At home, Smriti Irani has plotted a thriller. A pug keeps a wary eye on the office of the Union minister for women and child development at 28, Tughlaq Crescent, New Delhi. Chloe, distinctly unimpressed with new entrants, is sunning herself on a day when the Delhi winter does not seem like a death sentence.
The driveway is dotted with green—date palms, fragrant parijat, a row of champa and sweet lime in full bloom. Sitting under a date palm is the last ring of security, Sheru—black as the nights in Himachal Pradesh, from where he was found on a road and rescued.
Irani’s debut novel, Lal Salaam, is out next week. It is 10:30am on a weekday and Irani, 15kg lighter—“Covid,” she offers as explanation—sits behind her favourite painting, Durga on a tiger. Every conceivable contemporary Indian master’s work—from Jamini Roy’s cat to Anjolie Ela Menon’s jewel—hang on her walls. As do a pantheon of gods that greet visitors at the entrance, with a fresh dot of marigold flower at the base of their portraits.
“I think life came full circle at a very young age. I was barely 36-37 when I became a cabinet minister,” she says. “I think there was a lot of reflection on the fact that there has been nothing that I have put my finger on that I have not managed to do. I was an audacious child. I remember my mother giving me a tight whack when I was around 10. Because, I was absolutely confident that I was going to be somebody. It was at a time when we were struggling financially. She looked at me and said, ‘Just look around you, what makes you say that you will.’ I just said, ‘Don’t worry, I will.’”
Esta historia es de la edición December 05, 2021 de THE WEEK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición December 05, 2021 de THE WEEK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Themes Of Choice
As Savvy Investors Seek New Avenues, Thematic Mutual Funds Are Gaining Popularity
A golden girl
One of India's most formidable beauties passed away earlier this month. The odd thing is she would absolutely hate this obituary; she hated being written about and avoided publicity for all of her nine decades. Indira Aswani was 93 when she died. But anyone who encountered her, even briefly, was in such awe of her grace and poise, and one could not but remember her forever.
The interest in wine is growing delightfully in India
The renowned British wine writer and television presenter Jancis Robinson, 74, recently came to Delhi and Mumbai to reacquaint herself with India's wine industry. This was the Robinson's fourth visit to India; the last one was seven years ago. On this trip, Robinson and her husband, restaurateur Nicholas Lander, were hosted by the Taj Hotels and Sonal Holland, India's only Master of Wine.
United in the states
Indian-Americans coming together under the Democratic umbrella could get Harris over the line in key battlegrounds
COVER DRIVE
Usage-driven motor insurance policies offer several benefits
GDP as the only measure of progress is illogical
Dasho Karma Ura, one of the world's leading happiness experts, has guided Bhutan's unique gross national happiness (GNH) project. He uses empirical data to show that money cannot buy happiness in all circumstances, rather it is family and health that have the strongest positive effect on happiness. Excerpts from an interview:
India is not a controlling big brother
Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay considers India a benevolent elder sibling as the \"big brotherly attitude\" is happily missing from bilateral ties. He thinks the relationship shared by the two countries has become a model of friendship not just for the region, but for the entire world. \"India's attitude is definitely not of a big brother who is controlling and does not allow the little brother to blossom and grow,\" says Tobgay in an exclusive interview with THE WEEK.
Comrade with no foes
Lal Salaam, Comrade Yechury-you were quite a guy!
Pinning down saffron
In her first political bout, Vinesh Phogat rides on the anti-BJP sentiment across Haryana
MAKE IN MANIPUR
Home-made rockets and weapons from across the border are escalating the conflict