KTWV 11 Issue 14: 2010 Doha Debate at St. Stephen's College in Photographs

(Sorry for the photograph quality as they are directly snapped from the TV!)

The Premises: Auditorium, St. Stephen's College, Delhi





The Moderator with the Panel

The Proposition: 'This House beleives Muslims are not getting a fair deal in India'.




The Moderator Tim Sebastian



The Speakers

Seena Mustafa



Sachin Pilot



Teesta Setalvad



M. J. Akbar



The Questioners

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The Audience

The Vote

KTWV 10 Issue 11: Montek Singh Alhuwalia on BBC World

I got home rather late yesterday and found Annikki flipping through TV Channels.

As she skimmed through BBC World, I shouted "STOP".

There was the familiar blue turban shooting across the screen.

I knew that could only be one person with those turban tying skills - 63er Montek.

Annikki asked me whether Montek could hear anything as he pins down his ears so tightly. She suggested he might punch some holes in the turban at strategic places. I assured her that Montek never had a hearing problem! :-)

I have not seen Montek for 46 years now, but noted besides his turban, all his mannerisms have remained intact. His ability to put across his point of view cutting his adversary to mincemeat had, no doubt, sharpened with experience.

It was a repeat of a program: Global Recession: A Developing World Emergency?

They were talking about Globalisation, the G 20, the stimulus package, the bank bailout (vs. what Montek pointed out as the unwanted "bankers bailout"). Luísa Dias Diogo - Prime Minister of Mozambique, Robert Zoellick - President of the World Bank, Bob Geldof - Campaigner and Pop Star turned advocate for poverty stricken Africa, Montek Singh Ahluwalia - Deputy Chairman of the Indian Planning Commission and Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul - German Development Minister, along with Moderator Zeinab Badawi, made up the debating team.

I was not much interested in this topic, but what I did hear from Montek was an intelligent spiel!

Nice to see one more of our 60s crowd on international media.