What’s in a language? Lots, if we are talking about the linguistic fencing in Maharashtra over Marathi and Hindi. A day before eminent lawyer Ujjwal Nikam was nominated to the Rajya Sabha, PM Narendra Modi called him. He made an unusual request: Which language should he speak with the lawyer? Hindi or Marathi? Here is Nikam, in his own words, “The PM called me in the morning and the first thing he asked was—’Marathi meinboluya Hindi mein’? And then he spoke with me in Marathi and switched to Hindi. First, I laughed, then requested him to speak in whichever language he prefers, as he knows both Hindi and Marathi.” B.L. Santhosh, BJP general secretary (organisation) termed this the “perfect antidote”. He placed the PM’s question in perspective: “The PM by this gave a befitting slap to those who are creating a row and trouble in the name of the local language by allegedly targeting non-Marathi speaking people, as well as honoured the language of Maharashtra—Marathi—by speaking first in Marathi. That is called a political antidote against those who are fermenting animosity in the name of language.”One wife only: DoPT sets LTC ruleBabudom just got its moment of comic relief, straight from the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT). Its new circular aimed at clarifying Leave Travel Concession (LTC) rules for central government employees, declared: “Not more than one wife” is eligible to avail the LTC facility. What! Yes, that line is now part of official government documentation. The circular defines who is “family” to qualify for LTC benefits. It lists the ineligible categories before dropping the punchline. Guffaws echoed through the power corridors after reading it. Some wondered aloud if David Dhawan — of ‘Biwi No. 1’ fame — was on a secret sabbatical, moonlighting as a government typist. Humour aside, the DoPT insists the clarification was necessary. “This department receives so many references, RTI applications, and grievances from employees across different offices regarding LTC rules,” the circular notes. Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V: Monthly probity reports The CPWD seems to have stumbled upon a somewhat ironic twist to its “Monthly Report of Probity”. The report is designed to uphold integrity among government personnel. It turns out that the probity exercise didn’t extend to how the report is compiled. Some officers were found to be taking creative liberties in writing the monthly report, using just four keys on the keyboard: Control+C (copy) and Control+V (paste). The bosses suddenly realised the reports, month after month, looked and read the same — a kind of déjà vu with a timestamp. What caught their goat was that the reports weren’t destined to gather dust in cabinets but went straight up the DoPT ladder and were uploaded to the no-nonsense Probity Portal, which Big Brother Bureaucracy watched like a hawk. The CPWD wasn’t amused at all. It sent out a note warning the sloppy report producers to desist from such “repetitive reporting”. Aam for American aadmi & beyond The mango season isn’t just about sticky fingers and sweet cravings anymore. Welcome to the delicious world of mango diplomacy, where India showcases its soft power overseas, one juicy Aam at a time. The Modi government is upping the mango game with full fanfare. It’s all about mango festivals, mango tastings, and mango lassi pop-ups – basically, a mango season makeover for Indian diplomacy. This summer, the Indian Consulate in Seattle hosted a mango festival that attracted quite the guest list like — Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown, Senator Manka Dhingra, and Seattle Port Commissioner Sam Cho. In Moscow’s Manezhnaya Square, Bharat Utsav showcased India’s juiciest mangoes, along with mango lassi, in early July. Next stop: Jeddah. The Indian consulate in Saudi Arabia is prepping for its mango extravaganza. Qatar, Malaysia and Bhutan, among others, have already had their mango moments.Catch ’em young to understand India If you want the world to understand India, start with the youngest readers. That’s what the MEA is doing, with a simple idea: stories. Indian missions and posts are translating classic Indian children’s stories into foreign languages. So far, five Amar Chitra Katha comics are available in nine languages, and six more are awaiting release in Norwegian. The MEA is also quietly building cultural outposts around the globe. They are called India Corners, cosy nooks in schools, colleges, universities, and libraries stocked with books on India. In the past year alone, Indian missions in Munich, Moscow, Seattle, Kandy, and Ho Chi Minh City have helped set up over 50 such India Corners. That means in classrooms from Brasilia to Belgrade, students are discovering India beyond what textbooks or headlines can offer. The best way to introduce India to the next generation is through a tale well told in a language they understand.
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