocketed up to 50% of this hefty sum in addition to his already substantial annual salary of 15cr. this unexpected move sent shockwaves through both franchises’ fan bases, especially considering pandya’s return to the team where he began his career, dis- placing the five-time title-winning captain and indian cricket stalwart, rohit sharma. the decision also raised eyebrows regard- ing the potential leadership transition, with star bowler jasprit bumrah waiting in the wings for his turn at the helm. bumrah’s cryptic social media post following pandya’s captaincy announcement only added fuel to the speculation. compounding matters, pandya has been sidelined with an ankle injury for nearly a year, causing him to miss all national team fixtures, including the odi world cup last year. despite the cricketing world was rocked by the sensational transfer of pandya from gt back to his for- mer franchise, mi, amidst swirl- ing rumors of an astronomical transfer fee, purportedly close to 100cr. reports suggest that pan- dya could have pocketed up to 50% of this hefty sum in addition to his annual salary of 15cr. destination india | april 2024 | 55

ms dhoni following his leadership in guiding the chen- nai super kings (csk) to a record-equalling fifth title last year, the venerable ms dhoni shared a poignant sentiment post the final match, stating, “the easy thing would be to walk away from here, the harder thing would be to work hard for 9 months and try to play another ipl.” in his commitment to return for another season, dhoni views it as a gift to his fervent fanbase. such is the adulation and mystique surrounding india’s cricketing icon - ms dhoni, renowned for extracting the best performances from both seasoned veterans and emerging talents. consequently, he is hailed as the best ipl captain ever and a titan of the sport. at 42 years old, anticipation abounds as he prepares to lead the defending champions for what would be a record 15th season in the ipl. yet, amidst the excitement, speculation looms: will this mark his final campaign? the perennial question of dhoni’s ipl retire- ment invariably seizes the spotlight each new season, as he continues to confound expec- tations by returning to the cricketing arena. while he may not face an abundance of de- liveries, often emerging at the tail end of the batting order, ms dhoni’s appearances are eagerly anticipated by fans eager to witness his trademark magic unfold. last season, amidst this reduced playing time, dhoni orchestrated moments of brilliance that re- verberated through the stands of their home ground, chepauk. his entrance, accompanied by a popular film anthem, ignited a fervour among the crowd, reaching a crescendo when he dispatched england’s fast bowler mark wood for consecutive sixes. it’s doubt- ful that the tournament has witnessed a louder ovation for any player in its history. despite grappling with a persistent knee injury throughout the season, dhoni showcased his resilience, culminating in a striking perfor- mance with a formidable strike rate of 182.45 across 12 innings, including 10 towering sixes. this tenacity and flair for the dramatic not only delighted his legion of supporters but also left them yearning for more. as the new season beckons, fans eagerly anticipate the possibility of witnessing dhoni recreate his enchanting displays once again. a bou t t h e au t hor ashwin zutshi is a young avid writer and enthusiast on cricket, gadgets and auto world. he has done podcasts, curated extensive online content and writes occasionally. remarkably, suyash stands out as one of the few players to make his ipl debut without prior experience in list-a, first-class, or t20 cricket. despite his relative youth at 20 years old, he has already demonstrated remarkable prowess and maturity on the field. further cementing his credentials, suyash recently made a resounding debut for delhi in the syed mushtaq ali trophy, delivering a career-best t20 bowling performance with figures of 5/13 from his allotted four overs and eventually picking up 18 wickets in seven matches to finish as the joint-second highest wicket taker in the tournament. given kolkata’s storied history of nurturing exceptional spin bowlers, including the likes of sunil narine, the emergence of suyash presents a tantalizing prospect for the franchise. with varun chakravarty’s in- consistent form in recent times, kolkata will likely turn to suyash as the x-factor in their bowling arsenal, aiming to bolster their spin department and regain their dominance in the upcoming ipl season. destination india | april 2024 | 57

vegetarians have been suspicious of mushrooms. and even now, says jatin mallick, the chef-partner at delhi’s highly rated tres, there is resistance to mushrooms from old-style vegetarians. but there is a new generation that likes, say, portobello mushrooms. avocado-moringa pate, tress but a new favourite has emerged over the last few years: burrata. this is not a tra- ditional cheese and was invented in the 1920s as a by-product of mozzarella-making. now, it is a globally popular fresh cheese and has a creamy taste that indians love and has no fermented cheese flavour. it is not a cheese with a long shelf-life, so it has to be fresh. fortunately, cheese makers all over india have worked out that there is more money in burrata than in, say, a ripe camembert, so it is easily available and has become the favourite cheese for people who don’t really like cheese. a second vegetarian favourite is aspara- gus. but we are more in love with the idea of asparagus than with asparagus itself. most indian asparagus is usually too fibrous or too under-flavoured. but it is easy to import thai or chinese asparagus (via thailand). this kind of asparagus is thin and best used in oriental cuisines, where the sauces give it a flavour boost, and it remains extremely popular in the indian market. fresh truffles (left) are expensive, but there is a growing market for them. it is easy to im- port thai or chinese asparagus (right) via thai- land. it is thin and best used in oriental cuisines where the sauces give it a flavour boost. destination india | april 2024 | 59 destination india | april 2024 | 59

ponk peruvian asparagus in europe, asparagus is a seasonal vegetable prized for its flavour. in england, the asparagus season lasts for only a few weeks (around may-june) and chefs go crazy finding new ways to make the most of the highly flavoured stalks. but the asparagus we eat outside of europe may be peruvian. peru is now the second-largest asparagus grower (china is number one). its production is not seasonal and it costs less than half of seasonal european asparagus. peruvian asparagus can be thick, though it lacks the same deep flavour. put thick stalks of peruvian asparagus on an indian menu and vegetarians will head directly for it. traditionally, vegetarians have been suspicious of mushrooms. and even now, says jatin mallick, the chef-partner at delhi’s highly rated tres, there is resistance to mushrooms from old-style vegetarians. but there is a new generation that likes, say, portobello mushrooms. mallick thinks that he will soon be able to put more on the menu. rich vegetarians all love one particular fungus, perhaps because they don’t think of it as a mushroom, and that is the truffle. long before aditi dugar became famous as the owner of mumbai’s celebrated masque restaurant, she founded sage & saffron, a boutique vegetarian catering operation that is a favourite of the rich. dugar started putting truffles on her catering menus much before they became popular in india. they were a hit right from the start. but fresh truffles are expensive. mallick has guests who ask for truffle oil by the side when they order a meat dish and others who want bottled black truffles shaved over their food. bottled truffles usually have no taste and truffle oil is a nasty synthetic petroleum-derived product that has never been near a real truffle and doesn’t even taste of truffle. but its popularity grows in india by the day — not just with vegetarians but with non-vegetarians too. both mallick and dugar say that they have nothing against truffle oil (“it’s just a flavoured oil,” says dugar) or its fans but of course, they much prefer real truffle. and then there is the avocado craze, which i wrote about here five years ago. i won’t repeat myself except to say that i suspect one reason why rich vegetarians love avocados is because they are buttery and creamy (i.e. they have a high fat content). the same impulse that leads people to like burrata is probably at work here. don’t rich vegetarians like anything that is purely indian? well, yes, they do. i spoke to varun tuli who (along with ritu dalmia) rules the upmarket wedding catering market. varun says that the very rich have moved beyond asparagus and avocado. they want high quality indian vegetables sourced from the best places. they want the sweet little peas that grow in jaipur during a brief season. they want the best rajma, sourced from particular districts. just to say ‘the rajma is from jammu’ is not enough any longer. they want ponk (a sort of millet that is popular with gujaratis). if it is the season, then there has to be fresh choliya on the menu. varun sent me one set of wedding ban- quet menus (all vegetarian) and i was stunned by the range of dishes on offer. says aditi dugar, “people now want heirloom vegetables and the finest versions of the flavours they grew up with.” so perhaps tastes are changing. and f scott fitzgerald was right. the rich are differ- ent from us. they have better vegetables. a bou t t h e au t hor vir sanghvi is a senior journalist who has worked extensively with the hindustan times. he is a well-respected author and commentator, and a television presenter. he is well known for his contributions on food, both indian and international. he has worked closely with india’s hospitality industry, known as a foodie and guided many a leading chef. the above article first appeared in ht city; reproduced here with consent of the author. destination india | april 2024 | 61 destination india | april 2024 | 61

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paddy hanna performance ronment has to be conducive. a lot of factors come into play starting from architecture, the materials you choose to create the space, in the acoustic properties and the visual properties and the textural proper- ties, the sound system and the presentation of the band. we internally have something called an ‘artist first philosophy’. we have a couple of processes in place which essentially boil down to the artist being a priority for the team over the customer. the understanding is that if the artist is happy, then when the artist gets on stage, what they’ll create is truly magic. and that energy will bleed to the audience”. in an effort to get the audience to truly hear the music and also show respect for the talent on stage, arjun also introduced the concept of maintaining silence while the performance was on. however, with time this concept was relaxed to make it more conducive for service and overall revelry. “but being extremely strict about conversation in a place which is not actually a concert hall is also counterintuitive because people are like - hey man, we want to enjoy music our way. and if you’re so sort of overbearingly particular about it, it ruins the experience as well. though in the beginning that overcorrection was necessary. largely what’s happening now is a lot of moderation of conversations and noise happen internally within the audience because the expectation of the bar was set”. today he still continues the ‘silent song’, “which is an experiential part of the evening where we shut down the bar, we stop service and we say now at least for one song, let’s run like a concert hall and just see what the impact is. and then you’ll find most evenings post the silent song, it’s a different audience. then you feel that emotional; you feel the music a lot more”. he also now faces the challenge of staying true to his first love of jazz and also getting in new audiences for his larger venues. “so, with three properties now, we are not focusing only on jazz. jazz remains our prime focus but for the first time now, we are venturing into pretty much everything. especially with the new property in saket, because the capacity is also massive. like we can accommodate several hundred people in the new place. it is also allowing us to invite artists now with more fame. we’ve got sonam kalra performing this saturday. we have advaita performing next saturday. we also have parikrama performing in april as well. ‘them clones’, an indian rock band, was a big victory. we got them back on stage after seven years”. arjun himself, deeply passionate about music, is also very much involved in nurturing and scouting for new talent. he runs a jam session. “i’ve been doing this for nine years now. from day one. every sunday, which is where a lot of young musicians want to get into jazz, come and i run the jam session personally. so, i’ll work with them till wherever i can, i’ll guide them. and after that these kids actually take tom kha soup off! they are pretty amazing. some of these kids are absolutely phenomenal. so that’s one vertical of it. and then we also have artists reaching out to us; oftentimes, we say - hey, you’re not ready for stage yet. and many of them will come back to us and say, you know, would you tell us why. and then we open up a dialogue saying i am not interacting with you as a venue owner – i am interacting with you as a professional musician, and here is my feedback on what you can work on. to know more on upcoming events and to book your tickets log on to www.thepiano- man.in. so, while you enjoy your music there is plenty of food and drinks on the menu to keep the taste buds happy as well! destination india | april 2024 | 67

a bou t t h e au t hor sanjay bhattacharya is an eminent painter and photographer. his works can be seen in important public and private collections in india and overseas. destination india | april 2024 | 69

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