Nearly 50 years ago, I landed in Kurnool to join The Hindu as its roving correspondent. I left Hyderabad amid mixed feelings of sadness at being away from the family and the excitement of a new job at a new place. Day One, Jan. 21, 1977, went off routinely with me submitting joining reports and…
Amidst the tranquil banks of the sacred Ganga, vigilant soldiers of King Guha discerned the encampment of a massive army. Swiftly, they reported the unusual sight of a vast assembly of troops within his domain. Guha, ever watchful, personally surveyed the scene and espied a grand chariot adorned with the insignia of the Ikshvaku dynasty—a…
Bade Miyan: ‘Aye rickshaw. Chalthe kya Chandrayangutta? …
ADY 1362 – THE HOME WRECKER: Two-wheelers have cast a spell on me ever since I was ten. The obsession became stronger after a cousin lent me his bike for a day. Exploiting this weakness, a crafty fellow journalist palmed off his 15-year-old rickety dying Lambretta to me. While marketing its plus points to me,…
September 24, 1970, was just another Thursday, so it seemed when I returned home from work. I had hardly changed when I heard a commotion outside – people whining and screaming. I came out only to see men and women fleeing in panic for their dear lives. I could make out from the rising din…
How do you look at the historic event? Some say it is the liberation of the people from the oppressive rule of the Nizam and consequent integration into the Indian Union. Others insist it is annexation and forcible occupation of the erstwhile princely State. Three-quarters of a century later, the debate continues. Parties take the…
Dasu Kesava Rao When the NDA Government abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution and facilitated Jammu and Kashmir to become an integral part of the country, the step was widely welcomed by the people, though Congress raised a political storm over it. It is interesting to see how Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru reacted to a…
Dasu Kesava Rao This is the story of the sad end of a newspaper, representing the darkest phase of the life of its founder, Andhra Kesari Tanguturi Prakasam, whose 152nd birth anniversary falls today (August 23). Prakasam started ‘Swarajya’ to kindle and sustain patriotic spirit among the masses and to aggressively promote the cause of…
Breaking News, literally: Sensational and shocking. These are words by which some channels and web magazines swear. There is nothing sensational or shocking about what they report. However the other day I watched news actually breaking. Yes, spokesmen of two rival parties during a live TV debate found hot words not getting them anywhere. Logic…
How we set out to Srisailam without a paisa in hand: This was in the early 90s. We planned a trip to Srisailam and my schoolmate who was the regional manager, of APSRTC, offered to help us with seats (there was no reservation for day services those days) and entrusted the job to the station…
