Changing Seasons

There is a distinct nip in the night air these days, clearly, autumn will be slowly melding into winter. It’s a pleasant time of the year a time of festivity and joy, cheer and sharing. Autumn is a season of harvest; hopes sown in spring and summer are harvested in autumn. We wish all our readers too had a joyous month gone by before we draw you into our offering for November.

We have always brought you ideas and trends and sometimes an idea whose time is yet to come and the man on our cover this month is one such man whose time is yet to come, a politician waiting to be toasted. This man is none other than BJP’s Nitin Gadkari, a minister in the Modi government whose influence is rising in proportion to his ability as an administrator and politician. Gadkari is a classic case of how the RSS nurtures ambitious men, assisting them in their rise in politics. Being the blue-eyed boy of the RSS, Gadkari could well be a future prime minister. We take a close look at this businessman-turned-politician.

Across our northeastern borders in what is known as the land of the golden pagodas or what was Burma and now Myanmar a politician with a deep connect to India has been a rebel for years and an inspiration to the world. To Aung San Suu Kyi we entrusted our hopes. To mention her name was to invoke patience and resilience in the face of suffering, courage and determination in the unyielding struggle for freedom. We try to piece together the life of this rebel who is now taking cautious steps in her country’s governance.

From a political goddess to living goddesses. The curious case of Nepal’s Kumaris or virgins always fascinates. And recently another threeyear-old girl has been anointed on Ashtami this year as the Kumari or the new 'living goddess' of Kathmandu by Hindu priests and taken to a palace where she will remain until she reaches puberty. And then onto some real women who will be for the first time donning IAF colours as combat pilots.

Then a peek at Bombay Dyeing’s yesteryear man Karan Kapoor and his journey with the lens into the little-known world of Anglo-Indians. And Newton’s journey to the Oscars along with a futuristic look at our food needs and consumption.

Apart from this, we bring you the usual host of opinions, political columns, a magazine packed with exciting reading. Have fun!