'Not for the first time during this festival I was struck by the atmosphere of friendly inclusion the organisers had managed in a city where you can smell menace in the air, thanks to Adityanath's revenge-driven politics, his denigration of Muslims and ruthless use of State power against critics,' notes Anjali Puri.
He began his career sorting mail. Today, he is one of India's best known television anchors, whose mails are hacked by Legion.
'Kota is good if you are good' and 'Kota can make you or break you' are two cryptic statements Kota students often offer to explain life in their world.
'We like to tell the rest of the world that we did it better, that we were stronger, that we had larger cities, that we taught them science,' Naman Ahuja tells Anjali Puri. 'This exhibition is an antidote to insularity -- it is saying we have learnt as much from the world as we have given it.'
'I am in mortal danger not personally, but politically,' Mani Shankar Aiyar tells Anjali Puri.
Kota, Rajasthan, is both a beacon for the educationally deprived and a cynical place in which 16-year-olds live in Dickensian boarding houses, while teachers drive Audis.
What gets forgotten in the German vs Sanskrit debate is the poor standard of teaching in India.
'It is extremely important to take back the domain of both religion from the religious bigots and nationalism from the chauvinists, who are spreading hatred.' Sugata Bose, the Harvard historian-turned-MP, who is Netaji's great-nephew, tells Anjali Puri why it is imperative to speak up for India's students.
The underclass voted heavily in favour of AAP, which led to their victory
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