THE MONTH GONE BY has certainly had something for everyone. Apart from elections, people have had to come to grips with phenomena ranging from Board exams to the Budget session in Parliament. It was interesting to see Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee quote Shakespeare repeatedly during the session; admittedly, those bits were more interesting than the budget itself, which was too aam for the common admi. Budget 2012 did not sizzle at all (it sank like an arrowroot biscuit dipped in tea too much) but what did carry a spark was Whatever the Odds—a book launched last November and currently resting on my bedside table. A semi-autobiographical work co-written by Indian realty baron Kushal Pal Singh and journalists Ramesh Menon and Raman Swamy, Whatever the Odds is quite the page-turner. What impressed me the most about this book was its lack of superfluity—neither its subject nor its writers resorted to unnecessary words. It was a pragmatic narrative, much like its protagonist. But to put the spotlight on Singh, we will need to describe him a little better. A few more adjectives will be needed, and I will use the word ‘honest’ before all others. One does not expect a realty baron like Singh to admit to weaknesses, yet he does. With a humility that is rare, he recalls his father-in- law’s censure, his own initial lack of canny business sense and his struggles. Obviously, then, ‘courageous’ is another word that could be used to describe the man. Though the Millennium City in Gurgaon is every bit Singh’s baby, he is not blinkered about it. Like a parent he is quick to point out the shoddy condition of his “dream project”; slams its lack of infrastructure and potholed roads. We were fortunate to score a double scoop with our cover story this time—roping in both K.P. Singh and Ramesh Menon. A veteran journalist, Menon gladly revisited his days of extensive research with Singh for the DW cover. Perhaps it’s inevitable that everyone is talking about economic models, environmental impact and financial systems. Another observer to speak on similar issues is Chandran Nair, who has written in for our “Foreign Despatches” this month. An economist and environmentalist, Nair takes on and redefines the conventional ideas of capitalism. This month’s DW ends on a rather delicious note, with a conversation with everybody’s favourite chef, Sanjeev Kapoor. Kapoor entered our living rooms thanks to his immensely popular cooking show. Read on to find out about his father’s influence, cooking Indian khana and of course, kitchens. On that note, I leave you with a magazine that I hope gives you enough food for thought. As always, I look forward to your response, so do write in.