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INDIA
TODAY: May 2002 to August 2002
 August
26, 2002
Divided We Stand
The INDIA TODAY-ORG-MARG bi-annual Mood of the Nation poll indicates
a country divided along geographical, social and religious lines.
For instance, while a significant section across India think that
Chief Minister Narendra Modi should be dismissed, in Gujarat he
remains highly popular. And while Hindus consider M.A. Jinnah,
Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and Mahmud of Ghazni as villains, many
Muslims see them as heroes.
 August
19, 2002
55 Things That Make India Proud
We often belittle our achievements. That's a crying shame. A sense
of pride has the power to raise people's lives. Pride also makes
a nation, and in times of despair and helplessness, can lift the
spirit of a billion people. These achievements celebrate the spirit
that is India and touches our soul with its heady mix of do-good
and feel-good, things that make us swell our chests with pride,
maybe squeeze out a tear or two of joy, and fill us with a sense
of appreciation and purpose. In this tumultuous corner of the world
where much is wrong and much needs to be done, India Today offers
this tribute to India.
 August
12, 2002
What's Wrong With the Weather
After more than a decade of normal rains, the monsoon has seen a
shortfall of 50 per cent this year. The quirky behaviour of the
rains—there are floods in the east but a drought elsewhere—seems
to hint at this being a fallout of global warming. Experts warn
the Himalayan glaciers and the polar ice caps are melting fast.
The subsequent rise in sea levels could submerge coastal areas.
Amid all these fears, of more immediate concern is the drought that
stares the country in the face. A look at how the failure of the
monsoon could impact India and its economy.
 August
5, 2002
Is Sex OK?
Vijay Anand quit as chairman of the Censor Board over the Union
Government's refusal to consider his suggestions on screening pornographic
films in specially zoned theatres. But that was only one of the
proposals that could have changed Indian cinema viewing. Information
& Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj has indicated the 50-year-old
Cinematograph Act may go, but for now the proxy shots of coy rose
bushes seem destined to stay. An EXCLUSIVE analysis by India Today.
 July
29, 2002
Generation Next
India's victory in the Natwest Series was born of the fearlessness
of the young. It was the triumph of a new generation of Indian cricketers
which can win matches on its own when the old pros have an off day.
Modern cricket's visionary coach Bob Woolmer is as excited about
the new Indian team and in this issue writes exclusively for us
about what shape the one-day game will take by the World Cup next
year and how the best teams should respond. The World Cup will be
the true test for the Indian team but for the moment we can celebrate
the coming of age of some fine cricketing talent.
 July
22, 2002
Power Shift
There are indications that the elevation of the man considered Hindutva's
hardline hero to deputy prime ministership is more than cosmetic.
By no means has Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee retired but
it would seem that more day-to-day political decisions are being
referred to L.K. Advani. He has always enjoyed a special status
within the BJP. Now he has almost acquired the role of a CEO to
Vajpayee's chairman of the board. A look at Advani's role in decision-making.
PLUS an exclusive interview.
 July
15, 2002
The Great Hotel Robbery
When Jawaharlal Nehru created public-sector enterprises they were
intended to be the "temples of modern India". Today they are its
cesspools. The only people who benefited were politicians and bureaucrats
who were able to wield enormous power. An inside account of how
ministerial abuse, political meddling and outright mismanagement
reduced India's largest hotel chain—the India Tourism Development
Corporation—from a jewel in the crown to a monument of waste.
 July
8, 2002
Beyond Dhirubhai
Dhirubhai Ambani has always equalled extraordinary ambition. His
canny business sense and understanding of the Indian system has
resulted in a Rs 65,000-crore business empire. Right now Reliance
is in the midst of a critical transition. The group is expanding
ambitiously into telecom, IT, power, financial services and retailing
of petroleum products. Will it be able to grow as rapidly without
Dhirubhai's captaincy? Now as he battles for life, India Today recounts
the legacy of the legend and how his sons Mukesh and Anil Ambani
plan to steer the megacorp.
 July
1, 2002
A Topsy Turvy World Cup
The drama of the ongoing football extravaganza has been made more
memorable by some of the strongest teams making an exit in the early
rounds. The demise of France, Italy, Argentina and Portugal indicate
a possible ground shift in the world of international soccer. There
is a feeling that by bringing the World Cup to Asia, the game has
been liberated and a levelling of standards achieved. Also, co-hosts
Korea and Japan have shown that an inspiring, well-managed tournament
can be organised by unheralded football powers.
 June
24, 2002
Presidential Surprise
The post of President of India may be a ceremonial one. But its
occupant must always be a man or woman of integrity possessing the
utmost common sense and the ability to take decisions keeping larger
national interests in mind. High political drama preceded the ruling
National Democratic Alliance's nomination of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
as India's 12th President. The inside story of how the choice that
dismantled the People's Front and cornered the Congress was made.
 June
17, 2002
General on the Edge
Pakistan's General Pervez Musharraf has been the subject of endless
fascination and debate for some time now. Labelled "America's General"
during the Afghanistan operations when he switched loyalties overnight
and dumped the Taliban, he has kept himself in the international
eye with his mixture of bluff and bluster. Musharraf is handling,
at once, political opposition, a bad border situation and the international
community's pressure on Kashmir. In this triangular tightrope walk,
his future rests on how well he balances his moves on Kashmir.
 June
10, 2002
What If...
Nuclear war is unthinkable. But last week, after Pakistan President
Pervez Musharraf's aggressive speech, the unthinkable had suddenly
become thinkable. The prospect of a nuclear exchange between India
and Pakistan has drawn global attention and concern. The mushroom
cloud could be looming larger than the people of the two country
imagine. An indepth look at the horrific scenario that is likely
to emerge in the event of Pakistan exercising its nuclear option.
 June
3, 2002
Operation Salami Slice
Ever since the biggest military build-up in the history of the subcontinent
began six months ago, the prospect of war was never far away. But
the decision to go to war is usually a last resort: when all alternatives,
diplomatic or political, have failed. As war clouds gather ominously
on the borders, the Indian Government is talking tough and appears
ready to follow up its words with action. An EXCLUSIVE preview of
some of the strike options being considered by the Centre against
the Musharraf regime in Pakistan.
 May
27, 2002
Mood to Strike
Every time there is a terrorist attack, senior ministers of the Government
start making threatening noises. But until recently they remained just
that: noises. However, following the massacre at the Kaluchak military
camp in Jammu, there is a difference. It is the most serious terrorist
incident in the country following the audacious attack on Parliament on
December 13. After the massacre at Kaluchak, national sentiment seems
to favour retaliatory action against Pakistan. A report on the political,
diplomatic and economic consequences of the Indian Government's possible
military response to the proxy war in Kashmir.
 May
20, 2002
Bollywood's Gamble
Cinema is not just a unifying Indian passion. It is big business and an
industry worth Rs 2,500 crore. Bollywood also remains the arena for the
greatest of gambles. Specially now as audience tastes seem to have turned
fickle. At Rs 50 crore, Devdas is the most expensive Hindi film ever.
For an industry in financial crisis, it's a huge risk. As for the director
Sanjay Leela Bhansali and the three stars—Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit
and Aishwarya Rai—the film will have a major impact on the way their careers
progress.
 May
13, 2002
Top 10 Colleges of India
Knowledge today is an international commodity. As the world becomes frenetically
competitive, nations realise the value of good quality higher education.
India can only stand on a par with the rest of the world if its education
system is strong. At a critical time like this, our survey of top colleges
acquires special significance. As admission time approaches, students
face the dilemma of making a choice from among 10,000 odd colleges. India
Today-Gallup's sixth survey ranks the centres of excellence on key factors.
The best in arts, science, commerce, law, medicine and engineering.
 May
6, 2002
An Exotic Summer
The summer vacations promise a break from the unremitting grimness of
politics and the lingering pessimism around the economy. Globalisation
has come to mean not only the opening up of the Indian market but also
the opening up of the Indian mind. From snorkelling to Arctic tours to
living in tree-houses in Kerala and whizzing off to a yoga retreat or
even sailing down the Ganga, middle-class Indians are unclipping the safety
harness and taking the heat off summer.
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