'In the early years of this century, barely 10 years after liberalisation, drinking Coke was still cool,' notes Uttaran Das Gupta.

'The bhadralok would have earlier baulked at the very idea of wearing a coloured dhoti; now, with Dr Banerjee wearing, it is quite likely to be the hot fashion item during Durga Puja next year,' says Uttaran Das Gupta.

One is hopeful that if he becomes CM, Mr Thackeray will not be as trigger happy in calling for bans or encouraging outrage, says Uttaran Das Gupta.

The Austrian capital is famous not only for its grand architecture, music and art, but also for its open spaces and excellent public transport, points out Uttaran Das Gupta.

'...vis-a-vis state or local elections,' Prannoy Roy and Dorab Sopariwala tell Uttaran Das Gupta.

'There is no audience anymore for my graphic novels. Few people seem interested in what I find interesting,' Sarnath Banerjee tells Uttaran Das Gupta.

'Ludicrous they might be, but they are not without threats -- much like letters that appear suddenly in homes of those opposing the government.' 'One must exercise some caution before believing in them,' says Uttaran Das Gupta.

'While censorship of any sort is anathema to the creative spirit, political correctness has become more and more the norm rather than the exception,' notes Uttaran Das Gupta.

South Korea scored, twice, and the German team crashed out of the tournament in the first round, for the first time in history. Uttaran Das Gupta discovers a stunned nation on a visit to Germany during the World Cup.

'Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai? Don't you believe it. I don't trust the Chinese one bit,' Nehru told Gopalaswamy Parthasarathi before he traveled to China as India's ambassador. Asking GP to be ever vigilant, Nehru advised the diplomat to send telegrams on important matters only to him. Many such anecdotes from a long and eventful career as diplomat and bureaucrat crowd the pages of GP: 1912-1995, discovers Uttaran Das Gupta.

Priced at 21,999, this 14-inch device is as fair a deal as they come.

'The most striking comment Yasser Usman makes -- not only about Sanjay Dutt, but also our contemporary society -- is about the transformation that he goes through: From being a man who claimed Muslim blood to one who is a devotee of Hindu gods,' notes Uttaran Das Gupta.

The screen lid and body are made of metallic alloy to reinforce its strength.

The true test of a hybrid is how well it performs both as a laptop and a tablet.

And it's much cheaper than Google Pixel 2!

While most models in the market cost almost 1 lakh, this 55-inch full-HD LED TV costs 78,999.

'Having consumed thousands of the sickly sweet chenna globes of varying textures over the years, I must demur,' says Uttaran Das Gupta.

Perumal Murugan's Songs Of A Coward reminds Uttaran Das Gupta of Orwell's Animal Farm and Ionesco's The Rhinoceros. Both works, as well as Murugan's stark poetry, are poignant for our times, when political figures build personality cults around themselves and demand absolute loyalty.

'Did the Nobel committee, reviled for awarding Mr Dylan, play a little inside joke this time around, by awarding another lyricist who was once an aspiring musician?' asks Uttaran Das Gupta.

This TV also comes with an innovation -- it uses the screen as a speaker, says Uttaran Das Gupta.