Victims Of The Crash Small investors like Girish Patel of Ahmedabad have lost much of their life's savings in the stock market crash. A profile of some middle-class investors who burnt their fingers.

Villains Of The Crash SEBI Chairman D.R. Mehta along with bankers, and brokers must share the responsibility for allowing yet another scam by their acts of commission, and omission.

What's Next For The Economy?
For the third time since 1997, a combination of sliding stock markets, political instability, and global slowdown threatens to turn the hopes of an economic take-off into despair.

Numbed By Disgrace
The BJP, still in shock, begins life after the Tehelka expose with a new president and a combination of hope and bluster. A swot analysis.

"I'd choose Musharraf"
Former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto talks about her relations with her country's politicians, Indo-Pak relations and Kashmir in an interview to Aaj Tak.

Official Obstacle
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi eggs on workers to go on a strike that is adversely affecting production, and profits.

Fire Fighting
As the Tehelka controversy slows the defence deals, the Government takes steps to revamp the set-up and streamline the weapon procurement system.

BOOKS

Heart And Soul

The singular humanism of Puran Singh

By Anita Nahal

It is wonderfully enriching to read a biography that's written with sensitivity and depth, and Patwant Singh and Harinder Kaur Sekhon's biography of Bhagat Puran Singh of Pingalwara is one such. It's historical in the personality chosen, sociological and cultural in the handling of the issues that Puran Singh was involved with, political-for it is largely set against the background
of the partition-and humanistic for portraying a man's pursuit of justice for all.

Puran Singh (1904-1992) was perhaps the single most effective social reformer of his time, who, without a degree, money or logistic support, provided caring homes for the mentally and physically challenged in Pingalwara and Goindwal in Punjab.

However, biographies, like any other historical account, need to be objective. Unfortunately, the authors here have not been able to do that. Not only do they raise Puran Singh to the level of a saint, attempting a comparison even with the Buddha, they also lay excessive stress on the righteousness of Sikhism, on its emphasis on sewa. No one denies that but it appears in this book at the expense of Hinduism. In Singh's own words, he converted to Sikhism when after serving in a temple, "... the priests dined in my presence without bothering to share even their leavings with me..." Yet, after a similar service in a gurdwara, "... I was served a sumptuous meal... rounded off with a glass of milk..." He became convinced of the Sikh faith's insistence on "the dignity of human life".

Only one personal example is given and despite singularly moving incidents, generalisations are better off left alone. There are many sentences in the book confirming the authors' belief in the above conviction. Not withstanding the adulation, this biography is one no one should miss, for it's a story simply told and poignantly depicted through photographs and emotionally appealing language.

MetroScape

Collaborative Class
Italian designer and architect Tarshito Nicola Stripoli has been busy rearranging world geography.
more...

Looking Glass

Delhi Salon: Jacques Dessange

Mumbai Theatre:
IMAX dome

Mumbai Restaurant:
Watering Hole

The ambitious Anandgarh township proposal stirs another round of controversy as a high court order foils the Punjab Government's plans of acquiring land for the project. INDIA TODAY's Special Correspondent Ramesh Vinayak reports in
Despatches.