Shiraz Gidwani's Blog - Latest Comments

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

kahlonsaab — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:42:34 -0000

Mr. Gidwani first of all you said that you will not take any sides, but you eventually took with Mr Sashi Tharoor. In my opinion you are exaggerating the pleasing personality of Mr Tharoor. In your opinion Mr Tharoor is the best statesman India has ever produced, but have you seen the likes of our PM, environment minister both are equally well educated and done a greater more deal to the service of India.
Mr Tharoor is no more an Indian as proved by his cattle class comments( insulting the common man), his favoritism of Kochi Team. He may not had understood that nepotism has a little place in these types of deals, which he might had used extensively in UN.
There is no commonsense to believe that a highly educated man could be a good minister. There has been numerous occasions that he had knowingly insulted India through twitter as was evident from his cattle class comments.

There is nothing more to say............. Mr Gidwani have u ever travelled in cattle class in which majority of Indians do..............
in short ... what can be expected of a man who insults his own race..... and doing favors to his girlfriend ...a sweet deal....

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

Flurtyajeet — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 08:01:31 -0000

WHAT MODI WAS AND HE IS" IS MORE THAN ENOUGH TO ELABORATE HOW CURRUPT IS HE"BY SAYING THIS I NEVER MEAN THINGS ARE FINE WITH THROOR BUT I APPRECIATE HIS WISDOM AND WANT FEVOUR FROM HIM FOR HIM AND FOR INDIA PLEASE ELABORATE HIS POSITION IN IPL AFFAIR TRANSPENTLY. AM WITH HIM WITH ALL I HV AND WITH ALL I CAN HV BUT MANY OTHERS WANT EXPLANATION LIKE ANYTHING.

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

AJEET,BALLB STUDENT — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 08:02:32 -0000

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

Tharamel_thazhathuveetil — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:45:05 -0000

all things taken into consideration i feel india is not the the place for intellectual politicians like shashi tharoor even in a place likenew delhi as india is now in the grip of thugs ,goons and crooks be they men or women politicians and there are virtually no politicians with a degree from either harvard or yale or for that matter from any respectable law or business school ,even in neibouring china most of the politicians have a qualification in law or business management ,but to run a country like india all that is required is a bit of goondaism ,gift of the gab and afew henchmen and lot of chamchas and of course connections including a so called pedigree,now that tharoor has married sunanda he should settle down in dubai or for that matter in canada or new york and start a new life by resigning his lok sabha seat as his election from trivandrum is in jeopardy because of allegations of a buy out in his election to delhi including help from dubious characters like leela and krishnan nair , i can speak with a certain degree of conviction because i come from a family in kerala which has had more political connections than any family in kerala with relatives starting from north malabar to tvm probably in every nook and corner of kerala and yet have chosen to stay away from politics sincerely prof dr T M saratchandraprasad panicker-thazhathuveetil medical director and prof of clinical cardiology and president s m memorial global ventures shiraz i hope you got the message, LOUD AND CLEAR.

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

shobha — Mon, 24 May 2010 10:45:02 -0000

An International diplomat who has so many years of experience should know the local politics and not suffer from foot in mouth disease as Shashi Tharoor has suffered. Dr Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi liked him for his capacity but it IS difficult to bail out a brat everytime in this fragile game of Indian Politics. These forward thinking politicians are our future . We hoped they would take us forward but they seem to be succumbing to the old Bandicoots by their own design. When you are in Rome, At least consider the roman's way of doing things; rubbishing the local behaviour because one is born- abroad and educated and hob-nobbed with diplomats abroad and expecting the country to salaam a foreign-returned-diplomat-turned politician and change its ideas is asking for too much.

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

Anand V — Wed, 05 May 2010 10:01:13 -0000

Wat if tharoor goes? For sure someone like him or better than him will be produced. The genes of 'changing face of world' is still out there, and hasn't faced extinction yet!! In fact, there are many out there who are better qualified. And they could be much younger too.!!

Whoever his OSD- some jacob ******.....He has no manners i believe. When his master was caught in an allegation, the first thing he should be doing is to support his master and not glorify the follies and bigotteness of Lalit Modi. He tried to support his master through injecting negativism about another individual. Is that the changing face of india that we all wanted? Hell, not me. I would expect some maturity from this guy. Whatever be Modi, all the stuff would come out otherwise too. Jacob didnt have to do all the shit. I believe what this Jacob did was immature as he tried to pump in to the media on issues related to Modi. That to me shows his desperate nature to save the face of his boss and ultimately his job! So, tharoor, when u choose someone, esp for a high rank as OSD know what would better suite U.....

Anyways, Tharoor, you are better than many/ most of the politicians but that wont make u a saint. It was very stupid of u to put sunanda as ur proxy. I would now wait to see u both getting married, God willing! I am sure you will get re-elected but know this-when u place your foot in politics, know your true self; don't proclaim yourself to be the savior and give others a chance to catch u by neck. The truth is that none is perfect, including you. And none is superior, including you. All are equal. So, stand by that faith and try to set your record straight!! All the best!

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

hariparmeshwar — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 22:44:30 -0000

Dear Friend,,

Behind every successful man there is a woman.
The writer has ignored the undeniable influence of Sunanda.

Besides, the writer must understand that Shashi Tharoor has to fight the next elections with 80 % financing himself for which he would need funds. So that's what entering the murky waters of Indian democracy means.

Also a lot of big icons are falling by the wayside these days, Rajat Gupta ( IIT; Harvard: Mckinsey : Goldman Sachs) ; Lehman ; Barclays )

So past record need not vouch for future behaviour.

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

hariparmeshwar — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 22:44:06 -0000

Dear Friend,,

Behind every successful man there is a woman.
The writer has ignored the undeniable influence of Sunanda.

Besides, the writer must understand that Shashi Tharoor has to fight the next elections with 80 % financing himself for which he would need funds. So that's what entering the murky waters of Indian democracy means.

Also a lot of big icons are falling by the wayside these days, Rajat Gupta ( IIT; Harvard: Mckinsey : Goldman Sachs) ; Lehman ; Barclays ). Shashi is one more.

So past record need not vouch for future behaviour.

Regards

Hari

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

Gita — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 04:35:12 -0000

Unfortunately, too little attention is paid to political and emotional intellect. Being a success in one arena does not qualify an individual for success in other arenas. Cultural fit is Key

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

Jayakar B Malliah — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:54:53 -0000

A deep insight into what is Shashi Tharoor, a treatise which will change one's opinion of Shashi Tharoor. Great ! A revelation once again. If what is said about him in this piece is true, then where is this real Shashi Tharoor, he probably got lost in the Ocean of Oceans - the Indian Political firmament. He probably believes in "when in Rome be a Roman" and so he acted as any average Indian Politico would behave in influencing decisions thru corrupt and surrupt means for a benami monetary consideration.

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

RKL — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 05:42:40 -0000

Which is the front door you are talking about colonel? He was brought in thru the back door, or rather, "air dropped", to use the comment used here by reader Amitava, ignoring the local leadership at the behest of the Gandhis. No wonder he though he could have his way around.

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

RKL — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 05:27:03 -0000

yes, amitava, u corrected the glaring mistakes in the article by Mr. Gidwani. Mr. Tharoor is not what Mr. Gidwani and some others here make him out to be. And, "air drop" was really what happened, ignoring the local leadership, only because of his closeness with the "holy cows", to use his own words!

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

Col NR Kurup — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 01:16:27 -0000

Every People get the leaders they they deserve. What I admire most in Mr.Sashi Tharoor is that he did not try to enter the Ministry through back door like Mr.Manmohan Singh, Mr Antony etc., etc. He had the moral courage to face the people and enter the government through front door keeping up with the good traditions of parliamentary democracy. Hats off to him. I wish good sense prevail soon and he is brought back

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

RKL — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 23:42:38 -0000

I have (sorry, had) no complaints about Mr. Tharoor. He is all what Mr.Shiraz Gidwani has said about him and may be more. But, but, it's a pity that all that education, all that exposure, all that refinement, all that reading, all that writing, all that experience at the helm (almost) of the United Nations itself, has not taught him to distinguish between Integrity & Impropriety. He's still harping on his integrity whereas what he went down was for his Impropriety. I'm sorry too, to say I see a Bill Clinton in him!

Mr. Tharoor may have quoted Vallathol to highlight his patriotism to India in general and Kerala in particular. It has come too late, when he found out that Indians are no fools.

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

Capt. Mohan Kuruvilla — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 04:19:38 -0000

Thank you Mr. Gidwani for a an excellent article on Sashi Taroor. About seventy years ago, Rabindranath Tagore wrote:

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

It is sad that many of us have still not woken up to recognize our good leaders, who by their thought and action can take India towards progress and perfection.

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

Krishna — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 01:21:56 -0000

Shashi Tharoor may be a person of great caliber. But the very decision of him to join Congress party showed that, when it comes to day to day politics, even guys with good ideals make compromises and surrender. By joining Congress, he lost the moral ground to talk against corruption, degradation of Indian politics, treachery and all. It is known to even a child that, this is the party which degraded Indian politics to such a low level and continue to do so. May be by not joining a winnable party, he would not have come to a position to utilise his abilities. But it is an undeniable fact that, by choosing to be an obedient foot soldier of the first family of India, he has lost the wider respect and acceptability.

He should stay away from active politics and try to build world class institutions like Nilekani and Narayana Murthi do. He should go around and motivate people like Dr Abdul Kalam does. If at all he wants to be in politics, he should participate as an Independent candidate.

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

G Dube — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:58:37 -0000

Shashi Tharoor,like many Indians who have been away for long,has delusions about India.He thought he could make a difference by being different but in in India "leaders"try to merge into the crowd in order to avoid attention.We all know the crab story and that had to happen.To make a diffence here one must be self effacive and pin one's ideas on the maglomaniacs and thugs we have as leaders.Shashi can probably make a contribution by staying out of India and helping from there.
However,one question crops up often;what has he done for India in 29 years at the UN?

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

sajuvidhu — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 06:35:14 -0000

your comment is excellant.indian politics need people like laloo.mayawati etc. these people not knowing that one day will come to india,people like sashi tharoor will lead india. All useless polititions will be out. we all support sashi tharoor. jai hind

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

shahidfms — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 05:49:22 -0000

Excellent Shiraz. Job well done. It is not Shashi's loss it is India's. The early the politicians amend their mistake better for India. The allegations against him are ridiculous. We need people like Shashi to make India the next super power, the best country to live. Fed up of the current politicians who are anything but human beings. I personally feel since Shashi has lived for 29 years in different culture he'll face some difficulty in adopting to Indian political culture. India doesn't know what gem they've lost. Make up India, make up, before it is too late.

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

Fletcher Student — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 02:53:36 -0000

F;etcher is NOT a joint campus between Harvard and Tufts. It is exclusively a graduate school under Tufts University. I go to Fletcher. Get your fact right!

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

Amitava — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 11:26:34 -0000

There are few glaring mistakes in this article. UN was not the only place Tharoor worked before the becoming the Minister at MEA. He was the chairman of a Private equity fund out of Dubai. The author in this artcile does not mention how Tharoor got elected, who funded his campaign and also who funded his famous hotel stay in Delhi for 3 months after he became the minister.
Hillary Clinton was never Tharoors counter part, he was the Under secretary, in no protocol no matter how over proud and over hyped Indians and Indian press are he was never on the same level as US Secretary of State. In case the author does not know US has a cabinet position as UN Ambassador.
Tharoor hyped his profile at the UN and got Indian backing via his backers in New Delhi to run for the UN secretary Generals position, which if any one cares to talk with the UN folks was a crazy idea and Crazier for Indian Govt to support it. But that was a ego play than anything else.
He then was air dropped into Indian politics, he played the same game as any other politician, manipulated to get a weak communist candidate and got elected. Then he was ushered into Ministry.
The mistake that he made was, he never understood the "business plan" and especially the "revenue model" of an Indian Minister. He just tried to gate crash into domains he was not invited in the first place.
Is he clean, i do not think so, but is he better than the rest, in many ways sure. I have no sympathy for him, he was naive and he thought he can do anything with his charisma. Still I wish him the best

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

shanavas — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 09:22:45 -0000

i think incidents like this will disappoint the people of India who wish for a good and prosperous tomorrow ,to be India on top of the world and of course our faith in democracy . We need leaders like him -thinking and acting- instead of eating and earning leaders who service for their own benefits and never ever for India or Indians.

we salute you Shashiji. go ahead and we all with you and supports you.. All the best for your good efforts for us..

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

Sajan Thomas — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 01:04:15 -0000

We stand behind Mr. Tharoor. It is a shame to India that our politicians support Modi who is already having a notorious background and power brokering.

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

sirm00ng — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 13:47:12 -0000

While it is commendable Tharoor speaks Queen's English and Sarkozy French, for the serious ministry in which he was made MOS, he was caught with foot-in-mouth syndrome too often, which he later escaped with clever English definitions.

First it was the visa controversy where he wanted rules bent for Americans differing with his own ministry and minister that too of all things the stupid TWITTER thing!

Next, he was caught with foot-in-mouth in Saudi when he tried to invite Saudis to mediate between India and Pak without even knowing background of Saudis. Then clever English followed

What is the use of having so many foreign minister friends if he cannot speak for his own country?

UN can at best today be called 'Useless Nations' because it has lost relevance after Americans sidelined it and started using NATO for their adventures in Iraq, Afghanistan etc. UN is useful only in situations where NATO cannot be used for the Americans.

Also UN has even far less accountability than Indian politics. Money comes from some country, goes somewhere all in the name of charity. Nobody can exactly account for money from where it came and went. Bill Clinton got a plum job at UN for Monica Lewinsky after she left white-house. That shows how lucrative and unaccountable UN jobs are.

Compared to it, there is a lot of accountability in Indian politics. there are lot more people who watch out like Media etc.

Also, there was a sense of arrogance that showed in all of Tharoor's external dealings be it with Media or on twitter which really is a BIG NO NO first in the party he is in... There is a big crowd in his party who dont like sycophants because they get extra power within the party.

Re: Who is Shashi Tharoor?

shirazgidwani — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 08:47:23 -0000

Beautifully written. Let that sip of water come from www.SupportTharoor.org!