A Game Of Farce
Milkha Singh's refusal to accept the Arjuna Award has sparked off a heated debate over the country's highest sporting honour. This year's controversial list is being seen as the straw that broke the camel's back. Leading sports people believe the award has been devalued and compromised by political lobbying.

A Leader Reformed
A.K. Antony, a one-time Nehruvian socialist, is winning the support of industry as well as Central funds in his new avatar as the harbinger of reforms in the economically beleaguered state.

Family Bride
Poor sex ratio has forced the Gurjjars of Rajasthan to share their wives.

CAPLOOKS

Delhi: Retired navy chiefs have become more equal to former prime ministers. Till recently, the only government officials allowed to retain government employees in their personal service after retirement were prime ministers. Service chiefs were equated to cabinet secretaries. Then navy chief Admiral Sushil Kumar decided to attach a uniformed navy person to every retired chief of naval staff. The official word is that these personnel will assist the former chiefs in times of ailments, though they will be with the chiefs at all times. Admiral Kumar, meanwhile, retires in four months. The fortuitous bestowing of Man Fridays is sheer coincidence.

Model Punishment

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Rajnath Singh is fond of highlighting his Government's achievements. However, Om Prakash Singh, a backward caste leader who holds the lucrative higher education, irrigation and PWD portfolios, does not figure in the advertisements the Government puts out. Singh is Rajnath's rival in the BJP, and the chief minister had reportedly tried to take back at least one of his ministries, but failed despite RSS help. So Singh is now being condemned to non-publicity-a politician's hell.

Power Politics

Chandigarh: All chief ministers have an abiding interest in power, but Haryana's Om Prakash Chautala is the only one who monitors the power scenario personally. Chautala has had a meter installed to show him the frequency of supply from the Northern Grid. It is one thing he doesn't forget to gaze at. A blip below 49 Hz prompts Chautala to press the panic button. The reason for his hands-on monitoring is obvious given that the power scenario in Haryana is closely linked to the politics of power in the state.

Probe In Probe

Jaipur: The Rajasthan Congress recently sent a note signed by 71 lakh people to President K.R. Narayanan demanding a full investigation into the Tehelka expose. But the BJP's B.S. Shekhawat thinks it is fake. The signatories number a lakh more than the votes Congress polled in the last elections, he says. So he wants a probe into the note.

MetroScape

Looking Glass

Delhi Restaurant:
Singh Sahib

Chennai Exhibitions: Apparao Galleries

Bangalore Space Ride: Thrillarium

Delhi Maps: Dastkari Haat Samiti

Delhi Play: Neil Simon

Delhi Textiles: Out of the Cocoon