INTERVIEW
V.K. PANDIAN, BJD LEADER
The BJP and the Congress have labelled him an outsider, but Pandian's rapport with the masses is evident; he is seen as the catalyst for progress in the state. Known as the '4am' officer because of his early starts and pre-dawn media briefings, Pandian is crisscrossing the state as the star campaigner for his party. THE WEEK caught up with him during his rally in Begunia, travelling with him in his AgustaWestland 109 chopper. He had a busy day with the manifesto release and numerous visitors to Patnaik's office, and he ate his final meal of the day—cereal—at six in the evening, before settling in for an interview. Excerpts:
Q/ Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is under 100 days away from becoming the longest-serving chief minister. Is the road to that landmark bumpy?
A/ This is the smoothest election. The 2014 and 2019 elections were challenging, but this is a one-sided election for Naveen babu.
Q/ What makes you so confident?
A/ I am on the ground, I see the people's emotions. They want to give their biggest aashirwaad (blessings) to Naveen babu to work hard for the state. See all the women and the youth, everyone is so excited.
Q/ A lot of women attend your rallies.
A/ The chief minister walks the talk when it comes to economic, political and financial empowerment of women. They have trust in him. They are deeply in love with Naveen babu. Women will be the biggest game changers, as always.
Q/ What are your new promises this time?
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
William Dalrymple goes further back
Indian readers have long known William Dalrymple as the chronicler nonpareil of India in the early years of the British raj. His latest book, The Golden Road, is a striking departure, since it takes him to a period from about the third century BC to the 12th-13th centuries CE.
The bleat from the street
What with all the apps delivering straight to one’s doorstep, the supermarkets, the food halls and even the occasional (super-expensive) pop-up thela (cart) offering the woke from field-to-fork option, the good old veggie-market/mandi has fallen off my regular beat.
Courage and conviction
Justice A.M. Ahmadi's biography by his granddaughter brings out behind-the-scenes tension in the Supreme Court as it dealt with the Babri Masjid demolition case
EPIC ENTERPRISE
Gowri Ramnarayan's translation of Ponniyin Selvan brings a fresh perspective to her grandfather's magnum opus
Upgrade your jeans
If you don’t live in the top four-five northern states of India, winter means little else than a pair of jeans. I live in Mumbai, where only mad people wear jeans throughout the year. High temperatures and extreme levels of humidity ensure we go to work in mulmul salwars, cotton pants, or, if you are lucky like me, wear shorts every day.
Garden by the sea
When Kozhikode beach became a fertile ground for ideas with Manorama Hortus
RECRUITERS SPEAK
Industry requirements and selection criteria of management graduates
MORAL COMPASS
The need to infuse ethics into India's MBA landscape
B-SCHOOLS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT INDIAN ECONOMY IS GOING TO WITNESS A TREMENDOUS GROWTH
INTERVIEW - Prof DEBASHIS CHATTERJEE, director, Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode
COURSE CORRECTION
India's best b-schools are navigating tumultuous times. Hurdles include lower salaries offered to their graduates and students misusing AI
