The other day I was walking past a shop window and noticed a mannequin standing there with more confidence than most politicians I have seen. Chin up, shoulders back, dressed better than the average wedding guest. People stopped. Stared. Some admired. And one fellow even adjusted his own shirt as…
Losing Your Power to Analyse..!
Yesterday I attended a meeting in my society to discuss the feasibility report with a firm, which in Mumbai is not just a project, but an emotional rollercoaster with blueprints. There were long discussions, with an engineer explaining with great seriousness how the old building would give way to a…
Deadly Bird Fight..!
For years my morning coffee, I have in my garden, has come with a peaceful audience. Crows, mynahs, pigeons. Sparrows, and once I counted, eight varieties of birds that gather at my feet, waiting with remarkable discipline for the birdfeed I scatter. No arguments, no shouting, just quiet coexistence. And…
I Messed Up..!
The rarest words in the English language are not “income tax refund” or “let’s talk peace.” They are three simple, honest, terrifying words, “I messed up.” Two days ago after that shocking collision at La Guardia in New York, an air traffic controller reportedly admitted, “I messed up.” No legal…
Wicked..!
I spent an astronomical sum two evenings ago to watch Wicked the Musical, at that grand Ambani theatre in Bandra, where even the chairs seem to have better posture than the audience. I walked in as a storyteller, expecting a powerful narrative that would grip my heart, twist my emotions,…
Prime Minister Daniel..!
Just imagine, in the middle of today’s Israeli-Iran war, reading from the scriptures, that once upon a time an Israeli slave became the chief administrator, or prime minister in what we now call Iran. Not a consultant. Not an advisor. A slave. And yet, running the empire! Enter the Jewish…
Leakage in a Flat..!
In a Bombay housing society, nothing unites people faster than a leakage. Not festivals, not elections, not even free samosas at the AGM. But one drop from the ceiling and suddenly the entire building becomes emotionally, technically, and spiritually involved. It begins innocently. A faint patch appears on the ceiling….
Old Men of India..!
There seems to be a sudden shortage of hobbies among the elderly gentlemen running the country. Having failed to handle inflation, infrastructure and international relations, they have now taken up a far more delicate responsibility. Managing youngsters. Earlier, this was done by parents, uncles and occasionally the neighbour who had…
Great Dilemma in the Country…!
India is currently facing a crisis of great national importance. Not inflation, not unemployment, not even potholes that could qualify as inland seas. No, our greatest dilemma today is deciding whether we support the United States or Iran. And like all serious national decisions, this one is being taken very…
The Anti- Conversion Law at Home..!
The Anti- Conversion Law has arrived in Maharashtra, and like all significant state and national developments, I felt it my duty as a responsible citizen to first implement it where I thought I had absolute control, at home. I immediately appointed myself Chief Anti- Conversion Officer. It is a highly…
Robert Clements is a newspaper columnist and writes a daily column, which has graced the pages of over 60 newspapers and magazines, from a daily column in the Khaleej Times, Dubai, the Morning Star, London, and in nearly every state in India, from The Statesman in Kolkata, to the Kashmir Times in Kashmir to the Trinity Mirror in Chennai.