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Dear Readers,
The vast sprawl of slums that greets those descending on Mumbai’s airport, the rickety black and yellow Ambassador cabs outside New Delhi’s airport that seem a tad anachronistic, both belie the country’s incredible economic growth in recent times. However, the same smells, the same sounds, and the same sights of the past are, perhaps, what make India indecipherable and yet, at the same time, incredible. Contradictions seem to abound and be the essence here: Mumbai—India’s financial capital—where house rents rate amongst the highest in the world, also has the dubious distinction of housing Asia’s largest slum, Dharavi—a cheap, affordable option to those who move to Mumbai to earn their living! Bicycle rickshaws, once a quaint tourist attraction in their own right in the Old Delhi area, are now ubiquitous even in booming suburbs such as Ghaziabad that, by the way, made it to Newsweek’s ten most dynamic cities in the world list. Add to all these incongruities buffalo-drawn wagons and pushcarts trudging their way on highways alongside expensive, top of the line SUVs and luxury sedans, and tiny, no-name manufacturers and hawkers peddling their wares beside high-end boutiques and malls, and one may very well wonder whether India is thriving or striving. As is evident, the difference in the value of a rupee is still vast and varied in the divergent classes within the country, and the realisation of the dream of India ‘shining’ could be said to be restricted to only certain sections of society. So, what is the hoopla all about? Is it just political hubris or corporate hyperbole? Is Dr. Manmohan Singh’s vision for ‘all-inclusive growth’ at all possible? Time will only tell. Our cover story attempts to encapsulate the essence of this phenomenal boom sweeping across India.
Our focus countries are Cuba and Finland. While one country boasts of its prowess in communications technology, the other one remains unsurpassed in cigars. The year 2007 marks the 50th death anniversary of Jean Sibelius, and ‘An ode to the master composer’ is our homage to this great Finnish composer. General Leonid Ivashov’s ‘Russia-India: Geopolitical Project’ discusses important factors in Indo-Russian relations. To celebrate International Women’s Day 2007, we have a contribution from well-known journalist Neelam Mahajan Singh, who has tirelessly worked over the years towards women’s empowerment. Other topical issues that find place are the ASEAN FTA and the energy and transport linkages between central and south Asia. This year commemorates the 50th death anniversary of Diego Rivera and the 100th birth anniversary of Frieda Kahlo, and our art feature is a tribute to these two luminaries.
Our travelogue in this issue covers the glory that is Athens. I shall also end on a Grecian note with a quote from Heraclitus: “Nothing endures but change.” Yes, you must have noticed it—the masthead of Diplomatist sports a new look. |
