We asked colleagues, present and past, to reflect on a man who has made such a difference to their lives and careers. Here it is then, a rich collection of memories that offer enchanting glimpses of the enigmatic Ajit Balakrishnan.
From filling vacancies in government jobs to providing a minimum support income of Rs 72,000 per year for the poor families, the party went all out to woo the voters.
Aam Aadmi Party convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party will not form the government on June 4 and said if the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) comes to power, the direction and fate of the country will change.
Women and children have been given short shrift with these crucial sectors facing substantive budgetary cuts, discovers Rashme Sehgal.
You don't prep for 2028 but for 2040, or even 2044. Sustained sporting excellence is based on mass support, grassroots development, and funding - and it is this trifecta India needs to work on, systematically, asserts Prem Panicker.
'You suddenly realise that in this entire big scheme of things, you're just one speck.'
Budget was a mild disappointment. Yet, the bull run continues.
A long and bitter funding winter in the start-up world is beginning to take its toll on start-up advertising across properties. Earlier this week, Mastercard replaced Paytm as the title sponsor for all international and domestic cricket matches organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). But this is just one part of the story. The other side is that organisers of high-impact shows and events on Hindi general entertainment channels, too, are feeling the winter chill.
'The numbers are null and void now. Look, we can give out projections now, but we know that a week later those numbers will also be irrelevant. So we need to wait,' a top government official said.
'Commentators have said that dealing with allies as equals will make Modi more sensitive.' 'Remember that the people Modi is dealing with are equally autocratic in their own lairs.' 'Further, Modi always has handy the threat of dissolving Parliament and calling for fresh polls.' 'Most of his own party, and certainly his allies and opponents having blown their budgets of efforts and resources in the just concluded elections, have no stomach for this.' 'They are all greatly looking forward to the loaves and fishes of office on offer.' 'That gives Modi an unbeatable advantage in any push-comes-to-shove situation,' explains Shreekant Sambrani.
There is immense hope that the FM will help turnaround the tepid sentiment in the country.
Of the seven surveys presented under Modi govt, predictions of three were quite close to the actual GDP growth rate, one saw the base year change in between, but the last three were way off the mark.
'Well begun is half done, today there are more hits than misses by the Modi government in its support towards science in India,' says Pallava Bagla.
Deepa Gahlot picks 10 Web series that was worth the viewer's while.
Some films have done predictably well at the box office while others have emerged as surprise hits.
A brief report card on Modi's ministers.
The Nifty and Sensex traded close to their respective all-time highs.
Union Budget 2015 cuold have included few smaller reforms.
At the Leo fete, Vijay had this also to tell his fans: 'I know you all are in my heart. But today, I also know that I am also in the hearts of all of you...' A typical politician's line, did you say, asks N Sathiya Moorthy.
The disappointment of the year is government's failure in finalising the re-drafted aviation policy.
'Unemployment barely figures in the Budget except as a derived demand from the industry and infrastructure.' 'There is no effort at direct attack on unemployment.'
'Ours is a disaster movie with no big stars, songs or commercial ingredients.' 'Yet, it is Malayalam cinema's highest grosser.'
Infosys on Thursday posted a 7.8 per cent year-on-year rise in consolidated net profit at Rs 6,128 crore in March quarter of FY23, and gave 4-7 per cent revenue growth forecast for FY24 amid macro economic uncertainities. The net profit (after minority interest) stood at Rs 5,686 crore in the fourth quarter of FY22. Seen sequentially, the net profit for Q4 came in 7 per cent lower.
FIXES BY THE GOVERNMENT: Energy price fixed, tax issues linger.
Watch this remake of Mohanlal's commercially successful venture Sphadikam for popcorn because there is nothing in the movie to relish.
Macroeconomic management is usually a lot more comfortable with lower fiscal deficits. The sooner we get there, the better for the economy, says former Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India Shankar Acharya.
'I probably will have to give up on taboo subjects for a while. but I can't give up on quirks.'
It's addictive. It's entertaining. It's gorgeous. Once bitten by the K-drama bug, there's no going back.
The 'terrible' surge of the coronavirus cases in India has severely impacted COVAX's vaccine supply in the second quarter of this year to the extent that there will be a shortfall of 190 million doses by the end of June, according to a joint statement by the WHO, UNICEF, GAVI and CEPI.
"PM and FM are clueless about how to solve their self created economic disaster," Rahul charged on Twitter.
'Kartik is an outsider, so he takes nothing for granted. That's why he will do well.'
'I did a small role in Masoom.' 'Do you remember the scene where an old man brings Jugal Hansraj to Naseer's house?' 'I put on the full make-up of an old man and stood in front of Shekhar.' 'He had no choice but to take me.'
Joginder Tuteja looks at the big November hits in the past decade.
An ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh will be given per person to the next of kin of those killed in the floods.
10 per cent for those who earn up to Rs 30 lakh a year and 25 per cent for those who earn more, suggests T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
'The death of Tulsi Ramsay signals the end of an era.'
By the time they turned 40, Prithviraj Kapoor had done about 50 films, Raj Kapoor about 46 films and Rishi Kapoor about 80 films. As Ranbir Kapoor turns 40, Deepa Gahlot explores the Kapoors cinematic landscape to find out where the young actor stands in comparison to his great grandfather, grandfather and father.
Ekta Kapoor's gangster drama Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai completes its 10 years on July 30.
Joginder Tuteja looks at the biggest July hits in the last decade.
'Let's get a woman to be the antagonist, who really throws me around and hammers the s**t out of me. That would be fun.'
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