What people say about us -

Your site is very interesting and informative. I have seen many senior officers seeing this site. The new look is good but your photo seems to be in pensive mood. If you post photo in a smiling mood it will reflect the mood of the persons who are watching it. Thanks.

Yogesh Dabra

Three 1971 batch IAS officers empanelled

Three more 1971 batch IAS officers have been empanelled to the rank of Secretary in the Government of India early this week.

Atanu Chakraborty to be JS (Personnel) Finance

Atanu Chakraborty is all set to take over as Joint Secretary, (Personnel) Finance, in the Government of India. He is 1985 batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre. Presently Haryana cadre 1981 batch IAS officer, Madhusudan Prasad, is holding the additional charge.

Bungling in empanelment of 1972 batch alleged

Large scale bunglings are alleged in the empanelment of 1972 batch IAS for Secretary level by those who have been left out. Such officials are meeting and convincing their respective god fathers to get the things corrected even if it means annulling the previous list. Now it is learnt that the empanelment file is still lying in the PMO for the signature of the Prime Minister.

1975 batch IAS meeting on NOV 11 ?

Empanelment meeting for 1975 batch IAS officers to the rank of Additional Secretary in the Government of India did not take place on November 7.Now it is expected to take place on November 11.

Natwar pays for not toeing US line?

Has Natwar paid for not toeing the US line? Experts in external affairs, however, feel so.

After Natwar, who?

Who will be the next victim after the External Affairs Minister, Natwar Singh? Going by the present case, the experts feel, that next in line may be the Defence Minister Pranab Mukherji. It is for the political observers to know the reason ?.

IAS hierarchy weakening !

IAS hierarchy, it seems, is weakening. Madhya Pradesh cadre 1976 batch IAS officer, Uday Verma, was number one in the panel for the post of Providend Fund Commissioner. The panel was, however, rejected and the name of Vishvanathan, of the PF department itself, was cleared. Earlier it was Anirudh Roy of the Income Tax department ruling the roost.

Tenure of Harbhajan Singh expires

Deputation tenure of JS & FA, Coal and Mines, Harbhajan Singh, has expired early this week. He is 1983 batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre.

Nita Chowdhry to return to UP

Joint Secretary Agriculture in the Government of India Nita Chowdhry, is returning to the parent Uttar Pradesh cadre after completion of deputation tenure. She is 1977 batch IAS officer.

Dr Sharma moves to Pune

A senior scientist of the DRDO, Dr B S Sharma, has been moved to Pune to head the Armament Research Development Establishment.

Kumaresh Mishra to join after Bihar Polls

Kumaresh Mishra, Joint Secretary - Petro-Chemicals designate would join the Government of India after the Bihar elections. 1977 batch IAS officer, Mishra, who is Resident Commissioner of Bihar in Delhi has not been relieved because of the Vidhan Sabha polls.

Vijay Bakaya to continue !

Chief Secretary of J & K, Vijay Bakaya, is likely to continue till his superannuation in March next. He is 1970 batch IAS officer.

Ray is ACS Home

B K S Ray has taken over as ACS - Home in Chhattisgarh. He is 1972 batch IAS officer.

Prasad joins GoI

Anil Bhushan Prasad has joined the Government of India as Joint Secretary - Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances. He is 1976 batch IAS officer of Bihar cadre.

T N Government issue showcause notice !

TamilNadu Government is reported to have issued show cause notice to a young IAS officer for sending threatening emails to officers and for some other actions.

Modi wants Advani to continue

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi wants that either the BJP president LK Advani should continue or he be given some dominating role in the party because only then his continuity can be rest assured.

Retired DGP shot dead

Retired Director General of Nagaland Police Hesso Mao was shot dead by unidentified gunmen on Tuesday. He was 65.

IMAGINARY INTERVIEW WITH NATWAR SINGH

Since his sacking I've been trying to get in touch with Natwar for his reaction but to no avail. A journalist friend gives me a tip and tells me that Natwar has gone for lunch to the Indian Habitat Center. I rush there to find Natwar seated at a table playing with the cutlery on the table.

I approach him and he asks me to take a seat.

Natwar: Electronic or Print????
Me: None Sir…. I am from the 'hint' media….. give ideas if you get my drift!!!
Natwar: Listen I've had a very rough week so lets make this short and sweet.
Me: Okay here goes….. Volcker ….
Natwar: Volcker has stones in his head….. (followed by expletives in Hindi which I have censored)!!!
Me: Sir, Sir….. very unbecoming of a career Diplomat and ex MEA to use such language….. I was saying Volcker has said that he did not know that you were the MEA of India!!
Natwar: This is what hurt me more than the allegations he has made….. how the hell can he say that he did not recognize my name??
Me: But I am sure now he will not forget you!!
Natwar: I hope so…. I am capital N , capital A, capital T , capital W, capital A, capital R .

The waiter comes with Natwar's soup and I order a soup for myself.

Me: What is your reaction to the Volcker Report???
Natwar: For all I care Volcker can take the report.... roll it up and shove…..
Me: Please Sir control yourself!!!
Natwar: Control nahi hotaa….. chalo I'll try….. this is an attempt by USA to corner all those who stood by Saddam!!!
Me: The perception is that Volcker has not even spared Kofi Anan's son…… he has brought to light the rampant corruption and flouting of UN's mandate!!!
Natwar: This is an attempt by USA to show that only Gora Sahib is fit to head UN….. Anan , Gali have been cornered in this report.... and Volcker has tried to corner me as I am a prospective candidate for UN Secretary General's post!!!
Me: So you say Volcker Report is motivated against those who are perceived to be pro Saddam and/or are dark skinned!!!
Natwar: Absolutely….. and personal reasons too....I understand that Volcker has ambitions to become the UN's Secretary General and he sees me as a threat!!!

The waiter brings my soup. Natwar's mobile rings and he answers it and seems Barkha Dutt is on the line. Natwar is peeved with NDTV as he complains to Barkha that NDTV has got him into trouble and he blames the NDTV anchors for this.

Me: Why blame the media for your mistakes…… you made so many objectionable statements!!!!
Natwar: Yaar man gets tense….. and man has a drink or two to calm down. I had just gulped down a couple of stiff ones and was relaxing in my Library reading Alice in Wonderland when Barkha came in and took my interview. For all those statements I blame Johnny Walker!!!
Me: So this should be a lesson to you next time anyone comes to interview you and you are drunk ensure the interviewer also gets drunk too…. then ki farak painda yaaro!!!
Me: So Sonia , Manmohan and PC tired to convince you to resign.. they say PC showed you some papers on the raids conducted by DRI and IT on Andy …… did you resign or where you sacked???
Natwar: And do not forget Renuka who stood menacingly at the door….. but seems the Media missed her presence!!!
Me: You've not answered my question… did you resign or where you sacked???
Natwar: Photo finish….. I feel I resigned before Manmohan could sack me….. Renuka told me that I beat Manmohan Ji and I resigned a fraction of a second before he could sack me!!!!

The Waiter comes and we order food. Just simple vegetarian fare…. Paneer, Dal and Rotis.

Me: You deny any involvement as has been alleged in the Volcker Report!!!
Natwar: The only oil I've touched in my life is hair oil ……..
Me: Sir do you think I'm that naïve….. in such deals you physically do not touch the oil?
Natwar: How can I convince people that I do not deal in Oil???
Me: Either way now that work is going to be done by Dayal and Pathak…..and maybe by the CBI later on!!!!
Natwar: But guys like Pranab and Mani keep taunting me behind my back. I hear Pranab calls me Notwar Oil Waala and Aiyer calls me an Oily Nut!!!
Me: Sticks and stones should hurt your bones but words should never hurt you…… why bother about what is being said behind your back…. yes the day they say this to your face then you take action!!!!
Natwar: Yeah then I'll 'charge shit' Pranab because he pronounces sheet as shit….. and as for Aiyer I'll ask him if his hind still quivers when his eyes see Amar Singh or his ears hear Amar's name????

The food comes and the Waiter serves us. A gentleman comes up to our table and introduces himself as a Producer of Ad Films and asks Natwar if he would be interested in acting in an ad film of an Oil Major. Natwar's hand goes for the knife on the table and I hold his hand and sweet talk the gentleman off.

Me: Now Manmohan has made you a Minister without Portfolio….. what does this mean???
Natwar: I may not be 'King of any Portfolio' but I will be 'Jack of all the Portfolios' so in fact I am going to be a Super Minister!!!
Me: Sir I hope you've not had anything to drink???
Natwar: No…but why do you ask???
Me: Sir in my perception you are now the Mamtha Banerjee of this Cabinet….. you recall Mamtha had this portfolio in the NDA Government!!!
Natwar: Et tu Manmohan…. chalo history is repeating itself….. NDA had such a Minister and now UPA too has one!!! And then I hope History repeats itself again and even before the Inquiry comes to any conclusion Manmohan Ji re-inducts me into the Cabinet……. you know in the NDA Government Vajpayee had done this in the case of Fernandes!!!
Me: And of course you keep getting the perks!!
Natwar: Yeah this is a kind of 'pain killer'….. I had requested that I be shifted to NAC under Sonia Ji….. like they could make me the in charge of Foreign Affairs in the NAC…..but seems Jairam Ramesh convinced her not to agree to this!!!
Me: Seems after what you are alleged to have done as the head of Congress's Foreign Affairs Cell seems they've decided to keep you away.
Natwar: But this they've assured me that once my name is cleared I'll get the MEA charge!!!
Me: Going by past records such investigations just go and on…… see Bofors!!!

The Waiter clears the table and we order for coffee.

Me: So now what???
Natwar: I read , write and spend time with my lovely family.
Me: Shouldn't you write a book on this episode of your life???
Natwar: Not a bad idea.
Me: And get Volcker to write the Forward!!!
Natwar: Volcker is a clown….. (again followed by expletives in Hindi which I have censored)!!!
Me: Now now Sir……. how about getting Sonia to pen the forward…. by the way what will be the title of the book???
Natwar: Oil and Prejudice!!
Me: How about capital B capital O capital I capital L……BOIL …. B in red and OIL in black….. has all the ingredients…….oil and it pain…… or capital S capital P capital O capital I capital L…. SPOIL….. SP in red and OIL in black….. signifies what Oil has done in your case!!!

Bharat Kumar

aaj_ki_aawaz@yahoo.com

Whispers --- Corporate World -

Bansal is new Director in IOC

B M Bansal is the new Director - Business Development in the Indian Oil Corporation.

Peter to remain in Air India

Peter who was likely to be posted as functional Director in the Indian Airlines will now remain in Air India, it is final at least for the time being.

Shome appointed by Citibank

Surojit Shome has been appointed new head of corporate banking in India by the Citibank.

Orissa to privatize CESCO

Orissa Government has planned to privatize the Central Electricity Supply Company (CESCO).