The launch of a book by former Ambassador to Japan, Sujan Chinoy, in Ahmedabad last week saw several comic interludes. One such episode was related to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) where Chinoy was recently appointed a member in a committee of experts for overhauling the organisation. During a Q&A session, a senior citizen from the audience, while making few observations, said, “You are going to head the DRDO as I understand…” Chinoy immediately chipped in jocularly from the dais, saying, “I am not going to head the DRDO, but take it down”. The hall echoed with laughter.

One Festival, Many Ways

Two senior BJP leaders from Surat – Darshana Jardosh and Harsh Sanghavi – celebrated Rakshabandhan in different ways Wednesday. Jardosh is Union Minister of State for Railways and Textiles, whereas Sanghavi is Minister of State for Home in the state government. Jardosh, who is on an official visit to Nagaland, celebrated the festival by tying rakhis to jawans of the Border Security Force (BSF) and Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio. Sources close to Jardosh said it is for the first time in her life that she tied rakhis to jawans, that too, in the Northeast region. Sanghavi, on the other hand, arrived at an old age home in the Umra area of Surat and celebrated the festival with elderly women. Sources close to Sanghavi said it was a first for the young minister, too.